#has miles posted too many turtles and now i see turtles everywhere?

[skylarbee]

😤 he wanted to have it! 😤 give that plushie back to him! 😤

(via eterwin's IG story, 18.10.2023)

[ibtk]

Book Review: THE SEVENTH MANSION by Maryse Meijer

(Full disclosure: I received a free e-ARC for review though Edelweiss. Trigger warning for sexual assault, homophobia, violence against animals, and disturbing sexual content.)

-- 4.5 stars --

There is this person I love. And he’s not even a person.

After Xie's parents split and an environmental disaster sends his already precarious mental health spiraling, Xie and his father Erik relocate from California to an unnamed town in the rural south, in search of the proverbial fresh start.

At first, Xie is your garden-variety teenage outcast: melancholy. goth. vegan. an outsider. friendless. forgettable. Yet he's quickly "adopted" by the only other vegans in the school - girlfriends Jo and Leni, who together make up the entirety of FKK.

The group's animal rights activism slowly evolves from leafleting to direct action: the trio breaks into a local mink farm, freeing as many of its captives as they can. Xie is nabbed during the getaway, and suddenly he goes from "nobody" to "that freak who vandalized the Moore farm". Instead of silence and indifference, Xie is met by hostile sneers, gossip, and relentless bullying. He takes a leave of absence from high school, instead getting one-on-one tutoring at the local library. His parents are forced to pay restitution, and Xie's placed on probation.

Xie's only respite is nature: his burgeoning vegetable garden; the small but pristine forest behind his house; and, eventually, the mysterious light, nestled among the branches, that leads him to a tiny church - and his beloved. St. Pancratius, who was martyred in 304 A.D. and whose remains are on covert display in a one-room church in the middle of nowhere.

He traces the image with his finger. The story the same in every version: A boy on a road, refusing to lift his sword against the lamb, losing his head every time the story is told, again and again and again.

Still, all of this comes with a cost: loving nature, whether animal, vegetable, or mineral, means saying goodbye to it one day. Relationships can be messy, even when they're with clean bones. Sometimes we get so wrapped up in our own shit that we're oblivious to what our loved ones are going through. Maybe your tutor shows up to work one day piss drunk and tells you about her abortion. Or your friends drag you to a backwoods meeting of environmental activists, where one of them sexually assaults you. Or you show up to a mass protest that is even more massive than you anticipated, and find you're unable to protect yourself, let alone the 55 billion+ land animals slaughtered for food every year in the US alone (animalclock.org).

The problem is too big, even when it's one of the smaller ones. The problem is impossible.

While disturbing, Xie's theft of a skeleton is not the worst crime he'll commit in his teen years. As FKK becomes involved with a local animal rights group, and Xie's sanctuary is threatened, he careens toward an inevitable (????) collision with the outside world, which neither understands him - nor cares to. (Fuck capitalism.)

THE SEVENTH MANSION is one weird-ass book; I mean, the main character has sex with a skeleton (!). This is certainly the wildest aspect of the story, but it's not alone. For example, take the narrative structure, which has a kind of stream-of-(Xie's)-consciousness vibe. Many of the sentences are fractured, even forced, as though we're pulling them from the depth's of Xie's tortured soul. His thoughts. Are broken. Up. Like this. Conversely, there are no chapters, and so many of the paragraphs are just huge, unbroken blocks of text - almost as though Meijer is framing Xie in opposition to the larger world around him.*

I suspect that THE SEVENTH MANSION is one of those love it or hate it dealios. Personally, I loved it, even as some parts proved excruciatingly unbearable to read.

I don't know whether Meijer is vegan, but she gets so much right; sometimes it felt like she was rooting around inside my head. I went vegetarian my freshman year of college (1996, not to date myself) and vegan about 9 years later. Reading Xie was like having a mirror held up to my own depressive, anxious, vegan psyche. One thing carnists probably don't realize about walking around this world as a vegan is: it takes a ton of mental work, of suppression and dissociation, just to get through the day.

Animal suffering is omnipresent, and largely accepted. From Carl's Jr. commercials to classroom trips to the zoo; leather car seats to team lunches at non-vegan restaurants, where you'll be forced to watch your coworkers and friends devour the corpse of a once-living creature - someone's mother, brother, or child - we are constantly forced to bear witness to the oppression of animals. Worse, to pretend as though it's of no consequence: just to get along, or because doing otherwise would quickly devour your time, your prospects, your relationships. To say that it's depressing is an understatement.

Whether Xie is living through the oil spill that finally made his world "snap," or gazing into the eyes of caged mink, I was right there with him, trying not to cry. Not to break. There's so much suffering in the world; if you try to take it all in, to truly understand its scope, it will swallow you whole.

Speaking of the oil spill, which was the impetus for Xie to go vegan - Meijer's description of this moment in Xie's life brought back so many memories. When I decided to stop eating meat, I was working at a local grocery store. Every now and again, they had an employee appreciation dinner (in lieu of a raise, natch), which basically consisted of all you can eat burgers and hot dogs in the break room. Everyone would stuff their faces, taking in as many free calories as possible. Not because they were hungry, but to get as much of a leg up on our cheap ass employer as possible. The sheer gluttony and waste of it all is what finally did it for me. No one needed to eat seven hamburgers in one night; we did because we could, because not doing so would be to lose out. The working class eating the chattel, and no one eating the rich.

Point being, that's a singular moment in my life that I'll never forget. It stands out in stark relief, right alongside the deaths of my husband and furkids (six dogs and one cat down and counting). If I close my eyes, I can almost transport myself back there, white starched shirt, demo table, 7PM Friday fatigue, and all.

The last time he ate meat he was twelve years old, after the spill: Xie was Alex then. Even miles from the beach, they could smell something off; at first they thought it was the sandwiches, ham pressed hot in the pockets of Erik’s windbreaker, but the closer they got to the beach the stronger the smell became, noxious, chemical. They parked at their usual spot, yellow tape blocking access to the beach beyond. A black ribbon flat against the horizon; that was the water. No trace of blue. On the rocks below the lot a half dozen pelicans huddled together. Coated from beak to foot in oil. Don’t touch them, his father said. Someone will come wash it off. But there was no one. The black sea lapping the sand. Those bewildered eyes. He watched as one of the birds collapsed, its head twisted sideways against its folded neck. His father pulled him away. The fire on the water burned for two weeks; the beach remained black for a year. Sea turtles, dolphins, whales, gulls, crabs, otters, fish, birds rolled up by the waves in the tens of thousands. Oil on meat on sand. No stopping it. Xie got headaches, bloody noses; he was always tired, couldn’t sleep. His mother standing in the doorway, Stop playing games, you’re fine. But his father was never angry. Scared of what he saw. Xie in the dark. Unable to make it from one room to another. The people who used to go to the beach just went somewhere else. Life as usual. Slumped in the backseat as his father fed gas into the truck he suddenly couldn’t stand it. Stopped standing it. He opened the back door, started walking. Alex, his father called, but he was not Alex anymore. He poured out all the milk in the house and fed the meat to the dogs next door and rode his bike everywhere.

So yeah, our circumstances may be different, but Xie's conversion sure hit me in the feels.

Meijer also does an excellent job capturing the heartbreak and urgency of Millennials and Gen Z. As tormented as I might have been in high school, at least I had the luxury of not thinking too much about climate change - at least until Al Gore came along. Xie and his peers, on the other hand, will bear the brunt of their predecessors' unchecked greed. Nowhere is this divide more eloquently laid bare than in Jo's post-march argument with Erik (who is likely around my age):

Didn’t you see how he just folded up out there? He can’t protect himself, he won’t. You don’t know what he was like, before we came here, okay, you didn’t watch him, lying in bed day after day, ready to cut his goddamn throat because of all this shit, this constant litany of doomsday statistics, he just takes it in and he can’t—he doesn’t know what to do with it, and you want to keep shoving it in his face, when it’s—it’s enough! Staring at Jo, who stares back. Look, whatever you’re afraid of, whatever he’s afraid of, it’s already happening, okay? And he knows it, he’s living it, and he wants to do something about it. If there was some other option, some fantasyland where everything is going to be fine as long as we bury our heads in the sand, then believe me, I’d take it. But there’s not. Not for me and not for Leni and not for Xie and if you think you can protect him by denying that then you’re just—wrong. I’m sorry. She holds Erik’s gaze; he nods, the first to look away.

My gods, that scene just cuts me to the bone. As bleak as things are now, I cannot imagine going through all this - climate change, COVID-19, a Trump presidency, Democratic ineptitude/complicity, *gesturing wildly* - as an adolescent. Their elders cut them down before they even started crawling.  

On a lighter note, Xie's scenes with his clueless mom and her equally clueless new husband (Jerry!) brought a(n admittedly wry) smile to my face. If I had a penny for every times this scene has played out in my life, I'd have enough cash monies to start my own animal sanctuary.

Don’t you want some vegetables, Xie? Jerry asks. I don’t eat animal products, Xie murmurs, and Jerry, confused, staring at the green beans, How is this— Butter, Xie interrupts. Butter is from milk, which is from cows, which are animals. Jerry blinks. Gosh, I didn’t even think of that. Sorry. Xie shrugs.

There's so much to obsess about here: I love Jo and Leni together, and their opposing circumstances just make the relationship so much more complex - and potentially fraught. Erik and tutor Karen (I wonder if the name choice was intentional?) are interesting supporting characters, and their relationships with Xie are so beautiful and nuanced; they both support him the best they know how.

Xie's interactions with his phantom lover are a little more confusing and difficult for me to comprehend. Perhaps P. represents Xie's inability to connect with the human world around him, or at least not as well as the more abstract, ephemeral natural world. Possibly P. is Xie's ideal human: one who would rather die than raise a finger against an animal (or one who cannot disappoint you by voicing their own opinions). Or maybe it's simpler than that, and Xie's hallucinations are just that: hallucinations. In any case, it made an already odd book absolutely bizarre, but in a good way, so I can't complain.

* This could just be because I was reading an early copy in need of further editing - but, seeing as how some formatting was already present, I think it was intentional. https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3672191091

[trinuviel]

What D and D should have included in Daenerys’ arc but didn’t...

1) Her ordering the Unsullied to kill all freeborn teenage boys (those wearing a tokar) in Astapor. And then showing them killing those children - because teenagers are still children!

"Unsullied!" Dany galloped before them, her silver-gold braid flying behind her, her bell chiming with every stride. "Slay the Good Masters, slay the soldiers, slay every man who wears a tokar or holds a whip, but harm no child under twelve, and strike the chains off every slave you see." She raised the harpy's fingers in the air . . . and then she flung the scourge aside. "Freedom!" she sang out. "Dracarys! Dracarys!" (ASoS, Daenerys III)

2) Dany not only allowing people to sell themselves into servitude but also taking a portion of the profits from the sales. Thus she becomes part of the slave trade without even realizing it.

“My queen?” Daario stepped forward. “The riverside is full of Meereenese, begging leave to be allowed to sell themselves to this Qartheen. They are thicker than the flies. "Dany was shocked. "They want to be slaves?” “The ones who come are well spoken and gently born, sweet queen. Such slaves are prized. In the Free Cities they will be tutors, scribes, bed slaves, even healers and priests. They will sleep in soft beds, eat rich foods, and dwell in manses. Here they have lost all, and live in fear and squalor.” “I see.” Perhaps it was not so shocking, if these tales of Astapor were true. Dany thought a moment. “Any man who wishes to sell himself into slavery may do so. Or woman.”She raised a hand. “But they may not sell their children, nor a man his wife.” “In Astapor the city took a tenth part of the price, each time a slave changed hands,” Missandei told her. “We’ll do the same,” Dany decided. Wars were won with gold as much as swords. “A tenth part. In gold or silver coin, or ivory. Meereen has no need of saffron, cloves, or zorse hides.” (ASoS, Daenerys VI)

3) Dany’s rare moments of insight and self-doubt, the moments where she recognizes her brutality but then justifies them to herself or represses them.

She had them nailed to wooden posts around the plaza, each man pointing at the next. The anger was fierce and hot inside her when she gave the command; it made her feel like an avenging dragon. But later, when she passed the men dying on the posts, when she heard their moans and smelled their bowels and blood … Dany put the glass aside, frowning. It was just. It was. I did it for the children. (ASoS, Daenerys VI)

Dany remembered the horror she had felt when she had seen the Plaza of Punishment in Astapor. I made a horror just as great, but surely they deserved it. Harsh justice is still justice. (ASoS, Daenerys VI)

“I made a horror just as great!”

All my victories turn to dross in my hands, she thought. Whatever I do, all I make is death and horror. ... The way before her was fraught with hardship, bloodshed, and danger. Ser Jorah had warned her of that. He'd warned her of so many things . . . he'd . . . No, I will not think of Jorah Mormont. (ASoS, Daenerys VI)

Mother of dragons, Daenerys thought. Mother of monsters. What have I unleashed upon the world? A queen I am, but my throne is made of burned bones, and it rests on quicksand. Without dragons, how could she hope to hold Meereen, much less win back Westeros? I am the blood of the dragon, she thought. If they are monsters, so am I. (ADwD, Daenerys II)

4) What happened in Astapor AFTER she left for Meereen. They should have showed us this, not just told us - and they did neither.

The master of the Indigo Star was Qartheen, so he wept copiously when asked about Astapor. "The city bleeds. Dead men rot unburied in the streets, each pyramid is an armed camp, and the markets have neither food nor slaves for sale. And the poor children! King Cleaver's thugs have seized every highborn boy in Astapor to make new Unsullied for the trade, though it will be years before they are trained." (ASoS, Daenerys VI)

Frog would be glad to put Astapor behind him. The Red City was the closest thing to hell he ever hoped to know. The Yunkai'i had sealed the broken gates to keep the dead and dying inside the city, but the sights that he had seen riding down those red brick streets would haunt Quentyn Martell forever. A river choked with corpses. The priestess in her torn robes, impaled upon a stake and attended by a cloud of glistening green flies. Dying men staggering through the streets, bloody and befouled. Children fighting over half-cooked puppies. The last free king of Astapor, screaming naked in the pit as he was set on by a score of starving dogs. And fires, fires everywhere. He could close his eyes and see them still: flames whirling from brick pyramids larger than any castle he had ever seen, plumes of greasy smoke coiling upward like great black snakes. When the wind blew from the south, the air smelled of smoke even here, three miles from the city. Behind its crumbling red brick walls, Astapor was still asmolder, though by now most of the great fires had burned out. Ashes floated lazy on the breeze like fat grey snowflakes. (ADwD, The Windblown)

5) Her authorizing the torture of the wineseller’s daughters.

Mercy, thought Dany. They will have the dragon's mercy. "Skahaz, I have changed my mind. Question the man sharply." "I could. Or I could question the daughters sharply whilst the father looks on. That will wring some names from him." "Do as you think best, but bring me names." Her fury was a fire in her belly. (ADwD, Daenerys II)

6) They should have SHOWED us the sack of Meereen:

She heard the city fall from half a league away, though, when the defenders’ shouts of defiance changed to cries of fear. Her dragons had roared as one in that moment, filling the night with flame. The slaves are rising, she knew at once. My sewer rats have gnawed off their chains.

When the last resistance had been crushed by the Unsullied and the sack had run its course, Dany entered her city. The dead were heaped so high before the broken gate that it took her freedmen near an hour to make a path for her silver. Joso’s Cock and the great wooden turtle that had protected it, covered with horsehides, lay abandoned within. She rode past burned buildings and broken windows, through brick streets where the gutters were choked with the stiff and swollen dead. Cheering slaves lifted bloodstained hands to her as she went by, and called her “Mother.” (ASoS, Daenerys VI)

These details would have made her descent into darkness more coherent but they wanted to have their cake and eat it too... They wanted the “badass” YAS KWEEN moments that powered the marketing of the show - but they also wanted her descent into villainy. And thus we got a narrative arc that zig-zagged between extremes of heroism and villainy in a way that had a large portion of the audience confused.

Her story is a tragedy where she ends up becoming what she originally opposed - all because her methods were as brutal as the people she fought against. She has become what she abhorred because she chose to fight inhuman brutality with her own brand of inhuman brutality. That is utterly tragic but it wasn’t something that happened overnight and not just because she lost loved ones. It was a path she stepped on when she decided to treat the Masters just as inhumanely as they treated their slaves. She didn’t rise above their brutality and savagery, she joined them - and that is her tragedy.

[brightlotusmoon]

Sneak Peek: A “Mikey The Lifegiver” side story

So, while working on the “Spirit And Oxygen” fic, I got poked in the writerbrain by yet another “Donnie thinks about how much he adores Mikey” story that didn’t quite fit, but maybe it could, so right now it’s going to be a side story, at least until Season 5 rolls around and we get canon confirmation on some things.

Stuff that is my heacanon here: 1) Shinigami is in a polyamorous relationship with Karai and Michelangelo, and the girls have their own bedroom in the lair. 2) Raph has taken a shine to Shini and her attitudes on life and is so proud his little brother has such an awesome loveperson who is also banging his awesome sister. 3) April has finally decided to try dating both Donnie and Casey, although she’s spent more time with Don, and casey doesn’t mind. 4) Both Splinter and Shredder are dead (Karai killed Shredder, take that Leo, although Leo was there too and got some hits in). 5) The Might Mutanimals are very involved in the turtles’ lives. Mondo has learned first aid from Dr Rockwell and engineering from Don. 6) Leo and Karai have been duel sensei-ing and still argue over who gets to be Actual Sensei. 7) Abandoned military bases are turned into hide-outs for the more vicious, feral, and angry mutants in every borough. Mikey, Mondo, and Shini like to try and find them to befriend the tamer, friendlier ones. Karai and Raph wind up getting angry out of love and fear. 8) Mikey is Donnie’s assistant in the lab and is a field medic who uses his emotional reach to comfort the injured. I don’t know if any of it will reflect in real canon. We shall find out in March. I did see the Korean leaks and I’m not saying a damn word. Also, I am happy to discuss where the rest of the story might go and how and why, and I’ll probably switch to another perspective like April (Storm) or Karai (Iron) or Ghost Of Splinter (Wind) or Shinigami (Magic). Mostly I’m just in love with writing Donnie talking about Mikey, and this would be my third Earth And Oxygen fic in the “Mikey The Lifegiver” series.  (PS, Mikey is Oxygen, duh. Don is Earth, Raph is Fire, Leo is Water. The Tumblr post for Mikey The Lifegiver is the second most popular blog post I’ve written so far. The first one is me waxing pagan about all those winter holidays from dozens of religions with hundreds many gods) Also, for my regular readers: You knew this sort of thing was gonna happen again. It’s all I write. Apparently, though, since 1999, I’ve had the most  wonderful contemporaries and competition. You hardcore Mikey fans, you’re the best, I love you all.

Lying in my bed I hear the clock tick, And think of you Caught up in circles confusion Is nothing new Flashback warm nights Almost left behind Suitcases of memories, Time after Sometimes you picture me I'm walking too far ahead You're calling to me, I can't hear What you've said You say go slow I fall behind The second hand unwinds If you're lost you can look and you will find me Time after time If you fall I will catch you I'll be waiting Time after time If you're lost you can look and you will find me Time after time If you fall I will catch you I'll be waiting Time after time After my picture fades and darkness has Turned to gray Watching through windows you're wondering If I'm ok Secrets stolen from deep inside The drum beats out of time If you're lost you can look and you will find me Time after time If you fall I will catch you I'll be waiting Time after time You said go slow I fall behind The second hand unwinds If you're lost you can look and you will find me Time after time If you fall I will catch you I'll be waiting Time after time

-Cyndi Lauper, “Time After Time”

 Earth And Oxygen: Time After Time

 Donnie’s dreaming hard again, and he cherishes it. Usually is dreams are soft and quick, minnows in a stream, full of chrome and rust and the scent of oil, and there are tiny things in his hands, beeping and whirring, and there are giant things in front of him, clicking and rumbling; and the scars all over his hands reminds him that these are his, he made them, and they make sounds at him as though they are praising him.

Almost a year ago, shortly after Splinter died and Shredder died and Karai moved in, things began happening that challenged every science imaginable, but Donnie learned to be completely fine with it. Aside from Leo and Karai in a constant subtle battle over who would be sensei, Raph mellowed out and Mikey stopped pranking. Donnie was the only one who recognized Mikey as the catalyst: after enduring a series of traumas that they wouldn’t wish on their enemies, Mikey had become quieter, softer. His odd hyperfocusing moments turned on books without pictures and science documentaries and Donnie spent three weeks spying on him; it was no surprise when Mikey caught him each time, because Mikey had changed the most. Donnie and April ran every single test, and Mikey endured them with a strange fidgeting patience, but Rockwell in the end explained that Mikey’s Dimension X brain had finally caught up with him. He was almost like April. Don stopped being surprised when a beaker full of An Unusual Chemical dropped from his hands and floated back up to the table, despite it only being him and Mikey. Mikey, who folded his arms and grinned cheekily, and that was the day Donnie went to the closet and handed him a lab coat with his name on it.

Between their rotating autistic traits and interests, Donnie with engineering and physical science and Mikey with social sciences and cultural studies, they managed to create Things that made the lair easier to live in. With Mikey around, it was easier to navigate the entire city and study humans’ patterns, so certain stores, warehouses, junkyards, and clinics would stay their “borrowing” targets. With Donnie around, they had vehicles and cloaking devices to move further and deeper in.

So Donnie dreams heavily, about jumping from roof to roof in Staten Island, looking for that one military facility that up until now always had staff. Mikey is right behind him, ready with both kusarigama and grappling hook. Donnie stops and signals, and Mikey presses right against his carapace, wrapping one arm around his waist, extending the other to aim the grappling gun. Don signals again, and Mikey pushes off and practically flies – scratch that, he literally glides – and Donnie feels perfectly utterly safe as he casually throws an arm around his little brother’s shoulders. Mikey wouldn’t let them drop; they’d only hover. That’s how good he’s gotten. The grappling hook keeps catching on roof edges and Mikey lets it hover and glide to the next and the next, and they keep going.

They’re on the roof of the facility, over a mile from where they started, and Donnie pries open the secret door and they move in, and their flashlights roam. They remove their backpacks when he finds the correct room, and collect the items he’s already listed on his T-Phone. It’s silent, it’s swift, and the only thing that warns him is Mikey’s hiss and his voice in Donnie’s head: Donnie, get DOWN—

And Donnie flattens himself on the floor and the creature grazes him with a long metal toe as it leaps over him, and his right shoulder and bicep both rip open wide and his body spills blood rapidly. But it’s not the pain that makes him scream. It’s the strangled screeching gasp, full of pure agony and horror, that Mikey makes from somewhere behind him. No living creature should be making a sound like that unless it’s about to die...

There is precious seconds of heavy silence, and he hears Mikey make that familiar, inhuman growl that all the turtles make when enraged, when their human sides shrink and their literal reptilian brains take over with crushing power. The creature howls in pain and shock, and Mikey lets out a roar that contains Donnie’s name scrawled into it, and then there is crashing, there is stabbing, punching, shrieking, snarling, bones cracking and flesh squelching and liquid spurting and other noises that Donnie will hear in his post-traumatic nightmares. Donnie crawls forward, collapses on his back, turns around and forces himself to stand.

The creature has Mikey pinned to the ground, and shadowed blood is pooling everywhere. And then Mikey kicks and flips the creature over with a furious shriek, and through the darkness Donnie sees his teeth flash in a savage grin, you do not want to see that kind of smile on Mikey’s face, and Donnie sees him coated in shadows, launching again at the creature, smacking his nunchaku again and again…and then the creature stops moving, stops making noise; and Donnie hears his own harsh, pained breathing, and his brother’s harsh, pained breathing, and he manages to call out, “Mikey, are you okay?”

There’s a pause. “I’m always okay, Dee,” comes a breezy reply, but it is thin and strained. “Hey, Dee, what’s hurt on you?”

“My right shoulder and upper arm, but I can patch it up. You?”

A longer pause, much much longer.

“Can I take a raincheck on answering that?”

Donnie feels his gut turn to ice. “Mikey?”

He sees the dark figure of his brother hold up a finger. “Just…gimme…a sec.”

Within that second, Mikey falls to his knees. Donnie feels himself lurch forward. His eyes strain. The shadows on his brother are not shadows. They are too shiny. He’s covered in it.

No. No. Please, no, not again, I can’t handle this again.

It’s not the blood loss making Donnie feel so dizzy. He struggles to move, and watches, in slow motion, as Mikey falls over completely, smacking the floor, and it is a wet smack, and liquid is still pooling around him. And Don starts to hyperventilate, because he’s not sure where the light switch might be in this room and where the first aid kits are, and suddenly the darkness is too dark and the floor opens up and he is being swallowed, and he cannot reach Mikey, and then he falls, and as he falls his T-Phone rings, and something presses its energy button, and it’s blaring in his ears, louder and louder, calling MIkey’s name.

Donatello bolts up screaming, and it is too dark and he can’t see. A door crashes open. A body launches at him, and before he can take another breath, a pair of arms are wrapped around him and a plastron is pressed against his, and his chin is on a broad muscley shoulder, and the scent he breathes in is pure Raphael.

“Raph,” he squeaks out. “Hey--”

“Sshhh, Donnie, easy,” the hoarse voice murmurs. “It was a dream. You’re okay.”

He finds himself awkwardly patting his older brother’s upper carapace, trying to politely pull away. “Raph…Raph, I realize that…can I breathe? Please?”

Raph pulls away, green eyes serpentine in the darkness of his bedroom. The way his head tilts, too.

“I’m fine, Raph. I promise. I know it’s a nightmare.”

Those eyes and that head tilt remain fixed on him.

“Donnie, this is your fourth nightmare. Do you realize that?”

Really?

“Um. No?” He’s been so busy between his lab and the sectioned-off infirmary that Rockwell and Slash and Casey helped build that he sometimes doesn’t remember going to bed.

“Well, it is. And I’ll bet it’s the exact same one. Yours are weird.” Raph sits back, agura style, and Donnie draws his knees up to make room. “They’re like clockwork. Once a week. And, y’know, this is the fourth week since--”

“I know. And you guys dragged me to my own bed when you knew I wouldn’t stay here.”

“You did this time,” Raph points out.

“True. Wait, I did?”

“Congratulations on a full twelve hours of sleep, bro. It’s ten in the morning.”

Donnie feels his eyes grow wide. He throws the covers off and jumps off his bed. “I’m missing work, I--”

Raph’s strong hand slaps against his chest. “Remember what we all agreed on? Until your shoulder and arm is fully functional, you don’t do anything complex without someone helping you. I hope you were planning on asking someone.”

Donnie narrows his eyes. “Do you know how to handle the complex alien chemicals I need to work on? Plus the newer components of the retromutagen?”

“If not me, you have April. Or Rockwell. Or Shini.”

Donnie sighs, looks at his immobilized arm, and sighs again.

“You’re a stubborn bastard, Hamato Donatello.”

“You’re worse.”

“I am a paragon of complacency, little brother.”

And Donnie winces. “Try not to call me that?”

“Oh. Right. I forgot. You’re right. Sorry, Don.”

Donnie sighs and gets dressed.

“Um.” Raph rubs the back of his head. “So, nothing’s changed this morning. That’s…like, good, right? Kinda?”

“Kinda,” Donnie says. “It means that Mikey is continuing to heal. Which is the best we can hope for in this situation.”

As he heads out of his room and toward the lab doors, Raph catches up. “You should eat something first.”

“I need to check his vitals and change his IV bags.”

“Karai did that.”

“Even the GI tube?”

“Yeah, that one too.”

Donnie pauses. “I just need to see…”

“Donnie.” Raph is impossibly firm, and very soft. “Donnie, everything you could do has been done. We’ve watched you and learned from you for a whole month. It’s a routine. And part of the routine is that those of us who aren’t doing the routine help ourselves first. It’s your turn.”

Donnie is very silent as Raph steers him toward the kitchen. Leo is finishing up eggs, toast, and tea. Shinigami is making two more plates.

“Oh, you got him up! Good morning, Donatello. Did your nightmare complete itself?” The witch’s smile is knowing and polite, and he has gotten used to her specific brand of sass. She is, after all his little brother’s girlfriend and his sister’s girlfriend.

He mumbles “yes” because shrugging his shoulders still hurts. He eats mechanically, even as he is poked at to make conversation. Raph has started giving him daily protein shakes. There is one next to his plate. He drinks it and crushes the bottle, casually proving how fine he is. Sometimes the others forget how strong he is.

He misses having Mikey around to defend him.

“I’ll be in the infirmary,” Shinigami says, and Donnie startles. When he looks at her, he sees dark, deep circles under her eyes. Her fair complexion is blotchy and even paler than usual. And he wants to slap himself. She loves him. She has so much love, she loves Mikey and Karai. And Karai, to see her baby brother like this. Abruptly, he stands up, wraps his arms around Shini, and grips her like one of Mikey’s famous octopus hugs.

She simply buries her face in his neck and holds him tight.

[fadingfartconnoisseur]

A Guide to Cousin Island in the Seychelles

One of the eco-friendliest places on the planet, Cousin Island is a must-see for any Seychelles visitor. Located just one mile off of Praslin Island, this place has lush mangroves, dense forests, freshwater swamps, a rocky coastline, and beautiful sandy beaches.

Cousin Island became the first “sea and island reserve” in the Indian Ocean after it was purchased and converted from a coconut plantation in the 1960s. Overseen by Nature Seychelles and protected by the local government, this nature reserve is heaven for animal lovers and eco-travelers.

Here’s what you need to know about Cousin Island in the Seychelles!

What to Expect on Cousin Island

Once a coconut plantation, Cousin Island was created to save the Seychelles Warbler, a small local song bird that was nearly extinct. Thanks to its planning and funding from eco-tourism, Cousin Island is now a safe refuge for countless birds.

In my opinion, a few hours is ample time to explore. The island is only 0.13 square miles.

The island only receives about 10,000 visitors a year! So, it is relatively less-traveled than other islands in the Seychelles. You won’t find any accommodation, restaurants, or even trash cans on the island in efforts to minimize waste and preserve the pristine environment.

When you are arriving, you won’t dock on the shores of Cousin Island. Since this place is an essential refuge for so many animals, the Nature Seychelles conservationists are very careful to keep the wildlife safe. This means that you’ll be ferried over to the island on a smaller boat to make sure that there aren’t any pests hopping off your boat with you.

Visitors 12 years old and up will need to pay an entrance fee of SR500 ($37 USD), which goes towards the maintenance of the Reserve.

Helpful Tip: Make sure you bring water, mosquito repellent, and sun block as these are not available to buy on the island. The mosquitos are crazy on Cousin Island, so come prepared (they were the worst here than on any other island I visited!). I recommend wearing something pretty full coverage, like a maxi dress, scarf, or something else lightweight that’ll give you a layer over your skin. 

What to Do on Cousin Island

A visit to Cousin Island is all about wandering around and taking in the local wildlife. There are birds everywhere you look here! You’ll likely get to see Seychelles sunbirds and fairy terns as well as giant tortoises and lizards. With a bit of luck, you might stumble across a turtle laying eggs.

It’s paradise for bird watchers!

The Cousin Island Special Reserve is only open in the mornings from Monday to Friday, so come organized and plan to get there early in the day. Cousin Island tour companies operate from nine thirty until twelve thirty, and they are closed on public holidays.

The actual nature reserve on Cousin Island doesn’t organize trips, so you’ll want to go with a private company. They are easy to find when you are staying on Praslin Island.

The majority of the hotels on Praslin offer their own tours or work with a local charter company. If you opt for an island-hopping tour, it will often include a trip to Cousin Island in the itinerary too. I visited Cousin Island during my Seychelles cruise onboard the Crystal Esprit!

Cousin Island is a great example of why the Seychelles is one of the few pristine places on Earth. Be sure to check out my guide to Praslin Island for nearby accommodations!

READ NEXT: A Guide to Praslin Island in the Seychelles

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A Guide to Cousin Island in the Seychelles is a post from: The Blonde Abroad

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[newstwitter-blog]

New Post has been published on News Twitter

New Post has been published on http://www.news-twitter.com/2017/02/07/cnn-20-destinations-travel-experts-say-everyone-must-visit-2/

CNN: 20 destinations travel experts say everyone must visit

Here they share are their favorite destinations, and why they think they shouldn’t be missed.

“Wayag has hundreds of thickly forested limestone karsts and islands, resulting in sheltered bays with white sand beaches and coral reefs,” he says.

There aren’t any villages, let alone tourist accommodation, and guests can only really arrive by boat, adds Travers.

“I’d definitely recommend climbing to the lookout point on the western side of the main Wayag Bay. It’s not for the faint of heart (picture a 30-minute ascent through forest and over jagged limestone), but there are the most staggering views of paradise at the end.”

Visit Egypt without the crowds

“I’d highly recommend going to Egypt now,” says Geoffrey Kent, founder of Abercrombie & Kent.

“I traveled there at the end of 2015 and it is truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience to see these sites with few crowds. For instance, at Abu Simbel, I was in Ramses temple and had it all to myself for a few minutes.

“As I was climbing up the narrow staircase into the center of Cheops Pyramid, there were only a few people that I had to sidestep. It’s a very different experience doing that when the crowds (and heat) are at full force,” says Kent.

Bathe in Tbilisi’s Abanotubani District

Move over, Istanbul. There’s a new European city brimming with East-meets-West culture and natural sulfurous waters that give Cagaloglu Baths a run for its money, according to freelance photojournalist Sarah Freeman.

“I suggest visiting the Georgian capital’s bath quarter: Tbilisi’s Abanotubani,” she says.

Situated on the south side of Metekhi Bridge, its low cupolas house baths where water bubbles from the earth at about 90 F (32 C).

“When I went, I sipped on Turkish tea and indulged in a massage by one of the mekise (masseur).”

Watch animals in Namibia

“I’d suggest heading to Skeleton Coast, Namibia,” says Lucy Jackson, co-founder and director of Lightfoot Travel.

Wild and eerie, this remote desert “seeps into the soul”, she says.

“I’ll never forget the sight of the Namib Desert sand dunes crashing into the Atlantic Ocean. Flying over the Hoanib River by Cessna, it’s easy to spot giraffes and elephants beneath,” Jackson recalls.

“Afterwards, I always grab a drink on the beach, where water laps at my feet and there’s a shipwreck just behind.”

See the Northern Lights in Canada before they go dormant

Canada is celebrating its 150th year since Confederation so the country is offering free admission to its national parks for the entire year, says Hannah Tydeman-Klassen, founder and director of Curio Trips.

But as most people flock to the bright blue lakes and snow-capped mountains of Banff National Park, she recommends heading to the Northern Territory of Yukon (where Leonardo DiCaprio movie “The Revenant” was filmed).

It also provides a chance to catch the world’s greatest natural light show, the Aurora Borealis.

With scientists predicting 2017 as the last year before the Northern Lights enter a dormant phase, “this really is the year to see them,” she says.

Find spider monkeys in Minas Gerais

“I think it’s time that Minas Gerais in Brazil gets some attention,” says Matthew Lapolice, luxury travel manager at Absolute Travel.

It’s home to the mining heartland of the country and the financial capital Belo Horizonte.

Yet there’s another side to the state where travelers can experience untouched wilderness, a flourishing art scene and delicious cuisine, he says.

“I recommend staying at the restored 18th-century farmhouse Reserva do Ibitipoca.

“From here it’s possible to explore the nearby national park on foot or horseback. Keep an eye out for the exceedingly rare wooly spider monkey — the property’s owners have really focused on conserving the Atlantic Forest, the animal’s home.”

READ: The world’s most spectacular floating hotels

See dozy dolphins in Komodo National Park

“I suggest heading to Komodo National Park in Indonesia, where [in a hidden cove] a pod of dolphins rest at night,” says Eddie Widnall, founder of Ultimate Indonesian Yachts.

“There’s nothing quite like sleeping outside on the boat with the sound of the dolphins beneath.”

Then there’s Tomolol in Misool, where it’s possible to swim through cathedral-like caves and stalactites into a blue lagoon with limestone walls, he says.

“Some have century-old paintings while others are coated in orchids and carnivorous pitcher plants.”

Visit untouched beaches in Vilanculos, Mozambique

“I didn’t know much of anything about Mozambique before I went,” says Kristin Addis, CEO, Be My Travel Muse.

There was very little online about this coastal country in southern Africa, she says.

“When I traveled there I was blown away by the gorgeous white sand beaches that were mostly free of tourists.

“Each day in Vilanculos, the sand bars appear when the tide goes out. It was great watching fishermen grabbing their catch and locals playing soccer in the sand.”

Explore the glaciers and hiking trails of Greenland

When most people think of Greenland, snow and ice comes to mind, says Matthew Karsten, adventure travel blogger and photographer at ExpertVagabond.

But summers are actually quite pleasant along the coast: rolling hills, green tundra, and wildlife everywhere, he says.

“I’d suggest spending a day walking the ice cap near Kangerlussuaq, go on a wildlife safari, or trek for 10 days across Greenland’s Arctic Circle Trail,” Karsten adds.

Learn to surf at Nosara in Costa Rica

The province of Guanacaste on Costa Rica’s Pacific Coast is a haven for surfers, according to ExpertVagabond’s Matthew Karsten.

Many surf towns can be a bit crowded. “That’s what’s great about this place — the small town of Nosara doesn’t get as many visitors,” he says.

The nearby beach of Playa Guiones boasts enough waves to keep both beginners and experts happy.

For non-surfers, yoga classes and horseback riding are popular activities too.

MORE: Sleeping with the fish: Underwater hotel on remote African island

Ride the rails between Belgrade and Montenegro

Mark Smith, train expert at Seat61, says the 296-mile journey between the Serbian capital and Montenegro’s Adriatic coast is one of Europe’s most spectacular train rides.

“I think it’s absolutely epic. It summits at over 3,000 feet above sea level in the breathtaking Montenegrin mountains,” he says.

“It’s also an engineering marvel with 254 tunnels and 435 bridges, including the world’s highest railway viaduct,” adds Smith.

And it all costs just $22 a ticket.

Discover something wild at Wilpattu National Park, Sri Lanka

The oldest and largest national park in Sri Lanka, Wilpattu allows travelers to track the elusive leopard and sloth bear, says Skandha Ponniah, marketing manager for SriLankaInStyle.

Even better, it all happens in relative serenity, as the park remains mostly untouched and unknown.

“The roads require four-wheel drives and a driver who knows how to use one, so I’d suggest exploring the area with a tented safari camp such as Kulu Safaris or Leopard Trail,” suggests Ponniah.

“Be sure to park off at the banks of a villu (a shallow natural lake filled with rainwater and surrounded by open grassy plains). Then just wait for the animals to come by for a drink.”

Cycle and sample clam chowder in San Francisco

Will Swinburn, senior first officer at British Airways, recommends picking up a bike from one of the many friendly cycle shops in San Francisco.

“Cycling past the ferry building and piers along the harbor gives a great feeling of the maritime history of the city,” he says.

It’s always worth dropping into Pier 39 for a bread bowl of clam chowder and a drink, then heading onwards to the Golden Gate, Swinburn suggests.

“There are many great lookout points en route to take in the bustling bay.

“Cycle down the last bit of the bridge and veer towards the right at the end down the steep hill to Sausalito. This town is beautiful — and the perfect vista point for fog city itself.”

Pretend you’re James Bond in Jamaica

“Jamaica is such an amazing destination. There’s stunning scenery, fabulous food and an unbelievable musical history,” says Matt Vlemmiks, head of product and commercial at Elegant Resorts.

Days can be spent hiking in the mountains with a Rastafarian guide who will take travelers to secret waterfalls or off to explore stunning coffee plantations, he adds.

Vlemmiks recommends staying at Strawberry Hill, where guests can see the city’s twinkling lights beyond the mountains while hearing faint reggae beats.

Or head over to Goldeneye to channel James Bond. Ian Fleming used to live where the property is situated and wrote many of the Bond novels there.

READ: Bara Bangal, the Himalayas’ most remote village

Discover an eco retreat in Kenya

“It’s not a hidden gem to some, but I’d recommend Segera Retreat in Laikipia county, one of the 47 counties in Kenya,” says Michelle Karam, founder of Travel Junkie Diary.

The property sits on 50,000 acres of land, run and owned by conservationist Jochen Zeitz.

“The retreat is nothing like I have seen before. It’s a place to reflect with nature and solitude, a place where guests learn about the community and Kenya’s wildlife,” adds Karam.

The focus is on a sustainable way of travel using solar energy, recycling and growing food in-house.

“The property educates farmers how not to overgraze, bringing the wildlife back to life by building man-made waterholes and adding rangers to protect the animals from poaching.”

Watch baby turtles in Blanchisseuse Beach, Trinidad

Katelyn Smith, founder of The Remote Nomad, suggests heading to Blanchisseuse Beach in Trinidad surrounded by rolling hills and lush palms.

“It’s quite the drive and public transit is not an option, so travelers should make sure to rent a car or have a local driver,” she says.

“The beach itself is a great spot for surfing. Across the road I’d recommend grabbing some ‘bake and shark,’ a popular local dish, along with the local brew, Carib.”

Depending on the time of year, travelers might even get a glimpse of the baby sea turtles hatching, she says.

One tip: Slang is everywhere, even on on public signs. Spot a sign saying “no liming?” It means no “hanging out” or “chilling” in that spot.

Catch the sunrise over a whispering volcano

For an extraordinary experience, it’s hard to beat visiting the ninth-century Buddhist monument of Borobudur, says Sophie Marchant, travel editor of LuxuryExplorer.com. Overlooking the Kedu Plain in central Java, “this spot fills me with awe,” says Marchant.

“I stayed at Aman’s Amanjiwo, which I definitely recommend. I woke up at 4 a.m. and climbed the summit for unbelievable views of Kedu as the sun came up over Mount Merapi, a whispering volcano.

“I’d suggest bringing a picnic to eat at the nearby waterfall. My guide (from the hotel) took me there.”

Trek through the mountains of India

Maxine Headley, Smith24 travel expert, says she really wants to dispel myths surrounding India: that it’s difficult to travel around and that visitors are likely to get sick.

“I don’t know where all the negativity comes from,” says Headley.

For a different take on the country, Headley recommends experiencing a Shakti stay up in the Himalayas where there are fewer hotels, and more nomadic journeys into the Indian mountains where days are spent adventuring and nights are in a series of base camps under the stars.

“I loved trekking trough through beautiful orchards, treading canyons and stopping to take in and admire the Buddhist temples with giant gold statues dotted around the landscape.”

MORE: The world’s top 25 tourism destinations

Sleep under the stars in Kenya

Nicky Brandon, director of sales and marketing and Africa travel expert for Ker & Downey, advises heading to Kenya’s Northern Frontier for a truly off-the-beaten-track journey.

She recommends a stay at Sasaab. In addition to game drives, travelers can go quad biking, ride camels and do safari walks.

“I believe the village visit here is the most authentic and genuine experience. Go way out and sleep under the stars at a private fly camp.

“Also keep an eye out for the Samburu Special Five: reticulated giraffe, Grevy’s zebra, gerenuk, Somali ostrich and beisa oryx,” says Brandon. These animals are unique to this region in Kenya.

Go for a peaceful walk in Victoria Peak, Hong Kong

People don’t really think of walking in Hong Kong, but the city’s great for it, says Charlie Stewart-Cox, Cathay Pacific general manager for South Asia, Middle East and Africa.

There are fantastic hiking tracks and mountain paths — both inside and out of the city, says Stewart-Cox.

“I particularly enjoy a soothing walk on Lugard Road, Victoria Peak. Sections of the path are on the cliffside, meaning it offers the best views of the Hong Kong skyline,” he says.

The entrance for Lugard Road is adjacent to the Peak Tower.

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[thefuturebelongs]

All 170?

Ask me! I'll answer honestly 1: How tall or short do you wish you were? - I wish I was either like 5'10 or 5'3
2: What’s your dream pet? (Real or not) - german shepherd, Great Dane, corgi, hedgehog or Newfoundland
3: Do you have a favorite clothing style? - uh comfortable 
4: What was your favorite video game growing up? - probably Super Mario 64
5: What three things/people do you think of most each day: - my knee, my future job/plans, my relationship 
6: If you had a warning label, what would yours say? - Uncontrollably Inquisitive
7: What is your opinion on [insert person/thing here]? - uhhh
8: What is your Greek personality type? [Sanguine, Phlegmatic, Choleric, or Melancholic] - meh usually phlegmatic
9: Are you ticklish? - not really
10: Are you allergic to anything? - very mildly allergic to cats
11: What’s your sexuality? - whatever floats my boat
12: Do you prefer tea, coffee, or cocoa? - cocoa and then coffee
13: Are you a cat or dog person? - dog
14: Would you rather be a vampire, elf, or merperson? - lord of the rings elf
15: Do you have a favorite Youtuber? - not specifically
16: How tall are you? - 5'6ish
17: If you had to change your name, what would you change it to? - I hate my name but I don't know what I would change it to nor would I ever
18: How much do you weigh? [Only ask this if you know the user doesn’t mind!] - HA
19: Do you believe in ghosts/spirits? - no
20: Do you like space or the ocean more? - SPACE
21: Are you religious? - I used to be ha. I find religion fascinating but I'm too scientifically based
22: Pet peeves? - open mouth chewing, slow drivers and bad grammar
23: Would you rather be nocturnal or diurnal [opposite of nocturnal]? - diurnal. Like I already am. 
24: Favorite constellation? - Orion or Perseus 
25: Favorite star? - meh Betelgeuse
26: Do you like ball-jointed dolls? - no?
27: Any phobias or fears? - I don't like the same but nothing irrational 
28: Do you think global warming is real? - global climate change is real and you're an idiot if you disagree
29: Do you believe in reincarnation? - uhhh it would be cool! Ha
30: Favorite movie? - Lilo and Stitch
31: Do you get scared easily? - I jump/blink/react easily but I don't scare easily 
32: How many pets have you own in your lifetime? - um 4 dogs, 2 turtles, 2 frogs, like 18 fish, 3 hamsters, and a guinea pig
33: Blog rate? [You’ll rate the blog of the one who’s asking.] - what
34: What is a color that calms you? - like a dark sea foam/wave color
35: Where would you like to travel and/or live? - travel everywhere I've never been and live in Germany or England or Australia or Netherlands or Arizona or Colorado or Seattle ha
36: Where were you born? - New Jersey
37: What is your eye color?- dark brown
38: Introvert or extrovert? - introvert 
39: Do you believe in horoscopes and zodiacs? - no
40: Hugs or kisses? - I do love me some good hugs
41: Who is someone you would like to see/visit right now? - a few select friends I haven't seen in awhile
42: Who is someone you love deeply? - my girlfriend
43: Any piercings you want? - nah
44: Do you like tattoos and piercings? - TATTOOS
45: Do you smoke or have you ever done so? - no and no
46: Talk about your crush, if you have one! - currently dating mine
47: What is a sound you really hate? - chewing or slurping
48: A sound you really love? - rain on a window or a baby cooing haha
49: Can you do a backflip? - no way
50: Can you do the splits? - I used to be able to
51: Favorite actor and/or actress? - ha currently @natvanlis and Elise Bauman or John Kraskinski or Meryl Streep or Emma Watson
52: Favorite movie? - currently Interstellar because I'm a nerd
53: How are you feeling right now? - bored
54: What color would you like your hair to be right now? - I've considered an ombré but then I remember I'm half Asian and my hair should never be anything other than dark brown/black
55: When did you feel happiest? - when I'm all comfy in bed on a lazy Sunday morning and then sun is just coming in
56: Something that calms you down? - love me some classical music and nobody pestering me ha
57: Have any mental disorders? [Only ask this if you know the user doesn’t mind!] - not that I know of
58: What does your URL mean? - it's the beginning of my favorite quote
59: What three words describe you the most? - adventurous, inquisitive and unrealistic
60: Do you believe in evolution? - yes
61: What makes you unfollow a blog? - I don't remember following them or I no longer care for what they post
62: What makes you follow a blog? - they has cool stuff
63: Favorite kind of person: - someone who knows how to laugh but also knows when to be serious
64: Favorite animal(s): - all doggies, tigers, cuttlefish, elephants and pandas
65: Name three of your favorite blogs. - that's a lot of work
66: Favorite emoticon: 💁🏻
67: Favorite meme: - I have no idea
68: What is your MBTI personality type? - INFJ
69: What is your star sign? - libra?
70: Can your dog roll over on command, if you have a dog? - HA no
71: What outfit out of all your clothes do you like to wear the most? - I wear my under armor leggings a lot but I do like my knee maroon pants
72: Post a selfie or two? - uh maybe
73: Do you have platform shoes? - what is this, 1975?
74: What is one random but interesting fact about yourself? - um my record for expert minesweeper is 95 seconds?
75: Can you do a front flip? - maybe into a pool
76: Do you like birds? - sure. I like the peregrine falcon 
77: Do you like to swim? - well I did swim competitively for like 17 years 
78: Is swimming or ice skating more fun to you? - depends on who I'm with
79: Something you wish didn’t exist: - Donald trump. Or mosquitoes 
80: Some thing you wish did exist: - Hogwarts. Or flying cars 
81: Piercings you have? - one in each ear 
82: Something you really enjoy doing: - traveling and taking pictures
83: Favorite person to talk to: - a very small select group of friends
84: What was your first impression of Tumblr? - what the fuck do I do
85: How many followers do you have? - like 240 or something 
86: Can you run a mile within ten minutes? - yes. Barely. Thanks to my knee. 
87: Do your socks always match? - 86% of the time
88: Can you touch your toes and keep your legs straight completely? - I can go beyond my toes 
89: What are your birthstones? - opal
90: If you were an animal, which one would you be? - it'd be cool to be an albatross
91: If a flower could aesthetically represent you, what kind would it be? - maybe some big annoying hibiscus 
92: A store you hate? - uh I don't think I hate any stores
93: How many cups of coffee can you drink in one day? - 1-2 at absolutely most
94: Would you rather be able to fly or read minds? - hm fly
95: Do you like to wear camo? - like old school camo... No
96: Winter or summer? - Autumn
97: How long can you hold your breath for? - currently like a minute ha. In high school, the longest I ever held for was 2min 26sec
98: Least favorite person? - don't have one
99: Someone you look up to: - not really sure right now
100: A store you love? - Dick's hahaha
101: Favorite type of shoes - sneakers
102: Where do you live? - uhhh temporarily in Cleveland
103: Are you a vegetarian or vegan? If so, why? - I love steak
104: What is your favorite mineral or gem? - hm sapphire I guess. Or basic ass diamond
105: Do you drink milk? - yup
106: Do you like bugs? - only the pretty ones
107: Do you like spiders? - no way Jose
108: Something you get paranoid about? - my future
109: Can you draw: - I like to say I'm a good doodler
110: Nosiest question you have ever been asked? - I've been asked quite a few. Usually sex related
111: A question you hate being asked? - So what do you do?
112: Ever been bitten by a spider? - who hasnt
113: Do you like the sound of waves at the beach? - absolutely. I could fall asleep to them
114: Do you prefer cloudy or sunny days? - sunny with big fluffy clouds
115: Someone you’d like to kiss or cuddle right now: - you know who
116: Favorite cloud type: - cumulonimbus 
117: What color do you wish the sky was? - blue is fine
118: Do you have freckles? - nope
119: Favorite thing about a person: - the way their eyes wrinkle when they have a big genuine smile
120: Fruits or vegetables? - both
121: Something you want to do right now: - travel hahaha. Shocker. 
122: Is the ocean or sky prettier? - ocean
123: Sweet or sour foods? - sweet. Never sour
124: Bright or dim lights? - bright
125: Do you believe in a certain magical creature? - uh no?
126: Something you hate about Tumblr: - how much time I spend on it
127: Something you love about Tumblr: - how much time I spend on it
128: What do you think about the least? - putting make up ha 
129: What would you want written on your tombstone? - not sure. Maybe some punny quote ha
130: Who would you like to punch in the face right now? - nobody
131: What is something you love but also hate about yourself? - I care a lot. About everything 
132: Do you smile with your teeth showing for pictures? - yeah
133: Computer or TV? - oohh hmm both. Can't decide. No. Computer. 
134: Do you like roller coasters? - YAS
135: Do you get motion sickness or seasickness? - on occasion 
136: Are your ears lobed or attached? - lobed
137: Do you believe in karma? - sure
138: On a scale of 1-10, how attractive would you say you are? - 5.07
139: What nicknames do you have/have had? - my mother calls me wubby or pest, my sister calls me Libby, some family calls me Liz even though I hate it, and everyone else calls me Lizzie 
140: Did you have any pretend or imaginary friends? - nah
141: Have you ever seen a therapist/shrink? - nope
142: Would you say you are a good or bad influence to others? - I would like to hope a good influence
143: Do you prefer giving or receiving gifts/help? - giving but I'm horrible at picking out stuff
144: What makes you angry - inconsiderate people
145: How many languages do you speak fluently? - ha English and I should be fluent in mandarin but I'm not
146: Do you prefer boys, girls, and/or non-binaries? - boys or girls. Whatever. Someone human
147: Are you androgynous? - no
148: Favorite physical thing about yourself: - I have nice calves. I guess ha
149: Favorite thing about your personality: - I'm very empathetic and sympathetic 
150: Name three people you would like to talk to right now in person. - Alisa, Bethany and Candida
151: If you could go back into time and live in one era, which would you choose? - Ancient Rome
152: Do you like BuzzFeed? - yeah
153: How did you meet your spouse/girlfriend/boyfriend/partner? [If you have one.] - Tumblr ha
154: Do you like to kiss others’ foreheads or hands for platonic reasons? - yeah
155: Do you like to play with others’ hair? - I love hair
156: What embarrasses you? - people bringing up something I was trying to avoid
157: Something that makes you nervous/anxious: - public speaking
158: Biggest lie you have ever told: - I have no idea
159: How many people are you following? - like 85
160: How many posts do you have on your blog(s)? - no idea, like 6000?
161: How many drafts do you have on your blog(s)? - zero I think
162: How many likes do you have on your blog(s)? - not many 
163: Last time you cried and why: - a few days ago and for personal reasons
164: Do you have long or short hair? - long
165: Longest your hair has ever been: - ha last fall it was just above my butt. Whoops. 
166: Why do you like, dislike, or have neutral feelings about religon? - I never grew up religious and I'm such a scientific-I-need-proof kind of person 
167: Do you really care how the universe and world was created? - yes. I love me some Big Bang theories and string theories and shit
168: Do you like to wear makeup? - on occasion
169: Can you stand on your hands or head for more than thirty seconds? - ha no
170: Did you answer the questions you were asked truthfully? - sure