#f2f. five

[milcycyrus-archived]

vanessa hudgens!!! come and give me a hug please it's been way too long. || @justvanessah

[batsplat]

your top 5 philip island races 🙏

okay all five of these are very close together. to be clear

2004: putting this first fundamentally comes down to whether you're a duel or dogfight girl, and I'm the former. like, I love a great dogfight, I love chaos, I know phillip island specifically is all about multi-rider scraps, but as a person I'm just really about the psychological tension and drama of a one-on-one fight. especially between two people who despise each other. this is the penultimate race of the season, valentino's matchpoint race and also his first fight with sete post-qatar. the whole race is excellent but the first lap and last lap... transcendental

2017: practically a comfort watch by this point. it's so... ferocious, unrestrained, it also has a great post-divorce battle between valentino and marc buried within the dogfight that instantly elevates it for the viciousness. another one with big championship implications, which adds some fun stakes to just how hard they're going at it. also, I fondly remember watching this live early in the morning and going 'oh god they're gonna crash oh god they're gonna crash WHAT IF VALENTINO RUINS MARC'S CHAMPIONSHIP WHAT THEN' which quite frankly was such a special time

2015: another thrilling one in the category of proper dogfight. honestly these three middle ones are quite tricky to rank because, well, they're all great fun. I don't like,, enjoy watching the actual fighting quite as much as I do with 2017, though obviously the fantastic last lap does elevate this one. and the first few laps are really fun!! that poor seagull. plus the whole sword of damocles feel, the narrative implications of the whole thing are again. very pleasing. I think I kinda needed jorge/valentino to actually Fight Each Other a bit more, but I suppose the whole point of that season is that they didn't

2001: it says something about the quality of phillip island races that I'm ranking this absolute banger fourth. this is valentino's first matchpoint race, first premier class title, and it's super pleasing in how you're frequently readjusting your expectations of how this race is going to go? excellent momentum shifts. it's got the most pleasing narrative conclusion too, with the dogfight becoming a duel between the title contenders right at the end. valentino doesn't need to overtake biaggi for the win to take the championship, but can he resist... (no.) I think the main reason this is no higher than fourth is that by this point the title is basically wrapped up, but there is also something fun in how badly valentino wanted to win the race anyways. always got to be so dramatic about everything

2003: I was about to say 2023, but then I had the 'wait what the fuck I can't leave out 2003' moment. the issue is that this is... well it's a different flavour of pleasure than these other races, right. but also it'd be fundamentally dishonest of me to leave this out, because I DO get one hell of a kick from watching it and have done so an unhealthy number of times. you've got the early vicious dogfight, then you've got that lull out front while the dogfight for the remaining podium places rages and then you've got the penalty announcement. you've got the dogfight for the final podium position to keep you entertained on the action front, you've got the slow burn pleasure of watching valentino pull out increasingly silly laps, and then you've got the ghost bike extra-dimensional warfare commentators to pull the whole thing together into a unique race watch experience

honorary mentions!! 2023 (this was such a blast to watch live, like the way the story of the race gradually changed and you had this brutal fight and this building tension because you just knew that Those Tyres Were Being Shredded and then it all comes together... last lap is so so good); 2022 (just pure pure chaos, you kinda felt like half the grid was involved in the dogfight for the lead at one point or another, just never knew what was going to happen next, plus the last lap is a lot of fun and with a very deserved winner); 2009 (dude I felt so bad not including one of the many casey wins but genuinely which of these races would I kick out. this one is his most 'exciting' win and obviously massive championship implications, but also it's very much the being edged of watching a motogp duel in that a fight constantly threatens but doesn't actually ever get going); 2008 (objectively one of the better phillip island races in casey's tenure but like. unfortunately he's just too good at these, and the most exciting thing going on here is valentino working his way up from 12th. sorry casey if you just went slower then you'd be featured more on this list); 2006 (first flag to flag race!! ever!! absolute chaos all the way through, constant chopping and changing of the championship picture. last lap duel between Old Enemies I'm fond of for sentimental reasons); 2013 (marc's race still makes me mad if I think about it for more than two seconds, but the whole experience is also inarguably chaotic enough and dumb enough to be a lot of fun to watch); 2011 (at least Making It Wet was one somewhat interesting way to mix up casey's domination and spook him a little bit, but ultimately obviously he did the thing again - sentimental value because he sealed the title on his home race at his birthday)

[rossberry]

Ross was already on his way to Roman's room when the message came through. He had five minutes; and he'd been with Roman long enough to know that when his man gave him a time limit, he meant it to be followed. He was betting that Roman was in his suite, given the time of day, and thankfully, he was right - otherwise, backtracking and getting to Roman in the three remaining minutes might've killed him. He bounded down the hall, through Roman's unlocked front door, stripping in the living room, on his way to the bedroom. His light-blue t-shirt was still on, but he'd managed to kick off his shoes and shorts, leaving him in his cock-cage and knee-high socks. He burst into Roman's bedroom, panting hard, but didn't slow down; even though the sight of Roman laying there looking the way he always did threatened to knock the wind out of him. "H-Hello, Sir." Ross huffed, quickly straddling Roman's waist, his hands bracing on the man's big chest for support while he angled his ass down, slotting Roman's lubed cock between his cheeks, bouncing a little for a moment before the head of Roman's cock probed at his hole and slowly but surely worked its way inside him. Ross threw his head back, adjusting to Roman's girth, his hands groping roughly at Roman's chest as he slid down, finally sheathing his petite body completely on Roman's length. "Did I...m-make it in time, Sir?"

Laying on my bed with my dick in my hand.

[u6is]

f2f

You couldn't let go of Victor enough. That was why you'd done this, why you'd let Jeremy fuck you in his car outside the very place where Victor was likely still celebrating.

"i fuck him cause i miss you"

—jeremy sochan x reader: smut

The stadium lights had barely dimmed, and the roar of the crowd was still reverberating in your ears as you reluctantly made your way to the post-game party.

The Spurs had just scored a victory so epic that it felt like the city itself had won. Every face was painted with a grin, every voice raised in jovial chatter. Normally, you would have been thrilled to be part of this electric atmosphere, but tonight was different. Tonight, the very reason for your hesitation would be the center of attention: Victor Wembanyama.

Back when Victor was still climbing the ranks of basketball stardom, you shared a fiery romance that ended in a messy breakup. Years had passed, and you had moved on, but the thought of facing him in such a public setting sent a shiver down your spine.

You had been invited by a mutual friend. Despite the awkwardness, you agreed to go because ever since you were a kid, you had been supporting this beautiful team.

The Spurs were more than just a bunch of players to you; they were a symbol of unity, resilience, and hope. You had grown up watching their games, cheering them on through the highs and lows, and this victory was something you couldn't miss out on.

As you pushed through the throngs of people, you couldn't help but feel the weight of his presence, like a looming shadow cast by his towering frame and the glitz of his celebrity status.

Everything was going nicer than you could have imagined. The music was just the right volume, the drinks were cold, and the conversations were easy. You couldn't help but let your guard down and truly enjoy the party. Out of the corner of your eye, you noticed Victor casting a few glances in your direction. At first, you dismissed it as coincidence, but as the night went on, the frequency of his glances grew, and you began to feel a flutter in your stomach.

You tried to keep your eyes on your own group of friends, but every now and then, your gaze would drift to where Victor stood, his eyes always seeming to lock onto yours for a brief moment before quickly looking away. The tension was palpable, but no one else seemed to notice the silent dance you two were engaged in across the crowded room. His teammates were busy celebrating, leaving him to his own devices, which mostly consisted of nursing a drink and watching the party unfold around him.

As night progressed, the crowd grew wilder. Celebrities who were die-hard Spurs fans had started to arrive, adding an extra layer of glamour and chaos to the mix. You spotted a few Hollywood A-listers mingling with the players, their laughter echoing off the walls.

Players you had only ever seen in their jerseys were scattered around the venue in casual attire, Stephon face flushed with excitement and alcohol. Devin were taking selfies, and sipping on his drink, David eyes gleaming with the same energy that had propelled them to victory on the court. The air was thick with the scent of perfume, sweat, and the sweet aroma of victory.

Then, amidst the chaos, Jeremy Sochan, Victor's closest teammate, approached your circle. His infectious smile was a beacon in the sea of faces, and before you knew it, he was slapping high-fives and exchanging laughs with your friends. You had met Jeremy a few times before, and he had always been friendly, but tonight, he was especially buoyant. His eyes sparkled with the joy of the win and the thrill of the night.

As the party buzzed around you, laughter and music filling the space, Jeremy leaned in, his voice a conspiratorial whisper just above the noise.

"Hey, it’s been a while… and you’re still just as pretty as ever."

You felt your heart skip.

A reaction you weren’t sure was for him or for the weight his words carried. Jeremy had always been charming, always had that easy confidence, but tonight, with the heat of his gaze on you, something felt different.

Maybe it was the drinks lowering your guard, or maybe it was the way Victor stood just a few feet away, his presence lingering like a ghost.

You shouldn’t be thinking about him.

You shouldn’t be comparing the warmth of Jeremy’s attention to the way Victor used to look at you.

But as Jeremy’s gaze lingered, warm and inviting, and Victor just within reach yet miles away, you let yourself enjoy it.

Just for a moment.

As the party wound down, the music grew softer, the lights dimmer. Jeremy had his arm around you, whispering sweet nothings in your ear, and you found yourself leaning into his touch, craving the comfort of familiarity.

And somehow, before you even realized it, you were leaving with Jeremy, his hand wrapped around yours, steady and sure. Maybe it was the drinks that led you here...or maybe it was something else entirely.

The whiskey had a way of smoothing the edges of reality, making the world a softer, more forgiving place. Or maybe it was the desire to escape the ghostly shadow of Victor that had been haunting you all night.

As you stepped into the cool night air, the reality of the situation began to set in. You were leaving with someone else, someone who wasn't Victor, and that realization hit you like a cold shower. But Jeremy's hand was warm, his grip firm and reassuring, and you couldn't help but feel a thrill as he opened the door to his sleek sports car and helped you inside.

Once the door was shut, you didn't waste a second. You leaned in, and Jeremy met you halfway, his lips pressing against yours with a hunger that surprised you. His tongue slipped inside your mouth, and you found yourself moaning, the sound muffled by his insistent kisses. It had been so long since you'd felt this kind of heat, this kind of passion, and it was intoxicating. You didn't bother to hide your desire as you tangled your hands in his hair, pulling him closer, the fabric of his shirt bunching under your fingers.

Jeremy's touch was gentle yet firm, exploring your body as if it were a map he had studied for years but never quite dared to touch. You didn't know if it was the alcohol or the thrill of the moment, but you didn't care. You had been starved for this kind of connection, and you were going to revel in it.

The kiss grew hotter, his hands roaming down to your waist, pulling you onto his lap. The leather seats of the car creaked under your weight, and you felt a rush of heat between your legs as you straddled him. Your skirt rode up, and you didn't bother to adjust it, the thrill of exposure adding to the intensity of the moment. Your hands roamed over his broad shoulders, feeling the muscles shift beneath his shirt, a reminder of the athlete's body beneath.

Jeremy's hands moved up your thighs, his thumbs brushing against the sensitive skin just beneath the hem of your panties. You gasped, the sensation sending a jolt of pleasure through your body. He broke the kiss to look at you, his eyes dark and hungry.

"Is this what you want?" he murmured, his voice thick with desire.

You nodded, breathless, and the words tumbled from your mouth,

"Yes, Jeremy, I want this."

The fire in his eyes grew brighter, and he didn't waste any more time. He grabbed the back of your neck, pulling you back down to him as he claimed your mouth once more. His tongue danced with yours, exploring every inch of your mouth as if he had been waiting for this moment his whole life. You felt his hands slide under your shirt, his rough palms gliding over your bare skin, sending goosebumps down your spine.

Your breath hitched as he unhooked your bra with surprising deftness, freeing your breasts. He took one in his hand, rolling the nipple between his thumb and forefinger, sending a bolt of pleasure straight to your core. You whimpered into his mouth, your body arching towards him. He took the hint and pulled your shirt off, tossing it aside without a care in the world. His mouth trailed down your neck, leaving a hot path of kisses and nibbles that made you shiver with excitement.

His other hand slipped between your legs, the pressure of his fingers on your clit making you squirm with need. You were soaking wet, and he didn't even bother to hide his groan of satisfaction as he felt how ready you were. He slid a finger inside you, and you moaned, the feeling of fullness overwhelming. His movements grew more urgent, his finger curling inside you, hitting that spot that made your eyes roll back in your head. You could feel an orgasm building, the pressure coiling in your stomach, tightening your muscles around him.

The world outside the car faded away, and all that existed was the two of you, your bodies entwined, the sound of your muffled moans and the occasional cheer from a passing fan.

You didn't care.

All you cared about was the way Jeremy's hand felt, the way his tongue tasted, the way his breath hitched when you ground down on his fingers.

You could feel his erection straining against the fabric of his pants, and the thought of having him inside you made you wetter. You reached down, fumbling with his zipper, and he groaned as you freed him. Your hand wrapped around his thick length, stroking him with the same urgency he had used on you. He was hot and velvety in your grip, and you couldn't wait to feel him fill you up.

With a growl, Jeremy lifted you off his lap and repositioned you in the passenger seat, pushing your legs apart. He leaned in, his breath hot against your skin as he kissed down your neck, his tongue tracing the line of your collarbone. You could feel his cock pressing against your thigh, and you knew he was just as eager as you were. His hand found your panties once more, sliding them down your legs, exposing you to the cool night air. You didn't care about the risk, about who might see, all that mattered was the heat building between your legs, the desperate need to have him inside you.

His fingers found your slick folds again, and he began to rub your clit in slow, torturous circles, his eyes never leaving yours. You could see the desire in his gaze, the way it burned with an intensity that was almost frightening. His thumb slid over the sensitive bud, and you bit your lip to keep from screaming. You could feel the orgasm building, your hips rising to meet his touch, your entire body begging for release.

And then, with a swift movement, he was inside you. You gasped as he filled you, stretching you in the most delicious way. The car rocked slightly with the force of his thrusts, and you had to grip the seat to keep from falling off. It was fast, it was raw, it was everything you hadn't known you needed. His hands were everywhere, holding you down, caressing your breasts, gripping your hips, urging you to meet him, to take all of him.

Your moans grew louder, matching the rhythm of his movements. You couldn't believe this was happening, that you were here with Jeremy Sochan and he was fucking you like you were the only woman in the world. The thought made you wetter, made you want to come even harder. You wrapped your legs around his waist, pulling him deeper, urging him on with every gasp and whine that escaped your lips.

But as the pleasure grew...

You realized that you were only doing this because you missed Victor, because his absence was a constant ache in your chest that you had been trying to fill with anything else. Jeremy was just a stand-in, a way to distract yourself from the pain of watching the man you loved celebrate with everyone else. You closed your eyes tightly, trying to block out the sight of Victor's face, but his image was burned into the back of your eyelids, a stark reminder of what you were doing.

With every stroke of Jeremy's cock, your mind raced back to Victor, the way he used to fill you so completely, the way his eyes would darken with passion as he took you.

Your cunt tightened around Jeremy's shaft, as if it was trying to hold on to the ghost of Victor. The pleasure was intense, a mix of the physical and the emotional, a bittersweet symphony playing out in the most intimate part of your body.

"Jeremy..."

And for a split second, you imagined it was Victor's face above you, his eyes filled with the same hunger that Jeremy's were. It was wrong, you knew it, but the feeling was undeniable, a betrayal and a release all rolled into one.

Jeremy's hands were rough on your skin, leaving trails of fire wherever he touched. He kissed you hard, his teeth scraping against your lower lip as he picked up the pace. You could feel his muscles strain, the power behind each thrust. His breathing grew ragged, and you knew he was close.

You reached down, your hand joining his, and together, you worked your clit, the friction making the pleasure almost unbearable.

"Fuck…" he groaned, eyes dark with hunger as he watched his cock disappear into you, over and over, slick and stretched around him. The filthy sight of it, the way you gripped him so perfectly, had his head spinning.

"Look at you," he rasped, voice thick with desire. "Letting me ruin you like this."

My friend's ex, wrapped around my cock, taking every inch. The thought alone sent a wicked thrill down his spine, and he thrust deeper, harder, chasing the heat that neither of you should've been craving but neither of you could stop.

With a gasp, you felt yourself start to come apart, your orgasm crashing over you like a wave. You tightened around him, your nails digging into his shoulders as you screamed his name. The car windows fogged up, your moans intertwining with the distant cheers of the crowd still echoing from the party inside.

Jeremy's eyes never left yours as he watched you come, his own release building. His hips snapped upward, and he buried himself inside you, his cock pulsing as he filled you up with his seed. The intensity of it made your toes curl, and you felt a tear slip down your cheek.

As the aftermath settled, Jeremy pulled out and leaned back in his seat, panting. He looked at you with a mix of satisfaction and confusion, as if he hadn't expected the raw emotion that had just played out between you. You quickly adjusted your clothes, avoiding his gaze as you did so.

You couldn't let go of Victor enough. That was why you'd done this, why you'd let Jeremy fuck you in his car outside the very place where Victor was likely still celebrating. You missed Victor's touch, his smell, and the way his voice made you feel alive. And here you were, with his best friend, seeking comfort in his arms because you were too much of a coward to face the truth of what you'd lost.

The taste of Jeremy's kiss lingered on your lips, but it was Victor's name you whispered against his skin as you came down from your high.

You didn't love Jeremy, and you knew he didn't love you.

This was just two people caught in the crossfire of their own pain, trying to find solace in the wrong place.

this fic is heavily inspired by SZA's song F2F. lol, don’t hate me <3

i want to create a part 2 ^^ this time from both victor's and the reader's points of view heheh

[askdrunkjimmy]

quick jimberly, give me your top five songs!!

Sure, but full disclosure, no one lets me be in charge of the music in the car so... yeah...

5. Savage Dog - Paiko!Muski

4. King Rat - Modest Mouse

3. F2F - That Handsome Devil

2. the common cold (the epidemic) - The Paper Chase

1. The White Powerless - John Congleton and the Nighty Nite

[sugarbang]

==> Nearly five years too late.

Your name is Jake Crocker, you are in your mid twenties (general assumption) and god are you SICK OF THIS JOB.

You have been a MODEL for as long as you could remember, spending almost every day all day doing photoshoots or following your mother around as she holds corporate meetings discussing your monetary affairs, not that you pay much attention in them- you wouldn't even if they DID include you in the conversation. Money talk has always been SO boring to you. Despite all their efforts in ensuring you were PERFECT FOR THE JOB, perfect teeth, perfect health regimen, perfect face for the modeling gigs they have you do, you had bigger desires. Mostly the DESIRE FOR LOVE. Your mom has asked you over and over what it is about this DIRK LALONDE that has you in such a funk, what it is about him that she can't just give you here, at home. You don't know the answer, since you're not sure yourself. You just know what he showed you with his family, with his life, made you realize that these manor walls were TOO SMALL FOR YOUR BODY.

They still haven't found this blog, so you plan on using it to your hearts content. You had to get out of here, this job wasn't worth the HEART BREAK they're putting you through. You WANT Dirk Lalonde, you want to BE LIKE Dirk Lalonde. If he could put modeling aside for his own wants, why can't you? You have to figure out how to get him back.

Hi my names Chalice i use he/him im a bigender jew with a lot of mental problems. This is an in character blog for my really old kidswap/kind of OC JAKE CROCKER, I have been playing him for about five years now. He is connected to @headcompost

Rules + All other accs

Cw: While I doubt Sugar will ever be too hostile on this blog specifically, he does experience intense rage issues in person and that would come up if he were ever to meet people F2F. On top of that Sugar in general has very poor social skills beyond acting and playing a character, and due to this can come off very creepy or invasive. He means well, but if that makes you uncomfortable just tell me OOC and I will back off.

blog tws: mentions of child abuse, especially the type that come from being a child actor/model from a young age. drug abuse, "yandere" or toxic relationships, mind control and brainwashing in a crockercorp/alternian empire way, and unhealthy relationships with sexuality.

[milcycyrus-archived]

there's my man - now i think you should come and have a dance with me later since i feel like it's been forever since we have let our hair down properly don't you think? don't fret if you can't find me later or if i'm attatched to a gaint something inflatable okay? || @itsawsten

[milcycyrus-archived]

wait that is a thing? momspiration? or did you just make that shit up? because if you did, you are an literal angel my hails. I can't believe it either considering I was so 'I don't want kids' yet here we are, two kids now. oh shut up, I know you are lying but thanks for the compliment my sweet. absolutely please steal me away, it's been way too long since last saw you properly. I've missed you.

did you know that you're my momspiration? can't believe you've had two kids in the last few years and you're still the coolest, most stylish person i know. stealing you away tonight so you can give me your secrets over some shrimp cocktail. so good to see you again, angel. / @milcycyrus

[pers-books]

My neighbour just dropped off a good luck in your new home card and mentioned she'd collected some dry cleaning Thursday and my old boss was saying how much he'd like me to go back to work for him. To which I said a very loud Ha!

It's almost three years since I quit because he was a gaslighting, bullying asshole who didn't give a shit about my health despite the global pandemic. He routinely made me stay late at the end of shifts without apology or consultation despite knowing it was very bad for my damaged knee. He used to go off on holiday for three months at a time leaving me to run the shop alone with inadequate help from our less well-trained staff, meaning I couldn't even eat my lunch in peace because of customers coming in and needing to be served.

He frequently lost his temper and swore at me. Telling me to fuck off was pretty much a routine occurrence.

Now he's told my neighbour that I'm a person of integrity, a hard-worker, and that he admired me. He also claimed that he's grown up and is a lot calmer and is a better man.

Yeah, right!

What he means is that since I left he's never found anyone willing to stay for very long because he takes gross advantage and pays poorly for long hours and hard manual labour.

Even if I was capable of working again (which right now I'm not because I have panic attacks when f2f with other people for more than five minutes!), I still would not go back there. I'd be a fool to go back into a toxic workplace that nearly destroyed my health.

Fuck that for a game of soldiers, matey!

(Also, note, he never bothered telling ME that he thought I was hard-working and a person of integrity, etc. So, ya know, flattery's gonna get you NOWHERE!)

Honestly, he must think I was born yesterday if he thinks I'm gonna fall for that bullshit!

[nickgerlich]

0 To 5 Billion

Twenty-five years ago, the number was 0. No, it wasn’t the temperature, in either Fahrenheit or Celsius. It wasn’t the inflation rate or the interest rate. It wasn’t the number of EVs that had been sold.

Nope, it was the number of people on social media. It simply did not exist. But data released earlier this year show just how much of a force it has become, because there are now slightly more than five billion people worldwide on social media, or 62.3% of the world’s population. It may not be Ferrari-like acceleration, but it is still pretty impressive.

The typical user spends 2h23m per day on 6.7 platforms. Of course, your mileage may vary, but those are the averages. Among Android users, they spend 34 hours per month on TikTok and 28 hours per month on YouTube.

And you wonder where all of your time went.

Overall, Instagram takes top honors as favorite platform, toppling WhatsApp, a popular platform everywhere but the US. Overall, we spend 6h40m a day online doing one thing or another. Based on my weekly screen time report that pops onto my phone every Sunday morning, I am above average.

All of this time has to come out of other things, since we are still kind of locked in at 24 hours available each day. Television watching is in decline, losing another 17 minutes last year. I suspect it is also coming out of interpersonal time, productive time at work, and leisure activities. Sure, we might figure out how to juggle things (how many of you keep a social app open on your computer while at work?), but let’s face it: You’re probably not dedicating quality time to either.

And since marketers go where the eyeballs are, digital ad spend grew by 10% last year to $720 billion. Social media ad spending was $207 billion.

So what does this say about us as a people? A lot. It says that we have changed considerably in a quarter of a century, that no matter how much we may naysay social media specifically, or this digital lifestyle more generally, we have embraced it all nonetheless.

Social media has become the way that people connect and reconnect. Yes, some people use it as a substitute for F2F interactions. Like it or not, this is how we do it, and in the developed world, it has become the de facto means of communication. When was the last time you sent a greeting card of any kind, such as birthday, holidays, anniversary, etc.? Do you even call people these days? My calling log grows more sparse with each passing year. Do you no longer feel the need to attend reunions and similar social gatherings, because you already know what your old pals have been doing thanks to their posts?

We get our news online. We find our entertainment online. We shop online. We get our recipes online. There’s not much we don’t get online. And the implication to marketers is clear as the world approaches digital totality: you either join the tidal shift in redirected advertising dollars, or run the risk of completely losing relevance.

But as we continue the transition, we must be cognizant of the fact that old-school methods of advertising, notably mass communication on broadcast or print media vehicles, is probably a waste of time and money. A shotgun approach to advertising means spending massive sums to spray messages in the general direction of people, hoping that you actually reach some of the people you really want. We can do much better now with targeted advertising. It behooves us to understand the users of each platform, and then utilizing all of the tools available, go after specific people. The audience of many has been replaced by the audience of one.

I know that this creeps out some people, as we have discussed multiple times. But as we approach the end of this course, we need to step back and try to see the bigger picture. This is where we are. Digital marketing commands an ever growing portion of all marketing activities, and I suspect that, while old-school methods may never go away completely, it will be the gorilla in the living room.

Discussion topics like this may summon comparisons to Black Mirror, the Jetsons, The Matrix, and numerous other pop culture touchstones. Those may very well have been prophetic; we just didn’t realize it at the time. If you are uncomfortable with change, you’re in for a rough ride ahead. I don’t see this crazy train slowing down any time soon.

I do hope that my students will ponder these stats, but more importantly think about what it all means. Things have changed even in just the three months we have been journeying together. It may not feel like much, but when you turn to look over your shoulder, you can see just how far we have come, not just in 2024, but in the last 25 years.

That little speck you see in the distance is where we were. We can’t go back there, and to try is futile. Zero may have been quaint, but we’re at five billion now and growing. What you do with that reality is up to you.

Dr “The End Is Near” Gerlich

Audio Blog

[milcycyrus-archived]

Selly…thank you so much for coming i can't believe you made it, specially with nick too thank you, i can't believe i've managed to keep a baby alive for a year it's so wild to me honestly. it feels so surreal that many people even managed to come out like what the fuck. miss you too.

——- Miley, i can't believe you have a one year old now ! happiest of birthday's to her and how's it feel ? plus it's so good seeing you again — seriously been missing you. ( @milcycyrus )

[ladycamdens]

tag game! share your top five spotify/apple/youtube/etc artists and songs!

tagged by my love @puppymocchi 💕 eee i’m so happy i love doing these

i’m surprised crush didn’t take number one but the way i was white knuckling waiting for a new sza album i’m not surprised f2f just edged it out

gonna tag my besties @papangphromphiriya, @isitcasualnow & @idletype 💖 sorry if y’all have already done this i fell asleep for like 15 hours. one may classify that as a small coma

[jeffreypanganjr]

Week 1 F2F First Meet

It was a exciting meet because I didn't know my new classmates. In our first week of class, Sir Engr Carl talked about the syllables and rules. We also conducted a get to know each other where we gave our names, where we live, how old we are, and why we chose this course. And We have divided ourselves into five per group because we will be working on a web development project. We are also talking about how we will go about this, who will be interviewed, and how we can make this project possible because, because it was supposed to be a 1 year subject but in the new curriculum it was needed to be finish on 1 sem only

[saraminia]

Thank you for tagging me @rainbowcoloredpalmtrees 💕

put your 'on repeat' playlist on shuffle and let your friends pick their

Vertigo - Griff

Can I - Kehlani

Candy Paint - Normani

F2F - SZA

Alright - Victoria Monét

[tinselcara]

cara was officially wiped after a day at disney. she has nearly forgotten how exhausting of a place it was. but she wouldn't change a damn thing. because she could see the pure joy on ender's face the entire day. she chuckled slightly as the two beckoned her over to the couch, sighing dramatically afterwards as she shuffled towards them "alright, alright. but after i sit down, i won't be moving so we better be happy over here," she joked, flopping down in the empty spot. "i know, i'm pretty great," she said, trying to keep a straight face but failing almost immediately. "gosh, you guys should know by now how terrible i am with being genuinely sentimental," she added with a laugh, brushing her hair back off her forehead. "but it was a pretty incredible day. and it was so cute to see ender so excited." @tthalsey

disney magic || cara, cari, ashley

ashley put ender to bed, kissing him on the head, and walking out of his bedroom. she was practically exhausted from walking around the parks all day, but at the same time, she was still on her high from how great the day was. she got to spend it with her favorite ladies and her son. seeing the smile on her son's face throughout the day and knowing that it wasn't just there from the disney magic, but from the women she chose to spend the majority of her time with, warmed her heart with so much joy. she threw herself onto the couch in their hotel room, patting the spaces next to her for her girlfriends to join. "babes, thank you so much for today. you two are the most special women in my life. i really don't know where i'd be without you both." @findingxfletch

[open-hearth-rpg]

#RPGaDay2024

Classic campaign

Until I began running online seriously, most of the games I’d run had been long, multi-year campaigns. I’d had the extreme luxury of having a large group of f2f gamers in my area pretty much from Middle School onwards. I went to college locally and even though I lived on campus, I still ran. When I was assistant manager for a local game store & game room, I ran upwards of five campaigns at the same time. 

Mind you we f*cked around and wasted time– but we also played super late. I do think we probably got as much done in an extended session as I do now in a tight, three-hour online session even with breaks. Some of that savings comes from not running multi-hour combats. Even online I still like long-form from time to time. I’ll take credit for establishing quarterlies as a thing here in the community. But they’re also exhausting. 

So I have a lot of longer campaigns to draw from– including recent multi-arcs of Trail of Cthulhu, Hearts of Wulin, and The Veil. The campaign I want to talk about is one of those earlier f2f games– one which landed 95% of the time and taught me an important lesson. 

We called it Last Fleet, and we started it back in 2011. The basic premise was “Fantasy Battlestar Galactica”-- I had a strong idea for a starting incident and built from there. It was an entirely self-built game: set up, adventures, system. We started with a session of Microscope to establish the world we’d be destroying. The end point of the history would be that destruction and departure. You can see that timeline here. From that timeline we set several of the setting premises (you can see that here). 

I encouraged folks to build in the peoples and cultures they had interest in playing. After that I gave them homework: doing a “What My Senior Told Me” sheet for their character’s background. Here’s an example of that. I had each of them give me their character concept and then I translated that into the system. We were playing Action Cards, so each character had a unique deck of cards for resolution. I built their decks based on those choices and then they tweaked them. I wrote up a unique set of abilities for each PC they could pick from– broken into paths like a skill tree. Every couple of sessions I asked them where they wanted their character to go. I would then write up two new abilities, built onto their existing paths– some with prerequisites. 

This was a ton of work, but the payoff felt great over time. They had hard choices and could always develop their character in ways they wanted. That included in new directions, for example the Orc player originally saw themselves as a classic fighter. But over time they took more of a leadership role and wanted abilities and gear which supported that.

The game started off with a bang: we played out the final flying ships of this world trying to escape out through barriers to avoid the big bad pursuing them. In addition to the PC vessels I had a bunch of NPC peoples– made up whole cloth or drawn from the Microscope timeline. And then I started killing everyone– ships fell, PCs lost portions of their people, hard choices had to be made. This ended up being one of the most intense sessions I’d ever run and everyone dug how it set things up. 

The campaign which followed split into two halves. In the first they travelled through a toxic void trying to find a safe haven. They came across lost things: enemies, people, relics. It paralleled the original BSG and its searching journey story. Then at the mid-point, the story shifted. The PCs manage to break through a barrier into another land of floating islands and people. However the folks there were caught up in their own factional struggles and possessing different magics. The game became about trying to find a way to settle with the established peoples and create harmony with destroying them or being destroyed.

The final arc turned on the arrival of the BBEG pursuing the PCs in the first place. It led to a battle which required them to choose how to rebuild the world: including destroying it so that it could reform as it was before the sundering. 

It ended up a great campaign with superb arcs for every PC, fun mechanics, and tough choices for the resolution. One of the absolute best. It’s the kind of lightning in a bottle experience I don’t think I can replicate. 

But I said earlier that it landed 95% of the time. We obviously had a few clucker or slower session, but the big problem was of my own making. Let’s call in an unforced error. We got to the final session, had the huge climax, and had our characters in this new, reconstructed world. 

And that’s where I stopped. I had managed to exhaust myself and I ended everything on that scene. I told myself and everyone we were done– in my hubris I thought my narrated closing was dynamite and closed everything out. I didn’t want to go on any further– for fear of breaking the high we’d ended on. 

So our PCs got no epilogue, no statement of the future, no real closure. By the time I realized how stupid and empty that was, enough time had passed that I couldn’t really offer a chance for final stories. It absolutely detracted from the game as a whole– and purely because I’d had a GM vision of my story and how it should end. 

So there’s my cautionary tale.

For a collection of posts and details from that campaign, see here.