#Ethan Velez

[aste-ri-sm]

[badmovieihave]

Bad movie I have Dexter: The First Season 2006

[jerzwriter]

A Different Fate

Book: Open Heart (Post Series)

Pairing: Ethan Ramsey x F!MC (Kaycee)

Rating: Teen

Words: 1,551

Summary: Kaycee watches a young couple in a cafe and reminisces about a time gone by.

A/N: Sorry, but it was based on a request from @trappedinfanfiction, so can we blame her a little too? lol The prompt was "see your face in every crowd." Also participating in @choicesflashfics prompt "Sometimes forever doesn’t necessarily mean forever." Lastly, @aprilchallenge - Sunset

Series Masterlist Ethan x Kaycee Masterlist Full Masterlist

“You’re certain? Absolutely certain?”

The joy in the young woman’s eyes, the delicate blush on her cheeks, the breathlessness in her voice when she replied… any fool could see she was madly in love… and Kaycee was no fool.

“I’ve never been more certain of anything. Abby, if you can forgive me, I’m yours. I’ll shout it from the rooftops if you like… I want the world to know just how much I love you.”

She didn’t want to eavesdrop on the couple; it wasn’t her intent. But the space was snug at the sidewalk café, and it was impossible not to overhear. The least she could do was pretend she wasn’t paying attention. So she hid behind a copy of The New York Times, which she was grateful she purchased earlier today. Still, she couldn’t help but be intrigued.

“Do you mean it, Evan? Because I love you and….”

“I know I’ve been indecisive, I’ve put you through hell, and you deserve better… but Abby, I’m not afraid anymore. Do I need to stand and scream it to the entire café?”

“No,” Abby giggled. “I don’t think….”

“Ladies and gentlemen,” the dark-haired man shouted as he rose to his feet.  “May I have your attention, please…”

“Evan!”

“The beautiful woman sitting across from me, my precious Abby… she is the love of my life, and I want everyone to know. I nearly blew it with her … worried about my disapproving family, who threatened to disown me, and worried about her father, who told me to leave her alone so she could focus on her career… as if she isn’t brilliant enough to do both at the same time. I forced our love into the shadows like it was an unseemly secret when it was the most beautiful and pure thing we’ve ever known.  I caused her to walk away. But I’m done with that now. I, Evan Porter, love you, Abby Velez, and if you give me a second chance, I’ll declare my love for you everywhere I go for as long as you’ll have me. So, please, Abby, what do you say?”

Kaycee no longer had to hide, Evan wanted the attention of every patron, and he had it.   Everyone was rapt with anticipation as they waited for the startled beauty to reply, and they broke into applause as she jumped from her seat and answered him with a lingering kiss.   The setting sun’s amber glow washed everything in an ethereal light… a rom-com come to life in the middle of New York City… who could have imagined?

“Ma’am,” a waiter interrupted, bringing Kaycee back to the confines of her own life. “Will there be anything else?”

“No,” she answered with a smile. “Just the check and… waiter… can you bring me theirs as well. I’d like to pay it anonymously.”

“Of course,” the waiter nodded. 

Two quick signatures and the payments were made. Kaycee handed the server a note and asked him to deliver it to the couple in place of their check.

Hold on to what you have… with all your might. Love should always be forever.

She walked away far faster than she realized. Escaping the café was easy, far simpler than escaping her thoughts.  Several blocks away, she collapsed onto a park bench, the memories of an evening years ago flooding her mind. She’d never understand it.  Eight years passed in a flash, and her world today bore almost no resemblance to the one she lived in before, yet the memories were always right there.  She could touch them anytime as if they were only moments away.

~~~~

“This place is beautiful,” she smiled as he pulled her chair back.  

“Only the best for you tonight. You deserve something special.”

“Do I?” She teased. “And what would that be for?”  

“I don’t know,” he smiled brightly. “Completing a grueling residency? Becoming the youngest Diagnostic Team fellow in Edenbrook’s history? Putting up with a complete asshole of a boss for the past three years?”

“That last one!” She interrupted. “That’s why I deserve this.”

“Oh really? Just remind yourself that the same jackass is picking up the tab tonight…. So be kind.”

“I’ve always been kind to him,” she cooed, reaching over the table to take his hand. 

She felt him pull it away ever so delicately before stopping and allowing it to linger in hers.   He thought the move was smooth enough that Kaycee wouldn’t notice, but as he watched her smile falter, he knew he hid nothing at all. 

Outside of that slip, everything about the dinner was perfect, the food, wine, and service… the way he hung on her every word and laughed effortlessly at each joke. The longing looks they shared and the way he reached over to caress her knee. It was perfection, and Kaycee almost allowed herself to believe.

“I had a lovely time tonight,” she said as they approached her door. “You really didn’t need to go so overboard.”

“But I did. It was a celebration, one you richly deserved.”

“It was, wasn’t it… but….”

“But?”

“…it was more than a celebration; I’m just unclear. Was tonight so special because it marked a beginning or an end?”

The frightened look on his face and his bobbing Adam’s apple told Kaycee all she needed to know. Still, he continued.

“Kaycee… you haven’t even made a decision about your next step yet… you should do that….”

“I have,” she interrupted, “I have. All I need to know is, have you made a decision about your future? Yours and mine.”

He took a step closer, lacing his fingers with hers as he gently stroked her cheek. He longed to see her blue eyes sparkle in the moonlight, but she had turned them away.

“Kaycee, you know how I feel about you, and you know how much you mean to me. But….”

“No more buts,” she blurted. “It’s been one but after another for three years, and I can't hear anymore. My residency is over, Ethan. You don’t have to be my boss; we can be whatever we want to be. I love you. No buts, no disclaimers… I just love you… do you love me, too?”

“You know I do. You know that I do….”

“But…” she smiled wistfully as tears glistened in her eyes. “I can’t do this again. I’ve made my choice, and you’ll have my resignation on your desk tomorrow. I have to go where I’m wanted… where I’m needed, and that’s not here.”

“Kayce, you know that….”

“Nah-uh-uh…” she held up her hand. “No more.”

She lifted her hand and rubbed it along the stubble of his jaw, smiling at the pricking feeling she knew so well, committing it to memory as she knew this would be the last time.

“I’ll always cherish tonight… I’ll cherish all of our memories over the past three years, Ethan. I just wish I hadn’t allowed myself to believe that  -  this  - might be forever.”

“Forever can take on many meanings,” he frowned. “Sometimes forever doesn’t necessarily mean forever… not in this way, but that doesn’t mean we won’t….”

“I know…” she whispered.  “I know.  I… I should go inside.  Good… goodbye, Ethan.”

~~~

Eight years later, she still didn’t know how she willed herself to turn away… but she had, and he didn’t stop her.  Eight years later, she understood what forever meant; sometimes, it meant living with the love, if not the person.  Of enduring everlasting pain for the gift of a brief, blissful moment. Overcome with emotion, she pulled out her phone and pulled up the number she had sworn she’d delete at least a hundred times before.  

Ethan, it’s Kaycee. I’m thinking of you tonight… and often wonder if you still think of me. I just saw a young couple at dinner, and they had the ending I longed for. Although they were strangers, I felt such joy for them, even as my own heart broke all over again. I saw so much of us in them, Ethan… but that shouldn’t come as a shock… everything reminds me of you… eight years later, I still see your face in every crowd. Around every turn, you’re always there. So tell me, Ethan, do you still think of me?  Do the three years we spent together haunt you, and are you afraid they will until the end of time? If so, can we end this? Once and for all, there is no need to…. there’s no need….”

Her hand was shaking as she bit down on her quivering lip.  She couldn’t read what she had just written through her tear-filled eyes.  Eight years had passed without so much as a word…. Having the love of your life tell you you’re not going to make it is a pain no one should have to endure, and Kaycee had survived it once, but she wasn’t sure she could do it again. 

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, deleting the message before walking away.  She had a brilliant career and good friends, a beautiful home, and a life many would envy.  Nothing was missing, not even love, for she had that too. See, forever is forever… even when forced to live it alone.

Permatags: @a-crepusculo @animesuck3r @annoyingmillenialnewbie @crazy-loca-blog @doriopenheart @differenttyphoonwerewolf @fayeswiftie @gryffindordaughterofathena @genevievemd @inlocusmads @jamespotterthefirst @jennieausten @kingliam2019 @liaromancewriter @lucy-268 @mrs-ramsey @onikalover @openheartforeverinmyheart @potionsprefect @quixoticdreamer16 @rookiemartin @secretaryunpaid @socalwriterbee @sophxwithers @tessa-liam @trappedinfanfiction @jerzwriter-reblogs-asks @choicesficwriterscreations @openheartfanfics

Other tags in reblog.

[julychallenge]

Masterlist For the July Challenge

Art

Artist: @lilyoffandoms | Kieran x Elam by @oh-so-youre-a-nerd

Artist: Ainna | Setting Sail for Tomorrow (and whatever comes next) | Calli x Flynn by @storyofmychoices

Artist: @lilyoffandoms | Zig x Mikaylyn for @choiceswithmika

Artist: @callmebeem Neon Glow | Bryce x Olivia by @storyofmychoices

Artist: @lilyoffandoms | Grant Emerson

Artist: @oh-so-youre-a-nerd | Warmth & Security - Martin Vanderweil x Wind Velez

Artist: @lilyoffandoms | Naomi Silverhawk

Artist: @oh-so-youre-a-nerd | Charming/Independent - Enid Mendoza x Joaquin Morales

Artist: @lilyoffandoms | Kate O’Malley

Artist: @whispersleo | Bryce & Olivia enjoy a quiet moment at an afternoon picnic | Bryce Lahela (M!MC) x Olivia Hadley (F!OC)

Artist: Ainna Places in Paradise | Thomas Hunt (M!MC) x Alex Spencer (F!OC)

Artist: @lilyoffandoms | King Arthur

Artist: @lilyoffandoms | Lancelot

Artist: Ainna | Happy Birthday, Baby! | Tobias Carrick (M!MC) x F!MC (Casey Carrick)

Artist: @storyofmychoices | Kate O'Malley for @rosesnink

Artist: @lilyoffandoms | Luna Auclair for @peonierose

Fics

Friendship & Fashion by @jerzwriter| Tobias (M!MC) & Merida (F!MC)

Special Delivery by @jerzwriter| Tobias Carrick (M!MC) x Casey Carrick (F!MC)

Movie? What Movie? by @jerzwriter| Tobias Carick (M!MC) x Casey MacTavish (F!MC)

Summer Haze - @jerzwriter| Tobias Carrick x F!OC

A Place to Stay - by @jerzwriter | Troy Hasan & Eli Sipes

Elmo's Special Visit by @storyofmychoices | Olivia Hadley (F!OC), Tobias Carrick

Beautiful Day by @liaromancewriter | Kyra Santana & F!MC (Cassie Valentine)

Chancing it by @jerzwriter | Tobias Carrick (M!MC) x Casey MacTavish (F!MC)

First Impressions by @jerzwriter | Tobias Carrick (M!MC) x Casey MacTavish (F!MC)

A Late Night Picnic by @storyofmychoices | Mal Volari (M!MC) x Daenarya (F!OC)

Mine by @liaromancewriter | Ethan Ramsey (M!MC) x F!MC (Cassie Valentine)

Mono~poly Chapter 3: Propositions by @jerzwriter | Tobias Carrick (M!MC) x Casey MacTavish (F!MC)

Summertime by @jerzwriter | Trystan Thorne (M!MC) x Carolina Rose (F!MC)

Fair Game by @jerzwriter | Ethan Ramsey (M!MC) x Kaycee MacClennan (F!MC)

Seeking Shelter by @jerzwriter | Eli Sipes (M!MC) x Zoe Rivera (F!MC)

Of Cloudless Climes and Starry Skies (4/?) | Sebastyan Thorne x Emma Rose (F!MC)

Happy Birthday, Baby! | Tobias Carrick (M!MC) x F!MC (Casey Carrick)

A Simple Wish by @jerzwriter | Ethan Ramsey (M!MC) x Kaycee MacClennan (F!MC)

His Barbie, Her Ken by @ladylamrian | F!MC × White! NikRyder

Hot Tea by @liaromancewriter | Ethan Ramsey (M!MC) x F!MC (Cassie Valentine); feat. Max Valentine

To be a Nighthunter by @ladylamrian | F!MC × NikRyder

Romantic, much? by @liaromancewriter | Sienna Trinh (F!MC) x M!OC (Max Valentine)

Sweet Morning by @ladylamrian | (F!MC × Tobias)

Jun: The Bodyguard by @storyofmychoices | Jun Seong

Paper Hearts by @jerzwriter | Ethan Ramsey (M!MC) x Kaycee MacClennan (F!MC)

Shades of Grey by @liaromancewriter | Ethan Ramsey (M!MC) x F!MC (Cassie Valentine)

@choicesmonthlychallenge It was my pleasure and honor to host this months challenge, despite the loss I had I still had fun hosting this challenge.

Thank you to everyone who’s participated I hope you enjoyed the July challenge and its prompts. I hope it brought you some joy and some fun.

But the fun is not over. You can head over to choicesaugustchallenge and check out what cool and fun prompts they have 🩷

All the best

- PR 🩷🌸

[shujubeelamoglia]

Ethan X

Photography by David Velez

[ulkaralakbarova]

A former basketball all-star, who has lost his wife and family foundation in a struggle with addiction, attempts to regain his soul and salvation by becoming the coach of a disparate ethnically mixed high school basketball team at his alma mater. Credits: TheMovieDb. Film Cast: Jack Cunningham: Ben Affleck Dan: Al Madrigal Beth: Michaela Watkins Angela: Janina Gavankar Doc: Glynn Turman Marcus Parrish: Melvin Gregg Brandon Durrett: Brandon Wilson Kenny Dawes: Will Ropp Sam Garcia: Fernando Luis Vega Chubbs Hendricks: Charles Lott, Jr. Bobby Freeze: Ben Irving Devon Childress: da’Vinchi Father Edward Devine: John Aylward Russ: T.K. Carter Diane: Rachael Carpani Kurt: Todd Stashwick Anne: Nancy Linehan Charles Gerry Norris: Dan Lauria Sal: Chris Bruno Coach Lombardo: Matthew Glave Matty (Bartender): Jeremy Ratchford Susan Norris: Jayne Taini Father Mark Whelan: Jeremy Radin Ryan: Nico David Sarah: Emelia Golfieri Sarah: Layla Golfieri Miguel: Sal Velez Jr. Sofia: Yeniffer Behrens Sully – Ref #2: Eric Tate Doctor: Christine Horn Construction Worker #1: Josh Latzer Construction Worker #2: Manny Streetz David: Justice Alan Liquor Store Owner: Jay Abdo Lead Referee: Joshua Hubbard Burly Man: James P. Harkins Employee: Mike G. Betty: April Adams Haley: Chieko Hidaka Student: Bronwen O’Connor Student: Charlotte Evelyn Williams Student: Kayla Diaz Trinity Coach: Doc Jacobs Gale: Marlene Forte Ken: Shay Roundtree Pat: Chad Mountain Summit Coach: Sandy Fletcher Opposing Coach: Noah Ballou Female Friend – Nancy: Cynthia Rose Hall Referee: Calvin Barber Fish Scale Operator: Dino Lauro Bishop Bench Player: Roman Mathis Bishop Bench Player: Herbert Morales Bishop Bench Player: Mateo Ortiz Bishop Bench Player: Tyler O’Malley Ethan (uncredited): Tom Archdeacon Basketball Player 7 (uncredited): Brian Nuesi Denise (uncredited): Edelyn Okano Cheerleader (uncredited): Carly Schneider Mike Ball Boy (uncredited): Caleb Thomas Eric (uncredited): Hayes MacArthur Basketball Player: Alexander Tassopoulos Birthday Party Guest (uncredited): Mason Blomberg Film Crew: Producer: Gavin O’Connor Producer: Jennifer Todd Producer: Gordon Gray Sound Mixer: Steven A. Morrow Producer: Ravi D. Mehta Set Decoration Buyer: Ellen Dorros Boom Operator: Craig Dollinger Utility Sound: Bryan Mendoza Art Direction: Bradley Rubin Costume Design: Cindy Evans Director of Photography: Eduard Grau Editor: David Rosenbloom Executive Producer: Brad Ingelsby Executive Producer: Mark Ciardi Unit Production Manager: Bob Dohrmann Executive Producer: Kevin McCormick Executive Producer: Aaron L. Gilbert Executive Producer: Jason Cloth Executive Producer: Kaitlyn Taaffe Cronholm Executive Producer: Madison Ainley Production Design: Keith P. Cunningham Casting: Wendy O’Brien Co-Producer: Brittany Hapner Original Music Composer: Rob Simonsen Music Supervisor: Gabe Hilfer Unit Production Manager: Victor Ho Second Assistant Director: Kevin Lum First Assistant Director: Jamie Marshall Visual Effects Supervisor: Bruce Jones Set Decoration: Douglas A. Mowat Set Designer: Paul Sonski Assistant Art Director: Linia Marie Hardy Assistant Art Director: Brittany Bradford Graphic Designer: Stephanie Charbonneau Graphic Designer: Andrew Campbell Art Department Coordinator: Michael LaCorte Leadman: Fred Haft Set Decoration Buyer: Jane Madden Stunt Coordinator: Tom McComas Stunts: Oliver Keller Stunts: Courtney Farnsworth Stunts: Allan Graf Stunts: Craigory Glen Hunter Stunts: Lauren Shaw Stunts: B R Lamar Stunts: David Rowden II Property Master: J.P. Jones Assistant Property Master: Rick Chavez Script Supervisor: Steve Gehrke “A” Camera Operator: Peter Rosenfeld Still Photographer: Richard Foreman Jr. “B” Camera Operator: Michael Merriman First Assistant “A” Camera: Stephen MacDougall Second Assistant “A” Camera: Jordan Pellegrini First Assistant “B” Camera: Jesse Cain Second Assistant “B��� Camera: Seth A. Peschansky Digital Imaging Technician: Jesse Tyler Music Editor: Curt Sobel Assistant Editor: Anna Rottke First Assistant Editor: Joe Rosenbloom Soun...

[jcmarchi]

Commencement address by Noubar Afeyan PhD ’87

New Post has been published on https://thedigitalinsider.com/commencement-address-by-noubar-afeyan-phd-87/

Commencement address by Noubar Afeyan PhD ’87

Below is the text of MIT alumnus Noubar Afeyan’s Commencement remarks, as prepared for delivery on May 30.

Thank you, Mark, for that generous but somewhat embarrassing introduction.

President Kornbluth, trustees and faculty, students and families, guests, and members of this remarkable community of scholars and solvers: It’s a special honor to be with you today.

Graduates, I once sat where you now sit, brimming with excitement and the sense of accomplishment that comes with a hard-won MIT diploma. Congratulations!

Families, as the father of two MIT alums, I know first-hand the pride and emotion you feel today.

Faculty members, as a senior lecturer here for 16 years, I saw up close how well you prepare these graduates for what lies ahead. And fellow trustees, it is a great privilege to serve alongside you.

I spent my childhood in Beirut, Lebanon. Three generations of my proud Armenian family shared an apartment on the ninth floor of our building. The window in the bedroom I shared with my great aunt looked out over the red-tiled roofs of Roman, Ottoman, and Byzantine buildings and beyond to the Mediterranean Sea.

When civil war erupted in 1975 and the government imposed strict curfews, the state broadcaster often shifted from airing three hours of TV a day to offering round-the-clock programming of mostly American television shows, a diversion for my brothers and me when we were forced to stay inside.

One show in particular had me captivated. Just hearing the theme song would set my heart racing — perhaps you know it, too.

That’s right… “Mission Impossible”!

Even if you never saw the TV show, you likely know the movies with Tom Cruise as agent Ethan Hunt.

The encoded self-destructing message to the agent always began the same way: “Your mission, should you choose to accept it …”

No matter how long the odds, or how great the risk, the agents always took the assignment.

In the fifty years since, I have been consistently drawn to impossible missions, and today I hope to convince each and every one of you that you should be too.

Play video

Class of 2024, one incredibly challenging mission is already under your belt: You were given the assignment to begin your studies at MIT … without being at MIT. Going to college, without going to college, was not a mission you’d signed up for, but it is what you got. A handful of you did move to campus, but even for you, masking, testing, social distancing, and virtual classes meant orienting to a foreign land. You even learned a new language, as terms like “Q-week” and “SCUFFY” entered your MIT lexicon. No one knew what would happen next, or when it would all end.

And yet, you found ways to thrive. You dove into your coursework and started to build mostly virtual friendships. In the words of your classmate Amber Velez, who rented a Cambridge apartment with three MIT roommates, you “patched together a little lifeboat in this vast sea of students, spread out over the world.”

Earlier that year, just up the road in Kendall Square, my colleagues and I at Moderna had received another mission that seemed impossible: Develop a safe and effective vaccine that could save lives, restart the economy, and do so in less than a year. Oh, and while you are at it, get a billion doses manufactured, distributed, and into the arms of people around the world.

It was clear that if we accepted this challenge, it would take everything we had. We would have to slow 20 ongoing drug-development programs and focus on solving COVID.

We embraced the mission!

Just 48 hours after Moderna obtained the sequence for the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein, we deployed our mRNA technology to produce a potent vaccine. Less than two months later, we enrolled our first patient in a clinical trial, and on November 16th, the vaccine was determined to be 94.5% effective against Covid-19. By some estimates, Moderna’s vaccine saved over 2 million lives during the pandemic.

How did we do it? That’s another speech for another day.

But what I do want to talk about is what it takes to accept your own impossible missions and why you, as graduates of MIT, are uniquely prepared to do so.

Uniquely prepared – and also obligated.

At a time when the world is beset by crises, your mission is nothing less than to salvage what seems lost, reverse what seems inevitable, and save the planet.

And just like the agents in the movies, you need to accept the mission – even if it seems impossible. I know the odds don’t appear to be in your favor. But this age of polycrisis is also a moment of poly-opportunity, fueled by artificial intelligence, machine learning, quantum computing, and other modern technologies that are changing the world faster than people believe is possible.

Now, you are uniquely equipped to turn science fiction into science reality.

With the right mindsets, “Mission Impossible” can become “Mission Improbable” – as you overcome obstacles and seemingly long odds by imagining and innovating your way to novel solutions.

So: How do you go about that? How do you become the agents the world needs you to be?

You already have a head start, quite a significant one. You graduate today from MIT, and that says volumes about your knowledge, talent, vision, passion, and perseverance – all essential attributes of the elite 21st century agent. Oh, and I forgot to mention our relaxed uncompetitive nature, outstanding social skills, and the overall coolness that characterizes us MIT grads.

More seriously, you are trained in science, mathematics, engineering, and technology – fields that, when properly harnessed and supported, can be deployed against almost any seemingly impossible challenge.

You may not realize it yet, but your MIT education has given you a superpower – like X-ray vision – that lets you see through the illusion of impossibility and surface the blueprints for solutions.

And as of today, you even have a secret decoder ring, better known as the Brass Rat!

MIT’s history underscores these special powers. The telephone, digital circuits, radar, email, Internet, the Human Genome Project, controlled drug delivery, magnetic confinement fusion energy, artificial intelligence and all it is enabling – these and many more breakthroughs emerged from the work of extraordinary change agents tied to MIT.

Now let me ask you a question: Aside from MIT, what do such agents have in common? What equips them to accomplish seemingly impossible missions?

I’d argue that they do three things that make big leaps possible. They imagine, they innovate, and they immigrate.

And now, it’s your turn.

Start by unleashing your imagination.

People often see imagination as the exclusive province of the arts: of movie making, literature, painting.

I think that’s nonsense. Imagination, to my mind, is the foundational building block of breakthrough science.

I am not making an argument against reason. Reason has a role to play, but in accomplishing impossible missions, it’s the servant, not the master. You can’t expect reasoning to do the work of imagination. At its best, scientific research is a profoundly creative endeavor.

You have mastered proofs, and problem sets, and design projects, but in the words of mathematician and author Lewis Carroll: “Imagination is the only weapon in the war with reality.”

To the great Irish writer George Bernard Shaw, its role is even more fundamental. As he put it:

“Imagination is the beginning of creation. You imagine what you desire, you will what you imagine and at last you create what you will.”

It is also your turn to innovate. Think of innovation as imagination in action. Or, perhaps, mens et manus, or “mind and hand,” but I hear that line is taken.

MIT did not prepare you to shy away from the unknown, quite the contrary. You are now prepared to leap for the stars, sometimes quite literally — just ask the more than 40 NASA astronauts with MIT degrees.

Leaps often involve unreasonable or even seemingly crazy ideas. Ordinary innovations are often judged by how reasonable the idea is as an extension of what already exists, and how reasonable the person proposing it is.

But ask yourself: Why do we expect extraordinary results from reasonable people doing reasonable things?

As you’ve probably guessed by now, I am utterly unreasonable, and an eternal optimist. As a lifelong entrepreneur and innovator, I have to be.

But I’ve always practiced a special kind of optimism – I call it paranoid optimism. This means toggling back and forth between extreme optimism and deep-seated doubt.

The kind of paranoid optimism needed to make scientific or technological leaps often starts with an act of faith. By that, I mean belief without facts — the very definition of faith.

I know faith is generally associated with religion. But interestingly, in my experience, pioneering science also starts with faith. You take leaps of faith and then you do experiments.

On rare occasions, the experiments work, converting your leap of faith into scientific reality.

What a thrill when that happens!

On your innovation journey, beyond optimism and faith, you will also need the courage of your convictions. Make no mistake, you leave MIT as special agents in demand. As you consider your many options, I urge you to think hard about what legacy you want to leave — and to do this periodically throughout your life.

Not every mission you are qualified for is a mission worth accepting. You are far more than a technologist – you are a moral actor. The choice to maximize solely for profits and power will in the end leave you hollow.

To forget this is to fail the world — and ultimately to fail yourself.

I know many of you here – and some in the Class of 2024 not with us here today — are deeply troubled by the conflicts and tragedies we are witnessing. As an Armenian, descended from genocide survivors, and co-founder of the Aurora Humanitarian Initiative, I feel deeply the wounds of these conflicts.

I wish I had answers for all of us, but of course, I don’t.

But I do know this: having conviction should not be confused with having all the answers. Over my many years engaged in entrepreneurship and humanitarian philanthropy, I have learned that there is enormous benefit in questioning what you think you know, listening to people who think differently, and seeking common ground.

As you grapple with today’s hard choices — and the many that lie ahead — rely again on your imagination. Imagine the world you want to create and work backwards from there. Be open to the many paths that could carry you towards this goal and let the journey inform which ones will succeed.

I’ve urged you to imagine, and to innovate. The last thing I want to leave you with is the need to immigrate.

I’ll say more about what I mean by “immigrate” in a second, but first I want to give a shout-out to others who, like me, have left their homelands.

For those of you who have emigrated here from far away, or whose parents did, or whose grandparents did, please stand.

I applaud you.

It may often feel like a disadvantage, but you will soon learn it is quite the opposite.

When I first arrived at MIT, I worried I did not belong here: I spoke with an accent, my pastime wasn’t hockey or lacrosse, but Armenian folk dance.

Then one afternoon, late in my first year here, I was walking down the infinite corridor when a poster caught my eye. Staring back from the poster was a Native American chief in full headdress, eyes defiant, finger pointed, seemingly right at me. The poster read: “Who Are You Calling Immigrant, Pilgrim??”

I can’t tell you what an impact that had on me. Aside from Native Americans, we all, at some point, come from somewhere else. It helped me realize I belonged here — at MIT, in the United States. And graduates, families, YOU. DO. TOO.

But here’s the really interesting thing I’ve learned over the years: You don’t need to be from elsewhere to immigrate.

If the immigrant experience can be described as leaving familiar circumstances and being dropped into unknown territory, I would argue that every one of you also arrived at MIT as an immigrant, no matter where you grew up.

And as MIT immigrants, you are all at an advantage when it comes to impossible missions. You’ve left your comfort zone, you’ve entered unchartered territory, you’ve foregone the safety of the familiar. Yet, you persist and survive. You figure out how to accomplish your mission.

Like elite agents, immigrants are the ultimate innovators, equipped to navigate obstacles, to never say never. In fact, I often describe innovation as intellectual immigration. Just like those of us who emigrate from other countries, innovators pioneer new environments seeking a better future — not just for themselves but also for the larger world. So, whether you grew up in Cambodia, or in California, or right here in Cambridge, you can immigrate – and you need to keep immigrating. You need to leave your comfort zone, to think in new ways, to acclimate to the unfamiliar and embrace uncertainty.

If you imagine, innovate, and immigrate, you are destined to a life of uncertainty. Being surrounded by uncertainty can be unnerving, but it’s where you need to be. This is where the treasure lies. It’s Ground Zero for breakthroughs.

Don’t conflate uncertainty and risk — or think of it as extreme risk. Uncertainty isn’t high risk; it’s unknown risk. It is, in essence, opportunity.

I began with a TV show; I’ll end with a movie — the most recent Mission Impossible film released just last summer.

The film is a daunting reminder of all that your generation is up against: complicated geopolitics, climate threats and technological pressures, and AI tools that will both simplify and complicate our world.

But graduates, as I look at all of you, I see a large team of agents who are entirely capable of completing your missions. I see agents for good, agents for change.

MIT has prepared you to tackle impossible missions.

To harness the future and bend it toward the light.

My wish for you, my fervent hope, is that you not only choose to accept impossible missions, you embrace them. Welcome long odds. Embrace uncertainty, and lead with imagination.

Approach the unknown with the courage, the confidence, and the curiosity of an immigrant. With paranoia and optimism.

And always remember the strength of working in teams. Show the world why Mission-Impossible-Team inevitably shorthands to M – I – T.

Graduates, set forth on your impossible missions. Accept them. Embrace them. The world needs you, and it’s your turn to star in the action-adventure called your life.

Thank you.

[dailyrugbytoday]

Argentina Pumas vs. All Blacks: When and how to watch

New Post has been published on https://thedailyrugby.com/argentina-pumas-vs-all-blacks-when-and-how-to-watch/

The Daily Rugby

https://thedailyrugby.com/argentina-pumas-vs-all-blacks-when-and-how-to-watch/

Argentina Pumas vs. All Blacks: When and how to watch

Prior to the All Blacks’ first test of the year against Argentina on Sunday, July 9 at the Estadio Malvinas Argentinas in Mendoza (kickoff at 7.10am), here is all you need to know:

Watch every Test from the 2023 Rugby Championship live on Sky Sports; the first games are on Saturday at 3:55 p.m. ET with South Africa vs. Australia and 8 p.m ET with Argentina vs. New Zealand. We also look at each camp’s star player, record in the championship, head coach’s ideas, and squads.

We anticipate the beginning of the 2023 Rugby Championship when New Zealand, South Africa, Australia, and Argentina square off this month, live on Sky Sports.

the Rugby Championship opener between the All Blacks and Argentina Pumas are all included here in Mendoza on Sunday, 9 July

This year’s championship is a sprint rather than a marathon, taking place during a shorter three-week period before the Rugby World Cup, which begins in France at the beginning of September. Rugby Championship on Sky Sports: New Zealand vs  Argentina

New Zealand has failed to win the Rugby Championship’s last two condensed editions in 2019 and 2015. In fact, these are the only two years since Argentina’s participation in the competition in 2012, which changed the Tri-Nations tournament’s name to the Rugby Championship, that the All Blacks have not won the championship.

HOW CAN KIWIS WATCH ALL BLACKS v. ARGENTINA?

The highly anticipated encounter between ARGENTINA and NZ RUGBY will air on Stan Sport.

On Stan Sport, there will be prolonged coverage of the first test beginning at 4:30 am. It will be ad-free, live, and on demand.  How to watch the Rugby Championship between South Africa vs Wallabies on July 8 in Pretoria

ALL BLACKS vs ARGENTINA OVERSEAS STREAMING

New Zealand: Sky Sports

Africa and nearby islands, as well as South Africa: SuperSport

South America, North America, and Argentina: ESPN

America: FloSports

U.S.: TSN

Teams:

All Blacks: Beauden Barrett, Emoni Narawa, Rieko Ioane, Jordie Barrett, Caleb Clarke, Damian McKenzie, Aaron Smith, Ardie Savea, Sam Cane (c), Shannon Frizell, Josh Lord, Scott Barrett, Tyrel Lomax, Dane Coles, Ethan de Groot.

Reserves: Codie Taylor, Ofa Tu’ungafasi, Nepo Laulala, Tupou Vaa’i, Dalton Papali’i, Finlay Christie, Richie Mo’unga, Braydon Ennor.

Argentina: Emiliano Boffelli, Bautista Delguy, Matias Moroni, Lucio Cinti, Mateo Carreras, Santiago Carreras, Gonzalo Bertranou, Rodrigo Bruni, Juan Martin Gonzalez, Pablo Matera, Tomas Lavanini, Matias Alemanno, Lucio Sordoni, Julian Montoya (c), Thomas Gallo.

Reserves: Agustin Creevy, Mayco Vivas, Eduardo Bello, Pedro Rubiolo, Santiago Grondona, Lautaro Bazan Velez, Nicolas Sanchez, Matias Orlando.

[r3lated]

#r3lated : original and canon characters of teen wolf & bones : independent and mutually exclusive. unafilliated with tw fandom. canon characters will be canon divergent , heavily headcanon based + treated as an original character. driven in by willow ( she/her , 28 ) mature content , minors & personals dni. main blog is @srcasm

original

♢ anastazja " ana " stilinski , human fc : lilly collins ♢ kang dae-sung "day" , bulgae (fire dog) fc : park seo joon ♢ lewis bosch-satoh , kitsune fc : darren barnet ♢ gawin " gawain " assarasakornne, werewolf fc : apo wattanagitiphat ♢ sabrina velez , oldest sister , werewolf fc : melissa barrera ♢ adriana velez , youngest sister , werewolf fc : jenna ortega

canon

♢ claudia stilinski , witch fc : holly marie comb ♢ aiden steiner , werewolf fc : charles melton ♢ ethan steiner , werewolf fc : charles melton ♢ brett talbot , werewolf fc : drake rodger ♢ seeley joseph booth , bones fc : jensen ackles ♢ angela montenegro , bones fc : michaela conlin ♢ seeley lance wick-sweets , bones fc : adam brody

[prettymuchdolansbitch]

hey y’all i’ve been on a break?? kind of ?? i got a new phone & lost every idea & writing i had.

so if y’all wanna request shit or give me ideas 🤭🤭

up to u tho

[aste-ri-sm]

|| This was actually a commission for Candaru based off of one of her fics!! Bonus Ethan doodles <3

[kwebtv]

Queen Sugar  -  OWN  -  September 6, 2016 - Present

Drama (55 episodes to date)

Running Time:  60 minutes

Stars:

Rutina Wesley as Nova Bordelon

Dawn-Lyen Gardner as Charlotte "Charley" Bordelon West

Kofi Siriboe as Ralph Angel Bordelon

Tina Lifford as Violet Bordelon

Omar Dorsey as Hollingsworth "Hollywood" Desonier

Dondre Whitfield as Remy Newell

Bianca Lawson as Darla Sutton

Nicholas L. Ashe as Micah West

Ethan Hutchison as Blue Bordelon

Henry G. Sanders as Prosper Denton  (Season 3; Recurring Seasons 1-2)

Timon Kyle Durrett as Davis West  (Seasons 1-3)

Greg Vaughan as Calvin  (Season 1; Guest Season 2)

Marycarmen Lopez as Reyna Velez  (Season 1)

Recurring

Glynn Turman as Ernest Bordelon  (season 1)

True O'Brien as Stella (season 1)

Reagan Gomez-Preston as Chantal Williams

Issac White as Devonte "Too Sweet" Bonclair  (season 1; guest, season 3)

Tanyell Waivers as Keke Raymond

Deja Dee as Sierra

Sharon Lawrence as Lorna Prescott

Michael Michele as Darlene

Roger Guenveur Smith as Quincy

Alimi Ballard as Dr. Robert Dubois

Lea Coco as Jacob Boudreaux

David Jensen as Samuel Landry

Walter Perez as Romero  (season 3)

Vivien Ngô as Trinh Phan

Tony Aidan Vo as Khanh Phan  (season 3) 

Elyse Dinh McCrillis as Mrs. Phan

[stoopsmagazine]

We are getting closer to our ideal release schedule and might be able to make our “quarterly” publication actually that for 2021. But before this train wreck of a year is over, we have one more humble offering in the form of Stoops Issue 6. This is a very special issue; it is our first issue with a guest editor: Darnell Scott. Darnell led the charge on this issue, with a complete focus on Black skateboarders and Black skateboarding. The issue is packed with legends and newcomers. From a Karl Watson cover shot by Darnell himself to a feature on Black owned skateshops by Patrick Kigongo to a short interview with one of our favorite ladies (Adrianne Sloboh) to catching up with Ron Allen and a chat between Kevin Taylor and Clyde Singleton. Plus, our One-Offs gallery is packed with some photos you may consider ripping out...until you realize there is no filler to rip them from. 

Order Now!

The sixth issue of Stoops includes the following:

Articles: Black Listed: Black Owned Skateshops, In Brief: Adrianne Sloboh, Now & Then: Ron Allen, Shootin' The Shit With Kevin Taylor (by Clyde Singleton), One-Offs.

Photographers: Anthony Acosta, Darnell Scott, Andrew Peters, Jordan Galiano, Kyle Seidler, Zander Taketomo, Cole Giordano, Mike Heikkila, Eby Ghafarian, Liam Annis, Sam McKenna, Chaz Miley, Cleon Array, CORNPHOTO, Grant Halleran, Curtis Rothney, Alex Gonzales.

Skaters: Karl Watson, Justin Henry, Adrianne Sloboh, Ron Allen, Kevin Taylor, Carl Aikens, Boo Johnson, Zion Wright, Christian Henry, Chima Ferguson, Josh Velez, Jahmir Brown, Jameel Douglas, Chris Pierre, Marquise Henry, Quel Haddox, Jordan Powell, Chris Pfanner, Ethan K. Singleton, Ray Barbee, Ish Cepeda, Javaris Williams, Rahzel Ashby, Clement Oladipo, Jordan Miles, Brian Reid, Markus Weeks, Jeremy Cohan, Nathaniel Dean, Andrew Arnold, Mackksaray Macksa, Brandon Decoud.

Writers: Patrick Kigongo, Clyde Singleton, Randy Lee, Darnell Scott.

Shipping now. We have discounted some of the previous issues, which are still available while supplies last

[salvatoreschool]

‘Legacies’: Bianca Santos To Recur In Season 2 Of CW Series

EXCLUSIVE: An intriguing new student is coming to Mystic Falls High this fall. The Fosters alumna Bianca Santos is set for a pivotal recurring role on the upcoming second season of the CW drama series Legacies.

Santos will play Maya, a sharp-tongued and flirtatious new student at Mystic Falls High, the sister of Ethan and the daughter of Sheriff Mac.

Legacies is a spin-off of The Originals and features characters from both series and its predecessor, The Vampire Diaries. The series stars Danielle Rose Russell as 17-year-old Hope Mikaelson, descended from some of the most powerful vampire, werewolf and witch bloodlines. She attends the Salvatore School for the Young and Gifted, where fellow supernaturals learn to hone their skills.

Legacies is produced by Warner Bros. Television and CBS Television Studios in association with My So-Called Company, with executive producers Julie Plec (The Vampire Diaries), Brett Matthews (The Vampire Diaries), Leslie Morgenstein (The Vampire Diaries, Pretty Little Liars) and Gina Girolamo (The Originals).

Santos is best known for her roles as Lexi Rivera in the Freeform drama series The Fosters, and as Lucy Velez in the MTV comedy series Happyland. She also starred in the films Ouija, The Duff and Priceless. She is repped by Marni Rosenzweig at The Rosenzweig Group and attorney Lev Ginsburg.

[glycerineclown]

When Your Fave Looks Like You: The Importance Of Queer Latinx Representation, by Ethan Velez, HuffPost

Richie, played by Raul Castillo, is is a flirty, humble, charming stranger when we meet him. He’s someone you don’t know, but you want to know. He is fine example of the queer crisis: do I want to be him or be with him? For me, a seventeen year old when the show was airing who came out only four years prior, Richie was someone I ― and many like me ― latched onto and never wanted to let go of.

How does Richie become a central character to the viewers? How does he become so important? Why is he so important? Richie is a rarity on a network with shows historically about white stories. Contrarily, he is among the main cast, and he influences the story throughout the two seasons. Second to the plot, that influence is done in a wishful way. The Latinx viewer who doesn’t often see themselves on TV sees Richie and they want the life that he’s living: the life of an unapologetically out and queer Latinx man. You’re inspired to meet people in a way that doesn’t involve an app, you want to have a large circle of diverse and queer friends, you want to live in a big city doing what you do best, and this all seems a lot more possible since meeting Richie. His presence in the main cast is not just a fixed plot device ― like his on-and-off relationship with Groff ― he’s also a figure to us viewers. He’s a character so rarely seen that because he is seen, he’s become someone to tune in for, someone to root for, someone to write for.

Queer Latinx people have found an authentic reflection of ourselves in Richie. We see ourselves in his insecurities, in his self-doubt, in his identity and even in his slight accent. It’s with this that the character has stayed among viewers, and with this that the character is remembered long after the series closed. The more queer Latinx characters are welcomed to television, the more queer Latinx people will continue to hold onto them.

[gramilano]

Unity Phelan and Preston Chamblee in Justin Peck’s Easy, photo by Paul Kolnik

Next week will see the sixth and final week of programming of New York City Ballet’s six-week digital spring season.

On Tuesday 26 May at 8pm EDT, NYCB will release George Balanchine’s Donizetti Variations with Ashley Bouder and Andrew Veyette.

Ashley Bouder and Andrew Veyette in George Balanchine’s Donizetti Variations, photo by Paul Kolnik

On Friday 29 May, there will be a mixed programme of Justin Peck’s Easy, set to music by Leonard Bernstein, along with excerpts from six other ballets:

Pam Tanowitz’ Bartók Ballet, her first work for NYCB, featuring Indiana Woodward in the 2019 world premiere performance

Alexei Ratmansky’s Voices, his latest work for NYCB, featuring Lauren Lovette in the 2020 world premiere performance

Gianna Reisen’s Composer’s Holiday, her first work for NYCB as the youngest choreographer commissioned in the company’s history, in the 2017 world premiere performance

Kyle Abraham’s The Runaway, his first work for NYCB, featuring Taylor Stanley, who received a 2019 Bessie Award for this role

Justin Peck’s The Times Are Racing, featuring Peck and Robert Fairchild in the 2017 world premiere performance

Mauro Bigonzetti’s Oltremare, set to a commissioned score by Bruno Moretti

Sebastian Villarini Velez, Ethan Fuller, Rachel Hutsell, and Jacqueline Bologna in Gianna Reisen’s Composer’s Holiday, photo by Paul Kolnik

Jonathan Fahoury and Brittany Pollack in Mauro Bigonzetti’s Oltremare, photo by Erin Baiano

Indiana Woodward in Pam Tanowitz’ Bartók Ballet, photo by Erin Baiano

Taylor Stanley in Kyle Abraham’s The Runaway, photo by Erin Baiano

Justin Peck and Robert Fairchild in Peck’s The Times Are Racing, photo by Paul Kolnik

Lauren Lovette in Alexei Ratmansky’s Voices, photo by Erin Baiano

Each program will be available for 72 hours after it premieres on NYCB’s website, Facebook, and YouTube pages.

Details of other events can be found on the company’s website: www.nycballet.com/digitalspring.

  Week 6 of New York City Ballet’s six-week digital spring season Next week will see the sixth and final week of programming of New York City Ballet’s six-week digital spring season.