#Changing Strata Managers

[acute-crashout-jeyuso]

Summer Fanfics!

Ladies and Gentlemen I’d like to finally announce my fanfics. Everyone has been wondering what is my next trilogy! Well I’d like personally say my next trilogy is the Strata Trilogy! 💜🫰 and the next two fanfics that I have personally selected are IN-CONVENIENCE & Q.A.F! So once all my fanfics (Checkmate, Marilyn Monroe, ATR & 6Witch) are finished; the next core four are: Strata Book 2, The Fatus, IN-CONVENIENCE & Q.A.F! Checkmate, Marilyn Monroe & ATR are approaching their finales!

Plot: Jey, a laid-back slacker, spends his days manning the counter, while Rhea, a no-nonsense, sarcastic employee, is just trying to get through each shift without losing her mind. As they deal with eccentric customers, petty workplace drama, and their own dysfunctional lives, Jey and Rhea develop an unlikely bond. Their playful banter soon turns into something deeper, but their relationship is tested by the absurdity of their day-to-day routines. Can they manage to find love amidst the chaos of their jobs, or will the mundane grind of everyday life be their undoing?

Plot: Joshua, a young college student in Los Angeles, explores his identity and sexuality amidst the city’s vibrant LGBTQ+ community. His life changes dramatically when he meets Damian, a charismatic figure who introduces him to a world of love he has never experienced before. Surrounded by a supportive and eclectic group of friends, including his best friend Liv and Damian’s close-knit circle, Jey navigates the highs of his first gay relationship and unfortunately…. the devastating lows.

and of course… the Strata Trilogy!

Thank you to everyone who has followed me on this beautiful journey of writing! As always, all fanfics will be on Ao3!

— Ryan.

[meatball-headache]

Unfortunately, Bakool Ja Ja is no longer with us. He started off really good, kicked ass effortlessly and got to level 8 in no time flat. But he managed to die in the Rust Wells of all places, because for some reason there was a Slumberling down there, and for some reason he woke up, charged me, and killed me in one hit. My theory: the Social Repugnance defect is so repugnant that it woke up the Slumberling! Maybe I just smell real bad?

Anyway, after that, I've spent the entire day with the next Qoomer pilgrim, and look! Qoomer XIV has made it to Grit Gate! He's the first pilgrim to get this far, but he's not the fourteenth pilgrim overall, that was just what number I was up to when I finally saved the build. I made a lot more after that, most of which died at level one, and I stopped bothering changing the name. He's probably the fortieth or so. But, this guy got real lucky! I started in a random village, and the starter quests were to go to another village and find their thing—this second village also had a quest to go find their thing... back in my first village—and to go discover a salt weep somewhere in the desert. I managed to do this on accident while being lost.

All this gave him a couple levels, and the first Unstable Genome procced. The options were, I don't remember, but I took Teleportation, so I'd have an escape button if things got hairy, which I knew they would many, many times. When I went to the Stilt and turned in all the books that I, um, "found," that got me to level 7, and another mutation: this time I took Precognition, since that would open the door to both shenanigans and saving my highly endangered bacon.

After that it was just exploring, getting lost, fighting stuff in forgotten ruins, fighting stuff in lairs, accidentally teleporting myself—yep, Quantum Jitters, my favorite—fourteen strata deep who knows where, trying to use the Recoiler only to find they gave me one with a dead battery, so on and so forth. I gained more levels, and more Unstable Genomes stabilized: next up, I had a pick between Stunning Force and Domination. I felt like Domination would be more in tune with my mind-powers Esper, and lead to some shenanigans; but I also really like Stunning Force. I had to yield to practicality, though, and I took the third option: Manipulate Light. Yeah. Can't-miss lasers that make me self-luminescent, so I could dual wield hammers? (I was hoping to be a mysterious swordsman, but, when it came time that I needed to spend points on some way to fight, the best weapon I had was a steel hammer.) And later I added Pyrokinesis to the mix.

So far, going good! I know, I always die right after I say that, but, consider: I die all the time, anyway. I'm not going to Golgotha until my final Unstable Genome procs—this will be the first time I successfully get all five to go. I'm only using my mutation points to power up the ones I've got, too, I'm not buying any new ones until the Unstable things are done. So far, my build has been to the tune of "How can I most effectively run away?" But, it's been working! I'm level 14 now... must be my lucky number... So, we'll have to go find a nice cave to explore and see if we can find any goodies. I've got a Recoiler with batteries, Teleportation, Precognition, and also a relic shield with a 6% chance to teleport me away whenever I take damage. So, if things look bad—which they usually do—I should have plenty of means to bail the entire hell out of there.

Anyway, see you in five minutes when I'm dead lol :p

[charlesandmartine]

Sunday 3rd November 2024

Anticipating the early alarm clock disturbance, I rose even earlier. We had to get across town to get to the Nitmiluk Gorge boat jetty for the first tour of the day. It used to be called Katherine Gorge, but these days, the correct term is in the language of the original owners of the land, the Jawoyn people. When John Stuart first came across Katherine, he named it after the wife of his sponsor, James Chambers. Well, that was fine for 150 years or so, but in 1978, the Jawoyn peoples declared they wanted their land back, please. In 1989 it was returned to them, but the Gorge was leased back to the government.

The Gorge is, in effect, a collection of 13 pools, connected and partially navigable in the wet season. Navigable by salty crocodiles, that is, mainly from what I gather coming from the Timor Sea. Were it not for a series of rockfalls, water levels would not build up sufficiently for boat travel. The most westerly pool is some 230m higher than sea level at the river end. Our tour today took us along two adjacent pools and necessitated changing boats from one pool to the next stopping to admire some very high up cave paintings. The waterways cut deep into the sandstone rock, which from the air would look like a crack. The steep craggy sides cut with caves inhabited by Fairy Martins stood vertical, impressive; now dry before levels once again rise some 30 feet during the wet. As we weaved around bends in the pools, we could not fail to be in awe of the stunning architecture of these rocks, the reds and browns of strata. Little by way of birdlife visible as most had moved north to where we had come from in Yellow Water. We did see the Fairy Martins, a white heron and osprey. There would be freshy crocodiles in the water, but with temperatures as they were, the crocs would stay out of sight. Freshy crocs are OK, being smaller and not tending to eat anything bigger than them. Nasty nip though I guess if you upset them. The saltwater crocs go back to sea when levels fall. Any stragglers get moved on.

Great trip, lasting 2 hours. A path to one side of the jetty took us on a climb to a lookout point high above the Gorge. From there, once again, we seemed to be able to see forever! It really cannot be emphasised enough, this is a big country with space for a landscape that stretches for miles. There is no pylon, or building or aerial or anything in the distance. Just more of what is in front of you.

Having had our fill of views we started to make our way down the succession of stairways. Now we didn't really take delivery of our allocated fly, probably till we left Darwin. So it was that halfway down these very nice open stairways that finding in the heat my fly particularly irritating on the side of my face, I gave it a flick. Unfortunately, as I did so, the degree of force applied did not take into account the installation of my sunglasses sharing a similar position on my face. The outcome being that my Ray Bans flew off at a trajectory more usually associated with a cruise missile. Were I to have been in less precarious circumstances, this might have been more manageable with an outcome less severe. As it was, before the glasses had reached the end of their short but extreme flight and onto scree some few feet below the staircase, I had already finalised a costing for their replacement! However, cost of replacement is the mother of invention, so methods of retrieval needed to be considered. Sending Martine down on a stick was possible but undesirable, so a succession of sticks poking at arms length eventually retrieved the said miscreants. I think I should have won a goldfish!

Temperatures now in the forties, we headed back home. On route, though, we couldn't resist a stop at a cemetery to have a look at previous fellow travellers in life. It turned out to be a relatively modern cemetery with no graves much older than 1935 but more commonly 30 or so years old. I was particularly struck and concerned with one plot where there was sound coming from it! Not so much muffled screams of Help! more a kind of hum. It's amazing what technology can do, it just begs the question, why?

A brief stop at the BottleO for replenishment of SB and we made for home at last. To buy the wine, we had to show ID to a very large imposing tattooed policeman at the entrance to the drive-through offie and also at the counter. So now we are on our decking, sipping SB and gazing out across the meadows, watching the cattle settle themselves for the night and the sun now low in the evening sky. The farm dogs are in their pens, and I am planning the evening meal. Because it is a cool 37 degrees at 18.30, I am cooking a vindaloo with the remaining rubbery chicken. That should warm us up, I feel.

[littleeyesofpallas]

Not a big update, but I am kind of shocked at how consistently these benchmarks from mission to mission, have hit the 45m mark almost exactly.

We cleared out the rest of the FOEs for sport and resources, hit the next checkpoint in the plot that sent us back up tot he surface, even though the objective itself hasn't really changed: we need to raise the bridge in the Ginnungagap, an NPC guard named Brucke knows how, he's on patrol in the dungeon, now we found out his patrol was wiped out by a mystery boss monster, so we have to go rescue him.

We ran into some new monsters, but I dunno what to say about them really... When I used to run my sideblog complaining about monster distributions in RPGs, I'd often invoke this moment of an old shitty tbfp video where pat screams in panicked confusion as Bear Grylls is attacked by a swarm of bees and an alligator at the same time, "Why would nature conspire against man like this?!" And yeah, that's very often the summary of my feelings about these sorts of things...

Although I gotta say, the Raptor FOE is one thing, but I didn't remember there being just casually random encounters with pterosaurs this early into the game. It feels weird for such a temperate forest. At least in the first EO the second strata went for a jungle thing, and the third even had an underground fungal rainforest, kind of hollow-earth style, which would've justified dinosaurs. But this just feels random.

I do love the cube gels in EO. I dunno why it makes me laugh so much that they have their little mouths but no eyes or other discernible features. It just feels like you'd turn a corner in the woods and hear it go "UGH!" before you see it.

It does strike me as a little odd that the formula for a lot of these is to find something deep in the dungeon, then head back to town to report, then get a new mission... but in this case it can take the better part of day to get either up or down, plus if i wasn't on easy baby story picnic mode I'd surly need to rest at the inn in the middle of this... so when the plot is about how dire the situation is and how this guy needs help, it feel wild that we'd leave him down there to fend for himself against killer wildlife for like, an upwards of 48hours. And it's not like EO games haven't had situations before where you bump into a boss room and an NPC sets up a little temporary camp to heal you and restore TP.

Speaking of NPCs though I think I forgot to mention that we'd met Hrothgr before. He's the wolf's guild partner. There's not much to say about him just yet. It is funny that he always felt like he was sort of a defacto generic protagonist of the game in a way, and yet here we are with our gang of awkwardly modern updated style, anime protagonist gang instead and the contrast just feels very funny to me.

Also while we down there we discovered ancient recipes for chinese food.... Which i know after EO1 that's not actually a plothole or anachronism, but it does feel odd to acknolwedge by name like that? Like, do the people of Lagaard or Etria still know what China and Japan even are? In any event I can't even make half of it yet, but I did manage to make bread and some venison, which, real talk, making irl me hungry...

[tressashaw]

hc + death

Death haunts Tressa's entire life. Her father was murdered in front of her by a Vampire and a Witch. Her mother drank herself into oblivion and never managed to beat the demons in her head about having a dead husband and a transgender child. Even the relative safety and care she found at her grandmother's house was short-lived, with Tressa only enjoying a relatively short six or so years of her grandmother's company before age took her away. No wonder then, that the morbid fascination with death was instilled in her from a young age. It started innocuously enough; an enthusiasm for anatomy spurred on by the changes brought about from a desire to fix the body nature fucked up led her to anatomy and biology, fascinating subjects in their own right, but in a desperate effort to ditch and demystify the horror surrounding the subject of mortality, Tressa dug deeper and deeper. Originally, she wanted to run a mortuary - a funeral home. This because, owing to her own experiences, she wanted to help gently usher people into the conversation surrounding mortality and loss, to help guide people in what were certainly their most trying moments. This led to funeral school, but about halfway through, capitalism strikes, and she became increasingly jaded with the money hungry nature of the American Funerary Industry, a cut-throat, increasingly corrupt institution. And so, she dropped those dreams and pivoted before it was too late into something a bit more clinical, a bit more interesting; forensic pathology. Like all aspects of life, how it ends tells a fascinating story that runs down through every strata and vector of observation, from the painfully obvious to the infinitesimally small, biological details. There is so, so much we can tell eachother, even after we're gone. In this way, Tressa doesn't fear death - either the inevitable looming specter of her own or the haunting shade of a friend's or loved one's, or the often macabre tales told by the remains of strangers who are wheeled across her suite in the Leiry County Medical Examiner's office. Death is, to her, an inevitable piece of life's equation.

[script-a-world]

Submitted via Google Form:

I want to build a world where the air is very toxic and all the population lives underground in shelters and if they're on the surface, they require lots of gear. I'm running into the issue of how toxic, how long this has been going on, how people even adapt (both technogically and physically). Especially the adaption part. Because this cannot be people who naturally evolved in such an environment when they lacked tech to survive it, and well, even with tech, there are still going to be random biological adaptions after quite a long time. I've been toying with the idea of between 3-5 thousand years but... Also if it HAD been that long, what might prevent them from eliminating the toxic air or something if it had so long.

Tex: Earth’s current air is already heavily toxic from manufacturing processes and other sources, to debilitating effects on one’s health (Wikipedia). Human DNA, at minimum, has already been altered by this (Google Scholar), and politics is a changing variable historically. One of the main issues in building a world with heavy pollution is that pollution doesn’t stay in one place, or one biome. Air pollution becomes water pollution, becomes soil pollution, and can become folded into geological strata over time, leaching pollutants to be literally unearthed in the future. Simply living underground is not necessarily going to stop this, particularly over the time span of thousands of years - materials break down, and need repair, which requires a manufacturing industry to create materials for such repairs. Survival, in this instance, becomes a sliding scale of definition  - the parameters for healthy will look different, and genetic-induced illnesses will culminate from environmentally-induced illnesses, so even if the environment is completely cleaned, the remnants of its effects will last for many generations.

Utuabzu: Tex is right, pollution has a rather nasty habit of traveling. But if you want the surface uninhabitable, you do have quite a few options. Nuclear winter, massive nasty pollution, supervolcanic eruption, planet kicked out of its orbit and surviving only on internal heat as a rogue planet, another planet already hostile to human life. Others I'm not really able to think of right now. But 3-5 thousand years is definitely not enough time for humans to meaningfully evolve any serious adaptations, especially not with the level of technology that would be required to survive at all. The best you'd manage is maybe people getting a bit paler and a bit smaller from living in light-poor and cramped conditions, and some dietary adaptations. Even that's debatable given that a culture technologically advanced enough to build these shelters is also going to be advanced enough to supplement vitamin d and ensure proper nutrition.

Rogue Planet is, to me, probably the most interesting option and the one that will be totally unfixable. The others would resolve themselves over time - the high atmospheric debris from a nuclear war or supervolcano would fall back to Earth (or whatever planet this is) within a few years, and both radioactive materials and most toxins do break down over time. You can't just wait out the cold of interstellar space. The planet's surface would cool continuously, and after a few decades would become so cold that the atmosphere precipitates out and forms a layer of liquid nitrogen, oxygen and carbon dioxide. Then, it gets even colder and this freezes into a shell of N2-O2-CO2 ice. But, internal heat, from the planet's molten core and supplemented by tidal heating from any large satellites, could allow for subterranean habitats to be viable for millions of years. But you could never go to the surface without a full spacesuit.

[mbbrrenovators]

Can You Add an Ensuite Bathroom to an Apartment in Australia?

Adding an ensuite to your apartment can feel like an overwhelming task, especially given the unique challenges of apartment living. Many Australians dream of having a private and functional ensuite, but they're often discouraged by questions about feasibility, costs, and legal requirements. Understanding the process is the first step toward transforming your living space, whether it's limited space or building restrictions.

Exploring the Possibility of Adding an Ensuite to Your Apartment

For many apartment owners, the desire for more convenience and privacy often leads to the consideration of adding an ensuite. These private bathrooms, increasingly popular in Australia, not only enhance functionality but also add value to your home. But is it always feasible to integrate one into your apartment?

By collaborating with experienced bathroom builders in Melbourne, you can confidently assess your apartment's layout and structural feasibility. These professionals will evaluate whether your apartment has the necessary plumbing infrastructure and space to accommodate an ensuite without compromising your existing design, giving you peace of mind in the renovation process.

Legal and Strata Considerations

One of the most common challenges when planning apartment renovations is navigating legal requirements and strata regulations. In Australia, building codes and regulations play a critical role in determining what changes can be made to an apartment. Strata approval is typically required for structural modifications, especially for projects like adding bathrooms.

Start by gaining a comprehensive understanding of the legal steps involved in apartment renovations and discussing your plans with your strata committee. This proactive approach will ensure compliance from the start, empowering you to manage your time, money, and the renovation process effectively.

Planning Your Ensuite Bathroom

Choosing the right location within your apartment is key when adding an ensuite bathroom. Ideally, the ensuite should be close to existing plumbing lines to minimise structural modifications and reduce costs.

Maximising space is another important consideration. With the right planning, even small apartments can accommodate stylish and functional ensuite designs. By consulting experts in apartment bathroom renovations in Melbourne, you can create a layout that balances practicality and aesthetics, incorporating essential features like efficient storage, good ventilation, and modern fixtures.

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Plumbing is often one of the biggest hurdles to ensuite additions in apartments. Unlike standalone houses, apartments have shared plumbing systems, making alterations tricky. An experienced plumber will assess the existing infrastructure and determine what modifications are necessary for water supply and drainage.

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Adding an ensuite is not a DIY project. It requires collaboration with skilled designers, contractors, and plumbers. Hiring the right professionals is crucial to ensure that your renovation is completed efficiently and meets all legal requirements.

Ask potential contractors about their experience with apartment renovations, request references, and review previous projects to ensure their expertise matches your needs. By working with experienced tradespeople, you can avoid common pitfalls and achieve the ensuite of your dreams.

Tips for a Smooth Renovation Process

Managing timeframes and avoiding disruptions is crucial when renovating in an apartment setting. Since noise and construction can affect neighbours, planning renovations during permissible hours and communicating with your strata committee about timelines is essential.

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[angelwings-crossbowstrings]

Hiii!! For the ask game, 22 and 29 :]]

22. What is your most prized possession? A porcelain figure of two doves intertwined. I was at an auction with my grandfather when I was very little and it was up for sale. I was a small child, barely old enough to talk. But I wanted those doves. He bid and bid and managed to get it for me. I had no use for it but I treasured it. Still do. He passed away a long time ago. I used to visit his grave and tell him about my life and how I hoped that I was making him proud despite the disaster I have continued to be. I always thought of the doves. Carefree and flying together. It is more valuable to me than any other thing I have.

29. Favorite song lyrics right now? I have been in love with the same lyric for years. I don’t see it changing anytime soon.

Never There (She Stabs) by Strata

“I am patiently waiting here to see which of us survives when all of this collides with reality”

[maxfaiden]

WIP... The Vaux Villages, colloquially known as Vaux Street. The floor plan is the same for both villages. I love this build so much. It will not be fully furnished because it's already a beast as it is right now. There are two sub levels and three above ground levels. Nine residential and four community units in each village.

It's the origin of the Vaux Street Allstars, but also features in Keystone and We Got Us, so you'll get to see many of the different parts of this behemoth as the stories go.

[lore under the cut]

The Vaux Villages are the result of a social experiment that was developed by The Venango Group in the late 1910s and was implemented in the mid 1920s. The goal was to observe how citizens of various socioeconomic strata and racial/cultural/religious backgrounds interacted with each other when there were no land-forms, bodies of water, or man-made structures to demarcate class, caste, or cash.

The experiment officially lasted 53 years, about two generations. Initially, the county was behind it, but as times and leadership changed, The Venango Group were afforded less and less privileges and encountered more and more ordinances that restricted what they were allowed to do.

It all started in the late 1950s, when the permit approvals for the 3rd and 4th villages were delayed again and again. Then it was one thing after another. The final straw was a zoning ordinance that was put on the books in the mid 1970s that prohibited non-educational research in that area. As the group was not affiliated with a scholastic institution, they would be in violation of the ordinance if they continued.

The one saving grace for the families that lived there and the community they nurtured was that the edifices and the land they were built upon were part of an irrevocable, ironclad trust, so try as they might, the county could not reduce the villages to rubble and the lives of those who dwelt within along with them.

These days, The Venango Group still manages the property, and rather than by selection, residency is inherited or gifted. In cases where the resident does not declare the recipient before departure, succession laws are followed or recommendations are voted on by the community.

[bllkwriting]

Summary of Blue Lock

Blue Lock is a manga and anime series written by Muneyuki Kaneshiro and illustrated by Yusuke Nomura. Since August of 2018 it has been serialized in a Japanese magazine from the publishing company Kodansha called Weekly Shōnen Magazine. The series is about a 17 year old striker named Yoichi Isagi. One day, after losing in a match against a rivaling school, Isagi receives a letter in the mail from the JFU (Japanese Football Union) inviting him to a special football training facility called Blue Lock. Upon arriving at Blue Lock Isagi learns that he is among 299 other 18 and under strikers in his country. Now Isagi has to compete against all the other strikers to become the best in the world.

He starts off the series joining a team ranked the lowest of the low, Team Z, as well as being in the worst ranked strata, strata 5. Z is the worst ranked team out of all the teams B-Z in Blue Lock. Their players all have the rankings 289-300, but after playing a game of tag and eliminating one player from each team, their rankings change to 265-275. Isagi plays with that team for all of the first selection and after winning 3/5 of their games against the other teams in the strata, their whole team moves on to the second selection.

In the second selection they learn that the person in charge of Blue Lock, Jinpachi Ego, lied to them and everyone else in Blue Lock when he told everyone that they were all ranked the worst in teams V-Z. After that, the ones who make it past a 1v1 with a hologram called "Blue Lock Man" and score 100 goals in the time limit will move on to stage 2 of the second selection. There they have to team up with two other players and compete against another team of three. Whichever team wins that takes a player from the other team, and whichever loses has to most back a stage and play in a 2v2. And whichever player doesn't get chosen gets kicked out.

Eventually, after playing in a few rounds, the teams of five will go on to play against a team of five made up of very good players from across the globe; a rainbow Argentinian, a French prodigy, a Brazilian tank, a British man, and a sarcastic Spanish guy. No team managed to beat them, the furthest a team got was 1 goal, which was Isagi's team.

After the game was over and all the other six (not including Isagi’s) teams had finished their game against the Team World Five, everyone gathered into one large room. After that for the third selection everyone is divided up into three teams; A, B, and C, and two of each of the top six players will be automatically put into each of the three teams. B and C each play in three games, while A plays in four. Three players (not including the top 6) from each team are randomly chosen to play on each game along with their two players from the top 6.

When this arc was finished Blue Lock got to play in their biggest game so far against Japan’s U-20 team. One player from Blue Lock got picked to play for the U-20 team, but everyone else stayed on team Blue Lock. After a long and fan favorite match, Blue Lock ended up winning 3-4.

They all got a 2 week break to go home and just have a break then they were back at Blue Lock. When they returned they had all got to pick 5 world class leagues to play on. The options were England; speed and physique, Spain; technique and creativity, Italy; slyness and tactics, France; a gateway for success for up-and-coming athletes/money making, and Germany; logic and rationality.

Each of the five teams plays against each other in what is called the Neo Egoist League.

(To be updated)

You can view the doc with the whole book so far here

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I’m fine with reblogs on this site but anywhere else I ask that you ask for my permission before doing so.

[hagfishviperfish]

Weird ass dream. The kind that makes you nostalgic. I live in a small town, my high school was more closeknit than others — that is to say almost all of those kids were evil but i digress, everyone knew each other.

My dream initially was that I missed the busses after school. I called my mom and she was at work, so she could not pick me up until 6:00. Which meant I had to kill time until then. It gave me the opportunity to realize how lively my high school was after hours — kids congregating on the soccer fields, football field, track, parking lot, it was as if its own little fair. So strange to see people you know doing their little things. In my dream I saw the faces of people who I haven’t seen in a long time, nigh forgot about, people who I won’t see ever again. And the faces of people who look like the type of people to live in my town.

Most were playing sports; I discovered a law school campus that was apparently on the property of my school that I hadn’t known about; I met one of my friends and hung out with him for a bit, found a dude on Tinder that looked exactly like him and with the same name but was like visibly 22 and I was like lmaooo dude look at this.

There is an event where the high school band comes in, followed by the graduates of my class, they share what they’re majoring in in college, and a quarter of mean girls were studying graphic design and they hated it and I laughed at them. It was particularly nostalgic

There is a silly little rave party thrown a guy I knew, who was fairly popular. It’s in those net tents you see used for baseball practice. I go there and dance a little with my childhood friend who dated him in middle school.

I stumble across a boy I had little feelings for for years — from elementary school to senior year — he was standing in between chain link fences, in security guard armor but it was like football stuff, so I guessed that was his job here. He was enthusiastic to see me, which was much to my surprise since we hardly talked at all (in senior year he started interacting with me every so often, much to my surprise.)

The dream changes here. I am this sewer siren queen hunted by my high school, living several grotesque layers in the deepsea underground, and he is the one who is supposed to be hunting me the hardest. Except every action he makes is deliberately to divert my pursuers away from me in order to protect me. We are lovers in that way, the brief moments where he sees me to “kill” me, but rather it is a fond reunion where we look at each other with mischevious devotion and adoration and then he must leave, to not draw too much attention to me and our affiliation. Every hour and decision of his life is dedicated to making sure I stay alive. He stands proud over a toilet in the school bathroom with a deep, deep canal drilled into it, what the students call a “sewer portal”, knowing I used it to escape, announcing to his equals “she is not in this one; try another one.”

He climbs through my canals smiling, there are grotesque and strange strata underneath our school, pink wet stone, sandstone, marbled jade and stone, and the structure of the tunnel he recognizes as my digging, impressed that I managed to stomach such odd layers of soil

This story of a favorite siren and its best hunter is a reoccuring theme for the rest of the dream.

There are other notable moments, where my art teacher says I have an opportunity to spread my art, to become a genuine admired artist, because people have already expressed interest in my work for her class. I make sketches; one of them a pile of moldy rotten oranges, in which a rabid squirrel or fox is eating them out of wild desperation, and a healthy fox is walking in the foreground, observing its parallel

Another where I’m in walmart with a friend, at the side of another boy; saying “I’m like hahahaha I’m L from deathnote” for some reason, just to mess with him. He’s like yeah whatever, unamused, I show him a pretty collar necklace I found, knowing the implications, and he’s like perhaps, and he tightens it on my neck for me

Then I dig another hole and leave because I am a sewer siren now.

Flickers of standing in a deep sea realm, underground, occasionally visited by a certain playful divercaver… I pick what I want the fish version of my pets to look like, laugh at the way my cat looks when she floats down and turn to tell my mother only for her to yell at me because she’s stressed out and busy. Rain World shelter on our football bleachers, he swims to me to find Minecraft mods, but I am looking from his eyes this time, I notice him and pick my way over to him, and we enjoy our presence together eagerly, while he sips from the glass of this mod that implements strawberry juice in Minecraft— and it tastes wonderful.

Then he hides me in the shelter because there are centipedes — it is particularly deeper, with water, to compensate for me there, and comes along to be around me for the night

[princesscolumbia]

Return to Recipient Chapter 2 - Doctor's Note

Actually got this posted a couple hours ago right as the Internet started flaking out due to some local outage.

Summary:

Ranma has her first conversation with someone who could either make her life easy or infinitely more difficult.

Preview below the cut:

Hinako steepled her fingers and crossed her legs, "I've been serving as your teacher for some time now, Ranma. Why now? You're going to be graduating soon, why not just wait until then?" she held a palm out briefly to stop any immediate response before putting her hands back together, this time clasping them together, "Don't misunderstand me, I know better than any other teacher or adult you know, even your doctor, the difficulties of having an identity that's...challenging. I certainly wouldn't wish what you're going to be facing on anyone. I also know that it can be extremely frustrating, painful even, when people look at you and not see the 'real' you. I can understand wanting to do this," she nodded in the direction of the note on her desk, "As soon as possible. I just want to make sure you understand what it will entail. As the person in charge of your education, it's my job to make things as easy as can be reasonably managed and still get you graduated."

"Allow me to enlighten you," she continued, "As to what you'll be dealing with here at school and once you move on to higher education. You will first face the immediate fallout from your peers. Yes, they're accustomed to your...shenanigans, but you are stating your intent to engage in a completely different social strata than the one you have previously occupied. I've taught in schools around the world, Ranma. At none of them has there ever been a time when a student has changed social categories without significant backlash. The girls will not trust you. Sure, some may understand, a few may decide to treat you as one of their own from the word 'go,' but the majority have rightly been trained all their lives to mistrust anything with a penis." Ranma boggled at her teacher for using language she'd been taught was crass so openly in front of a student. Hinako's torso bounced once as a humorless laugh didn't quite reach her lips, "Like it or not, want it or not, you have one between your legs...well, most of the time so far. When you're not wearing a cheer-leading outfit two sizes too small you don't exactly flash your panties at people...but really, Ranma. You're showing pretty much everything down there when you do that." She shook her head, "In any case, they know you as a guy who turns into a girl. They will treat you as a guy. There will be an unfortunately large number of them who will refuse to see any evidence to the contrary, including doctor's notes," she indicated the paper on her desk with a gesture, "Changes in wardrobe, new habits, different social groups, or anything else. Thanks to your ability to transform with a splash of water of the appropriate temperature, you will be treated with suspicion. You will be unlikely to be welcome in social groups. Clubs will frantically make new rules to exclude you, specifically, but worded in such a way that, theoretically, anyone who met the very specific requirements that you happen to meet would also be excluded."

"Then there are the teachers and administrators. Principal Kuno alone will be enough to give you nightmares. He won't care, himself, that you're transitioning, but he'll absolutely revel in the opportunity to make your life even more miserable than he already does." At Ranma's slack jaw, she chuckled, "Oh, don't be so melodramatic. The whole staff has noticed he despises you. He knows that so long as you and his son are in this school, you both will be the agitators against him, and for a control freak like Kuno, something he cannot control must be crushed. The rest of the staff who oppose your decision will be more subtle. You'll get a handful that will refuse to treat you as a girl whatsoever, simply because they hate change and hate when students remind them that they aren't the ultimate authority over their lives. Others are flat out homophobic. Even if they do, somehow, accept you transitioning thanks to the magic of Jusenkyo granting you a woman's body all the way down to the ovaries, they will not accept your interest in girls."

"Buh...I...what?!" gawped a blushing Ranma, "But...How did you know?!"

Hinako chuckled, "A ninja you are not, Ranma. You barely open a book yet you spend a good portion of your time in class studying the female form. I've been on this earth for longer than most people in this school, the teachers included, have been alive. Thanks to our mutual master I have an appreciation of the female form as well...though admittedly I do prefer men. I know what it looks like when a man or woman is aroused by what they see, and you have the body of both, even if you do happen to be a woman at heart. You do like the strong type, don't you? Akane and Ukyo do seem to be your primary topics of 'study.' Of course, when that Shampoo girl used to come around, I noticed you enjoy a little bit of 'foreign cultural studies.'" Ranma turned a bright, almost tomato red as she realized how caught out she was. Hinako let out a laugh, tossing her head back a little, "Oh, relax. As you get to be my age you realize that people your age are almost adorably harmless..." her expression darkened, "...and then there's bad apples like Tatewaki..." she shook her head to clear it, "You are not subtle. And what's considered to be a 'healthy interest' in a boy is considered a 'deviant perversion' in a girl. And that's just one of the double-standards from your elders you'll be facing. You'll be expected to perform better in certain subjects that have no real bearing on your actual education than boys while being expected to be dumb as a box of rocks in the truly valuable courses. If you do poorly in the former you'll be looked on as a disappointment with little prospects and if you do well in the latter you'll be viewed as a freak or a cheater."

"When you leave this school and go on to the cram school your mother discussed with me, they'll be expecting a boy to show up. They won't have exposure to either Furinken in general or you in particular, so you'd have to demonstrate your curse. If they didn't call the authorities under suspicion of some sort of communicable disease, you'd be watched like a hawk because if you can change your form so readily and so mysteriously, who's to say you won't be able to somehow cheat? If you do less than the absolute best, they'll take that as proof that they're right and attempt to hold your certification of graduation from you." It wasn't until she finished her thought that she realized she had a snarl on her face and she was speaking with quite a bit more anger than Ranma deserved. She schooled her features and took a breath, "I'm sorry, but as you can guess, that's exactly what I faced when I finally was able to leave the hospital after Master Happosai taught me his techniques. I'd been at that hospital for years before Happi found me, then it took months more to learn the techniques. Then another year before they were convinced that I could be released and live a happy and productive life. By the time I was able to get into a cram school so I could attend college, the people I'd gone to high school with had already been in the workforce for years...and I still looked like I was barely in my tweens."

"...I'm guessing I shouldn't ask what year that was."

"Wise choice, but let's just say the reason for my hospitalization in the first place was because of a little something that happened in Hiroshima and Nagasaki." Ranma's eyebrows went up, but she otherwise displayed none of the usual shock and disbelief most people gave her, "What, no surprised gasp? No reeling back in mortification?"

Ranma snorted, "Have you met Cologne? It aint like I don't know people who've lived longer...'course, you look better'n 'em...aaaaand I just said that out loud." She blushed bright red again.

Hinako laughed again, "Ah, yes, you do have a rather interesting circle, don't you?" She sobered up and sat up, leaning her elbows on her desk, "So you have an idea what you'll be facing, you know the difficulties, you've heard some of my experience, so again, why now? When you are one of the rarest of transwomen who could 'stealth' in plain sight and never once worry about being persecuted even as you went about in a woman's body, why transition socially before you graduate?"

Ranma realized she didn't have an immediate reply, "Can...can I think about it for a minute, please?"

"Yes," answered Hinako with a smug grin, "You may."

Read the rest on AO3

[otiliainteriors1]

How to Plan and Design Your Perfect Villa Renovation?

Renovating your home or office is an exciting journey, but without a clear roadmap, it can quickly become overwhelming. From conceptualizing designs to managing timelines and budgets, every detail matters. At Otilia Interiors, one of the leading interior design firms in Abu Dhabi, we’ve crafted the ultimate renovation checklist to simplify your project. Whether you’re revamping a villa, apartment, or commercial space, this guide, paired with our expert interior design services in Abu Dhabi, will ensure your vision comes to life seamlessly.

Why Planning is Key to Successful Renovations

In Abu Dhabi’s fast-paced real estate market, renovations are more than just aesthetic upgrades—they’re investments. A well-structured plan helps you:

Avoid costly delays and budget overruns.

Align designs with Abu Dhabi’s building regulations and climate-specific needs.

Ensure functionality without compromising style.

As seasoned home interior designers, we’ve seen how a detailed checklist transforms chaotic projects into streamlined successes. Let’s dive in!

Phase 1: Pre-Renovation Planning

1. Define Your Goals

Start by asking:

What’s the purpose of this renovation? (e.g., modernizing a kitchen, expanding a living area, or enhancing resale value).

What’s your budget range? Include a 10–15% contingency for unexpected costs.

What’s your preferred timeline? Account for approvals, material sourcing, and labor availability.

Pro Tip: Schedule a consultation with Otilia Interiors to align your goals with practical design solutions.

2. Research & Hire Professionals

Not all projects require the same expertise. Depending on your needs, consider:

Interior Design Firms in Abu Dhabi: For end-to-end design and project management.

Interior Fit-Out Companies in UAE: Specialists in structural modifications, plumbing, and electrical work.

Architects or Engineers: For major structural changes (e.g., removing walls or adding floors).

Why Choose Otilia: We offer integrated services as both home interior designers and fit-out experts, reducing coordination hassles.

3. Secure Approvals

In Abu Dhabi, renovations often require permits from authorities like:

Abu Dhabi Municipality: For structural changes.

Jumeirah Village Circle (JVC) or DAMAC Communities: For villa modifications.

Strata Boards: For apartment upgrades in shared buildings.

Our team handles permit applications, ensuring compliance with local regulations.

Phase 2: Design & Material Selection

4. Concept Development

Collaborate with your interior design services in Abu Dhabi team to:

Create mood boards for color schemes, furniture styles, and lighting.

Optimize space usage (e.g., open-plan layouts for smaller apartments).

Select durable materials suited to Abu Dhabi’s climate (e.g., heat-resistant tiles, UV-protected fabrics).

Case Study: For a Downtown Abu Dhabi penthouse, we used modular furniture and smart storage to maximize a 1,200 sq ft space.

5. Finalize Floor Plans & 3D Renderings

Visualizing the end result is crucial. Modern tools like 3D renderings allow you to “walk through” your design before construction begins. At Otilia Interiors, we provide photorealistic visuals to eliminate guesswork.

6. Source Materials & Finishes

Prioritize quality and availability. For example:

Flooring: Porcelain tiles for high-traffic areas, engineered wood for bedrooms.

Lighting: LED fixtures to reduce energy costs.

Kitchen/Bathroom: Stainless steel fittings and anti-mold grout.

Partner Tip: We maintain ties with trusted suppliers across the UAE, securing bulk discounts for clients.

Phase 3: Execution & Project Management

7. Prepare the Space

Clear the area of furniture and personal items.

Protect existing surfaces with drop cloths or temporary flooring.

Inform neighbors about construction noise schedules (especially in apartments).

8. Monitor Construction

Daily oversight prevents deviations from the plan. Key checkpoints:

Demolition: Ensure load-bearing walls or utilities aren’t damaged.

Electrical & Plumbing: Verify wiring routes and pipe placements.

Installations: Inspect cabinetry, flooring, and lighting alignment.

Otilia’s Advantage: Our project managers conduct daily site visits and provide real-time updates via a client portal.

9. Handle Snags Promptly

Even the best plans face hiccups. Common issues in UAE renovations include:

Material Delays: Due to global supply chain disruptions.

Weather Interruptions: Sandstorms or humidity affecting paint drying.

Design Tweaks: Client requests for last-minute changes.

We buffer timelines by 10–15% to accommodate such scenarios.

Phase 4: Final Touches & Handover

10. Quality Inspections

Before signing off, check:

Functionality of all fixtures, outlets, and appliances.

Paint finishes, tile grout lines, and cabinetry alignment.

HVAC performance and water pressure.

11. Deep Cleaning & Styling

Professional cleaning removes construction dust, while styling (e.g., art, rugs, and plants) adds personality.

Otilia’s Signature Touch: We offer complimentary styling sessions to clients who book our interior design services in Abu Dhabi.

12. Documentation & Warranty

Keep all receipts, warranties, and contractor contacts. At handover, we provide a renovation manual with maintenance tips and emergency contacts.

Why Choose Otilia Interiors?

As a top-tier name among interior design firms in Abu Dhabi, we stand out through:

End-to-End Solutions: From concept to handover, we manage every detail.

Sustainable Practices: We prioritize eco-friendly materials and energy-efficient designs.

Transparent Pricing: No hidden fees—our quotes include labor, materials, and permits.

Local Expertise: Over a decade of navigating Abu Dhabi’s regulatory and design landscape.

Case Study: Transforming a JVC Villa

Challenge: A family needed to modernize their 1990s villa while preserving its Arabic architectural charm.

Design Strategy: We blended traditional arches with minimalist interiors, using neutral tones and smart home tech.

Fit-Out Work: Upgraded plumbing, added insulation, and installed solar panels.

Result: A timeless, functional space that increased the property’s value by 25%.

Conclusion: Let Otilia Interiors Bring Your Vision to Life

Renovating in Abu Dhabi doesn’t have to be stressful. With our ultimate checklist and expert interior design services in Abu Dhabi, you can confidently navigate every phase. Whether you’re a homeowner seeking home interior designers or a business needing interior fit-out companies in UAE, Otilia Interiors delivers precision, creativity, and peace of mind.

Ready to start your project? Contact Otilia Interiors today and experience the difference of working with Abu Dhabi’s finest.

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[upscalepainting123]

A Roadmap to do premium strata painting for multi-unit properties

Painting strata properties goes far beyond simply applying coats to walls. It’s a detailed, multi-stage process that involves coordination, compliance, and clear communication. From unit interiors to common areas, professional strata painters understand how to deliver results while respecting the shared nature of the building.

Here’s what sets strata painting apart:

Project planning: Painting a strata property requires scheduling that considers residents’ access needs and common space usage.

Consistent finishes: Uniform appearance across units and shared areas boosts property value and cohesion.

Compliance ready: Strata painters are used to working within legal and safety regulations, including height safety and safe work practices.

Clear communication: They often liaise with strata managers, committees, and residents, providing updates and timelines.

Strata painting can involve everything from hallways and stairwells to external walls, fencing, and roofing elements. It requires knowledge of different surfaces and the appropriate coatings for long-term durability.

In Australia's varying climates, strata painters also select weather-resistant products to withstand sun, rain, and seasonal changes. Frequent repainting avoids damage and expensive repairs in addition to preserving aesthetic appeal.

For any building committee or strata manager, choosing painters who specialise in multi-unit projects ensures peace of mind, quality assurance, and smooth project delivery.

[nhalhammadi]

Leading Advocates Dubai: Proven Track Record & Client Trust

Dubai, a commercial and tourism hub, and a hotbed of innovation, has a legal system as varied and vibrant as its skyline. To both individuals and companies, the complex system needs to be more than simply known generally; it needs specialized knowledge, local understanding, and access to favorable results. This is exactly the exclusive value provided by advocates and legal consultants in Dubai, and indeed by the esteemed firm of Hessa Al Hammadi Advocates & Legal Consultants.

As a leading legal advisor in Dubai, Hessa Al Hammadi Advocates & Legal Consultants has established a winning reputation for delivering well-rounded and highly effective solutions. Their experienced team of top-notch professionals, who are rated among the best advocates and legal consultants, is ready to advise clients through the intricacies of UAE law and ensure their rights are upheld and their goals are achieved with utmost professionalism and integrity.

The Critical Role of Advocates and Legal Experts in Dubai

The UAE legal environment is complex, as it combines civil law tradition with Sharia law, and includes specialized legislation for its many free zones such as the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC). The resulting hybrid system, combined with the fast pace of changes in laws to accommodate economic development and technological progress, requires the expertise of legal professionals.

Here’s why the services of advocates and legal consultants in UAE are invaluable in Dubai:

Comprehending Sophisticated Legal Frameworks: Dubai laws regulate everything from business setup and intellectual property to property transactions, family issues, and criminal acts. A trustworthy legal advisor in Dubai has an in-depth, minute-by-minute comprehension of these varied laws to ensure conformity and avoid danger.

Personalized Legal Solutions: Each legal case is different. A high-end law firm such as Hessa Al Hammadi Advocates & Legal Consultants does not provide standard solutions for all cases. Rather, they carefully review each case, developing customized legal solutions that best suit the client’s unique requirements and desired results.

Efficient Conflict Resolution: Conflicts are a regrettable feature of business and family life. Whatever the method – negotiation, mediation, arbitration, or litigation before UAE courts (DIFC Courts), skilled lawyers and legal advisors play a key role in resolving conflicts in an efficient and beneficial manner.

Proactive Risk Management: Besides handling disputes, an effective legal firm is an active partner that uncovers probable legal hazards before they become issues. This involves preparing strong contracts, engaging in extensive due diligence, and offering guidance on regulatory compliance to avoid potential future legal problems.

Cultural and Procedural Sidelights: Understanding local legal procedures in Dubai also entails grasping cultural sensitivities and procedural necessities. A local expert UAE advocate is able to close this gap, making all contact and submissions culturally compatible and procedurally correct.

Hessa Al Hammadi Advocates & Legal Consultants: A Spectrum of Expertise

Hessa Al Hammadi Advocates & Legal Consultants differentiates itself by having a wide range of specialized legal services, serving individuals and businesses within diverse industries. Excellence is felt in every practice group:

Real Estate Law: The thriving real estate sector of Dubai is one of the core areas of focus. The law firm provides professional advice on agreements of sale and purchase of properties, lease agreements, investments in off-plan properties, strata law, and settlement of rent disputes before the Rental Dispute Settlement Centre (RDSC). Their extensive experience in this field is essential in safeguarding the interests of landlords, tenants, investors, and developers.

Corporate and Commercial Law: From company incorporation (mainland, free zone, and offshore) and corporate governance to commercial contract drafting, mergers and acquisitions advice, and regulatory compliance, Hessa Al Hammadi Advocates & Legal Consultants offers business-focused support in all areas. They help to guide the complexities of doing business in the UAE and provide a solid legal framework for expansion.

Dispute Resolution & Litigation: Being seasoned lawyers and legal advisors, they provide solid representation in all aspects of dispute resolution. These involve civil, commercial, real estate, employment, and corporate litigation across all the levels of UAE courts. They are also skilled at arbitration and deal with domestic and international cases through top institutions like DIAC and DIFC-LCIA.

Family Law: Acutely aware of the delicate nature of family issues, the firm offers empathetic but strong legal advice on divorce, child custody, alimony, and inheritance cases. They skillfully balance the UAE Civil Law and Sharia law principles, protecting clients’ rights and interests amid difficult situations.

Criminal Law: Criminal charges in the UAE are a serious issue necessitating prompt and professional assistance. Criminal defense attorneys of the firm have effective representation, protecting the accused’s rights during police investigation, public prosecution, and court trials for all manner of crimes.

Employment Law: They counsel both employers and employees regarding labor contracts, in-house conflicts, termination matters, and upholding of the continuously changing UAE Labour Law, to establish equal practices and safeguard rights.

Cybercrime Law: As the world becomes more digital, cybercrimes such as internet fraud, defamation, and hacking increase. Hessa Al Hammadi Advocates & Legal Consultants provides expert legal assistance to defend digital rights and initiate suitable legal recourse.

Debt Recovery: The firm provides effective legal strategies and representation to individuals and businesses seeking to recover outstanding debts, from amicable negotiations to court proceedings.

Why Hessa Al Hammadi Advocates & Legal Consultants is Your Ideal Choice?

Apart from their large array of practice areas, what also makes Hessa Al Hammadi Advocates & Legal Consultants stand out as a top legal advisor in Dubai is their strong dedication to the success of clients and upholding core values:

Credibility and Transparency: They work at the highest levels of integrity, keeping clients highly informed about their legal alternatives, likely results, and expenses.

Efficiency and Strategic Thinking: Their attorneys are renowned for their careful attention to detail, strategic insight, and commitment to delivering results in an efficient manner, saving time and expense for clients.

Personalized Attention: All clients are given individualized guidance and personalized support, creating a close attorney-client relationship based on trust and empathy.

Local Expertise with a Global Outlook: Although grounded in UAE law, their practitioners are skilled at addressing cases with global elements, recognizing cross-border considerations.

With a booming and ever-changing city like Dubai, legal challenges are just part of the scenario. Be you an entrepreneur setting up a new business, an investor acquiring property, or any individual in need of legal advice for personal reasons, having a reliable champion in UAE is a must. Hessa Al Hammadi Advocates & Legal Consultants is a shining example of legal professionalism, ready to be your trusted ally, guiding you with skill and devotion through the intricacies of the Dubai legal framework.

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