#Justyn quit

[idoodle2draw-marquer]

HAPPY VAL entines DAY to @diroxide you shit 🤍💥

couldn't resist to make some of these for his burthday, they're very Valcore :)

@cosmindart's bases are SO FUN uGHHH and i'm already making more so expect yet another post LMAO fdhjnkdf

check out his FREE-TO-USE bases!!

i did multiple versions of the one featuring my squid because its quite versatile dhfbgkjf

[justyncase]

We have been mutuals for quite a number of years now and I am taking this moment to say that you’re doin great, keep doin what you’re doin friend

aww thank you anon lol

[jonmesseatingglass]

"It's okay to be hurt sometimes. It's how you learn about others and about yourself. The best qualities can come from those who are in pain - you learn to have empathy. You learn about kindness and love."

The words sounded extremely cheesy, but he knew he meant every word he was saying. Life itself was full of cheesy, happy moments. Caden loved life.

"Those who withdraw from others are cowards. They have so much they can give to others, and yet...they are selfish. No, refusing to share with others is more of a weakness than trust."

Hailey Rutherford 2012

[shepherds-of-haven]

Hi Lena! I was wonder, do you have fun facts about our favourite squad of disaster recruits? I love them so much lol

Hi anon, I'm so glad you like them and aren't annoyed by them, lol! I don't have too many facts that won't be at least touched on in their training sessions, but let's see...

- It's implied in their third training session if you spy on them, but Ysa is definitely developing a one-sided crush on Daren! However, Daren is not only oblivious, he's (discovering that he's) aromantic and pansexual, whereas Ysa is alloromantic and asexual, so... They haven't quite figured things out yet, poor things!

- Cybele is known as the "immature one" in the squad and acts the youngest, but she's actually the oldest sibling in her family! When her younger siblings come to visit (they live in the farmlands just outside of Haven), everyone is surprised to find how Cybele acts like "the cool tough big sis" and is idolized by her family for take-charge, bossy, somewhat mature attitude... She basically has a complete personality change and Justyn is like "...why can't you act like this all the time..."

- Because of his former profession as a bard, Justyn is quite a good singer and a musician, but where his skills really come into demand are when it comes to writing love poems. Someone asks him for help composing something to woo some sweetheart of theirs, he tosses together some sappy poem, and then all of a sudden everybody is asking him to ghost-write love letters and greeting cards and poetry to win over the hearts of lovers who seem skeptical of their feelings... He has a whole side business at this point, and on the road you can often find him scribbling down dozens of poems by the camp's firelight while everybody else goes to sleep... For an extra fee, he'll even change his handwriting to match yours to lower suspicion! 😂

Thanks for your question!

[firesign23]

Hot in Herre... Please... I haven't recovered from that ficlet

Oh my god, I haven’t recovered from that ficlet. Like, I was genuinely just surprised that (as far as I had seen/could remember), nobody had run with the complete absurdity in fic. Tumblr posts, yes, and reblogging one of those on Valentine’s Day was where I put my musing tags and then MULTIPLE HORRIBLE PEOPLE were like “Sooooo, you volunteering?” And I absolutely wasn’t, for so many reasons, not least of all the fact I had a migraine. And I could not figure out how Jaime would know the song and Brienne wouldn’t and just… no. Not writing it. I yelled at people that I was not writing it.

Reader, I wrote it. In a migraine-hangover daze.

Now, before I get into the references present and not, I have to reiterate a story I told on a reblog–I was adamant that nobody in the 30-40 year age range could fail to know this song, which my husband proved incorrect mere hours later. Bastard. 

Tarth content laws are based off an actual thing in Canada, where a certain percentage of media must be in some way Canadian. It was instituted in the 70s as a way to counter the much bigger pools of American and European content, and it’s a little more complicated than a straightforward 40% and applies to both radio and TV. And if Tarth was going to have a Canadian law, it had to have some Canadian nods.

Brienne references being on the rink. Hockey? Curling? Both? It’s up to you.

Gal the Shoe is a nod to Ed the Sock, who was known for his shows on CityTV (a very local Toronto-based channel, though other cities have their own) and MuchMusic (the Canadian version of MTV). These were the inspiration of the weekly hour-long music show.

“Quarterchange. Mai Lejardin. Selyse Dion.” are obviously references to well-known Canadian acts of… questionable quality. Nickelback, Avril Lavigne (La Vigne->the vine, Le Jardin -> the garden in French. Using the actual surname Desjardins was a step too obscure even for me), Celine Dion. Other options included Bran Addams and Justyn Beaver, but both weren’t quite of the same era.

I considered nodding to some good Canadian artists, but there wasn’t a natural opening. Just know that Brienne was a big fan of The Tragically Ship and Sapphire Rodeo in her teens.

And not Canadian, but the entire fic is meant to be a weird mashup of the drinking game and kiss in 8x04, with a side of my favourite “How the fuck do I ship this?” crackship because it was convenient.

come into my ask box and ask for the “director’s commentary” on a particular story, section of a story, or set of lines.  Or, send in a ⭐star⭐  to have the author select a section they’ve been dying to talk about!

[dancingwithdylan21]

Pop Princess - Bodyguard AU

Summary: Mitch is the reader’s bodyguard and his feelings are revealed on the set of her new music video.

Pairing: bodyguard!Mitch x popstar!Reader

Word Count: 2,083

~

Mitch grits his teeth, biting back a low growl, he can feel a dangerous rumble in his chest that’s threatening to escape. His fury filled eyes witness you greedily accept every seductive touch from your co-star Justyn.

Your bodyguard is fully aware that the sexual bullshit playing out before him is just acting for your music video. That it’s your job at the moment to portray a lustful, passionate relationship for the camera. Although it doesn’t lessen the strong urge of wanting to break your co-stars face.

Justyn’s grubby hands are grabbing and pulling you, his lips kissing and grazing you, his whole motherfucking body keeps touching you. To make matters worse, you’re donning sexy red lingerie that barely leaves anything to the imagination.

Feeling himself start to overheat, Mitch harshly rips off his black leather jacket in an attempt to breathe. Unfortunately it’s futile because his blood continues to boil, failing to allow any form of sweet relief.

Suddenly feeling a heavy gaze, Mitch’s brown eyes snap to his left where he catches your stylist Megan sending him quizzical look. He starts to slightly panic because he thought his inner battle was kept under control. Now he’s paranoid about his feelings bubbling to the surface.

“Moving on!” The director shouts up into the air, on command the music and lights are cut and everyone jumps into action to setup for the next shot.

“Oh thank Christ.” Mitch already breaks out into a fast stride towards where you’re standing. He can’t help but groan loudly as Justyn wraps his muscular arms around you one last time to say goodbye.

You and your handsome bodyguard finally lock eyes as he impatiently waves you over. You squint noticing that he seems uncharacteristically flustered right now.

“You alright, Rapp? Your face is all red.”

“I’m fine. Let’s go.” Mitch replies half-heartedly motioning in the direction of your trailer. Deciding to just leave it be, a curious smile appears on your face as you let him lead the way.

“What was I thinking? I’ve never had so many outfit changes in one music video and now I know why. It’s a pain in the ass! This will be the sixth one.” You whine out, lazily hopping up your trailer steps and dragging yourself inside.

“You gonna wear actual clothes this time around?” Mitch automatically detects the hint of jealously in his voice and it makes him wince as he shuts the door behind him.

“I didn’t realize I had to run my wardrobe by you, Rapp.” You deliver dryly, not missing the way Mitch’s jaw tightens.

“Well now you know. So act accordingly.” Satisfied with his witty remark, Mitch ignores your roll of the eyes and proceeds to plop down onto the couch.

A sudden wave of energy bustles into the trailer when your stylist Megan and makeup artist Donny walk through the door. They immediately get to work, transforming you yet again into another character for your video.

“Doing anything fun on your day off tomorrow?” Donny inquires sweeping aside your wavy locks to dust bronzer over your chest and shoulders.

“I’m going to Disneyland!” You giddily clap your hands and start bouncing in your seat.

Your words bring Mitch into an automatic state of uneasiness and he’s now officially dreading tomorrow. He knows you going to a supermarket can turn into a shitshow, never mind a god damn theme park.

“Are you sure, Y/N?” Mitch hesitantly peels himself off of the couch and moves slowly to stand behind your chair. He looks apprehensive as he makes eye contact with you in the mirror.

“Yes! Don’t worry. You get the day off too. Go do whatever you want.” You happily inform him, giving his brooding reflection a thumbs up.

“Funny. What time will we leave? I’ll call and get a VIP guide setup to take us around to the rides.” Mitch misses the immediate scowl on your face, too busy typing away on his iPhone.

“I’m serious, dude. It doesn’t need to be turned into a celebrity thing. I don’t want a guide shuffling me around the park and pushing me to the front of the line for every ride. I just wanna be normal for once.” It’s now your bodyguard’s turn to have the scowl and he certainly wears it well.

“Besides Joel will be with me.” You add quickly casting your eyes down to fidget with your bracelet. You’re already aware of Mitch’s opinion of him and it’s definitely not in your favor.

“Joel. Your moron guitar player? You’re kidding, right? He couldn’t fight his way out of a paper bag. There’s no way in hell I’m trusting him to protect you.”

“Mitch…”

“Not happening, Y/N. End of discussion.” He declares sternly.

“Don’t talk to me like I’m a god damn child.” You grumble in frustration while friggin Donny is squeezing your face with his hand to keep it in place. Impatiently waiting for him to fix your smokey eyes, he finally finishes with a loud ‘ta-da!’

“Can you guys please excuse us? Go get yourselves a coffee or something at craft services.” You smile sweetly but it fails to reach your eyes, thankfully Donny and Megan exit the trailer with no questions asked.

“I’m your boss ya know.” Not bothering to spin around in your chair, you decide to send him a hard glare through your reflection in the mirror.

“I don’t care.”

“Damn it, Mitch! I’m the celebrity. You’re the bodyguard. You do what I say!” In a loud huff, you hop off of your chair and twirl around to face him determined to stand your ground.

“To the world, you’re a celebrity. To me, you’re still the brace faced dork who made up dances to Madonna songs in her backyard.” He cheekily replies making your mouth drop open in shock.

“How the hell do you know about that? I was like eleven!”

“I was your next door neighbor, dumb ass. I could see you from my bedroom window.”

“Oh. So you were a stalker at fourteen years old. That’s not creepy at all.” You tell him narrowing your eyes.

“Stalker? Yeah totally. I was taking notes in my Ren and Stimpy notebook.” With a shake of his head, Mitch starts chuckling at the aggravated look covering your face.

“At least you admit it.” You mutter under your breath.

“For your fucking information…that asshole John from down the street always picked on the younger kids. I was watching over your stubborn ass even back then.” Mitch laughs humorlessly realizing just how long you’ve had a hold on him.

“Whatever. There’s a reason that my former bodyguards didn’t work out. I don’t need a babysitter, Rapp.”

“You got along with all of them until they disagreed with you. Two got fired and the third quit. Nice track record.”

“You’re giving me a headache, man.” You moan dramatically, doing your best to focus on something that isn’t the brown eyed man.

“You know what the difference is between me and those other guys?” Mitch intentionally speaks louder making your head snap up to attention.

“Enlighten me.”

“I. don’t. give. a. fuck. You can whine, cry, bitch, yell, have a tantrum…doesn’t matter. I’ve seen the best of you and I’ve definitely seen the worst. So give me your best shot, princess.” He finishes with a smirk that drives you wild and you’d like nothing more than to wipe it off his fucking face.

“Yeah well I’m gonna tell Stan that you’re being a dick to me.” You regret the childish words the second they fly out of your mouth. Annoyed with yourself, you pretend that you didn’t just revert back and act like a twelve year old.

“Aw you’re gonna go tattle tale to your big scary uncle?” He rolls his eyes. “Go ahead. No skin off my back.”

“You’re the one who wanted this job so bad, Rapp. I wouldn’t act so cocky.”

“I…I’m sorry?” Mitch looks taken aback, searching your face to see if you’re fucking with him.  

“You’re the one who begged Stan to get me to hire you!” You respond exasperated now pacing around the trailer. You think back to the conversation you had with the uncle that raised you.

“Are you high?!” Mitch spits out causing you to automatically freeze in front of him.

“Hurley convinced me to let you have the job. He said you weren’t ready to get back into the field after your last mission.”

“That little mother fucker.” Mitch growls pulling a confused expression from you.

“I was involved in an operation but I backed out because he practically pleaded with me to take this job.”

“That doesn’t make sense, Rapp.”

“Hurley said you wanted someone you were comfortable with and that you could trust. And that you wanted me to do it.” He barely glaces at you, focusing more on the pit developing in his stomach.

The obvious question of why your uncle would arrange this is hanging in the air, neither of you wanting to be the one to voice it first. Of course you figure it’s because of your hidden feelings for Mitch.

You’ve never admitted them to your uncle but he knows you all too well. This is the bastard’s way of trying to get you to reveal them. You’re not easily intimidated but Mitch has always driven you to the point of madness.

“It wasn’t my idea. I had another security guard hired and then I had to drop him.” You purse your lips wishing that your uncle was here, you want to strangle him for putting you in this embarrassing situation.

While you’re lost in thought, Mitch sinks back down onto the couch feeling worn down by this whole ordeal. Leave it to Stan to exhaust everyone when he’s not even in the same fucking state.

“Stan’s done a lot of ridiculous shit over the years but this one takes the cake.” You say quietly now feeling extremely awkward with every movement that you make.

“I knew it.” Mitch scoffs clasping his hands so tight that his knuckles are turning white.

“Knew what?”

“When I first started, I mentioned to Hurley that you didn’t seem too thrilled that I was around. He said to give it time, that you were just being shy. And I bought it!”

“I can be shy.” You state defensively, dropping down next to him onto the couch.

“Shy my ass. You were just half naked, dry humping some random guy in a room full of people.” Mitch spits out before he can stop himself. He reluctantly turns towards you and then encounters the ultimate bitch face. 

“But you’re the princess of pop so apparently being risque is acceptable. What the hell do I know?” He finishes now unable to control the judgmental shit being aimed your way.

“You sound like a jealous fucking prick right now!” You’re instantly alarmed about what just slipped out of your damn unfiltered mouth. It seems to have woken something deep inside of Mitch who looks extremely close to flipping his shit.

“Maybe because I am!” Mitch roars propelling himself into the middle of the room.

He appears slightly intimidating between his rougher than usual voice and the intensity in his eyes but you decide to stay frozen while he continues his breakdown. Besides what he just exclaimed isn’t sinking in with you yet, otherwise you’d have a much stronger response.

“I’ve been in love with the same girl since I was fourteen. Fourteen! Do you know what it’s like having feelings for someone and being too big of a pussy to tell her? And let’s not forget that she turned into the biggest fucking pop star on the planet!”

Mitch’s gesturing wildly and you’re praying that he continues his rant because you are at a fucking loss. You’re understanding his words but your brain is not fucking registering them.

“So naturally your idiot uncle decides to step in and rearrange my entire god damn life, making me a permanent fixture in your crazy world. As if me being around you 24/7 would make me grow some balls. And I guess the joke’s on me because here we fucking are.”

Finally pausing to catch his breath, Mitch gives you his full attention and it makes your head start swimming. So much for being your usual confident self, you feel like you’re on the verge of a panic attack.

“Well…are you gonna say anything, Y/N?!”

~

Masterlist 

[and-all-the-rest-of-them]

Whatever It Takes || Lenny

His eyes were closed tightly, making him look as f he was concentrating hard on something. Or trying to pass gas. As luck would have it, Lenny actually was trying to concentrate on something. And that something was a computer that was situated outside of Castor, on the outskirts of the closet human city. Lenny had wanted the computer to be far away, but not too far. At least not for their first trail run. 

After another long moment, his eyes popped open and he looked to his phone that he had laying on the desk next to him. It was just about time for Justyn to send him another update from where he was keeping the laptop company out in the “human” world and hopefully it would be good news this time. Ever since they had branched out further and away from Castor, this challenge was starting to seem impossible.

He rubbed at his face, trying to marshal up the remaining optimism he had over this experiment. If Leon could somehow strengthen his own mental powers to reach him from a completely different country, he should be able to make a simple message appear on Justyn’s laptop. It only made sense, right? Leon was his Sire, for better or worse. And a strong Sire should theoretically produce strong fledglings. ..right?

A chirp burst through his thoughts, almost causing him to fall from his chair. He had been waiting for this message, but he had been so wrapped up in his own mind that he had forgotten all about it. And he wished he could still forget about it once he saw the message Justyn had sent. This experiment of their’s wasn’t working. He still couldn’t do it. Maybe he was as miserably pathetic as Leon always said...

Nope. Knock it off. Lenny knew better to think things like that. He could practically hear Shiro’s voice, and Nicholas’ as well, lecturing him in his mind. Thoughts like those were just fading memories of his life with Leon. They weren’t the actual truth. If they were, how would he be working for the actual Mr. Reed? Or be friends with the Nefarious’ own fledgling and even her partner in crime, too? There had to be something good about Lenny if all of these people were wanting to work with him and use his talents. 

Grasping at the last bit of hope he could feel in him, he sent back another message to Justyn that they were going to try one more time. Just once more and then Lenny would just call it quits. They had been doing this all day and while they had gotten this far, there had been no improvement for the last couple of hours.

Alright, Lenny could do this. He just had to focus, put his whole mind to work as he concentrated on the distant laptop. Setting his phone aside, he closed his eyes once more and inhaled deeply before letting it out slowly. Letting his body and mind settle back down, he focused once more on Justyn’s laptop and the simple task he wanted it to perform: a scrolling message to appear on the screen proclaiming jelly beans to be the best sort of candy.

The room around him seemed to disappear as he focused everything he had on that laptop, concentrating on the message he needed to send. After another few moments, he opened his eyes again as the repetitive alerts from his phone finally dragged him out of his concentration. Recognized Justyn’s ringtone, he wondered what had the other vampire messaging him so much. 

Though his eyes widened in shock and surprise when he saw what Justyn was saying. It worked? It worked?! “Oh my God, it fucking worked!” he said out loud, jumping up from his chair as he couldn’t help but laugh aloud.”it worked. FUCK YES! YES!” Lenny couldn’t help the fist pumps he did in the air, or the small victory dance either. But soon he dropped back into his chair, picking his phone back up so he could send another message to Justyn.

Now that he had done this, he felt energized. He felt as if he could keep this up. He knew he had to keep this up, keep pushing this as far as he could take it. It looked like Leon had finally done something positive for Leon; he had shown him that it was possible to make his powers even greater than they had been. He had unkowingly given Lenny the motivation to push himself to be greater and to not give up. 

[alexsfictionaddiction]

Alex Recommends: April Books

I must apologise once again for allowing this many days to go by since the end of the month. I really need to get better at getting these monthly recommendations up in a timely fashion. However, I have been busy with work assignments and trying to map out my near future, so you’ll have to be patient!

April was a month for family time. I spent over half the month at home with my parents and family. Mark was with me for some of it, which was lovely. I’ve realised that I love spending time with him in different settings and around different groups of people. Two and a half years after our first date and despite having spent most of that time living together, I’m still learning new things about him and it’s so exciting. He got accepted on to a teacher training course this month and I’m unbelievably proud of him for doing that. He’ll start this September and be a qualified teacher by September 2023, which is amazing because I know he’ll be great at it!

I’ve also loved catching up with my friends this month. We had a birthday in the group and it was so nice to hang out at a nerdy bar, eat loaded fries and drink cocktails while watching other people play Mario Kart. I miss them so much but I’m lucky that everytime we get together, it’s like no time has passed at all. Cherish the friendships you have like this because I think they’re actually quite rare.

I’ve read a lot of fantastic books this month too. My focus was largely on the Women’s Prize longlist, which I thoroughly enjoyed reading. I haven’t read all of them yet but I am certainly planning to at some point. However, here are five books which aren’t from that list that should definitely be on your TBR. Enjoy!

-Love, Alex x

FICTION: Yinka, Where Is Your Huzband? by Lizzie Damilola Blackburn.

At 31, Yinka is single with an Oxford degree and a well-paid job at an investment bank. Her friends think she needs to get over her ex and her Nigerian mother and aunties are concerned because Yinka is yet to get herself a huzband. As her younger sister announces her pregnancy and her cousin announces her engagement, Yinka begins Operation Find A Date for the wedding. But Yinka is about to realise that she really needs to find herself before a huzband. This uplifting rom-com has a very loveable heroine in Yinka. I was willing her to find her right path to happiness. I learned a lot about Nigerian family culture and I enjoyed navigating the slang. It added a rich authenticity to the characters, which was lovely. Ultimately, it’s about the pressures on women to get married and raise a family but with a focus on being mentally prepared for that before diving into it.

NON-FICTION: Obsessive Intrusive Magical Thinking by Marianne Eloise.

Marianne Eloise was born neurodivergent and obsessive. Her obsessions change regularly and last varying lengths of time while her thoughts are often a mixture of intense fears and certain words or ideas that won’t go away. Bringing together the struggles of OCD, ADHD and hypersensitivity, this book explores the intersection of these things and what that might mean for the individual. It’s a highly insightful look into a neurodivergent, sensitive mind. It looks at the triggers and comforts for overstimulation and how relationships are navigated with a mind like this. I found it very thought-provoking and relatable, so it will definitely be a book that I recommend to anyone on the autism spectrum and/or OCD warriors.

MIDDLE-GRADE: The Great Fox Illusion by Justyn Edwards.

Flick is about to star on a new TV show, where chilldren compete to win the legacy and secrets of The Great Fox, a legendary magician. But Flick isn’t interested in The Great Fox’s magic -she wants to avenge her family who were destroyed by the magician years ago and she knows the answer lies somewhere in his house. This whimsical magic story is action-packed and so intriguing with lots of real life illusions mentioned. I had so much fun trying to figure out they were pulled off. Flick is disabled and I love seeing this kind of refreshing representation in children’s books. With a slight Willy Wonka vibe to it, The Great Fox Illusion is an exciting, clever adventure that young (and not so young) readers will love!

YA: Idol Gossip by Alexandra Leigh Young.

Since moving to Seoul from San Francisco, Alice hasn’t sung much unless you count the karaoke sessions, where she is cheered on by K-Pop fangirl and little sister Olivia. But when Alice is invited to Star Academy, where K-Pop idols are made, she is suddenly a member of an upcoming girlband and her life is now all about making it. Can she pull it off? And who is the mysterious gossip blogger who seems to know about everything that goes on within Star Academy? Idol Gossip is a gripping story of friendship, sisterhood and working hard for your dreams. I learned so much about Korean culture but also the universe of K-Pop. Of course, I knew what K-Pop was but I didn’t really know much about at all and now I get how much of a big deal it really is to a rapidly-growing fandom. The uplifting ending proves that love and kindness conquers all and I finished it with a huge smile on my face and warmth in my heart. 

THRILLER: Insomnia by Sarah Pinborough.

Emma Averell enjoys a wonderful life as a high-powered lawyer with a loyal doting husband and two lovely children. But as she approaches her 40th birthday, insomnia sets in and she has blocks in her memory. She would put it down to aging but this all seems scarily familiar. Emma and her sister Phoebe grew up in foster care due to their mother’s madness setting in just before her own 40th. Could history be repeating itself? This twisty, clever thriller is full of high drama and high emotion. I didn’t know what was real and what was all dark imagination and madness. I couldn’t stop reading it and my mind was thoroughly blown by the end. A pulse-racing, frightening read that is perfect for fans of dark fiction.

[mariaclaragomez276]

Where the SLH Team are dreaming of going

For a team that talks travel on a daily basis, months spent in lockdown has given us all an extra dose of wanderlust. From dream destinations to old favourites, travel has very much been on our minds. In need of some inspiration? When it’s safe for us to see the world again, here is where we’ll be heading…

EMEA Team

Richard Hyde – Chief Operating Officer

Venice (for my short haul city fix) Jersey ( for my staycation ) Tulum (for my resort chillax)

Jessica Sparkes – Head of Digital Performance

Barcelona, Spain: I want lots of delicious tapas, sunshine and beautiful city strolls – finishing the day with rooftop cocktails at The Wittmore.

Cotswolds, UK: I want to take my pooch on a Cotswold staycation at The Fish. We will enjoy country walks, pub grub and escape the London hustle.

Koh Samui, Thailand: Last time I was in Koh Samui I was 21, years later I want to go back in style and relax on the beach at Cape Fahn – the most beautiful island and ocean view villas!

Chloe Frost-Smith – Digital Image & Content Executive

What better way to while away summer days than with rosé in hand on the French Riviera? I am dreaming of lavender season in Provence with a splash in the pool at Hôtel Crillon le Brave, riding horses on the beach in Camargue, and living out my Brigitte Bardot fantasies by eating Tarte tropézienne for breakfast at Hôtel Lou Pinet in Saint Tropez. I would also love to read a good book under the lemon trees at Casa Angelina on the Amalfi Coast, or try an alfresco pizza-making class on the rustic estate of Castello di Reschio in Tuscany.

Closer to home, my firm favourite for a staycation is the Farncombe Estate in the Cotswolds – I’m a country girl at heart. Looking further ahead to September, I have a trip planned to Sardinia – and would love to go into Hygge hibernation at Storfjord in Norway this winter for some Scandi skiing.

Abi Tottenham-Smith – Head of Social Media

Surrounded by the vineyards and beautiful countryside in Piedmont and Villa La Madonna…

A road trip up to Scotland in a camper-van, mixed with a couple of nights of luxury at Greywalls Hotel…

A beach retreat in Greece – can’t decide where yet but somewhere to switch off and relax for a week in the sunshine…

Maddy Morgan – Director of PR Worldwide

I can’t wait to get back to … Portugal, it’s my home from home but I’ve never been to Porto so Hotel Infante Sagres and Carmo’s Boutique Hotel beckon.

I dream of being in … Bali, it’s where I honeymooned and I’d love to take my children there and stay overlooking the jungle at Viceroy Bali.

I am going to … Provence, I’m looking forward to enjoying the space and freedom of a dispersed hotel at Hôtel Crillon le Brave.

I’m bringing back my bucket list wish to go to … New Zealand, to find adventure, taste wine and discover amazing hotels like Bay of Many Coves.

Daniel Luddington – Vice President of Development

I miss Wimbledon this year – but am playing tennis three times a week at the moment to make up for it, and indulging in strawberries and cream (with Pimms!) – so a tennis getaway at Cromlix Hotel in Scotland, (owned by Andy Murray) would be the ultimate tennis fix right now.

For a family holiday, I fancy the Greek islands – Porto Zante have the most amazing private villas but also would love to experience Canaves Oia Epitome, a family friendly space unique in Santorini.

For a bit of laid back, low-key luxury, 3 places would hit the spot…Sikelia Pantelleria, Nobu Hotel Ibiza Bay or any of our Tulum properties.

Gabor Toth – Senior Revenue Account Manager

Le Grand Bellevue in Gstaad for hiking in summer and fondue.

Boutique Hotel Alhambra and D-Resort Šibenik in Croatia for my beach/water sports in Europe.

Patrick Pieters – Senior Revenue Account Manager

Loire/Valleys, Oslo, Mexico or Bali.

Chloe Musumeci – Senior Revenue Account Manager

Galleria VIK Milano to get ready for the Autumn/Winter shopping season…

Susafa for a taste of the best organic products of my land – Sicily…

Viceroy Bali – paradise on earth and an oasis of relaxation…

Christopher Grime – Head of Product Integration

Staycation – The Nare – for Cornish beaches that rival any in the world, amazing fresh fish and delicious cream teas.

A bit of culture and relaxation – my beloved Sri Lanka – amazing history, beautiful beaches, delightful people, tasty hoppers (Sri Lanka’s answer to the pancake) and the best relish in the world, Pol Sambol made with coconut.

Short hop – Hotel Ranga in Iceland for stunning waterfalls and the incredible Northern Lights, which I have yet to experience.

Mirko Della Mora – Senior GDS & Distribution Manager

For a weekend/short haul I’d love to go to one of our castles in Scotland (whisky tasting included) or in Normandy (a region that I know quite well but can’t help falling more in love each time).

For a longer trip (min 5 days, I’d say) I would love to visit:

Portugal, rent a car and go around cities and places.

Baltic cities and Norwegian Fjords (including a cruise).

As major dream trips in my bucket list:

Japan (both sides of it, the ultra-technological country and the Kabuki/cherry blossoms/tea rituals experience).

Coast to coast USA trip in a convertible car (ending in Napa Valley, for wine tours).

Argentina and Uruguay food and wine tour.

Rafael Pirassinunga – Operations Manager – World of Hyatt Partnership

I am all for the off-the-beaten-track destinations, so I’m currently dreaming of:

Lakeside cocktails and relax at Esperanza Resort & SPA

City break and fine dining at Saint Ten Hotel

Exploring ancient culture and great food at Grand Hotel Yerevan

Reconnecting with nature and social distancing from the world at Terelj Hotel

Practicing my Norwegian at Storfjord Hotel

Katrin Holtkott – Barter Room Co-ordinator

Villa Eyrie Resort, Canada (breathing in mountain air and spectacular views – reconnecting with nature)

La Sultana Marrakech (the colors, spices, architecture, people, culture – not in that order!)

Japan – I want to stay in every one of the SLH hotels in Japan – it has been on my bucket list destination for years – if not after the lockdown lifts, when then?

Justyn Herbert – Finance Director

I’m looking forward to going back to The Oval to watch the England Cricket team win the next test series, I would love to see Springsteen play the US, either Chicago or New Jersey, and in the winter go on the England Cricket tour, preferably in the West Indies, all without the social distancing.

AMERICAS Team

Anna-Lisa Hafgren-Willis – Regional Manager – Americas & Travel Trade Relations Manager

Dreaming of:

Autumn colors in Vermont at The Reluctant Panther Inn

Delayed honeymoon in Mexico City at Stara Hamburgo and Stara San Angel Inn

A nostalgic visit back to my father’s family city Gothenburg, Sweden staying with the Dorsia Hotel & Restaurant

Dana O’Malley – PR Director Americas

Small city break exploring Hotel Amparo in San Miguel.

Relaxing poolside at Canaves Oia Epitome.

Staycation in the mountains upstate New York.

Vanessa Johnson – Sales Manager, Central Region

Charleston, South Carolina: weekend city getaway at Wentworth Mansion (I’ve never been and have heard too many amazing things about the charming shops and food).

Scotland: exploring all things the highlands have to offer and stay at our dreamy castle hotels.

Canada: rest and relaxation in natures finest! Either coast, Nova Scotia and Trout Point Lodge or British Columbia and Villa Eyrie Resort.

Mexico: beach getaway to Tulum, Rivera Maya or Playa del Carmen…so many options, you can’t go wrong!

APAC Team

Jill Liu – Sales Manager, China

My dream destinations are: Tahiti, South Africa, and Santorini.

Khim Yeo – Revenue Account Manager – Asia Pacific

The Maldives (resort chilling and snorkelling)

Singapore (staycation)

Mongolia for some adventures

Crystal Davies – Senior Revenue Account Manager

Montenegro for relaxation, enjoy the beautiful mountain and coastline views, and go scuba diving if possible.

Switzerland (Cordée des Alpes Hotel) for snowboarding.

Bhutan (Bhutan Spirit Sanctuary and Gangtey Lodge) for some Zen moments, mountain biking, hiking and meditation. Our suggested itinerary which you can read here is my perfect trip.

My type of holiday always involves full-on activities, so I often feel more exhausted after vacations…!

  The post Where the SLH Team are dreaming of going appeared first on Small Luxury Hotels.

from Small Luxury Hotels https://ift.tt/3jqKtXT Publish First on

[dancingalone21]

Pop Princess

Summary: The truth is revealed on the set of the reader’s new music video.

Pairing: bodyguard!Jensen x popstar!Reader

Word Count: 2,065

~

Jensen grits his teeth, biting back a low growl, he can feel a dangerous rumble in his chest that’s threatening to escape. His fury filled eyes witness you greedily accept every seductive touch from your co-star Justyn.

Your bodyguard is fully aware that the sexual bullshit playing out before him is just acting. That it’s your job at the moment to portray a lustful, passionate relationship for the camera. Although it doesn’t lessen the strong urge of wanting to break your co-stars face.

Justyn’s grubby hands are grabbing and pulling you, his lips kissing and grazing you, his whole motherfucking body keeps touching you. To make matters worse, you’re donning sexy red lingerie that barely leaves anything to the imagination.

Feeling himself start to overheat, Jensen harshly rips off his black leather jacket in an attempt to breathe. Unfortunately it’s futile because his blood continues to boil, failing to allow any form of sweet relief.

Suddenly feeling a heavy gaze, Jensen’s eyes snap to his left where he catches your stylist Megan sending him quizzical look. He starts to slightly panic because he thought his inner battle was kept under control. Now he’s paranoid about his feelings bubbling to the surface.

“Moving on!” The director shouts up into the air, on command the music and lights are cut and everyone jumps into action to setup for the next shot.

“Oh thank Christ.” Jensen already breaks out into a fast stride towards where you’re standing. He can’t help but groan loudly as Justyn wraps his muscular arms around you one last time to say goodbye.

You and your handsome bodyguard finally lock eyes as he impatiently waves you over. You squint noticing that he seems uncharacteristically flustered right now.

“You alright, Jay? Your face is all red.”

“I’m fine. Let’s go.” Jensen replies half-heartedly motioning in the direction of your trailer. Deciding to just leave it be, a curious smile appears on your face as you let him lead the way.

“What was I thinking? I’ve never had so many outfit changes in one music video and now I know why. It’s a pain in the ass! This will be the sixth one.” You whine out, lazily hopping up your trailer steps and dragging yourself inside.

“You gonna wear actual clothes this time around?” Jensen automatically detects the hint of jealously in his voice and it makes him wince as he shuts the door behind him.

“I didn’t realize I had to run my wardrobe by you, Ackles.” You deliver dryly, not missing the way Jensen's jaw tightens.

"Well now you know. So act accordingly." Satisfied with his witty remark, Jensen ignores your roll of the eyes and proceeds to plop down onto the couch.

A sudden wave of energy bustles into the trailer when your stylist Megan and makeup artist Donny walk through the door. They immediately get to work, transforming you yet again into another character for your video.

"Doing anything fun on your day off tomorrow?" Donny inquires sweeping aside your wavy locks to dust bronzer over your chest and shoulders.

"I'm going to Disneyland!" You giddily clap your hands and start bouncing in your seat.

Your words bring Jensen into an automatic state of uneasiness and he's now officially dreading tomorrow. He knows you going to a supermarket can turn into a shitshow, never mind a god damn theme park.

"Are you sure, Y/N?" Jensen hesitantly peels himself off of the couch and moves  slowly to stand behind your chair. He looks apprehensive as he makes eye contact with you in the mirror.

"Yes! Don't worry. You get the day off too, Jay. Go do whatever you want." You happily inform him, giving his brooding reflection a thumbs up.

"Funny. What time will we leave? I'll call and get a VIP guide setup to take us around to the rides." Jensen misses the immediate scowl on your face, too busy typing away on his iPhone.

"I'm serious, Jensen. It doesn't need to be turned into a celebrity thing. I don't want a guide shuffling me around the park and pushing me to the front of the line for every ride. I just wanna be normal for once." It's now your bodyguard's turn to have the scowl and he certainly wears it well.

"Besides Joel will be with me." You add quickly casting your eyes down to fidget with your bracelet. You're already aware of Jensen's opinion of him and it's definitely not in your favor.

"Joel. Your moron guitar player? You're kidding, right? He couldn't fight his way out of a paper bag. There's no way in hell I'm trusting him to protect you."

"Jay..."

"Not happening, Y/N. End of discussion." Jensen declares sternly.

"Don't talk to me like I'm a god damn child, dude." You grumble in frustration while friggin Donny is squeezing your face with his hand to keep it in place. Impatiently waiting for him to fix your smokey eyes, he finally finishes with a loud 'ta-da!'

"Can you guys please excuse us? Go get yourselves a coffee or something at craft services." You smile sweetly but it fails to reach your eyes, thankfully Donny and Megan exit the trailer with no questions asked.

"I'm your boss ya know." Not bothering to spin around in your chair, you decide to send him a hard glare through your reflection in the mirror.

"I don't care."

"Damn it, Jensen! I'm the celebrity. You're the bodyguard. You do what I say." In a loud huff, you hop off of your chair and twirl around to face him determined to stand your ground.

"To the world, you're a celebrity. To me, you're still the brace faced dork who made up dances to Madonna songs in her backyard." He cheekily replies making your mouth drop open in shock.

"How the hell do you know about that? I was like eleven!"

"I was your next door neighbor, dumb ass. I could see you from my bedroom window."

"Oh. So you were a stalker at fourteen years old. That's not creepy at all." You tell him narrowing your eyes.

"Stalker? Yeah totally. I was taking notes in my Ren and Stimpy notebook." With a shake of his head, Jensen starts chuckling at the aggravated look covering your face.

"At least you admit it." You mutter under your breath.

"For your fucking information...that asshole John from down the street always picked on the younger kids. I was watching over your stubborn ass even back then." Jensen laughs humorlessly realizing just how long you've had a hold on him.

"Whatever. There's a reason that my former bodyguards didn't work out. I don't need a babysitter, Ackles."

"You got along with all of them until they disagreed with you. Two got fired and the third quit. Nice track record."

"You're giving me a headache, man." You moan dramatically, doing your best to focus on something that isn't the green eyed man.

"You know what the difference is between me and those other guys?" Jensen intentionally speaks louder making your head snap up to attention.

"Enlighten me."

"I. don't. give. a. fuck. You can whine, cry, bitch, yell, have a tantrum...doesn't matter. I've seen the best of you and I've definitely seen the worst. So give me your best shot, princess." He finishes with a smirk that drives you wild and you'd like nothing more than to wipe it off his fucking face.

"Yeah well I'm gonna tell Jared that you're being a dick to me." You regret the childish words the second they fly out of your mouth. Annoyed with yourself, you pretend that you didn't just revert back and act like a twelve year old.

"Awww you're going to go tattle tale to your big brother? Go ahead. He's my best friend. No skin off my back."

"You're the one who wanted this job so bad, Ackles. I wouldn't act so cocky."

"I...I'm sorry?" Jensen looks taken aback, searching your face to see if you're fucking with him.  

"You're the one who begged Jared to get me to hire you!" You respond exasperated now pacing around the trailer.

"Are you high?!" Jensen spits out causing you to automatically freeze in front of him.

"I know you didn't have any job offers after you left the Marines. Jared convinced me to let you have the job."

"That little mother fucker." Jensen growls pulling a confused expression from you.

"I had a job lined up with my friend's business but I backed out because he practically pleaded with me to take this one."

"That doesn't make sense, Jay."

"Jared said you wanted someone you were comfortable with and that you could trust. And that you wanted me to do it." He barely glaces at you, focusing more on the pit developing in his stomach.

The obvious question of why Jared would arrange this is hanging in the air, neither of you wanting to be the one to voice it first. Of course you figure it’s because of your hidden feelings for Jensen. 

You’ve never admitted them to your brother but he knows you all too well. This is the bastard’s way of trying to get you to reveal them. You’re not easily intimidated but this man has always driven you to the point of madness.

"It wasn't my idea. I had another security guard hired and then I had to drop him." You purse your lips wishing that your brother was here, you want to strangle him for putting you in this embarrassing situation.

While you’re lost in thought, Jensen sinks back down onto the couch feeling worn down by this whole ordeal. Leave it to Jared to exhaust everyone when he's not even in the same fucking state.

"My brother's done a lot of ridiculous shit over the years but this one takes the cake." You say quietly now feeling extremely awkward with every movement that you make.

"I knew it." Jensen scoffs clasping his hands so tight that his knuckles are turning white.

"Knew what?"

"When I first started, I mentioned to Jared that you didn't seem too thrilled that I was around. He said to give it time, that you were just being shy. And I bought it!"

"I can be shy." You state defensively, dropping down next to him onto the couch.

"Shy my ass. You were just half naked, dry humping some random guy in a room full of people." Jensen spits out before he can stop himself. He reluctantly turns towards you and then encounters the ultimate bitch face. Screw it.

"But you're the princess of pop so apparently being risque is acceptable. What the hell do I know?" He finishes now unable to control the judgmental shit being aimed your way.

"You sound like a jealous fucking prick right now!” You’re instantly alarmed about what just slipped out of your damn unfiltered mouth. It seems to have woken something deep inside of Jensen who looks extremely close to flipping his shit.

“Maybe because I am!” Jensen roars propelling himself into the middle of the room. 

He appears slightly intimidating between his rougher than usual voice and the intensity in his eyes but you decide to stay frozen while he continues his breakdown. Besides what he just exclaimed isn’t sinking in with you yet, otherwise you’d have a much stronger response.

“I’ve been in love with the same girl since I was fourteen. Fourteen! Do you know what it’s like having feelings for someone and being too big of a pussy to tell her? And let’s not forget that she turned into the biggest fucking pop star on the planet!” 

Jensen’s gesturing wildly and you’re praying that he continues his rant because you are at a fucking loss. You’re understanding his words but your brain is not fucking registering them. 

“So naturally your idiot brother decides to step in and rearrange my entire god damn life, making me a permanent fixture in your crazy world. As if me being around you 24/7 would make me grow some balls. Shit. I guess the joke’s on me because here we fucking are.” 

Finally pausing to catch his breath, Jensen gives you his full attention and it makes your head start swimming. So much for being your usual confident self, you feel like you’re on the verge of a panic attack.

“Well...are you gonna say anything, Y/N?!”

~

[shepherds-of-haven]

Sorry if this had been asked before (the search function refuses to aid me), but do any of the Shepherds whose rooms are near the MC’s have enhanced hearing? Cybele and Justin’s conversation got me thinking…

Luckily, the walls in the compound are very thick and made of stone, so the sound-proofing between rooms is actually quite good unless you open a window or a door! You could hear someone playing a loud instrument faintly, but you can't hear conversations or even (usually) raised voices or thumps... Justyn just has a bad habit of keeping his window open, and so does Cybele... 😅

[sunshineandheartaches]

Pls hire me, but also don’t.

Hello, I’m Justyne.

I’m in a career slump. I’ve applied to probably over 50 positions. The few interviews I’ve had were boring and dry or great and fun, but amounted to nothing. I can whine and complain all day about the economy and shitty jobs, but I kinda don’t care. In my short career, my experience with working with people along with doing the 9-5 thing everyday has been abysmal to be quite honest. 

After finishing my last university exam, I hopped on a plane to Asia. It was my first time travelling alone and not to a resort. I did a lot of things I thought I would never do just to experience them. My post-secondary social life traumatized me and everything I thought I knew wasn’t what it was. I wanted to do things on my own rather than avoid them just because people around me thought it wasn’t a good idea.

With that impulse trip under my belt, I took a few months for myself to recover from the stressful university life. Then I ran out of my part-time job money and needed some income.

My First Job

I didn’t have much experience and I couldn’t find any jobs that would take me. As usual, my first “in” to the working world was through a friend of a family friend. I got lucky and joined a small team. The work was doable and my schedule was flexible. It was a pretty great ride work wise, but team dynamics were tense. After some drama and confusion, I didn’t have any work to do and was once again unemployed.

My Second Job

The second time around was strange to say the least. I had an interview and a job offer at a marketing company that was less than a year old. It looked functional and official, but it wasn’t. I was miserable, but I still made money and got a lot of experience. On an all-male team in a male-dominated office, I had to deal with insensitive conversations and overall mistreatment. But that was fine, I still milked my paycheque until they told me they didn’t have enough money for me. 

My Third Job

My last job offer seemed so promising. The team was experienced and driven. They reacted positively to my work and brought me on to the team. This team was larger than my other jobs, but still relatively small and an unclear hierarchy and workflow. They were trying to be something they weren’t. After a few weeks, I saw the unstable relationships and insincere work culture. I called it out and then a week before my probation ended, I was let go without a reason. I left feeling disrespected and hurt.

Unemployment

I’ve been unemployed for almost two months and I know I need a job, but the prospect of joining another team scares me. It’s an emotional and time investment that has no promised return. As desperate I am for a job, I fear interviews. 

My Mental Health

During university I learned that I had anxiety and depression. I’ve learned to live in the moment and understand that the only person I can control is myself, but my insecurity sneaks up and drags me down to depression.

My heart “hurts” with apathy and insecurity and I’m so afraid that I’m going to believe I’m never going to be good enough to do anything. People throughout my career have said, “there’s no negatives about you, but….” But what? 

I don’t want to measure my worth by the job I do, but I feel that it’s how everyone sees me. I don’t know what to do or where to go and I just wish I knew what will happen.  

[racingtoaredlight]

2019 Run to the RTARLsman opening long list of candidates

The obvious preseason awards favorites are, kind of obviously, from Clemson and Alabama. But there are several other players who could end up becoming huge names and/or huge producers away from the NFL-level publicity spotlight!

Here is my list of guys I am excited for this season:

Louis Hedley, P, Miami - The clear cut favorite among non-Clemson/Bammer players.

Jeff Thomas, WR, Miami - On the one hand he should be an absolutely massive star this season and into the NFL. On the other hand he might decide to just quit the team at any given moment.

Brevin Jordan, TE, Miami - He’s a little dinged up already but he’s also the best of the bunch on a Miami team with three potential first round picks at TE and a pretty good history at the position.

Trevor Lawrence, QB, Clemson - A preseason Heisman pick so obvious it has almost no chance of actually happening.

Travis Etienne, RB, Clemson - I’m most of the way to expecting him to hit 2,000 rushing yards in the regular season.

Tee Higgins / Justyn Ross, WR, Clemson - Neither one has much of a shot at the Heisman but they’re both Randy Moss clones playing with the best QB in college football.

Tua Tagovailoa, QB, Alabama - An obvious star from the first time he hit the field, Tua is in the mix to go overall #1 in 2020 and will probably be a better player this season with worse stats than last season. Such is life.

Jerry Jeudy, WR, Alabama - I think I would actually take Jeudy over the Clemson guys in the draft. The last time I felt this strongly about a Bama WR was Julio Jones and history has been kind to those feelings.

Najee Harris, RB, Alabama - Pretty good, huge, plays for Bama. Pencil him as a first team All-American at least.

Khalil Tate, QB, Arizona - Yes, he’s still in college and no he hasn’t been there for very long.

Jordan Love, QB, Utah State - Great QB size with a huge arm. Getting some dark horse attention from CFB writers already as a potential top 10 pick next year.

Cole McDonald, QB, Hawaii - Staying in the Mountain West. McDonald turned the ball over a lot late in the season last year, which I don’t care about if you’re throwing 75 passes a game but he was throwing 30-40 most weeks. I still love Hawaii’s scheme even if it is a gimmick.

Trey Sermon, RB, Oklahoma - This is more of an anti-Jalen Hurts pick than a vote of confidence in Sermon. I do think Sermon is pretty good, though.

Rondale Moore, WR, Purdue - Only player I currently give a shit about in the B1G.

Pooka Williams, RB, Kansas - Did something bad enough that Les Miles had to pretend to consider suspending him. Good enough as a player that Les Miles didn’t suspend him. Made the RTARLsman list a couple of times last year.

Chuba Hubbard, RB, Oregon State - I don’t know anything about this kid but his name rules.

Laviska Shenault, WR, Colorado - Could have made some All-American teams last year if he hadn’t gotten hurt.

D’Eriq King, QB, Houston - Sometimes he’s fun to watch.

Kellen Mond, QB, Texas A&M - Has a little bit of first round hype and I don’t like him very much as a player so history tells us he should be great.

Bryce Hall, CB, Virginia - I thought he was the best DB in the country last year and for some reason he returned for his senior year. Weird. He would have gone in the top 20.

Jonathan Taylor, RB, Wisconsin - I think Taylor is really good, not just a compiler. 

If there is anybody I missed you need to know how much I was thinking of you personally when I “forgot.”

[foodieworldmelbourne]

Underground coal gasification technology, banned in Queensland, holds hope for Leigh Creek

Posted May 08, 2019 10:44:40

Photo: Leigh Creek's population has declined since the closure of the Leigh Creek coal mine in 2015. (ABC News: Tony Hill) An outback town in South Australia is waiting to see if the controversial underground coal gasification (UCG) technology that has been banned in Queensland will be the answer to reviving their flagging community. Key points:The Leigh Creek Energy UCG pilot has ended, and its owner is considering an electricity supply tender for the SA Government The electricity supply contract was previously held by a $650 million solar thermal power plant that fell through last monthThe UCG technology, banned in Queensland after a trial in Chinchilla, sets fire to coal deep underground releasing a gas mixture Leigh Creek Energy had been operating a UCG pilot plant at the former Leigh Creek coal mine for about six months, and is now considering tendering for an electricity supply contract previously held by a renewable energy project. The same UGC technology was banned in Queensland after issues at Chinchilla in Queensland between 2007 and 2013. The project has sparked hopes of a revival in the town which has experienced a significant downturn following the closure of its major employer the Leigh Creek coal mine in 2015. At its peak in the 1980s, the town was home to 2,500 people. Now fewer than 200 call Leigh Creek home. But with the trial now over, locals will be forced to wait to see if controversial technology can revive their town.

Photo: UCG trial site at the old Leigh Creek coal mine (ABC News: Tony Hill) UCG splits towns UCG technology sets fire to coal deep underground, releasing carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide and hydrogen. What is UCG?Underground coal gasification is a so-called "unconventional" means of extracting gas from coal seams that are too deep to mine. Coal is burned in situ underground and the gas produced is siphoned off through wells.It differs significantly from CSG production, which involves drawing enough water to reduce the pressure underground to release the naturally occurring methane in the coal seams.UCG technology was first proposed in the 19th century but was only adopted seriously after World War II in Russia and former Soviet client states.Benefits of UCG include the fact that landscapes remain relatively unscathed compared with conventional mining, emissions are low and the gas produced can be used for power generation or condensed to make liquid fuels such as diesel.Disadvantages of UCG are that it is sensitive to local geological conditions, expensive to set up, and the technology is highly specialised and poorly understood by regulators. The gas mixture brought to the surface is called syngas. Leigh Creek Energy said it would focus on using the gas for fertilizer production last year. Long-term Leigh Creek local Darryl Bowshire said he hoped the technology would help rebuild his home town. "It's a great little town and I don't want to see it die," Mr Bowshire said. "We can't rely on tourism alone. "People say it's all about money, but it is about jobs as well. We need jobs here." He admitted that people in Leigh Creek and nearby Copley were split over UCG, but did not think it was a threat to the environment. "I hope the technology goes to the next stage," he said.

Photo: One of many boarded-up houses in Leigh Creek. (ABC News: Tony Hill) SA's biggest gas reserve creates options Leigh Creek Energy chairman Justyn Peters said the size of the gas reserve gave the company options. "It is the largest uncontracted gas reserve on the east coast of Australia," Mr Peters said. "We have the opportunity to pump gas to the Moomba reserve and then across to the east coast of Australia.

Photo: Leigh Creek Energy's Justyn Peters said the trial was a success. (ABC News: Tony Hill) "That's very attractive and becoming more attractive each day. But it is a higher capital expenditure project." He also said the company was considering tendering for the supply of 100 per cent of the South Australian Government's energy needs for 20 years a contract previously held by a renewable energy project. SolarReserve's $650 million solar thermal power plant at Port Augusta fell through last month when the company could not secure finance for the project.

Photo: SolarReserve's power plant in Nevada uses mirrors to create steam. (Supplied: SolarReserve) "We have the capacity to produce electricity and we can produce quite large amounts of it. We're in discussions on that, but we can assure you we haven't taken any steps formally on that yet," Mr Peters said. He said the company could launch both fertilizer production and gas export models. The projects would cost between $1-2 billion, and external finance would be required. "Optimistically the plants could be up and running in late 2022 and then any time on from there, depending on delays," he said. He said up to 500 local jobs could be created if the projects went ahead. "You're talking about getting Leigh Creek back to its peak if we get these projects off the ground," Mr Peters said. The company will decommission the pilot plant over 12 months, reporting environmental impacts back to the regulator. The Leigh Creek Energy chairman said no breaches were recorded during the trial, with ongoing results to be published by the regulator. Traditional owners to continue opposition Not everyone is happy with the proposals, or the recent trial. Some members of the Adnyamathanha community traditional owners of the Leigh Creek area have marched through Copley, near Leigh Creek, declaring the town "UCG-free".

Photo: Traditional owner Vince Coulthard strongly opposed the trial at the former Leigh Creek coal mine. (ABC News: Tony Hill) The Adnyamathanha Traditional Lands Association (ATLA) hold native title in the area and failed in a court bid to stop the project last year. ATLA CEO Vince Coulthard said the trial's end was a day to celebrate. "The Adnyamathanha people welcome the news that the trial is over," Mr Coulthard said. "We have always been totally opposed to this project and now it's time for healing." Adnyamathanha community member Dwayne Coulthard said he was happy the project had finished. "The next stage now is to ban the risky technology once and for all. We don't want our people and our land poisoned like the people of Chinchilla in Queensland," he said. "We will fight UCG every step of the way whether it's a proposal by Leigh Creek Energy or any other company." The area holds significant cultural heritage for the Adnyamathanha people. In the dreaming story, Yurlu started a fire which created the coal at Leigh Creek. Leigh Creek Energy said ATLA and the Adnyamathanha community would continue to be key project stakeholders.

Photo: A rally was held in Copley, the town closest to the Leigh Creek coal mine, calling for a permanent ban of underground coal gasification technology. (Supplied: Original Power) Government remains open to technology South Australian Mining Minister Dan van Holst Pellekaan said the State Government would consider UCG projects in the future. "If Leigh Creek Energy want to do any more they would have to come back to the State Government for permission," Mr van Holst Pellekaan said. "What's most important is that no permission is given to any company that might want to pursue it, unless that company can prove that they would undertake their activities without any harm to the environment or people." The Government's electricity supply contract, launched by the former state Labor government, does not preclude non-renewable projects from applying. The minister did not respond to an interview request on the issue of the tender. Topics:business-economics-and-finance,industry,electricity-energy-and-utilities,environment,alternative-energy,science-and-technology,energy,coal,rural,greenhouse-gas,oil-and-gas,regional-development,community-and-society,regional,mining-industry,mining-rural,mining-environmental-issues,community-development,leigh-creek-5731,copley-5732,port-augusta-west-5700,port-augusta-north-5700,port-augusta-5700,port-pirie-west-5540,port-pirie-south-5540,port-pirie-5540,port-wakefield-5550,whyalla-5600,whyalla-jenkins-5609,whyalla-norrie-5608,whyalla-norrie-east-5608,whyalla-norrie-north-5608,whyalla-playford-5600,whyalla-stuart-5608,marree-5733,lyndhurst-5731,sa,chinchilla-4413 http://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-05-08/controversial-coal-gas-ucg-tech-holds-hope-for-sa-town/11086634?source=rss

[fine-not-fine]

the poisons and Carmelo for the creation ask!

Cyanide and Arsenic: created at the same time (loosely Arsenic was drawn first) as vent ocs! I was tempted to make Arsenic my sona for a bit. I dont remember why i thought of naming them after poisons. Cyanide was originally less ‘why would you do this’ and more like ‘manly man man’ with tattoos and hella buff. I changed it around more because i prefered their older powers and body designs and later i gave them a stronger story. they’ve developed well since! Mercury: made specifically for you! originally made as a test oc for Allison’s boyfriend. I change his concept quite bit and he became more dense and soft like a marshmellow. but hes developed quickly due to use.Carmelo: I was fucking around on an oc maker when i was small and made a weird guy and liked how he looked. I originally made him to be kinda bouncy and bubbly and very eager to be torn apart. I saved the need for murder and somehow created this- weird fucko. Justyn helped get him more fleshed out.