#its set in 2011/2012 time period

[nagler]

Why Did I Spend All This Time Looking At Building Permits For 530 West 27th Street?

With the imminent close of Sleep No More in under a week's time, I found myself interested in when the idea of The McKittrick came into being. The McKittrick itself is a New York invention. The Boston production in its refurbished school setting didn't have The Hotel. But The Hotel is obviously not actually a hotel, it's three nightclubs wearing a trench coat consolidated into a single building. But when did that consolidation take place?

Thanks to a post on Reddit where I wound up musing about the serendipity of the Hotel coming into being in the time between the Great Recession and the opening of the High Line extension, this lead to me going on a deep dive thanks to the one free building report you can access on a free PropertyShark account. For those unfamiliar with what West 27th was prior to the Hotel and the condos, it used to be a cavalcade of nightclubs. Club B.E.D. sat at 530 West 27th street - as DrinkTheHalo has documented extensively, there was Sound Factory and Twilo and Spirit and Home (532) and Guest House (542) making up what we now know as the full Hotel space. After the murder of a club goer in February of 2007 BED closed. On December 27, 2007, the building that we'd come to know as the Hotel was sold for $28,000,000 to 27th Street Property Owner LLC.

There were still nightclubs operating in other parts of the location, but a plan examination was filed on February 27th, 2008. Meanwhile, the Boston production was mounted in the fall of 2009. A town meeting was called on May 19th, 2009 to approve as the school that the housed the production was town property. There has been much written elsewhere about how Boston pulled things together from wherever they could, though the sleepnomoreboston tumblr seems to be gone at this time.

From October of 2009 to February of 2010, Sleep No More ran in Boston. Then, in September of 2010, scaffolding goes up at 530 West 27th. January 2011 sees a flurry of permits, with the final one pertaining to occupancy being filed on February 22, 2011, changing the use to all floors . Come March 7th, the show opened and has been running up until this coming weekend.

Now, we know from the press around the reopening in 2022 that proto-Emursive initially wanted to bring Punchdrunk's Faust to New York (they did on their own, eventually, through Life and Trust). This failed and they turned their attention to Sleep No More, offering it up to Boston and the ART, now chaired by Diane Paulus (the wife of Randy Weiner, sort of but not any more 1/3 of Emursive). Sleep No More runs for a set time period, the kinks are worked out, and the space is secured from 27th Street Property Owner LLC. We know thanks to the Spring 2024 Permitgate A.K.A That's Bullshit Arthur that the lease was formally entered into on December 1, 2010 It had its first amendment in June of 2012, the second in August of 2015, and the third in June of 2022 after reopening but before the closing announcement in late 2023.

With all these dates in hand, we can see that the Property Owner LLC was created in prior to the BED incident, in December of 2007. Centaur (once again, That's Bullshit Arthur). What their plans would have been without Sleep No More are uncertain, probably condos, but they got a tenant who sort of paid the bills for 15 years instead.

The timeline is likely this: proto-Emursive comes to an agreement with Punchdrunk in 2007 or 2008 to mount Sleep No More in New York City with an out of town tryout in Boston in 2009. At the same time Centaur acquires 530-542 in December of 2007 as the 27th Street club era is dying. The Boston production goes as planned, with a building identified prior to the start of the run. The lease of 530 is officially agreed upon December of 2010, with scaffolding being set earlier that fall and the ability to modify in hand thanks to the examination from 2008. The official layout permits are modified in February of 2011, right in time for the show to open in March. All thanks to a theater for Faust falling through.

Timing is everything. Without the club era dying, the building doesn't become available. Without the High Line extension in 2012, the area isn't changed beyond recognition to the point where something other than immersive theater or a strip club makes sense as an investment. I give Emursive a lot of flack. But they threaded the needle near perfectly in terms of timing. Sleep No More, as a show that attracted both the theatrically minded and those with cash to spend, could not have existed at any time other than Bloomberg's NYC. But it's a different NYC now and that's all there is to a permit.

[grecoromanyaoi]

helloo since we're on the topic: top historical fiction (or adjacent) ? can be any time period I just really love your taste in shows/games/etc and am always on the lookout for history inspired media !

thank you!!! im rly glad im like. inspiring other ppl to engage w things im insane abt hudofajsdfdassfsad. anyways. i will probably expand that list bc i literally forgot every single thing i ever read. also i havent watched that many movies so far

ancient times: i havent really watched a lot of movies/series set in ancient times so far :(

rome HBO (2005-2007) (tv series) - OF COURSE. i personally think its one of the best series ever made. they combine political, miliatry history with the lives of every day people in an incredible way. they never let you once engage with the series through modern lenses. according to my teacher (a historian, archeologist & self described 'romaphile') its incredibly historically accurate, mostly the clothing, set designs, characterization, military practices, etc. except for the things they straight up made up, of course.

i really enjoyed gladiator (2000), i think its a masterpiece.

prince of egypt (1998) i guess?

all the asterix movies of course, all the animated ones and most of the live actions. but i wouldnt really call it historical fiction

ok i havent actually finished watching it for now but sebastiane (1976) - an erotic, x rated, gay interpretation of the martyrdom of st sebastian. its in latin also.

wait i cant believe i forgor about assassin's creed odyssey - so far the only one ive played. its so fun and incredibly immersive visually. especially pour moi who cries into the pillow about how ill never experience the ancient world. also you can b a faggot which is always fun. i have things to say about their portrayal of same-sex sexuality and slavery in classical greece but i get why they did that considering its supposed to like. appeal to a lot of people, and a more "historically accurate" portrayal (for example of pederasty or how common slavery was etc.) would b v difficult for a lot of their target audience. alas.

medieval and early modern era:

the name of the rose (1986) - my medieval history teacher literally showed us bits of this movie to teach us about monasteries and monks fhdosiasdjasd.

the borgias (2011-2013) - incredibly messy, lots of political intrigue, and so so fun to watch. about the history of the borgia family. filled to the brim with drama.

the three musketeers (1993) - my favorite adaptation, also coincidentally the one i grew up on. casting tim curry as richelieu was genius. he slays so hard.

i also like bbc's the musketeers (2014-2016) - a neat little series. very fun and entertaining to watch.

outlaw king (2018) - like i dont think most ppl heard of this movie. its about robert the bruce's fight to reclaim the throne of scotland. starring chris pine

vikings (2013-2020) - its fun. i havent watched the entire series tho. dont expect anything resembling historical accuracy

the northman (2022) - you will see something resembling historical accuracy

mihai viteazul (michael the brave) (1971) - a fun movie. very much romanian propaganda tho.

1670 (2023-) - such a fun series!!! incredible cast, shows respect to the actual history and the lives of historical people. really cute and funny.

caravaggio (1986) - a biopic about caravaggio.

wait i also forgor about pentiment - an intriguing, immersive, and incredibly beautiful video game! it has a lot of 'the name of the rose' vibes, with it being a medieval murder mystery taking place in a monastery. its incredibly touching and made me cry, and in the last few years i very rarely cry. also im 99% sure its an indie game? go support the creators!

vaguely-medieval/early modern fantasy:

mirror mirror (2012) - a retelling of snow white. a very fun movie imo, with incredible costume design. julia roberts plays the evil queen and she SLAYS. armie hammer is unfortunately in that movie.

stardust (2007) - one of my fave movies growing up. more modern-inspired but still.

the green knight (2021) - controversial i know but i actually loved this movie! i liked it both as a standalone movie but moreso as a 21st century adaptation to sir gawain and the green knight.

galavant (2015-2016) - !!!!!!! one of the most series ever! they manage to tackle such difficult concepts and conversations with a hilarious wit. so fun to watch. i listen to a lot of the songs still, and rewatch every once in a while.

disenchantment (2018-2023) - very fun to watch, especially the first season.

i also really liked the novel uprooted by naomi novik. its a polish-inspired fantasy.

modern era:

killers of the flower moon (2023) - of course. a masterpiece

aferim! (2015) - a romanian movie set in 19th century wallachia, about two officers, a father and son, who were sent by a nobleman to retrieve an escaped enslaved romani man. a lot of the people in the comments were calling the movie humorous and funny, maybe im missing smth (as im watching with subtitles n dont understand the original language) but it was a very difficult watch for me??

the handmaiden (2016) - need i say more

black sails (2014-2017) - a prequel to the famous novel 'treasure island'. not an easy series to watch. incredibly good.

the favourite (2018) - need i say more pt 2

the rabbi's cat (le chat du rabbin) (2011) - animated movie set in early 20th century algeria. a rabbi's cat learns to talk overnight.

the nice guys (2016) - a fun murder mystery set in the 1970s

o brother, where art thou (2000) - a retelling of the odyssey set in the southern us in the 1930s

victor/victoria (1982) - set in early 20th century paris. julie andrews pretends to be a man and takes on a job as a drag queen. extremely fun, extremely gay movie.

lady chatterley's lover (2022) - very much porn for moms but it was a nice watch imo

amulet (2020) - set in like. idk. sometime in the 20th century. this is a horror movie, deals a lot with misogyny, sa, and so on. i really like it, personally. a lot of people, mostly weird men, dont tho.

the great (2020-2023) - i have mixed feelings about this show. on the one hand, its really fun to watch. on the other hand, its basically ofmd for girls who have public mental breakdowns whenever someone claims corsets were oppressive. and theyre so weird about russians, jesus christ.

disses:

domina (2021-) - i just couldnt get into it, esp since i tried right after finishing rome hbo. it was kind of silly, and not in a good way. takes itself wayyyy to seriously.

i didnt like spartacus (2010-2013) - the dialogue was almost grotesque and the editing, especially the transitions, straight up killed me

damsel (2024) - holy fuck what a trainwreck of a movie. absolute waste of angela basset and robin wright. the only good thing were the costumes.

lancelot du lac (1974) - i just didnt like it at all. couldnt get into it. i guess it was way too french and artsy fartsy for me. a movie that was trying to say both too little and too much at the same time.

i didnt rly like bram stoker's dracula (1992) - i mean. it was a fine movie. it was definitely not the godfather. the movie itself was meh. the visuals tho? absolutely stunning

[starrypawz]

I'm aware I'm not the only person to do this but here's a post that was just meant to be me tracking up the description of Gerry's hair to see what is actually going on on that front but this also turned into a few other things that are quite interesting to think about. And I started

I will put this under a cut as it's long, also spoilers

So we first meet Gerry in 004

And he's described as having 'artificially black' hair and he's unshaven, this statement is set in Winter 2012 and is from the period where Mary is haunting Gerry post her death, this also occurs after the events of 012 as the incident in 012 is dated as happening on December 23rd 2011

Then in 012

Yet again, dyed hair, this time he's clean shaven which implies either Gerry tends to shave or he probably at least shaved for the sake of blending in for this incident

(This is also when Gerry had all his tattoos)

, this is also in 2011 and it's when Mary is still around but I'm not sure if she like actually somehow appeared at the hospital since it's never really said like how far Mary could like project herself as a ghost but either way somehow they signed him off to her.

Also to note from 012

Gerry has an expired passport with him, he's traveled a lot this lines up with what Gerry himself says in 111 that he and Mary traveled a lot (Also I personally feel he likely had a feeling he wasn't coming back from this and had that on him for... reasons)

Then in 035 we encounter teenage Gerry in 2002

He's described as thin, his hair is apparently obviously dyed, it's also described as 'greasy'

Also to note, this is where the statement giver implies Gerry is somehow stronger than he looks

Gerry then shows up in 048

He's described as scrawny here, and also described as having 'long black hair' this episode is set in September 2009 which would likely be about a year after Mary's death which is said to have happened in 2008 and in 111 Gerry does say the following

Also in 004 it's stated that Gerry seemingly disappeared after being acquitted

Also apparently someone moved into Pinhole Books in 2014

Also to note 062 where Mary talks to Gertrude and gives her Eric's page is set on the 3rd July 2008 meaning that Mary's death was somewhere after this point (I am going to assume likely not that long after this)

Mary speaks to Eric in 154 which is dated to the 21st July 2008 and also this is where Eric does ask her to track down Gerry and Gertrude has been aware of Gerry's existence for a good while by this point.

Also it's implied that Eric and Gertrude know what Mary was going to do

Another side note 080 is where we have Jurgen's encounter with Gerry which probably would've happened in 2014

And Gerry thinks this was in fact not Leitner

So now we come to 102

This statement was taken in June 2014 and is the source of the 'poorly dyed' description of Gerry's hair, this is the only time where the condition of his hair is really remarked upon other than in 035 where it's described as greasy (Which I personally feel was just as a result of Gerry being a teenager at a time as having greasy hair as a teenager happens to most people) so that was likely a one off moment.

Other references to Gerry's hair being dyed imply it's obviously dyed and an artificial looking black so I have another feeling that his hair looking the way it apparently does here is probably a one off since Gerry has been.... going through it to put it mildly.

And its stated that Gerry passes away a few months after this and in 111 Gerry states and since he says Mary haunted him for five years Gertrude seemingly was the one to seek Gerry out This was likely some point in 2013 (Going off what was calculated by people writing the tma wiki)

Allegedly The Catalogue was burned, or at least Mary's pages were Gertrude however seems to have The Catalogue in 2015 when she is arrested for tresspassing

Gerry was also unaware he was ill until it was too late

In 012 we find out Gerry's death was sometime in late 2015

And Jon finds the following out in 107

From what we have in 107 it's likely Gerry and Gertrude were heading to The Usher Foundation from Chicago but only got as far as Pittsburgh, this is where Gerry passes, Gertrude narrowly avoids arrest for being caught when binding Gerry to the Catalogue of the Trapped Dead and Gertrude travels back to England.

And then The Catalogue falls into Julia and Trevor's hands about a year late 109

(And yes can confirm the Greyhound route referenced by Jon does exist)

So that's the post

Things to Summarise

Gerry is apparently stronger than he looks, he is also canonically pale and thin/scrawny

He's described as having stubble in 004 but not 012 I have a feeling he tends to stay clean shaven but in 004 it's implied he looks like hes not slept for a few days (Likely due to Mary) 004 happened post 012

Gerry has an expired passport with him in 012 likely for identification reasons (I personally feel he had a feeling he might not be coming back)

Gerry was released into Mary's care after the events of 012 but it's not clear if Mary was physically there or not

His hair is obviously dyed, and always described as long. His hair is described as Greasy in 035 when he's a teenager, and Poorly Dyed in 102, 102 is set not long before Gerry died so I have a feeling that's probably part of the reason his hair is like that he's been going through it (tm)

Gertrude very likely knew about Gerry's existence pre 2008, she was asked to find him in July 2008 by Eric, She also spoke to Eric a few weeks after Mary approached her in July 2008 but didn't intervene until 2013

Mary's death was likely some point in Summer 2008, probably in July

Someone moved into Pinhole Books in 2014

Gerry also beat up Jurgen Leitner in 2014

Mary's pages were burned in 2013 but it seems The Catalogue was still usable since Gerry was put into it

Gertrude and Gerry most likely heading to The Usher Foundation before his death They'd been in Chicago and were traveling via Pittsburgh, which is as far as they got before Gerry died, Gertrude never did show up at The Usher Foundation.

Gerry died some point in late 2015, the Catalogue of the Trapped Dead was left behind and eventually vanished from the evidence locker and somehow ended up with Julia and Trevor just under a year later

[petercapaldi-press]

INTERVIEW

Peter Capaldi: 'People ask me to tell them to #@*! off'

After playing everyone's favourite foul-mouthed spin doctor in The Thick of It, Peter Capaldi was surely destined for Hollywood. But as the actor tells Gerard Gilbert, he's no Hugh Laurie...

Saturday 09 April 2011 00:00 BST

Damn and blast Twitter. I had been hoping to be the bearer of good tidings – that The Thick of It, supposedly dead and buried with New Labour, is set to return. Instead, the show's creator, Armando Iannucci, has already Tweeted his followers that: "Work begins on scripts next month". I had heard the happy news from the man without whom The Thick of It would merely be a very funny political satire instead of the second greatest British sitcom of the Noughties (after Peep Show; discuss) – Malcolm Tucker himself, Scottish actor Peter Capaldi.

"Well, that's kind of you to say," says Capaldi, referring to his role in its greatness, when we meet high above a beautiful spring morning in London, in ITV's South Bank offices. I had been told that the interview might not take place because of a "family tragedy", the nature of which I had absolutely no intention of prying into, but he seems relaxed and in good humour. "The show's back for 2012 for the Olympics," he says. "We've already got Roger Allam, who's our Conservative minister, and we have Jo Scanlan, who plays the civil servant, so there'll still be a team that the audience is familiar with. But there will also be new Liberal Democratic elements, so I was very surprised that they asked me back, because I'm not very sure what role I will have."

But then The Thick of It without Malcolm Tucker would be like The Office without David Brent. A spin doctor whose inventive use of bad language (the show famously has a "swearing consultant") has given birth to a rich back-catalogue of filthy and very funny "Tuckerisms", including the following random (and printable) sample from the most recent series: (talking of a minister) "He's so dense, light bends around him", (of another MP who has just turned down the Northern Ireland Office) "Do you know that 90 per cent of house dust is made of dead human skin? That's what you are to me", as well as the horribly funny "I'll be with you in two shakes of a crying baby".

But I'm glad for more reasons than my own selfish enjoyment that The Thick of It is set to return, because frankly I was starting to get a little worried about Capaldi. He has form, you see. His career has been a succession of peaks and troughs, the high points including being plucked from obscurity in his mid-twenties to play opposite Burt Lancaster in the 1983 film Local Hero, and, 12 years later, winning an Oscar for Best Short Film, his self-penned Franz Kafka's It's a Wonderful Life. And now I was concerned that he wasn't capitalising on the success of The Thick of It and its movie spin-off In the Loop, doubts that emerged at Christmas when I noticed him riding a camel in BBC1's Nativity. He's been over to America several times since In the Loop opened there to critical acclaim, but says: "My problem is that there's something in my character... I think it's just laziness.

"At the moment everybody wants you to go [to America] and do the pilot season – they keep saying, 'Don't you want to be Hugh Laurie?'. I mean I love Hugh Laurie but I don't want to be a guy who goes to work every day for nine months of the year in a corner of Burbank. I really don't. I like doing a bit here and a bit there and strange things, and I think that's held me back."

One of those "bits" is the reason we're meeting – to promote his role in a new ITV period drama, The Suspicions of Mr Whicher, a rather superior Victorian whodunit adapted from Kate Summerscale's novel – but it's not even as if he has the lead role (Paddy Considine plays the eponymous Mr Whicher). Capaldi plays, instead, the father of the prime suspect. "I originally thought it's not my kind of thing. This is a Sunday evening... ITV... chocolate-boxy Victorian thing, but then the director spoke to me about how he wanted to do it, which was much bleaker. And Paddy was in it as well and that signals a certain thing about it".

And frankly it's nice for Capaldi to be able to pick and choose roles, for as recently as 2005, when The Thick of It came along, he was on the verge of packing it all in. "What I've learnt being an actor is that you've got to be lucky. I got less lucky and nobody was interested. If a part came up it would be for the main corpse's friend's brother who was having problems with his marriage. Two scenes. You'd have to go up for that and then you wouldn't get it and then you'd just feel like shit.

"I suddenly got flickers of interest for two jobs and one of them was Armando's. I was called in to read for the BBC in the morning, for a part I could do standing on my head and I know I'm not going to get this part, so by the time I met Armando two hours later I'd had enough of the whole thing."

Capaldi says his heart sank when Iannucci announced that he wanted to improvise a scene. "I hated improvisation because in my early days as an actor, improvisation meant somebody had just come down from Oxford and they were doing a play above a pub in Kentish Town and the biggest ego would win. But with Malcolm Tucker, I don't quite know why, but I could feel a little click where I knew how to do this."

Perhaps the most surprising aspect of this audition was that Capaldi and Iannucci had not met earlier. Despite their age difference (Capaldi is 53, while Iannucci is 47) they not only share the same Scottish-Italian upbringing, but also hail from the same tenement blocks of the Springburn area of Glasgow. "I'm amazed that my mother never mentioned it to me before," says Capaldi. "I said to her that I'm working with Armando Iannucci and she said, 'Oh, I know Armando... he built the little cupboard we had in our scullery'. And of course she was talking about Armando's father who was also called Armando. He did a bit of joinery and stuff."

Classically for his heritage, Capaldi's parents were in the ice-cream business. "We had a café that was at the bottom of the tenement that we lived in," he says. "My childhood growing up in that part of Glasgow always sounds like some kind of sub-Catherine Cookson novel of earthy working-class immigrant life, which to some extent it was, but it wasn't really as colourful that."

His parents moved the family – including an older brother and a younger sister – to suburbia, "a Wimpy house in Bishopbriggs", where Capaldi's skill at drawing eventually led to a place at the Glasgow School of Art, his peers including the future official war artist, Peter Howson.

"It was 1976 and punk was just exploding," he says about forming a band called The Dreamboys. "The worst name for any band ever – especially a punk band. We were originally called The Bastards From Hell. The trouble was, we were always much more interested in being funny than being serious" – hardly surprising, with Craig Ferguson, the future stand-up turned US talk-show host, on drums. "We were the only band John Peel never gave a session to in Glasgow."

They did, however, support Gary Glitter one night after the real support band dropped out. But Capaldi's interest in music and art was about to be eclipsed when, returning home drunk one night from the pub, he found the Gregory's Girl film director Bill Forsyth chatting to his landlady, a costume designer. "I think I just riffed for half an hour and somewhere along the line he said, 'I'm going to get that person in my film', but I didn't know it was going to be a proper film."

Local Hero was a proper film with a proper big Hollywood movie star, Burt Lancaster, playing a Texan oil tycoon with designs on a Scottish fishing village. Its Ealing-esque charm helped turn Local Hero into a global hit, and encouraged Capaldi to seek his fortune in London. "I didn't have an agent... the world of acting was very alien. The sense I got was that everything about me was wrong: I spoke wrong, I walked wrong, I didn't have any training, so my task was to rub myself out and begin again.

"If I'd been wise I would have gone straight to America where people still to this day recognise me in the street, but then there's every chance that nothing would have happened. I'd have become an alcoholic Scotsman living bitterly in San Diego with pictures of me and Burt Lancaster on the wall of my trattoria that nobody comes to."

This last comic riff is typical of Capaldi, a colourful and naturally amusing speaker who bafflingly claims he rarely does interviews because he never knows what to say. But back to London in the mid-1980s, where our clueless ingénu finally lands a job at the Young Vic. "I absolutely loved it. I was starting to learn about acting, and gradually I was getting bits and pieces of telly – Crown Court and Minder. Times were different then. Nowadays, kids... young actors... they go straight to LA before they've even done anything."

It was around this time that Capaldi says he started becoming chippy about not being English. "It was clear that people would have preferred me to be Daniel Day Lewis," he says. "I just kept thinking there is no market for me, so I would become this other thing... a young, English, middle-class man. But that didn't work either, because there's plenty of those.

"For a long time I carried this... it's not resentment, it's fear. It was a fear of not being good enough, not being Daniel, or not being Hugh Grant or not being Colin Firth. It took me years to realise it was me bringing that stuff to the table – that when I would get into a situation if I was working with people, I'd blame them. Once I realised that it was a great eye-opener." When did that happen? "Probably not until I was about 40."

In frustration, Capaldi decided to write and direct his own short film, Franz Kafka's It's a Wonderful Life, incredibly winning an Oscar for it. "That was very confusing for me and a lot of people because I won it as an actor who was having a go at directing. Luckily, I had another script, over which a bidding war exploded. That's why I've got a house in Crouch End and I'll always be grateful to Miramax for buying it.

"I thought I was going to be Ridley Scott now, or Steven Spielberg, and I flew over to New York to set up production and then they said they're not going to do it. It was over. I had to work because I'd spent all my money – on the house – and I remember the Oscars after the Oscar I won, I was standing in mud in a field in Rickmansworth directing a dog food commercial."

Capaldi shares that house in Crouch End with his wife, Elaine, an actor-turned-TV producer, and their 18-year-old daughter, Cissie. But the familiar pattern was reasserting itself, with a big break followed by Capaldi's seeming inability, or unwillingness, to capitalise on it. After The Thick of It, it seems unlikely that Capaldi will again fall into the slough of despond in which Iannucci found him in 2005. He may remain a "jobbing actor" (his words), but the jobs will be bigger, the auditions less humiliating. "It definitely changed the way people in the business perceived me," he says. And playing Malcolm Tucker changed the way viewers perceive him, too. He played a doctor recently in the Jo Brand hospital sitcom, Getting On (which he also directed) and he brought a reptilian menace to the role that has a lot to do with the baggage he now carries from Malcolm Tucker. This new persona has even affected the general public.

"Instead of asking for autographs, people ask me to tell them to 'Fuck off' ... sometimes I mean it," he says. "I saw a thing with Alastair Campbell the other day where he said exactly the same thing and I thought, hey, that's my line..."

Has he ever met Campbell? "Once, when Channel 4 thought it'd be funny to place us next to each other for a dinner. I'd always avoided him because I'd feared he'd be very charming, which he was, but it was very interesting and it did actually affect the way I played the part. Not that anybody ever said to me that Tucker was Alastair Campbell. We spoke as much about Peter Mandelson, or Bernard Ingham, but gradually the dynamic of the show begins to create its own character."

Tucker is a great comedy creation, and Capaldi is acutely aware that such characters don't grow on trees. "Maybe it's because I've been an actor for such a long time, but I think, unless you're a big star, you don't really have much control over anything. I've never been able to make any plans. The only time I've tried to make plans the cosmic sledgehammer has intervened and something else has happened. You just have to wait and see what comes your way, so that's what I do".

'The Suspicions of Mr Whicher', ITV1, Easter Monday

Peter Capaldi: a life on screen

1958 Born in Glasgow, to Scottish-Italian parents who run an ice-cream business

1976 Forms a punk band, The Dreamboys, with Craig Ferguson (now a comedian) on drums

1983 At 23, is spotted by director Bill Forsyth and cast with Burt Lancaster in Local Hero

1988 Having moved to London to work as a jobbing actor, he appears in Stephen Frears' Dangerous Liaisons

1993 Writes and stars in his first film, Soft Top Hard Shoulder

1995 The next film he writes, Franz Kafka's It's a Wonderful Life, starring Richard E Grant, wins an Oscar for Best Short Film. Off the back of this success, his script Moon Man is bought by Miramax. It never gets made

2001 His next film, Strictly Sinatra, flops at the box office and he returns to acting, with roles in Fortysomething, Judge John Deed and Foyle's War

2005 Finds fame playing a spin doctor in the TV series The Thick of It, Armando Iannucci's acclaimed political satire

2009 Stars in In The Loop, a big-screen spin-off that gets a screenplay Oscar nomination

2011 Directs Jo Brand's BBC hospital drama Getting On; appears in ITV's The Suspicions of Mr Whicher

By Holly Williams

[tzeming-janice]

Case Study on China

The Great Firewall of China

The Chinese government has voiced worries about the internet since 1998, viewing it as a potential source of social and political challenges to the regime's cultural values and ideology (Cawford, 2023). In response, China's Ministry of Public Security (MPS) directed the Golden Shield project, which was started in 1998 and finished in 2006 (Open Society Institute, n.d.). This initiative is a regulatory framework accompanied by an extensive system of internet censorship. According to Kerner, the western media has called it "The Great Firewall of China”, implying that it encompasses a set of tools, services, and regulations that the government of the People’s Republic of China uses to prevent access to specific online information by individuals who are physically inside its boundaries.

If you've read this far, you might be wondering how the Great Firewall of China blocks content.

The Great Firewall of China uses various methods to block content. It inspects internet traffic entering and leaving China, blocking entire domains and IP address ranges. Additionally, when a user attempts to search for the blocked keywords and phrases, the Great Firewall will block and redirect the website query in a way that does not let the user access the requested information. Additionally, the firewall also actively scans network connections for potential proxy IPs used to bypass it, such as VPNs or Tor privacy networks (Kerner, n.d.).

Criticism and Concerns of the Great Firewall of China

The Chinese government has come under criticism from numerous human rights organisations for the extensive and invasive state monitoring methods used by the Great Firewall. Critics argued that China has restricted its citizens' freedom of access to information sources by enforcing the Great Firewall's strict censorship (Gisonna, 2023). To illustrate, Google holds less than a 2% market share in China, primarily due to government restrictions, with Baidu being the dominant search engine service (Seth, 2022). In March 2009, the Chinese government also banned access to YouTube after the dissemination of videos regarding security personnel beating protestors in Tibet, a region of China (Zed Biz, 2023).

According to Gisonna (2023), in spite of the Great Firewall facing criticism, numerous technology firms have yielded to the Chinese government's self-censorship guidelines, adapting their products to align with Chinese regulations. For example, Microsoft Corporation has produced an altered version of its web search engine, Bing.

China’s powerful app - WeChat

WeChat was developed by Chinese technology giant Tencent Group and was first introduced in 2011 (Sapra, 2019).

As per Zhang (2018), WeChat has evolved beyond its original purpose as a messaging and social networking app. Tencent has effectively transformed WeChat into a super app, serving as a comprehensive platform where users can seamlessly access a multitude of authorized third-party services. These services range from tasks like ride-hailing, purchasing movie tickets, ordering food delivery, booking hotels, paying bills, and many other functionalities. Long story short, it is nearly impossible to do anything without access to WeChat nowadays (Sapra, 2019).

Tencent (2018) argued that “WeChat aims to embed itself in every moment of the user's daily life, from morning till night, anytime, anywhere.”

Why WeChat fails when expanding abroad?

The majority of features of WeChat were constrained due to the absence of collaboration with local suppliers to offer those services. This is why WeChat is losing its competitive edge and transforming into merely another messaging application (Seppam, 2023).

Simultaneously, as per Medium (2019), WeChat's failure can be attributed to its delayed entry into the foreign market. By the time WeChat ventured into the international market in April 2012, WhatsApp had already surpassed its innovation period, spanning from 2009 to 2011. This indicates that WeChat faced limited growth opportunities to capture the global market.

Social Credit System in China

China's social credit system comprises databases and initiatives designed to monitor and evaluate the reliability of individuals, businesses, government entities, and the judiciary (Lee, 2020). It was formally introduced to the public in 2014 with the unveiling of the Outline for the Construction and Planning of the Social Credit System. In addition to looking at financial history and activity, that similar to credit rating systems in other nations, it also considers things like unethical behaviour and legal infractions (Koty & Huld, 2023).

A credit score may benefit from making good contributions to society through the establishment of social programmes, donations to charitable organisations, or other corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives. A high credit score may grant access to discounted public housing or priority medical care. Conversely, engaging in such undesirable behaviour as dishonest or unlawful taxation, misleading customer behaviour, and so forth, may result in a low rating and adverse outcomes including being barred from trains and aeroplanes (Lee, 2020).

Is the social credit system a way to instill good behaviour and provide safety to citizens?

From my point of view, the opinions on this question are diverse. Supporters argue that the Social Credit System could potentially improve overall societal conduct by promoting trust and integrity. They suggest that by rewarding responsible behaviour and penalising misconduct, the system could contribute to a safer and more orderly society.

On the other hand, critics express concerns about privacy violations, the potential for abuse of power, and the impact on individual freedoms. The system involves extensive surveillance and data collection, raising worries about government intervening into citizens' lives. There are fears that the system could be used for social and political control, suppressing dissent, and restricting individual freedoms.

In general, the goal of China's social credit system is to ensure that residents and companies doing business there adhere to local laws and regulations (Velocity Global, 2023). It is important to strive for a balance between the potential benefits of improved societal behaviour and the protection of individual rights.

References:

Crawford, D. (2023, February 3). What is the Great Firewall of China and how does it work. Proton VPN Blog. https://protonvpn.com/blog/great-firewall-china/

Gisonna, N. (2023, September 21). Great Firewall. Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/topic/Great-Firewall

Kerner, S. M. (n.d.). Great firewall of China. WhatIs.com. https://www.techtarget.com/whatis/definition/Great-Firewall-of-China

Koty, A. C. & Huld, A. (2023, March 24). China’s social credit system: What businesses need to know. China Briefing News. https://www.china-briefing.com/news/chinas-social-credit-system-how-it-works/

Lee, A. (2020, August 9). What is China’s social credit system and why is it controversial? South China Morning Post. https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3096090/what-chinas-social-credit-system-and-why-it-controversial

Medium. (2019, November 19). Identify and explore why “WeChat” failed internationally. https://medium.com/@uncigolini/identify-and-explore-why-wechat-failed-internationally-605cff5043d9

Sapra, B. (2019, December 21). This Chinese super-app is Apple’s biggest threat in China and could be a blueprint for Facebook’s future. Here’s what it’s like to use WeChat, which helps a billion users order food and hail rides. Business Insider. https://www.businessinsider.com/chinese-superapp-wechat-best-feature-walkthrough-2019-12

Seppam, M. (2023, April 5). How China’s Super-App WeChat Failed in USA and Europe.  Why do other successful local apps fail when expanding abroad? https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/how-chinas-super-app-wechat-failed-usa-europe-why-do-other-seppam/

Seth, S. (2022, December 31). Baidu vs. Google: What's the Difference. Investopedia. https://www.investopedia.com/articles/investing/051215/baidu-vs-google-how-are-they-different.asp#:~:text=Google%20has%20a%20strong%2C%20dominant,government%20has%20restricted%20its%20use.

Velocity Global. (2023, October 6). The Chinese Social Credit System: What to know as a business owner. https://velocityglobal.com/resources/blog/chinese-social-credit-system/

Zhang, M. (2018, March 26). China’s WeChat: The Power of the Super App. Medium. https://medium.com/@miaozhenzhang666/chinas-wechat-the-power-of-the-super-app-dc144657625e

[luxkingshop]

What’s the Difference Between the Replica Rolex Yacht-Master and the Replica Rolex Yacht-Master II?

What’s the Difference Between the Replica Rolex Yacht-Master and the Replica Rolex Yacht-Master II?

Ever since the debut of the Explorer II in the early 1970s, Rolex has made a habit of periodically releasing a “Part II” to some of their most famous collections of watches. Sometimes, the second edition of the collection is intended to replace the first as the next step in the evolution of the watch, similar to how the GMT-Master II completely replaced the standard Replica GMT-Master in Rolex’s catalog. Other times, like with the introduction of the Explorer II, the “II” version is intended to supplement the existing collection, offering additional or different features not found on the standard model. In these instances, the “II” version is not is not a replacement for the original model, but rather it is intended to be offered alongside the standard version as a more premium or professional focused offering.

Manufacturing Periods & Reference Numbers: Yacht-Master vs. Yacht-Master II

Rolex introduced the Yacht-Master collection in 1992 as a top-tier luxury watch with a nautical flair. This was not a utilitarian tool watch like the Submariner or the GMT-Master (although you can use the rotating bezel to time elapsed events) but rather, a sporty chic high-end watch to wear while at sea. Indeed, the full 18k yellow gold construction of the inaugural 40 mm Yacht-Master set the luxurious tone of the collection. Two years later Rolex rounded out the collection by adding midsize and ladies’ size versions of the Yacht-Master.

The men’s Yacht-Master 40 reference numbers and production dates are as follows:

Yellow Gold Yacht-Master 40 ref. 16628: 1992 – 2011

Platinum/Steel Yacht-Master 40 ref. 16622: 1999 – 2012

Yellow Gold/Steel Yacht-Master 40 ref. 16623: 2005 – 2015

Platinum/Steel Yacht-Master 40 ref. 116622: 2012 – Present

Everose Gold Yacht-Master 40 ref. 116655: 2015 – Present

Everose Gold/Steel Yacht-Master 40 ref. 116621: 2016 – Present

The Yacht-Master II joined the Rolex lineup in 2007. Unlike the Yacht Master, the Yacht Master II offers much more functionality for sailors thanks to its regatta timer to use during competitive races.

Since it’s a relatively new collection, there has only been one generation of the Yacht-Master II so far, offered in different materials:

Yellow Gold Yacht-Master ref. 116688: 2007 – Present

White Gold/Platinum Yacht-Master ref. 116689: 2007 – Present

Everose/Steel Yacht-Master ref. 116681: 2011 – Present

Steel Yacht-Master ref. 116680: 2013 – Present

Functionality: Replica Rolex Yacht-Master vs Replica Rolex Yacht-Master II

Aside from telling the time, the Replica Rolex Yacht-Master and the Yacht-Master II are quite different functionally. Powered by Rolex Cal. 3135 with a 48-hour power reserve, the dial of the Yacht-Master houses center hours, minutes, and sweeping seconds along with a date window at 3 o’clock.

On the other hand, the Yacht-Master II runs on Caliber 4161, which is one of Rolex’s most complex movements to date. In addition to the center hour and minute hands and running seconds subdial (and no date), the Cal. 4161 furnishes the Yacht-Master II with a regatta countdown with patented mechanical memory and on-the-fly-synchronization. What’s more, the bezel, dubbed Ring Command, is not just for exterior looks and functionality, but it also controls part of the movement inside the case. The Yacht-Master II has 72 hours of power reserve.

The men’s Yacht-Master sports a 40 mm Oyster case topped with a rotating bezel with raised numerals. The dials of the Yachtmaster are similar to other Rolex sports watches with Mercedes-style hands and round/baton/triangular luminescent indexes.

While Replica Rolex originally made yellow gold and two-tone yellow gold and steel versions of the Yacht-Master. The company has now replaced these with full Everose gold and two-tone Everose gold and steel models. When Rolex introduced Everose Yacht Master, it was the first watch to include the Oysterflex bracelet composed of a metal band wrapped in black rubber.  The steel versions of the Yacht-Master include platinum bezels. Rolex used to make 29 mm versions and 35 mm versions of the Yacht-Master, but today the only sub-40 mm size is the Yacht-Master 37.

Conversely, the Yacht-Master II is only available in one size—a very large 44 mm Oyster case. That case comes with a blue Cerachrom ceramic bezel (except for the white gold version which includes a platinum bezel). The dials of the Yacht-Master used to include blue pencil-style center hands and square indexes. However, in 2017, Rolex updated the dials (but kept the same reference numbers) to feature Mercedes-style. Plus added baton and triangle indexes at 6 and 12 o’clock, respectively.

The Yacht-Master and the Yacht-Master II, Distant Relatives

They may share a similar name, but as we’ve illustrated, the Yacht-Master and the Yacht-Master II are far from the same watch. The first is a luxurious time and date Rolex sports watch while the latter is a big, bold, and complex Rolex watch built for competitions.

Regardless of which version of Rolex’s yachting watch you choose, they are both statement watches in their own unique way.

[nursingwriter]

Effects of Screen Time on Children Introduction What do we know about the effects of screen time use of smartphones, tablets and game consoles, among children ages 10 to 15 and academic achievement? This literature review intends to answer that question. Screen time may affect children in different ways for a variety of reasons. The content of screen time can vary widely, from educational programs to violent video games to social media platforms (Twenge et al., 2018). Different types of content may have different effects on children's cognitive, emotional, and social development (Brown & Bobkowski, 2011). Also, children's developmental needs and abilities change as they grow and mature, which may affect how they respond to screen time (Radesky et al., 2014). For example, young children may benefit from educational programs that reinforce basic skills like letter recognition, while older children may benefit from more complex content that challenges their critical thinking skills (Kostyrka-Allchorne et al., 2017). Moreover, the amount of time children spend on screens can also affect their development. Excessive screen time may interfere with other important activities, such as physical activity, social interaction, and sleep, which can have negative consequences for children's health and well-being (Li et al., 2020). Plus, the context in which screen time occurs may also influence its effects. For example, watching a movie with parents may provide an opportunity for shared learning and bonding, while using screens to distract children during meals or bedtime may interfere with family routines and social interaction (Pea et al., 2012). Finally, individual differences in children's personalities, interests, and learning styles may also affect how they respond to screen time. Some children may be more sensitive to screen content or find it more engaging, while others may be more resistant or prefer other types of activities (Duch et al., 2013). Thus, for all these reasons, it is important to understand how the effects of screen time can impact children, particularly with respect to academic achievement, as school is the place where children are set to establish foundations for their future. Literature Review Screen time use of smartphones, tablets and game consoles is increasingly prevalent among children aged 10 to 15. As a result, there has been growing concern among parents, educators and researchers about the potential effects of screen time on children's academic achievement. This literature review aims to provide an overview of the current research on the effects of screen time use on academic achievement among children aged 10 to 15. Inclusion/Exclusion Criteria Typical criteria and methods for conducting a literature review include: Inclusion criteria that are: Relevant to the research question/topic Published within a certain time period Published in a specific language Empirical research (e.g., not opinion articles, editorials) Exclusion criteria that are: Irrelevant to the research question/topic Published outside of the time period or language specified Not empirical research Methods such as: Conducting a comprehensive search of relevant databases and sources (e.g., PsycINFO, Google Scholar) Screening titles and abstracts of identified articles based on inclusion/exclusion criteria Reading full texts of potentially relevant articles to determine inclusion or exclusion Extracting relevant data and information from included articles Synthesizing findings and drawing conclusions To be included in this review, studies had to meet the following criteria: 1. Published in peer-reviewed journals in the last 10 years (2011-2021). 2. Conducted on children (preferably aged 10 to 15, but studies that focused on younger children were also included due to lack of relevant material on the target age group). 3. Investigated the effects of screen time use of smartphones, tablets, game consoles, or any type of media involving the use of screen on attention, cognition, self-regulation, or academic achievement. 4. Included either qualitative or quantitative data obtained in relation to this issue. Because few studies have actually evaluated the effects of screen time on academic performance some leeway had to be made to meet the demand for ten studies for this review. Therefore, studies from different countries were included and studies of children outside the preferred target group were also included, even if they focused on issues such as self-regulation, since self-regulation does pertain to academic development. Methods A systematic search of the databases of Google Scholar and PsycINFO was conducted using the keywords "screen time," "smartphones," "tablets," "game consoles," "children," "academic achievement," and "cognitive development." The search was limited to studies published in English and conducted on human participants. After screening titles and abstracts, full-text articles were obtained for further assessment. Finally, 10 studies were identified that met the inclusion criteria. Review of the Studies The study by Radesky et al. (2014) aimed to examine the association between parent-reported self-regulation problems in early childhood and media exposure at age 2, including television and video viewing. They used data from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study-Birth Cohort, which included 7,450 children. The study found that children with poor self-regulation at 9 months, as measured by the Infant Toddler Symptom Checklist, consumed an average of 0.23 hours more media per day at age 2 than children with better self-regulation. Children with persistent self-regulation problems were even more likely to consume media, with an adjusted beta of 0.21 hours per day. The study suggests that understanding the relationship between self-regulation and media exposure could help parents reduce their children's screen time. In other words, children exposed to more screen time tended to have greater problems with self-regulation than did children with less screen time. The finding suggests that screen time might negatively impact a childs ability to self-regulate emotions. One possible explanation for this could be the effect of screen time on the bodys dopamine regulation, as engaging with media and screens at any age involves a dopamine response, which is inherently similar to the kind of response associated with taking drugs. The study by Kostyrka-Allchorne et al. (2017) is a systematic review of literature on the association between television viewing and children's executive function, academic performance, attention, language, and play. They reviewed 76 studies and found that the relationship between television viewing and children's development is complex and likely depends on individual characteristics, family and social context, as well as the features of the television content and type of exposure. In other words, media exposure and screen time is just one of many factors that go into shaping children and how they think and behave. They found that watching high-quality educational content during preschool years improves basic academic skills and predicts subsequent positive academic performance, while television viewing in infancy is disruptive to play and associated with inattentive/hyperactive behaviors, lower executive functions, and language delay, at least in the short-term. The researchers admit that it remains unclear whether these interactions between television and cognition are long-lasting. Thus, they conclude by suggesting that future research should focus on investigating the pathways that link particular components of television and type of exposure with individual and contextual factors to better understand their potenial unique and combined effects on development, and address the challenge of investigating the diverse and rapidly changing technologies to which the current generation of children are exposed. The study by Li et al. (2020) investigated the relationship between mobile phone addiction and sleep quality in Chinese adolescents, and examined the mediating role of rumination and moderating role of mindfulness. The study found that rumination partially mediated the relationship between mobile phone addiction and poor sleep quality. Additionally, mindfulness moderated the effect of mobile phone addiction on sleep quality and the mediating effect of rumination, with both effects being stronger for individuals with lower mindfulness. This study provides insight into the mechanisms underlying the relationship between mobile phone addiction and poor sleep quality, and highlights the importance of mindfulness as a protective factor. The study by Brown & Bobkowski (2011) reviews research on the use and effects of older and newer media on adolescents' health and well-being. The study provides an examination of patterns of media use among adolescents and discusses predictors and effects of those patterns on adolescents' mental health. It also reviews research on the effects of exposure to specific kinds of media content on adolescents' behaviors and health outcomes. Additionally, the study considers media literacy as a promising strategy for enhancing adolescents' use of the media in the future. The researchers also note that reducing the amount of time children spend watching television can reduce aggression, as shown by a field experiment. Interestingly, the study mentions that a meta-analysis of more than 200 studies investigating the effect of television violence on aggressive and antisocial behavior found a moderate correlation between the two as well as between screen time and academic performance. This review suggests that screen time needs to be regulated as it does impact children and their ability to focus, grow, and develop themselves on a number of fronts, including the academic front. The study by Aguilar et al. (2015) aimed to investigate the association between physical fitness and academic attainment in schoolchildren and the potential influence of screen time on this relationship. The study included 395 schoolchildren from seven schools in Chile, with an average age of 12.1 years. Results showed that good cardiorespiratory fitness levels were positively associated with higher language and mean academic attainment grades in both genders. However, after adjusting for screen time and other potential confounders, these associations disappeared. Additionally, no relationship was observed for children who spent more than 2 hours per day on screen time. The study suggests that policymakers and parents should minimize the negative effects of screen time on children's lives to maximize the beneficial effect of healthy habits on academic attainment. The study by Faught et al. (2017) aimed to investigate the independent and combined associations of lifestyle behaviors (diet, physical activity, sleep, and screen time) and body weight status with academic achievement in grade 5 students. The study included 4253 students and their parents, who were surveyed about the childs lifestyle behaviors, and their heights and weights were measured. Academic achievement was measured using provincial standardized exams in mathematics, reading, and writing. The study found that meeting dietary recommendations, screen time, and sleep was associated with meeting academic expectations for different subjects. Moreover, meeting additional lifestyle behavior recommendations was associated with a higher likelihood of meeting expectations. The researchers concluded that body weight status was not associated with academic achievement but that too much screen time and not enough other healthy habits (like exercise) did negatively correlate with academic performance for this age group. Thus, the study suggests that promoting compliance with established healthy lifestyle recommendations could improve both the health and educational outcomes of school-aged children. The study by Duch et al. (2013) aimed to systematically review literature published between January 1999 and January 2013 on the correlates of screen time among children between 0 and 36 months of age. The study identified 29 studies that met the inclusion criteria and investigated a total of 33 potential correlates. The study found that demographic variables most commonly correlated with high screen time among infants and toddlers were the child's age (older) and race/ethnicity (minority). Child BMI, maternal distress/depression, television viewing time of the mother, and cognitive stimulation in the home environment were also associated with screen media use. However, the study did not specifically focus on the relationship between screen time and academic performance in young children. It did note, nonetheless, that screen time had been identified by some studies as a factor in poor academic performance among children up to seven years of age. Overall, the study identified avenues for intervention to reduce screen time use in young children, but suggested that further research is necessary to explore a number of environmental, socio-cultural, and behavioral correlates that are under-examined in this population and may further inform prevention and intervention strategies. The study by Pea et al. (2012) aimed to explore the relationships between media use, including screen time, and social well-being in young girls aged 8-12. The study used an online survey conducted through Discovery Girls magazine and collected data on various forms of media use, including video, video games, music listening, reading/homework, e-mailing/posting on social media sites, texting/instant messaging, and talking on phones/video chatting. The study also introduced a comparative measure of media use versus time spent in face-to-face communication. The findings of the study indicated that negative social well-being was positively associated with levels of media use that are centered around interpersonal interaction, such as phone and online communication, as well as media use that is not, such as video, music, and reading. Video use was found to be particularly strongly associated with negative social well-being indicators, while face-to-face communication was strongly associated with positive social well-being. Media multitasking was also found to be associated with negative social indicators. However, the study found that cell phone ownership and having a television or computer in one's room had little direct association with children's socioemotional well-being. The authors of the study suggest possible causes for these relationships and call for research designs to address causality and outline possible implications of such findings for the social well-being of younger adolescents. Overall, the study highlights the potential negative impact of certain forms of media use, such as video use and media multitasking, on young girls' social well-being. However, the study also suggests that not all forms of screen time are associated with negative social well-being, as having a television or computer in one's room did not have a significant impact on socioemotional well-being. The study by Lapierre et al. (2015) aimed to determine the amount of background television that children are exposed to in the United States and to identify demographic factors associated with increased exposure to background television. The researchers also investigated how certain home media practices are linked to childrens background television exposure. The study involved a nationally representative telephone survey of US parents/caregivers with one child between the ages of 8 months and 8 years. Parents were asked to report on their childs exposure to background television via a 24-hour time diary and to report relvant home media behaviors related to their child, such as bedroom television ownership, number of televisions in the home, and how often a television was on in the home. The results showed that the average US child was exposed to 232.2 minutes of background television on a typical day, which is a concerning amount. The study also found that younger children and African American children were exposed to more background television. Leaving the television on while no one is viewing and childrens bedroom television ownership were associated with increased background television exposure. Overall, the study highlights the negative consequences associated with background television and provides potential pathways for practitioners to reduce childrens exposure to it. However, it is worth noting that the study did not explicitly investigate the relationship between background television exposure and academic performance. The study by Kabali et al. (2015) aimed to investigate young childrens exposure to and use of mobile media devices. The cross-sectional study included 350 children aged 6 months to 4 years from an urban, low-income, minority community. The survey was adapted from Common Sense Medias 2013 nationwide survey. The results showed that most households had television (97%), tablets (83%), and smartphones (77%). Half of the children at age 4 had their own television and three-fourths had their own mobile device. Almost all children (96.6%) used mobile devices, and most started using before age 1. Parents gave children devices when doing house chores (70%), to keep them calm (65%), and at bedtime (29%). At age 2, most children used a device daily and spent comparable screen time on television and mobile devices. Most 3- and 4-year-olds used devices without help, and one-third engaged in media multitasking. Content delivery applications such as YouTube and Netflix were popular. The study found that child ownership of the device, age at first use, and daily use were not associated with ethnicity or parent education. In conclusion, the study suggests that young children from an urban, low-income, minority community have almost universal exposure to mobile devices, and most have their own device by age 4. The patterns of use suggest early adoption, frequent and independent use, and media multitasking. The study recommends that updated recommendations for families and providers on the use of mobile media by young children are urgently needed. Even though the study does not directly address the effects of all this screen time on academic performance, it is clear that children are inundated by screen time and this is likely to impact all aspects of their life. The study by Twenge et al. (2018) examines the relationship between screen time and psychological well-being among US adolescents. The study utilized nationally representative surveys of 8th, 10th, and 12th graders from 1991-2016, with a sample size of over 1.1 million participants. The study found that psychological well-being (measured by self-esteem, life satisfaction, and happiness) suddenly decreased after 2012, and adolescents who spent more time on electronic communication and screens (e.g., social media, the Internet, texting, gaming) and less time on nonscreen activities (e.g., in-person social interaction, sports/exercise, homework, attending religious services) had lower psychological well-being. The study also found that adolescents spending a small amount of time on electronic communication were the happiest. Furthermore, the study revealed that psychological well-being was lower in years when adolescents spent more time on screens and higher in years when they spent more time on nonscreen activities. The changes in activities generally preceded declines in well-being. The study suggests that the rapid adoption of smartphones and the subsequent shift in adolescents time use may be at least partially responsible for the decrease in psychological well-being among US adolescents. Read the full article

[literaturereviewhelp]

That is, defying the traditional gender roles which are unanimously acknowledged by a patriarchal society, women have entered into male spheres and performed those male activities quite successfully. A critical analysis of the history of the changes in women’s role will necessarily reveal that these changes were, for the first time, induced during the Enlightenment Period in Europe. During that age, women were considered as mentally and physically weak. They were thought to be fit for indoor jobs such childrearing, maintaining house and hearth, cooking, washing, etc. Though women were excluded from public affairs and outdoor activities, Enlightenment scholars like Mary Wollstonecraft called for changes in the prejudiced view about women (Kreis, 2012, pars. 3). But during the early 18th century, public awareness about women’s education began to increase in the metropolitan areas of England and France. They started to participate in French Salons increasingly (Goodman, 1994, p. 43). In public affairs, they appeared most as singers, though not professionals. But during the late 18th century, the epoch-making event, Industrial Revolution, seemed to change the whole scenario about women’s traditional role as a wife and a mother. Before the Industrial Revolution, men’s and women’s social role were highly distinctive. In a family, men were mainly considered as the breadwinner and women were dependent on their male counterparts for their bread and butter. But the Revolution, technology-based industries began to burgeon at a rapid rate, creating more opportunities for women to be involved in earning activities, as Hudson (2011) notes, “Many young people, especially young women, migrated to towns and cities in search of work as the possibilities of agricultural employment declined.” (pars. 5). During the Enlightenment period, women’s outdoor was limited to cultivation. Most the   OR How does this Film Depict the Changes in China? Introduction   Two Stage Sisters is a great creation of the one Jin Xie who directed the movie in a way that revolutionalized the Chinese movie industry in its own right. The extent of the graphics used and the employment of corroborating evidence from other authorities that concern the same theme of the movie help make the authenticity of the movie justifiably credible under the harshest of scrutiny and criticism. The movie has been created in a way that has something for everyone: evil capitalists just as it suits sympathetic heroines; great musicians just as it suits those interested in revolutionary fervor (Marchetti, 1989). This paper discusses the film in detail bringing out with novelty all the ingenuity that is constituted in the making of the movie so that the way it depicts the changes in Chinese film industry and culture is highlighted and authenticated; this will constitute the highest level of interpretation as regards the uniqueness from its contemporary movies of the time. Purpose of Study This paper is written with the aim of discussing the movie Two Stage Sisters and how the film depicts the changes in Chinese culture. In discussing this, the essay will seek to establish the way(s) in which the film differed from the films of the Cultural Revolution that immediately followed its era. The essay also intends to serve as an introduction to the evolution of Chinese film in its cultural, literary and historical context. In so doing, the essay will discuss issues relating to modernization, cultural conflict, war, revolution and gender roles against a backdrop of Chinese history and politics. This therefore means that this essay will be a ‘position’ paper where a position will be taken in the Chinese film industry and culture and the film Two Stage Sisters will give analytical perspective to corroborate the presupposition. Synopsis of the Film Two Stage Sisters is set in pre-Revolutionary China where it is presented as a strong Hollywood-styled melodrama that has very strong and convincing political undertones that have been deliberately included in the plot for a specific reference to issues of governance and political leadership of the time (Marchetti, 1989). The film begins with a runaway peasant girl called Zhu Chunhua (Xie Fang) who is taken by an opera troupe for nurturing and in the process meets the kind hearted Xing Yuehong (Cao Yindi) and her father called Master Xing.   Read the full article

[spacenutspod]

NASA’s Curiosity Rover has been exploring Mars since 2012 and, more recently has found evidence of ice-free ancient ponds and lakes on the surface. The rover found small undulations like those seen in sandy lake-beds on Earth. They would have been created by wind-driven water moving back and forth across the surface. The inescapable conclusion is that the water would have been open to the elements instead of being covered by ice. The discovery suggests the ripples formed 3.7 billion years ago.  Mars it the fourth planet in our Solar System and the second smallest of all the major planets. It’s known for its strong red colour which is caused by iron oxide in the surface material. Classed as a terrestrial planet, Mars is similar in many ways to Earth with valleys, volcanoes and even evidence of dried up river beds. The similarities end there though with polar caps made mostly of carbon dioxide ice, an unbreathable atmosphere and a surface that is cold and dry. It’s always held a special fascination for us due largely to vague hints through the centuries of alien intelligent but more recently that it may have once been habitable.  A full-disk view of Mars, courtesy of VMC. Credit: ESA Once such rover that has been exploring the Martian landscape is the Curiosity Rover that was sent by NASA in 2011. It arrived at Mars in August 2012 and has been exploring the region around Gale Crater ever since. The main objective of Curiosity is to investigate the climate and geology and to assess if it could support primative life in the past. To achieve that end, it’s equipped with an array of instruments from drills to collect soil samples, cameras and instruments to analyse atmospheric samples.  New simulations are helping inform the Curiosity rover’s ongoing sampling campaign. Credit:NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS A paper recently published in the journal Science Advances by Caltech’s John Grotzinger, Harold Brown Professor of Geology and Michael Lamb, Professor of Geology shared their findings. They found two sets of what seem to be ancient wave ripples on the surface of Mars now thought to be dried up bodes of water with the ripples preserved in rock. The ripples are tiny undulations and are often seen in beaches and lake-beds on Earth as wind-driven water flows across the shallows. The team are particularly excited that this means the water was not frozen and was once open to the elements as liquid.  The ripples discovered by Curiosity in Gale Crater are the strongest evidence to date that there have been bodies of liquid water in the history of the red planet. Analysis of the rocks and ripples suggest they formed 3.7 billion years ago. It’s thought that the atmosphere and climate of Mars must have been far warmer than it is today and more dense. Dense enough to support liquid water in open air. NASA’s Curiosity rover continues to search for signs that Mars’ Gale Crater conditions could support microbial life. Photo credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS. The team were able to create computer models from the ripples they found to attempt to discover the size of lake. The size of the ripples and separation helps to determine how much water was present. The ripple height of 6mm and 4 to 5 cm separation tells us that the lake was shallow, possibly even less than 2 metres deep. One of the sets of ripples known as the Prow outcrop was found in an area that was once wind blown dunes. The other set was found nearby in the sulcate-rich Amapari Marker Band of rocks. The two regions come from slightly different times telling us that the warm dense atmosphere occurred at multiple times or at least for a long period of time.  The discovery has been a massive help to Mars paleoclimate studies that have tried to map the changing conditions on Mars. NASA’s Opportunity rover was the first mission to discover ripples on the surface but the nature of the bodies of water was uncertain. This latest discovery has given a fascinating insight into the early conditions on Mars, with perhaps, bodies of liquid dotted across the landscape. Further investigation is needed to see how commonplace the ripples are.  Source : Signatures of Ice-Free Ancient Ponds and Lakes Found on Mars The post Curiosity Finds Ancient Wave Ripples on Mars appeared first on Universe Today.

[sanctobin]

Minestrone Culinary Publishers

Minestrone is the culinary publishing house established by food photographer Tony Le Duc in 2008. Four years previously, in 2004, Le Duc founded publishing house Homarus with food journalist Filip Verheyden. From that period date international bestsellers such as the Trilogy (The Basics, The Ingredient and The Dish), De Keuken van ons Moeder, the White Box about three-Michelin-starred Dutch chef Sergio Herman, and a luxurious portfolio about the late Willy Slawinski, an iconic Belgian chef. Since February 2008 Le Duc has gone solo, adding Homarus's back catalogue to Minestrone's current list.

An individual approach

In times of crisis, when risks are rarely taken and everything has to be commercialized, Minestrone comes with surprising book projects. More expensive types of paper, gilt edging, silver as a fifth colour, ancient silk-screen techniques and puff inks: these are just a few examples of the unusual techniques employed in the realization of Minestrone's cookbooks. With the e-Reader coming soon, Minestrone wants to emphasize the tactile and visual nature of books.

Food photographer becomes publisher

As a food photographer, Tony Le Duc first gained international fame when he dared to present food on wood and concrete backgrounds. He used the 'floating' technique in the realization of food photographs, as well as frequently photographing ingredients extremely close up. The term 'food porn' was often mentioned in this respect. Among photographers, he is infamous for his obsessive approach. And as a publisher, he has renounced none of his old habits; he continues to raise the bar with every project. Apart from taking on the photography for Minestrone's books, he personally supervises every project. From choice of paper, lay-out and text to printing. And if improvement is in any way possible, he will make sure it happens.

The smallest publishing house in the world

Minestrone has deliberately chosen to remain small. We work on new projects from our brand new, sun-drenched premises close to Antwerp's Central Station. Together with Le Duc's partner and art director Katleen Miller, as well as a permanent staff of two, no more than three book projects per year are realized, turning the small-scale aspect of the business into an asset.

Object books

Six years ago, Homarus set a trend with the publication of foodie 'object books', books which are more than just a reflection of their contents. They are objects in their own right, with a personality of their own. Minestrone continues this philosophy with the publication of cookbooks which have an added value for each and every reader.

The smallest publisher in the world is growing

Minestrone has made a conscious decision to remain small. They work on new projects in a sun-drenched location near Antwerp’s Central Station. Together with two permanent staff and a top team of freelancers, Minestrone produces no more than three book projects a year. The deliberate decision to remain small-scale has thus been turned into an asset.

After years of intense collaboration with Tony Le Duc, top chef Sergio Herman decided to join Minestrone as a partner in October 2011. There is more than enough creativity to go around between these two gentlemen. Both are experts in their field, so evidence of their collaboration is sure to show up in future projects.

Publisher wins international “Gourmand Cookbook Award”

In 2012 Minestrone won the prestigious international Gourmand Cookbook Award for “Best Cookbook Publisher of the Year”. This represented a remarkable global acknowledgement, since the longlist contained publishers from no less than 171 countries. In its justification the jury described Minestrone Cookbooks as "The smallest publishing house in the world, creating unique cookbooks for nine years with a maximum of three books a year. Publisher-photographer Tony Le Duc has now reached the highest level of excellence in publishing."

[jotsingh]

“Understanding Google’s Algorithm Updates: What They Mean for Your SEO Strategy”

In the world of digital marketing, Google’s algorithm updates often cause considerable stir and even anxiety. These updates determine how search engines rank websites and affect how businesses connect with potential customers. Knowing what these updates mean and how they influence your SEO strategy is essential for staying visible online. Let’s explore how Google’s algorithm updates work, what recent changes mean for SEO, and practical strategies to help your website thrive.

Introduction to Google’s Algorithm Updates

Google’s search algorithm is the set of rules used to sort and rank billions of web pages. The goal is to deliver the most relevant, high-quality content to users. To do this effectively, Google frequently updates its algorithms, usually without much warning. Major updates include the Panda, Penguin, Hummingbird, RankBrain, and, more recently, core updates that improve various aspects of search quality. Each update refines Google's search mechanism, ensuring it aligns with evolving user behaviors and expectations.

These changes are a double-edged sword for website owners and marketers: they can bring more exposure and credibility to high-quality sites or cause significant drops in visibility for those that fall short. By understanding the implications of these updates, businesses can optimize their SEO strategy and protect themselves from the unpredictability of algorithmic changes.

Key Algorithm Updates and Their Impact on SEO

Google Panda Introduced in 2011, Google Panda was the first major algorithm update aimed at rewarding high-quality content and penalizing sites with thin or low-quality content. It emphasized the importance of relevance, uniqueness, and authority, pushing websites to create better content for users rather than just stuffing keywords.

SEO Strategy Takeaway: Focus on creating well-researched, authoritative, and user-friendly content that serves real user needs. Avoid "thin" content with little added value and always aim for quality over quantity.

Google Penguin Launched in 2012, the Penguin update targeted manipulative link-building practices that artificially inflated a site’s ranking. This update aimed to penalize sites with spammy backlinks and low-quality link networks.

SEO Strategy Takeaway: Build a strong backlink profile by focusing on obtaining links from reputable sources. Prioritize quality over quantity and avoid any black-hat link-building tactics, such as link farms or excessive link exchanges.

Google Hummingbird The Hummingbird update, released in 2013, was a major overhaul that focused on improving Google’s ability to understand natural language and user intent. It emphasized semantic search and helped Google interpret the context behind search queries, rather than relying solely on keyword matching.

SEO Strategy Takeaway: Consider using long-tail keywords and optimizing content around the intent behind user queries. Voice search optimization and question-answer formats in content can be especially helpful here.

Google RankBrain RankBrain, a machine learning algorithm introduced in 2015, was designed to interpret complex queries and improve Google’s understanding of user intent. RankBrain helps Google sort search results by analyzing patterns in users’ search behavior.

SEO Strategy Takeaway: Create content that aligns with user intent and engages visitors, as Google considers metrics like click-through rate (CTR) and dwell time. Content that’s easy to read, informative, and valuable will likely perform better in RankBrain’s analysis.

Core Updates Core updates occur periodically and target Google’s broad system improvements. They focus on rewarding websites that provide the best content and user experience. Core updates often impact rankings across different niches, even if no specific guidelines are announced.

SEO Strategy Takeaway: Concentrate on an overall positive user experience, with a focus on site speed, mobile-friendliness, readability, and comprehensive, authoritative content. Stay adaptable, as core updates can influence various ranking factors.

How Google Algorithm Updates Impact Your SEO Strategy

1. Content Quality and Relevance

Since the early days of Panda, Google has emphasized content quality. An SEO strategy that centers on providing valuable, accurate, and up-to-date content is less likely to be negatively impacted by future updates. Regularly update your content to keep it relevant and authoritative.

2. Mobile Optimization

With mobile-first indexing and the increasing importance of mobile devices in search, having a mobile-friendly website is crucial. Ensure your website provides a seamless experience on mobile devices, with quick loading speeds and easy navigation.

3. User Experience and Engagement Metrics

Metrics such as bounce rate, time on site, and pages per session are key indicators of user experience and play a role in rankings. Create intuitive navigation, use engaging visuals, and aim to make your content as engaging as possible.

4. Backlink Quality

Building a high-quality backlink profile is essential, especially since Penguin. Backlinks from authoritative, relevant websites signal to Google that your content is valuable. Avoid low-quality link-building practices that may lead to penalties.

5. Page Speed and Core Web Vitals

Google’s recent focus on Core Web Vitals means that site performance directly impacts rankings. Prioritize optimizing page load times, improving interactivity, and creating stable layouts. Tools like Google’s PageSpeed Insights can help identify areas of improvement.

Practical Tips for Adapting to Algorithm Changes

Stay Informed: Google does not always disclose its algorithm changes in detail, so it’s important to follow reliable SEO news sources and communities. Regularly monitor tools like Google Analytics and Google Search Console to track changes in traffic patterns.

Focus on Quality Content: Content that genuinely adds value is less likely to be impacted by algorithm changes. Make content creation a central part of your SEO strategy and focus on satisfying user intent.

Optimize for User Experience: Algorithm updates are increasingly geared towards user experience. Invest in site speed optimization, mobile-friendliness, and Core Web Vitals to enhance overall usability.

Diversify Traffic Sources: An overreliance on search traffic alone can make your business vulnerable to algorithm changes. Diversify by building a strong presence on social media, email marketing, and paid advertising channels.

Audit and Update Regularly: Conduct regular content audits to identify pages that need updates, pruning, or improvements in SEO. Review backlink profiles to identify any potentially harmful links and disavow if necessary.

Askpyramid Techworks : Digital Marketing Agency Nagpur

At Askpyramid Techworks, a leading digital marketing agency in Nagpur owned by Kashif Ahmed, staying up-to-date with Google’s latest algorithm updates is central to our approach. Google frequently revises its search algorithms to provide users with the most relevant and high-quality results. These updates can significantly impact how businesses rank and reach their audience online, making it crucial for brands to adapt. Kashif Ahmed and his team at Askpyramid Techworks understand that navigating these changes requires a proactive SEO strategy focused on content quality, user experience, and ethical practices. In this blog, we’ll break down the essentials of Google’s algorithm updates, explore what they mean for SEO, and share actionable tips for keeping your strategy resilient and effective.

Conclusion

Google’s algorithm updates are constantly evolving, making it essential for digital marketers to stay informed and adapt their SEO strategies accordingly. The foundation of a strong SEO approach is to focus on high-quality content, user experience, and ethical practices. By doing so, you not only improve your website’s resilience against sudden changes in the algorithm but also create a sustainable online presence that delivers value to users.

While no one can predict Google’s next move, focusing on quality, relevance, and user experience will put you in the best position to thrive in a world where algorithm updates are the norm. Embrace these changes as opportunities for growth, and you’ll stay ahead in the competitive landscape of digital marketing.

Navigating Google’s algorithm updates can be challenging, but a proactive approach focused on quality, relevance, and user experience is key. At Askpyramid Techworks, best digital marketing agency in Nagpur. we emphasize an SEO strategy built around high-quality content, ethical practices, and consistent performance tracking. Algorithm updates are inevitable, but by focusing on best practices, businesses can build resilience against sudden ranking shifts and achieve long-term success online.

Remember, Google’s updates aim to improve the user experience, so aligning your website with these goals can only strengthen your digital presence. Embrace algorithm changes as opportunities to refine your SEO strategy, improve your website, and continue delivering value to your audience.

[seiwas]

i've said this before but i'll never get tired of saying it again !!! this is truly one of my fave hajime fics to ever ever (maybe my most favourite one, really 🥺) i don't even know how many times i've reread this if i'm being honest 🥹

i'm a huge sucker for vignette/timestamp style writing because i love looking at snippets of a relationship over the course of a long period of time 🥹 and i think it's soooo creative that your title is 'over the course of 24 hours', ix, because it feels quick upon first glance but actually spans select hours over the course of years 🥺 a true slow burn -> established relationship timeline, which i adore too 🥺

there are a lot of reasons why i love this fic and a part of it is definitely that i resonate with certain parts of it quite a bit sdfbasdfg but apart from that, i truly, thoroughly enjoyed the progression of reader's relationship with hajime 🥺

i love that you spent time dedicating a few chapters for that friendship/in-between stage, because it allowed me as a reader to ease into their dynamic really smoothly. it set the pace up really well, and allowed me to get to know reader and hajime as individuals and friends, then eventually something more.

that little look they share in december 2011 | 06:51 when reader asks if he feels the change 🥺 it feels like the beginning of a shift in their dynamic 🥺 that shy look-away!! gosh!!! i have butterflies 🥺

You meet his gaze briefly, though the second that you do seems to last a lifetime.

then eventually shifting into intertwined fingers... like... hELLO?!?!?! (july 2012 | 20:35) those shy smiles and blushy cheeks oHHHH i'm falling to the floOR.

If anyone notices the way your fingers intertwine with his on the walk, no one says a thing.

i must also say that, texting eachother and waiting for the other to get home from a party is a love language on its own and i loooove how you included that in september 2012 | 01:02 because i am a SUCKER for moments like that. this entire scene is littered with signs that they're shifting into something more and i'm LIVING for it (the constant updates, the pictures with texts, reader's outfit, REACTION PICTURES) +++ hajime's anxiety too and how he jumps straight into being concerned for her 😭 (so him 😭) + their banter!!! oh MY GOD 'because you're a pushover?' PLEASE. i'm gonna push HIM over.

“Positive. Whatever you need.” Your small token of gratitude has managed to steal the breath from his lungs, managed to fill his heart, managed to wake him up. He starts to toy with the idea of properly asking you out when you mumble his name in your sleep.

i'm LOSING IT.

then reader shows up on his door after his loss (november 2012 | 23:53) and it's this!!! the acts of service of it all!!

Instead of resting, preparing for the finals, you’re here, wanting to console him. It makes him ache with yearning, ache with annoyance.

then he hugs reader 🥺 and i could cry 🥺

i also love how supportive they are of each other(january 2013 | 13:00). i think it's a recurring quality of their relationship despite all that life throws at them, but seeing it in its beginning stages, even before they officially get together is so sweet 🥺 hajime watching her semi-final through his phone, and how he thinks, 'you're so fucking obstinate', how he knows she'll endure the pain. the fact that he texts her immediately and tries to provide the closest comfort he can 🥺 AND!! 'my iwa-chan' oh my GOD. AND HE TEASES HER FOR IT TOO. i looooove that detail. loooove that they both know something's going on between them and can openly tease each other like this.

the fact that he was thinking of confessing during graduation is something sooo personal to me (lmao) because i relate so hard (😭) (march 2013 | 18:12). i resonate so well with the way you set up his thought process; it's something i adore about your writing too!! it's the 50/50 chance, the fact that there's both too little and too much time. i love how honest he is, how he's able to openly compliments her now, and she replies with:

“You’re more important.” The way that statement rolls off your tongue is astounding, as though it’s the most natural thing in the world, as though those three words haven’t stopped his heart.

AND IT'S THE TWIST!! THE FACT THAT SHE'S GOING ABROAD TOO!! GOSH. oh my god i love how it kinda feels like things might be falling into place yknow?

then we get to the ldr part and that's when it honestly starts to hit a little too close to home (october 2013 | 16:20 (JST) 00:20 (PST)) 😭 different timezones can be so tough but seeing them still make an effort to call and talk is just 🥺 the tricky part about timezones is always the fact that someone will have to make a sacrifice, either staying up late or waking up early, or dropping plans in the middle of the day, being there while the other falls asleep on the other line 🥺 and WAAH it's so sweet!! how he's working all behind the scenes and waiting to drop the surprise to her 🥺. that 'my hajime' in the end killed me too 🥹

my jaw also dropped at the fact that we were in february 2014 | 07:41 and i juST REALISED THAT THEY WEREN'T TOGETHER TOGETHER YET 😭 omfg but i do love me a surprise visit. and this was sooo sweet. he's sooooo sickly in love oh my god. and he pulls her in and hugs her and reader nuzzles closer oHH my GOD i can't. this scene made me feel all sorts of butterflies 🥺 it's so nice seeing them grow closer physically too 🥺

But when he dreams of you, it’s of how you looked before you left. He wants to tell you that he’s missed you, that there’s not a fucking day that you don’t invade his thoughts. He wants to ask you to stay with him, to let him shower you with pent-up affection, to let him whisk you away to some secluded corner of the world for just the two of you, but he sticks with, “Stay with me this weekend?” “Shit. How am I ever going to match this for White Day?” “I don’t care. So long as I get to spend time with you now, I’m happy.” As soon as the last word leaves your mouth, he presses his lips to yours. For a moment, he’s certain that he’s crossed a boundary, certain that you’re going to turn around and go back to California. Then you pull him closer, returning his kiss with a satisfactory little hum.

when i tell you. i SCREAMED SDFBJSAD my GOD!!! he's so loverboy and truly in the trenches and i loOOVe this 😭

i love their banter together, how reader loves to tease him and how comfortable hajime is to exist in reader's space now (april 2014 | 19:10); that little tilt of reader's head to look up at him HAS me oh my god i love height differences. THEN he kisses her forehead?? mY GODDD.

i already mentioned this, but i felt all the ldr bits on a personal level, especially starting with june 2014 | 04:29. the fact that!! he flew in!! for his birthday!! and reader is waiting for him sleep-laden and everything!! and he calls her doll 🥺🥺 the affection in it all 🥺🥺 the discomfort from a longass plane ride gone just like that when he has her in his arms 🥺 ill cry

i also have an absolute favourite part in january 2015 | 00:00. the line is literally what plays on repeat when i remember this series:

“Even if we had the entire ocean between us tonight, that wouldn’t be your fate,” he admits softly. It’s the closest he’s ever gotten to saying it, though you have to know by now, right? You look almost shocked, pleasantly so, before you nuzzle your face in his neck.

as someone who isn't really verbally affectionate, words weigh a ton to me, so reading this and seeing that you chose to make reader careful with saying 'i love you' hits so deep 🥺 i love the layer that that adds to their relationship and how much depth it gives hajime's love.

april 2015 | 08:38 (JST) 16:38 (PST) is another ldr suckerpunch to the gut. life gets busy enough on its own and when you add ldr to the mix it's just 738573x harder. i've always believed that ldr is just a waiting game—from when you'll meet again, to when you'll can call again, talk again; waiting for the other to get home, to wake up, to be free. and it comes with a shit ton of sacrifice too!! and i love that you were able to capture that here. hajime skipping class to be able to talk to reader.

“Hajime,” you say as soon as the call goes through, hushed almost like a prayer. If it is a prayer, it’s one he’ll gladly answer again and again. “I miss you.”

it's the yearning!!! the feeling of wanting to reach out so bad and comfort but having to settle for hoping words are enough 🥹 truly . this makes my heart hurt every time.

and all that longing culminates in august 2015 | 03:46 !!! seeing how much their relationship has grown to reach this point 🥺 this was so hot and when he said 'pretty girl' . literally TOOK ME OUT lmao . AND HE SAYS THE WORDS!! PLAINLY. CLEARLY OUT ON THE OPEN.

“I meant it. It’s not just a sex thing,” he murmurs into your skin. Your fingers cease their movements and he hears the slight increase in your heartbeat, but you say nothing. Instead, you pull him up by his face and give him a kiss so sweet he wonders whether he’ll have a cavity when this is over. You don’t say it back, but he doesn’t need to hear it. Just you knowing how he feels will be enough.

the moment is so tender!! so raw!! so fragile and i'm 🥺🥺🥺

then comes the problem (february 2016 | 14:28). the fact that he came out to celebrate valentine's day with reader but it turns out like this. it sucks that he isn't approved of (literally perfect man in my eyes 😭) and it hurts!! but it's the fact that he's still thinking about what reader and how she's suffering too that gets to me 😭 it's so!!! just!! what a relationship, yknow? the fact that hajime considers her and how her decision of staying with him can make things incredibly hard for her; the fact that she doesn't care!! and is choosing to fight for him!! and in the end!! they choose each other!! oh my god literally could full on bawl my eyes out rn. it's love!!!!!!!!

and i love how you offer a glimpse of their life together in the aftermath of that (october 2016 | 05:50), how it feels all too surreal for hajime because the future he's been dreaming of now involves her 🥺 it's the gentleness!!! the tenderness!!! amidst all that they're going through 🥺 i can feel so much of his respect for reader and how seriously she's taking the relationship and her goals 🥺 there's so much service and understanding in the way he loves 🥺

i was so sure things would only be smooth sailing from now on, but i adore that you added more hiccups on the road!! because i think!! that's really how life is sometimes 🥺 and having them struggle through their relationship once more, even after getting through ldr, is such a real and natural occurrence in any relationship 🥺

He’s exhausted, thoroughly. Completely. He misses you more than when he was 8,800 kilometers away from you.

^ that line ached!! so i adore the fact that you bring back reader reaching out to him, just like she always has 🥺 asking him to meet her at the parking lot feels so much like asking him to meet her at the supply closet all those years ago 🥺 but this time she calls him handsome and carries with her food they can eat together 🥺

june 2018 | 21:27 (PST) 01:27 (ART) to november 2018 | 09:45 both hurt like crazy. i can't imagine how hajime must have felt, hearing her confide in oikawa instead of him 😭 and i love how you included an annoying girl in it too 😭 the fact that he said fiancee but reader introduced herself as gf 😭 (Not that he could blame you since he’s still working on building up the courage to propose. <- CRYING) and the annoying girl wouldn't stop 😭 and he tried EVERYTHING 😭 i can't believe she even had the balls to message reader 😭 and crash dates literally wtf 😭 ++++ hajime hiding correspondence with reader's mom 😭 i get it but also MAAN HE'S JUST IN IT RN 😭 and it's so sad bc i'm sure a part of him does truly accept that it's his fault. the fact that he hears her talk to oikawa about everything she's been too afraid to tell him must sting in an entirely different way, but i'm sure he gets it too 😭 and will do whatever makes reader feel better 😭

It isn’t until it hits ten in California that he realizes it’s two in the morning in Argentina, that you’re still on the phone with Oikawa, that you still don’t know Iwaizumi’s home.

this part is just so sad!! just imagining him by the door and falling asleep there 😭 i'll cry 😭

then he gets to call with oikawa and i love that he has his own ringtone 😭 and that oikawa's actually been helpful about it 😭

“The same as it was two days ago. Kinda shitty and on fire.” “Tsk. Always such a downer. Are you sure that it isn’t the absence of—” “Her absence is exactly why it’s shitty and you know that.”

looooooove the dialogue and also love how you positioned reader and hajime's dynamic here. he loves her with so much respect that he's giving her the space and time to approach him whenever she feels like she's ready, then you have oikawa here just exposing her like:

“Ah. Well. She misses you. She’s wrapped her pillow with one of your old Godzilla shirts.”

THEN WE REACH THE END (almost) (december 2018 | 02:13) and it makes my heart HURT. her parents finally said yes 🥲🥲🥲 and he still!! he still!! oh my god to be pursued like this for fucking real.

It came in the form of the hospital staff asking him to leave if he wasn’t immediate family—a request made by your mother—only for your father to brokenly tell them that Iwaizumi’s their future son-in-law. To make certain, he asked one final time, adopting dogeza in deference: “Please allow me to marry your daughter.” All he had wanted was to do right by you, by your parents, by his. While the two of you may not be sticklers for tradition, they are. And he wants for you to have a relationship with his family as much as he would like a… cordial relationship with yours.

WHAT A MAN!!!!! i get goosebumps every time i read it.

then when reader says his name oh my god for the first time in person in monTHS i can't even imagine that feeling. literally probably every way you described it as in the paragraph that followed.

it's the culmination of it all. LITERALLY BAWLING MY EYES OUT 🥲🥲🥲🥲 every damn time i've reread this 🥲🥲🥲🥲

“He loves you.” “I know,” you reply, voice a little softer than before. “Do you love him? I imagine you must, with everything you were prepared to sacrifice for him.” You’ve never said it aloud, not to him, anyway. He never needed to hear it, never needed it to know that you care, to know that he wants to be with you for however long you’ll have him by your side. All the same, his heart stills with your answer. “Yeah. I do.”

then we catch a little glimpse of a kind of epilogue 🥺 or maybe just the final chapter 🥺 and i am soooo emotional over this oh my god (august 2019 | 22:27) 🥺 the intimacy in all the gestures 🥺 hugging him from behind and him picking up her hands so he can press kisses on her fingertips 🥺 the kiss to the shoulder too!! (AND HE CALLS HER PRETTY GIRL AGAIN PLS I WILL DIEBSFBJB) (also LOVE the kuroo mention 😭 rooster hair PLS)

AND FUCKING THEN

“Yeah. It is. I, uh, there’s something that’s been on my mind,” he admits, taking the beer from you, steeling himself for what he’s about to do. You watch him with a soft expression, ready to listen to whatever comes out of his mouth. “I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Marry me.”

literally sell K.O. most favourite haijme fic to ever ever ever ever.

hajime's and reader's characterisations

i love how you characterise hajime, and i think his whole confident but not too confident typa beat is captured so perfectly in your writing. the fact that he feels embarrassed and a bit shy from being stared at at the start (march 2011 | 20:24)!! just because he isn't used to the attention and has lived most of his life believing that he exists on the sidelines of one oikawa tooru.

Matsukawa and Hanamaki both point you out, suggesting that you’re one of Oikawa’s fangirls, trying to catch the setter when he’s free from female attention, but Iwaizumi knows better. You ignore Oikawa’s charm, ignore both Matsukawa and Hanamaki, ignore everyone who isn’t Iwaizumi.

is it weird to say that i love how you characterised the reader? i love that you gave reader the balls to hand over her number to him 😭 literally i think it fits well w how he is and how he handles feelings, because otherwise, idt anything would have happened 😭 i also love the idea of reader being part of her own volleyball team!!! it makes me feel so warm seeing them support each other, with hajime trying to catch her games and them even managing to do a practice match together (may 2012 | 12:16) !! being able to inspire eachother in a common sport is such a special connection i think (that eye contact on the court omg!!) reader is everything i wish i could be and more because i wish i could have the courage to tell hajime he's my lucky charm fr 🤧 + that confrontation in the storage room oh my god (july 2012 | 20:35).

and don't even get me started on his devotion and commitment. i think even simple acts like memorising reader's number before the next match already sets the tone for the kind of person he is (and i'm obsessed!! in case it isn't obvious yet). he's whipped!!!!! and he's trying so hard to hide it!!!! and i think that's the most hajime thing in the world really (june 2011 | 17:43)

it is also such a hajime thing to feel like he takes responsibility and hermits himself because of it, and i love how you showed that in july 2012 | 20:35, where he avoids reader because of their loss against shiratorizawa. and he feels jealous at the fact that reader's kept in touch with the other guys but not him (and it's all his fault!! he knows!!)

The smile you offer is infectious, so much that he can’t help but wonder whether that’s the reason the ramen is better than it usually is.

in november 2012 | 23:53, it could be so like him to isolate himself again 🥺 so it was so nice seeing reader cut the chance of that ever happening like before !!!! and they just show up at his door with his favourite food too and 🥺🥺🥺 i could cry thinking about this.

it is also such a hajime thing to think about timezones and missing opportunities to call with reader. i think he's so intentional with what he does that way, always so concerned and always considerate (october 2013 | 16:20 (JST) 00:20 (PST) - also love how you put both time zones in this one!) and!!! it is also such a hajime thing to keep things mum until plans go into action 🥺 it's the part of him that always wants things to be sure i think 🥺

the fact that he's thinking about a life with reader in april 2014 | 19:10 is, again, so telling of how seriously he takes commitment, i think. and i adore that you capture that so well ix 🥺 (i'm writing this from the perspective of hindsight, but the fact that he was this sure this early on before he actually proposed is just 🥺🥺🥺)

Warmth spreads throughout him at your words, at the domesticity of it all, at the thought that he could do this with you for the rest of his life, at the knowledge that it’s something he wants.

and another thing!! that i love about him!! is his honesty and sincerity!! in january 2015 | 00:00, hajime tells reader that he loves her, and she doesn't say it back yet. but that's okay with him.

He knows how he feels, knows that you’re worth waiting for, worth fighting for. Even if you don’t know how you feel just yet, he can wait. All that matters is that he gets to share any part of his life with you, he gets to be a source of happiness for you.

it shows what kind of love he has and how sincere it is that he's willing to wait even without hearing it back yet, that he just needs to let her know even if she doesn't know how she feels herself. where!!! will you ever find!! someone as understanding as he!!!

i also love that you show how much of a caretaker he is!! (acts of service king indeed...) when reader gets sick in september 2017 | 15:39, i love that you make him endure the heat, that he holds her despite how uncomfortable it is because there's no way he's leaving her to deal with it on her own (just like he promised!!!). he even hums songs to get her to sleep!! (godzilla too 😭) AND!! perhaps!! the thing i can respect him the most for, is when he chooses her over the urgency of her mother's email. even though he must have been itching to see what it was!! to make an effort to prove himself!! he chose to prioritise her 🥺 the fact that he turned dnd on his phone too 🥺 UUUGH

another thing i love about how you characterised hajime is the fact that he respects tradition enough to still want to have a good relationship with reader's parents, even though reader herself doesn't see much point in it. (june 2018 | 21:27 (PST) 01:27 (ART)) how he even increased communication with her mom and how he's determined to get her father's blessing again (again???!). sure it must've been wrong for him to hide the correspondence from reader but to a degree, i get him 🥺 and just!! he's trying 🥺

and of course!! the fact that he remains steadfast, especially to his promise (november 2018 | 09:45)

He has no intention of returning alone. He’ll fight tooth and nail for you, for this relationship. Even if you two are… in a tough place, right now, he’s not going anywhere.

which he gets to fulfill later on, in the end 🥺 when he proposes 🥺 which is. just as sweet as it is simple. and i love that he proposed that way 🥺 it's such a him thing, i think. no extravagance, but full sincerity 🥺 full honesty 🥺 i am so 🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺

++ dynamics with other characters

apart from all of this, i really loved reader and oikawa's relationship too 🥺 love that hajime sides with reader 🥺🥺 love that reader also loves to mess with oikawa 🥺 i truly believe that iwaoi is a package deal 😭 and that being with either of them almost immediately means signing up for the other in some way, shape, or form 🥺 the fact that reader gets along with him so well just adds on to the feeling that she fits in so well into hajime's life 🥺 'get our man in check' in april 2014 | 19:10 is sooo him and i love the idea that hajime is shared property sdfsdk.

i also love that despite all his goofiness, oikawa continues to be a source of support for the both of them 🥺 i love that they're both able to confide in him, and that he takes good care of reader when hajime knows he isn't in the position to 🥺 there's so much trust there!! and i just!! adore it 🥺

to close this very long and winded ramble,

thank you so much for writing this ix!! literally my favourite hajime fic that i consistently go back to time and time again 🥺 something about this just keeps it anchored in my heart, and whether it's the story itself, the relatability of it all, or the characterisations and dynamics, i know it's all because of you and the way you so artfully pieced everything together in your writing 🥺

AO3 | Fic Page | NSFT 18+ | Playlist (🎵)

I do not authorize the translation or reposting of my work anywhere. Do not mention me or my work on Tik-Tok.

Relationship: Iwaizumi Hajime x F!Reader Rating: Explicit 18+ (timestamp 16) Content Warnings: POV Iwaizumi Hajime, Slice of Life, Fluff, Angst, Smut, Long-Distance Relationship, Miscommunication, Friends to Lovers, Oikawa is a good friend, Reader is at least 2 inches shorter than Iwa, Iwa goes to California for Grad work Summary: It takes you 24 hours to fall in love and he's certain he can wait until you do. Word Count: 10,000 Tagging: @izzabeean

A/N: I'm re-posting the first Haikyuu!! fic I completed prior to my release of two additional pieces for upcoming collabs 🙃 I had planned on releasing this chapter by chapter, but I want this to pre-date my first collab piece (tomorrow) and Tumblr has a vendetta against me in the tags.

This takes place between 2011-2019. This contains manga spoilers for Iwaizumi, Oikawa, and [briefly] Kuroo.

March 2011 | 10:24

➸ The gymnasium is loud with cheers for Seijoh after their match against Ogi Nishi. Oikawa waves to his adoring fangirls, vying for his attention from the spectator’s seats. Just as Iwaizumi is about to hit Oikawa, prevent his head from getting any bigger, he catches sight of you.

You’re staring with mild intrigue, not at Oikawa, but at Iwaizumi. He feels his face heat up at the attention, unused to receiving any when Oikawa’s around. You smile before Seijoh clears the court for the following team. He shakes it off, figuring he’s never going to see you again, not when the following team is Shiratorizawa, not when there are other people to look at.

But he’s wrong. As they make their way to watch their next opponent, waiting for the next match, you approach. Matsukawa and Hanamaki both point you out, suggesting that you’re one of Oikawa’s fangirls, trying to catch the setter when he’s free from female attention, but Iwaizumi knows better.

You ignore Oikawa’s charm, ignore both Matsukawa and Hanamaki, ignore everyone who isn’t Iwaizumi. Pulling out a notebook, you scribble your number and your name before tearing out that page, folding it in half, and passing it to Iwaizumi.

“Good luck,” you wish him as you leave them, walking towards your team, who are waiting for you just around the corner.

He looks over that folded piece of paper so much that he has your number memorized before the next match starts.

June 2011 | 17:43

➸ “Iwaizumi! You’re supposed to let me pay this time!” you whine as he holds your wallet out of reach before paying for the ramen.

He laughs, grateful that the other second-years weren’t able to make it to the restaurant, even if you two will be joining them afterward. “I don’t remember agreeing to that.”

The two of you sit at your table and he’s struck by the way that the sun perfectly illuminates you, accentuating the contours of your face. There’s laughter in your eyes and your smile is absolutely carefree, pleased to be in his presence.

He’s tried pushing it down, the light fluttering in his chest when you look at him like that, when you text him after school, when you tease, joke, and brighten the world around you.

Despite the fact that both of you have full schedules, you always manage to find an hour here or there to spend with friends. It’s exceptional, the way you fit into his life as though you had always been there.

“Are you ready for the prelims?” you ask, licking your lips at the sight of the food before you.

“As ready as we’re going to be,” he admits. “And you?”

“We’re gonna win! One game at a time, ya know?” The smile you offer is infectious, so much that he can’t help but wonder whether that’s the reason the ramen is better than it usually is.

He isn’t expecting it when you say, “I have faith that you guys will win and move forward! I just hope I get to watch.” It’s small, inconsequential, but that doesn’t stop the blush from forming, the shared hope that you’ll be there to watch, and that he can watch you in return.

December 2011 | 06:51

➸ A soft yawn escapes you before you lean on him, resting your head on his shoulder. Oikawa, wrapped in a thick blanket in addition to his winter coat, walks up behind you two, taking his place on Iwaizumi’s left side.

“You don’t get to yawn,” Oikawa chastizes you, voice thick with sleep and a hint of playfulness. “This was your idea in the first place.”

“Maybe so, but you agreed to come along,” you lilt, leaning forward to get a better look at Oikawa. He sticks his tongue out in response, narrowly dodging Iwaizumi’s fist.

“No fair, Iwa-chan! You’re nicer to her than you are to me!”

“I thought we came here to watch the last sunrise of the year, not to waste time bickering,” Iwaizumi complains, though he doesn’t mind the light squabble.

“We did, Iwa-chan,” you say through your yawn. “Can’t you feel it? The change?”

He turns to look at you, noticing the hope that bubbles beneath the warmth of your eyes. You meet his gaze briefly, though the second that you do seems to last a lifetime. There’s something about you that makes him feel achingly alive. Something he wants to explore, something he wants to cherish.

Your fingers graze his hand, sending a jolt of electricity through him, one that’s exacerbated by the shy manner in which you look away, almost embarrassed by such familiarity. Cute. Almost as though you haven’t made time for him at least three times a month since you slipped your number into his hand, as though you haven’t brightened his days with a simple text.

“This year is gonna be great,” you whisper. “Even for you, Crappykawa. We’re all gonna work hard and we’re gonna make it to Tokyo.”

Oikawa whines at your use of Iwaizumi’s nickname, whines at the chuckle that ripples through his friend. “Why are you so mean to me?”

“Mean to you? I just told you that you’re gonna make it to nationals this year!”

“Did you have to call me crappy, though?”

You don’t answer, attention pulled to the sky before you. That cold winter grey is overpowered by the sun, bringing light hues of blues, pinks, and purples into view. He feels it—the change that you asked about. He wonders whether that’s the only change that 2012 promises.

May 2012 | 12:16

➸ It's a miracle, really, with the compact schedules of both the Aoba Johsai girl’s volleyball club and your volleyball club that you were able to schedule a practice match.

While he hasn’t been able to properly watch one of your matches like you have his, he’s managed to grab recordings, praising you for your technique, your cunning on the court. This? This is something else.

“Is she even real?” Hanamaki asks after you made a ridiculous set to the MB after your setter got first touch.

“That is rather impressive,” Oikawa comments, leaning over the banister in an attempt to get a better look. “I wouldn’t have expected it from her.”

You’re moving better than you usually do, making the most of your position as opposite hitter—easily filling the space left by your libero in their absence while making yourself available to your setter when needed.

Seijoh’s coach calls for time and your eyes immediately find his, telling him that you’ve been completely aware of his presence. Your grin is wide and mischievous, dropping only when you turn your attention back to your team.

“We aren’t looking good here, guys,” Hanamaki remarks, pointing at the scoreboard. It’s true—you’re currently wiping the floor with Seijoh—but he’s aware, more than any of the others, of how much time you’ve put in with your team.

His phone chimes and he’s lightweight surprised to see your name next to the text claiming he’s your good luck charm, requesting that he stays till the end of practice if possible.

It’s easy to comply, easy to give you what you want. Not even an hour later, he meets you at the entrance to the gym.

You have that post-win glow and excess energy that makes him think you could keep going for another three hours. He sees it in you—that promise you had made at the start of the year, that drive to make it to nationals. He hopes you see it in him, too. They’re going to Tokyo in January. You will, too.

When he asks why you wanted him to stop by—not yet acknowledging that he’s late to his own practice—you respond with a soft smile.

“I just like seeing you. You’re my good luck charm, after all. I’ll bring by some fruit after I’ve had a chance to clean off, okay?”

He plays better during practice and he thinks that, maybe, you’re his good luck charm, too.

July 2012 | 20:35

➸ They should be going home but they can’t. Not yet. Ever since their most recent defeat at the hands of Shiratorizawa, they’ve been training harder, pushing themselves further, determined to do better in October.

He knows that he should temper this side of the team, that he should do more to get them to rest, to avoid overexerting themselves, but the sting of defeat—even a month later—hasn’t left them.

For whatever reason, he’s felt ashamed to admit defeat to you, though you were there and you know. Your game was held at the same time as his, except you won. It’s the first game of his that you were unable to watch, the first time that you weren’t there in the audience. Since then, he’s struggled with talking to you.

“Oi! What the hell, guys?” you call from the entrance, startling the third and second years still there. “Makki! You said practice ended an hour ago!”

He doesn’t like the feeling that rises in his chest at the knowledge that you’ve still been texting his friends, doesn’t like the idea that they’re keeping in contact with you when he’s failed to do so. He especially doesn’t like the cheery way that Crappykawa calls out to you with a sickly sweet nickname that doesn’t elicit a negative reaction from you.

“Come on, guys. I was going to take you out for Tōru-chan’s birthday!” Your pout is fake and you don’t hesitate to start helping put everything away, even if this isn’t your gym and isn’t your practice. Just for tonight, it’s like they have a manager.

It only makes his guilt worse and you do nothing to ease it as you approach him in the storage closet.

“You’ve been avoiding me.” It’s not an accusation, not an angry confrontation for such a slight like he’s sometimes seen with Oikawa’s fangirls. It’s a statement. The truth. At least he doesn’t deny it. When you ask why he tells you. “Iwa-chan. I think no less of you for the results of that match.”

When he doesn’t look at you, you grab his hand, demanding his attention. “Please come back. I miss you.”

After the gym is cleaned and the second-years are booted, you leave with the third-years to the restaurant you had in mind. If anyone notices the way your fingers intertwine with his on the walk, no one says a thing. And each time he risks a glance your way, he sees the shy smile that graces your lips, sees the slight discoloration of your cheeks.

It’s then he realizes just how deep he is.

September 2012 | 01:02

➸ You’ve been texting him nonstop, miserable during your friend’s birthday celebration. Some event in Tokyo that’s fine with 18-year olds, something that has your friends dancing, disappearing into the crowd if you take your eyes off them for too long.

He’s stayed up the entire time, worry eating at him despite your constant updates. You send pictures to accompany the texts, showing off your outfit, the venue, the city. In the ones that feature you, there’s often an edge to your smile, the sparkle in your eye absent. The reaction shots you send him are genuine, featuring a smile that he wants to think is just for him.

The last time you had texted him, however, was almost twenty minutes ago. His anxiety is through the roof, interrupted by a phone call.

“Iwa-chan?” your voice is broken, small. He immediately goes to worse-case-scenario, thinking that you’ve been attacked, that you’re hurt and six hours away.

“Iwa-chan? Are you there?”

“I’m here. Are you okay?”

The event is loud, still raging in the background, even at this time. It’s hard to tell if you’re sniffling or if he’s imagining things, projecting his fears on you.

“Ah… I’m fine, physically. Just… a little emotionally exhausted. I’m heading back to the hotel by myself right now and I just really want to hear your voice.”

“What’s going on? Where are your friends?”

“They’re still out. I have the keys, but I’m not trying to stay out with vomit on my pants.”

“I’m sorry—what?”

“Yeah. I went to the bathroom and some girl was sobbing and obviously drunk. When I tried to slip past her, she blew chunks. All over my leg.”

“That… sounds awful,” he says, a relieved chuckle leaving him.

“It is.” He can almost hear your pout, almost see the way it’s set on your lips. “Agh. Remind me why I agreed to come out with them?”

“Because you’re a pushover?”

“Hey! I am not! I’m just nicer to my friends than you are yours!”

“I’m nice to you, aren’t I?” Though that may be unrelated.

“Tch. I guess.”

“You guess?” he teases. “I could hang up and let you walk back to the hotel by yourself.”

“No, you wouldn’t.”

“No, I wouldn’t,” he agrees with a chuckle. “How’s the city otherwise?”

“It’s… nice. Busy. Maybe if the circumstances were different, I’d enjoy it more.”

“Don’t you visit each summer for that training camp?”

“Ah, not really. It’s the suburbs, not the city. The weather’s a little nicer, but I might as well still be in Miyagi if not for the better teams.”

The sound of the city disappears, indicating that you must be inside the hotel. He hears the soft chime of the elevator and assumes that you’re keeping silent to avoid your voice carrying.

“I’m here,” you confirm. “Do you… never mind.”

“No. What is it?”

You sigh, sounding unsure, but relent. “I was going to ask if you would mind allowing me to shower before I called you back. But it’s late. You should be asleep.”

“It’s fine. I don’t mind.”

“Are you sure?”

“Positive. Whatever you need.”

You’re silent, appreciating his words, before giving him a heartfelt, “Thank you, Hajime.” Your small token of gratitude has managed to steal the breath from his lungs, managed to fill his heart, managed to wake him up. Ten minutes later, you call again, talking about everything and nothing until you fall asleep on him.

He starts to toy with the idea of properly asking you out when you mumble his name in your sleep.

November 2012 | 23:53

➸ It’s a text just before midnight, the small plea for him to come outside, knowing that he’s still awake.

He had only recently returned home, staying out with the third-years in an attempt to finish on a high note, though the bitter truth came crashing down nonetheless. Just as before, he’s hesitant to show this side to you, worried about what you would think of him.

Your team won today. You’re moving to the next round, facing off against an incredibly tough opponent. All the same, his feet carry him to the front door, hand turning the knob without conscious thought.

In your hands is a thick, insulated bag, protecting its contents from the cold. Your expression is hopeful, albeit solemn. Instead of resting, preparing for the finals, you’re here, wanting to console him. It makes him ache with yearning, ache with annoyance.

Are you here because you pity him? Because he lost, unable to make that last spike count? Are you here because you want to celebrate your win? And what the hell are you doing here anyway? You have a responsibility to your team and you’re here instead.

“I brought you agedashi tofu. I, uh, I made it myself. I’m not the greatest cook, but I think it should be good. If you don’t like it, I could take you out to a proper restaurant or you could disown me. Whatever works best for you,” you ramble, anxiety coloring your words.

That’s all it takes for all of his frustrations and grievances of the day to wash away, for him to push aside all negativity and appreciate what you’ve done. That’s all it takes for the reality of the day, of their loss, of your presence here, of his feelings for you to hit him with the force of a train.

A small gasp escapes you as he wraps his arms around you, surprised at the blatant expression of affection initiated by him, surprised that he had closed the distance so quickly.

“Thank you.” It comes out in a whisper, almost like a reverent prayer of gratitude mumbled into your hair.

“Always, Hajime.”

January 2013 | 13:00

➸ The last text you were able to send was three hours ago. He’s watching the semi-finals on his phone, noting every receive, every serve, every spike, every set. Pride fills his chest as he watches you and your team move as one, almost as though he's watching the push and pull of the waves.

The other team is tough, one that makes it to nationals regularly, but you guys are putting up a good fight. The captain of the opposing team tries to get an off-the-partial block, taking advantage of the fact that your libero isn’t on the court. You leap, ensuring that her play doesn’t go unanswered.

Your receive connects, sending the ball back to your setter who’s able to pull off a quick attack. It's clear when your ankle rolls, when you stumble, that you've most likely sprained the joint.

His heart stutters as you try to push yourself up, try to ignore the injury, try to continue playing. Of course, you would. You’re so fucking obstinate, so fucking devoted to your team that there isn’t a part of you that you wouldn’t sacrifice for them, for the chance to play again.

Your coach subs you out, making certain to have your manager escort you to receive medical attention. As soon as the cameras are off of you, as soon as you’re out of sight, he minimizes the video and shoots you a text.

It’s not the comfort he wishes he could provide, but it’s the best he can do from well over 300 kilometers away.

It’s another twenty minutes until you respond with a phone call. There’s pain in your voice and he isn’t entirely certain whether it’s your ankle or the narrow loss of the match. Either way, he listens, only interrupting when your comments turn critical of your performance, reminding you that you did everything you could.

He tells you everything he needed to hear when he lost months ago, commending you for making it to Tokyo, promising to take you out for ramen when you return.

Before you end the call and return to your team, he overhears one of your teammates ask who you’re on the phone with.

“Go away, Nomi! ... I'll be right there! ... It’s my Iwa-chan, not that it’s any of your business! ... Yeah, yeah, tell coach that I'm coming.”

The hint of possessiveness in your tone as you declare him your Iwa brings an involuntary smile to your face that's impossible to remove.

“Your Iwa-chan?” he teases lightly, wanting to hear it again.

“Shut up, Hajime,” you bite back, clearly flustered. “I’ll text you when I’m back in Sendai, okay?”

“Sounds like a plan.”

March 2013 | 18:12

Maybe he’s being selfish, telling you now, or perhaps it’s cowardice.

Waiting until graduation to make a move? It’s not much time until you’re both away at university—something the two of you have surprisingly not talked about—and he isn’t certain whether he’s on the cusp of telling you because it gives him an out if you reject him or if it’s a guarantee that you’re his despite the distance. Not to mention his plans for potentially studying abroad like Oikawa, potentially leaving you here. Even if that’s a couple of years away and he doesn’t know your answer yet, that’s still simultaneously not enough and too much time. It honestly depends on your answer.

There’s something between you two, that much is undeniable, but he’s concerned that he’s waited too long. It’s been two years since you passed him your number, two years since you made the first move. But things are… different, right?

He’s important to you—one of the first people you call when you are in a bind, when you have good news to share, when you just want to talk. You’re attentive enough to offer comfort if he needs it, picking up on the most minute details that indicate something’s amiss. He never really thought that he needed something like that until you came along.

“Hajime?”

Turning, he finds you approaching from behind. Your hair is carefully done and you’re dressed to the nines, clearly meant to be somewhere else right now. It’s immediate—he feels as though you belong to a completely different world, one out of his reach. But your smile is warm, inviting, something that you give to him and him alone.

“You look nice,” he blurts out, flustering you both. “Are—do you have someplace to be right now?”

“Ah, technically,” you say, waving away the concern of your evening itinerary. “You’re more important.” The way that statement rolls off your tongue is astounding, as though it’s the most natural thing in the world, as though those three words haven’t stopped his heart.

“I, uh—” Shit. Of all the times when his brain could have short-circuited, why now? “I had something I wanted to tell you.”

His heart is pounding in his chest and concern flashes across your face, picking up on his nervousness.

“Hajime—” The ringing of your phone cuts you off and he encourages you to answer it, encourages you to give him a moment to collect his thoughts. “Mom? … I’ll be there soon, I promise. … Wait. What? … Are you serious? I did?! … I, ah, yeah! I’ll be there soon. I’m visiting with — yeah. Thank you!”

The exuberance that rolls off of you is infectious as you turn to him, eyes bright and full of pure, unadulterated joy. Until they aren’t.

“What’s wrong?”

“I—I received my acceptance letter.”

“That’s great! Where are you going?”

“California. I got accepted to an accelerated academic program offered by UCLA. I’ll be leaving in three weeks.”

Just like that, everything changes.

October 2013 | 16:20 (JST) 00:20 (PST)

➸ He’s running late—really late. He should have called you two hours ago but he got caught in a meeting with his academic advisor regarding his plans for UC Irvine. It’s well past midnight in California, but your hours have been all over the place with your academic schedule.

Shooting you a text, he hopes you’re asleep, hopes that you’re taking care of yourself. That doesn’t stop the wave of relief from flooding his being when you text back, telling him to call you.

“Hajiiii~” you whine as soon as the call goes through. “If I have to write one more essay on Machiavelli, I might die.”

“Machiavelli? Why do you have to study political theory if you’re pre-med?”

“Stupid UCLA and their degree requirements.” Your pout is apparent, even from over 8,800 kilometers away. He hears the exhaustion and exasperation in your tone, but he hears the happiness, too.

“Well, you’re smart enough that I’m sure you’ll be done soon.”

“Thanks, Haji,” you chirp.

“You wanna tell me what you’re still doing up? It’s midnight, isn’t it?”

“Yeah, but I miss hearing your voice.” It’s a small admission, one that doesn’t fail to make him smile. “Oh! And I was able to get in contact with Utsui’s assistant. I know you look up to him.”

“Really? That’s so cool! Wait—why were you reaching out?”

“There’s a physical therapy course that he’s offering in the winter and I need instructor permission before my advisor will agree to me taking a course from another UC. I really hope I get the chance to work with him while I'm here.”

He still hasn’t told you that he plans on going to Irvine to study under Utsui, that he’ll be joining you in Southern California. Honestly? He wants it to be a surprise. He listens to you tell him about your day, talking about everything and nothing, stays on the phone with you until he hears nothing but soft snores.

Before he discontinues the call, he hears you mumble, "My Hajime."

February 2014 | 07:41

➸ Steady knocking interrupts him as he prepares for the day, making him wonder whether he had plans that had gone forgotten. Pulling open the door, he’s surprised to see you.

His first thought is that he hasn’t woken up—he must still be asleep. But when he dreams of you, it’s of how you looked before you left. Your hair is different and you’re a little taller than you were when you left, but your smile is the same, one that you wear just for him.

“Hiya,” you trill, lifting your arms, revealing a box with his name etched on its top. “I’ve been working on perfecting this recipe for the last couple of months, so I hope you like them. If not, well, I’m in Japan until Saturday night.”

Without thinking, he pulls you into a tight embrace, all too eager to surround himself with nothing but you. Your arms wrap around him before you nuzzle into his neck, bringing him impossibly closer.

“I missed you,” you whisper. “I missed you so much.”

He wants to tell you that he’s missed you, that there’s not a fucking day that you don’t invade his thoughts. He wants to ask you to stay with him, to let him shower you with pent-up affection, to let him whisk you away to some secluded corner of the world for just the two of you, but he sticks with, “Stay with me this weekend?”

“As long as you want,” you promise.

“Don’t tempt me,” he murmurs. “Shit. How am I ever going to match this for White Day?”

“I don’t care. So long as I get to spend time with you now, I’m happy.” As soon as the last word leaves your mouth, he presses his lips to yours. For a moment, he’s certain that he’s crossed a boundary, certain that you’re going to turn around and go back to California. Then you pull him closer, returning his kiss with a satisfactory little hum.

If he wasn’t in deep before—and he was—then he has gotta be at the bottom of the fucking Mariana Trench at this point.

April 2014 | 19:10

➸ “Hajime?” you ask as soon as he enters your apartment. The aroma of your favorite taqueria fills the small space while you rummage through the kitchenette. “You wanna tell me why Oikawa texted me to, and I quote, ‘Get our man in check?’”

Iwaizumi laughs, knowing exactly what sparked this reaction in Oikawa.

“I didn’t realize that when I agreed to date you that you were already in a relationship,” you tease as you finish setting the table.

“Shut up,” he replies with a chuckle, making his way through the apartment as though it’s his.

“Make me.”

Your smile turns mischievous as he approaches you like a predator hunting its prey. Standing before you, the difference in height is exaggerated as you tilt your head up, maintaining eye contact.

His hand comes to cup your jaw before he leans in, kiss leaving you breathless, grasping at his shirt like he’s the only thing keeping you standing.

You pull back slightly, adoration visible in your eyes. “So? Are you going to tell me what you did to warrant an angry text from Oikawa?”

“OH! Yeah, you’ll never guess who I ran into today!”

“You… ran into someone? From Miyagi?!” you ask incredulously.

“Not just someone. Ushiwaka.” He laughs at your startled expression, pressing a quick kiss to your forehead. “Yeah! His dad is Utsui Takashi. We actually talked after I got the chance to meet him. Before we parted, I took a picture with him and sent it to Oikawa to rub it in.”

“Well… shit.” You glance around the apartment as his words sink in, only for your eyes to settle on the food that’s still waiting. “Oh. Why don’t you go get comfortable and tell me about your day after we eat? I can’t wait to hear all about your day!”

Warmth spreads throughout him at your words, at the domesticity of it all, at the thought that he could do this with you for the rest of his life, at the knowledge that it’s something he wants.

June 2014 | 04:29

➸ After ten hours, he’s here. His muscles are stiff from having been seated for so long but seeing you waiting for him beyond security makes his heart leap, gives him a small boost of energy. You’re rubbing the sleep from your eyes, waiting patiently with a pleased smile.

As soon as he’s past the threshold, you reach for his duffle and he swats your hands away.

“Hajime,” you pout, “let me carry something!”

“Not a chance, doll.” He’s tired enough that he doesn’t think about it when you pull on his free arm, draping it around your shoulders while pulling him close, being far more affectionate than the two of you would be at the Sendai airport.

“What do you have planned for us?” he asks as you direct him out of the air-conditioned building, the cool, humid air stagnant in the parking structure.

A hum builds in your chest as you consider his schedule for this trip. “Let’s get some sleep first, then I’ll take you out to eat, yeah?”

“Ah, a woman after my own heart.” You curl into him, bringing yourself as close as you can before you two approach your car.

“I wouldn’t say that just yet, not until you see what else I have in store for you, birthday boy.” Stretching, you press your lips to his cheek and pull away to open the trunk of the car.

Honestly, he could give two shits about receiving anything else, about doing anything more for his birthday. Being here with you is enough. He’s so close to achieving his goals and you’re right here with him for it all. There isn’t anything more he could ask for.

January 2015 | 00:00

➸ New Years’ in California is much warmer than he’s used to, but it’s better than not seeing you at all for end-of-year celebrations. While the two of you participated in typical Japanese traditions, there’s one western tradition that you wanted to do with him.

The entire city seems to be alight with energy and the countdown to midnight seems to echo throughout. You’re standing on the balcony with Iwaizumi, looking out to the city while the television inside calls it out.

Just before the countdown reaches zero, you turn to face him, only to find that his eyes are already on you. How could they not be when you’re the most beautiful being around?

You kiss him, pulling him close and allowing for him to get drunk on you—the feel of your skin beneath his fingertips, the taste of you on his lips, your scent that overwhelms him, clouds his mind, clearing any coherent thought that is not you.

His hold on you tightens, not ready to let go—not that he’s ever going to be ready to let you go—and you melt in his touch. He rests his forehead against yours, the giddy smile on his face refusing to go away. Then again, you’re in the same boat.

“Apparently, it’s said that if you don’t get a kiss at midnight, you’ll be alone and without love for the remainder of the year,” you whisper conspiratorily.

“Even if we had the entire ocean between us tonight, that wouldn’t be your fate,” he admits softly. It’s the closest he’s ever gotten to saying it, though you have to know by now, right? You look almost shocked, pleasantly so, before you nuzzle your face in his neck.

He knows how he feels, knows that you’re worth waiting for, worth fighting for. Even if you don’t know how you feel just yet, he can wait. All that matters is that he gets to share any part of his life with you, he gets to be a source of happiness for you.

April 2015 | 08:38 (JST) 16:38 (PST)

➸ Three months of hits and misses with you are really starting to wear thin.

It shouldn’t. He knows that it shouldn’t. He knows that you’re finishing up your accelerated undergrad program. He’s stepped up his own academic schedule to return to California sooner.

He knows better than anyone how insanely busy that makes a person, and you’re doing more than he is.

But he misses you more than he’s expressed—and he’s expressed a lot. He didn’t realize how much of a constant in his life you had become, not until he couldn’t talk to you like he used to, not until the sixteen-hour time difference really started to get to you both.

Even with all of that, it’s frustrating considering that he can still touch base with Oikawa more often. It’s frustrating that he’s an ocean away.

All that being said, his promise from New Year’s still rings true. His love for you hasn’t wavered, hasn’t changed in the least. It’s just… frustrating not being able to touch you, hardly being able to talk to you.

So the second his phone starts to ring, he decides he can skip this class.

“Hajime,” you say as soon as the call goes through, hushed almost like a prayer. If it is a prayer, it’s one he’ll gladly answer again and again. “I miss you.”

“I miss you, too, doll. More than you can imagine.”

“I dunno—I can imagine a lot,” you laugh lightly, but he can still tell your smile doesn’t quite hit the same.

“What’s wrong? Is everything okay?”

“You mean outside of me missing you terribly? No. I’m just exhausted. I met with my academic advisor a half hour ago.”

“How'd it go?”

“Next quarter will be the last of my undergrad. I have to take the MCAT in June, but I’m on track to start my medical degree this autumn. Then four more years till I can come back home.” There’s something in your voice, some small insecurity, some small fracture that pains him.

“Is everything okay?”

“I—yeah. No. I don’t know.”

“Is there anything I can do to help?” Ask for anything, please, and he’ll give it.

“Stay on the phone with me?”

“Of course.”

August 2015 | 03:46

➸ He can’t get enough of you—not like this. It’s been eight fucking months since he’s been able to hold you, since he's been able to touch you. You’re here now and he can’t keep his hands to himself.

Your nails dig into the taut muscle of his shoulders, desperate to pull him closer, eagerly attaching your lips to the column of his throat when he gives you what you want, teeth grazing over his pulse point. The soft expletives that leave his mouth seem to spurn you on, seem to increase your hunger for him.

He loves you like this—open and exposed, something just for him. No one else gets to see you like this, gets to experience you like this. This is for him and him alone and he’ll revel in every second you grant him.

Capturing your lips with his, the kiss is messy, frenzied as he works his hand between you both. He swallows your moan, fingers circling your swollen clit, causing you to clench around him. You break away from the kiss with a high-pitched intake and a glossed-over expression.

“Oh, fuck, Hajime,” you breathe, voice breathy and barely there, “fuckfuckfuck—just like that.”

“Yeah? My pretty girl likes that?” You bite your tongue to withhold the whine that’s building up and he’s quick to put an end to that. “I wanna hear my girl when she comes.”

That’s all it takes to push you over the edge, for your gummy walls to close around him so tight that he has to stop, for you to scream his name as tears fall from the corners of your eyes.

Beautiful.

“Fuck, I love you,” he mutters in between thrusts, chasing his own orgasm. It isn’t until the soft gasp that escapes you that he realizes what he said. Your eyes are wide, questioning, almost hopeful before you pull him back to your lips, kissing him as though your life depends on it. He comes, orgasm washing over him, pulling away from your eager lips so he can breathe.

Taking a moment to catch his breath after pulling out, he presses his weight against you, head resting on your chest, ear just above your heart. You run your fingers through his hair as the last couple of minutes play in his mind.

“I meant it. It’s not just a sex thing,” he murmurs into your skin. Your fingers cease their movements and he hears the slight increase in your heartbeat, but you say nothing. Instead, you pull him up by his face and give him a kiss so sweet he wonders whether he’ll have a cavity when this is over.

You don’t say it back, but he doesn’t need to hear it. Just you knowing how he feels will be enough.

February 2016 | 14:28

➸ “Were you ever going to tell me?” he asks, frustration and hurt dripping from his tone.

“I don’t understand why it matters! They have no bearing on our relationship!”

“They’re your parents! I’m your boyfriend. I should know if they don’t like me,” he argues, unable to look away from your defiant expression.

It shouldn’t be like this, you two shouldn’t be arguing. Not now, not when he had come out to spend Valentine’s day with you. If he hadn’t been getting ready in your bedroom, he doubts that he would have heard your parent’s unannounced visit, doubts he would have heard the conversation not meant for him.

And fuck if it doesn’t sting—the truth of your parent’s opinion of him as your romantic partner, the fact that you kept it from him, the dismissal of that little dream that had been forming in his mind. And you don’t get it. You don’t understand how fucking much this hurts.

“They don’t get to decide who I’m with! For fuck’s sake, Iwa! The only two people who matter in this relationship are you and me! Everyone else can go fuck off,” you spit and he hears your hurt with the explicit reduction in his name. He can't even pretend that it doesn't pain him—the fact that you called him 'Iwa' instead of 'Haji' or 'Hajime,' or the fact that you're suffering, too.

“They threatened to cut you off financially. It’s not as though you can afford to stay here without them.”

“My entire life they’ve dictated what I do, where I go, who I see. Befriending you was the first choice I made on my own and I’m not giving that up for them. If they wanna cut me off, then so be it.”

His breath catches in his throat as your declaration rings in the air, giving you an opportunity to say something he wishes you didn’t.

“If this is a deal-breaker for you—my parents not liking you—then so be it. I’m not forcing you to be in a relationship with me, nor am I going to try to get you guys to get along. I’m tired of doing everything I can for a modicum of their approval.”

The fire that burned through you is gone now as though a bucket of water was dumped over you both, leaving nothing but an icy chill blowing through the room.

He closes the distance between you two, eyes never leaving yours, seeing the depth of your fear and your insecurity.

“I’m not going anywhere,” he promises quietly.

As much as he would like for you to have a positive relationship with your parents, you’re right. What matters most is that you two are happy together. Later, when emotions have simmered, you two can talk about it. Maybe then he can voice his insecurities and you can voice yours.

October 2016 | 05:50

➸ He isn’t sure where his body ends and yours begins, not that he minds. Your soft snores offer a soothing lullaby that keeps him in a state of tranquility, keeps him from getting up too early on his day off.

How—indescribable all of this is. It’s been nearly three months now, living with you in California, but he’s still in a state of disbelief.

He keeps waiting for the moment he wakes up, the shift in reality to remind him that he’s simply imagining, dreaming, hoping for this outcome. It’s too good to be true, to finally be here with you, to be one step closer to that dream of his that’s starting to solidify.

No longer is it only for him to become a physical trainer, for him to work alongside professional athletes, to push them to be their best, but now you’re in the picture beside him. Before, he hadn’t given it much thought, not truly. But now? There’s hardly a day that goes by where he doesn’t find himself thinking of the future he wants, wondering what role you’ll play in it.

True to your sentiments earlier in the year, you removed yourself from your parent’s influence, finding outside funding for your education, finding a new place to live with Iwaizumi once his graduation went through. You’ve already taken such great steps to show him that you’re serious about him, that you’re serious about the relationship, regardless of what obstacles may arise.

You shift on his chest, drawing his focus down to you. There’s the subtle change in your breathing that suggests your imminent change in consciousness and he can’t help himself when his fingers start to trail through your hair.

“Mmm,” you hum lightly. “G’mornin’, my handsome man.”

“Good morning, sleeping beauty.”

Wriggling your way up, you press a sleepy kiss to the side of his mouth before a small yawn escapes you. He turns to press a kiss to your forehead, loving the tired look full of near reverence in your eyes.

“What’re we doing today?”

“What do you mean, ‘what are we doing today?’ You have class,” he asks, knowing you wouldn’t willingly miss a class now that you’re on an academic scholarship.

“Class is canceled. Teacher got sick. Go figure,” you mumble, reaching under your pillow for your phone. Unlocking your phone, the email is still the open tab on your phone, sent four hours ago. “We never get to do anything anymore. Why don’t we go out and experience nature?”

He chuckles at your pout, mulling over the possibility of a day hike. “I’ve been meaning to go to Joshua Tree.”

“C’mon, then! Let’s do it!” Your excitement is interrupted by a large yawn, accentuating how exhausted med school is leaving you. “Coffee first.”

“Whatever you want, doll. All you gotta do is ask and it's yours.”

Anything, anything at all.

May 2017 | 11:06

➸ He’s tired. He’s tired of the commute—nearly an hour for a distance of fewer than fifty kilometers by car, longer with public transit, longer for you. He’s tired of the cost of everything here.

He’s tired of not seeing you, tired of missed connections, of maybe—if he’s lucky—feeling you come to bed in the late hours, of waking up to leave before you. He’s tired of the bickering, of the fighting, of taking out frustrations on one another instead of talking about it with one another.

He’s exhausted, thoroughly. Completely. He misses you more than when he was 8,800 kilometers away from you.

So, when UCI offered him a position as a T.A., he took it. At least it will keep him busy while he’s missing you. At least he can help other students interested in sport sciences—well, interested enough to take courses in the subject. It gives him a prime opportunity to work more closely with Utsui outside of his own classes with him, something he’s endlessly grateful for.

The undergrads are eager to get going early—not that he can blame them—and, as the quarter started last week, he has no objections to letting them leave ten minutes early. He uses that time to check emails, making certain that no other students have any urgent inquiries, that Utsui doesn’t need him for anything else for the day.

Your text tone chimes, asking when he’ll be done with his lesson for the day. When he asks why, you respond with a simple, “Come to the parking lot.”

He isn’t expecting to see you leaning against your car with a familiar insulated bag in your hand and your book bag on your back. You look tired, just as exhausted as he feels, and a weary smile appears when he comes into view.

“Hey, there, handsome.” Your voice is heavy with the reality of the last couple of weeks, no cheer or lilt to be detected. “‘M sorry for all of the arguing. I’ve been taking things out on you and it’s not okay. I want to do better.”

“It’s not just you. I’ve done the same. We’ve both been kinda shitty.”

“Mm. That we have. I have some food from your favorite restaurant and I thought we could have a little picnic?”

“That sounds… amazing. We can do that if we talk about what’s been going on.”

Tension visibly leaves you and the smile you give him is a little lighter. “Absolutely, Hajime.”

September 2017 | 15:39

➸ You’re sick. Something small, most likely the flu, but you’re caught in a state of panic over it.

At the beginning of the month, you both had to miss school due to evacuations for the La Tuna fire, apparently the largest fire in the area for half a century. While your school had understood, you had set up meetings months ago that will determine the trajectory of your studies and your life after graduation. Meetings that were impossible to get and are appearing to be impossible to reschedule.

And now, you’re on your way to missing your third day of school this week. He understands the panic, understands the pressure you’re putting on yourself. Even if he didn’t, he doubts that he’d be doing anything else right now.

Your tears are staining his shirt while he holds you to him, keeping you close while he hums the melody of one of your favorite songs. It’s hot in this bed—between you and your fever and the blankets, he’s sure he’s melting. But it’s working and he’ll turn into a puddle before leaving you alone to deal with this.

Soon enough, your sobs turn into little sniffles and your grip in his shirt loosens. He continues to rub soothing circles on your back, continues to hum various songs until it dies down completely. It’s when you don’t complain about him humming Ifukube’s Godzilla theme that he realizes you’re asleep.

He’s gentle in laying you down, intentionally grabbing your phone and placing it on silent before noticing three missed calls from your parents. Just as he attempts to turn Do-Not-Disturb on his phone, too, he receives an email from your mother.

As much as he wants to read it and address whatever concern they may have, as much as he wants to prove that he’s worthy of being your long-term partner, he knows that you need rest above all else right now. Whatever this is, whatever they need, it can wait, at least until after you wake up and your fever breaks.

June 2018 | 21:27 (PST) 01:27 (ART)

➸ When he comes home, the apartment's dark, nearly devoid of all life, save for the dim light coming from the closed bedroom door and your muffled voice. You’ve been frustrated with him for a myriad of reasons and him being late after a tutoring session with her doesn’t help.

This underclassman who’s taken a shine to Iwaizumi, disregarding his insistence that he’s unavailable, that he has a partner—though, the term he used was fiancée. It doesn’t help that you had later popped into his section—the same that she attends—and introduced yourself as his girlfriend a week later. Not that he could blame you since he’s still working on building up the courage to propose.

He tried to shrug her off, tried to get her to switch sections with the other T.A., tried to remove her from his tutoring schedule, but his department—and the union—firmly shut him down, citing the “fulfillment of his contractual obligations.”

It only got worse when she started messaging you, when she appeared during date nights, when she had blatantly made a move with you not four meters away.

And then there’s the situation with your dad. A triple bypass surgery demanded your return to Japan last October and you haven’t spoken to your parents since. Iwaizumi, however, has increased his communications with them since your mother reached out. He wants a better relationship with them, wants your father’s blessing when he asks again, but you’re insistent you want nothing to do with them. You had found out about their correspondence when your mom had emailed you to check in, including a question about Iwaizumi’s studies.

He should be glad that you’re still here, that you aren’t sleeping at school, but he sees the papers from UCLA’s Education Abroad Program, the pamphlets for an Argentinian medical program, and an award letter from the program director. He can't help but read it, but take in the offer extended—a full-ride for a term abroad, offering you a place due to your class ranking, ignoring the fact you hadn't applied. At least, that's the impression he gets from the letter, along with the fact that he doesn't remember you bringing up EAP before.

Approaching the bedroom door, he hears your side of the conversation with Shittykawa and he has to pretend that hearing you talk to him, call him ‘Ru’ doesn’t bother him. That it doesn’t bother him to hear you cry into the phone, asking what you did wrong, asking why things are the way they are.

He leans against the wall next to the bedroom door, sliding down until he’s seated on the ground. He listens to your insecurities, to your fears, to everything you spill to his best friend because you’re afraid to tell Iwaizumi. He listens as you broach the topic of doing a semester abroad in Argentina, something that wasn't even on your radar, not with your last year about to start. He listens to you admit that it's a great opportunity, that, perhaps, it's better for the relationship if you two spend some time apart.

Not like we see much of each other anyway.

It isn’t until it hits ten in California that he realizes it’s two in the morning in Argentina, that you’re still on the phone with Oikawa, that you still don’t know Iwaizumi’s home.

November 2018 | 09:45

➸ Oikawa’s ringtone can be heard in the kitchen where Iwaizumi had left his phone. It’s been two months since you left and a week since you called. The apartment is empty without you, even if all of your belongings are here, promising your return.

For what it’s worth, Oikawa’s been really helpful, carefully listening to both sides, understanding that it’s a case of frayed nerves, miscommunication, and shitty circumstances. So Iwaizumi wastes no time answering the phone.

“Iwa-chan! How’s California?”

“The same as it was two days ago. Kinda shitty and on fire.”

“Tsk. Always such a downer. Are you sure that it isn’t the absence of—”

“Her absence is exactly why it’s shitty and you know that.”

“Hm. I suppose I do,” Oikawa muses lightly. “Are you still on track to graduate just before summer?”

“Yeah. Spoke to my advisors this past week. I could graduate in two months, if I wanted, but…” if he does, then he’ll be leaving California. Leaving you. You’re nearly done with med school, almost ready to return to Japan.

He has no intention of returning alone. He’ll fight tooth and nail for you, for this relationship. Even if you two are… in a tough place, right now, he’s not going anywhere.

“Ah. Well. She misses you. She’s wrapped her pillow with one of your old Godzilla shirts.”

He snorts at the image, at the knowledge that it was you who had taken his shirt, that he hadn’t lost it at the laundromat. “That… sounds about right, I guess. How—how is she?”

“What? She hasn’t called you?” Oikawa asks, sounding surprised. Overwhelmingly surprised.

“No? She called me last Tuesday and I haven’t really heard from her since.”

“That’s—maybe she picked up extra shifts at the clinic? I could ask when I see her tomorrow.”

“You’re gonna see her tomorrow?”

“We were gonna watch a recording of the Adlers-Black Jackal’s game. I wanna watch Ushiwaka and Kageyama lose to Shōyō! Do you want me to tell her to give you a call?”

Iwaizumi hesitates, wanting to talk to you more than anything—actually, no, he wants to hold you more than anything—but he wants it only if you’re doing it because you want to.

“Nah. It’s okay. I’ll, ah, I’ll shoot her a text. Hopefully, we’ll be able to talk today or tomorrow. Hey, listen—”

“Iwa-chan. She’ll come around,” Oikawa states, catching onto Iwaizumi’s discomfort. “It was nice chatting with you, but practice is about to start.”

“Yeah, okay. Talk to you later.”

Iwaizumi sinks into the couch, letting his mind wander over what the future holds. With his program coming to an end, will he be able to find work with the V. League? When you return, will you two be able to reconcile properly? Will you want to be a part of his future?

Before he can spend too much time dwelling on the infinite possibilities that lay ahead, he receives a text from you.

Hey. I miss you. A lot. There’s so much I want to tell you but I know you’re probably busy. Please give me a call if your schedule permits? I have two days off, starting tomorrow. I’ll be watching a recording of the Schweiden-MSBY game with Crappykawa tomorrow, but that can be paused... I miss you. I hope you’re well.

December 2018 | 02:13

➸ He had come to Japan after being contacted by the JVA thanks to Ushijima’s recommendation, not expecting to be contacted by your parents when your dad suffered a massive heart attack.

Your cousin left a bit ago to pick you up from the airport and he’s anxious, both for the outcome of the emergency surgery and to see you for the first time in months. For the first time since officially courting you, they had finally said “yes.”

It came in the form of the hospital staff asking him to leave if he wasn’t immediate family—a request made by your mother—only for your father to brokenly tell them that Iwaizumi’s their future son-in-law. To make certain, he asked one final time, adopting dogeza in deference:

“Please allow me to marry your daughter.”

All he had wanted was to do right by you, by your parents, by his. While the two of you may not be sticklers for tradition, they are. And he wants for you to have a relationship with his family as much as he would like a… cordial relationship with yours.

“Hajime.”

It’s a breath of fresh air, the first thaw of the snow as it makes way for spring, the warmth of a cackling fire after a day in the cold. A whispered devotion full of words long unsaid, full of emotions long since bottled. It’s you.

He doesn’t care for Japanese customs or propriety—if anything, he can blame it on living in California for the last couple of years. Standing abruptly, he starts in your direction, allowing for relief to wash through him, for love to fill him. Opening his arms, you readily fall into him, readily accept him, openly ignoring your cousin’s blatant disapproval of such public affection.

“I—fuck, Haji. I didn’t expect to see you here, for you to still be at the hospital! Oh, shit. I’ve missed you. I’ve missed you so much,” you cry into his chest as tears begin to fall in earnest. “I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t have left things the way I did. I’m so sorry.”

“You’re here now. That’s what matters,” he murmurs into your hair, glad to have you so close. “I, uh, I was already planning on staying until visiting hours officially open in the morning. I don’t know what you had planned on doing, but they probably won’t let me or Michiko enter.”

You still in his arms, reading the air, understanding what Iwaizumi isn’t saying. “Is okaasan still here?”

“I believe she’s trying to sleep in your father’s room. Kicked up a nasty fuss when they tried to get her to leave,” he tells you with a humorless chuckle.

“Yeah. That sounds like her. Will… will you come with me? I don’t want to go alone.”

After spending so long without you, he doesn’t want to let go so soon, prepared to agree to anything that allows him to be close. When you get to your father’s room, he waits outside. He tries not to listen to the soft words spoken between you and your mother, but there’s one piece of dialogue that he can’t ignore.

“We approve of him. Whatever happens today, know that we approve.”

“I—I don’t know what to make of that.”

“I would hope that you would take that as our blessing, but, knowing you, you wouldn’t have cared either way,” your mother bites, releasing some of the pent-up frustration on you. After a beat, she says, “He loves you.”

“I know,” you reply, voice a little softer than before.

“Do you love him? I imagine you must, with everything you were prepared to sacrifice for him.”

You’ve never said it aloud, not to him, anyway. He never needed to hear it, never needed it to know that you care, to know that he wants to be with you for however long you’ll have him by your side.

All the same, his heart stills with your answer.

“Yeah. I do.”

August 2019 | 22:27

➸ It rained earlier and the smell of damp concrete and asphalt still lingers in the air. This part of the city is relatively quiet and the atmosphere here is tranquil. It’s quiet enough that he immediately catches the small sound of the sliding door opening.

You wrap your arms around him from behind, pressing against his back, humming when he takes your hands and presses light kisses to them before returning them to their original position.

“You’re up late,” you comment lightly, pressing a light kiss to his shoulder. “Any special reason?”

“I wanted to see you, pretty girl. I have some news for you.”

“Oya?”

He snickers, remembering that guy with the rooster hair from the JVA that he had spoken with earlier in the day. “I got the job.”

“You got the job?!”

“I got the job,” he confirms with a wide smile, turning in your grip to face you. Your smile is just as wide as his, eyes shining with pride and love.

“That’s fantastic! We should celebrate!”

“Celebrate?” he asks, watching as you remove yourself from his arms to dance in the apartment, making your way to the fridge.

“Yeah! It’s not every day that a piece of your future falls into place, y’know?”

He follows you inside, watching with mirth as you continue to babble excitedly, opening a single beer for you both to share.

This. This is what he wanted. An opportunity to work with people passionate about their sport, to help keep them at their best while ensuring their safety. An opportunity to live with you in Tokyo as you continue pursuing a career in sports medicine.

“Hajime?” you ask, making him realize he missed the last minute or so of your rambling. “Is everything okay?”

“Yeah. It is. I, uh, there’s something that’s been on my mind,” he admits, taking the beer from you, steeling himself for what he’s about to do. You watch him with a soft expression, ready to listen to whatever comes out of his mouth.

“I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Marry me.”

« Like A Moonbeam. | Three Choices »

[nursingwriter]

Adult day care industry is well-known for providing social and basic health assistance to the elderly with physical and mental disabilities. The assistance provided in these adult day care centers include meals, hygiene services such as bathing and cleaning up, therapeutic activities and transportation. This industry is differentiated from nursing homes since adult day cares only operate during normal business hours and therefore do not include home or night care ARCH National Respite Resource Center, 2004. Companies in this industry depend on three major sources of finance which are grants from donor agencies, fees charged to clients or public funding from the government. Public funding represents 55% of product segmentation while client fees represent 26%. In the year 2013, the industry had gross revenue of 6.2 billion dollars representing an annual growth of 2%. 3,700 businesses operating in this industry made total profits of just over 396 million dollars. According to statistics provided by IBIS World, 2013() , the adult day care industry is in the growth life cycle stage with medium barriers to entry. The industry does not require high capital to set up and the level of competition is medium. The performance of the industry over the last five years shows promises for investors and gives hope to this new adult day care to be set up in the mid-Atlantic region. Industry SWOT analysis Strengths The key strength of the adult day care industry comes from its continued growth in the period from 2008 to 2013. Statistics show that the industry has grown over the past five years. this can be attributed to continued growth of the aging population and the economic downturn that has made services such as nursing homes to be out of reach as a result of being almost five times as expensive as adult day cares. Over the year 2010 to 2011, there was slow growth in the industry as a result of the economic recession which made state and local governments to have shortfalls in their budget. As public funding provides more than 50% of the revenues for the industry, reduced government spending directly resulted in decreased performance of the industry players ARCH National Respite Network & Resource Center, 2012() The various players in the adult day care industry act as independent stakeholders meaning each one sets its own fees and charges for services. This provides a different environment in comparison to other industries. This is because it allows companies to adjust prices to control issues of profitability and cash flow. This has helped the industry to grow rapidly over the last five years. Medicaid which provides long-term care services has provided a great strength for the adult day care industry. This is because Medicaid spends a lot on long-term institutional care which increases opportunities for increased revenue for the industry. Weaknesses The major weakness in the industry is its high reliance on public funding. Industry statistics show that more than half of the revenue for this industry comes from the public sector. As a result of many state and local governments reducing expenditure due to the recession, the adult day care industry has been greatly affected. Growth has slowed and industry players have had to look for other sources of income to sustain their growth. The industry also greatly relies on Medicaid which is the major source of long-term care services in the country. There has been decreased Medicaid expenditure as a result of economic recession and this has decreased growth in the adult day care industry. Another weakness of the industry is the high investment in human resources. According to statistics provided by IBIS World, 2013() , the industry spent about 2.7 billion in wages which is more than 40% of the industry revenue. This shows that the industry requires high investment in labor. Therefore even though the industry is not capital intensive, the investment in human resources is high. In addition, industry players need to hire highly skilled employees in order to provide high quality services. Other costs that are high in this industry include cost of supplies such as medical supplies and utility expenses. This reduces the profitability of the industry considerably. The adult day care industry has limited opportunity for growth internationally since it is service-based. International trade is often a great channel for growth in industries. This industry compared to other service industries such as the hotel industry has little potential for international trade. Majority of the players in the industry operate as non-profits meaning they are not allowed to declare and distribute profits as a result of services provided. This means that even though industry players can be able to tap into the growth as a result of opportunities available in the industry, they are not able to enjoy benefits of the profits Kenny, 2009() Opportunities There is increasing demand for adult day care services and this has several driving factors. One of the driving factors is that the baby boomer generation is driving demand for the services as they continue to age. Since the adult day care services caters majorly for persons aged 65 years and older, as more people join this age group, there is expected to be increased demand for adult day care services. Demand is also fueled by advances in the health care sector which are leading to longer life expectancy in the population. Data from the World Bank shows that over the years, life expectancy has increased steadily. This means there will be more people in the age group that requires assistance in living, medical treatment and personalized care that is provided by players in the adult day care service. Demand for adult day care services is also fueled by increased prevalence of lifestyle diseases such as Alzheimer's disease, dementia and other mental and physical problems, more people require services provided by adult day care centers ARCH National Respite Resource Center, 2003() Medicaid which is the major provider of long-term care insurance also creates great opportunity for growth in this adult day care industry. It is expected that years to come, Medicaid will continue to pay for these services and provisions in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act are also expected to increase health care funding and insurance coverage and thus fuel increased demand of adult day care services. Operating as a not-for-profit organization in this industry provides industry players with opportunities to exploit revenue streams from grants by donor agencies and foundations. In addition, there is high fragmentation in this industry. This means that majority of the industry players are operating as small companies with single sites only. This creates an opportunity for growth since concentration and market leadership has not yet been established in this industry. This also creates opportunities for growth since organizations that can identify with larger and more established not-for-profits such as the Red Cross or National Easter Seals will be more likely to get more grants and more community awareness as a result of the community relationships that have already been established by these larger organizations. Threats Increasing competition is a huge threat in the adult day care industry. Currently the degree of competition is thought to be moderate but as more companies continue to join the industry, there is bound to be more internal competition in the industry. Therefore it is expected that more stringent rules will be introduced to reduce the number of companies that can access public and private funding. This will create issues for the industry where players will have to diversity their service portfolio in order to survive steep competition such as extended working hours and specialized services such as rehabilitation therapies. There is also external competition from other providers such as nursing homes which, though are more expensive, provide services that consumers value and enjoy. Other external competitors include retirement communities, home health care agencies and convalescent centers. Typically all these organizations provide the same adult care services though at different levels. Increased regulation is also a huge threat for companies operating in this industry. This is because they are required to comply with federal, state and other regulations in force by donor agencies and foundations in order to survive ARCH National Respite Resource Center, 2003. For example, recently in California, all adult day care centers are required to be non-profits in order to receive Medi-Cal funding. Complying with these regulations is a strain for these organizations. The economic recession that has led to huge cutbacks in government funding also creates a threat to the adult day care industry since the industry players are required to diversify their revenue streams to mitigate cash flow problems that may result from decreased funding. SWOT summary chart Risk Management Plan In order to deliver a comprehensive risk management plan, it is important for risks to be identified, assessed, mitigated, tracked and reported. For the opening of the adult day care center in the Mid-Atlantic region, one of the largest risks is competition. The Mid-Atlantic region has 17.5% of the total number of adult day-care centers in the country. This means that this region has the largest distribution of adult day care centers and it is higher than the 15.5% population share of the region. Therefore competition in this region is expected to be high since the number of institutions is higher than the population of the region ARCH National Respite Resource Center, 2003() The second risk that is identified is that of access to a highly skilled workforce. The Mid-Atlantic region is a high income region which means that skilled workforce, though readily available, is extremely expensive. States such as New York have one of the highest costs of living in the country which translates to higher wages for the employees. Since labor expenses are currently among the largest expenses for adult day care centers, it is expected that the day care will have high expenditure from wages and this is a risk to its profitability. The other identified risk is that of increased legislation which may impact profitability of the organizations in this industry. It may require the organization to spend highly to meet the requirements of the legislation or may even make it difficult to access public or private funding thus directly affecting the revenue stream of the organization. Other identified risks are that the company might not be able to achieve economies of scale since they may not purchase many of the items in bulk. Since about 15% of the average expenditure in this industry is on supplies, this is an important consideration. The other risk identified is that of barriers to entry in the industry which are said to be at medium level. Proper execution of advertising and marketing strategies is an important risk since it will attract customers in this market. Other risks include confidentiality of customers while at the adult day care center, errors that may exist in the company's policies and procedures and errors as a result of setting up a new company and training of new staff to meet the needs of consumers. These risks have low to high likelihood with minor consequences. The summary chart below shows this in detail. Mitigation of the identified risks The first two risks are assessed as having a high likelihood and they are expected to have major consequences on the adult day care center. Therefore they cannot be ignored. To mitigate the risk of increased competition, the organization will need to diversity its product and service portfolio in order to provide highly specialized services that differentiate them from the competition. The organization will also need to look for alternative funding avenues in order to ensure constant cash flow and sustain its competitiveness and growth. The second risk which is that of high expenditure as a result of high wages can be mitigated by ensuring the company diversifies its portfolio and explores other revenue streams. This will ensure that though expenditure on wages is high, the company will be able to remain profitable through increased revenue. The company will also need to explore option of job substitution which means giving certain tasks that are not highly specialized such as bathing or massaging the customers to less skilled individuals which will reduce expenditure on skilled labor considerably. The third risk which is that of increased legislation is expected to have a low likelihood with major consequences. It can be mitigated by ensuring the company or organization stays ahead of the competition as is as vocal as possible regarding their position as an essential provider of adult day care services. This will make the organization have a say in upcoming legislation. Another way to mitigate this risk is to stay ahead of the legislators by operating at the highest standards possible so that even when legislation is passed, it does not impact the organization negatively. Risk management summary chart References ARCH National Respite Network & Resource Center. (2012). Building Blocks for Lifespan Respite: Federal Guide to Funding for Adult's and Children's Respite. (Lifespan Respite ed., Vol. 101): Chapel Hill. ARCH National Respite Resource Center. (2003). Respite for Persons with Alzheimer's Disease or Related Dementia. (ARCH Factsheet ed., Vol. 55): Chapel Hill. ARCH National Respite Resource Center. (2004). Adult Day Care: One Form of Respite for Older Adults. Chapel Hill: ARCH Factsheet Number, 54(1), 14. IBIS World. (2013). Adult Day Care in the U.S. Industry Report OD5942. Retrieved November 10th, 2013, from http://www.ibisworld.com/industry/home.aspx Kenny, G. (2009). Diversification Strategy: How to Grow a Business by Diversifying Successfully. London: Kogan Page. Minor consequences Major consequences High likelihood Low likelihood Read the full article

[literaturereviewhelp]

This particular report proposes a business plan for starting-up of a business of computer sales and services in the national market of UK. The main aim of the business will be to attract customers by providing quality services as per the need and demand of the customers along with delivering latest computer technology spare-parts to deliver the customers with quality assistance. Undoubtedly, the task of rendering computer sales and services to a diverse client base as can be observed in the current demographic features of UK, will be a tricky strategic initiation (Anderson Computer Sales & Service, 2009). Further reports have also revealed a fall in the selling prices and a consequence fall in the profit margin enjoyed by organisations in the computer sales and service marketing industry. Apparently this indicates towards an increasingly challenging market structure owing to which the planned business will have to be quite focused with respect to quality and customer services through effective supply chain management (IBIS World, 2013; Keeble & Athreye, n.d.). For instance, where on one hand the resource requirement can be observed as low during the time of initiation as no requirement of large sophisticated office spaces and other obligatory assets will be required apart from skilled human resources; on the other hand, over the long run, significant costs for availing innovative technology assistances and increasing the dais for serving the customers may be incurred and thus, the business might require continuous inflow of cash and apparently at an increasing rate for its continuation (Curators of the University of Missouri, 2010). Notably, the business is planned to be instigated as a sole-proprietorship based small business concern which will have minimum responsibilities in terms of legal obligations and therefore, will have to witness minimum intervention from external parties. 1.2. Aim of the study Setting-up of a business is often signified as a complex procedure which requires considerable knowledge base of the entrepreneur which can only be sufficed with ample information related with the motive obtainable through a formal research process (Bergstrom, 2012). Based on this notion, this particular study will aim at: Identifying the business opportunities, market competition trends and required resources to instigate the business Devising proper marketing strategies for the targeted potential customers Forecasting the capital requirements and costs to be incurred during the instigation of the business and within a one year financial period Concluding if the business plan is viable and should be proceeded with on the basis of the obtained information and forecast reports 2.0. Literature Review Business start-ups are considered as a significant contributor towards the economic development process owing to which, governmental bodies have been observed to decipher a supportive approach to assist the small and medium sized business organisations. It is worth mentioning in this context that majority of the economic structure of UK constitute of small and medium sized organisations and set-up firms which have further created a substantial pressure to facilitate this particular dimension with ample scope for future development (European Union, 2011). In the similar context, Mahdjoubi (2004) affirmed that business plan is considered to be the important source of evidences required for decisions in investment screening. Scholars have provided various frameworks to structure the process of setting-up of an organisation which is often characterised as a complex phenomenon. As stated by Carter & et. al. (1996) Read the full article

[tommyb-productions]

Critical Definition: Heritage Film

A Heritage film, or Period Drama or Costume Drama is a popular genre of British film and TV, which is distinctly set in the past, usually around the 19th century into the 20th century. The main characters tend to be landowning, wealthy, and upper-class, the plots usually are around who will marry who with younger characters, and ‘trouble in paradise’ stories for older characters. While these are only examples of the plots that tend to be present the writer does not have to limit themself to these. A sizable portion of Heritage films tend to be based on books of the time, for example, Jane Austen (Pride and Prejudice,1813), Emily Brontë (Wuthering Heights,1847), Agatha Christie (various Poirot books) and Charles Dickens (A Christmas Carol 1843). With the first two examples above their adaptations are very much in line with the upper-class characters and themes. Christie’s books fit into a different category but they are still set in the early 20th century with the character often being in the upper class but also incorporating classist themes at points. Dickins, however, is at the other end of the spectrum, his character still tends to be upper class but he is highly critical of them in his writings.

The genre was born in the early days of cinema and has been made by various people of non-British descent. “This venerable transnational history can be traced through the Hungarian Korda brothers’ 1930s – 1940s productions at Denham” (Monk, 2011 Page 2). The genre would keep at a somewhat steady level until the 1980s when films of this nature began to be critiqued due to the changing political climate with Margret Thatcher's more conservative government. Heritage films tend to focus on the upper classes of British polite society and their dramatic lives, the house servants being very minor characters in the narratives. The critiques were generally from the political left about how the films promote an idea of tradition and ‘heritage’ to a small group of the population.

This led to heritage films of the 1990s into the 2000s being more critical of the upper classes and their beliefs giving the servant characters more of their agency within the stories. Around the 2010’s there was almost a relapse in heritage film, “also in the light of the recent global interest in British costume productions, such as the award-winning costume series Downton Abbey” (Caoduro, Screen Vol. 54 Issue 2 2013). Downton Abbey (2010-2015) and its film (2018) and the sequel A New Age (2022) have in a way become the heritage series of the modern day, even influencing British law with the Equality Titles Bill, nicknamed the ‘downtown law’. 

Sources:

Caoduro, E. (2013) “Heritage Film: Nation, Genre and Representation Figuring the Past: Period Film and the Mannerist Aesthetic,” SCREEN -LONDON-, 54(2), pp. 290–293.

Monk, C. (2011) Heritage film audiences : period films and contemporary audiences in the uk. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press. (Accessed: November 6, 2023).

Higson, A. (2003) English heritage, english cinema : costume drama since 1980. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Vidal Belén (2012) Heritage film : nation, genre and representation. London: Wallflower (Short cuts, 49).

[colindeamer]

Success Story of Colin Deamer: Experienced Sales Director

Colin Williams Deamer is a shining example of success in the IT and telecom industry. With an extensive background and a plethora of expertise, Colin has transitioned from Sales Leader to Contributor setting the stage for an incredible tale of accomplishment. This blog explores Colin Deamer's background, professional trajectory, and areas in which his experience can have a big influence.

Early Career Steps

Colin started his career over two decades ago at Kcom as a Regional Sales Manager in December 2000. During his 10-year journey with Kcom, he excelled at sales and management, which further laid the groundwork for his exceptional career in the IT and telecom industry.

An Emerging Star at Thus

In 2011, another chapter of Colin's life began. It took him to Thus, a Cable and Wireless WorldWide Business, where he took up the position of Head of Sales for the South and London. Here, he demonstrated his capacity to lead and deliver results by overseeing the mid-market sales team. It was during this tenure that he laid the foundation for his future leadership roles.

A Step Forward with Logicalis

After dedicating his one year and five months to Thus (the company), the IT services industry was where Colin truly found his calling. He began his new road of transformation in October 2012 from Logicalis, a UK-based information technology company. At Logicalis, he assumed the position of Services Sales Director. His responsibilities took him to Slough and London, two places renowned for their healthy rivalry and dynamism in the technology industry. His stint at Logicalis was a pivotal point in his career, showcasing his knack for getting through challenging marketplaces and motivating his people to perform to the highest standards.

IDE Group and a Shift in Focus

The next phase of Colin Deamer extraordinary career was IDE Group where he joined in  November 2014. At first, he worked as the Managed Services Sales Director. In this position, he was responsible for overseeing a sizable client account and offering an extensive array of IT services. In this role, Colin demonstrated his exceptional business skills and ability to achieve beyond goals.

Elevating to Group Sales Director

Despite having a fulfilling career, there was something Colin was missing. He wanted to do more than just meet targets.  Colin didn't stop at just hitting goals; he kept going and eventually got promoted after two years as the Group Sales Director. In this leadership capacity, he guided the sales organization through a critical period of growth in addition to providing general direction. The position required a comprehensive strategy that included integrating several sales teams, from direct and channel sales to the public sector. This time proved his leadership abilities and ability to adjust to the rapidly evolving IT sector environment.

SysGroup - Navigating the Cloud

Colin's trajectory eventually brought him to SysGroup in 2018, where he was hired as the Sales Director. He became well-versed in cloud solutions, security services, telecom, managed IT services, and cloud computing through this role. Thanks to his extensive background in both direct and channel sales, he made sure the business constantly hit and surpassed its goals and budgets.

Complete I.T. Ltd - A Moment of Transition

Joining Complete I.T. ltd was a complete transition of Colin’s career. After dedicating approximately 18 years as a sales executive, Colin joined as the Head of New Business Sales at Complete I.T. Ltd in 2021. He intentionally moved from being a Sales Leader for years to a Contributor role. Here, Colin prioritised giving back, teamwork, and mentorship above all.

Colin's extensive experience in sales, encompassing managed services, e-commerce, and cloud solutions, bears testimony to his knowledge of the IT sector. His dedication to offering top-notch customer solutions and ensuring high levels of customer satisfaction has been an ongoing motif throughout his career.

Colin Deamer is now putting his energy into using his expertise to empower, support, and work in tandem with others as a contributor. His goal is always to promote a culture of growth and collaboration wherever he goes.

Colin Beyond the Office

In addition to being a professional, Colin William Deamer is a family man who has thoroughly enjoyed life off the job since 2022. Now that he's settled down, he enjoys playing golf and is even a licensed FA referee. These hobbies highlight his dedication to leading a full and satisfying life and present how he masterfully strikes a balance between both his professional and personal lives.

There's no doubt about the fact that the telecom and IT sectors constantly evolve. But amidst this constant evolution, Colin Deamer's journey stands tall as an encouraging success story. He is an invaluable asset to any organization because of his dedication to mentoring and teamwork, and his proven track record of exceeding goals and accomplishing what he sets his eyes for.

With an abundance of expertise in the IT and telecom sectors and a strong desire to inspire people, Colin is an energetic professional who can make a big difference wherever he chooses to use his expertise and skills. Colin Deamer's trajectory demonstrates that a career in IT and telecoms can be both rewarding and transformative, whether it is through team leadership, mentoring, or helping a business succeed.