#❛ ╱ imogen klein .

[yarnnerdally]

Falling in Love in a Bakery - A Series

A vignette into the love life of Imogen Quinn and Nokto Klein

Characters: Imogen, Nokto, Aurelia (Imogen's sister) Setting: Quinntessential Baked Goods bakery Rating: Teen Word Count: 1,223

     It was a fairly quiet day in Rhodolite and Imogen was glad for it. Just the week before she had baked her heart out for a wedding in which the couple insisted on not only having cake, but profiteroles, macarons, and rose water shortbread cookies. After a few days off (in which Nokto was visiting nobles in Benitoite, much to her displeasure) the bakery was back in the swing of things as usual. With a self-satisfied smile Imogen pulled freshly baked strawberry rhubarb tarts out of the oven. They were small, only consisting of two bites to finish one, but they were one of her best-sellers.

     ‘And Nokto’s favorite,’ she mused to herself, smiling fondly. It’s not like they were dating. But… things certainly seemed to be headed that direction. He visited the shop in any of the free time they had and even the knowledge of him busting his backside to spend time with her made her feel as warm as a freshly baked pie. The bell on the door chimed signaling that a customer had come into the shop. Setting down the tray, she went to the front of the shop to see Nokto looking quite thoughtfully at the display case.

     “Nokto!” She was surprised to see him a full day earlier than when he said he would return from his duties in Benitoite. She went to him, untying her apron and placing it on the counter so she could give him a proper hug. “What are you doing back? I thought you wouldn’t be here until tomorrow!”

     Nokto’s shoulders visibly relaxed when he saw Imogen, a soft (if weary) smile gracing his face as he hugged her back. “Got done just a little early. Figured I’d swing by to see my favorite baker before heading back to the palace,” he said, tapping the tip of her nose. She chuckled a little and withdrew from him.

     “Wait right there. I have something for you,” she said, disappearing to the back room again. The tarts had just barely cooled down enough where she could package a few of them for him and came back out with the box. “They just finished cooling down. Had to make another batch since the first one sold out at 10 this morning,” she laughed. Nokto opened the small box and made a small ‘o’ shape with his mouth.

     “I’m going to have to smuggle this into the palace, you know. Otherwise Licht and Jin will scent these out like a bloody hound,” he mused. He looked at the box pensively for a moment before deciding to indulge and take a bite of one of the tarts, groaning softly as he savored it. “Anything new and exciting while I was away?”

     Imogen shook her head and shrugged. “Not new, necessarily. Jin actually dropped by yesterday. That was about it.” Nokto’s chewing slowed as he heard his brother had come by the shop and immediately became suspicious.

     “Jin? What for?”

     “He was getting a bunch of his favorites. The coffee roll, the chocolate spice cake,” She went on, sitting at one of the stools next to the counter. She debated telling him what else happened but her conscience won out. “He asked me on a date.” There was a tension that lingered in the air for a moment. “I politely declined. He, uh… told me to keep him in mind if my prince charming never comes along.” She could see Nokto bristle a little at that but quickly tamp the emotion down. It was only a split second, but it was there.

     “Why are you upset?” She asked softly.

     “Upset? Why would I be upset?” Nokto asked, brushing the question off and scoffing before putting the rest of the tart back in the box. This wasn’t the first time he simply wouldn’t come clean with his feelings and Imogen felt she was at her breaking point.

     “Y’know,” she began, picking up her apron and beginning to put it back on, “for all the intellect you have, you lack any and all wisdom,” she huffed, turning to head back behind the counter until a hand stopped her by her wrist.

     “I lack wisdom?” he questioned, his own temper spiking at her sudden shift in attitude. “Tell me, then, what wisdom do you expect me to possess at this moment?”

     “That I rejected Jin because I’m in love with you!” She had turned to face him, the words flying out of her mouth before she knew it. Once she realized what she had actually admitted to, a hard blush began to spread across her face. Nokto stood there in a stunned silence, his hand still around her wrist though his grip loosened considerably.

     “What?” He blinked, any traces of annoyance gone from his face now as he stepped closer to her, her back now against the display case. Imogen sighed a little, verdant eyes meeting ruby. His brow furrowed, attempting to ascertain whether or not he was in a dream. “Say that again. Please.”

     “I…” why did she suddenly feel like she was out of breath with him so close? His hand was cupping her jaw and another settled on her hip. “I rejected Jin. Because I’m in love with you.” She watched as his breath caught in his chest, hope and light springing to his eyes in the split second before his lips descended upon her’s with a fierce hunger. It was another moment before she realized Nokto was kissing her. The information finally processed in her brain and she melted like sunwarm chocolate into his embrace. She brought her arms around his neck to hold him as close as she had always wanted, her hand buried into his silver locks. The rest of the world fell away as he kissed her breathless, gently pinning her against the display case. Nokto pulled away just slightly when they heard the sound of the back door of the bakery opening.

     “That'll be Aurelia,” Imogen murmured, swallowing thickly as her hands rested on his chest.

     “Then I suppose we should make ourselves more presentable,” he murmured into her ear, leaning down to press a kiss just under it. “Alternatively…” Imogen giggled, her cheeks stained a pretty shade of pink.

     “Alternatively I would ask her to run the shop for an hour or so but if I know you…” she brought her hands up to his face, holding it softly. She watched and grinned as he flushed ever so slightly at the contact. “Once you have me properly alone, it'll be more than an hour.” Nokto laughed softly, pressing his face into her touch.

     “You know me well,” he murmured, a soft sigh escaping his lips. “And… for the record. I'm very much in love with you, too.” Imogen felt warmth bloom in her chest as he admitted his own feelings for her, her eyes tender. As much as they didn't want to, they parted. Nokto had things to finish at the palace and the business day was not over for the bakery. Nokto pressed a lingering kiss to her cheek before leaving and she watched him head down the street from the doorway.

     “Sooooo…” Aurelia smirked as she put her elbows on the counter, her chin resting on her hands as she watched her little sister at the door. “When's the wedding?”

I couldn't remember if I asked before about people wanting to be tagged in OC content, so lmk if you'd like to be!

[operafantomet]

...here, in this room, he calls me softly...

Ellie Waite and Claire Lyon, World Tour

Cho Ha Rin and Song Eun Hye, Busan

Carolina Puntel and Sara Sarres, Sao Paulo

Unidentified and Ryoko Nomura (?), Tokyo

Cat Lane (?) and Claire Lyon (?), World Tour

Alexandra Young-Schmidt and Luzia Nistler, Vienna

Cat Lane and Magdalene Minnaar, Johannesburg

Mio Ogawa and Sae Yamamoto, Yokohoma (?)

Marni Raab and Jee Hyun Noh, World Tour

Claire Lyon and Hillary Reiter, World Tour revival

Claudia Cota and Silvia Tordente, Buenos Aires

Sarah Brightman and Elisa Heinsohn, Broadway

Sarah Brightman and Janet Devenish, West End

Valerie Link and Theano Makariou, Hamburg revival

Marina Prior and Sharon Millerchip, Melbourne

Asami Iwashiro and unidentified, Japan

Sandra Joseph and Kara Klein, Broadway

Sibylle Glosted and Imogen Lily Ash, Copenhagen revival

[morally-grey-girlbosses]

Bracket is up! Matchups are in text form under the cut. Reminder that all of these matchups were chosen randomly, and that this bracket will be run in a double elimination style, so a character failing out in round one does NOT prevent them from proceeding into the tournament.

Ursula Boulton (Merge Mansion) vs. Betty Grof (Adventure Time)

Evelyn Wang (Everything Everywhere All At Once) vs. The Coin / Boss (Blaseball)

Morgan Le Fay (Fate) vs. Edelgard Von Hresvelg (Fire Emblem: Three Houses)

IMOGEN (Stellar Firma) vs. Amalexia (Elder Scrolls)

Maeby Funke (Arrested Development) vs. Manon Blackbeak (Throne of Glass)

Taylor Hebert / Skitter (Worm) vs. GLaDOS / Caroline (Portal)

Cleo DeNile (Monster High) vs. Nico Robin (One Piece)

Helen Richardson / The Distortion (The Magnus Archives) vs. Calanthe (The Witcher)

Irving Braxiatel (Thieves & Tardises) vs. Nefera DeNile (Monster High)

Alina Starkov (Shadow & Bone) vs. Lady Barbrey Dustin (A Song Of Ice & Fire)

Eclipsa Butterfly (Star vs. the Forces of Evil) vs. Jennifer Check (Jennifer’s Body)

Moira O’Deorain (Overwatch) vs. Captain Jack Sparrow (Pirates of the Carribbean)

Iron Maiden Jeanne (Shaman King) vs. Artemis (Greek Myth)

Tomie Kawakami (Tomie) vs. Dame Obsidian (Murdle)

Rachel (Animorphs) vs. Juri Han (Street Fighter)

Shego (Kim Possible) vs. Asajj Ventress (Star Wars)

Tabitha Scarlet (Scarlet Hollow) vs. Morte Asherah (Sands of Destruction)

Theresa (Fable) vs. Morgana Pendragon/Le Fey (BBC Merlin)

Nailgun Sue (IRL) vs. The Witch (Into the Woods)

Chara / The Fallen Human (Undertale) vs. Nimona (Nimona)

Klaasje Amandou (Disco Elysium) vs. Margot “gottiewrites” Garcia (An Unauthorized Fan Treatise)

Prince Ianthe Naberius the First, the Lyctor Prince, the Saint of Awe, previously known as Ianthe Tridentarius, the Princess of Ida, heir to the House of the Third, Mouth of the Emperor, the Procession, House of the Shining Dead (The Locked Tomb) vs. Baru Cormorant (The Masquerade Series)

Anna Croft (Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint) vs. Sailor Galaxia (Sailor Moon)

Ms. Pauling (Team Fortress 2) vs. Lady Alcina Dimitrescu (Resident Evil)

Charlie Magne/Morningstar (Hazbin Hotel) vs. Vriska Serket (Homestuck)

Willie Jack (Reservation Dogs) vs. Gretchen Klein (The Wilds)

Rachel (Tower of God) vs. Galadriel (Lord of the Rings)

Charlie (Don’t Starve) vs. Pomegranate Cookie (Cookie Run)

Rose Quartz / Pink Diamond (Steven Universe) vs. Filo (Shield Hero)

Tokiko Shigure (Ai: The Somnium Files) vs. Sandy (TokiDoki Cactus Friends)

Shion Sonozaki (Higurashi When They Cry) vs. Banica Conchita (Evillious Chronicles)

Mima (Touhou) vs. Yūko Ichihara (xxxHolic)

Yuno Gasai (Future Diary) vs. Laerynn Coramar-Seelie (Critical Role)

Riza Hawkeye (Fullmetal Alchemist) vs. Granny Weatherwax (Discworld)

Catherine Earnshaw (Wuthering Heights) vs. Susie Haltmann (Kirby: Planet Robobot)

Lae’Zel (Baldur’s Gate 3) vs. Starlight Glimmer (My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic)

Dr. Frank-N-Furter (Rocky Horror Picture Show) vs. Angela (Library of Ruina)

Miranda Vanderbilt (Monster Prom) vs. Jinx (Arcane / League of Legends)

Rose Thorburn Jr. (Pact) vs. Eva (Umineko When They Cry)

Empress Phillipa Georgiou (Star Trek) vs. Shiv Roy (Succession)

Paige Duplass (The Silt Verses) vs. Akua Sahelian (A Practical Guide to Evil)

Poison Ivy (DCEU) vs. Nickel (IDW Transformers)

Joyce Messier (Disco Elysium) vs. Reagan Ridley (Inside Job)

Kalina (Fantasy High) vs. MegaGirl (Starship)

Sloane Parker (Eidolon Playtest) vs. Power (Chainsaw Man)

Marcille Donato (Dungeon Meshi) vs. Raiden Ei / Beelzebul (Genshin)

Patty Bladell (Insatiable) vs. Remy “Thirteen” Hadley (House MD)

Tanya von Degurechaff (The Saga of Tanya the Evil) vs. Fang Runin (The Poppy War)

Nomi Malone (Showgirls) vs. Han Sooyoung (Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint)

Wu Zetian (The Iron Widow) vs. Lariska (Bionicle)

Teresa Agnes (Maze Runner) vs. Emma Perkins (Hatchetfield Series)

Lucrecia Mux / Maligula (Psychonauts) vs. Nadja of Antipaxos (What We Do In The Shadows)

Akako Koizumi (Magic Kaito) vs. Junko Enoshima (Danganronpa)

Blackberry (Chicory: A Colorful Tale) vs. Malva (Pokemon)

Vermouth (Detective Conan) vs. Kumoko / Shiraori (So I’m a Spider So What)

Eleanor (Do Revenge) vs. Bryony Halbech (Red Valley)

Asuka Langley Soryu (Neon Genesis Evangelion) vs. Terezi Pyrope (Homestuck)

Leliana (Dragon Age) vs. Archbishop Rhea/Seiros (Fire Emblem: Three Houses)

Grimora (Inscryption) vs. Anthy Himemiya (Revolutionary Girl Utena)

Audrey Redheart (Wandersong) vs. Kyoko Sakura (Puella Magi Madoka Magic)

Fujiko Mine (Lupin III) vs. O-Ren Ishii (Kill Bill)

Anne (WOE.BEGONE) vs. Gwendolyn Poole (Marvel Comics)

Lappland Saluzzo (Arknights) vs. Avrana Kern (Children of Time)

Harley Quinn (DCEU) vs. Cassandra Jones (Rise of the TMNT)

Faith Lehane (Buffy the Vampire Slayer) vs. Rosalyne-Kruzchka Lohefalte / La Signora (Genshin Impact)

Revan (Star Wars) vs Rue Kuroha / Princess Kraehe (Princess Tutu)

Eve (The Bible) vs. Prospera Mercury (Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch From Mercury)

May Angelica Jones Goodwin (It Takes Two) vs. Elle Williams (The Last of Us)

Marina (Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas) vs. Naksu / Mudeok (Alchemy of Souls)

Patrick Bateman (American Psycho) vs. Sucre (OFF)

SHODAN (System Shock) vs. Cocolia (Honkai: Star Rail)

Alana Bloom (NBC Hannibal) vs. Halea Haumea (Phantomarine)

Delirium of the Endless (The Sandman) vs. Arcee (IDW Transformers)

Morganthe (Wizard 101) vs. Wu Zetian (History)

Jude Duarte (Folk of the Air) vs. Miranda Pryce (Wolf 359)

Perihelion/ART (The Murderbot Diaries) vs. Kanamori Sayaka (Keep your Hands off Eizouken!)

Princess Bonnibel Bubblegum (Adventure Time) vs. Anais Watterson (The Amazing World of Gumball)

Croix Meridies (Little Witch Academia) vs. Lady Macbeth (Macbeth)

Harrowhark Nonagesmius (The Locked Tomb) vs. Big Mama (Rise of the TMNT)

Katherine Pierce (The Vampire Diaries) vs. White Gladys the Orca (IRL)

Doctor Carmilla (Doctor Carmilla & the Mechanisms) vs. The Handler (Umbrella Academy)

Catra (She-Ra & The Princesses of Power) vs. Liliana Vess (Magic: The Gathering)

Jasnah Kholin (Stormlight Archive) vs. Liraz (Daughter of Smoke & Bone)

Lilith Clawthorne (TOH) vs. Medea (Greek Myth)

Odin (The Bifrost Incident) vs. Enma Ai (Jigoku Shoujo)

Mordred (Fate) vs. Nana Daiba (Revue Starlight)

Beatrice (Umineko When They Cry) vs. Hester Shaw (Mortal Engines)

Balalaika (Black Lagoon) vs. Any Female Praying Mantis (IRL)

Veronica Sawyer (Heathers) vs. W (Arknights)

Angelica Pickles (Rugrats/All Grown Up) vs. Eleanor Guthry (Black Sails)

Asha Rahiro (Kubera One Last God) vs. Willow Rosenberg (Buffy the Vampire Slayer)

The Administrator (Team Fortress 2) vs. Shadowheart (Baldur’s Gate 3)

Noi (Dorohedro) vs. Leopardstar (Warrior Cats)

Sue Miley (Your Turn to Die) vs. Beatrix Kiddo (Kill Bill)

Juliette Cai (These Violent Delights) vs. Rat God (Mad Rat Dead)

Petra Solano (Jane the Virgin) vs. Kycilia Zabi (Mobile Suit Gundam)

Franziska Von Karma (Ace Attorney) vs. Monika (Doki Doki Literature Club)

Anne Boleyn (History) vs. Cinder Fall (RWBY)

Kokomi Teruhashi (Disastrous life of Saiki K) vs. Major Margaret Houlihan (M*A*S*H)

Mrs. Lovett (Sweeney Todd) vs. Enyo (Granblue Fantasy)

Claudia (Interview with the Vampire) vs. Essun/Syenite/Damaya (Broken Earth Trilogy)

Lady Eboshi (Princess Mononoke) vs. Lady Maria of the Astral Clocktower (Bloodborne)

Entrapta (She-Ra & The Princesses of Power) vs. Ilsa Faust (Mission: Impossible)

Princess Azula (Avatar: The Last Airbender) vs. Dahlia Hawthorne (Ace Attorney)

Samantha Groves / Root (Person of Interest) vs. Charlotte “Lottie” Matthews (Yellowjackets)

Shanoa (Castlevania) vs. Sally Reed (Barry)

Evil Lynn (He-Man) vs. Makima (Chainsaw Man)

Mabel Pines (Gravity Falls) vs. Raphaella La Coginzi (Doctor Carmilla & The Mechanisms)

Edalyn Clawthorne (The Owl House) vs. Yennefer of Vengerberg (The Witcher)

Toriel Dreemurr (Undertale) vs. Monaco (Hetalia: Axis Powers)

Elizabeth Swann (Pirates of the Carribbean) vs. Vala Mal Doran (Stargate)

Wanda Maximoff (MCU) vs. Adelina Amouteru (Young Elites)

Mapleshade (Warrior Cats) vs. Amy Dunne (Gone Girl)

Gertrude Robinson (The Magnus Archives) vs. Hornet (Hollow Knight)

Homura Akemi (Puella Magi Madoka Magica) vs. PearlescentMoon (Double Life SMP)

Lady Bone Demon (Lego Monkie Kid) vs. Annabeth Chase (Percy Jackson Series)

Jung Sun Ah (Devil Judge) vs. Muu Kusonoski (Milgram)

Romanadvoratrelundar (Doctor Who) vs. Electra (Starlight Express)

Rouge the Bat (Sonic the Hedgehog) vs. Akane Kurashiki (Zero Escape)

Wen Qing (The Untamed) vs. Yubel (Yu-Gi-Oh)

Ponyo (Ponyo) vs. Renata Glasc (League of Legends)

Aubrey (OMORI) vs. Menou (The Executioner and Her Way of Life)

Olivia Octavius (Into the Spiderverse) vs. Anna Limon (Mabel)

HG Wells (Warehouse 13) vs. The Shapeshifter (Odd Squad)

Miles “Tails” Prowler (Sonic the Hedgehog) vs. Isabella (Promised Neverland)

Riley Grace Davis / Bonesaw (Worm) vs. The Fairy Godmother (Shrek 2)

Misty Quigley (Yellowjackets) vs. Nami (One Piece)

Olivier Mira Armstrong (Fullmetal Alchemist) vs. Lucretia (The Adventure Zone: Balance)

[persephonyed]

♡ — i'm finally chilled out and caught up after the big wedding weekend, and now i really want to get some new threads going with everyone, and also maybe meet some new writing partners! i've tossed some muses under the cut that i've been really wanting to write with since i've been back, so feel free to give this a like if you want a starter / want to plot with any of them. i'm down for all the dramatic, angsty, h*rror-y, crazy stuff you could throw at me, and also am including some canon/canon inspired/supernatural muses because the itch is there right now. pick your poison!

here are the ocs my muse is begging to write!

aylin ozdemir; 28, bisexual, she/her, bakery owner & witch. aslihan malbora fc.

blair bennett; 22, sometimes closeted bisexual, she/her, university student. katie douglas fc.

camille st. clair; 24, bisexual, she/her, aspiring actress. jessica alexander fc.

catalina "lina" velasco; 30, bisexual, she/her, flight attendent. melissa barrera fc.

eleanor "nell" tolly; 34, bisexual, she/her, children's book author. rebecca rittenhouse fc.

flora zhang; 26, bisexual, she/her, grad student & aspiring author. havana rose liu fc.

indigo edmunds; 26, bisexual, she/her, corporate recruiter. grace van dien fc.

ingrid edmunds; 36, straight, she/her, cardiothoracic surgeon. amanda seyfried fc.

imogen edmunds; 32, often very newly out bisexual, she/her, elementary school teacher. elizabeth olsen fc.

isabella "izzie" eriksen; 26, bisexual, she/her, paralegal or celebrity pr manager based on verse. alisha boe fc.

jude landry; 28, bisexual, she/her, law student. maddie phillips fc.

natasha voigt; 27, she/her, bisexual, actress. lili reinhart fc.

nora giuliani; 27, she/her, lesbian, paranormal & true crime podcaster. victoria predretti fc.

ruby brodsky; 25, bisexual, she/her, grad student. gideon adlon fc.

sawyer klein; 24, bisexual, she/her, professional figure skater. grace van patten fc.

sebastian hernandez; 31, straight, he/him, inspired by the musical repo man. sean teale fc.

and here are the canon & various characters i really want to write rn!

ginny weasley; harry potter 24, lesbian, she/her, professional quidditch player or student depending on the verse. abigail cowan fc.

jacqueline "jackie" knightley; historical 27, bisexual, she/her, writer & member of nobility. sophie skelton fc.

leila owens; leia organa coded 32, bisexual, she/her, princess. laura harrier fc.

lily evans; harry potter 26, bisexual, she/her, potions shop owner or student depending on the verse. kennedy mcmann fc.

nissa; very acotar compatible 28, queer, she/they, fae royalty. jessie mei li fc.

pansy parkinson; harry potter 30, bisexual, wizarding world fashion designer or possibly have taken over rita skeeter's column undecided yet. sofia carson fc.

rhiannon wynne; 26, bisexual, she/her, witch. ellie bamber fc.

harry potter canon fcs i often write as if hogwarts were university / if they went to a magical university instead, or write them post-hogwarts and just living their lives now. and over all, most verses for everyone are flexible and can be added to or bent whatever way within the realm of staying true to their characters. feel free to throw any kind of plot at them all fr!

ps i’m also suuuuuper open to making new canon characters for anyone i vibe with i’m such a ship chaser please come to me with your canon muses!

[killlingboys]

i  have  a  few  muses  /  concepts  i  wanna  try  out  . . .    one  liner  call  ?   info  below  the  cut  !

devon  connors ,   one  half  of  your  resident  psychopaths  (  inspo :  bonnie  )  .  wyatt  laurie  ,  second  half  of  your  resident  psychopaths  (  inspo :  clyde  ) katherine  ‘ kit ‘  laurie  ,  reluctant  tag  along  and  younger  sister  to  wyatt  imogen  klein  ,   daughter  to  local  fbi  chief ,  chasing  the  same  men  her  father  does  for  a  vastly  different  outcome .  (  inspo :  clyde  )

[cyberplexlocations]

The Nexus (Epsilon Labs HQ)

A series of spherical buildings that serves as the headquarters for Epsilon Lab. Designed by a somewhat eccentric architect, it is comprised of a large central dome with several circular satellite buildings connected by covered walkways. The whole structure resembles a rendering of an atom when seen from the sky.

The central building serves as the corporate office space, while the satellite buildings are almost entirely comprised of laboratories for the various scientists and researchers who work there. Security for the labs is high, with access restricted to those who work there and select senior management.

Current Employees:

Head of the Board of Directors - Joshua Gray Golding (NPC) Head of Public Relations/Crisis Management - Imogen Griffiths (NPC) Public Relations Assistant - Asuka Kitagawa Researchers (2/?) - Doctor Ludwig Klein, Doctor Zarina West Security (2/?) - Jess West, Utena McCormick (NPC) Brand Ambassadors - Ven Waley, Yoel Waley Interns - Gizmo de la Luna, Jaiden West

[fahrni]

Saturday Morning Coffee

Good morning from Charlottesville, Virginia! ☕️

I’ve been really busy at work lately but it’s felt really good overall. Sure I’m feeling a little pressure and I’m a bit stressed but that’s par for the course.

A random aside. There was a time when I did a Movie Line of the Week post on this here blog. It’s been seen from time to time but I thought I’d throw one in here this week.

When some wild-eyed, eight-foot-tall maniac grabs your neck, taps the back of your favorite head up against the barroom wall, and he looks you crooked in the eye and he asks you if ya paid your dues, you just stare that big sucker right back in the eye, and you remember what ol' Jack Burton always says at a time like that: “Have ya paid your dues, Jack?” “Yessir, the check is in the mail.”

I love this film. It’s a great action comedy.

I hope you enjoy the links.

ESPN

Dick Butkus, arguably the fiercest Monster of the Midway, has died at age 80, the Chicago Bears announced Thursday.

This man was an animal on the football field. I for one loved that style of play. I know it’s not great but I can’t help it. When I played football I always wanted to make folks remember I hit them. Problem was, I was a beanpole and was the one getting hammered! 🤣

RIP Mr. Butkus. 🪦

Matt Mullenweg

This month, Automattic had the privilege of working with the Berkman Klein Center for Internet & Society (BKC) to migrate their early 2000s blogging platform over to our Pressable infrastructure.

I’m really happy to see WordPress do this. There was a time when it seemed the Berkman content would just disappear.

Thank you Matt and WordPress! ❤️

Dr Katie Mack • BBC Science Focus

The James Webb Space Telescope has captured images of ancient galaxies that shouldn’t exist. A cosmologist explains what could be going on.

I love science. That about sums it up for me. We’ve now explored further than ever before and are finding new and interesting things to understand! 🔭

Sharon Adarlo • Futurism

Microsoft’s data centers in West Des Moines, Iowa guzzled massive amounts of water last year, the Associated Press reported earlier this month, to keep cool while training OpenAI’s ChatGPT-4, the Microsoft-backed company’s most advanced publicly available large language model.

It’s time for someone to work on a new cooling system for these data centers or stop doing what they’re doing.

Just burn the world down in the name of shareholder value! 🔥

Joseph Foley • Creative Bloq

Bad news for anyone using Unreal Engine for VFX or animation. Epic Games has confirmed that it will begin charging industries outside gaming to use of the 3D graphics engine next year. Fees will be charged on a per-seat basis.

I wonder how Hollywood is going to react to this news?

Also, isn’t Unreal Engine amazing? 🎥

The Register

In a sane world, such massive, sustained incompetence coupled with warning signs a mole rat could see from Mars would have killed Twitter by now, with Musk’s rep as a hands-on CEO on a par with Uri Geller’s as a metalworker.

Yeah, a Space Karen appearance. I have so darned many pieces stashed in Pocket about the man I need to do another Musk Files post.

Can someone please convince the man to sell the twitter.com domain to them and fire up a Mastodon instance? 🐘

By Trisha Thadani,  Rachel Lerman,  Imogen Piper,  Faiz Siddiqui and  Irfan Uraizee • The Washington Post

Teslas guided by Autopilot have slammed on the brakes at high speeds without clear cause, accelerated or lurched from the road without warning and crashed into parked emergency vehicles displaying flashing lights, according to investigation and police reports obtained by The Post.

It’s time to remove “self-driving” and “assisted driving” technologies from cars until they’re proven to work.

Yeah, I’m a curmudgeon. 👴🏼

Jonathan Prynn • Evening Standard

First look inside Apple’s spectacular offices at Battersea Power Station

Now this is a cool looking office. It’s nice to see Apple renovate something instead of doing a new new build. More companies should do this. 👍🏼

John Yoon and Orlando Mayorquin • The New York Times

The authorities in Baltimore on Wednesday said they had not located any suspects or made any arrests after five people, including four students, were shot and injured on the Morgan State University campus on Tuesday night.

The fun epidemic in America continues. 😔

HILARY HOWARD and PATRICK McGEEHAN • The New York Times

The limit on the capacity of the city’s network of drains, pipes and water-treatment plants is the main reason New Yorkers across all five boroughs suffered through flooding. And this probably will not be the city’s last bout with heavy flooding as it plays catch-up with the pace of climate change, experts said.

Climate change is coming home to roost. I suppose it has been for a while now but it gets a lot of attention when a major American city gets hit.

I feel pretty gloomy about our future as a species. ⛈️

George Carden • The Argus

Shock as yew tree which ‘predates the Battle of Hastings’ felled

Two ancient trees felled in a weeks time. What is wrong with people?

Don’t they know we need more trees, not fewer? 🌳

[bitchdietmoved]

           “  it  was  real ,  wasn't  it ?  you  and  me .  such  a  long  time  ago ,  we  were  just  a  couple  of  kids .  but  we  really  loved  each  other ,  didn't  we ?  “

[syaniides]

When J Time Gets Interrupted [December 8, 2020]

IN PROGRESS

Jaden returns from the long ass work shift feeling tired and...horny, he realizes, moving to check the time on his phone wondering if everyone was...busy, hoping that it was like the perfect storm night of like Cor out being a ho and ZB visiting his gf or doing whatever ZB Did when he wasn’t being Annoying, curious if Zip was there and if she was feeling H word or if he at least had the place to himself to...his thoughts cut off as he moves through the beaded curtain into his room and sees...a weird kind of mix of feelings ? huh, moving through him as he takes in what was going on, his whole brain just...short circuiting in the moment as he holds up the bag of shit he had picked up from Tarje. “I brought...dipping sticks?” He offers out with a little awkward laugh, not knowing why he Said That, or even remembering where that was from, feeling it was from Something, but he didn’t Have dipping sticks, so it was like...really stupid...another laugh moving out of him at the awkwardness of it all.... “Should I Pretend I Don’t See....?” He blurts out, that KK meme coming back to him for whatever fucking reason in the moment, damn you KK...

[yarnnerdally]

Made these little beauties up in Canva last night :)

Quinntessential Baked Goods, owned and operated by Imogen Quinn, resident of Rhodolite and the girlfriend of one Nokto Klein :3

[thepermanentrainpress]

The Permanent Rain Press Interview with Alex Wolff. (Watch in HD)

We had the opportunity to interview actor and musician Alex Wolff, in celebration of his 2021 Canadian Screen Award nomination! Watch the artist discuss his role as Henry in the Sudbury, Ontario filmed Castle in the Ground, themes in the movie, upcoming music from Nat & Alex Wolff, and friendship with fellow actor/past co-star Asa Butterfield.

[mrfahrenheit92]

[vladora-sims]

Whoa : O  

I’ve never seen a toddler reject a social interaction.  That’s rough, Mary.

[d-criss-news]

ik_enoughsaid: Major #tbt 😂😂 big screen,silver screen whatever you wanna call it screen debut! “Girl Most Likely” serving up some #Backstreetboys realness with @darrencriss and @kristenwiigofficialthe year 2012/2013...

[cultfaction]

Castle in the Ground official trailer released Castle in the Ground is written and directed by Joey Klein. The film explores a teenager's developing opioid addiction after the death of his terminally ill mother. It stars Alex Wolff, Imogen Poots, Tom Cullen, Keir Gilchrist and Neve Campbell.

[bodycountgame]

If the ROs were videogame characters what loot item would they drop??

Anon, I'm obsessed w/ this question.

Adegoke – green smoothies, notebook pages, oyster card

Atticus – sticks of gum, an aux cable, sunglasses

Arthur – wine, fancy hair pomade, hotel room keys

Avery – rollerball pens, coffee filters, pocket watch

Charlie – Curly Wurlies, lego pieces, guitar picks

Ellis – paracetamol, scented candles, lipstick

Florrie – sequins, cherry lip balm, glitter nail polish

Griff – Milky Bar Buttons, a fidget cube, sand

Imogen – bookmarks, hair bobbles, a gold necklace

Nyra – cigarettes, an army jacket, headphones

Rowan – iPhone, a bunch of screwed up receipts, Calvin Klein undies

Syd – motorcycle gloves, a nose ring, a swiss army knife

Vinh – paintbrushes, feathers, camera lenses