vallo

Well, I know now what you all mean when you say "memory update". I can't recommend it, not even as a little change to spice things up a bit.

[ Filtered to Genya ]

What's the last thing you remember from home really? I appreciate the ambiguity you gave to me the other day, but I'd appreciate knowing specifics.

My thanks to all who have already volunteered to assist with the Outlanders and Animals Calendar project. The window to volunteer is not yet closed. If you wish to participate in any capacity, please use the sign-up sheet at The Art of Expression.

[Filtered to Volunteer Photographers, Designers, Dressers, Managers, etc. for the Outlander Calendar Project]
Good morning, all. Thank you for your interest in this project, and for your willingness to meet with me, show your very impressive portfolios, and begin the process of this great undertaking.

I would like to bring all of us together for a design meeting as soon as possible. Would you be so kind as to indicate your availability over the coming week for a discussion of artistic concepts?

For your future reference, here is the current list of animal models who will be joining our people; I have transcribed notes on names and descriptions where I have them.

[Identical list to the one for the Models below]
[/filter]

[Filtered to Volunteer Models for the Outlander Calendar Project]
Good morning, all. Thank you for your interest and participation in this project. I have received the final list of animal models from the Sanctuary and the Shelter, and I would like to offer you all the opportunity to make special requests to be paired with specific animals. I cannot guarantee that these requests will be honored, especially if more than one person expresses an interest in a particular animal, but I will do my best.

Also, as we have had a great deal of interest in modeling, please drop by the sign-up sheet at The Art of Expression to indicate if you would be willing to be paired with another human model for your shoot.

( Animal Models )
[/filter]

[Filtered to Lan Wangji]
Will has invited me to live with him and A-Xiang at the Dragon Covert. I have not yet had the opportunity to ask A-Xiang for his formal permission to court Will.
[/filter]

Good morning ☀️ hunnies!! 🤗🥰😘 Remember me? 👋👋

It was a little over a year 📅 ago that (❗️❗️ THIS IS HUGE ❗️❗️) my interest in gardening 🌱💮 was sparked 💥 thanks to some sudden 👸💆‍♀️💅 memories from home 🧝🔮. It was a bit later on in the season, so while some plants 🌿🌴 were still able to thrive (❗️❗️❗️❗️❗️❗️❗️❗️), many of those more suited for spring 🍃 had to be skipped. This year 📅, however, is a different story 🎉🥳🙌 and it has been quite nice to leave the house 🏡 in the morning 🌄☕ to see so many blooms 🌼🌻🌹, those practical for components ✨ and simply for aesthetics 🧐 alike.

UMMM! 😱😱😱 Not that I can claim all credit for them, of course. 😇🤫 I think it is fair to say that Yasha 🌩️🌷 is far more gifted 🎁 in that area than I am.

So any boss babes 🤸💁💅 wanna join my amazing team ✌️ and change the world?? 🌍👯‍🤗

[...] This is what I get for hoping 🤞🤞🤞 whatever has been happening on here was over. 🤣💀 How ridiculous. 🤪

CALEB

Hey hottie~ 🔥💖💋 random question for you! 💓🔎📝

😊😊😊 Your birthday 🎂🎈 is in a few weeks 📅❗️❗️ and I thought that rather than plan an event 🥳 for you without asking permission again 🙊🤷🙃, I would see if you wanted to do 😏 anything in particular. I thought asking might also prevent any of our friends 🍭💥🌊⚡ from making potentially unwanted 🙅⛔ plans, as well. 😅

[...] I am so sorry. 🙇‍♂️🤦

[ooc - the filter works, but feel free to do whatever in other comments]

This is most certainly not October weather. And I'm pretty sure the last thing I remember, I was still in my apartment.

Don't tell me all my things were given away.

Is there anyone around who still remembers a Genya Safin hanging around?

I suppose that living here, one must eventually grow accustomed to having their friends disappear.

I just spent ten hours drafting plans for a costume and then it occurred to me that it might be a little offensive to some people. UGH

Though, now that I think about it, I could put a question out to the people of Vallo. Because I love you all and would never want to offend, even accidentally. Unless you're an asshole and need to be offended, then I'm all over it. BUT, that's besides the point. Do we have still have any vampires?

Just get made Queen and than disappear.

The short live reign Queen Zoya Nazyalensk of Ravka.

Nik is going to lose his mind.

It is day three of school and I had one of my students that I taught last year stop and give me a pastry before classes started and it gave me a feeling that I think some might describe as "warm" and "fuzzy".

On a less sentimental note: a new podcast should become available this evening, for those who are interested in such things. Topics include a slightly deeper dive into the manipulation of time and the historical hurdles can crop up within that scope of magic, a story about how I solely used Mage Hand to cause general mayhem to my younger brother when our mother was not around after I first learned it as a youth, and a comprehensive and infallible list of the best autumnal beverages and foods around Vallo -- as they say on various internet articles, number one will shock you. (Note: Number one will not shock you, if you know me at all.)

Rosh Hashanah will be upon us soon, and it's one of the holidays I do try to celebrate here - I can't say I am good about celebrating all of them, in accordance with my faith, but I have the time and space to at least try so that's what I plan to do again. I also plan to host a dinner at our penthouse, for anyone interested in attending and you don't have to be Jewish, you can just like food - the standard Rosh Hashanah foods will be available (challah, apples and honey, etc) but I also plan to rope my grandson Tommy into helping me make plenty of pierogi (surprise, Tommy). Everything will take place on the evening of September 6th.

One of the traditions for Rosh Hashanah is also to try something new, a hobby or a game or visit a new place, or make a list of what you no longer need and getting rid of those things - to make a donation. For that part, Anka Irene will help me - she has a lot of toys and clothes that could be donated elsewhere, and it's always a good feeling to kind of start fresh with things. Even if sometimes, here, we're forced to start over again very unexpectedly sometimes.

I think I've finally managed to work out how to use this.

Salutations,

My name is Will Laurence, and I've only just arrived. As strange as it all is to adjust to, I've felt quite welcome; I don't think I've ever known a people so prone to burst into song before, and I grew up on Ships where Work Songs were quite common.

Second, I've been under the impression, and I hope that someone can correct me, that Vallo does not possess a Dragon Covert. If I'm incorrect, I would appreciate it if someone could point me in the Correct Direction. If I'm correct, I would appreciate any help in regards to finding a Location where a Heavy-Weight Dragon may wait to be found, or, if anyone has discovered a Dragon who goes by the name of Temeraire, if they could take me to him.

Respectfully,
Wm. Laurence

Late nights going over lesson plans mean trancing, which in turn means early mornings to enjoy my ring that is once again negating my sensitivity to the sun. Malla tagged along and looked as at home as ever. ( Cut for picture! )

I ah am hoping that all are recovering well as Vallo seems to right itself after the most recent ordeal.

XHORHAUS

As a further update, I experimented with seeing where my magic stood after the walk by trying to teleport and we now have an assortment of pastries in the kitchen, because I was very excited as this means my magic is fully back and I expressed that excitement the only way I know how at this point. Please enjoy.

JESTER

How are you feeling?

If you would like a brief respite from whatever is going on outside, might I suggest listening to a very specific podcast?

In other words, I just uploaded a new one where I talk about basic theories of time manipulation and how it relates to a scientific study of spacetime, a recipe for candied carrot soup, and the tale of how an experiment gone awry is why I keep my hair short. All very riveting stuff -- or, at the very least, a break for the ears if the volume of your device is up high enough.

And that is officially enough marketing of myself for today.

As always, there's a lot going on (and some headaches) but FYI: After months and months, I finally got everything together for a literal, actual, functional bed and breakfast - instead of a dark and dreary enchanted hoarder castle in the forest, my father's former place is now The Princess & The Pea and will be officially open for business on Monday. A lot of it is warded off but there are still places to look around (if you're into fairytale stuff), a rose garden, and six rooms available for the b&b experience; all those rooms have been redone. We also got bathrooms hooked up for each so no chamber pots, don't worry. Regina makes the food and it's fantastic. I hired some locals but if anyone else is looking to work in hospitality, let me know.

Thanks to Kady and Jake for helping set the place up, helping to fix any snafus, and also helping to taste test all the food. And thanks to my kid for giving me an answer when I asked 'so what would you name a b&b if you could pick anything?'

Well. I suppose I missed a great deal being off the mainland and avoiding the network. It would explain a lot though.

As luck would have it, Vallo decided to bring me something I did not expect to be gifted in the days after finding out about my husband's death. I got photographs. A great deal of them, some even from the wedding, but enough of them from all the time before. I was about ready to hurl something across the room, but before I could, I just wished that this loss would just stop hurting, that I could stop feelings stabs in my heart every time I thought of David in particular, but also of Zoya and Nikolai.

And just like that, I stopped feeling the pain. I guess sometimes Vallo does things correctly?

I missed Pride weekend though. That's a damn shame.

Filter: Erik

I'm ready to go back to my apartment.

Filter: Allison

I can pick up the furball in a short while once I'm back. Later tonight?

I need to go.

I don't know where. Just anywhere. Anywhere that's considered a very remote vacation spot with nobody around here.

Zoya and Nikolai are gone on the cusp of me receiving memories of the fact that I'm now a widow, and I want to just get away for a few days.

Filtered to Allison Hargreeves

I'm going to need a few days off from the salon. Things have happened back in my world.

WHO: Erik & Genya
WHAT: Genya gets a canon update and it SUCKS
WHERE: Morningside
WHEN: Today, early
WARNINGS: Talk of grief and loss, Grishaverse spoilers also FYI
STATUS: Complete

( People just want to hurt others instead of understanding and it’s-- I’m sorry. )

It is officially my Vallo anniversary. Valloversary? Didn't think I'd actually be living here for a full year, although in my defense, I was also not thinking I'd be living in Texas for two years before landing here either.

Anyway. What do people do in this occasion? I'm assuming it's not a party right now considering the circumstances.

These teletypers are clever things, aren't they?

I thought you were supposed to write letters with them at first. It's a bit more like talking in a crowded room, isn't it?

My name is Penance, Miss Adair if you prefer, and I've just arrived. I'm a hard worker and I don't mind getting my hands dirty with honest work. I enjoy making things, though I don't know how impressive that will be here. I'm from 1899 and it looks like you already have autocarriages and brighteners and just about everything I could dream of. I can drive, but I also grew up in the country so I'd be willing to help or start anywhere you put me.

Some of you have turns, as well. My turn is to see energy, helps me with my inventions. Might I just say, it gladdens my heart to see everyone getting along; outlanders and locals, those with turns and those without. I suppose this is the Lord's way of showing me what such a world is like. Even with your present troubles, it's a kindness to see such a united front.

I'm going to stop myself before this does become a letter.

Thank you.

I do recall at the end of April saying it seemed like the month was suspiciously quiet for the most part.

I do apologize for that now because it seemed like Vallo decided "You want excitement? I'll give you excitement." Oops. In any case, I'm pretty sure I took the world's longest showers when we got home, so I think if the apartment ran out of hot water, that's on me too.