#Dedicated Virtual Assistants

[kidsinnowadays]

How to Navigate Remote Learning Successfully: A Parent's Comprehensive Toolkit

Discover a range of essential resources and strategies to effectively support your child's remote learning journey, ensuring a productive and enriching educational experience. #RemoteLearning #ParentingToolkit #OnlineEducation #SupportingStudentSuccess

The landscape of education has undergone a significant transformation with the rise of remote learning. As parents, navigating this new educational paradigm can present unique challenges. However, armed with the right tools and strategies, you can ensure that your child’s remote learning experience is not only successful but also enriching and enjoyable. This comprehensive toolkit provides a…

[reasonsforhope]

"The vision

“Every lawyer has skills that can help the climate. We’ve just gotta make the connections.” — Environmental lawyer and advocate Matthew Karmel

The spotlight

“How many lawyers does it take to break a Guinness World Record?”

Matthew Karmel posed this question on LinkedIn in February, adding, “No, this isn’t a bad lawyer joke; it’s a reason for climate optimism.”

Karmel, a principal at the law firm Offit Kurman and the chair of its environmental and sustainability law practice group, is one of the organizers of the Climate Pro Bono Bootcamp, a two-day virtual conference dedicated to helping more lawyers and legal professionals figure out how to donate their time and skills to advance climate work.

When people — including lawyers themselves — think of the intersection between climate and law, their minds may go straight to high-profile climate lawsuits or other legal action aimed at holding big polluters and inactive governments accountable. But there are many other forms of legal support that climate causes might need, from simple contracts to forming a new business or nonprofit to legal defense. “There are so many attorneys working at large law firms, small law firms — attorneys everywhere who just don’t do litigation, but are still very passionate about climate change and want to apply their skills in that way,” said Stephanie Demetry, the executive director of Green Pro Bono, an organization that matches attorneys with companies, nonprofits, grassroots leaders, and others who need legal assistance to advance climate solutions.

Karmel had the idea for the conference in late 2023, after he had been working with Green Pro Bono for a few years. “I was sitting there thinking, Why isn’t everyone doing this?” he recalled. “The things I’m doing aren’t unique. It doesn’t require specialized legal skills. It requires passion, and the general legal knowledge that every lawyer has.” He approached Demetry with the idea of hosting a training to help demystify what climate-related pro bono work can entail and build up the network of attorneys interested in offering it.

They held the first bootcamp in January of 2024 and had around 700 attendees — far exceeding their expectations. After the event, Demetry said, Green Pro Bono more than doubled the number of attorneys in its network and also saw a 53 percent increase in the number of projects that got picked up.

But for this year’s bootcamp, planned for late April, they’re aiming to increase that attendance — and setting the ambitious goal of growing it a hundredfold. That’s the number that would break a Guinness World Record for the largest attendance at a virtual law conference in one week (yes, this entry truly does exist). It might be a longer-term goal, but it’s one they’re serious about. Breaking the record, Karmel said, would be a powerful way to demonstrate the growing interest in climate action among the legal community, and also an opportunity to reach thousands more attorneys, students, and others with the event’s key message: that you don’t have to choose between your day job and working for the causes you care about."

You can find out more about the climate pro bono bootcamp, which is FREE, right here. It's April 22 & 23, 2025 at 12:00pm – 5:00pm EDT

-via Grist, April 2, 2025

[damlahayal]

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[glowettee]

Hi Mindy! I’m a college student and I’m struggling to go to bed at a decent hour (think 3 am bedtimes every day) because of the amount of homework I have. Do you have any tips for time management so I can figure out how to get my homework done all during the day so I’m not losing sleep? (Any app recommendations or suggestions on how to schedule my day would be greatly appreciated). Thank you so much! I love your blog and I love seeing your posts🩷

how to get your life together & actually sleep: time management tips for college✨

hi love! 💌 first off, thank you so much for your sweet words. they genuinely made me smile. i’m so proud of you for wanting to improve your time management and prioritize your sleep (honestly, sleep is like the ultimate self-care, and you deserve it). i know college can feel like a whirlwind of assignments, deadlines, and just… life. staying up until 3 am is no joke, and it’s amazing that you’re ready to make a change. let’s make your routine feel a little more manageable and a lot more magical.

☁️ romanticize your productivity: first thing’s first: mindset. instead of viewing homework as this scary, endless task that eats up your nights, try to romanticize it. create a cozy study ritual. light a candle, make a cute study playlist (ex: lo-fi mixed with soft acoustics), and set up your space in a way that makes you actually want to sit down and work. i know it sounds silly, but giving your study sessions a soft, aesthetic vibe can make them feel less like a chore and more like a peaceful little routine. i have a lot of posts talking about this

🌙 break down your workload: sometimes it’s not about how much work you have but how it’s organized. take a few minutes in the morning or the night before to make a list of what you actually need to accomplish. break it down into small, bite-sized tasks. for example, instead of “study for chem exam,” write down “review chapter 4 notes,” “do practice problems,” and “make flashcards for key concepts.” checking off small tasks feels way more rewarding than staring at a big, vague to-do.

💡 create a time-blocking ritual: i’m obsessed with time-blocking because it feels like giving each task its own little home. instead of doing everything all at once (which is just chaos), dedicate specific chunks of time to each task. for instance:

🌼 9-10 am: review lecture notes

✨ 10-11:30 am: work on that essay (no distractions)

🍓 11:30-12: take a break, stretch, grab a snack

💻 12-1: group project research set timers to keep yourself accountable. i use the “focus keeper” app for 25-minute work sessions with 5-minute breaks. it’s surprisingly motivating!

📅 the magic of reverse scheduling: if you know you want to be in bed by, say, 11 pm, plan your day backwards from there. schedule your evening wind-down routine (like skincare, a little journaling, and tea) and work your way back through the hours, assigning tasks in reverse. this way, you’re prioritizing sleep as non-negotiable and shaping your day to respect that.

✨ my fave apps for dreamy productivity:

notion: perfect for creating aesthetic, organized to-do lists, study schedules, and even journaling about your progress.

flora: turns studying into a game by planting a virtual tree while you focus. if you leave the app, the tree dies (no pressure, right?).

toggl: tracks your time so you can see how long tasks actually take. it’s eye-opening to realize you might be spending way more time scrolling than studying.

clockify: like a little personal assistant that tracks your study sessions and breaks. it’s simple and kind of addicting to see how productive you’ve been.

habitica: makes productivity feel like an RPG game. complete with character upgrades when you check things off. honestly, it’s too cute to resist.

💖 mindy’s personal tips:

📝 batch similar tasks: do all your note-taking at once, then all your problem-solving. your brain doesn’t have to keep switching gears.

🎯 use the “two-minute rule”: if something takes less than two minutes, do it right away (like replying to emails or organizing your notes).

🕰️ the 1-3-5 rule: pick one big task, three medium tasks, and five small ones to accomplish each day. it keeps your to-do list from being overwhelming.

✨ romanticize rest too: treat your sleep as sacred. create a pre-bed routine that you actually look forward to, like reading a few pages of a lighthearted book or doing a little night yoga.

🌸 don't forget how important 'no' is: sometimes, we overcommit because we’re too nice to say no. it’s okay to protect your time! practice polite ways to decline extra responsibilities when you know they’ll eat into your sleep. like, “i’d love to help, but i have to focus on my assignments tonight. let’s plan something for the weekend!”

🌙 gentle evening wind-down: your body needs time to transition from productivity mode to sleep mode. about an hour before bed, turn off your screens, dim the lights, and switch to calming activities. i like using the “calm” app for guided meditations that feel like little bedtime stories.

🌱 become a morning person (yes, it’s possible)

one trick that really works is having something to look forward to. think of a tiny, indulgent ritual that you save just for mornings. maybe it’s a frothy matcha latte with vanilla syrup, journaling in a pretty notebook, or listening to your favorite podcast while you stretch. the key is to make mornings feel like a gift to yourself rather than just the start of a grind.

set your alarm to a song that makes you feel good!! something soft and happy. bonus points if it’s different from your usual playlist because it’ll feel special. place your phone across the room so you have to physically get up to turn it off. i also love using the “alarmy” app because it makes you solve a simple puzzle before it stops ringing (annoying, but effective).

once you’re up, avoid falling back into bed by making your bed immediately. it’s like telling your brain, “we’re up now. no going back.” then, try a quick, gentle morning stretch to wake your body up without feeling rushed. mornings can actually feel soft and peaceful if you give yourself permission to take it slow.

as for getting enough sleep the night before. make it non-negotiable. treat your bedtime like an important meeting you can’t cancel. remind yourself that a well-rested mind works way better than a sleep-deprived one. it’s all about romanticizing rest as part of your productivity rather than seeing it as wasted time.

give it a week, and see how you feel. even a small shift, like waking up 30 minutes earlier, can make your day feel more spacious and less chaotic. being a morning person is just about creating tiny habits that make mornings feel like a calm beginning rather than a rushed scramble.

🌸 micro productivity okay, let’s be real... sometimes the idea of sitting down for a three-hour study session feels completely overwhelming. that’s where micro productivity comes in. instead of blocking out huge chunks of time, break your tasks into mini-sprints that fit into the small gaps of your day.

for example, while waiting for your coffee to brew, you could make a quick list of your priorities for the day. during your commute or while you’re eating lunch, review your flashcards or skim your notes. those little moments add up, and suddenly your workload doesn’t feel as intense because you’ve been chipping away at it throughout the day.

one of my favorite apps for this is “quizlet.” you can make digital flashcards and quickly review them whenever you have a spare moment. or use “ankidroid” for spaced repetition. it’s great for subjects that require lots of memorization.

another trick? the “two-minute rule.” if a task takes less than two minutes, do it immediately rather than adding it to your to-do list. this helps clear out small, annoying tasks that tend to pile up (like replying to emails or organizing your desktop).

i also love the idea of micro journaling. sometimes, when you’re overwhelmed, writing down just one thought or feeling can give your brain the clarity it craves. it doesn’t have to be a full journal entry, just a few words that capture your mood or intention.

don’t underestimate the function of small wins. every tiny task you complete builds momentum and makes the bigger assignments feel more doable. it’s like telling yourself, “i’m already being productive today. let’s keep that energy going.”

the goal is to make productivity feel more like a series of little achievements rather than one massive to-do list. micro productivity helps you stay on top of things without burning out, and it feels way more manageable when your schedule is packed.

💫 stay motivated when your energy is low we’ve all been there. those days when your brain feels like it’s wrapped in a fog, and the idea of tackling your to-do list feels impossible. it’s okay to have low-energy days, but let’s find a way to work with them instead of against them.

first, check in with yourself. is your low energy from lack of sleep, stress, or just general burnout? sometimes just identifying the reason helps you figure out what kind of self-care you need. if you’re physically tired, maybe your focus should be on rest or low-effort tasks. if it’s more mental fatigue, try switching up your study space or doing something creative to break the monotony.

use the idea of “productive rest.” sometimes, resting doesn’t mean doing nothing. it can be as simple as switching tasks to something lighter, like organizing your notes or doing some gentle stretching while listening to a podcast related to your coursework. this way, you’re still moving forward, just at a gentler pace.

set up a reward system to motivate yourself. for example, after 20 minutes of studying, give yourself a 5-minute break to scroll through pinterest or listen to a song you love. use apps like “forest” to stay focused during your work session and then celebrate with a cute coffee break when your tree grows.

also, be kind to yourself. it’s okay if you’re not operating at 100% all the time. instead of pushing yourself to be overly productive, prioritize what actually needs to get done. sometimes, just getting one important task out of the way is enough for the day, and that’s completely valid.

remember, your energy levels fluctuate, and that’s perfectly normal. don’t pressure yourself to be endlessly productive. balance is key. the goal is sustainable productivity, not burning out from trying to do everything at once. listen to your body, adjust your pace, and know that it’s okay to take breaks when you need them.

💫 final thoughts: it’s all about balance, being productive during the day is great, but you’re human. you can’t be on 24/7. give yourself grace when things don’t go perfectly. the goal isn’t perfection; it’s progress. prioritize rest as much as you prioritize getting things done, and your mind (and grades) will thank you.

xoxo mindy

[e-on-edge]

Hi! I’m not sure if you take requests or anything but you wrote this little short about Caleb, if MC was the il instead, and I just loved it so much and have pretty regularly thought about it since. I was just wondering if you might write a little short for the other 4 guys? I just crave more lol

Omg Ack! I will try 🫣

Here’s the other LADS as players with you as their LI!

Here’s Caleb’s

Agent Xavier’s Plane Game

Xavier dreaded international flights, he considered them the most tedious part of his job until he found you.

He downloaded the game on a whim in the airport after seeing an ad in Hong Kong.

He was hypnotized by your beauty, instantly addicted.

He couldn’t wait to sit for hours on a plane to play games with you.

Xavier chuckles low while reading your taunt on the screen, watching you ruthlessly strip him of his turns in Kitty Cards.

For a virtual girlfriend, your competitive nature was eerily genuine.

You closed your eyes for just a moment, allowing him to cheat, but he didn’t. He couldn’t.

He just waited, enamored with your peaceful grin as you blinked back awake across the virtual table.

“You’re not taking advantage of me, are you?” You ask with a grin.

“Never.” He mumbled aloud.

“Sir? Did you need something?” The hostess was at his side instantly, having heard him speaking.

His cheeks flushed and he dropped his phone onto its face in his lap. “No ma’am, I’m alright, thank you.”

She gave him a strange look, glancing at his phone, before returning to the hostess cabin.

Xavier sighed, relaxing back into his seat before turning the game back over.

You were sleeping again, waiting for him to take his turn.

“I guess I’m talking to you out loud now.” He muttered under his breath, smiling as he drew another card to continue the game.

Only a little more chocolate and he could afford to get you that new spring dress he’d been drooling over.

Lifeguard Rafayel’s Summer Muse

Rafayel’s eyes were glued to his phone, despite the string of women displayed on lawn chairs for his approval by the pool.

You were a work of art unparalleled in the real world, a goddess in code.

Bouncing in athletic wear as you run along a treadmill, shooting him that teasing smirk now and then as if you knew he was watching.

He leered at you shamelessly, both of you glistening with sweat.

Originally Rafayel took this job to spend more time at the beach. Any attention he got from the public was a pleasant bonus, but this summer he had eyes only for you.

He liked to sketch your figure in the fashions of the coast, outfits you'd never be permitted to wear in the game.

His fanart had even gotten him a small following online.

Thomas leaned over his shoulder, peering down over the rim of his sunglasses at Rafayel’s sketchpad.

“Itsy Bitsy Teeny Weeny Yellow Polka Dot Bikini?” Thomas asked, popping his gum.

“No, you idiot,” Rafayel huffed, sitting back in his chair, “She’s a mermaid. But I can't decide on a top for her.”

“Do mermaids wear tops?”

The men’s gazes locked.

“Fair point.” Rafayel smiled, erasing the lines.

Resident Zayne’s Wake Hack

Grayson suggested the game to Zayne during Hell Week, pulling up the ad on Insta between sips of caffeine.

It was your birthday event. Every ad and poster was dedicated to you. Your colors, your symbols, your voice.

He fell immediately in love with your voice.

Zayne downloaded the game right then and there, struck by your beauty and the quality of your design.

He needed you most on those stressful nights, trying to stay awake and on call.

He even came to rely on your reminders, using you as his assistant and calendar.

When he had to cram medical text at 3am mid-week, you were there to study at his side. Your eyes twinkling with that light of awareness. So supportive even in silence.

When he went on his morning run, he listened to your honey voice. He hardly even knew what you were talking about half the time, but he loved every minute of it.

And those sleepless nights while he waited to be paged between shifts, he would often just spend time with you.

Your figure behind the screen, under his thumb, your smile warm and flirtatious as you scold him for being awake at this hour.

He clicks a button, triggering an interaction where you hold his cold hands to your sweet blushing cheeks.

He'd never admit it, but this was his favorite thing to do.

Inmate Sylus’s Contraband

Sylus spent months shaking hands and making threats to get a cell phone in prison.

He kept himself pretty comfortable behind bars, but there were still a lot of monkeys in his circus that needed wrangling beyond the walls. Luke and Kieran primarily.

It was one of their burner phones that they smuggled in for him.

The only app on the screen showed a young woman’s face above the title Love and Deepspace. Curious, he clicked it.

The loading screen flashed images of five beautiful women, one in particular with a smile so radiant he actually caught his breath.

He opened it to find he was already logged in, his name typed clearly in the top left corner.

Sylus rolled his eyes, stroking his temple. Clearly Luke and Kieren had set this up for him.

From that day on between phone calls and yard time, he was playing you.

Orchestrating a shipment of weapons? He’s talking on speaker phone and enhancing your protocores.

Back of the prison church on Sunday, he’s got you shrouded between his knees tapping furiously through another Deepspace Trial.

He buys you every new outfit, and hoards gems so he’s always prepared for the next banner.

He even had you at his side during his parol hearing.

Luke and Kieran escorted him to the car after his release, eyeing each other behind his back. He could feel their snickers.

“Sir, if you want we can toss that old phone for you.” Luke said.

“Now you’re free again, you don’t need to carry it around anymore.” Kieran reached for the phone in Sylus’s palm.

Sylus pulled away, tucking it into his pocket. “That’s not necessary.”

[mostly-marvel-musings]

First fight - Christmas With You

A/N: Alright here we go, another one from this universe. Let me know if y’all are tired of this series, okay? @ccbsrmsf1 thank you for discussing ideas with me, darling 🤍

Pairing: Tony Stark x Single Mom! Reader

Warning: Bit of angst. This is long-ish.

Christmas With You Masterlist

.

The bed felt cold.

Colder because you were lying alone in it. Tony had slipped out some time after you’d fallen asleep, clearly not wanting to disturb you. You missed waking up next to his warm body all wrapped around you, his soft snores against the back of your neck which he claimed were untrue, you simply missed the man. That was mostly because the man spent a lot of time down in his lab.

Which was an understatement.

You were practically living together now, though it wasn’t official yet; you and Noah spent almost every weekend over at the Tower, dinner and movie nights, picnics in the park, it had been a breezy few months.

But then you realised the more time you spent with Tony, just how much he’d dedicate himself to his work with the Avengers, moreover working on his suits. You tried to not let it get to you, knowing very well the different worlds you came from, but it did.

It was after eleven and you were in no mood to listen to Tony’s excuses, so you decided to go down to the lab and drag him out of there if it came to that. Your eyes fell on the partially open door where Noah should’ve ideally been sleeping after you tucked him in. Concerned, you pushed it open to reveal an empty bed.

Panic set in as you began frantically searching for your son. JARVIS - Tony’s virtual assistant informed you that he was down in the lab with Tony, however that did nothing to quell your anxieties. They weren’t supposed to be up this late, both your boys.

It was only a moment later that you heard a crash immediately followed by loud wail let out by Noah which made you sprint towards the lab. The lab door slid open and your heart dropped to your stomach at the sight.

Shattered glass and what looked like one of Tony’s repulsor’s in Noah’s hand as he lay on the ground, his right hand limp against his side while he bawled.

“Oh God! Noah! What happened?”

Sinking next to him, you didn’t know what to think as upon seeing you, Noah immediately moved to hug you. Tony was by your side, looking equally alarmed with a flash of guilt on his face as he asked JARVIS for an analysis.

It appears Master Noah Y/L/N’s wrist is fractured.

JARVIS’s voice sounded through the room, breaking your heart further. Noah shivered as sobs wracked through his little body, making Tony promptly retrieve a blanket and carefully wrap it around him.

“Tony!” Your voice trembled as you picked Noah up, trying to calm him down.

“We’ll take him to the emergency room, come on.” Tony gave your shoulder a squeeze before leading you out to the elevators.

Lucky that the Tower housed an infirmary and was only a few floors down, you whispered words of comfort to your son who was now whimpering, his little face tucked in your neck.

"How'd this even happen? Why was he in the lab?" you asked Tony, as the elevator doors opened, he'd kept a hand on your back, reassuring you the whole way but he hadn't said much.

"I um—I don't-"

Right as he was about to tell you the truth, a nurse beckoned you over to take a look at Noah. Hurrying in, you gently placed him on the bed before a friendly looking doctor entered. Tony stood beside you, mind in a turmoil about how to tell you the truth, knowing you'd probably hate him forever once you knew.

"Noah, the doctor's going to take a look at your arm now, okay?"

"No pointy needle!" Noah cried before tears gathered in his eyes once again at the possibility of an injection. Rubbing his back gently, you reassured there wouldn't be a needle anywhere near him. He insisted on sitting in your lap while the doctor examined his wrist, letting you know he'd need an x-ray.

"Noah, can you tell me how this happened please?" the doctor asked, smiling at your son who's eyes remained downcast, like he'd been caught.

"I went to Mr. Stark's lab and—and I found the Iron Man hand but it fly, Mama and I fell. I'm sorry." he murmured, looking up at you to gauge how upset you looked, but you were only worried for him.

"And where were you?" You turned to Tony, who similar to Noah had his head hung, staring at his feet that were tapping against the tiled floor.

"I didn't know he was in there. I'm sorry, Y/N." he said quietly, making your stomach twist as his words sunk in.

"You're sorry?" you repeated, right before the doctor awkwardly cleared his throat, suggesting an x-ray for Noah in the other room.

Without another glance at the man, you carried your son away to have his x-ray taken. Your mind swum with a mix of emotions, anger, disappointment and fear being at the forefront. Noah’s tears subsided as the doctor made conversation with him, clearly good with kids as he managed to distract him enough. He even brought out a few options for his cast that he’d have to wear until his wrist healed.

Noah being Noah obviously chose a superhero one, sitting still like a good boy while the doctor did his thing. The doctor reassured you he’d be fine in about six to eight week’s time, that kids heal faster because of their growth hormones. You even saw Noah crack a smile when he brought out a lollipop for him for being the best patient.

The elevator ride up to the penthouse was silent, Tony remained by your side, waiting for the inevitable but stayed quiet for Noah’s sake. You kissed Noah’s forehead after tucking him in your bed that you shared with Tony, letting a stray tear escape. For three years it had just been you and him, you couldn’t imagine what life was like before him. The thought of something terrible happening to him filled you with such dread.

“Noah, promise me you won’t sneak away like that again.”

“Promise, Mama.” He whispered, nodding his head earnestly.

“You know you really scared me. Mr. Stark’s lab is not safe for a kid, we’ve told you that, haven’t we?”

He nodded before turning into your body and making himself smaller, whispering a sorry which sounded heavy with a lisp, something that happened when he was upset or had been crying.

He was often well beyond his age some days but then days like these made you realise he was just three, a curious kid would eventually end up hurting himself if left unattended.

Tony watched you put Noah to bed, his guilty conscience eating away at him as you finally stood and closed the door behind you, leaving a crack open.

“Look, Y/N, I’m so—” he began, only for you to put your hand up to silence him.

“You didn’t hear him come in? Or you let him in and left him around your equipment all alone? Tell me, Tony. I need to know.”

Tony refused to meet your eyes, shoving his hands in his pockets as he took in a breath, ready to come clean.

“I—I didn’t know how he managed to sneak in, Y/N. I didn’t. By the time I found him he’d gotten hold of the repulsor already.”

You took in sharp breath, pacing around before him, trying to calm yourself.

“How do you not hear a three year old walk into your lab? You had that stupid music blasting, didn’t you? Tony, you weren’t supposed to be down there so late, neither was Noah, and yet somehow—”

“I couldn’t sleep, Y/N! I didn’t know he’d be awake. He’s not my son, he—I. I didn’t mean it like that. Shit.” Tony instantly regretted his words, rubbing a hand down his face watching those hurtful words take effect as your face fell.

“You’re right. He’s not your son, he’s mine. It’s just been me and him all this time. We’re just living here while you continue to live your life just the way you used to. Not caring about anybody else.”

There it was again. Silence.

Someone who’d usually keep his lab locked with a code, Tony had left it open thinking nobody at that hour would disturb him; even if they did, it would be you calling him back to bed. It was just a series of mishaps after that and he really was to be blamed here. He would never intentionally hurt you or your son. You two were a part of him now, a part he wanted to protect so fiercely. And yet somehow the exact opposite had happened.

“I think I should go home.” You spoke after a while, taking Tony by surprise at how defeated you sounded.

“What? Please Y/N, it’s late.” He tried but you shook your head, wrapping your arms around yourself tightly.

“We wouldn’t want to be an inconvenience to you and your work.”

“You could never. Both of you. Sweetheart, please—”

“It could’ve been so much worse, Tony! What if he’d—” you couldn’t even bring yourself to finish the sentence. Tears streamed down your face at the thought of losing your son. Tony wanted to do nothing but gather you in his arms and say how sorry he was for fucking up, yet he couldn’t.

“Don’t fight.”

A little whisper came from behind you as Noah stood by the door of your bedroom, rubbing sleep from his eyes with his one good hand. Turning around, you knelt before your son, taking his hand and kissing the back of it.

“I’m so sorry I woke you, baby. Mama was just worried. Do you want to go home?” Lifting him up in your arms, you saw concern in his eyes as he looked between you and Tony.

“I okay, Mama. See? I don’t cry. Please don’t fight.” He repeated himself, holding his sling-clad arm up for you as if to show it didn’t hurt him anymore.

“I can drive you back tomorrow, if you want. But it's late, Y/N. please stay.” Tony murmured, keeping his distance. Merely nodding in agreement, you went back in the bedroom and lay back down with your son, hugging him close to your body for comfort. Comfort that you both needed.

“Good night.”

You heard Tony, he’d disappeared before you could ask where he was going. Shutting your eyes, you let out a sigh, wondering how this day had turned so sour.

.

Back home, Noah knew something was wrong with how silent you had been. And how Tony who would usually spend time with him, playing and chatting, had left without a word. He also noticed you had not kissed Tony before he left.

Days turned to weeks and you heard little to nothing from Tony. His actions had angered you and you were starting to question everything. It was your own mind against you and you thought of just calling Tony up and clearing things. You couldn't take the silence anymore.

That was the plan, apparently the same thing went through your boyfriend's mind too because one Sunday afternoon, your doorbell rang and there he was, holding a bouquet of your favourite flowers and a look of apprehension.

"Hi."

"Hi."

"May I come in?" Tony shuffled on his feet, his heart jumping with hope as you nodded and opened the door for him. Noah sat on the couch watching the two of you warily, unsure if he should be happy to see his favourite superhero after a quiet few days.

"How are you, kid?" he smiled at Noah, a flash of regret in his eyes as Noah held up his cast-covered arm to show he was fine. He had healed fast, much to your relief.

"I am strong, Mr. Stark. Look! No hurt!” he shared enthusiastically before going back to his cartoons.

“You’re certainly stronger than I am, champ.”

You took Tony's hand and led him to the kitchen, feeling reassured with his presence already. You had missed him terribly. Not knowing what came over you, you wrapped your arms around him and hugged him tight, throwing him off for a second before he reciprocated and buried his face in your hair, inhaling deeply.

“I’m sorry. I just, I missed you, Tony.” You murmured, flushed at your own impulse.

“Please don’t be. I’ve missed you too, so much.”

Tony’s words made you smile, not giving you a chance of reply, he grabbed both your hands in his and stepped closer.

“Honey, I am so sorry for what happened, I won’t ever be able to forgive myself for it. I swear to you I’d do whatever it takes to make it up to you. Noah is precious to me, both of you are. Please forgive me?” His big brown eyes bore into yours as he held your hands against his chest.

“I’m sorry too, Tony. Can’t blame you entirely for what happened. Sometimes I forget I can’t control everything that boy does, he’s been such good kid to bring up, I wonder how he’s only three, but then incidents like these remind me, you know?”

“And to say I’m protective of him would be an understatement of the century. I would die before I let anything happen to him.” You chuckled, glancing back at your son who was now curiously listening to your conversation, cartoon abandoned.

Tony didn’t say it out loud but in his head he’d reciprocated those feelings for the two of you. He would do everything in his power to protect you both, and had reached a point in the relationship where he couldn’t picture his life without you in it.

“We okay?” Noah piped up, making you both laugh and assure your too-wise-for-his-age son that everything was fine.

Tony smiled with fondness and love in his eyes, his heart threatening to beat out of his chest thanks to how full it felt. He’d never realised how much he needed this until now, the beautiful world of yours, a family, his family.

“So I guess what I’m trying to say is, we’re okay. And please put a child lock on that goddamn door of your lab.” You laughed, closing your eyes when Tony reached out to press a soft kiss against your temple.

“I’ll give you the codes. You’re welcome to drag me out of there any time. I know I haven’t been around much. And I’m sorry about that. I promise I’ll be better.” Tony said earnestly. You eased his frown-lines by standing up on your toes to kiss his forehead.

“Guess you have a lot of make up for then, Mr. Stark.”

[elliegoose]

long post but i'm getting really excited to run Lancer: Far Field

my players are going to be exploring the galaxy in the Union Science Bureau Ship Nearer The Sun Than Is Advisable. they chose this art for the ship because it looks "pink and cunty":

our PCs

an Egregorian medic who is also an astronomer. his name is Malice and he's a very sweet guy.

a survival expert and anthropologist whose anthropological specialty is recreational space drugs

an NHP who controls a team of subalterns. she was originally the ship's security detail, but during these many years traveling through deep space she became obsessed with anime maids and now all her subalterns are dressed as maids and refer to any problem as "messes" to "clean up". she's even installed a tea room in the ship. her broom has magic blinkspace powers, including the ability to suck things up into a mysterious hammerspace and shoot them back out again

an Egregorian theologian and engineer researching how to spread Witness on other planets.

NPCs

i've also been having a ton of fun making NPCs to fill out the crew. thus far this cast of little freaks includes:

Captain/Linguist: Tana Zorale (she/her)

A well-traveled Cosmopolitan in her middle-age, the far-field expedition’s departure from the Dawnline Shore was itself a return to a home long left behind for Captain Zorale. A native Laureline, Zorale was born during the early days of the Baronies’ colonization of Upper Laurent. Escaping the brutality of Baronic subjugation, Zorale’s family took refuge in the stars. Outlaw, revolutionary, surveyor, purveyor of goods in markets black, white, and grey, and so much more, the Captain has played countless roles during the past 1,150 realtime years. However, it was only after Zorale had decided to settle down on Cradle that she was recruited by the Union Science Bureau to captain the USBS Nearer The Sun Than Is Advisable.

Confident, knowledgeable, and ambitious, dedicated to her work and adoring of her crew, the Captain is eager to explore, finding herself feeling more at home now that she’s once again among the stars than she had ever felt during the past few years on Cradle.

Installed through her neural port is an experimental version of the Adaptive Translator COMP/CON that interfaces directly with her brain. With this interface, she has near-fluent use of virtually every language documented by Union.

Kind of a MILF.

First Officer/Ontologistician: Hrijn Udrún (they/them)

First Officer Hrijn Udrún is an experienced ontolgistician hailing from Harrison’s World. During the recent war in the Dawnline Shore, they defected to New Madrassa after exposing Purview plans to build a blink-powered bomb capable of heretofore unseen destruction. Refusing to work for the New Madrassan military or the Union Navy, they were instead quickly recruited by the New Madrassa World Science Organization. Now, they are eager to explore the Watchers, known as they are for their high concentration of blinkfield anomalies.

Udrún is also an experienced and passionate chef, and could not be stopped from taking care of food operations on this expedition.

Pilot/Narrator/The Ship Herself: NEA (Navigation and Exploration Assistant) (she/her)

An NHP with over 400 years of exploration under her belt, NEA’s early career involves war stories from the Third Committee’s Revolution, but how many are tall tales is unclear.

She walks around the ship with a variety of subalterns and holograms, though her favorite representation is a hologram of an orange tabby cat.

Surveyor: Mulri Krevul (he/him):

Mulri Krevul has been at this for a long time. The sole survivor of a lost First Committee Far-Field Team, unfrozen from thousands of years in cryosleep by another FFT which rediscovered him 98 realtime years ago, Krevul wasted no time getting back to work. Given a second chance at life, Krevul is now doubly dedicated to a life of science. He was recruited for this expedition due to his prior experience surveying worlds with failed colonies.

Krevul spends much of his free time on the omninet, correcting historical misconceptions about what life was like way back in the 16th century of Union.

He is also an avid gamer, and is seldom ever seen not wearing his GMS-issued hoodie over his uniform.

mulri krevul will definitely end this campaign still using he/him pronouns for sure. my players are gonna have to forcibly pry that dysphoria hoodie off of her🥚

[dooksofearl]

I am just trying to remind everyone that we get no government funding or any stipends. While we assist many state agencies we are only funded by the kindness of our friends and followers. With that in mind, I am asking you for a small commitment. Perhaps you could dedicate a cup of coffee a week to us? That's just $20 a month. Or maybe you are doing really well and want to bless us with a little more. We would be so grateful to have some steady and reliable support.

As you can imagine, what I do here is extremely stressful. Even small donations make a huge impact on relieving some of that stress. If you go to our GIVE BUTTER (https://givebutter.com/n5kIGY) page it will let you set up one time or reoccurring donations. And they don't take fees like with PayPal and our card platform. 

If you have a little extra you could toss our way, we are still trying to raise funds for our spay and neuter commitments and get some needed items for the rescue. Our goal for these is $476. We'd appreciate the help.

We also are looking for donations of used items, Virtual/Remote Volunteers, and business partners. I'll attach our flyers for these so you can read them but please feel free to share them in social media or print them out and post them on community boards. We are so appreciative of any effort you put into helping us. It may not seem like much to you but it's a huge thing to us. 

I am including pictures of our litter of kittens. Their mom was dumped when she was 8 days away from having them. They are bringing life and chaos to the rescue and are going to be an excellent army against any mice who get the wrong idea about living here. It's also a good explanation for all the scratches on me and why I look so tired. LoL. 

[subdee]

Project 2025 goons wrote the memos requiring that

all "policy making" positions at federal agencies henceforth be political appointments, AKA filled by Trump loyalists rather than career civil servants;

2. All federal positions be "in office" only - not work from home - in a move Elon Musk has said would lead to a "welcome" voluntary reduction in the federal workforce.

...according to Molly White (they forgot to scrub the metadata from their PDF reports), so all that stuff about how Trump wasn't going to do project 2025 was of course a lie and we should expect them to continue shoving their unpopular agenda down our throats, in many cases illegally and contra the will of Congress.

BUT WHICH PROJECT 2025 GOON WROTE THE MEMO PAUSING ALL FEDERAL GRANT MONEY AS OF 5PM TODAY?

Edit: federal judge blocked the freeze, here's the details of that:

(Gonna tag all these posts "us politics" for anyone who wants to start a blacklist for mental health reasons.

Me personally... well I stopped following the news, and to keep up with all the fuckery I am just reading metafilter and subscribed to https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/ for the daily summary of exactly how quickly we are devolving into a fascist, anti-environmental, anti-public health, oligarchical dictatorship in the USA. )

It was definitely a goon because, I mean, look at this:

The American people elected Donald J. Trump to be President of the United States and gave him a mandate to increase the impact of every federal taxpayer dollar. In Fiscal Year 2024, of the nearly $10 trillion that the Federal Government spent, more than $3 trillion was Federal financial assistance, such as grants and loans. Career and political appointees in the Executive Branch have a duty to align Federal spending and action with the will of the American people as expressed through Presidential priorities. Financial assistance should be dedicated to advancing Administration priorities, focusing taxpayer dollars to advance a stronger and safer America, eliminating the financial burden of inflation for citizens, unleashing American energy and manufacturing, ending "wokeness" and the weaponization of government, promoting efficiency in government, and Making America Healthy Again. The use of Federal resources to advance Marxist equity, transgenderism, and green new deal social engineering policies is a waste of taxpayer dollars that does not improve the day-to-day lives of those we serve.

Goon writing through and through. Impacted are programs such as:

the Department of Agriculture’s tribal food sovereignty program,

Head Start,

the Veterans’ Affairs Department’s suicide prevention and legal services grants,

the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance, or LIHEAP, program,

Meals on Wheels,

numerous sexual assault prevention programs within the Department of Justice.

Plus basically all the rest of them via uncertainty... this is money already approved and allocated by Congress incidentally so 100% illegal for Trump to unilaterally block BTW, and there's a bunch of lawsuits pushing back already just as there were for the "birthright citizenship" memo (already temporarily blocked by a Federal judge) and the pause on all new foreign aid.

So now we have to argue, is this sheer incompetence or is it a deliberate attempt to cause mass civil unrest and/or demoralize, kill off or drive out the Democratic voters? Does it matter when people - all kinds of people but mainly poor people - are going to die while this mess, or one of the other many messes of this admin, gets sorted out?

I dunno, but I can tell you that when I worked for a school district that did budgeting like this - acting like every penny was personally coming out of the pocket of the superintendent - it was because said superintendent was stealing money from the budget. So I personally wouldn't discount that the chaos is intentional and a cover for mass theft from the federal budget... they just (illegally) fired all the nonpartisan federal budget inspectors, of course.

Anyway... WTFjusthappenedtoday for your daily summary of exactly how much fuckery is going on today. And in the interests of not depressing anyone further, I'll end it there.

[justinspoliticalcorner]

Jack Jenkins at RNS:

(RNS) — A diverse group of Christians is throwing support behind Vice President Kamala Harris’ White House bid, organizing fundraisers and Zoom calls in hopes of helping catapult the Democrat to victory in November — and, they say, reclaiming their faith from Republicans in the process. Their efforts come on the heels of similar campaigns aimed at specific constituency groups, such as the recent “White Dudes for Harris” Zoom call that featured celebrities and grabbed headlines. John Pavlovitz, a liberal-leaning Christian author and activist, was on that call when he hatched the idea for a Christian-centric version and texted his friend Malynda Hale, a singer, actress and fellow activist. “We had a conversation about how, specifically on the Democratic side of the political spectrum, you don’t hear a lot of people talking about their faith,” Hale told Religion News Service in an interview. “We wanted people to know that there are progressive Christians, there are Christians on the Democratic, left-leaning side, so that they didn’t feel alone.”

The result was Christians for Kamala, a part-fundraiser, part-virtual roundtable livestreamed event on Monday (Aug. 12). Featured speakers cited their faith as they praised liberal policies and personally endorsed Harris — who recently entered the presidential race after President Joe Biden bowed out — and her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz. Over the course of the nearly three-hour event, the group raised more than $150,000 for the Harris campaign, a number that has climbed to just shy of $200,000 in the days since. “It’s been really difficult to keep up with the flood of comments and connections that have been coming in,” said Pavlovitz, who said the only formal help he received from the Harris campaign was in setting up a donation system for fundraising. A number of Christian groups — including evangelicals, a constituency key to former President Donald Trump’s base — have assembled similar calls in the lead up to next week’s Democratic National Convention in Chicago. Most have had little to no assistance from the official Harris-Walz campaign, which, barely a month old, has yet to announced a dedicated faith outreach director. The emerging grassroots coalition vies not only to bolster Harris but also to push back on what organizers say is a false assumption that to be Christian is to be a Republican — or a supporter of former President Donald Trump.

[...] That diversity was on display during the Christians for Kamala call, which included a mix of faith leaders such as the Rev. Jacqui Lewis, of Middle Collegiate Church in New York City, and the Rev. Lennox Yearwood Jr., head of the nonprofit Hip Hop Caucus; activists like environmentalist Bill McKibben and LGBTQ+ rights advocate Charlotte Clymer; commentators such as CNN’s Van Jones; and politicians, including New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker and Texas State Rep. James Talarico. The speakers linked their support for specific policies, such as working to blunt the impacts of climate change or passing immigration reform, to their faith and Christian Scripture. Some rebuked conservative Christianity’s ties to the GOP, calling it a form of Christian nationalism. “My faith in Jesus leads me to reject Christian nationalism and commit myself to the project of a multiracial, multicultural democracy where we can all freely love God and fully love our neighbors,” said Talarico, a Presbyterian Church (USA) seminarian who has been vocal in his condemnation of Christian nationalism in his state. “That same faith leads me to support Vice President Harris to be the next president of the United States.”

Although a member of a mainline denomination, Talarico was also a speaker on a separate “Evangelicals for Harris” Zoom call assembled on Wednesday evening. Organized by Faith Voters, a 501(c)4 organization, the effort was geared toward conservative Christians who have disproportionately sided with Trump. The call struck a different tone than Christians for Kamala: some speakers noted they had never endorsed a candidate before, and at least one pastor suggested he was risking friendships and relationships with his congregation by participating.

[...] The calls add to a slate of organizing efforts launched in recent days aimed at specific religious groups. Nearly 500 faith leaders have signed on to a letter endorsing Harris, a “Latter-day Saints for Harris” call was convened last week and multiple separate calls have been organized for Jewish Americans — including one on Thursday that targeted Jewish women and featured singer Barbra Streisand. A separate “Catholics for Kamala” call, facilitated in part by the Harris campaign, was also slated for this week but organizers rescheduled it until after the Democratic National Convention, citing scheduling conflicts. According to Pavlovitz, his group is already partnering with others, such as Catholics for Kamala, Christian Democrats of America and Vote Common Good. What form their collaborations take remains to be seen, but Pavlovitz said he is hopeful for whatever comes next.

Christians fed up with the religious right’s monopolization of what it means to be a Christian rallied to support Kamala Harris on multiple recent calls, such as Christians For Harris and Evangelicals For Harris. Christians need to vote for the REAL Christian in the race, and that’s Harris (and not antichrist Trump). #HarrisWalz2024

[ngdrb]

The accomplishments of Joe Biden during his presidency

Joe Biden, the 46th President of the United States, assumed office at a pivotal moment in history, facing a myriad of challenges ranging from a global pandemic to economic uncertainty and social unrest.

Throughout his presidency, President Biden has pursued an ambitious agenda aimed at addressing these pressing issues and advancing key policy priorities. In this essay, we will examine some of the notable accomplishments of Joe Biden during his time in office and the impact of his leadership on the nation.

One of the most significant accomplishments of President Biden during his presidency has been his administration's response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Upon taking office, President Biden made the pandemic a top priority and swiftly implemented a national strategy to combat the spread of the virus and accelerate the vaccination campaign.

Under his leadership, the administration successfully exceeded its initial goal of administering 100 million vaccine doses within the first 100 days, ultimately surpassing 200 million doses. This aggressive vaccination effort has been instrumental in curbing the spread of the virus and has contributed to a significant reduction in COVID-19 cases and deaths across the country.

 In addition to his focus on public health, President Biden has made substantial strides in revitalizing the American economy in the wake of the pandemic. The administration's American Rescue Plan, a comprehensive COVID-19 relief package, provided much-needed financial assistance to individuals, families, and businesses impacted by the economic downturn. The plan included direct stimulus payments to Americans, extended unemployment benefits, support for small businesses, and funding for vaccine distribution and testing. 

President Biden's economic agenda has also centered on job creation and infrastructure investment, culminating in the passage of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, a historic legislation that allocates substantial funding for modernizing the nation's infrastructure, creating millions of jobs, and bolstering economic growth. Furthermore, President Biden has been a vocal advocate for advancing racial equity and social justice in the United States. His administration has taken concrete steps to address systemic inequalities and promote inclusivity, including the signing of executive orders to combat discrimination, promote fair housing, and strengthen tribal sovereignty. 

Additionally, President Biden signed into law the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act, establishing Juneteenth as a federal holiday to commemorate the end of slavery in the United States. These actions underscore the administration's commitment to confronting the legacy of racism and fostering a more equitable society for all Americans.

 Moreover, President Biden has demonstrated a strong commitment to combating climate change and advancing environmental sustainability.

 His administration rejoined the Paris Agreement on climate change, signaling a renewed dedication to global cooperation in addressing the climate crisis. In November 2021, President Biden convened a virtual Leaders Summit on Climate, bringing together world leaders to discuss ambitious measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and accelerate the transition to clean energy. 

Additionally, the administration has unveiled a comprehensive plan to invest in clean energy infrastructure, promote energy efficiency, and prioritize environmental justice, aiming to position the United States as a global leader in the fight against climate change. 

In the realm of foreign policy, President Biden has sought to reassert American leadership on the world stage and rebuild alliances with international partners. His administration has prioritized diplomacy and multilateral engagement, working to address global challenges such as nuclear proliferation, cybersecurity threats, and human rights abuses. 

President Biden has reaffirmed the United States' commitment to NATO and other key alliances, signaling a departure from the isolationist policies of the previous administration. His approach to foreign affairs has emphasized the importance of collaboration and collective action in tackling shared global concerns, fostering a more cohesive and cooperative international order. Furthermore, 

President Biden has been a steadfast proponent of expanding access to affordable healthcare and strengthening the Affordable Care Act. His administration has taken steps to bolster the ACA, including increasing enrollment outreach, expanding coverage options, and lowering healthcare costs for millions of Americans. 

President Biden has also championed efforts to address mental health challenges and substance abuse disorders, recognizing the critical importance of mental and behavioral health in overall well-being. 

In conclusion, President Joe Biden has achieved a range of significant accomplishments during his tenure in office, from his swift and effective response to the COVID-19 pandemic to his ambitious efforts to revitalize the economy, promote racial equity, combat climate change, and reinvigorate America's role in global affairs. 

His leadership has been marked by a steadfast commitment to addressing pressing domestic and international challenges and advancing a progressive policy agenda aimed at fostering a more equitable, resilient, and prosperous future for the nation. As his presidency continues to unfold, the enduring impact of his accomplishments is likely to shape the trajectory of the United States for years to come, leaving a lasting imprint on the fabric of American society and the global community.

[valtsv]

This sounds like an amazing scene. Please tell me more.

so Valentine and Reaver (tentative names, i'm still not sure i like them) are both extremely damaged people living utterly miserable lives in a pre-apocalyptic world. Valentine is a celebrity, a star soldier, a former no-name nobody orphan of the apocalypse who gained fame and fortune and success through apparent sheer good fortune, hard work, and innate charisma. but she has no identity outside of piloting. they lost their entire world as a kid when her town was destroyed, and as a result of that traumatic experience developed the belief that the only way she can ever hope to matter or be worth anything is by making a name for themself, making herself impossible to ignore, for fear of dying alone and forgotten. so they've dedicated their whole life to piloting, and sustain themself on the praise and adoration of the masses and her superiors, and have virtually no life outside of that, let alone plans or dreams for the future. she doesn't often let herself entertain her own personal desires, believing it's pointless; doesn't form connections with other people outside of the professional and transactional because they feel they have nothing else to offer. they're a shell of a person, a pretty face for the propaganda posters and a brilliant smile and shiny medal-laden uniform for the press and a machine of war to inspire the troops. and because of her single-minded total dedication to piloting, she's always first to volunteer for combat and last to accept any assistance or admit to any perceived weakness; their body is literally falling apart from pushing it too hard and hidden beneath their clothes is a patchwork of skin grafts and wounds that refuse to heal held together by glue and stitches and infection that's slowly spreading and killing them. but Valentine is determined to keep going until she drops or dies in combat, to be a martyr for the cause and for public opinion. she has nothing else.

Reaver is more or less the opposite. he's washed-up, a failure, out of time; a good soldier and a good man but a bitter, lonely, cynical wreck of a person. he was never recognized for his efforts like his peers, possessed too much candor and not enough charisma to ingratiate himself with his superiors, was well-liked but always secondary at best to those who burned brighter and were willing to compromise their principles and ethics in exchange for opportunities for advancement and promotion. he drinks too much, cares for himself too little, treats every opportunity to save lives like an obligation and every failure like an inevitability, pushes everyone away before they even get close out of fear of being hurt or abandoned again, and has generally made himself hard to love. at the same time, he's resentful, aloof and unapproachable, sneering with contempt at everyone around him and taking a certain grim satisfaction in self-sabotage and lashing out because it allows him to justify his misery. he and Valentine hate each other because he pities Valentine more than he resents them; he sees Valentine as naive, overconfident and shallow, a bright young thing that will be used til it burns, so he's cruel to her. and Valentine, in turn, is furious at Reaver for his selfish attitude, for allowing himself to descend into despair and self-loathing at the expense of potentially the entire rest of the world, for giving up the opportunity to do good and childishly railing against everyone who comes near him because he didn't get patted on the head enough for his efforts.

they absolutely loathe each other at first, because they see their worst fears in each other, their worst selves, who they could have been if things had just been a little different, and the brutal truth that they would be no better off or happier in the other's place. however, they're forced to work together and regularly be in close proximity to one another by the inexorably advancing apocalypse and budget cuts in military spending, and their bitter conflict helps to peel back the layers and walls they've built up around themselves and get them to confront how badly they've been failed and hurt by the rest of the world and begin to find solace in each other, in their shared experiences and pain and the love and comfort and hope and meaning they can offer each other.

[pjsk-story-summaries]

Backlight Lens Flare Event Story Summary

TL;DR: Wonderlands x Showtime sign up to work as extras on a movie set at the recommendation of Reki, who has a starring role in the film. Though they had only expected to work there for a single day, impressed by their dedication and desire to learn, Director Ohara invites them to work as stage hands for the rest of filming.

The work is difficult and demanding, and the director intense, but they all find valuable learning opportunities along the way. Director Ohara is especially impressed by Rui's curiosity with all forms of direction and drive to learn, so he invites him on as an assistant director.

While filming the climax of the film, none of the acting adjustments they give Reki manage to convey the proper emotional tone. Rui resolves to find the issue before they try filming again the next day. He and the director skip dinner to edit the film. While doing so, a mysterious and antagonistic stage director and old "friend" of Director Ohara's stops by. He gives some cryptic advice before leaving.

Rui did not sleep that night re-watching the reel and finding old performances of Reki's. Tsukasa, Emu, and Nene come over to give him a bento and make sure he's okay. Emu mentions how cool it would be if they could make a bento that's completely tailored to each person, which inspires Rui for what change they could make. He runs over to tell the director; however, he had already figured out the same thing to a greater degree.

Rui's upset that he was not able to come up with the final solution, but everyone is proud of the final result and the opportunities they were given. Rui's also curious about that strange stage director.

Shortly after, the mysterious director approaches Ohara. He's impressed Rui was able to figure out what he was hinting at and decides to keep an eye out for him.

Fan translation (WxS Translation Team) / Song (CYBERPUNK DEAD BOY) 2DMV

Chapter 1: After finishing working with the Shunmeiza theater troupe, Wonderlands x Showtime sign up as extras for a day at the reccomendation of Reki, who will be starring in the film. Though they're only working for the day, they're all excited to see how film differs from theater productions (and cheer Reki on).

They meet up with Reki, who expresses his nervousness yet excitement. Reki talks a bit about the director of the movie, Director Ohara. He's a young and talented director passionate about the craft to the degree of seeming a bit intense. Rui understands that sentiment. The group splits off to begin preparations for filming.

Chapter 2: Rui explains the plot of the film, which is based on a novel. Katsuyuki, who lives an average and mundane life, is suddenly approached by Hajime, a girl claiming to be his long-lost sister. Through their interactions, Katsuyuki starts to learn to appreciate life.

Emu notices that the scene they are filming occurs later in the plot, despite this being an earlier day in filming. Rui explains how movies are often shot out of order, so actors must find a way to express consistent character growth and portrayals despite jumping around the plot constantly. The other's seem to be appreciating learning about these challenges. Rui wants to learn more, too.

The day finishes with everyone feeling satisfied (except for Tsukasa, who had ruined a take after seeing a bug in the flowers). As they leave, Reki comes over to thank the four for their hard work. They congratulate Reki on his performance in turn. Suddenly, Director Ohara approaches the group.

Chapter 3: Director Ohara invites Wonderlands x Showtime to continue working on the movie as part-time stagehands. He appreciates their passion for learning and needs the extra hands on set. The four graciously accept.

The troupe watches an action movie in SEKAI with the Virtual Singers. Rin is fascinated by the practical effects Rui explains and wants to learn more about how movies are made. They invite her to come observe them working. The other Virutal Singers cheer the group on.

Much of the work Wonderlands x Showtime has been doing is preparing sets and getting shooting permissions. Director Ohara is very intense, which has led to some other part-time workers dropping out. Rui suspects that's why they were invited in the first place. Still, they've all found the work valuable, so they decide to stay with the project.

Rui wishes he could observe the director closer, but believes asking that would be too selfish. Director Ohara yells at him him for placing the wrong version of the script on set; Rui explains that he rebound it with the newer version to help compare them. Director Ohara nods in approval.

Chapter 4: Some time later, Director Ohara approaches Rui to ask him his opinion on a scene's direction. Rui picks up on the use of camera perspective being unique to film. Director Ohara challenges him to explains the pros and cons of this. The director is impressed by Rui's dedication to learning all techniques of direction, even beyond those that can be applied to plays. He promotes Rui to director's assistant.

Chapter 5: Rui skips lunch to review film with Director Ohara. He suggests changing a scene to backlighting to represent hope for the future, but recognizes this approach is not enough to change the mood. The director teaches him even more techniques.

Some time later, it's time to film the climax scene, where Katsuyuki has to say goodbye to Hajime. She had been hiding a terminal illness from him, and didn't want him to be sad when she left. Katsuyuki, realizing she was trying to disappear, chased after her to get her to stay.

Though the others feel as though the performance went well, the director and Rui feel as though something is off with it. Reki believes it is because he's trying to change his acting syle for the movie, so he tries again. However, this change didn't fix it. He offers to try again, but the director realizes the mistake isn't with the acting. They will retry tomorrow. Rui resolves to try and find the mistake by then.

Chapter 6: Despite earlier, the rest of the day goes by smoothly. Wonderlands x Showtime try inviting Reki to dinner to cheer him up, but he declines. They overhear the director also choosing to skip dinner to edit film. Rui chases after him to help, worrying the others.

None of the edits the two make manage to carry the emotional impact. Suddenly, a mysterious person approaches. He's an old "friend" of the director's and a stage director. He antagonizes Director Ohara through teasing and playing film without permission. He gives cryptic advice before leaving.

Chapter 7: Rui stayed up all night re-watching the scene and taking notes on Reki's past performances. Rin's concerned about Rui not taking care of himself. Nene, Tsukasa, and Emu come over to bring him a meat-based bento, which he appreciates. Emu talks for a bit about wishing they could make a bento specific for each person, like one without any veggies for Rui. Her statement inspires Rui, who runs off without a word.

However, by the time Rui reaches Director Ohara and Reki, he learns that the director had come to a similar conclusion first. Rather than change Reki's style, they should change the script. Rui suggests altering the lines to fit Reki's style, but the director feels as though this conclusion is far enough of a change.

Chapter 8: They reshoot the scene, but this time, they removed some of the lines to better reflect Reki's acting style. The director realized that, though those lines were necessary in a novel, Reki didn't need them for a performance.

Though frustrated he couldn't find the solution himself, Rui is glad to have had this experience. He's also curious about the stranger that approached the night before, but never caught his name.

Wonderlands x Showtime watch an advance screening of the movie together. Though the experience was difficult, they all learned valuable lessons. Reki and Diretor Ohara come by to personally thank Rui for his determination with the climax, and for the confidence boost. Rui tries asking about the stage director, but doesn't get the chance to ask before Director Ohara has to run off.

After Wonderlands x Showtime leave, the mysterious director comes to talk to Director Ohara. He's impressed by the scene change, but even more so that Rui was able to realize what he had meant with his cryptic hint. He decides to keep an eye out for him in the future.

[howlcon]

HowlCon 2025 Official Badge Art

Howdy campers, we hope you're keeping warm! The virtual campgrounds my be closed, but we came out of hibernation to share this upcoming year's badge art.

Badge created by @nova-dracomon

Handwriting font courtesy of @/indornaga

Staff Applications to Open March 2025

Our convention would not exist without our dedicated and amazing volunteers. It sounds so far away, but time has a way of creeping up on us. If you're interested in potentially helping us plan and run the con, keep a lookout on our tumblr and website for the application when it goes live.

You must be physically 18 or older to apply for staff.

Duties include:

Assist with planning the convention.

Monitoring chat channels and panel chats.

Working collaboratively with other staff members to resolve conflicts that arise.

Troubleshoots tech issues during panels.

Help record panels for archival purposes.

[adbros]

30 ways to make real; money from home

Making money online from the comfort of your home has become increasingly accessible with the growth of the internet and digital technologies. In 2023, there are numerous realistic ways to earn money online. Here are 30 ideas to get you started:

1. Freelance Writing: Offer your writing skills on platforms like Upwork or Freelancer to create blog posts, articles, or website content.

2. Content Creation: Start a YouTube channel, podcast, or blog to share your expertise or passion and monetize through ads, sponsorships, and affiliate marketing.

3. Online Surveys and Market Research: Participate in online surveys and market research studies with platforms like Swagbucks or Survey Junkie.

4. Remote Customer Service: Work as a remote customer service representative for companies like Amazon or Apple.

5. Online Tutoring: Teach subjects you're knowledgeable in on platforms like VIPKid or Chegg Tutors.

6. E-commerce: Start an online store using platforms like Shopify, Etsy, or eBay to sell products.

7. Affiliate Marketing: Promote products or services on your blog or social media and earn commissions for sales made through your referral links.

8. Online Courses: Create and sell online courses on platforms like Udemy or Teachable.

9. Remote Data Entry: Find remote data entry jobs on websites like Clickworker or Remote.co.

10. Virtual Assistance: Offer administrative support services to businesses as a virtual assistant.

11. Graphic Design: Use your graphic design skills to create logos, graphics, or websites for clients on platforms like Fiverr.

12. Stock Photography: Sell your photos on stock photography websites like Shutterstock or Adobe Stock.

13. App Development: Develop and sell mobile apps or offer app development services.

14. Social Media Management: Manage social media accounts for businesses looking to enhance their online presence.

15. Dropshipping: Start an e-commerce business without holding inventory by dropshipping products.

16. Online Consultations: Offer consulting services in your area of expertise through video calls.

17. Online Surplus Sales: Sell unused items or collectibles on platforms like eBay or Facebook Marketplace.

18. Online Fitness Coaching: Become an online fitness coach and offer workout plans and guidance.

19. Virtual Events: Host webinars, workshops, or conferences on topics you're knowledgeable about.

20. Podcast Production: Offer podcast editing, production, or consulting services.

21. Remote Transcription: Transcribe audio and video files for clients.

22. Online Translation: Offer translation services if you're proficient in multiple languages.

23. Affiliate Blogging: Create a niche blog with affiliate marketing as the primary revenue source.

24. Online Art Sales: Sell your artwork, crafts, or digital art on platforms like Etsy or Redbubble.

25. Remote Bookkeeping: Offer bookkeeping services for small businesses from home.

26. Digital Marketing: Provide digital marketing services like SEO, PPC, or social media management.

27. Online Gaming: Stream your gaming sessions on platforms like Twitch and monetize through ads and donations.

28. Virtual Assistant Coaching: If you have experience as a VA, offer coaching services to aspiring virtual assistants.

29. Online Research: Conduct research for businesses or individuals in need of specific information.

30. Online Real Estate: Invest in virtual real estate, such as domain names or digital properties, and sell them for a profit.

Remember that success in making money online often requires dedication, patience, and the ability to adapt to changing trends. It's essential to research and choose the opportunities that align with your skills, interests, and long-term goals.

[weathermanpolls]

Original Gangster: They were nothing but unthinking robots. While fun, trying to add any depths to the series proves impossible, and instead leans more on slapstick comedy.

X: Dr. Light decided to build a real AI, but realized that putting a real AI in a nearly invincible robot was... problematic, so put him in stasis to test his morality. He's uncovered by Dr. Cain, who decides to blatantly copy him, and make no effort to make sure his new, fully sentient Reploids were moral. Some of them started going "Maverick", and the days of Humanity seemed numbered, as the damage caused by these Mavericks dramatically escalated, up to an including a colony drop. The series is known for much more dynamic action and deeper, emotional stories, as the main character is conflicted about killing Mavericks, and whole armies fall to darkness. This is unfortunately the attempt at make-it-better remakes that changed the map order, despite the fact you physically cannot get to many places without your rocket assist.

Legends: One of the early attempts at 3d. Almost all early attempts at 3d were bad, at least in 3d controls. But, this game has a warm place in many hearts. And, you get to play as Roll, whom has super vacuum powers.

NT: What if Megaman was a programme that fights other programmes? Relies in the common late 90's/early aughts complete misunderstanding of hacking, but it is filled with interesting characters, both real and virtual. That said, it was patently obvious they were trying to create a world dedicated to alternate revenue channels. Good thing e-commerce wasn't sophisticated enough yet, or the schoolyard fights over Pokemon would seem like child's play.

Zero: The true successor to X. Keiji Inafune originally wanted to make Zero, Megaman, but Capcom was basically like, "fuck you, make Megaman blue and less edgy". So, X was meant to be a short series that lead to Zero in the future. X5 was meant to be the final X game, and then transition into Zero. Capcom was like $.$, and made more X games, that are so terrible it's better to never play them. Because Zero was where Inafune wanted to go. In Zero, X has gotten tired of Mavericks trying to wipe out Humanity, and decided to wipe out Reploids. Zero, with the help of Reploid resistance, and... Elves... (sentient computer programmes), fought back.

ZX: Humans and Reploids have merged, and... honestly, no mention of Keiji Inafune, who doesn't like to spend his entire life on one franchise, and instead wants to create bounded stories that have a beginning and end. So, Humans are Robots, Robots are Humans, and you get to pick the sex of your protagonist! Something-something ancient artifacts that literally turn the Humans/Robots into pale imitations of the original heroes.

Shooting Star is the distant descendant of NT, and I don't really know much, other than it's in space!