The Cloud Arcade is an online marketplace that brings different shops together under one virtual roof. We offer various products from Christmas decorations, pet products, to greeting cards! The Cloud Arcade is the home of Totally Degu, the shop dedicated to Degus and their owners.
Pop the question that matters. Instead of chocolates and flowers, why not send our How to Choose a Health Care Proxy Guide: https://goo.gl/Z47Ga9.
As we begin a new year it has been our tradition to pause, reflect on all that has been accomplished over the past twelve months and thank all of the people who have made our…
We’re capturing stories of real people having the conversation and talking about what matters. First up: a father and daughter. Have you had the conversation? We’re here to help. #TalkingMatters
Bangalore’s architectural landmarks bear witness to the grandeur of the royal dynasties that have ruled the ‘Garden City’. Take our tour of the finest buildings in the city: every stone has a story to tell.
A brainchild of one Kengal Hanumanthaiah, Vidhana Soudha is arguably the epitome of palatial secretariats in India. Built in 1956, Vidhana Soudha boasts a marvelous blend of Neo-Dravidian and Indo-Saracenic architectural styles. After drawing eclectic inspiration from his travels across several continents, Hanumanthaiah gave Bangalore its symbol of identity in the form of this magnificent structure. The largest legislative building in India, Vidhan Soudha houses the state legislature of Karnataka. The landmark building is in the heart of the city, making it all the more impressive; visit in the evening, when it is illuminated.
Attara Kacheri—meaning eighteen offices—is a red brick building that is home to the Karnataka High Court. Facing the Vidhana Soudha and with Cubbon Park as its backdrop, Attara Kacheri reflects the Greco-Roman style of architecture characterized by ornate Corinthian columns that mimic classical European architecture. Attara Kacheri was constructed in 1868, at the zenith of British colonialism in India. Much of its prominence is attributed to Lewin Bentham Bowring, erstwhile Commissioner of Mysore.
Tipu Sultan (1750-1799) went down in history as a hero, and is known as the Tiger of Mysore. He also had a penchant for grand architecture, reflected in his summer palace, ‘Rash-e-Jannat’ or ‘Envy of the Heavens’. Predominantly constructed using teak wood, Tipu Sultan’s Summer Palace is decorated with meticulous motifs, and is a visual treat. Indo-Islamic architecture finds its true archetype here.
Elaborate towers, embellished doorways, floral motifs and lacquer-ware makes Bangalore Palace a sight to behold. When Chamarajendra Wadiyar X’s British guardians bought land from educationist Rev. J. Garrett, they were looking to build an unassuming accommodation for the young Maharaja. Four years later, in 1878, a Tudor style palace emerged, which still has the ability to leave visitors wonderstruck. Bangalore Palace’s Victorian furniture and Gothic-styled stained glass windows are in excellent condition.
Amid the lush greenery of Cubbon Park lies the Seshadri Iyer Memorial Hall, built in commemoration of Sir Kumarapuram Seshadri Iyer, the Diwan of Mysore from 1883 to 1901. The European-style building, characterized by its Tuscan columns, was built in 1915. It was commissioned by Lord Curzon, the then Viceroy of India. Seshadri Iyer Memorial Hall houses the State Central Library, with a vast collection of books.
Situated 22 miles (35 km) from Bangalore, Devanahalli Fort was built in 1501 by Mallabairegowda, a contemporary of Kempegowda, the founder of Bangalore. The fort was breached several times throughout its tumultuous history. From the Mysore rulers to the East Indian Company, Devanahalli Fort has been a home to many. Spread over a large area, a primary feature of the fort is the semi-circular bastions connecting the sturdy walls. The temples within the premises reflect Dravidian and Vijayanagara architectural styles.
Gavipuram Cave Temple, or Gavi Gangadhareshwara Temple, is a mystifying (yet explicable) rock-cut architectural marvel. Built in a natural cave in the 1500s, the Lord Shiva temple houses a monolithic-cut idol of the deity. Every year on the day of Makara Sankranti, the evening sunlight spreads over the intricate monolithic sculptures and illuminates the Shiva linga inside. Devotees flock here to catch a glimpse of the miracle.
Stretching across Europe and Asia, Russia offers a lifetime of travel options. Although more international tourists head to natural wonders, such as Lake Baikal and the Altai Mountains, there are still places even Russians haven’t heard of that are worth visiting. Read on to discover seven lesser-known destinations in Russia to put on your must-see list.
On the east coast of Sakhalin island, Tikhaya Bay lives up to its name, which means “quiet,” and it’s as tranquil as it is strikingly beautiful. Named by the Russian explorer Ivan Fedorovich Kruzenshtern, Tikhaya Bay is not marked on most maps, which helps explain the lack of tourists. Shielded from cold winds by the picturesque Zhdanko Ridge, the bay entices with sandy shores, spectacular rocks and cliffs, and exotic plant life.
Mendeleev is an 886-meter-tall active volcano on Kunashir Island, the southernmost of the Kuril Islands. The locals affectionately call it Sleeping Beauty for its similarity to a sleeping figure and because the last time Mendeleev woke up was in 1880. The slopes of the volcano are covered with lush coniferous-broadleaf forest and are dotted with hot springs, so choose you footwear wisely when ascending—the soil might be scorching.
A mysterious ancient village, Eltyubyu is nestled in the valley of the Chegem river in the Kabardino-Balkaria highlands. Surrounded by pine-beech forests, it has a medieval necropolis, age-old houses, cliff-cut stairs and the Love Tower, where, rumor has it, young men used to hide their snatched brides from angered relatives.
The mysterious Lovozero tundra has one the most significant remnants of Sami culture—a 74-meter-high rock formation named “Kuiva.” While hiking or biking on forest paths, you can go for a swim in the crystal-clear Seydozero Lake, pick berries and mushrooms, and enjoy the views from 250-meter-high mountain cirques.
Stretched along the banks of the Lena River, these natural rock formations are reminiscent of a medieval fortress. The pillars stand approximately 100 meters high, and they’re estimated to be about 500,000 years old. In 2012, the pillars were added to the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Lake Elton is the largest salt lake in Russia. In the summer, it has a higher concentration of salts than the Dead sea. Located in Volgograd Oblast, near the Kazakhstan border, the lake has been home to a spa resort since 1904, and its water is believed to have healing properties.
Considered one of the Seven Wonders of Russia, these seven gigantic and abnormally shaped rock formations are located in the Troitsko-Pechorsky District of the Komi Republic and are considered among the most recognizable landmarks of the Ural Mountains. The pillars were formed by natural forces that gradually destroyed the high mountains that stood there about 200 million years ago. In the past, it was a place of worship for the Mansi people, who believed the pillars were Sami giants turned to stone.
Caño Cristales is a natural phenomenon and wonder located in Colombia’s Meta department, within the Serranía de la Macarena National Park. Caño Cristales is a section of river within the park which stretches over 62 miles (100 kilometers). For six months of the year the tributary looks like any other river, but between the months of June and November the river comes alive with yellow, blue, green, red and black hues.
The Serranía de la Macarena National Park is a protected area covering 2,400 square miles (6,200 square kilometers), located at the point in Colombia where the Amazon rainforest, Andes mountain range and savannah plains of the East Llanos meet. This location is one of the most biodiverse ecosystems in the country, with dry forest, rainforest, shrub land and savannah. This area has a large variety of flora and fauna, with over 2,000 plants, 550 bird species, 1,200 insects, 100 reptiles, 50 orchards, eight monkey species, anteaters, jaguars, cougars and deer.
From June through to November the river contains Podostemaceae, or Macarenia clavigera which is a river weed that sticks to underwater hard surfaces, in tropical and subtropical areas. The Caño Cristales’ clear, transparent and pure water allows visitors to see the Macarenia clavigera, which, aided by the sun and lack of nutrients, matures and appears brightly through the water. In the off months the river appears the same as any other while the plants reproduce, and between June to November comes to vibrant life, thanks to the rainy season creating a rainbow river.
The Caño Cristales was closed to the public and partially destroyed by the Guerrilla, paramilitary and army between 1989 and 2009. It has slowly become safer for visitors and tour companies who have since begun to arrive in the area. The river of five colors, as it’s otherwise known, is heavily protected by the government and surrounding areas. Visitors can only access the location through specialist tour companies, and still then only between 180 and 200 visitors are allowed a day. The local towns and communities run the area, lead trips and have overall control of area. The communities are working hard to protect the area from becoming over populated and destroyed, as a result of this visitors are subject to certain rules and regulations. There is a ban on products such as suncream and insect repellent, which may cause pollution, and there are restricted swimming areas along the river.
The 62-mile (100-kilometer) section of river contains waterfalls, designated swimming areas, rapids, a fast flowing water, small circular pits or holes, which are formed by pebbles or chunks of rock knocking into each other. The magic of the fragile ecosystem is that it changes every year – with each rainy season the river comes back slightly different from the previous year, with different colors and movement of the riverbed.
The Caño Cristales can be reached by aeroplane from Bogotá to La Macarena, or from Bogotá to Villavicencio and then La Macarena. La Macarena is a town located just outside of the National Park and is home to a population of around 32,000, with a number of restaurants and hotels, making it the perfect base for trips to the Caño Cristales.
Caño Cristales is often referred to as the most beautiful river in the world, and its unique colors are making it a big tourist attraction within the country.
No two people are the same. I’ve sat behind the charge desk over a period of seven years and seen people from every walk of life. From those in penury to those who have more than they will ever need. From those who couldn’t give a toss about arrest to those whose life I could see unraveling before me as we spoke. Those who were confident of their innocence when guilty and those who were innocent scared of what guilt may mean. I’ve seen them all.
Some I’ve seen once and never again. The more concerning ones are those who come regularly. Our frequent flyers. Some who landed so often that if we had a custody club card they would have amassed thousands of points!
The relentless vicious circle of crime, drugs, poverty, domestic violence and other factors means many people are trapped in a world they cannot escape from and pretty much becomes normalised. One young woman used to be in custody every week. Sometimes every day. She was involved in drugs, she was stealing, dealing and also getting knocked about by a procession of “boyfriends”. Her life was in a total mess. My dealings with her were regular but I can’t, hand on heart, say that I had any influence over her. She was so regularly with us it was almost like she was one of my team. She was skinny, unhealthy and looked.. for want of a better word, like shit.
Then suddenly she stopped coming in. The assumption was she was finally back inside prison. It really was only a matter of time. She probably was for a short while. However, a few weeks became a month or two. A few months became 6 and life moved on. I hadn’t heard she was dead but it could have been a very real possibility.
Then, 18 months later, local cops arrived with a prisoner. The prisoner had been arrested in another force for a matter she had been identified as being responsible for some time ago in our area. I barely recognised her as she walked in. She had clean hair and clothes. She was clean. She had put on weight and the gaunt face she always wore had been replaced by a rosy cheeked, sparkly eyed one with a somewhat cheeky grin. It was like meeting an old friend. What a transformation. Underneath all the abuse she had put herself through (and been exposed to) was a good looking young woman.
We chatted as I booked her in. She had made a change in her life. She had moved to another area, was off the gear, had a stable home, was trying to learn new skills and find a job. I was, to much consternation from my colleagues, utterly delighted for her.
She was ultimately charged but with a lack of recent offending and a new life at her feet she was granted bail. Something she never got and this also put a smile on her face. She left. I don’t know what happened next but over a period of a few weeks she went to court. She met up with old contacts in her old town and suddenly, defying all logic, she was back in the town and back on the gear. She spiralled rapidly downward into the hole she had so successfully crawled out of. Regular arrests, remands into custody, lost weight, gaunt face, dirty and unkempt and her health crumbled. She was right back where she started from. It was all her doing but it was tragic. My heart cried for her.
I’ve no idea where she is now. I hope and pray she found her way back out of that dark place. I hope she is healthy, happy, clean and living the life she was clearly capable of giving herself.
Having spent 7 years in custody I met many people like this. I often pondered about how this circle of behaviour could be broken. Over the years my only hope was to talk to people in custody. I never knew if I got through to someone but, where I could, it was worth trying. I was then introduced via Twitter to a lady called Clare McGregor whom I then met at the very first BlueLight Camp in Manchester. I have remained in contact with Clare ever since and she has been doing some amazing work with women at Styal Prison. Working with women to help them break this cycle of crime, prison, crime.
I have met many women similar to those Clare speaks of in her book. Women trapped in a revolving door of crime and despair for a whole multitude of reasons that we, the police, rarely get beyond. The cycle of reoffending is notoriously hard to break but Clare took this project on and once she has something in her sights she is like a dog with a bone. Her determination, passion and commitment to succeed and help women at Styal shines through on every page.
This book will open your eyes to a world rarely seen. It will make you think and seriously challenge any stereotypical perceptions you may have of offenders. These are people that are lost who, ironically, have the map to freedom and a new life within their own head. They just need a coach to show them where to find it.
At a recent TEDx event I listened to a presentation by Clare. She said she had realised she couldn’t tell people what to do. She had to ask them what they wanted to do. What they wanted to change and then help them explore how they were going to do it themselves… and it’s working!
It’s a remarkable book detailing some amazing work by a team of dedicated and passionate people who can only inspire you.
In Italian the word “Ciao” means both “Hi” and “Bye”. It is fitting that CIAO is the name of the organisation. The coaches say “Hi” to a new client and later say “Bye” as they wave them off to a more rewarding and satisfying life. Brilliant.
It’s been a challenging week. More than that, with the events in Manchester, it’s been a tragic week. Our thoughts and our prayers have been with those who have lost loved ones, those whose loved ones have been injured, and everyone who has been affected by a senseless act of violence.
On Thursday, people all around the country will stop at 11am for a minute’s silence in response to the Manchester attack. It’s right that we should do this, even as we feel powerless and overwhelmed by the mounting tragedies around us: Manchester, Westminster, Paris, Stockholm, Mosul, Aleppo, Yemen – the list seems endless.
In my work leading a Homelessness charity, I regularly encounter people who have been pulled under by the riptides of tragedy. Indeed the rest of the staff encounter difficult and moving situations that our service users are facing far more than I do, and yet carry on.
And I still have hope. For me, my faith in Jesus reminds me that all things – no matter how dark – can be redeemed.
One of my heroes is Rev Martin Luther King Jr. In 1968, at the height of the struggle for freedom and equality for African-Americans – a struggle for which he had been imprisoned, beaten, humiliated, slandered, and which would ultimately cost him his life – King said the following in a speech in Memphis, Tennessee. He described an imagined conversation that he might have with God in which he could choose any point in history to live;
“…Strangely enough, I would turn to the Almighty and say, “If you allow me to live just a few years in the second half of the twentieth century, I will be happy.” Now that’s a strange statement to make because the world is all messed up. The nation is sick. Trouble is in the land. Confusion all around. That’s a strange statement. But I know, somehow, that only when it is dark enough, can you see the stars.”
The world is still messed up. Our circumstances may be difficult. But we can see the stars brighter than ever. And I’m glad I’m living in 2017.
Not all religion is the same: Religion is being increasingly discussed in publishing, the media and politics. There was a time when the mantra ‘We don’t do God’ seemed to fit perfectly with the times. No more. The twentieth century axiom that religion has had its day, and that social progress will see the inevitable triumph of secularism and rationalism over mysticism and faith is looking very tired indeed.
Religions are often competitors but not necessarily antagonists: In spite of these differences, antagonistic relationships between religions are not inevitable. Of course, antagonism can be found easily enough. But conflict between humans of divergent identities can be found everywhere, even where religion is largely absent. 2015 is the 40th anniversary of the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia – need I say more? Indeed, religions abound with resources to support an ideology of social harmony, peace-making and conflict resolution. Disagreement – even fundamentally so – is not inherently unhealthy. It is how we manage and accommodate our differences that matters.
There is a place for religion in public – and not just private – spaces: Part of the dominant narrative of Secularism is that, in order for fairness to be delivered, competing religious worldviews (interestingly, not other worldviews, only religious ones) should be consigned to the private sphere; what you do in your own home is up to you, but don’t bring religious reasoning or practices to the public square. As a result, religious groups who take their faith seriously have often found the public square to be a cold house for them. This is particularly true of counties like France, where the only religion allowed in the public square is the Cult of La Republique. Make of that what you will. But one thing is certain: if we are to address the threat of Religious Extremism, we must be careful not to marginalise religion as a whole. Which is why:
Theology Matters – Much of the lurch to Islamist extremism has been fuelled by bad theology. Of course, it has also been fuelled by an autocratic Saudi state awash with petro-dollars. But an extreme Wahabist interpretation of the Quran and Hadith in Sunni Islam is primarily a theological issue. The solution to this bad theology cannot be no theology: it is not an effective option to simply disengage with or parody the warped theology of ISIS or the Charlie Hebdo murderers. The ultimate solution to the problem of Islamism, Hindu Nationalism – or even the attempted co-option of Christianity by some elements on the extreme right – is good theology.
To review my year in the hobby is to acknowledge that I’ve not posted as much during 2015 as perhaps I anticipated that I might, with only four posts spread throughout the year. That said, this offers the opportunity for a (bumper) reflective on the things that I did do, and didn’t chronicle, as well as the plans for the future too!
The most recent reflection was on my tournament performance in a local 1650pts 3-game event in August, which thoroughly put me through my paces in learning 7th edition. Mustering four games in two days had bested my total for the rest of the year, and it was great to field a fully cohesive army, even if I couldn’t do better than last place!
That said, just a couple of weeks later I was lucky enough to roll out my Heresy army, to make five games in the space of two weeks – which is most likely a personal record – and was delighted to roll some dice against a top notch opponent. We had planned for a 2.5k Heresy game, I’d originally wanted to roll out my Contemptors, and more of my lovely Heresy-era Terminators, but packing in the early hours before you have to leave for a conference, with the limitation of just one box, meant I had to be slightly creative. A couple of minor proxies and working with what models I had readily available to make a force I’d not yet tested, but thought would be fun to play.
In short, lots of troops (represented by retro plastic Plague Marines in the main!), a Primarch and not a lot of anti-tank. To then come up against a list like this:
Meant I was slightly outgunned – and against a lot of armour, including the Falchion that with a strength D tank-busting weapon, would probably make things difficult for me.
I got my friend to deploy first, and tried to counter-deploy with everything possible in cover. With the Warlord Trait allowing us both to move a unit, I moved Mortarion et al to the other side of the board, to hopefully wreak havoc around the super-heavy, and to deal with where (at that time) most of the targets he could actually deal with would be. The range of the Falchion meant cover was essential, but difficult with the fire-arc and kill-zones it would inevitably be holding.
To the left, the other squad with Apothecary, and then further over, in cover near the objective, both Destroyer squads. Mortarion is in pure white, with three Obliterators (as Deathshroud) around him), and my Praetor in that squad.
First turn was somewhat brutal: I’d wanted to use my Sicarans, was very excited having painted them up nicely and hoped they could kick out some damage. To see the Falchion one shot the first, and reduce the other to one hull point, before being summarily executed by a follow-up shot from another unit, I now didn’t have anything holding the right flank, or any real anti-tank. My opponent (kindly) offered to restart with it swapped out for something different: I had basically nothing that could hurt it, and I’d lost about a fifth of my army early on. The perils of Strength D! I was keen to continue – it was my first game of the Heresy proper, and I was keen to try and at least plough through – even if it meant only another twenty minutes before I might be tabled!
Oddly, things got better – for the fact I would struggle to damage those tanks, it focused my attention on anything softer. Mortarion cleaved his way through the Castellax, then their Praevian, before jumping behind cover. His teleport rules are excellent – the Falchion was somewhat limited by the terrain, and therefore spent time chewing through Tactical marines. The Fire Raptor made a huge difference, knocking out an opposing Sicaran and taking the other to a single hull point, before destroying the Rhino to leave those Tacticals available for Mortarion to scythe through. I was delighted with the Destroyers – their damage to the jetbikes and subsequent effects made it easier for the boltguns of the marines to deal with them – as many nobly died so my Praetor could live throughout. The support squads, with limited range and anti-tank, were basically used to sit on objectives, and it was great to finally see one of my Deathshroud (the last remaining) cut down the contesting bikers.
During this time, Polux and Breacher escort (as Tacticals) had (just) successfully used deep strike to attempt to grab an objective and wreck my left flank: the Destroyers were to turn around, and with Mortarion in tow, carved through all and the warlord. This helped move me above on VPs, with a few solid tactical objectives, despite losing my Fire Raptor – and the game ended with my Death Guard sitting on five objectives, against a Sicaran with a hull point, a Falchion and a Contemptor.
It was a fantastic game – coming out with a 22-8 victory was unexpected after that first turn, and was characterised by it simply being great fun. I was lucky to have a superb opponent, and it made for a fantastic game. The massed numbers of troops were clearly a great boon, and I’d probably just want another Apothecary to help the other Tactical Squad achieve. I’d switch out the support squads for something heavier in future, but the Fire Raptor and Mortarion performed superbly – and the Destroyers offered another threat – as well as being very cool.
This was however the most recent game I’ve played, bar a fantastic Apocalypse battle, of roughly 5,000pts a side (five players per team – good vs. evil) – so we could fit in pizza and the game within about three hours.
Aim was to reach that big building where the Titan was residing – if we could capture the grotto, and any objectives on the way… it’d be decent! It was a bit of a slog…
That was probably one of the highlights – managed to topple a member of the Seer Council on Jetbikes, but broadly as we were slightly outnumbered superheavy wise, and it was quite a long way to go – even recycling didn’t truly help us! Fantastic game though – thoroughly enjoyed it, and can’t wait for the next one!
Aside from this, I’ve managed to fit in a few games of Guild Ball, and one of Bolt Action – I’ve thus far lost all my Guild Ball games, and pulled out a draw in my first Bolt Action game – which suggests I should probably stick to non-sporting tabletop games in future…
On the painting and modelling side of things, I’ve been lucky enough to paint approximately 9,000pts of stuff over the course of the year, mostly thanks to the different competitions that have run on the Bolter and Chainsword – it’s a great motivation for me to take part in these, and proud to have actually cleared so much of a backlog – and do those pieces justice. I’m hoping to continue this level of output through the year, with a number of different pieces and projects – no doubt supporting the great core of things I currently have.
Most recently, I’ve diversified to add some Renegades, in the form of Traitor Sentinels, and a number of Khorne Berzerkers and Noise Marines, as pictured below:
I’ve still got a number of things for my Death Guard that need to be improved in future, both repaints and some new ideas – and it’ll be good to explore those in time.
The release of the new Betrayal at Calth sets have allowed me to bolster my Heresy army, in the form of the Tactical Marines I so desperately needed! Having totted up my rough points, I think I’m pushing 10,000pts – but so little of that is painted, coming mostly from Contemptors and Terminators. My aim for this year is to complete as much of that Heresy stuff as possible, and I’m looking forward to the next event at the B&C, which should allow me to complete Mortarion, and hopefully some other nice pieces… Watch this space!
The break over Christmas allowed me to build some Heresy leaders, who will be painted in Death Guard livery:
And, I’ve enjoyed building a number of Breachers (to take me to 20), and the following, which should give me some semblance of air superiority:
Additions of a Deredeo, Storm Eagle, a Glaive and a Spartan should also heavily bolster these forces, the which have been started in true batch fashion:
And then applied my chosen materials, in cork and gravel, before shaking off the excess. About half shown:
It is a start anyway – and looking forward to completing these and getting them on the painting table.
The main goal is to continue to clear the backlog of models and miniatures that need to be painted, so they can hopefully grace the table-top more frequently. I’m hoping to do a bit more with the Dark Mechanicus/Skitarii I had planned, and perhaps see where that takes me in future!
It has been an excellent year for the hobby, and has been one I’ve immensely enjoyed personally too, and I’m looking forward to all that 2016 has to offer – and I hope that it is happy, healthy and prosperous for everyone else too!
China has completed production of one of the world’s largest seaplanes for use in the South China Sea.
After seven years of work, China has finished production of the first Jiaolong (Water Dragon) AG600 seaplane, purportedly the world’s largest amphibious aircraft, Chinese state-owned Xinhua news agency reports. The new aircraft, developed by state aircraft maker Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC), rolled off the production line at an AVIC plant in the southern city of Zhuhai in Guangdong province on July 23.
AVIC’s deputy general manager, Geng Ruguang calls the AG600 “the latest breakthrough in China’s aviation industry, which demonstrates an overall improvement of China’s national strength and research capacity.” According to Xinhua, a group of 70 aircraft component manufacturers as well as 150 research institutes participated in the development process of the aircraft. “The AG 600 is like a ship that can fly, with advanced gas water dynamic engineering and underwater corrosion resistance technology,” said Huang Lingcai, the chief designer of the AG600.
A first test flight of the amphibious aircraft has tentatively been scheduled for the last quarter of 2016.
The AG600 is about the size of a Boeing 737. It is 37 meters long and has wingspan of 38.8 meters. Powered by four turboprop WJ-6 engines, the aircraft’s maximum take-off weight is 53.5 tons, its maximum cruising speed is 500 kilometers per hour, and the maximum operational range without refueling 4,500 kilometers.(Previous reports indicated a 5,500-kilometer range.)
China has already placed an order for 17 AG600s and intends to procure up to 60 new aircraft of this type over the next 15 years. However, the Chinese aviation industry also intends to export the new aircraft. Malaysia and New Zealand have purportedly already expressed interest in procuring the seaplane. However, civilian demand for a new aircraft of this size may be limited and despite China highlighting the utility of the plane for civilian purposes, including forest fire fighting and maritime rescue operations, the AG600 will also be a useful asset for the Chinese military.
As I noted elsewhere, next to conducting long-range patrols, anti-submarine warfare tasks, and mine-laying missions, the AG600 can be deployed as a military transport flying supplies and military personnel back and forth between the Chinese mainland and Chinese outposts in the South China Sea (See: “Will this Plane Let China Control the South China Sea?”).
Assuming, as claimed by the plane’s developers, that the AG600 only requires a water depth of 2.5 meters for landing and take-off, it would be an ideal aircraft to supply some of China’s artificial features in the Spratly Islands given that they are surrounded by shallow water. The aircraft can also be used for maritime patrols of contested territories in the South China Sea.
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What topics would you like to be educated on? We’d love to hear your suggestions on what you want to see! Feel free to share in the comments.
These ones above are limited edition and might be tough to find except at a specialty store near you, but you can find other Adidas Disney kicks at sites like Shoes.com and Amazon .
Disneyland CREATE Grants Program Available for Teachers in Orange County | Disney is adding the world of Avatar to its theme parks
I went to their Facebook page and posted the following: Hey adidas, I just heard about some cool Disney shoes…Did you remember the adults that love Disney??? Pretty please???
Just came from the Adidas outlet and they had Ariel and Rapunzel Adidas on sale for $19.99! They are adorable. I can not find them on the website but they had a ton in stock at the outlets near us (northeast ohio). My daughter pick Ariel but I am thinking about going back for the Rapunzel too. The price is just too good to past up and they will be great for our Disney World trip at the end of November. :)
Go on a memorable private safari in Maasai Mara at your own time and itinerary as you choose between game drive, scenic flight or walking safari and witness the wildebeest migration.
Picture wildlife in its natural habitat, spotting lions, rhinos, leopards, giraffes and elephants through the untouched plains and hills of Kenyan countryside.
Relax a fully-serviced luxury camp lodge accommodations booked at the best rates with state-of-the-art rooms, dining, libraries and concierge services.
Book once-in-a-lifetime experiences such as a special tribal ceremony, a sunrise hot air balloon flight or a journey on the steps of the movie "We Are Africa".
Published January 26, 2016 at 600 × 600 in Life Outside Prison – The Fairbanks Four on Life After Exoneration, Interview Part III	
You’re 14 years old. The world around you doesn’t make sense, and I’m fairly certain it’s not supposed to. There are a lot of people who are going to let you down, and not because they want to, or because they’re mean, but simply because they don’t understand you. They don’t know how to talk to you, and that will frustrate them as much as it frustrates you. You will be yelled at. The people closest to you will question everything about you, calling you any number of things as they try to label you, diagnose you.
They will tell you that you have an addiction to a television show or a movie, never understanding that your undivided focus is because you are studying the character, learning what motivates them, what makes them tick. And it won’t matter what you say to those around you, how you try to explain things, they won’t understand because they can’t. You don’t fit inside any of the molds that they had set aside for you, and the older you get, the more those around you will realize that you’ll never measure up to their expectations, and in many ways, that will disappoint them. And yeah, it’ll even turn you mean.
You were born with a story in your heart and a pen in your hand. You are a writer, and you were always meant to be a writer. Nothing and no one can change that, though I promise you, many will try. Don’t let anyone tell you that it’s wrong, or that you can’t be who you want to be. Do you understand how lucky you are? Most people spend their whole lives searching for their passion and never finding it. But you? You were born with your passion singing in the blood in your veins, speaking to you in whispers from longer than you can remember.
You’ll get a job when you’re 15 because you want the independence that your own paycheck will bring you. Oh, but you will hate that job with a passion and every job that comes after. Even the jobs you get that you’re excited about at first will soon grow tiring, their novelty wearing off in weeks or months. You will spend a lifetime inside the customer service and tech support industries, and through those jobs, the only thing you will learn is that you have lost your faith in humanity. Over and over and over again, you will come to realize that people, by and large, just aren’t worth it.
But then, something rather magical happens, and I promise you it has nothing to do with work. You meet other writers. It takes forever, and at first, you don’t know what to make of it because for once your life, you’ve met someone who understands what it’s like to be you. To be a writer. To be born with a fire in your soul and a story in your heart, and the ability to control neither. Nor should you ever. Writing is as important as breathing to you, it always has been and I promise you, it always will be.
The ideas will begin flooding your mind this year, and it won’t ever stop. Trust me, you don’t ever want it stop. You will learn with every story you write. You develop your voice, and become so much better than you ever thought possible. You will study languages and cultures for the sheer enjoyment of doing so, and while you’re doing it, you will realize that you understand some of your most beloved characters all the better for it.
You will see the world around you the way that it could be, seeing the potential it has and all that it has suffered through to get to where it is. You will fumble through one failed relationship after another just trying to find yourself, only to realize that you have always – and will always – connect better with animals than you ever will with people. And you know what? That’s okay. Embrace that. Celebrate it. And whatever you do, don’t ever apologize for being you.
Life is going to throw you some curve balls. You’ll be filled with self-doubt, grief, more anger than you know how to handle, and you’ll spend a good deal of the time confused, too. Because that world you see inside your mind, that one that’s so real you can touch it, taste it – the one you dream about every night when you close your eyes – no one else can see that world. No one else understands it. And you know what? That’s okay, too.
You’ll meet some people who tell you that they’re a writer, too, and that it’s a nice hobby when they have time for it, and you will know in that instant that they will never understand. Writing isn’t a hobby for you and it never will be. Writing isn’t something you “make time for”. You write every second of every day, regardless of whether you have a pen or a computer handy. The rest of the world, that’s what you “make time for”, because in the end, it’s really not that important, and the true writers you meet. The ones who eat sleep and breathe writing – they get it.
Be weird. Make connections where you least expect to find them. Fall in love with a story and get your heart broken. Learn about two brothers who fight back the darkness together and always keep fighting even when it seems impossible, and take that journey with them. Meet a hanyou and fall into his world, and learn the story of a girl who overcame time itself. Stay up late and write until you can’t even see the computer screen anymore. Go on a road trip and write on napkins and the backs of receipts until your hand hurts from it.
You’ve seen it advertised on Facebook, you’ve seen the videos circulating Twitter, Tumblr, and other social media pages. This mask is touted as being the one stop shop for cleaning your pores. Don’t pop the pimple, remove it by using The Black Mask. You can even order your free sample from a link on their Facebook page.
Some think this sounds too good to be true, others roll their eyes and say that there are other masks out there that are similar. For those, who’ve tried it, they swear by it, even getting their male counterparts or friends to try it, usually with rather amusing results, especially when the user simply tries to rip off the mask like a band aid. (Side note: Don’t ever do that with any kind of face mask.)
Well, I’m here to tell you that I’ve tried it. Before I tell you if it lives up to the hype or not, let me tell you a little bit about myself. I am a tom boy – not the rolling in the mud, dirt bike racing, extra in a Gretchen Wilson music video tomboy – just the standard jeans and t-shirt wearing, couldn’t care less about hair and make up kind of tomboy.
My makeup regime consists of a tube of liquid lip gloss from Bath & Body Works, and the occasional application of lotion when my skin gets alligator leather dry. I’ll do a face mask once every 6 months, if I’m lucky, and if I use a facial scrub, I do so in the shower because I’m not going to take the extra time out of my day to stand in front of the mirror and rub something on my face. That’s just not who I am.
After about two months of seeing the same post shared in my newsfeed regarding the black mask, and giggling at the video of the guy making a fuss about it – and silently calling him a wuss – I decided to try. What can it hurt, right? And it’s a free sample, so, it wasn’t like I was out any money for the deal, either. After a few weeks, the little tube arrived in the mail and my other half and I both slapped it on – the sample contains enough for about three applications.
No, I don’t know what my other half thought, because I didn’t ask her, but I will tell you my experience.
The Black Mask glides on smooth – thick – but smooth. It dries in roughly 30 minutes, unless you’re like me and end up with glops in places because you didn’t take the time to smooth it all out and make it a uniform thickness. I did say that I normally don’t care about these things, didn’t I? Any who, when it dries, it freaking dries!
I couldn’t move my face! I actually found that quite hilarious. (I am easily entertained by the oddest things.) Now, when I usually use facial products – soaps, scrubs, masks – peel of or mud – etc, I almost always end up with my skin reddened and irritated over the bridge of my nose, my cheeks, and occasionally my forehead. It happens with everything I’ve used, so I just stopped caring about it and accepted that irritation as a fact of life.
Guess what? I had zero – ZERO – skin irritation with The Black Mask. When I peeled it off – slowly, for those of you who haven’t used peel off masks before – I could feel it cleaning my pores, pulling out the gunk that is invariably in there. Oh – by the way – on the back of the tube, it says that you’re supposed to wash your face before applying it. Yeah, I didn’t see that until after, and as it turns out, you don’t really need to. That stuff cleans hella good! And the best part – no discomfort, no skin irritation, no lasting feeling of something being on your face, and – if you go slow and carefully – you can take it off all in one piece and totally gross people out when send you them a picture of it. I did tell you I was easily amused by odd things, and you’re reading this, so you signed on for this crazy train.
In summary, I highly recommend this product, and coming from someone like me who really couldn’t care less about skin care – that says a lot. Buy it. Try it. Love it. The Black Mask.
This article comes in the wake of a conversation with a friend of mine. I should have her guest posting on here as she has a good deal of thought provoking commentary to share as well as personal insight to some of the issues being raised right now in this country politically. I just have to figure out how to turn this thing on for guest posting.
“Emotions Part 2” comes not a redaction or corrective footnote, but rather as a second half to what came first. An epilogue to the prologue, if you will.
As you’ll recall from the original post, Emotions, I spoke about not being as emotionally expressive as most, and more specifically, about not crying at most things, and really only crying for certain movies. And, if you haven’t read the original article, go back and do so. This Pt. 2 will make more sense if you’ve read the first part.
Alas, I digress. The friend I was speaking with is a very talented writer, she’s actually quite well known in some circles, and I highly recommend that you read her works. (They can be found on MediaMiner and Archive of Our Own under the author name “Sueric”.) She had read my post, and remarked that I stated I only cried at movies, and asked if that meant I didn’t cry for books. As a writer and an avid reader, she feels that the written word holds more power, and I do agree with that. I agree with that completely.
Because the difference between an emotional response to movies versus books/written works for me is staggering. With a movie, I might shed a few tears, and then once that scene is over, or the movie has ended, that’s it. The emotion is gone, it’s done, and I’m back to my normal coldhearted self. Books, however, are a different beast entirely.
When I read a book, or series of written works, that provokes an emotional response from me – in this case we’re talking about crying, here – it’s never as simple as a few tears. There’s the buildup of emotion, the way my breath catches in my throat, my heart constricts in my chest, my thoughts still. I feel a tingle run up my spine, I get goosebumps, and the world around me just falls away. I take that emotional ride with the character, falling into their hearts as if I am the character. The tears evoked for me are heavy, they hurt my heart as much as they sting my eyes, they fall down my cheeks, and fall onto the page, or the computer. And where you may only see a few physical tears from me, it is the equivalent of seeing anyone else sitting in the corner bawling as they hold onto the book, or stare at the screen through tear-blurred eyes.
That emotion, those scenes, that feeling I get from the character and the words evoked, stay with me for hours – sometimes, even days. I feel as though I’m seeing the world around me through the eyes of the character I’ve been reading – whether that’s Kagome Higurashi, Gin Zelig, Kurt Drevin, Samantha Izayoi, Saori Senkuro, Hazel Grace Lancaster, Billy Colman, or a whole host of others.
So, after saying all of this, would I say that I cry when I read an emotionally heavy scene in a book? No, because for me crying simply means that I’ve gotten misty eyed and it’s ended as soon as it began. So, no, I don’t cry when I read a story. I become the story, and to me, that’s an incredibly powerful thing – more powerful than “crying” can define. And if you have the power to evoke that kind of a response in your readers – especially me, then my dear, you have a gift unlike any other.
As a footnote: Billy Colman is the protagonist from Where the Red Fern Grows. It’s an old book – 1960’s era publication with a story time set in the 1940s. It’s a good book, and if you haven’t read it, I suggest that you do.
There are many things we take for granted in this world, things we do without even thinking about them. We wake up and take our phone off the charger, check our messages, our emails, open up our social media apps to see what’s happened while we’ve been asleep. It’s a connected world we live in, with so much at our fingertips, that we tend to take forget that the people we talk to on the phone, or in person at the store are actual human beings.
For the past nineteen years, I have worked in customer service and technical support, directly assisting people both in person and over the phone. I have seen people when they are excited about something new – whether that was a new piece of technology, or an adventure they were taking, I have also worked with people who are on the other end of the spectrum and dealing with unfortunate circumstances. But throughout it all, there are a few things that remain the same, things that customer service/tech support agents want you to know and take to heart.
When we tell you that we can’t do what you’re asking us to do – whether that’s giving you something for free, returning something that is well past it’s return by date, or replacing a device when the issue is user error – we really can’t do it, and pushing the issue only makes us want to hang up on you.
There are many stories – hoaxes – that have been circulating the web for the past several years that include such falsehoods as “download an app to your phone and put it in the microwave to charge the battery to full in 2 minutes” and “warm your frozen computer safely in the oven on warm” or even the most widespread one shared by word of mouth: “if you scream for a manager loud enough and keep yelling, they will give you whatever you want”.
None of these things are true at all, and point of fact, for most ovens “warm” is between 150 – 200 degrees and at those temperatures, you will be frying whatever electronic device you’re dumb enough to put in the oven.
In fact, most customer service/tech support companies have rules set in place to protect their employees from customer abuse. If you start cursing at us, and we ask you to stop, but you won’t, more often than not, your call will be disconnected.
A defective product – within its return by date – can be returned for a refund or exchange. A service that went unused, or you forgot to cancel, can usually be returned under specific conditions (for example, returning the previous month’s subscription charges). Something purchased by accident, can usually be returned. But things that your common sense should have told you NOT to do – like purchasing visa gift cards and providing the card numbers to someone over the phone in order to purchase a product you haven’t seen, or sending money by wire transfer in order to get prize money from an international lottery, or paying for a specialty VPN with digital music gift cards – these are things that cannot be refunded.
When it comes to data, there are a multitude of back up options available, from connecting your device to a computer to download the information through a backup system, to saving your information to cloud storage, to using a media card, or external hard drive to backup your information. Digital data, even if backed up, can be corrupted. If there are important photos or contacts you don’t want to lose, make hard copies of that information and keep them somewhere safe. Don’t wait until it’s too late to search for the things you don’t want to lose.
As for a device, most phones, tablets, music players, even some eReaders, have native tracking software and location tracking apps that can be downloaded as well as options for securing the device through passcodes, passwords, or other such digital locks. Be responsible for your own devices and make certain that they are secured and that you have a way of locking your data, and if you don’t know how to do it – look it up, but don’t expect someone else to do it for you.
Everyone has bad days, and we understand that, but that person on the other end of the phone, or standing in the store you’re visiting, is not there for you to take your frustration out on. If you’re in a bad mood, take a deep breath and reset, calm down, and then call in, or go to the store.
On of the most common attitudes that I’ve gotten from people over the years can be described as this: “You have a job because I bought the products your company sells, and since I have a problem, that makes you mine to command.” No. Flat out, hard stop, get off the crazy train, the answer to that is NO. Just because you bought whatever shiny bauble you have, that does not in any manner mean that you somehow own the person you are talking to. And on that note, if you treat your employees the way you treat the people you talk to when calling in for tech support, it’s a miracle you have a business at all.
Despite popular misconception, we know when we’re being lied to. Trust me, we’ve heard it all, from ‘I lost my device because my wife went into labor’ to ‘there is a demonic entity living in my phone’ to ‘I bought the TV/computer/device/etc a year ago, but I just opened it today’ to ‘I never got a receipt because the printer was out of paper’. On that last one, believe me, there is always more register tape, and in more recent years, there’s an email option.
Set aside at least 30 minutes, if not more depending on what the issue you’re having is. Don’t call us up, or come into a place of service, and get mad when something takes more than 10 minutes to work on. There are some issues that have taken upwards of 4 hours to resolve. Wasting our time, only wastes yours in return and leaves both parties frustrated and annoyed.
Despite what you might think, there’s no magic button on our side that allows us to somehow make your device work again. There are steps we will need you to take, sometimes, we’ll even need you to repeat those same steps multiple times throughout the troubleshooting to test for a resolution. Depending on the reason for your call/visit there may even be scripted information that we have to read to you, and scripted questions that we are required to read and get answers to. Rushing us, or telling us to “skip it” gets you nowhere. Believe me, we don’t want to read it anymore than you want to listen to it.
This is the most important one, folks, so listen up! The way you treat us is in direct relation to the way we treat you and the support you get as a result.
You know that old saying “You catch more flies with honey than you do with vinegar”? It’s true. Remember it. Take it to heart, and practice it in everyday life. If you are nice and respectful to us, we are much more willing to go above and beyond for you. On the contrary, if you start yelling, belittling, or disrespecting us, we’ve already decided to do only the barest minimum required to resolve your issue because the only thing we want is to get you away from us as soon as possible. So, be nice, be patient, be respectful, and you’ll find you’ll have a much better experience.
As long as you keep these 10 things in mind, especially number 1, you will not only improve your day, but help make the day better for someone who usually only gets the crap end of the deal.
Procrastination. Oh, my friend, I know thee well. When it comes to writing, or doing something that I don’t particularly want to do, I will find just about anything to do instead. Now, for most normal things, I will eventually suck it up and do it, but when it comes to writing . . . Oh, when it comes to writing . . .
I love writing. It is as essential to me as breathing, and if I go without writing for too long, I get cranky. Hell, I even get downright mean. But there are times when the words just won’t come, or where I know exactly what the scene is that I want to write, but I can’t get it to come out on paper the way I see it in my head. And, so what do I do? I avoid it. I have been known to clean my entire house from top to bottom, including steam cleaning the carpets, simply because I am fighting with my muse.
But then, the writing I’m doing now, is different. This isn’t the fiction work that I’m used to doing. It isn’t the flights of fancy with the crescendo of action and emotion, drama and suspense, that eventually leads to the harmonic suite of woodwinds and strings, the love song and finale where all is right with the world. Instead, this writing is what amounts to running scales and breath exercises. (Did I mention that used to be involved with music? I was a flautist in primary school.)
I still enjoy it, don’t get me wrong, but it’s not quite the same. This is a touch more formal, less freestyle and more . . . structured. Not that there’s anything wrong with structure, per say, but it’s like telling an abstract artist to paint by numbers.
I’m trying to get myself more used to writing in this manner as I’ve been looking into writing opinion articles for journals and newspapers. It feels odd to try to write for a newspaper knowing that I’m not a journalist, and have never been formally trained as one.
There are voice out there, Tom Brokaw and Anderson Cooper, to name a few, that I greatly respect and admire, and to me, that’s what a journalist should be. Someone who researches their stories, fact checks the information, goes straight to the horse’s mouth, as it were, for the inside scoop.
But that’s not me, and maybe that’s why they call those articles ‘opinion pieces’. They know that the author isn’t a professional journalist, and while held to a certain level of responsibility, you’re not held to the same level of accountability. Cognitively, I understand this, but it’s still odd. Maybe it always will be.
In all the information I’ve found about writing these pieces – opinion based missives – everything has said to write about what you know, but I keep finding myself asking: What do I really know? Well, let’s take a look at that together, shall we?
Since I became a member of the workforce back when I was fifteen (and dinosaurs roamed the earth), I’ve worked in customer service and technical support. I work closely with people. People. Well, that’s something to offer, isn’t it? So, what has working in those fields taught me about people?
In short, it’s taught me that the American culture is downright willfully ignorant, happily disrespectful, and so damn self-centered and narcissistic that they have no concept that the person behind the sales counter, at the register, or over the phone is, in fact, another human being. I pray for the days that I get someone on the phone from another country. Do you know how sad it makes me to realize that I am shown more respect over the phone by a person calling in for technical support from Egypt, or India – even Qatar – than I am by someone calling in from Illinois who is a born and raised American?
I see in the news and in the papers about all of these people yelling at immigrants to get out of this country – to make America great again – and all I want to do is yell back at them that they are the problem. Not the immigrants. Not people visiting our country. Not people of color who have been born and raised here.
I will be completely honest, with you. I am a white Anglo-Saxon 6th generation American woman, born in the Midwest, raised in Florida, and now living in the Pacific Northwest, and more often than not lately, I find myself ashamed to admit any of that. I have always loved this country, but not its people, and certainly these days, not its government.
The voices of hate and intolerance that are shouting louder than ever before, seem all too happy to forget the truth. Or maybe, they’re just content to ignore it and pretend that the history they’ve fabricated is what is real.
What is now known as the United States was not a barren unsettled country until white men appeared on her shores. This country was home to the Native Americans for thousands of years before Europeans ever even knew it existed. There were hundreds of Native American nations – some peaceful, some not – but this was their home, and their once great numbers are now only a shadow of what they once were.
Christopher Columbus did not “discover” America. He stumbled upon it, crashed into it, all while looking for India. Basically, he was stumbling around in the dark, blind and drunk, and stuck his flag where it didn’t belong. Sound familiar? Then in the early to mid-1600s, English refugees came to the shores of what is now Massachusetts. They were kicked out of England for being radical religious extremists. So, what did they do? They boarded a boat, set out to sea, and immigrated illegally to what would later become the United States.
Yeah, I said it, and I’ll say it again. The country you know today was founded by illegal immigrants who were religious extremists. But not just that. Did they even attempt to live peacefully with the native peoples they found?
Instead of trying to learn and understand the culture of the natives, instead of trying to learn their language, and make peace with them, the white settlers – those illegal immigrants (Oh, you can bet I’m going to keep saying it.) decided to take what was never theirs to start with. The Puritans raided the villages, gunned down the native peoples, and when that wasn’t enough to satisfy their bloodthirst, they offered tribes “gifts” of dolls and blankets and so many other things that they knew were infected with diseases like small pox, yellow and scarlet fevers, things that the native peoples had no immunity to because those things didn’t exist before the Puritans brought it to them.
Mass shootings. Biological warfare. Willful torture of humans and animals. Rape. The slaughter of women and children. The suppression and destruction of other cultures. The intolerance of other religions. Setting fire to homes and farms. Terrorism at its finest. That, [white] America, is what the truth of your culture is, and if you want to shout at other people to go back to where they come from, why don’t you look in a fucking mirror first.
It took almost 150 years for the Founding Fathers to rise and to say “enough is enough”. They fought for religious and cultural freedom. They made a clear separation of church and state. They created the constitution. And it is the freedoms that they helped fight for that so many are all too willing to ignore now.
So, in short, what have I learned from my experience in customer service and tech support? Americans, by and large, are disgusting human beings. But sometimes, just sometimes, on a rare day, you can meet one person who might bring you the slightest glimmer of hope. And while it may not be enough to offset all the bad, it’s just enough to allow you a little breathing room, to remember why it is you want to fight for something better.
It’s been a few days since I’ve written anything here, hasn’t it? I didn’t really have anything planned for today, but a recent argument with my other half solved that particular issue. In order to protect their privacy, I shall not be naming names, or using pronouns such as he/she, but instead, will simply say them/they/their. I’m sure that some of you will try to sort out which gender my other half is, and for those sleuths reading this, have at it. For those of you who know me in the real world, you already know the answer.
The topic of our argument is one that seems to be repeating itself far more frequently – emotion. Or as my other half would argue – my seeming lack of emotion. Now, that’s to say that I don’t have emotions, or that I’m a robot, neither or which are true. I am a writer, and – while I know it’s different for each person – for me, my writing is where I put my emotions. Through the words I write and the scenes I craft, I can make you feel the true depths of the emotions the characters experience. I can fill you with hope or joy, or make you suffer under the weight of doubt and agony.
I should also say, that my other half knows this about me and enjoys reading my writing, but their issue is that I don’t express emotion in real life. I don’t get upset enough about something to cry. I don’t show fear or uncertainty. I don’t have extended periods of silliness and childlike behavior. I’m steady. Or, as they would say, I’m an emotional flatline.
Now, I don’t really care if someone calls me an emotional flatline, a Vulcan, or even a robot. It doesn’t bother me, because I know who I am and I know what I feel. I don’t really give a crap if anyone else knows what I’m feeling or not. But my other half would argue, that that is the entirety of their issue.
Do I get frustrated? Yes. Do I cry because I’m frustrated? No. Do I yell or pitch a fit because I’m frustrated? No.
So, what happens when I’m frustrated? I look at the issue from all sides until I find a viable solution and then, I enact that solution. Okay, that doesn’t seem so bad.
But, that bothers my other half. Why? Because they can’t tell when or if I’m frustrated. And more to the point, they get annoyed and even, at times, downright offended that I won’t show my frustration. Well, here’s my side of that. If I am frustrated, it usually only lasts until the moment I’ve found a solution, and that might only be a few seconds. So, why on earth would I over exaggerate an emotional response that doesn’t even have a half-life of thirty seconds?
And there’s the crying thing. They always make it a point to tell me that they know other people who are steady and can still cry. Insert heavy sigh here. I’m not a crier. I’m just not. The only times I have cried, and it was a little bit more than being misty-eyed, was during movies.
A Dog’s Purpose. Hachi. Marley and Me. Hacksaw Ridge. I will admit to crying during those at some – or even multiple – points.
My other half’s argument to that? I don’t cry during Steel Magnolias. Nope, don’t really find that movie sad. Their other argument: I don’t cry in response to real-life situations. No, I generally don’t. I don’t cry out of frustration. I don’t cry because I’m not getting my own way. I don’t cry if I’m happy. I don’t cry at funerals because I’ve had time to adjust to the fact that the person is – or will eventually – die.
There are those who would argue that I’ve never lost anyone suddenly, and they would be wrong. I have lost one family member – a first cousin – to suicide. But no, I did not cry for her. That’s not to say that I didn’t love her, because I did, but that is to say that I knew how much pain she was in and that no matter what was tried, that pain never went away.
Did I get to attend her funeral, no. She lived in another state, and I wasn’t able to get there, but that’s okay. A funeral is for the living, not the dead, and I said goodbye to her in my own way.
For the religious ones reading this, you may argue that she’s in Hell right, but I don’t believe that. I believe that she’s finding her peace, and will perhaps even be reincarnated to live another life. I don’t believe that suicide is a sin. I don’t believe in eternal damnation. And no, I’m not indoctrinated into a belief system of absolutes and heaven or hell.
I will admit that I am more likely to cry at the passing of an animal than I am that of a human, but that is simply who I am. An animal has a purity to them, a soul that is not weighed down by ulterior motives or deception. What they desire in life is simple. They want to love and be loved. They want to be petted, to be held, to be cherished, and they want to give that in return. Humans are another story.
Fear, is another big one. My other half made it a point to argue that I don’t show fear. Here’s the thing about fear and me. When I feel afraid, I ask myself this: What is it that I am afraid of, and why do I fear it? Nine times out of ten, the answer is “because I don’t understand it”. My response to that? Let’s do a little research. Let me learn about this thing that makes me uncomfortable and see if I’m still afraid of it, after getting some knowledge under my belt. A little knowledge can go a long way.
Now, what about the argument of someone holding a gun in my face? In that instance, I can tell you that fear would very quickly turn to rage and sarcasm. I don’t handle being threatened well and will respond rather energetically to that threat. Usually in the ball park of punching someone in the face.
Uncertainty? Nervousness? I feel those same emotions just as anyone else does. The only difference, is that I see no purpose in saying so out loud, or displaying that emotion. There is no benefit to doing so, no logical reasoning for it, other than to show someone else that you feel that way, and at the end of the day, it doesn’t matter. Take a deep breath, face whatever it is that has you all twitchy, and do so with grace.
How about excitement? Surely my other half doesn’t have a problem with that. Oh, but they do. You see, for my other half, when they are excited they show that excitement physically, though what I have dubbed the “I’m a Little Teapot” dance. That’s perfectly fine. That’s how they show excitement. But I don’t, and that’s the problem they have.
I don’t bounce around, or smile like a maniac, or get overly emotive because I’m excited. Personally, I find such emotions exhausting. If I’m excited about something, I show interest in it. Simple as that. I might be a little more energetic than I usually am, or may be more likely to run out ahead of everyone else, but that’s about it.
Lately, within the past year or so, my other half has become increasingly put out that my emotions go into my writing, and that I don’t “share” my emotions with them. This is not something that has changed, I have been this way since before we met, but now it’s become a problem for them. And why, might you ask? Because in some manner, they have said that they feel that I don’t connect with them since I can’t show them my emotions. Not everyone displays emotions, and not everyone feels them to the same degree. This is something my other half seems unwilling to understand, and what drives me batty the most, is that when we do argue about this, they act as though displaying the emotions they have makes them better than those who don’t. And that’s just bullshit.
Yes, the fight I had with my other half is what inspired today’s post, but I’ve said all of that to say this: No two people react to emotion in the same way. There are those who are steady, but still emotionally expressive, while there are others who are steady and emotionally unexpressive. And there are, of course, the drama kings and queens, as well as those who simply don’t know how to not feel, and not show what they’re feeling. I don’t care which one you are, and you shouldn’t care which one someone else is, either. Different people react differently. Accept it and get over it.
It’s almost the end of the year – only three days left of 2017, to be exact. This same time last year, I thought that I would be in a different place than where I am. I had plans to be published, to have my work featured in a literary magazine, and for all of my efforts – which I will admit, have not always been consistent – I haven’t gotten to where I wanted to be. But I have gotten to where I need to be.
Somewhere between March and June this year, don’t ask for specifics because my mind just does not retain that kind of real life detail, I began a collaboration project with an author I truly admire and respect. It is my first collaboration project, and it has been very near and dear to my heart. We’ve had our pitfalls, we’ve had our successes, but more than that, we’ve each pushed the boundaries for the other.
I’ve become a better writer, learned how to show more than I ever did before, and as an angst writer, that means that I get to tear out the hearts of my readers all the more completely and leave them as nothing more than gooey piles of emotional turmoil. When I get a comment from a reader or beta that tells me I made them “ugly cry” I do a little dance. Not gonna lie, it feels pretty damn good to know that I can make someone feel the very depth of the heartache my characters are feeling.
I’ve also learned what it’s like to compromise, and as hard as it is – how to swallow my pride. It isn’t easy, I’ll tell you that right now. I’m a dead-center Capricorn, and pride is something I have in abundance, as is stubbornness. And I know that this means when I am passionate about something, I will lock horns and stay locked until the bitter end. And the person I’m collaborating with? Well, she’s a Capricorn, too, but she’s on the cusp of Aquarius.
Stubborn. Prideful. Arrogant, at times. Unwilling to bend. These are things that can describe both of us, as are: Passion, and fear.
You see, as writers, those worlds we create define us, define who we are, and even how we think of ourselves, and if that’s threatened in any manner, we can turn mean real quick. But on the flip side of that is a passion that drives us to distraction and knows no boundaries, no stopping points. We will write and create until we have absolutely nothing left to give, not even our own breath. But for as much passion as we have, and as much love as we have for what we do, we are also so very afraid that someone is going to look at the work we’ve done and tell us it’s shit. Pardon my French.
I had a point to this, or at least I think I did when I started writing it. It’s 03:37 here in the Pacific Northwest, so forgive me if my thoughts wander away from me. The only thing I can really tell you is this:
No matter what you do in life, always be open to learning more about yourself, and your craft, and don’t ever go into something thinking that you already know everything there is to know, because you don’t. Even Dr. Who is constantly learning new things.
Swallow your pride, even when you really don’t want to and especially when you know that you’re on the right side of the argument, because sometimes, being right isn’t worth losing what you’re fighting for.
And lastly, being able to compromise might feel like you’ve given in or given up, but really it’s about meeting in the middle and having just enough of what you’re willing to accept. Just remember, do you’re best to make sure that the compromise you make isn’t unfairly balanced one way or the other, or you (or someone else) will end up feeling like you’ve been forced into something you never wanted in the first place.
AN: The Child of Earth and Sea is part of the Purity series, and set in the current time line of Charity and Ben’s story. Rumiko Takahashi owns Inuyasha and all recognizable characters from the anime, all characters from the Purity universe belong to Sueric, I have simply been granted the honor of taking them out to play for a little while. This series tells the story of Nessa Beaumonte, from the one-shot Heart of a Warrior, and has been written with the approval of, and in collaboration with the original author of the Purity Universe, Sueric.
I love all of the pretty words that people have been sharing with me. Raise your voices to the world, my friends. I am excited by the flashes that I’ve seen, and must admit that it’s a fun way to showcase another’s talent. I love being able to show off your voices and encourage your writing.
As I had a favorable response with the previous song prompt, I’ve decided to offer another one. Let your muse’s run free. This song is from one of my favorite Broadway musicals “The Secret Garden”. This prompt will be open until Friday night at midnight.
Remember the rules. Word count is a minimum 100 to a max of 500 words. Include your name and Twitter handle with your story in the response.
Patience was not a virtue I possessed. Checking my phone for the third time in the ten minutes I had been standing in this line, I see a text. Sliding the lock screen open, I read it:
From my lawyer. Odd. Moving forward, I place my order. I hated being late and this line to get a coffee had set me back ten minutes. Exiting out of my texts, I switch over to my calendar to check for an opening. He never contacts me personally unless it’s important. I go back to my texts to reply with a date and time, hoping it works for him.
Sliding my phone back into my pocket, I look up at the barista who seems to have asked me something. I start to speak but the words stick in my throat.
Hazel eyes are nothing to be shocked about, but this woman’s eyes were not your average “hazel” color. They had violet flecks in the iris and were surrounded by a black ring. I was stunned into silence as she repeated her question.
“Was this to go?” She raises her brows, obviously confused by my reaction. Pulling myself together, I stutter out a “y-yes”. She turns to complete my to go order and I stand there staring. This girl couldn’t be older than sixteen but I’d seen those eyes before. Long ago, in many forms. Happiness, in the throes of passion, anger and hurt. Flashes of a person whose name I couldn’t bring myself to think begin to run through my head. When the girl comes back, I’m sweating.
She reads me the total and smiles at me, knocking the breath out of me when it reaches her eyes. I squeeze my own eyes shut and think: Lily’s eyes. Thrusting my card into her hand, she swipes it through the machine.
It must be a coincidence. Surely other people have the strange eye color as this girl in front of me. As…Lily. She hands my card back and I all but stumble backwards in a panic to get away from this girl with the strange eyes.
Bursting through the cafe doors, I hail a cab, get in and spout off the company address, sorting through my thoughts. There’s no way that girl could be related to Lily but could she be? I hadn’t had contact with her in sixteen years so I wouldn’t know. Clearing my head of this hazel eyed girl, I pull out my phone and call my lawyer. He answers on the first ring.
“I was hoping you’d call. The date works, but I think this is something you need to clear your schedule for. ” He sounds anxious.