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The following is inspired by the hybrid assignment

(This is meant to be read in a not very good David Attenborough impression) The mighty crocopus stalks the waters of northern Australia, hunting for its favorite prey. The crocopus glides effortlessly through the waters using its webbed feet and duck like tail to propel itself forward. It uses its excellent sense of smell to detect its favorite food, blue ringed octopus. the crocopus is perfectly suited to this hunt, it uses its scaly face to protect against deadly stings and its sharp teeth to trap its slippery quarry.

This crocopus has a secret though, she is not just hunting for herself put also for her young. The crocopus nests in muddy embankments on the sides of rivers where it will lay its eggs. Unlike in most species the male crocopus takes the role of the eggs caretaker while the female forages. the male will lay on the eggs nonstop for up to three months until they hatch, only kept alive by the success of his partners hunting. When the eggs hatch the male and female will switch roles, with the female caring for the young by secreting milk from her armpits.

It seems that this crocopus has been unsuccessful in this hunt, but don’t fear there will be another. As she swims home defeated we get a beautiful glimpse into the ups and downs of natural life. Unfortunately the crocopus is critically endangered, as habitat loss, pollution, and hunting reduce their numbers. There is hope though, as several groups have lobbied to protect this mighty beast, but their future remains uncertain.

The crocopus and its habits are loosely based on its composit animals with a great deal of creative liberty taken. The milk fact is real though. I would highly recommend checking out the website I have linked here for information on platypus conservation. Linked here is a website about crocodile conservation. I would also recommend watching any of The crocopus and its habits are loosely based on its composit animals with a great deal of creative liberty taken. The milk fact is real though. I would highly recommend checking out the website I have linked here for information on platypus conservation. Linked here is a website about crocodile conservation. I would also recommend watching any of David Attenborough’s documentary films as they are all quite good, here is a teaser:

The BAG:

I use a single strap bag I was gifted by my grandmother. It has three compartments that make storing different items easy. It is pretty comfortable for short walk 10~15 minutes but after that the single strap can really start to dig into your shoulder. I really like the front pocket as it is perfect size to hold my bluebooks during the school year. The back pocket is nice too as it has a sleeve to hold your laptop away from the rest of the contents of the bag which helps to keep things organized.

School Essentials

Number one has to be my laptop. Most classes I take make extensive use of online resources and even for classes that don’t being able to take digital notes is very helpful. I also keep my iPad on me. It can be useful for drawing diagrams for certain classes as well as for doing class readings. I also like to doodle sometimes. Lastly is my notebook. I have a philosophy professor that I end up with every semester that does not allow devices in her classroom. Because of this it is essential that I keep a physical notebook on me during the school year.

Other stuff

First up is my wallet. It is made of vegan leather and is very soft. It is also RFID blocking to keep my credit and debit cards from being stolen. This is very important as if you don’t have an RFID blocking wallet you could be at risk of having your information stollen. Next up is my keys and ID. This is somewhat self explanatory. I am rather proud of the lanyard though as I made it myself. Lastly is deodorant. This one is defiantly a must (get it?). You defiantly don’t want to get caught smelling bad so this is the easy way to prevent that.

Wrap Up

This is what’s in my bag. I definitely think that it could be improved somewhat. I think I am going to start carrying aspirin and allergy medicine as you never know when that might be useful. I also think I might add some snacks like granola bars as another just in case item. Also I usually do carry a water bottle I just forgot to take a photo of it. For more info on everyday carry items here is a YouTube channel I recommend, and I will embed a sample video below. This post was inspired by this prompt: What’s in your bag

The following short story is inspired by the poem “Far Beyond the Place of Stopping” by R.J. Williamson. I have linked a version from reddit as well as a video adaptation at the bottom of this post.

The saying “My life is like a movie” is usually used to denote that your life is great, turns out that is not so true. Ever since I woke up in a world that looks das though it had been rotoscope my life has been hell. Every step I take is predetermined, every word I say spoken for me. I would like this movie to end, for credits to roll and for vision to fade to black so I can wake up and see everything has returned to normal.

I had a conversation with my mother today, what I said was not of my choosing, and her replies were like that of a fan fiction writer trying to write a character they only vaguely know. It was a most disheartening experience, one of the people dearest to me stripped down to a shell and replaced with someone else. The comfort I would have hoped to take finally directed to be in her presence taken from me and replaced with unease. Perhaps this was a cruel joke orchestrated at my expense, taking what I find precious away.

The room itself was different too, subtle details missing, cabinets without handles, pots fused to their lids as though created without a care for their functionality so long as they looked good enough. Even things like water is different, it is not cold nor is it wet, It looks like water yet lacks any sensation. It is a facade meant to torment me. The same is true for food, I eat and yet it has no taste nor nourishment. I grow ever more ravenous and thirsty yet I cannot find satiation.

I long for a freedom not forthcoming. To return to a memory that grows fainter by the minute. I wish to taste food with substance. I thirst to taste water that can moisten the dryness of my throat. Nothing in this place can satisfy. With every passing moment I become ever more like my prison, the depth behind me stripped away by this hollow husk.

Inspirations:

reddit link to the poem

theatric reading and video by burial goods on Youtube

this post was created for the draw it prompt

They say you should be your own best friend but it’s important not to take that too literally. I found this out the hard way. It all started when I was cleaning out my grandfathers office after his passing. He had a large photocopier that was absolutely ancient and its size indicated it was meant for use in a commercial office space not for individual use in a dusty attic over a garage. I figured I would keep it to sell and so I took a photo and put it on face book marketplace.

It sat unsold for over a year out of sight and out of mind until one fateful evening in July. I was staying at my grandparents house with my grandmother and needed to make several copies of a work document to send to a client. The old machine up in the attic was the only one in the house to I made my way up to that space left desolate for over a year now and flicked the power on. Surprisingly it seemed to power up. I placed my sheet of paper on the glass while unbeknownst to me a spider hung suspended from a gossamer line of silk above the surface. I closed the machine and hit print, the closing lid taking the spider with it.

When my print completed it came out with a spiders on top of it, three of them. Three spiders for three copies of the document. My immediate and unintelligent reaction to this was to make a copy of my arm, I laid my arm on the glass and hit print. To my amazement and dawning horror three fully 3d living breathing versions of myself were spit out of the pinter. I screamed.

based on this assignment