#virtual career fairs

[ibentos]

Virtual Career Fair – Everything You Need to Know

The traditional approach to employment fairs is changing in the current digital era. Virtual career fairs have grown in popularity and importance as a component of the hiring process. These online events offer job seekers and businesses a simple and effective way to connect, communicate, and look into open positions. We will go into the realm of virtual career fairs in this extensive blog post, covering their advantages, features, success suggestions, and everything else you need to know to get the most out of these online job fairs.

[remotebridge]

Virtual Recruiting Platform

Virtual Recruiting Platform

Try virtual recruiting with a virtual career fair for your company. Hire and inspire like never before with virtual recruiting from RemoteBridge.

Key Benefits:

No cold outreach – RemoteBridge fills the room with pre-qualified talent that meet your hiring criteria.

Fun, fully-hosted virtual career fairs with boat races, scavenger hunts, interactive activities, and raffle prizes.

Interviews conducted via avatar or video conference (i.e. toggle between the island and Zoom).

Reduced opportunities for unconscious bias during the hiring process.

Interested candidates driven to your existing Applicant Tracking System (A.T.S.) - no system integrations needed.

No upfront cost - pay only for successfully placed candidates.

[scribblesofagoonerr]

It's only up from here now on, kid

Since this one won in the poll that I put out, here it is ✌🏼

Thank you so much @alotofpockets for the help with this post!

Let me know what you all think & I hope you like it.

Ps. It's almost 2 am and I'm tired so I apologise if the last bit of this doesn't make much sense at all... 🫠

“It’s going to be fine, remember?” Beth tries her best to reassure you as she takes a gentle hold of your hand on her own, “Just breathe, you’re okay” she adds.

“I’m scared” You admit, barely louder than a whisper.

Viv glances at you and smiles at you sympathetically from the seat opposite, “It’s normal to feel like you do, kleintje” she tells you.

“We’re going to be right here for you the whole time” Beth promises you as she moves her free arm to wrap it around your shoulder and tug you in a little bit closer, “We’re not leaving you” she states in reassurance.

It was unfortunate for you that the day of your planned surgery came around quicker than you initially would’ve liked and you couldn’t avoid it any longer now.

The way that your uninjured knee bounced up and down anxiously and your hands that were ridiculously clammy was a clear indication of actually how worried and scared you were about this.

Both Beth and Viv could tell straight away that you were beginning to freak out the moment that you had stepped into the waiting room; You’d always hated hospitals, there was just something about them that made you always try and avoid them when it was possible.

However, this surgery wasn’t something that you could just brush under the carpet, because it was important and it was needed if you wanted to continue with your career.

Initially you thought the hardest thing that you would have to face would be dealing with the aftermath of it all, listening to the media drone on about how this injury would rule you out the rest of the current season and any international breaks for the next 9 months, like you didn’t already need enough of a reminder about your dream of the olympics being over.

It was like a virtual kick in the teeth.

You hated the fact you were sidelined from the games and despite how much you had the support of Beth, Viv, Laura, Leah and hell even the rest of the girls, it still hurt to deal with it all.

Even Kyra’s mischievous ways couldn’t put a smile on your face most days, nor the adorable puppy cuddles from Myle, Beth & Vivs’ new pup that you’d completely fallen in love with.

“Is it too late to just turn around and go back home?” You can’t help but wonder, glancing around the hospital waiting room apprehensively.

Beth lets out a small laugh, “We can’t do that kiddo, we’re already here now” she replies to your question.

Pouting quietly, you fumble with your hands which has become a trait that you’d do when you're nervous, “I… I don’t want to be here. I’m scared” you confess.

“I know kiddo, but you have nothing to be worried about” The blonde tells you in reassurement, doing her best to ease your worries about your feelings of the upcoming surgery, “The surgeons are good, they know what they're doing here” she reminds you.

“They have done it enough times” Viv chips in quietly, earning a small chuckle from Beth.

“I hate hospitals” You complain a few seconds later.

“I know that you do, kiddo” Beth smiles at you sympathetically, all but wishing that she could take your pain and suffering away.

It had hurt Beth and Viv so much to see you go down on the pitch in the way that you did, they’d not openly had a conversation about it but it was definitely understood that they shared mutual feelings about the whole situation.

None of it was fair for you, you were on the path to succeed and just like that, this cruel injury has wiped that all away in just a blink of an eye.

Life really was cruel sometimes.

“Can you… Can you run me through it again, please? Just so I remember what’s going to happen” You mumble quietly, but still loud enough for the two women to hear you ask the question, “Please” You whisper, sounding unusually vulnerable compared to usual.

“Okay” Beth exhales a sigh, she’d already run over the whole procedure of what would happen at least twice, or maybe even three times previously, but if it eased your own worries than she’d do what she could to help you out, “You want me to run you through the procedure, or the whole of it in general?” she wonders.

“All of it” You whisper, fumbling with the strings of yours– Laura’s hoodie that you had somehow stolen from her but you liked the way that it buried you and made you feel small enough to try and escape the world.

The blonde nods in understanding before she starts to explain it once more, “So in the next hour or so from now, your names’ going to be called and you’ll be taken to the room that you’ll be in before your operation” she pauses for a minute to let you catch up to speed, “You’ll have a hospital gown to change into that they’ll give you when you go into the room along with a pair of them snazzy socks, huh? So you just be able to pull the look off” she jokes with you, trying to keep the conversation light and jokey to avoid you getting any further worried.

“Nobody can pull a look like that off, well other than Leah I suppose” You mumble as you giggle slightly at the comment.

“Well she can pull anything off” Viv chuckles, shaking her head amusedly as she tries to bury her own feelings down to not have you feel any more scared than you need to be.

“Even a bin bag” Beth jokes with you both, “Alright, so your surgery isn’t until 4 o’clock, remember? So you’re going to have to wait a bit, but we’ll be right in the room with you to keep you company, up until the minute you go down” she adds.

You follow along and nod, somehow Beth running through everything again does a little something to settle your bubbling nerves, “What happens after that?” you ask.

“Before you go down to the operating room, there will be an anaesthetist that will come and see you beforehand to discuss the options of anaesthetic before you go down” The blonde tells you, pausing for you to quickly catch up on the last bit of information, “Remember how we spoke about the anaesthetist inserting a cannula into your vein as well? They’ll do that, so they’ll be able to administer any medicine that’s needed during the operation” she tells you.

“Will the cannula hurt?” You start to panic once more, you were vaguely familiar with the fact that a cannula was a sharp needle that would be painful and you absolutely hated needles.

“It will be just like a sharp string, but it’ll be over soon enough” Viv is quick to tell you when she notes the panic in your eyes, they both definitely knew how much you hated anything medically, and they’d definitely experienced their fair share of dealing with your panic attacks when you’ve needed any type of injections in the past, “They’ll give you the anaesthetic that’ll put you to sleep” she adds.

“Will it be a n… needle?” You absolutely hate needles, you’re terrified of them and every single doctor's experience in the past had always been disastrous ever since you were little.

“You won’t feel it initially, kleintje” Viv tells you as she places a gentle hand on your uninjured knee to stop it bouncing anxiously, “You’ll have a cannula in your hand. When you're down in the operating room, the anaesthetist will ask you to count backwards from 10 while they administer it and before you even get to finish, you’ll be completely out of it so they can begin the operation” she explains to you.

You slump your shoulders as you feel slightly more at ease, “Oh, okay then. That… That doesn’t sound too bad then” You mumble, swallowing the lump that forms in your throat, “So the doctors will know what they’re doing?”

“They do, they have done it enough times” Beth says as she lightly chuckles.

“And when I wake up from surgery then Leah and Laura will be here as well, right?” You ask hopeful, after all they’d both told you that they would be and you hoped that they wouldn’t break their promise.

“Yes, they have both promised that they will be here” Beth replies in agreement.

Smiling slightly, you nod in agreement with the blonde, “They can’t break the promise then, can they?” You quietly ask, fumbling with the strings again.

“No they can't, otherwise they’ll face a very unhappy girl after surgery” The blonde jokes, ruffling your hair, which earns a small grumble of protest from you.

“Feel less nervous now?” Viv questions, hopeful that you did feel at ease a little bit.

“A little bit, but I really hate hospitals” You huff in annoyance, shaking your head, “And I really hate stupid knees’ as well” You mumble quietly.

Beth can’t help but snort amusedly, “Don’t we all, kiddo… Don’t we all, hey?” she jokes, still trying to keep the conversation light still.

“Okay, we’re going to take you down now, Y/N” The surgeon tells you once they’ve finished spieling all of the medical jargon, which you didn’t really listen to too much.

When they placed the cannula, you can’t deny that it didn’t hurt. There were a few tears in your eyes, but you consider yourself to be mostly brave in comparison to not freaking out about it.

“O… Okay” You swallow the nervous lump in your throat that had formed, the nerves settling in once again.

Beth takes a gentle hold of your own when she can sense your worries, “Don’t be scared, kiddo. You’re in great hands” she reassures you, or at least tries to do that.

“We’ll be right here waiting for you when you come back” Viv chips in, trying to contain her own fears and worries in favour of yours.

You glance between them wearily, “Y… You promise?” You question in fear, although you know that of course they’ll be sat waiting in the room for you and they wouldn’t let you go through this on your own.

“We promise” Beth replies in agreement.

“We promise, kleintje” Viv adds in.

“Love you both” You tell them, it’s barely louder than a whisper but both women are able to hear it and smile at you fondly.

“We love you too, kleintje” Viv tells you, placing a light kiss on the top of your head.

Beth smiles and swaps places with Viv to be closer to you, “We love you so much, our wonder kid” she tells you, kissing the top of your head again, “We’ll be right here when you come back. We’re not going anywhere” she adds.

The very single second that you left the hospital room with the surgeons, it was like Viv completely fell apart trying to hold it together any longer now you weren’t there, constantly pacing the floor in the hospital room up and down as Beth watched her girlfriend, worriedly.

“Viv, you’re pacing the floor so much. You might put a dent in it” Beth jokes lightly, furrowing her eyebrows as she watches in concern as her girlfriend get worked up

“I know, I can’t help it” Viv admits as she still continues to pace the floor, not pausing to take a breath or speak to her girlfriend, 

“I think you might be more nervous than Y/N was before she went down” Beth jokes, trying to keep the mood in the room light.

“I am nervous for Y/N” Viv admits quietly, just loud enough for her girlfriend to be able to hear what she said.

Beths’ facial expression softens in realisation at just how worried Viv actually was about you and your impending surgery, “Why didn’t you tell me?” she asks.

“BecauseI was trying to be strong for Y/N, she was scared enough without seeing me to fall to pieces” Viv explains to the blonde, shaking her head and still continuing to pace the floor, “You’re not worried for her?” she asks.

“Of course, I am nervous for her but I’m trying to be brave for her and put my feelings aside” Beth replies to the Dutch womans’ question, “I know it’s hard to keep it all in though. You know that she’s going to be okay though” she tells her.

Viv exhales a sigh and shakes her head, “I’m trying, but it’s so hard and she’s still so young. None of this is fair, Beth” she mumbles.

“I know, leifje” Beth mumbles in agreement before she exhales a sigh herself.

“This is her first major surgery. You saw how scared she looked before, I just can’t help but be worried right now” Viv states, still pacing the floor continuously.

Beth frowns and moves to step in front of her girlfriend to stop any further pacing, “Viv, leifje. I know you’re worried for her but you know that the surgeons here are good and you know that she’s in safe hands” she does her best to reassure her girlfriends’ own fears.

Viv halts from her continuous pacing and exhales a loud sigh, “I know, and I know that too as well but I still can’t be less worried about her until I see her” she confesses.

“That might still be a while yet though, so how about we just sit down?” The blonde suggests, gesturing to the empty chairs in the room, “This pacing isn’t healthy either” she notes.

“What if something goes wrong?” Viv questions in concern.

“Viv, Y/N/N is going to be fine” Beth still tries to reassure her girlfriend, gently pulling her towards the empty chairs, “She’s going to be so brave” she tells her.

“But what if–” Vivs’ question is cut off.

“Viv, leifje” Beth interjects with a soft smile, “Listen, I know you’re worried but there’s nothing that we can do to control this right now. Y/N is in safe hands with the medical professionals, remember?” she reminds her girlfriend.

“You’re right, I know you are but what if–” Viv starts to speak again.

“Vivianne, all that we can do right now is sit down and wait” Beth cuts in, holding her girlfriends’ hand in her own, “I’m just as worried about her as you are, but all of this pacing the floor isn’t going to help ease your worries nor mine, so please just come and sit down” she tells her girlfriend gently.

“Okay” The Dutch woman nods in agreement and moves to sit down beside her girlfriend.

Beth smiles at the woman and joins her to sit down, “Thank you. Y/N/N is going to be okay, she’s our strong girl” she states, trying to remain positive for the both of them.

“We’re here!” Laura announces, rushing into the hospital room as fast as she could without injuring herself again.

“We made it here, finally. Traffic was a nightmare on the way here” Leah follows the younger girl in, shaking her head, disgruntled by the typical London traffic that made her get stuck in the middle of rush-hour traffic.

“You both made it here, that’s the main thing” Beth breathes a sigh of relief that she’d been holding in for a while, glad that both of them had made it to the hospital before you came back from surgery.

“The room was a little hard to find. Hospitals always confuse me still” Laura mumbles, moving to sit down in an empty seat in your hospital room.

“Baby England still down in surgery?” Leah questions, settling into the seat Laura.

“Yes” Viv exhales a sigh.

“They took her down around 4 pm, so hopefully it won’t be much longer now” Beth hopes as she takes a quick glance at the time on her phone, apprehensive to mention anything about complications in case that would make Viv panic all over again.

“Gotcha” Leah nods in understanding, glancing between the couple, “How’re you both holding up?” she checks in with them.

Beth can’t help but chuckle slightly, “Well I think Viv’s been a lot more nervous about this than I was led to believe, so it seems like I’m just trying to hold it together for the two of us at this point now” she jokes with the blonde, mock-teasing her girlfriends’ need to worry so much.

“Hey, Y/N is like our own kid. You’re just as worried about her as I am!” Viv insists firmly, shaking her head at her blonde girlfriend.

“I am worried, leifje” Beth responds in agreement, taking a gentle hold of her girlfriends’ hand in her own.

Leah chuckles slightly and shakes her head, “The rest of the girls all send their love, they’d be here as well but they didn’t want to crowd her too much. Steph had to pull Kyra back from her trying to get in my car to join us” she adds in, amusedly.

“We can invite them around when Y/N/N is up for visitors” Viv suggests, trying to chat now to distract any more nervous thoughts about you. Beth was right, you were in safe hands and there was nothing that she could do to change what happens in the operating room.

Beth smiles and nods in agreement, “I’m sure she’d like that” she states.

It felt like several more hours had passed before you finally made an appearance in the room, fast asleep still from the general anaesthetic that you’d been given.

“Here she is” Leah cheers quietly as she spots you still asleep  as they wheel your bed back into the hospital room.

“Surgery went well?” Viv checks in with the surgeon.

“Surgery went very well” The surgeons beams a wide smile in agreement with the woman.

Given the general post-op run down from the surgeons, they left the room and the ACL crew were now just waiting for you to wake up and come back around from the anaesthetic, which wasn’t too long afterwards thankfully.

“Ah, look whos’ finally woken up” Beth jokes when she sees your eyes prise open, “Hello sleepy head” she adds.

You groan as you come around from the slumper you were previously in, feeling slightly disoriented about things, “Ugh. Where am I?” You mumble, not completely aware of your surroundings yet.

“You’re in hospital, Y/N” Beth chuckles slightly and shakes her head, “Did you bang your head down there, huh? We’re all here for you, just like we said” she motions around the room the 4 familiar faces.

“Mhm, oh yeah. Had knee surgery-- Le, you're here, you came!” You mumble in realisation as you squint your eyes and look round the room, spotting Leah and Laura along with Beth and Viv, who had been strangely quiet still since you’d woken up.

"Ahem, I'm here too, you know?" Laura chips in, amusingly.

"Laur! You're here too!" You exclaim in realisation, excited to see the older girl, "Can I go home now?" You ask, eager to get out of the hospital as you thought you had already been here long enough.

“Whoa easy there, let’s just take it slow, huh? There’s no rush” Beth replies, laughing amusedly as she watches you try and climb out of the hospital bed, still very much under the anaesthetic so you couldn’t feel how much pain you were really in.

You can’t help but pout in disappointment, “My own beds’ more comfier than this one though” you note.

Leah can't help but chuckle amusedly, "Glad to see that you've not lost your sense of humour, baby England" she teases you lightly.

"Le!" You exclaim in glee, so high still from the anaesthetic that you forgot she was here again and you are just so happy to see her again, "You're here!" You add in joy.

"I am. I promised you that I would be here, didn't I?" The blonde defender laughs in amusement at your own expense, "It's nice to see that you're in the land of the living now, eh?" she still continues to tease you.

The second that you lie your eyes on Viv, it only takes a few seconds before the floodgate of tears is opened as you stare at her in shock, before you giggle slightly.

"Seriously, Vivi? You told me to not be worried yet here you are, balling your eyes out" You can't help but laugh hysterically, mostly from the anaesthetic making you feel so loopy, "This whole time you've been so worried yourself!" You add in.

Beth chuckles and shakes her head amusedly, "Oh kiddo, she's been beside herself with worry" she tells you as she gently squeezes you on the shoulder, "Remember now, it's only up from here now on, kid" she tells you.

"It's only up from here now on" You parrot the blonde in agreement, happy enough to be closer to leaving that dreaded hospital.

© scribblesofagoonerr

[wilwheaton]

Why did Mr. Meadows squander his career, his reputation and possibly his liberty by casting his lot with Mr. Trump? He once seemed an unlikely casualty of Mr. Trump’s wrecking ball — he was a savvy politician who knew his way around the corridors of power. In fairness to Mr. Meadows, three of his predecessors also failed as Mr. Trump’s chief. “Anyone who goes into the orbit of the former president is virtually doomed,” said Jack Watson, Jimmy Carter’s former chief of staff. “Because saying no to Trump is like spitting into a raging headwind. It was not just Mission Impossible; it was Mission Self-Destruction. I don’t know why he chose to do it.” In their motion to remove the Fulton County case to federal court, the lawyers for Mr. Meadows addressed Mr. Trump’s now infamous Jan. 2, 2021, call with Georgia’s secretary of state, Brad Raffensperger — during which Mr. Meadows rode shotgun as the president cut to the chase: “All I want to do is this. I just want to find 11,780 votes ….” Addressing Mr. Meadows’s role, his lawyers wrote: “One would expect a chief of staff to the president of the United States to do these sorts of things.” Actually, any competent White House chief of staff would have thrown his body in front of that call. Any chief worth his salt would have said: “Mr. President, we’re not going to do that. And if you insist, you’re going to make that call yourself. And when you’re through, you’ll find my resignation letter on your desk.” Mr. Meadows failed as Mr. Trump’s chief because he was unable to check the president’s worst impulses. But the bigger problem for our country is that his failure is a template for the inevitable disasters in a potential second Trump administration.

 Mark Meadows Is a Warning About a Second Trump Term

[freesia-writes]

Ch 25: Surrender and Dread

Master List ~~ Previous Chapter ~~ WC: 2.4k

Song: Eleanor Collides - Lifeboats (Official Lyric Video) (youtube.com)

.

The water crashed over the rocks with a steady, soothing roar as Luci reclined beside the river, lifting her water bottle to her lips before tossing it aside and stretching out luxuriously where they’d strewn their towels over the flat stones on the bank. Hunter gazed at the waters, swirling in blue and green hues, then allowed his eyes to drift over her. She folded her arms over her face to block the sun, peeking out at him with one squinty eye.

“It’s not fair that you can get into shape so fast,” she said with a smile, letting out a low whistle as Hunter took his shirt off and rested with his hands behind him. “I mean, are you kidding me? Look at you.” He glanced down, noticing that his soldier physique had indeed returned at a rapid rate, although this was no surprise to him, considering his engineering. The various workouts that they had enjoyed together had challenged him in new ways, allowing him to develop not only his strength and stamina, but his agility, flexibility, and stability as well. It helped that they were always outdoors, too, so his rich brown skin was a deeper tone than it ever had been during the years spent wearing blacks every waking moment. 

“Sorry,” he said, as unapologetically as he could. She laughed, shaking her head and burying it further beneath her arms. “It’s all your fault anyway,” he continued, grinning as she swatted blindly at him. 

“I regret nothing,” she grumbled, lifting one toned leg and flexing her foot back and forth. She’d worn nothing but a swimsuit for their hike, leaving him speechless at her free-spirited comfort in virtually any situation. “But I also have earned a good, solid ‘I told you so’ about the dancing. It took, what, like six lessons and you’ve got all kinds of lustful eyes on you now?” Hunter groaned, rolling his eyes in thorough disbelief, but she continued with a mockingly insistent look on her face, “You might not see it, but I do. But don’t worry, I’ll fight em off. I told you I was scrappy.”

“Thank you.” His sincerity was laced with sarcasm, and she loved every minute of it, lowering her leg back down and touching his foot with hers on the way. 

“You gonna help me with the next series of dance classes?”

“It didn’t sound like you needed a partner for those…” Hunter said, voice constricting a little. 

“Not at the studio,” she said with a smirk. “But maybe I can practice on you at home so I can get the best choreography for the students… Somethin real spicy.” 

“You didn’t get enough practice in your traveling dance troupe? That sounded… similar…”

“Oh it was,” Luci agreed, biting her lip at the thought. “You wouldn’t believe some of the politicians I entertained… It’s amazing how so many people, all wildly different on the outside, can be reduced to most of the same basic urges.”

“You love toying with people, don’t you…”

“Not toying with them,” she corrected quickly, a tinge of indignation in her soft, light voice. “That sounds mean. I love people in all their shapes and sizes. It’s just fun that, at the simplest level, we’re pretty much all the same.” She paused, considering her own philosophy. “But the differences add all the color and flavor! So being able to see both in each person – the common humanity as well as the amazing diversity – makes life a really interesting ride! No pun intended,” she added with a wink. “But yeah, my… insight… did get me a lot of tips and repeat customers. So everyone was happy.”

“Well that’s good.”

“Did I tell you about my Holonet correspondent job?” she asked, sitting up to face him more fully and adjusting her swimsuit top. 

“I don’t think so…” he murmured, furrowing his brow. She’d told him a lot, to be honest, and there were so many stories of random career endeavors and impulsive adventures that he was starting to feel lost in it all. She had a number of tattoos, each with its own tale of meaning (or debauchery), and she’d been across the galaxy almost as much as he had, it seemed, although under very different circumstances. There were more people in her life than he could remember, all referred to with fondness and specific names that he promptly forgot. And she seemed to have more luck than the average individual, having skirted some very precarious situations a number of times. It was getting to the point where he was fairly certain he couldn’t be surprised by anything from her anymore, and somehow that was comforting in itself.

“Okay, so I’m a journalist for the Galactic News Network, based out of Coruscant… I actually still have my apartment there, because it’s such a fun place to visit, and I might take that up again someday cause it was crazy money and lots of weird, awesome people. Anyway, I’m covering this underground Sabacc ring that was increasingly connected with a few crime lords in the area, and I have to go in disguise to try to get chummy with the right people. I get all set with a hidden recorder, some tracking beacons, and a killer outfit, and there I am, in the middle of it all. I thought I was pretty decent at Sabacc… until then… So I lost all my credits immediately, which was how I was supposed to get to the right table… But I had to pivot and use my people skills instead.” She leaned back on her hands, mimicking his position and turning her chin toward the sun, closing her eyes to soak up its warm beams as she continued a colorful tale of flirtation, deception, and drunken confessions that blew up into an entire scandal. “...and I got to write it all!” she finished cheerily. “So that was a fun one. But anyway – we’ve been sitting far too long. Dare you to jump?”

Hunter followed her pointed finger to the waterfall, which was not terribly high but poured into a churning pool below. He couldn’t decide if he felt lazy or just content, but when he caught the inquisitive sparkle in her eye, he was surprised at how willing he felt all of a sudden. Next thing they knew, they were standing on a relatively thin ledge, pressed up against the face of the rock wall with the water tumbling down beside them, and Luci reached a hand out to him, entwining her fingers with his before leaping into the water below and pulling him along. 

They crashed into the pool, tumbling beneath the sheer force of water cascading from above, and after a few strong strokes, they each burst out of the water, gasping for air. Hunter flung his hair back from his forehead, although some tousled chunks still fell across his eyes in the most gloriously attractive and viscerally satisfying manner, and Luci giggled as she swam to where he had waded into a waist-deep eddy where the water was much calmer. He rubbed his face with both hands, turning to smile at her as she stood up beside him, repositioning her swimsuit and dipping in the water one more time to make her hair lay perfectly smooth down her back. 

“Let’s try a flip next time,” she snickered, teasing the water droplets across his chest with a few playful fingers. 

“I think I’m good,” Hunter shook his head, looping an arm around her waist with seemingly lighthearted ease, but his heart was pounding in his chest. She sidled a little closer, straightening the dainty gold chains around her neck before resting her hands on his chest again. Her body pressed against his, wet and warm, and the sensation had a disproportionate impact on him as he pulled her close. 

“You are good,” Luci teased, nestling into his embrace and studying his face with soft eyes. She slowly lifted a hand, cupping the side of his face and brushing a thumb along the curve of his tattooed cheekbone, then lowered her gaze to his lips, flickering back up to his eyes with an unspoken question. Tingles raced through his veins, combined with an exhilaration that goaded him on, and he tilted his head slightly, watching her closely. She touched the tip of his nose with her own, cheeks curving into that disarming smile he’d come to enjoy so much, and then she leaned in a little closer, pressing her lips to his with a feather-light care that made his knees weak. 

How long had it been since he’d been kissed? He had no idea. Cadet shenanigans at 79s, probably. It felt like a different life. And yet here he was, arms wrapped around a beautiful, smart, fun woman whose mouth was gently caressing his own as her long lashes closed in blissful surrender. He could feel every inch of her melted against him as her hand slowly wove its way up the back of his neck, and his eyes fluttered shut as she sighed quietly against his lips. She pulled away for a moment, looking at him with the same delight and surprise that he had on his own face, then she came back for more, tipping her own head to kiss him more passionately this time. 

His nose pressed into her cheek, his fingers splayed across the middle of her back as his arms flexed around her, and his breaths were shallow and irregular as their lips met again and again. A fire was growing in his core, spreading out to his limbs, and as she idly slid one hand down his ribs and stomach, it burst into a full flame. When they finally separated, Hunter had to gasp for air, earning a giggle from Luci as she pinched his cheek fondly. She opened her mouth with a snarky remark, but then closed it, shaking her head minutely to herself and instead beaming at his flushed face. The myriad of emotions in his dark eyes were impossible to sort through, but she forgot them all when he suddenly moved forward more confidently now, cupping her face in both hands and doing his best to avoid being sloppy despite the wave of hunger that washed over him. 

His lips fit around hers, pressing together and coming apart with quiet sounds as her fingernails raked up his back. He pulled back for a breath, then carefully kissed her cheek, her jaw, beneath her ear, the side of her neck. Her skin was so soft, flecked with a few remaining water droplets, and the hint of her perfume was so sweet that his mind was reeling. His heart flipped in his chest, relishing the feeling of her pulse against his lips. She leaned her head to the side, exhaling in utter contentment, and he stopped himself suddenly with a ragged gasp, catching her attention as she looked at him quizzically. 

“Sorry,” he said, his voice far more husky than he’d have hoped as he dropped his hands to his sides and took a step back. “I didn’t mean to–” She put a finger on his lips, a starstruck smile on her face, and shook her head. 

“Nothing to be sorry for, except for stopping,” she said playfully, then surprised him by turning to slowly walk out of the river, flashing a glance back at him over her swaying hips. “But I’m gonna give you a minute to cool off; you look like you need it,” she winked, climbing to their towels with a giggle. 

Hunter stood in the water for a moment longer, rubbing his face again before folding both hands atop his head, staring into the distance in a dreamlike state. He took a deep breath, blowing it out slowly through pursed lips, then followed after her. 

The hike back to town was punctuated with lighthearted conversation and playfulness, and Hunter felt as though he were walking on a cloud. He could still feel her soft, full lips and the curve of her body against his own. It was utterly distracting, causing him to trip a few times, earning gleeful snickers from Luci. When it came time to part ways, she grabbed his hand again, pulling him in close and melting him with those large green eyes that were absolutely full of adoration. His heart leapt into his chest as she gave him a farewell kiss, lingering just a moment longer to give his stomach time to join the internal acrobatics. Then, with a wave and a wink, she was gone.

He continued walking home slowly, taking in the scenery as though seeing it anew. The birds were singing as they dipped and soared on the gentle breeze that rustled through the trees. The salty air carried rich scents of cooking and agriculture from the cozy homes and farms nearby. The soft grass beneath his feet carried on across the swells of the meadows until they gave way to the lush forest, and the walls of his cabin appearing in the clearing ahead was a welcome sight.

Only when he dropped his bag on the table in the entryway, causing a few of the contents to tumble out, did he notice the flashing light on his comm. 

Freezing in his tracks, he felt an icy grip in his chest, followed immediately by waves of anger, confusion, and indignation that washed away the blissful warmth he’d been floating in.

He picked it up and clicked a single button, watching the small light flash a certain pattern of colors, and he didn’t realize he’d clenched his jaw until his teeth ground together, sending a shiver down his spine.

It could just be an animal… Or a friend… But the indoor sensors had been triggered as well… So unless it was the first occasion of breaking and entering that the island had ever seen…

He sighed, dropping the device back to the table as though it were repulsive to him, then headed for his room, fists tight at his sides.

.

Previous Chapter ~ Master List ~ Next Chapter

Join the tag list by commenting for the discord server link or filling out my form.

@lightwise @littlemissmanga @dystopicjumpsuit @523rdrebel

@solstraalaa @skellymom @photogirl894 @youreababboon @anything-forourmoony

@reader6898 @moonstrider9904 @hipwell @lamiliani @catoo

@ilarria @padawancat97 @yve-barr @lucyysthings @flowered-bicycles

@maddiedrmr @techhasmjolnir @arctrooper69 @spicy-clones @ezras-left-thumb

@cw80831 @dreamie411 @meagmcc12 @waytoooldforthis78 @hunter-lvr

@baddest-batchers @yunggoblin @sweeticedtea @imperfectxprincess @ivyyyyy

@callsign-denmark @leotawrites @carlislecullensadilf @ivyyyyy

@thetechturn @burningnerdchild @galaxyofthoughts99 @salaminus @goldy-lots

@littlefeatherr @thiswitchloves9904 @subbing-for-clones @heidnspeak @serretta

[growingstories]

Side business

Gianni, a 23-year-old marketeer that recently graduated, landed a job as a junior press officer at a prestigious Italian fashion brand. As he embarked on his exciting new career, he began sharing his adventures on social media. His Instagram account quickly gained popularity, attracting an audience of over 50,000 followers.

His boss discovered Gianni's growing online influence and recognized its potential. Impressed by his ability to engage with an audience, Gianni was promoted to a senior position within the company. His boss even suggested a plan for Gianni to collaborate with other influencers and showcase outfits before they hit the stores. This strategy greatly boosted the brand's sales and left everyone involved thrilled with the results.

Gianni's online presence caught the attention of travel brands, who saw a perfect opportunity to collaborate with him. Combining his passion for travel with his current job seemed like a dream come true. Eventually, Gianni was offered a different position that allowed him to travel the world as a brand ambassador and head of social media. This proved to be a tremendous success, as he earned money by partnering with other brands and posting about their products. His healthy lifestyle and fitness journey also made him a sought-after expert, leading to features in renowned publications like Vogue, Vanity Fair, and G.Q Gianni's popularity continued to rise, and he enjoyed the luxury of a lavish lifestyle, complete with a glamorous personal trainer, Francesco. Francesco drives a Porsche and loves fancy watches.

For many years, Gianni thrived, giving Ted talks and attending exclusive parties, collaborating with numerous companies and earning substantial amounts of money. He even purchased a grand house in Tuscany and shared the renovation process online, engaging his followers with step-by-step updates and showcasing furniture brands.

Eventually, Gianni decided to leave his day job and focus solely on endorsement deals. He started offering online courses, recording podcasts from his home studio, and hosting, pay exclusive-per-view live Q&A sessions for his subscribers. While Gianni received many tempting offers of a sexual nature, he always declined. However, one evening, after consuming a few drinks, he engaged in a private, sexually explicit Q&A session with a follower named Franco89. This opened the door to more explicit conversations and eventually led Gianni to create a secret OnlyFans account. There, he redirected fans who desired sexually oriented content, including Franco89.

FitFrank, who Gianni initially didn't recognize, messaged him one day. Their conversations quickly evolved, and they eventually engaged in virtual intimate encounters. Although Gianni had his reservations, FitFrank eventually persuaded him to participate in paid jerk-off sessions, which they conducted weekly.

Amidst his immense success, Gianni received fan mail, flowers, and outfits from well-known brands. Due to his excellent physique, he could easily request any outfit he desired. One day, he found a box of cupcakes and received message a from FitFrank insinuating that he knew about the cupcakes. Initially Gianni dismissed, it, assuming it was a coincidence. However, after tasting and enjoying the cupcakes during one of his live sessions, FitFrank sent him a message, revealing that he was aware of Gianni’s indulgence. Intrigued, Gianni engaged in a conversation with FitFrank, who made an unusual offer: €100 for each cupcake Gianni ate during a live session. Although Gianni hesitated at first, FitFrank increased the offer to €1000 for two live eating sessions per month. Succumbing to the allure of the lucrative deal, Gianni agreed to indulge himself weekly.

Gianni's popularity continued to soar, and endorsement offers poured in, particularly for swimwear. Whenever he posted about a particular brand, it sold out immediately. His fit body, dedication to fitness, and healthy eating habits had transformed him into a lifestyle specialist, attracting media attention from magazines such as Vogue, Vanity Fair, and GQ.

However, as Gianni's workload increased, he found less time for travel and decided to reduce his trips. Instead, he focused on providing online courses and hosting events exclusively in Italy. He also introduced paid subscriptions for his live Q&A sessions, further boosting his income.

Despite his success, Gianni couldn't help but notice his clothes becoming tighter. Concerned about his appearance, he decided to end his deal with FitFrank and ignored his messages. However, FitFrank responded by sending cupcakes every morning, tempting Gianni to continue their arrangement. Eventually, FitFrank offered even more money, €1000 per cake. Gianni decided to extend the deal for one more month.

The cakes became larger and more challenging to consume, but Gianni managed to complete each one. FitFrank saw Gianni's dedication and increased the offer to €5000 per month after the last cake. Although the cakes grew in size, Gianni determination remained unwavering.

Despite his success, Gianni's lifestyle began to take a toll on his physique. Personal trainer Francesco expressed concern and suggested a diet to help Gianni lose weight. Francesco feared that having a visibly overweight ambassador would harm his own reputation. Gianni understood the need for change and revealed his to followers that he had gained weight during a renovation project. He created a weight loss program with Francesco for his fans, which received a positive response during the pre-sale phase.

However, Gianni's weight gain continued, exacerbated by his ongoing indulgence in FitFrank's cakes and cupcakes. Francesco confronted Gianni during a live session, shocked by his additional weight gain. Promising to do better, Gianni continued his collaboration with Francesco, now paying for the fitness program.

After two weeks, Gianni realized that his efforts were futile, and he had only gained more weight. Francesco, furious with Gianni's lack of progress, demanded that he publicly announce the end of their collaboration or face legal consequences. Gianni reluctantly complied, confessing to his followers that he was too weak to continue the program. He stepped on the scale and broke down in tears at realization that he the had gained a significant amount of weight.

Confused and desperate, Gianni questioned why he had continued the eating sessions despite having no financial need. Was it simply for attention? FitFrank, aware of Gianni's struggles, initiated a deep conversation that evening, forming a strong connection between them.

As Gianni's weight continued to increase due to FitFrank's challenges and his own overulindgence, he embarked on a four-week, all-inclusive trip to various resorts. The luxurious accommodations offered exquisite indulgences, leaving little time for exercise and fitness. He found himself in a predicament when thewear swim brands he had collaborated with realized his significant weight gain, causing them to distance themselves from him. Gianni grew about anxious his future and impact the his weight gain would have on his career.

During this uncertain time, FitFrank remained a constant presence, sending messages and offering support. Feeling a sense of care and connection, Gianni appreciated FitFrank's attention. They grew closer, building a relationship that felt as though they had known each other for years.

 To salvage his career, Gianni had to lose weight, but the temptation of indulgent food and alcohol endorsements made it difficult to stick to his diet. In a desperate move, he accepted a deal with a champagne brand to become their brand ambassador for a year. This involved a week-long trip to a champagne mansion to sample the entire range and create content. The trip consisted of lavish tastings and extravagant meals, leaving Gianni hungover and on the brink of failure. He returned home feeling exhausted and defeated.

Gianni's weight became a source of worry, both for himself and the brands he had collaborated with. FitFrank continued to send him chocolates, and Gianni, feeling discouraged, started eating them. When FitFrank reached out, Gianni confessed his struggles, and their conversation became progressively intimate. However, during one chat, a technical glitch revealed FitFrank's identity, leaving Gianni enraged.

Confronting Francesco at the gym, Gianni discovered his personal trainer's secret life as a creator of weight gain content. Francesco had been secretly livestreaming and profiting from Gianni's weight gain journey, while driving an extravagant lifestyle. Francesco confessed to making over €450,000 from donations by viewers fascinated with Gianni's transformation.

 Feeling betrayed by Francesco, Gianni hatched a plan to regain control. He proposed a new arrangement to FitFrank, demanding a majority of the revenue, FitFrank's authentic appearance and FitFrank joins in on food challenges. If FitFrank refused, Gianni threatened to expose him to his clients. Relantly, Francesco agreed, realizing that he had little choice if he wanted to maintain his luxurious lifestyle.

Together, Gianni and FitFrank continued their indulgent food challenges, delighting their followers with their ever-expanding physiques. FitFrank's following and body grew, and their loyal fans paid top dollar for their content. The money poured in, but Gianni couldn't help but wonder if his obsession with food and attention had gone too far. And how far will he go?

[geminimoonmadness]

☄️ASTEROIDS

Part 1 • Copywriters Reserved©️GeminiMoonMadness

The asteroids show how you react to certain situations in your life, you could say they add shape to it. If you have strong aspects to an asteroid it’ll be more prominent in your life. Some asteroids will have minimal effect on you, depending on it’s placement in your birth chart.

ATE (111)-

It’s Assertiveness that's bordering on intolerance. When you respond OTT to a real or imagined threat. If ATE is afflicted with Squares or Oppositions there’s a chance you have issues letting your guard down. You may take things too seriously where you’re unable to take a joke.

BEER (1896)-

If prominent in your chart, it can indicate an issue controlling alcohol intake. Alcoholics usually have aspects such as;

BEER Square NN/SN

BEER Conjunct Moon

BEER Conjunct Jupiter

Any aspects to the asteroid ATE(111) -Trine especially

CLOELIA (661)-

If this asteroid is prominent in your chart you’re someone who has a fighting spirit with a strong sense of justice. Cloelia conjunct an angle (IC, MC, ASC, DSC) or personal planet can indicate an someone who is able to free themselves or others. This Asteroid can be seen as a response to hardship, for example; Cloelia conjunct IC, an individual may have the ability of freeing/liberating their family members from limiting ideas or practices that keep them in metaphorical captivity. This asteroid is prominent in charts of people who often speak up for those in trouble and advocating for causes close to their hearts.

ELPIS (59)-

If prominent in your chart it can indicate that you’re a positive, hopeful and expectant person with a consistent sense of desire. Due to this enduring desire, the individual is able to reach the goals they set easier then most. If Afflicted with squares and oppositions, a person may have a negative outlook on life. If Aspected with conjunctions, sextiles & trines, a person is able to successfully renew hope in their lives even after facing situations where most would lose faith.

FIDES (37)-

The asteroid of Truth, trust, faith and honestly. FIDES conjunct, sextile & trine personal planets makes a person Trustworthy, Honest, Dignified and hold moral integrity. This person is seen as truthful & fair by others. If afflicted with squares & oppositions, a person may have trust issues, be dishonest and seen as somewhat disrespectful.

NARCISSUS (37117)-

If Prominent in a chart it can indicate someone who is physically attractive but self absorbed, selfish, or simply thinks too ‘highly’ of themselves. If Afflicted with squares and oppositions, a person may have issues understanding other peoples point of view or sympathising with them. It overall indicates a narcissistic personality/NPD. For example: Narcissus conjunct North Node- Will become a narcissist in this life. 

PERSEVERANTIA (975)-

This asteroid is associated with the idea of never giving up and having the strength to persevere for the long haul. The sign & house your Perseverantia is in is the area of life you have perseverance, dedication, endurance & discipline. Example: If it's in Cancer/4th House- Dedication to Family, you’ll do anything for them. When not feeling yourself, they keep you going and the source of your strength. Capricorn/10th House dedication to your career and reputation. You will do virtually anything to get to the top, get rich and gain status.

THALIA (23)-

If Prominent in the chart it can indicate someone with a happy, bubbly, entertaining and funny personality. If you have thalia conjunct personal planets you may be known as the 'Class Clown'. You’d be someone who'd make a good Host. If afflicted with squares and oppositions it's not necessarily a bad thing! It just gives an individual a dark sense of humour, one that tends to shock others.

ASTROWIZARD (24626)-

Represents an entertaining yet educational outreach (especially to children). People with this asteroid prominent in their chart have a talent at educating and entertaining others at the same time. They have a fun instead of a boring personality, for example- Someone who has prominent aspects to the asteroid Astrowizard will dress up, sing, dance and be hands on to get their point across rather then use the average whiteboard approach. If prominent in your chart it can also show a deep interest in Astrology and Astronomy.

BELLONA (28)-

When prominent in a chart it indicates powerhouse type personality. Someone that isn't afraid to stand up for themselves or others, people who are be ready to 'battle and defend what they perceive is right. With mixed aspects a person can balance going over board at times and still have a healthy amount of assertiveness. Easy aspects like Trine or Sextile make a person seem to know how to be assertive when & where needed. They easily stand up for themselves and others they care for. Hard Aspects like Square & opposition can cause a person to have assertiveness that borders intolerance. These people take offence easily.

ELVIRA (277)-

This asteroid brings mournful qualities, a hopeless romantic, someone with a sedimental heart. If aspected with Squares and Oppositions, a person will be very dark and depressing to interact with. Prominent aspects will make someone a pessimist, having a cup have empty rather than cup half full outlook.

MELANCHOLIA (5708)-

This asteroid is associated with long term sadness and depression. Having square & opposition aspects will give a person depression, moments of sadness and mourning. Having trine &' sextile aspects seem to be able to cope with the events in life that trigger these emotions. Ability to Cope is more developed if easily aspected.

FELICIA (294)-

It’s our ability to maintain a happy disposition in life and a certain degree of luck. If Prominent in a chart, regardless of what they’ve been through they remain happy, bubbly, cheerful. If negatively aspected or not aspected at all individuals may have a hard time maintaining happiness throughout their life circumstances. TIP- If poorly aspected, Work on your mindset!

HARMONIA (40)-

If prominent in your chart you have more chance in succeeding in the Music Industy/Field. Having conjunct, sextile and trine aspects to this asteroid gives you a natural affinity for creating music that's pleasurable to the senses. If negatively aspected you may still have musical interest but not necessarily be good at it, for example: Someone who loves to sing along to the radio in the car. Hard work needs to be put in place if you want to succeed.

SOPHIA (251)-

This asteroid gives an above average sense of wisdom, insight and intuition that can surprise others. The house & Sign it's in can also show where you have wisdom, for example; Someone with Sophia conjunct Uranus may have natural wisdom when it comes to individuality, Standing out from the crowd and innovation. With Sophia Conjunct Neptune, Same may apply but to the matters of Spirituality, religion and the ego. When Aspected with trines & sextiles this wisdom is easily perceived by others as a gift. If aspected by squares & oppositions, others perceive your knowledge to come from a place of superiority or a bit of a know it all.

AGRIPPINA (645)-

If Prominent in a chart it can show someone is an opportunistic person who may take unorthodox actions to meet their goals. They have the ability to rise through the ranks of society or obtain power in ways others do not. If aspected with squares and oppositions an individual may be tempted to resort to deception and manipulation to obtain what they desire. If aspected with trines and sextiles an individual will stay on track, experience less resistance & pursue their goals with ease.

 ARMISTICIA (1464)-

If Prominent in a chart, someone can be given a natural talent as a peacekeeper or effective negotiator. The glue that holds family, friends and even co workers together can be seen with trine and sextile aspects. If poorly aspected, with squares and oppositions you'll see people who cut ties with those dear to them or have broken relations. These individuals hold grudges longer then most. If positively aspected, An individual will readily forgive others when hurt or harmed.

☄️✨

Let me know what you think of that! Do you have any of these asteroids prominent in your chart or know someone who does? Any asteroids you want to see in part 2?

[i-am-the-oyster]

If you want people to @ you about Her Majesty, I'm only too happy to darken your virtual doorstep. Please expand on your statement that (quoting from memory) ending their recording career with Her Majesty is the beatliest thing the Beatles ever did. Also (optional) please tie this in with any thoughts on where Lennon and McCartney were at at the time, in terms of their creative collaboration. I'd be very interested in your thoughts; thank you in advance!

Ooh, thanks for this ask!

So first of all, is Abbey Road the end of their recording career?

I think so. It's weird to think that several of their most iconic songs are on Let It Be when it's such a mess in so many ways. But it was recorded first, and for me Abbey Road is a kind of thesis conclusion.

Well then, is Her Majesty the end of Abbey Road?

Someone in the notes of the post you're referring to called Her Majesty the post-credits scene of the album, and that is fair. But that's not how I think of it. Abbey Road is arguably the apotheosis of the album form. Flowing perfectly from one song to another, pulling together all their influences, their compositions mixing and blending until we reach The End. Guitar battle, drum solo, loveyouloveyouloveyou. And then Paul pulls down the band's collective glasses and says "it's only us!". Their humour and irreverence was such a key part of their charm, and it's important to me that they close their Magnum Opus with a silly ditty that got there by accident.

Where were Lennon/McCartney at?

Unfortunately, I think it had to be Paul who made the joke, because John had lost sight of the beauty of charming irreverence at that time. His humourlessness in 1969 is heartbreaking tbh. What humour he did have leaned into his cruelty (cf Sun King).

Warning: headcanon follows

John had lost faith in their collaboration, but Paul never did. John was afraid that Paul could produce something like Abbey Road without him, and even convinced himself that Paul had done so. But (as much as I love Wings) Paul could never produce anything on that level without those specific collaborators, and he never believed he could. (Though he hadn't yet recognised how vital George and Ringo were to the magic). Abbey Road was extremely collaborative, and The End captures that spirit in a deep way, even if John couldn't see it. And then Her Majesty says "lol".

[curryalley]

It's remarkable how ingrained ableism is.

We had family dinner tonight and I came in using my cane for balance support. My sister was startled because she didn't know that's where I was at. Over the meal we spoke about her job and it's challenges.

She's a manager and was frustrated that a reporting employee is on full-time work from home as an accommodation. Even her VP was livid about the situation. A woman had been hired to her team for a home/office hybrid position. A week later, this new hire submitted paperwork for permanent work from home as a reasonable accommodation. This made my sister so angry.

"She signed a contract for a hybrid position, knowing she had no intention of fulfilling that! She gamed the system and just got a doctor to fill out a piece of paper for her."

"Yes," I said. "That's how it works. Your doctor signs a form that you can work your job with accommodation, as allowed by the ADA."

My sister kept protesting. She shouldn't have agreed to hybrid if that's not what she was going to work. The company wanted everyone coming into the office and off virtual. Her last director quit because he wanted to work from home but the company was transitioning back into the office.

What it comes down to is really my sister was mad this woman got something for nothing. It was not fair she be allowed to work from home when everybody else had to spend three days in office. If she needed to work from home, she shouldn't have signed a contract for something different. This was an unfair trick.

But this employee was hired. She met the qualifications, had the correct set of experience, and was offered the job. Refusing someone who can do the job but needs to work from home from is discriminatory. She never would have been hired to a job she's qualified for if she said she needed work from home from the start.

Here's the thing. If my sister doesn't like her job or she wants to change to some other career track, nothing will ever stop her. She can bounce through companies to her heart's desire.

Meanwhile, I will never leave my company. I thank my lucky stars to work for an industry leader and the company is stable and secure. FMLA takes a year to kick in. I need FMLA from day one, I can't wait a year. So I will never quit. I can't. As someone chronically ill, I don't get that luxury. And even if I did change jobs, I wouldn't mention working from home at forst. If I said I couldn't meet the job requirements, I would have no offers and no job.

And if I can't get hired to a job I'm qualified for, that's discrimination. It's not my fault I'm not able bodied. This employee didn't game the system. She got a job that would be denied to her. Good for her.Good for me too for having the same. Anything else is ableist.

[ibentos]

Virtual Job and Career Fair Platform in United States - ibentos

Take your career fairs a notch ahead with the aid of an exciting virtual Career fair, and assist businesses and colleges in grabbing potential candidates from across the world. Engage candidates in fascinating activities, interactive virtual seminars, and intuitive networking opportunities for companies to connect on individual levels. With the ibentos virtual job and career fair platform, access career globally.

[foxwitchaine]

How would you rank the seasons of Miraculous Ladybug?

Buckle up, everyone. Let's do this:

Season 1 - 8/10

I won't lie. The show actually started out pretty good in Season 1. We had unique ideas, a fresh take on the typical love interests you see in these shows, and a whole range of diverse and interesting characters who got their own spotlight episodes. It was where the show shined the best with what it had, so to speak. It did fumble toward the end with Lila's rather messy entrance. But again, I can't blame Ladybug for blowing up like she did.

Could she have handled it better? Of course. Heck, this could have been a plot line where Ladybug has to address the issue of lying through someone who doesn't have any problem lying through her teeth.

Unfortunately, that's not what we got.

Season 2 - 7.5/10

One less half-point for underdelivering on their promises. In our defense, we had no idea what we were in for past Season 2. We got new characters like Luka, who gave characters like Juleka more beyond their archetype. The reveal that Gabriel was Hawk Moth was something we all saw coming, but it set up an amazing conflict for later down the road.

It was also the season where the earliest red flags were being flown.

To be fair, since the show was still, in a sense, "starting out", we gave it the benefit of the doubt. The biggest contention was, naturally, how they handled Chloé Bourgeois.

Put simply, Chloé had potential for an incredible Zuko-style redemption story. Between her mother Audrey abandoning her to pursue her career, along with virtually every adult figure in her life failing her, we could have had an amazing drama where the school bully was forced to confront her worst self and aim to become better. To deserve the Bee Miraculous.

What we got instead was the showrunners sabotaging themselves with how they handled her.

Season 3 - 5/10

The season where it all started to go downhill, starting with the infamous opening episode Chameleon.

There's... no polite way to put it. Season 3 of the show was where the entire foundation, whatever little there was, started falling apart. Marinette suffered so much for so little in this season, it wasn't funny. Add onto other infamous episodes like Ladybug, Chat Blanc, Puppeteer 2, Reflekdoll, and Miracle Queen, it's become crystal clear the show is nothing more than a vanity project for the creator. And that was before we got the news they were underpaying their staff (take this with a grain of salt, it's been a while since I read that article).

It was also the season where we started to see the faults in the writing show. From Adrien/Chat Noir refusing to see anything past his nose to the frankly rather illegal handling of Marinette's expulsion to the Lila-centric episodes requiring brain-bending leaps of nonexistent logic. Aside from some rare cool moments (Nathalie fighting three akumas, anyone?), this season was more painful to watch.

Especially with that season finale where Marinette lost Fu.

Seasons 4 & 5 - 2/10

I'm just gonna say it. I stopped watching anything from Miraculous Ladybug when I heard they were gonna akumatize Master Fu in Season 4. So my rating here is based mostly on hearsay from what happened in these two seasons lumped together.

Yes. These seasons pissed me off so much I just lumped them together and called it a day. The writing here is just painful to hear about. Who proofreads the scripts before sending it to the animation team? We have these things called quality checks for a reason.

Ranting aside, we've got more infamous episodes like Gang of Secrets and Derision. I've stated before that I will forever hate that first mentioned episode for how entitled everyone was towards Marinette's secrets. And Derision has to be one of the biggest cases of character assassination by the writing team I've ever seen. Kim isn't one of my favorites, I will admit. But even he didn't deserve the frankly awful backstory ruining what was once a fun (if something of a feather-brained bully) jock character.

Back on the topic of the first mentioned episode, Gang of Secrets was also the point of no return for me regarding Alya's character. Which is a huge shame since Marinette is in dire need of an actual support system instead of shouldering everything on her own. Anyone with half a brain after that would have figured out on their own the lying liar who lies was a lying liar who lies, pardon the repetition. Everything she did afterwards, such as her stint as Rena Furtive, just killed any chances of her undergoing redemption.

Phew, that ended up being more longwinded than I intended. Hope that answers your question.

[eliteprepsat]

Embrace your uniqueness–it's what makes you stand out

Standing out in the college admissions process involves showcasing unique qualities, experiences, and achievements. The point, however, is not simply to impress college admission officers with your accomplishments and achievements–it’s to show how you’ve invested time and energy to make a positive contribution to your community and the people around you. 

Here are some strategies high school students can use to distinguish themselves:

1. Pursue Passion Projects

Deep Dive into Interests: Engage deeply in a subject or hobby that genuinely excites you. This could be anything from scientific research, artistic endeavors, coding projects, or community service initiatives. Joining one of Elite’s LEAD Extracurricular Programs is a great way to explore and build your interests.

Showcase Achievements: Document your progress and accomplishments. Create a portfolio, blog, or website to display your work. Virtually all colleges ask students to list their accomplishments in their college application. In addition, some colleges allow students to submit an optional portfolio to showcase their talents and skills.

2. Leadership and Initiative

Start a Club or Organization: If your school lacks a club that interests you, start one. Aside from demonstrating leadership and initiative, starting a club allows you to dedicate time and energy to something you truly care about.

Lead Community Service Projects: Identify a need in your community and organize a project to address it. This shows commitment and the ability to lead and inspire others. While service projects are oftentimes done in person, you can also utilize technology to address a cause or issue–for example, provide online tutoring, build a website or app to educate the members of the public about a pressing problem and direct them to support organizations working to address that problem, or host a podcast or YouTube channel discussing an important issue.

3. Unique Extracurricular Activities

Develop Skills: Learn and excel in skills that are not typically taught in school, such as coding, entrepreneurship, or foreign languages. If available, obtain a certification that measures your competency or proficiency in the skills you develop. Certification typically involves passing an exam or test from a recognized organization.

Competitions and Awards: Participate and win awards in regional, national, or international competitions, such as science fairs, math olympiads, or writing contests. Showcase what you’re good at, and go as far as you can. Many students continue to participate in various competitions in college, and demonstrating a high level of interest and achievement will help you stand out from other applicants. 

Internships and Work Experience: Seek out internships and work experiences that provide unique insights or experiences related to your interests. These experiences will not only help you stand out from other college applicants but also help guide your choice of college major and possibly a career after college.

Artistic Creations: If you’re inclined towards the arts, create a substantial body of work, such as a short film, a series of paintings, or a novel. Applicants to fine arts, music, film, and theater programs in college are oftentimes required to submit a portfolio of their work.

Innovative Projects: Develop innovative projects that solve real-world problems, such as a tech solution for a local issue or an environmental initiative.

Cultural Contributions: Engage deeply with your cultural heritage or contribute to the cultural life of your community. Colleges want to build a class of students from diverse backgrounds, and demonstrating meaningful involvement in your community will allow colleges to see how you can contribute to the cultural life on campus.

4. Academic Excellence with a Twist

Advanced Coursework: Take advanced, honors, or college-level courses in subjects of interest. But don’t stop there: apply this knowledge in an activity or project to show its relevance and significance to your life. Enrolling in for-credit honors, AP, and dual credit courses through Elite is a great way to develop your intellectual interest during the summer and school year.

Unique Research Projects: Conduct independent research under the guidance of a mentor or through a research program. Colleges provide opportunities for students to engage in independent research as well as research with professors. Participating in research projects in high school will allow you not only to deepen your understanding of a subject you’re interested in but also to get a head start on research activities in college. 

5. Exceptional Letters of Recommendation

Build Relationships with Mentors: Form strong relationships with teachers, coaches, or other mentors who can write compelling, personalized letters of recommendation. Simply doing well and getting a good grade in the class is not enough, however–you should demonstrate a genuine interest in the subject through discussions and application of the information and ideas you learn in class.

6. Compelling Personal Statement

Tell Your Story: Write a personal statement that communicates who you are, your passions, and your unique perspective. Make it memorable and authentic by including stories or experiences that highlight your unique qualities and how they have shaped you. If you’re considering sharing personal stories of overcoming significant challenges or adversity, focus on your personal growth in overcoming the challenge, not simply on the challenge itself.

Final Thoughts

To stand out in the college admissions process, you should focus on the things that are truly important to you and demonstrate your values and interests. Not only will you be able to enjoy what you’re doing but you will also answer the key questions colleges ask when they review college applications:

How are you changing your world–whether it’s your family, school, or community–for the better?

How will you contribute to and engage with the other members of our college community in the classroom, in the residence hall, and on campus?

[danielsiegelalonso]

Taking A Brief Glance into the Future of Music | Daniel Siegel Alonso

Introductory Phrases

(a) Evolution of Music

In the highly saturated era defined by the leaps and paradigm shifts, the realm of music is ever-evolving at an unprecedented pace. In every generation, “For words call, music speak” — music has reigned through such salient eras. From the Middle Age, Renaissance, Baroque and Classical, making music has remained the universal human trait of self-expression. 

(b) Origin of Music

Dating back to about 35,000 years ago, humans have explored the evidence for some of the world’s earliest musical instruments. The sole origin of music can be traced to the production of human speech and communication. Additionally, work rhythms, play rhythms, clapping, mimicries, singing, human sound, the roaring of waves, oceanic rhythms, blacksmiths, harmer, and environmental sounds comprise the early forms of musical notions. 

(c) Transformation of Music

The transformative impact of blockchain technology assisting every transaction in the music industry is a game changer. From advanced technologies to creative approaches, the music industry has introduced exciting developments for music producers to dive into. We have witnessed the revolutionary potential of music NFTs being a digital asset linked to an individual song, EP, album, or a video clip. 

Daniel Siegel Alonso & His Musical Revolution

Daniel Siegel Alonso, a revolutionary pianist and composer, has produced 23 solo albums. 

Daniel began his music career after graduating from University of Oregon. He went on composing Jazz Album The Hotshot, his second album that stayed on the billboard charts for top selling Jazz albums for 10 weeks. 

After moving to Los Angeles in 1993, Daniel Siegel Alonso has produced diverse music that show-case his range and passion for music. He has produced electronic music, and  keyboard oriented fusion. He has composed and directed music with an exotic ensemble and has a track record of vivid scores for TV and films since 1986. His music has bolstered up a global audience. From recording and producing China’s first Jazz band ‘Tien Square’ in 1995, Daniel Siegel Alonso went on to perform with artists from across the globe. Another prominent feather to his hat includes being a session player for Oscar winning film, the Unusual Suspects.

Technological Advancements in the Future

(a) Artificial Intelligence (AI) & Machine Learning in Music

In many ways or other, music has been highly influenced by components of artificial intelligence (AI) in it. Tools driven by artificial intelligence assist in composing creative pieces, breaking creative barriers, and exploring new styles in music composition. Personalized recommendations powered by Machine Learning open up listeners to new artists and genres based on their preferences. 

(b) Virtual Reality (VR) & Augmented Reality (AR)

Virtual reality and augmented reality will provide audience and music creators with an immersive and interactive experience. For audiences, VR can transport them into a whole nother world without having to travel to watch a concert or performance. This enhances accessibility and engagement manifold. AR enables interactive music visualizations and uses real-time effects to enhance live shows. 

(c) Blockchain & Music Streaming

Music streaming is already popularized today. However, the competition is minimal. With the introduction of blockchain technology is all set to increase competition and transparency. The decentralized ledger system will ensure precise tracking of music rights, royalties, and ownership. This will ensure a fair monetization of artists’ work and avoid infringements. The blockchain technology will cut out the third-party intervention and allow a fair ecosystem through streamline royalty distribution.

Altering Dynamics of Music Consumption

(a) Future of Live Music & Performance

Virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) are transforming the landscape of music and live performances. Most expensive concerts can be accessed by the audience at the comfort of their homes without having to spend a fortune on travel and deal with a huge crowd. An introvert’s paradise! Technological advancements support artists reaching global audiences, experiment with new performance formats providing unique, engaging experiences beyond traditional concerts.

(b) Innovative Music Creation & Collaboration 

The future of music will see more creative collaborations across borders and AI can aid it. AI-powered software skill musicians in composing, mixing, and mastering tracks, making high-quality music production accessible to more artists. Virtual instruments and digital audio workstations (DAWs) offer endless possibilities for sound manipulation leaving a vast space for experimentation.

Conclusion

Creativity flourishes with accepting change. In contrast with the traditional outlook of digitalization hindering creative persuasion in music, innovation in music creation through technology sounds promising. It offers a wide range of practices and skills artists can upvote to enhance their performances fulfilling their creative potential without depending on third-party networking. Integrating traditional music into new formats has become a trend in itself in music industries across the globe. Independent artists can formulate their own niche content through streaming platforms and get priced fairly. The world is becoming a thin membrane and so is the music. 

[delta-queerdrant]

Neelix, I need another pot of coffee (Prototype, s2 e13 & Dreadnought, s2 e17)

I don't have much substantial to say about "Prototype" or "Dreadnought," two enjoyable robot-of-the-week episodes that center on Torres delivering compelling technobabble to a machine for 45 minutes. They are both extremely watchable, and "Protoype" especially worked for me with its first contact moral quandary premise, which felt straight out of pulp science fiction in the best way. And who doesn't love an android who looks like they shop at LL Bean?

So instead this is going to be a meditation on science fiction depictions of women in STEM, and why they seem to be so deeply lodged in my psyche.

The first adult novel I ever bought was Contact by Carl Sagan. This was at my middle school's Scholastic book fair. When I think about my twelve-year-old self I immediately remember that mass-market paperback, which in some hard-to-pin-down way summed up all my aspirations for my future adult life.

I'd encountered Contact as a hardcover book at a relative's house a year or two earlier. For those not in the know, it follows an astronomer who detects a first contact transmission. The book spends a lot of time imagining the political and social impacts of discovering extraterrestrial life, as well as the challenges Ellie Arroway faces as a woman in her field.

In the space of a weekend, I raced through the book but didn't have time to finish it. Soon after, the film came out, and I saw it in theaters. It was a movie that felt like it had been made specifically for me (aliens! science mysteries! an extremely hot Jodie Foster!)

My relationship with science and STEM is contradictory. As a kid growing up watching Star Trek and reading Madeleine L'Engle (shout-out to my other formative science girl, Meg Murry), I was so hungry to learn more about astronomy, programming, math, and electronics, but I never seemed to get my hands on those opportunities. This was before "STEM" was popularized as an acronym, and casual opportunities to be a kid science nerd were slim. At the same time, it was the "post-feminist" 90s, and I was never particularly conscious of being excluded from the sciences due to my gender.

As I grew older, my main STEM interests were web design (as evidenced by many lovingly hand-coded early-2000s websites) and microbiology (I am still filled with rapture whenever I contemplate protein synthesis). I also harbored a deep and all-encompassing love for the Museum of Science in Boston. But my career aspects were mostly in the humanities or social sciences, and I never got around to taking a formal programming class. As I became an adult, I stopped running Linux on my laptop or freaking people out at work with my DVORAK keyboard setup. I drifted away from a conception of myself as that kind of nerd.

It's natural for interests to shift as we age, but something about this particular transition felt devastatingly final to me. STEM is a closed world that doesn't welcome casual interest. There is almost no space for adult women to dabble in a STEM hobby. Science museums are for children, and popular nonfiction about physics and math are, implicitly, for men. (Earlier this month I watched some Youtube videos about astronomy, and immediately started seeing gun advertisements.)

I sometimes think that what I enjoyed as a kid was the aesthetic of science - in other words, the reason we consume science fiction in the first place. Why do we love a science girl? For me this attraction feels very extremely gay, though others' mileage may vary. "Scientist" is, yes, traditionally a male-coded role, but to young me, it felt like a means to escape gender roles entirely. Science girls and science queers are smart and curious and independent; they are hungry for adventure and have no time for your societal expectations.

When Voyager came out, there were virtually no shows that featured multiple women working in the sciences (outside of medical shows). But for me, a kid reading and watching science fiction, it was normal. Roxann Dawson complained that most of her episodes in early Voyager are her alone in a room talking to a robot/missile/herself, but she's very good at it! The troubleshooting scenes feel lived-in and naturalistic, especially in the way they portray her satisfaction from solving a technical problem. She's so tickled with herself when she achieves a breakthrough! I felt similarly when I mastered the art of inline CSS in the year 1999.

Science fiction that accurately portrays the experience of working with technology is rare, and to be clear, Star Trek doesn't always bother. But Voyager seems genuinely interested in dramatizing problem-solving and collaboration skills - scientist as something you do, not something you are.

I still use my computer skills at my day job, and while I don't work in the sciences, I like to think that the way I move through the world owes something to all the hours I spent as a kid imagining myself into starships and astronomical observatories.

And with that, I'm off to watch some more videos about the twin paradox.

4/5 power modules.

[some-little-infamy]

You Don’t Want What You Saw, but You Saw What You Wanted

(Read on AO3)

Steve never imagined he’d be playing a festival - an honest-to-god popular music festival and not just some local country fair bandstand - in a million years. This is just a fun hobby for him, a side project he hadn’t seriously planned on turning into an actual career. It just sort of happened, the pieces falling into place until one show led to another, and now, well, here he is.

At a festival.

The best part of it all is that he can wander the grounds before and after his set with little-to-no recognition. Wearing a wig and sunglasses on stage started off as a prank of sorts, the aftermath of a lost bet to his best friend Nancy. It worked for him, strangely enough, and turned into a whole thing that he continues to this day. It has the added benefit of making him virtually unrecognizable to casual fans who haven’t managed to track down photos of him without the disguise.

“This is insane,” Jonathan says from a foot in front of him, spinning around to walk backward in front of Steve as he talks.

“Thanks for the tickets,” Nancy adds.

“Yeah, of course,” Steve says, shrugging off the gratitude with an easy smile. There’s no one else he’d rather have here, which is convenient because there’s also no one else he could have as his guest since no one else even knows he’s in a band.

“You two wander, have fun, and I’ll find you after my set, alright?” Steve asks.

“As if we won’t be there,” Nancy says, sounding as enthusiastic as the first time she had the opportunity to see his band live.

Steve shakes his head. Nancy’s seen his set almost as many times as he’s performed it but he can’t blame her for being particularly invested in seeing this one. After all ---

“It’s your first festival, man! We wouldn’t miss it,” Jonathan exclaims.

The two head off in the direction of the main festival stages while Steve glances around to make sure no one’s watching him before ducking back toward the performer staging area. He pulls his badge out from where it’s tucked into his t-shirt, the holographic PERFORMER label shining in the sunlight as security waves him through.

It’s surreal. Steve has to use every single ounce of self-control not to completely lose his mind over the number of musicians he passes from bands he idolizes. These are famous musicians. These are celebrities. He can’t help but feel seriously out of his league here.

The crowd during his set proves otherwise. It’s easily the largest group he’s ever played for, with Nancy and Jonathan loyally at the front singing every word. Not for the first time, Steve reconsiders his decision to perform in a wig as the sun practically bakes him the entire hour he performs, but he’s committed to the vibe at this point and he isn’t about to change it now.

The second Steve gets backstage he takes the wig and sunglasses off, stashing them in his guitar case just in time to turn around and walk directly into someone behind him.

“Shit, sorry-” Steve starts, but the words drop abruptly when he locks eyes with the man he just bumped into.

Eddie Munson. The lead guitarist of Corroded Coffin, and Steve’s current biggest celebrity crush. It isn’t a genre he listens to often, and honestly, it was Eddie’s charisma and presence during interviews and fan meets that really drew Steve’s attention to him and his band. Steve knew Corroded Coffin is playing the festival but he somehow never imagined a scenario where the two of them might actually meet - and now he’s gone and run into the guy.

“No worries,” Eddie easily dismisses, eyeing Decide’s van that Steve just put his guitar case down in front of. “You here with Decide?”

Eddie knows his band.

Steve takes a second for that to sink in. Eddie stands in front of him, black leather pants tucked into black boots, paired with a simple white t-shirt tucked into the waistline. There’s a jean jacket slung over Eddie’s arm, the one he always wears when he performs, and up close Steve can make out some of the well-worn pins and patches.

“Uh, yeah. I… yeah.” Steve manages, cursing his sudden loss of any ability to be suave and debonair.

“I should be the one saying sorry to you then,” Eddie says with a light, amused laugh. “No, that’s mean. I shouldn’t say that. Just because I don’t like them doesn’t mean they aren’t… objectively decent.”

It feels like Steve’s heart plummets into his stomach at the words. Eddie Munson knows his band and hates them. Well, fuck.

It also occurs to Steve that if Eddie’s saying this to him then there’s a solid chance that he has no idea who Steve is, exactly. He probably just thinks Steve’s a random roadie.

“I don’t think they’re that bad,” Steve offers, seizing the opportunity to try and sway Eddie’s opinion.

“And I’ll forgive you that lapse of judgment because you’re hot,” Eddie says with a wink and a smirk. That Munson charm Steve’s seen through a screen countless times is life-altering to hear in person.

Any negative emotions Steve feels over the knowledge that Eddie hates his music are immediately replaced by the rush of endorphins brought about by the fact that Eddie thinks he’s hot. He could die here and now and die happy… or he could live to flirt back, which seems like the superior option. Regaining a little more self-awareness now that most of the shock has settled he couples the offer with the slightest shift in his posture, standing up a little straighter, jutting his hip out slightly, and running a hand through his hair to bring a little life back to the wig-flattened locks.

“You know, I could give you all the inside info on the band you want. Maybe after your set? Over drinks?” Steve offers impulsively, a hopeful smile on his face.

Eddie looks interested and considers the offer. Every millisecond of silence from him feels like a lifetime while Steve waits for a response.

“I’d rather learn about you,” Eddie counters.

“That works, too,” Steve agrees, grinning like a goddamn fool.

“Hey, Munson! We’re on in five, get a move on!”

Steve and Eddie both turn their heads toward Gareth Emerson, another member of Eddie’s band who stands several yards away waving a guitar in the air exasperatedly.

“Duty calls,” Eddie says, turning back to face Steve. “Be here when I get back?”

For the briefest of moments, Steve thinks he sees a flicker of uncertainty on Eddie’s face at the question, but it’s gone as quickly as it appeared.

“Nowhere else I’d rather be,” Steve promises as Eddie leaves to join the rest of his band.