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ultraintrovertedgryffindor · 4 years

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Just Like You - Kenny McCormick(South Park)

I wrote this a really long time ago when I was obsessed with South Park. I don’t know why lmao, but here it is.

Warning: Also wrote this when I was an edgy teen™, so cringe and possible trigger warning.

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Welp, today’s the day...

New town. New house. New school.

My parents had gotten a better job offer here in this little town of South Park, much to my dismay. I love traveling, but moving from a large city in New York to a small mountain town in Colorado is a lot.

It should be interesting though, more opportunities that I’ve never gotten before. Although, I still have to go to school. The local South Park high school.

I put on my outfit for school and wear my black coat over it. It seems to always snow here, only on rare occasions it gets warm. I run downstairs and grab a piece of toast my mother made from the kitchen. I find a note on the counter.

Have a good first day of school, hon. Try to make some friends, and yes, that means being nice to people. Your father and I will not be back until tomorrow morning, so keep those memories of your first day in you head until we can hear about it. Love you!

My mother is a freak, I love her, but she’s a freak. I’m surprised my father has a job with all the day drinking he does. It helps him get work done, I guess.

I walk to school still eating my buttered toast. Approaching the school, I take in its features. It’s an ugly yellow color. Although, I think all bright colors are ugly. I walk in the school and all eyes are on me. I pretend not to notice. I get my class schedule and such from the receptionist and make my way towards my locker.

“You must be new. I think I would’ve recognized an ass that fine before.” A brunette says to me. I roll my eyes and huff.

“As a matter of fact, I am new. I was hoping for something better than a lame catcall on my first day, but at least you tried.” I said and patted him on the shoulder. He glared, tears filling in his eyes, and stomped off.

I bet he’s never been rejected in his entire life, poor soul.

I walk into my first class and immediately get called on. “Well, hello there! You must be the new student. Y/N right? Well, I’m Mr. Garrison and this here is my little friend Mr. Hat. Say hello Mr. Hat!”

Okay...already creeped the fuck out. Something about his southern accent and oh yeah, his fucking creepy ass puppet just rubs me the wrong way.

“Now, please, go take a seat. Wait...are you a troublemaker?” He asks.

“Oh no. Not at all, sir.” I lie. It’s easy to lie. I have a natural talent for it.

“Oh alright, I guess you can sit next to Kenny. That boy in the orange coat. You can keep him in check.”

Will do, you creepy old fuck.

I take my seat next to the blonde haired boy. He’s kinda cute actually. After class a group of boys came up to me, including that Kenny kid.

“Hi, new kid! Just thought we’d introduce ourselves. I’m Kyle. This here’s Stan, Cartman, and Kenny.” The redhead said.

“Holy shit, look at those tits!”

“Cartman!” Kyle scolded.

“Well, first off. It’s Y/N, not new kid. And nice to meet you too...I guess.” I said and walked off.

Yeah, I don’t have great people skills. My harshness has pushed people away. I’m trying to work on it. But determined from what the fatass said I probably don’t wanna be friends with those dudes.

Off to lunch, finally. Hopefully the lunch here is better than the ones at my old school. I took my tray and looked around the lunchroom. Everyone in groups or pairs. I see one empty table. I head towards it and sit down.

The food isn’t that bad, but I’ll definitely be bringing my own from now on. While I was eating I noticed people staring at me. One, that Kenny kid, and two, that guy that used that lame catcall. I got uncomfortable real quick.

The rest of school was a bust. It was boring. Now, I want something fun to do. I heard that there’s a pond near here, that sounds like fun. I asked directions to where the pond was, which I found out was called Stark’s Pond, and headed there.

I approached and noticed no one was there. Perfect.

I looked around in my bookbag for some rope, and luckily I carry some around with me at all times. I look a heavy looking rock and tie it to the rope. I’m not that heavy so it should work.

I tie the other end of the rope around my ankle. I throw the boulder into the pond and it yanks me down, breaking my ankle. It drags me down until the rock rests at the bottom of the pond.

It’s dark and cold. I’m floating, suspended in time. I look up and see the sunlight breaking through the surface of the water, but it’s not enough to reach me. My hair flies around, loose and tangling each other. I reach up and run my fingers through my soft hair.

It starts...I try to gasp for breath but it isn’t there. My lungs start to burn with fire as no oxygen reaches them and they only fill with water as I struggle for air.

I always find this part of drowning so fascinating. Your survival instincts kick in and you try so desperately to fight to survive but come up short when your lungs fill completely with water and your body becomes stiff and frozen.

I black out.

*The Next Morning*

I gasp and bolt upright from my bed.

I sigh in relief to see that I’m back again, in my new home. Every time I die, there’s always a part of me that’s afraid I’ll never come back, and yet I always do.

The first time it happened, I was 10. I was at a birthday party. It was my friend’s party cake that killed me. Someone, while making the cake, accidentally put poison in it. I don’t know how in the hell someone “accidentally” puts poison in a cake, but it happened.

I started to feel hungry, it wasn’t time eat yet but the cake was on the kitchen table and I couldn’t help myself. I took a small piece of cake, it was delicious but it caused me to foam out the mouth and have a seizure. I died almost instantly. Good thing I died otherwise the rest of those kids would’ve had a bad day.

Then I woke up in my bed the next morning.

The hardest part was that no one remembered that I died, but I did. I remember the whole painful experience, and my parents didn’t even believe me. They took me to counseling after that, not that it helped.

One day, a few weeks after the first time I died, I tried crossing the road without my parents. I looked both ways and no cars were coming as far as I could tell. As soon as I almost crossed the, a car came out of no where and completely wrecked me. Again, I woke up in my bed like nothing happened.

The day after I built up the courage enough to test out the theory that I was unkillable. My dad had a 9 mil in his safe. I shot myself, and just like that, I woke up in my bed the next day.

At first, I was insanely afraid of myself and it wasn’t until last year that I realized it could be fun.

I’ve tested out so many ways of dying. Yesterday at the pond was my first time drowning, but I wanted to get over it cause I knew I’d drown soon even if I avoided it. Next on my list is falling to my death, but besides drowning heights is my biggest fear. Heights might be a good excuse to procrastinate getting that done.

I get up out of bed and take a quick shower. I wonder if I’ll ever stop being immortal? It’s probably a good thing I am since I’ve become so accident prone.

After my shower, I quickly got dressed and jogged down the stairs, almost falling in the process. I walked into the kitchen where I saw my parents.

“Y/N! Hello, sweetie!” My mom said and gave me a hug.

“Hey.” I said.

My mom was making waffles and my dad was just sitting at the kitchen table drinking coffee and reading the newspaper. Dick never pays any attention to me.

“So, how was your first day of school? Did you make any friends?”

“Uh, not really. Some guys introduced themselves to me, but you know how I am with people. And school was fine, learned a lot, teachers are a freaky though.” I paused. “Oh, and I drowned myself at Stark’s Pond.” I said nonchalantly.

My mom sighed. “That’s nice dear.”

Ever since I’ve been experimenting with dying over and over, I’ve been telling my parents about it. They never believe me of course. Even when one time I purposely hurt myself and bled to death in front of them, but they never remember. My dad didn’t really give a shit though. Anyway...

“I’m going to school now. Later!” I said, walking out the door.

Hmm, maybe I should take the bus. I wait at the bus stop, cause I don’t feel like walking to school.

“Y/N!” I flinch when I heard my name being called out. I turn to see Stan, Kyle, Kenny, and Cartman walking up to me. “I didn’t know you took the bus.” Kyle went on to say.

“Didn’t really feel like walking to school today.” I said, looking down and kicking the ground beneath me absentmindedly.

The bus finally arrived and we all walked on, I sat in the very back by myself. Until Kenny decided to sit next to me.

“Mmph!” He said, well I don’t exactly know he said. His bright orange parka covering his face made his voice muffled. I’m just gonna assume he said hi.

“Hi.” I replied.

“Mmph mmph mmph mph mmmph mmph!”

“Uh...huh?”

He rolled his eyes and took off his hood, revealing a mop of messy dirty blonde hair. “I said, how are you liking school so far?” He said.

“Oh, um. It’s okay, I guess.” I smiled.

“You guess? Okay, so I take it you don’t really like it.”

“Well, it always sucks when you’re the new kid and you have no friends.” I sighed.

“No friends, huh? Well, I’ll be you friend. I’m sure Kyle and Stan will too!” He said, making me blush. Darn. “Aw, you’re blushing!”

“Shut up. I always blush.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.” Kenny smirked.

When we finally got to school Kenny walked me to class, which was nice. He’s actually really nice and funny, also really adorable.

*A Week Later*

School so far has been good. I’ve grown really close to Kenny, since he’s basically my only friend.

Kenny invited me to sit with him at his table, I agreed. Stan and Kyle seemed to enjoy my company though, Cartman didn’t. Didn’t like me for some reason, although he could be just an asshole all the time.

As the talk started to slow down and lunch was almost over, I looked around the lunchroom to avoid small talk. I saw the guy with brown hair staring at me again, but looked away when I saw him. “Hey, Kenny?”

“Yeah?”

“Who is that guy over there?” I ask, discreetly pointing at him.

“Oh, that guy in the red coat is Clyde. Why?” Kenny asked.

“Oh, no reason. He was just staring at me my first day here and also today. He also kinda catcalled me that day too.”

Kenny noticeably frowned. “He has?”

“Yeah, but it’s probably nothing.” I stuttered a little. Kenny giggled.

“You’re cute when you stutter.” He smiled, which made me blush. “Aw, you’re blushing again.” He poked my blushing cheeks.

“Ugh, stop.” I whined, and shoved his hand away.

The rest of school was okay. Kenny stayed by my side the whole day, I didn’t mind, but he seemed like he was in a clingy mood which was weird. “I’ll walk you home.” Kenny said.

“Oh, no, you don’t have to do that.” I said.

“Nah, I insist.” He said.

Well, who could say no to Kenny. We were almost to my house, we had to cross the street first. We both walked side by side, Kenny had his arm around my shoulders to which I giggled. I suddenly hear a loud horn, I tried to push Kenny out of harm’s way but it was too late.

We’d both been run over by a semi-truck.

I gasp and bolt upright from my bed in a cold sweat.

Oh, god. Kenny. We both got hit. I tried to get Kenny out of the way, but I was too late. I let him get run over. He’s probably dead because of me.

I start to sob. He’s dead and it’s my fault. My fucking fault. God no. Why couldn’t it have just been me? I wouldn’t even care if I wasn’t able to come back, I just want Kenny to still be alive.

My alarm went off. I smashed it. I’m not going to school today. I can’t. Everyone probably knows Kenny’s dead and they’re mourning him school. I can’t be knowing it’s my fault.

My doorbell rings.

Ugh...I don’t feel answering the door. The person is now beating on the door, damn they’re persistent.

I get up to yell at the person who’s beating down my door. I mumble profanities as I answer it. My heart stops. Not literally but it feels like it.

“K-Kenny?” I start sobbing as I take the blonde haired boy in my arms, holding tightly. “I thought you died!” I sob. I pull away. His face looks like he’s in shock, also confused.

“You...you remember?” He asks.

“Of course I do! I tried pushing you out of the way of that truck, I guess I succeeded.” I sigh in relief.

“But...how? I thought you died too.” He said, flabbergasted.

“What do you mean too? Wait, you remembered I died?” I ask, also so confused.

“Y/N, I died. You didn’t push me out of the way in time, but I didn’t save you either. We both died,” he paused, “and we both remember.”

Suddenly, Kenny grabs both my upper arms and pulls me close to him and gives me a passionate kiss.

I pull away, shocked. “Woah....what was that for?”

“I’m sorry. It’s just...nobody has ever remembered me dying. No one, but you can.” Kenny explained.

“And you remember me dying?” I ask.

Kenny nods. “You’re the first person that remembers me dying too.” He says.

I don’t know what to say or do. This has never happened to me before. I think Kenny feels the same, since we’re both just stood awkwardly at my front door. I finally break the silence.

“Kenny, I thought you died, and I’ve never been more scared in my entire life.” I said, with still a few salty tears flowing down my red cheeks.

“I was too.” Kenny said. “Well, looks like we have more in common than I originally thought.” He giggled.

~~~~~~~~~~

#south park #south park fanfiction #kenny mccormick #kenny mccormick x reader

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remnantsrp · 4 years

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Introducing Remnants: Coming Soon

After the collapse of civilized society, people were left with two choices:

Survive, or become the dead.

The Beginning of the Infection aka “The Fall”

It all started with a flower.

Purple and pretty, with a bright green center. No one knew where it came from or how such an odd plant came to be, only that one moment it didn’t exist, and the next, there it was.

The first recorded sightings of this strange flora were in Colorado as they poked from the snow atop the Rocky Mountains. The next, they were found in the deserts of Egypt, and after that, the Amazon forests in Brazil. Botanists around the world, flabbergasted by this new organism, began collecting samples of the flower, which they had dubbed Purpura Iaspis (Purple Diamond) for its ability to survive just about anywhere. After running dozens and dozens of tests, they discovered that the flowers held certain… peculiar abilities.

Testing on mice showed increased cognitive functions and physical capabilities. No matter how it was introduced to the subject, the host mice could solve puzzles in minutes and run faster than they could before with no training at all. Some called it miraculous- others, startling. Before long, governments around the world began to fund projects to adapt the flower into a useful formula. Labs were created, and slowly, word of a “Miracle Flower” began to spread across social media.

Until one of the mice died, however. And then… woke up again.

The technician at the time, young and panicked, initially though the subject had suffered a sort of heart attack. As the monitor flared red and the sound of a flat pulse resonated through the lab, the young tech rushed over to the cage where the seemingly-dead animal was and pulled it out without gloves, only to find milky white eyes staring back at him.

And then it bit him.

The fever didn’t set in for a few hours. The technician hobbled the halls of the facility moaning in pain until he finally collapsed in the lobby, alarming those around him who quickly rushed to his aid. And just like the mouse before, he woke again with the same milky eyes and a blatant, monstrous hunger.

The infection spread quickly after that. No one could have deduced that the flower would continue stimulating brain activity after death, nor could they have known that it would turn people into monsters. Any attempts to contain it failed again and again, especially as more of the same flower began appearing all over the world, it’s pollen polluting water and food sources for large cities.

Everyone became infected, and the moment they died, they became something else. The undead began to overrun the living, collapsing governments, cities and countries at a startlingly pace. Before long, life was no longer recognizable. It was survive, or become one of the undead, and many people began to try and ensure their survival by any means necessary. Violence and chaos was widespread, and what was left of civilized humanity slowly dissipated into remnants of what it once was.

The Caravan

Read more about the caravan here.

In the wake of the violence, there was quiet. The dead stumbled through large cities and the few who survived found themselves building walls to keep them out. Sooner or later, however, the dead would find them again and again, their numbers swarming until they were left with nothing once more. The best option was to always keep moving, to avoid hording the zombies to one point until they were too many to handle.

The Caravan wasn’t meant to be what it became. It was a few groups in rural Nevada who decided that there was strength in numbers, and having someone watch your back was better than backing yourself into a corner. More groups began to join, until they became a very small, very effective community hellbent on surviving.

There’s no structure or officiality to any of it, only a few set of rules -more like guidelines- to participate and survive. It has become more of a creed, as they pick up stragglers and lost families along their journey to nowhere. People from all walks of life who have, by some stroke of luck or skill, made it this far into the end of the world. Everyone eventually comes to the same conclusion once they find their place among the nomadic community. Even if they are remnants, they are still better than none at all.

OOC Information

Remnants is a survival/zombie rp set among a traveling caravan of survivors in Nevada in the wake of an infectious outbreak. The story of the roleplay with flow depending on the choices of the roleplayers! The beginning of every plot drop will be presented with a poll, where players will decide a certain course of action that affects the entire group. The future of the rp is completely dependent on the roleplayers- the caravan can become a haven of peace, or a tiny, zombie-killing milita. It's up to you!

#rpc #rpg #roleplay #lsrpg #zombie rp #tw death #tw undead #tw mentions of death #tw mentions of infection #tw zombies

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writingsofwinchesters · 6 years

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what mountains taught me about identity

This past summer, my sister and I road-tripped to a little town called Dillon in the heart of Summit County, Colorado for vacation. The only thing we planned ahead of time was the Airbnb. The rest of the trip was spontaneous. One day we hiked the Tenderfoot trail, another we visited the local farmer’s market, another we walked up and down the tourist-trap main street of Frisco, and yet another we attended a church service at a outdoor amphitheater. We let each day kind of just happen - and it was my favorite.

The entire trip was one of the most restful and peaceful experiences of my life. One of the best parts was the absolutely stunning, panoramic view of the mountains from the balcony of our condo, second only to the fact I got to spend that time with my sister. I can’t quite describe how incredible it was to be able to sit out there for hours, reading, talking, journaling, watching the sunset, and just being still with my gaze on the mountains in awe.

Fun fact: the first draft of this post was written on that balcony. I wanted to capture some of the peace and awe I felt in one of the most tangible ways I know how - through words.

I have a confession to make. It may be obvious from my social media posts, but just so it’s out there explicitly.

I am fanatically in love with mountains.

I don’t know if I can quite explain why. But that doesn’t mean I won’t try. Something about them simultaneously quiets my soul and also, like, yells at me. Like “SOAK IN THIS SERENITY. PAY ATTENTION AND REST NOW.” A little paradoxical, I’ll admit, but it’s a heady, mesmerizing mixture of feelings that I can never get enough of. I could literally spend all eternity just staring at them.

I know it sounds strange, but I miss the mountains. I nearly cried as we were leaving Dillon. As we wound down to Denver, I spent more time than I should have watching the mountains shrink in the mirrors of my car. For context - I was the one driving. For sure not the safest time to be staring out the window. (Do not mention this to my sister, by the way; she’d retroactively scold me to keep my eyes on the road.) I choked back tears as we got past Denver and I discovered I could no longer see the mountains on the horizon. My heart ached at the fact that I would not see them again for over a year. This strange kind of heartache doesn’t really make sense, but it was heartache nonetheless.

Admitting all that makes me feel a bit ridiculous. Maybe it made you laugh or shake your head in confusion. Maybe you feel the same way I do. I still don’t quite understand why I feel this way. I mean, they are just formations of sculpted rock and earth, right? Why do I feel so connected to them, like they’re living, breathing things?

As I process through that feeling, I begin to wonder if it has to do with how connected to God I feel when I’m in the mountains. He is so real to me there. I feel Him in the cool, thin air. I see Him in the snowy mountain peak that breaks apart the sky. I hear Him in the quiet stillness as the jagged rock blocks and muffles the sounds of busy city life.

But, like, the mountains themselves, though. They’re just stunning.

First of all, mountains are gorgeous. Absolutely breathtaking. And not just because of the thinner air up there. Ba dum tiss. I know God is the most beautiful being in all existence because I see His beauty in how He molded the mountains and how He paints the sky around them. If His creation is that beautiful, how much more beautiful must the Creator be? For God to imagine up this beauty, He must be fantastically beautiful Himself.

Second, mountains are just so freaking majestic. And MASSIVE. I am fully aware of my tiny humanity when I gaze at the miles and miles of mountains. Just one mountain can take up my entire field of vision and even the smallest one exhausts me quickly when I try to scale it. The peaks stretch up to the sky and skim the clouds. We can’t build something that tall (we’ve tried - hello, Tower of Babel). There’s also something...unassuming and bold about a mountain, too. It’s not flashy or showy. It just sits there, confident and quiet, knowing it is one of God’s most incredible creations. That’s God too. He is majesty. He is enormous. He is the Most High King. His reach expands the entire universe. He is infinite. I can’t even fathom how big He is or how much He sees. He proclaims His glory in His creation - quiet yet bold. He is confident in His perfection and glory. His reach is not only wide but deep. He is personal enough to know every little detail of the life, body, and heart that He has given each of us.

Third, mountains are really complex and diverse. Some have rounded peaks, while others poke holes in the clouds. They are covered in millions of trees - pine, aspen, fir, and so many more. Their needles and leaves combine to become a blur of green around the base. Some mountains are short enough the trees and grass grow all the way to the top. Others are too tall that plant life can’t survive on the top piece, and they become warm brown rock with a snowy-white cap. Or maybe they’re slate-grey or even a blended brownish pink. Imagine all the animal life that exists on that one mountain! There’s so much detail in that delicate balance and God knows every single piece of it. What a mind our God has to create such diversity! He was intentional to place each rock and tree and animal and crevice and snow just exactly how He wants it. He put so much care and deliberation into His creation.

He crafted the mountains as a display of His glory and His majesty. How freaking amazing!

Phew. I need to take a deep breath for a second. I get way too excited about mountains.

Whoosh. Okay, back at it.

Since that’s how God created the mountains, unaware pieces of earth, what does that say about how He created us, moving, growing beings to whom He has given the breath of life? We are His creation, just like the mountains, and not only that, we are the crowning jewel of His creation, the final piece.

“Then God said, ‘Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.” -Genesis 1:26-27

We are the only thing in all of creation that was formed in His image, created to bear His likeness and have dominion over the rest. Up until this point, He called His creation good, which includes the mountains. Do you know what He says on the sixth day, after He created us? “And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good.” (Genesis 1:31) What does that say about our identity?

Identity is a common human struggle. I think it’s something we all search for out of a desire to be known deeply by someone other than ourselves. As I was growing up, I tried to find identity in being the best at everything I did. I had to be the smartest student, the most athletic volleyball player, the most popular kid in class, and the prettiest girl. To assess this, I developed a habit of comparing myself to others constantly.

Of course, I never met this impossible standard I set for myself. There was always someone smarter, someone more athletic, someone more popular, someone prettier. My reaction to this realization was to berate myself. Suck it up, I’d tell myself, work harder, be better. When that didn’t work, I turned to relationships with others to prove my value and identity. If this person liked me, if that person called me their friend, if that boy called me his, then I would be somebody. I’d finally be worthy, special, and valuable.

No surprise here, but that system failed quickly and often. Human beings are always changing - it’s in our nature, even our bodies change daily - and as a result, my perception of my identity fluctuated constantly. Identity is not designed to fluctuate. That was not God’s intention. The moment I realized my identity was actually inexorably connected to the God who is unchanging and eternal, the God who is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8) my whole world shifted. That’s when I gave my life to Him.

But - sin is sneaky, you know? Years later, after I thought that I had dealt with that particular sin right there and then, it reared its ugly head again. I thought it was one and done - I put my identity in who Christ says I am once and I’ll never have to think about it again.

Yet, I discovered I was putting it elsewhere, only now, the “elsewhere” was dressed up in Christian-ese and sneaky adulty things. Instead of daughter of the Most High King, I was a youth group leader. Instead of saved by grace, I was a good auditor. Instead of designed by the God of the entire universe, I was wanted and needed by a community of other Christians.

So God had to teach me again. What a loving, patient Savior. He saves me even from myself.

What would it look like if we fully believed in the identity God has given us? If we lived confidently in it? Just like the mountains, God intentionally and carefully created each one of us. He chose the unique color of your hair and the shape of your eyes. He chose the length of your toes and gaps between your teeth. He selected each tiny piece of your heart, the skills you use in your career, the passion you bring to your friendships, and the tenderness you have for your family. He chose and customized every little piece of you.

“For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.” -Psalm 139:13-14

How special and precious are you, dear friend! You are chosen to reflect His heart.

A few years ago, I was on a youth group trip to Colorado (sensing a theme here) and our morning activity one day was a hike. We wound up the mountain as a large group, sucking thin air into our flatlander lungs and then turned around before we got to the top so we wouldn’t miss lunch. Priorities.

As we were on the way down, we started to kind of spread out. I was towards the end of the group because I couldn’t stop looking around at the view. Then, we went around a curve and the entire valley and distant mountain range opened up below us. It was spectacular. I was overwhelmed with some emotion, something that I - to this day - can’t quite find the right words to describe. It might have been true, unedited awe and amazement, or a heartbreaking kind of gratitude to our mighty God. I stood off to the side of the trail to just drink it in, letting the others pass me. I wanted to remember this moment, this feeling, for the rest of my life. I was in tears and I didn’t fully understand why.

Why?

The question wouldn’t leave my head. I kept asking God - why? Out of all of this? These mountains and these clouds and these animals and these trees? Out of all this creation - this splendor and majesty laid before me? Even that was merely a drop, a small pinprick of all He had created. Miniscule in comparison to the entire universe. Why us? Why me? Surely the mountains are more beautiful and more deserving of His love than I am. Surely the sun and clouds and stars in the sky are more worthy to bear His image than I am. Why would the God of all of this awe choose human beings, choose me, to love, to place His image upon, and to have a relationship with? Why did he want me?

“Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!” - Romans 11:33

In the stillness of that mountaintop, I heard Him whisper to my anguished soul, “It’s not about you, dear daughter. It’s about me.”

What a relief. It’s not about me. It’s all about HIM. This world, these skies, these mountains, these people - this is all about God. This is His choice, His story, His love, His beauty, His grace, His glory.

My identity is that I am a tiny, but adored, treasured, intricately created, and delighted in piece of it.

And dear friend, so are you.

What amazing grace.

#grace #Jesus #identity #mountains #travel

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newstfionline · 4 years

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Headlines

California fire that killed 3 threatens thousands of homes (AP) A Northern California wildfire threatened thousands of homes Thursday after winds whipped it into a monster that incinerated houses in a small mountain community and killed at least three people. Several other people have been critically burned and hundreds, if not thousands, of homes and other buildings are believed to have been damaged or destroyed by the North Complex fire northeast of San Francisco, authorities said. Some 20,000 people were under evacuation orders or warnings in Plumas, Yuba and Butte counties.

500,000 people in Oregon forced to flee wildfires (AP) Authorities in Oregon now say more than 500,000 people statewide have been forced to evacuate because of wildfires. The latest figures from Thursday evening come from the Oregon Office of Emergency Management. That’s over 10% of the state’s 4.2 million population. More than 1,400 square miles (3,625 square kilometers) have burned this week in the state. Authorities say the wildfire activity was particularly acute Thursday afternoon in northwestern Oregon as hot, windy conditions continued.

Think 2020’s disasters are wild? Experts see worse in future (AP) A record amount of California is burning, spurred by a nearly 20-year mega-drought. To the north, parts of Oregon that don’t usually catch fire are in flames. Meanwhile, the Atlantic’s 16th and 17th named tropical storms are swirling, a record number for this time of year. Powerful Typhoon Haishen lashed Japan and the Korean Peninsula this week. Last month it hit 130 degrees in Death Valley, the hottest Earth has been in nearly a century. Phoenix keeps setting triple-digit heat records, while Colorado went through a weather whiplash of 90-degree heat to snow this week. Siberia, famous for its icy climate, hit 100 degrees earlier this year, accompanied by wildfires. Before that Australia and the Amazon were in flames. Amid all that, Iowa’s derecho—bizarre straight-line winds that got as powerful as a major hurricane, causing billions of dollars in damages—barely went noticed. Freak natural disasters—most with what scientists say likely have a climate change connection—seem to be everywhere in the crazy year 2020. But experts say we’ll probably look back and say those were the good old days, when disasters weren’t so wild. “It’s going to get A LOT worse,” Georgia Tech climate scientist Kim Cobb said Wednesday. “I say that with emphasis because it does challenge the imagination. And that’s the scary thing to know as a climate scientist in 2020.” That’s because what’s happening now is just the type of crazy climate scientists anticipated 10 or 20 years ago.

Pleasures of food and sex ‘simply divine’, says Pope Francis (AFP) The pleasures of a well-cooked meal or loving sexual intercourse are “divine” and have unjustly fallen victim to “overzealousness” on the part of the Church in the past, Pope Francis says in a book of interviews published Wednesday. “Pleasure arrives directly from God, it is neither Catholic, nor Christian, nor anything else, it is simply divine,” Francis told Italian writer and gourmet Carlo Petrini. Francis said that there was no place for an “overzealous morality” that denies pleasure, something he admitted existed in the Church in the past but insisted is “a wrong interpretation of the Christian message”. “The pleasure of eating is there to keep you healthy by eating, just like sexual pleasure is there to make love more beautiful and guarantee the perpetuation of the species,” the pope said. Opposing views “have caused enormous harm, which can still be felt strongly today in some cases,” he added.

Speak softly and scatter fewer virus particles (Reuters) More quiet zones in high-risk indoor spaces, such as hospitals and restaurants, could help to cut coronavirus contagion risks, researchers have said, after a study showed that lowering speaking volume can reduce the spread of the disease. A reduction of 6 decibels in average speech levels can have the same effect as doubling a room’s ventilation, scientists said on Wednesday, in an advance copy of a paper detailing their study.

COVID hardships (CJR) Yesterday, NPR, along with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and Harvard’s T.H. Chan School of Public Health, published a bleak poll on the economic health of the nation since the pandemic began. Nearly half of respondents said their household has experienced “serious financial problems” linked to COVID-19, including with rent, mortgage, utility, and car payments, affording medical care and food, paying off debt, and maintaining savings. America’s four biggest cities—New York, LA, Chicago, and Houston—have been especially hard hit; more than half of their residents reported losing a job and/or income, and more than half those cities’ households with kids reported serious childcare issues. People of color are doing worse than their white peers: in Houston, for example, over 80 percent of Black households attested to serious financial difficulty. Harvard��s Robert J. Blendon, who worked on the poll and expected the results to be bad, said they were “much, much, much worse than I would’ve predicted.”

Covid Is Turning Us Into Hipsteaders (Bloomberg) While Covid has decimated large swathes of the global economy, it has sparked others, like video conferencing and home appliances. Do-it-yourself pursuits, such as bread making, gardening and crafts, have also boomed and appear primed to last after the pandemic becomes a dark, distant memory. Just as victory gardeners supplemented rations and boosted morale during the World Wars, the DIYers of coronavirus are facing quarantines and shortages with a mix of survivalist bravado and self-expression. Many are skipping the usual retailers, and instead turning to recycled goods, small businesses or individuals for their needs. People who were already DIY hobbyists are expanding their skills. Tynika-Ann Carter, a 24-year-old former model in Western Cape, South Africa, turned to farming and gardening years ago in a quest to replace materialism with something more wholesome. Since the virus, she’s added making baskets, weaving and crocheting. “Covid has given me more time to dive in and give myself fully to the things I love,” she said. Like hipsters, these people are setting new trends and flaunting the look on Instagram. But they’re also doing a lot of the hard, survival-focused work that defines homesteading. Some have dubbed them the hipsteaders.

Letters reveal public distaste for booze in JFK White House (AP) It was a tempest in a teapot—or, more accurately, a whiskey tumbler. Researchers at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum have found a cache of letters from Americans objecting to JFK’s embrace of cocktails at White House events. Eisenhower was no teetotaler, but historians say he presided over a largely cocktail-free White House. Enter Kennedy, who had already raised some eyebrows as the first Roman Catholic to be elected president. JFK Library archivists say the letters of protest began arriving after newspapers reported on Kennedy’s first official event: a January 1961 reception honoring the new president’s appointees. “For the first time, there was a bar in the State Dining Room, with waiters to stir up martinis or pour vodka, Scotch, bourbon, or champagne,” The Washington Post reported. What followed was a sort of low-key Liquorgate. Letters—some typed, others handwritten—expressed shock and worry that the U.S. would lose its dignity and standing in the world. “Dear Mr. President, I think many feel humiliation and disgrace over our nation today when we learn of our White House turned into shameful drunken all-night carousal and dancing,” reads one from Edith Fritz, of Idaho. “Dignity previously engendered—gone. May God have pity upon your poor soul.” The Kennedy administration played down the public’s reaction to the change, noting it received far more letters about civil rights unrest and the Cuban missile crisis. Presidents have held wide-ranging attitudes toward alcohol. George Washington, the nation’s first, is said to have enjoyed whiskey; President Donald Trump, its 45th, doesn’t drink at all, though he has had wine served at state dinners and other functions.

Dozens of Austrians puzzled after receiving U.S. stimulus checks, banks say (Washington Post) Hundreds of people have cashed U.S. stimulus checks at Austrian banks in recent months. Some of them appeared puzzled by the unexpected payments or were ineligible for the payouts, according to bank officials and Austrian media reports. One of the Austrians who claimed to have received such an erroneous check, pensioner Manfred Barnreiter, 73, told Austria’s public broadcaster ORF that he at first believed his check to be part of a sophisticated fraud scheme. “We quietly went to the bank … where we were told they’ll see if it’s real,” Barnreiter told ORF. “Three days later, we had the money in our bank account.” He and his wife received $1,200 each, although neither is a U.S. resident or holds U.S. citizenship—key eligibility requirements. Barnreiter briefly worked in the United States in the 1960s and still receives a small pension from that period of employment, he said. Similar instances have been reported in other countries. The payouts probably still account for a very small fraction of the first $2 trillion U.S. stimulus package.

Fire Destroys Most of Europe’s Largest Refugee Camp, on Greek Island of Lesbos (NYT) Europe’s largest refugee camp, on the Greek island of Lesbos, has long been a desperate makeshift home for thousands of refugees and migrants who have risked everything to flee war and economic hardship for a better life. They lived in cramped tents with limited access to toilets, showers and health care. For years, rights groups warned that these squalid conditions would sooner or later prompt a humanitarian disaster. On Tuesday night, that disaster came. A fast-moving fire destroyed much of the camp, leaving most of its 12,000 residents homeless. By Wednesday, a process of soul-searching had begun among many Europeans, for whom the Moria camp, and the neglect of its residents, has long been synonymous with the continent’s increasingly unsympathetic approach to refugees. No deaths were initially reported. But vast stretches of the camp and an adjacent spillover site were destroyed in the fire, leaving only a medical facility and small clusters of tents untouched.

India has record spike of 95K new virus cases (AP) India reported another record spike of 95,735 new coronavirus infections in the past 24 hours as the virus spreads beyond its major cities. According to the Health Ministry, the number of people known to be infected in India reached 4,465,863 on Thursday. It has the second-highest caseload in the world behind the United States, where more than 6.3 million people are known to be infected.

U.S. has canceled more than 1,000 visas for Chinese nationals deemed security risks (Reuters) The United States has revoked visas for more than 1,000 Chinese nationals under a May 29 presidential proclamation to suspend entry from China of students and researchers deemed security risks, a State Department spokeswoman said on Wednesday. The acting head of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Chad Wolf, said earlier that Washington was blocking visas “for certain Chinese graduate students and researchers with ties to China’s military fusion strategy to prevent them from stealing and otherwise appropriating sensitive research.” China said in June it resolutely opposed any U.S. move to restrict Chinese students from studying in the United States and urged Washington to do more to enhance mutual exchanges and understanding.

For Filipino migrant workers, coronavirus dashes their ticket to a better life (Washington Post) When the novel coronavirus upended lives and livelihoods around the world, it hit the poor especially hard. But the pandemic’s effects also proved damaging for those vying for a foothold in the middle class, knocking them back down the economic ladder. The repercussions are felt in places like the Philippines, the source of a vast migrant labor force that keeps industries ticking, from health care in the West to construction and domestic help in the Middle East. A steady income put many of these workers on their way to a better life, despite difficult conditions, allowing them to send money home, or save for a deposit on a house, car or their children’s education. More than 2 million Filipinos were employed as overseas workers in any given year over the decade preceding the pandemic; their remittances accounted for about 10 percent of the Philippines’ output. But as the coronavirus savaged the world economy, many lost jobs abroad or were unable to take up positions because of travel restrictions. About 170,000 overseas workers have returned to the Philippines since February, official data show. Returnees are recalibrating their lives, coming to terms with diminished earning power and prospects for their families.

U.S. to Reduce Troop Levels in Iraq to 3,000 (NYT) The United States is cutting troop levels in Iraq nearly in half, to 3,000 forces, the top U.S. commander in the Middle East said on Wednesday, in a long-expected move that will help fulfill President Trump’s goal of reducing the Pentagon’s overseas deployments. Gen. Kenneth F. McKenzie Jr., the commander of the military’s Central Command, said improvements in the Iraqi military’s campaign against the Islamic State enabled the Pentagon to make the additional troop cuts. (Foreign Policy) Stars and Stripes interviewed a number of veterans on the idea of withdrawing U.S. troops from Afghanistan after nearly two decades of operations. The reactions were mixed, but the consensus is that they’re not sure what was accomplished. “That the soldier in question, alive or dead, did their job—they won the battle on the ground, as they were trained to do—there is comfort in that,” Army Staff Sgt. Séamus Fennessy said. “But simultaneously, there is a sense of bitterness against the politicians and bureaucrats for big-picture incompetence.”

Huge fire breaks out at Beirut port a month after explosion (AP) A huge fire broke out Thursday at the Port of Beirut, the site of last month’s catastrophic explosion that killed nearly 200 people and devastated parts of the capital. The new fire nearly 40 days after the blast triggered widespread panic among traumatized residents of the area. The Lebanese army said the fire started at a warehouse where oil and tires are placed in the duty free zone. A column of thick black smoke billowed from the port at midday Thursday, with orange flames leaping from the ground. Smoke covered the capital and firefighters and ambulances rushed to the scene. Army helicopters were taking part in efforts to extinguish the fire. Panicked residents—still struggling to get over last month’s catastrophic explosion—cracked open windows and called and texted each other to warn them of the new danger. Local TV stations said companies that have offices near the port asked their employees to leave the area.

Beirut’s traumatized survivors (Washington Post) Social workers and other specialists working with survivors say many are showing signs of extreme stress, including flashbacks, nightmares and difficulties falling asleep. Half of the respondents in a recent UNICEF survey in Beirut said that the behavior of children in their household had changed or that the children were experiencing symptoms consistent with trauma and stress. One-third said adults in their household were also exhibiting signs of distress. Beirutis are still astonished by the destruction wrought across much of the capital by the explosion at a warehouse storing ammonium nitrate. Nearly 200 people were killed and thousands wounded. Hundreds of thousands were displaced. In the weeks since, residents have experienced post-traumatic stress, which is common in the aftermath of unexpected disasters such as earthquakes, said Elie Chedid, a psychiatrist treating victims of the blast. Some are experiencing survivor’s guilt, and many children are struggling to understand what happened. “It is the first time that they’ve seen blood and destroyed buildings and roads and cars, so for them it’s something very apocalyptic,” he said. Aid workers have responded by gathering children for community activities, creating safe spaces for them to play in public parks and offering basic psychological care. Some children, as well as adults, will require additional assistance as the city continues to rebuild.

#headlines #news

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jasonheart1 · 6 years

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13 quirkiest Colorado festivals to check out

DENVER – There’s no shortage of festivals around Colorado and when it comes to odd ball celebrations and peculiar events, the state doesn't disappoint.

From a race in which humans plead with their burros to get to the finish line to a festival in which people toss hated holiday treats, these are 13 quirky Colorado festivals you should put in your bucket list.

1. Madam Lou Bunch Day Central City, Colorado – To be announced

The legend goes that Lou Bunch, a madam who ran brothels in Central City during the town’s gold mining boom, converted her houses into makeshift hospitals after an epidemic of tuberculosis broke out. With the help of her girls, the group of sex workers nursed miners back to health, therefore saving the town’s economy.

To commemorate Madam Bunch and her ties with the city’s local history, Central City now hosts a myriad of events including a Madams and Miners Ball, food, beer, and the famous bed races.

2. Mike the Headless Chicken Fruita, Colorado – May 31 and June 1, 2019

Back in 1945, a chicken named Mike survived the chopping block when, due to some circumstance or another, most of its brain steam survived the ordeal. With the help of water and grain delivered via eyedropper, the chicken was able to survive for 18 months. The festival is dedicated to the fowl equivalent of Grigori Rasputin, if you will.

During the first weekend of June, you can enjoy a disc golf tournament, rooster-calling contest and poultry show, among other things.

3. Great Fruitcake Toss Manitou Springs, Colorado – January 26, 2019

It’s no secret most of us are not fond of fruitcake and would rather toss it than be subjected to another bite during the holidays. The idea wasn’t lost on the people of Manitou Springs, who in 1995 started tossing them around in downtown.

So each year, people come together to test their fruitcake tossing distance, accuracy and speed, using mechanical devices to launch the holiday desserts. There’s also a fruitcake costume competition, libations and a fruitcake bake-off. And yes – there are prizes for winners of each competition.

4. Frozen Dead Guy Days Nederland, Colorado – March 8 through 10, 2019

It’s no Walt Disney conspiracy theory – it’s better than that. Frozen Dead Guy Days pays homage to a Norwegian man who’s body has been cryogenically preserved on dry ice in the mountains overlooking the town for nearly 30 years.

The story goes something like this: Bredo Morstoel was a minor public official in Norway, and when he died in 1989, his grandson, Trygve Bauge, had him cryogenically preserved in the hopes he could one day be re-animated. The body was eventually moved to Nederland, where Bauge had plans to build his own cryonics lab unit. Those plans came to a halt when he was deported.

The body is still there, and every year Bauge pays $9,000 to deliver between 900 to 1,200 pounds of dry ice every week to cover his grandfather’s frozen sarcophagus.

The party marks the end of winter with outrageous traditions like coffin races, a costumed polar plunge, brain-freeze contest and other seasonal-themed fun.

5. Donkey Derby Days Cripple Creek, Colorado – June 21-23, 2019

For nearly 90 years, Donkey Derby Days has been a staple celebration of the City of Cripple Creek. The celebration sees people from all over the world descend on downtown, in order to see a race inspired by the town’s resident donkey herd – believed to be distant descendants of the original donkeys from the town’s Gold Rush days. Enjoy live entertainment, heritage competitions and other fun family activities.

6. Ullr Fest Breckenridge, Colorado – January 9-13, 2019

The Town of Breckenridge invites snow lovers and ski junkies to join Ullr Fest, a celebration in honor of the Norse god Ullr, the patron saint of skaters and skiers. Join hundreds of people donning Viking hats as they try to break the world’s longest shot ski record at Ullr Shot Ski, take part in the Ullr Parade down Main Street, burn old skies at the annual ceremonial ski burn (and also retire your Christmas tree in the process) at the Ullr Bon Fire, and prove your dedication to the cold at the Ullr Ice Plunge.

7. Emma Crawford Coffin Races and Parade Manitou Springs, Colorado – October 26, 2019

The story goes that Emma Crawford went to Manitou Springs near the end of the 19th Century to find a cure for her tuberculosis in the cold-water mineral springs of the area. After falling in love with the mountain town, her dying wish was to be buried atop of Red Mountain. After her passing, her wish was granted and with the help of eleven other townspeople, her body was carried up the 7,200-foot slope and buried near the summit.

But in 1929, Crawford’s coffin raced down the mountainside – a result of years of harsh winters and spring rains in the area. Young children who happened upon her remains found only the casket handles, a nameplate and a few bones, according to legend.

Since 1995, the City of Manitou Springs has honored her memory why a coffin race that sees up to 70 teams racing coffins down Manitou Avenue, with each team made up of one Emma and four runners dressed in costume. There is also a parade, live music, food vendors and more.

8. Telluride Mushroom Festival Telluride, Colorado – August 15-18, 2019

Just as the name suggests, the Telluride Mushroom Festival is about all things fungal. You’ll find yourself in the great company of mushroom enthusiasts, experts, and scientists. Interests range from the scientific to the culinary, from the curious to the investigative. Some activities of the festival include lectures by renowned experts, cooking with mushrooms, and guided hikes that focus on mushroom hunting and identification.

9. Leadville Boom Days International Pack Burros Race Leadville, Colorado – August 4, 2019

Head down to Leadville for the International Pack Burro Race, a 21-mile race in which humans lead (or rather, plead) with their stubborn partners to get to the finish line from downtown Leadville to the top of Mosquito Pass and back.

After the race, which starts at 11 a.m., don’t forget to check out the gun fighters and skits that take place throughout the day.

10. Blue Ribbon Bacon Tour in Keystone Keystone, Colorado – June 22 and 23, 2019

If you love bacon, then you’ll want to go to Keystone for the Bacon and Bourbon Festival, where you’ll be able to pig out on all things bacon – and we mean all things – cupcakes, donuts, you name it. Did we mention you get to wash it down with a nice glass of bourbon? And yes, there’s live music, too!

11. The Giant Pumpkin Festival Colorado Springs, Colorado – October 20, 2018

Who will claim the prize for the largest pumpkin in southern Colorado? Come and find out at the Giant Pumpkin Festival in Old Colorado City! There will be a pumpkin patch, a costume contest, face painters, balloon artists and more.

12. Denver Beer Festivus Denver – TBA, 2019

Every year, the Mile High City is recognized among the best beer capitals in the country, so why would the City of Denver not have another excuse to enjoy its many selections of craft breweries? The Denver Beer Festivus happens in December and most festival goers celebrate the holiday by showing up in their ugliest holiday attire.

13. High Plains Snow Goose Festival Lamar, Colorado – February 7-10, 2019

Enjoy bird-watching? Know someone who finds the experience soothing for the mind? Then head to southeastern Colorado to see the migration of the white snow geese, which happens in February every year. Watch the birds, take the tours and learn about the geese while listening to experts on the subject during the High Plains Snow Goose Festival. There’s a photo contest for those willing to test their skills as well.

from Local News https://www.thedenverchannel.com/lifestyle/colorados-13-quirkiest-festivals-and-where-to-find-them-

0 notes

jasonheart1 · 6 years

Text

13 quirkiest Colorado festivals to check out

DENVER – There’s no shortage of festivals around Colorado and when it comes to odd ball celebrations and peculiar events, the state doesn't disappoint.

From a race in which humans plead with their burros to get to the finish line to a festival in which people toss hated holiday threats, these are 13 quirky Colorado festivals you should put in your bucket list.