#Corporate Events San Diego

[ranchevents]

Catering ,Wedding Catering ,Corporate Events San Diego

Ranch Events is a San Diego's popular caterer for wedding, corporate and special events. Get services like catering, food and drink, wedding rentals and venues, event planning, wedding reception, cakes and florist, More Visit Us - https://www.ranchevents.com/

[releveunlimited]

Why San Diego and Santa Barbara Are Hotspots for Premier DMC and Support Services

Are you planning to host memorable events in the United States? There are two best destinations that should make it a very exciting option. Yes, we are talking about Santa Barbara and San Diego. What makes these two cities the best option to explore?

Let us explore these two cities and understand what makes them a great choice.

[bestudios1]

Are you in need of a top-notch San Diego corporate event photographer? Look no further than BE Studios! Book our corporate event photography services today for stunning visuals that impress clients and capture memories that last a lifetime. For more information, you can call us at 6198160768.

[cruisepartyinsandiego]

Host Unforgettable San Diego Corporate Events with a Charter Boat Rental

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Top Events Perfect for a Charter Boat Rental

Book Your San Diego Charter Boat Rental Today

Transform your San Diego corporate events into unforgettable experiences with a private charter. Visit Cruise San Diego to explore options and create a one-of-a-kind event on the water!

[paper-mario-wiki]

Hey dudette, how do you make money?

i do a lot of things! though my primary role at my job is "business manager".

stuff i do/have done for my job:

manage ongoing relationships with clients

manage internal databases

manage weekly and biweekly emails that go out internally and to clients

keep on top of my boss's email folder by deleting spam, organizing things into folders, and marking the most significant emails as such

forecast the trajectory of the business a few times a year

fly out to business events to act as an in-person assistant for the boss

one time i was at home while the boss was at an event and i had to design an attractive business casual corporate-style social bingo cards from the ground up, locate a printing shop in san diego, and put in an order for 50 of them to be delivered to the hotel the event was happening at. all of these things had to be done within 24 hours. here's what it ended up looking like (minus the actual logo of the company running the event, which is now 2 now red squares)

one time i wrote a pilot for a tv show my boss was going to be on with someone from a different company. it got accepted and recorded 2 episodes before they decided to drop it

research different appliances my boss wants to buy for herself and her home

code a website for the business

really anything else that needs to get done. the reason i was hired is because my boss saw me as someone who can kinda do anything if i have enough time to do so. im compensated well enough for the effort though so im not complaining.

[local-hellhound-steals-spaghetti]

According to “Mass Animal Deaths Heat up Fight To Permanently Halt SeaWorld Operations” by Inside the Magic, bird conservation organizations are literally begging SeaWorld to stop their fireworks shows because of how many native birds they’re killing. But go ahead keep acting like their rescue operations justify all the harm/trauma they caused to the wild cetaceans they captured and the wildlife they continue to put in harm’s way in the name of human entertainment. Using ur large platform to assuage ppl’s guilt about spending their money at seaworld *directly* perpetuates this harm. I don’t know how you call yourself a proponent of animal welfare and then support this mega corporation that puts profits above all else

Hi there it seems like you think that I support corporate SeaWorld and all the decisions it makes. I am against a lot of things that SeaWorld does.

This includes: setting off fireworks, building roller coasters instead of updating animal habitats and the cruel layoffs that they inflicted on their employees during COVID.

I agree with the letter put forward, San Diego Audubon did a great job documenting the very real impacts of fireworks on seabirds. Firework events like the 4th of July and New Years Eve are extremely stressful for all animals - as detailed in the letter there were also illegal fireworks along with the firework shows in the City of San Diego and SeaWorld.

SeaWorld stopping their fireworks shows in favour of something potentially less impactful like a drone show would be a great start, but fireworks shows - legal or illegal, would continue regardless. Whether that would reduce the impact or not remains to be seen, but I think SeaWorld should stop their firework shows.

The problem is, it is a corporate company that wants to give people want they want so they buy tickets. Guests like fireworks. People expect fireworks on the 4th of July, NYE ect. I personally think we need to evolve as a society and move away from fireworks in general but that’s not a popular opinion.

Now, to your point about impact on wild whale populations, there is certainly not enough data to conclude that populations were unable to recover from the captures.

You can see with this graph that the Southern Residents were able to recover their numbers after the capture periods, but unfortunately populations continued to decline due to other factors. This includes anthropogenic causes like boat traffic and decreasing food supply with increasing dam building and more efficient fishing methods to take more Chinook Salmon from the orcas. And ongoing effects of bioaccumulation of toxins like PCBs and DDTs.

Some scientists argue that the population decrease from capture resulted in less competition and increased survival rate. Others say that the impacts are still being felt today. There’s not exactly a consensus on it because it’s hard to measure the effects.

While I disagree with corporate SeaWorld and a lot of decisions they make, I will continue to support the work of SeaWorld’s team of marine mammal specialists and veterinarians. And support accredited facilities that are able to create positive welfare states for their animals, even if the conditions aren’t perfect. I have no issue with animals entertaining people as long as the animals have agency and choice and show positive welfare states.

Whether you like it or not SeaWorld just have more money and resources than most other facilities simply due to their ability to appeal to a wide demographic (including people who like fireworks) - that sells tickets. And yeah a portion of that goes to CEO salaries and stakeholders (not nearly enough goes to the workers). But having that luxury of that much money means getting high end diagnostic equipment, paying for medications, antibiotics, scans, developing new technologies to assist in rehab and rescue work, pay staff to work in shifts for standing in the stranding pool to hold up a baby dolphin.

That’s why they’re usually in the front lines of rescue work, often collaborating with other rescues. Because their resources are invaluable to the rescue and rehabilitation of marine animals.

These resources are also giving scientists the ability to collect baseline data and compare to wild populations - and develop technologies and test these with animals in human care before using it in field work.

I disagree with a black and white approach to animal welfare and find it to be detrimental in the long term. Welfare is an evolving state that is always in flux and depends on a variety of factors.

SeaWorld’s fireworks contributed to seabird deaths - but not acknowledging that even if SeaWorld stopped their fireworks, there would continue to be fireworks on the 4th of July that would continue to cause bird deaths isn’t helpful to protecting seabirds.

SeaWorld have rescued, rehabbed and released or provided a permanent home for over 40,000 animals. It was funded by the same company that also put on fireworks shows. The two facts can exist side by side. A company can cause harm while also creating positive change.

The reality of capitalism is that to rescue animals you need to have the resources to do so. People visit SeaWorld to ride roller coasters and ignore the animals (which I can never understand) - yet it is the ability to appeal to a wide demographic that makes money and that money is what can be used for incredibly important conservation and rescue projects.

However, I would still say all of that wouldn’t matter if the welfare of the animals in their care was extremely poor. Which, based on their ability to achieve multiple levels of high standard accreditation like AZA and other signs of positive welfare in basic observation , doesn’t seem to be the case.

I encourage anyone to try to take a more nuanced approach to animal welfare and never just accept something at face value. And if you don’t like SeaWorld, that’s okay! There’s a lot of ethical discussions to be had. But I can only convey the experience and knowledge that I have in both research, hands on practical cetacean welfare experience and general experience and understanding of how marine mammal facilities operate.

[posttexasstressdisorder]

WhatMatters

Your guide to California policy and politics

By Lynn La

April 18, 2025

Presented by Climate-Smart Agricultural Partnership, Western States Petroleum Association, California Resources Corporation and Upway

 

 

Good morning, California.

What happens when a CA homeless camping case goes to trial?

Wickey Two Hands holds a poster made by his supporters after his case was dismissed at the Fresno Superior Court on April 10, 2025. Photo by Adam Perez for CalMatters

It was supposed to be a trial that would be closely watched by California homelessness advocates, public defenders and legal experts. But instead, the case was thrown out by the judge — leaving some stakeholders wondering whether it makes sense to arrest homeless people at all.

As CalMatters’ Marisa Kendall explains, following a U.S. Supreme Court ruling last year granting local governments more authority to clear homeless encampments, cities across California have enacted more punitive policies banning public camping — including citing and arresting unhoused residents. 

But some attorneys and the unhoused residents they represent are eager to bring their cases before juries in order to demonstrate the shortcomings of enforcing camping bans and clear their names. That includes Wickey Two Hands, a 77-year-old homeless man who was poised to be the first person tried in court under Fresno’s anti-camping ban after police arrested him last year.

On April 10, however, a judge ended up dismissing all charges because the city waited too long to prosecute. 

The case’s conclusion underscores the considerable amount of time, labor and resources used — not only from the city and county, but also Two Hands’ lawyer, activists and local journalists — to enforce a policy that seeks to penalize public camping.

Ron Hochbaum, a law professor at the University of the Pacific: “When you think about all the people who were involved, from police to the city attorney’s office to judges and court clerks and so on. That’s probably hundreds of hours of work and thousands of dollars wasted. And that money would be better spent by simply offering Mr. Two Hands housing without arresting him.”

Read more here.

CalMatters events: Join CalMatters’ Marisa Kendall and policy leaders on April 24 as they tackle what’s working to address homelessness and affordable housing — and what’s not. Register today to attend online or in person at the SAFE Credit Union Convention Center in Sacramento.

And earlier on April 22, Fresnoland and CalMatters’ Yousef Baig are teaming up to explore the future of the High-Speed Rail project with key decision makers and local leaders at the Fresno City College Old Administration Building Auditorium. Register here.

How have Trump’s executive orders and other recent actions affected you? CalMatters is working with public radio partners to gather perspectives across the state. Share your thoughts here.

Other Stories You Should Know 

What will happen with new crop of CA crime bills?

An inmate at San Quentin Rehabilitation Center on March 17, 2023. Photo by Martin do Nascimento, CalMatters

In the aftermath of voters passing Proposition 36 in November to increase penalties for theft and other crimes, some Republican legislators have found their tough-on-crime bills are advancing further than before in a Legislature dominated by Democrats, reports CalMatters’ Jeanne Kuang.

Senate GOP Leader Brian Jones of San Diego, for example, authored a bill that would add regulatory guardrails before the Department of State Hospitals releases sexually violent predators. In his fourth attempt to push the proposal, the Senate Public Safety Committee unanimously approved the bill earlier this month. Last year the proposal died in the Assembly after advancing through the Senate, and in previous years the bill never passed through committee. 

Jones says that after Prop. 36, he noticed a shift among Democrats and their attitudes toward stricter incarceration measures.

Jones: “The smart Democrats are getting it. The voters spoke overwhelmingly.”

But some criminal justice advocates don’t see it that way. Tinisch Hollins, the executive director of Californians for Safety and Justice, pointed out that the Legislature is also advancing bills the organization is sponsoring, including ones that would expand the state’s efforts to clear criminal records and require the California Department of Corrections to apply more good behavior credits to reduce prisoners’ time served.

Hollins: “Even Prop. 36 wasn’t a referendum on reform. There’s still plenty of support for different approaches to public safety that really address the root cause and prevent crime from happening in the first place.”

Read more here.

 

More federal attacks on CA college students

Students walking out of their classes at Coalinga College on Oct. 9, 2023. Photo by Larry Valenzuela, CalMatters/CatchLight Local

As part of President Donald Trump’s push to cut assistance to undocumented immigrants, his administration is revoking one vital policy that allows California to help students who don’t have legal status, writes CalMatters’ Adam Echelman.

In 2022 the federal TRIO programs — which provides financial assistance and counseling to low-income and first-generation college students — granted California special permission to also serve students who don’t have legal status. But in March, the U.S. Department of Education said it was revoking waivers to California colleges and universities that use federal funds to “provide services to illegal aliens.”

It’s difficult to track how many California college students lack legal status, but some data suggests that it could number in the thousands — most of whom attend community colleges. More than 100,000 California students are reportedly enrolled in TRIO programs.

Read more here. 

 

And lastly: LA’s mobile home parks; homeless exercise programs

An aerial view of the Pacific Palisades Bowl Mobile Home Park in Los Angeles after the Palisades Fire on Jan. 18, 2025. Photo by Ted Soqui, SIPA USA via Reuters

After the Palisades Fire destroyed two coastal Los Angeles mobile home parks, displaced residents face steep challenges including limited insurance and unresponsive park owners. CalMatters’ Felicia Mello, Mia Henry and video strategy director Robert Meeks have a video segment on residents’ struggle to rebuild their lives as part of our partnership with PBS SoCal. Watch it here.

And check out another video from CalMatters’ Marisa Kendall and Robert about the Skid Row Running Club in downtown L.A., which provides health and hope for unhoused residents recovering from addiction. Watch it here.

SoCalMatters airs at 5:58 p.m. weekdays on PBS SoCal. 

California Voices

Though shutting down salmon fishing for the third year in a row is not good news, the state has made critical headway to help restore salmon populations, writes Chuck Bonham, director of the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.

Other things worth your time:

Some stories may require a subscription to read.

This is the major question at the heart of CA’s tariff challenge // San Francisco Chronicle

Bill would make CA schools ‘safe havens’ from immigration enforcement // The Mercury News

CA loses millions to license plate covers. This lawmaker is going after retailers // The San Francisco Standard

CA weather service office will no longer answer public phone calls amid staffing cuts // San Francisco Chronicle

Amid deadly measles outbreak, CA’s childhood vaccination rates are falling // EdSource

Fate of CA Black maternal health programs is unclear amid federal cuts // California Healthline

To keep Canadians coming, Palm Springs hangs love letters in its streets // The Washington Post

LA County is walking away from LAHSA. Housing for Health is the model for what’s next // LAist

LA’s schools chief knows what it’s like to be undocumented // The New York Times

San Diego veterans and supporters voice opposition to Trump’s proposed VA cuts // The San Diego Union-Tribune

 

See you next time!

Tips, insight or feedback? Email whatmatters@calmatters.org. Subscribe to CalMatters newsletters here. Follow CalMatters on Facebook and Twitter.

 

     

 

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CalMatters 1017 L Street #261 Sacramento, CA 95814 United States

[shinycupcakebaker]

Chapter 1: The first meeting

Pairing: Robert "Bob" Floyd x reader (nicknamed Siri) 

Summary: You find out Natasha is in San Diego and has a possible job opportunity for you. you surprise her with a visit and meet Bob.

CW: A couple of swears.

WC: 6.1K

~A year ago~ 

It was nearly midnight and here you were, sitting in your small one bedroom apartment, going over the menus for the upcoming week and events. You scrolled thru the recipes, making adjustments here and there, knowing that the pastry chef would probably just go thru it again and scrap all the hard work you put into it. You hung your head and rubbed your temples as you search for a new job had so far proven fruitless. 

Just as you were about to shut down your computer, your phone chimed with a new text message. Smiling as you saw the familiar name and quickly replied. 

  Bratty Nattie: You still awake? 

Y/N: Yeah, unfortunately. Going over menus. 

Bratty Nattie: calling… 

You rubbed your eyes as Natasha FaceTimed you and answering the call, propping your phone up against a water bottle. “Hi brat! How are you?”  

“I’m good. How are you?” Nat asked, noticing that looked frazzled. 

“I’m gonna pull my hair out. Marc-Antony is an ass. I used to love what I did, but he just makes me hate it now. There aren’t any jobs here.” Hearing loud shouts come from behind Nat. “Where are you Nattie?” 

“The Hard Deck, it’s a bar here in San Diego.” Nat looked back over her shoulder, into the bar.  

“Wait, what?! You’re in California!? When did you get there?” You rubbed your hand across your forehead. Picking up your phone and walked to your bathroom. Propping your phone up on the counter as you removed you contacts and put on your glasses. “Did I miss the family email? Did you even send one out?” 

“Got here about a month ago.” Shaking her head, Nat chuckled. “No, you didn’t miss the family email. I haven’t sent one out yet.” 

“Excuse me, Sissy!!” You yelled and picked up phone, heading into you bedroom. Flopping down on your bed, you laughed with Nat. “Shame!! Do Mom and Dad know?” 

“Well, of course they know. I’ve just been busy with training and shit.” Hearing a door open behind Nat and a bespectacled man walks out. “Hold on Y/N. Bob, you’re leaving?” 

“Yeah, I have something I have to do. I might be back. Sorry, for interrupting your call.” Hearing the muffled reply as Nat held her phone close to her chest. 

“It’s okay Bob. It’s just my sister. Have a good night.” Nat flipped her phone out, showing Bob that it was no big deal. You smiled and awkwardly waved at the man that appeared suddenly on the screen. He smiled shyly and gave a small wave before heading to his vehicle. 

“Nat… Nattie!!” You yelled, getting her attention back to the phone. “Who was that?” 

Waving her hand non-chalantly in the air. “My back seater, Bob. But the reason why I’m calling you is because I might know of a way for you to have your own bakery.” 

You sat up and stared at Nat, blinking rapidly, trying to process what she just said. “I’m sorry, what? My own bakery? How?” 

“Well, there is this bakery, right outside the base, it’s amazing. The owner is getting ready to retire, his father opened it when he was like in his 20’s and gave it to him when he retired. None of his kids want the bakery and he doesn’t want to sell it to some corporation that’s just gonna ruin everything he built. It’s been around for nearly a century. I told him that you’re a pastry chef and looking for a new and better job opportunity.” Nat rambled on about the bakery. “And he’s kinda wants to meet you.” 

“Oh my god.. Natasha!!” You stated at her wide eyed.  

“What!? You are always complaining about your job now. How you don’t get any creative say in anything. Now, you can. And you make such amazing cakes and cookies and everything. BTW, when are you gonna send me some?” 

Laughing, shaking your head. “Well, send me your address and I’ll box some up for you. And you’ve given me a lot to think about.” 

Nat shrugs and smiles. “I know. I’ve already sent you an email with all the owners information. Call him when you get the chance. And I just texted you my address. I want your salted caramel chocolate chip cookies.” 

“Yeah maybe.” You yawned and glanced at the time. “Shit, I gotta get to sleep. 5am comes quick.” 

Nat nods and smiles. “I know. Just think about it, okay.” 

“Okay sissy. I love you.” You laid back in your bed.  

“Love you too, Y/N.” Nat waved and blew you a kiss as a tall, dark haired mustachioed man flung an arm around her shoulders. “Good night.. Nope, Roos….” 

The call quickly ended and you laughed. Sinking back into your pillows, your cat Simba curling up next to you and thought about the proposition that Nat just presented to you.  

You tossed and turned all night, unable to sleep with all the thoughts coursing thru you head. You groaned when your alarm went off at 5am, smacking your phone to make it stop. Kicking the covers off you in protest, you slowly slide out of bed and stretches. You stumble into the bathroom, starting the shower and quickly brush your teeth. Before hopping in the shower, you put in your contacts and close the door, so Simba doesn’t bother you. You rush thru your morning routine, eager to get to work and talk to your boss. Slipping on your sneakers, you grab your work shoes, a muffin and your water bottle as you run out the door, locking it behind you. Slipping down the stairs and out into the morning rush as you head to the train station. The train arrives about 5 minutes later and you enter as you think about what you are going to tell your boss. You have about 2 weeks of accrued vacation time plus about a week of PTO. Right now, it’s not the busy season so you should be able to take a weekend off.  

You exit the train at your stop, walking a couple of blocks to your job and head inside. You flash your badge to security and head back to the kitchen. You flag down your boss, Miranda, letting her know that you needed to speak to her. You start on your daily tasks, getting everything set up and dove into your first order of the day.  

Around noon, you took your lunch break and headed down to Miranda’s office. Knocking on her doorframe, she waved you in as she spoke on the phone and you sit in the chair opposite her. She hangs up and greets you. 

“Hey Siri, what did you need to talk to me about?” Miranda sits back in her chair, smiling softly. 

“Well, I need to use some of my PTO. My sister is in California and I need to go out and see her.” You fidget with the buttons on your chef coat. 

Miranda sits up slightly, leaning her elbows on her desk. “She okay?” 

You sigh softly, nodding. “Yeah, she’s fine. Didn’t know she was out there. Apparently, she’s been there for about a month. But… ummm…” You pause, trying to figure out how to word everything properly and it just rushes out. “She told me about a really great job opportunity for me out there and I kinda want to check it out.” 

“Oh… Well, that’s new. When were you thinking about going?” Miranda sits back in her chair, hands folded. 

“As soon as possible. I don’t know if it’ll work out but come on. I love working for you. And Marc-Antony is an amazing pastry chef but I’m not getting anywhere under him. He’s always undermining my work. This is just something I want to check out.” You explain everything to her. “He has 4 interns and 3 other chefs under him right now, plus Beth and Cathie both are competent in their knowledge of the patisserie.” 

She sighs and nods, “I know Siri. You are an amazing pastry chef. I would hate to see you leave us but if this is really something you want to pursue, let me see if I can move around the schedule and you can have next week off.” She turns to her computer, clicking a few different tabs and starts to review everything. “You are off this Saturday and Sunday but let me see what I can do. I let you know by the end of your shift.” 

“Thank you so much Miranda. Even if it’s only a couple of days next week, that would be amazing.” You smile and stand up from the chair. 

She stands with you and grabs your hand. “You truly are an amazing pastry chef, no matter what anyone says. Your cakes are impeccable, and I would kill to have your ginger peach scone recipe.” 

You squeeze her hand, smiling brightly. “Thank you Miranda. That means a lot.” You head back to the break room, feeling lighter, to scarf down the half muffin you never finished on the train ride. Opening your locker, eating the muffin half and gulping down the rest of your water before clocking back in for work. 

You headed back to your station, feeling lighter, and set to work on coloring fondant and making royal icing for the next batch of cookies to be decorated. You were so engrossed in your work that you didn’t see or hear Miranda come up next to you.  

“Hey Siri, I just wanted to let you know…” You jump hearing her voice so close and turned to look at her. “Sorry about that.” 

Stepping slightly to the side and turns to her, chuckling softly. “It’s okay. Sometimes I’m so into my work I don’t hear anything around me.” 

She nods, understanding. “I get that. But I just wanted to let you know that I was able to shift some things around and get you time off until Thursday. We will need you back for Friday tho. We have that big wedding and it’s all hands on deck.” 

You beamed and quickly hugged her. “Thank you so much Miranda!! This is amazing.”  

  “You’re welcome Siri.” She smiled and laughed. “Start cleaning up your station, it’s nearly 5:30. I'll see you tomorrow.” 

You nod as you start to clean up. “See ya tomorrow.” Filling piping bags with royal icing, securing them and placing them in your bin. Setting your bin on the shelf behind your station, you clean and sanitize your table for the night. You put away your other work bins, leave a note for the bakers in the log and clock out.  

Catching the train home, you stop at the small grocery store a block from your apartment and pick up the ingredients to make scones and cookies. While in the grocery store, you sent a quick email to your financial advisor and looked up flights to San Diego. Checking out, you practically skipped home. It seemed like everything was going to be working in your favor.  

The next few days seemed to fly by. You managed to book a decent flight to San Diego leaving Sunday morning, arrange for Simba to be looked after by your sweet older neighbor in exchange for some muffins and scones and book a hotel for your stay. Your financial advisor had called you and you told her about the opportunity that had arisen. She advised you that she would make sure everything would be all set if this was something that was really going to happen.  

Saturday came and of course you woke up early. Instead of trying to fall back asleep, you set to work packing a carry on and baking some sweets for Natasha. You had texted back and forth a couple of times over the past few days but you didn’t tell her you were coming out. You wanted it to be a surprise. As you set the timer for the cookies, you called the bakery owner and set up a time to meet on Monday morning. He had received your resume and was impressed with what you had accomplished in your short culinary career. You thanked him and couldn’t wait to meet him. Hanging up with him as the timer went off and pulled the cookies out of the oven, placing the next batch on the rack. As the cookies cooled, you set to work on your ginger peach scones. You continued to bake all thru the morning and into the late afternoon before you noticed the time.  

“Shit.” You mumble to yourself as it was nearly 5pm. Glancing around at your crowded counters and kitchen table before grabbing some Tupperware containers from your hall pantry. Filling one with some muffins and scones for you neighbor, another on for the bakery owner to sample and 2 more for Natasha filled with cookies, muffins and scones. You placed all the containers, save for your neighbors, in a reusable grocery bag and set it by the door. You cleaned your kitchen and start to make dinner.  

Just as you set the pasta in the water, your phone was ringing with a FaceTime call from Natasha. Answering it quickly as you sat down in your oversized chair. “Hey there Nattie.” 

“Hi Sissy. How are you?” She smiled. 

“I’m good. How are you?” Noticing it’s all dark where she was. “Wait, where are you?” 

“Yeah, about that.” You notice her wincing slightly as she shifted. “The hospital. There..” 

You interrupted her, “Wait, I’m sorry… What the fuck!? The hospital!! Are you okay?! What happened Natasha?!” 

“Y/N, calm down. I’m fine. Just a couple of scrapes, bruises and bumps. They are keeping us overnight for observation, but a really am fine.” She explained. 

“Us? Who’s us?” You questioned, getting up from your chair as you walked into the kitchen to drain your pasta. Propping up your phone on the counter as you finished making your dinner.  

“Bob and I.” She sighed softly as a nurse came into the room, Natasha shaking her head and turned her attention back to you. “We were doing training for a mission and we had a bird strike. Bob and I had to eject. But I swear Y/N, I’m okay. Just a little sore. I just wanted to let you know since you didn’t answer your phone earlier. You’re my emergency contact after Mom and Dad.” 

“Shit!! I’m sorry Nattie. I’ve been baking all day. You know how zoned out I get.” Frowning as you scroll thru your phone and sees the missed call from an unfamiliar number.  

Natasha laughs and shakes her head. “Yeah, I know. The place could be burning down around you and you wouldn’t even notice until your door was busted down.”  

You hang your head and laugh, “Shut up brat. That was one time. And it wasn’t even that bad!”  

“Well, I just wanted to let you know that I was okay. Just in case you got a text from Mom and started freaking out.” She yawned. 

Your phone chimed with a text from Mom as she was talking. “And speak of the devil, there’s a text from Mom now. I’ll let you go, get some rest sissy. Love you.” 

“Love you too sis.” You hang up with Natasha and reply back to you Mom. 

Momma: Just wanted to let you know that Natasha is in the hospital but okay. 

Y/N: Thanks Momma. She told me, just hung up with her.  

Momma: That’s good. How are you doing sweetie? 

Y/N: I’m okay Momma. Been working like crazy but I have a couple of days off. Might have a new job opportunity.  

Momma: That’s wonderful Y/N/N. Tell me about it. 

Y/N: We’ll, Nattie told me about it. A bakery owner near her is retiring. And he doesn’t really want to close his bakery. Nor does he want to sell it to a big corporation. I’ve already called him and I’m meeting him on Monday. Don’t tell Nattie. She doesn’t know I’m meeting him or that I’ll be there in San Diego. I wanna surprise her.  

Momma: That sounds wonderful Y/N. I won’t say a word to Natasha.  

You stir the sauce in to the pasta and text back your Mom.  

Y/N: Thank you Momma. About to have some dinner. I’ll talk to you soon. Love you. ❤️ 

Momma: Okay Y/N. Love you too. ❤️ 

You add the grilled chicken and roasted broccoli to the sauced pasta and mix everything together. Scooping some into your bowl, you head to the couch and sat down. Simba was instantly at your side, begging for chicken as you started to eat and go over your checklist. You had everything packed except for a few toiletries. You wrote out instructions for Simba’s care as you finished up dinner. Cleaning the kitchen, you packed the leftovers into small containers, placing them in the fridge and started unplugging all the unnecessary appliances. Making your way to the bathroom, you double check everything and decide to call it an early night. Brushing your teeth, you set up everything you would need in the morning. 

You laid down on your bed, relaxing with Simba and set your alarm. You knew you had at least an hour or more of travel before you got to the airport, so you wanted to be well rested as you hated to travel tired. Doing that one too many times had taught you a valuable lesson when you ended up stranded at the airport for nearly half a day once. You flipped thru the TV channels before finding something to watch as you fell asleep, popped a few melatonin gummies and set the sleep timer on your TV.  

You woke up the next morning a couple of minutes before your alarm went off and snuggled with Simba before it did. Turning the alarm off, you climbed out of bed and popped in the bathroom room to get ready for the day ahead. Showering quickly, you grabbed the small toiletries bag and placed it in your carry on as you get ready. Double checking that you had everything packed, you zipped up your bag and placed it by your front door. You fed Simba and grabbed the instructions for him and the Tupperware container, heading across the hall.  Knocking on the door, you waited as your neighbor shuffled over and opened it.  

“Hi Miss Parker. I just wanted to give you the instructions for Simba and a little thank you gift for checking on him.” You smiled at her. 

“My dear, you didn’t need to do that.” She shook her head but graciously accepted the container. 

“I know how much you like my muffins and scones. It’s the least I can do since you won’t take my money.” You laughed and kissed her cheek. “You still have my spare key, right?” 

“Of course I do dear.” She held up the key with the small acrylic muffin keychain. “You have a safe trip.” 

“Thank you Miss Parker. I’ve already fed him this morning, so you won’t have to check in on him until tonight. I’ll be leaving in about a half hour.” 

“Okay dear. Thank you for the muffins.” You nod and head back into your apartment. Grabbing your laptop, all your chargers, and your phone, packing everything into your personal bag for the plane. Double checking  that you had everything, you grab your bags and head out the door. Making your way to the subway. You had to make a few transfers but you were soon on your way to the airport. Your flight wasn’t until about 11:30am but you wanted to get there early enough to find your gate and relax until you had to board.  

You arrived at the airport at about 9:30, giving you enough time to check in, get thru security and grab a quick bite to eat. Stopping at a Dunkin Donuts in the terminal, a large Salted Caramel cold brew and a bagel with cream cheese, and headed down to your gate to wait. You sat down in a somewhat quiet corner, sipping your coffee and pulled your phone from your bag. Confirming your shuttle from the San Diego airport to your hotel, you did a quick search on what else there was to do. You figured you see what the city had to offer if you were possibly going to be living there soon. Browsing thru different websites, you got the idea what you could do in your free time.    

The hour passed quickly and you were soon boarding your flight. You sent a quick text to your mom to let her know that you boarded the plane and on your way to surprise Natasha. She was excited for you, you hadn’t seen Nat in nearly 2 years, and she wished you luck with your meeting on Monday. You let her know that you would keep her informed of everything going on and quickly shut down your phone as the plane began to taxi. 

The flight was uneventful and you made it to San Diego a little ahead of schedule. Gathering your bags you head out of the plane and onto the concourse to find your shuttle to the hotel. Once at the hotel and after checking in and unpacking, you forced yourself to take a quick nap to try and stay ahead of the jet lag.  

You woke up as your alarm went off, sitting on the edge of the bed and checked the time. It was nearly 5:30, perfect time to go and find your sister. You arranged for an Uber to take you to The Hard Deck, quickly freshened up and grabbed your purse and bag before heading down to the lobby to wait. 10 minutes later, you were on your way to the bar. On the ride over to the bar, you were suddenly anxious. Wiping your hands on your jean shorts as you arrived, thanking the driver and exiting the car. You stood outside the bar, shaking out your hands as nerves overcame you again. Walking inside and up to the bar, the woman behind it smiled warmly and set a napkin in front of you.  

“What can I get you?” She greeted you as you sat down on a stool.  

“I.. umm.. Sorry. I’m okay right now. Just looking to see if someone is here yet.” You shook your head and smiled back at the woman. 

“Who are you looking for?” She leaned over against the bar. “I know most of the regulars.” 

“Umm… My sister, Natasha Trace.” Scrunches your brows together, realizing that she’ most likely known by her callsign. “Umm.. sorry, Phoenix. She’s a pilot with the Daggers.” 

“They aren’t here yet but will probably arriving soon.” The woman stood back up and narrowed her eyes at you. “You must be Y/N. She’s told me a little about you. I’m Penny, owner of The Hard Deck.” Holding out her hand to you. 

You shake Penny’s hand and let out a breath you didn’t know you were holding, smiling. “Yeah, that’s me. Maybe you can help me. She doesn’t know that I’m here. I didn’t tell her that I was coming out here. I mean, she knows that I will be here eventually to check out Caroline’s but not when.” You ramble on. 

Penny places a hand on yours and squeezes lightly. “Breathe Y/N.” You take a deep breath and shake your head. “How do you want me to help?” 

You shrugged slightly and bit your lip. “I’m not sure. I have something here for Nat. Some of my cookies and scones. She’s been wanting them.” 

Penny holds her hands out and you give her the containers. “Give me those, I have an idea. You go and wait over by the jukebox. Your back will be to the entrance. And here.” She slid a cup over to you. “Water. Relax.” 

“Thank you.” You take the water, sipping it slowly as you make your way over to the jukebox. You were browsing the song titles when you heard a ruckus at the entrance. Glancing over your shoulder, you see Natasha enter the bar with a group of loud men. You set the water down as you heard Penny call out.  

“Hey Phoenix. I got something here for you.” She shouted over the ruckus.  

You watched as Phoenix approached the bar and took the containers from Penny. She opened the top container that held your salted caramel chocolate chip cookies. “Penny, where did you get these?!” As a tall dark hair man reached for a cookie, Phoenix smacked his hand away and closed the container. Penny glanced over her shoulder towards where you stood by the jukebox. 

Phoenix looks around the bar and in the direction Penny looked, her eyes widening. “Y/N!?” She set the containers on the bar and ran over to you, hugging you tightly. 

You laugh and hug her back, mumbling. “Surprise sissy.” 

“What the fuck are you doing here?” She pulls back and smacks your arm. 

“I managed to get a few days off. I have a meeting with the owner of Caroline’s tomorrow morning.” You rub your arm and smile brightly. “I wanted to surprise you.” 

Phoenix hugs you again, sniffling slightly. “Well, shit!! You did surprise me!!” 

You pull away from Phoenix slightly and wipes the stray tear from her cheek. “Don’t get all weepy on me now Nattie.” 

She rolls her eyes and nudges you with her shoulder. “Come on.” She links your arm with hers and starts to walk over to the pool table. “Let me introduce you to the Dagger Squad. Fellas..” She cleared her throat. “I want to introduce you to my sister, Y/N. That’s Fanboy, Coyote, Bagman and Rooster. Where’s Bob?” 

The tall blonde she said the Bagman, grinned, handing his pool cue to Coyote and walked over to the two of you. “Jake or Hangman, actually.” He looked down at Phoenix. “He was finishing up some paperwork last I saw him. Didn’t know you had a sister Phoenix.” 

Phoenix rolled her eyes again and shook her head, leading you away from him when Fanboy spoke up. “Her picture is in her locker with all her others. Hi. I’m Fanboy or Mickey.” He gave a small wave and smiled. 

You smiled back and sat with Phoenix near the pool table. “So, how long are you here for? And how the hell did you manage this?” 

“Until Thursday. My boss was able switch a few things around and got me the days off.” You grinned. “I told her about my opportunity out here and she wished me luck.” 

Phoenix grabbed your hand and squeezed it. “You are gonna love Caroline’s. It’s so cute and they have the best lemon poppyseed scones. Do you want something to drink?” 

You shook your head. “I have water for now. So, tell me about your back seater? Better than your last one?” 

She laughed, shaking her head. “Bob is Bob. He is an amazing WSO. A bit shy, not cocky like Hangman there. Quiet, almost stealth like. You don’t even realize he’s there sometimes. Takes everything in, always observing. A great guy to talk to. He knows his shit. It’s like it all comes naturally to him up there. Is always on top of things.” She slides off the stool and heads towards the bar. “I‘ll be right back.” 

“So, you’re the one that bakes the cookies Phoenix can’t shut up about.” The tall dark-haired man named Rooster said as he sat down on the other side of you. 

“That would be me. Rooster, right?” He nodded. “Brought her some. Maybe if you’re nice, she’ll give you one or half of one.” 

Rooster brings his hand to his chest, “You wound me. I am always nice. It’s that one over there you gotta watch out for.” He motions towards Hangman with his beer bottle. 

“Y/N, this is Bob.” You turn in your seat and stand quickly, not realizing how close Phoenix and Bob were when you were suddenly all wet. 

“Shit…” The cup that Bob was handing was suddenly at your feet, its contents running down your shirt and legs. “I’m sorry… Let me.. I’ll get you some napkins or a towel.” 

He hurried off to the bar and you laughed softly. You sat back down as you heard Hangman, mumble something to Coyote. Raising an eyebrow to him as Bob returns with some napkins and a dry rag. “Hey, it’s okay. It was just water, right? I’ve had worse spilled on me.” You smile softly up at the bespectacled man, taking the rag from him. You wipe off your legs and scrunch your shirt into the rag, drying off. Bob sat down where Phoenix was once sitting and Phoenix shooed Rooster out of his seat beside you. 

“Again, this Bob.” Phoenix smiled, introducing you again. “Bob, my sister Y/N.” 

You sat back down, shifting towards Bob and smiled shyly as you tucked a stray piece of hair behind your ear. “Hi Bob. How are you? Nat mentioned the other day that you both had to eject because of a bird strike.”  

Bob nodded, looking down at his hands before looking back up at you. “Yeah, we did. We’re okay tho. Just some bumps and bruises. Wasn’t too serious.” 

You scoff at him. “Serious enough to keep you both overnight.” You reach over and place a hand on his arm. “Don’t diminish the seriousness of anything that might happen.”  

Bob shook his head as pink slowly crept up his neck. “Never. I.. uhh.. I would never.” He adjusted his glasses, looking back at you. “It wasn’t the first time I’ve ejected and probably won’t be the last. But.. umm.. Phoenix tells me that you’re a pastry chef.” He quickly changes the subject. “That you make the best cookies and scones.” 

Glancing back at her, and nods. “Yeah, apparently, she’s been telling everyone. Maybe I’ll let you try one of my cookies.”  

Bob choked on his water as it was now your turn to blush. Heat crept over your cheeks, and you hung your head. “I’m sorry.. that came out very sexual..” Bob placed a hand over yours, sending a shiver up your arm and down your spine. 

He grinned and chuckles softly. “It’s okay. Don’t be sorry. I’d love to try one someday.” 

You and Bob continue to make small talk throughout the night. He told you about why he became a WSO. And you told him why you became a pastry chef. You both seemed to have similar interests. You were about to excuse yourself to get some fresh air as the bar was becoming a bit too loud when Hangman challenged you to a game of 9 ball. 

Phoenix spoke up when she heard the challenge. “You really don’t want to do that Hangman.” 

“You afraid I’m gonna beat your sister, Phoenix?” Hangman taunted as he racked the balls. 

“No. I’m afraid she’s gonna kick your ass and we’re gonna have to deal with your pouting for the rest of the week.” Phoenix laughed.  

You took the pool cue from Coyote and walked around the pool table. “Ladies first.” Hangman smirked. You break the balls, send the 2 and 4 balls into pockets and walk around the table to the 1 ball. You quickly sink the ball into the corner pocket. Following the cue ball, you line it up with the 3 and sinks that ball. Sinking the 5 and 6 balls in pockets and starting to line up for your next shot, when you glance over to Phoenix and motion for her to come over. Mumbling softly to her to finish the game for you. “I need to get some fresh air. Kick his ass.” 

You hand Phoenix your pool cue and step outside to the side deck. You lean against the railing, taking deep breaths of the cool salty air. Closing your eyes and hanging your head as you listen to the waves crash against the sand. You weren’t sure how long you stood there but you heard the hollering and felt a presence beside you. You glance up and see that Bob has joined you. He placed a hand on your shoulder, looking concerned. “You okay Y/N?” 

You shivered slightly as he said your name. The way it just rolled off his tongue made you feel like everything in the world was going to be alright. “Yeah, I’m fine. Sometimes I just gotta step away from the loudness of everything.” 

Bob nodded and leaned against the railing with you. “I get that. It can become suffocating and overwhelming.” 

You nod in agreement, shifted towards him. “Yeah. Sometimes I start to get a headache if it’s too loud. But I just needed some fresh air. It was feeling it a bit stuffy.” You pulled out your phone and noticed the time. “Shit. I should head back to my hotel. I didn’t realize the time.” 

You started to head back inside, Bob following behind you and you find Phoenix talking to Fanboy. “Nat, I’m gonna head back to my hotel.” 

Phoenix notices the time and nods. “Okay. How are you getting there? I can drive you back.” 

You shook your head. “No, you stay here with your squad Nats. I’ll just get an Uber.” 

Phoenix’s eyes widen. “Nope. No way. Not this late.” 

Bob quickly spoke up from behind you. “I can drive you back to your hotel.”  

You turned and looked up at him. “You don’t have to do that. I’m really fine with getting an Uber.” 

Phoenix shook her head. “Uber is out of the question. Not this late.” 

“Umm not winning this argument, am I?” You sigh and start to gather your things. 

“Nope, you aren’t.” Phoenix hugs you and mouths a ‘Thank you’ to Bob. 

You hug Phoenix back tightly. “I’ll text you when I get back to my hotel and I’ll let you know what happens after the meeting at Caroline’s. Love you Nats.” 

“Love you too, Y/N.” You make your rounds and bid everyone a good night, following Bob out into the parking lot. He led you to his truck, opening the door for you. You slid in and buckled as he closed the door.  

You didn’t notice as Phoenix and Fanboy watched from the window and gave each other a fist bump. 

“Which hotel are you staying at?” Bob asked as he started his truck. 

You told him the hotel and address and he headed off in the direction of the hotel. It was a short ride there and you hopped out of Bob’s truck as he parked. Turning off his truck, he slid out and walked beside you into the hotel. 

“Thank you, Bob, for the ride. You don’t need to walk me to my door.” You smiled as you waited for the elevator. 

“What kind of man would I be if I didn’t make sure a pretty woman made it to her door safely?” Bob mumbled shyly. 

You both entered the elevator, you pressed the button for the 4th floor and waited for the doors to close. “And Phoenix would probably kick your ass if you didn’t, right?” 

Bob let out a laugh and nodded. “Yeah, she probably would.” 

You exited the elevator to the right and walked a short way to your hotel door. “This is me. Thank you again Bob. You really didn’t have to go thru all this trouble.” 

“No trouble at all Y/N. I was going to be leaving soon anyways.” Bob smiled. “I.. umm.. could I text or call you sometime?” 

You grinned and held out your hand, nodding. “I’d like that. Let me see your phone.” 

Bob unlocked his phone and handed it to you. You added your number to his contacts and sent yourself a text. “Now we have each other's numbers.” You handed him his phone back, leaning up and kissed his cheek. “Good night, Bob.” 

Bob’s cheeks flushed pink, and he stuttered, clearing his throat. “Good night, Y/N. And good luck tomorrow.” 

You tapped your key card against your door, opening it and turned on the lights. You turned and smiled back at him. “Thank you, Bob.”  

Slowly closing the door behind you, making sure to lock it and flopping onto your bed. Bob stayed outside your door until he heard it lock and headed back towards the elevators. You sent Nat a quick text that you were at the hotel before plugging in your phone and getting ready for bed. You drifted off to sleep, thinking about the meeting in the morning and when you were gonna see Bob again. 

Taglist: (always open) @sweetwhispersofchaos

[mostlysignssomeportents]

This day in history

On OCTOBER 23 at 7PM, I'll be in DECATUR, GEORGIA, presenting my novel THE BEZZLE at EAGLE EYE BOOKS.

#20yrsago Sony bullies Retropod off the net https://web.archive.org/web/20041018040446/http://www.retropod.com/

#15yrsago This Side of Jordan – Violent jazz age novel by Charles M Schulz’s son Monte https://memex.craphound.com/2009/10/16/this-side-of-jordan-violent-jazz-age-novel-by-charles-m-schulzs-son-monte/

#10yrsago FBI chief demands an end to cellphone security https://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/17/us/politics/fbi-director-in-policy-speech-calls-dark-devices-hindrance-to-crime-solving.html

#10yrsago Please, Disney: put back John’s grandad’s Haunted Mansion tombstone https://thedisneyblog.com/2014/10/16/petition-to-return-a-lost-tombstone-to-the-haunted-mansion/

#10yrsago How Microsoft hacked trademark law to let it secretly seize whole businesses https://www.wired.com/2014/10/microsoft-pinkerton/

#10yrsago If you think you’ve anonymized a data set, you’re probably wrong https://web.archive.org/web/20141014172827/http://research.neustar.biz/2014/09/15/riding-with-the-stars-passenger-privacy-in-the-nyc-taxicab-dataset/

#10yrsago The lost cyber-crayolas of the mid-1990s https://memex.craphound.com/2014/10/16/the-lost-cyber-crayolas-of-the-mid-1990s/

#5yrsago “The People’s Money”: A crisp, simple, thorough explanation of how government spending is paid for https://neweconomicperspectives.org/2019/10/the-peoples-money-part-1.html

#5yrsago What it’s like to have Apple rip off your successful Mac app https://memex.craphound.com/2019/10/16/what-its-like-to-have-apple-rip-off-your-successful-mac-app/

#5yrsago Blizzard suspends college gamers from competitive play after they display “Free Hong Kong” poster https://www.vice.com/en/article/three-college-hearthstone-protesters-banned-for-six-months/

#5yrsago Terrified of bad press after its China capitulation, Blizzard cancels NYC Overwatch event https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-10-15/blizzard-cancels-overwatch-event-as-it-tries-to-contain-backlash

#5yrsago A San Diego Republican operator ran a massive, multimillion-dollar Facebook scam that targeted boomers https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/craigsilverman/facebook-subscription-trap-free-trial-scam-ads-inc

#5yrsago Britain’s unbelievably stupid, dangerous porn “age verification” scheme is totally dead https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2019/10/uk-government-abandons-planned-porn-age-verification-scheme/

#5yrsago Not only is Google’s auto-delete good for privacy, it’s also good news for competition https://memex.craphound.com/2019/10/16/not-only-is-googles-auto-delete-good-for-privacy-its-also-good-news-for-competition/

#5yrsago Edward Snowden on the global war on encryption: “This is our new battleground” https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/oct/15/encryption-lose-privacy-us-uk-australia-facebook

#5yrsago In Kansas’s poor, sick places, hospitals and debt collectors send the ailing to debtor’s prison https://features.propublica.org/medical-debt/when-medical-debt-collectors-decide-who-gets-arrested-coffeyville-kansas

#5yrsago Want a ride in a Lyft? Just sign away your right to sue if they kill, maim, rape or cheat you https://memex.craphound.com/2019/10/16/want-a-ride-in-a-lyft-just-sign-away-your-right-to-sue-if-they-kill-maim-rape-or-cheat-you/

#5yrsago #RedForEd rebooted: Chicago’s teachers are back on strike https://www.thenation.com/article/archive/union-strike-chicago-teachers/

#1yrago One of America's most corporate-crime-friendly bankruptcy judges forced to recuse himself https://pluralistic.net/2023/10/16/texas-two-step/#david-jones

Tor Books as just published two new, free LITTLE BROTHER stories: VIGILANT, about creepy surveillance in distance education; and SPILL, about oil pipelines and indigenous landback.

[mariacallous]

On the surface, Comic-Con International 2023 looked like it did in years past. Throngs of fans, many in costume, crowded intersections beneath glossy advertisements for television shows dozens of stories high. Inside the convention center, people inched through the packed exhibition floor, lining up for exclusive merchandise and collectibles and work from their favorite artists. Across the convention’s many panel sites, experts discussed a wide range of pop culture and genre fiction topics. Some attendees played tabletop games; others met for anime-viewing sessions. Comic artists and publishers gathered for the Eisners, their industry’s most prestigious award.

But a trip into Hall H Saturday afternoon underscored the strangeness of this year’s convention, which fell two and a half months into the Writers Guild of America (WGA) strike and just a week into the parallel strike from the film and television actors of the Screen Actors Guild—American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA). In an ordinary year, Hall H’s 6,100 seats would have been filled by people who’d literally waited all day (or night) to get inside, and networks and studios would have shown them exclusive footage accompanied by A-list talent onstage—a rare opportunity for fans and the entertainment industry to face each other directly. This year, you could simply walk into the partly empty Hall H; at the Star Trek presentation, entertainment journalist Scott Mantz stood alone at the dais, queuing up sizzle reels and calling out absent actors’ names for rounds of applause. In that room, it was glaringly obvious that this was a San Diego Comic-Con without Hollywood.

There have, of course, been many SDCCs without Hollywood—the “comic” in its name is a reminder of its origins as the Golden State Comic Book Convention, which a few hundred people first attended in 1970. Over the decades, the event’s scope steadily expanded, but the studios and big genre franchises only began to dominate the space in the past decade and a half. That dominance defined the convention’s role in the entertainment industry in turn: a place for trailer drops and major announcements, and for many industry-side people, a chance to see a physical embodiment of “fandom,” even if only a tiny slice of fan culture is represented there.

Some of Hollywood’s major players have been pulling back from SDCC since the height of the corporate saturation in the mid-2010s; Star Wars, for example, hasn’t had much of a presence in years, as Disney shifted fan-facing activity to its own events like Star Wars Celebration and D23. But this year, with the writers already striking and a SAG-AFTRA strike looming, many studios and networks began to cancel their scheduled programming; when the actors’ strike officially began and SAG-AFTRA forbade members from doing any promotional work, the SDCC schedule became a sea of cancellations. In advance of the convention, there was speculation that Hollywood’s withdrawal might mean a return to its roots—that perhaps comics could once again be the star of the show.

But even in absentia, Hollywood still hung over a good deal of the convention, which is as much an entertainment-industry event as a fan-oriented one. Many WGA and SAG-AFTRA members have spoken about this year’s strike motivations as “existential”: the feeling that this is a major inflection point, for the entertainment industry specifically and for workers broadly. 

That feeling was palpable in San Diego, and not just from the actors and writers who attended in a non-promotional capacity. Since the strikes began, the studios have seemingly worked to pit fans against the people who make the things they love, framing delays as the fault of the striking writers, rather than unwillingness from the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, which represents the studios, to give writers a deal they find fair. Online, this framing has been largely rejected by fans, and that spirit seemed to carry over to SDCC too. There was a sense that an unusual—and yes, for some, disappointing—Comic-Con was an absolutely necessary one, because the future of entertainment media on all sides of the equation was at stake.

On Friday morning, a group wearing familiar-looking black shirts set up shop at an intersection across from the convention center that is usually occupied by network-sponsored promoters or a particularly persistent group of protestors who shout at people that they’re going to hell. This morning’s group was made up of some of the more than 1,000 San Diego-based members of SAG-AFTRA, who, in lieu of joining the picket lines outside studios and the offices of streaming services in Los Angeles, were raising awareness about the strike outside a mostly actor-free Comic-Con.

“When I was a young man, we were celebrating the superheroes in comic books. Now, because of Hollywood, they’ve leapt off the page and onto the big screen,” says Lou Slocum, who has lived in San Diego since 1972 and became a member of SAG in 1995. “Normally they would be here and they would be celebrated. The closest we can get are the superheroes in cosplay right now.”

Slocum stresses the group’s support for Comic-Con and its attendees, and he makes it clear the SAG-AFTRA gathering isn’t a picket line and is not intended to impede anyone’s access to the convention. He expresses sympathy for anyone who might have been expecting to see their favorite actor or footage from their favorite show, but he hasn’t met with resistance from fans—on the contrary, he says, they’ve been greeted with a great deal of support from passers-by. “The people that I have met today have been all thumbs-up, V for victory, hugs,” he says. “We love it, and we’re very pleasantly surprised.”

While some panels and programming didn’t acknowledge the strike at all, plenty did—and some even focused on it. Slocum began his career in voice-over, which he says is like “the canary in the coal mine” right now, a sentiment stressed in a panel on the future of artificial intelligence in entertainment hosted by the National Association of Voice Actors. Panelists described the immediate threat to not just their livelihoods, but their own personal autonomy, as companies and fans alike use AI tools to manipulate their voices without their consent. (SAG-AFTRA national executive director Duncan Crabtree-Ireland, who’d joined the panel, got a big laugh when he compared the situation to Ursula and Ariel in The Little Mermaid.)

The WGA shares different but equally pressing worries about AI, as well as broader concerns about the future of film and television writing. The strike served as an intermittent joke during a long-running television writers’ panel Saturday morning. “We really can’t talk about anything, because of the strike, so we’re going to keep these introductions going for an hour and a half,” moderator Mark A. Altman quipped halfway through the bios of the 11 panelists—but the vast majority of the conversation focused on how deeply concerned these established writers were about younger writers starting out in the industry.

“The whole point of the strike is we’re fighting for the future, and the future of our craft,” says C. J. Hoke, a writer who attended the panel and who became a member of the WGA last summer. “Seeing experienced showrunners talking about that and really rooting for the next generation is inspiring, and just encourages me to stay on the line with everyone.” Aside from the backing of members of her own profession, Hoke observed a wide range of solidarity at the con, which she characterized as a “swelling from the ground level.” 

“It’s been wonderful seeing people on the floor with ‘We support the WGA’ signs and buttons and shirts,” she says. “I think everyone here really cares about the storytelling, and really supports the writers.”

Karina Montgomery was one con-goer with that sort of button—hers read “This Character Wouldn’t Exist Without WGA and SAG-AFTRA Labor,” which she wore over an impeccable cosplay of Helly R. from Severance. Montgomery, who also moderates the Severance fan Discord and contributes to the Severance wiki, began the week worrying about confusing messaging from SAG-AFTRA on fan activity, particularly over whether cosplay was considered scabbing. (The organization has since clarified that its guidance on cosplay was intended only for paid influencers, not ordinary fans.) “I was very happy to get to show up,” Montgomery says. “But I wanted to still show that I was supporting, so I designed this button.”

For many cosplayers, conventions like SDCC are about both creators and fellow fans. “The whole thing is connecting with people who love the shows and support the shows and want to be seen by the creators of the shows,” says Montgomery. “To be like, ‘Look, we see what you do, and we love it.’” 

To her, solidarity for the strikes was more important than a desire to cosplay—but cosplay could be a sort of solidarity too. “I'm gonna love a show that I love regardless of whether it’s canceled,” Montgomery says. “But if, for example, it became a scab activity to cosplay, I would not. I want to support the people who make the show that I love—I’m a booster. If I’m supporting the AMPTP by dressing like this, I don’t want to dress like this.”

But many creators weren’t even at the con to see these shows of solidarity. Others felt the absence of fan-creator interactions acutely. It was veteran TV writer Javier Grillo-Marxuach’s 22nd Comic-Con, and one in which he would have, under normal circumstances, promoted his writing on the new season of The Witcher. (Full disclosure: Grillo-Marxuach is a friend of this writer.) “I would love to do that work for Netflix right now,” he says. “For a lot of us, those are the goodies. You write a show and you get to come here and meet the fans, and they’re excited, and maybe you show them the show, and they recognize who’s the person who wrote that show.”

Grillo-Marxuach described the “gaps where Hollywood should be”—for all the talk of the event potentially returning to its comics-first roots, he noted that the film and television industry has undeniably altered SDCC a great deal. And those missing pieces were noticeable. 

Because it’s in those connections between the people who love stuff and the people who make the stuff they love that so much of SDCC rests, from the fans cheering for the biggest studio presentations in Hall H to the indie comic artist signing their work on the exhibition floor. The event is at its heart a consumerist one, and in attendees’ quests for material objects, that human connection is often diminished—the relationship is often boiled down to fan and corporation, with someone to do the selling in the middle.

In a normal year, SDCC puts live human faces on both sides of the fan-creator divide—and this year, those human faces helped contextualize the strike, giving nonstriking attendees a firsthand view on the struggles facing entertainment industry workers. Both the WGA and SAG-AFTRA have raised alarms about a future in which studio and streaming executives steadily whittle away the number of people making movies and television shows, using AI to permanently remove them from the equation. It’s not hard to imagine a world in which the fan-corporate relationship is the only one left in that chain.

Fans also understand that the writers’ and actors’ struggles are directly entwined with their own. “Genre fans tend to be very aware of the writers, very aware of what the talent does, and they’re also very aware of how much they have to pay to actually see the things they want to watch,” says Grillo-Marxuach. “That financial sting puts them in a similar place to the writers. And a lot of the time, they feel like they're getting nickel-and-dimed to death, too, on their viewing, and I think that creates a lot of solidarity with us.”

But many fans are also workers, and they can see how these strikes echo their own job concerns. SAG-AFTRA’s Slocum cites parallel labor movements brewing across the country, from fellow entertainment workers like animation artists and members of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees to Starbucks baristas and UPS drivers. “I really feel we're at the beginning of a middle-class stand in this country,” he says. Grillo-Marxuach echoes those sentiments: “One of the reasons people are so sympathetic to us is that the problems of writers as labor mirror the problems of labor as labor right now.”

While the strikes seem likely to stretch on in the near term, it seems unlikely that next year’s Comic-Con will be much similar to this one. But the strikes that utterly altered this year’s event will certainly define its future—and the future of the entertainment industry on the whole. Many fans who were already invested in their favorite shows and films now care just as deeply about the labor conditions under which those shows and films were made. Their consciousness, Slocum says, has been given a raise.

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It’s seems like some sort of private/corporate💰show for Gwen today. I’m not a fashionista type that prays every year for Gwen to attend the MET Gala, but I really thought she was going this year. I even blocked out “me” time with the family tonight for it 😅 hope the people at the show at least share, they can be so stingy at these sometimes 😆

It’s too bad she missed a Met Gala with a theme that was so perfect for her, but I’m sure she’ll go again at some point. I wonder what the San Diego show was for. A corporate event?

— M

[transamorousnetwork]

Why “Transgender” Will Never Go Away, And Neither Will “Trans-Attraction”

A very deep, eternal and enduring force drives the increasing number of children coming out as trans. It has nothing to do with “grooming”. It has nothing to do with “indoctrination”. The real reason surprises most people because few understand it.

Transgender people have always been, and they will forever be. That’s because they, and everything else, come from a single Source. That Source has good reasons for the increasing number of transgender children coming into the world.

So the questions we should be asking are: What is this Source and why is it sending so many transgender children into world right now?”

Answering these questions will do something else. It will make judging the phenomena as “right” or “wrong”, “moral” or “immoral” superfluous. Until we answer these questions, transgenderism will confound those unwilling to understand the origin.

So let’s see where we can turn to answering these questions.

The origin of “trans”

Over the last 30 years I pursued such questions, though not specifically about transgenderism. Instead I focused on my trans-attraction. Discoveries I made are startling. But they’re also extremely empowering. Everything told to me by experts who have guided my pursuit has proven accurate. I document my journey in my other blog. My client’s experiences mirror my own documented discoveries. So I know my experiences are real. These experiences form the basis of my understanding of where “transgender” comes from and why.

The reason “transgender” is, is because transgender people represent the furthest forward expression of humanity. It is an expression of spiritual consciousness; a consciousness wanting to go beyond what has come before. So transgenderism represents spiritual consciousness going beyond past expressions of humanity.

While some transgender people want to be seen and appreciated as “women”, being transgender is not a homogeneous experience. Many want to fit in with “women”, but non-binary transgender people exist too. As do people presenting all kinds of combinations of gender expression, yet still calling themselves “trans”.

Evidence backing my claims, again, comes from personal exploration. Much of it defies description. That’s because language can’t adequately express experiences I’ve had. Evidence also comes from my mentors. Beings who have long given up corporeal existence. They once were human, but have now moved beyond that.

^^“Trans” is a spiritual experience. (Photo by Kyle on Unsplash)

The Source of my knowledge

My mentors are Abraham and Seth. Both describe themselves as “energy personality essences” who speak from “nonphysical”. Nonphysical is the “place” from which all physical phenomena emerges, including humans.

Seth and Abraham are teachers. They enjoy expanded consciousness through which they help beings like me expand my awareness. But only when we’re ready. Until then, what they share is largely unknown. Which explains why few know about them. And why even fewer believe or practice what they say.

YYears ago I asked Abraham directly my trans attraction. I did so at a public workshop they held. They offered an explanation almost identical to what Seth said in their writings.

On stage at their San Diego event, I asked Abraham: “why am I attracted to transgender women?” Abraham’s answer was, to paraphrase: Because you’re here to express a new vantage point for consciousness, one that’s never been expressed before.

Seth expressed similar sentiment, but from a more general perspective in their writings.

The leading edge

Seth when active was extremely prolific in creating content. They went to great lengths to explain, in minute detail, how reality works. In discussing the basic reality behind all physical phenomena, they had a lot to say. Here are relevant quotes hinting at transgenderism’s origins:

“Basic reality cannot know itself without creating diversity. The diversity is the various forms that reality takes, the various systems within which it expresses itself through projecting itself into infinite individualized experience.”

Further, Seth explains that each human possesses an “inner self” then adds:

“Each inner self is a portion of the basic inner reality. It cannot know itself, however, except through experience, and it must create in order to experience. The experience constantly deepens the value fulfillment of basic reality itself. [So] There is no alternative between diversity and nothingness.”

Basic inner reality then has no choice but to create. It must continually do so. Humanity is a product of this inner reality creating itself to know itself. Diversity of creation, taken in total, allows this inner reality a fuller picture of itself.

Seth says this basic inner reality can never fully know itself. Therefore it forever keeps creating to know itself. But in doing so, it creates more of it self that it seeks to know. So diversity of expression then, Seth is saying, is automatic, essential and ever-becoming more.

^^Basic inner reality is constantly creating more of itself.

The joy of transgender born of basic inner reality

Seth continues:

“That which is, is constantly aware of its growing, surging existence, through the diversity of experience which it creates constantly and simultaneously. You are part of that which is, you are that which is. It is impossible for any part of that which is not to be individualized. Every part of that which is, is alive, and knows itself.”

So it makes no sense for “that which is” to keep creating the same thing over and over. It must, instead, create anew. But it does so with current creation as its foundation. When it does create, that which is created appears to flow from what is.

Biological male and female exist. But those distinctions are superficial in the extreme. They only exist to further procreation, the process by which basic inner reality introduces itself as individualized existence into its creation. Beyond that, gender is meaningless.

That explains why a person can come into the world as “male” but feel they are “female”. The energy that makes the person IS female, or better said, expressing as feminine. It comes into the world in a new, unique perspective. A perspective presenting as “male” physically, but also aware of a dominantly energetic-essence feminine aspect, offers “that which is” a new, unique perspective. One divergent from male/female.

Each expression of “that which is” is individualized. That means each person’s experience is new unto the Universe. So even though many transgender people exist, each individual transgender person is a UNIQUELY, NEW experience for “that which is”. 

And so, the reason more transgender people are showing up among young people is two-fold. The first reason is because now is a perfect time for such beings to enjoy the experience. The other reason is because of the focus being leveled on the experience itself.

All That Is loves this, even if you don't

I’ve said before, whatever we focus on gets bigger. Right now, a LOT of people are focused on the trans phenomena, including transgender people themselves. All that focus then is drawing more individualized expressions of “that which is” to the experience.

In other words, the more people push against and revel in transgender expression, the more of it will show up. Until “that which is” fully expresses all it wants to in that permutation of expression. What’s wonderful about “that which is” is, it never can fully express itself. So we can count on “transgender” being here, at high levels, for some time.

As every expression has a corresponding response, “transgender” has a corresponding experience which “that which is” is also enjoying. It’s called “trans-attraction”. In other words, as it expresses itself as trans, “that which is” wants to experience that expression from as many “angles” as possible. This explains why parents are having trans children. It’s why siblings are having trans brothers and sisters. It’s why Christians and Republicans are facing the experience too, from their unique angle.

This also explains “trans-attraction.” Trans-attraction wouldn’t exist without transgender people existing. Trans-attraction is “that which is” experiencing “transgender” from a brand new perspective. One called “romance” or “attraction”.

And this explains why many trans-attracted men are so bewildered by their experience. Most focus exclusively on their “human” experience. They mostly ignore their spiritual experience. Another word for “spiritual” is “basic inner reality”.

But the spiritual experience is always there. And it strongly influences the human one. That’s why trans-attracted people find resisting their attraction challenging. It’s also why transgender people must transition. Their Broader Perspective, that spiritual Source of all they are, craves this experience. It craves the “transgender” experience. It craves the trans-attraction experience. Both cravings are undeniable.

Trans-attraction and transgender are both here to stay

That’s why I say trans-attraction is normal and wholesome. It is a full-on expression of All That Is as it seeks to know itself. And that’s why when trans-attraction is expressed and consummated, we trans-attracted men feel so freaking good. The same is true when transgender people transition and feel the relief in doing so. 

If more transgender women understood what I’ve written here, they could enjoy attention such men give them. Some could give up loathing themselves. They could help the men express themselves better. And they could help such men be more comfortable with themselves.

In the process, they can find more joy AND the love they yearn for. For “transgender” and “trans-attraction” are reflections of each other. They are both an expression of All That Is knowing itself. And when that knowing is expressed, great joy results for everyone invovled. Just ask any transgender woman in a long-term relationship with a trans-attracted/transamorous man. Like this couple:

^^Yes, trans-attracted men and transgender women can find happiness

As long as transgender women push against such attention, however, transgender women do exactly what conservatives are doing: they just draw from All That Is more trans-attracted men. Just as conservatives are responsible for attracting into the world more transgender kids. It’s a wonderful formula through which All That Is becomes more, and in the process expands its awareness of itself.

“Transgender” as an expression of the basic inner reality is here to stay. All That Is revels in it. It will never go away. And neither will trans-attraction.