Notes for "Why People Hold onto Memories"
Oct. 2nd, 2021 04:18 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ysabetwordsmithThese are the notes for "Why People Hold onto Memories."
Jake Paton -- He has pinkish-fair skin, blue eyes, and short reddish-brown hair with a short mustache and beard. He is the younger cousin of Oscar Paton; their fathers are brothers. Jake grew up in Rutledge, Vermont but later moved to Rain City, Washington in search of work. He found a job, but the place is so expensive that his family struggles to make ends meet. He is married with two children, Krispin (son, 5) and Jilli (daughter, 3). As a child, Jake was so frightened by fireworks that he wet himself, so his family found other ways to celebrate the Fourth of July -- and now his daughter has the same problem.
Qualities: Good (+2) Computer Programmer, Good (+2) Logical-Mathematical Intelligence, Good (+2) Teamwork, Good (+2) Wilderness Skills
Poor (-2) Not Rich Enough for Rain City
* * *
"I think the only reason why people hold onto memories is because memories are the only things that don't change when everyone else does."
-- Unknown
Sunrise Strip Mall has a long narrow part and a wider end. The narrow part has Sunrise Day Care on the narrow end, two stores, and an office plant service. The wide end is an office block currently rented by the Business Incubator.
The Business Incubator Office has a reception area with seating and a bookcase. The meeting room has a small table and chairs with a viewscreen on the wall.
The secretarial office is toward the back of the strip mall, facing the trees. It includes a window, three small work desks with chairs, and a round table with guest chairs. Labib has the larger private office with a big window. It includes a large work desk and chair, filing cabinets, a small round table, and guest chairs. Oscar has the smaller private office. It includes a large work desk with chair and filing cabinets.
The small break room just has a coffee station for assorted hot drinks, a few chairs, and a table. Coffee can be halal provided it does not come into contact with anything haram.
The bathroom features a sink with mirror, a toilet, and a shower with a rainshower head and a handheld head. A low seat inside the shower makes it convenient for wudu.
New Leaf Office Plant Service has a front desk for meeting customers. The owner runs a business caring for office plants. She used to have a drug problem but eventually overcame it. The bathroom has a sink, a toilet, and a big roll-in shower convenient for working with larger plants.
Schiller Rock and Bead Shop has a retail room with craft supplies and another with a craft table. Its bathroom has a sink, a toilet, and a small roll-in shower. In the back, the office has a bead desk and a rock desk.
Party Place has a retail room with party favors, balloons, and other decorations. A party room in back provides large-group social space. The bathroom has a sink, a toilet, and a roll-in shower with a flip bench.
Sunrise Day Care has a foyer leading into a play area. The writing center offers class space for basic literacy skills. The bathroom has a sink, a toilet, and a bathtub with shower. The kitchen is toward the back of the strip mall. Tables and chairs can be set out for mealtimes.
* * *
From the current menu of Syrian foods at Mandy's Diner:
Kebab (كباب)
Grilled meat.
Kebab Halabi (كباب حلبي meaning "Aleppine kebab") Kebab served with a spicy tomato sauce and Aleppo pepper. It has about 26 variants,[3] including:
• kebab karaz (كباب كرز), made from lamb meatballs with cherries and cherry paste, pine nuts, sugar and pomegranate molasses;
• kebab khashkhash (كباب خشخاش), made from rolled lamb or beef with chili pepper paste, parsley, garlic and pine nuts;
Mahshi
A famous dish served in Syria is made from vegetables (usually zucchini—كوسا / kūsā—or eggplant—باذنجان / bādhinjān) which are stuffed (محشي / maḥshī) with ground beef or lamb or mutton, and nuts and rice.
Desserts
Basbousa (بسبوسة) A sweet cake made of cooked semolina or farina soaked in simple syrup.
Rice pudding (رز بحليب) Made from rice mixed with water or milk and other ingredients such as cinnamon.
Ruz ib Haleeb (Syrian rice pudding)
Beverages
'Ayran / Syrian Doogh (عيران) A yogurt-based beverage mixed with salt and water.
Polo (بولو) Mint lemonade.
Places in Rutledge that are frequented by Syrian Muslims, along with some public places, are stocking halal supplies.
Alcohol-Free Mouthwash
Dr. H. & Co. Dentist Formulated Refresh Mouthwash ($13)
This Amazon favorite is an all-natural, herbal formula that works to neutralize bacteria, nix bad breath, and support healthy gums and teeth. It's handcrafted in small batches with ingredients including aloe vera, licorice root, basil, and calendula, as well as peppermint, cinnamon, and tea tree oils. It's gluten-free, sugar-free, vegan, and there are absolutely no harsh chemicals.
Muslims pray five times a day. Several of these occur during typical working hours.
Zouhorat Shameea (Syrian herbal tea blend)
1-Rose petals and hips 25%.
2-Marshmallow 25%.
3-Chamomile 20%.
4-Lemon verbena 20%.
5-Rosemary 5%.
6-Thyme 5%.
PTSD and fireworks don't mix well. It's the unpredictable aspect that causes the most harm. Startles and sleep deprivation are bad for anyone, but worse for survivors. In my case, it's just farmemory and sharp senses. As long as I'm looking at fireworks, they're fun. But sudden noises where I can't see, or the drifting smell of sulphur, are unsettling even if the context implies they are fireworks and not warfare. Most people can handle a few hours of fireworks on one predictable night. It's the modern trend of sprawling that randomly over a week or two that becomes nerve-wracking. Even people who like fireworks often get tired of them by then. Understand how to cope with PTSD and fireworks, or be polite in planning a fireworks activity. There are even fireworks with low or no noise! Not everyone is a big fan of the loud kind, especially the strobes that do nothing but make a bright flash and a huge racket. Poppers are popular because they make a small snap and use friction rather than fire.
There are also many alternatives to fireworks that don't use explosives at all. You can make or buy flower petal "bombs" with or without noise. If you want to watch something explode, make popcorn in a see-through container. Enjoy a recipe for All-American Maple Pecan Popcorn. These can be useful tools for anyone who's trying to work through a trigger so they can enjoy fireworks, particularly with counterconditioning.
Red-white-and-blue tie-dyed T-shirts are popular for the 4th of July. These instructions make a striped T-shirt. Here are variations on a flag and a firework pattern, and this one has a peace sign. You can buy a kit to make 4th of July T-shirts (Dharma Trading is a top-notch company) and browse patriotic tie-dye ideas. Here is a big archive of tie-dye techniques and patterns.
Enjoy decorations, crafts, and food for a 4th of July party. Here are some fun traditions.
Black Cat Firecrackers are small, but any kind of fireworks may start a fire when the grass is bone-dry. It is advisable to keep a bucket of water or damp sand available to douse any stray sparks or flames, or at least wear sturdy shoes to stamp them out.
Jake Paton -- He has pinkish-fair skin, blue eyes, and short reddish-brown hair with a short mustache and beard. He is the younger cousin of Oscar Paton; their fathers are brothers. Jake grew up in Rutledge, Vermont but later moved to Rain City, Washington in search of work. He found a job, but the place is so expensive that his family struggles to make ends meet. He is married with two children, Krispin (son, 5) and Jilli (daughter, 3). As a child, Jake was so frightened by fireworks that he wet himself, so his family found other ways to celebrate the Fourth of July -- and now his daughter has the same problem.
Qualities: Good (+2) Computer Programmer, Good (+2) Logical-Mathematical Intelligence, Good (+2) Teamwork, Good (+2) Wilderness Skills
Poor (-2) Not Rich Enough for Rain City
* * *
"I think the only reason why people hold onto memories is because memories are the only things that don't change when everyone else does."
-- Unknown
Sunrise Strip Mall has a long narrow part and a wider end. The narrow part has Sunrise Day Care on the narrow end, two stores, and an office plant service. The wide end is an office block currently rented by the Business Incubator.
The Business Incubator Office has a reception area with seating and a bookcase. The meeting room has a small table and chairs with a viewscreen on the wall.
The secretarial office is toward the back of the strip mall, facing the trees. It includes a window, three small work desks with chairs, and a round table with guest chairs. Labib has the larger private office with a big window. It includes a large work desk and chair, filing cabinets, a small round table, and guest chairs. Oscar has the smaller private office. It includes a large work desk with chair and filing cabinets.
The small break room just has a coffee station for assorted hot drinks, a few chairs, and a table. Coffee can be halal provided it does not come into contact with anything haram.
The bathroom features a sink with mirror, a toilet, and a shower with a rainshower head and a handheld head. A low seat inside the shower makes it convenient for wudu.
New Leaf Office Plant Service has a front desk for meeting customers. The owner runs a business caring for office plants. She used to have a drug problem but eventually overcame it. The bathroom has a sink, a toilet, and a big roll-in shower convenient for working with larger plants.
Schiller Rock and Bead Shop has a retail room with craft supplies and another with a craft table. Its bathroom has a sink, a toilet, and a small roll-in shower. In the back, the office has a bead desk and a rock desk.
Party Place has a retail room with party favors, balloons, and other decorations. A party room in back provides large-group social space. The bathroom has a sink, a toilet, and a roll-in shower with a flip bench.
Sunrise Day Care has a foyer leading into a play area. The writing center offers class space for basic literacy skills. The bathroom has a sink, a toilet, and a bathtub with shower. The kitchen is toward the back of the strip mall. Tables and chairs can be set out for mealtimes.
* * *
From the current menu of Syrian foods at Mandy's Diner:
Kebab (كباب)
Grilled meat.
Kebab Halabi (كباب حلبي meaning "Aleppine kebab") Kebab served with a spicy tomato sauce and Aleppo pepper. It has about 26 variants,[3] including:
• kebab karaz (كباب كرز), made from lamb meatballs with cherries and cherry paste, pine nuts, sugar and pomegranate molasses;
• kebab khashkhash (كباب خشخاش), made from rolled lamb or beef with chili pepper paste, parsley, garlic and pine nuts;
Mahshi
A famous dish served in Syria is made from vegetables (usually zucchini—كوسا / kūsā—or eggplant—باذنجان / bādhinjān) which are stuffed (محشي / maḥshī) with ground beef or lamb or mutton, and nuts and rice.
Desserts
Basbousa (بسبوسة) A sweet cake made of cooked semolina or farina soaked in simple syrup.
Rice pudding (رز بحليب) Made from rice mixed with water or milk and other ingredients such as cinnamon.
Ruz ib Haleeb (Syrian rice pudding)
Beverages
'Ayran / Syrian Doogh (عيران) A yogurt-based beverage mixed with salt and water.
Polo (بولو) Mint lemonade.
Places in Rutledge that are frequented by Syrian Muslims, along with some public places, are stocking halal supplies.
Alcohol-Free Mouthwash
Dr. H. & Co. Dentist Formulated Refresh Mouthwash ($13)
This Amazon favorite is an all-natural, herbal formula that works to neutralize bacteria, nix bad breath, and support healthy gums and teeth. It's handcrafted in small batches with ingredients including aloe vera, licorice root, basil, and calendula, as well as peppermint, cinnamon, and tea tree oils. It's gluten-free, sugar-free, vegan, and there are absolutely no harsh chemicals.
Muslims pray five times a day. Several of these occur during typical working hours.
Zouhorat Shameea (Syrian herbal tea blend)
1-Rose petals and hips 25%.
2-Marshmallow 25%.
3-Chamomile 20%.
4-Lemon verbena 20%.
5-Rosemary 5%.
6-Thyme 5%.
PTSD and fireworks don't mix well. It's the unpredictable aspect that causes the most harm. Startles and sleep deprivation are bad for anyone, but worse for survivors. In my case, it's just farmemory and sharp senses. As long as I'm looking at fireworks, they're fun. But sudden noises where I can't see, or the drifting smell of sulphur, are unsettling even if the context implies they are fireworks and not warfare. Most people can handle a few hours of fireworks on one predictable night. It's the modern trend of sprawling that randomly over a week or two that becomes nerve-wracking. Even people who like fireworks often get tired of them by then. Understand how to cope with PTSD and fireworks, or be polite in planning a fireworks activity. There are even fireworks with low or no noise! Not everyone is a big fan of the loud kind, especially the strobes that do nothing but make a bright flash and a huge racket. Poppers are popular because they make a small snap and use friction rather than fire.
There are also many alternatives to fireworks that don't use explosives at all. You can make or buy flower petal "bombs" with or without noise. If you want to watch something explode, make popcorn in a see-through container. Enjoy a recipe for All-American Maple Pecan Popcorn. These can be useful tools for anyone who's trying to work through a trigger so they can enjoy fireworks, particularly with counterconditioning.
Red-white-and-blue tie-dyed T-shirts are popular for the 4th of July. These instructions make a striped T-shirt. Here are variations on a flag and a firework pattern, and this one has a peace sign. You can buy a kit to make 4th of July T-shirts (Dharma Trading is a top-notch company) and browse patriotic tie-dye ideas. Here is a big archive of tie-dye techniques and patterns.
Enjoy decorations, crafts, and food for a 4th of July party. Here are some fun traditions.
Black Cat Firecrackers are small, but any kind of fireworks may start a fire when the grass is bone-dry. It is advisable to keep a bucket of water or damp sand available to douse any stray sparks or flames, or at least wear sturdy shoes to stamp them out.
(no subject)
Date: 2021-10-11 10:31 pm (UTC)Also, as a quiet firework, how about senko hanabi? Not everyone will do as well as a master of the art, and of course the formula for it is a traditional secret - but the formula provided by NightHawkInLight is his own to give to others, modified from what he learned. I'd still be careful with it, these are fiery things that give off burning sparks, but they are beautiful.
Here are a couple more links for alternatives to fireworks:
https://www.cbsnews.com/essentials/fireworks-alternatives-fourth-of-july/
https://www.wired.com/story/diy-fireworks-alternatives/