time cast a spell on you

Who: Vince & open!

"I think if we get lost we can easily get found," Amina deadpanned. "But yes, that does mean I think we could get lost." It was easy enough to be deceived by these things, and by your own hubris. Amina generally stayed humble, but could easily get caught up in the moment. "After me? That means you're taking my guidance, just remember that."

It is, and I'm not even saying that I want that in a partner -- I'm not looking for a partner, you know? -- but the best friendships are forged with those kinds of people, and I'll stand by that. Whole cabinet! And I do, I... am a consumer now, and got a Sponge Daddy. They're actually pretty good at what they do, too. I really do, I came back expecting little kids, you know? Now it's teenagers. And infants.

Friendships are a kind of partnership, in a way, so it's important to know what you want in those all the same. Wow, a Sponge Daddy? You're falling into the corporate sponge trap. You better watch out. The good news is infants turn into little kids, so soon you'll be right again.

"Can't go through your life wanting to slap someone every second of every day, after all," he said with a low laugh, because he could. And he often did. But less so since moving to Merrock, at least. "Water color is more like that," Ryder confirmed, "that's why I like acrylics a smidge more, or dealing with more abstract water color pieces. It matters less if you mess up, if you're just going to fix it. Cover it, at least," he was creative when he needed to be. "That does seem like a more fair estimate."

"Eventually that kind of rage only ends up hurting you, I find." Amina nodded as they spoke. And wasn't that just the truth? There was no point to the type of rage that only served to hurt. "You can say it was on purpose if you fuck up with something more abstract, right? Oh, the fuck up was part of the plan. That's pretty much how I live life, so I get it."

There you go! Not that I think you need to worry about your crystals, I have never heard anything but the very best things about you and your rocks. And I send lots of people your way, too. You're right about that, and the leaves are changing, which is... nice? But also, I feel like things were so dry that there's not nearly enough color! So I'm achieving that with mums and celosias and asters.

Well, I try to do a good job of sourcing my rocks, if nothing else, and then selling high quality ones. It just feels like fall is later and shorter each year, which is sort of horrifying. If the forests don't provide the color, you must improvise, right?

Right, you have to be around that personality and also around a hundred other people, or at least that's what it comes down to for me. I can tolerate them in public, but I wouldn't want to share a dinner for two, basically. Thanks for understanding, I have a cabinet in my kitchen devoted to mops and sponges now. I'm that guy. Yeah, Shawn will go, and then Colton, and then Riley. Right in a row.

You need a personality you can stand the quiet with as well as the loud and everything inbetween, and that's a rare kind of person. A whole cabinet? That's very impressive. Do you have a favorite sponge? Wow, you must feel old with all of these nearly grown kids in the family.

"We all want to slap people sometimes, Amina," he looked over at them with a wide grin, "that's just the way things work." And fortunately, they had the common sense to not do it, which wasn't something that everyone else could say. Or at least, Ryder didn't go around slapping people, anyway. "Oh, I'd lose it. I can fuck up on a painting and normally fix it -- layer over it, quickly remove the fuck up, but something like that, you have to start over... that's a mess," he winced, shaking his head. "Two, three times smarter?"

"Sometimes is the key word there, right?" They joked, holding a hand up to one of the paintings, not quite to touch but to mimic the feel of texture under fingers. "But some things are beautiful because you can't fix a fuck-up, watercolor is more like that, right?" Amina observed, before crossing their arms. "Maybe closer to five or six."

That's true! You would be great at making my garden really flourish and grow, and I always appreciate that. Don't worry, with both of our smarts, we can make things work, I have faith in us. Me too! Otherwise, what's the point? Life should be bright and full of color, always. No matter what.

Maybe I can do some garden support contract work if selling crystals doesn't work out. I hear that's not as cool as it used to be, though business is still mostly good. Especially as nature gets bleaker for the cold months, we have to find ways to bring that brightness into our lives and flowers are the perfect way to achieve that.

Those are some very sage words, and also incredibly true. Because a lot of times people don't realize that it's not actually about them, but actually about what you need, as a person, you know? Clean and shiny is a good thing. Although, full stop: cleaning sucks. I didn't realize how much time it takes to clean a whole house vs. a camper, so you might still be winning in your van! Hey, I try. Once Shawn starts playing college next season, I can wear that jersey on Saturdays, at least. Even if I can't go.

Yeah, some people have personalities I love but I can't really...be alone and quiet and myself with them, which means something. Cleaning is the worst thing in the world and I don't wish I was in your shoes for the house thing in that regard. At least I can clean the van in a day. Oh, that'll make your life easier, but then the other one will be going to college pretty soon after, right?

Now you're speaking my language, Nari. Plants? I don't know much about. Soil? Actually know a good deal about, because soil and rocks are sort of good friends, it turns out. And they can look good with one of those red roses, too, make them look less formal.

See! I should actually keep that in mind for next spring, you might be able to tell me what plants would work best in certain areas of my yard... because I'm good, but not 'I know things about dirt and rocks' good, so there's that. Yes! I'm a sucker for good combinations of flowers that make everything pop.

Wow, so we could work together? I can at least tell you what parts of your yard will be best for plants period, the specifics...well don't blame me if things go wrong. I think it's important to have fun with the colors of the things we own.

"And I'm sure that you're more than reasonable when you can be," he said as he looked over at them, unable to imagine Amina fighting with someone over something that wasn't worth it. But people did take advantage, and sometimes... you had to put your foot down. Whether you wanted to or not. "Absolutely, I've seen her make them, and I know it takes a lot of hard work and effort. Anything does, though, when you're passionate about it," and just because Amina wasn't a beader or painter didn't mean that they didn't have their own things. "You've got your own things, though. Ten times smarter than I am, for example."

"I am reasonable, even if I want to slap people sometimes." Amina shook their head. But they never did, and that's really what mattered, they kept the level headed persona they had been known for after all these years. "It seems incredibly detailed, and I imagine what it's like to fuck up something like that, you know?" They quirked their head to the side, looking at a picture. "Ten times is a bit much, but definitely a few times."

I'm one of those people that loves solitude and being on my own, and even I can admit that I need a few good friends around to get by, so I can't agree more, honestly. Dusting them doesn't unlock any super secret magic powers or anything, though, right? I just don't want to cause any problems! I do, actually. Ten games, so I switch on and off, Colton's one week and Shawn's the next.

The best friendships are the people you can be alone with and the people who understand that you being alone isn't an insult to them. In fact, expressing that you can be alone to them is a show of your esteem. No, they're just clean and shiny, which is still a good thing. That's a lot of work to remember to keep them straight, so good job.

It's amazing how that works! Most of the time it has to do with soil content, I feel like, having certain nutrients that you can't find somewhere else, that sort of thing. They really are! I love them almost as much as your good, standard, classic red rose.

Now you're speaking my language, Nari. Plants? I don't know much about. Soil? Actually know a good deal about, because soil and rocks are sort of good friends, it turns out. And they can look good with one of those red roses, too, make them look less formal.

"I was going to say that it would be like people shoving your rocks into their bags, but... I bet that happens all the time," he laughed. Rocks were a little different than paintings, a little smaller, but. He supposed they could still be damaged and broken, and that would be bad, none the less. "Probably! Beaded ones? Jayla makes some pretty amazing things."

"People do that and then get mad that the rock is chipped. It's why I can't do returns as often as I like, people do take advantage." They grimaced, thinking of some of the larger rocks they'd had lose money on over the years. "Yeah, those ones. She's very talented, it's a lot of detail work, just like painting. That's never been my style, but I'm not really a creative."

"I personally would never, ever speak to you again if you shoved one of my paintings in a tiny bag and ruined it," he said with a solemnity that didn't quite match the amusement on his face. But Amina knew better, they were the artsy type, he doubted that they were going to risk having art damaged. "So what kind of fun things did you find, then?" he asked, craning his neck as though he could see into the bags that they were carrying with them.

"That's what I thought you'd say." They grinned over at him. They generally wouldn't buy art without the proper protection to get it home safe and sound, because Amina valued every hand selected piece. "I got some pot holders from someone selling handsewn things, some festive plants, uh, some cute earrings, I think from your roommate?"

Those are the best kinds of friends that you can have, since you know that they're going to be there for you. Thanks! I'd happily take some well intentioned rocks, I don't have to do anything to them, right? Because they might end up collecting dust... just saying. So far, so good! I just got home from their away game -- I'm that uncle, now -- and they pulled off another win.

Honestly, yeah. We all need some solid, kind friendships in our lives. It's what helps us through. Nah, the rocks I sell are really just to collect dust. Well, you should dust them, but they don't require any care and won't get ruined if you don't. Damn, you really are that uncle. Do you wear their numbers?

Absolutely, it's the best thing for you and the best thing for the people or situation you're walking away from, too. The black rose is the rarest one! As in, it only grows in ... Turkey, I want to say? Some peach and apricot roses can be pretty rare, too.

Damn, only in Turkey? That seems pretty rare. And like some edgy goths would be really into it. Peach and apricot are such lovely shades for roses though, they remind me of bright and sunny days, and they pair well with other flowers.