#including the july 7th bun

[one-bunny-a-day]

Hello! First things first, thank you for all the lovely daily bunnies you provide us, I love them! <3 Also, if it’s okay to request a birthday bunny, because today is my birthday. I understand if you can’t because I sent it now and should’ve ask you earlier. Once again, I really appreciate your work, thank you enormously for all they joy you bring! Have a lovely day/night and a nice weekend!

17/07/2023

(ask recieved on 07/07)

[azuremist]

Alterhumanity and Autism (Script)

During my panel at this year's Othercon, I said that I would publicly post my panel's script, and my survey's results onto my tumblr, for easy archival purposes! (There is no way to submit Google Docs to archive.org that I'm aware of...)

This is the panel's script! What I said before the QnA part of the panel. Once the panel recording is uploaded, I'll reblog with the link to it, as well! The results for the survey will also be posted to this account shortly.

Here is the blurb that I originally wrote for the panel, on the schedule:

"This panel aims to explore the relationship between autism and alterhumanity, by looking at the history, the modern autistic community and what real alterhumans have to say on the topic. Why it is that neurodivergency is seemingly so common in the alterhuman community? Is it correlation, causation, or perhaps something in between?"

And, below is the script itself!

Hi, everyone! I am so excited to be speaking at Othercon this year and I hope everyone else is enjoying the 'con so far. My name is Azure! You may also call me Bede, as I answer to both. I like he/him, she/her and bun/buns pronouns, and I am a multitude of things! I am a demon (a fallen angel if you wanna get technical), and my main fictotype is, you'll never guess who based off my names, Bede from Pokemon. Shoutout to any Pokemonkin listening. I've been active in the alterhuman community for around 5 years now, and was the head and sole mod of ‘From Fictionkind’, which is a zine released in 2022, aiming to explore the experiences of those who have a fiction-based identity. If you are interested, you can download it here. (Send link)

I am a grab bag of disorders and disabilities, most of which I won't list, but what is relevant to this panel is that I am, in fact, autistic. Not only that, but I have done, by all metrics, way too much research into autism, and I am an autistic activist!

To preface: although this panel is going to specifically namedrop and talk about autism a lot, I am sure that a lot of different beings can relate to what I am going to talk about today. Not just other neurodivergencies and disabilities, either. Much of what I am going to be talking about today could resonate with any oppressed being's experiences. I welcome all discussion about the similarities of different experiences with open arms!

But, for the sake of transparency, I am not very good at talking off the cuff. So I am going to spend the bulk of this panel reading from a pre-prepared script. If anyone is interested in a transcript, it is available on Google Docs for viewing! I will send it in the panel chat right now, so that anyone who needs to may read along, for word-processing purposes. (Send link) This also means that I am not going to be looking at the chat a whole lot, so if there's something you'd particularly like for me to see, I encourage you to hold it until the end so that I can be sure to see it and give it the thought and recognition that it deserves. All this being said, I still will be looking at the chat occasionally.

To prepare for this panel, I took a survey polling autistic alterhumans, which was taking responses from March 7th to July 1st, so around 4 months. I was hoping for about maybe 90 participants, but that number was blown out of the water with over 500 responses!! I will be going over those results later on in the panel, and will also be referencing the anonymous freeform responses.

The very last point of my preamble here is to warn that this panel may not be suitable for all audiences. This lecture contains extended discussion of ableism, and, while I try to keep the mentions brief, there will be specific talk of disabled folks, including children, being hurt. If you're unable to handle that at this time, that is absolutely fine. Take care of yourself and have a great con!

This panel aims to explore the relationship between autism and alterhumanity, by looking at the history, the modern autistic community and what real alterhumans have to say on the topic. I hope to, perhaps not explain, but look into why it is that neurodivergency is seemingly so common in the alterhuman community, and whether it's because of correlation, causation, or perhaps something in between.

Now, let's start off with a question and feel free to try and guess: What do fairies, aliens, and crystals all have in common? Do we have any guesses?

The correct answer is that all 3 of these things have been used to try and claim autistic children are nonhuman!

Let's get into the specifics, starting from the top with fairies.

The changeling is a form of fairy found in European folklore. Also referred to as an "oaf" historically, a changeling is a fairy that is left in the place of an identical human child, when they are stolen away by other fairies. This is to say, parents believed that their human child was being replaced by an identical fairy child. There were multiple tricks that were thought to fend this off. When you believe you already have a changeling, though... There were less ways to go about that. Historical records and tales about changelings unfortunately imply that the solution chosen for a changeling child was often times infanticide.

Many modern psychologists now believe that most tales of changelings developed in an attempt to explain disabled children. This includes, but is not limited to, deformities, Down syndrome, Williams syndrome, cerebral palsy, and, of course, autism. The fact that boys are more often born with birth defects lines up with the touted belief that boys were more likely to be taken by fairies.

Furthermore, see "regressive autism". This so-called phenomena occurs when a child appears to develop, quote-unquote, "normally", until they start showing symptoms of autism in their later years. Now, what actually happens in these cases is that they never noticed their child's autistic traits until those later years. But the fact that there is still a name for this sudden perceived shift in an autistic child shows the sheer amount of cases there are like this, even today. Now, imagine how bad it was hundreds of years ago, before we even had a word for autism. This "sudden shift" perspective very much parallels the supposed markings of your child being replaced by a changeling.

Second verse, same as the first: aliens. Although the term "starseed" has been picked up in the alterhuman community as a way to describe one's self as an alien, "starseeds", or "star children", didn't originate in the alterhuman community. Their existence is a theory put forth by Brad Seiger in his 1976 book, titled "Gods of Aquarius". It posits that some humans originated as extraterrestrials, and arrived on Earth through either birth or by taking over an existent human body.

Generally agreed-upon signs that you or someone you love is a starseed, according to believers, include that person feeling like they don't belong, being hyperempathetic (which is a sign of autism, despite what the stereotypes would have you believe), introversion, and... Actually, I'm going to quote this in its entirety. In "What Is A Starseed & 50 Clear Signs You Are One", published by The Spirit Nomad, the first listed sign is, quote, "You are highly sensitive. You easily feel overwhelmed and drained when you are in a place with many people and with intense stimuli – like shopping malls, clubs, and networking events. You might also be sensitive to stimulants like coffee, alcohol and even dark chocolate." Endquote.

You think I'm joking about these things just listing autism symptoms. I'm not!

Finally... Crystals. Crystal children and indigo children are both believed to be sort of the next step in scientific evolution, according to New Age circles. More specifically, crystal children are the newest generation, while indigo children were the first wave, from around the 70s to the 90s. I'll just be calling both of these 'waves' crystal children for the sake of simplicity, but know that they are just two waves of the same thing. Crystal children are believed to possess special or supernatural abilities, such as telepathy. Autistic children having telepathy, as we all know, is the plot of Mob Psycho 100.

Signs that your child is a crystal child include high empathy, being perceived as 'strange' by others or intelligent for their age (see the autistic gifted kid phenomenon), and being sensitive to the point of fussing in crowded spaces. It's also said that crystal children may struggle in socially conventional schools, because of their dislike of rigid authority, being smarter than their teachers, and their lack of response to guilt, fear, or manipulation-based discipline. (Read: indirect communication.)

It is actually a noted phenomenon that many parents, when confronted with a diagnosis like a learning disability, ADHD, or autism, will alternatively label their child as a crystal child. Autism researcher Mitzi Waltz noted this phenomenon, and spoke about it in a 2009 issue of The Journal of Religion, Disability & Health. He suggests that parents recategorize autistic symptoms as telepathic powers to attempt to reconceptualize these autistic traits as a part of a more conventionally positive identity. He also puts into words why this can be harmful, stating that parents could refuse to acknowledge their child's impairments, refuse accommodations, and, quote, "transmit belief systems to the child that are self-aggrandizing, confusing, or potentially frightening." Endquote.

Believe it or not, there are actually MORE examples of myths or conspiracy theories that attempt to explain autistic children as nonhuman. But, I will leave it at those three.

Let's take a brief look into modern media now. Specifically, the "autistic-coded robot" trope. A lot of times, when humans try to write robots, or AI or such, they think that they can just take all essential things that make humanity what it is, and take away a few things. Make them not express empathy, they don't get nonliteral phrases, they obviously speak in monotone. We could sprinkle in a little bit of feeling out of place with humanity for flavor aaaand it's autistic. Your robot is autistic. To name some examples of this trope, think Data from Star Trek, or Zane from Ninjago.

This trope is more or less echoed, beat for beat, with the autistic-coded alien trope. Examples of this flavor of the trope include Peridot from Steven Universe, Spock from Star Trek, or, and I'm sorry for anyone who I'm about to violently throw back into 2016 with this, Keith from Voltron.

Because nonhumanity is so often linked to autistic beings by the culture around us, desiring to be nonhuman or connecting with nonhumanity is now a recognized part of autistic culture. We often feel out of place in neurotypical society. Join autistic spaces, and you’ll see jokes like, “What kind of nonhuman did you think you were as a kid?” (In case you’re wondering, the answer is werewolf for me.) Growing up thinking that the reason behind your autistic traits is because you are secretly nonhuman is a common experience. Jokes about desiring a tail and to purr often go viral within autistic spaces, because they are forms of natural and nonverbal communication that shows those around us that we are happy. The topic of nonhumanity within autistic culture is also talked about within professional settings, such as in Kim Duff’s speech, “The Role of Changeling Lore in Autistic Culture”, at the 1999 Autreat conference of Autism Network International.

There is also discussion of how autistic beings oftentimes connect with animals better than with humans. For example, Temple Grandin is an autistic animal behavioralist who has written extensively on how her being autistic helps her understand how animals feel. For example, she speaks in 2004’s, “Animals in Translation: Using the Mysteries of Autism to Decode Animal Behavior”, and in 1997’s “Thinking the Way Animals Do: Unique Insights from a Person with a Singular Understanding”.

In more modern times, we have the 2022 article, “How Autism Connects Me With Animals”, in which Emily Moran Barwick, writes, quote, “I knew how profoundly frustrating, isolating and demoralizing it was to be unable to convey what I wanted to convey. I knew how it felt to never be truly understood. And it broke my heart thinking of what non-human animals were experiencing at the hands of humans; that no matter how desperately and clearly they communicated their terror and pain, they were ignored and discounted.” Endquote.

All of these connections have led to the creation of subcultures created in an attempt to reclaim the dehumanization put onto us. To name one example, voidpunk is a subculture created by tumblr user arotaro in the 2010s, and more or less hinges on this idea. Key points of this subculture include the rejection of the norm, embracing nonhumanity, and comfort in the unknown. In the words of it’s creator, quote, “It’s not the same as otherkin because it’s not really like, “Ah yes, I am a cat/dragon/wolf/that one guy from Homestuck/etc.”, it’s not necessarily something specific, and it’s not necessarily literally believing you’re something other than human. It’s, well, punk. Society puts out a lot of messages about What It Means To Be Human (trademark) that can make a lot of people who don’t completely fit the bill feel lost, broken, alone, or like they’re doing something wrong; Voidpunk is about taking that message of “you’re not human”, making it your own, and throwing it back in society’s face. You say I’m not human? Sure, ok. That’s chill. Why does being Human (trademark) have to be a goal to aspire to anyway? What’s so great about humanity?” Endquote. She then goes on to specifically namedrop neurodivergents as one of the target audiences for the subculture, as well. She also later answers an ask to clarify, quote, “Someone who doesn’t face dehumanization cannot be voidpunk.” Endquote.

So, where does all of this information intersect with the notable number of autistic alterhumans? Well, that’s just the question, isn’t it? Is it possible that alterhuman identity may correlate with those who have identities and neurotypes which are demonized by society? After all, queer beings are common within alterhuman spaces, too. And, if there is a correlation, is there causation there, as well? There are already some terms coined to describe when alterhuman identity is caused or influenced by autistic traits; such as ‘otherspin’, a term for when one’s alterhuman identity is caused / influenced by special interests. Furthermore, ‘altervexo’ attempts to describe identifying as alterhuman out of spite for the dehumanization one has faced. However, to my knowledge, no term has been made or extensive talks had about, voluntary or nonvoluntary, alterhuman identity, as possibly having origins within dehumanization.

So, I set out to have that conversation. As stated at the start of this panel, I ran a survey, mostly promoted on tumblr, from March 7th to July 1st, posing questions to the autistic alterhuman community about their personal experiences, which got over 500 responses! 537, to be exact. I’d like to share the results of this survey with you now. The raw data collected is available here. (Send link) I will also be posting both the raw data, and the script for this panel, to my tumblr, @azuremist, but that’s mostly for easy archival purposes. Now, it’s NUMBERS TIME, baby!

I asked everyone to indicate if they agreed or disagreed with the statements I made. For the statement, “I believe that my autism has influenced my alterhumanity in some way, shape, or form,” 92% of those who took my survey agreed, and 8% disagreed, which is a WILD split. Far beyond notable.

For the statement, “I feel like the way that autistic beings are seen by society has influenced my alterhumanity”, the split is a bit more even, with 72.4% agreeing, and 27.6% disagreeing.

This means that, of those who I polled who agreed that autism influenced their alterhumanity, 78.6% (rounding down) also agreed that the way autistic beings are viewed in society influenced their alterhumanity. This is a rate a bit over 3 in every 4.

This next question is one of the things that I asked more out of personal curiosity, which is, whether or not they feel more safe to be openly autistic in alterhuman spaces, when compared to other community spaces. Of those polled, 89.4% agreed, and 10.6% disagreed, which makes me quite happy! One anonymous being commented, quote, “I generally find that most alterhuman spaces are a lot more accepting of autistic beings than wider society if that makes sense? Going into an alterhuman space, I'm never concerned that it may not be safe or accessible for me.” Endquote. Someone else wrote in that they could testify to the opposite being true, as well; autistic spaces, in their experience, had a higher likelihood of being accepting of alterhuman identities. However, one being who answered ‘no’ to this question stated that they avoid alterhuman spaces for things related to this subject. They list as an example, quote, “Like the refusal of tone tags? I understand not wanting them to be used for you but banning them from the space all together? And also a lot of spaces, despite being accepting of autistic beings, still find a way to hate those beings for being autistic.” Making community spaces safe for autistic beings is an ongoing learning process for everyone involved. So please make sure to consult your local autistic advocate to make sure everything is accessible for those of all neurotypes.

For the next questions, I asked about everyone’s specific experience with alterhumanity. Another question that I asked, mostly out of curiosity, is, “Would you consider alterhumanity, as a subject, a special interest?” 64.8% of respondents answered ‘no’, and 35.2% answered ‘yes’.

The next question, though, is really quite interesting to me. It asks, “If you have any kintypes which originate from a piece of media: Would you consider that kintype's source material a special interest?” 69% of respondents (nice) answered ‘yes’, and 31% answered ‘no’. That’s a pretty close percentage to the question about alterhumanity as a special interest, but with the answers flipped. Indeed, many times in the section where I invite others to talk about their experience, there are respondents specifically namedropping that they believe their special interests contribute to their alterhumanity. Some, but not all, of these instances include a space conceptkin who has space as a special interest, two catkin, with one having Warrior Cats as a past special interest, and the other, cats in general as one, and someone who specifically wrote, quote, “I also feel as though my special interests in some medias have influenced the fact that I identify with both real and fictional species. For example, I have a large number of original characters who are demons and I feel like my special interest in them may have led me down the path of discovering myself as demonkin.” When discussing the subject of autism influencing alterhumanity, special interests were easily the thing that came up the most, other than how autistic beings are seen by neurotypical society.

The final multiple choice question I had asked, “If you have a nonhuman kintype of any kind: Do you experience species dysphoria and/or euphoria?” To this, 85.9% answered ‘yes’, and 14.1% answered ‘no’.

We can compare this to a survey not aimed at autistic alterhumans; specifically, the ‘Alterhumanity and Gender Survey’, as conducted by Eli, at pantomorph on tumblr. These results were posted on July 22nd of 2019, and reported that, in response to the question, “Do you experience species dysphoria?”, 4.9% answered ‘I used to,’ 8.9% answered ‘unsure’, 22.7% answered ‘no’, 36% answered ‘sometimes’ and 27.6% answered ‘yes’. Adding up the percentages of ‘I used to’, ‘sometimes’ and ‘yes’, we get 68.5% of respondents who are certain that they have, at some point, experienced species dysphoria.

This means that, according to these surveys, autistic alterhumans appear to have a higher chance of experiencing species dysphoria, with a 17.5% difference. Though, keep in mind, I included euphoria in my question, and Eli did not. This would certainly require more data to confirm, however, this at least would warrant further polling, in my opinion.

All of this talk about autistic beings and species dysphoria may have you thinking about the fact that autistic beings are statistically more likely to identify as transgender, with some estimates stating that transgender individuals are up to 6 times more likely to be autistic than cisgender individuals! This is because gender is stupid, and autistic folks are not. Multiple respondents to the survey brought this point up. One being specifically wrote in, quote, “Statistically, autistic folks are more likely to know they're trans than allistics, and I support the theory that that's got something to do with autistic beings seeing things without the lens of social cues and societal pressures, including more awareness of who we are and how we see ourselves. … Society is like, "You should be like this," and autistics are like, "But why? It doesn't really make sense, plus I don't fit in to those standards anyway, so why not choose my own path in life?"” Endquote. I definitely agree that the reason so many autistic folks identify as transgender may be similar to, or the same, reason that autistic folks seem to be more likely to be alterhuman.

Hello to all trans autistic alterhumans listening! Call that a triple threat.

Now, the final question that I asked. I listed multiple different alterhuman identities, and asked everyone to indicate which, if any, of the provided labels that they identify with. And, indeed, my hypothesis when going into this question was proven correct. Of the terms that I provided, it was “nonhuman” that most autistic alterhumans identified with specifically, with 74.9% of respondents identifying as nonhuman. Other popular answers to this question included ‘therian’, with 57.5%, and fictionkin with a nonhuman fictional character. Indeed, I did put two separate options for fictionkin, where they could indicate if their fictional kintype was human or not. 45.1% of respondents had a nonhuman fictotype, and 41.2% of respondents had a human fictotype. So, autistic fictionkin appear to have around a 9% (rounding down) higher likelihood to identify with nonhuman fictional characters. Unfortunately, I could not find another survey to compare this statistic against, but it is a statistic we have now, nonetheless.

Furthermore, I specifically listed 3 common kintypes that have been associated with autistic beings, as previously discussed: fairies, aliens, and robots / technology. Of these, techkin was easily the most popular, with 19.9% of respondents identifying as such. Alienkin and fairykin were close in numbers, with 11.2% identifying as alienkin, and 11.9% identifying as fairykin. On the subject of being robotkin, one being wrote, quote, “I do not on a literal, physical level believe I’m a robot, however, tropes related to robots and the way they behave and are treated feel analogous to my own lived experiences, so in some ways it feels as though I experience my life as a robot would.” Endquote.

Which segways nicely into the final question, which is the filled in responses. For this question, I prompted, “If you have anything you'd like to add, please tell me about your experiences involving your alterhumanity and autism.”

Many took the chance to speak on if they felt like their autism and alterhumanity were connected. As previously mentioned, lots of folks mentioned special interests as a factor. Lots of folks also said that they felt the two were connected, but couldn’t explain how, with a common sentiment being that it is a ‘chicken or the egg’ situation. Two different beings whose kintypes are their past lives wrote in, and both said that a hypothetical allistic version of them wouldn’t be able to get memories as easily. Multiple beings also wrote that they felt like the awakening process was made easier due to their autism. They were so used to seeing themselves as different from everybody else, and not understanding social cues, that they were more willing to take on, quote-unquote, “weird” solutions as the source of their feelings. Other commonly-mentioned points include dehumanization as a reason for alterhumanity, autistic traits being seen as similar to animalistic traits, and the possibly-related high rate of autistic pagans and witches.

Something that I didn’t expect going in, but perhaps should have, is the amount of autistic alterbeings who wrote about their struggle to find words to describe themselves. One ghostkin wrote they felt like their nonconformity to their kintype’s typical associated traits (like darkness, doom and gloom, et cetera) was due to their autism, but that they felt they didn’t belong with other ghostkin because of it. And a LOT of folks wrote in saying that they had a lot of trouble figuring out what terminology to use, especially regarding the ever-dreaded ‘identify with’ or ‘identify as’ question. One being wrote in that they see themself as psychological otherkin, but would be more accurately described as having a neurotype-based, or neurology-based, origin, due to their autism. However, this has caused some issues, as it is not seen as a, quote-unquote, ‘valid’ origin. Someone else describes having issues with this because the community does a lot of gatekeeping, and because it is easier to find beings complaining about words being misused than the actual use of words.

Now, there are some responses that I would like to read in full, or mostly in full, for your listening pleasure.

The first one is as follows. Quote. “When I was 6-ish, I started noticing that people treated me a bit like they treated our old Windows ‘98 Dell computer. The computer was inhuman when it worked (and praised for its distance from humanity! “Yes, it can play videos from the internet! Isn’t technology cool?”) and human when it broke down (“He’s getting overwhelmed, give us a sec.” “She’s blinking at me. I have no idea why this is such a difficult task.” “It ate my fucking CD. Stubborn POS.”). It’s a bit frustrating that my autistic traits are only praised when they make me convenient for others to use... I’m self-sufficient, I’m quiet, I’m a fast learner and a thorough researcher, so I rarely need to bother another person to complete the tasks I’m given. But because that’s all anyone ever seems to want me for... It’s a self-fulfilling cycle which is useful for the neurotypicals but exhausting for me, and when it ends in a burnout (inevitable) then I’m finally treated as human, but only because I’ve failed to be the computer they wanted. So I’m a computer when someone’s pleased with me, and I’m human when I’ve disappointed them. You can see why I might like the idea of being a PC more than a person. Also, when something’s wrong, computers’ error messages are both clearer and harder to ignore than a human’s requests for accommodation. This is a bit of a bummer, sorry. The upside is that I’m crazy good at data analysis now.” Endquote. This was excellently put, and I’m sure something that may resonate with autistic techkin.

Another write-in reads, quote, “One does not have to be autistic to be alterhuman or nonhuman, but one does have to be autistic to be my species. My species does not have human neurology, or allistic neurology. To be my species one must be autistic… though it’s more that my species has neurology which allistics will refer to as autism. I could not be my species if I wasn’t autistic.” Endquote. This is a very interesting response, and, to be honest, I sort of wish I knew what this being’s species was so that I could look more into it. It’s almost like a sort of alternate view of autistic nonhumans or autistic aliens, which is just lovely.

Then, there is this submission. Quote, “Diagnosed with autism at 15, explained a lot, I can't help but wonder - if I'd known, would I still dehumanize myself in the way I do? Other kids called me "cat boy" because when they would pick on me, I'd hiss at them. I don't know why. I think I just saw my cats do it and it was the only way I knew how to retaliate. But it just made them laugh. ... I stopped seeing myself as human a long time ago, more of an animal for people's amusement. ... But when I found out about otherkin, it was like suddenly this experience of mine I was certain I was alone in was shared. For some people it's spiritual, but even in our differences, our feelings were the same. The community  taught me to love this nonhuman side of me, and they were understanding of my diagnosis. I didn't feel like an outcast there, they made me feel like it was something to cherish, and I do.” Endquote. Again, absolutely very well-said. Reclaiming and celebrating nonhumanity is, from what I’ve gathered, a large part of the autistic alterhuman experience, and this response phrased it just wonderfully.

Lastly, in regards to responses: shoutout to the one guy who said, “I just finished making my first ever tail, isn’t that sick?”, because yes, yes it is.

Thank you so much again to all the respondents to my survey!

And so, we have now reached the discussion section, which will last until my time runs out. This is where I will cease looking at a script, so please send anything you’d particularly like me to see now! Also, feel free to ask me questions, and I will answer to the best of my ability. Alternatively, tell me about your experiences, or just give general comments!

[the-trans-otter33]

Sanders Sides The Martian AU

Note: I used canon information from the original The Martian characters so jobs, education levels, and other facts could be accurate to the story. It will remain this way just for the sake of accuracy. All original character info can be found on The Martian Wikia and all credit is due to Author Andy Weir, creator of The Martian

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Introduction Post

JULY 7TH, YEAR 2035

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Roles:

Commander: Thomas Sanders

Doctor: Patton McManus

Pilot: [Major] Roman Cone

Computer Specialist: Logan Locke

Navigator: [Dr.] Remus Cone

Botanist: [Dr.] Virgil AsheFord

EVA Specialist: D. Dain Dechard

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Character Info.

April 24th, 1993, 42, Thomas Sanders- Thomas was the first to be chosen for the Ares III mission. He graduated with honors from the US Naval Academy with a Doctorate in oceanography. After the navy, he entered into CalTech's Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences before joining NASA and taking trips to the SpaceX Station. He takes a lot of time to speak at public gatherings and conferences, encouraging others to achieve their dreams as he did and living life to the fullest. Thomas has dedicated his recent months as Commander to making sure his team bonds and remains safe, oftentimes treating them like family or adopted sons. Thomas is NASA’s first openly gay commander and is proud of it and his 22 year long marriage with his husband, Daniel.

Appearance: Thomas Sanders is 5' 10" with a healthy body. He is not lean nor pudgy, being in a somewhat perfect balance in-between. Sanders wears a classic brown undercut with no ability to grow facial hair, much like Patton. His eye color is brown and he enjoys staying in old and new uniforms more than regular clothing.

January 15th, 2001, 34, Patton McManus- The youngest member of the 7 person crew on Ares III, Patton McManus is not someone to be trifled with, especially when it comes to his intelligence. Due to his young age, he finds himself underestimated a lot of the time, and not listened to. It was no surprise to him and his parents though when he got accepted into the Yale School of Medicine, receiving the Norma Bailey Berniker Prize, and his extensive training in Aerospace Medicine as a Captain in the United States Air Force Reserves. He joined NASA in 2029, increasing his training with a Masters Degree in Biomedical Science and was the second person chosen for the Ares III mission. Kind, caring, and generally just a sweetheart, Patton hopes to lighten all spirits on the mission and hopes to bond closely with everyone on board. Dr. McManus hopes that one day his 4-year-old son [from a past relationship] will follow his views on the world and grow up to help people just as his father does.

Appearance: Patton McManus is a soft healthy, 6' teddy bear. Dr. McManus is ginger, his hair always messy with untamed short curls. Freckles spot his face around his nose and under his eyes. He's a bit pudgy around the middle, having close to a dad bod [even though he has no kids]. He cannot grow any facial hair and wears round glasses with thick light blue frames, matching the color of his eyes. Patton tends to wear light-colored polo's and khaki's if he can but jeans work out just fine too. He is also almost always seen with a grey jacket tied around his waist or his neck resting on his shoulders.

June 4th, 1995, 40, Roman Cone- Roman was the third person to join the Ares III Crew, immediately getting along with Commander Sanders and Dr. McManus. Before joining the crew, Roman spent eleven years in the United States Air Force. Originally trained as a fighter pilot, Major Cone worked his way up to the USAF Test Pilot School. Continuing to keep up high marks and great performance he quickly gained respect from his peers and commanders. From a young age, he knew he was destined for NASA so he gained a bachelor of science in astronautical engineering at USAF Academy. At NASA he also became an MDV/MAV Specialist. Witty and outgoing, Roman enjoys taking up all the attention in the room, often doing dramatics to do so.

Appearance: Roman Cone is a sight to see, standing at 5' 9". He is more on the muscular side, though nothing near Dain's level of muscle mass. Major Cone is dirty blond, sporting a magnificent pompadour, never seen without it perfectly done, he has long sideburns that transition from blond to brown the more he grows them out. Roman tries not to let them grow into mutton chops but sometimes finds them there anyway. Surprisingly Roman enjoys sweatpants and baggy shirts more than anything fancy or dramatic. Roman's eyes are light green.

November 3rd, 1998, 36, Logan Locke- Logan graduated at the young age of 16, winning in NASA's largest hackathon a year later. Afterward, Logan moved onto MIT for dual undergraduate degrees in math and computer science. While starting graduate school, Mr. Locke started a private software company in the hopes of becoming a software engineer and CEO. Though his plans changed suddenly when he came into contact with a SpaceX executive who was impressed by his work. His decision to join NASA was later founded when she helped develop software that would later become an integral part of the Hermes operating system. With that knowledge of the Hermes, he wiggled his way into the Ares III crew, being the fourth one to join as the System operator and Reactor Technician. Logan found himself seemingly alone among the crew due to his introverted lifestyle along with his inability to "take a joke" [said by Roman after joke about MIT]. His emotionally repressive behavior got especially worse when Remus joined a few days after, mocking Logan for his OCD. These habits and behaviors seemed to only start getting better after meeting Ares III Botanist Virgil AsheFord, who shared some of these traits. Locke never includes his thoughts though when anyone bring up parents or family back home, no one knows why.

Appearance: Logan Locke is a lanky 5' 8" nerd. Wearing rectangle-shaped glasses with white half frames. Logan has thin cheekbones with a thick chin strap beard connected with a black goatee. His hair is slicked back but not as tightly nor as long as Dain's and without curls in the back. Logan's eyes are dark blue shade, often matching his professional outfits. Mr. Locke often wears button-down shirts or polos with a blue or black tie running below his belly button. he usually tucks his shirts into his pants, which are almost always jeans held up with an always new looking leather belt. he also wears what Roman calls "old man shoes" though he is quite proud of their permanent shininess. Logan actively chooses to not work out, instead, he just makes sure to eat as healthily as he can.

June 5th, 1995, 40, Remus Cone- Remus was the fifth person to be chosen for Ares III. Remus was invited to join the crew through NASA and the European Space Agency after being located in Germany for several years. Holding two master's degrees in chemistry and astrophysics. Remus has also earned a doctorate in chemistry from spending six months on Antarctica. Remus has published dozens of papers in international journals to pass time. Dr. Cone felt the need to assert himself with the family name after his brother Roman upstaged him constantly in college. Remus is fluent in French and German, often using those languages to swear when visiting his brother in the USA. Remus has a knack for being a trouble-maker around almost everyone he meets, making messes mostly on accident due to his childish clumsy nature. Dr. Cone is only found being serious when there's work to be done, the dedication to his job is one of the only things bonding him with the rest of the Ares III crew.

Appearance: Remus us a 5' 10" pure blond man. he is often found wearing unmatched clothing that some would call ugly af [but he likes it that way]. Sporting a low hanging man bun, his hair just might be the most yellow thing at NASA HQ and on the Hermes, but it's completely natural! To go along with his man bun, Remus has a majestically neat handlebar mustache. Remus resembles his older twin brother Roman a lot with his light blue eyes and wide chin. Baring a bigger nose than Roman though. He also cannot grow any other facial hair. Remus isn't as muscled as Roman, being a bit round in the middle but tries his hardest to remain interested in working out. Nowadays his interest is kept by working out with his gym buddy, Dain.

December 19th, 1999, 34, Virgil Asheford- Virgil had spent eleven months already working at NASA when he was chosen for Ares III. Originally attending the University of Chicago, Doctor AsheFord moved to Northwestern University to earn his Ph.D. in Plant Biology and Conservation with an emphasis on hydropedalogy and environmental engineering. When joining NASA, his work focused on hydrologic flow paths and sustainable water resources management within Earth's Critical Zone. Virgil spent the next two years in the peace Corps engineering sustainable agriculture and water irrigation systems for developing nations. Afterward, Virgil applied to the NASA Astronaut Candidate Program and was ultimately selected. Throughout his life Virgil has had a constant battle with his depression and anxiety, growing more introverted over time. His interest in Botany helped him through the battle he has fought so hard to win. Despite over complicating many different thoughts, solutions, and ideas, Virgil often finds the outcome satisfying and without flaw. Emotional repression from before and after his little sister's death made him hesitant to accept his part in Ares III until he met Computer Specialist Logan Locke, who also dealt with emotional repression. The two instantly bonded due to being different from the rest of the team as well as their inexplicable ability to fall into intensely deep existential crises.

Appearance: Virgil is a 5' 6" pale, thin man. He is healthily thin despite eating a lot [his fast metabolism runs in the family]. Virgil's hair was dyed crow-black before being selected for Ares III but is naturally brown in a Faux hawk style. Virgil usually has short stubble lining the bottom half of his face, never letting it grow longer than 1-2.5 millimeters long. Virgil regularly applies eye shadow around his eyes, earning him the nickname Plant Raccoon from Remus. AsheFord can always be seen wearing dark if-not-black clothing, unless in his NASA jumpsuit or his Ares III Mars EVA suit [he hates that it's mainly white and orange]. Virgil also wears many different types of boots, specifically requesting some from NASA for the Ares III trip to Mars. he takes extra time to make sure they are neat, clean, and shiny each morning, something he now does with Logan.

[Deceit] February 3rd, 1996, 39, D. [Dain] Dechard- The last member to join the Ares III crew, yet welcomed with open arms. Dechard often says little white lies to the crew and others around him to rile them up when he's bored and wants some action. He has a severe disliking towards his first name, so he tells people to call him Dain. The crew is always theorizing what his real name is. Dain was first brought into NASA by his father, a Rocket Engineer, and was immediately interesting in becoming an EVA Specialist so he could travel into space for Ares III. Before specializing in EVA, Dain had been a NASA Mathematician with an associate's degree, bachelor's degree, master's degree, and Ph.D. in Mathematics. From the age of 18 to 34, Dain was in College constantly to earn these degrees and never gained any friends because of it. Dain promised before leaving for the Ares III, that he’d keep in contact with his 9-year-old niece.

Appearance: Dain is a 6' 4" lean [ripped] gym rat. He's got slicked back ink-black hair with lines of grey coming in at his temples due to years of work and school. The back of his head is riddled with curls coming from the ends of strands. Sporting a lighter coal-black Van Dyke goatee [and quite proud of it too] he also has scars riddled across the side of his face from chin to forehead. More scars can be found throughout his body in an inconsistent pattern but suspiciously only on the right side of him. Dain's eyes are dark green and he tends to wear joggers and shorts along with skin-tight shirts. While his gym buddy has an ugly sense of fashion, Dain has no fashion sense whatsoever.

----------

Not-the-boys cast:

The administrator of NASA: Teddy [Theodore] Sanders [No relation to Commander Thomas Sanders]

Director of NASA Media Relations: Annie Montrose

Director of NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory: Bruce Ng

Head of Mars Operations: Venkat Kapoor

Flight Director for Ares III: Mitch Henderson

NASA Analyst/Satellite Coverage: Mindy Park

Physicist: Rich Purnell

--------

TAG LIST

@ladylokilove

@girl-of-1000-fandoms

@thatswhat24

@ifrickenhatedeverythingaboutthis

@ahoskarose-76

@marshmallowmischief

@notyourbeesknees

@awkward-child-of-satan

@sanderssidesbuddybois

Feel free to request to be on the tag list and send asks about something you’re curious about within the story! Your asks will strive to be the main drive for the story!

[wndybird]

laughter pokes its way across misted eyes, dabbling cheeks with flecks of light. this child, the universe clutched in her palms, refusing to shed a thing.

MEET WENDY darling DARWIN.

OOC.

AUTHOR: ren, 20, est, she / they. CONTACT: my discord is ren 🎃✨#6401, pm me if you want my telegram or kik !!

BASIC.

NAME: wendy darwin

EXPLANATION:

wendy’s decision to cling to her true name was deliberate as an act to reclaim her sense of self , and to exercise some control over her life after the exodus took part of that from her. there’s also the added fact that it’s so much easier than trying to go by another name, which seems like a ridiculous amount of trouble to go through.

darwin was chosen out of ease , as well , being two letters off from her true surname and sounding fairly similar. behind the scenes , i chose it since its meaning is “ dear friend ” and i believed that would reference the supposed origin of wendy’s name well.

NICKNAMES: wen, wendybird, bird, little bird. ( i will sometimes call her wendigo, wendini, and wingdings. ) GENDER: cisfemale SEXUALITY: panromantic pansexual

OCCUPATION:

wendy is a full time student at the fable community college , and also works as a cashier at the local bookshop. she may sometimes take up the occasional odd job as a babysitter , a proofreader for other students , or even a tutor if she’s incredibly strapped for cash , but these are small side things that she only turns to when the going gets really tough.

she left her major as undeclared originally , as she wanted to be able to experience various differing courses , but has recently changed it so that she’s majoring in creative writing and minoring in journalism.

AGE: twenty BIRTH DATE: july 7th ZODIAC: cancer sun, sagittarius moon SECRET LANGUAGE: day , week , month , season , way , & personal path CELTIC ZODIAC: oak ( tree ) , wren ( animal ) BIRTHDAY TAROT: temperance , the hierophant

MAGIC:

wendy is not a magic user , though she will always quietly find herself envious of those who are. it’s possible that her curiosity and desire to be closer to the arcane may lead her into trying to practice , but that remains to be seen. otherwise she tries to function on the belief that magic is not just defined by the arcane , but little , every day things. like your headphones not tangling in your pocket , or your schedule lining up perfectly for the day , things of that nature.

PHYSICAL.

FACECLAIM: kristine froseth HEIGHT: 5’ WEIGHT: 126 lbs HAIR COLOR & STYLE: honey brown , long , wavy. usually kept down , sometimes half up , in a bun , braid , or ponytail. will occasionally do cute things like space buns , braided crowns , etc. EYE COLOR: blueee DOMINANT HAND: left DISTINGUISHING FEATURES: freckles , longass eyelashes , a birthmark on her right thigh , generally looking like a baby deer smh SCARS: she has a few very old , very faded scars across her feet and ankles from running about barefoot on neverland , but you probably wouldn’t notice them unless you were looking for them. PIERCINGS: earlobes TATTOOS: none yet

PERSONALITY.

MBTI: esfj KEIRSEY: guardian — provider ENNEAGRAM: type 2w3 

 ALIGNMENT & MORALS:

her heart is soft , but it is just. her alignment is lawful good , and she tries to operate on a set of clear , concise morals. her involvement with certain individuals may muddle this , at times , but her conscious is painfully loud and she will always be a voice of reason and a champion of what is right. her crux is that she is sometimes prone to bending too easily , as she still clings to her belief that no one can be all bad.

TRAITS:

( + ) optimistic , intelligent , honest , empathetic , brave , adventurous , friendly

( - ) idealistic , stubborn , nosy , susceptible , perfectionist , insecure , anxious

CONNECTIONS.

MOTHER: mary darling ( status: ??? ) FATHER: george darling ( status: ??? ) SIBLINGS: john darling ( status: alive. ) , michael darling ( status: deceased. ) PETS: eventually a dog in place of that abandoned wolf pup , maybe SIGNIFICANT OTHER: it’s complicated.

hello i LOVE to plot please come plot with me !!! i’ll have a legitimate connections page made soon i promise

IN CHARACTER INTERVIEW.

QUESTION TWO:

Was it hard adjusting to life in Fabletown? Do you miss the Homeworld?

Her heart twists until it aches, settling somewhere in her throat, and the soreness she feels there is terrible. She misses the Homeworld like you would not believe, yearns to return back to what she’s known up until recently, but she knows she must make the best of her situation. Wendy is nothing if not hopeful, and this is what keeps her afloat, even on the days when all she can do is sit at home, squinting into the distance, as she recalls her life before the Exodus. She smooths her skirt with trembling hands, the pleated navy fabric rustling silently, and straightens her back. She shouldn’t slouch. She knows better.

“I think the adjustment must have been difficult for everyone, myself included.” Wendy is not one to overlook the trials and tribulations of others, even as she herself struggles with the day-by-day of this new world. “Of course I miss the Homeworld, I miss it like the stars must miss the moon when the sun rises, I—I think it would not have been so hard, coming here, if I’d not felt as though I was leaving so much behind. But I’m sure the same can be said for most anyone in our… situation.” She doesn’t mention the nights that seemed to sprawl on, where she’d not slept for days, instead choosing to cry, or the days when her chest felt so hollow she was almost convinced she’d need to pick apart her ribs in order to find out whether or not she still possessed her heart.

A loose curl brushes her jawline, and she brushes it away, tucking it ever so gently behind her ear. “I’m still adjusting. It’s not been an easy task, by any means, but I believe part of our responsibility now is to remain adaptable. Besides that, it would be unfair to say that the change has been entirely terrible. We’ve been granted new opportunities, the ability to meet new people, there are so many new things to see and do.” It’s easier to treat this like something of an adventure, than to see it as a never-ending eternity. How familiar.

“I suppose, most of all, it’s important to stay hopeful.”

QUESTION THREE:

Where is your favorite place in Fabletown or New York?

The question is no sooner posed, and Wendy is smiling to herself, images of her loft conjured up within her imagination. It is certainly not the house in Bloomsbury, but it is her own, and she has made it as such. The walls are white, and would be considered bland, were they not adorned with pictures and artwork, string lights that cast the den in warm light. The couch is a mess of throw pillows and a particularly soft fleece throw, coffee table crowded with textbooks, notebooks, book-books, and the occasional succulent; everything is somewhat disorganized, but in the most organized way possible. Knick knacks line the shelves in her bedroom, tiny little things she’s picked up here and there, and none of them need a particular meaning in order to belong. Today, the apartment smells like chamomile tea and cinnamon, warm and cozy, safe and secure, like a blanket wrapped around your shoulders.

“My home, of course.” Her voice is filled with the sort of pride you’d hear a mother speak about her children’s accomplishments with, because truly, the home she has created for herself here in Fabletown is a safe haven, her own little alcove of personal magic. She may not be someone in tune with the arcane, but she can create her own version of magic, whether it be in how she interacts with others, or things she chooses to do for herself. Buying a new candle to soothe her nerves? Certainly. “It’s small, but I’d like to believe it’s welcoming. Filled with love, if you will, and I find that to be rather important.”

QUESTION FOUR:

How do you feel about magic? Do you think it should be banned, regulated, or neither?

Her eyes are aglow with enthusiasm at the mention of magic—such a wondrous little word that is, blanketing her heart in childhood nostalgia and the need to believe—but behind that lies a certain amount of trepidation. She has seen the danger that comes with placing unrestricted power in the hands of those who operate on their own rules, how magic can be used not only for wonder and creation, but for destruction and greed. If you would look hard enough, beneath the many layers of wonder and hesitancy, you would notice something else: the barest flicker of envy. Wendy is not one to become so often plagued by jealousy that she grows into something bitter and mean, but sometimes even she is not free of those resentful pangs. She has only ever been able to taste magic at the grace of another, and though she’s grateful for even a taste, it would be nice to be able to harness it for her own. If only for a day, even.

Her hands are clasped neatly in her lap, one thumb running over the other in time with her breathing. “I believe,” She begins, and then pauses, as though she must regather her thoughts. “I believe magic is an extraordinary thing.” Another pause, as the lush forests of Neverland appear behind her eyelids when she blinks, the tang of magic in the air, the sparkling lagoon, the mermaids—it shifts, and then something is very wrong. Grinning skulls peek through gilled skin, flashing sharp teeth and cavernous eye sockets that consume her like the void. It is enough to startle her back into shaken silence for a few long minutes, the ticking of the clock hanging on the far wall feeling awfully familiar as it tracks her silence.

“And as with all extraordinary things, there is the ever-present risk that someone will come along and ruin it, so to speak. Magic is a gift that some may be far too comfortable taking advantage of, for the wrong reasons.” Her words seem to be spoken with a sense of mourning underlying them, and the downward turn of her lips belies regret. Truly, she believes in the goodness of others, but logically she understands that without rules set in place, it would give too much allowance for evil to run wild. “If we lived in an ideal world, I would find no issue with letting magic flow freely, but in this case regulation is the safest choice.”

QUESTION FIVE:

Who do you think killed Little Red Riding Hood?

Minutes pass in silence as she glances around the room, as if the walls will afford her some secret knowledge, some right answer, as if one were to exist. Wendy has tried not to let her thoughts linger for far too long on what’s happened to Little Red Riding Hood, as if her denial would undo whatever had been done to the woman. Out of sight, out of mind, isn’t something that seems to exist, in this case. Teeth sink into her lower lip, and she chews although she knows better, nipping at glossy skin that will turn sore if she keeps it up.

“I don’t know. It’s not a satisfactory answer, I do know that much, but.. this isn’t something I’ve wanted to devote much time to. I don’t want to think about what happened to her, or worse yet, who could’ve done it—this is a terrible situation.” Violence has been present in her life far too often as of late, and her skin is littered with goosebumps now at the consideration that there may be a possibility that someone she knows could be a cause, or a suspect, at the least. Wendy places that thought within a box, seals it off, and places that into another box, on and on it goes, until the intrusive idea is locked away for the time being. Her eyes are apologetic, soft, tinged with fright. “But I hope justice is served, for her sake.”

PLAYLIST.

coming soon..

[kissandra-pentagasp]

i was tagged by @tauntaun-rider so, well, here we go, i guess

RULES answer 30 questions and tag 10 people [which, sorry, but i’m not gonna do bc i don’t wanna put anyone on the spot, however if any of you want to do this then please feel free =)]

Nicknames - Lily, or some people call me Bek

Gender/pronouns - ?????ehn??

Star sign - Libra

Height - 5′5″ish

Time - 3:14 PM

Birthday - October 7th

Favourite bands - Fall Out Boy, Paramore, Panic! at the Disco, Of Monsters and Men, July Talk

Favourite solo artists - Florence + the Machine, Hozier, Halsey, ZZ Ward. i listen to so many different people and bands tho, just go through my Music tag

Songs stuck in your head - i’m watching Bill Nye Saves the World rn, so nothing, but earlier it was Hold Me Tight Or Don’t by Fall Out Boy

Last movie you watched - The Shape of Water! my sister and i just went to see it the other night bc it came to one of the theatres near us

Last show - Bill Nye Saves the World, currently

Why you created your blog - my sister had an account and i was curious so i made one too, and, like, six+ years later, here we are!

What you post - Video games, various media, some politics, a lot of animals, idk i have a lot of interests and they all just get shoved here

Last thing you googled - i’m not sure, honestly

Other blogs - @sidebeau is really the only one, which is a inspo blog filled with artwork or photos that remind me of some of my characters

Ao3 - Wandering_Moon, i don’t post much there tho? i never get comments, so

Do you get asks? - A few, not often tho

How did you get the idea for your URL? - it’s just Cassandra Pentaghast, but punny, i guess?

I follow - 212 people, some of those have probs deleted tho, i really need to go through it and check

Followers? - 519

Average hours of sleep - honestly, it varies so much. i LIKE to get about 9-10 hours, but some days i get 12+ and others i only get 3 or 4

Lucky number - 3 or 7

Instruments - i can still play hot cross buns on the recorder, if that counts lol, and i’m p sure i still know at least the C-scale on the piano/keyboard

What are you wearing? - sweatpants, a star wars tank, and a plaid shirt. plus, you know, socks and underwear

Dream job - Actress

Dream trip - I’d absolutely love to go to Austria to see where my Grandpa lived and, just the country in general

Favourite food - Lasagna, i think

Significant other - i’m not seeing anyone, no. i’m too sick, and i live with my parents, neither of which is conducive to dating

Last book i read - so i haven’t been able to read for a while, but i did get a book for Christmas that i’m going to try to get through, so i’m gonna cheat a bit for this one and list that, which is The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet by Becky Chambers

Top 3 fictional universes - oh gosh. so Harry Potter has to be here, just because of the influence it had on teenage-me but i don’t know what to include for the other two? both Star Wars and Star Trek are up there, Tortall might be fun, much as i was never into LotR if i could be a Hobbit i abso-fucking-lutely would, uhm... Dragon Age sounds cool, for the most part, same with Mass Effect. there’s just too fucking many to choose from!

[vegansaurus]

The Cinnamon Snail is inching its way to FiDi!

If these mouthwatering, behemoth sandwiches and fries look somewhat familiar, it’s because they are from the creative, vegan mind of Chef Adam Sobel, the man/myth/legend behind The Cinnamon Snail and the food we’ve all grown to love at various locations in New York, New Jersey, and beyond.

If, through your Snaily-sense, you’ve noticed that they look familiar, but not quite like anything you’ve thus far eaten from The Cinnamon Snail, CONGRATULATIONS; you are a true Snailien! These options, my friends, are menu items that will be exclusive to their first downtown location, which will open later this week, at 70 Pine Street in the Financial District.

“This location is part of the City Acres Market food hall, along with legendary vegan sushi concept Beyond Sushi and the first US location of Juice Brothers, a pressed juice concept from Amsterdam. Non-veg options in the food hall will include Vanessa Dumplings and Artichoke Pizza, who also both have vegan and vegetarian options.”

Exact opening date is planned to be this coming Friday July 7th, with a grand opening planned for next week. 

“Like their food truck and location in the Pennsy food hall on 33rd/7th, this location will be Kosher Certified, and will be 100% free of animal products, while still remaining absurdly decadent and creative.”

Some of the menu items that are exclusive to this location are:

Gochujang Glazed Crispy Seitan with kimchi, pickled red onions, arugula and sriracha mayo on a grilled pretzel bun

Peking Seitan Fries with tamarind plum glazed seitan, scallions, pickled red onions, wasabi mayo and black sesame gomasio

Cambodian Crispy Tofu with tamarind plum reduction, smoked chili roasted peanuts, umeboshi plum marinated cucumbers, baby arugula, and wasabi mayo on a grilled pretzel bun [Feed my face!]

Guess what else, you guys? DAILY BREAKFAST SERVICE!

Monster Style Breakfast Sandwich scrambled tofu, smoked coconut “bacon”, marinated kale, hollandaise, and pickled red onions, and “everything bagel” seasoning on grilled homemade challah bread [JFC Imma need this bread by the yard]

Almond Challah French Toast smoked almonds, maple raspberry sauce, almond and cinnamon bun glaze [gimme gimme gimme]

Purists, don’t fret (I feel you):

“A few all-time-favorite items will be available at all locations. Chef Adam Sobel’s signature Korean BBQ Seitan (with house made kimchi, smoked chili grilled seitan, and greens, on a chili butter grilled tortilla), Maple Mustard tempeh sandwiches, and the Cinnamon Snail’s legendary burgers will of course be part of the selection.”

What about donuts???

“Of course, The Cinnamon Snail will offer a huge selection of award winning donuts and other pastries at this location.  Flavors change seasonally, and at the whim of the culinary basket case at the helm of the Cinnamon Snail’s multidimensional flavor ship.”

GIVE ME ALL THE DEETS!

Preliminary planned hours for The Cinnamon Snail at this location are 8:00am-9:00pm daily.   A complete, over the top, vegan breakfast/brunch menu will be available daily until 12:00am, and all day on the weekends.

Can’t get to FiDi?

Other Snaily info:

locations

instagram

twitter

facebook

[clarisseinao]

A 1001-kilometer Journey: Around Western Visayas in 3 Days

Matagal ko nang pangarap mag-solo backpacking trip. Una dahil matigas ang ulo ko, pangalawa gusto ko kasi i-challenge ang sarili ko, pangatlo dahil matigas ang ulo ko. Hahaha! It was December 2016 nang maging successful akong makapagbook ng roundtrip tickets via Air Asia papuntang Kalibo. I paid for them, and then dahil na rin sa pagiging busy sa trabaho, inisip ko na pag malapit na lang saka ako gagawa ng itinerary. Pero syempre bilang napakagaling ko rin na tao, 2 days na lang before ng flight ako nagresearch at gumawa ng rushed itinerary.

July 8, 2017. There I was in our office, holding a peso coin and thinking why on Earth am I letting it decide for me. Torn ako kung anong gagawin ko sa loob ng tatlong araw, anong ruta ang iikutin ko. Iloilo-Guimaras-Bacolod ba? Roxas-Aklan-Antique? Wag na lang kaya ako tumuloy kasi ang irresponsible ko? Hahaha! But still, I flipped it. And it said I should go for Iloilo-Antique-Aklan and forget about the others.

So I did. I went to those three provinces, and boy it was one hell of a good decision.

Day 1: Aklan to Iloilo

The flight to Aklan from Manila was fast, namalayan ko na lang nasa Kalibo International Airport na kami. I think it only took 35 minutes. We arrived at KIA around 4:20 in the afternoon, and I immediately went out of the airport to look for a tricycle to Ceres Bus Terminal. Tip: Wag na kayo sumakay sa labas mismo ng airport kasi medyo mahal kung doon kayo manggagaling. Short walk lang from KIA yong highway kung saan dumadaan most of the tricycles.

The trip was also short, 10 minutes lang I think. I paid 20 pesos and waited for the bus to Iloilo na according sa napagtanungan ko, 5PM pa dumadating. I bought snacks habang naghihintay and in fairness, 5PM sakto dumating yong bus pa-Iloilo. The fare was 253 pesos and will take 4 hours pa-terminal nila sa Jaro, Iloilo.

9PM na nga no’ng nakarating kami and malas kasi umaambon. (Oo wala akong dalang payong sa trip na to, sabi ko naman sa inyo magaling talaga ako eh hahaha). I approached a man to ask anong jeep ang sasakyan ko pa-Ong Bun Pension House (booked via Travel Loka 300 pesos for a solo room), and unfortunately wala na palang dumadaang Jaro-Liko that time dahil gabi na. Fortunately, papunta rin s’ya around the are no’ng pension house so he invited me na mag-taxi na lang kami. 20 minutes after, nasa tapat na kami ng pension house and when I was paying half of our fare, he told me na okay na ‘yon. Nagulat ako mga mamshie! Hahaha! He just added na ganoon daw sila mag-welcome ng mga turista sa Iloilo and okay lang kasi same way lang kami. Nagpasalamat na lang ako (tatanggi pa ba ako e libre na nga?) and proceeded to check in inside the pension house. Lumabas ako saglit to buy light dinner and then spent the night reviewing my itinerary. 12MN, lights off na.

Day 2: Iloilo to Antique

I started the day early to maximize my time. 7AM, nagcheck out na ako sa pension house para diretso na ako sa byahe in the evening. First stop? Breakfast at Madge Cafe (Gastos; 250 pesos). Sumakay ako ng jeep with a signboard na La Paz (7 pesos), and then bumaba sa La Paz Public Market. Nasa loob yung Madge Café.

After breakfast, nilakad ko na lang papuntang Museo Iloilo. Around 5-10 minutes but okay lang kasi malamig no’ng umaga and masarap maglakad lalo na doon sa tulay above Iloilo River. Pagdating ko sa Museo Iloilo (Entrance fee: 50 pesos), ako lang ‘yong guest. Sinalubong ako ng caretaker na si Ate Diday. Pagkatapos ko mag-tour, Ate Diday approached me and asked me kung nalibot ko na ba yong city and then she told me tips and good places to go.

Other places you can go sa area: Arroyo Fountain, Old Iloilo Provincial Capitol

9AM, I was already at Jaro Cathedral. From Museo Iloilo, ride a jeep na may placard na Jaro CPU (7 pesos). Unfortunately, sarado yung church so I just prayed sa entrance then nagpunta ako sa kabilang building to light a candle.

Other places you can go sa area: Casa Mariquit, Nelly Garden a.k.a. Lopez “white” house (kailangan ng reservation), and Sanson y Montinola Antillian House

After Jaro Cathedral, I went to Molo Church. Sumakay ako ng jeep na may placard na “Jaro-Liko” (7 pesos) and nagpababa sa tapat ng St. Paul. Pagbaba ko ng Saint Paul, sumakay ulit ako ng jeep na may placard na “Villa-Mohon” (7 pesos) and bumaba ako sa Plaza Molo.

Other places/s you can go sa area: Camiña Balay nga Bato. It s located near Molo Plaza, along the highway. Tour rates are P150 per person may kasama na yong house tour and tsokolate tasting, P200 per person naman kapag house tour, tsokolate, at pancit molo tasting ang gusto mo.

After touring the plaza and the church, lumabas na ako. I bought meryenda and took the opportunity to ask paano pumunta ng Iloilo City Hall since maganda raw yong view sa roofdeck no’n. According to manang, kailangan ko raw sumakay ng jeep na may placard na “Baluarte” (7 pesos) and sabihin ko sa driver na ibaba ako sa City Hall. The trip took around 20 minutes.

First kong pinuntahan sa City Hall is yung gallery nila. The room is full of displays and it perfectly depicts Iloilo and its rich history. After looking around, I rode the elevator to 7th floor and looked for the entrance ng roofdeck. Soooobrang amazing! You can even see Guimaras Island from there, and the skyline was so beautiful. Plus, everything is freeee!

After enjoying the scenic view, bumaba na ako. Doon lang din ako nakaramdam ng gutom haha! Sa kanto from the city hall, may restaurant where you can eat one of the best tasting La Paz batchoys which is Ted's Old-timer La Paz Batchoy.

Other places you can go sa area: Iloilo Customs House, Calle Real, the cultural core of Downtown Iloilo, Arroyo Fountain, and Old Provincial Capitol.

After the half-day tour, sumakay na ako ng jeep papuntang Molo Terminal kung saan nandoon ang mga buses and vans pa-Garin Farm. Ang placard no’ng jeep is “Villa Arevalo”. When I reached the terminal, I boarded a van (70 pesos) and told the driver na ibaba ako sa San Joaquin. The trip was around an hour and a half and pagbaba ko sa kanto pa-Garin, sumakay ako ng habal-habal (20 pesos). After 10 minutes, nakarating na ako sa Garin. (Entrance fee: 150 pesos)

Garin Farm and Pilgrimage Resort I must say is a mix of agriculture, leisure, and pilgrimage in one place. Agriculture kasi ang daming mga hayop mamshies! As in yung entrance, maririnig mo yung mga baka, manok, ibon. Haha! The walk up to the entrance of the pigrimage was around 10-20 minutes (natagalan ako kasi natuwa ako sa mga baka hahaha). Yung leisure kasi may mga activities sila sa baba ng pilgrimage like zip line, fishing, boating and may restaurant din.

To reach the top of the pilgrimage, 456 steps yung aakyatin mo so better bring water while doing it. May option naman na mag-golf cart kayo paakyat which is 30 pesos but I decided to challenge myself and syempre para tipid din no! (Plus bragging rights na din haha). No kidding, I really had goosebumps when I reached the top, may music pa kasi sila mga mamshie so feeling ko nasa langit talaga ako hahahaha nakakaloka. Ang puti puti no’ng paligid!

6PM na ako nakabalik sa kanto beside the highway dahil nag-enjoy talaga ako ng sobra sa Garin Farm.  Doon na ako naghintay ng bus pa-Culasi, Antique na dadaan sa Tibiao. (Fare: 153 pesos) I reached Antique around 9:30 in the evening and that’s when an almost nightmare started. If you want to know what happened bakit ninerbyos ang parents ko here’s the full story. But long story short, namali ako ng calculate sa oras and ended up almost a thousand kilometers away from home, with no one to turn to, no place to stay aside from an old waiting shed beside the dark, deserted highway. Thank God for angels! Huhu. I ended up sleeping sa bahay ng kapitana ng Brgy. Importante. It was a long night but I am very grateful na everything turned out fine. 💖

Day 3: Antique to Aklan

Maaga ulit ako gumising to catch the sunrise on the way to Kayak Inn Kawa Hot Bath. Manang Suzette a.k.a one of the angels who saved me helped me arranged a habal-habal the night before so 6:30 pa lang ng umaga, on the way na kami sa bundok. The trip will take you around 30 minutes.

Ako lang yong guest ng Kayak Inn that morning, usually the price (250 pesos) is good for 30 minutes lang but they allowed me to stay in one of the kawas until gusto ko. Walang halong charot, worth all the hassle yung place. Ang ganda, ang peaceful, ang sarap nong experience. It will really help you wash away yong mga baon mong sama ng loob from wherever you are. Hahaha! Sulit lahat ng pinagdaanan ko to reach the place so in the end, wala akong kahit kaunting regret.

Tip: No signal sa area so send messages na agad before umakyat. The use of cottage for day-time use plus restroom is free.

After enjoying the place, I immediately went down na rin to catch a bus pa-Kalibo. The trip will take you around 3 hours (155 pesos). You’ll enjoy the scenic view while on your way so prepare your phone pa rin! :)

After reaching Aklan, I looked a tricycle na magdadala sa’kin sa Bakhawan Eco-park. (300 yong tricycle fee which includes the driver as your personal tour guide, taga-picture and the ride pabalik sa Kalibo International Airport)

The eco-park is being tagged as the most successful mangrove reforestation project in the country. More than one kilometer na lakaran ito mga mamshie at may magandang view sa dulo so go push! May cafeteria rin serving local delicacies so yon nalang ang gawin mong inspiration sa paglalakad. Haha!

That’s how I ended my 1001-kilometer journey. It didn’t turn out exactly the way I expected it would be, but I guess that’s what makes the whole trip a memorable one. ✨

PS. 

May you, the one reading this right now, also find the courage to pursue something you’ve been wanting to do even if most of the people are saying you can’t. May it be a solo backpacking trip like what I did, or trying out something new, or finally deciding about something you’ve been running away from for a long, long, time already. Think hard, think about it over and over, and if in the end you still feel all the overwhelming need to do it, I hope you find yourself strong enough to say “Yes, I will!”

[thindaintydream]

July 7th

BF: skipped bc I got out of bed at 2 PM

Lunch: 1 slice of bread with a fried egg + like 1/4 of a cucumber with some wasabi & sesame seasoning (around 250 cals?)

Dinner: veggie burger including bun, lettuce, onion, pickle and some sauce (no clue but I'm gonna say 550 just to be safe)

PM snack: blueberries and grapes with cinnamon sugar (maybe 100? I'm always bad with fruit cals)

No idea how many calories exactly but I feel pretty good about myself💪🏼 finally didn't binge, no uncomfortably full feeling, and purge free since wednesday!

[lilliandeandance]

February News

The dance studio will be OPEN on Monday, February 19th. (This is a make up for March 19 when we will be closed.)

Please be sure to have all accounts current by February 7th.

We are on payment 7 out of 10. If you did not pay 2 months tuition at registration, then you are on payment 6. Please bring accounts up to date by February 7th. A $20 late fee will be added to accounts not paid by February 7th.

All students must now be in FULL uniform. All leotards, shorts and tanks MUST BE DEAN DANCER ATTIRE! This includes tights and proper shoes. Hair must be pulled back off of face. Ballet students must have a tight bun that is secured with bobby pins. No jewelry is allowed except for medical identification bracelets.

Upcoming important dates:

RHINESTONE & JEWELRY ORDERS DUE: (Competition students only) March 5, 2018

DEADLINE FOR PROGRAM ADS: Saturday, March 24, 2018

SPRING BREAK: The studio is closed from Friday, March 30 - Sunday, April 8th. We will reopen on Monday, April 9th.

TICKET SALES/ SUMMER REGISTRATION: Sunday, April 21, 2018. Tickets are $15 each.

RECITAL PICTURES: (tentative date) Sunday, June 2, 2018

REHEARSAL DATES: Thursday, June 7, 2018 and Friday June 8, 2018- 6:00 PM start time. No costumes are to be worn.

RECITAL DATES: The recital is at Toms River High School North.and will be held Saturday, June 9, 2018 @ 6 PM and Sunday, June 10, 2018 @ 12:00 PM

SUMMER INTENSIVE DATES FOR COMPETITION STUDENTS: June 18 – July 21st and July 30 - August 10.

[icefireeclipse]

Ice’s Annual Post for 2017

Below is a list of cool/important/interesting things that I did during 2017 in order of month. They’re mostly in order by when they happened but a few may be out of order. The list is long so I put a Read More underneath if you’re interested. Enjoy!

January

Played Home is Where One Starts on Steam

Started watching Sailor Moon Infinity Arc

Started playing Pokemon Moon

Finished Jumin’s Route on Mystic Messenger

Had to drive to work at 6am because I forgot to return a button

Finished Seven’s Route on Mystic Messenger

Started re-learning my French just in case I move to Europe

Started considering moving to Europe after I finish college

Started my 2nd semester of college

Saw Hidden Figures in theatres

Met the woman my father began dating (spoiler alert: I like her)

Helped my mom and sister with tearing out the carpeting in the living room so we can get new flooring

Got a Robin Amiibo for an early birthday present

Cooked something for the first time this year that wasn’t ramen or hot chocolate

February

Celebrated my 19th Birthday

Got locked out of my car for the 1st time, coincidentally on my birthday

Got Pokemon Sun as a birthday present as well as a water bottle and some gift cards

Ran into an old teacher of mine from elementary school

Visited the World Market for the 1st time

Tried a candy bar from Britain for the 1st time

Learned how to make coffee

Started rewatching Ben 10 Alien Force

Finished my training at my job

Went to a seminar about refugee’s for my Diversity class

Signed up for a college tour that I ended up not going to because of Mother Nature

Played Awkward Dimensions Redux for the 1st time

Finally got into the main story for Mass Effect

March

Went to see Logan in theaters

Saw Finding Dory and Sausage Party for the 1st time

Got my dad a jar of herring for his birthday

Finally made a playlist on Youtube just for music

Started playing Penumbra Overture

Got my first $2 bill this year, and frankly first one in Many years

Continued to play Mass Effect

Bought a hot chocolate at a gas station for the 1st time

Purchased Mass Effect 3 off of Origin

Got a Origin account just to get this game

Spent the 1st day of spring getting a car wash

Rediscovered my love for Halestorm

Started listening to more music by Set it Off (instead of just 1 song)

Pre-registered for KitsuneKon 2017

Went to a Transgender rally for the 1st time

Went to a rally of any kind for the 1st time

Wacked a pinata for the 1st time in a few years

Played field hockey in a college room

Attended a girl choir concert for the 1st as a member of the audience

April

Finished Penumbra Overture

Started watching Season 2 of Shingeki no Kyojin

Came out as Queer to my Diversity Class (1st time I came out in public not to friends or family)

Decided to minor in Political Science along with my History Major

Joined Reddit

Downloaded  We Were Here and Medusa’s Labyrinth on Steam

Finished Mass Effect for the 1st time

Played through Mass Effect a 2nd time as a Renegade Sentinel

Attempted to use my debit card for the 1st time

Finally visited my great grandma’s grave after 7 years

Started watching Clannad

Got a gift card for Easter

Got free food at work because of Employee Appreciation Day

Started a test draft for The Fire Underground

May

Finally finished Huniepop

Started playing Serena but didn’t like it

For the 1st time, I have a friend of mine who works at the same job as me :)

Finished my (technically) 1st year of college

Played Super Smash Bros in order from 64 to Wii U for the 1st time this year

Redid the floors and got the kitchen walls painted at my mom’s house

Started working on painting and adding new floors in the living room too

Purchased Alan Wake on Steam during it’s Sunset Sale

Watched Tom Holland’s Lip Sync Battle (Yes that’s important)

Stepped into a Spencer’s for the 1st time (though it was only at the very front of the store to look at posters)

Started planning for my new Yarny cosplay for Kitsune Kon

Watched Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2 twice in theatres

Bought a bikini for the 1st time (I usually only wear a tankini while swimming so wearing a bikini is huge for me)

Watched Steven Universe: Wanted and fell in love with Lars all over again

Worked during Memorial Day, but got paid more because holiday :D

Got my 2nd smartphone ever, a Samsung Galaxy S7

Ate a sandwich with a square bun for the 1st time

Updated my blog theme for the 1st time this year

June

Witnessed a felony traffic stop with arrests and everything for the 1st time

Celebrated my cat’s birthdays by giving them catnip

My parent’s divorce was finalized, same day as my cat’s birthday

Played Emily is Away for the 1st time

Returned to Mirai Nikki, an anime I never finished

Only just figured out Patrick Swayze died via a documentary (oops)

Attended my friend’s graduation party

Finished my 2nd and 3rd simultaneous playthroughs of Mass Effect

Started playing Mass Effect 2 and Life is Strange

Finished Episodes 1 and 2 of Life is Strange

Found out what the Grapefruit Technique is for some reason

Donated to Markiplier’s Charity Live Stream for Ablegamers

Kathryn mentioned my name (Icefire), my comment and thanked me for donating! :D

Purchased over $59 worth of games during Steam’s summer sale including Bioshock, Mirror’s Edge & Dragon Age Origins Ultimate Edition

Finished Life is Strange Episodes 3, 4 and 5 in the span of a few days

July

Played Blade Ballet for the 1st time

Played Monopoly and hung out at irl friend’s house for 3rd of July

Purchased Gone in November on Steam

Started watching Big Brother with my sister

Made a Yarny doll for the 1st time

Used an ATM for the 1st time

Attended Kitsune Kon for the 7th year

Almost didn’t make it to the con because I had stomach issues the morning of the con

Bought a lot of buttons, posters and dvd’s, etc from the con

Debuted my Yarny cosplay at the con

Went swimming for the 1st time this year

Continued unpacking things from my dad’s apartment before he moves

Toured the college I’m attending in January for the 1st time

Had to redo my financial aid application

Learned how to transfer funds from savings account to debit card. Horray for adulting!

Discovered the joys of Etsy

Toured my dad’s new house for the 1st time

Attempted to expand my storage on my Mac as I’m starting to run outd

August

Discovered StoreEnvy

Finished Mass Effect 2 for the 1st time

Began my application for transferring to a 4 year college

Finally put my posters up in my room at my dad’s house

Went Up North with my mom’s family for a weekend

Wore a bikini in public for the 1st time

Purchased VIP tickets to the Evanescence Concert

Bought VIP tickets for the 1st time

Found out my dad got engaged

Found and caught my 1st ever Shiny Pokemon (Shiny Haunter in Moon)

Tried VR for the 1st time

Went camping with my dad, his girlfriend and her family for a weekend

Started my 3rd and last semester at the technical college I’m at

Purchased Layers of Fear, Bioshock 2 and Remember Me on Steam

September

Met my dad and his fiancee’s new cats Ying and Yang

Officially got Accepted into the 4 year college I applied to

Finished Mass Effect 2 for the 2nd time

Started Mass Effect 3

Downloaded Origin

Bought tickets to see Diavolo from America’s Got Talent

Suffered from allergies for most of September

October

Attended an Employee appreciation day at my job

Visited a Counselor regarding my transfer to a 4 year college

Ordered a Christmas gift from my job

Finished Mass Effect 3 for the 1st time

Pre-registered for Kitsunekon 2018

Ate a fried egg sandwich for the 1st time

Submited my AP scores to my new college

Found a spring jacket that I lost back in Spring

Found over $20 in said jacket

Got an unofficial tour of the campus I’m going to in January by friend

Went to see Diavolo on tour 

Played The Old City: Leviathan on Steam

My job got a bunch of renovations (paint, appliances, new products, etc)

Purchased Soma, realMyst, Plague Inc, Undertale and other walking simulators during Steam Halloween Sale

Attempted to play Penumbra Black Plague but dealt with screen resolution issues

Started playing Layers of Fear on Steam

Caught Primal Kyogre with just one quick ball in Pokemon Alpha Sapphire

Finally beat Pokemon Alpha Sapphire after over a year of not touching the game

November

Turned in my “final” report for my Technical Reporting class

Went back to playing Pokemon Moon

Signed up for my classes for January

Finally got to see Thor Ragnarok in theaters after 4 years of waiting!

Got my “final” report graded, 96%!

Got back into the Thor fandom

Got my mom some bubble wrap and salt water taffy for her birthday (she loved it)

Started playing Overwatch for the 1st time

Discovered You Suck at Cooking Youtube Channel

Purchased a bunch of games for Black Friday (Overwatch, Dragon Age II and Inquisition, indie games, etc)

December

Had my annual review at the Gas Station I worked at and got a raise!

Went to see Evanescence in Concert for the 1st time since 2011!

Went to Madison for the 1st time in about 4 years (last time was just a few days before I started my Tumblr account)

Tried sweet Sauerkraut for the 1st time, it tasted okay but it was kind of strange eating sweet sauerkraut

Got my best friend some bubble wrap as a gag gift for his birthday

Went to my sister’s holiday choir concert

Finished a final and got a 90% on it (Ethics Class)

Procrastinated on said final and other final project

Got introduced to Round Planet by BBC

Finished Season 7 of Overwatch Competitive with Silver Rank

Started getting invested in Yugioh (abridged and the manga) 

Got the Synthesis (Evanescence) album for Christmas

Also got Pokemon Ultra Sun AND Ultra Moon for Christmas

My dad officially got married so I now have a step-family as of this month

Didn’t get to go to their wedding (it’s a long story)

Worked in Receiving at my job for the 1st time 

[redconfidential-blog]

Discovering Great Britain, I spent most of my time here wondering through the scenic City of Bath, Somerset County, England.

Bath is in the valley of the River Avon, west of London, England, or so Google says. I only rode the bus there. This city is a popular tourist destination because, as the name implies, the city is known for its hot springs and Roman-built baths. Yes, back in 60AD, Romans used to come from far and wide to soak and enjoy the hot springs.

Roman Bath (Source Wiki)

Roman Bath (Outside)

Avon River

Ferry on the Avon River

Roman Bath (Entrance)

Roman Bath (Outside)

Today, the city is an educational hub hosting two universities: the University of Bath and Bath Spa University, but more importantly, it’s rich history makes it a popular tourist destination, attracting over a million visitors every day, and like the Island of Goree, it is a World Heritage Site.

The city boasts over 100 restaurants and pubs, more than 300 hotels, bed and breakfast and numerous international fast-food brands like Waitrose, Costa, Sainsbury’s and ASDA. To facilitate sight-seeing, there are several “double decker” open top buses taking visitors on tours around the city, showing historical places, museums, theatres, and sports centres. To top it all, the Bath Market is popular for souvenirs, and the malls host international fashion brands and a bureau de change, making the city ideal for sightseeing, shopping and entertainment.

During my stay, my accommodations were in Melksham, a medium-sized English town about 16 km east of the city of Bath. I took the bus which cost about £6 and 40mins. On this note, I recommend that if you are visiting Bath on a budget, get a hotel in Chippenham, Trowbridge or Melksham. the cost-savings is worth it.

Tourists, mostly Asian and American, students from both Universities and the locals who live and own businesses there make Bath a very populated city. The streets are crowded with tourist during the day and buzzing with students and teenagers by night. To my dismay, there were hardly any Black Africans in Bath. After over five hours of wandering about, taking pictures and people-watching, I saw only two black families. It may even have been one black family who passed by me twice.

There are so many notable sites, too many to see them all. But first a history lesson!

War History Despite its relaxing springs and religious focus, Bath has a long history of war and violence. Having been the site of the Battle of Badon (c. AD 500), in which King Arthur is said to have defeated the Anglo-Saxons. During the English Civil War, the city also surrendered. Bath was again retaken during the Battle of Lansdowne on 5 July 1643.

More recently and most heartbreaking was the Bath Blitz in World War II. This refers to the air raids on the city by the German Airforce on the night of the 25 April 1942 during World War II. That weekend, Bath suffered three raids, from 80 Luftwaffe aircraft. Few citizens took cover, even when the first Pathfinder flares fell because they thought the aircrafts were headed for Bristol, which had been bombed daily for over four months.

The attack began at 11 pm on a Saturday night while most residents must have been sleeping, and lasted till 1.00 am. The German aircraft then left, refuelled, rearmed and returned at 4.35 am. Bath hadn’t even gotten its head around from the fire from the first raid before they were hit again. The third raid started early on Monday morning. It lasted only two hours but the damage was extensive. The bombers dropped high explosives and then sprayed the streets with machine-gun fire. A 500 kilogrammes high explosive bomb landed on the south side of Queen Square, resulting in houses on the south side being damaged.

Over one thousand residents were injured and 417 killed, many of which I believe were whole families and if you zoom in on the pictures below you can see the names.

Bath was shelled as part of the“Baedeker raids”, where targets were chosen for their cultural and historical value. Consequently, over 218 architectural monuments were destroyed.

The remains of this attack are still being uncovered till date. In 2016, a live 230 kg bomb was discovered under a playground in Bath. The bomb had been there for over 70 years.

Bath Abbey The Abbey Church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul, popularly called Bath Abbey is a notable tourist building in Bath City Center founded in the 7th century. Standing 161 feet tall the abbey is crafted from Bath stone, with The West Front has sculptures of angels climbing to and from heaven on two stone ladders on each side. For some reason, I found the angel climbing downwards a bit creepy. You might be able to see it if you zoom in on the first image below. The building has been rebuilt twice, once in the 12th and again in the 16th centuries.

The Abbey has the grandest wooden door I have ever seen, adorned with carvings which include two guilds. I just love this door. I think I’m obsessed with doors and ceilings. I can’t get over the Silver door in Amber Fort.  However, I found the side entrance even more interesting. the walls seem to be covered with eulogies to many different people who died ages ago. Frankly, I felt like I was standing on top of Maggy Pringle and John Ogle.

The Tower

The entrance

Massive wooden door

Silver Door in Amber fort, Jaipur

viewed from the South-East

Tower from Orange Grove

Inside the Abbey Entrance

Inside the Abbey Entrance

Inside the Abbey Entrance

Inside the Abbey Entrance

On the north side of Bath Abbey stands my favourite piece; the Rebecca Fountain. A historic drinking fountain dating 156 years with the inscriptions “take the water of life freely” and “water is best”. The fountain is life-size woman pouring water from a jar into a large wide bowl. The fountain was to give people the option of water rather than alcohol. I just love that she’s been standing there for over a century offering water. Other tourists drank of the fountain, but you know how I feel about public water.

The Rebecca Fountain, – Water is Best

The Rebecca Fountain, – Water is Best

The Parade Garden The Parade Garden is a lovely park right next to the River Avon overlooking Pulteney Bridge and Weir. It is said to be of Victorian heritage and is home to some of the world’s rarest flowers and has won numerous British awards for its blossoms. If you were considering a destination wedding, this is where you want to say “I do!”. While the bandstand has a capacity for 20 guests, the lush lawn can accommodate everyone else.

The bandstand

Sally Lunn’s Eating House Sally Lunn’s is one of the oldest houses in Bath History has it to have been the actual kitchen of a legendary baker Sally Lunn in Georgian Bath and she was the first to create the first Bath bun. To give this some perspective, these buns look a lot like round loaves of bread which are as wide as, if not wider than the average sauce. This will end your ketogenic diet pronto. Personally, I didn’t come to the Queen’s Kingdom to spend pounds on big bread, so I didn’t have any.

Sally Lunn’s Eating House

Sally Lunn’s Eating House

The house is said to have been standing since 1482, and lovely Sally lived there about 200 years after in 1680. To be honest, I think they might be making these dates up.

OTher inetresting architechtural sites include Queen ‘s Square, the Circus and the Royal Crescent.

Unlike India and Senegal, I’m certain I’ll visit Great Britain again and I’m looking forward to it. With time and money constraints, I didn’t get the chance to soak in the Thermae Bath Spa, Britain’s only natural thermal spa which is said to possess healing and rejuvenating properties from over 42 different minerals. However, I certainly will on my next visit.

I’d also planned to see the Stonehenge but I fell ill and ran out of time. Finally, having visited other cities which include Lancashire, Liverpool, and Manchester, I hope I will finally get to see London and of course tell you all about it!

Next, pack your bags and let’s go to Budapest, Hungary!

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Discovering Great Britain – Bath City Center Discovering Great Britain, I spent most of my time here wondering through the scenic City of Bath, Somerset County, England.