I believe that Shuhu, Emanator of Abundance, is not dead and is currently hiding in Luocha's coffin. When the trailblaze missions inevitably return to the Xianzhou, Luocha is going to pop the lid, reveal Shuhu in front of the Xianzhou Marshal and Generals, and everyone will lose their shit.
Ok, so I don't think it's necessarily going to happen like that. But I do believe that there are enough hints in the lore to suggest that Shuhu is going to return as part of the Xianzhou plotline, and that Luocha's sketchy connections to the Abundance may be a part of that.
The Background
Shuhu is an Emanator of Abundance. By all accounts, he is not a good guy. The Disciples of Sanctus Medicus revere him as a direct disciple of Yaoshi, per the Thousand-Handed Merciful Medicus' Salvation readable, he's led numerous battles against the Xianzhou Alliance-not surprising considering the Xianzhou's typical attitude towards the Abundance. The creepiest bit is found in Xueyi and Hanya's backstories.
Hanya Character Story III:

A colossal, walking tree approached her amidst the chaos of the battlefield. Extending its myriad branches, it impaled all who stood in its path, including her comrades. As she gripped her fractured sword for a desperate struggle, she suddenly saw a smiling face blossoming upon the tree — a reflection of her sister's face.
"It's me, my dear sister. Don't you recognize me?"
The branches and leaves rustled, and the faces of her companions sprouted like fruits from the treetops, emanating raucous laughter. "Do not succumb to death. Do not grow accustomed to it. Embrace me... become a part of me..."

Xueyi Character Story III:

She looked up from the blood and fire of the scorched earth. On the ground lay thousands of familiar but lifeless faces, including that of her sister.
But she couldn't find her own face.
"I can save her. I can save all of you. All it takes is a wave of the branch and I can teach flesh to regrow from the mere bones or let petals rise up out of the dust to the flower once more. You know very well I can."
Underneath her, a strange tree with a thousand faces spoke to her, and to everyone. THEY waved THEIR branches, penetrating deep into the earth.
"I am Shuhu. I am eternal. From me, you shall gain true immortality."

So yeah, not a good guy...tree-thing.
The second major clash between the Xianzhou and Shuhu that I'm going to mention is the one that occurred 700 years with the High Cloud Quintet. Shuhu ostensibly died in that one after Baiheng rammed him with a starskiff and a 'sun of absolute darkness', presumed by many fans to be a Stellaron.
From Dan Heng IL Character Story III:

he observed himself turning into a dragon, entangled and fighting claw-and-fangs against that bulb of shapeshifting shadow of flesh and blood. In an illusion seen on the verge of death, the emissary of the god showed him an unsettling, beautiful scene — the stars pulsated and sang hymns like red blood cells, and the universe descended into an abyss of flesh and desires. The dragon heart beat to its limit, raising its fangs, breath, and fury — however, no matter how mighty it was, a "lifeform" cannot defy the true body of god of life's envoy.
...Until a starskiff ran everything through like an arrow shaft. He saw that girl crawling out of the ruins with great difficulty, lifting a "sun" of absolute darkness in her hand. In that fleeting eternity, he saw her hand disappear, saw her face disappear, and saw HER disappear — That item had ground everything around it into the finest dust and dragged them into a vortex of raw power, including that girl.

This same character story has someone-presumably Yingxing/Blade-telling Dan Feng, "Shuhu is dead". According to Jingliu in her Companion quest, Shuhu completely disappeared.

Jingliu: ...still, all of that was erased. After Shuhu attacked the borders, he disappeared without a trace. There are no records of his remains, either.

but that makes no sense because...

Jingliu: As smart as he was, he made the foolish attempt to use the flesh of the Abundance Emanator to aid Imbibitor Lunae in resurrecting his deceased companion.
Jingliu: His stupidity turned him into a monster, cursed with immortality. His soul was shattered and became the evil that he hated most. The irony...

There was enough left of Shuhu for Dan Feng and Yingxing to presumably take Shuhu's remains and embark upon their ill-fated attempt at resurrecting Baiheng. It's also not true that there's no record of Shuhu's remains: presumably, they're also in the Shackling Prison under the control of the Ten Lords Commission.
Ten-Lords Commission Criminal Directory readable:

Remarks: At present, we are unsure if he is the one sealed in the box or not... We will keep the box in the lowest level of the prison for now. It must not be opened unless authorized by the marshal and the Ten Lords altogether.

So it seems that in the official records, Shuhu disappeared, in the Ten Lords Commission records, the remains are in the Shackling Prison, but according to Jingliu, were also being used for Dan Feng to commit the Sedition with. That's three separate stories. I smell a cover up. (And given how destabilizing the events of the Sedition were, there's plausible reason for a cover-up.)
The last two points are compatible--it's possible that the Ten Lords Commission took Shuhu's remains into custody along with Dan Feng after he committed his crimes. But it's also possible that somehow, Yingxing and Dan Feng stole Shuhu's remains from the Ten Lords Commission, or that they took the remains from the battlefield before the Ten Lords even came into the picture, and the Commission's never had the remains at all.
Regardless, I don't think the Commission has Shuhu's remains right now at all, just because of the wording of that readable. They don't know if Shuhu is actually in the box and are too scared to check? This really seems like foreshadowing to me. It's the perfect setup--they go to check on the box, it's empty, dun dun dun, new plot hook.
At this point, it seems like we're supposed to assume that Shuhu is done and dusted. There are no more significant appearances-the Xianzhou's longtime antagonist has been defeated, killed, and (possibly) imprisoned. So why am I here telling you that Shuhu isn't dead? Well, it's highly likely that killing Shuhu isn't enough to end him.
Xueyi Character Story III, again:

The branches laughed shrilly, letting each head speak one word on THEIR behalf, stringing together a sentence, "Teng Xiao, what do you plan on using to kill me this time? I'm curious."

This quote implies that Shuhu has been killed many times before, but it clearly didn't stick. Shuhu is the emissary of life and can grant immortality. Witness Blade, who has also died many, times, unsuccessfully. And Blade's immortality is somehow derived from Shuhu. His talent is called Shuhu's Gift, he used Shuhu's flesh trying to resurrect Baiheng...it's not unreasonable to assume that the Emanator has even greater powers of regeneration.
And if Shuhu resurrected himself during the Sedition, he would have ample opportunity to escape. There was a lot going on and people would be distracted with the dragon monster rampage. Or maybe Shuhu was still restrained somehow, or still dead, and couldn't escape, but that Jingliu took his imprisoned remains at around the same time she took Yingxing to turn him into sword practice, and he resurrected later...but she doesn't mention nicking Emanator flesh in the Companion quest. On the other hand, why would she? Either way, Shuhu's location before and after the Sedition is unaccounted for, and there are a variety of ways he could have gotten off the Xianzhou and into a location where he could make a deal with Luocha.
So what reason do we have to believe that Shuhu is in Luocha's coffin? Admittedly, the evidence for this is more tangential and speculative than the evidence for Shuhu not being dead. But there are a couple of hints that could go in this direction. First of all, whatever is in Luocha's coffin is bound to be a major plot point in future Xianzhou quests. It being something related to the dubiously-deceased, potentially uncaptured Emantor of Abundance who happens to be one of the Xianzhou's worst enemies ties it into the broader Xianzhou arc.
Jingliu's Companion Quest:

Jing Yuan: Hmph... as I expected. Your surrender is just the next step in your scheme. You wish to avail yourself of the Ten Lords' decree to enter the Xuling and stand before the six generals — even the marshal. That is your true agenda...
Jing Yuan: ...and the purpose of the contents of your coffin.

Second, saying that Luocha is suspicious is like saying water is wet. Everything about the guy is sketchy and vague. He has Abundance related powers, but has teamed up with Jingliu on her quest to ultimately kill the Aeon of Abundance, and we have no idea why. Let's look at some of the coffin mentions.
Every time he's asked about the coffin in the quest, he says some variant of the following:
Pallbearing Merchant, Swordwielding Recruit:

What's in that coffin?

Luocha: Ah, a story of ill luck. I found myself embroiled in a conflict and ended up owing a favor... Now I must assist in delivering these remains back to the Xianzhou.

Wood Sprouts Anew, Fate Tilts Askew

Luocha: Haha, miss, whatever gave you that impression? The individual in the coffin is neither friend nor relative — we met only once. By chance, I made someone a promise, and so I have to run this errand.
Luocha: Let's leave it at that, shall we? I think we've all had enough rest.

He made a promise with an unknown person to bring these remains to the Xianzhou. But who? Was it Jingliu, his partner in crime? Or was it with whoever's in the coffin?
Luocha Character Story III:

"Tool of my trade... I hope I didn't offend you," Luocha stood in a pavillion in the Exalting Sanctum, murmuring to himself, "But then again, our relationship does count as a business relationship, doesn't it?"

Luocha Character Story IV:

The coffin made no sound. It did not protest and had no right to protest. "When you keep silent, you are free."...
"Go to the Xianzhou," the one who gave him the coffin said, "Don't forget your promise." "Never."

He has a business relationship with whoever's in the coffin, pointing to a deal. Potentially promising an imprisoned Shuhu freedom?
What really gets me is his lightcone text:

Under the watch of the white irises, he knocks on the coffin. "Sometimes I feel I underestimated you by proposing this deal." He receives no response other than a thorny branch piercing through his palm. Yet he smiles, and tightly grasps the thorn.

"Indeed. This is how it is. We wanted to use each other, and both ended up underestimating the other."
Whatever's in the coffin can control vines and branches, and Shuhu took the form of a tree in Xueyi and Hanya's memories. It also points to a somewhat antagonistic relationship, despite the mysterious deal.
Look, I have no idea why Luocha, who seems to hold anti-Abundance views despite having Abundance powers and saying things like, "The dead return" and "It's natural for short-life species to seek immortality", would willingly enter into a deal with an Emanator of Abundance who by all accounts is Yaoshi's #1 fan. But...it doesn't seem out of character. Luocha is a manipulative, sketchy bastard and maybe he thought he could get the better of any deal with Shuhu. Shuhu, if he's imprisoned, would naturally want to be freed, and if he already was free, might want access to the Xianzhou for revenge.
There's also a low outside chance that the Emanator of Abundance turned against Yaoshi the way Luocha seems to have, but this seems unlikely. I'd find it more likely that Luocha is actually on the side of the Abundance and working to secretly undermine poor mara-struck Jingliu, or playing both sides, before that.
All right, let me know what you think. There's just a lot of inconsistency about Shuhu's ultimate fate, and speculating that he's actually in Luocha's coffin because of a ~secret deal~ is just my best guess.

Hey have been working on an opener for my grimdark fantasy book series that I recently started and was hoping for some feedback.
I remember my first memories with distinct clarity, the memory seeping into my skull as no other had before. I remember the scene of carnage, the dead scattered in their tangled ways, ripped apart by some beast of darkness, for that was what had consumed the area. How I knew I sat in darkness, I still know not, but I have ever been able to see through the darkness as most do through the transparency of water, distorted yet clear. I shivered in the chill of the deep cave I resided in and moved not at all apart from my gazing over the desolate scene. I ate up the carnage with eyes of curiosity and can still see at night the bodies of seeming strangers. They seemed a collective group based on their clothing and were all of an age of perhaps 30 or less. The bodies - 12 in all - lay around me like a pistil surrounded by petals of some grim flower. I moved only to turn and see the artistry in full and noticed the blood pooling at my feet as I stood. I wore no shoes and tattered clothes as though the beast that had devoured these people had done the same to my clothes alone. I felt the blood welled up at my toes, then ankles and still, the thought of abandoning my post never occurred to me. I stared on, seeing now that the cave was more of a pit and with my position at the bottom of the subtle decline from all around. It was perfectly circular, as though the very earth were sinking under the weight of my unknown sin. Living still while all other life was lost. The room above was lost to my eyes apart from the doming walls that also roofed above me.
Above all else, I remember the silence that I have never again heard. It was a silence that spoke of tragedy and emptiness. It enveloped me and held me in my prison, overlooking the littered lives of humans, living no more. Soon, the silence was accompanied by a smell. At first, it was the metallic smell of blood, but it soon turned rotten subtly and slowly. Even the smell couldn’t discourage my basic needs, and it wasn’t long before my hunger grew along with my thirst. Still, I stood and watched. I can remember each face with striking certainty: the ragged clothes they wore, their facial features and even their wounds. To describe the picture would be simple, and never have I given a description to another soul. The image was my burden to keep, and even as a boy of seven, I knew this to be true. So I stayed the observer, with no other thoughts or ideas behind my fragile mind but the ever-deepening imprint of what lay before me.
At some point, my body gave out, and my mind with it. Father found me then and took me to what I called home for many a year. Why he saved the child spawned from this horror, I have never asked. Still, the nightmare haunts me, in the day as often as night. I asked very few questions about that day or days and still fear the sight that lies so ingrained in my mind’s eye. Father calls my acts in that time one of trauma and bids me to forget it and, by doing so, conquer said trauma. In this, I have ever been in absolute disagreement with him, for I know that day’s meaning for the truth I remember. On that day, I was broken and could never be fixed. On that day my fate was sealed to be as I am now. On that day a boy was shattered and killed with the rest leaving only a shadow behind. The thirteenth victim rose from the dead like a flower of death rising from the corpses of its brethren. On that day I was reborn.

This is not a replacement for a doctor. This is a booster to cover all your bases.
Needed.
Half cup of Florida water perfume.
A half cup of rose water.
Seeds from 6 red apples.
Petals from any red flower.
A lukewarm bath.
A 7 day ORANGE candle.
Now mix it all it together and soak for at least a hour. Connect with your ancestors and visualize yourself in amazing health.
Burn the orange seven-day candle until it's gone.
Stay healthy y'all.

Hi there! We just wrapped up our wedding last weekend and I found this community super helpful when I was researching and planning my own wedding. I'm sharing this breakdown in hopes that I can give back to the group via some information sharing! I'm modeling this post after another super helpful budget breakdown post I saw a few weeks ago. Feel free to AMA in the comments - though I'm heading out on our honeymoon in two days and may be slow to reply while we're gone! :)

What is NOT included in the breakdown:

Engagement ring, wedding bands, honeymoon, bachelor & bachelorette parties. And the following things were covered by our parents as a gift: rehearsal dinner ($700 + tip for 30 people at Peking Restaurant), hotel stay (~$500 for 2 nights at Infinity Hotel), after party (~$300 + tip for 25 people at Campus Bar in the Marina)

The breakdown:

Expense	Cost	Vendor	Notes
All-Inclusive Elite Package for 90 guests	$31,353.77	Wedgewood Weddings	Included Ceremony + Reception Venue Booking, Invitations, Cake Cutting Set, DJ, Catering, Set Up/Breakdown, Open Bar, Linens, Table Settings, Cake, Floral Centerpieces, Sweetheart Table Florals, plus bonus decor they provided (votives, easels, table stands)
Additional Florals (Centerpieces & Sweetheart Table included in above line item)	$2,865.15	Angella Floral Design (WW Vendor)	Arch Florals, 1 large Bride Bouquet, 6 Bridesmaid Bouquets, Aisle Petals, Large Welcome Table Floral, Floral arrangement for base of sign
Bistro Lights and Draping	$3,310.00	Brown A/V (WW Vendor)
Photo & Video	$4,000.00	Gala Photo & Films	8 hours of photo and video, We had two photographers & 1 videographer. Includes a 3-5 min highlight reel, 30-45 min documentary style video, 500-700 edited photos, and an engagement shoot. Marc and Gia were amazing through this entire process, and I 100% recommend their team.
Save the Dates	$40.00	Canva + USPS
Boba Cart	$1,308.00	Boba Passion	Two hours of boba bar serving time (fully staffed) and a really cute boba bar cart. Sharlene and Lowell were so sweet to work with, and had a really great tasting process so that I could build my boba menu. This was a huge hit with the guests!
Misc Decor	$678.08	Etsy & Amazon	Match Bottle Favors, Seating Chart, Guest Book, Card Box, Flower Girl Baskets, Dried Florals for Table Setting, Welcome Mirror, Blankets for Guests
Donuts & Egg Tarts	$302	Dynamo Donuts & AA Bakery	Cake was included in our package, but we also ordered donuts for our vegan guests and egg tarts for our older Chinese guests. We ordered for pick up and had a family member pick up & drop off to the venue. The venue graciously provided dessert table decor (stands, donut wall holder)
Suit	$3,000	Tailor's Keep	My partner really wanted to splurge on his suit, especially because he works in finance and will have plenty of opportunities to rewear it. He got a fully custom-made suit + shirt made by the SF location of Tailor's Keep and absolutely loved the process. Definitely a splurge though!
Wedding Dress	$1,400	Blue Sky Bridal	A beautiful secondhand Louvienne Theo dress (it had pockets!) which originally retailed for close to $3K. Highly recommend Blue Sky Bridal for an amazing selection of secondhand and sample (basically new!) dresses. It was great to be able to shop "second hand" and still have a boutique-like shopping experience. All of the dresses are in amazing condition and well-taken care of.
Dress Alterations	$589.23	Le Caprice	I had my dress hemmed (had a few layers), buttons added down the back, bust adjusted to fit better, straps shortened, added a bustle, and cups put in. They also pressed my dress before pick up.
Cathedral Veil	$327.38	Le Caprice	I ordered a cheap one off of Azazie and absolutely hated how it looked/laid, so splurged for a nicer one from Le Caprice. If I had to do it again, I probably would've spent more time looking for a more affordable veil.
Hair & Make Up (Bride)	$680	Joyce Zhou Designs	Joyce was super sweet and knew exactly how to work with my Asian features. My hair held through 16MPH SF winds the day of the ceremony, which I was so grateful for! This also included a 15 minute hair & make up session for the groom.
Hair & Make Up (Trial)	$380	Joyce Zhou Designs
Hair & Make Up (Partial for Bridesmaids & Family)	$1,370	Joyce Zhou Designs	It was $230 for both hair & make up per bridesmaid, and $130 if you only did one service. We covered the full cost for our family members and $130 per bridesmaid. This total includes the full cost of single service for MOG & Best Person ($130 each), full cost of hair and make up for MOB and MOH ($230 each), and then 5 additional bridesmaids. They did services for 9 people, plus myself and my partner.
Groomsmen Suits	$1,500	SuitSupply	We contributed $500 per groomsmen for them to buy a custom suit from SuitSupply. The suits turned out great and now all of our groomsmen have something they can rewear in the future!
Bridesmaid Dresses	$643.13	Azazie	I let my bridesmaids choose the style of their dresses, and then waited for a Black Friday sale to order them. We covered the cost of the dresses.
Lion Dancers	$700	Leung's White Crane Association	We paid $700 which included 2 lions for a 15-20 minute performance that included benches + scrolls.
String Quartet	$1,170	SF Conservatory of Music	Hands down one of the best last minute decisions we made. The guests loved it, it made the ceremony music extra special, and it didn't cost and arm & a leg since we went through the SFCM. Someone on this Reddit thread suggested them and I could not be more grateful!
Tips	$990	-	There was a 22% service charge included with our WW bill, but we felt that many of our vendors went above and beyond so we tipped them. We gave $150 to our DJ, $100 to our coordinator, $350 to our photo/video team, and I can't remember the exact dollar amounts but also tipped 4 servers, a banquet captain, hair & make up, and the string quartet.

Wedgewood Experience

We went back and forth when booking our venue because we had heard really mixed reviews about Wedgewood Weddings. At the end of the day, my partner and I didn't have a strong preference regarding our vendors and our top priority was to have a stress-free and painless wedding planning process. Since we didn't have a "vision" for the big day, Wedgewood was absolutely perfect for us. Their planning process is well structured, organized, and saved us the headache of having to vet, source, and coordinate with our own vendors. And, because they turn over weddings on a regular basis there were so many things that they provided that we didn't need to purchase because they just have on hand for each wedding. For example, they had a cake stand, ceremony arch (those are expensive to rent!), easels for our signs, table numbers (we opted to use our own) and table number holders.
We did the Elite package (the top tier) which included almost everything we needed for the day, and then worked with our Wedgewood coordinators to make actual selections regarding menu, design/decor, and all of that fun stuff. All of the vendors we booked through Wedgewood were amazing (DJ, florist, cake, open bar, etc.) and we got really great feedback on the food as well which was probably the strongest unknown for us (we did a buffet with salads, rice pilaf, panko chicken, five cheese tortellini, and a prime rib carving station).
The coordinator was also able to handle a lot of other things the day of like tip distribution, setting up all of our personal decor, managing our timeline, and even coordinated with a few of our outside vendors (lion dancers, boba bar, photo/video, and string quartet). Their services were so comprehensive we absolutely didn't need any outside coordination services. Our day of coordinator was AMAZING and I really appreciated how on top of things he was. We had a snafu where our lion dancers were double booked (!) and 40 minutes late to our grand entrance, and our coordinator finessed our timeline and worked with the DJ to make sure the switch up was seamless. The guests didn't notice that anything had gone wrong, and it was so nice that we didn't have to worry about it ourselves.
Re: The Log Cabin specifically - We thought the venue was the perfect size for a wedding of 90 people or smaller. It was perfectly warm, cozy and intimate which is what we wanted. The outdoor ceremony area has an amazing peekaboo view of the Golden Gate Bridge, and Karl the Fog cooperated so that we could have the perfect backdrop to our ceremony. I know when I was reviewing venues, one of the concerns someone else had raised about The Log Cabin was that it is just over the freeway (where cars enter the GGB) and that there's a softball field nearby that makes parking difficult. We didn't have issues with either -- no one even noticed that the freeway was there, and the A/V system made it so it wasn't an issue even if there was any freeway noise. Our package included a parking lot buy out so parking was a breeze and it also included a security guard to ensure no one random strolled onto the property.

Areas for Cost Savings

• Wedding Party: We covered a lot of things for our wedding party because it was within our means and we wanted to show our appreciation for them. In lieu of wedding party gifts, we covered half the bridesmaids hair & make up services (and made the other half optional), subsidized the groomsmen suits, and paid for the bridesmaid dresses. This is definitely something that would have saved us several thousand dollars if we hadn't, and I think our wedding party would have been totally fine if we hadn't.
• Lights: Bistro lights and draping made for amazing photos, but this was definitely a nice to have and not a need to have.
• Party favors: Honestly, I had read so many comments about not doing them because most people leave them behind. We did custom match bottles and small dried floral magnets, and most of them got left behind. However, we went into it knowing that it might be the case but decided to still move forward because we thought it would add a nice look to the table scape. There were a few people who were extremely sentimental and thrilled to have the favors to bring home. We'll see how they look in photos once the detail pics come in. :) If you're looking for an area to cut costs though, ABSOLUTELy skip the favors.
• Wedding Dress: I definitely could have found a more affordable wedding dress via David's Bridal, Brides for a Cause, or even at Blue Sky Bridal (there were plenty of options <$1000) but I ended up falling in love with my dress. If you're on a budget, definitely stick to trying on dresses within that range or you might risk getting attached to something out of budget. I didn't want to spend $1400 on my dress, but made the mistake of pulling it off the rack without checking the price tag. I was lucky enough to be able to afford it, but would have been heartbroken if I couldn't.
• Groom's Suit: Honestly, Tailor's Keep was such a splurge but my now husband was SO SO happy with the process. I think if you're not someone who wears suits a lot, or just doesn't have a need for that nice of a suit you could rent to save $. Or if you want to get a nice custom suit that doesn't break the bank, SuitSupply did an amazing job with our groomsmen suits and had plenty of options in the $500-800 range.
• Veil: I splurged on my veil (~$300) and this is probably my biggest regret. You only wear it for the ceremony - and my ceremony was SO windy - and it honestly doesn't end up looking the way you think it will trailing behind you... unless you have a perfectly windless day. Most of my photos are without the veil, and I think they looked amazing without it. If I could do it over, I'd nix the veil and save myself a few hundred dollars.
• Extra Desserts: We had so much leftover dessert... at the end of the night most people are off at the bar, using the photo booth, or dancing. I feel like most of our guests either opted to skip or just totally forgot the desserts were there!

On the morning of Mother’s Day this year I received exactly one gift: a dead rat, deposited at my doorstep by my cat, James. James is black and white, slick and elegant, his fur like a tuxedo. If a cat was cast to replace Daniel Craig in the next Bond film, James would be perfect. In fact, the resemblance is how he got his name in the first place.
“Thank you, James,” I said, bending to stroke his fur as we both examined the little rotting carcass on the welcome mat. He looked up at me hopefully as if expecting me to take a nibble of his offering. “I’ll get to that later,” I promised.
The rest of the family had forgotten the holiday. Not that I blamed them. My husband Saito was busy at work, pulling 70-hour shifts as he prepared a series of PowerPoints to explain his company’s corporate structure to a potential buyer. In the meantime, the twins June and Lily were busy with spring soccer and last-minute prep for their upcoming AP tests.
I spent some time idly making myself coffee while the family slept. Then, around 9:00 they all flew past in flurry, the twins off to a soccer game and Saito headed to the office.
It wasn’t until they’d all left, that a lump began to form in my throat, and I headed to the backyard to have a little cry. I felt silly. It was a made up holiday, after all. Not like Christmas or a birthday (though Saito forgot my birthday too this year.)
For a few minutes, I sat on one of the patio chairs, sniffling pathetically, hoping no one returned early to see me like this.
I was about to go back in when I saw James. He was over in the corner of the yard, lying in the shade. Right away, I could tell something was off about him. James always slept curled in a ball, his chin resting on his rear haunch. Today, he was stretched out, bent awkwardly. Even stranger, he seemed to shimmer in the few spots where the dappled sunlight caught his fur.
Slowly, I walked over, clicking my tongue in the way he liked. When he didn’t move, I softly called his name. Finally, I reached out to touch him, only to find his fur wet. Drawing my hand back, I found it red and bloody in the sunlight, which is when I started screaming.
I called Saito a few minutes later.
“I need you to come home,” I said. “James is dead.”
“Your friend James? From college?”
“Our cat!” I realized I was screaming into the phone. “Our only cat!”
I could practically hear him roll his eyes on the far and of the line.
“It’s not a good day for this,” he said. “I can come back a bit early, take care of the body. Just leave it alone for now.”
I spent many hours alone that day, sitting in the backyard. In time, flies found James and began to lick at him with their little straw-mouths, dipping their horrible little hands in his blood and rubbing them together. It was no use shooing them away.
I was sunburned raw by the time Saito came home. He looked at me, incredulous.
“What happened to you?”
“I was standing vigil,” I explained.
He rubbed at the bridge of his nose.
“Where’s the cat?” he asked, and I gestured to the backyard. Every inch of my skin throbbed from the sunburn, but it felt right, like my inside and outside pain matched in some harmonious way.
Saito grabbed a wastebasket and started walking toward the backyard.
“What are you doing?” I asked.
“Taking care of… of James,” he said, trying to use a gentle tone, as if explaining to a child that it was time for bed.
“You’ll bury him,” I said. “At the foot of the maple. Three feet deep at least.”
He shook his head.
“That’s not even legal, hon. Besides, I was working all day. I’m exhausted.”
“Three feet deep,” I said, and then I went into the garage to find his shovel. The one I located was unused, though we must have bought it years ago. I brought it in and handed it to Saito. He took it without a word and went outside.
An hour later, he came in dirty and sweaty. He headed to the shower.
I walked to the maple to find the earth there freshly disturbed from digging. Then I found one of James’s favorite toys–a fuzzy bird that had once had a bell inside–and affixed it to a stick, which I placed at the head of the grave.
At dinner, the twins showed up still in their soccer uniforms. They’d spent the day at the park with friends after the game.
“Happy Mother’s Day,” said June, somewhat sheepishly. She handed me an envelope with a gift card to Jazzy Juice inside.
“Thanks,” I said. “What’s Jazzy Juice?”
“It’s a smoothie thing,” explained Lily. “It’s twenty dollars.”
“Thank you,” I said again, staring at the card. Maybe I was making a face.
“If you don’t want it, I can take it back,” said June. “My friends and I go there all the time.”
“No,” I said. “I love it. I’m sure I’ll love it.”
“Great,” she said, looking disappointed.
The next morning I went out into the backyard and screamed.
James’s grave had been dug up. It was nothing put an empty hole surrounded by a pile of dirt. The stick and the toy were missing too. It didn’t seem that deep. By the time Saito ran out to see what was wrong, I was in tears.
“Three feet deep!” I shouted. “I said three feet deep.”
“The soil gets really rocky when you go down that far,” he said. “I figured it didn’t matter.”
“It mattered!” I screamed.
I decided to take some ‘me’ time that afternoon, so I headed to Jazzy Juice. I tried to figure out the menu while I was in line, but I got overwhelmed by all the options. Finally, when I got to the front of the line, I asked if I could just get a basic orange juice.
“It would be more like an orange smoothie,” said the girl behind the counter, a thin redhead in her twenties, covered in tattoos.
“Oh that’s no good,” I said. “I don’t really like pulp. No pulp please.”
“That’s not really what we do here,” she said. “Maybe it’s a good day to try something new. The Berry Blitz is super popular.”
“I want my orange juice,” I said. I was probably a little rude, but I was at my limit. “I’ve got a gift card,” I added. “For twenty dollars.”
“Fine,” she said. And then, I swear, under her breath she added, “Boomer bitch.”
“Excuse me?”
She didn’t meet my eyes. Instead, she turned and started throwing frozen oranges into a blender.
“I’m forty-four!” I shouted over the noise as she started the blender. “I’m a Millennial! Maybe Gen-X!”
Finally, she handed me my drink. It was so pulpy it clogged the straw.
She shot me a shit-eating smile, “have a nice day!”
I chucked my drink in the garbage on my way out the door.
That night, I found myself crying as I tried to make dinner. I could see the little hole that had once contained James’s body through the kitchen window, and I couldn’t help glancing at it as I tried to peel zucchini.
It struck me that James had been the only one in the world who loved me at all. Even worse, it seemed unlikely that no one would ever love me again. I was aging, chubby, and boring. The world didn’t want me anymore.
Without realizing it, I made a deep cut on my thumb and started bleeding everywhere. For a minute, I just watch the blood ooze out of me, all over the vegetables.
That night, I heard a thump. I tried to shake Saito awake, but he was dead asleep. Finally, I got up and walked downstairs. There was another thump now, louder. Then a series of three more thuds right by the front door.
Slowly, I grabbed a knife from the kitchen and then walked through the darkness. As I did, I heard a familiar sound that seemed impossible: it was James’s distinctive meow, the little cry he’d deliver at the door when he wanted my attention. And yet it was somehow different now, a lower, deeper mewing.
“Hello?” I asked as I walked to the door, but there was no sound now. I heard footsteps outside, not a cat’s but something bigger, maybe human.
Finally, I reached the door and slowly turned the knob. I opened it just a crack, peeking through to see if anyone was outside.
At first, I saw no one. Just the empty street in the moonlight. A few night blooming flowers had opened their petals, but otherwise the neighborhood looked dull and lifeless. Then I looked down and had to stifle a scream.
There, on my doorstep, lay a body, its chest still fluttering with life but mostly torn to shreds. Great, bloody gashes had left the green apron in tatters, the skin’s intricate tattoos sundered to islands of nonsense. The girl’s red hair was now redder.
Though her skull was crushed, her pretty face nearly ripped off the bone, I knew immediately it was the girl from the juice shop.
My body tensed as I watched her chest cease its fluttering and the flow of blood slowed to a trickle. Soon, she was still as the rest of the street.
Then, suddenly, my heart was pounding again, as I realized I was not alone in the darkness. Something dark and massive was moving past the nearby bushes, watching me examine its kill.
Though it moved somewhat like a cat, the thing was far bigger, larger than any tiger I’d ever seen at the zoo. As it grew closer, I saw that it was standing on its hind legs, walking toward me, not quite like a person, but like an animal trying to mimic one.
I could barely breathe now. It was growing closer. Though it moved slowly, I could sense that it could cover the ten feet between us in a moment, far faster than I could slam the door.
“Please,” I said… “Don’t…”
As the creature walked into a slant of moonlight, I realized that it was dressed in a tuxedo. Or were those just the colors of its fur?
“My queen, I would never,” the creature purred, in a low voice. “I live only to serve you.”
I looked down at the dead girl by my feet. I would have to call the police, I knew. I would have to scream for Saito to come and help. There would be so much to explain. But I wasn’t afraid now. That moment had passed. I was here with a friend.
“James?” I asked, and he nodded ever so slightly. “You can’t do this,” I said. “I didn’t want this.”
“But she was so cruel to you,” said James. “She called you a very nasty name. I was hiding a few blocks away, but I heard everything. My ears are very sensitive.”
“But you can’t just kill people,” I said, trying to stuff my growing panic into my stomach. “It’s not… it’s not right.”
“Of course I can,” said James. “In fact, I must. It’s my nature.”
“Never again,” I whispered.
James cocked his head, looking me in the eyes. What was he looking for?
“I could stop if you order it,” he said. “Though that would be unfortunate. You know I love to honor you with gifts. I always have. But go ahead. Make the command and I will disappear, never to leave you another present again.”
I looked down at the dead girl, all torn to shreds. There was a certain beauty in it, like a stained glass window, sublime in its brokenness.
“Just say the word,” James said again.
But I didn’t.
“Thank you,” I finally said, bending to look closer at the dead girl. “For the gift.”
“It was but a trifle, my queen,” said the thing. “Until next time.”
And then, bowing slightly, he backed away and bounded into the darkness.

Petal wand is atrocious.

Gathering: Porcelain dipper collects 3 pollen from 49 patches in 0.7 seconds, which is about 210 pollen a second. Every 10 swings a pillar of light will come and along with the swing will collect an additional 20 pollen from 29 flowers, which makes 727 on the 10th swing. Add the previous 9 swings, and you have 2050 pollen in 7 seconds, which comes out to 292.86 pollen per second with the porcelain dipper. Compared to petal wand, which makes a constant 5 pollen from 37 flowers in 0.7 seconds, and then boosts it by 100% (so a 2x multiplier), which averages out to a constant 528.58 pollen a second.
Passive: Every third swing (2.10s) the useless petal wand will summon a singular petal which can hit a bee to convert pollen in your bag. The amount of pollen that the weak petal will convert is 10k pollen plus 7% of the bee’s convert amount. Assuming your petal always hits your gifted diamond bee, gifted tabby bee (which would have maxed out tabby love since you’re so insane at the game right?), and gifted digital bee (which I’m also going to assume has maxed out drives since you’re so good at the game, right?), your lonely petal is converting 30k pollen + 7% of 3840. But oh wait, we haven’t done the conversion multipliers yet! Porcelain hive (since you’re so good at Bee Swarm Simulator) gives +250% conversion rate. Since you’re so good at bee swarm that your bees are all level 25, that’s an extra +250% convert rate (+10% per level) 31 stacks of science bear’s buff (since you’re so good at the game and finished all the science bear quests) is another 775% convert rate which brings us to 1375% convert rate (remember your base amount is 100%) Don’t forget about that supreme ant amulet you got back in 2018, Mr. Veteran! (+110% convert rate, up to 1485% convert rate) King Beetle’s amulet also gives 110% convert rate, since you maxed that all out too! We’re also going to add 480 convert amount onto 3840 (which is now 4320) since you’re so good at the game and you grinded out the honey mask, along with that +80 convert amount supreme shell amulet you got! 1585% of 4320 is 68,472. TLDR petal wand sucks get petal belt first petal wand last porcelain practically the same

Hello there My mother and I are starting a mother daughter duo flower pressing company, focusing on wedding bouquet preservation. Only doing pressed into frames, no resin. We are based out of Portland Oregon. I'm looking for some unique name ideas. I really like the idea of Petal & Press or Petal & Press NW but when I googled it there's a few companies with very similar names already. I saw someone with the name Bloomsake and think that's super cute how they combine keepsake into the name. I need just some fresh and cute unique names. Anyone have any good ideas?

Hello there My mother and I are starting a mother daughter duo flower pressing company, focusing on wedding bouquet preservation. Only doing pressed into frames, no resin. We are based out of Portland Oregon. I'm looking for some unique name ideas. I really like the idea of Petal & Press or Petal & Press NW but when I googled it there's a few companies with very similar names already. I saw someone with the name Bloomsake and think that's super cute how they combine keepsake into the name. I need just some fresh and cute unique names. Anyone have any good ideas?

EDIT: This is not a criticism of the QUALITY of the artwork. Vendela's artwork is so great that it actually makes the mismatch with her current character concept worse.

"Recycled" means that the artwork was commissioned for a different character concept, and the art was "re-used" with a new character concept. One that doesn't necessarily fit.

The most egregious one that comes to mind is Vendela, but Typhon also merits a mention.

Vendela

Before we learned anything about her beyond her character art and chibi animations, someone rightly speculated that she was the Sanguinarch's attempt to make a chimera like Amiya.
Like Amiya, she has points of red light deep in her pupils. She wears a crown that's half a replica of Civilight Eterna and half Vampire White Flower Crown...
("A floral veil used in Vampire rituals. Its once vibrant redness has been sucked empty, leaving nothing only a pale white color.")
She wears exactingly-tailored clothing, of fine materials. The skirt of her white dress is highly stylized to look like a rose's blossom, with carefully select red dye at the very edges of the 'petals'. Her Arts allow her to attack her enemies with rose-thorns to vampirically drain their life away, which briefly causes the pale roses on her crown to regain their bloody color.
So why is she a simple village girl who has nothing to do with the vampires at all?
There's no way that someone like Vendela could AFFORD to wear such ostentatious clothing and accessories, and there's no way that she would CHOOSE to wear such things. She'd rather spend the money on gardening supplies, and draw less attention to herself.
A greenhouse gardener like her would sooner wear humbler clothing like Perfumer or Podenco. Certainly, not a white petal skirt that would so easily stain with dirt.

Typhon

We're told that she's a Sarkaz, and she at least has horns and a tail. But she's clearly supposed to be a Vouivre like Saileach, given that no Sarkaz has scaly tails and all vouivre who actually have tails (looking at you, Bagpipe) have scaly ones.
The creature in Typhon's E2 art is even a hydra, like Saileach's.
Her bow is supposed to be a vantablack thing made of demons which is why Sami-people don't trust her and no one else is allowed to touch her bow. But it looks only like a mechanical bow with some parts painted black.

EDIT: If this sentence is the only one you criticize, while ignoring everything else, then you just want to cause problems.

We're told she grew up as a wilderness-hermit in Sami, but she exposes her thighs and shoulders to the cold, and walks across ice and snow on platform heels.

1. Cultural Diversity: The presence of various cultural groups with distinct traditions and customs within a society.
   
2. Nguzo Saba: The seven principles in Kwanzaa, emphasizing values such as unity, self-determination, collective work and responsibility, cooperative economics, purpose, creativity, and faith.
   
3. Karamu: The festive feast during Kwanzaa, symbolizing unity and community celebration.
   
4. Piñata: A decorated container filled with candies and toys, traditionally broken during festive occasions such as Las Posadas.
   
5. Villancicos: Spanish Christmas carols traditionally sung during Las Posadas.
   
6. Yule Log: A large log traditionally burned in the hearth during the winter solstice as part of European and pagan winter celebrations.
   
7. Damera: A large bonfire lit during Ganna, the Ethiopian Christmas celebration.
   
8. Kinara: The candle holder used in Kwanzaa with seven candles representing the Nguzo Saba principles.
   
9. Nacimiento: A nativity scene displayed during Las Posadas, depicting the birth of Jesus.
   
10. Mkeka: A woven mat used during Kwanzaa to symbolize foundation and tradition.
    
11. Zawadi: Swahili for gifts, exchanged during Kwanzaa to represent love, commitment, and self-improvement.
    
12. Hanukkah Menorah: A nine-branched candelabrum lit during Hanukkah, symbolizing the miracle of the oil lasting eight days.
    
13. Rangoli: Colorful patterns created on the ground using colored powders, rice, or flower petals during Diwali.
    
14. Vibunzi: A decorative ear of corn used in Kwanzaa to represent fertility and the idea of children in the community.
    
15. Dreidel: A spinning top used in the game of dreidel during Hanukkah.
    
16. Umoja: The principle of unity, the first of the Nguzo Saba principles in Kwanzaa.
    
17. Sufganiyot: Deep-fried jelly-filled doughnuts traditionally eaten during Hanukkah.
    
18. Posadas Navideñas: Christmas parties associated with Las Posadas.
    
19. Winter Solstice: The shortest day and longest night of the year, marking the official start of winter.
    
20. Lion Dance: A traditional Chinese dance often performed during Chinese New Year to bring good luck and ward off evil spirits.
    

You are poetry and I am prose You were the girl I love the most Head in the clouds, chasing the sun, Taking the time to send flowers to that special someone
Before ripping each of the petals, Wondering whether or not She loves me or she loves me not— Caught in this riddle, playing the game Remembering halcyon humorous days
You are poetry, ethereal and free I am prose grounded in reality You were the love cherished most A muse in the clouds, chasing the sun’s ghost
Before each petal fell from the roses, Pouring over the paths that I chose Caught in these riddles, a timeless game, Wondering if you felt the same
The sun that shone on muses Shines upon me, reading blessed poetry.

Hi, im going to buy flowers and a cake for someones birthday. I found a place that sells them relatively cheap and they look as high quality. Its called FnP (Flowers n Petals) Did anyone have an experience with them? If so, was it good or bad? Do you recommend a better place? Thank you

Okay, I know they’re closed until June 11, but I think I finally had a chance to try all the samples I ordered, so I wanted to review them while I had a lil time. I’m still pretty new to indies, so these are my opinions with a newbie nose.
Preferences: woody, earthy, spicy, green, heavy atmospherics, rose, light floral, someee gourmands (coffee, tea, nutty, cake, etc), smoke/burning smell
Dislikes: heavy incense, metallic, chocolate, snow accords, some patchouli, some lemon, bright apple
Okay, here we gooo…
Daffodil Darlin’ (Bergamot, Daffodil, Makrut Lime Leaf, Meyer Lemon Blossom, Fig Leaf): Smelled like bug spray mixed with sunscreen on me, which wasn’t bad (I can see how someone would love this) but it’s not for me 4/10
Hyacinth & Clementine (Hyacinth, Lily of the Valley, Clementine, Green Mandarin, Sun-Dried Sheets): This was so well-blended that it was basically a new scent to me. All I can say is that this is lightly floral, very fresh, and I really liked this! 8/10
The Lingering Scent of Invisible Lilacs (Lilac, Violet, Violet Leaf, Humid Air, Gentle Rain): Smells like my childhood in the spring/summer, I just wish it had more longevity. Might FS anyway! 9/10
Messina (Messina Lemon, Sheer White Floral Accord, Ozone): It’s nice but lemon is weird for me, it’s hard not to associate it with bug spray/cleaning products. 6/10
The Meadow Waltz (Tulips, crisp petticoats, cherry blossom petals, dandelion fluff, dew-laden grass): I LOVE THIS, it seriously smells like a field of wildflowers and I need a FS. 10/10
The Abandoned Coffeehouse (Coffee, Fir Needle, Roasted Cocoa, Black Hemlock, Saffron, Vanilla, Sandalwood): This one had to rest for a while but now it’s a really nice coffee scent with something fresh lingering in the background. 7.5/10 only because I have coffee scents I enjoy more
Besitos de Miel (Pear, Orange Blossom, Rose, Tuberose, Caramel, Honey (synthetic), and Ambergris (synthetic)): BEAUTIFUL, lightly sweet, and fresh, and I understand the hype. I can imagine putting this on while wearing a sundress. 8/10
Chai Ultime (Chai Spices (Cardamom, Ginger, Nutmeg, Black Pepper, Allspice, Clove, Cinnamon Bark), Vanilla, Brown Sugar, Milky Foam): Realistic sweet chai yesss so freaking good. 10/10
Coffee Crunch (Coffee Beans, Tonka Bean, Caramel, Sprinkle of Cinnamon): imagine drinking a sweet coffee while eating a cinnamon crunch bagel. Smells delicious! 10/10
Dear Green (Clover, Chlorophyll, Hops Flower, Tomato Leaf, Galbanum): a very clean green! My mom said the dry down is soapy but I think it just smells fresh and clean. 7.5/10
Hinoki Woods (Petrichor, Hinoki Wood, Patchouli, Palmarosa, Grey Pine, Bay Leaf, Treemoss, Caraway, Carrot Seed): LOVE LOVE LOVE. Such a comforting photorealistic wood scent without turning too masc. Need to FS ASAP. 10/10
Matcha Latte (Matcha, Steamed Almond Milk): I can see this as a very sweet matcha to some or sweet cereal milk to others (me lol). 8/10
Meadow Nymph (Wildflowers, Green Apple, Dew-Laden Grass, Lemon Peel): the floral and grass note are nice, but unfortunately apple and lemon are both weird on me. 6/10
Penelope (Plumeria, melon rind, tomato, guava, jasmine, salt): a bit too perfumey for me, but the fruit scents are unique and I like it for that. 6.5/10
Petal-Kissed (A soft, slightly jammy rose fragrance, heavily featuring Rose de Mai absolute): I LOVE a fresh rose and this is so ethereal and would be lovely to layer. 10/10
Poached Peaches (Syrupy Peaches, Cinnamon): This did not work on my skin at all unfortunately:( It just smelled super funky idk. 2/10
The Queen of Spices (Cardamom, Black Frankincense Absolute, Pink Pepper, Ho Wood, Cinnamon Leaf, Sticky Dates): Perfect name, it is very spicy! Smells how you would expect! Full size list for suuure. 10/10
Quinn (Maple sugar, tonka, leather, labdanum, oud, smoke): The smoke smells more like cigar smoke to me and I like that personally. I wish the sweeter notes were more present, but it’s still nice. Doesn’t really stand out to me in comparison to their other scents. 7/10
Snuggly (Golden amber, vanilla bean, tonka bean, caramel, sandalwood): this one took a long rest before it stopped smelling funky to me, but now this smells like candle wax that has been burning for a while. I gifted some to my coworker and it smelled better on her! Has good throw. 7/10
Sugared Woods (Tolu Balsam, Cedar, Tonka, Vanilla, Caramel): reminds me a bit of Snuggly, but I like this one better. It’s a very light woody scent and would be great for layering! 7.5/10
Salted Caraway Vanille (no listed notes): this one also took a longer rest because at first it smelled to me like medicated lip balm, but now it’s mellowed out. Still not for me, personally. 5/10
The Wood Witch's Magic (Cherry, Cardamom, Amber, Agarwood, Patchouli): Ah yes this one is niiice. It’s a very well-blended woody scent and the patchouli doesn’t turn too incensey/head shop. Not my fav woodsy scent but it’s still good. 8/10
You Can’t Hide From the Trees (Grey Pine, Red Pine, Black Frankincense Absolute, Choya Raal, Black Hemlock Absolute, Guiacwood, Labdanum Absolute): Like I walked into a forest, I love pine. Rich and woody. Probably leans a little masculine, but in a really good way. 9/10
Golden Balsam (no listed notes): this is a beautiful sweet woodsy scent! Stronger than Sugared Woods and I like strong wood scents. 8/10
Overall, I love this house and have added a lot of their scents to my FS list! Thanks for reading<3

For context, I’m a sophomore BME and these are just for fun hehe
Calc 1&2 [9/10]: ate so hard but I took these in hs so it was probably easier but I loved it. My life changed when I learned how to integrate. The best method is partial fractions, no I will not be taking comments.
Calc 3 [7.5/10]: thinking beyond 3 dimensions felt excessive and traumatized me my freshman year but multivar integral ate
Linear Algebra [7/10]: I felt like they were teaching in a new language but it became so logical and algorithmic over time. Me & reduced row echelon form are in a commited relationship.
Statics [5/10]: I never went to class I wouldn’t know, I just remember I wanted to method of sections myself.
Dynamics [8.5/10]: I love you circuits. I love you differential equations of motion. My MATLAB peak. I will never understand you Newtonian mechanics. What is the hippo and the raft doing? Idk.
Differential Equations [9.5/10]: NUMBER ONE MATH CLASS RAHHHH. It just eats so hard. Math has never made more sense. Writing 90 page lab reports did almost give my lab partners and I a stroke though.
*We got to skip physics 1
Physics 2 [6/10]: my professor needed to retire so bad. E&M isn’t real. My love for circuits was ruined. Guess you could say there was a short circuit in my brain.
Physics 3 [7/10]: same Professor as for physics 2, but she’s funnier this quarter. Shoutout to the speed of light for being my only constant at this school.
Biostatistics [7.5/10]: sorry that was boring. I still don’t really understand all of the terms used in regression but okay :)
Fundamentals of Comp Sci [6/10]: MID. Only significant impact was on my eyesight and my ability to persevere. But hey I made a flower and had its petals rotate so there.
Thermodynamics [7/10]: it could’ve been better but it really could’ve been worse. Me when I write my 80th mass and energy balance equation. Calculate the heat of combustion from my dead body.
BME Experimental Design Lab [7/10]: microfluidics? Sir that’s just filter paper let’s be real. Was in my python anaconda notebook era. I saw that loading screen more than I saw my own family.