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weirdstuff-blog · 5 years

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Me and stephanie dancing up Christian

"ROB SIMS presents KellyMBentley.Com in 2008! "

Female 26 years old ATLANTA, Georgia United States

Last Login: 4/13/2008

I love models and everything to do with the glamour industry. I am seriously into photography. I love to dance and I am currently learning to sing. I am crazy in love with my American Pitt Bull Terrier "Layla" and I love spending time with her playing freesbee with her and my loving fiance Django. I love fast cars preferrably American Muscle. My favorite would be a Trans Am. Long live Cassondra

Music I love all types of music, but my favorite is Classic Rock including the Grateful Dead, Bob Dylan, Doors, Def Lepard, AC/DC, Primus, Nine Inch Nail all kinds of artists. I love dancing to hip-hop, but I really don’t have any favorites.

Movies I love chic flicks and cartoons. I’ve never really been a fan of horror flicks. My favs include Notebook, Ratatouille, Sweet Home Alabama, Youve Got Mail…you get where this is going.

Television I love reality shows. I was on the Coyote Ugly Reality Show but I hated it. My favorites shows include Pussycat dolls, ANTM, Ghost Hunters, Dirty Jobs, Rock of Love, Make me a Supermodel….well all of them except American Idol…hate that shit!!

Books I dont read anything but war books and Cosmopolitian magazine. Oh yea and the Bible of course. Heroes All of our American Military men and women especially those close to me….Andrew Goldman, Jason Edmondson, Chris Willis, and my sweet uncle Kurt. Love and appreciate you guys. If you have a friend or relative serving I send me their name and I will post it here to show my appreciation.

The Kelly M. Bentley ‘s Details

Status: In a Relationship Here for: Networking, Friends Orientation: Straight Hometown: Alabama Body type: Slim / Slender Ethnicity: White / Caucasian Zodiac Sign: Libra Smoke / Drink: No / No Education: College graduate Occupation: Model

The Kelly M. Bentley ‘s Schools Southern Union State Community College Wadley, AL Graduated: 2002 Student status: Alumni Degree: Associate’s Degree Major: Computer Science

2000 to 2002

The Kelly M. Bentley ‘s Companies NOPI Motorsports Atlanta, Georgia US Nopi Chic Model

Construction Cuties Atlanta, Georgia US

M Bentley Productions Atlanta, Georgia US

The Kelly M. Bentley is Taking Over the F*cking World!

The Kelly M. Bentley ‘s Latest Blog Entry [Subscribe to this Blog]

Rob Sims and Kelly Bentley 2008 (view more)

RIDE FOR LIFE…..Relay For Life Charity Event (view more)

Coyote Ugly Episode 5…Thank God its Over! (view more)

National Glamour Showcase Florida (view more)

Coyote Ugly Episode 4 (view more)

[View All Blog Entries]

The Kelly M. Bentley ‘s Blurbs About me: Its hard to describe myself because I am constantly changing. So to start, above all else, I am a bad ass bartender. I bartend at OPERA Nightclub here in Atlanta, Geogia. Its the biggest and hottest club in Atlanta. I also bartend at the Irish Bred Carrollton where I can fulfill my bar dancing passion to AC/DC, Buckcherry (Crazy biotch!), and Def Lepard. I love serving up cocktails with a little sassy shake some come by either place and check me out!!

Second, I am a model and one of the hottest female entrepreneurs on this planet. In modeling, I specialize in glamour, fitness, and promotional modeling. I always have something going on somewhere. I’m partnering up with NOPI as a NOPI CHIC for 2008. I love doing charity work so keep updated on my events and help us out. As an entrepreneur, I own half of a calendar production company with JM Polsfuss that is responsible for the hottest calendar coming out in 2009 Construction Cuties. Watch for it!! I also just teamed up with get this…yes…The Rob Sims….which we will have my website launched by the end of Spring to help heat up the summer for you. Also watch for all the magazine covers, layouts, spreads, etc. coming soon…I told you guys I’ll be taking over the WORLD!! Lastly, I am a regular girl that had a dream and am still forcing it to come true come hell or high water. I’m from a small town, but I’m working hard to fulfill my big city dreams as well as those of other girls who want to be models with MODELICIOUS. So if you want to try modeling, don’t listen to people when they tell you that you cant do it, they said I couldn’t, and I look at me…so don’t listen, contact me and lets see what we can do. I DONT DO ANYTHING FOR FREE….so don’t ask. I have a small network of professional models I use and promote because they have become friends. Don’t ask for my contacts, because I work hard in promoting and networking myself so why should I just hand over my hard work to you. If you want my network, you pay for my network.

THINGS YOU WOULDN’T GUESS ABOUT ME: No one would ever guess that I used to be in the Army National Guard. I used to be on Active Reserve as the RA for SFC Robert Cornett. I got out in 2005. I also used to wiegh 170 lbs. I gained a huge amount of weight when I quit drinking and smoking. Yea a lot of you thought it would never happen. I quit cold turkey and the turkey went to my ass. I lost 50 lbs. on the Subway diet. I was recently on the Coyote Ugly Reality Show on CMT and hated every minute. I also have a degree in Political Science and Computer Science with a minor in Military Science. Just some cool quirks about me. TELL ME ABOUT YOURSELF – The Survey Name: Kelly M Bentley Birthday: October 7th Birthplace: Anniston, Alabama Current Location: Atlanta, Georgia Eye Color: Green Hair Color: Blonde/Brunette..hell I don’t know Height: 5’5" if I’d stand up straight Right Handed or Left Handed: Right Your Heritage: Irish/German &..39;The Shoes You Wore Today:’ My beloved flip flops Your Weakness: Your Fears: airplanes, elevators, and scurrying vermon Your Perfect Pizza: cheese/pepperoni without any sauce Goal You Would Like To Achieve This Year: Be at 8% Body Fat by the end of the year Your Most Overused Phrase On an instant messenger: I dont even know how to set that shit up… Thoughts First Waking Up: What in the hell are the Backyardigans? Your Best Physical Feature: My big ghetto booty Your Bedtime: When ever my mind decides to quit thinking Your Most Missed Memory: No clue..too much memory lost Pepsi or Coke: Caffeine free coke MacDonalds or Burger King: both are some nasty shit…I dont put it in my body! Single or Group Dates: Cant remember my last date… Lipton Ice Tea or Nestea: I don’t drink any tea Chocolate or Vanilla: Just hand over the chocolate and no one gets hurt Cappuccino or Coffee: Caffeine free Coffee Do you Smoke: hell no Do you Swear: I swear I cuss too much Do you Sing: Did you catch my show? Think I’ll stick to the shower. Do you Shower Daily: more than once Have you Been in Love: Only twice for sure Do you want to go to College: Been there done that Do you want to get Married: Umm….when I’m too old to know better Do you belive in yourself: more than anyother person besides Roy Do you get Motion Sickness: Do you think you are Attractive: No but others tend to disagree Are you a Health Freak: Absolutely Do you get along with your Parents: depends on the day of the week Do you like Thunderstorms: love them Do you play an Instrument: In the past month have you Drank Alcohol: don’t drink alcohol In the past month have you Smoked: I quit when I was 20 In the past month have you been on Drugs: hell no drugs are for weak people In the past month have you gone on a Date: I havent gone on a date in the past few years In the past month have you gone to a Mall: No..I hate the mall..I’m in need of another personal shopper In the past month have you eaten a box of Oreos: yea right…my trainer would shoot me In the past month have you eaten Sushi: I don’t eat fish In the past month have you been on Stage: too many times In the past month have you been Dumped: No In the past month have you gone Skinny Dipping: I wish In the past month have you Stolen Anything: No but someone stole two of my damned portfolios Ever been Drunk: Plastered on many occassions Ever been called a Tease: What girl hasnt Ever been Beaten up: No but I got launched off some steps one time Ever Shoplifted: no I only steal hearts How do you want to Die: at 200mph on the Autobahn What do you want to be when you Grow Up: I’m doing it but not grown up yet What country would you most like to Visit: Ireland In a Boy/Girl.. Favourite Eye Color: Any that don’t lie Favourite Hair Color: any that I can run my fingers through Short or Long Hair: either Height: all heights Weight: weight doesn’t matter Best Clothing Style: clothes dont make the man Number of Drugs I have taken: Don’t do drugs Number of CDs I own: not too many Number of Piercings: ears and belly button Number of Tattoos: 1 Number of things in my Past I Regret: only 1…if you know me you know what it is

CREATE YOUR OWN! – or – GET PAID TO TAKE SURVEYS!

Myspace Layouts – Myspace Editor – Image Hosting

Who I’d like to meet: TO ALL MODELS AND PHOTOGRAPHERS: Now that I am partnered up with Robs Sims who is the most published photographer on the planet also owner of FitBeauties and FitModels International Magazines, photographer for Oxygen, MuscleMag, InStyle, American Curves, Maxim, FHM, Mens Health…okay I’m tired already. Too many to list. Google him for the rest…lol. Rob and I will be offering photoshoots to ambitious models with the guarantee to be published. Yes there is a catch. 1)like I said I don’t do anything for FREE 2) Neither does he 3) you have to be approved by me first. Sorry ladies…I have to be picky. Feel free to submit to me for shoots with Rob. I will be honest and give you feedback. WE ARE THE ONLY ONES THAT CAN GUARANTEE YOU PUBLICATION IN MAJOR MAGAZINES.

Posted by dcsmith2752002 on 2008-06-23 13:19:11

Tagged: , KELLY , M , BENTLEY , IN , ATLANTA , GA , NIGHT , LIFE , BASIC , BLACK , FORMAL-WEAR , AND , CASUAL , -WEAR , ATTIRES

The post Me and stephanie dancing up Christian appeared first on Good Info.

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mesdea · 5 years

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Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Prequel Trilogy Rating: General Audiences Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Relationships: Qui-Gon Jinn/Obi-Wan Kenobi Characters: Qui-Gon Jinn, Obi-Wan Kenobi Additional Tags: Laundromat AU, Meet-Cute, Quinn is Qui-Gon, Ben is Obi-Wan, Fluff, Party Like It's 1999 Summary:

Quinn hoped to grade a few papers while waiting for his laundry to finish, but then a stranger entered the laundromat and shattered that expectation.

New Orleans was known for its Creole cuisine, distinct music, unique dialect and of course, Mardi Gras was something of an enigma for Quinn who had been in the city for a little over ten years. He migrated to The Big Easy after his mother passed away, leaving his birthplace of Ireland. Having been born to an Irish mother and an American father, he had dual citizenship and had often longed to see his father's home in Louisiana.

Normally, when travelers or first-time residents went to New Orleans, they had a tough time understanding the strange city. It appeared like no other place in the United States. Quinn was one of these travelers, first as a tourist and then quickly becoming a resident after finding old relatives on his father’s side. The first puzzling impression of the city usually came from the appearance of the French Quarter near many of the city's hotels. The size of the district surprised even those who have journeyed through the remaining United States. Few visitors are used to such a mess of people shuffling at all hours of the day and night in the center of the city. They promptly learned that bars have no closing hour, that the food is spicy, and that the music happened almost everywhere. They may have also taken note that the locals talk weirdly, but few have southern accents. Quinn’s lilting accent seemed to fit right in, even if it wasn't quite the same, as residents welcomed him with open arms.

When Quinn first found his roots, so to speak, he had left behind a lucrative position as a biology professor in Belfast. After just a few months of traveling the southern portion of Louisiana, also known as Acadiana, he found a tenured job at the private college of Tulane, held within the bustling city of New Orleans. He lived just off campus, which was ideal for him, as he could use public transportation and his feet, with no need for a car. However, the flat didn’t come equipped with a washer and dryer, so he often strolled late at night to the laundromat when the insomnia was too much to overcome.

This is where he found himself on this warm night, term papers spread upon the folding table as he waited for the washers to finish, so he could transfer his clothes to the dryer and perhaps go next door for some crawfish etouffee. Quinn knew he should skip the food and finish grading his student’s papers before Windu had his head on a pike. He was late last semester and never heard the end. Although he adored his job, speaking and guiding young students, he hated the politics that seemed to follow. He could always forgo sleep instead of grading the papers.

Just as he circled Tommy Boudreaux’s “D-” the chime on the door went off and the quiet clinking of the washers was interrupted by several mumbles, groans, and Scottish cuss words. Quinn looked up into the gorgeous pair of Gray-blue eyes as he witnessed the young ginger strip out of his white button-down shirt and head for an open washer.

“I don’t even know how to get this out!” The youthful man cussed even more than before as he tossed the shirt into the open lid and unzipped his trousers, suddenly realizing he was in public. He regarded Quinn and turned a lovely shade of cherry-red. “I’m sorry, I…” Benjamin stopped as quickly as he began, staring at the older gentleman, his graying hair pulled back into a thick full ponytail.

Quinn noticed the fellow had blood stains on his face, shirt, and pants, and he promptly jumped from his table and walked toward him. “Are you OK?” He went to reach for the lad, before realizing that he might not want a stranger in his personal space and pulled back.

“I’m fine. My clothes, however, are not." By the sound of the Scottish accent, not a local either, he held his head back, realizing that his nose was still bleeding. "I'm sorry, I was on my way to my hotel and was robbed." He let out a breath, wondering how he would make it to his morning appointment and look presentable. He could purchase clothes, but that wouldn't help until the stores opened in the morning.

"That is horrible and doesn’t set a good impression for a new arrival in our city." Quinn slipped into his pocket and pulled out a small handkerchief and handed it to the man. "Please, take this and tilt your head back. It will help. It doesn't look broken at least." Quinn tapped his own nose that had been broken a few times and never set.

"Thank you, Mr...."

"Quinton Jinn, but please call me Quinn."

"Benjamin Kenobi, but everyone calls me Ben." The lad once again turned a lovely shade of pink, and Quinn wondered how often he could bring that color out of him. Was he trying to flirt with a stranger, half his age, inside a laundromat?.

"I would say that it is a pleasure to meet you, but this doesn't seem like the happiest of situations." Quinn waved at the man's clothes. "I'm assuming they took your suitcase, along with any change of clothes?"

Ben nodded and peered down at the shirt in the washer. "I don't even know how to get the blood out and I have a very important interview tomorrow." Ben wondered why he was unloading all this onto a perfect stranger, but the man had a commanding presence that calmed him.

Quinn brightened and held up a finger, quickly dashing out of the establishment and next door to the 24-hour dinner. He asked the night manager and owner, Dexter, for two bowls of etouffee, some sweet tea with lemon, a few packs of salt and a small bowl of baking soda. Walking back into the laundromat, Quinn looked at the miserable lad, head in his hands, his face alight with worry. "Never fear, we'll get that blood out. Off with those pants."

Ben let out a tiny squeak at those words, his ears and neck joining his cheeks in a deep blush, why couldn't he control himself? "I have nothing," he trailed off as he watched Quinn laugh deeply. Oh, how that rumble did things to him, things that wouldn't be appropriate when half-naked in the laundromat. Ben watched as Quinn went to the dryers and pulled out a large gray t-shirt and handed it to him.

"It's still damp, but it will be big on you allowing some modesty." Ben smiled and shed his pants, throwing on the shirt. Quinn was right, it was more of a nightgown on him, but at least he wasn't sitting in anything but his pants.

"Thank you, but I still don't know how to get the blood out."

Quinn let out a cheerful rumble and handed him a container of food. Ben opened the container and the smell of spice and seafood was heavenly. He hadn't eaten since arriving and his mouth watered. "This smells glorious, thank you, but how is this going to help my pants?"

"The food is for you to enjoy, I will take care of your pants." Quinn got the lemons, tea, salt, and baking soda from his bag and headed for the nearby sink. "First you always use cold water. Mix the baking soda into a paste and rub on the stain." He began, just like he was lecturing his students. He then set the pants over the sink and grabbed his own container or food. "We leave it to sit for a few minutes and enjoy Dexter's best meal, Crawfish Etouffee. I hope you aren't allergic to seafood?"

"Not at all, this smells wonderful. Thank you, Quinn." Ben beamed. Quinn felt his heart tug, wanting to see that smile more.

"You are welcome. After we eat, we will rinse the stains in cold water and rub the lemon and salt in, after that we can put them in the washer." They both dug into their meal, neither saying much, just enjoying the company and great food.

Ben swallowed his last bite and let out a soft moan. "That.was heaven."

"No, that was Nawlins." Quinn gulped, wondering what else could make this beautiful creature moan.

"Haha, funny," Ben mumbled.

After their meal, Quinn finished rubbing out the stains and started the washer for his new acquaintance. Ben glanced over at the folding table and motioned to the papers. "I'm sorry that I interrupted your work."

"Honestly, it was a blessed break from Tommy Boudreaux's "D-" paper on how football can save the environment. Any break from that is welcome. It's the one thing I don't understand in this state, everything can be explained or tied to football, well their American football."

"You're a professor?" Ben straightened out.

"Yes, I'm a biology professor at Tulane. My department head, Windu, who incidentally is a pain in my ass will have my head if I don't have these papers graded and posted soon, but I find I don't care at the moment." Ben swore he saw Quinn wink at him.

"Wait, who?" Ben stood up, stock still and felt the need to cover up.

"Mace Windu, head of the science department at Tulane. Are you okay, Ben? You are turning absolutely white." Quinn moved closer to Ben, offering him a hand if the lad was feeling faint.

"This can't be happening," Ben mumbled and pulled further away. "I'm sorry Mr. Jinn." Quinn frowned at the formality, wondering what he had done.

"Please, it's Quinn. Did I offend you, somehow?" Ben looked up into the confused, sad eyes and cursed his awkwardness.

"You didn't, I'm sorry. What a mess! The reason I was so upset about my clothes is that I have a job interview tomorrow at Tulane with Professor Mace Windu. I was hoping to be the new Environmental Science professor and here I am half naked, flirting with one of the top professors in his department!"

"Flirting?" Quinn looked hopeful. "Your interview is not with me, Ben. Mace Windu has never listened to anything I've had to say on any subject, much less, department hiring. Besides, it takes two to tango."

Ben let his hands fall to his side, exhaling a breath as his anxiety dropped. "I'm sorry, this is just...this is not how I pictured this trip going. I wanted this job, want this job."

"Be yourself, Ben. Mace is a fair, if stubborn, man. He will look at your resume, ask his questions and determine if you are a good fit for our team. If he cared only about outward appearances, do you think he'd have hired me? At best the kids describe me as a spaced-out hippy with my long gray hair. I often skip the sports coat for a comfortable polo or t-shirt, I couldn't care less about outward appearances."

"You think I have a shot, even if the stains don't come out?" Ben leaned in closer, his eyes smiling with mirth.

"If there are stains to be seen, be honest with him. Mace will understand and probably take it personally that his city was responsible for such a travesty." Quinn really wanted to reach out and touch this lovely creature to calm his fears. When did he ever get so protective over strangers?

"Thank you for everything. If I held the city accountable for the mugging, I would also hold it in high regard for the kindness you’ve shown me." The two men sat with each other and bantered back and forth, waiting for their clothes to dry, shoulders touching as they got to know each other.

The dryer buzzed, and they both jumped up to check their results. Quinn got their first, using his long legs to his advantage. He pulled out Ben’s pants and shirt and held them up to the light. “Tada! Maybe I have a job as a dry cleaner if Biology doesn’t work out?”

Ben grabbed the shirt and carefully looked it over. “I can’t believe it, it’s as good as new!” Without a second thought, he reached out to Quinn and gave him a tight embrace. His long arms wrapped around him in return. Quinn couldn’t help but enjoy the smell of vanilla and Ben invading his senses. He could get used to this.

Ben withdrew, a shy smile plastered to his lips as he started to get dressed once again as Quinn folded his own clothes and placed them into a worn duffle, the papers once again stacked neatly and placed in a briefcase. “I guess this is goodbye.” Ben held out his hand.

Quinn always thought New Orleans was a melting pot of all sorts of characters. It was that life essence of each individual that made New Orleans like no other city, it was the ability to make strangers come together and help each other when needed. Quinn took a hand in his own and pulled Ben into a short embrace, kissing his cheek. They both hoped to meet again in the morning with something to celebrate. In the Big Easy, there was always a celebration to be had, no matter the time of day!

#quiobi #qui gon #obi wan #party like its 1999 #jinnobi #laundromat au #meet cute

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mythicallore · 5 years

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The Radiant Boys

One type of ghost that is as creepy as it is tragic is that of what are collectively called the “Radiant Boys.” The phenomenon mostly has its origins in the lore Northern England and in Germany, where they are called the “kindermorderinn.” The origins of these restless spirits is that of great tragedy, as they are said to be the ghosts of children who were murdered by their own mothers, something which has doomed them to walk the earth not only as ghosts, but also as portent of disaster and harbingers of death. Indeed, it is said that to see a Radiant Boy is a sure sign that bad luck or death is to follow, making them a frightening paranormal force that no one wants to come across, and they have become entrenched as a rather creepy landmark upon the world of ghostly phenomena.

The reasons for why these mothers should want to kill their children are varied, but back in the 1600s and 1700s, when the dark stories began to really take off, it was mostly because of kids being born out of wedlock, a big taboo at the time, or simply out of the fact that the parents did not have enough money to support them, leading them to resort to murder. In other, more sinister cases, women did it in order to exploit a medieval law that said that second wives could inherit their husband’s property if all his children had passed away, giving these mothers a financial incentive for the coldblooded murder of a loved one.

The great majority of the eerie Radiant Boy phenomenon and sightings originate from Germany in the 1600s, and then fan out to the areas of Cumberland and Northumberland in the northern part of England along with the many German immigrants during the 18th and 19th centuries. There are numerous reports of encounters with these apparitions, which are usually described as looking like glowing young boys, or more rarely girls, who usually appear nude and are bathed in a luminous light that can be a variety of colors. The entities themselves are often indifferent to their surroundings, but cast off a rather unsettling atmosphere that typically leaves the witness in a state of shock.

By far the most famous case of an apparent Radiant Boy occurred in September of 1803, at a place called Corby Castle, in Cumbria, England, which was the ancestral home of the powerful Howard family. Here a Reverend Henry of Redburgh visited with his wife for the evening, and it would turn out to be quite a harrowing night, not the least in part because they were put up for the night in a room of the castle that was rather known for being quite haunted. The Howard patriarch would say himself of this singularly creepy room:

I must observe that it is by no means remote or solitary, being surrounded on all sides by chambers that are constantly inhabited. It is accessible by a passage cut through a wall eight feet in thickness, and its dimensions are twenty-one by eighteen. One side of the wainscotting is covered with tapestry, the remainder is decorated with old family pictures, and some ancient pieces of embroidery, probably the handiwork of nuns. Over a press, which has doors of Venetian glass, is an ancient oaken figure, with a battle-axe in his hand, which was one of those formerly placed on the walls of the City of Carlisle, to represent guards. There used to be also an old-fashioned bed and some dark furniture in this room; but so many were the complaints of those who slept there, that I was induced to replace some of these articles of furniture by more modern ones, in the hope of removing a certain air of gloom, which I thought might have given rise to the unaccountable reports of apparitions and extraordinary noises which were constantly reaching us. But I regret to say, I did not succeed in banishing the nocturnal visitor, which still continues to disturb our friends.

The Reverend would stay in this room of foreboding, drifting off to sleep as a fire roared in the fireplace to keep the chill at bay, and would write of the events that followed in his journal, saying:

Soon after we went to bed, we fell asleep; it might be between one and two in the morning when I awoke. I observed that the fire was totally extinguished; but, although that was the case, and we had no light, I saw a glimmer in the centre of the room, which suddenly increased to a bright flame. I looked out, apprehending that something had caught fire, when, to my amazement, I beheld a beautiful boy, clothed in white, with bright locks resembling gold, standing by my bedside, in which position he remained some minutes, fixing his eyes upon me with a mild and benevolent expression. He then glided gently towards the side of the chimney, where it is obvious there is no possible egress, and entirely disappeared. I found myself again in total darkness, and all remained quiet until the usual hour of rising. I declare this to be a true account of what I saw at Corby Castle, upon my word as a clergyman.

The very next day the Reverend and his wife made a rather hasty departure from the castle, reportedly saying as they did so, “I am very sorry, but we must absolutely leave you this morning.” Another, more sinister case of a Radiant Boy was supposedly experienced by a Lord Castlereagh, who had once gone by the name of Captain Robert Stewart in his younger days, which he was known by at the time of his brush with the paranormal. At the time he was stationed in Ireland, and one day had gone out out hunting in the countryside when the weather turned foul. As soon as he realized that a storm was moving in, it also dawned on him that he had strayed so far out in his search of game that he no longer could find his way back.

The story goes that he wandered about the wilderness before coming to a home sitting out there, where he requested shelter for the night. His room was a modest affair with scarcely any furniture and a small fireplace in the corner. He soon drifted off to sleep, but was pried from his world of dreams by a brilliant light that seemed to bathe the entire room. The book Fairy and Folk Tales of the Irish Peasantry, by Butler Yeats, says of this encounter:

He believed he had slept about a couple of hours when he awoke suddenly, and was startled by such a vivid light in the room that he thought it on fire, but on turning to look at the grate he saw the fire was out, though it was from the chimney the light proceeded. He sat up in bed, trying to discover what it was, when he perceived the form of a beautiful naked boy, surrounded by a dazzling radiance. The boy looked at him earnestly, and then the vision faded, and all was dark. Captain Stewart, so far from supposing what he had seen to be of a spiritual nature, had no doubt that the host, or the visitors, had been trying to frighten him. Accordingly, he felt indignant at the liberty, and on the following morning, when he appeared at breakfast, he took care to evince his displeasure by the reserve of his demeanour, and by announcing his intention to depart immediately.

The owner of the house would then admit that the room was hardly ever used, and that was because there was purportedly the ghost of a family ancestor who had been killed by his own mother lurking there, and that the fire had been meant to keep the malicious spirit away. It was also said that to see the boy was a bad omen, and that indeed the cursed room had been off-limits for years, with it only opened to him because so many other guests had been staying there at the same time. It was ominously said that whoever was to see the Radiant Boy would rise in power only to have it ripped away to leave a gaping wound, followed by a horrible death, which fit in quite well with the existing Radiant Boy legend as a whole.

Indeed, this encounter would apparently live up to its reputation, and bring with it some of the darker lore surrounding the appearance of Radiant Boys, and although he would become a prominent political figure in the following years, Stewart would suddenly see his fortunes dwindle and a great many tragedies would befall his family. First his father died, which is how he took up the mantle of Lord Castlereagh, second Marquis of Londonderry, and his older brother would also die in a boating accident, then things would take a nosedive. His fortunes dwindled spectacularly, his health failed him, and his sanity began to slip over the brink of madness, forcing him to be confined to his country house, called North Cray Place. In the end, he would ede over the brink of the abyss of madness and take his own life in 1822 with a razor across the throat, fulfilling the grim prophecy that seeing the Radiant Boy would bring about a violent death.

Yet another supposed Radiant Boy is said to haunt Chillingham Castle, a medieval castle in Chillingham, Northumberland in the northern part of Northumberland, England. The castle was originally a monastery back in the 12th century, after which it went on to become a strategic location in medieval times, playing a big role in the battles between England and Scotland, and in later years an army barracks during World War II. Throughout it all there have been the stories of the castle’s Radiant Boy, who appears as a young, naked boy surrounded with a blue glow, that terrorizes an area of the castle called “The Pink Room.” The castle is so haunted, in fact, that it has been the target of several investigations by several famous TV paranormal programs, such as Most Haunted and Scariest Places on Earth.

These are only a few of the many reports of these ghostly, glowing children, this species of wraith that has appeared to frighten and in some cases bring dire misfortune. Is this all legend and lore, or is there something else to it? Are these the ghostly, tragic children of legend, killed by their own mothers and left to roam the world of the living to bring fear and strife? Or are these just spooky stories handed down through the ages? Whatever the case may be, the lore of the Radiant Boys is just as frightening as it is sad, and one hopes that if they truly are real, then they will somehow find peace in the end.

#spooky #paranormal #supernatural

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roseisread · 6 years

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My Year in Movies: Favorite Non-2018 Feature Films (Part 1)

I watched a LOT of movies this year. At last count, I had logged 229 features and 126 shorts; and that doesn’t count rewatches--only movies that were new to me.

I set a few challenges for myself as well this year. The first one was to watch at least one non-English language/US release per week--this exposed me to so much world cinema and some really amazing filmmakers. Anyone who avoids foreign films because “I don’t like subtitles” is really missing out, and I found myself craving these narratives from voices I don’t ordinarily get exposed to in my everyday life.

Other personal challenges: Watching as many horror movies as possible in October (with horror defined pretty loosely so I could include entries from silent era and onward, as well as some comedy cult classics that have horror/thriller elements); participating in Noirvember (in addition to attending Noir City in Chicago); crossing off some major blindspots from my list (such as Bicycle Thieves, The Producers, Lethal Weapon, A Few Good Men, Grease, Home Alone 2, Brazil, and Indiana Jones & the Temple of Doom); and trying to watch movies and short films from every decade that motion pictures have existed.

In 2019, I hope to do similar personal challenges with a focus on movies made by women, LGBTQ+, and people of color, in addition to filling in the gaps of my classical/canonical movie knowledge.

OK, so that’s enough preamble. Let’s get to the list! For this list, I’m excluding movies that were released in 2018--that’s coming but this is for movies released before that.

50. Linda Linda Linda (2005, directed by Nobuhiro Yamashita, country of origin: Japan)

High school girls recruit the Korean exchange student (Doona Bae, of Cloud Atlas and Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance) to join their rock band a few days before the school talent show. This is just a feel good film, recommended if you enjoyed the likes of Sing Street, We Are The Best!, and The Runaways. Unfortunately, it’s out of print in physical form; but last I checked someone had uploaded it to YouTube so you might want to get on that before it’s removed. You can watch the trailer here.

49. The Blue Dahlia (1946, directed by George Marshall, country of origin: US)

This film noir stars Veronica Lake and Alan Ladd, and like any good noir, it deals with dark subjects including murder, blackmail, political corruption, and PTSD. It’s been on my watchlist for a long time, and thanks to Noir City Chicago, I got to see it on the big screen at the Music Box Theatre. For small screen viewing, you can catch up with it via rental on Vudu, Amazon, iTunes... the usual suspects.

48. Siren of the Tropics (1927, directed by Mario Nalpas and Henri Etievant, country of origin: France)

My dearly departed Filmstruck had a spotlight on the films of Josephine Baker, and this was among them. I fell in love instantly with the lively, beautiful Baker, here playing a woman named Papitou who deals with some super scummy dudes but manages to be herself in the face of all that nonsense. Silent films can sometimes be tougher to engage with for modern audiences, but this one flies by and contains some unexpectedly racy sequences for the time. Its racial politics don’t meet today’s cultural standards, but considering Baker’s parents were former slaves and their daughter went on to become the first woman of color to star in a major motion picture, this is still a landmark film worthy of our consideration. She broke down many barriers and contributed a great deal to both the entertainment world and the Civil Rights movement, and this serves as a nice entry point into her career. It’s available on DVD through Kino Lorber, and hopefully one day soon it’ll pop up on another streaming service that carries on the Filmstruck legacy.

47. I Don’t Feel At Home in This World Anymore (2017, directed by Macon Blair, country of origin: US)

Here’s a film that goes to some unexpected places. I had no idea what to expect from Macon Blair, who frequently appears in the movies of Jeremy Saulnier; but in his debut feature for Netflix, he pulled out all the stops. Hilarious, violent, and intense, with memorable performances from stars Melanie Lynskey and Elijah Wood, this is a movie about getting in over your head and just going for it anyway. I don’t want to tell you about the plot because it’s best discovered through watching--just go to your nearest device and add it to your Netflix queue.

46. Song of the Sea (2014, directed by Tomm Moore, country of origin: Ireland)

Absolutely gorgeous animation from the team that previously brought us The Secret of Kells, and a touching story that combines family and mythology. I adored this one. Watch it on Netflix or rent on the usual streaming sources--for a preview, click here.

45. Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942, directed by Michael Curtiz, country of origin: US)

I always watch Independence Day on the Fourth of July; but in 2018, I decided to mix it up and cross this patriotic musical off the watchlist. I’d seen James Cagney’s gangster movies like White Heat and The Public Enemy, but seeing him sing and dance was a whole new joyous discovery. This movie is entertaining, funny, touching, and full of iconic sequences that other films would go on to borrow from. I absolutely loved it. Pretty sure I saw this on Filmstruck originally, but since that’s no longer possible you should be able to find it at your local public library or you can rent it for a couple bucks on Amazon, YouTube, iTunes, and the like.

44. The Man Who Cheated Himself (1950, directed by Felix Feist, country of origin: US)

This tightly wound noir thriller pits brother against brother against the backdrop of 1950s San Francisco. Lee Cobb plays an aging bachelor and an accomplished police detective who falls for the wrong dame. His younger brother, played by John Dall (Gun Crazy, Rope), has just joined the police force and idolizes his older brother. Trouble strikes when the dame murders her no good husband and needs help from Cobb to cover it up. Naturally, Dall gets assigned to the case and as he begins to piece together the clues, he doesn’t like where they’re leading him. The climactic sequence is one of my favorite endings to a noir film, and I’ve seen a lot of them. Watch it for free if you have Amazon Prime; otherwise, there are a few versions uploaded to YouTube of varying quality or you could wait for it to pop up on TCM.

43. Los Angeles Plays Itself (2003, directed by Thom Andersen, country of origin: US)

This documentary edits together clips from movies of every era that were filmed or set in Los Angeles, and explains through voiceover narration the significance of each location and the history of the motion pictures in LA. That’s it--very simple concept but also fascinating. I split this up over a couple nights because it’s pretty long, but if you’re a film fan or a Los Angeles native, this is well worth your time. The voiceover is kind of hilariously flat in its delivery--kind of a Steven Wright sound actually--but that sort of adds to the charm for me. Get a taste by watching the trailer, and then you can rent it on YouTube for $1.99.

42. A Simple Plan (1998, directed by Sam Raimi, country of origin: US)

It’s been almost two years since we lost Bill Paxton; I don’t know about you but I don’t think any other actor can really fill those shoes. This year I caught up with three films that showcased his talent: A Simple Plan, One False Move, and Frailty. He plays very different characters in each one but in many ways they all start off with a similar premise: Ordinary guy dreams of becoming more. What that “more” is for each character is what sets each film and performance apart, but Paxton provided a great canvas to paint these unique characters onto. He inhabited the ordinary man better than just about anyone.

In this film, which I watched during Noirvember, Paxton plays Hank, a college-educated guy working a blue collar job in a small town, trying to make a better life for himself and his family. He’d like to get away from those small town roots, but his socially awkward brother Jacob (Billy Bob Thornton) relies on him. Unfortunately, Jacob is often accompanied by the hard-drinking loose canon Lou (Brent Briscoe). When the unlikely trio discover a crashed plane in the woods containing a suitcase full of cash, they each have ideas for how to handle the situation. Of course things escalate from there, and the way the movie explores human nature and family ties set this story apart. Available for online rental on the usual platforms.

41. The Iron Giant (1999, directed by Brad Bird, country of origin: US)

Given my obsession with Vin Diesel in the early 2000s, it’s pretty shocking I never saw this movie til now--sure, he and his glorious muscles don’t appear on screen, but he does provide the voice of the title character after all. When the Iron Giant made a controversial cameo in this year’s film adaptation of Ready Player One, I decided it was time I saw the source material for myself.

This gorgeously animated fable unfolds during the Cold War era, and features an ET-inspired story arc of a young boy befriending an unlikely being that the government is looking for. If you’ve never seen it, this is definitely a must-watch. Currently available on Netflix, but rentable on other platforms too.

40. The Unsuspected (1947, directed by Michael Curtiz, country of origin: US)

I adore Claude Rains, star of this film and supporting actor in Curtiz’s more famous work, Casablanca. Here, he plays the host and narrator of a popular radio show that revolves around tales of murder--basically the Law and Order: SVU of its day. We learn early on that he sometimes draws inspiration for his broadcasts from real life criminals. When people in his own life start dropping dead, the plot thickens and he finds himself at the center of the action. A very suspenseful and well-plotted film noir, which is available from the Warner Archive collection on DVD. I got to see it at Noir City Chicago, and loved every second of it.

That’s all for this entry--stay tuned for part two of this list, posting soon!

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dykeromanroy · 6 years

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i wrote about niall horan, and everything one direction means to me. you can click if u like. u can also get more of this shennanigan esque content at tinyletter.com/emmclark

As most everyone knows, I got into One Direction very late in the game. It was 2015 and Zayn had already left. But I firmly believe that you find One Direction when you need them the most and I certainly needed them in 2015. It was the summer before I was going to begin grad school and despite my excitement I was also absolutely losing my mind. I was extremely repressed and I knew I wanted to date a woman but was still dating a man. I would cry at random if I so much as saw two women in love, firmly believing it would never be possible for me. I also had people who didn’t believe me when I said I had had feelings for women, as I had been in a heterosexual relationship for nearly four years. I felt like I didn’t have much control of anything, and the future felt too large and too frightening. I found myself alone in my bedroom, blasting FOUR, Midnight Memories, Take Me Home, and Up All Night through my headphones. Those five idiots were the perfect distraction. I fell in love with each and every one of them. One Direction’s sincerity alongside their perfect pop music was exactly what I needed.

Last night, I found myself ringing in the anniversary of three years after I moved across the country, with the most wonderful girl in the world next to me, and I was seeing Niall Horan perform at Red Rocks. I have been feeling rather, dare I say, directionless as of late, and watching Niall live out one of his lifelong dreams reminded me of where I was just a few years ago, feeling like I would never have exactly what I had in that moment. Watching Niall accomplish this goal reminded me that I could also do anything I set my mind to. You guys, he was so happy. He was truly having the time of his life. One of the first things he said was “Me heart is pounding!” It was the sweetest thing in the world. He said, “I’ve waited my whole life to say this: Good Evening Red Rocks!” I’m getting teary eyed thinking about it again. He talked a lot about being eleven years old, looking in the mirror pretending to be Bruce Springsteen, and then proceeded to cover Dancin’ In the Dark. He talked about seeing a video of U2 performing at Red Rocks when he was little and thought to himself “That’s what I want to do, that’s where I want to go. I don’t know where that is yet! But that’s what I want.” And there he was. Larger than life. Living his very best life. And it was crazy to believe that this was still such a big deal for him. He’s performed in so many places across the globe! He’s played Madison Square Garden! And by all accounts, Red Rocks isn’t that large of a venue. But it is a magical place, and because of its size, it provides a very intimate experience between artist and audience. I got to watch Niall Horan experience what he declared to be one of the best nights of his life.

Right before Niall performed Flicker, he asked that we all live in the moment for just this one song. To put our phones away, hold the person we loved if we were there with them, and go wherever the song took us. He told us, “I will go somewhere, and you will go somewhere else.” But we were in it together. As Niall began singing When you feel your love’s been taken, when you know there’s something missing. In the dark, we’re barely hanging on…I was immediately transported to the beginning of my relationship, when my girlfriend was driving us into the city to see Die Hard to get into the holiday spirit, and despite the drive being about an hour long she didn’t let go of my hand once, and One Direction was softly playing for the duration of the drive. It had been, at the time, all I’d ever wanted, and I’d felt so lucky. As Niall continued to sing, I got to hold her, and I just cried a whole lot. Just a stupid amount. Because I know how lucky I got.

Niall also played Fool’s Gold and then later Drag Me Down. There aren’t really words for what I felt getting to belt out the words to One Direction songs at Red Rocks. My throat still hurts. I was so happy. And Niall was so happy.

None of this even touches on Niall’s actual talent as well. His voice is so crisp and clear, truly like the sun shining out behind the clouds. His energy is contagious. Niall hopped around and did so many little kicks, joyful beyond anyone I’d ever seen and I was right there with him. When he performed Slow Hands, despite the fact that he is my little child, he became suddenly suave, like he could sweet talk his way out of anything.

As Niall finished his performance, I felt like once again, One Direction had saved me. Even though I had been feeling overwhelmed, purposeless, and a little bit scared, I felt like I could try again. I could find my way back into writing. I could find a way back into pursuing my own personal goals, and I could continue to be better, each and every day. There was proof that I could do anything, that life was filled with endless possibility, right in front of me, in the form of a little lad from Ireland.

#niall horan

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mind-body-and-spirit · 6 years

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I’m bored ignore me

Describe your current mood/feelings

I feel awful. I’m so unhappy in my current situation and I got a glimpse of what it’s like to be outside of it and I can’t wait to make that happen.

Which is your favourite country that you’ve been to?

Ireland probably.

What are the first things you notice when you look at/meet someone?

Smile and usually eyes but I haven't been great at that lately.

Have you ever been in love/are you in love currently?

I have been in love, I’m not currently.

Are you currently in a relationship?

I am not.

Would you ever date someone online?

I’d date someone that I met online but not someone I couldn't be with in person.

Is there anyone of your friends that you would ever consider having sex with?

Yes.

Sex in the morning, afternoon or night?

Night is more my thing.

What side of the bed do you sleep on?

Left.

Have you ever taken your clothes off for money?

LOL no.

Would you choose love or money?

Right now, money probably except for one person that I would choose over that.

When did you lose your virginity?

When I was 18.

Do you prefer men or women?

Men usually but gender really doesn't matter to me. I’m attracted to personalities.

Do you have a sex playlist?

No but I’ve heard someone else’s and I am totally into it.

When was the last time you had sex?

Saturday 🙊

Has anyone ever gone beyond your personal line of respect sexually?

Yes.

Where is the most romantic place you would want to have sex?

When I picture romantic sex it’s usually in a bed, sooooo.

Where is the weirdest place you would want to have sex?

Balcony.

What would you do if you were ever caught having sex?

Depends who caught us.

Would you ever go to a bar just to get sex?

I’d go to a bar to flirt.

Has anyone ever tried to pick you up in a bar?

Yes.

Would you have sex in a movie theater?

YES that’s so risky I dig it.

Would you have sex outside?

I would as long as its not dirty.

Would you have sex in a bathroom?

Probably.

Does anyone have naughty pics of you or are you on film?

There’s pics of me out there.

Have you ever had sex with someone and called them the wrong name?

Not physically said it but I have thought of someone else and almost said it.

Would you ever use ‘toys’ in bed?

I would.

What would you do if your partner suggest a threesome?

I’m down.

How many people have you slept with?

(1/2) If your lover/crush were in your bed right now, what would you do?

Sex probably.

(2/2) Then?

CUDDLE he’s great at that and probably talk a lot.

What are your favorite bands?

Set it off, Beartooth, Grayscale, As it Is, Mayday Parade.

What are your favorite singers?

Barret Wilbert Weed, Taylor Louderman, Carrie Hope Fletcher, I’m obsessed with the Broadway stars right now.

What are your favorite albums?

I’m LOVING the Mean Girls Cast Recording right now, also Dear Evan Hansen and Heathers. Only Human by Calum Scott is pretty good, and The Greatest Showman.

What are your favorite songs?

Would You Be So Kind - dodie

Someone Gets Hurt, Revenge Party, World Burn, I’d Rather Be Me, and Apex Predator all from Mean Girls

Requiem, Waving Through a Window,and You Will Be Found all from DEH

And I’m gonna stop now because this list could go on forever.

What is the best concert you’ve ever been to?

Oh gosh. Can I cheat and say Warped?

How did you first find out about your favorite band/singer?

Okay top two: I found SIO by accident at the mall in Hot Topic in 2009. Loved them ever since. And I found Barrett through Heathers.

If someone asks you what music they should check out, what are your go-to recommendations?

Usually SIO unless were talking about musicals.

What was your first concert? if you haven’t been to one, what do you want your first concert to be?

Omg Hilary Duff when I was like 8 probably.

How do live performances, whether they’re from your friends or professionals, tend to make you feel?

SO HAPPY

Singing in the shower or singing in the car?

Both but I sing in the car more. I only sing in the shower when I’m home alone, but I love that more cause acoustics and the steam is good for the voice.

If you could pick one instrument to learn how to play, what would it be?

Trumpet!

What is your singing voice like? what singers do you remind yourself of?

I’m a mezzo/alto. I try my hardest to be like Barrett tbh.

Have you ever been involved in any music programs? which ones and for how long?

Uh yeah like all through high school and college.

Which instruments do you know how to play? what’s your skill level?

Flute/picc - advanced but I’m probably a bit rusty since I haven’t practiced in a while.

Piano, guitar, and ukulele - self taught/beginner

How do you feel about video game soundtracks?

I like them if they’re super dark/edgy cause it’s fun to dance to.

What soundtracks do you enjoy listening to the most?

Mean Girls, Heathers, DEH, Man of La Mancha, basically any musical.

How do you feel about musicals?

You’ve probably figured this out already but I live for them.

What are some songs whose lyrics you relate to?

Would You Be So Kind - dodie

Are You There? - Bare (taken out of context, of course)

parts of Beautiful - Heathers

Breathe In Breathe Out - Tich

I’d Rather Be Me - Mean Girls

Someday - Zombies (taken out of context)

Do you prefer songs that have good melodies or songs that have good lyrics?

BOTH. I usually really like songs that feel good to sing (good melodies) but I will download and listen to a song just for the lyrics.

Look at your country’s song charts, listen to the first unfamiliar song you can find, and share your opinion on it.

Billboard Top 100 said Psycho - Post Malone. And I hated it.

Any cover versions that you think are better than the original?

Chandelier - PVRIS from Punk Goes Pop

Uptown Funk - Against The Current & SIO

How often do you listen to music?

Literally every day.

How do you feel about classical music?

I love it.

Would you ever want to have a career in music?

I think it would be fun but like realistically probably not.

On a scale of 1 to 10, how important is music to you?

16.5 I couldn’t live without it.

How do you feel about rap music?

Not a fan.

How has music affected you as a person?

It’s been my life since like 6th grade so it pretty much made me who I am.

What songs do you listen to when you’re sad?

I just listen to Mean Girls all the time

But sometimes Bare bc sad

What songs do you listen to when you’re in a great mood?

Still Mean Girls.

What songs do you listen to when you’re getting ready for sports/to work out?

Anything from Mean Girls (do you see a trend here?)

What is your favorite movie?

The Kissing Booth was good, The Greatest Showman, I mostly listen to music.

What are you currently watching on Netflix/Hulu?

Skins UK (for the second time)

What shows have you finished?

13 Reasons Why, Grey’s, The Fosters, Misfits, Skins UK, Dance Academy, Degrassi, Backstage

Do you binge watch shows on Netflix or Hulu?

Netflix if I can find a good one. Hulu is for episodes that I missed when they aired.

What colour palette are you most drawn to?

Cool tones. Blues, purples, silver, but also rose gold.

What other country would you move to if you could?

Ireland or England

Which accent do you find most attractive?

IRISH

Would you rather be able to shapeshift or teleport?

Teleporting would solve a lot of my problems.

Would you do a destination wedding? where at?

Does Disney World count?

Dream honeymoon?

....Disney World.

Which celebrity’s voice do you wish you had?

BARRETT

Would you rather live on a beach, mountaintop, on a farm, in the city, or in the forest?

The middle of a big city.

Do you still want to be what you dreamed of as a kid?

No I wanted to be a marine biologist and work at Sea World.

Would you rather live in a functional tree house, a rustic but renovated barn, and old stone cottage, a tiny house, an antique victorian character home, or an artistic cob home?

Antique victorian character home with an updated interior that's modern but still preserves the charm.

What do you want your life to look like in 1 year?

Living in a big city (preferably Baltimore or DC) and having a real job.

4 favourite youtubers?

I've really been into Shane Dawson and the squad lately. Also Soph (Sophdoesnails), Shelby’s DCP vlogs, and Sophie Lousie

What would your absolute dream partner look like?

Goofy smile, bright eyes (not necessarily in color, but like they light up when they’re excited and have life to them), taller than me, got meat on his bones

What would your absolute dream partner be like?

Sweet, an absolute nerd, adorable, knows how to charm the heck out of me, ambitious (I’m describing someone if you haven't caught on yet)

7 names that you really love?

James, Amelia, Sophie, Noah, Riley, Madison/Maddie, Samuel

Do you like your name? what would you change it to if you could?

No I hate it, I’d change it to Elizabeth which is my middle name.

What is your biggest but most impossible-seeming dream in life?

Living in the middle of NYC

Do you collect anything? why’d you start?

Tsum Tsums because they’re cute af and I can’t resist, and I really want to start collecting pins.

When you’re hanging out in your room, do you usually sit on the bed, a chair, the floor, or somewhere else?

Bed.

How many pillows are on your bed?

6 because I bought all of the pillows for the apartment aside from the two he brought and I took them when I left.

Do you share a room with anybody? Have you ever (as in long term, not a sleep over)?

I don’t currently, but I shared with Lexi when were little, I had roommates for 3/4 years of college, and I shared with Nick in our apartment until the end.

Are there any posters or artwork on your walls? What are they?

I have an SIO poster, a One Direction poster, posters of the 5SOS boys, and a Callahan family crest from Ireland. (I really need to redecorate).

Where do you keep your clothes?

Dresser and closet (and the laundry basket of unfolded clothes that never seems to get emptied)

What color are your walls?

Purple.

Is your mattress on a frame or the floor?

On a frame.

What position do you sleep in?

On my side usually but I can sleep in all positions really.

What’s your favorite part of your room?

My bed.

What’s your least favorite part of your room?

It’s a god damn mess right now and that it heats up with the morning sun so it’s always hot.

How many hours a day on average do you spend in your room?

LOL way too many.

Have you ever been told that you spend too much time in your room/never go outside/live in your room/etc?

Yeah all the time.

Is there a desk in your room? Do you actually use it for homework?

There is and no I literally don’t but I should.

Is there a tv in your room?

Yes there’s a TV in my room.

If your bedroom could look any way you want, forgetting cost and practicality, what would it look like?

Clean and Tumblr-y

Do you put stuff under your bed?

I don’t try to but stuff ends up under there.

If you play an instrument, do you practice in your room or somewhere else?

When I was in college I rarely practiced in my room. If I do practice now (rarely) I do it in the living room.

Do you charge your phone next to your bed?

On my bed.

How many windows are in your room?

Just 1.

Do you have a private/connected bathroom?

No I wish.

Do you keep makeup, jewelry, lotion, perfume/cologne, and hair stuff in your room or the bathroom?

It’s in my room. I keep it all in the Alex 5 drawers from IKEA.

What is your dream job?

HR but I’ve also been super interested in marketing lately? Also interior design or wedding planner.

What’s your favorite sport to watch on TV?

Baseball but also hockey? I’ve never been a hockey fan until I started watching the Preds in the playoffs this year and I’m totally into it now.

Who is your favorite athlete?

Nick Castellanos 😍

Have you ever been in love?

I have.

Do you currently love someone?

It’s unrequited and complicated so I just say no usually.

Do you want a relationship?

Not right now. In the future, yes.

How long was your longest relationship?

Over 2 years.

How long does it take for you to know you love someone?

Not long.

Is it special to you if your s/o meets your parents?

Depends on the situation. Like for my exes it wasn’t but if I started dating someone in Tennessee it would be different cause my parents live 500+ miles away.

Do you watch Game of Thrones?

I’ve watched parts of it.

Have you ever been to Michigan?

Lived here for most of the 22 years I’ve been alive.

Have you ever went on a road trip with a boyfriend?

Nick and I drove back to Michigan once but we were mad at each other the whole time so there's that.

Do you support abortion?

I have no say over what someone else does with their body.

Are you an extrovert or an introvert?

Introvert hardore.

Glitter or feathers?

GLITTER

Daisies or buttercups?

Daisies

Have you ever self harmed?

Yes.

Are you more rational or emotional?

Emotional lmao.

What’s something you love to do but feel guilty about after/during?

Inevitably someone makes me feel bad every time I have sex with someone I’m not dating.

Have you ever had sex with someone you weren’t dating (but had feelings for) in the hopes that they would ask you out later?

Lol, not for that reason, although I would love it if he did ask me out.

Do you ever turn your phone off because you don’t want to talk?

The only time I ever did that was after Ashlyn died because I was mad at Nick because he wouldn’t stop playing video games with his friends to come over.

Have you ever been to a gay pride parade?

Not a parade but I went to the pride festival in DC this past weekend.

Would you take your dream job if it were out of the country?

More than likely. I’m in a position where I could right now.

What is your zodiac sign?

Libra

What do you like to do when you’re home alone?

Sing very loudly.

Should the guy always pay for the date?

No. I’m hella independent and most of the time I hate when other people pay for shit.

What kind of music calms you down?

Most music calms me down.

Who did you last go to a park with?

I went walking on a path/river thing with sunshine this past weekend. It’s not really a park but like idk?

Have you ever been robbed?

My iPod got stolen when I was like 12.

When was the last time you were on an airplane?

Last week.

Are you currently crushing on someone?

Yeah.

Do you think your crush likes you back?

I actually don’t know how he feels? I know he liked me at one time and then a thing happened and we accepted that we couldn’t actually be together but then we were together and it felt really right and I don’t know how he feels now.

Is anyone currently crushing on you?

Other than him probably not.

Have you ever been in a long term relationship?

Yes two.

Have you ever been asked out?

Yes.

Have you ever asked someone out?

I've pushed someone to ask me out but that’s the closest.

Have you ever kissed your crush?

Yes.

Has your crush ever kissed you?

Yes.

Are you more of a flirt or a hopeless romantic?

Both

Do you have a crush on the person you last kissed?

Yes.

Have you ever confessed your feelings knowing they were unrequited?

Lol story of my life.

If the person you like/love was with you right now, what would you say/do?

Um we would probably be cuddling and talking or kissing honestly.

Have you ever broken up with someone?

Yes.

Have you ever been broken up with?

Not officially. Only for a break and then he begged for me to take him back.

Do you like cuddling?

I LOVE IT

Have you ever had romantic feelings for a best friend?

That’s usually how it works for me.

Tell me about your crush:

Hair color?

Brown

Eye color?

Brown or green(? I’m pretty sure they’re brown and I suck I know)

Age?

We’re the same age but he will not tell me his birthday so

Build?

He’s a little bit taller than me, he’s not scrawny but he’s not big either, like the perfect dad bod.

Clothing style?

He barely has any clothes. He wears like jeans and t shirts and shorts he can find on sale basically.

Stereotype?

He's a TOTAL nerd and I’m so into it.

Hobbies?

Computer stuff. He likes techy stuff and board games.

Are they your type?

I don’t really have a type. He's got a killer personality and he’s SO sweet and charming and that’s what gets me.

When did you started liking them?

Like January I think?

Do you talk to him/her everyday?

Not everyday.

Do you talk about them to your friends?

Yes Colby lets me talk about him all the time.

Do you like hearing their voice?

Yeah, it’s nice.

Do you like receiving text messages from them?

Um, yeah? That seems like a weird question.

Do you like their laugh/giggles?

His laugh is adorable.

When you see them, are you shy?

NO he makes me feel so comfortable. I’ve never felt so comfortable around someone I wasn’t dating.

One day will you be with him/her?

Honestly, probably not but maybe?

Do you get jealous when he/she talks to the opposite sex?

No. This is weird, but we actually encourage each other to get out there and be with other people since we really can’t have each other and we’ve accepted that.

Will you wait for him/her, to be yours?

I honestly don't want anything right now, so I’m willing to wait for now. Once I’m settled and know what I want in life I’ll move on if were still not together.

Are they more shy or outgoing?

He's outgoing

Y'all have the same group of friends?

Does your crush smell nice?

I mean, yeah. He doesn’t wear cologne or body spray or anything but his normal human smell was nice?

Does your crush have a nice smile?

That goofy smile tho (yes).

Are they kind to you?

Yes he is SO sweet it hurts.

Are y'all considered friends or acquaintances?

We’re friends.

When’s the last time you saw them?

Saturday.

Do you have their phone number?

Yeah but we usually talk through snapchat.

Is your crush talkative or more of a listener?

He's a talker but he’s a good listener too.

Can they speak more than one language?

90% sure he can speak at least some German.

Where did y'all meet?

Work.

Do they live close to you?

No. He's literally over 500 miles away.

Have you ever been to their house? How about their bedroom?

Yes and yes.

Do you even vaguely believe your crush is interested in you?

I answered this earlier. It’s complicated.

If given the chance, would you have sex with them?

Yes.

Have you ever hugged or kissed your crush?

Yes.

Ever seen em naked? Do you wanna?

I have, and I wouldn’t say no to doing it again.

Does your crush have long hair?

No it’s super short.

Do you think you’ll lose contact with your crush within 5 years?

I hope not but maybe.

Is your crush more naughty or good/innocent?

He can be both.

Is your crush gay/straight/bisexual/transgender?

When I asked him he said “bi-ish” so

Is your crush a freak? Sexually speaking…

I’d call it adventurous and experienced.

Is your crush a virgin?

No.

Do they have any pets?

No.

Do they have a job? If so, where do they work?

Yes he has a job at a company which I’m not going to name.

Do you know if they have an STD or not?

If he does he hasn’t told me, and it’s kind of common courtesy to tell someone you have an STD if you sleep with them sooooo

What kind of music are they into?

Um, rock probably? He also likes musicals so there’s that.

Their fave color? If you don’t know just guess

His favorite color is blue (even though he’s blue/green colorblind).

How long have you known em?

Less than a year.

Their fave type of food? Guess if you don’t know

I don’t know but probably like burgers cause he tried to take me to a bar for food.

When will you see your crush again?

Quite possibly never which is literally awful to think about. Hopefully sometime in the future.

Is your crush extremely confident?

He’s pretty confident.

What’s ultimately stopping you from making them yours?

Distance.

#mine

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yugopk · 5 years

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Solo Female Travel in England, Scotland, and Wales

A UK Guide

I have spent a LOT of time traveling alone in England, Scotland and Wales. Much more than I originally planned. I went to Europe without a plan, ended up living for months at a time in two different cities in England and used them as a base for exploring the country.

I never thought that the UK would become one of the busiest countries. At the time, I was more interested in hotter, sexier and more exotic travel destinations - the UK seemed so boring compared to Thailand or Italy or South Africa. And yet I completely fell in love with it.

Traveling to the UK is considered an "easy" option. I can't deny it - it's one of the easiest countries for beginners. But that doesn't mean that more experienced travelers can't take advantage of it. I think Britain is one of the most interesting countries I have visited! Speaking the local language and being in a similar culture allows you to deepen the nuances that make the culture unique.

If you are looking to travel alone in England, Scotland or Wales - or all three! - You have come to the right place. This guide lists everything you need to know.

Why Travel to the UK?

First of all: let's talk about the most appropriate terms to use. The United Kingdom, or Great Britain, includes England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Great Britain consists of England, Scotland and Wales - not Northern Ireland. The British Isles include the whole of the United Kingdom and Ireland. Oh, and don't get me started on the Channel Islands, which are part of some of these groups but not others…

For the ease of this post, I will focus only on England, Scotland and Wales. I'm going to make Northern Ireland a future travel guide to Ireland. There is no political reasoning behind this; it is only for geographic reasons.

People travel to the UK because it is a destination they already have an idea of. Everyone knows that London, at the very least, is foggy and has bridges. Scotland has kilts and bagpipes. The whole of the UK is covered with castles and villages. And they love tea and they have a queen.

Many people grow up as anglophiles, dreaming of one day living the culture for themselves. People come to the United Kingdom for history. A large number of North Americans come to the United Kingdom for reasons of ancestry, to see their family roots. And some just want to know what it's like to drive on the left.

But I think the real charms of Britain involve getting to know people and culture at a deeper level. You can do this by spending time in a pub or joining a meeting with many locals. You can absolutely do this by attending a festival! This will show you that Britain is far beyond its stereotypes.

There’s more to England than London!!!

This is my biggest travel tip in the UK. I cannot tell you how many people I have heard say they want to go to "London and Ireland" or "London and Scotland" while ignoring the rest of England. Or maybe, they'll add a little trip to Stonehenge before leaving English territory.

I was one of those people, actually. I met four friends from the north of England (which is culturally very different from the south of England) during a trip to Vietnam, they told me where they came from Chester and Oldham, I asked, "Oh, is it near London?" and all four have visibly gnashed their teeth.

Believe me; England is much more than London. If you come to England and only visit London, you miss some really wonderful destinations. See below to find out exactly where to go in England.

Is Britain Good for First-Time Solo Female Travelers?

Absolutely - England, Scotland and Wales are among the Best destinations for women traveling alone for the first time. English is the local language, there is excellent travel infrastructure, it is easy to get around and there are many travelers who do the same thing as you.

If you have never traveled alone in your life, England, Scotland or Wales would be a great choice. If you have never been to Europe in your life, one of the three would also be a great choice, with or without a partner.

Beyond that, people in the UK - especially London and Edinburgh - are used to dealing with less experienced travelers and know how to meet their needs. That said, new travelers don't get ripped off or targeted here almost as much as they do in Paris or Barcelona. For this reason, if you are in Paris or Barcelona for your first solo trip, I recommend spending a few days in London or Edinburgh to get your solo travel benchmarks in an easy and safe place.

Is Britain Good for Experienced Solo Female Travelers?

Hell yes, Britain is good for experienced solo travelers! It may seem "too easy" if you are used to traveling in the developing world, but sometimes you want a place a little easier. And there are plenty of places to think outside the box.

And that doesn't mean going to rural areas - it could mean visiting a fun city but not as famous as Glasgow or Leeds. It could mean renting a car and stopping at every adorable pub you see in a particular area. This could mean going on an extended hike like the Dales Way or the Hadrian's Wall path. That could mean climbing the three peaks - Ben Nevis in Scotland, Mt. Scafell in England and Mount Snowden in Wales (some crazy people do all three in 24 hours!).

As someone who has traveled extensively in the UK, here are the places still high on my list: Cornwall, the Isles of Scilly, Bristol, Brighton and Newcastle in England; the Outer Hebrides, Orkney Islands and St. Kilda in Scotland; and Anglesey and much more from the Pembrokeshire coast in Wales.

Consider traveling to destinations that are popular getaways for the British but fairly unknown to foreigners. For people who live further south, Cornwall and Devon are popular coastal destinations. When I was based in Chester, a lot of people went for weekends in the Lake District (which is so beautiful!) Or the Wales coast.

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mattyunijourneybrief7 · 5 years

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The First Week

We have begun the year with a fascinating session to say the least. We were given the brief, and I was a little excited and proud at the prospect of delivering a service that is related to climate change.

As this is a group project, we got into groups of 5. I was grouped with Olivia, Sami, Will and Jacob. To ensure we communicated effectively across the presentation, we created a group chat.

First of all, we began by brainstorming. We included 3 words that we felt were more representative of climate change. Our group went for:

- Sustainability

- Contribute

- Crisis

As you can see, my note-taking is a little overboard at times; I do usually like to note take on my MacBook, however I found myself with a pen and paper in this session.

Linking the three words together, we jotted down our initial ideas for the brief:

Our three main ideas were:

- Plant a tree to visualise the planet and sustainability

- Have a loyalty card, maybe as an app to utilise the digital world

- Personal takeaway cups and boxes

- Have a reward system to give incentives to customers to be sustainable, as well as generating more business for HOME with increased interactivity with different services due to the rewards

- Encouraging cycling for users with a bike shed

We were introduced many artists and influencers in design in this session. I have chosen three examples from the options we were shown that I feel will be especially useful to our group after brainstorming our initial ideas:

Joseph Beuys - Everybody’s an Artist

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Joseph Beuys is very powerful and tells a brilliant massage in the work he does, that ‘everybody is an artist’.

He mentions in the video that Everybody is an artist, not only painters, sculptors, musicians. Everybody has an ability to think, to feel, to suffer, as well as having a will inside of them to protest, which Joseph sees as qualities of being an artist.

It is magnificent to watch, as it gives you the confidence (even if you had some in the first place), which helps people express themselves creatively. Ultimately, as creatives, there will always be criticism. It doesn't mean that the creator of the piece isn’t an artist though.

In one of his most famous actions he covered his face in gold and honey, and explained his art to a dead hare. People could see him from outside, but couldn’t hear what he was saying. He was showing that he can explain the art whilst ultimately not explaining anything at all, as he was speaking to a dead hare; his viewers didn’t hear a thing.

He also locked himself in a room alone with a wild coyote with only a felt blanket for consecutive days. He demonstrated that although the coyote was seen as an aggressive animal by many, he saw the animals as America’s spirit animal.

Bill Gates - The Quest for Sustainability

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The world is going to consume twice as much energy in 30 years than it does today, so action from humans is needed now.

In the video below, Bill mentions that Charles Parsons took us from the steam engine to the steam turbine, which was an unbelievable advancement in human technology.

Rudolf Diesel invented the Diesel engine, which was also revolutionary.

Bill mentions that there are so many solutions to climate change (for example we can use wind to power electricity or sunlight to create oil), and funding should go towards these options.

He also mentions that he has spoke to governments and investors all over the world and mentions how they need to be realistic about they are going to get to the 2050 target of an 80% reduction of emissions.

He feels that all the discussions have been about the interim 2030 goal of a 30% reduction in emissions. He implies that if there in order to work towards the 2050 goal, we have to get started now.

He says that ultimately, the rich parts of the world such as the USA, Europe and China need to solve the climate problem. And when they do, hopefully they can make it cheap enough for the rest of the world.

Being in our priveleged positions of living in countries that have thriving economies brings an element of responsibility to the rest of the planet; we have the power to change, and just like Joseph Beuys said, everybody is an artist. It is up to us to save the planet, and we have the tools to do so.

Copenhagen - Carbon Neutral Capital

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Manmade greenhouse gas emissions are warming our planet faster now than in any other time in human history.

Since 2015, more than 120 countries have signed the Paris agreement, which aims to limit the global rise in temperature and reduce co2 reductions, and investment in renewable energy.

The nations of Scandanavia have long been leaders in renewable energy, and Copenhagen (the capital of Denmark) plan to create the world’s first carbon neutral capital by 2025.

According to the United Nations, more than 50% of the world’s population live in cities. They are responsible in 3/4 of CO2 emissions. Copenhagen has reduced its CO2 output by 40% since 2005, mostly due to a switch from coal to wind power.

It has targeted 4 areas in its mission to become the first carbon neutral city:

- Lower energy consumption

- Mobility

- Energy Production

- Leading by Example

With more than 375km of cycling lanes in the city, and the majority of the population owning a bicycle, it is unique in the fact that it is an easy option for commuters for example.

I would personally love to use a bike to travel to and from Manchester, however in my personal opinion I feel that the journey isn’t suited for cyclists; I feel that in England especially that cycling isn’t taken seriously as a travel option. It is easier and more acceptable to drive a car or get public transport (which is better than driving a car and does help), but these options still contribute to pollution.

Here are the figures from 2018 that show a proportion of road traffic miles by vehicle type in Great Britain. Cycles made up 1%, and the visual pie chart that we can see visualises how a cyclist must feel on the roads in Britain today.

The levels of cycling in the UK don’t compare well to those in other European Countries either. According to data collected by the European Cyclists’ Federation, the UK is near the bottom of the list of the European countries:

The Netherlands 27.0% Hungary 22.0% Sweden 16.5% Denmark 16.0% Finland 13.4% Germany 11.8% Belgium 9.5% Slovakia 8.0% Austria 7.0% Ireland 7.0% Lithuania 7.0% Czech Republic 6.3% Slovenia 6.3% Romania 6.2% Italy 5.0% Poland 5.0% Estonia 4.5% France 4.0% Luxembourg 4.0% Bulgaria 3.4% Latvia 2.0% UK 2.0% Spain 1.3% Greece 1.1% Republic of Cyprus 1.0% Malta 0.8% Portugal 0.5% Croatia n/a

If the UK as a whole pushed different modes of transport that help the environment (as Denmark are doing with Copenhagen), I would certainly be using them. I myself travel by walking and catching the train, so I suppose I’m not doing a disservice.

The reason I don’t cycle is I do not feel safe or welcome enough on the roads to do so, which is a real shame. I don’t feel like a lot of the UK public are on the same page in terms of climate change as a whole, which is why we see clashes with groups such as Extinction Rebellion, as it has had to go to the extreme for people to take notice; there is no middle ground.

Anyway, to tie the three examples together that I have chose to analyse from the session today: Joseph Beuys mentioned that everybody is an artist, Bill Gates mentioned that we as rich countries have the power to help with the threat of climate change, and Copenhagen is realising that potential and is striving to become the world’s first carbon neutral capital.

Reading Materials

‘According to Beuys, the transformation of the world is in the hands of artists, and everyone could become an artist and change the world. Thus, art is a powerful political tool, and education toward art expression is a political project [21].’

‘For all Beuys's often wilfully obscure statements and actions, his art, in this instance, communicated its message loudly and clearly, and with a life-changing force. For many of us, though, it remains mysterious, and not always, one suspects, for the reasons that Beuys wanted it to be. That, however, may be the whole point of Joseph Beuys. 'The thinker sees his own actions as experiments and questions, as attempts to find out something,'

These two passages of text from a Guardian article ‘A Mystery Man’ and ‘Joseph Beuys’ Rediscovery of Man–Nature Relationship: A Pioneering Experience of Open Social Innovation’ stood out to me and it made me feel personally quite powerful. He is right in the sense that art is a powerful political tool. Climate change has to be the biggest problem facing human beings today, and change has to come primarily from government level, as they govern the country.

However, as Joseph Beuys suggests, art can change behaviours and artists are everywhere. Creating a piece of art doesn’t require permission from anyone, it can be done anywhere at any time, within reason obviously. We all have the tools such as MacBook Pros and software such as Adobe Illustrator to create a message that is so powerful it changes people. This is very motivating to think that I have the power to do just that, and it is what I will do my absolute best to do for HOME.

youtube

References

https://www.cyclinguk.org/statistics

https://blackboard.salford.ac.uk/bbcswebdav/pid-3909258-dt-content-rid-14403983_1/courses/VA-W200-20319-50067-20/A%20man%20of%20mystery%20_%20Art%20and%20design%20_%20The%20Guardian.pdf

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mishas-angel-eyes · 7 years

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Alphabet Tag Game

I was tagged by my darling @raising-hells !! Thank you, sweetheart - XOXOX!

A - age: On my last plane flight, the man sitting next to me guessed I was 22. I said that was very nice and then asked him how old he really thought I was and he replied, “I thought you were 24 or 25, but if I had said that and you were 23, you would have been offended, so I said 22.” He was way off, but I’ll accept that, lol! 25 is good, lol! So, basically, I’m your big sister who looks 25 and we’ll just leave it at that! ;)

B - biggest fears: I live in Florida and we have the occasional flying cockroach in the air here. I hate everything about cockroaches and believe this fear manifested exponentially after reading Kafka’s Metamorphosis (don’t read it, please). I especially hate how they look at me when I’m screaming at them whenever I encounter one because they seem so intelligent and that fact somehow makes them even scarier. I was absolutely petrified when I saw one on my front porch trying with freakishly calculated determination to headbutt its way under my front door, attacking it from different angles. I screamed the entire time I was drowning it in bug spray and used up half the can just pinning it to the spot with the pressure of the bug spray stream until by the grace of God, it stopped moving. I can kill them, but Gryffindors would cover their faces in shame and move along quickly, as it is some seriously undignified business.

C - current time: 11:11PM.

D - drink you last had: Water.

E - everyday starts with: Hitting the snooze button.

F - favourite song: Oh my, I have so many. Will shorten to say songs are like people; some of them you love from the very first moment you hear them. I loved Bad Blood by Bastille the very first time I heard it and still love it. I love Take Out the Gunman, Face to the Floor, The Clincher, and Hunter Eats Hunter by Chevelle in that order because I loved all those songs and then after I heard Hunter Eats Hunter and found out it was about being attacked by a gargoyle while taking the trash out at night, I decided then and there, without a shadow of a doubt, that Chevelle had to be one of my very favorite bands ever and so they are.

G - ghosts, are they real?: Holy ones, yes, and I definitely believe angels are real.

H - hometown: Currently, Tampa, Florida, USA

I - in love with: Chevelle, Deadpool, The Driver from Drive, Captain America, The Punisher, dairy products, and last, but not least, Castiel/Misha Collins about whom I have this blog

J - jealous of: Oh dear…I hate to think I am jealous of anyone for anything. Perhaps for people who I feel have had things come so easily in one particular area of their life that mine has proved to have been a neverending, soul crushing struggle. But in the grand scheme of things, I don’t see as my jealousy amounts to much, as we are all not so different in that from time to time, we all face some struggle in some area of our lives, whether it is readily apparent to others or not.

K - killed someone: I only lay waste figuratively to people during oral arguments. Ex-boyfriends have especially hated this ability as they got tired of losing! Hahahaha! lol! :)

L - last time you cried: A few weeks ago, after watching Logan for the third time. That movie deserves an Oscar - it made me feel so much, achieved epic levels of savagery, and was utterly relatable from both Logan’s and Laura’s perspectives. I also love that men are not ashamed to say it made them cry at the end. What an experience.

M - middle name: Jane

N - number of siblings: 1 (one).

O - one wish: To finish writing my book.

P - person you called or texted last: My mentor who is like a dad to me and a total badass

Q - questions you are always asked: I’m not sure about questions, but I get called pet names by people quite often and get mothered and fussed over a lot as if I am a cute innocent thing people like to shelter and take care of (even at my ripe old age of 25, *cough, cough*, although I got it more when I was younger). I have no problem with this and think it’s sweet. In different cities I have traveled, there are different ones people use (e.g. honey, sweetie, baby girl, mami, pretty girl, etc) and they mean well and are not creepy, so it is totally fine by me.

R - reasons to smile: So many.

S - song you last sang: Can’t Smile Without You by Barry Manilow - so sad, happy, sweet, wistful, cute, and silly at the same time in a sweep-you-off-your-feet-in-a-good-way-and-start-dancing kind of way

T - time you last woke up: This morning, trying to stave off death and peel my eyes open in time to make it to church (was still 15 minutes late).

U - underwear color: Oh gracious. Um, it is black with white skulls and pink hearts on it.

V - vacation destination: dream locations - Japan, Ireland, skateboarding in Iceland a la Walter Mitty, swimming with manta rays at night in Hawaii

W - worst habit: Throwing up like the Kung Fu Panda when I exercise. My personal trainer was surprised at first and then worried. She takes it very easy on me now and I don’t know if I will ever lose that pesky 10 pounds. Sadly, it doesn’t come off in spite of my ridiculous heaving spells.

X - any x-rays: Of my arm when I was a kid and fractured it falling off the jungle gym.

Y - your favourite food: If you are what you eat, I am a pile of Hershey’s Kisses and a couple scoops of Rocky Road ice cream splashed in milk. I also love Japanese, Lebanese, Thai, and Indian food, and lasagna.

Z - zodiac: Capricorn

Just as @raising-hells said, you all don’t have to do this by any means, my dears, but tagging you: @herebutoutoftouch @jeanjeaniethings @the-moose-that-ships-destiel @thewinchestersangelinatrenchcoat @abnormal-angel @theriverscribe @my-bitter-blue @pooffa Kisses all - have a great week!

#@raising-hells #alphabet tag game

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identybeautynet · 3 years

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best 10 Tips for Women Traveling on a Trip

10 Tips for Women Traveling on a Trip Top 10 Travel Safety Tips for Women Is it possible for a woman to travel the world and stay safe? Absolutely. Even if you steer clear of resorts. Even if you go to developing countries. Even if you don’t speak the local language. Even if you’re traveling alone. I’ve got travel safety tips to help you travel anywhere. I created this site so I could help women travel safely and independently around the world. And after a decade (!) as a full-time travel blogger, it’s working — I get daily emails from women who have gone on their first backpacking trips, their first non-resort trips, their first solo trips, all because sites like mine gave them the confidence to do so. They survived, they thrived, and they had the time of their lives. But the women who took these trips did so well in part because they prioritized their safety while traveling. What does that mean? Well, this list of travel safety tips for women will give you an idea! This post was last updated in January 2020. Table of Contents Travel Safety Tips The biggest part of traveling safely is using common sense. None of these travel safety tips are going to be revolutionary, but you can use them everywhere around the world. Many of my own travel mistakes have been because I didn’t follow these simple tips. Adventurous Kate's Top 10 Travel Safety Tips for Women Play Video I got pickpocketed in Buenos Aires (on my first day of solo travel EVER!) because I was using a large, open purse that didn’t close. I had the worst train ride of my life in Bulgaria because I hadn’t done my research beforehand. All the guides said to take buses along that route, that they were faster and a million times nicer. BUT sometimes you’re in a better position to travel safely if you follow these tips: I survived having my wallet stolen in Sri Lanka because I had a backup ATM card in my main luggage that I used to get by financially before getting home. I’ve never had my passport stolen while traveling because I always keep it locked up. And sometimes it’s the opposite — it happens in spite of you taking precautions. I was shipwrecked in Indonesia after booking an overnight cruise that Lonely Planet called “one of the safer options.” (Later, they referred to a “well-documented March 2011 sinking.” That was me! I documented!) Research Your Destination Thoroughly Before Your Trip For many travelers, planning and researching is almost as fun as actually traveling! In between scoping out the most beautiful beaches and coolest cities, take some time to look up safety information for where you are headed. What are the best neighborhoods and the ones you should avoid? Are there only certain kinds of taxis you should take? Is there a medical center in the city, just in case? When it comes to your lodging, how are its ratings for safety? What are former guests saying about their experiences? Are there any patterns emerging in the reviews you should be concerned about? How are you going to get around? What is public transportation like in your destination? Do you need to rent a car? Is it possible to travel safely at night? Visit a travel clinic beforehand and talk to a doctor or nurse where you’re going. Do you need any vaccinations or prescriptions? Are there local health issues for which you should prepare? When it comes to activities, especially adventure sports, what are the risks? If you injure yourself, will you be covered by your travel insurance? I know a lot of people — I estimate upwards of 95% of them are male — who like to rock up to a destination with no preparation at all, just learning as they go. I disagree with this enormously. This is a good way to endanger yourself. You need to do your research in advance, well before your trip begins. Keep Your Valuables On You While in Transit But you shouldn’t bring valuables in the first place! True. You shouldn’t bring anything you would be despondent to lose: family heirlooms, expensive jewelry, your birth certificate, and the like. Today people travel safely with an amount of technology that was unfathomable a decade ago. Most travelers bring a smartphone at the very least; many bring laptops, tablets, Kindles or other e-readers, DSLR cameras with pricey lenses, and more. When you consider the costs to replace any one of those items, they definitely count as valuables. You should have a day bag into which you can fit all of your important items: your passport, your camera, your medication, your jewelry, your credit cards, your smartphone, and any other technology, photography or otherwise valuable equipment. Spend good money on this — this is one of my top travel safety tips. Never put these items into your general backpack. Never put these items into the luggage hold on a bus. Never put any of those items into your checked luggage on a plane. If you let them out of your sight, there’s a fair chance that they could be taken away from you forever. Only Take What You Need and Leave the Rest Locked Up There’s no need to go out for a walk in the city with all of your credit cards, your passport, and the equivalent of $500 in cash. Take what you need for the day: maybe around $50, tops, and a backup debit card (don’t have one? Get one with Transferwise), and keep the rest locked up in your accommodation. Almost every reputable hostel has lockers available for guests. Use them if they have them. In guesthouses, hotel rooms, or other places that don’t have a locker or safe for you, use a portable safe instead: a slashproof bag you fill with your valuables and lock to a pipe or something else sturdy in the room. Here’s a full review on the one I use and love. It’s an essential item to travel safely. While it doesn’t eliminate the risk 100% (if a professional criminal is determined to rob you, he will rob you), most criminals are opportunistic. If you remove the opportunity, they’ll go after someone else who left his or her valuables out in the open, much more easily accessible to them. Don’t Trust People Too Quickly When you’re traveling in a new destination, and especially when you’re traveling on your own, it can be tempting to join up and find a tribe. Sometimes these tribes turn into lifelong friendships. But they don’t always. Some con artists have mastered the art of befriending travelers, getting them to leave their valuables unattended, and robbing them before taking off. When it comes to romance, you might want to crank up the speed when you meet someone outrageously sexy, but that’s not always the best idea. Sex is prevalent on the road, but be sure to protect yourself as much as possible. Sometimes, we want to be part of a group so badly that we start trusting people before we should. Instead, err on the side of caution. If you’re just getting to know someone, don’t trust him or her to guard your expensive electronics while you’re in the bathroom. It’s not rude to be cautious. Take things slowly, and if someone earns your trust, that’s when you depend on them. Watch Your Drinking This is a travel safety tip that doesn’t get said often enough. It’s applicable whether you’re at home or on the road. When you drink alcohol, you dull your senses and slow your reaction time, which in turn makes you vulnerable to others. That doesn’t mean that you should avoid drinking altogether. Instead, drink slowly. Pace yourself. Eat beforehand or during. Have a glass of water in between each drink (your body will thank you in the morning). Be cognizant of what you are actually drinking, and always take drinks directly from the bartender. Constantly ask yourself, “Do I want to be less in control than I am right now?” and stop if the answer is no. Most importantly, resist the pressure, gentle or otherwise, to keep up with others who might be able to drink more than you, especially in countries where it’s common to “shout” drinks for a group, like Britain and Ireland. If people are taking turns buying rounds for the whole table, say up front that you don’t plan on drinking as much as everyone else and they’ll understand. Don’t think you need to go drink for drink with your companions, especially if they happen to be beefy rugby players from New Zealand. Or beefy frat boys from Oklahoma. Or Russians. Blend in as Much as You Can Want to have the attention of every pickpocket in Paris? Show up in shorts and a t-shirt. For extra credit, wear Birkenstocks. Or a sweatshirt with a university on it. As normal as shorts and a t-shirt would be in North America, you would never see that style in most of Europe. Shorts are rare and Europeans in general dress much more neatly than North Americans, especially in France and Italy. The more you stand out, the more you brand yourself as someone who is unfamiliar with the location, which makes you more vulnerable to criminal attention. Instead, research your destination in advance, observe how people dress, and try to pass as a local – or, if that’s impossible (like if you’re in Thailand or Mexico and look neither Thai nor Mexican), try to pass as a longtime resident. That means eschewing the backpacker trail uniform of drop-crotch hippie pants and souvenir beer t-shirts in favor of casual but neat and tidy clothing. That means covering your arms, legs, and cleavage in Muslim countries, wearing loose clothing in India, and wearing long pants in Europe and Latin America. In tandem with blending in, it’s important to maintain confidence at all times, and even if you’re not confident, at least maintain the appearance of confidence. When you’re walking down the street, hold your head up and your shoulders back. Look straight ahead and walk with a purpose. Pretend that you have somewhere important to be, and if you fall prey to street harassment, ignore it and keep moving. If you become lost and you need to find your way, slip into a shop or café to consult your map privately before continuing on. Spend Extra Money on Staying Safe If you’re traveling long-term on a shoestring budget, it can be hard to justify spending extra cash when it could go toward so many more fun activities. But it’s a smart idea to financially invest in your own safety. What does that mean? It means that if your flight is scheduled to land in a rough city late at night, you should spend more money on a hotel that will pick you up right from the airport instead of taking a bus into town and trying to navigate your way there on foot. It means you should pay extra money to take a taxi home at night if you don’t feel comfortable walking through the neighborhood on your own. It means paying more to stay in a central neighborhood with lots of lively activity instead of a cheaper, quiet residential area where you feel isolated. It means you should choose the dive school with the stellar safety reputation and hundreds of positive TripAdvisor reviews instead of the rough-around-the-edges dive school that will do it for much cheaper. Build an extra financial cushion into your trip and use it for situations like these: ones where you could travel safely if you spent a little more. Prepare for the Worst with Documents and Secret Cash In the event that the worst happens – your purse is stolen, your credit cards are suddenly maxed out, you get sick and need to go to the hospital – it’s good to have a backup plan. For documents, keep front-and-back copies of your credit cards saved to cloud storage like Google Docs or Dropbox, as well as a copy of your passport. It’s a good idea to keep your bank and credit card phone numbers stored in a document as well. In addition to the documents, keep a backup cash stash. Keep at least $50 in US dollars hidden in a secret spot deep inside your luggage, like inside a tampon applicator or hidden in a sock. In a separate spot, keep a backup credit card. If your purse or day bag is stolen off your body and literally everything is taken away from you, this will provide you with a temporary financial cushion. If you’re traveling somewhere with less-than-ideal ATM and internet access, you’ll want to be even more prepared. One of my top travel safety tips for Americans traveling to Cuba is to keep an extra stash of secret money, enough for transportation to Havana Airport and a flight to Cancun, hidden in your underwear at all times. It may sound a bit extreme, but in a country where you can’t use credit cards or ATMs, you need to be even more prepared than usual in order to travel safely. Get Travel Insurance Do you really need travel insurance? Absolutely. It could save your life, and in this day and age, with so many online providers, there’s no reason not to get it. Whether your luggage is lost, you end up in a political coup or natural disaster, or you need to go to the hospital while on the road, travel insurance will reimburse your expenses. If you’re robbed, travel insurance will provide you with the security you need. If the very worst happens and you end up losing your life, good travel insurance will allow your family to bring your body home without paying tens of thousands of dollars and getting wrapped up in mountains of red tape. In short, if you can’t afford travel insurance, you shouldn’t be traveling in the first place. Be sure to examine prospective travel insurance policies in depth, because they might not cover your personal situation. Many insurance plans won’t cover certain adventure sports or particular countries or regions. Most plans will only cover a fraction of the value of your electronics. What’s a good company? I personally use and recommend World Nomads. Check in Regularly It’s a good idea for at least one designated friend or family member to have a copy of your itinerary in advance: your flight numbers, your accommodation, and a general schedule of where you’ll be on which dates, as well as information on your travel insurance, credit cards, and a bank account number Plan ahead of time how you’ll check in and how often, whether it’s through daily emails, texts, social media updates, or regular Skype chats. Whatever you choose to do, make sure you keep a consistent schedule. When I left for my first long-term solo trip to Southeast Asia in 2010, my parents insisted I email them every day. At first, I thought this was way too much — but I was surprised how much I enjoyed checking in with them each day and telling them what I was up to! These days, we’re more relaxed and I email them every few days when on the road, but I send them a daily update when I’m somewhere they’re a bit more nervous about, like Lebanon or Colombia. Staying in touch is a way to assuage the fears of your loved ones, but if you find yourself in trouble, they would be able to locate you much more easily than if you had been vague about your whereabouts. 10 Tips for Women Traveling on a Trip ,Top 10 Travel Safety Tips for Women Read the full article

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booksong · 7 years

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Top 10 Books Read In 2016

Bringing this back again this year (and yes I realize March is now almost over, I’m a little late oops), because I really enjoyed putting together a list last year, and one thing I always love in a new year is looking back on the great experiences I’ve had with reading, and hopefully lining up some new recommendations from others to look forward to in the rest of 2017!

2016 was a rough year, but as with so much of my life, books were there to provide comfort, knowledge, escape, and new friends and perspectives. Here are my 10 best titles of them, in no particular order (long post warning as always because it’s me talking about books):

1. Hallucinations by Oliver Sacks

The experience of sensing things that aren’t really there has long been considered a hallmark of the crazy and overemotional. And yet hallucinations have been startlingly well documented in all types of people, and neurologist Oliver Sacks has compiled a wide range of anecdotes, personal accounts and sources, and scientific studies of the various forms they can take. Vivid, complex visual and auditory hallucinations by the deaf and the blind, near-death and out-of-body experiences, phantom limbs, unseen 'presences', supernatural-esque encounters, sleep paralysis, and hallucinations induced by surgery, sensory deprivation, sleep disorders, drugs, seizures, migraines, and brain lesions--Sacks takes all these bizarre (and occasionally terrifying) case studies and conditions and approaches them with an attitude of fascination, curiosity, and clinical appreciation.

I came into this book expecting to hear mostly about things like LSD trips and schizophrenia, which honestly are probably most people's touchstones for the concept of hallucinations. And while there is a single chapter devoted to drug-induced hallucination (with compelling and pretty eerie first hand accounts from the author himself), Sacks barely touches on schizophrenia, setting it aside right away in his introduction in order to focus on other altered brain states I'd barely heard of but found deeply engrossing. One of the things I found most personally fun about this book was that you get tons of potential scientific explanations for a lot of strange phenomena that have puzzled and frightened humans for centuries. Why might so many different cultures have similar folklore about demons and monsters that assault or suffocate people in their beds at night? You find out in the chapter about hypnogogic hallucinations and sleep paralysis. What about things like guardian spirits, demonic presences, the 'light at the end of the tunnel', or historical figures hearing voices from God(s)? There are case studies about them not just in history and theology, but medical science too. Instances of people seeing ghosts, faeries, balls of light, moving shadows in the edges of their vision, or even doppelgangers of themselves? All touched on in this book as part of various differences, injuries, and misfires in people's brains, brain chemistry, and neural makeup. It's really, really cool stuff.

2. Captive Prince trilogy by C.S. Pacat

Prince Damianos of Akielos has everything. He’s a celebrated war hero, a master sportsman, and the heir to the throne, utterly primed to become king. And every bit of is stripped away from him in a single night when his half-brother Kastor stages a coup and ships him off in chains under cover of night. Just like that, Damianos becomes merely Damen, robbed of his power, freedom, and identity—the newest slave in the household of Prince Laurent of Vere. Trapped in an enemy country that shares a bloody history with his own, surrounded by people and customs that confuse, disturb, and disgust him, and under the total control of the icy, calculating and seemingly unfathomable Laurent, Damen has no way of knowing that the only way to return to his rightful throne and homeland will be through strange alliances, brutal battles and betrayals, chess-like political maneuvering and negotiation, and the fragile, complicated, impossible bond he will come to forge with the man he despises the most.

I knocked out this entire trilogy in about two weeks, and it would have been much, much shorter than that if I’d been able to borrow the last book from my friend any sooner (thanks again @oftherose95!!). The second book, Prince’s Gambit, even traveled across the Atlantic and around a good portion of Ireland with me in a black drawstring backpack, and was mostly read in Irish B&Bs each night before bed. The series was the best of what I love in good fanfiction brought onto solid, published paper (and I mean that as the greatest compliment to both fanfic and this series); it had unique, complicated relationship dynamics, broad and interesting worldbuilding, angst and cathartic triumph in turns. It’s a political and military drama, a coming-of-age and character story for two incredibly different young men, and yes, it’s an intensely slow burn enemies-to-friends-to-lovers romance full of betrayal, culture shock, negotiation, vulnerability, power plays, tropes-done-right, and some of the most memorable and delightful banter imaginable, and it will drag your heart all over the damn place because of how fantastically easily you will get invested. Yes, be aware that there are definitely some uncomfortable scenes and potential triggers, especially in the first book (and I promise to answer honestly anyone who’s interested and would like to ask me those types of questions in advance) but in my personal experience the power of the story and the glorious punch of the (ultimately respectful, nuanced, and well-written) relationship dynamics far outweighed any momentary discomfort I had. A huge favorite, not just of this year but in a long while.

3. Where the Dead Pause and the Japanese Say Goodbye by Marie Mutsuki Mockett

After her beloved father dies unexpectedly, the author returns to the Buddhist temple run by the Japanese side of her family, not far from where the Fukushima nuclear disaster claimed the lives of many and made the very air and soil unsafe. She initially goes for two reasons: to help inter and pay respects to her Japanese grandfather’s bones during the Obon holiday, and to find some kind of outlet and solace for her grief. But during her travels she finds more than she ever expected to about Japan, its belief systems, its values, its rituals of death and memory, and the human process of loss.

There are actually two non-fiction books about Japan on my list this year, and they’re both about death, grief, growth, and remembering. It’s a coincidence, but seems oddly fitting now looking back on 2016. Part memoir and part exploration of Japanese cultural and religious traditions surrounding death and its aftermath, I was fascinated by the line this book walked through the interweaving of religion and myth, respect and emotional reservation, and most of all the realization that there is no one single accepted way to mourn and to believe, even within a society as communal as Japan’s. It’s something I find constantly and absolutely fascinating about Japan, the meeting and often the integration of old and new traditions, and of outside influences. Probably one of the most thoughtful and uplifting books about death I’ve ever read, and a great one about Japanese culture too.

4. Nevernight by Jay Kristoff

When Mia Corvere was a child, her father led a failed rebellion against the very leaders he was charged with protecting. Mia watched his public execution with her own eyes, the same way she watched her mother and brother torn from their beds and thrown into Godsgrave’s brutal prison tower. Narrowly escaping her own death, completely alone and a wanted fugitive, Mia now has only two things left—an ability to commune with shadows that has given her a powerful and eerie companion shaped vaguely like a cat whom she calls Mr. Kindly, and a desire to join the only people who can help her take revenge: the mythical and merciless guild of assassins called the Red Church. But even finding the Church and being accepted can be life-threatening—graduating from their ranks will mean more sacrifice, suffering, revelation, and power than even sharp-witted and viciously determined Mia could ever imagine.

Let me preface this by saying this book is probably not for everyone. Both its premise and execution are undeniably dark and graphic: the cast is necessarily full of antiheroes with unapologetically bloodthirsty aims and a range of moral standards and behaviors tending heavily toward the ‘uglier’ end of the spectrum. The violence and deaths can be brutal, emotionally and physically, and despite their pervasiveness they never seem to pack any less of a punch. But I’ve always looked to books as my safe guides and windows into exploring that kind of darkness every so often, and this book did so extremely well. Kristoff has a way of writing that makes Nevernight’s incredibly intricate and lovingly crafted fantasy universe feel rich and seductive even with the horrors that occur in it (the dry, black-comedy footnote asides from the nameless chronicler/narrator are a good start, for example). On one hand, you don’t feel like you want to visit for obvious reasons, but the worldbuilding—with its constant moons and blood magicks and fickle goddesses—was so fluid and inviting it caught my imagination like few other books did this year. I absolutely got attached to many of the characters (especially our ‘heroine’ Mia), both despite and because of their flawed, ruthless, vulnerable, hungry personalities, and I found myself fascinated by even the ones I didn’t like. This was one of the books this year I could literally barely put down, and I can’t wait for its sequel.

5. Nagasaki: Life After Nuclear War by Susan Southard

Ever since the United States dropped two atomic bombs on Japan and ended WWII, the name of the city Hiroshima has become synonymous with the tragedy. Nagasaki is almost always mentioned second if at all, almost as an afterthought, the city bombed three days later that was a second choice target. But 74,000 people still died there, and 75,000 more were wounded or irreparably affected. In this book, author Susan Southard tells the story of not just the day of the Nagasaki bombing, but the months and years that came afterward: of suffering and healing, protest and denial, terror and hope, interwoven at each stage with the painfully intimate and powerfully humanizing interviews and life accounts of five hibakusha survivors.

This was definitely one of the heaviest books I read this year (in length and content), but it also felt absolutely necessary and was luckily very readable, thoroughly researched, and respectfully told. You can tell just through the writing how much the author came to like and respect her subjects as people and not just mouthpieces for their stories, and dear gods the stories they have. Nagasaki is definitely graphic, and horrifying, and achingly sad, as you would expect any book that details one of the worst tragedies in human history to be. But ultimately the stories of the hibakusha and Nagasaki’s slow but constant recovery are ones of hope and survival, and much as when you read memoirs from Holocaust survivors that urge you to remember, and learn, and walk armed with that new knowledge into the future, this book also makes you feel kind of empowered. It’s been seventy years since the bombing happened, many of the survivors are passing on, and nuclear weapons are now sadly looming large on the political landscape again, so while it’s not an easy book, it was without a doubt one of the most important I’ve read in recent memory.

6. Front Lines by Michael Grant

The year is 1942. World War II is raging. The United States has finally decided to join the struggle against Hitler and the Nazis. And a landmark Supreme Court decision has just been made: for the first time, women are to be subject to the draft and eligible for full military service. Into this reimagined version of the largest war in human history come three girls: Rio Richelin, a middle-class California girl whose older sister was already KIA in the Pacific theater, Frangie Marr, whose struggling Tulsa family needs an extra source of income, and Rainy Schulterman, with a brother in the service and a very personal stake in the genocide being committed overseas. But while women and girls are allowed to fight, sexism, racism, prejudice, and the brutality of war are still in full effect, and the three girls will have to fight their battles on multiple fronts if they’re going to survive to the end of the war.

I think this is probably one of the first non-fantasy historical revisionist series I’ve ever read that worked so incredibly well. There are probably a million places author Michael Grant could have easily screwed up executing this concept, but I was extremely and pleasantly surprised to find my fears were pretty unfounded. Grant (husband of similarly clear-eyed Animorphs author KA Applegate) has always been a writer who doesn’t shrink from including and even focusing on uncomfortable-but-realistic language, violence, sexuality, and real-world issues of prejudice, and he brings all these themes into Front Lines and places three teenage girls (one of whom is a WOC and another who’s a persecuted minority) front and center without letting the book feel preachy, stilted, or tone-deaf toward the girls’ feelings, motives, voices, and flaws as individuals. It’s also obviously well-researched, and there’s a whole segment in the back where Grant shares his sources and the similarities and liberties he took with historical events in order to tell the story. Especially in today’s political climate, it’s a powerful and engrossing read. And what’s more the sequel just came out not long ago.

7. Ready Player One by Ernest Cline

In the year 2044, a single massive virtual reality interface called the OASIS has got most of the declining Earth’s population hooked into it, living out all kinds of video game and sci-fi fantasies. But some of the more hardcore players, like Wade Watts, are exploring the OASIS on another level—hunting for the easter egg clues to a massive fortune its eccentric developer left behind after his death. But no one’s been able to find even the first clue, let alone begin solving the weird and difficult puzzles and challenges that might follow…until one day, Wade does, and draws the dangerous attention and greed of everyone inside and outside the virtual world to himself in the process.

I’m honestly not that big of a gamer, or even someone particularly attached to or affected by pop culture nostalgia. Everything I know about most of the references throughout Ready Player One was picked up through cultural osmosis, and some I’d never even heard of—and I still thought this book was a blast, so take note if that’s what holding you back from picking it up. The book has a lot of the raw thrill anyone who loves fictional worlds (video game or otherwise) would feel upon having a complete virtual universe full of every world, character, and feature of fantasy and sci-fi fiction you could ever dream of at their fingertips. But it also explores, sometimes quite bluntly, a lot of the fears and flaws inherent in the whole ‘leave/ignore reality in favor of total VR immersion’ scenario, and in the type of people who would most likely be tempted to do it. All the different bits and genre overlaps of the novel really come together very seamlessly too—it’s a little bit mystery, a little bit cutthroat competition, a little bit battle royale, a little bit virtual reality road-trip, a little bit (nerdy) coming-of-age. And despite how much world-building is necessary to set up everything, the book rarely feels like it’s info-dumping on you (or maybe I just loved the concept of the OASIS so much I didn’t care). Probably the most unashamedly fun novel I read this whole year.

8. The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down by Anne Fadiman

In the 1980’s in Northern California, a little Hmong girl named Lia Lee began showing symptoms of a severe and complicated form of epilepsy. The hospital the Lees took her to immediately began issuing their standard observations, treatments, and medications. But her parents, first generation immigrants with their own complex cultural methods of interpreting and caring for medical conditions, didn’t necessarily think of epilepsy as an illness—for the Hmong it’s often a sign of great spiritual strength--and were wary of the parade of ever more complicated tests and drugs their daughter was subjected to. Lia’s American doctors, confused and then angered by what they saw as dangerous disobedience and superstitious nonsense, begged to differ. What followed was a years-long series of cultural clashes and misunderstandings between Western medical science and the rituals and beliefs of a proud cultural heritage, and the people who tried with the best intentions (but not always results) to bridge that gap.

I had never read anything you could classify as ‘medical anthropology’ before this book, and I’m kind of mad I didn’t because it was fascinating. Using her firsthand interviews and observations Fadiman creates an entire case study portrait of the Lee family experience, from their life in America and struggle with Lia’s condition and American doctors to the history of the Hmong people’s flight from Thailand, Vietnam, and Laos and their experiences as immigrants. And as the best anthropological works should be, there’s also a very compassionate and analytic line walked that criticizes, explores, and accepts both cultural sides of the issue without assigning blame or coming out in favor of one over the other. By the end of it, I think my strongest emotion was hope that we might embrace a new type of medicine in the decades to come (even though it might look grim right now); something holistic that can find a way to mediate between culture and science, doctor and family and patient, so that maybe everyone ends up learning something new.

9. Good Omens by Neil Gaiman & Terry Pratchett

Crowley has a pretty good life for a high-ranking demon living on Earth. He can cruise around in his monstrous Bentley, and do assorted evil deeds here and there to keep from getting bored. He even has a pleasant frenemy in the fussy, bookshop-owning Aziraphale, the angel who used to guard the flaming sword at the gates of Eden a very, very long time ago. But then the various denizens of Heaven and Hell get the word from their higher-ups that it’s time for the Antichrist to come to Earth and the End Times to begin. The extremely unfortunate baby mix-up that ensues is only the first step in a very unusual lead-up to the end of the world, which will include the greatest hits of Queen, duck-feeding, the Four (Motorcycle) Riders of the Apocalypse, a friendly neighborhood hellhound, modern witch hunters, and a certain historical witch’s (very accurate) prophecies.

Reading this book was long overdue for me—I’ve read and enjoyed works from both these authors before, and had heard a ton about this one, basically all of it good. But I only finally picked it up as part of a ‘book rec exchange’ between me and @whynotwrybread and I’m so glad I got the extra push. Good Omens has a dark, dry, incredibly witty humor and writing style that clearly takes its cue from both Gaiman and Pratchett; it was really fun picking out their trademark touches throughout the novel. Couple that with a storyline that’s tailor-made to be a good-humored satire of religion, religious texts, and rigid morality and dogma in general, and you’ve got a pretty winning mix for me as a reader. It’s endlessly quotable, the characters are extremely memorable (and very often relatable), and despite the plot using a lot of well-known religious ‘storylines’, there are enough twists on them that it keeps you guessing as to how things will eventually turn out right up until the end.

10. Scythe by Neal Shusterman

At long last, humankind has conquered death. Massive advancements in disease eradication, nanotechnology, and artificial intelligence means that not only can people age (and reset their age) indefinitely, but they can be revived from even fatal injuries. And a benign AI with access to all human knowledge makes sure everything is run peacefully, fairly, and efficiently. In order to deal with the single remaining issue of population control, a handful of those from each generation are chosen to be trained as Scythes, who selectively mete out permanent death to enough people each year to keep humanity stable. And when Rowan and Citra are selected by the cool but kindly Scythe Faraday as his apprentices, neither are exactly willing, nor are they at all prepared for what the life of a Scythe will come to ask of them.

Neal Shusterman always seems to be able to come up with the coolest concepts for his novels (previous examples include getting inside the mind of a schizophrenic, two kids trapped in a very unique version of purgatory, and the Unwind series with its chilling legal retroactive abortion/organ donation of teens), and not only that but also execute them interestingly and well. They always end up making you really think about what you’d do in this version of reality, and Scythe is no different. Would you be one of the Scythes who gives each person gentle closure before their death? Glean them before they even know what’s happening? Divorce yourself emotionally from the process altogether so it doesn’t drive you mad? Embrace your role and even come to take pleasure in it? You meet characters with all these opinions and more. It doesn’t lean quite as heavily on the character depth as some of the author’s previous books, which gave me some hesitation at first, but the world was just too good not to get into. And the fact that it’s going to be a series means this could very well just be the setup novel for much more.

Honorable Mention Sequels/Series Installments

-Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo (‘No mourners, no funerals’—as perfect a companion/conclusion to the already-amazing Six of Crows from last year’s top ten list as I could have ever hoped for)

-The Raven King by Maggie Stiefvater (one of the most unique and magical series I’ve ever read comes to a powerful and satisfying close)

-Morning Star by Pierce Brown (a glorious and breathtaking battle across the vastness of space starring an incredible and beloved cast kept me pinned to the page until the very last word—this was a brutally realistic and totally fantastic political/action sci-fi trilogy)

-Gemina by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff (I rec’d the epistolary sci-fi novel Illuminae last year and this was an equally gripping sequel to it—can’t wait for the third book out this year!)

-Bakemonogatari, Part 1 by NisiOisin (the translated light novels for one of my all-time favorite anime series continue to be amazing!)

If you made it this far, THANK YOU and I wish you an awesome year of reading in 2017! And I want to remind everyone that my blog and inbox are always, ALWAYS open for book recommendations (whether giving or requesting them) and talking/screaming/theorizing/crying about books in general. Or write up your own ‘top 10 books from last year’ post and tag me!

#top 10 books of 2016 #personal post #top 10 meme #long post #books #send me your recs!#and yell into my inbox/messenger/submission box about your favorite books!

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davidarc · 5 years

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Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.

Celebrating St. Patrick’s Day!

(Sorry – not a TBR list for Spring/Fall.)

Yes, I know that this week’s topic was suppose to be our Spring/Fall 2020 TBR list, but when I noticed that today would be the 17th, and therefore St. Patrick’s Day, I thought it more appropriate to see if I have read 10 Irish authors. Remember, I grew up in Chicago, the city that dies the Chicago River green to celebrate this holiday! So how could I ignore it? What I found was that although I haven’t written reviews for all of them, I certainly have read all of these authors.

The Chocolate Lady’s Top Ten List of Irish Authors I’ve Read (in alphabetical order):

Cecelia Ahern – Ahern is is probably best known for her 2004 debut novel “PS I Love You” which was made into a major motion picture that starred Hilary Swank and Gerard Butler. While romance and rom-coms aren’t usually my genre, I did jump on her popularity bandwagon with her third novel, “If You Could See Me Now.” I didn’t review it (I wasn’t doing much of that back in 2005), but from what I can remember, I can certainly understand the appeal, but I wasn’t overly impressed with the magical reality she included here. Still, I enjoyed the writing and I wouldn’t be surprised if I go back to reading other books of hers in the future.

Sebastian Barry – I didn’t know this Irish author until I met up with an internet friend while on one of my vacation trips to Ireland. He was absolutely adamant that I had to read Barry’s novel, “The Secret Scripture.” I took his advice, and if you take a look at my review, you’ll see that I’m very glad that I did! Unfortunately, I haven’t read more of his works, but I certainly would like to! I’ve noticed that many of his books all take place in the Irish town of Sligo, during different time periods.

Maeve Binchy – The first book of Binchy I read was “Circle of Friends” back in the early 1990s (which was made into a movie in 1995 starring the then, mostly unknown Minnie Driver), and I really enjoyed that book and her writing. That’s why I went back and read her 1985 novel “Echoes” (which was a TV mini-series that I never saw), which was also just lovely. Of course, I don’t have reviews of either of these books, but in the latter, there was a scene I’ll never forget, when Clare asks David if she can make him eggs for dinner and he asks for an omelet, and she doesn’t know how to make one. That scene sticks out in my head as a perfect example of showing and not telling! Unfortunately, Binchy passed away in 2012, but left us with many books of hers to read in the future.

Clare Boylan – This name is almost assuredly the least known of all the authors I’m noting here. I’ve only read one of her novels, “Emma Brown” which she based on Charlotte Brontë’s unfinished manuscript by the same name. As you’ll see from my review, Boylan took a twist with this book that I’m unsure Charlotte would have considered using herself. That said, it was a compelling book and there are pieces of it that I can remember quite vividly. Boylan passed away in 2006.

James Joyce – No list of Irish authors would be complete without including Joyce. I had to read “A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man” for college, but that didn’t put me off Joyce (as difficult as it was). I went on to read “The Dubliners” which included the short story “The Dead.” That story blew my mind, it was so amazing. We saw one movie they made in 1987 of that story, and although it was very good, of course the story was much better.

Frank McCourt – I wasn’t sure if I should include McCourt on this list, since he wrote non-fiction and not fiction. But I did read his debut memoir “Angela’s Ashes” which won him the Pulitzer Prize, and it really read like fiction to me. That’s an extraordinary talent, and while I have his subsequent book “‘Tis” on my shelf, I’m sorry to say that I’ve never gotten around to reading it. (We might also have the third book “Teacher Man” as well.) I actually read “Angela’s Ashes” after I saw the film they made of that book, and to tell the truth, they were equally as good!

Maggie O’Farrell – Okay, my regular readers already know that O’Farrell is one of my favorite authors, and I’m totally thrilled that her publisher has given me the ARC of her upcoming novel, “Hamnet” to read! Mind you, that didn’t stop me from ordering a print copy of it as well (which, apparently, is already winging its way to me as I write this)! She too wrote a (beautiful, heartbreaking, but yet still very hopeful) memoir, “I am, I am, I am: Seventeen Brushes with Death” that read like fiction, and which made it onto my “best of” list for 2018. So far, my favorite of her books is still the one I read first, “The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox.” But I’ve read EVERYTHING she’s written and I don’t intend to stop now!

Jonathan Swift – Here’s yet another classic for you all. To be honest, I actually only read his “Gulliver’s Travels” quite late in life, and after I’d seen many film versions of the book. That includes the 1939 animated version, which was televised in the early 60s, and was one of the first things aired in color on TV (I vividly remember having three friends come over to my house to watch it on our color TV). When I finally read the book (in the late 90s), one thing struck me. In the world where Gulliver finds is filled with an intelligent species of horses, these horses call humans “Yahoos” which is a word that Swift coined to mean “a crude, brutish or obscenely coarse person”. I’ve always wondered how that meaning morphed into a word that is an expression of happiness and elation. If anyone knows, please tell me!

Colm Tóibín – My husband was the one to turn me on to Tóibín’s books, but I’ve only read one of his novels, and that was “Nora Webster” which I enjoyed very much (with a couple of small caveats). I’m sure most people have read his most popular book “Brooklyn” and/or seen the film they made of it, but according to my husband, it isn’t a very good adaptation of the book (he saw it as an in-flight movie when traveling for work), and he won’t let me watch it! Maybe I should read the book, though. I really enjoyed his writing in Nora Webster, and appreciated his ability to write such a rich and well rounded female protagonist, that felt very realistic to me.

Oscar Wilde – Last but not least, the amazing poet, playwright, and novelist who was jailed and put to hard labor for the “crime” of being a homosexual! I have read ALL of his plays, and seen many productions of them – both on stage and on screen. Back in my High School days, I took theater classes, and through them performed both monologues and scenes from “The Importance of Being Ernest” and “Lady Windermere’s Fan”. Although I don’t often re-read novels, I have read Wilde’s plays over and over and over again! Aside from that, I also have a second-hand, leather bound copy of his novel “The Picture of Dorian Gray.” The inside cover of my edition (which looks much like the one in this picture) shows it was one of a Modern Library series of books published by Boni and Liveright, which from my Google searches show that my edition was probably published in about 1918 or 1919 (OMG, I have a book that’s about 100 years old on my shelf)!

Speaking of Ireland – I’ve been there three times. Once on my own, and twice with my husband. On our last visit, we were driving around along the border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland (looking at all the anti-Brexit signs), when we came across a sign pointing to the factor for Hazel Mountain Chocolates! Well, of course, being true to my moniker, we HAD to make a side trip and visit (as well as buy some of their bean-to-bar, boutique, hand made goods). Here’s a slideshow of our pictures from the visit!

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What Irish authors have you read and loved?

TCL’s Top Ten Tuesday for March 17, 2020. Celebrating St. Patrick's Day with Irish Authors! (With a bonus about some Irish chocolates from @HazelMountainCh!) Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to…

#best of #Book Tag Post #Commentary #Literary Musings #Memes #top ten tuesday

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coreytravelogue · 5 years

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Leipzig, Germany - September 11, 2019

It’s such a beautiful day out, today and yesterday as well were absolutely beautiful. Mother Nature could not have created better weather, and what have I done today? Basically nothing!

My first day. In Leipzig was full on and non stop rain for the entire day, I got to go to one record store and get th gist of how to get to and from where I am staying but most of that day or evening was spent in bed drinking hefes and singing to myself with no one here.

Yesterday was more productive though, I Jayne hatted everything I came to Jayne hat plus a little more. I also explored the old city and then I went to the biggest brewery I could find in town assuming they would have the great Gose I was hoping for. I was wrong.

The food was great and their regular Gose was pretty good but then I tried their other beers and nothing about them screamed of any sort of good quality especially the raspberry Gose which wasn’t made with raspberries but just had raspberry syrup. That immediately put me off from trying anymore of their beers. I bought some hefes, went to the place I am staying and met my host. I could tell she really didn’t care to chit chat all that much which I understood. I basically told her there is a good chance I am just going to be in the room for most of my time here as I just want to sleep in and relax. She did allow me to use the washing machine and her hanging rack which was nice. It’s great to have clean clothes as I am now coming up to the final two destinations on my trip; Nuremberg and Amsterdam.

I should just say Nuremberg because I am not staying in Amsterdam for long, or long enough to really get th most out of the city. All I will really have time to do is Jayne hat the place and maybe catch one museum. I can’t say I am looking forward to staying in a dorm again. I mean the one in Luxembourg was fine but I just want privacy these days and my own fucking bed with no one to bother me. I am going to see if I can refund my hostel and see if I can find a Airbnb in Amsterdam. Will probably be more costly but it’s going to be a rough Monday night and I want to have as much sleep as I can on a Sunday night, that is not always guaranteed when staying in a dorm.

Today I slept in and didn’t head out till 12 noon and I only really went to the Bach Museum which was a let down. But also because I have had a head ache and feeling queasy for much of thand day. It is not because of a hang over as I have been smart enough to know when to stop and whenever I have been drinking I have been sure to eat something very good and greasy before or during the beer drinking.

I thin k I am still burned out which is terrifying me because I came out to Europe to have fun and just not work. Only to be burned out by trying to pack in as much of where I am at as I can before leaving for the next place. No time to stop, relax or to actually have a vacation. Leipzig has basically becom the Cork, Ireland of my trip. I went to Cork not to really see th sights, to party or to do anything really. ThE point as just to decompress and chill. Weirdly enough I see a Cork and Leipzig in the same light almost exactly. Both are regular cities in their respective countries, both have some touristy stuff to do but neither are exactly a first choice destination for tourist, usually the second, third or forth choice.

That is not a slam on either, that is exactly why I chose Leipzig. After the tourist circus that is Berlin I wanted to just go to place where I don’t need to go or see anything but if I did there was options, a quieter city, a introverted city and Leipzig has been that, right down to my host. It would have been nice to have a couch surfing host here but I think that will be if I decide to come back here someday, I would not leave it out of itinerary but if I was to return to Germany I think Leipzig would not be the first or second choice.

To tell you the truth I don’t know if I was to come back to Germany next time, not because I don’t love it, that is bullshit! Germany is my favourite country to visit outside of Canada without a doubt. However after this trip I feel like I have seen enough of Germany that I needed to see. I mean there are plenty other cities I wouldn’t mind going to like Frankfurt, Stuttgart, Hannover or Hamburg, even smaller cities l Ike Trier and so on. Throw a dart board on Germany misusing out the places I have already been and I would have little problem going there. I just feel I got th gist of the country now where I don’t feel I did last time. If I come back it’s to go to a Dusseldorf. Not just to hang with Maria but because I feel of all of the cities I have been to that city is more my speed.

Leipzig is pretty unique to in another way. Berlin is a city steeped in its own history and reveling in it, Munich is a shopping city that sells German culture, Koln is similar but I would say is a more cosmopolitan city with some urban flair. Dusseldorf is the hipster though I feel I should watch that word because me and Maria had a discussion on what a hipster really is and she would not like that description of Düsseldorf. Dusseldorf is the urban city that has its history but is not really defined by it like Berlin. Leipzig is a city that has been able to perfectly balance being modern, urban with a little bit of cosmopolitan all while still having its own brand. Of history to look back to. Not too far from Dusseldorf’s vibe in my opinion.

The best example of this is in the churches. That is the one thing I am so sick of with Germany is the churches, there are so many god damn old churches. At first they all look cool and beautiful but after awhile it makes you think is that all they have is old churches. Can’t really blame them though as WW1 and 2 did some significant damage to a lot of their old buildings and apparently the only things that were not hit as hard were the churches but still. Also they all look pretty much the same once you have seen 10 but not the first one I seen in Leipzig on my way downtown. It was st ill their old church you could see part of it was still made up of the old pieces that was the old church but there were also very beer and modern pieces as well. It was a perfect fusion of new and old. That to me is Leipzig in a nutshell. So let’s get on with the review.

I am going to start with the beer which was the first reason why I came here. I feel like this may be a unfair grading because I didn’t try to hit the craft beer scene anywhere close to as hard as I did the other but my body can only take so much. With that being said. I expected this city to be steeped in Gose beer the same way Dusseldorf is with their altbier. In Düsseldorf even without Maria I would have found a couple places to have altbier. They know they originated it and they nearly celebrate it. Here when I looked for Gose the only thing I got really was one brewery and to tell you the truth the Gose I had in BC was much better. Maybe I need a host who can guide me to where the real good Gose options were but they were not easy to find here and like most breweries in Germany you could be hard pressed to find them unless you had untappd or had lots of time to google where they were. Their liquor stores however had a pretty neat selection. With that they still have their own style which no one can take from them even if they are not as Goode it hit anymore and they still has a nice selection beer to buy. So I am being nice and giving them 1/2 C but if I come back and hit this place hard I am going to be mor harder on them next time.

For things to do.....well come on they are not Berlin but no one else in a Berlin terms of things to do. You can put in two full days in this place and get the gist of it, even the tourist pamphlets sell themselves as a stop over. They don’t expect you to stay here for your full time though I am sure they would utterly appreciate it. For what they got they got some nice stuff but only for a short stay so I give them 1/2 C.

Leipzig is a bit of a introverted city but in no way means they are impolite or not willing to be nice to you. I heard from Katarina or Maria I forget that when they were there people were rude to them. Maybe for fellow Germans but not to me. I was treated with respect and courteousy. Mind you no one went above and beyond to make my stay awesome but mind you I didn’t expect or want that. Strangely enough a man came up to me randomly and once he knew I was not a German he said thank you. I don’t know why he said that or the context but it was nice. I like to think it meant thank you for coming to this city but who knows. I am giving vibe 2/3 C. A good rating, it would have to be something special for a full rating.

Food I think I will also give 1/2 C, there were some options but nothing that was particular to the city or anything and while I had good food at one of the breweries nothing was special but mind you I haven’t been eating nice dishes much. I try to eat at least one nice meal per city and I will say of the places I have been Leipzig was the best in that regard but I didn’t see that many food options compared to other places in Germany.

Lastly transit which I think like most places in Germany still gets a full C. How I grade it is how easy is it to cover the city through a combination of walking, biking and transiting. This city has bike lanes which are used a lot, the city is very walkable and transit was surprisingly easy to use and seemed to cover everywhere it needed to for a small city. Their transit is still better than anywhere in Canada in that regard. If you can get to anywhere in the city with ease on transit then you will get a good mark.

CCC1/6 is the rating I would give Leipzig which I think is more than fair.

Nuremberg is next and with Leipzig I can’t say I have much expectations, I chose it for its historical significance and all the pictures I found of it looked beautiful. Nothing to do with beer or anything just history so I may hit the mueseums hard for this one but the main idea is to still sleep in as much as I can. Tomorrow will me a 3 hour travel day with two transfers, shouldn’t be too hard as I am used to it. Getting from Nuremberg to Amsterdam will be the longest of the entire trip; about 9 hours so I am glad I am well stocked with movies because I will be watching all of them on the 15th as that day will be a full on travel day. Nuremberg I am assuming will be introspection time for me on this trip. I have already started it but I feel like I will be doing a lot of it starting tomorrow.

Till the next episode, shazbot nanu nanu.

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cyberdelusionphilosopher-blog · 6 years

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