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mrjinx87 · 2 years

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Grandma

I am going to need to get serious for a moment. I have been waiting until I felt prepared to write this, and now is the time:

On August 4, 2022, my world was irrevocably changed.

On August 4, 2022, my world got a little bit darker.

On August 4, 2022, a piece of me disappeared.

Because on August 4, 2022, my wonderful, beautiful, amazing grandmother, Lydia Ruiz, passed away.

It is so hard to put into words the kind of person my grandmother was, but I am going to try. My grandmother was everything that was good, and pure, and wholesome, and joyful in this world. She was the quintessential grandma. People don’t always have someone close to them that they can point to as an example of a good person, so they’ll use a historical figure like Gandhi or Mother Teresa. I’m lucky. I didn’t have to look far to find a good person. I was raised by a few of them: my grandparents, my mom, and my aunt Daisy.

My grandma had the biggest heart of anybody I have ever known. She and my grandpa were living saints. These are people who opened up their home to children who didn’t have one. They took care of foster kids for literally *decades*. From the ‘70s until the early ‘90s. And at the same time, they were still raising their own kids (my mom, my uncle Carlito and my aunt Daisy) and eventually took part in helping to raise me and my cousins Natasha and Charlie. AND keep in mind, my grandparents were working class, so they had to keep their heads above water too! The only reason they stopped was because age eventually caught up with them, but I can still remember some of the last kids they took care of: Marc Anthony, Naomi, Stephanie. Names and faces I can still remember even though I haven’t seen them in over 30 years.

My grandmother was the matriarch of my family. She was the head of table. She had the final say in a lot of family decisions. She was also very religious. She was very devout. There was no question that Jesus Christ was her lord and savior. But she wasn’t a judgmental person. She wasn’t just a follower of her religion. She EMBODIED her religion in the best ways possible. She donated to multiple charities regularly. She sponsored a child in Africa. She was always willing to lend a helping hand, she would always stop whatever it was that she was doing for her loved ones. When she would serve dinner, she would make sure everyone else was well fed before she would take a bite herself. My grandparents, my aunt Daisy and my mother are the reasons why I can’t stand it when people are dismissive of Christianity, or religion in general. Because I hear these negative, sometimes nasty comments, and I think “Well, clearly, you never met MY family!” And I say this as someone who hadn’t visited a church in YEARS up until my grandmother’s funeral!

I wish everyone who read this got to meet her. Because to know her was to love her. Everything that I actually like about myself, all of my positive attributes, they all come from my grandparents. Because they taught my mother, who then taught them to me. My grandma was old fashioned in a lot of ways, but that didn’t mean that she didn’t accept change or wasn’t open to new ideas. She treated everyone who entered her house equally. Black or white. Gay or straight. ALL were welcomed into her home. I guess you can say that the genesis, the seeds of a lot of my political and personal beliefs were planted, in part, by her. And she never, EVER held a grudge. Even if you wronged her more than once, eventually, you were welcomed back with open arms.

I wish I got a chance to say goodbye. I’m going to miss so many things about her. I’m going to miss her smile. I’m going to miss her hugs. I’m going to miss hearing her voice, that trademark thick Puerto Rican accent. English was her second language, so there were some things that were lost in translation, but she was still able to communicate with me thanks to years of constantly talking to each other. She could speak full paragraphs in Spanish, and I would understand her point.

I’m going to miss her world class cooking (seriously, you haven’t LIVED until you’ve eaten my grandmother’s fried chicken, or ribs, or pork chops, or pulled pork, or French toast). I’m going to miss doing my celebratory dances for her after I had her world class cooking.

I’m going to miss the little joke we had for years where I would stick the top of my head out in front of her so that she would kiss it. This was based on the fact that when I was a kid, I would always do this, and once I became aware of this fact, I went out of my way to do it intentionally.

And I will also miss the love my grandmother had for her husband, my grandfather Carlos Ruiz. They were the perfect couple. Together for 63 years. Most couples don’t even last 63 *days*, let alone 63 years! You just don’t see a love like theirs anymore. My grandparents made me believe in true love. They had the marriage that I hope to have one day. My heart breaks for my grandfather, but at least he got to be with her until the very end.

I had been dreading this day for years. I knew it was coming, but I had successfully managed to lie to myself and believe that both my grandparents would live to 969 like Methuselah. Even through the years of declining health and numerous hospital visits, I never lost my optimism. Right on up to when she was put into hospice care, I still held out hope. “Okay, she will either make a full recovery, or I’ve got a good 6 months left with her.” 6 months turned out to be less than 2 weeks.

My heart aches. I’ve lost relatives before. I’ve lost pets. But I’ve never lost someone this close to me. If you take into consideration all the years I lived with my grandmother, and factor in all the times she and I would be the only ones in the house while my parents were working and my grandpa and aunt were doing errands, I have probably spent more time with my grandmother than anyone else in my entire life. And no one else may ever come close.

She was here for 89 years, but she deserved 89 more. I wish I had more time with her. I have shed many tears already, and I will probably shed many more in the days, weeks, months, and years to come. Right now, I can’t even talk about her out loud for more than five minutes without getting choked up. But … I also know that the last thing that my grandma would have wanted for me was for me to be sad all the time. When I cried, she cried.

So, instead, I have extra motivation now. I want to show my grandmother that I’m going to be okay.

Grandma, I am going to live a life that you would be proud of. I’m going to carry on your legacy. I’m going to remain close to my family. I’m going to talk about you whenever the opportunity arises, and tell stories about you to any children or grandchildren I might someday have. I will keep your memory alive. I want the whole world to know your name. I will take the lessons you taught me with me and I will follow them for the rest of my life. I will never carry a grudge. I will meet someone, and I will love them as much as you loved Grandpa. And one day soon, I will finally learn to cook as good as you! Whenever I find myself in a bind, I will stop, take a deep breath, and ask myself “What would Grandma do?”

The lives of my family and myself will never be the same, but we’re going to bring joy to each other and to the friends and the partners that we have and may meet in the future. Just like you would have wanted.

I love you, Grandma. I am thankful that I got to be your grandson for 34 years. I will miss you for as long as there is a breath in my lungs. You were the best grandmother anyone could have ever asked for, and you helped make the world a better place. The lives you touched, touched others. And those lives, others! You did a lot of good, Lydia Ruiz. If anyone has a first class ticket to Heaven, it’s you.

I hope that I am as good of a person as you were. Because I would love to see you again one day.

Rest In Peace, Grandma. Vaya con Dios.

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udipirecipes · 5 months

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https://conosh.com/pop-up/hyderabadi-biryani-masterclass-contains-mutton-online-workshop-recording-by-natasha-gandhi-grover-?fbclid=PAAaaLHCDsFm6I1B0BnOJVnbDn2kjCBe14Jq5xb-xxj9ykuPQmLtycBOVHFgU

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brendanjap · 6 months

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The Growing Toxicity in Gaming Communities

Gaming platforms have recently emerged as dynamic hubs for social interaction, competition, and shared passion. However, beneath the surface of the virtual realm, a concerning trend is gaining momentum — the rise of toxicity within gaming communities. While these spaces have the potential to foster camaraderie and inclusivity, an increasing number of individuals, particularly women, the LGBT community, and ethnic minorities, find themselves navigating a hostile terrain. This blog explores the dynamics contributing to the toxicity in gaming communities and reflects on how these digital spaces impact social lives.

The Digital Frontier: A Haven for All?

Gaming communities were initially hailed as havens for those seeking like-minded individuals who shared their enthusiasm for games. The digital landscape offered an escape from the limitations of physical proximity, allowing people from different corners of the world to connect over a shared love of gaming. However, as the user base expanded, so did the challenges of maintaining a welcoming environment for everyone.

Toxicity Takes Root

One of the primary contributors to the toxicity in gaming communities is the prevalence of online anonymity. The veil of invisibility provided by screen names and avatars emboldens some individuals to engage in behaviour they might never exhibit in face-to-face interactions. This often leads to the targeted harassment of marginalized groups, perpetuating stereotypes and fostering an unwelcoming atmosphere (Fleck 2022).

Furthermore, the competitive nature of many online games can intensify emotions and fuel toxic behaviour. Trash-talking and unsportsmanlike conduct, while common in competitive environments, can quickly escalate into harmful exchanges that marginalize certain groups. A notable example is evident in the game Overwatch, where Kim "Geguri" Se-Yeon from South Korea experienced public harassment, facing reluctance from most male gamers to team up with her upon hearing her speak (Kimes 2017). The result is an exclusionary culture that undermines the inclusive potential of digital communities.

Inequality Amplified

As gaming communities have grown, so too has the visibility of inequality within them. Women, the LGBT community, and ethnic minorities frequently face discriminatory remarks, harassment, and exclusion. This not only alienates individuals but also reinforces harmful stereotypes and perpetuates a cycle of discrimination. A notable example is Natasha Hidayah Hashim, known as Tashbunny, a Malaysian gamer with considerable experience in the gaming industry, who faced harassment comments during her live sessions on Twitch, highlighting the persisting challenges within the gaming community (Yeung 2020).

The Impact on Social Lives

For many, gaming communities serve as a crucial component of their social lives. The toxic environment, however, can have severe consequences on mental health and well-being. Individuals from marginalized groups may feel compelled to hide aspects of their identity or avoid certain games altogether to sidestep potential harassment. This limits their ability to fully engage in the social aspects of these communities, robbing them of the camaraderie and friendships that should be inherent in gaming culture (Gandhi et al. 2021, 575653).

Breaking the Cycle

Addressing toxicity in gaming communities requires a collective effort. Game developers, platform administrators, and community members all play pivotal roles in fostering a more inclusive environment. Implementing and enforcing clear guidelines for respectful behaviour, as well as providing reporting mechanisms for harassment, are crucial steps toward creating a safer space for all (Belskie, Zhang, & Hemminger 2023, pp. 1-10). As an illustration, here's the reporting mechanism for harassment, abuse, or any violations within one of the mobile games I engaged with:

Conclusion

While gaming communities have the potential to be vibrant, inclusive spaces that connect people across the globe, the growing toxicity threatens this vision. By acknowledging the issues at hand, fostering empathy, and collectively working towards change, we can reclaim these digital spaces as environments where everyone can enjoy the social benefits of gaming without fear of discrimination or exclusion. Only through a united effort can we ensure that the digital frontier remains a welcoming place for gamers of all backgrounds and identities.

List of References

Belskie, M, Zhang, H, & Hemminger, BM 2023, ‘Measuring Toxicity Toward Women in Game-Based Communities’, Journal of Electronic Gaming and Esports, vol. 1, no. 1, pp. 1-13.

Fleck, A 2022, 'How Toxic Is the Gaming Community?', Statista, 30 August, viewed 20 November 2023, <https://www.statista.com/chart/28118/toxic-game-culture-in-the-us/>.

Gandhi, R, Cook, CL, LaMastra, N, Uttarapong, J, & Wohn, DY 2021, 'An Exploration of Mental Health Discussions in Live Streaming Gaming Communities', Frontiers in Psychology, vol. 12, 575653, <https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.575653>.

Kimes, M 2017, 'How a teenage gamer in the hottest new esport, Overwatch, became a reluctant icon for South Korea's feminist movement', ESPN, 15 September, viewed 19 November 2023, <https://www.espn.com/espn/feature/story/_/id/20692051/how-teenage-gamer-became-reluctant-icon-south-korea-feminist-movement>.

Yeung, YG 2020, 'Gamer 'Tashbunny' opens up on 'toxic' misogyny in Malaysia's gaming industry', Coconuts KL, 3 July, viewed 19 November 2023, <https://coconuts.co/kl/features/gamer-tashbunny-opens-up-on-toxic-misogyny-in-malaysias-gaming-industry/>.

#mda20009 #week 10

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baliportalnews · 1 year

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BASAbali Wiki Gelar Wikithon Lingkungan Hidup

BALIPORTLAENWS.COM, DENPASAR - BASAbali Wiki menggelar Wikithon Lingkungan Hidup yang merupakan kegiatan lomba aksi nyata penghijauan lingkungan sekitar. Wikithon Lingkungan Hidup ini melibatkan lima kelompok peserta, masing-masing kelompok terdiri dari tiga tim Bali dan tiga tim Washington, DC. Wikithon ini diselenggarakan sebulan penuh dari 4 Desember 2022 sampai dengan 4 Januari 2023. Adapun luaran dari dilaksanakannya kegiatan ini yaitu aksi nyata penghijauan lingkungan yang diterapkan di dua negara dan telah didokumentasikan melalui video kompilasi aksi penghijauan yang dilaksanakan di dua negara. Setelah menjadi satu kesatuan, dokumentasi tersebut diunggah pada website BASAbali Wiki (basabaliwiki.org) di Ruang Komunitas BASAbali Wiki khususnya di rak 'Ayo Hijaukan Lingkungan’. Sebelumnya pada Minggu (4/12/2022) lalu telah dilaksanakan Webinar: Green Action For The Future sebagai rangkaian awal Wikithon Lingkungan Hidup. Webinar tersebut merupakan pemantik agar para peserta bisa merencanakan ide-ide mereka untuk aksi nyata menghijaukan lingkungan. Berdasarkan hal tersebut, kelima kelompok peserta mampu merealisasikan ide mereka dengan aksi nyata penghijauan lingkungan yang telah didokumentasikan. Adapun aksi nyata menghijaukan lingkungan yang dilakukan oleh peserta seperti aksi pengomposan, kemasan makanan ramah lingkungan, pembuatan biopori, pengolahan sampah, dan lain sebagainya. Dari hasil proses penjurian yang dilakukan oleh tim juri yakni Maya Tamimi (Head of Sustainable Environment Unilever Indonesia Foundation), Prof. Ismunandar (Indonesian Ambassador/Permanent Delegate to Unesco), dan Andre Dananjaya (Associate Manager of Visual Communication Kopernik) telah ditentukan pemenang dari lima karya yang dihasilkan oleh para peserta. Adapun para pemenang yakni: - Juara I diraih oleh kelompok 5 yang terdiri dari tim SMAN 3 Denpasar atas nama Gusti Ayu Dewi Pradnyasari, Ni Putu Adina Saridewi, Tissa Amelia Madica Putri dan tim Washington DC atas nama Michael Cano, Angemare Emmanuel, dan Inayah Williams. Adapun judul karyanya yaitu Zero Packaging: Eco-Friendly Food Packaging at School - Juara II diraih oleh anggota tim SMAN 3 Denpasar atas nama Sang Ayu Putu Karunia Jayadi Putri, Pande Putu Elgha Satrya Adhyaksa, Marsha Aulia Rachmayudha, dan tim Washington DC atas nama Natasha Sidki, Ariana Roy, dan Ceone White dengan judul karya Biopores Project. - Juara III diraih oleh anggota tim dari SMA Dwijendra Denpasar dan tim Washington DC atas nama Putu Oktoavia Ayu Bonita, Vanessa Grace Thasca Sukarno, Ida Bagus Ananda Nosa Putraditya, Agustin Lundry, dan Michael Daza dengan judul karya Start from Small Things Project. - Juara Favorit yaitu karya yang berjudul COMA (Composting Around) dari kelompok SMAN 1 Tabanan dan tim Washington DC atas nama Stevanus Ivan Santoso, Ketut Suda Gandhi Wibawa, Arnold Yoseph Geraldo Seran, Ahava Tze-Hui Wu, Folasade Haastrup-Akintunde, dan Anna Batko Richgels. "Kami sangat senang bisa mengikuti wikihon ini karena kami mendapat banyak dukungan dari mentor, semua orang di sini sangat responsif! Saya berharap bisa mengikuti kompetisi wikithon lainnya," tanggapan yang disampaikan oleh salah satu pemenang Wikithon Lingkungan Hidup dari SMA Dwijendra. Selain itu, Head of Communication BASAbali Wiki, Ni Nyoman Clara Listya Dewi, S.IP., MA., mengatakan, bahwa Wikithon Lingkungan Hidup kali ini sengaja dikemas dengan ide untuk mengkolaborasikan semangat anak muda untuk menyelamatkan lingkungan di dua tempat, Indonesia (Bali) dan Amerika Serikat (Washington DC). “Semoga ini menjadi awal yang baik bagi anak-anak muda di dua negara untuk tetap menggemakan semangat dan kepedulian terhadap lingkungan. Beliau juga berharap agar kedepannya tidak hanya dua negara, tapi Wikithon Lingkungan Hidup bisa mengkolaborasikan banyak anak muda di banyak negara,” harap Clara.(bpn) Read the full article

#AyoHijaukanLingkungan #BahasaBali #BASABALI #BASAbaliWiki #Washington #WikithonLingkunganHidup

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khabarbharat · 4 years

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Hardik Pandya's son Agastya started playing with mother's nose, Natasha shared video

Hardik Pandya’s son Agastya started playing with mother’s nose, Natasha shared video

Bollywood actress Natasha Stankovic (wife of Hardik Pandya) and Natasha Stankovic has shared a cute video of her son Agastya.

Agastya, son of Hardik Pandya, started playing with mother’s nose

Special things

Natasha was seen playing with her son

Cute style of Agastya

Natasha and Agastya’s video was viral

new Delhi:

Team India’s all-rounder cricketer Hardik Pandya’s wife and Bollywood…

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ilyricshub · 4 years

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#TereBinMeriNikleJaan #NikhitaGandhi #NatashaSingh #AshishBisht #AmjadNadeem #AmjadNadeemAamir

#Amjad Nadeem #Amjad Nadeem Aamir #Ashish Bisht #Natasha Singh #Nikhita Gandhi

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duuhrayliegh · 3 years

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Fuck Misogyny

request: Bucky uses his newly gained knowledge of feminism to squash misogynistic interview questions. @ptrs-prkrs

warnings: language, creepy men, feminist!bucky

a/n: hey babes!! i hope this lived up to what you wanted! i couldn’t find the exact video you were referencing but i know what you’re talking about, so i drew inspiration from a few others.

p.s.: my requests and tag lists are open!!

xoxo ray

full m.list

The set up was simple. A long row of fold out tables covered in black fabric, microphones in front of each seat. Black papers were taped to the backs of the microphones with each team member's name. Bucky had told Evie that he wasn’t going to be able to work out with her today because of this so it better be worth it. The PR manager for the team, Amanda, had set everything up. Hired the mediator, notified the press, everything. Ever since they announced that they were going to be hosting an Avenger’s Q&A Panel, the internet quite literally broke.

Of course Bucky had been doing lives on TikTok with the group of five for the past couple of weeks now, so he was becoming quite comfortable in this format. He’s become increasingly active on his social media accounts, gaining more and more followers everyday. Granted, there were still haters, as Freddie called them, but Bucky ignored them for the most part.

Bucky was actually excited for this press meeting. He was finally gaining traction in the media and he knew how to correctly answer their questions. As Amanda had explained, there was going to be several questions from the mediator, tons from the press that they had invited, and then some fan questions as well. They apparently were going to be live streaming the conference on YouTube allowing them to read the comments and questions as it went on.

“Okay, everyone. You have two minutes until we start.” The team was in an empty board room in the Hilton hotel. Tony didn’t want everyone on the compound’s grass because he just had it fixed. Bucky scanned his fellow teammates. It was impossible for everyone to dress for the same event. Steve was wearing a shirt that was almost bursting at the seams with a pair of jeans and sneakers.

Tony was wearing a lovely Tom Ford, three piece, two-button, of course. Natasha and Wanda were wearing ripped jeans and casual tops. Vision was wearing a sweater vest and slacks, Bruce was clad in slacks as well a jacket covering his shoulders. Sam was wearing a button-up shirt and pressed jeans and he couldn’t find Clint anywhere, probably hiding in the rafters again.

Bucky had his iconic leather jacket donning his shoulders, a pair of slightly ripped jeans. His outfit was picked out by Cassie and Penny. “You need to look like you care but like you don’t at the same time.” Is what they said, the phrase made Bucky shake his head. His hair had finally started growing back and he wasn’t quite sure how he felt about it.

He had gotten help from Evie before he left Cassie’s apartment. She had pulled back the top half, braiding back two sections into the bun at the back of his head. There were pieces dangling in front of his eyes, “to accentuate the facial features, trust me they’ll love it.” Was Evie’s explanation as they pushed him out of the apartment, so he wouldn’t be late.

“Alright guys! They’re calling your names!” The team filed out of the board room and into a large ballroom. Bottles of water were placed beside each placemat. Tony went out first, followed by Steve, then Bruce, Natasha, Clint, Wanda, Vision, Sam and ending with Bucky. They all settled into their seats, Bucky peeled his jacket off himself, placing it on the back of his chair. His black short sleeved shirt highlighted the gold inlays of his vibranium arm.

“Oh, I see we’re showing some muscle today huh, Buck?” Sam teased as Bucky took his seat next to him. Bucky groaned in realization, covering his microphone so it didn’t pick up what he planned to say.

“Good God, is this what it’s going to be like the entire panel? You just bugging the shit outta me?” They shared a laugh making the rest of the members look at the pair. The audience clapped as they were introduced and continued clapping as they assembled before them.

“Thank you. We would like to welcome everyone to the first, of hopefully many, Avenger’s Q&A Panel.” The female mediator, Stacey, read the assigned lines off the sheet on her podium. “We are going to start with questions we curated for the team and then open it up to the members of the press. After that we will turn to our live stream and answer some viewer questions.” The press rustled in their seats, pulling out pens and journals as well as their phones to record. “Okay, starting off with a question directed at the Avengers in general. How are you feeling about coming before the media in this type of format?” Glances were exchanged between the members, not sure on who was going to start.

“I feel that this is a great way for the general public to learn a little bit more about each individual team member.” Vision was the first to respond and Steve added on.

“Yeah, I definitely think that there’s a common misconception that we don’t want to engage with the media or the general public. We do, unfortunately due to the amount of research and training that we are doing behind the scenes, it just goes to the back of our minds.”

“Right. So Tony and Bruce, we all know that you two are geniuses. What are your feelings on expanding the teachings of STEM courses to not only high school, but as far back as elementary school or even kindergarten?” The pair thought about the question before answering.

“Well, I definitely think that offering STEM-based classes at a younger age would be beneficial, especially if we were to allow the kids to continue to switch what they want to focus on.” Bruce started. “It’s incredibly anxiety-inducing for teenagers to have to decide what they’re going to do with their life right before they are thrust into an unforgiving world.”

“Yeah, I’ll never understand why we do that to our future leaders, it’s honestly baffling. Why do American schools wait until high school to require our children to learn foriegn languages, they aren’t going to retain that information. The same applies for such comprehensive courses like STEM-based ones. If you wait until their brains are already developed so far, then they’ve already decided what they think is interesting and if they don’t find those courses interesting then they aren’t going to pay attention.” Tony finished Bruce's thought before nodding to each other smugly, obviously proud of themselves for answering the question so well.

“Interesting that you see it that way. This last one goes out to everyone and then we’ll open it up to the reporters. How do you deal with the stress and anxiety that comes with being an Avenger? Do you feel a certain amount of pressure to always do the right thing?” Stacey shuffled her papers, tapping them twice on the podium.

“We all have our own routines and ways that we decompress after missions so that really just depends on the person. Like I think that Bruce listens to opera music, and Wanda mediatates, Tony tinkers. It depends on the person.” Natasha answered concisely, making Bucky nod his head. He could recall all of those things to be true.

“Oh definitely, and it doesn’t hurt that we have a former VA Trauma Counselor on board to help us work through the harder stuff.” Steve added a gesture of his head to Sam.

“Speaking of that Sam, just a quick question before we open it up. How difficult was it for you to transition from regular Air Force missions to Avenger level missions?” Sam made a face at Stacey before answering.

“Um, I mean, it’s not that different. You’re always fighting one of the Big Three-- aliens, androids, or wizards, no matter what department you’re working with. The only transition I had to deal with was the Tony Stark-erized suits. Now that I think of it, Tony, can we make it tighter?” Sam quipped making the room laugh with ease.

“Alright, well now we’re going to open it up to the reporters. Starting with this gentleman in the front and then if we could also give a microphone to someone on that side of the room. Okay, thank you.” The first reporter stood up, holding the microphone in one hand and his phone in the other.

“Hello. John from Huffington Post. The Avengers inspire almost everyone around the world, so we would like to know who inspires you? Who do you look up to in terms of your idols?” He sat back down as the team contemplated their answers.

“Gandhi.” Bruce said, Tony snapped his fingers and pointed at him then added. “Pepper, she’s so amazing.” Steve looked down to Bucky, who shrugged.

“I would probably have to say that my sister, Sarah, inspires me. She raised her two sons, Cas and AJ, by herself after the Blip and was able to keep the family business going.” Sam’s answer made Bucky smile. Sam had brought him to their house in Delacroix, he remembered waking up to Cas and AJ playing in the kitchen, happy giggles filtering through reminding him of his time in Wakanda. By the time that Bucky had refocused on the conversation they had moved on without his answer. Several different questions went by, all directed to the team at large, until Chad.

“Hi, I’m Chad for the Daily Mail. My question is for Wanda and Natasha.” The pair of women perked up, excited to have a specific question. “Do you find that your equipment hinders you in doing your job as well as your male counterparts?” Stunned expressions settled over the womens faces, then annoyance. Bucky’s brows shot up to his hairline, appalled that someone had the balls to ask that. Wanda and Natasha handled the question with grace and much more restraint than Bucky would have.

“Well for me, I am able to move things with my mind so I can throw things randomly at people even if I’m not in the room. I’ve been very fortunate to work with Natasha who has Widow training, so my hand to hand combat is improving immensely. And being able to work with Princess Shuri in Wakanda to learn how to fully control my powers. It’s an ever evolving process that I’m always excited to take on.” Bucky nodded and turned his attention to Natasha.

“My favorite thing is training with either Steve or Bucky because they push me to do my best. We all have our specialties here and it’s nice to learn new skills or improve old ones with people who support you.” Natasha sat back in her chair, crossing her arms over her chest, throwing daggers with her eyes at Chad in the audience, waiting for him to say something else. Chad stood again, yelling so he could be heard over the crowd’s commotion.

“That’s great, ladies, but forgive me, you didn’t answer the question I asked.” Bucky pushed forward in his seat, leaning into his microphone.

“I’m sorry, I think I misunderstood what you asked them then. I would like for you to clarify what you mean by equipment.” Chad balked, not expecting a male’s voice to respond.

“You know what’s implied by equipment, sir.” Bucky’s jaw clenched at the man.

“Did you just ask two of the most capable women that I’ve ever known, if their equipment, which I’m assuming you’re referring their breasts, made it to where they couldn’t do their job as good as the rest of their male counterparts. Just to be clear, that’s what you’re asking?” Chad stuttered as he answered yes.

“Right, well first off that’s disgusting. Just a bit of background for you, Wanda is the strongest Avenger here, plain and simple. As for Natasha, she’s the smartest woman I’ve ever met and she can take down every single male here.” Bucky took a breath before continuing. “So, what I think you really want to know is how they encourage their teammates to keep up with them.” He dropped his head to look at the two women down the line.

“Don’t worry Chad, I’ll ask them the right question, since you can’t quite seem to understand how to respect women.” The team was holding back snickers at Chad’s reaction. “Wanda, Natasha. Chad wants to know how the hell you push your male teammates to be just as good as you are. What are your strategies to keep us on our toes while training?” Claps sounded from the women press members and Bucky awaited the pair's response. The next press member stood and asked a question.

“Hi, I’m Chloe from Vanity Fair. This question goes to everyone on the panel.” Bucky settled in for another question that didn’t matter. “How do you continue to be aware of things happening in our society today? Do you keep up-to-date through new channels, or social media?” The answers were rather generic from the team, all of them rather uncomfortable from the tension that Bucky and Chad had created. Stacey interrupted after Chloe’s question.

“Okay, we’re going to open it up to viewer questions from our live stream.” An iPad was placed on the podium in front of Stacey and her eyebrows rose. “Okay, there’s quite a variety here. Here’s one for Steve and Bucky.” Bucky perked up, nervous to answer because his adrenaline had worn off.

“One viewer asks, ‘Steve and Bucky, being from the 40’s, women were treated like second thoughts and were talked about like objects. Now, you’re in the 21st century, not much has changed. What have you been doing to support feminist causes?’”

“I just want to say that everyone should be answering this. It’s true that during the 40’s women were not treated the right way, and they still aren’t today. An 18 year old can’t walk down the street at nine o’clock at night without being catcalled. I am a proud feminist, as everyone should be. I think that as a team we are doing pretty well in that department. As far as what I’m doing to support feminist causes, I’m doing as much as I can. I actually recently enrolled in online classes to expand my knowledge on many subjects, seeing as how I am from the 40’s and all.” The crowd laughed along with Bucky.

“Almost all of my classes have to do with either psychology or gender studies, it’s a fascinatingly haunting subject. One book that I’m reading right now was suggested to me by my friend Cassie, it’s called Hood Feminism: Notes from the Women that a Movement Forgot. The author doesn’t let up and I’m only halfway through it. Look, I’m still educating myself, but I’m a strong believer in doing what is right for everyone, so I’m trying. Thankfully I have a few people keeping me in check as far as my actions.” Bucky thought his response was well thought out for being an on the fly question. He was new to the concept of feminism but that didn’t change the fact that it made total sense.

“I’m with Bucky on this. The 40’s were a rough time. I remember the first time I met Peggy Carter, I was astonished that a woman could be in such a powerful position. One of the first things she did after I met her was punch out someone who made a sexual comment to her. I’ve been supporting feminist causes ever since working with Peggy.” Steve added, a sad smile spreading on his face reminiscing Peggy.

“This one says, ‘As a total fan of all of you, I love seeing what you post on your social media accounts. When are the rest of the Avengers going to follow Bucky’s lead and download TikTok?’” Bucky’s head flew back into a full body laugh. Tony shifted forward in his seat, pointing his finger at the laughing man down the table.

“I would just like to say he didn’t get that approved before doing it. However, it did go over really well, so we’ll consider it.” Wanda’s mouth rolled inwards, stifling her laughter.

“We’ll consider it, you’re such an old man. Most of us have TikTok already, we just don’t make content on it like Barnes over here.” Sam said, tossing his head in Bucky’s direction.

“I’ve got like three videos on there!” Bucky and Sam began bantering back and forth.

“Yeah and one of them is dancing to a Cardi B song! Who even showed you that? I thought you only like 40’s music?” Bucky made a face at the man.

“Uh, just because I didn’t like your suggestions for music doesn’t mean I don’t have taste. My Spotify playlist is filling out quite nicely, Wilson.” Bucky and Sam didn’t quit fighting from then on, just little jabs at each other under the table.

“Here’s a good one,” Stacey had a smile on her face, “Are you allies of the LGBTQ+ community?” Bucky responded quickly with no hesitation.

“Yes, many of my friends are members of the Alphabet Mafia. Why wouldn’t we be?” Wanda nodded at his question, laughing at his use of the phrase Alphabet Mafia.

“Yeah, absolutely. I mean, I’m dating a fucking android, I’d be pretty hypocrictal if I wasn’t an ally. Nat, Clint what about you?” Clint bobbed his head in response.

“Oh yeah. We all are, even the Star Spangled Man with a Plan.” Steve’s shoulders shook with laughter at Clint’s nickname for him. The team broke out into laughter, joining Steve. Stacey cleared her throat, commanding the attention of the room again.

“Alright, everybody! That’s it for today.” She glanced down at her papers. “We would like to thank everyone for coming out today and joining the Avengers Q&A Panel. At this time we are unaware, if we will be conducting another one of these, but the odds look good based on the response.” The team filed out of the ballroom and into the empty boardroom. Bucky was the last to get into the room and he was approached by Natasha and Wanda immediately. Wanda wrapped her arms around him in a bear hug.

“That was so sick, Bucky!” She stepped back and Natasha offered him a side hug as well. “Where’d you learn all that? And since when are you taking online classes?”

“That guy was being an asshole, he needed to be put in his place. I hope you guys didn’t feel like I overstepped or anything.” Bucky hung his arm over Wanda’s shoulder, leaning his weight on her. “And I started about two months ago. They’re going really well, I’m learning a lot and enjoying it surprisingly. It’s a good thing to do in my free time since I’m not always on missions.”

“I’m proud of you James, that was impressive.” Natasha complimented him, she wasn’t usually a woman of many words so that was a lot. Bucky smiled at her, nodding his head. His phone began buzzing in his back pocket, so he excused himself from their conversation. His screen displayed one of Evie’s senior pictures, signalling that she was calling him. He pushed the green button and brought the phone to his ear to answer her call.

“Hello?” She ignored his greeting with a squeal.

“Check your Twitter! Bucky, you’re trending! Here I’m putting you on speaker, we’re all here Buck!” Shuffling noises were heard through the speaker as Evie began reading the tweets to Bucky. Laughs from Cassie, Freddie and Penny could be heard behind Evie’s voice.

“Oh my gosh Eve! Just let the man get back to what he was doing!” Freddie yelled at an excited Evie, who retaliated with a scoff.

“Okay, okay! Just remember we have a movie night tomorrow! It’s Penny’s turn to pick so we don’t know what to expect.” Evie mumbled the last part into her phone speaker. Bucky heard the impact of a pillow hit Evie, causing her to grunt in pain. “Okay! We’ll talk to you later, Buck! See you soon!” She hung up the phone before he could get a word in edgewise. Bucky shook his head as he shoved his phone back into his pocket. Amanda approached Bucky asking to speak with him privately.

“So we’re getting a flood of interview requests from networks and papers. We would like to start running with this. We’ll have to go over everything with our PR guy, Ryan, but it should work out. As long as you’re comfortable with all of this.” Bucky smiled and nodded, following after Amanda as she continued explaining what would happen going forward.

He was nervous, of course, but he could tell these nerves were coming from a place of excitement instead of fear, which was a new sensation for the man. It wasn’t unwelcome, it was the same as when he first started hanging out with Cassie, Penny, Freddie and Evie. It was the same when he went on his first mission with the team. Bucky was ready to tackle this next adventure, whatever it would entail.

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cultfaction · 2 years

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Preview- Species Collection 1-4 (Deluxe Collector's Edition Bluray)

Preview- Species Collection 1-4 (Deluxe Collector’s Edition Bluray)

Starring Ben Kingsley (GANDHI, SEXY BEAST), Alfred Molina (SPIDER-MAN 2, RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK) and Natasha Henstridge in her debut performance, the original Species was an impressive mix of science fiction and body horror, inspired by the likes of ALIEN and the work of David Cronenberg. Its success encouraged a run of entertaining sequels and the franchise has long been a favourite of cult…

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#Alfred Molina #Ben Kingsley #Michael Madsen #Natasha Henstridge #Roger Donaldson #Species #SPECIES II #SPECIES III #SPECIES: THE AWAKENING

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peaceforgers · 4 years

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I'm not the biggest font nerd I know, but I am not NOT a font nerd. And I know some of you are also font nerds. Which means, like me, you might look at a book and wonder which fonts were used. Well, if you're a fan of the Peaceforger books, let me satisfy a little of that wonder. The titles on the covers of both Peace Fire and Peace Maker are Natasha. The author's name (that's me!) on those same covers is Bebas Neue. The main interior font is Gandhi Serif. And the good news for those of you who, like me, wanted to download the fonts as soon as you were told which they were? They're all free online. Yes!

#Font Nerd Friday #font love #Peaceforgers #Peace Maker #Peace Fire

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baliportalnews · 1 year

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BASAbali Wiki Gelar Wikithon Lingkungan Hidup

#AyoHijaukanLingkungan #BahasaBali #BASABALI #BASAbaliWiki #Washington #WikithonLingkunganHidup

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luisanatashaparker · 4 years

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International #NonViolence Day. “Never underestimate The Power of Words they can cut like a knife or be a balm to sooth the pain.” Natasha Today is also Mahatma Gandhi’s birthday.

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enchantingkittengaditor · 5 years

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The Third Maximoff Chapter 4

Summary: What if the Avengers didn’t find the last HYDRA base? What if Pietro and Wanda weren’t the only enhanced? Or Maximoff’s? What if the Avengers were going to take on their greatest challenge yet? What if she was a 13-year-old girl who had to live with them? What if she once tried to kill Clint and Nat, and nobody knew but them?

Warnings: Mentions of Violence, Slight mentions Torture and Swearing

“You’re not real, you’re dead, this is just one of those sleep-deprived hallucinations,” She yelled back in Russian.

“Wanda calm down. It’s OK. I sent Sam and Bucky to help her stay alive. HYDRA is hunting her down. Just listen to me,” Natasha, the redhead said, though she gave me a suspicious look.

“She isn’t real! She died when she was 2! I saw her dead body! I know she is dead! I visited her rave a week ago! And if she was really my sister she would know the nursery rhyme our mother used to sing! Or have a ring!” Wanda yelled at me and Natasha completely breaking down as I gave strategic smiles to the other patrons in the café, as if to say ‘I know she is crazy isn’t she’.

“Wanda listen to me I’m here, I’m real, I’m alive and I escaped and someone tried to kill me three hours ago! I just want my sister, all I have ever wanted was my family back, and I know that all that’s left is you. All I want is to see you again and hug you and be your sister because I love you! I love you because you are my sister! All I want is a family because my two best friends are murderers. I’m a murderer and I am only 12 years old! And only a day ago one of my best friends was shot in front of my eyes and the other one is hell-bent on destroying the world!” I sobbed at her as the others started to take notice of our conversation when I said the next sentences, “When the bomb hit I was adopted by HYDRA! I was experimented on! I was turned into a monster! I am a monster now! And I just want forgiveness from my sister! I just want my sister, Wanda, that’s all.”

“Nat, what does she mean by HYDRA?” The blond said to Natasha, alarmed.

“She said she was raised by HYDRA for 10 years, and she’s Wanda’s sister, who Wanda thought had died 10 years ago when that bomb hit her building in Sokovia,” Natasha explained to Bucky, Sam, the blonde woman and that Steve guy.

“Why did you send Bucky then?” Steve asked.

“Because I knew she wasn’t in a HYDRA facility.”

“How? How, Natasha How?”

“I heard her tell her friend she was planning on escaping using an old spy technique. The same one I told Clint where I was during Sokovia.”

“What happened in Sokovia?” I asked curiously, knowing there hadn’t been in communication with Stucker’s Sokovia base in over a year but still curiously asking so I can find out what Zumo had hidden from me, Katrina.

“We took down the base and some shit went down in the city,” Steve told me still looking slightly angrily at Natasha.

“So that’s why Pie- Ahhh!” I screamed seeing both my brother and my best friend in front of me. Why were they there? They’re both dead. So why are they here?

“What? Why Ahh!” The blonde girl said her eyes tearing away from her phone standing up looking ready for a fight.

“It’s nothing just thought I saw something,” I responded remembering what I had been taught by everyone at HYDRA. Others can’t see what I can. The dead. The Forgotten. People long gone. Though that did mean I got given advice from history’s worst and best people. Walking up in the middle of the night from a nightmare and then having a conversation with Hitler was not fun given what he did to my ancestors. Though on the plus side I did get to meet Gandhi and Mandela they were fun to meet, I got some good advice from them.

“Are you sure?” Natasha asked both spies on full alert at this point.

“Yes. I grew up with a… different perspective, so that’s all,” I return.

They all raised their eyebrows quizzically, except Wanda who just started mouthing a drawn-out ‘ow’ like it finally clicked in her brain.

After joining them for afternoon tea in the café and learning why they were in Paris and their names, I found out the blonde was called Sharon Carter and when I found out that her last name was Carter I knew I made a mistake coming here to see Wanda. I guess promises are made to be broken. I know that place is rotten and vile and they killed my only companion in my lonely life and the experimentation will be severe but returning, I feel, would be better than staying with these people who know nothing. About me. About anything.

So I decided to escape.

Again.

Again I put my plan into action.

Again asking for Katrina for help.

Even though she wasn’t there.

Even though she was dead.

So I re-joined the conversation after my one with the dead.

Realizing they were talking about the café, while Steve and Nat were quietly whispering about what to do with me.

So I did what I do best. Fuck up HYDRA’s plans and secrets.

All I had to do was act like I was getting more coffee, which is honestly disgusting, and let the rest of the plan pan out.

“But are you aware that the café that you are currently in sells illegal drugs and the owner is currently preparing a delivery I placed of these drugs while on the train which two of your agents didn’t notice me doing. And I was doing this so I could hand them over to a friend,” I said putting on my best HYDRA girl scout look on as I walk up to Pierre grabbing the box of macarons and looking out at him silently asking if I could run out the back door and make a run for it.

“Why? Why are you doing this Yulia?” Wanda asked tears in her eyes.

“I thought you were different than all of the other HYDRA youths,” Natasha said pointedly, discreetly getting some sort of gun from her bag, but not discreetly enough giving me time to prepare my magic and wings, bracing myself for the oncoming pain.

“Well, you thought wrong. You all did.” I stated, ready to bolt.

Tags: @hollandroos, @hollandarling

#sophsandcoraswc #the third maximoff #writing #writing challenge #wanda maximoff

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