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dreaminginthedeepsouth · 8 days

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LETTERS FROM AN AMERICAN

April 21, 2024

HEATHER COX RICHARDSON

APR 22, 2024

During her confirmation hearings in 2021, Interior Department secretary Deb Haaland promised “to responsibly manage our natural resources to protect them for future generations—so that we can continue to work, live, hunt, fish, and pray among them.�� Noting her Indigenous heritage, Haaland tweeted, “A voice like mine has never been a Cabinet secretary or at the head of the Department of Interior…. I’ll be fierce for all of us, our planet, and all of our protected land.”

Her approach was a shift from the practice the Interior Department had established at the beginning of the twentieth century when it began to prioritize mineral, oil, and gas development, as well as livestock grazing, on U.S. public lands. But the devastating effects of climate change have brought those old priorities into question.

Republicans, especially those from states like Wyoming, which collects more than a billion dollars a year in royalties and taxes from the oil, gas, and coal produced on federal lands in the state, opposed Haaland’s focus on responsible management of natural resources for the future and warned that the Biden administration is “taking a sledgehammer to Western states’ economies.”

On Thursday, April 18, the Interior Department finalized a new rule for a balanced management of America’s public lands. Put together after a public hearing period that saw more than 200,000 comments from states, individuals, Tribal and local governments, industry groups, and advocacy organizations, the new rule prioritizes the health of the lands and waters the Interior Department’s Bureau of Land Management oversees. Those consist of about 245 million acres, primarily in 12 western states.

The new rule calls for protection of the land, restoration of the places that have been harmed in the past, and a promise to make informed decisions about future use based on “science, data, and Indigenous knowledge.” It “recognizes conservation as an essential component of public lands management, on equal footing with other multiple uses of these lands.” The Bureau of Land Management will now auction off leases not only for drilling, but also for conservation and restoration.

Western state leaders oppose the Biden administration’s efforts to change the Interior Department’s past practices, calling them “colonial forces of national environmental groups who are pushing an agenda” onto states like Wyoming.

The timing of the Interior Department’s new rule can’t help but call attention to Earth Day, celebrated tomorrow, on April 22. Earth Day is no novel proposition. Americans celebrated it for the first time in 1970. Nor was it a partisan idea in that year: Republican president Richard M. Nixon established it as Americans recognized a crisis that transcended partisanship and came together to fix it.

The spark for the first Earth Day was the 1962 publication of marine biologist Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring, which showed the devastating effects of people on nature by documenting the effect of modern pesticides on the natural world. Her exposé of how the popular pesticide DDT was poisoning the food chain in American waters illuminated the dangerous overuse of chemicals and their effect on living organisms, and it caught readers’ attention. Carson’s book sold more than half a million copies in 24 countries.

Democratic president John F. Kennedy asked the President’s Science Advisory Committee to look into Carson’s argument, and the committee vindicated her. Before she died of breast cancer in 1964, Carson noted: "Man's attitude toward nature is today critically important simply because we have now acquired a fateful power to alter and destroy nature. But man is a part of nature, and his war against nature is inevitably a war against himself? [We are] challenged as mankind has never been challenged before to prove our maturity and our mastery, not of nature, but of ourselves."

As scientists organized the Environmental Defense Fund, Americans began to pay closer attention to human effects on the environment, especially after three crucial events. First, on December 24, 1968, astronaut William Anders took a color photograph of the Earth rising over the horizon of the moon from outer space during the Apollo 8 mission, powerfully illustrating the beauty and isolation of the globe on which we all live.

Then, over 10 days in January and February 1969, a massive oil spill off the coast of Santa Barbara, California, poured between 80,000 and 100,000 barrels of oil into the Pacific, fouling 35 miles of California beaches and killing seabirds, dolphins, sea lions, and elephant seals. Public outrage ran so high that President Nixon went to Santa Barbara in March to see the cleanup efforts, telling the American public that “the Santa Barbara incident has frankly touched the conscience of the American people.”

And then, in June 1969, the chemical contaminants that had been dumped into Cleveland’s Cuyahoga River caught fire. A dumping ground for local heavy industry, the river had actually burned more than ten times in the previous century, but with increased focus on environmental damage, this time the burning river garnered national attention.

In February 1970, President Nixon sent to Congress a special message “on environmental quality.” “[W]e…have too casually and too long abused our natural environment,” he wrote. “The time has come when we can wait no longer to repair the damage already done, and to establish new criteria to guide us in the future.”

“The tasks that need doing require money, resolve and ingenuity,” Nixon said, “and they are too big to be done by government alone. They call for fundamentally new philosophies of land, air and water use, for stricter regulation, for expanded government action, for greater citizen involvement, and for new programs to ensure that government, industry and individuals all are called on to do their share of the job and to pay their share of the cost.”

Meanwhile, Gaylord Nelson, a Democratic senator from Wisconsin, visited the Santa Barbara oil spill and hoped to turn the same sort of enthusiasm people were bringing to protests against the Vietnam War toward efforts to protect the environment. He announced a teach-in on college campuses, which soon grew into a wider movement across the country. Their “Earth Day,” held on April 22, 1970, brought more than 20 million Americans—10% of the total population of the country at the time—to call for the nation to address the damage caused by 150 years of unregulated industrial development. The movement included members of all political parties, rich Americans and their poorer neighbors, people who lived in the city and those in the country, labor leaders and their employers. It is still one of the largest protests in American history.

In July 1970, at the advice of a council convened to figure out how to consolidate government programs to combat pollution, Nixon proposed to Congress a new agency, the Environmental Protection Agency, which Congress created that December.

In honor of Earth Day 2024, Democratic president Joe Biden has called for carrying on the legacy of our predecessors “by building a greener, more sustainable planet and, with it, a healthier, more prosperous nation.”

In a statement, Biden noted that no one can any longer deny the impacts and staggering costs of climate change as the nation confronts historic floods, droughts, and hurricanes.

“Deforestation, nature loss, toxic chemicals, and plastic pollution also continue to threaten our air, lands, and waters, endangering our health, other species, and ecosystems,” he said. He noted the administration’s efforts to build a clean energy economy, providing well-paid union jobs as workers install solar panels, service wind turbines, cap old oil wells, manufacture electric vehicles, and so on, while also curbing air pollution from power plants and lead poisoning from old pipes, the burden of which historically has fallen on marginalized communities.

Biden noted that he brought the U.S. back into the Paris Climate Accord Trump pulled out of, is on track to conserve more lands and waters than any president before him, and has worked with the international community to slash methane emissions and restore lost forests.

And yet there is much more to be done, he said. He encouraged “all Americans to reflect on the need to protect our precious planet; to heed the call to combat our climate and biodiversity crises while growing the economy; and to keep working for a healthier, safer, more equitable future for all.”

Happy Earth Day 2024.

LETTERS FROM AN AMERICAN

HEATHER COX RICHARDSON

#Heather Cox Richardson #earth day #history #Letters From An American #Conservation #natural resources #Interior Department #Silent Spring #Rachel Carson

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quokkacore · 1 year

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kyoto [h.js]

summary: a few months after you and jisung break up, your friends rope you into going on vacation. the only issue? they forgot to mention they invited your ex-boyfriend too. (part two of the punisher anthology series)

pairing: ex-boyfriend!jisung x reader

warnings: infidelity, toxic friendships, skz (and twice, girlies im SO sorry) are huge assholes here srry :(, peer pressure, emotional manipulation, codependency, language, hurt no comfort, reader has low self-esteem, covid era, “good for her” ending, exes-to-strangers, maybe ignore the fact that japanese borders have been closed irl?, jisung at one point thinks the reader is going to hit him, suggestive content, making out

word count: a little over 6k

listen to the song here, or here for maximum devastation

a/n: this song is actually about phoebe’s relationship with her dad—but when i first heard it i misunderstood and thought it was about an ex-partner. regardless, here’s what i came up for with jisung. that being said, i do not believe the irl skz or twice would act this way and i certainly don’t condone the way jisung, skz, or twice act here.

main masterlist

june 24th, 2021

day off in kyoto

got bored at the temple

looked around at the 7/11

"Hey, come on, there's a lot of stuff we haven't seen yet, where are you going?" Jisung ran after you, eyes wide as he leaned towards you.

"I'm going back to the hotel," You mumbled, stepping out onto the street, "I'm not feeling very well. I think... the onigiri we got made me sick."

Jisung looked down, before smiling through his mask. You could see it through the way his eyes crinkled and the tops of his cheeks puffed up. "Come on, I'll help you get back! I'll buy you something from that corner store over there, they probably have stomach medication."

You resisted the urge to groan. You didn't want to miss out on the wonder that was Kiyomizu-dera, a temple over 1300 years old (and a UNESCO world heritage sight, thank you very much), but having to be followed around by the ex-boyfriend you hadn't seen in months up until two days ago was… not what you’d imagined.

Even worse when it was very clear to you that you weren't over him, and he wasn't over you. Made very evident by how nice he was being to you.

Seeing him at the airport, with his travel pillow and packed suitcase, tumbled your stomach so badly that you almost ended up making use of those barf bags they had on the plane once you were on the flight a few hours later.

"What is he doing here?" You hissed quietly at Dahyun, who had driven here with you. She continued walking towards the group, and shrugged as she flashed you a quizzical look. As if the topic were about a close friend. Not the ex-boyfriend you'd spent months crying over because he'd cheated on you.

"Oh, Minho invited him," She answered, "Just chill. It'll be fine."

"Dahyun, I don't think I can do this," You mumbled, shaking your head. You could feel your heartbeat picking up, your voice turning watery. She stopped a few feet away from them. Her smile disappeared, replaced with a warm, comforting gaze.

"You'll be fine, okay? We just want what's best for you," She explained, adjusting her face mask, "You have your friends here with you, Y/N. It'll be okay, trust me."

the band took the speed train

went to the arcade

i wanted to go, but i didn't

Some friends they’re turning out to be, you thought as you trailed behind Jisung into the konbini. You had initially insisted on staying far, far away from him. That proved to be very difficult once you'd landed in Kyoto.

It started on the bus ride to the hotel. There was no airport in Kyoto. No, the closest one was Osaka International, which was just about an hour away from the city via bus. A tired, cuddly Jisung sat himself right next to you.

“I’m so jetlagged,” He said, pulling his face mask up when he yawned. You avoided pointing out that the flight lasted less than two hours. When the bus began to move, he started to lean his head toward your shoulder. “That crying baby on the plane drove me nuts, can I maybe—”

“No,” You snapped, leaning away from him. His face dropped, and he seemed to realize his mistake. The rest of the drive was agonizingly awkward, you stewing the entire time.

Your friends always conveniently left room to sit next to Jisung, rarely anywhere else. The first night at a restaurant, all of you crammed into a round booth. The idea of sitting next to the man who’d said he loved you and then promptly stuck his dick somewhere he definitely wouldn’t have if he was being honest gave you too much anxiety. So, instead of sitting on the left edge of the table, next to the man in question, you adamantly sat on the edge of the right, right next to Chaeyoung, where there was barely any room.

And despite half of your ass hanging off of the seat the entire time, at least you got to avoid conversation with Jisung.

This morning, you’d awoken later to a text from Dahyun.

we went to go check out namco. ik u didnt want to go so i didnt wake u up

The thing is that you did want to go to Namco Wonder Tower. You have no idea where she’d gotten the idea that you didn’t want to go, because you’d explicitly told her a few days ago. The idea of a seven story tall arcade sounded like one of the coolest things ever.

Y/N: i did want to go to namco tho??

Dahyun: oh. srry! jisung told me youd changed ur mind :(

Y/N: …..

Dahyun: srry :((

And so, you’d decided to go to breakfast at the hotel alone, and that later you’d go on your own to a place that no one in your group except for you was really interested in seeing: Kiyomizu-dera.

Or at least, you had planned on going on your own.

That was until...

you called me from a payphone

they still got payphones

it cost a dollar a minute

dont answer: hey where are u going today?

Y/N: what?

dont answer: hold on i’m gonna go to your room the roaming rates are crazy hahah

Oh no. Oh no, no, no—

A knock at the door made your blood boil and your heart splinter. You knew who was at the door, there was no pretending you hadn’t left. He knew you were likely still here.

And besides. You couldn’t run from him forever. You’d have to face him eventually.

You put down the laptop you’d been using to look for directions to the temple from the hotel, before getting up. When you opened the door, Jisung was standing there rocking back and forth from the balls of his feet to the tips of his toes. As if he hadn’t a care in the world, as if he wasn’t getting ready to face the person whose heart he’d torn out and stomped on months ago.

“Hey,” He said, smiling once he saw you.

“Hey.” Your tone held none of the affection or cheer his did.

He picked up on this immediately, and his smile disappeared. “So… Can we talk?”

You looked him up and down, heaving a deep sigh. You had half a mind to slam the door in his face after what Dahyun had just told you. On the other hand, you could finally get some insight as to why. Why Jisung decided to do what he’d done. Why he’d decided to seek comfort in someone else.

Truthfully, the whole thing had done a number on your self esteem (as if it hadn’t been bad enough before this). It left you wondering why you couldn’t be enough.

You chewed on your lip nervously, before opening the door a bit wider. “...Five minutes. You get five minutes.”

to tell me you're getting sober

and you wrote me a letter

but i don't have to read it

He nodded solemnly, and stepped into the room before you closed the door. “It… I’m a complete idiot. I don’t want to blame you,” He mumbled before continuing anyway, “But… you were so focused on finals, and the past year sitting at home had been so isolating, I… I just felt so alone, and I—”

“You cheated on me because you felt alone,” You scoffed, “Do… Do you hear yourself, Jisung?”

His eyes were dark with sadness. “You won’t even call me Sungie anymore,” He whispered.

“I called you Sungie when you were my boyfriend. You’re not my boyfriend anymore. You broke my heart, Jisung.”

He didn’t reply, staring at his lap in silence. You gnawed on your lip.

“How many times?” You said hoarsely. His head shot up, and he shook his head.

“I don’t want to hurt y—”

You scoffed in a brief moment of strength. “Oh, now you don’t want to hurt me. That’s rich. I’m gonna ask again, Han Jisung, and you’re gonna tell me. I at least deserve that. How—many—times?”

Jisung’s eyes squeezed themselves shut, and he took a deep breath.”

“Six times.”

You shot out of your seat. “Six times!?”

“It was a mistake!”

“Bullshit. It would have been a mistake once. Maybe. But six times? You’re—you're disgusting, Jisung. Really.”

“Let me make it up to you, Y/N.” He reached to grab your hand. You couldn’t find it in you to yank your hand out of his grip. “Let me take you around the city today. We’ll have fun, just like old times. Please, baby, let me do this for you. For us.”

Your eyes squeezed shut, and you let go of a sigh so deep it must have been locked away in a part of the body yet to be discovered by doctors. Your mind flashed images of him in your mind.

The smile on his face after your first kiss, on your fourth date. How he looked falling asleep in your lap. The way he’d look at you when the two of you were naked, cuddling in bed. And finally, of him on top of a girl you’d seen a few times around campus, in the bed the two of you had bought together, in your apartment.

You wanted him so bad. How your hands ached to turn back the hands of the clock, to be there for him, to be better. To smack some sense into him and to prove that he needed you just as much as you needed him.

“...I don’t know.”

“Come on,” He insisted, “I-I’ll take you to…” His eyes darted back and forth nervously, thinking of something to say.

“Kiyomizu-dera,” Jisung declared finally, eyes widening and a smile gracing his face. “You’ve always wanted to go, I know you have. We can go there.”

You chewed on your lip, heart skipping a beat at how he managed to remember. “I was already planning on going there today,” You admitted with a soft laugh. His smile grew, seemingly proportional to how hopeful he was feeling.

“Perfect,” He murmured, “Let’s go now.”

You could do this, right?

i'm gonna kill you

if you don't beat me to it

dreaming through tokyo skies

You definitely couldn’t do this.

You almost choked on your tired sigh when you saw the car coming down the street, just as Jisung was beginning to cross.

“Jisung, look out!” You cried, pulling him back by the collar. He let out a strangled gasp as the car came barreling past, horn blaring. You pushed him gently towards the sidewalk, and shook your head, looking at him as if he had gone mad. He rubbed the front of his neck, having been choked by the fabric of his shirt.

“What were you thinking? That guy could have killed you!”

“I’m sorry!” He cried, cringing, “I’m still not used to them driving on different sides of the roads.”

You shook your head, “Jisung… Oh my god. My heart just fell out of my ass.”

He didn’t answer. The silence was tense, before you heard him awkwardly clear his throat. You could tell he was holding back a laugh. And despite your pounding heart, you found yourself holding back giggles as well. Soon enough, the both of you were cackling hysterically in the middle of the sidewalk,

“You idiot,” You said, between gasps of breath, “I swear to god—”

“Yeah, but I’m your idiot, right?” He answered, with a muffled laugh. Your face froze, and he seemed to realize what he’d said. He took a deep breath, looking down at the floor and shuffling his feet awkwardly.

i wanted to see the world

then i flew over the ocean

“I’m sorry.” He fiddled with the zipper of his black jacket, and you shook your head, but didn’t say anything.

The silence that permeated the space between the two of you left your ears ringing. You remembered when he used to say that, back when you were still together.

You glanced at the road. All of the cars were now lining up in front of the crosswalk, and you cleared your throat. “We can cross now. Come on.”

When you were still together.

then i changed my mind

december 17th, 2020

The night you’d first declared your relationship over was just before winter break at your university was about to begin. Junior year was no walk in the park. And finals week was definitely not a good time to be dealing with too many personal issues.

So of course, you found out your boyfriend was cheating on you halfway through finals week of junior year.

You’d just gotten back from campus to your boyfriend’s apartment. It was cold, snow had been falling all day and the tip of your nose was still cold and a bit runny from walking through the winter air. It was nearing 11PM, you wanted to just lay in Jisung’s arms and that you didn’t have another killer exam the next day. Your entire morning had been spent going over your notes for one exam. Once you had taken that exam in the afternoon, it was off to studying for the exam the following day.

Your eyes were heavy. Your head hurt with both the uncertainty of how you’d done on the test earlier and how tired you were. All you wanted was Jisung.

Instead, when you knocked on the door, Chan opened it. When he saw your face beneath your face mask, his eyes grew a bit wide—as if he didn’t know what to do now that you were here. In hindsight, you knew now why he looked so panicked. But at that moment, it didn’t really register. You just wanted to be let in to see your boyfriend.

“Oh. Y/N,” He mumbled, mouth pressed into a flat line, “Jisung didn’t… tell me you were coming.”

You shook your head, pulling your mask down. “I thought I’d surprise him, I guess. I brought some food in case he needed a little pick-me-up.”

He shook his head, glancing behind him at something in the corridor that led to the two bedrooms. “Uh… he’s sleeping, I think he’s pretty tired, maybe you should just head on home—”

A soft, distinctly feminine, moan burst through the air, muffled from distance and a wall. You raised an eyebrow, out of nowhere feeling anxious.

“What was that?” You tried to look into the apartment, but Chan pressed his body between the door and the frame. He had an uneasy smile on his face, shaking his head quickly. Alarm bells were going off in your head.

“Oh, uh, Changbin has his girlfriend over. You know how he and Jooah get,” He mumbled with a soft chuckle.

Suddenly, you felt a lot more awake, and your heart sank. “Jooah’s visiting her mom in Busan. I spoke to her an hour ago. There’s no way she could get from Busan to Seoul so… oh my god.”

You pushed past Chan, ready to give Changbin a piece of your mind. Jooah didn’t deserve this. Chan followed after you, rambling quietly about how this isn’t a good idea and I wouldn’t do that if I were you, Y/N, really—

But as you approached the bedrooms, your stomach dropped when you realized that the soft grunts and moans weren’t coming from Changbin’s room, and the grunting didn’t really sound like Changbin at all.

No, you thought, turning around towards Jisung’s room, he wouldn’t. He couldn’t, could he?

And when you pushed the door open, you had an egregious moment of epiphany. He could. He most definitely could.

sunset's been a freakshow on the weekend

so i've been driving out to the suburbs

Of course, as every cheating son-of-a-bitch ex-boyfriend says, it wasn’t what it looked like. He could explain. The only feasible explanation you could come up with was that Jisung just so happened to slip and fall, and landed penis first into the girl’s vagina.

And even then that still wouldn’t account for the fact that he had met her on Tinder of all places. You really couldn’t be angry with her, because once she realized what was happening, she turned pale and yelled, “He told me he was single!”

Which sort of pissed you off—some deep form of internalized misogyny wanted so badly to place all the blame on this nameless girl, for enticing a man who had a girlfriend. But if she hadn’t known, the only person squarely responsible was him.

Han Jisung.

The man currently scrambling to pull on some pants as you turned, wordlessly walking towards the door. You walked past Chan, who was dead silent and staring at the floor. Your vision was blurring, and you could feel your grip on the plastic takeout bag trembling.

“Y/N, love, I’m sorry, listen to me, please! I’ve been with you so long, I don’t want to lose you now—” Jisung pleaded, running after you as you headed for the door. It’d been left wide open after you’d pushed past Chan, so you didn’t find any resistance until you felt someone grip your free wrist. Even though you were wearing a thick winter coat, the second you registered it as Jisung’s touch, the coldest temperature you’d ever felt seemed to sweep over your body.

When you turned to yank your wrist away, Jisung immediately stepped back, eyes wide in shock. You wondered what your face looked like, but you could never truly know. Back then, you could register it moving, contorting, but your body was so numb out of nowhere, you couldn’t feel to what degree. It seemed to be enough to shock him into silence, brows raised and mouth gaping.

You didn’t recognize your voice when you spoke. This odd mixture of despair, of rage, of bitterness came somewhere deep within your subconscious, to the point where some nights you wondered if you’d been possessed. The strangest thing was that while your voice was small, shaky and almost monotone, all of these emotions were somehow still palpable in the last words you spoke to him, before walking out the door, and not seeing him for six months.

“All I ever did was love you,” You told him, “And this is the thanks I get.”

You didn’t block his number. Looking back, you should have. Despite all of his texts and calls, he didn’t come to see you. You supposed he was also tied up with finals and everything else.

sungie<3: baby please

sungie<3: i love you please pick uo

han jisung: i swear i can explain

han jisung: its not what it looke d like i promise

han jisung: plaese come back

dont answer: ill wait for you. you love me right?

dont answer: y/n please

By the time finals were over you were a bleary mess. You spent every night the rest of that week crying over your class notes, staying up and running on barely any sleep and way too many coffee cups and energy drinks to be safe.

And by the time finals were over, you were already on your way back home, far, far away from Jisung. Right before you boarded your flight home, you texted him once.

Y/N: we’re done. don’t text me ever again.

to park at the goodwill and stare at the chemtrails

with my little brother

december 23rd, 2020

“So, he just… cheated on you?” Your younger brother asked, sitting on the porch next to you. Heaving a sigh, you nodded.

“I’m done with him. I don’t ever want to speak to him again.”

He frowned, before looking at you. “You guys really loved each other, though.”

You nodded, but then shook your head. Yes, you wanted him to hold you and tell you everything would be alright. But you knew that it never would be again.

“That’s sort of true. If he really loved me he wouldn’t have cheated on me. And even if he managed to convince me that he did… I don’t know. I could never trust him again. I would get paranoid every time he talks to another girl. I don��t want to live like that.”

He didn’t say anything. You didn’t really expect him to fully understand. He was still a teenager and hadn’t really gone through the whole relationship thing completely yet.

he said you called on his birthday

you were off by like ten days

but you get a few points for trying

“He still talks to me sometimes.”

You froze. “What?”

“Yeah,” He answered, “He called me last week to tell me happy birthday.”

You raised an eyebrow. “Your birthday isn’t for another week.”

He nodded, then shrugged. “Thought that counts, I guess. But he was cool. He was funny.”

Frowning, you shook your head. “Well, don’t… talk to him. He’s a dick.”

“Maybe, but I had a good drive learning to drive with him.”

You thought back to the time Jisung had helped you teach your little brother to drive—Jisung even let your brother use your dad’s old truck, after helping to fix it.

With a scoff, you looked down. “...It was pretty fun, wasn’t it.”

remember getting the truck fixed when you let us drive it

25 felt like flying

july 29th, 2019

“OH-kay,” Jisung exclaimed from the backseat, body lurching forward as your brother slammed on the breaks, “Maybe we should practice breaking a little bit more before you actually head out onto the road.”

You chuckled, before nodding. “You’re lucky this is just an empty parking lot,” You said, looking at your brother. He looked like such a kid, pimply and scraggly, and here he was being put in the driver’s seat of a giant hunk of metal with wheels.

You sighed. “If this were an actual road someone would have called an ambulance right now.”

“Oh, come on,” Jisung said, “He’s still learning! He’s got plenty of time.”

“Thank you!” Your brother raised his eyebrows as he began to maneuver the car again. “Someone’s gotta be on my side.”

december 23rd, 2020

“God-fucking-dammit, whose side are you even on?” You snapped, giving the younger boy a glare. “I’m your sister. He cheated on me.”

“I didn’t mean it like that,” He reasoned, watching you get up from the porch. “Y/N, wait—”

You slammed the back door shut, before blinking back tears furiously.

you love me right?

You did. You absolutely did. And you couldn’t stand it.

i don't forgive you

but please don't hold me to it

born under scorpio skies

Maybe you could do this. As you got onto the train, you nearly stumbled, but Jisung caught you before you fell. Your eyes met, and yours turned wide in surprise. “Oh,” You murmured, “...Thanks.”

He let out an awkward laugh, which sounded more like a loud exhale than anything. “I mean, you did the same for me earlier,” He answered, before hurriedly adding, “E-except I might have died if you hadn’t pulled me back, y’know?”

“I would have died too. But more out of embarrassment than anything else.”

This time, his laugh sounded more genuine. “That’s the [zodiac sign] in you.”

You froze as the train started to move. Suddenly, you were flooded back to times that you had read Jisung his horoscope, before he’d roll his eyes and say something along the lines of, “Oh, that’s so vague! It could happen to anyone!”

And every time, you’d reply something like, “Well, if you don’t like it I won’t read them to you anymore.”

But every single time, every beautiful, cruel time, he’d fire back, “No, it’s okay. I like how into it you are. It’s cute.”

He put up with it because he thought it was cute, because he loved seeing your reactions. Because he loved you. Or at least you thought he did.

Did he still love you?

“I-I thought you weren’t into horoscopes.”

He scratched the back of his head, before shrugging. “I, uh, I got into it after you left.”

When you didn’t say anything, he took that as his cue to continue.

“Would it be horrible of me to say that I got into it because I missed—”

“Yes,” You snapped weakly, “It would.”

Jisung’s eyes looked at the ground. The silence between the two of you was filled by the train around you. From the sound of the rails, to the man in the corner who sneezed suddenly and gave everyone a bout of anxiety when they heard the noise, to the two schoolgirls whispering excitedly to themselves a few seats away from you.

“I’m sorry,” He murmured, “But it’s true.”

The train slowed into a station, and you did the mental math. After this stop, you could get off and walk three blocks before reaching the hotel.

“Even if it is, what does it fix?” You murmured as more people piled into the train, causing you to force your body closer to your ex-boyfriend’s.

“Nothing,” He admitted, eyes sad, “But I needed you to know.”

i wanted to see the world

through your eyes until it happened

During the rest of your time on the train, neither of you spoke. Those next ten-ish minutes where you were just about pressed up against each other felt unbearable. His wide, dark eyes found yours and you couldn’t seem to pull away. If it weren’t for the face masks, you would probably be able to feel his breath on your face.

The pair of you gripped the same pole for support, and over the course of time, Jisung lowered his hand towards yours. First, his pinky brushed your index finger. The contact set your skin alight and suddenly your skin felt dry. Then, his hand grew even closer and he intertwined your pinky and your index fingers.

Pull away, you told yourself, wherever this is going it won’t end well.

The train pulled into the stop, and you lost your balance. You tumbled into Jisung’s chest, and he planted a foot behind you to stop the both of you from falling.

When you pulled away, both from his chest and his hand, your face felt like it was on fire. You didn’t know where to look.

“Are you okay?” He asked, sounding concerned.

“Yeah,” You said hoarsely, not really meeting his eyes.

Stepping onto the platform, you exited the station with Jisung on your heels. The entire walk home was silent once more, your body tingling with a mix of anxiety and excitement that you couldn’t quite place the origins of. Your body sped up of its own accord, first into a brisk speedwalk and then a light jog. Why you were doing this, you didn’t know.

“Y/N?”

Did you want to get away, or did you want to know if he would chase after you?

“Y/N!”

Once inside the hotel, you pressed the button to call the elevator. You swallowed dryly once Jisung caught up to you, panting slightly.

“Are you sure you’re okay?” He asked again, breathlessly. The elevator dinged, and you stepped in without answering. Jisung followed after you, watching anxiously as you pressed the button to the seventh floor several times. Your body was trembling. You felt like a live wire, but you weren’t sure what emotion was charging the sensation.

Emotions?

Anger. You ruined everything. Despair. I never want to see you again. Love. I need you. Hate. You disgust me. Bitterness. Why did you do this to me?

“Y/N,” Jisung murmured as the doors slid shut, “Are—you—okay?”

Desire. You were the last person who touched me—and the only one who ever did it right.

You pulled your mask down, agitated. The automated female voice said, “Going up,” in Japanese, and you lost it.

“No, I’m not.”

Your hand found the collar of Jisung’s shirt, gripping it so tightly your hand cramped. Jisung’s eyes widened and his shoulders scrunched up. It occurred to you that maybe he thought you would hit him, likely due to your erratic behavior. But that was the last thing on your mind as you yanked the mask off of his face, and pressed your lips to his.

He froze for a moment, before cradling your cheeks in his hands. His body reacted a second later, pressing himself into you. A moment later, your back was pressed to the wall of the elevator and Jisung was slotting himself in between your legs. And you let him.

“I missed you,” He gasped in between desperate kisses, “So much.”

Your chest clenched, and your hands wrapped themselves around his narrow waist, coming up to fist themselves in the fabric of his hoodie.

A sensation in your lower stomach, spreading between your legs made your body feel even warmer. You wanted him so bad. You needed him.

But did he need you? Did he want you? Or did he just want you to need him?

You pushed him away as if he’d burned you. For all intents and purposes, he basically had. Jisung caught himself before he could fall against the wall, face perplexed.

“I shouldn’t have done that,” You whispered, eyes welling with tears, “I’m sorry.”

And just in time, “Seventh floor,” the automated voice said.

then i changed my mind

Maybe you couldn’t do this, you decided as you launched yourself out of the elevator. Jisung didn’t follow you this time. You wondered if you were making everything too complicated. Rounding the wrong corner, you found yourself at Dahyun and Chaeyoung’s door.

No, the little voice of reason in the back of your brain insisted, he doesn’t get to complain about that.

After a few knocks on the door, Dahyun opened the door. Her hair was damp, as if she’d just finished showering.

“Hey,” She said, “You look like shit. What happened to you?”

She ushered you in, and you wiped away a tear as you sat down on her bed.

It all just sort of… came out. Dahyun listened, nodding along every few moments to make it look like she was listening. You told her everything that had happened that day—the texting, the trip to the temple, the ride back, the elevator. The goddamn elevator.

“I don’t even know what came over me when I did that,” You mumbled once you were finished. “I don’t know what’s going on with me anymore.”

“Do you wanna know what I think?” Dahyun asked, leaning forward. You nodded.

“You clearly still have feelings for him,” She said, “I think both of you guys still do.”

“It wouldn’t work.” You shook your head. “Not after what he did.”

“Haven’t you punished him enough?”

You made a face. “What the hell are you even talking about?”

“Come on, Y/N,” Dahyun sighed, “It’s been six months. We gave you your space, but… you guys love each other. Jisung loves you, and you still love him, right? We’re all rooting for you guys.”

“Dahyun, I… I don’t think I could ever trust him again.”

“Oh, come on. It happens to everyone at least once. You love each other! I think it’s a testament to his love that even after his mistake—”

“It wasn’t a mistake—”

“—and after the way you treated him, he still loves you. Right?”

You froze, and your mouth fell open. “After the way I treated him? Was I supposed to react differently to my boyfriend cheating on me?”

She stared at you, before huffing. She seemed annoyed at the fact that the conversation was still going. “That’s not what I mean and you know it.”

Standing, you crossed your arms. “No! I really don’t, Dahyun. You really think that I was an asshole to him after everything he did to me—”

“Maybe he did it because you’re so fucking uptight about everything,” She grumbled, “Jesus.”

You took a step back, and your heart cracked. “Wow,” You muttered, “Nice one, Dahyun.”

Turning on your heel, you ignored Chaeyoung stepping out of the bathroom with damp hair. “What is it now?”

“Y/N,” Dahyun called, “Y/N!”

But you didn’t turn around. You slammed the door shut on the way out, and when you got back to your hotel room you locked your door. As you sat down, you felt like you probably should have felt hurt at the fact that you didn’t hear Dahyun chasing after you in an attempt to apologize to you.

guess i lied

You pulled your phone out of your pocket as it began to buzz. When you saw the name on your screen, your eyes grew misty.

dont answer: come to the rooftop balcony later tonight. i want to fix this, i really do

dont answer: we can get a nice dinner just you and me

dont answer: and then after we can just tall

dont answer: talk

In a fit of rage, you typed out with shaky hands. You knew it was wrong. But just once, you wanted him to hurt.

Y/N: ok. ill be there :)

dont answer: really?

dont answer: ill make it up to you i promise

dont answer: thank you baby

You couldn’t do this. Not anymore.

i'm a liar

You realized now just what an idiot you’d been. You’d poured so much into these people, these relationships that you’d been holding on to them because of some sunk cost fallacy logic. I’ve been with you for so long, I don’t want to lose you now.

You opened your laptop on the table, eyes brimming with tears as the monitor lit up to your earlier google search - the results displaying your previous search for Kiyomizu-dera.

And suddenly, your entire day came crashing down even further. Your eyes shot to where Jisung had sat that morning. He’d looked so panicked when you had gotten angry with him, fidgeting and gripping your hand, eyes looking anywhere and everywhere.

Closing your eyes, you conjured up the moment in your mind. The way his eyes stopped on the table and then…

“Kiyomizu-dera,” Jisung declared finally, eyes widening and a smile gracing his face. “You’ve always wanted to go, I know you have. We can go there.”

Of course he didn’t know. Or at least, he didn’t remember all the times you’d gushed about it. He lied. And you couldn’t stay here any longer.

Pulling up your flight information, you clicked at random looking for the option you wanted, wiping away the stray tears that ran down your cheeks.

Confirm return date change? You will be charged an extra fee for flights booked less than 24 hours before departure.

[x] Yes [ ] No

who lies

No, you couldn’t do this, you realized as your finger hovered over the mouse before finally clicking yes. As if your body had a mind of its own, you were packing your suitcases before you fully realized what was going on.

You were wrong. If you were being completely honest, running away from Jisung sounded like the best course of action. But until that happened, he would continue to eat away at you, to chain himself to you until it dragged the both of you down and make you feel bad for letting the both of you sink.

He cheated on you. And then when he said he didn’t want to blame you, he blamed you anyway. You were so busy. I felt so alone. Zero accountability, you realized as you pulled your suitcases into the elevator. The same elevator you had kissed him in. When you stepped into the lobby and handed them your checkout card, you knew there was no turning back.

dont answer: im already here, i’ll just wait for you

dont answer: baby?

[dont answer] calling…

one missed call from [dont answer]

dont answer: y/n?

Jisung still had your heart gripped in his hands. You needed to snatch it out of them and glue it back together.

How you would do that, you didn’t know.

But you knew it wouldn’t happen if you allowed him to hold this power over you, you realized as you stepped into the shuttle bus. With shaky fingers, you tapped a few options on your phone.

block “dont answer”?

You hit yes. You ignored the tear rolling down your cheek.

'cause i'm a liar

And when the shuttle bus began to move, you didn’t look back.

taglist: @iwishihadabettername @doderyscoffee @chanluster @laylasbunbunny @emobeomgyu @always-wishing-for-rain

#stray kids x reader #stray kids au #stray kids angst #han jisung x reader #han jisung au #han jisung angst #skz scenarios #stray kids scenarios #han jisung scenarios #punisher series

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brekkie-e · 7 months

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yo! i dunno if you've made a post on this before, but i'd be interested to hear details about epione (+ any other tavs)! what's her story? what's she like?

Hey, yes, hi, hello! This is one of those questions that I crave to be asked constantly but also fear all who do will come to regret. I can not be normal about my kids. Especially Epi. She’s my little creature and I cry about her a lot. Thank you so much for asking, and I apologize for the wait!

I do plan on making a more in depth introduction post at some point, so if you like her that’s on the way.

Epione! Far more commonly known as Epi though.

She is a grown up urchin, still trying to find her place in the world. Life has been testing her from the day she was born. Started out in a orphanage that didn’t treat her kindly. Ran away when she was seven to the Lower City, where she promptly met what would become her Mol. Her and her bosom companion, Vestia, grew up alongside eachother in a pick pocket crew and when they hit their teens started a chaotic ride or die relationship. It ended in tragedy when Vestia’s ambition and selfishness found her doing jobs for the Zhentarim as Epi began trying to “go straight” and work her way to a normal life. Vestia agreed to make the attempt, but continued doing jobs behind Epi’s back. When she found out and tried to confront her, shit hit the fan at the wrong time. Flaming Fist made an appearance, and Epi took the fall for the job Vestia was running for the Zhent- spending the next 80 years in prison for it while Vestia climbed the ranks of the Zhentarim and ended up one of their top dogs by the time of the game.

Epi got out of prison about 6 months to a year before the game starts. She found a job as a carriage driver, and essentially plays the role of a chatty cab driver. I do not know for a fact if that is lore compliant due to the animal ban in BG, but we see carts around all parts of the city in the game and it’s an important headcanon for me that I’m too attached to so it stays. It’s one of the reasons she has 3 levels in bard. She has no training but she is a chronic story teller. She has a shitty apartment, few long term friends, and a burning desire to make something of herself that is more than what people see. Above all else, she is a survivor and a hard worker.

Oh and like. As a minor, only slightly important bit- she’s also a cambion. A long lost daughter of Mephistopholees to be exact. One of seven cambion children he had with divine soul sorcerers to aquire enough divine energy to usurp Azmodeus to be exact. Her older brother was sent to fetch her when she was born, and was pissed at his dad so conveniently misplaced her at the orphanage. They cropped her wings in a bit of anti-tiefling sentiment (tieflings can technically be born with wings too so nobody suspected she was a cambion from the start.) So Epi does not find out about her heritage until early Act 3 of BG3 because of Raphael. Yes, he found her alliance with Astarion incredibly humorous because neither knew they were the run away missing ingredient in a plot Mephistopholees was trying to pull. I want to note, this was a plot I came up with in 2020/2021 so finding out Astarion’s infernal pact info was INSANE playing it real time.

She will be getting her wings back courtesy of Raphael in Act 3, and it will be a bit of an ugly transition with a dash of identity crisis.

ALSO she’s supposed to be a lighter pink than shown in some screenshots. Her original colors were removed in the full release so sometimes she’s got a hot pink look to her when it’s really supposed to be a bit more pastel. She’s actually pretty insecure about being so pink, she feels like people don’t take her seriously because of it. It makes life difficult for Astarion when he wants to put her in nice clothes. She hates stuff that draw attention to her.

General info:

Age: 226

Class: 9 levels of wild magic sorcery (headcanoned to be infernal but unstable cause she’s got no training) and 3 of lore bard so CUTTING WORDS

Romance: slow burn rivals to lovers with Astarion

She has a mouse/rat companion named Todd that has had it’s lifespan unnaturally extended by her magic

Epione is technically a part of a custom party that has many more Tav’s in it which I will put much more briefly under the cut 💖

It says Brendan, but it’s a cover name. This is the human form of Jehvka, which is Epi’s older brother. He’s always kept an eye out for her where he could from a distance, and tries to infiltrate the Mindflayer ship to save her. Unfortunately he gets stuck in the same situation and has to play along. It’s nice for him though cause he actually gets to know her and befriend her, but it sucks cause he gets deeper and deeper into the lie about who he is. He’s a very witty devil may care type. Comes off like the big scary brooding guy, but does it intentionally to throw people off gaurd when he gives a big smile and hits them with a pun. Romances Gale. Winds him up by playing dumb during his info dumps and pretending he’s never heard of basic things like “the weave.”

Mizzyrm. She’s going to be the other half of Lae’zel’s evil cultish culture duo. Wizard from Menzoberazzan who channel’s her “evilness” in to extensive research. Which is so important she finds herself hardly leaving her lair, and thus is spared from having to attent soirée’s where no less than 3 murders will occur and everyone is mean to eachother. She is shaped by her culture, and definitely has a dark side because of it. Her research is primarily about how to magically hurt people faster. But she’s got a softness in her that makes her just kind of retreat from her peers when she can get away with it. Basically an evil introvert. When she get’s to the surface, it isn’t going to take her long to warm up to the idea that maybe there’s a different way to live. But she gravitates to Lae’zel because it’s familiar and a dynamic she understands. Also she thinks her mom would approve.

TYPHON. My head empty no thoughts but “do you think lifting this boulder over my head will impress the babes?” Dark Urge boy. He’s going to be the fun stabilizer of the group who encourages everyone to work together. Probably unironically makes people do group huddles and say “go team” before getting into battles. Invented the “bhaal-tap” locker room maneuver. Is sufficiently horrified by his dark urges, his mantra about it is “be cool, man just be cool.” He will likely get a little more serious on a narrative level, but he will not stray far from his Ken roots.

Anathema 2.0

Repressed Rich Virgin Syndrome has taken a devestating toll on her. She is the daughter of patriars who simply don’t have time to raise kids, so she was raised by a very religious nanny and then sent to a convent for a while. She’s only recently been brought home due to a politically advantageous betrothal. She doesn’t have much of an opinion about it because she doesn’t have a lot of opinions about anything. Other people tell her what to do and think. She’s insufferably naive and ignorant and rich. She’s going to turn red with embarrassment and mortification every time Karlach says fuck in her general viscinity, because she has literally never heard a swear word prior to meeting her. Yes, Karlach is going to teach her how to be her own person and be rebellious and think for herself. Yes they are going to elope. No it won’t be until after Gortash causes mayhem and drama.

BONUS PICTURE: VESTIA. My toxic queen. Stay awful, my love. She’s the kind of character that is there narratively to cause problems but you feel bad about it because you know she deserves growth and good things too, but her entire point is to be an example of what happens when you DON’T grow and just get worse. Astarion wants to see his reflection so bad, this is it. A warning sign not to ascend cause it will leave you lonely in the end.

#brekkie asks #oc: epione #oc: Jehvka #oc: anathema #oc: Mizzyrm #oc: vestia #oc: typhon #Bg3 tav #tav #baldur’s gate 3 #bg3 #not supposed to be this long but im a menace

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sophiebernadotte · 27 days

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Masterpost: Royal Authors

This is a text version of the original list I curated, which can be found here. The royals are listed chronologically based on their first name (not title). The books are listed with the oldest book first & most recently published book last.

Some of the mentioned people have published books or lent out their names for books as private citizens; this post & the original list only cover royal members & books published under their royal title. This means that some books & some people have been excluded due to not falling under those criteria.

Note: Some of the following links are affiliate links, which means I earn a commission on every purchase. This does not affect the price you pay.

Princess Akiko of Mikasa

Reconsidering early modern Yamato-e: perspectives from Japan, the UK, and the USA (2013)

Japan: Courts and Culture (2020)

Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester

The Memoirs of Princess Alice Duchess of Gloucester (1983)

Memories of Ninety Years (1991)

Catherine, Princess of Wales

Hold Still (2021)

Puzzles for Spies: The brand-new puzzle book from GCHQ (2022)

King Charles III

The Old Man of Lochnagar (1980)

Tomorrow is Too Late - A Celebration of Our Wildlife Heritage (1990) (with Sir David Attenborough, among others)

The Prince's Choice: A Personal Selection from Shakespeare by the Prince of Wales (1995)

Harmony: A New Way of Looking at Our World (2010)

Harmony: A New Way of Looking at Our World - Children's Edition

One Is Deeply Concerned: The Prince Charles Letters, 1969-2011 (2011)

The Prince's Speech: On the Future of Food (2012)

The list is too long; that man puts his name on literally everything. Check the page for more.

Princess Christina, Mrs Magnuson

Days at Drottningholm (2016)

Diana, Princess of Wales

British Sign Language: A Beginner's Guide (1988)

PEOPLE OF THE 90's: In Aid of the Malcolm Sargent Cancer Fund for Children (1995)

Hannah Riddell: An Englishwoman in Japan (1996)

Head Injury: A Practical Guide (1997)

King Edward VIII, Duke of Windsor

Launch! A Life-Boat Book (1932)

A King's Story: The Memoirs of the Duke of Windsor (1951)

The Crown and the People, 1902-1953 (1953)

Prince Edward, Duke of Kent

Jackie Stewart's Principles of Performance Driving (1986)

Australia Bound!: Story of West Country Connections, 1688-1888 (1988)

Deep into Blue Holes: The Story of The Andros Project (1989)

The Institution of Industrial Managers: A History 1931-1991 (1991)

The Story of E. H. Shepard: The Man Who Drew Pooh (2000)

Tribal Odyssey: A Photographic Journey Among Tribes (2000)

Chasin' the Sound: Tales and tunes from the career of Pipe Major Brian B Heriot, Scots Guards (2016)

A Royal Life (2022) (his memoir)

One Crew: The RNLI's Official 200-Year History (2024)

Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother

The Country Life Book of Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother (1978) (actually by Charles & Godfrey Talbot, not her)

Henrik, Prince Consort

Fit for a Royal Dane: Gastronomic Views and Recipes of Prince Henrik (2002)

Meghan, Duchess of Sussex

Together: Our Community Cookbook (2018)

Princess Michael of Kent

Crowned in a Far Country: Portraits of Eight Royal Brides (1986)

Cupid and the King: Five Royal Paramours (1991)

The Serpent and the Moon: Two Rivals for the Love of a Renaissance King (2004)

A Cheetah's Tale (2017)

Princess Märtha Louise

Why Kings and Queens Don't Wear Crowns (2004)

The Spiritual Password: Learn to Unlock Your Spiritual Power (2014)

Emperor Naruhito

Costume at Castle Howard (1975)

The Thames and I: A Memoir of Two Years at Oxford (1993; 2006; 2019)

Queen Noor

Art of Jordan: Treasures from an Ancient Land (1991)

Landmines and Human Security: International Politics and War's Hidden Legacy

Leadership and the United Nations: The International Leadership Series (2003)

Leap of Faith: Memoirs of an Unexpected Life (2003)

Breaking Ground: From Landmines to Grapevines, One Woman's Mission to Heal the World: Transforming Mines to Vines (2020)

Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh

The Duke of Edinburgh's World Tour 1956-1957 (1957)

Selected Speeches 1948-1955 (1957)

Prince Philip speaks: 1956-1959 (1960)

Environmental Revolution: Speeches on Conservation, 1962-77 (1978)

Men, Machines and Sacred Cows (1984)

Down to Earth: Speeches and Writings of His Royal Highness Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, on the Relationship of Man With His Environment (1988)

Survival or Extinction: A Christian Attitude to the Environment (1989)

The list is too long. Check the page for more.

Queen Rania

The Sandwich Swap (2010)

Prince William, Prince of Wales

Blown Away: From Drug Dealer to Life Bringer (2022)

Puzzles for Spies: The brand-new puzzle book from GCHQ (2022)

Earthshot: How to Save Our Planet (2021)

The Earthshot Prize: A Handbook for Dreamers and Thinkers: Solutions to Repair our Planet (2023)

(this post & the original list is a work in progress & will be updated whenever "new" books come on my radar)

#royal watching #literature #affiliate links #pinned post #british royal family #japanese imperial family #swedish royal family #danish royal family #norwegian royal family #jordanian royal family

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seirclys · 10 months

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OG! Penelope Eckhart Headcanons: A Life Before the Eckharts

Part 6!

This one was uh... it took a while. While some may remember Shrike's version of Penelope's parents, who are perhaps the best parents she could ask for... the reality, I think, will be much darker.

Studies, like Bywaters et al. (2022), which is a critical review of research papers in the period between 2016-2021 that compiles evidence and analyzes them together, show that food insecurity, low income, unemployment, and other factors in relation to poverty lead to a higher chance of childhood neglect.[1]

Given that from canon, we know that Penelope's father is dead or at least presumed so— "Her widowed mother was a poor traveling merchant"[2]— it's reasonable to assume that he's just not in the picture.

From Part 4, if you recall, Penelope is a World Catalyst where her world is expressed as a romance-genre dating simulator. I'll definitely elaborate on this in another part, but suffice to say, Penelope's life is pretty much written to be tragic no matter what.

Thus, isn't it fitting to give her a just-as-horrible childhood before the Eckharts?

It would certainly explain why she was so desperate for love, despite the seemingly-obvious idea that she misses the love of her biological family.

The Father— Aleksander

Aleksander is a Greek name meaning "defender of the people", with this particular variant can be traced to Central and Eastern Europe.

Aleksander is from the Northern territories of the Eorka Empire, near the borderlands with treacherous, eternal winter. He moved from the North to warmer lands when he became of age.

He had three siblings, but his older sister died shortly after marriage. On the other hand, his younger brother died in childhood from sickness and a particularly harsh winter.

His father disappeared one day while hunting for prey in the forests, and his mother was beaten to death for stealing from a noble household.

Aleksander has classic, deep magenta curls (think old Hollywood). The color is so dark that it looks black.

His hair is left somewhat lengthy, reaching his mid-back and tied back with a ribbon.

In addition, his eyes match his hair but have an orange glow to them instead.

He has a slender physique, not necessarily muscular or very strong.

Aleksander is extremely religious.

He has a pleasant smile and a gentle disposition, but that doesn't mean he's weak or useless.

He knows how to wield a small dagger, but that's it.

Aleksander was a doting father and loving husband, content with a simple life with his family.

Originally, he left the church he was a part of to follow his wife, but left and returned to his religion and the North when he found out that Penelope had mana.

His religion actively pursues wizards and those of Ancient Wizard blood, and his daughter is no exception.

It's unclear what happened on the day he found out. All his wife knows is that when she returned from her daily trip to the marketplace to sell her wares, her husband was gone, with blood on the bed.

Penelope was holding her neck, terrified.

In the aftermath, he became obsessed with tracking down wizards to "atone" for not having killed Penelope, torn between the guilt of attempted silicide and also the regret of not having snuffed out an Arcani's life.

He feels similarly torn with Nilar, reasoning that since he can never be a descendant of those filthy traitors who served Laila(the Ancient Wizards), then Penelope's magic must have come from his ex-wife.

Aleksander's fate is unknown, but evidently kept out of the capital and surrounding territories, staying in the outskirts. Penelope never met him again.

Edit: ok I didn't mention his third sibling but his mother had the baby when he was away studying to be a priest. It's not clear what happened to the child, but it died before he could meet his sibling.

In truth, Aleksander HAS Ancient Wizard heritage, ironically — his sibling was killed because flowers started blooming around the infant in the middle of winter. Like, summer flowers in the crib, growing out of the mattress.

His mother, terrified, suffocated the infant. Truly, like mother, like son.

The Mother— Nilar

Nilar is a female name of Burmese origin meaning "Sapphire", with the origin having NOTHING to do with my characterization of Penelope's mom. I left the choice up to @eloise175 in a blind-box situation.

If it had any bearing, it would be that Nilar was born in a foreign land but is Eorkan by blood. Her parents just settled down in a foreign land for a bit to ride out the pregnancy.

She was part of a merchant ship crew that docked frequently in the port city of Tratan. By extension, it's near Soleil Island, which is Laila's hideout.

She has abandonment issues due to her parents' mysterious disappearance when she was young. While traveling, she met Aleksander and fell deeply in love.

Nilar is an accomplished Arcani(One who uses mana and is of Ancient Wizard descent). However, her love for Aleksander blinded her, causing her to seal her own powers so he wouldn't turn on her.

Nilar's mother's powers were primarily water-based, which is why they were seafaring. Her powers are Earth-based.

Nilar's hair is naturally a bright pale turquoise-green with darker roots, ending around her mid-thighs. The ends of her hair shift according to her mana. It'll turn from a burnt-sienna color to a pale blonde when uses her powers.

As a civilian, her hair is kept in a low bun.

Nilar's eyes are bright green, near-glowing in their saturated hues. She passed them onto her daughter, though Penelope's eyes tend to stray more turquoise.

She has a soft expression as her default, but her face is naturally stern, which is where Penelope's default "villainess expression" stems from.

In addition, she has a strong physique, from her years as a mercenary in addition to being a merchant. She didn't just settle in Eorka but traveled all over the world before meeting Aleksander.

Had she never settled down with Aleksander, she might've been hired as an Imperial mage, or even an Archmage to fight for the Empire.

Nilar's love blinds her to the red flags surrounding her husband.

After she had Penelope, she became more frail as a result(Giving birth to a World Catalyst, especially one so connected to the world, takes a toll).

When she found out that Aleksander left with her daughter injured, Nilar kind of shut down. She tried to take care of Penelope but found herself spiralling into self-doubt, especially since her daughter looks just like her missing husband with the hair and smile.

As Penelope grew older, Nilar worsened in health, especially since she could no longer easily support two people and pay for expensive medication. She didn't unseal her mana, deluding herself that Aleksander would come back. Poverty made things worse, and the neglect and abuse began to worsen.

Nilar would always cry and apologize to Penelope but it became so frequent that Penelope began to doubt her. Her health and mental state deteriorated to the point where her own mana was lashing out against her, worsening her condition.

Eventually, she died of sickness, a mere three months away from Penelope's 10th birthday.

Life as a Street Orphan

Penelope wandered for many months between villages and towns, hitching rides on merchant carts in exchange for some labor.

She would take refuge in abandoned houses, sheds, and as she got to larger settlements, brothels.

The ladies there cooed over her magenta hair and sparkling eyes, giving her at least a warm bath and clean(if a bit shabby) clothing.

When she got to the capital, Penelope, again, stayed in some of the brothels. She acted as a messenger girl and was groomed to be one of the upcoming new flowers(essentially, she would've started working at the brothel when she was fifteen).

However, an incident with an unruly customer who tried to touch her made her lash out and stab the customer to death with a sharp hairpin.

She fled the brothel, living on the streets as she continued to wander further and further away. She lived in a dilapidated shed amongst the rest of the shacks. It was barely standing with one wall completely broken down.

During the rainy season, Penelope dragged herself back only to find a woman collapsed in her shed, clearly dead.

At this point, she was too weak and hunger-starved to drag the body out, so she stayed inside with the body.

Eventually, this was how Duke Eckhart found her.

#lysia's posts #lysia's narratives #villains are destined to die #vadd #death is the only ending for a villainess #death is the only ending for the villainess #ditoeftv #penelope eckhart #original penelope eckhart #og penelope eckhart #og! penelope eckhart #og penelope #og!penelope hcs

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srenvs3000w24 · 3 months

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Blog 5: The beauty of Sunsets

For this week's blog post since we have the liberty to write whatever we are thinking about I thought this would be an amazing opportunity to talk about one of the beautiful wonders of the world…..Sunsets!!!

Sunsets have always held a special place in my heart. As I've journeyed through life, I've noticed that I'm not alone in this feeling. In a recent blog post discussing the interpretation of nature through art, I found that many others share my fascination with these breathtaking displays of nature's beauty. It's fascinating how something as simple as the setting sun can evoke such profound emotions and connections within us.

For me, gazing at a sunset is not just an act of observing; it's a moment of deep connection and introspection. There's something inherently calming about watching the sun dip below the horizon, painting the sky with vibrant hues of orange, pink, and purple. As the day transitions into night, I find myself enveloped in a sense of peace. It's as if the world momentarily pauses, allowing me to fully immerse myself in the beauty of the moment.

Jay Griffiths suggests that art has the unique power to evoke emotions such as sympathy and empathy within us (Beck et al., 2018). Similarly, sunsets, being nature's work of art, offer more than just aesthetic pleasure; as they carry profound meaning for many individuals. For some, they symbolize the end of a hectic day, offering a moment of rest and reflection. For others, they serve as a reminder of loved ones who have passed away (Harris & Writer, 2021). Regardless of the interpretation, sunsets have an ability to evoke a sense of awe and wonder that is unique to each person.

In a fast-paced world filled with constant noise and distraction, sunsets provide a welcome opportunity to slow down and appreciate the beauty that surrounds us. They remind us to pause, take a deep breath, and immerse ourselves in the present moment. In a way, they serve as nature's gentle reminder to cherish the fleeting moments that life offers.

As I reflect on my own experiences with sunsets, I'm reminded of the countless moments of joy, comfort, and connection they've brought into my life. Whether shared with loved ones or enjoyed alone, each sunset holds a special place in my heart, serving as a timeless reminder of the beauty and wonder of the natural world.

Sunsets are more than just a daily occurrence; they're a source of comfort, inspiration, and connection for countless individuals around the world. So, the next time you find yourself looking at a sunset, take a moment to appreciate its beauty and try to hold on to the moment you are living in. I have attached photos of some of my favourite sunsets! If you guys have any photos I would love to see them!!!!

Beck, L., Cable, T. T., & Knudson, D. M. (2018). Interpreting cultural and natural heritage: For A Better World. Sagamore-Venture Publishing.

Harris, M., Writer, S. (2021). The meaning of sunsets.The Uproar. https://nashuproar.org/44574/features/the-meaning-of-sunsets/

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pico-digital-studios · 4 months

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Into, Across and Beyond! Scripting: A Hero's Grief

This scene takes place during the More than One Universe storyline.

OMT!Tails: So much pain I couldn't prevent, but s-should have been able to... First losing Sonic, then Alice suffering memory loss, Uma being used as a weapon against me, and n-now S-Sally... ... I should've been a b-better hero for all of them... I guess... if S-Sonic was still here, t-then I wouldn't have g-gone through the hell I d-did...

During his lament in this world outside of MP-2021, out of nowhere, a ghost of Sonic (at least, his Mobiverse counterpart) showed up, spooking Tails a bit.

OMT!Tails: OH MY GOD ITS A GHOST!!!

MV!Sonic: What? No, I’m a spirit… a dead spirit if you must.

OMT!Tails: W-Whose Sonic are you?

???: That would be mine.

Mobiverse Tails came out from one of the blocky sections of rubble, coming to see his younger counterpart.

OMT!Tails: A-Another me?

MV!Tails: Surprised, huh? I would be too, seeing a younger version of myself in a lonely place like this. But that’s not important right now. Somebody told me you were here, and I’m getting you back to your companions.

MV!Sonic: What are you even doing in a place like this?

OMT!Tails: I've... been through a LOT, and... it's really hard for me to be the hero my home needs with so much tragedy...

MV!Sonic: Heh. You're not the only Tails who felt like that...

OMT!Tails: I guess you ended up dead too...

MV!Sonic: Yeah… at Mammoth Mogul's slimy hands, no doubt. But hey! At least an old mentor of mine helped me learn how to communicate spiritually. Still gotta get back at her for beating me in chess.

OMT!Tails: H-How are you both able to stay so optimistic, even after a painful loss like this...? You make it look really easy, as did S-Sonic...

MV!Tails: Well… we recovered. After Mogul's downfall, our Mobius found peace and gave the position to a new Mobian. Sure, it wasn’t easy, but it showed us that a new legacy and heritage can pass on, and that could happen to you. Your Sonic may be gone, but it’s not too late to keep your home safe.

OMT!Tails: I could... still be able to inherit my Sonic's legacy?

MV!Tails nodded.

MV!Tails: Sonic has always told me I should believe in myself. He’s taught me many things and is the reason I’m here today. Sure he may be gone, and Mammoth Mogul left many scars not only on me, but the entire population on my Mobius. But that doesn’t mean I should cower in fear like I’ve always done when I was a kid. I should always stand up for myself, and that’s what Sonic would have wanted for me and my friends to do. Me and Antho live on his legacy, everyone on my Mobius has.

MV!Sonic smiled proudly, happy for his sidekick coming this far.

OMT!Tails: Heh, I guess so. I... really appreciate you being here for me.

MV!Tails: No problem! Now let's get moving. Your friends are waiting for you, and you've got work to be doing.

OMT!Tails: Of course. I mean, I know I can't do this particular feat on my own. I'm gonna need all the help I can get.

???: Did somebody say "help"?

Behind them was the silhouette of another hedgehog, with some other allies behind them.

MV!Tails: So, are we ready to save the multiverse?

The silhouette slowly revealed itself... as Antho.

Antho: Let's-a go!

A comic strip for the Mobiverse lands on the pile alongside the other eight trinkets thus far.

"Alright, let’s back it up from here. My name is Anthony Miller the Hedgehog, or just "Antho", for short, and for the past year or so, I and a group of friends have become the new heroes of my Mobius. But it wasn’t always like that you see.

You see, I was just your average normal nerdy hedgehog until something with a super collider changed my appearance and gave me some knowledge of a multiverse or something. Oh, and I’m pretty sure there was a T-Rex-. Oh no, wait! That was added to the script to make it more dramatic.

Anyways, aside from that. It was also the day we lost our Sonic… and I saw it with my own eyes… thanks to that monster, Mammoth Mogul. Ever since then, the Dark Ages happened, and I was never the same again. But not until I stood up and took vengeance against Mogul himself and since then, I’ve restored the faith of Mobius, met new friends and allies, some of which I can now consider family, and am now living in our beloved hero’s legacy.

But despite that, it's still kinda hard work, and I sometimes feel like I can’t live up to Sonic’s standards and how he was the saviour of us all. But deep down, I know he's proud of me, and having my friends, family and the main cast by my side has helped.

I can’t be the next Sonic, even if some otherworldly hedgehog says otherwise. But this is my world and my rules. And I’m doing my own thing, whether you like it or not."

(Mobiverse Tails and Sonic, alongside Antho, are owned by SFG1235.)

#sonic exe #sonic the hedgehog #spider verse #sth #sonic #sonic fandom #sth au #sonic au #spider man #mobiverse

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ancientegyptdaily · 2 years

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“Nubian pyramids were built by the rulers of the ancient Kushite kingdoms. The area of the Nile valley known as Nubia, which lies within the north of present-day Sudan, was the site of three Kushite kingdoms during antiquity. The capital of the first was at Kerma (2500–1500 BCE). The second was centered on Napata (1000–300 BCE). The third kingdom was centered on Meroë (300 BCE-AD 300). The pyramids are built of granite and sandstone.

Heavily influenced by the Egyptians, Nubian kings built their own pyramids 1000 years after Egyptian burial methods had changed. In Nubia, pyramids were built for the first time at El Kurru in 751 BC. The Nubian-style pyramids emulated a form of Egyptian private elite family pyramid that was common during the New Kingdom. There are twice as many Nubian pyramids still standing today as there are Egyptian. Forty of the pyramids were partially demolished by an Italian treasure hunter, Giuseppe Ferlini, in the 1830s. The Nubian pyramids are a UNESCO World Heritage Site.” [X]

— Flooded Tombs of the Nile (2021)

#egypt #ancient egypt #egyptology #archaeology #historyedit #mine #my edit #sudan #nubia #kush #documentary #doc: flooded tombs of the nile

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scotianostra · 1 year

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Happy Birthday Nicholas Andrew Argyll Campbell, better known as Nicky, born in Edinburgh, on April 10th 1961.

Best known for hosting Wheel of Fortune with fellow Scot Carol Smillie, but now the main show we might know him for is the very good Long Lost Family which aims to reunite close relatives after years of separation, often the people featured have been, like Nicky himself adopted, his "born" name was Nicholas Lackey he was adopted at four days old. His biological mother Stella was unmarried and had travelled from Ireland to give birth. Although she sent Christmas cards for the first five years of Nicky's life, they had no direct contact. It was not until he was in his 20's that Nicky decided to try and track down Stella and his biological father Joseph.

Although he discovered that his biological heritage was Irish, Nicky still thinks of himself as a Scot and it's his adoptive family, the Campbells, that he's closest to.

He was educated at the independent school Edinburgh Academy. His adoptive mother was a psychiatric social worker and his adoptive father a publisher of maps.

Nicky Campbell gained a history degree from Aberdeen University, and then became a jingle writer for Northsound Radio. At university, Campbell's best friend had been the actor Iain Glen.

Campbell went on to present the breakfast show there before crossing the border to join London's Capital Radio in 1986. Just a year later Nicky Campbell moved to Radio 1 where he had a variety of slots before moving to BBC Radio Five Live in October 1997. He regularly hosted Top of the Pops from 1988 to 1991 and again from 1994 to 1997.

He currently presents The Big Questions on BBC One and the aforementioned Long Lost Family, as well as his presenting he has written and co-produced a jazz swing album for singer and actor Mark Moraghan. As well as recording an album with the multi talented Kate Robbins. He is the director of a recording company who supply original music fro TV and films. On Radio Campbell has won seven Sony Awards, including a Gold Award in 2007 for the Radio 5 Live Breakfast programme as "Best News and Current Affairs Programme"

Nicky is a Patron of the British Association for Adoption and Fostering as well as he supports wildlife conservation and has works closely with Will Travers, Virginia McKenna and the Born Free Foundation.

In 2017 he made a documentary for the Women at War series for BBC1 with his adoptive mother Sheila Campbell.[18] He found out more about his her role in World War 2 and her experiences as a radar operator on D-Day.[Also that year he took part in All Star Musicals for ITV performing Razzle Dazzle from the musical Chicago live at the London Palladium.

In 2021 Campbell presented Manhunt; The Raul Moat Story on ITV1. This was the inside story of how Moat was tracked down, all in the glare of 24-hour rolling news. I n recent years Nicky has also been involved in a number of podcasts

Last year Police launch investigation after Campbell says he suffered abuse during his time at Edinburgh Academy in the 1970s. He made the claims during an episode of his BBC podcast Different, saying the experience had a "profound effect on my life".

The broadcaster said: "I was badly beaten up at school by a teacher who was a leading light in the scripture union.

"My mother took it as far as she could and got a grovelling apology from (the man involved), but was essentially stonewalled and it was hushed up by the school.

"Those were different times and that has stayed with me all my life."

The school said it "deeply" regrets the allegations and "wholeheartedly" apologised to those involved.

In a previously released statement, the school said: "We have worked closely with the relevant authorities including Police Scotland with their inquiries and would like to provide reassurance that things have dramatically changed since the 1970s.

"The Academy has robust measures in place to safeguard children at the school, with child protection training now core to the ethos of the Academy."

A New Radio 5 Live simulcast is due to start on Monday 17th April on the UK feed of BBC News and BBC Two. Nicky Campbell’s show will also be broadcast on BBC Two.

#scotland #scottish #broadcaster #tv personality #disc jockey #radio presenter #happy birhtday

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cartoonicle · 2 months

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Random CPC future art

‘Mom, why don’t I look like you?’

Mariana is always mistaken to be her aunt Maria’s daughter, because of her blonde hair and her green eyes; every time someone would that mistake she would point out that Gwen’s her mom not Maria this would get worst over the years eventually she would start getting annoyed with these mistakes and instead of calmly explaining she’s not Maria’s daughter she would get mad. She’s so upset that she looks beautiful like every other human but she doesn’t look extraordinary like her mom and grandma.

‘A Father and his Son’

Frederick is definitely a better father to his son than Leland was to him and his brothers, he does everything in his power to make his son feel loved and cherished always taking his kids to school, giving him the time of day, always listening to his worries and giving him advice and never playing favorites. Frederick has loved Brandon and Mariana since they were born.

Frederick is just as loving and protective towards his son as Miles Morales dad, plus he would never send his kids to a military school because he cares about them, wants them to be happy also to keep them to himself

‘Frederick’s Decent’

Back when I made my first CPC post, I drew this picture of Frederick seemingly losing a fight either between his brother or his father. In the beginning of the fight he was hesitant to fight still his hold self but just nearing the end of the battle all the pain built up and the crimson blood drenching him caused a mixture of hatred and anger to build up losing his old self and started to enjoy what pain brought him it powered him up through the rest of the battle causing him to win.

‘Mariana the Ugly Witch’

She named herself the ugly witch to spite her pastel family heritage and everyone who thinks outer beauty is what matters most. She believes that beauty is a curse and she’s the most cursed woman in the world because of the Beauty Alchemy.

Her overall plot is to make a spell to make the form reflect what’s in their hearts if you wish to be beautiful you have to have a beautiful heart, but if your heart is evil than your body will reflect the worse possible version of yourself there is.

Mariana is already part way free from her curse she lost her glow in sparkles all she has to do is get rid of her outer beauty.

‘Hello kids, it’s me your no good, cowardly uncle that loves you very much’

Lance: Always be nice to each other and never grow up to hate each other for your differences

Lance always wanted to have kids but he’s too scared that he either might turn out like his father or he’s too much of a coward to protect them. Sometimes he is scared to death that Leland would come back and seriously hurt the Twins worst than him and his brothers

‘Gorgeous in Green!’

Since their father wears green and their mother is green they have always loved the color green it’s their favorite color they wear these colored clothing to every fancy party or outing they have. Mariana makes sure she matches with her brother to let everyone know she and him are connected.

These two love the color green so much that sometimes they playfully suggest that they should rename their kingdom the Green Kingdom.

Links to the Base Art

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lrenvs3000w24 · 1 month

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My Personal Ethics as a Nature Interpreter

As we come to the end of the course I begin to reflect on my nature interpretation journey. I've come to recognize the importance of developing a personal ethic as a nature interpreter and incorporating it into our work. This journey is not merely about conveying information or guiding individuals through natural landscapes; it's a profound commitment to understanding, respecting, and advocating for the intricate web of life that surrounds us (Beck et al., 2018). This final blog post serves as an opportunity for me to share more about myself, articulate my beliefs, responsibilities, and preferred approaches as I continue to grow in this role.

What beliefs do you bring?

At the core of my personal ethics lies a profound reverence for nature. I firmly believe that every organism, from the tiniest microbe to the tallest tree, has inherent value and deserves our utmost respect. I also feel this way with humans, every individual, regardless of their cultural, ethnic, or socioeconomic background, brings unique perspectives and contributions to the tapestry of humanity. This belief extends beyond anthropocentric; it acknowledges the connections of all living beings and underscores the importance of preserving biodiversity for the well-being of the planet and future generations.

I firmly believe that our background has a profound influence on our beliefs, ethics, and possibly connection to nature. Our upbringing shapes our perspectives, values, and cultural practices, which in turn influence how we interact with the world around us (Williams, 2021).

I mentioned earlier in my blog posts that my family is Hispanic, specifically from Mexico. Growing up in a Hispanic household, I was immersed in rich cultural traditions and values that emphasized the importance of family, community, and respect for the natural world. My parents and grandparents passed down stories, and teachings that instilled in me a deep appreciation for nature and the connection of all living beings. Even if I wasn’t exposed to nature in the same ways as others, like going on hikes or outdoor adventures, I still had a connection with nature just distinct.

In the Mexican culture, there is often a strong emphasis on kinship with the land, stemming from indigenous traditions and spiritual beliefs. This reverence for nature is reflected in practices such as Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead), where families honor their ancestors and celebrate the cycle of life and death in harmony with nature (History, 2023). In our culture, there is often a unique relationship with death itself (History, 2023). Rather than fearing or avoiding the topic, death is embraced as an essential part of life's journey. This perspective fosters a greater appreciation for the impermanence of existence and reinforces the idea of living in harmony with nature's cycles. This is just one example of how your background can influence your beliefs as for many this relationship with death is different.

Furthermore, our cultural background shapes our relationship with food, agriculture, and the environment. Traditional dishes, cultural practices, and maybe herbal remedies are passed down from generation to generation, connecting us to the land and preserving cultural heritage. However, it's important to recognize that our cultural background is just one aspect of our identity and doesn't necessarily define our beliefs or ethics in isolation. Our experiences, education, and individual values also play significant roles in shaping who we are and how we perceive the world. Which is important to keep in mind as a nature interpreter.

All this to say that I do think my background, culture, and lived experiences has influenced my personal beliefs of inclusivity, equality, cultivating connection and empathy. Which are all things I wish to incorporate into my role in nature interpretation and feel I have throughout the course.

What responsibilities do you have?

My responsibilities as a fellow Latina are deeply rooted in recognizing and addressing systemic inequalities within the environmental and science community. Growing up and seeing the world through my unique perspective has highlighted the importance of representation, especially for marginalized voices like those of the Latinx community. Latinx representation in high education fields remains disproportionately low compared to other communities due to disparities in educational opportunities, limited exposure, and privilege (Ortega et al., 2023). Which are all things we have talked about this semester, it’s almost as if it’s all coming together!

Therefore, I consider it my duty to amplify Latinx perspectives, elevate diverse voices, and create inclusive spaces where everyone feels seen, heard, and valued. As I navigate my role, I remain mindful of the intersecting systems of privilege and oppression that shape people's relationship with the environment (Rosenkrantz, 2022). While acknowledging my own privileges, including access to education and outdoor opportunities, I am also responsible for recognizing the barriers faced by marginalized communities in accessing green spaces and participating in environmental advocacy (Rosenkrantz, 2022). So, I think a big responsibility of mine is to try to make nature interpretation accessible for all individuals and help disseminate this information to diverse audiences by being mindful of where and how I share my knowledge.

Another primary responsibility is to use my education and platform(like this blog) to advocate for environmental justice and equity. This entails advocating for the protection of culturally significant landscapes, promoting green spaces in underserved communities as often they don't have access to them, and supporting environmental organizations led by people of color (Vabi, 2022). By addressing systemic inequalities head-on, I strive to increase nature interpretation within marginalized communities and overall environmental/science education.

What approaches are most suitable for you as an individual?

In my work as a nature interpreter, I am committed to centering the experiences and perspectives of marginalized communities not just Latinx individuals. By incorporating diverse narratives, traditions, and knowledge systems into my interpretation, I aim to create a more inclusive and equitable representation of the natural world. It is clear that my personal value in nature interpretation takes on the role of altruistic values, as I wish to benefit others not myself (SMU, 2023). According to Professor Leung at the Singapore Management University, there are four types of values associated with individuals and the environment (SMU, 2023). These are egoistic, hedonic, biospheric, and altruistic values (SMU, 2023). All of these values motivate individuals in a distinct way and I wish to incorporate my specific value and others into my nature interpretation role.

Furthermore, I recognize the importance of providing opportunities for underrepresented communities to engage with nature and pursue careers in environmental fields. Hopefully, one day I can have the capacity to provide mentorship programs, and community partnerships, to empower young people from marginalized backgrounds to explore their passions, develop leadership skills, and pursue careers in conservation and environmental advocacy.

Additionally, I acknowledge the importance of catering to diverse learning styles and overcoming barriers to engagement. Drawing from course notes, I understand that individuals have varying learning preferences, including visual and tactile styles (Hooykaas, 2024). I myself need to adapt my learning style for each course. Sometimes I need a video tutorial, someone to explain to me, or even me teaching myself by actually doing it. Therefore, I strive to incorporate a diverse set of learning styles into my interpretation, utilizing visual aids such as diagrams and graphs while also emphasizing hands-on, experiential learning opportunities. Additionally, in order for me to be the best nature interpreter I must also take into consideration my own learning styles and what excites me.

Furthermore, as highlighted in the textbook, it is crucial to address barriers related to time constraints, physical or mental concerns, and financial situations that may prevent individuals from fully engaging with nature interpretation (Beck et al., 2018). By offering accessible programming, accommodating diverse needs, and fostering a welcoming environment, I aim to break down these barriers and make nature interpretation more inclusive and equitable for all.

As I reflect, through this blog post and the course as a whole, I've come to realize the profound significance of nature interpretation and the diverse perspectives it encompasses. Throughout my writing, I've emphasized the importance of making nature accessible to all individuals, regardless of their surroundings or circumstances. I firmly believe that there is something invaluable to be gained from spending time in nature, whether it's for mental clarity, physical well-being, or simply enjoying the warmth of the sun on a gloomy day. By incorporating my personal background into each blog post, whether through shared music, nature practices, or personal experiences, I've strived to offer a unique perspective on nature interpretation. I've learned that diversity in interpretation is essential; we can all learn from each other's experiences and perspectives. Overall, this course has been an eye-opening journey, not only deepening my understanding of nature but also broadening my appreciation for the myriad ways it can be interpreted and enjoyed by all.

Thank you!!

Beck, L., Cable, T. T., & Knudson, D. M. (2018). Interpreting cultural and natural heritage : for a better world. Sagamore Venture.

History. (2023, April 24). Day of the dead (día de los muertos) - origins, celebrations, parade. https://www.history.com/topics/halloween/day-of-the-dead

Hooykaas, A. (2024). Hooykaas, A. (2024). ENVS*3000 Nature Interpretation course notes. Retrieved March, 21 2024, from https://courselink.uoguelph.ca/d2l/le/content/858004/Home

Ortega, G., Aguilar-Smith, S., Lizalde, G., & Porras, C. (2023). Barriers to Power: Exploring the Troubled Trajectories of Latinx Executive Leaders at Hispanic-Serving Institutions. Innovative Higher Education, 1–19. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10755-023-09649-6

Rosenkrantz, L. (2022, December 13). A renewed attention on environmental equity and Justice. NCCEH. https://ncceh.ca/resources/blog/renewed-attention-environmental-equity-and-justice

SMU. (2023, February 1). How does culture impact environmental behaviour? the role of human psychology in combatting climate change: City perspectives. Singapore Management University. https://cityperspectives.smu.edu.sg/article/how-does-culture-impact-environmental-behaviour-role-human-psychology-combatting-climate

Vabi, V. (2022, March 18). Urban Parks and Forests are missing in marginalized neighbourhoods. Nature Canada. https://naturecanada.ca/news/blog/parks-and-forests-are-missing-in-marginalized-neighbourhoods/Williams, C. (2021, August 19). Does culture shape our environmental attitudes?. Psychology Today. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/non-weird-science/202108/does-culture-shape-our-environmental-attitudes

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brookstonalmanac · 2 months

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Events 3.16 (after 1970)

1977 – Assassination of Kamal Jumblatt, the main leader of the anti-government forces in the Lebanese Civil War. 1978 – Former Italian Prime Minister Aldo Moro is kidnapped; he is later murdered by his captors. 1978 – A Balkan Bulgarian Airlines Tupolev Tu-134 crashes near Gabare, Bulgaria, killing 73. 1978 – Supertanker Amoco Cadiz splits in two after running aground on the Portsall Rocks, three miles off the coast of Brittany, resulting in the largest oil spill in history at that time. 1979 – Sino-Vietnamese War: The People's Liberation Army crosses the border back into China, ending the war. 1984 – William Buckley, the CIA station chief in Lebanon, is kidnapped by Hezbollah; he later dies in captivity. 1985 – Associated Press newsman Terry Anderson is taken hostage in Beirut; he is not released until December 1991. 1988 – Iran–Contra affair: Lieutenant Colonel Oliver North and Vice Admiral John Poindexter are indicted on charges of conspiracy to defraud the United States. 1988 – Halabja chemical attack: The Kurdish town of Halabja in Iraq is attacked with a mix of poison gas and nerve agents on the orders of Saddam Hussein, killing 5,000 people and injuring about 10,000 people. 1988 – The Troubles: Ulster loyalist militant Michael Stone attacks a Provisional IRA funeral in Belfast with pistols and grenades. Three persons, one of them a member of PIRA are killed, and more than 60 others are wounded. 1995 – Mississippi formally ratifies the Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, becoming the last state to approve the abolition of slavery. The Thirteenth Amendment was officially ratified in 1865. 2001 – A series of bomb blasts in the city of Shijiazhuang, China kill 108 people and injure 38 others, the biggest mass murder in China in decades. 2003 – American activist Rachel Corrie is killed in Rafah by being run over by an Israel Defense Forces bulldozer while trying to obstruct the demolition of a home. 2005 – Israel officially hands over Jericho to Palestinian control. 2010 – The Kasubi Tombs, Uganda's only cultural World Heritage Site, are destroyed in a fire. 2012 – Former Indian cricketer Sachin Tendulkar becomes the first batter in history to score 100 centuries in international cricket. 2014 – Crimea votes in a controversial referendum to secede from Ukraine to join Russia. 2016 – A bomb detonates in a bus carrying government employees in Peshawar, Pakistan, killing 15 and injuring at least 30. 2016 – Two suicide bombers detonate their explosives at a mosque during morning prayer on the outskirts of Maiduguri, Nigeria, killing 24 and injuring 18. 2020 – The Dow Jones Industrial Average falls by 2,997.10, the single largest point drop in history and the second-largest percentage drop ever at 12.93%, an even greater crash than Black Monday (1929). This follows the U.S. Federal Reserve announcing that it will cut its target interest rate to 0–0.25%. 2021 – Atlanta spa shootings: Eight people are killed and one is injured in a trio of shootings at spas in and near Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. A suspect is arrested the same day. 2022 – A 7.4-magnitude earthquake occurs off the coast of Fukushima, Japan, killing 4 people and injuring 225.

#Events

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jwhenvs3000w24 · 2 months

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The Timeless Merit of Ancient Things

"There is no peculiar merit in ancient things, but there is merit in integrity, and integrity entails the keeping together of the parts of any whole, and if these parts are scattered throughout time, then the maintenance of integrity entails a knowledge, a memory, of ancient things. …. To think, feel or act as though the past is done with, is equivalent to believing that a railway station through which our train has just passed, only existed for as long as our train was in it." - Edward Hyams

In a world driven forward by advancement and innovation, it can be easy to fall into the trap of believing that the past retains little importance to our present lives. Yet, as this quote suggests, the knowledge found throughout history has profound value. While ancient artifacts and events may appear distant or irrelevant, their value lies not in their age but in the lessons they hold. Personally, I believe history is one of the greatest teachers. Even within the course of my life, my successes and, more importantly, my failures have shaped the person I have become. Integrity requires the gathering of information and the forming of connections to gain a more complete perspective. It's about forming the knowledge needed to connect us with our past and guide us toward our future. To maintain integrity when faced with the uncertainty of the past, we must acquire a deep knowledge of ancient events and objects. Like a quilt, without the careful stitching of its patches, history loses its coherence; our understanding of the world suffers without the incorporation of historical context. I thought the quote's use of the train station analogy was a very effective way to support its claims further. The analogy uses each stop at a train station to represent a moment in history. To be ignorant of the significance of these stations once the train has passed through them is to miss the importance and knowledge the journey holds. Each station, however brief, contributes to the plot of the whole trip. Similarly, each period in history contributes to a better understanding of how things came to be, no matter how distant.

History serves as our roadmap, guiding us through the struggles of the present and illuminating the path forward. For example, the environmental movement sparked by Rachel Carson's book "Silent Spring" catalyzed a shift in public consciousness and laid the groundwork for critical environmental legislation (Beck et al., 2019). Though written decades ago, her work continues to create impacts today, reminding us of the power of individual actions. Moreover, interpreting history is not only for increasing our knowledge but a call to action. By documenting memories of both successes and tragedies, we commemorate the sacrifices of those who came before us and empower ourselves to shape a better future. As a community, we must embrace our heritage to cultivate a society built on principles of justice, equity, and compassion. For instance, Remembrance Day is a good example of commemorating the sacrifices of those who came before us. Every November 11 since the First World War, Canada has dedicated the day to honour the bravery and sacrifice of those who served our country and acknowledge our responsibility to recognize and respect the peace they fought to protect (Government of Canada, 2021). As a kid, I didn't fully appreciate the importance of Remembrance Day. However, after joining Air Cadets and hearing the experiences of Canadian veterans, I gained great respect for those who have served our country and the impacts their actions had.

In conclusion, while ancient objects or events may lack merit at first glance, their significance lies in their ability to give insight into periods of history. As we navigate the challenges of our modern world, we must not forget the wisdom and lessons from the past.

Government of Canada. (2021). Why Remember?. https://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/remembrance/history/a-day-of-remembrance/why

Beck, L., Cable, T. T., & Knudson, D. M. (2018). Chapter 5: Guiding Principles of Interpretation. In Interpreting cultural and natural heritage: For A Better World (pp. 304). Sagamore Venture.

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cosmicanger · 1 year

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Beverly Glenn-Copeland Announces First LP in Two Decades ‘The Ones Ahead’

Beverly Glenn-Copeland has announced his first album in nearly 20 years. The 79-year-old musician best known for 1989’s Keyboard Fantasies is set to return with a new project entitled The Ones Ahead.

Slated to drop on July 28 via Transgressive, the new LP is the follow-up to 2004’s Primal Prayer, a self-released 8-track assortment of dance-inspired spiritual anthems. A compilation record dubbed Transmissions: The Music of Beverly Glenn-Copeland was released in 2020. And in 2021, Glenn-Copeland reissued Keyboard Fantasies, along with a remix album. The Ones Ahead, however, will mark the first totally fresh music from the artist in some time now.

In tandem with announcing the new album, Glenn-Copeland shared its opening track, “Africa Calling.”

“In the ’80s, I had the honor of performing with an incredible artist named Dido, a master of the drums indigenous to West Africa,” Glenn-Copeland said of creating the song. “The beauty of this drumming tradition is explored in “Africa Calling.””

“Over the years, in many conversations, I have come to understand that I share an undefinable, unnamed feeling—a calling—with many other members of the African diaspora, a bone-deep need to explore and express our heritage. Alongside the grief, there is a longing to know our roots, hidden from us as family lines were torn apart in the terrible days of the trans-Atlantic slave trade. In a world still caught in the ties of colonialism, I know I am not alone in needing to heed the call of this generations-old longing.”

#black art #black music #black trans #trans #lgbtq #Spotify

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paganimagevault · 1 year

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Tomb of Cyrus the Great in Pasargadae 6th C. BCE

"The Tomb of Cyrus (Persian: آرامگاه کوروش بزرگ) is the final resting place of Cyrus the Great, the founder of the ancient Achaemenid Empire. The mausoleum is located in Pasargadae, an archaeological site in the Fars Province of Iran.

It was first identified as Cyrus' tomb in modern times by James Justinian Morier, who compared the monument to that described in the writings of Greek historian Arrian.

The mausoleum is a significant historical example of earthquake engineering as it is said to be the oldest base-isolated structure in the world, allowing it great resilience against seismic hazards. It is one of the key Iranian cultural heritage sites. On the 29th of October 2021, Iranian police barred people from visiting the mausoleum.

The site of the tomb is shut down every year during Cyrus the Great Day following a pro-monarchy protest in 2016.

The tomb, previously known as the Tomb of Madre Suleiman (referring either to Caliph Sulayman ibn Abd al-Malik or the biblical Bathsheba, mother of Solomon), was first identified by Venetian traveler Giosafat Barbaro and later by Johan Albrecht de Mandelslo. It was first identified as the Tomb of Cyrus in the early nineteenth century, first by James Justinian Morier and then by Robert Ker Porter. Morier described the tomb as follows:

'[It] is a building of a form so extraordinary that the people of the country often call it the court of the deevis or devil. It rests upon a square base of large blocks of marble, which rise in seven layers pyramidically... On every part of the monument itself are carved inscriptions, which attest the reverence of its visitors; but there is no vestige of any of the characters of ancient Persia or even of the older Arabic. The key is kept by women, and none but females are permitted to enter. The people generally regard it as the monument of the mother of Solomon, and still connect some efficacy with the name; for they point out near the spot a certain water to which those who may have received the bite of a mad dog resort, and by which, if drank within thirty days, the evil effects of the wound are obviated. In eastern story almost every thing wonderful is attached to the Solomon of Scripture: the King however, to whose mother this tomb is said to be raised, is less incredibly, (as the Carmelites of Shiraz suggested to Mandelsloe), Shah Soleiman, the fourteenth Caliph of the race of Ali. But though this supposition is more probable than that it is the monument of Bathsheba, it is not to my mind satisfactory, as it differs totally from all the tombs of Mahomedan saints which I have ever seen in Persia, Asia Minor, or Turkey.'

Morier then proposed that the tomb may be that of Cyrus, based on the description of Arrian. He noted the similarities, as well as the differences including the lack of the inscription noted by Arrian, the lack of a grove of trees, and the triangular roof against Arrian's "arched" description:

'If the position of the place had corresponded with the site of Passagardae as well as the form of this structure accords with the description of the tomb of Cyrus near that city, I should have been tempted to assign to the present building so illustrious an origin. That tomb was raised in a grove; it was a small edifice covered with an arched roof of stone, and its entrance was so narrow that the slenderest man could scarcely pass through: it rested on a quadrangular base of a single stone, and contained the celebrated inscription, "mortals, I am Cyrus, son of Cambyses, founder of the Persian monarchy, and Sovereign of Asia, grudge me not therefore this monument". That the plain around Mesjed Madre Suleiman was the site of a great city, is proved by the ruins with which it is strewed; and that this city was of the same general antiquity as Persepolis may be inferred from the existence of a similar character in the inscriptions on the remains of both, though this particular edifice does not happen to display that internal evidence of a contemporaneous date. A grove would naturally have disappeared in modern Persia; the structures correspond in size; the triangular roof of that which I visited might be called arched in an age when the true semi-circular arch was probably unknown; the door was so narrow, that, if I had been allowed to make the attempt, I could scarcely have forced myself through it; and those who kept the key affirmed that the only object within was an immense stone, which might be "the base of a single piece" described by Arrian; but as he was repeating the account of another, the difference is of little consequence, if it exists. I suspect however, as many of the buildings at Persepolis are so put together that they might once have seemed one vast block, that the present structure might also at one time have possessed a similar appearance. The eternity of his monument indeed, which Cyrus contemplated by fixing it on one enormous stone, would be equally attained by the construction of this fabric, which seems destined to survive the revolutions of ages. And in the lapse of two thousand four hundred years, the absence of an inscription on Mesjed Madre Suleiman would not be a decisive evidence against its identity with the tomb of Cyrus.'

The most extensive description of the structure, based on a lost account by Aristobulus (who had accompanied Alexander the Great on his eastern campaigns in the late fourth century BC), is to be found in The Anabasis of Alexander (6.29), written by Arrian in the second century AD.

Arrian, writing in the second century AD, described the tomb as follows:

'He (Alexander) was grieved by the outrage committed upon the tomb of Cyrus, son of Cambyses; for according to Aristobulus, he found it dug through and pillaged. The tomb of the famous Cyrus was in the royal park at Pasargadae, and around it a grove of all kinds of trees had been planted. The park was also watered by a stream, and high grass grew in the meadow. The base of the tomb itself had been made of squared stone in the form of a rectangle. Above it there was a stone building surmounted by a roof, with a door leading within, so narrow that even a small man could with difficulty enter, after suffering much discomfort. In the building lay a golden coffin, in which the body of Cyrus had been buried, and by the side of the coffin was a couch, the feet of which were of gold wrought with the hammer. A carpet of Babylonian tapestry with purple rugs formed the bedding ; upon it were also a Median coat with sleeves and other tunics of Babylonian manufacture. Aristobulus adds that Median trousers and robes dyed the colour of hyacinth were also lying upon it, as well as others of purple and various other colours; moreover there were collars, sabres, and earrings of gold and precious stones soldered together, and near them stood a table. On the middle of the couch lay the coffin which contained the body of Cyrus. Within the inclosure, near the ascent leading to the tomb, there was a small house built for the Magians who guarded the tomb; a duty which they had discharged ever since the time of Cambyses, son of Cyrus, son succeeding father as guard. To these men a sheep and specified quantities of wheaten flour and wine were given daily by the king; and a horse once a month as a sacrifice to Cyrus. Upon the tomb an inscription in Persian letters had been placed, which bore the following meaning in the Persian language: "O man, I am Cyrus, son of Cambyses, who founded the empire of the Persians, and was king of Asia. Do not therefore grudge me this monument.” As soon as Alexander had conquered Persia, he was very desirous of entering the tomb of Cyrus; but he found that everything else had been carried off except the coffin and couch.'

Strabo stated that when Alexander the Great looted and destroyed Persepolis, he paid a visit to the tomb of Cyrus and commanded Aristobulus, one of his warriors, to enter the monument. Inside he found a golden bed, a table set with drinking vessels, a gold coffin, some ornaments studded with precious stones and an inscription on the tomb. No trace of any such inscription survives. Strabo (Geography Book 15.3) described it as follows:

'Alexander then went to Pasargadae; and this too was an ancient royal residence. Here he saw also, in a park, the tomb of Cyrus; it was a small tower and was concealed within the dense growth of trees. The tomb was solid below, but had a roof and sepulchre above, which latter had an extremely narrow entrance. Aristobulus says that at the behest of the king he passed through this entrance and decorated the tomb; and that he saw a golden couch, a table with cups, a golden coffin, and numerous garments and ornaments set with precious stones; and that he saw all these things on his first visit, but that on a later visit the place had been robbed and everything had been carried off except the couch and the coffin, which had only been broken to pieces, and that the robbers had removed the corpse to another place, a fact which plainly proved that it was an act of plunderers, not of the satrap, since they left behind only what could not easily be carried off; and that the robbery took place even though the tomb was surrounded by a guard of Magi, who received for their maintenance a sheep every day and a horse every month. But just as the remoteness of the countries to which Alexander's army advanced, Bactra and India, had led to numerous other revolutionary acts, so too this was one of the revolutionary acts. Now Aristobulus so states it, and he goes to record the following inscription on the tomb: "O man, I am Cyrus, who acquired the empire for the Persians and was king of Asia; grudge me not, therefore, my monument." Onesicritus, however, states that the tower had ten stories and that Cyrus lay in the uppermost story, and that there was one inscription in Greek, carved in Persian letters, "Here I lie, Cyrus, king of kings," and another written in the Persian language with the same meaning.'"

-taken from wikipedia

#cyrus the great #persian history #iranian #history #ancient history #antiquity #antiquities #pagan #dessert cakes #classical literature #desserts #6th century bce #alexander the great

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