video @nina

[neversmall]

[ You can make VIDEOS ON THIS THING.

Now that Nina knows this, no one is safe. Well, okay, not true, because she's still got to get the hang of it. You, the viewer, are once again treated to a vision of... the Aid Station wall.

Nina: "Where's the camera again?"
John, her long-suffering patient who isn't suffering as much as he is laughing at her: "On the corner, there."
Nina: "But that means I have to hold my wrist like--" Abruptly, the picture changes and now Nina's squarely in view, "--oh yes, you're right. That's a better idea."
John: "...so are you gonna say something or?"
Nina: "Oh Saints, is it recording already? Blast--"

Bright smile is go! ]

Hello, everyone! If we haven't met yet, I'm Nina Zenik.

There are so many of us here from so many different places. It’s hard to believe it’s been nearly two months, and now more of us are coming. I’m not used to making announcements like this [ some noise from beside her, Nina looks toward John and corrects: ] -- or, posts? Apparently they’re called posts. -- but even some the Adament crew I’ve spoken to are interested in my questions, so they’ve assured me they don’t mind if I - post - with this.

So tell us - what’s it like where you’re from? What are the legends that are most popular? What are the courtship practices? [ She’s absolutely not crafting this whole post because she’s searching for ideas on this, nope. ] Are you one of those of us have been fighting a war -- excuse the question if it’s rude, there just do seem to be a lot of us. I’d ask you to talk about your favorite foods instead, but that might be more depressing than helpful. Oh - here’s one: If you’re from an Earth, how do you know it’s a different Earth than all the other Earths? And if not, does your planet have a name or is mine the only one that doesn't?

Comments

@steve.rogers

[fossils]

Histories aren't lining up exactly the same for everyone here that comes from a place called Earth. Mine's had two large scale alien invasions.

I've been craving a decent slice of pizza for three years.

[ seriously had to mention food, huh ]

[neversmall]

[ She DID have to mention food; she MISSES food. ]

Yes, I've learned that finding out that someone is from Earth is no guarantee that they're from the same place or time as someone else I've learned is from Earth. I am sorry to hear about what your world has endured. [ Though she bets he doesn't really want to talk about it; she wouldn't. So: ]

What's pizza?

[fossils]

Thanks, but it sounds like mine's not the only one going through troubles. [ And it sounds like she's already got how it seems to work (as much as any of them have so far) so he doesn't try to press his own story on her. ]

You get dough. Toss it, stretch it round and flat. Get your cheese, tomato sauce, whatever else you wanna put on top if that's your thing. Heat it up in the oven til the crust and the bottom cracks when you fold it in half.

[ Don't talk to him about any other kind of pizza.

How long he spent typing this out is an indication of how much he's craving a slice. ]

[neversmall]

[ 'Where there are people, there are problems.' Is that a proverb? Maybe it should be. She decides against typing it, because honestly, whoever really wants an aphorism?

Instead: ]

I'd say that's not even exclusive to Earths. 😊

[ And, okay, dough she follows. The kind of cheese she is picturing is decidedly not mozzarella, but she's got the spirit, even if... 'tomato sauce' is not... really a Ravkan thing at all. ]

Baked bread and cheese can be very good. I'm not entirely sure what tomato sauce is, but I can picture it.

[ And she spends a minute more or less successfully imagining the combination. ]

It's a shame that with everyone here from so many different places, this is something we're only able to describe, not share. That have been fun. 😔

[ s i g h. She misses food. ]

[fossils]

No tomatoes? Huh. They're red, you crush them up and the sauce is a little sweet and

🍅 tomato
🍕 slice of pizza
🍔 burger
🌭 hot dog
🍟 fries

[ and a pause ]

They really have one of those for almost everything.

[neversmall]

Oh, we have tomatoes 🍅 - but they're usually roasted or served fresh.

...did you say this 🌭 was a hot dog? And - that's a food you eat?

[ You eat dogs?? ]

And yes, the little pictures are marvelous! 😁🌈🎇

[fossils]

It's like a much less fancy sausage inside a bun.

I'm 90% sure it's usually beef or pork, not 🐶

[neversmall]

Only 90 percent? Oh dear. 😅

But no, the sausage from street venders always tends to be a bit suspicious. However, having eaten and enjoyed actual bugs in the past few weeks, I don't think there's a single street vender I wouldn't visit if given the chance.

🍔 is also some kind of meat in bread?

[fossils]

Look, sometimes suspicious meats are the best meats. It's something in the water where I'm from.

[ it's the threat of botulism ]

I know it's a mistake to keep going on but, yeah. Bun, lettuce, tomato, onion, ground beef patty, ketchup or hot sauce on the bottom, bun.

[neversmall]

Well, I don't think NOT talking about it is suddenly going to make our portions taste any better. We might as well enjoy imagining good food even if we can't actually taste it. And now I know what 🍕🌭🍔 all mean, so really it's been very educational.

I don't think we've officially met before?