#moving to new orleans in around 10 months

[bongsavior]

she's just gonna shut everyone out in response huh 😔

[pinkiepiebones]

10 renfield

–to get them to talk.

(this is *barely* connected to the prompt, I'm sorry)

-

It had been a bad relationship. That's all Robert would say for a long time.

Johnathan really liked Robert. Hell, he loved him. He wasn't afraid to say it. Why was it such a big deal to admit you loved someone? They had been seeing each other exclusively for six months. They were talking about serious things like adopting a cat together (Robert texted: "We live in two separate places, how would cat custody work?" Johnathan texted: "We could move in together." Robert texted: "😲❗️" Johnathan texted: "Am I being too forward again? 😘").

But Robert wouldn't really open up about his whole past.

Of course, Johnathan knew a bit. He knew Dracula was involved.

"Like... Dracula Dracula?" he had asked after a moment of silence. "With the-" he made a gesture to his mouth, "-fangs?"

God, that had been a wild day. It was their fifth date. Robert's volatile ex-cop friend, Rebecca, had been there, because she had been there, with Robert, when Dracula died. Robert and Rebecca had killed Dracula. They chopped him up, shot him, chainsawed him, poured poison on the parts, stuck parts of him in a blender, put all of him into a cement mixer with a jug of holy water, made the slurry into little cubes, and dumped the cubes into the greater New Orleans sewer system.

"Or, at least, we gave him a lot to think about," Robert said apprehensively. "I mean, I saw him come back from some crazy shit. He genuinely might not be dead. Just very... out of sorts."

They were two years past the point of Dracula's death, and six months into their relationship. Robert had learned to relax around Johnathan, to not flinch at touch. Love is patient, love is kind, blah blah blah.

"Hey." Johnathan was up and getting dressed when he saw Robert stirring.

"Hey," Robert answered, blinking in the sunlight. "You have to leave?"

"Yeah, work emailed. I gotta run soon."

"You want breakfast? I can get up and make something-" Johnathan shook his head and moved to stand at Robert's side of the bed. "I'm good, I'm good."

"But I'd be better..." He leaned down and kissed Robert's lips. "... if you'd talk to me."

Robert raised his eyebrows and sat up.

"You talk in your sleep, babe," Johnathan explained with a smile. "Lot of Dracula talk last night."

"O-oh."

Robert folded his legs, knees to chest, and Johnathan sat on the bed. "You were in love with him, huh?"

His boyfriend made a noncommittal noise and Johnathan leaned over to kiss him again. Robert smiled against the kiss. He turned his head and sighed.

"Yeah. For a long time. Definitely a decade, maybe longer. There was a fairly, um, it was a nice honeymoon phase after he made me his familiar." He chuckled, still looking away. "I've been trying to figure out how to talk to you about this shit, but this exact scenario, us in bed, wasn't something I imagined."

Johnathan smirked. "Technically, you're the only one in bed. I'm on the bed." He shrugged. "And I wish you didn't feel like you had to work up to stuff with me. I'll listen, whenever you wanna talk." He checked his watch. " 'cept right now, I gotta run."

Johnathan kissed Robert and stood, made his way to the door.

He had the door open and was about to step out when he called back in to the apartment, "If it makes you feel any better, my last long relationship was with a werewolf. We got supernatural men in common! Bye!"

Robert blinked.

"Wait, what?"

[nycnomad]

So it was a couple of weeks into December when we decided that moving to Poland was probably too big a step for us. At the same time, I found out that my company would pay me $20k to move out of NYC, but I had to do it by December 31st. Obviously, we were like, “Should we move to Florida immediately?!”

I would get paid 15% less if we lived outside of NYC, but there’s no income tax in Florida, and the cost of living is of course much cheaper. Like, our condo in NYC costs about $1250/sqft, while our condos in Florida cost about $575/sqft. A cocktail in NYC is $16 at the very cheapest, while I can get a cocktail in our area of Florida for $10. Plus, whatever stock I get from my company while I live in NYC, the state will collect tax on it when I sell it even if I’m living in Florida at the time. It doesn’t make sense to earn money in NYC!

So we really, really started to talk about moving down to one of our Florida condos. We went out to dinner with J’s two best friends and told them what we were thinking, and I kind of thought they’d freak out, but they were actually like, “Good for you! Go live by the beach!” 

We talked to my cousin, who’s a realtor, about selling our NYC condo. How much we could get, if December is a terrible time to sell, if he would interview some NY real estate agents for us. We considered officially moving our address to Florida but hanging onto our condo until the spring when buyers are more motivated.

J told his parents what we were thinking, and I emailed a former boss of mine who recently moved from NJ to FL to ask what I would miss and if he regrets anything. I asked my current manager, who left San Francisco during the worst of COVID and bought a massive house in New Orleans, what to expect when moving from a huge city to the middle of nowhere. She said to expect a much better quality of life. 🙂

We were so serious about selling! But then J started having second thoughts. He’s lived in NYC most of his life, and he doesn’t feel comfortable around smalltown things like I do. Like, to me, there’s nothing more homey than a strip mall sushi bar with ample parking and all-white decor that stays white because 8.5 million people don’t live in the area. To J, it’s stifling.

He started thinking about how we’d never have any true friends in Florida, because everyone in our area is old and conservative. Our neighbors are all super nice, friendly for sure, but we’re just never going to be really close with people who are worried about trans people in their bathrooms or don’t think black lives matter. I, of course, said that any of our friends from back home will jump at the chance for a free stay at the beach whenever we offer. And that his parents would love to host us in NYC whenever we were willing to visit. 

I didn’t actually hate the idea of visiting NYC a few times a year and doing all of our favorite things. What fun to have a whirlwind week of lavish dinners and fancy drinks with our closest friends and maybe even do touristy things we never did while we lived there! 

But the final straw for J was that when we go on international trips, we always go on tours (mostly food tours, let’s be honest) where we meet people from all over the world. And there will always be someone in the group who’s lived in NYC or loves NYC, and I’m going to be honest, it feels like we usually get special attention because of it. And J said he just couldn’t imagine telling people that we’re from FLORIDA. 😂 It’s so funny, because he doesn’t usually like the limelight at all, and yet he apparently likes that a Berlin tour guide might take a shine to us! 

So to him, the $20k wasn’t worth it to have to say goodbye to New York RIGHT NOW, and I understand where he’s coming from. All this to say, I still officially live in NYC. But you can bet I’m enjoying the month and a half we’re in Florida this winter!

[blueiight]

Yeah you can figure out quite a bit based on these casting calls and when actors are around:

*May 10 to 17 - amputee soldier, interior day shoot (probably part of l&c's travels during wwii)

*June 2 - dudes making out in a park, exterior night shoot (1946, paris)

*June 13/14 - the moving tourist statues, exterior night shoot (no clue what this is but it says involves the "main characters" so probably louis/armand/claudia)

*the black drummer one said they needed to be flexible cause the role would span 3 months (major part of paris maybe theatre performer?)

*luke was in prague for about 2 weeks (all interior/daytime so probably sf first interview)

*sam seems like he just got there? makes sense cause there's def no overlap btwn young daniel and lestat

*there's suppose to be a brief NOLA shoot coming up, its interesting the prod designer said they rebuilt the dubai set in prague but its possible the rue royale set is still in NOLA cause it seems too intricate to move

u do get a sense of whats going on based on the casting calls :) + also correct me if im wrong but dont they also intend to go back to new orleans to film parts of s2?

[jeffhirsch]

November Almanac: Historically a Top Month, But Softer in Pre-Election Years

November begins the “Best Six Months” for the DJIA and S&P 500, and the “Best Eight Months” for NASDAQ. Small caps come into favor during November, but don’t really take off until the last two weeks of the year. November is the number-two DJIA and NASDAQ (since 1971) month. November is best for S&P 500 (since 1950), Russell 1000 (since 1979), and Russell 2000 (since 1979). Average performance in all year ranges from 1.7% from DJIA and S&P 500 to a solid 2.3% by Russell 2000.

In pre-election years, November’s performance is noticeably weaker. DJIA has advanced in 10 of the last 18 pre-election years since 1950 with an average gain of 0.5%. S&P 500 has been up in 11 of the past 18 pre-election years, also gaining on average a rather paltry 0.5%. Small-caps and techs perform better with Russell 2000 climbing in 7 of the past 11 pre-election years, averaging 1.4%. NASDAQ has been up in 8 of the last 13 pre-election year Novembers with an average 1.2% gain. Contributing to pre-election year November’s weaker performance are sizable declines in 1987, 1991 and 2007.

It is not too late to meet Jeff, live and in-person at the MoneyShow/TradersEXPO Orlando October 29-31 and the 2023 New Orleans Investment Conference November 1-4. Octoberphobia has struck again, but October has historically been a good month to buy. Our Tactical Seasonal MACD Buy signal has triggered. Join Jeff to discuss current events and the market’s moves.

Not a subscriber? Sign up today for a Free 7-Day Trial to Almanac Investor to continue reading our latest market analysis and trading recommendations. Get a full run down of seasonal tendencies that occur throughout each month of the year in an easy-to-read calendar graphic with important economic release dates highlighted, Daily Market Probability Index bullish and bearish days, market trends around options expiration and holidays. In addition, the Monthly Vital Statistics Table combines stats for the Dow, S&P 500, NASDAQ, Russell 1000 and Russell 2000 and puts them all in a single location available at the click of a mouse.

[popentertainment-moviereviews]

RENFIELD (2023)

Starring Nicholas Hoult, Awkwafina, Nicolas Cage, Ben Schwartz, Adrian Martinez, Shohreh Aghdashloo, Brandon Scott Jones, Jenna Kanell, Bess Rous, James Moses Black, Caroline Williams, Miles Doleac, Danya LaBelle, Rhonda Johnson Dents, Christopher Matthew Cook, Michael P. Sullivan, Rosha Washington, James Moses Black and T.C. Matherne.

Screenplay by  Ryan Ridley.

Directed by Benjamin Millepied.

Distributed by Universal Pictures. 93 minutes. Rated R.

In general I have never liked comedies that used horror and violence to gain laughs.

So color me surprised that I have actually kind of liked three insanely violent but wonderfully goofy comedies in the past six months. Violent Night, Cocaine Bear and now Renfield are actually pretty decent comedies. And while still I could have lived without much of the bloody mayhem, it almost worked in context of the films.

The violence in Renfield is silly and cartoonish, almost like an old Looney Tunes cartoon, if Looney Tunes trafficked in frequent dismemberments and buckets of blood.

Renfield is another one of those films that look at a classic tale from the point of view of a supporting character. This style was big like 10-15 years ago (Maleficent, Mirror Mirror) and do tend to open new insights into very well-known, staid literary classics.

The hero – well sort of hero – here is Renfield (Nicholas Hoult), the familiar who serves the legendary vampire Count Dracula (Nicolas Cage).

The high concept of the film is that it must be a bummer to work for such a mean, heartless, vindictive and violent boss as Dracula. Add to that you don’t particularly enjoy the work (collecting victims), the contract is binding and eternal and the pay kind of sucks. It seems like the ultimate HR disaster.

On the plus side, you do get days off.

To make things even a little more off-the-wall, Renfield takes place in modern-day New Orleans, adding organized crime, corrupt cops and self-help groups into the gumbo.

Therefore, Renfield joins a support group for people who can’t stand up for themselves to bullies. Of course, there is an ulterior motive to this move – not only does Renfield want to come to terms with his indentured servitude to his cruel boss, but also, he figures that some of the victimizers that are terrorizing his groupmates would also make for good meals for Dracula. It seemed like a win-win.

Of course, nothing ever works as planned.

Dracula uses his ward’s crisis to further hurt the guy and kill off most of the people that Renfield has come to care for. Thus the befuddled familiar must come up with an extreme way of giving notice of resignation.

Cage has an unhinged hoot as the master of darkness, a role which he has flirted with occasionally for decades. (See also: Vampire’s Kiss.) It’s a perfect role for him, and honestly when he is on screen, he sucks all of the energy out of everyone and everything else going on around him.

Hoult has fun making Renfield incredibly solicitous, except for when he becomes a one-man wrecking crew. However, even when he is killing, he does it oddly politely. Awkwafina is fine as a parking cop who wants to bring down the crime family that killed her decorated cop dad, and when she can’t do it legally, she joins Renfield in mowing the bad guys down. She is funny, but honestly, it’s nothing she hasn’t done before, and done better.

Renfield is not a great film, but as a short (93 minutes) and flashy distraction, it’s actually surprisingly funny much of the time. And while I still find the blood and guts excessive, it’s still worth the watch, as long as you have a relatively strong stomach.

Jay S. Jacobs

Copyright ©2023 PopEntertainment.com. All rights reserved. Posted: April 14, 2023.

[crowmagus]

RANGER, Chapter 9

Beginning | Previous | Next

He called himself Aphid. At this point, it was the only name and identity that mattered to him. In another life - but the same body, there had been another name. Something comically royal.

I could tell you all about his tragic backstory, but Aphid wouldn’t like that. You see, Aphid is special. Having spent far too long within the park, he is starting to piece together the narrative of this whole adventure - but only as long as he doesn’t look too hard. To him, this grand story is visible only out of the corner of his eye. It’s best we don’t push him by pulling painful memories out of his mind. Not yet.

The insect-named man had been in the park for nearly 10 years. He had been part of an illegal infiltration of the park by the Algerian military, and his force had been reckless and doomed from the beginning. All of them were now either dead or scattered - with no desire to reconnect via seance or visitation.

From his original infiltration in New Orleans, Louisiana, he had drifted gradually and unintentionally westward. In his wake he left his broken equipment and apparel, and with it, the memories of his old life. 

His plate carrier had been shredded by what could only be described as a mutant beaver. He left it on the hood of a dilapidated sedan alongside what he recalled to be the face of his first love. It was replaced by a strangely immaculate police armor vest, and the taste of bile-like blood.

His AKM-47 assault rifle had been worn down by a combination of the entropic field of the park, and the poor quality ammunition he had been issued. Eventually, it would barely fire two cartridges before the feeding mechanism would get stuck, and no amount of cleaning or maintenance seemed to resolve the problem. 

He left the formerly trusty rifle on a shelf in a completely empty grocery store, alongside the day (but not year) of his birth. It was replaced by a bolt action hunting rifle he looted from a dead survivalist, and the pleading whines of a guilty man.

His boots had stayed with him the longest, though he couldn’t tell you how long. They had, for one reason or another, never changed after entering the park. Even after hundreds of miles of marching, their tread was as deep as ever. They had simply vanished one night, in his sleep. Nothing else had been taken, and no sign of an intruder was left behind. With those trusty boots gone, he left his name - written in the desert sands of Arizona. His boots were replaced by a pair from a shopping mall warehouse, and his name from then on had been Aphid. 

He was no longer a soldier, but a Ranger - the widely accepted name for anyone who roams the park for profit or meaning. 

Eventually, he reached the Pacific Ocean off of the coast of Southern California. The entire odyssey had taken a little over 6 years (inside). He had taken his time getting here, having picked up many odd jobs and met a wide variety of people both good and bad. He had spent almost 6 months in San Antonio - working protection for a group of scientists studying some sort of “energy spaghetti” on top of a dangerously deteriorated office building. 

They were good, smart folk. Aphid had liked them, and they had liked him. He cried when they weren’t around anymore - but he moved on.

He spent four years on the coast of California - living a migratory lifestyle - going wherever the fog wasn’t. Today, the fog was heavy, and he knew he had to get moving soon.

But first, he had to find some material to patch his travel tent, and needed to locate an offering of some sort so the fog would let him leave. So, with his objectives in mind he headed eastwards towards the Point Doom Commerce Plaza.

[hornermccleary12]

Accounts Receivable Factoring In Dallas, Tx

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[recentlyheardcom]

Americans Dani and Evan and Benton spent 14 months house-sitting rent-free in Mexico before settling down in Japan.Evan and Dani BentonDani and Evan Benton sold their farm and Airbnb in New Orleans and set out to find their new home.The couple first house-sat in Mexico for a year before moving to Japan.They bought a house for $7,500 and are converting it into an Airbnb and beekeeping business.In the space of just three years, Dani and Evan Benton have moved from their urban farm in New Orleans to living nomadically and house-sitting in different parts of Mexico to finally settling in rural Japan.Originally from Dallas, Oregon, the couple moved to New Orleans in 2016 and were married in 2018.Dani Benton on their urban small holding in New Orleans. Evan and Dani BretonEvan, now 40, worked as a massage therapist, while Dani, now 39, was a self-employed photographer. They also bought a property that they ran as an urban farm and Airbnb in the Lower Ninth Ward.The Bentons' urban farm in New OrleansEvan and Dani BretonThe couple had $100,000 to set up a new lifeIn 2021, financial pressures and itchy feet led the Bentons to sell their home and travel. Thanks to a combination of savings and selling their home, they started their adventure with a little over $100,000.Dani told Insider they considered countries where Evan knew the language and had reasonable immigration processes."We settled on Mexico or Japan for a variety of reasons: ideal climate, potential for our business, cost of living, housing prices, our desire to live more rurally but retain modern amenities," she added.They tried living in Mexico first"Mexico was obviously much closer. We could drive our car and the cost of living was low enough that we wouldn't be blowing through our savings very quickly while searching for our next home," Dani said.Dani and Evan Benton in Cholula Puebla, Mexico.Dani and Evan BentonThe couple drove over the border into Mexico on December 5, 2021.Dani said the immigration procedures were straightforward — they just needed to file paperwork to extend their temporary residency.What it cost to move to MexicoThe Bentons said they spent about $1,260 to gain residency in Mexico and broke down their costs:US passport renewal for 10 years: $245Temporary visas: $130Temporary resident ID cards for one year: $405Immigration lawyer's fees: $380Copies of documents: $100Story continuesAnd they spent about $985 to import their car:Car insurance for one year: $440Temporary import permit: $380Internation driver's licenses for one year: $40 ($20 each)Dash-cam: $125 (recommended but not required)Guanajuato, Mexico, is a town the couple visited. Guanajuato, Mexico House-sitting was a way to live rent-free in MexicoThe couple became house-sitters in Mexico so they could live rent-free and travel around the country.Dani read about house-sitting online. She said it's common for people to hire house-sitters in Mexico when they travel. "Within a few months, we had back-to-back sits booked for the foreseeable future. We could've continued pretty much indefinitely," she said.The couple loved being able to see different parts of Mexico. Dani and Evan BentonThe couple booked about a quarter of their sits through www.housesitmexico.com; the remainder came through Facebook groups and recommendations from previous hosts."Our job was to babysit people's pets, collect their mail, and otherwise keep their household running while they were away," she said.Some house-sits were easy, while others were fairly time-consuming — in one case, they had to take care of 11 rescue dogs and cats.The Benton's took care of the host's pets to live rent free in Mexcian house sits.Dani and Evan BentonDani said their temporary neighbors and the people they met in Mexico were welcoming and friendly.Japan was their final stop because of cheaper house pricesAfter 14 months in Mexico, the couple concluded that Japan "would be a better fit for us.""The real kicker was property prices," she said. The couple wanted to find a home with arable land to restart their farm business.

"While Mexico's cost of living is low, property prices are not ideal. And while Japan's cost of living is higher, rural property prices are incredibly low."Evan stands outside their 'akiya' an old Japanese house they bouhgt for $7,000.Evan and Dani BentonEvan, who had studied Japanese in college and spent a year teaching English in Tokyo, was keen to return.They arrived in Japan on February 15, on 90-day tourist visas. After 90 days of scouting areas to settle down, they took a ferry to South Korea for a week and then returned on another 90-day tourist visa. They eventually purchased an "akiya" on the small island of Omishima in the Ehime Prefecture. Akiyas are abandoned houses in rural Japan.The Bentons are doing most of their home renovations themselves.Dani and Evan BentonThe couple plan to turn the house into an Airbnb and buy another akiya close by. Evan and Dani Benton After buying a house, they completed the paperwork that allowed them to get startup-business visas. The startup-business visa was only recently introduced for certain parts of Japan.Applicants need to provide a plan for their proposed business and can live in Japan for up to a year to launch their idea. Dani and Evan presented their vision for a smallholding business with a number of beehives producing honey, a guesthouse, and Dani's photographyIt cost the couple $4,450 to complete the paperwork to settle in Japan; setting up a company required the assistance of a lawyer and cost $3,600.The house cost $7,500 and the realtor's fees were an additional $1,500. They estimate the DIY renovations will cost up to $24,000.Old, abandoned homes in rural areas of Japan are cheapOver the past seven months, they've been living in and renovating the house. They aim to have it listed on Airbnb by November and are optimistic about bookings because the house is near the famous Shimanami Kaido, a cycling trail of suspension bridges in Japan.The couple already have their eye on another nearby abandoned building with surrounding land — listed for less than $19,000 — that they plan to turn into their own home.Dani and Evan studied beekeeping in Louisiana, so they've started a honey business. One of their 10 planned bee colonies is up and running. Their goal is to have as many as 50 colonies active in the next four years.Evan setting up the couple's first bee colony in Japan. Evan and Dani Benton"Each colony is approximately $150 plus $100 for initial hive boxes, so for our first 10 hives, that's $2,500," she said.The Japanese island is full of friendly grandmas and grandpas"It's a simplification, but Omishima is an island of friendly grandmas and grandpas who were seemingly ready to take us under their wings. No hesitation," Dani said."News spreads fast on a small island, so many people we meet have already heard about the foreign beekeepers moving in. We feel overwhelmingly welcome."For anyone planning to set up a business in Japan, the Bentons recommend hiring professionals for all the paperwork. The "investment is well worth it for sanity, ease, time, and accuracy," Dani said.What the couple misses about AmericaBoth Dani and Evan admit there are things they miss."I miss people from the US," Dani said. "We've been trying to maintain friendships and connections via video calls, and encourage them to come visit us."Evan said he hankers after craft beer, cheap beef, and proper tools.The couple see Japan as home "hopefully permanently."However, they were adamant they never want to appropriate the cultures of where they live. "I wouldn't dream of having any other perspective: We are foreigners here, appreciative, open, and curious," Dani concluded.Read the original article on Business Insider

[hangonimevolving]

Best of 2021

Hello!!!!! The year is 2023. Do people even blog anymore? I don't even know! So, I am aware I royally ghosted on my own beloved blog sometime around February 2021. This was never intentional. As per my last post, we had just moved out of our family home of about 6 years into a cozy apartment, and were on our way to a great adventure in gut-renovating a new-to-us home in a new area of South Florida. Life was full, and about to get even fuller. I am going to attempt to catch up on about 2.5 years of our family's lives in this post, and the following two. Here goes. *rolling up sleeves*

So we left off in February 2021, shortly after moving into our short-term apartment (ha! Short term. We thought we would be there for about 6 months.... little did we know, it would actually wind up being exactly one year and one week. Renovations are full of unexpected surprises - read: delays. Especially during a pandemic. But I digress.

Here, pictures. As seen in top left, we spent many days visiting our new house, and brainstorming ideas for our renovation - often using blue painters' tape to mark off, say, where we wanted our new countertop and sink to be. We managed to take a few memorable vacations between April-May 2021, including Sanibel Island (top middle) and the Atlantis resort in Paradise Island, Bahamas (top right). The renovation continued all along with exciting moments such as when a giant cement truck piped hundreds of gallons into the house as we watched (middle left). In May, we visited New Orleans to attend a once-in-a-lifetime event: the consecration of a new Hindu temple (middle middle). This was the culmination of a lifetime of work by my parents and their community of Indian Americans in New Orleans - we were very proud! June brought another milepost in our lives - our little Day graduated (homeschool) Kindergarten, and we marked the occasion with a graduation ceremony at home (middle right). Yes, by the way - we were homeschooling throughout ALL of the above experiences.

July brought a chance to visit Ba and Dadu in North Carolina, and short road trip to Asheville to visit the Biltmore Estate (bottom left). Once back in Florida, I worked on a quilt for a friend's daughter - a QUEEN sized quilt, the largest project I've ever taken on! (bottom middle). We closed out summer with a fabulous August getaway to the Florida Keys with several of our local friends and their children (bottom right).

***

Once back from the Keys, we had a few days' break before.... we started the new school year! (top left) Our intention had been to enroll the kids in the local public school for which we are zoned, and for which we had gone through a LOT of hell and high-water to move our family to this new neighborhood.... but, alas, late summer 2021 brought along the Delta Variant of Covid. The kids hadn't yet been vaccinated at this point (the FDA hadn't yet approved the vaccine for children under 12 years of age). So literally 72 hours before the first day of school, we pulled the Eject Handle and reverted to a homeschooling plan. Happily, most family members were a-okay with this, as we'd loved the experience the previous year! This school year brought some new ideas to our homeschooling experience, including designing meals around some of our favorite books (top middle), visits to the public library (top right), and a MARVELOUS homeschooling virtual co-op that met monthly on Zoom with 10 new friends from around the country, focused on the topic of World Religions (middle middle).

We continued visiting our mid-construction house each evening to check on progress (middle left). We also spent time at our house on many other occasions, including celebrating our first Halloween there! (middle right). As per tradition in our family, I hand-made all our costumes! We had done an engaging History unit on ancient Egyptian culture, and this year, we chose to continue that inquiry into the design and fabrication of our costumes! I dressed as Cleopatra, Vev was Tutankhamun, Dey chose to portray Sebek (a half-man, half-crocodile god), and Dr. Spouse played Anubis (half-man, half-wolf lord of the underworld).

WOOT! Sometime in October or November 2021, the kids at long last got their first dose Covid vaccine. I got my booster as well on the same day. We felt like superheroes! (bottom left).

December brought several memorable occasions, such as Dey’s 7th birthday, which we celebrated with a visit to a local antique car museum (bottom middle). We also enjoyed a planned cousin reunion for Christmas in New Orleans - our LAST Christmas ever at Ajima and Thatha’s old house, as it would turn out — because big changes were underway…….

That concludes the year 2021 in our family’s history! It was a good year. In the next post, I’ll give a Greatest Hits of 2022 - a momentous year of change for one and all.

[yomivera]

CH.13 FieldWork

The immigration story I chose was my own Grandmother. She was born in 1947 in Bluefields, Nicaragua. There was no electricity or running water so they lived very simple lives. She would even have to take a boat to school. She spent most of her days working around the house and playing with her 10 siblings. Unfortunately her asthma was severely bad and she was hospitalized many times throughout childhood. At the time in Nicaragua education was not free after elementary school; but luckily for my grandmother her family's participation in the church allowed her and her sister to receive scholarships for school. After graduating she moved to the country's capital Managua for nursing school and became a nurse. In 1972 she gave birth to My mother and moved to Panama when she was 9 months old. In Panama she was doing very well as a nurse and had a family to support her. She remained there until 1977 until her brother who had previously immigrated to the states convinced her to come up. She found out that she could make way more money being a nurse in America; after getting into an abusive relationship she made the executive decision to migrate over and leave her daughter in Panama with her sister until she was fully settled. She came to the U.S very legally, her Brother sent for her and she was also a nurse so she was able to obtain a work visa. Leaving her daughter was a very hard decision to make but at the time it was her only option for a better life. When she first arrived here it was extremely difficult, not only was she black in a very racist New Orleans, she also was an immigrant. Her nursing qualifications from Central America didn't mean much, so she started out only making $2.16 an hour. She had to work extremely hard. While working as a Nurse she took care of this Catholic Nun with great proficiency, after her treatment the nun told her “You’ve treated me better than anyone I've ever met so anything you could ever need please reach out to me.” At the time she lived with her brother and his wife; when she was ready to bring her daughter to the states his wife made it clear she was not allowed because she “wasn't a babysitter”. Because of this setback my Grandmother had to work even harder to gain her own place for her and her child. After taking the NCLEX exam 3 times she finally passed and her wage went up to $10 an hour. She was then able to get her own apartment and send for my mother to come up to the states. My Grandmother then contacted the nun and asked her to enroll her daughter into the catholic school that she worked at. This allowed her to obtain a school visa, and that's how my mother was able to come to the United states. This happened in 1980 so after 4 long years my Grandmother and Mother were both finally in the states. In 1985 she purchased her first home in New Orleans, this was a very big stepping stone for her. She describes this moment as “all her hard work finally paying off”. She then opened her own home health agency from 1991-1999, She had accomplished so much here, it really shows that hard work and sacrifice do eventually pay off. Sadly in 2005 Hurricane Katrina wiped away her home and she then moved in with my Mom who was living in New York at the time. My Grandma has sadly passed away. And although she is no longer with us, she inspires me to keep on striving and to never give up no matter the odds.

[newstfionline]

Wednesday, February 22, 2023

Democrats, Republicans and Canadians in standoff over migrant buses (Worldcrunch) In the last few years, thousands of migrants have been bussed to Democrat-run northern cities from the Republican-run states of Texas, Arizona and Florida. But the latest news is that migrants’ journeys don’t stop there—now being moved even further north, bounced around like balls in a game of political ping-pong. Authorities in New York City have begun shuttling them up to the Canadian border. And Quebec premier François Legault is demanding New York stop the buck-passing bus rides, which he says are straining the province’s asylum system. The news this week has added to pressure from Quebec for the Canadian national government to negotiate with the U.S. and close a legal loophole that allowed almost 40,000 people to cross into Canada last year via Roxham Road, a stretch of country road in upstate New York. Last year saw record traffic at the crossing, which spans the border between northern New York State and Quebec.

Three days. 10 mass shootings. More than 50 victims. (USA Today) Nine children were shot at Georgia gas station. Six people were killed in a Mississippi town. Eleven people were shot in Memphis. Five people were injured near a parade in New Orleans. Six people were shot on a Chicago expressway. That’s just half of the reported mass shooting violence over the weekend. There were 10 mass shootings from Feb. 17 through Feb. 19—the most of any weekend so far this year, according to data from the Gun Violence Archive. There have been 82 mass shootings this year, compared to 59 at the same time last year, according to data from the publicly sourced nonprofit database.

Americans applying for controversial ‘golden passports’ more than any other nationality, report says (The Week) A new report has determined that more wealthy Americans are looking to purchase a unique status symbol—not a yacht or a private plane, but citizenship abroad via a ‘golden passport.’ Also known as ‘citizenship by investment’ programs, golden passports “allow wealthy foreigners to receive citizenship in exchange for investing a certain amount of money in a country, often by purchasing real estate,” according to Insider. There are also ‘golden visas’ that provide temporary residence instead of permanent citizenship. According to a recent wealth report by research firm Henley & Partners, 2022 saw more Americans than ever apply for a ‘golden passport.’ The program had previously by dominated by the Chinese and the Russians, data shows, but a 447 percent jump in inquiries from 2019 has helped American nationals take the top spot.

Four-day week here to stay, say UK firms in world’s largest trial (Reuters) British companies trialling a four-day working week have mostly decided to stick with it after a six-month pilot in what campaigners for better work-life balance view as a breakthrough. Employees at 61 companies across Britain worked an average of 34 hours across four days between June and December 2022, while earning their existing salary. Of those, 56 companies, or 92%, opted to continue like that, 18 of them permanently. Most companies involved, across different sectors and sizes with 2,900 staff overall, said productivity was maintained. Staff said their well-being and work-life balance had improved while data showed employees were much less likely to quit their jobs as a result of the four-day week policy. The founder of a craft brewery involved in the trial said the trial encouraged greater productivity in shorter time. “We want to be more busy, less stressed,” the report quoted the founder as saying. For some employees surveyed, the extra day off was more important than any pay rise: 15% said no amount of money would induce them back to a five-day week.

Ruins of Turkish city of Antakya tell story of a rich past (AP) For nearly two weeks, Mehmet Ismet has lived in the ruins of Antakya’s most beloved historic mosque, a landmark in a now-devastated city that was famed for thousands of years as a meeting place of civilizations and revered by Christians, Muslims and Jews. The 74-year-old took refuge in the Habib Najjar mosque after a 7.8-magnitude earthquake killed tens of thousands in Turkey and Syria on Feb. 6. He has slept and prayed under the few arches still standing, mourning the future of a city renowned for its past. The destruction in Antakya was nearly total. Much of the city is rubble. What’s still standing is too unsafe to live in. Almost everyone has left. Antakya, known as Antioch in ancient times, has been repeatedly destroyed by earthquakes and rebuilt over history. But residents fear it will be a long time before it recovers from this one. Antioch, built in 300 B.C. by a general of Alexander the Great in the Orontes River valley, was one of the biggest cities of the Greco-Roman world, rivaling Alexandria and Constantinople. Saints Peter and Paul are said to have founded one of the oldest Christian communities here, and it’s here that the word “Christian” first came into use.

Russia’s war made Poland a key pit stop for Biden and other leaders (Washington Post) President Biden this week set out on his 10th foreign trip since taking office, making a surprise stop in Ukraine before a two-day visit to Poland. This will be a return visit to Warsaw for Biden—his second trip to Poland in just 11 months—while he has yet to pop up to Canada as president. The timing and staging of Biden’s visit on Tuesday and Wednesday highlight how a year of war has transformed Poland’s place in the world, recasting its relationship with the United States and its role in Europe. Before the war, Poland made headlines for its standoff with the European Union. Now, it is a go-to pit stop for foreign leaders and officials—not to mention weapons and ammunition—on route to Ukraine via train. Though Poland’s conflict with Europe is certainly still simmering, the country’s role as a bridge between Ukraine, Europe and the rest of the world has largely shifted the conversation—at least for now. “The last year has seen a tremendous change in the way Poland is viewed,” said Michal Baranowski, managing director of Warsaw-based GMF East, part of the German Marshall Fund. “In Europe, but especially in the transatlantic alliance.”

Putin accuses West of stoking global war to destroy Russia (Reuters) President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday vowed to continue with Russia’s year-long war in Ukraine and accused the U.S.-led NATO alliance of fanning the flames of the conflict in the mistaken belief that it could defeat Moscow in a global confrontation. Putin said Russia had done everything it could to avoid war, but that Western-backed Ukraine had been planning to attack Russian-controlled Crimea, annexed by Russia in 2014. The West, Putin said, had let the genie out of the bottle in a host of regions of across the world by sowing chaos and war. “The people of Ukraine have become the hostage of the Kyiv regime and its Western overlords, who have effectively occupied this country in the political, military and economic sense,” Putin said. “They intend to translate the local conflict into a global confrontation, we understand it this way and will react accordingly,” Putin said.

High February temperatures have India already bracing for more heat waves (Washington Post) Last year, Indian meteorologists sounded the first heat wave alert of the year in March, foreshadowing a summer that arrived unusually early—and brought some of the most extreme temperatures in India’s recorded history. This year, they are sounding the alarm even earlier. The India Meteorological Department issued the first heat wave alert of the year on Sunday, warning that parts of India’s western region would reach 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit (37C). Meanwhile, other parts of India are recording temperatures that are usually seen in mid-March and at least 40 degrees above normal. The abnormal temperatures are worrying experts who say India’s spring season—crucial for wheat production—is shrinking dangerously. The temperature increases in wheat-producing states are particularly concerning, given that last year’s heat brought wheat production down by roughly 10 percent, or almost 11 million metric tons. India, the world’s second-largest wheat producer, ended up banning exports of the grain furthering the global wheat supply crisis from the Ukraine-Russia war.

Rattled by China, U.S. and allies are beefing up defenses in the Pacific (Washington Post) The Chinese spy balloon spotted over sensitive nuclear sites in Montana and shot down by a U.S. fighter jet earlier this month jolted the nation. But for Adm. John Aquilino, commander of all U.S. military forces in the Indo-Pacific, it was only the latest in a string of provocations that includes missiles fired over Taiwan following a visit by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi last August, China’s rapidly growing nuclear arsenal and a pair of Chinese surveillance balloon sightings in the vicinity of the Hawaiian Islands last year. Add to that North Korea’s record number of missile launches last year, Beijing’s “no limits” relationship with Moscow, China’s unrelenting expansion of militarized air bases in the South China Sea, and “the current environment is probably the most dangerous I’ve seen in 30 years of doing this business,” Aquilino said in a recent interview in his hilltop office overlooking Pearl Harbor. The provocative actions taken by China, North Korea and Russia have prompted the United States and its closest allies in the Indo-Pacific to ramp up military capabilities and deepen their cooperation. “They’re bolstering their own defenses, they’re looking to strengthen their alliances and partnerships with the United States in particular, and they’re reaching out to each other,” said Ely Ratner, assistant secretary of defense for Indo-Pacific security affairs. “All of these things are happening at once.”

Taliban plans to turn former foreign bases into special economic zones (Reuters) The Taliban administration will move ahead with plans to turn former foreign military bases into special economic zones for businesses, the acting deputy prime minister for economic affairs said in a statement on Sunday. Afghanistan’s economy has struggled and aid agencies are warning of a severe humanitarian crisis since the Taliban took over in 2021 as foreign troops withdrew after 20 years of war. The takeover sparked a cut in development funding, the freezing of foreign-held central bank assets and sanctions enforced on the banking sector. The Taliban administration’s decision to bar most female NGO workers from work last year prompted many aid agencies to partially suspend operations while millions remain dependent on humanitarian aid. The Taliban have said they are focused on boosting economic self-sufficiency through trade and investment. Some foreign investors have expressed concerns over a series attacks, including at a hotel popular with Chinese businessmen, claimed by Islamic State.

Calls for change in Iran reach even Shiite heartland of Qom (AP) Iran’s city of Qom is one of the country’s most important centers for Shiite Muslim clerics, packed with religious schools and revered shrines. But even here, some are quietly calling for Iran’s ruling theocracy to change its ways after months of protests shaking the country. To be clear: Many here still support the cleric-led ruling system, which marked the 44th anniversary this month of Iran’s 1979 Islamic Revolution. This includes support for many of the restrictions that set off the protests, such as the mandatory hjjab, or headscarf, for women in public. But they say the government should change how it approaches demonstrators and women’s demands to be able to choose whether to wear an Islamic head covering or not. “The harsh crackdown was a mistake from the beginning,” said Abuzar Sahebnazaran, a cleric who described himself as an ardent backer of the theocracy, as he visited a former residence of the late revolutionary leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini. “And the youth should have been treated softly and politely. They should have been enlightened and guided.” Activists outside the country say at least 528 people have been killed and 19,600 people detained since the protests began. The Iranian government has not provided any figures.

[somervillesongwriters]

Interview with upcoming artist (November): Tim Foley

You're an impressive fingerstyle guitarist: how did you learn? 

Thank you for the compliment. It's difficult to answer this without bringing in some history which tells part of the story, but I'll try to be brief. I didn't start out as an instrumentalist, but I did start on the acoustic guitar. I started to play guitar when I was 15yrs old. My sister actually started before me, and she had an acoustic guitar that she used for lessons. She lost interest and my older brother, and I took over the guitar and we both took lessons at the same time, learning folk songs from this lady at her house. After a while my brother dropped out and it was just me.

I then bought an electric guitar with paper route money and when I showed up for my lesson with the electric, the lady said she couldn't teach me anymore. I then took a few lessons from a guy at a music store downtown Framingham, but as I remember, he had really bad breath and sort of a stale attitude, so I quit.

It wasn't until I broke my leg playing hockey in high school when I advanced to another level. Since I would be out of school healing, my mom suggested that I take guitar lessons to occupy my time. She hooked me up with Rick Dzurick, a great teacher who really brought me to another level. I was interested in jazz fusion at the time and loved Steely Dan and when Rick showed me the chords to Josie it was homework for the next 10 years.

I was sort of lost as a musician for a long time after that. I was in a number of bands playing electric guitar with no direction and didn't play much acoustic until the early 90's when I purchased a half descent acoustic. When I lived in New Hampshire I got emersed in the blues and spent my money buying all the blues cassettes at a local music shop. Another 8 yrs went by when I decided to move to New Orleans where I worked weekends, and I had Monday through Friday off. I would go out to see great music every night, stay out late, get up around 11am, drink a pot of coffee on my porch on Dublin St, play acoustic guitar all day long, then do the same thing the next night and so on. I think the hours on that porch on Dublin St. solidified a direction in my playing.

That lifestyle was hard to keep going with what I was earning, so I ended up working several jobs. I just primarily played acoustic on gigs when I was in New Orleans with exception of playing electric at the Mark Bancroft Blues Jam on Wednesday nights at the Maple Leaf Bar. I met Taka Moro at the Maple Leaf Jam and we started a duo called TIMTAKA, playing out at some local places like the Spotted Cat on Frenchmen St, performing a number of our original tunes. Taka is now a fine luthier and making amazing jazz guitars in Houston, Texas.

 When I returned to the northeast from New Orleans, I was disenchanted with music. I threw my mic stand out in the snow and let it rust and put my guitars under the bed and didn't play for six months. One day I decided to pull my guitar out and for some reason I tuned it to a B tuning and wrote my instrumental, 'Here I Am' in about 10 minutes. Why I tuned to the B tuning I haven't a clue and the song just flowed out of me like it was just waiting for me to have a guitar in my hand for it to be played. I thought it was way too easy for me to write that song and thought that maybe it was a sign for me to keep going on the guitar, so I started up again. I then started experimenting with different types of capos and alternate tunings. 

Who are your guitar inspirations?

I have many: The Assad Bros, Badi Assad, Sonny Landreth, Walter Becker, Robben Ford, Bonnie Raitt, Larry Carlton, David Lindley, Ry Cooder, John Scofield, Joni Mitchell, Fernando Sor, Chris Whitley, Ricki Lee Jones, Al Di Meola, Freddy King, BB King, Pat Metheny, Leo Kottke, Joe Pass, Phil Manzanera, David Hildago and on and on... I've always been open to many types of music, but I definitely have a handful of categories that I gravitate towards.

There have also been phases I've gone through, and I moved on because I easily became bored with just remaining in one idiom of music. I always felt there was more to listen to around the corner and places from away. I think that's why I started listening to jazz because it's such a high art form with surprising improvisation that isn't boxed in. I like sax players because they know how to use space and play outside. In my mind the best blues is played with a sax soloist. 

So, then I need to mention the non-guitar influences like John Coltrane, McCoy Tyner, Elvin Jones, Art Blakey, Brian Blade, Thelonious Monk, Miles Davis, Marcus Miller, Terence Blanchard, Cassandra Wilson and all those jazz musicians. Then there's those Cuban musicians and it just keeps going. 

A lot of your music is instrumental. How do you conceptualize and title an instrumental song? 

A lot of what I do with the guitar instrumentals starts out as noodling around using alternate tunings and various capos like the 3rd hand capo, regular and partial capos. I might come up with a phrase that I like and need to figure out where it will fit by putting other phrases with it. Depending on what I come up with for the other phrases will dictate where things will be placed. What might start out as a chorus sometimes ends up as a verse or bridge. It's sort of like putting a puzzle together.

The trick is, in the end it has to make musical sense to me. It doesn't work if it just sounds like noodling with no structure to it. There needs to be a melody and resolve. The guitar instrumentals also need to be played as solo and not need support from other instruments. Many times, the music just comes to me, and I've learned to recognize when that happens. The only way I can describe it is I'll get a feeling of creative energy which is sort of like a caffeine buzz from too much coffee. I never know when it will happen. It's a very brief window that opens for about a minute and I need to pay attention to it and grab a guitar to see where it will lead me.

Piecing the instrumentals together sometimes takes months. I keep moving things around and adding parts to them. It's difficult to title these instrumentals because of the extended period it took to complete them, and they may begin in one environment and end up in another. For one of those instrumentals, 'Hello There's Hope' I couldn't come up with a name for it, so I asked me niece to listen to me play it and tell me the first thing that came to her mind when I stopped. Then there's 'Caribbean Moon for Pat', which I ended up naming for my brother who's no long with us. For that song, I actually tried to create music to a mini movie that was in my head. The scene is a black and white tv showing a full moon scene of a view from a beach with palm trees flowing in the breeze and a small sailboat going by. I haven't figured out how to perform that song solo because the chords need to be consistent while the slide guitar plays the melody.   

Your music spans a number of styles -- is there a thru-line to how you would describe the music you make? What are your primary musical inspirations?

I guess I'm the amalgamation of everything I've listened to, all the places I've lived and the experiences I've had. I've tried to make music that is honest to me and tried not to sound like someone else. That was one of my original rules. If I started writing a song and it sounded like another song, I would scrap it. When I started to write songs, I'd put constrictions on myself. I wanted to write music that sounded a certain way. I would say to myself: "that's not Steely Dan enough" or "that's not jazz fusion enough" it's not this enough or that enough etc...and obviously, I wasn't coming up with any material and I was going nowhere.

I came to the realization that if I was going to write original songs, I needed to be honest with myself and accept whatever I came up with. I remember saying to myself: "Hey, if it sounds like a &*%#@ing nursery rhyme, that's what it is and you're going to have to deal with it". It was a stepping off the dock onto a skiff to the unknown for me to look at who I really was musically at that time. When I did that, I let myself out of the box I put myself in and I started to write original songs. From that point I never wanted to be stuck in a particular style of music and find it interesting to see where things go.

Tim will be playing on Saturday, November 5th, 7:30 p.m., in the Somerville Songwriter Sessions, along with Doug Kwartler and host Sam Bayer, at the Somerville Armory Cafe, 191 Highland Ave, Somerville MA. (Great music, great food, free parking.) $15 suggested donation. Questions? somervillesongwriter@gmail.com

[rickjsposts]

NFL Week Week 8 contest picks, NFL and NCAA FB season recap, Political odds update coming soon

New Post has been published on https://www.rickjshandicappingpicks.com/nfl-week-week-8-contest-picks-nfl-and-ncaa-fb-season-recap-political-odds-update-coming-soon/

NFL Week Week 8 contest picks, NFL and NCAA FB season recap, Political odds update coming soon

NFL has been as solid as I can remember this season.  Plays are 14-3-1 or 82%!!! Top 5 contest picks are 23-10-2 or 69.69%!!! and in the contest where I pick every game against the spread I sit at 61-47 or 56.48%.

Like I said it does not get much better then this:)  Today I have sent out 1 play to subscribers. And have also sent out all roadmaps for this week on every game.

In the roadmaps I discuss the various factors of each game with a discussion of how they interrelate. For those doing their own handicapping this  is invaluable.

My 5 Contest picks this week are:

New Orleans +1.5

Pitt +10.5

Detroit +3.5

Green Bay +10.5

Cleveland +3

  The Westgate top 5 went 2-3 last week bringing its record to 22-13. This is by far the best year I have seen since I have been following it.  Typically it has been a money making proposition to fade the top 5 in this contest. But so far not this season:)

The Westgate top 5 this week is:

NE

Tenn

Ariz

LV

Clev

I am with the top 5 on Cleveland and fading LV with NO.

It is clear to me the games are getting a bit tougher to handicap as we hit week 8:)

In MLB we started out winning with a win in game 1 of the world series with Phil +146

And in NCAA FB after a fast start, we have settled back down with two losing weeks in a row.

We sit at 22-16-1 for sides. Which is a solid 57.89%. But the totals this season have been 0-3. So we

find ourselves at +1.10 units in College football combining the two.

The NHL and NBA have not kicked in yet. Typically early in the season there are no plays until some kind of

history is set up in the databases for the season.  I expect those to kick in soon.

I have been doing this now online for 20+ years, and enjoy the handicapping as much now as when I started posting. While many handicappers have trouble keeping subscribers, I have had subscribers that have been with me since day 1:)

In addition, I try to keep finding ways to add value. The latest is the addition to my stock and option trades on my Slack channels. This has been a big success. As I am +EV on these trades with the drawdowns minimal.

Finally, we are heading into the midterms. I have shared on slack my thoughts of where the value was at. And in virtually every instance the lines have moved substantially in the direction I have projected.  I will post today or tomorrow on where I think things are heading into the midterms, and where I think there may still be value.

It is not too late to join us.  The cost is only $49.00 a month, and it has a 3 day free trial. Instead of paying a large lump sum for each sport, the subscription is month to month and covers every sport I handicap, including my stock and option trades.

One of the best values around.

Hope to see you join us.

Rick J

RickJ’s Handicapping Picks

rickjshandicappingpicks.com

[gardenianoire]

Happy Black History Month. So I'm in danger of being evicted. Okay so here's my sob story. I live paycheck to paycheck and in December my dad had a stroke so I went to Cleveland to check in on him (he's permanently blind in one eye now but otherwise he's okay). So in order to do this I had to miss about 7 days of work. At this time I was working two jobs at around 50 hour weeks. so missing a check meant being late on rent while having other expenses I couldn't keep up with. I returned to New Orleans in late December and was offered a higher paying job with more hours so now I had increased my working hours to 70 a week (my sister does 80 my bipolar ass could pull it off right?). anyways I ended up getting fired from the new job because I was exhausted everyday and showing up 10 to 15 minutes late but I got a raise at my first job and I'm in talks to get a promotion so yay. but I'm still behind on my rent and I've been scrambling to find a loan, side hustle that won't risk my first job, a miracle and I'm coming up short and it seems like everywhere I turn I have an unexpected expense. I just need to get over this last hump. I can't even afford to move because paying the back rent would be much cheaper than hiring movers, paying first and last month's rent, finding affordable housing

tl;dr I don't want to be homeless please help me. also I'm sorry I'm failing at being an adult and I have to keep having my handout 😔

$400/1625

paypal: paypal.me/xandrachantal

cashapp: $jocedun94

[rere-the-writer]

Can, I have a one-shot where Mother Nature(Elizabeth Reaser) brings Henrik back to life after a month the Mikealsons become Vampires.

To become the first, and only one of his kind a hybrid of a hellhound, and witch. He is a guardian of the supernatural world, and it's his duty to make sure the supernatural world remains a secret to the mortal world by Mother Nature.

So, Henrik realizes he can't back to his family because they will react negatively to his resurrection.

Henrik travels around the world for a thousand years during his duty becoming a legend, and myth to the supernatural world.

So, Mother Nature sends Henrik to New Orleans to take a break from his duty, and relax from serving her faithfully for a thousand years.

Knowing, his family is in New Orleans.

The Mikealsons call him Henrik but his full name is Y/n Henrik Mikealson.

Let's go boys!

Warnings: Fluff, death, Reader being protective big brother, Mikaelsons being protective

A/N: I had too much fun writing this and I think I would do more Mikaelson sibling reader fics. I had so so many ideas for this I apologize for taking so long on this

It was cruel and heartbreaking with the hand you got as you told your younger twin brother that he and Klaus shouldn't see the wolves. But Henrik wanted to as he always loved being around Klaus as he was closest to Kol, Klaus and Rebekah while you were closer to Elijah.

You were the oldest twin of 20 minutes, you were more responsible while Henrik was care free. You were worried so you followed after always taking care of your younger twin as you always looked after Henrik.

"Isn't this great Y/N!?" Henrik said looking in awe of the city as you drove though New Orleans as you got a much needed break. Harbingers of death was what you and Henrik became when Mother Nature brought you both back finding it unfair with how young you both were when you both died.

Over a thousand years you both served Mother Nature faithfully while Henrik wanted to find your siblings. You had to remind him that they might not take it well that you both are alive.

"Yes now Henrik try to stay out of trouble."

"I always do bro." Henrik tells you as you raised an eyebrow at him.

"Really? Because I swear there is Hellhound/witch that always have to save his twin Banshee brother because he gets hisself into danger."

"Okay okay I get." Henrik laughed as you drove smiling glad that Henrik was happy after one mission was a little rough on him. Then again being kidnapped by witches that tried to drain his magic you didn't think Henrik would bounce back so quickly.

"So many supernatural creatures."

"Yeah....careful the witches will be our biggest problem." You say pulling up to a townhouse you both would be staying in during your little get away.

It took a only a day for Henrik to get into some form of trouble as you both went out to get a few drinks. You were keeping an eye on Henrik as he played pool while you sat at the bar flirting with a vampire named Josh.

"So you always dressed like you are from the 20s?" Josh asked lightly teasing you making you laugh.

"I fell in love with the style." You tell him with a smirk when your ears picked up Henrik's whistle. You and Henrik made up single's to give one another if the other was in danger most of yours was whistle base.

"I need to go." You say rushing out the door leaving behind a confused Josh who followed after you. You found Henrik in an alley about to be bitten by a vampire when you tore his heart out.

"What hell?!"

"Hello gents, I'm Y/N and you have made the mistake of attacking my baby brother."

"Hey! I am not a baby." Henrik said from behind you as your eye glowed red looking at the vampires as they attacked you. The last vampire dropped dead as you stood cleaning your hands with a handkerchief then looked at Henrik.

"Are you alright?"

"Yeah. Thanks bro." Henrik says as you made sure he was alright before taking him home. It didn't take long for word to get out about dead vampires missing hearts and nearly burnt.

"Niklaus, I swear your paranoia is going to get you killed." Elijah said watching the hybrid paced as the others came in annoyed that Klaus had called them while they were busy.

"There is a new threat."

"We don't know that for sure. All we know is the vampires had clearly attacked something stronger."

"Yes and that something is a threat to this family." Klaus tells Elijah who rolled his eyes as the others agreed that Klaus was being paranoid. While they had heard of what happened to the vampires, Elijah was more worried about witches as they were chatting than something big was coming with help of the Ancestors.

"Wouldn't said threat come after us by now?"

"Do not mock me, Rebekah." Klaus growled looking at his siblings as the others still just brushed it off as him be paranoid and focused on the witches.

You walked though the autumn festival watching Henrik closely as he ran ahead looking at all of the stalls. You kept an ear out listening as you didn't trust none of the witches and the vampires were getting on your bad list for attacking Henrik the other night.

Elijah stopped walking when a familiar scent reached his nose one he hadn't smelled in centuries and looked stopping as he felt the air leave him. Elijah felt his eyes water when he saw both you and Henrik and couldn't help but felt like the witches was pulling some kind of trick.

Elijah noted you both hadn't really aged a day and planned to go the witches for answers as he couldn't believe that his baby brothers were alive. Elijah was snapped out of his thoughts when Hayley grabbed his hand.

"Elijah, you okay?" Hayley asked as Elijah looked back finding you and Henrik gone as if you both weren't there in the first place.

"Yes."

You panted having grabbing Henrik when you saw Elijah that he noticed you both which you were quick to grab Henrik to run.

"Why can't we see Elijah? You and he was so close."

"Henrik, I already told you why. They think we are dead and to show up like 'Hello, we are your long dead siblings.' is a bad idea."

"But..."

"Henrik no." You told your brother trying to ignore the pain on Henrik's face and you sighed looking at him. You gave him a soft smile pulling him in a hug feeling Henrik hug back.

"You know I love you right? I just want to keep you safe."

"I know....love you too brother."

That night was chilly as you and Henrik had dinner then headed for bed when you woke to a scream and quickly headed for Henrik's room.

"Fuck." You growled seeing the bed empty then quickly headed to find your brother. You heard another scream and ran killed the vampire that almost touched Henrik.

"Henrik?" You panted kneeling next to him looking seeing a dead body then focused by on Henrik.

"Y/N....where ar....."

"And you said my paranoia was unfounded Elijah." Henrik was cut off by Klaus and you muttered fuck under your breath looking seeing Klaus and Elijah standing there. It happened in a blur making Henrik call out your name when Klaus had attacked you grabbing you by your thoat.

"Who are you?" Klaus growled lowly as your eyes flashed red growling back throwing Klaus back then placed yourself between Henrik and Elijah.

"Don't touch him."

"Y/N....it's okay."

"No Henrik it is not. You saw an omen and not we have to explain to them how we are alive." You tell Henrik as both Elijah and Klaus sucked in breath surprised.

Your older brothers had mixed feelings see you and Henrik alive but all they knew was that their baby brothers were alive. You sighed running your fingers though your hair as Elijah caught a glimpse of the family Crest tattoo on your wrist.

"What did you see Hen?"

"Dad....he tried to kill me. Dad was saying became a monster and was blaming Nik." Henrik tells you making you freeze as you knew of Mikael's need to kill their children thanks to Mother Nature as she made sure that you two stayed out of Mikael's line of slight.

"Y/N?" Elijah whispered his hand on your shoulder as Klaus picked up Henrik see how he was only out dressed in pajamas. You looked up at your older brother seeing his mocha eyes soft filled with worry.

"I can't believe this! Not are our brothers are alive but Mikael as well?!" Rebekah shouted pacing as Elijah was treating the wounds on Henrik's feet while you groaned already annoyed.

"It seems the Ancestors made a deal with our homicidal father." Klaus says pouring a drink as Freya was doing a locater spell to find Mikael.

"I just wanted a vacation not this." You huffed as Henrik frowned looking at you as Hayley came walking in carrying Hope with Jackson close behind.

"What is this I hear that Mikael is alive?"

"Hayley meet our baby brothers Henrik and Y/N." Klaus says ignoring her question as Henrik smiled at her while you had your head back giving her a two finger wave.

"Klaus answer my question!"

"Yes. Not like you could do anything." You said getting Hayley's attention as she passed Hope to Rebekah her eyes flashing.

"I am a hybrid stronger than you witch."

"Hellhound stronger than hybrid." You say not bothered still annoyed as Klaus smirked sipping his drink as Elijah sighed. Hayley huffed sitting down as everyone made a plan to take out Mikael.

After the Mikael mess that leaded to an Esther mess you all headed back to the Abattoir to relax. Henrik sat with Rebekah and Kol telling a story of one of your missions you both went on.

"Yeah Y/N came in and like took out 20 vampires."

"Hen it was only 10." You said eyes closed laying on the couch head in Elijah's lap feeling him run his fingers though your hair much like when you were younger.

"Y/N is being humble about it." Henrik said smiling making you huff as Elijah chuckled still running his fingers through your hair lulling you to sleep.

"Maybe I should take on our baby brother to see if he really is that strong."

"Bring it Nik. I'll beat your ass." You mumbled eyes feeling heavy as Klaus laughed lightly as Elijah smiled gently moving his fingers slower. Henrik yawned feeling tired seeing you fall asleep.

"How about a movie now that everything is calm?"

"Go ahead Freya." Elijah says softly as everyone settled in getting comfortable. The family was together again, finally whole again as Elijah looked to Klaus both silently promised to be sure they wouldn't lose the youngest Mikaelsons again.