#I love you institutional access and faculty library but…

[classics-cassandra]

If I won the lottery I wouldn’t say anything but there would be signs

[manasastuff-blog]

TOP 5 DEFENCE ACADEMY IN VIZAG

When it comes to preparing for a career in the armed forces, choosing the right defence academy is crucial. In Visakhapatnam (Vizag), there are several options available, but some stand out due to their reputation, training quality, and the success of their students. Here, we take a look at the top five defence academies in Vizag, with a special emphasis on Manasa Defence Academy, which is often regarded as the best in town.

1. Manasa Defence Academy

Manasa Defence Academy has built a stellar reputation in Vizag for several reasons.

Quality Training: The academy focuses on a comprehensive approach to training, blending physical fitness with academic knowledge.

Experienced Faculty: The instructors here come with a wealth of experience, many of whom have served in the armed forces. Their real-world knowledge and guidance make a world of difference.

Success Rate: Students from Manasa Defence Academy frequently achieve impressive results in competitive exams.

In my opinion, what sets Manasa apart is its personalized attention to students. They take the time to understand each individual’s strengths and weaknesses, tailoring their training programs accordingly.

 Being a good swimmer is a necessary part of life if you wish to join the Navy, Para commando, and other branches of the armed forces. That's why we have a swimming pool on campus.

 Manasa Defence Academy has its own ground within the campus for training, Sports, Parade, PT & other activities.

2. The Knights Defence Academy

Next on our list is The Knights Defence Academy, widely recognized for its disciplined and structured training program.

Focused Curriculum: They offer a well-rounded curriculum that covers both physical training and theoretical knowledge.

Mock Tests: Regular mock tests help students become familiar with the exam patterns and build their confidence.

What I love about The Knights is the camaraderie they foster among students. It feels more like a family working toward a common goal, and that support can boost morale significantly.

3. NDA Academy

NDA Academy has made a name for itself thanks to its rigorous training sessions and comprehensive study materials.

Expert Guidance: They have a mix of retired defence personnel and educational experts who guide students.

Library and Resources: With a well-stocked library and resources for studying, students have access to ample material to help them prepare.

From what I’ve heard, many students often rave about how NDA Academy genuinely challenges them, pushing them to achieve their best.

4. Achievers Defence Academy

Achievers Defence Academy is known for its innovative training methods and a strong focus on exam preparation.

Personalized Coaching: They offer one-on-one coaching sessions, which can be incredibly helpful for students needing extra support.

Competitive Environment: The competitive spirit among students drives everyone to perform better.

I’ve spoken with students from Achievers who shared how they particularly enjoyed the workshops — they not only prepared them for exams but also boosted their confidence.

5. Chetanya Defence Academy

Completing our list is Chetanya Defence Academy, which is revered for its holistic approach to defence training.

Focus on Overall Development: Chetanya emphasizes not just academic excellence but also the personality development of every student.

Experienced Trainers: The trainers here are passionate about mentoring students, and taking the time to address their doubts and concerns.

What really struck me about Chetanya was their commitment to shaping responsible citizens who can contribute positively to society.

In conclusion, when you’re on the lookout for a defence academy in Vizag, it’s essential to consider what each institution has to offer in terms of environment, training methods, and results. Manasa Defence Academy shines as the top choice due to its proven track record of excellence. Whatever your choice may be, make sure it aligns with your personal goals and aspirations. Good luck on your journey to joining the defence forces!

[archiveofsouls]

En kalor, na ethan amar. Through knowledge, to immortality.

Dear NADIA RANGANATHAN / COURT,

Congratulations! It is with great pleasure that we extend to you an offer of admission to Monarch University. Your exemplary academic achievements, passion for knowledge, and unique talents have distinguished you as an exceptional candidate for our prestigious institution.

You have been selected to join our esteemed Research & Development Graduate program, where you will have the opportunity to collaborate with some of the brightest minds and explore groundbreaking research under the guidance of our distinguished faculty. As a recipient of our coveted scholarship, you will have access to our unparalleled library and state-of-the-art facilities.

We are confident that your journey will be both challenging and rewarding, and we look forward to witnessing your contributions to our academic community.

Warm regards,

Dr. Elaine Danube Director of Cultural Studies Monarch University

COURT What we loved most about Nadia is her softness. I think what we look forward to the most is playing with that as both a strength and weakness among the group. We can't wait to see more. Congratulations!

[priyadanuu]

The Ultimate Guide to Choosing the Best Girls Boarding Schools in Bengaluru

The Ultimate Guide to Choosing the Best Girls Boarding Schools in Bengaluru

Bengaluru, India's technological powerhouse and a center for academic excellence, offers a plethora of educational options. Among these, girls' boarding schools stand out for providing a holistic learning environment that fosters intellectual, social, and personal growth.

But with numerous institutions vying for your attention, choosing the perfect one for your daughter can be daunting. This comprehensive guide aims to equip you with the knowledge and resources to navigate the selection process with confidence.

Why Choose a Girls' Boarding School in Bengaluru?

Girls' boarding schools in Bengaluru offer several distinct advantages:

Focused Learning Environment: Free from distractions, girls can immerse themselves in academics, fostering deeper understanding and a love for learning.

Holistic Development: These schools go beyond academics, offering a plethora of co-curricular activities like sports, music, art, and debate, nurturing well-rounded individuals.

Strong Female Role Models: Surrounded by inspiring teachers and peers, girls develop confidence, leadership skills, and a strong sense of sisterhood.

Global Exposure: Many schools offer international affiliations and exchange programs, broadening horizons and preparing girls for a globalized world.

Safety and Security: Boarding schools provide a secure and supervised environment, giving parents peace of mind.

Factors to Consider When Choosing a Girls' Boarding School in Bengaluru

With a clear understanding of the benefits, it's time to delve into the selection process. Here are key factors to consider:

Academic Curriculum: Research the curriculum offered (CBSE, ICSE, IB) and ensure it aligns with your daughter's academic goals and learning style.

Faculty and Infrastructure: Inquire about the qualifications and experience of teachers. Look for schools with state-of-the-art classrooms, libraries, laboratories, and technology integration.

Co-Curricular Activities: Explore the range of activities offered, from sports and creative pursuits to leadership programs and community service. Choose a school that encourages exploration and fosters your daughter's interests.

Hostel Facilities: Evaluate the dormitories, ensuring they are well-maintained, secure, and provide a comfortable living environment. Consider factors like student-to-warden ratio and availability of counseling services.

Location and Travel: Proximity to your residence can be a factor, but also consider the school's location within Bengaluru. Is it in a safe and secure neighborhood? Does it offer easy access to amenities and transportation?

Fees and Scholarships: Research tuition fees, boarding charges, and any additional expenses. Explore scholarship opportunities that may ease the financial burden.

School Ethos and Values: Understand the school's mission, vision, and core values. Choose a school that aligns with your own values and fosters the development of qualities you find important.

Additional Tips for Choosing the Best Girls' Boarding School in Bengaluru:

Shortlist Schools: Based on your research, create a shortlist of 3-5 schools that meet your criteria.

Schedule School Visits: Visiting shortlisted schools allows you to experience the environment firsthand. Interact with teachers, students, and the administration.

Talk to Your Daughter: Involve your daughter in the decision-making process. Discuss her academic and personal goals, and consider her preferences for extracurricular activities and school environment.

Read Online Reviews: While online reviews should not be the sole deciding factor, they can offer valuable insights from current and past parents and students.

Trust Your Instincts: After your research and visits, if a particular school feels like the right fit, go with your gut feeling.

Conclusion

Choosing the best girls' boarding school in Bengaluru is an investment in your daughter's future. By carefully considering the factors mentioned above, you can ensure she finds a nurturing environment that fosters academic excellence, personal growth, and lifelong friendships.

Remember, the ideal school will empower her to reach her full potential and become a confident, well-rounded young woman ready to embrace the world.

[nerdygaymormon]

Hi, I’m going to byu this next year and I’m quite scared. Is there anything I should know? Also, I’m toying with the idea of going back into the closet just to make it easier in class and around extended family, because I know going to byu will hurt, but maybe I can make it hurt less? Idk, I’d just really appreciate some sort of response about this because you seem like the kind of person that can give a knowledgeable response. Ty for reading :)

Let me begin by saying my BYU student days are long ago and most of what I share is what I’ve learned from students the past few years or from when I visit campus and speak to people.

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I know people who've been out but went back into the closet for reasons like going to BYU or moving to a new ward. And after experiencing what it's like to be out, being back in the closet the second time is a tougher experience. They recognize they are suppressing themselves.

I understand your desire to go back in the closet and how it gives you the opportunity to come out to roommates and friends after you test the water, maybe ask them questions and get a sense of their level of acceptance.

An alternative to going back into the closet is find an apartment with another queer person living there. If you know some queer BYU students, ask them to help you find housing with a queer roommate. If you don't know any queer BYU students, perhaps some will read this and message you, or I can contact a few for you.

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The Out Foundation partners with Flourish Therapy to provide therapy for free to queer BYU students. I've only heard good things about Flourish, other than there's typically a wait list and may take weeks/months to get seen and assigned a therapist.

There's also CAPS, the university's counseling & psychological center, and I believe they're included in your student fees, so no additional costs to meet with their counselors. I've also heard good things from queer students who seek help from here.

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USGA is the off-campus group for queer BYU students & their allies. They meet at the Provo library (the old BYU Academy bldg). They meet weekly and have activities. I highly recommend. This is a chance to meet other queer people in a situation similar to you. USGA may also be a route to find a queer roommate.

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If you find that BYU is too much and you need to transfer, The Out Foundation might assist. Last year they raised money to help queer students transfer from BYU after the Honor Code change fiasco. They have a guide to transferring. It's better to get a degree from UVU than to be depressed and suicidal at BYU. Plus the name of the institution you graduate from will follow you the rest of your life and people will assume things about you based off of where you went.

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Caleb Stewart put together this map to Gender Neutral Bathrooms on BYU Campus

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At BYU, your ward will assign you into FHE groups, often it's 1 or 2 men's apartments and 1 or 2 women's apartments assigned together. 

Here's the thing, FHE isn't mandatory for your ecclesiastical endorsement, so skip it if going makes you cringe. There's a social aspect of going to college, and many find FHE contributes to that. 

If you have roommates, they may pressure you to go, but tell them you have class/study group or your going to your parents' house or whatever excuse you want.

————————————————————

If you want to avoid a calling, there's a couple strategies. Don't draw attention to you the first 3 weeks of school, that's when most callings are extended, maybe go to a friend's ward. If possible, leave your records in your home ward for 2 or 3 weeks until the big rush of callings is over.

You can avoid your BYU ward only a few times because you will need the bishop to renew your ecclesiastical endorsement. Elders Quorum and Relief Society are where your attendance will be taken.

If you really don't want a calling, you can decline the calling. Some callings are more demanding than others.

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The school network used to be monitored, or had software that blocked certain sites, I don’t know what the current situation is. Until you know, be careful what stuff you access on the school network. Things that come across as anti-Mormon may be noticed and get flagged. 

————————————————————

A different strategy would be to tell shame to take a hike and hang up a rainbow Pride flag when you first move in. If your roommates ask (which they probably will), you can choose to say you're an ally or you are queer. You make the move to indicate this is going to be a queer-safe space.

If they really are uncomfortable with the idea of living with someone who is queer or an ally, they may try to transfer to a different apartment. And if so, good move as it will remove a hostile person from your life.

————————————————————

Ben Schilaty is a gay man who works in the BYU Honor Code office. Arranging to go by his office to introduce yourself and ask him for advice on how to have a better time at BYU is a good idea. His position is to enforce the Honor Code, so you can ask him about what is or isn't allowable at BYU, but don't go confessing things because he is a school official and would have to take action.

Blake Fisher is a gay man who works as an inclusion advisor in the Office of Student Success and Inclusion. He's worth a visit to see what steps BYU is taking to include queer students. He likely will have some advice on how to be successful as a queer student.

You'll probably be surprised by the number of faculty who are allies and display a rainbow or trans flag outside their office door. One faculty member I would recommend meeting is Roni Jo Draper. She was head of PFLAG in Provo, and is on the board of the ACLU. She'll likely be able to recommend other professors who are queer-friendly.

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You can generally have a good time at BYU. However, anytime you mention queer topics, there's the possibility someone will overhear and respond negatively. You never know when a queerphobic talk will be given at church or a bigoted comment made in class. Feeling like you may experience these things at any time can make a person feel a bit paranoid and that they need to be careful.

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While individual professors may call out people who make such comments in your class, don't expect the administration to take your side. In questions of personal dignity versus someone who claims they're defending church doctrine, the personal dignity of queer people gets sacrificed every time.

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There are opportunities, such as volunteering at Encircle House or running for USGA leadership, that give you an opportunity help better the lives of queer people, and that is a fantastic feeling to know you're making a positive difference.

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A recent poll found 13% of BYU students identify as LGBTQIA. Queer students are there and if you can find some, they'll introduce you to others. Being at BYU as a queer student can feel isolating, but you're not alone. Finding other queer students is very helpful. That group of students are generally very loving and supportive because they know what it's like.

————————————————————

As BYU is not an affirming, welcoming place for LGBTQIA students, it is up to you to build yourself a support network. This includes faculty who are allies that you can talk with, finding other queer students with whom you can talk about the ignorant things you have to deal with, USGA where you can hang with other queer students, and so on. 

Also monitoring your mental health is important because there's an ongoing low-level of stress that goes with being a queer student at BYU. If you need help, get into CAPS or Flourish and look at the possibility of transferring to another school, you may qualify for in-state tuition depending on several factors.

[publiccollectors]

From the discussion “Towards A Self Sustaining Publishing Model” hosted by Printed Matter.

Some things I have learned in over 30 years of publishing since my teenage days as a zine maker, administrating my project Public Collectors, and from working in the group Temporary Services and our publishing imprint Half Letter Press.

I have just ten minutes to speak. If only one or two things that I share are useful, that’s plenty! It took me decades to understand some of this stuff.

Use every exhibition invitation with a budget to print something. Use the whole budget to print something. Make something in a large enough print run so that you have something to give away and surplus that you can sell. Your publication can be a folded sheet of paper, a booklet, a newspaper, a poster, a book, or anything in between.

Be able to print at least something at home. Buy a cheap laser printer or inkjet printer, find a used copy machine, buy a RISO or some other duplicator, carve something into a potato or a piece of foam and print it. Being able to do at least some of the printing and production at home—even if it’s on a tiny scale—will compel you to print things that you might have convinced yourself not to send out or bring to a professional printer. Hopefully the ability to print impulsively and compulsively will result in good work. Figure out how to keep making things on every scale. Look for cheap used printing equipment on Craigslist. Team up with friends and buy equipment together that you can share. Start a printing collective in your basement.

Ideally your publication should cost 1/5th or 1/6th of the retail price to make. If you sell a $10.00 publication through a store, you are probably only going to make $6.00 or less after the store takes its cut. So ideally your $10.00 book costs $2.00 or less to make. Don’t aim to just break even. Aim to make a profit so you can keep making more publications and pay for your life. Publishing will probably never be your sole income but don’t lose money on purpose. Make things that are priced fairly and look like they justify what they cost to buy. The fact that you didn’t find a more affordable way to print something is not an excuse to sell something that feels cheap and shitty for a ridiculous sum of money. Good cheap printing is easier to find than ever before. Do your homework.

Figure out the cheapest and least wasteful ways to do everything. Ask other publishers where they get their work printed. Look for local printers so you can avoid shipping fees. Ask local printers if you can pay in cash for a discount. Ask printers if there is a cheaper way to do what you want to do by adjusting the size of your paper or the paper stock or some other small shift in form. If you print things yourself, buy the paper that is on sale. Design a publication around the paper that you found for cheap. Discount warehouses sometimes have good paper. Even dollar stores sometimes have good paper. I’ve even bought paper at flea markets. Costco sells an 800 sheet ream of 24 lb paper for $6.99. I use it all the time. It rules. I also recommend getting your jugs of organic olive oil there, but you can’t print with that.

Free printing is good printing. If you have access to free printing, use it. Free printing is like free food at art openings and conference receptions. It is one of those pleasures in life that never gets old. Come up with an idea that is based around the aesthetics of whatever free printing you have access to and make the publication that way. Eat the cheese and bread. Drink the wine. Make the copies at work.

Buy bulk shipping mailers on eBay. Find bubble wrap and other packing materials in the trash. Look out for neighbors who just bought new furniture—it’s usually wrapped in miles of packing material you can use for shipping books. Boycott terrible right wing fuckers like ULINE. Seriously, they give money to everyone horrible. Trump? Check. Ted Cruz? Check. Scott Walker? Check. ROY FUCKING MOORE? CHECK FUCKING CHECK! Tear up their catalogs and use them as packing material to protect your books. Make publications that have a consistent size so you can purchase cardboard mailers in bulk and get a discount on them. Buy packing tape in bulk. Buy everything in bulk. You can store your extra reams of paper under your bed or on top of your kitchen cabinets if necessary. Be like a wacko survivalist prepper, but for office supplies. Go to estate sales and look for the home office in the house. Buy the dead person’s extra tape and staples and rulers and scissors. I’ve been using some random dead person’s staples for years because I bought their staple hoard. Staples aren’t like meat and milk. They don’t expire.

I’m against competition. Try to avoid competing with other artists for resources. If you don’t truly need the money, don’t ask for it. Artists should have a section on their CV where they list grants they could have easily gotten but didn’t apply for because they are privileged enough that they don’t need the money as much as someone else. I almost never apply for anything but the one thing I do apply for and get every year is a part-time faculty development grant from Columbia College Chicago where I teach. It pays adjuncts up to $2,500 a year to fund their projects and seems to be completely non-competitive. My union negotiated to get us more money. I have used that grant to make over a dozen publications. The value of the publications I make and sell with each grant is about three or four times the value of the grant itself. Some years I make more from the grant than I do from the limited number of classes I teach. But I don’t depend on this grant to be a publisher and I’d still be able to make things without it.

Make things in different price ranges so everyone can afford your work, but also so that you can sustain your practice. Make a publication that costs $2.00, that costs $6.00, that costs $20.00, and make something special for the fancy ass institutional libraries that have a lot of money to spare and can buy something that costs $300.00. Likewise, make things in all different size print runs. Is there something you can print 1,000 of that you can keep selling and giving away for years, to enjoy that quantity discount that comes with offset printing a large number of publications?

Collaborate with people and pay them with publications (if they are cool with that) that they can sell on their own. Sometimes this ends up being better pay and more useful than an honorarium, and it helps justify a larger print run. But see what they need—don’t assume. Barter with other publishers and sell each other’s work and let each other keep the money. This helps with distribution. Sometimes it’s easier to sell their work than it is to sell your own. Help others expand the audience for their publications.

Fund your publishing practice by asking your friends who teach to invite you to talk to their college classes about your work. Use those guest speaker fees to print something. I sometimes tell people on social media: If three or four people will invite me to speak to their class, it could fund the entire next issue of X booklet series that you like so much. This has often worked. Also, sometimes their students end up ordering publications. Sometimes lectures about publications generate more income than the publications themselves.

Have an emailing list and write newsletters to announce new publications. Stay in touch with people who like what you do. Expect to spend a ton of time corresponding with people. Have some cheap things and cool ephemera on hand that you can send people for free when they mail order your publications. Reward people who support you directly with something nice that they didn’t expect. People like handwritten notes. It’s okay if they are very short but sign the packing slip and at least write “Thank you!”

Above all, know that publishing is a life journey and not a get rich quick scheme, or even a make very much money scheme. Enjoy the experience of meeting and working with others, trade your publications with other publishers and build up an amazing library of small press, hard to find artist books. Get vaccinated and travel and sleep on each other’s couches. Be generous with your time, knowledge, resources, and work. Tell Jeff Bezos to fuck off by never selling anything you make through Amazon. Find the bookstores that you love and work with them forever. It’s nicer to have deeper relationships with fewer bookstores than surface level interactions with dozens of shops run by people you don’t know.

Think about your publishing family. Bookstore people are your family. People that organize book fairs and zine fests are your publishing family. Other publishers are your family. People who follow your work for years on end are your family. Printers and binderies are your family. The postal workers that know you by name and that you know by name are your family. The person who doesn’t care if you make the free copies at work is your family. Over thirty years later, I’m still in contact with people I exchanged zines with through the mail when I was a teenager. In some cases I still haven’t met them in person. It’s fine! They are my family. Your students are your family—particularly once they graduate or drop out, as long as they continue making books and zines. Your family is your family, particularly if they value and support your publishing practice. And for this reason, this talk is dedicated to my late father Bruce Fischer, who let me use the company copier and postage meter when I was in high school, and to my mom who sat on the floor with me and helped me hand collate and staple my zines.

That’s what I’ve got for now. Stay in touch and with luck, and enough vaccines and masks and hand sanitizer, maybe I’ll see you at a book fair. – Marc Fischer • Thank you to Be Oakley of GenderFail for the invitation to present, to the other presenters Vivian Sming, Yuri Ogita, and Devin Troy Strother, and to the wonderful people at Printed Matter for hosting this! You should be able to find the video archived on Printed Matter’s YouTube Channel.  Presented on April 2, 2021

[schmokschmok]

witches are real, and you think this is just a funny fic title

Fandom: The Magnus Archives

Relationship: Martin K. Blackwood x Tim Stoker

Characters: Martin K. Blackwood, Tim Stoker, Sasha James, Danny Stoker

Wordcount: 12,166

Freeform:

No Archive Warnings Apply

Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence

No Fear Entities

Supernatural Elements

Witch & HOH Tim Stoker

Danny Stoker Lives

Halloween

Tim Stoker Deserves Nice Things And I’m Giving Them To Him

Summary:

Martin fakes his way into the Magnus Institute, a research and archiving facility for magical and supernatural (or as Elias Bouchard likes to call it paranormal) encounters. He expects the people working for the institute to be kind of weird but Tim Stoker takes his commitment for a spooky aesthetic to a whole new level.

Read on AO3: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27070366

#1

The thing is: Martin knows what to do with crooked smiles and superficial, flattering words. He knows how to smile politely and stumble through a thank you when someone compliments the jumper he’s wearing, not knowing that he made it himself. He knows how to accept an absentminded nod as gratitude for the tea he’s making every day for the whole archival staff. He knows how to get through a wide array of flirty remarks that concern his appearance, dignity mostly intact. He knows how to smile through a detachedly welcoming nod of a co-worker for years that answers his greeting by name.

The thing he can’t handle, under any circumstances, however, is kindness. Never been good at it, not even as a kid.

He knows his mother had been kind when he had been a child, had brushed and braided his hair every single night and told him fairy tales and stories, she had stayed up with him after nightmares and during thunder storms, had told him she loved him even when he was angry with her. And she hadn’t expected him to love her back, is the thing, hadn’t wanted him to brush her hair or hold her hand or meet every of her stories with one of his own. Maybe that’s why he gives back now, loves her even if she doesn’t love him back, brushes and braids her hair even if she doesn’t want to look at him, tells her stories of his work and the friends he doesn’t have but fabricates just to maybe ease her mind. (And if she doesn’t want him coming back, then he will stop. Kindness, sometimes, is about the things you’re willing to give up for the ones that you love. – On some days she calls him cruel for coming back and coming back and coming back, but she doesn’t tell him to leave, doesn’t tell him to stay away. So, he returns like a record broken, jumping on the same syllable until she stops the needle digging into him.)

His father had been kind, too, he thinks. Had to be to be loved by a woman like his mother once had been. Martin doesn’t remember anymore.

Mostly, the kindness directed his way is about bargaining favours and weighing the things he does against sweet spoken words. Which is alright, he thinks, because giving his last shirt for a sincere thank you has been his modus operandi since his father left. He wants to give and give and if that leaves him curled up on his bed on a Wednesday evening at eight o’clock then it’s just because he’s not strong enough to carry the weight of his own thoughts.

  #2

It starts like this: Martin takes up work in the institute with no real credentials to support his curriculum vitae or his claim of knowledge about anything, really, but he’s tired of working minimal wage, of cooking mediocre food late at night for his mother who wants to move out desperately to stop being all on her own in their empty flat, of working three shifts in a row in two different jobs and still struggling to meet ends. Martin’s tired of burning on a borrowed flame, shovelling hollow coals on a dying candle.

So, he’s faking CVs, so many that he loses count of them. He sends them to every job listing he finds, twisting and tweaking the details, staying up late at night on his battered laptop that takes almost five minutes to boot. He shows up to as many interviews as he can manage but he never gets called back in. Until Elias Bouchard phones him on a cloudy day and tells him that he can start working in the library, if he’s able to move to London in the next month that is. He accepts, of course he does. His mother would never forgive him declining the only job offer that would get them to pay their bills on time and pave the way to a nice nursing home where his mother doesn’t have to be alone anymore.

Martin moves to London. His mother doesn’t.

He starts working in the Magnus Library which is a capital L kind of library as he gets told on his very first day. It’s a joke, he thinks, a library science master’s joke that he doesn’t get but laughs about anyway. (It’s a Magnus Institute’s joke, but Martin doesn’t know that yet. His hands are full juggling the Dewey Decimal and his customer service smile while looking at the impatient faces of half of the faculty members trying to loan basic material books he hasn’t ever heard the titles of.)

It’s not a secret that he’s incompetent, Martin thinks, they all know it, and no one says anything to his face which is probably meant as kindness but feels like cruelty. Because Martin isn’t daft, Martin isn’t incapable of learning, Martin isn’t unwilling to put every last ounce of himself into being better. But nobody seems to think that he’s important enough to be corrected. They see his misfiled loaning records and his misplaced books, and they say it’s not a problem, don’t worry and they take care of it without offering to teach him any better. And Martin, well, Martin is too embarrassed to ask them how to handle it in the future. He will figure it out, he thinks, in time.

(He’s right, but he doesn’t know that yet. It takes almost a year for him to memorise the layout of the library with its seemingly everchanging bookshelves and corridors. It takes almost one and a half for him to get to know every Library staff member and their preferred way to drink tea. It takes almost two years for him to remember the faces of the faculty members that don’t visit the library regularly. It takes almost three years for him to know that it’s Research and Archives and Library and Artefacts but human resources and accounting and information technology. It’s around the same time that he feels like maybe he’s part of the team now; the same time that his co-workers stop looking at him like he’s a bumbling fool without any skills; the same time that he stops calling his mother every three days or so even though she hasn’t picked up in a long time.)

The very first week that he works in the library is filled with many apologies, too many to keep record, a much and much of awkward apologeticness. A few conversations are held, he gets to know Rosie „the heart of the institute” Martinez and Lydia „from HR” Yılmaz. They are good people and talking to them makes the muscles in his back relax just the tiniest bit, although the panic never stops flaring up in his stomach that, somehow, they will know that he’s a fraud.

It’s the first day of his second week and he feels slightly more prepared because he used every minute of the weekend to pull up every article ever written about the institute and its library. He tried reading published papers, too, but without the institute’s access they’re securely locked behind a paywall he can’t get through without a credit card and loads and loads of money to spare. He snacked on canned peaches while reading about filing systems, but in the end he’s none the wiser.

So, he comes in an hour early and unlocks the front entrance of the institute with his key card. It’s eerily quiet in the dark lobby and hallways leading into the back of the building. The noisiness of the street and the embankment gets swallowed by the thick walls and the closing door behind him and the only thing he can hear is the tapping of his own shoes on the marble floor. It’s a mixture of unsettling and peaceful, but he’s not sure which takes precedence in his sleep addled mind. The unfamiliarity of the cream-coloured walls and the polished, almost black floor makes every shadow move in a way Martin can’t comprehend and he turns to look at them a few times only to realise they’re potted plants or laminated notes hung up next to different door frames. He passes a few glowing exit signs and the door to the stairwell that leads up to the second floor.

When he approaches the entrance to the library, a weight gets lifted from his stomach at the prospect of a light switch he can use to chase out the darkness that slowly gets more unnerving than comforting. Spinning the key card in his hand to keep busy and hold his anxiety at bay, he rounds the last corner and stops dead in his tracks. Because sitting right in front of the door is a person only illuminated by the harsh, cold light of their phone. Right the second Martin loses hold of his key card and it meets the floor with an echoing plasticky sound, their eyes snap up and fixate on Martin.

“Oh, lovely, you’re here,” they say, standing up from their hunched-up position without even touching the floor with their hands. (Martin takes a moment to envy that movement because every time he thinks about sitting down on the floor he has to either make sure something’s in close proximity to help him lift himself up or the ground’s not too dirty, so he doesn’t have to wash his hands right the second he stands upright again.) “I was starting to get worried I’d have to wait another hour for someone to open up.”

“Uh–,” is everything Martin gets out before the stranger picks up his key card and hands it over to him. They smile at him, slightly deranged but without a doubt handsome in a way that makes Martin’s breath catch in his chest. While Martin reaches out carefully to grab the offered card, they say: “Sorry for dropping in unexpectedly and unannounced but Veronica will have my arse if I don’t hand in this follow up today.”

Silence falls over them when Martin doesn’t react in any way and just continues staring at the stranger who keeps staring at him as if Martin should know who Veronica is and how important it is for them to do their follow up. (As if Martin should know what a follow up even is.)

“Tim,” the stranger provides when Martin doesn’t show the slightest inclination to do anything other than, well, stare at them. “I’m working upstairs in Research in Veronica’s team.” They wait for an agonising moment for Martin to return the introduction – which he fails to do, still trying to process that he’s really in an actual conversation with another human being before seven a.m.

“As lovely as it is standing here with you, …” Tim continues, allowing Martin once again to submit his name. Which he fails to do, again, because his mouth feels so dry he’s afraid if he opens it now there won’t come out anything else than a pathetic cough. Tim doesn’t seem too stressed about it. „I really need to go in there,” Tim gestures over their shoulder to the library, “and cross-reference a few things and brush up a few of my foot-notes before it’s time to clock in again. Veronica is really adamant about this follow up laying on her desk at eight thirty sharp.” The manila folder in Tim’s hand gets lifted for emphasis and apparently that’s all Martin needed to get it together and finally move. Without him intending to do so, his lips form a customer service smile that’s been ingrained into his very being from years upon years of working in ice cream shops and pizza restaurants and a movie theatre that’s long gone now.

“Yeah, uh, yeah no problem!”

He steps around Tim and presses his key card against the sensor underneath the door handle. After the soft opening click of the lock, he steps aside to let Tim enter the room behind him and he searches for the light switch with his outstretched arm because he’s pretty sure that one has to be on the wall to his left.

“Thank you, really, you’re doing me a favour, mate,” Tim says and legitimately bows with the biggest grin before he’s off into the depth of the library, swallowed by a shelf Martin could swear hadn’t stood there on Friday when he left.

Finally, he lets go of the door and gets closer to the wall to search with both hands for the switch, until the little finger of his right hand bumps against the hard plastic shell of a set of light switches.

“Gonna be bright for a second,” he warns loudly, unsure if Tim’s even able to hear him or not. Then, after a few seconds, he presses the switch and the lights above his head sputter and blink to life with the solid snugness of old halogen lamps.

His eyes take a moment to adjust to the brightness, then he treads over to the counter, rounds it and closes his eyes for just a heartbeat or two. He’s got this. Tim wandering somewhere, hidden behind shelfs, is not going to change the fact that Martin’s got this. His brain, heart and stomach just need to be convinced, that’s okay, he can handle a wee bit anxiety and nervousness.

Without further ado, he pins his name tag to his monochrome button-down (because that’s what adults wear at work) and starts to open the various drawers underneath the counter to catalogue the innards.

There's probably a system, stapler and pen and pencils in one drawer, neatly arranged in a compartment next to sticky notes and paper squares in bright colours and an uncountable amount of paper clips. In the drawer underneath, he finds envelopes, more paper in various shapes and forms and sizes. Another drawer reveals the minute book in which Martin should document Tim’s presence. (Probably? He’s not entirely sure if the minute book is for every research assistant or students only.) Right next to the minute book, Martin can see the keys for every terminal in the library, and a few personal items of his co-workers which should not be in there as far as Martin’s been informed. The last two drawers contain RFID tags, barcodes and printed ID cards. The space reserved for lost and found is surprisingly empty. (Martin thinks he remembers Janette taking everything back into the small storage room in the back on Friday afternoon.)

It takes almost fifteen minutes for him to open and close every drawer (multiple times) and he's still not sure if he memorised the most important things. It's quarter past seven, however, and he couldn’t find a single position plan, which is why Martin steps around the counter and starts to make his way through the maze that is this library. Clipboard and pencil in hand, he outlines the approximate layout of the outer walls and tries to draw in the shelfs he passes, marking them with things like Local History A—V and Ghosts (general) J—Z, scribbling down letters and numbers of the signatures that seem important to him. (He's got a run down last week but the library uses the most arbitrary synthesis of Dewey Decimal and an intern system that the first library staff must have implemented before trying to shove the Dewey Decimal into the small space left.)

Martin's good at making maps, if he's allowed to say so. He can read a map, he can draw a map. (It wouldn't hold up against a professional map but his always worked fine enough.) So, he feels righteous indignation when someone steps into his space, throws a glance on his makeshift map and says: “This isn't accurate, sorry.”

Martin furrows his brow, but the customer service smile is on his lips again before he’s able to will it away.

“Why wouldn't it be?” Martin asks even though he doesn't want to know what Tim has to say. “I mean, yeah, you couldn't do an accurate projection, but it's not meant to be. It's about the order of the shelfs, the signatures.”

“As much as I hate to disappoint you,” Tim says and lets his finger hover half a centimetre above Martin's map, “but the ghost section is three shelfs down to the right next to Russian literature. I walked past it a few seconds ago.”

“Well, the only reason this map says ghost is because I walked past the ghost section,” Martin retorts (and feels very brave about it). The desire to snatch the map away from Tim's finger and hold it close to his chest so that Tim can't spare another look is strong but Martin also knows it's childish and he shouldn't indulge in such impulses.

“Well, Martin,” Tim must have seen Martin's name tag, which is nice because Tim says his name with an exasperated fondness that Martin shouldn't have earned yet and it spares Martin from the mortifying ordeal of introducing himself after his fauxpas this morning, “I don't know if nobody told you but this Library is like the rest of the institute: A big pile of magical bullshit.”

Tim grins and the skin next to their eyes crinkle with mischief as if they're sharing an inside joke with Martin, as if Martin should understand. (And like every other time someone implies or references something Martin doesn't understand or jokes about something Martin doesn't know, he gets this violent urge to scream into the knowingly smiling face in front of him. But he chokes it down, more or less successfully.) And he smiles.

“Don't beat yourself up,” Tim continues, unaware of the wee bit of hatred Martin feels in this very second, “a map won't help but soon enough you'll get the hang of it.” Tim winks. “When I first started using the Library, I swear to you, every single shelf I walked up to was sporting the cryptid selection. Every single one. I stood between two shelfs and it didn't matter in which direction I turned, there it was: The cryptid section.” Tim's eyes don't leave Martin's face for a second, which is kind of unnerving but at the same time strangely reassuring. As if Tim's more than just aware who they're talking to. “This Library is more a Feeling than an organised space.”

Tim laughs again and Martin tries to join in, but it gets caught in his throat. Tim's flittering fingers and Tim's sing-songed “spooky!” only elevate the closed up feeling in Martin's chest and the knuckles on his hand that still holds onto his clipboard turn white in their effort to not drop it.

A quick glance to the watch on Martin's wrist puts a stop to Tim's easy posture and they say: “Fuck, I should really get going. Veronica's still waiting.” Then Tim hesitates and smiles at Martin again. “It was nice to make acquaintance with you, Martin. This won't be the last you'll see of me, but if you every think about going for a drink after work, hit me up. Sam or Rosie should have given you access to the institute's instant messaging system. I think you would get along well with Sasha — she's also in Research — and me.”

Tim shoots Martin a finger gun (which is incidentally the most obnoxious thing Martin has ever had to witness) and strides past Martin towards the library's exit.

And then he's gone like the first soft layer of frost in November after the first rays of sun.

It's quarter to eight and there's not much time until one of his colleagues will try to open up the library, but Martin uses the remaining time to lean against a shelf and stare at the ticking clock on the wall above the counter, trying to will his heart into a slower rhythm not dictated by anxiety or the sudden realisation that Tim had been close and Tim had been beautiful.

And like everything else in Martin's life: He fails.

.

This could have been the end and Martin's been sure that it would be. When the clock above the counter strikes twelve however and Martin gets ready to leave the library to go down to the in-house cafeteria, the door to the library gets shoved open and Tim stumbles in, closely followed by a no less beautiful stranger who Martin assumes could be Sasha.

“Martin!” Tim exclaims right before they're fist crashes into their chest right above their heart. “Thank the Lord, you're still here!”

The-stranger-who-could-be-Sasha-but-might-not-be rolls their eyes but smiles, before shoving Tim out of their way.

“Ignore him,” they say and turn a smile on Martin, he can't help but answer with one of his own. “He can be a bit …” They make a circle shaped gesture with their rolling wrist in clear search of the right word. So, Martin tries to jump in: “Dramatic?”

“Yes,” maybe!Sasha says at the same time Tim declares: „Oh, please, I have flair that's something entirely else.“

“You're a theatre kid,” maybe!Sasha says, ignoring the dismissive hand Tim waves into their face.

“Martin, you should ignore her,” Tim presses on before maybe!Sasha gets a chance to say anything else. “When I got back to my desk, I realised we never exchanged surnames which are crucial for the instant messenger.” Martin nods, slightly dazed and not at all sure if he understands the importance of Tim’s surname. “So, Tim Stoker.” He bows outlandishly.

“And Sasha James,” maybe-or-rather-definitely-Sasha jumps in, curtsying with the same kind of derisiveness. “Glad to be of service.” She rests her elbow on Tim’s shoulder and leans forward, just the tiniest bit, but it makes Martin feel strangely included. “You want to get lunch with us?”

The smile spreading across Martin’s face feels real, digging into his cheeks and showing dimples he kind of forgot he had. He casts a look at the clock above his head and says: “Yeah, sounds lovely.”

  #3

The thing is: Martin is a dreamer, day and night and dusk ‘til dusk ‘til dawn. He likes to think about all the possibilities he will never ever take, the wonderous things he wishes to happen but knows will always remain a fantasy.

When he was a child, he used to dream about his father coming back and apologising to his mother and explaining that it was all just a big misunderstanding, innit, he never would have left willingly, especially not without further notice. Martin would dream up every reasoning in existence, if his father would have come back Martin would have already heard his excuse. He’d just have to wait and find out which one was true.

When he was a teenager, he used to dream about mending the relationship with his mother, of sharing a smile with her instead of directing it at her disapproving or distant face. And he dreamt of a boy without a face but with calloused hands and experienced lips that would come and sweep him off his feet – literally at first, and figuratively when he hit that growth spurt in tenth class.

When he became an adult, he started dreaming about working nine to five and a two-day weekend. He dreamt about working in a café or restaurant and earning enough to sustain his mother and himself. He dreamt that one day he would open up his own place, a small restaurant or a flower shop or a shop selling something with turquoise. And he dreamt that he would meet a man, a nice and good man who would make everything just the tiniest bit more bearable; who Martin would like to be around and who would like to be around Martin. A man not merely tolerating him but seeking his presence.

Martin is a dreamer, but he’s not delusional. Or at least not anymore. The older Martin grew the simpler his dreams became. Now that his income is secure, he dreams about the domesticity of a social network and a warm body next to him when he tries to fall asleep. (And it’s the first time his dreams seem to be within his grasp. As if he can reach for them and cup them in the hollow of his hands. He just has to believe.)

  #4

It goes like this: Martin slowly grows desperate because the Magnus library doesn’t make any sense at all. One day Local Myths is on the shelf next to the counter, the next the shelf is empty, and the one after that Martin sees Vampires and Werewolves neatly arrayed on it. It doesn’t make sense, and frankly it makes Martin angry. This is a library for crying out loud, and Martin’s a librarian who can’t even fetch a monograph without getting lost. (Or is he a library assistant? Is Yvonne the only librarian? Everyone in this institute always seems to be an assistant, maybe Elias Bouchard is the only person with an actual degree in here.)

“Is something bugging you?”

A voice comes out of nowhere, causing Martin’s head to snap towards the frowning face of Tim Stoker. It’s been three weeks since their first getting acquainted, and Tim and Sasha drop by at irregular intervals to chit-chat for a bit. At this point, it’s something Martin has come to accept and look forward to but not necessarily expect to happen. Usually, they tell him about their research (it’s creepy and Martin never ever wants to enter artefacts, thank you very much) or their co-workers (including one Jon who Martin is yet to meet but who’s apparently really close with both Sasha and Tim) or the things they did on the weekend (they’re both incredibly busy all the time). But it’s not like they’re self-centered by any means, they ask about him, too. On a normal day, he hates this part of the conversation because he can’t really tell them nice stories about meeting friends and going out of town to kayak or whatever because he spends his time with his mother or home alone with knitting needles either documentaries or heteronormative romcoms queued up. And, let’s be honest, that’s not a compelling story to tell.

Today however Martin’s almost glad someone’s asking him about his mood because he does have an answer: “You were right! My map isn’t accurate. And I don’t get why!”

The startled look on Tim’s face makes Martin realise that he’s a bit loud and his tone is maybe a little aggressive. He ducks his head, heat spreading over his face, and continues in a more dignified manner: “It’s really not that bad. I’m just trying to shelve the returned books. But I can’t find the shelfmarks. It’s a little frustrating, is all.”

He tries to smile through his outburst, but he feels bad almost immediately. It’s not Tim’s responsibility or amicable duty to listen to Martin’s displeased rant, and they don’t know each other well enough for Martin to burden him with unimportant stuff like this. (The thought that Tim seems to be genuinely interested in what Martin has to say and that Tim complains all the time about uncooperative clerks and impossible to keep deadlines which likely means that he would be alright with Martin complaining a teeny-tiny bit crosses Martin’s mind but he tries not to dwell on it. He wouldn’t forgive himself if he would be mistaken.)

“You’ve been here for, what,” Tim says, his index finger tapping against his chin, a questioning look on his face, “like, a month?” Martin nods. “It’s absolutely normal to get confused. Like I told you: This Library is more a Feeling than an organised space. You can’t go about it with logic.” At this, he shrugs dismissively. “After that Cryptid incident, I literally brought my pendulum to work just to locate the sections I was looking for. And guess what, the Library didn’t care. It sent me running around the shelves nonetheless.”

Martin can’t help himself, his face scrunches up in a grimace. He should have anticipated weird antics when he first started working here, the Magnus Institute is a research and archiving facility for magical and supernatural (or as Elias Bouchard calls it paranormal) encounters. But Tim had seemed like a normal guy.

Quickly, he schools his expression into a more neutral one, before he says: “No offence, really, I hope I’m not intruding but using a pendulum seems kind of, well, esoteric?” The moment the words leave his mouth, he feels awful. Who raised Martin to be this impolite? Certainly not his mother. So he tries to backtrack: “I– I mean, I don’t want to impose or, uh, ascribe something to you or, or invalidate you.”

“It’s okay,” Tim interrupts him with a smile. He doesn’t seem mad. “I’m a witch, so everything I do is kinda esoteric. Can’t hold that against you.”

The wolfishness of Tim’s grin makes Martin think that this is an inside joke, too. Or, oh no, maybe it’s Tim’s religion and Martin’s a real jackass about it. Is witch a religious term? He has heard about wicca and druidism, but he has no idea if they call themselves witches. He doesn’t want to disrespect Tim or his belief system, but he also wants to know. Is it disrespectful to ask Tim about his religion? Martin wouldn’t do it if they didn’t know each other, but their friends (somewhat, kind of) and asking as a friend is more considerate than intrusive, right? (Or is he just rationalising and justifying his own curiosity, while masking it as attentiveness? Is Martin overthinking this?)

“So,” Martin starts and it’s an out of body experience where he sees himself driving against a wall without the chance to stop himself, “does that mean you’re wiccan?” He bites his tongue, waiting for Tim to tell him he’s an insensitive twat.

“Oh, no. I’m agnostic,” Tim replies, still wearing the same expression of content and reassurance.

For a moment, they’re both quiet. Tim leans against the counter, his elbows on the surface and his face almost in Martin’s space. It could be unpleasant, but he rather likes Tim’s complete disregard of personal space. (In part because he has seen Tim interact with Rosie who dislikes physical touch to a stark extreme in a respectful way, always keeping his distance. He knows if he ever were uncomfortable Tim would back off. And that’s reassuring in its own way.)

“Give yourself some time,” Tim says eventually. “Let the Library get to know you.”

“You talk about the library as if it were conscious.” It’s a statement, not a question.

“Yeah,” Tim chuckles. “Yeah, I do.” He sighs and straightens his back. “It’s not, though, so don’t worry.” The way Tim says it, though, makes Martin think that this is not the whole truth. That there is something Tim’s not telling him. But it’s not Martin’s place to inquire further, he thinks. There’s definitely a plausible explanation for all this, Tim just likes to pull his pigtails.

“Shouldn’t you be out today?” Martin asks to change the topic and feels incredibly rude at the same time. “Not that I’m not happy to see you, but it’s still quarter an hour to lunch.”

“Came back earlier than expected and thought I could mob you ‘til twelve and kidnap you for a lunch date,” Tim replies so nonchalantly, warmth spreads across Martin’s face and he attempts to swallow down the laugh that wants to escape – but he fails. (He has never been mobbed, and even though Tim doesn’t think of this as a date date, Martin wants to indulge in that thought. At least for a moment.)

“I think,” he says slowly, and a little bit mischievously, “I could take my break early today.”

  #5

The thing is: Even though Martin thought Sasha and Tim would grow bored of him sooner or later, they don’t. They stop at his desk when they use the library for their research, they pick him up sometimes for lunch or ask him to meet them outside if they’re doing field work. Martin gets roped into pub nights and trivia quizzes, Sasha takes him to her pottery class and Tim invites him to a poetry slam where his brother performs. (This is remarkable because of two things: First and foremost, because Martin has never been invited to meet family members of anyone except for the parents of a few classmates when he stayed for lunch. And secondly, because Tim and Danny are as close as brothers can be, and it feels like a seal of approval – or as if Tim needed Danny to approve of Martin before he could spend more time with him. Martin’s not sure which way round it is.)

  #6

It goes like this: Despite the cool September night air, Martin is way too warm in his thick knitted jumper. He runs hot, always has been, but today is not the day he wants to be soaked in sweat just by existing. (Truth be told, he never really wants to be this warm, but there are at least times where he doesn’t mind as much. Meeting Danny Stoker for the first time is not one of those times. But he’s also pretty sure that he can’t take off his jumper because he’s been too hot for too long at this point. Tonight’s going to be fun and he just needs to power through.)

Martin tries not to shift his weight from one foot to the other too often, instead he’s focusing on the way the soles of his shoes line up with the asphalt of the pavement and ground him. He counts his breaths, his hands burrowed deep inside the pockets of his trousers. He can absolutely do this, he has known Tim for a few weeks now and he doesn’t think Tim would introduce Danny and him if he’d think they wouldn’t get along. (This may be more of wishful thinking though.) 

A small part of him wishes, Sasha would come too, to ease the tension in his shoulders and uncoil the knots in his stomach. But she's with her family, celebrating the birthday of one of her cousins, and the text she sent him a few hours ago sits in their chat, mourning her absence and telling him to enjoy Danny's performance, it will likely be one of a kind. 

Right when he seriously starts contemplating to go home again and fake a stomach bug, Tim rounds the corner with a man just a few years younger than him who looks like a referenceless, free-hand drawing of Tim. Which isn't a bad thing, by any means, just noticeable in how alike they look, just different enough to not be mistaken for each other. 

When Tim's gaze falls upon Martin, his face splits into a wide grin and he waves enthusiastically, almost smacking Danny in his face in the process. This causes Danny to look directly at him, too, and his eyebrows shoot up while grinning almost half as wide as Tim. (If there had been any kind of doubt about them being brothers, now there weren’t.) Danny turns his head slightly and nudges Tim with his elbow. When Tim turns to look at him, Danny says something to him, moving his hands in unison, that makes Tim stop grinning for a second and start furrowing his brow. It doesn't last long, only three or four steps, then he looks at Martin again and his face softens. (Martin desperately wants to know what Danny said because people looking at Martin and whispering usually means something bad. And if Danny already wants to make fun of him, then Martin needs to go. Immediately.)

“You came!”

While Martin was still weighing his options, measuring staying, but anxiously against going, but anxiously, Tim and Danny have come into earshot. And Tim sounds pleasantly surprised as if he had been unsure if Martin would come. 

They come to a halt in front of Martin and Tim pulls Martin in for a quick hug, which isn't a surprise per se but still unexpected. Subsequently, he turns towards Danny and introduces them. (He says this is my friend Martin, I told you about him. He says friend, not co-worker. Which, yes. They're friends but it's still new and nice and positively overwhelming to hear him say it out loud.)

“Hey,” Danny says, his smile unwavering. He's either a good actor or doesn't hate Martin on sight; at this point, Martin gladly takes both over open hostility. "Tim told me so much about you. I'm really pleased to make your acquaintance." He pauses to make room for Martin returning the sentiment. (Which he does, thank you very much, just because he's a useless gay around beautiful men and can't handle surprise small talk at arse o'clock, doesn't mean he can't hold a conversation.) “I gotta be honest with you, mate, I need your help tonight. This is my first slam and Tim’s a shit critic. I need some real feedback.”

A reassuring smile takes over Martin's features because, of course, Danny is nervous. Martin would be, too, he supposes. The thing Danny had said had probably nothing to do with Martin per se and everything with meeting someone for the first time at his first performance. (And maybe his only if Sasha is right.) However, before he can retort in any way, Tim jumps in: “Danny, bro, Martin is probably the last person you should ask to tell you how awful your skid is. You didn't practice it once and he’s a nice guy.”

“Well,” Danny replies, mischief in his eyes and a mocking tilt in his voice, “I'm just gonna wing it.” 

“You're lucky, you're a Stoker.”

“You're just jealous because you didn't inherit that gen,” Danny shoots back before turning to Martin and stage-whispering: “Everyone always thinks that Tim is naturally gifted and everything comes to him easily. But in reality, he has to learn things and work for them. Embarrassing, right?”

Getting roped into friendly, brotherly banter. That's good! That's involvement in a good and workmanlike manner! And, actually, way out of Martin's comfort zone right now. (Is this a test? Is Danny teasing Tim in front of Martin to see if Martin jumps in and practically stabs Tim right in the back? Or does he want Martin to disagree with him and stand in solidarity with Tim? Or is Martin’s brain just overreacting like, well, always?)

“You’re embarrassing him,” Tim accuses Danny, before shoving at him and laughing. It’s obvious he doesn’t mind Danny teasing him or Martin, because it’s good natured. (Or at least Martin wants it to be. He desperately wants it to be.)

“No, I’m honest with him,” Danny retorts, before shoving Tim back which causes him to almost crash into Martin. “Someone needs to take you down a peg or two. Once in a while at least.” He grins and it’s more on the boyish side.

“I think Sasha’s doing a good job keeping Tim in check,” Martin interjects bravely. With every second in their presence, the fists in his pockets lose a speck of tension and Martin can feel his nails easing out of the heel of his hand. He feels weird being the only one neither knowing nor using sign language while talking but he’s thankful that they’re including him, talking loud enough for him to hear. (It’s a whole new side of Tim Martin has never seen before, it’s nice. Very nice, actually.)

“I love Sasha,” Danny sighs wistfully, batting his eyes. Before Tim slings his arm around Danny’s neck and pulls him in, he says: “We’ve been through this, Sasha’s way out of your league.” (And probably aro, Martin thinks, if the small pride flag pin Martin spotted on Sasha’s satchel bag is any indication.)

“Yeah,” Danny says. “True.” Then his eyes fall on the clock inside the display window of a chemist on the other side of the street. “We should head in.”

They make their way into the pub, through a small crowd consisting mostly of people in their twenties and thirties, milling and chatting in wait for the poetry slam to begin. Danny makes a beeline for a bar table, even though multiple tables with chairs and benches are empty. Martin wants to point out that he doesn’t think standing for multiple hours is something he wants to do, but right when he decides that he can at least try, Tim grabs Danny’s arm and steers him toward a round table with four chairs at the back of the room.

“You won’t make me stand through your performance,” Tim proclaims loudly, then he sits down and pats the seat of the chair next to his. Demonstratively, Danny sits down on Tim’s other side – closest to the stage – and Martin rounds the table to sit next to Tim. While Tim and Danny shrug off their coats, Martin once again regrets his choice of clothing. (Maybe a beer or two into the evening will ease his nerves enough to pull off his jumper. Now he takes a deep breath and focuses on the soft chattering of the crowd.)

Underneath their coats, matching shirts come to light. An Aegean blue with white lettering, a loopy script proclaiming bestoked with the tiny caricature of a witch with a pointy hat on a broomstick. Below that, Martin recognises small print that reads: Witches are real, and you think this is just a funny t-shirt slogan. He chuckles.

Tim makes a questioning hmm-sound and Martin points at their shirts, saying: “It’s funny.”

“Yeah,” Danny replies, exchanging looks with Tim. “Sasha made them for us.”

“Why witches?” Martin asks. Opposed to standing outside having to face both of them, sitting next to Tim puts Martin at ease. (It feels more organic sitting alongside Tim. Most of the time when they head out together, they sit on one bench with Sasha on the other side of the table. This is almost the same, Martin tries to reason, Danny is just another Sasha. A person Tim loves and wants him to like, too. No big deal.) “Isn’t Bram Stoker known for Dracula?”

“Yeah, he is,” Danny says with a shrug and Tim adds: “Our name’s Stoker and we’re witches. It’s pretty niche but most people think it’s funny.”

Martin tilts his head in confusion, he opens his mouth through an irritated smile. Before he can actually speak though, someone on the makeshift stage steps up to the microphone and welcomes the crowd to the pub’s bi-monthly poetry slam.

“First up: Gerry with their poem osedax!”

The crowd claps and their conversation is completely forgotten. They listen to Gerry describing a life under water and a life dependent on death. It’s a bit early for spooky Halloween vibes but Martin thinks it’s probably a metaphor for Gerry’s life that’s beyond Martin to understand. (He loves poetry, writes his own in his spare time, but he’s not big on interpreting poems outside of his own limited world view. He likes reading poetry, imagining the lives inspiring the words, and applying them to his own situation. Seeing someone putting their innards on display for dozens of strangers to see, is something entirely different. It feels like trespassing, somehow, trespassing into the soul of another human being. Martin decides that he hates it here.)

Gerry concludes their poem with ragged breathing and closed eyes. For a moment, the pub is silent. Then applause rings out and Tim leans toward Martin and whispers loudly: “Gerry is the one who put the bee into Danny’s bonnet that performing here would be a good idea.”

Danny shushes Tim, swatting at him without looking. Absentmindedly, he says: “It is a good idea, though.”

Martin doesn’t say anything, while watching Gerry retreat from the stage and head back to a group at the long side of the room. They congratulate Gerry, and Martin thinks (for just one measly second) how it would feel to perform one of his own poems. One about his mother or the alienation he felt his whole life. But he’s not a word magician like Gerry, he doesn’t have plausible deniability for the things he talks about. His poetry is descriptive and more of an endeavour to capture a feeling than an analogy in form of a convoluted metaphor.

Next up is someone talking about a hamster. Martin senses a theme.

Tim and Danny stare intensely at the stage, absorbing each and every word being said. And Martin’s torn between getting up and buying drinks, and waiting quietly until the poem is over. He’s unsure about the custom. If it would be impolite to talk during the performance.

In the end, however, it doesn’t matter. They end their poem and thank the audience before they leave the stage. Martin leans into Tim’s space (a bit like Tim would do with him in this situation), his shoulder lining up with Tim’s and when Tim turns around he whispers: “I’m gonna get drinks. Can I get you something?”

“We can just get a pitcher,” Tim whispers back, before checking in with Danny: “You’re not up next, right?” Danny shakes his head and Martin gets up to get them a pitcher and three glasses. (He takes the opportunity to breathe in and out a few times. He thought they would talk more. That Danny and he would have to interact more. But, apparently, Tim and Danny are really into poetry slam and don’t want to disrespect the artists. Which is, well, nice. Considerate. And, yes, he shouldn’t be surprised about that.)

Martin orders a pitcher and pays right up, then he tries to balance the three glasses and the pitcher through the crowd back to their table. He puts everything down and almost misses the staff member announcing Danny’s performance. Lost Johns’ Cave.

With a spring in his step, Danny stands up, makes his way to the stage and takes his place behind the microphone. A small smile on his lips, he clears his throat and starts speaking: “So, John was lost and so was I.”

He pauses.

“It’s a fact and everybody knows that John got lost in this cave. It’s a deep cave, a dark cave, a cave that swallowed us up like a ravenous, soft-teethed beast. It starts with a slope, grainy and wet, and there’s only one way, so it’s impossible to get lost, even though John did.”

He closes his eyes and takes a deep breath.

“John was lost and so was I. I don’t know where he went, and I didn’t come to look, but one moment Kadir and Aylin where there and the next they were not. I didn’t reach the chockstone, I didn’t reach the climb. Three hundred and seventy-five feet and I was lost as John in his cave.”

He shifts his weight from one foot to the other. While he spoke, Martin’s sure he could recognise the spelling of John, but Danny doesn’t spell Kadir or Aylin or at least Martin’s not able to spot it.

“John was lost and so was I. Seconds after minutes after hours after years, no climb in sight, just the steady flow of the stream and my hitching breath. It should stop sometime, I thought, it should give way down to his cave and I will not be a John. Because John was lost and I won’t be.”

He pauses again, a heartbeat or two longer than before.

“John was lost and so was I. No measuring of my position with a pendulum, no signal for my phone, no chance to be heard through the thick walls of the cave. The rush of the stream died down albeit the map depicting the stream and the slope correspondent.”

The air of the pub is filled with suspense and eerily quiet for a crowd as large as this one.

“John was lost and so was I. Limestone encased me and silence took over.”

Danny stops speaking, one and a half minutes gone. If Martin’s right, Danny has three minutes and fifteen seconds left. Every other contestant spoke for about five minutes, so Danny has plenty of time left. But he doesn’t say a thing. Seconds tick by and Martin gets squeamish in his seat. He glances towards Tim, but Tim seems unwound and relaxed. As if it were to be expected of Danny to pull something like this.

Danny remains silent, and Martin uses the tense atmosphere and the quiet audience to take an unnoticed look at Tim and Danny. They really do look alike. They share the same thick, expressive eyebrows, same dark brown hair and eyes, the same sharp jawlines. But Tim is soft around the edges, he doesn’t look as muscular as he is, his tummy rolling underneath his Aegean blue shirt. Up close like this, Martin can see the hearing aid Tim is wearing, and the moles that scatter across the slope of his neck. Especially the two moles that rest approximately half a centimetre wide of his tragus.

So preoccupied with Tim’s, well, beauty, Martin almost misses Danny moving on stage. He extends his right fist, before he opens it, while dropping it a few centimetres. At the same time, he mouths something that could be the word drop but Martin’s not sure because he can’t read lips. Then Danny spreads the fingers of his left hand, holding it flat and vertically aligned in a hundred-twenty-degree angle to his upper body. His right hand is spread in the same way and he moves it towards his left hand. When the pads of his fingers connect to the palm of his left hand, he lets his hand bounce back. The movements of his right hand two sides of an equilateral triangle. Again, he mouths something and if Martin would have to guess he’d say it was echo.

By minute three, Danny has been silent for one and a half minutes and has been through two repeats of the two words. (In all honesty, Martin is surprised that the crowd still watches Danny. That they hang onto his lips like a drop of water at the rim of a cup.)

Then he starts speaking again: “John was lost and so was I. I entered his cave and I got off the right path, I fell into darkness and somehow I came back. I’m not one of the Johns, I’m a Joey deep down. Because John was lost but I am found.”

A smile tugs at Danny’s lips, then, after a moment, he bows outlandishly (in an unbelievably tim-ish way) and says: “Thank you.” Then he leaves the stage in a beeline towards their table, while the audience starts to clap hesitantly.

When Danny sits down at their table again, Tim and he exchange a few quiet sentences. (In most circumstances this would make Martin’s anxiety spike up again, but to his own surprise it doesn’t. It’s just nice to see Tim interacting with his brother. Martin doesn’t have to be included to feel like he’s part of this.)

Martin takes a sip from his drink and throws a glance at the stage. After Danny there are still four people left. The performances are about existential fatigue, about childhood fears and dreams, and (in one memorable instant) about an imaginary soap opera the poetry slammer claims to watch in their head.

When the poetry slam is finally over, Danny grins at Martin and asks: “So, comments or questions?”

“Impromptu interpretation is not my strong suit,” Martin tries to escape the discussion of Danny’s depression? Outing? He’s not lying, he can’t interpret something like this in a few minutes. Especially not while looking right into Danny’s face. “I’m not sure what the cave is a metaphor for.” His tone is apologetic, but Danny laughs startled and says: “It’s not a metaphor. I literally got lost in a cave.”

“Oh,” Martin blurts out. “Well, then … I’m not an expert by any means. But I think it was pretty good, very compelling.” His ears are burning and the coldness of his drink seeps into the palms of his hands, contrasting the warmness in every fibre of his body.

Danny grins and says: “I like him.”

“Yeah, I do, too,” Tim affirms. His smile, however, is more delicate than Danny’s. (And Martin doesn’t want to think about the possibility that Tim likes him, too. Likes likes him. He’s still trying to wrap his head around the fact that he didn’t only acquire a job three months ago but friends, too. It shouldn’t matter that Tim is nice to him, because Tim is nice to everyone. Martin isn’t special.)

  #7

The thing is: Tim is so very nice. Nice in a way no one has ever been nice to Martin. He’s nice unconditionally, doesn’t wink suggestively at Martin when he hands him a cup of tea exactly the way Martin likes, doesn’t expect Martin to do anything in turn when he lays his hand on Martin’s shoulder in a silent display of support or affection, doesn’t want him to say thank you and how much do I owe you whenever he brings lunch in that he cooked himself, enough to share it with Martin and Sasha and even Jon, if he would ever want to. Tim’s nice and considerate and most people don’t seem to see it. They take Tim’s jokes and pop-culture references as a demonstration of his whole personality, take in the beauty of his face and simmer it down to the essence of his existence.

Tim is beautiful and he is funny, Martin’s the last to argue with that. But Tim is more, Tim is beyond, Tim is the soft are you alright when Martin must step out for a second after a reprimand from an assistant, Tim is the curious no, I want to know what you think about it, Tim is the reassuring you’ve got this and the understanding and if you don’t, I’m still here. Tim is every post-it note on Martin’s desk that says delighted to see you here and you look nice today and take time for yourself.

Tim is so very nice without even trying that Martin can’t help himself but fall in love with him. Embarrassing, right?

  #8

It ends like this: Martin doesn’t argue with Tim about his insistence that he’s a witch, because: Who’s Martin to deny Tim anything at all. Yes, he would like to know more about Tim as a person and about the things he does on weekends and, yes, getting cryptic answers like hanging out with the coven is a bit frustrating, but Martin also must confess that he admires Tim dedication.

It’s almost Halloween and since the start of October, Tim has been wearing a pointy hat to work. Which is kind of ridiculous but endearing at the same time because Sasha assures Martin that Danny does it too and that they do it every year in October. (It’s not one of his finer moments, it’s true, but he couldn’t help himself asking Sasha is this is some kind of meme. A Stoker inside gag that everyone is in on, but Sasha just smiles at him and says: “Oh, Martin, love, no. It’s not a meme.”)

When Martin asks him about the hat, Tim tilts his head in mild confusion and replies: “I’m a witch, Martin. Witches wear pointy hats.”

And Martin who’s got enough practice now dealing with Tim’s antics, retorts: “No, I mean, yes, I know, I mean: You didn’t wear it in the summer, why?”

“Usually, I wear my hat to rituals and stuff because channelling energy is way easier with a hat. But in October my coven wears it to let the spirits and the fair folk know they shouldn’t fuck around with us,” Tim explains. And Martin looks him dead into his eyes and says: “Makes sense.”

.

Three days before Halloween (or Mischief Night as Tim likes to call it), Tim drops off a bottle of essential oil at Martin’s desk. Before Martin can ask about it, Tim says: “I brought you essential oils for your headache.”

“Because,” Martin starts and stops hesitantly, wondering when he mentioned his headaches in front of Tim, without coming up with an answer, “you’re a witch.”

Tim nods, adding however: “But, you know, essential oils don’t need magic to work.”

“Makes sense,” Martin says, for the simple reason that he doesn’t know what else to say. This is getting ridiculous, but he doesn’t want to be the buzzkill. He wants to be Tim’s friend (or date, despite the whole witch-thing) and friends are supportive of each other! Friends don’t judge you for your oddities.

Tim changes the topic: “Do you have anything planned for Mischief Night?” Martin shakes his head. “Then I would like to formally invite you to celebrate Mischief Night with me.”

“Wouldn’t a formal invite require an invitation card?” Martin asks back, propping his chin up on his hand, a curious tilt in his voice.

“I’ll get to that,” Tim replies, while he suppresses a smile that threatens to take over his face. “So, it’s a date?”

Martin closes his eyes, short enough to be mistaken with a blink, and says: “Yeah, it’s a date.” The aching in his chest makes him wish Tim would be a little less nice and a little more without ambiguity. Even though he wants it to be a romantic date, this is just a friendly outing with a guy claiming to be a witch.

.

Fortunately, Mischief Night (or Halloween as everyone else seems to call it) is a Saturday, which means that Tim can pick Martin up at his flat in Stockwell. Neither Tim nor Martin own a car, but Tim borrowed Danny’s well-loved VW Beetle and it’s only about thirty-seven kilometres until they reach Bocketts Farm.

Martin’s glad the midday fog has eased up, and the sun warms the skin on his forearms, since he rolled up the sleeves of his jumper. Tim is right beside him, his pointy hat decorated with probably fake cobwebs.

“I’m a bit disappointed you didn’t pick me up on your broomstick,” Martin says when they walk through the entrance of the farm. Despite the slight fear that Tim will take offence and abandon him on this farm, he feels comfortable enough to make a joke like this. He thinks he knows Tim well enough to know that Tim would tell him if he were overstepping any boundaries.

Tim’s answer is a little more defensive than Martin anticipated: “Flying is hard, okay. Usually, I ride shotgun.”

Martin gapes, for lack of a better word, and almost walks into a fencepost if it weren’t for Tim pulling him aside. Instead of letting go of Martin’s arm, Tim threads his own through and links them in the most casual way Martin has ever seen. This is nice. (Tim is nice.)

“What do you want to do first?” Tim inquires when Martin doesn’t say anything else. “I personally am inclined to start with apple-bobbing.” He points to a small group of people around a water filled barrel. Martin makes a noncommittal sound, shrugging his shoulders at the same time, and Tim steers him softly towards the event.

“Supposedly, the barrel symbolises the cauldron of rebirth,” Tim says while they walk the remaining distance. Martin casts a look in his direction. He’s a bit preoccupied with the thought that Tim wants him to stick his head into ice cold water to fish for an apple with his teeth, so he only says: “Makes sense.” Even though he’s not sure in what way rebirth is connected to divining the first letter of your future spouse’s name.

When they come to a halt in front of the barrel, it doesn’t take long until they have their turn. Tim yields to Martin and he sighs before he steps up the barrel, takes a deep breath and dives in. The water is freezing, tiny pinpricks on Martin’s skin, and it’s really, really hard to actually get his teeth on an apple because every time he touches on, it submerges and sideslips. (It’s frustrating. Like shelving books in the Magnus library is frustrating. He knows he got it right but in reality he doesn’t.)

It takes forever or at least it feels like forever, his face in cold water and his fingers in Tim’s hand. (Wait, when did Tim grab his hand? Did he grab Tim’s hand? Oh, he must have sometime between their arrival at the barrel and his endeavour to bob for an apple.) But then he catches a small one between his teeth and gets out of the water as fast as possible. Tim lets out a loud whistle and his free hand pats Martin’s shoulder in congratulation. Whereas Martin’s free hand gets rid of the water in his face and pulls the apple out of his mouth.

“This is terrible,” he says through a chuckle because he can’t be mad with the sun shining into his face like it’s late summer and not autumn. “It’s your turn.”

Martin has to let go of Tim’s hand because a member of staff hands a knife to him and he starts peeling the apple in one unbroken strip.

Apparently, Tim’s either more practiced in apple-bobbing or he’s really a witch and helped himself along with magic, because it takes him not nearly as long as Martin to catch an apple. He waits for Martin to finish peeling his apple and relieves Martin of the knife.

“You have to throw it over your left shoulder,” Tim explains earnestly. “It’s the side of the heart. It won’t work otherwise.”

“Makes sense,” Martin says, and it kind of does. Still he waits for Tim to finish peeling his own apple. Then they hand back the knife and stand side by side, throwing the peel on the count of three over their left shoulders.

“It looks like a T,” Tim says, when he catches sight of Martin’s apple peel, tapping the tip of his index finger against his chin.

Martin laughs, he's not entirely sure why but he can't stop himself. He replies: “It looks like a C, all of them look like Cs. And if they don’t, then they look like Os.” He points at Tim’s apple peel. “Look, yours looks like a C, too.”

“It’s just a tad short,” Tim retorts. “See, it started to form a small M but only came around to curve into a small N.” He laughs, too. “The apples have spoken, Martin. We’re destined for each other.”

“Well,” Martin says and he can’t shake the soft warmth that curls underneath his solar plexus, “if the apples say that, it must be right.”

.

They spend a good few hours on the farm, carving pumpkins and turnips, wandering through the maze and passing by goats and sheep and pigs, before they get to a bon fire Tim wants to sit down at to warm up a bit. The afternoon had been warm, but now that the sun has set cold creeps into their clothes and Tim complains about his between-season jacket. Martin who’s still warm despite the cold breeze gently extends his hand for Tim to hold.

For a few moments they fall quiet, only listening to the cracking of the fire.

But it doesn’t take long for Tim to reach into his pockets to fish for something and bring four conkers to light. He presents them to Martin and says: “Do you want to?” And Martin nods, only in part because Tim could ask anything of him and Martin would gladly do it.

They place their conkers in the flames respectively and when Martin’s first one cracks, Tim questions: “Did you name them?”

Martin shakes his head. Only a moment passes by, then:

“Did you name them?” Martin asks, and he doesn't look at Tim. His eyes are transfixed on the two conkers resting side by side. The left is already cracked. Tim doesn't look at Martin either, but he answers nevertheless: “I named both of them Martin. Didn't want to take the risk.”

And this, precisely, is the instant, Martin realises this could indeed be a date. A date date. A rendezvous Tim has asked him on, waiting for Martin to make a clear step towards him or not.

“Is this a date?” Martin blurts out, finally looking at Tim who ducks his head and blushes. He doesn’t want to sound incredulously, but the sheer ridiculousness of the situation sends his head spinning. A laugh bubbles out of his chest before he can stop it. “Tim, is this a date?”

“Well,” Tim starts and has the audacity to sound something akin to shy, “I thought it was a date. It was implied, I thought I explicitly said it was a date.” His gaze falls onto their joined hands. “I thought you knew we were dating.” Then he pales. “Oh, this is really awkward. I’m sorry.”

Tim attempts to let go of Martin’s hand, but Martin holds onto him.

“No, no, no, it’s okay,” Martin says, the laugh still on his tongue. His chest feels lighter than ever and he can’t keep the bright smile off his face. “I wanted this to be a date, honestly. I just didn’t think it could actually be one.”

“Oh, that’s,” Tim clears his throat, finally looking back at Martin’s face, “that’s good. Nice. Toit.”

.

“Does this have deeper cultural meaning, too?” Martin asks after sitting between stacks of hay on top of a wagon. He’s not sure if he’s a tiny bit sarcastic or if he finally accepted Tim’s commitment for his aesthetic.

“No,” Tim replies, while he sits down cross-legged next to Martin. “I just think hayrides are neat.”

“I’ve never been on a hayride before,” Martin says, before he moves closer to Tim, so that his thigh slots underneath Tim’s knee. “It’s kind of romantic.”

“Is it?” Tim teases, leaning into Martin’s space with ease. “I didn’t notice.” Then he pauses for a second, his eyes flicking down to Martin’s lips. “As soon as the tractor starts it won’t be anymore, so if you want to use the magic of hayride romanticism to kiss me, you should do it now.”

Martin moves in closer, too, now he can feel Tim’s breath on his skin. He says: “So, hayrides are magical.” But Tim doesn’t answer him. Instead he closes the remaining distance between them and kisses Martin. (And maybe, only maybe, hayrides are magic.)

Their kiss only lasts for a few seconds before the engine of the tractor starts and the hayride begins. (They’re extremely lucky or magic is involved because they’re alone. The only other option is that hayrides are typically for children and their parents and it’s too late for them to participate. At this point, Martin doesn’t care. He’s surrounded by hay and Tim kissed him.)

Martin laughs breathlessly when they break apart because he catches sight of Tim almost losing his pointy hat due to the jolt of the wagon and says: “You’re right. Romance is dead.”

“My greatest virtue and my greatest curse is always being right,” Tim replies, readjusting the hat on his head. “I’m kind of glad tomorrow is the last day and I can take this thing off afterwards.”

For a second, Martin contemplates saying that Tim doesn’t have to wear it now. That if his aesthetic gets in the way of his everyday life, it’s alright to break out. But he doesn’t. Because this is nice, and he won’t tell Tim what to do. If Tim wants to wear a pointy hat, Tim gets to wear a pointy hat.

In search of changing the topic, Martin looks around the wagon and his gaze falls onto a small lantern at the back of the wagon. It’s supposed to be lit so that crossing folks can see the wagon; like the backlights of a bicycle or car. The lid isn’t fully shut, though, and the steady breeze of the moving wagon has extinguished the flame.

Martin pats his pockets from the outside, before he turns to Tim: “Do you have a lighter?”

Unfortunately, Tim shakes his head. More unfortunately, he says: “Doesn’t matter.” Then he leans forward, opening the lid fully and reaching into the lantern. The tip of his finger connects with the wick of the candle and by the time he pulls it back, the wick ignites and a small flame flickers to life.

Martin, once again, gapes. This is magic, Tim is a witch, Tim is a witch, o my fucking god.

“What?” Tim asks as he sits back down next to Martin.

“You’re a witch,” Martin says, and to his own surprise without the exact amount of disbelief he feels. “This is magic and you’re a witch.”

Tim smiles through his irritation and ripostes: “Martin, dear, I told you I’m a witch.”

“Yeah,” Martin responds and maybe he sounds as hysterical as he is, but this is ridiculous, “I didn’t think you were serious.”

“What did you think I meant every time I told you I was out with my coven?” Tim inquires bewildered, and everything about his demeanour suggests that he’s going to burst into laughter at any given moment.

“Honest?” Martin doesn’t wait for Tim to answer. “With all the essential oils I kinda thought it was a MLM.”

Tim furrows his eyebrows, the laughter dying on his tongue. They stare at each other and Tim says slowly: “My coven is not a group of Marxists who Love Marketing.” He stops dead in his tracks. “Men Loving Marketing?” Tim screws up his eyes. “I don’t know if you’re insinuating that I love men, that I’m a comrade or part of a pyramid scheme.” Before Martin can interject something, Tim says: “I’m working for the Magnus Institute, so where’s the lie?”

He pauses, then he says: “Witches are real, and you thought this is just a funny multilevel marketing meme.”

This breaks something lose in Martin and he honest to God starts giggling: “You’re terrible. Do you know that?”

“I’m doing my best,” Tim retorts, laughing as well.

After their laughter dies away, Martin says: “Is this why you said the institute is one pile of magical bullshit?” He thinks better of it. “Is this why you said the library isn’t conscious? Is it a witch who’s rearranging the shelves?”

It takes a moment for Tim to answer: “No, it’s a ghost.”

“A ghost is rearranging the shelves,” Martin repeats. “Okay, alright, sure. A ghost. Is there something else I should know about?”

“I don’t think so. His name is Jürgen, he died in the tunnels underneath the Institute and thinks it’s really funny to fuck with us.” Tim grabs Martin’s hand again. “You can talk to him and tell him to fuck off, though. Sometimes it works.”

Martin makes a noncommittal sound and lays his head on Tim’s shoulder even though their shoulders line up and it’s incredibly uncomfortable. This is weird and this is nice and they will have to talk about this, but their ride is almost over and Martin wants to bask for a few precious minutes in Tim’s silent company before they have to get off and head back.

Tim draws nonsensical shapes on the back of Martin’s hand with his thumb, and Martin feels content and warm and perhaps a little bewitched.

Before the ride ends, Martin asks: “Do you have any plans for tomorrow?”

“Tomorrow,” Tim says hesitantly, “we’re going to celebrate All Hallow’s Day. My coven’s going to light a fire to ward off evil spirits and ghosts. The ashes of All Hallow’s fire keep calamity at bay and we use it for augury.” He sounds apologetic. “But I could come by afterwards.”

And it’s the first time, Martin doesn’t hesitate or feels that his words are tinged with an exasperated confusion when he says: “Makes sense.” So he adds after a moment: “That would be lovely.”

[theancientgeekoroman]

hi! i'm a high-schooler who wants to pursue a career in classics and ancient history and you're a massive inspiration to me, I was wondering if you have any advice for an aspiring classicist

Hey! I’m glad to be an inspiration :3

So, the first thing I would suggest is to read, read, read. I know it’s expensive to get a lot of books, but remember that public libraries (and check your high school library, too!) might have many of the books you might want to read before you head into a Classics program.

If you would prefer to have these things online so you can access a lot of different things, here are my favorite websites to refer to:

http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/

https://www.gutenberg.org/

http://www.sacred-texts.com/search.htm

The next thing to remember is that if you’re an undergraduate student, you’re not going to know everything in every class. Be open to exploring - take courses that have a focus on the ancient world, but don’t be afraid to stray into other courses (I took enough Medieval courses (history, literature, art history) that I was one course away from a minor). One of the things that I would recommend is searching for schools that have a program you think you’ll enjoy and e-mail the professors! I e-mailed the director of the Classical Studies department at Villanova University back and forth for a long time before I applied to the graduate program and she was quite supportive and explained things well to me. This was a big reason I decided that I decided that Villanova was right for me. The professors and how they interact with potential students will tell you a lot about the faculty as well as the program. Look through the potential courses at the universities you’re interested in, and whether they have all the courses, you would be interested in, including courses for other aspects of the field.

Classics courses can be under Anthropology or Archaeology, Art History, English/Literature, Greek/Latin, Library Sciences, Law, Museum Studies, Theatre, etc. If you’re interested in exploring any of these areas of Classics, I would suggest exploring these courses if the university offers them as well. This would also help you hone in on what area of the field you might be most interested in pursuing - a lot of people who go into Classics either end up teaching or working in a museum, from my experience. However, those aren’t your only choices, and we’ll get back to that more towards the end :3

If you’re not sure if you’d like archaeology, if you can afford an archaeological field school, I would say try to participate in one when you’re an undergraduate student, or if you can’t, see if your local state parks have any need for archaeological volunteers. That’s something that I’ve been investigating in Las Vegas (where I live); this isn’t Classics specifically, but much of the work will be similar so you can gauge whether you like digging enough to do it for a living. This past summer I did my first archaeological field school (three years after I completed my B.A. in History/Classics), so if you wait a little longer, that’s okay, too. But, I loved it, and I definitely want to dig again, so I think that it’s important to find a way to pursue those opportunities when you can (I was lucky to get a full-time job a year before I went and was able to save up - I didn’t take any vacation time in the year and a half from when I was hired until after the field school). There are field school scholarships that you can apply to, like the Jane C. Waldbaum Archaeological Field School Scholarship (https://www.archaeological.org/grants/708), that are for students pursuing their first field school, amongst other funding, so make sure you look everywhere and ask your university if they have a database for field school funding. A lot of your anthropology and archaeology professors will be helpful in asking about this. Your university might also have archaeology opportunities on campus as well; my alma mater, the University of Delaware, had an Archaeology Laboratory that I volunteered in for extra credit and continued to do so once my course was over because I enjoyed it so much. See what’s around and how you can help out!

In the same vein, if you’re interested in museum work, look to see if you can volunteer over the summer, or once you’re a university student, see if you can enroll in an internship for credit. Sometimes your university galleries and museums might have a program, so look into that, too! I did a Curatorial Apprenticeship Program at the University of Delaware and was able to conduct an Independent Study for credit through the museum program (now the University of Delaware has a Museum Studies minor). I’ve always known that my end goal was to be a curator, but there’s plenty of other aspects of museums you can explore: education, administration, museum libraries, and a lot of other departments, depending on the size of the institution. If you’re in the U.S., you can check my museum post to see if your state has ancient art (https://theancientgeekoroman.tumblr.com/post/179105816745/master-list-of-museums-with-greek-roman), and if you’re in another country, don’t worry, I’m working on master lists for other countries, too.    

Many courses may be taught in translation (especially if you’re taking it as an English Literature or Foreign Language in Translation course), so see if you can find the best or most highly recommended translations by professors. See what the book lists are for the courses at the universities you’re looking at and try to find your favorite translation. I just bought the Emily Wilson translation of The Odyssey, which I have a feeling will be my favorite translation. This is The Iliad translation I have (http://www.librarything.com/work/3426497/book/161094444), The Aeneid (http://www.librarything.com/work/11862/book/161072440), Metamorphoses (http://www.librarything.com/work/3439/book/161072432), and The Love Songs of Sappho (http://www.librarything.com/work/237534/book/161093187). All of these were assigned textbooks for my Biblical and Classical Literature and Mythology courses at the University of Delaware between 2007-2015 (those links take you to my LibraryThing, which will tell you most of the books that I own or I have on my wishlist, if you want to check them out; I haven’t finished organizing their categories yet, though, so it’s a WIP).   

If you haven’t been exposed to Ancient Greek or Latin at the high school level and university will be the first time you encounter these languages (as was true for me), you don’t necessarily have to know anything by the first day of class. However, if you would like a head start, here are some lessons on Ancient Greek in YouTube format (http://www.openculture.com/2016/08/learn-ancient-greek-in-64-free-lessons-from-brandeis-harvard.html) and in text format (https://lrc.la.utexas.edu/eieol/grkol). Latin, unsurprisingly, has a lot more resources for free online learning (I even bought a Udemy course to review my Latin): The University of Texas at Austin: https://lrc.la.utexas.edu/eieol/latol, http://learn101.org/latin.php, and this list is good to consult: https://www.omniglot.com/language/articles/latinapps.htm. I haven’t used all of these myself, so explore and see which ones would be best for you and works best for how you learn.

If you decide to continue with Classics into the graduate level, keep in mind that you’ll need German AND French or Italian. I took both French and Italian as an undergraduate and I can read French pretty well because I took it for four years in high school and studied abroad in Caen for five weeks as an undergraduate. Italian I can kind of read alright, but I know no German, which I need to work on. So, if you have a language requirement and your Latin or Greek does not count, keep those languages in mind. (Sometimes you have to take a certain amount of Latin or Ancient Greek for it to count, and your program may not require as many ancient language courses for your major as the language requirement for the university, etc. I only needed to take Ancient Greek or Latin, but I decided I wanted to do both.)

Classics is an extremely interdisciplinary field, so you have a lot of options, both as an undergraduate and a graduate student. You don’t necessarily need to go straight into graduate school, either. You can teach at the high school level, you can go into archaeology fieldwork or museum work, or do a variety of other things. It’s up to you. I took a year off, got a different Master of Arts degree before I applied to my M.A. in Classical Studies. It’s different for everyone. I’ll be 30 when I get my M.A. in Classical Studies, so take your time and explore things that call to you. Don’t rush things and have fun!

Of course, I’m sure you want to know “What can I do with a Classics degree?” Luckily, many places have already made lists like this! Here they are:

https://www.angelo.edu/services/career/majors/classics.php

https://www.canterbury.ac.nz/careers/subjects/classics/

https://classicalstudies.org/education/careers-for-classicists/an-undergraduate-degree-in-the-classics

https://www.exeter.ac.uk/media/universityofexeter/careersandemployability/subjectfactsheets/subjectfacsheets/2016ese030_Classics_st1.pdf

http://loveofhistory.com/what-jobs-can-you-get-with-an-ancient-history-and-classics-degree/

https://www.prospects.ac.uk/careers-advice/what-can-i-do-with-my-degree/classics

And I made a post with different places that post Classics positions as well, for when you’re ready to look for those (I check them regularly to see the requirements people want for these positions to either match up or if I need further training or credentials): https://theancientgeekoroman.tumblr.com/post/178955792555/since-im-still-in-my-ma-program-for-classical   

TLDR & recap:

Read, read, read

Research your potential schools

Volunteer

Explore aspects of the field

Have fun!

Additionally, I found this list of people that have Classics degrees :3

https://rogueclassicism.com/folks-you-didnt-know-maybe-had-classics-degrees/

I hope you found this helpful and I apologize for the length, but feel free to drop me a line whenever you like if you need more advice or would like me to expand on any of my experiences!

All the best,

The Ancient Geeko-Roman

P.S. Folklore Fiancé wanted to make sure I didn’t overwhelm you and wanted to encourage you to make sure you take your time and take breaks when studying. Don’t overwhelm yourself with your research; take your time to explore different areas and don’t tackle too many things at once. *takes off parent hat*

[mandeath46-blog]

The Globe Of Academic Publishing - Enago Academy.

What Is Academic Journal?

What is Academic Journal? It is a compilation newsworthy and also discussions created by faculty members who are actually teachers, employee as well as lecturers to trainees on the academic occupation of their establishments. These publications were in the beginning launched online and afterwards in printed type with membership needed for every private periodical problem.

Earlier there were just online publications readily available. Having said that, as the demand for these diaries increased, thus carried out the several academic meetings and diaries to which these publications are given. Various forms of the academic meetings are being coordinated from time to time. These conferences are actually being held for different causes, like to carry out brand new study or even study olden ones, administer seminars and talks on several subject matters, etc.

. Such conferences are actually accepted various purposes like to hand out aims for absolute best documents, to discover analysts as well as lecturers for crucial projects, to explain as well as make think about changing or even producing brand new educational program as well as teachers' instruction, and so on. As a result different meetings are being actually managed every year and at regular periods. These conferences are actually primarily worried about upgrading the existing educational program of a company, specifying new one. Nevertheless, there are some meetings that concentrate on grading as well as awarding students for their informative efficiency and also post-graduation work.

The conferences have various themes like "Discovering Knowledge and also Mindsets" to "Professions as well as Their Perks and Negative aspects" to "Utilizing Online Sermons and also Displays" to "Advertising And Marketing of Investigation Work" to "Arts and Liberal arts" to "Examining Approach". They also adhere to different layouts for conferences like workshops, workshops, visitor talks, editorials, dissertations, ventures and so on

. get more info of the informative seminars are created for the much younger creation of college students. Much older students who are retired or even functioning in educational institutions have some leisure time which they may use for composing their academic journals. These write-ups are commonly in the form of daily record access.

However, once they resign or even leave behind the organizations, after that their leisure time is limited to their remarried loved ones or even good friends. However when the writer determines to compose again, he or she begins seeking an appropriate subject matter. This moment he or she will certainly compose a whole entire short article. The short article receives posted in a separate journal alongside the other conference write-ups.

There are lots of academic journals offered which satisfy various subject matters such as Journal of Kid's Literature, Journal of Social Issues, Journal of Medieval Research Studies, Journal of the United States Historical Association, British History, Assessment of African Researches, etc. A common academic journal would be pretty short as well as would certainly contain about three to four many thousand terms.

In a nutshell, what is an academic journal? It is a selection of notes and also discussions made by professor who are actually teachers, employee and lecturers to trainees on the academic career of their institutions. These journals were actually initially released on the internet and afterwards in imprinted kind along with membership needed for each individual periodical problem.

What is a Journal?

Academic journals are an usual function in academic literature. While academic journals do not typically have study results, rather they usually tend to be the 1st resource of news concerning the current accomplishments as well as obstacles that an academic community is actually facing. These publications have actually ended up being an integral aspect of a researcher's lifestyle and also, even more importantly, allow a scientist to carry on releasing academic end results. This brings in academic diaries the main publication site for many researchers, along with an expanding amount of academic companies and even specific scholastics making every effort to publish their do work in these diaries, without the motivation of authorities companies or cashing bodies.

What is actually considered an academic journal? Commonly speaking, academic diaries are those that are posted by professional academic organizations. For example, the American Journal of Human Biology is actually one such publication. Though this publication was founded by human the field of biology professionals, it is likewise commonly described as the "very first journal for the biological sciences." This journal is actually primarily utilized through expert biologists however a few other specialties, such as the molecular the field of biology neighborhood, may also publish their findings in this journal.

How to find an academic journal? Finding an academic journal is certainly not as hard as it seems. All you require to carry out is to seek out your specific willpower on the internet, for example, biology journals as well as public libraries will usually publish a list of publications in this particular style. As an alternative, go through your library or bookshop and seek journals connected to your particular self-control. A crucial point to keep in mind is actually that journals from different techniques and academic disciplines carry out not necessarily possess the same material so you should regularly make certain that you are comfortable along with the subjects of the journal just before providing it.

Exactly how Perform I Receive My Academic Newspaper Published?

The fantastic feature of writing a newspaper or manual is that you could be completely sure that it is going to be read, as well as the tips you communicate will be actually gotten and also take into terms. Regrettably, just how perform I get my academic newspaper published? As well as in the case of created works, how perform I locate a publisher to become able to create this feasible? Certainly not simply that, however what carries out a publisher actually carry out, and exactly how can they assist? You will locate that finding an expert publisher is actually not difficult, although the work demanded coming from a publisher may be time-consuming.

Firstly, you have to think about the form of report you desire to create, whether it is actually a research, thesis recap, theses, treatises, treatises and also theses, as well as some of the formalities require to become addressed just before you may expect your editor to contact you to become capable to modify your job. Naturally, there are bunches of people that operate online in the course of what they carry out, and they take care of academic writing along with other written jobs. This means that they are going to manage to manage the research study associated with your papers, and they will have the moment to commit to this. Also, this type of individual are going to possess a ton of knowledge and are going to recognize how to take care of these situations. Regarding how do I get my academic newspaper released? this is the initial step.

Along with numerous business around that belong to academic paper creating, you might want to think about these concepts, to stay away from any sort of confusion. A great idea will be actually to search for the responses on Google.com and also other search engines as well as observe what you may locate, and if the knowledge you gain is not nearly enough at that point contact your nearby office of an academic composing firm. That is actually just how do I get my academic newspaper released, it goes without saying.

[mirk-eaves]

Choosing a Vet School

I had to choose between my two acceptances before the April 15th national deadline between Michigan State University and Long Island University. Below, I’ve outlined my pros and cons list for each school, which ultimately helped me make the ultimate decision.

Michigan State University:

Pros: 

Well-established and reputable veterinary school

Has own veterinary college infrastructure and teaching hospital

Reduced tuition starting this incoming year making tuition cheaper than Long Island University

I get to live on my own (as someone who really enjoys my independence from my family, this is huge)

Support group in Ann Arbor, a mile away (my lab, Ann Arbor friends)

Current students seem immensely happy and feel supported by their faculty and administration

Dedicated resources for vet students such as library, student space, psychologist, social services, financial help, clubs/student orgs

New curriculum: flipped classroom seems like a method in which I would thrive. I really like the idea and it excites me to learn body systems one at a time rather than all at once. I feel like I would succeed better in that kind of environment.

High NAVLE pass rate: historically the pass rates has been from 95% to 98%

Highly ranked: vet school rankings honestly do not matter, but it does give me a sense of pride and accomplishment to attend the 3rd best veterinary school in the United States, ranked 8th in the world (according to the QS 2020 ranking)

As an out-of-state student, if you commit to working in Michigan for one year after you graduate, the college refunds you the cost difference between the out of state and instate tuition for your fourth year, which is HUGE. They just give you a check, no strings attached, and you can just do whatever you want with it. They say some people pay their student loan with it, some people just go buy a car with it, literally that money is yours!

Support system from upperclassmen: there are established classes already at the school that I would be able to reach out for support, advice, and mentorship.

As I’ve been living and working in Michigan for the past three years out of undergrad, I can apply for in-state residency, which would significantly lower my tuition, if approved by the registrar (cross my fingers)

Lots of opportunities to engage in research, clubs/organizations, study abroad, etc.

Professors seem to really enjoy teaching and engage with the students to succeed. According to current students, they are accessible and supportive beyond just the academic sphere.

According to students, once you are in the school, the school tries really hard to make sure you succeed and don’t fail out.

Big sib/little sib and “houses” mentorship and bonding

Cons:

out of state tuition used to be one of the highest in the country (BUT pro: has been recently reduced for the incoming class!!!!)

Michigan. I talked about this more in my Michigan State University interview post. Basically I kind of want to move out of Michigan for personal reasons, but beggars cannot be choosers, and ultimately this really isn’t a big deal in the long run.

Long Island University:

Pros:

Close to my family on Long Island (~25 minutes away) so established support group in the area

I can commute to school, which saves money on high living expenses on Long Island

New school so can establish modernized curriculum and culture, without being bogged down by “historical” culture.

Honestly, a new, clean slate to establish culture, organizations, leaderships, and other opportunities.

New facilities being built mean state-of-the-art and modern technologies and commodities (usually), but I’m a firm believer of “show, not tell” and as this university has not actually built their facility yet, refer to the second and third bullet point of the “cons” list about this.

Cons:

I’d live with my family on Long Island (lol - I love my family, but we get along better when we have our own space)

Does not currently have a dedicated veterinary school/facility or teaching hospital. It seems like they have plans to build a veterinary school, but haven’t done so, yet. They have plans to start building in June, but I am hesitant to confidently think they would be able to have a fully functional and safe building by the start of term in August, especially now that there is COVID-19 hitting Long Island and that part of the island particularly hard. 

No plans to build a teaching hospital which means all clinical rotations will be off-site and done in partnerships with clinics/institutions around Long Island. I know some schools already do this and it works for them (ie: Lincoln Memorial University), but I am not personally a fan of this method because I feel like there would be inconsistencies with clinical assessment and evaluation and therefore would be difficult to normalize for each student. Also, I’ve heard some horror stories of partnerships falling through and students having to commute long distances just for a rotation, that’s not supposed to be an externship.

It was difficult to communicate with the school about the resources or opportunities they have available to students. They never really had a Q/A or informational session. It was difficult to determine how much support the administration and faculty provide for their students. How invested are they to our personal and professional success?

EXTREMELY confusing application process. This might be just because it was the first time they are taking in a class for their vet school and it will hopefully improve in the future, but the experience for me and many other applicants according to student doctor network have been awfully convoluted. I was one of the lucky ones that applied early and therefore the process wasn’t bad for me at all, to be honest, but for other applicants, it was very nebulous and it makes me doubtful of the college’s ability to communicate and treat their students at the same level as a more established school that already has their administration down pat.

I reflected and contemplated a lot about the different aspects of each school that made me excited and hesitant to attend there. Read more below to see which school I chose!

I’ve decided to become a Spartan at Michigan State University! :) Go Green!!!!

[ucflibrary]

Every October UCF celebrates Diversity Week. This year’s dates are October 14 - 18, and the theme is Empowering Equity. University-wide departments and groups champion the breadth and culture within the UCF community, and work to increase acceptance and inclusion for everyone at UCF and the surrounding communities.

 One of the fantastic things about UCF is the wide range of cultures and ethnicities of our students, staff, and faculty. We come from all over. We’re just as proud of where we are from as we are of where we are now and where we will be heading in future.

 UCF Libraries will be offering a full slate of Diversity Week activities. To learn about the upcoming events visit: guides.ucf.edu/diversityweek

 Join the UCF Libraries as we celebrate diverse voices and subjects with these suggestions. Click on the link below to see the full list, descriptions, and catalog links for the featured UCF Celebrates Diversity titles suggested by UCF Library employees. These 12 books plus many more are also on display on the 2nd (main) floor of the John C. Hitt Library next to the bank of two elevators.

 And thank you to every Knight who works to help others feel accepted and included at UCF!

  Girl, Stop Apologizing: A shame-free plan for embracing and achieving your goals by Rachel Hollis In Girl, Stop Apologizing, Rachel Hollis sounds a wake-up call. She knows that many women have been taught to define themselves in light of other people—whether as wife, mother, daughter, or employee—instead of learning how to own who they are and what they want. With a challenge to women everywhere to stop talking themselves out of their dreams, Hollis identifies the excuses to let go of, the behaviors to adopt, and the skills to acquire on the path to growth, confidence, and believing in yourself. Suggested by Sandy Avila, Research & Information Services

 It Ain't So Awful, Falafel by Firoozeh Dumas Zomorod (Cindy) Yousefzadeh is the new kid on the block . . . for the fourth time. California’s Newport Beach is her family’s latest perch, and she’s determined to shuck her brainy loner persona and start afresh with a new Brady Bunch name—Cindy. It’s the late 1970s, and fitting in becomes more difficult as Iran makes U.S. headlines with protests, revolution, and finally the taking of American hostages. Even puka shell necklaces, pool parties, and flying fish can't distract Cindy from the anti-Iran sentiments that creep way too close to home. Suggested by Cindy Dancel, Research & Information Services

 Lean in: women, work, and the will to lead by Sheryl Sandberg with Nell Scovell Lean In continues the conversation around women in the workplace, combining personal anecdotes, hard data, and compelling research to change the conversation from what women can’t do to what they can. Sandberg provides practical advice on negotiation techniques, mentorship, and building a satisfying career.  Suggested by Katy Miller, Research, Education & Engagement

 Out of Many Faiths: religious diversity and the American promise by Eboo Patel In this inspiring and thought-provoking book, Patel draws on his personal experience as a Muslim in America to examine broader questions about the importance of religious diversity in the cultural, political, and economic life of the nation. He explores how religious language has given the United States some of its most enduring symbols and inspired many of its most vital civic institutions―and demonstrates how the genius of the American experiment lies in its empowerment of people of all creeds, ethnicities, and convictions. Suggested by Richard Harrison, Research & Information Services

 Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi Persepolis paints an unforgettable portrait of daily life in Iran and of the bewildering contradictions between home life and public life. Marjane’s child’s-eye view of dethroned emperors, state-sanctioned whippings, and heroes of the revolution allows us to learn as she does the history of this fascinating country and of her own extraordinary family. Intensely personal, profoundly political, and wholly original, Persepolis is at once a story of growing up and a reminder of the human cost of war and political repression. Suggested by Cindy Dancel, Research & Information Services

 Reclaiming the Black Past: the use and misuse of African American history in the twenty-first century by Pero Gaglo Dagbovie In this wide-reaching and timely book, Pero Gaglo Dagbovie argues that public knowledge and understanding of black history, including its historical icons, has been shaped by institutions and individuals outside academic ivory towers. Drawing on a range of compelling examples, Dagbovie explores how, in the twenty-first century, African American history is regarded, depicted, and juggled by diverse and contesting interpreters—from museum curators to filmmakers, entertainers, politicians, journalists, and bloggers. Suggested by Richard Harrison, Research & Information Services

 Savage Feast: three generations, two continents, and a dinner table (a memoir with recipes) by Boris Fishman The acclaimed author of A Replacement Life shifts between heartbreak and humor in this gorgeously told, recipe-filled memoir. A family story, an immigrant story, a love story, and an epic meal, Savage Feast explores the challenges of navigating two cultures from an unusual angle. Suggested by Megan Haught, Teaching & Engagement/Research & Information Services

 Text Me When You Get Home: the evolution and triumph of modern female friendship by Kayleen Schaefer From Broad City to Big Little Lies to what women say about their own best friends, the stories we're telling about female friendship have changed. What used to be written off as infighting between mean girls or disposable relationships that would be tossed as soon as a guy came along are no longer described like that. Now, we're lifting up our female friendships to the same level as our other important relationships, saying they matter just as much as the bonds we have with our romantic partners, children, parents, or siblings. Suggested by Megan Haught, Teaching & Engagement/Research & Information Services

 The Best We Could Do: an illustrated memoir by Thi Bui This beautifully illustrated and emotional story is an evocative memoir about the search for a better future and a longing for the past. Exploring the anguish of immigration and the lasting effects that displacement has on a child and her family, Bui documents the story of her family’s daring escape after the fall of South Vietnam in the 1970s, and the difficulties they faced building new lives for themselves. Suggested by Richard Harrison, Research & Information Services

 The Moment of Lift: how empowering women changes the world by Melinda Gates In this moving and compelling book, Melinda shares lessons she’s learned from the inspiring people she’s met during her work and travels around the world. As she writes in the introduction, “That is why I had to write this book―to share the stories of people who have given focus and urgency to my life. I want all of us to see ways we can lift women up where we live.” Melinda’s unforgettable narrative is backed by startling data as she presents the issues that most need our attention―from child marriage to lack of access to contraceptives to gender inequity in the workplace. And, for the first time, she writes about her personal life and the road to equality in her own marriage. Throughout, she shows how there has never been more opportunity to change the world―and ourselves. Suggested by Sandy Avila, Research & Information Services

 Tinderbox: the untold story of the up stairs lounge fire and the rise of gay liberation by Robert W. Fieseler Buried for decades, the Up Stairs Lounge tragedy has only recently emerged as a catalyzing event of the gay liberation movement. In revelatory detail, Robert W. Fieseler chronicles the tragic event that claimed the lives of thirty-one men and one woman on June 24, 1973, at a New Orleans bar, the largest mass murder of gays until 2016. Relying on unprecedented access to survivors and archives, Fieseler creates an indelible portrait of a closeted, blue- collar gay world that flourished before an arsonist ignited an inferno that destroyed an entire community. The aftermath was no less traumatic―families ashamed to claim loved ones, the Catholic Church refusing proper burial rights, the city impervious to the survivors’ needs―revealing a world of toxic prejudice that thrived well past Stonewall. Suggested by Richard Harrison, Research & Information Services

 Womanish: a grown black woman speaks on love and life by Kim McLarin Searing in its emotional honesty, Womanish is an essay collection that explores what it means to be a black woman in today’s turbulent times. Writing with candor, wit and vulnerability on topics including dating after divorce, depression, parenting older children, the Obama’s, and the often fraught relations between white and black women, McLarin unveils herself at the crossroads of being black, female and middle-aged, and, ultimately, American. Powerful and timely, Womanish draws upon a lifetime of experiences to paint a portrait of a black woman trying to come to terms with the world around her, and of a society trying to come to terms with black women. Suggested by Megan Haught, Teaching & Engagement/Research & Information Services

[morganeuk]

The Doctor & the Librarian. (Sherlock AU)

Part 2: Brainy is the new sexy

(Read Part 1: Kissing is not required on Tumblr)

Summary: Three days before John talked (wrote in fact!) to a sassy librarian that helped him on a medical case but gived him a fake name…Now, he’s desperately want to talk to him again! 

“Who gives a false name at work?” Molly’s peals of laughter wake John from his daydreaming about a librarian! “Did I just say that aloud?” I totally forgot that I was at Bart’s on my lunch break! This is ridiculous!

“Yes, man, you did!” His friend Mike replies with a big smile. “You don’t see your face right now, you’ve got it solid man… Come on, what’s the story?”

“Have you found someone interesting? Oh John, I am so happy for you!” Molly often thinks about the ex-army doctor.  He’s always so lonely, except at work.  No girlfriend or boyfriend, no real contact with his family, no other friends, it is kind of sad after all he went through… “And WHAT… You don’t know her name? This is funny!”

“It’s a he, I think or it is also bullshit…” John mutters. “This is silly, just a mirage that will never become anything.” The high that he got after talking with his colleague about the diagnosis, because of the librarian’s cunning ability two days ago, was now gone.  I am stupid; I can’t fall for someone from a ten minutes discussion on a bloody helpline… Pathetic!

Looking at his friends, and with the promise that they won’t laugh at him, he relates with a defeated expression the short discussion.  "I contacted the Oxford Library helpline because I was needing an article to confirm a diagnosis, you know that case Churchill was rambling about? I spoke with a librarian, really sassy… As I am neither a student nor a member of staff he couldn’t give me the article because of licensing issues or whatever. He asked me to give him the symptoms… and confirmed my diagnosis in two minutes.“ John was still flabbergasted by the skills of the man. Or woman, God, this is ridiculous!

"He’s a intelligent bastard, for sure, and that’s was it?” Mike was glancing dubiously at his friend.

“It’s not all, he… I don’t know how to explain it, but he was able to… read me? deduce me? After only a few words he could tell that I was an ICU doctor! It’s more than being intelligent, he’s brilliant! And even after he was aware that I am a doctor, he put me in my place once or twice.” John has not been interested in someone like this in a long time.

“I think it’s wonderful!” Molly warns Mike with a not so soft kick under the table “… and we support anything you want to do to find him!”

“That’s the worst thing… I searched for him in the library directory, but no librarian is called William. He didn’t text me back and I don’t know what to do next…” He theatrically laid his head heavily on the cafeteria table with a big profound sigh. I’m back in college again!

Mike, finally unable to control himself, laughed out loud. “I can’t believe this, you give your REAL phone number to a bloke after 10 minutes…OUCH! Molly!!!!” Molly, who kicks her friend with all her strength (and the help of one of her pointy shoes), looks angelic and smiles as Mike narrows his eyes at her.

“Sorry, mate.” Mike was massaging his ankle under the table. “If you feel something this strong, you should find a way to get in touch with him. Have you tried to contact the helpline again?”

“Yes, a few times. But it’s not him… It’s some boring professional who would loooove to help but can’t because I’m not an ‘oxfordian’. Not a sassy, talented, curious, sexy librarian!”

“You can’t know if you’ll find him attractive, darling.” Molly was looking at John with sympathy.

Mike, having wisely moved out of reach from Molly’s point shoe, couldn’t resist. “Yeah, maybe he is an absolute geek with oily skin full of acne; or it’s an old man with hairs in his nose or a fifty-year-old man with a loving wife and three kids. The only thing you know for sure, it’s that he’s brainy!”

“Brainy is the new sexy…” John replies with a definitive tone, ending the discussion before going back to work.

That evening, John was once more in front of his computer.

Let’s try one last time… If I still came to nothing, I will go to Oxford! Oh God, I’m crazy… And what should I say? Hi! I’m looking for an unknown librarian, probably a man, and I hope really sexy, can you help me?

For the third night in a row, John sits in front of his laptop. Not wanting to ask directly 'Is it William?’, he inquired each time about something that should trigger a feisty reply. A simple question: “Is it possible to access to Oxford electronic resources outside the Campus?” should be perfect to trigger the inner sassiness of his librarian. So far, the responses are always similar No problem sir, do you have your ID number near, I will help you step by step. (Definitely not William!)

Ready, a fresh cup of tea nearby, he clicks on the now familiar, 'Talk to a Librarian’ link.

Help desk: How can I help you?

Guest: I have question.

Help desk: Good think you click on that link then… Go on and don’t be boring!

(Oh My God! It’s…)

Guest: Is it possible to access to Oxford electronic resources outside the Campus?

Help desk: Yes and everything is already well documented on our web site. You do know how Internet works, right?

(It’s him… A workplace can only have one cheeky sexy bastard or the whole ecosystem will collapse in on itself! Breathe in, breathe out, breathe in…)

Help desk: Are you still there? You know, it may be better for you to use only things in hard copy… we have a really wonderful collections of rare books and…

Guest: … William?

Help desk: (…) Yes?

Guest: It’s John, from the other night. (…) you remember, the diagnosis you helped me with?

Help desk: What can I do for you?  You’re still not a member of this institution I suppose?

Guest: Eh no, I’m not. (…) I just want to let you know that it was the right diagnosis and doctors are treating the patient accordingly.

Help desk: That’s… good?

Guest: Yes, it is! At least they know what they are dealing with.

Help desk: Is that all? I’ve got work to do.

Guest: What are you doing right now?

Help desk: You want to know what I am doing? Why?

Guest: I’m curious.  I know that you don’t do shelving or work the circulation desk and that you are not supposed to be on the Help desk line… but otherwise, nothing!

Help desk: It’s nothing that would interest you. Good night.

Guest: Don’t go!

Guest: William!

Guest: You didn’t log out, I know you can read me.

Guest: I’m curious, that’s all. I want to know more about you. I know nothing about you except you’re a librarian. You already guessed that I’m an ICU doctor…

Help desk: I DON’T GUESS!!

Guest: Gotcha!  But really, do you have something to do more interesting than flirting with me?

Help desk: Is it flirting? You can’t flirt with an unidentified man. I could be married with kids or old enough to be your father.  

Help desk: Or a serial killer.

Guest: I can say for sure that you’re not a serial killer (…) I don’t know what you are doing to me, but every time I think about our last conversation I can’t stop smiling.

Help desk: It’s only the satisfaction of solving a case. (…) It’s a familiar feeling I can appreciate.

Guest: Is this why you become a librarian? To find things, clues… Discover answers in the chaos of all the information?

Help desk: Yes, something like that.  (…) I (…) I need to keep my mind occupy.

Guest: You’ve got something like ADHD?

Help desk: Yeah… something like that.

Guest: What are you doing when you are not helping a helpless, 35-ish years old, blond, globally in shape and single doctor?

Help desk: Are you back to flirting?

Guest: I’ve never quit ;-)

Help desk: sigh… ok I will reply to your question seriously then you will let me go back to work.  I’m a librarian in-situ, that’s mean that I’m working in a faculty, directly with the professors and the researchers and helping them in their projects. I’m doing the help desk only when nobody else is available.

Help desk: Satisfied?

Guest: Yes :-) Ta. This is a great job to participate in the creation of new knowledge and discoveries. That’s pretty impressive when you’re thinking about it. One more thing and I’ll let you go.

Help desk: What?

Guest: Your real name? Please…

(Help desk is disconnected)

Shit… He picked up his cup of tea and slowly sips the now lukewarm liquid when a musical 'bing’ resonates in the room. Opening his phone, he reads the new text message from an unknown caller.

“It’s Sherlock. -SH”

He quickly saves the number and the name in his directory. The hope of something new, anything, brings a huge smile to his face.

Read the complete series here! http://archiveofourown.org/series/770607

[mmip2019]

Cady de la Cruz, First American Art Magazine

Hello, my name is Cady de la Cruz. I was born and raised in New Jersey. I am currently living at home while I fulfill my internship at First American Art Magazine, reveling in Jersey shore summer, fresh summer veggies, and time spent with my brother’s baby. Working with publishing editor America Meredith at FAAM, which focuses on Indigenous arts of the Americas, is the best way I could have found to devote my energy this summer. This internship aligns so well with both my academic and personal interests.

I am a second-year student at the University of Virginia, who came last fall from a tiny Catholic school. Adjusting to UVA, I have found myself marveling at the vastness of opportunities that exist for students at the institution. It sounds like I am hyping up the place, but I hope you understand that I even found myself getting over excited over the library services, because having access like that has never been a reality in my life. Familiarizing myself with the many other ways students occupy themselves with work at UVA, I found the Mellon Indigenous Arts program after some conversations with some cool upperclassmen at the end of my first year. Immediately I wanted to participate in this and when internship applications were announced, I jumped to apply. 

The first subject I ever liked in school was 9th grade World History. I found myself reading every word of the chapters, doing extra research on the people and their stories. As an undergraduate, my tentative major is Anthropology, as well as a minor in Indigenous Studies.  Although I vacillate on which major I want to pursue, I am entirely sure I wish to study cultural and social topics, with a global perspective. 

Tracing to the places my blood comes from, connecting to my own indigeneity, has been a large part of my self-growth. I grew up in a family of immigrants in the U.S. which has a culture of appropriation and erasure. I have spent a lot of my teen years trying to understand myself, being mixed-race with a Peruvian father and a Polish mother, living in New Jersey in the meeting place of all cultures on unceded Lenape land. Much of my blood is Indigenous Andean, although the traumatic experiences of colonization and immigration have put so much space between me and that community. I look to my Polish ancestors and their folk traditions too. I found that I feel grounded when calling back to the places which the cells in my body know are home. I can see all the nuances and the paradoxes, as the full picture. I am no longer trying to fit into boxes to check. 

As I grapple with my own indigeneity, I find myself attracted to activism and Indigenous studies, which I have involved myself in at UVA. I did a research project in my cohort this past spring of the Latinx Leadership Institute which focused on furthering Indigenous issues at UVA. From there, I found the Native American and Indigenous Studies (NAIS) group, a coalition of faculty, staff, and students advocating for Indigenous issues at UVA. With them, I found that there is much work to be done here. I am incredibly inspired by the NAIS group.

I am unsure of what career path I want to follow. I would rather not have professional tunnel vision, but instead study what is important to me and then follow the opportunities that life puts in front of me. Though, this year I have discovered a love for writing. This work with First American Art Magazine is a way for me to test the waters with publishing while engaging with the subject matter of Indigenous issues, subjects and artists. I am so grateful for the opportunity. 

[misfits-of-zaun]

It is difficult not to smirk to himself, as he pulls off such a swift yet surreptitious disappearing act so close to the wire. The droves of academics around him are oblivious to the grifter in their midst, walking with a deliberately unhurried gait out of the exhibition hall, spine straight, hands in his pockets.

No one stops him. No one pays him any mind, aside from a couple of appreciative once-overs. When he slows his pace upon approaching the large double doors to the library, making a show of rifling through his bag, the student behind him continues past, inputs the door code and helpfully holds open the door for him. Lachlan smiles at her as he steps through.

It is incredible what you can get away with up Topside when you look clean, handsome and well-dressed.

Getting into the library is the easy part; navigating the many floors to track down the books on Nora's list, however, is more challenging, especially when the library starts closing for the night and staff are trying to shoo people out. Lachlan neatly evades them as they do their final sweeps, and takes a brief nap under one of the ridiculously large mahogany desks in the Quiet Study section.

Then, once the building is dark and silent and he's suitably satisfied that the coast is clear, he slips on the Night Owl Goggles that Nora designed, and hunts down the remaining books. He traces a pinpoint pen light down countless spines to read the titles - it's not exactly the most efficient method, but the building has a lot of windows, and a larger light source would draw investigation from suspicious security.

Lachlan nabs a couple of medical textbooks for Erin when he comes across them. His little sister won't approve of the way he procured them, but no doubt she'll make good use of the information within their pages. In another world, she'd be attending this fancy institution, learning in its state of the art facilities, getting an actual qualification that would enable her to make it in a respectable, well-paying career. She's smart enough to flourish with access to higher education - and so is Nora (although she would probably hate sitting in classrooms surrounded by people for hours on end.) But they're both Underfolk, and there is no seat at the table for them here.

The previously "borrowed" books are left in a neat stack on one of the return trolleys.

All things considered, the evening has been a success. The library doors are significantly easier to leave through than to enter, with a simple green button to disengage the keypad locking mechanism - evidently much more focus was put on keeping people breaking in instead of breaking out. There is an additional pin tumbler lock to keep the students from using their code to enter post-closing, but that is no obstacle for Lachlan.

To be thorough, and perhaps to further bamboozle the staff in the morning, Lachlan takes a minute to re-lock the doors behind him.

This is his fatal mistake.

“You missed the last restock of the tables.” 

Lachlan goes very still.

Ah, shit. It's Him.

"...Well. This is awkward." Lachlan keeps his voice light and affable, as he slowly turns to face the Probable Faculty Member. The other man is alone, and isn't pointing a weapon at him yet, but Lachlan knows all too well how quickly these kinds of situations can escalate. They're in the middle of an open corridor, and he can't be certain the Probable Faculty Member doesn't have a concealed weapon on him - the Topsiders are fond of their fancy little handbag pistols. If he takes off running right now, there's no guarantee that he won't get shot in the back.

"Sorry for ditching you back there - as much as I would have loved to keep discussing fire-retardant chemical dipping methods, I had some urgent student business come up." He flashes the man his best rogueish smile, even as he carefully keeps his hands at his sides, gloved palms tipped outwards - See? Not a threat. We can talk this out.

"No hard feelings?"

cold-blooded-candy​:​

“I don’t think I can make it that far on my own.”

Lachlan’s gaze flits briefly back down to the cane, and he affects an appropriately sympathetic look. Before he can open his mouth to run through the humble spiel of no worries, don’t overexert yourself on my account, maybe another time - the Possible Faculty Member continues in that same light and friendly manner:

 “It would at least take me some time. Why don’t we go together? After you grab your food.”

Lachlan hesitates. This isn’t a situation he has prepared for, and both immediate options are damning in different ways. If he agrees, he will be escorting the man directly to the discovery of his own lie, and his cover will be blown the second they arrive at Adrian’s booth. If he declines, it will be both markedly impolite and raise questions - which will in turn cast suspicion on his behaviour, and also blow his cover. The moment someone starts investigating, that will be it.

To cover his brief internal crisis, Lachlan finishes off the last of his drink - some kind of fruity, fizzy concoction that he’s relatively sure has no alcoholic content. Namely because all the clearly marked alcoholic beverages have disappeared the fastest.

“You really want to see our prototype? That’s great!”

This is not great. This is a problem.

“You can tell me more on the way. I know my lab could do with something to help with the chance of fire.” 

The situation is pretty far from ideal, but fortunately Lachlan has always been good at improvising. A contingency plan is already forming in his mind. The key, of course, is to keep acting as though nothing is wrong.

“Why, how much of your lab is flammable?” Lachlan jokes airily, resisting the urge to slip his hands into his pockets as he catches the Possible Faculty Member noticing his polydactyly. Hiding now will only draw more attention to them.

He misses his gloves.

“Or we can walk and look at other exhibits? We may have more in common than you think.”

The line only exacerbates his feeling of quiet unease, but it is too dangerous to dwell on right now. Lachlan has to focus on playing along.

“Yeah, that works. There are a few really cool exhibits I’ve been wanting to see. I’ll just grab some bits for Adrian - he’ll be annoyed if he misses out on these mini pies, they’re his favourite - and we can set off, then.”

The hall is bustling with people, and Lachlan fully intends to use that to his advantage. He leads them at an ambling pace down the aisle with the laser cutting booth - a very popular one, if the constant crowds around it are any indication.

It’s all a matter of timing. There’s a lot to look at, and all he needs is a 3 second opening; he should be able to slip out of sight and lose Possible Faculty Member the moment he becomes distracted by one of the shiny new tech displays.

@whatbecomesofprogress

“Why, how much of your lab is flammable?”

“Eh, not as much as some labs.” Viktor shrugs, waving a hand with it. “But a way to stop a fire never hurts.” It would only be a matter of time until there was one. They had gone this long without it. 

“Yeah, that works. There are a few really cool exhibits I’ve been wanting to see. I’ll just grab some bits for Adrian - he’ll be annoyed if he misses out on these mini pies, they’re his favourite - and we can set off, then.”

Viktor nods to the foods and waits for the other to grab what he wants. Then heads along the rows with him, certain the other has seen them all with how many times he had noticed him. But Viktor has not, spending a moment at each booth, even if they do not interest him too much. 

It is about the principle of it. Spending a moment to comment or talk to the student before moving along. Always turning to look to the other. As they walk he makes a few comments on the displays of other students to see how engaged the one walking with him is… 

The laser does stop him. Makes him lean on his cane while he watches the demonstration. Picking the student’s brain for how they were powering it. What plans they had for it and the improvements that would be made over existing lasers. 

Turning back away once he is done. The student is gone. 

Viktor bites the side of his tongue, looking through the crowd and not seeing a trace of who he had been with. And what was a feeling of hope that more kids were getting out of the Undercity and into the Academy, turned to suspicion. 

With nothing but a missing possibly-not-student, it was really not enough to cause him to worry. He could be shy, anxious, Viktor could come up with a thousand excuses. Until he came to the booth he was told they helped with, and found that Adrien, did not have a partner. And by the confusion Adrien displayed, Viktor believes him. Deciding that he has in fact been played by someone that was not invited to the Show. 

There is nothing missing by the end. He wasn’t here to steal a student’s work, or break into any of the labs. The food is good, Viktor remembers stalking up on it in his younger years. There are no hard feelings about that. Not even about being ditched. He can understand.

It is when hours later in an empty hall, the lights being turned off by security and he sees the man again, that there are any negative feelings. Even if this one is just disappointment. 

“You missed the last restock of the tables,” 

[multipleservicelisting]

An Old Role With a New Gender: Emhoff Becomes the First Second Gentleman

WASHINGTON — Douglas Emhoff, the husband of Vice President Kamala Harris and the first second gentleman, visited the Library of Congress this month for what he called some “homework” on his new role. He learned of the story from a century ago of Lois Marshall, then the second lady in a Democratic administration, and Grace Coolidge, the incoming second lady in a Republican administration.

Mrs. Coolidge was nervous on her way to Washington, unfamiliar with the city and its culture. But Mrs. Marshall was there to greet her at the train station when she arrived, said Meg McAleer, a historical specialist in the manuscript division at the Library of Congress.

“It is just the most empathetic reaching out by one woman who has been in this role to the woman who is about to assume the role,” Ms. McAleer said in an interview. “And it doesn’t matter to either one that you’re shifting from a Democratic administration to a Republican one.”

The atmosphere in the capital 100 years later is profoundly different after President Donald J. Trump’s efforts to subvert the outcome of the 2020 election. Mr. Emhoff did not have any direct contact with Karen Pence, his predecessor as the vice-presidential spouse, until they met during the Inauguration Day ceremonies at the Capitol on Wednesday.

But they and their partners appeared at least outwardly friendly in a belated interaction on the steps of the Capitol, before Ms. Harris and Mr. Emhoff waved goodbye to the Pences. If nothing else, it was the kind of high-profile, eagerly scrutinized moment that political spouses have to learn to handle gracefully, and one that was unusual only because Mr. Emhoff was the first of his gender to fill the role.

With the inauguration of Ms. Harris as the first female, Black and Asian-American vice president, Mr. Emhoff, 56, registered two firsts of his own: the first male and the first Jewish spouse of a president or vice president. Although the details of what Mr. Emhoff might do with the platform are unclear — he has discussed focusing on “access to justice” — his presence indicates slowly shifting gender roles in politics and beyond.

But that shift leaves Mr. Emhoff with a responsibility to help define the role for men who come after him and alter traditional perceptions of the role of a high-profile spouse.

“I doubt people are going to be so careful about scrutinizing what he’s wearing or whether or not he decided to put new carpeting in the living quarters there at the vice president’s residence,” said Katherine Jellison, a history professor at Ohio University who studies women’s history and first ladies.

Ms. Harris and Mr. Emhoff married in 2014, while Ms. Harris was the attorney general of California. Mr. Emhoff, an entertainment lawyer, became an eager surrogate for his wife on the campaign trail. After the general election, Mr. Emhoff left his job at the law firm DLA Piper amid questions about whether his work could pose conflicts for the Biden-Harris ticket. A transition official declined to make him available for an interview.

The role of the spouse of the vice president varies for each person holding it, said former chiefs of staff to vice presidents’ wives, with many using the platform to pursue different projects. Mrs. Pence highlighted art therapy. Jill Biden, who taught writing full-time at Northern Virginia Community College, helped start an initiative for military families.

Like Mr. Emhoff, Marilyn Quayle, the wife of former Vice President Dan Quayle, also abandoned a legal pursuit around the time that her spouse joined the administration. She was searching for a law firm job before Mr. Quayle joined the presidential ticket with George Bush in 1988, but was later advised that the conflicts would be too great for her to practice law and that her new position would provide a better platform, her former chief of staff, Marguerite Sullivan, said after conferring with Mrs. Quayle.

Lynne Cheney, the wife of former Vice President Dick Cheney, continued to work at the American Enterprise Institute, a conservative think tank, while her husband served in the George W. Bush administration, said Debra Dunn, her former chief of staff.

Mr. Emhoff joined the faculty at the Georgetown University Law Center and is teaching a course called Entertainment Law Disputes this semester. Mrs. Pence taught art classes at an elementary school in Northern Virginia. Dr. Biden, who plans to continue teaching at Northern Virginia Community College, will be the first first lady to continue her job outside the White House.

John Bessler, the husband of Senator Amy Klobuchar, Democrat of Minnesota, spent time with Mr. Emhoff on the campaign trail and called him a “great ambassador” for Ms. Harris. During the Democratic primary, without much security for the candidates, a protester walked across the stage and grabbed the microphone from Ms. Harris. Mr. Emhoff could be seen climbing the stage and trying to pry the microphone from the man’s hands.

Afterward, Mr. Bessler, whose wife was also a presidential candidate, sent an email to Mr. Emhoff applauding his effort. “He was now officially the head of security for Kamala’s campaign,” Mr. Bessler recalled.

Chasten Buttigieg, a former theater teacher and the husband of Pete Buttigieg, a 2020 Democratic presidential candidate and Mr. Biden’s pick for transportation secretary, recalled a moment on the campaign trail with Mr. Emhoff. “I’m not a theater guy,” Chasten Buttigieg said Mr. Emhoff told him. “I’m just, you know, a husband, and I’m here to tell people why I love Kamala.”

With Mr. Emhoff’s new role, men in the United States could see that they could step back “and let women lead,” Chasten Buttigieg said in an interview. “And women can be the ones who hold the power in a relationship, and also like what it means to be a loving and supportive spouse, and sometimes that means taking a back seat or encouraging your spouse to fly.”

Discussing his visit to the Library of Congress in an interview posted on his Twitter account on Tuesday, Mr. Emhoff reflected on the legacy he might leave for future vice-presidential spouses.

“I’m going to really take what I learned as I move into this role, but I’m also going to make it my own,” he said. “I understand that I am the first gentleman to hold this role, and I certainly do not want to be last.”

    Multiple Service Listing for Business Owners | Tools to Grow Your Local Business

www.MultipleServiceListing.com 

from Multiple Service Listing https://ift.tt/2LTt1iX

[skylersilva7137]

Elections: ACTION vs SOAR

Student Government Elections are here and even though I am not running this year,  I love my University too much to not provide commentary on the Parties which are running. Each Party has a collection of students who express love for the work they do, and I thank each of them for offering their service to our community. Additionally, I recognize as someone who is currently in Student Government that there is always room for improvement. We have been working to the best of our abilities, and election season allows myself and others to think critically about the past year, and determine areas of improvement. I outline these below, and include myself in any comments regarding Student Government this year.

In order to determine which party is the best fit for our Student Body it is important to think critically about the different platforms which the two parties are advocating. This means not only understanding how the platforms benefit the students, but the innovation they bring to Campus, and what the overall effect of those platforms may be. Additionally, it is important to compare the leadership experiences of the Party Leadership, as well as compare the diversity of candidates each party offers. This analysis can help provide a comprehensive review of each party’s platforms.

But what is innovation? As a student who has been engaged with the institution since my freshman year, I have seen firsthand that a communication gap exists between FGCU (including its faculty, staff, and programs FGCU offers) and the students (this gap exists for a variety of reasons, a topic that is a separate matter entirely). I have concluded that Student Government is serving its fullest purpose when it bridges the gap between FGCU and the Students. Therefore, when looking at the parties I am looking for a platform which recognizes what FGCU already offers to students (in terms of programs, recreation, services, etc.), and what SG can provide that FGCU does not (or cannot for various reasons).

The ACTION Party’s platforms are focused on Academic Excellence, Civic engagement, Tomorrow, Improved SG, Outreach, and New Beginnings. To be fair, ACTION has done a good job at identifying needs that students already express. Many items, such as tutoring/mentoring programs, Scantrons, service days, campus rec center (more on that in a second), SG Recruitment committee, parking garage capacity counters, SG Tailgates, and meal swipe donation program, all address issues students have expressed in the past. The problem with this is that most of these items already exist in various forms, and the root of the issue is that the student body is not aware of them or forgot that they exist (the reasons as to why is a separate topic from this post). Therefore to me, adding these services as a platform indicates a lack of knowledge that ACTION itself experiences. Unfortunately I have to say that from my perspective most of the ACTION Party’s platforms include initiatives which fall into this category. Instead of advocating for the implementation of these programs, they should instead be aware of them and then advocate for increased marketing of said programs.   

For example, the inclusion of “Advocate for the successful and sustainable construction of the new campus recreation center.” The inclusion of this point shows that ACTION lacks understanding as to why the Rec center hasn’t been built yet. The reality is that the money to fund building plans, construction, and recreational supplies is all in place, and the contracts have been negotiated and signed. The only thing we are waiting on is for a governmental agency to evaluate the ecological impact of the facility’s construction. Once this assessment is complete, and it is determined that construction can safely begin, then it will do so immediately. In other words, there is no advocacy to be done.

Another issue with some of the ACTION Platform ideas is that some are well meaning grand gestures but are unrealistic goals to be achieved in a one year term. An example of this is: “Build a FGCU fountain in the center of the library lawn, dedicated to the Griffin family, to represent the heart of our campus.” Something as “simple” as adding speakers to the library lawn can been funded through Senate (as it was during the 2016-2017 Administration), but it takes months of planning and negotiating with FGCU, contractors, etc. after the bill process to complete the project itself. In fact, this project is still ongoing and a committee meets every Tuesday to discuss its progress. And the project only adds simple electrical wiring and a few speakers. Imagine adding an entire underground plumbing system, not to mention designing where the water would come from/flow to, and the effects it might have on our ponds near the library lawn. We would have to shut the library lawn down for an unspecified amount of time, which would severally impact student mobility. This project would be a massive undertaking and I project would cost hundreds of thousands of dollars, probably more. Additionally, the Lib lawn is already small, so the fountain would have to be pretty small to fit. If I were going to propose this idea as a part of my campaign, I would have a proposal up on my website detailing potential plans, conflicts, etc., rather than adding it as what appears to be an afterthought. 

There are a few ideas on here that are similarly not thought out, such as an Alumni hall. FGCU already has a documented building and classroom deficit, something that FGCU is addressing through its legislative agenda, but a non-academic hall is not only infeasible but simply isn’t a great way to utilize space on campus. A better idea would be to incorporate alumni into existing spaces, something that the SOAR Party touched on during the debate on Tuesday night. A third is “install parking garage capacity counters,” (more on this below). 

Some ideas are really interesting, such as “Create a late-night student ride (Eagle Watch) operated by electric [cars].” These cars cost between $8-14K+, and then on top of that you would have to hire people to operate them late at night. But it is certainly more fesible than adding an entire fountain to the library lawn. Other ideas are interesting, but I’m not totally sure are legal(??)/I’m just not sure what the impact would be. Example: “create a campus police review board”. This is an interesting proposal, but I’m not sure it was totally thought out and I’d like to know what background investigations they did before adding it to their platform.

Additionally, I do really love the point of “Create performance-based evaluations for all student government branches.” Even so, this past term of SG has started to do this, but we can improve on promoting and expanding it. Additionally, this point is included in the SOAR Platform (more on that below).

Overall, I think that ACTION’s platform doesn’t really add very much substance to the FGCU Student experience. However, I think it outlines an area of improvement for Student Government, in that we can improve on connecting our students with programs which already exist on campus.

Similarly, the SOAR Party addresses student needs, although they don’t touch on hot-ticket items (such as parking counters), or grand gestures (such as a water fountain in the middle of the library lawn??). I can only assume that this is because each of the SOAR Party Leaders have played a role in investigating the possibility of these things in the past (Student Government has consulted with UPD plenty of times on the issue of parking counters, and it is literally next to impossible). However, this may not be well known outside of SG, which may explain why they are included in ACTION’s platform. This emphasizes an area of improvement for SOAR’s incumbent leaders, in that more publications on the exploration of topics could be released. If students knew why it isn’t possible to add parking counters (because it is astronomically expensive), they may stop asking for them (probably not, but it’s worth a shot).

For example, even though parking counters are pretty out of the picture, garage mirrors are a great alternative to parking counters and would be a major improvement to the parking garages (and ridiculously more affordable than parking counters). Additionally, giving RSO’s the ability to view funds in their account would be HUGE. While I was a senator I can’t tell you how many RSOs were frustrated when it came to checking their balances. FGCU also struggles with summer engagement and being aware of this issue is important because it will help align SG and FGCU’s priorities (if you’re not aware of an issue, how will it be fixed?). Our students also struggle with access to mental health resources, which is addressed in SOAR’s platform. The platform also speaks on Diversity and Inclusion proposals, which is almost absent from ACTION’s platform.

But overall, SOAR’s platforms are significantly more innovative in my opinion. It represents a combination of things that could enhance the student experience, as well as improve on existing services, without being redundant or unaware of services that are already offered by FGCU. There are topics which not only address student recreation, but student health. A lot of these also acknowledge that there is a gap between Students and Faculty/Staff and aim to improve those relationships. In almost every section of their platform they mention partnering with Campus Departments, which is something almost absent from ACTION. 

The biggest thing that is also evident throughout SOAR’s platform is that many of the items are focused on pulling the student back into the process of SG in specific ways. “Student surveys… on how students want their [fees] spent” not only includes polling but specifies what the polls intend to address. It is that level of thoughtfulness that FGCU needs.

Overall, SOAR includes a very comprehensive platform addressing student issues and student life.

In the future I will address SOAR and ACTION’s Party Leadership History, as well as the Parties’ Diversity of Ticket.