#ewan nation look alive

[aemonds-wifey]

It’s a piece of art

[kimwexlers-brownhair]

Oh back to Yellowsuccess! I think after the plane crash Logan would become obsessive trying to arrange a rescue until enough time passed for him to "cut his losses" and shut down, and things would get even nastier between him and Kendall because of how it seems that he's brushing off the disappearance of his supposed favorite child like it's nothing and Kendall takes out his own feelings of guilt for being a shitty brother onto him. He's also the first to recognize that Shiv is probably dead while Roman is the last, coming up with elaborate scenarios in his head for what she might be doing and maybe for a while believing he's got some kind of psychic connection with her. And then of course things gets Very weird when it turns out she's been alive after all.

Logan is not an idealist. He never claimed to be.

Look, life's not a walk in the fucking park. It's a rollercoaster that goes off the rails onto the crowd below. If you’re lucky, you scramble over the crushed bodies beneath you out of the wrecked train, bleeding all over the cotton candy squeezed in a dead fist. It's a shitstorm.

Terrible things happen. People die.

You can't make it to the soccer match that gets your daughter's team into Nationals. There have been too many whispers about cruises lately, so you need to be at that board meeting. To make up for it, you hire a few nonunion mechanics to spruce up one of your recently decommissioned private planes so your daughter and her teammates can fly to Seattle in a little luxury. The thing's no hunk of junk, just a little smaller and more delicate than the top of the line, newest models. It's not like they're flying to fucking Hong Kong. Compared to the far flung cities Logan regularly flies to, a quick trip over Canada from New York to Seattle is a mere hop, skip, and a jump. It'll be fine.

But no, actually, because the fucking plane crashes somewhere in the Canadian rockies.

Terrible things happen. People die.

But Siobhan --

Siobhan's not People. Siobhan is his.

It is nearly four in the afternoon. Logan skims over another damn contract about some obnoxious port problem off the coast of Brazil. ATN drones on in the background about Dubya's daring new Medicare cuts. Outside the glass doors he suddenly hears hurried feet, rushed whispers. He glances up and a PA is darting here, another darting there, and here comes Gerri looking pale as if she's about to lose her lunch. Frank and Karl follow, looking about the same. The new press girl Karolina trails them, speaking rapidly into her phone.

"What," he barks as they hussle in. God, don't tell him there's another NRPI situation he needs to sign away discreetly while deliberatey avoiding the written details. On top of this fucking Brazil thing --

But no, Gerri's pallor, Frank's stony expression --

"Logan," Gerri's voice is weaker than he's ever heard it, but as always she's keeping it together. "Logan, it's Shiv."

It doesn't occur to him. Not yet. But Gerri's face.

"What about her?"

Her tongue darts over her lips quickly and he's never seen her like this.

"The plane" --

Karolina cuts in, shifting her phone away from her mouth. "It's leaked. I've given Cyd the go-ahead so ATN can announce it first."

Gerri closes her eyes.

Fear, fear Logan is mostly able to keep at bay, rushes in like a flood from the creek Rose drowned herself in --

"Someone fucking tell me right now or you're all fired!"

Before they answer, from the TV comes, "We're getting word now that a private plane carrying a high school girls' soccer team to Nationals in Seattle has lost contact with airport authorities after being overtaken by a storm surge over the Canadian Rockies. It's early hours yet, but authorities fear the plane went down --"

Water, rushing water all up and down inside him, plummeting.

Nothing's quite real anymore.

Rose....

But Siobhan is not Rose. Siobhan is a scrappy fighter like him, a survivor. She has Ewan's annoying habit of disagreeing with him. She has her mother's acid tongue, his mother's grit. She has none of Rose's vulnerability. They don't even look that much alike outside of the coloring --well, okay, that's not strictly true, they look a little bit alike, okay, now that Logan thinks about it, they look a lot alike -- but they're not the same.

No. Shiv's tough. Shiv's tough. She's a survivor. She's his whip-smart Pinky with the wicked smile, his little hell-raiser confidant. His girl.

Logan doesn't believe in any of that woo wee woo, cosmic bullshit about feeling whether someone close to you is alive or not, but...Logan would know.

Shiv is his blood, his self. Add Shiv and her brothers up and they equal Logan. Ken, Rome, and yes, Connor -- sometimes they make up the parts Logan loathes about himself. But not Shiv.

So he would know if she was -- he would feel it, no matter how much he disavows that spiritual shit.

He doesn't feel it, not now. He didn't feel this coming at all. Shiv is alive. Shiv is alive.

Shiv is alive, so he has to act, now.

"Call DC," he says to no one in particular and so that means everyone. "Tell Cheney we need a search party. Top of the line military OP types, no bleeding heart volunteer morons. If he flinches, tell him we've been sitting on that story about the Chump-in-Chief falling off the wagon in Key West. Tell Laird to pucker up and suck off whatever Canadian officials we need to get full access beyond the border. Who's overseeing this? Get me on the line with them, now."

This is different from Rose because he is in control now. Total control.

Evening. The door opens and Roman is there in the study. His eyes are more haunted and frightened than Ken can ever remember them being, and Rome often wore that look in his childhood.

They embrace.

"Like, what the fuck, man? What the fuck," Roman asks into his shoulder.

Ken gives him a squeeze. "It's going to be okay, Rome. Shiv's too much of a bitch to go down that way."

Roman hiccups a laugh. "Yeah, she probably pushed the pilots out of the way and landed the thing herself. She's going to get those poor bastards fired."

They don't separate until Connor arrives. He wraps them both in his arms.

"Hey, guys. Whatever happens, it will be okay."

Both secretly resent him saying that, since it implies something might happen.

The door opens and here comes their father. He whispers a few words in Gerri's direction and for once shuts her and the rest out to address them.

Sill, when he speaks, his voice is as impersonal as the one he uses when trying to boost morale amongst hired underlings. Almost light, airy.

The only difference is his eyes. They're glassy. Unfocused. He doesn't meet any of their gazes.

He claps, starts. "Boys, uh, glad you're here. Glad you're here. Thank you for coming. Uh, it's all good. All good. We've got search parties setting off now. And we're getting word they've picked up a signal from the plane's transmittor. So it won't take long now."

He hasn't once said even her name.

Still, not just for Logan, but for Roman, Kendall says, "Yeah. Yeah. Of course. It's, like, impossible for a plane to completely go missing these days. They'll find the signal and pick them up."

"Right." The briefest of nods from his father, a rare sign of acknowledgement, thanks. He takes in a breath and finally brings her up. "Your sister's tough, now. She's tough. She's going to be just fine. Isn't she, Connor?"

Connor's sitting on the back of the sofa, and his face is grim. Still he nods. "Sure, Pa. Sure."

Roman's too much in shock to notice what they're doing. It's for him. With Shiv gone, Roman is the baby. It's a show for him.

The youngest son says nothing, just gives a weak smile behind the fingers covering his face. His shoulders are hunched upward like a dog mincing away from the whip.

"Uh-huh. Okay." Logan's eyes wander over the room. If they didn't know him, they'd think he was a confused old man who doesn't quite remember where he is. But Dad's not old, they all tell themselves. He's not. And he knows what he's doing. He's just a little...unsettled. "Thank you, boys. Thank you."

"Uh, dad," Kendall clears his throat. "Is there...is there anything I - we can do right now? Like, does the search party need volunteers?"

"Huh? Oh, no, son. We've got top of the line -- it's taken care of. "

"Okay. How about, how about Mom? Does - she knows, right? Or --"

"Ah? Oh, your mother. Uh, yes, I'm sure she knows by now. Someone must have...I mean, if you want to call her..."

"Sure, dad. Sure. I can do that."

Logan's gaze finally rests on Kendall, and there's true warmth there. "Thank you, Kenny. Okay, boys, I'll keep you posted." Then, without another word or glance, he leaves the boys behind him, their haunted eyes on his retreating back.

It's about five in the morning when Logan's bedside phone starts ringing. He's only been in bed for three hours, and been asleep for just about one. He'd just been dreaming of a campfire, and girls were laughing. Shiv's face is covered in soot but she's smiling, eyes sparkling as she knocks shoulders with one of her teammates --

However, he's awake instantly and answers. "What? Siobhan?"

Gerri. Her voice is very quiet, which means there's bad news.

Logan listens.

His veins are on fire. He's sitting on the edge of the bed and the darkness of the room turns red. "What? How? How can they lose the fucking signal? Those boxes are supposed to be goddamn indestructible, aren't they?...I don't fucking care that they're doing their best, Gerri, I need them to...well, don't they fucking know by now where the signal was coming from before it went away? Didn't they have jets going there?...oh, don't give me that garbage about the storm, I fucking know about the storm, that's how the plane -- interference? Fucking...what the fuck good are those fucking boxes if they can't give you the correct location through a fucking storm? Don't give me any shit about interference, Gerri!"

He listens a few moments more, breath chugging out of his nostrils like a bull ready to charge. "Well, you tell Cheney and the air force that I don't give a fuck. Tell them to keep pushing. This isn't some run of the mill commercial flight with some hodunk assholes from Iowa flying to Florida for vacation, this is my daughter. In fact, there are a lot of fucking important daughters on that plane. Tell that reptile that if he wants his braindead idiot reelected, I better not hear one fucking word about the operation slowing down. Fucking got that, Ger?"

He slams the phone down. His nerves are open and raw, and the darkness is too close and Shiv is out there, she's out there and the signal is gone.

From below, Richard, giving the morning's instructions to staff, hears a roar and the phone crash against Logan's bedroom wall.

Eleven-and-a-half months later, Kendall has to see it on the news like everyone else.

He doesn't give Richard any time to warn Logan before he bursts into his father's home office. His father is not at his desk but sitting on the couch holding a scotch, staring at nothing.

"What the fuck, Dad? What is this? You're fucking calling off the search?"

His father doesn't move, doesn't look at him. "It's been almost a year, Kendall." His voice is a thousand years old.

"So? That's it? We're done? You're not gonna fucking..."

"Not gonna fucking what, Kendall?" At last his father turns to face him, and his glazed eyes are even older than his voice. "We've done everything. Searched everywhere in that damn wilderness." His eyes are on the amber liquid in his glass. "Nothing."

"W-well," Ken's stammer is back. "We-we-we can"--

"Kendall," his voice is sharp, commanding. "It's done. There's no going back. Your sister..." Kendall must be rocking on his feet, because it looks like his father is swaying. "Your sister is gone." His voice cracks at gone.

But Kendall won't hear it. "Come on. Come on, Dad. It's not like you to give up like that. We"--

"The shareholders aren't going to want anymore money going to a search party that isn't finding anything."

"So that's what it all comes down to? Fucking money? Dad? Again? That's all that matters to you, now even?"

He sees the storm cloud gathering in his father's face. "We can't keep throwing resources" --

"Throwing resources? That's what you call funding the search party to find your fucking daughter? Your alleged favorite?"

"Don't fucking push me, son."

"No, this is -- wait." Ken's eyes cast about the room. "What...where?" He cranes his head all around, checking every end table, every surface. "Dad, where..." his eyes focus back on his father. "Dad, where are her pictures?"

Logan says nothing, stares into nothing, his face saying nothing. The only horror is in his wide glazed eyes.

Kendall points to the hutch against the wall. "The picture of her and Rome as kids? Her yearbook picture on your desk? The team on the wall? Where...where the fuck are they, Dad? Where did you put them?"

Logan's voice is as low as it is ever capable of being. "They're in her room. Which is locked."

Ken is too numb for a second, but then the pain and anger burst out. "In her room? Locked away? Like she never even fucking existed? Jesus fucking Christ, Dad"--

Logan is all at once on his feet, the drink slammed down on the coffee table. "And what the fuck have you been doing, Kendall? Hm? What have you been doing to find your sister? All this time, playing with your dick in your overpriced dorm room at that Ivy League dump instead of joining the search party?"

Kendall doesn't know whether to laugh or scream. "You told me not to volunteer, Dad. You told me not to interrupt my education. You said I wouldn't know what I was doing and I'd only get in the way"--

Logan's red face is inches in front of his. "Oh, you needed my permission, hm? My permission to go out and find your baby sister?"

"That's not fair" --

"GO ON. FUCK OFF. Your sister is gone, Kendall, and no amount of mewling about her pictures is going to bring her back. So, GET THE FUCK OUT OF HERE AND STOP WASTING ANY MORE OF MY GODDAMN TIME."

Logan turns away and marches over to his desk. His back is to Kendall, but Ken sees his arm go up over his face. Blocking everything out.

A stab of love. "Dad, I" --

"Go on, Kendall. Go on. Go and see to your brother. I can't right now. I need...I need some time."

Roman's sitting on the stairs when Kendall comes out. He's been home since everything started, "for Dad", he says. As if Logan has noticed at all. He's insisted throughout that Kendall stay at Harvard, but he's never given a serious shit about what Roman does.

"Is...is it true? He's called off the search party?"

"Yeah, Rome. Yeah, it's true."

"But why?" His voice breaks. He's trembling. "Why would he do that?"

Ken feels empty, like a clockwork man. He parrots his father. "It's been close to a year, Roman."

"So?" Roman is on his feet, arms wrapped around his slim body. He's been losing more and more weight recently. "That doesn't mean anything. If...if they're close to water, if there's game, they can still be..."

"Roman." Kendall closes his eyes, breathes. "Roman, she's gone."

A jolt shakes Roman's body. "Oh, fuck you, Kendall. You don't know that."

"Rome" --

"You don't know that. Anything could have happened!"

"We would have heard by now."

"Not necessarily! There's a lot of fucking wilderness out there."

"Right, so the chances of them making it this long"--

He stops short as Roman suddenly shoves him hard in the chest.

"Shut up! Just shut the fuck up, man! You don't know shit!"

"Hey, hey, Roman" --

"No! Fuck you! What, they teach you about surviving in the woods in your fucking Harvard business classes?" Another shove. "You're just fucking useless."

Kendall can't take it and he spits back. "Oh, yeah? Well, at least I'm not delusional."

"I'm not delusional."

"Yes, you are. This whole time you've never even considered that she might be" --

"Because"-- Roman cuts himself off and turns away, hands on the back of his head.

Kendall frowns. "Because what, Rome?" His shoulders slump. "Not because of your dreams. Bro, please don't tell me that."

Rome's arms are crossed again, still turned away from his brother. "Fine, I won't," he mumbles.

"They're just dreams, Roman," Kendall says for about the millionth time.

They started soon after the plane went missing. Shiv almost burning up on the crashed plane, but Roman tore off the seat belt so she could escape. Shiv happily splashing her friends in a lake they just discovered. A creepy cabin in the woods. A dark-haired girl wailing over a frozen body as the first snows fell.

Roman would never meet Ken's eyes when telling him, usually as they sat on his bed in the evening. He'd stare at his bedspread and say, "I don't know, they just feel really...real. Like I'm actually in front of her. Sometimes she sees me and gets really shocked but we..talk and stuff."

Ken never said much in reply.

He didn't want to say he'd been having the same dreams.

And now, he just won't put up with it. "You don't have some kind of psychic connection with her, okay? Like, you're not even twins, you're Irish twins." Born barely a year apart. Logan liked to throw the term around because he knew it bothered their old-English mother who deep down carried an ancient bigotry against the Irish like the rest of her family.

Roman finally faces him. "Yeah, I fucking know that, okay? But they feel more like visions than dreams"--

Kendall now shoves him hard, because he just had a flash of his own dream from last night, of Shiv stumbling in the snow and sniffling. She looked so relieved when she saw Kendall standing there in the cold, ready to help her up.

Another shove, and Roman whimpers. "You're fucking delusional, Roman. She's gone. She's dead, all right? She's fucking dead."

He doesn't wait to take in his brother's tears. He storms out of the house, pushing past Richard.

Roman collapses on the steps.

Logan can hear his youngest boy's sobs through the closed door. He's relieved. They're covering the choking sounds he himself is making. He's slouched over the window seat, clutching the curtains.

He can't stop it now, tears cloud everything.

Just last night he was sitting by Siobhan on the bank of that frozen lake again. She was wrapped up in that patchwork coat made out of bear and deer skins. He could see scars on her face. That wolf nightmare was true. His arm was around her, and he was telling her stories about how he and Ewan used to ice fish.

A little over nine months later, the call comes. Crash site found.

Survivors found.

[kyrie-silverwings]

Never Ending Survey: Kyrie Silverwings

Rules: Repost, do not reblog. Tag 10 blogs!

Tagged by: @blood-of-the-dragons, @under-the-blood-moonlight (you gets a Kyrie!)

Tagging: @kael-haustefort-xiv, @resistance-ranger, @lavender-hemlock, @bookbornexiv, @spotofmummery, @herohikara-wol, @lady-dusk-balmung, @cahli-tia, @seina-kurokiba, @of-sea-and-forest

BASICS.

FULL NAME: Kyrie Silverwings

NICKNAME: “Banshee”, “Mistress”

AGE:  ~28

BIRTHDAY:   5/26

ETHNIC GROUP: Hyur Midlander (in appearance)

NATIONALITY: not of Hydaelyn

LANGUAGE/S: Common, some understanding of others due to Echo

SEXUAL ORIENTATION : Pansexual

ROMANTIC ORIENTATION : Panromantic

RELATIONSHIP STATUS:  In a relationship

HOME TOWN / AREA:  a small forest village of hardly any note

CURRENT HOME:  Valorem Tenebris company house, personal apartment (both in Lavender Beds)

PROFESSION: Adder Captain, secretary / accountant (VT), information agent

PHYSICAL.

HAIR: White, usually shoulder length. Formerly a chestnut brown

EYES: Vibrant green, with an unsettling glow at times. When turned, the sclera is black

FACE: Slender, good bone structure, considered a dark beauty

LIPS: Medium-sized, usually with lipstick

COMPLEXION: Pale

BLEMISHES: An odd “birthmark” left on her left shoulder blade, a discoloration of the skin

SCARS: Few, mostly small faded ones from her childhood

TATTOOS: Purple patterns over her eyes and forehead, of unknown design

HEIGHT:  5′8″

WEIGHT: Average

BUILD: Slim, athletic, leans slightly pear-shaped

FEATURES:  Inconsistent hair growth, occasional eye patch, dark make-up. When turned, black veins across her body

ALLERGIES:  None.

USUAL HAIR STYLE:  Shoulder-length, feathered style. When long, it’s kept loose.

USUAL FACE LOOK :  An intrigued, bemused smile. Lidded eyes that cast about.

USUAL CLOTHING:  Prefers dark clothing, coats if travelling heavy, otherwise tends to wear moderately revealing attire

PSYCHOLOGY.

FEAR/S: Her past, falling back into old habits, apathy

ASPIRATION/S:  To commit to a peaceful existence, but still desires the strength to keep her allies safe

POSITIVE TRAITS: Adaptive, cunning, accepting of others, tenacious

NEGATIVE TRAITS: Callous, antagonizing, violently self-protective, prideful, reckless

TEMPERAMENT:  Phlegmatic

SOUL TYPE/S:  Warrior

ANIMALS:  fat cat tasmanian devil, black widow, hawk

VICE HABIT/S: soul harvesting, morbid curiosity, attracted to danger

FAITH: Next to none

GHOSTS?: Yes, unfortunately.

AFTERLIFE?: No

REINCARNATION?:  Not sure

POLITICAL ALIGNMENT: Unconcerned with politics, whether local or far-reaching. Willing to work with most clients.

EDUCATION LEVEL:  Self taught

FAMILY.

FATHER : Ewan of Astora (alive)

MOTHERS :  Nylea Silverwings (alive)

SIBLINGS : none

EXTENDED FAMILY: Naveia (grandmother), Yanne (aunt), Cyneric (grandfather)

NAME MEANING/S: comes from the Greek word for “lord” because... Dark Lord ending yes

HISTORICAL CONNECTION?: Nope.

FAVORITES.

BOOK:  History, reference material

DEITY: Gods already dead, thanks

HOLIDAY:  Closest would be All Hallow’s Eve

MONTH: November

SEASON:  Autumn

PLACE: A cozy cabin in the wilds of Limsa

WEATHER: Light rain

SOUND / S: Cat’s purring, the wind in the trees

SCENT / S:  Books, leather, faint perfume

TASTE / S:  Tea, blood in the mouth

FEEL / S:  Cold metal, soft black fabric, the whisper of shadow magic

ANIMAL / S:  Cats, snakes

NUMBER: 6

COLORS: Black. Purple. Green

EXTRA.

TALENTS: Good hunter, excellent tracker, excels in stealth 

BAD AT: Letting go of rivalries, giving up before overstepping boundaries

TURN ONS: Mysterious demeanor, height differences, strength, kindness, soft lingering touches, ruggedness, rough handling, beautiful eyes

TURN OFFS: Boorish manners, zealous attitudes, close-mindedness / bigotry

HOBBIES: Scouting across the Shroud, reading, collecting valuables for her company

TROPES: More Deadly than the Male, Double Agent, Silk Hiding Steel / Femme Fatale, Mysterious Woman, Wild Card (many more)

QUOTES : “I can handle this. Just watch, but don’t you dare interfere.”

MUN QUESTIONS.

Q1 : If you could write your character your way in their own movie,  what would it be called, what style would it be filmed in, and what would it be about?          

A1 :  I’m thinkin’ like how Interview with the Vampire was. Starts with her relating her story to, probably, another Adder and it goes over her life beginning with her curse and ending where she is now. May or may not kill the poor sod afterwards.

Q2 :  What would their soundtrack/score sound like?          

A2 :  Quiet, expressive orchestra. Ambient foreign vocals. I frequently listen to Dark Souls and Witcher music for background inspiration for her.

Q3 :  Why did you start writing this character?          

A3 : I used my Dark Souls oc and reworked her to interact with the story of FFXIV. She started out a bit “lighter and softer” than what she is now, but has grown quite a lot.

Q4 :   What first attracted you to this character?          

A4 : The theme of a girl who had to grow up very quickly in a bleak, hostile environment but pulls through due to support from friends and family. She has a dark side that I get to express that I don’t have in other characters. Unlike the rest, she’s hit the bottom before; writing her is a reminder of just how much worse things can be.

Q5 :  Describe the biggest thing you dislike about your muse.

A5 : She’s borderline antisocial and very bad at judging dangerous situations. Sh will walk into fights and will disregard whether she can win or lose, so she might come off as a liability...

Q6 :  What do you have in common with your muse?          

A6 :   Not much, but we love cats very much!

Q7 :   How does your muse feel about  you?          

A7 :   She’s probably surprised someone so nice could think of these terrible, horrible things to put her through.

Q8 :  What characters does your muse have interesting interactions with ?        

A8 :   Those with secrets or are similar to her. She’s slow to trust and that makes regular interactions difficult because of her aloof nature, but anyone who can break through her shell tends to find a good friend. Or...perhaps a rival should she desire to test your strength.

Q9 :  What gives you inspiration to write your muse ?        

A9 : DARK SOULS, but also anime and literature, anything thematically related to her

Q10 : How long did this take you to complete ?          

A10 : Several hours, since I was playing at the same time =v=;

[eriisaam]

The dancer who unites nations

So... Tethys. Might seem like a random choice when otherwise standing next to Meta-lord Reinhardt, wedged between Xander and Takumi, or otherwise snuggle buddies with a summoner like Teru or designated dream-soulmate Gunnthra. And in a way, she was, as her involvement with such a group involved a lot of happenstance, but events that otherwise led to a life she doesn’t regret, and she still felt was for the best (especially in regards to seeing Gerik and Marisa off).

She was among the dancers available who would lend their services to the Order of Heroes. Why her and not someone like Olivia, Azura, Ninian or otherwise was pure luck. For the others to focus on her well after her obligations through chance meetings in the Aether Resorts or throughout their business of operations were also matters of chance. But once she caught their eyes, she caught them dearly, and she herself was enchanted (though won’t admit it), when among them were an unusual singer who hides his gift compared to the other two singer summoners, and two men who have surprisingly enchanting dances and decorum in the way they carry themselves.

Yet the answer she’d stick with on her own of why she decided to forego Gerik’s band in favor of this one is “because this way, the chief can clear his mind better.” Confusing, but it’s what she sticks with.

However, she is still a free spirit. That part of her is the part of herself she stays true to. 

Even when Nohr and Hoshido are no longer at war with each other, tensions were still high. Although Queen Eliva remains alive, and the Niflian siblings have a much better social footing with the Muspell sisters to at least try to negotiate peaceful ties when the general consensus was Surtr is unquestionably the biggest hurdle to everybody, Nohr and Hoshido, although were trying to each put their best foot forward between either family of siblings, have a much more complicated relationship that is made worse when the people of either nations don’t entirely see eye to eye no matter how friendly the royalty themselves are with one another (particularly with at least two relationships bridging the families together outright: Ryoma with Camilla and then Xander with Takumi, among their other s-supports).

They could make snide comments and rumors all day of what kind of enchantments they bewitched either respective kings with, and Tethys wasn’t immune to the jabs or rumors in light of the late king Garon’s own fixations on songstresses and/or dancers, but she’s seen it all, heard it all, and braved through it all.

And she gives not a single iota fuck of any of it.

She is clearly not from their world. She doesn’t come with the same biases like Hoshidans have to Nohrians, Nohrians have to Hoshidans, or either countries have toward wherever the hell world Corrin, Kamui and Azura originated from that makes everyone skittish to name outside of “Taco Hell” or whatever other nickname Erin threw out to call it. She has the interest of both nations, yet is beholden to none of them. Whatever argument is made against her is immediately silenced and calmed in seeing her dance. In the same ways Azura enchants people in song, Tethys enchants in dance, and anyone who is still unconvinced is left immediately silenced when suddenly made aware that Gunnthra and Reinhardt exists, and aren’t as harmless as either try to make themselves seem.

In some ways, she settled with a family she and Ewan always wanted, but were robbed of having since their days of old, nearly dying in poverty. In other ways, she is still a free spirit, touring Nohr, Hoshido, or even the pokemon world when Teru’s inclined to try to seek out pokemon or train outside of his summoner duties. Gerik had his reservations at first, but one look at the way she seemed more relaxed and vibrant in her dancing than usual told him enough she knew what she was getting into. 

[archiveacademics]

Histories and the first Spotlight

Earlier this week I looked at what the definition of fanfic is. It’s a topic of endless debate and one I will doubtless return to again and again over the course of this study. But for today I’d like to do a little look back at the history of fanfic and, more broadly, of fandom itself.

“First there was “Star Trek,” the original series, whose viewers—many of them women in stem fields—organized conventions and created self-published journals (a.k.a. fanzines) with fiction about its characters, a small but notorious slice of which included sexy doings between Kirk and Spock. Or: first there were fans of science-fiction novels and magazines who held conventions and traded self-published journals as early as the nineteen-thirties. Or: first there was Sherlock Holmes, whose devotees, hooked by serial publication, pushed for more stories, formed clubs, and wrote their own. Or: first came Virgil’s Aeneid. Or: first, the Janeites. Or: first there was you, and your friends, age ten, making up adventures in which Chewbacca met Addy Walker, and writing them down.”

So opens “The Promise and Potential of Fan Fiction” by Stephanie Burt, which, if you didn’t read it when I linked to it in the last post you really should. The history of fanfic, if we wanted to be really broad, could go all the way to the ancient Greeks writing plays based on The Iliad and The Odyssey which are based on oral stories of a real war that (probably) happened around 1180 BCE. 

But we’re not going to do that, because, as Jill Bearup explains in the first of her “History of Fanfic” vlogs, The Aeneid and Iphigenia at Aulis and Trojan Women were not technically fanfic, but derivative works. As I discussed before, fanfic is about intent*.

To find the true beginnings of fanfic, you need to only go as far back as the eighteenth century.

“...popular authors such as Daniel Defoe started protesting that his work was being "kidnapped" and bowdlerised by amateur writers who reduced the value of his creations with inferior impersonations,” writes Ewan Morrison in an article entitled “In the Beginning, there was fan fiction: from the four gospels to Fifty Shades.”

1913 saw the publication of Old Friends and New Fancies – an Imaginary Sequel to the Novels of Jane Austen by Sybil Brinton, the first piece of published Janeite fanfic. (Janeite, of course, being the name of Jane Austen fans at the time. Much like Swifties or Beliebers today.)

I myself own a book called Mr. Darcy, Vampyre, and though I’ve yet to read it (my shelf is over full, you might say) I’m sure it’s delightful.

From the Janeites of the eighteenth century we move forward to the Sherlock fans of the nineteenth. This genteel group of readers was so dedicated to Sherlock Holmes that they managed to raise him from the dead. Well, they annoyed Sir Arthur Conan Doyle so much he raised Sherlock from the dead. 

From there, the literary club of the Baker Street Irregulars was established in the 1930s and they are still alive and active to this day. Apparently, there’s a lot to discuss, as “Conan Doyle generally wrote the Holmes stories quickly and with a minimal amount of editing, and as a result the canon contains a huge number of mistakes and inconsistencies. It was from these that the practice of "Holmesian speculation" arose, which consists of pointing out discrepancies in the canon and devising (sometimes reasonable, sometimes extremely outlandish) explanations for them.” (Fanlore.org)

From Sherlock and the Irregulars we move to the modern era, and what you could potentially call the birth of modern fandom. That’s right folks, it’s time for some Star Trek.

“The shape of those [early 2000s] fandoms, in turn, was due to those that migrated out of meatspace onto the brand new baby internet, which of course owed their structure to the zine-based fandoms of the ‘70s and ‘80s. All of which can be traced back to – you guessed it – Star Trek.

Star Trek: The Original Series is often looked to as the origin of modern fandom, and many of the networks and communities those fans established continue to influence fan interactions to this day, as does the example they set in using fandom as a means of social awareness and political action.”

In “None of This is New: An Oral History of Fanfiction” Jordan West discusses why you shouldn’t be surprised when you draw the card “Harry Potter erotica” in Cards Against Humanity and gives a quick overview of the history of fanfic. However, West argues that writing such as Shakespeare and The Aeneid count as fanfic which, by this blog’s definition, they don’t.

So I guess what I’m trying to say is that everyone has their own ideas of what fanfic is and where it really began. I’m sticking with the Janeites as my point of ignition. 

Now that’s settled (insofar as anything on the internet is every “settled”) let’s move on to this week’s Spotlight. Every week, I plan on putting a platform, a person, or a particular story in the spotlight to show off the practical side of these academic headaches I’m giving myself. (I’ve gone back and forth on the definition of fanfic at least fifteen times since I posted the first blog post, much less when I was writing the damn thing.)

This week’s Spotlight is on two of the earlier homes of fanfic: LiveJournal and Fanfiction.net. 

LiveJournal was created in 1999 by American programmer Brad Fitzpatrick as a mixed blog/social media site.  It was purchased in 2006 by Six Apart and then sold in 2007 to SUP Media, a Russian media company. (Wikipedia.com)

“LiveJournal encourages communal interaction and personal expression by offering a user-friendly interface and a deeply customizable journal. The service's individuality stems from the way highly dedicated users utilize our simple tools, along with the instinct for individual expression, to create new venues for online socializing.

Because of LiveJournal's unique combination of platform and social media, LiveJournal has a unique personality in different parts of the world. In fact every national community in every country is unique in its own way. Where a user in the United States might focus their attention on communities dedicated to topics from the popular to the esoteric, users in the U.K. may tend to rally around entertainment-related issues. In Russia LiveJournal makes up the vast majority of the blogosphere, hosting over 80 of the top 100 Russian blogs. In Singapore LiveJournal revolves around collaboratively purchasing overseas goods. And that's just for starters.” (LiveJournal.com)

Fanfiction.net was created in 1998 by Los Angeles programmer Xing Li. The largest archive of fanfic on the internet, fanfiction.net comes in second in popularity to Archive of our Own**. It has over 12 million users and hosts stories in over 40 languages. Unlike LiveJournal, fanfiction.net is not a social networking site, but a site specifically dedicated to fanfic. Users can choose from a number of categories for their work and they can rate their work as well. The site also hosts forums for fans and writers alike, and registered users can apply to be beta readers. (Wikipedia.com)

I have never had a LiveJournal (I’m honestly not even sure if I’m capitalizing that right), and if I did have a ff.net account I had to have been, like, 12 when it was created and 13 when it was last opened. Still, these are two of the earliest archives of massive amounts of fanfic from hundreds of different fandoms (just check out this list of book fandoms that have stories written about them of ff.net. And that’s just the book category!) 

A history of fanfic is always going to be a little bit messy around the edges, in part because the definition of fanfic is so personal and changeable. All I can hope is that you’ve learned something new today while reading this. If so, I’ll count that as a win.

*And as I haven’t discussed yet, it’s also about copyright and ideas of authorship. Again, this is a topic you’ll have to look forward to.

**AO3 will be the subject of a future spotlight, don’t you worry.

[thesoftkiwifruit]

Tom Hiddleston: Not just a Romeo

By Ajesh Patalay for The Telegraph, 30 Aug 2008

With film and stage roles falling into his lap straight from Rada, Tom Hiddleston has become the name to watch. By Ajesh Patalay

Acontemporary of Tom Hiddleston's at Rada describes him as 'very talented, very charming, aristocratic hair'. And so he proves. At 27, Hiddleston is one of our most exciting young actors, particularly for his stage work. 'Remember that name,' urged one critic, following Hiddleston's dual role as Cloten and Posthumus in Cheek by Jowl's production of Cymbeline last year. 'One day that lad is going to be a star, and deservedly so.' For his Cassio in the Donmar Warehouse production of Othello last November, in which he starred opposite Ewan McGregor and Chiwetel Ejiofor, he was deemed 'first-rate' and 'a name to watch'.

'It was pressure,' Hiddleston admits, 'but you felt everyone just wanted to make it work. You raise your game.' Both plays earned him nominations for the Olivier Award for Best Newcomer. He won for Cymbeline. 'In one sense that meant every-thing. I felt like I had been invited to the party.'

Next Hiddleston is starring alongside Kenneth Branagh in a new Donmar West End production of Chekhov's Ivanov, adapted by Tom Stoppard. 'I could listen to him all day,' Hiddleston raves about the playwright when we meet a week into rehearsals at a restaurant in Waterloo. 'He's so knowledgeable and articulate, it's quite special to have him in the room.'

Hiddleston himself proves bright, eloquent, easy company; and today sports a glowing tan (from two weeks spent visiting his sister in India) plus a goatee beard, which he has grown for his role as Lvov, the self-righteous doctor in Ivanov.

'Tom has a number of things that come very naturally to him,' Michael Grandage, the director of Othello and Ivanov, says. 'His height, his look, how he carries himself. Plus he has an exceptional ear for making language that is 450 years old sound alive, which is why I cast him in Othello. The reason he is in Ivanov is that I enjoyed working with him so much and found to my delight how astonishingly versatile he is.'

Hiddleston wanted to act from an early age, but wasn't always confident about making it his profession. 'It seemed too mysterious and precarious a life to commit to.' There were no actors in the family (his mother is a stage manager, his father a physical chemist) and although he acted at prep school in Oxford and then at Eton (the first in his family to go), it wasn't until he reached Cambridge, to read classics, that he changed his mind.

In his first term he was spotted by a casting agent in a production of A Streetcar Named Desire, which led to a role in an ITV production of Nicholas Nickleby and to his securing an agent. 'It seemed a ridiculous thing to be given when so many people at Cambridge were struggling to get an agent. At that point I allowed myself to want to be an actor as much as I think I'd always wanted to be.'

Still at Cambridge, he landed roles in Conspiracy, a BBC/HBO co-production, starring Branagh, about the Wannsee conference (a 1942 meeting of top-level Nazis in 1942 that resulted in the Final Solution), and the Winston Churchill biopic The Gathering Storm opposite Albert Finney and Vanessa Redgrave. Then, having graduated with a double first, he set off for Rada.

'I thought theatre people wouldn't see me if I hadn't trained. I didn't want to just be the Brideshead guy, to spend the rest of my life wearing waistcoats.' He relished the experience. 'I got the chance to try everything. Not just Romeos, but pimps and grandfathers and even one role as a woman in a Naomi Wallace play called Slaughter City.'

In 2005, fresh from Rada, he was cast in his first film, a British independent called Unrelated, directed by Joanna Hogg, which won an inter-national critics' award at this year's London Film Festival and is released next month. In it Hiddleston plays an 'irresponsible, devil-may-care' 19-year-old whose 'way of interacting with the world is to flirt with it'.

As for Ivanov, it is as much a reunion with Branagh as it is with Grandage. The two actors have just spent 12 weeks in Sweden filming a television series called Wallander based on the detective novels of Henning Mankell. 'Ken is calling it his Hiddleston year,' Hiddleston says.

For the future, who knows? Hiddleston hopes perhaps for more films. He has been to LA once, he says, but they didn't know what to make of his wildly diverse tastes: Judd Apatow (the producer of Knocked Up) and Ibsen in the same breath. But for now, it's all eyes on Ivanov. His evident focus recalls something Grandage says: 'He is clearly one of our younger actors who is going places. But in his head he seems to be taking everything at a good pace. That's what I love about him.'

Original article here: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/3559452/Tom-Hiddleston-Not-just-a-Romeo.html

[emma-what-son]

A collection of Batb reviews

Click on the links to read the full review.

Collider: Too Much of a Good Thing: It’s a shame that the central relationship doesn’t really work because there are flashes of brilliance surrounding it. Everyone in the cast seems to care deeply about what they’re making, but some actors are ultimately more successful at finding the balance between the new version and the animated original.

Gamespot: You'll undoubtedly hum along as the jovial song Belle opens the movie, even if the radiant Emma Watson's uneven performance still somehow manages to keep the princess a 2D character in a 3D world.

 Hollywoodreporter: Maybe it’s just the presence of Watson (who’s okay but not great), but there may be an intentional touch of Hogwarts, too, in the impossible, Escher-like staircases that also evoke the gloom of Frankenstein’s laboratory — a realm that played such a key part in Condon’s breakthrough work, Gods and Monsters, another story about a gay man (McKellen) in love with a straight guy and loveable “freaks.”

BBC: Buried as he is under layers of computer-generated imagery, Dan Stevens manages to make the Beast his own by finding the pathos in his aristocratic awkwardness. Ewan McGregor puts some oomph and ooh-la-la into Lumiere the candelabra. As for the rest of the cast, Emma Watson is prim and petulant as Belle; Emma Thompson’s Mrs Potts is no match for Angela Lansbury’s, who was as warm and soothing as the tea she brewed; and Kevin Kline is painfully mannered as Belle’s wittering father.

CBR: Belle is also underwhelming. Watson seems content to keep this Disney princess nice and lovely, never bothering to spark the part with the side-eye, smirks or sass that urged the cartoon character to boot Gaston from her home, or rage back against the Beast’s outbursts. Essentially, she missed out on the rebellious essence of the character. Without it, this hapless heroine feels less aspiration and exciting.

IBTimes: Sadly, Watson is the film's weakest link (aside from McGregor's dreadful French accent). So many of Belle's progressive attitudes seem to match Watson's own, but she doesn't quite sell the character's warmth and fiery nature. Nor can you really buy her as an oddball who would be ostracised by everyone who knows her.

Nerdist: Watson, a noted talent and card-carrying heroine of her day, feels curiously out of place as a doe-eyed yesteryear princess like Belle, much in the way a Beauty and the Beast this beholden to its forbearer’s genetic code feels to the big screens of 2017.

People: The movie also has a few problems with its Beauty. Emma Watson’s performance is sweetly unaffected, which helps keep her afloat in such heavy sauces. She also has that same look – searching and skeptical — we know from her years as Hermione. This means in the end she seems not so much to surrender her heart as to solve a problem that needed concentrated thinking.

Movieweb: Emma Watson looks very young in this part. Her voice is lovely and acting more than capable, but I was constantly aware of her youthful appearance. Belle is obviously a teenage girl, but the Beast and Gaston look old enough to be her father. The fawning suitors are clearly adult men, while the object of their affection is childlike. It struck a weird chord with me. It may by a strange critique on my part, but this was not the case at all in Cinderella. Those characters had an age appropriate feel. The leads in this film do not.

Cinemarunner: I’m sorry: maybe it’s that I only recently saw Christophe Gans’ take on this tale, but after watching Lea Seydoux as Belle, I find Emma Watson is not as engaging. She dutifully plays the part, but never really turns the character into anything; the obligatory Sound of Music homage is undercut both by her underwhelming vocals and the obviously fake hilltop from which she delivers it.

HeyuGuys: In this setting it’s the big musical numbers that do stand out, and Watson’s vocals impress in that regard. Her performance less so, but thankfully given how aesthetically grandiose this tale is, and just how much there is going on, her lack of nuance is less detrimental, and less notable in this instance.

DenofGeek: Ms. Watson obviously lives up to the English translation of her Belle character, appearing quite ravishing throughout the film; she also likewise transfers her own intellectual gifts to the character, allowing the newly resurrected Disney princess to enjoy some of the thoughtful poise that Watson displayed before the United Nations, where she became as much of a role model for young girls as her beloved Hermione persona. But as an actress, she continues to struggle in adult roles with getting out of her own head and conveying the emotional core that drives her characters, and Belle is ultimately a blandly flat creation in this Beauty and the Beast, wise and more proactive than her 1991 counterpart, but also far more blank and unknowable—she’s paradoxically less alive in the flesh.As the film rests primarily on Watson’s shoulders, this can prove fatal during scenes where she must sell romance to a CG-created Beast.

WeGotthisCovered: As Belle dances with Beast, there’s noticeable rigidness between woman and monster. Mainly because one of them doesn’t actually exist in reality, and Watson has trouble selling her flat-faced counterpart. Watson carries herself as big-thinker Belle, but seems better suited for a role with a little more cynicism and bite.

[tamboradventure]

How to (Virtually) Travel the World

Posted: 5/11/20 | May 11th, 2020

With the world on hold for the foreseeable, it’s going to be a long time before we get back on the road. Even as we begin to look to the summer, it’s likely that many destinations will keep their doors shut to international travelers until the fall.

But that doesn’t mean we have to put our wanderlust on hold.

With the world at our virtual fingertips, there are plenty of ways to feed your inner traveler from the comfort of your bed.

Many destinations and museums now let you “visit them” virtually. And there are also plenty of amazing books you can read, interesting films and TV shows you can watch, and fun meetups and classes to join.

In short, you can still see the world from home. Here’s a list of ways you can travel virtually and keep your wanderlust spirit alive:  

Books

Reading is one of the best and most budget-friendly ways to “travel” when you’re stuck indoors. You can transport yourself to far-flung destinations and get inspired by the power of words — all from the comfort (and safety) of home.

Some great recent reads: The Yellow Envelope, Wanderlust, Ghengis Khan and the Making of the Modern World, and An Irreverent Curiosity.

Here are a plethora of articles with more books:

12 Books to Take You Around the World

13 Books That Will Give You Serious Wanderlust

13 Non-Travel Books That Changed My Life

Additionally, if you want some monthly suggestions, check out our monthly book club. Each month you’ll get 3-5 books sent right to your inbox!  

Movies

There are many amazing films to choose online right now. I mean between Hulu, HBO, Netflix, Amazon, and Disney+, you can get anything you want. (Netflix has been especially on fire this month.) Some of my favorites:

Wild – Based on the novel of the same name, this movie follows Cheryl Strayed as she hikes the Pacific Crest Trail as a way to restart her life, end her drug addiction, and cope with her mother’s death.

Midnight in Paris – I pretty much love every movie about Paris, but this is one of my all-time favorites. The movie follows Gil, a writer on vacation with his fiancée and her family. At night, he wanders the streets of Paris before stumbling into a time warp that sends him back to the 1920s.

The Beach – Staring a young Leonardo DiCaprio, this movie is about young backpackers who set out to find paradise while in Thailand.

Lost in Translation – This film takes you into the heart of chaotic Tokyo. Bill Murray and Scarlett Johansson play two characters adrift in the the city together.

Into the Wild – Based on a true story, this movie follows Christopher McCandless as he sheds his material life in search of something more.

A Map for Saturday – This documentary is the best film about long-term travel.

For more suggestions, here is the complete list of my favorite travel movies and another post on LGBT Travel Movies and one on Africa-related films.

  TV Shows

Looking for some binge-worthy TV? Here are a few suggestions to keep your wanderlust satiated from the comfort of your own couch:

An Idiot Abroad – Comedian Ricky Gervais sends his clueless, culturally insensitive friend on hilarious (and often insightful) misadventures.

Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown – In one of the best travel shows ever made, the late Anthony Bourdain sheds light on new places and cultures as he eats his way around the world.

Long Way Round – Actor Ewan McGregor and his best friend travel across the entire world on motorcycles in this epic miniseries (and in Long Way Down they travel from Scotland to South Africa — again, on motorcycles).

Departures – Award-winning series chronicling two friends traveling the world together.

Dark Tourist – Journalist David Farrier visits some of the world’s weirdest, scariest, and most tragic places.

The Amazing Race – A reality TV show in which contestants race around the world for cash prizes (there are over 30 seasons, so it’s great for bingeing!).

Big City, Little Budget – My friend Oneika Raymond hosts this show, in which she shares budget tips and hidden gems so you can experience the best of big cities without breaking the bank.

Somebody Feed Phil – Phil Rosenthal, the creator of Everybody Loves Raymond, travels the world on a comedic culinary journey.

  Virtual Meetups

Since we can’t meet in person right now, we’ve been hosting our own through The Nomadic Network. Every week, we have meetups where we share stories, host guest speakers, and play games. We do about 2-3 a week.

Here are this week’s events:

Launching a Career in Travel: A Roadmap with Kelly Lewis from Damesly

“Ten Years A Nomad” Book Talk and Q&A with Me

Meet Heather: Year-Long RTW Trip Winner from Nomadic Matt Giveaway

For future events, click to see what’s coming!  

Virtual Tours (Museums, Galleries, Historical Sites, etc)

It seems every destination or museum is now offering some virtual tour. I’m all for it. While it’s not the same as being there in person, it’s still an enjoyable way to pass the time, get inspired, and learn about the world. Here are some of my favorites:

Anne Frank Museum (Amsterdam)

Rijksmuseum (Amsterdam)

Van Gogh Museum (Amsterdam)

Picasso Museum (Barcelona)

Guggenheim (Bilbao)

Faroe Islands Virtual Tour (Denmark)

Salvatore Dali Museum (Figueres)

Uffizi Gallery (Florence)

The Giants Causeway (Ireland)

British Museum (London)

Buckingham Palace (London)

National Gallery (London)

Natural History Museum (London)

Tate Britain (London)

Metropolitan Museum (New York)

Coliseum (Rome)

Catacombs (Paris)

Louvre (Paris)

Musée d’Orsay (Paris)

Machu Picchu (Peru)

Ruins of Pompeii (Pompeii)

Hermitage Museum (St. Petersburg)

Sweden Virtual Tour (Sweden)

National Gallery of Art (Washington, DC)

US Holocaust Memorial Museum (Washington, DC)

Free Tours by Foot is also offer a handful of tours from around the globe. They have walking tours, historical videos, and much more. Check out their YouTube page for a comprehensive list!  

Online Classes

With so many people home, online courses are seeing a huge surge in activity. In fact, I myself have finally been able to get around to taking some of the courses I’ve bought ages ago. If you’re looking to jump into a new online course, here are a few worth checking out:

MasterClass – This program is one of my favorites. I watch a ton of masterclasses. They are mini-courses with some of the most famous and successful people in the world, such as Margaret Atwood, Neil deGrasse Tyson, Martin Scorsese, Gordon Ramsay, Malcolm Gladwell, Alice Waters, Serena Williams, and many others.

Superstar Blogging – If you’re looking to start a blog or break into the freelance writing industry, we offer two courses that can help. You’ll get free tech support, weekly calls, and feedback and copyedits on your writing.

Udemy – Udemy is an online marketplace with over 100,000 online video courses. You can find courses on pretty much anything here!

Skillshare – A project-based marketplace for online courses. Like Udemy, there is lots of variety here.

Massimo Bottura’s Kitchen Quarantine – World-class Italian chef Massimo Bottura cooks up a storm in his home kitchen.

Pasta-Making Class (with Italian Chefs) from Take Walks – My favorite tour company, Take Walks, shows you how to make delicious pasta at home.

Seamus Mullen’s Quarantine Kitchen – Check out Seamus’s daily show for tips on clean and healthy eating.

José Andrés’ #RecipesforthePeople – Chef José Andrés is helping the world relearn simple, delicious recipes on his Twitter feed.

***

Learn something new. Or meet some new friends in a virtual meetup. Or just chill out and eat snacks and watch some movies.

We’ll be back on the road again.

But, until we can, at least we can travel the world through our computer.

P.S. – We’ve launched a new Patreon where you can get untold stories, photos, weekly Q&As, and free books. It’s our new member platform. So, if you want more of the content we have here, click here to check it out and get access. Your support helps keep this website going while giving you perks and content exclusive to Patrons!

Book Your Trip: Logistical Tips and Tricks

Book Your Flight Find a cheap flight by using Skyscanner or Momondo. They are my two favorite search engines, because they search websites and airlines around the globe so you always know no stone is being left unturned.

Book Your Accommodation You can book your hostel with Hostelworld as they have the largest inventory. If you want to stay somewhere other than a hostel, use Booking.com, as they consistently return the cheapest rates for guesthouses and hotels.

Don’t Forget Travel Insurance Travel insurance will protect you against illness, injury, theft, and cancellations. It’s comprehensive protection in case anything goes wrong. I never go on a trip without it, as I’ve had to use it many times in the past. I’ve been using World Nomads for ten years. My favorite companies that offer the best service and value are:

World Nomads (for everyone below 70)

Insure My Trip (for those 70 and over)

Looking for the best companies to save money with? Check out my resource page for the best companies to use when you travel! I list all those I use — and they’ll save you time and money too.

The post How to (Virtually) Travel the World appeared first on Nomadic Matt's Travel Site.

from Nomadic Matt's Travel Site https://ift.tt/2WJrkpH via IFTTT

[aemonds-wifey]

BRB just falling in love 🥰🥰🥰

[aemonds-wifey]

God bless thank you Julia Brown 🙏🏻

[aemonds-wifey]

Soft boi

[aemonds-wifey]

BHTS of world on Fire S1 …Ewan crumb!!!! Look at how soft he is!!!! ❣️❣️❣️