#i live in an area that gets lake effect weather

[h0ney8ee]

can confirm I live in louisiana and summer is pretty much april-september and rn the highs are 95+ with heat indexes of 110-115. meanwhile our absolute worst winter temps are like in the 20s which I've only ever actually seen like twice in my life no joke. the wind makes it bad but the winter days where the air is perfectly still are just (chefs kiss)

yea that makes sense lol! ive spent a few weeks of january in arizona/california/texas and it was great, then i came back to ohio where everything was dead and gray and there was a snowstorm warning lol. if i lived in louisiana im sure summer wouldn't be my favorite for much longer bc i cannot handle humidity for the life of me 🥵 you are brave

[kiragecko]

The Canadian Shield

Apparently, the Canadian Shield is a “geologic province”. That just means a large area with a lot of geology in common. I like it because it’s really WEIRD.

The Shield was created by glaciers sliding through. They scraped off all the topsoil and softer rock, and messed up all the watersheds. What developed in the ruins was a maze of endless rivers and lakes, large rocks covered in mosses and lichens, and trees. Lots of trees.¹

There are several things that I think are cool:

the rocks, moss, and lichen

the deranged drainage system

the endlessness

Rocks, Moss, and Lichen

Much of the Canadian Shield is covered in boreal forests (also called taiga). At least, wherever there’s enough dirt. But there is a LOT of exposed rock. And growing on those rocks are the coolest plants/animals in the world – lichens.

Lichens are a symbiosis of algae, fungi, and yeast! Some look like moss – all soft branched stalks. Some look like crunchy fungi or seaweed – growing off the rocks in weird ruffles. Others look like … paint? You know how some rocks will have coloured crusty spots that can be peeled off? Those are lichen! (Some are even powdery, but we don’t get many of those in the Shield.)

Then there’s ACTUAL moss. And moss is almost as cool as lichen! All wet and squishy and ridiculously complex if you look at it closely. Gorgeous stuff!

And finally, there’s the rocks themselves. If you live in an area with rocks, possibly you do not find them breathtaking. But I remember excitedly talking to my parents for SEVERAL MINUTES after seeing a rock in a field, because here in the prairies, you don’t see them.

And these are COOL rocks. Bedrock. Super hard igneous rock that doesn’t wear quickly. It forms cliffs and ravines, despite the fact that the area is quite flat on the macroscale. Canoeing under a cliff face that leans over you is an awe-inspiring experience. Staring down into the depths of the lake below you, seeing that it goes straight down, and then a few feet later the water is shallow. The rocks are big, and full of neat cracks, and pretty coloured, and … they’re good rocks.

Deranged Drainage System

Since the land is made of super hard rock that weathers slowly, and all the watersheds got messed up by the glaciers dumping rocks around the edges of the Shield, water struggles to form normal drainage systems. Rather than starting as small rivers and then combining  as they flow downstream, water just collects in every lowpoint. Thousands of small lakes form, connecting to each other at odd, sometimes hidden, points, with very little predictability. Rapids and waterfalls are common. Shorelines are very irregular, with all sorts of hidden coves. It becomes difficult to figure out what is an island, and what is the mainland.

Looking down from the air, the landscape seems fractal. Sitting on a rock, staring at the opposite shore, it’s obvious that this is true.

Navigating these waterchannels takes a LOT of skill. Mapping them barely helps – the maps are complex enough that it’s hard to absorb the correct information. The Nîhithaw (Cree) navigate by attaching stories to the landmarks, which makes it fun to travel with a guide.

Endlessness

The Canadian Shield is HUGE. It covers over half of Canada! The features that make it up are small, and complex. Most of it is sparsely inhabited. There are few roads; and a lot of areas, travel is either by boat or float plane.

The effect is that of an endless landscape. By plane, you can see more lakes than you can count, all difficult to identify. They stretch to the horizon in every direction.

By boat, you can see many, many interesting  and unique-seeming features. But half an hour later you’ll discover yourself in a spot that looks identical. You’re frequently slipping around blind corners and into narrow, hidden channels, which increases the sense of covering ground. But because you’re rarely going in a straight line, it’s difficult to figure out how far you’ve actually gone. It’s a maze, and it’s possible to travel it for days without seeing a single other human.

(Or you can see multiple groups of people over an hour long trip. It’s very unpredictable.)

That combination of isolation, scale, constantly changing view (that still stays the same TYPE of view), lets me truly  FEEL the vastness. Everything about me gets quiet in the Shield. I’ll suddenly find my face aching from smiling so big for so long. The world is endless and peaceful and not designed for me in the slightest.

It’s exhilarating.

-

¹ There are a few different biomes in the Shield. But the main one, and the one I’ve mostly experienced, is the boreal forest. So that’s the part I’m focusing on. Especially the landscapes of the Whiteshell and northern Saskatchewan.

[ask-sister-vida]

Ghouls preparing for colder weather

I feel the most sensitive of the bunch would be water ghouls. It's getting colder, water is freezing up, I feel like they would be the most susceptible to fall/winter weather. They can't go into the lakes or rivers as often due to risk of hypothermia, and for a water element ghoul that can be deadly (Water ghouls having more water composition in their bodies to be able to blend into the waters they are in). There was one time Mist got curious about the snow and snuck out, only to be brought back in because she almost got lost in the snow and almost died.

Air ghouls probably would not be as sensitive, more so energetic? I feel as if it would have the opposite effects because snow and winter air. Snowball fights, snowmen, snow ghouls (aka snow angels). It's like giving a kid sugar and seeing them get zoomies. It is hard to contain some of the air ghouls (Aurora is menace #1 due to her having the highest energy drive).

Fire ghouls are more of the ones that everyone usually goes to. Blankets, cuddles, movie nights. It's not uncommon to see Dewdrop or Ifrit having someone clinging onto them. Just get any of the fire ghouls to hold or hug a blanket or stuffed animal and you have something to stay warm with! (Just make sure to return the favor, Fire ghouls don't do it all for free.) Sadly they cannot be out in the snow for long because they can't even play in it for long (it melts :( )

Earth ghouls behave depending on what they are closest too. If they are more closest to the literal ground, minerals, etc, they will be fine. Just a bit sleepier. If they are more connected to fauna, they are definitely going to be feeling the colder weather harder. A lot of plants can't survive the winter so they'll be bummed out but not as physically hurt.

Quintessence ghouls aren't really affected by the weather at all when it gets colder, but it's more that they're affected by everyone else's emotions in the pack. The antsy feeling of being cooped up as a blizzard whips up outside, the possible fear when the power can go out and the den be in darkness. The happiness of being bundled up and being able to play outside, and of course the concern when a ghoul comes up to them sick because they weren't bundled up enough. A lot is going on in these moments because everyone is so condensed in a single area.

One thing is in common, cuddled up in the den or living room, blankets all about, everyone clinging onto each other (and the resident fire ghouls) and sharing cookies and cocoa. The ghouls most likely wouldn't celebrate Christmas but I'd imagine they would watch those old stop motion Christmas movies. Now just to get Papa involved :)

[minzart]

I wanna bring great roommates au back so here we go.

I can see the great seven HATING Crowley. Just because he gives Yuu a stupid amount of work. ALSO would the great seven still help the dorm leaders (Jamil also) get Yuus attention??

Crowley: *breaking down the door* YUU I NEED-

The great seven, all turning to look at him slowly: Yuu's busy.

Crowley: But-

The great seven: Yuu’s busy.

Asks are closed for the aus

XD

Nope, they would warm up to the boys, but no they wouldn't help, they are Yuu's Roommates, they like Yuu more, and they aren't bound to the boys nor do they know much about them except what is said around the school

They mostly judge and roast them with Yuu honestly

If the boys ever think of going for help? It's going to be one hell of a training, with useless advice to end with the seven saing "actually, just be yourself it's more effective"

They would troll the boys, if they ever got a perfect planned date in mind, most of the times it's going to be ruined by them, however ruined is such a strong world, let's say it got , funnier, and it may even help the boys relax and that is a better way to Yuu's heart than any

For one day, Riddle decided to relax, invinting Yuu over to tea, normal, simple, routinely, nothing much honestly, just some quality time with them, but when he poured tea, white petals come out instead

And soon after the tea pot erupted roses, white and red ones, flooding the little area with the sent of spring, poor boy was panicking and almost exploding a nerve when he heard the lively laugh of his dearest prefect

"It's so pretty!" They exclaimed falling again in the soft bed of roses

The queen of hearts similes at the sing of the two, a little nice thing for them wouldn't hurt, her little magicless human always wanted to know what a bed of roses felt like, and the red haired boy needed a nice memory of his own involving roses, ah, if only they were only red, but life isn't perfect

For Leona summer is the best day to strike, after all , the savanaclaw dorm has a lake for a reason doesn't it? So why not use it for his advantage?

The hot weather was killing him and he wouldn't get up, why do all the walking when you have s very eager puppy to fo your work after all~

That's what he though... until Jack took too long to come back... it's as they say if want something done right, do it yourself

He arrived at Ramshackle... only to find the first year gang "cleaning" the dorm, wich is only an excuse to let the headmaster lend the key for the water hose

"A friend suggest this plan, I think you would like him y'know, you both have a lot in comum~"

"... I'm not doing your dirty work prefect, if you ever got tired of so much working you know were to find me-"

And water is thrown at him

"Herbivore..."

"I SWEAR IT WASN'T ME"

he will retaliate in double >:)

Meanwhile scar is enjoying the view of the cubs playing a hose hanging by his side oh so casually

For Azul is at the closing hours of mostro louge, the calming atmosphere, the serene music, all perfect for a intimate moment, he has been practicing his introduction all week please work, few guests, and of course, Yuu, alone.

He was making his way all elegant with full chest in pride... for a wave of splash from the tanks to soak him... cortesy of our dear friend Flotsan and Jetsan

Saying that he's upset it's an understatement he's furious , and Yuu isn't helping he is seeing that amusing chuckle just bury him in shame already. AND WHERE ARE THE TWINS WHEN YOU NEED-

"There we go let's get up dry hehe" Yuu ofered him a hand up it's... not a mocking grin... more like an amusing smile... oh...

Ursula meanwhile is pondering it was too much gratefulness to let them go to his room or not, oh well, the little octopus just owns her then no biggie~

For Jamil is at the end of the basketball club, and practice was ending all well, until he slipped right when Yuu was coming in, and he would have stopped in time to not fall, but somebody had to thrown that goddamed ball again in his direction-

"Y'know a warning would be nice" Yuu said chuckling bellow him "or a "catch me!" That would work too! I would have caught you haha"

Jamil, burning bright as a strawberry decided to scream at who was responsible for that fucking ball... only to see... no-one there...

Meanwhile Jafar still got his aim and proudly spins the basketball in his index finger.

For Vil is at a sleepover, he had finaly got a alone moment with Yuu but of course that would be ruined bc he fucking lost his goddamned expansive makeup kit

So you both go searching for it all night, in the way you found diferent things around Ramshackle to the point you both kinda played dress up and had a good time

By the morning the kit was beside his door, a new black lipstick with a note in the most beautiful calligraphy he has ever seen, a "you're welcome" signed "Grimhilde"... he has never even heard of that name before

For Idia is at a gaming section, and the power went off, yes. Even the back up generators... in the whole building, so naturally he got mad and stressed but Ortho(?;) )'s voice made a small little reminder that perhaps the little prefect could, you know... have energy... and maybe they could hang out.

A brief mumbling the pros and cons he didn't even felt his little brothers arriving in his room and dragging him out, saing he got an invitation to Ramshackle, and li and behold there he goes!

Only for the power to go off again, but hey, you had board games, and he had a winning streak to continue in monopoli so it wasn't all that bad, and yeah, perhaps he did turned the room pink when your fingers brushed bug so what? It's not likehe will stay up all night thinking of that haha-

For Malleus is at one of yours strolls, he somehow tripped, something entered your path and he just, straight-up fell into your arms and you both to the lake, you never tough you could see him so red but hey!

You both had to dry off in your dorm for a while, else Sebek or godforbid Lilia when to smack/pep-talk you into manners even if it wasn't you fault per see. You both passed the time cooking, he was surprisingly good at following instructions and the home made ice-cream you both shared the next day

Half of it strangely disappeared, a small note beside it written "as exchange" with green like ink, sure you could have guessed that thing Malleus tried over looked like a crow but who knew Diablo could be that quick.

[ohwynne]

A quick guide about Protherians & deals with demons.

Head's up! This post talks about human and animal sacrifice, and though I won't get into minute detail, it will still be present throughout as its at the core of Protherian belief.

TLDR: Welsh farmer and patriarch Corwyn Prothero made a deal with a greater demon, some three centuries ago. In return for reverence, sacrifice and devotion, he and his ilk would receive good crops, good fortune, privacy and stability. Ever since, traditions and rituals have sprung up to make the downright simple truth more digestible: from moon-cycle based sacrifices to equinox-celebrations. Early in the 20th century, the then-patriarch attempted to relocate his group to the US in an attempt to shake their demon and never ending debt. It, naturally, didn't work and did disgruntle said demon quite a fair bit. Ever since seeing its wrath, the commune has lived in greater fear of it.

Click HERE for a visualisation.

The Protherians (named after their once-founder, whose painted image still hangs in mess hall) can currently be found in the area of Moosehead lake, where a large estate is the home of a small, self sufficient community. Contact with the outside world is limited and extended to a fair few, who do business with nearby towns.

Over the centuries, Protherian scripture has become the base of the cult's beliefs. There are biblical themes and stories there, though they do not believe in God. Stories like that of Abraham and Isaac, as well as Noah, however, are often referenced. The texts are seen as absolute truth. When speaking of the demon with whom Corwyn Prothero made a deal all those centuries ago, they prefer to use the word gythraul or simply It. Most people have not seen it (and those who claim to have might be lying), though there are drawings. Yes, the demon has goat legs. Yes, It might have chosen to appear that way to scare the bejesus out of previously god-fearing people.

There is a soft hierarchy within the cult, with elders having the highest position. The patriarch (often a direct descendant of Prothero) stands at the top of society. In two instances, this role has been filled by a woman — but the commune is quite a patriarchal mini-society. Mentors are highly revered. Most other members are just that, and tend mostly to the farming, livestock and other tasks that keep society turning. There are commune-wide referendums, though they are not always heeded by those in charge. Keeping their followers in check with fear is an effective method, though there are other means as well. Disobedience and cynicism are not met with kindness. Desertion means being disowned. Generally speaking, these measures are not taken often due to a lack of need.

A lot of the fabricated beliefs are based in nature. With their lives still so tied to the change of the seasons as well as the whims of the weather, perhaps this is only logical. They celebrate each equinox with large feasts, bonfires and dance. While Protherians are superstitious in nature, they don't subscribe to most Anglo-Saxon superstitions and have their own ways. A bone in your pocket, an innocent creature bled out, a chicken heart on your doorstep, a smear of blood on each cheek. To be connected with death is to respect life. They are very respectful of all living things, but also deeply revere the cycle of life and death. It's why sacrifice is such a fundamental and core part of their community.

Animal sacrifice is deeply normalised and is part of most celebrations and rituals. In the centre of the estate stands an altar, where fruits, flowers and at times, dead animals are placed to appease gythraul. Every blue moon, the best sheep of the flock is bled out — its coat dotted with braided flowers and scented with infused oils. Every fourth blue moon, it is a young adolescent in stead. This knowledge is shared with the intended sacrifice after the end of a previous cycle and the rest of their life is lived in preparation of the best thing they could possibly do for their community. Human sacrifices are sanctified when alive as well as dead, given the best portions and nicest room. The person receives lamb-rib necklaces, rabbit phalanges to keep under their pillow and dried flowers to hang in their room. To have someone among you destined for death is in and of itself something honourable and holy. It is said the person's destiny is solidified due to their date of birth. The one born closest to the latest human sacrifice shall be destined to fulfil that role one day. Such was the case for Wynne. (This is a lie. At the end of the day, there's nothing special about Wynne. It exists make it so that the elders and patriarch can't be blamed for choosing someone to die: leaving it up to fate is more easy to accept, for most.)

Modernity is largely rejected, though there is electricity and radio. There even is a router somewhere on the estate, as a few mobile phones — but this is not at all advertised and limited to elders alone. Clothes are mostly handmade and, thus, rather traditional. Plaids, cotton, wool. Simplicity. They aren't necessarily traditional in all other ways, and do have a tendency towards 'hedonism'. Corwyn Prothero rejected Christianity, after all, and his community soon started to live in what they had once considered sin. Children are homeschooled and do learn a fair bit of the outside-world curriculum, though are always taught to take it with a grain of salt. Mentors teach them to look down on modern society and their brutish, self centred ways. They have lost their way.

The threat of gythraul is very real, no matter how Wynne doubts it at times. When the community moved across-seas in an attempt to shake It, they met its wrath as it claimed young souls, leaving the commune child-less in 1934. Wynne fears their abandonment has caused another event of sorts, though they cannot bring themself to do the research needed to find out. Any thought of what they might have set in motion leaves them frozen and shut off — so it might be a while until they find out. Allow me, then, to lift the veil. The birth order makes no difference. Wynne was only ever special because they were told as much, because they were adorned with flower-bone wreaths. All that gythraul requires is a young life ended before its time. When the elders found Wynne's bedroom empty and their coffers depleted, they held their head in their hands for a moment. That night, it was Wynne's brother Iwan they laid on the altar in stead.

[thechembow]

Hi Sharon - the "smoke" has been awful in San Jose this week - we have been forced to have indoor lunch time at my school 2 days this week (kids can't be outside at lunch) due to the "Bay Area Air Quality Management" District's "Spare the Air" alert. I've been wondering if it really was smoke - I've had several students say they can smell it. I haven't been able to, but I really can see it up close, things look foggy even a few yards away. How can we tell if it is smoke or just DOR?

It would be great to see a photo if you have one. From the news footage I've seen, the air looks very similar to how it was in LA in the 80s and 90s when they used to call the DOR "smog." I saw a report in which people in the Bay Area were still walking their dogs and enjoying their normal routines, and one lady even said this was nothing compared with actual wildfires she had lived through in Lake Tahoe.

For people new to the science of orgonomy, lingering air pollution is caused by positively ionizing radiation mostly from cell tower arrays throughout cities, which causes stagnation and inhibits the earth from removing the pollution. Air pollution from cars, wildfires, and other sources is naturally cleaned from the atmosphere by the upward movement of orgone energy, which the earth constantly generates naturally. When an energy shift takes place in which the atmospheric energy transmutes, the DOR goes through several phases. I explain the different looks of DOR in this recent post.

With that said, there could have been smoke involved in the air pollution and DOR would hold it in. However, because of the widespread neutralization of cell towers in the Bay Area, it would be transmuting, which gives it the hazy whitish look. If there was smoke, it was most likely from unreported local prescribed burns (there is no way the fire up north from a month ago is still burning after being repeatedly rained on). This is how they do it in Southern California and many other places. They create smoke nearby, and then tell us that it's coming from a fire in the wrong direction of the wind some several hundred miles away from us. The post I referenced also shows this smoky looking DOR in our area in Southern California and explains their reporting tactics further.

Another possibility is that there was no smoke at all, just the usual air pollution from the city acted on by DOR in various stages of transmutation. The news also said it would be gone in a couple of days, coinciding with a rain storm moving into Northern California. As you know, once DOR transmutes, the OR not only lifts air pollution, but also promotes rainfall through the negative ionization of the atmosphere, which allows hydrogen bonds to form between water molecules. The news always confounds cause and effect to obscure the true science of weather and climate, orgonomy.

Remember also that since you didn't smell smoke, and you are an aware orgonite gifter, the ones who did smell it may have just been mind controlled by their smartphones to perceive the AI's digital reality rather than what's real. Mind control is also a huge part of the atmospheric problems on earth, because the mind creates our reality and people are manipulated through negative media combined with the mind control signal of their phones to create a negative world. But in reality, orgone energy is much stronger than DOR and one orgonite gifter can undo the damage of a million negative minds!

A multi-dimensional question gets a multi-dimensional answer! Hope this helps your understanding, and thanks for the thought provoking question! Keep on towerbusting!

[chojrak-making-things]

The last and the newest world by XKandDF is called Miniportis. It is also steep world, like Hillspatch from the previous post, but it has darker colors, more rainy weather, rocky shores with cliffs, and it gives very Twinbrook vibes. I think there’s more public lots and small parks, than in previous world too.

It’s also tiny world and uses probably only University expansion pack. More pictures and relation under the cut.

...

Most houses are squished behind city hall, near corner of the world. These small pathways gives very cozy and cameral effect. It’s also very decadent to live on the literal edge of the world. xd

The large green building at the beginning of the alley with small houses, was actually a library, it’s spacious as for lot this size. It has three floors.

As you can guess, houses here are quite small, but I still like the design and atmosphere.

There are several district with various architecture though. On opposite side of world you can find more modern houses, with more space inside.

There’s even gym on this small district.

What I found really cute, is small replica of Goth Family house from The Sims 1, it’s near the cemetery. It’s sadly too small and doesn’t have kitchen, but textures inside were recreated perfectly comparing with original.

But if you’re looking for something really chic, then check out these modern buildings near entrance to office area. They also have three floors.

This office complex get me quite lost the first time when I was looking at it. Rabbit holes are placed on top of each other, and between them there are a few secret places to discover.

For example, there’s hidden spa somewhere inside.

The entrance to the science lab is hidden also. It’s under floor of hospital rabbit hole. Floors doesn’t vanish when you close up, so I had to tilt camera to see it. Keeping eyes on your sims might be tricky in this environment, but I like it. It’s definitely something different.

If you’re looking for something bigger, for family type of gameplay, then this alley, with victorian houses, might be for you. Something similar was in previous world by this creator.

This time it gets more floral, path is wider, and interiors seems bigger.

Central place in this town is destined for festival park. If I recall coreclty, it was called Rosebud Plaza. Another reference to The Sims 1.

And when it comes to other nooks and special places on fresh air, these bellow are my favorites:

- small gazebo with lake, between science lab and modern houses

- a terraced balconies around restaurant and grocery store

- waterfall under cliffs, with a place to relax

- terraced garden opposite school

- a house that looks like from Twikki Island from The Sims 2 Bon Voyage

and many more :)

I didn’t show all places that I wanted, this overview would be too long. There are also other charming areas like mine entrance, the inside of dome near science lab, few parks in the middle, houses behind theatre and probably even more. As for for world this tiny, it has so many things to see.

It’s hard to show everything by screenshots, my laptop isn’t good enough for video rendering, but maybe someone will make overview in video form as well.

I would only recommend mods by Nraas like overwatch and maybe also error trap. This world was built only with base game and University EP, but when you have Pets installed, a wild horses might block in some places, so better to have that in mind.

I hope this overview was useful to you, thanks for reading. 💛

(one more view at the end, cause why not)

...

[orlando-hypnosis]

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Orlando, Florida, is located in the middle of the state, far from the beaches but surrounded by beautiful lakes and forests. The land is mostly flat, which makes it easy to get around the city. There are many lakes, both big and small, that add to the city’s natural beauty. Orlando is also close to the Everglades, a large area of wetlands filled with unique plants and animals. The city enjoys warm weather most of the year, with hot summers and mild winters. Because it’s in Central Florida, Orlando is safe from hurricanes that often hit the coast. The geography of Orlando makes it a pleasant place to live and explore.

The Orlando Eye

The Orlando Eye, now known as The Wheel, is a giant Ferris wheel in Orlando, Florida. It stands 400 feet tall and offers amazing views of the city. When you ride The Wheel, you step into a comfortable, air-conditioned capsule that takes you slowly to the top. As you go up, you can see famous sights like theme parks, lakes, and the downtown skyline. The ride takes about 20 minutes, and it’s a peaceful way to see the city from a new perspective. Whether you go during the day or at night, when everything is lit up, The Wheel gives you a special experience that’s perfect for visitors of all ages.

Orlando Police Identify Man Killed in Officer-involved Shooting Near Downtown

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[kimmysurveyblog]

48

Do you ever have days where you just don’t do anything? Not since having a child.

Have you ever experienced something paranormal? I saw my dad's ghost when I was 9 maybe, yearsss before he died. I was coming down the stairs and saw him sitting in his spot on the couch. He made a silly face. I said, "daddy?! What are you doing?" and then he came out from the bathroom behind me. I distinctly remember telling my parents, "omg but I'm not sick so it wasn't a fever dream?!"

What’s the longest amount of time you’ve been stuck in traffic? No idea.

What museums have you visited, if any? ROM in Toronto.

Have you ever dealt with noisy neighbors or roommates? How did that go? It's always before 11pm so I don't mention it.

Have you ever taken a woodshop class? We got to in elementary school.

What area of math are you best at? Worst? I suck at all math.

How do you feel when you meet someone with the same music taste as you? I don't like music that much so. -shrug-

Do you believe in luck? Why or why not? No. I don't think there are any influences like that. I also don't believe in fate or karma.

Do you ever feel self-conscious when you eat around other people? I had an ED for over half of my life so yes. I'm doing much better now but there are lingering effects.

Have you ever considered going to art school? No.

Is there anyone in your life who consistently angers you? Our neighbours. I'm going to be such a happier person whenever we do end up moving.

Have you ever had problems falling asleep in class? No.

Are your parents supportive of you? They both were. I had great parents.

How often do you take the train to go places? Rarely. That's the mode of transportation we use to go to Toronto but we haven't been since pre-COVID. In a year or two I'd love to go with our daughter. :) She'd have so much fun!

Have you ever participated in a mock trial, or a real trial? No.

Do you have the right time set on your microwave? No microwave.

Do you have any old newspaper articles? Why? No.

Do you have a flat screen tv or just a regular box? Flatscreen.

Do you have a radar detector for your car? No.

Have you ever been arrested? For what? No.

Do you know how to change the oil in your car? No.

Do you like Tootsie Rolls? No.

Are you seeing anybody currently? Boyfriend of 7 years.

Do you like it when it snows? No. I LOVE IT.

Where do you do most of your shopping? No one place in particular.

Do you have a big yard? No.

Do you live in the country or the city? City.

At what age did you obtain your driver license? I'm 32 and still don't have it.

What are you favorite kind of chips? Lays dill pickle or ketchup.

Where did you go today? A pretty place by a lake with our daughter this AM for a walk.

Are you sleepy right now? No.

What color is your mousepad? Not using one.

Do you get your eyebrows waxed? No.

Has anyone given you flowers recently? Kinda. I like getting flowers for a little vase in our kitchen and my boyfriend pays for them.

Has anyone you know been arrested recently? No.

Do you have more than 1 email address? Yes.

Do you have central heating and air? Yes.

Are there any plants in your house? I think we're up to 8 now.

Do you prefer cold or warm weather? Cold! I've always been a Fall and Winter girly.

Do you prefer bar or liquid soap? Liquid.

Do you wear any perfumes/colognes on a regular basis? No.

Do you have high or low self-esteem levels? Higher since I've started working out thankfully.

When was the last time you listened to a song on repeat? What was the song? My daughter makes me do this regularly. Today it was the hotdog song from Mickey Mouse Clubhouse.

Do you like mint or orange-flavored chocolate? Both.

When was the last time you burnt your mouth from eating something too hot? No clue.

What is your favorite foreign language to listen to? (In music or speech) Korean.

Do you prefer instrumental songs or ones with lyrics? Lyrics.

Name something simple that makes you happy. Hearing my daughter laugh.

What is your favorite instrument to listen to? Guitar.

Pick one: Books, movies or music? Books.

What was the last book you read about? It was one of the Bridgerton novels. Historical romance.

When was the last time you used a quote from a movie in real life? I don't do that.

Can you put your legs behind your head? Nope.

Do you forget things easily? No. I have a pretty good memory.

The last song you listened to: Did it have a male or female vocalist? No idea. We had the radio on in the car.

Have you ever had braces? Do you need them? No and no.

What does your voice sound like? (Loud, quiet, high-pitched, etc) It's not low or high but I find it to be quite annoying.

What was the last topic you read about on Wikipedia? I don't remember.

Have you ever donated money to Wikipedia? No.

What board games did you play when you were growing up? Monopoly, Game of Life, Balderdash.

Do you know any sign language? A few words from Ms Rachel.

When was the last time you bought new clothes? What did you get? I got a t-shirt over the weekend.

Do you ever watch streamers on Twitch? Not anymore. It was a huge part of my life during COVID but a lot of my streamer friends quit shortly after lockdown ended.

Has your house ever been broken into? How did you find out? No.

What do you usually eat for breakfast? Cold brew.

Are you overwhelmed right now? Not any more than usual.

Did you share a bedroom with someone when you were growing up? No.

How many group chats are you in? Do you participate in them much? A few for family.

Are you still in touch with any of your exes? No.

What do you do for work? I'm a SAHM.

Were you upset when you found out certain things weren’t real? (Santa, Tooth Fairy…) Probably.

Name something you’re proud of. Brag a little bit. Recently, of my commitment to exercising! I started working out June 1st and it was initially just so I felt better about myself leading up to my online friend's visit but that 2 weeks of consistency was enough to get me hooked! Literally for the first time in my life, I'm losing weight in a healthy way. Down 12lbs so far, only 18lbs from my goal weight. :) I feel amazing!

Which store would you like to win $1000 for? Best Buy.

Do you pay any attention to celebrity drama? A little bit.

What popular food do you dislike? Steak. Just not a fan.

Do you have any cats? No.

How many slices of pizza can you eat in 1 sitting? Three.

[portfolio400]

Land based learning

I am incredibly lucky to be living in British Columbia where there is so much natural beauty to enjoy. At the same time, I am also aware of my privileges. Despite the Indigenous people being on the land first, they now struggle from the effects of colonization. Their natural resources are either exploited or in ecological fraught. For example, in Susan Nerberg’s Canadian Geographic article “I am Mutehekau Shipu: A river’s journey to personhood in eastern Quebec”, the Innu people lobbied for the personhood of the river in order to protect it and maintain its ecological integrity (2022). Closer to home, the Trans Mountain pipeline continues to bring concern to the Indigenous people in the area. 

I should clarify that I am privileged because when events such as a pipeline spill or forest fire occur, I feel the effects of it less keenly than the people who live near Jacko Lake. They face the threat of an important cultural site’s destruction. However, the lack of direct consequence on my well-being should not be an excuse to remain ignorant. In fact, because I have that privilege, I should be more proactive in learning and teaching about the importance of protecting our natural habitat. But it is difficult. David Chang points out the importance of eco-based education. The 2010 documentary Schooling the World does as well. They take two different, but similar stances on it: Chang on how education is the key to eco-justice, and Schooling the World on how our Western style education system lacks in land based learning. In Schooling the World, the Ladhaki women talk about how their children no longer know how to survive off of the land. Helena Norberg-Hodge echoes the sentiment that “traditional forms of knowledge fostered sustainability” (12:54). 

To cut to the heart of it, I agree with Chang. Eco-based education could be the key to getting more people to care about the land while also incorporating more traditional practices from not only our Indigenous cultures here in British Columbia, but from cultures around the world like the Ladhaki and the Khasi people. Then it not only becomes a way for me, as an educator, to include land-based learning, but also diversity and decolonisation. 

It requires a shift to practicing being outdoors as well. During Exploration C, I visited East Kensington. It is an outdoor learning choice school. The students go outside regardless of the weather. Furthermore, I also joined two classes on their outdoors afternoon walk, where they learned about trees through touch and play. Some people might question what the purpose of the activity was. I argue that it fosters a sense of connection with the land while also fulfilling a possible science requirement (the interaction with the forest trees, seeing the different types and growths present). A sense of connection with a person, place, or thing is invaluable in creating empathy and feeling of responsibility for it. 

I would also love to incorporate something like Exploration A in the classroom and invite students to visit a favourite outdoor spot and do activities in it. Exploration A was one of my favourite things to do throughout the semester because it further strengthened my relationship with the land while also teaching me. 

Then there are the usual things: field trips to the aquarium, to salmon hatcheries, to the biodome in Queen Elizabeth Park. They are equally valuable learning opportunities, but require more planning and are less every day. I want to be able to incorporate some form of outdoor learning at least once a week. Chang talks about how “most North Americans spends over 90 percent of their lives indoors” and it results in “a kind of estrangement and alienation from the more-than-human-world”. How can we being to care about something we rarely see? When I was younger, I loved playing outside. My friends and I would ride our bikes everywhere and catch frogs in the pond by our houses. I would be perpetually tan all the way from spring to summer to fall. I still love nature and being outdoors today, but find myself more inclined to stay indoors. Modern technology and the rainy Pacific Northwest climate means there are often less incentives for me to go outside.  Kids nowadays still like going outside, but there is definitely more of a disconnect as technology prevails. I wonder if there is a way to reconcile technology and the outdoors. Is it by watching nature documentaries? Or creating games that become a hybrid of using technology normally implemented indoors with the outdoors? Whatever the method is, I want to be able to impart some of that same childhood love of nature I had in my future students.

Yukon Path’s podcast Episode 7 about land-based learning was eye-opening too. The land-based learning they are doing works well for the Indigenous students where they have previously been unsuccessful in a classroom. Much of it is experiential learning, like the application of levers to lift up a wall tent is physics in action, but not framed as such. It is a departure from the more traditional study of theory that happens in Western style classrooms. It has practical application while fulfilling requirements, something which I would love to be able to do more of. 

I am hopeful that the current shift towards land-based learning will lead towards a decolonization of our current world view in future generations. At the heart of it everything is our Earth. Even if land-based learning is happening because of the impending climate change crisis and our natural resources slowly depleting, at least that (hopefully) means we will start a trend towards sustainability. Even better if it means more cooperation with the Indigenous people, who have been caring for this land for centuries before the advent of Western civilization. I hope that by bringing more land-based learning into the classroom, I can also integrate things like the First Peoples Principles of Learning at the same time and finding a method of learning that can be beneficial to students who have had less luck with other ways of learning.

[pennzance]

Ghostbusters: Port Huron (Episode 23)

Episode 23: Mysteries within mysteries

November 1st, 1998

Research report by Bryan

I wasn’t sure why Eric was insisting I write this, but Mr. Kaye AND Ben Daily have both gone missing and the General isn't returning our calls, so it seems more prudent to get what we know down on paper in some form.

Stephen Kaye moved to Michigan in 1991, and his time before that is a mystery to me due mostly because he leaves little to no trail in his wake even at his most careless, it seems. His employment application for the then-recently-opened Detroit branch of Ghostbusters International doesn’t list a home address, although I have plenty of reason to suspect he wasn’t a drifter. Stephen Kaye seems to have come from money, possibly inherited some time after his arrival in Michigan.

His various performance reviews from the Detroit branch were all quite favorable. He was an ace Ghostbuster, by all accounts. I found a marriage certificate, and I think he married a co-worker, a woman named Jane Paige. That was in 1993.

I also found a death certificate. Jane Paige-Kaye died on October 23rd, 1995, presumably on the job. Mr. Kaye’s employment at the Detroit branch didn’t end until January of 1996, when almost all the staff at GBDT was let go, or possibly all quit? There’s a blank spot in the records around this time, but the only holdover from those days was Ben Daily, who remained the manager, and the completely new team he hired.

Stephen Kaye only shows up again when he applies for a Ghostbusters franchise of his very own here in Port Huron. He spent a healthy amount of money to get our office up and running, and as far as I can tell he hasn’t been collecting a paycheck of any sort for his work. Come to think of it, with the notable exception of the last few days I don’t think there was ever a time when Mr. Kaye wasn’t in the office. Has he been living here?

And if he isn’t here, where did he go?

Above and beyond that mystery there is the mounting problem of the knock-on effects from Captain Hatchet’s escape. Since then, we’ve had the area beneath the bridge blocked off to pedestrian traffic. Large cargo ships have been passing through regularly and seem mostly unaffected by the phenomena, but I’ve seen their crews vomiting over the sides after passing the bridges.

This is probably because the air under the Bluewater Bridges looks… wrong. Thick is the word Jeremy used for it, and I think the more accurate term would be worn thin. There is a palpable feeling of strange, otherworldliness there now, and that field is slowly expanding.

I also don’t believe it is coincidental that the local temperatures have dropped to near zero in the intervening time. Cold in November in Michigan is not uncommon, but it is rarely the kind of cold we are experiencing now. Dry, snowless, bone chilling temperature with wind that can take the thermometer well below -10. It’s almost like all heat it slowly being stamped out of the area. On the weather maps, the tip of Michigan’s thumb is a concerning purple-blue blot on the landscape. But the lake and the river have shown no sign of freezing, either.

PKE readings of our region are steadily approaching ‘big twinkie’ levels. It isn’t a coincidence that the isolated talisman that resembles Hatchet’s sudden steed is also becoming more saturated. That talisman is a herald of something, and whatever it is cannot be good.

The ONLY good thing to come out of the last week or so is Jason and Kelly’s increased competence in the field of Ghostbusting. They’re full time now, although we aren’t making them fill out these reports. Ah, and Jeremy has finished some field modifications to the Ecto-908 that will allow it to act as a small containment unit (heavily reinforced and bolted to the Ecto’s frame) so that we can make use of our traps multiple times on the same call. This has proven to be a boon as the average call for us has gone from a single ghost to regularly two or even three.

I’m filing an official request for help from the home office, either in manpower, equipment, research, or a combination of all three. Something terrible is on the horizon. I can feel it. And we’re short a manager.

I only hope that whatever help does arrive isn’t too late. End of report.

[timetravelandgravityengineering]

I know this would be the largest geoforming engineering projects ever on the earth.

However if you allowed the depression to be filled and a series of dams locks and dykes. You could recreate the sea in the depression by cutting a channel from the black sea into the caspian sea. Obviously this would be salt water however the environmental impact of increased rain fall in the area would effectively cause the entire region to become capable of sustained farming.

Apprently the depression is around 100m lower than sea level and salt flats.

Making the dessert green and solving the heat impact of other environmental damage from global warming.

The black sea would be reoxygenated the communities in those countries would have access to shipping routes and farming and with the added benifit of de salivation drinking water from that and new rivers and lakes in the area.

Desalination could happen as the water was being divered from the black sea. Huge under taking but the new sea would forever change the lives of millions of people and could even cause drought conditions as far away as China to lesson. It would also lower sea levels.

The engineering would be immense but not impossible.

Just an idea but it could provide a stable environment in that area.

It would cost billions but make trillions.

(Cost annalisist)

It would cool the earth

However water in the desert would be like life on Mars.

Some artificial islands and you could have new communities with farms fisheries and fresh water.

I would need more accuse data to colate

Like evaporation rate of the area of water created.

(Alternative plan be having the desalination in Russia white/kara sea? and pump the fresh water into the volga. Again having locks pumps and flood defence in place and create the worlds largest fresh water lake/sea) if I modeled this right it would actually change the weather patterns and trigger a ice age.

Create a dam round the sea of azov divert the nearby rivers few candidates and remove the salt flats mechanically. As long as the fault line is holds the depression is getting deeper? So would provide water for central aisa and adorning lands.

[progiftreview]

Drivers in western New York’s Erie County still advised to stay off the roads after deadly storm dumps almost 6 feet of snow in some areas

Even by western New York standards, Friday’s snowstorm was colossal, bringing eye-level accumulation totals to some areas and prompting officials to tell many people who are used to driving in bad weather to stay off the roads.

“I can say that our deputies have been just absolutely inundated with calls for service as it pertains to disabled motor vehicles and stranded motorists,” Erie County Undersheriff William J. Cooley said at a news conference Friday night as heavy, wet snow continued to fall. “We implore the residents to just, please, obey the travel ban, you become part of the problem very quickly when you’re out there on the streets.”

Snowfall totals reached 5 feet in at least two locations. Orchard Park, where the Buffalo Bills had been scheduled to play their now-relocated NFL game Sunday, had snowfall totals of up to 66 inches by Friday evening. Blasdell, about eight miles from Buffalo, recorded 65 inches as of 8:30 p.m.

VIDEO

Hear how citizens in Buffalo are reacting to the snowstorm

The storm had contributred to two deaths. Two Erie County residents died after suffering cardiac events related to shoveling or blowing snow, County Executive Mark Poloncarz said earlier.

“We send our deepest sympathies and remind all that this snow is very heavy and dangerous,” Poloncarz tweeted. At the news conference he advised residents to wait another day before trying to clear out the snow.

Buffalo’s highest three-day snowfall is 56.1 inches, which occurred in December 2001, CNN Meteorologist Brandon Miller said. One area of the city reported almost 20 inches as of Friday morning.

Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park, home of the Buffalo Bills, was blanketed Friday with several feet of snow.From Buffalo Bills

Poloncarz said the lake-effect snow event had hit the south towns of Buffalo “with a vengeance, very hard and all these communities are in a state of emergency at this point.”

As the region waited out the storm:

• As of Friday night, it was snowing 1-3 inches in the area, according to theNational Weather Service in Buffalo.

• Buffalo has a ban on vehicle travel in the southern part of the city and advisories elsewhere.

• According toFlightAware.com, about 70% of outgoing flights were canceled at the Buffalo airport, which has almost 13 inches of snow.

• The NFL earlier this week moved the Bills’ game against the Cleveland Browns to Detroit. Theteam hopes to travel from Buffaloon Saturday.

• Hamburg, around 15 miles south of Buffalo, had almost 34 inches of snow by 8 a.m.

• Buffalo public schools were closed Friday. So are Erie County services.

What to pack in your car to stay safe during severe winter weather

Earlier, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul Implored residents to take caution this weekend and described the storm as a “major, major” snowfall event that could be as life-threatening as the November 2014 snowstormthat claimed the lives of 20 people in the Buffalo region.

Hochul declared a state of emergency for 11 counties.

Nicole Erb told CNN early Friday afternoon: “It’s a mess out here,” in the backyard of her Orchard Park home.

She estimated she has about 4 feet of snow around her house.

A man in Buffalo uses a snow blower to clear an area around a vehicle.Lindsay DeDario/Reuters

But even some of the people clearing roads were getting stuck, Poloncarz, the Erie County executive, said.

Firefighters respond Thursday in Snyder, New York, to a vehicle crash on I-290.Snyder Fire Department/Facebook

Commercial traffic was banned on the New York State Thruway (Interstate 90) between exits 53 and 59,according to the agencythat operates the highway. Other parts of major interstates – including 290 and 990 – werealso shut down.

Officials in Erie County – which includes Buffalo – also declared a state of emergency and banned driving beginning Thursday night. Prohibitions on driving in the northern and southern part of the county were lifted Friday afternoon.

“The lake effect snow from (the storm) is very heavy and may cause tree branches to fall and damage vehicles, property or powerlines. Watch where you park, and be aware of your surroundings if going outside,” Erie Countyofficials wrote online.

A front loader digs out a supermarket parking lot Friday after the storm hit Hamburg, New York.John Normile/Getty Images

What to expect this weekend

The heaviest snow has shifted just a few miles south of the hardest hit region early Friday evening, according to CNN meteorologist Taylor Ward. But the snow band is expected to return back to the north later in the evening and even shift far enough north that downtown Buffalo gets into the heavy snow again overnight and early Saturday.

Much of the area gets a break by Saturday afternoon as the snow shifts even farther north. A final band comes through Saturday evening and into the overnight hours before snow tapers off early Sunday.

What causes lake-effect snow?

“Colder air will continue to pour across the region, resulting in a prolonged lake effect snow event, which will last through this weekend.”National Weather Service forecasters in Buffalo said Friday morning. “Two intense plumes of lake effect snow with snowfall rates of at least 3 inches per hour will continue northeast of the lakes through tonight.”

A cloud of snow is seen crossing Lake Erie on Friday.Lindsay DeDario/Reuters

Other areas affected by the storm include parts of the Upper Peninsula and the western Lower Peninsula of Michigan, where gusty winds and heavy snow will also cause near zero visibility and unsafe travel conditions.

[pcttrailsidereader]

Death by Lightning on the PCT/JMT

By Carmen George

Excerpted from the Fresno Bee

First came an immense flash of bright white light, then a sound like a cannon exploding feet away.

Four backpackers’ thoughts quickly turned to the youngest member of their group, Nicholas Torchia, who was just behind them on their high Sierra backpack trip through the John Muir Wilderness of eastern Fresno County.

“He’s been hit,” said a man who dashed by the hikers, running toward nearby Muir Trail Ranch on July 30 to get help.

Nick Torchia

Torchia was just up the trail, lying beside a tree struck by lightning along the Sallie Keyes Cutoff, between the John Muir and Florence Lake trails. The electricity also traveled through the 37-year-old Fresno man.

A pastor and his friend, who ran for help, reached Torchia first, within 20 seconds of the lightning strike around 1:25 p.m. Torchia told them he was badly injured. The pastor, Andy Cornett, took his hand and assured him they were getting help.

“He thanked me and asked me to straighten out his legs,” Cornett later told his family. “That was the last he spoke.”

Cornett asked if Torchia could feel his fingers, feet and toes. He nodded. Cornett checked his body for external injuries, helped him lie flat, covered him with a blanket, and started attending to a head wound.

Around this time, Torchia stopped breathing and lost his pulse. The four people Torchia was backpacking with — three of his uncles and one of their friends — were now also by his side.

For hours after, however, his uncles and other hikers held out hope that Torchia could be revived. A group of around 10 people, including a pastor, a nurse, doctor, firefighter and emergency medical technician, took turns administering CPR for more than three hours. Some of those hikers came up from Muir Trail Ranch, located east of Florence Lake and about three quarters of a mile from where Torchia was hit.

Other hikers worked to keep Torchia’s body warm and dry, and an ultramarathon runner darted up and down trails retrieving supplies from Muir Trail Ranch.

“Their cooperation, compassion and patient work over those hours was a testimony to me of some of the best of what human beings can do and be for each other,” said Cornett, associate pastor of families at Signal Mountain Presbyterian Church in Tennessee.

The group hoped a search and rescue team might eventually deliver an automated external defibrillator that could jump-start Torchia’s heart, but ongoing storms and their remote location in roadless wilderness delayed an emergency response.

Jeff Holbrook, one of Torchia’s uncles who started the CPR, finally asked one medical professional what chance there was of an AED device being effective if delivered within a couple more hours. He quickly received an answer: “Zero.”

The group decided to stop the CPR. Torchia’s death was recorded at 4:41 p.m. July 30.

Nick (Center) with his three uncles and a friend

The group prayed over his body, and then carried him down to Muir Trail Ranch. A California Highway Patrol helicopter landed nearby that evening during a break in the storm and retrieved Torchia’s body.

‘No one made a mistake’ hiking back from John Muir Trail in Sierra

Torchia; his uncles Jeff, Tom and Bill Holbrook; and friend Terry McCurdy were returning from a backpack trip to Sallie Keyes Lake on the JMT/PCT in the John Muir Wilderness when Torchia was hit.

It was sunny when the group started their descent from the lake that morning. They had planned to camp at Muir Trail Ranch that night and then catch a boat ride across Florence Lake the next day to return home. The group started their trip together earlier that week.

Torchia and his uncles had been working to complete the entire 211-mile John Muir Trail over the past 10 or so years via annual backpack trips together.

Torchia’s uncles said he was struck when he was just seconds behind them on the trail, after the group stopped briefly to put on rain ponchos.

“He was the last to put on a rain jacket and go catch up with Bill, but he didn’t,” his mother Kathy Torchia said.

His family and Cornett aren’t sure how close Torchia was to the tree when it was hit, or how long he was near it. Jeff Holbrook thinks his nephew might have been adjusting some of his gear or eating a snack when he was struck.

Tom Holbrook described the incident as a freak accident from a sudden storm.

“No one made a mistake. ... We dealt with extreme conditions before,” he said.

The lightning bolt that took their nephew’s life was the only one Jeff and Tom said they saw that day in that area, estimated to be around 8,000 feet in elevation. Cornett said other lightning strikes seemed much further away.

“It was terrifying,” Cornett said of the lightning that narrowly missed him. “It was brilliant white, and the sound was felt as much as heard.”

The lightning blew items out of Torchia’s pockets, ripped off some of his clothes, and tore bark off the tree that was struck. Jeff said its force moved his own body forward a couple inches.

The Fresno County Coroner’s Office announced a few days later that Torchia died by electrocution caused by lightning. No one else was injured by the lightning strike.

There’s only been 14 other fatalities and 72 injuries from lightning in California since 1950, according to data through this spring from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Centers for Environmental Information. The National Weather Service reported that only about 10% of people struck by lightning die from the voltage.

Torchia is remembered as exceedingly kind, with a genuine concern and sensitivity to the feelings of others that sometimes caused him pain. One of his two brothers, Ben Torchia of Clovis, said he sees his brother’s passing as God deciding to free his “good soul” from that pain.

“He just had this struggle internally – some things that are probably pretty simple for you or me were not simple for him,” his brother said. “He had a struggle that people in America owned houses while people in third-world countries didn’t. He had a tough time accepting the status quo. He could never get over things like that.”

Torchia crossing Muir Pass (on a 2019 trip)

Cornett said the experience of caring for Torchia in his final moments made him feel “profoundly humbled at how vulnerable life is.”

“Obviously you realize that when you’re in the mountains and outdoors,” Cornett said, “but it’s true of our given life at any given moment, and it causes you to reflect.”

Torchia was one of six children and had an 11-year-old daughter, Makayla, who lives in South Africa with her mother.

He graduated from Ridgeview High School in Bakersfield and joined the Navy when he was 18 years old, serving for almost six years. He also previously worked as a driver for Community Food Bank and senior citizens in Clovis.

Torchia most recently was a student at Clovis Community College. He hoped to become a psychologist and counselor, his mom said.

Douglas Houston, interim chancellor of State Center Community College District, recalled Torchia as an “outstanding student” in a recent email to staff, encouraging condolences for his family.

His mother said he loved hiking, backpacking, swimming, rock climbing and cycling, and had many other talents.

“I call him the Renaissance man,” Kathy Torchia said. “He could do anything.”

Torchia was the youngest on last week’s backpack trip. The other four in his group are in their 60s.

“He was like our safety chain,” Jeff Holbrook said. “We were all getting older and he was still viable and young and he looked after us, and we always felt safe with him by our side.”

Torchia made a separate trip up to Sallie Keyes Lake the week before the trip with his uncles to haul a tent and other gear up the mountain so they wouldn’t have to carry as much. Among the gear was a cushion and hammock he insisted they use.

Family said the compassionate Torchia also had a way of infusing fun into even the simplest of tasks.

“What a great spirit this young man had,” Tom Holbrook said of his nephew. “We loved him.”

Friend Pete Debruynkops, who went on previous John Muir Trail backpack trips with Torchia, said Torchia loved being in the wilderness, and that his friend’s adventurous spirit earned him the hiking nickname of “Stray Dog” because he was always straying off the trail to check things out.

Jeff Holbrook said he recently experienced some joy thinking of Torchia.

Jeff Holbrook’s phone started playing music when he and others were trying to revive Torchia on the trail. It took him a while to realize the sound was coming from his pocket because he said his phone rarely plays music, even when he tries.

He pulled it out and hit pause. The song was “Neon Pegasus” by Parry Gripp, about a mythical, divine, winged horse soaring over troubles. It made him think of his nephew and a herd of horses that ran by them on the trail earlier in their trip.

Some of the lyrics: “Unbreak your heart, Neon Pegasus, and go climbing through the stars, out there with your dreams, your sparkly dreams. ... Never again to be lonely, never again to be without a home. ... Soaring over it all, high up in the clouds.”

Jeff Holbrook accidentally dropped his phone in water later at Muir Trail Ranch. When it turned on the next day, the song was still paused on Neon Pegasus.

He played it later and sobbed. He said it was a beautiful release of “just joy.” He felt like his nephew was telling him, “I’m in a beautiful place and I’ve got wings and I’m flying, and I’m happy as can be.”

[kookie-doughs]

Y/N L/N AND THE HALFBLOODS

Percy Jackson X Reader

-Y/N L/N met Percy Jackson and everything was now ruined.

CHAPTER 6: WE HAVE BATHROOM INCIDENT

We passed the volleyball pit. Several of the campers nudged each other. One pointed to the minotaur horn Percy was carrying. Another said, "That's him."

Anxious if all the attention, I scooted closer to Percy holding onto his arm. Most of the campers were older than us. Their satyr friends were bigger than Grover, all of them trotting around in orange CAMP HALF-BLOOD T-shirts, with nothing else to cover their bare shaggy hindquarters. The way they stared at me made me uncomfortable. Though I am aware the attention was on Percy. I still felt like they were expecting me to do a flip or something.

I looked back at the farmhouse. It was a lot bigger than I'd realized—four stories tall, sky blue with white trim, like an upscale seaside resort. I was checking out the brass eagle weather vane on top when something caught my eye, a shadow in the uppermost window of the attic gable. Something had moved the curtain, just for a second, and I got the distinct impression I was being watched.

"What's up there?" Percy asked Chiron.

He looked where I was pointing, and his smile faded. "Just the attic."

"Somebody lives there?"

"No," he said with finality. "Not a single living thing."

I got the feeling he was being truthful. But I was also sure something had moved that curtain.

"Come along, you two," Chiron said, his lighthearted tone now a little forced. "Lots to see."

We walked through the strawberry fields, where campers were picking bushels of berries while a satyr played a tune on a reed pipe.. . . . . . . . . .

Chiron told me the camp grew a nice crop for export to New York restaurants and Mount Olympus. "It pays our expenses," he explained. "And the strawberries take almost no effort."

He said Mr. D had this effect on fruit-bearing plants: they just went crazy when he was around. It worked best with wine grapes, but Mr. D was restricted from growing those, so they grew strawberries instead.

I watched the satyr playing his pipe. His music was causing lines of bugs to leave the strawberry patch in every direction, like refugees fleeing a fire. I wondered if Grover could work that kind of magic with music. I wondered if he was still inside the farmhouse, getting chewed out by Mr. D.

"Grover won't get in too much trouble, will he?" I asked Chiron.

"Yeah, I mean... he was a good protector. Really." Percy added.

Chiron sighed. He shed his tweed jacket and draped it over his horses back like a saddle. "Grover has big dreams, Percy. Perhaps bigger than are reasonable. To reach his goal, he must first demonstrate great courage by succeeding as a keeper, finding a new camper and bringing him safely to Half-Blood Hill."

"But he did that! He brought two!"

"I might agree with you," Chiron said. "But it is not my place to judge. Dionysus and the Council of Cloven Elders must decide. I'm afraid they might not see this assignment as a success. After all, Grover lost you in New York. Then there's the unfortunate... ah... fate of your mother and Y/N's parents. And the fact that Grover was unconscious when you two dragged him over the property line. The council might question whether this shows any courage on Grover's part."

"He'll get a second chance, won't he?"

Chiron winced. "I'm afraid that was Grover's second chance, Percy. The council was not anxious to give him another, either, after what happened the first time, five years ago. Olympus knows, I advised him to wait longer before trying again. He's still so small for his age... ."

"How old is he?"

"Oh, twenty-eight."

"What! And he's in sixth grade?"

"Satyrs mature half as fast as humans, Percy. Grover has been the equivalent of a middle school student for the past six years."

"That's horrible."

"Quite," Chiron agreed. "At any rate, Grover is a late bloomer, even by satyr standards, and not yet very accomplished at woodland magic. Alas, he was anxious to pursue his dream. Perhaps now he will find some other career... ."

"That's not fair," I said. "What happened the first time? Was it really so bad?"

Chiron looked away quickly. "Let's move along, shall we?"

But I wasn't quite ready to let the subject drop. Something had occurred to me when Chiron talked about Percy's and I's parents' fate, as if he were intentionally avoiding the word death.

"Chiron," Percy said. "If the gods and Olympus and all that are real..."

"Yes, child?"

"Does that mean the Underworld is real, too?"

Chiron's expression darkened.

"Yes, child." He paused, as if choosing his words carefully. "There is a place where spirits go after death. But for now... until we know more... I would urge you to put that out of your mind."

"What do you mean, 'until we know more'?"

"Come, Percy. Let's see the woods.". . ..

As we got closer, I realized how huge the forest was. It took up at least a quarter of the valley, with trees so tall and thick, you could imagine nobody had been in there since the Native Americans.

Chiron said, "The woods are stocked, if you care to try your luck, but go armed."

"Stocked with what?" Percy asked. "Armed with what?"

"You'll see. Capture the flag is Friday night. Do you have your own sword and shield?"

"My own—?"

"No," Chiron said. "I don't suppose either of you do. I think a size five will do you both. I'll visit the armory later."

I wanted to ask what kind of summer camp had an armory, but there was too much else to think about, so the tour continued. We saw the archery range, the canoeing lake, the stables (which Chiron didn't seem to like very much), the javelin range, the sing-along amphitheater, and the arena where Chiron said they held sword and spear fights.

"Sword and spear fights?" I asked.

"Cabin challenges and all that," he explained. "Not lethal. Usually. Oh, yes, and there's the mess hall."

Chiron pointed to an outdoor pavilion framed in white Grecian columns on a hill overlooking the sea. There were a dozen stone picnic tables. No roof. No walls.

"What do you do when it rains?" Percy asked.

Chiron looked at me as if I'd gone a little weird. "We still have to eat, don't we?"

Finally, he showed me the cabins. There were twelve of them, nestled in the woods by the lake. They were arranged in a U, with two at the base and five in a row on either side. And they were without doubt the most bizarre collection of buildings I'd ever seen.

Except for the fact that each had a large brass number above the door (odds on the left side, evens on the right), they looked absolutely nothing alike. Number nine had smokestacks, like a tiny factory. Number four had tomato vines on the walls and a roof made out of real grass. Seven seemed to be made of solid gold, which gleamed so much in the sunlight it was almost impossible to look at. They all faced a commons area about the size of a soccer field, dotted with Greek statues, fountains, flower beds, and a couple of basketball hoops (which were more my speed).

In the center of the field was a huge stone-lined firepit. Even though it was a warm afternoon, the hearth smoldered. A girl about nine years old was tending the flames, poking the coals with a stick.

The pair of cabins at the head of the field, numbers one and two, looked like his-and-hers mausoleums, big white marble boxes with heavy columns in front. Cabin one was the biggest and bulkiest of the twelve. Its polished bronze doors shimmered like a hologram, so that from different angles lightning bolts seemed to streak across them. Cabin two was more graceful somehow, with slimmer columns garlanded with pomegranates and flowers. The walls were carved with images of peacocks.

"Zeus and Hera?" I guessed.

"Correct," Chiron said.

"Their cabins look empty."

"Several of the cabins are. That's true. No one ever stays in one or two."

Okay. So each cabin had a different god, like a mascot. Twelve cabins for the twelve Olympians. But why would some be empty?

I stopped when Percy stopped.

"Percy?"

He stood in front of the first cabin on the left, cabin three.

It wasn't high and mighty like cabin one, but long and low and solid. The outer walls were of rough gray stone studded with pieces of seashell and coral, as if the slabs had been hewn straight from the bottom of the ocean floor.

I held his hand and we got closer to the cabin. We peeked inside the open doorway and Chiron said, "Oh, I wouldn't do that!"

Before he could pull us back, I caught a glimpse of the interior walls glowed like abalone. There were six empty bunk beds with silk sheets turned down. But there was no sign anyone had ever slept there. "Come along, you two."

Most of the other cabins were crowded with campers.

Number five was bright red—a real nasty paint job, as if the color had been splashed on with buckets and fists. The roof was lined with barbed wire. A stuffed wild boar's head hung over the doorway, and its eyes seemed to follow me. Inside I could see a bunch of mean-looking kids, both girls and boys, arm wrestling and arguing with each other while rock music blared. The loudest was a girl maybe thirteen or fourteen. She wore a size XXXL CAMP HALF-BLOOD T-shirt under a camouflage jacket. She zeroed in on me and gave me an evil sneer. She reminded me of Nancy Bobofit, though the camper girl was much bigger and tougher looking, and her hair was long and stringy, and brown instead of red.

I kept walking, trying to stay as close as I could to Percy. "We haven't seen any other centaurs," Percy observed.

"No," said Chiron sadly. "My kinsmen are a wild and barbaric folk, I'm afraid. You might encounter them in the wilderness, or at major sporting events. But you won't see any here."

"You said your name was Chiron. Are you really..."

He smiled down at me. "The Chiron from the stories? Trainer of Hercules and all that? Yes, Percy, I am."

"But, shouldn't you be dead?"

Chiron paused, as if the question intrigued him. "I honestly don't know about should be. The truth is, I can't be dead. You see, eons ago the gods granted my wish. I could continue the work I loved. I could be a teacher of heroes as long as humanity needed me. I gained much from that wish... and I gave up much. But I'm still here, so I can only assume I'm still needed."

I thought about being a teacher for three thousand years. It wouldn't have made my Top Ten Things to Wish For list.

"Doesn't it ever get boring?"

"No, no," he said. "Horribly depressing, at times, but never boring."

"Why depressing?"

Chiron seemed to turn hard of hearing again.

"Oh, look," he said. "Annabeth is waiting for us."

* * *

The blond girl I'd met at the Big House was reading a book in front of the last cabin on the left, number eleven.

When we reached her, she looked us critically.

I tried to see what she was reading, but I couldn't make out the title. I thought my dyslexia was acting up. Then I realized the title wasn't even English. The letters looked Greek to me. I mean, literally Greek. There were pictures of temples and statues and different kinds of columns, like those in an architecture book.

"Annabeth," Chiron said, "I have masters' archery class at noon. Would you take Percy and Y/N from here?"

"Yes, sir."

"Cabin eleven," Chiron told me, gesturing toward the doorway. "Make yourself at home."

Out of all the cabins, eleven looked the most like a regular old summer camp cabin, with the emphasis on old. The threshold was worn down, the brown paint peeling. Over the doorway was one of those doctor's symbols, a winged pole with two snakes wrapped around it. What did they call it... ? A caduceus.

Inside, it was packed with people, both boys and girls, way more than the number of bunk beds. Sleeping bags were spread all over on the floor. It looked like a gym where the Red Cross had set up an evacuation center.

Chiron didn't go in. The door was too low for him. But when the campers saw him they all stood and bowed respectfully.

"Well, then," Chiron said. "Good luck, Percy, Y/N. I'll see you at dinner."

He galloped away toward the archery range.

I stood in the doorway, looking at the kids. They weren't bowing anymore. They were staring at us. I knew this routine. I'd gone through it at enough schools.

"Well?" Annabeth prompted. "Go on."

So naturally Percy tripped coming in the door and made a total fool of himself, almost taking me with him but I had let go of him as he fell. There were some snickers from the campers, but none of them said anything.

Annabeth announced, "Percy Jackson, Y/N L/N, meet cabin eleven."

"Regular or undetermined?" somebody familiar asked.

I didn't know what to say, but Annabeth said, "Undetermined."

Everybody groaned.

"Now, now, campers. That's what we're here for. Welcome, Percy and Y/N. You can have that spot on the floor, right over there. Y/N can have the bed over there."

"Luke." I smiled. He replied with a grin and ruffled my hair.

"Uh?"

"This is Luke," Annabeth said, and her voice sounded different somehow. I glanced over and could've sworn she was blushing. She saw me looking, and her expression hardened again. "He's your counselor for now."

"For now?" Percy asked.

"You're undetermined," Luke explained patiently. "They don't know what cabin to put you in, so you're here. Cabin eleven takes all newcomers, all visitors. Naturally, we would. Hermes, our patron, is the god of travelers."

I looked at the tiny section of floor they'd given Percy. He was a few spots away from mine.

I looked around at the campers' faces, some sullen and suspicious, some grinning stupidly, some eyeing me as if they were waiting for a chance to pick my pockets.

"How long will we be here?" Percy asked.

"Good question," Luke said. "Until you're determined."

"How long will that take?"

The campers all laughed.

"Come on," Annabeth told us. "I'll show you the volleyball court."

"I've already seen it."

"Come on." She grabbed Percy's wrist and dragged him outside. Percy took my hand to come with him, I could hear the kids of cabin eleven laughing behind us.

"See you at dinner." Luke waved.

When we were a few feet away, Annabeth said, "Jackson, you have to do better than that."

"What?"

She rolled her eyes and mumbled under her breath, "I can't believe I thought you were the one. Maybe it was Y/N."

"What's your problem?" Percy was getting angry now. "All I know is, I kill some bull guy—"

I gripped his shoulder trying to calm him.

"Don't talk like that!" Annabeth told me. "You know how many kids at this camp wish they'd had your chance?"

"To get killed?"

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Hahah typo and originality go brrr

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@gayer-than-the-gayest-gay @the-natureofme @booknerd-3000

[pizza-soup]

I had a really nice time at the bonfires, there was a lot of people! Thankfully everything was outdoors and spread out giving the impression it was much bigger than it was, or maybe it was? I don't know, it certainly felt like there were a lot more booths and people than I remember. A lot more food too. There was the usual stuff but also grilled corn, sloppy joes, mini donuts, and air fryer fries. Sadly no noodles, but that was fine, the hot cider made up for it because it was real cider with a bit of pulp. There was also a variety that had ginger in it, kinda like a ginger bug, didn't get to try it but my mom did. She loved it, it had a spicy kick.

There were also very unique booths that charged money but the prices were modest, for just $2 you could pick out hard candies that you wanted to be turned into spun sugar, I don't know how it worked but it was neat to see my brother chose jolly rancher flavors and create this subtle rainbow. Their best seller was candy cane cotton candy. I made a gummy goldfish for $3, you chose the colors and flavors from these powders, they stick it in a fish mold, stick it boiling water and everything melts into a gummy the size of your palm. I felt it was a bit pricy but it was delicious and the process of seeing it made it fun. There was a kombucha booth too, I got the cranberry flavor, my mom never tried it before and took a sip of mine, she was not a fan. Yeah, it can be an acquired taste, I like the zing of it. I have been looking into buying a kit for it to make my own.

Sadly there was no haunted boat tour, but that didn't stop us from telling scary stories by the shore as the sun set, joking about the lake monsters that the locals swear they see. Eventually it got really cold by the shore so we headed back to the fires and carried on our ghost stories, which caught the attention of some older people who had their own paranormal experiences. This started a domino effect as other people who sat near us started sharing their stories too even after we left to the next fire. I tell you, people in NM love ghost stories during winter or when the weather gets cold during the monsoons. A lot of the stories I've already heard, like living shadows that look like petroglyphs, the river children, the snow deer by Omega Bridge, and the fireballs that follow your car by the pecan orchards in White Rock.

About a half hour in I ran into my cousins on my dad's side, they brought their trucks all the way to the sandy area of the lake and were intending to camp overnight. They already set up their tents and made their own bonfire and we sat there as their mom started reheating the fresh bean soup she made at home, and grilling the fish they caught in the lake. We lit sparklers while listening to the portable radio I brought with me, the full moon lighting up everything as it crested over the mountains signaling the winter solstice is coming.

I'm back home now, having taken a nice hot shower to get the smell of smoke off me, kicking back with hot tea, I'm pretty much ready to go to bed.