#and my background is a plane runway

[bekolxeram]

Heya, I've got a question since you seem to know a lot about aviation. So this point is a bit of a 'controversy' among the fans: does Tommy fly both helicopters and planes, or just helicopters? People are inferring the former because of the episode in season 2 where Chimney called Tommy, and then the water-bomber plane came, and, watching this, Chimney thanked Tommy. Now, I find it to be entirely plausible that a) Chimney meant it as a thanks because Tommy organized the rescue rather than being the pilot himself and b) also a minor detail that, while written back then, was never meant to come back in the way it did. Now, however, we have a lot more background info on Tommy, and to me it seems unlikely that he got training for both helicopters and planes, and that he does fly both in his line of work. Also, if he was able to fly planes as well and had access to them at work, why would they take a helicopter to Vegas when a light aircraft would be the better option? (I assume, though I could be wrong). What are your thoughts and your expertise on this?

Thank you for asking! Always love an aviation related question.

One of the first posts I've ever written here is about this very topic. The US Army operates mainly helicopters. Yes, they do have like a hundred or so fixed wing aircrafts for transport and recon missions, but that's nothing compared to the 4000+ helicopters currently in service. You also have to finish your entire helicopter pilot training before you can even apply for fixed wing training program for the Army. Tommy's timeline is already tight enough, I don't think he had the time to learn how to fly a plane in the military. (You need like at least 800 hours on a multi-engine airplane as pilot-in-command to be considered for the CAL FIRE training program for instant.)

But the most damning evidence is that the news reporter in 2x14 actually said the air tanker was with CAL FIRE, so not LAFD, a completely different agency. I imagine Air Ops had their hands tied during that major power outage already, so Tommy had to pull some strings and call other agencies for help. (Shamelessly pugging my own hc of Tommy dating a CAL FIRE pilot in the past here.)

And yes, light fixed wing aircrafts are much more suited for medium range trips. They are also cheaper to rent and more widely available than helicopters. So there's a chance that Tommy has no experience on an airplane at all. Helicopter pilots do have a head start when learning how to fly a plane though, the basics of flight are the same, it's just the mechanical side of things that differs between rotary and fixed wing. For example, you have to closely monitor your air speed when flying a plane, because it generates lift by deflecting the incoming stream of air downward. If you fly too slow, you risk stalling the plane and falling out of the sky. A helicopter on the other hand, actively moves air downward by spinning the main rotor, so air speed is not that important for safety, you can move straight up and down without moving an inch horizontally.

That's not to say it's impossible for Tommy to know how to fly a small airplane. He may simply have more connections in the rotary wing world, or he feels more comfortable flying a friend in a helicopter since he's more experienced. Helicopters also have the advantage of landing straight down in tight spaces, eliminating the need to wait for a landing slot on a runway when traffic is high.

[totowlff]

extra — shockoschnecken

➝ maybe that story about home not being a place is true, after all...

➝ word count: 2,6k

➝ warnings: none

➝ author’s note: hope y'all have your therapy sessions scheduled.

Toto carefully climbed the steps into the Bombardier Challenger 650. Climbing the stairway into the aircraft’s cabin was a bit of a balancing act without being able to hold onto the handrail as he normally would. Both of his hands were occupied; one was clutching the handle of his black cordura briefcase, and the other was balancing a pink pastry box, held closed with an elegant string bow. The porter had offered to carry it onto the awaiting jet for him, but Toto politely declined and immediately regretted as he nearly dropped the box as he was trying to set it on the seat next to his. 

— I didn’t think you had that much of a sweet tooth, Toto, unless those aren’t donuts in there — a gruff voice said. Toto turned his head to see Niki in his usual seat. He hadn’t even looked up from that day’s copy of the Wiener Zeitung.

— Donuts? — Toto asked — Oh, no. They’re a dozen of those rolls that catering had out at breakfast this morning. The things that look like Shockoschneken. I sent Cassie a picture of the setup for breakfast on Friday and she…

He was interrupted by the abrupt rustle of newsprint paper as Niki snapped the issue closed.

— I knew it — he said, a wry smile spreading across his face — I knew they were for your girlfriend.

Toto felt a prickle of annoyance flash across the back of his neck as he sat in his seat and buckled his seatbelt.

— She’s not my girlfriend — he said, though the words felt like something of a lie as it came out of his mouth — But, she is the mother of my daughter, so I will do what I can to make her happy, even if it means sending one of the caterers on an extra errand before the debrief was over. And yes, it was with a generous tip, before you say anything.

A mischievous smile spread across Niki’s face as he neatly folded up the newspaper, apparently more content to talk to Toto as the plane started to taxi to the runway. 

— A girl, eh?

— Yes — Toto said. He felt himself blushing a bit as he remembered the moment Cassie’s doctor told them, during the scan she had a month ago. It was a long shot that they would find out so early, but they did. 

— Well, I’d congratulate you, but I think what I should tell you instead is ‘good luck’ — Niki said, chuckling as he settled back in his seat.  

— What do you mean? We both were hoping for — Toto said, but was cut off by the roar of the accelerating engines making conversation all but impossible without shouting. Once the engine noise faded to a background din as the plane gained altitude, he continued — We were both hoping for a girl. We both have nephews, and thought it would be nice to have a daughter.

Niki gave Toto another sly smile. 

— I could tell you, but it is something you will have to experience. If you think girls are… what’s that rhyme in English? Sugar and spice and everything nice? You are mistaken. She will have you wrapped around your finger. I’ve had three boys, four if you count Christoph, and boys have been very straightforward, at least as babies. Mia has been fierce since the day she was born, curious and questioning everything, but — Niki paused for a moment, his expression changing to something tender as he shifted his gaze to the floor, just in front of his shoes — She is my little lady, and I would do anything for her.

Niki shifted his gaze to the plane’s porthole so that he was no longer facing Toto, but Toto could swear that there was a watery shine in Niki’s eyes. 

The moment would have felt awkward if Toto didn’t know Niki so well, because he wasn’t usually one to show so much emotion, but Toto knew that this was not the moment for the sort of well-meaning jabs they normally traded with each other. He let the quiet hang in the air as he glanced down at the light pink pastry box in the seat next to him.

It was the kind of light pink one associated with baby girls, the color people decorated their nurseries with, the color of countless onesies hanging on racks in the baby shop he and Cassie had visited out of curiosity after her ultrasound. 

Unexpectedly, though, it brought a different memory to mind. He recalled one night when he was fifteen years old, when he and his sister visited their father after he’d been hospitalized after a series of seizures left him unresponsive and he was taken to the hospital by ambulance. It was clear that he was in his final days. He was terrifyingly thin and gaunt, barely able to speak, let alone eat or drink. Sven had survived longer than expected, making it ten years since his diagnosis when the doctors had originally given him an outside shot of two to three years at most, but eventually the progression of the tumors that ravaged his brain couldn’t be slowed. There was only the faintest glimmer of life in his eyes during the rare moments he was awake. Toto hoped, for his father’s sake, that the end would come sooner than later.

Lili remained stone-faced as they left Sven’s room and all throughout the ride home on the tram, but Toto later heard the sound of sniffling through the shared wall between their bedrooms. 

He tapped lightly on the closed door to Lili’s room, waiting for a response that was almost too quiet to hear before he stepped inside. Lili was sitting on her bed, clutching one of her pillows. The pillow she was clutching was the exact same shade of pastry-box pink.

Toto remembered sitting on her bed and gathering his sister into his arms, desperate to protect her from the pain and sadness. It felt automatic, a reflex conditioned after years of looking out for his sister, between their father’s illness and their mother always being at work or spending time with the man she’d been dating since shortly after the divorce. 

Protecting Lili became his mission the day they were sent home in the middle of the school day, the memory of holding her hand on the walk home as he explained that they didn’t have the money to go to school any more. 

Once his parents got divorced, a neighbor commented that Toto would be “the man of the house”. It scared him at the time, but looking back, he realized that he’d taken up the role without thinking about it. Most of his new duties involved looking after Lili. He was ultimately the one that made sure she was up and ready for school, he prepared breakfasts and dinners, he made sure that she got her homework done. Even when she was old enough to do those things herself, he kept a watchful eye on her while they were at school. He remembered having to, on one occasion, have a very strong discussion with a boy in her class that wouldn’t leave her alone. 

“Maybe that is what having a daughter will be like, almost” Toto thought, turning his head to look out the porthole next to his own seat.

Before long, Toto found it harder to keep his eyes open, between the constant hum of the engines, the gentle sway of the plane’s motion on the wind. The seat he was in was comfortable, and Niki had re-engrossed himself in his newspaper. Eventually, he stopped fighting the way his head was drooping and let himself drift off to sleep. 

When he opened his eyes again, he was back in his house in Oxfordshire, standing in what looked like the secondary bathroom upstairs, but the neutral gray-and-white palette he remembered it having had been replaced by bright splashes of color everywhere: light blue tiles on the walls, paired navy blue wallpaper covered with scores of colorful jellyfish, a navy blue countertop, a shower curtain with friendly-looking cartoon whales, a hooded bath towel hanging from a colorful hook, a row of felt teeth and felt eyes embroidered on the hood to make it look like a shark, a bright pink toothbrush sticking out of a navy blue cup molded to look like a shark’s mouth.  

He had a comb in one hand, and strands of long red hair in the other, pulled into a neat-looking plait. 

— I want the light blue ones today, papi, they match my shirt. And not the bows, just the regular ones — a little girl said. 

He looked down to see the girl — Ingrid, surely — standing on a stepstool in front of a bathroom counter. She was looking directly at him by way of their shared reflection in the vanity mirror. Toto blinked, perplexed, wondering how he got here. He leaned over to extract two matching elastics from a glass jar on the counter that was filled with an assortment of bows and other hair accessories, fastening one to the braid he’d finished, before repeating the process on the other side of Ingrid’s head.

— How’s that? Is that tight enough? — he asked her, but before she could answer…

— Hurry up, both of you, we’re running late! — Cassie called out. Her voice was coming from downstairs, surely from the direction of the kitchen.

— Ready, Papi? — Ingrid said, turning around on her step stool and raising her arms. 

— Ready! — Toto exclaimed, grunting a little as he lifted the girl up by her waist, proceeding to practically sling the girl over his shoulder as he carried her downstairs to breakfast, all while she squealed with laughter. It was their little ritual for the time being, at least until she would inevitably become too old to use him as her personal jungle gym. For now, though, he cherished it.

— Here you go, little one — Toto said, setting Ingrid into her booster seat, just as Cassie was setting their breakfast plates on the table.

Toto glanced down at his plate as Cassie put it in front of him. Instead of his usual breakfast of eggs, toast, tomatoes, and a slice of ham, there was a single pastry: a sweet roll formed into a spiral, with layers of gooey chocolate between the dough. “Shockoschnecke?”, he thought. It was unusual. He hadn’t had one since he was a teenager.

— Your hair looks adorable today, baby — Cassie said, making Toto look up from his plate. She was spreading a sheet of kitchen roll over Ingrid’s lap in an effort to keep her school uniform from getting dirty before she even arrived at school — Did Papi do it for you?

— Yes — the girl said, flashing Toto a gap-toothed grin. She already had a smear of chocolate spread across her cheek — But I picked the elastics.

— It looks wonderful — Cassie cooed as she passed behind Toto’s chair. She stopped, and ran her fingers through Toto’s hair. A warm feeling spread through Toto’s chest as he leaned into Cassie’s touch — But it looks like you messed Papi’s hair up on the way down. There. 

She leaned forward, her hands coming around to his front and smoothing the collar of his dress shirt down. Toto turned his head to the side and took Cassie's left hand in his, pleasantly surprised to feel a pair of rings on her finger. As she pressed a kiss to his cheek, Toto’s entire body flooded with that same tingling warmth. 

This is what he had always wanted for himself; a family to sit at a table and share meals with. An adorable daughter and a beautiful, intelligent partner to share his life with.  

He came close to having it with Julia, but he let his material ambitions get in the way, as good as his intentions were. He wanted to earn enough to provide enough for his family so they would not fall into dire financial straits if something happened to him, as it was after his own father grew ill, but he put his ambitions for a family and relationships come secondary to financial security. 

After breakfast was finished, Cassie gave both of them a good-bye kiss before leaving the house, saying something about running late. Toto lingered in the doorway for a moment. He could tell that he had a goofy grin on his face as he stood there, feeling the afterimages of Cassie’s lips on his, of her hands on the back of his neck from her reaching up to pull him down to meet her. 

The usual torrent of thoughts that occupied his brain at all times had ceased for a moment, a brief flash of feeling something akin to enlightenment. 

“I am exactly where I am supposed to be. This is what I’ve wanted all along. This is…”, he thought.

— Papi, we have to leave soon, the little hand is almost on the eight — Ingrid squeaked. Her voice almost startled him, and he turned around to see her pointing at the ornamental clock on the kitchen wall. It was Toto’s day to drop Ingrid off at school, so he had to make sure she had her coat, backpack, lunch box, and her dance bag for her after-school ballet class.

After ensuring she was ready and hadn’t forgotten anything, Toto grasped his daughter’s hand as he opened the door to the driveway so he could get her situated in the car. 

As stepped over the threshold, a bright flash of sunlight struck his eyes from the east, flooding his vision with white light.

He squinted and moved to shade his eyes with his free hand, but as his vision cleared, the driveway, the house, the car, and his daughter were gone. 

He was on Niki’s plane again, with the graphical display at the front of the cabin showing the small airlane icon hovering just north of the greater London area.

— Good morning, sleeping beauty — Niki grunted, a familiar wry smile on his face — You’re up just in time, the captain just said we’re making our final descent.

— Oh — Toto said, trying to rub the sleep from his eyes. He normally didn’t care for falling asleep on the relatively short flights during the European races, because they made him feel disoriented and interrupted his usual carefully-maintained sleep schedule. He hadn’t taken off his suit jacket, either, and could feel his dress shirt clinging to his back. 

His eyes came back to focus and landed on the pink pastry box in the seat next to him.

— Are you going straight home? — Niki asked, furrowing his brow at Toto — Or are you going to see Cassie first?

The question was simple enough, but it gave Toto pause. Getting back to his own house wasn’t what he was looking forward to, as it was when he returned from most race weekends. It had its comforts, and it was where he could relax, but it had only occurred to him how empty and quiet it usually felt. What he was looking forward to now was getting back to see someone he cared about, who cared about him, maybe even enough to make the kind of life he wanted with. In that moment, his house didn’t feel like home: Cassie did.

He smirked at the question and patted the box next to him.

— No, going to drop these off first. I think someone is waiting for them.

Toto decided that it was best if left the conclusion of his statement unsaid, preferring to keep it to himself.

“And me, I hope”.

[look-at-the-soul]

The runway -Part 1

Lenny Miller x reader (Cillian Murphy’s role in movie Anna)

Finally!!!! I’ve had this request for a while in my drafts and it’s turn for some Lenny Miller mini series.

@l1-l4 Andy I’m really sorry it took me so long to post this, but stories have their own time (at least to me), I loved your request since the very beginning so here it is finally, I think it would be perfect for a mini series, as there are several important points to reach, but I hope you like this! 💕

Special thanks @heidimoreton for the gifs help!! 🌷

Lenny poured himself a glass of wine and walked towards his bed. Loosening the knot of his tie, he flicked through the confidential file he got at the end of his day at the office. A new mission, after his last successful one where he rescued a diplomat that was caught in a zone of conflict, now he would have get inside of a world he didn’t know anything about; a model agency.

“Adam, yeah, sorry about calling this late.” He greeted the other man in the line.

Lenny heard him chuckling. “Shit boss, you know you’re not sorry.��

“You’re right, I’m not… I need you to get me all the information you can for a new mission.” Adam was young, but he worked hard at the office. “I’m after Anna and Y/N Y/LN.”

“The Runway sisters? They can be all you want, but they ain’t criminals, Lenny.”

Lenny frowned staring at the photographs they attached to the mission file.

“You know the rule number one right, Adam?”

“Don’t ask questions? Are there more rules?” Lenny could hear him typing fast. “All right, the sisters have a fashion show tomorrow night in NYC at seven, then they are going to have dinner at a new exclusive restaurant. I’m sending you their address, their gym schedule, the number of their dentist, the hair salon stylist, oh! And their assistant’s DNA.” Adam joked.

“Since you’re in such a good mood, get me a ticket to NYC, I’ll also need a seat on the fashion show and a table at that restaurant.”

Adam gasped. “The show is only by invitation by the designer and the restaurant had a one-year reservation RSVP, it’s full.”

“Oh, about the plane ticket? Since we’re hitting an elite world and the CIA’s got budget, make it a first-class seat. Good night Adam.”

Hanging up, he couldn’t take his eyes of Y/N photograph.

——

“Miller.”

“Sir, I’m sorry for calling so early, I’m on my way to NYC. Just wanted to ask for your approval to take active part in the mission.”

“Elaborate.”

“Sir, these models only care for parties, designer bags, being covers for the magazines, they can mess up and ruin our work. We’d lose the invaluable progress we have.” The investigation was almost done, they just needed to take the leader down, they had all the targets drafted.

“What do you suggest?”

“Allow me to be their manager, that way I can guide them through the mission.”

“Do whatever you have to do to bring those bastards down.”

“Thank you, Sir.”

As he boarded on the plane, Lenny took the files from his briefcase, he continued studying the girls background. They were French citizens, but divided their time between London, NYC and Los Angeles.

Anna was the trouble maker, the party girl, drugs, alcohol, rebel without a cause, it was written all over her face as well as in the cover of so many gossip portals, a deep contrast with her sister, Y/N she had a career in business, ran her own shoe brand, was an ONU volunteer, part of a program to feed woman in trouble, they were practically the devil and the angel. But even though apparently, she was the good one, he was afraid she would be the one giving him more trouble.

Sipping on his coffee, he then went on to check Anna’s profile, according to the record, for some reason, she wasn’t taking the runway with her sister like they had done in the past so many times. Apparently nobody knew her location and Y/N had been covering her work recently, doing three runways in one day, press conferences and attending numerous social events.

——

“Mr. Richardson, allow me to introduce myself.” Lenny extended his hand at the man. “I’m the new manager to the Y/LN sisters.”

Richardson looked at Lenny and let out a loud fake laugh. “No fucking way, those girls are pure gold, they’re making me earn a shit loads of money, you can get the girls that appear on the pedicure ads.”

Lenny took a look at his watch. “Perhaps I didn’t explain myself correctly.” When Richardson tried to open his drawer to get his weapon, Lenny smirked. “Don’t even bother, it’s not there anymore.”

And his smile grew as the phone started to ring.

“You can’t do that, I signed those girls.”

Lenny looked at him, he was starting to sweat.

“The VP of the agency gave me this.” Lenny informed Richardson and putting the sheet on his desk, he leaned back. “He mentioned he appreciated all your hard work and he would assign you to some model called Cara?”

“He can’t do that!” Richardson stood up, shouting. “I made this agency win millionaire contracts with those sisters!”

“Oh, he said you would bring that up that’s why I suggested you take the Hadid sisters instead.” Lenny’s eyebrows raised, his voice remained calm.

“In that case…”

A sick smile appeared in Richardson’s face. Lenny wanted to throw up.

Closing the button of his suit, Lenny walked to the door. “Don’t worry you can keep your office, I will choose another one.”

It was easier than he thought, this man was pulling the trigger by himself.

Now he needed to go to a fashion show.

Skipping the red carpet, Lenny walked around the building to get in, cameras flashing everywhere, waiters handling glasses of champagne, the mix of perfumes was making him feel sick. All the people looked the same; like they were starving themselves or they were suffering.

The loud music, people taking photographs, bodyguards whispering in the corner, reporters taking notes about the women taking the runway, he felt so out of place.

But soon, Lenny found his spot, it was at the end of the runway, right in the middle where the models would stop before walking back again.

The next thing he knew is the lights went down and the music changed to a dramatic tune. A silhouette was illuminated at the end of the runway, the curtain fell to the ground and revealed the woman behind it.

“That’s Y/N Y/LN.” Said someone on his right, talking to a camera and recording his message. “And she’s wearing Emilio Pucci’s emerald dream dress, the master piece of this collection, with-”

That was all Lenny heard, as Y/N started taking the runway he was completely mesmerized by her presence. His eyes were fixed on Y/N, her steps hitting the runway, her gaze never leaving a spot in front of her, barely blinking.

She moved with such elegance, not looking down to the floor, a serious expression on her features. The emerald dress hugged her figure beautifully, one of the arms was covered in beads that were shining every time it hit the lights, part of her skin was exposed as the piece was asymmetrical.

Lenny saw Y/N placing her hand on her hip and the way she snapped it to the side, made him lose the tie a little around his neck, then in a slow motion, she gave her back at him and she started to walk back right were she had started. Slowly, he let out the breath he didn’t know he had been holding.

Seeing all the details of her and the dress so close made him feel like the air had been kicked out from his body. It all happened in the blink of an eye and soon other models were taking the runway.

He lost count of how many they were, all looked the same but didn’t have the same presence Y/N showed off while doing the walk.

As the lights got down, all the models made a human wall at the sides of the platform, the music stopped and silver papers were thrown down from the ceiling as Y/N appeared once more hand linked to a man with white hair and bear dressed in a navy suit.

The pair walked mid runway and Y/N let go of his hand to start clapping as the rest of the people, then they shared two kisses on the cheek and walked back to disappear.

Lenny sighed and decided to take a walk backstage where he was greeted by models half naked, changing clothes, dresses and shoes all over the floor, cameras filming interviews, assistants going mad… it was a totally different thing from what he just saw.

“I’m looking for Y/N Y/LN.” He asked someone who was walking past him.

“Take the corridor, first door of the dressing rooms.”

Following the instructions, Lenny knocked on the door and a soft come in, invited him to open it. He was surprised to find the top model tidying up around, folding her clothes, she was now wearing a short dress in red tone with colorful beads, her hair free.

“Hi, how can I help you?” She asked when Lenny was lost for words, the pictures didn’t really do any justice to her beautiful features, and there was a genuine smile, in deep contrast to the serious poker face she showed while walking.

“I’m Leonard Miller… Lenny, your new manager.” He offered his hand to her, noticing how she was taller than him.

Y/N looked at him surprised accepting his hand.

“Nice to meet you, Lenny. I’m-”

“Y/N, I know… where’s your sister?”

That seemed to make her uncomfortable and she looked away.

“She didn’t feel well.”

“Is this a common thing? Do you take her place in other runways?”

Y/N shuddered. “Sometimes.”

Lenny decided to not make her feel uncomfortable on their first encounter. “You did it amazingly out there.”

His words seemed to get her attention because the smile grew again in her face.

“Thank you… that means a lot.”

Lenny wanted to ask her if she didn’t hear that often, but a woman appeared rushing Y/N out of the dressing room, demanding some time for an interview and other things he didn’t understand.

Giving him one last look, Y/N walked out, but she turned her head around. “I’ve a full day of work tomorrow, would you like to have breakfast?” She proposed. “To discuss the next projects?”

“Sure.” He was about to say that he’d be going to the same restaurant as her, but decided to keep his mouth shut.

The line to enter the restaurant of course was full, paparazzi across the street flashing, fans behind a barrier shouting, a limo stopped right in front of the main entrance, someone reached out to open the door and the crowd went really loud, the paparazzi wild as Y/N raised her hand and waved at them, a huge smile at the sound of her name. A couple greeted her and posed for a photographer, then they cut the ribbon and inaugurated officially the restaurant, as the people started to walk in, Lenny saw Y/N walking in the opposite direction, to the crowd, shaking hands with the people waiting, taking pictures with them, signing things, hugging those crying inconsolably.

Everything seemed pretty normal to Lenny, given her line of work, this was her world.

Until a man pulled her abruptly and Y/N screamed for help. Lenny was on her in mere seconds, helping her out, releasing her from the man, he held him by the collar of his shirt as security from the restaurant rushed to get him, just in time right before Lenny pulled out his gun.

“Are you alright?” He asked looking for any sign of injury. “Let’s get you out of here.”

“No, no… I signed this engagement a long time ago, I need to be there.” Y/N tried to catch her breath, feeling off for having all the eyes on her, the cameras started to flash suddenly in her face.

“Let her pass!” Lenny requested shoving the people around, an arm protectively on her back.

Once inside, Y/N left the scary moment behind, she greeted everyone, posed for endless photos and made Lenny ask himself how she could always keep the smile on her face, she didn’t seem to be tired, never made a face or said no to anyone. And once she finished with her affairs, she walked to the kitchen to thank the chef and staff. It was two hours later that he caught her coming from the ladies room.

“Perhaps it’s time to head home, Y/N.” Lenny stated firmly, hands inside the pockets of his suit.

“But I’ve to work, this isn’t my free time.”

But his hand was placed firmly in the middle of her back as he walked to the back of the restaurant.

“You’re awake since 6 o’clock, did an interview this morning, the runway and this, you need to rest.”

They drove in silence to her apartment, Y/N felt intoxicated by his lotion, it was so masculine. He had such an intriguing personality, totally different to her previous manager. She was so grateful for not having to work with Richardson anymore, she never liked the way he was always around when the girls were changing their clothes for photo shoots.

Y/N looked at him intensely. “How do you know?”

“I’m your manager now, remember? I’m supposed to know your schedule.”

“That’s why you had a gun?” She asked casually stepping inside her apartment. Lenny was taken aback by her question.

Lenny leaned against the door frame. He knew she would be a trouble. “I’ll tell you if you tell me where I can find your sister.”

Y/N looked away from his piercing blue eyes. “Thank you for helping me tonight.”

He offered her his business card, pointing out his personal number in case she needed something. “My pleasure.”

And with that, Lenny walked away, trying to force himself to stop thinking of that pair of kilometric legs.

***

Part 2

Master list

Lenny blurbs

Ok Can we now talk about how gorgeous is that dress?!!? It’s an Emilio Pucci from the 2011 collection and I’ve been in love with it ever since 💚 just a random fact in case anyone is interested 😉

I hope you enjoy this Lenny series, you know it would mean a lot to know your thoughts about it 🥰 if you want to be added/removed from the tag list just let me know xx

Tag list @lyarr24 @runnning-outof-time @cillmequick @datewithgianni @cloudofdisney @gretelshelby @lespendy @onlydeadcells @fastfan @stevie75 @prettylittlehoneyeyesxoxo @esposadomd @cutecurly-hair @strayrockette @forbidden-forest-witch @ange-thoughts @elenavampire21 @forgottenpeakywriter @peakyscillian @babaohhhriley @moral-terpitude @mrkdvidal1989 @shelbydelrey @shaddixlife @sloanexx @cilliansangel @sydneyyyya

And I’m adding you guys because you liked the previous Lenny stories: @camilleholland89 @allie131313 @star017 @babayaga67 @imichelle-l-rigby @windguidesyou @lovemissyhoneybee @jyessaminereads @emmanuelle19

[oldiesstationlover11607]

every bone in my body needs a part 2 of “for you”

maybe when the reader lands and they are going to meet up with tyler they both lock eyes and the reader drops her luggage and runs and jumps into tyler’s arms and they are both crying and stuff. and josh is standing there awkwardly. then they go back to tyler’s and they get to know josh and maybe start on working on what they want to do for tour???

it’s taken me awhile to request this because i forgot about tumblr for a hot minute 😅

but no rush please take your time and i can’t wait!!!

For You Part 2- Tyler Joseph x Reader

PART 1

Warnings: none hehe

Word count: 1714

A/N: Honestly the For You story is literally my favourite out of all the ones I've done 😭 so glad I got the opportunity to write a part 2 😘

Summer 2012

My plane touched down with a gentle jolt, the kind that always brought me back to reality as the adrenaline of going fast down the runway hit me. My stomach flipped as I leaned to peer out the window, the familiar sight of Columbus’ skyline coming into view. I hadn’t been home in years. And I hadn’t seen him in even longer. Tyler.

The idea of seeing him again had been exhilarating on the plane, but now, I felt sick to my stomach. Would he even recognize me after all this time? What if we didn’t click the way we used to? My hands fumbled with the strap of my carry-on bag as I tried to steady myself.

“Calm down,” I told myself, exhaling slowly. “It’s just Tyler.”

But that wasn’t true. It wasn’t just Tyler. It was the boy who had held me on summer nights, whose laugh could light up the darkest of days, and whose voice—deeper now, richer—still managed to make my heart race through a phone speaker.

Gripping my bag, I made my way through the terminal, scanning the crowd for him. And then, I saw him.

Tyler stood by the baggage claim, wearing a black hoodie and baseball cap. His arms were crossed, but when his eyes locked on mine, his whole posture changed. His face broke into a grin—no, the grin, the one that made me feel like nothing bad could ever happen in the world.

I froze for a moment, taking him in. He looked older, sure, but it was still Tyler. His presence was magnetic and clearly not just for me because people were quickly starting to walk up and talk to him. A rush of emotions hit me all at once: nostalgia, excitement, and nerves. I stood there watching him as he took a few pictures with some girls before quickly waving goodbye. 

Once I was sure we’d have our time, I ran toward him, the sound of my footsteps drowned out by the pounding of my heart. Tyler was already moving too, his long strides eating up the distance between us. When we met, his arms wrapped around me with a force that knocked the air out of my lungs.

“Tyler!” I gasped, clutching him like I never wanted to let go.

“Y/N,” he said, his voice breaking just slightly. He buried his face in the crook of my neck, holding me tighter. I felt his shoulders tremble, and that was all it took for my own tears to start falling.

“I missed you so much,” I whispered, my voice cracking.

“I missed you more,” he murmured, his breath warm against my skin.

We stood there for what felt like forever, the rest of the airport fading into the background. Eventually, I pulled back, just enough to look at him. His face was damp with tears, but he was smiling, and God, it was the most beautiful thing I’d ever seen.

“You’re here,” he said, almost like he didn’t believe it.

“I’m here,” I replied, laughing softly as I wiped my face.

That’s when I noticed him.

A guy stood a few feet away, hands shoved in the pockets of his jeans. He had frizzy hair and a kind, open face, but his expression was somewhere between amused and uncomfortable, like he wasn’t sure if he should be watching this moment unfold.

“Oh my gosh, I’m so sorry,” I said, pulling away from Tyler but still keeping one hand locked in his. “You must be Josh.”

The guy smiled, a little awkward but genuine. “Yep, that’s me. And you’re Y/N, right? Tyler’s told me a lot about you.”

“All good things, I hope?” I teased, my cheeks warming.

Josh chuckled. “Mostly.”

“Josh,” Tyler warned, shooting him a glare.

“What? I was just saying–” Josh held up his hands in mock surrender, and I couldn’t help but laugh.

The ride back to Tyler’s house was a mix of nostalgia and laughter. Tyler drove, his hand occasionally tapping the steering wheel in time with the music playing softly in the background. Josh sat in the passenger seat, chiming in every so often with a story about the band or a sarcastic remark that had me giggling. It felt good. Natural.

“So, how long have you two been working together?” I asked, leaning forward from the back seat.

“About three years,” Josh said. “Met through a mutual friend, started jamming together, and somehow ended up here.”

“Somehow,” Tyler echoed with a grin.

“And you’re the drummer, right?” I asked.

Josh nodded. “Yep. And the voice of reason most of the time.”

“That’s debatable,” Tyler quipped, earning a laugh from both of us.

When we pulled up to Tyler’s house, my heart skipped a beat. It was modest but charming, with a front porch that looked like it belonged in a movie. As I stepped inside, the familiarity of Tyler’s world washed over me—the warmth, the chaos, the creativity.

“Okay,” Tyler said, clapping his hands together. “Welcome to HQ.”

“HQ?” I repeated, raising an eyebrow.

“That’s what he calls it,” Josh said, rolling his eyes. “I just call it his house.”

“Whatever,” Tyler said, brushing him off. “Come on, I’ll show you where the magic happens.”

He led me to the living room, where a whiteboard leaned against the wall, covered in scribbles of song titles, setlist ideas, and doodles. There was also a laptop, some recording equipment, and an acoustic guitar propped against the couch.

“This is where we’re planning for tour,” Tyler explained, his eyes lighting up.

Josh plopped onto the couch and grabbed a bag of chips from the coffee table. “He’s been obsessing over it for weeks.”

“Because it has to be perfect,” Tyler shot back, then turned to me. “And that’s where you come in. Normally Mark would be helping us but because it’s a bigger production we need a bit more help.”

I looked at him, then at the whiteboard. “You want me to help bring it all to life?”

“Exactly.”

“Where’s Mark?” I asked, looking around the room. 

“He’s in Cincinnati working a festival but he’ll be back on Monday. He lives here with us,” Tyler smiled. 

For the next few hours, we brainstormed ideas, throwing out concepts for visuals, transitions, and how to make the performances feel like a full experience. Josh offered input every now and then, but it was clear that Tyler and I were in our element.

At one point, Tyler leaned back and looked at me with a soft smile. “I forgot how good we are together.”

I smiled back. “Me too.”

Later that night, after Josh had gone to bed and the house was quiet, Tyler and I sat on the porch, a couple of sodas between us. The air was cool, and the stars above seemed brighter than I remembered.

“Thanks for coming back,” Tyler said, his voice low.

“Of course,” I replied, turning to look at him. 

He smiled, but there was something else in his expression—something deeper. “I’ve thought about you a lot, Y/N. More than I should, probably.”

My breath caught, but I managed to keep my voice steady. “I’ve thought about you too.”

For a moment, we just sat there, the weight of everything unsaid hanging between us.

“I’m glad you’re here,” he finally said, his voice barely above a whisper.

“Me too,” I replied, and for the first time in years, I felt like I was exactly where I was meant to be. His confession felt heavy but warm, like wrapping yourself in a favorite old blanket. The stars above seemed brighter, almost as if they were cheering for us.

I turned to him, his features soft in the dim light spilling from the porch. His eyes searched mine, hesitant but hopeful, like he wasn’t sure if he should take the leap.

“Tyler…” I whispered, my voice trailing off.

His hand shifted closer to mine on the porch step, brushing against it lightly before his fingers intertwined with mine. The familiar touch sent a wave of warmth coursing through me. For all the years and distance between us, this felt as natural as breathing.

“Say it,” he urged softly, his voice cracking just a little.

I smiled, my heart thundering in my chest. “I don’t know how to say it.”

He laughed softly, shaking his head. “You’ve never been at a loss for words before.”

“Guess you have that effect on me,” I replied, my voice light but my gaze steady on his.

His smile faded just slightly, replaced by a tenderness that made me forget everything else. Slowly, carefully, Tyler leaned in. I could feel the heat of his breath, see the way his lashes brushed against his cheek as his eyes fluttered shut.

And then, his lips met mine.

It was soft at first, tentative, like he was testing the waters. But as I leaned into him, pressing closer, the kiss deepened. It wasn’t just a kiss; it was an apology for the years apart, a promise for whatever came next, and everything in between.

His hand cupped my cheek, his thumb brushing gently against my skin as if he wanted to memorize every detail. My own hands moved instinctively, one resting against his chest, feeling the steady thrum of his heartbeat beneath my palm.

When we finally pulled apart, both of us were breathless. Tyler rested his forehead against mine, his eyes still closed, a small, almost disbelieving smile playing on his lips.

“Worth the wait,” he murmured, his voice husky.

I laughed softly, my hands still resting against him. “You always were a smooth talker.”

He opened his eyes then, his gaze locking onto mine. “No, I mean it. I’ve waited for this, for you. And now that you’re here, I’m not letting you go again.”

I didn’t have the words to respond, so instead, I pulled him into another kiss, this one filled with all the things I couldn’t say.

In that moment, under the stars and surrounded by the quiet hum of the Ohio night, it didn’t matter what the future held. All that mattered was him, us, this.

We had found our way back to each other, and for the first time in years, everything felt right.

//

REQUESTS OPEN

[lamialamia]

Mota ep 5 rewatch thoughts

I forgot how good ep 5 is simply because I like episode 6 too much! But it is pretty good!

Bucky is suffering. Which I love. That man really know how to be in anguish 🤌🤌🤌The opening scene of him drinking and smoking alone in the left seat (Buck's seat) and how he isn't feeling anything? Oh Bucky. Killing those civilians isn't going to help you feel anything anyway.

I'm never over the trading sheepskin jacket detail.

Bucky you make such a great war widow.

Ok back on track: Bubbles and Crosby! They still pull at my heartstring. Oh they do. This friendship is everything 😭😭😭 They hugged like they are dancing together 😭😭

I love the Rosie's portion of the episode, he's incredibly badass. The competency is ridiculous <333

I started listening to Artie Shaw after this episode. Great great dude. Love his music, so thanks MOTA for that personally.

This is also where Hambone got that wicked scar on his face. Really adds to him as a character haha

The injuries and gores in this show are gory indeed. And to think they have to keep working through it in the sky...

Once again. The narration is pretty unnecessary. Let me see the ground crew and base people sit in their anxiety instead of having Crosby telling me they are please.

I wonder if the lack of background activities in this episode is deliberate or the COVID regulation is in full swing. Maybe it does because it tie to the absolute desolation of the mission. Only one plane came back, the empty interrogation room, just like the empty fields around the runway.

That interrogation room scene were fucked up. Still is. Still is.

[the-beskar-alchemist]

TLOU Thoughts: Episode 1

I’m going to be comparing the episode canon to game canon fyi, so if you’re planning on playing the game at some point, just a warning you might want to avoid this post.

‘Tis a bit lengthy here, so I’ll put everything under the cut-off

- I appreciate the background information regarding the cordyceps (fungus), I think it really helped to cement the seriousness of the situation. There was definitely some ambiguity regarding the pandemic in the game, I think it’s good to set the mood up front

- I love that the guy explaining the fungus is Johnathan from The Mummy

- The intro was fucking GORGEOUS, very Game of Thrones-ish. Also I very much appreciate that they incorporated the original music into the series.

- 2003? The original story began in 2013, which isn’t a big deal honestly, I’m just going to trust the process here.

- Joel is 36, in the game he’s believed to be a few years younger than this, again I’m going to trust the process

- Pedro’s “Joel accent” is pretty decent, you can barely hear his real accent, so I’m satisfied lol

- In the game the neighbors are the Coopers, here they are the Adlers, I’m not sure if there’s a hidden meaning there or if they’re just trying not to do too much copy-catting with the source material

- It appears that Tommy is a veteran, the close-up of the sticker makes me think this is going to mean something later on in the series (no background for Tommy in the game)

- I think I caught a glimpse of a Bash poster??? Sarah was an avid audiophile in the game and one of the bands she like was The Bash (believed to be a play on the band The Clash)

- The Last of Us Part 2 Spoiler - I’m only going to say that much.....for now

- A Nokia phone is the very definition of “Endure and Survive”

- Tommy getting arrested for bar fighting is intriguing, especially since Joel has always felt responsible for him, the creators showcasing this aspect early on was a good move (we don’t really see this side of Joel/Tommy until the 2nd half of the game)

- Subtle touch with the guitar, Joel is a music lover and has admitted (in game) to wishing to become a singer at some point (fingers crossed we get to hear Pedro sing!)

- Runner alert: So it looks like they’ve altered the physics a bit here regarding the infected (I’ll probably elaborate on this in a separate post)

- In game the turning process usually takes a few hours to almost 2-days to finalize, here it appears it can take a shorter time period depending on the person (a matter of minutes it would seem). Left 4 Dead showcased varying time periods of turning as well (including a matter of seconds) so this isn’t really a liberty taken by the creators so much as another facet of the pandemic to be explored.

- I noticed they changed the paths taken by the characters prior to the outbreak, but I’m happy they kept the highway sequence when they’re trying to escape Travis County, particularly the moment where Joel refuses to help the family on the side of the road. It’s very telling of his character to put his family above all else, even at the cost of his honor.

- The plane! The plane! (of course the airport runways are out of commission)

- I was wondering when the “babygirl” was going to drop, I like that they waited until Joel was having a very emotional moment, it really adds to the severity of the situation.

- 20 years later - How are there still helicopters?

- I feel like the coup de gras with the infected kid was to give the soldiers more humanity, in-game they’re kind of a bunch of assholes (understandably, it’s a shitty job they have in the QZ)

- Not even Joel with his clout is above work duty.....also the way he was so dead-eyed throwing that kid in the fire??? My man is disassociating so hard

- There’s actually a judicial system in place? In the game they just pulled them out into public and shot the ones that were exposed to the infection.

- There were implications that Joel/Tess were trading with the military, glad to see they expanded on that

- How did Robert catch Tess? I mean the dude was resourceful but seriously, he’s not THAT crafty. Tess was so much smarter than him and his crew, in-game Tess would NOT have been caught like that

- In the game it was a gun stash, here it’s a battery that’s up for trade

- Tess was caught again???? My girls is SLACKING

- “Veronica” has an attitude problem lol

- Joel being in communication with Tommy is interesting, in-game they parted ways over a dispute that left Tommy telling Joel he didn’t want to ever see him again

- It was implied that in-game Joel/Tess had a romantic relationship (or at the very least sexual), but they kept everything else strictly professional. It feels strange to see them sharing a bed, but given their loyalty to each other it makes sense that when they’re “off” the clock they’re less professional.

- Why isn’t Tess’ influence the same as Joel’s? The power dynamic in-game was somewhat balanced between the two with Tess being slightly higher because she’s in charge. Here she claims Joel works for HER, trying to establish her authority over him, but everyone seems more concerned about Joel’s reactions than hers. I feel like the writers were trying to establish Joel’s reputation so much that they fell short on Tess being just as fearsome.

- In-game Ellie went to Marlene for help after the incident, there was no rehash of exactly how that meeting went down, so getting to see that was fascinating. However given Marlene’s connections to Ellie’s mother, it’s strange that she had her surrogate niece chained up.

- Riley name-drop!!!!!

- Where are the spores??? Where are the gas masks??? I’m seriously going to do a separate post on the infection after seeing that body, cause this is bugging the shit out of me now

- Tess being jumpy does not help with my opinion of her

- Joel using his construction expertise tickles me, I wonder exactly how many smuggling tunnels he’s responsible for

- In-game Tess/Joel’s interrogation of Robert helped players to see just how dirty their hands were, and how cold they could be. Not having that interaction kind of takes away from that

- State House?

- I love that they’re not holding back on the Joel/Ellie clashing

- Ellie you little thief (also love that they kept that)

- In-game Joel is very utilitarian, him having a book (even one about music) is a little strange. I understand it’s part of his encryption methods, but Joel is such an audiophile I don’t think he would need a book to help with sending messages. Also how are they still using radios, or am I stupid?

- Ellie not liking Joel but still wanting to ask questions is intriguing, she wants to remain tough but she’s still afraid. She’s relying on her instincts that Joel is worth confiding in

- Ellie was always resourceful, I love that a way for them to showcase her intellect was cracking Joel’s code

- The jackets Joel and Ellie are wearing during the tunnel escape are from the Fall sequence of the game, interesting move by the costume department

- Unhinged Joel is on-point, his PTSD was alluded to in-game but not quite explored in my opinion

- Depeche - Bill signaling for help? Unlikely given his stubbornness. Maybe Frank?

All in all I enjoyed the episode, can’t wait to see where the show takes us.

Tune in next week for more ramblings!

Also seriously, I need to rant about the cordyceps nonsense in a post at some point

[squeakyfir]

A small hostage (A night at the museum 2 X Child! Reader Fanfiction)

Description:

You, an eight year old child who was left behind on a school field trip gets locked inside the Smithsonian and are held hostage by wax figures of historical figures. Though one was cruel, the other's were a bit mean but they showed a bit of care. So much for being evil. There were questions that needed answers.

Will you live?

Will you die?

Will you see your family again?

Will you even remember this night?

Enjoy!

*I do not own the night at the museum movies. All rights to the characters and storylines belong to 20th Century Studios ™*

Chapter 7

Previous ~ Next

Capone held you bridal style and then Larry said, "Oh man. I got three hours till sunrise. I got to get you guys back".

"In case you forgot, Gigantor, they don't want us there anymore" said Jedediah.

"Who's they" you asked weakly. Larry looked at you and said, "The museum of natural history. I'm the night guard there-"

"I know where that it is. It's a few blocks from my place".

"Your a little bit far from home. What were you doing here in the first place"?

"A field trip". Larry looked at you with a questioning look but dismissed it and said, "I'll give you a lift home".

"But what about Capone and my friends. Can't they come with us"? Larry was about to say no but then realized that there were three empty exhibits in the museum. They were pretty big and each one could fit Ivan with his Strellsty, Napoleon with his soliders and Al Capone with his thugs. The backgrounds for each one would take some time but it would work. But larry had to remember that you can't just bring in new exhibits at a museum and say it's new. Even though there's space available, they can't just come in.

But...

They can go into storage until they are properly ready. "Well... I guess, but they would have to go into storage until further notice". Capone and the others smiled knowing they were going to a better place. "Hey" Larry said as he looked to the red headed woman, "Do you think you could hook us up with a ride"?

"My pleasure, of course" she said smiling.

"Hold on, there's one more thing I gotta take care. You guys follow Amelia and wait for me. I'll be back in a little bit" Larry said as he left. Amelia then started to lead all of you outside to go to a different part of the museum, the air and space museum. She had to dock her plane outside and would await for Larry. While she was getting to the right spot so that way she could have enough of a runway to take off, Capone refused to put you down because when he did put you down, you had sharp pains shooting through your leg.

His arms started to get a bit sore but he refused to let go. Napoleon and Ivan offered to hold you to give his arms a break but he refused instantly. He felt like it was his calling. His job. Capone and Napoleon and Ivan were just happy that you were ok. Larry finally came back and everyone piled in. There was surprisingly enough room for everyone since the plane was a bit small. Capone sat down and sat you down next to him carefully. "Hows your leg, kid" asked one of Capones gang members.

"It hurts" you said plainly.

"It'll heal itself, no problem. I'm just glad you're ok. I would've kill that son of a b-"

Ivan smacked Capone on the head to stop him from saying the next word. It was a bit hilarious to witness. There were others that got on the plane and they were still remarkably able to fit inside the plane. The plane started and soon was off the ground to head home. You weren't sure how long it would be until you would get home but the only thing you were hoping for was to see your mom again. When you told Capone that you would need help getting home, Larry offered to drive you. Capone would've had no problem taking you home himself but Larry told him the rules of being out late.

Which were he, and the others, couldn't be anywhere outside the museum when the sun rises and that they would turn to dust. After a long wait of flying back to home, everyone hopped out of the helicopter. Capone still had you in his arms, worried about your legs. "Well, your back where you belong" said the woman who was Amelia Earhart. This day was definitely the most strangest day ever. Larry approached Amelia and said, "Yeah. I think so".

The two of them stared at them then Larry broke the silence. "Hey, Amelia. That thing I was trying to tell you earlier... *sigh*... There's not really an easy way to say this but... In the morning-"

"I know whats coming Mr. Daley. I've always known. But it doesn't matter. You've given me the adventure of a lifetime in one night. And I have a feeling it's going to be a beautiful sunrise". The two then embraced and kissed which you then quietly said, "I was waiting for that to happen". Capone chuckled softly and then Amelia got back into her plane. With one more wave, she flew off. "Here, I'll take you home. How far away do you live" Larry asked.

"Three blocks from here". Larry understood and when he tried to take you from Capones arms, he tightened his grip a little but had to relax and allowed Larry to take you. Larry set you down but you hissed in pain since the pain in your legs was still there. He held your hand and helped you limp towards his car. Once inside, he told you to wait for a moment. "Ok. You guys, go inside and head to the basement. Someone inside can guide you there".

They understood and headed inside but Capone looked back and saw you waving at him. He smiled and waved back as Larry got inside the car to drive off. As Larry drove, you pointed out the directions and some came to realize that your apartment complex had three police cars. "Yep. That's the place". Larry pulled the car over and flagged down one of the officers, who wasn't happy. "Sir, I'm going to have to ask you to leave"-

"But I have (Y/n). I brought her home". The police officer looked at the passenger side and saw you looking at him. He was about to place handcuffs on Larry but you stopped him from doing that by saying that he and other people rescued you. The officer took the handcuffs off and opened the door for you but you mentioned that it was a bit hard to move because of some pain in your legs. He called the paramedics and said to tell the other officers to tell your mother that you were home.

A minute went by and the face of relief and happiness was shown on your mother. "(Y/n)"!?

"Mom"!?

Your mother ran over and scooped you up in her loving embrace. She was crying tears of joy and was squeezing you so hard that you could barely breathe. She eventually let go and checked you over to make sure you were ok, but she saw the bandages and dried up blood. "Who did this"!?

"Uhhhhh-"

"Its a long story" Larry said.

"He and someone else saved me. I want you to meet him... Tomorrow". Your mom looked at Larry to which he nodded to prove that your story was true. "You can come meet him tomorrow night. He works with me at the museum".

"The Smithsonian"?

"No no, the uhh, the museum of natural history". Your mom looked at you and you gave her the look plea since she deserves to meet the man who saved your life.

"Ok, I'll see you tomorrow".

[myceliumbean]

Came across the fact that on Wikipedia (so not really THAT accurate but I'll take it as long as it didn't get too wild), it says that the primary users of Gulfstream V (which is likely what Siddeley refers to our realworld aircraft) are USAF, USCG, and USN, along with a few countries' air force for VIP transport, millitary purposes, and rescue mission.

Like, it means that Siddeley can actually HAVE a more detailed background story about why he joined the MI6 and what happened before he joined the MI6.

Sid is definitely allowed to fly VIP transport, based on Planes 2 when he flew across the PPAA in the evening sunlight, so we could assume that he did this before he joined the MI6. (Or the MI6 simply gave him the training he need and send him off flying around freely when he's not that busy. )

And compare to Finn (or Leland, in some case), Siddeley is way too young. Gulfstream V first flew on 1995 and entered service on 1997, it makes Sid like… a bit older than me?

That's insane! 'Cuz he so good at his job, and his quick thinking of sliding into another runway when he got shot and lost balance? That's pretty impressive.

Not to mention he just opened fire on a runway for AIRLINERS. Finn and Mater had just dodged an airliner on their run, and Sid just came in hot, shooting the lemons away.

He's a bit crazy, I'm sure of this.

Oh, back to the Gulfstream V, they are so BIG.

29.4 m in length and 28.5 m in wingspan, with 8.2 m in height, he's the giant in these agents in Cars 2, and if the space for each passenger works as half as the real world, Sid can take 5-7 cars with him, and that's beyond the number of the agents that will appear in the AU me and my friend was about to write.

The only missing piece is, how cold could Siddeley endure?

Of course he could fly in extremely cold temperature, but as far as I know, airplanes need de-icing activity on themselves and the ground to ensure flight safety.

So, if in one case, Sid was forced to land in a random field under freezing rain situation, overran, and popped his front tire when hitting the iced ground, how long can he kept himself conscious? Or worse, how long did he have before the cold kill him?

This will be a good question in the AU, 'cuz this time it's not only Sid himself, he's got Finn, Holley, and Rod with him, the four of them going on a mission tracking down the Lemons.

(Yeah Rod was alive in the AU, glad that someone in the Lemons saved him)

Oh and Holley got a better chance fighting the cold in the AU. (Which means I'm making up some wierd science sh*t in my fics AGAIN)

Her flying ability with thrusters instead of turbofans like Sid makes me wonder whether she was modified to be more like a driving plane than a flying car.

Well, these were some of more other ideas I got when planning about this AU.

Leave anything if these words inspire you to think more about the agents!

[peytons-depression-land]

Soldier Coffin Baggage Claim

A sailor’s coffin was unloaded from an airplane with a military procession. I was sitting in the terminal of a southern city’s regional airport this weekend - Memorial Day weekend - and saw it happen. Seeing this sight on this very weekend sounds almost too contrite or planned an occurrence to be believed, as potent with uniquely American meaning as an American flag outside a McDonalds at half-mast after a mass shooting, but it happened, and I was sitting right there. 

My first sign of the goings-on were the seven Navy sailors I saw out on the tarmac as I walked down my terminal. I spotted them through the large windows that often line the sides of US airport terminals; windows, I’ve often speculated, that seem designed to present the would-be flyer with a comforting glimpse at the ordered, regimented routine of air travel minutia. “There’s nothing to be afraid of, just look! Your flight will be as smooth and clockwork as the methodical procedure you see right now on the runway through these windows.” But back to the sailors. They stood out on the tarmac, close to the building, six in two rows of three, the leader in front. Five of the sailors were in the little Donald Duck type uniforms with the little hats and two seemingly higher ranked sailors, one man and one woman, in the all-white dress uniforms you see Tom Cruise and Val Kilmer wear in Top Gun. The group appeared to be doing some sort of drill, but I paid them little mind, as nothing else was going on around them. I figured maybe there’d been a procession earlier, and they were just the last remnants, finishing things up. When you grow up in the South, around military instillations, you become numbly accustomed to the pageantry and uniforms of the national occupation. It becomes background noise. So, I went about killing time before my flight.

After a little while of sitting, reading my book, facing the runway window, I noticed that more was happening outside. Six of the seven sailors stood in a block next to a black hearse that had pulled up. In front of the hearse was a black SUV, people sitting inside behind the tinted windows. A police car with flashing lights sat at the front of the convoy. Airport ground crew, in their ear protection and high-vis vests, had removed their hats and stood solemnly. What other time have you seen airport employees come to a complete stop? Or any American employee for that matter? Labor only stops to honor the empire. A thumb headed cop stood off to the side. Drivers exited the SUV and hearse. From the back of the SUV emerged the white suited Navy woman along with a thin, frail civilian woman. The dead’s mother? Sister? Wife? They all waited for the arrived plane to taxi to the gate.

As I was noticing all this, a crowd inside had gathered around the window. They were the other travelers and people on my flight – on this plane about to dock and unload the coffin. The odd thing was how intensely everyone was reacting to the situation. Sure, I couldn’t blame them for watching, I was too (and even taking these notes), but they seemed so solemn and emotional. Many of them are even recording the proceedings with their phones. Why? Did they plan on watching it all back later? Showing others? They were as unrelated to the event as I was, so why were they so invested as to want to film it? Did they just feel it’s what they were supposed to do? Has a lifetime inside the imperial core conditioned them to the point that they can, at will, stir up emotion within themselves at the hint of supposed “military honor”? I’m being judgmental, but I hardly doubt they do this when they happen upon a normal funeral possession driving down the street or exiting a church.

The little conveyor belt car pulled into place on the tarmac, ready for the plane. The six sailors -five Donald Duck and one Top Gun - took their places, three on either side of the conveyors end, ready to grab the impending wood box. The plane taxied into the gate. A hatch near the plane’s front was opened. The lone woman relative seemed ready to cry. I don’t want to sound too harsh, cynical, or heartless in regard to her dark hour.  I most likely would never have the gall to say anything to her face, which I suppose makes me a coward in my convictions. But, then again, I struggled, and struggle still, to feel bad. How can I feel bad when I know what the service of the person in the box truly represents? How can I feel bad when I hate everything the US military stands for and does? Then again, maybe she felt the same way, maybe she didn’t want them to join, and yet, they’re gone all the same – someone she cared about. It’s conflicting, balancing your ethical stances and anger against the cogs of imperialism vs the necessary empathy for individuals and the material conditions that lead them to where they end up.

The flag draped wooden box began lowering down the conveyor belt, much slower than I’d ever seen suitcases and packages unloaded. I’d never know they belt and strap the American flag onto the coffin for the entire duration of the trip. Subsumed by the flag, even in death. There’s a profound strangeness in watching a coffin, a supremely reverent object in our culture, unloaded from the same place and in the same way as travel luggage. A cargo hold of souvenir and dirty underwear and bikini stuffed suitcases and also a dead body – supposedly the most important kind of dead body, a solider. Do more important soldiers get their own planes, or are they always just lumped in the hold of some commercial airline jaunt? The box finally reached the end of the conveyor. The relative was watching over, crying. Top Gun lady applied a professional level of sympathy, a hand on the woman’s shoulder. “There there.” The six sailors awkwardly waddled the box from the conveyor into the hearse, my former Donald Duck description feeling darkly ironic. The sailors saluted the coffin as the hearse driver closed the big back door. The crying relative and Top Gun lady got back into the SUV and their driver got back behind the wheel. The cop car drove off, the hearse and SUV following. The six sailors stood at attention as the convoy pulled out and the ground crew around them prepared to unload the normal luggage. Before the sailors broke from salute, suitcases and duffle bags started being chucked down the same conveyor belt that minutes before had a dead body on it.

The sailor procession disbanded and made their way off the tarmac. The remaining cop outside fist bumped an orange vested runway worker as he waddled back to the building. Inside, all the other passengers drifted away from the window. One or two of them sniffled. Again, I can’t help but wonder if they were actually crying, or if it’s some sort of act, some sort of inner patriotic voice telling them they should be feeling emotional. Suitcases kept tumbling down the conveyor car as the plane was unloaded. The eagle had landed, now back to work as usual; the work whoever it was in the box had died for.

Five minutes later and you’d have never know it even happened. Back to just being a normal airport.

[world-cinema-research]

Week 5: The Deep (1977)

The film The Deep from 1977 is about an undersea adventure with a couple who become heavily involved in dangerous conflicts with treasure hunters, when they find their own treasure in a sunken World War ll cargo ship. Among the treasure they find hidden bottles and bottles of drugs still in tacked and around every corner they are followed by hunters. I found the film to be very weird, cheesy, and interesting. The film had a budget cost of $9 million to make and earned $100 million in the box office, it seemed to be a success at its time. The film was directed by Peter Yates and had other famous stars such as Jacqueline Bisset, Nick Nolte, Robert Shaw, and Robert Lee Minor. The Deep was filmed in many places like Florida, Jamaica, Catalina, the Bahamas and at the end they went to film in Bermuda.

Unfortunately, the movie critics did not enjoy the film very well as much as they hopped for. In an article called Blu-ray review-The Deep (1977) by admin they say "Adapted from the novel by Peter Benchley, The Deep is a fairly plodding adventure that has moments of excitement – mainly the stunning underwater sequences – but never quite gets a momentum going like that other movie based on a Benchley book. Everyone gives good performances and takes the whole thing seriously – including Robert Shaw, despite his character Romer Treece going deep sea diving whilst wearing a shirt and khaki shorts and looking like your granddad dressed in his Sunday afternoon casuals – and whilst you can’t really complain about the quality of the production there is a little too much plot going on, with numerous shady characters coming in and out of the picture and various double-crosses going on, that the 124-minute running time feels a lot longer than it is. Still, it could have been the full three-hour TV cut…". (admin) They also say "The Deep was clearly a film that got made thanks to the success of Jaws and you get the feeling that, at that time, Peter Benchley could have written down what he did on his holidays, throw in a shark or two, get Robert Shaw to star in it and BOOM! – we have a hit! Get past the Jaws connections and The Deep is a good, but not great, underwater adventure with fleeting moments of excitement to keep you invested." "Nevertheless, it is solid, if unremarkable, Sunday afternoon entertainment that you could put on after the umpteenth repeat of Thunderball on ITV2 if you’re in the mood for more sharks, coral reefs and shady criminal dramas (and it has a better theme tune)." (admin)

After watching the film myself I would have to agree with them on it being an ok film to watch, it was beautiful but definitely to many things going on at once and many people popping in and out.

A historical event I found that happened in the same year as the film came out (1977) was a plane crash that happened in the Canary Islands. "On the 27th of March of this year one of the World’s Worst Air Disasters in history occurred. Two jumbo jets collided on the airport runway killing 583 people." (Guy Facts) Another historical event I found from 1977 was Elvis Presley performed his last concert before he died just at the age of 42.

The film to me felt very cheesy, to long, and funny. There was a lot of silly mistake you could see in the background or it would be in your face noticeable. It had some funny dialogue shared along with the characters and was very strange too. A scenes that really stood out to me was when David and Romer when back to the cargo ship to find more drugs, David leaves to another room, where he is greeted by a Eel. The crew did a wonderful job with the under water scenes and taking full control what what to capture.

Its not the best quality video but if you do watch the film it beautiful.

I believe the movie was felt unconventional and conventional because of the small budget they had, I had a hard time understanding the plot and the characters and it went on for to long running at 2 hours and 4 minutes. They had a lot going on from weird fight scenes to rituals? They did have popular actors, and they had Peter Benchley screenplay and write the story. I think this film is a hit or miss for most people.

One textual evidence I wanted to share was the opening to the film and how beautiful it was.

The other textual evidence I wanted to share was a long fighting scene and them blowing up the shipwreck.

[c-mccormick-svad-2022-2025]

(ARTS347) Project #1 Presentation & Figma Module 3: What is Prototyping? 

Week Four

Project #1: Airline Mobile UI & Wrap Presentation

This week marked the official conclusion of project #1, in which students were assigned to create a luxury airline sub-brand for Delta Airlines. The goal was to develop an airline that reflected Delta's design principles. The deliverables included Figma files for the mobile and widget screens, a brief branding guide, process materials, and a plane wrap that served as a physical extension of the brand.

The project was inspired by Delta airline's current branding, particularly its mobile app and ticketing system. The goal was to create a luxurious experience for passengers. Inspiration was drawn from Delta's current and past branding, vintage illustrations, and imagery from the 1920s to achieve a sophisticated and glamorous look and feel. In summary, Noble Horizons is Delta’s new line of luxury airliners, catering to passengers seeking a comfortable and regal air travel experience. It introduces award-winning services and top-tier amenities, aiming to provide a seamless travel journey. Noble Horizons sets a new standard for luxury air travel by combining timeless sophistication with contemporary innovation. Every aspect, from spacious seating to elegant exteriors and gourmet dining, is designed to enhance the journey. Whether crossing continents or soaring through the skies, Noble Horizons guarantees an extraordinary experience, as exceptional as the destinations passengers seek to explore.

Starting with the mood board, I found images from Delta's current and older branding, particularly the crown and iconic triangle logo marks. I also looked for typography from their current branding, as well as other images that capture the look and mood of 1920s glamour and sophistication without being too specific to the Art Deco style. Moving on to the initial sketches, the logo mark for Noble Horizon was inspired by vintage airline pins and the aesthetics of the golden age of air travel. I took inspiration from Delta Airlines' logo and played around with angular shapes and triangles to create a mark that reflects the Art Deco style of Noble Horizons. The word mark is a customized Whitney Medium typeface that is slightly thinner than Delta's current word mark, paying homage to Delta as the parent company without looking too similar to Delta's current branding. The thinner typeface also presents a sort of luxury and royalty aspect. The logo mark pays homage to Delta's current logo mark but is more elevated to look sophisticated, reminiscent of the angles often seen in 1920s art deco, and is also in the shape of an airplane and a runway. The colors of the logo mark are light and dark gold to show depth and similarity to the current Delta Airlines logo mark (light and dark red).

The mobile screens display the UI design of the airline app and its widgets. The app itself has a clean look, with a subtly faded continuous background that features a more geometric style of Delta's current logo. Delta blue is integrated consistently throughout the app to maintain a unified branding identity across all screens. While these screens are not exact prototypes, viewing my designs on an iPhone 13/14 screen was helpful for assessing the text sizing and legibility. The mobile screens include medium, small, and large widgets, as well as welcome and booking screens, trip summary, departing, and ticket screens. All these screens maintain a continuous, clean, and easily navigable look and feel. The airplane wrap itself is a continuation of the branding identity. Overall, this project provided me with valuable experience in using Figma. Am I prepared to work on prototypes for the next project? To be honest, I'm not entirely sure, but I'm definitely up for the challenge and excited to see what project #2 has in store.

Figma Module 3: What is Prototyping?

The required reading for this week discusses the use of prototyping in Figma, how to prototype, and why it is still essential to learn. In reviewing my personal experience with prototyping from Assignment #3 and playing around with the prototype features for Project #1, this action is a very helpful feature in allowing designers to see how their designs look on various devices, whether that is an iPhone, iPad, Macbook, etc. While this is a helpful feature, learning to prototype seems daunting and at times impossible to do. However, I must learn how to prototype if I am going to complete and succeed at accomplishing the goals and requirements of Project #2, and this module couldn't have come at a better time.

To summarize, prototyping involves creating a digital model of a product for designers to test and receive feedback before final production. It's a way to transform sketches and wireframes into interactive simulations, often without coding, in order to evaluate user interaction.

Prototyping helps save time, money, and energy in the long run by enabling developers and designers to gather user feedback, obtain early validation, and refine features and improve communication skills. Prototypes help ensure that a design works well for users by allowing for early feedback, making it easier and cheaper to fix issues before investing in full development. Prototyping also validates early concepts, aligns stakeholders, and provides a realistic view of the product before it's built.

While reading this article, I'm beginning to understand the difference between low-fidelity and high-fidelity prototyping better. For instance, a low-fidelity prototype is used early in the design phase to validate concepts with minimal time investment. Essentially, this prototype serves as proof of concept to test ideas and functionality.

In contrast, high-fidelity prototyping is closer to the finished product, with more detailed design, interactions, and functionality. This prototype is typically used in later design stages to test specific features or flows.

Initially, a designer begins creating prototypes using paper to create quick, rough sketches of architecture, functionality, and flow. These sketches are easy to change but lack interactivity. Next, the designer moves on to developing a low-fidelity prototype, providing a working model of basic UX/UI elements without coding.

Lastly, the designer creates a high-fidelity version of the prototype, which includes realistic design details, polish, and complex interactions. This prototype is used to test the product in a near-final form, including hardware functionality if needed.

Overall, low-fidelity and high-fidelity prototypes have their place in the design process, and the choice depends on the specific challenge. After reading this article, I find this information incredibly helpful, and it's making me understand prototyping a little easier. Am I an expert? No, not by a long shot. However, prototyping doesn't seem as scary or intimidating, which I consider an absolute win.

[tanmayabhyyankar]

Final Major Project 3

After building the bike garage, I focused on designing an aviation hangar background for my big project. Taking the same technique, I started by collecting references for hangars and stunt planes to have a clear vision of what I intended to design. Every image I discovered inspired me, sparked new thoughts, and fueled my creativity.

After lengthy research and preparation, I decided to focus on creating a 3D model of a stunt airplane. I wanted to make sure that every feature, from the beautiful design to the aerodynamic qualities, was accurately reproduced. In addition to the plane, I wanted to create a departure zone with runways and landing strips. To make things more realistic, I researched common items seen in hangars.

[a-wandering-imagination]

Chapter 39

Jake didn’t even raise a fuss as Anton and Niki explained to him that they were both leaving. He hugged her and shook Anton’s hand. “Keep an eye on her… please,” he said, before releasing his grip on Anton’s hand.

“I will,” Anton replied and nodded slightly. 

The rest of the group said nothing, but a couple of them waved as the two shouldered their bags and headed towards the court building to meet up with the old man. He had told them to get their gear and meet him there and he would take them out to the jet. 

As they rounded the corner of Spring Street and 6th Avenue, heading towards the front entrance of the courthouse, they saw a military humvee parked at the curb with the motor running. The old man was in the driver’s seat. When he saw them approaching, he jerked his thumb towards the back door, motioning for them to get in. The both jogged to the passenger side and Niki hopped in the front seat and Anton took the seat behind her. They both tossed their gear into the empty seat behind the old man. He sat watching the both of them get situated. When they looked up he stared at them both for a couple minutes. Niki glanced back at Anton then back to the old man. Finally, the old man reached across the center console and offered Niki his hand. “I figure if we’re gonna be travellin’ together, we better get properly acquainted… Name’s Muskie.” 

Niki shook his hand but raised one eyebrow. “Muskie?... Isn’t that a name for a fish?” 

Muskie nodded. “A big, ugly one, with a lower jaw that sticks out like a bulldog. Like mine.” 

“I take it you picked that name up along the way somewhere…???” Niki asked. 

Muskie glanced down at his hands and was silent for a moment. “Yeah. I used to be called something else… but I don’t remember it now. I picked up the nickname in VietNam. They said I was like the fish. Mean and sneaky. Come out of nowhere and fuck you up.” He grinned and looked back at Niki.

“Well, I’m Veronika Tkachenko… but everyone calls me Niki. I worked with Interpol before all this.”

Muskie arched one eyebrow at the mention of Interpol. “Another interrogator in our midst, then…” He winked at her slyly. “And you?” he asked, turning now to look over his shoulder at Anton. 

“Anton Peters,” Anton replied. “Nothing exciting in my background. I worked as an effluent evaluation specialist at a wastewater facility in Juneau.”

Muskie’s brow furrowed. “A what?”

“I cleaned sewer water before it got pumped back out into the ocean.”

Muskie grinned a bit. “Bet your work clothes smelled worse than mine!” 

All three smiled at this and Muskie turned back towards the steering wheel and guided the humvee towards the freeway. They headed south, back towards the Boeing airstrip and the waiting jet. Once at the airfield, it took Muskie a couple hours to round up enough jet fuel to fill the plane. With full tanks, they could make Dugway easy, he thought. Probably not enough to make it back, though. Then he shrugged. Not much chance of any of us living long enough to want to come back, he thought, as he climbed into the cockpit and fired up the engines. He watched the other two as they got situated in the plane. Niki took the copilot’s chair and Anton sat in the passenger seat just outside the cockpit, behind Niki. They both looked much more optimistic than he felt. That was because they’d never been up against anyone like Miles, he thought. Then his mind slipped back to the basement of the courthouse and the terror he had awoken to when Anton had escaped. A shiver ran down his spine once more as he glanced at Anton over his shoulder. Maybe *one* of us will make it back, he thought, as he studied Anton’s profile for a moment. He turned his attention back to the controls and taxied the plane onto the runway and pointed the nose south. Minutes later they were climbing towards 15,000 feet and turning a little east southeast towards the Cascades and the Rockies beyond. Flight time would be less than two hours. 

[misfiredmonologue]

sex shop dispatch #2

a short story

catty #2 (2023); drawn in MS Paint on a cash reigister desktop pc in a gay sex shop in berlin

Plane crashes. Snow on the side of the runway. I look out of the window and smile, while everyone is screaming, hurling off the inflatable slide off the side. I do not stay, I let myself be carried by the crowd, but it feels almost like I am gliding over them, like some kind of unbothered ghost. The plane is not on fire and the wind outside is really cold, yet smells of burnt rubber. We make our way to the rescue personnel among the fire trucks and I look back to see a slender, human-feline body open the side window of the cockpit and jump out unharmed. Their grey fur is ruffled by the wind like tall grass, as they push the captains hat over their catty ears. They walk off into the opposite direction, onto the runway we had just veered off from, that's barely a different shade of white now, with taxiways, snow and more taxiways layering themselves before the grey terminal building, that hovers in the background. For a brief moment an orange winter sun breaks out behind a dense layer of clouds and fog and illuminates their path, as if to say they made the right choice not heading into the commotion. From their confident calmness I can feel that this cat just saved our lives and somehow only the two of us get to feel this supernatural mood shift and zen wash over us. "First time?", the cathuman mouths from quite far away. I smile again and look at the crowds, to which I am still closer, frantically pulling out their phones to film or call loved ones, pushing into busses that were arriving and being tucked into silver and gold thermal blankets. I nod and watch them dance over the snow like speckles of light. "It's been ongoing though. Relentless.... anyways, what made you slip off the runway?" My whispering carried all the way over to the runway. The cat shrugged. "Today I knew this was the right way. I knew it even before the tire burst. You could say I was prepared." The set of footprints was all that was left after a while. My following eyes deduced they had walked all the way back to the gates and with much effort snuck their way all back into the pilots rooms to a warm cup of black coffee.

It would be two more month until I would meet the pilot again, via a more of less blind date on grindr. He hadn't put any photos on his profile I could have identified him with, but the view of the soft chest laying on a sun flooded mahogany bed under a skylight with soft sheets of fabric draped around it pulled me in. I wanted to meet the person who could afford to have such impeccable taste in their comfort and hornyness and seemed to live in a space where not a single thing was grey, except chest hairs fluffing up against pillows. I found out his name was Marshall when I got there and I mostly remembered it because he looked like a Marshall. I lied and told him I worked in a Sex Shop, when the truth was I had quit soon after our accident flight, when my floating state didn't wear off quick enough and my calmness scared the customers and staff alike. The attraction between us produced some kind of static in the air, that he charmingly brushed away. Even with the hairs on his head standing up he didn't look undignified or funny to me. It was like he was happening to the world, not the other way around. It was as if we had met now again specifically because of that day on the tarmac and not because we both had texted back horny messages and forth for an afternoon last weekend. "Would you like some tea?" I accepted and intuitively moved across the heavy wooden floorboards towards the bed, where I curled up into a little bun. Naked and soft to the touch. The green tea cup leaned again my exposed skin soon after and the floating that had taken a soft slumber in me awoke again and I saw Marshall and me from above, while I could feel his teeth sinking into the soft dough I had become. I was the perfect afternoon tea snack and he devoured me whole, taking sips out of his cup, leaving mine spilled between the bed sheets. To my surprise I realized I was not hovering over the bed unsupported, when he had taken the last bite, but was leaning down from a rather large bookshelf, overlooking the bed nook. Maybe I had just watched him eat a soft cake with his tea and I was in fact still here. I wanted to say something, like "do you still fly?", to break the ice, but he had sensed the question and waved it away. He invited me down and we fucked for a night and once again when the morning sun struck the other side of the apartment, the kitchen, which hadn't lay illuminated yesterday evening. He sat down there again after a while, and with him leaving it replayed that he was gone again this time, from feeding on me to walking away. And once again he was happening to the world and there was nothing it could do about it. It was the first time I met a person that became present the more by themselves they appeared. I took that imagine into my mind for quite a while, watching his spread legs and still slightly hard clit and his absent yet content gaze across the kitchen table. This was the day the floating stopped, but it was clear that the flight had changed something in me. I shook off some breadcrumbs from my shoulders and hurried out onto the balcony barefooted, jumping out over silver and grey roofs into Berlin.

[mi4012sumerakandapola]

My thumbnails for the potential posters

The chamber of secrets

1. The diary acts as the poster, with a geometrical representation of the Phoenix acting as the wax seal

2. A geometrical representation of the snake coiling around the diary, that has a drop of blood on top

3. A snake wrapping around a fancy door handle, symbolizing the entrance to the chamber

4. A geometrical representation of the entrance to the chamber of secrets, inspired by Aztec masks

5. The snake's giant eye looking out thru the chamber entrance

The Terminal

1. A close-up of a plane turbine

2. A simplified plane on a runway, with a "passport denied" seal on the top

3. A blank background with blurred black boxes, symbolizing the bustling airport, with a still red box in the middle, symbolizing the main character is out of his element

[w-ht-w]

Karnofsky on unsustainable growth

Why can't this (growth) go on?

Let's say the world economy is currently getting 2% bigger each year.5 This implies that the economy would be doubling in size about every 35 years.6 If this holds up, then 8200 years from now, the economy would be about 3*1070times its current size. There are likely fewer than 1070 atoms in our galaxy,7 which we would not be able to travel beyond within the 8200-year time frame.8 So if the economy were 3*1070 times as big as today's, and could only make use of 1070 (or fewer) atoms, we'd need to be sustaining multiple economies as big as today's entire world economy per atom. (1) 8200 years might sound like a while, but it's far less time than humans have been around. In fact, it's less time than human (agriculture-based) civilization has been around.

Is it imaginable that we could develop the technology to support multiple equivalents of today's entire civilization, per atom available? Sure - but this would require a radical degree of transformation of our lives and societies, far beyond how much change we've seen over the course of human history to date. And I wouldn't exactly bet that this is how things are going to go over the next several thousand years.

It seems much more likely that we will "run out" of new scientific insights, technological innovations, and resources, and the regime of "getting richer by a few percent a year" will come to an end.

Though interesting, I think the above calculation strawmans the pro-growth arguments. Advocating for more growth in this century / lifetime is not equivalent to advocating for an eternal growth narrative. Growth / denser energy + resource harvest might be necessary in this generation if it helps more people meet their basic needs. Of course, another way to do this might be to simply redistribute what we already have.

Logic trains from the rationalist community do their reasoning / calculations in a freeform manner. This enables them more freedom / creativity with their thought process (no bureaucracy to deal with), but also risks being less grounded in empirical evidence and modeling (which is more accessible to institutions, not individuals). Freeform reasoning isn’t enough to develop scalable solutions. You need a grasp of relativity, too.

I think there should be some people in the world who inhabit the Business As Usual headspace, thinking about how to make the world better if we basically assume a stable, regular background rate of economic growth for the foreseeable future.

And some people should inhabit the This Can’t Go On headspace, thinking about the ramifications of stagnation, explosion or collapse - and whether our actions could change which of those happens.

But today, it seems like things are far out of balance, with almost all news and analysis living in the Business As Usual headspace.

One metaphor for my headspace is that it feels as though the world is a set of people on a plane blasting down the runway:

We're going much faster than normal, and there isn't enough runway to do this much longer ... and we're accelerating. (1)

1. https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/s/G7XBTGNTrPWoKFmep/p/pFHN3nnN9WbfvWKFg