
The Dining room The dining room is the room adjacent to the living room and the kitchen. Some houses use a wooden divider for privacy, in order to separate the living room and the dining room. The dining room is a place for eating the family meals, entertaining guests when meal is served, holding family meetings and gatherings. It can also serve as a place for studying in the absence of study room. Common furnishings found in the dining room are as follows: 1. dining table and chair Home Economics and Livelihood Education 7 Seibo College 85 2. cabinet 3. side table The Kitchen The kitchen is usually adjacent to the dining room. This makes it easier to serve the food from the kitchen going to the dining table. The kitchen is a place which includes the following activities: 1. preparing and cooking meals 2. storing food, kitchen tools and utensils 3. washing the dishes Common furnishings found in the kitchen There are three general categories of kitchen equipment are large appliances, small appliances and kitchen utensils. A. Large appliances 1. cooking range 2. refrigerator 3. dishwasher 4. microwave oven B. Small appliances Home Economics and Livelihood Education 7 Seibo College 86 1. rice cooker 2. toaster 3. blender 4. oven toaster 5. coffee maker C. Kitchen utensils consist of small items used in preparing, cutting, measuring, cooking food. 1. knife 2. mixing bowls 3. tongs 4. pot holder 5. measuring cups 6. tea kettle 7. baking pan 8. egg turner The following amenities in the center for preparing and storing food include the following: a. washing table b. built in cabinets c. cup board The following amenities in the cooking area include the following: a. stove b. utility table The following can be found in the washing area: a. sink Home Economics and Livelihood Education 7 Seibo College 87 If you have any questions, you can go to your learning facilitator, but if everything is clear to you, proceed to the next activities. b. shelves c. work surfaces
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Common among the many types of houses are the following rooms: a. living room Home Economics and Livelihood Education 7 Seibo College 81 b. bedroom c. dining room Home Economics and Livelihood Education 7 Seibo College 82 d. kitchen e. bathroom Home Economics and Livelihood Education 7 Seibo College 83 A. The living room The living room is the center of the family activities . Visitors are receive and friends are here entertained. Recreational activities like watching TV, listening to the music take place in this area. The typical furnishings needed are as follows: 1. sala set with low table and chains 2. display cabinets 3. room dĂŠcor 4. books 6. plants 7. appliances like TV, stereo etc. Home Economics and Livelihood Education 7 Seibo College 84 B. The Bedroom It is the place for sleeping and resting, you can also use this place for dressing, relaxing, as well as listening to the music. The bedroom should provide comfort and privacy to all the family members. The typical furnishings needed are as follows: 1. bed 2. closet or cabinet 3. dresser 4. writing table and chair 5. bedside table 6. lamp, clock, radio
Buenos Aires is the capital of Argentina in South America. Itâs a big and busy city with a population of almost 3 million people. And this is the world-famous Buenos Aires obelisk in the centre of the city. Just a few kilometres away from the obelisk is the home of the Menna family. Maria is fourteen years old and sheâs in secondary school. Sheâs in the living room with her sister Sofia because they both really like computer games. They like board games too! Sofia is only nine and sheâs at primary school but sheâs really good at games! Sofia and Mariaâs Mum is called Elena and their Dad is Alvaro. This is their house. Thereâs a dining room and kitchen and two bedrooms upstairs. This is Maria and Sofiaâs bedroom! The family all live together in the centre of Buenos Aires. But their mum, Elena, isnât from the city. Her parents - Sofia and Mariaâs grandfather and grandmother - have got a house an hour away. Itâs in a small city called Mercedes, about 100km west of Buenos Aires. Itâs a big house with a dining room and a sitting room. Itâs in the countryside and itâs got a beautiful garden. Itâs nice and quiet here and itâs a great place to sit, eat and spend time as a family!
. Sports center manager / Leisure manager They conduct daily activities at sports complexes and recreational facilities with gyms, pools, and activity rooms. Individuals need a bachelor's degree in leisure and recreation, facility management, or hospitality. 3. Food truck manager They oversee the daily operations of food trucks at tourist attractions and unique event venues. They may be responsible for coordinating work schedules, obtaining food service licenses in different areas, and ordering food inventory as needed. Food truck managers need a minimum of a high school diploma but can also benefit from previous work experience. 4. Pastry chef They specialize in making various pastries and other desserts for bakeries, restaurants, and patisseries. They work closely with other kitchen staff and chefs to create dough mixtures, develop new recipes, decorate dessert items, and monitor the baking process to ensure a finished product. To become a pastry chef, individuals can either earn a high school diploma and develop their skills or attend a pastry arts program and earn an associate degree or bachelorâs degree. 5. Airport manager / Aviation manager They ensure efficient operations at an airport while ensuring that all airlines follow FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) guidelines. They hire and train airport personnel and monitor activities relating to They usually have a few years of work experience in a role at an airport, along with a bachelor's degree in airport management 6 security, customer service, and customer amenities, including onsite restaurants. and operations or aviation management. A professional certification can also be beneficial. 6. Spa manager They lead daily operations at spa facilities. Their duties include hiring and training spa employees and maintaining an up-to-date inventory of cosmetic products, sheets, towels, robes, and other items for skin treatments. Spa managers may also promote their spa by hiring freelance marketers or organizing advertisements for digital or print platforms. They also administer advanced therapies like facials and massages to customers. The education requirements include earning an associate's or bachelor's degree in hospitality or business management. Prospective spa managers also need a few years of work experience at a spa business. 7. Hotel assistant general manager They support the job duties of the hotel's general manager. They help the available manager interview job candidates, make hiring decisions, and coordinate training efforts for staff. Hotel assistant general managers may also cover shifts for general managers and act as temporary general managers when the manager is sick or on vacation. Individuals need a high school diploma and a few years of hotel experience. They may also benefit from earning an associate's degree or bachelor's degree in hospitality and tourism. 8. Tour manager They oversee tour bookers, tour guides, tour bus drivers, and marketing staff for a tour company. They schedule work shifts for tour guides, develop marketing Individuals can become tour managers by earning a high school diploma and working for a tour 7 strategies to increase tour bookings, and read tourist reviews to determine how they can improve their overall experience. They may also accompany clients when they travel and attend to their needs. company for a few years. They can also earn a bachelor's degree or master's degree in an area like hospitality and tourism management. 9. Cafe manager They oversee the daily operations of cafes in shopping centers, hotels, and other areas. They hire and train cafe staff, adjust coffee and bakery selections, handle complex customer questions, and ensure the cleanliness of their facilities. Cafe managers also create work schedules to provide enough staff during peak business hours. To become a cafe manager, individuals need a minimum of a high school diploma and previous experience working in a cafe as a barista or supervisor. 10. Activity manager They work for hotels and resorts, travel companies, and cruise liners to oversee guest activities and ensure guests have a pleasant experience. This may include planning guests' itineraries, offering guests tours of the local area, and developing fun activities within their facilities. Activity managers typically have bachelor's degrees in hospitality and tourism, event planning, or recreation. 11. Hotel sales coordinator They work for hotels and help create and manage their marketing and customer service strategies. They also work with a team of sales coordinators and hotel managers to research ways to increase bookings and retain customers. They may To become a hotel sales coordinator, individuals need a bachelor's degree in sales, marketing, hospitality, and tourism. 8 design special offers, create branding and promotional strategies, and follow up with guests after they check out. 12. Resort manager They oversee the daily activities at resort facilities. They typically monitor the resort's housekeeping activities, finances, and marketing materials. They manage different departments to assist with general maintenance and ensure a high guest satisfaction rate. To become a resort manager, individuals need experience working in the resort industry, either a bachelor's degree or master's degree in hotel management or hospitality and tourism. 13. Travel agent They work for travel agencies or as self-employed individuals to help clients book transport and hotel accommodations. Their duties may also involve creating a trip itinerary for their clients and helping them reschedule canceled flights or transfer accommodations. Prospective travel agents need a high school diploma and an interest in travel. They may also benefit from earning an associate's or bachelor's degree in hospitality and tourism management or applying for a professional travel agent certification. Travel agents often start as employees and become managers as their careers progress. 9 14. Catering manager They oversee a kitchen and server staff team for a catering company or event venue. They hire and train catering staff and work with one or more chefs to create an effective catering menu. They also design schedules for staff members, depending on the time required to set up and prepare food before an event. To become a catering manager, individuals can benefit from earning either an associate degree or a bachelor's degree in an area like hospitality or food service. 15. Entertainment manager They collaborate with resorts, cruise liners, hotels, and other accommodations to book singers, musicians, dance groups, comedians, and other entertainers to perform for guests. Their duties include holding auditions for potential talent, scheduling bookings, and negotiating with clients to determine price points. They oversee many aspects of events, including their production and financing. To become an entertainment manager, individuals can attend a four-year bachelor's degree program in hospitality, tourism management, event planning, or events and entertainment. 16. Guest services manager They assist hotel guests with their needs from when they check in to when they check out. They provide guests with room keys, organize baggage assistance, and delegate tasks to other staff like housekeepers, front desk employees, or room service personnel. They're also responsible for hiring and training the guest services staff. This position typically requires a minimum of a high school diploma and a few years of guest service experience. 10 17. Director of Housekeeping They work for a hotel, cruise line, or resort and manage its housekeeping staff. They maintain clean facilities for all guests by hiring and training housekeeping staff and monitoring inventory, including cleaning supplies, towels, bedsheets, and guest amenities. Housekeeping directors can benefit from earning a bachelor's degree in hospitality management and gaining several years of experience in the cleaning service industry. 18. Park manager They work at public and amusement parks and help develop marketing and promotional strategies to increase visitors. They may work with facilities managers to ensure the park remains clean and well-maintained. They also manage the park's budget, train managers in individual departments, and develop inclement weather or emergency policies. Prospective park managers need a bachelor's degree in leisure and recreation, management, or landscape design. 19. Food service director They work for hotels, cruises, and other accommodations to oversee food service operations for guests. Their job duties include developing a budget for food inventory and supplies, relaying information to food and beverage managers and kitchen staff, approving menu and drink ideas, and ensuring the quality of the food and dining operations. Directors at large hotels or other organizations may also To become a food service director, a bachelor's or master's degree in hospitality management, food service management, or culinary arts is necessary. 11 oversee the room service and catering from multiple restaurants. 20. Travel consultant They assist individuals, educational institutions, and corporations with their travel needs. They meet with clients to discuss their travel options to a destination and determine whether they need a passport, vaccinations, or weatherappropriate attire; they also help them find discounted hotels and airlines and arrange accommodations for clients with medical conditions and special needs. A high school diploma and a voluntary certification are typically necessary to become a travel consultant. An associate or bachelor's degree in tourism, international studies, or hospitality can also be beneficial.
Now, there are some guidelines in terms of proper place of hanging pictures. The right places in which to hang pictures are as follows: 1. Religious pictures, family photograph, pictures of popular basketball players , actors or actresses should be hanged in bedroom. 2. Beauties of nature, flowers and landscape are suitable in the living room. Where to hang pictures? Home Economics and Livelihood Education 7 Seibo College 114 3. The Last Supper, fruits and other foods are suitable in the dinning room. Hanging pictures is important in home furnishing because it enhances the look of the room, it accentuates a certain focal point in the wall, it displays a certain art work and it gives cheerfulness at home. Mounting is the technique used to secure a photograph to a display board. There are several different methods and materials to choose from when mounting a photograph. Following will guidelines will help you to mount pictures. Pictures look best when properly mounted. Factors to consider in mounting pictures: 1. Choose the correct picture frame for your artwork. Choosing the wrong frame can reduce the look of your picture. 2. There should be a space between your picture and the mat, to preserve the picture better. 3. Picture should be firmly supported and secured up by the mount. 4. The mount should contribute to the pictureâs appearance and not ďˇ to draw attention away from it. How to mount pictures? Why is it important to hang pictures? Home Economics and Livelihood Education 7 Seibo College 115 There are different shapes and figures by which pictures are represented. Familiarize yourself with the following figures presented below, so that groupings and accentuating will be easier. Itâs time to be creative! Study the different pictures with different shapes. Give a little time and effort add a dash of your creative imagination, before you knew it, you have made an attractive wall decoration.
The outdoor recreation industry represents a new economy. The leaders of this economy will need to have a deep understanding of our local natural resources and integrate the components of innovation, health, and wellness into a vision for what comes next. Everyone wins when you do the right things for the environment, the community, and the venture. We want to offer the young generation a chance to be part of the foundation we are building for adventure tourism in the emirates and the region. Adventure Tourism Is the Fastest-Growing Global Niche. What does this mean? It means that thereâs plenty of room for young experts to enter the field. Itâs not just the "guides" that the adventure tourism industry needs. Itâs everything that goes with it, from adventure tourism accommodations to trip planners, event managers, marketing and finance directors, advertising, public relations, and communications. We want to highlight that adventure tourism requires more than just guides, and various careers within adventure tourism play a big role in attracting high-value customers, supporting local economies, and encouraging sustainable practices. The continued growth of this sector creates net positive impacts not only for tourism, but also for destination economies, their people, and their environment. 1) Understanding Tourism Tourism is one of the worldâs fastest-growing industries and a major foreign exchange and employment generation for many countries. It is one of the most remarkable economic and social phenomena. 2) Understanding Adventure Tourism Adventure tourism is defined as the movement of the people from one to another place outside their comfort zone for exploration or travel to remote areas, exotic and possibly hostile areas. Adventure tourism is a type of tourism in which tourists engage in adventure activities such as trekking, climbing, rafting, scuba diving, or the likes. Adventure tourism gains much of its excitement by allowing the tourist to step outside their comfort zone. This may be from experiencing culture shock or through the performance of acts that required some degree of risk whether real or perceived. It is also about connecting with a new culture or a new landscape and being physically active at the same time. It is not only about being risky or pushing your boundaries. In fact, it is especially important to know and respect your limits while you are in an unfamiliar area. Adventure travel is a leisure activity that takes place in an unusual, exotic, remote, or wilderness destination. It tends to be associated with high levels of activity by the participant, most of it outdoors. Adventure tourists expect to experience various levels of risk, excitement, and tranquillity and be personally tested. In particular, they are explorers of unspoiled, exotic parts of the planet and also seek personal challenges. The main factor distinguishing adventure tourism from all other forms of tourism is the planning and preparation involved. 3) Definitions of Adventure Tourism Adventure tourism is a new concept in the tourism industry. The tourism industry adopted adventure tourism, but there is not any specific definition of adventure tourism. Most commentators concur that adventure tourism is a niche sector of the tourism industry, but there are many other niche sectors in tourism that have the same characteristics that overlap with adventure tourism such as ecotourism, activity tourism, or adventure travel. One of them can confuse. Adventure tourism is a complicated and ambiguous topic. Some important definitions of adventure tourism are as following: A) According to the Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA): âadventure tourism is a tourist activity that includes physical activity, cultural exchange, or activities in nature.â B) According to Muller and Cleaver: âAdventure tourism is characterized by its ability to provide the tourist with relatively high levels of sensory stimulation, usually achieved by including physically challenging experiential components with the tourist experience.â C) The Canadian Tourism Commission in 1995 defines adventure tourism as: âan outdoor leisure activity that takes place in an unusual, exotic, remote or wilderness destination, involves some form of unconventional means of transportation, and tends to be associated with low or high levels of activity.â D) According to Sung et al: âadventure tourism is the sum of the phenomena and relationships arising from the interactions of adventure touristic activities with the natural environment away from the participantâs usual place of residence area and containing elements of risk in which the outcome is influenced by the participation, setting, and the organizer of the touristâs experience.â E) According to UNWTO: â adventure tourism can be domestic or international, and like all travel, it must include an overnight stay, but not last longer than one year.â 4) Types of Adventure Tourism Adventure tourism has grown exponentially all over the world in recent years with tourists visiting destinations previously undiscovered. This allows for new destinations to market themselves as truly unique, appealing to those travellers looking for a rare, incomparable experience. Adventure tourism includes various activities like caving, hiking, sailing, trekking, etc. Adventure tourism is categorized into two categories: ⢠Hard Adventure ⢠Soft Adventure Hard Adventure Hard adventure refers to activities with high levels of risk, requiring intense commitment and advanced skills. Hard tourism includes the activities like climbing mountains/rock/ice, trekking, caving, etc. Hard adventure activities are highly risked in nature. Professional guides and advanced levels of skills are required to perform these activities. Many tourists died during climbing mountains, caving every day. Soft Adventure Soft adventure refers to activities with a perceived risk but low levels of risk, requiring minimal commitment and beginner skills; experienced guides lead most of these activities. Soft tourism includes the activities like backpacking, camping, hiking, kayaking, etc. Soft adventure activities are low-risk in nature. Professional guides lead these activities. Soft adventure is a popular category in adventure tourism as it caters to a wider audience. 5) Adventure Tourism Activities Adventure travellers are early adopters by nature, meaning they are generally more willing to try new destinations, activities, and travel products. Popular activities change rapidly, and it seems there is a new twist on an existing sport every year. Some activities have low risk and some have high. Adventure tourism activities are classified into two types: ⢠Hard Adventure Activities ⢠Soft Adventure Activities Hard Adventure Activities Hard adventure activities are highly risky and dangerous in nature. These activities are as the following: ⢠Caving ⢠Mountain Climbing ⢠Rock Climbing ⢠Ice Climbing ⢠Trekking ⢠Sky Diving Soft Adventure Activities These activities are less dangerous and risk as compared to hard adventure activities. These activities are mostly lead by professional guides. An example of these activities are: ⢠Backpacking ⢠Bird watching ⢠Camping ⢠Canoeing ⢠Eco-tourism ⢠Fishing ⢠Hiking ⢠Horseback riding ⢠Hunting ⢠Kayaking/sea/whitewater ⢠Orienteering ⢠Safaris ⢠Scuba Diving ⢠Snorkeling ⢠Skiing ⢠Snowboarding ⢠Surfing Adventure tourism activities sit well with the environment because the natural world provides us with the resources for many of the activities that provide risk, challenge, sensory stimulus, novelty, discovery, and so on. 6) Characteristics and Features of Adventure Tourism The threefold combination of activity, nature, and culture marks adventure travel as an all-around challenge. Some unique characteristics and features of adventure tourism are as the following: ⢠Physical activity, like involving physical exertion or psychomotor skills ⢠Contact with nature, activities bringing contact with the natural world in general, or with specific wildlife ⢠Contact with different cultures, i.e. people, faith, lifestyles ⢠Journeys for example vehicle, animal, or human power ⢠Uncertain outcomes ⢠Danger and risk ⢠Challenges ⢠Anticipated rewards ⢠Novelty ⢠Stimulation and excitement ⢠Exploration and discovery ⢠Contrasting emotions 7) Adventure Tourism Supplier A tourism supply chain is the system of people, products, activities, and materials that get a product or service from its raw state through production and distribution to the consumer. As with any sector, volume discounts drive the mass price point, so major retailers primarily market select trips that sell in high volume. The supply chain for these mass tourism products is often very simple, comprising only transportation and accommodation elements. The adventure tourism supply chain is more complex. Niche products often require specializes in knowledge and operations. Adventure tourismâs supply chain linkages go very deep, and this is one of the key reasons that adventure tourism delivers greater benefits at the local level. Supply chains vary from destination to destination. Without a proper supply chain, the tourism sector cannot survive. Tourism suppliers are the backbone of the tourism industry. Adventure tourism suppliers work at a different, different level like as domestic as well international level. 8) Adventure Tourism Importance and Benefits Adventure tourism is one of the fastest-growing sectors of the tourism sector, attracting high-value customers, supporting local economies, and encouraging sustainable practices. The continued growth of this sector creates net positive impacts not only for tourism, but also for destination economies, their people, and their environment. Some importance and benefits of adventure tourism are: A) Employment Generation Adventure tourism generates jobs. Adventure tourism generates directs jobs to accommodation, transportation sector, and travel agencies or tour operators. Adventure tourism also provides indirect jobs to tourism suppliers. Adventure tourism plays an important role in the generation of employment in the economy. B) Foreign Exchange Adventure tourism attracts foreign tourists on a large scale, as a result, it helps in foreign exchange generation. When tourists travel to another country, they spend a large amount of money on accommodation, transportation, and shopping. Adventure tourism generates foreign exchange and supports the economy of the host country. C) Economy Development Adventure tourism helps in the development of the host countryâs economy. Adventure tourism activities directly support the economy in various forms. The more tourists, the more economic growth. D) Support Local Communities Adventure tourism helps in the development of infrastructure and supports local communities. Adventure tourism activities directly contributed to the local economy of the communities and increase local people's living standards. E) Conservation of Natural Resources Adventure tourism activities are nature-based activities. Leaders in the adventure tourism industry are dedicated to making this tourism segment as sustainable as possible. They help in the conservation of natural resources as well as culture. F) Creating Business Opportunities Adventure tourism activities create new business opportunities. Several companies specialize in helping emerging adventure tourism operators market their products. Each new adventure tourism activity creates a new business opportunity. G) Local and Foreign Investment Adventure tourism creates business opportunities; as a result, it attracts local as well as international investors. Investors invest their money in accommodation, transportation, and travel trade organization. Adventure tourism plays an important role in the economy of the host country.
âOn this night, we share a roof protecting us from fleets of inequity. Our unification promises a better tomorrow. Those larger than myself, sitting on their marble thrones, sipping blood from cups composed of human skin and singing songs of so-called virtue, grow weaker each moment. Their caravans are revolting. There is hope yet. There is progress! Though tonight may mark a countdown, it is still a celebration. Look at all we have done, not just for Trials but for Palatium Infra as a whole. In four years, when Iâm no longer Sovereignty, the Spoiled Purity and his people will continue to strive. So drink! Smoke! Crush up those exotic plants and snort them! We will not falter, weaken, or wane. Our influence is expanding, and somebody new opens their eyes every day. Even the Silbys of Aculeus have reached alarming potentials despite their embittered minds. So long as you relish in tonight, dance, and pray to your âdeadâ Gods, our revolution shall rise beyond the bounds of class, and when Iâm only a commoner, we shall rise again beyond our brainwashed adversaries! Cheers, my people. Cheers!â Followers raised their cups. Some clinked theirs together. Others stood still and screamed breathlessly in agreement. I smiled with courtesy, then stepped off my platform. My voice still rang across the cellar. Speeches before were grander. Those displays were supposed to be emptying, and yet this one left me bloated, swollen tight. I watched as they popped the corks of their bottles and chanted in the name of Purity. Maybe the quality of my words wasnât what mattered to them anyway, so long as I screamed loud enough. Thereâs no merit in attacking your people, a voice corrected me. âThatâs right,â I said aloud. âKnox, my-my Sovereign!â squealed a nearby devotee, jittering as he stuffed his face with catered pastries. He was one Iâd never seen before or had failed to remember. âLook what Iâve found! Itâs wine, and not the shoddy Infran kind, either. Earth-made with good fruit! I donât know how anyone managed to get their hands on this. Maybe some space travel mischief.â He giggled and held up a small glass bottle. âHow neat.â âI want you to have it, Sir.â I nodded my head. âYes, of course. Thank you.â Backing off into the midst of rowdy disciples, I clutched the bottle. What a waste of grapes. It could have been jam instead. Earthly food had a superior taste, ripe with delicate intricacies and nostalgia, but Palatium Infra had mastered the art of alcohol. Why waste your time with a drunkenness so sad and sickening? The booze of trash. Not many more followers approached me. The barren peroration must have upset them. My hands itched to submerge into my suit pockets, and my legs stood suddenly numb, wobbling. Four more years until Iâm nothing. But tonight, you are nothing. âShut up,â I told myself. Tightly packed together in the corner of the dwelling sat the Sibyls. A mound of writhing fabric and tones of skin made up their unified silhouette. I snapped the strap of the nearest gown, balancing on my hands and knees, waving the bottle before them. In their almost rodent nature, narrow noses prodded my way. Their dresses wrinkled and fell to their ankles. Knees dropped, and eyes widened. Many grumbled at me like hungry she-beasts. Those newer ones with faded curtains for hair, sunken eyes, and dirtied nails looked, hid their face, then sobbed. I imagined them in a pack together, fighting wildly against the Spoiled Purity in their rat decorumâbiting down with square teeth laced with rabies. âIâve got you all something,â I said. âGo back off to your pedestal and yap some more. We donât want it.â A woman rose from the pile and spat. âYou donât even know what it is yet. It's Earth hooch, or more likely a near-flawless replica. I figured you girls would also like a chance to enjoy yourselves tonight.â âYour playmates have been harassing us since the moment you hung the banners and opened the cellar door.â The youngest, with a striking cyan mop upon her head, uncoiled from the mass. What was she now? 20, 21? We celebrated a birthday recently, I thought as she spun around me. âI remember something about a promise. Multiple promises, actually. Are you trying to bribe us into just shutting up and taking it? Because if another sticky, 40-year-old, Earth-born virgin gropes my shoulder, Iâm going to have an aneurysm!â the girl continued. âWhy not an Infran follower? Do you like it when they touch you?â I returned her accusing tone. âIâm sorry, sweet prophets, that you feel Iâve neglected my duties. Iâll keep a better eye out. Remember, you can always just holler if somebody is bothering you. And Anwen, friend, if Iâve ever tried to bribe you with anything, it was certainly the hair dye. I mean, look at you! Such handsomeness!â I exclaimed. The other Siblys began to encircle her, uttering compliments or even announcements of their envy. Anwen disappeared in a wink with flushed cheeks back into the mound. âIâll just leave this here.â Smiling, I set down the bottle. ** â141, 143. . .â I counted each step as I trekked the staircase. There was no doubt I lost track somewhere. The ledges kept spawning under my feet, infinitely multiplying until I wasnât moving at allâswallowing me up in a whirlpool of stone. My tie still hung around my neck, and my blazer remained tied around my hips as a skirt. Streaks of red dribbled off from the cavity in my chest. It was a gorgeous marking, sensual to my fingertips as I traced its edges. Purity, oh, Purity. Purity and his wings of burnt skin. Purity and his many faces. Purity the spoiled. Purity the mutilated. The Silbys did not bother waiting for me. On bare feet, they stormed up the stairs to their room. A trail of red, though in paint unlike mine, streamed after them. None looked remotely near me as they squeaked and gossiped intangibly. I saved them, those Infran broads, enlightened them. As much as they liked to deny it, spit at me, and bask in the thought of their victimhood, in this home, they stood empowered. Youâve done well, my thoughts affirmed, though in the manner of an insincere commentator rather than a hype man. Teeth grace in tile violin goes laundry paper when. It dissolved into an intruding drivel. I rubbed my head and sniveled. âDo you need help, Knox?â called a Silby. Fattened by my coddling, her shadow fell upon me from the doorway steps ahead. I attempted counting again. There mustâve been at least another hundred between me and her. âIâm hallucinating some,â I said, breathing deeply to suppress a burp as I struggled to recall her name. Two syllables. Typically Latin, though sometimes English. Drops of slobber leaked from my mouth. âIâm hallucinating some, Tybal. Do you like your name, Tybal? I would have named you something better. Ty-Tyballinia. No, weâd have to eliminate the âballâ aspect. It sounds too crude.â âOne foot in front of the other,â she said. So I walked. Mess greeted me at the doorway. Dirtied culinary obscured the dark wooden countertops, and the sink lay running. I approached the kitchen table, sat, and set my face down upon its cool wooden surface. Assaulting my nose was the smell of neglected flowers, like soil mixed with the kind of sweet cough medicine that would have left me gagging as a child. Open windows whispered songs of the twilight hour through the vessels of busy trolleys and shooting guns. My mouth strained to vomit, but there was nothing in my stomach to regurgitate except the petals of Stultoâs bloom, which came out effortlessly in little sputters. Teetering, I stood up and brushed disgorged plant parts off the tabletop. âLove,â I said as I slogged up yet another staircase. âAre you awake?â She said sheâd wait. Somebodyâs gotten her. No, she always misses movie night. That sleepyhead, I assured myself. There was a stirring amidst the manorâs cloak of dusk. Portraits of myself, my wife, and my daughter turned to face me as the hallway lights flickered, escaping their quartz frames to penetrate my ears with nonsense. The taxidermied heads of Infran creatures bared their teeth. I stopped to stare at my favorite, an adabactor with daunting spiked tusks poking out from its forehead. Its nose remained black and sharp, and its eyes wide with malice. âWhere is my Spes, Adaba-boy? Is she sleepy?â Thereâs someone in the house. The sounds of the stirring rose along with my blood pressure. Footsteps orbited around me, drawing near and far and then near again, little dancers in the dark. The carpet immersed me in its mass of purples and blues, leaving my skin stained indigo and my vision abstracted. I toiled to reach the master bedroom across the aisle as it stretched out to me with bright lights and celestial howling, like a dove struggling in a pool of oil. Never again with Stultoâs bloom. Never again on what was already a bad night. My hand brushed the doorknob, and the high abruptly faded into only a persistent hum-buzz twirling around my brain. The portraits returned to their typical depressionâSpes posing with her ax, Ariâs school photo, and myself in the cap I wore when addressing the military with the Verbis emblem embroidered in its center. All lifeless shots. Who were they for when they captured not the subjectâs essence but only some fragment of their identity? They used to feel personal, not advertisements of some supposed characters. Servants, babysitters, and likewise civilian guests, I reminded myself, mustnât forget whose home theyâre in. Yet my body moved independently, taking Ariâs from its hook and laying it backward against the wall to hide her distant grin and tamed posture. It was time for new pictures. Sweet ones, real ones; time was ticking. I approached my own when the stirring began again. Groans and squeals erupted from the vents as if someone had set a pen of pigs loose in my crawlspace. No, not the crawlspace, my bedroom door. I turned the ruby knob. Underneath a blanket wrestled my two squealing piglets, their skins melting together beneath the layer of duvet. Fishnet leggings and manicured nails outstretched and scraped at the sheet beneath them. One raised its head, a salmon-colored man with sweat running down his forehead. Through the crack in the door, we met eyes, his Infran Dr. Sesuss nose flaring its narrow nostrils. No mark of the Spoiled Purity existed carved onto his naked body. My chest felt tight. I stepped back. I was suffocating. Spes emerged from the linens, her hair flowing down her back and her dark skin glistening in front of the bedroom window. She giggled and held the man, the blanket falling and revealing inches of her body I had not seen in months. âDarling,â whispered the rosy-faced man, âlook.â He was unfathomably ugly and grotesquely young, with beady, lifeless pupils that dilated when he faced me. The excess flesh on his face sagged while he bit down on his thin lips. My wife faced me, gasped, and strained to cover herself. Suddenly, I was a stranger. A small child who had walked into his parents having sex. I unfurled the door completely. âGet out of my house,â I said. The man stayed in place. âGet out of my house,â I repeated. âKnox,â Spes began. Tears ran down her round cheeks. âShut up!â I turned to the man, picking up a marble trophy from on top of my dresser. âGet out of my house! Iâll kill you!â âKnox!â Spes sobbed. âGod damn it! I hate you! You barely look at me. Every day, thereâs less passion. God, God, God, I donât want to fuck a dead man!â she screamed, âYou get out! Get! Get!â My hands wrapped tighter around the statue. That pig of a man was attached to her at the side, his face equipped with a scowl that challenged mine. He thought I was weak; frail like a decaying dementia-ridden senior. I imagined his skull bashed in, his scowl gone, and the feist and confidence in his face beaten into numbness. A new portrait was in order of such brutality, him as a splintered slab of wood, rashed and beaten, a carcass licking my boot. The churning in my brain had come back. Every wall shook. Clock faces came to life and rang in alarm. Indescribable noises caressed my eardrum before breaking into sorrowful weeps. Was it my own? I stared at Spes in motionless frenzy, clenched my teeth, and screamed like a siren. Passionless. What a lie! An excuse, more like. One that erased all my ventures, reducing me to a nobody. But I was not a nobody. I thought of my sect, my campaigns, my endurance through the political brutality of my empty hive-mind worldâeven my collection of literature, maps, and artifacts. I thought of daring nights alone with Spes when we were young, ravaging each other, two sardonic eggheads suddenly overcome with desire. The veins in my neck throbbed as I gasped for air. It was all I had. I threw the figurine at the manâs head. Eye shut, I heard the thud. A million singing voices of victory flooded out of the cracks in the floorboard. Proving myself a man to the woman I loved in a display of fervent violence was passion. I strained my ears for his cries, though I did not look yet. There had to be a pause, a moment of relief, where I stood tall as a skyscraper and seemingly fought to stay contained in front of my wife and her wounded, quivering paramour. Frantic footsteps rushed off the bed and past my side. I turned and grappled against myself to seize my wifeâs shoulder. âSpes!â My eyelids lifted. Escaping was the man with that same numb expression in which I had imagined him. âYouâre insane,â he said. I swiveled back towards the bed. With her curly locks flowing over her breasts and her limbs bent at her sides, Spes sat limp pressed against the headboard, her forehead bludgeoned and the statue resting on her stomach. Lips pursed and sweet, my Renaissance beauty reclined there in the guise of a squashed bug. But she was not dead. The desk ornament I flung was only the size of my shoe. Spes, that dramatist, may have been slightly hurt but was far from dead. She only wanted me to think she was to observe me at my most distraught, like a leech feeding on misery. âGet up.â Staggering toward the bed, I said. âYou wanted passion? I showed you passion. âShoved it right into your head. Of course, we both know who that gesture was meant for. . .â I fumbled to find my wit. Cold skin met my hands as I stroked her face, unable to resist checking her pulse, even though she was not dead. âI love you, Spes,â I said. Rain pelted against a nearby window. âSpes, please. Please.â No vibration answered my plea. I lifted my hand, sitting next to her now. Tears did not come. There was not any blood on the trophy, but when I picked it up, it felt to be now only a cruel instrument. It depicted a younger me in white marble, with my glasses and collared shirt being the only things painted. Both were in pink. It was a favorable color. I scrambled from the bed to vomit pure digestive bile on the rug. My stomach heaved. I ran my nails along every piece of myself I saw, a dog chasing my tail. As I slammed myself against walls and convulsed, my own heart grew ever louder in my chest. âDad? I heardââ Ariâs slippered feet hammered across the floor. âMom? Mom?â I kept my eyes on the storm. Silence fell. âShe-She isnâtâyourâ.â Gasps interrupted every syllable she spoke. âYouâre a murderer. Bad. Like they said,â she breathed, â You beat her!â The words became mush, alphabet soup. Ari ran back down the hall. âMy-My mom is dead. . . .Yes. . . Manor of the Trials Sovereignty. . .Ari Sorkin. . . Iâm afraid heâs going to hurt me,â she said, presumably over the phone. It was all too fast. I crawled onto the windowsill, opened the glass, and let myself plummet into the alley below. Gusts of wind howled. The lack of motion or sensation informed me I had passed and again lived. Another Palatium Infra, another strange planet in which the celestial endowed rotting men with the opportunity to inhabit. Was this it? Was it all just an impossible limbo of galactic traveling? My surroundings were overwhelmingly gray, an abyss of clouds. Perhaps I had now met the real coming world, and my family and old friends lived here, ready to rush to my sides, lift me up, and jump for joy. Spes would be there. She would be enraged, but at least sheâd be there. You are a bad man. You are a bad man. My eyelashes fluttered. There was a tugging sensation in my leg. The fog was wavering along with my ascendance. âNo,â I yearned, trying to grip the clouds and stick them in place. âStay with me.â But the peace was fleeting. I felt the cement under me and the moist garments clinging to my figure. My leg burned. Carefully, I craned my neck, only to observe the promenade as my surroundings. The most underwhelming of filth and danger, individually Infran. Forever my coming world. What a fool I was, having forgotten my blessing. Those idiot Gods could not tell the difference between assassination and self-infliction; a faulty insurance plan. The urge to cry at last set over me, and so I sat and wailed hot salvia into my palm, shielding my mouth to muffle the noise. Thunder echoed my hushed howling. Raindrops turned to pebbles. Under the ambiance of the stormy night, I could have sworn I heard troops stomping, guns cocking, and the chanting of my name. They had all been waiting for this. Billboards came to life, and I could only sit and spectate as the scenery flashed red. I inhaled fear and sobriety through runny nostrils. âTrials Sovereign Vsevolod âKnoxâ Sorkin is currently at large for the suspected homicide of Spes Sorkin, breaking the first term of the Sovereignty Charter. We now instruct you to report any sightings of the Earth-born, caucasian, roughly 195 centimeters tall, brown-haired, and brown-eyed man to your local Guard post. One can identify the suspected convict specifically by an occult tattoo of Purityâs Coronet on his lower back. No attempted execution or elongated punishment will take place until our Guards conduct an autopsy proving his guilt, per Lifeâs 1238 commandment. We cannot be sure when or if the Gods will revoke his blessing. Remember, when Gods frown upon strife, opt for a peaceful life. We permit all grieving festivities until Cagidus 4th. Good year!â towering buildings sang out in broadcast, repeating that same convoluted message quicker the instant it ended. Sometimes, the announcer spoke in Latin for the Infran children, other times in Chinese, Hindi, or Spanish to cater to those of irrelevant tongues. You arenât a bad man. You are a stupid boy. Puddles sloshed. Somebody was approaching. I didnât dare waste any remaining energy avoiding the Guards and their prodding blades. How did that phrase go? You dug your grave. Now lie in it. And so I embraced the cement. âKnox?â said the Guard. No, her tone was too sincere, and no authority would proceed in such a manner. There wasnât confirmation on whether or not I was armed, and it wasnât as if she could shoot me first. She was a partygoer, having just left from the cellarâs backdoor. I shooed her away with my hand. She hovered, and I discerned her shadow hesitating over my body. A man could not rot in peace. âCome on, get up! Theyâre after you!â Hands reached around my torso, struggling to handle my weight as they urged me onto my feet. That leg, the burning one, my right, trembled and bent unnaturally upon impact with the ground. The partygoer slung my arm over her shoulder, balancing me. My eyes caught a glimpse of a cyan mop. âAnwen?â I rasped, âhu-who let you out?â Keys jangled in her handsâmy keys. âI escaped,â she said casually, coercing me to walk beside her. âQuicken your pace. I just heard somebody on your front porch. âYou see that compost bin down the alley? Weâre gonna burrow right down into the depth of that. If they open it and uncover us, Iâll be on top, and I can hide you and act like Iâm just a homeless amica trying to take a nap.â With a tightening grip, she led me like livestock to the stinking crate. âI donât understand, Anwen,â I said. âTheyâre going to torture and kill you, stupid. You know theyâve been wanting to, and you just handed the opportunity to them!â âI understand that.â It was becoming increasingly challenging to hide the fragility emerging in my voice. âYou said you were escaping. Why stop and help your captor?â âWhat else could I do? Leave you there?â Attempts to shove my wounded body inside its mass of discarded fruits and vegetables began. She yanked down upon my head and submerged me in the fertilizer sea. The evidence grows indisputable, I thought as I stared at the abruptly humane Infran girl, diving in after me, that I belong here. âDamn me to hell! Iâve killed her! My love is dead!â an uncontrollable cry leaped from my mouth. âShut up! Soon youâll be, too, if you donât quiet down.â The actual noise of the Guards darted past us: disorientated marching, guns clanking against each other, cluttered belts rattling, the Latin squawking. One paused to open the binâs lid, though only rummaged through the surface layer of peat before carrying on. âWhat are they talking about? I struggle with my Latin,â I whispered. âThe search, mainly.â Aggression remained firey in Anwenâs clenched jaw. Though she sat on top of me, there was a monumental distance between our rain-soaked forms. I curled up into a ball, ducked my head between my knees, and dreamt of Spes, ignoring the stench of spoiled food rising from every crevice of my dwelling. The next coming world was due to adopt me again as I forced sleep. I prayed for a canyon of fluffy haze, where I waltzed with pale memories but found nothing but the petrifying stillness of my mind. Killed and ran. Violent as a Guard just to prove a point and watch it backfire. Why would any heaven want to welcome me? I clung to the picture of Spes in my head like it was the last ember of an extinguished flame. âDid you mean to kill her?â Anwen interrogated. âSomeone like you would immutably believe yes.â âAnd who is someone like me? You canât even treat me like a person for a moment, can you?â grating drama decorated her words. âYou know my opinions. I have not seen much of your or your breedâs faces besides that of cruelty and ignorance.â I retorted. âI just saved you! Does that make me cruel and ignorant?â âIt makes you an idiot, which is another word for somebody ignorant.â âAnd why am I an idiot?â She asked. âBecause you helping me does no good. Thank you anyhow. Now, do yourself a favor and scram.â As she bent her leg in anticipation, preparing to strike me on the forehead, I sensed an invisible withdrawal widening the gap between us. âYou never answered my question,â Anwen took me by the end of my tattered tie suddenly and started her game of shepherd and sheep over again, pulling me back up to the crateâs exit. It appeared as a shining light at the end of a maze of rubbish and mold. âNo. Of course not. Spes was my everything,â I sniffled. âI knew it. You couldnât even bring yourself to hit us, let alone murder your wife. The girls and I always figured you were sensitive.â My heart rate quickened. Today was one of humbling and miseryâone to pray a hail spike would fall from the sky as sharp as a needle, pierce into my eyelid, and lobotomize me. I wished I could have merely died or hit my head hard enough not to have to deal with it all. No, I wished I was Anwen with her snarky, careless glow and lack of depth in her eyes. As we emerged from the compost bin together, I fantasized about strangling her until her face turned purple, her weakening spirit no longer categorizing me as âsensitiveâ, but the thought could only remind me of wielding that trophy and the microscopic traces of my wifeâs tender skin tainting it, which turned my guts inside out. âThatâs why I think you could use a little help,â Anwen said, âIt seems like you canât walk, either. Your leg is all twisted up.â She undid one of her trim pigtails and handed me the band. âTake off your tie and put up your hair. âWill make you less recognizable. Then swallow your pride and stick with me.â
Preparing the Dining Room or Restaurant Area for Service.
When my husband was going into the dining room this morning, he dropped some coins on the floor. There were coins everywhere. We looked for them, but we could not find them all. While we were having breakfast, our little boy, Tommy, found two small coins on the floor.He put them both into his mouth. We both tried to get the coins, but it was too late. Tommy had already swallowed them! Later that morning, when I was doing the housework, my husband phoned me from the office. 'How's Tommy?' he asked. 'I don't know, I answered, 'Tommy's been to the toilet three times this morning, but I haven't had any change yet!'