#to represent the staple remover

[zia-the-weirdo]

Wow look at these guys I sure hope they haven’t committed any war crimes or something

(Pen is an OC, Yape and Gun belong to Juno Songs.)

[najia-cooks]

[ID: A greenish-brown soup with an herb garnish in a bowl surrounded by a halved lemon, green cardamom pods, and bay leaves, followed by a close-up of the same soup. End ID]

شوربة الفريكة / Shorabat al-frika (Green wheat soup)

Frika (فَرِيكَة or فَرِيك; also transliterated "freekeh," "frikeh," or "farik"‎) is durum wheat harvested in the early spring, while the grain is green, unripe, and tender. Durum wheat, or semolina, is a different species of wheat than that which is ground to produce all-purpose flour (common wheat, or bread wheat); it is used to make couscous (كُسْكُس), bulghur (بلغور), and many types of pasta, and is widely consumed in North Africa, the Levant, and the Arabian peninsula. After harvest, unripe durum is sun-dried and then set ablaze in piles to burn off the straw and leave just the heads of wheat, resulting in a nutty, smoky flavor; the heads are then vigorously rubbed, traditionally by hand, to remove the bran. Frika is named after this last process; the word comes from the verb "فَرَكَ" "faraka," "to rub."

A staple in Palestine, shorabat al-frika (with diacritics, Levantine pronunciation: شُورَبَة الفْرِيكَة) is often eaten as an appetizer with the fast-breaking meal during Ramadan. It may contain nothing more than an onion, olive oil, frika, and water, but sometimes contains meat (usually chicken, but also beef or lamb), green chili peppers, and spices including cardamom, black pepper, bay leaves, turmeric, cumin, and seb'a baharat; some people today like to add chickpeas. Shorabat al-frika is often prepared with the chicken broth obtained by boiling chicken to make musakhkhan (مُسَخَّن), and served alongside it. It is a warming, filling, and earthy soup, with a complexity of flavor imparted by the frika itself: a fresh tartness due to the unripe grain, and a roasted aroma due to its harvesting process.

Shorabat al-frika is in keeping with a Palestinian food ethos of using simple, local ingredients to their fullest potential. Frika itself is sometimes thought to symbolize adaptability and resilience, as it was often eaten in times of scarcity when other crops were not yet ready to be harvested. Legend holds that it was discovered in a time of similar necessity: when villagers in the eastern Mediterannean tried to salvage a field of wheat that had been burned by ambushing soldiers, they found that the grain was still edible beneath the blackened chaff, having been saved from the fire by its moisture.

Frika, due to its centuries as a staple in Palestine, has also come to symbolize acceptance, Palestinian history, and connection to the land and community. In the Palestinian diaspora and amongst internally displaced people in Palestine, food is conceived of as a form of connection to homeland across distance; continuing to make Palestinian food, and remembering or using baladi ("native," "from my country") varieties of grains, produce, and herbs, is a link to the land and an expression of the hope to return.

By the same token, though, frika has come to represent Palestinian displacement and "cultural obliteration," per Rana Abdulla. One of the ways in which Israel rhetorically justifies its existence is by claiming sole ownership of an old, organically arising culture rooted in the land: the easiest way to do this is, of course, to rebrand what was already there. Food connects and combines language (in terminology and pronunciation), culture, history, climate, and land into one web of discourses, and is therefore a prime site for colonial myth-making and ideological nation-building. Thus a construction such as "Israeli freekeh" is, in fact, an intensely political one.

Nevertheless, frika continues its life as a symbol of connection, community, and resistance during adversity in Palestine. Nasser Abufarha, of the Palestine Fair Trade Association, noted in 2015 that more and more Palestinians across the West Bank were harvesting some of their wheat early to make frika, rather than relying on cheaper, imported rice. As of October 23 2023, and in defiance of an Israeli air raid which destroyed their kitchen in 2014, Jamil Abu Assi and his cousins were using frika, alongside lentils and rice, as staples in distributing food to thousands of refugees per day in Bani Suhaila, near Khan Younis. Others in the community donated ingredients or volunteered to distribute meals.

Support Palestinian resistance by contributing to Palestine Action's bail fund or to Palestine Legal's defence fund, or by attending court or making a sign to support the Elbit Eight.

Ingredients:

1 cup (170g) frika baladia (فريكة بلدية), Levantine frika

4 cups water, or vegetarian chicken stock from concentrate

1 large yellow onion, chopped

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 green chili pepper (فلفل أخضر حار), sliced (optional)

1/2 tsp ground black pepper (فلفل اسود)

5 cardamom pods (حب هال)

2 Mediterannean bay leaves (ورق غار)

250g chicken (or beef) substitute, torn or cubed (optional)

Salt, to taste

Parsley, to garnish

Halved lemon, to serve (optional)

I have kept the spices relatively simple, as most cooks do, to highlight the earthy end of the taste spectrum and to allow the flavor of the frika itself to come forward. Most people add at least cardamom and black pepper; many add bay leaves to this duo; turmeric is the next most common addition I have come across. I have seen a few people add cumin, coriander, or allspice.

Frika can be found in the grains section of your local halal grocery store (labelled "فريكة", “فريك" "freekeh" or "frikeh"). Look for something that specifies “roasted.”

You may also be able to find frika at a speciality or health foods grocery store, but it might not have been fire-roasted as it is in the Levant. If your frika doesn't smell toasty, try roasting it in a dry pan on medium-heat for a few minutes until fragrant.

Frika may be found whole, cracked, or fine (نَاعِمَة‎ / na'ima). You may use any kind for this soup; most people use cracked or fine frika, because of its shorter cooking time. You can pulse whole frika a few times in a food processor or spice mill, until coarsely ground, if you prefer a fine texture but can't find fine frika.

Instructions:

1. Heat olive oil in a large pot on medium. Add onion, a pinch of salt, cardamom pods, and bay leaves and fry, stirring occasionally, until the onion is golden brown.

2. Add the chili pepper and cook briefly until softened.

3. Add frika and black pepper and roast, stirring occasionally, for a few minutes until fragrant.

4. Add the water or stock and stir to combine. Bring to a fast simmer and cook, covered, about 50 minutes for whole frika and 20 minutes for ground, until fully cooked. Add additional water as necessary. The frika will still be chewy at the end of the cooking time.

5. Fry meat substitute of your choice in olive oil with salt, black pepper, and a optionally a pinch of Palestinian seven-spice, until browned. Add to soup and stir to combine. Taste the soup and add salt and more black pepper, if necessary.

6. Garnish with whole or chopped parsley and serve warm.

The meat is usually added to this soup just after the onions, and simmered along with the frika. You can do it this way if you like, but I have never found simmering to do the texture of meat substitutes any favors.

[yuri-badiner]

Duplo Space Shuttle Mission

Four years ago, sets from the Duplo series came into my hands for the first time in my life. I really liked the 10944 Space Shuttle Mission set. It's small, if that word can even be applied to Duplo, and it has amazing playability! There is everything here: a space shuttle with a launch pad, a couple of astronauts and a rover with some important gear. If I had this set as a child, it would definitely have been a favorite.

It was very interesting for me to try shooting Duplo and feel the colossal contrast with System. This was a real departure from my comfort zone, because none of my processes and habits that I had developed while shooting small minifigures worked here at all. A completely different scale, requiring different approaches to light and environment. Working on some of the photographs was a real pleasure, but I also had to suffer.

Here I have a takeoff from the launch pad, repairs in outer space, and landing on an unknown planet. I myself am not happy with all the pictures, but I’m posting everything as it is, because you can’t erase words from a song.

Behind The Scenes

Special effects made with your own hands from scrap materials, without using photo editors - it's always interesting. Often such effects are not too difficult to perform, but in the photo they look realistic and beautiful. Next, I will tell you how I made a column of smoke and fire bursting out of the shuttle engine nozzles.

First, I rolled a sheet of plain white A4 paper into a cone and stapled the top (narrow) part. Then I glued pre-rolled pieces of cotton wool to the paper cone. This is what I got: a funny fluffy… tree. I put a flash under the cone and took a test shot. It seems that the desired effect has been achieved.

The basis of the whole design was, of course, a flash, since I needed illumination from below.

Using rubber bands, I attached an orange filter to the flash to achieve a warm yellow-orange shade of light. I placed a glass (upside down) on top of the flash. The rubber bands holding the filter on the flash very successfully played the role of a sealant, thanks to which the glass did not dangle and stood quite firmly and securely. I placed two 2x2 trans-yellow Duplo bricks on the glass and, to complete my vertical construction, the shuttle itself. I put a paper cone with cotton wool on the glass and the subject is ready!

The presence of dark spots on the smoke column, which add volume, depends on the brightness of the flash and is easily adjusted during shooting.

I plan to shoot the shuttle from above, so it's time to move to the floor. The large piece of white foam board under the shuttle in the photo below has no practical significance for the shoot, I just forgot to remove it :)

Around the shuttle I placed dry moss and tree bark to represent the ground. The background will be quite blurred, the green-brown relief looks good.

Quality control is a mandatory step. The mustachioed inspector is right there!

I rarely shoot from this angle, from top to bottom, and the subject itself is one of the largest in my practice, it was quite an interesting experience and a real way out of my comfort zone.

Paper, cotton wool, glass, moss and bark. I sincerely hope that I managed to inspire you or at least show you something new.

[scythegirl13]

EDWARD TWILIGHT EGOCENTRIC MANIAC!!!! HOW I LOVE IT SO

ok this is going to be analysis again but its going to be comparing it to sparkle and shine. first there are a lot of different instruments, and removal of some. the saxophone isnt that noticeable which is a very nice detail, and there is no piano. so lets get on with the show (oh hey that rhymes!)

alright theres so much going on so im sorry if i cant dissect everything but i believe there is no piano, which represents mary. of course, shes dead and by this part theres no reason for her to be there. thats such a sad thing to think about, there isn't anything about her that remains in edward and she was really just a queen on the chess board, knowing that the king is who she serves. which is just...depressing :(

NO BASS EITHER. i dont think deacon even got a talking line in this whole finale. speaking of bass and piano, this isnt a jazz track no more. if it is i dont know what sub genre. it has no saxophone, piano or bass, which are staple jazz instruments.

THE COOLEST THING IS THE FREAKING BASS SOLO AND VIOLIN SOLO. lets get this clear, violin is emizel in shilos skin, and bass is theo. the violin is clear and distinct and something that you can hear easily. while the bass is barely heard but oh so noticeable. you can barely hear it but you can easily follow its rhythm. i think that represents how theo is following the violin, and how the violin makes a clear path that theo just follows, like a right hand man. emizel is the real star of the show during this section, and it seems like he doesnt want to take it away. especially during the bass solo you can hear a harp and a violin support theos part, which represents shilo and emizel.

the choir is queen coded, but thats not what its representing. its representing which name gets to be royalty. bathroys vs edward basically. he wants royalty and wants to be king, while the bathroys (aka the twins) are trying to stop it. keeping the crown for selfish reasons, or just making sure that he doesnt get it are both possible and i think this what the whole part, hell maybe the whole song is trying to represent. if you were shilo, and had royalty your whole life, your mothers legacy resting on your shoulders, youve had this protection your whole life, and some sparkly bitch wants to take it away. youd fight for that shit too!!!

and despite the name, i could only really point out that the soloists in this song were emizel and theo, there was nothing that screamed edward to me. maybe hes just the whole song, fading into the background because hes too busy fighting, idk.

blegh, theres me yapping, have a great night. this song anyways is actually a really good track for edward and fits the whole prissy, stuck up theme that he has going on. maybe hes conducting the whole track, or its something that hes like "hit it boys!" and they start playing. thats funny. anyways, thanks for coming to my rambles again!

[ultravioart]

I seriously wonder what Juno's lore will bring to Overwatch. Mars is Overwatch's first step into the greater cosmos. For context: Project Titan and early Overwatch ideation had an alien invasion angle! I wonder if Overwatch will take on a Martian invasion plotline? Does Sombra's eye conspiracy have anything to do with Mars?

--

iirc the Genesis shorts showed Aurora's ascendance shooting a beam into space, and twinkling stars.

Not that it would make great sense for omnics to be in space at that time during the omnic crisis, but it does make me wonder if there were any omnics capable of being awakened out there?

--

Furthermore, Juno's kit + hair has these spacey cosmic patterns. Is this a technology or energy type unique to Mars? I am really interested in that. Is this energy something harvested only on Mars, or was this tech invented on Mars?

Lastly, a Juno voice line confirmed the Mars station lost contact with Lucheng for an unknown reason. This implies Juno came to earth as a scout, probably to reconnect Mars with Earth again. It makes me wonder what Mars is like, considering Lucheng was involved (Winston and Wrecking Ball were tortured on the Lucheng Lunar station). Is Mars filled with Lucheng propaganda as an eery 'utopian' mission? Or is Mars a rejection of Lucheng and actually is moral? Did Lucheng cut contact? Did Mars cut contact? Did the remaining space-apes on the Lunar colony cut the contact between Mars and Lucheng? (the apes were building some new structure, after all...)

So many questions!

Critical stuff below:

I was a bit sad that Juno had an American accent though. Irl there are unique accents astronauts develop due to the required languages on the stations. And since Lucheng is a Chinese company, it would have been cool to see an English + Chinese creole or accent for Mars. I did notice Juno does not use contractions though! That might be a Martian dialect trait. There is also something to be said about Juno's design represent a Chinese and Vietnamese character (her rig is too similar to certain characters imo).

Based on her design, I expected a more serious scientist ('Space Ranger' with muted colors and punk hair made me think this) but I will have to wait to see Juno's concept art to see if she was always meant to be bubbly or not.

I also think her final design is a downgrade. The white armor on the arms and hips helped balance the design, without them it looks unbalanced. Her current suit leg design is overly detailed/busy. Plus she slow mo walks, and with the armor removes + the animation + skin tight suit it puts focus on her ass LOL. I don't mind fanservice characters (Tracer is well done imo), but I hope Juno wasn't "poster girl"-ified in place of a more layered character that fit the lore better. Again, I will have to see concept art to see if Juno was changed in such a way before placing my final judgment.

Regardless, I hope Juno gets some cool skins on launch. And I seriously hope we get an origin short story (Venture got an animation instead of the staple shorts that connected all the overwatch heroes together) because a bio doesn't do the character justice. I think a Juno skin with pink hair would be super cute!

[meadow-of-daisies-and-lavender]

This is an off the wall question I'm sending to my mutuals and friends so don't be alarmed, I haven't been hacked. I think I'll call it Weird Ask Wednesdays. This might turn into a regular thing... (Can you tell that I'm bored?)

If you were to choose to be a certain type of ice cube. What kind of ice cube would you be? You can show pictures for reference if you want.

-xoxo

Okay apparently there are SEVERAL different types of ice. Which is hilarious to me because there's such a science behind which one to use. There are between 20 and 74,963 forms of ice. For the sake of this, I'll be examining the following primary seven types.

If I had to pick any of these to be in my drinks, I'd pick the nugget ice. It melts super fast, cools off the drink, and if it ends up in my mouth I can chew it. I also don't need that much ice so it's perfect.

HOWEVER THE QUESTION IS NOT WHAT I WOULD USE IN A DRINK IT IS WHICH WOULD I BE.

Under these considerations, I need ice that is built to last. I tend to remain level headed in stressful situations and would thus not melt under pressure. I also need ice that does its job efficiently. That doesn't mean perfectly, but gets the job done fast. I also would be 100% ice because to be anything else would be LIES. HOW CAN YOU BE ICE IF YOU ARE IN A STATE OF LIQUID WATER??

Clears throat.

In conclusion, the best ice to represent me is crescent Ice. She's not perfect, but she's effective, efficient, 100% ice, and unique to regular cubed ice, yet not so far removed from the almost crescent ice of our freezers (well those who have ice makers). Crescent ice is a staple in restaurants and is dependable to get the job done with a subtle flair.

RB with what kind of ice you would be.

Npt: @itsagrimm @ethereal-night-fairy @jedipoodoo @halfmoth-halfman

[ravioliwings]

Palestinian Recipes from The Immigrant Cookbook by Leyla Moushabeck

Full page transcripts under the cut:

Recipe #1: Reem's Muhammara

Photo Credit: Jung Fitzpatrick Photography and Ricarius Photography

"Muhammara is my homecoming. I discovered this addicting dip as an adult and fell in love with it when I went back to Syria in 2010. At the time, I was soul-searching in my father's homeland and started to open my eyes to all the richness of my Syrian identity, particularly through the food and hospitality. Up until then I was only exposed to my mother's Lebanese and Palestinian cooking and wasn't well-versed in Syrian food. In every home in Syria, my family would serve multiple mezze dips with dinner and muhammara was always a centerpiece. It has the perfect combination of tangy, nutty, and spicy flavors. And it looks beautiful on a dinner spread. I began to feature it at my farmers' markets and catering, and it became an instant hit. Now it is a staple in my restaurant and represents my Syrian pride. Look for Aleppo pepper and pomegranate molasses in Middle Eastern or specialty grocery stores, and you can easily halve or double this recipe to suit your needs. Serve with your favorite bread."

Makes 4 cups (2 lb / 1 kg)

Ingredients:

2 1/2 lb (1.2 kg) red bell peppers (7 large)

2 1/2 cups (9 oz / 250 g) walnut halves

1 cup (2 oz / 60 g) panko breadcrumbs

2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses

1 tablespoon lemon juice

3-4 garlic cloves

1 teaspoon cumin

1 tablespoon Aleppo pepper flakes

1 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup (75 ml) extra virgin olive oil

Pomegranate seeds, walnuts, or chopped parsley, to garnish optional)

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 400F (200C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place the peppers on it. Roast until the skins are charred, about 30 minutes, turning them over once or twice. Transfer to a sealable bag, or a bowl covered with plastic wrap, and set aside until cool enough to handle. Tear them open, remove the stem and seeds, and peel the skins.

Working in batches, if necessary, combine the walnuts and breadcrumbs in a food processor, and process to a cornmeal-like texture. Add the roasted peppers, pomegranate molasses, lemon juice, garlic, cumin, Aleppo pepper, and salt, and pulse until smooth, turning off the machine and scraping down the sides of the bowl from time to time.

With the processor running, slowly add the olive oil, and blend until the oil is completely incorporated. Taste and add salt, if needed.

Garnish as desired and serve chilled or at room temperature.

"Reem Assil is the chef and founder of Reem's in Oakland, California. Reem's was founded with a passion for the flavors of Arab street-corner bakeries and the vibrant communities where they're located. Growing up in a Palestinian-Syrian household, Reem was surrounded by the aromas and tastes of food from her homeland and the connections they evoked of her heritage, family, and community. Before dedicating herself to a culinary career, Reem worked for a decade as a community and labor organizer, and brings the warmth of community to all her events. In 2017, she graduated from La Cocina, a competitive food business incubator program focusing on immigrant women."

Recipe #2: Gazan Hot Tomato And Dill Salad

Dagga (Salata Ghazawiyya)

Photo Credit: Ricarius Photography

"This is the most frequently served salad in Gaza, with a hot ite that makes it a fantastic accompaniment to meaty stews or rice dishes. Dagga, which is a variation of the work meaning "pounded" in Arabic, is commonly scooped up with Arabic bread, and has a consistency similar to that of a Mexican salsa. This dish must be made in a mortar and pestle with a rough interior (in Gaza, a zibdiya). Don't bother using a food processor!

Though she herself was of mixed Circassian and Kurdish-Damascene ancestry, my late maternal grandmother, il-Sitt Laila, as she was endearingly known, was fond of this classic, and used to refer to it as "the centerpiece of the Gazan table." It was probably the first recipe I learned from my mother, who often tasked us young children with the rhythmic exercise of mashing garlic.

Dagga is one of those recipes you are likely to find Gazan Palestinians making the world over, probably in a zibdiya they've inherited, a great source of pride. The original mortars are extremely hard to come by due to constant closures. They are fashioned from the rich, red clay in Gaza, and a constant reminder that though we may be thousands of miles (and often an unattainable reality) away, we have a part of that earth with us, and we can taste home wherever we go.

You can substitute 1 tablespoon dill seeds for the fresh dill and 2 tablespoons finely chopped onions for the garlic. The dill seeds should be ground in the mortar thoroughly in a circular motion along with some of the salt, before adding the onions and proceeding with the recipe."

Serves 4

Ingredients:

2 garlic cloves, peeled

1/2 teaspoon salt

2-3 hot green chili peppers, such as jalapeno or serrano

1/4 cup (1/2 oz / 15 g) finely chopped dill

3 ripe medium tomatoes, coarsely chiopped

Juice of 1/2 lemon

Extra virgin olive oil

Arabic flatbread or pita, to serve

Directions:

Using a large mortar and pestle, mash garlic and salt to a paste. Coarsely chop up the chili peppers, removing some of the membranes if you prefer less heat. Add the peppers to the mortar and crush until tender. Stir in the dill. Using circular motion, grind the dill until fragrant.

Add the tomatoes and pound until salad reaches a thick salsa-like consistency. Transfer to a serving dish, stir in the lemon juice, and then mix the entire salad well and even out the top with the back of a spoon. Drench the top with a rich olive oil, but don't stir it in.

Serve with Arabic flatbread on the side for scooping it up.

"Laila El-Haddad is a Maryland-based freelance journalist, documentarian, and cookbook author. She is the author of The Gaza Kitchen: A Palestinian Culinary Journey. She frequently writes on the intersection of food and politics and she is currently working on a book about the history of Islam in America, as told through food."

Recipe #3: Baked Fish Kibbeh

Kibbet Samak

Photo Credit: Ricarius Photography

"Growing up in Nazareth, we seldom ate red meat on Friday. The cafeteria at my elementary school would frequently serve mujaddara (lentil pilaf), which grew monotonous week after week. After school, my cousin Aida would take me to her house where my aunt Um Sami would feed us her delicious fish kibbeh. Hers was the only other cooking my mother really respected. And since Um Sami was on a first-name basis with the local fisherman, she always used the freshest catch.

A few summers ago, my family and I were on our annual deep-sea fishing trip to Montauk Point, New York, and as is our custom, we caught and enormous amount of fish. When I was trying to figure out creative ways to use it all, my aunt's recipe came to mind. It is a wonderful dish for a party, and this recipe can be easily doubled. It it best served with fattoush."

Serves 6 to 8

Ingredients:

SEASONING

1 tablespoon saly

1 1/2 tablespoon allspice

1 1/2 teaspoons cumin

1 1/2 teaspoons ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Pinch nutmeg

3/4 teaspoon dried marjoram

Zest of 1/2 lemon

Zest of 1/2 lime

Zest of 1/2 orange

SHELL

1 1/2 cups (8 oz / 225 g) extra-fine bulgur (size 0)

1/2 small white onion, coarsely chopped

1 1/2 lb (700 g) skinless grouper fillet or other firm white fish, cut into chunks

1 tablespoon hot pepper paste (optional)

STUFFING

1 1/2 (700 g) skinless striped bass fillet or other flaky white fish cut into 1 inch (2 cm) pieces

Salt

1/2 cup (120 ml) vegetable oil

1/4 cup (60 ml) olive oil, plus more for oiling

2 medium white onions, diced

2 shallots, diced

1/2 cup (1 oz / 30 g) chopped cilantro, plus more to garnish

1 tablespoon pomegranate or grape molasses or citrus juice

1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice

1/2 cup (1 3/4 oz / 50 g) slivered almonds, toasted or fried, plus a few more to garnish

1/4 cup (1 1/2 oz / 40 g) pine nuts, toasted or fried

Directions:

Combine the spices and zest for the seasoning. Divide the mixture in half; half will be for your shell, and half for the stuffing.

Next, make the shell: Place the bulgur in a large bowl and add enough water to cover the bulgur by 1/4 inch (6 mm). Set aside until it absorbs the water, about 30 minutes.

Place the onions in the bowl of a food processor and process until very finely chopped. Remove and set aside. Place the grouper in the food processor and process to the consistency of a paste. In a large bowl, combine the onion, fish, and plumped bulgur. Mix in the hot pepper paste, and the spice-zest mixture you set aside for the shell.

Prepare a bowl of ice water. Dipping your hands in the ice water to prevent sticking, knead the mixture between your palms until it becomes dough-like. Cover and refrigerate.

Next, make the stuffing: Sprinkle 1/4 teaspoon of the spice mixture onto the fish with a small pinch of salt. Heat the vegetable oil in a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan over high heat. Fry the fish in batches, gently turning occasionally, until lightly browned on all sides, approximately 8 minutes. Transfer the cooked fish to a plate lined with paper towels.

Pour out the vegetable oil. In the same pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Saute the onions and shallots, stirring, until they are translucent and lightly browned, about 15 minutes. Add the cilantro and cook, stirring, for 2 to 3 more minutes. Add the fried fish, molasses, lemon juice, toasted nuts, and remaining spice mixture. Stir well, remove from the heat, and taste, adding salt, if needed. Allow to cool to room temperature.

Preheat the oven to 350F (180C). Coat a 13 inch by 9 inch (33 cm by 23 cm) glass or ceramic oven fish with 1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil. Remove the shell from the refrigerator and divide into halves. Use one batch to evenly line the bottom and sides of the baking dish. Evenly spread the stuffing on top of the shell. Spread the remaining shell paste over the top, pressing it with cold damp hands to level and seal the edges. Use a knife to score just the top layer into portions. Additional designed can be carved into each portion (usually rectangles or triangles).

Bake until cooked through and golden brown, 30 to 40 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool for 15 minutes before serving, so the portions hold their shape. Garnish with chopped cilantro and almonds, if desired.

"Rawa Bishara is a chef and co-owner of Tanoreen restaurant in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn. She emigrated from her hometown in Nazareth to New York 40 years ago. She is the author of Olives, Lemons & Za'atar, published in 2014. Her second cookbook will be released in 2018."

[epithet-beloved]

GIOVANNI + READER WITH A BFRB

synopsis… Giovanni helps a you cope with your bfrb

ft. Giovanni Potage, the Boys(™)

tags… epithet erased, Giovanni is the CEO of mental health, supportive Giovanni, reader is one of Giovanni’s minions, reader has a bfrb, boy and dude used as gender neutral terms, can be read as romantic or platonic

word count… 611

a/n… This is literally just for me. I am the target audience. And for those not in the know, a BFRB is what’s known as a “body focused repetitive behavior”, such as skin picking or hair pulling. As someone who has one myself, I pretty much never see them represented in fandom content, so I decided to do it meself!! Enjoy!!! ✧ 🦄

𓆩ꨄ︎𓆪 We all know that Giovanni is a mental health KING.

𓆩ꨄ︎𓆪 So of course he is very considerate of any needs you may have!! Minions need proper love and care after all!

𓆩ꨄ︎𓆪 Gio is never afraid to admit when he doesn’t know something. In fact, he enjoys asking you about your wants and needs, and always listens fervently. What you want, what you don’t want….he takes it all into account when trying to help you out.

𓆩ꨄ︎𓆪 He even does research online! He has tons of pages bookmarked. Articles by psychiatrists, blog posts and videos by other people with similar experiences, he’s got it all!

𓆩ꨄ︎𓆪 If you allow it, he’d hold your hands to help you avoid picking or pulling. He never directly points out the behavior in case it makes you feel embarrassed, just asks if you wanna hold hands.

“Hey, wanna hold hands real quick? Boss’s orders!”

𓆩ꨄ︎𓆪 He also carries around fidget toys in case you need them. Honestly, you have no idea where he keeps them. He just seems to have an endless supply.

𓆩ꨄ︎𓆪 If you’re mindlessly picking or pulling, you are randomly handed a slow rising squishy shaped like a penguin while Giovanni is shooting you a goofy grin.

𓆩ꨄ︎𓆪 He also makes it a rule among the other minions not to treat you any differently because of your behavior, and to follow your boundaries. They all made a little list together of things to do to help you and also what not to do.

𓆩ꨄ︎𓆪 The Boys(™) are your support system, essentially. If you tend to engage in the behavior when spaced out, they’ll make sure to engage you in conversation and activities to keep you present. If it’s a nervous habit, they take notice of when you’re not doing so well and help remove you from the stressor.

“Everyone feeling okay?” Spike didn’t want to single you out, so she instead phrased it like she was checking on everyone.

Crusher, noticing your demeanor, would quickly pipe up. “I’m feeling a little overwhelmed,” he said, straight faced and stiff as a board. “Can we take a break somewhere?”

“Why certainly, Crusher! Thanks for speaking up!” You breathed a sigh of relief as you and the group moved to find somewhere quiet.

𓆩ꨄ︎𓆪 Giovanni would happily do skincare with you if it helps you feel better! Spa days with the boys where you wear face masks and paint each others’ nails are a staple. Nothing better than chilling with the boys and watching bad movies while your nails dry.

𓆩ꨄ︎𓆪 Insecurities? Prepare to kiss them goodbye. Giovanni is also a self confidence king, and is always there to hype you up. Scars, marks, acne, anything you may be insecure about, he assures you that it doesn’t diminish your worth even a bit! You don’t need to cover anything up to be beautiful, because you are a gorgeous boy (gender neutral) with nothing to be ashamed of!

𓆩ꨄ︎𓆪 If you like makeup, he’s great at doing yours in a way that flatters all your features. If you want cover up or stuff like that for marks or acne, he’ll let you put it on, but he never makes you feel like it’s necessary. He helps you do makeup in ways that enhance the beauty that already exists instead of hiding perceived imperfections.

“Dude, I just found this chart of how to do eyeliner based on your eye shape! Isn’t that so metal? I wanna try it on you!”

𓆩ꨄ︎𓆪 Tender moments where he traces any scars or marks, playing a little game of connect the dots. Even if you don’t always feel the best about yourself, he loves your skin and he loves you.

[the-epic-hiram-lows]

Archie time! I will do this even though the board itself was mysteriously removed from the post (should I re-upload it, or keep it as an esoteric limited edition item?) Haters are fuming. For extra context, you might want to see the boneless version, which shows the original photos without color edits but still cropped.

As always, commentary is L-R, top to bottom.

This idea came so easily and so vividly to me that I almost feel like I can't take credit for it. It took surprisingly little time to find a good font as well. As for the meaning of it, I think it's pretty much what it says on the literal tin. Archie is often bruised, literally and figuratively, throughout the series. More often than not, the situations that bruise him were never his situations in the first place. He has a huge martyr complex- both a cause and effect of his need for psychic bandages.

As I noted earlier in this series, I told myself that using photos of the actual source material was cheating. After breaking that rule with Jughead, I wanted to double down on this (which I successfully did on Veronica's, whose board I started before Archie's,) but had to fold here. Aside from the fact it is nearly impossible to find a photo that looks like these four, how do you Archie Andrews from Riverdale? You cannot do so meaningfully. I chose this specific photo for three reasons. Firstly, of course, that it fit the color palette. Secondly, it looks like a memory. Thirdly, the way Archie is breaking the fourth wall of the photo. He is present in the moment but acknowledging the people off-screen looking back. While this is textually more of a Jughead thing, Archie is Riverdale. This is a subtle representation of the thin veil between Riverdale the universe and Riverdale the product. Its increasingly meta nature. In terms of composition, I didn't crop faces out, which would normally be my instinct. It didn't feel right. Archie wouldn't obscure the faces of his friends. They are everything to him- one of the reasons the picture is in the center row.

I originally found this quote doing research for Veronica's board. I thought it was very interesting from an 'abusive father intentionally makes himself vital to child to feed his narcissism' type of way, but at second glance I read it as mournful. This was almost certainly what the creator intended, but the context in which I found it confused my perspective. This is, of course, a tribute to Fred. A summary of Archie's psyche would be incomplete without one.

When I saw this pin, I thought 'Archie!' The original photo was lackluster, so I spent 2-3 hours photoshopping this pin onto a Riverdale varsity jacket. I eventually reached photorealism, where someone would easily accept there is a pin on that jacket, but at that point it didn't catch the eye. I had to sacrifice some realism for the sake of the mood board. After another hour or so, it is exactly Fine. In the end, nobody mentioned the jacket either way. Maybe that means I did a good enough job that no one consciously noticed it. Maybe it means I did all that for nothing. Who's to say? Either way, this pin is a bit off when you consider my intentions of representing Archie's psyche. This is something Archie hears, but doesn't say. I kind of justified it to myself by saying he would wear this as a way to laugh at those who think he is a fawn who should stay out of danger, but... I don't know. Maybe the fourth wall gets one panel as a treat? The more I think about it, the more I think I wasted that photoshop time on something that betrays my thesis statement.

Not my best work!

Firstly, let's call it like it is- this is, for the most part, a filler image. However, within that, I did have reasoning! Though it isn't ever alluded to through dialogue or camera work, Archie does have quite the thing for Converses. He often wears them throughout the series, and seems to have a good amount of variety in his collection. But, beyond that, Converses have been a staple of the American teen for generations. Archie, as we often state, is a representation of Americana. Though Converses are often seen in modernish counter culture, they also have a sincere athletic-but-not-an-athlete charm.

The first image I had for Archie, saved days (even weeks) before I committed to making a mood board for him. This is, again, less about his brain and more about him as an abstract. I will kick myself about that later. Actually, pretend I never stated this was supposed to be a psychological study. Pretend I said it was mostly focused on his psyche, but not entirely. Thanks. Anyway, this is embodies season one Archie. Pre-pilot Archie, even. Considering the fact Archie turned 16 during his affair with Grundy, the text stings even more.

Nothing I say about this picture will be as well-worded as @hauntingattheblackberrypatch's brilliantly apt observations on it, but nevertheless I persist. I immediately fell in love with the symbolism. In so many ways, and for some many reasons, Archie fights with his heart. When we examine physical fights Archie gets in, they are often matters of the heart. He is never violent without deeply emotional violation. He often uses his physicality on someone else's behalf- his way of showing he cares. Instead of a sleeve, Archie wears his heart on his boxing glove. There are probably dozens of layers to this sentiment that range from the fully literal interpretation I gave to an entirely psychological one, several steps removed from Archie's conscious thoughts. I think the visual provides enough for the viewer to pick and choose their metaphors, and they would probably be correct in their interpretation. If you saw the boneless board, you might have noticed I swapped the background of this photo. The plain background made me focus too much on the first and not enough on the heart, so to speak. It felt too cold. I wanted warmth, texture, and sentiment. I went with a photo of yellow flowers. Though they don't really read as flowers, the effect is there.

A view from inside the diner. Another fond memory. Or, if you choose, a stock photo chosen for its generic Americana charm. (It's both.)

Broad notes now! Like I said in the original post, I did this board instead of sleeping. I finished it about five minutes before my alarm went off and I had to get out of bed.

I wasn't 100% positive about the color scheme I'd end up with going in, but I knew I wanted Americana and primary colors, and I knew Archie's board would be less muted. I wanted it to feel like nostalgia in its least cynical form.

[ninja-guy-yo]

I'd be more okay with Crystalized being the ending of the ninjas' time as the protagonists if it wrapped up their stories better.

Lloyd's arc about reconciling with Garmadon and unlocking his Oni Form amounted to:

Garmadon having a temper tantrum over Lloyd saying he trusts him too hesitantly ("Can we please discuss this after we defeat the Overlord??" There is no after, this is it)

Garmadon faking his death to make Lloyd go Oni out of rage and grief, only for that to fail because even after warming up to his father and realizing he's not inherently evil for being an Oni, he's still afraid of becoming anything like him

Lloyd yelling at him for faking his death and wasting his time on an arc that went nowhere and didn't contribute to the ending

Them smiling at each other as Garmadon passes him a plank of wood, as the second-to-last characters ever seen in the show

There's mixed signals after they bond in the sewers, even though they're supposed to be on good terms at the end. Is this just what their dynamic is going to be if Garmadon ever shows up again? They care about each other but they constantly argue because their personalities clash, like the movie?

(I saw a post the other day about how this was Lloyd amicably cutting Garmadon out of his life as a toxic influence and I don't.. understand how that's what they took away from this? Scenes like that final one represent the beginning of a relationship, or rebuilding one, not the end. They're literally rebuilding their home. Maybe I didn't read it right...? I wish I was watching the show that fans make it sound like in analyses. It's better than the actual thing)

I wish I had anywhere near as much to say about each of the original four ninja, but they barely had anything to do individually. As soon as Nya's back, any arc Kai and Jay could have had was done. Not because they learned to move on from their grief and overcome their differences, but because they no longer had a reason to be sad. Instead of her brother and boyfriend, Zane is the one to learn about the benefit of grief, but again, because Nya's already back he doesn't have to deal with it when he turns his emotions back on. Zane's time as the Ice Emperor was used as a gag, and him having any issues with it at all was relegated to a book. Cole

The ninja were all crystalized and none of them, technically not even Lloyd, intentionally contributed to the Overlord's final defeat. They destroyed the Golden Weapons because they thought they were about to lose anyway, and Lloyd failed to complete what his arc throughout the season was building up to. It's pure luck that the GWs and the ninjas' powers could transform into a dragon to save Lloyd and destroy the Overlord, and wasn't foreshadowed as a possibility until it happened.

Nya returns through her own willpower, which is great, because even though it undoes her sacrifice in Seabound, she had agency in it instead of the guys making the choice for her! And then she's sidelined for the rest of the season, her powers return, and any consequences from her departure are undone. She doesn't even get to participate in the final battle on the same level as the other ninja. I never wanted or expected her to be gone, but in hindsight, what was the point of her sacrifice or return if she wouldn't have a role in the ending?

Ultimately, the six ninja and Master Wu are staples of the evergreen LEGO Ninjago franchise and removing any of them permanently isn't an option, no matter how many times it's teased. They must've had no idea Crystalized would be the final season when they wrote her sacrifice, so they had to get her return out of the way as quickly as possible to get everything back to normal before the actual arc of the season began. Which just contributes to so much of the season feeling like wasted time, because the prison arc happens as a result of that..

Instead of stories that serve as the characters' and the original Ninjago's swan song, they just did whatever random shenanigans to fill up space, and then ran out of time for the stuff that actually mattered. We know they'll all still be around in Dragons Rising, but with Doc's heavy emphasis on it being a completely new show that you can start without watching Ninjago, I doubt it'll be continuing any plot thread from it, at least not for a while. It isn't like SotFS was, where it's just the old show continuing with a new name and still heavily dependent on the past decade of lore. This is a new show with a new world and new main characters, even if the old ninja are still there to some degree. It's Ninjago: Dragons Rising Season 1, not Ninjago Season 16/17: Dragons Rising

[phtalogreenpoison]

In which I interrupt my Reynie posting to tear the Ten Men into shreds

First, I will go through the ten items in the briefcase (based on my memory of the puzzle book I fixated on once like seven years ago) and very helpful notes from @mvshortcut, and then I will get into other weapons and general aesthetic.

whip like neckties – to represent a tie (haha) to the overseer/manager role and how this is inherently tied to the white supremacist ultra capitalist patriarchal system, especially through a supposedly objective lens (and a definitely Western one too)

sedative handkerchiefs – to represent lulling people into complacency with the system

razor sharp pencils – to deter competition by tearing their opposition to shreds verbally

laser pointers – to represent using technology that may or may not be made to help and then turning it around and using it against people

poisonous chewing gum - to represent the few perks given to people who have to participate in hustle culture either in the office or “fun” things

staple removers – to represent removing enforcing teeth from some actually good project by seemingly helping but actually by force if you look even a bit closer

paper clip chains – to represent the chains of piecemeal bureaucracy that delays action and justice for years

calculator bombs – to represent technology without safeties to satisfy greed

business cards – to represent how insidious and seemingly needed unregulated capitalism (which could include a kind of honeytrap)

letter openers - to represent the systematic tearing down of work of people from historically disadvantaged groups, or perhaps to weaponize the anticipation of waiting for their approval or lack thereof

Now for the other weapons:

the shock wristwatches – that represent using shock factor over one incident to distract from larger problems over time

clipboard boomerangs – to represent how checking boxes can be used to deter action for needed justice

cigar box – to represent toxic masculinity in the office, especially with sexual harassment

evil tooth – to represent a gluttony of sorts for power wealth and lording it over others through unfair means

dagger shoes – to represent stabbing people who keep trying to climb up the ladder from the ground down

Plus there is also the fact that the main Ten Men (I'm thinking of McCracken in particular) are depicted as white, and how this in and of itself excuses so much of their actions to society because it ties into white collar crime as well as getting a slap on the wrist because surely they seem like upstanding members of society? And then there is the Katz brothers being described as blond and blue eyed, which could be a reference to conservative fascist corporate influence, and their handsome sharpness is considered the ideal, as opposed to say another blond like Milligan (who is much more scruffy and is in the metaphorical dirt of allyship, at least in my headcanons). As a final note, these are all my interpretations and a slight rant, but I appreciate how this series makes you think, and you can read it and reread it at different levels and layers as you grow up.

[tiredgamergirl]

In the wake of the Russian invasion, the Ukraine-based Frogwares decided to go for a project that could be quickly archived despite all the hardships and landed in remaking one of their earlier adventures. Few things are as universal as the feeling of fear; it transcends anything known to mankind, from culture to time. A timeless sensation that once it latches on it might never let go, always creeping into the corners of one’s mind even when far removed. So, what would happen when the world’s greatest detective is faced with horrors beyond human comprehension? Everything starts with Holmes’ restless mind craving for excitement, seeing conspiracies even in something trivial as a missing newspaper, so when Watson offers a case from one of his patients everything unfolds in something far greater and more macabre than Sherlock could ever have hoped for.

The Awakened is a full reimagination of the original title: it was a very important point in Holmes’ and Watson’s relationship, strengthening the bond between the two flatmates and proving their friendship with each other, so it was a logical pick to continue the groundwork set by Sherlock Holmes Chapter One: a vulnerable Sherlock, still recovering from the traumatic events from Cordona and the horrors he learned there, someone who struggled in finding a companion to the point of creating an imaginary friend in the past and the hauntings of a history of mental problems still hovering in his mind. This remake makes a point of putting this young version of the world’s famous detective to test, pushing him to his breaking point. Will his unrelenting thirst for the truth be his demise?

Despite the Eldritch horrors, this game leans more to the unnerving and disturbing, with hints of horrors both man-made and from beyond than any jump scares or anything truly “horror” like in Paranormasight or any other horror title. It is all about building the tension, witnessing Holmes fearing for his sanity and Watson trying his absolute best to prevent his friend from falling into the abyss. However, the game can be especially gory and presents subjects that are aimed at a more mature audience. A step above the previous game, but nothing on the gratuitous side of things.

Building on the engine from Chapter One, it is a wonderful mesh of the systems from Crimes and Punishments and the previous open-world formula. Like in Crimes, the game is divided into chapters for easier replay, and each one of them has a slice of an open world that is free-roaming. Each area has at least one smaller side-quest sprinkled in, roughly the same nature as the smaller cases from Chapter One, and can be missed, not necessary to continue with the main plot. For example, when in London after solving the mystery of the missing newspaper and being introduced to the client, Holmes can track down a series of dolls and learn more about the children they represent. Or at the London Pier, the area from the second chapter that has the most cases, you can learn about another missing person or about a doctor making untested medicine.  They are all quick and simpler tasks that can be solved quickly and make the world more immersive, a sensation of “lived in” and more ramifications for Holmes’ actions.

The old observation mechanics are all accounted for and reimagining the scene has a very welcomed update: now the wrong scene will turn red after validating, making it much simpler to figure out what happened and more evidence collected during the investigation will also add more options.

The pinning of the evidence is still there, but it is far more forgiving and smarter than in Chapter One and far less frustrating. And again the Mind Palace makes a comeback and it is one of the most pleasing, graphically speaking. Whenever the player is stuck it can be worth checking if there is evidence to be pinned or if there is a reasoning that should be reached in the Mind Palace, that still can be somewhat brute-forced but it is a staple of the series by this point.

The system of researching for information has been streamlined for the best: once you acquire a book about what you want to research it is easily accessible from the casebook instead of having to travel to a location like in the previous titles. Moreover, once again, the lock-picking minigame changed. There is no chemical analysis and the previous gimmick of having to wear disguises to get information isn’t present, nor is the fighting system (thankfully). All the excessive mechanics were removed for leaner gameplay, providing much better pacing.

The puzzles are mostly logical, just requiring some observation and re-reading of the information provided at points. It is clear that The Awakened removed a few of the old moon logic puzzles from the original era and replaced them with more modern ones or reserved the more abstract ones for the “another realm” segments. The only moment that can hold the player was the swamp in chapter six, a rather disorienting area that depending on someone’s sense of direction and paying attention to the hard-to-see visual cues can take longer than it should.

Watson is also playable during certain points of the game, in fact, there is one entire chapter in that the player won’t control Sherlock. It is always refreshing to see John having his own agency and personality, with some very emotional moments with him. Gameplay-wise he uses what he learned with Sherlock although he lacks the concentration ability. Perhaps in a future title, we might see more unique abilities, but his wit and steadfast loyalty towards his friend is a nice balance.

This game is stunning, with the attention to detail always leaving an impression. With the passage of the story we can see how it affects Sherlock, his beard starts to grow and there are marks under his eyes. By the end of the adventure both protagonists are clearly tired and depleted, moved by sheer willpower despite the fear. The fact the game was built in contained environments meant that every detail could have the attention to be better crafted and the gore can be very gruesome at points. The one thing that can be a little distracting is how bad the lip-sync is. Frogwares titles often suffer with the facial animations, sometimes leaning to the uncanny specially if you pay too much attention to the eyes of some secondary characters.

In the end, The Awakened still invites the player to draw their own conclusions: there was something really supernatural at play? What was real and what could have been a delusion? It might have the influences of the Cthulhu mythos and some references but there is no need to be a specialist and can be fully appreciated even without knowing a single thing about H.P. Lovecraft. In fact, the writing made a good job merging both worlds that one could argue coming in blind can be even scarier. It is an amazing title that will keep the player on their toes every moment, a must-play for any mystery fan.

Tʀɪɢɢᴇʀ Wᴀʀɴɪɴɢs

Gore (death bodies)

Prejudice (class, racial, religion, gender discrimination, sexual discrimination)

Slavery (historical)

Suicide

Violence against minors

[skippyv20]

Hello dear Skippy. I hope this finds you and yours well.

A really positive piece of news about my dear brother in Spain. He has had all stiches and staples removed from his surgical wounds, and is healing well. Next week he and his partner have a meeting scheduled with the Doctor, rehab team and social services representative to discuss starting the discharge planning process ! The team will assess the support needed, and available, which will include adaptations, equipment and support by carers. Also on going out patient rehab will be required to improve my brothers strength stamina, confidence etc. It is a miracle Skippy. I look back at how desperately ill my brother was in December last year, (the medics warned he was unlikely to survive the night) and I know that it is through Gods love and healing light, with the power of prayer and love and such wonderful support from yourself and this amazing community, that I am able to share this uplifting news today. I am so very grateful. May I ask, please can my brother remain on your prayer list until he is settled back at home ?

With love, thanks and huge gratitude to you, God Bless you. xxxxx

Hi! This is so wonderful! Yes, prayers answered. He has had such trials. You are a very devoted, loving sister. You are blessed to have each other….yes, we will keep him on our prayer list until he gets home, of course. Love and hugs to you! God Bless you and your brother!🙏🏻❤️

[jedimastre-archive]

The Open Circle Fleet, also known as the Open Circle Armada, was an armada in the Galactic Republic’s Navy most prominently lead by High Jedi General Obi-Wan Kenobi and has a major task force lead by Jedi General Anakin Skywalker. Most notable gathering appearances are during the Outer Rim Sieges however they can be found throughout the Clone Wars timeline. By the end of the Clone Wars, the armada had grown to include at least five Republic fleets, including the Fourth and Fifth Fleet.

The distinctive red and yellow emblem can be seen on all Open Circle Armada ships. The yellow circle is formed by two separate semi-circle arcs, one arc representing Obi-Wan Kenobi and the other, Anakin Skywalker. Signifying that while they were both two independent halves, together forming a single entity. Two halves of a whole warrior. 

Jedi such as Obi-Wan Kenobi carry the emblem of the Open Circle Armada as an indicator of his command of the fleet. Even late into the Clone Wars after Jedi began shedding their distinctive modified Clone Armor. Arm guards remained as the last staple to indicate the Jedi's unity with their clone forces.

( It was decided late in the Clone Wars, due to a negative opinions, that the Jedi would start removing their protective armor in favor for their traditional robes seen prior to the war. Hoping to separate the Jedi Order from the Military at large. However this only added to the claims against the Jedi that they were plotting to overthrow the Republic Senate and take over. )

The Armada consists of several units, more predominantly the unit overseen by Anakin Skywalker, who’s task force itself consisted of three Venator-class Star Destroyers including his flagship, and two Arquitens-class light cruisers ( also known as escort ships ).

Other officers were also assigned to the Open Circle Fleet such as Jedi General’s Adi Gallia, Eeth Koth, Ki-Adi-Mundi, Luminara Unduli and Yoda. These designations were given by the Republic Military in order to maintain chain of command and order.

Notable Flagships:

Negotiator

Endurance

Renown

Resolute

Ro-ti-Mundi

Steadfast

Swift Return

Tranquility

Tribunal

Triumphant

Vigilance

Medical Frigate 517

At the end of the Clone Wars, most ships were converted to the standard grey coloring that is most recognized as the Galactic Empire.

[shabby-alonso]

part 2 of this

A Scattered Moment

OG2, K2

The end of Y2 finds us high over the city, in the snow, facing down for one final time none other than our first rival dragon - Goda Ryuji. Rather than the energetic and grinding guitars heard throughout the rest of the soundtrack, we are met with a solo piano. Rhythmically, A Scattered Moment fits in well with the rest of the game's soundtrack with clusters of chords in syncopation, but otherwise it stands out completely. 45s in, we hear dragon calls and the occasional percussion followed by sustained strings at 1m30s. To explain the musical dragon call, it’s expressed as a sustained high note rising in pitch before broadening as if in a roar. I’ve seen people describe this motif as a siren, or half a siren, but it reads quite clearly to me as a representation of the dragon call. This motif is heard throughout various tracks in all the games, but it is most notable for the first time at this point between Kiryu and Ryuji. Ryuji isn't just the loud, brash persona here; much like with Nishikiyama, he's stripped down and the fight is personal.

The opening piano gives us setting and motive. You can almost hear the cold and feel the snow start to fall as the piano melody rises and falls. Two dragons locked in combat high up in the sky overlooking Kamurocho. The Hills itself representing not only a symbol of oncoming change, but of loneliness. Ryuji is, in a lot of ways, quite lonely. Surrounded by compatriots and hangers-on, but yearning for the family he lost. As the track comes to a close, the piano falters, falling out of rhythm like a heart palpitation and slowly crawling to a resolution. We can look at the ending two ways, either Ryuji falls and dies with the music, or he stutters towards a new beginning.

K2 takes a similar approach to K1 in terms of "updating" the soundtrack. The texture here is much thicker with strings present throughout and the piano nearly drowned out by the accompaniment. Strings and percussion begin the track before allowing a few moments of solo piano before bringing in the whole orchestra. Like K1, I believe this was done to give a more "cinematic" feel as well as a grander sort of look at what we can do now with a bigger budget and a bigger orchestra. Also much like K1, however, I think this is to the detriment of what the song originally represented.

It no longer feels lonely and cold, but grandiose and almost self-important. Perhaps it is a more dynamic and exciting sound, but in that it seems to imply that Ryuji really is only as he seems. The dragon calls have also been removed and the piano never stutters. Ryuji doesn't fall musically at all; it all simply resolves nicely and prettily.

Fly

Y3

Y3 presents us with our most complex final boss theme so far, and our first planned for dynamic intro. The dynamic intro has since become a staple of the series visually, something countless fans look forward to, compare, and even swap out the original tracks for other songs in some strange competition of who can make this each scene look “cooler.” The addition of the intro changes how the theme is presented in-game and more greatly differentiates it from its soundtrack equivalent.

In order to accommodate for the dynamic intro, a short string version of the one of the main motifs of the theme is used while the characters are talking that segues into the theme as it appears on the soundtrack with the next cut. So far, the discussed themes have been fairly simple in terms of construction with two main sections, A and B. Fly, on the other hand, clocks in at arguably 4. Although, we could argue a bit in either direction, as none of the sections in Fly repeat perfectly – only in variation. To spare too much of a play-by-play, the ostinato bass of the opening section creeps in and vamps until the freeze frame of the intro ends as Kiryu and Mine’s feet hit the ground with the entrance of the rest of the instrumentation. What follows next is the fight, with the theme looping as need be, until the end where it switches to a music box version as Mine falls into Kiryu and onto the ground.

In very short, Fly is a meltdown. Each section builds on the last, never repeating with only a few moments of comedown until it finally crashes, adrenaline spent.

Mine’s mental state is reflected more specifically in the music as well through the use of guitars and a modified dragon call motif. The guitar solo is the most clear example, coming in at about 2m40s breaking over the accompaniment with an urgency unlike the previous sections and a turmoil that never resolves – merely being cut off at its emotional height. The modified dragon call, kirin call if you will, comes up throughout the theme much more even than dragon calls in the earlier themes. Unlike the others, the sound is different; Kiryu is nowhere to be found here.

Where previous dragon calls seem to roar, ending on a high note, the kirin calls switch between manic and mournful. At around 56s we hear the first of the more manic variety, short and open, roaring much like the dragon calls but not as sustained. At around 1m25s the second even more manic variety sounds, nearly a laugh. The more mournful kind can be heard clearly around 2m40s, crying out plaintively (and the first such call in the series to move downwards in pitch). These motifs can be heard throughout the rest of the track, but those are a few notable examples to listen for. In fact, one mournful call sounds only a few seconds into the in-game introduction behind the strings and piano.

It’s clear even just audibly that Mine is at his limit emotionally, moved past coherent thought by the weight of his grief and his shaky attempts to convince himself he can take control of the situation and right himself. At times, two guitars in concert take over the melody, signalling a moment of internal unity before returning to the duel between his will to rationalize and the chaos of his emotional state as the two guitars diverge again. The ending music box variation signals not just the end of the outburst but, in narrowing everything we just heard over the course of the battle down to one instrument, a moment of unity – a mind resolved.

[alphaannapurnabasecamp]

Culture Of Nepal

Nepal is a land-located country between India and China. It is well known for the majestic Himalayan mountain ranges and the deep valleys that shape the landscape. Nepalese people are generally patient and calm. Here you can see many different religions and cultures people live together. Most of Nepal's culture is rooted in tradition and religion. Nepalese are proud that their country has never been ruled. The Gurkhas (Nepalese army) continue to be highly admired for their work. The people of Nepal understand the value and beauty of their land.

Customs and Traditions

Nepalese Customs and Traditions differ from one part of Nepal to another. Nepalese people have their own customs and traditions, each with its own merits. Most of them are Hindus and Buddhists. Many of these traditions come from Hinduism, Buddhism, or other traditions. Among them, marriage law is particularly interesting. Traditional marriages require the parents to agree. Cow slaughter is illegal in Nepal. The cow is considered the universal mother, representing motherhood, and worship it. Before entering a temple or a house, you are often asked to remove your shoes, so as not to pollute the clean room with your shoes. Some non-Hindu temples are prohibited. The right hand, which is considered pure, is used to eat, pay, give, and receive.

Festivals

Nepal's diverse culture is reflected in many of its events. Nepalese people celebrate so many festivals but the major festivals of Nepal are Dashain and Tihar. Dashain is one of the most anticipated festivals of the year and Nepalese Hindus celebrate it with great joy for 15 days in the month of Ashvin (September-October). Tihar is another big festival that is celebrated for five days. Apart from decorating the house with diyo, animals like cows, dogs, and crows are also worshiped at this festival.

Nepali Dance and Music

Music and Dance is also an important part of Nepali culture. Nepal is rich in traditional and classical music. According to Hindu mythology, Shiva, who is the god of dance in his Nataraja form, used to perform the Tandava dance in the Himalayas. Different cities have their own dance style that they perform in different festivals, fairs, and family time. Like dancing, Nepali music is also divided by the community: Tamangs, Gurungs, Sherpas, Maithilis, Newars, Kirats, Magars, and Tharus each have their own songs and dancing styles. Musical instruments like Madal, Dhimey, Panchai Baja, and Sarangi are the traditional musical instruments of Nepal.

Architecture of Nepal

Nepalese architecture is characterized by two main styles: the pagoda style with many revolving stalls and the domed stupa style.

The Pashupatinath Temple in Kathmandu, which attracts many tourists, is one of the oldest examples of the pagoda style in the world, built in the first century AD. A Nepalese architect named Araniko was the first to introduce pagoda-style architecture to China. Other examples of this style include Basantpur Palace and Changu Narayan Temple. Boudhanath and Swayambhunath stupas are beautiful examples of stupa architecture. The Shikhara type is another important type of architecture it consists of a high tower in the form of a mountain with carvings in stone or wood. The Krishna Temple in Patan is an example of this type of architecture. In addition to these, the Newa style, derived from the Newar is also can be seen.

Food of Nepal

Nepalese cuisine is heavily influenced by Indian, Tibetan, and Chinese cuisine. Dal, Bhat, and Tarkari is the staple food of all Nepalese regardless of ethnicity. Bhat means rice, dal means lentils, and tarkari means vegetable curry. Apart from this, there are different types of food that are eaten by different tribes and regions. For example, people living in the highlands can replace rice with other grains such as wheat, corn, millet, corn, or barley.

Traditional Clothes

The traditional clothes of Nepal are Daura-Surul and Dhaka Topi for men and Gunyo-Cholo for women. Traditional clothes are different from the caste and culture. People of different cultures wore their own cultural dress at festivals and marriage functions.

Religion

In Nepal, most of the people are Hindus. The census shows that 81.3% of the people follow the Hindu religion, 9% people follow Buddhists, 4.4% Muslims, 3% Kiratis ( the religion of some natives of the Himalayas) tribal), 1.4% Christians, and the remaining 0.9% are Jains, Sikhs, and some people who do not follow any religion. There are places of worship for all religions in the country and all religions celebrate their own festivals. There is great harmony and cooperation between the Hindu and Buddhist communities in Nepal as they share places of worship and celebrate together. Lumbini in Nepal is actually the birthplace of Lord Buddha, so it is a holy place for Hindus and Buddhists.

Language

Nepali is the national language of Nepal, it is actually a multilingual country, with each ethnic group communicating in their own language. As many as 123 languages ​​are spoken in Nepal, the most spoken of which are Nepali, Newari, Maithili, Bhojpuri, Tharu, and Tamang. The Nepali language is written in the Devanagari language and actually evolved from the ancient Sanskrit language.

Handicrafts Arts

Variety of products including metalware, pottery, textiles, wood and stone handicrafts, paper, bone, horn, leather, bamboo, etc. The list seems endless, which means you will never run out of products to buy in Nepal. Although some of these objects, such as metal images of gods and goddesses, religious objects such as bells and vajras, wooden carvings, and silver ornaments, have been made since the beginning of civilization. Among textiles, it is useful to know Pashmina and clothes of yak wool. Nepalese artisans have received respect and admiration for their work from people around the world.