#we need more art of people with mobility aids having fun

[cripplecharacters]

Mods

[large text: Mods]

Sasza

[Large Text: Sasza]

Hi! My name is Sasza and I use he/him pronouns. I am a disabled artist who loves to write and draw characters like me! I am autistic, (mildly) intellectually disabled and have several physical conditions including-but-not-limited-to dyspraxia, severe hyperkyphosis, cranial nerve diseases (causing double vision, chronic pain and a facial difference among other things), and hypermobile joints. Sometimes I use a cane. I'm very passionate about accessibility and disability representation in all kinds of media - books, comics, video games, and any other kind of art that's out there!

Bert

[Large Text: Bert]

Hello! I'm Bert (previously Mason), and I use he/they pronouns. I am a writer who loves to write plays and fiction with characters like me and my friends. I am autistic and have ADHD, I have psychotic PTSD and a DID system. Physical health-wise I have migraines, fibromyalgia, and a lateral lisp. I love talking about representation and ways we can make a kinder and more inclusive space everywhere we go.

Sparrow

[large text: Sparrow]

Hi, I’m sparrow, they/he for me. I’m a disabled artist who makes a lot of disabled characters like myself and probably like a quarter of the world. I have autism and ADHD, among other brain things, as well as chronic pain in both my jaw and my knee and ankle. I also have POTS and some sort of sleep disorder. I am a sometimes cane user as well. I really enjoy research and thoughtful art that makes people feel seen. Aside from that, I am a huge fan of historical fiction and really enjoy fantasy as well.

Rot

[Large text: Rot]

My name is Rot, I use all pronouns including neo pronouns as well as any rot and insect themed nounself pronouns. I’m an artist who loves putting disability in my stories. I’m mostly undiagnosed due to medical neglect and have chronic fatigue, hypersomnia & chronic pain that ranges from mild to debilitating. My known disabilities are pots, ganglion cysts, nerve damage, tics, autism (level unknown), asthma, GERD, anxiety and psychosis. I have a metal implant, use a cane and am mostly verbal and use aac infrequently. I have experience with temporary palsy, needing carers (family members who stepped up, not hired carers) and being in a wheelchair, though I currently don't have any of those.

Virus

[Large Text: Virus]

Hello! I go by Virus and I use She/Her but anyone can use any pronouns for me, have fun with it. I'm a writer—mostly fanfiction—who has been in fandom very long and used to be a classical musician. I have Hypermobile Ehler Danlos Syndrome along with it's fun co-morbidities (MCAS, POTS, Gastroparesis, Fibromyalgia, and Von Willebrandes). I also have Pan-Hypopituitarism which is the following: Adrenal Insufficiency, Hypothyroidism, Diabetes Insipidus, Precocious Puberty, Growth Hormone Deficiency, Hyperprolactinemia/galactorrhea, as well as High Estrogen and Testosterone issues. I have Pituitary Dwarfism/Proportional Dwarfism, Myoclonic Epilepsy, and a Speech Disorder. I used to have a Port-a-cath, Picc-Lines, and a feeding tube, amongst many other things. Phew, now that that's over. I love every art form with a favour towards music, writing and the fiber arts. I love seeing representation no matter how big or small especially in medias that rep is often glossed over!

Rock

[Large Text: Rock]

Hi! I am Rock; any pronouns are okay. I am a writer, mainly of sci-fi and fantasy, and I love adding all sorts of disabled characters. I am hard of hearing (mild-moderate bilateral hearing loss) and have profound auditory processing disorder. I have scoliosis, POTS, and lower-body muscle weakness so I am a full-time mobility aid user. I am also intersex; I have several hormone deficiencies among other conditions as a result of my intersex variation. I am excited to join the mod team!

Aaron

[Large Text: Aaron]

Hey, I'm Aaron, he/him. I'm a writer of fantasy, science fiction, dystopia, utopia, and historical, and I like writing incorporating casts of disabled characters into all of them and reworking magic, technology, and science to accommodate them. I have a TBI, a lot wrong with my speech, cognitive issues, slight developmental disability, myofascial pain syndrome, medium support needs autistic but fully verbal, OCD, multiple types of anxiety, PTSD, depression, severe ADHD, dyslexia, dysgraphia, articulatory initiation anomia, medically significant migraines, a chronic headache, chronic pain, and chronic fatigue. I'm also visibly disabled (one of those people who looks autistic) and transmasc. And I can't wait to see what amazing things you guys come u with.

Zohar

[Large Text: Zohar]

Hello everyone! I'm a new mod, and you can call me Zohar. I'm a writer of fantasy and sci-fi for the most part, and definitely prioritize disability, LGBT, and Indigenous representation in my work. I am Blind with a form of Albinism/strabismus/ptosis, along with some hearing loss. I am intersex/transgender with mixed gonadal dysgenesis (XO/XY Turner Syndrome) that goes hand in hand with GHD/pituitary dwarfism and affects my skeletal and hormonal health. I also have POTS and complex DID caused by RAMCOA and am comfortable answering asks about that. He or She pronouns is fine with me. I can't wait to help out here!

Icarus

[Large Text: Icarus]

Hello all! My name is Icarus (He/Him). I'm a new mod here and a writer of original work (Primarily contemporary short fiction and cosmic horror) with some fanfiction on the side. I have been diagnosed with ADHD, autism, PTSD, Tourette's Syndrome along with several other mental and physical health conditions. I also had epilepsy, asthma, and a heart condition as a child but have since grown out of them. I am currently seeking a diagnosis for something causing a few different symptoms including chronic pain, mobility issues, sensitivity in my joints/bones, progressive vision loss (Currently to the point where I have very little to no peripheral vision), and dizziness/fainting episodes. I am a full time cane user at the advice of my physio. I am also a gay trans man and in full-time university studies.

Jess

[Large text: Jess]

Hey y'all! I'm Jess, and I use she/her. I'm 35, and I work full time behind the scenes in the grocery industry (in an office, designing shelf layouts!). I enjoy writing and reading slice-of-life stories mostly. I especially like exploring how certain magical elements can be parallels for disability. I also do art, including some 3D illusion chalk art. As for my disabilities: I have multiple sclerosis, and a few issues that have come from that, including severe permanent damage from optic neuritis. I was briefly 100% blind in my left eye, but a small amount of vision returned. The residual vision causes some hard-to-describe double vision, so I wear a completely opaque occlusive contact lens on my bad eye to help me see more clearly. I also had a period of time when I suffered from paroxysmal kinesigenic dyskinesia, a rare movement disorder. I also have a body-focused repetitive behavior disorder (dermatillomania) and visible scars from that. I'm looking forward to being helpful!

[internetgiraffekid1673]

Welcome back to "this idiot has a sleep schedule that's burning in a ditch somewhere, so she's succumbing to the brainrot and drawing all the Batfam members instead!" (Previous Installments linked below) Today, my very specific but mildly nonsensical order has finally gotten me to one of the ones who's been around the longest: Barbara Gordon, the baddest b**** in town!

Initial trace where I stylize some and do a kinda half-baked background. I put a lot more effort into this backdrop than normal since computers are kinda Barbara's whole thing, so I really needed the screens in there. Also, before anybody comes at me: Babs can wear a low cut shirt if she wants. Comic books can draw in her a low cut shirt if they want. YOU can draw in her a low cut shirt if you want. I just didn't want to draw her in a low cut shirt, so I didn't! We clear? Moving on:

I drew her as Oracle. I know mainline DC comics has her back to being Batgirl again, but she's always Oracle in my head. As sexist and poorly planned as The Killing Joke may have been, I think her being in a wheelchair and being a super cool kick-butt hero anyway is very important to her character and gave her a lot of growth and development. And there are a bunch of other characters that could gain a lot from being Batgirl and/or are better suited to the Batgirl role at this point. Also, the Batfamily is a disorganized mess, they need someone like her around.

Favorite thing about drawing Oracle is definitely her glasses. I love drawing them mostly filled in so she looks extra scary!

Freehanded version where I stylize using my trace as a reference. And yeah, I put this one on a dark background cuz I could! Babs breaks all the rules of conventional heroism, and she's breaking all the conventions of this art series! This whole project was a very good exercise for me in learning to draw a wheelchair and a character sitting in a wheelchair. I actually really really liked doing it. I had to google pictures of wheelchairs a few times, but this was much easier than most of the mechanical and non-organic stuff I try to draw. I need to draw more disabled characters, cuz this was really fun, and I would love to experiment with different models of wheelchairs and other types of mobility aids!

Characterization pose! Whoa, this is different from the rest of my Batfam drawings! A backdrop? In MY completely freehanded drawing? Yeah, like I said, Babs requires breaking all the rules. Since Oracle isn't a field hero and dresses the same as a civilian, I took a different approach than normal, and decided to draw her doing the things that make her Oracle: working with computers and being the scariest member of the Batfamily. I also drew my version of her "icon" that she uses if she needs to have some sort of face to communicate with people.

You can't tell cuz her clothes are loose, but I drew her super buff because she works a lot on both her arms and her legs to keep herself in shape and to keep her muscles from atrophying. Also, Barbara has like 6 different hairstyles that get jumped between with absolutely no regard for how that should work, so I took creative liberties. I mixed and matched, using her waves and relative length from Batgirl, the little side strands from one of the ponytail styles, and the bangs from the style pictured in my reference photo.

For once, the hero text isn't traced because every comics cover I could easily find has missed the opportunity to use the digital clock font for Oracle's name and I had to correct this absolute travesty.

Other Batfamily Members:

Nightwing Edition

Red Hood Edition

Robin (Carrie Kelley) Edition

Red Robin Edition

Spoiler Edition

Robin (Damian Wayne) Edition

Signal Edition

See ya in the next one, and see if you can guess who's next!

[alienaiver]

does any of my fellow writers or readers wanna vibe-read (and minor-minor beta read but thats not a requirement since im confident in my general grammar etc and vibe / general thoughts are more important) my sfw disabled/chronic pain reader insert shinsou fanfic of a fever dream? its currently standing at 30k ish and not even finished, so absolute no stress abt being a fast reader!!

bonus if ur disabled urself in some capacity and able to pick up on my presentation and whether or not i end up making it too vague instead of relatable! tho not at all a requirement! the disability/diagnosis will not be specified, but as i suffer from pots/heds/fibromyalgia myself, those will be the type of experiences i draw from(but dont limit it to). reader is also described as using mobility aids, but it is as a whole described under 'dynamic disability'.

short summary is chronic pain reporter!reader is shinsous self-proclaimed biggest fan, and has a fan twitter about him. they (accidentally) post horrendously ugly pictures of him (if zoomed in) which his friends always does and makes fun of in a groupchat. on a drunken night he dm's the twitter account and a blooming relationship ensues, a will-they-wont-they back and forth as reader learns to let someone in and shinsou learns that he is lovable and worthy. it has minor elements of chatfic and some homemade art included of the horrendous, zoomed-in shinsou faces.

its a slow burn (estimate is 8-9 chapters of ~5-7k words per chapter) with a gender neutral reader in a timeskip world that is semi-canon compliant up until the war. chapter 1 thru 5 are all finished, whereas ch6 is 90 ish percent finished and the last ones are drafted and completely planned, with in-between scenes written down as well.

if youre at all interested send me a dm or an ask and we can discord or google doc it out :3 i have literally zero expectations except u sharing ur own thoughts so no technical knowledge, personal writing experience or anything needed. ive been working on this for a year and i feel im staring at it blindly at this point so a fresh perspective would be nice i think!!! i also dont mind if multiple people wanna do this, since ill just receive more feedback!!

if youre not interested in reading but wanna help me get the word out, id appreciate a reblog but not required 🥺✨

[dandyshucks]

okay okay here we go - very messy off-the-cuff oc intro under the cut with some design sketches + doodles (IT'S KIND OF LONG):

random other doodle (another system member's self portrait i think? idk djfkdl) for the last pic there sorry fhdksl it was just a handy photo i had on hand that had almost the same dimensions for tumblrs cropping shenanigans (also that one emoji is there in the first pic bc i couldn't get that eye to cooperate fjkdkl)

anyhowdy uhhmm heres Theodor and Philby... Theodor uses he/she and Philby uses they/it and I'm literally just now realizing that they cover the main four bases wtf ... that was not intentional but it is funky and fun !! Theodor has a few nicknames like Teddy, Dory, Theo, etc, while Philby is is just Philby (their full name is Philbert but only their parents call them that LOL)

Theodor has a port wine stain birthmark on his left cheek ! and Philby potentially has rosacea but I'm still looking into that to make sure I'm not pulling any shitty moves if I'm going to have that be a part of their character. they (Philby) use mobility aids occasionally, generally just a cane, sometimes crutches, but they also have a wheelchair on hand for more difficult days.

Teddy is an interesting mix of very patient and loving while also sometimes cocky and impulsive, so he sometimes say things that are unintentionally hurtful or offensive (but is learning to apologize swiftly to help mend his mistakes). to people who don't know him well, he might come across as arrogant occasionally. he enjoys designing clothing items that Philby will often sew up for him, as well as experimenting with different coloured art mediums (pastels, paint, chalk, etc) and makeup (he is absolutely a skincare girlie fjfkdl). he comes from a family that's well-off (definitely upper class but not necessarily wealthy) so he's used to having money to throw around and doesn't quite fully grasp what it's like to be poor or working (or even middle) class, so there's some butting of heads there.

Philby comes from a working class family, not poor but definitely lower class lol. they have a fair amount of pride and can be kind of prickly, but they're extremely thoughtful and can be very kind and patient when they want to be. they're very practical and well-organized, and is integral to keeping things running smoothly in the household. they're very skilled with sewing and they also happen to be a good cartoonist! it takes a bit for them to warm up to new people, but they're usually just neutral and maybe a bit blunt with people they don't know well. if they dislike a person, they tend to have an attitude of "i don't want to waste any of my time on this person" and avoids the person rather than taking the time and energy to decide if they want to be pointedly rude or remain polite.

both of them are really good with kids in their own way! Philby likes being fun and clownish while Teddy prefers to be more of a comforting ... well... teddy bear sort of presence LOL. both of them are super patient w kids though, and they love to spend time helping out with kids when someone needs a babysitter! (why yes this is almost entirely just an excuse for me to think abt how they'd be so good with the kiddos in our system LMAO) if they ever ran a daycare or preschool together they'd be absolutely phenomenal at it, especially since they make up for what the other lacks in their approaches to interacting with children.

Theo prefers kitschy grandma-type aesthetics in both clothing and decor, while Philby enjoys a lot of bright colours and fun patterns that would fit more into "c.lowncore" and "k.idcore" aesthetics (with some occasional punk influences). Theo enjoys a lot of clothing that is maybe considered more feminine, while Philby just wears whatever is comfortable and brightly coloured, occasionally with some blacks to make the colours pop more!

they have a really interesting contrasting dynamic, Theo being a "gentle giant" while also being somewhat impulsive and more prone to hurting people accidentally with his words, and Philby being smaller in stature and more prickly but also much more thoughtful and careful with their words and actions.

also bonus funny thing: Theodor had a trad g.oth phase as a teen in highschool that lasted a couple years hehe

[danamuseum]

Museums and accessibility

Dana Golan Miller, 14 November 23

My grandmother, Stela Goldenberg, is 93 years old and has a deep love for classical music concerts, which evoke memories of her childhood in Poland before World War II. To honor her passion, and have fun with her, I make it a monthly ritual to accompany her to classical music performances held at the Philharmonic building in Tel Aviv. I am grateful for the amenities provided, such as elevators and special glasses for those who prefer to enjoy the music from a distance.

As I visit various museums, I am constantly reminded of my grandmother and the significance of ensuring accessibility for all. This awareness has become even more pronounced as I embark on planning a collaborative initiative for the families in the Israeli community. My considerations extend beyond the presence of elevators and convenient parking; I recognize that accessibility encompasses a broader spectrum of needs.

In addition to catering to the elderly or those with mobility challenges, it's crucial to consider individuals with autism or who fall within the spectrum. Knowing of a neighboring family with a son on the autism spectrum, I became acutely aware of the potential challenges they face. This realization was underscored when reflecting on the Planet Word museum, which features interactive exhibitions with lights and sounds that could be distressing for individuals with autism

However, my relief came when I discovered the detailed information on the museum's website, which, of course, had taken such considerations into account. It made me reflect on the numerous art exhibitions I've attended in the past, many of which were excessively loud or featured immersive interactive elements that failed to acknowledge the diverse experiences within the autism spectrum. While I may not have a specific example to share, I can confidently state that my awareness regarding autism has deepened. Now, when contemplating the needs of our neighbors and the families within the Israeli community, I am more attuned to the diverse realities associated with autism.

Planet Word museum website, accessibility, https://planetwordmuseum.org/accessibility/

I was glad to see that Planet Word is fully accessible to guests who use mobility aids.

A limited number of manually operated wheelchairs can be borrowed at the Welcome Desk on a first-come, first-served basis.

Guests with sensory sensitivities: according to the museum website:

"Planet Word has some exhibits that include loud noises and changing light levels. In order to make some of these “surprises” more predictable, we have created a sensory map to help prepare guests for their visit. Sensory maps will be available at the Welcome Desk in the Museum Lobby. To assist with the planning and preparation for your visit, a social narrative is available to help prepare children for their visit to Planet Word and who/what to expect once they arrive. Dedicated quiet spaces are available for visitors.

Sensory-friendly backpacks are available. Contents include sound-reducing headphones and a calming toy.  We also have a limited number of sound-reducing headphones. If a visitor is sensitive to sound or light, consider bringing light-reducing glasses. All items may be borrowed at the Welcome Desk on a first-come, first-served basis. Guests are required to leave a photo ID while using museum headphones".

I was impressed reading that on the museum website and I definitely will mention that, at the pre-visit, when working on my co-creating program.

Figure 1: Autism in Museums: Welcoming families and young people (https://kidsinmuseums.org.uk/resources/how-can-your-museum-better-welcome-families-and-young-people-with-autism/)

[aavega]

Dive into new releases video games and play with a team

Play the latest video games with a squad!

As modern games are getting introduced into the market abruptly, the technology is also becoming upgraded. In addition, the latest video games seem more engrossing, with outstanding graphics, visual and sound effects. 

Recent video games launched are quite captivating and exciting that gamers get easily attracted to them for a longer. Moreover, the hi-tech technologies and advancements shown in the newest video game systems have given another level of fun and enjoyment to game lovers.

Earlier, how interesting it was to play board games in a team to enjoy the endless fun. But now, in a world full of busy schedules and non-stop work pressure, people do not get proper time to get sit and play board games to revive those early days' enjoyment.

So, to unlock this missing entertainment, the video game industry has come up with something very innovative and fun-loving for gamers, and that is playing fantastic video games with a squad. In addition, like retro board games, we can now play video games on pc or gaming systems with a team of passionate players.

Team playing will make players more capable of knowing each other better to play games efficiently and give them the thrill of the next level. 

 

The most absorbing and latest video games

If we talk about the new releases video games, there are so many options running in the market that are capturing more space in the gaming world, such as games on steam deck or pc consoles. Furthermore, beneath are few exciting and out bursting games that can be loved by game lovers, let's draw quick attention to them;

Fortnite: It is a very lavishing and interesting game devoid of any age group to play and enjoy. In this game, you need to prepare shelter, save yourself from other players, put up a weapon and stay stand till last to win the game. If you go for a team to make and then play this fantastic game, then you should play in a squad and propel to win.

Gartic.io: If you are chasing a game just for fun with your teammates, then this Gartic.io is an actual Pictionary game available as free to play and go for an extreme level of enjoyment. 

Starcraft2: Maybe it sounds simple, but it is the most favorable game for gamers. If you know that your teammates are fond of storyline gaming, then you must go for this game to play with them, as it has terrific scenarios and effects that influence players a lot. 

The list of the most trending and latest games is not ended here, it is quite vast, but above are some very influential and lovely games that we can play with an enthusiastic team to raise the level of excitement and engagement in the game.

What are the crucial services Aavega aids to enhance the gaming craze?

Aavega Interactive is an incredible gaming studio that offers standard and hi-tech gaming services. However, the most effective and remarkable thing about Aavega is to enhance user experience and fulfill their expectation completely with latest game development and game art techniques.

Here at Aavega Interactive, our team develops entertaining games across all platforms – Mobile (iOS, Android), Web, and PC (Windows). We design and build our games on different engines such as Unity, Unreal, Cocos, and Native SDKs. 

Drop a call to chase more gaming info!

[roboticchibitan]

Serenity's new neighbor, who will be moving in once I have finished writing chapter 19. They are an artist and they carved their own cane! The idea for them started out as me just asking my friend @starlightstripes if I could commission them to draw a cane user just having a blast doing something that involves movement, because I had extra money and really wanted to see more art like that in the world. And then I was like "wait... I'm making another OC aren't I?" To which my friend replied "Yep >:D" and now we have a new addition to the neighborhood. You should commission my friend, they do excellent work and are really good at dynamic poses and facial expressions. Seriously, check out some of their work.

[roseyful]

Mars Red: Edge of the Nightmare - Review

Now, my Tumblr has been a bit quiet lately (been queuing a lot of things so then it wasn’t too quiet during my absence), but it has been for a good reason; last month I was approached [on my private twitter account] and asked if I would be able to playtest a game and write a review, and of course, being someone that enjoys games, especially those that follow an otome style, I had to say YES.

So its proud to say that after a while of playing the game, I finally get to write this review.

Now before I get into the game itself, I would like to take the moment to give appreciation to the team for being so helpful during my time of playtesting the game and before that, as not only would they let us know when there was an issue and the date had to be pushed back, they were so polite and helpful whenever I would run into a problem. That’s something you’d want to see in a gaming company and I’m so glad that my first experience with this company is one with positive results. I personally found no issues with the team themselves, and I do hope they keep this up after the release. Thank you favary for being so lovely and patient with me, and other beta testers.

Mars Red: Edge of The Nightmare was the game that they asked for me to play, however when I originally looked at their website, I couldn’t help but notice that the concept was originally one of a ‘Sound Theatre’, and while I couldn’t figure out what that was, I eventually was lead down a rabbit hole and ended up looking at the other things that Bun-O Fujisawa has worked in. Very interesting stuff, just like the game. However, it’s best to look at his other stuff in your own time.

Please note: I will be keeping this spoiler-free for the sake of letting people go in with no idea of what’s going on besides what I mention and on the website.

Story

The game is set in the early twentieth century in Japan, or better known as the Taisho, in which the website also says ‘[is] influenced by Romanticism’, in which vampires rule the night, as they could only feed off blood and those that stepped into the sun would surely die. Keen senses, incredible physical abilities, and yet they were still vulnerable. You see that very early on with the main character that we play as; Yutsufusa Yuki, a vampire whom became one against his will.

I will be honest, I did not like Yutsufusa when I first started playing, as I felt like he was a bit too willing to die, but that is something that you can overlook when you get further into the story. Yutsufusa is obviously one of the youngest in the group, due to the fact he wears the more ‘modern’ [at the time] clothing out of everyone, well, there is someone else who wears similar clothing but he’s human.

You control Yutsufusa throughout the game, influencing his voices and living his life through his eyes, him acting as the reader insert as you learn about the other characters and begin to grow a bond with them. While the story is a bit slow at first, it does start picking up around the middle-end of chapter 1 and the beginning of chapter 2 after you play the prologue, as you begin to assist “Code Zero” in their work to rid the world of vampires that wish to feast on humans..

Be mindful that there is an anime, however, Yutsufusa does not appear in it, as it focuses on the other main characters, so if you have watched the anime already be sure to remember that they’re either two separate timelines or different points in time. I do not want to confuse anyone with this.

The main cast is quite an interesting bunch, as it covers a wide range of personalities, and sometimes even time periods as you play through the game and unlock things; you might say you might learn a bit of history from it if you end up looking up some of the references I’ve found in the game. This is a great reflection on the idea of ‘immortality, and even has moments where said immortality leans into a few jokes (such as knowledge of birds).

If you’ve played games such as ‘Ikemen Revolution’, you may be familiar with the ticket system. Every day you’re allowed a certain amount of tickets to progress through the story, however, if you run out of tickets and you must read more, then you’re able to progress the story via using ‘amber’, the game’s currency that you can use for different functions. However, this is not needed, as every day your tickets will be replenished. I personally found myself not even needing to use my amber, as I would always wait for the next day. There are mini-stories that you can get if you finish a chapter within a certain amount of time, but I personally don’t find them to progress the story a lot after I read the first one I got. Then again I had other things to occupy my time while I wanted as well. If you wish to reread chapters, you get a bonus third option of currency; coins. Coins can be used to reread chapters in the place of amber or tickets, which means that you can grind out coins via the exploration option in order to see more options (looked at a bit later).

I personally found the story to be engaging, between the use of minigames (or investigations, covered a bit later), it broke up the reading with fun activities that progressed the story.

Is the game an Otome?

No! I was shocked as well when I saw the all-male cast since I was wondering if I was playing a boys love game, but in the end, I was pleasantly surprised to find out that this is actually a detective game. While it may carry the usual look of an otome, with the story and choices of how you speak influencing the endings of chapters, the game more feels like one of finding new friends and solving kick-ass investigations than finding romance. It’s refreshing.

This is especially true between the minigames in which helps influence the story that is all very unique in their own way and do not seem repetitive once you get into the flow of how they work.

Minigames

The minigames come forward in two forms; investigation, interrogation, and infer. Investigation sounds exactly how you’d expect, as you have to poke around and look at things, which you can review in a little notebook that sits in the top right of your screen in the case you need to review what you’ve looked at. When I was first launched into this section for the first time, I had a little trouble remembering exactly what I needed to look at (as I was given a set of things to tap), however, I do have to thank the team for thinking ahead and adding the option to be able to watch ads in order to see what you need to do. This was one of the two times I’d have to watch ads, as they don’t shove them in your face every few seconds like most mobile games do which is rather nice. Sometimes you gain information or items that you have to use later, so it’s a good idea to keep track of what you look at.

Interrogation acts as a question-based information gathering, in which you talk to NPCs in order to gather information to use in the investigation. Like Investigation, these points are put into your notebook for later.

Infer takes the first two investigation segments and combines the information, as you now get interrogated by one of the main characters, and you must respond back with the proper information in order to make sure that this segment is successful. You are able to read back on the notes from the other segments at this point by pressing the button with the book icon in the upper right corner, as this aids you in selecting the right answers. When I first came to this section, I did feel under pressure due to it, but it was interesting to see the negative answers from the character if I got it wrong.

Exploration is another part of the game, that while outside the story, there are parts that require a certain amount of story points in order to clear ‘point blocks’. This is where you get the coins from and frankly is good to use once you have finished using all your tickets for the day and want to use the rest of the time to grind coins. During the exploration, you set up 2 characters, a place, and a set [in real life] time of how long you want them to be out and about. Depending on the number of points earned, you may earn something called a ‘mummer’, which reveals more about the characters you chose to send out, and even get dialogue of the characters interactions (which can be pretty funny in itself) that shows the dynamic of the two characters- are they friends? Are things tense? You get to learn more by sending them out together.

Artstyle

As an artist, I was incredibly pleased with the art of the game, as the characters do not look the game, there are different body types and ages (from teen to elder), you never had to look at the same face twice for two characters. I will be honest, I do wish the characters were a bit more ‘animated’ with their expressions (such as body movement when they’re feeling certain emotions), however other than that, the sprites are magnificent.

The backgrounds are also really interesting to look at and even tell so much story before you even start investigating within the investigation sections. The design team also needs props, because while a few characters are wearing similar outfits, they’re all wearing them in different ways which shows their character and even the way they probably fight. Though I will say I am a bit biased towards Takeuchi, then again, I really enjoy fun and loud characters in general, and his hair is interesting in a sea of mostly black, purple, silver or blonde hair. Maybe will make a fanart of him in the future if I learn to draw his eyepiece. (on that note, please release the full sprites for us artists to reference, we’d love you eternally for it haha).

Oh no, it’s a-

Yes, its a bit of a gacha game, however, you do not need to actually play the gachas in order to progress through the game; it mostly just unlocks bits of story for those that want to have extra stories, or just want that extra dose of dopamine (haha, me). As someone who plays gacha games ever since they turned 13, I was glad that this game isn’t actually gacha centric, and thus is very free-to-play friendly due to this.

Who would I recommend this for and would I recommend it myself?

Personally, I think this is a game that suits the niche of those that enjoy a good mystery and even play those ‘find an item’ games, mixed in with those that enjoy reading otomes and history. Maybe even someone that enjoys theatre since there’s a character that does theatre. Would I personally recommend it? Yes, I would. The game is very interesting and engaging, the staff behind the game are so lovely.

Once more, here’s the game’s website link ❤️: https://marsred-game.net/en/

[astonishinglegends]

Ep 209: The Phantom Horse of Greensboro

And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth.

– Revelation, Chapter 6, Verse 8, King James Version

Description:

Many of us have taken an adventurous expedition to check out some local, notorious spot to see if we could witness or sense some evidence of a past famous or infamous incident.  Most of the time, one only returns with a minor anecdote or pictures of an ordinary location bereft of anything noteworthy.  The more realistic purpose is not so much to find a ghoulish memento but to imagine what it must've been like to have been there when it happened.  But what if such an outing starts with strange coincidences and ends with the adventurers enduring a paranormal event seemingly unrelated to the original incident?  This is the sort of tale we'll hear from our good friend, graphic designer, and illustrator Tommy Beaver about the time some friends went to check out the scene of a horrific crime that happened in Summerfield, North Carolina, almost 13 miles northwest of Greensboro.  On June 3, 1985, the incident in question occurred when at the end of a murder spree and police pursuit, Fritz Klenner and his first cousin, lover, and accomplice, Susie Newsome Lynch, ended their standoff detonating a bomb in their Chevrolet Blazer.  Klenner and Lynch had blown themselves up along with Lynch's already deceased two sons who were in the vehicle rather than face arrest.  The site of this shocking finale was what the friends were hoping to explore, but their souvenir was an unsettling experience they'll never forget.  Strangely, a mysterious white horse suddenly appeared to encounter the group, except that this creature may not have been a horse at all.  Many people have claimed to see a spectral white horse, and the ancient Britons believed a sacred white horse was one's ride to the afterlife.  Yet these friends may forever wonder, as will we, what was the connection of this beast to the tragedy if there is one?  And if this wasn't a horse as we know it, what sort of monster haunts the location of one of North Carolina's most ghastly crimes?

Location:

The intersection of Strader Road & North Carolina State Road 150 in Summerfield, near where Fritz Klenner and Susie Newsom Lynch blew themselves up in their Chevy Blazer after a crime spree and police pursuit on June 3, 1985, and where Tommy’s friends saw the mysterious “horse.”

Location Video:

Reference Links:

Illustrator and Graphic Designer Tommy Beaver’s website, tommybeaverdesign.com

“Summerfield slaughter 30 years ago ended in deaths of couple, two sons” from the Greensboro News & Record

Bitter Blood: A True Story of Southern Family Pride, Madness, and Multiple Murder, a novel by Jerry Bledsoe, 1988

The púca, pooka, phouka of Irish/Celtic folklore

The kelpie of Scottish folklore

“Horses in Celtic Mythology” from Transceltic.com

“Have ghost HORSES been captured on video? Teenagers believe they spotted ethereal equine scene at one of Britain's most haunted sites” from DailyMail.co.uk

“Phantom Horses” on real-british-ghosts.com

Related Books:

Please help out our good friend Stan Gordon, by purchasing his books on Amazon and Barnes & Noble – you’re gonna love ‘em!

At Barnes & Noble:

Silent Invasion: The Pennsylvania UFO-Bigfoot Casebook

Astonishing Encounters: Pennsylvania’s Unknown Creatures, Casebook 3

Really Mysterious Pennsylvania: UFOs, Bigfoot, and Other Weird Encounters, Casebook 1

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Credits:

Episode 209: The Phantom Horse of Greensboro. Produced by Scott Philbrook & Forrest Burgess; Audio Editing by Sarah Vorhees Wendel. Sound Design by Ryan McCullough; Tess Pfeifle, Producer, and Lead Researcher; Research Support from the astonishing League of Astonishing Researchers, a.k.a. The Astonishing Research Corps, or "A.R.C." for short. Copyright 2021 Astonishing Legends Productions, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

[grailfinders]

Fate and Phantasms #35: Mephistopheles

Today one Fate and Phantasms we’re making someone from who the greatest magicians have something to learn, the magical Mr. Mistoff- sorry, wrong one. We’re building the demon of deceit and clown prince of crime, Mephistopheles! This is a very unusual build. Some characters are held back by restraints like “ease of play”, “being powerful”, or “not peaking at level 5″, but Mephistopheles laughs in the face of all of them.

There’s a spreadsheet if you want to rip this band-aid off right away, or you can savor the pain with a level-by-level breakdown below the cut. I’m sorry.

Race and Background

Homunculi aren’t a player race in DnD, so if we can’t be accurate, we can at least be thematic. You’re doing a very good impression of an Asmodeus Tiefling, adding 1 to Intelligence and 2 to Charisma. This also gives you 60′ of Darkvision, Hellish Resistance to fire damage, and an Infernal Legacy, which currently lets you cast the Thaumaturgy cantrip. 

You’re most certainly a Charlatan if I’ve ever seen one, dragging down anyone you can get your hands on. This gives you proficiency with Deception (saying you didn’t slip a bomb into someone’s jacket) and Sleight of Hand (slipping a bomb in someone’s jacket).

Stats Your highest stat is your Intelligence: you’re clever enough with clockwork to make bombs that run around on their own. Next is Dexterity: you’re a clown after all, capering around is what you do. Third is Wisdom, which should be lower, but we’ll need it for multiclassing. Your party will probably thank you for this: they’ll be within blast radius enough without you getting charmed too. Next is Constitution- you haven’t blown yourself up yet, so you’re probably at least a bit tougher than that bore, Andersen. After that is Charisma: you have a forceful personality, but honestly when was the last time you convinced someone you weren’t up to no good? Finally, we’re dumping Strength. You may have some pretty good pecs in your final art, but that’s nothing by servant standards.

Class Levels

1. Rogue 1: You general lack of strength and habit of ending up on the wrong side of morality make you quite a roguish caster. At level 1, rogues gain proficiency in Dex and Int Saves and four rogue skills, here being Acrobatics, Perception, Stealth, and Intimidation. Your capering and sneakiness let you slip bombs into places others might not notice, and let’s be honest, a clown in a skintight leotard is just plain terrifying. 

Rogues also gain Expertise in two skills (Sleight of Hand and Acrobatics), a Sneak Attack (1d6 extra damage if you’re using a ranged or finesse weapon and have advantage or another enemy is within 5′ of the target), and Thieves’ Cant, a language indecipherable to anyone who isn’t a rogue. A dagger can be reflavored as a giant pair of scissors easily enough, so sneak attacks work fine for you.

2. Rogue 2: At second level you have a Cunning Action, letting you dash, disengage, or hide as a bonus action for extra mobility. 

3. Rogue 3: Arcane Tricksters can blend their love of breaking the law with magical skill, learning wizard spells to augment their natural skill. Most of those spells aren’t explosions though, so we’re not taking that. You are a Thief, which at third level means you have Fast Hands which adds sleight of hand checks, thieves’ tools uses, and Use an Object actions to your list of Things You Can Do In Your Bonus Action. You also learn how to do Second-Story Work, enhancing your capering by adding your dex mod to running jumps, and climbing no longer costs extra movement. Also, your Infernal Legacy kicks in again, and you can now cast Hellish Rebuke as a second level spell once per long rest. All spells from your Legacy use Charisma as the casting ability.

4. Wizard 1: I mentioned we’re peaking at level 5 earlier, so it’s time to wrap this up. You studied under (and then killed) a skilled alchemist when you were alive, so you have some magical knowledge as well. As a first level wizard, you learn Spellcasting, using Intelligence as your casting ability, and Arcane Recovery, which will let you recover a 1st level spell slot on short rests in a level. 

When you first gain your spellbook, you get three cantrips and six first level spells. Create Bonfire and Thunderclap are mere firecrackers compared to what we’ll get next level, and Mending will come in handy in the second half of the build. Cause Fear and Tasha’s Hideous Laughter play up your clownishness, Color Spray, Earth Tremor, and Grease will make it much harder for your enemies to get around. Finally, Chromatic Orb is a very versatile spell that can play into your strengths without leaving you locked into only fire and thunder spells.

5. Wizard 2: At second level, your Infernal Legacy kicks in again, and you can cast Darkness once per long rest. You also become a Conjuration Wizard, becoming a Conjuration Savant for cheaper conjuration spells, and more importantly, you learn Minor Conjuration. This lets you use your action to make an inanimate, nonmagical object appear in your hand or within 10′ of you. There’s a limit on the size and weight of this object, but not its cost. That’s important, because things are about to get a little silly. 

In the Dungeon Master’s Guide, there’s optional explosives you can add to the game. You’ll need help from your DM if you want these to be viable at higher levels, but they’re very strong at level five, which is where you are right now. With Minor Conjuration, you can create a Bomb, Horn of Gunpowder, or a full Bundle of Dynamite as your action. Then you can use your Fast Hands to use these explosives as your bonus action. The bombs and gunpowder aren’t that strong, but Dynamite can deal 10d6 Bludgeoning Damage to creatures within 20′ of it, and its dex save only halves damage. It can even be made with a fuse if you want to get to a safe distance first. That’s a silly amount of damage to have every turn, for free, this early in the game. This even beats fireball, and doesn’t require a spell slot.

6. Cleric 1: You pursue your goal of making people explode with religious fervor, which is just enough of an excuse to make you a Zeal Cleric. At level 1, clerics get their own Spellcasting, using Wisdom as your ability. You also become a Priest of Zeal, giving you some bonus proficiencies with heavy armor and martial weapons, as well as letting you attack as a bonus action after attacking with your main action a number of times equal to your wisdom modifier per long rest. If someone’s attacking you in melee range, you should probably put the bombs away. Or don’t, you have fire resistance after all. 

Clerics can prepare their spells, but as a zeal cleric you also get Searing Smite and Thunderous Smite to make your scissors really cut deep. For your cantrips, you learn Sacred Flame and Toll the Dead (which despite the names, neither of them do fire or thunder damage), and Light, because the best thing to do to someone after they stumble out of a cloud of darkness is shine a flashlight in their face.

7. Cleric 2: At second level, you can Channel Divinity in one of two ways. Turn Undead sends undead packing with a wisdom save, and Consuming Fervor is why we’re here. With this feature, you can use your Channel Divinity to maximize any fire or thunder damage you cause. You can only channel your divinity once per short rest.

8. Cleric 3: Third level clerics gain 2nd level spells, and yours include Magic Weapon to further improve your scissors and Shatter to start using up your Divinity uses.

9. Cleric 4: You finally get your first ASI, and we’re using it to get the feat Flames of Phlegethos. Whenever you cast a fire spell, you can now reroll any ones in the damage, and also wreathe yourself in flames until the start of your next turn. This causes any melee attackers to take 1d4 fire damage when they hit you. You’re going to be the epicenter of explosions anyway, but some extra protection never hurt.

10. Cleric 5: Your Turn Undead becomes Destroy Undead, instantly killing any undead of CR 1/2 or lower when they fail their wisdom save. You also get third level spells, including Haste, so you can attack and throw bombs in the same turn, and the ever-popular Fireball, which at this point is still outclassed by dynamite.

11. Cleric 6: You can now channel divinity twice per short rest for extra powerful fireballs, and you can make a Resounding Strike. This means that every time you hit a large or smaller creature with thunder damage, you can push them away from you up to 10′.

12. Now that we’ve taken all the best goodies from the clerics, it’s time to head back to a more reasonable class: Artificer. First level artificers can use Magical Tinkering to add minor magical effects to tiny objects, like making sounds, shining a bit of light, or displaying small pictures. You also get a third kind of Spellcasting, this one using Intelligence as your casting ability. You get two cantrips (Poison Spray and Shocking Grasp are rather clownish), and can prepare first level spells from the artificer spell list.

13. Artificer 2: You learn how to Infuse Items, turning them into magical items. You know four infusions from the infusions list, but can only have two of them active at once. They’re all very useful, but none of them are bombs, so I’ll let you decide which ones will work best in your campaign.

14. Artificer 3: You know The Right Tool for the Job, letting you create one set of artisan’s tools over the course of an hour. The tools are nonmagical, and last until you make another set. In more fun news, you become an Artillerist, gaining Shield and Thunderwave as class spells. You can also make an Eldritch Cannon, a small or tiny construct that you can command as a bonus action. You can make a Flamethrower, which shoots 15′ cones of fire, dealing 2d8 fire damage on failed dex saves, a Force Ballista, hitting targets with spell attacks that deal 2d8 force damage and pushing them 5′ away, or a Protector, adding 1d8 + your intelligence mod temporary hit points to nearby creatures. Regardless, the cannon has 18 AC, HP equal to five times your artificer level, 10 in all abilities, and can be made once per long rest or by using spell slots. It’ll live for an hour or until you dismiss it.

15. Artificer 4: Use your second ASI to round out your Intelligence and Wisdom for more and stronger spells.

16. Artificer 5: You can now tactically carve your wand, turning it into an Arcane Firearm. This adds an extra 1d8 damage to a single creature hit by each spell. You also gain second level artificer spells, including Scorching Ray and Shatter. Again.

17. Artificer 6: You now have Tool Expertise, doubling your proficiency with any check involving tools. You could mix this with your rogue expertise if you wanted to be obscenely good at breaking into places, but I’ll leave that to your discretion. You also gain two more known infusions, and have have one more item infused at once.

18. Artificer 7: You now have Flashes of Genius. When you or another creature within 30′ of you makes a check or saving throw, you can use your reaction to add your intelligence modifier to the roll. You can do this a number of times equal to your intelligence modifier per long rest.

19. Artificer 8: Use your last ASI to add some Dexterity to make yourself harder to hit and harder hitting.

20. Artificer 9: Your capstone level turns your cannon into a proper ticktock bomb! You can command the cannon to detonate, dealing 3d8 force damage to creatures within 20′ of it. All other damage is also increased by 1d8.

Pros: Mephistopheles is very adaptable, with a great deal of low-level spells that can be swapped out each day. The sheer number of things you can make out of thin air is also admirable. He can also be a very strong damage dealer at low levels if your DM doesn’t remove bombs entirely.

Cons: This build is overcomplicated even by my standards. You have four spell lists using all three spell abilities, divinities and infusions to keep track of, and even a second body to deal with in combat! This build seems almost designed to drive you mad trying to play it (which would be in character, admittedly). Summoning explosives is nice, but you have to wonder if it is worth removing any chance at higher level spells. Finally, the most annoying drawback is the lack of consistency in explosions. The DMG uses bludgeoning damage, the cleric uses thunder damage, and the artificer uses force damage, all to represent the same thing, meaning they don’t quite mesh together if you’re playing rules as written.

[rootcut3]

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[gearstorm40]

Free Tarot Card Reading

If these show up, relate them to a person with that type of character. An additional benefit is that email psychic analyses have a tendency to be a set price, so you do not need to fret about acquiring the mins. Relying on the equipment you contend your disposal, you could potentially appreciate a free tarot reading from anywhere, including your home computer, a laptop computer, a tablet computer, mobile app, or a mobile phone. A video clip analysis enables you to connect face-to-face with a psychic medium. These cost-free readings are the closest thing to being in the exact same room as a psychic, and also you can obtain a much better feel for the person by seeing their face as you talk. I attracted the Grim Reaper in this forest environment with all these plants and also life as well as butterflies that symbolize adjustment as well as makeover. With each other, the Major as well as Minor Arcana cards create a extensive photographic language. It is essential to bear in mind that all the answers we seek exist innately within the deck, with each card illustrating a person, circumstance, or prospective end result. Considering that there are clear problems or hidden programs with tarot card, the ability to recognize indicating lies within your own narrative interpretation. The Significant Arcana cards represent huge, cutting-edge impacts. They stress our journeys and also each stands alone as a powerful message, representing life-altering movements that specify the beginnings or ends of cycles. Finally, and many exciting part - Tarot card analysis of each individual of my team. It was a fun session for my friends and myself, we 'd most definitely suggest to everybody to experience it on your own. I have actually been reading cards as well as doing recovery work for 10 years now. Many individuals want to really feel more personally connected to their tarot reader and find that video clip supplies them the ideal experience. They also supply five complimentary mins at the beginning of your call and also offer phone, e-mail, and also live chat alternatives like Kasamba. These are several of the functions you may intend to search for when choosing a top tarot reading service. https://tarot-masters.com uses a cost-free 3 minute tarot analysis, plus 50% off your very first session, that makes checking out Kasamba much less of a financial threat. My name is Eva Delattre as well as I have been practicing the ton of money telling arts for virtually thirty years. I wanted to share my understanding of tarot analysis by offering a completely cost-free draw utilizing the 22 Major Arcana of the tarot card. Cupid's Oracle Cupid's Oracle uses the love tarot to assist you check out the future of your lovemaking. These vibrant cards show up during significant transitions, signifying distinctive moments of change. The cards are phoned number to represent terminals within our greater journey via life; their chronological order discloses the passing of time. Allow's talk about the structure of the deck and the meanings of its cards. Any type of enchanting practice-- tarot card, astrology, or spell job-- is based upon the Hermetic axiom "as above, so below." In other words, the macrocosm of the cosmos is mirrored in the microcosm of specific experience. As necessary, the entire cosmos exists within a tarot card deck, with each card standing for a person, location, or event. These symbols are depicted in both the Major Arcana cards, which speak to greater secrets, as well as the Minor Arcana cards, which talk to minimal secrets.

As soon as you have the inquiry in your mind, it's time to shuffle-- and also there are several methods to do so. The overhand shuffle involves holding the deck of cards in one hand as well as making use of the various other to relocate cards from one side of the deck to the various other. You can likewise " reduce" the deck by splitting it right into numerous stacks and then combining them right into one again. Or you can try spreading the cards facedown on the table and sweeping them into a huge, untidy heap before tapping them into location once more. Rituals are an essential way we refine events, and even if you're unconvinced, the act of following a routine as well as treating your cards with respect as well as significance can be alter just how we view the world. After you enable your analysis to process, be grateful, clear your cards, and also see to it to store it in risk-free and also safe and secure place. Tarot counts on icons pulled from a wide variety of human awareness. There are several decks readily available, each with their very own unique collection of icons and also systems. You'll need to produce tales making use of the signs of the deck in your analysis, so picking a deck whose artwork reverberates with you is important. One of the most typical deck as well as a terrific way to start is the Rider-Waite deck. There are nevertheless a myriad of choices to select from, yet we have actually created a minimalist deck that makes analysis rather easier. Whether you are single or in a relationship, this spread can assist you understand what really matters to you so you can travel on in the ideal direction. When you prepare to begin your Tarot card reading, scroll up and also pick your cards. This is the time to gain what you have sown, since you are guaranteed of a bumper crop on both individual and also professional fronts! Those taking a trip on a organization journey will certainly find points working out. Wellness shows up fine, but the cards suggest not to take every little thing for given. There are 12 different Zodiac signs, and each person's indicator corresponds to their birthdate. With greater than 1,700 psychic consultants to select from in greater than 2 dozen categories, you have more options free of charge psychic readings on this platform than anywhere else. Psychic Resource provides free psychic readings for the first 3 minutes along with prices as low as $0.66 per min if you select to proceed your analysis after the complimentary test. By collaborating with a dream interpreter throughout complimentary psychic analyses, you can start to comprehend your desires. Are there details numbers that appear to be repeating in your life? A complimentary psychic numerology reading can help you find why these numbers are so noticeable in your life and also what they mean. Occasionally referred to as astrology readings, a horoscope reading utilizes the signs of the zodiac to help anticipate your future and give insight right into your character, relationship compatibility, and also more. Some psychics supply new clients the possibility to get an response to a question at no charge by providing the first couple of minutes of psychic analyses completely free. These totally free analyses are done by actual psychics, and also if you like the experience, you can proceed your session, normally at a discounted rate. This kind of cost-free on-line psychic analysis can be extremely valuable if you find yourself in a damaging pattern, really feel insecure, or need objective answers from a person with clairvoyant understanding. Maybe you have a recurring dream, as well as you're uncertain if your subconscious is attempting to inform you something. The 20 various spreads offered at FreeDivination are suggested to provide you various selections on what type of reading you're trying to find. The website offers you some advice on selecting from a deck for romance, profession, or general life issues, and after that moving forward with what you see. As a result of the pandemic, there are a number of psychic analysis websites that are offering cost-free mins as well as steep price cuts to help their customers survive these difficult times. I have a devoted following on Instagram as well as wonderful returning customers. I have actually worked with individuals from Brazil, Belgium, Germany, Canada, Sweden, England, Malaysia, Denmark, Singapore, Australia, as well as the listing simply goes on. One girl from Mexico even messaged me in Spanish; we did the analysis via Google Translate. Digital analyses cost me nearly absolutely nothing to generate and also were veiled under a U.S.-based business so I can avoid the visa net. First we did a brief reflection which helped to soothe our minds, then Shilpa clarified about Tarot card decks and messages of the Tarot. In a lot of decks, the Lovers reveals two people in a yard with an angel hovering overhead above them, maybe in the Yard of Eden. The Marseille shows three people, and also a grumpy-looking cherub intending an arrowhead at them from over. Jodo pointed to the sun on top of the card, from which claimed cherub was arising. Before you attend your tarot card analysis session, attempt to get as clear as feasible on what it is you desire guidance on. This will certainly aid you find the experience you seek and also aid your viewers specify the reading for you. You might have been informed ahead to your tarot analysis with a clear concern and also an open mind. This guidance is often duplicated because it's taken into consideration to be the best means to obtain one of the most out of the experience. During the session I will certainly do a reading which will give clarity and also bring about an understanding of what the tarot is conveying regarding your existing, previous and also future. Furthermore, Sarber told EXPERT that as soon as you ultimately start, a crucial to getting efficient checking out the cards is to select one that represents you. the extra that you bond with your deck, the far better analyses you'll provide-- and also get. Today, there are thousands of tarot card visitors around the world. After hearing my story of the Death card, Howe allowed's out a laugh. "I really love the Fatality card, it's the one that always appears in the movies," she begins. "The Fatality card, in my experience, does not in fact imply death.

[iliftheavyidoyoga]

So, You Wanna Do Yoga; Advice From A Former Yoga Newbie

I am considered an unconventional yoga teacher, possibly because I started out as a bodybuilder. For many years I performed West African dance in Harlem based dance company, then got into bodybuilding, which eventually lead to a very tight muscly body. This inspired me to begin practicing yoga in addition to my lifting heavy things. I guess due to my unique yogi beginnings, I am often asked how to begin practicing yoga, by those who come from backgrounds like mine and those who are just plain nervous about the whole yoga thing. We have all read about the benefits of yoga, how good yoga is for our bodies, minds and souls, while simultaneously being inundated by images of contortionist in yoga poses. on social media. For the beginner, these images represent what they think yoga is; a practice for people who are already incredibly flexible and/or strong. This is far from the truth. While I do know some who started practicing yoga already flexible, they were not necessarily strong or vise versa. The practice of yoga can accommodate ALL. I started out very strong, not flexible at all. However, what I deemed strong was a different kind of strong, I have noticeably increased my flexibility and mobility through my years of practicing and I’m very new to the practice still. So, from a relatively new yogi who was once a beginner, to the yoga curious, nervous and/or intimidated, here’s some advice to get you practicing.

First, why do you want to do yoga? Like most new ventures, we need to have a reason as to why we want to do it. It’s like joining a gym because your partner says you should do it for your health but when you do, you hate it and everything about it then quit all together. Identify for yourself you why you want to do this. It could be for the most base reasons. Honestly, I started yoga because I thought it would be cool to be flexible. Years of heavy lifting and no stretching in my 20s/30s lead to increased tightness and mobility issues. I have also suffered from back spasms most of my life noticing the reduction in my mobility coincided with an increase in spasms; some of which keep me immobilized for days. As I got older and more knowledgeable, my reasons for practicing changed, but initially being able to put my leg behind my head is what motivated me. (I still can’t do that by the way.) Identifying what will motivate you to take up this practice is essential to sustain your practice. Yoga is a continuous and to obtain the benefits, a level of commitment is required.

Secondly, once you’ve decided why you want to practice, find a good place to start. In my humble opinion, that place IS a yoga studio and NOT a health club. I teach at one of the best health club chains in the country. I also teach at a yoga studio chain, so I have experience with and can offer perspective on both. 

Here's my analogy. Health clubs are like your supermarkets and the yoga studios is your specialty shop. You can get all kinds of food at the supermarket, but if you’re in the market for a particular cut of beef imported from wherever, the supermarket would not be your first choice. A health club is your supermarket, a yoga studio is that specialty butcher on the other side of town.  In a health club, you have access to all kinds of fitness offerings, from your weight lifting areas, to the cardio machines, and your fitness studio and yoga classes. This allows for health clubs to cater to a wider audience and in turn bring in more people. “So, you have no interest in lifting weights? Allow me to offer you classes instead.” A yoga studio offers primarily a variety of yoga classes with sprinklings of fitness classes like barre or pilates. “So, you're interested in yoga? Great! What type are you interested in? We offer beginner to advanced, Iyengar to vinyasa.” For the newbie, this is where you want to be. Let me use a fitness example. You’ve decided you want to be a mixed martial artist or MMA. Where are going to train for that? To your health club?! Your health club offers kickboxing classes that are choreographed to the beat of some really good music. You taking those skills into the octagon?! OR… are you going to a boxing gym or a martial arts studio to develop your skills because that’s what they do? This is the same approach you should take when starting to practice yoga. Yoga classes at most health clubs are not designed for newbies and mainly offer classes that will attract the most participants, which in most cases are not beginner classes. Health clubs generally offer mainly generalized vinyasa yoga in various forms (power, alignment flow, etc) because at the moment, the masses want vinyasa (a flowing or continuous movement yoga form accompanied by breathing techniques. It’s what the cool kids take.) Also, when beginner classes are offered at health clubs, they are few and far between and at less desirable hours. In comparison, yoga studios offer all levels, at all hours, all the time as well as a variety of yoga styles, giving practitioners the opportunity to choose which form they prefer and allowing for deeper study into that form. What’s most important about beginning and foundational yoga classes, beginners are taught to use props such as blocks and straps and how to modify postures if necessary and learn posture variations which make practicing fun. Once a yoga foundation has been established, in most cases you will be able to take any class (even the ones in the health club), safely. A safe practice is a sustainable practice.

Next on my list is the studio’s vibe. When searching for your yoga home, look for an atmosphere that will get you in the building day after day.  It could be demographics, it could be gender, it could be the price point (yes price point can lead to a vibe) etc. I have tried various studios and the energy is EVERYTHING! I’ve loved the space and hated the teachers. I’ve loved the teacher and hated the students. If you don’t vibe with the space, your practice will suffer which in turn will eventually turn you off to practicing all together. You need to want to walk into that building. Take advantage of studios that offer a free class or week of yoga to try the studio or check out Class Pass or Groupon for deals, travel around and sample a variety of classes and studios and see how you feel during and after the experience. If you like it, that may be your new yoga home.

Lastly, short and sweet, where is your studio? Location, location, location, right? The distance to and from your chosen studio is important. If it feels like work to get there, you’re not going to go there. I’m relatively lazy when it comes to these things. I live in Brooklyn and won’t travel past Chelsea to do most things. Anyone living in the city knows what I’m talking about.  Luckily for me, I have found quality offerings, at most, 30 minutes from my door.

After so many years of practice, I know just how important has been to my overall wellness and regularly encourage everyone I know to start. I am a movement practitioner, and in my late 40s, my primary initiative is to move well for as long as possible. I have no intention to stop lifting heavy things as I find strength sexy as hell. However, I want to move my sexy freely, uninhibited and for many more years to come. Practicing yoga has aided in this endeavour. I hope to see you practicing in your favorite yoga studio soon! Namaste!

[myeongchokrp]

Classical music, long ball gowns and freshly ironed suits— Yeongi’s very own Daengom, a stunning venue for only the richest of weddings and social events, is full to the brim with guests. Invite-only and the event of the year, shopping tycoon Lee Yeonseok’s winter ball has started only a mere hour ago. Despite the weather, much of the tables and dance ( ballroom only, please! ) areas are outside, under a faux sky of twinkling lights. Untouched until dinner, each table is dressed in a crisp white cloth, bouquets upon bouquets of beautiful white and cream flowers and if one didn’t know of the Winter Wonderland theme, it’d be easy to mistake the scene for a late night wedding reception. The only difference is the money. 

Inside where his guests currently mingle, the walls are covered with loaned paintings from the art gallery within the Museum of Myeongcho, as well as some of Lee’s private collection. Guards stand in each corridor, in the corner of each room. But what lurks doesn’t mingle amongst the guests— not in numbers, anyway. 

TW DEATH, BOMBING

As the night gets under way, champagne sipped gingerly from tall glasses, Hydrus lingers below ground, coordinating via a sophisticated, impenetrable communication system, in-ears invisible to anyone not directly looking for them. They’re in position, waiting for the clock to strike nine. Lee takes the ‘stage’ just before the hour, clinking his spoon gently against his glass to gather the attention of his star studded guests. Celebrities from the mainland, local heroes, CEOs, even known gang members— anyone who’s anyone on Myeongcho is stood together in a crowd before him. Lee smiles at all the people he will sometime soon use for his own benefit and begins his speech. 

“Thank you all for coming tonight.” He draws in a deep breath. “Welcome to my annual Winter Ball, which the Daengom is kindly hosting for us tonight.” His audience claps quietly. “Thank you, thank you. Now, I’m sure you all know this has been a long, difficult year for our dear island. Riots, public executions, growing crime rates across the board, attacks to our very own...” He offers a sympathetic smile to MPD Lieutenant Yoo Sihyun who dips his head in return. “In the coming year, we will work together to—” As he raises his glass to propose a toast with his magnificent act of selflessness, the lights cut out. Plunged into the darkness, feet rushing across the floor— some to protect Lee, some in an attempt to restore power, some knowing what is coming next— no one feels the rumble of the floor until it’s too late. 

First, the exits fill with rubble. Then, the ceiling cracks. Smoke fills the room. It’s a bomb! They shout. No! It’s more! Two, three, four, maybe. It’s hard to tell amongst the screams of pain, agony, fear. Will you make it out alive? 

WELCOME TO MI’S NEWEST EVENT, MI:BLACKOUT !

This post marks the beginning of our newest event — we hope you’re as excited as we are! 

IC, Lee’s Annual Winter Ball begins at 8 PM on Saturday, December 21st, 2019. The power cuts out just before 9 PM, and a minute or so later, the first bomb of five goes off below the venue. Due to the power cut, Hydrus members coordinating the attack under the event could not communicate and the bomb was set off with Hydrus members still above ground and in the tunnels. 

OOC, this event lasts until midnight at the end of Saturday, January 18th, 2020.

HYDRUS, consider this a mission at the very least derailed. Your own members are caught in the crossfire and whilst the serpents don’t usually concern themselves over friendly fire, this complication runs much deeper than a few lost teammates. Your attempt to kill the shopping tycoon and various other high profile names in a continued effort to rebuild your reputation has been turned on its head. Your targets are trapped as you wanted, but can you finish the job? 

LYNX, congratulations on unknowingly making life that little bit harder for Hydrus. You’ve successfully cut out all communications and power across the island — at least for a little while. Unlike Hydrus, however, your targets aren’t living. How much easier is it to steal something with no security alarms? In teams, members of Lynx will advance on various goldmines for valuables — the temporarily closed Museum of Myeongcho, Sunrise Star Hotel, the MPD’s various armouries, confidential files in Myeongcho’s largest organisations. Take what you can, but don’t forget to stay alive. Security officers don’t go home just because the power is out! If you’re on the inside, however… Bad luck on missing out on all the fun! Or are you? 

Those on the inside from COLUMBA, PHOENIX and CORVUS, what’s more important: your loyalty or your life? Do you save your fellow members? Or all citizens to keep your allegiance hidden? Do you try to find a way out and leave everyone behind? Can you get to the bottom of this? Or do you take advantage of this opportunity? There’s so much wealth in this room, after all…

MPD, how fast can you really react to something you don’t know about? No calls can come in or out, you’re scrambling to find the source of the island-wide blackout… Unless you’re at the event, it’s likely your attention is elsewhere. Those guests will be fine by themselves, anyway… Right?

To summarise, Lynx and Hydrus have unknowingly planned separate attacks on the same night. Lynx just slightly beating out Hydrus has derailed the latter’s bombing of shopping business tycoon Lee Yeonseok’s Annual Winter Ball, leaving many wealthy names, as well as many of our beloved muses, trapped inside fighting for their lives. The blackout took out all power across the island, including phone reception towers and internet access, meaning there’ll be no way to contact one another for at least twenty minutes whilst teams work to restore power to, at the very least, phone towers. After forty minutes, power will come back on. The Daengom will remain in darkness thanks to the destruction caused by the bombs but mobile phones will regain signal when phone towers are restored regardless. 

The above descriptions for each gang are just guidelines! Whether or not your muse is at the Winter Ball or working on the outside in some way is completely up to you! 

Muses may have gained access to the Winter Ball through invite, being someone’s plus one, hacking the guest list, etc. If you can’t think of a realistic reason for your muse to be present but would like one, feel free to message us!

To earn +5 points, write a four-post thread or 200+ solo about any part of the event. Any thread about the ball, blackout, bombings, actions elsewhere as a result of the attacks or any aftermath will count! 

To earn +5 points, write a four-post thread with a muse you have never written with before about any part of the event. If you’re not sure where to start with ideas for plots, keep reading below this OOC information…!

As always, for threads and solos to count for points, they must be posted before the deadline. You can write as many threads and solos as you’d like, but you can only claim points for one thread/solo for each set of points. 

Don’t forget to tag all your event-related posts with this event’s tag mi:blackout and most importantly, have fun! If you have any questions or feedback, please feel free to message the main or Admins Gyu & Woo directly. We hope you enjoy this event! 

CLAIMABLE PLOTS

The following are set plots and roles within the event for you to claim for your muses should you choose! These are all optional; you do not need to claim any of these to participate in the event. These plots and positions are for helping guide the event’s progression and offer ideas for development and plots if needed. To claim a plot, simply message us with the letter code and the muse you’d like to have that role within the event and we’ll update the post as soon as we see it! We hope this will connect you to new muns you may not have otherwise gotten the chance to plot with, and give you unique development for your muses! Please let us know if you like this idea for events. Your feedback will help us plot and structure future events! 

You, SONG SEOAH, have been assisting with first aiders such as LEE HYUNWOO since the explosions stopped. Paramedics are on their way, but for many present, that may be too late. Your bravery and intuition hasn’t gone unnoticed by others and following the release of all those trapped inside, you’re recruited for Columba by KIM TAEHYUNG for your tenacity. They won’t be the only ones watching, though, local hero. NOTE: This is an opportunity to get your muse recruited by Columba and requires no further point cost or reward solo to change your muse’s affiliation. 

Hydrus member Muse D had been mingling amongst the guests listening to Lee’s speech when the power went out. Alarmed, they’d tried desperately to get in touch with other members but with no signal and no power, it’s impossible. You connect eyes with Muse E ( Hydrus ) across the crowd and gravitate to one another for safety. After all, you were only supposed to keep an eye out and give the signal before making your escape. You weren’t supposed to get caught in the crossfire. 

JEON JEONGGUK is fascinated by this power outage and the moment you regain signal, you begin to delve into finding the source. Along the way, you find SON HYEJOO a fellow hacker who may or may not be part of the team that took the island down… 

Muse H ( Lynx ) is one of the coordinators or seniors on the attack against the Museum of Myeongcho. Muse I ( Lynx ) is one of the most inexperienced on the job. Eager to impress as they may be, this is a rather large first step. Can you work together to get the job done? 

KIM MINJI and PARK SUNGKI are trapped inside the Daengom with no power, no first aid kits and PARK SUNGKI unable to walk on their injured ankle. They won’t die from the injury, of course, but it’s not like they can get out by themselves before the rest of the building collapses. Will KIM MINJI help them, or does their loyalty not extend to outside of their gang? 

Muse L is out in the streets when everything descends into darkness. Luckily, a reporter is there to ask them a hundred questions! Buckle in, Muse L, because you’re not going anywhere until they get all the answers they’re looking for. NOTE: This prompt is in the format of a submit from the main and will likely take a couple days to get to you due to the holiday season.

[writinggeisha]

How to write dialogue in fiction

Dialogue in the novel: tricks, tools and examples

Speech gives life to stories. It breaks up long pages of action and description.

Getting speech right is an art but, fortunately, there are a few easy rules to follow. Those rules will turn your dialogue from something that might feel static, heavy and unlifelike into something that shines off the page.

Better still, dialogue should be fun to write, so don’t worry if we talk about ‘rules’. We’re not here to kill the fun. We’re here to increase it.

“Ready?” she asked.

“You bet. Let’s dive right in.”

Dialogue rule 1: keep it tight

One of the biggest rules in dialogue is: no spare parts. No unnecessary words. Nothing to excess.

That’s true in all writing, of course, but it has a particular acuteness (I don’t know why) when it comes to dialogue.

If you include an unnecessary sentence or two in a passage of description – well, it’s best to avoid that, of course, but, aside from registering a minor and temporary slowing, most readers won’t notice or care.

Do the same in a block of dialogue, and your characters will seem to be speechifying rather than speaking. It’ll feel to a modern reader like you want to turn the clock back to Victorian England.

So don’t do it!

Keep it spare. Allow gaps in the communication and let the readers fill in the blanks. It’s like you’re not even giving the readers 100% of what they want. You’re giving them 80% and letting them figure out the rest.

Take this, for instance, from Ian Rankin’s fourteenth Rebus crime novel, A Question of Blood. The detective, John Rebus, is phoned up at night by his colleague:

… “Your friend, the one you were visiting that night you bumped into me …” She was on her mobile, sounded like she was outdoors.

“Andy?” he said. ‘Andy Callis?”

“Can you describe him?”

Rebus froze. “What’s happened?”

“Look, it might not be him …”

“Where are you?”

“Describe him for me … that way you’re not headed all the way out here for nothing.”

That’s great isn’t it? Immediate. Vivid. Edgy. Communicative.

But look at what isn’t said. Here’s the same passage again, but with my comments in square brackets alongside the text:

… “Your friend, the one you were visiting that night you bumped into me …” She was on her mobile, sounded like she was outdoors.

[Your friend: she doesn’t even give a name or give anything but the baresr little hint of who she’s speaking about. And ‘on her mobile, sounded like she was outdoors’. That’s two sentences rammed together with a comma. It’s so clipped you’ve even lost the period and the second ‘she’.]

“Andy?” he said. ‘Andy Callis?”

[Notice that this is exactly the way we speak. He could just have said “Andy Callis”, but in fact we often take two bites at getting the full name, like this. That broken, repetitive quality mimics exactly the way we speak . . . or at least the way we think we speak!]

“Can you describe him?”

[Uh-oh. The way she jumps straight from getting the name to this request indicates that something bad has happened. A lesser writer would have this character say, ‘Look, something bad has happened and I’m worried. So can you describe him?’ This clipped, ultra-brief way of writing the dialogue achieves the same effect, but (a) shows the speaker’s urgency and anxiety – she’s just rushing straight to the thing on her mind, (b) uses the gap to indicate the same thing as would have been (less well) achieved by a wordier, more direct approach, and (c) by forcing the reader to fill in that gap, you’re actually making the reader engage with intensity. This is the reader as co-writer – and that means super-engaged.]

Rebus froze. “What’s happened?”

[Again: you can’t convey the same thing with fewer words. Again, the shimmering anxiety about what has still not been said has extra force precisely because of the clipped style.]

“Look, it might not be him …”

[A brilliantly oblique way of indicating, “But I’m frigging terrified that it is.” Oblique is good. Clipped is good.]

“Where are you?”

[A non-sequitur, but totally consistent with the way people think and talk.]

“Describe him for me … that way you’re not headed all the way out here for nothing.”

Just as he hasn’t responded to what she had just said, now it’s her turn to ignore him. Again, it’s the absences that make this bit of dialogue live. Just imagine how flaccid this same bit would be if she had said, “Let’s not get into where I am right now. Look, it’s important that you describe him for me . . .”]

In short:

Gaps are good. They make the reader work, and a ton of emotion and inference swirls in the gaps.

Want to achieve the same effect? Copy Rankin. Keep it tight.

Dialogue rule 2: Watch those beats

Oftener than not, great story moments hinge on character exchanges,that have dialogue at their heart.  Even very short dialogue can help drive a plot, showing more about your characters and what’s happening than longer descriptions can.

(How come? It’s the thing we just talked about: how very spare dialogue makes the reader work hard to figure out what’s going on, and there’s an intensity of energy released as a result.)

But right now, I want to focus on the way that dialogue needs to create its own emotional beats. So that the action of the scene and the dialogue being spoken becomes the one same thing.

Here’s how screenwriting guru Robert McKee puts it:

Dialogue is not [real-life] conversation. … Dialogue [in writing] … must have direction. Each exchange of dialogue must turn the beats of the scene … yet it must sound like talk.

This excerpt from Thomas Harris’  The Silence of the Lambs is a beautiful example of exactly that. It’s  short as heck, but just see what happens.

As before, I’ll give you the dialogue itself, then the same thing again with my notes on it:

“The significance of the chrysalis is change. Worm into butterfly, or moth. Billy thinks he wants to change. … You’re very close, Clarice, to the way you’re going to catch him, do you realize that?”

“No, Dr Lecter.”

“Good. Then you won’t mind telling me what happened to you after your father’s death.”

Starling looked at the scarred top of the school desk.

“I don’t imagine the answer’s in your papers, Clarice.”

Here Hannibal holds power, despite being behind bars. He establishes control, and Clarice can’t push back, even as he pushes her. We see her hesitancy, Hannibal’s power. (And in such few words! Can you even imagine trying to do as much as this without the power of dialogue to aid you? I seriously doubt if you could.)

But again, here’s what’s happening in detail

“The significance of the chrysalis is change. Worm into butterfly, or moth. Billy thinks he wants to change. … You’re very close, Clarice, to the way you’re going to catch him, do you realize that?”

[Beat 1: Invoking the chrysalis and moth here is almost magical language. it’s like Hannibal is the magician, the Prospero figure. Look too at the switch of tack in the middle of this snippet. First he’s talking about Billy wanting to change – then about Clarice’s ability to find him. Even that change of tack emphasises his power: he’s the one calling the shots here; she’s always running to keep up.]

“No, Dr Lecter.”

[Beat 2: Clarice sounds controlled, formal. That’s not so interesting yet . . . but it helps define her starting point in this conversation, so we can see the gap between this and where she ends up.]

“Good. Then you won’t mind telling me what happened to you after your father’s death.”

[Beat 3: Another whole jump in the dialogue. We weren’t expecting this, and we’re already feeling the electricity in the question. How will Clarice react? Will she stay formal and controlled?]

Starling looked at the scarred top of the school desk.

[Beat 4: Nope! She’s still controlled, just about, but we can see this question has duanted her. She can’t even answer it! Can’t even look at the person she’s talking to.]

“I don’t imagine the answer’s in your papers, Clarice.”

[Beat 5: And Lecter immediately calls attention to her reaction, thereby emphasising that he’s observed at and knows what it means.]

Overall, you can see that not one single element of this dialogue leaves the emotional balance unaltered. Every line of dialogue alters the emotional landscape in some way. That’s why it feels so intense & engaging.

Want to achieve the same effect? Just check your own dialogue, line by line. Do you feel that emotional movement there all the time? If not, just delete anything unecessary until you feel the intensity and emotional movement increase.

Dialogue Rule 3: Keep it oblique

One more point, which sits kind of parallel to the bits we’ve talked about already.

It’s this.

If you want to create some terrible dialogue, you’d probably come up with something like this:

“Hey Judy.”

“Hey, Brett.”

“You OK?”

“Yeah, not bad. What do you say? Maybe play some tennis later?”

“Tennis? I’m not sure about that. I think it’s going to rain.”

Tell me honestly: were you not just about ready to scream there? If that dialogue had continued like that for much longer, you probably would have done.

And the reason is simple. It was direct, not oblique.

So direct dialogue is where person X says something or asks a question, and person Y answers in the most logical, direct way.

We hate that! As readers, we hate it.

Oblique dialogue is where people never quite answer each other in a straight way. Where a question doesn’t get a straightforward response. Where random connections are made. Where we never quite know where things are going.

As readers, we love that. It’s dialogue to die for.

And if you want to see oblique dialogue in action, here’s a snippet from Aaron Sorkin’s The Social Network. (We don’t usually reference films so much on this blog, but there’s an obvious exception when it comes to talking about dialogue.) So here goes. This is the young Mark Zuckerberg talking with a lawyer:

Lawyer: “Let me re-phrase this. You sent my clients sixteen emails. In the first fifteen, you didn’t raise any concerns.”

MZ: ‘Was that a question?’

L: “In the sixteenth email you raised concerns about the site’s functionality. Were you leading them on for 6 weeks?”

MZ: ‘No.’

L: “Then why didn’t you raise any of these concerns before?”

MZ: ‘It’s raining.’

L: “I’m sorry?”

MZ: ‘It just started raining.’

L: “Mr. Zuckerberg do I have your full attention?”

MZ: ‘No.’

L: “Do you think I deserve it?”

MZ: ‘What?’

L: “Do you think I deserve your full attention?”

I won’t discuss that in any detail, because the technique really leaps out at you. It’s particularly visible here, because the lawyer wants and expects to have a direct conversation. (I ask a question about X, you give me a reply that deals with X. I ask a question about Y, and …) Zuckerberg here is playing a totally different game, and it keeps throwing the lawyer off track – and entertaining the viewer/reader too.

Want to achieve the same effect? Just keep your dialogue not quite joined up. People should drop in random things, go off at tangents, talk in non-sequiturs, respond to an emotional implication not the thing that’s directly on the page – or anything. Just keep it broken. Keep it exciting!

Dialogue rule 4: reveal character dynamics and emotion

Let’s take a look here at Stephen Chbosky’s The Perks of Being a Wallflower as another example.

Protagonist Charlie, a high school freshman, learns his long-time crush, Sam, may like him back, after all. Here’s how that dialogue goes:

“Okay, Charlie … I’ll make this easy. When that whole thing with Craig was over, what did you think?”

… “Well, I thought a lot of things. But mostly, I thought your being sad was much more important to me than Craig not being your boyfriend anymore. And if it meant that I would never get to think of you that way, as long as you were happy, it was okay.” …

… “I can’t feel that. It’s sweet and everything, but it’s like you’re not even there sometimes. It’s great that you can listen and be a shoulder to someone, but what about when someone doesn’t need a shoulder? What if they need the arms or something like that? You can’t just sit there and put everybody’s lives ahead of yours and think that counts as love. You just can’t. You have to do things.”

“Like what?” …

“I don’t know. Like take their hands when the slow song comes up for a change. Or be the one who asks someone for a date.”

The words sound human.

Sam and Charlie are tentative, exploratory – and whilst words do the job of ‘turning’ a scene, both receiving new information, driving action on – we also see their dynamic.

And so we connect to them.

We see Charlie’s reactive nature, checking with Sam what she wants him to do. Sam throws out ideas, but it’s clear she wants him to be doing this thinking, not her, subverting Charlie’s idea of passive selflessness as love.

The dialogue shows us the characters, as clearly as anything else in the whole book. Shows us their differences, their tentativeness, their longing.

Want to achieve the same effect? Understand your characters as fully as you can. The more you can do this, the more naturally you’ll write dialogue that’s right for them. You can get tips on knowing your characters here.

A few last dialogue rules

If you struggle with writing dialogue, read plays or screenplays for inspiration. Read Tennessee Williams or Henrik Ibsen. Anything by Elmore Leonard is great. Ditto Raymond Chandler or Donna Tartt.

Some last tips:

Keep speeches short. If a speech runs for more than three sentences or so, it (usually) risks being too long.

Ensure characters speak in their own voice. And make sure your characters don’t sound the same as each other.

Add intrigue. Add slang and banter. Lace character chats with foreshadowing. You needn’t be writing a thriller to do this.

Get in late and out early. Don’t bother with small talk. Decide the point of each interaction, begin with it as late as possible, ending as soon as your point is made.

Interruption is good. So are characters pursuing their own thought processes and not quite engaging with the other.

[percursatiotrip]

Colombia 2019: Main Places & Caribbean Coast

From: 03/11/1019

To: 29/11/2019

  Gone are the days when Colombia was considered as one of the most dangerous countries where people usually avoided going. We have news for all the travel-lovers that now Colombia’s time has surely changed. Now it has become the “a-must-to-go” place for the tourists. Situated on the northern side of South America, it also has some territories and lands in North America. It is a favorite spot for tourists to spend their time along its coast.

With its interesting cities, green jungles and picturesque beaches, this country has it all. It is so diverse in every aspect, that it is known as the country of several nations. More and more tourists are now backpacking to their journey of exploring Colombia. We have made a list of all the places for the people who want to travel and sightseeing Colombia. If some of you guys are choosing a destination to travel, need not to worry. We have got you covered.

  Bogota

It is known as The Athens of South America. The capital city of Colombia is so vast and a busy city that people get in the awe of this place. It had once a bad reputation but now it has made itself the most visited places in Colombia. From La Candelaria to the Gold Museum, this city is also offering you to visit a strange salt cathedral of Zipaquira. It also offers you great street art, if you just scroll around the roads of this city. Nevertheless, you will be able to eat tremendously well in this city. Considered one of the most successful restaurants in Colombian history, Andres Carne de Res was a great experience that you should try.

  Barranquilla

This city is rich with the Caribean culture and the people here are considered as the most beautiful ones. Late night parties and salsa dancing are included in its night-life, as it has lots of beach clubs and bars. Carnival celebrations here are must to attend because it is the most famous in Barranquilla. There is a zoo which has 500 kinds of animals from all over the world. Also, the beaches here are full of locals and tourists all around the year.

  Santa Marta

This city is the oldest in America, which was founded in 1525 by Spanish. The architecture and cathedrals are something that cannot be missed. The best thing about this city is that it is situated near Tayrona National Park which is full of wildlife and some spots where people do camping. There is a public market which is known as the authentic Colombian market. Oh, and you just cannot miss the Historic City Centre, if you love to know about the history of this place.

  Taganga

This is a small fishing village which is only 0 minutes away from Santa Marta. Doesn’t it sound exciting? Well, it should, because it has a picturesque view and tons of things to do here. You can learn Scuba diving there, that too at a very reasonable price. Of course, you can go fishing when you are in a fishing village. You just have to ask local fishermen there or book a tour with the travel agency. You cannot miss the opportunity of watching sunsets over the water. A truly mesmerizing view to watch.

  Palomino

This beachside town is getting very popular amongst the tourists and is now a mandatory stop on the trail. You can go tubing in the Palomino river which is the popular activity there. The Palomino beach is the gorgeous one to spend some time sunbathing there. But don’t forget to have some massage service from the hotels on the beach.

  Minca

This is also a small village in the mountains that relaxes you in its lush green environment. There are two waterfalls of Pozo Azul and Marinka in which you can go for a dip and get yourself refreshed. There is also a gorgeous viewpoint which can be reached through three-hour long hiking. But if you are not a fan of hiking, Mototaxis are also available for such people. There is a Coffee and Cacao Farm that has the best quality of cacao in Colombia. If you are fond of birds, you can go with the expert David for the birding tour.

  Cartagena

It is the most visited spot because of having many direct flights and ship visits. This place was found in 1533 which is famous for the colonial old town, pretty decorated balconies of the houses, cobbled alleys, and vast churches. It is full of crowds everywhere because of having a relaxing atmosphere. A place where you can go slow and just enjoy being in the present. Cheese-filled arepas and fresh lemonade is something you get from every food vendor there. There is a mud volcano in Cartagena where you can float and have a small massage service there.

  Medellín

Medellín is the capital of the Antioquia region, where it is possible to see this unique culture, with different habits ranging from the behavior of its inhabitants to cuisine. Once in the city, be sure to try the “Bandeja Paisa“, the typical dish of the region. Nevertheless, it is a great idea to do the “BEST STREET FOOD TOUR MEDELLÍN” experience. In addition to all this historical wealth related to the city, Medellín also presents the best Colombian night. With wonderful restaurants, bars, and night clubs. Regarding that, a good experience to do is the “Live the Nightlife Rooftop Pub Crawl” option. It was stupendous. The city wins in spite of its neighbors when the analyzed items are style, quality, and variety. We recommend doing both “History Graffiti art and the Comuna13” and “Caminata Histórica por el Centro” experiences.

  Cali

You won’t believe but it is the third-largest city of Colombia which has a bad reputation for many crimes there. Despite all that, it is a fun and lively city where you’ll remain safe if you exactly know where to go. Here, Salsa dancing is mandatory so go and learn that dance. You can even watch a salsa circus there which is named Delirio. There is also a cat park there, where you can see many cat statues in the park painted by the local artists.

  Armenia

This place is like having a slow and relaxing time there if you are too tired from traveling to other places in Colombia. There are so many coffee shops at every nook and corner of the place. The famous Gold Museum is located here in Armenia. The entry to this museum is totally free. Eat at La Fogata which is a very old place serving food to its citizens. There is a beautiful botanical garden by the name of Parque de la Vida where you can just stroll and enjoy your time.

  Montenegro

Do you know what is it famous for? For other outdoor activities. This little town is filled with natural aura where you can have some rejuvenating time. There is a bamboo paradise where you can freshen up your love for nature. There is also some thrill and adventure for tourists. Globos Colombia is the name where you can have a hot-air balloon ride and marvel at all the breath-taking landscapes. This place also offers a recreational water activity of rafting on the boats. Sounds exciting!

  Quimbaya

It is such a small place in Colombia that can be explored within a day. There aren’t many accommodation places so tourists make a little stop here just for resting and munching on small snacks. There is a Panaca Park for little kids for interaction with the animals. If you want some more nature, go to the “Birdwatching in Quindío-Colombia Hotspot” experience for a bird watching and coffee farm.

  Filandia

It is one of the most traditional Colombian coffee towns. The roof of the houses here is all tiled and colored in oranges, greens, and blues. It looks stunning. There are so many coffee farms that have road track for cycling! Yes! All the cycling lovers can spend some time here with a bicycle. If you want to have a perfect view of nature, just head to La Colina Iluminada. You can have the tastiest food at Helena Adentro with so many creative dishes. There is also a secret double waterfall that is located inside a private land.

  Salento

This is also a small town in the area of Coffee Triangle. Tourists go there for chilled vibes and experience the local culture. You can go hiking in Cocora Valley. The track is so gorgeous that you’ll have a wonderful time while hiking. Just take lots of water with you and some snacks. You can find fresh Trout in every restaurant in Salento. You can also take a tour of Coffee plantation of the famous Don Elias produces coffee by hand and is sold to all the visitors. The stunning eco-farm, La Serrana, is a wonderful retreat and is affordable by everyone.

    Recommendations

What To Pack For This Tour?

– Two pairs of jeans; – Two pairs of shorts; – One bathing suit; – Six T-shirts or tops; – One flip flop; – One pair of walking shoes; – Six pairs of socks; – All the items of skincare; – One towel; – Bodysprays and mist; – A small medical kit that includes band-aids, antibacterial cream, pain killers and hand sanitizers; – Some plastic bags;

  Stay Safe In Colombia

It is pretty much safe here but still needs a bit of caution while visiting Colombia. There isn’t any kidnapping activity here but petty crimes are done here in this place, especially at night. Don’t show off your valuable items like a camera or mobile phone. Don’t stroll around the unknown places at night. Stay away from drugs. Because you will get yourself in a critical situation in Colombia. Also, get yourself all the duplicate copies of your personal documents. Don’t trust anyone that seems shady to you, even if it’s a taxi driver. Always buy good travel insurance. It will protect you from theft, injury or other mishappenings. One last thing. Never do something that you do not do at your home!

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