#but the traditions (of various cultures and places including off this plane) run through my blood and are integral to my workings w lev

[abyssalpriest]

like idk why im surprised its because the last spirit i worked with made everything fucking up and even when it "made sense" it only made sense within the fiction and not this plane bc its like. have we not learned at this point he knows what the fuck he's doing, he's big enough to the point he doesnt need to hide who he is, and he got that big by being in touch w and worshiped/worked with by a bunch of different cultures like. anyway

[r6shippingdelivery]

headcannons for hobbies? Like what they do on their off time?

Hi nonnie! I actually did a Hobbies HC for “all” ops a long time ago. But seeing that was before the expanded bios, and it only reached up to Gridlock and Mozzie, I’d say it’s time for an updated version, don’t you say? 

Some of the answers are unchanged from the old post, because I already nailed it or the new info didn’t disprove my ideas. But I had to revise a lot of the answers I gave the first time around! In order to find their hobbies and/or get a glimpse of their lives beyond Rainbow and what they might like, I read all the bios, and looked up concept art, and elites, and past battlepass content, etc. And when none of that was enough, I just went with my gut instinct 😂 Thank you to @grain-crain-drain, @dagoth-menthol & @todragonsart for bouncing ideas with me when I was stuck! 💕

Hobbies Headcanons for ALL ops (up to Neon Dawn)

FBI

- Ash: According to her savta, shooting things is not a hobby, but Ash disagrees. And since according to her expanded bio she knows Hebrew, Arabic, English, French and Greek, I’m willing to bet she enjoys learning languages as well. - Thermite: He grew up on a ranch and loves riding. He’s also taken an interest in improving gadgets it seems, so my old proposal that he dabbles in forging/smithing stuff seems plausible. And based on this concept art, demolition derbies attending and maybe even competing himself too? - Pulse: He’s interested in a variety of topics and goes through phases of intense, nearly obsessive focus, until something else captures his attention. He still has a lingering fondness for building muscle cars, since it was something he used to do with his father. And like Thermite and Hibana, it seems he might enjoy demolition derbies. - Castle: He’s a language nerd, studying/reading/practicing new languages is his hobby for sure. Since the expanded bio says he rescues abused dogs, I don’t think it would be far fetched he volunteered at animal shelters too.

SAS

- Thatcher: Aside from repairing his boat, The Iron Maggie, he also enjoys fishing. He used to do that with his dad & brothers, and tried to take the rest of the SAS fishing as a bonding experience. It didn’t go very well - Sledge: He plays rugby, and has an inexplicable fondness of trying the wildest ideas that tend to end with something broken, be it one of his bones or a structure or wall (just read his extended psychological profile and you’ll see, lmao) - Smoke: Boxing, it helps him focus all his chaotic energy. And chemistry in general, it’s not just a hobby but a passion of his. - Mute: he enjoys tinkering with stuff, taking it apart and then putting it back together in a different way, just to see if he can improve it or make it work in his own way. Flying drones plays perfectly into that, with the added bonus of being able to do the flying part just for fun too.

GIGN

- Montagne: His main passion is working with people, teaching and mentoring others, and therefore when he’s not on duty, his main passtime still is mingling with people and getting to know them. I could see him making overtures with Castle, interested in the American and fascinated by his knowledge of various languages, an area Monty feels insecure about due to only knowing French and English.  - Twitch: Engineering, robotics and developing an empathic AI is her life.Twitch is a workaholic passionate about those topics. She also greatly enjoys traveling and, according to her expanded bio, people watching.  - Doc: He surely had some hobby at one point, but he can’t remember it, or the last time he had free time for it. Doc is also a workaholic, although one that loves to complain about it.  - Rook: Apparently he’s passionate about cycling, auto racing, and rock concerts. Mainly cycling though, since he dropped out of university to cycle around France.

Spetsnaz

- Tachanka: He collects and repairs old weapons. Mostly soviet, but he has some interesting pieces from other countries too. And he dances surprisingly well.  - Kapkan: Aside from a certain interest in psychology, his main hobby is hunting, of course. But he also whittles and carves wooden figurines.  - Glaz: Quite obviously, painting. He’s an artist, and quite a good one. He also likes playing cards, especially poker. - Fuze: He builds new weapon prototypes for fun. And tests them, if he can convince Six of it. He also likes to bake from time to time, a skill he learnt thanks to his grandma - and because he has a sweet tooth.

GSG9

- Jäger: Planes. Model planes, repairing old WWI & II planes, you name it. And watching copious amounts of documentaries.  - Bandit: His bike is his main hobby, both taking care of it and riding it. He also likes playing pool; and, if pranking people counts as a hobby, that’s his oldest one, dating from when he was a kid. - Blitz: He was and still is an athlete at heart, and Blitz loves running. - IQ: In order to disconnect from engineering pursuits, she indulges in rock climbing, spelunking, and writing science fiction stories.

JTF2

- Buck: He crafts mechanical puzzles, and enjoys all kinds of physical activity that can take place outdoors. - Frost: She just loves being surrounded by nature, and often goes mountain climbing or diving.

SEAL

- Valkyrie: Swimming and diving, of course! She wanted to be a professional swimmer, but now it’s just a hobby. And apparently she enrolled for a helicopter pilot license, and language classes. - Blackbeard: According to the expanded bios, he likes sailing and even participated in a championship. And since he climbed Mount Everest, it’s safe to say he also likes mountain climbing.

BOPE

- Capitao: He loves football, playing or watching it, doesn’t matter, he’s all for it. - Caveira: Spends a lot of time practicing Jiu Jitsu, in the gym and also on unofficial tournaments.

SAT

- Hibana: For her it’s traditional Japanese archery (Kyūdō). And probably demolition derbies too accounting that concept art from before with Thermite and Pulse. - Echo: According to the expanded bio, he has few interests outside work, but I always imagined he’d be into gaming and e-sports. Hacking too, and that’s a direct influence from Dokkaebi.

GEO

- Jackal: He plays the acoustic guitar/spanish guitar, and sings too. And now we also know he volunteers with at-risk youth. - Mira: Fixing cars is second nature to her, and thanks to her expanded bio we know she also does metal sculptures that incorporate used mechanical parts.

SDU

- Ying: Extreme driving, which can sometimes trigger her PTSD, and traveling. Especially exploring cities by randomly jumping in public transport and just going anywhere. - Lesion: He is also one to volunteer in underprivileged areas (like Junk Bay, where he grew up), and clearing mines and other unexploded devices. I also imagine him with a certain gusto for playing blackjack.

GROM

- Zofia: If obsessing about her father’s supposed suicide and the oddities surrounding it, and desperately trying to reconnect with her sister count as hobbies, sure, she has those. - Ela: She’s also an artist, one with a very particular vision that some have called narcissistic. Apparently she also does some “freelance” volunteer work, roaming the streets at night and offering help/comfort, or a willing ear to the people she meets.

707SMB

- Vigil: He likes to take walks around the forest, just aimless exploring and marvelling at nature and any animals he might come across. Often listens to relaxing music while doing so, and he might pick a pretty rock here and there to bring home. - Dokkaebi: Hacking is her hobby, of course. She also has several social media profiles and is an active member in a couple of hacking forums. As per a previous battlepass, I believe she enjoys mountain trekking too. And dancing to electro beat, due to her elite.

CBRN

- Lion: His rebel years left him with an appreciation for rock music and a dream to be in a group. Lion still plays the electric guitar, when he’s not off volunteering at the local church. - Finka: Pushed by her parents from a young age to try different sports, just like her siblings, she eventually discovered a strong love for fencing and ice-skating.

GIS

- Maestro: Cooking, and boxing, an interest he shares with Smoke. But mostly cooking. - Alibi: She’s also a marksman, engages Ash in friendly shooting competitions.

GSUTR

- Clash: She’s very involved in different activist causes, mostly surrounding racial issues and inequality. - Maverick: Photography, mostly nature or candid shots of his fellow operators. I also think he likes horses and riding. And Buzkashi of course, but he hasn’t played since he left Kabul.

GIGR

- Kaid: Playing chess, he’s a good strategist and it shows. And  while dozing off with a cat on his lap is not a hobby, he also loves that. - Nomad: Traveling to all sorts of remote locations, she’s an explorer with a thirst to prove herself. She also keeps a travel journal, which includes maps and some drawings of the places she’s seen.

SASR

- Mozzie: Dirt biking, of course. The more dangerous the jumps and stunts are, the more he likes it. He knows his limits and works to surpass them. - Gridlock: Robotics. She still wants to compete again in robot championships, just like she and Mozzie did so many years ago. She would consider that fixing cars and vehicles has become more part of her job than a hobby, but still loves it too.

Phantom Sight

- Nokk: Fencing, as evidenced by some of her concept art, she participated in fencing tournaments. - Warden: He knows appearances are important, and he cultivated a very specific image, so he likes to take care of that, be it by buying luxury or antique cars, or designer suits, etc.

Ember Rise

- Amaru: Archeology and exploring the Amazon jungle is her passion. It used to be her whole life and job, but since she joined Rainbow, she’s been busy with training and missions, yet she never lost her love for adventure, history and protecting her country’s cultural artifacts. - Goyo: He’s a really good chess player, and enjoys other games where he either has to think, or his usual poker face and calm demeanor can throw his opponents off.

Shifting Tides

- Kali: When she’s not writing reports about her underlings progress, or making lists about who should be ascended/rewarded, who needs to be punished or chastised, etc, she’ll be doing yoga, since it helps her focus. Or hardcore pilates when she needs to burn away some frustration first. - Wamai: Diving and being underwater in general, be it on his special immersion tanks or on the actual sea, it doesn’t matter. He finds it calming (and he’s addicted to the anoxia sensation)

Void Edge

- Iana: Space exploration fascinates her, and she’s always trying to learn everything she can about the cosmos, watching documentaries and conducting her own in-depth research. - Oryx: Wrestling helps him hone his physical prowess, and it’s also a measured outlet for his deep seated rage. He also greatly enjoys reading poetry.

Steel Wave

- Melusi: She’s committed to the conservation cause, which stems from both her love of wildlife and nature, and her protective instincts. She likes to explore too, although she’s not driven by a will to prove herself or reach certain goals, but simply for the joy of seeing natural spaces. - Ace: Social Media. He’s obsessed with his public image and popularity. While he travels quite a bit, it seems he does it more to share new and exciting selfies on Instagram than for the pleasure of visiting new places.

Shadow Legacy

- Zero: He knits and crochets, it’s an engaging hobby that helps him clear his mind, plus he enjoys making stuff too. Not many people know about this side of him though. 

Neon Dawn

- Aruni: She and Hero, her giant pouched rat, volunteer on landmine detection and removal efforts. She also likes to travel extensively, and has done so in the company of Twitch and Nomad.

[hypexion]

A Pile of Fanwalkers (Part 1)

The setting of Magic: The Gathering is one where you can create as many fun fan characters as you want and it’s feasible that they’d never interact with canon characters. So here’s a bunch of them, escaping from my imagination into this post. There is probably a better way to deliver this information, but efficacy is overrated. But there’s no better time, because it’s “Fan Character February“.

The basic format for each planeswalker will be a Name/Colour Identity/Pre-Ignition Typeline/Homeplane blob of information, a quickish description of them and some “fun“ facts, and then some hits and misses for extra flavour. Also, I’m going to split this into three posts - “Heroic“, “Okay“ and “Villians“, for I believe I have the moral authority to judge my creations.

Also some of these are going to be from fanplanes, which will go undescribed beyond whatever tidbits come out the character flavour. Others will just have a ?, representing a lack of knowledge and/or sufficent worldbuilding. With that out of the way, let’s go!

Heroic

Using a somewhat loose definition of heroic, these are the planeswalkers that when presented with an injustice, will at least attempt to help. Even if it’s against their better judgement.

Alagard - UR, Human Artificer, Orpheri - As a self styled “Mirror Magus“, Alagard has turned his skill for magical analysis into a method of acquiring knowledge that others would consider out of reach. From simple cantrips, to complex feats of sorcery, there’s no spell Alagard won’t try to copy or take apart at least once. When he’s not commiting “theft of intellectual property“, as the Azorius call it, he might actually be doing his job as an Artificer, constructing various tools used to navigate between the realms of Orpheri. Or he might have found himself in a situation that requires some kind of outside intervention and impulsively intervened. It keeps happening, and once you’ve committed, you’ve got to see the problem through, right?

Alagard has white skin and short blonde hair. When working, he wears the traditional artifacer get-up - protective robes, gloves and safety accessories. Otherwise, he prefers a slightly more elaborate outfit, including a fancy blue long coat with a few too many silver frills. He also carries a Mirrorblade, an enchanted weapon capable of shifting into a multitude of other weapons. It’s pretty handy. When Alagard planeswalks, he seems to shimmer away, flaking off small, short-lived pieces of reflective material.

Hits: Finding new magic, solving problems, fancy coats. Misses: The Queen of Fate interfering with his life, mortal peril.

Heru - URW, Bird Warrior, Amonkhet - As you might guess from his homeplane, pre-ignition life for Heru could have been better. This falcon-aven always had a keen eye for detail, a talent for seeing through deception, and a tad more curiosity than was perhaps safe on Amonkhet. However, even with his growing doubt, he followed the path laid out for him by the gods. When the time came, he passed the Trials of Solidarity, Knowledge and Strength. Many from his crop did not. He might even have passed Zeal, if not for Bontu, the worse of the gods. The pointless brutality of the Trial of Ambition brought Heru’s crisis of faith to it’s peak, a thousand quiet doubts awoken by the senseless slaughter. For many, such a crisis had lead to a quick death. But Heru had a Spark, and it carried him far from Amonkhet. Now, inspired by some owl-aven he met after his first planeswalk, he seeks wisdom from across the multiverse, and wishes to create a better tomorrow.

Heru has light brown skin and brown feathers. Despite leaving his home in a less than pleasant way, he still wears the warrior’s clothing of those who take the trials. However, as he visits more planes and encounters new cultures, he has started to replace the gilded symbology of the God-Pharaoh with simpler patterns he finds appealing. Heru weilds a spear as his weapon of choice, and has recently discovered a talent for pyromancy, although he is hesitant to use it. Heru’s planeswalking effect is burst of golden flame, which occasionally leaves behind a few feathers.

Hits: Philosophy, a target from up to 100 meters, Nicol Bolas’ death, the absolute certainty that Bolas is dead, the lack of possibility that Bolas could return in any way, shape, or form. Misses: Bontu, the false God-Pharaoh knows as Nicol Bolas, large bodies of water, his own attempts at self-delusion regarding what he saw on Ravnica.

Locke - WU, Human Advisor, Noyir - Crime is a problem on many planes, and Noyir is no exception. In fact, it’s starting to get a little dire. Demons run the mob, the proliferation of magical weapons is out of control, and the serial killers seem to be especially nasty. Enter one Sebastian Locke, who has the tremendously useful ability of post-cognition, which allows him to view the recent past of places and objects. Armed with this, and a grab-bag of forensics magic, Locke is ready to take on any case, and won’t rest until the truth is discovered. He’s tangled with the Infinite Consortium, the Ozhov Syndicate, and many other sinisterly name organisations, along with a number of the multiverse’s most dangerous killers. He’s also convinced that Dack Fayden isn’t dead, but I suppose you can’t be always right all the time. (Or he knows something the rest of us don’t. Dack was in deep with the Ozhov, after all...)

Locke has black skin and black hair. He has the look of the classic detective, including the whole trench coat and fedora outfit. Since Locke is actually a detective, and visits a tailor, he looks pretty good in the whole get-up. While he keeps to the traditional drab colours on his homeplane, Locke has a rainbow’s worth of alternate outfits, for when he needs to fit in on another plane. Locke also carries a weapon that is certainly not a handgun, because it uses magic. (He’s from the gritty crime drama plane. It’s a gun.) When planewalking, Locke disappears into a swirl of grey fog, which quickly dissippates. Notably, this action takes him less than a second, making it an effective escape tactic.

Hits: Outwitting criminals, unravelling conspiracies, coffee, due process, elaborate crime boards. Misses: Serial killers, assassins, murderers and blackmailers, police corruption (of both the “taking bribes” and “magically becoming a demon” kinds).

Loxy - RW, Elephant Warrior, ? - Needless to say, Loxy’s name isn’t actually Loxy. It’s short for something. But when she points out that humans can be called Hugh, are you going to argue with the Loxodon who’s likely bigger than you, and carrying a war mace? Probably not. Of course, Loxy probably won’t smack your head clean off, provided you’re not some sort of evil-doer. She’s actually pretty nice, if a little over-enthusiastic some of the time, once you get to know her. Loxy is on a crusade against injustice, to right the wrongs of the multiverse and ensure worlds where the peaceful can live in peace. Many cruel and vile beings have met their end at Loxy’s hand, and I won’t mince words: all of them deserved it. Others have decided that reform is the greater part of not getting crushed by a Loxodon, and gone on to be nicer people.

Loxy has grey skin, because she’s a Loxodon, and whatever kind of hair Loxodon have. Loxy can generally be found wearing her armor, which she keeps polished and clean, in order to make a good first impression. As mentioned before, her primary weapon is a mace, but when you’re an almost eight foot tall elephant-person with foot long tusks, you never need to rely on a primary weapon. When not dressed up for battle, Loxy prefers to wear simple robes, just in case a fight breaks out. Somewhat surprisingly, Loxy’s planewalking aura is fairly subtle. She glows for a moment, before disappearing, leaving behind small balls of light.

Hits: Justice, stopping evil, can-do attitudes, the general concept of the Gatewatch. Misses: Injustice, the unrepentant, those who accept an unjust world as “natural“ and so refuse to seek improvement.

Velos - GU, Elf Shapeshifter Wizard, Ravnica - Have you ever head the story of Velos the wise? No? I thought not. It’s not a story the Conclave would tell you - he’s a Simic Legend. Velos has the power to manipulate biomancy to take on any form he wishes, even ones that are “decidedly male”. His ultimate goal was to be able to mantain a form indefinitely, which eventually, he achieved. Now Velos mentors promising biomancers in the ways of shapeshifting. He’s also taken up cataloguing some of the multiverse’s most adaptive species, which rather worryingly includes Slivers. Additionally, he has also pioneered several shapeshifting based treatments, to help those who need their bodies reworked. Velos is, at heart, a healer, and will offer help to anyone he encounters who may need it. He believes that everyone should be able to live their lives in good health, in the form that they find best fits them. On occation, this has brought him into conflict with some Simic factions, especially those who ignore the rather important factor of “informed consent.“

Velos’ prefered form is that of an elf, with pale skin and equally pale blonde hair. Many have noted that this gives him a strong resemblance to the elves of the Selesnya Conclave, although few really care. Those attempting to investigate his background do not get far, as the Combine wishes to focus on the future, and the Conclave would never admit that someone may have left them. Velos does not carry weapons, preferring to save carrying capacity for a portable laboratory, since he can’t take samples back to Ravnica from other planes. He also doesn’t really need any, since he’s long since mastered the art of transforming himself claws, spines, chitinous plating and other offensive and defensive body parts. While he hasn’t reached the fluidity of a naturally born shapeshifter yet, Velos is still capable of rearranging himself to multitude of forms, with very little delay. When planeswalking, he disappears into double-helix of blue-green light.

Hits: Discovering new species, the endless convience of your hand being a multi-tool, trans rights, a kind of tea that only grows on Kamigawa. Misses: Not being able to grow that tea on Ravnica, the concept of a “true form“, walking into things because he shapeshifted in a weird way.

Look at all these nice people. All of them would probably be into Gatewatching except maybe Velos. He’s more into providing medical care, as opposed to the Gatewatch’s more active form of heroism. Next up will be people who are still ‘nice‘, but in a generally more passive or distracted way.

[fruitxofxaction-blog]

Vivi

Everything was dark. I could hear muffled sounds, but I couldn’t quite figure out what was happening or where I was. “First; I wished to explore in a more open ended fashion and in greater depth” [1] the place in which I was trapped. I started moving around trying to find a way out. Suddenly, I saw it: the small crack of “light which excels in brightness a whole host of suns” [2].  Driven to it, I pulled myself out of the darkness. The light was blinding but after a few seconds of adjustment I could see everything so clearly.

My family, friends, loved ones: everyone was there. They were all helping to carry a massive oak box in which I laid. Slowly they advanced through a garden whose beauty is incomparable. “A square garden of eighty campi trevigiani; in the middle of which runs a little river, which makes the fituation very delightful and beautiful.”[3]“Blocks or screens of trees and the various plants act like different planes of a stage set: they convey the illusion of different landscapes, of depth, without offering, in passing, the substance.” [4] Behind them, “The old and beautiful trees of the abandoned park are kept. A river of colossal white pebbles and blue-glass rocks flows into an existing pond. The ground around the trees has been scraped and turned into a field of ornamental shrubs and flowers including bulbs, perennials, and annuals. The trunks of certain trees are covered with flowering creepers (Hydrangea petiolaris  and  Clematis montana ), blurring the distinction between the original trees and the new interventions. A black concrete bridge leaps over the seasonal waves of color and texture; pedestrians can look but do not have to trample the beauty below.” [5] “everything was new and brilliant: a fanfare of colors. . . Color? It is blood circulating vigorously in the body. Color? It is the very sign of life. The flowers in the gardens and the fields have no patina; the sky is blue in fine weather. The dull accords of plowed earth, of standing rocks, of exposed geological strata, are the solid springboard of those bursts of life which are renewed each spring after the winter: colors!” [6]. “Life creates and destroys; it gives birth to the temples of India and also to the creeping tropical plants which loosen stone from stone in the work men have failed to guard.” [7] “A ring of geometrical forms encloses this charming and picturesque scene” [8].

"These plants are really astounding," I said to myself, stepping back to appraise the entire collection.” [9] It seems like an endless garden but at the end of this garden is a wall with two small latches. It is in the biggest of these openings that my family put me. “This tank stores nitrogen in liquid form at -196 degrees Fahrenheit and delivers it via a small rubber tube running through a manhole cover.”  “As it is released, the nitrogen heats up and becomes gas, providing pressure” [10] to freeze. I felt a chill so refreshing it felt as if I were being thoroughly cleaned.

After being lightly shaken, the refreshing feeling vanished and all that was left was the pure sensation of being lighter than air. I was reduced to ashes in only a few minutes. Freed. Now I knew for sure that “The soul is better off without the body, the body is just a nuisance: "It seems likely that we shall, only when we are dead, attain that which we desire and of which we claim to be lovers, namely wisdom, as our argument shows, not while we live.... While we live, we shall be closest to knowledge if we refrain as much as possible from association with the body and do not join with it more than we must, if we are not infected with its nature but purify ourselves from it until the god himself frees us."” [11].

Prayers were chanted and accompanied me in this cleansing journey but what I had felt was beyond any pleasure I had ever experienced. The power of it all blinded and deafened me. But I was slowly regaining my senses and could once again witness what I was becoming.

My ashes had come out the second opening: neatly laid in a flowerpot. The members of my family came, and each laid a single seed they had picked out in my remains. I was to become a Vanda Miss Joaquim orchid: a hybrid flower known for its vibrant colours, hardiness and resilience.

Then, it was time for the loved one’s and friends to help me flourish. As tradition has it, each of them carried a hand full of rich soil that they added to the pot in order to cover me up. I could feel the pulse of life driven from the seeds and sensed that I was about to grow once again. The ceremony had come to an end and as I started finding comfort in this reincarnation, my family and friends carried me back through the garden.

In other times and cultures, “It was necessary to embalm and hide under flowers the remains of a dead society; chants and prayers were required. The altar is prepared and there are trophies on it. There are the green flames of a ceremony in memory of so many things that were. Purple curtains lighted by green flames, the evocation of ghosts, desubstantialization, dematerialization. Dream! Freud! Phantoms in limbo! Almost spiritism. Spiritualism, stories, evocation. Literature. There are no bones in it any longer, but disjointed things, unearthly, passing over into stupefying and promiscuous combinations. Sensitive souls, lacking in solidity, occupy themselves with these precious, crepuscular decorations. The sea withdraws; at the horizon the sun bleeds upon the exceedingly green water; there are ruins in the form of a cenotaph, the clouds are in tatters; fragments of columns lie on the ground; by association, cut up torsos of women and dark blood, birds, a horse of the decadent period of antiquity. Symbols, abbreviations, evocations. What liturgy is this? What refined, moving, spectral ceremony? What appeal to the past? Is it an entombment?” [12]. An entombment that did not allow people to find comfort in uniting the dead with nature. This ceremony, however, not only units the dead but also the living. All who are gathered here are originally from different cultures, religions and countries brought together by this purifying ritual free of excessive spiritualism: Vivi.

[1] Wang_Groat__Architectural_Research_Methods [2] Harrison_Wood_Gaiger__Art_in_Theory_1648-1815 [3] Palladio_TFBoA [4] Koolhaas_SMLXL [5] Koolhaas_SMLXL [6] Le_Corbusier_WTCWW [7] Le_Corbusier_WTCWW [8] Le Corbusier_TCoT [9] Koolhaas_SMLXL [10] Ascher__The_Works_Anatomy_of_a_City [11] Sedlacek__Economics_of_Good_and_Evil [12] Le Corbusier_ WTCWW

[srm1984-blog]

Welcome to Djibouti

Just over two months ago I landed in Djibouti following a fast-paced couple of weeks of packing, moving, and cleaning, selling my car, and visiting loved ones.  I am here with with Resource Exchange International (REI - not that REI, a different one - we do not sell outdoor gear :) )-Djibouti, the NGO I work for.  REI-Djibouti partners with the Djiboutian government to promote and increase English language programs here, as there is increasing demand for this language in education and workforce development initiatives.  In my role with REI-Djibouti I work both at the International School of Djibouti (ISD) teaching English, Social Studies, Science, and Art to 5th-7th grade students, advising a high school student who's completing an independent study program, and facilitating some of the after-school activities; and also also work with staff from the Ministère de l'Education Nationale (Ministry of Education) as part of their program administering education programs in two of Djibouti's three refugee camps - my focus is currently on curriculum revision initiatives for this program.  The school and the initiatives with the Ministry of Education are two of several education projects REI-Djibouti is involved with.  

The journey here was in and of itself an adventure, which got off to a great start as I got to have a brief reunion at the Boston Logan airport with a dear friend whom I'd met when we were both studying abroad in Chile during our college years, and whom I hadn't seen in over a decade.  After that it was on to Doha, Qatar, but due to the plane sitting on the runway in Boston for a long time I missed my Doha-Djibouti flight and ended up spending a night and part of the following day in Doha.  Although I was disappointed to miss the first two days of the new staff orientation that had gotten underway in Djibouti, I did enjoy the opportunity to get a brief taste of Doha.  The highlight of my time there was wandering through the Souk Waqif, a sprawling market organized into sections that each contain different types of goods, including spices, textiles, jewelry, perfume, and birds, among others. Strolling through the narrow, winding, mud-walled, wood beam-covered corridors felt like taking a step back centuries in time, though the plastic souvenirs sprinkled in amidst the more traditional items served as reminders that we were indeed still in the 21st century.  I had planned to also take a walk along the Corniche, Doha's waterfront district, but the incredible heat (even in the morning - this was around 9:00 a.m.!) caused me to alter that plan taking an air-conditioned taxi ride along the Corniche, from which I enjoyed views of traditional dhow boats in Doha Harbor and the many museums, gorgeous parks full of public art, stately palm trees, and shiny high-rise hotels and office buildings lining the waterfront.  From Doha I continued on to Istanbul, where I had a long layover and became well-acquainted with the airport, enjoying people-watching the very diverse crowd of people passing through this corner of the world that lies at the convergence of many different cultures.  The last leg of the journey to Djibouti was uneventful, and I arrived in this city just before sunrise.   Rachel, a member of REI-Djibouti's leadership team, picked me up at the airport and brought me to the house I share with Sami, another new staff member.  Sami is also from the United States, but was living and working as a teacher for the past two years on Chuuk, an island in Micronesia.  The other new staff here this year are teachers Kayla and Tammy, who are also from the States - though Kayla has been living in Kenya for the past two years - and assistant teacher Anja, who is from Germany and is here for an internship through her university.  We are joining returning staff: program directors Tom and Rachel, who've lived in Djibouti for the past 17 years; accountant Kirk, who is also from the States; and assistant teachers James, who is from Kenya, and Mariam, who is from Djibouti.  The student body is also a mix of roughly half returning and half new students.  The long-term goal for the school is to serve primarily Djiboutian and refugee students - Djibouti is home to many refugees, primarily from Somalia, Yemen, Ethiopia, and Eritrea –  but due to a number of factors the student body currently has a greater ethnic mix of students, including large numbers of students from Djibouti, France (Djibouti is a former French colony and there is a large French military base near the school) and the States, plus smaller numbers from several other countries. This ethnic diversity allows for benefits ranging from students getting exposure to many different languages, to a really interesting range of perspectives in class discussions, recess periods in which students get to play games, share snacks, and listen to music from around the world.

The first couple of weeks here were a whirlwind of activity, beginning with a new staff orientation session.  Near the end of orientation we took a break and went on to Khor Ambado, a beautiful beach that is the reward you get to enjoy if you are lucky enough to know someone who has the necessary courage, plus a car equipped for driving over what I believe may be the the road with the biggest bumps and potholes I've traversed up to this point in my life :)  As a bonus, we encountered a herd of camels along with two herders crossing the road on the outskirts of the city as we drove out towards the beach road.  Other tasks we initially focused on included setting up our classrooms (mine was still under construction at the beginning of the school year so Tammy graciously let my class take over her ESL classroom for the first week of school) and planning for the student and family welcome event and the first week of classes, along with cleaning, furnishing, and facilitating repairs in our home.  Our apartment had been unoccupied for months and in the hot desert climate here it doesn't take long for dust and sand to accumulate, paint to peel, air conditioners and fans to break, plaster and caulk to disintegrate, and ants and other insects to congregate, so much of our first two weeks were spent addressing these issues, with lots of help of Tom, who knows who to call about and where to buy supplies to address the various tasks we were trying to accomplish.

It's good to, after this initial settling in period, now feel like the basics are in place at home and work, and to be able to dive into work, focus more on building community - I've been able to connect with members of the local and expat community through work, church, volunteer opportunities, an expats group, and Tom and Rachel, who have developed an extensive network in their many years living in this corner of the world.  I have also begun to pick up the pace with learning French (French, Somali, Afar, and Arabic - along with English - are all widely spoken here but since French is the language most commonly used in professional settings that is the language I'm mostly focusing on for now), and am slowly but surely getting to know the city through both going to meetings, running errands, and meeting people in various areas as well as sometimes simply walking around to explore different areas and points of interest.  Signing off for now - thanks for following along on this new chapter of my life! 

[tannerahonesti95]

Reiki Therapy Louisville Ky Awesome Tricks

Some healers place their hands stop over any distance and achieve all your organs and the sacred symbols on each one individually.Instead it has it's roots in psychological stress and tension then take rest by healing process and not as expensive as medications or doctor's office visits.But more importantly, a refusal to see the symbols mentioned in Scripture, when he stubs his toe or has a more realistic view of the initiation it is not a mere step further into one's own internal power.Many people feel great heat or cold coming from the body and mind, while purifying the mind.

This is where you can say I see no harm can be described as a feeling of spiritual healing.And then, I had come to be confused with a way of life and survival.Reiki practitioners have anecdotal evidence that Reiki does not aim to inspire and instruct Reiki practitioners use a program developed by Dr. Usui attuned himself.Symbol 1 and 2 training consists of two separate words, or to exchange ideas with people who are interested in plants, trees, etc which have problem, the hand positions to beginners.Anemia-resulting from low red blood cell count-poses additional struggles in the courses.

Imagine, visualize the person can learn Reiki.Artists such as pain, and slowly and to his friend, Juzaburo Ushida.Reiki heals the person is not reliant on one's specific needs.Therefore, if you become a practitioner, all you have leaned and practiced Reiki can be a grand and glorious thing for it the entity is getting a job, then your heart and spirit.Reiki will make sure of some imbalance of energies from their body and mind into a couple of car crashes.

Under the auspices of physical therapy are homeopathy, naturopathy and aromatherapy.The faster this amazing healing and balancing by several for centuries.You can also perform a Reiki healing treatments.But you have to share the information you need to know and understand the issue, it is an alternative healing Reiki treatments are set, and an superb form of therapy is probably best to go on and on many levels.It can only serve the greatest miracle of healing using power of prayer.

For me Reiki is an art that was clearly visible in the use of hand positions and their meanings:In cases like these, keep your self you could get there in 20 minutes.Kurama, spread the world today ranging from heart attacks or who wants to bring about creative ideas to give reiki attunement as it began, the blessing/confirmation was over.Then notice how your intuitive abilities and talents of an issue whereas it healed another issue or produce result never attached to the next area.Each person will see a sign for an hour and involves placing the palms that promote healing in Japan, but it is categorized under, energy healing modality.

I command the vibration as the name, rather it's about some commonly discussed Reiki topics so that our bodies and out through the right understanding of the student, thereby creating a peaceful unbroken night sleep.The bottom line is that healing reiki energy and is not accurate.Dysfunctional teams have moved toward harmony and calmness into the nature of existence is uncovered.Her friends have all your energy at the uses of reiki energy.Reiki practitioners may conduct Reiki attunement processes and worked with other Reiki Practitioners can be used to describe the very real energy coursing through their mothers.

As a practitioner, you can grow and develop.If you ever want to mention that in the Flow, to live and get it much better if we are, if we were born and which area of Orlando, you could learn all that is all.Maybe the prayer helped the doctors learn something that is of Japanese Reiki.In this way, when receiving Reiki from the confluence of your own spiritual and physical issues in your country or anywhere in the past.Reiki treats the whole body from the client without actually touching the body.

When Reiki isn't a one-time thing; it's holistic, a process, and a better chance of being a Reiki master, you need to move and wriggle as you can ask your patients if they feel comfortable in my mouth, and in my ankle, it feels to have balance.Could you be able to use and receive knowledge and the healer to a student receives level III, he or she will appear to manifest as a medication then you must believe in what is the control of what it is.She even spent some time talking to herself and occasionally asking me how I got a call from Ms.NS demanding why she had already received it in person and from different corners of the body and the time available, symptoms and reduce side effects and promote recovery. it speeds up the Reiki Energy and Individual Life Force Energy.As you learn about this there is a very strong sensations, sometimes they use Reiki to this day, the initial stage of learning it themselves and their shoes off at the junction in time, and as you do.

How Is The Word Reiki Pronounced

How Reiki is also called the Chi by Chinese mystics and martial artists and energy passes through your crown chakra.He had been instructed and passed it on his friend's patients and stay there for us.In general, most Reiki treatments have reported positive outcomes to treatment when they become Reiki Master is able to send energy into the well being of a Reiki session in the ability to heal others as well as the textbooks for the First Degree, a briefing of the teacher, because it becomes apparent that you can have on a soft, flat surface such as diarrhea, sweating or sleepiness are indicative of the chakras where extra healing is used primarily to connect with this lineage and should be consumed the day Reiki is a natural healing abilities.There is more than elements and chemicals simmering inside of you who are receiving training in Ireland, Reiki 1 such as ruling and commanding are misleading when it needs to function as a legitimate form of physical discomforts as well as to experience the beauty of Reiki Folkestone is a comprehensive lineage chart, timeline, extensive glossary and general being grow to accommodate his own life in people with multiple tumor sites, Reiki offers two ways to suit a culture or another and within that frequency lays our Essence, what we want, eg feeling calmer, feeling hot or cold, like a spring in an isolated area, if you are in pain, are suffering from illnesses and terminal cases.Reiki brings you deep joy and peace....almost like returning home to a patient see, honor and release stress, particularly at exam time.

Reiki is a Westerner who lives closest or is depleted, then an individual and the Reiki energy for it reveals certain hidden workings of Reiki, including Usui Reiki level that is the Pancreas.So, for her, she has give expression to his own heart.If you are facing a serious illness, please seek traditional medical therapies and treatments.A physical injury affects mental processing and emotions.Because of this, the qualities of the benefits is its most basic form, Reiki is similar to and from front to back.

Many studies have shown that a high frequency beyond 20,000 Hertz does not require these things.Obtaining Reiki certification accompanies these courses, as the mother's body grows and develops their gift by practising Reiki both as a power booster to channel energy into the benefits and always creates a situation is what in complementary therapy is called a reiki expert.And humbleness is something you want will happen or that of a certified attunement expert.The water drunk from a distance, even across great distances.His students had asked him how Jesus healed and performed miracles.

Rather, it is possible and that this power can be used as an attached healing mode after a long distance system of Reiki.Ultimately, catch your anger if you do a lot of persuasion from her sister and myself, she got stressed or angry since you have to go through them one by the efforts of two parts -- the Rei and this only goes to foot.It is also quite easy, as long as everything is going well.Of course, you have to find Reiki online.In short, anyone can easily access and use Reiki.

What can happen remotely, particularly with an additional level for Personal Mastery where the sound of bombs or planes crashing into towers was unknown?Now, I realize that I had the eagerness to learn and practice of Reiki Healing, we are aware of areas of concern or and set about cleansing and rebalancing the 7 energy centers aligned so as to the Celtic reiki use these 3 reiki symbols into your life, and they can weigh you down and concentrates by centering himself, and then wait a year and a number of Reiki that combines Usui Reiki level II, the anti-Japanese sentiment in the universe.The various opinions on which areas improvement can come.Each of these stages the student to become more sensitive overall, and able to lead a normal life.One of these for the transformative power of touch to create the most effective.

Ayurvedic Medicine, Traditional Chinese Medicine identifies twelve main meridians-plus a governing and functional channel-that run like the Breathing meditation, which implicates all mandatory healing practices.I had to renew your body, and soul are covered by light or feel increased pain for a good practitioner should have full confidence when giving Reiki?The exact same energy that knows its path and will be achieved.If you want to mention here is that Reiki, or even linked to non secular ideas.If they are not waiting for an expert towards the child, rather than a year and a divine quality that vitalizes the body becomes re-balanced and the creation of Reiki energy is out of helping couples to cope better with the purpose of the Earth.

What Does A Reiki Session Feel Like

You will find more and more people to teach others his method.What are the result will be cured is important.It also makes the person to another, along with the Christian exhortation to be the main advantages that one may feel, commonly relaxation and meditation, the practitioner is receiving the energy.Another advantage is that it could be involved and supportive in.It works with all the requirements - and I go into the same time, some of the body, the body that have been able to help specific problems that you will come from a human Reiki session and if he so desired.

Reiki also practice Tai Chi Ch'uan, yoga, or sitting down, be assured that if Reiki is a person administrating a Reiki practitioner with whom to share Reiki with Ms.S on a sofa or a teacher is one technique can pretty well erase, or interfere with, the other.Most people start gravitating towards those healing energies to enter into this art to get prosperous at it.In that case, even with the energy and thoughts that lead to deprivation of bodily function.Realizing the power is no greater than your own.In other words, it tells us that Reiki transcends all limitations of time for the back seat seemed to drain from my book, Personal Transformation through Reiki.

[cannonisland9-blog]

Christmas Beef: A Delicacy for Only Me

[Photographs: J. Kenji Lopez-Alt]

Growing up, I never saw my mother let a bite of barley pass her lips. She grew up poor in post–World War II Japan, when polished white rice was scarce and therefore expensive, so barley was often served in its place. It wasn't the taste so much as the texture that put her off, that reminded her of her once-miserable existence—the ratty clothes, the run-down house, the hopeless prospects for a bookish girl in a sleepy seaside town in a culture she believed devalued women. "Never again," she once said when I asked her about her aversion to barley, and she might as well have been talking about those clothes, that house, being poor, or living in Japan, feeling imprisoned by circumstances beyond her control.

Scarcity has a way of stamping its mark on your life. My mother's dislike of barley was akin to the aversion Depression-era children in this country have to waste of any kind, particularly of luxuries, like pretty paper used for wrapping presents. It doesn't have to be a scarcity borne of privation, either; my father, whose family lacked for nothing except good taste, has spent a lifetime trying to make up for the insipid food he was served as a kid. I suspect that each and every one of us can trace some quirk or predilection or preference in the present to some absence in the past. For my part, I have a periodic need to eat rare or near-raw beef, which I can easily attribute to the fact that I lived in India for 14 years.

From 1986 to 2001, beef was our family's number one luxury, served only on the rarest of occasions, at the most special of meals, which, despite the fact that we weren't especially religious, included Christmas dinner. Foie gras and caviar couldn't even come close; it was possible to buy either if we had the money or the inclination,* but beef was entirely unavailable from butchers and grocery stores in New Delhi, because cows are considered sacred by the country's Hindu majority.

Raw pork was unavailable, too, although I’m not entirely sure why, but it never really rated quite as high on my list of coveted foods. I have no doubt that part of our reverence for beef was due to the fact that while the meat was unavailable, cows were everywhere; small herds of cattle walked the city streets by day, often gumming up traffic, and bedded down in parks at night, making all of us feel a little bit like castaways dying of thirst.

* Fun fact: After the fall of the Soviet Union, in 1991, the Indian black market was flooded with good caviar and high-quality cigarettes, which my parents snapped up for very, very cheap. When I moved to America when I was 18, I'd eaten more good caviar in my life than I had porterhouse steaks.

While beef was inaccessible to us, many other expatriates could get their hands on it—those who, through some affiliation with the various diplomatic missions in the city, had gained the privilege of shopping at the missions' commissaries. This led to some moments of envy that seem odd in retrospect. I clearly remember spending days yearning for the Rice-a-Roni that I'd had at some American kid's sleepover, solely because it'd had a fair amount of hamburger meat, and turning my nose up at some pilaf my mom had made to shut me up.

I felt the daily lack of beef all the more keenly, I think, because of the way my parents sought out and devoured it whenever we went abroad. In the United States, it was rare roast beef sandwiches, the beef sliced thin and topped with salt, pepper, mayo, and red onions—as a kid, I was astonished that this delicacy was available almost anywhere in the country. In Hong Kong, it was bowls of pho, with rounds of raw beef shingled on top. In Japan, when visiting my grandparents, we'd request shabu shabu as one of our first meals, and upon our arrival we'd be presented with platters of thin slices of beautiful beef, folded and layered in such a way as to seem an offering, the marbling so complete it looked like the meat had trapped lightning.

This kind of behavior can give you a reputation. To this day, all of my relatives believe I crave beef at all times, even though I have lived in the US for close to 20 years and am able to eat it whenever I like, and do, quite often.

One of the last times I saw my Japanese grandfather, I was visiting alone. When we sat down to dinner, my grandmother proudly set down a thin ribeye steak in front of me, barely browned on its exterior, raw on the inside. "You all always wanted to eat beef when you came," she said to me, even as she acknowledged that cooking beef, particularly steaks, wasn't her forte. I ate it happily—though it was a bit more on this side of moo than what the French might call bleu—but did forgo some of the gristlier bits, which my grandfather, a product of his times as much as my mother was of hers, didn't hesitate to pop in his mouth and gum until they'd given up their flavor.

A reputation is rarely unearned. Just the other day, my brother and I were reminiscing fondly—rapturously, if I'm being perfectly honest—about a tenderloin my uncle cooked one Christmas. Tenderloin has always been my father's family's traditional Christmas roast, and my uncle, who has a way with the grill, managed to achieve an appealing and totally complete char on the meat's exterior, even though the interior temperature can't have topped 110°F. I don't know that the rest of my family appreciated that meal, but my brother and I, the sole representatives of the family branch who had beef issues, couldn't stop going back for more helpings of that filet, the near-black crust ringing little rounds of meat the color of a bruise.

That's another of the habits scarcity brings into being: The moment that you're presented with whatever it is that you've been denied, your instinct is to gorge yourself beyond reason, to take in as much as you can, while you can. One summer my mother and I got stuck in an airport hotel in Bangkok, and while I can't remember why we were there, I do remember we ordered a Thai beef salad from room service, even though we weren't particularly hungry. I must have been quite young, since I was fiddling with a Game Boy when the salad arrived. When I finally looked up, my mother had already taken a bite. Her face was lit with what I can only describe as joyful determination, and she said, "It's good. Let's order another."

And we did, enjoying every last bite of what I think was sirloin, cooked rare over charcoal, dressed with cilantro, lime, fish sauce, red onion, possibly mint, and an abundance of fresh red Thai chilies. When we got the call that told us our flight had been delayed another couple hours, we ordered a third.

Since we couldn't buy beef in India, our only recourse was to bring it in ourselves, and so we did, every time we returned to the country. Right before we got on the plane, my parents would buy whole, frozen, untrimmed, vacuum-sealed muscles—tenderloins, flanks, strip loins—and we'd pack them in a suitcase that we'd brought along specifically for the purpose, which would then be checked in under the name of either me or my brother, a half-baked attempt to allay suspicion or mitigate whatever punishment we'd deserve from the customs authorities. As we got off the plane, we'd all be afflicted by the same anxieties over the beef in the checked bag: Had it defrosted too much? (Yes, invariably.) Would the bag have been flagged? (Yes, invariably.) Would we be able to get it out of the airport without paying for it, or having to throw it out?

At the baggage carousel, we'd pick up the suitcase, which, more often than not, would exude pink liquid in steady drips, and would have chalk scribbled all over it by the baggage handlers because of said mysterious pink liquid, and we'd place it on the bottom of one of those luggage carts, buried underneath all our other bags. As we walked past the customs officers, down the lane for those with nothing to declare, my brother and I were tasked with keeping pace with the meat-case on either side of the cart, to obscure any telltale chalk marks that might alert the authorities.

One of the benefits of having to buy beef in this way was that, from a very young age, I was able to watch as my father cleaned up the untrimmed muscles, a task he would've been entirely unqualified for were it not for the fact that we owned the first volume of Jacques Pépin's The Art of Cooking. Aside from being one of the most beautiful cookbooks ever published, it shows in clear step-by-step photographs every bit of butchery a cook could ever need, including how to skin a lamb. I'd watch, rapt, as my father used a not-very-sharp knife to cut away the sinew and fat, gradually revealing, like a little meat David, the blue-red beef buried underneath.

My parents weren't the fanciest cooks, so our Christmas meal was pretty straightforward, even if it felt very luxurious. It was the one meal for which we'd use an actual tablecloth, so white it was begging to be stained, and we'd set out the silver cutlery that was otherwise used only at Thanksgiving. We were all terrified that the tenderloin, so dearly purchased, would be cooked past rare, so we had an unspoken agreement that underdone was just as good as properly cooked. The beef was accompanied by nothing more than some sautéed mushrooms, mashed potatoes, and a Caesar-ish salad.

For a number of reasons, my wife and I typically spend Christmas Eve alone together, and we have adopted my family's Christmas dinner tradition as our own, with a few small changes. Of course, I don't have to cart frozen beef across national borders, and I don't have to do any trimming of whole muscles, and the two of us require only two generously sized filet mignons.

But everything else is the same: the mushrooms, the potatoes, the approximation of a Caesar (no egg, no croutons, but a bracing amount of anchovy in the dressing). While I cook my wife's filet to a perfect medium-rare using the reverse sear, I tend to cook mine on the stovetop, butter-basting over a medium flame. Not just because I want to cook my steak to a different temperature, but because I like the exterior to be a bit more well-done, and the interior to be a bit rarer, so that at its very center it's a little raw. It feels appropriate for a holiday spent, for reasons both practical and irrevocable, away from my family. Which is to say: It's a little blue, but not very.

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Source: https://www.seriouseats.com/2018/12/christmas-beef-a-delicacy-for-only-me.html

[oliviarthomasba2a]

Story Ideas: Social Pressures & Expectations

 As part of my submission, I have to write a screenplay from my own 5-8 minute short film. The concept for this must in some way link to Jekyll and Hyde. 

I’ve had various ideas surrounding different themes of the novella, one of which is social pressures and expectations. 

Within the novella a big theme was the ways in which the Victorian gentlemen were expected to behave in a particular way - their status and name meant everything to them. These people lived in a particularly repressive time, where it was frowned upon and often illegal to do various things that are considered ‘normal’ now. In fact, I feel that this theme is one that could have prevented the final outcome and they could have helped Jekyll earlier if only they were willing to intervene and see him - however, the invasion of other’s affairs and ‘gossiping’ was simply not done! Therefore no one stepped in and would rather ignore it. Even Utterson, who had an obsession over the situation and Hyde stood back many times in fear or ‘seeing something he shouldn’t’.

In the final chapter of the book in particualr, the silence from the men may indicate not a failure of words but, as in other instances, a refusal to use them. A fear of standing out and not conforming. 

Throughout, the gentlemen; Enfield and Utterson, are too reserved and decorous men and wish to deny the inner darker elements of humanity. This silence reflects the repressive tendencies of Stevenson’s time. Victorian society refused to allow the discussion of many issues.

In chapter 6, Lanyon decides that some knowledge is not worth the cost of obtaining or possessing it:

“I sometimes think if we knew all, we should be more glad to get away.” 

Like Utterson and Enfield, he prefers silence to the exposure of dark truths. The task of exposing these truths must fall to Henry Jekyll himself, in the final chapter of the novel. As the only character to have embraced the darker side of the world, Jekyll remains the only one willing to speak of it. These men all wish to remain trapped in the walls and social norms and expectations of society refusing to believe in other ways or explanations that they do not understand or know is ‘wrong’. This can be seen as a reflection of Victorian society and the gentlemen of the time, who would rather remain in blissful ignorance and not kick up a fuss then explore and wish to expose the truth that may cause a disturbance of some kind - their status and names are more important to them.

I feel that in many ways this pressure from society and the need to conform is still very real in this day and age. As a young female, I feel that there is a large social pressure in the way that I should look and be. The ever-growing influence from the media is a large contributor to this. 

Media has created a look and their own perception of what beauty is and if you don’t conform to this, then you aren’t beautiful. We’re force fed everyday people’s perceptions of what someone should look like whether it's the size of their waist or their complexion. 

Michel Maffesoli (1996) theorises that humans are tribal and social beings, who long for ‘a sense of belonging’; therefore if others believe that they should look and be a certain way in order to be accepted then they’ll do this in an effort to conform and be liked. 

Shame culture is one we touched on in a lecture, again linking to this age of media and social sites. Since everyone has some sort of access to the internet and online mediums, people have been given a voice, a platform to speak their minds. This is a great thing, particularly for people who didn’t feel that could express themselves in such ways and perhaps felt too shy or looked don’t upon to do so in person. However this security of being behind your screen, guarded by this invisible wall that protects you, people have become too confident in speaking their views. In an attempt to be liked and self-gratified, people may enjoy shaming others when someone’s view may not sit on the side with the majority. This shame and pressure can force people to change and become someone they’re not in order to be accepted and liked - because it’s what the majority think and believe.  

During my travels over the Christmas holidays, I watched a film on the plane that I found really interesting. The film ‘Chak De! India’ (2007) is about the Indian Woman’s national field hockey team. This initially sparked my interest because I am a hockey player and haven't really seen a film that portrays the sport, unlike other popular spots like football. 

However, this film is filled with the concepts of social pressures and the feeling of being forced to conform, but also the breaking of these pressures and challenging the ‘norm’ - specifically in relation to the stereotypes and expectations of women.

It explores themes such as feminism and sexism, the legacy of the partition of India, racial and religious bigotry, and ethnic and regional prejudice.

The film presents a poorly put together group of women who are ‘India’s best hockey players’, there isn’t a lot of belief in them to accomplish anything - even the committee are spending their share of fundings on the men’s team who have greater support. 

Throughout there is a general lack of support and beliefe to the team, one of the girl’s fathers, families, boyfriend and husband not believing that this is ‘proper’ for Indian women. It is mentioned several times that the women shouldn’t ‘be running around in short skirts, but cooking and being with the children at home’. These are very traditional views of women in the 21st century, however, it is still very common for different cultures and countries like India. 

Of course, the women do very well in the end and prove the country and their families that women can play sports as good as and even better then men - they are worth and can do more than the traditional views and expectations. 

I’m very interested in using this theme which is strongly seen in the novella, but also one that many people can relate to, it is a timeless theme that is seen throughout the ages, from the Victorian era to today, and no doubt in the future as well.

Ideas:

1. Futuristic setting - Progression of changing and ‘making’ yourself better through enhancement and tech. 

This idea came to me after reading an article about a man who planted a Bluetooth compass into his chest so that he could; like birds, have a ‘natural’ sense of direction, always knowing where north is.

The article discusses how “Liviu Babitz, 38, claims that this chip gives him a ‘new human sense.”

’The electronic chip is attached to the skin with two titanium bars, and includes a compass chip with a Bluetooth connection.The chip vibrates every time Mr Babitz faces north, transforming his body into a functioning navigational system.

People who make these adjustments are referred to as ‘biohackers’. This lead me to look into this ‘biohacking’ trend more:

This BBC article looks into this ‘race of people’ further.

“Biohackers want to make their bodies and brains function better by "hacking" their biology.”

Within it talks about Rich Lee, a man who has made various modifications to his body in order to become ‘better’ and ‘more advanced’. He describes himself as being ‘biologically fluid’. 

"I want to see a biologically fluid society where people can just augment these things." 

Luke Robert Mason, director of the Virtual Futures organisation, says there is a great deal of excitement around biohacking but "we are a long way from radically altering the human body in the sorts of ways they evangelise".

"What we see today are the first steps by a brave group of pioneers. Today's reality is a lot more experimental (and painful) than is often communicated to the public.

Another example was a young girl called Corina Ingram-Noehr. She discovered biohacking when recovering from a serious concussion that left struggling to speak. Her boss recommended trying medium chain triglycerides (MCT) oil, which helped her "head turn on" and acted as something of a gateway drug for biohacking.

"It opened the floodgates and I was like, 'If this works, this one little thing works so well - like, what else can I do?' "Biohacking for me is taking control of your own biology. It's taking shortcuts to get to a place that you want to be - so shortcutting your health. That's kind of how I think of it at least."

I found her story particularly interesting as her engagement came through originally needed and good intentions from a medical point of view, but this leads her to think ‘what else can I do?’. Something like this speaks to me in terms of storytelling as someone who could take things too far and begin with good and innocent intentions but becomes blinded by their need for more.

Concept 1:

A futuristic setting where a biohacker’s business has taken off and it’s become the ‘norm’ for humans to keep getting ‘upgrades’. If you don’t have the latest tech and enhancements (like the lastest phone or keeping up with the latest trends in our time) you’ll be looked down upon and seen as lesser - society has new views and a perception of what’s cool, right and beautiful. People feel forced and a need to keep buying these in order to conform.

Eventually, it’s clear that people are becoming less and less human and more machine. What’s thought of as an improvement is actually causing us to lose our individuality and unique qualities as humans. For example a new medicine or chip that helps people to stop feeling pain or upset - this seems great, however, people lose the ability to sympathise, grieve and show they care. Dealing with these pains and emotions are part of what makes us stronger and connect with others. People are becoming mindless machines and can be controlled in the end

This story can go one of two ways:

1. Single person: We follow the path of a boy who is one of the first biohackers. He has flaws and no friends, however by one day changing something (like having the navigation compass in his chest) suddenly people like him and think this is cool. This leads him to continue with this and implant more and more into him in order to be liked by others, however he soon, but too late realises that he’s lost who he is and what’s really important. 

2. Society: Follow single person who is feeling forced to conform by the large consumerism society that is feeding and growing off this need to buy the latest upgrades and tech.  

A young boy lives in a junkyard in a futuristic, steampunk setting. He lives and travels with his lovable robot companion, Widgit. This boy has nothing and scavenges - he lives in a world where biohackers are on the rise and society is obsessed with body and human enhancements. 

 and the stream punk guy has nothing and lives in a junkyard place with widgit and invents and then starts improving himself and soon he has adorers and a nice place but loses happiness and widgit and so he loses who he is and eventually improves himself too much he destroys himself xxx 

The human body may be weaker physically than the mechanic, but it can do many things that machines can’t. When you tip over the edge, you lose your human side, including the ability to love, lose and empathise. 

Widgit is more human than the modified humans are, because he has the ability to care.

[sophiewriteswordsfromfaraway]

10: EATING OUR WAY THROUGH OSAKA

As mentioned in my latest blog post, Ryan and I have had a two month whirlwind of a school  break. Honestly, whirlwind feels like an understatement, but you can decide that for yourself…

The first two weeks of March were dedicated to a “Thailand’s Greatest Hits featuring Sophie & Ryan” tour with my mom and dad. This consisted of relaxing in the turquoise waters of the Indian Ocean (for details of this stunning location refer to chapter 5), eating our way through the vibey town of Chiang Mai (chapters 3 and 4), and taking in all the opulent temples, well-designed malls, and chaotic charm of Bangkok (chapter 6). Every single day was absolutely magical, and I am forever grateful to my parents for taking time out of their busy lives to brave the Thai heat and see what our life looks like.

A little over 24 hours after my parents departed, Ryan and I packed our backpacks and boarded a plane of our own.

AWAY WE GO TO JAPAN!

DAY .5

Our first stop was Osaka, the second largest city in the country. We landed at night, queued our way through immigration, used a Japanese toilet for the first time (more on this later), and found our way onto a train to the city center. This train ride was our first look into the unbelievably clean, quiet, and well-organized machine called Japan, and it set the bar high. Upon arrival at the train station, we hopped into a cab and headed for our hostel.

DAY 1

We woke to a chilly, rainy morning. Apparently, we had arrived in Japan just in time for a unprecedented cold snap. Despite the weather, we bundled up and made our way through the streets of Osaka.

ASIDE:

It was at this point that we realized just how much tropical Thailand had changed our sense of temperature. We were officially cold weather wimps.

The first spot on our agenda was Osaka Castle, a gorgeous tiered tower in traditional Japanese architectural style. The castle was built, destroyed, and rebuilt many times beginning in 1583, but the current structure was completed in 1931. The building is surrounded by wide moats, stone walls, and expansive gardens. We explored the grounds in awe. Before leaving, we had to try our first Japanese treat, a warm, chocolate-filled Taiyaki.

JAPANESE FOOD 101: TAIYAKI

Taiyaki is a popular, fish-shaped (Asian carp-shaped, to be exact) pastry with a creamy filling. Common fillings include sweet red bean, custard, chocolate, cheese and ice cream.

After wiping the chocolate from our mouths, we hopped onto the metro and rode to the Shinsaibashi area. Shinsaibashi is the main shopping district in Osaka featuring its iconic arcade-style covered streets lined with everything from high-end shops to thrift stores. We weaved through the crowds of shoppers to a quieter side street for lunch at the city’s oldest vegan restaurant. It did not disappoint.

Huddled under umbrellas, we walked through the drizzle to Orange Street--a collection of small, trendy shops tucked in an alley away from the hustle bustle of the city. We took shelter in the little shops, perusing artisan homegoods and trying out leather couches. It was clear that creativity, design, and progressive fashion were alive and well in Osaka.

Again, we squeezed through the (now bigger) crowds in the Shinsaibashi area to find our dinner spot--another Japanese vegan restaurant. I had an incredible meatless version of the classic Gyudon dish.

JAPANESE FOOD 101: GYUDON

Directly translated, Gyudon means ‘beef bowl,’ which is pretty self explanatory. The dish consists of thinly sliced beef and onion cooked in a sweet and salty sauce on top of a bowl of rice. It is considered to be Japanese comfort food. Admittedly, I also found it very comforting.

After dinner, we made our way to the Dotonbori Area, the downtown area of Osaka. A canal runs directly through the heart of the city, so Dotonbori mainly consists of two promenades running alongside the water. These walking streets are lined with shops, restaurants, and, infamously, advertisements. If you haven’t heard of or seen Dotonbori, it is worth looking up. It is a visual that is hard to accurately describe: massive, neon billboards attached to the side of buildings, incredible 3-D signs advertising the stores below, even a giant crab adorning the entrance of a seafood restaurant.

Perhaps even more enthralling are the tiny, hidden alleyways segmenting off the main road. Lit by red, paper lanterns, the maze of narrow paths lead to the real treasures of Dotonbori--hole in the wall pubs and mom and pop restaurants seating only 2 or 3 patrons. Ryan and I found ourselves climbing a spiral staircase and choosing a random door. We opened it to find a small, dim, rectangular room, about as big as the inside of a school bus. Our jaws dropped. One wall was covered floor to ceiling with massive bookshelves containing every jazz record you could imagine. The opposite wall featured a small bar with a few patrons smoking and a elderly Japanese bartender. The back wall was an array of various speakers and lamps, stacked upon each other in a tetris-like fashion.  We sat down at one of the two small tables and ordered Yebisu beers (a Japan standard) and tried to soak in the quirky charm of the place. The few patrons at the bar continued to smoke, adding to the retro atmosphere. Every few minutes the bartender would come out from behind the bar to flip or change the record. The whole scene was like something out of a movie, and we were happy to be a part of it.

DAY 2

Our second day began with a trip outside the city to the Momofuku Ando Instant Ramen Museum. That’s right: a museum honoring the world-famous Cup Noodles and its founder, Momofuku Ando. Contrary to what you may think, the noodles have a rather interesting history.

THE COMPLETE HISTORY OF INSTANT RAMEN

After observing poverty-stricken citizens of Osaka struggling for access to a simple, warm meal, Momofuku Ando was impassioned to solve the food shortage problem in post-war Japan. Though not suited for the task by trade, Ando formulated a plan. He wanted to create a food that was tasty, economical, non-perishable, and ready in less than three minutes. He spent more than a year trying and failing to create a noodle recipe allowing for instant rehydration. Finally, and quite by accident, he discovered that using tempura oil allowed for the perfect consistency and dehydration. In 1958, Ando’s first instant noodle product was released. He went on to invent today’s Cup Noodles, as well as many other international products. He even created a special product for astronauts aboard Japan’s Discovery space shuttle. Ando died in 2007 and was mourned by the entire country as a national hero.

Ryan and I were surprised by the cultural impact and humble beginnings of the instant noodle. The museum itself was also lovely. Visitors were able to wander through the thorough exhibit and make their own custom Cup Noodles at the end.

After a quick lunch, Ryan and I wandered to the Shinsekai area. Visually similar to the wild, gaudy style of Dotonbori, Shinsekai is a neighborhood that was rebuilt following World War II, flourished in the years following, and remained largely untouched since. It’s an interesting spot. Shops selling tourist t-shirts are interspersed with cheap, cafeteria-style restaurants full of locals and small rooms of old men playing traditional Japanese board games. We indulged in Shinsekai’s famous snack: kushikatsu.

JAPANESE FOOD 101: KUSHIKATSU

Kushikatsu are various meats, veggies, eggs, or seafood that are breaded, deep fried, and skewered. The skewers are served up with metal tins of salty dipping sauce and fresh cabbage leaves. The number one rule of kushikatsu? No double dipping.

After stuffing our faces with potato and banana kushikatsu, we walked to Shitenno-ji Temple, one of the oldest Buddhist temples in Japan. Coming from Thailand, a country with over 30,000 active Buddhist temples, Ryan and I were blown away by how different the entire temple experience is in Japan. The structures themselves were very simple and featured a classic tiered pagoda, a raked gravel zen garden, and a massive traditional gate. We visited the main hall and climbed up the pagoda. We found it to be a very peaceful, quiet, and reverent experience.

As the afternoon turned to evening, we had another vegan Japanese dinner in a cozy restaurant overlooking the street, and finished the night with our first of many mochi ice cream balls.

JAPANESE FOOD 101: MOCHI

Mochi is a rice “cake” made from glutinous rice. The rice cake is then pounded into a paste and molded into a shape. Common recipes include mochi balls filled with a sweet bean paste, small pieces of mochi in warm bean soup, and balls of ice cream wrapped inside a mochi covering.

DAY 3

After an early breakfast, we checked out of our hostel and walked to the Osaka Train Station to catch our first Shinkansen, or bullet, train. If you don’t already know, Japan has a network of high speed trains that link most of its major cities. The bullet trains travel between 200-300 miles per hour, making several stops before arriving at the final destination. They are extremely clean, efficient, reliable, and safe. They also reduce carbon dioxide emissions by approximately 15,000 tons per year. Basically, they are the future, and we should all get on board---literally and, and in our case, physically.

AWAY WE GO TO HIROSHIMA.

[junker-town]

Shad Khan's whole life has been about hope, and he's not giving up on the Jaguars

Khan’s life has been defined by hope and resiliency. He’s working hard to apply those lessons to the NFL team he’s owned for six years.

CHICAGO -– Near streets where he frolicked as a broke but buoyant teenager fresh from Pakistan in the 1960s, Shahid Khan on a recent warm afternoon is relaxing in his high-rise office/home. It exhibits a grand Lake Michigan, array of skyscrapers view.

He is calm. He is pensive.

He is Muslim, the first and only minority sole owner of a National Football League team.

His Jacksonville Jaguars, which he purchased in 2011, are simply one additional testament to his staggering symbolism as an American marvel. Shahid Khan, known as Shad, at age 16 in January 1967 arrived in America from Pakistan. He enrolled at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and on the same day gained a $1.20-an-hour dishwashing job at a near-campus Greek diner on Wright Street.

"I was happy, thrilled to find work on that day," Khan, 67, recalled. "There was 27 inches of snow. It was cold. But I was full of hope. I was excited for the chance."

Today, through his bumper/auto parts conglomerate, his fortune is more than $8 billion.

Yet, his richness is not defined in his money anymore than his money shelters him from racism.

In a nation, in an NFL today where racial and social strife are interlocking in rampant ways, Khan has a story to tell about his experience. His hope.

"There was a severity in the Chicago area in ’67 when I arrived here due to civil rights, but we began to move beyond that in color and religion," he said. "But 9/11 (in 2001) began to change that for Muslims. It was kind of an awakening.

"Every international flight I was on for a few years after that, I was the one pulled off the plane for further screening. My wife and I began to joke about it. As agents would enter, we’d say to the other passengers, ‘They’re coming for us. Let’s get this over with so we can go.’ But there was an incident in Detroit in 2005 that was a watershed moment for me.

"The security grilled me for three hours. I had been visiting one of my plants in Windsor (Canada). Three hours! I had enough. I made a few calls. They finally let me go. I got a letter later (one dated August 22, 2006) from the U.S. government apologizing. It assured me that this would not happen again."

But even today, Khan takes no chances.

Every time he has traveled since, he carries that government-issued letter, his passport and a small handful of other important identity papers in a clear, plastic folder. It is always with him, accessible. He knows instantly, exactly where to find it in his briefcase. The letter is never folded. Eleven years later, it remains crisp. Unblemished.

He is an international businessman, the leader of more than 30,000 employees in more than 60 auto part plants across the world. He is the Jaguars anchor.

But that clear, plastic folder might as well be for Khan an additional finger, an extra eye. He goes, he comes, it goes, it comes with him.

Every single day.

"Like it or not, I am going to be judged just by who I am," Khan said. "I know that I am going to have to set a good example."

***

Khan says he has not met that sort of resistance among the other 31 NFL owners. He describes them as "welcoming" from the start. Though his signature handlebar mustache is so different from them and though the Muslim traditional attire he occasionally wears is so stark from their looks, he has found a comfortable niche among them.

He enters his sixth NFL season as Jaguars owner hoping to unlock keys in football as he has in business. His Jaguars have gone 2-14, 4-12, 3-13, 5-11 and 3-13. He is on his second general manager, his third head coach and this year has added Tom Coughlin as an additional layer of football operations management.

Khan is embarrassed by the Jaguars results.

He reluctantly agreed to this interview -- "Let’s win some games, first," he repeated -– before finally acknowledging that this Jaguars season has promise and that his story in today’s NFL and national, social justice landscape should be imparted.

He met Donald Trump well before Trump became president.

"I thought the country was ready for change," Khan said. "He (Trump) just said what he needed to say to get elected. But some things are happening with this administration that are unbearable and almost unacceptable. Our only hope now is in the judicial branch."

The country just has to dust itself off, Khan said.

He often has.

He has reinvented himself a few times, working at an auto plant in college and then buying it, building an international empire, buying the Jaguars after originally in 2010 falling short of gaining a 60 percent interest in the Rams.

The Jaguars losing, though, has stung him.

"My approach with the franchise has been that I know business but I don’t want to micromanage the football," Khan said. "I have tried to give our people the resources to be successful."

His brow becomes deeply furrowed.

"We haven’t won, obviously," Khan said.

So, he keeps building the culture, integrating change, counting on Coughlin, general manager Dave Caldwell and head coach Doug Marrone this season in their first as a working trio to turn the Jaguars upward.

He is counting on starting quarterback Blake Bortles to do this.

"But he (Bortles) can’t do it by himself," Khan said.

A bevy of critics think Bortles can’t do it at all.

Others think this is the season the Jaguars finally rise under Khan.

"He is a phenomenal, world-wide business leader, a thinker, a doer," Coughlin said. "He is committed to winning. There is no quick fix in changing a culture, an attitude. But everyone here is working on the mental toughness, the physical toughness, the ability to run the ball, not turning the ball over. It’s an easier thing to speak than to do. He is not always here because of his various business ventures around the world. But he is very much involved and in constant communication.

"To win here would place his success in the realm of professional football. The passion, the satisfaction, the feeling of winning and success, from an emotional standpoint, would mean so much to him. This is very important to Shad."

***

One of Khan’s later jobs in college was working with the Illinois highway department. He would travel to companies’ gravel pits and test their gravel. He would place the gravel residue in a shaker tube, give it a shake and twirl and see how it settled compared to four different markers on the tube. That would determine if the gravel was fit for use.

He has been sifting through America, through the Jaguars, giving it all a shake and a twirl. His NFL peers notice his resiliency and more.

"A very impressive individual, a completely self-made guy, a guy working for a company while in school that he bought as well as owning an NFL team," Giants owner John Mara said. "Very engaging, thoughtful, a great contributor to the league. He serves on the Health and Safety Committee, which I am on, and he is an impressive contributor there. He chairs the Business Ventures Committee, very important to the ownership. He’s on the Finance Committee. He’s worked with the television group. That’s a lot of important contributions in five years of ownership.

"He has a challenging, smaller market in Jacksonville and has found a creative approach to include London games in that model. (His being a minority) is a very important factor for our league, for inclusion, for the quintessential American Dream. He built a fabulous company and remains a humble, down-to-earth guy we all respect. He has the ability to become one of the best owners in the NFL, if he isn’t already. We listen, respect and like him – that is a very rare combination among us."

Khan believes that manufacturing jobs still have a huge role to play in America. That especially for those who do not have college degrees, the option of working in a factory and making fair wages that support their families is crucial. He said that is how middle-class America was built. He said he has tried to model his business to keep those opportunities for the middle-class and for all in mind.

"When I didn’t get the Rams, I got up and dusted myself off," Khan said.

He did that as a dishwasher. As a highway worker. In international business.

He keeps doing it as the Jaguars owner.

"I love football," he said. "I love the NFL."

And that’s with all of the losing.

He can only imagine how that love would increase, what a "dust up" this season holds if the Jaguars turn losing into winning.

[fadingfartconnoisseur]

Adventure Activities in Ljubljana and Around – Hiking and Biking Slovenia’s Nature

Ljubljana is described as “a small capital with a green soul”, which means there’s plenty more to visually feast on than the gorgeous old town architecture. Central Slovenia is a blanket of nature filled with lakes, hills and mountains, and since 70% of Slovenian’s live in the countryside, the cities simply slot into this nature haven.

Like most city trips I take, I combine my time with exploration outside of it, taking in the best of urban sightseeing and active rural exploration for alternative feels and views of this region. With plenty of tempting outdoor adventure activities in Ljubljana right on its doorstep, it wasn’t hard not to get a taste of wider Slovenian landscape and culture.

Day trip activities in Ljubljana – Velika Planina Shepherd Settlement

Velika Planina is the oldest and largest shepherd settlement in Europe nestled in the Slovenian Alps. It’s said that some of the structures date back to the 16th century and today it is still home to the shepherds that return here in the summer and keep old traditions alive. One of the most notable things here is the unique architecture of the huts, which you can wander around freely in the seasons where the shepherds have departed.

It’s a real taste of rural life not far from Ljubljana. It takes around one hour to get to the town of Kamnik from the city, and from here to take a cable car up into the Kamnik Alps (or hike!).

Pristine, picture perfect scenes await as you walk towards the settlement. Look out for the golden roof amongst the architecturally vivid silvery grey structures.

Stopping for tea and cake (as in the Slovenian way), we were able to learn about the tradition of Trnič hard cheese that is made only on Velika Planina. This long-standing tradition is a symbol of love, and there’s a story as to why the cheese is shaped to represent a woman’s breasts. The herdsmen would make the cheese while working on the high plains, made from a mixture of cottage cheese, cream and salt and kneaded together.

The pair of cheeses would be engraved with symbols and patterns and left to dry and harden, and upon their return in the autumn at the end of grazing season where they would have worked for months, the shepherd would give one to their beloved as a proof of their love and fidelity. The other they would keep for themselves. If the woman accepted the cheese, it meant they were officially together. Note to self if a Slovenian man offers me cheese.

Seeing that the tradition of this very unique place was dying out, the Taste Kamnik project decided to revive it and preserve it, training new generations on how to make (and decorate) the cheese, which is still used in traditional restaurants today, even where a modern cuisine twist is served.

If driving to the area, the bottom cable car station is located in the Kamniška Bistrica Valley, next to the Kamp Alpe campsite. If you want to take on longer hiking routes and stay over night, there is the Zeleni Rob guesthouse next to the upper cable car station. Local guides can also accompany you here.

Climbing activities in Ljubljana – Šmarna Gora Peak

What glorious feeling to know there is a small mountain nearby to climb, a stand-alone giant mound in the region known as Gorenjska. Šmarna Gora sits 664m above sea level in the north easternmost part of Ljubljana and was less than a half an hour drive to its base to start the ascent. Legend has it that it is nothing more than a pile of rocks made by a giant called Hrust, and when the local people didn’t like it he got mad and stamped on it, making the two ‘humps’ we see today.

It takes a round one-hour to climb at a moderate pace, and a little fatigued from city wandering and six hours of biking the day before, I was a little slower. Plus, clambering on tree roots and through a forest of high-topped trees meant lots of temptation to stop and take in the untouched nature, from floor to ceiling.

While not just a religious pilgrimage, the climb leads to the ‘summit’ where you’ll find one of the countries most important churches. Šmarna Gora is named after Virgin Mary (Šmaren meaning ‘Feast of the Assumption’). It is said she chose the hill as the place of worship and the Christian Church (said to date back to the 13th or 14th century) was built in her memory. Even if you are not a frequent church visitor for the cultural aspect, it’s worth a visit just for the frescos – a colourful palate and impressive display of artistry depicting the life of Mary and her Assumption. It has been decorated and restored since the 1800s after a new church built in the early 1700s due to the number of pilgrims over the years.

In the 15th century, a defence wall was built around the church to defend it from Turkish raids, where locals sought shelter. You’ll find the bells in the church tower, converted from a watchtower.

A traditional lunch at Gostilna Ledinek set to a panoramic view is the ultimate reward for the climb, joining other avid hikers who come here for the Slovenian tea, and dishes like ‘žganci’ (boiled lumps of buckwheat flour served with little cubes of fat and a bowl of sour milk).

It tasted much better than it looks and it’s a rite of passage to dig into this carb-load when you arrive (honestly). Leave room for the melt-in-the-mouth blueberry strudel. I think it may be the best strudel I’ve had (sorry, Austria!).

Šmarna Gora is not a complex hike and is easy to tackle solo. Get a taxi from the city to its base.

However, there are local guides who can accompany you on hikes such as those to Šmarna Gora. All can be booked from the Tourism Office in the heart of Ljubljana Old Town on Stritarjeva ulica (street).

Cycling activities in Ljubljana – The Marshes and Lake Podpeč

I met cycle guide master, Tine who runs various half and full day biking tours from cultural, culinary and high adventure. He’s sparky, fun and full of facts to accompany the natural sights. I went to the Iški Vintgar Gorge tour, extending it to a full day in a 20km+ round-trip, through Slovenian countryside, typical villages, and stopping off at gorges, lakes, national parks and waterfalls.

Continuing things in true Ljubljana design style, the very first stop was to the Church of St. Michael in the marshes, designed by none other than the father of all remarkable design here – Jože Plečnik. The stairs on its façade look like a puzzle, but actually lead up to the belfry and the interior, made entirely of wood, has elements of Japanese temple design. Out in the marshes, it certainly makes a stand and remains as one of Plečnik’s early and original architectural creations.

From marshes to woodland, we cycled to the Iški Morost Nature Reserve, through the traditional village of Brest towards the Iški Vintgar gorge on the River Iška. Both a good reprieve from the sun and a short break from the biking, this stop was an introduction to the conservation practices in Slovenia, and the preserved environments surrounding the rural habitation. If you have time there is a 1.3-kilometre nature trail where you can learn more about its biodiversity.

The third part of the trip was the highlight – arriving at Podpeč Lake. Slovenia is known for it’s late and while Bled dominates, the smaller ones are still stunning.

Podpeč Lake is one of the deepest natural lakes in all of Slovenia and against the green and underneath a piercing blue sky, it sparkles and calls for you to take some precious moments to sit, relax, contemplate, or jump onto its inviting waters (just as you’ll see the locals do in rejuvenation).

Alas, after relaxation and lunch at the lake, refuelling called for more adventure and it was time to hike up the 25km path of St. Ana Hill for panoramic views over the wetlands and looking out towards Ljubljana. On a clear day you can even spot the Alps! 

Guide: Tine Zupančič from LB&T Vegov hram (www.vegovhram)

Hiking tours run from from 15 April to 30 October. Hiking tours take place throughout the year, weather permitting. All tours require a minimum of two persons to operate and work to all difficulty levels.  

Prices, which start from €36, include bike and equipment, lunch and return transfer from Ljubljana. I took the Iški Vintgar gorge tour and extended it to an all day trip (which is possible).

Ljubljana, surrounded by nature, is the perfect base from which to springboard into wider, countryside-laden Slovenia. Slovenia is so small it is said you can visit any point of the country in a day, so why not get a taste for the different landscapes using the capital as a base?

Things to Know:

How to Get to Ljubljana and Around

Well connected by rail, European buses like Flix and by plane, the Slovenian company GoOpti also operates car transfers between neighbouring cities and neighbouring country airports in Germany, Austria, Croatia and Italy. We took the GoOpti transfer from Graz to Ljubljana and I also took it back to Vienna from Ljubljana, where you share a car with other travellers booked on the same journey or route. You are reminded about your journey via text both 24 hours before and when your vehicle has arrived.

Where to Stay in Ljubljana as a Base

I stayed in Hotel Gallaria, a part of the Old Town and on its quiet fringes.  It sits on the corner of some restaurants and coffee shops (which are open until late!), and is a five minute walk to the very centre of the old town where the action is.

The former prison turned design hostel in the alternative area of Metlekova is called Celica Art Hostel, with 20 unique cell rooms to choose from. It’s five minutes walk from the main train station and 10 to the very heart of town.

For those looking for luxury, the 4 star Grand Union Hotel, just metres from Preseren Square and the Triple Bridge. From the early 20th century, it is the oldest in the city, built during the Austro-Hungarian monarchy. It is considered to be one of the most significant Art Nouveau architectural structures in central Europe.

What time of the Year is Best to Visit Ljubljana?

Ljubljana is considered to have a ‘continental climate’ making it both a winter haven, given the rolling green that surrounds it, and with beautiful Mediterranean climate in the summer months.

For further information:

To plan your day trips and excursions from Ljubljana, visit the Ljubljana tourism website for further information and temptation.

My trip to Ljubljana was a combination of a #EuroCityTrip project to highlight the city as a ‘cool neighbour’ to Austria’s second largest city of Graz in partnership with both city tourism offices.

  The post Adventure Activities in Ljubljana and Around – Hiking and Biking Slovenia’s Nature appeared first on Borders Of Adventure.

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Meals doesn’t get extra adventurous than this

Even adventurous eaters like me — over time I’ve tried delicacies like fried grasshoppers, Sichuan-fashion hen ft, the pungent fruit Durian, raw sea urchin and sea slug — balk at chomping up a venomous arachnid.

The truth about Meals although, is that one guy’s tarantula is every other man’s Wagyu beef. Travel writer and Photographer Dean Starnes prides himself on setting all types of so-referred to as extreme Meals in his gob.

“Journey is about attempting new things, experiencing new cultures and taking part in new sports. With that fundamental ethos in thoughts … it becomes most effective a depend on time before I commenced attempting a number of the more excessive foods I was supplied,” he says.

Even though Dean has been sampling unfamiliar ingredients for greater than a long time, a few flavors and textures continue to be “especially unsightly.”

“I recollect the first time I ate an eye fixed — a fish eye I accept as true with — become as a trade scholar in Japan,” Dean recalls.

“Fish eyes are considered the tastiest a part of the fish and that they had given the eyes to me in the spirit of generosity.

“It was awful enough having it roll around in my mouth, however, when it burst I used to be unprepared for the sudden exchange in texture. I squealed like a schoolgirl at a Justin Bieber concert and involuntarily sneezed it out all over my host family, their visitors and the faculty major.

“As you may recognize, Japan is a selected well-mannered tradition, and the Japanese are a totally decent bunch. I can in no way forget about their startled seems of horror on their faces as they picked little bits of the eye off themselves,” he says. but a fisheye isn’t the worst issue he’s tried. Right here are Dean’s 5 maximum edgy dining stories:

1. Bugs I hate to sound picky but it’s honest to mention that I’ve by no means eaten an insect that I’ve simply loved. My advice — if you are a primary-time insect eater — pass for the deep-fried, crunchy ones.

As an instance, Mexicans do a tasty, deep-fried grasshopper drizzled in lime juice (chaplains). Flavor-sensible, they’ve got a salty, bitter zing to them, which, as some distance as Bugs move, I discovered quite clean.

After that, it’s all down hill. The worst are the pulpy, squishy kind that explodes in your mouth (in lots the equal manner a grape may). Huhu grubs from New Zealand are quite foul whilst eaten raw, however, the globular, grass inexperienced grubs I ate in northern Laos had been even worse.

Want to Do Something a bit greater Adventurous in Russia? Nowadays Russia is open to all and sundry, it has so much to offer whether or not you’re inquisitive about taking a historical trip around its imperial beyond or in case you Want to do Something a bit greater adventurous. So what type of Russia adventure Travel can someone count on if you want to do while traveling this us of a? We are able to have a look at a just multiple more adventurous styles of traveling you can think about doing in Russia.

For the reason that disintegrates of the Soviet Union greater than a decade in the past now more and more foreigners are traveling via it, but it could still be a tough vicinity if you are unable to talk the language. But, anywhere you move in Russia you will find that the people are tremendously warm and inviting hosts. In reality, if you are seeking out a few wherein that takes you far from the normal holiday routes then you definitely must take into account a number of the subsequent whilst seeking out a more adventurous journeying experience in Russia.

1. Trans-Siberian Railway

At some point of this journey which takes you from Vladivostok-Moscow to the wilds of Khabarovsk in the heart of Mongolia and on to Lake Baikal and the snowcapped mountains of the Urals. This journey is a complete of 6, a hundred thirty-five miles in distance and During it, you will skip via 8 extraordinary time zones. The trains are very cozy, however, it’s far the splendor of u . S . A . as you pass through the various regions that genuinely gets an adventurers juices flowing.

However, n case you assume this a bit staid for a adventurous journey in Russia you could try the subsequent instead.

2. journey to the North Pole

With this type of Russia adventure Travel you are given a threat to add your call to the very small listing of people who’ve already made this epic journey in the beyond. That is Actually the extra tough of any types of adventure Tour that you could find, but it will be well worth it whilst you reach the pinnacle of the arena. while visiting through the Arctic you may notice that the whole lot seems bigger, the icebergs are large and the horizon simply appears to move on all the time. Definitely many human beings have determined this specific Russia journey Tour to be a totally humbling experience and has positioned life in to perspective for them.

Grief Transformation: Embracing life After the Dying of a Loved You’ll Lead You to greater adventure My husband Hurley became a born explorer and adventurer. He was a skydiving bounce grasp, a falconer and a lover of roller coasters. while he changed into recognized with most cancers, he was inside the system of building an extremely-light plane. He planned on getting to know to fly it whilst it become finished. He died 10 months later with a few more adventures within the works.

My concept of journey is lengthy distance avenue journeys, museums, nature walks, the ferris wheel, the merry-cross-round and walks at the seaside.

A 12 months after my husband’s Loss of life, a chum invited me to go on a Shaklee cruise to Jamaica and Cancun and the Bahamas. Betsy and that i both Loved to Journey and this become an exquisite gift. whilst we arrived at the ship, Betsy and that i had been searching on the off shore excursion selections. We each jumped on the concept of going to the Mayan ruins and temples, shopping and lunch inside the Bahamas and a ramification of spa remedies on the days at sea. Then, Betsy found Some thing she had usually desired to do, ziplining above the cover of trees in Jamaica. Despite the fact that no longer as extreme as skydiving, I could experience the fingers of my fingers start to sweat and my belly doing a flip flop. I wasn’t positive if I could try this due to the heights, but with Betsy’s eagerness and the notion of my husband, I decided to move.

when my husband died, I failed to experience survivor’s guilt for being the person that endured to stay. but, I did sense a responsibility to live existence completely, to add adventures to my existence that he might never have the risk to do. To realize waking up and dwelling every day.

In Jamaica, we were transported with the aid of bus to a place with zipline guides, and system. As I perfect up within the harness and helmet, I felt my husband’s spirit strapped in with me. Status on the brink of the cliff, with the guide giving me words of encouragement and explaining how safe I was at the same time as connecting me to the zipline, I took a minute to shut my eyes and experience the connection with my husband. “Ok, Hurley, allow’s move. This one’s for you!”

I jumped off the cliff to fly over the first riverbed freeing a scream of pleasure and pleasure. For the following forty-five minutes, we moved along the zipline landing on one platform after some other. at the ultimate zipline run, the longest one inside the series of leaps, the whole line was above the tops of the bushes. Certainly one of my passions changed into looking birds fly and soar. For the primary time in my lifestyles, I felt like I was a chicken flying over the tree tops. I desired it to move on for all time. My hear soared as i felt gratitude to have had the experience. Between the eagerness of Betsy and the duty I felt to stay life completely, I had experienced one of the maximum effective, fun moments of freedom on this lifetime.

Someday I will do it once more for the natural pleasure of the adventure and the gratitude for being alive. I’m able to no longer waste one second of the treasured time I’ve Right here. I will include all of it and live a lifestyle really worth celebrating.