inspire, encourage, enlighten

nowledge is power. Therefore, spreading it is a responsibility. Being a teacher is not a mere job, it's predestination.

[the-colossal-dork-blog]

Will smiled as he lifted her back to her feet quite easily, and then took his hand back, and stepped back a little, feeling awkward that he was crowding her. After all they were complete strangers, he’d probably find it uncomfortable.. in fact he had, when she’d fallen on his feet just a few seconds before. He looked up, trying to work out which book she meant, spotting one which looked like it had been tugged slightly out of place.“That one? No, of course, here,” he nodded happily stepping forward and retrieving the book with ease - he didn’t even have o stretch. “No problem,” he smiled, holding it out to her. 

[dorotheapalmer]

This was awkward, she had to admit. Falling in somebody’s feet quite literally was not a very polite, let alone ordinary, thing to do bus she couldn’t have helped it. Hopefully, he was not offended or anything, she thought as her eyes followed him as he retrieved her book. She accepted it from him with a small smile and said, “Thanks”, before adding after a moment, “Being tall is such a perk, honestly. I mean, you didn’t even have to stretch to get it and I... well, fell over.” The last bit was followed by a short, good-humored laugh. She didn’t really mind being short but made good fun out of it nevertheless.

[aliadamsen-blog]

She couldn’t catch her breath and she didn’t know why. There was a panic, more than just the panic of ‘what have i just done’, this was worse, it was like more than just hers, and she started gasping for breaths like she was having an anxiety attack. “Thea, I dont’- I can’t catch my breath. Is this a panic-” gasp, “panic attack?” She didn’t get panic attacks, not ever. She rarely panicked period, and her personality wasn’t one prone to panic or anxiety issues, something Thea knew better than almost anyone (except her siblings). 

What was happening to her?!

[dorotheapalmer]

“I don’t know!”, Thea exclaimed both in shock and confusion. Okay, what had her dad told her about panic attacks? The first rule was... not to panic too. Right!

“It’s okay, calm down”, she spoke, her tone suddenly changed. It was the type of tone she used on pre-schoolers or children in general when they were afraid. Maybe it was a tad naive to hope it would work on an adult but it was her best shot and it helped her keep her cool on as much as she could. “Take deep breaths and try to think of something nice, alright?” Thea was worried, of course, but there was no point in letting her worry take the upper hand right now so she forced herself to be as calm as she could muster.

[jazlynisms-blog]

Jazz had finally managed to fall asleep on one of the kids’ bean bags. She couldn’t tell how long it had been, but when she opened her eyes again, the lights were flickering above her head, as if some ghost was trying to communicate with her through morse code. “I can’t read morse.” she heard herself reply before she realized she sounded completely stupid. The girl rubbed her eyes. Surely she was still a little asleep somehow.

She clumsily made her way to the upper floor, searching for someone awake, as a sound of broken glass almost made her jump to the roof. “Goodness” she muttered, before walking directly to the source of the noise. Who the hell dropped glasses in the middle of the night like that? Her thoughts came back to The Conjuring again.

“What - what happened?” she asked, yawning, pointing to the shattered glass on the floor. Her eyes widened. “Oh please don’t tell me this happened without you touching it. I’m not in the mood for anything creepy right now.” 

[dorotheapalmer]

“I...” Thea was at a complete loss for words. It wasn’t happening, was it?  “Well, I didn’t touch it but...” Surely, the glass couldn’t have shattered out of the blue for no good reason. There had to be a logical explanation. Somehow. “Maybe it just... I don’t know... maybe... ugh”, she exclaimed loudly, running a hair through her locks helplessly. 

Such things were not the norm; such things did not happen unless it was in some thriller movie. But this was reality, laws of physics and all that jazz, so there literally not a good reason for the glass to shatter - the windows were shut, she had checked, there had been no earthquake as far as she could tell, the table was pretty sturdy by the looks of it... There was not even one reason.

“I’m sure there is some logical explanation”, she said with a small shrug. There had to be one even if she couldn’t quite see it. It was late, she was tired but that didn’t negate the need for the world to function like it always had, right?

[dorotheapalmer]

(x)

How dare they! How dare they write things like that about her mother, she thought angrily, flunging the newspaper on a nearby table. Her mom was a respected reporter, she did not lie. Not ever, not all so how dare was this woman write things like that! Thea was simply fuming. This stranger didn’t know her mother, couldn’t know how much time and care she put into all her investigations...

Her thoughts were suddenly interrupted by sharp sound of shattering glass, which evoked a gasp from the girl. She whipped her her head in the direction it had come from and saw a broken glass, pieces of it lying all over the table, chair and carpet, with no one and nothing close enough to have broken it.

“W-what? How did this happen?”, she muttered to herself, nearing the ‘scene of the crime’ to have a good look at it.

[aliadamsen-blog]

“What the hell is wrong with me?” 

[dorotheapalmer]

“Ali! Are you okay?” She rushed to her friend’s side, placing both hands on Ali’s shoulders to get her attention.

[dorotheapalmer]

The End Is Just The Beginning || Self-para

Thea had finally managed to get her mind to sink fully into Alice in Wonderland when the light above where she was sitting, once again alone, blinked for a second out of nowhere, causing the girl to lift her head up and look at it. Just then the sharp sound of thunder, much louder than the previous ones, echoed through the room. Without any time to think, Thea leapt to her feet with a squeal, dropping the book on the table. Her eyes surveyed the space around her for anything suspicious or scary but there was nothing to be seen. Just a plain old library. Nothing to be afraid of.

She was just about to scold herself for being excessively dramatic when suddenly she felt a sharp pang in her head. It stretched from her forehead all the way back and was pulsing rapidly, almost as if something was trying to drill her head open. The pain made her squint a bit – the light in the room was just too bright all of a sudden. On instinct her palm rose to rub over her forehead but it wouldn’t go away. Wobbly, she leaned forward until her other hand brushed the back of the chair, managed to pull it out a bit and collapsed on top of it as the world began spinning around her, slowly at first but gradually picking speed to the point it was making her feel dizzy.

And then out of nowhere the weird feeling in her head was gone completely – no pain, no dizziness, nothing.

“Woah”, she whispered to herself, shaking her head a bit to test if all was good in there. It seemed so, which the girl took as a sign to attempt to stand up cautiously, both palms placed on the table for support. It turned out none was really needed – her legs were perfectly functional too.

It was definitely weird but maybe she had stressed herself too much, she thought, if only the storm had stopped, she could head home and get some rest. And much to her surprise, it had stopped, as she saw looking towards the glass door. Outside, there was nothing but clear blue skies as if nothing had happened.

[aliadamsen-blog]

She laughed, bending down to pick up the fallen book, and wiggled it at Thea. “Tell me about it.” She grimaced in sympathy with her roommate. Both girls were short by typical standards, a face that didn’t usually matter to much… except they didn’t have anything stored on their top shelves in their shared room and the common room.

“Alice in Wonderland, huh?” Seems more a Wizard of Oz night to me.” She teased, glancing toward the front door where you could see the wind raging outside.

[dorotheapalmer]

Thea laughed at Ali’s wiggling the book and her grimace that followed. “You are one of the few who understand how real this truggle is, Ali”, she said with a small, breathless laugh. Honestly, for her it wasn’t that big of a deal, considering heels in her shoesize were easy enough to buy and Ali had agreed not to put anything too high up in their room. As far as Thea was considered, ‘portablity’, as she called it, was okay.

“Well, yeah but... it’s unsettling enough as it is, frankly”, she replied with a shrug, following Ali’s gaze with  her own. “I mean, you know I’m not the biggest fan of storms and this one’s pretty bad, so... yeah.”

[the-colossal-dork-blog]

Will looked across out of the corner of his eye as a figure caught his attention, trying and trying to be able to reach up to a book on a high shelf. He tried to concentrate on his work, he really did, but as she reached up, looking more and more unstable, he instinctively reached up and slid his headphones off. Drawing himself up to full height, he loped across to where she was, just in time for the woman to tumblr backwards and land with a thump on his feet. Without thinking, he crouched down, and held out a hand. “Oh. Careful there. Are you ok?” He asked, voice full of concern as he reached his hand and offered to help her up. “Were you trying to reach something?” He added. Sometimes being stupidly tall came in handy - it was something of an everyday super-power his mum had always joked when he’d started getting taller than the other boys back in high school.

[dorotheapalmer]

“Thanks”, she said, taking the hand he offered and using his help to stand up. It was a really awkward situation, falling in somebody’s feet literally, but since it had happened already, she had no choice but to go with it. “I’m good”, she replied with a nod as she straightened out her skirt a bit. “I was trying to get that big red book”, she gestured with her palm to a volume up on the rows of the shelf that were way out of her reach, and metally added without a chair. Thinking about it, a chair would’ve helped. She should’ve used one but it wasn’t exactly polite to do in a public space. “Guess I’m too short for that.” It was true and she didn’t find it a touchy topic, rather she embraced the shortness. “So... sorry but could you please get it down for me? If it wouldn’t be too much trouble, of course.”

[nadiarainier-blog]

Thea looked about as wary over the storm as Nadia felt, in all honesty, and so she decided quickly that she’d made the right option here. At least she wouldn’t be left to herself, trying to drown out the sound of thunder and the uncomfortable feeling in the air with swooning symphonies and crooning voices that weren’t fitting quite right into the program she was attempting to build up for her project. And, well. Thea looked like pleasant company, especially with the bright smile tht was directed her way.

Taking up the seat across from her with a thankful nod, Nadia set her laptop to one side, placing her notebook to the other. “I don’t think it’s childish at all. Normally I don’t mind the storms that much, rain sounds pretty with the right combination of music in the background, but something about this one just…” she shook her head, trailing off when she realized how foolish it sounded to be saying what she was. It was just a storm, after all. What need had she to be nervous?

Extending a hand across the table, though, in greeting, she gave a smile of her own. “I’m Nadia, Music Major. I think I’ve seen you on campus before, but we’ve never talked, have we?” She was almost positive they hadn’t, but she had to present it as a question still just in case. It wouldn’t be the first time Nadia had forgotten a name or a face, after all, in her easily distracted way. “Thank you, for letting me sit with you.”

[dorotheapalmer]

“Yeah.” Thea was quick to agree even if rain was not exactly among her favorite things. Sure, the rattling on the windows could be nice and soothing but only if she was with her family. As for thunderstorms, she disliked them strongly and that didn’t even begin to cover it. They just made her skin crawl but as luck would have it, her very first practise as a pre-school teacher had taken place during one such storm. Back then, she had had to keep calm for the children’s sake - she had been the adult, after all - but it had been a mild one, much less frightening than the plethora of sharp noises accompanied by howling winds that was raging outside currently.

“Yeah, this one’s... unsettling?”, she agreed yet again somehow uncertainly because while the word did fit in a way, it still sounded odd. Kind of... kind of not in place somehow but she had no idea why exactly. But hey, she had company and the girl that had just taken a seat on her table seemed very nice. And while Thea wasn’t very used to figuring out the emotions of adults (kids we’re pretty straight-forward in that regard), she still could tell her peer was just as disturbed by the storm as she was.

“I don’t think we have but it’s nice to meet you, Nadia”, Thea replied, shaking her hand with yet another bright smile. She’d remeber if they had spoken - she always did. “I’m Dorothea, Education Major. But since my name’s a bit of mouthfull, call me Thea.” It was a clarification she always felt the need to make. Not that she hated her name but it was long and formal and she wasn’t very keen on fomality. “You’re welcome”, she replied immediately and after a little while added “Excuse me, but is your phone working? I can’t seem to get mine to dial for some reason.”

[dorotheapalmer]

Her phone wasn’t working, her laptop was all out of battery, it was raining... Not the best night ever by any stretch but hey, it could be worse! At least she was dry and safe in here and the place was not packed so she could walk around freely and not worry about her shoes’ clicking disturbing others’ reading.

And wonder she did, walking about the entire length of the library before her eyes landed on a big, red book. Alice in Wonderland, a all-time favorite of hers because whoever said you grew out of children books was wrong! The only problem was the top shelf on which it was laying and above all, Thea’s being short. But short people are oftentimes determined people and she was the living proof right now, streching as high as she could reach, on her tiptoes, hand clutching the shelf tightly, fingers streched out towards the book. It still wasn’t enough though so she lifted herself a bit higher. Hopefully, she could knock the book over if anything.

“Got it!”. Thea exclaimed a little bit louder than appropriate as the book tumbled down, landing in the feet of somebody she hadn’t know was there. “Oops, sorry”, she said trying not to laugh as she imagined how funny she must’ve looked. “Short people’s problems.”

[dxrthe-deactivated20160321]

Calloused fingertips run against the spines of each work of literature as he passes through the shelves upon shelves of work before him. It’s somewhat difficult for him to focus on what was before him, as he had promised his mother he would call in every hour to check up on her and tell her that he was stable, but that was before his phone was cut off from any sort of signal or connection, which was more than odd, but he labeled it as crappy cellphone services. Their cellphone company wasn’t one of the best competitors out there anyway.

As a means of distraction, Crixus allowed himself to roam the interior of the old building, baby blues scanning over more than familiar and foreign titles in search of something to occupy himself with once the trek around the library was over. There’s a short stop in front of a rather vibrant display of colors, and thick appendages reach out towards one of the books before him before another hand reaches out and grazes against the book’s spine, causing him to pull back. “Oh I’m sorry. Go ahead, I’ve already read through it three times. It’s really good.”

[dorotheapalmer]

She tapped on her screen once more, just to be sure. Maybe it would get a signal but alas, it keep telling her that the message to her mom could not be sent. Oh well, half an hour more wouldn’t hurt anybody, she decided, slipping the device back inside her back as her eyes began to wander around. Not like her mom would be very worried, right? She was probably in the middle of an interview or something as she usually was so Thea would have to call her later anyway. And her dad had his shift tonight, Maddie was probably at some party and Chrissie was fast asleep by now, most likely. It was eight thirty after all.

Her family was alright, she reassured herself once more as her eyes ran over the books. Some of the leather-bound ones were very colorful, mostly blues and reds but there was just one yellow book among them. Instantly, she reached for it, red manicured nails running lightly over the spine. The title was unfamiliar but it looked non-fiction.

Just then she was brought out of her thoughts as a familiar voice came from her right. “Oh, hey. I’m sorry”, she said with a small shrug, pulling her reddish-brown hair over her shoulder. “I didn’t see you here. So you’ve read it? What is it about? No major spoilers, please.”

[nadiarainier-blog]

The storm seemed like it was just getting worse the longer that Nadia remained sitting in the library. It was a good thing she hadn’t planned on going back to her dorm any time soon, at least; Nadia knew that now, especially with how heavy the storm was, her roommat ewas only going to be louder than she was before she left. And Liv was loud enough without trying to drown out a storm’s sounds.

Still, the heavier sounds coming from outside, the booming thunder and ever closer crashes of lightning, were growing a bit unnerving. And so Nadia pulled her headphones out of her ears, tucked her laptop under her arm and moved out of the corner of the library, looking around to see where else she could settle – ideally with someone else that was working on homework as much as she was.

Spotting an open table again, Nadia paused next to it, nudging the edge of the table lightly. “Hey, d’you mind if I sit here with you?” she questioned, biting her lip. “It’s a little creepy staying over in the corner now that the thunder’s getting worse, I’d rather not sit alone. If you don’t mind, I mean.”

[dorotheapalmer]

Dorothea looked back a bit apprihensively  at the door that had just swung shut behind her. The rain drops on the glass were now gone, small streams of water running down in their place. No more going outside, she figured with a bit of a sigh. The library was really no place to be in that hour but it was much better than outside. Hopefully, she wouldn;’t inconvenience the staff by staying.

Her slow steps took her to about the center of the room, her kitten heels clicking on the hardwood floor rather audibly despite her best efforts to keep the noise down. Fortunately, the crash of the thunder made it somewhat more acceptible although she would much rather it was gone. But then the clicking of her heels stopped as she reached the carpet and now it was only the thunder ringing all around her, it seemed, as she sat down at a big table. There was no one in sight or in the very least no one that didn’t look busy so she opted for sitting by herself even if it made her a bit uncomfortable.

Soon enough, she noticed a girl approaching her. At first, Thea thought she was just going for the bookshelves but then she came and nudged the edge of the table a bit warily as she spoke. “No, not at all” was Thea’s immediate reply coupled with one of her trademark bright smiles. “I would love some company right now, honestly. I don’t really like thunder storms either. A bit childish, I know, but still...“

[irensmussings-deactivated201805]

[dorotheapalmer]

Dorothea Palmer Moodboard: General Edition

“I don’t know of any other way to fight the darkness but to light a candle. So that’s what I’m trying to do, mostly.”

[irensmussings-deactivated201805]

[dorotheapalmer]

Dorothea Palmer Moodboard: Teacher Edition

“Good teachers know how to bring out the best in students. Seriously. All those kids are brilliant but they don’t know it yet and that’s where we come in.”