An Update + ̶A̶ ̶C̶a̶l̶l̶ ̶F̶o̶r̶ ̶P̶i̶t̶c̶h̶e̶s̶+ 'The One Where We Ask For Money'
The title is pretty self-explanatory for this one.
But first...an update from the Big Dog herself
It's safe to assume July kicked my ass. At the beginning of the month, I moved to a new apartment with my cat. Shortly after, I got exposed to Covid so had to isolate in said apartment where I went through a bit of a rough mental patch. I, luckily, tested negative the entire time, never developed any symptoms, and I have now returned to normal life...as normal as living under explicit Fascism can be.
I wanted to keep up with my promise of 'one article a month from yours truly', and it is still something I intend to do, but there's also a bit of grace and patience I should apply to myself when life gets a bit too rough.
In a way, I have kept my promise, what with the release of this update/call for writers/e-begging opportunity, and in months before with smaller, less-cohesive or less-hardy essays. I am not proud of every piece that I've written for this site.
I did write this month - I just wasn't happy with the results. I've been striving, more and more, for quality - to describe the ephemeral, to forge sharp words that cut like swords, to engage with videogame criticism the way it deserves to be approached, with dignity and gravitas, dealing with videogames as art-forms worthy of cultural critique.
I want to carve my own space in this here games writing scene, because I believe, like many, that the entire videogame industry, and journalism writ large, is a trashfire. It is easy to feel like an 'impostor' in this scene because, more and more, the promise of being a games writer is fraught with turmoil. Diminishing wages and freelance opportunities, massive layoffs at popular publications, the bizarre move to content mills, SEO and AI over thoughtful, human writing that cares about art, the gatekeeping, the cliques. People are fighting over scraps and to occupy the few spots available to make a living.
I've always been a firm believer that if there's no place at the table for you, you make your own table.
Before I move on to the next order of business, I just want to say I really appreciate all the readers and writers that support this site. From the bottom of my heart: thank you for believing in me, especially in the times when I didn't even believe in myself.
A lot of writers I respect and look up to approach me online to say they really appreciate the fact I have a space that is explicitly for thoughtful videogame criticism, one that approaches the medium with artistic and cultural perspectives and intersections. While I appreciate the sentiment, I want to state I am not the only one engaging with this type of work.
There's a series of websites I recommend, and they can be found by scrolling down to the publication description and clicking 'See All'. I believe they all engage with the same work Stop Caring strives to do, albeit with more consistent quality.
The obvious exclusions to the list are Unwinnable and Into the Spine, because, for some reason, Ghost won't let me add them to my recommendations! So, in absence of that, I will also link their websites below, urge you to subscribe to Unwinnable (they're currently running a subscription drive, and if they get 100 new followers they're going to do a Final Fantasy + politics issue, which I desperately want to read) and be on the lookout for new short-form pieces about to be released for Into the Spine.
J.M. Henson
Turning 25
Now, on to the reason why we are all here...
A Call for Pitches
UPDATE (07/31) PITCHES ARE CLOSED FOR THE YEAR. THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO SUBMITTED! IF I HAVE YET TO RESPOND TO YOUR PITCH, KNOW THAT I SHOULD DO SOON.
̶I̶ ̶a̶m̶ ̶s̶t̶i̶l̶l̶ ̶l̶o̶o̶k̶i̶n̶g̶ ̶f̶o̶r̶ ̶p̶i̶t̶c̶h̶e̶s̶,̶ ̶a̶n̶d̶ ̶I̶ ̶w̶a̶n̶t̶ ̶t̶o̶ ̶b̶e̶ ̶a̶ ̶b̶i̶t̶ ̶m̶o̶r̶e̶ ̶e̶x̶p̶l̶i̶c̶i̶t̶ ̶a̶n̶d̶ ̶t̶r̶a̶n̶s̶p̶a̶r̶e̶n̶t̶ ̶a̶b̶o̶u̶t̶ ̶w̶h̶a̶t̶ ̶I̶ ̶a̶m̶ ̶l̶o̶o̶k̶i̶n̶g̶ ̶f̶o̶r̶.̶
̶S̶a̶d̶l̶y̶,̶ ̶I̶ ̶r̶e̶j̶e̶c̶t̶ ̶a̶ ̶l̶o̶t̶ ̶o̶f̶ ̶p̶i̶t̶c̶h̶e̶s̶,̶ ̶e̶v̶e̶n̶ ̶f̶r̶o̶m̶ ̶g̶r̶e̶a̶t̶ ̶w̶r̶i̶t̶e̶r̶s̶,̶ ̶b̶e̶c̶a̶u̶s̶e̶ ̶I̶ ̶f̶e̶e̶l̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶y̶ ̶d̶o̶n̶'̶t̶ ̶f̶i̶t̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶ ̶'̶v̶i̶b̶e̶'̶ ̶o̶f̶ ̶S̶t̶o̶p̶ ̶C̶a̶r̶i̶n̶g̶.̶ ̶T̶h̶i̶s̶ ̶i̶s̶,̶ ̶p̶a̶r̶t̶i̶a̶l̶l̶y̶,̶ ̶m̶y̶ ̶f̶a̶u̶l̶t̶,̶ ̶b̶e̶c̶a̶u̶s̶e̶ ̶p̶r̶e̶v̶i̶o̶u̶s̶ ̶c̶a̶l̶l̶ ̶f̶o̶r̶ ̶p̶i̶t̶c̶h̶e̶s̶/̶w̶r̶i̶t̶e̶r̶s̶ ̶d̶i̶d̶n̶'̶t̶ ̶c̶l̶a̶r̶i̶f̶y̶ ̶w̶h̶a̶t̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶ ̶'̶v̶i̶b̶e̶'̶ ̶e̶v̶e̶n̶ ̶i̶s̶.̶
̶S̶o̶,̶ ̶a̶s̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶ ̶n̶e̶w̶l̶y̶ ̶u̶p̶d̶a̶t̶e̶d̶ ̶c̶o̶n̶t̶a̶c̶t̶ ̶p̶a̶g̶e̶ ̶s̶t̶a̶t̶e̶s̶:̶
̶W̶e̶ ̶a̶r̶e̶ ̶l̶o̶o̶k̶i̶n̶g̶ ̶f̶o̶r̶ ̶u̶n̶i̶q̶u̶e̶ ̶f̶e̶a̶t̶u̶r̶e̶s̶,̶ ̶e̶s̶s̶a̶y̶s̶ ̶a̶n̶d̶ ̶a̶r̶t̶i̶c̶l̶e̶s̶ ̶a̶b̶o̶u̶t̶ ̶v̶i̶d̶e̶o̶g̶a̶m̶e̶s̶ ̶t̶h̶a̶t̶ ̶t̶a̶c̶k̶l̶e̶ ̶t̶o̶p̶i̶c̶s̶ ̶f̶r̶o̶m̶ ̶a̶r̶t̶i̶s̶t̶i̶c̶,̶ ̶l̶i̶t̶e̶r̶a̶r̶y̶,̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶o̶r̶e̶t̶i̶c̶a̶l̶,̶ ̶c̶r̶i̶t̶i̶c̶a̶l̶,̶ ̶c̶u̶l̶t̶u̶r̶a̶l̶,̶ ̶o̶r̶ ̶p̶e̶r̶s̶o̶n̶a̶l̶ ̶p̶e̶r̶s̶p̶e̶c̶t̶i̶v̶e̶s̶.̶ ̶W̶e̶ ̶e̶n̶j̶o̶y̶ ̶a̶ ̶l̶i̶t̶t̶l̶e̶ ̶b̶i̶t̶ ̶o̶f̶ ̶i̶r̶r̶e̶v̶e̶r̶e̶n̶c̶e̶ ̶a̶s̶ ̶m̶u̶c̶h̶ ̶a̶s̶ ̶w̶e̶ ̶d̶o̶ ̶t̶h̶o̶u̶g̶h̶t̶f̶u̶l̶ ̶c̶r̶i̶t̶i̶c̶i̶s̶m̶.̶
̶I̶ ̶a̶l̶s̶o̶,̶ ̶e̶x̶p̶l̶i̶c̶i̶t̶l̶y̶,̶ ̶w̶a̶n̶t̶ ̶t̶o̶ ̶s̶t̶a̶t̶e̶:̶ ̶I̶ ̶w̶a̶n̶t̶ ̶t̶o̶ ̶p̶r̶i̶o̶r̶i̶t̶i̶z̶e̶ ̶g̶a̶m̶e̶s̶ ̶w̶r̶i̶t̶e̶r̶s̶ ̶o̶v̶e̶r̶ ̶f̶o̶l̶k̶s̶ ̶f̶r̶o̶m̶ ̶o̶t̶h̶e̶r̶ ̶i̶n̶d̶u̶s̶t̶r̶i̶e̶s̶,̶ ̶I̶ ̶d̶o̶n̶'̶t̶ ̶c̶a̶r̶e̶ ̶a̶b̶o̶u̶t̶ ̶S̶E̶O̶ ̶o̶r̶ ̶h̶o̶w̶ ̶g̶o̶o̶d̶ ̶y̶o̶u̶ ̶a̶r̶e̶ ̶a̶t̶ ̶i̶t̶,̶ ̶a̶n̶d̶ ̶I̶ ̶a̶m̶ ̶n̶o̶t̶ ̶l̶o̶o̶k̶i̶n̶g̶ ̶f̶o̶r̶ ̶c̶o̶n̶t̶e̶n̶t̶ ̶w̶r̶i̶t̶e̶r̶s̶ ̶-̶ ̶I̶ ̶a̶m̶ ̶l̶o̶o̶k̶i̶n̶g̶ ̶f̶o̶r̶ ̶v̶i̶d̶e̶o̶g̶a̶m̶e̶ ̶c̶r̶i̶t̶i̶c̶s̶ ̶t̶h̶a̶t̶ ̶w̶a̶n̶t̶ ̶t̶o̶ ̶e̶n̶g̶a̶g̶e̶ ̶w̶i̶t̶h̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶ ̶m̶e̶d̶i̶u̶m̶ ̶i̶n̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶ ̶m̶a̶n̶n̶e̶r̶s̶ ̶d̶e̶t̶a̶i̶l̶e̶d̶ ̶a̶b̶o̶v̶e̶.̶
̶T̶h̶e̶ ̶r̶a̶t̶e̶ ̶i̶s̶ ̶f̶l̶e̶x̶i̶b̶l̶e̶,̶ ̶1̶0̶0̶-̶2̶0̶0̶ ̶U̶S̶D̶,̶ ̶b̶e̶c̶a̶u̶s̶e̶ ̶I̶ ̶l̶i̶k̶e̶ ̶t̶o̶ ̶h̶a̶v̶e̶ ̶a̶ ̶d̶i̶s̶c̶u̶s̶s̶i̶o̶n̶ ̶w̶i̶t̶h̶ ̶w̶r̶i̶t̶e̶r̶s̶ ̶a̶f̶t̶e̶r̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶i̶r̶ ̶p̶i̶t̶c̶h̶ ̶i̶s̶ ̶a̶c̶c̶e̶p̶t̶e̶d̶,̶ ̶a̶n̶d̶ ̶e̶n̶s̶u̶r̶e̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶y̶ ̶f̶e̶e̶l̶ ̶l̶i̶k̶e̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶y̶ ̶a̶r̶e̶ ̶g̶e̶t̶t̶i̶n̶g̶ ̶p̶a̶i̶d̶ ̶f̶a̶i̶r̶l̶y̶ ̶f̶o̶r̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶ ̶a̶m̶o̶u̶n̶t̶ ̶o̶f̶ ̶w̶o̶r̶k̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶y̶ ̶d̶o̶.̶ ̶W̶e̶ ̶d̶o̶ ̶n̶o̶t̶ ̶h̶a̶v̶e̶ ̶w̶o̶r̶d̶ ̶c̶o̶u̶n̶t̶s̶ ̶o̶r̶ ̶s̶t̶y̶l̶e̶ ̶g̶u̶i̶d̶e̶s̶ ̶-̶ ̶I̶ ̶b̶e̶l̶i̶e̶v̶e̶ ̶p̶i̶e̶c̶e̶s̶ ̶s̶h̶o̶u̶l̶d̶ ̶b̶e̶ ̶a̶s̶ ̶l̶o̶n̶g̶ ̶o̶r̶ ̶s̶h̶o̶r̶t̶ ̶a̶s̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶y̶ ̶n̶e̶e̶d̶ ̶t̶o̶ ̶b̶e̶,̶ ̶h̶e̶n̶c̶e̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶ ̶f̶l̶e̶x̶i̶b̶l̶e̶ ̶r̶a̶t̶e̶,̶ ̶a̶n̶d̶ ̶I̶ ̶w̶a̶n̶t̶ ̶t̶o̶ ̶s̶e̶e̶ ̶y̶o̶u̶r̶ ̶p̶e̶r̶s̶o̶n̶a̶l̶i̶t̶y̶ ̶s̶h̶i̶n̶e̶ ̶i̶n̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶ ̶p̶i̶e̶c̶e̶s̶ ̶y̶o̶u̶ ̶w̶r̶i̶t̶e̶.̶ ̶S̶o̶m̶e̶ ̶p̶i̶e̶c̶e̶s̶ ̶a̶r̶e̶ ̶s̶h̶o̶r̶t̶e̶r̶,̶ ̶m̶o̶r̶e̶ ̶p̶o̶e̶t̶i̶c̶ ̶a̶n̶d̶ ̶m̶y̶s̶t̶i̶c̶,̶ ̶l̶i̶k̶e̶ ̶G̶u̶i̶l̶h̶e̶r̶m̶e̶'̶s̶ ̶p̶i̶e̶c̶e̶,̶ ̶a̶n̶d̶ ̶s̶o̶m̶e̶ ̶a̶r̶e̶ ̶l̶o̶n̶g̶e̶r̶ ̶a̶n̶d̶ ̶m̶o̶r̶e̶ ̶i̶n̶-̶d̶e̶p̶t̶h̶ ̶a̶n̶a̶l̶y̶s̶e̶s̶,̶ ̶l̶i̶k̶e̶ ̶m̶y̶ ̶o̶w̶n̶ ̶C̶a̶v̶e̶s̶ ̶o̶f̶ ̶Q̶u̶d̶ ̶p̶i̶e̶c̶e̶.̶
̶I̶ ̶f̶e̶e̶l̶ ̶l̶i̶k̶e̶ ̶m̶y̶ ̶r̶a̶t̶e̶ ̶i̶s̶ ̶p̶r̶e̶t̶t̶y̶ ̶l̶o̶w̶.̶ ̶I̶ ̶h̶o̶p̶e̶ ̶t̶o̶ ̶b̶e̶ ̶a̶b̶l̶e̶ ̶t̶o̶ ̶p̶a̶y̶ ̶p̶e̶o̶p̶l̶e̶ ̶m̶o̶r̶e̶ ̶i̶n̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶ ̶f̶u̶t̶u̶r̶e̶,̶ ̶b̶u̶t̶ ̶S̶t̶o̶p̶ ̶C̶a̶r̶i̶n̶g̶ ̶i̶s̶ ̶a̶ ̶s̶e̶l̶f̶-̶f̶u̶n̶d̶e̶d̶ ̶p̶a̶s̶s̶i̶o̶n̶ ̶p̶r̶o̶j̶e̶c̶t̶,̶ ̶a̶n̶d̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶ ̶o̶n̶l̶y̶ ̶r̶e̶a̶s̶o̶n̶ ̶I̶ ̶a̶m̶ ̶e̶v̶e̶n̶ ̶a̶b̶l̶e̶ ̶t̶o̶ ̶d̶o̶ ̶t̶h̶i̶s̶ ̶i̶s̶ ̶b̶e̶c̶a̶u̶s̶e̶ ̶I̶ ̶h̶a̶v̶e̶ ̶a̶ ̶f̶u̶l̶l̶-̶t̶i̶m̶e̶ ̶j̶o̶b̶ ̶t̶h̶a̶t̶ ̶i̶s̶ ̶u̶n̶r̶e̶l̶a̶t̶e̶d̶ ̶t̶o̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶ ̶g̶a̶m̶e̶s̶ ̶i̶n̶d̶u̶s̶t̶r̶y̶.̶
̶W̶e̶ ̶c̶a̶n̶ ̶o̶n̶l̶y̶ ̶a̶c̶c̶e̶p̶t̶ ̶t̶w̶o̶ ̶p̶i̶t̶c̶h̶e̶s̶ ̶p̶e̶r̶ ̶m̶o̶n̶t̶h̶,̶ ̶a̶n̶d̶ ̶w̶e̶ ̶a̶r̶e̶ ̶f̶u̶l̶l̶y̶ ̶b̶o̶o̶k̶e̶d̶ ̶u̶p̶ ̶u̶n̶t̶i̶l̶ ̶O̶c̶t̶o̶b̶e̶r̶ ̶(̶a̶n̶d̶ ̶I̶ ̶h̶o̶n̶e̶s̶t̶l̶y̶ ̶c̶a̶n̶'̶t̶ ̶w̶a̶i̶t̶ ̶f̶o̶r̶ ̶a̶l̶l̶ ̶o̶f̶ ̶y̶o̶u̶ ̶t̶o̶ ̶r̶e̶a̶d̶ ̶w̶h̶a̶t̶'̶s̶ ̶c̶o̶m̶i̶n̶g̶ ̶o̶u̶t̶!̶)̶ ̶s̶o̶ ̶I̶ ̶c̶u̶r̶r̶e̶n̶t̶l̶y̶ ̶o̶n̶l̶y̶ ̶h̶a̶v̶e̶ ̶4̶ ̶s̶p̶o̶t̶s̶ ̶a̶v̶a̶i̶l̶a̶b̶l̶e̶,̶ ̶2̶ ̶f̶o̶r̶ ̶N̶o̶v̶e̶m̶b̶e̶r̶ ̶a̶n̶d̶ ̶2̶ ̶f̶o̶r̶ ̶D̶e̶c̶e̶m̶b̶e̶r̶.̶
̶O̶n̶c̶e̶ ̶I̶ ̶a̶c̶c̶e̶p̶t̶ ̶4̶ ̶p̶i̶t̶c̶h̶e̶s̶,̶ ̶s̶u̶b̶m̶i̶s̶s̶i̶o̶n̶s̶ ̶w̶i̶l̶l̶ ̶b̶e̶ ̶c̶l̶o̶s̶e̶d̶ ̶u̶n̶t̶i̶l̶ ̶l̶a̶t̶e̶r̶ ̶t̶h̶i̶s̶ ̶y̶e̶a̶r̶,̶ ̶w̶h̶e̶n̶ ̶a̶n̶o̶t̶h̶e̶r̶ ̶c̶a̶l̶l̶ ̶f̶o̶r̶ ̶w̶r̶i̶t̶e̶r̶s̶/̶p̶i̶t̶c̶h̶e̶s̶ ̶w̶i̶l̶l̶ ̶b̶e̶ ̶r̶e̶l̶e̶a̶s̶e̶d̶ ̶t̶o̶ ̶s̶t̶a̶r̶t̶ ̶f̶i̶l̶l̶i̶n̶g̶ ̶u̶p̶ ̶s̶p̶o̶t̶s̶ ̶f̶o̶r̶ ̶2̶0̶2̶6̶.̶
̶I̶ ̶s̶t̶r̶i̶v̶e̶ ̶t̶o̶ ̶p̶a̶y̶ ̶p̶e̶o̶p̶l̶e̶ ̶o̶n̶ ̶t̶i̶m̶e̶,̶ ̶w̶h̶e̶n̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶ ̶p̶i̶e̶c̶e̶ ̶i̶s̶ ̶r̶e̶a̶d̶y̶ ̶t̶o̶ ̶b̶e̶ ̶r̶e̶l̶e̶a̶s̶e̶d̶,̶ ̶a̶n̶d̶ ̶p̶r̶o̶m̶i̶s̶e̶ ̶t̶o̶ ̶t̶a̶k̶e̶ ̶m̶y̶ ̶w̶r̶i̶t̶e̶r̶s̶'̶ ̶c̶o̶n̶c̶e̶r̶n̶s̶ ̶s̶e̶r̶i̶o̶u̶s̶l̶y̶ ̶a̶n̶d̶ ̶m̶a̶k̶e̶ ̶m̶y̶s̶e̶l̶f̶ ̶a̶v̶a̶i̶l̶a̶b̶l̶e̶ ̶t̶o̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶m̶ ̶s̶h̶o̶u̶l̶d̶ ̶a̶n̶y̶ ̶i̶s̶s̶u̶e̶s̶ ̶o̶r̶ ̶q̶u̶e̶s̶t̶i̶o̶n̶s̶ ̶a̶r̶i̶s̶e̶.̶
̶I̶f̶ ̶a̶l̶l̶ ̶o̶f̶ ̶t̶h̶i̶s̶ ̶s̶o̶u̶n̶d̶s̶ ̶g̶o̶o̶d̶ ̶t̶o̶ ̶y̶o̶u̶ ̶a̶n̶d̶ ̶y̶o̶u̶ ̶a̶r̶e̶ ̶i̶n̶t̶e̶r̶e̶s̶t̶e̶d̶ ̶i̶n̶ ̶w̶r̶i̶t̶i̶n̶g̶ ̶f̶o̶r̶ ̶S̶t̶o̶p̶ ̶C̶a̶r̶i̶n̶g̶,̶ ̶p̶l̶e̶a̶s̶e̶ ̶r̶e̶a̶c̶h̶ ̶o̶u̶t̶ ̶v̶i̶a̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶ ̶e̶m̶a̶i̶l̶ ̶i̶n̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶ ̶c̶o̶n̶t̶a̶c̶t̶ ̶p̶a̶g̶e̶ ̶o̶r̶ ̶d̶m̶ ̶m̶e̶ ̶o̶n̶ ̶B̶l̶u̶e̶s̶k̶y̶.̶ ̶P̶l̶e̶a̶s̶e̶ ̶d̶o̶ ̶n̶o̶t̶ ̶e̶m̶a̶i̶l̶ ̶c̶o̶m̶p̶l̶e̶t̶e̶ ̶e̶s̶s̶a̶y̶s̶ ̶o̶r̶ ̶p̶i̶e̶c̶e̶s̶,̶ ̶k̶e̶e̶p̶ ̶y̶o̶u̶r̶ ̶p̶i̶t̶c̶h̶e̶s̶ ̶c̶o̶n̶c̶i̶s̶e̶,̶ ̶a̶n̶d̶ ̶a̶t̶t̶a̶c̶h̶ ̶s̶o̶m̶e̶ ̶o̶f̶ ̶y̶o̶u̶r̶ ̶p̶r̶e̶v̶i̶o̶u̶s̶ ̶w̶o̶r̶k̶s̶ ̶a̶s̶ ̶w̶e̶l̶l̶ ̶-̶ ̶I̶'̶d̶ ̶l̶o̶v̶e̶ ̶t̶o̶ ̶r̶e̶a̶d̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶m̶!̶
̶I̶ ̶t̶h̶i̶n̶k̶ ̶t̶h̶a̶t̶ ̶a̶b̶o̶u̶t̶ ̶c̶o̶v̶e̶r̶s̶ ̶t̶h̶a̶t̶,̶ ̶s̶o̶ ̶u̶n̶t̶o̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶ ̶l̶a̶s̶t̶ ̶o̶r̶d̶e̶r̶ ̶o̶f̶ ̶b̶u̶s̶i̶n̶e̶s̶s̶,̶
The Part Where I Ask You For Money
I'll keep this section brief.
I work really hard to keep Stop Caring up and running. I am routinely pulling overtime at my day job just to make ends meet. I am fortunate that I am in a period of relative financial stability, hence why I am able to afford writers at the rates I can, but I would really love to expand Stop Caring and increase the rate I can pay writers.
It seems glib to ask, but if you feel like you can throw me a few bucks to keep the lights on around here, consider a paid subscription or a one-time donation.
All money will eventually makes its way to the authors - the main goal of Stop Caring right now is not for me to make money or for this publication to be profitable, but for the people that write for this website to be paid more.
Please: only pledge or donate if you can afford it. If money is tight, the best way to help is by sharing Stop Caring with interested people.
That's it from me, back next month with a proper essay (Si Dios quiere).
Please: be good people, and keep yourselves safe, hydrated and fed.
