#but also the tram working with them is AMAZING

[ohoshi]

le sserafim is literally the most well rounded group at the moment i am obsessed w them

[kritischetheologie]

Omg you were at the Australia GP?! How was it did you make a whole trip of it etc.

I WAS! It was absolutely amazing-- I did make a whole trip of it, and I am actually still in melbourne, so if anyone else is, hit me up!

I cannot recommend it highly enough as a GP. many thoughts below the cut:

The vibes were incredible the whole weekend; everyone was having a great time in the sunshine, which gave the whole thing music festival energy, but it felt very welcoming and safe and I didn't see anyone get sloppy. I met a girl who was volunteering with the organization racing pride on friday and said that she got a couple of old guys taking a wide path around their booth as if to avoid catching the gay, but that's as bad as any interaction she had. I definitely got the sense that some of the old men who have been into motorsport forever are skeptical of the newer generation of drive to survive fans, especially as an american woman, but it was the sort of skepticism that was allayed by showing even the slightest bit of knowledge of and respect for the history of the sport (I got a fair bit of "wow, you really know your stuff" when I started talking about having gone back and watched the 2010 season). there was a real mix of support-- a lot of mclaren, but fairly mixed between lando and oscar, and then a surprising amount of ferrari (and, hilariously, tons of really beautiful girls who looked like they were incredibly bored, all in ferrari merch. scuderia ferrari the #1 team of hot girls who don't wanna be there?). some max fans, some lewis fans, and a stunning amount of people in mixed merch, wearing a mclaren jacket and aston hat or whatever. nobody seemed to be a die-hard about anyone, and everyone was getting along really well with each other. as I've mentioned, everyone cheered when carlos went p1 in q2, even the people in red bull merch, and everyone cheered when max's car caught fire. everybody is a ferrari fan, etc.

in terms of the event: they clearly had put a lot of thought into making sure albert park could accommodate a couple hundred thousand people, because I basically never had trouble procuring food / drink / water / bathroom in time to make it wherever I needed to go. I sprang for a grandstand seat, and I'm glad I did, since I was alone-- but I think GA can work if you've got a group, so somebody can hold your spot, and there's a lot of incredible GA views. as an american, I was stunned and amazed and overjoyed by how easy it was to get to the gp on melbourne's incredible tram system; they were running extra trams all weekend, had the route changes super clearly labeled, and did a really good job directing people where they needed to go. all in all, I think it was one of the best-run events I've ever attended, without feeling corporate at all (a super-tricky balance). albert park is also just absolutely beautiful, and the track is awesome.

I was sitting at turn 11, so I had an amazing view of one of the sharpest corners, and it was fascinating to see how the drivers' styles differed, especially on their quali hot laps. what everyone says about alonso wringing the neck of the car is so true: he braked so much later, having taken such a straighter line, that I always thought he was going to miss the turn and run off. by contrast, lewis was taking basically the shallowest corner of anyone, barely using the curb at all. you could really see how much he didn't trust the car to do what he wanted it. and oh my god, I do have to give max credit where it's due: his turns were so fucking smooth that it felt like physics worked differently for him than anyone else. oscar, actually, was hitting similar lines, especially late in the race-- I came away very impressed with him. for the race itself, they had tvs and audio commentary, so I felt like I got the best of both worlds experience, getting to watch the race on tv and then see them zoom by in the corners. I found the race a lot easier to follow than just watching it on tv, which surprised me, because the opposite has been true of indycar, but it was easier to remember which midfield battles were going on when I could track them around my corner every lap.

the support races were also incredible. I think I'm going to follow f2 a little more closely this year, not just because I want to see what happens to kimi "the next one" antonelli and ollie "my literal son" bearman, but also because the racing is exciting. the reverse grid top 10 for sprint races is amazing and f1 should import it into their sprint races if they're going to insist on having them.

I feel like this weekend really re-invigorated my love for the sport. maybe that's because literally anybody other than max won, but I think it's also because it was really healing to step outside of the bubbles of internet discourse and just focus on the racing. it was fascinating hanging out all day having a great time with all sorts of people and then logging on and watching everybody be Mad Online. I had some great friendly arguments about whether daniel is washed, who of the class of 2019 is the most likely to someday win a title, vettel vs alonso, etc., but it always felt like a bunch of nerds hanging out at a nerd convention excited to get to debate with the other people who care as much about it as they do. I think we can forget, all being in the fandom together, that we are all here because of the thing we love--that's so assumed as the default on f1blr (why else would you be on f1blr) that it's easier to separate ourselves out based on who we support or don't, who we ship or don't, and so on. not to come off as all love and light and whatever, but the thing that connects us is more important than the differences that separate us.

the city of melbourne is also just wonderful--super hip, full of free museums and little cafes and cool people. totally worth an extended visit!

I feel a bit of the reflexive tumblr need to disclaim how much a privilege it was to get to do this, but genuinely, I just feel really fucking blessed. I told everyone who asked me why I flew all this way for the gp that it was a 30th birthday present to myself (and it is), that flights from california were surprisingly cheap (and they were-- under a grand round trip, which is still a ton of money but less than half what I might have expected it to cost if asked to guess; once you factor in the cost of lodging and race tickets, this trip was definitely cheaper than going to miami or vegas would have been), and that the american races basically never fit my calendar (and they don't). but what those disclaimers don't capture is that this is the biggest thing I've ever done for myself, and I did it just for myself, just because I wanted to. in my post about advice for a 26 year old, I mentioned the trade-off of responsibility and agency. this is the agency half: getting to decide that I love something so much that I'm going to fly halfway across the world to experience it.

so yeah, 10/10 stars, can't recommend highly enough. australian grand prix please sponsor me.

[writing-whump]

Too many bubbles

Matthew finds out bubbly drinks and milk don't mix. Warning for emeto, burps, upset stomach etc.

Matthew was ready for the day to finally end.

He had to leave early, so he didn't get to his morning run, so he also couldn't get to his shake, so he wasn't hungry in the hours he was supposed to be and it messed up his whole day.

To wake himself up for the stupid appointment with the teacher he got the first energy drink he could find in the convenice store. And when he got out he went for another one, cause he found a surprisingly good cherry flavour.

Maybe that should have been a warning enough. That he wasn't used to energy drinks and bubbly drinks. So he should have been careful. But somehow it happened that between the classes and the chaos, he didn't get to have any proper lunch, cause he was hungry at the wrong times and then he only got his cherry energy drink and he ended up drinking about five of them.

Walking home, his stomach was churning. It was upset, bloated and heavy with the bubbles. Matthew couldn't stand the looks people were giving him at the tram and opted to walk the few blocks, hoping it would also ease some of the pressure.

It didn't.

He was so looking forward to shut himself in the apartment and just have some proper alone time to be gross and deal with this. He was muffling burps the whole time as he walked. Why did there have to be so many people out at 4 p.m. anyway?

Finally unlocking the door to the shared apartment, he was welcomed by blissful silence and insistent order.

Isaiah was manic about keeping the place tidy, so this was the cleanest Matthew had lived, ever. Everything had to had its place and surfaces had to be empty, so they could be easily dusted off. Matthew would roll his eyes and complain, but it was effective.

Throwing his bag in the corner and shaking off his shoes without concern, Matthew threw himself onto the cream coloured sofa and sighed in relief. Finally.

Seline should have some work meetings with other university assistants until late today and Isaiah was hardly home preparing for his law exams.

Matthew unbuttoned his pants to as let the bloated loud organ out and massaged at the bubbles to work up some burps. The first few were so loud he self-consciously looked around. The sound carried something terrible with a two floors.

Isaiah just woke up one day and said he signed up for the law entrance exams. Just like that. He was eying a government research project for a while now - something about mental health and city planning and green spaces - and law seemed to be a plus.

So not worried he had not thought about it until now at all. He was doing the entrance and signed himself some classes for the semester, even though he wasn't planning on slowing down with his psychology master.

Apparently, Isaiah could start with the master degree outright if he did some compensation exams, since the master had an international law development focus.

Matthew didn't understand how Isaiah was going to handle so many classes. It just turned his head around.

Matthew had enough to do with his economy classes and he was doing the bare minimum to pass each year, not keeping up with the shortest study plan. He was late a semester or two, so he didn't stress if he got to all classes or not.

But he had to have the most overachieving roomates now. Isaiah with the two masters. Seline working on her PhD proposal and already with her assistant work, although the competition for prae doc scientific personal was crazy.

And here was Matthew, barely passing classes and two semsters late. Way to go.

It was easy to feel stupid between the two. Isaiah was a fussy perfectionist, but the results showed in his grades and professor preferences. He was accepted to more research projects during holidays than Matthew ever applied for.

Seline was an overthinking worryrat, but the passion and ease with which she taught students, did her presentations and wrote her seminar papers was amazing.

Matthew didn't care that much about school. He wanted to be pragmatic, get a useful degree and get out, cause it would heighten his chances. Maybe. Maybe it was just there to look good, since work had very little to do with what you studied. Economy was at least very practical.

Except that became of his temper he did lots of sports, especially running and boxing and then he also had the gym to keep in shape and them it all suddenly took a lot of time.

Maybe it was also his friend circles until now. Who needs school, the attendance was healf-hearted at best if it wasn't currently for exam season. Social sciences were considered to be the most useless anyway. Matthew thought the same thing until he met Isaiah and Seline. Both in social sciences, both wanted to stay in science, and their interest was on a completely different level.

He should really step up his game. Sooner rather than later, or they would leave him behind with their degrees, achievements and geeking.

Matthew massaged some more into his distended belly, ushering up some smaller burps, sprawling on the couch.

Yeah this was nice. He would just enjoy the free evening, get back into his schedule and start tomorrow.

"Hi, I'm home!"

Matthew fought the urge to roll his eyes.

Seline was trashing in the hall as she looked for her slippers. For a girl she was very clumsy and...ungraceful? He didn't notice until he had to live with her and her elephant heavy steps and tendency to crash into everything that stood in her way.

Matthew quickly threw the blanket next to him over his stomach and pants, hiding the annoying bloat and the opened zip. Not something for Seline's delicate eyes to see.

"They let us out early today! Can you believe that without the boss, the meeting takes only half its usual time? Seriously, I love love this job, but the team meetings are the most annoying obsolete things," she chattered as she carried shopping bags through the living room to the kitchen.

"You didn't have to buy stuff. I would have gone tomorrow," Matthew protested at the sight. He couldn't cook and hated cleaning, so shopping was the only contribution left aside the little fiddling with stuff to fix it. He was proud of that one.

"Just a small thing," she waved her hand at him to dismiss the point. "I wanted to try the new oat and nut milks. There are places in Vienna now where you won't get anything else and if I want to try your shakes, I might we well get used to the healthy milk too I'm told, since the shakes are half milk anyway and if I want to get used to a new milk, it better be a good taste. I bought like three sorts. Wanna try them all out?"

Matthew nodded, cause he was in full support of her trying out the protein shakes, getting the vitamins and trying out healthier milks. Whatever the cow milk was, it wasn't milk, but Seline loved it. This was an ongojng battle and a big step for her to initiate it herself. He didn't want to ruin it.

His stomach gurgled a bit, but he felt about ready to stop noticing it. It was fine, he probably massaged enough space into it to try a few sips of milk for sure.

That's when Seline brought six glasses and the three milk sorts, chattering about the fibres and contents.

Matthew swallowed nervously at the milks, but she was already porting it down the glasses and preparing three for him. Full to the brim.

"Don't you dare leave me alone with this! Your idea with the milk, so you better drink it too," she frowned in mocking as she lifted the first glass to him to bump it like champagne.

Matthew obediently clicked the glass to hers and put it to his mouth, smelling it suspiciously. Oat milk sure had a different smell to it. He grimaced a little but she was giving him a glare, so he gulped it down.

Maybe the quicker he got it behind him the better.

His stomach gurgled angrily at the first glass in irritated warning, but it was back to the angry burbling by the second.

Drinking the third glass of whatever weird milk sort it was had his stomach cramping properly.

Matthew scrunched his face and tried to inconspicuously get a hand under the blanket to rub at his stomach.

The last glass left a disgustingly sweet film in his throat and mouth and his stomach gurgled and whined as the milk hit the onslaught of bubbles.

Oh god.

Seline didn't seem to notice, chattering some more about stuff Matthew couldn't even pretend to follow anymore. He felt sweat forming on his face and neck as he fought the pressure down that clawed at his throat.

He turned his head to the side, a fist to his mouth, managing a soundless little burp. But it didn't help. His stomach was bubbling, he could feel the movement at the belly bottom and the tip, right under his skin.

And now the nausea joined the chorus.

The next cramp had him almost doubling over. Saliva was flooding his mouth as the bubbles fought angrily with the three sorts of heavy milk he wasn't used to. His skin was stretched to max and he leaned forward, elbows on his knees as he tried to breathe through the whines and the cramps. They returned with vengeance and gave him very little pauses to breath between them.

"Matt? Are you listening?" Seline asked, voice all innocent.

"YeaH-urrp-" Matthew presed his closed fist to his mouth. Talking was a bad idea, very risky. "...sure I am."

"Well, you don't look it," she said, hands on her hips from where she sat across him.

Matthew lifted his gaze to her, when a giant bubble pressed at his stomach and rushed up his throat. His cheeks puffed out, but he fought it down in panic. He couldn't, by good conscious, burp in front of Seline.

But that was the last drop. His stomach cramped and heaved and had Matthew scrambling up with urgency. The bubbles and milk wanted out, out, out.

In face of the panicked realisation he was going to throw up, Matthew headed for the kitchen, hand pressed against his mouth.

He made it to the sink at the last second as his stomach heaved and then the milk was rushing out of him with a loud splash of white watery vomit.

Before he could breathe, there was another wave, almost choking him on its way up. He coughed and splattered, the milk bubbling nastily at his mouth and dripping down his nose as he leaned against he sink with both hands.

This was terrible and it wasn't helping.

His stomach heaved and heaved, cramping hard and he wrapped an arm around it as he groaned against the flood of milk and cola and energy drinks he didn't even count or notice as he devoured them instead of lunch.

"Jesus Christ, Matthew! What the hell?" Seline was standing beside him, hand lightly on his back as she hovered, face resolutely turned away from the sink.

Matthew tried to answer only for another wave to rush out of him and his whole body heaved and shuddered as it landed in the sink. At least it was clean from any plates.

He burped another smaller and chunkier wave before a series of empty burps finally, finally eased up the pressure in his stomach. It deflated now, though it hurt from the cramps.

Matthew leaned his forehead against the sink in relief, holding onto the granite with both hands again as he rested.

"That was something. Like a real force," Seline commented, a little disgusted grin on her face as she rubbed his back. "You feeling better now?"

Matthew burped loudly, not minding anymore if she heard or not. He felt deliciously empty and free of the bubbly disaster, breathing hard through his nose and mouth. "...yeah. Sorry. Too many bubbly drinks."

"You should have said something! Bubbles and milk don't mix."

"I don't think the oat thing mixes with me either. Blah. Just the taste of it makes me nauseous."

"You just got a bad memory tied to it now," Seline smiled, tapping his back forcefully.

It ushered up another burp, from the pit of his stomach and Matthew worriedly leaned over the sink in case it brought up something.

But it was empty.

"Come on, let's sit you down." Seline was tugging at the back of his shirt. It was then that Matthew realised that in his rush, he left his pants unzipped.

The thought had his ears burning red.

Seline didn't seem to notice though, so he let the water run in the sink to wash his sickness away and let himself be dragged back to the couch.

Oh yeah, he was so ready for this day to be over already.

---

@bellysoupset

[eriexplosion]

Time for everything to go downhill, rapidly, with Tipping Point.

God I remember how stoked and then terrified I was to see Howzer, every second the man's on screen I'm utterly terrified that he's going to get killed.

This place looks great, real vacation spot.

GREGOR <3 ECHO <3 God the wait time to see Echo again was so long I feel aggressive Missing Them just remembering it.

This is just a fantastic opening, watching this tiny ass group strategically take out basically everyone on this ship. It's nice to see Echo get a chance to shine too, their leadership skill gets underutilized sometimes but they are SO GOOD AT THIS.

Nemec and Fireball have amazing armor, I just love the look.

There goes our Random Imperial Dude, electrocuting himself to death. Where do they get these regular dudes that are totally willing to bite an electricity chip or whatever for the like one year old Empire?

MT TANTISS. CROSSHAIR.

I still love the moment when they shove him just a little too hard and he turns around and you are aggressively reminded he is 6'4".

Tol

If season 3 wants me to like Emerie they will have to work pretty hard at it after she helps torture Crosshair.

Hemlock is SO fucking creepy, but also Crosshair catches on quick to what's going on.

What a great second use of the highly emphasized "Wrong" though, completely different from the last season finale.

The squelching sound of the needle going in and seeing him twitching while Hemlock casually talks, god this is horrifying already, love how it manages to get worse next time we see him.

God though, what did Howzer go through to lose five of his men in prison? You would think they'd at least want to keep their potential test subjects alive, but maybe Hemlock only wants the Strongest ones.

GOD SEEING CROSSHAIR'S EYES ROLL BACK WHEN WE GO BACK TO HIM

Shout out to Emerie and this guard for double teaming the dumbass behavior of leaving one of his wrists loose AND putting a gun next to him like what did you think was going to happen?

Mention of the Hounds which I think we see one of in the trailer, excited to see Omega befriend a doggo that is supposed to kill

I know the implication is that Crosshair recognized another clone and that's why he didn't shoot Emerie but I like to think that it was because she reminded him in that moment of Tawni Ames.

God seeing him essentially give up his one chance at even trying to escape in order to send that message, he gave up everything for his batch, and for Omega, and he absolutely assumed that he would die in there after they took him back. I don't want to see Crosshair sacrifice anything else he has been through ENOUGH.

Hemlock and the toxin is creepy as hell too. I HATE THIS MAN. WORST CREATURE ALIVE.

OFF TO THE BRIGHT AND HAPPY WORLD OF PABU

This scene with Wrecker is adorable he's settling in SO WELL. An integral part of this community!

Shep once again laying out the thematic line of the story with "Is that all you are? A soldier?"

I LOVE THE FLYING LESSONS THEY'RE HILARIOUS, TECH IS ABOUT TO HAVE A FUCKING HEART ATTACK.

The collision alarms haven't gone off once! (Because they shorted out during your last lesson)

I forgot that Tech literally lays out his ability to think clearly in stressful situations (like plummeting out of the sky while attached to a tram car?) season 2 is literally just a parade of reasons that Tech is really hard to kill.

THE TECH TURN. If this doesn't come back in particular I'll be surprised.

OMEGA IS SO HAPPY TO SEE ECHO BACK and Tech's happiness is delayed due to the race to the landing zone.

THE HUG. I remember when a blurry screenshot of Omega hugging Echo sustained us for WEEKS.

Hemlock really out here just DESPERATE for test subjects.

Wrecker chasing the girls around the tree, god he fits so well here I'm EMOTIONAL.

God Tech's face when he says Crosshair is one of the prisoners gets me every time.

Back again to torture Crosshair, because he isn't suffering enough apparently.

Hemlock needs to stop getting in close to Crosshair's FACE.

THE FACT THAT CROSSHAIR IS ACTUALLY SCARED HERE. TEARS IN HIS EYES WHILE WE HAVE TO WATCH SPASM AND MAKE HORRIBLE NOISES.

Cannot believe that Crosshair is the unlucky bitch that has to go through the first onscreen use of the torture droid.

[jordanandegypt]

Zürich - Day last

September 11, 2024,

Grüezi from Zürich. (That is” hello" in Swiss German - which is close to German but not exactly.)

Today was a rainy day in Zürich - but we were prepared so no stopping us.  I believe we have successfully turned our bodies from EST to  Central European Time.  We slept until almost 9:00 AM with a brief awake period in the night that just so happened to be the exact time of the US Presidential debate.  Who could even guess such a coincidence??!?!?  So for 90 minutes at 3:00 - 4:30 we were tuned in - and so was the rest of the world.

Let’s take just a few minutes to think about this.  We are in Switzerland and we had the choice of viewing the debate on lots and lots of channels.  (We chose the English speaking channel!)  Have any of you ever watched a presidential debate or even a parliamentary session of another country?  Our politics are important to the whole world and most of the free world have a clear preference.  They want the leadership of the US to support, bolster and enhance alliances.   They want democracy to survive.  They want the economy to continue to grow.  They want us to lead in human rights and civil rights.  They do NOT want to go back - if you hear what I'm saying.

We thoroughly enjoyed the debate and hope that everyone who saw it saw a leader for the future and a petty angry old man from the past.  And I’ll drop it there.

Back to Zürich.  With umbrellas and tram map in hand we headed to one of the many tram  stations near us.  I can’t even guess how many trams are in this city - one after another - sweet!

We headed to Old Town again with a plan to visit Fraumünsterkirche to see Marc Chagall’s famous windows.  Marc Chagall is a contemporary artist who was alive during my lifetime.  These windows were installed in the 1970s.   Not exactly an old master - but fabulous nonetheless.

Here is from the brochure.  "In the 1970s, Belarussian-born Marc Chagall created a five-part stained-glass window series and a rosette for the chancel of the Fraumünster church in Zurich. This world-famous masterpiece by Chagall still impresses visitors from around the world today.”

But first the church…

So the King had two daughters and for whatever reason he decided to dedicate them to God and they became the abbesses of his brand new Abbey.  Below is a reproduction of a fresco that used to be - BUT during the Reformation all the amazing frescos were covered.

Luckily, someone had made a painting of this in around 1200 - so it could be reproduced once cooler heads prevailed. 🙄

Anyway this church is beautiful - but stark just like Reformationists liked.  We were informed that these walls were once covered with amazing frescos (now covered with plaster) and incredible works of art.

Now before we figured out how to get into the church Mark and I stumbled into this amazing cloister filled with frescos.  What was noticeable was that there were almost NO men in all this art.  WHAT!?!?!?  

We didn’t know it then, but we were walking through the abbey.  We also didn’t know that the word Fraumünsterkirche meant “woman’s church.

From the brochure:

Fraumünster is one of Zurich’s oldest sacred buildings. It has a rich and chequered history. ‘Gotteshaus St. Felix und St. Regula’ was founded as a convent on 21 July 853. The convent played a major role in Zurich’s development from a Celtic, then Roman settlement of regional importance into a prosperous medieval town. From the 8th century onwards, Zurich was a strategic base within the empire of the powerful Carolingian dynasty. Fraumünster was a Benedictine convent for many centuries. The abbey’s crucial significance is evidenced by the fact that it had the right to mint coins on behalf of kings, collect tolls and hold markets from the 11th century onwards. In addition, the incumbent abbess was the official ruler of Zurich from the 13th century onwards, holding the title of royal princess. This era came to an end with the Reformation: in 1524, the last abbess, Katharina von Zimmern, handed over the abbey and all its goods to the city of Zurich. “Official ruler of Zürich??  Royal princess?” - wow, but we all knew that wouldn’t last but it did last lots longer than I would have guessed.

One more thing - there is a rumor that the bones of the Magi (you know - from the “We Three Kings” song) were hidden in this church on their way from Milan, Italy to Cologne, Germany.  The bones of the Magi are allegedly contained at the Shrine of the Three Kings in Cologne. According to the story they were first discovered by Helena, mother of Constantine the Great on her famous pilgrimage to Palestine and the Holiday Lands in 326-28 .  She took the remains to the church of  Hagia Sophia in Constantinople. But in 344, they were transferred to Milan where they were interned in a special tomb beneath its basilica. In 1162, following the conquest of the city by Holy roman Emperor Frederick I,  the Magi's remains were transferred to Cologne Cathedral at the behest of its archbishop.  Ok - this kind of stuff makes me crazy!!  COME ON - what is the chance that these three “wisemen” who allegedly visited the Christ child on the night of his birth (or soon after) were strategically tracked, died and their bones collected.  But, I will just let it go….🙄. But because I really can’t let anything go - below is the container that holds those relicts today - still in Cologne… ( I have no idea of the size.). But geez!!!

Finally, the windows…. Spectacular!   The day was overcast and rainy - yet look at these.  We wondered what they would look like on a sunny day.  I have put them in the order from left to right and I will let you read about each window from the brochure (below).  These suckers are not little FYI - the biggest one is 8 meters in height.

From the brochure:

A WINDOW OF THE PROPHETS Elijah is being carried away in a fiery horse-drawn chariot to the sky, away from Elisha. The angel Cherub hovers in the middle. Above, Jeremiah is sitting immersed in thought in a blue gown. In the round arch, the Creation is depicted. B WINDOW OF JACOB Jacob, the patriarch of the Israelites, hovers with eyes open and hands folded on his lap. He dreams of the ladder leading to heaven, which makes up the upper part of the window. Jacob’s tussle with the angel is shown directly below. C WINDOW OF CHRIST The life of Christ, from birth to resurrection: Joseph, the family tree of Jesse, the Lamb of God, Mary, Elizabeth, the life and parables of Jesus Christ and his crucifixion, among other aspects. D WINDOW OF ZION An angel announces the beginning of eternity. Below, the new Jerusalem descends from heaven. King David singing psalms and Bathsheba are shown at the bottom. E WINDOW OF THE COMMANDMENTS Moses holds the tablets inscribed with the commandments and observes the disobedience and suffering of humanity. The middle section depicts absolute peace. Beneath, Isaiah is held by an angel. He prepares to spread his message of peace to the world.  Anyway - we spent much longer than we expected there.  Remember we are of the “ABC" belief - Another Bloody Church/Castle/Cathedral.  Every single one is AMAZING until you have just seen too many….😳. This my friends is a wonderful porblem to have!!

The entry fee was ₣ 5.00 and included an excellent audio guide.  It was well worth the time and money and if you happen to find yourself in Zürich someday put it on your list. 

These are not Chagall’s only windows. His creations grace galleries, churches, synagogues, homes, and schools and other public places worldwide.  He didn’t discover glass until he was in his 70s.  Is there hope for Mark and I?

Marc Chagall remained true to his motto “When I create something from my heart, almost everything goes well” throughout his whole life. He created the windows at a very advanced age and he enjoyed excellent health right up to his death in 1985, just before his 98th birthday.

This was the main event of the day.  We had coffee in a covered area on the square near the church and people and machine watched for over an hour.  We were especially intrigued by this machine….  (We are so easily entertained …)

We jumped on a different tram and went to see Lake Zürich - but with the rain and the fog there was not much to see.  Our plans for a gondola ride up the mountain seemed lame as we couldn’t see the top of the place we planned to go, so we had a late lunch, a little shopping and headed back to our hotel.

We had a full day anyway and got a late afternoon nap.  Turning our clocks before we started our Middle East adventure has been achieved.  Tomorrow we have a short flight to Athens and the next day to Amman Jordan and connecting with our group.  Our time is Zürich was much less than we had planned but I’m OK with how we spent our time.  Switzerland and Liechtenstein will be in our future plans.

It is 11:15 here (23:15) and I’m tired and going to bed - just as it should be...

Ciao

[pynkhues]

Hey Sophie, I'm going to be in Melbourne soon! Do you have any tips for what to do, see, or eat?

Hey! Ah! How exciting! Melbourne's a really fun city to visit, and I feel really does have something for everyone.

Hmmm, tip wise, I think I'd say:

grab a Myki card for public transport. You can buy these at any news agent, train station or petrol station. Melbourne has a free inner-city tramzone, which is great for getting around the CBD, but you should also take advantage of Melbourne's incredibly good train network which'll open up the broader city to you. A Myki card works on all forms of public transport - buses, trams (for trams outside of the free tram zone) and trains - so they're pretty straight forward.

On that note, the PTV app is pretty useless for public transport (you're better off using Google maps tbh), but it does let you top up your Myki instantly via your phone, which makes it useful. The TramTracker app is very good for trams though, especially because you can type in the number of the tram you're on and know exactly which stops you're heading towards. The logos look like this: (trust the doggo)

Don't drive in the city - it's a layer of hell.

Have a little bit of cash on you. Most places take cards or smart watches, but you'll need gold coins for certain things too, particularly accessing certain gardens or markets.

Pack for all weather. Melbourne's known for having four seasons in a day, and having lived here for almost five years now, it's not an exaggeration. Layering is your friend, and always have an umbrella!

Hook turns are a real thing here, and whether you're driving or just crossing the road, they're worth being aware of.

Places to visit

Melbourne's famous for its street art, and while you can just wander around and observe yourself, doing a tour is particularly fun (and makes sure you see the best stuff!)

Australian Centre for the Moving Image (ACMI) is one of my favourite places to show out-of-towners (although that's probably partly just because it's me, haha). It's a museum of film, tv and games, and explores the moving image as both a form of commercial entertainment and as a form of art. Their cinema is often playing really interesting films too.

National Gallery Victoria is always worth checking out.

Chapel Street is known for it's little galleries, restaurants and indie shops, and makes for a fun day out.

Queen Vic Market and South Melbourne Market are both iconic and for good reason. They've been operational since the mid-1800s, and you can often feel that when you're in them. They can get packed though, so just a heads up.

I love love love heritage buildings and exploring history through place, so will always recommend checking out the National Trust's historic sites in Melbourne. Rippon Lea Estate is a personal fave and only about 20 minutes out of the CBD on the train. They shot parts of Miss Fisher there, and even if you don't get to tour the house (although I recommend you do!) even just exploring the gardens are beautiful.

Abbotsford Convent & Collingwood Children's Farm are right next door to each other and a pretty amazing day out.

If you fancy seeing a movie, my all time fave cinemas are The Classic and The Lido, which are owned by the same family. Either spot is worth checking out.

If you're looking to see a show or performance, you can look for the big ones at any of the big theatres, but for smaller, exciting indie stuff, I'd check out the programs at Malthouse, La Mama, Art House, Meat Market, and Footscray Community Arts Centre,

What to eat

Wellllll, this ultimately depends on your budget, haha, since Melbourne restaurants can run the gamut. Some of my favourite restaurants that are a bit more on the expensive side but great for a special occasion:

Maha's probably my favourite restaurant in Melbourne? It's modern Middle Eastern cuisine and their seafood in particular is divine. It's a set menu, and like I said, a little exy, haha.

Mabu Mabu is modern Australian First Nations (Torres Strait Islander) cuisine and is very good! They sell some of their own sauces too, and I highly recommend snagging their pineapple hot sauce! It's also very easy to get to, as it's located in Fed Square right next to the Koori Heritage Trust which often has Indigenous exhibitions on (and a great gift store if you're looking for anything to take home)

Chin Chin's - delicious South East Asian fusion cuisine. Again, a little exy.

Transformer - incredible vegetarian restaurant. They do both ala carte and a fixed menu. Highly recommend their fixed menu! They're also very good with dietary requirements, particularly if you're gluten free or if you have annoying allergies for a vegetarian restaurant like me, haha (tomato and eggplant).

Cheaper eats that are also delicious:

A little out in the South Side 'burbs, but Saigon Mamma is my favourite Vietnamese restaurant in Melbourne.

Rice Paper Scissors is good too, as is Chocolate Buddha, Green Man's Arms, and oh! Studley Park Boathouse is a fave. It's beautiful location-wise with pretty standard (but good) pub eats, and they've got a lot of water birds you can feed and boats you can hire pretty cheap ($30 for a kayak, $40 for a row boat) to row along the Yarra River. It's also really close to the Convent + Children's Farm if you fancy making a day of it.

If you're willing to travel a little further out of inner Melbourne, I'd also suggest:

Healesville Sanctuary - the bird show is i n c r e d i b l e. I took my nephews last year and the older one still talks about it, haha.

Mornington Penninsula Hot Springs - Mornington Penninsula is a great day trip from Melbourne. It's only just over an hour drive, and it's pretty stunning. Full of wineries and beachy walks. The hot springs are so relaxing though, and really centring if you need it.

Mount Macedon - home of the Hanging Rock of Picnic at Hanging Rock fame! Plus it's just a beautiful area.

Cranborne Gardens - the Royal Botanical Gardens in the city are beautiful too, but I'm particularly partial to these ones.

Hope this gets you started, and just let me know if you have any other questions!

[mikimeiko]

To the south! (Day 4)

I slept in and woke up almost too late but luckily I made it to the station with enough time to buy a coffee and croissant to go (I don't think I xould have survived without the coffee XD I have various snacks in my backpack but NO COFFEE because i forgot to bring my emergency bag of instant coffee XD)

I wanted to stop somewhere between Syracuse and Messina but the heat is still intense and there's less wind then yesterday, and apparently Messina is a little cooler than the other places, so I guess I'm visiting Messina today? XD

Catania from the train looks amazing, i definitely need to come visit it at some point.

I don't know if it's the low visibility or if I'm on the wrong side, but Mount Etna is not as impressive as I thought it would be. (I'm sorry but I'm team Vesuvius forever, every time I see that beautiful giant I can't take my eyes off of it)

Both the temperature AND the humidity are actually lower in Messina! And there's a cool breeze that makes it kind of pleasant (though the sun is still scorching and this only works in the shade). There are trams! I'm going to ride the trams :D

I made a couple of tactical mistakes in the beginning (mainly by believing that the pleasant weather would last through the afternoon and that the trams would have air conditioning), and I ended up dragging myself around the old town fearing a full on heat stroke. I did find the cathedral though, and it was very beautiful!

(Also, I didn't get a heat stroke, so there's that.)

I decided to go get the ferry to Calabria earlier, though I was a little sad that I didn't eat at least one arancino, but! They had them at the ferry's cafe, and it was THE BEST arancino i ever had (not hyperbolic, it was really that good), with ragu made with not minced but cubed meat and a lot of rosemary, truly delicious.

I thought there was gonna be a bus stop near the ferry but there isn't? Actually there might not be buses in Villa San Giovanni (is it really possible or is technology failing me?)

Also... There's really not much to see in Villa San Giovanni. I have a moment of heat+tiredness fueled crisis (it's still more than 3 hours before my night train leaves), but then I decide to make use of my train pass and just go to Reggio Calabria and back on the new and air conditioned train XD

Feeling definitely better, with still a couple of hours to fill, I went to the supermarket... Only i couldn't find the entrance D: I only found two car ramps but I wasn't gonna go down those and also I wasn't even sure the supermarket existed anymore XD also for some reason in the same building where the supermarket and other shops were there was the entrance of a high school? A truly baffling experience.

While I was waiting at the station I managed to snatch a picture of the the train getting off the ferry :D

For a pure stroke of luck when booking thia trip i found that the excelsior compartment costed less than the normal sleeper compartment so tonight I'm travelling in luxury, with my own private bathroom AND SHOWER.

Also my window is toward the sea <3

The coast of Calabria is truly the most magnificent, one of my favourite parts of Italy to go through by train.

And one of the perks of having your own compartment is that you can turn off the light and enjoy the twilight.

[dknuth]

Budapest

We arrived in Budapest by bus instead of our ship, and we had to get up and out extra early to do it. The main entry on the ship was full of luggage tagged for people going to the airport, to the official hotel in Budapest, or to a drop-off for those going their own way. As usual, three ships were at the dock; ours was the furthest. The main entries for the ships usually don't line up well, so we passengers had to go up to the top deck and cross from ship to ship there, then down to the entry of the last ship and up the ramp to shore. In the meantime, the staff was doing a bucket brigade with the luggage between ships, lifting them over all the railings. Then we had to wait at our bus for our luggage to arrive and identify it before loading it. It all happened in what looked a bit like chaos but on time and amazing efficiently, no thanks to the passengers.

Our drop-off in Budapest was only a few blocks from our apartment and we had arranged an early arrival there, so we could walk directly there and let ourselves in. In line with our individual inclinations, Cathie wanted a nap after that morning, and I wanted a walk. The main market was about a mile away, PERFECT!

There was a pedestrian street that covered most of the distance. Budapest has many miles of beautiful pedestrian streets with stone paving blocks lined with shops, cafes, and restaurants. So it's a lovely walking city. The cafes, bars and restaurants were all busy and a lot of people on the street.

The whole pedestrian street and many more is paved with stone tiles. They were paving the side streets around it.

It takes a lot of labor compared to concrete, but looks so much better!

The manhole covers in these areas are also beautiful with a bronze finish.

There are also monuments and statues all through the city.

The whole effect is a very inviting atmosphere.

I think a big difference between Europe and the US is people here expect to walk, and enjoy walking. Most Americans want to drive to a store and then drive to the next store. Even the big shopping malls are dying, because people don't want to walk. I love to walk so it is a real pleasure to be somewhere that is designed for walkers!

We were learning more modern local history and much of Budapest was run down and in bad shape until the early 1990's. If so, they have made an amazing transformation in 30 years.

The market building is impressive.

Inside many of the stalls are selling tourist goods, of course, but there are still plenty of places selling fruits and vegetables.

I bought an onion and a pepper, eggs, and some mushrooms thinking of omelets for breakfast. I also got some fruit and bread and spotted a vendor selling dried and candied fruit. I've been thinking that it's been a while since we made fruitcake, in part because the fruit has gotten harder to find. So I went back the next day and bought a load.

The buildings from the late 1800's to early 1900's are the stars of the urban landscape here. But many of the modern buildings are also handsome.

A big question in my mind has been how to get around, since Cathie can't walk as far as she used to. We discussed local transit and the Hop-On/Hop-Off buses. I took a trip across town using the local transit app. I was fairly confused. I knew I needed to start at one transit station and the number of the subway line, or was it the bus, or maybe the tram? There is a small icon of a vehicle, but on my phone, I could not tell them apart. I assumed that it was the subway. It looked like the color of one of the subway lines. But I couldn't find one that had the destination station. So I went back up top and found that it was also the end station for some of the tram lines and one tram line matched up. After that, it worked fine. I'm still not sure if the online ticket I bought and validated at the subway station was valid for the tram. Another problem with transit is while the subway may be efficient, you do not see the city at all!

I decided that all might be confusing for Cathie and got tickets for the HO/HO buses. The first one we took was terrible: the motor was so loud we couldn't hear a thing and the inside of the bus smelled of diesel fumes. The woman making the announcement is incomprehensible to us. The stairs to the top were closed. When we got on, and only later figured out that there was another one in the back.

When we got off and then caught a later bus it was much newer, quieter, and didn't stink, also the announcer was much better.

The other trouble with the HO/HO buses is they run in a loop, in one direction only. So to go to a place and back would mean doing the whole loop again.

My conclusion was that the thing to do is to spend more time figuring out the public transit options and operations. If the trams or buses work for your destinations it's the best option. The HO/HO buses are only for those who do not want to do that.

We didn't do much in the way of churches and museums. Cathie didn't have the energy and I didn't have enough interest. But St. Stephen's Basilica was just a couple of blocks away, so we went.

The pavement in front was incredible. It was mosaic like that in Roman churches, but outside!

Like much of Budapest, it was built between 1850 and 1905. So it's not ancient. But 150 years of Ottoman rule will really constrict your church building.

We went on the roof and had a great view across the city.

[dilfgmancoolatta]

I JUST FINISHED READING YOUR FIC (UN)FORGETTABLE AND I NEED TO JUST YELL ABOUT IT FOR A MINUTE BECAUSE IT WAS SO GOOD

I think it’s very funny that Gio turned out to be Gman, I did not suspect that at ALL it was such a jumpscare but like absolutely AMAZING

I loved the recreation of the scene where Benrey interrupts Gman while he’s talking to Gordon but with Gordon being the one to do the interrupting, oh my GOD I did not expect that to be recreated at ALL but it was SO GOOD

I found it very funny every time Benrey and Forzen interacted because if it had happened in the original stream it would have just been Scorpy talking to himself LMAO but you did a really good job distinguishing their characters despite there only being a couple minutes of Forzen content

Just all of the general nods and recreations of scenes in the original story were so good I stimmed SO HARD every time it happened oh my god!! Gordon teleporting behind the door into the test chamber and asking Benrey for ID. Benrey arguing with Gman over Chuck E Cheese being an entertainment center or restaurant. I cant think of anything else right now but oh my GOD it was so funny

I also like how in character they were even outside the context of previous RTVS bits, and it was still HILARIOUS. Benrey and Gordon fucking around with Gman in the tram scene absolutely FLOORED ME I was reading it at like 2 am when everyone else in my house was asleep and I was dying trying not to laugh and wake everyone up

Also I find it very funny that the video game was like “yeah Gordon so I’m gonna trap you here for 6 years and leave your entire family to wonder if you’re dead and slowly take all of your memories one by one until you forget even your sons name” but then it realizes he’s trans and is like “oh wait. I gotta hook him up with T tho.” LMAO

I also liked the genuine mystery of not knowing if that’s Benreys Gordon or not. Like, I had kinda a feeling but there were so many red herrings that it was genuinely a shock to find out that he had been finger spelling Joshua!! The twists!! The turns!! And it makes perfect sense that Benrey wouldn’t recognize Gordon after 6 years of being fucked up by a haunted video game, T, and depression!! My man’s tortured!! And the idea of the game slowly replacing Gordon’s memories with Gordon Freeman’s makes SO much sense oh my GOD

The fact that Gordon became physically less and less human over this time makes so much sense too. I mean bro has been exposed to so much Xen radiation and shit over the years it’s a miracle bro didn’t grow a third arm

Benreys struggle of trying to keep the fact that nothing is real from the ai was also so interesting?? Like everyone had such an interesting arc over the course of the story it was just so well written holy shit!!

POOR JOSHUA!! My little man got his bio dad taken away from him and now his other one- the chapters centered around him broke my fucking HEART. I wanna see him get reunited with them again so bad but I get not being able to finish the fic, life gets in the way you know and honestly it’s impressive you were able to write as much as you did!! You wrote a fucking novel-length fanfic with interesting plot, characters, and story completely for free??? Like what the hell?? You’re incredible and I hope ur proud of your work!!

Thank you so much for writing this incredible fic, I had such a fun week or so reading this before bed. I actually clicked on it by accident while looking for Ultrakill fanfics in someone’s bookmarks haha, but thank god I did!! I don’t think I’ve ever been this pulled in by a fic, and it was so satisfying to see it mostly finished!! Thank you so much for your work, I hope you have a wonderful day :]

Oh my god you’re gonna make me cry!! Thank you so much!!!! I’m gonna keep this screenshotted 5ever ok

[pureheroine2013]

hiiii I am hopefully going to ireland next month!! I would love recommendations for what to see and do :)

HELLO I love this ask thank you… I will tell you all my favourite spots in Dublin:

First of all: Dublin has SO much public seating space all around but especially along the river, so keep that in mind

St. Stephen’s Green is a large park on walking distance from the river, lots of benches and you’re allowed to sit in the grass so nice for hanging out and reading your book etc

Panem is the name of a cafe/bakery alongside the river where they serve lovely breakfasts and brunch options, they have pancakes and a full Irish breakfast

You can listen to traditional Irish music played by local enthusiasts in the pub called the Cobblestone, its very very cute and welcoming, not very touristy and a pint of Guinness is only €5,80 which is way cheaper than you would get in temple bar area!

I didn’t go there myself but I’ve heard that there are deer you can pet in Phoenix Park

The Guinness Storehouse is only really worth it if you go with friends/people to hang out with, it’s interesting but it’s basically one big Guinness advertisement so don’t expect toooo much of it. The ‘gravity bar’ has an amazing view of the city though so that’s worth doing it for if it fits your budget

The national gallery of Ireland is free to visit and has the most wonderful MASSIVE collection of art! I recommend it 100000% if you like art, take some time for it as well since it’s bigger than you might expect

If you’re planning on using public transit I recommend getting a leap visitor card, you can get one for either 1, 3 or 7 days I believe and after purchase you can use some trains, most busses and trams without extra charge

If you like doing hikes or seeing nature, take the train to Howth (also possible w the leap visitor card!). It’s a fishing town on the coast and there are 3 different hikes you can do along the coast; I personally did the shortest one and it was very doable and the views were SO incredibly beautiful I wholeheartedly recommend it! And even if you don’t want to do a hike, Howth is still a very beautiful town and worth a visit :^)

I found the tour of the book of Kells and the old library of Trinity very impressive, but keep in mind that most of the library is currently empty due to preservation. I didn’t know before I went and I was kind of disappointed, though it was still very cool to see. I also very much recommend walking around the Trinity college campus as its soooooo beautiful

There are a bunch of free, tip based walking tours so I would Google those if you’re interested in learning about the history

Central brew coffee is a very nice cafe with a lot of breakfast/lunch options, I went there very often<3

There’s a Brooklyn-style pizza place slash pub along the river called r.i.o.t., it’s a bit alternative with DELICIOUS food, super nice people working there and live music so I had an amazing evening there

Books upstairs is the name of my favourite bookstore in the WORLD, it’s so adorable and they have an amazing selection of books + very very very cute tote bags :^) they also have a café above the bookstore which is a very cute place to enjoy some coffee and cake and read your little books

Sorry this is like an essay but I hope this helps you a bit!!!!! Let me know if you went to any of these places and what you thought of them :^) if you have any other questions feel free to send another ask or dm me!!! xxxx

[winnieyaaang]

Last blog, January 23: Reflect on your time in Europe. What was your favorite structure, and why? What was your favorite country, and why? What was your favorite city, and why? Finally, look back on your personal goals for the trip. Did you meet them? Be specific with your evidence & anecdotes.

My favorite structure is La Sagrada Familia, the most famous landmark of Barcelona. It is one of the most iconic examples of Gaudi's unique style. The use of lights and colors in La Sagrada Familia's interiors has left me with a deep impression. The large, vibrant stained-glass windows paint the basilica's interior with beautiful colors. La Sagrada Familia has been under construction for 140 years, which makes this structure unbelievable. I love to learn about how the death of Gaudi and the Spanish Civil war impacted the construction of La Sagrada Familia.

Barcelona is my favorite city because of its stunning architecture, great urban design, and diverse culture. First, Barcelona has a mix of gothic and modern architecture, such as Catedra de Barcelona, Park Guell, and La Pedrera – Casa Mila. Gaudi's unique style and designs amazed me. Most of his works are located in Barcelona, including my favorite structure La Sagrada Familia. Second, Barcelona appears to be very walkable with supper islands – nine-block grids that reclaim streets from cars and turn them into the pedestrian island for walking. Barcelona is a transit-oriented city with a well-developed public transport network, including metro, trams, and buses. The city also has extensive and well-laid-out bike lanes. Third, Barcelona has a surprisingly large Chinese population, with many amazing Chinese restaurants. I had authentic Chinese food and great boba tea in the city. I walked past two Chinese markets that sell Asian food and snacks on my walk near the hotel. I also constantly hear people speaking Chinese on the street of Barcelona. These all reflect that there is great cultural diversity in Barcelona. 

Even though we were only in Spain for four days, Spain is my favorite country. I enjoyed every moment in Spain and was astonished by its structures, history, culture, and food. I had a wonderful experience walking on the street of Barcelona to explore the city in my free time.

I met all my personal goals for this trip. First, I learned much about modern urban design and how European cities balance cars and walking traffic through my time in Nice and Barcelona. Second, after researching and learning about Villa Savoye and its architect Le Corbusier, I finally visited the villa and presented at the site. Third, I went to many famous structures that I have dreamed of visiting for a long time, such as the Colosseum, St Peter's Basilica, and La Pedrera – Casa Mila. Lastly, I had great cultural experiences in every city we have been to and learned so much about each city's unique history, traditions, and customs. 

[avaliveradio]

Njordlyd's Upcoming Album with New Ambient Release 'Repressed'

“Repressed” is the main track used for promoting the artists Njordlyd upcoming ambient album, “Getting Closer”. It starts with a set of sampled train sounds, resembling the start of a journey.

Listen on Spotify

2023 upcoming album :

“Getting Closer” is my first full album as Njordlyd. It is an industrial and dark ambient-styled concept album featuring 10 tracks with an extensive selection of samples, stretched sounds and field recordings.

Track 1 is an introduction to the album, and contains elements and samples from Circles (the first single from phase 1), as well as it is an introduction to “reshaping”. Track 2-6 are all alternative versions of each of the 5 singles from Phase One (April 2021 to March 2022), in chronological order, starting with “Dark Ride” (which is the alternative version of Circles). Track 7 is a bridge between track 1-6 and the remainder of the album, taking the concept of “reshaping” further, with track 10 closing off the album. I have deliberately chosen not to make the album a continuous piece of music, where all tracks are interwoven. Instead I have used short fades (in and out), to give it some sort of transition between the tracks and many distinctive sections.

When creating “Getting Closer” I was inspired by KLFs “Chill Out” album and Burials latest release “Antidawn”. Both albums also contains an extensive selection of samples. I have always been fascinated by the endless possibilities that sampled, stretched and pitched sounds provides (especially in combination with field recordings). The field recordings plays an important role on this album. It gives all the tracks a sort of lively feeling and provides many distinctive soundscapes. Moving vehicles such as trains, trams, metros and cars (amongst others). Water dripping, rain falling, braking waves and birds pitched beyond recognition. I am fully aware that there is not a lot new to this, that it has been used many times before. I just find it amazing how these type of samples and sounds can be used to blend into “something”  like this, how a sample of e.g. a train approaching or leaving, can sound like a filtered synth sound.

The album title “Getting Closer” is simply a reference to getting closer to how I want to create music (way of working) and what kind of music (style). I hope this “collection” of tracks and soundscapes will bring you as much pleasure as it was for me to make it. I cannot remember having enjoyed making music as much as with this album and the forthcoming EP “Correlations” (March 2023).

When creating “Getting Closer”

“Reshaping” (Track one) “to give a new form or orientation to” ….. something, to shape something again and / or differently. The 5 singles from Phase One were all completed based on tracks from somewhere between 2014-18. All tracks that I gave new form and directions and shaped into something very different. For this album I have given the 5 singles a new form again, reshaped them into something new, something different. The whole album is based on reshaping, which has become a sort of guidance for me in my creative process and way of working. Something I think about when start working on track(s) / concept(s), and something I intend to continue with for the coming years ahead.

“Dark Ride” (track two on the album and track one on the single) is an alternative and slightly darker version of "Circles” from April 2021. It is much shorter, more minimal and has a sort of "dusty" and organic feel to it. It is “reshaped” based on sampled and stretched pieces from the original track and further combined with additional samples, effects, etc. One of the additional samples is a field recording of breaking waves (breakers). The original track has a quite long and complex story to it, one of them being a combination of a few sounds, which gives a sort of “circling” effect. I did not include this in the original story, as it would make it too complex. However, these sounds also gives me the sensation of water. It makes me think about breaking waves, harbours and the sound (noise) of wire on masts. A quite distinct memory from my childhood and my parents, which is also why I decided to incorporate this field recording into the soundscape. This alternative version and little extra story makes everything around “Circles” complete (for me personally). For more information about the story for “Circles”, please click this link http://njordlyd.com/circles.html. This link will take you to the full story on the Njordlyd website.

“Repressed” (track three) is an alternative version of “Subconsciously” from July 2021 and the main track used for promoting the album. It starts with a set of sampled train sounds, resembling the start of a journey. A trip down memory lane, searching for the “why”. Why do I have this strong emotional feeling for the original track. A journey searching for “something”, is there something repressed, am I holding back something? Is there something holding me back from revealing, what it is? Is it emotions at all, or does the music, that specific part of the music, just touch something in me a certain way? As mentioned in the story for the original track, it’s weird, or at least, to me it feels weird, however that is just how I feel about it. Extremely emotional. However, I have come to the conclusion, that it’s okay not to know or understand why. This alternative version is slightly shorter and softer, more minimal and has a more gritty and mechanical side to it. As always, I let you, the listeners, “take the journey same journey” and perceive it they way you hear and / or see it. For more information about the story for the original track “Subconsciously”, please click this link http://njordlyd.com/subconsciously.html. This link will take you to the full story on the Njordlyd website.

“Defined Sensibility” (track four) is an alternative version of “Perception” from October 2021. Sensibility is the ability to receive sensation and in this case a “defined sensibility” in the shape of music. It continues to surprise and amaze me what music can do to trigger emotions, feelings, ….. sensations. In the promotion for “Clouds” I am referring to Nietzsche quote / statement: “a life without music would be a mistake”. To me a very true and appropriate statement. Music is like a key that opens the door to emotions, but also to receive sensation, a possibility to tell stories and define sensations in a very unique way. For more information about the story for “Perception”, please click here http://njordlyd.com/perception.html. This link will take you to the full story on the Njordlyd website.

“Endlessly” (track five) is an alternative version of “Voices” from December 2021. In short, this track is merely a confirmation of all the “voices” and triggers in my head, which goes on endlessly. There is hardly a day without ideas and inspirations being triggered. For more information about the story for “Voices”, please click here http://njordlyd.com/voices.html. This link will take you to the full story on the Njordlyd website.

“Fog, Mist and Haze” (track six) is an alternative version of “Clouds” from March 2022. For more information about the story for “Clouds”, please click here http://njordlyd.com/clouds.html. This link will take you to the full story on the Njordlyd website.

“Interlaced” (track seven on the album and track two on the single). This track contains sampled and stretched sounds from some of the 5 singles, combined with a live recording from an improvised session in 2019. The track is less “dusty” than some of the others and has a sort of sweeping repetition to it. The track is also to be seen as a bridge between the 5 alternative versions and the remainder of the album.

“Correlations Part One and Two” (track eight and nine). Correlation is a broader concept that goes beyond the album, but is interlinked. That is also why I will be releasing an EP in March next year. In 2018 I was stuck, having created lots of music for years, but not completed anything to release. In September that year, I needed a change and started working with iPads and apps, to see where that would take me in terms of creating and completing music. I started with setting up a small minimal setup, practiced and learned how to use it well. It was a totally different way of working and experimenting, and it ended up being more like a live setup. Over the course of a year I recorded over 100 sessions. I did not complete anything for release and went back to the more classic DAW approach, where I somehow naturally started reshaping tracks from before 2018, which led to the release of the 5 singles in 2021-22 (Phase One). As mentioned earlier, the original idea for the album was an alternative version of the 5 singles, plus a start and end track. However, that didn’t feel right. I started to figure out what to do and accidentally came across some of the recordings from 19. Accordingly I started sampling pieces from these sessions, “process” them and combined them with other samples and sounds from the 5 singles and the alternative versions. Suddenly there were 5-6 additional tracks ready for the album. After a long listening session, 2 tracks felt fit for purpose (album), taking the whole concept of “reshaping” further, correlating with the last many years of creating music. Stay tuned for more about “correlations” and how it has become a sort of guidance for me to be and stay creative.

“Eventual” (track ten). An album eventually has to end (I believe). The track is short and concise, taking the listener on a last reshaped journey through samples and musical parts from Phase One and the recorded live sessions, all streched, manipulated and processed in the same spirit as for all the other 9 tracks on the album.

The Artist : Njordlyd

Danish musician and producer Njordlyd is a creator of thoughtful and mellow musical landscapes, organic compositions and soundscapes, combined with experimental micro sounds. The best way to describe the very detailed, layered and personal musical universe of Njordlyd is ambient and downtempo electronic music.

"When creating music, I let the sounds, ideas, mood, and current inspiration control me until a certain point, where it all turns, and I naturally take over the controls.”

I started listening to music when I was around 11 and have been directly involved with music since 1991, where I was involved in several underground music projects, collaborations and releases. The period from 1998 and until the end of 2014 was a phase of self-discovery, where I was absorbed in the process of music creation, learning and focused on defining my sound.

Towards the end of 2014, I began making music as Njordlyd (my current project) with the release of Silent Echoes (EP) in 2015 and the 2-track single Ghost Running in 2017. In 2021 I started working on a 3 year plan, with 3 phases. Each phase runs from April to April. As part of Phase 1 (April 2021 to April 2021) five 1-track singles has been released: "Circles", "Subconsciously", "Perception", "Voices" and "Clouds".

This year (2022) will see the first releases from Phase 2, starting in September with a 2-song single / ep (Interlaced) and the album (Getting Closer) in mid November. My musical inspiration comes from artists such as Future Sound of London, Biosphere, Burial, Marconi Union, Brian Eno, Harold Budd, Massive Attack, Portishead and Marconi Union (amongst others).

Njord was the Norse god of the sea, sailing, fishing and fertility, and a name that I really like. “lyd” means sound, so Njord is a kind of pseudonym, combined with what I do (music), which is related to sound, hence Njordlyd (Njord’s sound).

Links:

https://www.facebook.com/njordlyd

https://www.instagram.com/njordlyd/

https://njordlyd.com/index.html

https://njordlyd.tumblr.com/

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCY0Gph0wNtr9gU4Umua0SYg

https://twitter.com/cmfaarvang

https://njordlyd.bandcamp.com/

https://soundcloud.com/cfaarvang

[engbergsinfinland]

Happy Saturday, everyone!

I'm writing this standing outside the Hakametsä jaahall, where the kids have their ice skating today, and it is another beautiful day here in Tampere. It is in the mid-60s and the sky has some fluffy, white clouds in it. This week, there was some rain, but once again, the weather was darn glorious! Next week looks pretty good, too. I know things will turn shary before too long, so we're really trying to enjoy the end of the Finnish summertime.

This week's big news was that I found a super rad hairdresser, by walking by his salon (Salon Jarmo Hentilä), seeing that he had an Egon Schiele print hanging in the window, and thinking, after peeking in, that I liked the place's aesthetic. I went in, talked to the stylist/owner (Jarmo, I think!), showing him my color formula from my amazing hairdresser at home (Megan), and we were off to the races, as they say! I saw him Thursday morning and ooo lala!! So nice to have smooth hair and a sleek look again. I was a frizzy mess before 😆

Also, this Friday Eric and I had our account-opening appointments at Nordea bank. What a debacle! I mean, we are really paralyzed here without a bank account. I can't add funds to my SIM card so as to retain the Finnish phone number I started with; we can't yet pay for any of the kids' activities through those programs' online portals; and I can't buy the required competitive sports insurance or renter's insurance. Our credit cards do not work for those things and the direct- from-your-bank transfer is the ubiquitous process here. I'll include an image here of what you see when you get to a payment page, say, for your kids dance studio. Also, given that I have a non traditional bank in the US, by direct deposit of my Fulbright stipend hasn't gone through the last two payments, so I really, really, really need the Nordea bank account set up! We chose them because they are an international bank, across the Nordics at least, but, DANG, the thickness of the bureaucracy is staggering.

Of course, perhaps I cannot compare; I have not opened a US bank account in nearly twenty years so I do not recall what is required and of course I was a US citizen when I did so. I did open a bank account in London at Barclays when I lived there and that was a royal (haha) pain in the neck, but I do recall getting it done in a single day.

What Nordea needed was not only our Finnish residency permit card and our US passports and for us to fill out lots of paperwork (as expected) but they also needed the printouts of the PDFs we received from the Finnish immigration office and I did not know this and I only had them in PDF on my phone and of course could not just email them to them. So we had to go home, print them, and go back 🤦🏻 Now, we wait about three business days and we should hear something. Then, we need to set up the online banking and may have to book a fifteen minutes appointments at the branch to get help with that. And, THEN, perhaps we can pay all of our delinquent enrollment fees and other things.

In other news, Cece was invited to a hobbyhorse race party next Sunday by her classmate Herta! We are so excited about this, having seen these videos. If you click no other links this week, click that one, and have your mind blown!

Here are a few other interesting things that happened with us this week.

One day this week, when I knew Cece had to be at school at 8:15, I thought Rowan had to be at school at 9:00. So, he left on the tram later than she did. Later that day, after school, I learned that I sent him to school an hour late. I'm really struggling to get the hang of their different schedules each day! Rowan took pity on me and hand-drew a weekly overview schedule that, in one visualization, includes both Cece's schedule and his. Let's see if I can follow that or whether they just push me to the wayside and manage their own schedules entirely 😆

This weekend has been quite a happenin' one so far in Tampere. There was a big festival called Blockfest at the Nokia arena. I think it was largely a rap festival, featuring some US artists but some from throughout Europe. Eric and I took a walk on Friday night and walked down to an area that is adjacent to the arena and we saw lots of fashion... There were lots of different styles and there was a lot of ... skin. Me even saying that reveals that I have an Irish Catholic mother 😆

Finally, Cece and I went to a fabric store I had spied from the tram we take to one of the ice skating facilities. We tried to go last weekend and it was closed so we went this Friday and had an amazing experience, though the proprietors did not really speak English, though one of the employees did and that was helpful! The owner was very enthusiastic and with a lot of hand gestures we were able to communicate all right. This fabric store was super densely packed and had a lot of upholstery fabric but also had a lot of stretch knits, which I love to sew with. I am definitely going back to that place. Cece chose some blue stretch knit with white stars and some ribbed blue knit for the collar and cuffs of a shirt I will make her. It was a store of my dreams!

On Monday morning we head to Helsinki for the Fulbright orientation and the kids will get to stay there too, 'til midday Wednesday. I've already told their teachers that they'll miss a few days. I'm excited to meet the other Fulbrighters!!

[pettydreamz]

tw+tldr//

i've never rly thought of myself being a doormat. but with each of my friends and past friendships too, when i say the stuff i've have allowed to happen and done for them outloud... maybe i am. i only realised later in life that i always had rose tinted glasses with my friends. i be so proud, and loving for them always wanting better for them (bc they deserve the damned best), i try my best to respect everyone's space (this can be debatable lol). i have tried to defend other friends, like i remember some friends saying why are you still friends with her if she still treats you that way, i would've dropped her by now, but i couldnt bc i loved her, she was my friend!

i used to drop off my friends to the bus or tram and end up coming home late. i bought so many of my friends expensive gifts, whenever they needed me or wanted to hang out despite, my schedule i will make time just for them. even now if any of my friends want to hang out, even on a work day - i'll work hard the day before so i can see them the following day. i'll shout(pay/treat) them out for an outing or to eat. i give them advice and it's their own perogative to take it. if they needed me to build them a bookshelf i would do it. if they needed me to stay up all day or night in a hangout, sleepover or call i will. i'll let some friends ghost me n flake on me multiple times. im sorry that it's my fault some could never fully be open with me no matter how hard i tried, that sometimes i do get frustrated about it but hey i cant force them to do anything especially when sometimes they dont listen. they are their own person, who can form their own thoughts n opinion at the end of the day. i let them peer pressure to do all sorts of things ^^;;;

i let friends be entitled to my time n energy bc i fucking love them. like soo many times i've been fucked over by people it just hurts sometimes when it's a friend. and ofc im not saying im perfect bc ew god no. but it sucks sometimes when you dont feel appreciated, valued or loved the same.

like for 2 years back in high school every friday i will hang with my friend after school and wait an hour after her tutoring was done, and pretend im not with her bc her mother didnt like e bc i wore FAKE GLASSES.

i let many of my friends physically, mentally, emotionally and even sexually abuse me but i thought it's ok bc theyre my friends.

i'll never forget when i was like 13/14 i was on a packed tram and a hobo why dry humping me from behind, and so many saw my uncomfortable face but noone saved me, i called who i thought was my best friend at the time after i managed to escape before it lead to worse and all she could say was LMAOOOO or ROFLLL or LMFAOO. ofc i had been sexually harrassed and assaulted many more times but yeah.. i still let myself trust her and all our other friends, who also hurted me.

i let my most of my gfs - guy friends bully me, when they had the chance.

i always put them on a pedestal bc if youre my friend, then you're already amazing!

you're so much better than all the guys who treated me in my life.

all i ever wanted was a true friend experience where i feel like you have my back n is open with me. so yeah when i start reassessing what a friend means... i will unfortunately vent my frustration n insecurities on a vent blog...

sorry if i dont seem trust worthy or whatever but ig im still subconsciously protecting myself as well, bc they themselves also dont make an environment that i feel safe to share, ironically enough. this mind had always tormented me and sorry i never let you in on it.

i dont expect a transactional friendship, where i do something for them and something expect in return. thats not a friendship. but i wish some saw how much i love and would do anything for them or at least try to..

[alsjeblieft-zeg]

068 of 2024

The Yellow Survey 💛

by joybucket

1. Name three things you like that are yellow. Lemons, ducklings, honey.

2. When was the last time you rode on a school bus? 🚌 Probably 15 years ago or even longer, but our school buses aren't yellow. They are white. :P

3. When you were younger, did you ever ride the bus to school? 🚌 Yeah, to secondary school. To primary school, I was taking the tram.

4. Would you say you are a generally optimistic person, or are you more of a pessimist? Definitely optimistic. I always see things as an opportunity, too.

5. Which of these names do you like best for a girl: Sunny, Joy, Summer, October, or Autumn? Joy and Autumn.

6. Are you wearing anything yellow right now, and if so, what? One of my bracelets has yellow in it, it's an autism bracelet.

8. When was the last time you made yourself some macaroni and cheese? I don't like macaroni and cheese. I tried it once and no, thanks. :P

9. Would you rather drink fresh-squeezed lemonade, a banana smoothie, or 7-Up? Lemonade.

11. What are three things that make you happy? My cat and cats in general, the beauty of nature, trains.

12. Which one of these words would you say describes you best: optimistic, childlike, childish, flirty, or bright 💡? Optimistic and childish at times, because I still have a sense of humour of a 12 years old boy. :P

13. How many times have you gotten stung by a bee in your lifetime? 🐝 Maybe once or twice, but I've been stung by a wasp more times. And I'm allergic to them.

14. Which of these cartoon characters do you like the most: SpongeBob SquarePants, The Simpsons, Bananas in Pajamas, Pluto (Goofy's dog), or Tweety Bird? Pluto and the Simpsons.

15. List three things you can see in the room right now that are yellow. A highlighter (I prefer using yellow ones, I don't know, the shade is just awesome), grocery bag from Jumbo, box of cookies.

16. Would you rather eat a slice of lemon meringue pie, banana pudding, or a cheese danish? Cheese danish. I didn't know it was called that way, though :D

17. What is your favorite type of cheese? 🧀 Young gouda and mozzarella, in recent years I also got to like emmental.

18. Are you a natural blonde? 👱‍♀️ No, I'm not. I wish I was, though.

19. Have you ever dyed your hair blonde? 👱‍♀️ No, it wouldn't work on my hair without bleaching :(

20. Name three people you know who have natural light blonde hair. My sister, our friend Peggy (her hair is really amazing), and my ex.

21. Is there a hair color you like better than blonde, and if so, what is it? Yeah, red. More like that copper shade.

22. Did you see the April 2024 solar eclipse? No, it was passing through the US :( all I could do was watching a livestream on YouTube.

23. Which of these careers do you think you would enjoy the most: motivational speaker, lifeguard, circus clown 🤡, surfer 🏄, or photographer? Photographer, definitely. It was a really easy choice. :D

24. Have you ever had a yellow lab for a pet? No, but I had a yellowish-beige dog before.

25. Do you like to eat corn on the cob? 🌽 Never tried it.

26. Which of these types of soup do you like best: corn chowder, cheesy broccoli, cheesy potato, or butternut squash? Cheesy broccoli, yum.

27. What is your favorite way to eat eggs? 🍳 Hard-boiled or scrambled.

28. Would you rather visit Spain 🇪🇸, Zimbabwe 🇿🇼, or Venezuela 🇻🇪? Spain, it's been my dream.

29. What are three of your favorite McDonald's menu items? 🍔🍟 Nuggets with barbecue sauce, Filet-O-Fish, and McMuffins (sadly not available in my country, I have to go to France for that :()

30. What are three things you dislike that are yellow? Bananas, mango, dandelions (I'm allergic to them).

31. What is your favorite shade of yellow? Neon yellow (I love neon colours, oh my), cream, lemon, chartreuse yellow.

32. What is your least favorite shade of yellow? That old gold/mustard shade or whatever. Looks like diarrhea to me.

33. What is your favorite way to eat pineapple? 🍍 I don't like pineapples.

34. List three things that you think taste better with butter. 🧈 Potatoes, bread, anything fried on butter (better than oil, in my opinion).

35. Which of these cartoon characters do you like best: Big Bird, Flounder, Charlie Brown, Woodstock, or Donald Duck? Donald Duck.

36. Do you own a pair of rain boots, and if so, what do they look like? No, I don't. Maybe I should, given my country's reputation as very rainy :P

37. Have you ever had a sunflower garden in your yard? 🌻 I had sunflowers in the garden when I was a child. They were cute.

38. Do you prefer dandelions, daffodils, marigolds, daisies, or sunflowers? Daffodils, I have some sentiment to them.

39. How many rubber ducks do you own? None. :P

40. Name someone you know who doesn't like cheese. There was someone I think, but I don't remember right now.

41. Which of these things would you prefer to dress up as for Halloween: a bumblebee 🐝 , Princess Belle, an emoji 😃, candy corn, or Big Bird? I don't celebrate Halloween, so problem solved :P maybe a bumblebee, though.

42. What was the last thing you ate that was yellow? Lemon candy for my throat. And fries before that :P

43. What was the last thing you drank what was yellow? Some kind of fruit juice.

44. Do you own a yellow sweater? No, I don't.

46. When was the last time you ate banana bread? Never, but I ate banana pancakes and they were strangely good, even though I don't like bananas.

47. What are three things you like about the sun? ☀️ It's warm, it shines when there's no clouds in the sky, and it's always nice to see the sun in this rainy country.

48. Do you know anyone who is colorblind and can't see the color yellow? No, I don't.

49. When was the last time you used a highlighter marker to highlight something? Yesterday, for marking the packing list, and today at work, to mark the missing parts for my team leader.

50. What are three things you like that are yellow that haven't already been mentioned? Fries, yellow tulips, yellow curry.

[umichenginabroad]

Week 4 in Prague (With a Viennese Interlude): Tour Guide Tales and Austrian Adventures

This week, my Prague narrative took an intriguing twist, blending the roles of a tourist and a tour guide, as I ventured to Vienna for a weekend jaunt and returned to play host to friends from back home. The experience was a delightful mix of rediscovering Prague through fresh eyes and indulging in the imperial charm of Vienna.

Vienna: A Weekend of Wiener Schnitzel and Waltzes Vienna greeted us with its stately architecture and cafes that make you feel underdressed. The city is a living museum, where every street corner boasts a story, and the coffee houses insist you understand the art of leisure. If you think Prague has crazy villas and museums, Vienna is that but 20x. We wandered through the MuseumsQuartier, marveled at the Schönbrunn Palace, and I developed a newfound respect for the term "Kaffeehauskultur" (coffee house culture) as we embraced the local tradition of spending hours in a café, a slice of Sachertorte in one hand and an Einspänner coffee in the other. At night, we went to Travel Shack, a hub for all tourists and foreigners with some crazy drink options- a must in my opinion. After that, we went to Prater Dome, probably the most fun club I’ve been to in all of Europe so far. Drinks were by far the cheapest we’ve seen them and let’s just say, we got there when the subway closed for the night, and left when the people were taking the morning train back to work.

Tip for Vienna: Dive into the café culture with gusto. Each coffee house is a universe unto itself, offering a unique glimpse into Vienna's soul. ALSO, must try restaurants: Ulrich and Erich (amazing brunch/lunch food- best french toast I have ever had), Neni Am Naschmarkt (Middle Eastern), and Mochi (Japanese).

The Prague Homecoming: A Personal Odyssey Returning to Prague with friends in tow transformed the city into a stage for a personal odyssey. As their guide, I was tasked with unveiling the layers of Prague, from the sprawling vistas atop Petřín Hill to the solemn beauty of the Vyšehrad Cemetery. We navigated the cobblestone alleys, each turn revealing another facet of Prague's eclectic character, from the gothic allure of the St. Vitus Cathedral to the vibrant energy of Wenceslas Square at night.

In playing host, I discovered the nuances of Prague's personality, sharing stories behind the Astronomical Clock's mechanical marvels and the legends that cloak the Charles Bridge. Our evenings were spent in lively Vinohrady, where the local pubs buzz with the energy of the city's youth, offering a taste of the contemporary Czech lifestyle amidst the historic backdrop.

Prague Hosting Tip: Use the city's tram system to give your friends a scenic tour of the less-explored neighborhoods. It's an authentic way to experience Prague beyond the tourist trails. ALSO, take your friends to the Dubliner. It probably has the best vibe out of any bar I have been to in Prague with the live music and the whole bar singing along. They’ll absolutely love it.

Cultural Exchange: Sharing Traditions and Creating Memories Playing host wasn't just about showing off Prague's sights; it was a cultural exchange. I introduced my friends to the joys of Czech cuisine, from the heartiness of goulash to the sublime simplicity of a perfectly baked trdelník. In return, we shared stories of home, reminiscing and creating new memories in this city that was becoming more familiar by the day.

Culinary Tip: In both Vienna and Prague, seek out the local markets. They're treasure troves of authentic flavors and a window into the daily lives of the city's residents.

The Joy of Reconnection: Bridging Home and Abroad Having friends visit served as a poignant reminder of the connections that endure, regardless of distance. It was a blend of my worlds—bringing pieces of home into my new life in Prague. The experience was a reminder that while I'm here to immerse myself in a new culture, my roots remain a vital part of who I am. The presence of friends from home in Prague was a bridge between my life back home and present, which felt great as I got both comfort and excitement equally.

Reflections: The Heart of My Study Abroad Experience This week of being both a visitor and a host has underscored the essence of my study abroad experience. It's about more than just academic growth; it's a journey of personal discovery, shared connections, and the joy of uncovering the soul of a place.

As I bid my friends farewell and reflect on the week, I'm struck by the richness of these experiences—how they weave together to form the tapestry of my study abroad journey. Here's to more adventures, more discoveries, and more connections that bridge the gaps between the familiar and the unknown.

Here's to the adventures that await, the stories yet to be told, and the enduring beauty of discovering the world and oneself along the way.

See ya next week,

Rachit Khandelwal