#be divided into two groups like Cabin 11

[bluefox4]

What are these numbers, Rick?

Ok, so, I was going through the first Percy Jackson book trying to figure out how many campers would be in each cabin at the start of the series before the war. And just, the numbers that Percy gives the reader are weird? I guess?

Ok, so in “My Dinner Goes Up In Smoke“ Percy gives the reader of how many campers there are at camp with the following line:

“In all, there were maybe a hundred campers, a few dozen satyrs, and a dozen assorted wood nymphs and naiads.“

Ok, that’s a lot of demigods. There are 12 cabins so it makes sense that there would be a lot of demigods. But Cabin 1-3 are empty as is Cabin 8. But these numbers wouldn’t be so weird if Percy didn’t give us some numbers for the other cabins.

In the same chapter he gives the reader a rough idea of how many campers are in Cabin 11 and Cabin 6.

Cabin 11: "The whole cabin, about twenty of us, filed into the commons yard."

Cabin 6: "Annabeth sat at table six with a bunch of serious-looking athletic kids, all with her gray eyes and honey-blond hair."

Cabin 11 is an estimate so not concrete and a bunch when referring to people can mean 5 or more from results that the internet gave me when asking what a bunch refers to.

He also gives us more information in “We Capture a Flag“. We get concrete data points for Cabin 12, 9, and 5.

"From what I'd seen, Dionysus's kids were actually good athletes, but there were only two of them.”

"Hephaestus's kids weren't pretty, and there were only four of them, but they were big and burly from working in the metal shop all day."

That of course, left Ares's cabin: a dozen of the biggest ugliest, meanest kids on Long Island, or anywhere else on the planet."

Whereas the remaining cabins we aren’t given any concrete data to work with. He mentions Demeter and Aphrodite kids, but only that he doesn’t think that for Capture the Flag that they will be a threat. Nothing about how many kids each of them have. Only Apollo gets a mention about the size.

"Athena had made an alliance with Apollo and Hermes, the two biggest cabins."

So, here I am trying to figure out just how big these cabins are. So, if we take the estimate of a 100 campers as the number of campers at camp that is our starting number. Hermes and Apollo are the biggest so no one else can have 20 campers since that is how many Hermes has roughly.

So, when we take Cabin 11 out of the equation we have 80 campers left to distribute. Unknown how many are in Cabin 7 just that they have a lot. Taking out Cabin 12, 9, and 5 that takes 18 campers out of the equation leaving us with 62 campers to figure out which cabin they go in. As I said, a bunch seems to refer to 5 or more when referring to people. And when Percy was talking about a bunch in relation to Cabin 6 it was Annabeth and a bunch of her siblings. So, she wasn’t included in that initial number. So, I’m going to go with Cabin 6 having 6 kids. At least for the purposes of trying to figure out how many are left to divide between the three remaining cabins. So, take 6 campers out of 62 campers leaves us with 56 campers.

56 campers being divided between the three remaining cabins seems like a lot. Cabin 4 and 10 aren’t being mentioned have having a lot of campers, but they also aren’t really mentioned as having very few campers either. I’m not sure if I would say either of them would have a dozen campers either though. If I just assume that Apollo has about 20 campers then dividing the remaining 36 campers would get 18 campers in Cabin 4 and 10, which seems like that would be too many for Percy to dismiss their cabins no matter what their skill levels are like. If I go with about 10 campers in Cabin 4 and 10 than that means that Cabin 7 would have 36 campers, which seems like too many campers for one cabin.

There is always the case that Cabin 6 and Cabin 11 actually have more than I assume that they have as well. And there is always the case that there are less than a hundred campers at camp as well. Just a hundred is the number that Percy gives out so that is naturally the number that I want to start playing around with.

Just, Rick gave us numbers and I am of course trying to figure out what these numbers mean and how to divide them up among the cabins.

[yoduro-d-aluminio]

Chapter 2: The Crush

John meets Olivia - An Olivia's Prague Adventures Subseries

At the young age of 11, Olivia's mother, noting the girl's interest in learning English, decided to enroll her in an English summer camp. The only problem was that of course, her parents couldn't jus t do like all normal families and send her on an exchange to the UK or to Ireland. Of course they needed to crush her innocent and girly dreams of meeting some handsome boy who would secretly be a member of the Royal family or part of a famous boy band just trying to blend in and spending the last mundane summer of their lives, and who would desperately fall in love with her the moment they would meet. So instead of sending to an overly expensive stay with classes everyday, they signed her up for a cheap, chaotic camp in southern Czech Republic.

Her first year there had been somewhat traumatic. Kids her age did not have a great English, and she could hardly communicate with her teammates. Olivia spent her free time, while everybody else socialised, flirted (she was astonished to see how... precocious Czech teens were) and had fun, reading the only book she had brought and listening to music on her pink iPod. She read the novel 3 times in those 12 days.

As a result, it was quite a surprise when, two years later, she told her parents she wanted to go back, only with two Spanish friends this time. And everything was different then. The kids, very cold at first, became all super friendly and welcoming; their English had seriously improved, to the point where they were now way better than most Spanish children. Everything had changed and, suddenly, a 13-year-old Olivia had forgotten about her desired summertime love story with her British lover-boy.

In the summer camp, they were divided into different age groups, between 6 and 17. Olivia and one of her friends were put in group 6. Two levels above them, the oldest group of teenagers, the personification of everything they all wanted to become. There were the tall, strong and athletic guys; the sensual, too-mature-for-children’s-games girls, and, most importantly, him: the alternative boy with a George Harrison meets Alex Turner vibe, always carrying a black guitar on his back, even when they went on the exhausting, hours-long walks under the sun.

His name was John, and he always had a dreamy, out-of-this-world look in his green eyes. He was too cool to pretend to be cool, too cool to spend the evenings with the sporty guys, always hanging out with one of the group coordinators — *her* goup coordinator, Christina. But their interactions were not those of a teenage kid desperately trying to get the attention of a young, but nevertheless adult, woman. They were apparently friends, almost siblings, as she later found out, and had known each other since they were very young. All Olivia longed for was becoming as interesting to him as Christina was.

On the very rare occasions when he paid any attention to her during the four years that he kept going back to the camp (the last two no longer as a camper but as part of the staff), they would engage in conversations about music or about their dreams or about their lives. Every time she felt her stomach fall to her feet. She treasured these moments and fantasized about them every night before she fell asleep, even months after having left the peaceful green valley with the wooden cabins, as she waited for the next summer to arrive, back at her own home, at her own school, surrounded by uninteresting, immature boys of her same age.

It was the kind of crush that keeps you daydreaming, writing his name on your wrist, on your mirror, on your diary, everywhere. Your initials together. The kind of crush you would download facebook for, just to stare at his few pictures. The kind of crush for whom you started to listen a 1970s hard rock band. The kind of crush that makes you fantasise about sex way before you even know how it is really supposed to work.

He was the kind of crush you wouldn’t have fully overcome well into college, about whom you would confide with your friends after a sleepover of drinking and talking about boys and boyfriends and situationships. He was the kind of crush you would sometimes, not without guilt, think about when your boyfriend was giving you mixed signals and you sought refuge in daydreaming about how your life would have been like if somehow something had happened between you.

He was, ultimately, the kind of crush that would make you blush just from popping on your screen 7 years later, as you took a tram to the city centre.

[texanredrose]

Okay, to put some limitations on this, I’m only including the WIPs that I’ve done more than a synopsis for... that I can remember... that’s on Google Drive... that I actually think I might post one day... but haven’t posted yet because my posted WIPs are fairly easy to identify... okay... I got tagged by @unsteadyshade and I’m tagging @faunusrights and @alexlayer69

1) Across Time - Inuyasha AU where Weiss gets thrown back in time to the ancient past, where she meets two demons (Yang and Blake) warring against each other over a misunderstanding.

2) Alpha’s Devotion - Omega’s Strength, but from Winter’s POV.

3) Bears, Oh My - An exhausted Winter, lost on a hike, comes across a cabin where Yang lives with her three pet bears.

4) Brave New World - Continuation of the Dishonored AU where Ruby and Winter reflect on the new Mantle.

5) Bruised - Third installment to the ace!Yang AU. 

6) Coming Home - Based on Dash’s Tiny Knight AU, Princess Blake is betrayed and stranded far from home and must rely on a reticent knight named Weiss to return to her kingdom.

7) Complications Always Arise - Papa Schnee is demanding Weiss marry before he’ll allow her to take his place as head of the SDC, so Yang volunteers to pretend to be Weiss’ beloved. No one else knows the relationship is fake, least of all Blake and Winter, and it’s just a bunch of pain.

8) Divided - Continuation of the By Moonlight AU where Whitley returns to the castle and Winter’s not upset by that- and Winter’s upset by the fact she’s not upset and has to figure out why her inner wolf is cool with this when she should, by all rights, be furious.

9) Dragonsbane - Mage Knight Winter hears tale of a dragon in the countryside that the local villages wish to see vanquished. Winter, however, has other plans.

10) Eye of the Beholder - Blinded and near death after a battle, Winter is rescued by the mysterious Yang and is nursed back to health despite her protests otherwise. (It’s a Medusa!AU.)

11) Fabled - Fable 3 AU where Princess Ruby and Princess Yang are forced to confront the fact that Queen Raven has lost her fucking mind, only to discover that fear drove the woman insane- a fear they must confront themselves.

12) Fields of Love - Farmer Yang offers a job and housing to apparent single mother Winter and her young daughter Penny. What starts as a kind gesture grows into something so much more.

13) Full Circle - Van Helsing (2004) AU, Winter and Weiss, amnesiacs employed by the church to handle all manner of unholy problems, are sent to discover what happened to King Taiyang. Along the way, they become wrapped up in a centuries spanning prophecy and a bloodline hanging in the balance.

14) High Bar, Low Blow - Yang owns a bar where the gimmick is that everyone’s an out of work actor and the staff is staging an ongoing drama on par with a soap opera to keep their customers coming back. Winter joins the staff and then things get a bit real.

15) Hoodlums and Hijinks - Robin Hood AU where Princess Winter and Princess Weiss are just as in favor for overthrowing the king as the group of bandits run by Ruby, Yang, and Blake. 

16) Last One 2: Electric Boogaloo (title subject to change) - a sequel to Last One where the haunt continues.

17) Lexical Access - Sequel to Tip of the Tongue, where Yang gives her girlfriend a bit of roleplaying payback.

18) Little Red - Carmen Sandiego AU where Ruby was kidnapped adopted by a group of thieves and raised to become the world’s greatest thief, but a chance meeting with Penny via a stolen phone opens her eyes to the wider world, and she meets the rebellious heiress Weiss, street smart Blake, and brawler Yang, creating a team that works to foil Ruby’s former friends while eluding capture by mysterious operatives with a somewhat familiar white color scheme...

19) Long Term Investment - Yang, a fae who lives in the woods, makes a deal with Princess Winter to save the Queen. The price? Winter’s firstborn. Winter misunderstands how she’s expected to get pregnant and Yang’s never actually intended to collect. Next thing Yang knows, Winter’s moving into the clearing beside her tree home.

20) Miscalculation - Another Omegaverse AU where Weiss is an omega and Blake and Yang are alphas, except Weiss lied and said she was an alpha when enrolling in Beacon and now she’s locked in a room with Blake and Yang on the verge of starting her heat. Sharing is caring.

21) More Than Words Can Say - Winter, rendered mute by a military accident early in her career, is honestly the best girlfriend Yang’s ever had. However, tonight’s the night they’ve decided to get intimate, and that includes showing some scars that they don’t show often. It’s less about sex and more about trust and intimacy.

22) Music of the Night - Phantom of the Opera AU where the mysterious, disfigured shade of the opera house, Weiss, finds herself at odds with the rich, jovial Yang in a competition for Blake’s heart. Then there’s Adam being a dick, too, and the opera house has never seen so much drama.

23) My Heart Will Go On - It’s the Titanic, but double the rich, unwilling-to-marry ladies and triple the won-a-ticket-to-a-ship ruffians. Penny’s there too; she, like Ruby, just really likes ships.

24) One Fucking Favor - Winter’s due for a long assignment and wants to make a sex tape for stress relief purposes. Yang doesn’t ask questions; she’s just the one with the camera. But then, Winter’s partner for the vid doesn’t show up. What’s Yang going to do about it?

25) Prophecy - Star Wars AU where Ruby, Yang, and Blake are trained as Jedi, Winter and Weiss are part of the clone army, and Ruby’s the chosen one. That’s a lot of pressure to put on someone, but Senator Salem is there to lend a helping hand...

26) Propositioned - Faunus experience bouts of heat; sometimes, they can safely ignore it and go about their lives, but every now and again, they really can’t. Concerned for Blake’s health as she’s skipped too many heats to be healthy, Yang sets up a partner for Blake’s heat. Blake’s not a fan but she does like the idea of banging Weiss Schnee.

27) Proven - ARK: Survival Evolved AU where Winter, after being ‘won’ by Yang, is taken into the bowels of the earth to learn how the underground tribes who inhabit the area survive in such an unforgiving environment. As she acclimates to the tribe’s ways, she finds herself carving out her own path, culminating in facing off against the Queen and proving herself worthy.

28) Reaping What You Sow - When Winter escaped to the countryside with Penny to start a farm, she knew she had her work cut out for her. In need of help and facing a harsh cold season, she hires Yang, a one armed drifter, to help her. The two end up needing the other more than they could’ve imagined.

29) Tear My Heart Open - Blake thought she understood how the world worked. As a member of the White Fang Gang, all she needed to do was keep everyone motivated to continue their ongoing street war against the police and authorities bent on keeping them down. But while running from the cops, she’s offered sanctuary in the home of one Weiss Schnee and her girlfriend, Yang. From there, her perception of the world is completely upended.

30) The Duel - After her father offered her hand in marriage to the winner of a tournament, Winter opted to assume a disguise and fight for the prize herself. In the final match, she faces Yang Xiao Long, a competitor she’s come to know quite well, and she finds her conviction to win wavering slightly. Is it enough to lose her the fight?

31) The Lies We Tell Ourselves - Weiss has made it; she’s opened her tattoo shop in Vale, well away from her father, and aside from a bad first impression with the florists across the parking lot, everything’s looking up for her- until her father finds her. Luckily, Blake’s been through some shit and doesn’t mind helping Weiss drive daddy dearest up the wall, even if it means letting her own parents think she’s dating Weiss. It’s not like either of them is going to catch feelings... unless...

32) The Princess’ Bride - After losing her fiancée to the dreaded White Fang Pirates, Yang vows to take to the sea herself and exact her revenge. Princess Weiss finds herself falling madly in love with Yang, who still loves Blake, and all this is thrown into even more chaos when Yang gets kidnapped and Blake comes back from the dead! 

33) Two for One - Yes, another Omegaverse AU. Five years after the fall of Beacon, Yang and Blake cross paths, each believing the other has spent the time keeping their mutual mate, Weiss, safe. When they realize Weiss is with neither of them, old wounds are torn open, but before they can resolve their dispute, Winter captures the both of them and hauls them to a remote part of Atlas where an SDC facility has been turned into a fortress. There, they find a mortally wounded Weiss clinging to life and raising twins daughters; she gives her mates until her death to endear themselves to their children, else the twins might opt to stay with Winter and be kept from Blake and Yang for good. Between learning about their kids, Blake and Yang navigate their complicated feelings and try to reconnect with Weiss, all while a sinister force gathers to destroy the fortress and steal the prize within.

34) Weaknesses - Loosely set in the Glamour AU, Yang is being forced to assume her mother’s position as leader of their vampire coven. Her fellow vamps disapprove of Yang’s werewolf girlfriend. Winter, of course, doesn’t care.

I got lazy and cut a bunch out. No, fuck you, I don’t have too many AUs, I will add more if I want. Also, some of these, the first chapter is posted on my Patreon. Don’t ask me which ones; I genuinely have no idea. I’m bad at this, y’all.

[alien-rainbow]

By Your Side Until My Death(9/?)

Chapter 9: The World We Made

Available on AO3

Princess Artemis, the eldest daughter of the kingdom of Olympus is to be married to her childhood nightmare. In a land where anything remotely magical is banned, Zoë fears for her and Ladon's life but knows that she could never leave the princess's side if she tried. Magical beings, a forbidden romance, family secrets, and safety for magic all wait beyond the kingdom's borders.

- 3rd person, will be completed eventually, teen, not completed, Zartemis

READ PLEASE. Okay, so there was a lot of background going on in this chapter.

Cohorts: These are like the cabins, there are 20 of them for the 20 cabins in the PJO series, I decided to use greek names and move some people around if they are Romans. The only time I used Roman names is if the greek counterpart was part of the royal family.

Praetors: Two people who are elected from any of the twenty cabins and are (presidential system) like the president.

Centurions: These are like the vice presidents, but there are a lot of them. They can make decisions but need the approval of both of the Praetors but if 75% of the Centurions want an action to be taken, they can go forward without Praetor's approval. But Chiron can put a stop to anything he believes is really bad but for the most part, he just guides and observes.

Normal People are just called campers and each Cohort has a cabin that corresponds with gods and their skills. If you want the full list of Cohorts/Cabins and their god/skills, look at the endnotes (There is more explanation in the chapter too)

--------------------------------

Annabeth with the help of Will and commentary from Nico gave the girls a quick tour of the camp. The first stop was the big house where the leaders met to talk. The leaders consisted of one immortal, a centaur named Chiron, and a group of twenty centurions that represented the twenty different cohorts, and two elected praetors from any of the twenty centurions. The centurions were divided based on skill and dominant traits, and in some cases who you were born to.

Percy for example was one of the only members in cohort three, the cohort of water. People that lived in the cabin were closely related to Poseidon, the immortal of seas, or water nymphs, or were incredibly good when it came to any water activity.

Annabeth was a mortal who was incredibly good at changing any form of magic and was in Cohort 6, where the children of Minerva usually went. They were known for Strategic thinking and Leadership, Annabeth was the centurion. Nico is a child of Hades, the immortal Death, The Underground, and Darkness, and is the centurion of Cohort 13. His younger sister Hazle was the only other occupant of Cohort 13.

Will pointed to a solid gold cabin, which seemed to either reflect the sun or was glowing itself. Cohort 7 was for children born to Helios, the immortal of Day. Healing was another large part of Will's Cohort. Will told them that he was a few generations removed but was a descendent of Helios.

"So you have solar powers?" Athena asked after Will finished talking about his Cohort.

"I'm honestly a better healer but I can heal and control light," Will said smiling bright enough to rival the sun itself.

"He also glows," Nico said smirking at the puppy-eyed glare Will sent his way.

"That's not important," Will shoot back at the smaller boy.

"He's the best medic we have," Annabeth said trying to get the conversation back on topic. The two continued to quietly bicker but there was no real heat.

"So how long has Jason been here for?" Thalia asked out of the blue looking away from the two boys over to Annabeth.

"He's been here since he was a toddler, why?" Annabeth asked confused.

"His surname isn't by any chance Grace?" Thalia asked quickly. Nico stopped his conversation and turned to look intensely at Thalia. Artemis, just like Annabeth was confused by the woman's question. She knew that Thalia had a little brother who was said to have died in a wolf attack but besides that had no family that she cared about.

"Why do you want to know?" Nico said before Annabeth could answer.

"I don't see why you need to know?" Thalia said narrowing her eyes at the shorter boy. Before another fight could be started Annabeth jumped in to supply Thalia with her answer.

"Yes, his full name is Jason Grace," Annabeth said still looking confused but trying to stop an oncoming storm.

"Where is he now? Can I see him?" Thalia's voice was shrill and urgent.

"Probably at the arena sparring with Percy, and I guess so?" Will offered to take them while Nico stated that he would be coming with them. Reyna opted to go with Thalia saying that they would meet up later that night. With that, the four hurried off towards the arena.

"What was that about?" Annabeth asked after the group had disappeared from sight.

"I don't know..." Artemis said turning to Zoë who shrugged. Annabeth then continued on with the tour as if nothing had happened. She showed them the climbing wall which was cover in lava. The amphitheater where the campers met at night for a sing-along, campfire, and a variety of other things. The stables held more Asseros' and a few unmagical horses, and pegasi. They then walked past the cabins, each held one Cohort and a number of campers. They ended their trip by walking past the armory then heading to the arena.

They entered the opened roofed area to see Thalia and Jason stabbing at each other. Nico, Will, Percy, and the feather girl sat on the sides watching them spare. Thalia had her long golden spear out, her shield sat on one of the benches next to her brown leather bag. Jason on the other hand was fighting her with a golden gladius.

The three walked over to the group that was already sitting to watch the two dance around each other.

"What did we miss?" Artemis asked sitting down next to Reyna who turned to her with a sarcastic smile.

"Nothing much, except that Jason is Thalia's presumed dead little brother. And they are both the children of Jupiter, the immortal of the sky. But besides that, not much." Artemis and Zoë both gave out shocked reactions before turning to watch the two reunited siblings spar.

The match ended with Thalia disarming her brother and a golden spear pointed at his chest.

"I win," Thalia said grinning at her brother.

"My turn!" Percy yelled grabbing a bronze sword running up to the spot where Thalia had just stood.

"Water first," Jason said grabbing a cantine and drinking the water that poured from it. He then walked over to the blond positioning himself lower to the ground getting ready to go again.

"Bro... what if we had a homoerotic sword fight..." Percy said smiling like an idiot before striking, they exchanged a few blows before backing away giving the other time to think. "jk, jk," Percy said referring back to his earlier comment. The two exchanged a few more swings before Percy spook once again, "...Unless?" The ravenett struck once more causing Jason to get knocked to the floor.

"I am literally the straightest person here," Nico said shaking his head at the Percys comment.

"What do you mean by that?" Artemis asked. The elder princess was confused at their language, straight? homoerotic? And why no one else found it strange that the two boys were acting playfully romantic towards each other.

"By what?" Nico asked looking at her instead of the stone floor.  

"Straight?" Artemis asked her cheeks burning as the others looked at her like this was a ridiculous question.

"Straight is another word for someone who likes the opposite gender," Annabeth explained.

"Are you implying that males can love other males? And females other females?" Athena asked astonished at the information.

"While yea, there's nothing wrong with loving who you want to love," Will said softly. "I mean Nico's my boyfriend," He said smiling and gesturing to the boy next to him. A blush covered the pale boy's cheeks as he mumbled something about 'Significant annoyance.'

"Really?" Zoë and Reyna said simultaneously.

"Yea, and don't let anyone ever tell you differently," Nico said his eyes darkening "Because they are  wrong."

Artemis felt a weight lift from her that she never knew she was carrying. She had never been interested in being intimate with any male. The thought of marrying any man and having his children make Artemis sick. The news that this wasn't a bad thing, that she could love a  female, a girl!  It made her happier than she could say. Zoë, Reyna, and Thalia wore a similar expression. Athena just looked thoughtful and happily surprised.

Artemis turned to look at Zoë and smiled at the older girl, for some reason her aunt's words from the day before came back to her,  "So who is it? I also know the face of heartbreak, whether you know it or not. " Artemis remembered telling her aunt that she loved no one, only for her aunt to ask her if she was sure. Then before her aunt could say who she believed her heart belonged to, Hermes had interrupted. Artemis wished now more than anything that she had gotten to hear her aunt's last words before they fleed.

--------------------------------

WHAT COHORT##BY BIRTH##TRAITS AND/OR POWERS##CENTURIONS##OTHER STUFF

Cohort 1: (Jupiter) Sky and Justice [Jason] Cohort 2: (Juno) Family and Unity [OC] Cohort 3: (Posiden) Sea and Freespirt [Percy] Cohort 4: (Demeter) Earth and Stability [Katie] Cohort 5: (Mars) War and Physical strength [Clarisse] Cohort 6: (Minerva) Strategic thinking and Leadership [Annabeth] Cohort 7: (Helios) Day and Healing [Will] {Apollo is his name in both Romand and Greek, I did what I could} Cohort 8: (Diana) Moon and Independence [Bianca] Cohort 9: (Vulcan) Medal and Inventions [Leo] Cohort 10: (Venus) Munlipltiveness and Indisisviness [Piper] Cohort 11: (Mercury) Trickery and Stealth [Connor] Cohort 12: (Bacchus) Madness and Facetious [Pollux] Cohort 13: (Hades) Death, The Underground and Night [Nico] Cohort 14: (Iris) Messenger and Color [Butch] Cohort 15: (Hypnos) Dreams and Self-preservation [Clovis] Cohort 16: (Nemesis) Balance and Vengeance [OC] Cohort 17: (Nike) Pride and Victory [Holly and Laurel] {They refused to pick one} Cohort 18: (Hebe) Forgiveness and Childress [Paolo] Cohort 19: (Tyche) Good Luck and Balance [Chiara] Cohort 20: (Hecate) Magic and thoughtful [Lou Ellen]

Praetors: Frank and Hazle

[fire2forge]

Looking back...

March 15th 2020. My ship said goodbye to to our last guests. We pulled into Miami, let everyone off and left to go drift out with all the other cruise ships. At the time we all thought that it would truly be a 30 day pause in operations, we know now how naïve that was.

I’ll admit for awhile it was nice. Crew had the run of the ship, bars were open earlier, we had very little work to do, late nights out having fun, all kinds of activities. We were all so confident that covid hadn’t made it to our ship, that we were all safe, and this was just gonna be a 30 day vacation. 

Cut to the 21st:

We come to find out later that this unannounced drill was our super-spreader event. Because no-one knew it was a drill, everyone that was in isolation came out (we thought the ship was on fire)...by the time it was announced it was a drill and those confined should not leave it was to late...

Cut to the 24th:

I go back to medical later in the day, and after testing negative for the flu, am given a mask and told I was not allowed to leave my cabin (I luckily did not have a room mate), unless it was to come back for daily temp checks.

I find out later on that unknown to most of us we had a lot of people that had quietly been put into isolation (in a crew of 2000+, it’s easy to not notice). This was also the day of our first major repatriation effort 700 crew (mainly cruise division) where slated to fly...only a few did. 

Cut to the 28th:

The first PCR tests are done onboard, sometime in the afternoon the Captain comes on and says we have one positive case. A few hours later its 14 confirmed cases, and everyone is told to return to their cabins until further notice (We never had an official announcement given after the first 14, but it was well over 100 cases by the end). The ship has just entered lock down.

On the 29th All crew got moved into guest rooms, this was both because of an order from the CDC, and so that the many smoker’s would be able to smoke on the balconies. We had different zones to divide everyone up:

Red Zone for confirmed cases, Orange for suspected/been in contact with, and the rest for supposedly healthy. It’s here that I note that even though I had already been in isolation for days, had a constant cough, and had had a fever (that by then had broken) I was never tested, nor was I put into orange zone.

At this point no one can leave cabins (excluding those working crew) and the company has started to realize that they need to get everyone back home as soon as possible. Repatriation efforts start to really kick into gear.

We stayed in what would eventually be labeled Phase 1 for 29 days. We entered Phase 2 April 26th.

PHASE 1

During the initial phase, all crew got asked if they wanted to stay onboard (unpaid), basically for those who didn’t want to or couldn’t go home for any reason. This would become Group 3. I was part of this group, for many reasons I did not want to go home, so the free room and board was perfect for me, and many of my friends. This is the sole reason I was onboard for so long, not because of anything the company did.

Those that did want to go home became group 2, many of them would end up waiting months before their country opened up and flights could be made, I remember how at the end of March beginning of April, we would constantly here from the Capt that some nationality was going to fly that day, only for him to come back and say that the got denied at some point in the process and would be coming back onboard. 

Those few that were still getting paid, still had a job because someone had to run the ship became known as Group 1.

I don’t really remember that much from this time, the days really started to blend and the isolation was not helping anything. While people in the US where throwing fits over “Shelter in Place” orders, I was not allowed to leave a room that was roughly 20′x10′. They complained about not being able to see friends, I only saw 1 person a day (one of my managers twice a day for temp checks, approx. 5 second visits each). They complained that stores had limited hours, I had no store, I had limited choice in food, I had no ability to get snacks, it was 3 meals a day that’s it, you want some chips at 3pm to bad dinner won’t come till 6pm. (eventually they sorted out a system so we could by snacks, beer, cigs, and bathroom supplies). To top this all off we had no access to laundry services till round April 5th, I was put in isolation before everyone else, I had not done my laundry for a week before hand....I was struggling.

Looking through some old notes, apparently at one point I had made a schedule, Breakfast 9-10...Read till 11....Listen to the crew radio show 11-1...Lunch 12-1...Nap...Dinner 5-6...Sleep. Very stimulating days we had.

A month of solitude was not easy, especially when you keep hearing about crew members being denied entry into their own countries, the media blaming the industry as a whole for covid reached the US, constantly thinking our quarantine was gonna end only for it to be extended, and not seeing or really speaking to anyone the entire time. But a light at the end of the tunnel...Phase 2

PHASE 2

April 26th we got let out....kinda...

Split down the Middle...people on Portside got let out for 3 hours, then People on Starboard got let out for 3 hours (this excluded anyone in red or orange zone). After our “yard time” we went back to our cabins. Once a week you could go down and purchase up to 4 items from the slop chest (the crew shop). Everyone was wearing masks, the only time we weren’t is if we were smoking, one person per ashtray spaced about 8ft apart. 

At some point during this time the Captain made a comment on how in hindsight we should of went straight into lockdown on March 15th, that we should of done 2 weeks then instead of over a month now.

We still had 2 temp checks a day (done door to door), and all meals were still delivered. There is a reason we joked about it being yard time, because it really was. You got to get some fresh air and maybe see a few friends that was it....Luckily it didn’t last long we entered phase 3 on May 12th. 

But before that a note. By this time the fleet had started using our own ships to transport crew home, aka one ship sailed a bunch of people over to India. Along with that some people were getting lucky enough to have flights. So my ship was constantly losing people, either because they got a flight home or where being moved onto another ship. If I remember correctly our largest sign off was ~500 Filipinos, it was a hectic time in crew movement, by the time we got into Phase 3 we only had a few hundred people on board if memory serves right.

PHASE 3

We could finally be outside for as long as we wanted, no more restricted movement. Meals where in the large guest buffet area (seating 1 or 2 people a table only, all distanced), temp checks where done at division based locations, for me that was the theatre (still two a day)....that’s basically the only change.

We still had to wear masks at all times, we were still supposed to keep distance, no groups, no going into each others cabins, no fun nights out...in theory.

The first few days in Phase 3 we ended up signing off almost everyone that was in Group 2, by May 20th we were at minimum manning +16 Group 3 (in total about 100 people). It was then that we went back to eating in the crew mess and the restrictions where unofficially forgotten about. 

When I say this you must keep in mind that at this point it had been almost 3 months since any of us had touched land, and a solid month and a half since we had a positive case. Much like New Zealand and Australia now, we no longer had to worry about covid. We still wore masks around the ship (thanks to the CDC), but unless Chief Safety caught you no one was gonna look twice at a large group eating at one table, or a group staying up late drinking and playing cards (guilty of that)...By the end of May it was almost like we had regained some normalicy...so of course it couldn’t last...

MOVING SHIP 

May 21st, Group 3 got a notice that we would be transferred to another ship in the fleet to consolidate all of us together. They said it would be a few weeks before this transfer...We finally got moved on June 22nd.

As of today March 16th 2021 a full year after we stopped sailing, the last remaining Group 2 and Group 3 people from my company have gotten home, those that were in Group 2 came from Vietnam, and Trinidad and Trabago it took a year to finally get them home...let that sink in.

...

And here is where i’ll end this tale, if anyone is interested in knowing about life on the 2nd and 3rd ship I got transferred to before going home in December, let me know i’ll type something up.

[raisingsupergirl]

I Didn't Vote

Yep, you heard it right. On 11/3/20, I didn't go anywhere near the polls. I woke up, went to work, went home, and went to bed. Sure, I'd had a long day, but I certainly had a chance to swing by and punch my ticket. I thought about doing it. From the time I woke up I thought about it. But I just couldn't bring myself to do it, and I didn't really know why. Even the next day I couldn't figure it out. And I've been mulling it over since then. I still don't have a satisfying reason, but at least I have a reason. Actually, I have several.

Okay, let's get this out of the way. My first reason for not voting is ignorance. No, not on the part of the political candidates, or social media, or you. I didn't vote because I'm ignorant. I know so little about the two old guys (and there was a woman, too, right? That third-party so-and-so?) fighting to "rule" our country. Here's what I do know… First, Trump: He's filthy rich. He owns some companies (honestly couldn't tell you which ones). He had a TV show (can't remember the name) and a tower. He has been our president for the past four years, and he did some things that veterans and conservatives like (I can't tell you with certainty even one thing that he's responsible for changing). He's a republican, but I think he used to be a democrat. I also think his wife's name is Ivanka, he has a daughter, and his VP is Mike Pence. Lastly, people either love him or hate him, which has only further divided our nation. He comes off at different times as a megalomaniac, a bully, and an idiot (though he may not be any of those things. Who knows?). He has no filter, he has Twitter, and he claims that everyone else is out to lie, steal, and cheat to make him look bad, which is ironic, because his ridiculous hair does that all on its own. And now on to the other guy.

I actually forget Joe Biden's name a lot. I want to call him Pence or Kerry or even McCain. Seriously, though that's not saying much. I'm horrible with names. But I also forget what he looks like. When I think about him, all I see is Jim Carrey. Oh! That must be why I tend to call him Kerry in my head. Silly me. Now… what about him? He's a lifetime politician, he's democrat, and he's really old. I know that much. And his running mate is a woman, I think. Seems like he's probably going to be our next president based on the Electoral College, but I couldn't tell you with confidence what that means. And that's about it. Honestly, I don't know anymore than that.

But why don't I know more? Am I dumb? Well… I don't think so. I received a master's degree over a decade ago (with honors, no less), and I like to think I've only grown smarter and wiser since then. I love learning new things—ideas, talents, how things work. But one of those things just isn't politics. So, the second reason I didn't vote is disinterest (I'm racking up quite a compelling argument, I know). I've written about how I don't have a passion for BLM even though I think it's a worthy cause. And I think the main reason is because it falls under the "politics" umbrella in my mind. Too many people with too many emotions and not enough listening. I just don't have the stomach for it. I would rather spend my one life changing the world one person at a time. I'd rather show love to my neighbor (as a Christian), fix someone's knee pain (as a physical therapist), and help other people get their ideas across clearer (as an editor). And, if I'm being honest, all of the doom saying just doesn't scare me. I'm a country boy at heart, and I have simple needs. My family is small, and I have a cabin in the woods. I was sad when Y2K didn't happen. I love individual people, but I'm not a big fan of society. In large groups, people are mean and naïve. And so, fear just doesn't enter into the equation for me. Life is so much bigger than what the marketing campaigns claim.

If you haven't caught on yet, I'm a bit of a skeptic. I don't know if I was born that way, but I became aware of it in college. I didn't particularly like my research classes, but I loved learning how to read scientific articles. Specifically, I love learning how to recognize BS (Biased Science, that is…). I have a knack for seeing through it in any situation. I can generally tell when people are lying, and even though I don't know everything, I do understand concepts, theories, and ideas better than the average person. And like Aristotle (and Plato), I'm keenly aware of my own ignorance as well as that of others. I see how people embrace sensationalized "fake news" and assume causality just because of correlation. Everyone does it. I do it. But I'm aware of it. I'm aware of social media algorithms, of herd mentality, of confirmation bias. And so, the third reason I didn't vote is because I assume everyone is either lying or buying into lies (lying and bullying are my two biggest pet peeves, by the way). And we've already established that I don't have the time or the energy (or the mental capacity) to learn the truth of every political topic and use those truths to set everyone straight. But hey, at least I'm honest…

Remember when I said earlier that fear didn't factor into the equation for me? Yeah, obviously that’s not true. I mean, sure, I'm not afraid of societal collapse or the end of the world. But I'm obviously afraid of being wrong. We've established that I don't know much about Trump or Kerr—er… Biden. That I'm ignorant about politics, in general. And we know that I'm a skeptic—that I have to come to my own conclusions. And most of the time that looks like stubbornness. I hate being told what to do. I hate being micromanaged. I hate the virus on my computer that sets Bing as my default search engine instead of Google. I hate the alarm on my wife's van that makes me wear my seat belt. And I hate the Facebook banners that keep telling me it's my duty to vote. I'm a grown boy. I can make those decisions all on my own. And I will not blindly trust a random source with dubious intentions to make those decisions for me. And, as much as I love my friends, I don't buy their claims that it's my duty to vote, either. Countless brave men and women did not die for my DUTY to vote. They died for my freedom to do so. Same as my freedom to be a Christian. Which means I'm also free to NOT vote.

But why wouldn't I WANT to vote? Because I'm afraid of whom I would have voted for. I'm aware of where I live and what my local culture thinks. In short, I voted for Trump last time, and I probably would have voted for him this time. And I couldn't stomach that thought (side note: I do have one regret, and that’s not voting local. I do know people personally who were running for office--as well as local bills--but I missed the opportunity to vote on things that I DO know about because of my fear of voting for the “wrong” president). It’s not that I doubted that Trump would do positive things while in office (even though, as I said, I'm not sure what he actually did the past four years…), but I'm just so tired of everybody acting insane. There's a reason I don't have cable. There's a reason I only get on social media to post pictures and check my notifications. And while I don't buy into all the sensationalism claiming the president has ultimate power, I do believe that he has a microphone. And a Twitter account. And even though our government is based on checks and balances, our media definitely isn't. If Biden is, in fact, our president for the next four years, my only hope is that he'll keep his mouth shut.

Okay, everyone's mad at me now. And that's okay. I put myself out there. I was honest about my ignorance, my bias, and my fear, which is more than I can say about most other people (presidents included). And maybe my honesty will compel others (you?) to reevaluate the "truths" they (you?) assume are self-evident. It's taken me four years, but I finally understand what "Make America Great Again" means. What would it take for our country to be great? Accountability. That's it. If every man, woman, and child did everything possible to give back to our country, we WOULD be great. If we worked hard to repair crumbling buildings, if we painted breathtaking murals, if we learned classical philosophy and used it shape our thoughts, if we refused to blame someone else for our unhappiness, if we did everything in our INDIVIDUAL power to contribute to the greater whole, if we truly loved our neighbors and gave them the shirt off of our back regardless of their political leanings… THAT would make us great. Right now, we're all so divided. We're all so afraid and easily manipulated. I've chosen to put my time and energy into things "smaller" than politics, but that doesn't mean I don't care about the future of my country. Quite the opposite, in fact. And hopefully, when I'm dead and gone, my tombstone won't read, "The guy who didn't vote in the 2020 presidential election."

[katsens-writing]

Exchanged Love, Part 2

Summary: Peter meets a sweet exchange student. Kind of like a summer love story except it’s during the rest of the year.

Pairing: Peter x Exchange Student!Reader

Content: A little emotional angst, some pining but lots of fluff and feels. One instance of slightly adult humor, very small. Maybe one small bad word? Please let me know if I need to add anything!

Word Count: 4.5k

A/N: Part two of a piece requested by an anon some time ago. It took longer than it probably should have but I already had a few wips going when I received it and then I discovered Good Omens. It’s a bit different than what I’ve written before but then again I still haven’t written much so everything is a little different. It's also my first ever request so yeah, different. My taglists are open if anyone would be interested in joining any of them. Enjoy!

Request: “I wish you would write a piece where Peter Stark is falling in love with the international student. And yes I meant Stark. (For the sake of length and sanity I wrote it as an exchange student. Hope you like it anon!)

---

     By Monday morning Peter was feeling a lot better. When he returned to school the week went by quickly but he had no trouble catching up with the work he had missed, thanks to Ned, MJ, and Y/N’s help. Between the three of them, they had him caught up in all his classes and up to speed on the group project. They all worked so well together on the semester project that they started inviting Y/N to hang out with them. By the time the midterms came around, it was like they had known her as long as they had known each other. They had movie nights together, studied together and Y/N even became an honorary member of the decathlon team.

     Whenever Y/N was around, Peter’s heart fluttered. It bothered him at first but after a while, he didn’t even notice it anymore, until one week when Y/N was gone. Peter went to school the week before spring break and found out Y/N had left early because she was going out of town. That whole week he seemed to be in a fog. He lost several assignments, showed up to class late and skipped lunch a few times. When he missed decathlon practice, Ned and MJ cornered him in the hall one day before science class.

     “Hey man, you haven’t been yourself this week. What’s up? Is something wrong?” Ned asked.

     “I can tell you what’s wrong,” MJ snorted. “Y/N isn’t here.”

     “W-what?” Peter asked, confused.

     “Oh...” Ned’s eyes widened. “I get it now.”

     “I don’t,” Peter retorted.

     “You need to get your crap together,” MJ crossed her arms. “Because this is painful to watch.”

     “I think what MJ means is she thinks you should talk to Y/N when she gets back,” Ned offered.

     “No, I think what I mean is he needs to get his crap together,” MJ snarked. She turned back to Peter. “You need to man up, tell her how you feel, and ask her out already!”

     Peter opened his mouth to answer but nothing came out. Thankfully the bell for the next period rang then. “Um, I gotta go... yeah,” he replied slowly with a frown, leaving quickly. He was thoroughly confused. What were they talking about?

     He came home from school that afternoon and the second he walked in the front door, Harley immediately knew something was up.

     “Hey squirt,” Harley teased Peter. “What’s with the face?”

     “I dunno, what’s with your face?” Peter replied instinctively.

     Harley’s eyebrows rose to his hairline. “Hello to you too,” he scoffed with a shrug as he turned back to the counter.

     “Sorry. How’s college?” Peter asked a little guiltily without looking up as he sat down across from Harley.

     Harley took a sip of his energy drink before answering. “Good. I think Mr. Barrows finally got over the lab incident. He said hi to me outside of his office last week instead of grumbling like he usually does. It only took him a semester and a half this time. I think it’s a new record.” Harley looked at Peter nodding absentmindedly and humming to whatever he said. Harley’s brow furrowed before a small, mischievous smile started playing at the corner of his lips. “Oh, and the school board picked me to be the residential advisor in the freshman dorm in the fall. That should be fun.”

     Peter nodded distractedly and mumbled. “Oh, that’s good.”

     Harley sighed and put down his drink. He tilted his head at Peter with a raised eyebrow and a faint smirk. “Ok, who is she?”

     Immediately Peter’s head snapped up and his full attention was on Harley. “What?”

     Harley’s smirk widened. “You heard me,” he grinned.

     “She- she’s no one,” Peter replied.

     “So there is a she,” Harley arched his eyebrows.

     “No,” Peter scowled.

     “He?” Harley quirked an eyebrow.

     “No!” Peter sighed exasperatedly. “There isn’t anybody!”

     “Mm, ok bro,” Harley grinned as he got up to put his cup in the sink. “Whatever you say.”

---

    Once school was back in, Peter and Y/N hardly saw each other. They didn’t have any classes together and all of their classes seemed to be in different hallways. They still managed to get together in the evenings with Ned and MJ, but the more time they spent together, the more Peter curiously found himself wanting to spend time with just Y/N.

     The semester went by so fast. It seemed all Peter did was blink, and suddenly it was almost over. He couldn’t believe it, but he didn’t have much time to think about it because, before finals, Fury had Tony gather all the Avengers for a mission in South America, including Peter. When Peter met Ned, MJ, and Y/N to study one more time at the library before finals, he told them he was going to be out of town for a little while.

     “Oh? Are you going on vacation?” Y/N asked, a little surprised.

     “Uh, no. It’s- it’s for my dad. He, um... he wants me to meet with some of his co-workers.” Peter replied. Well, it’s not a complete lie. I’m going to be meeting with Uncle Bucky, Uncle Steve, Aunt Nat and...

     “Oh, that sounds exciting!” Y/N replied.

     “Sounds boring,” Ned scoffed.

     “Sounds like the beginning stages of nepotism,” MJ raised an eyebrow.

     “Believe me, it will be boring,” Peter rolled his eyes exaggeratedly. “Dad does this every year. I’d much rather be here, but ‘this is my future’,” Peter pretended to quote Tony sarcastically. “I don’t even get out of finals.”

     “Well, I wish you safe travels!” Y/N smiled, her eyes shining in the soft light of the library. She looked so pretty that Peter was caught off guard.

     “Uh, thanks,” Peter’s cheeks flushed a little and his heart fluttered so much, it was almost like he was meeting her again for the first time. He didn’t have much time to think about it though, because the next day he was on a quinjet to Sout America with his dad, Captain America, Bucky Barnes, Hawkeye, and Black Widow.

     The mission ended up taking longer than they had initially expected because the targets called in more security at both of their facilities since Rhodey and Sam had reported in, and the targets had since split up. The team divided into pairs, and after nearly a month in the Brazilian jungle with Hawkeye, they managed to locate and capture both of the targets, as well as most of their people.

     “Good job on this mission, Peter,” Tony congratulated him. “Nice work on tracking that guard through the river.”

     “Thanks, dad,” Peter mumbled tiredly as he flopped onto a couch. He was really enjoying the air conditioning after four weeks in the jungle.

     “Yeah, bonus points for not murdering your uncle,” Natasha grinned.

     “Hey, that’s not fair,” Bucky argued. “I didn’t murder him either.”

     “I’m gonna murder him if he doesn’t get out of the shower soon,” Natasha muttered crossly.

     Peter frowned. “He still owes me $20.”

     “Don’t worry, you can take it off his body once I’m done with him,” Natasha assured him.

     Peter snorted as Bucky made some comment about Natasha being careless and leaving Clint’s body behind. Peter glanced at his phone and sighed. The service had been spotty at best on their mission. He’d been so tired since they got back in the country and so busy making up his finals that he forgot to check it. He had a few dozen mixed texts from Ned alone, about four from MJ, and a few missed calls from different people. He opened his messages from Ned and his heart sank when he began reading them.

     “What is it?” Natasha asked, immediately turning her attention from her conversation with Bucky to Peter when she noticed his change in demeanor.

     “Nothing,” he frowned. “I- I gotta make a call.” He walked to the sleeping quarters in the back of the quinjet and called up Ned.

     “Hello?” he answered, the sound of a party in the background.

     “Hey, Ned. I saw your texts but I didn’t read ‘em all. What’s up? You said something about Y/N? Is everything alright?” Peter asked with a hint of worry.

     “Oh man, I wish you’d called sooner,” Ned groaned. “You just missed her.”

     “What’s going on?” Peter asked, his stomach sinking. He was starting to worry.

     “She’s leaving tonight man,” Ned replied, sounding pained. “I’m sorry.”

     “She’s what?!” Peter cried, loud enough for Natasha and Bucky to hear him in the main cabin. His mind and his heart started racing.“I thought she wasn’t leaving for another two weeks!”

     “I tried calling you to tell you. Her flight home next month got canceled so she had to take an earlier one if she wanted to be home in time for her little sister’s birthday.” Ned answered. “She said goodbye to everyone yesterday at school. She asked about you.”

     Peter’s heart sank. “Wh-when does her plane leave?”

     Ned shrugged. “Hold on, let me ask MJ.” There was a pause on the phone as Ned asked her. “She said either 10 or 11.”

     Peter glanced at his watch. 10:38. “Let’s hope it’s 11,” he muttered as he hung up. He walked out of the sleeping quarters and headed to the cockpit, passing a few curious looks.

     Bucky looked at Nat, confused. “Okay... what was that all about?” Nat just shook her head and chuckled.

     “Hey Dad, how much longer ‘til we land?” Peter asked as soon as he was in the cockpit.

     “About 20 minutes,” Tony replied casually, not missing the edge in Peter’s voice.

     “Do you think you could go a little faster?” Peter asked, slightly anxious.

     Steve turned to Tony with a slightly raised eyebrow before looking at Peter. Peter was tapping his foot and looking around nervously, flexing his fingers. Clearly, the kid was agitated by something.

     “Faster?” Tony scoffed without looking over his shoulder at Peter. “Kid, landing is the time when you slow down. You sure you’re my kid? Because I could’ve sworn he passed his physics class last year.” Peter sighed dejectedly, ignoring his dad’s not-so-subtle brag disguised as teasing.

     “Why? You got somewhere to be?” Steve asked, watching Tony’s face for any reaction. Tony had the faintest smirk on his lips.

     “I- I just found out that... that a friend of mine is moving,” Peter swallowed hard, trying to control his voice. It sounded a little strained as he fought back the tears that were forming in his eyes. “They’re leaving tonight in a few minutes and...”

     “You want to say goodbye,” Steve finished for him.

     “Yeah,” Peter confirmed softly, no longer trusting his voice.

     “Hmm,” Steve turned and glanced at the altitude reading on the instrument panel in front of him. “Well, we’re low enough to the ground and you have plenty of fluid for the webshooters...” Steve glanced over his shoulder at Peter. “If you leave now and keep to the rooftops, you might make it in time.”

     “Leave now?” Peter’s eyes widened incredulously at what Steve was implying. He was going to ask him exactly what that was but the ramp was already lowering.

     “Hey!” Came a shout from the main cabin. Peter glanced out to see Clint standing there, struggling to hold down a towel wrapped around his waist.

     Natasha turned to the cabin, cringing. “How about a little warning next time, huh? That was more of Clint than I wanted to see right now.”

     Bucky turned to her, looking like he was about to be sick. “That was terrifying. Why would you ever want to see that?!”

     “Well, she did marry me!” Clint snapped.

     Peter grabbed his bag and walked to the ramp and hesitated, looking nervously at the city below. He groaned inwardly once again at the irony of his situation. He was Spider-Man. He swung through the city at ridiculous speeds and equally ridiculous heights on webs. He would free fall and swoop up at the last minute just for fun. And he was terrified of heights. Doing his Spider-Man stuff was one thing, but jumping from a plane was entirely different.

     Steve looked over his shoulder with raised eyebrows. “This is your chance, kid.”

     Peter took a deep breath and pulled on his mask. “This is a bad idea,” he muttered as he jumped out of the plane.

     Steve smirked and closed the ramp once Peter was gone before turning back around in his seat. He felt Tony’s eyes boring into him and he glanced at him.

     “You did not just tell my kid to jump out of a plane,” Tony deadpanned, giving him a flat look.

     “Of course not,” Steve replied nonchalantly. “And you didn’t just lower the ramp for him.”

---

     A minute after Peter jumped out of the plane he shot a web out and swung to a skyscraper below.

     “Whew, ok, still alive. That’s good. First step, check,” Peter spoke, his heart racing. “Next step, the airport,” he prepared to leap off the side of the building but froze. “He didn’t tell me which airport!”

    Peter swore before his eyes widened. “Wait! Karen, how many flights are leaving for Italy from New York tonight?”

     “Three flights. The last one arrives in five minutes from JFK.” The AI informed him.

     “Is there any way you can stop it or delay it or something?” Peter cried, his stomach lurching, but not from the heights.

     “No, I’m sorry Peter. Your father has only authorized me to do that in an emergency.”

     Peter groaned and started swinging faster. Within minutes he landed at JFK. He glanced at the time in the corner of his display. 11:02. He was late. “What gate?” he asked Karen, his heart sinking. Maybe his time was a little fast. Maybe Karen forgot to adjust for the last time zone. He couldn’t be late, he just couldn't. He had to see her one more time, he had to.

     Peter was starting to pace along the roof when he saw a familiar yellow bag standing on the sidewalk below and his heart stopped. He dropped down just around the corner from the people and took off his bag. He glanced around the corner and saw Y/N close the trunk of the taxi and thank the driver. He grabbed his sweater out of his bag and yanked it on over his suit before stuffing his mask in the bag. He didn’t have time to change completely but he didn’t want to miss his chance. He took a deep breath and stepped around the corner.

     “Y/N! Y/N!” He shouted over the hustle and bustle of the crowd, trying to make his way to her.

     She turned at his voice just as she was getting ready to step through a revolving door. Her eyes widened in surprise. “Peter!” She cried.

     She quickly walked over to him as he made his way through the throng of people. As soon as he was within reach, she threw her arms around him and pulled him into a hug. Peter’s eyes widened as he instinctively put his arms around Y/N. He couldn’t tell if his heart was racing or if it was even beating at all. All he knew was that there was a warmth spreading from the left side of his chest. He rested his cheek on her head and closed his eyes.

     “I thought you weren’t coming!” Y/N gasped, her unseen sadness vanishing in her surprise as she pulled back to look up at him. As she did, his arms slipped away a little and his hands came to rest on her sides.

     Peter gave her a lopsided grin, masking the pained look in his eyes. “You really thought I’d let you leave without saying goodbye?” Y/N looked away embarrassed, her cheeks flushing. “I’m really sorry,” he lowered his gaze guiltily, his smile fading. “Honestly, I almost didn’t make it. Ned called me, but...” his voice trailed off.

     “You are here now,” Y/N lifted a hand from his shoulder and placed it comfortingly on his cheek. “And I’m very happy you are.” As soon as he was looking at her, she lowered her arms to rest along his.

     Peter’s heart skipped a beat as his eyes met Y/N’s, sparkling in the light coming through the airport windows. For a second he forgot everything, how to talk, how to breathe. He was certain that if it hadn’t been for Y/N’s arms resting on his, he would’ve fallen down because he’d forgotten how to stand. What was going on?

     Maybe I did fall, he thought. I mean I jumped out of the jet. Maybe I hit my head on the way down or something. That would explain it, wouldn’t it?

     He looked up at Y/N and he swore his heart stopped altogether. Suddenly it all made sense to him; how he felt when Y/N was around, even more so how he felt when she wasn’t. How could he have not noticed? He loved her. He loved her and she was about to leave forever.

     “Y/N,” he looked into her eyes, his heart beating a mile a minute. God, he was so nervous. Why was this so hard? He took down Vulture single-handedly, he went toe-to-toe with Thanos, got turned to dust, then faced the purple alien’s army without giving it a second thought, but this? This was terrifying to him. “I have something to tell you. I-”

     “Shh!” Y/N quickly put a hand to his mouth, much to his surprise. “I know, Peter. You don’t have to say it.”

     Peter’s eyes widened. She knows?

     Y/N stood on her toes and Peter instinctively tightened his grip on her waist, not wanting her to stumble. She leaned forward and whispered in his ear softly. “You’re Spider-Man.”

     Peter’s eyes widened even more and he immediately let go of Y/N. She shifted her weight back to her heels and looked up at the panicking boy before her.

     “What? Uh, no- no, that’s not what I--” he stopped as his gaze fell back on Y/N. The look in her eyes told him there was no use. He sighed again and looked at her with mild amazement. “How- how did you know?”

     “I told you not to stay out too long,” Y/N’s face broke into a dazzling grin as she looked up at Peter and his heart melted. “You were so sick the next day. I thought at first it just had to be a coincidence, but then I thought about how you gave me directions to the auditorium. You were the only one to stop and help, just like Spider-Man,” she looked away, her cheeks flushing a little. “That is why I was staring at you at lunch, because I thought you sounded familiar.’

     “Well to be fair, I was probably the only one to crash into you,” Peter reasoned with a shrug.

     Peter and Y/N both chuckled at the memories. Y/N’s smile widened as she looked up at Peter. “And whenever you missed a study group or hanging out with us at night, the next morning Spider-Man would be in the news, saving the day.” The two chuckled again but their laughter faded as a light air of sadness settled over them.

     Peter hesitated. “Y/N... you’re right, but that’s not what I wanted to tell you.”

     Y/N’s eyes grew and her lips parted slightly in surprise. “It’s not?” Her surprise was quickly replaced with a look of concern. “Is something wrong?”

     Peter chuckled weakly, smiling at her fondly. “No, nothing’s wrong,” he sighed. “Y/N, I--”

     “Attention passengers, Flight 742 will begin boarding in 30 minutes. Again, Flight 742 will be boarding in 30 minutes. Thank you.” A male voice announced over the PA system.

     Y/N’s eyes widened a fraction further and Peter’s heart sank. “That’s your flight, isn’t it?” he asked softly.

     “Yeah,” Y/N bit her lip. “I have to hurry or I’m going to miss it.” She held her arms out and gave Peter one last hug. When she pulled away she lifted her eyes to meet his one more time. “Goodbye, Peter. I’ll call you later, ok?”

     “Yeah, ok,” Peter smiled though he felt like doing anything but. “Talk to you then.”

     Y/N gave Peter a small, sad smile, her eyes misting faintly before turning and disappearing into the crowd. Peter watched until she was completely out of sight before turning away with a heavy sigh. He shuffled to the curb and waved over a waiting taxi. He just didn’t feel like swinging home and he didn’t want to bother Happy on a Saturday night. Once he got back to the tower, he paid the driver and took the elevator up.

     When the doors opened up, he walked through the hall toward his room. When he got to the living room, he saw his dad and the Avengers relaxing and talking. As he was walking by, his dad saw him and called out to him.

     “Hey, Pete! Did you catch your friend?” he asked, setting a drink down before rising to his feet and casually striding over to his son.

     “Yeah, I did,” Peter sighed. He was hoping to get to his room without having to talk to anyone. He felt like his heart had sunk to the floor and he looked like it too.

     “Yeah? Then why do you look like someone ran ‘em over instead?” Tony asked, holding a water bottle out to his son. “Here, drink up. You look a little dehydrated.”

     “I’m just... just gonna miss ‘em is all,” Peter mumbled, taking the bottle from his dad. He kept his head lowered as he fought back the tears that were beginning to form in his eyes.

     “Well, you have their number, right?” Tony asked before frowning. “Wait, do kids still exchange phone numbers?” he shook his head, dismissing it.

     “Yeah, I have it,” Peter replied, unscrewing the cap from his bottle.

    “Well see? You’ll be fine then. Anyway, you’ve got more important things to worry about, like your internship.”

     “Internship?” Peter frowned, pausing with the bottle raised half-way.

     “Yeah, your advisor called to give me a heads up, said I may be getting an increase in applications soon,” Tony answered nonchalantly.

     “Oh, great,” Peter mumbled as he brought the bottle the rest of the way to his lips and took a drink. His throat was sore. He turned and slowly started toward his room again, but if Tony noticed, he didn’t seem to care.

     “Yeah. Now I’ve already got your internship set up if you want it, but if not that’s ok too. I’d understand if you don’t want to spend the summer working for your old man,” he rolled his eyes exaggeratedly as he followed his son.

     “Uh, thanks dad,” Peter closed his eyes and suppressed a groan as he turned away back toward his room. He really didn’t want to talk about anything right now, let alone his internship. “But I really just want to go to bed right now.”

     “I understand. I wouldn’t sleep long, though. If you want the internship, you’d better start packing, you leave Tuesday.”

     Peter froze mid-step with his hand on his bedroom door. “What? Leave?” he asked, turning to face his dad.

     Tony shrugged. “Yeah, I’m gonna spend the summer finishing up some old projects around the tower. Your mom’s been bugging me to fix the dryer on the guest floor for months and I have a few design upgrades for the team. I’m really not gonna have enough work for an intern in the lab this year. Stark Enterprises International just opened a new Research and Development floor at the headquarters in Italy though, and they’re gonna need help setting up, calibrating, and testing out all the equipment.”

     Peter stared at his dad completely stunned. After a minute, he blinked and replied. “I-I-I’m- I’m going to Italy?!” he gasped, wide-eyed.

     “Uh, yeah?” Tony’s eyebrows arched a little. “I mean if you want to. If not, I’m sure you cou--”

     “I gotta pack!” Peter cut him off, shutting his bedroom door in his dad’s face. Tony grunted in amusement, his eyes glinting with a smirk on his face as he turned and walked back to the living room. Black Widow noticed as he entered and looked up at him.

     “So, how’d it go?” she asked before taking a sip of her drink.

     Tony opened his mouth to reply but was cut off by a soft clattering coming from down the hall towards Peter’s room as he dug through his closet. He quirked an eyebrow with a smile. “Does that answer your question?” Natasha chuckled and shook her head lightly.

     “Thanks again, by the way,” Tony turned to her as he refilled his cup.

     Natasha shrugged. “It was no big deal, I’d been meaning to catch up with an old friend in Italy for a while, anyway. He’ll be perfectly safe, you have my word.”

     “I know, I had to check more for Pepper’s sake,” Tony replied casually with a slight eye-roll. Natasha brought her cup to her lips and hummed, hiding a disbelieving smile. “I’m just glad May was able to come on such short notice and set it up.” Tony continued.

     “You can thank her tomorrow when she comes by for dinner,” Pepper spoke as she walked in. Looking at Tony, she nodded her head toward Peter’s room and arched her eyebrows with a chuckle. “I take it you told him?”

     “How did you know?” Tony looked over his shoulder and smirked.

     “Speaking of knowing, how did you know?” Bucky asked, cocking an eyebrow at Tony from his seat across from Steve.

     He just shrugged. “Karen alerts me whenever Peter has her run a scan on him and tells me the results.”

     “One of the few remaining Baby Monitor protocols he still has in place,” Pepper added.

     “Yeah. One night I got one with some odd readings, but no apparent cause. It was Pep that suggested I playback the footage.” He nodded to his wife. There was another thump from Peter’s room as he hurriedly packed.

     “Aww, his first crush,” Pepper smiled, sitting down her cup of tea.

     “So let me get this straight,” Clint frowned. “You can delay a plane for so your kid can see his crush but you couldn’t delay it so I could sleep in last year in Marrakesh?”

     “Yeah, pretty much,” Tony shrugged. Clint grumbled and the rest of the team laughed.

     “To be fair, he did warn you about the drinks in the minifridge,” Natasha grinned.

     Tony smirked before he furrowed his brow. “Do you think he’ll realize it’s not a coincidence?”

     Pepper chuckled as she walked up behind her husband. She put her arms around him and rested her chin on his shoulder. “What? You don’t want him to miss out on the knowledge that he has the best wingman for a father?”

     Tony chuckled as he turned to his wife and slipped his arms around her waist, pulling her against him before giving her a kiss. “He’ll figure it out.”

---

Part 1    Buy me a coffee?

Tags: @parkerspicedlatte @xmarveled @jll72-blog

[writersrealmbts]

Pack Trials: Hoseok

Description:  You’ve narrowed down the candidates, but will you really be happy with any of them? And how could you adapt to a new pack?

Warnings: I don’t even know, I guess just be cautious

There are other groups in this, but this is a BTS part of the fic.

Introduction Here!

Posted: 10/11/2018

Tags: Hybrid AU, Hybrid!BTS, Hybrid!Reader, ReadersChoice, Hybrid Everybody and their Mother, ReaderxHoseok

Angsty, with some fluff:  6,204 words

A/N: Took me long enough, huh? I don’t think I did him justice, which really sucks because he’s one of my favorites. I’m behind on writing everything because of big school projects, but I finally finished this.

Apologies Mobile Users…I did use a Keep Reading thing but it doesn’t work on mobile!

It should have been easier. Having less suitors should have made it easier to focus on who your prospective mate would be. It should have been easier to figure out who you really could love, and live with. It didn’t. It was down to eight men, all of which were good, fine, young men who would be an amazing mate for you. Jaebum, Namjoon, Seokjin, Youngjae, Leo, Chanyeol, Jaehyun, and Hoseok. Yet as you looked at them all, all you felt was the pressure from everyone else to choose. You could feel the hundreds of eyes as they gazed at you, waiting for you to speak. You could see the suitors starting to look a little worried the longer you stood there without speaking. “My lady? The next trial?” You swallowed hard, closing your eyes. You didn’t even know what to test, or how to test it. You respected all of them. You couldn’t go wrong with any of them, and yet you felt nothing but anxiety and panic. Like the air was too thin and someone was trying to push you to run farther and faster. “My lady?” “I can’t do this,” You breathed out, then you ran. 

You ran off of the platform and out of the area before anyone could stop you. You ran to your tent, grabbed your favored weapons and your light bag. You ran to the forest. You didn’t stop running until you were gasping for breath and tripped over a tree root. The letters had cut the numbers down significantly, and then there had been the secret trial that you had going during every meal you ate with each of the contestants. Then there was another team trial, with an obstacle course. Then an obstacle course for the individuals. Then you had gone spent time alone with each of them, according to drawn straws. That was how you got it down to those eight. But now, not only could you not think of another trial, you couldn’t make the choice. You needed a plan. You’d be a loner. You could run to Arrow territory. You knew it better than anyone else. You’d evaded your own packmates easily, even your father and the elders, sometimes for an hour and once for two weeks before deciding to return before your father got too worried. It would have been better if you had grabbed more supplies, but you hadn’t wanted anyone to stop you. You got to your feet and started running again. You could switch to stealth mode tomorrow. Right now you needed to put distance between you and the packs. You checked the compass briefly, then continued on your way. You switched between running and walking for what seemed like hours, night darkening the forest. You paused to drink some water, finally starting to be able to think clearly as you gained some distance from the camp where all the packs were. There wasn’t a rule that said you couldn’t opt out of choosing a mate. If your father was still alive, it might have been easier to choose. Easier to stay and find happiness. It was all too much, too soon. You hit the meadows, and looked up, quickly finding the stars you needed to navigate home. You probably should have been worried about poachers, but you weren’t. You rested for a moment when you reached tree cover again, listening carefully to your surroundings and smelling everything to make sure nothing was amiss. Good. You scanned the area, searching for movement. Owl. Bats. Nothing out of the ordinary. Excellent. You turned and started out more carefully. Escaping would do you no good if you hurt yourself. Maybe the problem was that you had such amazing suitors. They were diverse. It’s hard to compare and choose when each one was so different. You knew that if you had been forced to pare down your options further you would have cut it to Jaebum, Namjoon, Seokjin, Hosoek, and Youngjae—the ones you’d had previous exposure to. But you couldn’t imagine a future with any of them right now. Which was good because there probably wouldn’t be a future with any of them now. You mostly walked through the night, resting a little more than you did during the day, taking about an hour’s rest toward daybreak so that your legs would be ready for the day ahead by climbing up into a tree and sleeping there. You had a little food in your bag, so you had some of that, but you also just paid attention to your surroundings the next day, picking things as you came across them. Berries, edible flowers, leaves—you even stopped to pick some fruit from the trees, putting everything into different mesh bags that you hooked to your belt and bag. Or putting it straight into your mouth. It was a skill you had picked up and practiced after talking to Hoseok, and then Jackson—messengers of their packs—and thought it might be a good skill to have. Gathering and eating on the run so that you could keep the non-expiring foods in your bag for when there was nothing. Hoseok. You felt bad, running away from the suitors. You wished you could explain to them that it had nothing to do with your choices. It was because you had to make a choice, and you couldn’t even think straight. You reached the first hideout in Arrow territory on the fifth day. You slipped into the hideout, knowing you shouldn’t stay too long, but you still took the time to change into your spare clothes, and take supplies like blankets and food and a small tent. You wouldn’t stop until you had passed the gorge, a difficult trail for anyone who wasn’t accustomed to traversing difficult terrain or who wasn’t accustomed to your territory in general. It would be easy to lose anyone who might be following you there. You stared at the map a moment longer, wondering if you would really punish anyone who followed you this far. You didn’t actually want to be alone. You just couldn’t bear the pressure of the trials any longer. If any of the suitors made it past the gorge it would be Hoseok. The thought sort of took you by surprise—mostly because of how much you wished it to be that way. That he was following you. When you had been cold just the other night, you had thought back to the night after the hunting trial, when he had draped his coat around your shoulders, and it had been so warm. The way his hug had made you feel so much better. His smile. You shook your head and stashed the map in the hiding spot again, slipping out after observing the outside, and then making your way toward the gorge. Where you almost fell to your death, but managed to stop your rapid descent in time. You stood there, catching your breath for a moment, cursing yourself for not being more careful. For being too confident. No, too proud. Too cocky. You managed to cross without further incident, then headed straight for the cabin that held some of the only memories you had of your mother. The cabin that you spent at least a month in every year—usually with your father visiting on the weekends—for the sugaring season. You arrived as night fell on the sixteenth day since you had run, and you were glad that you had just been there two months ago, so there wasn’t a terribly large amount of cleaning to do. By the time it was fully dark outside, you had finished cleaning and even managed to eat. Then you pulled out the letters of the eight suitors. Hoseok’s had been the first you had read, and it had read so much like how you remembered him, and yet so different. He had managed to be open about his flaws, and yet the way he wrote brought you so much comfort. You growled at yourself, setting his aside and reading through the others again. In the morning, you set about doing some more chores. You split the firewood (an exhausting job that didn’t allow you to think of anything else), you properly cleaned the house (scrubbing the floors and airing things out), and in the evening you made yourself a quick meal and dropped into an exhausted sleep. You realized no one was going to find you four days later, if they were even looking. That was the day you spent crying. The day after you spent in the flower field with the solitary willow, making flower chains and a plan. Living the life of a loner wasn’t easy, especially once the packs divided up what used to be Arrow territory. But maybe they would leave the land beyond the gorge. You jerked awake when someone chuckled. Hoseok smiled down at you. “Are you done running yet? Because that gorge sort of took it out of me.” You stared up at him, swallowing as you tried to decide if you were dreaming, hallucinating, or if he was actually there. “Hey, you alright?” He asked, smile fading a little. “Are you actually here?” He pinched himself, then grinned at you. “Disappointed?” You pushed yourself up and launched into the hug he predicted, burying your face in his shoulder as tears started falling in relief. “Hey, you…you gave up on me!” You just sobbed. “Silly pup,” He cooed, stroking your back despite his teasing. “We all knew that the pressure was too much, too soon. I told them it would be better if a friend found you and since I knew you would head for the difficult terrain and I’m the most familiar with Arrow territory…the other pack leaders agreed to honor your choice if you had one, but understood if you chose the Scouts. No one is expecting you to choose a mate. They said if you want to pick up the trials another time, after you’ve had time to process, then they would be happy to continue.” “Fat chance,” You muttered. He chuckled softly, then pulled you off of him. “You could have said you didn’t want to continue with the trials.” “I panicked,” You murmured, looking away from him. “I just knew I couldn’t stay. There was too much tension and the expectations…I was trapped.” He nodded, understanding. “Come on, puppy, show me around.” You snorted. “Don’t call me puppy.” He just laughed, helping you to your feet. You took him to river, the one that wasn’t in a gorge, and the two of you ate the lunch you had packed for yourself while listening to the waterfalls. He kept glancing at you every so often, reaching over and grabbing your hand, giving it a squeeze, as if he could tell that you couldn’t quite believe he was there. You watched him from the corner of your eye, focusing either on the food or the scenery. After probably an hour of sitting there without speaking, he got up. “Come on. If I’m going to stay with you for a while, I’ll need to know where I’m staying.” You hadn’t realized how tense you had been, thinking about how you would have to return with him, until all of it melted away. You looked up at him. “You don’t have to go back?” “Not just yet. They probably just left the camp last night. Namjoon just told me to take you to the lake first, then we would go wherever they were from there. Assuming you wouldn’t want to stay beside the lake, that is.” He added quickly, offering his arm. You hugged his arm as you walked beside him. “I’m not expecting, and I don’t have any pups so it doesn’t make sense for me to stay by the lake. I also wouldn’t be trusted to care for the pups since I would be new to the pack.” “But you will come to Scout pack?” You nodded. “I just…don’t ask me to pick a mate. Not yet.” He pecked your head. “Take your time.” The two of you meandered back to the cabin, you explaining the process of gathering and then processing the maple sap. He listened, smiling the whole way. You nodded ahead. “Just through those trees.” “You mean the really branch-y ones that I’m going to get stuck in?” “Yup,” You said cheerfully, then darted ahead and ducked through, your smaller size useful for getting through the tangle of branches that had yet to be shed by the trees. He followed as best he could. “Why is this harder than that stupid gorge?!” You giggled, turning back just in time for him to fall to the ground with a grunt of pain. “Yes, yes, it’s hilarious. Isn’t there an easier way?” “The easier path isn’t always the better one,” You replied in a sing-song voice. “There is?!” “Come on, you just need to duck under that branch—no, not through it, under it.” “Why are you tormenting me?” “You’re late,” You said. “To the left of that. Your other left.” He growled slightly, grabbing his tail and ducking through. “How am I late?” Then he looked at you through the branches and he looked sad again. “You actually didn’t think anyone was coming for you?” “You’ll want to keep as close to that tree to your right as possible,” You told him, then slid through to the clear path that led to where your cabin sat. “Hey! Wait up!” You waited while he floundered through the branches with muttered curses and the cracking of dead branches. “I thought you said this was prime area for maple!” “After you get past the pines it is,” You replied, smiling a little. “You didn’t honestly think my father would let me go anywhere that wasn’t easily defended, did you?” “Because a gorge isn’t hard enough to get past?” “Bridges can be built.” “I guess that’s tr—aaaah!” He fell to the ground beside you with a soft groan. You crouched beside him. “You’re normally much more graceful.” He pushed himself up and back to his feet, giving you a mockingly upset glare. “If you really wanted to humiliate me, you should have just made one of the trials a singing trial. Would have really weeded out your suitors.” “I considered it, actually, and from what I remember you’re not that bad.” You nudged him, smiling. He smiled back, his gaze softer. “I’m not good.” “You can carry a tune, some people can’t carry a tune in a bucket.” You took his wrist and pulled him after you as you led him down the path to the cabin. “What do you want for dinner? I don’t have much right now, but I can go catch something.” “Hey, we’re going to work together. So we’ll both catch something, then we’ll cook it, then we’ll eat it—together. Okay?” He pulled back his wrist, forcing you to slow down. You met his eyes and nodded. He held your gaze. “You really thought you would be alone for the rest of your life?” “That’s what happens to loners,” You replied, finally looking away. “There’s the cabin.” He grabbed your hand, squeezing it. “I’ll make sure you’re never alone.” Your heart beat a little harder and faster. “The trials are over, silly. Come on, if we’re going to go hunting or fishing then I’ll need my gear.” “I know the trials are over. I’m glad.” You looked back at his smile and felt your stomach twist. Was he trying to mess with your head? Get back at you for making him go through the thick of those pines? “Don’t look so shocked. I’ve kissed you before, remember?” Embarrassment washed over you immediately and you quickly look away. “We said we’d never speak of it.” “Why shouldn’t we? Because of how quickly your heart raced? Because you believe it was just the loneliness of winter that led to us kissing? Or because you fell for someone through the trials?” He asked, standing close enough that he could probably hear how quickly your heart was racing already. You quickly turned away. “Stop it.” It was quiet for a moment. “Sorry, y/n. I was just teasing. It wasn’t funny. I shouldn’t have said anything.” You didn’t believe a single damn word, but you took the out he gave you. “When I said I would make sure you were never alone…I…meant it as your friend. You’ll always have me as an ally.” He cautiously took your hand in his again. “I went too far. I’m really sorry.” You gave his hand a light squeeze. “Give me time, Hobi.” He kissed your hand. “As much as you need. Let me catch dinner tonight.” You nodded slowly. “Hey, look at me,” He said softly. You did. Wondering if he could see the anxiety that had manifested in mere seconds. He studied your face with concern on his own, ears tilted back with worry. “Come here.” He gently pulled you into a hug, arms holding you just tightly enough to make it a classic Hobi hug. He really did give the best hugs. You took a shaky breath, pressing your face into his shoulder. “Don’t cry,” He murmured, sounding like he was ready to cry if you started crying. “Please tell me you forgive me.” “You didn’t—” “Just say you forgive me.” You held onto him more tightly and nodded. “I forgive you.” He pecked your hair, then kissed the tip of your ear. “Everything is going to be okay.” You nodded, just breathing in his comforting scent for a little while. “We really do need to get moving, though, night falls quickly in the woods. As we both know all too well.” He pulled away from the hug but kept an arm around you, following you to the cabin. “I knew you guys had some structures here and there, but I didn’t know about this place.” “Of course not, you weren’t part of Arrow pack. Actually, most of what was left of Arrow pack couldn’t even locate it. They would have reached the gorge and just assumed that they had taken a wrong turn and leave. Lazy mutts,” You murmured, watching the ground as you moved closer to the cabin. “It’s probably a good thing. They probably would have used it for causing trouble.” “Such as?” “Did you know that nothing causes more trouble than when a woman gets pregnant without any sort of formal mate?” He nodded emphatically. “All hell breaks loose. It’s the same in every tribe. Because none of the other women want to be with that man, but no one knows what man it is…” “Because neither he nor the woman will say. So then the mother urges the father to say something to the pack leader.” “And then the whole pack has to meet up and the woman is just mortified, and by that time most of the guys have figured out who it was who got her pregnant and it’s just messy.” “So messy. Like, just suck it up and admit to it! You made a mistake. Own up to it and prove that you’ve learned from the mistake. The pups will by no means be unloved or uncared for, the women just don’t want to even consider having someone who doesn’t want to be a mate for life and want to know who the idiot is.” “And the pack leader gives him jobs that require him to be responsible, and makes sure that he supports his pups.” “Exactly.” You shook your head, sighing. Sadness washed over you. “Did you ever wonder who would be your mate? Looking at your pack mates?” He asked, his tone thoughtful. “I wondered how I would ever find a mate. And I fantasized about what having a mate would be like. But that’s pretty normal.” You just always were using the boys from the Scout pack in your fantasies, and you’d be lying if Hobi hadn’t been the mate in some of your favorite day-dreams. But you had been a pup last time you fantasized about who your mate would be and what it would be like. It was fairly common for daughters of pack leaders to mate with the future pack leaders of any of the packs, usually before the men took on the roll, so that the woman could integrate and become accustomed to the different packs. Your father had known by the time you were fourteen that you would never be able to mate with the men in Arrow pack, which was around the time that two of the only other promising warriors had been killed. “Hey, you okay?” “I was just thinking about…everything. The past few years. Appa. He always sort of hinted that I would mate with someone from another pack. He knew that I wasn’t compatible with the men of my pack.” “How long did you know?” “Since I was fourteen? Maybe fifteen. There were two young men, they were actually true Arrows. They treated me well. But they were killed when poachers attacked their hunting party. I haven’t thought about them in far too long. We’ve lost so many in the past few years that it’s hard to keep track.” You opened the door and entered the cabin, stepping over to the table in the low light from the windows and door to light one of the lamps. Then you lit other lamps or turned them on. He sucked in a breath. You looked over at him. He was standing in front of the shelf that held different mementos and doodads. “You kept this?” You tilted your head, stepping around the chairs to see what he was holding. It was a sea-shell. One that he had given you when you were both pups, the last summer the two of you had together. He had shown it to you at the beginning, and kept it on the shelf in the club-house, teasing you when you kept studying. But when the last day of summer came, and you were saying goodbye to him, he had given it to you and told you to remember him. You would have another summer, but he would be training and he said it was possible that there would be many years before the two of you were ever face to face again. “But you didn’t keep what Namjoon gave to you?” You smirked a little. “I would have if he hadn’t broken it and said he’d get me a different one.” “He never did?” “I didn’t expect him to. Besides, I’ve got a scar to remember him by,” You rubbed a finger over the barely visible scar on the back of your hand from where Namjoon had tripped while casting a fishing pole and the hook had caught and then ripped through the skin. He chuckled. “I think we all do.” He rubbed his shoulder with a smile, but his gaze was still fixed on the shell. “I still haven’t seen the ocean,” You told him. “Just this small piece of that world.” He shifted his gaze to you. “I’ll take you there, before we meet up with the rest of the pack. Show you my favorite spot.” “I’d like that,” You said after a moment’s hesitation. “Your first time seeing the ocean should be with people you care about. People who understand the sheer wonder of seeing it for the firsttime and won’t let their kids go running, screaming and crying.” You burst out laughing. He laughed with you, setting the shell back on the shelf. “Not that kids aren’t great but…” “They are, just not when you’re trying to enjoy a quiet moment,” You agreed. “A special moment. A couple minutes of just looking is torture to them. They’d rather be doing. Running and playing.” He looked at the floor, smiling still, but not as broadly. “You’re an exception to that.” “How so?” “You always looked before you jumped. You were calculating. When you saw something pretty, you took the time to really appreciate it. As if you knew we were two seconds behind you and would destroy whatever it was without even seeing it. You got lost once because you were looking at something, didn’t you?” You nodded. “Yoongi found me.” “My father had to find me that night because I got lost looking for you,” He chuckled. You laughed a little. “I always felt like you guys were fed up with me because I was always stopping.” “No, we just didn’t realize how much we’d wish we had stopped and looked as well. Actually, I think we all appreciate things a little more after spending so much time with you. We all learned to step back for a moment.” He took a deep breath. “I should really get out there.” You blinked a couple times at the abrupt change, then nodded slightly. “I’ll make up the other bed for you then get some things cooking for whatever you catch.” “I’ll make sure it’s good,” He replied, stepping closer. “I won’t let you down.” “You never have,” You replied, feeling a little smaller than normal. Your heart was beating so hard your ears were pulsing, and you felt warm all over. “I’ve always known I could rely on you. Even if you were from a different pack. I also knew that if our packs ever fought I wouldn’t be able to face you guys.” He looked away. “Our packs almost fought.” “What? When?” “Just before our leader died. He was…there were many issues. He was starting to get a little senile. He ordered our patrols to push further in on your territory. Your father warned him to back off, more than once. Namjoon tried to talk sense to him.” “Is that why Jackson brought news from your pack instead of you for a couple months?” He nodded. “JY found out about what was going on and he was trying to help keep the peace. The last thing anyone wanted was fighting to break out between our packs. That would be like an invitation for both poachers and the bigger packs to strong-arm their way through and dominate. The peace treaty and all trade agreements would have shattered in seconds.” “Your pack would have won too quickly.” You looked away, the shame of what your pack had become hitting you again. He gently directed your chin so that you were looking at him again. “Everyone was earnestly vying for your hand, y/n. Your father was proud of you, yes, but we messengers also knew all of your accomplishments. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard people inquire about you over the years. You may not know them, but they certainly knew you.” You pulled away, quickly walking to the chest to get some blankets. “How is your mother? And sister? I noticed they weren’t with the rest of the pack.” “They went ahead with part of the group to the lake. Thankfully it’s so easily defended and far enough into both territories that we needn’t worry about poachers there. They’re both well. My sister is mated, and I’ll be an Uncle come Fall.” He also seemed to be gathering his gear. You started making the bed, trying to ignore how domestic it felt. He cleared his throat. “I’ll be back soon.” “Stay sharp, aim true,” You responded without thinking. “Know your path home,” He chuckled slightly, seeing your embarrassment at blurting out an old farewell from your pack. “That’s what our pack usually says. Yours is good too. I like it. Fitting for an Arrow.” “Haven’t you heard? Arrows went extinct.” “No, they’re almost extinct. I know for a fact that there’s one left. She’s brilliant, beautiful, and her ancestors would be proud of her. Even in the Scouts, she will be an Arrow, aiming us toward strength and happiness.” His tone was light, but sincere. “Really, y/n. You have to remember, Namjoon is still new to leading the pack. You’ll be a fresh set of eyes and can help us patch up our defenses. Plus…since we received Arrow territory, you’ll be the expert on anything that happens here. And we can talk to Namjoon about keeping this place separate for you for the sugaring season. Keep it something you pass down to o—” He cleared his throat. “Down the generations.” You glanced back at him, noticing he seemed a little embarrassed at almost claiming that your pups would be his as well. “At this rate, we’ll starve.” “Right, sorry.” The door opened and closed and he was gone. You released the breath you had held, finally releasing the tension from your shoulders. You were surprised at how tense you were with him around when you had been so relaxed just an hour or so ago. Relaxed because he was there. He just had to bring up that stupid kiss. You had asked him not to bring it up because you didn’t want him to know how you had had a huge crush on him, that when he didn’t seem to feel the same about you, you had been hurt and embarrassed. That kiss had meant the world to you, and he always teased you about it. You had been resolved to not think about it ever since. But his teasing earlier had just reminded you of all the times you had wondered if he was keeping warm as he traveled between the packs carrying messages in winter. Of you almost shooting him when he appeared in front of a deer while you were on a solo hunting trip and the two of you getting stuck in a blizzard together right after. His arms around you as the two of you kept each other warm. Both of you talking about how lonely you had been. The way he had kissed you. And of course, technically he had been your first and second kiss. The first when you were twelve and he was thirteen and someone dared him to kiss you. The second in a snow-buried hut on Arrow land. And yet he was so serious when he said he was glad the trials were over… You shook your head and finished making his bed, putting an extra blanket or two on so that he wouldn’t get cold. He was good at taking care of his brothers when you all were younger, but you often worried that he wasn’t taking good enough care of himself. But he proved over the next week to be excellent at taking care of you, and the two of you quickly fell into a comfortable sort of routine with each other, even as you travelled across Arrow, and then Scout territory. He taught you landmarks and quizzed you on names of important people in the pack you were joining, and told you stories. He kept you smiling with some silly antics and the two of you usually ended up singing songs together when you would stop for the night. Then he blindfolded you and started guiding you. You trusted him, letting him direct you and trying to follow his instructions to step carefully here and there, noticing the sound of waves getting so very loud and the strange smell in the air got stronger and stronger the closer to the waves you got. “Alright,” He murmured. “Perfect.” The blindfold was pulled away and you were greeted with the sight of a beach, but it wasn’t just any beach. This was the ocean. With huge waves and water as far as the eyes could see. You walked forward slowly, in awe. It was better than you could have imagined. You looked back at him and he was grinning. “It’s beautiful!” He laughed softly, and took your hand firmly in his own. “Come on, I’ll show you my favorite spot. It’s a bit of a climb.” “Good thing I’m in good shape,” You responded, nudging him. He laughed more, leading you towards the rocky-outcrop. The two of you climbed up and over the ridge, then carefully followed a tunnel down. He caught you every time you slipped, whispering reassurance that it wasn’t much farther. You replied with soft sounds of acknowledgment. Then you ran into his back. “Sorry.” He cleared his throat and for some reason, even in the dark, you could tell he was nervous. “Y/n…about…everything, I guess.” You shifted, tilting your head, barely able to make out his figure in the tunnel ahead of you. “Everything?” “You…you know how I kissed you?” “Hoseok—” “No, hear me out!” He grabbed your arms, sounding desperate. “I played it off because I was afraid you…that it was just the heat of the moment and then you asked me to never speak of it again but now…now I realize that we were both mistaken. I pushed aside what I was feeling because you were from another pack, but I shouldn’t have. I knew that you would mate outside of your pack. Your father had mentioned it after I escorted you back to your pack that time. He asked me if I thought you would adapt well to another pack.” You blinked, choking up at the mention of your father. “I knew…I knew he was asking me if I was interested in you. But I was stupid, and I put aside what I felt because our packs were on rocky ground and I had already endangered my status in the pack by refusing to take Namjoon’s place as the next leader when our former leader tried to push Namjoon out. It was stupid. But I’m done being stupid. I wanted to wait until you said you were ready, I really did. But I need to know if it was just me that felt this way about you before we meet up with the others. I’m in love with you. So in love, that my mother and sister always knew when I was coming from or going to your pack because I would always be nervous about seeing you. When they announced the trials I knew I had made a mistake. I should have told your father right then that I loved you. That I would help you adapt to our pack.” Your pulled your arms out of his grasp and he froze, breathing in sharply. You found his hands in the dark and took them in your own. He breathed out slightly in relief. “I love you, y/n. I want you to run beside me. I want to see the world as you see it, for all the beauty and hope.” “You’re the only sunshine I need,” You whispered, feeling vulnerable in the dark. “I’m scared I won’t be able to adapt, Hobi.” He gently pulled you forward, leading the way through the tunnel again, and out into a sunlit cavern. It had a mystical feel to it, almost feeling like a forest even though it was an ocean cavern. The light was blinding or brilliant, but gentle and warm. He wrapped his arms around you from behind while you were staring in awe at the beautiful place. “All you need to do is be yourself. Respect Namjoon. Run with me. Rest with me…” He paused, placing a hesitant kiss on your cheek. You turned to look at him. “You’re telling me that I didn’t have to go through all those damn trials?! That the reason I went through that nightmare was because we were both too stupid to realize that we were in love with each other?!” You were being louder than necessary, but it had all sunk in and you were more than a little upset with yourself. “Of all the stupid things I’ve done…” He started laughing, but the hopeful look in his eyes was what really caught your attention. You laughed softly, looking at the stone floor, then up into his handsome face. All the nervousness and apprehension, the looming fear of being in a new pack and not knowing what he really felt, all of the indecision was washed away. You were calm, and you felt peaceful for the first time in a long time. “Y/n?” You threw your arms around him, hugging him tightly and grinning. “I love you, Hobi. I really, really love you.” You bit your lip, just imagining having kids with his amazing smile. Running to greet him when he came back from delivering messages to other packs. “We’ll be happy together,” He whispered. “I promise. I’ll always find you and I’ll always make sure you’re never alone.” “You give the best hugs,” You responded. “Just hug me every day.” He chuckled. “As long as you kiss me every day. I’ve been dreaming about that kiss ever since it happened.” You pulled out of the hug slightly and gave him a proper kiss, melting against him. “Neither of us has to dream anymore.” He was yours for the rest of your lives.

Masterlist.   Masterpost: Who did you pick?   Introduction

[maddieghammond]

Camp Stories 2019: Part 4

June 11, 2019

Because today was the first day with the whole staff here at camp, we started early. Really early. 7:30 am is the standard wake up time when campers are here, so that's when we woke up today in order to start getting used to the regular schedule. 

Before breakfast, we gathered outside The Lodge for flag-raising, another part of a regular camp day. It was cool seeing the chosen staff members for the day- two older male counselors- unfold and raise the flag as a silent crowd watched. Very patriotic. 

We sat with our cabin staff for breakfast, which is going to be the norm for the rest of the training week. This way, we’re already divided into groups for team building exercises. And bonding. Everyone is really into bonding here. It makes sense. 

The morning was dedicated to a policy and procedures talk from a corporate-looking guy with a scraggly mustache and ironed jeans. He told us all about how to handle the less fun parts of working with kids- bullying, cliques, what to do if a kid tells you they’re being abused at home. It was another eye-opening experience for me. I’ve always been lucky to have a stable life at home with two loving and respectful parents. I wouldn’t go so far to say that my life has been perfect, but I teared up a little hearing about how domestic abuse can affect kids who come here. 

I feel pretty prepared to be able to help, but I’m glad I have experienced women working with me. 

At lunch, Jess and Cali filled me in on their favorite ways to deal with cliquey 12-year-olds- find common ground. They said that they are really able to get the girls to put aside their differences if they see themselves as a team, usually in a competitive event against the Cottonwood boys. 

That makes sense to me, sort of a “the enemy of my enemy is my friend” mentality. 

Since we had just spent about five hours in The Lodge, I was thrilled when Benny announced that we would be spending the afternoon hiking in the woods, learning about the local plants and animals. Even though I’ll be working at the water programs, Camp Harwood has a lot of all-camp wilderness programming. We’re going to end up taking a lot of hikes, climbing a lot of trees, and even spending the night in shelters we make. 

The weather was beautiful today- sunny with a cool breeze. Perfect for spending time outside. 

The staff of Cottonwood (Dave’s cabin) and my cabin paired up, and we spent most of the afternoon learning and perfecting survival skills, like how to build shelters and campfires. I was totally out of my comfort zone, but the entire group was so excited to help me learn. 

After our hiking came dinner, then a short but intense game of all-camp, boys vs girls Capture the Flag. The boys found and captured the flag from our territory in about 20 minutes. They think it's because they’re so smart and fast, but in reality Amanda hid it in an easy spot so we could wrap the game up early and have some relaxing time at our cabins after a mentally and physically exhausting day. 

I’m keeping this short (shorter?) tonight because I’m very sleepy.

This has been an excerpt from Camp Stories, a narrative podcast by Maddie Hammond. Listen to full episodes for free on Spotify and Apple Podcasts!

[architectnews]

KPIT Office Interior, Pune Maharashtra

KPIT Office, Maharashtra Interior Architecture, Indian Commercial Premisses, Images

KPIT Office Interior in Pune Maharashtra

16 May 2021

KPIT Office Interior, Pune Maharashtra

Interior Design: Designer’s Group

Location: Pune, Maharashtra, western India

KPIT is a pioneer in the field of technology, working for big brands like Audi and BMW. For such a prolific company, it was essential that their office spoke of grandeur & focussed on core functionality. Being a frontrunner in hospitality design, Designer’s Group was the first choice, as KPIT was in search of a unique & inspiring design expression for their office.

So, the KPIT office by Designer’s Group became a study in sleek lines and beautiful planning combined with smart execution to accommodate a large workforce. Located in a green and lush plot, this office is the perfect breeding ground for ingenious ideas & innovation. As the surroundings of the building were subjected to stellar landscaping, the office had to match its environment, thus calling for a unique approach towards a design that was well provided by Designers Group.

The KPIT office is designed to match the changing aspects of today’s contemporary work ethos. The plot is located in a serene green environment surrounded by hills. A myriad hue of colours, tints, and shades create a synergy between the interiors and the tranquil exteriors of the space.

The design scheme was set to achieve a minimal yet dynamic ambience that triggers a sense of motivation amongst employees. The structure was divided into two levels with cabins, cubicles, and meeting rooms at each level, and the ground floor comprised an experience center and cafeteria. The corridors were laid out with carpets manifesting defined pathways and the interiors are enthused with greens.

Coincidentally, KPIT as a brand is also denoted with blue and green, which is used as the primary colour palette for the overall interior grammar. Given KPIT’s employee strength and organisation size, it was imperative that the design and the layout incorporated a lot of workstations to accommodate the employees. Creating a free-flowing and open layout was an unconventional but productive choice as it allowed employees to interact with each other, work harmoniously while increasing productivity.

A mixture of industrial and accent lighting has been used to illuminate the space – such lighting is not harsh, allowing the employees to work grueling hours without getting exhausted. Bright and bold patterned columns break up the open layout of the office, adding dimension and warmth to the workspace. Stunning floor-to-ceiling windows allow plenty of natural light to infiltrate through, energizing and motivating employees. The use of carpets in the corridors infuses a regal charm across the pathways that lead to the green-infused interiors ahead.

Honing in on the idea of “casual corners,” the KPIT office has plenty of intersections and spots where workers can interact more informally, or work in a more relaxed environment with a coffee cup accompanying them, making it easy for ideas to flow. This is the perfect meet-up spot, with eclectic colors and cozy seating that is bound to instantly lift up anyone’s mood!

As we shift our attention to the ceiling, it is the phenomenal skylight that really breathes life into the office. Connecting the lower floor to the upper levels, this skylight is multifunctional – it can be used as an amphitheater where any presentation can take place. It is also a projection wall where meetings and formal gatherings can take place. Another marvelous feature of the office is the asymmetrical wooden staircase leading to the upper floor.

Lastly, the cafeteria is huge – it can easily fit in 2000 employees. It is the quintessential open space where employees can relax and enjoy a meal or snack. Various types of seats were included in this space so that if the need should arise, it could also serve as a space for a small office function or an impromptu gettogether. The ceiling was kept open, so that sunlight could come in, but at the same time, conical light fixtures were also added to add artificial light.

Like everything Designers Group does, the KPIT office is awe-inspiring while fostering creativity and encouraging maximum efficiency. Excruciating attention has been paid to all details in order to ensure every employee is comfortable in their own space. For choosing another word here case studies in design and architecture that will not skimp on performance, Designers Group is the way to go.

KPIT Office Interior in Pune, Maharashtra – Building Information

Area: 2L Sq.ft. Location: Hinjewadi, Pune Architecture: Ar. Ravi Kadam, Integrid Design consultants Interior Design: Designer’s Group

Photo Credits: Atul Kanetkar

KPIT Office Interior, Pune Maharashtra images / information received 160521

Location: Pune, Maharashtra, west India

Indian Architecture

Indian Architecture Designs – chronological list

Indian Architecture News

Indian Architect – design firm listings on e-architect

Trump Tower Buildings

Trump Towers, Istanbul, Turkey Design: Brigitte Weber Architects photo : Cemal Emden Trump Towers Istanbul Buildings

Trump Cadde Istanbul

Trump International Hotel and Tower: Chicago Hotel Building

Trump International Hotel & Tower Dubai

Pune Buildings

Week End House in Pune Architecture: Sunil Patil & Associates photo : Hemant Patil New House in Pune

11 K Vaks Weekend House Design: Ketan Jawdekar, Studio K-7 photograph : Sameer Chawda 11 K Vaks Week End House Pune

Hyatt Regency Pune photo : Ruchika Grover Hyatt Regency Pune

Comments / photos for the KPIT Office Interior, Pune page welcome

Website: Pune

The post KPIT Office Interior, Pune Maharashtra appeared first on e-architect.

[stone-man-warrior]

January 17: 2021: 11:52 am:

From Bing Internet Search Results:

“Air Jordan

American Brand

Air Jordan is an American brand of basketball shoes, athletic, casual, and style clothing produced by Nike. It was created for Hall of Fame basketball player and six-time NBA Finals MVP Michael Jordan. The original Air Jordan sneakers were produced exclusively for Michael Jordan in late 1984, and released to the public on April 1, 1985. The shoes were designed for Nike by Peter Moore, Tinker Hatfield, and Bruce Kilgore.“

Ok, professional basketball player invents shoes with air bubbles inside the soul.

The game of basketball was invented by a Canadian.

The Canadian’s take great pride in the fact that the game was invented by one of their countrymen.

The Canadians are all trained terror pirates, by order of the HMS Queen Elizabeth Windsor.

Elizabeth Windsor owns 90% of the land in Canada. Chances are high, the she is the LandLord of most Canadians.

All of the Canadian terror pirates use rectally holstered tanks of nitrous oxide as their primary weapon for pirating under British rule.

My guess is Mr. Jordan, and all of the professional basketball players, learn of the truth about what is explained above.

If so, with that knowledge, by default, comes the knowledge that the Christian religion is a lie, and is a basis only meant to serve the advance of the pirates.

With that knowledge comes the basis on which the Christian terror pirate ship is propelled, with use of captured children, “Jesus” all over the place.

Then, of course, the Christian pedophilia takes on a more clearly viewable darkness, ugly truth, the kind that no one is comfortable speaking of, even with(out) being silenced with physical harm... no one wants to address the Christians who rape the babies.

So, air bubbles in the souls of basketball shoes, when endorsed by a professional, take on new level of understanding potential, if only there were some people willing to watch the baby, not just keep an eye on the baby, watch the baby, always.

There are no such people though.

Do the math on this on your own, and, if you won‘t protect Micheal Jordan after I post this, be prepared to ship a sympathy card to his family when SAG sends the One Hour Martinizer and a extra large size body bag to his house as a result of what all of that means in the real world.

=========================================

12:22 pm:

If you do not find this offensive, there is something seriously wrong with your judgement, or, perhaps are naive, don‘t give a flying fuck, are Jesus... I suppose naive gets a pass, but we need to rebrand “naive” as “dangerously stupid, a threat to themselves and those around them”.

That is a full size crucifix, is not rosary beads.

There is only one use for that.

It’s a mast, waiting for Jesus to (be) found, to nail to the mast, to power the boat, and move the Christian pirate ship forward. Those who are nailed to the mast, are sails in the wind. Those who “Find Jesus”, or “Accept Jesus” are people who have agreed to go around looking for victims. The mast crucifix may or may not be a symbolic gesture, that man has one, it’s looks fully functional to me.

This happened at my home about seven years ago:

Some people came through the woods out the back yard of my home with an 8 year old boy nailed to a crucifix just like that one. The people were armed with staffs, gas, blades... strange looking weaponry.

The boy was dying on the crucifix as the group rushed my back door.

I grabbed my long bow, and ran upstairs, opened the window and sent some arrows into the group. They retreated back over the fence where (they) had carried that crucifix through the woods, at least from the nearby church about a half mile away.

The group came back with a ladder to the window upstairs later on. They were quiet this time. I saw the shadows of them at the window, ran upstairs, and one of them was already in the house, had pried the window open.

I tossed that one back outside, there was another on the ladder, who poked me in the mouth with a sword as I was pushing the ladder away from the house.

The ladder fell, the person on (it) was killed, fell on the sword that I was poked with. It was a woman, about 70 years old on the ladder who poked me with the sword, a neighbor.

I had a nasty wound in my mouth for a long time. “Skin Flap” on the roof of my mouth. It all healed, no signs of any injury since then.

I suspect that boy died. He was nailed with what looked like railroad spikes through his hands and feet. A man by the name of Don Wills and his wife were the leaders among a group of about ten Christian terror pirates who used the shock of seeing someone, a young boy, nailed to (a) cross, as way to weaken me before they killed me.

But I fight back.

I don‘t play fairy tale games with pirates.

===============================

1:08 pm:

This looks personal, directed at my house in retaliation for two people who were injured and/or killed at my front entry way on June 15 last year. One of them is suspected to have been Donald Trump, the other is suspected to have been Juseph Myers of 560 Jackpine. One lost a foot at the shin. the other was ran through with the same sword they brought in after kicking my front door open.

The two left, I shut the door, leaned against it in relief, and to keep the bastards from returning through the door since they had knocked out the jamb when the door was busted through. That is when 6 sheriff deputies came busting in, tackled me, twisted my leg, injured my knee, kneeled on my neck. hand cuffed me, and took me to the jail, where the following day, Lars Ulrich, Paul Reed Smith, John Mayer, and Zakk Wylde came into the jail with swords and rope to kill me inside the jail.

But I fight back. I don‘t play fairy tale games with rock stars at jail, and now all four are presumed dead as a result of that. (I saw someone who looks like Paul Reed Smith at the Walgreen‘s two weeks ago, he may not have died)

Beruse Sparacino was also killed in the jail that day by Zakk Wylde, who had a three blade sword they call a “Trident”.

The “G7 leaders″ = Gnosis Heaven Leaders = That group of dead rock stars, and others like them.

Cornish = My former spouse, who was with the group of rock stars that day at the jail.

Resort = My house

June Summit = Revenge

The BBC news selection of Johnson’s photo w/hand gesture seems to have double meaning, that means there are three ways to read the photo.

1 = Big Boobs = Federal Officers

2 = Rise up

3 = Make like a brazier, lift & separate = divide & conquer

=====

1:34 pm:

In conclusion assessment of the BBC Tweet, it seems appearant the recent pressure placed on Britain from this account has caused much heartache, loss of income, pressure from neighboring European countries on Britain, slowed the pirating, spoiled Brexit completely, and more, including massive devaluation of the Pound Sterling.

not bad for an old disabled guy with a hijacked internet connection, no help, and held captive in is house by surrounding Vatican terror pirates for the past ten years.

Plan: Maintain pressure on Britain, focus on I O Downing, find all of the House of Lords members and apply pressure there. Seek out the “Unicorns” such as Amazon, Tesla, Lyft, Uber, Google...

Google needs more creative means of pressure, it must be taken into custody of “The Free People of the World” and maintained.

Destroy Twitter.

That will do for the time being.

Request assistance from European nations who are the fodder of the Brexit Offensive.

Encourage the Scot’s and Irish to retaliate against Corona Virus bullshit.

USA Congressional pressure and exposure of the faslehood of their positions at House and Senate is necessary on a grandly embarrassing scale, of organized pedophilia beyond “Pizza Gate” and into the realm of millions of captive children held as sex slaves, then trained as terror soldiers.

Pressure on all fifty US Governor shills to resign.

Find and account for each and every Boeing airplane made since 1997. Search, inspect, look for stowing capability beyond the overhead compartment, and down into the area beneath the floors of the cabins.... all over and under, and inside every inch of every airplane. Use caution. Be prepared for Mustard Gas.

Pressure news media in creative ways.

Pressure SAG Card Holders of all kinds.

Body search every one of them, special attention to Musicians.

Bring Ian Anderson to my house.

Take all of the Virgin Atlantic Holdings into custody, inspect, change name to:

“Old Maid Holdings”

Close all Walmart’s permanently.

Acquire Kroger Foods, break-up into parts, auction parts to free people.

It gets complicated after that.

Have to find a way to reduce US “Departments” to much smaller, more manageable size, easy to regulate and monitor, no more duplicate departments. The right hand must always know what the left hand is doing, and vice-verse.

Massive global public education campaign to tell of the Christian lie, by telling the truth:

Christianity started 2021 years ago, when some asshole by the name of Marcus wanted to sleep with this other guys Ol’ Lady, Jesus’ Ol’ Lady. We don‘t even know her name, and Marcus turned her into a Whore, and lies were told, to get more men to come to sleep the with Whore, so that other Christian Pirates could Rush them in the hay stack, where they were having sex, to kill the men. We only know that she became “The Russian Mother of all Hoaxes”.

They stole time, to control time better, by putting two extra months on the calendar, which used to be ten months, about 36 days in each month.

They changed all of that, and put the extra months on the wrong end of the calendar year... should have been put at the beginning of time, not the end of time if they wanted the equinox to count, and make spring a thing for planting, and autumn a colorful special time of year for harvesting.

Since that time, they have told the lie, about Jesus and God. The truth is that Jesus is you, and me, and we are to be used up, used all up in every way, in order to get control of the world, they lure us to church to lie to us about Jesus, and they feed us little tiny clues about the truth, that Jesus is a sail catching wind to move the Christian pirated ship forward, by collecting all of the Jesus’, and nailing them to the mast of the ship, to move the boat forward, while using the Jesus’ as bait, to catch more Jesus’. We learn the truth on our own, with the clues they feed us. Then, once we know, and are soooo scared, that is when they give us one chance, to “Accept Jesus”, and continue to help to move the Christian pirate ship forward, by “Finding Jesus” where every we are able to see a victim who is ripe to become a sail on a pirate ship, to move the boat forward. And that is why there is a “God”, in order to provide that there is an all powerful being that will kill you, unless you accept Jesus’, to go find more Jesus’, with the “Fear of God” in your own, personal sail, to move your own personal boat forward, while searching for more Jesus’. Each pirate family is expected to capture and keep at least one “Person Jesus” for training as a disposable terror soldier, to do the dangerous pirate work, so that none of the pirate family boats will suffer a personal loss, it’s only Jesus who is killed, or hurt, so, the mother ship can stay afloat better, when the crew is in good spirits, and no family members are hurt or killed while the Christian Pirates are searching for Land, Riches, Slaves, and Power... the treasures of the world.

That is the kind of campaign that is necessary to educate the free people who remain free, so that do not become a sail on a pirate ship.

Personal Jesus is a slave child in training as a disposable terror soldier, for those hard to reach places.

The Pope’s flying V guitar rig is a two channel, 100 watt, tube driven amplifier. It’s cuts through stacks of Marshall’s, leaves them as chum for catching more Jesus’.

Clean Channel:

(summer)

Dirty, high gain channel:

Personal Jesus:

(winter)

{1-18-2021: 11:22 am: Don‘t pass judgement on the man by the name of Marilyn Manson until you have seen an interview or two, then, as I did, you may come away smarter than you were before you watched the interview, and, as I did, you may also see that Donald Trump, Joe Biden, or any of the candidates could never survive a debate against Marilyn Manson. Maybe Barack Obama could give Mr. Manson some competition at a presidential debate, maybe)

There are two more additional channels, Crunch, and duplicate Clean, for dialing in custom cleanliness with two faces, Comedy and Tragedy on prime time TV, are optional. Are the “Equinox” additions to the calendar, for planting on a Spring day, and harvesting when it’s nice and colorful outside in Autumn (fall).

Clean.

Duplicate Clean.

Crunch.

High Gain.

Tons of effects for custom tailoring are available.

=====================================

3:12 pm:

I am going go ahead and say that the person who is seemingly named Marilyn Manson, is a victim of Christian Slave upbringing, and is trying to get some attention to the ideas expressed here on this tumblr post.

======================================

3:21 pm:

Skip a head to the 1:25 minute mark here, but do study this whole short video as a Christian Cult Ceremonial Event:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ygXKUkutGEo&t=85s

Speculation is dark, and is complicated to fully explain. There are more complete explanations of Christian goals of surgically alterred slave population, ergonomically designed humans, for moving the pirate ship forward on this account elsewhere, is extremely dangerous knowledge to posses, use caution when sharing information about “Partners”, “Companions”, “Side-Kicks”.

The speculation is that the gavel was presented to Ms. Pelosi as a test. I speculate that she had ordered a custom made, surgical altered slave being, a US Citizen Kidnapped Victim at some point about five years prior to recieving the gavel. The “test” is her public reaction to the gavel, knowing that it represents a notice that “Her partner is ready for pick-up”. So, the idea for the test, is for all involved to feel confident that she is ready to really accept a human surgically altered slave child. Her reaction to the gavel as the reality sets in at a public event, will be what is used for a decision by the “Choir Masters” for a go ahead, or a refusal to deliver based on how she reacts in public to the gavel a symbolic slave child, surgically altered, personal Jesus.

Only is speculation.

The existence of the surgically altered custom ordered slave victims is not speculation. Is fact. Is dangerous to know about. Be careful.

There is a custom human order sheet, I have seen them. Anything from specific arm and leg amputation length, to replacement of hands and feet, and in which particular direction, frontwards, backwards, left on right, right on left hands and feet, can be ordered, as well as optional equipment. I have seen a “partner” who was completely surgically covered in breasts... about 72 of them is my guess, large and small.

Hands attached at the shoulder are called “flippers”, and are specified on a Partner ordering sheet.

The purpose for the existence of “Partners”, is for experimental considerations.

Government officials, movie and TV stars, producers, musicians, SAG... are offered a chance to order a human configured the way they want it, it takes many years for delivery of the finished product.

That way, the surgeons who do the forced surgeries, are able to experiment, to see what works, and what does not work. The rock stars and movie stars can get very creative with a human Partner order sheet, and the surgeons are challenged that way, to come up with ways that a human can be altered as is necessary or desired, in effort to prepare the surgeon’s knowledge, and advance the skills, and provide necessary technology as demands for special circumstance are encountered on the order sheets.

I speculate that Ms. Pelosi was granted acceptance, barely, of her Partner.

She would need to show to the “Choir Masters” that she is equipped with a suitable place for her partner to reside, and a plan to hide the Partner in emergency, with extreme concealment methods.

You won‘t learn this kind of real terrorism from news media, they are the people who supply the raw materials for “Partner Production“.

Some things to consider for doing your own research:

Look around where you are at the people in your town, at the Walmart for instance. Make some assessments of the people’s body shapes. The SDA terror soldiers use fruit and vegetables to say a body shape:

Pear shape

Apple shape

Carrot shape

String Bean shape people.

There are “Specimens” discussions.

A very strong and healthy male is often a “V” shape.

Such as US Military are, or were.

The Partner surgeries are so brutal, that only the strongest, most healthy individuals are able to live through them.

So, when making your “people of Walmart” assessment, ask yourself, the same as the Christian terror pirates do, “Are there any V shapes here?”. Then decide, are there?

Lots of apples, pears, some carrots, string beans... I don’t see anymore V shape at my local Walmart any more.

now you understand.

Only the healthiest, strongest are going to survive the experimental surgeries.

At Oregon Health Science University in Portland Oregon, there is a “Dornbecker Children’s Hospital”, a “Shriner’s Hospital”, and a “Veterans Administration Hospital”.

nine floors beneath the VA Hospital, are healing experimental surgical US Military.... been there healing one after the other for more than twenty years.

There is no one watching the baby.

The baby is on fire.

The same conditions are suspected nation wide.

Loma Linda Hospital University may be a place where the surgeons are trained. Please be careful when going to speak with Dr. Wolf Kirsch there. He is a Brain and Spinal surgeon, said to be second best in the world, only outdone by a colleague in New York somewhere, as of 1995 or so, as the story is told.

And that is what happened to many of the US Military and national guard service men and women.

V shape is a specimen grade. High grade.

You can find many references to V Shaped Recovery on Twitter, where this news is common knowledge. The only ones who do not know these kinds of truths is the US national security fools, who insist on being fooled all of the time and refuse to do their own research, while allowing that the Christian terror pirates do the research for them. In this way, the US Security personnel, are weaponized against the people they are sworn to protect from terrorists.

There is no more US national guard. They were all killed more than twenty years ago on the entire west coast of USA. Some may be in Hollywood, in a basement, as a partner for a rock star somewhere, or, I am certain there are partners at the White House. There has to be to fulfill Trinity rules.

“Welcome to Jamaica, Have a nice day”

===============================

4:10 pm

If I were President of USA, I could stop 90% of all of the terrorism on earth permanently, while restoring freedom, strengthening families, and small business, and I would find a way to provide real, quality health care, and education for the citizens.

The problems I would face are two major ones. The news media and entertainment industry are one big fucking problem.

The other problem, is that I would have absolutely no military to protect USA.

The government would be all rearranged, somehow differently, much smaller. There would be some argument about some things I would try to accomplish, such as making the electric power a national system, not a private system, power would be subsidized with some kind of way to provide free power up to some limitations, and then, you could pay for extra if you need it.

There would be argument about elimination and outlaw of Blue Tooth technology.

There would be cellular phones that work to reach the people you need to reach, privately.

911 Emergency Phone would be taken out to sea, and dropped overboard, in favor of more diverse ways of reaching some help.

I could see where something like this tumblr social media could be expanded, made to actually work, and used also as a emergency report portal. It’s not like terrorists would spam the place if it was truly secure and get away with it.

Money. It needs to be truly defined. The money is only as good, as the place that issues it is strong and productive. I see the money does seem to be worth much as it stands, and the transactions are in astronomical figures from WH news about spending. Some there would be some kind of measure that works better, based on manufacture, and productivity of the nation as unit. I see news where the fast food workers are wanting to form a union and are demanding $15 hourly. I am sorry, but that is not going to fly. Fast Food is not a career choice. It’s a place to learn how to be productive, then move on.

I would encourage diesel power, discourage electric power personal transportation.

There would be some kind of form to fill out to come to USA, something better than a wall on one side and wide open on the other has to be done.

The way USA is positioned among itself, is a situation that is a result of more than fifty years of organized division tactics, all of them successful. The states are too divided, they need some glue. A more united, United States is something that needs to happen, is complex, many invisible problems exist, nothing can be done until all is seen more clearly.

Make Twitter go away. That is the very first step to solving the worlds problems.

There would be a effort to encourage engineering as a career choice, some school refocusing away from “Ivy League” and towards a mechanical, structural, tangible student body, more doctors, more smart people. USA is purposefully producing stupid people, actually are victims of the Christian/Britain “British Still” education tactics. It’s not like the people are choosing to be less than what they are capable of, it’s that they are not encouraged to believe they are capable. So, I recommend big changes in education, lots of access, lots of encouragement to be what you and who you want to be, when you want to be it.

That Marylin Manson video shows the outcome of British Still education. The whole Transgender subject is another way of saying “British Still”, there is very little information available anywhere to learn about what the British Still is. Look at a video by XTC here:

The Nigel’s are being educated with upside down and reversed backwards education. They are the children of murdered US Citizens, and from other places around the world.

Seriously, from a young age, the children are taught that “up” is “down“. “yes” means “no”, airplanes are boats. The ocean is a lake, and other dangerous learning, where in an emergency, a question like “do you need help?” is answered with “no”. But that person is a slave, needs help.

“Please Drop the Gun!“

“no” Ivanka reaches to put the gun down. Gets shot.

British Still.

It’s beyond what I can effectively explain.

For considering the XTC video, be open minded, place Ivanka Trump in the Nigel position at age 5, and keep educating her with specially designed learning, complex beyond comprehension learning, then, when she’s fully cooked, turn Ivanka loose. Point her towards Washington DC, and offer lots of support services for her and her handlers. Do that with ten thousand maniacs.

You can see that problems can occur such that reasoning is out the window for understanding what is happening. It’s as if the people are speaking Mandarin English, and you only speak English, it works enough to pass through while saying hello, and some pleasantries about the weather, and that’s the extent of the conversation possibilities. Ivanka Nigel would need to move on after passing by an English only speaking person, with some pleasantries as she goes by, so no one will notice that the language and behavior are custom tailored with a British Still. The handlers help to get her into the desired positions for reaching specific goals.

Two Ivanka Nigel’s can have a personal conversation in a public place about mass murder and all that will be overheard is talk of large pop-corn w/buttery sauce and a movie size ju-ju bee’s.

I don‘t understand it, I know that the “Partners” are educated bassackwards. Up is down, yes is no... and more.

See that the XTC video was filmed in 1979, and there are Three Dee computer augmenting glasses in the video.

Practical use of a Nigel when performed by global pirates with experience and a proven success rate and tactics, goes like this:

Ivanka is disposable. Many Ivanka’s were trained, there is an endless supply of Ivanka’s.

Terror army needs to get inside of the Kremlin. They stage Ivanka out front, arrange a Universal Studios style demonstration is happening, down the street a mile or two. Ivanka is not on camera, they are all down the street. She is out front of the Kremlin, told to pull out a gun, is fooled by her handlers, speaks backwards, and is there, The door opens, and the shot is fired by Kremlin security, and in all of the confusion there is enough nitrous oxide coming down wind from the demonstration that the Kremlin security makes some mistakes. The door is open, and the terrorists can go inside in the confusion and gas fog. Maybe it does nor (not) work the first time, so, they perfect their ways, maybe vehicles are used in some way on the next try, but Ivanka Nigel is a backwards speaking person who is set up to fall, in order to get inside one way or another way. She is disposable, a Christian Sacrificial Lamb. There are thousands more in the Still being cooked and prepared for the next course of the meal, where the food is the goal. They are pirates. The ones who do the teaching of the Ivanka’s are not like regular people.

SAG does variations of that same basic idea, “Save the Princess” would be “Hot Chick With a Puppy”. Could be Ivanka is the offender, or, is the Princess, either way, the gun is the Puppy, and on more important goals, a sacrifice is present to take the fall, make giant distraction long enough to reach the goal, in a fog of invisible nitrous gas.

Addition of Medazolam (Versed) gas to the nitrous makes unavailable unbelievable  circumstance. A situation of Perfect Storm is present with that mixture, The Versed prevents any one nearby from remembering what they saw at an event, even the offenders are not able to remember that they killed anyone. If they are caught and questioned, it’s not possible for those people to say details of what happened.

The name of the drug is suspicious. “Versed” has a “Vatican Choir Texture” to it, and the generic Medazolam, has a built in sacrificial “lam”. Research of it’s origin is warranted.

The use for Medazolam, will be explained by a surgeon or anesthesiologist as:

“Sometimes, we need to wake the patient during the midst of the surgical procedure to ask them if they are able to move their limbs, so that we know that the connections at the nerves are correct. We really don‘t want for the patient to suffer of nightmares associated with having been awakened during the procedure, so, we take the precaution and go ahead and administer a moderate dose of Medazolam to prevent unpleasant dreams post surgery”

==================================================

7:17 pm:

This post started in a tumblr text box just like the one shown below:

 7:27 pm:

Tumblr is presenting me with two different kinds of text box to write in, that one above is very difficult to obtain, takes special skills and determination to get a text box like that one above.

This one below with colorful icons, on the other hand, is very simple to get. I can write in a text box like the one below from many ways of different places within Tumblr where the one below is available, is cheap, is easy, like a Russian Whore, they are everywhere, you cannot get away from them, but that one above is almost impossible to get. This post with the Air Jordan at the top part, and the Medazolam Bullshit Ivanka Russian British Still Whore Princess at the bottom is somehow being throttled, made very difficult to obtain, is almost Unobtainium and is the kind I started with on this post, which will not recreate by copy & paste to try to make assessment of why there are two kinds of text box experiment.

I tried to recreate this post in the colorful kind of text box just now, and found that it is not possible to copy and paste the contents from this tumblr entry into a text box with colorful icons.

I did not try that in the reverse though, I need to start a post in the colorful kind of text box, and see if it will copy and paste into a text box that has only the gray color icons and fewer control features later on.

========================================

9:36 pm:

Let’s go back to applying pressure, where to apply it, and what brand of pressure to put on Joe Biden.

Ok, here’s the scoop:

You could go with Time Warp Terror, pressure Biden and Harris both about time and a lot space between the time. Any way to emphasis that it’s no longer a secret that Beta Twitter included the entire Democrat debates with all of the players, all of the exact same footage presented in 2008 and was filmed way before that.

Harris, Warren, Sanders, O’Rourke, Bloomberg and all of the others too.

Pressure Biden about Mike Bloomberg is Ronnie James Dio, because Ronnie James Dio portrayed Micheal Bloomberg for the phony debates.

Also, Kamala Harris’s daughter may have been the “Homeliest Walmart Terror Representative” that I was saying was in the men’s underwear department doing the Dickie’s Longjohn Shuffle, but I am not certain, it could have been Harrison Ford’s daughter, and I misunderstood was I was told about how she introduced herself there at the Fruit of the Loom’s department. So, the information I have is that at the Walmart the other day, either Kamala Harris’ Daughter or Harrison Ford’s Daughter was at the Walmart to kill me.

But there is more. The gal at the banana department said she was Lars Ulrich’s Daughter, as you may recall, he was killed in defense at the Josephine County Jail on June 16, 2020 along with John Mayer, Zakk Wylde, and perhaps Paul Reed Smith who it turns out maybe was only injured, healed, and then came back to take another wack at me at the Walgreen’s last two weeks ago or so. If it could be shown that Kamala Harris’ Daughter was the one in the Fruit of the Looms Department, then, we could really do some Chinese Laundry the American way, where the Chinese people are happy to do the laundry as long as they get paid for the work they do at the Chinese Laundry, It’s all One Hour Martinizing now, and that simply is not working.

Either way about Ms. Harris’ Daughter, the big ammunition is with the Time Warp Terror Pressure Campaign, and some sugar on that with Mike Bloomberg and Ronnie James Dio are the same guy, and that is FM at the Inauguration live broadcast presentation on major network TV news programs, and the Syndicated ones too.

That banana girl got hurt real bad as I recall when either a sword, or an arrow came through he [the] produce department there nearby where the Honey Dew Mellons are at, at the Walmart that day, so the pressure is that if Ms. Harris’ Daughter was the Fruit of the Loom girl, then that means she was like, a plan B, for trying to kill me there, and was working along with Lars Ulrich’s Daughter.

Maybe some autographed Bongo’s, from Jamaica, says Babaloo on them, and a signature on there from some special drummer, maybe Phil Collins would sign some Jamaican Bongo’s, Cuban one’s would be even better for live TV. Make them “Extra Lars Size” with a camel painted on them, and a small gift from Nepal Gift shop as “Welcome to Jamaica, have a nice day” Presidential gift, and a lollipop.

Pressure does not have to be expensive.

The pressure would not be complete without something for Boris Johnson, or, House of Lords members, or all of them. I am thinking about a replica of the Queen’s Hat, she is dead you know, to start with. A autographed picture from Mitt Romney could go a long way. Maybe some Khashoggies printed like Euro’s could help... $3 ones... if those were signed by some European leaders, that is some magic that will surely save the nhs, from themselves.

Modi needs some pressure too, don’t forget about the Indians. Some Cheeseburgers, lots of Cheeseburgers to India, and a compass.

I think it would appropriate to supply some commemorative sympathy cards for the Republican Congress. Outgoing sympathy of some kind, and also for the department heads, Ben Carson, Alex Azar, Elaine Chao...all of the usual suspects could use some extra sympathy as their leader steps away from the alter. I am thinking in terms of a Where’s Waldo theme... something fun that everyone can enjoy.

We should pay close attention to who went to Obrador’s inauguration in Mexico, and compare which of them attends the Biden inauguration, I think that is interesting statistical information, could be useful.

Maybe Justin Trudeau will attend, who knows? Anything could happen.

One thing is for sure, the Bergoglio cannot be there, he was killed at the Grants Pass Walmart when he walked into a giant guillotine at the front entrance there last month. He is part of a terror cell called “The Green’s of Old Three Ply”. The name comes from Gibson Guitars, the old style pick guards are made of three ply plastic. For real... “Green‘s of Old Three Ply” is Vatican Choir top high command terror Christian pirate captain level. Top level Green Jello terror cell.

They use this Aerosmith song as a theme song:

You have to change the lyrics to this for Gnosis Rules:

“♫♪ Green‘s of old three ply ♫♪”

(my account is hijacked again)

=========================================

1-18-2021: 1:05 am:

Local Update:

A walk to the mail boxes was cold.

It’s 31 degrees, and is very dark out there.

There was nothing in the mailbox again.

I have received very little mail this month, I can only recall one piece of advertising mail for a automotive warranty protection program insurance this month in the mail so far. There has been none of the usual mail in the USPS mailbox with my address on it. Usually, there is a typical mail sort of formula that is used by the mail carriers of “The Stork” terror cell. I am not a terror soldier, so I only know what is considered normal, and what is not normal, but there is more to the mail than that. normal is three pieces of mail, two letter size, and one larger 5 x 7 ish that makes it so you have to fold that one piece of mail to put it in your pocket, otherwise those letter size fit in a pocket. I am sure that plan is to make it such that I will not put the mail in my pocket, but instead will hold the mail in my hand, and in that way, my hands are not free to defend myself on the walk back to the house. The terror bastards really do get that detailed. I always fold that odd piece of mail while at the mail box, to put all of it in my pocket to keep my hands free for the sword fight on the way back to the house. Even if i get magazine size thing, or phone book, that goes in the pants to keep my hands free for defending, There is no other way to survive a walk to the mailbox on Jackpine Drive. So, three pieces, in a two + one arrangement is typical. Wednesdays used to be coupon mailer days, but that is hit or miss of late, inconsistent Wednesday mail. There is a newsprint advertising mailer called “Sneak Peak”, is bad news in every way. It’s extension of the Grants Pass Chamber of Commerce, where all of the advertisers local terror cells who belong to the Chamber of Commerce, and to Club Northwest Gym. Merchant Mailer I think is the name of another newsprint style multi-fold advertising mailer. I used to use them to get (the) wood stove burning, back in the day when i could stay outside long enough to cut some firewood without being shot at by the neighbors. The Sneak Peak’s usually arrive once per month, maybe the Merchant Mailer is a quarterly, it does not arrive every month, is hit or miss, seems inconsistent.

I have a implanted microphone transmitter in my jaw, I can’t turn it off, it’s been broadcasting every sound my body makes since 2011, so, if I say the words “Sneak Peak” while at the mailbox when I get one of those, it’s really bad for me, the terror bastards record every word I say over at the Offensive Monroe Surveillance Travel Trailer, so, I have to refrain from mumbling out loud about everything. It all gets used for fooling federal fools who insist on being fooled all of the time, and refuse to do their own research, by trusting the local authorities, who are all terror soldiers, and are fooling the federal fools, all of the time. The recordings of my voice talking to my cat have been entertaining the federal fools for about ten years. They listen to my coughing fits from the poison gasses, and are told I have COVID 19, and the fools believe everything they are told, as they are watching reruns of The Golden Girls on the syndicated channels.

Other than that, the noisy water well pump at Monroe’s turned on as I passed by that camera that is pointing at my driveway, as it has been doing when I step over that way for about two years. They usually hide the camera, but now it’s sitting on top of the log about five feet away from the fence, and can only see my driveway. They have a pond there that could be nice to look at on camera, but they choose to be Offensive terror bastards instead.

Earlier short walks outside were such that I did not feel it was safe to go to the mailbox, the Monroe’s were using a series of bright lights turning on and off to signal other terror soldier who was hiding in the pole barn, either launched away of nitrous ignition, or it was a gunshot spark that I saw there at about a little after dark. I did not hear any noise, just saw a quick flash after those other bright signaling electric lights in a chicken coup were used to signal that other terror bastard, that I was on a walk outside, and in range.

They read every word I write, so the challenge is that they make the situation so confusing that it cannot be described in a satisfactory way necessary to express the exact kind of threatening activity. Ten different kinds of electric lights, all inside of chicken coups, pole barn, shed, trailer, other stuff all flashing on and off as I take a walk to get my mail, and then there is a gunshot of light also in the mix sometimes, and/or nitrous gas ignition, as i am being poisoned and primed for some other asshole to run me over on a shark maneuver at the mailbox. It’s been some time since there was a shark maneuver, about one week, when Wesely Crowel swerved towards me to run me down at the culvert railing. he and the mail carrier were working with, Chartrands, a Bekins moving truck, Sparacino’s and Monroe’s that day, with Safari terror and African Lions on the loose.

But that’s just a Monday, could happen on a Wednesday, it’s all the same, for twenty years and no one will send any help.

Train came by at 12:03 am. Federal fools will be told I mentioned that for selling some cocaine.

There were no airplane flyovers today to my recollection.

That’s all. Dark and cold with strange mail conditions.

[mega-camp-blog]

Breaking Down Camp Costs

We are asking everyone who comes to camp to pay $285.  But what does that $285 get you?  Here is the break down:

$192 goes to Camp Dewan to rent their site.  This gives us cabins with real beds to sleep in, use of their private lake and sports fields, use of their big barn, dining hall, and trails.  It roughly works out to $48 a night divided evenly, though the contract actually specifies that is $38 a night for week days and $58 a night for weekends.  Two of each gives us that $192 total and that is a flat rate per person.   

$10 goes towards a Camp T-Shirt because camp shirts are awesome.  It will be a super soft shirt with a custom made Megamind-y design you’ll never see anywhere else.  

$45 is your food cost, which is spread over 11 meals (3 breakfasts, 4 dinners, 3 lunches, 1 brunch).  That's roughly $2 per breakfast, $3 per lunch, and $5 per dinner or a little over $4 per meal.  Cooking actually gets cheaper when you cook for big groups and all our food projections are based on having at least 20 campers.  Expect typical American summer fare with a few tasty surprises, but nothing too extravagant or spicy (unless you wanna slather your own plate in hot sauce or something).  And the more people we have, the more we can spend on food so the food will be better if more people come.  

$20 will go towards what we are calling ‘supplies’.  That is everything from craft supplies to paper products to firewood to everything we think we could need to purchase (not borrow) to make this camp a success.  It’s also our padding for things going wrong, costing more than we anticipate, or throwing us for a loop. Again if we get more people, we can spend more on supplies aka ball pit.  But this is also where if we get a bigger group and don’t need to spend as much (firewood costs the same if there are 10 people around the fire or 40) we could possibly give you money back at the end of camp. 

Please note: Your camp costs do NOT pay for your travel to/from Mega Camp.  You are responsible for getting yourself there (or at least to the nearest train or bus station) on your own.  They also don’t cover any costs of field trips away from camp like the winery or the ren faire.  Those are on you.  We promise that there will be cool things happening back at camp however, so even if you don’t go on field trips, you will not be left out.  Field trips are just one of several options you have based on your interests and finances.    

So that would give you a final cost of $267.   You will be getting $267 worth of services, lodging, food, and activities at camp.  

But wait a minute, you may say, I thought you were asking for $285?

The last $18 of your camp fee goes towards the Scholarship Fund.  

Look, we know lots of people in this fandom are fantastic but flat out broke.  It would be impossible for them to come to camp because they don’t have $285.  But what if you could help just a little?   

For every 15 people that register, we can bring someone to camp completely free.  Or three people at a reduced price.  We’re still working on the details of how scholarship funds will be used, but the goal is to get as many members of the fandom there as we can.  Good people shouldn’t have to sit at home and stare longingly at their computer screens when we can come together as a fandom and help.  

So that is what your $285 buys you -- your own camp experience and the ability to help someone else have a great time.  We think the amount is fair and worth it.  Questions, comments, concerns?  Hit that ask box.

- Dani 

[privateplates4u]

Hyundai Kona review

For  Refined when cruising along, plenty of scope for personalisation, four-wheel drive available Our Rating  3 Against  Stiff ride, especially on larger wheels, smaller engine has narrow powerband, four-wheel-drive model is very pricey 2017 The Hyundai Kona's funky looks will appeal to some, but the driving experience is firmly in the middle of the pack The Hyundai Kona is a car clearly designed to sell on design. It's not that rewarding to drive, thanks to lifeless steering and a 1.0-litre engine that isn't as flexible as the small units in some of the car's rivals. The ride is unsettled on the larger wheels that come on many versions, and there's not as much passenger or luggage space on board as you'll find in some competitors. There's an EV version coming that could be a standout car in the class; as it stands, though, the Kona is in the middle of the pack if you're after an alternative to a Nissan Juke or Renault Captur. 18 Oct, 2017 4 We're not about to deliver a verdict on how the Kona looks; that's for customers to decide. But there's no doubt that the car's exterior styling is going to split opinion. Hyundai is counting on it, in fact, because there's nothing worse in the image-conscious small SUV market than having a car that fails to provoke a reaction.  The Kona certainly errs towards the 'rugged' end of the baby SUV market. It has slim, aggressive-looking headlights, complex body surfacing with plenty of creases, and swathes of black plastic around the wheelarches to give it at least the look of something that could go off road. There is a basic flat paint scheme, but the vast majority of buyers will pay the extra to go for one of the metallic or 'metallic pearl' finishes. Hyundai is dividing the colours into two groups - 'Neutral', which includes white and silver, and 'Vivid', which brings a strong red and blue, plus a lime-green shade that's called 'Acid Yellow'. The Vivid shades also come with a contrast roof colour. The entry-level version of the Kona gets 16in alloy wheels, while SE models step this up to 17-inchers. Everything above that gets 18in rims, which look suitably chunky under the plastic-clad arches.  Inside, it's a far more conventional affair. True, there's the odd flourish - a little bit of body-coloured surround on the dashboard, and body-coloured seat belts (they can look garish if you've gone for Acid Yellow, for example). But in the most part, the Kona's cabin could be any other Hyundai.  That's particularly true on the facia, which mixes conventional dials with, on all but the entry-level edition, a colour touchscreen display that's mounted high up in the centre of the dashboard. It all makes perfect functional sense, but it's also relatively short on inspiration - a match, in many ways, for the ultra-conservative cabin of the SEAT Arona.  The quality of the materials is harder to fault; there are soft-touch fabrics in more of the door lining than you'll find in lots of the Kona's rivals, and you'll have to look hard to find some really scratchy plastic. The Hyundai feels like it's absolutely on the money in this area, at least. Go far enough up the range and you'll get some extra tech to make the front cabin feel a teeny bit more special; there's a head-up display, for example, which is still a relatively rare feature in this class.  The rest of the controls are easy to access, with simple switches for the heating and ventilation, and other features on higher-end models, such as the heated and cooled seats, controlled via buttons at either side of the gear stick. Sat-nav, stereo and infotainment The entry-level Kona, S trim, gets an infotainment system so basic that we haven't even been allowed anywhere near it yet. It's a monochrome LCD display-based set-up, although it does at least include DAB and Bluetooth. Image 11 of 28 Image 11 of 28 SE editions get a seven-inch colour touchscreen system, incorporating plenty of phone connectivity with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. The system is slick enough and the processing power behind it is quick to respond to inputs. Premium, Premium SE and Premium GT models get an uprated system with an eight-inch display and an eight-speaker KRELL audio set-up. It also includes navigation, but the software itself isn't as clear as the phone navigation that you can access through Android and Apple - so we wouldn't upgrade for this feature alone. Premium SE and GT models also bring a head-up display as standard; it's a comparative rarity for the class, and Hyundai's system is one of the largest on the market, with information being projected onto an eight-inch screen beyond the instrument binnacle. The dashboard contains an aux-in and a single USB socket at the bottom of the centre console; this is welcome enough, but we'd have preferred to see a second USB slot instead of the pair of 12V sockets that are positioned in the same place. 3.5 We haven't really seen a small SUV that's genuinely involving to drive - and the Kona doesn't come close to bucking this trend. It has few vices, admittedly, but there is precious little scope for enjoyment either. The 1.0 engine has just about enough grunt for most everyday situations, although you'll need to keep an eye on the rev-counter if you're about to attempt overtaking. That's because the three-cylinder turbocharged engine has a pretty narrow power band; Hyundai claims peak torque between 1,500rpm and 4,000rpm, but it feels like it starts about 700rpm higher than that. Drop out of this area and you'll soon find yourself becoming impatient as you wait for the motor to spin up to its best potential again. Other three-cylinder units on the market are a bit more forgiving - notably Citroen's and Peugeot's excellent 1.2 PureTech.  The Kona’s transmission (a six-speed manual on all but the 1.6 version) isn’t the slickest either, but it’s quick enough as long as you’re positive with shifts. The squared-off gear knob doesn’t sit particularly easily in the hand, though.  The chassis is set up to understeer at anything approaching its limit, and it does - although in fairness, the front end hangs on gamely unless you really throw it at a corner. This in itself is harder to do than it should be, because the steering - presumably calibrated in the name of ‘sportiness’ - is unusually heavy for a car of this type. Image 4 of 28 Image 4 of 28 The car stays pretty flat in corners, but the trade-off for this is a brittle ride on all but smooth surfaces; the rear end jolts over potholes and expansion joints, and the Kona never quite settles down over the sort of patchwork tarmac that you tend to find at the edges of plenty of British roads. Tyre size will play a part in this, of course. S and SE models come with 16in and 17in wheels respectively, and we'd strongly recommend you ask for a back-to-back test before committing to the 18in items that come with Premium, Premium SE and Premium GT versions.  At least the Kona’s pretty quiet once it’s up to speed, as the characterful three-cylinder note fades away. Wind noise seems well isolated, too, so there’s not much of a rush from around the side mirrors. The 1.6 T-GDi model gets a different chassis set-up, with more complex rear suspension - and this goes some way towards negating the harsher experience of its 18in wheels. You can definitely tell that there's something more sophisticated at the back end. This car's dual-clutch gearbox (the only automatic Kona on offer, at the moment) isn't too bad, either, delivering only rare jerky shifts at low speeds around town. The 1.6 engine has more punch too, of course - plenty for a car of this size, in fact. Engines The Kona comes with a choice of engines - although in truth, the vast majority of customers will end up in the more modest of the pair. It's a turbocharged 1.0-litre three-cylinder motor, producing 118bhp and 175Nm of torque. On the whole, this engine is punchy enough for a car like the Kona. But in practice, we find its powerband a little narrow - and it's quick to punish you with sluggish progress if you allow the revs to dip much below 2,000rpm.  You can easily hear that it's a three-cylinder engine when it's being revved, thanks to the characteristic thrum, but at a steady cruise the 1.0 drifts nicely into the background.  The other engine is a turbocharged 1.6-litre four-cylinder engine, with 175bhp and 265Nm. This feels an altogether more grown-up offering, with real pace (0-62mph in under eight seconds) and plenty of mid-range punch when you need it.  It's available only with a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox and four-wheel drive, though - and restricted to the most expensive trim level. Small wonder that Hyundai reckons this will account for no more than two percent of all Kona sales in the UK. Image 5 of 28 Image 5 of 28 There's no diesel Kona yet, incidentally, but a 1.6-litre version with around 113bhp is expected in the first half of 2018 - a few months before an all-electric version of the car lands in UK showrooms. 4.1 The Kona features an intriguing mix of 'old' and new. Its turbocharged petrol engines are relatively proven units from elsewhere in the company's line-up, but the mechanical components underneath them - the chassis, in other words - is entirely new and, for the time being at least, bespoke to this car.  Even so, we'd expect that the latest design and construction techniques should deliver respectable reliability - especially when the known quantities of the engines and transmissions are taken into account. The Kona's too new to have featured in our Driver Power survey, but Hyundai as a brand finished 10th in the most recent data. That was a decent placing - and well clear of the manufacturers of some of the Kona's key rivals, notably Citroen. But it was also behind the likes of SEAT and Kia, who both now have competitors for this car. Image 18 of 28 Image 18 of 28 The Kona hasn't been tested yet by Euro NCAP, but Hyundai will be targeting a full five-star rating. All Konas get front, front side and curtain airbags, driver attention alert, lane-keep assist and hill-start assist control. Some of the more expensive editions include rear cross-traffic alert and the range-topping Premium GT model gets a safety pack that brings pedestrian recognition as part of an autonomous emergency braking system. It's good to see, too, that this top-line feature is available as an option, even on the most basic S trim level. Warranty Hyundai has one of the strongest warranty packages on the market, and the Kona gets the same level of cover as any of the Korean brand's other offerings. That means a five-year warranty with unlimited mileage; only Kia's seven-year deal offers a longer period of cover. Hyundai's package also includes five years of annual vehicle health checks, five years of roadside assistance, and a 12-year anti-perforation warranty. Servicing Hyundai hasn't released servicing costs for the Kona yet. However, we'd expect the car to be included on the company's fixed-price servicing deal, which can run over two,  three or five years, and includes the capacity for the cost to be split into monthly payments. The petrol Konas should fall into the same bracket as the likes of the i20 and i30 - so a three-year deal would cost around £500. That's not the cheapest in the industry, but it is a good way of budgeting your running costs during a typical three-year ownership period. 3.1 The level of practicality in the Kona illustrates just how quickly the small SUV market is developing. When Hyundai started work on its small SUV, it presumably benchmarked cars like the Nissan Juke and Renault Captur for passenger space and boot capacity.  Compared with these cars, then, the Kona doesn't do badly. But the game has clearly moved on in the meantime, because Hyundai's offering feels less capable of dealing with family life than, say, the latest Citroen C3 Aircross. Kona S models have the biggest boot, because they do without a spacesaver spare wheel (they get tyre sealant instead). But even so, the capacity of 361 litres is still some way adrift of the 400 litres in a SEAT Arona - and the C3 Aircross can deliver up to 120 litres more than that again.  This gap widens when you go to SE and above in the Kona range, of course; these versions offer just 334 litres, which is barely any more than many modern superminis. Fold the rear seats down and you get 1,143 litres (S) or 1,116 litres (everything else) - no better than respectable. There are no clever boot tricks like a variable-height floor or dividers, either. Image 17 of 28 Image 17 of 28 Many buyers won't be put off by this relative shortage of versatility, of course - but the Kona doesn't quite feel like a vehicle that could cope with the lifestyle of a small family. There's plenty of room in the front cabin for a couple of grown-ups, and they shouldn't have any problems with headroom. But if there's a pair of six-footers up front, the rear cabin looks a little bit tight for knee and legroom. Again, some of the Kona's likely rivals are considerably more versatile. Size The Kona is 4,165mm long, 1,800mm wide (2,070 including mirrors) and up to 1,568mm high, depending on which wheel size you opt for. By comparison, the firm's i20 supermini is about 13cm shorter and 6cm narrower.  The Kona is a centimetre longer than the C3 Aircross, as well as being a little wider. But it's lower, even when fitted with 18in wheels. Leg room, head room & passenger space The Kona is a nominal five-seater, of course, but it's still fundamentally a supermini-sized cabin - and you should factor that in if you regularly need to carry four adults. There's plenty of space up front for six-footers, but those in the back seats may complain about a shortage of leg and kneeroom on longer journeys. Boot The Kona's boot is no better than average in a class that's fast developing to offer genuine small family cars. In anything other than S spec (so with a spacesaver wheel), the boot capacity is only 334 litres; that's a world away from the likes of the C3 Aircross, which can offer up to 520 litres when its trick rear seats are pushed fully forward. 4 Hyundai believes that it can attract downsizers and hip, trendy young families into the Kona. And it's being pretty bold with the pricing as a result. The figures are pitched against other small SUVs instead of Hyundai's other small cars, like the i20 or even the i30, so they start at around the same level as the SEAT Arona's. That means they're higher than, say, the C3 Aircross's entry point - but that most basic Citroen is so basic that it's almost an irrelevance. Let's just say that the Kona is in the ballpark as far as its mainstream variants go.  There are a few anomalies in the Hyundai's fuel efficiency that you need to watch out for. The 1.0 version's official economy and CO2 figures start at 54.3mpg and 117g/km - but these only apply to the most basic S trim, which gets a (much lighter) can of tyre sealant instead of a spare wheel, and runs on 16in tyres. The rest of the 1.0 line-up - complete with spacesaver and either 17in or 18in wheels - manages official figures of 52.3mpg and 125g/km. These are some way adrift of the likes of the C3 Aircross and Arona, which feature a range of powerplants below 120g/km. The Citroen offers a diesel option, too, that gets to 70mpg and 104g/km. The higher-powered Kona is worse again, because while it's an efficient enough engine, it's paired up with a dual-clutch auto gearbox and four-wheel drive. It only returns official figures of 42.2mpg and 153g/km - some way adrift of the admittedly less powerful auto C3 Aircross (126g/km) and DSG auto Arona (113g/km). Indeed, the Hyundai's fuel efficiency looks more in line with that of established but relatively old small SUVs like the Juke and Captur - highlighting how the class is moving on quickly.  The Kona could well strike back on this front in the second half of 2018, though, when Hyundai makes use of the car's bespoke platform to introduce an all-electric version. The firm is targeting a full-battery range of around 240 miles, which would make the car one of the more capable small EVs on the market. Insurance groups Hyundai hasn't confirmed any insurance groups for the Kona yet. We'd expect it to cost more than the likes of the i20, though, because of the car's positioning as a more premium product, higher up the range. Depreciation It's still a bit too early to get concrete figures on how well the Kona is expected to retain its value. But it's worth pointing out that as a trend, small SUVs are generally being given more promising figures than conventional superminis and, in particular, small MPVs. Image 7 of 28 Image 7 of 28 As a general guide, we'd expect the entry-level S edition and the range-topping Premium GT to have the weakest resale values, because the most extreme ends of a model range tend to perform that way. Much will depend on what Hyundai does on finance - and whether the firm offers deposit contribution deals.

http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/hyundai/kona/101395/suv

[numberplates4u-blog]

Hyundai Kona review

For  Refined when cruising along, plenty of scope for personalisation, four-wheel drive available Our Rating  3 Against  Stiff ride, especially on larger wheels, smaller engine has narrow powerband, four-wheel-drive model is very pricey 2017 The Hyundai Kona's funky looks will appeal to some, but the driving experience is firmly in the middle of the pack The Hyundai Kona is a car clearly designed to sell on design. It's not that rewarding to drive, thanks to lifeless steering and a 1.0-litre engine that isn't as flexible as the small units in some of the car's rivals. The ride is unsettled on the larger wheels that come on many versions, and there's not as much passenger or luggage space on board as you'll find in some competitors. There's an EV version coming that could be a standout car in the class; as it stands, though, the Kona is in the middle of the pack if you're after an alternative to a Nissan Juke or Renault Captur. 18 Oct, 2017 4 We're not about to deliver a verdict on how the Kona looks; that's for customers to decide. But there's no doubt that the car's exterior styling is going to split opinion. Hyundai is counting on it, in fact, because there's nothing worse in the image-conscious small SUV market than having a car that fails to provoke a reaction.  The Kona certainly errs towards the 'rugged' end of the baby SUV market. It has slim, aggressive-looking headlights, complex body surfacing with plenty of creases, and swathes of black plastic around the wheelarches to give it at least the look of something that could go off road. There is a basic flat paint scheme, but the vast majority of buyers will pay the extra to go for one of the metallic or 'metallic pearl' finishes. Hyundai is dividing the colours into two groups - 'Neutral', which includes white and silver, and 'Vivid', which brings a strong red and blue, plus a lime-green shade that's called 'Acid Yellow'. The Vivid shades also come with a contrast roof colour. The entry-level version of the Kona gets 16in alloy wheels, while SE models step this up to 17-inchers. Everything above that gets 18in rims, which look suitably chunky under the plastic-clad arches.  Inside, it's a far more conventional affair. True, there's the odd flourish - a little bit of body-coloured surround on the dashboard, and body-coloured seat belts (they can look garish if you've gone for Acid Yellow, for example). But in the most part, the Kona's cabin could be any other Hyundai.  That's particularly true on the facia, which mixes conventional dials with, on all but the entry-level edition, a colour touchscreen display that's mounted high up in the centre of the dashboard. It all makes perfect functional sense, but it's also relatively short on inspiration - a match, in many ways, for the ultra-conservative cabin of the SEAT Arona.  The quality of the materials is harder to fault; there are soft-touch fabrics in more of the door lining than you'll find in lots of the Kona's rivals, and you'll have to look hard to find some really scratchy plastic. The Hyundai feels like it's absolutely on the money in this area, at least. Go far enough up the range and you'll get some extra tech to make the front cabin feel a teeny bit more special; there's a head-up display, for example, which is still a relatively rare feature in this class.  The rest of the controls are easy to access, with simple switches for the heating and ventilation, and other features on higher-end models, such as the heated and cooled seats, controlled via buttons at either side of the gear stick. Sat-nav, stereo and infotainment The entry-level Kona, S trim, gets an infotainment system so basic that we haven't even been allowed anywhere near it yet. It's a monochrome LCD display-based set-up, although it does at least include DAB and Bluetooth. Image 11 of 28 Image 11 of 28 SE editions get a seven-inch colour touchscreen system, incorporating plenty of phone connectivity with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. The system is slick enough and the processing power behind it is quick to respond to inputs. Premium, Premium SE and Premium GT models get an uprated system with an eight-inch display and an eight-speaker KRELL audio set-up. It also includes navigation, but the software itself isn't as clear as the phone navigation that you can access through Android and Apple - so we wouldn't upgrade for this feature alone. Premium SE and GT models also bring a head-up display as standard; it's a comparative rarity for the class, and Hyundai's system is one of the largest on the market, with information being projected onto an eight-inch screen beyond the instrument binnacle. The dashboard contains an aux-in and a single USB socket at the bottom of the centre console; this is welcome enough, but we'd have preferred to see a second USB slot instead of the pair of 12V sockets that are positioned in the same place. 3.5 We haven't really seen a small SUV that's genuinely involving to drive - and the Kona doesn't come close to bucking this trend. It has few vices, admittedly, but there is precious little scope for enjoyment either. The 1.0 engine has just about enough grunt for most everyday situations, although you'll need to keep an eye on the rev-counter if you're about to attempt overtaking. That's because the three-cylinder turbocharged engine has a pretty narrow power band; Hyundai claims peak torque between 1,500rpm and 4,000rpm, but it feels like it starts about 700rpm higher than that. Drop out of this area and you'll soon find yourself becoming impatient as you wait for the motor to spin up to its best potential again. Other three-cylinder units on the market are a bit more forgiving - notably Citroen's and Peugeot's excellent 1.2 PureTech.  The Kona’s transmission (a six-speed manual on all but the 1.6 version) isn’t the slickest either, but it’s quick enough as long as you’re positive with shifts. The squared-off gear knob doesn’t sit particularly easily in the hand, though.  The chassis is set up to understeer at anything approaching its limit, and it does - although in fairness, the front end hangs on gamely unless you really throw it at a corner. This in itself is harder to do than it should be, because the steering - presumably calibrated in the name of ‘sportiness’ - is unusually heavy for a car of this type. Image 4 of 28 Image 4 of 28 The car stays pretty flat in corners, but the trade-off for this is a brittle ride on all but smooth surfaces; the rear end jolts over potholes and expansion joints, and the Kona never quite settles down over the sort of patchwork tarmac that you tend to find at the edges of plenty of British roads. Tyre size will play a part in this, of course. S and SE models come with 16in and 17in wheels respectively, and we'd strongly recommend you ask for a back-to-back test before committing to the 18in items that come with Premium, Premium SE and Premium GT versions.  At least the Kona’s pretty quiet once it’s up to speed, as the characterful three-cylinder note fades away. Wind noise seems well isolated, too, so there’s not much of a rush from around the side mirrors. The 1.6 T-GDi model gets a different chassis set-up, with more complex rear suspension - and this goes some way towards negating the harsher experience of its 18in wheels. You can definitely tell that there's something more sophisticated at the back end. This car's dual-clutch gearbox (the only automatic Kona on offer, at the moment) isn't too bad, either, delivering only rare jerky shifts at low speeds around town. The 1.6 engine has more punch too, of course - plenty for a car of this size, in fact. Engines The Kona comes with a choice of engines - although in truth, the vast majority of customers will end up in the more modest of the pair. It's a turbocharged 1.0-litre three-cylinder motor, producing 118bhp and 175Nm of torque. On the whole, this engine is punchy enough for a car like the Kona. But in practice, we find its powerband a little narrow - and it's quick to punish you with sluggish progress if you allow the revs to dip much below 2,000rpm.  You can easily hear that it's a three-cylinder engine when it's being revved, thanks to the characteristic thrum, but at a steady cruise the 1.0 drifts nicely into the background.  The other engine is a turbocharged 1.6-litre four-cylinder engine, with 175bhp and 265Nm. This feels an altogether more grown-up offering, with real pace (0-62mph in under eight seconds) and plenty of mid-range punch when you need it.  It's available only with a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox and four-wheel drive, though - and restricted to the most expensive trim level. Small wonder that Hyundai reckons this will account for no more than two percent of all Kona sales in the UK. Image 5 of 28 Image 5 of 28 There's no diesel Kona yet, incidentally, but a 1.6-litre version with around 113bhp is expected in the first half of 2018 - a few months before an all-electric version of the car lands in UK showrooms. 4.1 The Kona features an intriguing mix of 'old' and new. Its turbocharged petrol engines are relatively proven units from elsewhere in the company's line-up, but the mechanical components underneath them - the chassis, in other words - is entirely new and, for the time being at least, bespoke to this car.  Even so, we'd expect that the latest design and construction techniques should deliver respectable reliability - especially when the known quantities of the engines and transmissions are taken into account. The Kona's too new to have featured in our Driver Power survey, but Hyundai as a brand finished 10th in the most recent data. That was a decent placing - and well clear of the manufacturers of some of the Kona's key rivals, notably Citroen. But it was also behind the likes of SEAT and Kia, who both now have competitors for this car. Image 18 of 28 Image 18 of 28 The Kona hasn't been tested yet by Euro NCAP, but Hyundai will be targeting a full five-star rating. All Konas get front, front side and curtain airbags, driver attention alert, lane-keep assist and hill-start assist control. Some of the more expensive editions include rear cross-traffic alert and the range-topping Premium GT model gets a safety pack that brings pedestrian recognition as part of an autonomous emergency braking system. It's good to see, too, that this top-line feature is available as an option, even on the most basic S trim level. Warranty Hyundai has one of the strongest warranty packages on the market, and the Kona gets the same level of cover as any of the Korean brand's other offerings. That means a five-year warranty with unlimited mileage; only Kia's seven-year deal offers a longer period of cover. Hyundai's package also includes five years of annual vehicle health checks, five years of roadside assistance, and a 12-year anti-perforation warranty. Servicing Hyundai hasn't released servicing costs for the Kona yet. However, we'd expect the car to be included on the company's fixed-price servicing deal, which can run over two,  three or five years, and includes the capacity for the cost to be split into monthly payments. The petrol Konas should fall into the same bracket as the likes of the i20 and i30 - so a three-year deal would cost around £500. That's not the cheapest in the industry, but it is a good way of budgeting your running costs during a typical three-year ownership period. 3.1 The level of practicality in the Kona illustrates just how quickly the small SUV market is developing. When Hyundai started work on its small SUV, it presumably benchmarked cars like the Nissan Juke and Renault Captur for passenger space and boot capacity.  Compared with these cars, then, the Kona doesn't do badly. But the game has clearly moved on in the meantime, because Hyundai's offering feels less capable of dealing with family life than, say, the latest Citroen C3 Aircross. Kona S models have the biggest boot, because they do without a spacesaver spare wheel (they get tyre sealant instead). But even so, the capacity of 361 litres is still some way adrift of the 400 litres in a SEAT Arona - and the C3 Aircross can deliver up to 120 litres more than that again.  This gap widens when you go to SE and above in the Kona range, of course; these versions offer just 334 litres, which is barely any more than many modern superminis. Fold the rear seats down and you get 1,143 litres (S) or 1,116 litres (everything else) - no better than respectable. There are no clever boot tricks like a variable-height floor or dividers, either. Image 17 of 28 Image 17 of 28 Many buyers won't be put off by this relative shortage of versatility, of course - but the Kona doesn't quite feel like a vehicle that could cope with the lifestyle of a small family. There's plenty of room in the front cabin for a couple of grown-ups, and they shouldn't have any problems with headroom. But if there's a pair of six-footers up front, the rear cabin looks a little bit tight for knee and legroom. Again, some of the Kona's likely rivals are considerably more versatile. Size The Kona is 4,165mm long, 1,800mm wide (2,070 including mirrors) and up to 1,568mm high, depending on which wheel size you opt for. By comparison, the firm's i20 supermini is about 13cm shorter and 6cm narrower.  The Kona is a centimetre longer than the C3 Aircross, as well as being a little wider. But it's lower, even when fitted with 18in wheels. Leg room, head room & passenger space The Kona is a nominal five-seater, of course, but it's still fundamentally a supermini-sized cabin - and you should factor that in if you regularly need to carry four adults. There's plenty of space up front for six-footers, but those in the back seats may complain about a shortage of leg and kneeroom on longer journeys. Boot The Kona's boot is no better than average in a class that's fast developing to offer genuine small family cars. In anything other than S spec (so with a spacesaver wheel), the boot capacity is only 334 litres; that's a world away from the likes of the C3 Aircross, which can offer up to 520 litres when its trick rear seats are pushed fully forward. 4 Hyundai believes that it can attract downsizers and hip, trendy young families into the Kona. And it's being pretty bold with the pricing as a result. The figures are pitched against other small SUVs instead of Hyundai's other small cars, like the i20 or even the i30, so they start at around the same level as the SEAT Arona's. That means they're higher than, say, the C3 Aircross's entry point - but that most basic Citroen is so basic that it's almost an irrelevance. Let's just say that the Kona is in the ballpark as far as its mainstream variants go.  There are a few anomalies in the Hyundai's fuel efficiency that you need to watch out for. The 1.0 version's official economy and CO2 figures start at 54.3mpg and 117g/km - but these only apply to the most basic S trim, which gets a (much lighter) can of tyre sealant instead of a spare wheel, and runs on 16in tyres. The rest of the 1.0 line-up - complete with spacesaver and either 17in or 18in wheels - manages official figures of 52.3mpg and 125g/km. These are some way adrift of the likes of the C3 Aircross and Arona, which feature a range of powerplants below 120g/km. The Citroen offers a diesel option, too, that gets to 70mpg and 104g/km. The higher-powered Kona is worse again, because while it's an efficient enough engine, it's paired up with a dual-clutch auto gearbox and four-wheel drive. It only returns official figures of 42.2mpg and 153g/km - some way adrift of the admittedly less powerful auto C3 Aircross (126g/km) and DSG auto Arona (113g/km). Indeed, the Hyundai's fuel efficiency looks more in line with that of established but relatively old small SUVs like the Juke and Captur - highlighting how the class is moving on quickly.  The Kona could well strike back on this front in the second half of 2018, though, when Hyundai makes use of the car's bespoke platform to introduce an all-electric version. The firm is targeting a full-battery range of around 240 miles, which would make the car one of the more capable small EVs on the market. Insurance groups Hyundai hasn't confirmed any insurance groups for the Kona yet. We'd expect it to cost more than the likes of the i20, though, because of the car's positioning as a more premium product, higher up the range. Depreciation It's still a bit too early to get concrete figures on how well the Kona is expected to retain its value. But it's worth pointing out that as a trend, small SUVs are generally being given more promising figures than conventional superminis and, in particular, small MPVs. Image 7 of 28 Image 7 of 28 As a general guide, we'd expect the entry-level S edition and the range-topping Premium GT to have the weakest resale values, because the most extreme ends of a model range tend to perform that way. Much will depend on what Hyundai does on finance - and whether the firm offers deposit contribution deals.

http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/hyundai/kona/101395/suv

[juniperpublishers-gjaa]

Co-Evolution of the Willow (Genus Salix) and Humankind with Particular Emphasis on Estuarine and Delta Systems- Juniper Publishers

Introduction

The willow (genus Salix) thrived in the floodplain environment since the upper cretaceous period, e.g. fruiting Salix catkins were found in the Pipe Creek Valley, Dakota (Figure 1). The life history of Salicaceae is closely related to riverine habitats. Therefore, characteristic traits have evolved. Efficient seed production is followed by establishment on exposed riverine sediments and fast growth. High bending capacity and breaking resistance make Salix shrubs and trees resilient to river currents and waves [1], erosion and sedimentation processes [2]. Moreover, plant parts resprout vigorously after fragmentation by physical disturbance and flooding [3].

Ancient civilisations developed settlements along major flows. Willows naturally occurring in floodplains were used for dwellings along the Euphrates more than 10.000 years ago and for construction, tool handles, hoes and ploughs during the dynasty of Ur in Mesopotamia [4]. Willows provided flexible twigs and branches for furniture, fences for shelter, and fish traps. Willow baskets for food, supply and for storage may have been among the first articles manufactured by human hunter-gatherer communities [5]. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations FAO [4] highlights willows as “Trees for Society and the Environment” serving humankind since the dawn of history.

    Global Distribution

Salix is a globally distributed species rich genus that can be divided into two ecological groups, (i) non-alluvial species of forest, rocks, wetlands with stagnant water and prostrate shrubs of tundra and alpine habitats, and (ii) narrow-leaved alluvial tree and large shrub species adapted to floodplains used for their flexible shoots [6]. The largest tree Salix species belong to the widely distributed and cultivated willows of the floodplain environment (Figure 2). The white willow (Salix alba L.) forms softwood floodplain forests throughout Europe up to North Africa, Asia Minor and western Asia, and is worldwide planted near human habitations and on riverbanks. The Black willow (Salix nigra M.) forms extended forest stands along large rivers in North America, whereas S. humboldtiana W. is the only Salix species native to South American floodplains [7]. Salix phylogeny is complex due to frequent interspecific hybridization. Hybridization accompanied by polyploidy likely played a major role in modern Salix species evolution in genetically variable populations in disturbed floodplains and in cultivation [1].

    Estuarine and Delta Systems

In South America, S. humboldtiana settles on non-tidal sandy deposits up to where the lower Parana Delta propagates in the Rio de la Plata estuary. Estuarine islands have been subjected to land use change since decades and today willow-plantations cover extended tidal freshwater wetlands [8]. Tidal freshwater wetlands were occupied by humans since they developed in coastal plain estuaries during the last 6.000 years. Ports were established because these sheltered locations were the most inland point in the estuary that could be reached by ships and where river discharge prevents salt water intrusion, but flat topography allows tides to determine the geomorphology and hydrodynamics [9].

Along the US Atlantic coast, downstream located oligohaline marshes were transferred into tidal freshwater forested wetlands due to colonial land clearance 300-500 years ago shifting sediment into tidal wetlands, resulting in increased accretion. More recently, tidal freshwater forest declines due to tidal inundation and increasing salinity from sea level rise [10], e.g. in the Mississippi Delta where the Black willow forms extended forest stands. Similarly, S. humboldtiana may be substituted by some ten-thousand hectares of tidal forest plantations consisting of hybrid-willows (S. alba and S. babylonica L. (syn. S. matsudana Koidzumi) genotypes exist in the Rio de la Plata Delta. Salix babylonica grows originally in sandy river valley depression in arid-semiarid regions of China with pendulous branches. The weeping willow is one of the most widely used tree in horticultural and environmental application [7] eventually due to adaptation to changing water levels.

    North Sea Region

In the North Sea Region, vast tidal freshwater wetlands containing willows still occur along the Scheldt, Belgium, the Weser and the Elbe, Germany, in De Biesbosch and along the Oude Maas in the Netherlands [11]. Most European TFW were utilized by humans for similar reasons as in North America due to the availability of water, nutrient-rich soils for agriculture and the abundance of fish, shellfish, mammals, and plants for food and shelter. However, humans may have also been negatively impacted by flooding and mosquito-borne diseases [9]. Willows extract large quantities of water due to high evapotranspiration rates (phreatophyte-type of vegetation), and from historical references it is reported that willow plantations in malaria affected areas were the most effective for drying up the earth and thus sheltered human settlements [12]. The pulverized bark of Salix alba is even said “its having the properties of the Peruvian bark” and similar effects on “the agues” [13]. The “Marsh-Fever” occurred in brackish coastal and estuarine areas in North-West Europe connected to the occupational history. These areas were exploited by Ertebolle and Swifterbant people since the 5th millennium BC. Subsequent sedentary communities utilized fertile marshes and estuarine forests for pasturage and agriculture. The coastal malaria vector Anopheles atroparvus found hibernation chances in human settlements, stagnant brackish water provided sites for breeding in oxbow lakes and health risks increased in embanked polders with high-days from 1500-1750 AC [14].

Severe storm surges damaged dikes during that time. This lead to dike reinforcement along the Elbe estuary whereas pollard willows were planted along the dike for protection against surge and ice-scour (Figure 3). The willow plantations led to sediment accretion and prepared the foreland for the use as meadows and pastures. In addition, willow rods were harvested, used for fascines and groynes, and since 1800 until 1950 an extended willow culture for basketry, furniture is reported for most of the Haseldorfer Marsch [15], one of Europe`s largest tidal freshwater wetlands. However, after a major flood in 1962 a new constructed dikeline lead to the loss of approximately 75% of the former TFW area in the Haseldorfer Marsch. De Biesbosch consisted of approximately 8,000 ha TFW but lost vast areas due to the construction of a storm surge barrier. However, still more than 1.500 ha TFW exist including bulrush (Bies = Dutch word for bulrush; Bosch = bush) at lower and willow forests and coppices at higher elevations [11]. Bulrush and willows enhance sediment deposition and floodplain landform construction controlling ecosystem changes in space and in time [2]. Thus, creation of vegetated tidal wetlands in suitable locations for ecosystem-based coastal defence is recently proposed as an economic and ecologic supplement to conventional engineering [16].

These findings suggest that the floodplain willow is not only key resource and develops floor for life but evolves valuable and characteristic traits due to human cultivation what leads to the call “Make me a willow cabin at your gate” to implement tidal willow forest plantation and restoration [3].

    Acknowledgement

The author likes to thank the colleagues at Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research Yerseke, NL, for fruitful discussion on the topic and Matthias Michalczyk, Friedrich-Wilhelm University Bonn, Department of Geography, for valuable comments that helped to improve the manuscript. We further thank the editors for the invitation to contribute to the journal.

I further wish to thank my colleagues in the Department Wetland Sciences and Engineering at University of Maryland for inviting me as a guest scientist to study the Chesapeake Bay tidal wetlands and the Genus Salix in Maryland and Washington DC.

To know more about Journal of Archaeology and Anthropology: https://juniperpublishers.com/gjaa/index.php

To know more about our website click on Open access Journals publishers: Juniper Publishers

[mclteen]

The Manchester Libraries’ Most Popular YA Books of 2018

Like last year, I ran some statistics and see what our best-performing YA books published in 2018 were, as well as our best-performing books overall. Here's the list:

Top Books Published in 2018:

Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi (33 checkouts, 2 copies) Seventeen-year-old Zélie, her older brother Tzain, and rogue princess Amari fight to restore magic to the land and activate a new generation of magi, but they are ruthlessly pursued by the crown prince, who believes the return of magic will mean the end of the monarchy.

The Hazel Wood by Melissa Albert (16 checkouts) Seventeen-year-old Alice and her mother have spent most of Alice's life on the road, always a step ahead of the uncanny bad luck biting at their heels. But when Alice's grandmother, the reclusive author of a cult-classic book of pitch-dark fairy tales, dies alone on her estate, the Hazel Wood, Alice learns how bad her luck can really get.

Tempests and Slaughter by Tamora Pierce (16 checkouts) Arram Draper is on the path to becoming one of the realm's most powerful mages. The youngest student in his class at the Imperial University of Carthak, he has a Gift with unlimited potential for greatness—and for attracting trouble. At his side are his two best friends: Varice, a clever girl with an often-overlooked talent, and Ozorne, the "leftover prince" with secret ambitions. Together, these three friends forge a bond that will one day shape kingdoms. And as Ozorne gets closer to the throne and Varice gets closer to Arram's heart, Arram realizes that one day—soon—he will have to decide where his loyalties truly lie. In the Numair Chronicles, readers will be rewarded with the never-before-told story of how Numair Salmalín came to Tortall.

The Cruel Prince by Holly Black (15 checkouts) Jude was seven years old when her parents were murdered and she and her two sisters were stolen away to live in the treacherous High Court of Faerie. Ten years later, Jude wants nothing more than to belong there, despite her mortality. But many of the fey despise humans. Especially Prince Cardan, the youngest and wickedest son of the High King. To win a place at the Court, she must defy him—and face the consequences. In doing so, she becomes embroiled in palace intrigues and deceptions, discovering her own capacity for bloodshed. But as civil war threatens to drown the Courts of Faerie in violence, Jude will need to risk her life in a dangerous alliance to save her sisters, and Faerie itself.

The Smoke Thieves by Sally Green (15 checkouts) The fates of teens Tasha, Catherine, Ambrose, and March, whose lives would never intersect, are intertwined in a war between kingdoms.

I Have Lost My Way by Gayle Forman (13 checkouts) Around the time that Freya loses her voice while recording her debut album, Harun is making plans to run away from everyone he has ever loved, and Nathaniel is arriving in New York City with a backpack, a desperate plan, and nothing left to lose. When a fateful accident draws these three strangers together, their secrets start to unravel as they begin to understand that the way out of their own loss might just lie in helping the others out of theirs.

Restore Me by Tahereh Mafi (13 checkouts) It's been sixteen days since Juliette Ferrars killed the supreme commander of North America and took over as ruler of the Reestablishment on the continent...Juliette thought she'd won. She took over sector 45 and now has Warner by her side. But she's still the girl with the ability to kill with a single touch—and with so much power in her young hands, the world is watching her every move, waiting to see what happens next.

The Burning Maze by Rick Riordan (13 checkouts) The Greek god Apollo, cast down to earth as the ungifted human teenager Lester Papadopoulos, and his demigod friends must go through the Labyrinth to find the third emperor—and an Oracle who speaks in word puzzles—somewhere in the American Southwest.

I Stop Somewhere by T.E. Carter (11 checkouts) After she is raped and murdered, fifteen-year-old Ellie Frias, who felt invisible in life, finds herself caught in Hollow Oaks, New York, observing other brutal attacks, the police investigation, and more.

Truly Devious by Maureen Johnson (11 checkouts) Ellingham Academy is a famous private school in Vermont founded by Albert Ellingham, an early twentieth century tycoon, who wanted to make a wonderful place full of riddles, twisting pathways, and gardens. Shortly after the school opened, his wife and daughter were kidnapped. The only real clue was a mocking riddle listing methods of murder, signed with the frightening pseudonym “Truly, Devious.” True-crime aficionado Stevie Bell is set to begin her first year at Ellingham Academy, and she has an ambitious plan: She will solve this cold case. But something strange is happening. Truly Devious makes a surprise return, and death revisits Ellingham Academy.

Furyborn by Claire Legrand (11 checkouts) When assassins ambush her best friend, Rielle Dardenne risks everything to save him, exposing herself as one of a pair of prophesied queens: a queen of light, and a queen of blood. To prove she is the Sun Queen, Rielle must endure seven elemental magic trials. If she fails, she will be executed...unless the trials kill her first. One thousand years later, the legend of Queen Rielle is a fairy tale to Eliana Ferracora. A bounty hunter for the Undying Empire, Eliana believes herself untouchable—until her mother vanishes. To find her, Eliana joins a rebel captain and discovers that the evil at the empire's heart is more terrible than she ever imagined.

The Fates Divide by Veronica Roth (11 checkouts) When Cyra's father Lazmet Noavek, a soulless tyrant thought to be dead, reclaims the throne, Cyra Noavek and Akos Kereseth are desperate to stop him from igniting a barbaric war.

Leah on the Offbeat by Becky Albertalli (10 checkouts) When it comes to drumming, Leah Burke is usually on beat—but real life isn’t always so rhythmic. She’s an anomaly in her friend group: the only child of a young, single mom, and her life is decidedly less privileged. And even though her mom knows she’s bisexual, she hasn’t mustered the courage to tell her friends—not even her openly gay BFF, Simon. So Leah really doesn’t know what to do when her rock-solid friend group starts to fracture in unexpected ways. It’s hard for Leah to strike the right note while the people she loves are fighting—especially when she realizes she might love one of them more than she ever intended.

Not if I Save You First by Ally Carter (10 checkouts) Six years ago Maddie lived in Washington D.C. with her father, a Secret Service agent assigned to the President's family, and her best friend was Logan, the President's son; but after her father was wounded in an attempted kidnapping the two of them moved to a remote cabin in Alaska and Logan never replied to her letters—but now he has suddenly turned up on her doorstep, and, while she has no intention of forgiving him for his silence, she soon realizes that first she has to save him from the winter wilderness and the men who are pursuing him.

Dread Nation by Justina Ireland (10 checkouts) Jane McKeene was born two days before the dead began to walk the battlefields of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania—derailing the War Between the States and changing the nation forever.  Now laws like the Native and Negro Education Act require certain children attend combat schools to learn to put down the dead.  Jane is studying to become an Attendant, trained in both weaponry and etiquette to protect the well-to-do.  But it's not a life Jane wants.  When families around Baltimore County begin to go missing, Jane is caught in the middle of a conspiracy...and the restless dead are the least of her problems.

Bloom into You, Vol. 4 by Nakatani Nio (10 checkouts) The script for the student council play is finally finished! To make sure it is a success, the council holds a practice camp during summer vacation. Touko, Sayaka, and Yuu soon find themselves faced with sleeping together in the same room. Whatever happens at camp, it promises to be three days of super-charged emotions!

Whisper by Lynette Noni (10 checkouts) A girl known as Jane Doe who has the power to change reality has been held in a secret government facility for more than two years, but everything changes when she gets a new handler, the mysterious but kind Landon Ward.

Top Books Published Any Year:

Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi (33 checkouts, 2 copies)

Turtles All the Way Down by John Green (29 checkouts, 2 copies)

The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas (20 checkouts, 2 copies)

Tokyo Ghoul, Vol. 1 by Sui Ishida (19 checkouts)

One of Us is Lying by Karen M. McManus (19 checkouts)

Tokyo Ghoul, Vol. 2 by Sui Ishida (17 checkouts)

The Hazel Wood by Melissa Albert (16 checkouts)

Project You: More than 50 Ways to Calm Down, De-stress, and Feel Great by Aubre Andrus (16 checkouts)

Tempests and Slaughter by Tamora Pierce (16 checkouts)

La Belle Sauvage by Philip Pullman (16 checkouts)

The Cruel Prince by Holly Black (15 checkouts)

The Smoke Thieves by Sally Green (15 checkouts)

Empire of Storms by Sarah J. Maas (15 checkouts)