text:
2nd Busiest Point of Semester: Midterm
Of course, finals week will always be the hardest and busiest times of the semester, but midterm week comes 2nd. Quite a bit has happened for me these first six weeks though. In this post I want to highlight:
– My thoughts on the class I dropped and an increase in my health
– Studying for science classes
With a side note first:
I am going to try to to stay consistent with a post every two weeks on this blog. For the next couple of weeks from here on out I will make a note of anything extraordinary I encounter that could inspire or be useful to premeds.
The difficult part is that every facet of my life intertwines with my academic and premedical pursuits. For instance, I know for a fact that what I eat directly determines my energy levels and, thus, determines the effectiveness of my studying. Exercise is another HUGE component of my life that affects my daily life as a premed. However, I only want this blog to outline and be a record of how my journey in undergrad goes. Interested in my exercise and food habits? Check my other blog out.
Referencing back to my previous post, I outlined a valid argument for dropping my Physics 1 class this semester. The main purpose was to have more time devoted for my personal health, primarily fitness. I wanted to follow up with and declare that I have, indeed, improved my fitness! I am personally defining fitness as performing well in all physical tasks, combined in indefinitely varying combination. General physical skills include cardiovascular endurance, stamina, strength, flexibility, power, coordination, agility, balance and accuracy. I believe I have nailed ever one of the skills utilizing the principles and philosophy of Crossfit training and I feel better than ever.
Do not let your school work bog down your physical health! We need to take care of our self before we take care of others!
Studying for science classes:
I used to be a perfectionist. Throughout my junior and senior year of high school I would read every page of every book and spend an enormous amount of time studying. College demanded a different approach. For general chemistry, biology, and physics I found the key to getting the maximum amount of results with the least effort: Do not read the text UNLESS you need further comprehension
Most professors give ample explanation of the concepts in class and lets face it, most tests will ask you conceptual questions based on main topics. Understand, really understand, the main topics, and do not spend much time on low yield material. For every professor figure out what concepts they like to test you on! Usually after the first test you will know what kind of questions they ask, what form the test will be in, and what kind of answers they like. Do ENDLESS practice problems. That is key.
It is possible to study for hours on end but if there is no practice and physical work out of problems the grade will not come.
Academic Limitations
Alright, so I have been meaning to write about the beginning of my sophomore year for quite some time now but have not been disciplined quite enough. I had a situation come up here in my 3rd week of classes that is worth a blog post:
Being too ambitious and realizing limitations
Going into this fall semester I was scheduled 14 total credit hours. My class schedule was:
– Organic Chemsitry 1
– Organic Chemistry Lab 1
– Molecular Cell Biology
– History of Motion Film
– Perspectives on Global Healthcare
After the first week ended I was extremely bored and figured I would tack on Physics 1. I have plans to do a summer research program next summer and saw that most programs start in May right after school lets out. My goal is to complete all MCAT prereqs before June of next year so I can take the MCAT before it changes in 2015! (no one wants to take a longer test that encompasses more material) In order to achieve this I needed to take Physics 1 this fall and Physics 2 in the spring… or so I thought.
To cut to the chase, I decided to withdraw from Physics 1 today for many reasons. I could have passed the class with an "B" probably, but, nonetheless followed through with withdrawing. I have read many accounts of medical students who got accepted with a "W" on their transcript. Most of them said the "W" did not hurt their chances at schools nor was it discussed in interviews.
I actually hope admissions committees bring it up in my interview. I want to tell them why I withdrew.
I WITHDREW for the following reasons:
- To devote more time to being a better mentor and President to my organization.
- To be more active in my extracurriculars (e.i. shadowing and volunteering)
- To give physics the time it deserves for me to think critically and fully comprehend the science
- And MOST IMPORTANTLY, to take care of my health. I had been putting off exercise and preparing meals for the day, which resulted in poor dietary choices. As all physicians should adhere to practicing optimal health decisions many do not. I do not want to be included in the number for the percentage of doctors who develop preventable diseases, such as Type 2 diabetes.
PRACTICE WHAT YOU PREACH. I believe this applies for any professional as much as it does for physicians. I will definitely update with my fitness goals and accomplishments soon.
P.S. I actually figured out that a good majority of summer research programs start at the beginning of June. This means I could take Physics 2 during Maymester, still do the summer research, and still be prepared for a 2014 MCAT date!
If You Don't Use It You Lose It
Summer semester has started this month. In four weeks I am supposed to learn all of plants,animals,organ systems, and ecology. Friends have told me that summer classes are harder because the material is much more condensed. I took their advice with a grain of salt and definitely have experienced their advice after this first week. I wanted to give a quick update with where I am in the summer. Every day last month I was in the orthopedic clinic working and gaining some great clinical experience! Every day this month, so far, my face has been in the books. My motivation and dedication are definitely up though!
Now, for the title of this post. I was working on some general Chemistry last night for kicks, specifically, chemical kinetics, and could not figure out how to solve a rate problem! I just finished learning all this three months ago and have already forgot it! ALWAYS keeping the MCAT in mind, I hope other concepts are not this difficult to pick up when I start my strict study schedule for the MCAT next summer! The old adage, "If you don't use it you lose it" holds true, especially for concepts like rate laws, which never come up again outside of general chemistry.
I recommend subscribing to MCAT questions of the day to stay on top of your game!
"Respect the MCAT." – Ryan Grey, medicalschoolhq.net
Speaking with an M.S.1 & Surgery
Wow, this month has flown by. In winding down the month I wanted to write about a few instances that have stood out to me while working in the orthopedic clinic.
– Speaking with an M.S.1: I had the great opportunity to talk with Josh, a medical student, who just finished his first year at Mercer School of Medicine. Throughout college he shadowed the same surgeon I have been shadowing and decided to come back to the clinic this summer for more clinical exposure. I talked to him all about his medical education, from his undergrad years to his MCAT experience to his interviews, and finally his first year in med school. He also recommended classes that I should take in undergrad to make year one more manageable.
– Neurobiology
– Anatomy & Physiology (as it is not required for most Biology majors)
– Biochemistry
– Immunology
– Genetics
– Cell Biology
– Embryology
Talking to current or recent medical school students is a MUST for premeds!
-Operating Room Experiences: I will say it again, there is nothing more fascinating and thrilling to me than surgery. Of course, I am saying this only as a student observing. Even still, the opportunity to stand just two feet away from skin and scalpel at 18 years old is a blessing. 6-10-13 and 6-24-13
Being Employed Vs. Physician Shadowing
Working in a clinic and shadowing in clinic have very different objectives. This summer was my first time actually being employed by a healthcare facility. Although I have helped out the doctor and his nurses with specific tasks before, I did so as a student shadowing. I have been shadowing this orthopedic surgeon for two years and have balanced the nurse's tasks with my ability to shadow and see patients with the doctor. Being employed this summer, my number one priority per my job title is to call the patients back from the waiting room and either send them to get x-rays or put them in their private room. Rarely will I go in the room with the doctor anymore and see how he diagnoses the patient. I am greatly appreciative to have an income this summer but I do miss observing the doctor-patient interaction.
NONETHELESS, I am still able to have some patient interaction as I am in charge of inputting patient's information (HPI, Vitals, etc.) into the computer so it is ready when the doctor walks in. During the history I ask the patient what the mechanism of their injury was, how long ago their symptoms occurred, and if there are any other issues of significance. I use this time to really connect with the patient and establish a sense of raport. Even though I am not the doctor (YET!) I enjoy understanding the unique story of each patient. I conversate as long as time permits because I believe that talking with and having them connect with someone in the office gives them an overall better clinical experience.
For various reasons, one must understand that doctors can not spend as much time as they want with patients. Listening to a patient's life story might take away the doctor's time from other patients who are in need. I try to replace this job myself by readily accepting to hear each patient's story while taking their history.
I wanted to write this post specifically for premeds who are trying to gain clinical experience shadowing. I want them to know that there is a difference between working for a private employer and shadowing a doctor because I stumbled upon this unique experience unexpectedly.
My 20 Hour Trip to Boston: HMS, BWH, and MGH
What is wrong with wishful thinking? For the past two weekends I have been able to fly and see some of the most respected medical institutions in the northeast that I can only wish to attend. I flew up to Boston's Logan airport Friday night and slept in the airport. With virtually no sleep I hopped on the MBTA at 7:30 and followed my strictly planned itinerary for the day. My first stop was Harvard Square in Cambridge only because I have long aspired to experience the historic Harvard Yard. It is not possible for me to elaborately describe how inspirational and beautiful Harvard University was.
Longwood Medical Area:
After passing through the Longwood medical area I arrived at Brigham Circle where Harvard Medical School and the Brigham and Women's Hospital is, among other medical facilities. I have not previously stated that I am possibly considering a Master's degree in Public Health. Along with fixing broken bones and improving people's quality of life, I am also very passionate about nutrition and exercise. I am currently taking a MOOC (Massive Open Online Course) through Harvard's School of Public Health called Human Health and Environmental Change and thought it would be neat to see the school.
Because I am only available to take these trips on the weekend very few facilities are open. If I could have came during a weekday I would have been able to talk to the professor of the class, who I highly respect!
-Harvard Medical School:
Adjacent to the School of Public Health was Harvard's Medical School. I had seen pictures of HMS's quadrangle before my trip but physically experiencing the campus took me away. The main HMS building lined along with its laboratories and specific research buildings around the bright green quadrangle was beautiful.
I know the beauty of this area is only a fraction what Harvard Medical School has to offer. I nonchalantly approached, who I assumed to be a medical student, on the lawn to gather any thoughts or insightful information about HMS. He turned out to be a 2nd year Ph.D student at Harvard who came from California. Of course, I asked him what made him choose Harvard over other institutions for his Ph.D. Expecting him to give an answer about prestigiousness, I was instead given an answer about the diverse fields of research at Harvard as well as their new research buildings. He was not kidding. I was able to go inside their appropriately named "New Research Building" and look around.
This glass building houses over 800 different labs!
– Brigham and Women's Hospital:
I have not read much about the Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH) yet. From reading a biography on Harvey Cushing I know that the hospital used to be the Peter Bent Brigham Hopital and it merged with Boston Hospital for Women and the Robert Breck Bringham Hospital in the 1980's. Not as beautiful as the New York Presbyterian Hospital in my opinion, BWH is still gorgeous from the outside with glass buildings making up most of the different wings of the hospital.
Although not on my agenda for the day's events, I was able to see the famous Boston Children's Hospital:
If I had a special interest in pediatrics I would have definitely explored this hospital more. Altogether, the Longwood Medical Area is a fascinating place to be. I can envision superior medical training in this area and would love to study here.
As a whole, Boston is quite different than NYC. I feel more at ease in Boston than in the bustling streets of Manhattan.
– Massachusetts General Hospital:
The U.S. News & World Report ranks MGH as #1 in quality of patient care, safety, and 16 different specialties. I have been anxiously awaiting to see this hospital after knowing Harvey Cushing did the majority of his neurosurgery work here. I deeply admire Cushing if you can not tell. MGH of beautiful as well.
I walked into the lobby with such a deep appreciation, knowing so many life saving operations have been performed here. To match into a residency program here, or anywhere in Boston, would be gratifying.
To finish my trip, I had to walk down to the Charles River Basin.
The basin was absolutely beautiful and was only a short walk from MGH. http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x10y5zp_boston-charles-river_travel#.Ub3ggpzQ5LE
Spending 20 hours in Boston was not enough. I WILL make another trip next summer so I can further explore some museums. As a premed, just visiting the United State's most premier medical facilites keeps me motivated. I know the odds of studying or practicing medicine at these places are incredibly small, but a quote by W. Clement Stone always comes to mind. "Aim for the moon. If you miss, you may hit a star."
My 36 Hour Trip to NYC: Medical Schools & Hospitals
Having a father as a pilot is very beneficial. This past weekend I zipped on up to New York and saw the best of Manhattan's medical schools and hospitals… in 36 hours. With the aid of NYC's MTA subway system I managed to cover some of the most prominent healthcare systems from 32nd street up to 168th street.
Medical Schools: Columbia College of Physicians and Surgeons, Weill Cornell Medical College, NYU School of Medicine, and Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
Hospitals: New York Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center, New York Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Medical Center, Mount Sinai Hospital, NYU Langone Medical Center, and Bellevue Hospital
New York City was HUGE! I loved seeing all the renowned hospitals and medical schools… but that was all I could do. Although I did go inside each one to try and track down medical students, I failed. School is out of session and it was indeed the weekend. Bear in mind that each of my subjective remarks and opinions about these centers are strictly based on APPEARANCE only. I have mildly researched each of the medical schools to understand their history, but not enough, yet, to write about it. I am writing this post to report on an aspiring medical student's iconic view on (mainly) the LOCATION of NYC finest medical facilities.
– Columbia College of Physicians and Surgeons:
Traveling the furthest away from Grand Central Station all the way up to 168th street marked my first stop on the trip, Columbia University Medical Center (CUMC). CUMC has Columbia University's College of Physicians and Surgeons and New York Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Medical Center right next to each other. I walked around the perimeter of the hospital and even into the medical school's lobby. I found my way to their main auditorium, pitch black, and snapped this photo on the central podium: I could feel a sense of the prestigious Columbia University inside. The appearance of the school looks quite dated, but, to me, reflects a sense of uniqueness and specialty. Location wise, 168th street was by far my favorite place in the city I visited. Around CUMC was a more open city with not as many skyscrapers… I wish I would have taken a panorama shot. More pictures of the New York Presbyterian/CUMC area:
Weill Cornell Medical College: Weill Cornell Medical College and New York Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center are under a great deal of expansion and construction. The medical school and the hospital are somewhat connected to each other, but still, of course, have many of their buildings surrounding the famous hospital. I wish I could speak more about Weill Cornell Medical School and their philosophy but I do not know much at the current moment. All I know is that this area on East 68th street was SUPER busy. I almost got hit by a taxi. Nonetheless, this hospital is GORGEOUS! I wish could have taken better shots but it looks like a true palace! There is beautiful white marble everywhere inside. More photos of the area:
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai:
Mount Sinai Hospital and the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai are located up on East 98th and 99th intersecting Madison Ave. I am very interested in Mount Sinai because of some recent statistics and figures I have came across. The medical school,hospital, and student dorms are very close to each other, which is a fantastic for an out of state student unfamiliar with the city. I was not fortunate enough to go into either the Icahn or the hospital but I did go inside this building:
Almost all research done for Mount Sinai is handled in this very new building. The buildings and vacinity of Mount Sinai look very pleasant, however, the surrounding area looks to serve the less fortunate East side of Manhattan. Up and coming with their new Flexmed program, the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai has my undivided attention right now.
NYU School of Medicine:
I did not plan on seeing NYU Langone Medical Center on my trip but I am glad did! Ranked on the US News & World Report nationally #6 for orthopedics, researching NYU is definitely on my to do list. From the walk-by I did the medical school and hospital appears to be very recently built. Being right on the Hudson, NYU Langone Medical Center is nice and busy area.
The rest of my short adventure to NYC, including visiting the NYC Public Library (beautiful!) as well as additional photos, can be found on my personal blog!
Next up, New Haven, Connecticut to visit Yale College and Yale Medical School. I have been wanting to visit Yale for quite a while now after reading a biography of Harvey Cushing. I can not wait to see the Harvey Cushing Library with some of his personal brain specimens!


text:
So, this was all that left of the great Xerxean empire, was it? It must have been a truly astonishing place at its peak, for even now, centuries after its mysterious downfall, it was best described in a single word: breathtaking.
They had dismounted under the welcome shade of a looming row of columns. There was a small fountain there lined with rainwater. The horses required no persuasion to drink. Ling sat on the edge of the shallow pool and dipped his hands into the stagnant water, cupping his palms and bringing some of the cool liquid up to splash over his face. It felt good to wash off some of the grime and sweat that had accumulated there, though it was such a tease that he almost wished he hadn't; he really missed being clean, he'd decided. Traveling for days, baking in his own sweat and in the flying dust left him unbearably itchy - what was worse, he could barely stand his own smell. He couldn't see how Ran Fan and Fuu weren't complaining, dressed as they were. He wondered whether they had hot springs in Amestris? Or maybe bathhouses with pretty attendants? He'd trade his horse to be in the scented baths of his private quarters, being scrubbed down by a handful of select servants right now.
Fuu washed his face in the pool as well, but Ran Fan did little more than remove her mask and stand beneath a fractured pillar. He was sorely tempted to splash her, but that would require moving, and frankly he was far too tired for anything like that. They had been riding for hours today, since before the sun had fully risen. After a full three days' travel, they had finally reached the first destination in their journey.
They sat and rested for a short while, none of them talking, simply sitting and taking in their surroundings. Soon enough, though, Fuu cleared his throat and stood. "Young Master..."
He was right, Ling thought, they really ought to get moving. "Let's get going. We've got a lot to explore before nightfall."
Fuu tied off the horses while Ling stood and stretched. He raised his arms above his head, laced his fingers and bent forward at the waist deeply, then backwards. Ran Fan carefully looked away and began tying her mask behind her head. When everyone was ready, Ling led the way into the ruins.
As far as Ling could tell, all of Xerxes had been composed of impossibly large, stone structures. Most, it seemed, had been reduced to nothing more than crumpled walls and broken foundations, but even these were gargantuan and awe-inspiring. Beams of sun filtered through the misshapen ruins, casting light and shadows in a rather picturesque way. The centuries-old craftsmanship, worn from rain and desert sand, still held an incredible amount of detail. It must have been beyond words when it was whole.
They traveled deeper within the fallen city, pausing every now and again for a closer look at an embossed wall or cornerstone. It was coming to Ling's attention that perhaps it might have been wise to have brought a rentanjutsu user with them: none of them had a clue what they were looking for here. This lack of foresight only slightly disturbed Ling. It was a miscalculation, but not a grave one. It simply meant that they now had to transcribe each and every batch of foreign symbols they came upon in the hope that at least some might contain the knowledge they sought. It didn't sound like very much fun in his head, but Ling always seemed to manage one way or the other.
While scouring the crumbling ruins was certainly a tedious job, it was far from boring. There was something about the ruined stone that was unquestionably majestic. The sheer immensity of the pieces, the intricate detailing of the relief sculptures full of things like fire and raging waters, the vastness of the city itself, it all struck Ling powerfully and almost constantly as they wandered the empty, sand-washed streets. No, Ling was quite sure that he would never again find a place so powerfully moving as this.
The sun shone bright and hot in beams filtered by dust and column. Their quiet footsteps seemed to ring through the stone; otherwise, the silence in the ruined city was almost absolute. It was ethereal and surreal, an experience in which one could very easily lose oneself. Actually, Ling had already done so more than once, earning a sharp noise from Fuu each time that he did. He was only slightly annoyed at the interruptions: they were here for a reason, a very important reason, and it wouldn't do to waste precious time dawdling. Still, Ling felt like even if he had come here without this sense of urgency plaguing him that he would never have enough time to take in what was left of this once great civilization.
Moreover, Fuu's chivvying to keep moving wasn't the only thing that was bothering Ling. They were being watched. They had been, in fact, from the moment they had stepped foot within the ruins. Their watchers had made no moves against them yet. However, their numbers had been increasing as the morning grew long, and it was only a matter of time before they would strike. Too bad for their opponents that any element of surprise had been betrayed by their ominous qi.
Suddenly, the old street opened up into some sort of pavilion or courtyard. Across the stretch of dirt and straggled weeds lay a wide set of steps, leading up onto a platform that had once been covered over. Pillars that supported nothing reached high into the morning air. On the far back wall, what was left standing anyway, was part of a huge relief sculpture carved into the stonework. It was hard to tell what it was originally at this point. There were circles - were they depictions of the sun? the smaller ones looked like moons - connecting together to form larger ones, all centered around some type of lion. There was a lot of script carved into the spaces between the inner circles, lines and lines of flowing symbols grouped into chunks of unreadable text.
"Ran Fan, do you see this?"
"Yes Master," she replied dutifully, her dark eyes narrowing as she concentrated on the broken wall. Fuu had snuck up the stairs behind Ling, already copying over the mural to the parchment he carried.
"Amazing," Ling said quietly as he approached the wall. After the initial shock of the strangeness of this lost culture, he had begun to recognise fragments of the influence Xerxian art must have had on the sculpture and painting of his own country. However, these strange, intricate, almost abstract designs were so different from any style of art with which he was familiar, and Ling's cultural education had been thorough. It was really very fascinating. He wished he had studied more of this culture back at home, though he'd be kidding himself if he thought that any book or scroll could accurately portray the grandeur of it all. He raised his hand to touch the bottom part of the mural - but instead of fingering the engraving, he snatched his sword handle and spun quickly.
A dagger bounced off the flat of his blade with a loud clang, and then Ling lunged forward, bringing the sharp curve up to his attacker's throat. Ling was tall for his age, but his opponent still towered over him and was more heavily built with darkly tanned skin and ruby colored eyes. The man flicked those eyes to Ling's left. Ling pressed his blade further, then glanced over to the side. Ran Fan and Fuu were back to back, kunai drawn and surrounded on all sides by more of these dark-skinned men.
There were too many of them to count like this, but there were at least a dozen of them present. There were more in waiting too, he could feel them, just beyond the cover of the outer wall. People like this were particularly troublesome to deal with: they were foreign, their goals were unknown, and they were willing to fight dirty. A dozen plus to three was hardly fair, though it could prove interesting. There was always the chance that Ling and his followers could talk their way out of this. They hadn't stolen anything, didn't have anything worth stealing, and weren't looking to cross swords with anyone.
Ling only had a few seconds more to decide what they should do before their attackers chose for them. He locked eyes with Ran Fan, then Fuu.
He nodded. It was game time.
"I will wait for you here, Master."
"Are you sure?"
He counted himself lucky that the daggers she tossed his way were metaphorical. He gave her what he hoped was an appropriately quizzical look, and when that didn't work, he tried tilting his head to the side a bit. That usually did the - nope, not today. He still didn't understand why she always got so upset whenever he invited her in. He didn't always come here to do what people thought he might; sometimes he just liked the company.
Ling shrugged his shoulders and stepped past her to enter his harem quarters. He never pushed her to come here with him, but as it was, she followed him everywhere. He left her at the entrance with her grandfather as he always did. Behind the sliding doors was a long, narrow hall. There were no windows or murals to decorate the walls, though he knew this was only because the girls' private quarters resided on the other side of each wall. He looked back at the now closed doors and saw a rather angry silhouette, its back turned to him and its arms crossed over its chest. Well, he supposed it was difficult to know if her back was truly turned or not, but he figured it was likely, given her mood. He sighed and continued onward.
It was very unorthodox for a man to enter into these quarters, but then Ling was never one for convention. Sometimes he summoned girls to his quarters, as was the usual custom, but he enjoyed the change of atmosphere too much not to come here, too. Once out of the corridor, the front hall had a high ceiling that was brightly colored and trimmed in gold. The walls were covered in equally bright tapestries, many stretching up to reach the ceiling itself. The doorways leading off of the main room were covered with many layers of sheer curtains and strings of colored beads. It was warm and cheerful looking, so different from most other parts of the palace. It was one of the many things he enjoyed about coming to this place.
"Prince Ling is here!" Lei shouted. She was a young girl, very pretty, with large eyes that always seemed to sparkle. She had a lovely singing voice, and would serenade him whenever she could.
Ling sat down upon the cushions of the main room and waited for the rest of the girls to make their appearance while Lei disappeared into one of the side rooms. He'd been collecting girls since the age of ten, when his grandfather had gifted him with his first group. It was a royal's prerogative to collect a healthy number of consorts, his grandfather had said. It was one of the few pieces of advice he had ever given Ling that had not been solely about politics. It had been another two years before he officially began seeking out the company of the girls, though. Unlike the servant girls of the palace, the harem were educated much like himself. Since they could be called upon to go out in public and act the role of royal wife, they needed all the tools to play the part. He found he quite enjoyed their company because of this.
In no time at all, Lei had returned with Chu Hua and Yin in tow. There was usually a lot of excitement when he first arrived, with lots of fawning and unintelligible chatter; when they all talked really fast, it was hard to make out the words sometimes. The girls had all come from different parts of the country, and some of their dialects were so different from the High Xingese Ling spoke that they almost seemed like a foreign language. The girls did not disappoint this time either, soon surrounding him on the floor with their touches and animated voices.
"I did not expect you today!" Chu Hua exclaimed. "Usually you come here after your Drachman lessons."
For reasons unexplained, Chu Hua had quite the knack for foreign languages, and he often sought her help in his studies. "That is tomorrow, and you can expect me again, then. Today, I thought I might come and share a snack with you all."
"We love your visits, Young Lord," Yin said as she placed a jar of wine on the small table next to the cushions. She was already pouring it out and serving it to him without having to be asked. He took the cup and sniffed - mostly out of habit - and then sank it. It was delightfully sweet, but with a bit of a powerful aftertaste. This was best dealt with by having another cup, which he soon did. Then he asked them, "Are there any peaches today? I would love some peaches if I could." Yin hurriedly popped up from her seat and scurried off, whispering instructions to the servants for peaches. Once the servant girls were dashing off on their own, she came back over and rejoined Ling and the others. He could feel her small weight settle itself behind him on the pillows, her knees gently bumping against his lower back. She brought her hands up his back and over his shoulders, squeezing them before running her fingers up his neck and into his hair. She soon was untying it.
"Are we getting frisky so soon? You can't keep from touching me, now can you?"
"No," she confessed, "I suppose I cannot." And then she was parting his hair and running her fingers through it as she prepared to weave the inevitable small plaits she loved to braid into it. He actually didn't mind this so much. He loved the feel of fingernails against his scalp and delicate fingers sliding through his hair. Luckily, the girls seemed to enjoy playing with his hair quite a lot. Or maybe not so luckily, as he was sometimes forced to wear rather interesting styles while he visited. At least it gave the servants something to talk about.
It wasn't long before the peaches were brought out and set down beside the wine. Chu Hua picked up a slice between her tapered fingers and held it out to his lips, holding back the bulk of her sleeve with her other hand. He playfully took the peach, just barely touching his lips to her fingers, then darted his tongue out to lick the juice from his lips.
"So very sweet," he said. The girls giggled, and Chu Hua fed him another slice. It was cool and sharply sweet, and its juices dripped from her small fingertips and onto his lips. He grabbed hold of her hand to suck on her fingers, only letting go when she laughed and swatted at him as he licked more of her hand than was necessary.
"These are quite fresh." Ling remarked. "Are they from our own garden?"
"I believe they are, yes," she replied. She blushed as she smiled, then grabbed another slice to feed him.
He sucked down the next slice of peach teasingly. Lei scooted closer to him and wrapped her small hands around his upper arm, as if trying to win his attention. It worked. He smiled at her, then asked, "Anything new or interesting since my last visit?"
"Oh, have you not been told? We have three new girls this week, my Lord. And they are beautiful! One of them is teaching me a new dance," Lei paused and pulled back a bit to look him in the eye. "Would you like to see it?"
"New girls? I didn't hear. Where from?"
"From one of the eastern provinces. I believe the Chang clan sent them as a favor to your grandfather for his aid in council the other month."
Hm, strange that he didn't keep them for himself. "I see. Show me this new dance then."
She smiled and stood from her seat. Lei moved to stand in front of him, then bowed and began counting her movements. She shuffled her feet slowly, gracefully twisting her wrists and making pretty shapes with her fingers. She swooped her arm down low, trailing the sleeve in a showy performance. Then, a few moments later, she balked, pausing and freezing in place. "Oh. I guess I've forgotten how the rest goes." She flushed brightly and then bowed low. "I will practice for you."
"It was beautiful."
"You lie," Yin said, laughing as she poked him in the back. "You are full of trouble, Young Lord."
"People always say that about me. I wish I knew why." He was smirking as he said this.
They all laughed, and Chu Hua continued to fed him more of the peaches, while Yin continued to make a spectacle out of his hair. He wondered briefly if she had brought pins out to tie it up - she'd done it before - or if he was lucky enough to get away with untied braids for now. Lei sat back down and poured him more wine, finishing off the last of the jar. If he wasn't careful, he'd end up a bit fuzzy and get himself in trouble at dinner - although getting in trouble was apparently his specialty.
Chu Hua fed him the rest of the peaches, and when the plate was empty, a small eunuch appeared to collect it. He didn't recognize the boy, though he never really paid much attention of the servants; there were just too many to remember.
"So what now, Prince Ling?" Lei asked.
"We relax until someone realizes where I am and summons me," he announced. This elicited a round of giggles from the girls, which reverberated loudly off the high ceiling. He never noticed how strong the echoes in this room were until just now. Then again, it was never normally this quiet in here. Where were all the other girls?
"Is it only you three here today? Where is everyone else?"
Yin jabbed him again from behind. "Are we not sufficient company?" He'd had her for so long now, she was often far less proper than she probably should have been. Somehow, this didn't bother Ling at all.
"That's not what I said. It's just really quiet in here today is all."
"You know, now that you mention it, it is sort of empty," Chu Hua supplied. "They took a bunch of the girls for lessons today. I'm not sure where the rest have disappeared to."
"I heard someone mention they were cleaning the baths today, and were bringing anyone wishing to bathe up to the main baths instead. They don't normally do that, do they?" asked Lei.
No, they usually didn't. Things weren't adding up, and besides, something just felt off. He'd been feeling it all day. It was why he had skipped out on his history lesson and come here instead.
"Is everything all right, my Lord?" Lei asked sweetly, touching his cheek.
He snapped back to attention and took her fingertips in his own, bringing them to his lips for a gentle kiss. "Yes, I'm fine." She didn't seem convinced, so he gave her a reassuring smile.
Another eunuch, this one much older than the first boy, entered the room and delivered another wine jar. He did not recognize this servant either. There were rather too many odd occurrences today to be ignored. Ever since his father's declining health had become common knowledge, the atmosphere at the Yao clan palace had become steadily more suspicious, its energy murkier. Or perhaps it was all paranoia? Still, Ling certainly had reason enough for paranoia. He'd never have made it to fifteen without a healthy dose of it.
"I did not call for more wine."
"I'm sorry, Prince Ling," he replied, bowing, but he did not take it away. Instead, he turned away from Ling and made to leave the room.
"I did not call for more wine," Ling repeated, sternly. "Take it back."
The eunuch stopped short and seemed to tense a little, then he turned back around and bowed to Ling again. "Yes, of course. I am sorry, my Lord." He began approaching Ling again.
Ling tensed.
The eunuch froze. He flicked his eyes to the doorway behind him.
Ling sprang.
He leapt up from the pillows, drawing his sword and striking in the same movement. The eunuch pulled his own blade from the folds of his robes, and stepped forward to meet Ling's thrust. The loud clanging of the clashing blades and the girls' screams reverberated high in the empty hall. He pushed against his opponent's blade, then pulled back and cut in toward his middle. He could feel the fabric of the man's robes rip, though he'd missed his mark.
He heard the beads from the girls' rooms clink, and from the corner of his eye he spotted the movement of several dark shapes. It was hard to keep track of all their auras in a place so heavily clouded in malice and deceit. It was as if half the palace were not to be trusted. He blocked a downward cut from the first man, then spun on the ball of his foot and kicked his feet out from under him. He quickly sliced the man's throat, then spun to block an attack from yet another man dressed as a eunuch. There was no question now that these were not true servants, but spies who had somehow found their way into the palace.
"Run, get out of here!" he shouted at the girls. They had frozen in a far corner, eyes wide, clutching each other.
There were eight, no, ten attackers. He held the other man's machete at bay, but the rest of them were closing in, one of them swinging a deadly whipchain and wearing a wicked grin. He wouldn't wear it for long though. Ling heard the keening whistle of a tossed flash grenade and promptly spun back out of machete man's reach to cover his face.
The bomb went off soon after.
Even behind closed eyes, he could see the hot, white flash of light. It faded as soon as it had flashed, and then he straightened and advanced on the nearest spy. Ran Fan and Fuu took up their own men. The flash bomb had caught the attackers off guard, and a few were dazed enough to be dispatched with little effort. A man with hookswords volunteered to be Ling's next victim, stepping up and crossing his blades together. Ling had yet to master hookswords. There were so many cutting different cutting edges on them that it was difficult to keep from hurting himself. They were not for the faint of heart. That didn't mean Ling couldn't defeat him though. The man then flicked his wrist and hooked the curved tops of his weapons together. Shit.
Ling palmed the flat of his own blade and held it out to deflect the bladed handle as his opponent used the combined length of the two swords as a sort of whip. The man swung his entire arm up and over his head and then back down, circling himself with the connected blades and pressing closer to Ling.
The man threw his arm forward again. Ling gripped his sword handle with both hands to bat the blades back, lunging straight into him. His attacker pulled his swords back and took up the second handle, separating the blades and blocking Ling's attack. This was not going to be easy. Ling advanced again, but was easily blocked. He nearly lost some of his sleeve when the man struck with his left blade. Ling pulled back and started circling, trying to figure out the best angle to approach him from. He glanced around the room quickly to asses any advantages he might be able to take. Ah, yes. This would be good.
Ling went in again, his sword level in front of him. The man hooked the curve of his swords over Ling's blade, and Ling raised his sword up and pressed in, locking them together as they stared each other down, foreheads nearly touching.
"Give it up, boy," the attacker spat.
"You're going down," Ling said quietly, smiling. Ran Fan's small hand snaked in above the spy's arms, slitting his throat with her kunai as she pulled it back out. The spy hadn't seen it coming. As he went down, drowning in his own blood, a look of surprise was frozen on his face.
Ling and Ran Fan looked at each other for the briefest of moments, and then they were back into the fray. The guy with the whipchain ran at Ran Fan, and she neatly sprang back out of the way and prepared to take him on. Fuu was busy battling against two of the the spies, trying to protect the girls still trapped in the corner of the room. The remaining two spies were quick to take Ling on.
Each of the pair was armed with long swords much like Ling's own. As they came at him, Ling moved fast, blocking blows and evading others. He risked a glance over at the girls. It looked like Fuu had taken out one of his opponents and was facing off against the other one-on-one now. Ling hoped the girls wouldn't try anything stupid and get themselves hurt. He deflected another strike and then glanced over at Ran Fan. She was slowly being backed into the wall, her small daggers not giving her the reach she needed to get in on her attacker. When her foot touched the wall, the guy spun the spiked chain at her. She grabbed at one of the flag poles and yanked it down, then ducked as the chain smashed against the wall.
Ling leapt over to her and severed the top part of the pole with his sword, then charged back at his attackers head on. Hopefully, she'd be able to properly defend herself with the makeshift staff. The two men battling Ling moved in. They backed him up against the wall. He fended them off as best he could, but with two of them it was difficult to get a slice in and get the advantage. Then one of the men groaned and sank to his knees: there was a kunai buried in the back of his neck. Ling promptly finished him with a slash to the throat and went at the other spy. Now that he was on his own, he didn't prove much of a challenge, and soon Ling spilled the man's guts over the chamber floor.
Ran Fan was still fending off the guy with the chain, doing her best with the chopped pole and one dagger. Ling reached down and plucked her other blade from the dead man's neck, then threw it, hard, at her opponent. It sank itself deep into his side as it caught him when his arm was raised. He dropped the chain and clutched at the wound. Ran Fan moved in and ended him, just as Fuu took out the last of the attackers.
Ling met eyes with Ran Fan, then raced across the room to Fuu and the girls.
"Is everyone all right?"
There were nods and verbalized reassurances from everyone present. He leaned down to pat Lei's hair. "You three need to get out of here. Go to the baths. Go anywhere. Tell no one what you saw here."
"But Prince-"
"Go. I don't want to see any of you get hurt."
Lei was crying, but Yin and Chu Hua nodded, hard-faced. They carefully picked Lei up off of the floor and guided her out.
Ling looked to Fuu. "How did they get so far in? And they were dressed as official servants, no less. Something isn't right."
"No. Sheng is supposed to inspect and approve every new arrival to the palace. I don't know how he missed this. Unless-"
"Yes, that's what I feared. It won't be long before there is no one in this province whom I can trust." There had been whispered rumors the last few weeks that were very worrying to Ling; it seemed there were those who did not think he was ready to take the throne, and that with the failure of his claim, their clan's influence would decline. These rumors even went so far as to suggest that it might be more fruitful for the Yao clan to seek alliances outside their own clan, perhaps with a more powerful candidate for the throne. Despite the fact that he was sworn to protect Ling before all else, Sheng always seemed to think of himself first. Ling wouldn't be the least bit surprised if Sheng were involved in some plot to remove Ling from the running.
"You can trust me, Master." Ran Fan said seriously.
"I know," he replied. "Which is why I'm going to tell you both this: there's something I've been thinking about for a while now, ever since my father has grown ill. If I have any hope of winning the throne, I will need an edge of some sort. I've been doing lots of reading with my tutors lately. About the history of Xing and the origins of rentanjetsu. There were many mentions of 'The Golden Being,' the SAge of the West." He pounded his fist into his other palm. "I think I need to leave Xing and look for this perfect being, this immortal life, if I have any hope in succeeding my father."
"But how will immortal life help you win the throne?" Fuu asked. "Won't the current emperor use it to keep his power forever?"
"Well, that's why I need to leave Xing: the emperor has been having all of Xing's top rentanjetsu users working on this for quite some time. I need to find it before anyone else does." Ling paused and stroked his chin, getting lost in his own thoughts. His background knowledge of rentanjetsu was rather rudimentary, but he did know that it seemed to originate from the ancient civilization of Xerxes. Maybe there would be some clues there? And if not there, what about Amestris? Amestris was fast becoming known for its military prowess and its devastating use of alchemy in the battlefield. Maybe the Amestrians knew something the masters of Xing didn't?
He looked back to Fuu and Ran Fan. "I've been planning this for some time, but now it seems I'll need to expedite my trip. If I stay here, these attacks will keep coming, and it will only be a matter of time before one of them succeeds."
Ran Fan looked as if she were about to say something. Ling waited for a moment, but she remained silent.
"Young Master, are you sure you want to do this?" Fuu asked carefully.
"If I fail in this task, if I fail in taking the throne, there's no telling how far our clan will fall. Yes, we have been a fortunate province, but that has only made us more of a target for others to aim at. I can't let the fate of our people fall into the hands of someone else. I have to do this."
The both looked at him intently, but their gaze did not waver. He needed them to realize how serious he was about this. "What I'm asking you goes far above and beyond your duty to me. In fact," Ling swallowed hard, "I officially release you of your duty to me. You are no longer bound to me, and are making this decision of your own free will. If you come with me, you could be executed as traitors upon your return - assuming we all even make it back home. What I am setting out to do is very risky, but it's something I have to do. You are free to choose for yourselves, whether you will follow me into the unknown or whether you will stay and protect yourselves and your family." This was turning out to be quite the speech. He was almost impressed with himself.
"I am with you, Master." Fuu crossed his fist over his chest to lay over his heart as he dropped to one knee, bowing his head.
"As am I," Ran Fan added, mirroring Fuu's actions.
Neither of them hesitated at all to consider, as if there was ever only one option. He felt some of the tension he'd been holding dissipate. He'd been nervous they might do the intelligent thing and take the way out he'd offered, and he was very relieved to know that they would follow him out of Xing - but he needed them to be certain. He didn't want them to regret this later. "Are you sure? You'll be leaving everything behind: your family, your home. There is the chance that you will never come back. There is a chance you will be killed if you do. I want to be sure you've thought of all this."
"Don't be foolish. When have we ever given you cause for doubt? Besides, you can't refuse to eat just because there is a chance of choking." Fuu smirked.
Ling smiled. "I suppose that's true."
Ran Fan stayed kneeling, but looked up to meet Ling's gaze. Her answer was plain to see.
"Let's not waste any time in leaving, then," Ling said. "We don't know how many more of them there are."
Kumis was an interesting drink, Ling decided. Good, but - well, interesting.
He took another sip and then passed the bowl to his left, letting the liquid fizzle over his tongue for a moment as he tried to assess the taste. He'd never had anything quite like it before. When he first had seen it, he'd expected it to taste something like takju, which was sweet and milky. This was sour, though, and thicker than he'd thought it be, but not nearly as thick as the rice wine. There was a sort of bite at the end, which he assumed was the alcohol. When he'd asked about the bowl, the Ishbalan elder had informed him that it was fermented mare's milk, which made sense: fermented things often tasted a bit sour.
He watched the bowl as it left Ran Fan's hands. She handed it off to Fuu, her face contorted into some strange grimace. Obviously the taste didn't suit her, and the poor thing was exerting quite a bit of energy into schooling her face. Her dark eyes flicked back and forth between Ling and the Ishbalan woman who had served him. He was almost sorry he'd made Ran Fan remove the mask and drink with them, but not quite. He would remember this face for a long time to come. Fuu took his share and passed it on without remark. He was far more used to these sorts of things. Ling counted the rest of the men in the circle and hoped there would be enough left for a second serving. He would really like a second taste.
His hopes were dashed, however, when the bowl finished its journey around the circle and landed back in the hands of the elder woman. She tipped the remaining drink back into the leather pouch she'd poured it from, and then sat down with the rest of them. It was time for business now. That kind of stunk: after a few days in the desert, Ling really didn't feel like negotiating at all.
Within the circle sat eight Ishbalan men of varying ages, all of them older than Ling. Along with the men sat Ling and his two guards, and the elder of the group, the sagged faced, old woman whose wispy hair was pulled back into some kind of bun. It was she who had stopped the fight earlier, and it was she who spoke first, in strangely accented but clear Amestrian.
"What is it that you seek within the great ruins?"
Straight to the point. He rather liked that. Perhaps this talk wouldn't be as draining as he'd thought. "The rentanjetsu of our country is said to have been brought from the West," Ling answered. "I am searching for immortality, and was hoping to find some clues within the ruins." It was exciting to be finally putting all those language lessons to use. It made him feel rather intrepid. Besides, he always enjoyed speaking Amestrian: the consonants had been horrible to learn, but were fun to roll over the tongue now that he had the knack.
"Ren-tan-jet-su? Is that alchemy?" she asked, stumbling over the unfamiliar word.
"Yes, I believe that is what they call it in Amestris. I wish to learn more about their alchemy so that I may obtain the power I need to take the throne."
She scowled, pulling her dried lips back and scrunching her brow, creasing it even more. Then she said, "We Ishbalans know nothing of alchemy, except that it can be deadly and that it goes against God's will."
"I confess I don't know anything about Amestrian alchemy, but in our country, it works by channeling the life-stream of the Earth. It flows through all of us, and anyone who trains properly can read that flow. Or so I've been told, anyway." He grinned sheepishly and tucked one hand behind his head. "I never was very good at those studies."
"And it is just as well that you weren't," she chastened. The men of the group mumbled to one another under their breath, but quickly stopped short at a look from the woman. "We cannot help you with your task, young Prince. You will have to leave with only the knowledge with which you came here."
He could tell that she was nervous. Once learning that he and his guards were not Amestrian, the Ishbalans had been more receptive to them, but not overly welcoming. It was easy to see they wanted them out of here. He didn't have much time to try and find his answers.
"But if alchemy goes against God, then why did He create the energy flow? Why did He give us the ability to use it?" Ling remembered enough of his studies to show proper reverence to another culture's deity.
This seemed to have the opposite effect Ling was going for. The men seemed very agitated, one even going so far as to stand up and brandish a fist, though he was quickly subdued by his brethren. The old woman laughed darkly. "God does not create evil. Evil exists like the empty space at the center of a ring: the ring cannot exist without the empty space within it, as good cannot exist without evil. It is our duty to choose the good and live as God intends us to."
As soon as he opened his mouth again, he could tell his mouth was running ahead of his mind. "But one man's good be another man's sin. Alchemy is a revered and noble practice in my land. It heals the people, saves lives."
"And you look to use it to gain power, do you not?"
Ah, she was good. "Without that power, my clan would become susceptible to attack by the reigning clan. I do it to protect my people."
"And how would you protect your people with that power? By attacking your brethren clan in kind?" She shook her head, then stood up from the circle and gave him a dark look. "You have a good heart, but I can sense a want in you that is both dark and dangerous. I offer you this: humans who are so greedy to covet God's power forsake his grace. You would do well to abandon this search of yours, young Prince."
So that was it, then. It was plain to see she was done with conversation - not that she had ever seemed that eager to talk with them in the first place. Ling sighed and glanced at Fuu, who shrugged his shoulders slightly and looked over at the clan elder. Ling turned to watch her as she made to stand, two of the Ishbalan men aiding her. He figured it was safe to stand now that she had done, though he kind of wanted to stay sitting. He hadn't noticed how tired he was while they were exploring, but after stopping and resting for a bit, he was finding it had all caught up with him. In fact, he was feeling a little light-headed. Or was that the kumis?
"Master, do we leave now?" Ran Fan whispered next to him.
That was a good question. They hadn't found anything obviously helpful, though they had transcribed quite a lot of text and symbol. The Ishbalans didn't seem overtly threatening, but he wasn't sure how far their hospitality would stretch. He doubted they'd be permitted to wander the ruins more. It was probably best if they left now before trouble started. He nodded to her and stood up, brushing the debris from his pants.
Their hosts were watching them carefully - very carefully. A pair of young boys came walking up with their horses in tow. From quick observation, it appeared that their supply sacks were untouched, though it would be impossible to know for sure without actually opening them up and checking. There wasn't much to steal in there aside from horse meat, some dried rations and a few sleeping blankets, though in a place like this Ling supposed anything was fair game and a valuable find. He, Ran Fan, and Fuu made a habit of carrying most of their weapons arsenal on their person, so if it came to that, they could at least drop a flash bomb or two and make an escape.
"Your have very fine horses," one of the younger men stated.
"Yes, thank you." Ling hoped there wouldn't be another scrap: he was far too tired, and he'd hate to scare off the horses. He had no intention of walking the rest of the way to Amestris.
"They are very fine horses," another Ishbalan supplied.
"Indeed they are. Maybe we could come to some sort of arrangement, then?"
The desert men seemed very interested in whatever he had to say. Ling hoped he could manage something decent.
He'd never actually ridden a camel before. Of course he'd seen them, though none quite like this. These only had a single hump and stood nearly twice as tall on thin, spindly legs. The camels in Xing were quite popular among herders, and there were plenty of herding villages within his province. He had to wonder about the practicality of using camels around sheep and goats, though. These guys looked to be a little on the slow side for herding. In fact, they didn't seem particularly driven to do much more than gracefully lurch along at a leisurely pace. And did they ever lurch. He was actually starting to feel a little nauseous actually. It wasn't entirely pleasant, this near-constant sensation of being about to tip over off his precarious perch on the saddle. He was surprised to discover that he actually missed the horses. Still, he couldn't deny that picking up the camels had its benefits. Not only would they be able to travel longer and with fewer stops, but they now had a guided tour of the Great Desert, not to mention the help they would be provided in entering Amestris surreptitiously. Having left Xing in such a haste and in such secrecy, they had not secured proper travel documents, and would, in fact, be entering the country illegally. At least they would be harder to track without the papers, and far less likely to get caught at the border: the Ishbalans had been running supplies to the desert for months and knew all the ins and outs of Amestrian border patrol. All of this had been bought with the two horses, which they would have had to sell anyway once in the country. Desert nomads always really valued a good horse.
Ling was starting to feel pretty good about things - and then, abruptly, the whole world rushed out from under him and he was toppling forward - again.
"You lean too far forward," one of their guides informed him from the saddle of his own mount. "When he feels you on his neck, he'll kneel. Try to sit further back." It was one of the younger men who had come up beside him. His light hair was short and tied back from his face, much like Fuu's. He could not have been much older than Ling himself, maybe twenty at the most. He had a kind face and a gentle smile. It was a good look on him, especially given how hard and cross the others appeared - nobody smiled here, and their features just seemed so dark and strange.
The young man laid his own camel down and dismounted, then walked over to the young bull Ling was riding - if you could call this riding - and took hold of its bridle.
Ling was about to thank him for the help, when instead of raising the camel, the young man glanced around them at the rest of the caravan as they continued past, some laughing openly at Ling's difficulties. When he seemed happy that no one was paying them any mind, he spoke to Ling in a whisper while he pretended to adjust the camel's gear. "I was listening to you at the council. I don't know anything about alchemy myself - I doubt any Ishbalan will - however, I do know something that might help you in your quest."
Really? This was interesting. This trip was becoming more and more mysterious by the minute. "And what might that be?"
"Well, there are rumors of a really powerful alchemist in Dublith. So once you're across the border, you'll want to head south and check that out, I imagine."
"Why are you telling me this?"
The young man looked taken aback for a moment, then he shrugged and said, "It's kind of exciting. What you're doing, I mean. I'll never get the chance to do half of what you've done. It feels nice to know that I might have helped you along in your journey."
He seemed honest enough, but Ling couldn't take the young man's advice blindly. They'd have to do some investigating of their own as soon as they could. Still, that was rather kind of him. Ling clapped his palms together and bowed slightly. "Thank you."
"Don't worry about it. Hold on," he warned, and at the very same instant, he raised Ling's camel up. Ling clutched the saddle as the animal unfurled its back legs first, tipping him so he was practically facing the ground. Then it unfolded its front legs and leveled out. This did not do much to help the state of his stomach juices, but he smiled and waved to the Ishbalan man to assure him all was well.
Seemingly satisfied with Ling's situation, the young man remounted his own camel and raised it up. He glanced behind Ling, and then winked at him before toeing his mount to prod it moving forward. Ling took back what he had thought about camels only knowing how to amble: this kid had his galloping full tilt. The animal bleated as he charged up behind one of the other young riders, just narrowly avoiding the other camel before cutting in front of it and then taking off again. The other Ishbalan, obviously a friend or a brother, shouted and laughed, and then took off after him. They were soon told off by the rest of the caravan: their outburst was upsetting some of the other camels. Then they rejoined the group, laughing behind their hands and tossing false insults at each other.
The way the two young men interacted fascinated him. The trust and the kinship shared between them was plain to see. For a moment, Ling found himself longing for something similar. Being who he was, Ling didn't really have any friends to speak of - not the kind normal kids would have, anyway. True, he had companionship in both his harem and in his tutors, but none of them were on the same path as him. They couldn't relate to him the way those young men could relate to each other.
Ling glanced over his shoulder and spotted Ran Fan as she ambled up beside him on her own beast. She had her mask tucked behind her head and was making a rather strange face as she brought her camel up next to Ling's. They'd been through a lot together, hadn't they? Training, assassination attempts, adventures in escaping the council: she knew more about him than almost anyone else did. Maybe he did have a friend after all? He was still amazed at how easily she had given up everything to follow him on this mission, this dangerous quest that could so easily turn sour. That shouldn't have been a light decision for her, but she'd made it seem so. Surely that had to mean something?
"How are you enjoying the change in mount?" he asked her. She gave him a most unhappy look. "At least now you have a full saddle to yourself?" The face she gave him then implied that she would rather have been back in the cramped horse saddle. "I'm having a tough time of things too. They are very different than what we're used to."
"Yes, they are."
"Young Master!" Fuu called from up front. He had stopped his camel and was waiting for Ling to catch up to the rest of them.
Ling waved and pressed his toes against the camel's shoulder, and was delighted to find he managed to successfully get it started on the first try. Ran Fan mirrored his movements and followed at his side. He could tell she wasn't terribly fond of riding like this, for so long and on unfamiliar beasts, but he was glad that she was willing to bear with it.
He knew Fuu followed not only because he was Ling's retainer: as head of his line, he had his family's honor to defend. Against his own son, no less, who was more interested in power than anything else. Ran Fan, though - she had come solely for him. It was sort of humbling, but also a little sad to know that she thought so little of herself and so much of him. He knew he owed her far more than he could ever really repay. He could try, though.
"Ran Fan."
"Yes, Master?"
"Thank you. For everything." He turned to look at her. To really look at her. "I know it can't have been easy coming all this way for me, but I want you to know that I'm glad that you did." He wanted power to protect his people. He wanted power to gain the throne. He wanted her to be there beside him. He needed her here, no, he wanted her here with him. She'd always held a unique place in his life, and he didn't want to lose that just yet. Maybe there was such a thing as wanting too much?
"It is my duty."
"You could have stayed behind, but you didn't." He brought his right hand to his left shoulder, brushing his fingers along the sleeve of his jacket as he brought it up, then bent forward in a deep bow. He'd only ever bowed formally like this once before in his life, when his father had come to his palace. He was almost surprised with himself, but it seemed right. "Thank you," he said, facing downward.
She didn't respond. When he looked back up at her, she had stiffened her posture, and was just watching him silently with those round, dark eyes of hers, scrutinizing him. Did she not believe him? For once, he was actually being serious. He was going to tell her this, but then he found himself biting his lip and bowing his head again instead.
Finally, she said something.
"You're welcome, Master."

subset: commoncrawl


text: President hotel is situated in Shengjin just 30 m from the sandy beach. It offers free Wi-Fi and parking. The restaurant is à-la-carte. The rooms are equipped with air conditioning, TV, private bathroom with shower. Some rooms have a balcony with sea view. It has a terrace, a bar and a playground for the children. The hotel is 10 km from the lagoon of Kune-Vain, 7 km from Lezha which has a castle and an archaeological park with the old ruins of Lissus.


text:
Jabong Special: Buy 1 Get 2 Free On Branded Clothing & Footwear
Jabong has come up with an excellent offer once again, As we all know jabong nowadays giving out awesome discounts on all products day by day. Daily with new criteria and new offer the try to gather customers towards them and this is the best way to do so. As per my review i recommend you to purchase anything you want, quality is quite superb as shown in pics and descriptions.
Currently jabong online shopping website giving "Buy 1 Get 2 Free". The offer containing clothing and footwear of branded companies like puma and reebok starting from just rs 499. It means you will get 3 products of international brand in just rs 499. Isn't its a loot? Even more then 1000 products available, search the suitable one and order that right now. More on extra 10% cashback via paytm
Table of Contents
Steps to Get Into "Buy 1 Get 2 Free":
- Visit offer link: Click Here
- I've set target low to high price, for what you always looking for :D
- Surf products
- Add total 3 products to cart one by one
- Now goto cart and you'll find offer discount automatically applied to your order
- You've to pay only for the highest amount product, hence 2 lower amount products are eligible for free now
- Login or Register or checkout as guest
- Pay amount either using ICICI card or Paytm to get extra discount
- Voila..!! You've placed your order successfully
ICICI Credit/Debit Card: 15% Cashback [Min. order value Rs 2000]
Paytm wallet: 10% Cashback [Min. order value Rs 999]
Terms & Conditions:
1. ICICI Offer –
- All customers who have successfully completed a shopping transaction using ICICI Bank Debit Card, Credit Card and Netbanking for a minimum purchase of Rs. 2000/- on shopping websites/apps on Jabong site will get an additional cashback of 15% capped at a maximum of Rs. 500/- during the Offer Period.
- In the payment option selects "Debit Card, Credit Card or Netbanking and enters the validity details. Confirm and complete the transaction with the 3D secure pin.
- Customers who successfully complete the shopping transaction for a minimum purchase of Rs 2000 will get a 15% cashback upto a maximum of Rs 500 credited into their account within 90 working days.
- "Offer Period" shall mean the period commencing from 7th july (10:00 AM) 2016 and ending on July 17th (23:59 pm) 2015, both days inclusive.
- Cash Back will be applied to the total merchandise value including VAT and applicable taxes.
- Cash Back is valid for all valid transaction per customer.
2. Paytm wallet offer –
- This Offer is open to all Paytm Wallet Account holders whose accounts are valid and verified.
- All transactions completed during the period starting from 1000 hrs on 7th July 2016 till 2359 hrs on 17th July 2016 shall be considered under this Offer.
- The Cash back amount will be calculated on the transaction value net of any refunds.
- To receive this offer, purchase should be charged in full to the Paytm Wallet Account. No cash alternative available. Partial payment by Jabong Credit or eGiftVoucher is not applicable.
- 10% cash back upto Rs.300 can be availed through a minimum purchase of Rs 999 on www.Jabong.com or Jabong Mobile App within the offer period.
- One customer can avail the offer to a maximum of 3 times within the offer period.
- Paytm and Jabong.com reserves its absolute right to withdraw and / or alter any of the terms and conditions of the Offer at any time without prior notice.
Join to Our Whatsapp Broadcast For Loot Updates @ 9067949164


text:
The Country of Origin Food Labelling Taskforce has launched an online tool to help food manufacturers choose the appropriate label for food products for sale in Australia.
The tool will help you determine if you need a label, and if you need a standard mark that features graphics as well as text, it will then find, customise and download an appropriate label for your food product. Once you've downloaded an appropriate label, you can then save it, and print or manipulate it before affixing it to your food product prior to sale.
The Country of Original Food Labelling Taskforce has also advised that further information regarding foods made in a single overseas country with at least some Australian ingredients and subsequently packed in Australia, has now been released.
The Taskforce can be contacted for any further information about these or any Country of Origin Food Labelling reforms at email@example.com.


text:
KID Fashion Blog
04/04/2016 | Fashion Blog | No Comments
Launched in 2006 Style Bubble has turn into 1 of the most effective and broadly recognised fashioned blogs. Initial of all your willingness to go outside of your standard subject variety and try a new slant (speaking about style blogging!) surely caught my eye, so that's a great example in itself-trying new items to get new readers. Consequently, your brand and how you present your niche subject is very essential in terms of attracting the proper people to your weblog.
Even if you've produced errors in the final sections – chosen a undesirable domain name or started on a free host (ugh) – you can still make it operate if you publish damn excellent content. And now that you know it you should be wise and just steer clear of the future headaches of a painful migration and start off your blog in a way that sets you up for the extended term.
Organizing is the single most essential portion of building a fashion blog, as you write your plans down on paper (if you are nonetheless utilizing dinosaur technology), or on an open document on your personal computer and come up with a niche topic" to talk about on your weblog. Style blogs typically contain day-to-day updates on new trends, shops, notes and photographs from style shows, magazines. In 2006, the industrial good results and expanding profile of fashion bloggers had been the two primary themes in coverage of fashion blogs. Le Style is updated daily and constantly manages to post inspirational images that you would be hard-pressed to uncover on your personal.
The beautiful and bizarre spaces identified on this internet site will make you re-think your aesthetic and encourage you to expand your passion for style outside of your wardrobe. Recycling concepts and putting your special voice and creativity on them is how you will connect in a various way than others have. You want to take risks with your content (kind of like I am now writing a post about style blogging for tens of thousands of readers!).
Style Marmalade was speedily recognized in the fashion globe and was short listed by Cosmopolitan as a single of the best new style blogs and has been featured on , New York Instances, MTV, Elle, Vogue and Societe Perrier, Victoria now collaborates with numerous international brands, photographers, artists and designers and her web site remains one particular of the most distinctive style websites online.fashion


text:
Tea Leaf Green
This article has multiple issues. Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page. (Learn how and when to remove these template messages)(Learn how and when to remove this template message)
Tea Leaf Green (TLG) is a four-piece jam band from the San Francisco Bay Area, composed of Josh Clark (guitar and vocals), Trevor Garrod (keyboards, vocals, guitar, and harmonica), Scott Rager (drums), and Eric DiBerardino (bass).
Tea Leaf Green
Tea Leaf Green performing at the Granada Theater
Dallas, Texas, March 11, 2010
|Background information
|San Francisco, California, United States
|Years active
|Past members
This section is too long to read comfortably, and needs subsections. (May 2019)
Tea Leaf Green began in the fall of 1996, when Scott Rager met Ben Chambers on the campus of San Francisco State University (SFSU). Chambers was the group's original bass player but left in 2007; he is featured on the band's first four albums. Rager and Chambers began playing together, practicing in Chambers's bedroom in a back house off Church Street in San Francisco's Castro District. In early 1997, Clark, a childhood friend of Rager, moved from the Los Angeles area to San Francisco and became the third member of the band. Garrod, also a SFSU student, joined soon after.
In the late 1990s, Tea Leaf Green began gigging throughout San Francisco, becoming the de facto house band at the Elbo Room for a period in 1999. The band's first album, eponymously titled, was released that same year and featured twelve original compositions, included songs such as "Professor's Blues," "Asphalt Funk," and "California," all of which remained part of the band's live repertoire for years. Over time, the band pared down the all-inclusive sound featured on the first release and formed a more focused style of songwriting inspired by Garrod's Dylanesque musings and Clark's unabashed, frenetic soloing.
In the early part of the 2000s, Tea Leaf Green was an integral member of a burgeoning rock music revitalization in San Francisco that also featured bands such as Animal Liberation Orchestra and New Monsoon. As music fans from multiple corners of the country became aware of the resurgence of a brand of music focused on improvisation and experimentation, Tea Leaf Green built momentum and gained support with an ever-widening audience. Within San Francisco, buoyed by a word-of-mouth buzz, the band sold out shows at Slim's and, eventually, at the Great American Music Hall.
In 2001, Tea Leaf Green released its second album, Midnight on the Reservoir, following up with a live release from the Great American Music Hall, unofficially referred to as the "Green Album" because of its all-green cover. Midnight on the Reservoir highlighted the group's rapid evolution from its previous release, offering a heightened element of psychedelia, bombastic rock numbers, and a cohesive, thematic lyrical approach. Garrod unearthed childhood memories for the mysterious opening track "Midnight on the Reservoir" and the ebullient sing-along "Papa's in the Backroom," while the band ripped through instrumental jams such as "Panspermic De-evolution" and "Hot Dog." Clark referred to this effort as the band's "party album."
In 2002, the band embarked on its first national tour, using the High Sierra Music Festival as a springboard to a more substantial audience, and was featured in the December, 2002 issue of Relix magazine. Soon, Tea Leaf Green utilized the festival circuit as a platform of introduction, playing to larger and larger audiences as it built a reputation for galvanizing live performances. Appropriately, the band's third studio album, Living in Between, was bookended by two live releases recorded in San Francisco, Slim's (2003) and Live at the Independent (2004). Living in Between again featured Clark's cover art (as had the first two albums) and demonstrated the maturation of each member's technical proficiency and a collective effort toward self-definition. The album is framed by "The Garden (Parts I and II)," components of an evolving song cycle spread over multiple albums, and finds Garrod entrenched in a lyrical romanticism touching on the folk spirit of Woody Guthrie and an American, specifically Californian, mythology charted by authors such as John Steinbeck. The heavy, Southern-rock interpretation of the traditional "Been So Long" is echoed in the politically minded "Vote on Tuesday." "Bootlegger," "Beehive," and "Earth and Sky" utilize specific American sensibilities, ruminating, respectively, on the quest for spirituality, the lessons of youth, and the processes of maturation. Other songs on the album, such as "Warmup," juxtapose Garrod's introspection with a progressive-rock confidence that abandons mere jam whimsy and illustrates a hammer-and-anvil craftsmanship.
While continuing to tour extensively through the United States, Tea Leaf Green headed to Navarro Ridge Range in Mendocino, California, forsaking the confines of the city, to record Taught to Be Proud (2005), the band's fourth and, at the time, most cohesive album. With a focus on songs, as opposed to jams, the four members simplified the recording process, utilizing live takes on many of the tracks. The album is replete with radio-friendly hooks and subtly politically poignant lyricism. The title track earned Tea Leaf Green a Jammy Award for Song of the Year in 2006; classic-rockers like "Morning Sun," and "The Garden (Part III)" became concert staples; and "John Brown" and "5,000 Acres" utilized allegorical technique to highlight Garrod's critique of the trajectory of the American destiny. The album announced TLG as a legitimate force on the American rock 'n' roll scene.
In 2006, caught in the band's rising tide, filmmaker Justin Kreutzmann, son of Grateful Dead drummer Bill Kreutzmann, directed a documentary of the band, entitled "Rock 'n' Roll Band," that interlaced live footage from a May, 2006 concert at the Fox Theatre in Boulder, Colorado, with individual and group interviews with each member of the band. The film emphasized the struggle facing a young band, capturing footage of the members at home and in the streets of San Francisco as they discuss hardship and sacrifice inherent in the pursuit of a dream. Kreutzmann utilized the Fox Theatre performance to showcase the band's distinctive musical spirit: organic but ambitious, confident but never cocky, boisterous but thoughtful, soulful and exploratory. The DVD was released in tandem with a live CD also entitled "Rock 'n' Roll Band."
In 2007, Tea Leaf Green began the year playing Jam Cruise 5 and subsequently continued their exhaustive trek around the country, playing more than 130 shows, including numerous summer festivals such as Wakarusa, Bonnaroo, and High Sierra. Late in the year, original bassist Chambers decided to leave the band, citing exhaustion and a desire to be with family, and retired from active participation in the music profession. Though shaken and somewhat stupefied by Chambers's decision, the remaining members of the band agreed to persist and actively pursued a replacement for the group's departed member. At approximately the same time, the band signed its first significant recording contract, with Surfdog Records. The company subsequently released a three CD boxset, entitled Seeds, that conflated the band's first three releases into a single volume. The timing was appropriate and seemed to seal Chambers' departure with a stamp of finality. The retrospective was the precursor to the band's first new album with Surfdog.
In late 2007, less than two months after Chambers's exit, Tea Leaf Green introduced Reed Mathis, of Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey (JFJO), as its new bass player. Mathis had earned renown for his contribution to the neo-jazz, avant-garde JFJO, which he helped form in 1994. Mathis played his first show with TLG on December 7, 2007, in Santa Cruz, California. In January 2008, Tea Leaf Green entered a Richmond, Virginia recording studio with producer David Lowery, taking one week to cut a fifth album, Raise Up the Tent which was released in summer, 2008. The album opens with a Chambers-inspired funk bass on "Let Us Go," features two Clark compositions ("Borrowed Time" and "Stick to the Shallows"), and traces Garrod's musing about life on the stage and on the road. On the final track on the disk, "Keeping the Faith," Rager's drumbeat helps uncoil the ambivalence of the song: a subtle nostalgia in Garrod's voice and in the band's mellowed playing butts against the promise of future dreams fulfilled if one's desire endures.
In 2008, the band played its first show overseas as part of the Jam in the Dam festival held in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Garrod, Clark, and Rager also pursued side projects around the San Francisco scene. Because of prior obligations to Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey, Mathis missed a handful of gigs with TLG in 2008. Steve Adams of Animal Liberation Orchestra substituted on bass for those shows in which Mathis was otherwise obliged. Near the end of the year, Mathis announced publicly that he was departing JFJO to commit more time to Tea Leaf Green. The group reprised its role on Jam Cruise in 2009, playing on the seventh edition of the event.
In the winter of 2011, after playing with Tea Leaf Green to assist with a foot injury to Scott Rager, Cochrane McMillan was added as a permanent member.
Tea Leaf Green continues to maintain a steady, if often arduous, schedule, playing clubs and other assorted venues across the country. Known for extended psychedelic, rowdy, and exploratory live shows, Tea Leaf Green has made numerous performances available through livedownloads.com. Other unofficial, but sanctioned, performances are available through archive.org and nugs.net. The group, independent and often on the periphery of the mainstream music industry, continues to rely on grassroots expansion of its music through the diligence of its fanbase, community forums, and web-based music avenues such as jambase.com.
In an interview with TheWaster.com, Trevor Garrod announced the official 5th member addition to the band, percussionist Cochrane McMillan, and a Spring 2011 release of the studio album, Radio Tragedy. They released another studio album, In The Wake in 2013.[1]
On August 16, 2016 it was announced that bassist Reed Mathis would be leaving Tea Leaf Green to focus on his other projects. He was replaced by Eric DiBerardino. DiBerardino had previously filled in for Mathis at select performances.[2]
Studio AlbumsEdit
- Tea Leaf Green (1999)
- Midnight On the Reservoir (2001)
- Living In Between (2003)
- Taught To Be Proud (2005)
- Raise Up the Tent (2008)
- Looking West (2010)
- Radio Tragedy (2011)
- In The Wake (2013) [3]
Live albumsEdit
- 5/3/02 - Great American Music Hall, San Francisco, CA
- 6/6/03 - Slim's, San Francisco, CA
- 8/23/03 - Project THERE, San Francisco, CA (double album)
- 3/6/04 - The Independent, San Francisco CA
- 5/19/06 - Rock 'n' Roll Band, Boulder, CO (released October 2006)
- Live at Twist & Shout (recorded October 2008) [4]
- Coffee Bean Brown Comes Alive (released June 2009)
- Green Dream (2004)
- Rock 'n' Roll Band (2006)
- Seeds (3-Disc Set of their first three studio albums)
Coffee Bean BrownEdit
For smaller acoustic shows, Tea Leaf Green has often used the pseudonym Coffee Bean Brown. During these performances, the band has utilized an assortment of instruments, including acoustic guitars, piano, banjo, cello, and mandolin.
- ^ Johnson, Alexandra (February 8, 2011). "Defining A New Balance of Power: The New Tea Leaf Green and Going Solo with Trevor Garrod". TheWaster.com.
- ^ http://www.jambase.com/article/tea-leaf-green-announces-first-tour-of-2016-departure-of-reed-mathis
- ^ http://tealeafgreen.com/
- ^ "Live At Twist & Shout CD's". Twist & Shout Records. Archived from the original on 2011-07-17.


text:
Petra Cliffs is helping The Flynn go Over the Edge, Again!
View past Over the Edge Photos here: Flynn Center for the Performing Arts Facebook Page
Already registered to go Over the Edge? BOOK YOUR PRACTICE SESSION with Petra Cliffs!
Here's your chance to take part in a unique experience that stands high above the rest. On September 1, 100 intrepid adventurers will go Over The Edge by rappelling nine stories down the side of one of downtown Burlington's tallest buildings: The Courtyard Marriott Harbor Hotel.
Over the Edge for the Flynn is an opportunity for participants to push their limits and engage in something they will never forget. The Flynn opens up new worlds to over 200,000 people with its cultural programs, including 40,000 schoolchildren with its student matinees and educational programs, and it's with that spirit that we invite you to take in the 360 degree view of Burlington and Lake Champlain as you take that big step Over The Edge!
Proceeds from Over the Edge for the Flynn will go toward the Flynn's cultural and educational programs, including scholarships for FlynnArts students, subsidies for student matinees, and subsidized tickets for our social and human services partners. Through this fundraiser, you will help to ensure accessibility to the performing arts for all children in the region so that they can experience the wonder of live performance, participate in engaging workshops, and attend other educational programs.
Learn more and sign up, spaces still available!
Follow this LINK if you are interested in volunteering!


text:
Old National Elects Chief Administrative Officer of Indiana University Health Ryan Kitchell and Berry Global Chairman & CEO Thomas Salmon to Its Corporate Board of Directors NASDAQ: ONB
... Saint Bonaventure University in Western New York. "Old National Bank is pleased to welcome Ryan Kitchell and Tom Salmon to our corporate board of directors," said Bob Jones, Old National Chairman & CEO. "They will be ou...Read Full Article
Mentions: Investor Relations Leadership Management


text:
Play Castaway
Head to Fiji for Remote Beaches and Fabulous Diving
Tom Hanks shot "Cast Away" on Monuriki, but the sandy beaches of nearby Fiji are much more fun with a companion. (No, not a volleyball.) With more than 300 isles, cozy seclusion shouldn't be hard to find. Feeling sociable? Arrange a tour of a traditional village. Offshore, see spectacular soft corals at dive sites like the Somosomo Strait, where you might spot a shark, and Beqa Lagoon. For an adrenaline rush, raft the white waters of Navua River.
Featured Cities and Points of Interest in Fiji


text:
EmberReigns, watch this hot and sexy blonde cam model wearing her sexy santa outfit! See her strip and get naked showing off her sexy body! Christmas came early today and this is her treat for all of you guys so you better check out her live cam page!
08:08 minute cam video


text:
- Home
- Community
- Business
- Visitors
- Kids & Teens
- Government
Backyard Hens
Join OSU Extension Cuyahoga County for an evening to learn about how to get started with chickens in your backyard.
OSU Extension Educators Tim McDermott DVM from the OSU Poultry Team and Maggie Fitzpatrick will discuss breed selections, safe egg handling, chicken health, zoning requirements, housing, nutrition and other topics that will help you successfully raise chickens in the city and suburbs.
Wednesday, March 6, 2019
Cuyahoga County Office | 12200 Fairhill Rd | Cleveland, OH 44120


text:
By: Steve V. Rodriguez Catching a flick used to be a fun outing with friends until over hyped blockbusters and umpteen sequels dominated our multiplex cinemas, plus it now seems like one needs to allot 25 extra minutes for too many trailers and commercials. Thank goodness for the current trend of offering customers an experience […] Click to read more »
Cocktail Culture
Take a Look at how Food + Art + Music Seamlessly Unite at R House in the Art's District of Wynwood, Miami – Video Feature
Art Basel, the international art show, has literally put the city of Miami on the global map as a serious art destination that has more going for it than simply being a tropical paradise. Wynwood, which is just North of the Design District and in close proximity to Downtown Miami, is quickly becoming the cities […] Click to read more »
Top 3 Fine Dining Restaurants in Sin City for 2014: Milos, Guy Savoy & Carnevino
Las Vegas has marked itself as a food destination like San Francisco, New York, New Orleans and Chicago. Newer hotels like The Cosmopolitan, Aria and The Palazzo have all positioned their gambling areas further into the hotel, thus making guest entrances a little less loud, focusing on beautiful aesthetics. These hotels also house some of […] Click to read more »
Bloody Mary Christmas Recipe by Grant Siefman
4 cups Diced tomato 1 cup tomato juice 1/4 cup Pomegranate Juice ¼ cup vegan soy sauce Juice of 2 limes 2 tablespoons fresh grated horseradish 2 tablespoons fresh grated ginger 1 jalepeno (leave seeds in) ½ tablespoon Celery seed Smoky salt and pepper to taste Blend all ingredients Add kettle one vodka or Victory […] Click to read more »
Focused American Cuisine and Whisky Bar make Neighborhood Restaurant, Maysville a Recipe for Success
There's something great about having your neighborhood expand as outdated businesses are replaced with new bars and restaurants, creating a local neighborhood worth inhabiting. Maysville in the Flatiron District, which takes it's name from Kentucky, and is also the birthplace for American Bourbon, may be the initial inspiration as more Americans are gravitating towards the […] Click to read more »
Seasonally Acute Cuisine, Inspired Design and a Convivial Environment Unite at Manon in NYC
Walking into Manon off of 14th Street in the heart of the Meatpacking harkens back to an earlier era when the Meatpacking was filled with late night eateries, lounges and reworked speakeasy's that were exciting and played perfectly against the original intent of the neighborhood. Some argue that the neighborhood has shed a few layers […] Click to read more »
Mercado on Third and Fairfax is Continuing the Welcoming Trend for Rustic Yet Modern Mexican Cuisine in Los Angeles
Mercado on Third and Fairfax, in Los Angeles is continuing the trend for rustic, modern and classic Mexican cuisine, in a city that has always embraced Mexican Food. What once was fun Mexican dives, with cheap margueritas, is now being replaced with classic renditions of Mexican dishes made with quality fresh ingredients, and excellent […] Click to read more »
Chef Julian Medina talks about his 3 successful restaurants in NYC, plus how Mezcal pairs well with Mexican Cuisine
Julian Medina, chef-owner of Toloache, Yerba Buena and Yerba Buena Perry, Toloache Taqueria and Coppelia, has been creating refined Latin cuisine for over fifteen years. He grew up in Mexico City and was influenced by his father and grandfather's traditional Mexican cooking. He studied in Mexico City to become a chef, and later graduated from […] Click to read more »
Find Out Why We Love Mezcal and Why it's the New Tequila By Steve V. Rodriguez
One of the most increased imports coming out of Mexico in the last few years has been the spirit Mezcal. Like Tequila, Mezcal is also made from the agave plant, however instead of blue agave, it's traditionally made from the Maguey form and other agave varieties. Described as smokier than tequila, Mezcal is showing up […] Click to read more »
Good Morning, America, How Are You? 'The City of New Orleans' Top 3 Restaurants to Dine at in 2013 By Frank D. Pond
"Good morning, America, how are you? Don't you know me, I'm your native son. I'm the train they call the City of New Orleans. I'll be gone five hundred miles when the day is done…" Name that tune…? Answer at end of article ;) And boy will I be hungry! Lest you worry about that, […] Click to read more »


text:
Mutualism of the Month: Tetrodotoxin-producing bacteria and their many hosts/
Every month we showcase a relationship between two or more species or groups of species that can be considered a mutualism: a relationship where both members benefit. This month's mutualism is between tetrodotoxin-producing bacteria and their many hosts.
Until recently, the origin of the tetrodotoxin (TTX) in pufferfish was unknown. TTX was first isolated by chemists from the ovaries of pufferfish in 1950. It was thought to be a toxin found exclusively within pufferfish (hence its naming after the pufferfish family Tetraodontidae), until it was found in the California newt Taricha torosa. After its discovery in newts, TTX was rapidly isolated from a diversity of animal species completely unrelated to each other, including several frogs, an octopus, several marine snails, a crab, and a starfish. This raised an interesting question: did all these animals evolve the ability to produce tetrodotoxin separately or is there some common factor?
After some time, two scientists postulated that the TTX-containing animals were "infected" by unknown TTX-producing microorganisms living within their bodies, even though this had never been observed before. Turns out, they were right!
Many species of bacteria have been found to produce TTX, and several of these bacteria occur within animals. TTX-producing bacteria are maintained within the skin, gut, and ovaries of certain pufferfish, the salivary gland of the blue-ringed octopus, the digestive glands and muscles of several marine snails, and the spine muscles of a sea urchin. The TTX produced by the bacteria are used by the animals both defensively as a venom or poison (venom is injected while poisons are ingested) and offensively on their prey as a paralyzer. In return for providing a potent toxin, bacteria are allowed to live in a high-nutrient, low-competition environment, free of many of the stresses a bacteria has to deal with.
Pufferfish are generally believed to be one of the most poisonous vertebrates in the world, containing high levels of TTX. The meat of some species of pufferfish is considered a delicacy by some Asian cultures and is served by specially trained chefs who know which parts of the fish are safe to eat and in what quantity; these chefs are trained for two years before they are allowed to serve pufferfish in a restaurant.
Symptoms of ingesting TTX occur within 30 minutes in humans. At low levels, symptoms include tingling of the lips and tongue, followed by hypersalivation, headaches, and lethargy; higher dosages induce paralysis, seizures, and death. About five people die each year from TTX-poisoning. TTX blocks electrical impulses in nerves by binding to proteins that are essential in nerve cell firing. By binding to these proteins, TTX prevents the neurons from communicating with muscles, causing complete paralysis. Paralysis leads to death when essential muscles such as the heart and diaphragm (the muscle that pulls in air) stop working properly.
Don't forget to check out the previous installments of mutualism of the month below and stay hungry!