Don't Do the Thing: Decision Making For Dummies [Tues, 3rd Period]

[jedigrammarians]

Aphra looked like she was doing a quick headcount as the class arrived today.

"Great, looks like none of you joined a cult to get over your teenage heartbreak!" Apparently she had been concerned about that. Because reasons.

"Which brings us to today's class, how to recognise when you're being sold a line, because anyone who tries to sell you on the idea that they have all the answers wants something from you, and if you're lucky it's just the contents of your wallet. But instead of just expecting you to trust me on that, we’ll just watch a demonstration holo."

Earth Zoology, Wednesday

[livingartifact]

"It may surprise some of you — or, I suppose, all of you, or quite possibly none of you, it's hard to tell with such a small class size. . . . Allow me to start over." Jenkins rubbed his forehead. "I'm afraid I've had quite a long weekend and only just made it back to the island. A word to the wise: never fuss around with an ancient Egyptian obelisk. They are quite literally nothing but trouble. Anyway. Where was I? Ah yes: human beings, as they evolved on Earth, are animals. Humans belong to the kingdom Animalia, along with every other creature that we are studying in this class. This has historically been a bit of a difficult concept for humans to swallow and continues to be the subject of some small amount of debate to this day, but primarily only by those who believe that sharing a common ancestor with less existentially minded beings somehow diminishes all that human beings have accomplished." Jenkins sighed. "Now, I mention this fact as we are today going to meet one of the other animals in the 'primate' order of the animal kingdom, and thus, a distant cousin to modern humanity. There are certainly closer cousins we might examine at a later date, but I thought you might enjoy meeting something smaller and more personable, first."

( The lemur )

The Cryptozoologist's Field Guide, Wednesday, Per 1

[arboreal_priestess]

Class was back in the Danger Shop today, so everyone was probably safe from another trip to see the miracle of birth. Either that, or she was going to do it again, only with everyone helping. Honestly, with Verity, it was an even split on the odds. Though the large field of plants that the class walked into today probably tipped the scales closer to 'no' on the cryptid midwifery class period.

"Not all cryptids are animals," Verity said, crossing over to the class. "There are, in fact, cryptid plants, and at least one weird plant that blurs the line between both. Probably more. Please know that whenever I'm talking about numbers of species that do something weird, there's always, always an implied 'that we know of' at the end of it. Science is still discovering new species in the world, and those animals often aren't even trying to hide." A lot of non-sapient cryptids aren't, either, but they have the benefit of people not wanting to believe in them when they're discovered."

( It was a thin bit of camouflage but a useful one and beggars really couldn't be choosers. )

"They're edible, though it has the general taste and consistency of tofu. The wool is perfectly good for sheering and weaving and, if the lamb survives the winter, will grow back the following year. The biggest issue with the lamb's survival is feeding. Once a lamb eats all of the plant matter within reach of its stalk, it withers away and dies. To protect them, farmers will dig up vegetable lambs that have eaten most of the food around it, wrap and protect the roots, and then move it to another section of the field. Which is what you're all going to do today." And suddenly there was a box of gardening gloves, trowels, and other gardening equipment. And about twelve or so vegetable lambs growing up around the first. "Time to move these little guys from over here to other sections of the field. Happy digging!"

Library, Wednesday

[era_two_triangle]

So, there had been lemurs in Jenkins' animal class today, which had led Peridot to head in to the library thinking that maybe, maybe she ought to research those 'primate' things that Jenkins had been talking about.

It wasn't long before she had stacks of books on evolution, on the genetic history of humankind, which she was staring at with some odd mix of horror and fascination.

Organic beings were so weird.

[OOC: Open, work SP is likely!]

Practical Diplomacy, Wednesday, February 21, 2018

[sith_happened]

Today the Danger Shop was set up to look like a water-treatment facility. "Right," Anakin said, handing out extremely stupid-looking hard hats. "Another part of diplomacy is checking up on projects that your government is funding. For the most part these visits are extremely boring, often loud, and sometimes very smelly. They will usually include speeches, far too many photos, and sometimes cultural dancing, singing and food. Today will will tour this facility, nod and smile at the tour guide as he gives us information about the building that you will absolutely not be able to hear, and then negotiate your way through a table full of food that you don't recognize."

Anakin smiled. "It'll be fun!"

Well, it would have been more fun if Anakin hadn't cranked the heat so that the ambient temperature in this fake facility wasn't close to 95/35 degrees and humid as all hell.