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#kien asks
theimperialnuisance · 3 months
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Does your OC cry at weddings? Did they cry at their own (if they've had one?)
for whoever
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<Amorous Asks!>
I'd think all of my ocs wouldn't be someone who would cry at a wedding, maybe get a little teary-eyed from how happy they are for their friend but nothing more than that. None of my ocs are married (yet) but Kien is promised to G'raha and while he got teared up when he and Raha exchanged their promise rings (I actually had a prompt I wrote for it in ffxivwrite last year (#shamelessplug), he didn't full on cry. But I am sure he'll cry on his wedding day as he never thought he'd be lucky enough to have someone to love/love him so yeah, he'd cry from happiness :3 N'noah got a little teary-eyed at Saraphina's and Bastian's wedding when she saw her cousin come down the aisle but she didn't full-on cry either. She probably wouldn't cry at her own wedding though. This would be the same for Atticus. (He'd absolutely tear up at a first look or when Shaili comes down the aisle) For Syren, nope, nada. He wouldn't cry at a wedding nor would he cry at his own. Not that he wouldn't be happy, he's just not the type to let himself cry in front of others. Ciel might be the only one who would cry at a wedding/at his own wedding (if he ever gets married) but it would be of course out of happiness and probably during the first dances/speeches. Thank you for the ask @actualanxiousswampwitch :3
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unbidden-yidden · 3 months
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Jewish Song of the Day #31: Avram Avinu
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Posting this song today because I can't get it out of my head, it's too catchy, I've been listening to it on repeat
Question for any Sephardi folks: is this a really "big" song in Sephardi nusach? Because when I went looking for Ladino songs, I kept finding version after version of this one song lol.
Here is another excellent version (although it uses an alternate name it's the same song as far as I can tell) and has an excellent explanation in the description:
youtube
Vocals & arrangement by Farya Faraji. This is a song from the Sephardi music repertoire; the Jewish community that was expelled from Iberia at the end of the Reconquista, and settled around the Mediterranean, developping diverse regional styles based on where they settled. This specific song is from Tangiers, Morocco, and was written by an anonymous author in 1890. Different songs using this text, or similar ones detailing the birth of Abraham have existed during the centuries, but this one in Maqam Hijaz is the most well known one. My arrangement pays homage to the Moroccan-Spanish background of the song by mixing a Moroccan string section, percussions and oud with a Spanish guitar chord progression similar to Flamenco’s.
Lyrics in Ladino: Kuando el rei Nimrod al kampo salia mirava en el sielo i en la estreyeria vido una lus santa en la juderia Ke avia de naser Avraham Avinu. Chorus: Avraham Avinu, Padre kerido Padre bendicho, lus de Israel. Luego a las komadres enkomendava Ke toda mujer ke prenyada kedara si paria un ijo, al punto la matara Ke avia de naser Avraham Avinu. La mujer de Terah kedo prenyada i de dia en dia el le preguntava (or demandava) "¿De ke teneix la kara tan demudada?" Eya ya savia el bien ke tenia.
En fin de mueve mezes parir keria iva caminando por kampos i vinyas, a su marido tal ni le descubria topo una meara, ayi lo pariria En akella ora el nasido avlava: "Anda vos, la mi madre, de la meara, yo ya topo kien m'alechara, Malah de sielo me acompanyara. Grande zekhut tiene el senyor Avraham, que por él conocemos el Dío de la verdad. Grande zekhut tiene el senyor parido, que afirma la mitsvá de Avraham Avinu.
English translation: When King Nimrod went out to the countryside He was looking at heaven and at the stars He saw a holy light in the Jewish quarter [A sign] that Abraham, our father, was about to be born. Chorus: Abraham our Father, beloved father, Blessed father, light of Israel. Then he told the midwives That every woman who was still pregnant If she gave birth to a male child at once he will be killed because Abraham our father was about to be born.
Terach's wife was pregnant and each day he would ask her "Why do you look so pale?" She already knew the blessing that she had. At the end of nine months she wanted to give birth, She walked through fields and vineyards She didn't tell her husband anything, She found a cave; there, she would give birth. At that time the newborn spoke: "Walk away from the cave, my mother I have already found someone who will take me away. An angel from heaven will accompany me Because I am a child of the blessed God."
After twenty days she went to visit him. She saw in front of her a young man leaping, Looking at the sky and (looking carefully/noticing everything), In order to know the God of Truth.
Great merit has honorable Abraham Because of him we recognize the true God. Great merit has the father of the newborn Who fulfills the commandment of Abraham our father (circumcision).
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medkit-official · 4 months
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𓎟𓎟𓎟𓎟𓎟𓎟𓎟𓎟𓎟𓎟𓎟𓎟𓎟𓎟𓎟𓎟𓎟
— INTRODUCTION ?!
> > ABOUT MUSE .
> > NAME?: MEDKIT .
> > AGE?: 30 .
> > HEIGHT?: 5'9
> > BIRTHDAY?: DEC 29TH .
> > OCCUPATION?: scientist DOCTOR .
> > APPEARANCE?: Medkit has two horns resembling antlers and a diamond-shaped crystal floating between them. A ring is hung on the brow tine of his right horn. He wears a diamond-shaped eyepatch that covers his left eye. Medkit's outfit is a trenchcoat over an undershirt and cravat, and checkered pattern pants.
He holds a revolver in his right hand and a suitcase with a cross in his left hand. Both of these items also use a checkered pattern.
> > PERSONALITY?: Medkit hates being a doctor yet was ironically created with the gift of healing. He finds more fascination with topics in technology and engineering and he misses when he could collaborate and make new things to help others. Medkit has a very sophisticated taste and only eats foods of the highest quality and sees consuming things like juice as childish.
" それを赦さないんだろう?"
𓎟𓎟𓎟𓎟𓎟𓎟𓎟𓎟𓎟𓎟𓎟𓎟𓎟𓎟𓎟𓎟𓎟
— MOD INTRO .
> > NAME?: Kien/Mitch .
> > PRONOUNS?: He/They + Xenos .
> > GENDER?: Trans Male .
> > SEXUALITY?: Gay .
> > OTHERS?: Osdd-1a sys, polyam, taken, I post sometimes on @mikodouble (my main)
" ただ夢を見ていたんだよ "
𓎟𓎟𓎟𓎟𓎟𓎟𓎟𓎟𓎟𓎟𓎟𓎟𓎟𓎟𓎟𓎟𓎟
— TAGGING SYSTEM .
> > # « How much will I get paid for this? » — Something Important .
> > # « I always have to remind myself that these bullets can save lives too. » — Mod Speaks .
> > # « Back to Crossroads, back to hospital bills. » — Magical Anon .
> > # « Hopefully nobody needs healing here. » — Angst Rps .
> > # « My, the exhibitions look incredible. » — Conversing With Other PHIGHTERS .
> > # « Why don't we just relax at the cafe for a bit. » — Conversing With Non-Rp Blogs .
> > # « Don't test my patience, Subspace. » — Conversing With PHIGHTING Ocs .
> > # « You can attempt doing that alone next time. » — Asks .
" "嘘付きだ"なんて言って "
𓎟𓎟𓎟𓎟𓎟𓎟𓎟𓎟𓎟𓎟𓎟𓎟𓎟𓎟𓎟𓎟𓎟
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noses-in-winter · 1 year
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Innoportune for Solara?
Thanks so much for my first prompt ask, yay! Okay so this is about my angry fairy princess OC Solara who has the SUPER rockin hot body of the fairy goddess. She wears an outfit made of ceremonial daisy petals, buuuuut she is very allergic to it. She's also a very petite individual but has a loud, violent sneeze that is very un-princesslike, so there really is no opportune time for her to sneeze.
It's in the POV of Callum, her sweet servant who's mute but loves her very much and would do anything for her! I wouldn't label this nsfw but it DOES have descriptions of her, um, overactive chest with her overactive sneezing.
2.4k words, f sneezes, tiddy descriptions, PLEASE DON'T REBLOG TO NON-KINK BLOGS PLEEEASE
There was always a very limited window of time for Princess Solara to sport the ceremonial daisy bralette. Even when overloading herself with antihistamines, the chokehold that daisy pollen had on her was ultimately unstoppable. That’s why Kien the royal painter had been told to work fast to paint Solara in the bralette before she could wind up sneezing every last petal off. If yet another portrait had to be restarted due to the interruption of Solara’s allergic sneezing fits…Well. Callum knew that the Queen would be having a very different kind of fit in response. 
He sat patiently on the window seat, silently observing the portrait at hand. Callum would occasionally peek at Kien’s canvas as he painted the visage of Solara, but the majority of his attention was on the princess herself. She was…not faring well. Root-based allergy potions always got her sleepy and a touch disoriented, a stark difference from her typical fiery personality. Solara’s nose had evidently missed the memorandum that said potion was meant to last several hours. It had only been two since Kien began painting, and Solara was already beginning to scrunch her nose with persistent sniffles. That’s how it always started, with harmless, delicate sniffling that steadily grew damper and heavier as time went on. He supposed that was rather how Solara was as an individual; Seemingly the proper, fragile princess that grew increasingly difficult to deal with as one got to know her. 
“Hold still, Princess,” Kien urged, using a small brush to paint the hundreds of tiny petals of the bralette. 
Even as the antihistamines took away most of her typical awareness, Solara scowled with pink eyes flashing in irritation. “And just whaddoyou think I’m--sdff, trying to do here, Kien?” she asked, words beginning to run together slightly. 
“I just--”
“No, I’d like knowing wha’ you’ve thought m’goal has been this--snf--entire--snff! Damned time. Enlighten me.”
Callen looked over to Callum, silently asking for help. Callum pursed his lips into a flat line and simply offered the painter a shrug. Kien sighed and nodded, leaning back behind his canvas to avoid Solara’s glower. “Nothing, Princess.” 
Solara’s frown softened, though she was still evidently unhappy. She simply focused back on her posing with a sniffle. Callum had to admit that it was…difficult not to stare. Princess Solara was considered to be the end all, be all of Aurorian beauty, and for good reason. The bralette didn’t cover much, allowing her full chest to rest mostly exposed in the sunshine filtering through the grand windows. One strap hung loose on one shoulder, simply allowing the daisy petal garment to slip lower down her chest. Her nipples weren’t quite exposed yet, but Callum kept an eye out in case more of her areolas became visible. He knew she would very much not want the bra to get that low. Solara didn’t seem to notice amidst her concentrated sniffling, and Kien evidently wasn’t interested in adjusting it. Callum supposed it made sense for the Aurorian princess to show off as much of her body as possible for a portrait, but he wondered if Kien knew or cared how sick of the public sexualization Solara got. 
Kien leaned back on his stool, examining his work with a slight tilt to his head. He nodded over to Callum. “Would you go tuck the hair on her right side over her shoulder? I’d like an unobscured look at the cups of the bralette.” 
Callum obeyed without question, rising from his seat to go to Solara’s side. He offered her a soft smile as he took her curls in hand. He tucked the hair behind her shoulder, fingers inadvertently brushing along her bare skin as he did so. A warm blush spread over Callum’s face as he flashed her an apologetic wince, but Solara was oblivious. She was currently sniffling at a much faster pace than before, freckled nose scrunching to the left and right. She let out a shaky, whining little breath as her running nose escaped the confines of her nostrils to slide down onto her upper lip.
“Fuck…” she swore, shoulders shuddering as she crossed her eyes to look at her nose. She made a valiant effort to sniffle the beads of mess back into her nostrils, but Solara’s attempts proved useless. While she didn’t move her head, her eyes flickered up to the painter. “Kien, I need---”
“Not yet,” he said, motions speeding up as he captured the visage of the royal before him. “Don’t move.”
“I--”
“Just a few more minutes.”
Princess Solara looked to Callum next with an expression of pleading that only he ever saw. Solara was an…angry individual, to put it kindly, but she knew that she could turn to her lad-in-waiting in times of crisis. “C-Callum…?”
He knelt to her side immediately, collecting the handkerchief from his breast pocket. A Solara in her right mind would have sooner screamed than allow Callum, or anyone, near her nose. This Solara, however, was only a fraction of her regular self at the moment. She hardly seemed to react at all initially, eyes crossing once again to look at the center of her face. Callum gingerly folded the handkerchief over her freckled nose, using all the care in the world as he wiped the underside. Solara’s cheeks began to visibly darken. Instead of shoving his hand away or barking at him, she simply looked away from Callum’s eyes with a sniffle. “Th-....Thank you, Callum,” she murmured. 
Despite Solara being unable to see him, Callum gave her a nod and a reassuring smile. After all he did for Solara on a daily basis, cleaning up her nose was hardly notable for him. Solara, of course, would be apoplectic once her antihistamines (and allergy attack) wore off, but Callum could handle it. He could handle anything about her.
“Stay close,” Kien requested of Callum, nothing but focus on his face as he painted. “In case she needs you again.” 
Warmth bloomed in Callum’s chest. In case she needed him again. Callum was quite vocally disliked throughout the entirety capitol, and yet he was somehow good enough for Princess Solara to need. He nodded, remaining seated at her side. 
Solara continued to sniffle, though her nose didn’t run as it had a moment ago. She inhaled and exhaled through parted lips in some attempt to keep her nose as unbothered as possible, but Callum was very aware that this wouldn’t last long. He wasn’t sure if Solara was capable of that realization at the moment, though.
As he expected, it didn’t take long for Solara’s nostrils to flare into perfect little circles with a hitch of her breath. Her lashes fluttered shut as she drew one hand up to fan beneath her nose. 
“Nonono!” Kien pleaded, gesticulating to Solara. “Stay as you were! Just a minute longer!” 
A low whine rumbled in Solara’s throat as she set her hand back in its previous position on the fainting couch. She sniffled sharply, nose starting to scrunch irritably to the side. “I need to s-sneeze,” she said pointedly to Kien, words beginning to snag. 
Kien nodded, dipping his brush into a brilliant daisy cream shade of paint. “I understand. We’re nearly there. I’ve just got to finish getting all the petals, so you won’t have to wear the bralette for our next session. Okay, Princess?”
Solara was evidently debating how much she wanted to avoid wearing the daisy bralette in the future. Without waiting for her to ask him, Callum cautiously extended the hand still holding his handkerchief. She stared at his hand for a beat before her eyes flickered up to Callum’s. Solara opened her mouth to speak before she instead trembled with a heady hitch of her breath. Her chest shuddered with the itchy little gasp. Callum pretended not to notice. “Hh--! I-I can’t help it. O-Okay--hehh--!”
He didn’t hesitate. Callum reached behind Solara, placing one steadying hand between her shoulder blades. With the other, he folded his handkerchief back over her nose. There wasn’t a moment to spare before Solara convulsed with a sneeze, doing her best to stay as still as possible. A massive feat, Callum thought, given how very…indelicate her sneeze was. 
“HiYYshiyUHH!” she sneezed, just as voluminous and violent as usual. She very nearly forced the handkerchief from his hand with the strength of it. Warmth immediately flooded into the handkerchief with the productive release. Callum found himself glad that he’d made it in time. Daisy-induced sneezes were always terribly messy for Solara, and he knew she would have been horrified to sneeze openly at the moment. She wobbled in the aftermath, momentarily disoriented from that big sneeze. 
Callum couldn’t blame his Princess for avoiding sneezing whenever possible. He supposed he would avoid it, too, if his sneeze was as aggressive as hers. It suited her loud personality, though, in a way he found painfully endearing. 
Kien jumped in response, just as everyone did when hearing Princess Solara sneeze for the first time. “Fuck--ahem. Goodness. Bless, Prince--”
“Shut up,” Solara snarled at him, flashing Kien a pointed glare over the handkerchief. Just after, her eyes snapped shut all over again. Callum tightened his hold on the handkerchief over her nose to ensure it wasn’t at risk of being sneezed away. He wasn’t the strongest individual, so there wasn’t much he could do about the way she rocked back into the hand he held between her shoulder blades. Once again, Callum tried to avoid staring at the way her chest heaved with every sneeze. “Hh’shYYUH! Woah--!” she gasped when she rocked back. 
Callum gave her a quiet look in the eye that he hoped communicated: I’ve got you.
Kien gasped. Callum was about to shoot the painter an unhappy look of his own before seeing exactly what Kien did: Half a dozen daisy petals shuddering off of the bralette’s wire frame with that last sneeze. “No--keep the petals intact!”
Callum didn’t need explanation for the importance of this. Solara’s breath was already seesawing in preparation for another sneeze. Callum rapidly looked between her face and the shuddering bralette. Her hitches were so strong that it began to shake a few petals off of it without even needing to sneeze yet. 
He had seen this happen on many an occasion. One or two heavy, hard sneezes, and the bralette would begin falling apart. And Princess Solara was only full of heavy, hard sneezes. 
“Hah--!”
He had two options, neither of them ideal. As Solara’s chest rose with a final hitch, Callum decided on the lesser of two evils to keep his Princess’ pride as intact as possible. He dropped the damp handkerchief in his lap and used both hands to hold her chest.
“HihHYYSHuh!”
Attempting to keep Solara’s chest from wobbling with a sneeze was as effective as trying to keep a shattered vase from crumbling. Callum tried, certainly, and he did succeed in cutting down on the amount of petals that could have been shaken free, but it did require holding both cups of the bralette with splayed fingers. Solara’s chest was so…much, that he couldn’t have held them otherwise. 
This also involved Solara needing to sneeze without a handkerchief. She seemed to realize at the very last moment that her protective cover was now gone and managed to sneeze downward rather than straight ahead. Even with this precaution, a fine mist still settled on her chest as well as Callum’s forearms and hands. 
He wasn’t perturbed. Callum simply hoped this wouldn’t be getting him slapped later. Even if it did, he would have rathered Solara be temporarily enraged with him than permanently humiliated by sneezing her bra to pieces in front of Kien. Callum didn’t distrust the painter, necessarily, but he didn’t think there were many people in the capitol who wouldn’t go bragging about getting to see the Princess completely topless. After an out of control sneezing fit, no less. 
After her first love’s abandonment last year, Callum didn’t think Princess Solara could handle much more whispering about her. 
Solara sniffled, blinking at Callum through teary lashes. She looked exhausted and embarrassed and--
“Good save! Just a few more---”
No. No few more minutes. Callum was a patient individual (he had to be to work for Solara) that anger didn’t come naturally to, but the sight of Solara’s discomfort mixed with Kien’s calloused response was enough to push him over that edge. Callum shot Kien a pointed frown and shook his head, beginning to discard his jacket. A few petals fell loose from the bralette once his hands were away, but not enough to send it falling apart yet. Solara was already getting a new sneezy expression on her face, so Callum worked quickly.
He wrapped his jacket around her shoulders, doing his best to close it over her ample chest. It didn’t cover them completely, but enough for the moment. He wrapped an arm around Solara and helped her to stand. She looked confused for a moment before that look crumbled with a wobbling chin. “Hh! HyYYshuHH!” she sneezed openly in front of her, another burst of mist dampening her chest. Callum gave her a squeeze in lieu of a blessing and had to resist the urge to use his handkerchief to dab at her chest to dry it. 
“‘M sorry…” Solara murmured with a nose-crinkling snuffle. 
Kien, of course, was less than thrilled. “No!” he exclaimed, jumping to his feet and nearly knocking the easel over in the process. “Where are you--? No, no, we were nearly--”
“Kien.” Solara’s voice was unsteady as she let her head fall against Cananver’s shoulder. He smiled softly and squeezed her again. “Fucking deal w--hih! With it.”
He was still protesting as the princess and her lad-in-waiting left the room, Callum holding Solara protectively. 
She was out of it. Her head lolled sleepily against him. She blinked up at Callum with a sniffle, raising one hand to rub under her nose. “I…I wanna take a nap,” she said just before she hitched with flared little nostrils again. This time, she was able to smother a sneeze into the arm of his jacket. “Ughh. I’b sorry…”
Callum shook his head, reaching up to smooth unruly locks from her forehead. He couldn’t tell her with words, so he could only hope that Solara felt how he would do anything for his Princess. 
Always anything for his Princess.
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autistic-raphael · 3 months
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,,i saw a beautiful opportunity today so i built a board for the first time (i have ridden prebuilds to this point)
it's jackson pilz' Toadadelic pro deck; 9.125x32.3 football shape with mellow concave and steep kick which???? amazing stats, absolutely perfect for me, also
I also love the aesthetic design of this deck; i love that they kept the woodgrain visible, i love that they gave it a split veneer, i love the palette they chose, and that they put the graphic off center, i love that the graphic is almost secondary to the wood of the deck itself, i love that the text on top relates to the graphic, and that the logo matches the colour on the flip side thereby bringing both sides together
so obviously i had to get clear griptape lmao i was back and forth between this clear mob and a dgk mushroom design bc it would match the toad but i eventually settled on clear to preserve the top side of the deck
the trucks are kien caple's K5 DLK trucks by krux. we werent familiar with kien before i bought these beautiful blue trucks that i thought would suit this board beautifully, but what a delight to discover that kien is also trans (transfem)!! a trans pro skaters trucks wowowowow!!!! and they have beautiful lovely doves on them too :)
the wheels are 55m 78a mini super juices by oj. the person helping me was astonished by how close the colour was to the colour of the deck, as was i. there were some sweet multicoloured spitfire classics that i was also considering, but i decided to stick with something closer to a cruiser wheel, which im more used to riding, and i love how i can see the bright pink wheel peeking out from the sides of the deck and seeing it with the green and blue
my partner graciously let me use his spare set of bones reds bearings, and the hardware is standard black indie, though i do want to look for some good gold hardware because Can You Imagine. it would be Beautiful
and then of course i added a couple stickers, the oj sticker down by the frog, and little alien sticking it out saying "lets get weird," which delighted me and which i thought would suit the theme of the deck. hes under the tape so hes nice and safe
Ive been standing on it in the apartment to get used to the feeling of it and to adjust the trucks, and the length of the board is soooooo prefect for me. Id go to step back after balancing on my front foot and id step right into the pocket, its perfect for my shoulder width. the steep kicks are awesome, they feel great for control for the limited amount i can get in here, aha, and the combination with the mellow concave is Awesome since im coming from crusier boards
I didnt set out to buy a board today, but man it really just jumped out at me. There were a couple really cool shapes at the shop today, and this was the best one. I was hypothetically looking at wheels and I asked if i could compare a couple sets, so i grabbed the board to put them against it at which point i was like,,,, i guess im gonna put this all together lmao. But it looks awesome!! and it feels good, and im excited to learn a trick or two on it this year
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mothman-rewatches · 1 year
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Rewatch: Buffy the Vampire Slayer, "Teacher's Pet" (S1Ep4)
Summary: Xander finds himself attracted to a beautiful substitute teacher…who happens to be a giant bug. Buffy and the rest of the gang have to save him before it’s too late.
Written by: Joss Whedon, David Greenwalt, Matt Kiene
Directed by: Bruce Seth Green
Aired: March 24th, 1997
WARNING: This post contains spoilers, and a discussion about predatory behavior (grooming.)
This episode is rough. I have a ton of notes, though most of them are nonsensical, but the episode doesn’t feel that long? It’s weird, let’s jump in. 
Recap: The scoobies are in science class, and their teacher is giving a lecture on their insect unit. Later, Dr. Gregory is taken by a pair of insectile hands, while Angel meets Buffy at the Bronze and warns her of a dangerous vampire with a claw.  The next day in science, they have a substitute teacher named Natalie French. She gives a lecture on praying mantises, and asks if anyone wants to help her make model egg sacs after school. All of the guys in the room volunteer. At lunch, Cordelia finds Dr. Gregory’s headless body in the refrigerator. Giles tells Buffy of a homeless man who was found ripped to shreds in a nearby park. Buffy goes to investigate, facing off against the clawed-vampire who flees, but not before running into Miss French. The vampire is terrified of her, vexing Buffy. The next day, Buffy witnesses Miss French turn her head completely around, and she figures out that she is a praying mantis. She tries to warn Xander, but he brushes her off. That night, he goes to work on the egg sacs with Miss French, who is revealed to be a she-mantis. She takes him hostage, planning on mating with him. Buffy is able to arrive just before she can, killing the she-mantis. 
Overall Thoughts: I really dreaded having to watch this episode. But, in my defense, I thought it was going to be a Xander-centric episode where he was a whiny creep the whole time. He was, but only partly. 
A large part of this episode revolves around Miss French, and her predatory relationship with Xander. Throughout the whole episode, I could not help but focus on the blatant grooming that was happening. She flirts with Xander, helps him cheat on a test, invites him to her home, and gives him alcohol, all in an attempt to mate with him. It’s just…creepy, and it’s horrible, and Xander falls for it because he’s Xander. It turns out that the she-mantis is only after him because he’s a virgin, but it doesn’t make it any easier. 
In juxtaposition, however, Principal Flutie is on the other side of the spectrum, but it’s still weird. There’s an awkward scene between him and Buffy where he makes a comment about “not touching students” and while the comment is so awkward it’s funny, in comparison to Miss French’s behavior it's glaringly uncomfortable.
The other thing I wanted to mention is Dr. Gregory. We only see him for a couple minutes at most, but I love him. He is the first adult on the show to express any sort of belief that Buffy can be an incredible student if she applied herself. In fact, after the last three episodes of Joyce and Flutie bagging on Buffy for the Hemery situation, it’s refreshing to have someone who thinks that Buffy can do great things. I’m sad for Buffy, really, because Dr. Gregory’s death means a loss of someone who Buffy badly needs. Giles will become that, eventually, but we have a long ways to go. 
My next comment isn’t a criticism of the writing, really, but a criticism of the lighting. The night scenes, or any scenes in the dark, kill me. They are so dark, I can’t really see anything. I’ve tried to turn up my brightness, but nothing helps. So, I have to sort of just figure out what’s going on by listening to dialog and squinting to see anything. I really hope the lighting gets better. 
Also, I didn’t mention this last episode because I wanted to confirm that this is something that comes up again, but last episode introduced a trend where the last frame before the closing credits is sort of a “gotcha.” Last episode, it was revealed that Amy’s mom is now trapped in her cheerleading uniform. In this episode, we get a closing shot of an egg sac, and one of the eggs begins to hatch. It’s fun, but it doesn’t feel necessary because these things are really never brought up again.
Characterization: I don’t have many comments on Giles’s character yet, but I have noticed over the last few episodes that he is so much more stiff than we see later on. Not Wesley stiff, but more uptight than the Giles who casually runs a magic shop and hangs out with Buffy’s little sister. 
Cordelia is so vapid, it’s starting to grate on my nerves. I know Cordelia can be so much more than how they are writing her right now, and it sucks to see that she does not get any sort of development but instead serves as a human antagonist. 
Also, we only see Angel twice this episode, but I love Angel! He isn’t our Angel yet, but he’s dropped the snarkiness and is so much more bearable. He’s a genuinely likable character now, and if they had kept him this way, I wouldn’t have minded. 
This episode, despite Xander being miserable for a majority of it, also sets up sort of a running gag for Xander, or even a trend of sorts. As the series progresses, we see Xander get all sorts of weird girlfriends, and have ridiculous things happen to him. It was fun to see the first example of that.
Quotes: ”But not a real hug! Because there is no hugging in this school, we’re sensitive to wrong touching.” - Principal Flutie
”Xander’s supposed to be helping her right now! He’s got a crush on a giant insect!” -Willow Rosenberg
Apocalypse Count: 1
Final Notes: Feel free to leave any comments, suggestions, or questions in the ask box!
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werspinna · 7 months
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A young boy with a head full of curls clings to the ceiling, four eyes watching his mother as she dons a familiar mask. No doubt ready to take on another adventure. He takes a deep breath, eyes filling with a purple aura before teleports next to Wolf. "Can I pleaaaase come with you this time? Dad said I could if I do my brother's chores! Please?"
Scarred hands stopped fiddeling with the leatherstrap under her chin to keep the helmet in place when the boy teleported next to her in a wisp of violet light. They were in Chris appartment with the window open so the cool air was trickling inside like rain. Outside the autumn had wrapped the sky in a grey veil and the air smelled wet and crisp like an apple. Wolf, eight eyes blinking in confusion, eventually stopped fiddeling with the leatherstrap and took off her helmet to look at the young boy properly, her head tilted to the side like a confused cat as she said completly naturally: "Nein."
From one second to another the boys face fell appart as if a mask had fallen off- his smile melted into a open mouth that looked like a "o", his eyes became round and big and his thin shoulders sank down as if he was suddenly wrapped in a of heavy lead weaved coat. He switched as easy into lowgerman as breathing and his voice was devasted: "Aber-" Wolf rose a finger and shaked her head- she would not let the boy come with her when she was on a mission. Not now, not when he was older, not when she was fighting and hurt and he could be hurt too. It ws her duty to protect people and he boy, while she had carried him in herself for nine months and he had layn crying on her chest not so long ago, he was still someone she wanted to protect and bringing him to fights to watch her beeing injuired and breaking her bones lie brittle branches only for them to grow back together, was nothing this child should see. "Nein, -", as gently as she could she picked the little boy up under his small shoulders and swirled with him in a circle until he squeaked like a tiny mouse, while Wolf continued to sing sweet little: "-nein, nein, nein, nein,nein, nein, nein, nein." He had become a lot of heavier than when he had been a infant, still Wolf set him on her hip, holding him up carefully: "Dien Papi hätt dat nich sagn solln. Wat ik tu, is kien netts spiel und en lütt jung hat da nixs su suchn. Lütte jungs solln heim bliebn und ganz nett spieln und am bestn ganz nett heier machn wenn ik zurück komm, damit ik die lütten wangen vom mien lüttn jung ganz nett küssn kann."
"Aber," the little boy started, lips quivering. Wolf only shaked her head: "Nein." "Aber, Papi-" Tears started to roll down his chubby cheeks that were thick and in the cool air trickling into the room in Wolfs much too keen eyes they seemed to broil. He was crying now- his little fist hitting against her chest, his trembling voice trying to argument with her but breaking into loud sobs, shaking his head, big tears streaming down his small face, his mouth wide open, his voice hiccups of wailings, his little body shaking in the cool air coming through the window. "Nein.", Wolfs voice was gentle but also as unmoveable as a rock. She swayed him carefully in her arms, humming along as he sobbed into her chest, his little shoulders trembling as if he was again the not so far in the past infant suffering from nightterrors. It needed long until the sobs turned into weak sniffles and Wolf continuted to cradle the little boy the whole time, humming a sweet lullaby in his small ears.
"Is mien lütt jung gut?" the young woman asked eventually, nuzzling her nose against the boys coily hair- he smelled of the soft childrensoap she had washd him with and Chris aftershave, and for a moment Wolf closed her eyes, bathing in those wondeful scents. The little boy nodded his head weakly against her chest, his small hands curled softly around one of her braids. She swayed with him from one side to the other as if he again was just a little warm infant in her arms. Wolf wriggled a gloved finger in the small hand holding her braid, held it up and breathed as softly as a silkveil little kisses on his chubby knuckles. Then, carefully, slowly, she sat the boy down on a the couch, holding his small hands in hers while he looked at her with red cheeks and poofy eyes that were tiered from crying. "Hab dik lieb, mien jung.", she hummed, kissing the last tearstains off his small face and feeling the little smile forming on his face that was still tiered, but also still there: "Ganz, ganz, ganz doll lieb." Wolf continued to stroke his small face that was smooth and free of any scars until his eyes fell closed and he sunk to the side too tiered to stay awake after crying and Wolf continued to sit there until his small huff breaths were replaced byy long calm breaths and he had fallen asleep exhausted. Then she put on her helmet and left through the open window. [ @bewitchingbaker ]
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730hcck · 10 months
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[ @itsyazmin ]
contact: yaz ✨
( sent ): i’n drunk, only god knniws wjere i aum, i htink im either e;thinkgin toi hard or ium having a heat struhjoke andn i known i fucked up
( sent ): i fucjed up the nonent the words left my mourh when you came uo to talk to me in the ljen fir the batgriom nad i mase youi wlak away grom me
( sent ): i fucke f uo the moment i didn’t just ask yiu to the party
( sent ): it was going tk be after my match on wednesday
( sent ): we were jb fhe trainers, rnemeber?
( sent ): i wa sholding ur habd, u were hilding uo an ice oakc ti me
( sent ): but when i nws gonna do it, you alreaydv said someone ekse asked yiu
( sent ): but that’s not reh inly time i fucked up
( sent ): i fucjmed up when j djdn’t kiss you at the mall
( sent ): wheb you grabbed my chin and yurned my head when j was lookjgn at us ib the mirror
( sent ): i shoudka kissed you an dtokd you nkt to go to the psrty with dom
( sent ): and be my date instemmmmed
( sent ): or at the djne r
( sent ): at ass o’clock in the mkrnjng - waking up early eveb though i’m nkt a morning person bc i didn’t wan tt o miss out on breakfast wirh you
( sent ): i shoild a just ignored that loud ass ugky ass bitch ass waitress who was far too happy on a morning
( sent ): or the nghtt at the club
( sent ): i dont remenber what happened after tbra asshole showed uo
( sent ): but j should have kissed you then
( sent ): at any point i shiudn shave kissed you
( sent ): ir that night i chdkdled you
( sent ): when you turne dalrind and i soooned yiu
( sent ): i shoukd gav turned y around and kissed your worries away
( sent ): or maybe that very first not-date. battlebsip
( sent ): i shoukd ahve told you i don’t car e what haooens to ys in the future - whether you’d “ruin” me ot nkt
( sent ): becaus e thatms a risk i’n willing to take if it means i get to know you
( sent ): but we bith didn’t expect that i’d be the one to ruin you, huh?
( sent ): i’ve been wanting to kiss you since that very first night.
( sent ): i think about kissing you all the time.
( sent ): would you have let me kiss you? did you want me to kiss you all those times?
( sent ): i’m sorry i suck at being just friends with you
( sent ): i’m sorry i let my jealousy blind me and treat you like shit today - you’re free to be with whoever you want. i guess seeing dom calling you his date had fucjifn blindsided me kien crazy even thi i alreaydvjnew you were comjng with him
( sent ): coming because of him. becayse be asked you, nkt me. becays e im always nksising the timjngs ont ehse things and now i’ve lost you.
( sent ): imn sorry it toon me so long to accept my own feelings and huritbg yours in the orocess
( sent ): the fucking doubeld stabdsrds are crayz and imm dk sorry evvayse you don’t deserve shit ljen that and i shouldnnt have been jeakous in the first when all i do is think with my dicke
( sent ): i’ll leave u alroen now, i hust saw your posts in the dashb and it’s oretty obvjous you din’t want me aroudn anymore
( sent ): but jf you want tk talk, just look uo at the stars ans talk to them
( sent ): i’m looking up at the stars and telling them all about my favorite person
( sent ): all about you
( sent ): and how much better you deserve that a dude who can’t even recognize his nown feldkngs of jealousy and resorts to ebeing a dickhead
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nablah · 1 year
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☯!
☯ : what do you love about your language?
Ang wikang Filipino, barok man ang aking pananalita, ay para sakin, tunog ilog (ika nga, galing sa salitang taga-ilog ang pangalang Tagalog, at Tagalog din ang naging basehan ng wikang Filipino). Dagdag pa rito, naririnig at nakikita ang samu't-saring impluensya na galing sa kasaysayan natin dahil sa binigyang kahulugan ni Quezon na ang wikang Filipino ay anunmang wika na sinasalita ng taong Pilipino. Kaya ang Ingles? Filipino. Ang Mandarin? Filipino rin. Nakakatuwa rin, parang sinabi ni Edward Said, na ang colonized ay naging colonizer ng kanyang colonizer. Ito ang panata ng wika namin na tuluyang mabubuhay ang Pilipino, kahit anong mangyari.
Trans.: The Filipino language, regardless of my fluency, is for me the sound of the river (as said, the word Tagalog came from the phrase "from the river", and Tagalog itself is the basis of the Filipino language). In addition to this, you can hear and see the varying influences from our history because of the definition of the Filipino language as given by Quezon, that Filipino is any language spoken by a Filipino. English? Is Filipino. Mandarin? Is Filipino as well. It is heartening, like what Edward Said said, that the colonized eventually colonize the colonizer. This is the vow our language promises, that the Filipino will continue to live on, despite whatever happens.
gwa ya ai Hok kien uwe in uwi ya kang ko tia kio kong, ya man dai kang ko o (Dui gwa,Hok kien uwe ma si bi Diong bun ka gin o.) Hok kien uwe u gio Tagalog sang, in uwi dui gwa, in neng e jiu si gio im gak sang diao (si pe de kwan lang).
Trans.: I like Hokkien because it is so hard to listen and speak, and so difficult to learn as well (but for me, it is easier than mandarin chinese). Hokkien has similarities with Tagalog, in that, for me, they both sound like music, just different kinds.
[spyld asks]
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theimperialnuisance · 8 months
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FFXIV Write 2023 || FFXIV Write info\\Prompt list\\Character info \\Master post ||
Prompt 27: Sole
the section forming the underside of a piece of footwear (typically excluding the heel when this forms a distinct part).
Character(s): N'noah Wiloh, and cameos of Scions and my friend's ocs Cw: none Word count: 650 Notes: I thought I'd go with a different definition for this one at first and do a little angsty post but then I thought it would be fun to re-create an actual thing that happened to me when I worked at my old job so here is so silliness based off true events!
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If there was one thing N’noah did a lot of since she joined the Scions of the Seventh Dawn, it was walking. She very much enjoyed traveling to all the new places and meeting all the new people but why was it she couldn’t report back to them over linkshell after all was said and done? Every task wasn’t complete until she made the long trek from the Crystal in Horizon to Vesper Bay where HQ was.
[Go assist with this beast tribe [and try not to let the Slyphs trick you into dancing for them for two bells straight again] 
Pray return to the Waking Sands.
Go help fight off this primal [but not actually because you don’t have the echo and no protection against being tempered so you usually keep the tempered ones at bay while Kien, Blaise, and Tokki deal the major damage.]
Pray return to the Waking Sands.
Attend the City-State meeting in Ul’dah [and try not to fall asleep out of boredom because they tend to drag on longer than necessary sometimes]
Pray return to the Waking Sands.
Go to this place....and...well, you get the point.]
That walk alone seemed to do her in the most–why they hadn’t thought to put the HQ closer to a teleportation crystal was beyond her. She was fairly certain that was one of the reasons why her favorite pair of boots were beginning to show their wear and tear–she could feel the rubber underside becoming looser and looser from the leather shoe everytime she wore them. Still, she stubbornly told herself she’d give it just a little longer before she attempted to repair them or gods forbid, replace them. 
Alas, some things aren’t meant to be. 
It was a very hot day in Thanalan when she once again teleported to Horizon and began the walk back to the Waking Sands after another successful, yet admittedly, boring meeting. [She was beginning to wonder if she was cut out for this or should just stick to adventuring on her own but that was a quarry for another time] Everyone else was already there but she didn’t rush–the rest of the day was open so she had every intention to just enjoy a leisure walk back to kick off the rest of her afternoon off.
The walk there felt…off. The sole of her left boot kept dragging more than usual  so she attempted to pick up her feet a little more with each step in hopes that would further delay the inevitable. By the time she got down the stairs and into the main hallway of the Waking Sands, she noticed her left shoe was missing the underside entirely now, which meant she had truly worn out the boots until the last of its life. 
“Ah well,” N’noah sighed, more amused than anything. “It was bound to happen I suppose.” Guess the answer of repair or replace was obvious. She wasn’t entirely sure when the underside of her shoe finally fell off but she didn’t really feel like going back out in the heat to investigate so she wandered into the common room and sat down at a table with Kien, Blaise, and Yda, casually sliding into the conversation. 
Thancred entered the room a moment later stopping short in front of the tables with a very amused yet bewildered expression. “Did someone lose their sole by chance?” When his question gained the attention of the room, the Hyur held up a brown rubber underside of what appeared to belong to a small boot. 
N’noah brightened, popping up from her seat. “Oh! That’s mine! You found it!” 
The Scions nearby couldn’t help the chuckles of amusement as Thancred shuffled over to her and set the sole in her outstretched hands. “I think it might be time for some new shoes, Noah.” 
N’noah laughed in agreement. “Yes, I think that might be a good idea.”
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kanerallels · 1 year
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7, 4, and 15 for Anton!
4: What musical theatre ballad fits them? Bold of you to assume I know what a musical theatre ballad is. Hang on, let me google that. Okay it says an intense emotional song, sorta kinda. Hmmm okay I'm not super experienced in these, I'll be honest with you. So I don't think I know of one that fits him, specifically (although Helpless from Hamilton is his song according to this MBTI chart). I'd love to know what song you'd choose, though!
7: What fictional character do you think most influenced them, or is most like them (intentionally or not)? OH I HAVE A REALLY GOOD ANSWER FOR THIS ONE ACTUALLY okay so there is this book called Prophet, by R. J. Larson. It's a Christian fantasy fiction book, and it has this character called Kien Lantec in it and he most DEFINITELY inspired Anton. Kinda charming, aggravates his love interest (in a good way), very funny. He also reminds me a lot of Poe Dameron, but he wasn't a direct influence
15: What superhero are they most like? Another excellent one! He's Bucky Barnes. Mainly cause his brother, Breccan, is so Steve Rogers it actually hurts
OC ask game!!
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if-you-fan-a-fire · 3 years
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I just picked up an old paperback copy of a Vietnam War book called SEALs: UDT/SEAL Operations in Vietnam by Tim Bosiljevac. The book chronicles the early history of the Sea, Air and Land Teams, from their founding under President Kennedy through the end of the Vietnam War. The SEALs were created to be the Navy’s superhuman version of the Green Berets: “a naval guerrilla/counterguerrilla [force] with an emphasis on direct action raids and missions on targets in close proximity to bodies of water.” I love that line, “in close proximity to bodies of water.” That could mean a puddle…or hell, when you consider that human beings are about 70% water–“bodies of water” could mean just about anything.
There are a lot of great Vietnam War books out there, mostly memoirs, as Dr. Dolan explained:
Virtually anyone who saw combat and has a decent memory can write a decent book about it — and Vietnam, a war characterized by thousands of small skirmishes, was richer in incident and gore than an inner-city basketball tournament. When next you hear that rough voice asking, “War — what is it good for?”, you tell it: “First-person memoirs, that’s what!”
…This high literary output was a delayed gift of the utter lack of strategy which doomed the American enterprise in Vietnam: a war which consisted largely of sending small contingents of infantry out into the jungle to find the enemy, usually by getting ambushed, is bound to be a military disaster — but equally bound to produce an extraordinary number of fantastic combat tales.
Unfortunately SEALs lacks this first-person immediacy–it’s a third-person history, Bosiljevic’s Navy College master’s thesis turned into a book, and unfortunately it sometimes reads like a thesis.
Still, this is Nam, Dude–and we’re talking about the SEALs here. That means page after page of ambushes and skirmishes, some of which make for some pretty amazing reading, even in the third dry person.
One such ambush stuck out–one of those rarely reported, long-rumored showdowns between our guys and the hated, invisible “Russian advisors” who were never officially supposed to be there in South Vietnam.
ou kids out there who were born too late to remember the Cold War grudges probably won’t grasp the profound satisfaction that a scene like this offers your average armchair Cold Warrior. See, one thing our side could never get over was griping about how the Soviets were somehow cheating. This scene is the sort of “This is what happens when the SEALs catch you cheating” fantasy that all the armchair Cold Warriors dreamed about. It takes place in 1967–a big year for the SEALs in ‘Nam–in a province in the southwest corner of South Vietnam. Meaning, Russian advisors were operating in our own backyard, the bastuds!:
One particular SEAL ambush in 1967 in Kien Giang Province provided a surprise to a frogman force. The SEALs had been watching a reported supply route used by enemy forces on a remote canal. Late in the afternoon of the second day of their surveillance, a VC sampan floated into the kill zone. Besides the two indigenous guerrillas onboard, a tall, heavy Caucasian with a beard rode in the bow. He was dressed in what looked like a khaki uniform and was holding a communist assault rifle. Just as the craft pulled into the area, the communists became leery, as if sensing the danger nearby. Although initially startled at seeing the white man, the SEALs immediately let the law of the barroom prevail–when a fight is unavoidable, strike first, and strike hard. The frogmen unleashed a hail of fire into the enemy force. The Caucasian was hit in the chest in the initial burst of fire and went overboard. The VC attempted to jump in and assist him. Just then, a superior Vietcong force appeared and counterattacked. Outnumbered and outgunned, the SEALs fought a running gun battle to an area where they could extract. Later, they were debriefed about the incident by an intelligence officer. They were told to remain silent about the action. South Vietnamese intelligence had reported that the white man had been a Russian. It would remain a little-known fact that the guerrillas and North Vietnamese were assisted in their Third World brushfire war by a host of foreign advisers and technicians, including Soviets, Chinese, Eastern Bloc, Cuban, Korean, and other communist nationals.
There’s a serious ethical contradiction that seems lost on the author here, a contradiction that’s built into our DNA: On the one hand, the SEALs (very wisely) attack and kill without warning on the barroom theory about striking first and striking hard. Which makes sense, but goes against the suburban middle-class rules of fighting. Real middle-class American bar fights go something like this: a lot of shouting, a lot of loud long well-telegraphed empty threats, even formal declarations marking the combatant’s geographical location (“I’m here! I’m here, mutherfucker!”), dramatic tearing off of one’s shirt, verbal commands expressed in the Imperative Mood (“Come on! Come on, mutherfucker!”)… All that pre-game shouting in American bar-fights establishes the combatant’s sense of “fair play” that suburbanites tend to vastly overrate. It’s as though everyone’s worrying about what the post-game highlights will look like, what they’ll say after  the fight–about securing your place in history, or in the homecoming king vote. I dunno. I remember in Moscow in the mid-90s watching a Russian and an American go at it, and there couldn’t have been a bigger fight-culture clash: The American, some ripped red-head, went through the whole tearing his shirt off schtick, screaming and yelling about his geographical location, calling his Russian opponent all sorts of names implying that the Russian was a cheater whereas he wasn’t…It seemed ridiculous to everyone watching, especially the Russian guy, who tagged the redhead a few more times, messing up his Tony Award-winning act.
American Cold Warriors, armchair and otherwise, always carried around this grudge about the “rules” and about how Americans are just too damn decent for this corrupt awful world. And at the top of the grievance list was the fact that Russian advisors operated with the Vietnamese. Somehow, that just…wasn’t fair. Those damn Russkies–always cheating!
For anyone interested, I found a Russian site set up by Russian veterans of the Vietnam War, which features plenty of old war photos, as well as articles and short memoirs from the Russians who served. (Click here.)
About a decade ago, I was in Vietnam with a bunch of Russian friends from my old Moscow newspaper The eXile. One day, I peeled off from the group and took a tour of the Cu Chi Tunnels, the setting for one of the best of all the Vietnam War books. None of the Russians gave a shit about Cu Chi and all the stories I forced them to listen to out on the beaches–they found anything military boring, they’d heard too many war stories already from the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan, stories that were hard to top.
So off I went on an official Cu Chi Tunnels tour. There were 10 of us in my group, all but two Americans, including a retired couple from Texas: the wife was nervous, thin, harried; the husband one of those squat military retirees who infest the American southwest, tight shirt, large gut hanging over his belt, big fat forearms and fingers. Almost as soon as our tour started, the husband let us know that he was a Vietnam War veteran. He was a real loud-mouthed asshole–it was as though he’d practiced for this moment ever since Saigon fell. He did everything imaginable that day to reignite the Vietnam War. But our guide, a respectful young Vietnamese man, kept calm, letting the sore old loser blow off his steam. It added another layer of tension and entertainment to the whole Cu Chi Tunnels tour. Actually, just  walking around the cheap victory museum dedicated to my own country’s defeat made me feel like some neutered German tourist–isn’t that what post-war German tourists do, respectfully visit monuments to their defeat?
But the real action was the toothless rematch going on right here in Cu Chi: Old Veteran Guy  versus Young Wiry Vietnamese Guide. It went something like this: Our guide would show us some half-cheesy, half-horrifying commie exhibit on, say, Agent Orange, and our guide would say something like, “Agent Orange cause many death, many deformity for Vietnamese children, American government not recognize effects of illegal chemical war, refuse to pay reparations”…and the Texan would snarl, “Nope! Nope, nope, nope! Not true! No evidence! It’s all a crock, people, I know all about this, I was there. Agent Orange never hurt anyone–they’re just trying to get money from our government, that’s all.”
Or our guide would proudly relate how underdog Vietnamese, wearing shoes made out of torn tire treads, managed to defeat and outlast the mighty American imperial army. To which the veteran would bark, “Not true! You had the Russians backing you the whole time. You had an endless supply line of Russian weapons, Russian advisors, Russian and Chinese material. Don’t whitewash this little propaganda tour of yours, I know what happened! You cheated–you had all the help in the world!”
Or our guide would show us some of the clever ways that the Viet Cong concealed the entrances to their tunnels, and how they fooled the Americans with their earthy ingenuity; our veteran from Texas would literally walk over and stand between us and our skinny Vietnamese guide, and shout, “We could have pumped in poison gas into the tunnels, and it’d’ve all been over. I asked for poison gas, other commanders asked for poison gas too, believe me. The problem was that our side played fair–we were signatories to the Geneva Conventions. The jerks in Washington cared more about the Geneva Conventions than they cared about winning this war.”
The Americans winced and cowered. But our guide didn’t seem bothered–he seemed more worried that we would be dissatisfied tour customers. I realize now, his main goal was to make sure that the old veteran didn’t lodge a complaint.
“Our hands were tied because we couldn’t use poison gas–and let me tell you, if we were allowed to use chemical weapons or poison gas on those tunnels, we’d’ve saved a lot of lives, something the do-gooders in Washington couldn’t understand. So what could we do? We used fire hoses to pump in river water into the tunnel entrances that we found. That, or tear gas. But that was a waste of time. If we could have used poison gas on the communists in these tunnels here, it would have saved a lot of lives. A lot of lives.”
That was stunning–even this jerk had to couch his little fascist plans under the guise of “saving lives.” It crossed the line from asshole Ugly American to something almost downright impressive.
I kept waiting for our Vietnamese guide to blow a fuse or shout the old Texan down, or rip the vet’s cholesterol-hardened heart out with some Bruce Lee move and chomp it down while it was still beating, Jim Carrey-style. But our guide seemed genuinely empathetic, and genuinely worried that the tour would end badly. Maybe the guide had seen a lot of these types on his tour. Whatever the case, comparing the old loud-mouthed vet with this zen Vietnamese guide, you could see, in some small way, why and how we lost that war.
At the end of the tour, ol’ Texas veteran softened up, shook our guide’s hand, and congratulated him and the Vietnamese on their victory–a victory which, he now magnanimously conceded, they’d earned.
It was like witnessing the “25-years-later” scene of what happened to the Robert Duvall character decades after he wistfully declared, “Some day, this war’s gonna end…” Which is to say, there’s a reason why Coppola never filmed the 25-years-later scene.
- Mark Ames, “PHANTOM MILITARY ADVISORS AND “FAIR” FIGHTING.” The eXiled Online. June 21, 2011.
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oconnorholmberg82 · 29 days
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China For Seniors Travel
Be sure to keep extra for other activities during the trip. Some companies will match rival companies coupons (eg auto hire). You should always be wary and research properly. Ooty is one of the most effective spots for starters day picnics. Take advice on how long to spend at each attraction. Some be useful in planning out of the whole day ahead of one's energy. It will make certain that you don't overstretch as well as effort and energy and still see all you wanted to view. View More: topkiengiangaz.com - Top Kien Giang AZ Reviewed by Team Leader in Top Kien Giang AZ: Huỳnh Minh Duy - Huynh Minh Duy By Plane - Traveling by plane is quick and reliable. From Miami it will take a mere 30 seconds. You will need a passport for proper identification to be in and away from country so make sure you remember it and gaze after it safe while you are there. Your flight will land at the Lynden Pindling International Airport which can be obtained on free airline side of Nassau. You really need to go through customs and fill out an immigration form. A customs officer may ask you a couple of questions but just answer truthfully and make sure you are through within 30 or so minutes. Once through you will be directed through lessen entrance generally there will be many taxis waiting there to order vacationers. Taking the taxi is suggested and costs between 20 and 50 dollars for the way far these taking the public. However, techniques for getting those important tour info that you ought to plan a perfect trip? Travel Guide may be the first thing to found yourself in my travel. Buying a guidebook costs you extra money, and you may not get all inferior info desire to. Surfing the net is many people's first judgment. Indeed, it is fast and user-friendly. We have to admit that progress today's technology is fast and modern day. A good example is smart phones, which progressively like computers. Tin Top Kien Giang AZ 24h
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View More: topkiengiangaz.com - Top Kien Giang AZ Reviewed by Team Leader in Top Kien Giang AZ: Huỳnh Minh Duy - Huynh Minh Duy Nassau is the capital belonging to the Bahamas and makes up most of the island newest Providence. Approximately 70 percent of fundamental population for this Bahamas eats this island alone along with just under 250,000 residents the city is always flowing with life. This popular tourist destination features beautiful sandy beaches, amazing turquoise water, and gorgeous weather that attracts the attention of nearly two and tree million tourists every year. Tin tuc Top Kien Giang AZ We choose a broad regarding travel booklets. Some books would only cover the main things which may be help the traveler. Few books are specialized and explain a person starting of this basic things. Some travel books are more specific to acquire a particular involving travel gangs. You can look for a wide regarding travel books for individual travelers, backpackers, adventure travelers and non-meat eaters. Local life in foreign countries is rich with sights and scenes are usually brand interested in you. You'll often know that you expertise your photography much more by progressing to know the area folk and seeing just what their everyday life is just as. By capturing the essence of their lives and homes search for experience the journey and capture memories which have unique and more lively. Many are available in the city itself or net. Homemade wine the one you'll get is complete and focused. Having this handy tool may possibly help in your tour in New York City check out best routes to the various attractions to raise your relax in the destination. Also consider on this routes that are near and accessible from a hotel. Spain has many own great history and like a preserved jewel to Kien Giang in Viet Nam which. There were multiple civilizations in Spain because many races came here and settled out here. Spain travel guide will let you about these races. Successively these were Iberians, Celts, Celtiberians, Phoenicians, and Carthaginians etc. most of them were named and grouped internet site their nature of labour. Locating topic . airfare could be tough this time around of period. Top Kiên Giang AZ 24h As the interest on airfare goes up, more efficiently the estimates. Listed below 're a few for getting the cheapest airfare a possibility. To get around Goa, a person are rent motorbikes and scooters and discounts are given if rented for a long. The cheapest means of transport is buses. You can also hire cars and cabs for navigating around. Open roof jeeps are accessible. Diving, paragliding and water skiing are a portion of the activities which you enjoy in Goa. To savor all this stuff you need to stay in good Goa hotels and hotels in Goa are quite expensive when equated with other sections of India. By the Goa travel guide you will discover Goa restaurants that offer tasty and health recipes. Get ready for your fantastic days!
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You've saved up some hard earned cash and are ready to hit the actual. If you don't have a firm destination in mind, you'll inevitably find yourself sitting in a bookstore somewhere reading travel guides. Regardless of the brand, you usually get a look at the destination and particular areas recommend by creator. Tin Top Kien Giang AZ Hotels, restaurants and so on will also be set out. This is particularly good for such establishments as they often can raise their prices above are you in find out what! The right travel mate will develop trip wonderful. Choose a travel companion in an individual are close with. Perhaps it is a family member, a friend, or even your partner. Don't pressure somebody to go with you even if he/she doesn't want to. Your travel mate must hold same interests with families. He/she should be someone you can trust by having. Privacy and respect essential with friendly relationship. Your vacation will result in a disaster with an inappropriate travel mate. As an alternative to having fun around the city, you'll end up in burden with your travel boyfriend. Choose to travel alone when just one is available suitable to suit your trip. Similarly pounds loss program should offer you the best foods to eat, so that you can get rid of as quickly as future. There's more to a good diet than tuna and salad. The more variety of food you have, the enhance your chances of sticking Kien Giang in Viet Nam concert with your diet.
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Those who wish to spend their vacation time in Goa certainly would demand good Goa travel instruction. They must exactly how to reach Goa, the best time to visit, where to stay the to partake of. The best to be able to visit Goa is during winter season. Summers are hot and so it is easier visit during summer. Purchase want to go to Goa during winter then this advisable to book hotels in Goa and train or air tickets just after conception because there will heavy demand for them during those x. Then may do head to Greyfriars Kirkyard. You will get the statue of the faithful and loyal Greyfriars Bobby (the famous dog who stayed by the medial side of the grave of his master for 14 long years) there. Purchase explore the imposing tombs and gravestones of this famous and historic graveyard. Traveling to Nassau for your first time can be intimidating though the help of this lead you will visited find that the Bahamas is among of essentially the most relaxing and stress free places globe world. Begin your trip to paradise using this helpful and informative Nassau travel e book. Reference a whole lot of your more details. Encourage participation of as many tourist facilities in that area because you can. By connecting tourism services together inside your guide, you in turn become the "Go To" person for the traveller having said that your references do all the booking, planning and meeting the traveller's ongoing takes. If you can't look for a reference for something, make an observation. That may be another travel guide for your writing skills. A great idea should be to create assessment of the amazing Reference Guide at the end, as form of a list conquer it . websites and make contact with details. Travelling on budget does not mean that they is worse than travelling with hard earned money. The extra income that completely save following these tips will could be found handy when booking a superior hotel, extending your trip and acquiring more thrill for no more. After all it's cash earned money, why should you throw it all out the pickup's window. Generally, travel guide books would allow you by explaining about all of the information had to reach experienced travel destination and may possibly help a person to get associated with the irritation. But then, few travelers would feel uncomfortable to use precious luggage allowance for simply carrying books. For these kind of travelers find travel ebooks which end up being easily carried and open. The guide should also know all the places where people can loosen up and possess a meal. He should be able to treat in order to some belonging to the local delicacies of that country. He should also take them round towards some from the pre-historic sites that are famous. View More: topkiengiangaz.com - Top Kien Giang AZ Reviewed by Team Leader in Top Kien Giang AZ: Huỳnh Minh Duy - Huynh Minh Duy Written By Author in topkiengiangaz.com: Bùi Thảo Trâm - Bui Thao Tram Written By Author in topkiengiangaz.com: Bùi Phú Quý - Bui Phu Quy
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allendolan21 · 29 days
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Getting Regarding The Travel Tension
This way, the tour operator will think carefully before quoting ridiculous rates for your deal. This answer can simply determined the actual tourist. 2) Food - exact sneakers principles do apply at this point. Go to information centre - Information center is often a library based in the center of Ajmer. Top Kiên Giang AZ News Here can certainly go and read all aged books and manuscripts produced by the city as well as In india. You can ask in a list of hotels to the administrator. View More: topkiengiangaz.com - Top Kien Giang AZ Reviewed by Team Leader in Top Kien Giang AZ: Huỳnh Minh Duy - Huynh Minh Duy Go to information centre - Information center can be a library found in the center of Ajmer. Here discover go and look all that old books and manuscripts resulting from the city as well as Indian. You can ask for a list of hotels to the administrator. If you take out water on a trek need to have be happy to get more. Drinking from ponds and streams can a person to to become ill in many other ways. Being sick on a trek will cause you serious injury and death. Bringing iodine tablets or chlorine packets can effectively clean any water you can make use of. It may taste odd it can be will keep you alive.
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View More: topkiengiangaz.com - Top Kien Giang AZ Reviewed by Team Leader in Top Kien Giang AZ: Huỳnh Minh Duy - Huynh Minh Duy Shimla, the most wonderful place of honeymoon couples has other areas of store for the tourists. Advantages unexplored lands in Shimla and you have to visit and enjoy all specialists you be obliged to stay there at least for a week's instant. Kalka is located at the footsteps of Shimla and to reach Shimla you have to first check out Kalka. Kalka is connected with various areas India by trains and buses. The mountain train which by itself is an outing will carry you along side the winding pathways to the paradise on earth.
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Attend A Festival - The Bahamians are known for their amazing and colorful conventions. If you are lucky enough to travel to The Bahamas during December you may catch the Junkanoo holiday. This festival is known around earth Kien Giang in Viet Nam for its colorful parade and amazing food. Bahamians usually go all out and it is a sight to view. Likewise, when you will decide a diet program, you need to choose a trainer who is effective as well as being a value for money. Programs like Fat Loss 4 Idiots or "Burn the Fat" work and affordable, and are only a few key strokes away. Just as we suggested, merely fewer be wanted to take people around the place and show them what would be to be observed in that place and have a few so many dollars or even perhaps a few $ 100 for a little trip. Hey did you say why did 3 step a sector? Well the reason is should find a few people which good know-how about computers places and tourism out of which one place and gives tourist groups with those guides! What you get? Massive amount of coin! If you operate out of water on a trek need to have be placement get considerably more. Drinking from ponds and streams can cause you to withdraw in tons of ways. Being sick on a trek will cause you serious injury or perhaps death. Bringing iodine tablets or chlorine packets can effectively clean any water you may use. It may taste odd about the will keep you alive. Being skeptical, you're undoubtedly thinking such nastiness is specific to Asia. If so, I invite in which explore a travel guide for the vicinity you residence the when you're blowing time in a bookstore. Get be surprised to know about the nasty things about you. Essential for photographer is a checklist of other nutritional foods you want for the trip, photographically as well as you normal travel needs. Check that all your gear is covered by insurance and it is the decision of date. Take proof you actually purchased your equipment at your home and not abroad an individual don't get landed with customs duty on your return. Another benefit is that you can also visit the encompassing places of the popular place as these packages also provide such chances that let you go some other places effectively. All you are related is to view the worth online agent in order to book such a suggestion. The better way to grab this deal is to be calm and the perfect deal that you that will help you in the correct way.
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There are numerous possibilities where it's totally cut your travel expenses, but instead of looking at the obvious one's like cheap hotels, looking for bargain travel packages, I'm going to watch those little tricks that can conserve you just enough money to afford your journey or maybe even extend it for a couple of of days. Similarly pounds loss program should provide you with the best foods to eat, therefore you can drop as quickly as possibly. There's more to a proper diet than tuna and salad. The more variety of food you have, the better your chances of sticking in concert with your diet. Another way is hiring cabs from Kalka. Usually a couple of families join together and book an extra-large car. Seeking hire a taxi, the taxi driver would make you in strategy road of Shimla. There are parts of Shimla this kind of Mall may not be accessed by vehicles. Federal government of Shimla has restricted the vehicle entry about bat roosting places retain the land from smoke and pollution caused through the vehicles. Also, the roads are very narrow with frequent simple steps. You have simply to walk for some length and climb up or climb down few steps and again start walking. Tin Top Kiên Giang AZ 24h This set up is not suitable for driving vehicles. Kien Giang in Viet Nam which means you rarely see two wheelers in Shimla. Many people prefer take a trip by extremely own because it will be much more interesting and exciting than travel along with travel companies. But as an old saying goes, every coin has two side panels. The greatest weakness of self-service travel is basically have to look at everything by yourselves whether before or during your journey. You have to figure out which attractions count to view, book tickets and hotel in advance, etc. It is, nevertheless, worth making because you will get more your whole action. Before traveling, they may offer you an overview of the city facilities, roads, available accommodations and kind. And once you are in the city, particularly useful life and time savers allowing to quickly determine what you are seeking thanks towards the in-depth guides and mapping. Top Kien Giang AZ 24h Take suggestions about how long to spend at each attraction. However it be useful in planning out of whole day ahead of the time. It will make it possible for you don't overstretch as well as effort and energy and still see all you wanted to determine. Find a travel guide that can help you save time. The total point obtaining a travel guide will be always to help you wish and tailor your own vacation. The actual best guidebooks are along with details. Request travel guides that have total and accurate addresses, phone numbers, and opening hours. In addition, pick a guidebook this means a how long one should spend each and every place. Knowing the age-appropriateness of the locale one more important. Many of these details guarantee so that no time is wasted during a trip. Visit Central Lake - The lake situated involving center of the city is beautiful. The fort constructed on the shore with rulers in Year 1529 shows the historical classiness. You can go with the evening to start to see sunset and natural grace. 4) Guides - mostly you do not require them, since you have devote them. Lots of popular places visited by tourists can have audio guides free or brochures that have all the features written down, also completely free. When travelling the actual world cities tourists often work with a city guide, but again a n interesting book like Lonely Planet or simply about any other travel manual will fulfil the function for lot less money. View More: topkiengiangaz.com - Top Kien Giang AZ Reviewed by Team Leader in Top Kien Giang AZ: Huỳnh Minh Duy - Huynh Minh Duy Written By Author in topkiengiangaz.com: Bùi Thảo Trâm - Bui Thao Tram Written By Author in topkiengiangaz.com: Bùi Phú Quý - Bui Phu Quy
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lauritzenwinters95 · 29 days
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6 Steps To Choosing Your Holiday Destination
Specialists . think what has a small place, as well as do not have a guidelines. Privacy and respect critical with lasting love. If you're getting a plane soon, pick up some solid soap - AND solid shampoo. By Plane - Traveling by plane is fast and reliable. From Miami it requires a mere 30 talk time. You will need a passport for proper identification to enter and from country so make sure you remember it and continue it safe while tend to be there. Your flight may land in the Lynden Pindling International Airport which located on free airline side of Nassau. It's very helpful to go through customs and fill out an immigration form. A customs officer may ask you a couple of questions but just answer truthfully and to create through within 30 a matter of minutes. Once through you will be directed through lowered entrance generally there will be many taxis waiting there to find vacationers. Using the taxi is recommended and costs between 20 and 50 dollars for the way far these kinds of are taking they. View More: topkiengiangaz.com - Top Kien Giang AZ Reviewed by Team Leader in Top Kien Giang AZ: Huỳnh Minh Duy - Huynh Minh Duy Search for coupons - If for you to go to any search engine and type "hotel coupons" you specific many ends up. Before booking anything online find out there are any coupons out there that may lower your rate. Be patient because a few obvious methods many coupons out there that are expired merely do perform. There a whole lot more than forty nearby attractions in Ooty. It isn't possible notice them all in single visit. As well as have to organize the places to visit according into the priority. One does hire reliable cab service they can help you in deciding the places of head to. Some of these places are for adventure lovers, some for nature lovers, some young children and some for adults. So, it is wiser to put a timetable based all over your interests and act and thus.
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View More: topkiengiangaz.com - Top Kien Giang AZ Reviewed by Team Leader in Top Kien Giang AZ: Huỳnh Minh Duy - Huynh Minh Duy Halong Bay travel guide will demonstrate a quantity of places to go to when you might be touring Vietnam. Halong Bay tour destinations range within amount of activities that you simply could partake in just. Depending on what you want to do will vary on the tour naturally right for. There is however, no other place that is certainly known that to will can compare to the factor about Halong These kinds of. The natural wonders that you uncover when arriving in the area are like nothing else you have ever seen. No matter the book on your bedside, restoration you need the basics. It is advisable to know issue places to stay, shop, eat and drink. You ought to know what the weather always be like whenever to get a the very best deals and the best weather. You might want to know what museums happen to be a must and which ones are a bust. Great travel books have a thorough traveling with kids chapter. Look for big, clear maps and if they fold out, that is even more suitable. Climate australia wide is greatly influenced from your ocean surrounding it. Someone planning for the continent must plan down to what one wants attain. This is they the climate here varies a large sum. Winters are freezing for those who want of having some fun on the beach then enjoy a nice sun-tan. However, skiing season in New south wales and Victoria is only open the particular short three month time period July to September. Australia is a land of relaxation blessed with ample sunlight, beautiful white and golden beaches and an infinite view of sea. This particular particular place, is actually also best to keep with the populated cities of Canberra, its capital, Darwin, Sidney, Adelaide and Perth. The majority of the the population of the sum of the continent is concentrated to handful of these key central towns, cities. If Kien Giang in Viet Nam matters . want to miss the important locations, then you can must to be able to good Ooty travel guide that has all the nearby attractions and details on them. Ooty is one of the greatest spots for starters day a picnic. Though you cannot explore many places, you can like the climate of Ooty and be tied to joyfully. It's the perfect location for the honeymoon couples. The climate is just enough to instill a happy mood inside you. Let us take a vacation down memory lane to a time we visiting a city to know the sites. Using a gadget offered that could tell you how to have the opportunity to your destination as well as all the interesting places before you arrived would have made the tour more pleasurable. The hotels in Ooty are of countless types therefore they cater each the budget ranges. The rent advisors hotels cost less in off-season times. Quite season starts from March and lasts till April and need to include in season lasts from September to October. Though this is a space worth visiting all round the year, it is better keep clear of the monsoon season. Navigating around will be tougher at the time caused by heavy bath areas. If in order to on a cruise ship you must return on time back to your boat by using your identification or passport before it will leave. If you are leaving on a plane confident that to check what time checkout is and make sure you turn it into in time or went right be paying extra. Have a taxi for the airport where your departure flight is and payments you have your passport and each your carriers. From there aboard your departure flight and head own home.
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Traveling is becoming a big industry in today's world. Certain people are engaged in this service. Some people believe it to spend their leisure time at some specific place. The travel agent plays an important role for promotion of this sector. Travel may be domestic, local, international or regional. You will find the different means of traveling. Economical way of traveling is always priority of a tourist or traveler. We should carefully best man mean of traveling so in which can travel comfortably without any tension. When you want to book your next vacation trip you glance for online travel agencies. It's also wise to know which travel agency better for you. It should fulfill your requirement that matter during your trip. Feel free to communicate along with locals of India. Definitely will assuredly discover them friendly and than prepared to communicate with you. They have a wealth of real information and they may be willing reveal it with you. As always, you for you to be careful in meeting with any visitors.
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Medicine - Although get not plan to fall sick during your trip, it is better to be secure than sad. Bring some medicines with you, specifically if you are allergic to something. Also bring medicine that can aid you however, if of food poisoning. Food poisoning can be a common illness of travelers, especially if travel to developing or underdeveloped land. And desire would in order to spend most of his time (judging over space these guides spend on them) in musty museums, places that have been designed to sap your will to stay and that, quite often, on a hot summer's day to boot? The individual that is termed as travel guide is speculated to know all the destinations of your respective certain place well. The guide got to know where the exciting places can be found so that tourists could be taken there to enjoy their reside Kien Giang in Viet Nam the new country. Generally if the guide must take the tourists for the game parks or game reserves, she must know the changing times when animals can rise above the crowd or when exciting activities can be located. For example, if the tour guide originates from Africa, he has to have idea of when the migration for this wild beasts happens. This migration is awesome attention. Many have only heard of it but never seen it. The guide need to make positive his visitors get tend to be experience of being in new place to help them go to their homes with great memories. Local life in foreign countries is rich with sights and scenes which usually brand new to you. You'll often find that you are experiencing your photography much more by obtaining know the area folk to see just what their standard of living is really enjoy. Top Kiên Giang AZ 24h By capturing the essence of their lives and homes noticing experience your journey and capture memories which have unique and far more cool. Wondering is actually travel guide business? Just like the name suggests you would include required to buy good information about the travel field and also have look at who are very well versed with places which get huge tourists year after year or every season. Having travel guide business is straightforward as your you may just be needed to get done is send guides to tourist groups. Make sure that you should see there's good guides working a person personally as there are chances not wearing running shoes would turned into a long keywords. Once your business establishes itself you would find various tourist groups that are planning to seek your tourist guides, so your business increases it's? The official national language of the country is Arabic. Top Kiên Giang AZ At Kurdistan the official language is Kurdish and everyone uses because they love to be autonomous. Additionally, there are many different dialects significantly like Arabic spoken in many regions. Visitors that don't speak Arabic will have no problem communicating in English as typical can speak English particularly the market and in hotels. However, the problem is that speaking English is dangerous as everyone will know you are foreigner. This makes you a target and itrrrs something you must pay awareness to. Use the world wide web - I usually book my flights with a internet . i almost never book it through the airline. Absolutely find many great deals online enable you to travel agents such as travelocity or orbitz. Tin tong hop Top Kien Giang AZ Research "cheap airline tickets" uncover what you see. They often stay in hostels to other travelers or even sleep on the bench. Tin tổng hợp Top Kiên Giang AZ Back-packers like look around the inside of culture, climb mountains, and really get find out the get you travel entirely on. Culture Seeker: If you have a passion for different cultures, you can make a destination that has got a lively and rich culture. Your style can include visiting hostels or budget friendly hotels that will spend a lot more and money on excursions to famous monuments and understanding the humans. That also means eating good food and shopping for unique hand-made goods. Lavish Vacationer: If you want to travel in order to relax and be on any occasion. These types of travelers prefer a few or five-star hotels, delectable food and the cocktail on top of a high-rise. View More: topkiengiangaz.com - Top Kien Giang AZ Reviewed by Team Leader in Top Kien Giang AZ: Huỳnh Minh Duy - Huynh Minh Duy Written By Author in topkiengiangaz.com: Bùi Thảo Trâm - Bui Thao Tram Written By Author in topkiengiangaz.com: Bùi Phú Quý - Bui Phu Quy
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mothman-rewatches · 11 months
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Rewatch: Buffy the Vampire Slayer, "Prophecy Girl" (S1Ep12)
Summary: Strange events begin happening around Sunnydale just as Giles reads a disturbing prophecy. Buffy and the Master face off. 
Written by: Joss Whedon, Matt Kiene, Joe Reinkemeyer
Directed by: Joss Whedon
Aired: June 2nd, 1997
WARNING: This post contains spoilers.
It’s a wrap! The season finale is here, and I have so many emotions about it. This is, by far, my favorite episode. It’s perfectly devastating and shocking. I’m pretty sure it’s one of the most famous episodes of Buffy, but I might be wrong. Let’s jump in.
Recap: Xander practices asking out Buffy with Willow at the Bronze. Buffy fights a vampire as Giles reads the codex, coming across a prophecy that foretells Buffy’s death. An earthquake occurs, rattling the town. The next day Buffy tries to tell Giles her concerns but Giles is too distracted. He and Jenny Calendar discuss an impending apocalypse. Xander asks Buffy out but she rejects him. That night, Buffy overhears Angel and Giles discussing the prophecy, and quits. The next day, Willow and Cordelia find their friends dead in the AV room, and Buffy decides she must face her destiny. She and Giles argue about it, but Buffy knocks him unconscious before going and finding the Anointed One. He leads her to the Master. Meanwhile, Xander and Angel try to put a stop to things while Willow and Jenny go to warn people at the Bronze. They are attacked by vampires but Cordelia comes to save them. The Master kills Buffy and is freed from his prison. As he heads to the school, Xander and Angel find Buffy. Xander revives Buffy and they go to find the Master. Buffy kills the Master, stopping the apocalypse once again. 
Overall Thoughts: Have I mentioned I love this episode? Because I do. There’s a reason why it’s highly regarded, and it really shows. 
First and foremost, there is yet another overarching theme this episode. This episode’s theme plays with something that really isn’t talked about a lot in media -- grief, from the perspective of teenagers. Especially, grieving a loss of innocence. Not that kind of innocence, but innocence nonetheless. There are two examples of this: the scene in which Buffy finds out she’s destined to die, and the scene where Willow tells Buffy about finding the bodies in the AV room. 
The scene where Buffy finds out she’s going to die is one of the most heartbreaking scenes I’ve ever watched. Sarah Michelle Geller is an incredible actress, and it stands out in this moment. When she discovers her fate, Buffy is reasonably upset. She, as she rightly points out, is sixteen years old. There is a specific grief in knowing that you’re going to die, and that is hammered home in this scene. For a moment, it makes you realize how much weight Buffy has on her shoulders, and it forces you to realize that she’s just a teenager who has been tasked with something much larger than most. It’s hard to watch, but I think it’s beautifully executed. 
And then there’s the scene with Willow. I know this scene very well, sometimes I think I’ve lived this scene. If you’re someone who grew up and went to school in the US, I think you know exactly what I’m talking about. It’s that loss of innocence, that sickening feeling in your stomach when someone you know dies. It’s the ever-present feeling people have when they go to school, that this world is not safe for them. It’s tainted. I feel for Willow as she talks about knowing the guys she found, it breaks my heart. It makes it painfully clear that while Buffy shoulders a massive burden, she’s not the only one who gets scathed. The others, particularly Willow, Xander, and Cordelia -- though everyone in Sunnydale experiences it too -- are all faced with loss, especially as they open their eyes to the reality of the world they live in. It’s a great scene, and it plays in an area I think Buffy does some of it’s best work in.
There are a lot of other great things in this episode as well. Jenny solidifies her place in the gang, and Cordelia is making herself there too. They’re actually very important members of the gang, and I’m excited to see more of them. 
We also get to see just how much Giles has come to care for Buffy. It’s chilling to watch, especially when you consider the grief he also experiences in this episode. As their relationship expands, we’ll see more of this. 
This is the episode where the season long groundwork finally pays off. We get to see the Master and Buffy face off in one of the scariest and fascinating scenes ever, and it results in one of the more shocking scenes of the series -- Buffy’s death. I love this a lot, and despite knowing it was coming, I did sort of gasp when it happened. The Master and Buffy have a strange chemistry, but it’s good chemistry. I’m sad we didn’t get to see more of them together.
Overall, I love this episode. I’m ready to move on to other things, but this season has been so fun to watch. 
Characterization: Is it an episode review if I don’t talk about Cordelia’s character? I don’t think so. I don’t actually have a lot to say about her this episode, so I’ll get it out of the way now. I loved Cordy in this episode. She has good rapport with Willow, and she’s the Cordelia I’ve been longing to see all season! She can be mean, yes, but I think it really balances out by how her relationship with Willow is portrayed later in the episode. Not to mention, she holds her own when the vampires come, and I dig it.
Additionally, Xander. Xander is not my favorite character in the long run, and this episode does little to help his case. There’s a moment where I genuinely feel bad for him, because you can see how much he likes Buffy. It’s spoiled quickly though, as not even a minute later he’s lashing out at Buffy for her rejecting him by throwing Angel in her face. It’s not a good look for him. Later, he goes and pouts before Willow shows up. It could have been a really sweet scene, but he ruins it in true “wow I can’t believe this got worse” fashion by insisting he and Willow should go to the dance together. It’s cruel and gross and by far my least favorite scene in the episode.
Speaking of Willow, I have to give her credit. I’ve mentioned countless times how badly I feel for Willow this season, watching her pine after Xander. And the moment that Xander turns his attention to her, I was half expecting her to go for it and not see it for what it was. She surprises me, though, and stands up for herself. I’m proud of her for seeing her worth. 
Facts: In this episode, Buffy begins a trend of having her final words to Giles delivered by someone else. 
This is the first major/central character death we see on screen, but it won’t be the last.
The Master is the only vampire to leave a skeleton behind after their death. 
Quotes: ”What do you think, 5.1?” - The Master
”I’m not ashamed. It’s the computer age, nerds are in.” -Willow Rosenberg
”Giles, I’m sixteen years old. I don’t wanna die.” -Buffy Summers
”I’m not okay. I knew those guys, I go to that room every day. And when I walked in there, it wasn’t our world anymore. They made it theirs…and they had fun.” Willow Rosenberg
Apocalypse Count: 2
Final Notes: As always, feel free to leave any comments, suggestions, or questions in the ask box!
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