#A Warehouse Where Housing Will Be (thread)

[ikilledyvette]

(Realized I was never gonna finish this long ass 9-1-1 fic before the premiere, so today I’m doing the seriously condensed version for Tumblr—which I still have to break into two parts, ffs.)

It’s Thursday afternoon, three days before Father’s Day, and the atmosphere at the 118 is grim. Gerrard is gone, at least, and everyone celebrated with cake—specifically, a Ding Dong, The Witch is Dead! cake, complete with a chocolate house crushing little black boots—but to everyone’s surprise, Buck isn’t exactly welcoming Bobby home with open arms anymore. He hasn’t forgiven Bobby for resigning in the first place. Making matters worse, Margaret and Philip Buckley are flying in for the weekend. Also, Eddie is depressed because Chris hasn’t called since he left for Texas six weeks ago, and Eddie doesn’t expect to hear from him on Sunday, or possibly ever again.

Hen tells Eddie Christopher will forgive him. “He’ll come home. He just needs a minute.” Eddie says that six weeks is a hell of a minute, but Hen persists. “You’re a good father,” she says, ignoring Eddie’s humorless laugh. “You messed up; I’m not saying you didn’t. But that doesn’t negate all the good you’ve done, too. Kids, they want you to hear them. They want you to show up, so when Christopher calls, pick up the phone and listen. You two love each other, Eddie. It’s going to work out.”

But Eddie’s gaze just drifts to the kitchen, where Bobby is quietly looking at the stack of uneaten fire-engine-shaped mini-waffles that Buck refused to eat, even though he’s the one who bought Bobby that ridiculous novelty waffle-maker in the first place

“You ever think maybe love just isn’t enough,” Eddie says, and Hen isn’t sure how to answer that.

*

Meanwhile, Chimney, thankfully, has the day off and is drinking a beer with Tommy. (Hen, left to deal with these weird morose vibes at the 118 by herself, quite rightly considers this a betrayal and has appropriately sworn revenge.) Chimney and Tommy talk a little about their own families: Tommy hasn’t spoken to his dad in years; meanwhile, Chimney finally gave up months ago after actually telling his dad how he really felt about being abandoned. He just needed to hear his father apologize once, just once—but he couldn’t do that, not even that, and Chimney decided enough was enough. 

Tommy, who’s only ever met the Buckley Parents one time (but has quickly clocked to Buck’s wildly shifting moods whenever discussing them), asks Chimney how much of a disaster this weekend is likely to be. Chimney tells Tommy that—apart from big family secrets and the general emotional trauma—every time the Buckleys visit, someone comes close to death: warehouse fire (Buck), lightning strike (Buck), viral encephalitis (Chimney). 

“Maybe don’t go up in a helicopter till they’re gone?” Chimney suggests, and Tommy says, “Jesus,” and gets another beer.

*

Back at the 118, things have gone from bad to worse. A call leads to Buck recklessly risking his own life to save someone. He walks away with only a few bruises, but Bobby yells at him for nearly getting himself killed. Buck snarks that he must still be that young, impulsive hothead after all. Bobby, a bit at a loss, tells Buck that he has come a long way, but he can’t put himself in danger just because he’s angry at Bobby. 

“What is this really about? You can talk to me, kid. I’m here.”

“Right,” Buck says, scornful. “You’re here. For ... how long again? Seven more, I think you said? No—no, you never actually said, did you? That one’s on me. Right, Cap?”

The bell goes off, ending the argument. Bobby tries to talk to Buck again after the shift, but Buck is already out the door. He barely gets any sleep that day before he and Tommy drive over for The Big Family Dinner. Tommy tries to talk Buck into staying home, suggesting they go tomorrow night instead, but Buck insists it will be a Thing if they don’t go.

Dinner goes badly. Margaret and Phillip aren’t intentionally rude or actively malicious, but there’s still a thread of casual biphobia in much of what they say: Evan’s always going through these phases. Well, if it’s not a phase, Evan, you must have known; how could you not? Please don’t misunderstand, Tommy, of course we like YOU. Very much! Yes, Tommy, thank you for your service. We’re just saying, Evan likes to throw us for a loop now and then. Really, Evan, you’ve had so many girlfriends you’re basically straight, aren’t you?

Buck finally loses it shortly after Maddie goes into the other room to check on Jee Yun. Margaret suggests that while she’s happy that Buck and Tommy are happy, of course—happy for now, at least—she’d just hoped Buck would’ve started to settle down by now, get serious about someone, rather than start experimenting. Phillip also jokes that he’d thought Buck had outgrown making bids for attention, and Buck just—snaps. 

“Why did I have to work so hard to get your attention again? Right. Cause it was too hard to look at me. Cause I was the reminder of what you lost, the screwup you got left with. Maybe if Daniel had grown up and turned out bi, you’d—"

—and Margaret slaps Buck across the face. 

It shocks everyone, very much including Margaret, but when Buck finally blinks and glances at his dad, Phillip automatically moves to stand behind his wife, silently taking her side. Buck, a bit dazed, mutters he’s sorry and tells Chimney not to tell Maddie what happened, right before Tommy all but pushes Buck out the door and drives him home.

Buck, still a little shellshocked, mostly can’t believe he said what he said, insists he shouldn’t have gotten that upset, and tries to brush off Tommy’s efforts to comfort him. Tries to get him to leave. Tries to distract him with sex when Tommy refuses to leave. Tommy, not having any of it, sits Buck down and talks a little about his own childhood, how he’d run away from home after his father had found out Tommy was gay, how—broken and bleeding—Tommy had never called, never looked back. Buck protests it’s not the same because Margaret and Philip aren’t abusive, have never hit him before tonight, aren’t really homophobic—at least, not in the same way—and also, Buck deserved that slap. 

“Who throws a dead kid in their parents face?” Buck asks, miserable.

“Someone who lived under the shadow of a brother he never knew about for 30 years?” Tommy asks, then takes Buck’s hand and makes Buck look at him.

“Look, maybe it’s not the same. You’re never going to convince me you deserved it, Evan, not any of it—but what I’m saying is, when people repeatedly hurt you? You don’t have to look back. You don’t have to keep trying. You can, if that’s what you want—but you don’t have to forgive anyone just because they’re family. That’s not what being a family should be. And, for what it’s worth, that includes Bobby, too. Just ... maybe consider what you’re actually angry about—or if it’s even anger you’re really feeling here—before deciding to cut him off for good.” 

Slowly, Buck sinks into Tommy’s side. Tommy wraps an arm around him. Kisses him gently just above birthmark.

(Part II is finished, coming tomorrow or the next day)

[technician-para-driver]

Heya, there! Anji is here~

I was born in 1977 (as from 2004 then I'll be 27y.o), and my pronouns is she/they (but I conversationally prefer to be referred just by my name, Anji)

I am one of PPTH's Ambulance Operator (driver and paramedic). I also am an automotive technician and a part of Abhimanyu Automotive Garage and Warehouse for Automotive Service.

Feel free to interact with me and my family (Araya - twin brother, Abhi - older brother, Anjani - mother) on "Welcome to the Garage!" ; for emergency and automotive needs, or anything!^^

Also! I'm using this blog with my family (me and my family lore is here), so here's the blog guide:

Creator speaking: Hello! It's Rain @rainismdata , who has created these OCs. Feel free to interact with any of them! My other OC is Dr. Maddox @dr-visionary-counselor . I'll be glad to talk further with these character and developing the interactions with all House MD OCs of @ppth-staff and also obviously everyone. I'll be talking in indented and italic word!

Yeah. That's it from my creator. So, I'll use the reds. Now now, I'll let my family to introduce themselves.

This is the narrative speaking, in small chat. Anji lets us in to her family house, showing us pictures of her family, a couple parent and three children. And proceed to the kitchen room, looking at a man who's standing tall in about 6'2", cooking. She patted his shoulder and giving him signs.

1, 2, 3, check and recheck. Is anybody here?

Bro, are you serious?

Obviously not, actually. Sorry. HAHA.

Hi! Call me Araya! I am Anji's twin brother and currently a librarian in Princeton. I was also born in 1977, obviously (so I'll be 27 in 2004). But, hey... I'm moving out with my husband in 2013, and he's a chef!

So fitting with Araya's big appetite.

So, so, true! Feel free to ask or talk to me about books, or is there a copy of any book in Princeton Library. I'll be talking in greens, by the way... And, that's it from me~

I'll take it from here, then.

Another man who's 6' is approaching them and stealing a few bites of Araya's snack.

Good Morning! I am Abhimanyu; just call me Abhi or Abi for shorts. I am the twins' older brother, was born in 1975 (if it's 2004 then I'll be 29y.o).

I'm moving out to live with my wife and kids (yeah, I also have twins) near my Automotive Garage and Warehouse for automotive service; still in Princeton anyway... I'll be happy if Anji referred you to my Garage for automotive services. If you were referred by Anji or Araya, or even my mom, then you'll have a discount! I know... I shouldn't be giving discounts out. But— what do I say? Happy customer, happy me.

I'll be talking in blues. So, I'll see you when I see you!

We proceed to the dining room as Abi also joining us. Currently works as a knitting workshop where the threads are scattered nicely on the dining table. A woman in her 50s is knitting, putting on a glasses.

Mama?

Uh-hm...?

Mom— Oh my god. Sorry, fellas. I might need a second. She's focusing on making that temperature knitted blanket.

Mama... Please, introduce yourself. We are in an introduction here.

Oh! Hey! I'm sorry. I was so focusing on— Ah. Anyways...

Hello! I am the siblings' Mother. You can call me Anjani, or Anja, or Jani. Or just simply Auntie. I'll be fine either way. I'm an old soul, born in 1953 (I'll be 51 in 2004).

I currently am working on temperature knitted blanket. It's been fun and I have done 237 days! My children says my cookings is the best in the world. That's what kids says to their mom, wasn't it? They might've exaggerate that so much—

No, Mom.

We're not exaggerating that.

Araya heard his mom's word, too, from the kitchen, he's speaking loudly so that we could all hear him.

I have a chef husband, but that stays the right for me.

That's so nice of you! I might've going to broke the roof if you speak so nicely about me.

Aye aye. There you go, fellas. That's my Mama. Don't get surprised of who I got that from.

What should I say, I like foods. So, I'd like to rate your cookings; maybe not by taste because it's virtual. I'll be talking in— idk, is it pink? I guess it's pink.

Thanks, Mama. I'll leave you with this knitted blanket. I'll proceed further with this introduction.

We are now sitting on a couch in living room. A teapot is on the table and a cup of tea is served.

That's all from my family. I'll be using this blog as the main user. And now that you know, my family has bold sentence on their introduction to tell you their main interest. But the basic rule is still works; that we can basically talk about anything, even outside our interest.

That being said, SEE YOU!!^^

So, that's how it's done... This family is going to be LOUD loud. Please, bear with me ╥﹏╥

Also, I'm not an artist, so I use picrew for this.

[tragedyinblue]

BBU Community Days, #10

@bbu-on-the-side

{Day 10: In-BBU-media} Create a piece of media that could exist within the BBU - everything from twitter post to newspaper feature to ad transcript to WRU press release! Pet lib call for action to desperate owner self-help reddit thread. Go wild!

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

I'll preface this with a disclaimer: I've never written any kind of script or screenplay in my life. But, when I saw this prompt my brain catapulted me back to 1993 with "Homeward Bound", the story of a cat and two dogs who think they've been abandoned when their family drops them off at a friend's house to pet-sit while they are away. The animals embark on a wild adventure across the country to find their family.

So, that + BBU led me to this trailer screenplay/transcript bit. Enjoy(? lol)

{Scene opens on a modern cabin-style house tucked into the thick of a grand landscape. Forest/mountains. mountains/forest. Soft, lighthearted track plays as camera zooms in on family piling out of minivan: dad, mom, 10-year-old son, and three collared Pets; all are smiling happily as they unpack the van}

[Narrator:] “The Bensons were set to spend a relaxing week enjoying their vacation deep in the Colorado mountains.”

Dad: “Nothing but blue skies and the great outdoors!” (turns to his son) “What do you think?”

Son: -looks up from his Switch and rolls his eyes- “As long as we’ve got power I’m all set.”

Dad: “Come on, Daniel! You can play that thing anywhere. Hey, Chance?” 

{Camera cuts to the youngest Pet, Daniel’s companion, peeking out from behind the family van.}

Chance: “Yes, Master?”

Dad: “Take Daniel here and play some ball with him, alright? Still got time before dinner.”

{Scenes of the youngest Pet, Chance (platonic), playing ball outside with the son while two other Pets (young female, Sassy, is a domestic; middle-aged male (Shadow) is domestic/caregiver) attend to and entertain the parents. Scene cut to the Bensons leaving the cabin to drive into town for a dinner reservation, leaving the three Pets alone.}

[Narrator:] “Little did they know the danger that lurked on the horizon.

{Scene of Shadow opening the backdoor to investigate a suspicious sound. The three Pets are kidnapped, drugged to unconsicousness, and thrown into a van by nondescript humans in black clothing. Family returns home to find signs of struggle, a Pet Lib calling card, and the Pets’ torn collars discarded on the floor.}

[Son rushes to his father, tears in his eyes:] “Dad, they’re gone!” 

[Father hugs his son:] “Don’t worry, we’ll find them.”

{Scene cut to the three pets waking in a pet liberation facility in a panic, bandages on their necks where their trackers have been surgically removed. They learn they’re in a warehouse in Indianapolis, 1,000 miles away from their owners. The trio escapes.}

Chance: “Maybe we could go to the police? Tell them we’ve been kidnapped?”

Sassy: “They’ll think we were running away! And without our chips they won’t know where to find Masters and Mistress!” 

Shadow: “Well, looks like we’ll have to find them ourselves.” 

[Narrator:] “Now, Chance, Sassy, and Shadow will do whatever it takes to make it back home.”

{Montage of hitchhiking, survival, injuries, running from pet lib soldiers on their tail intermixed with beautiful scenery and majestic, swelling music.}

(Gold-tinted text hovers on the right side of the screen: “A fresh take on a beautiful classic!” - Ebert & Roper)

(Existing text fades and is replaced by another on the left side of the screen: “An emotional depiction of loyal, affectionate Pets.” - The Guardian)

[Narrator:] “Experience the heartwarming and incredible story of three stolen Pets and their journey back to the ones who love them most.” 

{Scene of the moments before the tearful reunion. Camera pans in on the bedraggled, exhausted, relieved Pets racing toward the cabin where the family cheers. The Pets kneel at their owners’ feet, happy tears in all eyes as they celebrate the reunion. Camera pans out over the forest/mountains}

(Golden text fades in on top: “Homeward Bound”)

[abyssalmuses]

thread with @rosieoctavius & @forevermuses

Almost as soon as he had been dragged into a new universe, Otto was being pushed back into his own. He didn't recall much of his initial trip through the Multiverse; he'd hardly been in the right frame of mind to take in the details at the time. But despite this, Otto knew something was wrong even before he slammed back down into the ground once more, metal claws catching him before concrete could greet his face.

Grunting, the doctor righted himself and looked around. This was New York, no doubt about it. In fact, he had landed almost precisely where he had been pulled away, right by the river's edge. Only...there was no broken-down warehouse here. No sign of his machine, no tragedy unfolding as the miniature sun dragged all into its fiery maw.

Something was amiss, and Otto couldn't quite put his finger on why or how. Had the wizard sent him back tot he wrong universe? It was entirely possible. The man hadn't exactly proven himself very adapt at this so-called magic as far as Otto was concerned. In fact, hadn't he screwed up every spell he'd cast in Otto's knowledge? The initial spell, the cloaked man had said, was a mess. The second spell split the sky, though Osborn's involvement was likely to blame too. Now the third seemed to have failed as well.

"Clown..." Otto muttered to himself, recalling a flash of his bitter anger while he had been trapped in the wizard's dungeon and still under the thrall of the AI.

Maybe he was being too hasty. Maybe this was home. Maybe his reactor had swallowed the warehouse, and maybe Peter had sent it into the river of his own volition.

But now what?

Hand himself over to the police, Otto mused glumly, setting himself down onto his own two feet and pulling his metal tentacles under his coat as much as possible to hide them. Yes. That would be the right thing to do.

To make amends.

Otto slowly made his way across the riverside towards the main city streets, hoping to keep a low profile as he went. His spine ached with every step, not only for the recent battles but for the need of holding the weight of all four tentacles as he walked. Maybe that was why his eye-line drifted to the right, spotting a small café squashed between two colossal chain stores, defiant in its lack of polish and sleek lines by comparison to its neighbours. No doubt that was why Rosie had loved it so much, why the two of them had spent so much time there once.

His heart twisted in knots at the recollection, his pace slowing to a stop as he gazed across the street at the café; happier times. Gentler times. Hours whiled away without truly realising their finite nature.

A small comfort to think the little café existed in at least one other universe. Maybe it even housed another blissfully happy couple too.

next: @rosieoctavius

[alex51324]

For today's park adventure we did the section of the county Rail-Trail that starts at the bottom corner of the park! We learned that a four-mile walk is a bit much for our current fitness level. Also, I can kind of see why the "Sixty Best Hikes Within Sixty Miles" book that I checked out from the library selected a different section of the Rail-Trail to feature. It isn't terrible or anything, but there's a long, boring stretch in the middle where you're walking through a fairly narrow corridor of scrub woods that threads between a housing development and a farm field, and on the other side of the farm field is an Amazon warehouse.

Wildlife sightings were a chipmunk, a groundhog, and numerous small brown birds. Towards the far end of the trail, there's some interesting geology to look at, where the railroad line was cut through a shale bed. (But then you have to turn around and go back through the boring bit.)

On the plus side, before setting out on this expedition I had a bit of an explore around that corner of the park, and it turns out there are some promising-looking berry bushes down there! I'm hoping to figure out a (shorter and more interesting) walk that incorporates that area, so I can keep an eye on them.

[nvrcmplt]

PChan thread / plot ides ::

Honey there's an alien in the garage.

A once abandoned home of a Muse that came back to spruce it up after some time. When exploring, they noticed signs of living in and around the place. Confused and concerned for what, Muse looks around deeper, and ends up coming across Alien!PChan in the Garage. In a fright, they both scream at each other and try to escape - only to lock themselves in the tight space on accident and now have to suffer the consequences of being startled af.

Friend or Foe? Why does it smell nice? What the fuck was Pchan vomiting up and hanging on the ceiling rafters? Omg.

AREA 51 vs The World

PChan's a protected species, but not by the government, but the people that have bear witness to PChan's crash landing. He's almost a celebrity at this point but of course, humans are rude in all manners and try to harm PChan at any point. Muse A takes it upon themselves to protect PChan from assassination attempts and house them themselves.

Goofy times.

Criminal and Alien

PChan stumbling into the seedy protection of a crime world, running from government eyes and demands of his blood, body and knowledge of the outside world. PChan flees and falls into Criminal waters / warehouse - where he later gets found and more or less adopted, since he has shown how he can help out with things if given some direction. That and he gives great blowjobs, let PChan show them what a true sex worker is that makes their Clients fear seeing straight ever again. ~ ♥

[anandabrat]

Nightmare Warehouse, Day 5, with the gorgeous @starshipblueberry. Right here, right here is where a certain somebody started hijacking our plot...

The little band that plays on the street directs Myka and Helena to where ‘Sally’ lives. They don’t seem terribly surprised to be asked. But maybe Sally forgets where she lives all the time. Or maybe they’re just not nosy people. Although they do have their noses. Myka checks. She’ll never assume again.

Dr. Finklestein’s house is towering and oddly shaped, like every other house they’ve passed. Sally might be forgiven for getting confused, leaves for brains or no. Myka wonders if the inside is one big ramp, or if there’s an elevator. This town doesn’t appear to be very wheelchair-accessible. 

They circle the place once, then huddle behind a low stone wall, discussing options. 

“We could sneak around the back - there’s that door and at least two windows - just grab it and get out.”

“Do you know how to put it back on? What if there are special tools - specific thread that works? Magic leaves to put back in? And is this Doctor person likely to simply leave your arm lying on a table somewhere for us to just whisk away without his noticing? I imagine there’s a lab - or perhaps several, looking at the shape and scope of this building.”

“Good points. Damn. Well, I bet wherever the arm is, the stuff to put it back on me is too. And, I bet this guy knows you, Helena. Everyone seems to. You could be -”

“Right. Distraction. Can you get in without your right arm?”

“I think so. We’ll find out, I guess.”

The door, when Myka creeps back around and up to it, is unlocked. She frowns, not trusting it. Surely a trap. She goes back the way she came, to the big dead tree in the yard, and picks up a thick wooden branch. Well, it’s not a Tesla or a gun, but it’s probably the best weapon she can manage on such short notice.

The door opens into the kitchen. Oh. Maybe this guy just expected her to come home like, hey, no big deal on the arm, by the way what did you make for dinner? Rage billows up inside her. She does not put the branch down as she peers around the corner.

Helena sees her - her dark, hollow eyes just flick over to Myka and back, but her expression doesn’t change, and Dr. Finklestein doesn’t turn his head. Myka tiptoes past them as the doctor continues to tell Helena how brilliant ‘Jack’ is and ask what they’re working on for next year.

“Ah,” says Helena confidently, smoothly. “We’re working on better mapping systems so that we can make certain to scare every last person adequately on the big night. And, I’ve an idea for a side project I was hoping to get your input on. I know you’ve done some fairly advanced work creating life under unusual circumstances, but what is your experience with reanimation?”

Dr. Finkelstein’s answer is lost as Myka opens the door at the very top of the ramp - it is, indeed, a long spiral inside, like some tortured version of the Gugenheim. Her hand waves cheerfully to her from a metal work table.

Myka rushes over and picks it up before she can think it through. The resulting visual, of holding her own waving forearm, makes her a bit queasy. She grabs the needle and thread sitting on the table next to her arm, and turns to leave.

Something makes her pause in the doorway. She turns back around again.

There’s sketches on a drafting table. Schematics. For a person. With half a brain.

Oh hell no. This creepy doctor doesn’t need to be making any more women. Myka puts her arm back down on the table, where her hand makes a ‘what gives?’ gesture at her. 

“Hold on,” Myka whispers. “I just have to do one thing first.”

***

“Hey hey hey, look! I found concessions!”

“Pete! Focus! We’re supposed to be getting our faces on!”

“But Claud, look! Better than popcorn, right?”

“Oh man Pete. Isn’t this from the movie? Are you sure we can even eat this stuff? It could be clay. Or clay with lead paint on it. You don’t know what it - ”

“Who’s got two thumbs and is gonna find out?”

“Eww, dude. OK but, if you poison yourself Artie is gonna be pissed.”

***

Artie is laying on his back in the dark. He groped around for awhile, looking for a switch or a candle or a fucking flashlight - but there was nothing. 

The only sounds come from his body. A clicking noise. Wings flutter. Creepy things squish around in his brain. His throat aches. 

This is hell.

[whatdoesshedotothem]

Saturday 1 [Saturday 29 February] 1840

8

2 40/..

Long in washing etc. R12 ½° on my table at 10 a.m. breakfast over at 11 – Reading Schnitzler vol. 2 p. 684 et seq. government of Saratoff [Saratov] – had our landlord up – no steppe on this side the Volga – no eaux minérales here – they are at the Caucasus –

to go to Orenburg, must return to Simbirsk – 500v. from here to Uralsk

the éboulement – there was one in 1827 – one 3 years ago 2v. from here – a brandy distillery slipped away – only a brewery left there – the village is removed – belongs to government –

the slip last summer was at Féodorfka 250v. from here on the great road to Astrakhan no lives lost – 50 or 60 cottages slipped away –

Mr. Stalepine has no verrerie here

no Tartar mosques or schools here – the Botanic garden on the hill that we passed yesterday at 1st supposing it a vineyard – mulberry trees there – these were what we took for vines in the distance but on nearing them (never very near) they looked like orchid trees –

about 30,000 inhabitants – trade in fish and caviar – had just written so far at 12 55/.. – out at 1 ½ A- and I in a traineau and pair (good horses as at Kazan) along our street Rue de Moscou, some distance – then turned right, along the street where the post office is, and then into the great Astrakhan road for some way, and then left this and drove another road by which also one goes to A- in summer, and then to the Botanic garden! – a quiz upon Botanic gardens if this be one – the serres that Schnitzler mentions are a small wooden erection heated [entirely] but only for a few hydrangeas oleanders geraniums and 1 or 2 pair of viburnum huddled together on the floor – there were also a few bulbs or onions, - and in the lower part lettuces just come up – there must be some other botanic garden but the German colonist living there and inspector of the silk thread manufactory a little building near declared there was no other garden belonging to la ville – he shewed us a specimen of the silk thread – yellow and white – pretty good? good road here a day or 2 ago – now snowed up – our horses lunged sank deep (several times) and we had to get as we could up to the house – returned past the prison a large building full of people for Siberia – our barrier that we entered by close by – we kept outside and drove along the old town – the rue de tartars down upon the Volga close to the great ravine which parts the town in 2 and in the bot[tom] of which several brick-ovens and sheds – but saw nothing of the old rampart that Geo. Dictionary speaks of – on getting upon the river drove northwards to see the mountain slip of last summer – it is a little beyond (north) of the 4 lines of magasins à sel – the Sokolof [Sokolov] mountains aboutissent, and a bit of the end of this sandy range slipped off its marly [?] bed in the great heat of August last (said our driver) – and just beyond this (north) was the larger slip in 1827 – a mere Isle of Wright landship – no lives lost – then at 3 ½ drove across (5v.) to the Pokrofsky [Pokrovsky] slobode in ½ hour – drove to the salt warehouses (near our one of the 3 good churches in this village of peasants belonging to government) – a crowd of [?] – busy loading with the salt – sells here at 1/40 per

SH:7/ML/E/24/00029

pood and at the lake itself the people gather the salt then [?] and pay ./80 per pood for it – all broken pretty small – in very coarse grain – looked like a coarse dusky gravel – but good salt (tasted it) and in this state the peasants use it; but if they want fine salt, each can easily refine for himself by means of alum – then drove about the village – went in to the one of the little Isbas – apparently one of the worse – very small – always 2 rooms however small or they could not keep their living place warm enough the entrance room or vestibule is a sort of receptacle for everything – the inner room entered by a little low door that we had to creep in at, has the oven stove and shelf over it the bench and a table – a white calf lay by the stove – the man of the house on the bench in his dark coloured shirt, and a young girl or 2 on the stove – just room for all these people to turn themselves and not much more – the wife was not at home – the man put on his shube, and came out with wondering why we should trouble ourselves to peep into such a place – he looked pale – how could he do otherwise – the heat and smell of the little hot place were intolerable – but this man at his ease – 3 cows – a horse – some sheep, geese, pigs and poultry and a couple of telegas, and a willow wattled round farmyard like all the rest of the people – not a cottage without the like appurtenances – the village had a striking appearance thus full of wattled enclosures a great out-buildings for the cattle and many many of the huts of this sort of wicker work mud-plastered over – passed near to each of the 3 good churches and went into one of them – vespers – full of shubed people – the service well chaunted – beautiful singing – I could have staid longer but A- was cold and anxious to be off – we had put R on the now few minutes before (at 4 ½) and it stood at only -7 1/2° - but there was a cold wind – the church all painted in fresco was even handsome seemed spacious for a Greek church the nave from the belfry and the great dome being all church – the prestole in the Apsis behind the dome – square tower clocher, nave, Dome, apsis – such is the style of church here and all along since Kazan – the 5 dome churches are rare hereabouts, and the little domes where they exist are mere reminiscences – little things like 4 chimneys – very cold wind in our faces as we returned, and the snow blown up and driven about us – returned up our street (the main street – Rue de Moscou), but turned left to see the large cathedral planted round at a little distance with trees (young) along a nice walk here is the senate house – the large handsome house of Ivanof the [?] chez que the emperor stays when he comes – the clocher (at a little distance) is only about ½ built – the church is finished and has been finished did the man say 12 years – a largeish square finished in an inscribed circle

of 2 grades from the highest of which springs the large handsome dome – towards the clocher (west?) there is a hexastyle? and pediment – opposite (last?) is an apsis – the other 2 sides have each a hexastyle with architrave and cornice without pediment – this church standing on high ground is seen from far the most massive building in the town – as strikingly huge and massive here, as the new town hall is at Birmingham – came in at 5 ½ M. and Madame Stalapine had called – disappointed not to find us at home – had invited us to dinner tomorrow at 12 – at noon! the courier and Gross declared it was so – and they would send their carriage but had promised it yesterday to some friends – a great ball of the noblesse tomorrow night – ordered 2 horses to be put to our own kibitka – had the courier and George – from here to Astrakhan the posting sans pour boire = 280/. – to give the courier [100/.] tomorrow – he is to inquire if there is a road from here to Uralsk – the distance – road from thence to Orenburg and distance – from where to turn off to the Calmuck [Kalmyk] Encampment etc. etc. dinner at 6 ½ - a bottle of red Donskoi 1/. sweetish and pleasant and a bottle of white champagne-like Donskoi 3/. as yesterday – we finished the bottle as yesterday and sat over it till 8 – then lay down for a few minutes – could not be more than 8 ½ when Madame Stalepine called and staid till 10 – talked very agreeably – there is a better Inn than this – the hotel de Petersburg – I said the courier managed all these things – to dine at 4 p.m. tomorrow and the carriage to be sent for us – Mr. S- has 4000 peasants – one village = 1000 – [?] in sheep – has made a contract for 10 years with a Mr. Cowley fermier from not far from London who pays ½ expense and .:. takes ½ profits – M. S-  finding (I conclude) the pasturage – has 60,000 arpens of land – Mr. Cowley has sent over an English shepherd who brought his young wife with him – arrived at St. P- in June last and here in September – the sheep by water to St. P- and ditto from there here – Mr. and Mrs. Cowley were here 2 or 3 months last summer he delighted with the place and would have been glad to remain here – the terre where the sheep are is 10v. from the next station from here on the Simbirsk road – not far .: from Volsk [Vol’sk] – we at our last station were 10v. from our compatriot shepherd and our English long fine wool sheep – one ram cost 600/. and one Ewe 200/. Mr. S- had 400 from England and several others of the Russian nobility of St. P- and elsewhere had sheep of the same kind so that a large flock must have come – Madame S- has 3 children the oldest aet. 5 – 2 girls and a boy – looks young – and prettyish – very civil – tea after she went away – then reading Dictionary geography till 1 and then till 2 10/.. wrote all but the first 13 lines of today – fine day but cold wind and cold this afternoon after between 2 and 3 p.m.

[globalfintechseries]

Data Observability + DataOps + FinOps: Towards Healthy Data Adoption

What do the following have in common?

A service in the cloud data warehouse in the company went rogue and suddenly created 4,000 tables unexpectedly.

A test automation glitch in another company caused a sudden spike in usage for one of the test Snowflake warehouses, leading to queries running unexpectedly for hours.

An external vendor that the company was relying on, made a breaking change to the data that resulted in its own critical customer-facing table to get only 10% of the expected data.

Data operations – everyday is a brand new challenge

On the surface, these appear to be disconnected issues – three different issues, three different companies. However, left undetected, each of these issues has the power to single-handedly disrupt the customer’s data environment, and in a very bad way.

 The first one is an unexpected blow up in metadata space where 4,000 tables could have easily multiplied by 10x by the time the team realized it was happening. The second one is about leaking tens of thousands of dollars that would derail the company’s data budget had this leak gone undetected or waited until the next bill to find out. The third one is classically centered around data quality that would have directly put the company’s own reputation at stake in front of its own customers.

Common thread

The examples above are representative of the challenges data engineers face every day. These engineers are busy building new data pipelines, and at the same time dealing with completely unexpected issues that touch different parts of the stack. Worse yet, on a number of occasions, those challenges involve parts of the stack where engineers do not have any control (take case #3 above, for example) and must rely on external parties for smooth operations.

Challenge

The bigger challenge, however, is that engineers do not have the of time to define all the data and resource checks that could capture the dynamic and complex nature of their data stack. And on top of that they neither have the budget to buy different solutions for such problems, nor the bandwidth to build different solutions for each problem.

 To put into perspective, building such a solution in house for production is not a small task. It needs sustained long term commitment to the cause of making data operations super efficient that in turn requires deep expertise in building distributed systems, large scale AI models for the space, strong SQL knowledge and in-depth understanding of underlying cloud data warehouses architecture to know how to optimize and that skill set requirement is just the start. Then there is building the consumption layer and on call rotation to maintain such a system plus gathering requirements to continue to adapt to changing data and internal customer requirement.

In short they need a million dollar team!

Emerging trend in cloud data operations

As companies advance their cloud data warehouse adoption, we see a critical need for the following wrt data operations.

 1. Merging of FinOps and DataOps responsibilities

CxOs and data leaders are rightfully wary of their spiraling out of control cloud data warehouse spend. That’s not a surprise, as teams brought in the traditional capex mindset when they followed the company’s mandate to transition to cloud. Three to four years into their cloud adoption journey, and even sooner, companies are now discovering that the capex mindset and old data practices don’t work at all in the cloud.

 When was the last time a business asked its data teams to remove a data pipeline because they were no longer using it? It’s a rhetorical question. Of course the answer, without exception, is NEVER. There is no exit strategy for data and compute

Consumption-based pricing requires a strong data and compute exit strategy to have healthy data adoption. Otherwise, it’s a one-way road to increasing the spend.

 The reality is that FinOps can not optimize spend in isolation; they need to deeply understand the usage of the data to make meaningful business decisions. Likewise, data teams need to understand the risks to budget when they onboard new data sets, and to identify trends to make the necessary trade-offs between the cost of having data delivered to business vs. the current dollar impact of that data.

 The fact that every CDW has a unique pricing structure (for example, Snowflake compute spend depends not only on query latency but also on how these are distributed over time) and enterprises typically have more than one CDW, makes it very difficult for the teams to overall maximize ROI of their data investment across such an expansive data footprint.

Gartner called out the four critical features of data observability that extend all the way from monitoring and detection to resolution and better prevention.

 This holistic, end-to-end approach is the right way of looking at the space from the vantage point of data teams.

Today’s state-of-the-art data observability offerings fall remarkably short. Previously, we shared how instead of taking on the really hard problem of surfacing the “unexpected” data quality issues for data engineering teams automatically, current vendors in this space primarily focus on the easiest piece of the pie: leading with manual data quality checks. This fundamental limited approach has not worked well in practice.

Indeed, it was not a surprise when, during our discussions with data practitioners, they questioned the ROI of such data observability systems repeatedly, asking: How is the system really helping us reduce our own effort if we have to define and manage everything?

 There’s an imperative need to automatically connect the dots between quality, spend, performance and usage

Spend and data quality: yin and yang of healthy CDW adoption. For one of our Google BigQuery customers, a large public company, businesses were seeing bad data. Why? Because the load failed due to resource usage being above capacity. Why? There was a query running at the time, consuming a large fraction of its company-wide resources. Getting rid of the offending query: Priceless. Powering the 5-whys. If the focus was purely on alerting people of underlying data quality issues, the obvious conclusion would be to bring the problem to the CFO and ask for more capacity – aka, dollars. However, by empowering the data team to get to the 5 whys, the journey starts from data quality and gets down to query performance and resource utilization, and by connecting them with the right business team, the outcome was magical: the user removed the query that was the real root cause of the problem – saving them time and money.

Impact $0.5M worth of slot capacity.

This was all possible because the data engineering team got a holistic picture of the problem that spanned quality, usage and spend. Without the ability for the data teams to look at these together, companies waste dollars and time, overrun budgets and continue to suffer from organically growing bad practices.

We strongly believe that for healthy data adoption to exist, data observability out of the box augmented with recommendations and actions as outlined above “end goal” by Gartner, seamless 5-whys across different pillars of quality, spend, usage and performance is key. Only then are data teams empowered to deliver the right data at the right time and at the right cost to businesses.

 3. Leading with automation

Previously, we had talked about my co-founder Shashank’s experience at Meta, where he led the data quality and observability effort with an automation-first (1.5M + tables, 10K+ data practitioners) approach. With automation, coverage for data quality went from single digits (~7%) to monitoring the entire CDW for data quality.

Data teams simply don’t have the time to define and manage checks as the underlying data ecosystem continues to evolve and change. The key empowerment to these teams comes from a maniacal focus on automation. They need a system that automatically selects what, how and when to monitor on their behalf.

Only through such automation can teams get coverage for the entire CDW – be it for quality, performance, spend or usage. That, in turn, provides data engineering teams with the confidence that the system has their back, which is key to adoption of such a technology.

Be respectful of data teams’ time. They simply don’t have time to define and chase every issue. Understand and address the real problems that these teams are facing, stop the out-of-control spending, and set up your entire business for healthy data adoption.

Healthy data adoption falls within the purview of data engineering, but it’s not one problem. Instead of creating more silos and continuing to layer more observability above such silos:

Now is the time to cater to the data engineering persona and not to one isolated problem!

[grimmmviewing]

S1E15: “Island of Dreams”—C+/B (Watched 5/7/24)

Renard: “Luckily no one got hurt.” (Cut to a close-up of Sergeant Wu’s hideously broken-out face)

I wished (but knew better than to expect) that “Island of Dreams” would be as compelling as its title. In terms of the monster-of-the-week plot, this is a real C of an episode—It’s just a lot of back and forth and running around with two violent Wesen drug addicts. The rest of what hangs on that downright skeletal frame is a bit more compelling, though, even if it doesn’t necessarily do a lot for my feelings about this individual story in the end.

First, “Island of Dreams” feels like a real crossroads moment for a number of different plot threads—Renard’s partner in scheming Adalind Schade returns in a prominent sort of way with her attempted seduction of Hank. Juliette wants to learn to use a gun, which feels like a natural extension of multiple previous plots where she’s been in peril. I couldn’t remember if the Fuchsbau spice shop owner killed by the addicts was the same one from before, but thankfully the show’s own, built-in quick flashback confirmed that for me (functioning exactly as intended). The Geiers and their organ-selling are mentioned (but thankfully not seen or actually involved); the refrigerator repairman Wesen makes a couple of appearances; there’s a brief reference to Renard’s family background… It’s kind of a rewarding episode in this way!

Like all the previous Grimm episodes, there’s also a baseline of competence and charm here: Renard instructing Adalind to “[G]o fall in love” is just a fun line, and the love potion-like seduction cookies she brings Hank as part of this scheme are perhaps comically large, at least to my eye. Russell Hornsby’s performance as Hank falling under the effects of the spell is also good. I like how visibly bemused and unsettled he is by what he’s experiencing. There’s “love” in the mix, but he also acts like he’s almost aware that he has no idea why he’s doing what he’s doing. It’s more compelling than just straightforward love.

As the episode went on, I liked it more—beyond the initial premise/case, beyond the links to past episodes, and into this stuff that I’ve been describing with the love spell and how that seeming sub-plot ends up interacting with the main one. Hank’s hallucinations of Adalind distract him when he and Nick are supposed to be pursuing the addicts, which causes them to get away, further complicating that plotline. And Sergeant Wu eating one of the cookies that Hank left unattended ends up not just being a goof and instead becomes another source of conflict, as he passes out in front of Rosalee and Monroe, and the process of treating his grotesque reaction to the spell brings the matter somewhat to the attention of them and Nick.

The episode has some fairly squirmy stuff in it intermittently—some sustained shots of a gross leg wound being treated, the aforementioned afflicted face of Wu, and a bit from Wu’s perspective where he hallucinates the faces of Nick and Monroe and newcomer Rosalee… “shedding”—but my favorite bit of unsettling imagery was the last we see of Wu in this story: sitting alone in his apartment, by all accounts ok now, but calmly eating the insides of a couch cushion. That was not something I expected to see. Grimm kind of struggles to incorporate meaningful-feeling elements of horror into an already stuffed 40-ish minutes, so I was very surprised that this episode, which seems even more stuffed than usual at first, has this great moment in it.

I was feeling pretty let down by the title and was convinced the “island” would be not just metaphorical but also nonexistent, but then there was the last-minute twist that the title refers to the Wesen equivalent of a “crack house,” which ends up being this warehouse space strung with orange lights and with red-lit, somewhat conical tents in which guests Partake. We don’t spend much time there, unfortunately, but it’s something. That an episode so very busy with new and old elements balances them so well is also something (notably positive).

[exyot]

AutomateWare: Revolutionizing Saudi Warehousing for Unparalleled Efficiency and Precision

          In the heart of Saudi Arabia's bustling logistics landscape, a revolution is underway with "AutomateWare" at its forefront, heralding a new era of unparalleled efficiency and precision in warehousing. This innovative force is reshaping traditional storage and distribution paradigms, elevating Saudi Arabia's logistics sector to new heights ware house automation service Saudi Arabia

AutomateWare's impact is most evident in its strategic incorporation of cutting-edge technologies. Automated systems, robotics, and intelligent software converge to create a seamlessly integrated warehouse environment. This convergence not only streamlines operations but also ensures an unprecedented level of precision in inventory management and order fulfillment.

Precision, a cornerstone of AutomateWare's approach, is achieved through advanced technologies that minimize errors and optimize accuracy. Automated picking and packing systems, powered by sophisticated algorithms, contribute to error reduction and enhance the overall reliability of the supply chain. The result is a warehouse environment where every item is accounted for with meticulous accuracy, mitigating risks associated with stockouts or overstock situations.

Efficiency is another hallmark of AutomateWare's transformative impact. By implementing automated solutions, the company has significantly reduced lead times in order fulfillment. The seamless integration of these technologies ensures swift and accurate picking, packing, and dispatching of goods, contributing to an agile and responsive supply chain.

Beyond the operational benefits, AutomateWare's commitment to precision and efficiency extends to fostering a safer working environment. By automating repetitive and strenuous tasks, human workers can redirect their focus towards more complex and value-added activities. This harmonious collaboration between technology and human expertise not only enhances overall productivity but also ensures a workplace where safety and efficiency go hand in hand.

As Saudi Arabia aims to position itself as a global logistics hub, the role of innovators like AutomateWare becomes pivotal. By revolutionizing warehousing with efficiency and precision, AutomateWare not only propels individual businesses into a new era of logistics but also contributes to the broader narrative of Saudi Arabia's technological prowess and leadership in the logistics industry. In the tapestry of Saudi logistics, AutomateWare emerges as a transformative thread, weaving a narrative of efficiency, precision, and a future where warehousing is redefined freight forwarding companies in Saudi Arabia

[a-vampire-culturelover]

The Insect is Awake- Chapter 3

Carter knew something was wrong when Monty had eaten the ecclair out from the trash. He knew something was wrong when he didn't return his calls. He knew something was wrong when not even his mailman knew if he was home. But he was, Carter knew. The Warehouse had no one in it, not even the little cockroach he had been introduced to. He'd wondered where the little guy had been since the first demonstration on his visit.

Carter didn't know what to do. Where to go, put up missing posters? The best thing he could think to do was knock and see if he was there.

The first went unoticed, so did the second. Then the third, then the fourth, then the fifth. Eventually, he decided, fuck it, and kicked down the door. He regretted that instantly, worrying about the expenses to pay for it and if Monty would be upset. He decided to fix it when he was done looking, and then leave if he couldn't find anything.

He had searched everywhere in the downstairs, beginning to feel nervous. Then he heard it.

A scuttling on the second floor. Taking a gulp with anxiety and treading lightly up the stairs, afraid now. What had happened? Was his new friend robbed? Was the robber still here? Oh god, was there a serial killer in the house??

Hearing a few bangs, he piulled a flashlight over to a fallen trash can, saliva dripping from deep down on the bottom, wiped clean of whatever was in it. Heading towards the Bathroom, he noticed when he flicked the switch on, that there was four canine teeth, bloody and in the flesh, in the sink. Carter was more than afraid now, worried that what Monty did with the Teleporter might've had adverse affects on him. Hearing something in the bedroom, he went in, he switched the lights on.

And they both screamed.

Well, let me reiterate: Carter screamed. Monty, in all his glory, had done something he hadn't before, and had hissed like a Roach. Looking over Monty, and trying to push any further adrenaline from his body, he noticed his canines were gone, replaced with weird bug mandibles, the things moving like they had minds of their own. The strange threads Carter had noticed before were longer, and a lot more prominent now, flicking wildly and seemingly gravitating towards Carter like curious puppies. The oddest thing of all though, had been the Bandages around Monty's face, specifically the ones wrapped around where his nose was.

"Monty? Monty of thank goodness you were killed or robbed! What happened to you?"

Monty opened his mouth, but closed it, trying to regain his thoughts. He didn't know what to tell his friend, if Carter would even believe him. Then again, the bug antennae trying to simply sense and feel Carter begged to differ.

"I..I dont know, in all honesty. I mean, I have a theory, but it's not a pretty one." Monty pulled out the X-rays he had witnessed prior to his strange little blackout, giving them to Carter. Carter was confused at what he was seeing, unsure If it was a tumor he was looking at or a weird growth.

"I..I dont get it Monty." "It's a cockroach brain. I..I think I have a hunch what happened to me and him." Monty spoke, scratching the bandages around his nose. He had something behind him in a little jar filled with ice, and as Carter went to look, Monty timidly would push it further under the bed he was sitting by.

"Monty."

"Yes?"

"What's it in the jar?" "...." "Monty. What's in the jar."

Monty shakily pulled it out, revealing that it was his nose of all things in the ice jar. Carter stopped himself from screaming, putting his hands to his mouth in shock.

"I just woke up and it was like this!" Monty cried, beginning to finally break down after all of his attempts at bottling up his feelings. He fell into Carter's arms, caterwauling and wailing about how he couldn't stop himself from eating everything in one of the house's wastebins, and recalling throwing up a chewed up pen and at least 4 pieces of disgustingly wet paper. Carter wanted to say something, anything reassuring, but he couldn't, for he had no grasp on the circumstances.

"Is..the stump where your nose is at least okay?" He asked a little timidly, not wanting to pressure him into showing what could have been under the bandages. He could see the antennae attached to Monty's scalp twitch, his eyes tired but half-lidded in understandment.

Slowly unwrapping the bandages around his nose, Carter was shocked to discover no deformity, no fleshy, bloodied mess, but instead skin grown over where it was, as smooth as a butterball turkey. He had asked for Monty's permission to feel the area, and Monty agreed hesitantly, almost sighing if not, purring, at the feeling of Carter's fingers around the area where his nose formerly was.

Suddenly Monty pulled back, screaming in agony, as he pulled his hands to his head and hissed, curling up into a ball on the ground as his fingernails fell off, and his fingers molding to become naturally sharp, prickled here and there like that of a roach's limbs. Monty staggered up, barely able to muster coherent words as he felt something familiar rise up in place of his brilliant, intelligent mind. Feeling the intesity of the light in the room, he ushered to turn it off before stumbling and falling down to the ground, feeling weak. Eyes dilating to the beady, shiny black they had been a moment before.

Carter was standing frozen still in silence, having intitially reached out to help, but recoiled in fear of endangerment from the hissing and the disgusting shedding of Monty's nails, both hands and feet, good lord!

"Monty?..." "M-monty are you ok?" All Carter got was a stranger chittering, like mandibles clicking together in an frantic buzz of noise. Suddenly, the man-turned-oddity sprung up, hissing at Carter with it's beady eyes, wild antennae, and salivating mouth. Carter fumbled back, slamming into the door as whatever was in control of Monty, chattered and clicked it's mandibles, becoming unitnerested in him before skittering on all fours outside the bedroom, antennae twitching with hunger and the scent of food nearby.

Carter was just about on the verge of gaining grey hairs from the fright and stress of it all, wanting desperately to muster courage to go look for his friend elsewhere in an unfamiliar house. Hearing the skitters of limbs in the kitchen, Carter followed in the dark, flashlight in hand quivering, for Carter knew just how much cockroaches hated the light.

Seeing the fridge door opened in the dark of the kitchen, Carter could see "Not-Monty" flinch at the bright light and instinctively skitter back a few steps, before adjusting to the so very sensitive light and reaching for whatever it could grab. Inspecting it further, Not-Monty took leftover fries that had gone cold and took them up to his mouth, mandibles taking small bites and shovelling the bits down its mouth. ' Did Not-Monty even know how to use a human mouth like one?'

Suddenly, the fridge door closed, the kitchen going pitch black yet again. Fumbling for his flashlight, he couldn’t seem to find where the skittering had gone. Finally turning on his flashlight, he felt a drip above him, a pit in his stomach forming.

Looking up, he saw Not-Monty above him, claws diggings into the ceiling and salivating, something that finally broke Carter and made him scream. The screaming must have irritated it because he hissed and recoiled his limbs, falling into Carter and trying to crawl off them. When he spotted him with the flashlight, he covered his eyes in fear and skittered under the couch, sensitive to light and loving cramped spaces.

Carter thought and used a “pspspspspsp” to try and lure them out, which seemed to work, although he kept messing with his eyes and unable to to stop blinking with the bright light in front of it. Thinking, Carter gave it sunglasses from the kitchen counter, guiding Not-Monty onto putting them on so it could bare the sight of the flashlight.

”Monty, is it still you?” He asked, putting a hand on Not-Monty’s cheek as he simply gave a chirp, not a single thought other than cockroach things behind that mind.

“…”

“Honda??”

And at that, Not-Monty snapped up with familiarity, for Honda had recognized his own name being said.

[percontaion-points]

Everlife chapter 17 & bonus chapter 9

Today's review might be difficult for some; reader discretion is advised

Click to see the rest of the snark & image descriptions

Chapter 17

I have to choose, and I choose Ten. Though I’ve broken the fragile threads of her trust, I will make amends. I will be better. She is my family now, and I’ll prove it.

Chapter 17 summary: Killian’s memories have randomly returned. At this point, I’m not even going to question it, since no explanation was given as to why his memories vanished in the first place. Anyway, the first page of the chapter is nothing but him thinking about the first meaningful encounter that he and Ten had, back in the start of the series. I don’t fucking care. 

Victor then drags him through Myriad. And while it is interesting to see the other side of Troika… so much time is spent describing things to the detriment of the actual plot. Furthermore, the descriptions are interspersed with Killian’s wangst, which makes it that much worse. 

Victor finally brings Killian to his father’s house, where again, way too much time is spent on stuff that doesn’t fucking matter. He uses electricity to pin Killian in place, where he then starts to torture Killian. 

Killian asks Ten for some of her light. This takes a moment for it to come through, and when it does, he’s able to block Victor’s next blow and to heal his wounds. The light fades after that point, but it’s enough for Killian to have gotten the upper hand. He breaks free and starts physically fighting Victor. 

Bonus chapter 9

PS: Biscuit says “Hi hello how are you I miss you like crazy where are you I want to be with you please come home soon or I’m going to start peeing on your friends.”

Bonus chapter 9 summary: A message from Archer to Ten. (Despite the fact that the last one he sent her bounced. Apparently, forget about the rules that the author created earlier.) He tells her that Myriad soldiers showed up at the warehouse, and a huge battle broke out. In the end, Myriad ended up blowing up the building, rather than to risk it falling into the hands of Troika. So the humans experienced their firstdeath, and anybody who was near obviously experienced their seconddeath. Also, Sloan died again. She was barely a character after the first book, so… bye. 

He goes on to say that Penumbra has become viral, and is spreading not only among the humans, but also the Troikians as well. They’re doing their best to try and contain it, but it’s honestly getting out of hand. Even with the new conduits, there’s only so much that they can do. For the moment, Archer isn’t going to be able to send Ten any more light, in case he’s infected. 

[greendalerubber]

Clear Your Confusions about Materials of Flange Surface Protectors

There are several considerations to address while selecting flange surface protectors online in the Netherlands for your project. It is frequently safer to adhere to the type required in the specification even when it isn't always the optimal choice since it is frequently mentioned in the spec. If the flange protector is temporary and has to be as inexpensive as possible, should you shield the flange during sandblasting and painting, or should it offer the best protection against mechanical damage, impact, and dust?

What Do Flange Protectors Do?

The whole pipe flange surface is shielded by flange guards. The possibility of contamination can be fully eliminated by sealing the pipe assembly. These shields aid in ensuring that these buildings are really totally removed from their surroundings.

Importance of Flange Protection

Pipe flanges and thread protection are two items that are very necessary when discussing the oil, gas, and utility industries. You need to be concerned not just about contamination of the storage, but also about damage during transit and production processes. Inadequate solutions lead to expensive repairs. Even the drills and pipes in oil wells may need to be replaced.

The gasket which seals the flange connection's surface is known as the flange face. A vessel, valve, or various other mechanical devices can serve as the link. Usually, the area where the gasket seals and establishes the pipe system connection is machined.

Common materials that are used as flange surface protectors online Netherlands are:

Plastic

The fact that plastic flange protectors are lightweight and inexpensive to purchase is only one of their many benefits. Flange protectors are frequently used and discarded, thus it could be wise to pick plastic for affordability. They are less durable than materials like plywood and they don't often completely cover the flange surface, therefore they could be better.

Plywood

Many businesses insist on using waterproof plywood for the projects. Our veneer protectors are produced in-house, and we also have stock available. If we build them for all of the flange diameters that are available and install them on 2mm rubber gaskets for the best impact and dust protection.

Rubber

Because self-adhesive rubber sometimes fits too well and glue gets left on the flange, many people are hesitant to use it. Rubber from reputable manufacturers is one sort that fits nicely and doesn't leave glue behind.

When masking, surface finishers swear by it, and we observe that more and more people use it as regular flange surface protectors online Netherlands since it is simple to install, offers decent protection, and frees up a lot of room in the warehouse. We have all common sizes, and our cutting station allows us to carve out any diameter, doughnut, or unique form.

The success of your project depends on the protection of your flange faces. It is the location of the magic. If you do it correctly, you'll be the hero who completes the project on time. If you make a mistake, you could deal with additional project delays, cost overruns, and perhaps dissatisfied clients. Hence, choose it carefully from a reputable supplier.

[deoxygenated]

I really lose a lot of detail when focusing on the narrative in my dreams. Like in explaining whats going on I can't impart the sheer amount of environmental and other data I also get.

So below I'm going to expand on a few points.

1) The house and the girl's room.

The house is a huge structure, similar in style to those mexican courtyard homes but with the design sense of the interior of an older japanese style home with the tatami. Like the materials are normal for the mexican home but it's all in greens and browns and whites that you'd find there. The interior courtyard is enclosed and forms the main gathering area of the home. Other than the north wall, the others have doorways leading into rooms or stairs to the upper floors.

I led the girl up those stairs and we saw the second door was lit but not the first. So I pushed open the green door to give her a room. The room is a large space and unlike the rest of the house it has wood paneling on the bottom half of the walls and some kind of boring brown floral wallpaper on the top. Everything about the room implies that it's antique. Even the furniture in there- which is just a huge L-shaped couch structure in multiple pieces is old. The couch has woodworked floral designs in dark wood. Upholstery on it is some kind of off golden-brown with flowers in dark brown thread but highlighted with metallic thread on the petals and leaves. Shiny in a old kind of way.

I had to move one of the pieces off so she could sleep on either of the other two. The room also had a balcony which I used some tall fake plants that were also in the room to stop the cats from hopping to her neighbours balcony.

Along with the main area of the room there was a small alcove where one would probably have a bathroom ina. real suite but its just another empty dusty area in the dream.

2) The androids and their master.

Imagine the androids from DBZ. They're like that. There's 3 of them. Two look like girls and the main fighter is the 'guy'. Their master is discount King Kai but also somehow the guy in harvest moon who sells you super mega awesome delicious apples.

3) The Flea market.

The market itself covers a wide area and when I was calling it a maze I wasn't kidding. It's in a large dirt field at the edge of the city but for all intents and purposes- it's the heart pf the city. Anything thats anything goes down here. Despite looking like it's an easily abandoned flat, the market doesn't ever move from this spot as the underground buildings are an important part of it's lifeblood. From warehouses to arenas. What isn't dirt packed by the efforts of many is mosiac tile throughout the place. Forming paths to those that can decipher it's patterns or confusing those who can't, the mosiac is a masterpiece of small tile. The 'silhouettes' that distracted the vampires were part of a decoration in the courtyard of one such tiled area. It's unknown who accomplished sich a thing.

The booths are all ramshackle though, leading to the feeling of temporary space. Like they could just move. From the hat guy's wireframe set up to easily collapsible shelves to the one whose shop is just wood beams and walls upon walls of carpet. They'll sell you anything here.

4) The Hat Guy's booth

Just as I said it's all that wireframe made into walls and a ceiling. Hats are hanging from each available space and a counter made from bricks and a shelf is toward the back. It's a wide rectangular space just off the mosaic path with a hall leading to the backstock area to the right. It's one of the main entrances to the arena and specifically the one for special services like vampire feeding

I don't know how it works but there is a certain part of the roof where if you peek up through god's ugliest satin headbands you can see some of the bodybags. This is how they keep stock. Don't ask how they're preserved somehow. It's dream logic.

5) The question I'm sure you've all been burning for- what is a communist fighting arena?

Everyone in the dream called it that. It was never actually just fighting ring or arena it was always 'Communist fighting arena'.

The building is underground and used to be a movie theatre it seems. 2 theatres had their walls broken into 1 huge structure and the chairs were set so the middle of the area was clear. The walls were older wood detailing with lamps placed every so often, one still retains a movie screen for announcements. Everything is slightly dusty constantly but you can tell what it once was. The dust feels like more of an alibi than a tell of how frequent this is used.

The floor is wood where it can be, with paths of carpet, and dirt in the actual arena area. Importantly the floor is covered in a bunch of papers stepped into the ground over time. This includes a huge amount of brochures with the red hammer and sickle on them. Hence the communist fighting arena. Rumors say you can get a new copy from the staff or just peel one off the floor to read.

Sadly I didn't get to read one in the dream. I can tell you about their menu though. It's unexplained where exactly the kitchens are but they offer a well printed trifold menu. This lists a number of alcohols, cocktails, oven baked pizzas, burgers, cheese fries, random breakfast items such as shakshuka, and importantly the lemonade section. The back of the menu also listed special sevices such as 'arena companions' for hire, the 'special' bloody mary, and other bits from associated shops.

The communist fighting arena was where I was going to face off with the androids. The plan was to beat the shit out their main fighter until somehow one of the others lured their master into the arena and then I'd kill him instead. Therefore fulfilling the 'one of you has to die' quota of the feud.

[verbo-s-e]

june 27, 2023 4:32 pm

i don’t get it. 

i really don’t. 

in an effort to not run to my journal and go back to speaking to you like i’m used to, but - not in that way - i’m here. go figure. is it really any different? yes. it really is that different. i’m really great at reasoning [lying to] with myself. 

how - why - is it that even after removing you/me, i still feel so guilty, so torn up and tortured? why am i still crying myself to sleep and seeing you in my dreams where everything is normal. everything is fine. you’re just there, staring at me, smug and warm and so inviting. how easy it would be to run back into your arms. tell you, never mind, never mind, never mind! i made it all up! we can be friends! we can sew our worlds back together. but the needle is dull. i’m out of thread and this scar tissue can’t take anymore sutures. face it girl, we’ve coded on the table. there’s no saving us now.

pathetic, i scold myself. and then i’m feeling guilty again for being unkind to myself. i promised grace and gentleness. something i was always telling you, but never listening to myself. its a viscous cycle. a pattern. its our thing. and i seem to be the only one who recognizes it. which is why we’re here.

there is something fundamentally abnormal about our dynamic. this lands easily in a positive and negative way. the positive: i don’t have the time or space to go there. the negative: to start, every time i leave my house i’m instantly filled with dread and anxiety - am i going to run into you? are our cars going to pass each other by like two ships in the night? will i have to pretend to not see you? to look through you? like you did me all those times? all those years? would be the fair thing, no? or what about the grocery store? i scan the parking lot to make sure you’re not there. thankfully, your car is easily identifiable. 

i’m so scared to see you. become faced with those brown eyes questioning and analyzing my countenance for clues. i’ve never been good at poker so one look and i’m toast. burnt toast.

in the wake of my severance, memories have been flooding me - the good the bad the in between. what’s currently on rotation on the big screen in my head? 

easy.

third weekend of november, a friends birthday weekend. all close pals invited. friday night started off with a show at a warehouse. things felts so....normal. GOOD dare i say. then, like the change of the weather not some twelve hours later for birthday pals brunch, you wouldn’t even look at me. let alone speak to me. it’s like i wasn’t there. i thought it was just me that saw/felt it. but no. 

no. 

birthday brunch became a birthday picnic on the beach some many hours later and there was still so much weirdness. imagine a circle of friends gathered around a campfire, just minus the campfire and there we all are. topics of sunflowers became topics of rivers and there you went. you went there. a quick side eye glance with the birthday person that meant we both caught it. we both heard it and would file it away to be discussed later. you, directly across from me speaking a deeply personal truth of my own -- it felt like i was looking at a mirror with everything i’ve known and felt reflected back at me. 

but my brain had whiplash. and now, like then, i shake my forever changing colored head as if it’s an etch a sketch, trying to undo the intrusive thought. intrusive memory. 

i guess what i’m saying is: i don’t understand how you don’t understand. because where i’m standing - it’s been so fucking obvious.