#State Department Luncheon

[moonshine-nightlight]

Nothing's Wrong with Dale: Part Thirty-Two

It’s been a week, but you’re fairly certain your fiancé accidentally got himself replaced by an eldritch being from the Depths. Deciding  that he’s certainly not worse than your original fiancé, you endeavor to keep the engagement and his new non-human state to yourself.

However, this might prove harder than you originally thought.

Fantasy, arranged marriage, malemonsterxfemalereader, M/F

AO3: Nothing’s Wrong with Dale Chapter 32

[Part One][Part Two] [Part Three] [Part Four] [Part Five] [Part Six] [Part Seven] [Part Seven.5][Part Eight] [Part Nine] [Part Ten]  [Part Eleven] [Part Twelve]  [Part Thirteen] [Part Fourteen] [Part Fifteen] [Part Sixteen] [Part Seventeen] [Part Eighteen] [Part Nineteen] [Part Twenty] [Part Twenty-One] [Part Twenty-Two][Part Twenty-Three] [Part Twenty-Four][Part Twenty-Five] [Part Twenty-Six] [Part Twenty-Seven] [Part Twenty-Eight] [Part Twenty-Nine] [Part Thirty] [Part Thirty-One] Part Thirty-Two [Part Thirty-Three] [Part Thirty-Four]

While the luncheon was laid out in the great hall and the guests were encouraged to enjoy the grounds and gardens, you and Dale are tucked away in the administrative wing of the estate.

After the knot tying you together was carefully burned, you headed to grandmother’s public office, where she receives officials and conducted business with the many administrators that were needed to keep Northridge running. 

With the sacred ceremony complete, there is still the matter of the legal one.

“Thank you, Mr. Murray, Miss Adir,” Dale says to his valet and your maid. “My spouse and I will wait for my grandparents and you may return to supervising the packing of our belongings.”

A small smile graces your face at Dale’s words because they drive home that he is no longer your betrothed, but your spouse. Your husband. Yours.

“Yes, my lord,” the servants chorus, enough amusement in their eyes that you’re not certain they entirely believe in the necessity of Dale’s request. Well, the reasoning is sound, but so is the idea that two newlyweds might want a few moments alone together. They depart without any fuss.

Dale immediately looks around the room, his expression intent enough that it pierces your light mood. You frown and ask, “Is everything alright?”

“Yes, of course,” Dale says. “I was only—there it is.” He strides behind Grandmother’s desk for a pitcher of water. “Just thirsty.”

Watching how he swallows nearly a whole glass with a grimace, you frown. Cautiously, you ask, “Are you certain that is all?”

“I—,” Dale starts to brush off your concern, you can see the dismissal in his body language before he pauses. “Oh, I, everything is fine. My throat is simply sore. This water is more than adequate to soothe it.”

“The holy water did hurt you,” you say—it's not a question.

Looking almost sheepish, he nods. “I was very diligent in my preparations this week, very pious.” He sounds a little defensive, likely due to you telling him you figured out what he was. “I visited the monsacrin every night for a blessed drink. The sanctif let me take them away with me. I wanted to ensure I would not be overcome today. However, my throat is still sore.”

Tolerance or practice? is your first thought. Was he doing something to his throat to mitigate contact, as you think he might have when the sanctif demonstrated his detection lens on Dale’s hand? Or did he merely practice drinking holy water in private until he could do so with a straight face? Neither are cheering thoughts, although you feel guilty at being reassured that this morning was not a plan developed in advance. That he’d in fact been doing the opposite. “Is your throat burned in some manner? Or are the muscles in some way affected?”

Dale blinks at you before he grins. “Are you certain you are not a true physician, sana?”

“Dale,” you warn despite his flattery, not wanting to be easily diverted from your question.

“Some of each,” he tells you easily enough, although not until after a second long drink from his water glass. “The muscles are a bit stiff, the lining a bit damaged. I did need to continue to breathe and swallow so I could only pull back my physical influence on this body so much.”

Good to know. You had been wondering. You reach into your pockets, glad your full-size pockets had still been able to fit unobtrusively under even this fine gown. “I have a tea blend with me that soothes the throat, although it will work better with honey.” You join him at the cart with tea supplies, taking the kettle and settling it boil. “Grandmother occasionally enjoys some as a sweetener, but we could also send for it. That shouldn’t provoke any notice.”

“The licorice tea?” Dale sounds hopeful as he peers over your shoulder. The feeling of him so close is more distracting than you wish it was. You want to focus on making him feel better, not on how you can sense his body behind you and how you want to lean back just enough to touch. “I used it the third night to great effect.”

You stop what you're doing, turning to frown at him. “But it didn’t help the other nights?”

Dale shrugs, reaching around you to pluck a small jar from the other side of the sugar bowl. He sets the honey next to the cup you’d selected. “I only had the one bag.”

“Why did you just ask for more?” You’re more confused than offended. “Even if I didn’t know, I’d happily have given you more tea.”

Dale holds very still, still enough you notice, at your words. His eyes darken, pupils expanding just enough to make them look inhuman. You wait him out, now able to recognize when he needs time to think. He blinks only a few seconds later and he merely shrugs helplessly. “That did not occur to me. I’m rather used to being on my own.”

“Well, you’re not anymore,” you say, unable to think of anything else. You swallow down all your questions about what part of it didn’t occur to him or questions about his solitary past. “So next time, ask me for help.”

His smile is indulgent and pleased. “Yes, sana.” 

The kettle whistles causing you both to jump. Dale reaches around you, taking half a step towards the hearth. You turn back to the cup you’re fixing for him, pulling the honey jar closer, when Dale lets out a quiet noise of surprise. Before you can turn to see what’s happening, his large hand lands on your waist. You barely keep from letting out a surprised yelp as his grip tightens just enough to make it clear he’s using you to steady himself from his position, half leaned down to reach the kettle.

“My apologies,” Dale says as he straightens and lets go of you. You can feel the ghost of his touch and you’re surprised by how much you want it back. “I lost my balance for a second.”

“You should set the kettle down and fetch your cane,” you say, pointing to the heat resistant mat for the freshly heated kettle. You do not want him to trip again while holding it.

“Yes, I should,” Dale says to you as he does just that. He rejoins you at the serving cart with his primary cane, the one with the jade sword in it. He adds, almost to himself, “And I thought my balance memory had been improving.”

You add the appropriate amount of honey and stir it for him. Usually, you let such comments slide, and you’re fairly certain this one was only said because he knows you know now, but perhaps because you do know you, and the two of you are alone, you can ask, “Balance memory?”

“Memory to balance is perhaps more accurate,” Dale replies absently as he leans on the newly gotten cane and accepts the cup of tea you prepared for him. He inhales appreciatively and takes a sip, not bothering to attempt to blow on it to cool the hot tea. Whatever the holy water did to his throat, it must not be a normal burn—temperature never seems to bother him. “Delicious,” he rasps after finishing half the cup at once and with an appreciative smile at you.

You feel the heat rise in your cheeks, but it must not be too obvious as Dale appears to notice your confusion over his words more than anything else.

He clears his throat, looking a bit more nervous, as he says, “I, well, typically—that is, prior to being Dale, my form was amorphous and adaptable to my needs to a far greater extent.” 

He’s watching your expression closely, clearly ready to stop talking if you…if you what? Look afraid? Or bored? Angry? You don’t know so you try to look neutrally curious as best as you can. 

He continues, “If there was a dip in the ground or someone bumped into me or I leaned over too far, a limb would simply… adapt.”

You desperately want to know more but the moment feels fragile, Dale so cautious about talking openly about himself so you try to keep your words soft and simple. “How?”

“Growing longer, short, thicker.” Dale shrugs. “Whatever would be helpful to keep my balance. In physical activity or altercations, I would have been maintaining tight, conscious control over my form as a matter of course and so it is now. However, when not paying it much mind, during routine movement…”

Of course, you realize, it's no different than how you think of such things—you pay attention when stairs are steep or you’re wearing a particular item of clothing that you need to move differently in, but you don’t think about how to walk when nothing is unusual. It’s beneath your general notice. “You didn’t have to give it any attention.” 

“Correct.” Dale looks relieved you understand. “And so in such circumstances, even now, my instinct is to flex my form, but I should not—and cannot to some extent now. So I falter instead. The cane is helpful as a reminder and as an aid.”

You ponder this as Dale drinks. What other instincts must he be fighting or controlling? You’d thought him careless, and perhaps he was at times, but in retrospect, his more obvious missteps seem to be when he was new to Dale or when he was particularly distracted or hungry. Thoughtless, but not careless actions. 

“Thank you for the tea,” Dale’s voice interrupts your thoughts and you see him setting the empty cup back on the saucer. He seems a bit subdued, or cautious, but perhaps he’s only attempting to be gentle with his voice on his throat.

“You’re certain you don’t need anything more? Nothing else burned you?” You scan his features for hints of holy water or sacred wax burns. You try not to get caught up just looking at him. His face is more his than the original Dale’s now, at least to you, and it's more attractive for it.

“No, no, the wax wasn’t pleasant, or minimizing my influence wasn’t, but it's already removed.” You look down and see the white wax, which still sticks loosely to the back of your hand, has already fallen off his, without leaving a mark. Or perhaps Dale had subtly flicked it off once out of the monsacrin.

“Good, good. While waiting for the ceremony to start, I’ll admit I began to worry that even the amount of light might be too much.”

“No, no. I’m not abyssal, I’m a sort of shade.” At your look of continued confusion, Dale carefully elaborates, “Shadow, not darkness. Shadow needs light to exist, it’s why we’re close to the surface even in the Depths and why we’re more able to handle the Surface, even if we need a vessel. I could suffer some negative effects if left exposed in strong direct sunlight, but to my understanding, so can humans.”

You're startled at the comparison, but he’s correct. “Yes, no one appreciates being sunburned.” Your mind spins with new information, is it going to be this easy to discuss such matters now? Will you finally be able to get to know all the things he’s kept hidden?

“Quite.”

The sound of the door opening is surprising enough you both turn quickly towards it. Dale’s hand goes to his sword without thought, only for Grandfather’s voice to be easily heard as Steward Bilmont walks in.

“…not a cloud in sight,” he’s saying, “the best sort of luck.” You think there’s an underlying irony to Grandfather’s tone that’s more humorous than worried now that this morning’s events have been resolved favorably. It reminds you of when Dale says things you thought were asides about his nature to you but evidently were only to himself.

“It was beautiful,” your mother answers, satisfaction in her voice that reminds you of when she finishes negotiations on a particularly favorable trade contract.

“There they are!” Grandmother announces as the group enters the room. Any wonder regarding if she’d been informed however briefly that the wedding had been called off is put to rest. There’s no chance Grandfather even hinted at such a thing. She pulls Dale into a hug, placing a kiss on his cheek, before tugging you over as well. She has a surprisingly strong grip.

“Congratulations, I am so happy for you,” she continues, joy evident in her expression. She focuses on Dale. “My grandson, married.”

“Grandmother,” Dale says, fondness evident in his voice.

“Yes, yes,” she pulls back, straightening his jacket. “You are not here to listen to your Grandmother’s pride. You are here for your own.”

“Grandmother,” Dale repeats, sounding a little more exasperated.

Grandmother just winks before turning to her desk where her secretary has begun to arrange the paperwork required for officially swearing in yourself and Dale as the reigning couple running Northridge.

“My child, you did well.” Your mother pulls you into an embrace as well, her flowery perfume overwhelming, but the hug is appreciated as is the sentiment. Asher does too, the only sibling present since he’s the one inheriting Portsmith, while your father works with his secretary on arranging the Portsmith paperwork. 

Callalily had to do something similar, sign the contracts clarifying her and her descendants' place in the inheritance order since she’d also married an inheriting lord. You’re not sure what Marigold had to sign. It was likely just a formality given her intention not to have children and her spouse wasn’t likely to inherit either. Douglas remains where he is, no marriage plans in sight—and nothing you’ve seen of him these past few days changes that impression, his sacrifice to distract mother aside.

“Dale, this is for you,” Grandfather presents him with a new, exquisite pen which Dale accepts with appropriate gravity and gratitude. 

The actual signing of the paperwork is rather boring, but you appreciate the continued respite from crowds. The Northridge charters are the more complex and there are a lot of them. The various papers solidifying what it's yours solely, what authority Grandmother and Grandfather maintain, what would cause any changes to that, Northridge’s succession line. That document does prompt a significant look from Grandmother as after Dale, the fief would go to Dale’s cousin Ferdinand and his child. Luckily she doesn’t actually say anything about heirs—yet.

Instead, she presents Dale with his signet ring—from one Lady of Northridge to her heir. Grandfather gives you your own too and the smile on his face as he does so convinces you that any suspicion he once had for you is in the past. 

There is a new formal inheritance list for Portsmith that’s officially signed too, placing yourself and Dale properly in the order along with any future children you might have—the typical rules that Northridge’s heir could not also inherit Portsmith are laid out. Some wish to combine fiefs, but those tend to be people who are particularly ambitious, new to nobility, or neighbors. Most wish to keep traditions and holdings separate. Not to mention the combination of certain fiefs is severely scrutinized by the Crown.

Of course, most of this is hypothetical and not expected to be needed. Asher has plenty of children to carry on the Portsmith line. Still, your family likes to be thorough and the Northridges have had enough surprises in recent succession to agree.

Since all the details had already been worked out, and no one tries to throw last minute spanners into the works, the whole process goes smoothly if a bit long. You sign the Northridge paperwork first, allowing you to sign the Portsmith ones with your new Northridge title. All the witnesses sign as well and it’s done. You’re now officially of Northridge and Dale is the reigning lord.

As soon as celebratory drinks are in everyone’s hands, Grandmother escorts the group to their family hall. It's clear this is the portion of the inheritance tradition she was looking forward to. “Right this way, we have had everything prepared, but even I have not laid eyes on the new additions.”

 Your country home had something similar, but far less official—all the portraits are from different eras and hopelessly outdated. You think yours is from when you went off to schooling at fifteen, which perhaps isn’t too long ago, but Marigold’s is when she was that age too. There are other more recent portraits throughout the manor, but a family portrait gallery isn’t particularly important to Portsmith traditions. The city estate at the port doesn’t even have that—gifted portraits or those bought to curry favor with different interests are what decorate its halls.

Northridge’s family hall is large and organized, with multiple portraits for family members at significant stages in life going back generations. With Dale’s marriage and inheritance, Grandmother has commissioned new portraits of him and you together. You sat for the painting when you first arrived, most of your figure had been completed before Dale arrived home, with only a session or two sat together. It had been a quiet, stiff affair and you’d been grateful when you could leave the painter to his work. You had stopped by his studio in the city, allowed him to make the adjustments and touch-ups he felt necessary, but they had not been terribly long.

When you finally come to a halt, there are not one or two portraits covered in sheets for a dramatic reveal—Grandmother insisted—but three. 

You’d been shown around the gallery when you first arrived, paying most attention to Grandmother and Grandfather’s as well as Dale’s parents and only coming back for a refresher when more of Dale’s family had begun to arrive. It is still grand and intimidating, more so with yourself being added now. 

“We are going to have a new portrait commissioned as well,” Grandmother says as they walk by her and Grandfather’s most recent portrait from at least twenty years ago. There’s a severity to them and a grief that tells it was only a few years after the loss of their son and daughter-in-law. They deserve to have a happier portrait hanging. The Northridge coat of arms, which used to hang above their portrait, has already been moved to hang over the unrevealed portrait of yourself and Dale. The wall above them looks strangely bare with its removal.

You gather around the unrevealed paintings in a half circle and Grandmother waits for everyone’s attention. “To commemorate your rise to Lord of Northridge and your marriage, there are three portraits to reveal. Firstly, I am delighted to reveal the official portrait of Dale Tiberius Archibald Remmington Quincey, Lord of Northridge.”

Bilmont pulls back the blue cloth to show the portrait of Dale in his black, white, and blue suit, the one which mirrored the Northridge colors on the crest now a few feet above the still hidden joint portrait. It too had been started when Dale first arrived, before the current Dale had taken over, and some of the original Dale’s arrogance and haughtiness is evident in his posture and the line of his back. 

Still, the artist had seen Dale since he’d changed and there are hints of that throughout. His stare is direct but less condescending, the blue of his eyes more vivid, but also kinder. He looks, not older, but more mature—the youth in his fearlessness tempered. It’s a masterful blend of both Dales and you’re relieved that it leans towards the new Dale without making the contrast between this portrait and the one prior to his travels too stark.

“It is lovely, Grandmother,” Dale says, giving her a kiss on the cheek.

“Of course it is,” she preens. “I was certain your travels and return would help you to grow into this responsibility. This portrait makes it obvious, how much you have matured into the man I always knew you could be. I am certain your parents would be proud of you.”

Dale is obviously at a loss for words and so are you, feeling a pang of pity for Grandmother, who could not see what her grandson had become nor that he is gone. Neither of you have to say anything because she continues before you can.

“And I have not overlooked your influence, my dear.” Grandmother’s cloudy eyes still manage to narrow in on you without difficulty. “Each day you have been here, you have solidified my knowledge that you were the perfect partner for my Dale. As you can see from the halls, traditions vary, but for you I knew we would want a portrait of you in your own right. Your parents were so understanding when I wrote to them.”

You turn in surprise to see them giving you a knowing smile. “We came to a most equitable arrangement. A copy of our most recent portrait of you,” you mother says with a pleased smile.

“In exchange for a copy of the portrait of you and your husband,” your father finishes. He nods to Bilmont and the steward obligingly reveals the portrait your parents had commissioned of you. 

For a second, you’re concerned that they’ll have merely replicated the one of you at fifteen. You do not mind that portrait—you had been immensely proud of standing for it at the time under your own power and looking wonderfully adult to your young eyes—but even after your first return from school, you had been struck by how young and frail you’d looked in it. 

This is a new portrait of you in a favored blue dress—not quite the vibrant Northridge blue nor Portsmith’s blue-gray, but somewhere in the middle. You’d worn it to a number of balls, including the one you first met Grandmother and Grandfather at. The painter must have attended a number of those galas because their skill in capturing your appearance is evident. You’d seen portraits painted that resembled the subjects very little and it was most common among those painted without formal sittings.

Your mother is saying something about the painter and his methods, as if hearing your thoughts, but you’re not really listening to her, you’re too busy studying the portrait.

The you in the painting is more flattering than the one you see most often in the mirror, today perhaps as an exception, but you can recognize yourself with ease. You are more clearly the age that you are now, a grown adult rather than a sickly child in the former painting. This you has thicker hair, less of your bones are prominent. You look less on edge and of course, your frame is fuller. Mother must have instructed the painter to give you a solidity you still don’t believe you have, always pushing for what she wants you to be rather than what you are. But it’s not egregious, even if there is more conviction in the set of this you’s jaw than you’ve ever truly felt. Again, except perhaps this morning when you sought out Dale to confront him. Overall, you find the expression pleasant, even if you think there’s something a bit off with your nose. 

It’s the other details in the portrait that hold your attention. There’s a banner with the Northridge coat of arms behind you, but a book with Portsmith’s coat on the cover in our hands. The spine of the book is for a medicinal textbook, and the tea on the high table you're positioned next to even seems to steam. The vase is full of plants you recognize from your tea blends—and each of the flowers from your siblings’ namesakes are present as well. 

“It’s lovely,” you say, glad your voice is soft enough that it doesn’t betray that you abruptly feel close to tears. 

“You’re welcome,” your father says, with a comforting squeeze to your shoulder.

Soon, Grandmother quiets you all down for the final reveal. “Lastly, allow me to present the Lord and Lady of Northridge.”

Dale’s outfit, his black suit and red waistcoat is so obviously one the original Dale wore, although to be honest, this Dale is drawn to bold colors too. You’re in your white and blue with black accents Northridge dress. The two of you are posed in front of the large windows in the south hall, the ones that lead to the gardens. The clothes and the pose are of the past, but the expressions are clearly from recent sittings. So is the way you’re turned toward each other, not dramatically, but more than before. You look together instead of just standing next to each other. Even Dale’s greater presence and more forward position has been rendered far more protective than attention-seeking.

The signet rings of Northridge glitter on your fingers in the painting, even though you’d not put them on until a few minutes ago. You look married in that portrait and it helps solidify in your mind that you are.

Dale reaches over to clasp your hand in his and you smile up at him, proud to be here, in this moment, with him.

-/-

In the end, the wedding luncheon is remarkably similar to the other galas and balls that you’ve been hosting for the past few weeks, baring the high sun. You make it through being announced without tripping. You make small talk with everyone who wants to—which is everyone. You manage a few additional moments with your family. You’re grateful your dancing is with limited partners as it’s considered ill luck for the newly weds to dance with any other than each other or their immediate families.

Unusually it drags as time passes, until it is time to leave at which point you feel as if only a few moments have passed since you entered. As the married couple, you do not have to stay hosting until late in the night this time. You’ve never felt as if you were sneaking away, as if you were getting away with shirking your duties, while such a large group sees you off. It’s very peculiar.

The other servants and your packed belongings likely left over an hour ago. Only your personal servants are leaving at the same time. You find yourself outside, bidding goodbye to your family, as you stand in front of your carriage with a suddenness that almost makes you dizzy.

Then Dale is holding out a hand for you, which you take, allowing him to help you into the carriage. You carefully adjust your skirts before and after you sit down on the comfortable plush bench. A carriage for two, only a few trunks sit opposite you giving more ample room for legs and skirts. You make space on your left for Dale and he soon joins you, folding himself into a seating position as soon as he can so as not to bump his head on the ceiling. 

“Are you settled, my spouse?” he asks as the door shuts. He pulls up the window nearly as quickly so as to ensure the air does not get stifling. 

You wonder if you’ll ever get tired of hearing him call you that. Somehow you don’t think you will. “Yes, I’m comfortable.”

“Lovely,” he replies, giving a quick smile which flashes the whites of his sharp teeth. He leans forward to wave cheerily at Grandmother before he knocks on the front wood separating yourselves from the driver and footman.

It only takes a minute for the driver to set the horses off and you pull away from Northridge estate to the sound of falling grain thrown by guests before they return to enjoying the festivities without you.

You do your best to wave goodbye to your family, but looking out the window for too long begins to upset your stomach. They’re out of sight before long as it is.

You settle back down in your seat and try to orient yourself, catching your breath in practice if not necessity.

“Water?” Dale offers, holding out a flask and wiping the back of his mouth with his free hand to indicate he’d just taken a sip himself.

You take the flask gratefully and drink some water to clear your mouth and throat. You pass it back to him with murmured thanks. The silence, the first in hours, fills the carriage.

Dale is the one who breaks it. He reaches for the basket on top and pulls out an apple. “I had them pack some foodstuff for us, given you tend not to eat much at these events—”

“And you are nearly always hungry,” you finish, accepting a grape. A mix of embarrassed and flattered that he knows you so well.

“Quite,” Dale says with a crooked smile.

You get caught in his gaze, like you haven’t since the very beginning. Perhaps instead of you becoming accustomed to it yourself, Dale had merely gotten better at controlling the way his presence could reel you in. Perhaps he isn’t trying so hard now that he knows that you know. Now that you’re finally alone.

“So I suppose we should—” Dale is cut off by a loud bark of laughter from the front of the carriage. Whoever made the sound, driver or footman, is quick to shut their mouth, but the reminder is well served. Dale smiles apologetically. “We should talk once we arrive at the lodge of any matters of import, perhaps not now.”

“No, you’re correct,” you sigh, feeling the day’s events weighing strongly on you. You adjust your seat, grateful you had insisted on Grandmother storing your veil for you here and not taking it on your travels. Your neck bends at an awkward angle when you try to rest it against the inner frame. A bump in the road, still being worked on, causes you to sit straighter and give up on the idea of leaning against the carriage side.

“We can speak of other matters,” you say, though you’d actually like little more than to stop talking and nap. The day had begun so much earlier than usual, in order for you to be ready before the mid-morning ceremony, and had been so busy that you’re exhausted.

“Of course,” Dale says. “We’ll have an entire week at the lodge, before we go on to Riverton. It’s been many years since, em, I’ve been there, but it’s an industrious city, with a river that has hopefully enough water for you to feel at home…”

You listen as Dale elaborates on some specific memories he has of the city, more than the names of officials, and where you would visit as discussed with Grandmother and Grandfather. He isn’t explicit, in case either servant up front can hear, but you can read between the lines far more easily now that he isn’t pretending these are his own memories. He’s careful to keep his voice lower to minimize the others' hearing, but loud enough for you to pick out above the clatter of the carriage on the road.

The overall effect is soothing and comfortable. It’s easy to close your eyes, to sway a little in your seat. Dale’s hand ends up in your lap at some point, and your hands cover it without remembering having done so. The day hadn’t been overwhelmingly hot, but it's warm and you’re so tired. Not just from today, but from the whole past month. From before that when you were anxious to meet the original Dale and dealing with him once you had. From the weeks and months spent searching for a spouse. It all seems to be catching up with you at once.

You drift off with the motion of the carriage, and the sound of Dale’s voice in your ear, his strength and presence comfortingly close by.

[Part Thirty-Three]

[coffeeheartaddict2]

Green with Envy

Book: Open Heart (post series)

Pairing: Ethan Ramsey x F!MC Casey Ramsey, featuring F!OC Dr Estelle Campion

Word count: 772

Warnings: brief mention of bio- weapon attack

Catergory: fluff with slight angst

Rating: PG

Summary: Despite normally keeping PDA to a minimum in public, especially at work, Casey feels the need to mark her territory, especially after a not so pleasant encounter with Dr Estelle Campion

Disclaimer: Characters belong to Pixelberry.

Authors note: Prompt from this list as requested @jerzwriter I hope you enjoy my take Elsa. This story uses prompt 46

😘😘😘😘😘😘😘😘😘

It had been several days since her unpleasant encounter with Dr Campion. She had told Ethan what had happened and he was furious. She knew what she was alleging was untrue, her and Ethan loved each other very much, despite their busy work schedules and but she could not shake the feeling that she would try something. She knew that Ethan had met her, told her once and for all that there would be any form of relationship with her but she knew of her history and whilst she was still working at Edenbrook Casey was not so sure that she would not try anything again.

Casey, as well as Ethan and Tobias had managed to avoid her and as far as Casey was concerned the end of the study that she was involved in could not come quick enough.

Meanwhile Estelle was still shaken. She remembered Ethan having quite the temper from her time in Hopkins, however, she had never seen an outburst from such a protective stance. The fact that he had grown, moved on, confronted the demons that plagued him in medical school was a shock. Sure, the reluctance to get closure on his mother was more than understandable and the fears he had about being in a relationship were perfectly valid but to change so much, that is what shook her.

As much as Ethan, Casey and to an extent Tobias tried to steer clear of Estelle, there were times where paths crossed. Many times the other party was able to turn away but today there was no escape. It was a luncheon for senior staff and research teams to celebrate the success the research department had been having with some studies advancing to the human trial phase with the FDA. The mood was jovial, celebrating the success of others and just the general high morale with a hospital with Caroline Bloom at the helm meant that those who normally shied away from these functions actually looked forward to it.

Casey was talking to Tobias, questioning him as to why he has not taken the Maitotoxin antidote into the research realm when Ethan came over.

“I will shadow Casey’s question Tobias, why not?”

“So shall I take the me being questioned as to why by you that I, as well as the team members who worked on the antidote to pursue the research?”

Casey was taken aback.

“We agreed as a team to not publish or do future research without yours and Rafael’s explicit consent. Yes the breakthrough was huge but it did not mean we were not affected by the situation.” Said Tobias.

“I can not speak on Raf’s behalf. I am for the research to be conducted ,Tobias. Enough time has pass, it does not mean it was not traumatic but let some good come from it.”

Tobias nodded his head. He made a point to contact Raf and discuss with him.

Unbeknownst to the trio, they had been spied upon by Estelle. She knew she shouldn’t be jealous but she was. It was apparent after Ethan’s outburst that she had been consigned the the scrap heap of both Ethan and Tobias’s lives. She did understand why but it did not make it hurt any less.

Tobias eventually went to mingle and Ethan and Casey spoke to other guests. Everyone they spoke too was excited that the Diagnostics Team was going to eventually have a research arm and a medical arm. Casey stated that when her and Tobias took over that is what they wanted to do long term and she too was excited, it was also daunting in a way as she would be in charge of the medical arm but as everyone said the results were speaking for themselves. A humbled Casey squeezed Ethan’s hand, that was as much public affection they embarked on, that and the occasional brief and chaste kiss but looking around she saw Dr Campion staring directly at her and Ethan. She could feel her blood start to boil. In that moment she thought to hell with their rules. She turned to face Ethan, reached her hand and traced his jaw then kissed him hard. Ethan was taken aback but returned the kiss. They separated after a few minutes and when Casey looked she could see the back of Dr Campion, rushing away and she thought to herself, “yes he is mine and you can not have him.”

Estelle left when she saw the kiss. She was even more jealous now and if it was not already, it was now crystal clear that Ethan was well entruly lost to her.

—-

Authors note: thanks for the prompt Elsa. I decided to do Casey making someone jealous, it was easier for me to write.

Tagging: @jerzwriter @liaromancewriter @cariantha @jamespotterthefirst @genevievemd @crazy-loca-blog @bex-la-get @a-crepusculo @alj4890 @zealouscanonindeer @potionsprefect @tessa-liam @youlookappropriate @schnitzelbutterfingers @binny1985 @socalwriterbee

@choicesficwriterscreations @openheartfanfics

[jbaileyfansite]

Jonathan Bailey's interview with The Standard (2023)

(TW: this interview contains a story of Jonny being threatened by an homophobe in DC the day after the Human Campain Rights Gala)

Queer as Folk, Will & Grace, It’s a Sin: it’s not as if TV hasn’t tackled the gay male experience – and well – before. But I can’t think of a gay, straight (as it were) drama that matches the sweep and sheer mainstream gloss of Ron Nyswaner’s new eight-part Paramount+ series Fellow Travelers. 

Nor can I think of one that does sex quite as brilliantly – frequent, searingly hot, sometimes tender, sometimes perfunctory, sometimes borderline brutal (one of the writers’ rules, Nyswaner has said, was “that we would never repeat the same act. When we got to episode eight, we were really kind of flummoxed”) and always articulate in a way that the necessarily secretive characters can’t be.  

It’s certainly the first series I’ve seen that explores gay relationships in such an unapologetic yet nuanced and, frankly, expensive way, I tell Bailey, when I meet him at the Corinthia hotel in London. 

“Totally,” he says. “And you can see it on the screen; the respect. In the early 90s, you needed a straight superstar like Tom Hanks [in Philadelphia, also written by Nyswaner] to bring a queer story and commission it. Cut to thirty years later, and it's the story itself that is the commissionable thing.”

I think the heartthrob star of Bridgerton is underselling his own clout a bit. The series follows the love affair between Tim Laughlin, an idealistic young congressional staffer (Bailey), and the vastly more experienced, cynical and outrageously handsome State Department official Hawkins ‘Hawk’ Fuller (Matt Bomer, whose all-American jawline could open a can of luncheon meat) that begins at the height of McCarthyism.

It jumps around a thirty-year timeline, expanded beyond the mid-century scope of Thomas Mallon’s original novel, to explore the relationship’s far-reaching repercussions, and the way that legislated oppression shapes people.

The other thing that stands out about the series, which begins in 1953 at the start of the Lavender Scare – the government crackdown on homosexual federal employees that resulted in upwards of 5,000 losing their jobs, and an alarming number taking their own lives – is that all the gay leads are played by out gay actors.

Bailey has said before that the important thing is gay stories being told, rather than slavishly ‘appropriate’ casting, and “I still 100 per cent stand by the fact that I think all actors should be able to do everything,” he says. “But to have gay actors chronicling the oppression and the trauma of it, I think it only adds to the experience. It's exciting that people welcome it.”

It’s encouraging too, that an out gay man was trusted to anchor a heteromantic behemoth like Bridgerton, to the point that having been snapped at Wimbledon with Ariana Grande (with whom he stars next year in the movie of Wicked), a newspaper was calling his agent threatening to out him as straight (“I'm in two minds about whether that's a really good sign of progression”). But all this progress is set against a sobering backdrop.

Rights for women and LGBTQ+ people are being rolled back across the world. Hate crimes based on sexuality have risen by 112 per cent in the last five years in England and Wales alone. How does he feel, right now, I ask him. After a moment’s consideration, he tells me a story that shocks me to my core.

He’d been to Washington DC, he tells me, at an annual event for the LGBTQ+ organisation The Human Rights Campaign. 

“It was an incredible experience,” he says, sitting one leg tucked under on a tasteful beige chaise longue. “I met President Biden. I was there with Shonda Rhimes, she was being given an award, Matt Bomer was given another one; I was introducing him. My first political gala. I had the most amazing night; had a drink; couldn't sleep; buzzing.

“I woke up the next morning, it was like a montage. Sunshine, I was like, this is brilliant. I went into a coffee shop, and I was wearing a Human Rights Campaign cap from the night before. And the young lady who I was ordering from recognised me from Bridgerton, we were just chatting.

“And a man arrived behind me and he said, ‘Are you famous?’ And I said something like, 'I'm really famous for ordering coffee,' which is actually quite an annoying thing to say,” he laughs. “And then he got my cap, and he pulled it off my head and he threw it across the room and he said, ‘get out of this f***ing coffee shop, you queer.”

The room went still, Bailey remembers. But he walked over, picked up his hat, and put it back on his head. “If you don't take that cap off, I'm gonna f***ing shoot you,” it came again. “Where I'm from, people like me kill people like you.”

It was, of course, terrifying. But “in the moment, everything slows down,” he says. “No one knew what to do, apart from one girl, she was amazing. Angela, she came up, and she got her phone out and she said, ‘I'm recording this message, I think you are welcome in this country. And what you're saying, I think, is appalling.’ That happened sort of five minutes in, and he left.”

The man was from Pennsylvania (yes, Bailey did ask), and what Bailey took from the experience, he says, is that “potentially, there is a kid who – that's his father. That's his uncle. That's his teacher.” 

He pauses. “My life was threatened. My body believed it; my brain didn't and it took me a while to really catch up with it. But I've got friends and security. There are so many people that don't. They are surrounded by that every day, and the torment of what that must be like, the amount of fear that was generated... If that's what children are surrounded by, they're not going to be able to grow in any way.

“And of course, that's not just an American story,” he continues. “It's international. And it's terrifying, that [here in the UK] we're not looking after queer people, in terms of allowing them into the country. Because that is the reality; people’s lives are literally at risk.”

He says the messages he’s been getting in response to the show bear this out. “People are still living in the closet. Or they’ve had a moment where they're watching and they realise, that was their father's story, or their mother's story; or it’s people who have been affected by this, but for the first time are understanding the trauma.

“People are so shocked that this is such recent history, but the majority of people in the world are living under that sort of belief system. And people on Instagram message from areas in the world where just getting through the day without being outed is survival.”

Bailey, 35, grew up in rural Oxfordshire as the youngest of four and the only boy to an audiologist mother and a father who worked for Rowse Honey. He had nothing but support and love within his family, but even he internalised shame from the way gay people were represented in the media when he was growing up. 

“The majority of gay people were either the butt of jokes, or being caught in sexual acts and considered deviants, or they were committing suicide, or they're dying of AIDS,” he says. 

He’s spoken before about an episode of Casualty he saw, aged 11, with exactly the latter storyline, “and I do remember that episode, viscerally, and crying and being like, that's what I'm [going to be]. And that isn't Casualty’s fault. It's brilliant to have that story out there. But it was the lack of variety, of access to being allowed to feel that you're going to be okay.”

Having said that, he says, “every five years is a different gay generation. It was nowhere near as tough as if I'd have been born 15 years earlier. Me and my friends, two in four, if not three in four, would not be here.” 

His relationship status is off-limits. There’s “a lovely man”, but that’s all he’ll say. “It's not secret, but it's private,” he says. “Having a private life is, for me, completely critical. I don't know if I would be able to be as confident to speak out on other things if I felt that my whole life was up for grabs.”

Bailey’s next big screen project is Wicked, playing Fiyero alongside Grande as Glinda and Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba. At one point though, he was doing that, Fellow Travelers and Bridgerton at the same time, which sounds insane.

“On World AIDS Day last year, I was in Canada playing Tim on the AIDS ward,” he says (you know this from the start, no spoilers here). “And then I wrapped, went straight to the airport, slept on the plane, got up and went straight to a Regency ball, slept in a hotel in London overnight and then went and danced with Ariana Grande for a day, my first day of rehearsal. Then I came back and burnt some conscription papers for the Vietnam War on the Monday.”

He’s got big plans of his own too – galvanised by the gala in Washington, he’s been working with the charity Just Like Us, which brings queer speakers into schools. "You're twice as likely to be bullied if you're gay, or queer," he says. "And yet if there's positive LGBTQ+ messaging within the school system, 100 per cent of people's mental health and happiness increases. It's a no brainer." He is planning to establish a foundation next year, to consolidate his charitable work.

But for now he’s glad to be home for a bit. Bailey moved out of London to be closer to his Nana during lockdown, and stayed (“I was watching Strictly with her the other day”). She’s 93, born in 1930, so “we worked out she's the same age as Tim. So we charted everything that Tim experiences with where she was, and it was amazing,” he says.

“I knew that she had known one gay man at work in her life, because that obviously came up when I was having conversations about who I am, and I knew he had taken his own life. She's watching Fellow Travelers, and it's really emotional for her because she's, I think for the first time, really being allowed to understand what might have been going on.”

She's “blown away” by the show, he says. They haven’t talked about “specific scenes”, but “she said to my sister – ‘I didn't know he had it in him.’ I actually want that on a T-shirt.”

Source

[mariacallous]

When Democratic senators convened for a private luncheon on Thursday, all eyes were on Sen. Bob Menendez. The hard-nosed and hawkish New Jersey Democrat, a longtime heavyweight in congressional foreign policy, has faced a wave of calls from his own party to resign. It comes in the wake of a damning indictment alleging he secretly worked to advance the interests of a foreign power, Egypt, in exchange for bribes, and sought to influence criminal charges against businessmen involved in the scheme.

Menendez, who has denied any wrongdoing and pleaded not guilty to the charges, had to give up his gavel as chairman of the powerful Senate Foreign Relations Committee after the indictment was released last week. Going into the luncheon, he had two options: accede to the demands of the majority of Democratic senators calling on him to resign, or dig in his heels and fight.

To the surprise of no one who knows him, Menendez chose to fight.

During the meeting, according to two people with direct knowledge of it, Menendez doubled down on what he said in public: He is innocent of the charges and has no plans to step down. His defense appeared to win him no new allies. Sen. Chris Coons, another Democratic foreign-policy heavyweight who also chairs the Ethics Committee, left the luncheon when Menendez got up to speak. So did two other members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee—Sens. Jeanne Shaheen and Brian Schatz, according to the people briefed on the matter. None of the nearly 30 Democratic senators who called on him to resign have backtracked.

Menendez’s defiant stand at the congressional luncheon offered a glimpse into the political fallout from the indictment, and a foretaste of major changes in one of the most historic and vaunted institutions in Congress, with significant implications for U.S. foreign policy.

Foreign Policy spoke with more than a dozen current and former staffers on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, as well as lawmakers and outside experts on the fallout of the indictment and what it means for Congress and the Biden administration’s agenda. Menendez’s office did not respond to a request for comment or interview.

The first is that the scandal has rocked a vaunted committee with a storied legacy in foreign policy, and one that has served as a relative bastion of bipartisanship and stability while the rest of Washington descends into hyper-partisan rancor. The committee has produced eight U.S. presidents and 19 secretaries of state, from Andrew Jackson to John F. Kennedy to Joe Biden. Its cadre of professional staff has gone on to leading roles in the State Department and Pentagon, including Antony Blinken, Biden’s secretary of state, whose job as Democratic staff director on the committee spring-boarded his rise.

Lawmakers and staffers alike say they are stunned and saddened by the revelations outlined in the indictment. “There’s no way other than to say the allegations against Sen. Menendez are horrific,” Sen. Ben Cardin, who succeeded Menendez as chairman of the committee, told reporters before the luncheon on Thursday. “That is extremely challenging for all of us here.”

The charges against Menendez and his wife directly implicate his work on the committee, including allegations that he shared a confidential blueprint of the U.S. Embassy in Egypt’s staffing rosters with an Egyptian businessman through his wife, who then forwarded it to Egyptian officials. “Such tasking by the Egyptians would be consistent with classic modus operandi in a recruitment operation,” Asha Rangappa, a former senior FBI official, and Marc Polymeropoulos, a former senior CIA official, wrote in Just Security.

The indictment also alleges that Menendez provided advance notice of non-public information on the release of U.S. military aid to Egypt and even ghost-wrote a letter for the government of Egypt requesting more U.S. military aid. The FBI has reportedly launched a counterintelligence probe into whether Egyptian intelligence services were involved in the alleged scheme, according to NBC News. 

Menendez has in the past week repeatedly insisted that the allegations are false. Menendez was previously charged with corruption, but those charges ended in a mistrial in 2017, and his message to his colleagues and supporters was that he overcame corruption charges before and could do so again. Still, there’s no modern precedent for the scandal the Senate Foreign Relations Committee now faces, even as Cardin and the top Republican on the committee, Idaho Sen. Jim Risch, vow to get immediately back to business on the committee’s work—if the looming government shutdown doesn’t stop them first.

A spokesperson for Risch downplayed the effect of the scandal on the committee itself. “One person alone does not determine the work of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, even the chairman,” the spokesperson said. “All four leaders of the House and Senate foreign relations committees have roles and rights as leaders of these important national security committees. Among other things, this helps to ensure one person does not have undue influence on the foreign policy of the U.S. Congress.”

Another takeaway is that Menendez stepping back from the committee is likely permanent, even if he overcomes the second round of corruption charges he has faced and wins an uphill reelection battle.

Menendez, who has served as either chair or ranking member of the committee for the better part of a decade, was a brash and strong-willed lawmaker who had no qualms getting into brass-knuckle political clashes with senior national security officials in Republican and Democratic administrations alike. His ouster removes an ardent hawk from a key Senate leadership position who challenged his own party on policies from Iran to engagement with Cuba to major foreign arms sales. It could give the Biden administration more leeway to defrost ties with Cuba, where every move it made was met with withering criticism from Menendez. He also stood out as a prominent supporter of Israel at a time when support for Israel in the Democratic caucus is wilting.

There could be some tangible impacts on foreign policy, too. Some committee aides hope that Cardin, who they say has a better personal rapport with Risch than Menendez did, can work more effectively to address the growing backlog of nominations for senior diplomatic posts sitting before the committee. The day after Cardin took the committee gavel, the committee sent out a notice that it would be holding nomination hearings for the posts of U.S. ambassador to Somalia and Liberia, as well as a top posting for the U.S. Peace Corps.

There are 37 nominees for senior diplomatic and foreign aid posts pending on the Senate floor, including 23 ambassador nominees, an issue that’s been plaguing the State Department for years as ambassador posts sit unfilled for months or longer. “That’s outrageous,” Cardin said. “Not having a confirmed ambassador in a country weakens the United States’ national security.”

Menendez’s sidelining also removes one roadblock to a planned U.S. sale of F-16 fighter jets to NATO ally Turkey. Menendez led the charge in blocking the arms sale over Turkey’s internal repression and opposition to allowing Finland and Sweden to join the NATO alliance. (Finland has joined, but Sweden is still being held up by Turkey and Hungary.) “One of our most important problems regarding the F-16s were the activities of U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez against our country,” Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan told reporters this week, as The Associated Press reported. Cardin declined to say whether he would adopt Menendez’s position on the arms sale, though other senators remain opposed to it.

Finally, the fallout from the indictment could bring new levels of scrutiny to the U.S. relationship with Egypt, a longtime ally that is one of the top recipients of U.S. military aid in the world, worth around $1.3 billion per year. Sen. Chris Murphy, a leading progressive Democrat on the committee who has called on Menendez to resign, told Foreign Policy in a statement that he wanted an investigation into Egypt’s actions with Menendez. Senators “have a responsibility to understand whether Egypt was running an illicit influence campaign on the Foreign Relations Committee,” he said.

The United States has for decades viewed Egypt as a reliable partner and ally, particularly in the context of its relationship with Israel, but a growing number of lawmakers on both sides of the aisle are questioning that orthodoxy. Human rights and democracy groups charge that Egypt under President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has taken a sharply authoritarian bent, and say that continuing the U.S. relationship with Cairo undermines U.S. values and democracy promotion.

A group of lawmakers has repeatedly tried to cut aid to Egypt in recent years, though it has only made limited gains. Days before Menendez’s indictment was unveiled, the Biden administration approved $235 million in aid to Egypt, invoking a waiver on the grounds of national security. Only a fraction of U.S. aid was withheld, to the dismay of lawmakers more concerned about human rights. Since 1946, the United States has provided Egypt with more than $85 billion in military and economic aid.

Human rights advocates and other policy experts are already calling for the Biden administration to rethink that decision. “The immediate action should be to put a hold on that assistance to Egypt until there is proper time to investigate this further,” said Mai El-Sadany, executive director of the Tahrir Institute for Middle East Policy, a think tank. “Allowing this to go through would send the wrong message for the U.S. at a very wrong time.”

Rep. Gregory Meeks, the top Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, on Friday called for the administration to pause a portion of funding to Egypt but did not mention the Menendez indictment in his statement.

The Egyptian Embassy in Washington did not respond to a request for comment.

Egypt has many supporters in Congress beyond Menendez, and Menendez has repeatedly criticized the Egyptian government over human rights violations and detaining political prisoners and journalists. But human rights advocates and lawmakers hope the Menendez indictment triggers a broad rethink of U.S.-Egypt relations.

Tom Malinowski, a former New Jersey Democratic representative who also served as a senior State Department official in the Obama administration, says it’s well past time to reassess the U.S. relationship with Egypt. He has joined a chorus of New Jersey Democrats calling on Menendez to resign.

“The Egyptians behave as if they can get away with just about anything. They act as if they have protectors behind the scenes in Washington who will ensure the money keeps flowing no matter what,” Malinowski said. “This episode perhaps helps explain in part why they have treated the U.S. aid as an entitlement for so many years.”

[popculturelib]

Astute readers may have noticed that most of the posts this week have featured recipes for canning peaches. That's because August is National Peach Month! To close out the week, here's a book from the California Canning Peach Industry with recipes that use peaches - specifically canned ones. Here's a small selection of recipes and some fun facts for your enjoyment of this wonderful fruit!

The Browne Popular Culture Library (BPCL), founded in 1969, is the most comprehensive archive of its kind in the United States.  Our focus and mission is to acquire and preserve research materials on American Popular Culture (post 1876) for curricular and research use. Visit our website at https://www.bgsu.edu/library/pcl.html.

101 Answers to a Thousand and One Meal-Planning Problems

Does ever a day go by that you don't ask yourself, "What shall we have for dessert tonight?" or "What kind of salad can I make for dinner?" or "How can I dress up a thrifty meat loaf?" You know all the questions! But if you want easy, ever-popular, ever-thrifty answers, then turn to Peaches.

Not that we are suggesting you serve Peaches three times a-day, seven days a week! What we do say, is that you can solve almost any menu problem, anytime, with this cheerful, golden and economical fruit.

That's why this little book has been written—to help you with your every-clay-and-Sunday meal planning, and to remind you at the same time of the dozens of good things that can be served up in a jiffy or two with California Canned Peaches as the important ingredient. Right from the can, of course, they make a never-failing dessert. But that is just the beginning! The rest of the story is told in the pages that follow.

We hope you'll enjoy the recipes, menus and other suggestions. And we are sure you'll realize that it's a good idea always to keep plenty of Canned Peaches on hand—at least a couple of cans of both the Sliced and Halves. You'll find them about the best menu insurance you can imagine!

Canned Fruits for Salad and Fruit Cocktail, in which California Peaches are an important item, are likewise called for frequently in the menus and recipe-suggestions that follow. You will find these ready-to-serve fruity mixtures a great convenience in dressing up many a dinner and luncheon.

A Few More Facts Worth Knowing

—that the Peaches packed by California canners are selected from the best California strains and are specially developed and specially grown for canning pur-poses—best for looks, best for taste, best for food.

—that California Cling Peaches are available everywhere in Halves and Sliced; and, in some stores, as whole, spiced, sweet pickled or in other special forms.

—that you can buy either Halves or Sliced in various sizes (and un-der various brands) to suit your convenience. The large or No. 2 can contains approximately 3M cups of fruit and syrup; the me-dium or No. 2 can contains approximately 2M cups; and the small or No. 1 can contains approximately 2 cups.*

*United Stales Department of Agriculture —Miscellaneous Publication No. 193.

—that Fruit Cocktail is a blend of diced California Peaches, pears and pineapple along with seedless grapes and Maraschino cherries—ready to serve.

—that Fruits for Salad is a conve-nient combination of California Peaches, pears, apricots, pineapple and Maraschino cherries in pieces of suitable sizes, canned in a de-licious syrup—ready for instant use.

—that Canned Peaches are a source of vitamins A, B, and C;** that the edible nutrients are carbohydrates (10.8%), proteins (.7%) and fats (.1%)**.

—that California Canned Peaches are one of the most economical, yet most popular of all canned foods—and may be bought in any grocery store in the country.

** Sherman: Chemistry of Food and Nutrition, 4th Edition

[dnd4adults]

Tales from the Great Library

A few days later . . . Extra-dimensional Spaces

Andros and Khazpar meet outside the House of Rest at high sun, to share a light repast before the afternoon’s martial practice. Neither have seen hide nor hair of Hyram or Teddy all day -- unusual considering the quartet have become rather a clique since The Bath House Incident. The missing pair appear as luncheon concludes, both halfling and half-elf appearing tired and dusty. Teddy explains they've been up half-the-night, searching for a missing scholar. 

As he and Hyram grew up in the Great Library, they naturally explored all the labyrinthine passages, vaulted collection chambers, tuked away staircases, and vaults long ago, so the logical choices to rouse out before dawn, when Missing Matreous needed finding. After nine hours’ searching, however, nothing!

Highly unlikely anyone would disappear from within the Great Library, especially one of the Avowed. Become lost in its three-dimensional maze of collections? Certainly. That happens all the time. But, to vanish without a trace? Never. Too many people about, and arcane safeguards preventing that. Even sorcerers and wizards can't teleport in or out wherever they please. They use teleportation circles in the Spire. Even invisible persons and objects have that illusions stripped away whenever they pass through one of the Great Library's archway, and there's well more than a thousand.

Teddy insists the only way in or out, other than the gate, is by transforming oneself into a bird to fly over rooftops and walls. Perhaps Matreous did something of the sort in response to an urgent message he'd received, choosing a small-swift no one would notice – but why depart without a word to anyone? And, why leave personal possessions scattered about the study chamber he used?

What' i's more, Khora Kharran directed a sending to Matreous' family, at mid-morning, confirming the Sage hasn’t returned home. In fact, Missing Matreous has presented the perfect "locked door" mystery, baffling all and sundry, alike. The Sage's disappearance also raises serious questions about the genuine state of security.

Hyram: We were just steppin' over t'give his chamber a looky-loo. Maybe you Big Folk'd care to join? Make yourselves useful for a change? Poke into high corners an' sneeze out the dust mephits. That sorta thing.

Fistandia’s Permanent Magnificent Mansion (FPMM)

Within the study chamber Matreous habitually occupied, Andros and Teddy have little trouble translating marginalia penned onto the pages of Extradimensional Spaces. Andros speaks the word “scepter” aloud, causing the magical doorway to be revealed in one wall – access to Fistandia's Permanent Magnificent Mansion. 

Certain they've solved the Mystery of Missing Matreous, four men open the arcane portal and step through, Hyram leading. Sure enough, the gnomish Sage himself stands smack in the middle of a foyer, having become stranded in the extra-dimensional space all of three days ago. Over-eager to say scepter and explore Fistandia's astounding creation, he neglected to finish studying her hand-cribbed notes, so never learned the command word to re-open the door from the inside.

Matreous recognizes Brother Teddy on site, of course, and charges him with securing FPMM for deeper research by preparing its treasures for removal and cataloging. Fortunately, the Brother's brought a halfling along to poke in low-dirty places, and a pair of human giants for heavy lifting. Matreous, himself, will take the statuette he discovered already and withdraw, keeping the doorway open from the other side. 

The moment Matreous departs, however, back in his favorite chamber, the gnome bursts forth a curdling screech and doors slam tight!

THE MAGNIFICENT MANSION

M5 - STUDY Hyram befriends a cat.

M4 - EXERCISE ROOM Hyram tries to take the magic broom, starting a battle!

M3 - LIBRARY Attacked by a swarm of animated books! Hyram pockets the jeweled letter opener. Teddy spots Mordenkainen's book lettered R and (Int 20 Natural) remembers its mate, I, in the Study.

M6 - KITCHEN Hyram discovers cat heaven! The others meet homunculi Cumin and Coriander. Andros (Int 18) realizes from their presence Fistandia is still be alive

M7 - PANTRY

M8 - DINING ROOM Mimic chair attacks! Hyram confiscates silverware and service as payment for nearly being eaten by an ugly stick of furniture.

M9 - ARBORETUM Cumin and Coriander warned them about faerie dragons here, so four men were more-or-less prepared for the creature’s antics -- although not euphoria breath. Following four spectacularly missed saving throws, what followed is very the reason faerie dragons say, Tee hee! 

What begins as a Short Rest . . . idle banter and friendly taunting, looping back to The Bath House Incident – "Tee hee!" – that lip-lock Teddy put on Khazpar – "Tee hee!" – how the turbaned man kissed right back – "Tee hee!" – an open dare to re-create the scene – "Tee hee!" . . . ends up requiring a Long Rest. Hyram wakes first, dresses, and returns to the kitchen after vittles.

M14 - Trophy Room Mordenkainen Book Y

M15 - BEDROOM Mordenkainen Book E

M11 - LABORATORY Mordenkainen Book T

M12 - PLANETARIUM Khazpaar figures out the telescope puzzle.

M13 - CHAINED LIBRARY Animated, chained books attack! Andros claims the dagger +1 and Martial Attack Techniques. Mordenkainen Book L.

M17 - ALCHEMICAL LABORATORY Teddy claims the reagents for the Great Library (50 gp.) Hyram and Andros split the potions of healing. Mordenkainen Book B.

M18 - SUMMONING ROOM Attacked by a quasit!

M19 - PRESERVED MENAGERIE Crawling claws nearly throttle Hyram!

Having exploring the entire mansion Teddy deciphers the command word liberty, re-opening the door and permitting egress. In the study chamber four men find Matreous hideously murdered, and are attacked by Fistandia's imp! Followings its destruction Teddy summons Adjutants to take charge of the gnome's body and FPMM.

Next day, Hyram sells the jeweled letter opener, silverware, and silver service for 40 gp. Teddy sells the alchemical supplies for half-price, 25 gp. They split the earning with Andros and Khazpar; 16.25 gp, each.

[sun-like-dem-bones]

Does anyone else feel like they're scraping by on basically handouts?

I know many in the US can relate that we rely on staying on our parents insurance till the cutoff at 26. I even got away with using both mine (when I had any) and my parents insurance to save money at the eye doc. Being half blind is a hugely taken-for-granted cost in life. It's still expensive no matter who's your insurer. Someone tell me an insurance plan for free exams and glasses/contacts even EXISTS.

I am so. So willing to do things in other people's names. I started making appointments for massages in my mother's name as she has a bunch of credits rolling over that she can't use. I wouldn't be getting massages at all otherwise.

I use my sister's phone number at various department stores when I had to spend the whole day looking for an adult luxury type look for a first impression luncheon at my job. Since she is a credit card member to big store chains, they occasionally have good deals only for those customers. And I just give them a "hmm let's try this number". And like, they KNOW. They just ask "insert sister's name" and I say "yes that's it!"

Having nice clothes is something I can't afford after having been laid off for two months. Let alone putting together a "look" all in one shopping trip. Usually I can only afford to thrift my clothes, which is where any sort of quality clothes from the 1990s and 2000s has ended up anyway. Being able to dress myself and slowly build my closet for less than $50 a month? A doable expense. Furniture from homegoods or Walmart? Or target when there's a sale? It'll have to do. Even if it is lightweight crap that will barely survive one apartment move. At least it won't require strong-person(s) labor cost.

I'm sure people have been sharing phone numbers for retail points for much longer than the birth of streaming subscriptions. No one is a goody two shoe about sharing services and now for most things you can't. I wonder how those van lifers even do their own.

Having room on your credit card(s) just to pay rent while you're laid off is a huge save or I would lose everything and move to another state with my mom. Probably couldn't rent again for 7 years and I could let mom watch me struggle to even get out of her hair. Look mom the system you thrive(d) in makes it impossible for me to even be independent from you! So much for empty nesting! 😜

It is an eventuality I have to accept. I don't know how often layoffs happen in the past but both times had nothing to do with my quality of work in the short span of basically about 3-4 years of corporate work? If I get laid off again this year, the state government won't help me again. I will probably sink $10k more into debt in a matter of months. And not much less than that if I got laid off in any year after this one.

I look for remote/hybrid jobs because I subtract the cost of the salary/hourly pay with the gas it takes for rush hour in a major metropolitan area. My internship was a huge help to even get me where I am today... Two hour commute, twice a day. Laid off the minute my university decided they won't require internships due to the pandemic.

Oh my god and do you know how long I can put off car maintenance!? Thankfully it's nothing serious like a check engine light or constantly having to pour more oil into a car that just eats a quart like its maple syrup every week. But I do have an axle throwing grease from like 6 months ago. It's basically no bigger an issue than a toddler burping up their spit. My tires are 6 years old now from the previous owner and the guy said the sidewall cracking is basically very slow dry rot while I have plenty of tread left. I feel like a grandma who's going to eventually hand her car down to some very appreciative grandkids. Old but low mileage and well kept up with.

Having folks that did decent for their time can be a huge privilege. Some well-doing parents are assholes and don't help at all for sure. I got a used reliable car after graduating so I could drive downtown to college and work. And it's literally a luxury nowadays to have a car as reliable as that thing for that long and for what? No car payment and therefore minimal insurance cost. Throwing 115,000 miles on it in, I dunno, 3 years? (I don't know what was more mileage, delivering pizza or commuting 80mi to and from work and college for a couple semesters) Gotta blow $600 on a new radiator or alternator here or there? Eh. Couple hood smushes from fender benders? Pff. Nuthin'

Well. Except gas.

Your boomer parents could even call it a handout to let you stay with them at a discounted rate of rent these days. Even more so if it's free as long as you're working/in school.

I wouldn't have a degree without my family's help, because, hear me out.

The government wouldn't even loan me enough to cover the cost that I couldn't afford.

Between the maximum that they would loan me, and what I could come up with working full-time summers and part time during school, LiViNg at HoMe, would only cover 2/3rds of the price of my tuition.

Frankly having to do both school and work hurt my ability to do well in actually retaining the information, and having better grades. For difficult degrees like art, architecture and really any of the sciences, I barely passed when I didn't have to work that one year. And then we decided well, you scraped by with a D in one class so you will be behind a year to take things in order. It was already unaffordable at this 5 year trajectory plan. Come home and figure something else out.

It's insane to me that so much had to happen to even get me where I am and-

I just. I feel like, you're either struggling at rock bottom, or even if you have a 401k started, some level of ability to see a doctor, like, if you're really sick bad, free coping mechanisms like massages and occasional therapy sessions, you're still barely scraping and often your needs can't be met, and rarely any wants.

I still can only afford the cheapest gym, veterinarian, sometimes even diy mechanic. The things I do have built up such as clothes, jewelry, purses, pots for some plants- they only exist from birthday gifts, dead relatives, or the time of my youth before I knew I was supposed to save my good-grade money just to have extra I dunno $3000 laying around for a month without a job??

I may have decent funds now to afford the housing cost that basically eats people, wallets, and sanity, as if it were the blue pacman eating dollars around the board and rather turning our souls INTO ghosts, but I certainly don't have enough TIME.

Like. How does anyone move up in life without free or cheap handouts?

And to think that I make the amount that my folks made individually. Which together raised 2.5 kids on, lived in a house (which was bought on 1 income), and had 2 cars and 2 dogs?

I just have me and two cats and we can't even afford van-life. Let alone an apartment by ourselves. We'd have a hurricane, a fender bender or major maintenance, a feline dental cleaning before his teeth fall out, every couple months something happens.

I don't think the middle class used to rely on handouts.

Aw crap when was the last time I saw the dentist.

[theultimatefan]

Cicadas, Expansion Talk and Holidays in June: Ten Things to Know in the American Assoc. This Week

The American Association of Professional Baseball (@AA_Baseball) season continues with a full slate of series this weekend, all available for free live viewing at aabaseball.tv.

Here are 10 Things to Know about the AAPB this week:

The colorful cicadas may be an annoyance to some, but the Kane County Cougars aren't one to brood. Instead, with the 13-year and 17-year cycles converging (we're not entomologists, but we play them on AABaseball.tv), tonight is Kane County Cicadas Night at Northwestern Medicine Field vs. the Kansas City Monarchs. The team will wear special Cicada-themed jerseys which will be auctioned off for charity, and the first thousand fans receive a custom insect swatter.

Juneteenth, Father's Day, Flag Day, Pride Month and National Cucumber Day (ok, that one might be a stretch) are all celebrated across the country in June. But two AAPB teams have a couple of other ideas... Halloween (Chicago Dogs, Saturday) and Halfway to Christmas (Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks, Tuesday) will bring those popular holidays back a few months early.

On Tuesday, the AAPB announced another in a series of key corporate partnerships, this one with MOBILEMONEY, now the official cashless payment solutions provider to the league and its member clubs.

Sometimes a change of position can make all the difference. The Kansas City Star and Yahoo! Sports have the story of Monarchs outfielder-turned-pitcher Nate Tellier, a .342 hitter in college whose coach suspected – rightfully so – that the mound might be a better route for the righthander in the pros. So far, so good, as he’s posted a 2.11 ERA over 17 innings at press time.

Big things are happening around the AAPB, and the time might just be right to grow the footprint, which now currently extends to 12 team across 10 states. Commissioner Joshua Schaub recently discussed the prospects for expansion at Fargo’s Valley News Live, potentially doubling the number of franchises by 2028-29..

Another 10Things, Another Homecoming as Winnipeg native Ben Onyshko signed with the hometown Goldeyes last week. The 27-year-old lefty was originally selected by the Seattle Mariners out of Steston (Fla.) Univ, reaching AAA Tacoma. He started his Goldeyes career with two innings of hitless relief on Friday to help preserve a win over Sioux City.

The Gary SouthShore RailCats along with other businesses sponsored a luncheon for local businesses and leaders for clean air initiatives for Northern Indiana last week. The luncheon awarded three college scholarships to local students in the areas and recognized four businesses making voluntary efforts to improve clean air quality in 2023.

In a few alumni moves:

Kane County outfielder Je'Von Ward had his contract purchased by Toronto and homered in his first game with Single-A Vancouver on Saturday.

Now former Kansas City Monarch Blake Rutherford is heading to Mexico to play for Toros de Tijuana in the Mexican Baseball League. Rutherford, a former MLB player, originally drafted in the first round to the New York Yankees in 2016, but finally made his big league debut in 2023 with the Washington Nationals. This season with the Monarchs, he posted a .328 batting average, .911 OPS, and launched three home runs.

After hitting .331 in the Low-A Florida State League, infielder Payton Eeles (Chicago '23) was promoted to Cedar Rapids, the Twins' High-A affiliate.

The Record Watch department has its eyes on Fargo's Izzy Alcantara, who has 30 stolen bases through his team's first 33 games. The AAPB record is 71, set by the Milwaukee Milkmen’s Bryan Torres last season. Torres continues to rake with the Cardinals’ AA affiliate in Springfield, hitting in eight straight games last week to boost his average to .329 with 16 stolen bases at press time.

[if-you-fan-a-fire]

"WAY FOR CLEMENCY CLEARED BY PRICE IN DORLAND CASE," Toronto Globe. August 29, 1933. Page 1 & 2. ---- Province Drops Prosecution Arising From Penitentiary Rioting ---- CONFERENCE IN OTTAWA ---- Albert Dorland, serving a five-year term in the Kingston Penitentiary, and central figure in the investigation conducted by Mr. Justice Kingstone, fo!- lowing charges that he had been "framed," will net be prosecuted for any part he may have had in the riots in the penitentiary some months ago. Attorney-General Price yesterday wrote the Department of Justice at Ottawa informing the authorities there that it was not the desire of his department to proceed with any charges against Dorland arising out of the riots.

The effect of this decision is that. the way is cleared for the Department of Justice to exercise clemency in respect to Dorland if, after a perusal of Mr. Justice Kingstone's report, it considers that he should not have received the sentence he did. Should the Department of Justice decide to exercise clemency, this action would be complicated were rioting charges proceeded with.

Statement Coming. Colonel Price, who had just returned to his desk after a trip to Great Britain and Europe, stated that the Department of Justice had written his department wanting to know if it was Intended to prosecute Dorland in connection with the riots Hon. Charles McCrea, who was Acting Attorney- General during Colonel Price's absence, had held it over until the latter's return. Colonel Price also indicated that he would have a statement shortly on those sections of the Kingstone report which pertained to matters coming under the purview of his department.

"The Department of Justice asked in connection with the Dorland case, in view of Mr. Justice Kingstone's report, whether we felt like prosecuting the case pending against Dorland in connection with the Kingston Penitentiary riots. Mr. McCrea held it over until I got home. I have advised the Minister of Justice that the prosecution of Dorland in connection with the riots is being abandoned," said Colonel Price.

The Attorney-General explained that there were a great number of convicts implicated in the riots, and that charges had been proceeded with only against those who appeared to be leaders. He intimated that Dorland had not been involved in them any very serious extent.

Colonel Price had no statement concerning the Kingstone report. He had spent the day in clearing up odds and ends which had been left for his personal attention. "I am going to confer with Mr. McCrea, who has been handling the matter in my absence, and who is more conversant with the report than I am," he said,adding that he hoped to have a statement to make on it at an early date tonight, as he is to make an address.

Colonel Price is leaving for Ottawa to the Canadian Bar Association at a luncheon to be tendered by Mr. Justice Roche. He returned from abroad looking refreshed after his vacation, having put on some additional weight.

[pipelinelaserraygun]

🎙️ At yesterday's Memorial service for John Paul Salazar, Soledad spoke engagingly.

Everyone pulled together. All phases of JP's ceremony were expertly handled.

I very much liked THIS video montage ⬆️🎯 made by Lora, our sibling .

March 9th, 2024: John Paul's Memorial service/Luncheon is happening later, TODAY.

We're celebrating BOTH John's having crossed 🏁 the Finish Line when he went to Heaven AND, 🦇 the Batman Family's PULLING together, to honor our dearly departed.

We're NOT walking this out.

🎽💨 It's a MARATHON.

John has passed the baton.

We're NOT cruising down the boulevard. It's a MARATHON.

https://rumble.com/v43bnkr-tucker-carlson-meets-alex-jones-full-interview.html

We're NOT training for an 🥊 exhibition match, and we're NOT leaving this FIGHT in ⬆️ someone ELSE'S hands.

https://rumble.com/v4hxjk9-tucker-carlson-responds-to-joe-bidens-state-of-the-union-address.html

👑👰🏽✝️🛐 We CANNOT leave the FIGHT to others.

"I swear to you, we're NOT 🖖🏽 FINISHED yet."

God chose a non-Christian named Saul, who later became the Apostle Paul, to champion the causes nearest and dearest to HIS 🕎 SON: NOT a Man of God, but Saul was the RIGHT person at the RIGHT place & RIGHT time.

[elysianpens]

"ARIJIT BASU - Be the difference maker and bridge the gap and connect the dots"

Arijit Basu, author of "Becoming a Special You" is currently associated with the world-renowned Pediatric Cancer Research Hospital – St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital based in Memphis, Tennessee, United States as Senior Clinical Database Engineer / Analyst.

Arijit, an International Ambassador of Dawn Research and Development Council ( Recognized by Govt. of India) . Top 100 Global Social Influencer - Piktale Influencer’s Award 2021. It's a unique recognition given to top 100 Global personalities for their contribution in varied fields. He is a Times of India (TOI) Brand Ambassador, Speaker, Educator, Coach, Entrepreneur, Author, Writer, Celebrity show host. He is also the Director- Communication for his entrepreneurial Edutech venture - digital learning platform Coachables. Recipient of 9th 2017 Kindle Gala award presented by Loretta McNary show, nrbnews24 channel journalist award. He was invited among the 50 special guests for the prestigious “Indian American Leadership Committee Congressional Luncheon – in July 2021 at Congressional Building for House of Representatives in the Capitol Hill – Washington DC. His passion for writing has earned him a niche name in the media industry. He was interviewed for news channels and was covered in various Business Magazine, vernacular, and English Language dailies. He is a contributing author to StoryBoard Memphis publication and Deccan Herald. He was also featured in a video by Kregse Foundation – “Our neighbors our stories.” Besides the above he was awarded for his work Internationally from various places. He is a recipient of the prestigious International Tagore award by Dawn Research and Development Council for the outstanding contribution in the field of Literature.

His recent book “Becoming a Special U”: Chasing dreams - paperback and ebook published by the renowned publishing house Barnes and Noble. The book narrates the unique feelings of the author regarding the challenges of life. Seeped in seasoned experiences from life’s travail, the author finds himself-journey a worthy one. Embracing challenges and maintaining some golden disciplines, he finds that his voyage has indeed been rewarded with its unique essence. The true reward of penning this book will be achieved if the readers find it worth adhering to the life’s golden lessons of life that the author has shared. Arijit is a blend of analytical and creative mind.

Arijit was born in Kolkata, India and did his schooling from prestigious South Point in Kolkata and a science graduate from renowned St. Xavier’s College. He further did a few advanced post-graduation studies in Computers with Programs in Systems and Database Management and Data Science from various renowned Institutions.

He also worked as a Research Analyst with Vanderbilt University Medical Center with Division of Psychopharmacology, Department of Psychiatry under the leadership of world-renowned Psychiatrist Dr. Herbert Meltzer. Arijit also worked as a Database Analyst with Vanderbilt University Medical Center with the Department of Health Services Research in Vanderbilt University Medical Center and served as an important member in the research team under the leadership of Dr. Michael Matheny, a renowned research scientist and clinician. Prior to moving from India to USA in 2007 he has worked in important positions with Godrej and Boyce, The Hindu Group of Publications, Business Standard (Financial Daily in association with Financial Times)

Besides his excellent work reputation in the clinical domain field Arijit earned a name and fame for his writing in the last few years. Arijit plays an important role as Social Global Influencer – He put immense effort in researching, connecting, and showcasing many important stories of eminent personalities around the globe through his Facebook / YouTube channel Talk shows - hosting of many celebrity shows from different walks of life and to name a few are Padmashri Anuradha Paudwal, Illusionist P.C. Sorcar Jr. and Indian- American actress Nandana Dev Sen.

He focuses on Analytics, Research, Communication, Information, Networking – Mass Media and News Media. His key areas are:

· Excellent communication skills and out of the box thinking.

· Provide community-based input, interaction, content-sharing, and collaboration.

· Focus on creative writing.

· Work on stories of human interest.

His dynamic personality as a database analyst and media personality has earned him won prestigious awards in India and USA and have highly been featured in leading Newspapers, Business Magazines, and TV channels.

To know more about Arijit Basu, visit www.arijitbasu.net

[jcmarchi]

GlycoMIT Symposium celebrates advancements in glycobiology

New Post has been published on https://thedigitalinsider.com/glycomit-symposium-celebrates-advancements-in-glycobiology/

GlycoMIT Symposium celebrates advancements in glycobiology

On Oct. 5, the Department of Chemistry, funded by a generous donation from Frank Laukien ’94, hosted the GlycoMIT Symposium, an interdepartmental celebration of advancements in glycobiology research. Defined broadly by the National Institutes of Health, glycobiology is “the study of the structure, biosynthesis, biology, and evolution of saccharides (also called carbohydrates, sugar chains, or glycans) that are widely distributed in nature and of the proteins that recognize them.” Various applications for glycobiology research include neurobiology and aging, cancer, and infectious disease and the microbiome.

“Of the three chemical motifs involved in the recognition of pathogens — nucleic acids, proteins, and glycans — glycans are by far the most diverse and poorly understood,” said department head and Haslam and Dewey Professor Troy Van Voorhis. “By breaking new ground in glycoscience, MIT can make new discoveries about the chemical building blocks of life and pioneer new therapeutics for human health. This field is inherently multidisciplinary — combining a variety of perspectives from the chemical, biological, and physical sciences to control and measure complex glycan assemblies in living systems. It is therefore crucial that this effort involves not just chemistry, but biology, physics, and computation.”

More than 100 members of the MIT community and beyond gathered in the Bartos Theater for a series of faculty presentations and a keynote speech from Richard D. Cummings, the S. Daniel Abraham Professor of Surgery at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School. Faculty presented updates on their glycobiology findings, and how these advancements pertain to research across all fields, and to humanity in general. 

Following a luncheon with Laukien and School of Science dean Nergis Mavalvala, MIT faculty members Barbara Imperiali, Laura L. Kiessling, Tobi Oni, Katharina Ribbeck, Matthew D. Shoulders, and Jessica Stark each presented a 20-minute talk about their research. 

After the faculty presentations concluded, attendees of the symposium gathered for a reception to enjoy hors d’oeuvres, drinks, and poster presentations on further glycobiology research from members of each of the speakers’ groups, as well as others from across the Institute.

Kiessling, who spearheaded the event alongside fellow professor of chemistry Matthew D. Shoulders, presented a talk entitled “Glycans in Health and Disease.” In the Department of Chemistry, the Kiessling Group uses chemical biology to elucidate the biological roles of carbohydrates, with a focus on learning new mechanistic concepts.

Imperiali, the Class of 1922 Professor of Biology and Chemistry, holds a dual appointment in both departments, and delivered a talk entitled “Bacterial Glycan Biology: Making Sense of the Madness.” Research in the Imperiali Group employs a multidisciplinary approach involving synthesis, state-of-the-art spectroscopy, molecular modeling, enzymology, and molecular biology to address fundamental problems at the interface of chemistry and biology.

Oni, a fellow at the Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, presented a talk titled “Leveraging Glycan-Dependent Epitopes for Tumor Targeting and Detection.” The Oni Lab seeks new methods of understanding, detecting, and potentially treating pancreatic cancer.

Ribbeck is the Andrew (1956) and Erna Viterbi Professor of Biological Engineering, and her talk was entitled “From Molecular Mysteries to Medicine: The Therapeutic Promise of Glycans.” Her research group’s focus is on basic mechanisms by which mucus barriers exclude or allow passage of different molecules and pathogens, and the mechanisms pathogens have evolved to penetrate mucus barriers. Her research provides the foundation for a theoretical framework that captures general principles governing selectivity in mucus, and likely other biological hydrogels, such as the extracellular matrix and bacterial biofilms.

Shoulders, the symposium’s co-organizer and a professor in the Department of Chemistry, presented a talk titled  “N-Glycosylation: The Fulcrum of Collagen Proteostasis.” Members in the Shoulders Laboratory study how cells fold proteins and develop ​and apply next-generation protein engineering and directed evolution techniques to address biotechnology challenges.

Stark, a professor of biological engineering, presented her research on “Antibody-lectin chimeras for glyco-immune checkpoint blockade.” The Stark Group is pioneering approaches to understand and engineer the roles of glycans in the immune system in order to fill key knowledge gaps in immunobiology and develop next-generation immunotherapies. Their work is highly interdisciplinary, integrating approaches from molecular, synthetic, and systems biology, immunology, and biological engineering. They are interested in fundamental questions and therapeutic applications in multiple contexts, including cancer, autoimmunity, and infection.

[awesomegoodmusic]

TheWhiteHouseSpin.Com / SPIN PUBLISHING LIVE 12:40 PM ET ~ Vice President Kamala Harris and Secretary Blinken Host a Luncheon in Honor of Prime Minister Albanese Reported by Karen Ann Carr WASHINGTON DC - In the afternoon at 12:40 pm ET, Vice President Kamala Devi Harris and Secretary of State Antony Blinken host a luncheon in honor of Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Ms. Jodie Haydon of Australia. Second Gentleman Douglas Emhoff, Esq. will attend. This luncheon is held at the U.S. Department of State in Washington, DC, U.S.A. on Thursday, October 26, 2023. This U.S. Department of State luncheon is in honor of Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Ms. Jodie Haydon of Australia visiting Washington, DC, U.S.A.. https://thewhitehousespin.blogspot.com/2023/10/live-1240-pm-et-vice-president-kamala.html https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qyEhV-A_XzI #News #CNN #CSPAN #PBS #ABC #CBS #NBC #MSNBC #FoxNews #NewsMax #TheWhiteHouse #WhiteHouseSpin #SpinPublishing #War #Peace #Violence

[ladylasciv]

Marble White - Copia x OC

Song Choice - Blasphemous Rumors by Depeche Mode

Chapter One

I often think of and fear Death .

What I will see.

How quick it will be.

Will I be surrounded by family or alone?

Does it hurt?

My anxious and intrusive thoughts rarely show mercy. I've managed to make everything a situation that can potentially end with death.

I will walk my dog and imagine the ground caving in and swallowing me whole.

I'll be strolling through the produce department and suspiciously eye every other customer, my brain convincing me that one of them will swoop up behind me and open fire at eight o’clock in the morning.

I'll carefully study every single car that passes me on the state road, calculating how straight their wheels are, holding my breath when someone drifts ever so slightly towards the dotted yellow line. 

Unbeknownst to me, I neglect to think of a one in one billion outcome.

***************************************

I stare up at the ornate and obnoxiously large crucifix ominously looking over the congregation, the expression of Jesus practically glowering at the sight of me specifically. I nervously shift my weight from one knee to the other, the thick mesh of my petticoat digging into my skin while a slight rub rash forms. 

Looking back up at the half naked messiah, I attempt to pray in my head. The sound of Father Hank droning along with the nuptial mass is replaced with the sound of my internal voice begging whatever God is real to get me out of here by any means necessary.

I have no business marrying this man, it’s been my most dishonest decision to date. I crave a real and loving family, so I play the part. I wear modest clothes. I attend mass. I have Sunday dinners with judgmental remarks for dessert. I participate in the ladies luncheons and the Bible retreats and the adult Sunday schools.

I do everything I can to not be myself, to be considered worthy of non-toxic love by way of a white picket fence family.

I love him, of course I do. But am I in love with him? No. I’m not.

I feel a gentle hand on my shoulder and as I rip away from my thoughts, my eyes darting to my groom now standing next to me. I quickly rise to my feet as embarrassment tints my cheeks, my lack of focus obvious.

I turn to face the congregation, the trail of my cathedral veil being an uncooperative pest. My mouth twitches with an anxious smile as I try to adjust it without help from anyone, taking two small steps to the right to give myself room to spread it out properly. I don’t step back where I was, preferring to keep a little distance as I feel dizzy and warm with nerves.

Father Hank proceeds with the moment I’ve been dreading, “Alexander and Therese, you have come together in this church so that the Lord may strengthen your love for each other in the presence of the church’s minister and this community. Our God has abundantly blessed your love. He’s consecrated both of you. He now enriches and strengthens you by this special sacrament so that you can assume the duties of marriage in mutual and lasting fidelity and so I ask both of you now to state your intentions. Alexander…Therese…have you come here freely and without reservation to give yourselves to each other in the sacrament of marriage? Say ‘I do’.”

The priest holds the microphone up to Alex’s mouth as he responds, smiling at me with his usual charm, “I do.”

Father then switches hands and holds the microphone up to me, summoning my declaration, to which I quietly deliver, “I do.”

He holds the microphone up to himself, opening his mouth to continue as I zone out once more. My thoughts are so jumbled with anxiety about my impending doom of a marriage that I don't hear the gasps of the crowd. I don't see Father Hank stumble backwards off the steps in an attempt to save himself, taking Alex with him. I don't hear the wall cracking slightly, finally giving out under the improperly anchored, monolithic weight of the gaudy crucifix behind me. I'm not possessive of the knowledge that five months prior, the church had hired a poorly reviewed construction crew to mount the Holy figurine because they were two-hundred dollars cheaper than their usual choice.

I don't feel anything when Jesus Christ himself takes me out, my only visible remnants being the blood stained lace of my marble white gown sprawling out from under the Golden Son.