What Inspired The Novel Long Shadows And Its Central Mystery?

Lately I've been geeking out over long-range 'wuyan' forecasts and how people treat them like weather oracles. I tend to split my thinking into the short-term expectations versus the long-range probabilities. For day-to-day specifics — exact temperatures, timing of storms — the models are pretty solid out to about a week, sometimes a bit longer. Beyond that, chaos creeps in: small errors amplify, atmospheric waves shift, and the deterministic picture falls apart. So if someone hands you a single deterministic long-range map three weeks out, I treat it like a teaser rather than a plan. What I actually trust more is probabilistic guidance. Ensembles — many runs with slightly different starting conditions — give you a sense of spread. If 90% of ensemble members agree you'll get cooler-than-normal weather in a region two weeks out, that's meaningful. Seasonal outlooks are another animal: they aren't about exact days, they're about tendencies. Phenomena like El Niño/La Niña or a strong teleconnection can tilt months-long odds for wetter or drier conditions. Models have made great strides using satellite data and better physics, but uncertainty remains sizable. Practically, I look at trends, ensemble consensus, and well-calibrated probabilistic products rather than single deterministic forecasts. I also compare global centers like ECMWF, GFS ensembles, and regional blends to gauge confidence. Ultimately, long-range 'wuyan' predictions can point you toward likely patterns, not precise events — and I find that framing keeps my expectations sane and my planning useful.

I can't help but geek out over the hockey flow — it's one of those styles that looks effortless but actually wants a little intention. For a classic, wearable flow I aim for about 6–10 inches (15–25 cm) at the longest points: that’s usually the crown and the back. The idea is for the hair to sit past the ears and either kiss the collar or fall to the top of the shoulders when it’s straight. Shorter than about 6 inches usually won’t give you that sweeping, helmet-buffed look; much longer than 10–12 inches starts to feel more like a mane than a flow, unless you want a dramatic version. Sides and layers are where the cut makes or breaks. I like the sides to be blended but not buzzed — somewhere around 3–5 inches (7–13 cm) so the hair can tuck behind the ears or sweep back without looking boxy. Ask for long, textured layers through the back to remove bulk and create movement; point-cutting or razor texturizing helps thin thick hair so it won’t balloon out. The neckline should be natural and slightly shaggy rather than cleanly tapered — that soft, lived-in edge is part of the charm. Styling-wise, I keep it low-effort: towel dry, apply a light sea-salt spray or creamy texturizer, then either let it air dry or rough-blow and brush back with fingers. If you wear helmets, add an extra half-inch to the crown so the flow re-forms after sessions. Trim every 6–10 weeks to maintain shape, and be open with your barber about how much helmet time you get — that little detail changes the exact length I request. I love how the right length turns a messy mop into something that actually feels stylish and sporty.

If you're grinding hard clue scrolls in 'Old School RuneScape', the time to finish one can swing a lot depending on what steps it tosses at you and how prepared you are. Hard clues generally come with a handful of steps—think map clues, coordinate digs, emote steps, and the occasional puzzle. Some of those are instant if you’re standing on the right tile or have the emote gear ready; others force you to cross the map or even head into risky areas like the Wilderness. On average, I’d say an experienced tracer who’s got teleports, a spade, and a bank preset will knock a typical hard clue out in roughly 3–8 minutes. For more casual players or unlucky RNG moments, a single hard clue can easily stretch to 10–20 minutes, especially if it drops you on a remote island or requires running across several regions. One of the biggest time sinks is travel. If a coordinate pops up in a tucked-away spot (some coastal islands or remote Wilderness coordinates), you either need the right teleport, a set of boats, or a chunk of run time. Map clues that need an emote might only take a minute if you’re standing where you need to be; they can take longer if the map is cryptic and sends you on a small scavenger hunt. Puzzles and ciphers are usually quick if you use the community wiki or have a little practice, but there are those rare moments where a tricky puzzle adds several minutes. If you chain multiple hard clues back-to-back, you’ll naturally get faster — I’ve done runs averaging around 4–5 minutes per casket once I had a bank preset and a teleport setup, but my first few in a session always take longer while I round up gear and restore run energy. Practical tips that shave minutes: bring a spade and teleport jewelry (ring of dueling, amulet of glory, games necklace, etc.), stock teleport tabs for odd spots, use house teleports or mounted glory teleports if your POH is handy, and set up a bank preset if you have membership so you can instantly gear for emotes or wear weight-reducing equipment. Knowing a few common clue hotspots and having access to fairy rings or charter ships makes a massive difference — teleporting straight to Draynor, Varrock, or a clue-specific tile is game-changing. Also, keep a couple of spare inventory slots for clue tools and a decent amount of run energy or stamina potions while you’re doing longer runs. Bottom line: expect anywhere from about 3–8 minutes if you’re optimized and comfortable navigating the map, up to 10–20 minutes if you hit awkward coordinates or are underprepared. I love the variety though — the little micro-adventures are what keep treasure trails fun, and nothing beats that moment you dig up a casket and wonder what goofy or valuable item you’ll get next.

I used to think mastery was a single destination, but after years of scribbling in margins and late-night page revisions I see it more like a long, winding apprenticeship. It depends wildly on what you mean by 'mastering' — do you want to tell a clear, moving story with convincing figures, or do you want to be the fastest, most polished page-turner in your friend group? For me, the foundations — gesture, anatomy, panel rhythm, thumbnails, lettering — took a solid year of daily practice before the basics felt natural. After that first year I focused on sequencing and writing: pacing a punchline, landing an emotional beat, balancing dialogue with silence. That stage took another couple of years of making whole short comics, getting crushed by critiques, and then slowly improving. Tool fluency (inking digitally, coloring, using perspective rigs) added months but felt less mysterious once I studied tutorials and reverse-engineered comics I loved, like 'Persepolis' or 'One Piece' for pacing. Real mastery? I think it’s lifelong. Even now I set small projects every month to stretch a weak area — more faces, tighter thumbnails, better hands. If you practice consistently and publish, you’ll notice real leaps in 6–12 months and major polish in 2–5 years. For me, the ride is as rewarding as the destination, and every little page I finish feels like a tiny victory.

Lately I’ve been obsessing over the tiny decisions that decide whether a print lives for a week or a century, and that curiosity led me to a rather nerdy breakdown of prints in darkrooms. If a print is properly developed, fixed, washed, and dried, and you then tuck it away in true darkness, it can last decades or even over a century depending on materials. Silver-gelatin fiber prints that were well processed and optionally toned (selenium, gold) are famously durable. Color prints are a different beast — they’re much more sensitive and won’t tolerate the same long-term treatment. In an active darkroom under safelight, though, the story changes: safelights (red/amber) are designed to let you work without fogging paper, but papers have different safelight ratings. Resin-coated (RC) papers tolerate safelight exposure longer than some fiber papers, but I wouldn’t leave a print sitting under a safelight for hours; fogging can creep in. Practically, I avoid leaving important prints exposed to any safelight for more than the short time needed to handle them; for overnight storage in trays I put them in envelopes or cover them. If you’re storing prints long-term, use archival, acid-free sleeves, stable cool temperatures, and low humidity. I’ve rescued prints that were decades old and still gorgeous because someone cared about processing and storage—proof that darkrooms can be safe havens if you respect chemistry and climate.

Douglas Adams wrote 'So Long, and Thanks for All the Fish', and I still grin at that title every time I say it out loud. I love how the line feels both silly and oddly philosophical — very much his trademark. The book itself is the fourth installment in the 'The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy' series and follows the oddball aftermath of Earth's destruction, Arthur Dent's unlikely romance with Fenchurch, and a whole lot of Douglas's dry, British humor. I first discovered the book through a battered paperback someone left on a bus, and reading it felt like finding a secret club where wit and absurdity were the membership card. Douglas Adams's timing and playful twists on logic stick with me; you can feel the radio-series roots in the pacing and dialogue. If you like whimsical sci-fi with sharp observations about humanity, this one never disappoints — and for me it still sparks a smile every few chapters.

The duration of an online electrical engineering course can vary significantly based on several factors, including the type of program you choose and the pacing options available. Generally, associate degree programs can take about two years of full-time study, while a bachelor’s degree usually requires four years. However, if you’re taking an online course that doesn’t lead to a formal degree, such as a certificate program, it could take anywhere from a few weeks to several months. Personally, I remember diving into a few online courses on platforms like Coursera and edX, where you could find shorter modules focused on specific topics within electrical engineering. Those weren’t tied to any traditional timeframe, meaning you could work through the material at your own pace. I often found myself binge-watching those video lectures during weekends, soaking up knowledge as if it were a thrilling anime binge! On the flip side, for individuals looking to balance work and education, more flexible options are available, such as part-time studies. This path could stretch your study time to five or six years. Just think about how many epic side quests you can tackle while still leveling up your career—pretty cool, right? So ultimately, it all boils down to your personal goals and how much time you can commit. It’s a journey, and each choice will lead you to new insights!

Reading 'Meditations' by Marcus Aurelius is such a unique experience—it really depends on how deeply you want to engage with it. The book itself isn’t super long, maybe around 200 pages depending on the edition, but it’s packed with dense philosophical reflections. If you’re just breezing through, you could finish it in a weekend, maybe 4-5 hours total. But if you’re like me and stop to ponder every other line, it could take weeks. I found myself rereading passages, jotting down notes, and even debating some points with friends. The Stoic ideas are timeless, so there’s no rush—it’s worth savoring. Some editions have helpful annotations or introductions that add extra layers to the reading. I spent a whole evening just on the introduction alone! And if you’re new to Stoicism, you might want to pair it with a modern interpretation or podcast to fully grasp the context. Either way, 'Meditations' isn’t a book you race through; it’s one you live with.