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Tag: fiction
The Wanderer, Part 35
This story is part of a series, this is the thirty-fifth part.
You can read the first story here: The Wanderer, Part 1
and the most recent story here: The Wanderer, Part 34
Tas still ached from the nether. He walked through the light snow, hauling his pack and following Yao through a winding mountain path. He could see the vast expanses of green below in the valley and was enthralled by the shades of color in the sunset. Yaina walked with him, whispering in his ear jokingly about Yao's hunched demeanor and how he looked slightly like a lama when he ate. Laughing made him feel better; Yaina had realized this after the first day and had been working at cheering him up ever since; she was starting to succeed.
Tas was beginning to feel a craving sensation deep within his stomach; for the past days he had felt sick, but today he was finally starting to feel better.
"You think that the cravings will subside?" Tas asked the old man.
"Maybe…" Yao's voice trailed off. "If you avoid using it completely. The second you re-enter the dream world, or call on your shadow magic your cravings will be reinvigorated, perhaps even more powerfully."
Tas frowned. The magic came at a price; but he would simply use it as little as possible. Only when he needed to.
Yao said suddenly, "let's go hunting; Yaina get the fire and cooking supplies ready and we'll stay here tonight."
The trees towered over them as they stalked through the woods; Yao would stop at certain trees and examine their moss, but most of their time was spent looking at the ground for footprints. Ice eventually caught a scent and began his tracking; Tas knew he would find something soon so he simply continued to wander around the trees and look for any signs of animals that weren't ground squirrels or birds.
Ice eventually caught a rabbit, brought it back and Yaina and Tas began to prepare it together. They had become quite a cooking team during the cold winters in Bahar, Tas would gut it after Yaina skinned it, then she would decide how to cook all the different organs and cuts of meat. Tas had become quite skilled at cutting meat; his knife skills in general had improved vastly from the past year of hunting and dealing with the furs and bodies of the hunted. Yaina was the best preserver Tas had ever met; she could turn any meat into jerky and Tas had always found the spices she chose to be delectable.
Ice continued to catch two more rabbits, one much larger than the other two which Yao prepared over the open fire. Yaina salted and spiced the first rabbit's meat then moved onto the second smaller rabbit. Tas worked quickly, cutting slices for Yaina to spice, but his stomach hurt from the withdrawals from magic. He could feel the waves of pain ascending up his spine, until eventually he could hear them in his head. He put down his knife and sat to clear his head. Tas slowed his breathing and began to focus on elongating his breaths. He felt the pain move back down his spine slowly, until eventually it disappeared into the bowels of his hips.
He re-opened his eyes to see Yaina looking back at him intently. She had always tended to his fevers and when Tas was sick, Yaina was the one to take care of him. Yao didn't even get in the way anymore, he just let Yaina take care of Tas.
"Do you feel faint, Tas? Like you don't have any energy?" She said quietly, holding his hand tightly.
"I feel drained. Its starting to get hard to stand." Tas felt the world starting to go dark. The pain had returned in his abdomen with a vengeance. His breathing turned sharp and ragged as he felt his side begin to cramp.
Tas let out a cry of pain; he felt as though his side had been stabbed with a burning knife. He clutched his ribs and rolled on the floor screaming in pain. Yaina tried to stop and comfort him, but it was no use; the pain was excruciating and Tas was simply reacting now; not even thinking of what he was doing. Suddenly he felt a cooling sensation spreading from his forehead into his neck and spine. He opened his eyes to see Yaina holding a wet cloth up to his head and he could feel the heat dissipating from the front of his skull. Tas' body was trashed; he has bruises everywhere, his legs were hardly working and he felt like he hadn't slept in weeks.
"It's good that we've decided to spent the day and night here." Tas overheard Yao say to Yaina. He was sleeping after the ordeal, but he could just make out their voices against the howling of coyotes and wolves in the background. It was a full moon.
"Do you think we will be safe out here uncle? Will the wolves find us?" Yaina sounded concerned. Tas could hear the tension in her voice and it comforted him. She cared.
Yao's voice, however, was almost indifferent. He didn't seem to care at all about wolves or Tas lately and was constantly looking at the sky as if trying to finish some kind of puzzle. Tas knew that he was up to something, but he dared not ask what; Tas had his mind filled already by Arcartre's words of prophecy and the looming shadow of Melkar's inevitable return. Tas felt that if they talked about such things, they were bound to curse them to happen sooner. Yao seemed to hold no such fear.
"The wolves may find us, but they would be the least of our worries. I am more concerned with bears and cats; I am nearly certain there is a cat stalking us as we speak."
Ice perked up his head at the mention of a cat, almost as if he understood. Immediately he got up and began to sniff the camp for scents, moving further and further out while circling the camp.
Yaina sighed, "Well at least we have one protector." She gave her uncle a wink and a sideways glance, then turned away to hear him curse under his breath.
"How many times have I kept you safe from harm, my most precious flower?"
"Countless." She said quietly. "And I'm sure there will be many more, my troublesome uncle."
Yao laughed, obviously unaffected by her pretending lack of appreciation. Tas began to understand a little bit more about why they seemed to be so indifferent to each other; it was all an act.
"We will be safe here." Yao said confidently. "Now get some rest, we will have to leave in the morning and we are approaching the monastery grounds. Tas, you'll want to get your strength back as fast as possible. Once we are there, Melkar will know.
Tas nodded his head, then turned to his side and closed his eyes. Sleep came easily to him that night, the darkness seemed far more welcome than usual; much to Tas' appreciation. He sighed and let the night pull him into the depths of his dreams.
This story is part of a series, this is the thirty-second part.
Tas was standing, walking through a field with freshly tilled soil. The sky was blackened and it was night and he knew he was dream walking.
It was so dark… Tas could feel his forearm hurting; he pulled up his sleeve to look closely he saw that the wyrm tattoo on his arm was smoking. But the smoke seemed to fade right into the dark mist that surrounded him.
His eyes began to adjust to the darkness and to pierce through the shadowy mist. He could see that the landscape was nearly empty, but also that it seemed to be pulled apart by the wind. Everything seemed to turn to dust in the shadow mist. He looked closely at his own skin and sighed. His skin was resilient to the shadows, but he was in the nether.
Once again he felt empowered by the shadow. He closed his eyes and felt a surge of energy flow through his spine, and he stood a bit taller with more energy than he could remember having.
He suddenly remembered how he arrived, and looked up only to see the darkened sky twinkling back at him. He wondered if something else was behind this; he felt like it was no coincide he had arrived here. He scanned the horizon, mostly in futility. The entire landscape seems to be deserted except for the tundra plants and clouds of swirling, dark mist. The moon was high in the sky, but was only a sliver so that it could barely be seen and provided no useful light through the thick misty shadows.
He walked into the hazy wind slowly, pushing against it onto the horizon. On the path there were hills and Tas figured that if he elevated himself, he could at least get a feel for the surrounding area. But he wasn't hungry or tired, or thirsty; he felt like he'd just slept all night and eaten plenty the night before.
He walked quickly through the hard tundra, and didn't even look up as he walked quickly ahead. He heard a flapping sound above, him; something was stalking him. He looked up to see a small dragon flying above him, starting to descend to his level. Rings of smoked blew from the creatures nostrils and his eyes pierced into Tas' as he dove. The creature got closer and Tas could see his horns and tendrils extending into his scaly backside. Then he saw the claws and teeth, which looked sharper than razor blades.
Suddenly Ice appeared on the horizon, his normally white fur was now completely black and seemed to flow with the wind, without being affected by it. Even his eyes were black now and Tas was a bit taken aback. But Ice sniffed him and curled around his leg as usual, then jumped up to lick Tas directly in his right nostril. Tas had no idea how the wolf had gotten here, but he wasn't surprised. Ice hadn't come to them by accident; Yao had hammered that into Tas' brain. Ice was a part of his destiny.
Ice was watching the hovering dragon as it circled, ready to attack. But when the horned and winged beast landed it looked at them without menace, its stance was completely defensive and the dragon buried itself in its own wings.
Then, it spoke,
"Tas and Ice, I presume. Welcome to my cave. It's quite spacious for me, but I have learnt disdain for the wretched nether." The dragon snorted and huffed plumes of smoke into the tearing wind and his eyes were wildly chasing the clouds in the sky.
"Yes, I am Tas, this is my hound, Ice. His wolf snarled at the beast as Tas motioned to his white haired companion. The dragon continued to look defensive, but Tas could see the creature's eyes glinting with the desire to talk. He took a step back and felt a push of hands at his back stopping him. He looked behind and saw Yao driving him forward. Behind him, walking slowly was Yaina.
The dragon looked even more curious now, it stepped closer and said in his slimy and slithery voice, "Yao, how wonderful to see you again!"
Yao laughed heartily, seeming unconcerned about the dragon's presence. "You are the first to have said that to me in a long time," Yao winked at Tas. "So you have brought the boy back into the nether. To set yourself free?" Yao looked sternly at the dragon.
"Yao, I am hurt," the dragon said with dismay. "Have you not know me to be of noble intention? Haven't you felt the abundance of my generosity?" The dragon's voice had sharpened over the length of his speech, sounding terrifyingly unappreciated at the end.
Yao laughed. "I suppose I have not, dragon. Perhaps a demonstration is in order?"
The dragon looked incredulous for a moment, then a snarl came across his face like a breeze sweeping through a valley in preparation for a storm. His teeth glinted and the dragon replied, "Of course, Yao. It would be my pleasure." The dragon looked as if in deep contemplation for a moment. "Though I do wish you remembered the sword I gave you when you fought against Melkar. As I remember, it helped you to slay him."
"It did," Yao replied, "but it also destroyed itself in the process, almost killing me. You think I would be so quick as to give my apprentice to your will without first knowing your intention?"
"My intention is the same as yours, Yao. To end Melkar."
"I do not wish to end him, dragon. And if you are so loyal, what then is your name?"
"Arcartre; it means sly one in my parent's tongue. We are shadow dragons, slave to the nether since times that are now forgotten. Do you wish to put a stop to this shadow fiend hunting your both or do you prefer to be pursued by this wretched shadow fiend for the entirety of your existence?"
"You know this answer Arc. I remember you more clearly now," Yao looked at the dragon with squinty eyes, "you nearly betrayed us at the end of the battle. It didn't seem to matter to you much if Fei lived or died."
The dragon looked cold heartedly at Yao, "I did what I had to do to survive, Yao. Let me give your apprentice what I could not give to Fei."
Yao huffed. Then nodded. Tas walked forward to greet the dragon properly.
Arcartre looked at Tas playfully at first, then entered his mind.
Hello boy. It is a shame we haven't met until now, but I will show you the way that the shadow ebbs and flows. You may yet become a great weaver, if you are properly practiced. For now, you will spend your days in the nether and learn what I have to teach you. Unless you wish to die at the hands of your foe.
Tas looked at the dragon, but said nothing. He didn't have to; he knew that this creature would teach him things that he could never unlearn; and things that Yao didn't know. Tas looked at Yao, hesitantly. Should I follow this beast Yao?
As much as I wish I could say no, I don't think we have a choice Tas. Melkar could find us any day in the Bahar. And you must be strong when that twisted creature comes after you.
Tas looked at the dragon with some excitement now; there was no turning back. There had never been any turning back. He thought of his mother and father in his village and knew that they would want him to go further, to push as much as he needed to. "Show me, Arcartre. What do you know of the shadow?" The dragon lowered his head and neck and Tas climbed on. He put his right hand in the center of the dragon's wings and felt his mind enter into the dragon's.
Arcartre leapt into the air and with a sweeping flap of his wings launched them straight up into the dark winds.
This story is part of a series, this is the thirty-first part.
Tas almost never dreamt anymore. Occasionally he would have a dream in the early morning, but they were nothing supernatural. His arm occasionally, but the wyrm remained dormant and he hadn't experienced any fading into shadow or dreamwalking. He was beginning to grow much tougher in the winter cold, always pushing against the wind and the falling snow. He was strong now, and Tas knew that Ice made him much stronger. The wolf was like his eyes in the snow, they worked in unison now.
Yao was finally tiring from the hard work on moving through the snow each day. Tas could tell that he was busy planning their next move. Though he had no idea what it was.
On the way out of the door, Tas wacked Yao in the head with the end of his stick, causing a big yelp from the old man and a reflexive grab of Tas' collar. Yao pulled him in tight and laughed, though Tas could see that the old man was weary. "You're tired, Yao. I've never seen you so physically deflated."
"Yes, I am tired. The time has almost come for us to leave these mountains and to move on. You have gotten strong in the past months and your hunting is now better than mine." Yao glared at Ice. "The wolf makes you inhumanely good at finding prey."
Now Yao turned to Tas more seriously, as though he'd been waiting to ask something that was now finally coming up. "Have you dreamt lately? Has the wyrm wriggled free in your dreams?"
"No, Yao, nothing. I haven't dreamt in months!" It was weird, now that Yao mentioned it, he couldn't remember the last dream he had. "And the wyrm has been completely meaningless for me. I'm not sure if it is even still a part of me."
"Oh, it most certainly is Tas. I am worried, the absence of action is the same as drastic action in cases of shadow magic. You may be sitting on a time bomb… with a demonic nightmare just waiting around for one night when you slip too deeply into your sleep. It's just like Melkar to wait as long as he needs to in order to surprise me."
"Then we will just have to be ready for him." Tas said eagerly, scratching Ice behind his ear while he said it.
"Yes, Tas, we will. You have gotten stronger, but it may be time to return to the monastery. Fei could help you to learn how to use the dreamwalking now, instead of simply avoiding it." Yao's eyes sparkled with possibility. But Tas was enjoying his time in the snow and he loved the thrill of the hunt. He would have to pack lots of jerky with him to go; he didn't think he could return to the old ways of only small amounts of rice each day. His body had grown quite a bit and he was no longer a child. He was now a young man, as Yaina liked to remind him.
They set out into the day with the scolding morning winds, ripping through Tas' furs as if they were napkins. Yao's face immediately sank to the snow and they trudged off together, separate from the main pack of hunters, but moving in the same direction. Ice led, as always; Tas bridged the wolf and Yao and made sure that everyone was in the proper position in case of a stampede or of a herd moving though the area. Tas trudged slowly using his spear Ice began to take off in search for a scent while Tas and Yao looked for tracks. Ice always found something first these days.
This was the coldest day Tas had experienced. They all had to keep moving to stay warm; even Ice was grimacing against the wind. Yao lagged a little, but he looked the least affected by the conditions.
After a few more minutes, Ice picked up a trail and they moved through the icy desert until they stumbled onto a small cave. Ice stopped at the mouth of the small rock formation and sniffed before they arrived. He looked excited, but also very wary. As Tas approached the rocks, he could see that the opening was large enough for a bigger animal.
As Yao arrived last, unusual for the old man, but Tas knew that the cold was taking its toll on the old man. They would have to leave this place soon, as Yao had said.
Yao scoffed as he reached the mouth of the cave, and began to peer down expressionlessly. Tas couldn't seem to make out what the old man was thinking, even though he knew Yao better than he knew himself at this point. Or at least close.
"There is something dark down there." Yao said slowly.
"What do you mean?" Tas said slowly. His mind instantly rushed to Grethatch, Melkar and the nether-magic that they had encountered at the monastery. "Is it from the nether?"
"Yes." Yao said instantly. "I can taste the shadow in the air." It smelt like rot and dampness to Tas, but he didn't know better. The only nether beings he had encountered were once human; except for the wyrm, which hadn't so much as moved since his last nightmare.
As Tas thought about the wyrm, it began to squirm in his arm. He was terrified; it was obviously responding to whatever was down below.
Suddenly a sound echoed through the cave; a raspy and chilling breath that made Tas' heart shudder. His eyes began to go dark, though they were still open and a loud ringing sound took over his hearing. He looked at Yao, who seemed to be yelling, but was making no sound. Another breath and now Tas was shaking uncontrollably. He could feel Yao's hand on his face, but Tas had to focus completely on breathing, because he was grasping for air. Then Tas felt Ice lay next to him and with a sigh that broke through the shaking, passed out.
This story is part of a series, this is the twenty-fourth part.
Tas found himself in a dark cellar, with dusty casks, kegs, and wine bottles stacked up the dark stone walls that encircled him. His vision was flawless in the darkness, he could see himself well and there was just a tiny bit of light pushing through the crack in the bottom of the door. A flickering candle on the other side, most likely. He quietly undid the bolt on the door and moved through it to the dimly lit corridor on the other side.
He grabbed the candle on the wall to light the hall after he softly closed the door, then walked slowly through the corridor; he was sure by now that he wasn't awake. His skin was translucent and he had no general idea of where he was. And Yao would certainly not have access to where he was because Paj was back at the monastery. He was alone, back in the dream world.
Tas decided to sit for a long moment and meditate. He had never meditated inside of a waking dream before, so he decided this was as good of a time as any to try. He sat with his legs crossed and began to listen with his eyes closed, trying not to be distracted from his natural breathing.
At first, he felt a sense of being light; almost like he weighed half as much as usual. It was easier to maintain a fully erect posture and he found that the meditation came easily. But slowly, everything became much heavier, to the point where it seemed to bring him down with it. Each breath was a labor, intensely freeing but like he had been chained down. His concentration was so intense, but he was losing focus. It was like he was limited in some way, but he didn't know how. His breath grew shorter and he began to panic, he couldn't breath now! What could he do? The world around him began to go dark. His dream world was literally falling apart, melting into the dark ground beneath it until Tas woke up screaming into the dark night.
He was gasping for air, sweating when he realized his dream and lay back down to settle into his mattress. He was in a cold sweat and wiped his forehead with the back of his hand. The air was absolutely freezing, though the fire by his head kept him warm. He was still panicked, he had no idea that this would happen as a result of meditating in the dream. He needed to talk to Yao about this.
He got up to look outside through the small window by the door and found that it was still completely dark. The sun hadn't yet peaked over the horizon to commence the day's light.
Yao was scuttling around the small room, preparing hot water as he moved seamlessly over the rugged wool floor.
"I had another dream last night."
"Good." Yao said nonchalantly. "Was it exciting?"
"Not particularly." Tas rubbed his head again; he was still sweating. "I meditated in it."
Yao turned his head with a surprised expression that quickly faded. "You meditated during the dream? Why did you think to do that?"
"I dunno." The sweat finally stopped pouring from his forehead. "But it worked."
"The world began to melt around me. It was like I hit the eject button on the dream and it was forcing me back out into the world."
"Interesting." Yao said in a very peculiar tone. "It seems that you are getting better and better at traversing between the dream world and this one Tas. Be careful, you don't want to get stuck somewhere that you don't belong."
"Well, I guess I will just have to keep moving then." Tas grinned at Yao's dis-satisfied frown in response. "What are we doing here anyways? You've never said anything besides getting to safety."
"We are going to train and hunt here in Bahar for the remainder of winter. Which is 5 more months of the bitterest cold you've ever felt." Yao raised his eyebrows and smirked when Tas' put on a melancholy expression and let out an exasperated sigh.
"We are also going to meet the kings this morning. My cousins, both of them, though they are simply brothers. Kings are not allowed to marry in Bahar. You will find that they are very different from myself." Yao smiled briefly, though Tas couldn't tell why. "Afterwards, you will hopefully be assigned a hunting party with the younger hunters your own age. They will teach you what you need to learn to survive in the high mountains. Or they won't and you'll die." Tas sniggered. He wasn't going to die from some cold, not after everything he had been through. Yao's slight grin was telling of his own sarcasm.
After they finished their tea and Yaina came to make them breakfast and help Tas to find some clothes to wear. Tas tried to insist that he would be fine with similar garments to Yao, but Yaina would hear nothing of it. She wanted him prepared for the cold.
"The is your first time in the snow," she said with her gentle and soft voice. "You'll need some time to adjust before you're like him." She scoffed as she looked over at Yao, but the old man wasn't paying attention. He was deep in thought, looking out the window at the white cold world outside. "Plus," she said softly into Tas' ear, "you need to look your best for the kings! First looks are never forgotten." She gave Tas a firm nod.
Tas heaved on the furs and other jackets, gloves, boots, and a couple of old metal pauldrons that glinted in the sun and were surrounded by what must have been wolf fur. He strapped on the leather under armor, then began to strap his boots while Yaina helped with his pauldrons and boots. Tas stood up only to be immediately reseated by his own weight. Yao laughed loudly.
"Well boy, you'll get stronger in no time! But right now, we have to go see my cousins and we can't be late, so get on out of the door and leave my niece to her own work for the afternoon." Tas hustled out of the room and into the cold mountain air. It was freezing outside.
He turned and saw Yao talking softly to Yaina before joining Tas in the snow. As Yao left he smiled at Tas, "get a move on, if we're late to see my cousins they won't hesitate to behead us." Yao didn't give the faintest hint of whether he was joking or not, so Tas just put his head down and followed the old man as fast as he could. They trudged off leaving a path of broken snow behind them and getting a light dusting from the sky. Enough for Tas to feel like he was in the fairytales he had always heard from his mother as a child.
This story is part of a series, this is the twenty-third part.
Tas woke with a harsh sneeze that echoed off the trees and shook a bit of snow into his eyes. He shook his head to get rid of the dusting of snow in his hair then stood to shake the rest of the snow from his clothes. Yao had pelted a deer three nights before and made jerky with a lot of the meat, so they wouldn't need food for another month. Plenty of time to get wherever they were going. Yao still hadn't said anything really. He just walked
Yao was already awake and about; he had just finished making his morning tea and handed Tas the scalding cup, which he had learned to hold carefully with his sleeves after Yao poured it. The old man seemed to be impervious to the heat and he chugged it like it was lukewarm chocolate milk.
In the past days the old man was silent; as they approached the upper heights of the mountains Tas could see his gaze darting up the mountain, looking for things Tas couldn't see. Somehow seeing them. Tas didn't know what the old man was doing, but he was certain it involved magic. There was a blur in his eyes, and the freedom in his expression were unquestioning, hollow, simply euphoric. As they continued their walk forward and upward Tas pulled him back by grabbing his arm.
The old man shook his head for a moment, then his eyes refocused on Tas, "Why'd you do that? I was watching them!" He pointed at the huge ice wall in front of them, nearly covered in white wind from the hearty winds passing through. After a minute or so of staring Tas could just barely make out a couple of black dots slowly climbing the white sheer cliff. They looked liked ants.
Tas felt his arm grabbed violently, but didn't respond. He knew that Yao was playing some game. He began to zoom in further on the climbers, deepening his concentration until he saw them much closer. He could still feel Yao's grasp grow tighter on his arm. What was the old man doing to him. He could see the powerful strokes of each climber's iron traction against the ice now, he was so close. They wore suits with spikes pointed downwards to keep them flush against the ice, black and grey and silvery fur lined their bodies and heads. In this part of the world Yao said it never melted.
He felt his vision increase further and could nearly see their grizzled faces. There were more than eight climbers that he had counted, though there could have been more below. Each was a man at least twice as old as Tas, each had a mantle of some extravagant type of bear. Not old men, but certainly strong men. They tore up the cliffside as they passed through, moving steadily upwards. They wore furs from all kinds of animals, wolves, elk, bears, including one that was dressed in all white, probably from a polar bear. The man was massive to match, but Tas thought for a second about how much help the man would have needed to kill such a creature. These men must be elite hunters. The fur looked whole and his eyesight grew even more powerful to see it closer. But he decided it was enough and his head was already hurting again.
He closed his eyes and grabbed Yao's arm, moving it away from him. Yao huffed and walked away, but it took a few minutes for Tas' vision to return. When it came back, it was still a bit blurry.
"Don't worry boy, it'll return in the morning all the way. Probably better than before honestly." Yao gave him a little wink and a big grin as if he'd just handed the world to Tas. Tas didn't really understand, but he knew that Yao was smarter than him. He was far too light-headed to think rationally right now. Maybe he could do it himself now that Yao had taught him? He got up and forgot all about it in his suffering in the cold with his headache.
They continued walking through the snow, both were well fed from the big stockpile of jerky that made when they killed an elk a week ago in some lower forests so they had plenty of energy. They had to take their time to get used to the altitude and to ensure that they arrived unseen. Yao said that it was essential.
Tas and Yao made their way leisurely and slowly up the trees and through the snow. It was colder up here, but their newly tanned hides kept them warm at night. Each day was a day of drudgery, looking, and boredom, though they were both beginning to run low of energy. The snow seemed to take it from them.
Yao continued to lead through the enormous patches of trees, some that were wider and taller than anything Tas could have imagined. These trees seemed to grow up into the sky and their bark was thick as armor.
They went through the largest patch of trees Tas had seen yet, before emerging from the trees into the center of a group of buildings. They were small white huts made partially from snow, partially from treated wood. It was cold enough up here to ensure that the ice would not melt and each hut was closed shut with a large chimney billowing up into the sky. Tas counted twelves huts, but he was sure that he missed some. And he was only looking at a single area. They continued to trudge through the snow, moving towards a larger, more central location probably. Yao seemed to move very cautiously, as if he were ready for the worst possibility. But they continued through the rusty pink dusk they could barely see through the scattered storm until they arrived at a particularly small hut with a noticeably bigger-than-average chimney.
Yao led them inside to be greeted by a woman who could have been the same age as Tas' mother. She turned out to be Yao's niece, as she explained while she gathered things for Tas to bath and redress. Her name was Yaina and she said that she would make sure that Tas was ready for what would happen in the morning. Yao nodded his approval and went upstairs with her to talk of what had happened to them, and why they had come here.
Tas was exhausted, his head hurt from the long days of walking through ice and sleet. He would rest for the night and was happy enough to not move at all after finishing his shower and dressing in his undergarments for a quick rise the morning.
Yaina brought him soup as he was settling down for bed, some light potato with a morsel of cheese and some tomato. He ate a few bites, then told Yaina he was finished. He rolled over onto his back to go to sleep. She paused for a moment and rubbed Tas back slowly, her hand was like a motherly protection, he could feel himself nodding off to sleep, slowly yet surely. He hadn't been touched in so long, not at the monastery, not really in his travels with Yao. He could feel the warmth spreading out from her fingers.
He opened his eyes one last time, but fell right back into a dark sleep.
Posted on April 21, 2015 June 2, 2015
This story is part of a series, this is the twentieth part.
Tas found himself in the dark, though he didn't know how he arrived there. He got up to walk and found himself in a dark chamber; the air was damp and cold. The floor was hard stone but his feet were silent on it. He ambled through the corridor and found a door at the end, made of a wooden frame with ornamentation that Tas couldn't have imagined; demons and monsters vied for space at the depths of a powerfully raging sea. Waves swelled and the shadows seemed to flicker, mesmerizing Tas. He moved his eyes slowly to the sky and saw bat-like monsters soaring through the skies and dark winged ravens above them; the ravens had eyes that pieced through the darkness and seemed to know everything. He could also saw some creatures roaming on the shore, but they were very small in comparison to the monsters of the sea and sky, more like rats that anything else.
Tas looked down at his own hands and found that they were all but a shadow, barely visible in the darkness. He slowly touched the door handle and found it surprisingly warm to his touch. Suddenly, the door creaked open without effort. He stepped through it, into a darkness even more consuming than the one he was already in.
After a minute of standing and looking out into the black void, Tas found that he could see well in the darkness, though focusing his eyes was a terribly exhausting effort. He saw a path a little ways off in the distance and knew it was where he needed to go. There was nothing else around him but a barren landscape. As Tas stepped out into the shifting shadow grass he felt a dampness; surprisingly, he found it to be somewhat comforting. It felt as though the shadows were a part of him, comforting and soothing him as he walked.
The landscape was completely barren, except for his path; almost like a desert but with fields and flatlands in every except for his left where a great sea raged and stormed in the far distance. He barely make out the sea monsters from the picture on the door vying for the surface, being tugged to the bottom by what seemed to be chained of smoking shadow. Some force Tas didn't understand. It was like they were all far too heavy and kept sinking to the bottom unless the clawed at each other to get to the top. So they raked at each other and pulled each other down into the dark depths. So many seemed to fall but innumerable more would simply replace the fallen. It was a viciously cycle that Tas eventually tore his eyes from forcefully. He had to follow the path.
The path wound above the sea, on cliffs that descended sharply into shards and rubble and break-rocks on the shore. As Tas looked closer at the water he found that it was unlike anything he had ever seen; he didn't know if he could call it water. It was blacker and more viscous, and they seemed to crash much harder against the shore. It attached itself to the rocks as it slammed against them and he knew that this was no sea. Tas got a deep sense of foreboding and decided to keep his gaze to his right as he walked on the cliff side path, the sea raging out of his mind to the left.
It was a treacherous climb; several times Tas had to double back to find the proper way up through the rocks. He was becoming more and more tired, something he had not expected. Even his eyes were starting to shut. The concentration required to keep going was slowly becoming insurmountable. But as soon as he finished walking, ready to give up, Tas glanced ahead at a cave in side of the cliff. He waited a moment to regain his strength, but when it didn't come, pushed himself forward towards the small opening in the rocky cliffs. The air was heavy with his fatigue and he almost had to stop again before reaching the small cave, but manage to make it without keeling over.
As he entered under the low and sharp rocks at the mouth of the cave, he pulled his hands away from the damp rocks, sticky with the dark liquid he assumed to be the same as the sea. It was sticky like honey, but as he brought his hand to his face, the substance absorbed into his skin. Something was very odd about this place, but Tas had to time to be confused. He could barely keep his eyes open. He felt his way slowly through the dark passage until it opened into a larger cave; though Tas could barely tell because of the dark. He groped along the wall as he stood up all the way, using his hands to feel in the blackness. He continued a bit further until he could go no further. His eyes were closed and he was too tired to keep them open. His concentration fell into the darkness and the darkness surrounded him. But as he lay down on the cold and damp floor to fall asleep something dark took a hold of him.
Tas woke up in a different small, dark room, though it had a bright light in the middle. He didn't know where he was. The light shined directly into Tas' face, making it so that he couldn't see anything, even as he focused his eyes. He was seated and couldn't move; and he was bound to some kind of metal chair. The bindings slithered across his skin creepily; their moist grip sent chills running down his spine. He knew they were made of the shadows, he could feel it. Suddenly a door opened and the dark figure from his nightmares stepped in. Grethatch wore a furious expression; dark, bruised eyes with a splash of menacing satisfaction. His eyes glowed a faint red, not nearly as brightly as Melkar's. In addition, his face was still completely intact; Melkar's was a hideously diseased and rotting thing that made Tas sick just thinking about it. But that didn't stop Tas' entire body from shuttering uncontrollably when Grethatch put his face in front of Tas', grinning so wide that Tas could see each of his sharp and demonic looking teeth. The tattoos lining his face moved, circling his eyes; Tas looked away forcefully.
"I thought you might pursue that curiosity of yours." Another evil grin spread Grethatch's dark lips and a sinister laugh echoed in the stone chamber. "What it is you wanted to know? Oh yes, I almost forgot. You wanted to know god, wasn't it?" Now the laugh was far louder and caused Tas' skin to prickel. The stone walls seemed to shutter. "Well, you have found him. Melkar is god."
Now it was Tas' turn to laugh. "What do you know of god, fiend? You know only lust, demon's pet. Masters follow themselves, not incubi" He spat the last word out, using the strongest insult he knew, though he didn't really know what it meant. Yao had used it once to insult a merchant who was trying to overcharge them and the merchant had almost fought him over it.
Grethatch's smile faded and was replaced by one of fury and he let loose a snarl, "Yao knows nothing. You follow an old man to his long-avoided death. You believe he will show you god? You are a fool!"
"You follow Melkar like a child. You are just an apprentice, like I am to Yao. You think yourself to be Melkar's equal? Or perhaps you desire his power, is that why you follow him like a little lamb?"
At this Grethatch grew angry and slapped Tas across the face. Tas knew he had gone too far; he decided he would hold his tongue; he could taste the blood from Grethatch's sharp nails "I am a demon myself boy! I follow no one. I have spent enough time in the nether to know the power of darkness; but you, this is your first time, isn't it?" The grin returned. "Well, let me be the first to welcome you to your destiny! Now I will send your soul into the depths of the sea, where you learn the meaning of true suffering!"Grethatch raised his curved blade and Tas closed his eyes. He was terrified, but in that moment, he felt the same peace of his first night of meditation with Yao. He didn't care.
But instead of pain, he heard a ear-shattering clang that startled his eyes open. He jumped back automatically. As soon as his eyes focused he saw a spear in mid-air having met Grethatch's blow head on and forcing him to step back. The spear had come from nowhere, but the bottom of it was missing, like it was cut in half. Then a tear in the air seemed to open right in the middle of the room and light poured through, along with a lunging Yao, moving at his lightning fast attack speed, spinning whirling and jumping. His attack on Grethatch was furious relentless, and even more intense than in the village. Paj walked in slowly afterwards his eyes fixed on the battle between Yao and Grethatch. Yao pushed Grethatch back from Tas with blow after blow that would have shattered the strength of a normal man, but the demon held his ground. Even Yao's unyielding attacks proved ineffective at pushing past the villain's guard.
Tas moved towards Paj as he watched Yao slice swiftly press forward, cutting seamlessly through the air, his spear was like a bird on the wind, always circling his opponent, connecting with powerful strikes that Tas couldn't follow. But Grethatch was as fast and avoided his spear continually when he didn't block with his great strength; he used his own sword to deflect blow after blow, but Tas could see he had no time to counterattack. He continued to step back against Yao's onslaught. As he retreated, the shadows drew towards Grethatch and the light towards Yao as they circled each other in furious combat a storm of shadow and light formed around them. But Yao's speed increased steading and soon he was pushing Grethatch's back against the wall. Once the demon's back hit the wall, a fury erupted and finally he successfully counterattacked Yao. Powerful stroked sliced through the air, leaving trails of shadow pulsating against the light pouring through the hole in the center of the room.
Tas had never seen anything move so gracefully; the only thing Grethatch's sword could find was air. It missed the old man each time by wide margins, as the old man danced swiftly away from each blow. Then, with a dizzying spin and counterattack, that Tas couldn't see, Yao's blade found Grethatch's flesh and with a heavy thud, his forearm and hand hit the floor. Yao had severed his arm from the elbow down.
A scream pierced through the chamber, curdling Tas' blood and causing him to duck and cover his ears. He could see a tar-like black liquid dripping viscously from Grethatch's arm, a mixture of blood and shadow. Immediately, the shadows seemed to push against the open wound closing it. He looked up to see Yao smack Grethatch in the side of the head with the butt of his spear, and watched him fall unconscious to the floor. Yao took the demon and pulled him right into the tear of light as Grethatch screamed in agony. The scream made Tas fall to his knees weakly, his energy was all but gone. He was so tired that he couldn't move. He looked up at Paj who didn't seem to have heard anything and was watching Tas intently. Paj grabbed him by the arm and pulled him to his feet, supporting him under the shoulder. Then Paj pushed forward to the blinding light of the tear in the center of the room, and everything went black as Tas fainted.
Please read the first parts of the story here:
The Wanderer, Part 1
Tas woke on a soft cushioned cot, his body felt rested for the first time since he was recuperating in the village hut over a week ago. He yawned, stretching his arms and legs, taking his time to enjoy the softness of his pillow and cot. He and the old man had arrived at the monastery yesterday and Tas had been sent to this room; he had fallen asleep within minutes.
He rose slowly, and walked into the washroom and got ready for the day. His hair had become a wild and black tangled mess and he took his time to use the comb to rack his hair for a time before giving up in the back. He sighed and dressed into the traditional robe he was given for clothing, and walked outside into a dark corridor.
Tas walked towards the lighter end of the hall, small candles lit the floor and he really had no idea where he was. But this is where he had been led by the monk the night before so he followed the longer portion of the hallway to the left. Once he had traveled up a few flights of stairs, he began to see monks, all with robes likes his and shaven heads. They were all moving so quietly and it was all he could do to move slowly with them. He rose up the final flights of stairs and came to the ground level of the monastery.
He hadn't realized it the night before, but the monastery was high a on a hill overlooking the dense forest to the south. It later turned to jungle, but most of the trees were a lot taller than those Tas was used to and with a lot more thin leaves. He glanced at the temple above ground and thought the majority of the building must be below the hill, because he had taken five flights of stairs to get to the surface. He wondered what else was down there besides simple rooms for the monks.
Over five hundred monks were gathering together for their morning prayer, Yao would be with the acharya, the leader of the temple. When the gong over the entrance to the grounds began to sound, Tas could see Yao and a heavily decorated monk climbing down the steps from the upper level of the temple to a balcony over-looking the grounds; no doubt these were the acharya's quarters. On the eighth sounding of the gong, every around Tas sat; he was quick to follow.
The acharya addressed the crowd with a wave of his hand, his smile radiated out towards them all. He spoke for a time in a way that Tas couldn't understand. After a while, the monks began a chant together that lasted about 20 minutes and that Tas was able to participate in after a bit of listening to the responses. The gong began to sound loudly in the background and the monks rose and seemed to disperse throughout the grounds. Tas supposed they each had duties to perform and things to do during their days, though many seemed to be just wandering about, looking at the floor. This was a strange place indeed.
As the crowd thinned, Tas could see that Yao was waving at him to come over to meet the acharya. He walked to the center of the temple and up the steps to the balcony, where the two waited for him. The acharya seemed to be very excited at the prospect of meeting Tas and Yao's attitude seemed to be the exact opposite. Immediately, the acharya seized Tas' hand and asked, "You must be Tas, the boy that followed Yao from a small desert village. Yao told me about you about a month ago. He said that you wish to know god."
"Well, yes sir, that's true. I do wish to know god, or whatever it is that I can know."
Yao let out a little laugh and the monks eyes grew tight as he peered at Tas. "Whatever it is that you can know, huh?" The acharya looked at Yao, but Yao simply shrugged his shoulders in response and gave another quick laugh. The acharya sighed, some of his enthusiasm seemed to die down.
"Well you can stay here as long as you like, as long as you abide by the rules of our order. You are welcome here and you can get one square meal of rice each day that you decide to stay. Perhaps you will stay here and study god with us."
Tas was a bit surprised at the offer, he had never been offered to stay anywhere as a guest before. And this was what he had been looking for, a chance to learn about god!
"I would love to, sir." Tas bowed to the man as he spoke, trying to show as much respect as he possibly could. "But can I ask you a question, sir?"
The acharya looked skeptically at Tas, but his expression gave way to a smile and he said, "of course."
"What is god?"
"That is not a question that I can answer, Tas from the desert." The acharya seemed to know that it was coming and seemed unaffected. "But if you stay here for a time…." He glanced over at Yao, seeming skeptical of something himself, but the crooked old man seemed to have a special glint of light in his eyes, as if he knew some joke that he was keeping to himself. "and if you continue to follow Yao, perhaps you will answer that question for yourself one day."
The acharya looked satisfied with the answer, but Tas was not. "You mean I came all the way here, through the jungle, wandering endlessly in the desert, and nearly dying to just 'answer the question for myself'? So much for a monastery."
The acharya laughed, surprising Tas. "You are surprised that your difficult question is not easy? It is difficult. And different for each person. If you want to understand the god that I know, I will teach you how to see what I see."
Tas nodded, this was more of what he needed. Training and guidance. Yao seemed to be very far away, though he was right there. Tas wondered what the old man was thinking.
"Good, Tas, we will start your training first thing tomorrow morning. Wakeup with the morning sun and come to meditate with me after we gather together. I will show you how to see properly." He seemed to find this incredibly amusing and gave Yao a big push on the shoulder as he said it, causing the old man to react and nearly toss the acharya over his shoulder. Both stopped and broke into laughter as they began to wrestle, now a little more fiercely, but also more playfully. A couple of minutes later, Tas asked the acharya one final question.
"My name is Fei." The older man looked happy, as though he had just won a prize at the lottery. "make sure you get good rest. Tomorrow will be a long day of training for you." Fei smiled happily as he said it. Yao was not quite so happy, but seemed to be in his usual observant and detached state. Tas couldn't be sure if the old man was happy or sad that Tas was going to stay for a time. The old man was so hard to read.
But as Tas left to go back down the stairs to the grounds to walk around for the afternoon, Yao yelled, "I'll return in a month, kid. Try not to get into any trouble with the local villagers." Tas could see the old man grin as he said the last words, then continued walking.
Tas turned and walked towards the gardens, happy to be in a place where he had always thought he was meant to be. Finally, he would learn what he had left his entire life behind to know. But he wondered what Fei had meant by training and knew that would have to wait for tomorrow to find out.


text:
CROP 05
Print Publication Design 2015
CROP is an annual student publication showcasing a collection of student-produced work within the College of Architecture at Texas Tech University that is reflective of the present paradigm of the school. The work contained in the book highlights the interests of the students and faculty, differing approaches to architectural representations, and speculative solutions to current issues in contemporary architecture. This is all supplemented with essays and interviews from working professionals conducted by students that parallel the ideas explored through the work.
Deviating from the standard set by previous volumes of the book, CROP 05 follows in the footsteps of the previous issue in eliminating an overall conceptual theme, opting instead for a cohesive graphic language that allows the work to speak for itself. This marks the second volume of the book to organize individual works by drawing category following the trajectory of the design process rather than highlighting singular projects from start to finish. This structure allows for more and varied work to be published as well as for the book to become a graphic reference for students to build a repertoire of approaches and standards we deem the intellectual toolkit.
THE CROP 05 TEAM
Zack Sprinkle Editor-in-Chief
Andrew Pacheco Design Director
Will Pellacani Editorial Director
Justin Leal Staff Designer
Christy Purcella Staff Designer
Nicolas Watkins Staff Designer & Copy Editor
Nathanael Havens Copywriter & Editor
Ryan Thomas Junior Staff Designer
The CROP 05 Team Note explains the process and intent behind the book:
The creation and development of a toolkit is crucial to an education. As students, we absorb specific precedents, designers, techniques, processes, and more throughout the progression of each semester—adding to our intellectual toolkit. With each student, there are infinite variations to individual kits, ultimately contingent upon their particular interests as a designer.
CROP aims to generate a conversation within the student body that provokes the expansion of the intellectual toolkit. By removing the constraints of a central theme, CROP 05 is able to assume an identity of its own, showcasing various techniques, processes, and strategies across the College of Architecture to become a graphic reference for students. The book is expressive of the students' interests as well as reflective of the pedagogies present in the College. Additionally, the editorial content in this issue is a manifestation of the connections made between students and professionals, curated from designers of various cultural and educational backgrounds and practices to discuss a wide range of topics in order to provoke the interests of the student body.
CROP 05 is designed as a resource for students to utilize throughout their own particular design process. As we continue to develop and expand our own intellectual toolkit, we should begin to question ourselves and others about the influences and interests we carry with us as designers. By generating this conversation, we can learn form each other's techniques, processes, and strategies to create the possibility of expanding our toolkit.
The Guerrilla Fives. Photograph by Tyler Smith.
In order to generate buzz about the new volume of the book, a guerrilla advertising campaign was developed and executed that promoted awareness and excitement as well as boosted the morale of the College. Celebrating the fifth edition as well as the fifth anniversary of the establishment of the CROP Student Publication and Team, a series of images deemed "The Guerrilla Fives" were posted conspicuously inside the Architecture Building.
The conceptual thread running through the 35 images was the number 5. Each image referenced the number 5 in some shape or form, either implicitly or explicitly, and were printed on cards measuring 5 x 5 inches. Starting off sparingly, as the release date of CROP 05 drew closer, the Fives began to aggregate and multiply in more public places such as stairwells, elevator lobbies, bathrooms, and studio rooms. We decided to reveal that CROP was behind the campaign by using reproductions of the images as takeaway bookmarks that came with each purchase of a book.
As a result of a rigorous design overhaul and playful marketing, CROP 05 was the most successful volume of the publication at the time of release and garnered mostly positive critique from faculty and the student body. Personally, this was the project that marked a transition in my professional aspirations as it prompted me to pursue a degree in visual communication design following graduation from architecture school.
The CROP 05 Team with a full spread printout of the book. Photograph by Tyler Smith.
This publication was a collaborative effort with Nathanael Havens, Justin Leal, William Pellacani, Christy Purcella, Zack Sprinkle, Ryan Thomas, and Nicolas Watkins with advising from Hendrika Buelinckx, Ph.D.
Design/creative direction for the book by Andrew Pacheco. Printing by Parks Printing in Lubbock, Texas. Permission for "The Guerrilla Fives" advertising campaign within the College of Architecture granted by Dana Campbell, building manager.
Images of individuals and/or likenesses of individuals used with permission from the owners. Original written content by William Pellacani, Nathanael Havens, and contributors. Previously published written content re-published with the permission of the original creators. All images of work were submitted by students and/or faculty and are owned and retained by the students and Texas Tech University College of Architecture. The Bebas Neue and Helvetica Neue typeface families were licensed for educational use through Texas Tech University.
All other images, original design elements, and combinations of elements constituting an original design are owned and retained by Buelinckx, Havens, Leal, Pacheco, Pellacani, Purcella, Sprinkle, Thomas, Watkins and the Texas Tech University College of Architecture.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Entertainment currently is an issue that plays an improvingly influential role in the life of diverse clients. It is proved by the fact that in general a variety of people, especially those who live under pressure and are constantly stressed, find it very popular to find miscellaneous activities that would help them gather their attention away from their problem.
Therefore, in order to relax and make our body more effectively recover from the last week, an interesting solution advised in this area is connected inter alia with finding a hobby that we might develop everytime we have nothing to do or we would like to take our attention away from negative thoughts. There are numerous ways we can do this – starting from various sports like running, which is these days quite popular, and ending on learning how to play piano, guitar etc. What is more, as the time goes by, we can quickly find out that the amount of alternatives grows. This proves that if we search long enough, we may surely find something that would awake our interest.
In addition, except outdoor activities, we are recommended also not forget that due to increasing influence of technological growth, the entertainment industry has changed to such extent that there is also great range of goods that is likely to help us have fun even inside our houses. Hence, we ought to be aware of the fact that there is a great spectrum of goods such as consoles etc., due to which we can have fun playing different games and feel like we're on a big adventure. This implies that currently if we would like to find an interesting way to have fun, we are recommended to remember that there is wide variety of options that might help us reach our goal.
To conclude, we need to remember that in terms of entertainment the impact of technological development has grown substantially. This indicates that at present there is more and more alternatives waiting for us in this field and, depending on our preferences, we can be ascertained that we will find something that would awake our interest.
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Street art turn into one of the most popular style of art. You can see spreading corolful paintings on the walls in the city.
Street art becomes extremally popular. There are citizens who love it and those who would wanna destroy it. It depends not only on the viewer, but on the artist. If the painting is beautiful and have meaning plenty of people will stop for a while and think about this masterpiece.
Interior design – how to find such a person that would help us make a correct move in the topic of furniture etc.?


subsensorial XYZ by artist Pia Lindman is the first combined residency and exhibtion at SOLU Space in 2019. During Feb 1st to March 13th she tunes into SOLU Space as a surroundings and a materiality, mapping it's environmental sensibilities and complexities. Lindman will sojourn in the rooms of SOLU Space, exploring what effect they have on her as a multisensory system and organ, at different times and with a variation of visitors and events. In an ongoing process Lindman will compose and assemble diagrams, notes, markings, and sculptural elements onto the walls and in the rooms of SOLU Space to locate, highlight and visualize her expereince.
In recent years, Lindman has explored artistic research and practice working within the fields of performance art, healing-as-art, installation, microbes, architecture, painting, and sculpture. To mention one, in her project Nose, Ears, Eyes (Sao Paulo Biennale, 2016) Lindman gave treatments to the audience in a hut designed by her and built by local craftsmen specialized in traditional Brazilian building techniques (Pau a Pique, bamboo and mud). During treatments Lindman made diagrams, i.e., drawings and paintings based on the visions she saw during the treatments.
In 2006 I discovered I had been poisoned by mercury. My bones, brain, kidneys, liver, and intestines were in pain. My cognitive capabilities, and lymphatic, autoimmune, and gastrointestinal systems were defunct.
I later discovered that in many houses, I suffered from the indoor air, especially if the house was infested with mold. Mold may produce mycotoxins, nerve toxins - similar to mercury. My nervous system, now well trained – sensitized - reacted to these toxins. In moldy houses, I experienced pain, electric shocks running through my nerves, and cognitive difficulties that eventually appeared to have a slight hallucinatory effect on my mind.
My heightened sensitivity is now a medium that allows for more signals from the cells of my body (of chemical and energetic events) to reach some sort of pre-conscious-consciousness of my mind. These are signals that are usually filtered out by the brain, but are now, in my mind, translated into various mind "things", i.e., visuals, melodies, words, movements, and colors. Perhaps one could call this process a multiple-form-synesthesia. I call this interstitial work of mind and body, this intermediary space and time of signals and synesthesia, the subsensorial.
Becoming familiar and skilled with the subsensorial, I have turned this sometimes debilitating sensitivity into a capability and a tool for my art, that helps me tune in and express human conditions and, for instance, the atmosphere of a space.
Pia Lindman received her second Master degree at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, U.S.A. in 1999. After ten years of residing in New York, teaching at Yale University School of Art, and as a research fellow at M.I.T., she now builds an eco-village in Fagervik, Finland. In 2011, Lindman was commissioned to create "Poison and Play" and exhibition at Haus der Kulturen der Welt in Berlin. Residencies include Field_Notes (2013 and 2018) at the Biological Research Station in Kilpisjärvi, Lapland, hosted by Bioartsociety. Lindman's latest art project, "Nose Ears Eyes", was commissioned by the 32nd Sao Paulo Biennale, Incerteza Viva (2016). Pia Lindman was Professor of Environmental Art at Aalto University from 2013 to 2018 and while there, initiated the art/science network Chill Survive focusing on the Arctic, summoned the interdisciplinary think tank The Trouble Group, and organized the first global Radical Relevances Conference (2018). Since 2017, Lindman is doctoral candidate at the program of Nordic Cultures and Environmental Politics at Lapland University researching her concept of the subsensorial. A result of many years of investigation into the body and its place within the cultural space, Lindman's work responds to a contemporary desire to mend the fission between science and art, healing and creativity – and moves beyond the human body proper to multiple realms of life.


text:
International Breweries Announces N164b rights issue opened to the Public
Few Questions I wish I'd asked as a junior marketer: Mastercard's Raja Rajamannar
CMO, FEATURES, INTERVIEWS
Kudos Games Partners Engagement Factory to Launch Action Market Ap
Kotex® Announces New Range of Sanitary Pads to its Products.
Kimberly-Clark, makers of world's finest hygiene products, officially launched its new range of sanitary pads and tampons brands into the Nigerian market recently.
The launch which was held at Oriental Hotel, Victoria Island Lagos, was attended by celebrities and dignitaries from all walks of life.
Also in attendance were company's Manufacturing Operations Director, EMEA,Ms. Raffaella De Medici, GM, WECA, Mr. Crispin Achola as well as other top celebrities.
Kimberly-Clark, GBA Director for West Africa, Mr. Koushik Balaji briefly outlined the stages that culminated in the product launch and thanked the various state and federal agencies which helped the company achieve this feat, while recognizing the talent of the Kimberly-Clark team in Nigeria.
Also, Head of Marketing, WECA, Mrs. Kemi Saliu stated that in less than 5 years of Kotex® presence in Nigeria, the company established a leading position in providing women with quality, smooth feminine care.
She attributed the success of the brand to the high and consistent quality of the product, the support of Kotex® trade partners and the loyalty of its consumers.
"Introducing the new range to our existing products in Nigeria is part of our mission to provide essentials for a better life for our consumers. Kotex® pads and tampons have a superior, cotton-like feel that give women a comfortable experience", she said.
She added further that the company's latest exemplifies Kotex® innovation in developing high-quality cotton-soft, fast-absorbent pads to that allow period experience to be discreet and comfortable.
"Now, with the launch of these new sanitary pads and tampons, the company has a comprehensive range fully available in stores and outlets for women in Nigeria and we encourage everyone to tell a friend, an aunty, a mother or sister to try out the new range of products," she explained.
AnnouncesKotex®NewOfPadsProductsRangeSanitaryto its
Coca-Cola Shift into alcohol market, introduces premium mixers
Itiba Finally Re-launches Brand of Beauty Products
Huawei launches new P30 series smartphones
Access Bank rewards winners of DiamondXtra monthly draw


text:
Q: Increasing size of arrows in Nyquist plot? Does anyone know how to increase the size of the arrows in the Nyquist plot generated by MATLAB Control System Toolbox (while keeping the line width and everything else in the figure the same)?

A:
I noticed that you also asked the same question in MATLAB
  Central. Please make sure to refer other visitors to this answer if
  you found it useful.

The Bad News first
MATLAB Control System Toolbox provides the functions nyquist and nyquistplot to draw a Nyquist plot of the frequency response of a dynamic system model.
Even though these functions allow a certain level of graphical customization (units, grids, labels and basic LineSpec), they don't allow to alter the size of the arrows that appear by default in the Nyquist plot (you can read more about this here and here).
The Good News (time to hack!)
I started exploring the object hierarchy of the Nyquist plot figure and realized that the arrows that are drawn are patch objects.
How did I notice that?
First I generated a sample Nyquist plot:
sys = tf([2 5 1],[1 2 3]);    % System transfer function.
nyquist(sys);                 % Nyquist plot.

Then I ran a brute force test!
The following test iterates through every graphics object of the Nyquist plot figure window and blinks one element in every iteration. This way I was able to visually identify the objects that were linked to the arrows, when they started blinking.
h = findall(gcf);   % Find all graphics objects including hidden ones.
t = 0.5;            % Time interval.

for i = 1:length(h) % Loop through every object handle.
    disp(i);        % Display handle array index.
    pause(t);       % Pause for t seconds.
    status = h(i).Visible;      % Copy Visible property.
    if strcmp(status, 'on')     % If Visible = 'on' --> Visible = 'off'
        h(i).Visible = 'off';
    else                        % If Visible = 'off' --> Visible = 'on'
        h(i).Visible = 'on';
    end
    pause(t);               % Pause for t seconds.
    h(i).Visible = status;  % Restore original Visible property.
    pause(t);               % Pause for t seconds.
end
disp('Finished!');  % Display Finished!

After running this test, I found out that h(196) and h(197) were the two arrows of the Nyquist plot, and they were patch objects.
Changing the 'LineWidth' property was the next logical step. The following piece of code is really all you need to do in order to change the size of the arrows:
sys = tf([2 5 1],[1 2 3]);    % System transfer function.
nyquist(sys);                 % Nyquist plot.

h = findall(gcf, 'Type', 'Patch');  % Find all patch objects.

for i = 1:length(h)         % Loop through every patch object handle.
    h(i).LineWidth = 4;     % Set the new LineWidth value.
end

This is the result:

I hope that you enjoyed the adventure! :D

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


For woodworkers and other lovers of fine traditional woodworking tools, not much is more iconic than this Ebony and Brass Thumbscrew Mortise Marking Gauge used by generations of English, American and Canadian craftsmen as they laid out joints and cut lines on boards and posts. Thumbscrew control to set precise mortise cut lines. With traditional scratch-awl pin markers. A first class traditional tool, not seen as often these days. Made in Asia now.


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Ralph J. Bunche
Jul 31st, 2010 | By BHS | Category: Politics, Social Sciences
1904 – 1971 Ralph Bunche blazed a lifelong record of achievement in the study of social interactions, acquired a keen understanding of racism at home and abroad, and pioneered the development of modern mediation techniques which he applied successfully to some of the most intractable conflicts of his era. One of America's best known and most accomplished diplomats, he also championed various civil rights causes throughout his illustrious career.
Unlimited Potential
Bunche was born in Detroit, Michigan in 1904. His father, Fred, was a barber in a shop serving an exclusively white clientele. Both he and Bunche's mother, Olive, suffered from poor health. The family moved to New Mexico when their son was 10 in the hope the climate would favor them, but the parents died two years later. Bunche and his two sisters were taken to Los Angeles and raised by their grandmother, who had been born into slavery. She imparted to her charges a philosophy of self-respect and unlimited potential for those willing to work hard for success. Bunche took the lesson to heart early on by selling newspapers, working as a house-boy and carpet-layer, and doing other odd jobs to help with the family's slim earnings.
No sooner did Bunche begin school than his remarkable intellect made itself evident. He earned prizes in English and history in elementary school, and at Jefferson High School he competed in numerous sports, was a debater, and was class valedictorian, even while being denied admission to the citywide honor society due to his race. Continuing at the University of California at Los Angeles, he received an athletic scholarship. While working as a janitor to earn his living expenses, he succeeded in playing varsity basketball, continued in debating and journalism, and in 1927 received his bachelors degree summa cum laude with a major in international relations, once again class valedictorian and Phi Beta Kappa.
Harvard University awarded Bunche a scholarship for graduate studies in political science, supplemented by a cash gift donated by the African American community of Los Angeles. He earned his masters degree in 1928 and continued directly to doctoral studies at Harvard while intermittently teaching at Howard University. There he also chaired the Political Science Department until 1950, and met his wife Ruth Harris whom he married in 1930 and with whom he would have three children. He conducted field research in Africa, and won the Toppan Prize for outstanding research for his dissertation in 1934. He was the first African American to receive a Ph.D. from Harvard in political science.
Bunche's civil rights activism began during this period. He defended activist students at Howard, served as co-director of the Institute of Race Relations at Swarthmore College in 1936, and wrote "A World View of Race," a study of race relations in the U.S., in that year. His work with Swedish Sociologist Gunnar Myrdal contributed to Myrdal's classic 1944 book on U.S. racism, An American Dilemma: The Negro Problem and Modern Democracy. He was consulted by U.S. Presidents on racial matters, and became a close associate of the Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr., who he joined to lead the Montgomery, Alabama civil rights march while serving on the board of the NAACP. His intellectual strength informed his philosophy, "Segregation and democracy are incompatible."
The culmination of Bunche's academic and social insights occurred in his work with the U.S. government and the United Nations. He advised the State Department and military on colonial regions during World War II, and became acting chief of the Division of Dependent Area Affairs (a position initially refused him due to prejudice). He was the first Black to serve on the U.S. delegation to the first General Assembly of the nascent U.N. At the request of Secretary General Trygve Lie in 1946, Bunche was placed in charge of the U.N.'s Department of Trusteeship. His ongoing relationship with that organization led to his most historically significant achievement, defusing the Arab-Jewish conflict in what was then known as Palestine. From 1947 to 1949, first as Principal Secretary of the U.N. Palestine Commission and then as acting U.N. Mediator on Palestine, Bunche worked to ease the escalating conflict and violence in the region. After a tireless round of mediation and negotiation lasting much of the year 1949, he obtained armistice agreements between Israel and its Arab neighbors.
Recognition of the achievement was immediate. Upon his return to the U.S., the city of Los Angeles created "Ralph Bunche Day," the NAACP awarded him its highest honor, the Spingarn Prize. In 1950 he became the first African American to win the Nobel Peace Prize. He continued his involvement with the U.N. as Undersecretary for Special Political Affairs and Undersecretary General, the highest-ranking U.S. diplomat in the U.N. He is credited with creating the first U.N. peacekeeping force in response to the Suez Crisis, and with developing the mediation principles now used in all U.N. peacekeeping efforts.
Bunche's health began to fail in 1970, and he died in 1971 with an enormous record of achievement. He had received over 40 honorary degrees, the Theodore Roosevelt Association Medal of Honor, the Presidential Medal of Honor, and the U.S. Medal of Freedom. He worked with world leaders such as Gamal Abdal Nasser, Dean Rusk, John F. Kennedy, Dag Hammarskjöld, U Thant, Lyndon Johnson, and Jawaharlal Nehru. A park named "The Ralph Bunche Park," dedicated to peace, is located facing the United Nations building in New York City. Upon his death, the U.N. General Assembly stood for a moment of silence, perhaps the most articulate eulogy possible for such a great man of peace.
Ralph David Abernathy 1926-1990 Ralph David Abernathy was an inspirational church pastor and an important activist in the struggle for civil rights. His...


Charleston Animal Society former foster family, the Manx's, consisted of three kittens and their nursing queen. All have the Manx "rumpy tail" profile and their personalities are as unique and wonderful as the Manx breed suggests. They are described as "Manx/mix" breed by CAS.
Mama Katie is estimated to be a young 3-year old. She is a beautiful black and white tuxedo cat with big golden eyes. She is vocal, very sweet, loves pets, and enjoyed sleeping at her foster mom's feet when she wasn't caring for her kittens or playing. Katie was spayed on June 7 and will be transferred from Charleston Animal Society to Pounce Cat Cafe for adoption on June 8, 2018.
Katie is very playful. She enjoy the wand toys, batting balls around the floor, she enjoyed chasing and running around together with her kittens as they would all play "hide-and-go-seek". Katie is a huge fan of catnip toys. Katie has a good appetite and quickly learned the "want to eat?" routine and would run from the kitchen prep area to the food dishes three rooms away. She is well litter trained.
Want to know more about Mama Katie? Please contact Adopt Charleston Cats directly or contact Pounce at 843-212-5500 to set up a reservation or make one online at www.pouncecatcafe.com. General questions can also be directed to the Offsite Adoption Manager at akenyon@charlestonanimalsociety.org.


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Corner lot in Heber Gateway Plaza. Good exposure. Easy access. Area is seeing active development. Professional offices, restaurants, lodging facilities. Nice view of mountains and Timpanogas. Just past junction of Hwy 40 (Park City/Daniel) & 189 (Provo/Orem). Call for copy of plat.


CPA condemns censorship of 'Unframed' at Peradeniya Uni.
The Centre for Policy Alternatives (CPA) has condemned the blocking of the photography collection - 'Unframed' last week.
Unframed was blocked from showcasing content at University of Peradeniya in Kandy last week.
According to a statement issued by the CPA on this regard, a group of students had said "the exhibition should not be showcased on the grounds that it was linked to a non-governmental organisation, that the material displayed was about and supportive of the LTTE and that Vikalpa itself was supportive of the LTTE, since the exhibition showed many photographs of Tamil people. Distressingly, another reason this group averred the exhibition would never be allowed to be shown on University grounds was that it featured photographs of Prageeth Eknaligoda, an individual they said deserved to be disappeared.".
"CPA believes the action of this group of students at University of Peradeniya to block and ban 'Unframed', particularly in the manner they did, is an attack on the freedom of expression."
"Unreservedly condemning what led to 'Unframed' being blocked by those who represent a deeply debilitating, disturbing illiberalism and intolerance, CPA calls for a full investigation of this incident by relevant authorities, as well as a broader, deeper discussion amongst faculty, staff and students at the University of Peradeniya, and beyond."
The organisers stated that banning this show was censorship, noting that showing the photographs would lead to a more informed debate on these issues. However, the group of students opposed to 'Unframed', growing visibly more agitated and intolerant, responded by insisting they would not allow it to be shown.


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Currently showing posts tagged Vital Signs
Dad Pride: My Performing Boys
Six years ago tonight, the boy made his Broadway debut. Amazing how time flies, how much our lives have changed over that time, and how much all of my children have grown up.
Congrats to Nick and the fellow members of his Vital Signs group on the release of their second EP. Especially check out my oldest singing "In Your Arms" with Marty Lucero. You can get the EP on iTunes by clicking here.
Yep, I know I'm saying it again, but I'm a proud dad...
Stage Dad
"Ragtime"
'Stage Dad'
Nicholas' Vital Signs Concert
Nicholas performed a solo at his spring Vital Signs concert at Elon University last night, covering "The Cave" by Mumford & Sons. Video is below.
Nicholas Covers 'Chasing Cars'
So very freaking proud of this young man, covering Snow Patrol's "Chasing Cars." Part of a weekly series of videos that Elon University's Vital Signs group is posting to promote its Member Highlight Monday series.
The group has worked on the project since January to highlight the individual talents of current members and alumni. Each group member covered a song of his/her choice and filmed a video to go with it. The videos will be released each Monday for the next 15 weeks.
To check out more videos, go to Vital Signs' Facebook page here and give them a like!
Nicholas' Final Vital Signs Show
Vital Signs, the a cappella group my son Nicholas has helped lead during his four years at North Carolina's Elon University, held its annual spring concert Saturday night. The event was emotional in many ways, as the group performed a dozen songs, including the now traditional gender group numbers and the organization's "permanent song" — U2's "A Beautiful Day."
Nicholas was featured in two duets, and recognized along with the other seniors for his many contributions to the group as he gets ready to graduate in a few weeks. He announced that Vital Signs has raised enough funds for the Make A Wish Foundation to grant a full "wish" to another child. The effort is extremely important to Nicholas after the foundation granted a wish to Bella, his sister in North Carolina, two years ago.
Thoroughly enjoyed Nicholas' final Vital Signs concert tonight at Elon. I'm very proud of how much the oldest has grown as a son, sibling, performer and all-around human being during his time in college.
For more photos from the show, go to my Facebook page here.
A 'Vital' Weekend in NYC
Nicholas had a big weekend as his Vital Signs acapella group celebrated its fourth anniversary and performed at the Total Vocal concert Sunday afternoon at Carnegie Hall. Family members from across the country joined Elon students for an impromptu reception at the Marriott Marquis on Saturday, then braved the early spring cold for a late night concert in Times Square, where most of these pics were taken.
Cameras were not allowed in Carnegie Hall, although all bets were off at the end, and I managed to sneak an iPhone picture of Nicholas being recognized along with the directors from the other groups. Congrats to my oldest son as his senior year in college (!) comes to a close.
For more photos from this, go to my Facebook photo page here.
Nicholas' A Cappella Solo
The photo above is one of my favorites of my oldest son, Nicholas, performing with Vital Signs in concert at Elon University. Nicholas just was re-elected to a second term as president of the growing a cappella group, which is hosting its first benefit for children with Down's Syndrome in February 2014.
Below is a video of Nicholas' beautiful solo at his fall concert. Here, he performs "Pompeii" by the group Bastille.


Mano a Mano was proud to collaborate with Lincoln Center out of Doors and the Caribbean Cultural Center in presenting Sones de México Ensemble, Chicago's premier Mexican folk music and cultural ensemble, teaching a workshop on La Danza del Sol (The Dance of the Sun), hosted by New York dancer and percussionist Alda Reuter. The dance, performed in the conchero tradition, serves to realign the human spirit with the forces of Water, Earth, Fire and Wind. A huehuetl drum is placed in the center to represent the Sun and the dance takes place in orbiting circles around it. Other instruments included ayoyotes (ankle shakers), ayacaxtli (hand shakers), conchas (mandolins) and teponaztli (slit drum). The dancers wore special vestments, including the copilli (feathered head piece).
Sones de Mexico is formed by multi-instrumentalists Víctor Pichardo (music director), Juan Díes, Renato Cerón, Joel Martínez, Lorena Iñiguez, and Juan Rivera. To find out more about the group and their available recordings visit www.sonesdemexico.com.
Alda Reuter is a dancer and percussionist who comes from a family of Mexican artists. Her dance career includes the styles of Ballet, Jazz, Afro-Cuban, Modern, Flamenco and Mexican Folkloric Dance. She is co-founder of Ballet Fiesta Mexicana and Fiesta Flamenca and collaborates with Retumba, an all female music and dance ensemble. Alda has brought an appreciation of Mexico through dance and music to thousands of students in the tri-state area through Young Audiences, Arts Connection, Community Works among others organizations.


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Coelotes musashiensis är en spindelart som beskrevs av Nishikawa 1989. Coelotes musashiensis ingår i släktet Coelotes och familjen mörkerspindlar. Inga underarter finns listade i Catalogue of Life.

Källor

Externa länkar

Mörkerspindlar
musashiensis

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


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Il doppio del torneo di tennis ITF Women's Circuit Istanbul 2 2013, facente parte della categoria ITF Women's Circuit, ha avuto come vincitrici Oksana Kalašnikova e Ljudmyla Kičenok che hanno battuto in finale Alona Fomina e Anja Prislan 6-2, 4-6, [10-7].

Teste di serie

 Oksana Kalašnikova /  Ljudmyla Kičenok (Campionesse)
 Valentina Ivachnenko /  Kateryna Kozlova (quarti di finale)

 Tara Moore /  Christina Shakovets (primo turno)
 Kanae Hisami /  Mari Tanaka (primo turno)

Tabellone

Collegamenti esterni

ITF Women's Circuit Istanbul 2013


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Strap in for Christine and the Queens' new video for "5 Dollars": Watch
The French singer offers another preview of her forthcoming sophomore LP, Chris
by Clint Worthington
Christine and the Queens 5 Dollars
Continuing the lead-up to the release of her long-awaited second album, Chris, French synth-pop outfit Christine and the Queens has released a new single in "5 Dollars".
A mere month after releasing the upbeat single "Girlfriend", Héloïse Letissier continues her confrontation of gender and sexuality with "5 Dollars". Directed by Colin Solal Cardo (who also helmed the visuals for her previous single "Doesn't Matter"), "5 Dollars" follows Letissier as a dominatrix as she goes through her morning routine. Starting with yoga, shower, and makeup, she moves on to more challenging beats when her closet opens to reveal bondage gear and three-piece suits.
Backed by Christine's delicate vocals and the throbbing delicacy of its synth track, it's an intriguing look at the empowerment that comes from challenging gender presentation: "Some of us just had to fight/ For even being looked at right."
Christine describes the video as "tender" and "disheveled," her character proudly facing her role in the invisible margins of society. What and whom she's preparing for remains unsaid, Christine relishing that ambiguity. "I wouldn't advise to conclude anything too drastic, since you're glaring yourself, in an obscene fashion — voyeur.
Watch the music video for "5 Dollars" below.
Chris is due from Because Records on September 21st.
Album Announcement
Huntress singer Jill Janus dies of suicide at 43
Fox News mistakes Patti LaBelle for Aretha Franklin


This paintings introduces the real rising area powers of the world.
Brian Harvey describes the origins of the japanese area software, from rocket designs according to WW II German U-boats to tiny sturdy gasoline 'pencil' rockets, which resulted in the release of the 1st eastern satellite tv for pc in 1970. the subsequent chapters relate how Japan elevated its area software, constructing small satellites into astronomical observatories and sending missions to the Moon, Mars, comet Halley, and asteroids.
Chapter four describes how India's Vikram Sarabhai built a sounding rocket software within the Sixties. the next bankruptcy describes the growth of the Indian area software. bankruptcy 6 relates how the Indian house application is calling forward to the good fortune of the moon probe Chandrayan, as a result of release in 2008, and its first manned launching in 2014. Chapters 7, eight, and nine display how, in Iran, communications and distant sensing force area technology.
Chapter 10 outlines Brazil's highway to area, all started within the mid-1960's with the release of the Sonda sounding rockets. the next chapters describe Brazil's satellites and area release structures and plans for the longer term. Chapters thirteen and 14 examine Israel's area undefined. the following chapters examine the burgeoning area courses of North and South Korea.
The e-book ends via contrasting and evaluating all of the area courses and speculating how they might evolve sooner or later. An appendix lists all launches and release makes an attempt thus far of the rising house powers.
Why have been a few international locations in a position to construct "developmental states" within the many years after international conflict II whereas others weren't? via a richly specific exam of India's adventure, Locked in position argues that the serious issue used to be the response of family capitalists to the state-building undertaking. in the course of the Nineteen Fifties and Sixties, India introduced a really formidable and very hot application of state-led improvement.
This can be the tale of a technology instructor and her paintings in an over-crowded and under-resourced township secondary tuition in modern South Africa. whereas set firmly within the current, it's also a trip into the previous, laying off clean mild on how the legacy of apartheid schooling maintains to have a huge effect on instructing and studying in South Africa.
These licensing arrangements have rarely been discussed much in public, but they appear to be a running sore to at least some Japanese. Whilst the licenses forbade the transfer of the technology to third parties or countries, a normal and reasonable condition, the operation of the agreements also effectively prohibited Japan from offering its American-derived launchers on the world commercial market. Some of the technology associated with the licenses was classified and the Japanese were not allowed to know about some of the components that they were themselves operating.
Can Japan still make a contribution to science, despite its late start? Is a satellite project feasible? Can Japan achieve a satellite using indigenous technology, or should it rely on the United States? How can a satellite be tracked without a tracking center outside Japan? Events began to move at a faster pace now. In 1965, the National Space Activities Council gave the go-ahead for a scientific satellite program proposed by ISAS. Professor Itokawa proposed the development of a new rocket, the Mu, as an operational satellite launcher and this was authorized in August 1966.
The unit's first rocket was a 25-kg surface-toair rocket. The unit developed, in the Yokosuka dockyard, the Funryu anti-ship solid-fuelled missile (Funryu 1 and 2) and a more ambitious anti-ship liquid-fuelled guided missile (Funryu 3 and 4), flying one to an altitude of 32 km. Kawasaki and Mitsubishi between them developed air-to-surface missiles with a thrust of 250 kg for 75 sec and a range of 8 km. Japan's wartime rockets would have made more impact had they reached mass production. Itokawa himself stayed with conventional aircraft and was not involved in Japan's construction of a rocket fighter.