an illusion, skipping frames

xiomara ✧˖° 25 ✧˖° she/they ✧˖° musician ✧˖° the vinyl hub ✧˖° owner of arroyo lodge ✧˖°

[xiomara-c]

biography || wanted connections || the arroyo lodge || music recs || eleanor (coming soon) stats found in 'about' tab on sidebar

[jaceeverett]

"It does," he nodded his head, "doesn't matter the season, there's always something to do." Given that the park didn't employ a lot of people, he often found himself working two jobs at once; being the manager and also being the guy who went out on a rescue or took a saw out to take care of a log over a trail, cleaning up a campsite someone left less than pristine. But he would never complain about the work, he genuinely did love it. "But. I'd prefer being on my feet and doing something than the paperwork, so I won't complain," he laughed. As she mentioned luck, Jason see-sawed his head, "that can be true, but I think you obviously have to have some talent to back up that luck, right?"

[xiomara-c]

"I know what you mean. I have to be physically doing something. The recording studio is a lot less physical than working on tours, but there's still a lot to do with setup and sometimes playing parts." Sometimes Xio got bored working on the more tedious parts of a mix, like the drums, but a good creative project could make them forget they were just sitting at a computer. "Yeah, I'd like to think I have some talent!" Xio joked. Yes, they thought they were talented but they didn't like how they sounded when they admitted to it. "But the thing with music is there's so many people who are talented and hard working, who never get the opportunities I've had. If my high school band didn't get noticed when I was seventeen, who knows if I'd even be working in music now? I could have worked at a gas station. Or been a rocket scientist." Okay, probably not that last one. Xio never had enough interest in school to do something like that.

[xiomara-c]

who? @tashamlawrence what? cousin hang where? the arroyo lodge when? an evening in august

"I feel like this is when I should pop out some nice wine, but the calavera wine bottle is just for show. There's nothing in it." Xio gestured towards the sugar skull decoration on a nearby shelf. It was a little tacky, but Xio found it at a yard sale not long after they moved to Maine and instantly loved it. "I could get us some beers? Or vodka sodas?"

[kenzie-newman]

"That's good, you're right." The brunette nodded, before quickly shaking her head. "No, I was too busy wrangling the kids. But I'm thinking of getting some flowers or something. That seems pretty seasonally festive." Plus, having fresh flowers in the house always felt special. And supporting the stalls that came out to celebrate was certainly a good reason.

[xiomara-c]

"Yeah, I guess flowers would be pretty festive." Xio had never really thought about it because this was their first winter living somewhere cold, but spring was definitely associated with flowers so she understood what Kenzie was saying. "I don't really know anything about them - but I guess if you're buying them for yourself all that matters is they're pretty."

[tashamlawrence]

The big city life was something she missed but settling in the small town had proved to be the perfect thing. She was truly happy and without moving, she wouldn't have met her husband. "They can be fun but they also be a living hell to be honest," she winced but also tried to give a reassuring smile, "ohh I see. Yeah I can understand that, plus getting to travel either makes things easier or so much harder." Easier to meet people but harder for the sake of seeing said person. Rolling her eyes, "It's tough out there truly. But hey you do want to be upfront but not too transparent right out of the gate." She played with her rings for a moment, "I obviously wish you the best of luck with this stuff!"

[xiomara-c]

"I've heard the men are the worst part of the app, but I like women more anyways." Xio never really figured out how they felt about men. They slept around in high school, and some of the fun included boys. There was some level of physical attraction there. But getting pregnant at sixteen had certainly been traumatic, and it had always felt easier to just focus on women after that. "When we were traveling together it was easy and fun. But when the tour ended, we were rarely on the same continent - let alone the same city - again so it just kinda fizzled out. She's married and has two kids now." Xio shrugged. They were both following each other on social media still.

[jj-hayes]

"Right." JJ playfully rolled his eyes at the other's teasing, letting out a laugh before he shook his head. "If you're into the seasonal stuff at Cobbestone, I know that Taryn had a bunch of melon-flavoured items that she put out recently. Have you tried them?" He asked, curiously. "I also like the cornbread muffins and the pastel donuts there. They're my favourite."

[xiomara-c]

"Melon coffee? Or is it more like refresher drinks?" Xio realized she must not have been in there recently because she wasn't familiar with the drinks JJ was talking about. She pulled a face when he mentioned cornbread. "Can't say I'm a fan of how northern states do cornbread. It's somehow too bland and too sweet at the same time. Might have to check out the donuts when I get my melon drink, though."

[aishathevar]

"Well, only a little," she laughed sheepishly, the obvious something that may have slipped her mind after her last few drinks. "But I know you're off being the greatest parent figure you could be to Len," Aisha acknowledged that it was a bit wild knowing her friend had a child now. Despite not having too many acquaintances or friends with kids, the ability to step in for their niece made her admire them a bit more. She'd just take the time afforded, giggling as she clinked glasses with Xio's. "Cheers to that," she took a sip from her glass. "I'll definitely hold you to it; the nights of drinking on a summer patio are upon us, my favorite time of year."

[xiomara-c]

"I don't know about greatest....I'm still taking all my laundry to the laundromat and paying them to do it. And I burned dinner last night...for the second time this week. And apparently I was supposed to turn in some paperwork for next school year that I swear she never told me about." Xio chuckled at themself. There were so many moving parts to having a kid and a home, which was so different from traveling for work constantly. Before, they would give their laundry to someone else to drop off at the laundromat and it would get washed for them on the tour's dime. They were fed by catering companies all around the world. "We should plan another night like this - getting drunk on some patio somewhere. I'll find Len a sitter and we can just hang out like we did when we were traveling."

[jaceeverett]

"Not me," he said with a soft laugh and a shake of his head, even if there was some truth to it. Jason spent an awful lot of time working, and when he wasn't, he did try to get in as much sleep as he could. If tea could be a part of that, maybe he did need to think about how much coffee he was having, instead. "You do have to be the star of the show, and I don't mean that in a bad way," it was their place, after all. "It makes sense that you have your own studio, then. I think that's pretty neat, knowing what your passion is and doing everything in your power to make it happen."

[xiomara-c]

"Being a park ranger keeps you that busy, huh?" Xio asked. They always imagined it was just a lot of sitting around in the lodge waiting for something to happen, but it was probably a lot more active than that. "Thanks, but I don't know about all of that. I worked hard, but there was a lot of luck involved too."

[jj-hayes]

"Hey, what can I say? I'm incredibly self-aware," JJ admitted, laughing softly. "I'm not a big fan of citrus, in general. Earl Grey was the only thing I'll make an exception for. Maybe I'll like Lady Grey. Maybe I won't. Who's to tell?" He shrugged. "But for now, I think I'm going to stick to what I know I like and go for the English breakfast tea." He chuckled softly and stepped forward to place his order. "I used to live off of the vanilla bean lattes at Cobblestone Cafe back when I was still working at the hospital. I need my coffee to be a little sweet."

[xiomara-c]

"Hey, nothing wrong with sticking with what's comfortable. Or liking a basic-ass option." Xio teased with a shrug. "Cobblestone lattes are the best. Haven't tried the vanilla bean latte yet, though. I like to try the different specialties whenever they have seasonal menu options."

[kenzie-newman]

"No worries." While encouraging kids to take up dance was the goal, she didn't mind if they tried it and it wasn't for them. That's what trial classes were all about. "Ah, getting ditched by the younger ones so they can hang out with friends. I feel like that's a rite of passage." Kenzie joked, lopsided smile on her features.

[xiomara-c]

"Totally. I'm not bummed about it - I'm glad she's making friends." Alright, Xio was maybe a little dissapointed because she thought they'd spend some time together. But she couldn't say she was surprised at Len running into a friend at a major town event. "What about you - have you looked around yet?"

[jaceeverett]

"I was going to say, it's got to either be something to boost energy or something to put you asleep," Jason didn't have any experience in that arena, but he could see why either option would be important. He liked the relaxing qualities of some teas, more so than the coffee that helped get him going in the morning. He wasn't drinking a cup of coffee to settle in at night, that was for sure. "Sure, but it's a nice added bonus if they say they loved working with you and they were appreciative of the tea, right?" he asked while laughing, shrugging both shoulders. "Very nice, I'd imagine that's a lot of fun?"

[xiomara-c]

"Pretty much! Who has time for anything other than energy boosts or trying to make yourself got to sleep?" Xio half-joked. Working tours could be a lot of hurry up and wait, but sometimes that was even worse than working a lot. Momentum was important. "Exactly! Just as long as the tea doesn't overshadow me." Xio was certainly better at recording and producing than they were at making tea, so it wouldn't be hard for their work to speak for itself. "Yeah - I really love music. And it's kind of the only thing I know how to do."

[naomiayodele]

“ What kind of person do you think I am?” She held a hand to her chest. Naomi was well an overly happy and overly touchy drunk. However! She absolutely knew her limits and she knew that one was going to her limit. “I am a social drinker at best.” She said proudly. She waved the bartender down and ordered a lemon drop. “Aw, that’s exciting though. The first sleepover is very important but I am sure she will be fine. Put your drink on tab. Want food or anything , How has your June been going thus far?”

[xiomara-c]

"Why don't you tell me?" Xio replied with a chuckle. Sure enough, Naomi did just that by saying she was a social drinker. "I used to go way too hard at parties. So I either don't drink at all or I drink maybe a little too much now. Never been good at cutting myself off." They explained, remembering their early days of touring. They couldn't imagine getting drunk and then waking up and doing a whole show day hungover anymore. It didn't sound fun. "Len's had other sleepovers, so she's probably handling it better than I am. But, thanks. You really don't have to do that. And June's been going alright. Glad for the warmer weather. What about you?"

[jaceeverett]

"Right, and if you stick with the basics, you're going to have a much greater chance of finding something everyone likes rather than… say, something fruity or minty that only half of the people there are going to want," not that Jason himself could find anything offensive about a peppermint tea, but he knew how picky people could be when it came down to it. "You should," he said with a grin, "that way anyone who comes in will want to come back again since they know that you're good for hospitality. That, and it's just a good, cozy feeling. Your lodge is… sound, right? Something to do with music, if I remember?"

[xiomara-c]

"Peppermint tea is usually in those variety packs, but I can't say it's the most popular tea. Roadies tend to go for stuff with a little more energy. I would take chamomile tea with me when I saw it though, so I could get to sleep on the tour bus more easily." Xio reminisced. She loved her new life in Merrock, but she'd be lying if she said she didn't miss the touring lifestyle sometimes. It was what she knew most of her adult life. "I mean, I want them to come back because I'm just that great at my job, but having some tea couldn't hurt. Yeah, it's mostly music. I own a recording studio."

[jj-hayes]

"I'm afraid I'm not familiar with herbal teas, either. I have no clue." He shrugged. "Yeah, I know Earl Grey's just as basic as an English breakfast. I don't know what it is about the bergamot orange oil that's infused in it, but I find it very soothing to drink during the winter months," JJ admitted, laughing softly before he raised his eyebrow. "Lady Grey had other ingredients along with the bergamot oil, doesn't it? I've never had it, but I've been told that it's more citrusy and a little bit floral in its taste. I don't know if I'd like that, though. That might be too adventurous for me." That wasn't even an exaggeration. "I've been trying to cut down on my caffeine intake. That's why I'm thinking of switching to tea. I wonder if an Irish breakfast tea might be too strong for me." Or maybe it was an ideal coffee replacement. Who knows. "You know what? I'm actually going to look into that."

[xiomara-c]

"I mean...you said it. Not me." Xio joked about his 'basic' taste in teas, but there was nothing wrong with liking the most popular flavor. It was popular for a reason. "Lady grey has a few other ingredients, yeah. Definitely a little more citrusy but not overwelmingly. It's very similar to earl grey, so you might like it. Can't hurt to try, right?" Unless he was allergic to it, but that seemed unlikely. "I think, generally, all tea is less strong than coffee. But that also depends on how you like to drink your coffee."

[navyxphillips]

"You're right." Navy laughed. She appreciated being able to look up nearly anything at her fingertips, however, she'd always prefer knowing more about it from someone that was familiar than the internet. She guessed that didn't really help in this situation though. "Wait, zenja." she paused. "Clearly I've never heard of it; what did it taste like?" she paused. "Was it more of a black tea flavor? Or matcha?" a breath. "Or is it something you can't even describe?"

[xiomara-c]

"The taste is kind of hard to describe. It's different from other green teas I've had. Kinda....earthy, but not in a gross way. I don't really know - It's not like, citrusy or floral or anything like that. It's a green tea."

[aishathevar]

It'd always been the plan to get involved in Pride weekend, whether it was spinning tracks or dancing the night away; she was looking forward to it either way. They'd gotten a guest DJ at the club for the night, so while Aisha's fingertips played on the edges of glittery fabric that she had stored away in her closet, she was happy to get the text from Xio about going out.

Though they'd been in Merrock for a while, she couldn't remember whether they'd gone out together since. When traveling together, they certainly hit their fair share of hole-in-the-wall bars or non-touristy spots, but it was nice to do it on her home turf, so to speak. After getting the text, she made a more concise move of picking out the outfit before meeting them there.

Giggling at the question, her shoulders lifted slightly, tapping her own purple colored drink gently to theirs. "Honestly, I don't know," she shook her head, a slight tilt of her head as if considering it, though she was just grateful to have the time in the present to catch up. "Here's to more nights like these in our future, though."

[xiomara-c]

"I mean, I think I do. I have a child now, which is still crazy to think about." Xio reminded Aisha, as they stared at her purple drink for a moment. The color was pretty, but Xio didn't feel the need to drink. They remembered being nineteen and playing in music venues that emphasized alcohol, and thinking that drinking cocktails was what it meant to be an adult. But now, only seven years later, it didn't feel any more or less mature to not have a cocktail in their hand. Didn't stop them from lifting their glass to Aisha's for a casual toast. "Definitely more nights like these. Next time I'll plan better and we can both drink."

[jasperbel]

“One of my daughters is a big tea drinker,” he replied. “She’s six, so she really only drinks herbal teas. I’m not one of those parents who give their kids caffeine at a young age,” he chuckled. “I’ve admittedly been drinking coffee a lot these days. It just felt right for me to switch things up a bit, you know? I feel like parents tend to get inspired by their kids’ habits and whatnot. I really don’t know what to get, though. Herbal tea just isn’t my thing.”

[xiomara-c]

"Hey, I'm the last person who should be judging someone else's parenting." Xio offered an empathetic smile. Len didn't really drink caffeine yet either, but she had noticed some of Len's friends coming over with frappuccino-esque drinks before. "So your daughter drinking tea made you want to drink more tea? That's sweet. Maybe try a black tea? They're more similar to coffee but less caffeinated."