#i'm in queensland so in summer like

[emcscared-whumps]

No pressure on these but maybe for the oc outfit asks, 🔥 for Pete and/or 🚓 for Johnstone bc he needs to go to JAIL

From this post!

Thanks for the ask, and also for your patience ^-^'

It's been sitting in my inbox for months now and I promise I never forgot it lmao

🔥 - Pete in What He'd Wear on a Very Hot Day

I looooove the idea of this one, the mental image of him sitting slumped somewhere overheating was lovely, thankyou >:)

the poor boy really is not used to, or built for the """hot""" weather :) devonhurst is brutally cold, and also miserable and wet, with very short summers. those summers, however, can get to a top of a whole 29C! how suffocatingly hot (LOL) (i'm from the armpit of queensland, those are baby numbers, and he's not even above 26 haha)

not only is pete straight up unacclimatised to the warmth, he has thick, insulated skin, and no ability to sweat, which means when the temperature rises, there's not much he can do to cool off except have a swim or take a cool bath :) neither of which are an option uwu

🚓 - Johnstone (and Pete) in a Prison Uniform

ALSO, I CAN'T FUCKING READ SO HERE'S 🚓 FOR BOTH OOPS (lying across my desk laughing)

I have no idea how Pete would end up in a human prison, but I DO know that he'd be losing his mind with fear, and that he wouldn't fare well for long :))

Update: it's been months and this actually gave me huge brainworms that sparked a whole au scenario with a friend and it was so fucking good <3<3

You can read more about Pete [here] and more about Johnstone [here]

Taglist

@a-crumb-of-whump

@dang-i-like-whump (a treat for you lmao)

@nowjustanothermain2notjudge

@painful-pooch

@pigeonwhumps

@whumplovers-collaborate

@whump-cravings

@willowtreewhump

If you would like to be added or removed, please let me know <3

(also im stupid and realised too late i didn't tag anyone when i posted the zine piece! oops, that's a thing, it's linked [here] if you wanna check it out/haven't already)

#emc's art #emc answers asks #whumpblr #ask game #oc #whump oc #oc art #whump art #Pete Spencer #Sorrel Johnstone #characters #sketch #oc outfit ask #oc outfit meme #original characters

[rmd-writes]

RMD RMD!!!

This image is from this post that @goodways shared.

As an Australian and our resident person who knows and explains things. Please!! Is this a real thing? If yes, for the love of god, why?????

Thank you for your time!

Lemon!

Oh dear. Yes, that map is a real thing. Australian time zones in the summer are a quite literally a (very) hot mess. What that map doesn't show you is that there is a tiny part of New South Wales (the bigger state in the red part) that observes South Australian (middle orange state) time zones for some reason that I don't understand. It's wild.

I'm going to do my best to explain this but the reality is that I don't entirely understand why myself.

Okay so, the first thing you need to know is that Australia is very big. It is about the same size as the continental US. The second thing you need to know is that we are a federation meaning that until federation, each state you can see outlined on the map essentially operated as it's own little country. Western Australia did not want to join the federation but eventually did. South Australia (orange, middle) has the distinction of being the only state that was solely a settler colony, no convicts. They think that makes them very important. Also yes, Australia was initially colonised by the Brits because they had too many criminals and needed somewhere Very Far Away to send them. So, lots of white people here are descended from convicts . Anyway, I digress, the colonial history of Australia is a matter of record and a disgrace and the racist effect of that history is still very present and is most evident in the referendum that happened on the weekend but this is neither the time nor the place for me to get into that and my absolute disappointment in the country I live in. (how's that for a run on sentence)

ANYWAY, sheer size means that many time zones are necessary. Federation means that the states are like squabbling siblings and no one wants to do what anyone else says.

Next fact, the top of Australia is quite close to the equator. The northern part of Australia is classified as sub-tropical to tropical. It's hot and humid. The sun rises very early up north, even in the winter. We do not have long winter nights here. The sun setting in the afternoon is not a thing.

Also Australian populations are concentrated on the coasts, the middle of Australia is sparsely populated. After the coastal areas, there is farm land and then desert in the middle.

In Queensland (big yellow state on the right) there is no DST because the top two-thirds of the state (mostly rural/regional) will not countenance it for reasons such as "the cows won't cope" but also because up there they do not want longer days in the sun because it's too fucking hot and actually they look forward to the sun setting and things getting cooler. The bottom third of Queensland (which is mostly urban) wants DST but the state government cannot implement it without the cooperation of the rest of the state.

As for Western Australia (big blue state on the left), they do whatever the fuck they want and quite often don't opt in to federal laws and do their own thing. I can't explain what's happening there.

Do not ask me about the 30-minute time zone thing happening in the middle. My only explanation is that, as per above, SA thinks it's better than everyone else and did it to be ✨special✨ (the Northern Territory (middle green territory (not a state) at the top) was part of SA until some time after federation which is why they follow the same time zone (except for DST).

Did any of that answer your question? I'm really not sure.

Anyway, Australia where time zones are in the future but are also fucked ✌🏽

#rmd answers #time zone witchery

[idk-what-to-put-here-123]

Post about Aussie animals bc they're fucking terrifying

To start, this is a magpie.

Spring / late summer is called "magpie season" here and if you walk under their nests or around the tree that their nest is in they will swoop

That beak and claws? Razor sharp. If you're a cyclist you're dead

Magpie helmets are a common sight during this time (you can literally buy them online)

Next: cassowary

See that weird lump thing on it's head? That's bone. They will run at you and impale you with it.

See one of these in the wild? Run for your life.

Cassowaries have three-toed feet with sharp claws. The inner (first) toe has a dagger-like claw that can be ~125 mm

They sometimes kick and you do not want to be within range when they do

These are pretty big at up to 1.8m tall with the males at 29-55kg and the females up to 76kg

There is a large variety of spiders in this fucked-up country but my personal favorite is the Queensland bird eating tarantula.

As you may have guessed, this fucker eats birds.

They're more commonly found in the warmer and more acrid regions of Australia, which means you'll probably find them in Queensland and around Darwin.

This wonderful animal I'm going to show you next is called the platypus.

They're probably my favorite animals they're so weird 😂

They're like otters but they have a bill and webbed fins like a duck

They're mammals but they lay eggs and theyre amphibious

The males have a venomous spur on their inner hind ankle

And the babies are called puggles which I absolutely LOVE

Ok next up is the emu

These things are relatively friendly

You can buy these little packets of emu food from certain servos which you can feed to them (they'll eat out of your hand)

Their eggs are fucking huge (average height 13x9cm, weight 450-650g) and so are they (average height 1.75m, weight 50-55kg)

KOALAS (not koala bears)

These balls of fluff are herbivores and their diet is mainly made up of eucalyptus leaves

They live in eucalypt trees and can sleep for up to 20 hours a day because the leaves they eat don't contain much nutrition

Koala babies are called joeys ♥️♥️

They're marsupials and the females give birth to undeveloped joeys which crawl into the mothers pouch where they stay for the first 6-7 months of their lives

Joeys are fully weaned when they're around a year old

Kooaburras ~~

Kookaburras are so annoying sometimes

They almost never stop laughing

And they steal your food

Once when I was down south with my parents (my sister hadn't been born yet) we were at this pub in the bush and I had fish and chips

In a tree relatively close to where we were sitting there was a kookaburra

And out of the blue it sWOOPED DOWN AND STOLE THE BATTER OFF MY FISH

And then I apparently started crying (I was like 4 give me a break)

Anyway

Kooaburras are almost exclusively carnivorous, eating mice, snakes, insects, small reptiles, and the young of other birds

They dont usually eat fish though they are known to take goldfish from ponds (I'm realizing now thats probably where my goldfish went)

#yes i love how fucked up my country is shut up #if you want me to do an animal i didnt do here put it in the comments #animals #australian animals #australia #idkwhattoouthere123

[ratherembarrassing]

2023: weeks 48 and 49

movies: bottoms (2023, emma seligman). this finally finally made a very brief showing in cinemas here, and i'm so glad it did because i think if i had been watching this at home i might have abandoned it early on. but we deserve dumb movies, too, and now we have them, hooray!

that whole thing: it really did just start with an errant thought that barbie and gloria are very aes sedai and warder coded as i was driving home from seeing saltburn, and then i read like ~80 fics in the moiraine/lan tag, and then i was like let's watch some fan vids (this is when you know i am in trouble), and then i was like let's just watch the show again, and then i was in the airport bookshop and now i've read like half of book one.

musics: go-jo's like a version cover of 'teenage dream' is doing things to me. there was an anti-earnest indie covers of pop songs movement that really rose a few years ago, and i hated that! earnest indie covers of pop songs are the best!

also musics: i added 'fake plastic trees' to my barbie handler playlist, if you're wondering how that's going.

holidays: fake christmas. i made a quick trip to sunny queensland to do fake christmas with the niblings before they were shipped off to spend the bulk of the summer break with their mother (booo). (this also meant i got to attend the fairy odd-dottir's childcare centre's christmas concert, and you guys, 1 year olds singing christmas songs. i nearly died.) it was humid as hell, but i got a free haircut while i was there.

also holidays: christmas party season is upon us. i've got the worst one out of the way (firm wide black tie) but the messiest (practice group pissup) is still to come. insert a bunch of client functions in between, and i'm already irritated, because: see 'that whole thing' above. i have important things to do, dammit.

#this week in ashleigh

[edge-oftheworld]

I don't know how to explain it but ydgtp without the second verse reminds me of advance australia fair without the second verse. and I Don't Like It, Feels Wrong. in one you conveniently forget to mention that 'for those who come across the seas we've boundless plains to share' (no calling out the anti immigration people) and 'with courage let us all combine' (no celebrating courage) and in the other. no 'lost my limit cause i'm dumb and i'm passionate took my foot up off the brake it's not an accident all my friends are up on mars we're been travelling another lonely night' also doesn't celebrate being courageous (reckless) travelling (to mars/australia, both red dirt same thing) inviting people in (cause you're lonely)

one of these, 5sos made a video with the summer brothers advertising australia and INCLUDED THE SECOND VERSE (yay). the other--let's just say yes i'm bummed ydgtp was cut from the show. of course i am. it's such a favourite. but honestly? i'm not sure what i'd choose. to have it there without the second verse would be its own form of torture. like having to sit through the australian national anthem without the second verse for 7 years in school in queensland growing a generation of bigots. maybe not that bad. but that second verse of ydgtp is very personal to me so

#i'm not sure if they played the second verse in amsterdam #i only watched the full concert in chicago on yt i think #and was fully confused for a second #ydgtp #somehow iwct works kind okay without v2 though. less sexy #but like. the most important stuff is still conveyed #now i can't even look at queue

[acaplaya-musings]

Voiceplay-adjacent Visuals: Folsom Prison Blues

Never have I been so much of a fan of a country song (or at least, a country song performed by a male singer) before!

Geoff's cover of Folsom Prison Blues was uploaded on the 6th of August, 2023, and it's another one of my 3 favourite videos on his channel. Emphasis on "video", because although the song is great and it's yet again a cool arrangement of his, the video is what really sells it for me. So without further ado, let's get into it!

If you've watched the video (of course you have) and watched at least the first bit of Geoff's outro at the end (I hope you have), then you'll know that Geoff legit rented out an actual legit prison for this video! No longer used of course, and I think this section was the only part of the prison that actually still looked like one, but still! (Shoutout to the Patrons who helped make it possible for Geoff to do this! I'm still considering joining Geoff's Patreon myself tbh.)

I didn't think it was possible for Geoff to look any more handsome than he already usually does, but Geoff in glasses? Whoo yes please! 👀👌 (Or should I say, "Jeff" in glasses? 😉)

Also check out the book he's reading! It's a Johnny Cash book! (A little nod to the original artist of the song, of course)

So what's up with the numbers on the uniforms, and how do I know that the one in the glasses is "Jeff"? Well they're connected! Each uniform has a different number on it, and each number connects to a letter, phone-keypad style:

So the one in the glasses (and now holding that book in a very questionable way) has the uniform number 05333, which can be translated as _-J-E-F-F. Then next to him we have uniform number 43633, which translates to G-E-O-F-F, aka "Lead Geoff" (also context clues can help you out here - he's the lead vocalist for this one, and therefore, it's Geoff 😁)

Walking up to the foreground we have uniform number 32795, which is Daryl! (Fun story: I've done a few Voiceplay/Geoff marathons with two of my best friends (always via video chat, because I like seeing their reactions but also there's no way I'm letting them listen without headphones), and when we were watching Folsom Prison Blues and we got to this bit, one of my friends exclaimed "holy crap he's jacked?!?!" 😂)

And I'll clarify now that the one leaning(?) on the cell door has the uniform number 53674, and it's Jeoph!

(Apparently Kathy told people in the live chat or something that Goff isn't in this one because he's a good boy who would never end up in jail, or something like that 😆)

I'm guessing you've noticed how very fluffy Geoff's hair is in this one? 😁 (And also the prominence of his white-grey streak, gotta point that out too <3). Apparently it was quite a warm day when this video was being filmed, and quite humid too, and the "set" was open-air with no air-conditioning or proper cooling system to speak of. And look, as someone who lives in Queensland, Australia (which is frequently Humidity Central during summers), I can certainly sympathise, but dang the humidity didn't do him any sort of disservice, that's for sure! 👀

Also, because there is plenty of natural light for the shots in this one, this is another good video for exhibiting Geoff's actual eye colour (hazel), because the tinges of green are decently noticeable in this one! <3

To quote one of the comments: "a Geoff being unimpressed with other Geoffs will never not be funny" 😂

(Also more appreciation for Jeff in glasses, while he's still wearing them, because he (sadly /hj) takes them off as the first verse starts getting repeated, and then doesn't put them back on till right at the end!)

How nice of you to decide to join in, Jeoph! 😆

Also notice that the "Geoffs"/"Quadruplets" here each have a slight difference to their outfits? (Until Jeff takes the glasses off, anyway). It's in the sleeve lengths! Well, if there are any sleeves at all of course. Daryl is wearing a sleeveless shirt (we always stan <3), Geoff has sleeves rolled down to his elbows, and both Jeff and Jeoph have sleeves rolled up higher than their elbows! (Took me freaking ages to notice that, ngl).

(Though note even when Jeff takes off his glasses, he still keeps them hanging off his shirt, so they're still kinda technically a point of difference)

(And is it just the lighting, or is it just me, but is Jeff's shirt slightly different in colour to Jeoph's? Or am I just losing it a little bit? 😅)

I'm not someone who usually cares much about how physically strong/muscled a person is, but boy, he really do be jacked!

(Also necklace pendant in full view!)

"Don't ever play with guns!"

(Sharing this image because I literally only just noticed Daryl's sort of "warning finger" gesture (and accompanying facial expression 😝), though it's literally right at the start of the shot and he pulls his hand back fairly quickly)

(Sidenote: I adore the way that Geoff gives his "Backup Geoffs/Clones" individual personalities/identities in some of his videos, I can't get enough of it, and as much as I love the "truly solo" stuff he's been doing since, I hope I get to see multiple "Geoff clones" in a video again sooner or later (NOTE: yes this was written very much before Unshaken was released))

What's that you're holding there, Jeff? 😉

Also shoutout for not only the acting work by Geoff in this (subtle but certainly valuable), but the editing too! We're getting multiple angles of Jeff, Geoff, Daryl, and Jeoph, who all start in different positions in the foreground/midground/background btw, and it looks clean as anything! Maybe it's not actually too hard to do, relatively speaking at least, but had you shown this to me in like 2018 or something, that alone would have blown my mind, let alone the rest!

Harmonica time! Truly a man of many skills and talents! (Apparently Geoff used to play harmonica for a Blues Brothers show he did at Universal Studios Orlando or something (knowing how to play it was fully required to perform in the show), and he brushed up on his skills/knowledge for this video!)

Also I know it's obviously much more common to know how to play guitar than harmonica, but I found it a little amusing at how literally not a single reactor batted an eyelid at Geoff "playing" guitar in Man Of Constant Sorrow (though he's overall better at playing it via piano plug-in than with the actual instrument), but at least one or two reactors on this video were like "is that really him playing it?"/"who's playing the harmonica on this cover?" It's all Geoff! 😁

Jeoph's face right after Daryl hits a very solid F#1 in chest, literally the epitome of "huh, not bad" 😆

Obligatory comment of "hhhhh he's so pretty"

(Also gotta love the fact that neither Geoff nor any of the Backup Geoffs have any fewer than 2-3 top buttons undone. Full respect 😝👌)

Another point of difference to look out for in this video: all four of them move their hands differently when singing/harmonising! Most noticeable between Geoff and Geoph. Daryl, meanwhile, keeps his hands pretty still in comparison, mostly either standing with his arms folded, or with his hands half in his pockets like in the shot above.

"If they free me from this prison..."

(Nobody points out/seems to notice Daryl in this bit, which imo is a darn shame, so I'm making up for it!)

Bonus Geoff Clones up top in the background! (They're multiplying!!!!)

Now come on, that's just showing off! 😂 (Also if go back and rewatch this and pay attention to the background, you'll see that the background Geoff Clone on the far left starts clapping! 😁)

Massive kudos to both Geoff and Kathy for this video - other than Ed Boyer (who does the audio mixing for both Voiceplay and Geoff's solo stuff), this cover and video was purely a Castellucci production! Kathy was production manager as always (and she is for Voiceplay as well), and she and Geoff collaborated on "creative/visuals" (quoting the credits in the description, and the rest was all Geoff! The arrangement, the producing, the filming, the performing, (the harmonica playing!), and the editing! All him! He does a lot of this stuff himself for his other solo videos too, but this one is very brilliant, even without knowing how much of an independent creation it was!

#geoff castellucci #folsom prison blues #acaplaya analysis #voiceplay-adjacent visuals

[5sosfanfictioncatalogue]

Colorful Fic Titles Masterlist

all that glitters is gold (ao3) - strxngersagain luke/calum, luke/omc T, 30k

Summary: Luke is running from everyone, including himself, and Calum is getting tired from chasing after him.

black coffee and sulfur (ao3) - allsassnoclass (brightblackholes) calum/ashton T, 9k

Summary: “You’re the demon,” Ashton says, voice steady. “I was right about the crop failures and electrical storms. There is a demon in Springville.”

black is the colour (of my true love's hair) (ao3) - hemmingscliffords Michael/Luke E, 2k

Summary: His eyes graze over Luke's ash blonde hair, the multitude of colours from various batches of highlights that their stylists have given him over the past year, the butterscotch coloured roots that are growing in from not upkeeping it, and out of nowhere Michael thinks that holy shit, Luke would look awesome with black hair. Maybe an ebony colour that had a midnight blue washed through it.

Blue (ao3) - Extras0fts Michael/Calum G, 544

Summary: "You're home, and whenever I'm with you, I feel blue."

blue gatorade & strawberries (ao3) - galacticsugar luke/calum M, 7k

Summary: “That’s actually why I’m here,” Calum says, causing Luke to frown in confusion.

“To haunt me?”

“To ask if I’m being too loud,” Calum replies with a lopsided smile. “My sister got me these badass speakers for graduation, but the subwoofer can be kind of intense, so I wanted to make sure I wasn’t bothering you.”

“Oh, are you the asshole in 314 whose bass is making it impossible for me to quietly pine after my best friend?”

Blue Masquerade (ao3) - CalumSmiles (dreamforlife) michael/luke E, 85k

Summary: Michael is in love with Luke. That much is clear. Well, to Calum, Ashton and the rest of the world anyway. Luke is blissfully oblivious to the blatant signs. He gets a girlfriend. Michael tries to move on.

Spoiler: he fails.

Color of Love (ao3) - felixandtae luke/ashton N/R, 161k

Summary: ❝Sometimes my eyes show emotions I don't even realize I'm feeling.❞

Where Luke's eyes change color based on his mood, but they never turned purple until he met Ashton.

Gay Doesn't Mean Rainbows (ao3) - walking_crisis69 michael/luke T, 3k

Summary: "Your breath tastes like smoke." Luke said as he pulled away, running his fingers through his enemy's hair. "And your breath tastes like rainbows."

he's got blue eyes deep like the sea (ao3) - orphan_account luke/ashton 5k

Summary: He groans, a sickening pain shooting through him. He can feel something wet beginning to trail down his leg, and in his hazy mind, he just barely manages to put together that it's slick, and he's just presented.

Fuck, he's an omega.

(or, the one where luke goes into his first heat at a party, and it all goes downhill from there.)

Milky White (ao3) - gardener luke/ashton, michael/calum M, 3k

Summary: 'Hey, where are you guys heading?' 'Woodford Folk Festival!'

Ashton is a gray romantic hard worker with his mind set on hiking through the forests and meeting nice people to become friends with. Whilst exploring the woods in Queensland, he comes across two friends who enthusiastically invite him to join them to the festival. Despite the fact they know nothing about each other apart from names, he decides to tag along and see what the fuss about this festival is all about. It all turns into a hot mess that night, with Ashton's nose nuzzling between Luke's milky white thighs he is starting to want to become good friends with.

My Baby Wears Shades of Pink (ao3) - twinkylukey luke/ashton E, 1k

Summary: Ashton now owns the Playboy mansion. Luke is the only male bunny, and the only one that suits his needs.

Pink + Black (ao3) - IfWallsCouldMuke michael/luke, calum/ashton E, 5k

Summary: Or where Luke and Michael had a summer fling and they both have feelings for each other after a year.

Purple Lipstick (ao3) - SinisterMind michael/calum T, 3k

Summary: Michael picked up the eyeliner his mother left on the side of the sink and an overwhelming desire to wear it washed over him.

or

Michael likes to wear make-up

Rare as Gold (ao3) - FalseDevotion calum/ashton E, 230k

Summary: Growing up is hard and scary and you may find yourself lost more often than not. But if you surround yourself with good people, you can always find your path.

Red Desert (ao3) - jenlouniverse G, 1k

Summary: First song from CALM: Red Desert. A quest to know oneself a little better and trying to leave the past behind.

Tongue-Tied And White Lie Addicted (ao3) - fourdrunksluts michael/ashton, luke/calum E, 50k

Summary: Michael’s just finished his undergrad and is ready to stop messing around with strangers and get more serious about his studies as he prepares for his dream job. No relationships, no sex. Which is harder than it sounds when Ashton Irwin comes into his life.

White Lines, Pretty Daddy Golden Skin (ao3) - twinkylukey luke/ashton E, 3k

Summary: Part one to a mini series! Sugar Daddy Ashton and twinky, small Luke.

White Noise (ao3) - merlypops luke/ashton E, 7k

Summary: Luke and Ashton have massive crushes on each other, Ashton throws a party, and all of Luke's dreams come true. (Maybe they're a tiny bit in love too. Maybe.)

you showed me colors you know I can't see with anyone else (ao3) - lifewasradical OT4, luke/calum, michael/ashton T, 20k

Summary: “Well, the color we can see is red. Well, wait, is this the color you see?” Calum asks, holding out his phone to show Luke a list of basic colors. The only box that's anything but a shade of grey is marked red. Luke nods again, looking around to place more red objects.

“I’ve never heard of someone meeting their soulmate and not seeing all the colors at once,” Calum says, leaning back against his bed.

Or, you're supposed to see all the colors when you meet your soulmate. Calum and Luke only see red.

you’re my honeysuckle rose (ao3) - merlypops Luke/Ashton E, 8k

Summary: Ash and Lu have been in love with each other for a long time, and they just want to be together.

#5sosfanfictioncatalogue #masterlists #5sos fanfic #5sos #5 seconds of summer #colors #colors masterlist

[dykefever]

hiiii laura if u r still doing this ask game then. opinion on....hmm...seasons. what's ur favorite what's ur least favorite where do the other two rank on the laura scale etc <3

sooo i think my opinion changes with seasons depending where i am because australian seasons and england seasons are very different ...but i'll try keep this succinct

australia -

favourite: spring because it has the promise of summer, the sun, the beach, the anticipation of the ending school year + upcoming christmas without the sweltering humidity and scorching UV.

least favourite: autumn because nothing happens it's a nothing season in queensland because our winters are so tame.

second would be summer which i used to hate but have been missing like a limb this england summer .. the sounds of the waves + sea gulls + crickets + kookaburras... aus summer where i'm from is so loud and i didn't realise how much i missed it. plus it's associated w christmas and holidays for me :-) then third is winter it's lovely because the sun is warm but it's not going to burn immediately but like it's nothing crazy 2 me plus our houses get so cold for no good reason

in england: winter, spring, summer, autumn

bear in mind i've only had the one year here but sorry i'm rocking with winter ig i'm just built different no seasonal depression for me 😂🚬 but winter is so cosy and i love 2 be cosy .. plus coats .. plus i love grey skies sorry .. plus mulled wine need i say more!!!! spring is so exciting too cause when ur just getting over winter and everything starts blooming and is so fresh... summer what the hell is this shite also you lot have no beaches im not moved.. autumn i feel like will move up the ranks this year once i've properly experienced it :-)

#this is so detailed like relax it's just seasons girl!!! #but great question rae as always my flower ... #ik this summer has been especially crap like usually it's a lot nicer but idk it's just not summer to me .. beer gardens and aperol tho i #do enjoy that i love the commitment there ... also love sitting in the sun not getting severely burnt that's cool #answered #opinion on anything #rae tag

[sophiebernadotte]

I was tagged by @princesscatherinemiddleton to answer these questions so let's find out how much of a nerd I am!

What colour are your eyes?: Blue-grey

What instantly tells you if a person is good?: I usually have quite a good gut feeling/instinct when it comes to people, so I'm gonna say the vibe

Do you have a recurring dream?: Not anymore, but growing up I frequently dreamt about my teeth falling out - either that I could pull them out one by one or they fell out all at once & ended up choking on them... can someone tell me if this is normal? Should I be concerned for my younger self?

What is the most interesting class you have taken?: I'm gonna have to say when I was studying History A (autumn 2020), I remember having such a strong feeling of "I'm home, this is where I'm supposed to be" & I try to remind myself of that whenever I have a life crisis & feel like giving up on history for a "safer" field

How often do you find yourself daydreaming?: Way too often

Name/nickname: Saga, I don't really have a nickname... one of my friends has said that if I was a dog I would be a poodle, so she sometimes refers to me as that

Zodiac: Capricorn (Sun = Capricorn, Moon = Aquarius, Rising = Capricorn, for those who are curious)

Height: 158 cm, so around 5 feet 2 inches

Nationality: Swedish & Sámi

Favourite colour: It's a tie between forest green & light pastel colours, depending on my mood

Favourite season: I'm gonna say summer, despite all the pollen

Favourite animals: Dogs & horses

Favourite fictional characters: Oh gosh... way too many! But fictional as in book characters, I'm going to say my underappreciated girls Ginny Weasley, Susan Pevensie & Amy March. If you can't tell, I also love Sophie Beckett & Benedict Bridgerton (I know, shocker!) both as individuals but also as a couple. Honourary mentions to my boys Michael Stirling, Percy Jackson & Finnick Odair. Not gonna go into TV series or movie characters because then we would probably be here the whole day 😂

Tea, coffee or hot chocolate?: I'm addicted to coffee, so that's gonna have to be the answer but, I do love hot chocolate every now & then

Average hours of sleep?: I think somewhere between 6-7 hours

Cat or dog person?: Dog! haha

Number of blankets slept with: Duvet with one blanket on top

Places ancestors are from: The southern part of Swedish Lapland. All of my ancestors lived concentrated in an area nicknamed Drottninglandet, Queensland (the area was "discovered" & named after Frederica of Baden). So as you can see, I had no choice but to be royally obsessed!

Dream trip: Oh, I don't think I have one! I'm gonna have to say pass on this one for now

Blog established: Nov. 2012.

Random fact about yourself: I don't know how to whistle

Three ships: Well, seeing as I've already mentioned Benophie, I'm gonna go with Helnik from Six of Crows/Shadow & Bone, Bellarke from The 100 &... Shirbert from Anne of Green Gables!

Last song:

Last movie: I can't remember...

Currently reading: Scientific papers on the history of the upper-class & their country homes - no really, it's actually interesting but it's taking up all my brain power (as Ash knows seeing as I'm practically years behind on reading her stuff, sorry about that)

Currently watching: *cricket noise*

Currently craving: Sweets

Now, I'm gonna tag @death-of-astar, @silverhallow, @bridgertonbabe, @sophiamariabeckett, @grandmaster-anne & @quintessbrit plus anyone else who wants to answer these questions

#saga.txt

[mthld]

Nim's version

June 2014

Hey you ! My name is Nim and I’m about to tell you my crazy life. I was 11 years old on the picture that you see, but I am now 17 years old and since my father left for a very special mission on his boat, I am all by myself. So, it’s been 6 years and 2 months since he left to save the Great Barrier Reef. My dad is a marine biologist, if you are interested, and I want to be one too. He told me that I was old enough (at 11) to manage to live all alone. And also, we can't really say that I am ALL by myself, because I have my friends with me : Selkie the sea lion, Fred the bearded dragon, Chica the sea turtle, and Galileo the pelican. I am living on the Hinchinbrook Island, off the northeast coast of Queensland, Australia. I love my island so much because of the nature and the ocean.

5 summers ago, I met two other Australians boys, Oliver from Brisbane and James from Melbourne. 

I was with Selkie when I saw that big boat approaching my island. I had never seen one before. I was really scarred at the beginning, because I had no idea what was on the boat. So I went home with all the animals, barricaded it like dad had taught me and stayed there for about a week. When I finally went out because I had no more fish to eat, I saw that this boat had unloaded all its passengers on the north beach. The tents had simply invaded my entire beach.

I quickly went to my favourite spot to hide by the waterfalls, but that's where I ran into the boys. They were with their backs to me, crouching over the pond where I raise my algae to study them and understand them better. I couldn't move, but when they turned around, our eyes instantly understood each other. They were in awe of my breeding and immediately asked me lots of questions. We were in fact all three passionate about marine biology. I decided to integrate them in my club, which until now only counted me and the animals, the Nim's Ocean Guardian's Club.

I told them everything I knew about ocean wildlife, and we played together in the water and with the animals every day. They also taught me some of the things they had learned at what they called "school". We would have fun and talk for hours and hours, exploring the island and I would show them all my secret places. They became like brothers to me.

At the end of the summer, they had to leave again but promised me to come back. And that's what they did, the next 3 summers. I was just waiting for the summer to come, to see this tourist boat with my friends in it. But last summer, they didn't come... And now the summer starts in 2 weeks, and I don't even know if I'm still expecting them to come or not… Why does everyone end up abandoning me?

#guardiansoftheocean #friends #fiction #australia #queensland #hinchinbrookisland #nim'soceanguardiankid'sclub #greatbarrierreef #animals #nature

[autumnalreverieblog]

Comfort in the Uncomfortable

I am aware of two things since becoming an adult- what makes me comfortable, & how to enjoy the uncomfortable.

What makes me comfortable is routine, cleanliness and warmth. I strive for these things daily.

Every morning looks the same. Fight the desire to stay asleep, crawl from bed to bathroom and pee. Put on work clothes, brush teeth, hair, put on makeup. Before I walk out the door, I verbalise my checklist, often more than twice.

'Hair brushed, teeth brushed, deodorant on. Shoes, socks, uniform, jumper. Glasses, phone, wallet, keys. Makeup, lipstick, necklace, perfume, badge, headphones.'

My family can nearly recite it too. I have had the same list since mid-high school, altering it slightly depending on what job I'm now working.

Some of the items seem silly. I admit the socks is probably unnecessary. However, the quick reminder of deodorant has saved me more than once when my routine has been disrupted and a step has been missed.

My routine is comfortable because it means I need not worry that I've forgotten any of those things once I'm gone; I think of them no more.

Personal grooming and cleanliness are related to my routine. I have my regular hair washing schedule, shaving, waxing and tinting. All the things a female needs to be presentable to the public. Cleanliness is a core value of mine, as my comfort relies heavily on it.

I cannot stand my own sticky skin, greasy hair, prickly legs. I have learned that I'm happier to sacrifice an extra hour for a late hair wash one night than to go without the next day and feel like a grot; a rat who appeared from the sewer.

Finally, warmth. Another core tenant in my need for comfort. The most environmentally painful part of a day for me is a cold winter morning. Awake before the sun and ripped from warm sheets into an icy morning makes me feel sick.

I love the warm embrace of a Queensland summer, and the early sunrise. I love joyful, hot summers.

I do believe that comfort is a criminally undervalued aspect of life. Obviously, as you know I'm about to say, it is not of first importance, it does not come before our main priorities, it cannot always be expected to be achieved. However, in moments and seasons when comfort can be regularly experienced, it increases one's joy and quality of life. Happy people are productive people, happy people are healthy people. We can survive without it but let's aim for more than mere survival- let's thrive.

Comforts are a gift from the LORD, which brings me to my next point.

I am more aware of how to be uncomfortable.

As an older teen and young twenty-year-old, I remember going through a season of learning what I liked, what made me comfortable. In that process, I was able to identify what I hated.

So, in part two of my self-discovery, I learned to better manage myself in unideal situations. Granted, I still have much to go.

My aversion to bleak July mornings is now combated by playing a mental game. Play pretends. In our world of tik tok and an endless stream of "Day in my Life" videos, it's easy to imagine myself as a different person who enjoys the things I avoid. Instead of a shivering Queenslander, I am a numb Slav who is used to brutalism and bitter chill. I eagerly wait for my black coffee.

Offensive? I've just realised it probably is, but I certainly don't mean for it to be. By all means, if you need to pretend to be a 23 year old Queenslander who loves the heat, go for it.

To dig my hole further, and build on my point, how I have learned to embrace the uncomfortable is by romanticising what I am doing. Taking all the unpleasantness away by entering a state of reverie and pretending that what I am doing is part of a beautiful story.

I lovingly fold my laundry like an 1800's prairie homemaker. I pour my coke into a glass like I'm a refined aristocrat. Rather than be stressed because my house was left as a mess, I'll embrace the cosiness of a lived in space and enjoy the housework later.

I write a silly piece for tumblr like I actually have something important to say.

It's not about doing things perfectly. It's about making the most of what we have and doing the best with what we've got. Finding our daily comforts and embracing the discomforts.

#girl blogger #blog #thoughts #donttakeittooseriously #opinion #hobby #romanticising #comfort

[thisselflovecamebacktome]

Is the sidey zoo ethical? Cause in my country there's not ONE zoo that isn't awful to animals (but i know someone of them treat animals with respect)

I will be honest, this is something I have not looked too into, especially with Sydney Zoo because when I visit a zoo in Sydney, it's Taronga Zoo; so I welcome anyone who has further insights to comment but it is my understanding that all Australian zoos treat their animals well and are closer to conservation parks than what they are to the inhumane zoos that give zoos their bad stereotype.

I also believe that zoos within Australia have to meet standards, but while Taronga has labelled which body's, primarily the Australasian Zoo and Aquarium Association, Sydney Zoo simply says 'international standards' in their conservation information. That's not to say that they are not up to scratch, just more vague so harder to make a comment on.

As part of the standards that need to be upheld, I will also note that I know Australian laws are relatively standardised and strict on their animal laws compared to a lot of countries I have read up on. For example, I believe that it's still the case that with the exception of the state of Queensland, you cannot have a Koala encounter where you hold them within Australia (sorry anyone waiting for this picture of Taylor lmao) because Koalas are very territorial to the point where a lot of them would rather die than eat from a tree outside of the one they live on (which as a related aside to all of this, is why you may see extra pushes for their wellbeing in regards to chopping down their habitat and/or bushfire seasons because we unfortunately learned very quickly after the black Summer of 2019/2020 how much this affects them), and while it is not explicitly said, I think a lot of reason Queensland gets the exception is because Steve Irwin's family still owns the main zoo there.

Anyway, I'm starting to rant now, but I would definitely recommend reading the conservation information I linked above for Sydney Zoo and making your own judgement, but like I said, it is my understanding that Australian zoos in general, including Sydney Zoo, are closer to conservations than inhumane zoos. I really hope the ones you know of get better as soon as possible, and like I said, if anyone has any further comment on this, I welcome it because it's not an area of expertise for me.

#taylor swift #animals

[tleeaves]

homesickness never leaves you imo. i go to sydney and i miss bris and every day in brisbane i miss sydney, sometimes you never win

It has been a while since you sent this one in (and I apologise for not getting to your other one first, I wanted to answer it once I got around to actually listening to it (and then I have problems with listening/watching/reading any recs until my brain decides it's okay and it's a constant battle lemme tell you)) and so I've been thinking on it some more.

Homesickness never leaves. That's your view, and I've decided I feel the same about it. For so long, I was desperate to leave the farm in that country town, to ditch the place, the people, everything about it. There's not a lot of career opportunities out there either, unless you're going into farming, trade work, or something you can do remotely (given you don't have a willingness to commute by bus or train for hours each day like some folks I met).

I longed for Melbourne. It is a city with places I still recognise when I see a picture or background of it, but with so many unknowns and unexplored areas that makes me want to go back. Never leave a stone unturned and whatnot. Now, I don't even have that. There's just Brisbane. And I'm reluctant to get to know Brisbane on the principle that I know it's not Melbourne, if that makes sense.

And I know deep down that I crave the countryside again too. Not the kind you find in Queensland either. I need Victoria where it's cold, where frost laces the grass, there's soft carpets of clovers, prickly blackberry bushes spreading wherever it can take hold, the trees look a certain way, a fog fills the valley -- my valley -- in spring and early summer, the rain falls thin but showers for hours unending, I know the paddocks and highway and order of towns like the back of my hand, I know the map, I know the cemetery where I lived, the plot where my pappou is buried, I know the sounds of the particular birds, I know the music of the train and the regular bikers and I even know the turns wildfires make from my vantage on the hill I once was. I know where the puddles will form, the monstrous ones that we even named because of how long they stayed, and I know where it floods. There's four seasons in a day, so you always go out prepared, but you know to expect the unexpected, which made it reliable in a way. I sometimes miss when the power would go out, though we lived right near a power station (unhealthy air to be growing up on apparently, but country air was country air and it feels cleaner, crisper than anything I've breathed in Queensland), and we'd have to rely on buckets of water, generators, candles, and torches until some unknown time when the power would come back.

It's possible to know a place so intimately that it is a part of you. I think to grow up somewhere for so long is to make it part of you, to let it shape you, and I mourn it in a complicated way. I want to run away from the memories there as much as I want to go running back to familiar patterns and scenery. I miss the land, don't miss the people, but I miss what some of the people once meant to me and I miss that once upon a time I didn't care what sort of reputation I had with people and how they knew me. I run away from history but yearn for fields it was made on.

#idk I never get to talk to anyone about my homesickness #no one gets it because they don't know my hometown or much of the state at large #and I mean how do you articulate how deeply you miss a place without choking up if not through typing? #I'm still misty eyed but at least I'm not forced to try and vocalise these feelings #my family miss the ease of living but not the place like I do #being here is supposed to be some version of “moving up” both literally and figuratively #somewhere there's more opportunities #and closer to key infrastructure #near the seaside where it's meant to be good for your health #though the ocean is still a 15 min drive away #and it's warm all the time #who would miss the cold? (I do) #somehow I miss the cold even if it made bone pain hell #because my body still gives me hell here #and it was easier to be comfortable in cold than heat #winters here get chilly now #I've been here two years and I can feel the cold but it's not MY cold #it's too thick and too humid even when temperatures are low #there are no cosy villages below snow-capped mountains to travel to in the winter either #no frostbite to worry about #no firewood to worry about #no chimneys to clean and ash to constantly sweep up #no wild unowned sheep wandering from farm to farm and stray dogs and cats everywhere getting their fill from our doorstep every few weeks #no fox sightings or droppings no wombat burrows to steer clear of and other mysterious “likely snake-filled” holes in the ground #I can travel now and wander but I maybe what hurts most is knowing I can't go home #because home is not there anymore #there is nothing to return to except someone else's land now

[tahomina30]

Australians urged to practice sun safety this summer, with more than 400,000 people diagnosed with skin cancer each year

Last year, Emily Hayes received a call that she believed signaled the end of her life.

"I felt it was the end," she recounted. "They told me it was melanoma. I didn't see a way out."

Living in Queensland, the skin cancer capital of the world, Emily, a 30-year-old, resides near some of the country's most popular beaches, drawing thousands seeking sun exposure despite the deadly consequences—over 2,000 Australians succumb to UV rays annually.

Until her diagnosis, Emily didn't realize the hazards of neglecting a daily sun safety routine. "If I went to the beach for the day, that was fine, but the everyday activities like hanging out the washing or mowing the lawn for 30 minutes, I wasn't careful at all," she admitted.

Fortunately, the melanoma on her leg hadn't spread to other parts of her body. However, not everyone is as fortunate, with around 18,000 Australians annually diagnosed with invasive melanomas, the deadliest form of skin cancer.

"Melanomas can change within weeks or months, so I'm lucky to be here," Emily emphasized.

Professor Anne Cust noted that while Australians are becoming more aware of tanning risks, the awareness is not increasing rapidly enough. Melanoma is the most common cancer in people aged 20 to 39, making young adults a high-risk group.

"Especially for young people, they're much more likely than adults to seek a tan," Professor Cust remarked.

Despite the known link between UV radiation and melanomas, people continue to choose tanning, often not realizing the damage until years later. Over 430,000 people are diagnosed with non-melanoma skin cancer each year, almost equivalent to the population of the Australian Capital Territory.

Treating skin cancer places a billion-dollar burden on the Australian healthcare system annually, with an estimated $1.7 billion cost for melanoma treatment alone. Treatment can involve lengthy processes and specialized areas such as radiation and immunotherapy, leading to side effects like memory issues, concentration difficulties, nausea, hair loss, and fatigue.

Professor Cust stressed the importance of skin cancer education, stating that it not only saves lives but also saves the government millions of dollars. "For every dollar the government spends on skin cancer prevention campaigns, it returns more than $3," she explained.

To tackle the issue head-on, a $10 million skin cancer awareness campaign, funded by the national government, is underway. Additionally, Queensland recently announced a $1 billion cancer center for innovative cancer treatments.

Following her brush with early death, Emily Hayes urged people not to take the risk of tanning lightly. She emphasized the lack of education on the dangers of sun exposure and suggested government initiatives such as providing free sunscreen in public places.

"It's terrifying when you get told you have a melanoma," she said. "You really need to be sun-safe and do the right things."

#health #fitness #health and wellness #healthcare #health tips

[sophsummerskvb222]

Week 10

This week I began on an Adobe Photoshop image, I'm still working on my Photoshop skills so it generally takes me a lot longer to achieve a final outcome. As I began to photoshop my aim was to create cheerful and lush imagery which is lacking in our physical model due to using materials of beige and brown.

The image above was created with five key images aiming to produce an idea of the general shape and structure of the work. Arlo and I have agreed on a key arch for our hut-like sculpture as well as a bed of native flora. The added ground image is of an Australian grass meadow in Queensland. In creating this aspect of the work, I have realised that we need to make a native plant list for the project for the budget as well as the final feel of the work. Due to Australia's natural plant diversity, it is important to properly research these plants. This makes sure, plants won't hurt audience members (prickly plants) as well as making sure the tube stock has a good survival rate for the area. The area we have decided to create our project in is partly shady and will be quite dry during summer and autumn so it is necessary to find plants that will live in these conditions. Continuing on the photoshop: After rendering this entail image it was clear to me that the roof I had initially placed on the image did not serve the image correctly. I wanted it to present an idea of enclosure and safety but instead, it looks out of place and disconnected from over areas of the image. After chatting with Arlo I removed the roof and they taught me how to use the blur and clone tool correctly. This really helped me create a more successful image without the hard lines of imported imagery.

I'm really happy with the image created and I think it does help display our hope for the completed project. I do understand that the walls of the hut (around the tree in the back of the image) are very vibrant. If do this project it is more likely these areas will end up a lot more muted due to the use of drying/ dried leaf matter. The point I am trying to make in the image is the effect of the work towards its audience, a place of rest and imagination.

During the last week and a half Arlo and I finished the physical model of our spatial art project. In our next iteration, we hope to ignite a sense of life and vibrancy within the work as well as adding the idea of native negotiation.

[thegirlwhodownunder]

Blog 1: Introduction

Hey I know this is a bit late with blog 1 but let me introduce myself.  My name is Graci Wade and I'm studying abroad in Melbourne Australia at La Trobe University. I will be studying there for a semester where in Australia I will be studying in their 1st semester. Fun fact of the day in Australia is located in the Southern Hemisphere where the seasons are opposites there than in the United States. So currently right now it's summer there so I am staying for their fall semester, while in the U.S were in our 2nd semester. So, if you plan to study abroad in Australia you may start sooner or later based on the seasons there. For my study abroad program I am leaving a week early so I can settle in my new environment for the next few months and also explore Sydney for a few days before I move into my new temporary home. 

One of the main reasons why I’m going to Australia is to develop my personal and academic goals that will help me in my future career. Since I’m a science major focusing on the medical field I want to grow my knowledge on how their medical system works and apply that knowledge in the future. Australia has one of the best healthcare systems in the world and if I learn from a country that has one of the best systems of healthcare this can help develop my career and gain another country perceptive of the career that I’m going for. With their own perspective of the medical field this will help develop more of an understanding in the career of medicine.

As I mentioned before I’m also going to Australia to develop my own personal goals for myself. Ever since I was little I always wanted to go to Australia since it is such a unique place to go and since I am staying there for a few months I feel like this trip will help me grow as an individual. I’m going to be in a different continent for almost 4 months but this time I’m by myself since I currently know almost anyone who is studying abroad in La Trobe yet with the exception of one. This is great since I am connecting with people who are from different countries, but also a bit nerve racking since again I meet new people which I always get nervous about. 

One of the things that I’m most excited about is to explore Australia as a continent of its own. As I mentioned in the beginning of this blog, my first stop is Sydney, Australia for a few days just to explore what the city is like before heading to Melbourne which is my final destination that week I arrived there. I also plan to visit some of my other friends who are also studying abroad in Queensland and a few other places. 

Thank you for reading the first blog again. I apologize that the first blog is late. Blogs will be regularly posted weekly on Fridays afternoons in U.S time. Thank you for reading and hopefully you guys enjoy getting to know me a little and where I’m going. I see you again this Friday where the 2nd vlog will be posted 🙂.

#la trobe university #australia #study abroad #explore