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idreamofplaid · 3 years

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Dean Lives Forever

Square Filled: Impala for @spndeanbingo

Characters: Jensen/Dean x Reader; Jared and Kripke mentioned

Rating: Explicit

Summary: Jensen is having a hard time with Supernatural being over. The reader has an idea to help him deal with his feelings.

Word Count: 2409

A/N: This is for you @lovealways-j. Thanks for your friendship and all the thirsty exchanges.

“Will you play something for me?” You hopefully held Jensen’s guitar out to him. He’d been home for three days now since filming on The Boys had finished, and in that time he’d eaten only egg sandwiches and barely said anything. Eventually, he’d open up and talk about it. Right now he was processing. That’s what Jensen did.

You’d known it wouldn’t be easy for him, being a different character after Dean Winchester had lived in his skin for fifteen years. It was almost a doppelganger type situation it had gone on so long. Dean was like a separate entity that came to life through Jensen every time Jensen flipped that switch, and flipping that switch had become increasingly easy over the years until the lines between Jensen and Dean were blurred.

Jensen took the guitar from you and turned on the barstool to face out from the kitchen toward the breakfast nook and give himself more room to play. He placed the instrument on his leg and started to pluck at the strings. Soon the familiar chords of “Simple Man” filled the air.

He started to sing the words to the song he loved so much in his smooth soulful voice and had almost made it through the first verse when he stopped. His fingers strummed at the strings of the guitar for a few more seconds before they stopped moving too.

It was a Dean song. Jensen had always said it would become real to him that Supernatural was over when he walked onto another set and had to be somebody else. For the past several months, that’s what he’d done; and he had to do it alone. The travel restrictions were still in place while he was filming. That meant you couldn’t be there; Jared couldn’t be there. Jensen was alone in his head, and he was inclined to think too much sometimes.

The separation hadn’t been easy on you either. You’d lost sleep more than one night after a Facetime call when you knew things weren’t quite right, and Jensen was doing his best to put on a good face for you. He was a good actor, but he wasn’t good enough to hide what he was really feeling from you.

The irony was you had been able to see Jared, and the two of you had met for lunch regularly when he had a day off from Walker. Jared and Jensen were a package deal. You’d known that from the beginning and were more than happy to get a best friend/brother included in the greatest boyfriend ever set. Your conversations had centered largely around Jensen and the ending of Supernatural.

Jared was worried about him too because he knew how hard it was to let Sam go, and the truth was he hadn’t. He couldn’t. Jared provided a lot of insight into the things Jensen might be feeling that he wasn’t telling you about.

Jared’s words echoed in your mind now as you watched Jensen set his guitar down on the terrazzo tile. He’s got to figure out how to make Dean part of him and any other character he plays, because Dean’s not going anywhere.

You walked closer to stand between Jensen’s open legs and run your hands through his once again short hair. Your fingertips massaged his scalp, and he leaned into your touch. “You miss him, don’t you?” you asked quietly.

Jensen opened his jade green eyes, and you could see the melancholy in them, the touch of heartache. He tried to laugh, but it was more of a heavy exhale through his nose and a sad smile. “I know it’s stupid. It’s been a year.”

You kissed the corner of his mouth. “It’s not stupid at all.” Then you took Jensen’s hand in yours, an idea forming in your head and putting a gleam in your eye. “Go get dressed. And when I say dressed I mean put on some plaid. None of this one layer business either. That’s not the Winchester Way.”

“What are you up to, Y/N?” Jensen narrowed his eyes, making the crinkles at their corners more prominent.

“We’re taking your Baby for a ride, so get your sexy ass off this barstool and go get ready.” You gave his butt a good smack. That would either get him moving or get his dick twitching; both would be ideal.

Fifteen minutes later, Jensen was backing Baby out of her special garage with you in the passenger seat. Driving her was like swimming; you didn’t forget how no matter how long it’d been since you last saw water. Watching the way he handled his beloved Impala was a huge turn on. It had been when you’d watched “Dean” do it on your television screen, and it was even more so now.

As he steered her down the long driveway, Jensen asked, “Where do you want to go?”

You were distracted by the sight of his forearms, with their prominent veins, peeking out from the rolled up cuffs of the red and black flannel he was wearing; and didn’t respond immediately. He looked over at you, saw you checking him out, and smiled. “Why don’t you come closer? You’re too far away.”

Jensen had changed practically nothing on the car. Installing an air conditioner was a must, but he’d wanted her to stay as much the same as she had been as she could possibly be. That included no seat belts, so you could slide across the bench seat until you were next to him. Jensen put his hand on your thigh. “That’s better,” he said. “Now, tell me where to take you.”

You put your head on his shoulder. “It doesn’t matter. Just find a pretty backroad, and let’s drive.”

When he’d driven far enough out of Austin that the road was mostly deserted, you started to kiss Jensen’s neck and nibble at his ear. “How many girls do you think Dean had in this car?” you asked while you blew into his ear.

“Do you mean had or had?” Jensen moved his hand around to the inside of your thigh and eased it higher up your leg, bringing it closer to your core.

“I think you know what I mean.” You wriggled down in the seat until your pussy made contact with his hand.

Jensen rubbed his thick fingers along the seam of your jeans, making you squirm. “Oh, I imagine he had quite a few.”

“Is this what he did with them? What you’re doing to me right now?” You rubbed yourself against his hand and moaned.

“Among other things.” Jensen’s voice had dropped down into the Dean register. “Why don’t you, uh, open those jeans you’re wearin’, and I’ll show you.”

He glanced at you, his hand still teasing you through the denim. His expression had changed. You were looking into the eyes of Dean Winchester. He could still fall back into character in an instant.

You opened them up, granting him access to the cotton and lace trimmed panties you were wearing underneath. Dean slipped his hand under the waistband and curled his finger right up against your clit. He started making circles over the already aching nub and applied enough pressure to make you feel like you could come apart at any second.

“You are so wet, sweetheart.” He was watching the road, but his focus was on you. “I bet you’re tight too.” He said it like he didn’t know.

The idea that he was completely in character now, and it was Dean touching you made you come all over his hand. You couldn’t grab him like you wanted to, so you clawed at the seat beside you instead while your orgasm flowed through you in waves that made you weak.

When your body stopped shaking, Dean pulled his hand from your pants and made a show of cleaning your juices off his fingers. God. His lips. You wanted to feel them on you. He was so close you could smell him, but you needed to be closer. You buried your face in his neck and breathed him in. “Find somewhere to pull over,” you told him. “Somewhere off the road where nobody can see.”

Dean/Jensen knew these Texas backroads, and within a short time he’d found a secluded place to park Baby. “Let’s get in the back,” you said, laying your hand over the swelling bulge between his legs.

“Sounds good to me, sweetheart.” He kissed you once. His mouth claiming yours, and his need for you evident in the way his tongue tangled with yours. Then Dean opened the door. You smiled when you heard it make the familiar groaning squeak. He got out and gave you his hand to help you out of the car.

As soon as you were both in the back seat and the door had closed solidly behind him, you reached for his belt. You couldn’t get him out of his clothes fast enough, and he’d worn all the layers just like you’d asked him to. With your clothes piled on the floorboard, you explored each other’s bodies with your hands and your mouths.

Dean made his mark on you, leaving hot kisses on your stomach, your breasts, and the insides of your thighs. His touch was a little different than the one you were used to, a little heavier with an almost desperation to feel alive through the act of joining your body with someone else’s.

You knew people said that Jensen should win awards for his acting, and you could verify that they were right because the way he kissed you, the way he touched you, it was tender, caring, and passionate. But the love wasn’t there. This man appreciated you, wanted you, worshipped your body, but he didn’t love you. It was Jensen who loved you.

The way he moved inside you was different too. His thrusts were deep and sharp, then he would slow down and roll his hips until you were begging for him to give you more. When he came inside you, the sound of your name on his lips was a more primal thing. It was basic and raw. This was sex for the sake of the pure physical pleasure, and it felt amazingly good. You clenched him tightly, determined to milk every drop of the pain out of him.

Immediately after the finish of your mind numbing orgasm, he rolled off of you. “Thank you, baby.” Jensen.

You turned toward him and propped yourself over him, so you could look down into his face. What you saw confirmed what you’d heard in the change of his voice. It was the man you loved. You kissed him, and it was the kiss you knew. It was filled with a soft intensity that made you feel loved, wanted, chosen, and trusted.

You were overwhelmed by how much this man meant to you. Dean Winchester was as sexy as any man had ever been, but it was Jensen you were going to marry one day, Jensen who held your heart. It was Jensen who always thought of you in so many little ways like a true gentleman would.

As if to prove it, he asked, “Are you cold?” He rubbed his hand down your back to check and apparently decided you were, because he sat up and retrieved his flannel from the floorboard. “Here. Put this on,” he told you as he helped you into it and buttoned up some of the buttons in the middle, enough to keep the shirt closed.

You settled back beside him, his arms wrapped securely around you. His body was warmer than any flannel. You placed soft kisses on his chest, then lay your head down on it. “It’s okay to miss him,” you whispered while you traced mindless patterns over Jensen’s heart with your fingertip. “It’s okay to be him again sometimes too if that’s what you need. He’s part of you, Jensen. Always will be.”

“It’s been so damn hard these past few months.” You kissed his chest again to encourage him to go on. “I hear ‘action’ and to me that means be Dean, but I couldn’t. I had to fight it. I couldn’t walk like him, or sound like him, or make any of the gestures he would have made. And, yeah, I missed him.”

“I missed being on set with Jared too, having him to play off of. We made each other better. We had a rhythm when we were doing a scene that was just natural. So natural, it almost wasn’t acting.” You could feel his arms tighten around you the slightest bit. ”I felt like I forgot how to act.”

You kissed him again, letting your lips linger on his skin before you pulled them away. “I wish I could have been there for you. I’m sorry you had to go through that alone.”

He tried to laugh again, just like he had earlier in the kitchen. It was a little closer to a real laugh. “I couldn’t be Dean Winchester forever, could I?”

You raised your head up to look at him. “That’s not even a question, Jensen.” You smiled when you said it. “You will be Dean forever. You can’t get him out of you. Stop trying to fight it. You’ve proved you can play another character. Eric can’t stop raving about how good you are, and I’m sure when the season is released everyone else is going to see that too.”

He reached up and took your face in his hand. “I’m one lucky son of a bitch to have you.” Your smile got bigger.

“See. That was Dean right there.” Realization crossed Jensen’s face. He shook his head and smiled, really smiled.

“So, you’re saying you wouldn’t mind if I bring Dean out to play every once in awhile?” The smile was still on his face, and it was beautiful.

“I wouldn’t mind that at all.” You kissed him then with a light flirtiness for the first time that day. “In fact I think it would be a good idea for us to do that. We better keep you in practice because everybody knows Supernatural is coming back, and we don’t want Dean to come across like Soldier Boy,” you said playfully.

Jensen flipped you beneath him. “Soldier Boy? I’ll show you Soldier Boy.”

And that’s a story for another time...

Everything: @gambitwinchester @princessmisery666 @peridottea91 @beenlovingromansincedayoneish @emilyshurley @fangirlxwritesx67 @waywardbaby @atc74 @shaniquacynthia @mariekoukie6661 @tumbler-tidbits @67-chevy-baby @fandom-princess-forevermore @emoryhemsworth @crashdevlin @jules-1999 @cosicas-cuquis @sammyimpala-67 @queenoftheunderdark @dean-winchesters-bacon @timelordy-fangirl2 @sweetness47 @hobby27 @awesomesusiebstuff @kickingitwithkirk @becs-bunker @sandlee44 @supernaturalgrandma @sea040561 @dawnie1988 @volleyballer519 @kdfrqqg @lizette50 @daisymoder72 @sorenmarie87 @lovealways-j @deansotherotherblog @mrswhozeewhatsis @spnbaby-67 @wayward-and-worn @asthesunwentdown @vulgar-library @thinkinghardhardlythinking @petitgateau911 @calaofnoldor

Dean/Jensen: @deansyahtzee @flamencodiva @deanwinchesterswitch @feelmyroarrrr @focusonspn @akshi8278 @ladywinchester1967 @sgarrett49 @wingedcatninja @coffee-obsessed-writer @adoptdontshoppets @ellewritesfix05 @weepingwillowphoenix

#spndeanbingo #jensen fluff #dean smut #jensen x reader #dean x reader #jensen angst #spn rpf

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bondsmagii · 4 years

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(over the last month or so, I’ve been working on a small project for Halloween. I’ve long since been fascinated by the paranormal experiences that occur in childhood -- it seems everyone has at least one incident that occurred when they were younger that they can’t explain now. I have many, of course, but I started thinking about the children I grew up with. what were my childhood friends experiencing at the same age as I was, when we were in class together; hung around together? I managed to get in touch with several old friends I had from the ages of 8-11, and asked them to share that one incident they couldn’t explain. I have recreated the stories here, with my own narrative supported by excerpts from their letters -- and it’s a pretty impressive bunch of stories.)

SEAN

Something to know about Sean is that he didn’t have the best upbringing. The details of this aren’t relevant to the story he tells me, outside of setting the context as to why Sean was in this position in the first place, and he’s also asked me to be vague with his background. As such, the only detail that is needed to set the scene here is that Sean’s parents were not great parents, and from the age of thirteen to nineteen, Sean lived on the streets.

Sean was thirteen when the following encounter occurred. In order to make some money and to ensure some relative safety, Sean had fallen in with a gang of petty criminals who specialised in theft. Usually they would steal smaller items, such as wallets and purses, cash from people’s pockets, and mobile phones. On other occasions they would steal larger items, like bicycles or the occasional moped. This is pretty common fare in London, where Sean was living rough, and one of the major crimes London is known for is what’s called a snatch and grab theft. This is where somebody on a bicycle or moped rides very quickly and very closely past somebody, and snatches their smartphone out of their hands as they pass. By the time the victim has realised something has happened, the bike or moped is already halfway down the street. Such crimes are quick enough that several can be committed on the same night (and often the same street), and as the bikes or mopeds are stolen and the rider wears a helmet or other facial covering, it’s near impossible to catch the perpetrator. Sean had discovered a latent talent for such a crime.

One night, around pub closing time where most people on the street would be some level of drunk, Sean was making his small fortune. He was riding a stolen moped at the time, cruising around the streets and looking for an opportunity. When he spotted someone appropriate – usually a drunk person, alone, and standing near the road or on an empty bit of sidewalk – he would make his move, ride past, and snatch whatever it was in their hand (usually a phone). This night, Sean recalls he already had three phones, and he was going to round it off to four and then call it a night.

His final victim was towards the end of the shopping street. Many London high streets are of the following layout: a long street of shops with very wide sidewalks, and flats above the shops. The road is usually quite wide also, with at least one regular traffic lane going in each direction, and a bus lane on each side, too. There are streetlights, but the shopfronts are all dark, and because of the differentiating spaces between bars, huge stretches of the street can be completely deserted even at pub closing time. It’s not uncommon for such places to have a green somewhere along the road, too – a large open expanse of grass, usually with a children’s playpark included. Such places are very common, and London can sometimes be remarkably green for a capital city. Where Sean was at the moment, this green was not too far away, and on the other side of the road to the side he was travelling on.

His intended victim was shortly ahead of him, standing close to the road and texting. Sean mounted the sidewalk and shot past, snatching the phone out of his hand. This man was perhaps slightly more sober than Sean had intended, because he realised quickly what had happened and gave chase for a short time, but Sean easily outpaced him on the moped. Feeling pretty pleased with himself, he increased his speed and headed up towards the green.

He gave one final glance behind him, just to make sure the man had given up, and as he caught sight of him he did so in just the same moment that the man had admitted defeat – he was throwing his hands up in the air in exasperation. Sean turned back to face the road and, as he did so, caught movement out of the corner of his eye. He glanced back, and described to me what he saw in the following part of his letter:

There was somebody running after me, and at first I thought it was the bloke whose phone I’d nicked. I thought maybe he’d decided to make another go of catching me, but then I saw that it couldn’t have been the same guy. The guy I’d nicked the phone from was wearing kind of a smart shirt and stuff, you know, for the bars and things, but this guy was dressed in bulkier clothing and his shoes were heavy as hell because I could hear them thudding on the road as he chased me. That’s another thing, too – he was running on the road rather than the pavement, like just in the middle of the lane coming after me.

I’m like “what the fuck” so I gun it up to about forty miles an hour, just hauling ass down this empty road, and I can still hear his feet just thudding along behind me. I look, and I swear to god he’s got closer. He’s really gaining on me. There’s about I don’t know, eight shopfronts between us, and then six, and then four… mind you, I’m still going at about forty. I don’t want to speed too much because I don’t want people hearing the engine revving and calling the police for noise complaints or whatever, but I can’t deny what I’m seeing. I go to about fifty and this guy is still catching up. By now I’m totally shitting myself.

The chase continued up towards the green, where Sean reports that the man was getting closer still. He was running in a straight line up the middle of the road, his eyes fixed firmly on Sean, and inexplicably seemed to be gaining on him despite Sean going up to fifty miles an hour. Out of desperation, Sean veered off the road and across the green, pushing sixty as he hurtled across the uneven ground, almost throwing himself off the moped in the process. There were no lights at all on the green – only the dim light from the moon straining through the light pollution of the city – and several times Sean glanced back and saw nothing. He began to relax and slowed to a safer speed – around thirty miles an hour – and had just started to really realise just what he had witnessed when he became aware of a strange sound coming from his immediate left.

It sounded like a kind of scuffling, like a big dog running full pelt through the grass and leaves and stuff. I looked behind me again and saw nothing, and then realised it wasn’t coming from behind me but actually beside me, so I look down and honest to god the guy is running on all fours beside me. Not like how you might crawl around as a kid, either – it was like his joints had changed, his hips were at a different angle and he was moving his legs like how an animal would run. He looked at me and his face was just so fucking blank, but when I looked at his eyes I realised both of them were yellowish and caught the light like a cat’s would. I slammed on the brakes so he overshot me and hauled the moped back around towards the street, going full pelt until I got back on the tarmac. When I dared glance back, there was nothing, and thank fuck it stayed nothing.

Sean has tried to explain what he saw numerous times, but insists that while during that time period he regularly drank alcohol, he didn’t do any drugs that might have resulted in hallucinations. He was sober at the time and recalls the event clearly. Usually something of a sceptic, the situation frustrates him because, despite constant assessment, he cannot find a way to explain what he saw that night, and he has never experienced anything similar since.

#creeptastic #creepypasta #halloween posts #paranormal #unexplained #childhood experiences project #my creepypasta

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prismarine-parrots · 5 years

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Tree of Life Pt. 1

Originally posted: 25 Feb. 2019

Ahahahahhaha

This five part-story earned me the title Thanos of Hermitcraft and created the first fanart and meme of any of my content. Send help for us all.

Part 2

Part 3

Part 3.5

Part 4

Part 5 (1)

Part 5 (2)

No one had seen Grian in three weeks.

Normally, it wouldn't be too surprising for people to be quiet for a while. Everyone working on their own projects and maybe not in the right area to see the person in question.

But something was different with this case. The player list said that Grian was online, not AFK, so not outside the server in the community hub or working on a different project on his channel. In this case, SOMEONE would normally at least see him restocking his traveling-cart-that-never-travels, or flying around his base wasting rockets, or at the very least bothering Mumbo Jumbo, his closest neighbor.

Mumbo himself had not been too worried at first. When it had been a couple days since Grian has visited he had sent a letter though their mail system to make sure that 1. The mail system might actually be used and 2. Make sure Grian was alright. Not twenty minutes later Grian had responded that he was fine, just busy at his base.

The next red flag was when Zedaph realized that the only reason his Quartz, Warts, and Shorts shop was making sales was because Grian's cheaper traveling cart next door hadn't been restocked in weeks. While at first he was a little miffed at this fact, this started to get him worried. Grian was normally fairly good about restocking his cart, sometimes with his own supplies instead of getting extra, even if not shown on camera he still made sales. With the mining desert and gravel pit nearly out of both materials, people had started regularly going to Grian's shop, hoping for more of those grindy blocks in which he specialized.

When Iskall had private messaged Grian asking if he wanted to help prank DocM for the heck of it, Grian had declined, saying that he had been grinding blaze powder in the Nether. This has confused Iskall. Why did Grian need blaze powder? The only thing it was good for was eyes of Ender and potions. They had already beat the dragon and turned the End into a farm for shulkers and elytra, so needing eyes of Enders was off the list. But why did Grian need potions? Iskall has assumed a prank and asked if Grian wanted help with other potion ingredients, but he had declined in a rather cold "no," saying that the strawberry blonde didn't need any more stress right now.

It wasn't until someone not even on the Hermitcraft server, PearlescentMoon, messaged someone she knew was in the server to check on Grian, as he hadn't posted anything online in nearly three weeks, and hadn't given any explanation to where he may have gone.

When Iskall finally heard that he had called Mumbo, Xisuma, and False, hoping that maybe one of them could help.

"Heeeeyy Iskall!" X greeted as he swooped I'm in front of Grian's cart, where Iskall has thought to ironically meet because it was in the middle of the shopping district and an easy place to meet, not actually because they were here to talk about Grian.

"What's up?" False asked, using an ender pearl to warp into the side of the cart and bouncing off casually.

"Show off," Iskall muttered, recognizing the subtle PVP tactics. False grinned but before she could retort, Mumbo landed with a little stumble, grumbling about lag and elytra not working properly still.

"Hey Mumbo!" Iskall greeted cheerfully. Mumbo nodded silently as the others waved.

"Why have you called us, Iskall?" X asked curiously.

"Right, right," the Swede started, glancing around the small group, "now that we're all here, I'm going to get straight to the point. Has anyone seen Grian recently?"

Everyone shook their heads.

"I've been by his base a couple of times, but he's never there. He's replied to my texts at least, but hasn't shown up around my base in a while," Mumbo immediately recalled with a frown.

Xisuma was on his phone, a tool that everyone had for chat, inventory, surfing the web outside the server, everything. "It says he's online," he noted, turning the screen the other way and showing the online player list.

"He's been online for weeks," False informed, "Every time I've looked he's been on anyway."

"And yet no one has seen him? I was hoping that maybe you had seen him on another part of the server, like your fantasy district, False." Iskall sighed. The blonde girl shook her head.

"I think we should check on him. This usually isn't like him," X decided, prepping a rocket.

"I was wondering if there might be a glitch somewhere, and that's why he's been so weird. That's why I called you, X," Iskall explained as he took out a stack of rockets from his backpack.

"And I'm here because I'm closest to him I'm assuming, not because of my redstone or that I'm a spoon," Mumbo sighed jokingly. Everyone got a quick laugh out of that before Iskall patted Mumbo's back rather hard, making him stumble, before they all took off over the shoulder of the Statue of Hermity.

Within minutes the group was circling the massive tower in the middle of the ocean, an insane project for the newest member of Hermitcraft.

"See anything?" False called to anyone nearby.

"Nothing! Looks empty to me!" X replied.

Iskall blasted out of the bottom floor entrances. "The towers are mob traps, don't go in there!" he screeched, sounding thoroughly spooked.

"What about the basement? Or the upper floors?" Mumbo asked.

"He has a basement?" False questioned.

Iskall nodded. "I'll check there. False, want to come with? Mumbo and X, you go check upstairs. Sound good?"

With a quick confirmation from everyone, the pairs split to search the futuristic wedding cake.

Iskall had been down to the basement a few times before, if only in the first few weeks of Hermitcraft Season 6 when Grian actually USED his basement. There were chests down there that were collecting dust, and some poor cows trapped in a nano farm the NHO apparently never discovered.

"Oh my gosh, Iskall! Look at this!" False called from somewhere ahead.

"Coming!" Iskall replied and tried to find where False had gone off to.

He skidded to a halt when he found her on the edge of an opening in the shoddy basement, facing a massive opening in the rock.

"Woah," Iskall breathed. The cave was huge and clearly manmade, and the Swede wondered how long it must have taken for Grian to dig and terraform and decorate the cavern.

No to mention the large egg-shaped build floating in the air in the center of the cave.

"I think we found Poultry Man," False smirked.

"So calling G our on it when we find him," Iskall laughed. Then both his and False's phone buzzed.

<xisumavoid> come to the top of of the tower

"Let's go then!" False cheered.

They shot out of the bubble columns through the body of water underneath Grian's base and launched through the holes in the middle of each layer to the top.

"Too far guys!" Mumbo's voice called as they flew through the top layer.

"Oops!" Iskall chuckled.

"Coming right back down!" False called and they two glided into the smallest layer.

Xisuma and Mumbo were inside a vibrant garden that was in the top layer. There were vines growing up the sides of the cyan glass and parrots that squawked warily from a distance.

But the most eye-catching thing was the tree that grew to the side.

"What in the world?" False breathed when she landed.

"Don't know, but it doesn't look great," Xisuma said shortly, already on his phone and tapping at controls and Admin commands.

Iskall landed beside Mumbo, who was examining the tree intently with a concerned frown and creased eyebrows.

Every hermit on the server's life force was tied to a special tree. It was something new that they were trying, to prevent less deaths and item losses by being more careful and to fix a few issues that had happened on the technical side from previous seasons. A lot of the trees were unique to look like each Hermit, such as DocM's being rather sharply split between green and grey or Scar's currently being a palm tree. Most of the time they were no big deal. Each time a hermit died, the tree would take some damage in some way, such as a leaf dropping to the ground. Unless it was several deaths in a row, you couldn't even notice the difference in the tree. And even if you did die a lot, if you played it safe for a couple days your tree would be back to normal again in no time.

But this was different.

Grian's tree here in his aviary looked half-dead. It was normally a fairly simple oak tree, but with autumn red leaves instead of green. But half the leaves were fallen, dry on the ground, and the ones still on the tree were either brown or purple. A limb had even fallen, splintered and leaning against the trunk of the tree itself.

"Grian..." Mumbo murmured. He couldn't imagine what had happened for this to be the cause, or how Grian must be feeling if his tree was like this.

"What happened?�� Iskall wondered, he started to approach the tree, but Xisuma called him back.

"It doesn't look like the tree has been healing over time properly," X muttered under his breath, his expression serious as he analyzed the details coming up on the server monitoring screen of his phone.

"We all know Grian dies a lot, could that be the cause?" False suggested nervously. X shook his head.

"This is over a long span of time, probably since the start of the season even."

"And Grian hasn't died since he's gone silent. It's not hard to miss a death message in the chat," Mumbo recalled, also pulling up the server chat on his own phone, "It's been three weeks, that should be plenty of time for the tree to have healed without any interruptions."

The sound of a firework going off and a rush of air as elytra closed up. The four hermits jumped as a newcomer stumbled into the garden, losing his balance and catching the broken branch to hold himself up as he landed.

"Guys?" A very pale- and sick-looking Grian breathed, before coughing into his arm and sliding to the ground.

"I think something's wrong..."

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Word Count: 1830

#hermitcraft #grian #mumbo jumbo #iskall85 #xisumavoid #falsesymmetry #tree of life au #ToL #this is just the beginning #glhf #becca writes

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monabela · 5 years

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here, have some beer lesbians for @aphrarepairweek2019! for the first day, prompt magic. I don’t know what this is but at least it’s something?

show me (this life)

pairings/characters: Belgium (Manon)/Czechia (Kveta)

word count: 1369 summary: The small things in Kveta’s life hold the most magic for her. Of course, the most magical ones are those things her wife does.

It’s the little things.

Among the fast, loud, overwhelmingly large life Kveta leads, it’s the glimpses of the quiet and unassuming, the mundane, that are the most magical. Sometimes, it’s just someone smiling at her as she waits for the underground, or a child waving their toy at her from behind a car window. A biker valiantly making their way through the busy streets of Prague. A couple holding hands, both not wearing gloves despite the chill.

Kveta’s always thought in images; it’s why she became a photographer. When she’s not working on assignment and shooting statuesque models in a chaotic studio, the quiet, magical moments are her favorite thing to capture.

There are pictures scattered all across her home. She imagines they don’t make much sense to most of her visitors, but they’re not for them. There’s only two people living there, and Manon is more than used to Kveta’s idiosyncrasies by now. Besides, it’s not as if she’s not always leaving fabrics everywhere.

(“Aw, look, you’ve covered the picture of your fallen ice cream with—is that denim? Are you designing jeggings now?”

“It’s upsetting, Kveta. Both the ice cream and the implication that I would ever design jeggings.”)

Over the years, Kveta has taken pride in learning more and more of these little things about Manon. When they first met, it was the way she smiled. The curl of her lips always has a mischievous edge to it, and her cheeks dimple when she means it. On their first date, Kveta remembers pulling out a flip phone and taking a picture to commit to memory the way Manon kept fidgeting with the ends of her hair where it curled against her collarbone.

Of course, she found out her phone had flash only at that moment. It worked out.

She draws the line at taking photos of text or chat conversations, otherwise there certainly would have been pictures of the many back-and-forth messages as they found out more about each other while both trying to get a foot in the door in their respective careers, bouncing all over Europe. Manon did run-on sentences well, and it was weirdly endearing to Kveta.

(“I guess those rambling sentences don’t run in the family,” she’d said after meeting Manon’s elder brother, who was stoic as anything and talked in almost utilitarian sentences. Manon had laughed.

“I’ll remind you that you said that when you meet my younger brother.”)

Manon might insist it wasn’t, but Kveta’s quite sure that her learning Czech on the sly was a pretty big thing, and a sign of commitment she’d almost been scared by. The way she can’t entirely get the ř right or sometimes answers the phone in Dutch, however, is another one of those small things Kveta loves about her, if not something she can necessarily take a picture of. It turns out it’s often like that.

Of course, Kveta can’t make head or tails of Dutch, much as she might want to—she does think in images.

(“Honey, ‘cheese cheese windmill’ doesn’t constitute—and you know what, those are the wrong country’s stereotypes anyway, try ‘beer beer fries’.”

“I don’t appreciate your country stealing my country’s stereotypes, Manon.”

“We’re not having the beer argument again.”)

(They always have the beer argument again. It bewilders all of their friends.)

In the mornings, it’s watching Manon put on her makeup and delighting in the knowledge that Kveta is one of the few people who regularly see her without her signature red lipstick. She’s never fussed anymore about Kveta taking pictures of her without it, as long as she doesn’t show them to everyone. She was never planning to, anyway.

Sometimes, Manon tells her about her own little things. That she saw someone helping an old lady across the road, or that Kveta laughed in her sleep before telling someone to fix the ‘clock garage’. Sometimes, they’re on opposite ends of the world and Manon talks about pretty much nothing until Kveta dozes off and her phone slips from her hand. She doesn’t count airport reunions as little things, because even after a significant amount of years together, with a lot of traveling scattered throughout, it still feels like a huge relief to see her again.

And, of course, there was that time at the airport in Brussels when Manon thought it would be a good idea to ask Kveta to marry her. People usually think she’s a little weird shows them her favorite picture of that moment, which is when Manon tripped over the hem of her dress and fell into Kveta, sending them both sprawling to the floor. Manon herself usually responds to this by shrugging exaggeratedly as if to say, ‘This is who I chose to make my wife.’

No one has told the press that the glitzy party they had on the Belgian coast wasn’t actually their wedding, because they’re just famous enough that that was well-reported and they decided they’d rather have something with just their family and close friends instead. Kveta is classifying the whole thing as a small moment by virtue of the intimacy of it, the magic of Manon’s hands trembling ever so slightly when she put the ring on her finger, the way Kveta’s stepbrother had beamed like a proud father through his terrible speech.

(“Is your brother okay? That grin looks painful.”

“It probably is, but he means well.”)

There’s only one picture up in the house of their actual wedding, and it’s a photo of Manon fishing rice out of her cleavage. Manon is very fond of that picture for some reason.

It’s the little things, like introducing her as, ‘Manon, my wife’ and the way Manon never gets the stress on ‘wife’ right in Czech. She might be doing it on purpose. She’s probably doing it on purpose. Kveta likes that about her. She’s not particularly fond of the way she purposefully mispronounces ‘beer’ every time. It’s an easy word!

There’s the way Manon switched out her swing dresses and pencil skirts for jean shorts and a tie-dye top when they went to Prague Pride for the first time, which was in itself pretty magical, but then was even better when she got drunk and started yelling about Belgian beer and Kveta had to drag her away from some angry men in bondage gear. She has some great pictures Manon refuses to look at.

From time to time, Kveta knows, her wife gets homesick. It’s in the way her gaze slides out of the window and lingers on nothing and everything while she idly picks her nails, the way her smile loses a tiny bit of the mischief. She doesn’t know if she’ll ever find the perfect way to make it go away faster, but hopes it helps being there if she can.

There are sparks of magic in the unusual green of Manon’s eyes when she’s just peeking through her lashes after waking up, the creases on her face and the smudge of eyeliner she somehow missed the night before.

She laughs when Kveta kneels over her to try and get the best angle for a picture, attempting to push her off but ultimately giving in, and Kveta always ends up just having to kiss her until she’s fully awake—and she’s never taken pictures of it, but some of her favorite little things are the ways Manon reacts to her when she touches her, how she comes quietly undone at the edges, beautiful and vibrant. That’s hers alone, not even her camera can have that.

Still, she’ll go out into the world, make her way through the tourists at the airport or the haggard commuters on the tram, and live large, and loud, and sometimes quite overwhelming, but Kveta always finds something to ground her. A balloon being carefully protected by the child carrying it, a young man buying flowers for his mother, or just the knowledge that her wife is never far away.

(“I was just thinking about you,” Manon tells her, calling her after a long day in some godforsaken desert when all she needed was to hear her voice. Kveta thinks that might be magic.

“Yeah, me too.”)

#czechbelg #Hetalia #aph czechia #aph belgium #aphrarepairweek2019 #idk man this is some weird... stream of consciousness thing #I wanted to write more about Prague because I lobe Prague but ehh #also where did the horizontal line shortcut go I'm upset #w: 2500 #fin #u: human

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aboutaphaia-blog · 4 years

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OF ZUCCHINI AND A DIFFERENT KIND OF SUMMER

We are back on the island for the summer season, a summer like no other. Sadly, the Corona crisis is still circling the globe, with spikes and surges keeping most people from traveling, but we are determined to make the best of it. No, let me rephrase that. We will turn this huge upset upside down and make Wild Fig a place of peace and refuge from the virus.

Ariana and Martin...our new Work Away friends!

We are open for business and because of our remote location, we have even managed to get a few bookings, but we also intend to enjoy these lean months on Zakynthos Island with its empty beaches and roads, its closed tavernas and villagers greeting you with hopeful stares. Everyone has been poised and ready to re-open, but the tourists are slow in coming. We see a few cars with Romanian license plates at Porto Vromi, and in town we are stopped on the street by bored tour guides, thinking we are the tourists! It’s so strange to swim in places that at this time last year were packed with bodies, slathering on sunscreen, or to drive for over ten minutes and not see another vehicle or scooter zooming past you at break-neck speed. I’ve even bought a Vespa and figure this is the perfect time to learn how to ride, with so many miles of deserted roads. Another blog on that later!

Kosta and I have welcomed another couple from the Work Away program to live with us and help out on the property, Arianna and Martin. Arianna is from Italy and Martin from Slovakia, they met in Thessaloniki during an Erasmus program (study abroad for Europeans) and then moved to Athens to take a job in one of those enormous call centres that subcontract to companies like Apple. They spent the Covid-19 lockdown actually working, glued to a computer screen for hours, so they were desperate to get out of the city and spend time in nature.

What surprised them was how mountainous our area is, how wild. “I can hear the nature here, crickets, crickets and more crickets,” Martin says. Arianna shared “It’s like a little world, all its own,” nothing else around. And no one else for sure.

So here we are, just the four of us, washing windows, putting up sun umbrellas, picking enormous zucchinis from our garden, because they just keep growing. In fact, there are so many zucchinis we are eating them with every meal and I am amazed at how tasty they are, and how I don’t grow tired the vegetable’s soft, delicate taste. Technically zucchini is a fruit, but for culinary purposes it is most treated like a vegetable. Since Arianna is from Italy, where the fruit masquerading as a vegetable originated, we decide to make zucchini bread.

Zucchini bread bears special meaning for me, since it was something I used to eat after school with my best friend, Rainey. Her mother regularly made the dark, thick bread sweetened with honey and our teen-age appetites devoured thick slices while we talked about boys, swooned over Peter Frampton or Paul Molitor (the handsome shortstop who played for the Milwaukee Brewers) and pondered our future. I spent many hours on her old blue couch in the family room with Rainey, fleeing a difficult home life, and the smell of this bread brings immediate relief. Arianna is a much better baker than I am, so the two of us will attempt to bring back this memory. Below is the recipe, and we invite you to bake and break bread with us, in honor of your best friend, someone you miss or who helped make you whole in a difficult time.

ZUCCHINI RECIPE

As Zora Neale Hurston once wrote, “there are years that ask questions and there are years that answer them…” This is a year of both I think, and consuming zucchini bread might just help us all get through it.

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ieatsurveys · 4 years

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Have you ever had a computer virus before? Sure have.

Are you dependent upon anyone? In one area, yes.

Are there any book characters you’d like to portray? Nope.

Who did you last text? My Dad.

Is there anything on your bed right now? Lots of stuff.

When was the last time you went to the grocery store? Last week.

What way would you like to die when it’s your time? Quickly please.

What are you most afraid of in the world? Lots of things.

Have you ever been caving? No, I wish, though.

Do you do well in math related things? Not at all.

What is your favorite fruit? Grapes.

If you had to choose, which sibling would you live with? My younger one.

Do you have any tattoos? Nope.

Are you planning on getting any in the near future? I want some in the future, yes.

When was your last date? A while ago. I took a break to work on myself and to heal from my last boyfriend. But, I still talk to some guys I went on dates with. We aren’t close by any means, but we are on each other’s Facebook and we talk once in a while.

When did you get Facebook? 2006?

Are any of your family members in jail? Nope.

What was your first pet’s name? I think her name was Kayla.

Are you good when it comes to computer issues? Eh, not really. I can tell if it’s a software or a hardware problem, though.

Are there any people at your job who absolutely hates you? Oh, indeed. For dumb reasons, too. Haha. They hate most of the people at work, though. They’re the Karens of the workplace.

What was the last book you read? I don’t even know.

Have you ever read any books in one day? Yes.

What was the last thing you bought? Sunflower seeds?

What are your plans for tomorrow? Working and relaxing.

Is there any jewelry you wear constantly? There is. Once I’m back to work work, though, I’ll have to take it off. I work with mentally ill kids and trust me, they WILL tear my jewelry off.

Are your fingernails painted at the moment? Nope.

Do you prefer cool, warm or neutral colors? I don’t know. I mean, cool colors look good on me.

Have you ever taken art classes? Yes.

What’s the most boring movie you’ve ever seen? Many.

Do you know how to work a cash register? Yes.

Fact or fiction novels? I read more fiction books.

Have you ever suffered from depression? Indeed.

Do you think you’re a clingy person? I’m definitely not.

Do you enjoy kisses on the cheek? Yes.

Have you ever been in a physical fight before? One.

How often would you say you disagree with your parents? Too much, haha.

What color shirt did you wear yesterday? I don’t even know.

Do you have a job? If so, do you like it? I do and not so much.

Have you ever been called a slut before? Yep.

What’s something you’ve been craving? Burgers.

Have you ever slept with your window open? Yes.

Can you play violin? I cannot :(

What was the last desert you had? Does a dark chocolate candy bar count?

Have you ever had a wild animal as a pet? Sure haven’t.

Do you know anyone you talk to on Facebook but won’t talk to in person? No, I don’t think so.

What color are your mother’s eyes? Brown.

Do you have a best friend? If so, how long have you been best friends? I have a group of friends where we are all very close with each other. In fact, we’re doing a small get together on Saturday! <3

Do you cry easily? I don’t think so. I will cry if I am super triggered or really angry. I don’t really cry that easily when I am sad.

Have you ever been into a court room? Yes.

How many necklaces would you say you own? One.

Do you plan on being strict towards your children? Not as strict as my parents were on me, no. But, alas, that can change once I’m a parent.

Do you own any tie-dye shirts? No.

What would you say is your favorite day of the week? Friday or Saturday.

Do you ever wear lipstick? Yep.

Do you own a pool? My parents do.

Do you have a Tumblr account? ....yes.

Would you say you’re overweight? Oh, yeah.

How many colors are in your hair? It’s a mix of reds, blondes, light browns, and dark browns.

Do you flirt with a lot of people? Nah.

How many bank accounts do you have? One.

Have you ever been falsely accused of starting drama? Like, when I was 12.

How old are you? 31.

Do you attend church regularly? I’m trying to.

Have you ever found a song that describes your whole life? I’ve found many songs which relate to particular areas of my life, yes.

What time did you wake up this morning? 6:30.

What time do you plan on waking up tomorrow morning? Who even knows at this point, haha.

What kind of car do you drive? Sebring.

What kind of car would you like to have? Any car that drives, haha.

Have you ever been to Dairy Queen? If so, what’s your favorite thing to eat from there? Yes, and I haven’t been there in years. A blizzard, though, hands down.

How old did you turn on your last birthday? 31. You already asked how old I was.

Ever felt like falling apart? Who says I’m not right at the moment? Haha.

Have you ever been in an ambulance? Yes.

Do you tend to worry a lot? Yes.

How old were you when you lost your first tooth? I can’t remember. Maybe 6?

Do you remember your first time on the internet? Yes.

Which website do you email from? Gmail.

Do you enjoy receiving souvenirs? Not so much.

Do you get angry with people easily? Eh, it builds up. I guard a lot of my anger.

Do a lot of people dislike you or is it the other way around? I try to get along with everyone. If there’s people that don’t, that’s okay.

Have you ever had the flu? Yes.

What about strep throat? Yes.

What would you say is the worst kind of emotional pain? I mean, emotional pain is pretty tough.

Have you ever been to a psychologist? Indeed.

What’s the worst part about school? All the homework, haha.

Do you normally have a lot of homework, if you’re still in school? I took one class at a time for my Bachelor’s online and finished in four years. It was alright. It wasn’t too overwhelming but definitely time consuming.

When was your last vacation? August?.

Would you ever consider going on a cruise? Yes.

What did you last buy from the store? Groceries.

Would you say you enjoy being single or in a relationship more? I’m single now and kinda hating it. I’m just fearful of really never finding someone.

Do you try to stay busy a lot? Yes, but quarantine makes it hard.

What’s your favorite quote? I have several.

Do you lie a lot? Not really.

Do you still act childish most of the time? No.

Did you ever enjoy gym class? I personally hate it.

What is your biggest insecurity? My weight.

Have you ever painted a room alone? No.

Speaking of which, when did you last paint your room? -

What does your favorite jacket / hoodie look like? I don’t have a favorite jacket/hoodie.

What’s for dinner tonight? I’m doing a cleanse today, so nada.

Do you ever drink alcohol? Yes.

Have you ever had a terrible hangover? Indeed. Lasted for two days straight.

Do you ever get migraines? Once in a while.

Do you know how to garden? I mean, I know the seed goes into the ground haha.

What was the last thing you plugged into an outlet? My phone charger.

Do people consider you to be a funny person? Yeah, I think so. I don’t know,

Do you have any bad habits? Depression makes me have bad habits. It’s so hard to overcome them.

Do you like children? If not, why is this? Yep.

What is your favorite snack? Goldfish.

Do you own any gaming systems? Nah.

How old were your parents when they had you? In their 20s.

Is there a big age difference between you and the person you like? There is no one.

Do you trashtalk people a lot? No.

What is the most amusing thing on the internet, in your opinion? Memes, GIFs.

Does the future excite you or scare you? It scares me with my mental health. It excites but also scares me about my career.

Have you ever been to Disney World? If so, how many times have you been? Yes, once.

Do you try to spend a lot of time with family? A healthy amount.

How often do you shower? Well, with working, every day. But I’ll be the first to admit: Since quarantine has started, I definitely have not washed my hair, haha. But, I actually don’t wash my hair every day because it’s super oily.

What would you say is your favorite genre of music? Eh, I guess you could say it’s EDM or indie rock.

Do you need to clean your bedroom? Yes.

What do you plan on doing with the rest of your life? Bleh, teaching.

Do you enjoy Chinese food? Yep.

Do you smile a lot? Yes.

What is your favorite movie from the nineties? *shrugs*

Which decade were you born in? 80s.

Are you good at giving advice to people? I used to be :/

How many huge secrets do you have? I have two. One, I’ve never told.

How many people know these secrets? Zero.

How many times a day do you brush your teeth? Twice.

Do you ever floss? I try to do at night.

Have you ever been in a long-term relationship? Yes.

Ever considered suicide? If so, did you try to commit suicide? Yes and yes.

Is there anyone out there who makes you feel completely useless? Coworkers, haha.

Do you like texting or calling people more? Texting, usually.

What’s your favorite band? X Ambassadors.

Do you have a lot of friends? I have enough. <3

Have you ever painted something and been impressed by it? Nope.

Would you rather go out to eat or stay in? I enjoy going out to eat, but I usually don’t unless a bunch of us are gonna grab drinks.

When did you last babysit, if ever? 2018.

Do you have any younger siblings? Yes.

Have you ever thought of someone as useless? No, but I have thought of people as lazy when they’ve come in my classroom and sit on their asses.

Have you ever considered bleaching your hair? No.

Do you drink vitamin water? Not regularly, no.

Do you ever straighten your hair? Nope, it’s already pretty straight.

What’s the best way to end a conversation? Uh, bye?

Are there any old movies you absolutely love? Yes.

Have you ever had a Big Mac before? Yep.

Do you think you attract the opposite sex at a reasonable rate? I mostly attract people I have no interest in, haha. --> Yep.

Where is your favorite place to travel? California to visit my niece <3

What is your goal for the next few months? Stay sane? --> Yes.

Can you count to ten in another language other than your own? Yes.

Do you own a lot of shoes? Maybe 10 pairs of shoes. I’m sure that’s not a lot compared to other people.

What is your favorite season and why? Everything except winter.

Does photography interest you at all? Yep.

Have you ever played on a sports team before? If you have, what was that sport and when? Yes and softball. Maybe 2002?

Have you ever filed a lawsuit on someone? No.

Do you think you’re a good singer? I know I’m not, haha.

Would you rather wear jeans or sweatpants? Jeans.

Do you think you have a good sense of style? Yes.

Do you enjoy reading often? Yep.

Have you ever had a deadly illness? No.

Ever had food-poisoning before? Yeah.

Where did you last eat dinner at? In my kitchen.

Have you ever shot a gun before? Not a real gun, no.

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transcriptroopers · 7 years

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Now I've learned that lower enlisted usually don't even know who their top COs are - thank you! One question still bugs me, though - would there be an exception to this norm if the higher-up in question was extremely popular with the media and pretty much have iconic status, even if they are a Big Deal like a major general? As in, would lower enlisted recognize them if they just strolled through the base?

I have significant trouble recognizing people by face so I depended heavily on rank/name whenever I talked to someone, meaning I literally never recognized someone by face alone. So I had to ask hubby/our other army friend for help with this. Lower-enlisted soldiers generally care about two things:1. Getting the job done2. Going homeAnd sometimes we don’t actually care about 1 because “getting the job done” might be a meaningless time-consuming task we were given because our leadership don’t want us to be idle. Given this, our lowest priority is encountering high-ranking people because they will inevitably in some way waste our time.

Having said that, major generals are a pretty rare sight on most installations and media influence is pretty far reaching, so it’s definitely possible for soldiers to recognize a high ranking person they otherwise wouldn’t. Some might even be impressed. Regardless of their interest (or lack thereof) in such a person, a soldier still probably wouldn’t interact with the person on a regular basis, even if they did see them walking down the street. We’d most likely render the salute and greeting of the day and leave it at that if we can get away with it. Odds are they wouldn’t walk up to or address such a person because

1. A major general is probably traveling with an escort or some entourage or something and you don’t need to put yourself into that situation2. They might approach youFlag officers and other people in influence apparently love stopping lower-ranking soldiers and asking them personal questions and keeping them from getting where they’re going. I especially remember in AIT for some reason higher ups thought it was a good idea to actually cut into our classrooms and just walk in and talk and eat up our class time. Like...on one hand whoop whoop eat up my class time but on the other bro I am in an army classroom to learn how to do my army job and you’re here to talk about sports or whatever...? They think it’s cool to mingle with troops for some reason, even if you’re standing at attention on a hot sidewalk in the desert with your NCO blowing up your phone and you’re surrounded by higher ranking people who are either1. all smiling creepily and laughing every time anyone says something. 2. staring intently at you hoping you put on a good show and don’t fuck it up because they WILL remember your name, face, and unit and they WILL report you if you do a fuck up in front of The General (fuck ups include not knowing who The General is, uniform not being perfect, or giving unsatisfactory answers to The General’s probing questions). And seriously I’m not kidding I’ve had some command sergeant major I’d never met like stand in front of me for twenty minutes and ask in-depth about my estrangement from my abusive mother and give me familial advice about a person they’ve never met to a person they will never see again. At one point I told him I had to go attend to a task and he had me delegate to a private (you’re a specialist, aren’t you? Just tell one of these privates to do it!) so he could keep talking to me.NCOs will care a lot more about such people because if their troops don’t perform adequately in front of such a person, they will be looked at as bad leaders. And by “perform” I do mean perform: uniform being extra crispy, (sometimes we were specifically told to wear “our newest boots;” some people took this literally and actually bought new boots) saying “hooah” a lot, asking “thought provoking questions” (sometimes provided to us by NCOs) and honestly it’s a dog and pony show. We aren’t impressed, but if our NCOs get kudos it makes our lives easier.If this is a very well liked person who isn’t just “iconic” but soldiers actually like, that might change things a bit. Especially those of us who work with higher-ranking people regularly; (it was common for me to work with an O-3 or 4 for example) even I would stop and greet and talk with an officer I was familiar with and liked. Otherwise I feel like my unit only ever felt inconvenienced by higher ups butting in; we didn’t view them as a treat or a cryptid: they were an annoyance, and we would quite prefer to never see anyone above O-6 if we could help it.

-Kingsley

If you felt engaged or enlightened by the above post, would you please consider checking out my Patreon? Your small contribution can make a huge difference for me. Thank you for your support!

#army #officers #generals #Anonymous #writing advice

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shannrussell-blog1 · 5 years

Photo

If you’ve been lucky enough to explore some of Australia by 4WD, you’d know that the improved access is truly phenomenal. Instead of being locked to the bitumen roads, you can explore the roads less travelled.

However, the roads less travelled require a little preparation. In this post, I’d like to cover 5 things that you should do, understand or have with you to make your travels as safe as possible. You may not need to do all of this – a trip to the local 4WD beach is vastly different to crossing the Simpson Desert!

Safety is not always obvious, and things can go horribly wrong if you aren’t aware and prepared. We want you to come home with memories that you’ll smile and laugh about for years to come. It’s the simple things that make a big difference.

Water crossings on the Holland track.

1. Communications

Being able to communicate with others while you are away is imperative. The most basic communication is to leave a plan with someone who isn’t coming on the trip. That way, if something does go wrong they can alert the appropriate people. Everyone should do this.

UHF Radio

Beyond that, mobile phones are fantastic for the more populated areas, and then you need to look at other methods. A UHF radio is an absolute must – with a cheap handheld sufficing for local trips and a hardwired and mounted radio and antenna being the ideal setup for bigger trips.

A quality UHF radio is a must for communicating.

Satellite phones, messengers, and EPIRBs

If you are heading really remote, a satellite phone is worth its weight in gold. You can hire them, or get cases to turn your mobile phone’s capabilities up, or buy one on a plan (or outright). There are some other very nifty items on the market, like the SPOT3 Messenger, which allows people to track your location via GPS, and for you to send pre-programmed messages saying things are fine, or that you need assistance.

An EPIRB is another very viable option. HF radios are still very popular, but extremely expensive and bulky so many people are moving over to satellite phones instead.

If you get bogged, you need to know how to get out safely.

2. Knowledge and training

Heading away on a 4WD trip without basic knowledge is a recipe for disaster. People who end up in trouble often do so through a lack of basic understanding. When you see those in trouble on the news, it’s often tourists who don’t know what to do when things go wrong.

If you break down, stay with your vehicle. As much as it may be tempting to walk away and seek help, you will reduce your chance of survival drastically.

Know how to engage 4WD in both high range and low range. This includes locking the hubs, and what speeds it can be done at. Check your vehicle’s manual for more detail.

Having an understanding of 4WD recoveries with hands-on practice is not optional. Tyre pressures, snatch straps, winches, traction boards and rated recovery points are extremely important areas of knowledge.

If you are unsure, do a 4WD training course. There have been more than a few people killed in Australia from 4WD recoveries gone wrong. I’ll cover this in more detail further on.

You should know the limits of your vehicle, for example, the speed to drive on gravel roads.

Know the limits of your vehicle

It’s important to know your vehicle – what it can carry, its limitations and fuel range. The more you know about your vehicle the better equipped you are. You should know how to do basic mechanical checks on your 4WD. For example, things like checking the engine oil, transmission oil, coolant level, air filter, brake fluid, power steering fluid, looking for leaks and examining bolts, hoses, belts and electrical connections. These simple checks can be explained to you by your local mechanic in just a few minutes.

Having first aid training is extremely important too. Would you be comfortable in managing the situation if you got bitten by a snake or had a broken bone?

Knowing how to drive to the conditions is imperative too. Don’t drive too quickly, adjust your tyre pressures to suit the terrain and enjoy the views – it’s not a race!

A 12V compressor is a must.

3. Invaluable gear on board

Having the right gear on board will make a huge difference if things go wrong.

Fire extinguisher

A fire extinguisher is a worthy addition to any 4WD, secured correctly in a place that is easily accessible. These will not put out huge fires, but they might just save your vehicle if you have an electrical fire, or if grass catches fire under the vehicle.

Cargo barrier

If you have a wagon, a cargo barrier should be an absolute must for 4WD trips. These stop gear coming forward onto occupants in the event of an accident. Even lightweight gear can do serious damage to occupants, let alone what most of us carry in our 4WD’s!

Keep spare fluids and repair gear in the back of your 4WD.

Tyre repair kit

A tyre repair kit is a fantastic tool to have in the back of your 4WD. You can get them from most auto shops for under $50, and they might just save your bacon. A lot of punctures are just small holes from sticks, screws or rocks. A plug or two can easily allow you to get home, instead of being stuck on the side of the road.

Water

Take plenty of water. This is one thing you cannot live without. The warmer it is, the more water you’ll need. You’ll want at least 2 litres of drinking water per person, per day, with a bit extra should something go wrong.

Sand flags

Sand flags are hugely important (and a legal requirement for some tracks). Accidents happen regularly on sandy tracks and in dunes because by the time you see another vehicle it’s too late. A sand flag allows for early notification and gives both parties much more time to react.

Having tools and spare parts mean you can get yourself out of a pickle.

Basics to have

Some basic tools are extremely important, along with basic fix-it items like duct tape, cable ties, electrical wire, glue, fencing wire and spare nuts/bolts. If you’re going remote, it’s a great idea to take a spare set of drive belts and radiator hoses!

4. Is your 4WD in good condition?

Before you head away, you should be confident that your 4WD is in good condition. If you aren’t able to determine that for yourself, get your vehicle looked at by a mechanic. Make sure the servicing is up to date, and that any niggly problems are fixed before you head off.

4WD’s are subject to hard work when driven off-road. If you don’t maintain your vehicle then you’ll have problems. Whether it’s your tyres, cooling system, electrical setup or suspension, a 4WD has a lot of things that work together.

When off-road, a lot of the components get worked harder than they would on the bitumen, and as a result are more likely to cause issues if things are not well cared for. Your cooling system, for example, gets pushed extremely hard when on a soft beach. Any imperfections will quickly be identified via your temperature gauge!

Get a mechanic to check your vehicle before your trip.

5. Stay safe with 4WD recoveries

One of the most dangerous parts of 4WDing is recoveries. I want to dedicate a portion of this article to ensure that 4WD recoveries are done safely. As I mentioned earlier, there have been a number of people killed in Australia from 4WD recoveries that have gone horribly wrong.

4WD’s get bogged all the time – it’s a part of the game. I want to stress the utmost importance in considering how you get them moving again. There is no mandate for training in 4WD recoveries, which results in people taking huge risks without understanding the potential consequences.

When a 4WD gets bogged, it can take several tonnes of force to pull it out. If something breaks during this process, the results can be terrifying. Think pieces of metal flying at over 300km/h.

Recoveries are extremely dangerous. Take all the safety precautions necessary.

What to use for recoveries

Always use a winch dampener (or a towel, or jumper) over snatch strap and winch recoveries. This way, if something does break, the dampener will slow it down quickly. Never pull a vehicle out using a hook, loop or shackle that does not have a WLL stamped on it.

4WD recoveries should not be allowed to happen with bystanders inside the exclusion zone. This is a circle of at least 1.5 x the length of your snatch strap or winch rope. If people are standing close to the action, ask them to move out the way!

Towballs are not for recovering off, ever! Equipment used in 4WD recoveries should be clean and in good condition. Snatch straps should not be used with huge run-ups. If a vehicle is bogged, use a shovel for a couple of minutes to dig around the tyres, and under the chassis.

You should never use shackles to join straps together. If you have access to two recovery points, use a bridal strap between the two to spread the load. Don’t join straps to a chain.

Some of the recovery gear that you’ll need to bring on your trip.

Stay safe out there!

More and more people are purchasing 4WD’s, and loving the amazing change in lifestyle – nothing compares. Australia is one of the best places in the world to explore by 4WD. Next time you head out, take the time to think about what you’ll need, get prepared and stay safe out there!

The post 4WD Safety Advice – What You Need to Know appeared first on Snowys Blog.

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nour44-blog1 · 5 years

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Arab Saudi Perempuan; Curah Muslim Arab Arabian Wanita Bekerja di KSAh

Muslim Women in Saudi Arabia In Saudi Arabia women are heavily restricted with regards to their freedoms to the point that many would ask if they can work or even travel alone. Saudi Arabian women and any other female who enters the ultra religious kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) have to abide by the many rules and regulations enforced within this country. Many of these rules would be considered sexist in any other country and someone somewhere would be in court if they tried to enforce these rules out of Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabian Women are not entitled to the same freedoms that we in the west take for granted, this hub will look at everything from how to dress, education, can a Muslim woman work, driving, segregation, abuse, marriage, divorce, adultery, punishment even death by stoning for an Arab woman. Arabic Muslim Women in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) have many restrictions, this article will explore those restrictions. If you are used to the freedoms that we all enjoy in the western world you may be shocked at the restrictions placed upon the women in this ultra religious country. The observations in this article are my own from working in Saudi Arabia where I have been for almost 4 years witnessing the treatment of women here in Saudi Arabia. Other Rules in Saudi Arabia If you would like to know about the various other rules and regulations that are enforced within KSA read this about the Rules in Saudi Arabia. Clothing for Women in Saudi Arabia Every woman in Saudi Arabia is required to be covered from head to foot in what they call an Abaya, a large black robe that covers every part of the body. This is also accompanied by a veil to cover the face leaving only the eyes showing and a headscarf. Some women here in Saudi Arabia even wearing black gloves and a full veil so that nothing of their body is showing! Many women in Saudi Arabia that I have spoken to believe that this is their religious obligation and they do this willingly, after all they have been brought up this way from very young. Children are not expected to cover up, however once they start to "develop" they are covered up. Younger Saudi girls that I have spoken to who have travelled overseas and have access to "western" TV cannot wait for the day when they can get away without wearing it! In fact I have seen many that try to find ways to get around the rules, leaving Abaya's unbuttoned to show fashionable clothes beneath and many no longer covering their heads. Many non-saudi women in Saudi Arabia do not bother to cover their faces and some do not cover their hair. It is not compulsory to cover the face, but the hair should be covered, it is not uncommon for older Saudis or Mutawa (Muslim religious police) to tell women to cover their hair if not covered - always best to do as told as you could be arrested! With the greater access to TV (MTV seems popular) and the many western programs that the young Muslim Saudi girls have access to it is in my opinion only a matter of time (significant amount though) before too many women in Saudi Arabia will be demanding greater freedoms in clothing and other areas. I have heard a story (I have no Idea if it is true or not but have heard from several different sources) of a girls school that caught fire - The Mutawa (religious police) pushed the girls back into the school as they were trying to leave without their Abayas, it is said that the Mutawa told the girls that it was better for them to lose their lives than their souls, many girls perished because of this! How can Saudi women Dateh You may be asking yourself how do you go about meeting a member of the opposite sex in Saudi Arabia, this guide to dating in Saudi Arabia may help as well as entertain. Segregation of Arabic Women In Saudi Arabia Women are not allowed to mix privately with any man who is not either their husband or a direct blood relative. This is a serious crime here and you could be arrested (both parties) and punished with many lashes. If you go to a restaurant here in Saudi Arabia you will find two sections, one for men and the other for families (women and "families"). This is also copied for banks and other institutions where there will be a separate entrance and facilities for the women. No woman should publicly talk or be seen with a man who is not a direct blood relative, she could be arrested for doing so and punished. You will not find courting couples taking a stroll along the beach and staring into each other's eyes over a candlelit dinner! Most Saudi homes have separate areas for the men and women, when families entertain guests and other family members the sexes will be split and they will socialize totally separately. This is also mirrored in the facilities offered in places that cater for Saudi Families, I regularly rent small villas with pools for the weekend, they tend to be split in two with two pools to keep the sexes apart. Education of Arabic Muslim Women in Saudi Arabia Whilst I have not had the opportunity to go into a Saudi school here I have had the opportunity to talk with a number of Saudi women that I work with here and the wives of a number of my friends. The women seem to actually be better educated and in my opinion better motivated work wise than the men (In Saudi Arabia women are schooled separately to the men). The Arab women appear to have had a much better education than the men that I know, or they actually listened and learned in school! However saying this, the less well off families that I know with multiple children (families are large here, several children not being uncommon) would rather invest in their sons getting further education than their daughters. There are therefore a large number of Saudi girls that are not getting the same educational opportunities as the men. In addition to this I have also been informed by women here that they have been given additional tests and expected to obtain higher grades by some male tutors within the universities here in the hope that they will fail! This however seems to backfire, as the women therefore work harder and achieve more to ensure that they pass. Men here really can do no wrong, I have run many training courses here as a consultant, the Saudi men will almost always arrive late, if at all, they do not participate, and they always have to pass! The standing instruction here is that Saudi men always pass everything, even if they have done nothing to deserve it! However I have run some "official" training courses that have exams that have to be taken, the few Saudi Men that have attended have always failed and refused to re-sit.

Still Want to Work in Saudi Arabiah Working Arabic Muslim Women in Saudi Arabia They claim that a large percentage of Saudi women work, I would like to know where because I don't see them! The number of women that I have seen working is very small indeed. You do not see them working in any stores in the malls or in restaurants or anywhere else public! I spent several months working as a business consultant going around many business and saw no Saudi women working in any factories or any industrial type setting. The first Saudi women that I saw working after almost 9 months were in the company that I worked for until recently, a Dubai owned company not a pure Saudi one. Since then I have met a few more women working in PR and marketing roles in a few other small companies. Other than this the only other place I have seen working women in Saudi Arabia are in the hospitals - the nurses etc. This is the biggest employer of women by far in the Kingdom, however most of them are expat women, mainly Filipino nurses and Indonesian cleaners. When women are working in Saudi Arabia they are required to have a separate area for their offices and relaxation, the company is inspected on a regular basis by the "ministry" to ensure that these rules are not broken! Women Drivers in Saudi Arabia We often joke about women drivers in the west, but you should first see how Saudi men behave on the roads and look at how Saudis drive (and crash!) Arab Women Driving in Saudi Arabia Women in Saudi Arabia are not allowed to drive, it is not actually against the law as such but it is not accepted at all! In this way the Saudi women are very much controlled by their men! If women in Saudi Arabia want to go anywhere (and remember it between 40 and 50 degrees Centigrade most days and you have to wear a big black cloak so walking is not a real option) they have to be driven by a family member. I have seen women in Saudi Arabia being driven by very young sons, by young I mean 10 years old! A driver if site the "law" is strictly applied is not acceptable as the Saudi Woman would be alone with someone who is not her direct blood relative, however most of the time people turn a blind eye to the practice of using a driver. It is not unheard of for overzealous police to arrest women with their drivers and even taxi drivers! I have seen two women driving in Saudi Arabia in over 3 years here, the first around a car park late at night but the second in a gas station in the middle of the desert between Riyadh and Jeddah, she was blatantly driving a huge pickup and clearly did not care who saw her! I also hear rumors of a number of "well to do" women who drive, using vehicles that have all the windows blacked out so that no one can see inside. It is generally believed that women will soon be allowed to drive here, there is a huge campaign under way to allow women behind the wheel. This has been helped recently when a respected cleric here said that Saudi women should breastfeed their drivers to make them their sons, in this way it would not be unlawful for them to be alone with their drivers! I'm serious, this is not a joke! The women here have seized on this fatwa and are threatening to follow through with the suggestion unless the government allows them to drive! Muslim Women and Marriage in Saudi Arabia Muslim marriage is something that is arranged by the parents in the main for their daughters, although many men here take second, third and even fourth wives from the growing number of divorcees and expat women. Not all of these marriages being strictly fully legal, you can have a "marriage of convenience" under the laws here very easily as long as you are a Muslim. Many Saudi women here are married off very young, there is no legal age of consent for marriage or sex in the kingdom of Saudi Arabia. There have been several cases recently with regard to young girls of 9 or 10 years of age that have been married off for money (SOLD!) to much older men, they have then sought divorces. (Only a few are reported but I am sure that there will be many more that are not reported as the Saudi girls are not seeking to escape as they know no better.) Divorce for a man is very easy for the man, he only has to tell a woman on three occasions and it is all over - as simple as that! For a woman it is much harder to escape, if possible at all! Most of the Saudi women that I have met through work are divorced, they have been married off young to immature Saudi "boys" who don't know how to deal with far more mature better educated women, these marriages quickly ending in divorce by the men who can't cope! The Saudi women then have to cope on their own often with young children! Entering and Leaving Saudi Arabia If you are going to enter or leave the kingdom of Saudi Arabia this guide to Saudi Visas may be of help, remember that you need a visa to leave KSA as well as get in! A Warning to Women Wanting to Marry a Saudi I have heard several reports now from people sending me emails in response to a number of the articles I have written and from other sources regarding women who have married a Saudi and then found that they are unable to escape from their spouses when behavior changes inside the kingdom. A woman cannot travel outside the Kingdom without the permission of their husband, and nor can the children. I have had reports from women (and relatives of women) who have been unable to leave abusive husbands or have lost their children due to these restrictions. I know several women now who have been forced to leave the kingdom leaving children behind and have no way or returning or making contact with their children! Adultery in Saudi Arabia - Penalties for Arabic Women Although it appears to be a sport for the men, Adultery is really a very big No for the women here in Saudi Arabia. Remember men here can have four wives and are allowed to have sex with their slaves (which is how many treat their domestic staff.) The penalty for adultery here is death by stoning, so before you go running off chasing after someone else's wife or husband remember that! There should however under Muslim sharia law be witnesses to the act and so on, however the judge can still rule against a woman even without evidence as in a recent case that has been publicized in Iran. A woman there was acquitted of a charge of Adultery, she was then later tried for the murder of her husband and again found innocent, the judge however decided that she was guilty of the first crime that she was already found innocent of as there was no evidence and he sentenced her to death by stoning. Due to international pressure the sentence was changed to death by hanging and a news blackout was put in place. A Saudi woman in Jeddah was gang raped by a group of men, the men were all found guilty and beheaded, the husband of the victim however called for the death sentence for his Saudi wife as she had been unfaithful to him! This was later commuted to prison and lashes for the victim due to an outcry! Exercise for Arabic Muslim Women in Saudi Arabia I hate to say it but many Saudi women are overweight and unfit. Their lifestyle does not generally allow them to get much in the way of exercise and most households have cheap foreign maids to do all of the housework. Therefore most Saudi women literally do nothing all day. Saudis have a very sweet tooth, the sweet section of a large meal could be many different varieties of different (very tasty) puddings. There is a huge diabetes problem and obesity problem here in the kingdom because of it. Gyms for ladies in Saudi Arabia are actually against the law unless part of a recognized hospital, so there are also few options for the women with regard to getting fit and losing weight. You can see many Saudi Ladies walking around various blocks in the early evening just before it gets dark as a means to exercise. Arabic Muslim Women Traveling Alone in Saudi Arabia. It is inadvisable to walk alone as a woman, especially at night. An unaccompanied woman in Saudi Arabia will generally be regarded as a prostitute and treated as such! Saudi men (and other nationalities if they have been here too long) will often stop their cars next to women alone in the hope of picking them up! I have often seen men stop their cars next to my wife when they have not seen me loading the car while she has been stood there on the side of the road, they soon speed off when they see me. My wife's friend was grabbed by a man who tried to drag her into his car, she escaped but had massive bruises up her arm, we only live one building apart. The police were totally uninterested as she was only a Filipina! My wife several years ago was grabbed by a man who put something over her nose and mouth that made her dizzy and dragged her into his car, luckily she carries a knife in her handbag and he soon let her out when she started to cut up his car seats and threatening to do the same to him! How do Saudi Men treat Arabic Muslim Women In public Saudi men will treat women very politely if they are not of their own family, I have however seen them shouting at and striking their wives and daughters and maids publicly. They can best be described as bullies, they are afraid to mistreat other Saudi ladies because they don't know which family they belong to! In private most Saudi men that I know are quite frankly sex mad pigs, excuse my words but they actually shock me with their behavior and I thought that I was un-shockable. They are happy to beat their wives and boast about it, they cheat constantly if they get the chance. As to treatment of non Saudi women, they really do treat them like pieces of meat and do with them whatever they like with almost no worry about consequences! After all a woman in Saudi Arabia could not go to the police to complain about rape as she would be in trouble for being alone with the man in the first place! I have a few "friends" that I no longer associate with because of how they have forced themselves on poor women that they have managed to persuade to attend parties! As a woman in Saudi Arabia do not go anywhere alone with men (especially Saudi men) unless you really know them well and trust them, it is not rape if you went there willingly and it is you that will be in trouble! Many run-away maids that I know (and I know many working illegally or looking for work) have run away due to sexual advances and actual rape by family members where they worked. I also know many that put up with this because they need the money to send back to their families as they are the only source of income! I have one "friend" who actually rang me laughing to boast that he had picked up a cute Filipina maid and taken her back to his place (his bachelor pad rather than either of his wives apartments.) However this girl had refused his advances so he had drugged her to get what he wanted, the woman did not wake in the morning and he was boasting about how he had managed to dump her outside a hospital without being seen! Help for Expat Women in Saudi Arabia If you are still considering working in Saudi Arabia as a female expat I would advise you to read the rest of my series on working in Saudi Arabia. The following hub is a summary of everything you need to know about being in Saudi Arabia; Being an Expat in KSA

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connorrenwick · 7 years

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Renegade x Design Milk Spotlight: Deoria Made

We are excited to share the news that we’ve teamed up with Renegade Craft Fair! At select Renegade events, we’ve selected one emerging designer, maker, or artist for the Design Milk Spotlight. Each Spotlight maker will receive a sizable booth at a local Renegade event and be highlighted here on Design Milk and on Instagram. In addition, Renegade will be sharing each Spotlight maker with their own community. It’s our mission here at Design Milk to share people making awesome stuff, and we think Kyle D’Auria, Founder of Deoria Made in Portland is doing exactly that. He’ll be showing his products at Renegade Craft Fair Los Angeles next weekend: July 8th and 9th at Los Angeles State Historic Park. If you’re planning to be there, definitely check him out and give him a high five! Kyle designs and makes wood products, primarily cutting boards, coasters and kitchen-related items. Each piece is handmade and therefore unique. I spoke to Kyle a bit about his background and how he started his creative business:

How did you get started woodworking?

I’ve always felt a strong tie to wood, especially relating to its use in home construction. I grew up in Tucson, sort-of on my Dad’s job sites. In my earliest years he was a fireman, but on his days off he built homes. I spent a lot of time alongside him those days, seeing his visions go from blueprint to house. It was a formative part of growing up, and in hindsight it instilled in me this understanding of the creative process – of bringing ideas to physical form. Later, in high school I became enamored with visual art, and later attended art school in college. When my work became more sculptural, I found myself drawn to the use of building materials, especially 2×4 studs; there was something about how they represent that process of bringing ideas to fruition, and could be use as metaphor for “home.” When I moved to Portland after graduating from college, I learned about the strong roots this Stumptown has in the timber industry, and basically felt a strong pull to just take a deeper dive into the material that seemed so emblematic of the city. I dabbled with the material the way most novices do – making projects for my home, thinking that I would take those skills back to my visual art practice. But, as time progressed, my vision of myself as an artist changed; my definition of visual art broadened; and since then my business and the work I make there has become my art.

How does your background in sculpture help you in making functional objects?

The BFA program I attended at the University of Arizona had a 3-D, or sculpture emphasis, but it was really more of a mixed media program that was very conceptually driven. The focus was less on design or fabrication, and more on the development of ideas, and their implementation into visual artworks. The program was very critical, or at least I took it very seriously, and there were constant considerations given to the weightiness of how art-choices helped or hindered the idea being conveyed. This set me up well to ask similarly critical questions about every little aspect as I began to create my business. I continue to ask myself those critical questions as I hone my craft and build new collections, but I am also asking those critical questions as I develop my business.

What do you like about living and working in Portland? What’s the design scene like?

The product that Deoria Made was initially built around, and continues to be a mascot for the brand, is the butcher block – this enduring thing that takes a beating, and travels with you through life. It is the centerpiece of the kitchen, the modern hearth of the home. I like that quality, and strive for the same sort of reliability and dependability in my own life. My woodworking is a practice, and an escape from the cacophony of modern life. It allows me to step away from technology, from social media, from the hustle and bustle of the world outside, and sort of focus my energy on a daily practice. I think that all of that is a reflection of part of Portland’s culture. Many people here are living idealistically, believing in quality over quantity, and choosing their own way over the way of others, essentially choosing their version of happiness. So, that sort of openness to counter-culture thinking is very much an undertone for Deoria Made.

Coincidentally, as I’m writing this, I’m taking my final steps to move the business to Tucson later this summer. The Portland culture and the values I described are ubiquitous here, but not so much in Tucson. I’m looking forward to a return to my native Southwest as I’ve always found great inspiration in the desert and the history of the land. I think it will be interesting to marry my roots with what I’ve come to love about Portland – taking the pieces of Portland that have influenced me and bringing them with me back to Tucson.

As a small business owner, what are some of the challenges that you face?

Branding and identity. I think the vastness of the internet and digital communication make it very difficult to be authentic, because there’s a sort of arms race to set yourself apart on it, which is foolhardy because the landscape of the internet is comparative. It’s about comparing yourself to others, and that’s not great for personal identity, nor for those trying to understand you. The whole rat race is a headache and I really prefer simply meeting people in person.

How does modern technology play a role in your business?

Using Squarespace for my website has made things so easy. It’s perfect for someone like me who likes to have my hands in everything, and to change things on a whim. I’ve been able to build the site; take my own photos; add and remove products, with most of those actions taking just moments. So, as a landing page for who I am and what I do, it has made a huge difference that it is so easy.

Do cutting boards need any special tools, finishes or attention as opposed to other home decor wood products, like tables or chairs?

I always tell people that cutting boards, especially the more heirloom quality goods like butcher blocks, are like a fine pair of leather boots, or a hand-me-down cast iron pan. They require maintenance to thrive. They’re something that you build a relationship with. If you take care of them, they take care of you right back. With cutting boards in particular, it means seasoning them with oil, and maintaining them with regular re-conditioning over time.

Tell me a bit more about why it’s important to condition wood?

Even after a tree has been cut down, in a sense the wood is still alive and breathing. You can think of the fibers that make up wood as a bundle of straws. These straws expand and contract, depending on how damp or dry the environmental conditions. Expansion and contraction lead to wood movement, which can result in warping or cracking. Seasoning and re-conditioning cutting boards with oil fills those straws with oil that is impervious to moisture, lessening the woods’ vulnerability to wet or dry changes. In short, it limits the movement of the wood. Regularly oiled wood also results in minimizing the appearance of knife scars and wear, or completely eliminating some of them, as in the case with end-grain butcher blocks.

Any plans to make other products? If so, what else do you have in the pipeline?

New for summer 2017 is the Atellia Collection, which is a real departure from the style of goods I’ve made in the past. You can see it all on deoriamade.com.

As I get settled into my new studio workshop in Tucson, I’m excited to begin exploring materials and processes native to the Southwest, just as I’ve done in Portland with the Northwest. I’m not sure yet what that will look like, but I’m stoked to begin the process.

Thanks, Kyle and good luck with the move to Tucson! For more of Kyle’s work, check out deoriamade.com and to find a Renegade Craft Fair near you, visit renegadecraft.com.

via http://design-milk.com/

from WordPress https://connorrenwickblog.wordpress.com/2017/06/29/renegade-x-design-milk-spotlight-deoria-made/

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listeningpostnola-blog · 7 years

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Do You Feel Safe in New Orleans?

Earlier this year Mayor Mitch Landrieu announced a $40 million investment in public safety. That money’s being spent on things like surveillance cameras, brighter LED fixtures in the French Quarter, and enforcing the Alcohol & Beverage outlet code. This got the crew of The Listening Post thinking about how effective those investments are and whether people feel safe in their city. So:

1. How safe are you feeling as you move around New Orleans these days? Where do you feel safe in the city? What places do you try to avoid or tell others to avoid?

• Safe if I'm in certain areas. Uptown, garden district, most of mid-city, touristy areas, lake view, parts of gentilly i feel safe. I tell people to avoid central city (my car got broken into there once as well as hearing gunshots mid-day; I used to work in the area as a social worker), I also would tell people to avoid upper and lower ninth ward, parts of treme, st Claud, and French quarter at times

• I stayed in Nola because every strange street I walked down felt like home.

• I still feel comfortable whenever I move through New Orleans and there is not a place in the city I would advise anyone to avoid save the French Quarter—not for safety concerns but I find the press of people and the tourist's prurient behavior distasteful.

• I don't feel safe in no parts. I just go where I need to go and go back home. The crime is crazy

• I have felt safe in all places that are fairly well populated. Daytime is no worries. Certain areas I do not travel alone at night

• On the whole I feel as Safe as I've always felt but I do find myself giving my environment a double look, especially if I'm alone or in an area I'm not accustomed to.

• Pouring money into policing makes me feel even closer to the center of this orwellian nightmare we live in. I feel safe in places where there is strong, long standing community. i feel the most unsafe in rapidly gentrifying neighborhoods.

• I don't feel safe uptown nor in Mid City. I don't feel any safer since Landrieu became mayor. His genuine support of NOPD seems vacant. He has let them down I feel. How can you do your job when your boss doesn't trust or support you

• Haven't felt safe since the Pizza Kitchen murders. It can happen literally anywhere, at anytime. Still would not want to live anywhere else in America, though.

• I feel much safer when I see the police walking or driving or walking around. I feel unsafe when I am the one they are pulling over. It's kind of like they are on the hunt for something wrong.

• I feel safe during the day at work or in my home with locked doors. I do not feel safe in public at night. I would tell others to avoid anywhere after mid night without many other people around. Avoid neighborhoods that you do not live in that have historically higher number of crimes committed.

• the system is violent.

• Yes that's funny u asked it is scary as hell I just moved out of a 75% Good neighborhood Gentilly at least the area I was in ,due to house 🏡 sale and it's a huge concern because I'm not sure where in the city I would be some what safe so I'm seriously thinking of St Bernard parish

• Feel the same - not much difference from several years ago. Crime seems to come in waves.

• I know crime is an issue but I don't feel any less safe than before. My neighborhood seems safer than it was 10 or 15 years ago.

• We just had a bunch of shootings.....that were not in the quarter.....Honestly, I just think Mitch is nuts!!! People died and he is more concerned that the building was not registered as a night club

• I feel safer when NOPD are present in my immediate area. I try to be careful wherever I go. I try to avoid dark, deserted or almost deserted areas. I also try to go places in a group.

• I'm more afraid of the cops. I feels safe in my hood. -Rodneka❤️

• Anywhere downtown above Rampart after dark

• I don't feel any more safe now than I did pre-Katrina Gentilly is still about the safest IMO. I avoid the East at night for safety purposes.

• I dont feel safe anywheres in this city, I avoid all parts of it and am trying to move out, just last Fri night my neighbors son was murdered on Tulane ave. Not far from the orleans parish jail. Plus 1 orher, this place is out of touch , a rip off , and as dangerous as any place in the world, and as far as a city so small thiers no excuse whatsoever, and people are pass tired of all the same ole excuses.

• I do not feel safe moving around the city. I only feel safe inside my home. I avoid all places in New Orleans when the sun goes down.

• I feel safe most of the time. But I'm cautious about where I park my car, even in the daytime. I never carry cash either. That eases my anxiety.

• I don't feel safe anywhere in the city except my own home, sometimes --- there was a drive-through the neighborhood shoot out a couple years ago that ended in front of my house. At this point I'm considering moving.

• Less safe than ever. Feel safe in stable neighborhoods. Avoid known trouble areas, the French Quarter after midnight.

• I don’t go anywhere without my pit

• I feel safe, but crime uptown is skyrocketing

• That stretch of Tulane with the recent shooting. I'm also always tense in the quarter, but that's less physical worry and more stress about people trying to Mess With Me.

• I don't feel safe, unless I'm at home with alarm system on. I tell people to avoid being out past 9 pm

2. Tell us about a time you felt unsafe in New Orleans, what did you do about it?

• I was in the French quarter on the night of Halloween a few years ago when 13 people were shot and the bar we were in shut the doors and we were temporarily on lock down until the situation was stabilized, my car was also broken into and windows busted while working in central city as a social worker, also heard gunshots while in central city working at 4:30 in the afternoon, in all cases I quickly vacated the scene. With my car, I just drove out of the neighborhood with busted glass because I didn't want to stay in the area and risk further harm

• I felt unsafe when I came out and found my car broken into. I called the police and asked to have them meet me at home.

• When the guy drove Thur the Mardi gras parade on st. Charles. I'm not going to any more parades after that day.

• Once when intoxicated I was on a small side street outside the quarter at night and just moved to a more populated area

• I had to pick up my son in the middle of the night in another part of town. Just kept my eyes Scanning the road and the doors locked. It was while waiting in the parking lot that I felt the most vulnerable. I just stayed focused in the present and waited. With the motor running.

• I never walked outside after 9 pm. Uptown nor Mid City • People are shot simply driving on the interstate, so when DON'T you feel unsafe?

• I felt unsafe when a car full of men pulled alongside of me, one hopped out and yelled "Give it up" and fired a bullet toward my that whizzed past my face and lodged into my dashboard.

• for profit prisons are grotesque

• Feeling unsafe in New Orleans now is like normal because u have to stay alert be very observant be aware of your surroundings keep eye contact with strangers who may look like they may harm u it's just crazy because u never know inside of your car r outside I just say my prayers pray I'm not the next victim but I'm always seeking ways I can help others not be victims also.

• Several times felt unsafe on a bicycle, primarily in areas where blight is an issue (Central City). Avoid areas at certain times of day or avoid them altogether. Communicate with neighbors regularly. Also participate in Nextdoor.

• A kid jumped me and stole my phone on Mardi Gras day. Because he was small, I fought him back. It was frightening and very stressful. I called the police but because it was Mardi Gras the incident was a low priority

• All the nonsense w the statues made me feel uneasy.....

• I don't feel safe coming home late by myself. So I call home and have some one open the door for me.

• Actually someone was shot during the day by Galvez

• My mom got robbed at the K&B on Broad and Esplanade in the 90s. It just reminded me from then on to be aware of my surroundings.

• I dont feel unsafe because I know how dangerous it is here and dont go a lot of places here much.

• Occasionally in my neighborhood Uptown crime is sporadic and consistent. I inform neighbors on our neighborhood website and they do as well to stay vigilant at all times.

• A group of drunk teenagers verbally harassed my wife outside the House of Blues. Reacting would only escalate things so we pretended not to hear and got out of there.

• Pre-Katrina, rampant drug dealing, animal abuse and Gina in the neighborhood. Shooting celebrations on holidays that sent bullets in my home and neighbors' home. Tried to sell me he house, then storm happened. Moved out of state. Returned uptown in 2014 and really don't go out much. Call cops regularly and installed cameras on my house.

• I was walking across the street at night and these bright lights were in my eyes so I squinted. The driver said that he was going to kill me for the look I gave him.

• Ran away.

• Drive-by Shooting a few blocks from my house. I heard it happen. Woke me up. Two days later I walked over to street where it happened and asked people how they're doing. That made me feel better

3. When you see the police, do you feel more safe or less safe?

• Slightly more safe

• When I see the police, my reaction depends on whether or not I'm driving (nervous) or at home or out and about (curious)

• I felt safe but it was too late

• Tough question. Depends on the situation

• More safe. Although as a northern transplant (who's been here over 20 years) I still get nervous. Because they could not like my answer or attitude and pull me over and/or in. But whenever I've had an accident (fender vender) I feel safe with them. And when I marched with women and then for science I felt they were there to protect us.

• Safer

• Shootings have happened in police presence, nothing's a deterrent.

• police are class enemies

• Ummm I do sometimes but we will always as citizens out number our police 👮 So more police presence will help but I do not believe it's the solution to our violent epidemic

• More safe. However they need to get out of their cars and walk the neighborhoods!!!

• More safe

• I avoided the areas

• I feel indifferent towards police as far as safety is concerned. I have cop friends, but I sometimes wonder if I'm being profiled if I'm in certain areas.

• Much less, they queston the people who call more than the predators, so it makes you not call, then they show up a day late, 911 is a joke.

• A little more safe and unfortunately just a little.

• I feel safer when they're around at big events, keeping an eye on everything. I also stopped doing drugs so I have nothing to hide from them.

• Unchanged

• Love my mother, love my father, can't stand the coppers

• It's a different kind of unsafe.

• Less. They're understaffed, and I don't think can help me if I ever needed them

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thebrewstorian · 7 years

Text

Pop Culture Conference 2017: Beer Culture: Session 8: Community and Identity

The last session at the Pop Culture Conference was about community and identity, and while its content was similar in many ways, perhaps because it was the last of the track, people were a bit rowdier.

Like this guy. It’s Sam Adams, in case you wondered.

Josh Sopiarz started the session with his talk "Brew Free or Die: Craft Brewing and the American Revolutionary Instinct." He argues that in the 1980s-1990s we experienced an explosion in our access to beer, and from its beginning craft beer was set apart from other macro breweries. Because of this, we started to see “battle” language, with craft consumers or marketing folks using words to indicate the act of brewing on a small scale was a revolutionary reaction against the big guys to produce more flavorful, locally produced, artisanal product.

But Sopiarz asked: is this actually a "revolution." He mentions the book The Comic Book Story of Beer: The World's Favorite Beverage from 7000 BC to Today's Craft Brewing Revolution, as an example of something that shows the larger heroic struggle of brewing (with many scantily clad women throughout history I might add) and its importance in nearly every significant historical event. He also references the Jeff Rice book Craft Obsession: The Social Rhetorics of Beer to show further evidence of this. Rice says that craft turns to the ideas of revolution or battle tales, and that those function as a grand narrative of explanation or a grand identity narrative; to support this, Rice includes quotes from brewers where they talk about being a revolutionary, highlighting craft v conglomerate, portraying conglomerates as imperialists. Finally, in revolutions you have winners and losers, and you have to choose a side and there is no in between for the truly committed.

Sopiarz says this is problematic, not just if you think of this in terms of linking revolution and gender/race. These are white guys talking about a revolution. He suggests that maybe what we need to be thinking about is whether this is a revolution or a renaissance, saying that America is probably too politically naive to call this a renaissance. And of course this word does have a link to the effeminate, and lots of people have written lots of words about how masculine brewing is. Maybe use the phrase "craft beer insurgence" instead?

But counting the earliest non/micro brewing, we are nearly 40 years into this "revolution," and yet we are still using this revolution terminology. Beyond marketing rhetoric, you only have to look at book titles to see that this has spread outside of brewery PR: Ambitious Brew, Red White Brew, Audacity of Hops, Inside the spirit of craft beer.

Aren't we past that? Are we at the point where the trope has run its course and has become cliche. AB/InBev is fighting back: we have their attention, they are "not backing down," and they have the resources to rebrand Bud as "America." If you asked craft brewers just what they were running against what would they say? Anything. Everything.

Is the party over as Sam Adams' Jim Koch said in the April 2017 op-ed piece in the NYTimes? If the large brewers can just buy it all up do we actually have the endurance to make this an insurgency? Either way, what does that look like as we go forward if we aren't attached to the revolutionary narrative?

Jasun Carr talked about how his experiences moving to Idaho, not known for its craft scene, drove him to do research with the brewing community for his talk "Navigating the need for authenticity in a craft beer 'desert.'" Carr says he doesn't live in the cool part of Idaho, and that due to liquor laws, availability due to demand and distribution, and a sparse population in some places, Idaho is a craft desert. He explains that this is obviously different from a food desert, those places where healthy food is hard to obtain, but that the access limitations have an impact on people who move there and have a strong connection to the craft community.

Carr did an online survey of 66 online online groups and beer communities. Here are the results 1342 started the survey, 623 finished; 85% male, averaged 33 years old; they had 8 servings a week, the survey asked about average ABV. He found that when he asked about concerns about brand authenticity people preferred brands connected to tradition and who stuck to their original principles (so the opposite of a revolution). When he asked about beer seeking behavior in people who live in areas with less access to craft he found that they echoed his own experiences: if you were used to having a variety, you turned to trade online or with out-of-state visitors.

One facet that I found interesting was that people used social media to stay informed about beer related events, which of course is odd if there aren't events in your area... He also asked about whether people were part of groups as a way to measure community. He found that people who are more concerned about authenticity are bigger users of social media, and they seek more variety in the beers they drink. Turning to apps, he found that people in a desert are more likely to use them as a way of connecting more to a community because they don't have one easily accessible. He found that people in the NE are less concerned with beer authenticity, but excluding them the rest of the country was pretty much the same in their ratings.

He concluded that people in a craft desert take the best that we have available, but acknowledged that without easy access to events, taps, craft on grocery store shelves, they might not know what they are missing. He wondered if the geography (probably population density?) actually mattered or whether the grater issue are the differing liquor laws.

Molly Taggart gave a talk entitled "Three Cheers to the Intersections of Entrepreneurship, Sexual Orientation, and Gender Identity: An Exploration of Business and Community in Craft Beer Culture," in which she used ethnography to talk about connecting with consumers. In it she talked about her own personal identity as someone who works at Kent University in Ohio, owns a bottle shop, and is a member of gay community. She says she definitely feels an us v them conflict when thinking about the demographics of the industry, and gave an example of hosting an LBGTQ event and being asked if her bar was "they gay bar." In this she noted that categorization around sexual or gender identity seemed important to attendees, though she also noted that they didn't ask if it was "the dog bar" when they had a dog event.

Most of the rest of her talk asked us to consider brewers, but also the other people employed in the industry (distributors, retailers, sales reps) when we talk about its demographics. Who are the sales reps she interacts with? In total (I think in all her time as a shop owner) she says there has been 1 female and 1 person who identified as gay -- and there are 20 individual reps/week, with pretty regularly turn over. Further, we need to ask about the people who are in charge and making the money -- how are they are connected? Who is on company boards of directors or in the state guilds?

She concluded by saying that we are leaving behind a huge market segment. Your money is your voice, and there is room for a more candid discussion about where your dollars go and who you are supporting. She also said that we should bring farmers into the discussion, and had high praise for Rogue Ales as a model for local or farming integration (though she thought they owned their land and only used what they could grow in their beers).

The final speaker was Adam Deutsch, who talked about how "Beer is an Equity Issue." He said he'd looked at beer from a sort of ethnographic-esque perspective of observation. He defined equity for the brewing industry in the same way we do in higher ed, as systematic access and accommodations. So he has a real issue when he looks at the price of beer in San Diego county, especially as it pertains to worker wages or benefits.

As a San Diego resident, he's seen the prices of pints increase -- and has also seen pubs selling "cheater glasses," which seem to be glasses with a thick bottom. He asks why this cost is going up? The standard answer has been that it's because minimum wage has gone up (though it isn't in effect yet) or that transportation costs are higher (though they haven't actually increased and it doesn't travel very far if it's brewed on site). He says one interesting contradiction is the growler movement: you have to buy a container, and ultimately the economics don't make sense because you end up paying more for less beer that you have to drink faster because it doesn't keep in that container. And, of course, if craft is about community, when you get a growler to take home, so you don’t have the community tap room experience.

He suggests that "perceived value" is in play here, and that people think that the more expensive the beer is the must better it must be, and then competition makes those prices even higher. How do breweries actually take care of their employees? Maybe free beer or an industry discount, which in effect makes employees free marketers. But they don't get paid very well or have unions, there is huge employee turnover, and a because people want to get into the industry at any cost they end up not valuing the work that they do. They are willing to do so much for so little, because it is a sexy industry AND because there is always someone waiting to take their place.

Though breweries should be good neighbors (as they sell themselves), what Deutsch sees instead is that his local breweries are taking advantage of their neighbors. To really give back to the communities, breweries need to pay real benefits with retirement and living wages. And he'd love to see at least one employee-owned or unionized brewery in San Diego. There cold be incentives or political advocacy support from the local brewers associations or guilds.

Ultimately though, maybe breweries just need to resist the urge to grow.

Curious about the Sam Adam image?

Curious about the Bud as America image?

#craft revolution #craft beer #beer history #craft beer desert #unions #beer

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shannrussell-blog1 · 5 years

Photo

Water crossings on the Holland track.

1. Communications

UHF Radio

A quality UHF radio is a must for communicating.

Satellite phones, messengers, and EPIRBs

An EPIRB is another very viable option. HF radios are still very popular, but extremely expensive and bulky so many people are moving over to satellite phones instead.

If you get bogged, you need to know how to get out safely.

2. Knowledge and training

If you break down, stay with your vehicle. As much as it may be tempting to walk away and seek help, you will reduce your chance of survival drastically.

Know how to engage 4WD in both high range and low range. This includes locking the hubs, and what speeds it can be done at. Check your vehicle’s manual for more detail.

If you are unsure, do a 4WD training course. There have been more than a few people killed in Australia from 4WD recoveries gone wrong. I’ll cover this in more detail further on.

You should know the limits of your vehicle, for example, the speed to drive on gravel roads.

Know the limits of your vehicle

Having first aid training is extremely important too. Would you be comfortable in managing the situation if you got bitten by a snake or had a broken bone?

Knowing how to drive to the conditions is imperative too. Don’t drive too quickly, adjust your tyre pressures to suit the terrain and enjoy the views – it’s not a race!

A 12V compressor is a must.

3. Invaluable gear on board

Having the right gear on board will make a huge difference if things go wrong.

Fire extinguisher

Cargo barrier

Keep spare fluids and repair gear in the back of your 4WD.

Tyre repair kit

Water

Sand flags

Having tools and spare parts mean you can get yourself out of a pickle.

Basics to have

4. Is your 4WD in good condition?

Get a mechanic to check your vehicle before your trip.

5. Stay safe with 4WD recoveries

When a 4WD gets bogged, it can take several tonnes of force to pull it out. If something breaks during this process, the results can be terrifying. Think pieces of metal flying at over 300km/h.

Recoveries are extremely dangerous. Take all the safety precautions necessary.

What to use for recoveries

You should never use shackles to join straps together. If you have access to two recovery points, use a bridal strap between the two to spread the load. Don’t join straps to a chain.

Some of the recovery gear that you’ll need to bring on your trip.

Stay safe out there!

The post 4WD Safety Advice – What You Need to Know appeared first on Snowys Blog.

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