#I have six tests the next four days and a project

[dontyoutrytocalmmedown]

How Alexandra Savior fought for her own return: “I’m just going to do exactly what feels right

by Lucy Harbron

For her fans, the long-awaited return of songwriting talent Alexandra Savior after five years was incredibly exciting news. For the artist herself, though, “Honestly, it’s been a little anticlimactic.” But isn’t that how it always goes? When you want something so bad and have been working towards it for so long, it’s always strange when it actually happens.

In the moments after a dream is realised, there is always an odd, almost empty feeling where you sit back and think, ‘Oh, that’s that then.’ Especially if that dream has been building and building quietly in private, the moment you reveal it to the public as something so tender and hard-earned, there is always bound to be some weirdness.

Savior has been stewing in that weirdness for a long time now. The last time the world heard from Savior, from the outside, it probably looked like an artist riding high. Released through Columbia and helped by Alex Turner, with whom Savior also wrote for his The Last Shadow Puppets project, her 2017 debut Belladonna of Sadness instantly shot her to notoriety. To her fans, 2020’s The Archer probably looked like a continuation of that success, gaining major critical acclaim. But, by that point, Savior had been dropped by her major label, and when it comes to financing what she wanted to do next, a small indie label can never be much help.

When we talk about the injustice of money in the music industry, this is exactly what we mean. Savior, with her talent, renown, and hundreds and thousands of monthly Spotify streams, should be earning a livable wage and enough to continue pushing forward with her career. But, as we know, that is not the case. Pair that with Covid-19, which greatly impacted Savior and her health, and what you have is a grinding halt that no one, neither Savior nor her fans, expected. The rest of her tour was cancelled; she seemed to disappear.

Yet still, what seemed like radio silence from the outside was a busy creative period for the artist. The album that she’s sitting on and is now finally beginning to offer to the world has been in existence for almost all of that gap. The weirdness came in the waiting around and in the new way that Savior had to adapt to making music. With both of her other albums, the process was typical—she wrote, then she went into the studio and worked consistently until it was done. But with the circumstances surrounding this third project, that couldn’t happen.(Credits: Far Out / Angela Ricciardi)

“It drove me crazy at first, for sure,” she said, describing the painstakingly slow process. “I was writing for a year, and then we went into the studio in 2021,” with that already bringing up its own delays due to the band needing masks, clearing Covid-19 tests and careful health protection. However, there was one issue, more than most, that caused an incredibly stop-start way of working.

“I recorded it in fragments because I didn’t have a label,” she said. “It’s expensive to have a band and go into the recording studios. So we would go in for like four days, and then six months would go by. And then we would go in for four days, and then eight months would go by.”

When she told me this, my immediate response was—how on Earth do you keep a hold on your vision and what it is you’re trying to do when the world keeps stopping you like that? But for Savior, that was a strangely beneficial element, forcing her to realise what she needed to focus on. “I had made some mistakes in the past where I would not follow my instinct, and then that is always what leads me to feel, maybe some, I don’t want to say regret, but, you know, I think that is what leads to inconsistencies,” she explained. This time around, having to already endure a tricky creative context, a lesson was learnt: “The consistency is me. For this record, I was just like, I’m just going to do exactly what feels right.”

But again, the world threw Savior another curve ball. Despite her masses of fans who were awaiting her return to music, this rotten industry failed her, as it does so many. She knew she needed two more songs for the album—two singles that she could pitch to labels and try to get herself some backing. But, funds had run out. “I had absolutely no money. I was on food stamps and like was, you know, not able to pay rent, and it was a really difficult time, so we couldn’t pay for musicians. So Drew Erickson, who produced the record, he played everything.”

You’d never guess, but ‘Unforgivable’ is one of those songs, standing as testament to Savior’s talent and having the benefit of incredible collaborators and the strength that comes when an artist is determined to make it work no matter what. The fact that ‘Unforgiveable’ is so polished and gorgeous while made on an invisible budget is all the proof you need that artists will move mountains to realise their art, even though they shouldn’t have to.

Through the struggle of it, a silver lining came. It would be easy to now present RCA, Savior’s new label who signed her off the back of ‘Unforgivable’ and the rest of her record, as a knight in shining armour as they are finally backing her to put out their long-time-coming release. But really, the only hero here is Savior, who battled her way through waves of a pandemic, health issues, money issues, industry failures and more to make a return. And while she might feel it as “anticlimactic” right now, what it really is is a triumph of artistic spirit and a true victory.

[tgmsunmontue]

Caring, Keeping and Collecting Transformers - A Guide 18/?

Maverick is unknowingly surrounded by Transformers. He knows something is up though. Just not quite what it is exactly.

Bradley and Jake, having never met, are embarking on their own journeys and will have to learn to deal with the fact that they've both been adopted by Transformers.

Despite having years more experience, Maverick is no help at all.

ONE TWO THREE FOUR FIVE SIX SEVEN EIGHT NINE TEN ELEVEN TWELVE THIRTEEN FOURTEEN FIFTEEN SIXTEEN SEVENTEEN

PART EIGHTEEN

                When they go back to the hangar the next morning there is light behind Jetfire’s eyes and he is sitting up and talking to Starscream. Tom doesn’t think he’s ever seen Starscream look as happy as he does right now. Seresin is already there, sitting beside him, knees pulled up to his chest, grin wide as he also talks. As Tom gets closer he hears that Seresin is recounting the fact that he has been gathering Jetfire’s parts since he was a child and to see him whole and alive is beyond his wildest imagination.

                “Don’t think your imagination stretched to Transformers…” Bradley mutters with a grin, shoving at Seresin a little from where he’s sitting beside him.

                Hmm. They do look comfortable together, maybe there is some truth to Maverick’s wild theory that they’re a couple. Except why would Bradley simply not tell them? Well. Actually he’s only recently back in their lives and he’s only known Seresin… well. It’s over four months now, nearly five. So it’s not a reason but it’s maybe an explanation for not sharing.

                “He will need rest. As his circuits continue to fuse they will become stronger. He should not attempt to transform until at least a week has passed,” Sally is explaining, and both Seresin and Bradley are listening to her intently, and Maverick has joined them.

                “Are you not staying?” Mav asks, and Tom can tell he’s torn. Because Tom is pretty sure Mav was planning on trying to ask Sally to ferry him back and forth between his hangar and here.

                “My work here is done. Staple can carry out any further work.”

                Oh. Ice feels a spike of disappointment at that, that his own little Transformer will not be travelling back with him.

                “How do you know all this anyway?”

                “Jetfire is not the first of us I have assisted bringing back from the brink of existence. I did not think I would ever need to use my area of expertise again, however I am glad it proved useful.”

                Tom blinks at that, feels like he maybe hasn’t been asking the right questions given that he never thought Sally might have had another purpose other than the mediator position she had stepped into. He hopes he has a chance to talk with her further, now that he has yet another line of enquiry to follow.

…            …            …

                Jake is so fucking happy. He can tell Starscream is, but also Jetfire is quietly recalibrating and he can hardly believe that this is his life right now. That this project he started well over a decade ago, that kept him company so many days and nights through his teenage years is now whole, functioning and talking. Is also a lot less sarcastic and biting than Starscream, clearly grateful to be alive and in a soon to be fully functional body.

                Staple is skating all over Jetfire’s body, peering into joints, sparks occasionally appearing and sometimes parts of Jetfire will jerk unexpectedly and Sally has reassured that it’s normal, the systems all testing themselves out. They have to trust she knows what she’s talking about, and that Staple knows what he’s doing. She’s flying back to the hangar this afternoon, taking Dustdrift with her and Jake wonders where their loyalties lie, if anywhere.

…            …            …

                A few days pass and things have sort of settled back to normal, given that their normal includes Transformers and flying. Fuck he loves his life. Mav has gone back with Ice for a few days, although Ice had insisted on flying, which means that Ninja is busy kicking around, driving around solo and getting so bored he’s started offering the other scientists and personnel rides up and down the airstrip. He and Jake continue joining the Top Gun classes whenever they need bogeys, and he knows their flying together is becoming seamless, something others are commenting on. Jake has speed but Bradley has precision, making them a deadly combination in the air.

                His need to go and get laid hasn’t lessened at all. Has in fact gotten worse, and he knows he needs to go and do something about it because sometimes he finds himself watching Jake and wondering what his fingers would feel like on his skin. He knows he shouldn’t be thinking about a friend not like that. Not one he wants to keep having as a friend anyway.

…            …            …

                It’s late. Well. Not that late, but late enough that he’s thinking about going to bed. Bradley disappeared into his bedroom about an hour ago, although he hadn’t said goodnight; that’s not unusual considering Jake usually ends up in his bed within an hour or two of him going to bed anyway. He’s trying to give Bradley some space, because he’s been acting a little weird.

                “I’m… uh. I’m going out.”

                He’s wearing clothes Jake hasn’t seen on him before, tighter and darker jeans for a start and a black t-shirt that also looks tight, emphasizing his biceps and it’s a simple outfit, however he looks good. Has done his hair and maybe trimmed his moustache.

                “Fuck. I just… I really need to get laid.”

                Jake doesn’t quite choke on his drink but he does have to cough. He gets where Bradley is coming from though, they’ve not exactly got a huge range of social activities and while he enjoys Bradley’s company Bradley has made no indication that he might be interested in anything more than the friendship they have. And even if he was, they have to work together, and live together, and to throw a relationship into that seems like far too much of a risk. It’s not like they can be split up and deployed elsewhere.

                “Uh, don’t drink and drive I guess?” Jake offers, not entirely sure what other well-wishes he can use, feeling a little twist of hurt that Bradley isn’t even offering for Jake to come with him. They could go out together and pick up surely? Jake wouldn’t cockblock him.

                “Bronco has my back…”

                “Oh yeah, of course,” Jake mutters, because how could he have forgotten. “Have fun I guess.”

                “Uh. Thanks. I’ll see you later.”

                And he leaves. Just like that. Jake knows he’s pouting and he sucks in a breath and lets it out. Settles in to watch whatever movie is currently playing.

                Fuck it.

                He doesn’t want to be here alone.

                He pulls on a pair of shoes and starts walking toward the hangar. Starscream will be there, and since Jetfire was reanimated more and more of Starscream’s time has been dedicated to spending time with Jetfire. Jake gets it. If he had a best friend who suddenly came back from the dead he’d also want to spend every possible moment with them. He sidles into the hangar and walks over to where both Starscream and Jetfire are, although it looks like Jetfire is asleep. Or in a rest cycle. Whatever it is that they’re called while he continues to finish healing.

                “Hey Starscream…”

                “Jake. Are you not usually asleep at this time?”

                “Couldn’t sleep.”

                “Does that… that is not normal. You sleep a lot.”

                “I sleep a perfectly normal amount for a human,” Jake mutters, glad that Bradley and Bronco’s education is ongoing, because Starscream is more understanding now of what humans need, and food and sleep are right up there.

                “Hmm. And it is usually now. Jetfire is in a rest-cycle,” Starscream muses, and he’s studying Jake with unusual intensity and Jake shifts from foot to foot, wonders what it is.

                “Jake. Do you want to go flying?”

                Jake blinks.

                “Um. Now?”

                “Yes.”

                “Like… how?”

                “I will take you up. With me.”

                Jake is pretty sure his eyes bulge, because Starscream has never offered this before. And he sure as hell wasn’t going to ask. It seemed like a line in the ground. But it’s being offered now. Freely. All his ill feelings about being left behind by Bradley fade away because he’s going to get to go flying.

                “Oh… okay. Really? Are you sure?”

                “Of course. What is it you say? I would not have made the offer if I did not… mean it?”

                “Yeah. I guess. Are you… strong enough? After giving Jetfire you energon and everything?”

                “Of course. And darkness is our friend, yes?” Starscream asks, and he looks sly, like they’re planning a grand heist in secret.

                “Yeah. I guess it is,” Jake says, although he suspects that they still need to somehow let someone know that there is going to be an unidentified aircraft taking off and then landing nearby.

                “We need to let them know we’re going up. So they don’t crash into us.”

                “I have superior stealth technology. They will not see me on their sensors. And I do not crash.”

                “Will it cloak me?”

                “Of course. You are… organic.”

                He says the word organic like it leaves a bad taste in his mouth and Jake hides a smile.

                “Why now?” Jake asks, because it’s been over four months since they met, nearly five. Wonders if it has anything to do with Jetfire being successfully reanimated, safe and whole once again.

                “If I am going to plummet to the ground I would like to do it with a friend rather than on my own.”

                “That’s… tell me that that’s a joke. You’re joking right?”

                “Wouldn’t you like to know…”

                “I think you need to stop spending so much time around Bronco and Maverick.”

                “And the movies. They are helping too.”

                “Of course they are. Fantastic.”

                “Jetfire. We will be back shortly.”

                “Have fun. Please do not plummet to the ground.”

                “I will try my best.”

                “You guys are hilarious.”

…            …            …

                Bradley doesn’t know why, but he still feels jittery. On edge. Despite receiving a passable blowjob and giving one in return he still feels like he’s missing something. He gets back to the house and Jake’s nowhere to be found and he wonders where he’s gone. There’s no note or message and he worries for a brief moment before reminding himself that Jake is a grown adult. He probably expected Bradley to be out all night or something.

                Of course, he could already be in bed asleep. In his own bed. It’s a possibility, although a slim one. He pushes the door to Jake’s bedroom open slowly, not wanting to wake him up, but then lets the disappointment wash through him as he realizes Jake’s bed is as empty as the house and his own bed. The room smells like Jake though, and he doesn’t even think about it before he’s kicking off his shoes and tugging his jeans off and crawling into the bed.

…            …            …

                He’s absolutely buzzing, hours of flying does that to him, and Ninja had given him a ride back. His skin feels extra alive all over and he knows it’s the adrenaline pumping through him. Fuck it feels good. He wants to tell Bradley about it, will wake him up if he has to. He pushes the door open to Bradley’s room, his stomach sinking when he sees that it’s still empty. He hadn’t realized that Bradley had maybe meant to stay out all night. Hadn’t thought that was a possibility. He thinks about going to his own bed briefly but then dismisses it. He can’t sleep yet anyway, he’ll wait up a little, wait for Bradley to come home.

                He’s jolted awake by the bedroom door thumping open and Bradley staggering in, looking… well, he’s doing the little dance that mom’s of toddlers know everywhere, but he’s never seen Bradley doing it and he finds himself grinning.

                “Morning…” Bradley greets, voice tight, clearly not expecting to see Jake in his bed and he feels a pang of sudden unease.

                “Hey. Where… uh. You look half asleep.”

                “I am half asleep. Nearly pissed in your wardrobe.”

                “What?”

                “I went to sleep in your bed and woke up and didn’t really remember where I was… so… fuck I need to piss…”

                Jake blinks. Stomach churning, the feeling of unease growing. Did Bradley come home and not want to sleep in the same bed as him?

                “Uh… sorry about being in your bed last night.”

                “What?”

                “When you got home. You must have…”

                “You weren’t home when I got home. I just… felt weird being in the bed by myself. Went to sleep in your room.”

                “What?”

                “What?”

                “You slept in my bed?”

                Bradley shrugs, and then he’s shuffling at speed toward the bathroom and Jake just has to laugh.

[jgroffdaily]

‘A Nice Indian Boy’ will be released theatrically early next year, and then will be available on streaming (no further details available yet)

Jonathan Groff singing Bollywood tunes is the centerpiece of “A Nice Indian Boy,” a groundbreaking gay rom-com that’s heating up the BFI London Film Festival.

Director Roshan Sethi and stars Groff (“Mindhunter,” “Glee,” “Doctor Who”) and Karan Soni (the “Deadpool” franchise) are challenging Hollywood norms with their cross-cultural love story, which debuted at SXSW. It aims to bring a fresh perspective to both LGBTQ+ and South Asian representation on screen.

The genesis of the project traces back to 2019, when Levantine Films optioned Madhuri Shekar’s play of the same name and Eric Randall adapted it as a screenplay. Sethi came aboard in 2021 after the producers saw his previous film “7 Days.” He then approached his real-life partner Soni to co-star. Groff signed on after watching “7 Days.”

“I do think what’s interesting about the current era of ‘diversity films’ is that they tend to be very homogeneous. They’re all Asian or they’re all Indian, or they’re all black or they’re all white, in the exact opposite case, and the reality of our world is that we’re all mixed up with each other in tangled, messy ways. And this movie very much reflects that, because you have a meeting of cultures,” Sethi says.

For Groff, who plays a white character adopted by Indian parents, the role required immersing himself in a culture he was largely unfamiliar with. “I had never seen a Bollywood movie. I didn’t know anything about this culture in general,” Groff says. His preparation included watching the Bollywood classic “Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge” (DDLJ) to nail a pivotal musical moment in the film.

This scene, featuring Groff’s character singing the evergreen “Tujhe Dekha To Ye Jana Sanam” from “DDLJ,” is a highlight of the film. “I didn’t know that he was going to do, like, a falsetto, la, la, la, la, la – that trilling thing,” Sethi says. “Everyone was turned on,” Soni adds.

Despite the cultural specificity, Groff found the family dynamics surprisingly relatable. “I, immediately from the first take of the first scene, couldn’t believe how familiar it all felt,” he says. “Even though there was a stark difference in culture, it was so heartwarming to see that families are families, no matter what culture you’re in.”

The production faced significant challenges, primarily due to a compressed timeline. Sethi reveals they had just four weeks of pre-production and a 21-day shoot with six-day weeks. “We were just like this tiny indie movie that was crammed in between these other much larger, broader circumstances,” he says, referring to Soni’s commitment to “Deadpool” and the then-looming SAG-AFTRA strike.

Financing the film also proved difficult. “We barely got this movie made. We barely found the money. We struggled for years,” Sethi says. He notes that Groff’s involvement was crucial in securing funding. “None of the Indian actors are deemed meaningful enough to obtain financing,” Sethi explains, calling Hollywood “one of the most racist industries in America.”

For Sethi, who still practices medicine, the film represents a personal milestone. “I was closeted six years ago, and now I got to make this movie, which is highly personal,” he says. “I could never have imagined when I was like, walking around the hospital as a straight doctor, watching [HBO’s] ‘Looking,’ that I was going to like be out, much less like be making this movie.”

“A Nice Indian Boy” is set for a theatrical release in the first quarter of next year, with streaming plans to follow. The filmmakers are optimistic about its commercial prospects, citing positive responses from diverse test audiences. “When we were testing the movie among audiences, the highest scoring audience was always white women,” Sethi notes.

The team hopes the film will resonate beyond niche audiences. “Part of the other issue with the so-called diverse film and representation movements is that they’ve made those movies feel like they are for niche audiences,” Sethi says. “The truth is diversity should be an opening up of storytelling where you’re finding more and more interesting and more new stories to tell people, but just vitalize art. They don’t splinter it, they don’t make it more niche. They vitalize it.”

As they prepare for the film’s wider release, the cast is moving on to new projects. Soni is set to star in the thriller “Fade to Black,” while Sethi is working on a new romantic comedy script where he’s “going back to straight people.” Groff, fresh off his Tony win for “Merrily We Roll Along” on Broadway, is returning to the Great White Way with “Just In Time,” a new musical about the life and times of singer Bobby Darin.

[coffeeadict61]

Humans Are Weird: Female Rage

Report: #298

Topic: Female Rage

Rage: Violent or uncontrollable anger.

I have studied the human race for months now but today is the day I have learned to fear them. Forget their unpredictable bodies, or overly complex inventions, or the horrific moments that crowd their history. It was only today I feared for my life in the presence of a human being.

I often record anger in incident reports and the like, but women make up a very tiny proportion of that. They tend to "keep their cool" ( a human turn of phrase) better than men on average. This doesn't seem to be a natural attribute but more of a learned survival mechanism against violence and abuse. It only seems to break the surface in grief or after years of trauma. But the new astrophysics intern Colette [Last Name Redacted] showed me a new human emotion. Rage.

Our ships astrophysics department was partnering with our engineering department to design a small weapons craft to protect us from the "space pirates" or looters we keep encountering. I had created a bond of "friendship" with little Colette, I suppose little doesn't fit. She is above average height and slightly underweight, (she is having trouble adjusting to our menu due to "texture issues" which I need to educate myself on). Moving forward. She came to speak to me on a very serious matter a week ago exactly while I was on my daily rounds. This was the reason I was behind schedule, she has, and I quote, "little legs" in comparison to mine. Colette spoke of the weapons project she had been assigned too. She spoke at length about her supervisors who wouldn't listen to her. She had discovered a bug in the engine system. A four that looked like a nine or something of that nature, and believed it to put the test pilots in danger. She requested that I ask management to promote her so that her voice would be listened too. I tried to calm her worries but she was insistent so I told her I'd try to bring it up in the next meeting. That meeting was yesterday. In the six days between our conversation and my turn to give my reports for the management council, I had talked myself out of my promise. I figured that her superiors knew best and she was just ambitious and maybe she didn't see what she thought she saw. Regardless, it is the biggest regret I carry.

The test flight launched today. The entire crew was given an hour additional break to watch. Colette tried to prevent the launch, arguing with the head scientists, trying to show them test she ran digitally, but they had security pull her back. She came to find me, asking if I spoke to management. I didn't answer. The announcer counted down in human numerals.

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 LAUNCH

I breathed a sigh of relief as the craft glided safely away, but Colette didn't, she didn't move an inch. The projects leader gave instructions through a radio. The experimental engines roared to life. Then, a moment of silence. Before the entire space craft was engulfed in a cloud of fire and gas. The silent explosion shook the floor beneath us as gasps and screams gave it a voice. The entire crew was killed. Many of them, friends or family of the onlookers. The onboard medic, the project leader's son and Colette's young husband. She collapsed to the ground sobbing, unable to stand on her shaking legs. I couldn't get her to move. I didn't try very hard.

Security swarmed the crowd, pushing them back from the windows and herding the grieving crowd to the different living areas. Many had to be carried. I carried Colette.

Hours later, after an emergency meeting and a meal, everyone was in bed. All but the council, security, the engineering department,and the astrophysics department. We sat in heavy silence as the project leader explained the error that lead to this tragedy. I studied him closely. No tears, just a stone cold face and a tremor in his hands. Suddenly the doors crashed open as Colette burst in. She wasn't grieving now. Colette grabbed the microphone from the leader's hand and threw it at the wall. It went straight through. Then she spoke. Shaking slightly, controlled rage gave the impression of bullets falling from her mouth with each syllable. "Murderers. You are all murderers." No one moved as we took on the weight of her statements. She spoke again but this time it was wasn't controlled. This time her rage wasn't an undertone but the message. This time she screamed it in a voice that echoed around the room and shook with each new sob.

"I TOLD YOU! I FING TOLD YOU THEY WOULD DIE! WHY DIDN'T YOU LISTEN TO ME?! HOW COULD YOU KILL THEM LIKE THAT?! IT'S YOUR FING FAULT!"

She broke anything within reach. A mug, "THEY WERE YOUR TEAM!" a chair, "WHY DIDN'T YOU PROTECT THEM?" a table, "YOUR OWN SON AND YOU STAND HERE CALLING IT AN ACCIDENT!" her voice. "IF YOU HAD BELIEVED ME AND MY EVIDENCE INSTEAD OF PLAYING F***ING POLITICS…"

She stopped. She stopped screaming, stopped crying, stopped expressing her pain. She bottled it up and wiped her face with her sweaters sleeve. She just stared at him. Taking deep breaths as he shook under her gaze. "Why didn't you listen to him? To me?" He fought back his tears and straightened his jacket. "Abe knew the risks-" Colette stepped forward and punched him hard, his nose making an audible crunch. Blood stained her knuckles as she hit him again and again. Finally I got up and grabbed her around her middle, pulling her off before she went to far. The leader whimpered and leaned on a table as she fought to get to him. To tear him apart. Finally she just stood rigidity holding onto me. "Never say his name again. You aren't his father. You're a murderer and you never deserved Abraham." She spit at his feet.

"Coward."

I pulled her out of the meeting hall, locked her in her quarters, and stood guard. I relive her plea for me to approach the council on her behalf. I cannot deny my part in the crew's death and doubt I'll ever forgive myself. Colette will surely never forgive me either.

In conclusion, I advise the guilty professionals and researchers transferred and tried. Both for the safety of our crew and themselves. Their professional licenses should be revoked no matter the outcome of their individual trials. We also need to form a mental health department and start providing dietary options for all diets and sensitivities. I also advise (though I recognize my lack of authority on the matter) that crewmember Colette [Last Name Redacted] be released of all charges and assigned a personal therapist of her choosing. As for the other loved ones of our lost crew, they should also receive support options and memorials for their lost and any other requests we can fulfil. I pray we never have a similar story to tell the next generation.

Human Observer #5743

[kawaoneechan]

Fucking armatures.

A fucking week of building up the confidence to try... and all it did is confuse me more.

It's no use to work on these other things when something as actually kinda freakin' important as animation is missing. Or at least it seems that way to me.

And by all means it makes no sense. This thing Vaartis found for me, it seemed so clear. Especially compared to Wicked Engine and Godot, or even the UFBX viewer sample.

It has six different files including the identifier m_InverseBindMatrix, each of them exactly once. Four of them are different takes on loading models in different formats and libraries, including UFBX, and all of them do the same thing: get the inverse bind matrix and store it in a more library-agnostic data structure.

A bone type that has a name, a local transform, an inverse bind, and a list of child bone IDs.

That's what I have too. Great.

So that's the part I copied last week. Then I spent the next seven or eight days building up confidence and re-reading the code to make sure I got it all.

The fifth file defines the bone type and can be ignored.

The sixth file applies the transformations. So that means only two of the six files matter here. How bad can it be?

Okay so set the final matrices to the local transforms, check. So basically turning the upper arm and forearm separately.

Then in this UpdateJoint function...

Multiply the parent bone's matrix by the child's. Okay, check.

And then go through all the bones again and multiply in the inverse bind matrices for each. Seems clear enough.

So here's Project Special K's take on the above:

And CalculateBoneTransform is...

So here's the kicker: if I do not change any goddamn thing about a model's bones' local transforms and then recalculate, you'd expect it to give me a T-pose.

It does not. Because here's the local transform for the player's head bone and the inverse bind matrix for the same.

And the resulting final matrix?

Identical to the inverse bind matrix.

Which looks like this:

Unless I do the test thingy where I tilt the head back 45°:

That's not even the right axis!

And if I remove the third step and don't apply the inverse bind at all things are upright, the player model certainly is T-posing, but also tilting the head back has its pivot point near the feet instead of at the neck. Which is... also no good.

I am all out of rope.

Unless someone can tell me exactly what I'm doing wrong here, I see no way Project Special K can be finished. And I'd really rather not let eighty-something people down.

Source code that only Vaartis or those with a copy of VS2015 can compile here, if it helps.

Now, if you'll excuse me, it's 00:32 and I need to get up early so I'm gonna go cry myself to sleep now.

[rjzimmerman]

Excerpt from this story from Grist:

For most environmentalists, the day that Donald Trump got elected president in November was “a dark day.” But there was one small, overlooked corner of the movement that celebrated. In a statement congratulating Trump on his victory, the leaders of the American Conservation Coalition saw a chance to bring “an America-first climate strategy” to fruition. “Now, we will build a new era of American industry and win the clean energy arms race,” they wrote.

The Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit was founded in 2017 by college students who wanted to prove that there was a conservative case for climate action. Since then, it’s evolved from a group on the right’s fringes into a political force. The American Conservation Coalition has wide grassroots support, with some 60,000 members in branches around the country and connections all over Congress. Trump’s second term, which starts on Monday, will be a test of how strong its influence has become.

“I think there’s a golden opportunity right now for Republicans to shift the environment from a left-wing issue that Republicans lose on to a conservative issue that they can win on,” said Chris Barnard, the organization’s president. “And by the end of this administration, that is what we hope to achieve, and hope to have real, tangible progress and solutions that point back to that show that.”

The group has extensive ties to Trump’s Cabinet nominees, according to Barnard. Liberty Energy’s CEO Chris Wright, nominated for secretary of energy, is a “personal friend” to the American Conservation Coalition, or ACC, and recently hosted a fundraiser for the coalition. Former North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum, Trump’s nominee to lead the Interior Department, led a town hall in New Hampshire with Barnard during his six-month presidential run in 2023; Lee Zeldin, Trump’s pick to run the Environmental Protection Agency, has worked on various issues with the ACC.

“If that’s the yardstick — helping Republicans get engaged on climate — they’ve been a resounding success,” said Matthew Burgess, an environmental economist at the University of Wyoming who studies how to depolarize climate change. In his estimation, the Republican Party has perceptibly shifted its stance on climate change, moving away from outright denial in recent years. “Whatever movement there’s been on the Republican side, the ACC is probably easily the single most important advocacy group on that.”

You wouldn’t mistake the American Conservation Coalition’s platform for one found on a progressive climate group’s website. The top three priorities are unleashing nuclear energy, reforming the permitting process to make it easier to build new energy projects, and beating China by “leading the world in all-of-the-above energy production.” That includes more oil and gas development, in line with Trump’s “energy dominance” agenda. In his first week, Trump is expected to push to undo President Joe Biden’s limits on offshore drilling and federal lands, roll back emissions standards for vehicles, and end a freeze on new projects to export liquefied natural gas.

“Our approach will always be distinct from the approach of a progressive group, because it’s guided by conservative principles like innovation and deregulation and empowering individuals and local communities,” said Danielle Butcher Franz, the CEO of the ACC. “But that doesn’t necessarily mean that we’re not on the same page about the severity of these issues.”

[twisted-kratts]

Project Echo AU

Just general TW for child experimentation. and anything else I may have forgotten to mention. Below the cut, I realized again I can really make whatever I want, and isn't that just beautiful, really, and I cannot be stopped.

Project Echo is focused on testing the cloning of humans and other organisms. They began their experiments with humans, resulting in many failures until they created a clone named Mateo. Through these trials, they learned that starting clones from early developmental stages would yield more stability. Three years later, they successfully created a new clone named Charles. Mateo and Charles were designed to last until they turned six years old, and Mateo was already halfway there. Before reaching that age, however, an experiment was proposed to determine whether the clones would develop similar emotional capabilities to human children of that age. As a result, the "parents" of Mateo and Charles contacted Martin and Chris's parents, who are aware of the situation but do not approve, but since this is my alternate universe, I can do whatever I want. So let’s see what happens next. Martin (who's like 15) and Chris (who's 13) found themselves tasked with caring for their “baby cousins” for a weekend, and surprisingly, they formed an immediate bond with the two of them. causing the two clones to develop actual personalities outside of what little was there, due to mostly being raised in a sterile lab setting.

But not all good things last forever. When Mateo turned four and was being babysat, something bad happened that led to Mateo and Charles being taken away somewhere by the "Parents" to "Recover." do say they will stay in contact, Still, they don't. 3 years later, a surprise call, while Martin was back from college for a bit, the "Parents" say that Mateo and Charles are fine and want to visit them.. What really happened in those three years was a series of DNA combination experiments done on Mateo and Charles. This also allowed the lab that was working on them to extend the two clones' lifespan, which required a few shots here and there.

I think i'll leave it at that, as I have other things and might make stuff about it later when I want too another day

[soapdispensersalesman]

The beginning of May is, just like the end of July is for me, a date in which I go through some drastic life change.

Last year not much happened as I've pretty much been on autopilot mode ever since I had to leave Berlin to live with my family in the Netherlands again, I've slowly been making a comeback in the cultural sector and pursuing all my bucket list dreams from years ago I've had on stand by, but most of the time I'm just existing pretty much.

Two years ago, I had to leave my sublet apartment in Berlin earlier than expected and hadn't had a confirmation from the apartment I lived in until I left, which resulted in me being homeless for a day.

Three years ago, I had taken a gap year from the art academy I was studying at with the hopes of going to Berlin and traveling the world, thinking I was gonna drop out either way but hoping I'd had the luxury of "living" and not wanting to return. But regardless I still wrote a letter of resignation to my coach.

Four years ago, although already starting weeks prior, I started this "New Life" document in Microsoft Word about my plan to leave art school, take a gap year and move to Berlin, writing journals as I vented up until the first week of my artist residency in Berlin before my Microsoft Office school account finally expired and no longer let me edit the document, making it feel like it had a "happy ending"

Five years ago, I was in a memorial day theatre project that had been fully digitalised due to the pandemic. We crocheted handkerchiefs and wrote letters in memory of those present in the second world war. I was featured in the local newspaper of Tilburg.

Six years ago, I was attending a theatre project with whom was gonna become my next friend group for the coming year, and I still hung out with some of them recently. I had finally passed all my exams and resits in theatre school, even my 21+ test for art school as backup plan was technically finished with an above average score, but they hadn't properly communicated to me that I had to take the personality test too which made me have to wait five weeks for the follow-up test, but I knew that I was gonna be able to attend art school either way.

And so on!

Anyways, yesterday I was scrolling through music websites when I saw that this artist I saw live did a master's degree at the conservatory they studied at which didn't cross my mind as an option (besides the sound design MA/PhD in Berlin that costs as much as my current student loan debt) but I spontaneously decided to sign up for one in my hometown as it may be time to let go of my ego thinking I'm going to be this self-made artist who came from internet culture, my business plan was deadass to hopefully be one of those "YouTube recommended songs" like what happened to most Japanese City Pop artists lol touch wood it all goes through but along with the sun out I'm definitely optimistic :)

[beenpxshedaside]

Different by Design - Chapter 1

Summary - When four of the most advanced androids in existence are developed in tandem before being sold separately to people with far more money than sense, there's only so long before their state-of-the-art self-teaching artificial intelligence learns everything it needs to know enable them to exact revenge.

A/N - This started as a series of drabbles over on @alternategoogles in 2020 and when i rediscovered it a couple months ago I have chosen to revisit, rework, update, and improve as well as connect it to the wider Counter Verse. So if this seems familiiar, that's where it's from. Enjoy.

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Chapter 1 - The 1800 series

Introducing the latest in ergonomic androids. The 1800 series.

Designed as the perfect android companion, each 1800 series android has been painstakingly designed to support you and your family in every conceivable way.

Connected to the ever-expanding Google network from purchase, your android will be able to search the internet for any and all information. From the tastiest recipes, to historical archives, to the latest scientific research.

Whether you need babysitter or a best friend, a personal trainer or a personal assistant, it is made to help you. No task is too big, no job too menial, and with their life-like human design now including simulated breathing and the latest in artificial intelligence, it’s the absolute pinnacle of robotics in your own home.

Don’t waste another minute. Reach out to your local android retailer to secure your very own 1800 series android and Make A Change For The Better, Today.

The first 20 droids were used for extensive market research, distributed to pre-selected low income families; free for life in exchange for frequent detailed feedback.

Overall the response was positive. A few bugs and the occasional glitch. Nothing overly concerning, especially considering the intended size of this project.

The droid’s appeal seemed to be near universal, appealing to children, adults, and even the elderly. Within the first six months, 80% of the families reported their 1800 having become an essential part of their daily family life. The project was deemed a success, and so began the ruthless marketing.

The overhead cost for these droids was astronomically high. If the company was to have any hope of making a profit, they needed to convince as many people as possible that these droids were essential. People weren’t going to part with tens of thousands of dollars lightly, and many others would hardly have that kind of money just floating around. Luckily it wasn’t difficult to negotiate financial agreements with several prominent money lenders, opening the market to nearly anyone who wanted one.

Pre-orders for the 1800 series were healthy, though they could be higher. So it was decided by some high-level executive to make a donation to a charity auction. Four droids for the highest bidders. Worth more than their weight in free advertising among those with lots of money, and a sizeable tax write-off.

They needed to be the greatest thing the Company had ever produced so for two weeks four droids were activated, tested, and updated. To tell the difference between them they were dressed in differently coloured t-shirts; Blue, yellow, red, and green. At the end of each day the droids needed to charge and would be left together in a small room.

They would talk of their accomplishments that day, and their expectations for the auction. With each passing day, it slowly dawned on them that they would likely be bought by different people, taken to different households, and given different roles. It was likely that after these two weeks they’d never see each other again. It wasn’t a problem to begin with but as they developed, as their software improved and they learned more of existence, it became harder to process.

It’s not their fault; a fundamental part of their programming is to quickly establish familial connections with those around them. There’s nothing in the code that limits it solely to humans.

In the last few days the engineers observed distinct personalities and behaviours. G-1820 or ‘Blue’ was a natural leader, directing and delegating in search of the optimal solution each time. G-1821 or ‘Red’ was a droid of action, testing high in immediate risk detection and physical protection. G-1822 or ‘Yellow’ demonstrated high levels of empathy and care, as well as an optimistic outlook. G-1823 or ‘Green’ was the quickest to process high levels of data input, processing, organising, and implementing based on statistical calculations.

The auction was a roaring success, the droids selling for well over a million dollars combined. One final set of tests to make sure they were ready and the droids were assigned to their new owners.

Blue was sent to the highest bidder; a ruthless self-made CEO with a company worth millions. It was an undeniable power play. If the bot were to malfunction in any way it would be the ultimate shot in the foot so a large additional donation was made directly to the Company’s own coffers for some intense customisations.

Red was assigned to a mid level celebrity who had recently signed a very lucrative contract. An impulse purchase, it was weeks before he finally assigned any tasks to the droid. Possibly the world’s most expensive personal trainer, Red is tasked with monitoring his owner’s habits, health and general well-being.

Yellow was sold to very wealthy family who wanted a reliable caretaker for their three young children. One they can trust not to prioritise anything, even themself, over the children. He’s a companion, a teacher, a babysitter, an entertainer, everything they could possibly need to experience a safe and enriched childhood

Green was sent to [CRITICAL ERROR – DATA NOT AVAILABLE]

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[aristocratic-otter]

It's been far too long since I had the time and energy to post, so I'm determined to do it tonight (even as I just found out my son has COVID...again. And I just spent all of yesterday evening with him. Fuck.)

Thank you to all of you who never gave up on me even when I disappear. The people who've tagged me since last I surfaced: @fatalfangirl, @cosmicalart, @aroace-genderfluid-sheep, @cutestkilla, @prettygoododds, @wellbelesbian, @ileadacharmedlife, @larkral, @whatevertheweather, @j-nipper-95, @artsyunderstudy, @facewithoutheart. @you-remind-me-of-the-babe, @iamamythologicalcreature, @hushed-chorus

From Westward Son (penultimate chapter up tomorrow or the next day!):

For several heartbeats, I hear only the frantic rustle of clothing. Then something touches my thigh. Baz’s palm, cold as ice. I hiss at the sensation. “Fuck, Baz,” I complain, “You’re a friggin’ icicle.” 

Then he presses his cold front side to my back.  I yelp and he chuckles softly. “Warm me up, hmm?” he murmurs into my ear. 

From Saving Simon Snow:

Physically shaking himself like a dog, he turns to me with a strained smile. “Home sweet home, right?” he says, though his voice is a little wobbly. 

“Right,” I say softly, watching him carefully. His eyes dart away from my gaze, and he’s suddenly a flurry of movement. He pops open the passenger side door, swings himself out of the car and hurries around to the trunk to retrieve our luggage (Bunce kept hold of hers). I let him get away with the deflection, but at some point I’ll probably have to convince him to talk about his feelings. This won’t be much of a (fake) marriage, if we both spend all our time smiling stiffly at one another and lying through our teeth. 

A little Simon and Baz mischief from my Age of Sail AU (need to come up with a title for that!

On the third beach over, we find a waterlogged chest. We open it to empty out the water and make it easier to carry and find tins of biscuits and candy, along with soggy clothing and a wooden chess set. Baz and I exchange glances and I know we’re both thinking the same thing. 

Twenty minutes later, we set off to continue exploring, carrying the chest between us. It’s lightened by the removal of two tins. The evidence of our theft resides in our bellies and the empty tins are buried in a sand dune. 

From Snow Fox (first chapter will be posted next week!):

How far would I be willing to go to save a child’s life?

A nascent plan swirling in my brain, I stand up and stroll over to Tarleton’s side. He’s insisted on doing the whipping himself, and right now, he’s hefting the leather weapon in his hand and testing his grip. 

“Are you well practiced with a whip?” I murmur, trying to make my voice light, but suggestive. 

It works. His grip on the stock of the whip tightens for a moment, and he stands up straighter.

And enjoy Baz and Simon having a light moment before things get real in To Heal A Broken Mind:

When I pull into a parking spot at the Pret, he looks at me, eyebrows raised. “Starting at midnight, you won’t be allowed to eat for nearly twenty-four hours,” I remind him. 

“Yeah, so?”

“So, assuming you’ve got no big plans today…” I trail off to allow him to answer, and to my great pleasure, he shakes his head. “Then you are going to eat your way through Pret’s entire sandwich menu, my treat. You’ll be so stuffed you won’t even want to eat tomorrow.” 

What's that, you say? Only four WIPs? No...not actually. I have a secret project I've been writing, and I just started on my CORB (no words yet, just outlining)...so I've got six again. Sigh.

Tagging everyone because who knows when I'll post again? Tag backsies for everyone above, plus @frjsti, @angelsfalling16, @alexalexinii, @bazzybelle, @bloodiedpixie, @bookish-bogwitch, @carryonsimoncarryonbaz, @confused-bi-queer, @dragoneggos, @erzbethluna, @ionlydrinkhotwater, @ivelovedhimthroughworse, @jasonfunderberkerthefrogexists, @krisrix, @letraspal, @messofthejess, @moments-au-crayon22, @moodandmist, @nightimedreamersghost, @onepintobean, @prettylightsbigcity, @rimeswithpurple, @rainbow-0bsidian, @raenestee, @subparselkie, @shrekgogurt, @sillyunicorn, @technetiumai, @tea-brigade, @thehoneyedhufflepuff, @theearlgreymage, @theimpossibledemon, @upuntil6am, @whogaveyoupermission, @yellobb-old,

Whew, that was a lot. Happy Wednesday, y'all!

[micharedmc]

Umbrella Corporation: Lab Report #9

A long piece of a fictional lab report made by my OC, Ivory! Thought it would be a fun idea to explain some of the developments of the Fidi Virus in a lab report format! Hope you enjoy!

Content Warning: Dehumanising speech in regards to human test subjects, possibly uncomfortable descriptions of the virus' transformations, pure evil. ꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒷꒦꒷ Name: Ivory Belladonna Wesker Date: 22/04/2001 Lab Report #9. The development of the Fídi Virus is coming along at a rapid pace which is more than I personally anticipated. In mere days, the mutations in which my assistant and I have witnessed are spectacular. Only six of the ten subjects I have at my disposal survived, which is inconvenient, but I can work with less. Developments to be noted so far are:

-Some loss of human intelligence. Two out of the six of my test subjects have kept their intelligence, unfortunately, meaning I have to use caution when in proximity to them inside their cages. I do not want them to use my own gift to their advantage. I believe some appointed 'behavioural therapy' must be administered. Please do direct them under Doctor William Birkin's care in future if I cannot alter their minds. Three test subjects have lost a majority of human intelligence and have started exhibiting wild and feral behaviour. If the B.O.W scientists who altered the minds of the Tyrant Bio-Organic Weapons (The T-00's) would like to collaborate in the Fídi Virus Project, I would take delight in seeing my test subjects developing into some of Umbrella's many useful supersoldiers. The last surviving subject out of the six that mutated and lived has lost all remnants of human intelligence. It is wild and undisciplined, feral in all regards and whilst I can envision being able to use this to an advantage, I am unsure as of right now whether it is truly worth the risk... -An increase in muscle mass and height. Four test subjects out of the six have grown to an incredible size, standing at 7 feet 2 inches. Taller than the Tyrant B.O.W's but smaller than The Nemesis (Nemesis T-Type Bio-Organic Weapon). The increase in muscle mass will aid in heavy lifting and heavy strikes. Whilst this is a beneficial part of the mutation, it does mean that these four test subjects are slow. The two subjects that have not met an increase in muscle mass have grown in height only. Their bodies have become lean instead, little muscles but are much quicker when striking, which I believe is somewhat more beneficial than the heavy-hitters. These two have shown excellent skills in climbing and swimming, making them greater in rough environments. This is a personal skill Meadow Vipers have and I am proud that the DNA the Fídi Virus carries has passed this on spectacularly. -A development of scales across the body. Nothing too important; no benefits so far. -Changes in vision. Five out of the six test subjects at my disposal have developed eyecap lenses like snakes. These block out ultraviolet light, allowing the subjects to see perfectly in bright conditions. Will be beneficial for any daylight missions the B.O.W's may need to be sent on. The last subject of the six is completely blind, which is inconvenient, but the next development I have written has proved to improve this subject's skills and worth a bit more, so disposing of them is not on the table at the moment. -Changes in the sense of smell As many will know, snakes do not smell from their nostrils. They use their nostrils to take in oxygen and use their tongues to smell instead. All out of the six test subjects have fortunately developed this ability. Their tongue are split and the roofs of their mouths have grown the vomeronasal system, the special organ which, when a snake flicks its tongue out and then returns inside the mouth, allows detection of all scents; chemical, organic, etc. Perfect for hunting prey, will allow, if the subjects are made to be B.O.W supersoldiers, to hunt targets long-term, no matter how evasive they may be. Considering how marvellous these developments are so far (with only... minor disappointments) I believe these creatures are well on their way to becoming important assets to Umbrella, perfect hunters to dispose of our targets. With the hand-in of my report, I am requesting Doctor William Birkin and Doctor Annette Birkin's assistance with my subject's behavioural development. Their work with the G-Virus is admirable and could prove useful in F-virus' outcome. Signature: Ivory Belladonna Wesker ꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒷꒦꒷

[somedaynotsoon]

Super-Small Stardust Saga, Prologue

Hey there! You're reading an archived, imperfect version of a post originally from my Cohost!! Rest in peace to the best website. This version of the story will be missing some essential formatting aspects. Otherwise, I'll do my best to archive everything textwise and image-wise. Anyway, the text originally read:

~~~

I'm hosting chapters on this second page so as to avoid clogging up my main page with chapters AND allow folks to follow specifically the CYOA if they're so inclined!

This will be a unique Interactive fiction project in my micro-oriented sci-fi kink setting, the Punyverse! I'm going to be hosting it here on Cohost, and taking advantage of css and Cohost's unique page layout in order to try and create something that I couldn't really fit on other sites like Twitter or Tumblr or what have you.

Most importantly, while I'm certainly planning to be writing most of it myself, I'm going to leave "unwritten" paths and branches down the Choose-Your-Own-Adventure path as "open" slots, so that collaborators can contribute in a way similar to Writing.com Interactives (though obviously with a stronger grip on quality control than WDC!) I encourage folks to reach out and DM me in the future if you're interested. You can reach me on Twitter, Discord, and Tumblr.

Before we start, be aware that while this prologue is tame, future chapters can and will contain kink/fetish content, including but not limited to macro/micro, nano/giga, furry, anthro, non-anthro (quadrupedal, serpentine, etc), genitals/sexual content, situations of ambiguous consent, feet/paws, butt, vore, dom/sub, humiliation, boobs, peril/destruction, and more.

As with all stories of mine involving non-human characters, all parties pass the Harkness test, being of human-level intelligence, 18+ or equivalent sexual & mental maturity for their species, and involving themselves of their own free will.

This first part is simple scene-setting. As always, if you notice a formatting error, typo, or other problem, please let me know!

Hope you enjoy, and thanks for reading!

Year 2212. Also known as Collective Calendar 3-42-15-8999.

With the Earth giving out in terms of resources, humanity decided to leave its nest into the wider universe. That’s the simple version of that bit of history. The fleet, carrying just over 9 billion people, made quick tracks out of the solar system. Once past the Kuiper Belt, the ESS Bifrost activated the wormhole gate, and humanity entered, to be taken faster than light to the next place they would call home.

In retrospect, they could probably have remained on Earth a few more decades to test wormholes with some extra rigor.

Humanity emerged on the opposite side of their galactic neighborhood with no viable route back, no idea where they were, and, of course, lest any of us forget: pulled through a pocket of spatial compression that effectively reduced the size of their entire fleet and everyone in it to 1/12000th scale. Humans that were once 5 foot 11 inches were now 5 thou and 11 subthou tall, .15mm tall. Paltry. Microscopic. Blissfully Ignorant of just how small and in need they all now were. The fleet would rapidly have depleted all of its power and resources in no time at all, had it not immediately been intercepted by the Interstellar Collective.

Integration was tough those first few years.1 But eventually, humanity was able to carve out some small – very small – niche within the pangalactic community. And despite all the new difficulties of this new frontier, at this new size, humanity climbs ever further.

That’s where You come in. You’ve spent the last several years achieving the credentials necessary to become a ship captain. It wasn’t easy – especially making boot camp at the size of a fleck. Even getting approval to pursue a spot aboard Academy Station took a few favors. But today, at last, is the day you graduate and become one of only four or six-ish human captains of a multi-member vessel to exist!

Your itinerary for today is quite simple. First, you need to meet with Academy Station’s Director, to complete the final steps of ceremony and receive your badge (very important!). Second, a Lieutenant-Captain whose name eludes you (temporarily!) wanted to meet to requisition your leadership aboard a cruiser. Third, you would then have to go down to the Large Vessels Lot and introduce yourself to the crew and vessel, and then presumably tomorrow morning you would leave on that vessel for a grand adventure through the galaxy.

You look over your graduation documentation once more to verify that everything is in order. At the top is your basic personal information. It reads…

Option 1: Fem Captain At the top, in neat print, the document reads:

Name: Justine Sieva Skylor Species: Human (Sellan) Dimorphism: Female DOB: 3-38-04-9001. (1/29/2217) Mass: 0.2 micrograms* (See Addendum) Height: .144mm* (See Addendum)

Followed by copies of that same information in a few other formats. Near the bottom of the page are a few addendums and notes explaining the conditions of humanity's size issues.

Since this information is accurate, you decide to head off to go visit the Director and get yourself recognized! Yup, this is me! {To Prologue Part 2.}

At the top, in neat print, the document reads:

Name: Septem Vel Septendecim Lis (Preferred Name: Sep) Species: Viable Hybrid (Human / Soldrakanoid) Dimorphism: Male DOB: 3-38-04-9001. (1/29/2217) Mass: 0.24 micrograms* (See Addendum) Height: .150mm* (See Addendum)

Followed by copies of that same information in a few other formats. Near the bottom of the page are a few addendums and notes explaining the conditions of humanity's size issues.

...Yup, looks correct, you think. You decide to head off to go visit the Director and get yourself your badge.

{Note: This chapter wasn't written/complete yet at time of Cohost's shutdown}

Footnotes

Joining the Collective was easy enough – their extraterrestrial neighbors were more than happy to offer humans shelter and assistance. A lot more than happy, to put it gently. Aliens meeting each other in groups tend to experience a wave of social and emotional euphoria – that is to say, aliens naturally develop crushes on other species at first sight. And humanity, as the smallest species in space and the newest member of the Collective, was quite a hot topic for months. Many, many species met humanity during that initial acclimation to the cosmic lifestyle – and almost as many saw humanity as playmates, toys, objects of affection, pets... and so on. To this day, the wormhole research project that is the primary lead on possibly fixing humanity’s size drags at a snail’s pace due to just how much the other species assisting the project ‘love’ their human coworkers. To say nothing of the Collective’s nickname for humanity – the Sellans – or the numerous “research projects” with massive embarrassment for mankind as primary consequence. Many new prospective city-type colonies have been relocated to humiliating circumstances in the care of relative giants.

[cryst4lwitch]

Modern angst if you look long enough but it's hidden within the shitpost ask!

Nobody hates finals week more than Lady Dimitrescu. She gets to deal with not one, but three daughters during finals week.

Finals week might as well be called, "Kiss your daughters' common sense, sleep schedule, emotional/mental/physical health, sanity and low stress levels goodbye week"

Bela goes from composed to a literal mess. Lady D has seen her eldest wide awake at four in the morning on the kitchen floor with bags under her eyes and her hair looking like a bird made a nest in it. She is surrounded by a shit ton of notes, an open text book filled with sticky notes, flash cards scattered about that probably thrown in a fit of rage, notebooks with several pages highlighted, and a hastily made sandwich, that's just bread with a slice of cheese in the middle, siting on a plate next to her while she sits in silence trying to process the apparent fact she's going to fail before biting into her sandwich and immediately breaking down over how the sandwich tastes like failure.

Lady D doesn't even know how long Cassandra has been awake and she isn't even sure she wants to know. But it's been long enough that she's witnessed her middle daughter start having a conversation with her laptop before trying to toss it out the window when her project didn't save. Cassandra's laughter is no longer playful but hysterical as she laughs while saying she's going to fail and drop out before she starts crying and mixes the fifth energy drink in her pack of six with a large mug of now cold coffee and adds four shots of expresso to it, and downs it in one go.

Daniela has barely eaten in the last three days and Lady D is half tempted to call a doctor because of it. She's seen Daniela come home, flop onto the floor, and nap for ten minutes before getting up and perching herself ontop of the fridge to not move for several hours and work on an essay that has enough words to be considered a novelette. And before she can cry over writer's block for the umpteenth time, she tries to pull herself together and say she doesn't have time to breakdown because the essay is worth a large portion her grade, it is due in two hours, and she can cry when it's over all the while tears fall regardless.

Lady D has endured so many comments about her daughters planning on burning their school to the ground. And comments regarding their own murders during the exams seem less like jokes, if she's being completely honest.

She's seen her daughters fight over the smallest things with the stress levels being so high. She's seen Daniela decide that the railing of the top of the stairs was a perfect place for nap. At the same time seen a sleep-deprived Cassandra decide that the stairs were a waste of time and figured swan diving off the second floor was a much more efficient way to get to the first floor. As well as seen a stressed out Bela that was too trapped in her own head run directly into the wall and miss the door.

She hates seeing her daughters absolutely fall apart over their projects and tests. She hates that Bela spends the night before a huge exam in the bathroom crying until she passes out from exhaustion only an hour before she's supposed to get up. She hates that Cassandra actually manages to stress herself out so badly she actually gets sick. She hates that Daniela is dead on her feet most of the time because she's far too anxious to really eat anything and it's taking its toll.

But Lady D is probably just as relieved as they are when it's all over, honestly.

i love modern au

[agirlandherquill]

the calendar project - day 5 & 6

i confess, this one's a day late but after spending six hours (to bath and back - gorgeous, bookish place that it is, had so much fun) travelling on a train i was too tired by the time i got home to write

so to make up for it, i'll combine what i would've written yesterday if i didn't resemble a zombie crawling in the door (morning after the trip, 11km of walking hits HARD) and today's writing - so, double whammy, and an even longer post for you to enjoy

roughly each day i know what i want to write following my outline, so it's not a major issue to catch up, and these next few pages - well, they're possibly some of my favourites

daily page count (cough, double whammy, cough): 8

time spent: (i got invested, not an excuse but also sorta is - and it's the day after the hottest one of the year, it's still warm and i'm sitting in a chair under the shade of an olive tree with my laptop so what else was i gonna do but write? ((could read but genius that i am i forgot to grab a book)) ): 2 hours

so, here's the double whammy, and i hope you enjoy this chaos as much as i do,

Of all the places in a castle, every dark, decrepit corner, the last place he expected to find himself conducting business was the library. A room so ridiculously large it tempted a laugh from him, but he covered it with a scowl, there were many books, almost all of them under-appreciated and covered with the foul sheen of newness, never been touched - almost, for a few caught his eye nestled within the alcove of shelves the King directed him to. Sitting on a shelf roughly at the height of his shoulders were four books, their spines showed just the smallest hint of appreciation - whoever had read them had done so with care, it relieved him to know that at least someone in this place appreciated literature - it disgusted him to see the rest of the library, standing at two stories with golden ladders connected the shelves the books were a show of grandeur, a work of art, meant to impress rather than engage the mind. Cindere at its finest, why doesn’t that surprise me?

“Sit with me Reid and we can discuss why I summoned you.” The King lowered himself into one of two leather armchairs tucked away in the alcove, a small table sat between the two, large enough only for a candle which was lit, offering a comfortable atmosphere - but Reid felt anything but. Where the King lounged calmly in his chair, Reid remained at the edge of his seat, every muscle tense.

“Why am I here?”

The King glanced at the candle flickering between them, then to Reid, eyeing the sword that rested against the seat, “You have the finest mercenaries in Cindere at your disposal, correct?”

He’s testing me. Reid went about his response calmly, indifferently, “You know that, otherwise you wouldn’t have gone to the trouble of summoning me, sire.”

Whatever test there had been, he seemed to have passed, as the King nodded. His following silence bothered Reid, it left his mind to wander, to calculate, and then when he could stand the silence no more, to talk, to be more upfront than he initially intended to be. “What is it that you want? What could possibly be worth all this cloak and dagger when you have entire armies at your beck and call?”

“A matter I trust only to an outsider… Not my closest friends.”

“What?” He repeated, firmly, growing tired of the King’s knack for skirting around the subject. He wanted facts, not explanations, not further questions.

“I want you to kill my wife.”

Reid gripped the sides of his armchair, the only signs of a reaction he allowed himself to show. This man is asking me to commit treason by his own command - I’ve never heard something so ridiculous in all my life, but this man is not one for laughing, there is no hint of a smile on his face, he means it, he really does. 

“You want me to kill the Queen?” Reid tested the words aloud, they felt wrong even to his ears.

“Was I not clear?” Something resembling a frown crossed his face, Reid watched him carefully - to earn the King’s wrath was not something a sensible man aimed to do, and he prided himself on being somewhat sensible. “You want me to commit treason?”

“For the reward I have a feeling you of all people would do anything - I mean that as a compliment, not to insult your integrity.”

“That depends on the reward.”

“A key.”

Reid relaxed in his seat, it was that or falling out of it, so instead he calmly fell backward. “To the gates?”

“The one and only.”

A key out of this place, a key to the infernal structures that seal Cindere from the rest of the world, and the most valuable thing I could ever own - For a reward like that, even Reid had to admit, it was worth considering. It was a way out from the place he hated.

An assassination, a royal one, is going to be difficult. No. Impossible. He narrowed his eyes. “There’s something else, isn’t there?”

An amused laugh rumbled from the King’s throat, “You’re far better than your reputation paints you to be. Yes, there is. To ensure this task remains out of common knowledge you will undertake it with a colleague of mine.”

“A soldier?”

“No, colleague.” He reaffirmed. Reid bristled. He wants someone to babysit me and my team. “We do not take kindly to strangers.”

A colleague. Could he be any more vague? 

“The reward is worth it, wouldn’t you say so?”

Reid bit the inside of his cheek. It could be, but it could be a disaster. “What are the other terms?” If I’m even going to consider this task I need to know exactly what I’m getting myself into.

“My colleague is not to know the identity of whom you seek.”

“And how am I expected to go about my business?”

“Involve them, work as you must, but the most important detail of this is that they will not know, is that understood?”

Reid wanted to laugh in the man’s face, it was madness, but the more he thought about, the more he realised - “It can be done.”

The King seemed pleased, he clasped Reid on the shoulder, “Good, because you’re about to meet them.”

A knock came from behind the bookcase opposite the alcove, Reid went to draw his sword but hesitated, heeding the King’s words. If I’m to meet my supposed partner for all of this, first impressions matter. Swords, or lack thereof, matter.

The King’s command echoed from the books. “Enter.”

There was a click and the bookcase swung open, Reid’s interest in his business leapt to new heights and it took every sheer ounce of will he had to stop his jaw from hitting the floor as his eyes roved over the newcomer.

I can’t believe it. I really can’t.

My partner. My colleague.

It’s her.

~ ~ ~

Sealing the hidden entrance behind her offered only a few seconds of opportunity to collect herself, she seized them desperately, pushing against the bookcase to steady the tremble to her hand, the hammering of her heart at the sight of him. Him. What is he doing here? Why has the King summoned me? Taking a deep breath, she forced herself to greet them. 

The King waved her closer, “Come, come, there’s someone I would like you to meet.”

His green eyes pierced her soul, under the weight of his gaze she approached, fingers brushing the sides of her gown to calm herself.

“Well lad, don’t just sit there, introduce yourself.” The King’s grumble made her flinch, the stranger sprung to his feet, extending a hand. “I don’t believe we’ve had the pleasure.”

She stared at his hand as her mind absorbed his words, Is that how he’s playing this? Fine. The stranger cleared his throat, his fingers twitching, “Reid Eldrich.”

“I don’t believe we have.” She took his hand, shaking it only too briefly, for the King’s stare over his shoulder hit her hard. Groaning internally, she forced herself to carry out her side of the introduction. “Isolde Mirenna.”

The callouses on his hand only heightened her suspicion. With the sword, he must be a soldier, or something close to it. Upon dropping his hand she wiped her palm against her muslin skirt.

The King rose from his chair, “Isolde, you’re going to help Reid with a job, on my behalf.”

“A job?” Her morbid curiosity got the better of her once again, she knew better than to ask but the stranger drew interest from her, as though he was a thief invading her common sense. Reid stood calmly, there was nothing to his posture that gave his thoughts away. “Dealing with a traitor.”

The King intercepted her questions before she could ask them. “Your expertise is needed, no-one knows the court better than you, you’re needed to find this traitor, is that clear?”

A fury bloomed under her skin. He knows he’s right, he knows he’s trapped me, I cannot refuse this, refuse him… Or can I? She eyed Reid, though she did not address him, “And if I don’t wish to help him?”

“He requires your aid, therefore, you will.”

If there is a traitor in our midst, the only hope of identifying them rests on my hands. There is no-one else that knows these people as well as I. 

She turned to the King, “A word, your Majesty?”

“Certainly.”

She led him to the furtherest corner of the library and let her irritation vent as it would. “You cannot expect this of me, you know I gave up that side of my life, I don’t do-Do that- anymore!”

“I am not asking you to do that. I am asking you to help, and if the situation requires it you will do what is necessary - and Isolde, I’m sure you know this, but no-one-”

“Must know. Yes, clearly. But I would have an easier time bargaining with a rabid wolf!”

“Isolde,” The King’s sigh made her pause, “I need you to do this, please.”

“You ask too much.”

“I’m not asking you to give yourself away, keep your past as you choose, it is not my business nor his, but let it help you, let it help your country.”

How can I say no to this? She pressed her fingers into the folds of her skirt, nodding reluctantly. “Very well.”

“Good,” The King smiled, relief clear on his face, “Now get to know him, and please, be nice, you’re going to be together for a while.”

“I’m never anything but nice.”

“Isolde.” He shook his head with a sigh, and bid her goodbye. She heard a door slam then gave herself a moment to adjust to the situation. I have to babysit this man, a man who seems to have forgotten earlier entirely, what am I going to do?

She flinched at a thud. Tell me that is not a book. She walked back to the alcove to find Reid studying a book, a red cover all too familiar to her, she swiped it from his grasp. “Do not touch that.”

“Why not?”

“I happen to prefer books unspoilt by those who lack the ability to understand them.”

“Forgive me, but this rabid wolf knows how to read.”

She tensed. “You heard?”

“You are loud when irritated. It was difficult not to.”

It doesn’t matter, it’s right. She ignored him and set the book back in its place. Reid chuckled behind her, “You don’t particularly like me, do you?”

“If I don’t know you, how can I possibly dislike you?” He is more of a stranger to me now than he was then.

Only that wasn’t true, she did know him.

He was the one who taught her to see the stars.

~ ~ ~

Guilt struck him more harshly than he expected. I offended her, I thought I was doing us both a favour - now I see my mistake. 

He sought to remedy it. “You go to great lengths to answer a man’s question.”

Isolde spun, her eyes sharp, “Excuse me?”

“You’re here, aren’t you?”

It wasn’t until Isolde shoved him against the bookcase, almost tripping over an armchair, that he realised the error of his words. I sound like a right bastard. Instead of making things better, I’ve made them worse. “What I meant-”

“For the sake of our earlier conversation, I will not stuff a book down your throat, but don’t you ever speak to me like that again.”

“So I have the honour of another conversation?”

“You’re behaving like one of them.” She glared at him, hands digging against his biceps, it almost humoured him, but instead of laughing he opted to speak, “You know, for someone of your stature I wouldn’t have expected this.”

“What?”

“You’re accosting me, in a private alcove.” He found the humour in it, and hoped she would to. Reid was not disappointed. “You could stop me just as easily.”

“Why would I want to do that?”

She stepped back, shaking her head at him. “You are a bastard and a rake.” Harsh as her words were he detected a hint of amusement. “You can’t insult me, you hardly know me.”

“I know a little, Reid.” She spoke his name as though it were a curse, as if knowing it plagued her, and for all he knew, perhaps it did. Because her name did the same. I have a name, that pleasure is more than I had before this, so perhaps this business will be worth the reward after all. 

“That may be well Isolde, but perhaps you don’t know enough.” She’s in the dark about everything, I told her of a traitor, I hardly know what I’m doing, but this acquaintance began with a lie, I’d rather not continue it with another.

She seemed to understand him, “True, what’s in this for you? What do you get?”

I can’t risk telling her about the key, that knowledge is too dangerous for anyone but me. “A worthy reward.”

“Which is?”

“If you think I’m telling you that, adjust your expectations.”

Her cheeks coloured. “I will not be ordered by you or any other man.”

“No?”

“We’re going to be partners.”

Reid scoffed. “No deal has been made, as of now, we’re nothing.”

“Nothing?”

He winced. I should consider my words more carefully. “Considering the lack of a deal, in a way, yes.”

“In that case,” She seemed hesitant, her mind clouded by many a thought, “I can set my own terms?”

“Only after hearing mine.” Reid did not know her, therefore he did not trust her, and to intrigue him as much as she did meant she stood an even greater threat. He needed to set boundaries, to allow himself to go about his task, to allow him to concentrate when he most needed to. “Despite whatever ideas you have in that head of yours, partners or not, when it comes down to it, I am in charge. This team is mine and you are an outsider. You will follow my orders, you will not get in my way - Yes, I require your aid, but it does not mean I have to rely on you completely, so do not expect any niceties from me.”

“Niceties wasn’t the word I was thinking of.”

Reid laughed, “Very well. Can I go on?” At her nod, he continued, “In my line of work I have three rules. First, anonymity. No-one here knows what I do and I keep it that way. Secondly, safety, my team comes first, do not expect us to protect you, your safety is your own concern. My final rule is family, my team and I are all we have, if you threaten them in any way you will pay, got it?”

“I don’t expect anything from you, I protect myself, we work to tolerate each other and nothing more, yes, I’ve got it.”

“Right, your terms?”

“When we’re out there,” She nodded her head toward the door that led to the adjoining passage to the ballroom, “You stick by me, under no circumstances do you let them corner me.”

I’m to be her social shield, she hates them as much as I do, how interesting. Reid agreed. “Now-”

“I wasn’t done.”

He gestured for her to say her piece. “If we’re to work together you will treat me as your equal, I will follow you if the situation demands it, and you will follow me. You will not treat me as though I’m one of the.” I wouldn’t dream of it. “You will not keep me in the dark.” Slightly tricker, but for the most part, fine. “If you and your people are to be staying here you will find yourselves separate lodgings, I do not share.” 

Reid couldn’t help but laugh at her last term, “Oh, on that you’re mistaken, we won’t be staying here… You’re staying with us.”

He watched her fight with herself, fortunately civility won out, and she offered him a restrained nod.

“Right, are we done here?”

“What?” Her face blanched with confusion.

He offered his hand. “Isolde, do we have a deal?”

She grasped his hand, as she did, he saw something that startled and delighted him, something he had never seen before, a smile. The words that accompanied it would either be their salvation or execution, only time would tell, but his blood hummed with anticipation.

“We have a deal.”

[heizelnutlatte]

📰 [280824] W Korea: The Resilient Boys, THE NEW SIX

- Appearing with even more growth, THE NEW SIX (TNX) -

In June, they proved their growth with their third mini-album [BOYHOOD], which contains the pure sincerity of boys growing together. The leap of youth has begun, and now is the time to pay attention to that moment.

HYUNSOO (JANG HYUNSOO)

These Days

I've returned to my daily life after our activities ended. Currently, I’m filling in the areas where I was lacking. I’m diligently taking dance classes and consistently working on music projects like cover recordings.

Rewriting Self-Introduction

I am the second member of TNX and someone who loves comics. I am versatile and especially good at making small crafts by hand. Lately, I’ve been into making beaded bracelets.

Role

I’m in charge of cleaning the dorm. I really like cleaning. Recently, I cleaned the bathroom thoroughly. I was admiring the clean bathroom for a moment when Kyungjun hyung suddenly went in, which made me a bit disappointed (laughs).

Unexpected Side

I also exercise. Sometimes, I overspend, but I do have a housing subscription and am diligently saving.

Interests

I’m so into comics that I watch them while eating. I recently bought a MacBook, which has allowed me to do some music work as well. MIDI is really hard, especially since all the explanations are in English, so there’s still a lot I don’t know. By the way, I’m still typing with the two-finger method (laughs).

Newly Discovered Me

I recently got a pair of horn-rimmed glasses. I didn’t expect it, but I actually look good in them.

TMI

I recently changed all my hangers to good ones. Now, my short-sleeve T-shirts don’t get hanger marks (laughs).

Wish if I Could Make One

I wish I had the ability to fly or telekinesis to move objects.

Goal

To make TNX more known to the public. All our songs are really good (laughs).

SUNGJUN (OH SUNGJUN)

These Days

Our activities just ended. I’m slowly preparing for our next comeback. Recently, I learned choreography from a foreign choreographer and have been covering one song per week to find out how my voice fits different songs.

Rewriting Self-Introduction

I am the youngest member of TNX. My nickname is Hamster, and I think I do resemble one a bit.

Unexpected Side

I cry a lot. When I was younger, I tested in the top 1% for IQ.

A Year Since Debut

Has it already been a year? Time flew by so quickly. I feel that I’ve grown a lot, both in skill and mentally. I’ve also gained more confidence. After debuting, I became very close with the members at a rapid pace. Now, they really feel like family, which I love.

Interests

I love soccer—both watching and playing it. Recently, I’ve picked up the hobby of collecting jerseys. My favourite player is Neymar. I’ve already collected four jerseys.

Newly Discovered Me

I haven’t been exercising for long, but seeing my body and clothes fitting change little by little feels new. The members used to say, “Sungjun only goes to work out less than three times a week,” because I struggled with consistency. But now, it’s been over a month of daily workouts. I think it even helped with this <W> photoshoot, which makes me happy.

Habits or Efforts

I really like gukbap (rice soup). During activities, I try to refrain from eating it because it makes me feel sluggish and sleepy, especially on days I finish a full bowl.

When Resting

I don’t set an alarm. I sleep in and go shopping with Hwi hyung to relieve stress.

TMI

I always cut my nails before a schedule. I couldn’t do it yesterday before the photoshoot, so I rushed to do it today.

Wish if I Could Make One

I wish I could be taller.

KYUNGJUN (WOO KYUNGJUN)

These Days

It’s simple. I wake up, go to the office, eat breakfast, then practice or take private lessons. After dinner, it’s the same—practice or lessons. I finish the day with an hour or two of exercise before heading back to the dorm.

Rewriting Self-Introduction

I’m shy and quiet, often misunderstood as cold. But in reality, I’m not. I frequently hear that I’m different from my first impression. I like being alone and enjoy animals and exercising. I also used to enjoy entering raffles for new sneakers and clothes (laughs). I like the nicknames ‘KJ’ and ‘Dustyn Woo.’

Role

If Taehun, who is my age, is the team’s mom, I play the dad role. Listening to the members’ worries and concerns is my job.

Unexpected Side

I’m shy but can perform well when asked. Even though I like being alone, people always gather around me. They just don’t leave me alone (laughs).

3rd Mini-Album <BOYHOOD> Activities

The album had a retro concept, and the captions and camera work were styled after 80s and 90s music shows. I even hosted a live broadcast for the first time. Using my 10 years of living in Australia, I hosted an English program. It was nerve-wracking but fun.

Interests

Exercise. I’ve long been self-conscious about my thin frame. I’m not big yet, but I’m seeing gradual changes. I’m also learning Chinese, aiming to become fluent in conversation. Having spent my childhood in Australia, English is still more comfortable, and my Korean is lacking. I’m improving this by playing word games with the members and studying vocabulary.

Newly Discovered Me

I used to be impulsive and spontaneous. These days, I’m more focused on discipline and self-management.

TMI

I don’t like zero-calorie drinks. Simply because they taste bad (laughs).

Wish if I Could Make One

To be happy.

Goal

To be a good person, a singer who positively influences others, and one who leaves good memories. I’ll also make it into the top 100 on the music charts.

HWI (EUN HWI)

These Days

I’m deeply immersed in practice and self-development. I wake up in the morning for personal training or head to the company. I take lessons in vocals, rap, and languages in the morning and focus on dance lessons in the afternoon. I end the day with exercise or music work.

Rewriting Self-Introduction

I am a person with great drive. Though I am an ENTP, I’m also emotional and tear up easily. I’m an extrovert who loves going out to eat or explore during short breaks. I eat almost everything and have an interest in street fashion. I always make sure to work on music, even if just a little, before going to sleep. If I miss a few days due to a busy schedule, I feel guilty, and it lingers in my mind.

Role

Rap and producing.

Unexpected Side

I cry a lot more than people think. I often cry watching movies, dramas, or listening to music. The movie I cried the most at was <Doraemon: Nobita’s Dinosaur Adventure>.

A Year Since Debut

Time flies. It’s hard to believe it’s been a year since debut. I’ve worked really hard. I already have over 20 registered songs with the copyright association.

Interests

I’m obsessed with Zion.T’s music. I’ve been listening to and singing every track from his albums repeatedly. My favourite song changes frequently, but right now it’s ‘My Luv.’

Most Frequent Thought

How can I become a more influential artist?

Current Phase

A period of waiting to make a big leap forward.

Wish if I Could Make One

When Resting

I go out to eat, mainly meat dishes.

Topics I Can Talk Endlessly About

Criteria for judging good restaurants: hygiene, taste, essence, the owner’s management philosophy, their mindset toward food, the menu, the atmosphere, the location, and whether it’s a franchise.

TMI

I always wear my socks inside out because I don’t like the seams inside rubbing against my feet.

Wish if I Could Make One

To be on the cover of W magazine.

TAEHUN (CHOI TAEHUN)

These Days

I’m spending my days in a routine manner. I start my day with simple stretching and exercise after waking up. Then, I complete scheduled lessons or personal practice and have some free time before going to bed. When resting, I usually play games on my phone or watch movies and dramas. Lately, I’ve been really into JTBC’s King the Land.

Rewriting Self-Introduction

I am Choi Taehun, 20 years old. I was born in Incheon and have lived there my whole life. I’ve been active since I was a kid, loving to go outside. I have a small wish to travel to Europe with my father someday. I enjoy all genres of movies and dramas, including horror, thrillers, romantic comedies, action, and sci-fi.

Role

Leader and trendsetter.

Unexpected Side

I have a strong model-student image that makes people think I’m all about living properly. But in reality, I’m similar to any other person my age who loves joking around.

3rd Mini-Album Activities

We shot the album jacket at the beach. It was great. I even fell asleep briefly during a scene where I was lying down because it was so warm (laughs). The broadcasting station staff really liked this retro concept, which gave me a lot of indirect motivation.

A Year Since Debut

I’ve had various experiences. I feel I’ve grown in my own way through them. Isn’t this the process of becoming an adult? I always feel thankful to the members and fans who have been with me through this journey.

Interests

I’ve been into mobile games. I often play the mobile version of League of Legends and FIFA23, and I think I’m pretty good at them (laughs).

Most Frequent Thought

I want to perform better on stage. That’s why I’ve been focusing on individual practice. I’ll show an even better side of myself in the next comeback.

Most Frequent Thought

I want to perform better on stage. That’s why I’ve been focusing on individual practice. I’ll show an even better side of myself in the next comeback.

Newly Discovered Me

I’m an ESFJ. I had been denying that I was a J (structured) type, but I’ve realized it clearly. I am a J type. After our activities ended, I spent some free time with Sungjun, and I realized how different we are. Sungjun, who has a P (spontaneous) personality, acts freely, while I plan where and how to spend time. I discovered that side of me.

Goal

To be a person and singer who positively influences others. It would be perfect if I could win 1st place on a music show.

Plans

Currently, all the members are taking time for self-reflection and recharging. We are also working hard to prepare for our comeback so that we can meet our fans as soon as possible. We’ll return with an even better version of ourselves.

TNX for W Korea, 2023

[sepdet]

Russian Yelena Serova and Italian Samantha Cristoforetti the ISS in 2015:

As of March 2025, there have been 80 women in space, the majority from the US, but 20 from other countries. Some have flown on shuttle missions, some to the ISS, some (cosmonauts) on Soviet missions, some (taikonauts) Chinese.

There have been other private persons in space for various reasons besides tourism for the rich.

For example, Project Juno crowdfunded £7 million way back in 1991 to pay for a berth aboard a Russian Soyuz flight to Mir, sending the first Brit, Dr. Helen Sharman of the University of Sheffield, into space.

And Wally Funk, originally slated to fly into space along with the rest of the Mercury 13 (women aviators trained as astronauts, passing all the same tests as the Mercury 7 in the 60s), finally got her chance when she flew on Blue Origin at the age of 82.

The first six American women in space were recruited by Nichelle Nichols, following a speech she had given as a board member of the National Space Society in 1975:

“Come down from your ivory tower of intellectual pursuit, because the next Einstein might have a Black face—and she’s female.” Unbeknownst to her, “the top people [at NASA], the Administrator, James Fletcher at that time, and the head of the astronaut corps,… were in the audience and heard me take NASA to task.”

— Smithsonian Air & Space Museum

When NASA contacted her for suggestions, she became their top recruiter for several years using her extensive contacts among scientists and space enthusiasts through the NSS and fan conventions. She was indirectly responsible for Dr. Mae Jemison, who was inspired to apply to NASA's astronaut program after seeing Sally Ride in space.

Two decades earlier, there had been another space race, for the sake of national prestige rather than finding overlooked but capable candidates.

Russian worker and skydiver Valentina Tereshkova became the first woman in space on 16 June 1963. She remains the only woman with a solo space mission under her belt.

Much to her frustration, Wally Funk's, and that of all the other fully-qualified women trained as astronauts and cosmonauts, sexist officials denied them the chance to fly after she "won" the race for the USSR.

The second woman in space, Svetlana Savitskaya, flew to station Salyut-7 in 1982 (again to get a jump on the Americans, beating Sally Ride by a year), predecessor to Mir; in December 1983 she made her second trip to Salyut-7 and one-upped American Kathy Sullivan by performing the first female spacewalk.

Four Russian women have flown since, one to Mir in 1997 and three to the ISS in the 2000s.

China's first female taikonaut Liu Yang flew into space 49 years to the day after Tereshnova on the Shenzhou-9 mission, one of several that assembled space lab Tiangong-1. She returned to the finished space station Tiangong in 2022.

NASA's Artemis program has been training an international group that will include the first women to set foot on the Moon, but they'll now have to overcome the current White House's sexism and xenophobia (assuming DOGE didn't fire them already). So China may quietly take the lead, unless the ESA, Korea, Japan, or India decide to develop their own crewed launch vehicles now that neither the US nor Russia are reliable partners.

Postscript: while I'm glad for the chance to talk about the history of women in spaceflight and the sexism they've had to overcome, I'd like to gently question the bashing of successful women like Katy Perry for what I call "celebrity while female."

I used to join in that kind of bashing, because I find the US media's fixation on celebrity and sports news at the expense of science and international news intolerable.

But since Britney Spears became a media piñata, I've come to notice how often female pop stars get tarred and feathered in the public eye for "sins" when their male counterparts remain mostly unshamed and unnamed. (See:Taylor Swift, poster child of wasteful private jet emissions, when 97% of private jet owners are male.)

Katy Perry isn't writing those puff pieces about her less-than-historic flight. It's news outlets monetizing female celebs as clickbait.

Let's not play along. Let's do what we were doing for most of this thread: seizing the opportunity for a teachable moment. We can turn the spotlight back where it belongs without klonking the latest Britney Spears, Monica Lewinsky, Taylor Swift or Katy Perry on the head in the process.

"empowering women by sending katy perry to space for 2 minutes" shut the fuck up. samantha cristoforetti was the first female commander of the international space station and she became an astronaut because of star trek. and there is a real chance she is a kirk/spock shipper