#Support Skype a Scientist

[sarahmackattack]

hi do you have a way to donate outside of buying an advent calendar? i really love the Skype a scientist program, would hate to see it go bc of funding 🥲

Yes! Thank you for asking! You can donate directly (and if you're in the US, it's tax deductible) here: https://givebutter.com/SupportSAS

[copperbadge]

Radio Free Monday

Good morning everyone, and welcome to Radio Free Monday!

Ways to Give:

nivchara-yahel and her sibling Hem are disabled and currently applying for SSDI and other benefits; they need ongoing support and are currently fundraising for August rent. Hem is also an artist and offering work for donations of $10 or more to those interested. You can read more, reblog, and find giving information here.

Char is raising funds for a friend's cat, Phil, who is currently at the animal hospital indefinitely until he receives treatment; they're still working out what he's dealing with, but are treating him currently for an infection in his liver and are checking for lymphoma. You can read more and support the fundraiser here.

Anon linked to a fundraiser for a classroom in Texas that is trying to get some missing chapter books in the classroom library, and read-aloud books that focus on marginalized peoples, environmental concerns, and non-Western upbringings. The project page states it will impact ten students, but all students and teachers in the school will have access to these books. You can read more and support the fundraiser here.

Buy Stuff, Help Out:

sarahmackattack is with Skype A Scientist, a nonprofit science education organization that connects scientists with classrooms, libraries, and scout troops for free; they also run a "Squid Facts" hotline that people can text to receive squid facts, and support a science mural program in Philadelphia. They're currently selling Frog Facts and Crab Facts advent calendars; you scratch off the sticker each day to reveal fun facts about frogs or crabs. You can purchase them and other fun stickers and merch to support Skype A Scientist at their website here.

Recurring Needs:

we_are_spc's AC in their house has gone out, and they are trying to stay cool with only one fan; they are unemployed, and the heat is bad for both their asthma and their cats, as well as several musical instruments in the home including indigenous flutes. They've had a great update which is that the unit itself is working so only the copper lines need to be replaced; they need to raise less than previously thought, but are still trying to get as much funding as possible for the line replacement. You can read more and support the fundraiser here or give via paypal at celticphoenyx@gmail.com, via venmo at rowansong, or via cashApp at rowansong.

loversdoom has recently been diagnosed with PCOS and needs help to afford the prescribed birth control pills on top of living expenses; you can read more, reblog, and find giving information here or give via paypal here.

thegeeksqueaks's school district has shorted her on her summer teacher's budget; she can't afford currently to stock her classroom for back-to-school. She's raising funds to get food and hygiene tools for underserved kids as well as various aids for neurodivergent kids. You can read more and reblog here, give via DonorsChoose here or via paypal here, or purchase from an Amazon wishlist here.

And this has been Radio Free Monday! Thank you for your time. You can post items for my attention at the Radio Free Monday submissions form. If you're new to fundraising, you may want to check out my guide to fundraising here.

[plasma-packin-peep]

I just received my Frog Fact calendar from @sarahmackattack, founder of the Skype A Scientist outreach program and pilot of The Squidmobile (which I had the honor of seeing in person like a year ago and i still remember that day fondly.)

The calendar is here just in time to make September a month of amphibious education! Also, can I just say it's so much bigger and prettier and glossier than I expected it to be? I'm going to keep this hanging up even after I'm done revealing my frog facts.

I also got myself a Squid Fact Hotline sticker to put on my own car so I too can drive a Squidmobile. Squidmobile Jr, if you will.

And theres other goodies available too! If you like frogs (or crabs, or squids or funding public access to science education) please consider supporting the program by buying yourself a fun treat from her shop!

[statecryptids]

Yo, get yourself a neat frog facts adventure calendar for the winter holiday of your choice, and help support Skype a Scientist, a non-profit that connects scientists with classrooms!

[evoldir]

Fwd: Postdoc: OhioStateU.InsectMicrobialModeling

Begin forwarded message: > From: evoldir@evol.biology.mcmaster.ca > Subject: Postdoc: OhioStateU.InsectMicrobialModeling > Date: 9 September 2023 at 05:39:16 BST > To: rdmpage@gmail.com > > > I’m seeking a post-doctoral scholar with demonstrated bioinformatics, > machine learning and/or predictive modeling expertise to work on an > NSF-funded project. > > This is a full-time, 2-year position with possibilities for extension. > > The successful candidate will be working with the Insect-Microbial > Symbiosis Lab (IMSL) in the Department of Evolution, Ecology, and > Organismal Biology at The Ohio State University. > > IMSL is interested in using machine learning and predictive modeling to > identify microbiome  features (i.e., species, functions, and products) > that are essential for normal animal growth and development and then > testing these predictions in a live, germ-free/gnotobiotic model > invertebrate. > > We have pioneered the development of methods to generate germ-free > insects for developing and testing hypotheses about how microbes impact > the growth, development and evolution of animals. > > DUTIES: Developing and applying bioinformatic analyses pipelines; > effectively applying predictive modeling approaches in a microbiome > science context; performing data science and statistical analyses; > coauthoring peer-reviewed manuscripts; contributing to grant proposals; > mentoring graduate and undergraduate students; giving talks at local, > state, national and international meetings. > > QUALIFICATIONS: > > *   a relevant university education with a completed doctoral/PhD >     degree and a strong interest in the microbiome sciences, > *   demonstrated proficiency in command line and high-performance >     computing, > *   demonstrated script writing skills in at least one language (R, >     Python or Perl), > *   demonstrated experience developing bioinformatic pipelines and >     using machine learning/predictive modeling tools, > *   exceptional organizational skills and strong ability to work >     independently and collaboratively, > *   willingness to supervise undergraduate and graduate students, and >     to promote young scientists, > *   excellent spoken and written communication skills. > > SALARY AND BENEFITS: > > *   This position starts at $60,000 and includes full staff benefits, >     and is eligible for annual merit pay increases pending annual >     performance review. > *   This position also includes a $5,000 start-up to be used by the >     postdoc to establish research and academic activities at the >     university and to pursue professional development opportunities. > > *   The Ohio State University offers a highly collaborative, supportive >     and interdisciplinary environment and provides postdocs with access >     to professional development and cross-training experiences. > > APPLICATION (please send the following items to sabree.8@osu.edu with > the subject heading [insect_postdoc]): > > *   Cover letter that details your interest in the position and how you >     fit the description. > *   CV that includes a bibliography and any experiences relevant to the >     responsibilities described above. > *   Please submit up to three published, coauthored papers that >     reflect your skills as relevant to this position and/or across the >     fields of microbiology, evolution, ecology, and other relevant >     biological sciences. > > > Zakee L. SABREE PhD (he/his/him, vaccinated and boostered) > Associate Professor, Department of Evolution, Ecology and Organismal > Biology > Faculty Director, Office of Postdoctoral Affairs > The Ohio State University > (614) 688-1590 OFFICE / (614) 292-2030 FAX / sabree.8 SKYPE / > sabree.8@osu.edu / https://ift.tt/pi0wRMu / Zoom > > "Sabree, Zakee"

[moreasoldier]

How to choose a psychologist?

Business Name: Ιωάννης Μηναδάκης Ψυχολόγος-Ψυχοθεραπευτής Ηράκλειο

Email : ioannis@minadakis.net

Phone:  +30 281 024 4338

Website: https://www.minadakis.net/

Address: Σμύρνης 20 Ηράκλειο 712 01

Category: Ψυχολόγος - Ψυχοθεραπευτής

Ioannis Minadakis is a psychologist and family therapist in Heraklion Crete. He works with adolescents and adults, offering psychological support and 

psychotherapeutic intervention services, for a series of disorders and specialized interventions, in a wide range of problem categories, based on the Systemic / Family treatment model. Services: • Individual Psychotherapy • Family Therapy • Couple Therapy • Personal Development Teams Self-awareness • Online sessions/Skype

Read below for more details :

Finding the right psychologist is important because it can lead to a fruitful psychotherapeutic relationship, which may require a psychologist to have a specific temperament compatibility or even interests that align with the patient. A good place to start, and if you feel comfortable doing so, is of course to ask your friends if they can suggest someone. You can also talk to your doctor or you can talk to another health professional and ask them if they work with a psychologist and if they could suggest one for you. This is probably one of the best ways. In fact, about 60% of people find a psychologist through their family circle with the second most widely used internet being used by eighteen percent of people looking for a mental health professional. Having done a first search that will yield some results, the next step is to make sure that this person is actually licensed to practice and you can find out very easily by contacting the regulatory body for psychologists or you can just do it with internet search and through his professional page. Otherwise you can just call by phone. It is important to find someone who is well-trained and well-versed in psychotherapeutic practice, scientifically educated enough to be able to understand the relevant scientific literature related to mental health and your own case. At this stage you may have chosen one or two mental health professionals that you would be interested in meeting. It is advisable to visit the psychologist once and find someone who listens to you because the psychotherapist or psychologist should not be someone who solves your problems for you or who simply offers you advice. It can help you understand what problem you are facing so that it can be properly delineated to help you articulate what you want to improve your mental health and what you would like to achieve in psychotherapy and then help you plan in this direction. In conclusion, you want someone who will really listen to you and you feel comfortable telling the truth because that is also extremely important. If you can not tell your psychologist the truth, the treatment will not work because you will not be able to really describe the nature of your underlying problems, so this is vital. Also, go see someone and see if you are happy with the way you interact with them, which is a more relevant issue. It is important to feel comfortable with this person because you will build a good working alliance, something that scientists want to call a therapeutic alliance. If you do not have a good alliance, then treatment will not work either. There are many things that will affect the outcome of your treatment, however, what seems clear is that alliance is a necessary ingredient. Here is a second rule that you should not forget, that you have the right to ask questions. If you feel very vulnerable and are afraid that you will not be able to ask these questions, it is possible to bring a friend or relative to the first session. First ask your psychologist what his area of ​​experience is. Sometimes it is best to avoid mental health professionals who claim to have experience in too many things, which can cure depression and anxiety and personality disorders and who can also do corporate and corporate counseling and offer guidance / coaching and work with individuals and families and couples. There it is good to realize that this is a dividing line that should be entered during your search. A second question related to the first is to ask if they have experience with people who have problems similar to yours. One of the most important factors in developing a proper diagnosis is clinical exposure. This means that the more you work with people in a situation similar to yours, the better for you. Another good question is, perhaps towards the end of the session, to ask if the psychologist can make an initial diagnosis or a preliminary diagnosis. An initial diagnosis may be helpful because, for example, your insurance company may be able to cover the cost of psychotherapy or an initial diagnosis may help you find other resources that might be helpful, such as support groups or community organizations that help people who have depression or anxiety, for example. A next question is what treatment does it suggest and if there is scientific evidence to prove that this treatment works for people who have difficulties similar to yours. Some psychotherapists, and this is really unfortunate, will offer a certain type of psychotherapy simply because they know it and can offer it. Others will tell you that the only thing that matters is the healing alliance, but as mentioned above, it may be a necessary ingredient, but it is not really the only thing that matters, so if you are diagnosed and looking for a cure for this condition, Ask your therapist what evidence is available to support the treatment he or she suggests, and then ask them where you can find the documentation yourself. Based on the question you just covered, another good move is to ask your psychologist if there are clinical or best practice guidelines or treatment guidelines that apply to your case. These guidelines are really important because they describe interventions that are more likely to be effective in cases like yours. Ask where you can find these guidelines, because many organizations that write guidelines for mental health professionals also have a patient version that is something you may want to have.

Next question: What are the pros and cons of this psychotherapy?

Your therapist should be able to explain this in a clear and simple way so that you understand and do not hesitate to ask how long the treatment may take or how much it will cost. Keep in mind that it is always very difficult to determine how long a treatment will last. Sessions are usually needed for people with the same diagnosis and ideally they should be able to give you a sense of what could happen if your condition is not treated as well. For example, for some conditions the treatment can lead to significant changes in just 10-15 sessions, while if left untreated, the condition can take up to two years to disappear. One last question: Ask how they will know if the treatment works. Of course, you will have a sense of self, but it is also good to have their perspective on it.

 Remember that your treatment is a collaboration, it is a process. You have to make the effort that suits you.

[differenceenginegirl]

Everything seems a little dark and scary at the moment, so I have complied a list of links to cultural and/or educational things (and some just streams of cute animals, or just plain fun) that are available to watch or listen to or do for free (mostly) online. Some of these will only work for the duration of the current situation (marked with a *), but most are permanent (so far as I know) so can be kept around for a little bit of sunshine on a rainy day.

Feel free to add to this with your own links or ideas, and remember, we’ll get through this together (with the appropriate social distancing). Follow the advice that’s been given, wash your hands, and be kind to one another. 

The majority of links were brought to my attention by @theyahwehdance, @elleflies, and @buckysleftarm (plus a bit of a deep dive through my drafts). Under a cut because hoo boy it got long... 

(Some links in the linked lists may be broken, some may be region-locked, and some may be duplicated, I haven’t checked them all.)

Culture and Education!

The Metropolitan Opera, free nightly (19:30 EDT, 23:00 GMT) broadcasts of operas, available for 20 hours following the broadcast too. (Schedule for the first week)*

Berlin Philharmonic: 30 days free access to their virtual concert hall (redeem before 31st March 2020)*

Playbill have compiled a list of 15 professionally recorded musicals you can watch at home (Not all free) and are inviting people to join them in watching Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella Starring Lesley Ann Warren on 20th March at 20:00 ET! (video may be region locked) 

12 highlighted virtual museum tours and a whole load of others from around the world!

Science Twitter, a series of Skype with a Scientist virtual lectures! (A sign up with an email is required through the link in the tweet, running from 12:00-14:00 EST, (16:00-18:00 GMT)

30 virtual field trips! Links to virtual tours and live cameras of many different places! (Aimed at kids)

Animals!

Cincinnati Zoo Facebook Live virtual safaris, every weekday at 15:00 EDT (19:00 GMT)* Completed safaris will be posted to their website shortly after the Live finishes, and also kept on their Facebook.

Live Monterey Bay Aquarium Cams: 10 different cams showing various tanks and enclosures, and the bay itself!

Live San Diego Zoo Cams: 9 different cams showing various creatures in their habitats! 

Atlanta Zoo Panda Cam

Danish Sea Eagles Cam (this site in Danish, and may go dark, as the equipment is solar powered): A live feed of a Danish Sea Eagle nest!

Peregrines in Norwich and Bath!

Live Animal Cam, Ohio: A cam focused on a feeding station, with night vision so the feed continues even after the sun goes down! (This shows wild animals, so there is no guarantee that you’ll see creatures)

Shedd Aquarium let their penguins out to explore! (Under supervision) More exploration here! 

Two Oceans Aquarium did too, and look at these little cuties on the stairs!

A livestream of adoptable kitties!

And here’s a thread with some of these cams, and more!

Music!

Various people (started by cellist Yo-Yo Ma) playing/sharing music that comforts them on Twitter.

Virtual High School Musicals! (Original Thread) (Wider Hashtag) Many High School kids are now finding themselves unable to perform the musicals they’ve been working so hard on, so Laura Benanti invited them to video themselves performing and share it with her, so they still get to perform for an appreciative audience! (Some of these are absolutely stunning!)

Never before heard Hamilton track demo! 

A playlist of Quarantunes on Spotify, compiled by Rita Wilson (Tom Hanks’ wife)

A playlist of 101 Feel-Good songs on Spotify, compiled by @lanamlouise 

This guy made a really cool instrument out of PVC pipes!

A group of engineers in Stockholm turned a set of stairs into a piano to encourage people to use them rather than the escalator!

Stories!

Josh Gad reads a bedtime story (Olivia goes to Venice) with voices!

Various celebrities reading kids stories, as part of a charity initiative to keep kids fed during school shutdowns.

A bunch of free short stories, essays, audio and video by the wonderful author @neil-gaiman (Plus two photos of him in an ancient hat!)

Find your local indie bookstore and support them while also getting a new book! (US only)

And of course, you can’t leave out the marvelous Archive Of Our Own for fanfiction and fanworks for almost every fandom you can think of! (Remember to make use of the tags and filters to narrow your search or avoid things you don’t want to see/read!)

Food!

A recipe for Norwegian Christmas Butter Squares! (Apparently like sugar cookies, but in bar form and better)

A fudgy brownie-in-a-mug recipe!

A really nice chocolate pudding (in the British sense, so like a cake) with spiced chocolate sauce! (I love the whole cookbook that this is from, and it’s especially good for Discworld fans. Available from various sellers, I have linked my favourite money-sink, the Discworld Emporium: Nanny Ogg’s Cookbook)

My favourite biscuits (cookies) to make! Honey and cinnamon, with a picture book (Honey Biscuits by Meredith Hooper) that you can read alongside to explain to kids where all the ingredients came from!

Creativity and learning new things!

LUNCH DOODLES with Mo Willems! (13:00 ET weekdays, videos remain post-stream) Aimed mostly at kids, but don’t let that stop you doodling with the  Kennedy Center Education Artist-in-Residence!

A little list of doll makers/dress-up sites!

How to take really good photos of the night sky with a phone! (Please continue to observe social distancing rules while taking your pretty pictures)

Fancy making a language? Here’s a site with resources to help you get going with that!

A long list of sources of inspiration, arty websites, and some that are just fun!

Make your very own Peaches the Mouse by @my-darling-boy!

Want to learn 3D modelling? Fusion360 is free (for hobbyists and students) and professionally used, with a good network of tutorials and an, imo, fairly intuitive interface! (I use this a lot)

Want to play with Photoshop but don’t have the money? Here’s a free, in browser version! (Has ads, but they’re unobtrusive)

Want to try your hand at creating a sim? The Sims 4 Character Creator Demo is free! (Limited options, but still fun to play with)

Whether you play D&D or not, this is a really cool custom miniature creator, with loads of options that are being constantly added to updated! (And if you have the money, you can get it in a printable format, or printed for you in a variety of materials!)

Fancy learning something new? Memrise has a load of free courses, ranging from real languages like French or Spanish for beginners to fictional languages like Quenya (one of the Elven languages from LotR) or Klingon, or trivia bits like Harry Potter Spells or Noble Houses in Game of Thrones, and many more! (Available in multiple languages, although not all courses may be available in all languages)

Ever fancied trying to build armour or cosplay props from foam? R31 Studios has you covered with free PDF templates for all sorts of bits!

Meditation and Calm!

60 second meditation tool! Put a worry into a star, and watch it float away with a calming soundtrack and 

Meditation with Lizzo!

Customisable Rain Sounds!

Customisable Train Sounds!

And many more customisable noise generators!

Play with liquid/particles! (Warning: this one made me feel a bit motion-sick, but pretty!)

Interactive generative art!

Random bits I couldn’t catagorise!

Don’t want to dine alone? Have dinner with the Gaffigans!

A series of Mildly Interesting images from @catchymemes!

A group of stuntmen doing Super Mario!

Another list of Good Links (Really well organised!) by @secretladyspider! 

@thelatestkate draws wonderfully reassuring cartoons! (On Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook too!)

World Record Egg Instagram! Lots of nice little positive cartoons.

Happy news from The Happy Broadcast on Instagram, The Happy News, and HuffPost Good News!

Here’s an ongoing list of good stuff by @pftones3482! (Check the notes for more good stuff, and the latest addition)

Some feel-good browser games!

And finally, a little frog here to give you some reassurance!

[strangesmallbard]

part 2 of my ideal s13 episode concepts, assuming yaz is the sole companion:

(they’re getting Very Long, so i may go back and fill out the original concepts!)

13.6 - The Angels Take Los Angeles: the vibe is very stylized, kitschy hollywood meets the ominous high stakes of the weeping angels. ep begins with yaz tardis skyping ryan, saying thirteen has been weirdly distant again. thirteen overhears, decides that they need some FUN. they wind up in roughly 1998. montage w/ music of: selfie at the hollywood sign, buying souvenirs at the big farmer’s market, the star walk (and thirteen listing every celebrity she’s met,) and finally, the griffith observatory, where they see a planetarium show. thirteen laments that they came before the samuel oschin planetarium was built, yaz leans in & whispers that’s alright, i’ve got the real thing anyway.

the day winds down, yaz decides to broach the doctor’s Mardy Mood when suddenly, thirteen sees a sculpture that definitely wasn’t built by sculptors during the depression era. they discover the angels want something stored in the observatory—a power source. thirteen is caught in grief and manages to explain more about the ponds than just “the angels are very dangerous, trust me.” yaz devises the plan that traps the angels. with help from an interning grad student who knows the building, they save the day together.

back in the tardis, thirteen apologizes for being cagey. they have a good conversation about friendship, support, and boundaries. when yaz goes to sleep, thirteen nearly calls the shadow proclamation to turn in the power source, but hesitates. she takes out her mysterious device.

final shot: a familiar figure watches the parked tardis from a distance, wistful & contemplative. she taps the vortex manipulator on her wrist and vanishes.

13.7 - Ice Age........2! yaz and thirteen on an alien planet experiencing an extinction event. the tone is contemplative, not too heavy. bright blue tones. icy landscapes. yaz brings up the possibility of global warming, but thirteen isn’t sure that’s happening this time. it’s important to note: they’re wearing giant parkas & thirteen has a backpack in the shape of a smiley face.

they wind up on a science base run by humanoid aliens. one of the scientists, a stern older woman, is a famous guest star. she advises them to move on: the scientists have exhausted all options. they’re having an “end of the world party” before the last transport arrives to them to a spaceport colony. the scientists invite yaz & thirteen to join; both are incredulous that the team is just giving up.

yaz joins the party to get more info while thirteen snoops around the base. they play card games; something similar to DDR, play music, eat dehydrated food. she offers them a new pair of eyes, and they vehemently turn her down. she learns about how a red giant stole their first planet and how this one will become uninhabitable despite their efforts. she also learns about this team-turned-family; old and young, with diverse backgrounds. when they talk excitedly about their spaceport plans, yaz is taken aback.

meanwhile, thirteen is searching for answers. we can hear the party in the other room. she tests (eats) the soil, she tests the ice. she finds an anomaly and the shot cuts to the tardis; thirteen in front of her mysterious device, carefully siphoning from the power source the angels wanted in 13x6. she shows yaz her plan excitedly. the sun, yaz, it’s too far away. if we use this to nudge the planet’s coordinates just a bit to the left, that’ll buy them time.

yaz is thrilled at first, but then hesitates halfway through planning. do they have that time? i mean, how will that affect their timelines?

thirteen is teetering on the edge of timelord victorious; this time, however, there’s no explosions or loud background music. just muffled party chatter and thirteen, tense at the shoulders. she goes: she’s run through the diagnostics, of course she has! yaz couldn’t possibly understand, this will buy time and won’t impact the timeline significantly. this will work.

yaz looks right at thirteen, asks if this is about gallifrey, what happened when she left the fam. i was there, doctor. i saw it burning. thirteen is still tense, her hands are fidgeting. it’s not the same, yaz. when we can help, we do.

yaz paces. she looks out the window. shot cuts outside to the still, icy cold planet. it’s silent. back inside: yaz sits next to her. i know it’s not, but. i’ve saved earth plenty with you. and i know these kinds of endings. i used to...not care if my own world ended before.

thirteen is startled out of timelord victorious mode. she’s awkward again, but her hands are still. her eyes are deep-set, serious. there’s no universe without yaz. she squeezes her hand and softly says i didn’t know. i’m sorry.

yaz squeezes her hand back, accepting her apology. they talk about her past a bit; the urge to keep moving forward despite overwhelming emptiness. it’s hard to celebrate something like that, she thinks aloud. maybe this is what they need to move on. maybe this is why we’re here this time, so someone else remembers.

in thirteen’s responding stare: this isn’t gallifrey. this isn’t the timeless child, sacrificed to build the timelords. quieter than usual but definitive, almost stern, thirteen says this time, everybody lives. she powers down the lab, pockets the power source, and lets yaz lead her back into the party.

montage of the party: raucous & weighty, a wake. thirteen is subdued at first, until someone challenges her to DDR. yaz challenges her next. they listen to stories about the planet, about their families. someone challenges thirteen to shots until they realize alcohol doesn’t really affect her. montage winds down into thirteen by the open sun roof, talking to guest star about the sun anomaly. 

guest star laughs, not unhappy at all. of course we found it! can’t do too much about bloody gravity, can we, traveler?

lasts shot of the party scene: thirteen watching yaz—curious, a bit affectionate, now that the lights are dim and no one can bear witness—before turning her head up to the stars. we see a flash of timelord victorious before her expression becomes oddly serene. that’s us. a couple of travelers. 

as the scene ends, the camera pans out; beautiful shot of the tardis on a sheet of ice, underneath double moons.

the next morning; yaz rushes into the tardis with an idea. the transport vehicle arrives for the team; yaz exchanges goodbyes. the doctor bounces around the console, finishing the idea: a digital time capsule that will survive nearly anything the universe throws at it. they give it to the Stern Lady Guest Star, who is bemused; she asks where they’ll bury it. yaz suggests they carry it with them.

second-to-last shot: thirteen and yaz helping the transport leave. buttons to push, etc. they wave. they watch the transport leave the atmosphere; low, but hopeful music playing. huddled together in their parkas, thirteen takes a deep breath. after a few seconds, yaz gestures with her head to leave.

last shot: wide view of the landscape, music still playing; we see two figures following their own footsteps back home to the tardis. 

we hear slightly muffled voices: think i could go for some good weather, how about space florida?

you know, i’m sort of feeling sheffield, 2021. tea at mine? dad isn’t cooking, i promise.

oi, i like your dad’s cooking. it...

fade-out.

13.8 - “Yasmin” - found footage style, we follow yaz making video diaries ostensibly for her sister to watch later. the tone starts out light: first shot is her bedroom, and we follow her all the way to the games’ room. she points to a wii remote. i beat her at mario kart yesterday, don’t let her say otherwise. (today it’s Yaz’ TARDIS.)

she enters the console room where thirteen is tinkering, goggles on and a bit greasy. there’s banter. for a moment we see thirteen as yaz sees her: hair askew, bright smile, glowing in the light of the tardis, engine grease on her cheekbone. there’s a “you’ve got something on your nose” moment.

then, of course, someone in need of help pings the tardis. well, the doctor. she gets a text that says “help us, doctor,” which is all sorts of curious. yaz flips the camera to herself and says: “alright sonya, you ready for this?” while the doctor gives a cocky grin to the camera. the tardis leaves the time vortex with a great jolt, the opening credits run.

they land in front of a rickety farm house. the gate swings, ominously. a cow moos. the camera takes the scene in; thirteen pops up to give trivia about the era, which is.....earth, approximately 2014. britain.

yaz makes a face at the camera before they open the door.

the house seems regular, aside from abandoned; there’s a plate of molding food on the table. an outfit laid out on a bed, covered in cobwebs. scans turn up a “particle curiosity” in the air, but no one who could have sent a text message.

they decide to spend the night in the house, just in case. thirteen puts up sensors. they sit next to each other on the couch; yaz sets the camera on the table and there’s some planning before the camera abruptly goes dead.

we pick up later into the night—yaz is asleep. thirteen pulls a blanket over yaz; the footage starts skipping strangely, lines and shadows and distortions. she offers apologies to sonya; the censor picked up something and she’s modified the camera.

just as thirteen starts to awkwardly smalltalk about dimensional fragmentation camera censors, there’s a piercing shriek, more distortions. yaz wakes up; there’s scrambling and then: a face, screaming, glowing blue eyes.

the genre abruptly careens into found footage-style horror. yaz gets the figure to chase her around the house, nearly taunts it, until thirteen can hold it off with a Barrier that won’t last. yaz and thirteen argue about their mutual appetite for recklessness, thirteen’s duty of care, yaz’s protectiveness. the camera is abandoned, viewing them from an odd angle. it catches thirteen’s hand reaching for yaz, pulling back before yaz notices.

through clues in the house & rebooting an abandoned iphone, they discover what happened in this house. a young woman, a teacher—vivacious and funny if her texts are anything to go by—moved into this house ten years ago. then, she vanishes without a trace.

thirteen recognizes the date she disappears but doesn’t know why. the figure breaks in, forcing them down into the basement. there, they happen upon a gruesome sight that shocks thirteen: a powered down toclafane from the simm!master arc in s4.

she realizes that the date corresponds to the original paradox—and realizes that the creature is the vestiges of the young teacher, trapped by dark matter in a paradox that shouldn’t exist anymore. yaz mentions she used to have a nightmare about the orbs as a young kid every night for a week.

there’s Plot Stuff as they figure out how to fix the paradox for good. turns out, the creature is mad at the doctor, but thirteen won’t shoulder this burden for the master. he orchestrated that and thirteen did the best she could. she’s too angry to connect; it’s yaz who connects to the young woman left in the creature. who wanted her own adventures. she’s afraid of dying for good. yaz says she’s sorry, and the creature believes her.

the camera is abandoned on the table. the distortions have stopped. the sun rises. there’s a fast forward and yaz & thirteen are at the kitchen table, drinking “coffee.” (it still tastes good, anyway.) the aftermath of an argument. they mention the master. before the camera dies again, thirteen asks yaz if she has any new nightmares. she’s soft.

the last scene: yaz and sonya curled up together on the bed. sonya is shook. yaz is like, yeah i told you it was a lot. but sonya is shook because she had the same nightmare as a kid too. she asks if the doctor meddles too much, if they’d all be safer if she weren’t around. 

yaz contemplates. she says: nothing in the universe is safe. she can’t save everyone, neither can i. but we try. and i feel safe with her. in more ways than one.

sonya teases yaz about a crush. yaz goes “no way!” but looks briefly devastated.

before they fall asleep, yaz remembers something. she asks sonya if she can borrow her phone. 

ending credits: found footage of thirteen singing taylor swift on the tardis, doing some repairs with her greasy goggles on. yaz laughs.

[flutteringphalanges]

                                  Caught in a Riptide

Summary: After the infamous Count Dracula is discovered and taken into custody by the Jonathan Harker Foundation, former nun and now guardian to her young niece, Zoe, Agatha Van Helsing is tasked with keeping tabs on the vampire after a mishap leads to his release into modern day society. Can Agatha remain levelheaded, or will fate turn her onto a new path?

Pairing: Dracula/Agatha Van Helsing

Rated: M

Read on FFN and AO3

A/N: Alright, my dear readers, as promised! Thank you so much for your support as usual! Feedback is greatly loved and appreciated whether it be comments/kudos/reblogs/etc... I adore hearing your thoughts! Anyway, onward to chapter four!

                                             Chapter Four

Hawkins and Wentworth Law Firm. Established in the late 1800's, representing Count Dracula since September 12, 1896. A partnership that led to the purchase of some property for the vampire along with an arrangement for his resettlement. The vampire had thought of everything. For well over a century, the man had continuous tricks up his sleeve and today the Foundation had served as his willing assistant. That damn tablet. Whoever gave it to him in the first place should be fired on the spot.

"So you see, by holding him here, you are encroaching on Count Dracula's rights."

Frank Renfield was a rather scrawny man. Nervous, the epitome of someone walking on eggshells. His outfit was rather washed out, almost a little too baggy to fit his body properly. Agatha lost count of how many times he pushed his glasses back up to the brim of his nose. He certainly wasn't the ideal lawyer she would've pictured, but she reluctantly gave him credit for how prepared he was.

"He's a murderer!" She tried to argue, gesturing at Dracula who merely grinned in response. "You do realize what he is?!"

"Oh yes, of course!" Frank nodded vigorously, clearing his throat. "But my point stands. He is being held against his will and if he isn't released by tonight, my client is willing to take legal actions. And," the lawyer gave an awkward smile. "I'm not sure if all of England is ready to learn that a vampire is among the population."

"In other words, we're supposed to set him free and just trust that his actions remain civil?" Bloxham countered, folding her arms. "I think not."

"Actually, we did speak on that over Skype." The attorney responded looking over to the vampire as he spoke. "Based on Dracula's prior cases, there is a deal we are willing to make with you. A compromise if you will."

"What makes you think you have the upper hand in deciding this?!" The scientist frowned, eyes fixated on Frank's. "Why do you get to make the decisions?"

"No matter how you look at it, Dr. Bloxham, Count Dracula will be freed tonight." Renfield said firmly, pushing his glasses up again. "We thought it only fair to make some sort of offer to appease the Foundation. Are you interested in listening?" Neither of the women interjected so he continued. "Count Dracula will be freed but he is more than happy to be occasionally checked in on. Think of it as a parole of sorts."

"He's willing for someone to keep tabs on him? Agatha questioned, finally reentering into the conversation. "What's the catch?"

"There is no catch, I assure you," the lawyer explained. "Well...it's interesting actually." His nervous chuckle didn't settle well with the former nun. "He'll agree to these terms IF you are the one to supervise him."

It only happened every so often, but Agatha Van Helsing found herself at a loss for words. She stared dumbfounded at the lawyer who sheepishly smiled through thin lips. There was no arguing. No chance of being heard. Before she could even utter a single word in, Bloxham answered for her.

"Agatha would be more than happy to accept those terms."

Bloxham stared at her as if almost daring her to say otherwise. Frank beamed, opening up his briefcase. "Brilliant!" He expressed, looking from one woman to the other. "Now that we are all on the same track, if we could just fill out some documents. Just some formalities really. You know, just because this is a legal case and we like to keep records on file."

As the scientist led the lawyer away, Agatha finally turned to meet Dracula's gaze. He was smirking at her, obviously delighted by it all. A part of her wanted to race over and open the ceiling, but somehow she refrained despite how marvelous it sounded. He had played her like a fiddle and he knew it. Oh if she could just stake him in the heart...what a satisfying thought.

"I'd like to think of this as a beautiful start to our friendship," Dracula commented. "I had a feeling the Harker Foundation would be breathing down my back because of this, but what better way to soothe this fine institution's concerns than to allow you to be my figurative probation officer?"

"Just because you like to assume that you're very clever doesn't mean you are all that you give yourself credit for." Agatha countered, folding her arms over her chest. "I'm not playing into your game, Count Dracula."

"Oh, but I think that you already are." And his low tone sent a shiver up her spine. "I know your kind, Agatha Van Helsing. And I may not know you fully yet, but I will. I have my ways. And when I do…" His smirk broadened. "I expect we'll be sharing quite the exhilarating experience."

"Go to Hell." It was the best insult that came into her mind at the time.

"My chariot is a two seater," the Count replied. "I'll make sure to keep a spot open for you."

                                                        XXX

"Eugene says his big brother said that if you make a face long enough, it'll get stuck like that!" Zoe informed her aunt as she kicked her legs, sending her higher on the swing set. "Why do you look so grumpy?"

Agatha looked up from the book she was attempting to read on the bench. After picking Zoe up from school, she took the little girl to the park. At least there maybe she could clear her head. Setting the novel down in her lap, she looked towards the orange horizon. The sun was beginning to set. Only a few hours now.

"First, Eugene's brother is wrong. Faces don't get stuck," she stated. "And I'm not grumpy, I just had a hard day at work. I'm a little tired, that's all."

"Oh." And Zoe fell silent for a moment, still pumping her legs hard. She was flying so high, Agatha was beginning to grow concern about the chains breaking. "Was Dracula there? Did you talk to him?" The woman visibly stiffened at the name but the girl didn't seem to notice. "I told my friends I met a real vampire, but they didn't believe me. Evan said I was a liar. But I'm not lying, am I?"

Thank God Zoe was only seven with a wild imagination. No one took kids really seriously at that age. Still, perhaps it wasn't good for her to mention him. Quite frankly, she didn't even want to hear his name right now. Grabbing her book, she stood up. It was getting late anyway.

"Let's not talk about him anymore, Zoe." Agatha replied. "How about we finish up here and get some ice cream, hm? I'm in the mood for some." It wasn't exactly the truth, but she knew how to quickly change her niece's train of thought. "What do you say?"

"Two scoops?!" The girl asked with excitement, leaping off the swing.

"One, and you can get it with sprinkles." Agatha said, reaching to take a hold of the little girl's hand. "I think both need it after today." Though a tall glass of something alcohol sounded more appealing. "Let's go."

It wasn't a long drive to the parlor and after getting their cones, they were back on the road. Through the rear view mirror, Agatha watched in dismay as vanilla ice cream dribbled down Zoe's coated mouth onto her shirt and seat belt. Perhaps she should've grabbed a handful of napkins when she had the chance.

"Can we watch a movie tonight?" The little girl asked in between licks. "I promise I'll go to bed right afterwards!"

Well, considering she was already hyped up on sugar, getting her to sleep now would be near impossible. Agatha looked through the mirror again and towards the sky. Nearly dark. His freedom was drawing nearer. Trying not to think about it, she gave into Zoe's demand.

"We can watch a movie," she agreed. "But then you have to go to sleep without arguing."

"Yes, ma'am!" Zoe exclaimed, giving her aunt a salute. "I promise!"

Agatha made a point of locking the door as she and a very sticky Zoe entered the house. As her niece went to wash up, the former nun retrieved her phone from her purse. She hadn't exactly discussed what had happened with Jack. When their lunch was interrupted earlier, Bloxham seemed more concerned with her than the doctor. Dialing his number, she held the device to her ear. It immediately went to voicemail. Frowning, she set it down. She'd try again later when Zoe was asleep.

"All clean!" The little girl called out causing Agatha to snap back into reality. "And in my jammies! C'mon, Aunt Aggie, let's watch something…" She seemed to think about it. "How about something spooky?!"

"How about something that doesn't give you nightmares?" Her aunt chuckled, moving over to sit beside the little girl. "How about one of those princess movies you like?"

"Princesses are boring." Zoe exclaimed, rolling her eyes.

"But you love princesses," Agatha said with a small frown. "You wanted one for your birthday this year."

"I like vampires now." The young girl proclaimed.

Her aunt was about to interject when the sound of her doorbell going off stopped her. Furrowing her brow, Agatha rose from the couch and made her way towards the door. Was it Jack? An odd hour to be making a house call. As she turned the knob to open it, she immediately regretted her decision. For there, standing nonchalantly in front of her was none other than the Devil himself. Count Dracula.

Speechless. Completely, utterly dumbfounded. She must've looked ridiculous, standing there gawking at the man she'd seen locked up only hours before. Agatha's mouth was so dry that even if she wanted to say something, she couldn't. Silence.

"Well? You know how this works, don't you?" The moonlight glinted off of Dracula's smile as he stood at Agatha's doorstep patiently. "Are you going to invite me in?"

So many questions. An entire novel's worth. She began to rifle through them, trying to decide which of the several were the most important to bring up first. Agatha blocked the doorway, her eyes narrowing as she stared daggers at the vampire.

"How the Hell did you find my house?!" It seemed like a logical inquiry all things considered.

"Googled it." He shrugged, looking as if he was very proud of himself. "You'd be surprised by the lack of Van Helsings in the area. Oh." He held up one finger before shoving a hand into his pocket. "And this helped too." It was Jack's phone.

"You..." Agatha stumbled, struggling between insulting or going off completely. "You stole Jack's phone and then decided it was okay to stalk me to my home?!" "I didn't stalk you." The vampire corrected. "I merely followed your address." He inhaled, still seeming unfazed by Agatha's aggravation. "Are you going to let me in?" "I..." She began before the sound of small feet came bounding in her direction. Zoe. Christ.

"Aunt Aggie!" The girl chirped. "You gotta put a movie in! You're..." Her blue eyes widen at the sight of Dracula. "Mr. Dracula!"

"Zoe, go to your room." Agatha said coolly, trying to block the little girl's view. "Dracula was just leaving-"

"Wanna come in and watch the movie with us?!"

Agatha was unsure whether to face palm, cry out in frustration, or just go dig a hole and bury herself in it as Dracula grinned widely and stepped into her home. All thanks to Zoe's innocent invitation inside. How thoughtful.

"Thank you for the generous offer, Zoe." Dracula said kneeling down to the girl's eye level. "But I'm here to actually talk to your Aunt Aggie."

Agatha swept in front of the two glowering at the vampire as he straightened up. Zoe peered from behind her aunt, looking curiously at the towering Count. His expression, still friendly, was no longer focused on her, but now met her aunt's gaze.

"Get out," Agatha growled. "I rescind your invitation."

"Ah, as much as I'm sure you'd like that, it doesn't work that way." His smile turned into a smirk as he leaned against the wall. "You see, it was dear Zoe who invited me in. Not you. And while this is your house, she lives here too. So unless your niece wants me to leave, I think I'll stay for a bit." His eyes flickered down to the little girl again. "Can I stay, Zoe?"

"Zoe," Agatha said through her teeth. "Tell him to leave. Now."

"How about a little incentive. Say...five pounds?" Dracula whipped the money from his pocket and dangled it in front of her like a dog. "It's yours if I can stay."

The little girl smiled and, without a word, snatched the money and hurried off to put it in her piggy bank. Dracula grinned, delighted by his accomplishment as he turned back to face an enraged Agatha. What a cheat. The woman's arms folded tightly over her chest as she watched with fury as he made his way over to the kitchen table.

"You're a real prick." She hissed as he sat down. "You have no right to even talk to her-or bribe her for that matter! She's seven!"

"She's smart," Dracula sighed contentedly, leaning back. "Won't you join me? Take a seat, Agatha, I merely came here to talk." He laced his fingers together, hands resting on the table. "We've both had quite a day today, haven't we?"

Agatha didn't sit down. Instead, she just stared at him. Hard. As if maybe, if she concentrated hard enough, he'd just poof away. Or explode. That would've been better. He, of course, waited patiently for her reply and soon the former nun realized that, unless she addressed him, he wouldn't be leaving any time soon.

"Why are you here?" It was a repetitive question and she knew it.

"To talk," he replied. "You practically stormed out the moment my dear lawyer and that boss of yours discussed everything over with you. You can be quite difficult, I'm learning. But we can work on that," he smiled. "Could I trouble you for a piece of paper and a pen?"

"Why?" Agatha asked curtly.

"So I can write down my address for you," the Count rolled his eyes. "Goodness, Agatha, for a Van Helsing, I thought you would be more dedicated in wanting to locate me. Do you know how hard your grandfather tried? I am literally giving you directions to my home. You should be more appreciative."

Offering his address. Such a cordial act. What his motive was behind it, she wasn't sure. But Agatha remembered Bloxham's request-or rather, mandatory instructions, and she begrudgingly got what he asked for. Tossing them roughly onto the table, the former nun watched as he scribbled his information down in a surprising elegant font.

"I included my number as well." Dracula exclaimed, holding the paper out to her. "Go on, take it. I don't bite." And there was a glint of mischievousness in his eyes as he spoke the last bit. "I hope you don't mind, but I took the liberty of copying down your own cell number from your friend's phone." With that, he neatly slid Jack's device across the table. "Apologize to him, will you? I'm sure he's frantically looking for it."

Agatha immediately snatched it up and shoved it into her pocket. Hopefully he hadn't tampered with it to the point of it being useless. As for the paper, she hesitantly took it, eyes studying the words scrawled across. Almost instantly she recognized the street. Even the name of the complex. Nostrils flared, she gazed up at the Count wide eyed.

"There must be some mistake." She snapped, looking from him back down to the paper. "This is only a few blocks from where I live!"

"It seemed only appropriate seeing as you are supposed to be keeping an eye on me." Dracula said in a hair tearingly calm voice. "It was an added bonus that it sits at the perfect location. How coincidences can be rather humorous." He continued to smile, the same look that had yet to leave his face. "You should come by some time. Perhaps for dinner?"

If she was to kill him now, right on the spot, would anyone really mind? Jack certainly wouldn't tell. Bloxham might be rather annoyed, but all things considered, she could kiss Agatha's ass. Then there was his lawyer-Frank. She could figure something out. But then deep down, way deep down at this point, the Van Helsing side of her wanted to learn more. Desired to know more. And by destroying the vampire where he currently stood would take away from that.

"I prefer not to partake in the slaughtering of innocent human life." The woman replied coldly. "And I intend to make sure you do the same." For a brief moment, the amusement faltered from Dracula's face. "You're in the modern world, Count Dracula. Drinking people dry is frowned upon by society. I assure you, whatever it takes, your last victim will have been in 1897. I swear upon my great, great grandfather's name."

"He's dead," the vampire said with a cocked eyebrow. "I believe you are supposed to swear on the live's of the living…say that darling Zoe of yours?"

He struck a major pressure point and Dracula very well knew it. Agatha's gaze darkened and she leaned dangerous close to his face. If he wanted, the Count could've easily snapped her neck within a second. Instead, he merely eyed her with curiosity.

"If you ever lay one of your clawed fingers on a single hair on her head, I will destroy you where you stand." Agatha hissed with such ferocity even she was a little taken aback. "Don't threaten my child."

"I have no intention to," Dracula said, holding up a hand. "But your aggressive protectiveness is a rather charming quality if I do say so myself."

"As charming as a crucifix burned into your bare flesh," she shot back.

"Kinky," Dracula chuckled. "My, you are quite an anomaly, Agatha Van Helsing."

"What's kinky?"

Both adults turned to see Zoe standing there eyeing them with great interest. Her head was tilted ever so slightly and in her arms she hugged one of her stuffed animals. Jesus Christ, not again. He'd been awake for a day. ONE day. And he already was corrupting her niece's mind with such vulgar language.

"Nothing." She said, eyes locked on Dracula's as she spoke. "And I don't want to hear you repeating it."

"Oh, a bad word." Zoe nodded thoughtfully. "Are we going to watch a movie now?"

"Actually," Dracula began as he stood up. "I suppose I should be leaving now. It's getting rather late-or, I should say, becoming too close to early for my comfort." He strode towards the door as Agatha remained at the table, Zoe by her side. "I'll be seeing you soon, Agatha." He grinned, his eyes flickering down to the little girl. "And thank you for inviting me in, Zoe. I much appreciated that."

Agatha said nothing as the vampire opened the door and slipped outside. After she was sure he was gone, she hurried over and locked the dead bolt. Running a hand through her hair, she let out a long, hard exhale. Zoe walked over to her, an ever present happy expression on her young face.

"I like him!" She stated cheerfully.

That only made one of them.

[nellie-elizabeth]

Modern Family: Baby Steps (11x15)

There are only so many different ways I can discuss how this final season has felt stagnant and uninspired... but there was actually one good plot thread here, I suppose!

Cons:

I want to talk about Alex. Rarely have I felt like a main character on a television show has been so poorly utilized. Who even is Alex? In this episode, she goes back to her old college, encounters some protesters and her old professor Arvin, who make her realize that she's working for a big unethical company. So she decides to work for Arvin's research team instead, using her smarts for good instead of evil. Okay... what a nice little plot arc for Alex. Too bad it all happens in one episode. Did I know that Alex felt ethical qualms about her job before now? Did I know this was a dilemma for her? She also talks about her "glow up," about how going back to the school triumphant and successful will be a big moment for her. Is that something I knew she needed/wanted? Is she searching for validation? Alex's colleges years on the show were so strangely framed and never really properly set up, so...

Bottom line is, this is fine. Alex taking a job that will make her less money but will be helping the world seems like a great move for anyone to make. But I don't know this person. I haven't really gotten to know her as an adult.

Also, apparently Haley is back at work after having the babies - that feels like it could have been a big moment, but it's brushed past like it's no big deal. And another thing... I don't want to be That Person who brings the room down, but all the jokes about Haley's company and their alternative/holistic lifestyle stuff... it's supposed to be a parody of Gwyneth Paltrow's "goop" thing, and other similar ideas. We're all supposed to chuckle when Haley points out that none of the company's employees are actually scientists and yet they're selling things for people to put into their bodies. But the thing is? That shit is straight-up predatory. People paying money for pills and products that do nothing, or even actively harm? It's a serious issue! I just wanted to point that out, because there's really no nuance provided for the fact that Haley works for an evil company, even as Alex is taken to task for the same thing.

Claire's story-line is in some way like Alex's, in that it feels perfectly fine for this to be the next step for the character, but it's so shoe-horned, and so uninspired. Basically, she wants to work for a company that sells organizational products, but she gets her foot stuck in a broken stair, so Jay and Phil help to bring her bookcase over behind her so she can Skype and pretend to be in her office for her interview. From there it's just stupid slapstick. Jay is having an allergic reaction to a mushroom, so Claire has to keep making excuses for the bookcase moving, or for Jay sneezing... and then the whole thing falls apart, Claire is honest, and she gets the job. I don't know... does this just feel like a retread of the same story beats we've done for Claire over and over again? She's never going to be fulfilled staying at home, so she gets a job, she's high-powered but trying to balance work/life, she quits the job, now she's looking for a new one? Okay... cool, I guess. Also, we get jokes made at the expense of people with compulsive disorders. Thanks, I hate it.

Pros:

One thing I will say for Alex's story-line is that it was nice to see Arvin again. The whole bit where Arvin is just casually talking with Haley and Alex, and Haley seems to truly believe that Arvin is still hung up on her, was pretty hilarious. I also like how he was polite, and only joined in the protest to save face, but later when he was alone with Alex he admitted his real opinion about her life choices. That was a nice little re-direct.

While Claire's portion of the episode was mostly boring and also too silly for my taste, I did like the little hints of chaos in Claire's life. Dylan needing to get upstairs to the baby, and Luke continuing to fall down the stairs, only for everyone to shrug it off, relieved that it wasn't Dylan or Gloria or one of the babies... that did make me chuckle!

The big success story of this episode is Cam and Mitchell's plot thread. I'm still kind of miffed/frustrated that they apparently aren't going the route of having them move away at the end of the show, because that would have been an interesting status quo shift. But I will admit, this episode got me right in the feels. Everything that happens is predictable, but it's no less powerful for that. Basically, Cam and Mitchell struggle with the decision about adopting a baby boy. They hem and haw, and ultimately decide that if it were the right thing, the decision wouldn't be so challenging... but then the adoption agency calls, and when Mitchell answers to tell them no, they both look at each other and just... know what the right thing to do is. They're having a baby, and they're also buying a bigger house!

There were just a lot of moments I loved here. Cam and Mitchell lying in bed, talking about prose and cons... one of their "pros" was finding out for sure how much of Lily's personality is their fault, and how much is on her! And then speaking of, when they go to talk to Lily, she is immediately supportive, but then points out how old they will be if they have a baby now, by the time that baby is grown.

And then there's the way Gloria gets involved. They go to talk to her about it, since she has experience having a baby a bit later in life, but end up enamored with the house she's in the middle of showing. They start to imagine a future with this new house, and a new baby, and things start to spiral. Gloria is in the background, doing her sale's pitch. I thought that was a fantastic way to integrate Gloria's progress and character development. It's something I wish the show could pull off successfully more often.

So yeah - Cam and Mitchell deciding to adopt a new baby is about as emotionally manipulative as you can get, but I have allowed myself to be emotionally manipulated. While the moment of their big decision was a success in my eyes, the rest of this episode was pretty much a swing and a miss.

7/10

[the-semicolonoscopy]

Have you ordered your Frog Facts scratch-off Advent* calendar yet? What are you waiting for? Oh, you say you'd prefer a Crab Facts calendar? My friend, this is your lucky day, because they have a Crab Facts scratch-off Advent* calendar, too!

* @sarahmackattack makes the excellent point that the calendar doesn't have to be a countdown to Christmas — if you don't celebrate Frogmas, maybe you celebrate Frogoween or Frogsgiving (or Craboween or Crabsgiving). This calendar is ready to count down whatever holiday or random day you prefer!

One last talent show to save the rec center

Ok everybody here's the deal.

My science education nonprofit, Skype a Scientist (you might know her, creator of the squid facts hotline and matcher of classrooms + scientists) has secured absolutely no grants to support general operations for 2025. But! We're selling advent calendars to fund our program! They absolutely rule. They can save our nonprofit asses. If we sell 5000, which I realize, is so many, we can fund our program for 2025. Then I can offer a bunch of programming for free. Running a nonprofit is a weird job.

Every day, counting down to frankly whatever you want (it's usually Christmas, but man, maybe you want to count down to Halloween, that's fine by me) scratch off the sparkly sparkly iridescence and reveal a fact about frogs! We have 24 top-notch frog facts here.

You should get one for every kid in your life, then get one for all the adults who still let themselves access joy in critters.

Get 'em here: https://squidfacts.bigcartel.com/

[do-not-call-me-meathead]

aposiopesis (part one)

My Orphan Black fic on AO3

part two  part three  part four  part five  part six  part seven

Summary: 

Cosima and Sarah turn to each other for support after the night they both almost end their lives.

It's simple, at first. Their friendship and care.

But things are never as simple as they seem.

Cosima loves Delphine, but there's something about Sarah that makes her question everything.

...

Ironically enough, it all began with the news of life. Delphine’s life, that is. Cosima had believed that she was dead, long dead. There was a sliver of hope that the woman she loved was still alive because it wasn’t like she felt her death like she believed she would if the French blonde had really died. But still. The radio silence carried the dread that led to her almost putting the bot into her cheek like a lunatic.

But she didn’t.

Kendall was dead and the scientist wanted to beat those Neolution sons of bitches. And deep down, she knew she couldn’t do that all sick and tired and dead. And besides. Kendall’s death was her fault. At least, that’s what she thought. She knew that she needed to make up for what she did so that she could live with herself. And for Kendall and Siobhan and all the clones. She (stupidly) thought the bot would fix it. Give her more time. She almost put it into her cheek.

But she didn’t.

Cosima apologized profusely to Scott and Hell Wizard about her moment of brief insanity, but they refused to leave her alone for the rest of the night. She was grateful for her friends of course (especially Felix who had stopped you from doing something so… dangerously stupid) but she needed time to accept the news.

Delphine was alive.

At least, Krystal saw her leave alive.

Things only seemed to escalate when she received a skype call from Alison. She had expected Felix to tell the other clone about her break down, but when she answered the call, she was bombarded with a terrified Alison who had her house raided by the police and her husband arrested.

“Oh, dude, that’s awful,” Cosima told the rambling woman, trying to find words that weren’t completely awkward. “W-what are you going to do?”

She listened as Alison explained how Felix had already gotten his (biological) sister to agree to be Donnie’s lawyer and ranted about wanting to torture Duko for scaring her kids. She had to admit that she wanted to torture him too for what he did to Kendall. For what he’s done to all of them.

“Does Sarah know?”

She was surprised by Alison’s sudden silence and frown. Alison looked down (avoiding Cosima’s gaze) and mentioned with what seemed like a forced calm, “I think Felix told her, but heavens, I don’t want to stress her out with this. With everything going on.”

Cosima didn’t know what the hell the soccer mom was referring to. She was positive that more than anyone in the clone club, it was Sarah who would want to be involved and help. But there was something in Alison’s eyes that made her wonder if something else was going on. Something that she had no knowledge about.

“What do you mean? Did something happen to Sarah? Kira?”

Alison held her hand to her cheek and sighed. “Lord knows Felix didn’t want this to be on your mind either, Cosima. He told me what happened last night. Honestly. Finding out that--”

“What happened to Sarah, Alison ?”

Alison made a tutting sound and crossed her arms. “Felix practically begged me to not tell anyone. I’m not even planning on asking Sarah--”

“ Alison .”

The mother put her hands up in the air in surrender. “Holy cow. Okay, Cosima. But please don’t ask her about it. I’m not even sure Felix told me the whole--”

“Just tell me.”

“Last night, Sarah almost killed herself,” Alison said so quickly that Cosima barely had any time to process what she said before she continued, “and Felix says that she was going to do it like… like…”

Cosima bit her lip, trying to stop the tears from coming to her eyes. She filled in the blank in her mind, but she still needed Alison to say it out loud.

“Like what?”

Alison blinked and stared like it was the last thing she wanted to say out loud. “Like Beth.”

Cosima’s heart felt like it had stopped with all the air knocked out of your lungs. She wanted to ache for Alison (knowing how close she was to the late clone), but she couldn’t stop thinking about Sarah. The cold truth (not that she’d tell Alison or anyone else for that matter) was that Sarah was much more important to her than Beth ever was. The idea of losing her, losing the person who held them all together, made her whole body feel weak and like it was decaying (more than usual). Especially since she realized that Sarah's pain must have been her fault. That this wouldn’t have happened if Cosima hadn’t been so…

“We almost lost her?” She asked in a whisper, not really expecting an answer.

Alison narrowed her eyes. “What, Cosima? I can’t hear--”

Cosima ended the call. It was Cosima after all who wanted to make the deal with Evie Cho. It was Cosima who allowed herself to be played and caused Siobhan’s mother’s death. It was Cosima who lost the months of work and advancements they made, probably stopping any chance of a cure. None of it was Sarah’s fault, but then… she could imagine the guilt she must have been feeling. Sarah kept the world on her shoulders. She let on the pain of others. She felt more than anyone but forced herself to not always show it.  

She dialed Felix’s number not knowing what she would say to him when he would pick up. She couldn’t call Sarah, at least, not yet. Not until she got the full story from him first. She liked to think that it was the scientist in her who needed her facts straight before going to the original source. But truthfully, she was terrified of talking to Sarah knowing that she was the root of her pain.

“Oi, do you know what bloody time it is?” Felix croaked as if he had just woken up.

She didn’t answer his question. “Is Sarah around?”

“She was plastered last night, mate. She’ll be out for at least another few hours. Please tell me you aren’t planning on doing another senseless act. Let’s not put any more foreign objects in mouths except for--”

“What happened with Sarah last night? And why didn’t you immediately tell me?”  

Felix paused for a second but then sighed. “You would think by now I would know not to tell Alison anything--”

“ Felix .”

“You had a lot on your mind, if you remember, darling,” He snapped cooly with an edge that made Cosima almost cower in her chair. “You nearly put a bloody bot maggot in your face. And you were all weepy about Delphine. It wasn’t the night to worry you about Sarah. Besides, you almost died too.”

Cosima roared with a growl. “Who cares? I still have the right to know.”

“If Sarah wanted you to know, Sarah would tell you, but as I said, she’s knackered. I shouldn’t have told Alison. I just needed… to tell someone.”

His voice changed from angry to… something tired. Desperate, maybe. Cosima gulped. She hadn’t realized how terrifying it must have been for him too. She thought about seeing Kendall and knowing she was about to die and closed her eyes tight. She couldn't imagine seeing Sarah in her place.

Lowering her voice, she asked, “How close of a call was it?”

“Dunno, really. Found her standin’ on a bridge lookin’ down at the trains. I’d say pretty bloody close. She was… not talkin’ right either. I don’t think she’s told me everything anyway. Which means nothin’ because she’s Sarah.”

Sarah was the one who everyone leaned on for support and help and armor and yet… she never allowed anyone else to do the same for her. It wasn’t something that Cosima had realized right away. She thought that Felix was her confidant and that people like Paul or Cal had gotten through to her emotionally. Hell, Cosima even thought that she’d be a person that Sarah’d go to if she needed someone. But now…

“Cosima, I can practically hear you think. Please don’t tell me you’re going to do what I think you’re going to do. You are not comin’ to the safe house.

She huffed stubbornly. There was no way that she wasn’t going to see Sarah now. “Well, either I’m going there or you’re bringing Sarah here.”

“You cheeky bitch. She’s not well, Cosima. You askin’ her questions about her bloody feelings ain’t gonna make her better. Look, I told Alison because I knew she wouldn’t have the balls to ask Sarah about it. You on the other hand…”

“I’m not going to make her feel bad about it!”

“She doesn’t want to concern you!” Felix yelled uncharacteristically. “Sarah likes to appear like she’s tough as nails for a reason. If she found out that you know--”

“I won’t tell her that I know. Dammit, you can even tell her I need to see her for my own emotional wellbeing. I won’t bring it up. But I just… I need to see her.”

Felix was quiet again. “Why?”

That was a loaded question. Her immediate thought was because of the guilt. For Kendall. For Mrs. S. For not realizing Sarah was in a dark place. For being too caught up with the bot and Delphine that she didn’t notice Sarah’s pain.

But Cosima had to be honest with him. “Because I can’t stop imagining Sarah jumping off a bridge and getting hit by a train and maybe if I see her alive, I will stop imagining the way her body looks all broken and dead on the tracks.”

More silence.

And then she heard him sigh like he was giving in. “Bloody hell, darling. Fine. We’ll come see you, yeah?”

Before she could thank him, he hung up. She understood his trepidation and need to protect her, but she was Sarah’s… Cosima couldn’t find the right word for it. They were close, at least, that was what she had thought. But when she really thought about it, she realized there wasn’t much about Sarah’s life (other than the clone shit) that she knew about.

“Were you talking to someone?”

Cosima almost sighed in relief that Scott had interrupted her darkening thoughts. She was already spiraling about Delphine and Sarah’s behavior. She didn’t want to spiral about her relationship with her either.

“Don’t worry, Scotty. I’m not turning into a nut and putting a bot in my face. Again. I was on the phone with Felix.”

Scott nodded and looked relieved. “The news about Delphine must have really shaken you then.”

“I mean, obvs I feel like the luckiest woman in the world that she’s alive, but I have no damn clue where she is or how she’s doing or if she’s okay. If Neolution has her…”

“Don’t think so negatively. We are going to find her, Cosima. And then you’ll have your science partner back and--”

“Scott, I don’t want you to think that you’re replaceable or something. Or that you’re like any less valuable than Delphine. I mean, you’re here because of your kind heart and bravery. I sorta dragged you in, but you didn’t have to stay.”

He stared at her with this wide-eyed look as if he was genuinely baffled by her words. “Yes, I did. I might have put a few things on hold, Cosima, but this is what I chose for my life. I know what I’m doing is important. There’s purpose in my life. And I’ve never… I’ve never had people before all of you. You, Hell Wizard, and even Sarah. You’re my family.”

Cosima’s eyes flooded with tears. She was so obsessed with the cure and Delphine and battling Neolution that she put almost everyone else on hold. Scott had never left her side, but Cosima felt like she had abandoned him. Just as she abandoned Sarah.

“Dude… I don’t know how to thank you.”

Scott gave his classic dorky grin and shook his head. “You don’t need to thank me, Cosima. Thank me by finding a cure so that we can stay mad scientists forever, okay?”

Cosima nodded vigorously. Forever sounded like a good amount of time to her.

.....  

The door to the basement swung open and the sound of heavy footsteps caused both Cosima and Scott to jump. Surprised that it wasn’t Hell Wizard, Scott looked from Felix and Sarah to Cosima wondering if this was indeed a planned meeting or something spontaneous.

Felix looked annoyed as he and his sister made their way toward the scientists. His arms were crossed and his eyes were cautious. It was obvious to Cosima (and Scott) that he was not happy to be there. He even stood in front of Sarah slightly, like he was protecting her. It made Cosima frown. She hated that he seemed to be protecting Sarah from her.

Cosima could barely see Sarah behind him. But she could tell that the woman was looking… incredibly Sarah-like. With her baggy tank top and ripped black jeans, messy eyeliner, and partially braided hair. Her hands were stuffed in her pockets of a leather jacket that Cosima hadn’t recognized but soon fell in love with. She couldn’t meet Sarah’s eyes, though. She didn’t know how to without revealing to the woman that she knew.

“I hope we’re interrupting something outlandishly nerdy,” Felix greeted and put his hands on his hips as if he was waiting for something to happen.

Cosima ignored him and turned to her lab partner, trying to tell him through her eye movements that he needed to go along with whatever she said. “Yo, Scotty, can you take Felix upstairs and show him the new bottle of vodka?”

Scott tried to hide his apprehension by nodding vigorously. “Yeah. Er… sure. Felix, do you mind if we… head…”

Felix waved his hands up in the air and shouted, “you are all hopeless,” and then started to walk up the stairs while his feet pounded the pavement with more drama than he usually mustered.

Cosima motioned her head toward Felix at Scott, telling him to follow the man. Scott gave her another terrified look, but she ignored it. Her attention was now solely on Sarah and the realization that even though Cosima was the sick one, Sarah looked much paler and skinnier.

Suddenly, Cosima didn’t have any idea how to greet the woman that she had felt so close to for the past few years. There was so much that she wanted to say, but she couldn’t find any of the right words in her mind.

Luckily, Sarah wasn’t struggling with talking like she was. “Felix said ya almost put my bloody bot in your face.”

She blinked at the woman with the British accent that always caught her a little off guard. “Yep. Not totally the smartest idea I have ever had.”

“You can’t always be a brainiac,” Sarah replied seriously.

Cosima snorted. “Tell that to well… everyone.”

Sarah frowned (somehow more than she was already frowning). “Fee said you’re strugglin’. With the Kendall shite and all. An’ losin’ all your work.”

“Ergo the bot in my face. Yeah, I had a rough day. Everything sorta hit me at once, you know? And I shut everyone out. But I’m just lucky your brother didn’t let me. He’s the reason why I’m not dead right now.”

Sarah blinked and sat down next to Cosima on her bed. She slouched over and stared at her feet, not allowing the other clone to see her face.

“Yeah, not all of us have a ‘Delphine’ that would flip the switch for us and make us want to live. But hey, good for you, yeah?”

Cosima hadn’t felt this breathless since the time she had almost died in Felix’s bed. She opened her mouth, wanting to apologize for some reason, but then knew that she couldn’t do that. She wasn’t sorry for finding out about Delphine. She wasn’t sorry for not putting the bot in her face. And she definitely wasn’t sorry that she was still here. Though, she did feel sorry for Sarah, but she knew her well enough to know that she wouldn’t want her pity.

“I know Fee told you,” Sarah commented, a little less harshly, but with the same amount of coldness. “I could tell the second I walked into this fucking dungeon. So, what, Cosima? You want me to talk about it or somethin’? Share my bloody feelings with you?”  

“I want--” Cosima paused. She didn’t know what to say. “I want…”

“ What, Cosima? Spit it out.”

Tears fell down the scientist’s cheeks without fail (she didn’t even care if Sarah saw them). And with the tears, she finally found the words. “I just wanted to know that you were alive. I just wanted to see you. Touch you, maybe. Know that your heart was still beating, Sarah.”

Sarah finally looked up at her, startling Cosima with her red and watery eyes. “That’s fuckin' rich comin' from you. What would I have done if you offed yourself, eh? Who says you have the right to end your life and I don't?”

Cosima fidgeted with her hands and sighed. “Sarah, it’s dif--”

“Oh, so now your suicide attempt is different than mine? Better than mine?”

“I didn’t want to die! I wanted to live!” She shouted at her, standing up too quickly, causing her to topple over, forcing Sarah to catch her ungracefully as they both fell to the floor. She started coughing and couldn’t stop. She hadn’t had a fit like this since…

Sarah grasped both of Cosima’s shoulders and asked her what to do, how to help, how to stop the coughing. Cosima wanted the look of worry on Sarah’s face to vanish. She hated scaring people with her sickness and this was the absolute worst timing.

Finally, the coughing ceased and Cosima drank the water that Sarah had forced into her hands. The scientist began to apologize and didn’t know how to stop.

“Don’t say you’re sorry, it’s all my fault.”

Cosima tilted her head with confusion. “How the hell do you think that you made me cough? It’s the sickness, Sar. Not your charming personality.”

Sarah rested her head on Cosima’s shoulder, no longer upset with her clone. She was worried about her for sure, but the anger was all gone.

“I hate that you were the one who was with Kendall when she was killed. I hate that you had to go through that. I hate that we got played. I hate that Kendall’s gone and the research is gone and that you’re still bloody sick.”

Cosima reached for Sarah’s hand and squeezed it. “Sarah--”

Her voice trembling, Sarah interrupted, “I fucked things up, Cos. For all of us. I let everyone down. I let… I let Beth down. And it fucked me up. I don’t want to die, Cos. I just want it all to be over. And I want everyone to be okay.”

“Woah, dude. First, you didn’t fuck things up, Sarah, okay? Second, the whole Kendall stuff was my fault. I was desperate and not thinking things through. Especially with the damn bot. I don’t… I don’t want to die, Sar. I want to live this crazy life and do something good. And this sickness, it makes me feel so helpless.”

Sarah shook her head and then held it against Cosima’s own forehead. “You aren’t helpless, Cos. We wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for you. We wouldn’t have gotten this far. And we won’t find the cure or end this Neo shit without you. I need you here with me. I can’t do this without you.”

It was the same thing she had said to the scientist months ago when Cosima was dying in Felix’s bed. It wasn’t something they talked about often. Sarah’s rare moment of vulnerability and Cosima’s death bed wasn’t something that they would like to revisit. Even if it was a solemn moment of bliss where two women who understood each other, held hands in silence and compassion and love. Though, that could have been a part of the reason, too.

“You won’t have to. If MK can find Susan, we might be able to find a cure together. Not that I really want to work with that bitch.”

Sarah snorted and moved away from her clone. “Do you think Susan knows where Delphine is?”

Cosima’s eyes darkened. “Krystal said that she was alive when she was taken but… who’s to say she didn’t die minutes later? Hours later? Days later? I could be searching for a ghost.”

“Or you could be searching for the French love of your life who can help get a cure, yeah?”

The scientist tilted her head. “Now who’s little miss optimist?”

“Oi, don’t be spreadin’ that to everyone, yeah? Especially Alison. I don’t think I have enough optimism for her and Donnie. Bloody hell. I’ve always hated cops, but Neo cops are just another layer of shite I never thought we’d have to face. But it’d make sense. Cops do normally include the worst of people.”

Cosima gave Sarah an all-knowing look that made the mother roll her eyes and groan.

“Yeah, yeah, know-it-all. Besides Art and Beth. You have a good point.”

....

“You’re bloody joking,” Sarah blurted in the middle of Cosima’s story while they shared a joint (or two). “Alison’s mum did not say that.”

“She did,” Cosima said and nodded as she flopped onto the bed that she had been sleeping on most nights in the basement (if she were to sleep at all). “Called me ‘mulatto’, the horrid bitch. God, I can’t imagine growing up with that woman.”

Sarah hummed in agreement. “And I thought S was bad growin' up. Can’t imagine livin' with some racist arseholes. Probably homophobic arseholes too.”

Cosima never thought too much about how the other clones grew up. She thought about it in an analytical way (obviously, she noticed that nurture impacted everyone’s personalities more than nature) but she never really thought about how different she would be if she had grown up in Sarah’s or Alison’s shoes.

She gathered that maybe it was selfishness. Or that she was so entwined with living in her own head and learning about her own biology that she didn’t give other people much of a thought. But here, staring at Sarah and her lion’s mane of messy hair, thick eyeliner, and clothes that hung off her body, she realized that Sarah’s life didn’t start when she met Cosima (or Alison or Beth for that matter). It started when she was born. A separated twin forced into the foster system. She had been living a very different life than Cosima, but it was just as real and emotional.

Sonder.

“My parents were—are—great. College professors who always allowed me to be curious. I was never just some little kid to them. I was an equal. When they talked about physics, they let me talk too. Even if I had no idea what I was talking about.”

A smile grew from Sarah’s lips. “Are you sayin' that if I had your parents I would be a genius too?”

Cosima chuckled and shrugged. “I don’t know. If I was raised by S, would I like boys and alcohol?”

“Ah, touché, geek monkey. Yeah, it’s loads to think about. I mean, we are all who we are ‘cause of how we were raised but… there are similarities.”

Cosima was dazzled by the curiosity she was feeling for whatever Sarah was thinking, even if they were both high as a kite. Sarah’s thoughts were more intoxicating than any drug.

“Like what?” Cosima asked her as she took a big puff and coughed as she did a sultry little dance. “You mean our hot bodies?”

Sarah laughed again which made Cosima grin. She didn’t know if she heard her fellow clone laugh this many times before.

“Not just that. I’m talkin’ about our recklessness. Stubbornness. Our fucked up relationships.”

Sarah had a good point. “Now who’s the smart one?”

“You, ya twat,” Sarah muttered and wrapped her arms around the scientist and laid her head on her chest. “Always you.”

Cosima looked down into Sarah’s eyes and just stared. Neither of them could look away. Most of it was pure fascination. They were two completely different people and yet… they had the same (but different) features. The same (but different) face. It was jarring and complex and intriguing.

They heard the door open and both of their eyes flickered toward Felix and Scott who were walking down the stairs with glitter in their hair that wasn’t there before they left.

Sarah quickly moved away from Cosima and tried to joke, “Though I could’ve been the genius. We’ll never know.”

Cosima couldn’t laugh. She just stared as Sarah moved toward Felix and suddenly seemed so far away again. So untouchable. So hardened and alone.

“Keep me updated with the science cure shit, yeah? We will come back soon.”

Cosima wanted to ask if Sarah promised that, but the words wouldn’t escape her mouth. Instead, she just nodded and waved, feeling like the light was escaping the room and what was left when Sarah was gone was the darkness.

[plasma-packin-peep]

I just received my Frog Fact calendar from @sarahmackattack, founder of the Skype A Scientist outreach program and pilot of The Squidmobile (which I had the honor of seeing in person like a year ago and i still remember that day fondly.)

The calendar is here just in time to make September a month of amphibious education! Also, can I just say it's so much bigger and prettier and glossier than I expected it to be? I'm going to keep this hanging up even after I'm done revealing my frog facts.

I also got myself a Squid Fact Hotline sticker to put on my own car so I too can drive a Squidmobile. Squidmobile Jr, if you will.

And theres other goodies available too! If you like frogs (or crabs, or squids or funding public access to science education) please consider supporting the program by buying yourself a fun treat from her shop!

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[evoldir]

Fwd: Conference: SMBE.TeachingOutreach

Begin forwarded message: > From: evoldir@evol.biology.mcmaster.ca > Subject: Conference: SMBE.TeachingOutreach > Date: 3 March 2023 at 09:47:22 GMT > To: rdmpage@gmail.com > > > > > It is our greatest pleasure to share with the evoldir community that we > are organizing a symposium on education and outreach at SM BE which will > be organized this year in Italy. Please join us if you have teaching > and/or outreach perspectives in the field that you'd like to share by > submitting an abstract here. The deadline is soon, March 15Th! > > Below is our abstract and some important dates. Note that the organization > has awards to help with travel costs for participants in several career > stages (https://ift.tt/yKEk0uZ).  Please feel free to write to > tutu.bilgin@gmail.com for any questions. > > Tugce and Debora > > 21 - Science for everybody: education and outreach in molecular biology > and evolution > > Organizers: Tugce Bilgin Sonay, > Debora Monego > > Invited speakers and titles of their talk: Laura MacDonald: Facilitating > the Inclusive Classroom: Building > Meaningful Connections With and Between Students Natalia Pasternak Taschner: > Supporting science is not the same as understanding science: > teaching critical thinking for science-based policies > > Description or the symposium: > > Science is not accessible to the majority of the population. Due to > the characteristic level of uncertainty and shortage of dissemination > associated with scientific knowledge, society has developed a lack > of trust and interest in it over the past decades. In this context, > science education and outreach in and outside of academic institutions > are critically important. How different communities around the world > dealt with the COVID-19 pandemic in the last couple of years signifies > this urgency. > > This symposium will be a meeting point for everyone with an interest > in scientific education and outreach, with the common goal of making > molecular biology and evolutionary concepts accessible to students and > the general public. Specifically, questions we will address are: How > can we make the field more inclusive and incorporate human dimensions in > how molecular biology and evolution are taught and communicated?  How do > we turn such individualistic efforts into a collaborative endeavor? How > do we reconcile these efforts with the time and resources allocated to > making ???real science???, which is mostly perceived as active research? > > Presenters will offer international perspectives on their research > and experiences to achieve science literacy in society and to create a > deeper understanding and excitement for science for all students in an > inclusive way. Additionally, they will share resources and ongoing support > on designing and implementing these approaches. Thus, we encourage all > scientists, whether they teach and engage in outreach or not, to share > their innovative ideas in our symposium. > > -- > > Tugce Bilgin Sonay, PhD > > Lecturer in Discipline > > Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Environmental Biology > > Columbia University > > Yoga Instructor > Co-head of an annual Evolutionary Genomics Workshop > > tugcebilgin.net > > Phone: +1 (212) 380 6603 > Skype: Tugce Bilgin Sonay > Website:tugcebilgin.net > > https://ift.tt/fgECdj5 > > Tugce Bilgin

[aconstantstateofbladerunner]

What do you think ever happened to Dave and Melissa? And how Toshi feels about it? (I don't know if it's mentioned in canon, but I haven't seen anything!)

No, it is not mentioned in canon, which means it’s open season for me.

- Dave probably got a few years behind bars for essentially concocting a terrorist attack.  He seemed to have learned his lesson, so I can’t imagine h8m putting up much of an argument.  Though being an important scientist with access to I-Island’s security system, his service may be required to help run it.  So he probably has to keep working with limited to no pay while being under lock and key during the off hours.

- Melissa was already kind of doing her own thing, so her father’s absence didn’t change much in her day to day life.  And that kind of makes it worse.  Even though she knows what happened is in no way her fault, she feels guilty that she is able to go on like normal when her father can’t.

- She also found out about All Might’s secret (his true form and injury not his quirk) after the big fight because I said so.  It’s a shock of course, and it recontextualizes so many of their interactions up to that point.  A tiny part of her feels betrayed that someone she considers family would hide something like that, but she understands.   

- Toshinori decided to confess the truth to her due to Dave’s actions.  If he had known the truth, he wouldn’t have built the quirk enhancing machine to help him, and none of that mess would have happened.  He also made she to contact her after he went home more often, just to make sure she was doing okay on her own.

- She and Izuku chat over email and Skype sometimes too.  She wants to perfect the Full Gauntlet, he wants to learn more about the support side of hero work (Mei scares him).  They exchange notes, gush about heroes they’re fans of, and just talk.  Once the rumors of Izuku being All Might’s son reach Melissa, she starts teasing him by calling him her cousin.  It’s all in good fun, but sometimes she wonders…