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          ilyilyilyilyilyilymedia mavens mount surgical strikes from trapper keeper collages and online
          ilyilyilyilyilyilyilyimagazine racks. cover girl cutouts throw up pop-up ads infecting victims with
          ilyilyilyilyilyilyilyilyilyisilicone shrapnel. they construct ransom letters from biblical passages and
          ilyilyilyilyilyilyilyilyilyilyibleed mascara into the holy water supply. there's a war going on for you mind


                                                    ( shaun "vern" mcallister )gambino вεατηιk
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                                                          xxxxStars filled the vision of a young man.. well, he wasn't so much a young man anymore. He was getting on in his years, but he still had his youth at heart. He was grown, absolutely, but he wasn't ready to be settled. He still had exploring and learning to do. Self-growth. Self-awareness. Thus, he let himself rest comfortably in his queen-sized bed in a local hotel. His travels took him to the cold city of New York. Running rough, calloused hands over his weathered face, Shaun stood from the bed, then made his way to the window. He cast his gaze along the cityscape and the already busy streets. Vern leaned his head against the cold glass and reveled in the feeling. With his eyes closed once again and the stars returned, bursting into different colors and shapes. He wasn't used to waking up this early; Shaun had gotten so used to moving at his own pace and on his own time, that he honestly stopped keeping up with time. It wasn't extremely useful, unless he had to be somewhere of course. This was one of those days. Fortunately, it was for more traveling and not some sappy family reunion. When his dad found out that Shaun was in New York... well, the questions never really stopped coming.

                                                          xxxxHis travels led Vern so far, taught him so much and yet.. he still didn't feel complete. He shared his words, his heart in so many nameless cities and towns. Different states, provinces, even a different country had a taste of his mind. It still wasn't enough. It probably wouldn't ever be enough. Pushing himself off of the window and wall, Shaun decided to walk the halls and search for a place to send his thoughts before he had to absolutely leave. Luckily, the bus depo wasn't far from his hotel. He had some spare time. The young man grabbed a small notebook before he exited his room, eyes unfocused. A heavy sigh racked the man's chest as he walked the halls aimlessly, thought making each step he took heavier and heavier. He wanted to speak, use his hands for something, be creative in some way. He started to make a beat with his mouth, pressed down the ice dispenser buttons, and ran his nails along the old wallpaper that lined the halls. Nothing inherently creative, but it was noise. It was something besides a the universes he saw when he closed his eyes.

                                                          xxxxA small beeping noise brought the traveler out of his thoughts. He turned his head to see a small, older woman with a cleaning cart walking towards him. She smiled in his direction before pressing a button on her wristwatch, silencing the repetitive noise. Her head rose again and she nodded at him before entering an empty room. After a moment of watching the space she once occupied, Shaun took the phone from his pocket and checked the time; seven in the morning. He sucked his teeth before turning and walking back to his room. Ever since he was a child, Vern had been a nervous sleeper. That is to say, when he had an event to attend the next day, sleeping beforehand was near impossible. Or he woke up hours in advance. That's why he liked living life on his own terms, making his own itinerary or even making decisions as he went. His hotel room door creaked open when he reached it. He paused in the doorway and scanned the tidy room. The only thing astray were his clothes from yesterday on the table beside the dresser. He grabbed his duffle bag, slid the clothes in with his clean ones, and made his way out of the room altogether. There wasn't a reason to stay; he could just be early for the bus. Either way he would be sitting around waiting.

                                                          xxxxShaun put one headphone in an ear, picked out his early morning playlist, and left the hotel silently. A fifteen minute walk led him to his destination as the tables of coffee and breakfast pastries were being set out. The young man regarded the crew and sat away from the business, waiting for the other travelers to show up. As much as he disliked waking up early, he did like being the first to arrive at something. He got to see everything unfold, people's initial reactions and thoughts before anything had the chance to sway their opinions. He leaned back against the bench he'd situated himself on, slipped his hands inside his hoodie pocket and waited, listening to his melodic music as the sun continued to rise over the great city of New York.

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                                                          ooc:// click the star under "beatnik" for outfit<3

    Anxious Prophet

    User Image tab User Image

    VIVIEN WHITEHORSE tab tab tab

                                  I'M NOT A PASSENGER, I'M JUST ALONG FOR THE RIDE
                                  tab I'M NOT A PHANTOM LIMB, IT'S JUST SOMETIMES I GET THE ITCH
                                  tab tab I'M NOT A LOST SOUL, I'M JUST WANDERING AROUND
                                  tab tab tab tab SO tab SAYS tab I, tab SO tab SAYS tab I


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                                        After five years of spending zir summers traversing across the country, Vivien Whitehorse had become something of a morning person by sheer necessity: the group was scheduled to leave at 10:00am, so of course Viv was awake at the perfectly reasonable hour of 6:00. The sun was barely cresting the horizon when ze sat up in zir hotel bed with a yawn and a feline stretch, raking zir fingers through zir length of long, sleep-mussed black hair. After a few sleepy blinks, ze pulled zirself out of bed. Before getting into the shower, ze bent in front of the mini-fridge and pulled out one of several long, white cylinders: an Avonex autoinjector pen; ze set it on top of the nightstand, and trudged to the bathroom.

                                        Ze squinted at zir reflection in the mirror as ze brushed zir teeth: narrow face, light brown skin, face peppered with freckles. A patchy moustache had started to grow in, ze noticed with a slight huff, meaning ze'd need to shave, too. Vivien moved through zir morning routine with a practiced swiftness, showering and tackling the unfortunate mass that was zir hair, blow-drying it and plaiting it back into a neat braid (which would almost certainly end up coming loose over the course of the day).

                                        Prior to getting dressed, Vivien prepared zir Avonex pen, screwing on the long, thin needle and pulling out the barrel before pressing the tip to zir bare outer thigh. (Ze was thankful the barrel of the pen covered the actual needle; ze didn't think ze could handle actually seeing it sink into zir thigh each week.) With the press of a button, the medication was injected and Viv didn't need to worry about it again until next Friday. It had taken a while to get used to, but by now, such things were becoming closer and closer to second nature. While that in itself was frightening, there was nothing to be done about it. This was zir life now, and all ze could do was face the music.

                                        When Viv went to the doctor last November, just after Thanksgiving, the last thing ze'd expected was to be diagnosed with MS: it didn't run in the family, and ze was young and "biologically male", so the chances that ze would develop it were appallingly slim – yet here ze was, with a couple relapses already under zir belt, though ze hadn't experienced anything especially debilitating as yet. Apart from being tired out more easily and slowly worsening vision, none of the symptoms were constant; ze felt safe enough to go on this trip. More than that, ze had to go on this trip. It would be zir last, at least for a while, and backing out now was absolutely out of the question.

                                        The clock was ticking toward 7:30 by the time Viv was dressed and on zir way to the bus depot. As ze walked, ze shot off a quick group text to the whole crew: rise & shine, sweethearts!! it's moving day! on my way to the depot now, see y'all there! xo, v. It was already a beautiful day, warm and clear, and ze wished ze could take the time to really enjoy it – but there would be time enough for that on the road. By the time ze got there, just shy of 8:00am, ze was surprised to find one of their travelers already there along with a handful of crewmembers, and despite being slightly winded by a walk that would've been easy as pie before, Viv smiled brightly and waved.

                                        "Good morning!" ze chirped. "Great to see there's an early riser among us. I'm Vivien Whitehorse, co-captain of the Wanderlust Wagon, but you're welcome to call me Viv. Help yourself to some breakfast if you like; not sure if you've spoken to anyone yet, but we're set to leave at ten o'clock, so for now you can just relax, get to know everyone. If you have any questions, feel free to come find me, okay?"

                                        ooc
                                        Sorry this is kinda lame. ;; Also, the middle star links to Viv's outfit!
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                                                        IRIS MARIA RODRIGUEZ
                                                        xxxxx WE'D FALL ASLEEP BY THE BIG BLUE SEA WITH OPEN EYES SO WE COULD SEE

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                                                          There was a morning chill when Iris stepped out of her car in front of her office entrance, a little side door of a quaint, brick building. Iris combed a hand through her hair, still damp from her shower, and the other hand fished inside the pocket of her cargo sweats for her keys. At 6:30AM, there wasn't a soul on Villa Maria's campus, save maybe a few housekeepers. Summer courses began at 9AM at the earliest, so she doubted there were any professors or students here, unless they were early risers like herself. Iris unlocked the door and flicked on the light right inside, dropping her keys on her desk and booting up her computer. As it was warming up, Iris fidgeted anxiously with the hem of her baseball tee and rocked on her heels. Today was the day. Wanderlust Wagon was about to embark on their biggest adventure yet. Every summer was like a dream--a dream come true that is. It still felt surreal to lead these cross country tours. Not everyone had the opportunity to travel every year, which was something the company kept in mind when planning the trip. They tried to make it affordable as possible by relying on camping some nights and placing emphasis on sight-seeing, as well as many other things...Arianna was better with those financial details.

                                                          Iris logged into her computer and quickly double checked to see if everything was in order. There were only four summer programs for service-learning and study abroad. Her assistant Claire was in charge during the summer while she was with Wanderlust Wagon. Claire was more than capable, but it was part of Iris' nature to be thorough and to take any job or task seriously. All was set. She logged out then snatched up her keys to head back to the car, turning the light off and locking the door behind her. A smile spread across her face. Anxiety about this summer's tour aside, Iris was still beyond thrilled. Since childhood, she dreamed about traveling. Her family never traveled out of state, so those dreams were tightly bottled up and about ready to explode by the time she was old enough to drive and travel on her own or with friends. Her heart for adventure was almost too big for her body sometimes. That was why in her last year of college, she and Viv, who she considered one of her closest friends, created what's now Wanderlust Wagon. It came into fruition after graduation, though, when they teamed up with other college grads.

                                                          It was an hour drive from Villa Maria to the bus depot where everyone would be meeting for departure. The sunrise was remarkable. There was something about seeing all of that light and color behind the shadowed buildings. New York wasn't all dirty streets, gray buildings, and too many people (okay, maybe the last one). You just had to look for it, the beauty. The drive felt painfully long. Her phone buzzed with a message notification. A quick glance showed that it was Viv. Ze would probably make it to the depot before her. She frowned. It wasn't that she wasn't excited to see zem...it was the thought of his MS. Ze'd called her last November...but he hadn't told the rest of the crew yet, and that combined with wondering how ze'd do traveling this summer worried her. Well, she had to make the frown disappear because right then she pulled into the depot, and sure enough, there was Viv. She grinned all too cheekily and waved as she drove past to the parking space the depot had directed her to park her car to stay until her friends picked it up for her. Iris left her bags in the car for the time being, but grabbed the thick folder with the itinerary, registration forms, and other information. "Viv!" She called, jogging up and pulling zem into a hug. "Sorry, I wanted to stop by my office once more to make sure everything was set for Claire to take over." Iris turned to see there was another early riser. Her face lit up with recognition.

                                                          "Good morning! I'm Iris Rodriguez. I'm the captain of Wanderlust Wagon, but you definitely don't have to call me 'Captain Rodriguez' or anything silly like that. Iris will do. I'm sure Viv already told you, but we have a lot of food, so please help yourself!" Iris smiled. She slipped the folder between her thighs to hold it while she pulled her hair into a ponytail then opened up the folder to sift through the registration forms...which she forgot to put into alphabetical order. Good start. Okay, so her professionalism wasn't perfect. Well, at least they have time. Iris' face scrunched up as she looked at Vivien and laughed a little. "Um, could you help me alphabetize these?" While they were at it, she might as well find their first traveler's form. Iris looked his way and decided to spark some conversation. "Where are you from?"
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    ~ Arianna Liv Moore: Manager of the Wanderlust Wagon~


        T h exxB a s i c sxx F o r xx T o d a y ::


        xxWho knew caregivers could get you all stressed? . . . Thoughts
        xx Outfit. . . Thoughts
        xx In need of coffee. . . Thoughts
        xx Current song stuck in my head . . . Thoughts

        Arianna had been up since five talking to her mother’s care giver in Sweden. Since there was a six hour time difference between New York City and Sweden Arianna had to go with the flow of the Swedes. Nonetheless, Ari was exhausted and listened to the caregiver, asking the appropriate questions when needed and supplying information. In a way it was sad that this was Ari’s “normal” now. It was hard on some days to come to terms with the fact that her mom was really sick. Parkinson’s disease is relentless and the past few months have been trying for both Ari and her mother. It felt like Arianna was constantly flying from Florida to Sweden and back. Towards the end of the skype conversation her mother’s caregiver put her in front of the screen and Ari and she talked for a few.

        “Är du upphetsad att åka på turné igen?” Arianna smiled and resisted the urge to cry as she heard her mom talk. Her mother’s speech was extremely slurred, but Arianna knew what she had asked. Arianna was excited. Granted, it was a nervous excitement, but it was exciting. This trip gave her a break from working at the dance studio she co-owned with her childhood friend Adelyn in Florida. Ari talked with her mother for a bit longer before starting to wrap everything up. “Jag älskar dig mamma. Ring om du behöver något,” her mother replied back saying she loved her and the two waved goodbye before Arianna logged off. Arianna looked over at her clock and saw it was a little past seven. With that she rubbed the rest of the sleep out of her eyes and got ready.

        Arianna got ready relatively quickly and when she hopped out of the shower she saw that she had a text message from Viv. Smiling, Arianna shot back a text, “Sorry if I’m a bit later than usual. Had to deal with my mother’s healthcare workers. See you soon! –Ari”
    Arianna finished getting ready and then left her hotel.

    Swiftly Arianna was able to hail down a cab and the few minutes of quiet were welcomed. She welcomed the quiet for a second before the excitement started to swell inside of her. There weren’t enough words to describe how much Arianna loved the crew and loved the Wanderlust Wagon. They were such a huge part of her and helped shape the person she is today. After about 20 minutes the cab came to a stop and Arianna hopped out and paid the driver. Swiftly she grabbed her bags and made her way inside the depot.

    As Arianna set foot in the Depot she immediately saw Iris and Viv. The third person was mostly likely a new addition to the family. “Hi guys,” Ari said with a broad smile. “Sorry I’m a bit later than usual.” Arianna figured that Viv had told Iris or Iris had figured out why she was later than she wanted to be.




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    !! - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - willow roberts
    poetry is what happens when nothing else can


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    unfurl your gown a distant fuller skin , ______ _ __________ _ ___________ _ _
    _____ _ _ _ __________ _ _ _____ _____ _ i knew you once. my god the sun, the windows
    bear your bones, reveal your crime. beautiful girl, _________________________ _______ _ _ _____ _ _ ____ _
    ________ ______ ________ __ _ _ ____ _ _ __ _ _ may the weight of world resign, you will get better.



    The sun spread across white, crumpled up sheets. A small body lay underneath, rolled into a ball with an arm draped over the edge. 'Beep beep beep beep!' Willow rolled over in bed, heaving a sigh at the violent sound of a cheap hotel alarm clock, slamming the snooze button down. However, once she realized what day it was, a small smile crept up on her face. She had been awaiting this day since the end of the last journey. The job she held at an office gave her plenty of time to think between making phone calls and booking appointments for clients. Walking quickly across the room, she made coffee and started the shower. Fifteen minutes later, she began the tedious process of getting ready.

    Willow closed her hotel door and walked down the hallway fast, her rolling bag following behind. She was finally on the way to the Wanderlust Wagon where she's be reunited with the crew she'd grown to adore. Granted, she was curious about the new set of travelers coming with them this year but the idea of seeing the people she worked with made her jittery. Her family had always traveled, so being on the road or just in motion for hours wasn't anything too terribly new. Since she had become an adult, the idea of being able to pack up and go places just for fun wasn't a possibility. Once she got a good job in an office, she was able to make enough money to participate in such an adventure without too much worry.

    The young woman arrived on scene, her bag in hand and coffee cup in the other. She had just read Viv's text and had always admired zir's kindness and dedication to the Wanderlust Wagon. Willow smiled at some of the adventurers already at the scene and felt a new feeling flutter in her heart. She saw Arianna, Viv, and Iris and gave soft waves at them. Sipping at her coffee, the feeling in her chest and heart reaffirmed her love for the beauty and poetry that she found in people. Poetry was what fueled her life. The Wanderlust Wagon was a beautiful way for her to meet new people and experience what it was like to live a good poem.

    ooc
    the heart at the end of the quote under her name has her outfit. I apologize for such a short start! it will get better soon.


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