#putting these designs here as a guide for my upcoming side story

[bruhstation]

and now for something new - the siblings of sodor’s greatest babygirl (ft. left thumb reveal)

[dead-by-daylight-cheatser0o]

Score Events - Official Dead by Daylight Wiki

💾 ►►► DOWNLOAD FILE 🔥🔥🔥 News The Marvel star has signed up to play a secret agent who sets out to stop a terrorist cult from sparking an apocalypse. News "To see his character in the tone of She-Hulk is really fun". News Here's everything we know about Avengers: Secret Wars. News There's one strange area in the middle. News Several leaks later, Tactics Ogre: Reborn has been revealed. News Morty will be arriving a little later than expected. News Sorry Switch Pro hopefuls, there's always next fiscal year. News Legendary All Skulls On difficulty is no joke. News Blizzard says the eyebrow-raising survey was "entirely intended to better understand player preferences". News The whale who spent a fortune on Diablo Immortal microtransactions is back. Review Disney Home have brought out the nicest looking gaming chair I have ever laid my eyes on. Review The Logitech G Hyperion Fury is an older release, but with an ergonomic shape and grippy side textures it's still as comfortable as ever. Buying Guide We're rounding up the best gaming headsets going so no matter what your budget or platform of choice you'll find a quality set of audio givers right here. Upcoming All of the upcoming video game release dates, including DLC, updated every week. Feature WB Games Montreal on the importance of listening and responding to feedback — on Batgirl and more. Buying Guide We're rounding up the best Steam Deck dock that you can get for Valve's handheld system ahead of the official model later this year. Feature We sat down with Respawn to learn more about shifting design philosophy and the future of Apex Legends. Buying Guide We're rounding up the best cheap gaming headsets available in How To We're showing you how to build a gaming PC in our step-by-step illustrated guide. We go through all the components, and what you'll need to put together the rig of your dreams. Buying Guide Hunting for cheap gaming keyboard deals can be difficult considering the bloat of budget hardware available, but we're rounding up our top picks right here. News "We thought it was way too aggressive". Other versions of this page are available with specific content for the following regions:. Total Film. Latest News. News Seamless swinging. View all. Sam Loveridge Global Editor-in-Chief. Josh West Features Editor. Leon Hurley Senior Guides Co-ordinator. Tabitha Baker Managing Editor, Hardware. Ali Jones News Editor. Jack Shepherd Senior Entertainment Editor. Iain Harris Deputy News Editor. Alyssa Mercante Editor. Joe Donnelly Features Writer. Heather Wald Senior Staff Writer. Hope Bellingham News Writer. Austin Wood Staff Writer. Dustin Bailey Staff Writer. Jordan Gerblick Staff Writer. Hirun Cryer News Writer. Bradley Russell Senior Entertainment Writer. Molly Edwards Entertainment Writer. Fay Watson Entertainment Writer. Amy West Entertainment Writer. Emily Garbutt Entertainment Writer. Lauren Milici Senior Entertainment Writer. Iain Wilson Guides Editor. Joel Franey Guides Writer. Will Sawyer Guides Writer. Rob Dwiar Commissioning Editor, Hardware. Jasmine Mannan Hardware Editor. Star Wars Villainous review: "Impressive Razer Barracuda Pro review: "A quality one-and-done headset solution for multi-platform use". Prey review: "The best post-Arnie Predator movie". Bullet Train review: "Brad Pitt starrer is a zippy, enjoyable ride". Nope review: "A thrilled 'Yup! The Gray Man review: "Hangs some ace action on a threadbare plot". Thor: Love and Thunder review: "Unashamedly absurd and wildly entertaining". The Boys season 3, episode 8 review: "Not the fight we were promised". Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 1, episode 10 review: "An ending that's pure heaven for fans of the original series". Marvel episode 5 review: "A brave, necessary story". Other versions of this page are available with specific content for the following regions: US Australia.

[jimmyandthepulsatingmass]

Jimmy Day 2021 and the Upcoming Project

Jimmy’s 3rd anniversary kind of snuck up on me this year, probably because of the persistent feelings of doom and frustration over the pandemic.  I hope everyone who reads this is doing well in spite of everything.

Anyway, let’s talk about Jimmy!  I want to take a second to thank those of you who have treasured this game.  It never found a wide audience, but it did find an audience who cares for it deeply, and that means a lot to me.  I don’t have a lot of Jimmy-related news, but I do want to touch on a few things.  First, the vinyl is, as far as I’m aware, still being produced on schedule.  Hopefully, we’ll have pre-orders up in September which is next (!) month.  I’ve also been putting off updating Jimmy for a while, but I do plan on taking the time to do so once I reach the next stage of development on the next game.

Speaking of the next game, let’s talk about it a little (or a lot)!  I’ve been holding details close to my chest on it, but I want to give a few generalities on what to expect from this one.  It’s going to be another RPG, but the look and feel are going to differ from Jimmy.  It’s set on a planet inhabited by insectoid people who are mostly sociopathic, so the vibe is going to be way different.  I was inspired really heavily by the Lennus series on this one.  Like in Lennus, most of your characters are mercenaries, so they have their own motivations and self-interest, meaning they might turn against you, rob you, extort you, etc.

Although Lennus was the primary inspiration, the actual gameplay is going to be way different.  The level design, for instance, is going to be more like Chrono Trigger, where enemy encounters are on the screen and can mostly be avoided.  I’ve been playing a lot with the encounters, so I hope that their variety will keep people engaged.  Inside of battle, they’ll vary from Chrono Trigger--basically it’s going to be a combination of FF10′s visible turn order with Breath of Fire 3′s Ex turn system--with a few other wrenches in the works that I don’t want to get into yet.  But, this is one of the reasons I’ve been really excited to get away from RPG Maker.  Combat’s going to be deep with a lot of room for strategy, and I’m giving players a lot of options on how they form their parties and equip their characters.  If you thought Jimmy had a lot of interesting equipment options, this game’s going to blow you away!

The story structure is also going to be unique.  I’ve always been fond of the SaGa games, and I’m taking a page from their book and having multiple playable characters--four.  They’re all going to have their own stories and functions in the world, and their stories are broken into two parts.  The player will get a chance to play all of their first acts in a more linear, guided way (although there will be room for exploration for sure), and, after that, the player will be able to select a character to finish the game with.  Their final chapters will be much more open, like the World of Ruin in Final Fantasy 6, and, after beating a character’s game, the player can go back to the halfway point and select again if they would like.  Each character’s late game will contain some unique dungeons, variances on a lot of the dungeons shared between characters, and a unique plot and dialogue (including town NPCs).

It’s a large, ambitious game, which is why it’s taking so long to get out there.  The amount of planning I’ve done here is insane.  I have composed an 87 song soundtrack (this count will likely get larger), 600+ pages of dialogue for the main script, 750 pages (and counting) of dialogue for NPC dialogue, spreadsheets of data about equipment, monsters, magic, skills, etc., and around 60 levels (and counting) mapped out.  Actually, here’s a little visual aid about how I’ve been mapping out levels:

This is an optional late-game level called Nightmare Garden.  Each of the squares isn’t a room so much as it’s an area, and the rectangles that connect them just show that these areas are connected.  Each area will vary in terms of size and layout--this is just a rough plan for the mechanics of the level.  The lines indicate that you’ll go through a doorway or some other type of entrance, and the dotted lines means that there’s a secret path or a situational means of getting through a path (like a gate that opens from one side, for instance).  There’s also a staircase in the upper left and a little arrow near the middle top that represents a one-way jump.  The T’s represent treasure, the M’s represent monster encounters, and the S’s represent special notes--they might be some kind of field hazard, an interactable object, and so on.  I have a key in a spreadsheet that gives detailed descriptions of what’s going on at each of these points of interest--not going to share that, as it would be spoilers!

All that’s just to show you the level of planning I’m going through now and why this is taking so long.  As I’m working on this, my life-long friend and now business partner Jason is working on getting the essential systems coded.  You might remember his name from Jimmy’s credits--he helped test the game and also coded the system that allowed me to animate the battle backgrounds.

The time frame on this game is really hard to judge.  I imagine I still have 2-3 months left on level design, but, after that (or maybe before), I’m going to start looping artists in so that we can get enough art for a trailer, a demo, and promotional materials, and then, after that, we’ll be able to launch a Kickstarter and Steam page, which is when you’ll really get to see this game’s potential.  I’m sorry that I don’t give regular updates on this kind of thing, but it’s such a lengthy process and, without art done, I can’t really show you the GOOD STUFF yet.  But, I hope that this blog gives everyone a clearer understanding of what to expect and why this is taking forever.

Anyway, this was the least Jimmy-focused Jimmy Day blog I’ve written, so I’m going to stop talking, but I know that fans of Jimmy have been looking forward to news about this, so I wanted to get everything I can out.  Thanks for playing Jimmy, and thanks for your patience with this new game.  I appreciate y’all so much!

[ficsnroses]

Friends With Benefits - Keanu Reeves x Reader

Chapter 1 ~ The Beginning 

Word Count : 1939

Warnings : Swearing, NSFW, Smut (this is my first time writing a little smut, I kinda just tested the waters honestly, but the upcoming chapters will have more) 18+ readers.

Summary : What happens when two, lonely friends start seeing each other for sex? A tricky FWB love story, when feelings get in the way.

notes : hi everyone, here it *finally* is. A Friends with benefits to lovers fic with Keanu.

I’m sorry it took so long for me to write this, I had been putting it off because the response to this idea was so good that I didn’t want to disappoint. I’ve tweaked this so many times, but I’ve decided I just need to release it and better myself as the story continues.

•

It’s a quite night on the West Coast. The month of November has always been a period of serenity in the city, as the holiday season peers around the corner. The holidays are nice, the city lights up each and every corner, decorated, gleaming and radiating a heavenly glow, much like a new bride. You’d always been an admirer of the Christmas season. Back home, Christmas brought the entire family together during the jolly time of the year. It was an absolute ball, however, you hadn’t been able to be home for the holidays in a while. Your move out to the city for work had came with some rather undesirable factors, such as constantly being away from home. To make things grimmer, you hadn’t pledged yourself to the social circle of the city yet. Sure, you had an acquaintance or two, maybe a few ladies you might go out with for a round of sangrias and bellinis once in a blue moon, but you didn’t really have a concrete set of people you admired and could call friends.

It felt real lonely in the city. Your day normally consisted of work, followed by an evening alone at home, perhaps binging the newest additions to the Netflix catalogue, or re watching an old, favourite sitcom. They reminded you of home, and simpler, better times.

Tonight had been no different. Dressing yourself in a cozy, white plush bathrobe and your favourite kitten slippers, you prepared for a relaxing evening. The week had been extremely draining, allowing you to crave indulgence in a pampering night in. Perhaps a face mask or two, maybe a glass of red accompanied with a cheese spread for one, with a nice holiday movie. Yeah, that sounded real tempting.

Propping your legs up on the jet black coffee table, you draped your beloved fleece blanket over your figure, phone in hand, ready to browse a movie to cast to the tv.

However, seems like someone else had other plans in mind tonight.

           “Hey Y/N, you home?”

The blue light channelled into your eyes from the device.  It was Keanu, supposedly asking about your whereabouts. You knew what he wanted right away, and you weren’t sure if you were up for it tonight.

Keanu and you had met around a year and a half ago, at a work event. You worked as a prop designer on movie sets, and he was staring in your project at the time. You became friends, slowly, but eventually. He was a nice, caring, wonderful gentlemen to be around, an absolute treat to indulge in, as an escape from the rest of the crowd you normally had to endure. You hung out a few time here and there, just as friends. Sometimes at a coffee date, to catch up on work and all things in daily endurance, or maybe you’d catch the newest flick that graced your local neighbourhood cinema. You both loved the world of film so passionately, it was nice to splurge in each others thoughts.

All that changed however, one pivotal evening. Sometimes you wish you could take that evening back, change the way things turned out. But they had already made themselves history, and as true as night turns to day. Those things defined you now, and set course for the remainder of your relationship.

On a somber evening, you had invited Keanu over for a movie night in, paired with a drink or two. Keanu wasn’t one to socialize with the mass of the crowds, he preferred to keep to himself, making company with a few selected individuals. You felt honoured to be brought into this pact of his. You reciprocated the feeling just as much.

However, as soon as Keanu entered your apartment that evening, you knew something was off. He shared a few broken laughs here and there, but he wasn’t fully engaged in convo as he normally was. He wasn’t his normal, sprightly self. You knew of Keanu’s sorrow filled, subdued past, and you knew he had his days where his demons got the best of him. You couldn’t help but relate to him sometimes, even if not on the completely same level. Truth be told, you were both lonely. You knew that, perhaps that’s why things happen the way they did.

           That evening was the first time it happened, and that first time ended up converging into multiple. You were both isolated, unaccompanied, maybe that’s why things took the turn they did.

           You both needed someone that night, needed to feel something that night. You don’t remember who made the first move, seemed as if both of you wanted that mutuality, that connection just as much. But the film never played that evening, and you found yourself legs wrapped around Keanu’s waist, him carrying you to your bed, hungry kisses placed on the corners of your mouth, asking entrance to dance your tongues together. His colossal hands gripping onto the delicate skin of your waist, lightly lifting the seams of your shirt in the process. They threatened to tattoo their way in, leaving behind red hand marks.

           “Is this okay?” he breathily whispered into your ear, cautionary flare evident in his words.

He was positioned on top of you, both laid connected on your bed. His stocky fingers grazed the skin of your hip, lifting just enough of the fabric of your shirt to ask permission. His breath on your skin and the weight of his body on yours only made you crave him more, the yearn for his body to become with yours greater by the instance.

You nodded frantically, pulling him down by a wrap of arms around his neck, gently ruffling his long, raven hair on the back of his head.

You slightly raised your hips to allow him access to remove both your jeans and underwear. You tugged at his belt, feeling the long scar line he had on his stomach under his shirt in the process.

Once both your bottoms had been peeled off each other, Keanu pulled the covers over your bodies and turned the bedside light off. Placing a few more kisses to your lips, he snaked his hand down to touch your heat, preparing you to take him.

You almost couldn’t believe it in that moment, you felt it was wrong, like you were breaking a rule. Here he was, a man you completely admired and called one of your few friends, touching you in the most intimate place.

But you couldn’t stop it; your hazy mind fogged with lust, needing his touch more and more by the second. You need more though, and it seemed your desire for him to take you overtaking every other sense.

           “I need you, now Keanu.” Your raspy voice echoed in his ears, undoubtedly providing him the assurance he needed to move ahead. He needed you as well, so much, but likewise, he couldn’t shake the feeling of doing something wrong. Using his friend.

You reach down and pump him a few times, your touch emitting a course groan escaping his mouth. With a searing kiss, you guide him into you, feeling yourself stretch around him, pulsating.

With each thrust, he buries himself deeper and deeper in you, you find yourself letting out silent wails into the crook of his neck as his hands are placed on either side of you on the bed, gripping the sheets with the sheerest of force.

You felt his cock twitch within you, letting you know he was close. In the heat of the moment, you hadn’t used protection. Needless to say, neither of you had any regardless. Perhaps, neither of you would have ever dreamed this turn of events.

The sound of skin slapping skin, and both your quiet moans and grunts filled the four walls of the shadowy, dainty room.

           “Fuck, I’m close Y/N” he thrusts deeper, more meaningful, pouring himself into you.

Rolling your hips along with his thrusts, you feel your nerves pulling at your insides, your end nearing. With a particularly hard thrust, you reach your climax, tightening around him with a whimper, clawing at his back unknowingly.

You’d had sex before with other men, but nothing like this. Keanu was damn good, and his girth fit and filled you so fucking well, you swore butterflies.

He lets out a gaspy moan, muffled with praises for you. Pulling out of you near his end, Keanu jerks himself a few times before he releases himself into his hand. It was a shitty way to come, but you couldn’t risk a pregnancy, and you weren’t on the pill at the time.

You spent the remainder of the evening making love to each other, although, you didn’t think you had the right to call it that. It was just sex, unfortunately. Greif filled, draining, guilt ensuing sex. The type of sex you have when you need human connection. The next morning when the sun channeled over the horizon, you found yourself feeling sin filled, like you had completely ruined your relationship, used him for your needs. Keanu felt the same, as if he had took your vulnerability and used it to fill his own void. His own affection craving, heartsore, miserable void.

With awkward goodbyes, you went your separate ways that morning. It killed you both a little to have soiled your relationship, over something as stupid as faulty sex.

But that evening spent together sparked a new chapter in your friendship, if you even had the right to call it that anymore.

You didn’t know how, and you couldn’t justify why you found yourself at Keanu’s doorstep later that week. You almost felt ashamed, and feared what he would think. Although neither of you had said it, you assumed that evening together at your place would be the first and last time you had sex.

           But it definitely wasn’t.

You were both falling too far down the rabbit hole, too obsessed with the feeling someone so fucking close. It was intimacy you both craved so much, and you were happy to find it in each other, or at least you thought.

That “first” time turned into a pathological necessity almost. You found yourselves inviting each other over to each other’s houses on evenings you need a release. Keanu would call you on set to his trailer during take breaks sometimes, for a quick rumble. You would call him to your studio for the same, just a quickie to get out the stress of the day.

You weren’t sure if Keanu took other lovers as well besides you, you really had no right to ask or be jealous. After all, your relationship wasn’t the same anymore. You were friends with benefits, after all.

You hadn’t been with anyone else other than him for the entire year you’d been meeting each other for sex. You weren’t sure you could have someone other than him. He knew so well what you wanted so well, and he genuinely cared for you as a person. He didn’t treat you like an object, and always made sure you were comfortable. An added bonus, he was dreamy, so handsome you felt yourself melt each time you saw him.

You were honored to get to connect with him on such a personal, intimate level. Maybe you wanted more. But hope was too far gone. There’s no way he wants more, why would anyone want more with their friends with benefits?

            With a sigh, and slight contemplation, you typed the response.

           “Yeah. What’s up?” – Y/N

           “Come over?” – Keanu

           “Sure. Gimmie 20.” – Y/N

➶ ➴➶ ➴➶ ➴➶ ➴➶ ➴➶ ➴➶ ➴➶ ➴➶ ➴➶ ➴➶ ➴➶ ➴

>>Chapter 2 >>

[jadekitty777]

Baker’s Dozen, Part 2

Final day, final day, final day!

Day 8: Free Day @taiqrowweek

Rating: K

Words: 1,800

Summary: When a desperate escape from fans leaves Qrow seeking shelter in a nearby restaurant, he expects little of the rundown, failing business that offers him a table. One bite is all it takes to change his mind. [Actor and Chef AU]

Ao3 Link: Part 2

~

Mornings at the Qrow’s Nest were blissfully silent. With opening still hours away and the kitchen completely empty, Taiyang had all the time and space he needed to do the various prep work that would carry the lunch and dinner teams throughout the day. The things like soups, breads and desserts that needed a more delicate and mindful touch that would easily be lost under the hustle and bustle of the rush crowds.

It also gave him plenty of opportunity to experiment. He wasn’t used to the more trend-following patrons his new restaurant tended to draw in, but as head chef, it was his job to decide what went on the menu, while also finding new, exciting things to cycle in every season to stray from a stagnating selection. It was a challenge to imagine up different recipes rather than fall into his old, tried-and-true routines, but he’d never been one to quit when things got difficult and instead jumped headfirst into the work.

Thankfully, his business partner was a rather inspiring muse, with an entire filmography page to pull ideas from. Designing meals around whatever hotshot flick or program Qrow happened to be appearing in worked like a charm for both of them. There was less chance his creativity would tank and it drummed up excitement for the upcoming release.

This Fall would see the premiere of The Grimm Adventure, a dark and gritty fantasy-action flick. Though he wasn’t taking a leading role, Qrow still seemed positively beside himself for it to come out (Tai suspected it had something to do with the fact he got to run around for two-thirds of the film with a sword). From what he understood, the story took place in a dystopian world ruled by shadow creatures and followed the journey of a young maiden tasked with saving her dying world. Qrow would appear in it as her mentor, guiding her during her more difficult trials.

The low-lit sets seen in the trailers belayed a morose, almost gothic aesthetic, and had Tai leaning towards garnishes that matched, such as brisket and black-bean chili, forbidden rice and chicken stir fry, southern pork with a side of black-eyed peas and blackberry cobbler and black forest ham with leafy asparagus and roasted potatoes peppered with black garlic. He was most proud of that last one, as it was meant to match the fire-burnt thickets Qrow would save his apprentice from.

The menu was mostly complete and ready to be revealed. The only thing he had left to decide on was the final dessert.

So, Tai flipped on his old cassette player, rolled up his sleeves, and got to work.

~

Two hours later found him flourishing on the final touches to the cake he’d crafted while belting out the lyrics to whatever western-inspired ditty was managing to come out of the ancient machine.

“Country roooads, take me hooome, to the place I belooong. West Virginia, mountain llama. Oh take me home, country roads.”

No one was around to hear the lyrics he didn’t quite remember right.

So, of course that was the moment someone decided to walk through the door.

“Mountain llama?”

Tai jumped, completely butchering the strawberry he was trying to cut precisely in half. He swiveled around, greeted by the amused smile of his partner. “God’s almighty Qrow! Are you trying to give me a heart attack?”

He chuckled, holding up his hands in peaceful surrender. “Sorry ‘bout that. It’s just – llama??”

“Oh put a sock in it.” He turned off his player before reaching for another strawberry. As he chopped down, he said, “Surprised to see you here. I thought you were staying in New Zealand a few more days?”

“The reshoots went better than expected, so I caught an early flight.” Qrow explained. “Though I would kill for some coffee right now.”

“Pot’s on for the taking.”

The offer was graciously accepted, and soon enough the other man had a mug in his hand and a seat on the counter, watching as Tai shaped the strawberry halves into hearts. He took a sip of his coffee – black with barely enough cream to color – and asked, “What are you working on?”  

Focused on getting the cut just right this time, his response was distracted. “Dessert, for you.”

“Ah, you shouldn’t have.” Like the thespian he was, Qrow absolutely played it up, putting a hand to his heart and fluttering his eyelashes like a lovestruck debutante.

“You know, they say the first sign of an actor’s career going south is when they start to overact.” He ‘tsk’ed pityingly. “And you were still so young too.”

“Hm, funny,” There was a clear smirk in Qrow’s voice, “Because the only way ‘south’ I intend to go is with you.”

Tai missed the next cut too. Ears burning red, he shot the other a look. The only response he was offered was one brow raised in challenge as he smugly drank his coffee.

As much as he wanted to give back as good as he was given, nothing decent would form in his mind. So, he just grumbled, “Snake”. He’d have felt defeated, if not for how nice on the ears Qrow’s chuckles were. “If you’re all done with your games, I’d appreciate it if you’d have a taste of this cake.”

“You sure you want my opinion on that? You know I’m not much of a dessert guy.”

“Don’t worry, I made sure to temper the sweetness for your tender palate.” He said as fetched the cake from the adjacent workstation’s display shelf. Beyond its stark black frosting, the two-layered cake did not look like much. The decoration was left simple, only a standard spiral design bordering the top and bottom edges. Even the addition of the strawberry slices in a simple ring on top only added a bare hint of color.

The trick was within.

As Tai sliced through the cake, it revealed the marble design inside. Made with a mixture of chocolate and red velvet, the two batters blended together in a swirl like pattern. The layers were neatly divided by a scarlet-bright raspberry filling, bringing all the dark colors and bright reds together. He might not be the most outstanding baker there was – that honor had gone to his late wife – but he still felt a sense of pride as he held out the slice to his partner.

Qrow whistled as he got a proper gander at it. “You really outdid yourself this time.”

“The truth is in the taste, not the view.” Tai handed him a fork next.

“Beg to differ.” He said, eyes never leaving him even as he dug in. “The view’s pretty nice from where I’m looking.”

The flush was back, spreading like a fever across his cheeks.

When they had first met, he had told Qrow he was no fool, unblinded by the trickery of the successful and silver-tongued. He’d like to maintain that eighteen months later, that was still the case. But the game Qrow was playing now was more devious than his first – and one Tai didn’t entirely mind losing.

He could not say quite when it started, all the flirting that grew bolder by the day and lewd comments that left him redder than a rose. At first, it had overwhelmed him; yet before long, he had found himself trying to return those notions. It had been quite some time since anyone had taken a fancy of him but settling down had not left him entirely rusty. Every time he managed to leave Qrow speechless or shy left a pleasant warmth in his belly, like a fire just starting to burn.

So yes, he absolutely knew where all this hemming and hawing was leading them. He just never fathomed in his wildest dreams he’d be heading there with someone like Qrow. On a surface level, he could never imagine they were even compatible.

Like the cake, the trick was on the inside.

As was typical for a man of his class, Qrow hid a lot to save face and that was what most saw. A successful, rich, socialite who barely had time to look down his nose at the common folk. Yet, Tai had learned the compassion he truly held. The gesture that saved his restaurant was only one act of many. He saw it again, when Qrow quietly requested if Tai would apprentice Lie Ren, the son of his driver who wished for a future in the kitchen. And again, in his visits to the children’s hospital to read them stories whenever he was in town. Once more with the various gift and food donations he’d make around the holidays so fewer homes had to go without.

That isn’t to say the man didn’t have his edges. He could be too caustic at times and if politics was even hinted at as a topic of conversation, Qrow’s voice was louder than anyone’s in just what he thought about their current president’s policies. He liked to drink, sometimes in excess, and when he was in a poor mood he either took to isolating himself or just sulked about like a teenager.

Yet for all his bad, the good still shined through. His smiles and laughter were treasures. He declined to live in excess, finding peace in the quietness of a quaint home. He was strict in never telling lies to those he trusted. He was brilliant, and funny, and hard-working. It was also a plus that Qrow was nicer to gaze upon than any fancy painting in the most prestigious museum.

There was so much Tai had grown to appreciate about the man behind the actor. With it, his feelings were starting to bud, close to blooming. He knew it was much the same for Qrow – though he knew not how precisely he viewed him, he at least could determine with confidence that it was a mutual romance beginning between them.

The real question was, which of them would be the one to make the final play on this game they’d started?

“Mmm, this is really good.” Qrow’s voice broke him from his thoughts, already halfway through the cake. “You’re right, it’s not too sweet.”

“And the berries add that tartness you like.” Tai added.

He chuckled, forking another piece. “You keeping track of my food preferences?”

That was, perhaps, the best hand he was ever gonna get dealt.

“A’course.” He lent his hip against the counter, “How else will I make your favorites when I invite you to dinner?”

Qrow froze, utensil halfway to his mouth as he stared beyond it and right at him. After a heated second of silence, he asked, “Is that a request for a date?”

Tai hid the shake of his hands by crossing his arms. “It is, if you’ll have me for one.”

“Believe me, I’d happily have you for dinner any day of the week.”

“Yeah?” A laugh mixed with embarrassment and pleasure left him. “How ‘bout Thursday then?”

Qrow smiled one of those treasured smiles and blushed one of those gut-warming blushes, and said, “Sounds just perfect.”

[sofiessketches]

NASASocial experience at JPL

This is a LONG one, so I’m gonna put it under a readmore! 

This was my first ever NASA Social, so I didn’t really know what to expect when I applied, what the chances were or what other sorts of people would be there. I was surprised I even got in, because compared to some of the other people I have very few followers, but I think there’s more to it than that! As Stephanie, the head of social media at JPL, said, “You were chosen for your insatiable curiosity, and for the stories you tell”. I really appreciate that the selection process was more about being a creator of SOMETHING that you truly care about.

I’ve been to JPL several times for tours and lectures, but it’s always exciting to come up to the front..there was a really long line, I’m assuming because of the event and also traditional media that was there to interview people.

Got my badge and headed in, and said good morning to the Curiosity model! (which I wish was as detailed as the real thing..I still love her tho. I’ve just been spoiled having gone on tours and doing a lot of research on Curiosity that I was able to spot what’s missing..)

Admiring how the light hits her..er..Chemcam

I never get tired of looking at this piece, but this was the first time I actually checked out the plaque next to it, which had a helpful diagram!

An installation displaying the information from the GRACE (Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment) and GRACE Follow-on missions, which in the words of my friend Sirina, shows us how screwed we are, in a beautiful way! I also realized the reason the screens are this shape is because the spacecraft are shaped like that...!

JPL’s inspiring slogan in a beautiful geometric typeface B)

We got to the meeting/conference room, with portraits of all JPL’s past and present directors around. The last seat at the front table appeared to be taken by the Mars 2020 wheel, so I asked if I could sit there with the wheel, and my day was made! I have to admit this may have been the highlight of my day. One of the first JPL-specific drawings I did was a study of an image Curiosity had taken of her own wheels on Mars, and after that I read a lot about how the wheels worked and how the design was less than ideal..it makes me happy to see the next iteration and how it’ll work out!

No pointy grousers for the sharp Mars rocks to snag on here!!! Just this...veeeeery shallow S-curve.

Everyone hanging out and social media-ing before the event began, waiting for more people to get there. I happened to sit next to a couple people I had pre-stalked on Twitter from the list they made of participants!

LOSING MY MIND EVEN MORE THAT WE COULD TOUCH AND PICK UP THE WHEEL???!?!!? It was pretty light, since it was a 3D model and not made of actual aluminum.

Lookin cute together. This is Kevin Baird, an awesome photographer! The only patches we had in common were the NASA meatball (not even the same one, though) and the SOFIA patch, which was strangely almost in the same spot on both of our jackets.. (on the back left side)

Then Stephanie, JPL’s social media head, came and proposed to us with space grade aerogel, and of course we all said yes. 

After an introduction, Linda, another social media expert at JPL, brought over a top secret looking box, which she explained will have some cool graphics relating to Mars 2020 on the front and inside soon (excited to see that!!)

Inside were material samples of several components of Mars 2020, including the many layered thermal blanket, the ropes that will lower the rover onto the surface of Mars (which can hold the weight of 1 car EACH, and the rover will be suspended by 80 of them) as well as the parachute material (orange), which was remade for better strength and lightness. 

We also got to hold a replica of the sample cache tubes that Mars 2020 will be filling!

At 10:00, the event we were there for, the State of NASA, came on (a budget rollout explaining briefly how much money the government will be giving to NASA in 2021 and what it’s for) so we watched Jim Bridenstein in front of some incredible engines...

And I just..get excited when I see the rover on the screen ok..

There was a super cool internal view of how the Mars 2020 will be depositing sample caches! The video is below:

Anyway, the budget rollout declared 22 billion to NASA and 3.3 billion of that to the development of the human landing system, which will go toward landing humans and science on the moon for the Artemis program. You can read more here about this.

After that, Director Watkins and Dr Zurbuchen came to answer questions, and we learned a bit about Mars Sample Return, and the mission that will come before that but after Mars 2020, which will map icy areas in Mars’ poles. (Really looking forward to learning more about that!!) I gave Dr Zurbuchen some stickers I made and he gave me his card......!

Soon after, we headed to the Science building, to learn about MOXIE (Mars Oxygen In-Situ Resource Utilization Experiment) (I’ve noticed, the bigger the budget on these missions, the more effort they put into making the acronyms for everything sound cool) This technology demonstration is on Mars 2020 to prepare for larger scale carbon dioxide to oxygen conversion from Mars’ atmosphere for human use. This size of MOXIE creates only about enough oxygen to keep a small dog alive. Still impressive!!!

Wandered around the MOXIE lab a little and took a peek at the rest of what was on the walls and tables..

After that, we went to the Spacecraft Assembly Facility, where Mars 2020 was not, but that’s a good thing! I’m actually not sure which part is in the box there.. but soon after we left, it left too!

Teeny tiny Mars 2020 model hidden at the end of the viewing area...

Best.

At the indoor mars yard, a couple InSight engineers talked to us about how they use this area to test software before they send it to Mars. Here from left to right are the engineering models for Mars2020, InSight, and Curiosity.

Her name is Maggie!

One of my goals in life is to be able to stand in front of the arm and draw it until I understand what the hell is going on.

Also going to insert some pics I took last week because I was lucky enough to get a tour from my friend Sirina, where there were engineers inside working on the arm:

Next, we headed to the Mars Sample Return testbed!

It makes me excited to be in the rooms with dirt regolith inside.. also SmalBoSSE is the best acronym I’ve seen all day...

The “volleyball” that Mars 2020′s sample caches will eventually be stored in, to be fetched by another rover, launched into orbit around Mars and picked up to be sent back to Earth! 

More freaking out about rover wheels. This is a prototype of one that will be on the rover to pick up the samples; the wire is slightly deformable which is great for offroad Mars action.

The rover will be a joint effort between NASA and ESA.

I love seeing these posters with hints of other projects going on. So cool!!

Last stop (cry) was Mission Control, aka The Center of the Universe, where all the data the Deep Space Network gets from spacecraft comes in.

The view from inside from my previous tour!

*eyes emoji when I see Mars 2020*

The darkroom and Curiosity’s Ace’s desk, where they send commands to Curiosity at 10:30AM Mars time.

Spitzer’s end of mission from Monday (top) vs the day after it was decommissioned (bottom).

Center of the Universe!!!

Ouagh don’t step on it! Well you can..

It was sad to say goodbye to our excellent guides, but we’ll be keeping in touch!! ;)

I also got a bunch of awesome pictures taken of me, which I was surprised by, because usually I’m the last one people take pics of..! 

My jacket, which they posted on JPL’s instagram... gosh!!!!!!

And some stickers/new business card design (did I post this here yet??) I gave to everyone I met!

Displayed at Shannon Forrey’s desk!

This was a truly amazing experience, my first time attending one of these events, I learned so much and had such a great time surrounded by inspiring and talented people. Thank you again to everyone at JPL who made it possible and to all the scientists and engineers who took the time to share their work with us! I’ll never forget this day.

Also, I want to make some art based off what I learned, so keep an eye out for that in the upcoming weeks!

[mostlysignssomeportents]

Pluralistic: 12 Mar 2020 (No health care for part-time TSA screeners, Akil Augustine on Radicalized, Wendell Potter rebuts Joe Biden, best Covid-19 explainer, Boeing's self-inflicted wounds, EU Right to Repair, virtual classrooms)

Books

About

Podcast

Plura-list Newsletter

@doctorow

Pluralistic: 12 Mar 2020

TSA boss doubles down on taking away health care from part-time screeners: They're touching your junk with diseased hands.

Akil Augustine on Radicalized: My book's Canada Reads champion lays out the case for Radicalized.

A former top Cigna exec rebuts Joe Biden's healthcare FUD: Wendell Potter is the prodigal corporate villain.

Ars Technica's Covid-19 explainer is the best resource on the pandemic: Beth Mole has outdone herself.

Boeing is even worse at financial engineering than they are at aircraft engineering: The $43B they incinerated through stock buybacks would sure come in handy about now.

Senate Republicans kill emergency sick leave during pandemic: Sick leave is cheaper than pandemics, but pandemics generate cost-plus contracts for the donor class.

The EU's new Right to Repair rules finally come for electronics: Snoods cocked at Apple and other US Big Tech monopolists.

How to run a virtual classroom: Masterclass from the 14-year-old Stanford Online High School.

This day in history: 2010, 2015, 2019

Colophon: Recent publications, current writing projects, upcoming appearances, current reading

TSA boss doubles down on taking away health care from part-time screeners (permalink)

TSA agents handles the personal belongings and touch the bodies of millions of fliers. Part time agents don't get health-insurance. If they think they might have Covid-19, they might not be able to afford to seek care.

https://www.cnn.com/2020/03/11/politics/tsa-health-care-part-time/index.html

TSA chief David Pekoske told Congress that the Trump administration's decision to take away health-care from part time TSA employees was a good one: "I have no intention of restoring health care coverage for part-time workers. I think that was a good decision."

About 100 TSA agents have been sent home after it was believed they came into contact with Covid-19. The TSA will not try to track down passengers who also might have come into contact with sick people.

Akil Augustine on Radicalized (permalink)

My book Radicalized is a finalist for the Canada Reads national book prize. Each of the five finalists is defended by a Canadian celeb: my champion is the amazing and articulate Akil Augustine.

Akil just appeared on the @CBC's Canada Reads podcast to give us a preview of his defense, which he will field during several nights of nationally televised debates next week.

http://www.cbc.ca/player/play/1708600899815/

He did an OUTSTANDING job! Here's the MP3:

https://cbc.mc.tritondigital.com/CBC_CNDAREADS_P/media/cndareads-3NLwEPaV-20200309.mp3

A former top Cigna exec rebuts Joe Biden's healthcare FUD (permalink)

In a recent and important essay, Maria Farrell wrote about the road-to-Damascus conversions that ex-techies are having in which they recant the damaging product design work they did and begin to campaign against their former employers.

https://conversationalist.org/2020/03/05/the-prodigal-techbro/

Farrell noted that these techies had missed an important step in their transformation from venal attention mercenaries to noble attention freedom-fighters: they had yet to hit bottom, to truly repent their earlier sins.

They skipped like stones over the waters of privilege, and never sank, unlike so many of their victims.

Contrast those journeys with that of Wendell Potter, the former Cigna exec turned whistleblower, who has devoted decades of his life to revealing dirty tricks and lies. Potter campaigns tirelessly – and shrewdly – for Medicare for All, and is always at pains to point out that the anti-M4A talking points his adversaries parrots were all developed by him, when he was on the wrong side of history.

Take this thread, rebutting Joe Biden's FUD about M4A, delivered in the midst of a pandemic that has been worsened by the 77 million un- and underinsured people who can't get care or screening and disproportionately work in food-service and cleaning.

https://twitter.com/wendellpotter/status/1237438497218105344

As Potter points out, Biden's assertion that M4A costs $35T is just a lie. Once you factor in the savings of not paying for private healthcare, M4A SAVES at least $450B/year.

https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(19)33019-3/fulltext

Biden's plan to cap premiums on a public option at 8.5% of your income is more than double what M4A would cost you. The corporate plans Biden lionizes shackle good workers to bad employers, and put millions at risk of having their care arbitrarily withdrawn or limited. And, of course, private care doesn't cover much. Surprise bills, deductibles, co-pays, out-of-pockets… Our plan – a blue-chip employer's top-of-the-line Cigna plan – costs us $24K/year.

We're rationing our family's health care because in addition to the $20K/year we're paying out of pocket, Cigna refused to cover a pain procedure that my doc – the most-cited pain doc working in California, who runs a major university pain clinic – says I would benefit from. That procedure might let me get a good night's sleep for the first time in 15 years and allow me to live a more normal, pain-free life. But because Cigna won't cover it, it would cost $55K, which we do not have. So I'm foregoing it.

Ars Technica's Covid-19 explainer is the best resource on the pandemic (permalink)

I've been reading Beth Mole's outstanding science journalism for many years and I've always admired it, but even by the high standards of a Beth Mole explainer, this soup-to-nuts Covid-19 explainer is just spectacularly good work.

https://arstechnica.com/science/2020/03/dont-panic-the-comprehensive-ars-technica-guide-to-the-coronavirus/

Mole's calm and comprehensive coverage relies on the most reliable sources and turns the results of our best evidence-based studies into a coherent narrative, from the disease's origins to its spread to its symptoms to its resolution.

Just this symptom-by-symptom breakdown was enormously informative and filled in a huge gap that I had previously mentally signposted as "flu-like".

According to data from nearly 56,000 laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 patients in China, the rundown of common symptoms went as follows:

88 percent had a fever

68 percent had a dry cough

38 percent had fatigue

33 percent coughed up phlegm

19 percent had shortness of breath

15 percent had joint or muscle pain

14 percent had a sore throat

14 percent headache

11 percent had chills

5 percent had nausea or vomiting

5 percent had nasal congestion

4 percent had diarrhea

Less than one percent coughed up blood or blood-stained mucus

Less than one percent had watery eyes

The sections on transmission, self-protection, and care during a social distancing lockdown or quarantine are likewise levelheaded, clear and informative.

This is a tab you should just keep open in your browser, IOW. Mole's updating frequently, too.

Boeing is even worse at financial engineering than they are at aircraft engineering (permalink)

Boeing is experiencing a potentially terminal slump. Between losses due to its 737 Max scandal (a self-inflicted injury), and the dropoff in travel during the pandemic, it has had to draw down its entire line of credit and institute a hiring freeze.

https://wolfstreet.com/2020/03/11/boeing-crashes-as-43-billion-in-past-share-buybacks-turn-into-existential-threat

Obviously, Boeing can't be blamed for the pandemic.

But you know what is absolutely the company's fault? Its financial engineering.

Since 2013, Boeing squandered $43 billion on stock buybacks, whose sole purpose was to goose its share-price.

As Wolf Richter writes, Boeing, this "master of financial engineering – instead of aircraft engineering – blew, wasted, and incinerated $43.4 billion on buying back its own shares."

The company just had to borrow $13.825B. Its shares are down 46% since March 2019.

The entire company – a jewel of American industry – might not survive, because it focused on short-term enrichment of shareholders, rather than safe aircraft or financial prudence.

Reality has a well-known anti-capitalist bias, part MMMLVII.

Senate Republicans kill emergency sick leave during pandemic (permalink)

Senate Republicans have killed emergency sick leave legislation, a move that will force millions of low-waged cleaning and food-service workers to choose between homelessness and potentially spreading Covid-19.

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/coronavirus-paid-sick-leave-us-republicans-block-senate-bill-new-york-washington-a9395821.htm

The GOP says that paid sick leave will endanger the fragile bottom lines of employers and also that the feds have no money to pay for such a thing – despite finding it easy to blow $2.3 trillion on tax-cuts for the super-rich.

https://www.politico.com/story/2018/02/28/tax-cuts-trump-gop-analysis-430781

They also found $20 BILLION in the senate's sofa cushions to give to the Pentagon, an agency whose auditor found more than a trillion dollars in off-the-books transactions in its financial records.

https://www.defensenews.com/congress/2019/12/19/pentagon-finally-gets-its-2020-budget-from-congress/

Refusing to help poor Americans stay fed and sheltered isn't just cruel, it's lethally reckless, and it demonstrates the moral hazard of oligarchic capitalism. Subsidizing sick-leave would merely afford survival to millions of Americans, after all.

Whereas the crisis that this will produce – a pandemic that is made worse and longer – will cost billions more, but that money will go to the donor-class, the Beltway Bandits whose cost-plus, no-bid contracts will transfer even more money from the poor to the wealthy.

It's disaster capitalism at its worst. The Senate GOP is dooming you and everyone you love to the risk of disease and death because preventing that risk would help millions of poor people, whereas creating the risk helps a handful of ultrarich people.

The EU's new Right to Repair rules finally come for electronics (permalink)

The EU Commission's latest "Circular Economy Action Plan" has enormous significance for Right to Repair and electronics.

https://ec.europa.eu/environment/circular-economy/pdf/new_circular_economy_action_plan.pdf

In addition to a host of eminently sensible, long overdue measures (bans on single use items and the destruction of unsold goods), there's a renewed emphasis on electronics, through the "Circular Electronics Initiative".

https://techcrunch.com/2020/03/11/european-lawmakers-propose-a-right-to-repair-for-mobiles-and-laptops/

The initiative mandates that components be reusable, repairable, and upgradable, and requires long-term software support to keep IoT devices useful for longer. These mandates – also long overdue – show that the EU is finally willing to ignore the priorities of Apple and other US Big Tech companies in favour of Europeans' rights to the long-term enjoyment of their property and the right not to drown in e-waste).

https://pluralistic.net/2020/03/08/ghost-flights/#eurighttorepair

How to run a virtual classroom (permalink)

For 14 years, Stanford Online High School has been running fully virtual classrooms, with continuous, ongoing improvements in their tech and methods. They've just published a new guide to "the essential steps for preparing to teach online in a short period of time." They're also conducting a series of webinars on the subject.

https://ohs.stanford.edu/how

(I just realized that I've got a decade-old mail rule that autodeletes anything containing the word "webinar" that I probably need to turn off now that the term is being used by people other than hustling spammy grifters)

This day in history (permalink)

#10yrsago Leaked UK record industry memo sets out plans for breaking copyright https://craphound.com/BPDigitalEconomyBillweeklyminutes.pdf

#5yrsago Portland cops charge homeless woman with theft for charging her phone https://news.streetroots.org/2015/03/06/homeless-phone-charging-thief-wanted-security

#5yrsago How Harper's "anti-terror" bill ends privacy in Canada http://www.michaelgeist.ca/2015/03/why-the-anti-terrorism-bill-is-really-an-anti-privacy-bill-bill-c-51s-evisceration-of-government-privacy/

#5yrsago RIP, Terry Pratchett https://web.archive.org/web/20150312202353/http://www.pjsmprints.com/

#1yrago Security researcher reveals grotesque vulnerabilities in "Yelp-for-MAGA" app and its snowflake owner calls in the FBI

Colophon (permalink)

Today's top sources: Slashdot (https://slashdot.org), Naked Capitalism (https://nakedcapitalism.com/).

Hugo nominators! My story "Unauthorized Bread" is eligible in the Novella category and you can read it free on Ars Technica: https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2020/01/unauthorized-bread-a-near-future-tale-of-refugees-and-sinister-iot-appliances/

Upcoming appearances:

Museums and the Web: March 31-April 4 2020, Los Angeles. https://mw20.museweb.net/

Currently writing: I'm rewriting a short story, "The Canadian Miracle," for MIT Tech Review. It's a story set in the world of my next novel, "The Lost Cause," a post-GND novel about truth and reconciliation. I'm also working on "Baby Twitter," a piece of design fiction also set in The Lost Cause's prehistory, for a British think-tank. I'm getting geared up to start work on the novel afterwards.

Currently reading: Just started Lauren Beukes's forthcoming Afterland: it's Y the Last Man plus plus, and two chapters in, it's amazeballs. Last month, I finished Andrea Bernstein's "American Oligarchs"; it's a magnificent history of the Kushner and Trump families, showing how they cheated, stole and lied their way into power. I'm getting really into Anna Weiner's memoir about tech, "Uncanny Valley." I just loaded Matt Stoller's "Goliath" onto my underwater MP3 player and I'm listening to it as I swim laps.

Latest podcast: A Lever Without a Fulcrum Is Just a Stick https://archive.org/download/Cory_Doctorow_Podcast_330/Cory_Doctorow_Podcast_330_-_A_Lever_Without_a_Fulcrum_Is_Just_a_Stick.mp3

Upcoming books: "Poesy the Monster Slayer" (Jul 2020), a picture book about monsters, bedtime, gender, and kicking ass. Pre-order here: https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781626723627?utm_source=socialmedia&utm_medium=socialpost&utm_term=na-poesycorypreorder&utm_content=na-preorder-buynow&utm_campaign=9781626723627

(we're having a launch for it in Burbank on July 11 at Dark Delicacies and you can get me AND Poesy to sign it and Dark Del will ship it to the monster kids in your life in time for the release date).

"Attack Surface": The third Little Brother book, Oct 20, 2020.

"Little Brother/Homeland": A reissue omnibus edition with a very special, s00per s33kr1t intro.

[thewritewolf]

Eating Habits Chapter 14: Baby Steps

Marinette is freaking out since the student spring fashion show is coming up soon. Chloe finds healing in her own way. 

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 (Final)

Enjoy!

Read on Ao3

Marinette’s foot tapped a rapid tempo as she watched the final preparations for the dry run of the spring show from her chair near the changing rooms. She wasn’t sure what it looked like from the seats, but backstage it was a sort of ordered chaos, not unlike backstage at the Jagged Stone concert a few months ago. Except, this time the stakes were far more personal.

Her nerves were shot to pieces, but that was about what she expected. This show was the culmination of everything she’d been working towards for the entire semester. Her fellow students had pulled out their best work as well and it was all she could do not to rush to her pieces and do even more last minute adjustments.

A hand settled itself over her knee and stilled her fidgeting. She blinked up at Adrien who was smiling at her patiently, wearing one of her spring outfits. Crouching down in front of her, he brought his eyes level to hers.

“You must think I’m freaking out over nothing,” she said, hunching her shoulders and looking away. “I know, this isn’t much compared to… um, everything else we've done, but…”

“No, I don’t think that at all,” Adrien replied, touching her chin to gently guide her gaze back to his. “It’s your first real fashion show with a bunch of people giving their all to make an impression. People are watching now, people whose opinions are listened to in the world of fashion.”

“You’ve only gotten better at these pep talks over the years, kitty,” Marinette said dryly.

“Let them watch. I know for a fact that you are one of the best designers here, if not the best. And I’ll be right here for the entire time, doing my damnedest to show off your amazing work. They’re going to see you just like I see you.” He pressed a kiss to her forehead. “As the amazing.” A kiss to her temple. “Wonderful.” Her cheek. “Talented.” A chaste kiss to her lips. “Designer who is going to rock the entire fashion industry to its core.” His hands left her knees and took her hands. “And I’ll be right there, cheering you on every step of the way.”

Between the nerves and the stress and his sweet words, it took all of Marinette’s will not to turn into a crying mess right then and there. Instead, she hugged his neck and whispered thanks into his ear.

As he pulled away, she first noticed the lack of his warmth. Quickly following that was the realization that he had grabbed her coffee.

“Hey!”

“Sorry, sweetie,” Adrien said, taking a large sip. “I told you no coffee or energy drinks till the show is over. We both know that they make you more anxious than you usually are and only barely help.”

“But… tasty…”

“I’ll make you a fruit smoothie when we’re done, I promise.” He took a few steps backwards and gave her a very Chat-like wink before tossing the remainder of the cup into the garbage and taking his place in the line up.

Marinette crossed her arms and grumbled to herself. “Stupid boyfriend, trying to have my best interests at heart…”

-------------------

Marinette clenched the fabric of her skirt in her hands, desperate to release any of the nervous energy she was holding onto. Meanwhile, Alya reached for a macaroon. Halfway toward getting it to her mouth, Alya noticed Marinette’s distress and raised her eyebrows.

“You wanna talk about it, girl?”

Marinette dragged her eyes away from where Tikki and Trixx were chasing each other in the kitchen, and looked at her friend. “Actually, if we could talk about anything but the upcoming show, that’d be great.”

“Are you sure? Talking it out might help you get some of that frustration out.”

“At this point, it’s just me over thinking things. I’m happy with where my designs are, but I keep imagining them in my head, looking for anything that could go wrong.” She sighed and buried her face in her hands. “I just… need to think about something else.” Poking out from behind her fingers, she asked, “So how’s work?”

“Oh they’re about to send me out of country on some dangerous missions. But it’s all to bring the truth to the people, so that’s all that matters, right M?”

Marinette’s eyes widened and her hands ceased her fidgeting to instead cover her mouth, which had opened into a small ‘o’. “Really?!”

“No.”

All the tension that had suddenly appeared in Marinette’s shoulders vanished as quick as it had appeared. She leaned across the couch to smack Alya. “Not cool, Al! You really worried me!”

“Sorry,” Alya replied with a snicker. “But nah, they’ve still got me doing local news stories. Which isn’t so bad, Paris is a pretty interesting place after all. Even without the supervillains.” Alya took a deep sip of her glass of red wine, a constant companion of their girls’ night in days. “And don’t get me wrong - I get why they don’t want to give the big, juicy stuff to the newbie reporter.”

“But…?” Marinette prompted when Alya starting staring into space, biting her lower lip.

“But… I’m starting to get restless again. I feel that energy from back when I was doing the Ladyblog - always something to do back then! An akuma to track down, a victim to interview, puzzle pieces to put together.” She absently swirled her wine glass. “A lot of freedom too...”

“You’re getting that look again.”

“Look?”

“Mhm. Your game face. You want your next big challenge.” She gently shoved Alya’s shoulder. “And go for it, Al! You can still do your job while having something on the side. A passion project or something.”

Alya considered this with another sip of her wine.

“You might be onto something there, girl.” She nudged her with her elbow. “But hey! Talking is only part of what we came here to do. How about we start up a bad rom com?” Marinette groaned. “Oh, hush. You’re basically a living rom com anyway, with how you and Adrien are.”

While Marinette sputtered and tried to argue, Alya cackled as she ducked out of Marinette’s reach to put the dvd in.

--------------

“How I missed Paris,” Chloe sighed as she stepped outside of the fashion boutique, carrying two large bags of the latest styles. “You should see some of the things I saw Americans wearing. Ridiculous, Adrikins. Absolutely ridiculous.”

Adrien chuckled as he fell into step beside her, the padding of his comfortable shoes drowned out by the confident clicking of Chloe’s heels. “So that’s all you missed while you were abroad, Chlo?”

Chloe peered at him over her large sunglasses. “Coy isn’t a good look on you. But no,” she added after a moment, “I suppose I missed the people too. You. Kagami.” Adrien watched her patiently and eventually she groaned and stamped her feet. “Okay, fine! Even Alya, Nino, and Marinette.”

“I’m happy to hear it,” Adrien said, giving her a thumbs up. “They’re certainly warming up to you too.”

“Right. Good. Not that I care, or anything.” Chloe sniffed and walked just a little bit faster. Adrien fought down a smile - he could recognize Chloe running away from her feelings any day of the week. Which is why he was surprised when she slowed down again, just before they reached her living space. When she spoke, it was more of a whisper. “So mom called again.”

The smirk he’d been wearing vanished in an instant, a serious expression replacing it. “What did she want this time?”

“Same as usual,” Chloe replied while swiping her card at the gate. “She was asking when I’d be coming back. It’s getting harder to tell her that I won’t be.”

“You’ll have to eventually,” Adrien said patiently. “You’ve already put it off for more than six months now.”

“Duh, Adrien. I get that part.” There was venom in her voice, but it was half-hearted and gone by the time she continued. “But knowing that and actually doing something about it aren’t the same thing.”

“You’ll get there eventually,” Adrien said, putting a hand on Chloe’s shoulder. “And it’s alright to be scared. She dominated your life for a long time. No one is expecting you to get over that overnight.”

“Yeah… I guess…”

“If you want, I can be there when you call.” Adrien brightened up and said, “And you can invite Kagami too! She’s got a lot of experience at telling parents to back off, so I bet she’d be willing to give a few tips.”

Chloe smirked. “You might be onto something there. If I freeze up, maybe she can even take over and chew out dear old mom for me.”

“There’s the spirit!” Adrien held up his hand. “High fives for spunky Asian girlfriends!”

Laughing, Chloe managed to high five him. “Maybe this won’t be so bad after all.” They stepped into her apartment. She stopped and frowned at the air. “You know what I just realized?”

“What’s that?”

“It’s not just about taking out the toxic people in your life. You need to add good people if you want to heal.” She smiled at him. It was a rare smile on Chloe - there was no smugness, no spite to it. Just honest joy and peace. “I’m glad you’ve been in my life all these years, Adrien. Even when I didn’t deserve it, you were always a good friend.”

She hugged him and after a moment of hesitation he returned the hug.

“That’s the thing, Chloe. You always did deserve a good friend. You just didn’t realize it.”

---------------

Adrien as Chat Noir slipped in through their shared balcony after a long day hanging out with Chloe. He was emotionally spent after doing all he could to help his old friend and at this point all he wanted to do was curl up next to Marinette and go to sleep.

That plan had a slight hiccup when he looked up to see Marinette walking around in a circle, staring at one of her outfits for the spring show. It was actually one of the ones that he would be wearing, but the important fact was that it had been finished weeks ago. Specifically because it was so easy to get the measurements done.

“Hey, kitty,” she said absently, never once taking her eyes off of the outfit.

“Hey, love bug.” He walked behind her and put his arms around her waist, tucking his chin on the space between her shoulder and neck. This close, he could practically feel her exhaustion, from the way her body was sagging a little, to how her eyes struggled to stay open even as she focused on the task at hand. She needed sleep, even if she pretended like she didn’t. “Whatcha you looking at?”

She sighed. “Just… going over all my pieces for the show. Again. I need to make sure everything is perfect.”

“Hm…” he made a show of peering at the spring outfit. “Looks perfect to me. Why don’t you give it a once over in the morning, huh?”

“No, no, that’s alright. I might as well get it done now.” She squirmed a little against his embrace, but didn’t really try to escape.

Changing tactics, Adrien said, “Well, I’m going to bed. It was a long day today… I could use some cuddles.”

“Uh-huh,” Marinette replied distantly. Her focus was entirely on the mannequin in front of her. “Go to bed, I’ll be there in a bit.”

“Well, I didn’t want to have to do this, but…” Quickly changing his grip, Adrien picked her up in a princess carry. Marinette squeaked in protest as she was carried to the bedroom.

“Adrien! I’m-”

“-driving yourself crazy trying to find non existent flaws? I agree completely. Besides, you’re practically dead on your feet.”

“I am not,” Marinette said with a yawn. Her already feeble struggles had turned into her resting her head on his chest, eyes fluttering as she tried to keep them open.

“Mhm. If you really want to worry yourself sick again, you can do that in the morning.” He gently set her in bed and pulled the blankets over her. “Claws in.” A flash of green light later and he was crawling in beside her. “But for now - sleep.”

“No, I don’t want to,” she said, but she was already clinging onto him, eyes shut and face buried into his chest as she drifted off to sleep.

Adrien listened to her steady breathing as he stroked her hair, feeling himself follow her into unconsciousness.

[holytheoristtastemaker]

Remote work is rapidly growing in all industries. Some professionals might just push away this new work style, seeing it as simply a necessity that’s not fit for a product manager who’s constantly managing team members, strategies, client and partner communication, and upcoming challenges. But let me tell you this: Product management can be even more effective when done remotely. No need to fear going for this career path. I’ve put together this detailed guide to help you understand the challenges of remote work and its implication on your product management career. First, I’m having a look at a remote product manager’s core duties. What it means to to be a remote product manager I’ll just say this from the start: There’s not much of a difference between what a remote product manager does when compared to someone who works from the office. In fact, you’re probably already doing part of your work remotely. Like conducting user interviews or holding meetings with your stakeholders. Your role in remote product management So what does a remote product manager even do? Different companies and products have specific needs. Your daily activities as a product manager or owner can be similar though. Remote PMs too have the exact same roles as their office-based counterparts. Here are some of the duties a product manager has: Lead the development of the product and its strategy across multiple lifecycles Discover user requirements through user interviews Develop the positioning and vision of a product Use a variety of tools to produce wireframes and mockups, gather feedback, and deliver results Establish clear timelines and feedback patterns Define quantitative and qualitative metrics and use these to evaluate the success of the product and review delivered work to ensure alignment with the specifications Build actionable user stories Create and manage the product roadmap Maintain consistent client and stakeholder communication Partner with other teams to ensure a unified product development and delivery process Lead the product team and take full responsibility for its actions Create new feature announcements and content Who hires remote product managers To find a new remote job and make the first step towards this ideal lifestyle, you can simply look under the Product category of these remote-exclusive job websites: Dynamite Jobs DailyRemote Working Nomads Remote Age Remote Global Remoters Jobspresso NODESK letsworkremotely Good news is that more and more companies are starting to consider switching to distributed teams and even accepting remote workers for highly skilled professionals. If you need an overall look at some of the companies who are hiring remote product managers, here’s a list to start with: Buffer Canva MailerLite Close.io Convergys ConvertKit Hotjar MeetEdgar Pearson Dell DigitalOcean Glassdoor Pluralsight Toptal VMware Zapier Apple Automattic Keep an eye on their job boards to see when a new opportunity pops up. Note: You can always just ask your current employer to let you work remotely or reach out to companies you’d love to work for and inquire into any available positions. Why working remotely might not be right for your product management career Just like the skills of an in-office and remote product management expert are similar, there are a couple of personality traits and habits that will influence whether or not you’re the right fit for working remotely. To get it out of the way, it’s safe to say that bad communicators will never make it as remote employees. These are those people who can’t take feedback, always have to contradict other team members, and just don’t want to answer your inquiries on time. Product management is fast-paced. 🚀 Especially in small teams who are commonly the ones looking for remote members anyway. So communication needs to be done in detail and accurately even when you’re not face-to-face with the rest of the team. There’s no time to nudge people into sharing their thoughts or asking questions when they don’t know how to move forward with a task. Even more so, the product manager should be the one to tie all team, user, client, and other stakeholder communications. That’s why most remote product management jobs start with “X years of experience in a cross-functional product design or product management role”. Companies want their product managers to be dependable. Sometimes even more than what they expect from the rest of their team since they’re literally handing over the product to you. If you’re a constant slacker who’d rather scroll through Reddit for hours than create one more ticket, you’re better off somewhere else. What are the skills you’ll need to land a remote product management job A product manager in general needs to have some of the most varied soft and hard skills in a team. Honestly, besides exceptionally good communication and organization skills, the traits and abilities you need to develop are roughly the same as for any office job. I had a look at 100+ remote product manager jobs on Glassdoor so you don’t have to resume what the top skills for such professionals are. Next are the results that prove my point. 😉 Here are some of the most commonly mentioned skills that employers are looking for from their next remote product manager: Strong leadership skills Organization and prioritization capabilities Critical thinking Excellent communication and interpersonal skills Strong client management abilities Ability to manage multiple, simultaneous projects Time management and budgeting skills Command of diverse product development frameworks, strategies, and/or rapid prototyping solutions Ability to troubleshoot customer issues and create detailed bug reports Ability to work autonomously Passion for working cross-functionally Problem-solving skills Strong technical understanding of how software products are built Ability to collect and structure qualitative and quantitative research that will be used for making product and design decisions A clear understanding of key metrics and ways of measuring a product’s success All in all, the requirements depend on the company you apply to. Some will prefer a strong communicator who is able to work cross-functionally and bring the entire team together. Other employers will have specific needs such as programming language knowledge or stronger experience when it comes to user interviews or focus on a specific stage of a product’s life cycle. What you’ll need above any of the above skills is product sense. This means you’ll first have to become a subject matter expert and learn all the ins and outs of the product. You’ll then own the entire creative process around generating new ideas, spotting challenges, and creating the whole roadmap along with doing user research, keeping track of metrics, and prioritizing tickets. Simply, you need a complete product-oriented skillset along with dependable traits that will allow your employer to trust you with their product’s evolution and fixing potential problems. Where to start your remote product management career preparation? There’s no training in particular that you need to go through separate from your usual product management courses. However, before jumping into this entirely new work style, I recommend you test it out for a couple of weeks or months. Try a side project or get a part-time job that will have you interact with clients and other team members through multiple time zones. Having this kind of beforehand experience will show you if you actually like collaborating this way, if remote work is suited for you, and where you need to improve. You might not like using multiple tools to maintain communication or maybe you’re just someone who only feels productive in an office environment. For tiny problems like the latter, try to find an actionable solution. In this case, going to a coworking space daily or setting up a fully equipped work desk. If the issues are huge [like when you’re not productive at all without supervision], there’s really nothing you can do. If you’re at the beginning of your PM career, being ready for remote work is the least of your worries. You’ll first need to develop and grow your product management skills overall. From learning how to conduct user research and market analysis to knowing what goes into a product roadmap, how PM frameworks can be used within different types of teams, how to set and monitor key metrics, and so many more product-focused skills and roles you’ll put to use for real products. By far the biggest struggle new PMs always have is worrying about their interview process. What will I say? What if I don’t know the answer to a question? I’m not ready for this job. All natural concerns for any product manager newbie. There’s so much help out there though. 🙏 I’m a huge networking fan so the best tip I’d have for you is to connect with experienced product managers who are willing to coach and prepare you for your next interview. If you’re the shy type, you can always opt for classic LinkedIn messaging instead of face-to-face meetings but bear in mind you’ll have to get over your fears to nail the interview.  💪 Remote product management best practices So you’ve landed a new job or you just want to prepare yourself mentally for what’s to come? I’ve put together my 6 best tips I’ve acquired throughout the years from my own experience and talking to other professionals: Maintain a regular schedule One of the top perks of remote work is flexibility to work whenever you want to. Honestly though, as a product manager you might have to mold your schedule according to when the rest of the team is online. Postponing work [and implicitly communication] can cause serious gaps in productivity. If you don’t know when you have to work on your tasks, when it’s time to dedicate yourself to prioritizing other colleagues’ duties, and when you can still fit in time for feedback and meetings, you’ll end up postponing everything indefinitely when you’re really supposed to be one of the faster responders in the team. As a PM, others look up to you and expect your input and instructions at all times. So compared to the asynchronous communication that remote companies are used to, sending feedback and holding video conferences in real-time works better for product managers and their teammates. This takes me to the importance of establishing clear communication patterns and methodologies. Communicate You already know the story: communication is the ruling king when it comes to remote work. Yet, in this kind of work situation, one-on-one meetings are more insightful than ever. They allow product managers to talk to every single member of a team individually, get feedback, and improve not just their product, but also the employee-company relationship. Beyond this, you need to understand that working remotely takes extra effort for maintaining those friendly work relations you would in real life. Managers have a top duty here: to create strong bonds that will eventually build up employee retention. No ideas? Turn to your team. Hold special opportunities for non-work related activities like get-togethers or just a weekly one-on-one meeting to allow employees to get to know each other better, learn about their hobbies, and make a new friend. Turn to video tools to bridge the communication gap Your basic Slack back-and-forth messages or email exchanges create huge information loopholes. They don’t give enough room for clarifying any details and you might end up with results that are totally different from what you’ve expected. Video, on the other hand, fully replaces your face-to-face office meetings. All remote fun aside, in-person meetings are still an essential part of work for humans as they allow your team members to understand that there are other people who depend on their performance and it’s not just them working from an empty office room. This, in turn, creates accountability, making the entire collaboration process much more effective. Plus, screen sharing will save the day every single time. Establish clear review patterns There’s no such thing as working aimlessly. You need goals and set performance review methods to assess whether the work you and your team puts into a project or product is efficient and spot potential bottlenecks. To keep everyone involved in this review process, set up a defined timeline for your review tasks and meetings. For instance, decide when and how to hold your daily stand-up meetings. Working remotely you have lots of possibilities for every single review process. For the stand-ups you can opt for video conferences or use a Slack bot to automate everything and save time since team members can simply write down what they worked on, what they’re taking care of on a given day, and their potential challenges. The review workflow doesn’t just end here as you’ll probably have to take over and see how and who can help a person with their issues so the product development process can run smoothly. Address risks ahead of time While strong communication is a common trait both on-site and distributed teams need to develop, what remote product managers need more than anything are plans. Particularly a highly-detailed action plan for tackling risks before panic installs. I’m talking here about a common document any team member will access to read and find out how they can manage their own crisis. Keep your whole team on board Working remotely is a collective effort. As the person who’s held responsible for any success and failure of your colleagues, you’re in charge of cultivating a desire for remote success within the team. Here’s the list of everything your team needs to understand and work on before you jump into the world of fully-distributed companies: The benefits of remote work Communication guidelines Risk management techniques The importance of feedback and staying connected Staying accountable for one’s work Get involved in the teams’ overall growth by supporting its cohesion and moving collaboration processes forward Developing traits and skills such as discipline, empathy, dependability, and self-organization [in other words, constantly developing themselves on a personal and professional level] Key takeaways So yes! You can work remotely as a product manager and be just as effective at your work. No performance limitations here. Product managers still have the same duties and roles when working from home or an exotic beach in the middle of nowhere. Daily work is quite similar too but your quality of life is highly improved. Here’s what a day in your life as a remote product manager might look like: Take care of urgent tasks or team/client inquiries Stay updated with any industry or market changes Do some networking 🤝 Stand-up meeting time! 🥳 Work on the product roadmap Take a well-deserved lunch break 🍔 Answer some more emails Respond to tickets Client meeting One-on-meeting with one of your teammates Sprint retrospective! 🥳 Do keep in mind that product managers have some of the most diverse days with a constant flux of new challenges and opportunities that need to be covered. Already a happy remote fellow? Share your best tips with fellow product managers or people who are considering this career but have been hesitant thinking it’s not suited for the remote lifestyle.

http://damianfallon.blogspot.com/2020/04/is-remote-product-management-career_30.html

[insidemylibrarymind]

New year, new books.

I want to talk about new releases again! I know I do these posts every month, but that’s more focused on pretty covers than on books I know in advance I want to read, no matter what their cover is, so I wanted to do a list of upcoming book releases I cannot wait to come out. This will also be my final post of “end of the year” series, so we are going strong into 2020. Let’s chat about books!

Yes, No, Maybe So by Becky Albertalli and Aisha Saeed — I already have an eARC for this book and I recently started reading it, but I am not that far into it. This book follows Jamie and Maya, and I think it will deal with local politics and activism, as well as ROMANCE. A healthy balance which we love to see.

The Unspoken Name by A.K. Larkwood — I don’t know much about this one, except for the fact that it’s anticipated by EVERYONE and that it’s about an orc princess that becomes an assassin for a wizard, which sounds badass. This is also compared to LeGuin, who I love, so EXCITING.

Weather by Jenny Offill — I’ve been meaning to read Jenny Offill for ages, and her new book sounds amazing. Said to be about a family and a nation in crisis, it follows a woman who works as a librarian (and a fake shrink on the side) and how she deals with the letters she receives from an array of different people when she starts working on a podcast. The blurb is confusing, but so intriguing and I really want to try and get to this one.

Of Curses and Kisses by Sandhya Menon — Contemporary spin on Beauty and the Beast set in an elite boarding school, WE LOVE TO SEE IT.

#gallery-0-10 { margin: auto; } #gallery-0-10 .gallery-item { float: left; margin-top: 10px; text-align: center; width: 33%; } #gallery-0-10 img { border: 2px solid #cfcfcf; } #gallery-0-10 .gallery-caption { margin-left: 0; } /* see gallery_shortcode() in wp-includes/media.php */

Chain of Gold by Cassandra Clare — My excitement for Clare’s previous series has diminished, but I love the short stories I read about the cast of characters in Chain of Gold, so this has the potential to be amazing and I am excited

Docile by K.M. Szpara — With a tagline of “There is no consent under capitalism”, this has the potential to be my favorite book of the year. Set in the future where people become Dociles to repay their debts, our hero Elisha becomes indentured to the heir of the family who invented the drug being given to Dociles and the whole debt resolution act.

Every Reason We Shouldn’t by Sara Fujimura — Figure skating! Hate-to-love! More kinds of skating! Korean MC! CUTENESS AND FLUFF! Cannot wait!

Wicked As You Wish by Rin Chupeco — I haven’t read any books by Rin Chupeco previously, but my friends love her books PLUS this sounds brilliant. It’s a story set in Arizona, but the protagonists are actually refugees from the Kingdom of Avalon, which was enveloped in ice by an evil Snow Queen. We follow the prince of Avalon, and the girl who happens to be a spellbreaker. It sounds so good, I literally cannot wait.

Harley in the Sky by Akemi Dawn Bowman — I loved Bowman’s previous novel, so I am super excited for her new release, which is described as The Greatest Showman meets This Is Us, and is about a girl who joins the circus after having a huge fallout with her parents.

My Dark Vanessa by Karen Elizabeth Russell — This is a story about Vanessa, told both in the past, when she was fifteen and involved with her teacher, and in the present, as she comes to terms that she wasn’t actually involved willingly in that relationship, as her teacher was accused of sexual abuse by another former student. Sounds devastating, but I think it will be fantastic.

The City We Became by N.K. Jemisin — A new Urban Fantasy release set in New York, where five people must come together to defend the city from an ancient evil.

The Empress of Salt and Fortune by Nghi Vo — A Tor Dot Com novella set in a world inspired by Imperial China, about a princess who is sent south for a political marriage, who befriends Rabbit, her handmaiden.

Valentine by Elizabeth Wetmore — Set in the 1970s in a small town in Texas, this novel follows a teenager who is brutally attacked, and a woman who decides to take justice into her own hands, when the system fails to do so.

#gallery-0-11 { margin: auto; } #gallery-0-11 .gallery-item { float: left; margin-top: 10px; text-align: center; width: 33%; } #gallery-0-11 img { border: 2px solid #cfcfcf; } #gallery-0-11 .gallery-caption { margin-left: 0; } /* see gallery_shortcode() in wp-includes/media.php */

All Adults Here by Emma Straub — This novel follows a woman who after she witnesses an accident, starts questioning her parenting decisions and the lives of her children and grandchildren, and how she influenced them and the mistakes she made. Sounds exactly like my kind of book and I have heard good things about Emma Straub.

Beach Read by Emily Henry — The first Adult Romance on the list! This follows two writers, one who writes rom-com and the other who writes literary fiction, who challenge each other to write in each other’s genres in order to overcome their writer’s block or whatnot. And they obviously fall in love. THE PERFECT SET UP, honestly.

By the Book by Amanda Sellet — A YA Romance following a girl obsessed with 19th-century literature, who makes a guide on what to avoid in guys based on those books, only to end up falling for a boy who embodies the no-nos on her list. CUTE.

#gallery-0-12 { margin: auto; } #gallery-0-12 .gallery-item { float: left; margin-top: 10px; text-align: center; width: 33%; } #gallery-0-12 img { border: 2px solid #cfcfcf; } #gallery-0-12 .gallery-caption { margin-left: 0; } /* see gallery_shortcode() in wp-includes/media.php */

End of the Day by Bill Clegg — Possibly the most exciting book on the list, it’s the new novel by Bill Clegg, who wrote one of my favorite books of all time, Did You Ever Have a Family. LITERALLY CANNOT WAIT, I have no idea what this is about but I am sure it’s about family and very character-focused. WE STAN.

This Is All Your Fault by Aminah Mae Safi — The novel follows three girls over the course of one day, as they try to save a bookstore they are working in. This sounds so good, I cannot wait to read it.

The Order of the Pure Moon Reflected in Water by Zen Cho — Tor Dot Com strikes again, this time with a story about a bandit who joins with a band of thieves in order to protect a sacred object.

  The Thief on the Winged Horse by Kate Mascarenhas — Mascarenhas wrote The Psychology of Time Travel, which I loved, so I am excited for her sophomore novel, about a doll-making family, which puts emotions into their dolls, and about Persephone, who wants to learn the craft that her family entrusts upon men only. But then, someone steals one of the most prized possessions of the family. It sounds BRILLIANT and I love Mascarenhas’ writing, so exciting times!

Set Fire to the Gods by Sara Raasch and Kristen Simmons — A YA Fantasy said to be a mix between ATLA and The Gladiator about ELEMENTAL GLADIATORS. I cannot wait, truly.

Star Daughter by Shveta Thakrar — Inspired by Hindu mythology, the novel follows a girl who is the daughter of a star and a human, who must travel to the star court in order to save her father. Honestly, this sounds brilliant and the cover is STUNNING, so a win-win situation.

Loathe at First Sight by Suzanne Park — An office hate-to-love romance, reminiscent of The Hating Game, only set in the video game industry and with a Korean MC? SIGN ME UP.

And those are all the releases for the first part of the year (sort of), that I am super excited about! I would love to hear from you — any releases you are excited about and that I should add to my radar? Let me know!

                                                                                                                    xxx

Come hang out with me:

Follow me on Bloglovin’ | Goodreads |Facebook| Tumblr| Twitter | Instagram|Pinterest

*Vectors graphics designed by Freepik

  2020 Releases I Am Most Excited About New year, new books. I want to talk about new releases again! I know I do these posts every month, but that's more focused on pretty covers than on books I know in advance I want to read, no matter what their cover is, so I wanted to do a list of upcoming book releases I cannot wait to come out.

[thepowerofmybeing]

Hottest Trends for 2019

Loads of articles out there in the World Wide Web, some of them I really think we should not leave unnoticed.

Huge development in technology/ car industry field with self driving cars allowed on the roads. It still sounds a bit scary imagining there will be robots taking us down the road and we will just sit in the car waiting to arrive at our destination, reading morning newspaper, playing with kids in the back seat or just polishing our nails. In a way, it sounds sad, non personal, inhumane, but, if you really think how luxurious it will be and how much could be done while the car takes you where you need to, all the arguments are pro robot driving! If it will turn out to be super safe, I’ll be in the line to get one ;-)  “ This cycle has restarted, and the term “driverless car” will soon seem as anachronistic as “horseless carriage.” We don’t know how cars that don’t need human chauffeurs will mold society, but we can be sure a similar gear shift is on the way”  https://www.wired.com/story/guide-self-driving-cars/

If I was a small entrepreneur, I’d read this article:  https://www.metrilo.com/blog/ecommerce-trends-niche-products. I found this information very enticing and up to date. So happy that fast fashion, fast food and fast everything is slowly being replaced by more valued items that would last longer. I am a strong believer in quality and would be so happy to see more exclusive products on shelves of all free standing and e-commerce shops. It would save so much for our planet Earth - Chinese women being locked to their sewing machines doing slave work for the likes of Primark, plastic thrown in oceans and killing wildlife, children playing with hundreds of useless plastic items filled with toxic substances, us all wearing dresses with unfinished seams made of suspicious inflammable materials, us eating food that is not really worthy of being called food - all the danger to our future and our children’s well being. Less is more concept needs to take place in order for this World to not come to an end...Healthy boxed lunches, reusable food wrap, buying for life items, eco friendly lady products, custom cosmetics and apparel, crafted, handmade, novelty and specialty, these are words of new, personalized and original man and woman. And I need the smart backpack (this item is on all trending product lists of 2019) as we all have discovered how amazing it is to travel and see more in life! 

How about Social Media trends in 2019? Well, just like most of the trends, these also become more personalized and more “machine involved” at the same time. https://www.inc.com/john-hall/7-social-media-trends-brands-need-to-know-to-prepare-for-2019.html So, while the CEO of any large company should get on Instagram and tell his audience who he really is, what he eats for breakfast and how he spends his free time, while each social media user and influencer should become the apple of every company’s eye and receive custom attention and care, Chatbots will take care of more and more business conversations and interactions. Its funny how this World is becoming more geared towards individual approach and more robotic at the same time. So while we will be sitting in a car driven by a robot, chatting on the phone with a robot, we will wear more sustainable clothing and eat more healthy food just so we can stay alive longer to interact more with robots and phones ;-) haha, this makes sense! But, to be honest, hopefully this shows an intentional, more purposeful shift towards human intelligence. Robots and computer development is a good thing if used for the principle of our own education and improvement, if the time spent with a robot doesn’t take us away from our families and loved ones and if it makes us brighter and greater.

This post is never going to end? Yep, you guessed it! I am just so amazed from researching this subject! It is so interesting - investigating and predicting, understanding the “whys” of the upcoming year, evaluating customer behavior change and the company reaction to the always changing consumer needs. Here is an article from Forbes about customer experience trends in 2019, how companies are always going above and beyond all customer expectations, how some are succeeding and some - not. “Continually re-evaluating processes, products and business models is what keeps companies alive and successful in the ever-changing minds of customers.” We have to stay on demand or the ship will sink, we have to be flexible to adjust to the needs and changes, we have to sustain the connection with our customer and do it in a way that amazes, pleases and keeps them coming back for more. This is a very good article about change, expectations and staying popular with your buyer. Digitalization here is mentioned as an aid - helpful and useful tool - which does not replace human presence, but improves the overall experience, saves time for both sides and improves the quality of information for both - the assistants and the consumers. ‘When machines control the mundane tasks, humans have more time to dedicate to the uniquely human tasks, like strategy, creativity, innovation, problem solving, connecting with customers and developing a strong customer experience.’- https://www.forbes.com/sites/blakemorgan/2018/12/05/five-trends-shaping-the-future-of-customer-experience-in-2019/#44e4d61c7bb6

And last, but, most certainly, not least - fashion news for 2019. Haute Couture and Mode can not be forgotten or let out as this is our everyday expression, our individual approach to showcasing who we are and as Elle puts it: ‘The question of how designers envision women, what a woman wears and the image she projects has become a political hot potato. The big takeaway from the season? To value those visions that really are attuned to reflecting our truth in some way so that we can do us.” I LOVE this sentence! Yes! We celebrate and showcase US! We move away from sweatpants and hoodies, leave our athleisure-wear in the drawers and replace it with ruffles, silky materials and bubble skirts. We put couture dressmaking and craft skills in front shelves just like craft drinks and personalized socks (reference from previous article about niche products). We add small puoches and large pockets on all our clothing items, we purchase a stylish backpack to make a statement and prove to all that we are worldly travelers. We add some hippy charm and burst of 60′s color into our wardrobe to celebrate all our beloved icons from the past. Hell, we even put on shoes with square toes (not sure I’ll get into this trend...). But, hey, we do not have to do it all, we can just borrow a few ideas and tips from each trend, we can just use it as a reference when we look for a new outfit in 2019. After all, this should not be difficult, as we just have to stay true to ourselves - the motto of my page here. Don’t be who you are not in 2019! It is my wish to all of you and my personal New Years resolution! May you be happy in your own skin! Cheers!

[tombraidergirl]

Transcript of an Interview with Daniel Bisson

Yesterday members of the Official Fan Site Program were given the opportunity to speak with Daniel Bisson, Game Director for Shadow of the Tomb Raider. Find the transcript attached.

(We will be extracting information from this interview for an upcoming article that will combine all the impressions collected from bits and pieces shown during E3 and at the Reveal Event - in our case in London. So watch this blog.)

Transcript

All right, so what is the most challenging innovation you have introduced to the incoming Tomb Raider?

There's a lot of things that we did, there's technological things that we did. For example, the lighting, we completely reworked the lighting system to have something that feels much more natural. The lighting now can pierce through vegetation and things like that, and also the reflection inside of water, so we can have this beautiful water. It was very important for us because it is a very different take on the art of this Tomb Raider, because it's more colorful, because it's the jungle, it's much more alive.

The second thing in terms of technology, with the interaction of the character, was the vegetation. Everything moves. Every single thing, leaves and everything, moves with whatever, it's the animals moving into the world, or the player, or the AI, or anything, the vegetation actually moves on that.

For the gameplay aspect of it, if you've seen it in the trailer, because we introduce the rappel and the way to explore the world. One of the things for us was to rethink how to do the environment, the world. So one of the challenges we had when we build out was all about climbing, was never going down. So it was always like you had to drop down, or you had to climb and just walk yourself down. So one of the things that was very important for us, that we want to have much more experience and make sure Lara, so going down what we have to have a tool that was giving her a lot of control. So it was important to go down with that, and the way we are thinking about the level design was more into the verticality.

One of the big, big things that we did also is to create what we call the living world. That was very, very, very difficult for us because the engine at the time didn't support as much characters on screen in the size of the hub that we built, so it was very important for us that we push that limit. I would say it's 1.5 bigger than the biggest hub in Rise and with the verticality, with going onto water and above it, it's even bigger than that. So it was very, very challenging doing this so that we have this social aspect of it.

So there was a question about the camp. Do we get to have any camps? 

Of course we're going to keep the camps, they're a part of the origin story franchise, they're a part of the core gameplay. But we are pushing it to the next level. We call them the social camps, so we have people now sharing some of the camps with you. Because having Lara having conversation with people is very important in this game so we can know a lot more about what's happening inside Lara, what she thinks and how she feels about things.

So is the system returning, of course it is. One of the things that was important for us, is because this game like we said this game will be a bit different in their approach. The difficulty in the exploration, we want the player to be a lot more free to explore and not to follow too much the yellow brick road that we establish. Right now what we wanted to do is that now by default the camp at normal difficulty will not be light up. Some of them will, but most of them will not. You will have to light it up. You don't need resources to do that, but you will need to light it up. So you can actually see your path that you built as you explore. You know which side that you already explored, so it is very helping in terms of knowing where you already went. So, that was the thing.

Of course at the hardest difficulty it will be very similar, you will have to use a resource. So this is for us, when we think about the camp, it is still though about upgrading your skills and crafting some of the weapons, and things like that. It's still about that in our traversal.

So is there any balance between possible action, is it focused more action on gameplay?

This is something we were hearing the fans loud and clear. In 2013 it was the first time we actually had that type of combat in the game, so we were pushing a lot on that side. On Rise was bringing back the tombs. This game is about more balance. It's more balance between the puzzles, the combat, and the traversal. This is very important for us, because that's the trajectory. This is where we needed to be ending at the end of this game.

So when we did what we called the blueprint, when we thinking about the game in conception, we actually give ourselves this rule, it has to be a minimum a third, a third, a third.

We heard that Shadow of the Tomb Raider would be the most difficult Tomb Raider game, can you explain in what way?

That was me saying that. It is very important, when we were thinking about this game, we said we need to be much more challenging in terms of how you explore the world. So we have now a difficulty option in the game, and it's not just about combat now. It's about puzzles, it's about combat, and it's about exploration. So if you're playing at easy mode on exploration for example, remember the white paint in Rise of the Tomb Raider? We had white paint, that will be on easy mode. On normal mode, the white paint will be disappearing in environment, so it will be blending way better. At hard mode, no white paint.

So we wanted to bring more of the puzzle-aspect to traversal. So you can imagine playing in-game, can I rappel down here, can I do this? This is crazy. Same thing with underwater. Finding your way.

You remember on Rise, Lara was telling you "Oh, I should be doing that during puzzles." If you play on normal, she was just saying "Oh wow, I need to solve this." Easy will be closer to what we did on Rise, she will tell you exactly what to do. If you do instincts mode, on easy the next thing you need to do to solve the puzzle will be blue, the rest will be golden like in your normal survival instinct. If you are playing normal the general thing in golden. But on hard, she will not say anything, and nothing will be highlighted. You will have to figure it out yourself. Yes, it is harder combat at normal, because now you have to craft a lot more of your ammo, and you will not find as plenty. So it's very important for us that you can build the Tomb Raider experience that you want. If you don't like combat, you can put it easy, if you want harder puzzles, you can put puzzles. So you can do that as much as you want so you can build your own experience.

Okay so the question, how much of the groundwork has been laid by Crystal Dynamics before it was Montreal took the lead. 

I was game director on Tomb Raider 2013, I've been on the franchise for eight years now, I was at Crystal Dynamic at the time, and mid-production of Rise, moved back in Montreal because my wife loved the cold.

It was important for us that Crystal was still my team when we started Shadow. I had worked a lot with Noah Hughes, my partner for 2013. He took the lead on Rise, and I took the lead on Shadow.

So at the beginning of Shadow we were the lead because we wanted to bring something different also, even though it feels like a real Tomb Raider game.  But there's something different about this one, like the social hub experience, because that's important! We need to showcase and watch more a human Lara.

But also it was very important for us also to keep the moment where she's alone and just absorb what she's doing. That was also very important. So yes Crystal was very important.

Will there be any reference to previous games to the plot? 

That's a very good question. I would say that yes, for those who played it. There is some reference but it's very important to say first is that this game could be played without playing the two previous ones. That is important for us that you could just jump in and say I wanna play that. That version of Lara, and not going actually going through the two previous games.

But one thing that was for the fans or people actually playing the two previous games, they will have moments in there where Lara will talk with Jonah about things happening in the previous games and for those who played them will feel more ... they will have a smile and say oh my God, they mentioned that. Very important, yes, but it's not core to the plot.

According to the description of the collector's guide, we will have more options of customization - are we going to have the option to personalize in more with her outfit   and equipment?

So this is a very good question. Yes, the customization has exploded, because one of the things we wanted to do when we started thinking about this game at the beginning, three years and a half ago, was we wanted to provide an experience where you could have your own Lara. 

You want a Lara that's more about how efficient she is in combat, you can do that.

You want a Lara that's way better in tune in exploration, you can do that. 

You want a Lara that has more skills of understanding how to survive and how to go in nature, in the jungle and tame that jungle, you have that. 

So it was very important for us. So yes, you'll have top and bottom outfit, and you will have different game play bonuses to them.

Lara's more experienced in Shadow Tomb Raider. Was it difficult to relate this to the player?

So it was very important that we not only we make her evolve visually, but also the way she experience the danger. She's gonna be complaining less about things happening around her because she's more precise. So was it difficult, I would say, to relate the actual character, I would say when we reached it, it was great but we had to really think about her from ground up and how she also express herself when she gets into a difficult situation, but also how she express herself when she's just relaxing around a table. It was very important for us to make sure that you feel that.

What separates SOTTR and elevates it above its competition? 

The feeling that you could go anywhere, you could do anything.

You could see a place, there's no invisible wall preventing you from doing that, it's a feeling of that freedom and how you feel accelerated about that. So it was the same for us, it was pushing the envelope even further. You'll feel way more free, you can do a lot of things you would not imagine to do, so for us that was important. To put a focus on story was very very important because it was her personal journey. It was very important, showing a side, a good side and funny side of Lara in this game because it's not gonna be just dark.

There's dark moments but also light moments. But for us, when you're looking as a whole package, it's really the thing is about freedom.

What recognizable aspects have been brought into the character of Tomb Raider in order for us to see her grow into the character we know and love? 

She cracks jokes now, that's one of the thing, it was very important for us. The clothing, the tactical clothing she has, the blue tank top and it was purposefully made like that, we wanted to have this evolution.

Same thing with the pants. One of the things also, there's a couple things I cannot talk about that happen later on, but one of the thing for us it's really showing that visually, mentally, she's getting there and that the world also feels more, I would say, reminiscent, because she can take these dangerous place so through a lot of the puzzles people will be able to say, “oh my God it feels so much like the classical Tomb Raider”.

Dyego asked "one major concern I noticed from the community is how similar the game feels compared to previous games. What has changed?"

Yeah, that's a very good question. Just wanna say though that people react to that because the first thing we’ve shown was the beginning of the game and there was a lot of tutorial there (so of course, because we are at the end of the trilogy, we are sharing some of the same behaviors from Lara, from the previous two games). So when you have to teach a player how to walk and jump and climb, of course you'll feel like there's some similarities.

So what really changed? 

There's a lot of new mechanics. You've seen some of them. One of the things that is important though, is the way you experience tomb raiding in this game is very different. Like I was saying, one of the things, like if you are going underwater, it's a very different feeling from Rise. You were going underwater in Rise, but it was about surface swimming, it was about going one point to the other one.

So one of the things we wanted to do because we were listening to you guys, we said, hey, there's a couple of moments in this game, like you're going underwater and you see all these ruins and it feels like the Tomb Raider 1, when the first time you were going down underwater. So these are the elements that you're like, “oh my God, this is very different.”

Another thing also is the hub itself. We said, hey the combat - how can we change the combat? How can we make the combat much more about if you don't want to fight and you want to skip it, what would the multiple tools you can do? So that is giving it, providing it, very different experience than combat. Lara now, you know she can stay hidden all the time so the eye is reacting differently.

Also she can instill fear. So there's a lot of different dynamic on that. Same thing with the aspect we call Smart Resourceful Lara, the crafting and resource. Where you have weapon one, part one, weapon one, two, three? We got rid of that and we put much more on getting the weapon itself and focusing more on the upgrades itself and feeling more empowered because of that.

Now we have the social aspect of it, like I was talking earlier. And the economy is completely different, you can now buy weapons, you can buy a lot of things in the shops and experience. Wait until you experience later. You'll be like oh my God, this is very different.

So next question is by Giovanni. How about the AI? 

Will we have some improvements in there such as not just for Trinity soldiers, but also for the animals that you find in Shadow of the Tomb Raider.

So I'll talk about the jaguar, for example. The jaguar, we completely rebuilt his behavior and his AI compared to the previous two games with things like the bear because we wanted to have an animal that was much more cunning. And we used the environment to disappear. Her first encounter with the jaguar is very frightening, but you'll see in her face, she's going, she's gonna say to herself, I'm going to go against it. And then she learns, she learns how it disappears, how it uses cunningness to defeat their prey. And she will, the player and her will learn from that.

So there's a very different thing, because when you're playing with fear and becoming the jungle, you have to be able to play with Trinity and you have to be understanding to the patterns of where they take you when they go to one place to the other. And to do that we’ve we pushed the AI further.

Vinnie asks "Is SOTTR taking consideration of what's been happening in the comic books and books and games, there's a large, large degree of different series that's been coming out such as like The Dark Horse Inferno Series, how does that relate to both Rise, as well as Shadow of the Tomb Raider?

We try to make sure we stay in cannon. So we were working closely with Noah because now Noah is the franchise director. Our writing team work very closely with them. There's a couple of things that we are referencing in the game. But it's not core so people don't understand, because one of things that's important is that we have to do a game where it will be experienced by as much people as possible.

How different would be the system of learning if Lara could learn about the culture, like are we collecting any part to fit to the clue? Or is it more about really learning the historical facts?

There's the current present situation of the culture, and there's their past and their mythology and things they believe in. If you wanna know a lot more, you can interact with a lot of these people. But you have overheard, you can interact with them and listen to what they have to say. Some of them we even give you some hints, some game play elements or a Challenge Tomb round, things like that because we try to make sure that even the Challenge Tomb is within the same mythology of the world where you are. So if you're in Paititi for example, the Challenge Tomb there will be about that. It will be about the past of these people.

So it is very important for us that you learn as much as possible, because there's very interesting learnings to have from them. We worked with an historian at the beginning for the world and linguistics for the language. People are gonna be speaking in English. But we have a mode in the menu where you can have full immersion and you can listen to them talking their native language.

[yoshi4sushi]

(purupurupuru) (purupurupuru) (gocha!) (coo!) (coo!)

 How’s it hanging, nakama?! I hope everyone is ok from this hot, cruel weather so you keep yourself hydrated, wear light clothing, wear plenty of sunscreen, and avoid sun burn. All said and done, we’re back to our weekly news with plenty, plenty of goodies so you know the drill. First off, last week’s chapter was totally chaotic as we see Luffy and the gang finally reached the area where Wano kingdom is, but the journey was full of dangerous waves as the gang are swamped by large koi fish and getting pushed around the sea. Oda-san re-created the scene Hokusai’s Sea of Japan storm painting with the koi fish splashing around. GUA! He’s totally gonna input a lot Edo style in this story. Anyway, the koi fish go up the mountain with a stream guiding them. At the end, Luffy woke with a pinch from a crab and encounters a lion and baboon ready to duke it out. Looks like he finally arrived at the destination. What action will he take? Where are the others? Let’s see how it plays out this week. Next, this past weekend’s episode was mind-blowing as we see the gang finally making their gateway, while they run into a familiar homie which was Kingbaum flirting with a female tree homie. Luffy and Nami were happy to see him alive, but Kingbaum was not thrilled to see them at all. So he’s back again being the steed for Nami. Poor guy can’t get a break. Back at the city, all of Big Mom’s crew are taking action to go after Luffy and Bege, but more deadly trouble approaches when Big Mom has again gone through her sugar meltdown, and starts rampaging the city. Perospero was able to calm her down telling her that the wedding cake was stolen by Luffy which is lie to keep the city safe. However, Big Mom threatens him if is lying, she will take his lifespan. He’s a big pinch. At the end, Big Mom flies at a fast speed and caught with them slashing like a maniac. Next time, Nami has a plan up her sleeve that will shake off Big Mom. Will it work? Guess we’ll see. Now on with the goodies! First off, look who came in for quick visit. Yup, it’s our totally fave nakama, Tongari-san. Sorry to make travel in this horrible weather, my friend. So what’s the buzz going at the tower? Tongari-san says that loads of amazing stuff is happening! First off, to celebrate the OP anniversary, the tower will be having lots of talk shows happening for next weekend. They’ll invite many special guests such as figurine creators, game creators of the new OP game, World Seeker, voice actors of the Straw Hats, cast of the PHANTOM live show, and Greg along with some editors of OP. They will give away free tickets to these events. Deadline already past, but if you were able to apply beforehand. You’re good to go. You can invite one friend w/ you to the event, and you can apply once for one show. Winners will be sent an email along with a number. Follow the instructions when you’re given the email. Bring an ID to confirm you’re identity. Schedule of the talk shows are posted up. Next, here are some yummy treats the tower will sell for the summer festival: they’ll have Buggy’s watermelon with pineapple gelatin vitamin drink, his chocolate banana pudding energy drink, Luffy’s citron salty gelatin mineral drink, and Chopper’s small bucket of cotton candy with various flavors. Yummy! Yum! Yum! Next, schedule of photo greet with Luffy, Zoro, and Sanji will be on July 17th, 19th, 24th, 26th, and 30th. They’ll give out lottery tickets with numbers around 6:15 to 7:30. If you see you’re number on the board, you win the lottery. Photo greet will be at 9:00 pm. We’ll leave a link with details for those interested. Next, don’t forget that Corazon’s birthday is coming up and you can still get the birthday bromide card of him if you visit the tower. They’ll also give away free birthday posters of him if you make purchases over 3000 yen. Don’t miss it! Next, new goodies will be sold at the store such as this limited ed. towel of the Straw Hats, and some yummy popcorn with flavors of cheese, caramel, salt butter, and milk chocolate. Great snack if you have the munchies. Next, all Straw Hat stores will be having a campaign to celebrate the Mugiwara Festival. Next week, they’ll give out free bromide cards Whole Cake Island special scenes if you purchase goods over 500 yen. Next, loads of new t-shirts: they’ll sell Chopper’s insignia hat t-shirt in navy blue & hot pink color, Germa siblings colored t-shirts with the double 66 of Ichiji, Niji, Yonji, and black color which I think it’s Judge’s. They’ll also sell, lil’ Sanji no.3 t-shirt that he wore back then. Next, they’ll sell this “don” gold color necklace, clear pouches with the OP logos, and a blue color with the gang on both sides, and this cute blue color OP logo scrunchy. Next, all JUMP shops will be selling awesome new goodies such as these three envelope set of devil fruit designs of Luffy’s gum-gum fruit, Law’s op-op fruit, and Buggy’s chop-chop fruit. They’ll also sell this Japanese cloth of Luffy’s gum-gum fruit good for a curtain decoration or table mat. Next, they’ll sell this neon bar themed goods such as acrylic figurines, water bottles, buttons, pouches, tote bags, Japanese coaster mats, and a big towel. Next, the HELLO OP exhibition in Eihime have more new items such as acrylic charms, a folder, a t-shirt, a mug of Law, and a colorful pencil pouch. Next, Jump WORLD is having a Treasure Hunting event where you try to find as many colorful jewels and you could get a free prize. More awesome the Straw Hat stores will be selling such as these totally rad hats of various jolly rogers characters including the navy hat and key holder hat of Luffy, clip boards of Luffy and the navy, & a long towel of the Straw Hats’ jolly rogers. Next, coming soon in Odaiba, a new OP event is coming up next month called “The Mist” where the gang meet with a mysterious man who ate a devil fruit made him a mist man.  More details will be revealed soon. Next, the 50th anniversary of the Jump exhibition will be serving food dishes from popular anime. The OP dish will have Luffy’s favorite food such as chicken drum stick, fried chicken, veggies, and straw hat rice. Very delish! Next, here is the CD cover album the for entire Island Song collection which will be released on Aug.24th. It will have all the characters songs including Big Mom’s Bloody Tea Party. Next, the title for the next book will be Vivre Card Fan Book which will contain fun facts of OP from fans. Also, if you buy either the new OP Open Door books or any of the volumes, you’ll get a free magnet clip, and if you collect them all, it will complete the picture of the Germa theme. Behind it will have a character collage of Luffy and the others. Last, but not least, here is the new DVD cover of vol.12 of WCI arc that has Yonji. It will be released on Aug.1st. One more thing, here is a new drawing that Oda-san made to celebrate the JUMP anniversary. He drew Luffy with Goku. And here’s a pic of seiyuu of Jinbei (Katsuhisa-san), Pedro (Miki-san), Perospero (Uchida-san) Luffy (Mayumi-san) Ussop (Kappei-san), and Nami (Akemi-san). Working together puts a smile on their face. Well done! PHEW! I think we covered everything. Well, that’s all we got for now. Tune in next week for more upcoming awesome goods and events. Special thanks to Tongari-san. We’ll see you at the anniversary party, my friend. Kikko! Momon! Excellent job as always!

[gffa]

your posts about the comics just reminded me of something that's been at the back of my head for a while: how do you view anakin's and obi-wan's relationship as padawan and master? i've seen people argue that it holds abusive elements since obi-wan (as an extension of the jedi council) doesn't help anakin with his trauma (or plays a part in fortifying it? possibly by things like making him call him master) and brushes his worries about the nightmares aside in aotc. (1/2)

i’m not really convinced by the latter since the movie doesn’t show any context for it, but i’d like to hear your thoughts about it. i’m really not prone to putting any blame on obi-wan personally or especially but he’s my favourite character and i tend to overlook his flaws :D (2/2)

THIS IS PROBABLY GOING TO BE LONG, sorry not sorry etc.  :D  I’m going to stick to a gen interpretation on them in this post (and, as always, I have no problem with people who are squicked by them as a pairing for whatever reasons!) and, while I haven’t read much at all in this line of commentary (nor do I care to), I have thoughts on the points you mentioned!During Attack of the Clones, our establishing shot of them, the one that tells us who these characters are now and how they relate to each other, ten years down the road from The Phantom Menace, is one of two people teasing each other and making each other laugh.  Obi-Wan sees that Anakin is nervous and so he makes a joke that’s very obviously something he wouldn’t misremember as a way to jolt Anakin out of his spiraling thoughts, he puts the weight of the joke on himself.  When they’re talking with Padme, Anakin is behaving like an absolute brat, he’s overstepping their authority, he’s promising things that aren’t theirs to promise, he’s acting up and actively disrespecting his teacher to impress someone rather than actually thinking things through.  And Obi-Wan doesn’t dress him down, he pretty much just gives him a WE WILL TALK ABOUT THIS IN THE CAR (TM @forcearama) response.We see that Anakin is getting ahead of himself–he says he can sense everything that’s going on in Padme’s bedroom, except he doesn’t.  The assassin centipedes are already crawling around and it’s not until a bit later that Anakin senses them.  The whole point is that Anakin is working himself into a state in an attempt to impress Padme and Obi-Wan is telling him to get ahold of himself–and then, afterwards, leans in and smiles, telling Anakin (who is upset that Padme doesn’t seem to see him in the same way he sees her), “She was pleased to see us.” to cheer Anakin up.We see, during the Obi-Wan & Anakin comic that Anakin is absolutely smitten with Obi-Wan, HE’S THE BEST is literally a thing Anakin says this close to having actual stars in his eyes.  Obi-Wan listens to Anakin, he takes his upcoming decision seriously, makes it clear that he’ll respect Anakin’s choice whichever way, even as he continues to help guide him.  We see that Obi-Wan is dedicated enough to Anakin that he would leave the Jedi Order with Anakin, if that’s what was necessary.  We see even through The Clone Wars that Obi-Wan gives Anakin his space, lets him be as independent as he can, but that Anakin still wants to go running to him, still calls him Master half of the time, showing us just how much Anakin still values that guidance, still values Obi-Wan’s presence in his life.

Back to Attack of the Clones, Anakin tells Obi-Wan NOTHING of his dreams other than that he’s having dreams.  He doesn’t say if they’re bad dreams (if they even were at this point, Anakin doesn’t look panicked, just wistful and like he misses her–the AOTC novelization said they were nightmares, but that was never from George), and Obi-Wan’s tone and face are deeply caring.  If this were any other situation, his advice would be right, especially for someone who is on the cusp of Knighthood, who would have entirely valid reasons to be dreaming things that he has issues with when he’s about to take a bit step forward in his independence.  It would really make sense if Obi-Wan was speaking from a place about his own dreams of Qui-Gon, which did pass in time, as they’re meant to.Further, we don’t have any context for what the Jedi did or didn’t do in regards to Anakin’s trauma.  We don’t even know when they found out about Anakin’s past, because we never see Qui-Gon tell them where Anakin came from (and Obi-Wan wasn’t there and he never mentions it later, despite that it would be a really good thing to bring up for why this is a bad idea of Qui-Gon’s, to try to get Anakin to be a Jedi) and nothing they say says they for sure knew.  And Anakin himself likely wouldn’t speak up about it, fearing that it would damage his chances in the eyes of his new caretakers–whether he’s right or not about that (and that’s a separate discussion, whether Anakin was a good fit for being a Jedi or not, it doesn’t make him bad if he’s not, just that it’s not the right path for him personally).Here’s the thing, though:  We see some pretty clear examples that Anakin refuses help.  Even setting aside the times in Legends where Obi-Wan did try to talk to him about it, we see Padme in Revenge of the Sith say that they should talk to Obi-Wan about this and Anakin shuts it down hard.  We see that he knows he shouldn’t want more, but he does and it’s because he does not want to change his mindset.  Someone who does not want to talk about these things (even with Padme! he doesn’t even seem to want to talk about the future of their baby, he avoids the subject at every turn, either not answering or changing topics, she is the one making plans) and someone who doesn’t think their mindset is wrong is a lot less likely to get help out of therapy (fandom’s often go-to suggestion for What Anakin Skywalker Needed) than someone who wants to change.  And I have tried getting people into therapy who don’t want to be there and it is not some magical fix it.  It only helps if you want it to help.Also as a side-note, nowhere in Immovable Objects of Star Wars History can I find an example of Anakin calling a slave owner “Master”.  That’s come up a few times in Legends (because people just automatically assume all slavery must follow a 1:1 relationship with US history’s chattel slavery) but never in canon itself as far as I’ve seen.  Anakin expresses no distaste at calling someone “Master” as any sort of indication that it has any negative associations. Is it something fans can play with?  Obviously!  And I have issues with the way slavery is presented in TPM, don’t get me wrong.  But “Master” is only ever used in the sense of a person with a highly developed skill/set of skills.  (eta: To clarify, because I worry some people need it, that does not negate that it was traumatic for Anakin or an absolutely horrifying thing, especially for a child!  But it’s still presented/not presented in specific ways.)But I’m getting side-tracked away from Obi-Wan and Anakin’s relationship.  Yes, they have conflict and issues, but both AOTC and ROTS set up their first scenes as ones that show us how much these two like each other, how much they care about each other, how well they work together.  Obi-Wan and Anakin laughing in the elevator, the kind words Obi-Wan has for him.  Obi-Wan and Anakin fighting together above Coruscant, their fighters MOVE IN SYNC with each other, Anakin refuses to leave Obi-Wan twice in the first half hour, Obi-Wan smiles at him, they bicker like old friends, they have their own special hand-signals.  The entire emotional climax is on their fight, which wouldn’t have any meaning if they didn’t love each other.  It wouldn’t mean anything if their relationship was awful and abusive and terrible in the first place.I’m not saying that Obi-Wan and Anakin’s relationship was perfect.  I do think Obi-Wan’s faith and belief in Anakin blinded him to the true depth of the cracks in his foundation–”He will not let me down.  He never has,” Obi-Wan says, absolutely believing this.  He believes in Anakin’s ability to come through, he shows that every time he puts his life in Anakin’s hands, trusts him to be there when Obi-Wan needs him to show up, that Anakin would never turn to the dark side, because he sees such good and brilliance and wonderfulness in Anakin.  He loves Anakin so much that he cannot see the truth about him.Anakin, in turn, cannot trust what Obi-Wan gives him, he cannot accept that Obi-Wan’s care and love for him are true, unless Obi-Wan’s practically shouting it from the rooftops.  Anakin is a bucket with a hole in the bottom, all that love and praise fills him up and then drains out again by the next day, so he needs more.  Even Padme constantly pouring love into him wasn’t enough to keep Anakin from believing that she’d betrayed him and turned on him, nothing was ever going to be enough for Anakin, and the war emotionally ground them all down and was designed to put strain on their relationship (literally on their relationship because Palpatine wanted Anakin’s relationships with both Obi-Wan and Padme brittle, because he had to whittle down those relationships or Anakin would never fall).But the whole reason we’re invested in it is because they loved each other, because they were so good together.  Because no one else could have done as well as Obi-Wan did with Anakin (I WILL FIGHT THE INTERNET ON THIS), Anakin would never have loved anyone as much as he loved Obi-Wan.  And what we do see of them in canon is littered with Obi-Wan thinking of Anakin and doing kind things for him, checking in on him, offering him support, telling Anakin that he’s proud of him, not taking another Padawan because his previous one still needs him.No relationship in Star Wars is perfect, it wouldn’t be an interesting story without conflict!  They make mistakes, they’re human, and often times they’re in a war that leaves them with little emotional reserves or they’re manipulated into positions where they have to make really shit choices.But they were so good together and there’s dozens of little moments to show the genuine care there, how genuinely good they were for each other, how they made each other better.

[cuckoomagazine]

Interview with Visual Artist Adrian Wojtas.

Tell us about yourself.

My name is Adrian Wojtas and I’m a multidisciplinary creative working with photography, design, and film. I just turned 22. I'm originally from Nawojowa, Poland. I moved to Ireland in 2006 and I’m currently  based  between  Navan  in Co. Meath, and  Dublin.  For  the  past  four  years  I  studied Photography at IADT and I’ve recently graduated with First Class Honours.

In your opinion, do you need education to become a photographer?

For me,studying Photography at IADT has really opened my eyes in terms of critical thinking, really digging deep and engaging with material, which in turn has an impact on the work I produce. Besides the technical stuff -which you can teach yourself in your own time - I think one of the main benefits of art college is  being in the creative space where you meet like-minded individuals. You gain  and shape an understanding of the world based on the content that you and your peers engage with.The discussion, critique,and awareness of what’s out there is important to your development as a creative. I’m all for it.

I think college really helped me with critical thinking. It gave me the experience and a methodology for how to look at things and how to really engage with them. I know people who didn’t go to college or study photography academically that have gone to be successful, but I still think a degree is a great thing to have. A degree shows that you’ve put in the effort, suffered through the four years, and you achieved something. There are years of experience and work behind that piece of paper.

What have you learned in college that you apply to your work today?

Attention to detail. That and understanding the importance of preparation, presentation, and professional practice. 

Influences?

I like to branch out and draw on inspiration from a wide variety of mediums and genres. Some of the main resources would be film and cinematography, painting, illustration, other genres of photography, and even written work from novels to non-fiction. Whatever works!

How would you describe yourself as a photographer?

Photography isn't the only medium that I work with so I wouldn't call myself strictly a photographer. Aside from photography, I also work with in graphic design, film, and cinematography so I’m open to working on a multitude of different projects. 

You’ve recently directed your second short film, More Than This. What is it about?

In a nutshell, it’s about somebody finding out a certain truth about their environment, and how they come to deal with their newfound knowledge.The film touches up on themes of isolation, bureaucracy, and memory. It was a fine exercise in world-building and one of the important aspects in the beginning of  production  was  that  we  wanted  it to have a surreal and otherworldly  quality. Colour plays a key role throughout the film and the art direction of the set and graphic design have had a huge impact upon the believability of the world of the film. Being a predominantly silent film, it was  important  that  the cinematography  drove  forward  the  feeling  of  uncertainty  and  tension.  In addition, the film’s score added another layer to the discomfort by giving it a creeping and unsettling tone. The work of Roy Andersson, Wes Anderson, and David Lynch have been some of the primary influences on the film. 

As it was a student film and a micro-budget self-funded production, the crew and our resources were quite limited. The restrictions in budget also meant that we had to get creative. Several locations in the film had to be faked and reused as new with set redressing and changes in camera position. Some of  the  crew  had  to  take  on  additional  roles  while  on  set.  It  also  involved  a  lot  of  learning  for  me personally since it required various bits of VFX to be added in post-production. A lot of the production came down to preparation yet again, from recon shoots right down to managing people’s schedules.

The film stars David Dooley, who’s also played the lead in my first and previous short film a short film about  filing.  It  was  directed,  shot,  produced,  art  directed,  and  edited  by  me,  and  written  and  co-produced  by  Kieran  Murray  who  was  also  involved  in  the  previous  film.  Orlaith  Darcy  and  Danilo Zambrano have worked on the sound design, Amy Lawless did the make-up, and my brother Mateusz Wojtas designed and made our props.

The film has done quite well so far and has been Long listed for the RDS Visual Arts Award as well as Highly Commended in the Inspirational Arts Photography Award last year. It’s also screened at film festivals in Cork and Kerry in Ireland, as well as Toronto in Canada. It’s set to screen at this year’s River Film Festival in Padova, Italy this June.

Tell us a little about your upcoming cookery book project, Smakołyki.

It’s still very early days in the production process but it’s coming along nicely. Smakołyki: The Art of Traditional Polish Baking is my upcoming cookery book  of traditional  homemade  Polish baking  and desserts, with recipes written and developed by my mother, Anna Wojtas. The project started out as one of my two graduate projects during the final year of study at IADT (the other being the film, More Than This). The idea for the project arose from an interest in revisiting my roots and learning more of my heritage. Since moving away from my  homeland,  the  traditional  food  my  family  makes has remained mostly unchanged. This has been one of the key elements responsible for preserving my cultural identity abroad. 

During my final year in college I designed and photographed a small cookbook featuring ten recipes. The current plan is to expand on that and develop the book into a full sized tome of recipes. It was envisaged that this book would be targeted not only to Polish diaspora permanently living abroad, but also Irish citizens, and others interested in foreign cuisine and baking. Because this is a foreign cookery book and many of the recipes will be unfamiliar to domestic audiences, I believe it is important that each recipe has its own photograph which will act as a helpful visual guide, making the book a more accessible and tactile experience.

More to follow soon, but for the most part, it’s time to get back to work.

What are your thoughts on expensive photography equipment? 

High-end equipment is nice but you can get away with a lot using simple cameras and gear if you know what you're doing. There's a certain beauty in being limited. You learn to overcome challenges and to be resourceful.

Describe your style in 3 words.

Colourful;Balanced;Expressive.

What motivates you?

Good coffee.

Is social media important?

It depends on how you look at it. As a visual creative, I rely heavily on Instagram but I suck at Twitter. It’s very useful because a lot of different types of people use it, and therefore there is potential for a lot of different engagement to come from it as a result. It can open a lot of doors. I think the key thing to focus on is making good material that is interesting to you while staying true to your virtues.

Do you care about following and engagement? 

In a way, yes. It can be reassuring to know that people enjoy and value the craft and the material you pour hours of work into, and that it’s being appreciated. I recently started engaging a lot more with my followers and the community at  large by responding to posts  and stories of complete strangers and enjoying  the visual medium together, which  I find very interesting. I think it’s about finding a balance between that side of it as well as being able to disconnect from it and enjoy the alone time.

Plans?

Learn, grow, travel, read! There are a few projects that I have lined up for the coming few months, from  fine  art projects to other  work  such  as  the upcoming  book. I’m also planning to redesign my personal branding, including my website. That, as well as working on a new short film with my long-time collaborator Kieran Murray.

click here to check out Adrian’s website.

[exilesofembermark]

Game Dev Update | 5.31.18

"Only twelve Tomes from that library survived the Collapse. That we know of...” --A Mage Conveniently Wandering By As You Contemplate The Ruins

There are tomes galore in Exiles, and it’s time we used one to kick off an Update packed with knowledge, lore and RPG-ishness (oh-- and a record 20+ images/gifs for your work-in-progress perusal). 

Last update, we focused on the Narrative System in action, working tutorials, our visit with TouchArcade at GDC, the way we’re organizing visual tiers of gear and a whole mess of NPCs. This time, it’s Inventory management, how to navigate the world map and what to interact with, stat changes, vicious bears and serpents and how DUNGEONS will run. Read on…

CHARACTER INVENTORY

As we’ve worked through the game loops and understood more about what keeps players in the game, we’ve redesigned how your gear inventory is going to look and behave. 

(For you screenshot-investigators out there: the exclamation points mean something is new here and the green chevrons tell you there are effects on the item greater than what you have equipped. Also, the purple “+SPC” tells you the item does a special, non-stat effect.)

Previously, we had your stash over in the Forge, and each item was available by clicking various Slots on your character’s body. This caused too many interactions to get stuff done, so we consolidated into a readily-available Inventory system that makes all gear easily sortable as well as offers a side-by-side comparison for each item to whatever you is equipped equipped. 

You’ll also notice that quick salvage now takes place here in addition to Transmute, which we’ll cover in an upcoming Update. 

LORE OBJECTS

If you don’t love fantasy lore, we’re gonna have to fight (or you’re banished, not sure which yet). We’ve been working for a while on a base of fiction that you will take and run with through your actions in the game, hopefully to some unexpected conclusions. 

Last update, I gave you a look at the Narrative System and what it will do. Now we’re populating that system with imagery that will direct you on your way. Books, signposts, even tombstones are rolling off the assembly and will not only spice up the story experience, there will also be hidden tidbits in some of them (rest easy and don’t look at these here, though-- there are no secretz baked in yet!).

NAVIGATING ACTIVITY ON THE WORLD MAP

Fight something, search for treasure, make a narrative choice, fish for who-knows-what. All are accounted for in the visuals we’re putting on the map. This milestone, we’ll get a feel for how the map is actually working in terms of pushing players along on their journey (that means Levels 1-10 in this case). We’ll be looking to you early testers to help suss out the easiest and most intuitive way to progress in PVE and part of that is whether we’re building the right visual language for our PVE activities. 

PLAYER ABILITY VFX PREVIEW

As threatened, VFX are coming together on the player abilities. Soon, we’ll be able to show all the VFX that testers of the early game experience will see, but here’s how we’re applying and tweaking them piece by piece:

Eviscerate, a Warrior ability, features a blade glint and impact sparks:

Shoulder Rush, another Warrior ability, features both movement and impact effects as the player moves in for a blunt attack:

Here, we’re experimenting with how far we want to go on weapon trails as well as camera shake with an Ability called Rend:

THERE’S AN EXILES WEBSITE!

This Dev Update Tumblr has served Gunslinger well as the development of Exiles continues, but we definitely needed something to show off the basics of the game as well as an easier way to sign up for consideration in early access programs. And now we do!

If you haven’t already, check out exilesofembermark.com for tons of images, basic info on the game and the early access sign-up form!

WHAR’S THE BAR? OVER THAR

The concepts on this fellow have been coming along (as you’ve seen here), and the Bear NPC is not only ready for animations, he’ll also serve as the baseline model for some of our bulkier 4-legged enemies: 

THE SERPENT ENEMY

You saw his sketch last time. Thus “Ssssss...”

‘Nuff said.

THE WISP ETHEREAL

You’ll see the later life stage of the race we call Ethereals in another image or two, but these fearsome enemies start out as mere Wisps, with little form and little power, though they’re wily and mischievous. They traveled across the Breaches from another world, and quickly weaved their way into the fabric of Embermark life, tricking travelers, stealing belongings and sometimes, ending lives. 

FIREBALLS AND DEATH

Now that you’ve seen where the powerful Ethereal starts in life, here’s the latest on how that power eventually manifests... 

...and when, after a pitched battle, he dissolves into his trip to the afterlife (or does everyone “faint” in this game?).

VISUAL LOOT TIERS 

Last month, we shared a rough guide on loot and the visual tiers we’re developing to give you a sense of how powerful (or rickety) the stuff you’re equipping is. To give that more context on the player model, here’s a 3-tier rundown of some basic Warrior gear:

Low Level - wooden shield, rough axe, lighter plate coverage

Mid Level - bulkier armor, metal weapons, finer craftsmanship

High Level - full coverage, BA weapons, intimidation everwhere

THE BOG OF BOGGINESS

More battle environments are rolling out to give players a sense of where they are on the continent, and the Bog is the latest. We’ve made much of bogs and murky swamps and the enemies players might find there, but you also know we put wolves in there as placeholders to amuse ourselves. 

DUNGEONS

It’s an RPG. So thar be dungeons. And while PVE in Exiles is pretty straightforward, dungeons will have their own special challenges. You’ll fight enemies, find treasure and seek the boss/mini-boss/evil overlord/etc, but you also won’t regenerate HP. And they won’t be the same every time. And you will only sort of know where you’re going, traveling from below and seeking the endpoints somewhere near the top. 

“Hideaway” sounds almost inviting, doesn’t it...?

DON’T FORGET TO REMEMBER…

We’ll keep sharing details as we head toward testing (go here to sign up for testing and be among The First), and you can count on early impressions from the testers throughout our various channels.

If you haven’t already, follow along with Exiles development on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. And if you haven’t, I’ll find you. And SMITE you.

CONNECT WITH OTHER EXILES

If you want to hear about the game, ask questions or connect with others who are helping the development team think about features, design and narrative, hop into the Discord Channel for live chat and say hi– it’s a friendly crew with plenty of daily/weekly/sometimes-planned shenanigans.

BONUS - EW, WHAT’S THAT

No, this is not an enemy. It’s you. Or, rather, it’s the player Warrior doing a Shoulder Rush animation sans body (the same animation as seen above with body). This is simply presented as a bonus to haunt your dreams-- I was frightened of it, so I want company...

BONUS 2 - MY FATHER’S SKULL!

You thought it was a throw-away caption in last month’s Update, but suddenly, an eerie light emerges from Julius Neomeirus’ father’s skull. Given it was ravaged by some ember-mutated cur, perhaps some knowledge or power remains in that skull, waiting for something (or someone) to unlock it?