#nocturnal mushy may

[nocturnalghoul]

Mushy May Day 23: Falling asleep/ watching the other sleep

Rain comes to Swiss after getting high with Mountain. He promises not to fall asleep while they hang out but alas. Some super fluffy Rulti because I love them. Those two are incredibly goofy with one another and you cannot change my mind!

I need it to be known that an outline for this has been sitting in my ideas folder since like early March and I was super excited for an excuse to finally make myself turn it into something. This is also another one that I hope to revisit and bulk out later. Snippet of song at the end is from One & Only by Fortunate Youth. Once again the Rain Chill Vibes playlist is one that you can rip from my cold dead hands.

Words: 669

Rating: Gen/ Everyone

Read below the cut or on AO3 here

Swiss takes in the very high ghoul in front of him, already clambering to snuggle up next to him on his bed. He had been reading a book, but knows that the time for that is now apparently over and quickly marks his place before closing it.

“Now, I can’t help but notice you didn't even share, Raincloud” he teases, already shifting so that Rain can situate himself more comfortably. 

“Mmmm, wasn’t mine to share, babe. You’d have ta bother Mounty ‘bout that.” Rain mumbles as he crawls into Swiss’ lap, accidentally knocking the book out of his hand as he goes. “So whatta you up to?”

“Well I was gonna try to get some reading done, but then a ravishing water ghoul appeared. I guess it’s best that I stop that silly plan and talk to him instead, huh?” 

“Hmmm, wise plan. This water fella’ sounds super handsome, I would hate for him to have to go talk to somebody else.” 

Rain shoots him a playful look, his smile a little overly wide before breaking out into a fit of giggles. Swiss leans over to give him a quick peck on the nose before turning to grab his phone from the nightstand beside him. 

“The playlist I had going was one of the ones you made for me but it’s kinda slow and chill. Let me change it to something a little less sleepy.” Swiss explains, following the small discontent huff Rain had let out at all the wiggling he was doing. 

“No it’s fine, I was enjoying it. Leave it on?” Rain asks gently. Swiss shoots him a quick knowing look. Both of them are well aware of how sleepy Rain gets when he is high in general, and clearly the multi ghoul does not believe for a second that Rain won’t immediately nod off with the music still playing. 

“‘M not gonna fall asleep” Rain lazily asserts, but only gets a singular raised eyebrow in response. 

“Swisstopher K Ghoul, do you doubt my word? Here, I pinky promise!” Rain challenges in fake outrage, face scrunching up in an adorable way that Swiss can't resist. He holds up his pinky and wiggles it at Swiss to prove he means it. 

Swiss hooks their pinkies together then pulls Rain's hand up towards his face. “This sounds serious, I better seal that promise with a kiss” he remarks before kissing both their entwined fingers and the back of Rain’s hand. Rain pouts up at him after taking his hand back, so Swiss gives him one more in between his horns. 

A grand total of 10 minutes passes before Rain’s responses to what Swiss is saying stop making sense as he predictably starts to fall asleep. Swiss knows that if he were to challenge the water ghoul on this, he would blame it on how nicely Swiss is playing with his hair, the comfort of his bed, and his own excellent taste in pleasant music. 

Eventually Rain stops responding completely, letting out a barely audible noise that is either a snore or a gentle purr, Swiss can’t tell. Either way, he continues to play with Rain’s hair as he looks down fondly at him sleeping. 

The water ghoul is smiling even in his sleep, and Swiss is completely entranced by him. He listens to Rain’s soft noises and the music playing from the speaker across the room. 

You know when I sleep at night/ With you, right by my side I'm fine/ Hoping to be forever/ You and Me

The sentiment expressed in the music could not more perfectly encompass the current moment. Swiss thinks he may just have to finally admit that there is something nice about the hypnotically chill playlists Rain makes, even if it’ll inflate the ghouls ego. 

“I’m so happy I get to call you mine, Rainbow” he whispers against the water ghouls hair. Rain snuggles closer in his sleep at the words and for Swiss that's more than enough confirmation that the feeling is mutual.

[bigbroemen]

イヌムシ科・grub-dog family

i just finished getting all of the different grub dog and grub dog-like species in my piklopedia in my playthrough of pikmin 2, so i thought id share what names the japanese version of the game uses for all of the different species’ classifications! i will be including all animals in the grub dog family, and despite the fact that they are not technically grub dogs, i will also be including the dwarf bulborbs and the bulbmin.

some notes before i start:

there are three words will come up frequently throughout the classifications of members of the grub dog family. these words are:

チャッピー chappii - this word is used as “bulborb” is used in the english translation while i mostly dont believe チャッピー chappii is derived from any particular words in japanese, i do believe that the phonetics of the word are meant to characterize the harsh “chomp” of snapping up food (チャッピ chappi), and perhaps the cuteness of the round and plump form that bulborbs take (ピー pii).

デメマダラ dememadara - this word is used as “bulblax” is used in the english translation in kanji, デメマダラ dememadara can be read as 出目斑, 出目 deme meaning “eyestalk” and 斑 madara meaning “spots” or “speckles”. for the sake of keeping translations as literal as possible, ill be referring to デメマダラ dememadara as “eyestalk spots”.

イヌムシ inumushi - this word is used as “grub-dog” is used in the english translation in kanji, イヌムシ inumushi can be read as 犬虫, 犬 inu meaning “dog” and 虫 mushi meaning “bug”. i just love this word. i love it as much as i love grub-dog. i love dogs and i love bugs and i love the little dog bugs.

the second line in the english piklopedia is reserved for the “scientific name” of the specimen being reported on. the japanese piklopedia uses the same line for the 和名 wamei, or the “japanese name” of the specimen. both terms, scientific name and 和名 wamei, though they may seem to have different meanings, are used in the same manner. tl;dr “和名 wamei/japanese name” DOES functionally mean “scientific name” but ill still be translating it as “japanese name”.

it might be a bit weird, but im going to refer to all the animals here as their translated japanese names

lastly, as much as id like to include translations of the japanese memos that olimar leaves regarding each specimen, i just dont have the understanding of the language to do so for each memo in a timely manner. each memo is a paragraph long and they include a lot of scientific lingo and a lot of specialized grammar, so wholely translating just one memo would take me at least an hour. ill just be leaving the english memos.

アカチャッピー・aka chappii・赤チャッピー Red Chappy

和名：ベニデメマダラ・ beni deme madara・紅出目斑 japanese name: crimson eyestalk spots

イヌムシ科・inu mushi ka・犬虫科 dog bug family

English Memo: This large organism has the familiar mandibles and cranial morphology of the grub-dog family, as well as the characteristic bulging eyes. As with most grub-dogs, the creature's cranium comprises half of its total length and girth. Showing a scarlet abdomen with white spots, this creature is primarily nocturnal, choosing to prey upon smaller creatures returning to their nests. Originally classified as the spotty bulborb, further research has reclassified this species as the red bulborb. Subspecies of varied colors have recently been discovered, but academics are divided into two rival camps over how to handle their classification.

so cute. i love you

ケチャッピー・ke chappii・毛チャッピー Furry Chappy

和名：シラガデメマダラ・shiraga deme madara・白髪出目斑 japanese name: white hair eyestalk spots

イヌムシ科・inu mushi ka・犬虫科 dog bug family

English Memo: This subspecies of grub-dog has a thick coat of soft white fur that obscures its abdominal markings. The fur also warms its vital organs, making this species well adapted to colder climates. However, its hair follicles are surprisingly frail, which can result in immediate hair loss if the creature is surprised.

these guys are called hairy bulborbs in the english translation, but i felt like that name didnt do its coat of fur justice. “hairy” sounds patchy and thin, but this guy has a very nice and thick coat of fur, that grants him the subtitle of “furry”

テンテンチャッピー・tenten chappii・輾転チャッピー Restless Chappy

和名：ダイダイ��メマダラ・daidai deme madara・橙出目斑 japanese name: orange eyestalk spots

イヌムシ科・inu mushi ka・犬虫科 dog bug family

English Memo: This bulborb species boasts a garish color pattern, with a deep orange body and black spots. The orange bulborb's yellow, bloodshot eyes make it clear that this grub-dog is excessively edgy and high-strung, making it much easier to wake from deep sleep than other species in the bulborb family.

the テンテン tenten in this guys name has a bit of a fun dual meaning. its most likely meant to primarily mean 輾転 tenten, meaning “tossing and turning (in bed)”, as thats kind of how this guy differs from the red chappy in regards to game mechanics, but it can also mean 点々 tenten, which means “many dots”. i like this one a lot, he is a little threatening but still cute

fun story, translating this guy’s name and going back to the pikipedia to get information led me to editing my first wiki page. i felt a little rude barging in about it but i felt like i had enough evidence to make my case for the changes that i made. i also made sure to hop into the discord and mention it before i followed through with it

クマチャッピー・kuma chappii・熊チャッピー Bear Chappy

和名：クマデメマダラ・kuma deme madara・熊出目斑 japanese name: bear eyestalk spots

イヌムシ科・inu mushi ka・犬虫科 dog bug family

English Memo: A midsize subspecies within the grub-dog family, the spotty bulbear's unique feeding habits set it apart from other grub-dogs. The spotty bulbear patrols a set path searching for prey, instead of passively feeding on creatures that wander into a limited territorial range. When entering bulbear habitat, it is wise to proceed with extreme caution until the bulbear's patrol path can be clearly identified.

i like these guys. theyre scary

チビクマ・chibi kuma・ちび熊 Little Bear

和名：クマデメマダラ・kuma deme madara・熊出目斑 japanese name: bear eyestalk spots

イヌムシ科・inu mushi ka・犬虫科 dog bug family

English Memo: A grub-dog larva in its third stage of development, this creature's body structure is nearing maturation. However, unlike mature bulbears, it has yet to claim its own patrol route, and thus is dependent upon its parent for guarding direction.

these things are in their third stage of development. assuming that the baby chappies are (i would say “probably” but you literally watch them get blasted out of the empress bulblax’s gooch) in their first stage, i wonder what the second stage looks like

ベビーチャッピー・bebii chappii Baby Chappy

和名：デメマダラ・deme madara・出目斑 japanese name: eyestalk spots

イヌムシ科・inu mushi ka・犬虫科 dog bug family

English Memo: As its name implies, this creature is a bulborb in an early stage of development. Its distinct bulborb coloration has yet to appear, but it already exhibits other uniquely bulborb characteristics. It is capable of hunting nourishment independently without the help of its parents.

these things can die. also blah blah english is a novelty in japan blah blah but i do like the english version’s use of “larvae” than i do the japanese version’s usage of “baby”, baby feels like a word for chordates

ヤキチャッピー・yaki chappii・焼きチャッピー Burning Chappy

和名：ヒノデメマダラ・hi no deme madara・火の出目斑 japanese name: fire eyestalk spots

イヌムシ科・inu mushi ka・犬虫科 dog bug family

English Memo: Bodily excretions of a highly flammable waxy substance interact with the cell structure of this grub-dog's skin, causing a chemical reaction that produces extremely high temperatures. The skin benefits from a spongy cell structure that diffuses the surface heat, protecting the creature's inner organs. Due to the astonishing amount of heat produced by this beast, it should be observed with great caution.

i translated 焼き yaki as burning, but it should be known that 焼き yaki has the specific connotation of cooking, specifically frying/stir-frying. i think that makes this guys name a little more fun. pikipedia translates it to “sizzling chappy”, which i also like, but i feel like “sizzle” is a little too weak sounding for how loud this thing crackles and pops w fire

ダンゴナマズ・dango namazu・団子鯰 Dumpling Catfish

和名：アミダンゴナマズ・ami dango namazu・網団子鯰 japanese name: net dumpling catfish

イヌムシ科・inu mushi ka・犬虫科 dog bug family

English Memo: A resident of freshwater pools and marshes, this aquatic creature regularly feeds on insects that land on the surface of the water. It shares a nearly identical skeletal structure with its close relative and terrestrial cousin, the bulborb. This may offer clues to its evolutionary origin and suggests that it only recently emigrated to an aquatic habitat.

this is a fun little deviance lol. i think the 網 ami, or net/web, in this things technical name refers to the texture of its blue hide. i kind of like that. also, this one has 鯰 namazu, or catfish, in its name, but you can see it doesnt really have a catfish’s signature whiskers; earlier models of the dumpling catfish do show it having whiskers, though. i actually kind of like the whiskers, i dont know why they took them out

クイーンチャッピー・kuiin chappii Queen Chappy

和名：デメマダラ（卵嚢肥大個体）・deme madara (rannou hidai kotai)・出目斑（卵嚢肥大個体） japanese name: eyestalk spots (egg sac enlargement specimen)

イヌムシ科・inu mushi ka・犬虫科 dog bug family

English Memo: Initial observations placed doubt on the capability of the grub-dog family to support a strong ant- or beelike social structure, but recent studies show the family is capable of such complexity. The egg sac of the largest female grub-dog within a given range swells to dramatic proportions in response to environmental changes, such as the sudden depletion of prey species. These females temporarily take on the role of pack matriarch. Also, in pack formation it has been observed that nearly all males not involved in species reproduction undergo natural sex changes. The characteristics of such specimens are quite intriguing indeed.

i like this one

ダイオウデメマダラ・dai ou deme madara・大王出目斑 Great King Eyestalk Spots

和名：ダイオウデメマダラ・dai ou deme madara・大王出目斑 great king eyestalk spots

イヌムシ科・inu mushi ka・犬虫科 dog bug family

English Memo: The largest member of the grub-dog family is normally found buried in the ground, with only the stalks of its eyes exposed. This camouflage allows the predator to surprise smaller creatures and use its long, adhesive tongue to capture prey. The thick hide and angular hump give the organism a distinct rocklike quality. During the rainy season, moss grows freely on its hump, making it nearly impossible to distinguish this lethal predator from a stone.

for the purpose of keeping it clear what each piece of this guy’s name meant, i kept the describers’ positions in the translation of this name parallel to the positions in the og japanese, but i know its clunky and not very grand sounding. maybe “great bug-eyed spotted king”? it couldnt ever get it to sound as good as “emperor bulblax” though

アカコチャッピー・aka ko chappii・赤子チャッピー Red Child Chappy

和名：ベニデメマダラモドキ・beni deme madara modoki・紅出目斑擬き japanese name: crimson eyestalk spots mimic

パンモドキ科・pan modoki ka・パン擬き科 bread mimic family

English Memo: Although initially identified as a juvenile red bulborb, groundbreaking new research indicates that this creature is in fact a member of the breadbug family. A close relative of the vanilla breadbug, it escapes predation through mimicry. Unique adaptation of the red bulborb's crimson coloration allows the species to safely commingle. Such effective adaptation and obfuscation by a prey species is rare, indicating this clever creature is a master of mimicry.

getting good pictures of these things was hard. this is a good one though

ユキチャッピー・yuki chappii・雪チャッピー Snow Chappy

和名：シラガデメマダラモドキ・shiraga deme madara modoki・白髪出目斑擬き japanese name: white hair eyestalk spots mimic

パンモドキ科・pan modoki ka・パン擬き科 bread mimic family

English Memo: Like the dwarf red bulborb, the snow bulborb is a member of the breadbug family that seeks to survive through imitating the appearance and behavior of a bulborb. Its pale coloration and blue spots make for easy identification. In particular, this organism mimics the hairy bulborb, but it is of course unable to grow the hair that gives the hairy bulborb its name. However, as the hairy bulborb has been known to lose its hair in certain circumstances, the snow bulborb is an effective mimic that is often mistaken for a member of the same species.

i think the implication that chappies can physiologically grow hair/fur while bread mimics physiologically cant is interesting. i would have loved to see fur on these guys though

テンコチャッピー・ten ko chappii・てん子チャッピー Restless Child Chappy

和名：ダイダイデメマダラモドキ・daidai deme madara modoki・橙出目斑擬き japanese name: orange eyestalk spots mimic

パンモドキ科・pan modoki ka・パン擬き科 bread mimic family

English Memo: Just as dwarf red bulborbs mimic the appearance of red bulborbs, it was theorized that an orange bulborb-mimicking variant must also exist. Recent fieldwork has confirmed this theory.

i also edited this guy’s page on the wiki for the same reason as the restless chappy. i actually went back just now to change a grammatical error i made in my edit last night LOL

ハチャッピー・ha chappii・葉チャッピー Leaf Chappy

和名：ヤドリピクミンとその宿主・yadori pikumin to sono yadonushi・宿りピクミンとその宿主 japanese name: parasitic pikmin and the parasitic host

ピクミン科・pikumin ka pikmin family

English Memo: This loathsome creature is in fact a parasitic form of Pikmin that has infected a bulborb. Unlike Pikmin that nest in Pikmin Onions, this parasitic relative spends its life inside the body of a host, usually a bulborb. Juveniles fall in line and mimic the actions of their parent until maturing to full independence. By burying its rootlike limbs into the nervous system of the host bulborb and infusing it with natural hormonal excretions, the bulbmin is able to control virtually all of the host's bodily functions. However, the host's voracious appetite seems impossible to suppress.

i always thought that the adult leaf chappy looked a little boney and malnourished in the face, compared to the plump faces of all the other chappies. i like to think its because the pikmin taking host in it is taking all of its nutrients and starving it as much as it can while maintaining optimal physiology. i think this could also explain its voracious appetite

[dailudannos]

So I recently remembered this AU I made a long time ago where Vortex and Undergrowth were The Big Gay™️ for each other and had Nocturne as their edgy adopted son may I please hear your thoughts on it

That's like...a HOT TAKE NGL

Just the coziness of two gay dads, and everytime they get mushy with each other Nocturne's like..."Ew gross, do you have to do that in front of me??" It sends my heart 💓💓

I actually came up with an idea like this not too long ago for my reverse role au; Nova is the child of a past ghost, and Vortex and Undergrowth act as helicopter parents of this "newborn", with good intentions of course.

10/10 would recommend anon 👌

[classic80sand90smovieloves2]

Meeting and Dating Freddy Renfield

(Sorry about the bad gif/I’m an amateur)(requested by anonymous)

(It could just be quarantine but count nightwing kinda lookin like a snack as I rewatch the episode)

- Technically you “saw” Freddy before you actually met him.

- It was late one night and you were walking home from a friends house when you spotted a figure standing at the end of the street. It made you stop in your tracks as you tried to focus, wondering if your eyes were deceiving you in the dark.

- Deciding to check it out, you started to walk towards the shadowy figure when all of a sudden the crash of a garbage can made you turn around. When you looked back the figure was gone and goosebumps ran across your skin.

- Unbeknownst to you, you’d just narrowly avoided being a teenage vampires meal. But it wouldn’t be your last encounter with the undead.

- Soon after you found yourself in the chilled air of your yard, sitting in your swing after struggling to fall asleep after waking up in the middle of the night. You were almost positive that it was just the barren darkness that was making your skin crawl but you weren’t sure. It felt like someone’s eyes on you yet after surveying the streets and your own yard you didn’t find anything.

- Imagine your surprise when a voice rang out behind you.

“I see I’ve stumbled across a creature of the night” You almost jumped out of your skin as you whipped your head around.

- The owner of the voice was... kinda cute. At least he was the same age as you, that made things a whole lot less creepy. Plus, it was nice to connect a face to the feeling of eyes on you; you were almost completely sure it was him who’d been watching you.

- You shyly greeted him, hyper aware of the fact that you were dressed in your pajamas and that your hair probably looked like a birds nest. Yet he didn’t seem to mind as he walked closer, leaning against the support of the swing as he introduced himself and asked if he scared you.

- You vaguely recognized the name before realizing why you remembered it. Him and his family had been the talk of the town after both him and his sister randomly dropped out in middle school. Hardly anyone had seen them since.

- But here he was and here you were, having a conversation... in the night... and the fog...and your yard with no one else in sight. ...It was starting to dawn on you that this was a little weird.

- And yet you stayed, well... until he started talking about all the creatures that could be crawling around in the dark. You laughed, thinking he was joking but his face was serious...well, until he cracked a grin at your falling face.

- Finally, you decided that you’d had enough conversation for the night and stood with a scoff. You began walking towards your door but stopped for a moment when he asked what you were doing, following you as you went.

“I’m a bit too old for monsters Freddy.” You told him before disappearing inside your home.

- Weirdly enough, after your first late night encounter you began a friendship with the nocturnal boy. As soon as the sun began to go down you’d find him lingering in the shade waving you over. If it was later in the night he’d throw rocks at your window until you noticed him.

- You’d been friends with Freddy for a while when he asked if he could show you something. Soon enough you found yourself under a streetlight watching as he took a nervous deep breath and grew fangs before your eyes. All you could do was stare at him, not saying a word as he awaited your response.

- Hesitantly, you placed your hands on his face, holding him still as you moved closer, wanting a better look as you processed what you were seeing. Before you knew what was happening he surged forward and placed his lips on yours, stealing a quick chaste kiss.

- You weren’t sure what to say after that, you’d just been “told” that your best friend was a vampire and that he likes you as more than a friend. What could you say after that?

“You...have a lot of explaining to do.”

- And thus began your relationship with the teenage creature of the night.

- Well your boyfriends a vampire so obviously you don’t go out very much. A lot of your dates are hanging out at his house, going to the park or walking around town.

- Bowling or arcade dates when you can afford it.

- That being said, unless you have lenient parents you’re going to have to be okay with sneaking out. Although I suppose if you dressed him up like a mummy or clung to the shadows you could go out during the day.

- Get used to knocks at your window since that’s how he invites you out. All of a sudden you’ll hear a tap at the glass and he’ll be peeking in at you, asking to be let in.

- Every now and again you’ll be too tired to hang out so you’ll have to put up with his pout when he arrives at your window. But depending on how much he wants to be with you he’ll sometimes just crawl into bed behind you.

- Thats one thing he does sort of miss: having a bed. So he doesn’t mind laying down with you from time to time, even if he doesn’t fall asleep.

- When grandpa Nightwing hears about your relationship he decides to give Freddy his century old, outdated advice. Some of it is salvageable, other things not so much....

- Kind of uncomfortable dinners with his family, they’re lovely “people” but it takes some getting used to. He’s definitely joked that you’re dinner before and made you nervous.

- He likes to scare you with different horror stories and pranks.

- Teases you with his fangs, like baring his teeth and curling his fingers like they’re claws. Usually after he makes a joke about his monster side, or after you do.

- He gets a bit shy when bringing you into his bedroom for the first time but he finds it cute when you marvel at his coffin. He offers to let you try it, “only if you’d like.”.

- Hanging out in his basement.

- Playing air hockey with him. He can get competitive but after a while so will you, the spirit is contagious.

- Wrestling with each other.

- Hes a cheeky boy so be prepared to deal with that. You might want to learn a few lines to throw back at him.

- He may or may not let you go for a ride in Count Nightwings coffin. Only during the daytime of course, he doesn’t want you coming face to face with a bloodthirsty batch of vampires.

- Because he’s aware of what lurks in the dark he’s grown very protective of you. He doesn’t like you being alone at night or doing anything remotely foolish. Like going into the woods by yourself even if it’s during the day; he isn’t the only creature that’s not fiction.

- If you’re ever faced with anything scary he makes sure to step in front of and shield you. They’ll have to go through him to get to you.

- He’s pretty cunning so he usually has no problem bailing you out of whatever trouble you’re in.

- He likes proving he’s tough, whether that be by telling you stories about himself or doing dangerous/scary things in front of you. He’d find it amusing if you got worried over him but he’d also grow a bit flustered at the attention.

- You’ll definitely have to deal with gossip since someone will inevitably see you together or you’ll have to tell someone about your relationship.

- Growing close to Cara. If we’re going by the book then you’d hang out with her during the school day.

- She’d help you get revenge and tease Freddy after he teases you. All you really have to do is ignore him to whisper with her and you’ll drive him crazy with your “secret keeping”.

- Since you’re usually together during the night you never have to worry about what other people think. You can always be your idiotic or silly selves with each other.

- Hes can get a bit jealous but not just in the romantic way. He’s jealous of regular people who can spend as much time as they’d like with you because they aren’t bound to the dark. And he’s jealous of other guys who would make much easier boyfriends or who can be around you all day and grow closer while he’s away from you.

- Making cute deals with each other.

“If I do X can I have a kiss?”

“If you do it I’ll give you two.”

“It’s a deal!”

- He’s not a big fan of surprises for obvious reasons. He much prefers you just telling him what you have in store for him.

- He has a tendency to get carried away with things which can cause you to fight from time to time. Although, your fights never last very long and he doesn’t have a problem apologizing.

- You’re like 80% of his impulse control, you have to stop him from doing risky or stupid things.

- Grandpa Nightwing has probably given Freddy an old amulet to give to you for your birthday or some other special occasion. Neither of you are sure if it has magical properties or not.

- Koala hugging him while he hangs from the ceiling/crawls on it.

- You definitely have to dress up as a vampire for Halloween at least once.

- Movie marathons.

- Handholding.

- It does take some getting used to when you go to his house. It’s a bit disorienting when you arrive at ten o’clock pm and you’re greeted with an early morning atmosphere.

- Don’t worry if you catch him staring at you, he’s trying to look at every detail of your face so that he can remember it perfectly during the long times he’s away from you.

- Cara likes to tease the two of you when you get all mushy after not seeing each other. Her favorite descriptor is “nauseating”.

- They say you should never trust a vampire but the sentiment is hard to believe when your boyfriend is such a sweetheart.

[cyrnarosorcery-blog]

Want to Know More About Leopard Gecko Habitat?

The Fundamentals of Leopard Gecko Habitat Revealed

Fresh Water Water is a crucial portion of our lives together with your leopard gecko. Humidity is quite an important factor you should think about when taking care of a leopard gecko. Always offer your leopard gecko with a very good supply of fresh water.

You should make certain they have adequate housing and humidity if you become aware of your Leopard Geckos are going to get started shedding because in the event that you don't have an efficient cage setup to accomplish this, they're likely to get issues. These bugs contain chemicals that are extremely toxic to geckos and should not be applied as leopard gecko's food. The care sheet lists all you have to have a leopard gecko for a pet.

If your crested gecko owners should be sufficient for a single lizard. Also, be very apparent you know what it is you are doing if you choose to have more than one gecko. He or she does not ship automatically.

Mites are terrible on any sort of reptile. Leopard geckos really like to explore and investigate, so offer them an enjoyable habitat that enables them to achieve that. They are nocturnal and do not have the same need for ultraviolet light-B (UVB) as many other species.

They're insectivores, and ought to be only fed insects. In the beginning, you'll need to keep the geckos in individual cages. Wire cages aren't suggested for leopard geckos.

A large number of hatchlings might be exciting, but they have to get fed, housed, and ultimately sold. As stated previously, paper towels are among the best substrates for juvenile leopard geckos (together with sick geckos), but they're also able to be used for an adult leopard gecko. Their reptile selection generally speaking is wonderful.

In the event the eggs aren't fertile, they will develop fungus within a few weeks.  In short, you may keep many leos, but you must ensure you're following on each one of the housing requirements, and that you have sufficient space to separate males from females if necessary. These species live for approximately 5 decades.

The Number One Question You Must Ask for Leopard Gecko Habitat

If you get a stick on, (it is a good deal less accurate) don't stick it to the tank. When picking a tank for your gecko, bear this in mind and be sure that the tank has lots of horizontal space. If you have several leopard geckos, you might want to acquire a larger hide in order that they can all fit within it.

You will also have to supply a water source for your crickets. This reptile carpet stuff is significantly thinner and a good deal simpler to use than regular carpet. Several hiding spots should be supplied.

You ought to have another hide on the cold side too. There is not anything wrong with these basic enclosures. You may use the ZooMed canned fruit Mixins, particularly if it is tough to locate nice, mushy tropical fruit locally, or you may use overripe fresh fruit.

Once you get your container, you need to devote a substrate that retains moisture. The enclosure has to be well ventilated to guarantee decent air flow. Therefore, a loose substrate isn't natural to them and ought to be avoided.

The Leopard Gecko Habitat Game

Lizard types vary from the ones that are terrific for beginners to those that need a seasoned keeper. This gecko kit has a very reasonable price considering what you are able to get with this. This tank is a high-quality one and includes lots of items.

Otherwise, vitamin supplements are also available on the market to satiate the demands of your pet. Purchase an electronic temp probe to make certain that any parasites if you get vitamin supplement once each week. Tiles, on the flip side, are perfect.

The Unexposed Secret of Leopard Gecko Habitat

It also requires a moist shelter, but a massive water bowl may also do the job. The container can be any very clear plastic container with a couple holes for circulation. You should make sure your gecko cannot readily climb from the tank, therefore a tank with glass sides would be a good option since leopard geckos can't climb glass.

The Upside to Leopard Gecko Habitat

Therefore, what resembles a little female, could in fact be a youthful male. You cannot house males together. The best way of sexing a Tokay is to search for the femoral pores.

Do not attempt to pull off the shredded skin since this could damage your animal. It's also essential that the bowl isn't too deep, to prevent a drowning hazard. If it is broken off, it will usually regenerate, but may not look the same.

Vital Pieces of Leopard Gecko Habitat

It's fine to do so, but always be sure you pay attention to it and keep it from danger. Hopefully, you're now able to buy a house for your new friend, armed with the knowledge that you know precisely what they should start off their new life beside you in the healthiest and happiest way possible. Some people decide to feed their geckos in a different environment in an empty container to avert this concern.

[lovemychinchilla]

What Are Cecotropes?

Title image courtesy of J.F. Rabbits.

Sometimes, chinchillas eat their own poop. But they only eat a special kind of poop called cecotropes. But how? Why? Won't 'cecotropes' make your chinchilla sick?

What are cecotropes? Cecotropes are a kind of partially digested poop that chinchillas eat again. The purpose of eating cecotropes is to extract more nutrients from the food. This is necessary because chinchillas eat highly fibrous food that's difficult to break down. Cecotropes are larger, softer, shinier and smellier than regular poop and are almost always 'produced' at night. They won't make your chinchilla sick; rather, chinchillas get sick if they don't produce and eat cecotropes. If yours doesn't, talk to a vet.

The guide below first looks at what cecotropes are, what they look like, and how they're different to regular poop. We'll also cover how chinchillas make cecotropes by using their fascinating digestive system (in ways that we can't), and why chinchillas need to make cecotropes in the first place.

What Are Cecotropes?

Do chinchillas eat poop? Yes, and no. Cecotropes are a special kind of poop that many animals produce. You might know them by alternative names like caecal pellets or night feces. They're made in a special part of the gut, so they look and smell different to regular poop. When chinchillas produce them, they immediately eat them again so that they can digest them for a second time. This is something that lots of animals do, and is known as cecotrophy, cecophagy, pseudorumination, refection or coprophagy. All of these words mean the same thing: eating poop.

Cecotropes pronunciation: Seek-uh-tropes

Seek like the word 'seek', uh like the short u in 'under', and tropes like the separate word 'tropes'.

As disgusting as this idea is, it's a very important part of the chinchilla's digestive process. As such, it's good for your chinchillas to do this, not bad. If anything, it's a bad sign if your chinchilla doesn't produce and eat cecotropes.

If none of this sounds familiar, don't worry. Chinchillas produce cecotropes at night and eat them immediately. That's why many owners have never seen their chinchilla either producing or eating them.

Are Cecotropes Different to Regular Poop?

Cecotropes have a different appearance, texture and smell to regular poop.

Normal chinchilla poop is a deep dark color and comes out in individual pellets. It's small and dry and has little odor. That's because the chinchilla has digested it twice over, thereby removing as much water from it as possible. Cecotropes are larger, smooth and soft, and come out in bunches.

You can instantly tell the difference between a cecotrope and normal poop just by looking. If you've ever had other small animals before, like rabbits, you may already have seen one.

What Do Cecotropes Look Like?

The first thing you'll notice about cecotropes is that they're bunched together. Regular poops come out in individual pellets, but cecotropes are clustered together. They look like small bunches of grapes or blackberries. When you break them apart, they look like small berries. You won't ever notice normal chinchilla poop clumped together like this.

They stick together because their texture is different. You can tell that just by looking. They look smoother and softer than regular poop. It's this slight stickiness that makes them stick together in bunches. If you touch them, they're mushy. They also look much more wet. They're shiny, not only because they contain more water, but because they're covered in a light mucus. This comes from the gut.

Cecotropes may also be a lighter brown color than normal feces. Again, that's because they contain more water.

What Do Cecotropes Smell Like?

Another way to distinguish cecotropes from regular poop is their smell. Cecotropes are made from partially digested food, and are full of bacteria from the cecum. This means they have a strong fecal smell. This is unlike normal poops, which are dry and almost odorless.

All that being said, there's not normally a need to tell the difference between cecotropes and regular poop. If your chinchilla is healthy, then one or two 'missed' cecotropes—ones it didn't bother to eat—shouldn't be a problem. But if you spot lots of them and they appear consistently, there may be an issue with your pet's diet or health.

When Do Chinchillas Produce Cecotropes?

Cecotropes are sometimes called 'night feces', and that's because they're produced at night. Chinchillas are most active at night, although they aren't fully nocturnal. An animal's digestive system is most active when it's awake. It's likely for this reason that chinchillas make cecotropes at night rather than during the day.

This also means that many owners never see their chinchillas produce and eat cecotropes. If your pet is in good health, it's definitely making and eating night feces—you just don't see it do so.

How Do Chinchillas Produce Cecotropes?

The production of cecotropes is unique to animals with a certain kind of gut. They are made in a similar way to our poop, but with a few extra steps added in.

Are Chinchillas Hindgut Fermenters?

Cecotropes are made through a process called 'hindgut fermentation'. Food first passes through the esophagus and stomach, as normal. It's chewed up in the mouth and further broken down with acid in the stomach. It then heads through the small intestine and the colon, just like how our digestive systems work.

However, because of the fibrous nature of the foods chinchillas eat and the chinchilla's digestive system, something completely different happens next. Rather than being excreted straight away, the food is forced back up the gut. It enters a pouch at the very beginning of the colon/large intestine called the cecum. Here, the complex fibers in the food are broken down by bacteria into simple sugars. These are easier to digest. The food is then passed out through the colon and anus.

But, as you already know, that's not where the story ends. The chinchilla then reingests this food. But why would they do that—can't the large intestine just absorb all the nutrients from the food again?

Why Do Chinchillas Make Cecotropes?

It's common sense that there must be a reason for chinchillas to go through all these extra steps just to digest their food. So, why do chinchillas eat cecotropes? If you would guess that it's something to do with getting extra nutrients from the food they eat, you'd be right...

Large Intestine vs. Small Intestine (Are Cecotropes Nutritious?)

The digestive process in mammals is long and complex. Food is first broken down in the mouth and stomach, but hardly any nutrients are absorbed at this stage. The food then passes to the small intestine, which is where the animal absorbs around 90% of the nutrients from its food. The large intestine absorbs some nutrients, but is mostly useful for absorbing water.

This is the key reason why chinchillas produce cecotropes. When the food is first digested, the chinchilla struggles to break it down. The food makes its way through the small intestine but few of the nutrients in it are absorbed. It's only later on, when the food is in the cecum of the large intestine, that bacteria break it down more fully. But since food can't go from the cecum back into the small intestine, it has to go out the other end and be eaten again.

Put simply, if the chinchilla didn't produce cecotropes, it would only get a fraction of the nutrients in its food. But by reingesting it, it absorbs more.

Adaptation to a Dry Environment

Another factor that encourages cecotrope production in chinchillas is that they need to conserve water in the wild.

Chinchillas live in the Andes Mountains, which are very dry. They're so tall and so long that weather systems can't cross over them. On top of that, cool and dry winds from the Pacific Ocean make the area even drier. That's why the nearby Atacama Desert is the driest place on earth. Chinchillas have to obvious adaptations to this dry environment. The first is their fur, which keeps them warm high up on mountain sides. The second is that they conserve water.

If you've ever seen a chinchilla pee, you'll have seen this adaptation. A chinchilla's pee is a deep yellow, even orange color. That's because their urine has little water in it, relatively speaking. By reingesting cecotropes, the chinchilla gets a second chance to absorb water from them.

Why Can't Chinchillas Digest Their Food Like We Do?

Digestive differences between animals are explained by looking at their diets.

Chinchillas eat a very high fiber diet. Somewhere between 20% and 30% of a chinchilla's diet is fiber, which is far higher than we get from our food. These fibers are difficult to break down. That's why after going once through the chinchilla's digestive system, and even heading back up to the cecum before coming out, a chinchilla's feces is still only partially digested.

Other animals experience the same problems. Cows 'chew the cud', which is a different way of achieving the same thing. The food is chewed swallowed, digested, and then brought up again to be chewed once more. This breaks down fibrous grass and allows the cow to digest more of its nutrients.

As for why chins produce cecotropes rather than 'chew the cud' like cows do, that's easily answered. There's more than one way to achieve the same goal, and both animals extract more nutrients from their food, but by different means. It's just that the chinchilla evolved to do it one way while the cow evolved to do it another way.

Why Is My Chinchilla Not Producing Cecotropes?

You may never have seen your chinchilla produce and eat a cecotrope, but that's because it does so at night. Even if you watch your pet, you might not see it do so; that's because your chin eats it immediately, literally picking it up as it 'makes' it and eating it.

The only instance in which your chinchilla would stop making cecotropes is if it has GI stasis. Stasis is where your chinchilla's gut stops working as it should. It's caused by debris such as plastic building up in the gut, getting stuck in the cecum, and preventing digestion. When a chinchilla has stasis, it stops eating and pooping. This means it would stop making cecotropes too.

If that's the case, then cecotropes are the least of your pet's problems. Talk to a vet for medical assistance.

Are Cecotropes Bad for Chinchillas?

This is a common misunderstanding new owners make. They see their chinchilla eating its own poop and think there must be something wrong with its health, or that eating poop might make their chinchilla sick. But neither of those things is true.

Why Don't Cecotropes Make Chinchillas Sick?

Eating a cecotrope won't make your chinchilla vomit (which it can't anyway!), it won't give your chinchilla digestive troubles, and it certainly won't kill it. But why not? After all, they are full of bacteria.

The reason is that cecotropes contain gut bacteria. Your chinchilla's gut already contains lots of these bacteria, and they're essential to breaking down foods. The bacteria in your chinchilla's cecotrope are like the 'good bacteria' that you get in yogurts or supplements. They won't make your pet sick.

The only way in which a cecotrope could compromise your chinchilla's health is if it has cuts in its mouth. These could get infected by bacteria and form an abscess. But if your chinchilla has dental problems that cause cuts and gum damage, these will likely get infected whether it eats cecotropes or not. And this certainly isn't reason enough to discourage the behavior.

Why Is My Chinchilla Not Eating His Cecotropes?

If you notice lots of cecotropes on the floor of your chinchilla's cage, it may have a health issue.

One potential relevant health problem is gastrointestinal stasis. As described above, this can stop a chinchilla from eating and pooping. The chinchilla either has to stop eating or pooping first, so it's possible that your chin will have produced a cecotrope but not eaten it. GI stasis is accompanied by other symptoms such as bloating around the middle, signs of pain and lethargy.

Something else that might make your chinchilla stop eating its cecotropes is if is has a dental problem. Chinchillas' teeth grow continuously throughout their lives, and if your pet doesn't have any chew toys, they can develop malocclusion. This is where the teeth grow out of shape and get too long. They can cut into your chinchilla's gums and cause painful abscesses that get infected easily. As it becomes painful for your chinchilla to chew, it may avoid eating, which may mean it doesn't eat its cecotropes. And because the teeth grow up into the jaw as well as downwards, malocclusion can still cause jaw pain even if the teeth are clipped/ground down to a normal length.

Finally, your chinchilla may not eat its cecotropes if it isn't eating a suitable diet. An incorrect diet, e.g. one of nothing but vegetables, has all sorts of effects on a chinchilla's digestion. Poor diet causes bloating, stasis, nutritional deficiencies, diarrhea and general ill health.

Is My Chinchilla Producing Too Many Cecotropes?

There's no such thing as your chinchilla producing too many cecotropes.

Cecotropes are an inevitable part of digestion in chinchillas. Chins need tough and fibrous food, and to fully digest that food, they need to create cecotropes. All of the food that chinchillas eat will undergo this process: not some, not most, but all.

As such, the only instance in which a chinchilla would produce more cecotropes than usual if it was eating more than usual. This is next to impossible since chinchillas already spend most of their waking hours eating hay. If you find cecotropes on the floor of your chinchilla's cage, the issue isn't that it's producing too many, but that it isn't eating its cecotropes for the reasons covered above.

Below, you can find our chinchilla quiz, new posts for further reading, and a signup for our Chinchilla Newsletter!

#chinchillas #chinchillanutrition

[geekyviews]

Top 8 Best Moon Lamps Of 2020 (Buyer’s Guide & Review)

In the meanwhile, we’ll be reviewing the some of the best moon lamps of 2020. So, let’s get started. What’s a moon lamp? Actually, it’s a lamp that seems just like the moon. It’s a part of trend and elegance to brighten your room and make it heaven. The best 3D moon lamps might be the most effective factor you will ever come all through. Here you get the list of top 8 best moon lamps of 2020 and you can find it in a spread of colors, and sizes; and are designed to provide that nocturnal actually feel to your personal dwelling and instant setting. Shopping for your various moon lamps may be a daunting process, as there’s loads of stuff you may wish to consider sooner than going to an items’ retailer or making an order on-line. You could make tips of what you require out of your moon lamp, and try any attribute that matches your desires in a particular product. 

In the meanwhile, we’ll be reviewing the some of the best moon lamps of 2020. So, let’s get started. What’s a moon lamp? Actually, it’s a lamp that seems just like the moon. It’s a part of trend and elegance to brighten your room and make it heaven. The best 3D moon lamps might be the most effective factor you will ever come all through. Here you get the list of top 8 best moon lamps of 2020 and you can find it in a spread of colors, and sizes; and are designed to provide that nocturnal actually feel to your personal dwelling and instant setting. Shopping for your various moon lamps may be a daunting process, as there’s loads of stuff you may wish to consider sooner than going to an items’ retailer or making an order on-line. You could make tips of what you require out of your moon lamp, and try any attribute that matches your desires in a particular product. 

Are you wanting the easiest or customized moon lamps for a child’s room and in that case, a child of what age? It is your choice of a moon lamp that may be set on a timer and one with some shade selections. Would you need one factor that’s decorative however as well as practical? Then a moon lamp with photo is an alternative for you. Here is transient info that can assist you to collectively along with your hunt for the top 8 best moon lamps in 2020 buy online that is the perfect moon lamp for you.

If in case you may have been considering which one is the Best Moon Lamps for Money then you could be in the correct place. Below, we’ll Share an Overview of Moon desk Lamps to Buy in 2020, along with their specs and choices. Each of the Best 3D Moon Lamps has many good qualities relying on What You could be looking for. If You will Buy Moon Lamps shortly, then You must Study Ultimate Looking for Info for customized Moon Lamps.

2020

Best Moon Lamps Of

Sale

4 days ago

3D Print Moon Lamp for Creative Home Decor with Changing Color

$14.68 – $58.34

★★★★★

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Sale

3 days ago

Customized 16 Colors 3D Moon Lamp Touch with 24Keys Remote for Home Decoration

$19.70 – $49.16

★★★★★

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Sale

3 days ago

Novelty 3D Printing Customized Moon Lamp with USB Charging as Night Light for Gift

$19.96 – $59.76

★★★★★

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Sale

4 days ago

Rechargeable 3D Print Moon Lamp with LED Light For Bedroom Decoration

$15.24 – $37.92

★★★★★

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Sale

3 days ago

USB Charging 3D Printing Moon Star Lamp with Brightness Control for Bedroom

$17.64 – $53.94

★★★★★

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Sale

3 days ago

Rechargeable Colorful 3D Moon Lamp with Starry Sky Projector and Rotation Stand

$45.18 $25.76

★★★★★

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Sale

3 days ago

Print Star 3D Moon Lamp Colorful Changing Light for Home Decor with USB Charger

$18.58 – $48.70

★★★★★

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Sale

3 days ago

3D Moon Lamp with Projector and Rotating Stand for Child Bedroom including USB Charger

$16.16 – $19.95

★★★★★

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MOON LAMP

Buyer’s Guide

Moon Lamp Buyer’s Guide

Eco-Friendly Material:

There are pretty just some lights that embody toxic provides so it’s best to make certain that the material that has been utilized in any lunar lamp should be eco-friendly and non-toxic.

Clearest Surface or Crust:

You perceive the beauty of these nice lunar lamps lying on its ground. If the texture won’t be clear then clearly, there isn’t such a factor as a stage so that you can determine that lamp. So, all you need is to choose the clearest lamp that emits cool delicate.

Size:

Size issues loads. If the size is just too small or too large, then actually it impacts the overall look. So, always give consideration to the shape and dimension of these nightlights. In our record, now we have clearly talked about the size of these lamps so that you just select the right one from it.

Budget: 

There’s no stage in going overboard collectively together with your value vary. You’ll discover very good moonlights at a fairly priced value. To find out about such floating or crescent moon lamps, keep it up with this consideration.

Battery Life:

For individuals who need the moon lamp for features that require long battery life, it is advisable to consider this operation sooner than purchase. Moon lamp battery life is tied to the size of the lamp in some merchandise whereas it isn’t indifferent producers. Considering the battery life of your moon lamp is necessary to derive as numerous pleasure as attainable from its purchase.

MOON LAMP

Frequently Asked Questions

Moon Lamp Frequently Asked Questions

Why Get a Moon Lamp?

A moon lamp just isn’t going to solely help to mild up your space nevertheless add a design ingredient to it as correctly. Some moon lamps have quite a few shade decisions which will help set the ambiance of a room whereas others are additional tutorials and good for youths’ rooms.

What Is A Moon Lamp?

The lamp in question is a distinctive creation of a bunch of researchers who aimed to maneuver the cosmic star on the home. It is the final accent for a lot of who want to have the universe around them. It is a wonderful illustration of the star that seduces with its extraordinary realism. Made using precise NASA information, this gadget represents the moon in its exact kind and dimensions.

What Do Moon Lamps Do?

The first benefit of the moon lamp is its good LED lighting for eye nicely-being and to your funds. LED lamps are actually bioenergetic and do not emit heat. So you probably can maintain them in your palms without fear of burning yourself. The polylactic acid design of the moon luminaire gives it odorless, non-toxic, and fully ecological properties. This night time mild can then be used safely by children.

Are Moon Lamps Safe?

This moonlight is illuminated with LEDs. Due to this, you probably can take it in hand without getting burned because it does not heat up. It is made of soppy plastic: it does not break and is safe for kids. This makes it an extremely excellent night delicate that you can flip off with the distant administration (included).

How Do You Charge A Moon Lamp?

This is usually a wi-fi lamp. It prices on USB. You probably can depart it on frequently or use it unplugged as a result of it runs on battery power. Its lithium battery has a range of eight to 30 hours (relying on the chosen depth: eight hours when it is used utterly).

How Long Does A Moon Lamp Charge?

A moon lamp with 4000mah costs completely for about 5 hours and the widespread lamp retains for about 2-7 hours when unplugged from the charging cable.

Does a Moon Lamp Get Too Heated?

Yes, it does. Whilst you go away for prolonged, it might get too hot. That said, the heat does you no harm till you contact the lamp. You want to take a look at its choices sooner than looking to make it possible for it could nicely take care of heat properly. The place potential, assure it is a product of Polylactic Acid supplies that conducts heat greater than most along with being eco-friendly.

Can Moon Lamps Change Color?

Yes, they will. You’ll have the lamp in warmth or delicate white to further vibrant colours equivalent to inexperienced crimson, purple, blue and others. Sooner than looking for, you want to ensure that your preferred lamp can work with the colours you want.

Can I Customize My Lamp?

Yes, you probably can. Some people like engraving wordings that they keep by or having footage of their members of the family inside moon lamps. It is a good current idea too.

BEST MOON LAMP

Conclusion

Moon lamps look exactly identical to the moon. It is as a result of they’re designed using 3D printing experience to present the entire choices of the moon as confirmed by images of NASA. Moon lamps with remote are cordless and rechargeable, which implies you may not price them whereas they’re lighting. They produce a mushy light, which helps promote sleep. Furthermore, moon lamp with photo look really cool, and this makes them a great addition to bedrooms. As a consequence of their effectiveness, getting the proper moon lamp with picture engraved can present to be pretty a course. So this textual content is beneficial for you and affords all the important particulars about this product. Chances are you’ll adjust to the customer’s data and buy the proper moon desk lamp in your members of the family or your loved ones.

Get Yours Here. 

Sale

4 days ago

3D Print Moon Lamp for Creative Home Decor with Changing Color

$14.68 – $58.34

★★★★★

Select options

Sale

3 days ago

Customized 16 Colors 3D Moon Lamp Touch with 24Keys Remote for Home Decoration

$19.70 – $49.16

★★★★★

Select options

Sale

3 days ago

Novelty 3D Printing Customized Moon Lamp with USB Charging as Night Light for Gift

$19.96 – $59.76

★★★★★

Select options

Sale

4 days ago

Rechargeable 3D Print Moon Lamp with LED Light For Bedroom Decoration

$15.24 – $37.92

★★★★★

Select options

Sale

3 days ago

USB Charging 3D Printing Moon Star Lamp with Brightness Control for Bedroom

$17.64 – $53.94

★★★★★

Select options

Sale

3 days ago

Rechargeable Colorful 3D Moon Lamp with Starry Sky Projector and Rotation Stand

$45.18 $25.76

★★★★★

Select options

Sale

3 days ago

Print Star 3D Moon Lamp Colorful Changing Light for Home Decor with USB Charger

$18.58 – $48.70

★★★★★

Select options

Sale

3 days ago

3D Moon Lamp with Projector and Rotating Stand for Child Bedroom including USB Charger

$16.16 – $19.95

★★★★★

Select options

MOON LAMP

Review

9.4Expert Score

Moon Lamp Review

Before you venture out to select a moon lamp for your room, you need to take certain factors into consideration. It will help you pick out the best product on the market.

Built-In Battery

9

The Texture

10

The Charging Port

8.5

Design

10

Material

9

Budget

10

PROS

Multicolor.

Best for gifting.

Best for room decorating.

Best for date nights.

Eco-Friendly.

CONS

Nothing as such

from WordPress https://www.geekyviews.com/best-moon-lamps-buyers-guide-review/

[lets-arelis]

an essay of straight retrospect-english version

“An essay of a straight retrospect” – “The miracle of the month of the Gods”

 By Arelis

 A’ PROLOGUE (of the Gods)

POSEIDON

My life of the unvoiced fire is autonomy’s transformation matrix.

HEPHAESTUS

Words, like infinite plans of burglars, pouring out;

brush marks are their bendings, appositives causing ruptures.

Polynesia is a canvas of untraversed roads;

in the epicentre there is a blind Cathedral.

ZEUS

An Unknown Father’s cruciform dome causes the transfer of the wind

a preferable guard in the cradle; the Antipoet being empty and dialectical once again

ties unmusical meanings from an arched dome.

The manifolds of discordance, the transmissions of versatility;

the statues are pointed bows of opaque forms without a shadow

the spoked nerves are mediators of paradoxes

addresses of bubbles of impalpable parturitions of the beams

perpetual leaders of boisterous gates;

pronoun parts of piety divide the “you” from the “I”

the other scrolls are in the amphitheatre, taken from the Bible

of the Dead the rosette of the leading doors;

unexplained columns of signatures

which are drops of measures of big square coffers;

these tasty crispy stars are a gable in the Pantheon

of the miserable living crook

the obelisk with the lantern is for conformance and pleasure

the confiscation of the peacock, reconstruction’s bubbles of a futile struggle,

recesses of variegation

a mounted general with his gun is a semantron of boundaries, of desolate acute odours

or of meadows with irrespirable lament.

MARS

A fitted, dark effigy of subsidence with terra rossa of a metropolis

at the blemishes of the retrograde paper

accomplices in a crime with you as the victimizer; they step on twelve sierras of

lament, they echo without anchors, leashes, anyone…

I respire a dry fig’s scar in the mouth

a curative inspection of a love maelstrom

at the court of appeal there is a reopening, the “Sour”.

DIMITRA

Three eucalypti of thick skin in our significant community

with the sun born sweat of their surrounding twigs

purify the altar’s cliff;

just thirty steps

a passage to a necropolis

a withdrawal of a sunflower

they row a Greek trireme;

the others just named it

“HEARTLESS STERILITY”

ARTEMIS

positions of triumvirate, words of alchemy

                                                      Aphrodite

Sisyphus                                                                                              Pluto

MERCURY

Resemblance of passwords

                                              Guide of penetration

                                                            HERA

Teleportation of sufficiency, lava of the course of mind

frescoes by Giotto or Cimabue

colonnades of priming for lotus eating

the necklaces of the bear are glassware made of stellar ischemia;

mosaics are the scattered mussels, morphine in the onshore wind

an echo of the Untainted pleasant adherence

the Jerusalem thorn’s evergreen stems are a window.

My infinite wrath is a Bow of Restoration of progressions

the blazon of my curly lion skin is an Altar

the unfading earthquake is a ciborium of the Initiate

a presanctified Triptych; the centre of the world is some sacs of variation

minefields of benediction, reliefs instantiated

in a marrow’s Baptistry there are plashes of judgemental passersby

for the gloomy unicorn; the mouth of my river is a pulpit at the landless Funeral Suppers of the Muses; my other half is a mullah.

An altar’s mass of a Multifaceted Sea-Resounding God

the Pagans’ euphonies are a Chorus;

mortar of attars, flankings of erosion of my dual “I”.

                                                    APHRODITE

The “I” is already abstracted from the neck…

I grieve for a wooden chandelier that is a blackboard of rules

dust, a peak of unvoiced times; this is my plucked “ego”.

Pollen is a halo of the jasmines buried in the ground.

I miss something. I miss life. The other one…

Of an exquisite oak tree.

The trunk, the bright smiles of heaven; haemostasis.

A face in the sorrow… The “you” in the unfaithfulness.

You die alone in your “ego”.

You will always blame the others in the agnosia of your anaemic self

For the one you never knew well; you never wanted to look for him.

I study… I study a long-lived voice beyond my galactic “ego”.

HESTIA

The voice of the judge of the High Table echoes in the wake of my semi-precious minerals, it invites to the shadow of the elm

to a strong, obstinate strain in a time when you disobeyed the one you didn’t want to take into account :

ATHENA

“Time belongs to Caligula; not to the medieval idols.

Don’t look back and around like a super-erotic Orpheus of some heroes of a Proust,

countless are the studies of the promising empirical

watercolors of odalisques, true diagnoses.

The mushrooms in the gardens of the nations.

Their spawn is not in the tunnels of the mountains anymore.

The three legged dolls of ephemeral children with no awareness.

The Doctor of your tribe’s Conference judged well when he said that the Sirens were always the doves of Evil.

The impression of telekinetic illusory lines is in the East.

The tortures are a rule; the numbers of the cheques.

You are sentenced to abstention from love.

May the Cyclops of Love follow you eternally”.

APOLLO

A voice destined for death leads me to a solid, dusty book

the yarn of my impetuous senses in the pulpit;

wind is the orchestra of my nocturnal whispers

the pages twinkle from the scales’ collection of winds;

they stop at a cube.

The first syllable of a curative is a multiform image, the prologue in a lifeless testimonial.

 B’ MAIN THEME (of the month)

 PERSEPHONE

I am now standing like a black-figure vase in the coast of my choices.

Alone I soliloquise with the evil; I efficiently scatter the blazons of the poppy across the four points of the offing.

I elaborate a suicide; it’s more than certain that I don’t inherit a daisy; I continually discount the blazons tightly belayed on my armour,

I think it must be some kind of chocolate flavour which shields from the pain

as a requital for the lights of “you” with the full moon in the background.

                                               PENELOPE

I am trying to separate the sea’s drip from its rival with my right hand. I distill something; I can’t.

The time of parting is stiff and inflexible; the point is a century.

Your lips manifested on the clay of a shore.

They will fade. I know it…

The meanders of Triton will be the hooded ones.

I will effortlessly keep them in my cells’ sanctuary; the Untimely, the Bright, the Purely flowing, the Abundant, the Clean, the Stony, the White-clothed, the Perpetual, the Gold, the Tempestuous, the Undying Dreams

of an Olympian Feathered Holy Communion.

                                             OEDIPUS

Do you remember when you used to drink from the wine of my shadows?

I remember eating the bread of your heartbeats,

God, like our rival, sprinkled his harp’s strings on us in the Himalaya while smiling…

The consolation of a fallen soul in slits with no crutches.

                                              DAEDALUS

Homage, a game of weakness.

The cockerel I thought I had is already dead;

the ocean carries him away towards its tomb

the sky has sexual intercourse with steamy Lilith;

a relentless martyr engraves a marriage contract of palinode

a reminder of the stone of an English hierophant.

Amphitrite is receptive after all; a bride’s sheet reflects the carcass of an ancient river on a bridal bed, herself rolling in a convent.

                                       CLYTEMNESTRA

The ignoble tribute is a game of power.

The circles I built were desirable, squares of vice on the chess, my black pawns on the verge.

The white ones belong to the others.

But I forget… I forget to abstain from others.

If only pain was a sea shell.

A paper of deceitful speech in the empty bottle.

The coin that takes its white light from somewhere else has dispelled the unbranched, triumphant pylons we had configured into the mud

the turmoils of the theatre, the compasses of illusion

the exhalation of the chains at the wheel of the heart.

Laughters are the waves of the others; sardonic, judgemental, insinuative

they laugh while there is nothing to laugh with; the skies with their virtual icebergs.

Everything is funny; I am not laughing.

The breath of the moribund for an illogical purpose

and you are done… Slowly. Torturously. Irrevocably.

For the sake of Nature.

Because since she makes everything perfect, she has to raze them.

                                        ANTIGONE

Two eucalypti, bearers of the wind’s divine law, on the path of clay

a preceding cause at the recitation of my unbroken fountains

the coating of a threnody possessed by adrenaline:

                                           IOCASTE

“From my bosom, the clock with its hands going backwards

swinging the shiver of my sun.

Let someone proscribe it or with a crutch of faith let him kill himself with an arrow”.

                                               ERATO

“Do you remember telling me that there are no mirrors in Heaven”?

You were writing your shapes and mine on the sand of my silence.

Exquisite, Graphs, Unattractive, Multi-embroidered, Brilliant

you were releasing them on my surface.

Rewritten, Unlooted, Fluid, Ionic; a clear outline of an imperial circle

a wreath of smog of the unbifurcated archer.

A summer afternoon is a parrot’s opal.

                                        ASCLEPIUS

You were in pain at the dune of silence; but you were anxious to see the end of the ships, their start line to echo distant, timeworn, legal speeches;

a kiss of a light hermit from me

mushy aerobatics on the wing of a hawk

from an enamel of desire and an evening primrose, a precursor of the day and the smell.

                                           ATLAS

You were waiting; you were hurting a moribund dog saturated from a waterfall of unique drugs.

The director deemed your performance identical

at the one-act play where you held my hand deservedly

you thought your candle was a fan in a stretched thread.

You were a kouros with a gown and a card;

the titles were a boarding of subjugation, the awards were praises

for a cardinal nothing or everything

in a logical zoo of sapphires

experiments of heteronymy, a clavichord of point-bearing.

I watch an old man carrying a club from my kaleidoscope

from the table with his loutrophoros of shyness.

The plates have become signs.

Manual-Depression-Cotter.

The whole love of a traffic warden is a gargle of Cronus.

                                       SISYPHUS

A gesture of beauteous firmness, at the end of it there is a computer’s feather

a train’s residue of an ambrosia that ends the heartache

in a thorn-bush of a reversible hike

a bow of a firm shunt of a thumb

a troposphere of incomprehensible kindness domination.

A half-extinguished cigarette on my back

a praise of a fracture, the octave is a clove

the issue of dreamy stocks is a proliferation of faded green oil rigs.

The mainland of a whelp.

“Aloe the indolent”

It allows everything.

A dolphin that wanted to become a songbird at the ice of the Equinox.

When someone is inside a glare he cannot discern the darkness.

Holiness should not exist after all.

The receipt in the papers of the musical accounts.

                                              URANIA

And I keep waiting with the few in a squall.

A meteoric starfish in the ocean…

                                             THALIA

I remember… “Do you remember the time we were sitting at the dock of life and we thought the beach was grass made of garlands?”

“Do you remember the time when church was the sea and the dream?”

“Do you remember the time when a raft was a lake with water lilies like a proper cote?”

                                                 EUTERPE

The dawn of the New Moon is non-assignable; a high priest of a small town is an unhappy substitute.

The planets we had celebrated are bright circles from our heads

the converted Bohemian fragments are the harmony of a bridal accompaniment

the notorious faceless corals are unarguable observers in the ceremony

it was then we cast the snow out of the snowmen

the sharks were beached miles away from us

the majority of the beach was ours

the hippuris of an arrhythmic flute is a dubious sex object.

The traces of darkness are a discordance in our eerie celebration that brings shining gifts

our salty, forked, deciduous pebbles for the cure of resentment.

You are the ebb of my sleep; I am the high tide of your passions

in an uneven game of sobbing for the fear of the unchangeable drowning.

Your cape is volatile in the island of my purification.

Your asymmetrical diadem is a damaging substitution of my pen,

the conceit of the random flow of my retina is a glaucoma of a Trojan shield, a disarranged graffiti of a commercial film:

“ARCHETYPALINVISIBLEMOVINGDESIGNSONBOARD”.

                                    PROMETHEUS

I was a captive somewhere near the end.

Like a Titan, an allegorical expounder, primacy is a poppy of another form in my hands, a dispersion of a rock painting

without dangerous credits or dedications.

                                              CALLIOPE

A turtle is soliloquizing and crying from her frock:

“The red always brings the black”.

The effigy addresses a reflection of transfer

in a cantilever of sunless need it provides:

                                                                                                      Decay

                                                                                                      Dispersion

                                                                                                      Displacement

                                                     Sweat

Dreamcatcher                                                                     Kneeling before the Cross

“Passion is love in the nth degree; hatred is its root

the trials of the atheists; decimals of boats”.

Cain                                                                               Abel

of subordination                                                             of elevation

a cake of razor                                                               an inference of a larva

an attraction of a brother                                                a scythe of oxygen

reflects                                                                          that half burns

cards of naked forms                                                      a hoist of a palm of candles

at Thermopylae                                                              at Versailles

                                                ACHILLES

The promotion of a newly enlisted soldier is with no indirect monographs

it is on hills with bus lanes of inaccurate wreaths of kings

it is a spectrum of an interactive Niagara of a self-awareness full of fruit.

                                              MELPOMENE

The eyes of your virginity’s decaying are red-blue ribbons

the altar is a ring of puncture, a model of deviation of a subsidy

senility in segmented veins on my vigorous shrines

the arteries of the miniatures are showcases with lanterns

the rollers on the exalted hair of Sampson,

the piercing of the snowy light is a peak of an offing voyage

of a chameleon which changes my frontispiece to a regeneration.

“The beauty of your lilies must have an end”.

                                           NARCISSUS

The heat of my soliloquy is dreadful;

I am looking for a tailless mermaid in the forest

the lamp is a messy cox of love with no shells,

the names must be pearls.

A stalagmite of misery at its perimeter

the other’s trunk is a dense cavity

a virtual star of letters.

The truth is in the darkness of despair and the marsh brings a small torch

for her redemption

while you are the satellite of flakes of well-closed doubts

the fragrance of similar alternations is

a warlike consolation at the weave of a jar of processional breath.

Misery is connected to happiness; corners of substitution

the garnish of a currycomb is a bellicose libation and a fish net of deviations.

The precession has her resin; not the route which is supine or on your back

in a foam of a perfectly processed discord

the diagnosis is a virus without a cause; the enemy is the one who engraves a shadow

“A bountiful hourglass with no membranes”.

This will be the emblem of the angel who carries a splinter

as he erases his sails in a channel of dust birth

at the mooring of his hostile hydrants.

                                                    ICARUS

I wonder.

“Why to me?”

Alone I place the inconceivable seasonings like mines.

                                                     TERPSICHORE

“Heavenly guided convergence of the dissimilar mountain lines,

you should be based on undefeated mandrakes of beauteous skirmishers”!

                                                    ARIADNE

Scrolls of forgery of planned moments

I pluck the daisy’s petals like an unsuitable defender seahorse.

At the end of the Pacific I endorse a paean with no winners, flower for the dead, lost people who are medals of deviations.

                                                   PHAEDRA

“Which is the nirvana of the daisy with no wreath”?

I know. Daisies do not bloom in the foreshore.

Only the classical amphorae from the anonymous, celebrated shipwrecks lie explaining mysteriously:

“DRYLOVESEEDSOFTHESEA”.

                                                  TANTALUS

The unadorned staff floats alone, like a castaway

on the stones of the invisible violence

a segment of a Florentine canvas

it depicts a naked woman who does not show the “you” as sacred, vulnerable.

                                                 CLIO

“A piece from Palladium Baal of doubtful origin

was deprived of fur illumination as dictated by a clause

of one unarmoured rough September, thus we got

two stony tablets, a reminder of a vegetal castle, a draft of potent ideas”.

“There wasn’t starry navigator; only a weathervane of advice

because life resembles a flag at the end of an islet”.

“Two Byzantine icons of a December leading backwards

patterns exquisite lexemes scattered randomly at the end of the hall,

they trace like Eurydice on what is irreversibly gone and what may come

otherwise let it go, a divine name little eagles of strange physique”.

“The breakfast of a gypaetus is a core of lymphomas

of an eternal punishment on the tendon the serpentine shawl of antinomy

the fluctuation of flashes of the Dalmatian friend

the probe is a fountain of questionable mistrial”.

                                                  Name

  Debarment                                                                                       Of a clamp

 Of Homesickness                                                                            Delimitation

                                                  Repetition

                                                  ODYSSEUS

With a log as a compass struck by angels

I will get rid of the devoutness of my tub

I moor at the shore of my private collections

at the steppe of my dead-end coherence

I am waiting for a date palm with no dates.

Oh how the pebbles hurt!

Comforters are the windmills that repel hunger

they send the first martyrs to paths of illiterate inbred feats

a march of firefly bearers at the shimmer of the catalytic century

an agonized hagiology of conscription is an uninvited ballot box

an alliteration of a bright acceleration uncut reversal

phytogenic dispute, light of a signed illegal triumph

incomprehensible alteration in a roaming of a lack of parentheses

a centripetal ground of a brothel in uncurved quadrants.

                                                 HEBE

“What is the sun without his moon”?

A poppy with no eyebrows; a function with no arousal

A drained prestige of an unsalted herbarium.

                                               THEMIS

I initiate her fingerprint

a cotter of a shooting in the sandstone of my undedicated passing conscience

a framed fountain

the conference of the feet of the first battalions of scouts

the encounter at the catacomb of dedication

a scroll of a consubstantial face of the law traditionally in conceited dithyrambs

a mane with frames

objets d’art

climactic, concealing everything

a compilation of disregard

unstable is the reshaping of the bus

proscription of errant souls, a clarity of darkness

the remaining feeling in a sign of an amblyopic dollar

a participation in a polar comet.

Everything brings me a promise of flare.

A victim in the twilight sails in the water

for a word of sarcasm, for Pausanias,

for a swing of bravery scorn my laurels

and debasement the ears of the soldier

a paraplegic body perfume bottle “for you”

a foundation of competition.

The excavation is a kiss of surrender from the quarries of the salt lakes

the granite is a mixture of laughter and tears of cocaine on the street

the enclaves of my chuckles render my beryl inactive.

The chimera of towing is a proper hope

The python’s dessert is designated in the cage;

a luminous device of movement in the Earth’s eclipse

a chosen musket of the castes from the naphthalene

incurable familiarity in the creation of the plot

spring water is a tempestuous stone thrower in monarchs as fast as the wind,

an inappropriate land of the dead near and beyond the circus

in a calmness of a muslin

safekeeping in the strong-smelling worship.

At Lazarus the uplift is a scorpion’s stinger

in the rose’s meridian an egis of demagnetization

the conqueror of the hemorrhage, cheers of drollery

a towel of deforestation at the corner of the hut

a disastrous venture of holy communication of vessels in the service at the labyrinth.

                                               LAOCOON

A student of mine a umbilical cord of a meconium places a baby that hasn’t been embalmed

before me the branches of the whimper a levitation with no horns.

I have to fight off the obscure parts of three runes,

I don’t know which the concessionaire is to embezzle

a horizon of ungrinded write-off  

in the semi-god constellation of Orion.

There the sentences do not wound like the actions of the rain.

They only cringe and applaud us

in a beloved pump of stricture

clumsy handlings good at hunting

the index the thumb a space of fainting.

                                               POLYMNIA

An invocation of a song in an unapproachable being

panorama of a transfusion of voices

from the invocable postmortem life of the equations

the vigor of deadbeat inequations in a sextant of uncarved equal rights of speech,

a brooch on the lapel of the Unknown like wind in a blowing shell

primal before the past existed

a restrained pendulous counterpoint in a winter’s counterpoise.

                                               ORPHEUS

At the epitome of my budgets with no fingers

I ended up an untamed correspondent who bites hearts;

penniless with a billet doux the words lost their ink

and the others lost the “apology”.

“Magic must be reality’s sister of June”.

 C’ EPILOGUE (The miracle)

                                                 CLOTHO (Crucifixion)

I wake up from my oblivion’s raid.

In a blooming flower my half-worn palms two pages.

My name is a harmful, black-clothed person who banishes foreigners

he imparts shiny, golden capital letters at a map of directions.

Participation of a weed a bust of ambrosia in the idleness of silence.

                                               LACHESIS (The Descent from the Cross)

The show came to an end; my part and I alone

we defect from the tattoo of the wild plum tree

the powder goes a snail of emotions

the lie is a paper full of explanations in the basket of ragged clothes

an autumn sonata echoes mournful readings carried around.

                                          ATROPOS (Resurrection)

“Finally, life must be some kind of solid timespan

in full anomie; two different concentric circles at the spoke of action-

at liberty’s diameter”.

The wash of my epilogue in the end of the film

My diagram is vapor, an infected crease

the renouncement in my belfry is ultimate bliss.

 To A.W

To the Anonymous Woman  

[nocturnalghoul]

Mushy May Day 11: First "I love you"/ Unspoken "I love you"s

Aether may be the first to say I love you outloud, but Dew says it back to him tenfold in his actions.

Come get y'alls fluffy Dewther content!

Words: 579

Rating: Gen/Everyone

Read below the cut or on AO3 here

Aether technically says those three little words first on a stargazing date. Dew is laid out on the picnic blanket next to him, brow adorably furrowing in concentration. His eyes scan the sky above, intently tracing imaginary lines between the stars Aether pointed out as belonging to his favorite constellations. 

He watches as the faint glow of the moon illuminates Dew’s lips, showing the way they twitch ever slightly in the suggestion of a name each time he moves to the next constellation. 

It slips out before Aether even knows he opened his mouth. “I love you”. Three dulcet words cutting through the nighttime chorus of frogs and crickets surrounding them. 

He watches the way the other ghouls eyes widen as he turns, corners of his mouth pulling up in surprised delight. All of his gills and fins gently puff up in unison, catching the moonlight in a resplendent display. 

Before Dew has a chance to say anything Aether says it again. “I love you” he declares, firmer this time as he allows one hand to settle along the back of Dew’s neck. “And you don’t need to say it back, honeydew, I already know.”

Dew launches forward closing the small remaining amount of distance between them and capturing Aether is a passionate kiss, snaking his arms lazily around the quintessence ghoul’s neck.

Aether may have said it out loud first, but they both know that Dew has been saying it through his actions for far longer. It only seems fitting that he returns the sentiment in a similar vein to how he’s been voicing his affection all along. 

They go back and forth like this for a while. Aether says “I love you” and other saccharine words in moments of tenderness, and Dew shows Aether that he feels the same through what he does. 

Aether overworks himself yet again and Dew is right there to draw him a hot bath and force him to relax, favorite snacks and a thermos of tea at the ready for afterwards. I love you.

He comes back from an outing with another ghoul and finds the neglected acoustic guitar that lives in the corner of his room has brand new strings and is polished. I love you. 

Late night tender touches and vulnerable expressions, reserved only for Aether to see. I love you 

It is so abundantly clear in everything little thing that Dew does that Aether never feels like he needs the other ghoul to say it. When he finally does though, it feels like a final piece of Aether’s heart has slid into place. 

Dew whispers it almost inaudibly, barely more than an exhale into the crook of Aether’s neck. He had come into the other ghoul’s room immediately upon hearing the telltale scream of him having a night terror, sweeping him up into his arms and whispering sweet tranquil assurances. 

Dew says I love you, and Aether feels all his usual words of adoration slip away into the night as he decides to act out his own devotion for once. 

Aether gently picks Dew up, carrying him to his room and placing him gently on the bed. He watches the way Dew instantly snuggles deeper into his sheets, inhaling deeply to get as much of that comforting scent as possible and smiling fondly. Aether lies down next to him, and holds him tight all throughout the remainder of the night. An unspoken declaration of security- I love you too.

[sherristockman]

All You Ever Wanted to Know About Bananas Dr. Mercola By Dr. Mercola The humble banana is one of the most popular fruits in the world. Tasty, inexpensive and with its own clean and protective carrying case, it's the perfect nutritious snack, even for busy people, and kids love it. Although they're picked while still green, bananas continue to ripen, but to speed up the process at home, putting them in a brown paper bag for a few days does the trick. Bananas should be stored at room temperature, not refrigerated or left in an area where the temperature drops to refrigerator-like temperature, as bananas will turn an unappetizing black shade and become mushy. Bananas are an excellent source of vitamin B6, with plenty of dietary fiber and potassium, manganese, vitamin C, biotin and copper. They're pretty high in carbs and sugars, though, so anyone watching their weight and sugar intake, or with signs of insulin resistance, should limit their banana intake. One little-known fact is that bananas are on the short list of foods that help fight stress. Bananas, especially when they're green, can be as much as 80 percent starch. However, unripe bananas have been used to successfully treat diarrhea as they're a digestive-resistant starch. Authority Nutrition notes: "Before it ripens, a banana is almost entirely starch, which composes up to 70 to 80 percent of its dry weight. A large part of this starch is digestive-resistant starch. As the banana ripens, the amount of starch and resistant starch decreases and is converted into sugars."1 A Little Background on the Banana and the United Fruit Co. The United Fruit Company (UFCO) was founded in 1899, with its tropical growing operations based in San Jose, Costa Rica, and business offices in Boston. Bananas had been a relatively unfamiliar crop in America, but with the involvement of several enterprising businessmen, that changed. Curriculum from the University of Maryland explains that UFCO: " … An extremely successful American-owned and run company, profited greatly from investments it made in Guatemala. The business of United Fruit was bananas, and from bananas it had built a business empire in the Central American nations of Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Panama."2 Within a few decades, shipping operations to the U.S. began, until the crop was being sold within hours of docking on the east coast, still on the stalk. At about the same time, the U.S. government became interested in the nutritional value of bananas and began sponsoring programs to get more of them into the American diet, which fueled sales. UFCO did its best to make bananas an "everyman" type of food, but was nonetheless considered a ruthless corporation. A New York Times review on Peter Chapman's book "Bananas: How the United Fruit Company Shaped the World" describes the company's monopoly: "Abroad, it coddled dictators while using a mix of paternalism and violence to control its workers. As for repressive regimes, they were United Fruit's best friends, with coups d'état among its specialties,' Chapman writes. 'United Fruit had possibly launched more exercises in 'regime change' on the banana's behalf than had even been carried out in the name of oil.'"3 UFCO's domination encompassed several countries in the Western Hemisphere, especially due to its diversification to other produce such as pineapples, tomatoes and cantaloupes, which helped it to create what became known as a dangerous and widespread "banana republic." In the early days, banana crates shipped from Panama and other tropical countries often included crickets, cockroaches, spiders and snakes, and the occasional human stowaways, who sometimes jumped up and disappeared down the block before they could be stopped. 4 Disease, Monopolies and Politics Affect Banana Distribution But in 1903, a United Fruit timeline5 notes, banana trees were attacked by a fungus that caused a condition known as Panama disease, devastating United Fruit's plantations in Panama, essentially causing rot to the plant's roots, which cut off the water supply. The use of tools in the soil, they finally realized, spread the disease. By 1960, thousands of acres of banana plantations were eventually abandoned. When Panama disease struck, a banana variety known as the Gros Michel was basically wiped out, but the Cavendish, a variety that became its replacement, seemed immune. After relinquishing what had become about 90 percent of the total banana market when it went under in 1970, UFCO morphed into the present-day Chiquita Brands International. Details regarding the company's history would not be complete without mention of the fact, as the Times' "Bananas: How the United Fruit Company Shaped the World" book review divulges, that Chiquita "has admitted to paying nearly $2 million to right-wing death squads in Colombia."6 Serious banana distribution in New York City began with an Italian immigrant, Antonio Cuneo, known as the "Banana King," who was renowned for getting rich off New York's banana market in the late 19th century before his death in 1896. New York is now supplied with bananas trucked in from out-of-state ports, such as one in Wilmington, Delaware, where Dole and Chiquita set up their operations years ago. Twenty million bananas are distributed around New York City and outlying burgs every week, according to The New York Times. The 40 container loads shipped from Ecuador and around the Panama Canal constitutes about a fifth of that total. Wherever the bananas come from, their arrival in the city is just the first leg of the journey; the next leg is a wide loop for distribution around the city. As the Times notes: "They may be handled by customs officials in Brooklyn, blasted with a ripening gas in New Jersey, haggled over at an enormous produce market in the Bronx and finally taken in an unmarked truck, at night, to a fruit stand near you … In most of the country, the unseen, nocturnal business of ripening and distributing bananas is performed by grocery chains like Safeway. In New York, though things may be headed in that direction, much of the work still falls to local banana purveyors."7 Today, small, family-owned businesses make around a dollar per box, even though they supply every grocery store, fruit stand, airport and hospital within a wide radius. The city still has banana boats, often delivering cargo from Ecuador with such unfamiliar varieties as Belinda, Bonita and Selvatica. But no matter where they come from, they go through a "radiation portal" at the terminal, because the fruit is "slightly radioactive" due to their potassium content. For the sake of assurances, Forbes notes that you'd have to eat 274 bananas a day for seven years to be killed from banana-related radiation poisoning.8 Bananas shipped to port arrive, as the Times quips, "not taxi yellow, but greener than an outer-borough cab and as hard as hammers." Cavendish: The Most Common Banana Cavendish, categorized as a "dessert" banana, is the cultivar seen most often for sale in U.S. grocery stores, and it's been the market giant since the 1970s. Their taste and texture has been described as mild and mushy, respectively, and not necessarily the tastiest, according to banana historian and author Dan Koeppel.9 Other varieties offer a few options, however, according to Saveur,10 The Spruce11 and The Straits Times:12 ✓ Cooking bananas — Sold green, these are almost considered potato-like and can be roasted or steamed like a starchy vegetable. ✓ Red — This one wins the "most delicious" prize most often in the U.S. and is similar to a Philippine staple variety known as Lacatan. Sweet and creamy, they're a dark magenta shade with dark streaks, and bruise easily. ✓ Churro — Like a squatty version of the Cavendish, these are sometimes marketed as "chunky bananas." Grown in Mexico and found in Latin American markets in the U.S., they taste best very ripe for sweetness with a hint of sour. ✓ Pisang Raja — Also known as Musa Belle bananas, these are popular in Indonesia and often used to make banana fritters. ✓ Plantain — Dryer and not as sweet as the Cavendish these are often used as an entrée food rather than a dessert. They're cooked so often in the tropics where they're grown that some aren't aware they can be eaten raw.13 ✓ Manzano — Native to Central and South America, it's often sold in Asian specialty stores and is actually a subspecies of apple bananas; it's firmer than a Cavendish with a strong tart apple aroma that quickly turns sweet. ✓ Lady Fingers — Smaller and sweeter than the longer, milder Cavendish, these 5- to 6-inch treats are good for portion control, especially for kids. They can even be grown in a pot. ✓ Baby — A small variety, these are marketed with different names; Chiquita markets it as the Pisang Mas, from Malaysia. Dole has two types: Orito and Ladyfinger, the latter being the sweetest. The skins are brown with dark streaks when ripe. ✓ Pisang lemak manis — Aka 40-day bananas, they mature quickly, have green, tapered tips when they're unripe and are suitable both fresh and cooked. ✓ Pisang rastali or kesat — This variety is just 4 to 6 inches long and sturdy, with reddish black mottled skin, jelly-like flesh and an apple-like acidity. ✓ Ae Ae — One of the most visually interesting varieties, their peels are green, white and variegated; they can be eaten raw or cooked, and are usually more expensive. ✓ Praying hands — This is one of the oddest-looking types, especially in a bunch. It's very fat with a creamy texture; the flavor is very sweet-tart and fruit-like. ✓ Pitogo — Definitely an odd-looking variety, these look more like a fig than a banana, grow on 10- to 12-foot high plants in tight clusters, and are more flavorful and nutritious than the Cavendish. ✓ Pisang merah — Plump and rather small, these are mild and creamy, blacken only slightly and are quite soft when ripe. How Bananas Go From Green to Yellow: A Controlled Process As noted, bananas take weeks to ripen on the tree, but they're chopped down, still quite green, so they'll be less prone to damage in their respective shipping containers. Upon arrival, cardboard boxes of bananas are taken to dark, cool ripening rooms and stacked, floor to ceiling. Kept at 56 to 66 degrees F, each ripening room contains a thermometer to monitor the ripening process, and an ethylene generator — using a synthetic version of the hormone that naturally ripens them — to both speed up and control the process. It wasn't always this organized, and, as the Times notes, there were some accidents along the way: "Ethylene is combustible, and in 1936, the Pittsburgh Banana Company building exploded, causing it to rain bananas in the city's Strip District. Today ripening can be slowed or sped up by tapping a touch-screen … The ripening rooms are kept between 56 and 66 degrees. Too cool, and the bananas get chilled, turning gray and bark-like … Too warm, and though they might look fine, they would be mushy inside."14 Digital controls allow a three-degree difference both up and down, depending on whether sales are up or down; cool if sales are down and warmer if sales are good. The entire ripening process takes about four days, but that's just for in-city or near-city delivery to restaurant suppliers, groceries and wholesalers. Everyone refers to a ripeness chart from one through seven — green on one end to yellow with brown spots, denoting "too ripe," on the other. Unripe Banana Options Bananas' nutritional content changes depending on their ripeness, and they're at their healthiest in their unripened state. This is when they contain higher amounts of digestive-resistant starch, which is important for optimal gut health. Most people don't like the taste and texture of unripe banana, but when prepared properly and combined with other foods it can be quite tasty. Here's a sample recipe for a green banana salad from Cooks.com:15 Green Banana Salad (eight servings) Ingredients: 2 cups water 1 teaspoon salt 3 green (unripe) bananas, peeled 2 medium carrots, shredded 1 small cucumber, sliced 1 avocado, cubed 1 tomato, chopped 1 celery stalk, sliced Directions: Place bananas, water and salt in a pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for about five minutes or until the bananas are tender. Drain the water and allow bananas to cool. Cut the bananas into one-half-inch slices and toss with remaining ingredients and vinaigrette dressing (below). Chill and serve. Vinaigrette Dressing Ingredients: 1/3 cup virgin olive oil 1 clove garlic, chopped 1/2 teaspoon dark mustard 2 tablespoons wine vinegar 1 teaspoon salt Dash of pepper

[wooju-lee-blog]

Black garlic (흑마늘; heukmaneul) is a type of treated garlic produced through a fermenting process. When the sugars and amino acids present in the garlic undergo fermentation, these elements produce melanoidin—a dark-coloured substance that is responsible for the aptly titled black garlic. Tracing its origins is quite the challenge; a quick Google search offers nothing but hardly-credible information and a myriad of Internet forum hypothesis. It may or may not be a Korean product, according to Star Chefs; it was supposedly “fermented” in clay pots in the warm summer sun. Other sources claim that it hailed from Japan or even Egypt. Less likely but better documented, Korean inventor Scott Kim claims to have developed black garlic in 2004 as the next big superfood.

Truth be told, I had very little awareness of black garlic’s existence—at least until it was the focal plot point for an episode of the animated sitcom Bob’s Burgers. Little did I know, black garlic has become a staple ingredient in a variety of professional American kitchens since it was manufactured by Kim under Black Garlic Inc. Four years forward, the company began shipping products to stateside chefs. "It's deep. The flavours are so layered, and they linger," says Chef Evan Hanczor of Brooklyn's Parish Hall. "It has notes of dark caramel, chocolate, a little bitterness, a little sweetness, and umami, plus that je ne sais quoi."

Companies that mass-produce and distribute black garlic focus on a long, careful process of keeping garlic heated at a constant temperature of about 60°C (140°F) for a few weeks—to even a month! It’s not particularly hard per se, but it’s no easy task either, and its retail price reflects its tedious process. But because of its widespread popularity in South Korea, many DIY lovers (such as yours truly) have put it on themselves to make it at the comforts of home—using only a rice cooker. Precisely, literally anyone can make it. It only takes a bit of patience. And Febreeze. And a strong will. Also a strong mentality because of the smell...which is so bad, it’s heroic. 

Ingredients

10 whole garlic bulbs

Equipment

Rice cooker with a “Keep Warm” function. If the rice cooker you’re using doesn’t have this, it’s pretty much useless in this case. Keep in mind that the treatment process will leave your rice cooker with a persistent garlic stench, so I suggest buying an older one from Value Village, like I did.

Lots of Febreeze, scented candles, fancy soaps out in the open etc.

Method

Place the rice cooker in an area with good ventilation—preferably somewhere that’s not your kitchen as the smell will permeate any enclosed area. And it’s not even a subtle smell, either. Because I live alone, I had the wonderful privilege of using the garage at my friends’ humble abode at Spadina Road (shout out to Aaron for helping me avoid a potential smelly chaos).

Peel the outer skin of the garlic so that you can see the separation of the garlic cloves. Make sure you do not break the garlic apart!

Place the whole garlic bulbs in one layer in a rice cooker. 

Close the lid and press the “Keep Warm” button. Leave it as is for two weeks (approximately 14 days, obviously).

After the allotted time has passed, turn off the rice cooker, take out the garlic bulbs and let them rest until they come to room temperature. Multiple sources claim that it’s best to just leave it as it is for an extra two to three weeks, but because of time constraints, I disregarded that altogether.

After the garlic bulbs have cooled down, start peeling them—this will be easy to do as the cloves are mostly separated from the skin at this point due to the treatment process. 

Place the cloves on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Cover with another parchment and air-dry in a cool area for a week. Keep cool.

Because I was expecting the entire process to take at least three weeks, I started the treatment process around June 25th. It surprised me how easy it was to make something touted to be so expensive; there weren't really any intricate steps involved with the bulbs once it was placed in the rice cooker. It was simply placing it in the contraption, turning it on, and setting it aside until the process was complete. 

I received constant (mostly nocturnal) updates on the severity of the smell. According to my friend Aaron, the smell didn’t really reach any of the rooms. But the entire garage was permeated with a sharp garlic scent for weeks, even after the rice cooker was cleaned and removed from the area.

The end results were as expected, all in its jet-black and stinky glory. Its flavour is rather hard to describe; there‘s some sweetness to it, some savouriness with a touch of earthy tone: a bit like a cross between caramelized onion and balsamic vinegar. To be honest, it’s not good by any means. Like, I was actually kind of upset for a good 5 minutes because it just was not worth all that effort. Would it be better if I incorporated it in a recipe? Absolutely. But consuming it in its raw form seems a bit, I don’t know, unbearable. However, I can see myself taking it like a pill, solely for its supposed nutritional benefits. 

Each garlic clove has a delectably soft, gelatine-like texture to it, almost to the point of being sticky. The only food I can think of with a remotely similar texture to it is a traditional East Asian dessert called 羊羹 (yōkan) or 양갱 (yanggaeng). Its mouthfeel can only be described as a slightly hard gummy bear; some pieces were incredibly soft, while some just felt mushy. I’m not entirely too sure why the texture varied so much, but something tells me I should have left it as is for an extra week or so. 

An article published on Munchies introduces the black garlic and the myriads of ways it can be used in a recipe. Chef Kevin Meehan of Kali, his newly opened restaurant in Los Angeles, is more or less an advocator of the specialty. He incorporates it in three out of the 11 dishes on his menu, which includes a beet tartare, a wheatberry risotto (which sounds incredible), and a beef dish with burnt onion jam. He even talks of experimenting with black garlic ice cream, which, honestly...should not happen.

Black garlic, Meehan declares, is "the ultimate form of umami."

It’s still surreal to me that you can naturally (well, mostly natural) modify a raw food and give it an added nutritional boost—and the fact that you can do it in the comfort of your own home is just an added bonus. So there really is no reason to be gulled into these faux-health “foodie” trends; the only difference between paying more than you should when you can make it at home is being fooled by clever (not-so-clever) marketing. 

My consensus on black garlic? Well, aside from just eating a few cloves like it’s some sort of absurdist snack, I have yet to try out a recipe that incorporates it. My primary interest in black garlic was actually more for its medicinal value than anything. I do want to incorporate a more health-oriented approach to my cooking. And black garlic’s benefits of reducing inflammation and osteoarthritis, boosting immune function, and improving cardiovascular health and circulation, all the while tasting decent (it’s inherently an acquired taste) is an A+ for me.

Next up: fruit hunt! I’ll definitely be making something peach-related as peaches are probably my favourite food. Like, my fervour for peaches can be summed up by this single, nonsensical scenario: I would probably get by just fine on a deserted island...if that deserted island also had an abundance of peach trees.

P.S. Here’s a clip from that Bob’s Burgers episode I mentioned before.

[mymoviesnob]

A Movie Snob Predicts the Oscars - 2017 Edition

Hello again! Welcome to the 2017 edition of A Movie Snob Predicts the Oscars.

As I have been preparing to write this, I’ve been going back over the list of nominees and I noticed a few themes in the films across categories… from overcoming adversity in Hidden Figures and Hacksaw Ridge. to complicated families in Fences. Moonlight and Manchester by the Sea. But the theme I found the most compelling is that of refugees fleeing war torn countries to find a better life for their children in several documentaries, 4.1 Miles, The White Helmets, Fire at Sea and to some extent, Ennemis Interieurs.  The Academy was certainly trying to shine a bright light on this global issue and I hope the nominations brought more viewers to hear these stories.  

While many of the films were heavy in subject matter, there were a few bright spots as well with small movies like Captain Fantastic, A Man Called Ove, La Femme et la TGV and the not so small and much beloved La La Land.

I typically wrestle with the films I personally enjoyed the most vs those which I believe will actually win. … because, let’s face it, I like being right. This year, I feel like the Academy and I will be pretty well lined up in that regard.  

And as the whitest white girl ever, I can’t claim that the diversity issue from past years has been resolved, but this year feels like a step in the right direction.

So, without further ado, here are my picks for the 89th Annual Academy Awards.

 Best Picture

Arrival – A film about aliens who land on earth and the linguists who attempt to communicate with them.  I found the concept to be interesting, but I could have done without the whole “special powers” thing that Amy Adams’ character experienced. Not a favorite.

Fences – Adapted from August Wilson’s Pulitzer Prize winning play, it was one of this year’s best. Solid performances all around and full of flawed characters and quick dialog.

Hacksaw Ridge – A lot of people who saw this one before I did raved about it. Maybe my expectations going in were too high but I personally did not love it. I agree that this man’s story is miraculous and he’s a true hero. I’m glad his story has been told, but this is not my choice for Best Picture. And who casts Vince Vaughn as a drill sergeant?? Seriously? 

Hell or High Water – The Dude, Chris Pine, Ben Foster… some bank robberies and lots of dirt. Good flick, but not the best in this bunch. See it though. I liked it.

Hidden Figures – this is another story I’m glad was told. I had no idea that these women had a hand in getting our space program off the ground. I thoroughly enjoyed it but I don’t think it’s the best.

La La Land – Hands down my favorite movie I’ve seen in years. I’m not typically one for glossy romances, let alone musicals, but this movie is pure magic. It was shot in Cinemascope and from the opening sequence, it had me. This is a throwback to the old Hollywood that made me fall in love with movies. And yes, I actually loved the singing and dancing and even the mushy stuff. This year I will not agonize about my favorite vs. the critical darling because they are one in the same! With all the darkness out there, it was refreshing to have a little light. Anyway.. much more gushing over this one later.

Lion – The amazing true story of a little boy who gets separated from his family in India and adopted by an Australian family. I found this to be more interesting than I expected but it was probably my least favorite of this bunch.

Manchester by the Sea – This is a heartbreaking story of a man who is forced to confront a dark past to care for his nephew after his brother passes away unexpectedly. This is slow and sad and looks at how people deal with loss and grief. This is one I had to reflect upon a bit. Initially, I was not a fan, but it’s not meant to be the “feel good movie of the year” and it accomplishes what it sets out to do.

Moonlight – this is one I saw almost as soon as it came out, not knowing anything at all about it. I went in with no expectations and left pleasantly surprised. Again, not a “feel good” movie, but one that tells the story of a boy, growing up in a drug infested community with a mother who is an addict and a drug dealer as his role model. and father figure. It follows him through three stages in his life and the internal conflict he experiences as he learns who he is. See it.

 Actress:

Isabelle Huppert – Elle – I wasn’t able to see this movie… it’s not available anywhere yet in the States, but she did win the Golden Globe so I think she has a shot.

Ruth Negga – Loving – Good movie… I’m surprised it didn’t get more nominations.

Natalie Portman – Jackie – I think she was good in this, but I found the character to be super annoying. I realize she was playing a real person… so maybe that means I would have found Jackie Kennedy to be super annoying? Anyway, not my favorite.

Emma Stone – La La Land – She’s my pick. Singing and dancing and being vulnerable in that way made me love her.

Meryl Streep – Florence Foster Jenkins – She can do no wrong… we all know this. 

 Supporting Actress:

Viola Davis – Fences – Hands down, no brainer, this is her night. She was AMAZING. She put Denzel in his place like her life depended on it. She will win and if she doesn’t it will be a travesty!

Naomi Harris – Moonlight – She was great as the crack addicted mother in this film. I also saw an interview with her later and realized she’s not American… accent was spot on. I would never had guessed!

Nicole Kidman – Lion – I’m not sure why she’s in this bunch. I like her, but I don’t get it this year.

Octavia Spenser – Hidden Figures – Another great performance from her, but Viola kicked her butt this go round.  

Michelle Williams – Manchester by the Sea – I don’t think she got enough screen time to warrant a nomination. Sure, she was good when we saw her, but she didn’t make a huge impression for me.

 Actor:

Casey Affleck – Manchester by the Sea – He gave a heart wrenching performance of an incredibly complicated character. It was more nuanced, less in your face than the other front runner and that is my reason for going with him.  He gets my vote but I’ve read that there have been some recent harassment suits brought against him that may cause him to lose votes.

Andrew Garfield – Hacksaw Ridge – nope.

Ryan Gosling – La La Land – I don’t think he will win, but I need to say that he proved to be more than a pretty face (and perfect abs, etc, etc). He sang. He danced. And as I was leaving the theater, I immediately looked up whether or not he played his own piano to find that HE DID! I find that to be incredibly impressive. And can we talk about his speech at the Golden Globes where he thanked his lady for being home raising their daughters while he was making this movie? Love him.

Viggo Mortensen – Captain Fantastic – I had no idea what this movie was until it was nominated and I really, really liked it. He plays a single father, living off the grid with his six children. I know that sounds riveting, but it was surprisingly sweet and funny and entertaining. I recommend it.

Denzel Washington – Fences – If Affleck doesn’t take it, it’s got to go to Denzel. He’s Denzel.  And delivering those lines had to have been one hell of a challenge.  Someone i feel it must be “easier” to be bold and boastful as he was in this performance vs quiet and subdued as Affleck was. 

 Supporting Actor:

Mahershala Ali – Moonlight – He’s my favorite to win. He’s that character you’re not supposed to like by the nature of what he does, but you find out that he’s a compassionate guy doing what he had to in order to survive.

Jeff Bridges – Hell of High Water – He’s THE DUDE! No other explanation necessary … you know that means he is, and always will be, awesome.

Lucas Hedges – Manchester by the Sea – He’s the teenager dealing with the loss of his father and an uncertain future.

Dev Patel – Lion – He’s the lost Indian boy, all grown up and trying to find his family. I’m not sure who he was “supporting” though... he was the main guy in this movie... 

Michael Shannon – Nocturnal Animals – He’s a cop with nothing to lose… (you know you want to read that in the “movie announcer voice”). Anyway, he is a great actor. Does great with creepy and/or crazy characters. This is not his year though. I wish this nomination had gone to his counterpart in this film,  Aaron Taylor-Johnson, instead. He played a really good psychopath. 

 Animated Feature:

Kubo and the Two Strings

Moana – I loved this, and I think it would win if not for Zootopia

My Life as a Zucchini

The Red Turtle

Zootopia – this is our winner

 Cinematography:

Arrival

La La Land

Lion

Moonlight

Silence

Costume Design:

Allied

Fantastic Beasts and where to Find Them

Florence Foster Jenkins

Jackie

La La Land

 Director:

Damien Chazelle – La La Land – yes, yes, yes a thousand times, yes, he should win. He also directed Whiplash (which was amazing… you should see it)  and is likely becoming my new favorite director! He’s brave and only 32 years old. I’m looking forward to his long, beautiful, brilliant career!

Mel Gibson – Hacksaw Ridge – I’m just glad he wasn’t IN this movie. And I hold him responsible for the whole “Vince Vaughn as a drill sergeant” thing.

Barry Jenkins – Moonlight

Kenneth Lonergan – Manchester by the Sea

Denis Villeneuve – Arrival

 Documentary Feature:

Fire at Sea – about refugees fleeing the African coast for a small Italian island, and the people who rescue them

I am not your Negro

Life, Animated – this is about an autistic boy who grew up relating life to what he learned watching Disney movies. I liked it.

O.J:. Made in America – I think this will win due to its pure scope and scale. It literally goes on for days… (ok… 7 hours and 47 min but that felt like days..) and I did walk away having learned things I didn’t know about him and the murder trial.

The 13th – This is the one I secretly hope will win.

 Documentary Short Film:

Extremis – about doctor’s helping terminally ill patients and their families make difficult end of life decisions

4.1 Miles – about Syrian refugee’s fleeing for a small Greek island

Joe’s Violin – about a 92 year old holocaust survivor’s violin which has been passed on to a young music student at a school for immigrant girls in the Bronx. As the one not about the refugee crisis, it stands out, which is why I think it will win.

Watani: My Homeland

The White Helmets  - about a group of men, former builders, tailors, blacksmiths, etc, who risk their lives volunteering to save civilians (from either side of the fight) in Aleppo as bombs fall around them.  Everyone who believes that we should not allow refugees in to our country should see this movie. I realize that things are more complicated than that, but there is nothing complicated about parents not wanting to have to teach their toddlers the difference between the sound of a regular plane and the sound of one carrying bombs or not wanting to have to dig them out of a pile of concrete that used to be their home or school. I’ve heard the “if it’s so bad, they should leave” argument… but they need a place to go.

 Film Editing:

Arrival

Hacksaw Ridge

Hell or High Water

La La Land – let’s keep this lovefest going…

Moonlight

 Foreign Language Film:

Land of Mine

A Man Called Ove - really, really enjoyed this one. 

The Salesman – for political reasons, I think this will win

Tanna

Toni Erdmann

 Makeup and Hairstyling:

A Man Called Ove 

Star Trek Beyond – because of the Spock ears and stuff. (BTW… I hate these movies)

Suicide Squad – I can’t believe I sat through this garbage.

 Original Score:

Jackie

La La Land – YES! The music is as much a part of this movie as Stone and Gosling.

Lion

Moonlight

Passengers

 Original Song:

Audition (The Fools Who Dream) –  La La Land – I love this! And I had a really hard time between this and City of Stars…

Can’t Stop the Feeling! – Trolls – as much as I would like to see JT win an Oscar, I don’t think this will win, even if it is the only song in this bunch that most of you  know.

City of Stars – La La Land – this is the one I’ve had stuck in my head since I saw the movie. I love it!

The Empty Chair – Jim: The James Foley Story

How Far I’ll Go – Moana – I want Lin-Manuel Miranda to win, but not this year

 Production Design:

Arrival

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them

Hail, Caesar!

La La Land - the sets are amazing!

Passengers

 Animated Short Film:

Blind Vaysha

Borrowed Time

Pear Cider and Cigarettes

Pearl – this one is made to be viewed in virtual reality so its ground breaking and cool… I think it could win. But Piper is Pixar so... 

Piper –  will win… and it’s cute.

 Live Action Short Film:

Ennemis Interieurs – this is about the interrogation of an Algerian man who has lived in France for years but is trying to gain official citizenship. I hope this doesn’t happen in real life but something tells me it is likely not far off from reality…

La Femme et la TGV-about a woman who lives alongside the tracks of a high speed train and strikes up a friendship with the train operator she’s never met.

Silent Nights – didn’t love it.

Sing – about a girl who wants to join her school choir and a teacher who is hell bent on them winning a competition. I really liked this one too. 

Timecode  - silly and weirdly sweet

 Sound Editing:

Arrival

Deepwater Horizon – I sat through this garbage too. Marky Mark needs to go away

Hacksaw Ridge – this is where I throw this one a bone…

La La Land – if Hacksaw doesn’t take it

Sully

 Sound Mixing:

Arrival

Hacksaw Ridge

La La Land – because it’s a musical

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi

 Visual Effects:

Deepwater Horizon

Doctor Strange

The Jungle Book

Kubo and the Two Strings

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

 Adapted Screenplay:

Arrival

Fences – I’m torn…

Hidden Figures

Lion

Moonlight – I’m going with this, but Fences may take it.

 Original Screenplay:

Hell or High Water

La La Land – again, torn, but…

The Lobster – quite possibly the weirdest movie I’ve ever enjoyed. Very, very strange.

Manchester by the Sea- I’m going with my gut and saying this is the winner

20th Century Women

Well, there you have it! 

This year I’ve been fortunate enough to have brought a few more friends into the “watch all the movies” challenge and it’s been so much fun! Can’t wait to see what next year brings! 

[nocturnalghoul]

Mushy May Day 10: Mutual pining/ Staring in adoration

A little something about the natural attraction between Fire and Air as elements, as well as all the band being tired of the way Ifrit and Zephyr both just pine after each other with neither ever taking any action.

Grazie to the several people who found those gifs of Zephyr tearing up the keys and grooving for me. Giving you a big kiss on the forehead *MWAH*

Also I did NOT think I would be able to finish this before I went to bed this morning and was so sure I was gonna have to post it tomorrow so YAY to it getting posted

Read below the cut or on AO3 here

Air and fire are a natural fit; thought and action. Combined the two elements create an unstoppable force so it only makes sense that they tend to naturally gravitate towards one another. 

Ever since Ifrit was summoned him and Zephyr have felt that same elemental pull. The air ghoul feeding the others fire and supplying him with a steady supply of passion and ideas, the fire ghoul making the others thoughts and dreams a reality. 

Zephyr was an inspiring force, spurring Ifrit on to achieve things he wouldn’t have thought of, and Ifrit was always there to act upon the ideas that Zephyr was not able to commit to themself. Despite this organic connection the two had never managed to step past the line of friendship, instead opting to pine over one another much to the chagrin of the rest of their pack. 

There were quick fleeting touches here and there that tempted the line of flirtatious, but they were only bright little flashes burning out before anything else happened. Mostly they shared longing stares, as if the affection could float on the wind to the other person. 

~~~

Ifrit cannot tear his eyes off of Zephyr as they play a little impromptu performance for some siblings of sin. The way they move is completely bewitching, throwing himself completely into the performance. Ifrit watches the way their uniform shifts, tops of the sleeves crinkling as their shoulders bob up and down slightly, swaying back and forth to the beat. Zephyr will also occasionally throw in a dramatic hand flourish causing Ifrit to shift his attention to the way the air ghoul’s hand glides through the space above the keyboard. 

Ifrit snaps out of the trance watching Zephyr had put him in as he hears an exasperated sigh come from Mist beside him. He shoots the water ghoulette a questioning glance but all she does is roll her eyes in response and wave him off. By the time Ifrit looks back, Zephyr has concluded their performance and made their way over to the table all the ghoul’s are sitting at. 

“So, did you all enjoy the show?” he asks, pulling out a chair to sit down. Before Ifrit has the chance to gush about the running list of things he loved about it that he was keeping in his head, Mist sighs again interrupting him. He shoots her another annoyed inquisitive look. 

“Okay, can the two of you stop making lovesick little puppy dog eyes at eachother and fuck already or something? It’s getting ridiculous” she bursts out, rolling her eyes once again and leaning back in the chair. 

“What!?” both Ifrit and Zephyr exclaim in unison. 

“Hold on, while tactless Mist is right” Omega chimes in. “I’m tired of watching you both stare longingly at each other like star-crossed paramours. One of you please make a move already so we can move along”

Mist’s smile widens in vindication. “See, even Omega agrees. You’re a fire and an air ghoul, like the elemental compatibility alone means that getting together will be beneficial for you both, so get to it.” she continues

Ifrit and Zephyr both sweep their eyes over the faces of all the other ghouls present and are met with only nods and murmurs of agreement. Apparently everyone else in the pack but them knew of their mutual fondness for one another.

“More importantly though it will be beneficial for my appetite at band breakfasts. Just once I would like to finish my food without gagging at how sickly in love you blindly seem to both be. Like must you right in front of my pancakes” Mist teases.

“Well fine then, I guess I’ll just have to do something about it” Ifrit declares, turning to look at the air ghoul and immediately softening once again upon making eye contact. “Zeph, would you like to accompany me for a walk through the gardens away from these cretins so that we can talk. There's some… things I've been meaning to show you out by Mountain’s pumpkin patch”

Ifrit briefly sees Dew and Aether exchange money while the water ghoul grumbles under his breath, but immediately forgets the exchange as the air ghoul takes his hand. The simple touch sends a shock down Ifrit’s spine.

“I thought you would never ask” they laugh, already pulling Ifrit towards the door. Right as they reach the entryway, Ifrit scoops Zephyr up to carry him out, the both of them giggling fiercely. 

“If I find out y’all fucked in my brand new pumpkin patch, I’m not sharing any of my weed with you for a week!” Mountain cries out uselessly from behind them as they exit. 

That is 100% the plan but it’s fine, Zeph knows where the earth ghoul keeps his private stash anyways.

[nocturnalghoul]

Mushy May Day 8: First Time

Had a lot of thoughts about small dick Mountain being self-conscious about being intimate with some of the others cause everyone expects the big tall earth ghoul to have a giant dick, when in reality its pretty average, and it manifested into this. Zephyr helps the poor lad work past some of that during their first time together.

Hi @forlorn-crows remember when I said a random chunk of stuff about small dick Mounty in ya DMs like a week and a half ago? It’s a mushy may now :D (also thank you once again for organizing the whole Mushy May calendar!)

I'm forcing myself to try and keep my mushy may stuff short as a challenge to myself, but I’m (hopefully) going to be making this a proper full length explicit fic later on.

words: 1200

Rating: M (most of the actual sex itself is sort of skipped over but obviously there is still a lot of discussion and reference to it so just to be safe)

Read below the cut or on AO3 here

Of course Zephyr hears the rumors around the abbey, but they also know better than to listen to the gossip the siblings spread around. They love to snicker amongst themselves about the reportedly impressive package that the new gigantic earth ghoul was packing, saying that he was so reluctant to sleep with the siblings because he didn’t want to hurt them and other rather provocative images. 

It was interesting though, the few sisters who actually had a previous intimate encounter with Mountain seemed to always politely keep their mouths shut, keeping up an attitude that it’s nobody's business. He was rather shy with the ghouls too now that they thought about it, so the siblings stupid reasons had to be incorrect. 

No, Zephyr finally realizes, the other ghoul must be self-conscious about something for a yet to be revealed reason. It wasn’t a large concern though, with the way the two ghouls kept circling around one another it was only a matter of time before they would get to find out all for themself. There truly was no rush, they have always been a rather easy going ghoul, allowing life to carry them whichever way the wind may blow. They would never want to rush the earth ghoul in general, but especially into something he obviously has some apprehension about.

Only a week after that thought, it appears that the moment has arrived. After sneaky quick little make-out sessions all throughout the day whenever they would run into each other, Mountain finally invites the air ghoul to meet up in his chambers later that night after dinner. Zephyr can’t help the way his face quirks up into a small smile, his patience having finally proved worth it. 

Zephyr knocks on the door and laughs at the small surprised squeak he hears Mountain let out before he calls for them to come in. They feel the way their eyebrows shoot up when met with the already mostly naked earth ghoul and quickly step inside, taking care to lock the door. 

“I’m not running late, was I? Or are you just that excited, darling” Zephyr teases, moving to run a comforting hand along the already flustered earth ghoul’s arm. 

“More nervous than anything, and I didn’t want to have to spend time in my head about things while taking off unnecessary layers” Mountain spits out, looking intently at the floor. 

Zephyr places one hand on the earth ghoul’s chin, pressing lightly to encourage eye contact. “Mount, if you don’t want to-”

“No!” he interupts, a flash of worry coming across his face before looking up at the ceiling and chewing his lip.

“No what, little jade. No you don’t want to continue, or no you want to proceed?” Zephyr attempts to say as gently as possible, allowing their hand to slip upward, fingers combing through Mountain’s soft hair while they wait for him to figure out his answer. 

“I really do want to do this. I have for a while, I just… I don’t want you to be disappointed is all” 

“Nothing about you could ever disappoint me, Mountain. How about we start slow since you seem so worried.”

“Y-yeah, that sounds fine. It's not really that, it’s just- I know you have probably heard what all the siblings say and it’s not really true. I get why they assume that but it puts some pressure on me to bring something I don’t have, you know? It makes the first time with somebody feel like I’m going to let them down.” 

Zephyr has to stop themselves from immediately telling the other ghoul that his concerns are silly. To them, the alleged size of the earth ghouls dick was an irrelevant factor, but clearly this was the source of insecurity that had been causing Mountain to be distant when it came to intimacy with the other ghouls. While silly to Zephyr, that was not something that would make Mountain feel better. 

“I can tell that this is something that has been worrying you, little jade.” Zephyr starts softly after a moment's consideration. “All that matters to me is being here with you. I understand your trepidation, but please be assured that the drivel the siblings love to spout about the alleged size of your dick is far from the reason for my being here.”

They watch the way Mountain lets out a long breath, finally relaxing into the soft touches Zephyr has been supplying this entire time. 

“I know that I just-... I-... thank you for saying it I guess, Zeph” Mountain manages to mutter out. He seems to be letting go of some of that apprehension, but Zephyr can see the way his fangs dig into his bottom lip anxiously. 

“How about this, you finish undressing, and then lay down and let me take care of you okay? Let me put all those fears to rest.” 

Mountain nods quickly then takes a moment to fiddle with the band of his pants before removing them and laying back on the bed as requested. Zephyr does his best not to immediately look at the earth ghouls cock but with all the fuss about it they don’t manage to hold out long. It’s a little skinny, and overall rather average sized. He understands why everyone expects the earth ghoul to be equipped with something larger, but this is almost nicer, manageable.

The air ghoul quickly joins him, grabbing Mountain’s face in their hands softly, taking a moment to stroke their thumbs over his cheeks. They begin by kissing him on the nose before letting go and slowly working their way down whispering little praises into Mountain’s skin. 

Zephyr hums contently as he watches the other’s cock begin to fill out and harden as they continue their lazy path downwards, sucking beautiful little spots of color trailing across his sternum and down his chest. They can feel the way Mountain’s muscles jump beneath the skin everywhere they go and the deep rumble reverberating through his chest with each loud moan they manage to elicit from him. 

“Zeph, please” Mountain manages to choke out, and the air ghoul decides that the poor guy's cock has gone ignored long enough. 

“So lovely” the air ghoul whispers into the hollow of Mountain’s hip before shifting his attention like Mountain so sweetly asked. 

“Look at this beautiful sprouting sapling growing just for me, little jade. So perfect” Zephyr lilts. Mountain lets out an adorably strangled noise at the words. 

“Zeph, I need-” he attempts to begin, but Zephyr watches as the words slip away as they begin to mouth at his cock. 

The two hastily allow themselves to get lost in the whole affair, the earlier plan to start slowly and focus on Mountain mutually abandoned completely as they rapidly begin to paw at each other with incessant need. 

Afterwards as the two lay side by side fully exhausted, Zephyr is left somewhat speechless. “Unholy lord below do you know how to use that thing” are the only words that manage to slip out of his racing mind, the both of them bursting into uncontrollable fits of laughter at the outburst. 

Yeah, Zephyr thinks to himself, Mountain had nothing to be worried about.

[nocturnalghoul]

Mushy May Day 24: Tour De-stress (?)

Dew needs to find a new way to de-stress post transition to his new fire element. Copia helps set up a day for him to reconcile the two elements within him in an attempt to do just that.

I decided that because it's Mushy May, this one time Dew gets to keep his pretty fishy aspects from when he was a water ghoul. After that its back to angsty times for that dude.

Words: 568

Rating: Gen/ Everyone

Read below the cut or on AO3 here

The first tour after he became a fire ghoul was going rough for Dew. He had gotten his de-stress routine down way back when he was a water ghoul, but now that his predominant element was fire it wasn’t quite working for him. 

Normally a long cold soak would sort of reset his mind and allow some of that stress and anxiety that came with touring to float away. Lately though whenever he tried it only made him more irritable. His original water nature was still there somewhere to enjoy it, but overall it felt like it was dousing the fire within him, leaving him feeling deflated. 

Luckily after mentioning it to Copia, the new frontman for the band quickly worked with some of the ghouls to make a plan to help Dew out. Aether and him shortly figure out that in between two of the upcoming gigs is a large patch of natural hot springs, too hot for normal humans to swim in, leaving them normally abandoned. 

They have a little extra time in between tour dates, and quickly get the rest of the ghouls to agree to the surprise for Dew. As the bus gets off the main highways and starts to wind down twisting forest roads Dew begins to get suspicious, but Mountain quickly distracts the ghoul in every way he can until they get to their destination. 

“Okay, where the fuck are we Copia? There is no way this is the road we should be taking.” Dew finally challenges. 

The Cardinal nervously explains his theory that the high temps of the hot springs might be able to help the little ghoul find the balance between his old routine and his new element in a setting away from anybody else. Before he can even finish, Dew is already tearing out of the door, leaving a trail of clothes behind him. 

The other ghouls mill around looking at the beautiful scenery, but Mountain and Aether are glued to the ground just outside of the hot spring. Dew’s unglamored form has always been pretty, but this was the first time they were able to see it since he transitioned elements. 

All the old muted blues and grays they were used to seeing with him were now vibrant oranges and magenta. The long twisting blue lines of bioluminescence running along his entire body were still present, but the slight glow flickered like a crackling campfire. As he moved through the water the rough edges of his fins running along his body rippled in the water creating an illusion of something burning beneath the surface. It was truly remarkable how his body had adapted to the elemental shift.

Neither Mountain nor Aether dare waste a precious second looking at anything but the way that Dew splashed and jetted through the small spring. It was the happiest they had seen him since before his transition and it filled their hearts with love for the little guy.

Eventually the sun started to set and the other ghouls grew tired. Dew reluctantly was coaxed out of the spring, but the weight of everyone organizing this for him sat heavy in his chest, rekindling the fire within him. He may no longer be able to let that stress float away into the cold and uncaring waters, but with the love of his pack he surely could find a way to burn it away.

[nocturnalghoul]

Mushy May Day 20: Bonfires

A short vignette about a pack bonding tradition set up by Dew and Mountain. Those two are bonfire buddies and I adore them for that.

Should hopefully catch up over the next day or two. but please excuse how this is several days late

words: 450

Rating: Gen/ Everyone

Read below the cut or on AO3 here :)

At this point it was tradition. Mountain and Dew had originally started hosting bonfires as an excuse to hang out with each other, but it quickly spiraled from there. The intricate building of larger and larger fires and the addition of the full pack had transformed the occasional practice into a respected institution for their time off. 

Nights like these were a rare treat for all of the ghouls. The entirety of the pack together, each with their own assigned task for the night, taking the time to simply relax and enjoy everyone's company. They all had a short time home in between tours and immediately claimed an entire day for themselves to relax together. It was the first bonfire of the season and all of the ghouls were itching for the sun to start setting so they could begin. 

~~~

Sometime in the mid-afternoon Mountain and Dew had set out to make sure that all the supplies needed for the large bonfire they would construct were ready. Once the sun starts to fall low on the horizon, the rest of the ghouls check that they have everything they need and set out together along the path to the fire pit. 

They can see Mountain triple checking his construction of the fire as Dew walks around collecting kindling to add before he sets it alight. The skinny forms of the two ghouls weave in and out of sight as they flit around finalizing the preparations. 

As the rest of the pack arrives at the typical meeting point, the last rays of sunlight begin to dissipate and Dew lights the bonfire. Rain stands between the lake and the flames just on the off chance that the two ghouls were overzealous yet again. The fire roars to life but settles into a burn that, while still magnificent, seems manageable so the water ghoul relaxes and helps the girls finish unpacking the large spread of snacks they brought. 

Aether and Swiss pull out a few beat up acoustic guitars and take turns playing fireside tunes while Sunny gets a s’more assembly line set up. Later in the night Aether will eventually start pointing out constellations, letting Rain and Swiss narrate the stories behind them. Half the stories are made up, but the rest of the ghouls find them compelling anyways. 

Soon enough tours will begin again, or the warmer months will fade allowing snow to cover this carefully carved piece of the abbey grounds. These tender moments will be taken from them, but for now that thought is irrelevant. All that matters is the soothing crackle of the fire, the crisp nighttime air, and basking in everyone's love for one another as a pack.