#julien targeted post

[buccaneeering]

Not again.

[wings-of-ink]

The MC(child) cooked food for the first time, it looks great, but it will probably give food poisoning to anyone who tries it. How will family and friends react to this festive dinner?

(And yes, it's likely that the MC will cry very hard if someone calls their food disgusting)

Oh, that scenario is cute, Anon. I kind of imagine little MC plopping a mostly raw chicken on the table next to an impeccable arrangement of radish-roses, julienned carrots, and perfectly fried potatoes.

A related post is linked below as well.

Kip and Dov:  MC’s beloved fathers are going to be as gentle and encouraging as they can. They don’t want to discourage MC from doing something they enjoy or learning from the experience. They would start out by telling MC everything good about what they’ve done, and reassure them that they are still learning so they can ease into the issues with the meal. They’ll go back to the kitchen with them and guide them on how to make everything safe to eat.

Grandmother Ravinder:  Nothing has ever made the woman sick, it seems. She eats anyway, lol. Enjoys every last bite too. (Everyone else at the table is mortified.)

Kavi and Betony:  Politely avoid the food and let Kip and Dov handle this. Betony admires how the food looks and is sure to compliment MC.

Lakota/Aster:  He’s the one that is eyeing it funny - poking it. Likely saying something to the effect of, “This doesn’t look like mama’s…”

Oswin/Yarrow:  His reaction may depend on the age he’s at. While younger, he’d be more likely to gently tease MC and ask to help (not that he’s any better). When he’s older, he’ll act more like Kavi and stay pretty quiet.

Sage/Poppy:  They’re calling it gross/disgusting just to bother poor MC. Betony likely goes after them with a spoon or a towel (she’s a deadly towel-whipper, always gets her target with a perfect snap).

Related:

Thank you for the ask, Anon! ^_^

[rose-bookblood]

The Witch and the Beast | WIP Intro

Genre: fantasy retelling, romance, post-apocalyptic steampunk

Target: NA

Setting: our world, France; centuries in the future

POV: multi (mainly 2), 3rd person limited, past tense

Themes: family, guilt & forgiveness, trauma, oppression, power

Logline: In an attempt to save her father's life, 21-year-old Rosebelle offers herself as prisoner to the king of a forgotten realm, cursed to remain a half-human, half-wolf beast.

Literal logline: Disaster bisexual falls in love with sad wet dog (literally) while juggling his nosy siblings and practicing witchcraft.

Featuring: one-sided enemies to friends to lovers | Arabic bisexual FMC | mixed black-white family | siblings dynamics | vampires, werewolves & witches | Italian pirates | side f/f & m/m pairings

Inspiration: various iterations of Beauty and the Beast and other fairytales

CW: violence, gore, death, descriptions of corpses, blood drinking, trauma & depression, sexual harassment, self-hate & implied self-harm (no physical injuries)

Hi, folks! After ages, I'm finally introducing this project I've been mentioning for months! It really shouldn't have taken me this long to post this, but I'm a busy perfectionist.

The best way I can describe TWATB is if Once Upon a Time and The Vampire Diaries had a child. Hopefully a better written one. It's mainly a Beauty and the Beast retelling, but in book 1 you can see hints of other fairytale characters and, in book 2, all new characters come from different stories. Yes, it is a series, it seems I'm physically unable to write standalones.

Plot

After a nuclear war set technology back and filled Earth's atmosphere with gas clouds that black out the sun, vampires came out of the shadows and subjugated the humans.

Rosebelle Fortier wishes to escape the small French village where she lives, unable to pursue her thirst for knowledge and tormented by a vampire who wants to make her his. Ro's wish comes true with a catch when she offers herself as prisoner to a half-human, half-wolf Beast and his siblings to save her father's life.

Before he angered the wrong witch, Adam ruled the Kingdom of Alsace. Now, he's a monster trapped in his own castle and by a curse that will only break if he learns to love and be loved back. Time is ticking by and, even when a girl stumbles on his path, Adam knows there's no hope: no one will ever love a beast.

As a hidden threat forms, Ro and Adam must come into their own power and fall in love, all before time runs out.

Characters

(* means a character appears in book 2)

Rosebelle Fortier

she/her

the Beauty

bookworm with a thirst for knowledge

curiosity killed the cat etc. etc.

may or may not become a witch

disaster bisexual

Adam d'Alsace

he/him

the Beast

a literal sad wet dog

(he's a werewolf)

(he's also depressed)

currently stuck in a hybrid form

François Guérin

he/him

the Avenant/Gaston

nasty musty crusty dusty

old as fuck vampire

spends his days harassing Ro

Delphine d'Alsace

she/her

eldest sister syndrome

forever plagued by guilt

Ro & Adam's matchmaker

this || close to losing it at all times

Julien d'Alsace

he/him

wishes his family did something to fix the situation

be gay do crime

grumpy but there's no sunshine (yet)

perpetually on the verge of spilling all the tea to Ro

Véronique d'Alsace

she/her

moody teenager

trans & asexual

wants to be left alone with her garden and books

she and Adam connect on a depression level

Charlotte d'Alsace

she/her

definitely undiagnosed ADHDer

aromantic

a ball of sunshine

loves running around the castle gardens in wolf form

Bianca Chen Hildebrandt*

she/her

the Snow White

princess of the Kingdom of Germany

lesbian

her stepmother turned her into a vampire against her will

is now leading a rebellion

Astrid Morgenstern*

she/her

the Sleeping Beauty

Bianca's loyal knight (in a totally heterosexual way)

pansexual

is currently. you guessed it. asleep

Sebastiano Falconieri*

he/him

the Captain Hook

unsurprisingly, a pirate

bisexual

Italian pride let's gooo

stuck on a magical prison island

Setting

Like I mentioned in the plot, TWATB is set in an unspecified future, after a nuclear war. As a consequence, the planet is cocooned by a thick cover of gas clouds that block all sunlight. Vampires, who had previously been considered a myth, came out of hiding and started ruling over the humans. Besides that unfortunate implication, lack of sunlight also means the climate is colder and living conditions are dire. The story is set in France, but now it looks like Siberia.

The war also set technology back a couple centuries, before the discovery of electricity. There's gas lamps, railroads (not many, because, y'know, lots of ice and snow), zeppelins. And, of course, I couldn't resist the steampunk/Victorian aesthetic.

But that's not all! Even though I'm not sure how much will come across in book 1, since it's set at the castle for 90% of the time, there's more to the setting than "steampunk but cold". I've built a vampire-centric society with its own rules and spent a bunch of time researching what effects the absence of direct sunlight would have, to make everything as realistic as possible.

This is all for now. Hope this "new" project piqued your interest!

— Rose

Taglist: (lmk to be added)

@ink-fireplace-coffee @the-inkwell-variable

[murfpersonalblog]

Mayfair Witches S2E3 (Show & Book Spoilers) - Cycles of Abuse: Smdh Lestat & Cortland

99% of what Lasher does in this episode is now canonically the vampire Lestat de Lioncourt's fault, for being a horrible effing teacher & coven master--like I've BEEN saying this entire time. 🤦

In my last post, I detailed the encounter Lasher had with Lestat's Millennial!Fledgling Felix, who was apparently taught by Lestat to be a remorseless monster who finds sadistic pleasure in killing humans, or "sheep"--a la The Meat. I'm even seeing fans tryna figure out who Felix's teacher was, when Esta said it TWICE, y'all.

So, Felix passes on these priceless pearls of wisdom to the highly impressionable Lasher (who's literally only a week+ old with no idea what he is or wtf he's doing), encouraging him to ignore any guilt/shame & human rules about morality that'll just drive him crazy.

Of course, being a Taltos, NOT a vampire, this is terrible advice to give Lasher, who proceeds to target more Mayfair witches with renewed purpose, despite knowing that he's KILLING them every single time he has sex/rapes & impregnates a Mayfair. 🤦

Technically true, LOL? Rowan didn't entirely lie to you, Daphne. 😅

Meanwhile, Rowan's an effing idiot who thinks it's a GREAT idea to lie to a whole house full of WITCHES. 🤦 She wants to give them a protection potion (that may or may not be placebo) and corral everyone in one spot, so it's harder for Lasher to pick the women off one by one. So, throw a party at the house & keep them all safe.

But Rowan follows CORTLAND'S advice (the only good point he made is that the Mayfairs worship Lasher & will blame Rowan if anything goes wrong, like ghost!Millie said), and LIES that Lasher will be the guest of honor & the Mayfairs can finally meet him. The only reason she involves Cortland is cuz he knows everyone & they'll come when he calls--

Well.

Everyone except ONE Mayfair witch:

HOLY CRAP, EVELYN!? 👀

This is a HUGE change, and if AMC just did what I think they did, then I effing hate it.

In 2x2 I mentioned that Julien was likely referencing a book character, Ancient Evelyn Mayfair, Cortland's daughter/Julien's granddaughter, She was a powerful witch who had visions & told prophecies about the future, including the entire prophecy of how Michael would both father & kill Lasher. She was considered crazy, and was locked up in her house for most of her life. Julien was a pedo who groomed Evelyn and made her fall in love with him so she could read his future. Her story's really.... Anyways, she's old AF & dying by Rowan's time. So AMC apparently is scrapping all of that, to make Evelyn Dolly Jean's sister, and not Cortland's daughter (Rowan & Jojo's sister). But AMC still retained that Evelyn's a rape victim, transferring it from Julien to Cortland.

--and it makes sense, if Cortland tried to force himself on AMC!Evelyn to father a witch on her, although we haven't seen any indication that she has any special powers like Dolly Jean yet--she just smells really good like all the Mayfairs Lasher's most genetically compatible with--

--which means she (& Dolly Jean) are descended from SOMEONE important up the family tree (I hope it's Julien--look, when in doubt, ALWAYS blame Julien! 😅 That sex pest got AROUND.).

"Mr. Darwin"!? 😂 Omg Felix, I could slap you silly, just like Evelyn did to Lasher! But gurl, I'd've had my son kick him out right then & there!

And you KNOW this has gotta be triggering AF for AMC!Eve, cuz poor woman's already had one man try to SA her, only to turn around have have THE Lasher attack her, too--AND her son when he comes to defend his mom.

But thank heaven Lasher realizes what he's doing is BEYOND effed up, when he starts choking her son David. Cuz David's a man who has NOTHING to do with Lasher. Lasher's a killer only cuz the Mayfair women keep having miscarriages. His murders aren't violent homicidal acts where he's deliberately tryna snuff out a person's life--he's trying to CREATE life, actually. But listening to dumba** Felix, he tries to actually MURDER David, an innocent man just tryna save his mom from being raped BY Lasher. Blessedly, Lasher chooses to stop, walk away, and go back home to his mother, Rowan.

Sure, Lasher's not human, but he still has a soul, and free will, and CHOOSES to be more than his impulses--that Mayfair scent that compels him to breed. He chooses to do the right thing & walk away and NOT force himself on anymore Mayfair women--which is more than that MONSTER Cortland can say!

Like, I get it--we saw in 2x2 how Cortland has deep trauma about his father Julien. He grew up in the family feeling like another "eunuch husband," only good for being breeding stallions for the witches; then kicked to the curb--not given any real POWER/AUTHORITY as the man of the household, since the Mayfairs are a matriarchy. But boo frikkin hoo, god forbid the patriarchy takes an L for once. 🙄😒

And ofc we'll see the exact same theme about sons trying to not be like their toxic abusive AF fathers in IWTV S3/TVL with Lestat, too.

But Jojo ain't never lie! Cortland is under Rowan's roof not 20 feet away from her, talking crap about her t make himself seem more important & indispensable! 🤦

Speaking of Jojo, I'm so glad they cleared this up. Cuz I'd BEEN wondering since S1 why Jojo wasn't the designee! I was hoping her actress was playing a biological female, but no, Jojo confirms that she's trans, which is why Cortland needed Rowan, cuz Jojo can't get pregnant, DANG! Poor Jojo! (But trust: in THIS family, that'll actually save Jojo's life! 😬)

So Cortland needs a breedable female pawn to control, cuz the women have all the power in the family--and I agree with Jojo, he was only cool with her transitioning cuz as long as she's a woman she CAN take the lead on some things (like running Mayfair Medical before Rowan got there), being the spokesperson for darn near everything, 2nd only to Dolly Jean it seems? So Cortland still gets to have SOME authority by having Jojo as his daughter not his son; proving that CORTLAND is useful & actually does contribute something beneficial to the family, unlike what Julien said in 2x2.

But IDGAF what inferiority complex tragic backstory Cortland has, just like IDGAF about book!Lasher's backstory--and IDGAF about Lestat's backstory either. I care about how that shapes them as people & the choices they make, ofc, but it doesn't ABSOLVE them of the choices they make & the horrible things they did to people--esp. their families & the people they claimed to "love."

book!Lasher goes on & on about how much he "loves" My Witches, and yet he was a HORRENDOUS spectre haunting them for 13 generations! Cortland went on & on about how much he loved his daughter Dierdre, yet he raped her to father Rowan, and drugged her for DECADES to keep her under control so she wouldn't run away & LEAVE that awful family like Antha tried to (b4 Carlotta killed her). Lestat went on & on about how much he loved Louis & Claudia, and still spewed utter filth about them in that disgusting Trial, just cuz they left him to rot in the dump.

Rowan realizes that she can be more than her paternity too, and NOT follow in Cortland's footsteps, lying & scheming & deceiving her family members. She can and SHOULD be honest, and tell them the truth about Lasher--not that it matters, ofc, cuz Lasher's just decided to stop & come back home anyway. But it's the thought that counts?

Wtvr--I'll wrap up this episode in my next post; I just wanted to keep all this contained in its own segment, cuz the cycles of trauma & abuse are cycling! 😔

[unbindingkerberos]

Preparation

Warning(s): Blood

Author's Note: IM BACK BABY!! Sorry haven't been posting as much was busy with writer's block and personal matters. Nevertheless, I hope you guys enjoy!

Words: 831

Tags: @onehornedbeast @shegetsburned @chadillacboseman @illmetbymoonlight @children-of-epiales @linoleum-ice @scentedcandleibex

------

Marius has never felt pressured to pull a trigger before.

He has done the action countless times that it has integrated into his body. But under the hard gaze of Amarice Locke, all muscle memory vanishes instantaneously. The German shudders tensely and his finger moves to the trigger–

And it hits the target. 

Marius lets out a shaky sigh but sucks the air back in once Amarice spoke. “15 seconds…” 

“What?”

“It took you at least 15 seconds for you to shoot the target.”

The older woman tuts and crosses her arms. “I would have shot you under five.” Grace and Masaru did not exaggerate when they said Amarice was… well they said a lot about her. Marius didn’t believe it at first but then he saw what they went through. He was just passing by that day when he saw Grace, Masaru, Dominic, Olivier and Mark doing bench presses outside in the middle of a thunderstorm with Amarice on the sidelines holding out an umbrella for Gustave who looked like all the blood had been drained from him. 

So when Amarice had offered some shooting practice earlier, Marius was visibly nervous.

“Oh sorry…” Was all Marius managed to muster out. The older woman huffs and gestures for Marius to retry. Marius gulps and does it–

“Again

Again

Again

Again

Again

Again

Again…”

By the last round, Marius’s body is slick with sweat and his grip trembles. Amarice moves to inspect the target, her finger traces the outline of each individual bullet hole with keen inspection. “Not bad..” The look she gives Marius is enough for him to start internally panicking and deciphering the strange emotion behind that look. 

But unfortunately, he didn’t decipher the punch that sent him to the floor. Marius groans in pain, muttering curses in his native tongue as he tries to lift himself up. He tastes iron in his mouth and realizes the blood trickling down his nose.

“You should be more alert.” Amarice cracks some knuckles. She offers a hand for Marius to which he hesitantly takes. The older woman pulls him up only to sweep him off his feet. “What did I say?” 

“That I should…. Be… more..” Marius pants. “Alert…?” Amarice sighs and spares him a stern glance. “Get up.” Marius does not want to get up and at the same time he wants to. His legs feel like a stack of cards as he stands. Amarice moves to jab her knee in his stomach, but the German anticipates the attack and blocks her knee. He swings his fist forward only for the older woman to headbutt him in his already leaking nose. 

The pain was electrifying and Marius could feel tears welling up in his eyes. He staggers back, droplets of blood make small spots on the floor. Marius notices Amarice too reeling away, a noticeable bruise in her right cheek.

“Why?”

Amarice’s eyes flicker to Marius. “Why are you doing this? Why did you ask me to come here?” The older woman feels her throat run dry when she answers, “So that when you see Henry again, you’ll know how to kick his ass.”

–

An infectious dread makes Marius’s stomach sink to the bottom. The news spreads like wildfire throughout the base: Deimos has been captured and is being brought back to HQ from Emerald Plains. 

Had it not been for Julien’s quick reaction, from what he heard, Fisher would have died and Deimos would have gotten away. He should be feeling happy that the man who killed Harry, who lit the fuze to the fire was in chains.

But…

He wondered among the Keres in Deimos’s squad, was he part of the dead?

Marius closes his eyes and buries the thought. He glances down at the shuffling in his pocket and silences with a tap. If you are still here, then he might be too.

–

It’s done. Proceed to the second phase.

He snaps the phone shut and turns to the Keres behind him. They stand tall and firm, ready to obey their commander. He clasps their hands together. 

“Listen up–”

His footsteps echo as he strides towards them. “Keres-01 Actual has been detained by RAINBOW as according to plan.” The screen flickers alive with Deimos’s picture and his coordinates. “It is expected that in a few days he will be taken to a black site where all RAINBOW operators will gather.” Pictures of various operators pop up in the screen. “We go in silently, then when the moment comes–” he snaps and the Leeches around the room glow in an ominous red– “shoot as many ducks as you’ll like.”

The Keres pump their fists in the air and yell, before they spread out and prepare themselves for the upcoming battle. His eyes wander back to the screen just in time for Marius’s picture to come up.

He fights that primal urge in his body to reach out. He balls his fists to the side.

And Henry wears his mask.

[binkbonkers]

🏳️‍🌈Pride Month Day 1: MUNA!🏳️‍🌈

For Pride Month, I am going to try to post an album by an LGTBTQ+ artist every day. Today’s artist is by MUNA!

MUNA’s members openly identify as queer, and guitarist/producer Naomi McPherson is nonbinary. The band’s music often touches on topics of sexuality and gender, and the band members also discuss their experiences with sexuality and gender on their podcast “Gayotic.” They have collaborated with artists like Phoebe Bridgers, and they have featured guests like Lucy Dacus, Julien Baker and Kathleen Hanna on their podcast. They have also won awards for their work uplifting the LGBTQ+ community through music.

MUNA is an indie pop band that embraces the synth pop elements of the ‘80s and the lyricism and guitar sound of punk and riot grrrl. Their music is glittery, fun and perfect for a night out at the gay bar with all your LGBTQ+ and ally friends. Their music is full of rebellious pop and queer joy with the flair of a 2000s club hit. The band’s lyrics tend to target WLW, sapphic and nonbinary people, but their music is for anyone that chooses to listen to their songs of accepting yourself and having fun with your sexuality and gender identity.

[elasticfitnessinstructor]

JOE!!! 🥺

I wish the Twins would win every game if only so I could read new versions of this post.

JOE: BRONZE - Joe Mauer had his bronze statue unveiling today. (wah...tom kelly was there...🥺🥺🥺) (if I think about Joe Mauer for too long, I get 🥺)

CARS: ON FIRE - A car was on fire near Target Field.

Trucks: Bucking - This stumped me for a bit. This is apparently reference to Byron "Buck" Buxton. It's a play on Buck Truck(ing), which I'm still not sure what that is.

Julien: Ruling - Edouard Julien

Trans: Rights - True! The additional history I picked up was there was a transphobe in the past year in the game threads and the poster started adding this out of spite.

As for the Blue Jays, had a tough time against the Orioles but ended up winning their game in the end. So! Yaaaay! I enjoy when the numbers look good, for the teams I've chosen to support!

[artcallednaturalviews]

Go blended black white & grey

Pout me, pour me in the droplet

Had those people had the right

Amount life insurance, so were they insured

My blocking opening up

Aa hhhhhsssssnnnnnn

Hisassinninja

The money made from Insured

Was it LBGQT vs Hetero

Targeted

Hisassinninja

Was it Trump!

And all

Hisassinninja’a

On Day One

Dear God I don’t know!

Commandments post in Schools

Dear One’s

All y���all center spread outwards

Worked in Tornado’s

Pray Away

Pray Away

Pray Away

What sits for(e) 2nd 3rd for(.e)’th

So on in beginnings

I’m not prey

Predators

My loved one died without LIFE

Thee misconstrues of America

United States in Divided atmospheres

Money rules for all mankind

Wanting!

Wanting!

Ehh One

Private

Writing to all of you ||

The chaos on day One

Wordsbymm||mmybsdrow

MMybsDroW||WordSByMM

It’s a day two January 2025

Julien 5002

Pour the droplets Now

On your Tour tore side down Democrats

Adding my waste to outsides

Hear it now

X my thumb

Leaderships

Take me to Slap a squid

Hisassinninja’s

.|.

Prunts (all net)

[it all costs money, and other leaders pay for(e), Sex escape & drugs rather than mowing down & blowing up shooting’ @ at them of Hisassinninja it follows receipti-uentsc Can’t Buy Me Love, or thee anteater dance it’s a chaos of money]

I have no means for the Day One in America

I’m just a Patriot Veteran to compare

Centered sorta speak, Hisassinninja

Black white & grey

[qnewsau]

Meet the Queensland gay vet helping save koalas

New Post has been published on https://qnews.com.au/meet-the-queensland-gay-vet-helping-save-koalas/

Meet the Queensland gay vet helping save koalas

Dr Julien Grosmaire is doing incredible work helping save koalas in Queensland. He spoke to QNews about his work and how he wants to make life easier for other LGBTQIA+ vets in the industry.

For Dr Julien Grosmaire, a love of animals had always been a part of his childhood.

The now 26-year-old grew up in France and was introduced to them at an early age. 

“They put me on the back of a horse when I was younger and apparently my face lit up,” he tells me.

“From then on, it was always animals and vets and everything of that sort.”

Overcoming homophobia

Julien moved to Australia when he was 11 and attended a French school in Canberra before studying to become a vet at university in Wagga Wagga. 

He took to his studies but often struggled in the country town. 

“The experience I had on the veterinary side of things was amazing, it was more the social aspect of things that was at times challenging,” he explains. 

“Going out on uni nights always felt a little bit risky. I didn’t know who I was going to encounter and what was going to happen as I seemed to get targeted because I used to hang out with a lot of girls.”

An unlikely inspiration

Julien had a breakthrough moment thanks to an unlikely source in RuPaul’s Drag Race.

After a particularly bad incident, he locked himself away in his room and binged the show.

“After two weeks, I had just watched so much Drag Race that I was just so inspired to get out there,” he says. 

“It very much felt like, ‘Other people have so much worse than me, what am I talking about?’ What’s the point of being closed off in this world? I’m just doing a disservice to myself, and anyone targeting me kind of wins in that situation.”

Towards the end of his study, Julien also discovered the Pinnacle Foundation. 

The Foundation offers scholarships and mentoring to LGBTQIA+ students with financial and mentoring support. 

“It was just so good to have that little community where we would come online, like once a week and just catch up with each other say how things are going and discuss things,” Julien says. 

Wagga Mardi Gras

With his newfound outlook, Julien also joined the Australian Rainbow Vets and Allies and when Wagga announced it was having a pride parade, he decided they should march. 

  “It was so daunting, I remember driving down the main street, and there were people there protesting against the Mardi Gras, and I was like, ‘Oh no, no one’s going to show up to this,’ it’s going to be just us walking down the main street,” he recalls.

“But it turned out to be the most amazing turnout with thousands of people, it was such a validating experience.”

A career with koalas

With university completed, Julien headed out into the world to start his career. 

After getting his experience at a regular practice in Tamworth treating dogs, cats and other animals, he sought out his true passion: wildlife. 

He found a position working with koalas at Endeavour Veterinary Ecology (EVE) in South East Queensland. 

His work helping koalas is incredibly important as they face ever-increasing challenges. 

“Koalas have recently been listed as endangered, in that the populations are declining,” he explains. 

“Humans continue to clear land and reduce the habitat for them. We continue to fragment their habitats and so populations are being cut off. If clearing cuts off corridors that are used to connect koala populations, they become disconnected and so much more vulnerable to local extinction.”

Although the butt of many jokes, chlamydia is also a serious issue contributing to the decline of koala populations. 

“They’ll get really severe eye and reproductive disease and go blind,” Julien says. 

“Some can’t reproduce for the rest of their life, meaning that then the population just declines.”

A lot of Julien’s work involves treating chlamydial disease in his patients. This is an extremely specialised area. EVE’s niche work in koala health management has been pioneering at reducing chlamydia in populations that were otherwise on an extinction trajectory. 

A regular day

Julien’s regular day can be examining a healthy koala, doing surgery on sick ones, conducting research or implementing different trials. 

In the work EVE does, they often safeguard koalas when development activity intersects critical koala habitat. 

“We make sure that the koalas are safe through that whole process,” he tells me.

“So if there’s a road about to be built, we can come in, put GPS tags on all the koalas to monitor them in near-real-time, do health checks and make sure that they’re out of danger.”

Julien has also been part of conducting a new trial of an escape device that allows koalas to safely exit road and rail corridors, nicknamed the “Koala Doggy Door”. 

And what is something about koalas that many people don’t know?

“I think people think that they’re really lazy,” he says laughing. 

“It’s easy to believe it when you see them in the day lounging in trees, but they become very active at night. They can travel wide distances to find new habitats, new homes, and new mates. I love studying the hidden life of koalas, there is yet so much to learn about them.”

Making it easier in the industry

It’s not just koalas that Julien puts his time into helping.

He is also part of Veterinary Kaleidoscope, a diversity and inclusion initiative to help more people get into and stay in the profession. 

“The veterinary community is starkly not diverse and it’s a real challenge for people of diverse backgrounds to fit in, feel like they belong, and have someone that has their back,” he says. 

Julien’s role with Kaleidoscope is focusing on mentoring and ensuring students and those starting their careers are getting the help that matches their experience. 

“In other programs, you can be matched with someone who has no understanding of your experience, like mine as a gay man in rural Australia for example.”

When I chat to Julien he joins on a phone in the middle of the bush of Central Queensland. 

He is staying on a mining site and the experience for him and particularly female colleagues can be difficult. 

“As a cis white man, it’s easier for me to come into these settings and have more resilience when I’m faced with something,” he says. 

“Whereas the way women around me sometimes get treated is very confronting, and I want to use my privilege to then make a difference.”

On top of saving koalas, and improving the experience of diverse vets, he is also a board member of Wildlife Health Australia.

Something that Julien explains “was a goal for the end of my career!”

Outside of work

For such a busy guy, he does find some downtime to switch off with an old friend. 

“I still keep up with all the Drag Race franchises, unless it gets too much, because when you’re watching four episodes a week, it’s like, ‘oh my goodness, this is so much!’”.

He also has been able to connect with the queer community in Brisbane, something he found harder in smaller towns. 

At his young age, Julien has already made a big difference for koalas and his industry.

However, through his journey from France to Wagga Wagga and then Queensland, perhaps the biggest impact he may have made is on himself. 

You can find out more about EVE at endeavourvet.com.au

Read next:

Paul O’Grady will have a vet hospital named after him

The scholarship helping trans student Jay through university

The new LGBTQIA+ friendly Brisbane vet clinic

For the latest LGBTIQA+ Sister Girl and Brother Boy news, entertainment, and community stories in Australia, visit qnews.com.au. Check out our latest magazines or find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

[technonews-biz]

How do social networks collect and use your personal data?

Twitter, Facebook, Instagram - all of these social networks are an integral part of our daily lives and rarely raise suspicions in terms of security. However, even a simple story, comment or like leaves so-called digital footprints that help large corporations identify our identity. Moreover, thanks to modern technology and the development of AI, the mechanisms for collecting and processing your personal information are becoming more and more efficient.

Many Facebook users have seen the message “I do not authorize Facebook to use my photos, posts or publications.” You may have even used it in your feed. This message has been circulating for at least 10 years. The problem is that it's effectively useless - by accepting Facebook's terms of use we consent from the outset to extensive use of our personal data. Posts of this nature only emphasize users' concerns about the security of personal data. For what purpose will they be used by corporations? In addition, the rapid development of neural networks and machine learning is increasingly worrying users as photos, recordings and other personal information may be used without their consent.

Do I own my data?

From the very beginning, your personal data belongs to you. The best proof of this is that today some apps offer to buy them from you: your consumption habits, data about your geolocation and so on. All this is valuable primarily for Internet giants, which process huge amounts of consumer data for a variety of purposes, from analyzing audiences to promoting new products.

At the same time, Internet users, as a rule, scatter their personal data all over the digital world on a daily basis without even realizing it. It's worth remembering - absolutely every action you take online leaves a digital footprint behind you. By creating an account in a social network or installing an application on your phone, you agree to a number of conditions that are clearly spelled out in the terms of use of the service or application. Otherwise, you simply won't be able to continue using it. Although companies hide important privacy clauses, the choice is yours.

The price of your personal information

When a private company develops a free service online, it has to find a way to pay for it, and that way is through advertising. In this way, your personal data - not only that which is requested from you, but also that which you voluntarily give to a social network - will be collected and processed at the same time as the data of thousands or millions of other online users, and the resulting profiling will be sold to third parties for advertising purposes. As a result, the site will be able to offer you super-targeted advertising based on the profile it has compiled: more effective and therefore more profitable for it.

To a certain extent, the law protects your data. A number of laws in Europe and elsewhere in the world undertake to tell you what and for what purpose they collect about you, to obtain your consent, and to allow you to exercise your right to access, restrict or delete that data.

A legitimate question arises - how much do social networks make from our accounts? Economist Julien Pillot accessed the figures for Facebook and its more than three billion active users. “On average, a Facebook account generates between $10 and $11 dollars a year in advertising revenue,” says the economist. There are differences based on geographic location. “The average user in North America brings in an average of $50 to $60 dollars a year to Facebook. A European user brings in $15 to $18 dollars a year. For Asia, it's more like $4 to $5 dollars.”

In order to collect as much data as possible, digital corporations are interested in having users spend as much time as possible on their platforms. To this end, they are developing various strategies. For example, the ability to infinitely scroll a page is not an incidental element of the interface. Similarly, displaying emotionally charged content that encourages commenting or liking is also a purposeful decision. These strategies aim to keep users on the platform for as long as possible. This begs the question of what degree of dependence on these digital platforms we can come to.

For those who are willing to pay not to share their data, this is possible from November 2023. Meta offers paid subscriptions - this new service was introduced under pressure from new European legislation. A subscription costs 12 euros per month - that is an amount that corresponds to the average revenue generated by Facebook from our accounts.

How do you protect your data?

In the digital age, protecting personal data is of paramount importance and there are some simple steps you can take to limit the risks. First of all, set up your accounts properly, disabling options such as geolocation or facial recognition unless you need them. Remember to regularly log out of your accounts after using them, especially when browsing the internet using your Google or YouTube account or installing a new app through Facebook. These actions will help reduce unintentional sharing of your information.

It's also important to manage cookies: today, most sites give you the option to accept or reject some or all cookies, so take advantage of this to gain more control over your data.

Here are some key steps to protect your data:

Customize your accounts to limit access to sensitive data.

Disable unnecessary features, such as geolocation.

Log out of your accounts after each session.

Refuse unnecessary cookies or customize them according to your preferences.

Don't use your social media accounts to connect to other services.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the use of personal data by social media emphasizes the importance of taking steps to protect our privacy. Although platforms such as Facebook, Instagram and Twitter benefit financially from our information, it is possible to limit this exchange by applying simple and effective methods such as customizing accounts, managing cookies or disabling some intrusive features. Faced with these strategies to maximize the use of our time spent online, we must be even more vigilant to regain control over our data and social media use.

[abhibaj]

How Marketing and Customer Experience Evolve: Insights from Julien Rio of RingCentral

The marketing landscape has experienced rapid change in recent years, driven by advances in technology and shifting customer expectations. In this iTech Series Unplugged interview, Julien Rio, AVP of International Marketing at RingCentral, shares his perspective on how marketing strategies and customer experience (CX) are evolving. He delves into key topics like marketing evolution, the customer journey, and the importance of aligning go-to-market strategies with CX improvements. This blog will explore insights from the conversation to help marketers and businesses adapt to these changes.

How Has Marketing Evolved in the Digital Age?

Marketing has undergone a significant transformation with the rise of digital platforms and technologies. Traditionally, marketing was product-focused, with mass communication and advertising as the primary tools. However, as Julien Rio explains, the rise of digital marketing has shifted the focus toward creating personalized experiences and meeting customer expectations.

Get full insights on this interview@ https://itechseries.com/interviews/evolution-of-marketing-customer-experience-julien-rio-ringcentral/

One of the most significant changes is the shift from one-size-fits-all messaging to targeted, data-driven marketing. Brands now utilize customer data to create tailored campaigns, allowing for more effective communication with specific audience segments. In Rio’s view, understanding customer behavior through data is key to the marketing evolution. With the right insights, marketers can anticipate customer needs, deliver personalized content, and improve engagement across all touchpoints.

How Does the Customer Journey Influence Marketing Strategies?

In today's marketing world, the customer journey plays a central role in shaping strategy. As consumers move through different stages—awareness, consideration, decision, and post-purchase—marketers must ensure consistent and relevant interactions. Julien Rio emphasizes the importance of mapping the customer journey to identify opportunities to enhance the customer experience.

By mapping customer touchpoints, businesses can deliver the right message at the right time. Understanding customer pain points, needs, and preferences enables marketers to craft campaigns that resonate and build trust. Additionally, improving the customer journey requires integrating feedback mechanisms and ensuring that marketing efforts align with the overall customer experience.

What Role Does Customer Experience Play in Business Success?

Customer experience has become a crucial factor in business success. In today’s highly competitive market, customers expect seamless, personalized interactions across all channels. As Rio notes, delivering exceptional CX goes beyond just selling a product; it’s about creating positive, memorable experiences at every step of the customer journey.

A strong focus on CX can lead to increased customer satisfaction, loyalty, and advocacy. Businesses that invest in improving CX often see higher retention rates and stronger brand loyalty. Additionally, word-of-mouth recommendations from satisfied customers can be a powerful tool for driving new business. According to Rio, companies that prioritize CX see significant returns, both in terms of revenue and customer retention.

How Can Companies Align Marketing and Customer Experience?

Aligning marketing efforts with customer experience is essential for delivering a cohesive and satisfying customer journey. Rio suggests that companies need to break down silos between marketing, sales, and customer support teams to create a seamless flow of information. When all departments work together, the customer receives consistent messaging and support throughout their interactions with the brand.

One way to achieve alignment is by ensuring that marketing campaigns reflect the values and priorities of the company’s customer service approach. For example, if a business prides itself on quick response times and personalized support, its marketing should highlight these qualities to set the right expectations. This alignment strengthens brand consistency and builds trust with customers.

Explore the latest marketing and tech insights@ https://itechseries.com/gtm-library/

What Are Some Common Pitfalls in Delivering a Seamless Customer Experience?

Despite the growing emphasis on customer experience, many companies struggle to execute a seamless CX strategy. According to Rio, one common pitfall is failing to integrate customer feedback into marketing and business processes. While gathering feedback is crucial, businesses often fail to act on it or use it to inform their marketing strategies.

Another challenge is failing to personalize the customer experience. In today’s market, customers expect brands to understand their preferences and provide tailored solutions. However, many companies still rely on generic marketing messages, missing opportunities to create meaningful connections. Using tools like AI and data analytics can help businesses overcome this hurdle and create personalized, engaging experiences.

How Can Businesses Leverage Technology to Improve Customer Experience?

Technology is playing an increasingly important role in enhancing customer experience. From CRM systems that track customer interactions to AI-driven chatbots that provide real-time support, businesses now have access to a wide range of tools designed to improve CX.

Julien Rio highlights the importance of using technology to gather and analyze data on customer behavior. This data provides valuable insights into how customers interact with a brand, enabling businesses to make informed decisions about marketing and CX strategies. Additionally, automation tools can streamline processes, allowing businesses to respond more quickly to customer inquiries and provide more consistent service.

Looking ahead, Rio sees AI and machine learning playing a bigger role in creating personalized customer experiences. As these technologies continue to evolve, businesses will have even more opportunities to refine their CX strategies and deliver exceptional service at scale.

Get your business boost, visit now@ https://itechseries.com/contact-us/

Conclusion: The Future of Marketing and Customer Experience

As marketing continues to evolve, businesses must focus on improving customer experience to stay competitive. Julien Rio’s insights provide a roadmap for aligning marketing strategies with customer expectations. By leveraging data, personalizing interactions, and breaking down silos between departments, businesses can deliver a seamless customer journey that drives satisfaction and loyalty.

In the future, the integration of AI and data-driven tools will play an even larger role in enhancing customer experience. By staying ahead of these trends and focusing on continuous improvement, companies can ensure long-term success in an increasingly customer-centric market.

[digicloudm]

Bitcoin 'crazy tight' Bollinger Bands point to $190K BTC price target

Bitcoin (BTC) should rise “significantly” as intense volatility prepares to hit, new analysis predicts. In a post on X on July 19, Julien Bittel, head of macro research at financial advisory publication Global Macro Investor, eyed a BTC price of up to $190,000. “Compressed” Bollinger Bands ignite talk of 6-figure BTC price Bitcoin has the fuel to launch to six-figure all-time highs if volatility…

[emilypearsonviscom22]

//D&AD//

These are the ideas that I presented to Mark and Jazzy for the 21 Grams brief. I first made a mind map of different ideas I had about reducing screen time and what design solutions would help this. My first idea was for an educational map in Fortnite or similar types of games. The map would educate the players on myopia and they have to go outside to different locations to unlock areas of the map and different skins. I also thought about having 'V-Bucks' stickers on the floor in these locations to create a treasure hunt type of game getting players to interact with their environment. Fortnite and similar games are very popular with the age range I am targeting in this brief, so this could be a good avenue to explore. To go along with this idea, I also sketched ideas for social media promotion that uses the idea that your health is not regenerative as it is in video games. I represented this idea through the use of 'status bars'.

My second idea is a social media campaign that plays on the double meaning of shortsightedness. I looked at the word from the angle of being disorganised and lacking foresight to show how this is a direct result of excessive screen-time and how this can cause myopia. The illustration shows a hand holding a phone in the foreground and in the background chores are piling up and friends/family neglected. In my illustration, I want the background to appear blurry and the phone in the foreground focused as a literal representation of shortsightedness. The type on the post asks the viewer 'Are you becoming shortsighted?' This asks the viewer a personal question and prompts them to evaluate their habits. The caption at the bottom of the post contains some statistics about myopia for the viewer to consider.

My last idea is for an app which I have named 'The Egg' for now. The app involves lowering your screen-time and completing your set tasks in order to progress your egg into an eagle. I chose the eagle as a mascot for the app since they are known for having exceptional long distance vision. The app has a competitive element as you can compare your progress with your friends and post your bird to social media.

In my feedback, I was advised to look at com-B models and behavioural change wheels to help with target market research. I also was advised to look at the work of illustrator Jean Julien

[libraryfag]

JULIEN BAKER WIZARD SHIRT

[mixtapemag]

LUCY DACUS AT FOREST HILLS STADIUM.

Photos by Christopher Hall.

One of the last shows I photographed before everything closed was Lucy Dacus at Webster Hall in 2019. I took a flight later that night to go photograph a music festival in Vegas and I couldn't fall sleep. I was too super charged from Lucy's show. Lucy Dacus is a supernova. Always has, always will be. An absolute stunner of a human being, musician and woman. I feel the same way tonight as I did on the flight to Vegas in 2019. It's nice to feel this way. Full of joy. Hopeful. It was nice to be around people and hear Lucy's voice again.

Lucy's latest album is Home Video, her best yet. Lucy started her set tonight with Triple Dog Dare, my favorite track from the new album. Imagine being so talented that a song that great is your set opener. Just casual brilliance.

Everyone reacted differently throughout the night. Some started singing along, yelling, some even grew quieter. I think we're all figuring out how to do this all again. We'll get there someday. This was a good start.

Previously on Mixtape:

Photos of Lucy Dacus at Webster Hall.

Photos of Lucy Dacus at Moroccan Lounge.

Photos of Lucy Dacus at Newport Folk Festival.

Photos of Boygenius at Brooklyn Steel.

Christopher Hall tweets over here. Blue is the color of the year.

[sleeplessandstubborn]

Emily in Paris or why I stopped caring about the protagonist and I started rooting for the French. Episode 1.

Let’s be clear. I was planning to root for the French anyway. They are in the neighbouring country, I quite like them and I was prepared to confront and make fun about all the stereotypes in this series. Because this was exactly what I expected. Funny, lighthearted and totally braindead (wink wink) escapism in an instagrammed to the top Paris which has the same resemblance with the real one than Vincent Minelli’s... But without Gene Kelly. So what did I think of the first episode?

Meet Emily Cooper from Chicago. She’s young, she is dynamic, she struggles to be liked by everyone and at the beginning of the series. She is a marketing executive about to be promoted or so she thinks.

... Because her boss Madeline (played by Kate Walsh) is going to Paris in order to take work with Savoir, a luxury firm the company (sorry I forgot its name) has just adquired. Madeline is overjoyed because working for a year in Paris is one of her dreams and because French men like mature women, as probed by the fact that their young and hot (sic, but this blog agrees) president married his high school teacher. We’ll never know which plans Madeline had for Frenchmen, whether they are young or hot or not. The case is after two minutes in the series she vomits, which means she’s pregnant and she can’t go anywhere because it’s an truth universally aknowledged that pregnant women can’t go on with their plans.

It’s in the next scene when we meet Emily’s boyfriend, Doug, and when we learn she’s going to Paris in Madeline’s place, in spite of being unprepared and not knowing the language. At this point one wonders how it’s possible that no one else in the company can replace Madeline. All of them are monolingual? Our plucky heroine is not discouraged by the litle fact of knowing virtually nothing about the country in which she’s going to live during the next twelve months. She and Doug - the moment you see the scene you know it wont’ go well - agree on a long distance relationship.

And after a very well done transition, we have crossed the ocean. Yes, this is well done, and I say it unironically. Episodes are short, your show is called Emily in Paris, so, what’s better than having your main lady already in the French capital in less than five minutes. The series goes to the point in this aspect and it’s a good thing to spare us of unnecesary scenes.

So Emily arrives to her apartment with pretty views, confused about in which floor she’s supposed to live (running gag ahead) and already hit on by a French guy on a suit that looks like the love child of Gabriel Attal and Albert Rivera (check it, seriously). I couldn’t take him seriously not only because of that but also because he said that Emily’s appartment was a chambre de bonne. Not by any means. Look, I’ve never lived in Paris but I know that apartment is huge when compared with a real chambre de bonne.

Off to know her working place, Emily has this HUGE smile pasted on her face. I don’t know if this supposed to make her charming and likeable. For me - it’s true than I have this European perspective - she looks a mix between an anxious puppy and a psychopath. I would be scared and would avoid her at all costs. The cultural clash is about to happen.

Yeah, I would look at her too, Julien a.k.a. token black character. You have probably heard about the lack of diversity in this series, I won’t abound in that, others have worded it better. It also an established fact that French people smokes at their workplace, even if in the European Union we have these things called smoking bans that won’t allow it.

And enter Sylvie, Emily’s Parisian boss and supposed main antagonist, à la Devil wears Prada. What to say about Sylvie other than I adore her? Her clothes, her style, her sarcasm. As any rational being would do, Sylvie is pretty dismayed to learn that Emily does not have the slightest idea of French and its already wanting to impose her American perspective and her alleged knowledge of social media. The problem is I don’t know if her posts on Instagram really deserve that much attention. Clash ensues with the rest of her new coworkers. C’est la cata! they comment. I quite agree.

Our fish-out-of-water takes an evening afterwork stroll (this Paris is like one square kilometer and public transport is something you mention but never appears) and calls her boyfriend to state the entire city looks like Ratatouille, which legitimately made me laugh. I am not sure if this reference means that Emily’s filmic culture is that limited or if it’s her boyfriend the one who only knows a movie which takes place in Paris and that’s one is Ratatouille. We know that Emily at least has seen Moulin Rouge and that makes two so probably is Doug’s fault.

Back at home, and since she has forgotten how to count, Emily attempts to open the wrong door. Immediately a wild Frenchman appears; it’s Gabriel, played by Lucas Bravo probably one of these young hot men Madeline would target. He takes the intrusion reasonably well. Especially when it’s discovered that Emily only knows his region, Normandy, from Saving Private Ryan. That makes three films, so definitely I think Doug is the problem here as far as filmic culture goes.

Next day Emily picks a yellow outfit and goes to work, purchasing a pain au chocolat in her way to work. I confess I was underwhelmed when discovered that there wouldn’t be any joke about the Great Civil War that has been going on in France since its earliest days: the partidaries of pain au chocolat vs. the ones of chocolatine. A ferocious, merciless conflict unknown by most nations. A lost opportunity not making this woman someone from the South who bravely defies Parisian conventions calling it chocolatine. I’m team pain au chocolat btw. Naturally when she discovers the wonderful world of flavours she makes another Instagram post. She’s earning more and more followers, Heavens know why.

However, she has a Big Problem with Doing Research. Example given, she doesn’t know her schedule - a problem which could have been solved with reading numbers - and arrives two hours early to her workplace.

Once there she discovers she can’t sit with the cool kids. No one wants to lunch with her, so she decides to miserably sit by herself at the park, where we met her best new friend. Her name’s Mindy, she’s from Shangai and she’s working as au pair, while teaching Mandarin to the two blond children she’s looking after. We’ll later discover more about her. She instantly detects the American in Emily and offers her help to this awkward but at the same time arrogant newcomer.

Meanwhile at Savoir, Emily has earned a sobriquet. La Plouc, which is adopted by Sylvie and most of her coworkers even if Luc seems more or less reluctant to say it. La Plouc means the hick, as she instantly discovers thanks to an online translator. It’s really not a good day for our heroine, and she cames back home - remember that thing about this Paris being one square kilometer? - walking. Co-worker and someone who  for some resason reminds me to the posh-y version of Philippe Poutou - check it - Luc passes by as she sits lonely by herself and apologizes for calling her la Plouc earlier. He also claims she’s arrogant for coming to Paris without speaking or even understanding French - which is true - and tells her people is probably scared as her new, modern ideas. Which makes no sense at all and it’s probably a white lie.

Meanwhile and for some reason her totally inocuous posts in Instagram makes her earn more and more followers. During the night, her oblivious to timezones boyfriend call her and they have - or attempt to have - a totally awkward and unsexy session of cybersex. At the end Emily is so frustrated that she tries to use her electric vibrator which leads to the short-circuit of the entire building. Fortunately before she has the oportunity of getting closer to the device in question. And that’s how Episode 1 ends.

What did I think? It’s fun and pretty to look at. Even prettier to rant about. As long as your brain remains carefully shut off in the meantime and you don’t take it that seriously you are going to enjoy it I guess. At least it’s my case.

Still frustrated for not covering the Great Civil War tho.