#business analyst classes

[cielgr]

Ciel Consulting offers a comprehensive Project Management Professional (PMP) course, equipping professionals with the skills to excel in project management. Led by experienced instructors, the program covers key PMP concepts, methodologies, and best practices. Participants gain practical insights and tools to effectively lead projects, enhance team collaboration, and achieve project success.

[farasexcelr]

Introduction to Business Analysis

Business analysis is a vital discipline within organizations, focused on identifying business needs and determining solutions to various business problems. It bridges the gap between business objectives and IT capabilities, ensuring that companies can adapt and thrive in a competitive market. For those aspiring to enter this field, understanding the fundamentals is crucial, and many turn to business analyst classes to gain the necessary skills and knowledge.

The Role of a Business Analyst

A business analyst (BA) is a professional who works as a liaison among stakeholders to understand the structure, policies, and operations of an organization and to recommend solutions that enable the organization to achieve its goals. This role requires a combination of analytical thinking, problem-solving skills, and excellent communication abilities.

Business analysts work across different sectors, including finance, healthcare, IT, and manufacturing, adapting their skills to various types of projects. They might work on improving business processes, implementing new IT systems, or developing new business strategies.

Key Responsibilities of a Business Analyst

Requirements Elicitation and Analysis: One of the primary tasks of a business analyst is to gather and analyze requirements from stakeholders. This involves understanding what the stakeholders need and documenting these requirements in a clear and structured manner. Techniques used in this phase include interviews, surveys, workshops, and observation. Business analyst classes often provide practical exercises in these techniques to help students gain real-world experience.

Business Process Modeling: BAs create models to represent the current and future states of business processes. This visual representation helps stakeholders understand how processes work and identify areas for improvement. Common tools and techniques include flowcharts, data flow diagrams, and Business Process Model and Notation (BPMN).

Solution Assessment and Validation: After identifying potential solutions, business analysts assess their feasibility and validate them with stakeholders. This step ensures that the proposed solutions meet business needs and are aligned with organizational goals. Techniques such as cost-benefit analysis, risk analysis, and feasibility studies are commonly used in this phase.

Stakeholder Management: Managing relationships with stakeholders is critical for a business analyst. This involves communicating effectively, managing expectations, and negotiating requirements. Business analyst classes often include training on communication and negotiation skills to prepare students for these interactions.

Documentation and Reporting: BAs are responsible for creating various documents, such as requirements specifications, business cases, and project reports. These documents provide a clear and comprehensive overview of the project, facilitating better decision-making and project management.

Importance of Business Analyst Classes

Business analyst classes are essential for individuals looking to enter this field or enhance their skills. These classes cover a wide range of topics, from basic concepts to advanced techniques, providing a comprehensive education in business analysis.

Fundamental Concepts: Introductory classes cover the basics of business analysis, including the role of a business analyst, key responsibilities, and the skills required for success. Students learn about the different phases of the business analysis lifecycle and the tools and techniques used in each phase.

Technical Skills: Business analyst classes often include training on various tools and software used in the field. This might include tools for process modeling, requirements management, and data analysis. Familiarity with tools like Microsoft Visio, JIRA, and Tableau is crucial for modern business analysts.

Practical Experience: Many business analyst classes incorporate practical exercises, case studies, and real-world projects. This hands-on experience is invaluable for students, allowing them to apply theoretical knowledge to practical scenarios and develop problem-solving skills.

Certification Preparation: Professional certifications, such as the Certified Business Analysis Professional (CBAP) and PMI Professional in Business Analysis (PMI-PBA), are highly regarded in the industry. Business analyst classes often prepare students for these certification exams, providing comprehensive coverage of the necessary knowledge areas and exam strategies.

Career Path and Opportunities

The demand for skilled business analysts is growing, driven by the need for organizations to improve efficiency and adapt to changing market conditions. Business analysts can pursue various career paths, including roles such as IT business analyst, data analyst, systems analyst, and management consultant.

Business analyst classes provide a strong foundation for these careers, equipping individuals with the skills and knowledge needed to succeed. By mastering the fundamentals of business analysis, individuals can significantly enhance their career prospects and contribute to their organizations' success.

Conclusion

In conclusion, business analysis is a critical discipline that enables organizations to identify and solve business problems, improve processes, and achieve strategic goals. The role of a business analyst is multifaceted, requiring a blend of analytical, technical, and communication skills. Business analyst classes are essential for individuals aspiring to enter this field, offering a comprehensive education in the fundamentals of business analysis. By gaining practical experience, technical proficiency, and professional certification, aspiring business analysts can position themselves for success in this dynamic and rewarding field.

[georgemaries]

Business analysis course online

A Business analysis course online provides flexible training in essential skills like data analysis, process mapping, and stakeholder communication. Participants learn methodologies such as Agile and Waterfall, preparing them for certification and career advancement. This convenient format allows learners to study at their own pace while gaining valuable industry insights.

[meditaions-blog]

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/852776586727?aff=oddtdtcreator

[silentwalrus1]

I like to think about what if the Kaminoans just, fucked all the way up and made the clones telepaths on purpose.

Kamino is in the Rishi maze, the equivalent of total buttfuck nowhere. This is like a cattle processing plant in rural Montana manufacturing an order for Shenzhen as outlined by a third party intermediary from Monaco who keeps contact with neither production nor “client” and nobody’s first language is Basic. Jedi are like, totally psychic right? Right. Psychic army for psychic clients, sounds right, checks out. There are whole ass telepathic alien species out there, some of which are also Jedi. Why would they want NON-psychic clones. Get it done, Tally Ho or Nala Says or whatever her name is. Chop chop.

Cue like seven years into production and the Kaminoan project leads are starting to get some… inklings…. that maybe some of the deliverable specs were perhaps not so much well-researched as based off cross-galactic hearsay some underpaid analysts pulled off space reddit. This is a business, okay? You’re not gonna make profit manufacturing two million units of fucking anything if you treat it like a luxury product, but especially not if the product has goddamn childhood development & socialization needs. Of fucking course some shit maybe slipped through the cracks. What are we supposed to fucking do now, Lama goddamn Sue sir, tell the Jedi or the pickled fucking Sith that oopsie woopsie, we got the specs wrong half a decade in and have to start over again?

No. No we are not. We are going to lie our fucking semi-aquatic asses off, is what we’re gonna do, and so will you clones if you know what’s good for you. NONE of you are fucking psychic, and you never were. Got that? Understood?

Fast forward to Jedi pickup D-Day and every time anyone with a lightsaber gets within aural biosystem of choice distance the clones immediately start loudly and dutifully Having Conversations.

Hello Commander Sir, It Is I, Trooper McSoldierClone, What A Weather It Is Today, Ha Ha? Over. Yes Indeed McTrooper One Two Three Four, I Am Agree, Now Here Is An Order To Follow Which I Am Vociferously Giving You, Acknowledge Orally, Over. Every clone making rock-hard sweating eye contact like don’t fuck it up as they mentally chant encouragement and script notes and jeering performance feedback at each other. Cadets trooping to fucking speech practice to learn speaking out loud with all the enthusiasm and skill of the average white suburban Floridian teenager taking their fifth mandatory Spanish 1 class. The jedi are like damn these poor asylum grown freaks are so unsocialized and uncomfortable around us, Their Owners, this is so tragic and horrid and unfortunate and meanwhile every clone standing silently in formation is mentally spectating the 400-person telepathic tetris team sport they invented with the same vibes as a football world cup back alley street party complete with official & unofficial betting pools and expert panel commentary

[cloudreachtechnology99]

A Comprehensive Training Guide for Aspiring Analysts: Mastering SAS Analysis

Organizations in a wide range of industries rely heavily on analytics in today's data-driven world to make wise decisions and gain a competitive advantage. Statistical Analysis System (SAS) is a strong software suite that is a standout among the top analytics solutions on the market for data management, advanced analytics, and business intelligence. If you want to become a skilled SAS analyst, this thorough training manual will provide you the information and abilities you need to succeed in the position and utilize SAS to its fullest capacity.

Understanding SAS: An Overview, Chapter 1 We shall go deeply into the world of SAS in this chapter. We will look at its history, development, and the factors that have led to its acceptance as a common method for data analysis. We will go through SAS' main attributes and advantages, such as its adaptability, scalability, and vast library of statistical techniques. We will also give an overview of the many SAS modules, including Base SAS, SAS/STAT, SAS/GRAPH, SAS/ETS, and more, emphasizing the unique features and applications of each.

Installing and Using SAS, Chapter 2 Starting out with SAS can occasionally be frightening. You will be guided step-by-step through the process of obtaining and installing SAS software on your computer in this chapter. We'll help you set up your environment, configure the necessary options, and get comfortable with the SAS user interface. You will learn how to use the many windows, menus, and settings so that you can use SAS effectively for your analytical work.

Working with Data Sets in SAS, Chapter 3 Any analysis needs data, and SAS offers powerful tools for managing data. We will introduce the idea of data sets and discuss their significance in SAS in this chapter. You'll discover how to import and export data from several file types, such as databases, CSV, and Excel. Using SAS procedures and data stages, we will delve into fundamental data manipulation tasks like merging datasets, sorting observations, subsetting data, and summarizing data.

Fundamentals of SAS Programming, Chapter 4 The foundation of SAS data analysis is SAS programming. The foundational ideas of SAS programming syntax and data step processing will be covered in this chapter. In-depth knowledge of SAS data types, variables, and arrays will be acquired. You will learn to develop SAS programs to carry out fundamental data analysis tasks, such as data transformations, data cleansing, and fundamental statistical computations, through practical examples.

Exploratory Data Analysis with SAS in Chapter 5 Any project involving data analysis must begin with exploratory data analysis (EDA). We shall examine SAS EDA processes and techniques in this chapter. Through the use of descriptive statistics, frequency analysis, and data visualization, you will learn how to examine and summarize data. We'll go over a variety of SAS techniques that let you understand your data, spot patterns, and spot outliers.

Chapter 6: SAS/STAT Statistical Analysis A strong SAS package called SAS/STAT offers a wide range of statistical techniques. We will explore statistical analysis with SAS/STAT in this chapter. Regression analysis, analysis of variance (ANOVA), hypothesis testing, and categorical data analysis are a few of the topics we'll study. You will learn how to use SAS procedures to carry out sophisticated modeling processes, such as survival analysis, time series analysis, and logistic regression.

Chapter 7: Using SAS/GRAPH to Produce Beautiful Visualizations Visualizations are essential for effectively communicating findings. The SAS/GRAPH module, which lets you to produce amazing visual representations of your data, will be covered in this chapter. You will be guided as you construct a variety of graphs, such as bar charts, scatter plots, histograms, and more. You will learn how to use SAS procedures and parameters to enhance and modify your graphs.

Chapter 8: SAS for Automation and Efficiency Workflows for data analysis must become more efficient through macro automation. The powerful feature of SAS macros, which enables you to automate repetitious processes, will be covered in this chapter. You can streamline your SAS programs and increase your productivity by following our instructions for creating and using macros. You will learn sophisticated macro programming strategies, such as parameterizing macros and producing reusable code.

SAS Integration and Reporting in Chapter 9 SAS is frequently utilized in conjunction with other programs and hardware. In this chapter, we'll look at how to use SAS to combine data from outside sources like databases and spreadsheets. You will discover how to use SAS to improve your data analysis skills in conjunction with widely used programs like SQL and Excel. We will also explore SAS reporting capabilities, such as the development of interactive reports and dashboards with SAS Visual Analytics.

Chapter 10: SAS Analysis Best Practices We'll talk about SAS analytical best practices in the last chapter. We will go through crucial pointers and techniques for effective SAS programming, such as code structuring, debugging methods, and performance enhancement. Gaining knowledge of the finest data management principles will help you write accurate, repeatable, and maintainable code. We'll also give you access to helpful groups and resources so you can keep learning SAS and network with other analysts.

A gratifying journey that leads to intriguing employment options in data analytics is learning SAS analysis. You will acquire the abilities and information required to become a competent SAS analyst by adhering to this thorough training manual. Embrace SAS's power to unlock insightful data insights that will help your organization make decisions based on data. Start your SAS adventure right away to see how analytics can improve business.

Social media has become firmly established in the way we live because it is so simple to use for communication, research, and entertainment.By following us on social media, you may be among the first to learn about breaking news in a variety of industries. We have a presence on the major social media platforms such as Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram.

[fudgechocolatepuff]

a lovebirds bloom! 🌷 pt.i

keigo t. x fem. reader | wholesome fluff :)

pt.ii of a lovebirds bloom

summary ⋆ ꪆৎ you with an unoccupied life intertwine paths with the fastest and busiest hero, where you both catch a break in your tranquil flower shop. lots of love in the air begin to unfold ꪆৎ

In contrast to the big city where everyone bustled to work in a hurry and longed for a minute more at home, you were met with a life you found quiet, but quite easy.

Fortunately, you were able to nag yourself a lovely position as a florist in a small flower shop tucked away from all the chaos that the streets carried.

You took your current job to be a gem, considering you had a never-ending obsession with flowers and bouquets since you entered high school that thankfully you kept as you approached your 20s.

Despite the fears that others had about these small jobs like lower compensation, you found peace in such a laid back and natural environment, an escape from the worldly problems that awaited you when you flipped the ‘open’ sign to ‘closed’.

Of course, you were aware that the shop wasn’t very popular among those in the city, and you didn’t exactly “make bank” like you had intended to as a teen, but you still enjoyed the connections you made with your boss, your other 3 co - workers, and your clients. 

Due to the lack of popularity of the flower shop, it wasn’t normal that anyone of high status ever visited. They’d always be too busy with their inquires to bless you with their presence or had their assistants do it instead.

Until one day when you were browsing through your laptop, choosing and buying flowers from suppliers when you heard the jingle of the door bell ring faintly in front of you.

If there were anyone you weren’t expecting to walk in the shop to browse through the supply of plants, you definitely weren’t ready to see the number two hero in the country waltz through the door.

You stopped scrolling through the page you were on and stared at the hero, observing his movements in awe.

Out of all of the training your co-workers drilled into you, you had no idea how you were going to confront the winged hero.

Um, Hello?? Hero Hawks?? What brings you in our flower shop that’s literally the size of a dormitory room?? On a random sunday afternoon in the beginning of march?? What the flip??

The air of your workspace became too awkward for you to breathe in.

Gosh, it was just so random that such a well known hero like him would be in such a small flower shop like the one you worked in, the comparison was mortifying.

You knew that pro heroes existed, sure, but making interaction with them seemed like talking to someone of higher class.

Well, maybe it was like literally talking to someone of higher class, but in a scenario like this, it was 1000x more intimidating.

You watched his eyes as they glanced every few seconds in the ‘solid tones’ from the ‘pink’ selection to the ‘red’ selection, and then to the ‘baby blue’.

You weren’t the best analyst, but you quickly recognized the lost gaze he held in his eyes as he searched without a clue what he was even looking for in the first place.

It was kind of cute to see him so concentrated on some silly flowers.

Hawks then turned his head toward you and caught the admiration in your face, returning a gentle smile that made you mentally curse yourself for letting him catch you drool at him as if he were a masterpiece of art.

His revealed toned arms crossed against his chest definitely were a piece of art no doubt about that-

“ ‘scuse me, but could I steal you away for a minute? I jus’ need some help… doing all of this I guess,” the hero chuckled to you, his hand ruffling through the winded locks of his hair. 

Your knees shook at the warmth of his voice and his boyish laugh that you almost ignored the initial request all together as you treasured his being.

You swear his presence was a mesmerizing haze, leaving you dumbstruck for a few moments.

“Oh… oh! Yes, yes! I’ll be right there!” You exclaimed to him as you snapped out of your lovesick daze, skipping out from behind the register counter to resolve his flower fiasco.

You stood to his side, looking up at him with your hands clasped behind your back. “So, how can I help you today, Hawks?” 

His hesitation and ‘ah..’ that dragged out of his mouth revealed to you that he didn’t know how to start with his little issue. Poor him, you thought. Might’ve been a bizarre story for all you knew.

You assured him that you could help no matter how peculiar the situation.

Honestly, you wouldn’t mind if you had to stand there all day to listen to his melodic voice.

He put his hands in the fronts of his pant pockets as he began to explain,

“Alright, so, ya’ see, today happens to be one of my friends’ birthday, Mirko, I’m sure you know who she is, and ah.. I kinda forgot ta’ get her a present—hero duties and all, ‘course I’d forget, right?”

You nodded your head and hummed letting him know you were listening to his story.

He scratched the back of his neck as he continued,

“Only thing I can think of getting her right now are flowers, I know she likes them, but I dunno the first thing about flowers. You get where I am in this situation?” he smiled nervously, hoping you’d understand.

“Yeah, I have an idea,” you giggled, your hand making its way to cover your mouth as you poked fun at him, “kind of crazy how you would forget such an important birthday like that though.”

The hero put his hands up in defeat, “You got me there. That’s bad on my part, but at least I’m trying to salvage this,” he joked. “I’m just hung up on what to get her, I can’t picture any color, any theme, nothing.”

He turned to fully face you and tilted his head a bit to the right, a cheekier grin tugging at his lips. “Thankfully though I’ll be saved by the cutest florist who I’m sure will get me hooked up on the best selection of flowers.”

You felt your teeth suddenly grind against each other with a sharp breath you took in following after, making Hawks laugh at your stiffened reaction.

“So, what combination do you think would go well for today’s occasion?” He awaited your response with an owl-ish blink, crossing his arms again in anticipation.

Shaking off the embarrassment pooling in the core of your stomach, you took a moment to think.

‘Mirko.. although she appeared as a tough fierce woman, you personally believed she’d appreciate something elegant and light. (It made even more sense to you since the spring season would begin to bloom this week.)’

“I was thinking of something simple. Um, perhaps a pair of white roses and lavender baby’s breath..?” You searched Hawks’ eyes for any sign of approval, to which a glint in his eye shone as he looked back at you.

“I trust your judgment to whatever selection you make for me. I already know that I’ll leave this shop saved.”

His caring attributes and words were hypnotizing you as a timid smile curved at your lips and you held back the urge to utter an “awww.”

“I’ll get them wrapped up for you right now, it shouldn’t take too long.”

You still couldn’t fathom the fact that Hawks was literally the only one in the shop with you, it didn’t feel real, more like a dream where everything around you would turn into clouds and the two of you would levitate towards eachother until your lips met-

snip snip!

Hawks’ knuckles knocked rhythmically on the counter as his leaned figure watched yours snipping the stems of snow white roses.

He couldn’t help but let his eyes linger over your delicate fingers, handling the plants so well. He bet your touch was as gentle as a feather.

What was he thinking.

Hawks felt his heart tighten. He wasn’t sure if it was out of flattery, but his pinkening cheeks told him otherwise.

He should stop by this place more often.

He gulped down his thoughts, pupils looking up at you showing off your work to the hero.

The boquete was decently sized, definitely not small. The flowers were spread out and mixed evenly making the colors appear vibrant. From the stem up, the plant bunch was wrapped in a lovely baby pink sheet.

You extended your arm to his face, obliviously poking him in the cheek with the flowers as you finalize your final touches with a little ‘shift’ here and a ‘shift’ there.

“It’s not the best I’ve whipped up, but I hope this is good enough for Mirko.”

Standing up straight, Hawks took the boquete out of your hands, ever so slightly making sure to brush his fingers against yours, transferring the jolt of electricity from his body to yours.

It would be criminal to ignore a gesture like such. Who were you kidding—it left your beating heart throbbing, yearning for more contact. You had to keep it professional.

His hawk-like eyes stabbed daggers into yours, releasing a spell that couldn’t let you look away from the man in front of you.

“Knew I could trust you. Cutest flowers I’ve ever seen. They’re perfect.” he insisted, face not faltering one bit as he kept his eye contact with you—not looking away for a second—and craned his head the tiniest bit to the right to steal another flustered smile from you.

You hoped that he wasn’t talking about the flowers.

The three seconds that you and Hawks took engulfing each other in the moment felt like it lasted three years.

Yes, it was cliché, no need to yell it in your face, but it was nice. For both you and Hawks.

You had a delightful change of pace in your uneventful days, and with the most gorgeous man your eyes ever laid upon? Come on, you had to enjoy this.

You were a lovely girl to be around, really. Something about your personality just felt soothing after all the mental and physical wounds he endured throughout the years.

He couldn’t just leave it all here though. He was no casanova—quite the opposite, actually—but he knew you two had some sort of connection.

Hell, maybe he was delusional about this, but he couldn’t care less. He felt his stomach sink whenever he looked back at you, depicting whether it were butterflies or not.

He cleared his throat. “Well, thanks for the flowers, sweetheart. I better move along now, duty calls. How much do I..”

“Oh..! No, no, don’t worry about it, it’s on me this time,” You stimbled an awkward, but sincere smile as your fingers subtly fidgeted with a strand of your hair, gliding up and down the piece.

Hopefully the ‘understanding’ sprinkled into your smile would console him of his awkwardness. Even you could see it, and that was saying something.

The winged hero returned a soft grin to that, muttering a “thank you.” as he made his way to the door, his hand hovering over the handle.

He turned his head back to look at you, capturing your image in his mind so he could replay it over and over when he made his leave.

Raising your hand to wave him goodbye, you wondered when the next time you’d see him would be, or if you would ever even see him again. It felt bittersweet.

“Come back again soon.”

“I plan to do so.” He professed, pulling the door open and taking a few steps out the shop before he took off into the city, leaving you shocked and still in the shop by his bold remark.

If anyone were to be zipping through the winds at a decently fast speed, it’d be normal to be a bit cold.

But in this case, the winged hero was warming up the more your shop came out of view. He whipped out his phone from his pocket and opened his “imessage”.

hawks:

i think i just met the love of my life. and kind of ruined it sent 1m ago

rumi:

you dumbass. sent just now

a/n: longest and might be the corniest thing i ever wrote, cute tho! last part was kind of a joke, idk if hawks would acc text ppl like that. lmk if i should do another part! love uuu! 💗

[cheriladycl01]

I can’t do this anymore - George Russell x Wolff! Reader Part 1

Plot: You are the daughter of Toto Wolff team principle of Mercedes-AMG Petronius, you’ve worked your whole life to become an Engineer. However, your dad has other ideas for you and doesn’t want you to become a race engineer. You start to confide more in the Red Bull racing Team Principle to help you get an engineering job, and see him as a present father figure.

“Hey dad! Guess what!” You exclaim to you dad as you walk in to the Mercedes F1 HQ in Brackley.

“What sweetheart I’m a little busy right now” he says pointing out Lewis and George who are with him.

“Well I just got my university grade back! I got a First Class degree!” You exclaim, showing the grade on your phone to him.

“That’s really good darling but it’s not like you’ll need it for anything in life. Surely I provide for you enough” he smiles not fully listening. Lewis sends me a sympathetic nod. Lewis had been your idol in the F1 world, when you first met him you were 11 and he was 27. He basically helped raise you. You were on the road with your dad for most of you life, in between the mechanics tutoring you in maths and science and your mum helping you with English.

You managed to pass all exams at lower levels despite all the constant travelling and proceeded to ask your dad to attend university. Lewis was like your older brother, you were the first person he would always hug when he won a race. He’d take you out for dinner and make sure you ate well and he would buy you little gifts. You’d both constantly joke about how you’d become his engineer one day but little did you know that he wanted that as a reality so badly. You were and always would be his number one girl.

“But dad” you asked and he turned to look at you, and brushed you off once again. You walked out back to your apartment a little sad with your father.

This continued for the next few months, whenever you spoke to him about getting a job as a Data Analyst or a Car Designer or god forbid an engineer he quickly steered the conversation away and it was starting to frustrate you.

“I can’t do this anymore” you said to yourself sadly.

So when it came to the last race of the season, you made your way over to the RedBull garage. Looking around.

“Y/N Wolff, you can’t be in here” a voice smirks, you head turns to see the Mexican driver for RedBull, Checo.

“Erm, hi. I’ve actually come to see Christian” you admit, looking down shyly. This is when more people join the conversation, Kelly and Max have joined both looking intrigued as to why I’m in the garage of the enemy.

They observed you, you were still in your Mercedes stop which was white and made you stand out in the see of dark blue and red of the Red Bull colours. Max couldn’t put his finger on why the hell Toto Wolff their biggest competitor had sent his daughter to their garage. Or maybe they hadn’t sent her, was she here of her own accord?

“Not here to steal our data are you?” He asks, looking at you with a smirk.

You rock back and forth on your heels, a little uncomfortable with the situation you had put yourself into. Why didn’t you just message him, or not walk in in your Mercedes gear…

“No i actually have to see Christian” you say, and after cocking his head Max nods and directs you to where Christian is.

“Ahh Mini Wolff, what can I do for you?” Christian asks as you enter his office, Max left after shutting the door for the both of you, you’d kind of hoped he would stick around as a sort of buffer. But you knew Max was a busy man with a race to prepare for.

“I got my engineering degree in September, I want to work for you” you say bluntly. You take a seat at the other chair opposite him, grabbing the hair tie around your wrist slinging your hair back, trying to show how serious your facial expression was and that you weren’t here on a mere joke from your father.

“Excuse me?” He asks with a confused smile on his face.

“I want to work for RedBull, I know this is odd because your are Christian Horner Team Principle of Red Bull Racing and your probably sat there thinking why the hell is this Mercedes golden girl, here asking ME for a job of all thing. Well it’s actually a really funny story that starts like way way back in the day-“ you started by Christian coughs a little before interrupting.

“You’re rambling, just get to the point”

“I literally did, I said I want to work for you, and you said excuse me I thought that was you asking for a further explanation” you admit a shocked look coming onto your face, your eyebrow raised and head cocked to one side.

“Why don’t you go to your dad for a job? I’m almost positive he’d love to have you work on his team with him. You know pass the principle legacy onto you…” He asked.

“Well I tried but-“

“Are you telling me little Missy that you came to me as second choice” he exclaims and again your cheeks flush and eyes widen impossibly further.

“N-no it’s just that I have this degree and he won’t let me use it for anything and I want to be useful at something in life Yano? I love engineering and I’d love to help the current Constructors Champions out” you explain.

“Well you Little Wolff are in luck, Max’s race engineer leaves on Paternity leave soon, so we need a fill in. Then you can help with the car for next year? How’s that?”

“Are you serious?”

“Well how about we test the waters with your communication on Thursday with Max, then do a test drive on Friday with you. If it’s exceptionally shit, well we will figure something out. But I have faith in you!” He smiles, and stands up coming around the large white desk to meet you face to face, his Han chording out as to shake.

You take his hand, keeping eye contact with him, excited that you will finally be able to work.

“Oh also you’ll be needed in our uniform by Thursday I’ll put an express order out and have it sent to the hotel in Mexico for next week how’s that?” He queries tapping away on his phone rattling of stuff to his private assistant that they would need to cater for you on the next race weekend.

“Hmm, it’s Sunday today so, we’ll announce on Friday that you’ll be working with us for the remainder of the season. Hopefully that will stir up enough to get people riled up before the race” Christian gloats, his mind probably swimming with all the drama and news articles that would be floating around the paddock in a weeks time.

“I’m sure it will, especially my dad” you grunt.

“Thank you for the opportunity. I promise I won’t mess it up” you say and he nods you out of the exit, Max, Kelly and Sergio are all there waiting trying to look as if they hadn’t been snooping in on your conversation.

You gave a nod of understanding to them before exiting the garage trying to subtly make your way back to Mercedes without being noticed by anyone. However your luck wasn’t very good as none other than George, Charles, Alex and Lando rounded the corner.

“Y\N what are you doing coming out of the Red Bull garage” George questions, a confused look on his puppy dog face.

“Erm, I’m in a rush” you say before slipping past them, he goes to follow you but Lando stops him, nodding over to Max, Dani and Sergio that are all looking in their direction with smirks on their faces.

“What happened there then?” Charles asked confused.

“Why the hell was she in that garage, and alone?” George questions more to himself.

“Maybe she has a thing with one of the engineers?” Alex shrugged, easiest explanation to him.

“Surely not” George says a roughness to his voice after hearing that , that the others had failed to notice.

“Let’s go ask Max” Lando advises, starting to walk over.

[amathslutsguidetofandom]

you already know what i’m gonna ask for lol. i need my airport man my love. what do you think would’ve happened if he asked me for my number instead of WALKING AWAY or if i magically found him in duty free. BETTER YET what if he just happened to be on the same flight as me?

let’s pretend airport man is steve rogers please. the blonde and that accent gives steve vibes.

Need A Hand? - 1

PAIRINGS: Steve Rogers x Reader

SUMMARY: Flying back to Washington for a family event, you were already ready for it to be over in a week. You didn't want to face the comments from your family about your life as a single working woman. But what happens when you walk into the event accompanied by the stranger you sat next to on the plane? What if that stranger isn't really a stranger?

WARNINGS: Swearing, comments about loneliness from family members, a creepy guy

WORD COUNT: 1,877

ENJOY!

You knew the coffee was cold before the liquid hit your tongue, but you still needed the caffeine. Tipping your head back, you downed the whole thing quickly.

Wincing at the bitter taste, you threw the cardboard cup in the nearest trash can. You knew a 2am flight wouldn’t be the best experience, but you were not going to drive all the way.

You were on the last available flight. You knew your dumbass should’ve booked an earlier ticket, but can you really blame yourself? It’s the middle of December, and people are being stuffed onto planes, wanting to get back to their families for Christmas.

You?

You didn’t want to visit Washington; you had already built your life in the city.

Your family was shocked when you finally revealed you got the position as a Data Analyst at Stark Industries; however, they were even more shocked at your urgency to move ASAP.

They didn’t know that the reason you moved to NYC was because you wanted to leave the nagging and constant subtle unwanted comments behind. It would’ve been one month since you last visited home for Thanksgiving, which didn’t turn out great either; your grandmother made comments on how you didn’t have a man yet.

Rolling your carry-on behind you with one hand, you adjusted the backpack hanging off your shoulders with the other. Your eyes scanned the large gate numbers in hopes of finding the right one.

GATE 23.

You sighed and started heading in the direction of your gate. When you did find a seat in the plethora of people, you called dibs with your eyes and sat down, scrolling mindlessly on social media for the next half an hour.

-------

The aisle seat was somewhat ideal; economy wasn’t the best, but it was something you had to deal with for the next three hours. The man next to you had already started becoming a problem. He started small talk, and you gave in for a while.

“Going to see family?” he asked, looking at you with a wide grin.

You returned a pursed smile, not really wanting to interact with strangers this early in the morning.

 “Yeah, family stuff,” you replied, securing your seatbelt and tightening it to fit your waist.

The questions were normal until the man started getting personal. “Got a boyfriend?” he smiled sleazily, and you cringed on the inside.

You fake smiled and replied, “no.” He nodded and gave you a weird smirk. “Why? You’re a gorgeous thing.”

You shuddered slightly and went back to looking at your phone, but he didn’t get the signal. The suggestions he kept throwing your way made you want to gag.

Thankfully, a flight attendant did see you become uncomfortable for a while, and she, in a few minutes, made her way to you.

“Ma’am, we do have a seat up front in business class. In case you are up for the offer?” She smiled sweetly at you but harshly at the man next to you.

You nodded and got up immediately. “I’d like that,” you said, smiling at your savior. “See ya,” you said bitterly to the man next to you and followed the flight attendant after getting your carry-on down from the cabin.

-------

The seats were plusher and nicer; you groaned in comfort when you sank yourself into it. You were sipping on some wine the flight attendant, the one that helped you, poured into a glass and handed over to you.

You gazed outside through the window, enjoying your peace and quiet, until someone cleared their throat in the aisle.

“Sorry, Ma’am, but I, um, I’m your neighbour for the next few hours,” the infamous blonde man chuckled shyly and scratched the back of his neck.

“Oh, shit, yeah. Sorry,” you got up quickly and allowed him to sidle past your seat and sit down, then he shoved his backpack under the seat in front of him. You sat back down and continued to sip on your wine, feeling a tad bit awkward sitting next to Captain America.

“I’m Steve, by the way,” he extended his hand.

You shifted the glass to your left hand, then told him your name while shaking his hand with your right. “I mean, yeah, I know who you are already. So…” you laughed nervously. He chuckled at your answer, “yeah?” To which you nodded again and went back to staring at the seat in front of you.

The lights in the plane dimmed, and you flagged down a flight attendant to hand your glass back to her. Members of the crew made their way up and down the aisle until three of them settled in three different sections of the plane to start the safety demonstration You listened mindlessly, while your heart jogged for a mile as the thought of sitting next to Steve Rogers finally sank in. He did listen to the safety demonstration and actually read the safety brochures, which were tucked into the seat in front of him. Soon, the flight attendants were preparing for take-off.

“What’s taking you to Washington?” Steve asked you, facing your direction. You made eye contact and saw the soft smile he threw your way; you instantly melted in your seat and smiled back.

“Oh, my sister is getting married,” you nodded and adjusted the neck pillow around your neck. He nodded and crossed his arms over his muscled chest. “I see.”

“What about you? I’m guessing something related to ‘Captain America’?” You chuckled nervously as you felt the plane rumble slightly. He laughed at your assumption, “you would think so, but no. Just wanted to visit the place again.”

You nodded in understanding but quickly reached for the armrest when the plane started speeding. You gripped the plastic hard and closed your eyes hard, trying to act normal when really you felt like you were in a washing machine.

“Here,” you heard him whisper. You slowly opened your eyes and saw the big open palm he was offering. You smiled in thanks, grateful for understanding, and intertwined your fingers with his before squeezing it for dear life as the plane lifted from the ground.

-------

You munched on the dry Biscoff’s they handed out during the second hour of the flight. From your peripheral, you saw Steve reading a book and at times glancing out the window.

“Hey, I just wanted to say thanks for the… you know… the hand, during take-off,” you smiled nervously, hoping that you weren’t interrupting him and his reading. He looked up from his book and bookmarked his page before closing it. “Oh, it’s no problem at all,” he smiled at you, and his eyes crinkled at the corners.

You always saw him on TV and in the trash magazines your roommate reads, never up close. And now that you were seated literally right next to him, you felt as though he’s just a regular person. It’s not like you can ask him ‘how were the 1940s’, you don’t know him on a personal level.

But you kind of do; you had to study about him in high school during history class. You know where and when he was born, the place where he grew up. Your thoughts were interrupted by the crackling of the pilot’s voice that played through the plane. You couldn’t understand the gibberish he said. “What?”

“We’re about to hit some turbulence,” Steve translated for you, and your jaw dropped.

“Great, more reasons as to why I should’ve driven,” you rubbed your eyes.

 He laughed at your annoyance towards the plane you were currently flying in.

You glanced at the book he was reading and saw the title. You instantly had to hold your laugh back as you recognized the ‘Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire’ book cover.

“Harry Potter, huh?” You pointed at the book in his lap. He looked down at it and nodded. “A friend of mine recommended it. Have you read it?”

You nodded quickly, “oh yeah, it was one of my favourites as a kid.” He smiled at your response.

“I’m a George Weasley girl, all the way. He’s such an underrated character,” you told him as your eyes moved from the book to him.

“Yeah, I think you could say that. But I would say that Hagrid is underrated as well,” he said, adding to your statement. You nodded along, “that is actually quite true, yeah.”

A moment of silence passed before he broke it. “If you don’t mind me asking, you mentioned about going to a wedding?” he asked, craning his neck to face you. You nodded, affirming his assumption.

“Are you going alone?” That made you raise your brows in pure shock.

“Uh, I—yeah,” you shook the confusion from your head. “Why?” You smiled, wondering why he asked you the semi-personal question.

He tucked his chin to his chest a little bit before facing you with the slightest smirk on his face. “Oh, I just thought that a gorgeous woman like you would have been going with someone already.”

You snorted, “WOW.” You really couldn’t believe he just said that.

“Why is that funny?” he smiled at you, a tad bit confused. You chuckled, “I just-‘gorgeous women’? Really?”

He laughed along with you, “I can’t say I’m wrong.” You bit the inside of your cheek to prevent your grin from expanding any further.

------

The next hour or so was filled with you and Steve talking about home and what you two did back in the city.

“Stark Industries? Really?” Steve was genuinely shocked at the revelation of your workplace. He wondered how he never saw you before. He asked how it was, working as a Data Analyst for Tony, and you replied saying that Tony can be immature sometimes, but he does treat you as an equal, unlike your previous jobs.

The flight went smoothly, and you and Steve were in constant conversation. You thought that you never had a conversation this good before. You were actually a bit disappointed when the pilot announced that the plane was about to land soon.

-------

“Need a hand?” Steve asked when he saw you struggling to get your carry-on from the cabin.

“Yeah,” you nodded sheepishly. He flashed you with one of his million-dollar smiles and effortlessly brought your carry-on down from the overhead shelf. You said your thanks and replied with a ‘No problem’.

-------

Steve finally got all of his bags, but you were still standing next to the belt awaiting your final one.

“I guess this is where we part,” you laughed nervously, toying with the strings of your hoodie.

You saw it in his face; he didn’t want to leave you just yet. And you were thankful for that because you didn’t too.

“Yeah, I guess it is,” he smiled, but this time it was sad.

This was bad, really bad. You both didn’t want to leave the other.

“Have a good Christmas,” he finished the sentence off with your name, and your heart fluttered with how it rolled off his tongue. Why did you heart flutter?

You both smiled sadly at each other for the final time before he reluctantly parted ways. Why did he hesitate?

💌💌💌

Genuinely upset you couldn't get your man @yiiiikesmish, hope this helps you soothe your woes babes.

Again, if any of you lovelies want be added to the taglist. Please comment here!!🤗🤗🤗

Till' then

Stay Coquette-y,

Anya 🫶🏽🕊️🎀

[cielgr]

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BONUS [ LIKEALOOK ] — gaeul's ahn yujin.

kim gaeul, second year.

WARNINGS; manipulation, unrequited love, pining, mentions of sexual acts, self-sabotage, peer pressure, self-deprecation, coercion, power imbalance (5.7k)

jang wonyoung was beautiful.

she was ethereal, almost angel-like. her brown, doe-like eyes could make anyone lose track of their thoughts, becoming a bumbling, incoherent mess in front of said girl. her soft, princess-like smile could catch anyone's attention with just one glance, like a lighthouse shining though the foggy sea.

jang wonyoung was heaven-sent.

there was no one that came close to the level of elegance and beauty that she held. there were people who came close, people who came from similar backgrounds, and people who spoke in a similar manner. but even then, there was no one that could be jang wonyoung.

gaeul wasn't stupid. she knew all of this, just like any other person who had ever encountered the volleyball player.

and she knew that she could never, ever stand a chance against someone like her.

gaeul wasn't born with athleticism. even as a child, she preferred to stay indoors, opting to watch her peers play as she read books about dance and volleyball. at ten years old, she had begged her parents to take a chance on her, just that once, to let her try something she was passionate about despite her small stature. even then, she knew they always had doubts when it came to anything she did.

she wasn't pretty either, at least, not like wonyoung. her boyish charms, despite making her unique, could never hold a candle against someone like jang wonyoung. she knew it in her heart, even if anyone tried to say otherwise.

but gaeul could never hate the younger girl.

wonyoung had come into try-outs wide-eyed, an innocence filling up the room as she stepped in. she was filled with an excitement that gaeul hadn't seen in years.

it was refreshing, beautiful even.

the girl was young, and hailed from the same high school that yoo jimin had come from. she couldn't imagine the pressure. the whispers followed the young girl everywhere she went, and it didn't help that yeji made it as difficult as she could've for the younger girls.

but she outperformed all expectations, crushing all the doubt that yeji (who was greatly irritated) had for the girl. there was no denying that jang wonyoung played volleyball like it was dance, and everyone's eyes were on her.

everyone except gaeul's.

gaeul heard yujin before she saw her. she could hear the girl laughing from outside the olympic-sized gym, joking about something dumb to get a giggle out of the other girls. she would yell in excitement whenever anyone made a particularly good serve, set, or dig, and would scream at the top of her lungs at the slightest inconvenience.

gaeul loved it, maybe more than she should've.

but as loud as ahn yujin was, her feelings were louder, and it didn't take a genius to realize that she was infatuated with jang wonyoung.

gaeul wanted to hate her, but she could never hate the girl.

gaeul could only hate herself.

being roommates with yujin was both a curse and a blessing.

yujin was loud, and all gaeul had ever known prior was quiet.

she grew up in a family where success was a priority, where both of her parents were financial analysts for a huge company, away on business trips for months on end, and her older brother locked himself in his room to study all day.

it was terrifying, most days.

gaeul had no one to run to. the young kim was left to her thoughts, letting them spiral out of control until she couldn't think of anything else.

but soon, familiarity turned the silence into a blessing, and the kim house was no longer a jail cell. it filled with an ambiance that seemed to embrace gaeul in her times of need.

but ahn yujin was loud (and gaeul didn't know if she loved it or hated it in that moment).

"unnie."

gaeul bit back a smile, listening to the younger girl sigh as she read through the notes of her anatomy class.

gaeul realized that yujin was harder to ignore than she thought.

"hello?" yujin waved her hand in front of the older girl's face. "can you stop studying and pay attention to me?"

the dancer shook her head. she already knew what this was going to be about.

"yes, yujin?"

gaeul turned to face yujin, holding up two pieces of clothing, one a blue cardigan and the other a green sweater.

"do you think wonyoung likes green or blue?"

wonyoung was a topic that yujin seemed to love. every conversation the two had seemed to revolve around wonyoung or volleyball, maybe even both. gaeul knew what she was getting into the moment she found out the younger girl was her roommate, but hearing it regularly didn't make it hurt any less.

thank god it was just a silly little crush.

gaeul thought for a moment, a finger tapping the side of her cheek. she looked at yujin, eyes wide and anticipating.

even her eyes were loud, full of emotion, and swirling with excitement.

"i think she likes her girlfriend." gaeul teased, raising an eyebrow.

"unnie." yujin whined, huffing as she lowered her arms. "just answer the question."

gaeul rolled her eyes, looking in between the two.

the dark green sweater wasn't something yujin wore often. in fact, it was the first time gaeul had seen it. it was harsh, like the weeds seeping through the cracks of a sidewalk.

gaeul glanced at the light blue cardigan before glancing back at yujin. the younger girl always looked good in blue, and gaeul always thought she looked the prettiest in soft colors. she liked the way yujin's smile stood out more.

"blue." gaeul hummed. "it reminds her of y/n."

"okay." yujin threw the cardigan on her bed and removed the sweater from the hanger. "green it is."

she turned around as yujin got dressed, humming a love song as gaeul went over the lecture notes she had earlier that day.

it had been a tough week for the older girl. being a second-year dance major made her realize that sitting through a three-hour dance composition lab and a two-hour anatomy lecture with two hours of sleep was something she had to deal with from now on. luckily, today was the weekend, but even if she wanted to sleep, yujin had asked her earlier that week if she they could to get dinner whenever gaeul was free.

she couldn't say no if she tried.

gaeul looked over at yujin, watching as she buttoned up her shirt.

"i thought we were hanging out today." gaeul asked, trying not to sound too hurt.

yujin looked over, brushing her hair as she shrugged. "you said you were busy."

gaeul knew she just wanted an excuse to hang out with wonyoung by herself.

"i said i needed to study first." gaeul frowned, turning back to face her paper.

"yeah." the younger girl's perfume engulfed the entire room as she sprayed her wrists. "busy."

gaeul wondered if yujin would've done the same thing if she was anything remotely similar to wonyoung.

gaeul shook her head, too tired to argue with yujin. she just wanted to close her eyes and listen to the silence around her, lulling her to sleep like she was ten years old again (even though she would've preferred yujin's loud singing to keep her awake).

the door slammed open, and gaeul looked over at yujin with questioning eyes.

"that door is supposed to be locked."

yujin smiled, and gaeul forgave her almost instantly.

"hey, unnies!" wonyoung burst through, dressed comfortably in jeans and her suma sweater.

"hey, wonyoung." gaeul smiled at the taller girl. she never understood how wonyoung could look so put together so effortlessly.

beside her, yujin dusted herself off. "hi."

wonyoung looked between the two, her eyes settling on a half-awake gaeul whose hair was pushed back with a headband.

"is gaeul-unnie not coming with us?"

yujin looked at her, begging her to say no.

gaeul glanced at wonyoung. she wanted to go with them, with yujin. she wanted to get the girl who held doors open for her, and who bought her snacks because it reminded her of gaeul. she wanted to be the girl yujin talked about, but that wasn't her.

she wasn't jang wonyoung. she wasn't talented, she wasn't pretty. she was just kim gaeul, and maybe that would've been enough for someone else, but gaeul didn't like someone else.

gaeul liked yujin (and gaeul could never say no to yujin).

"no." she could feel her breaking her heart in two. "i'm busy. sorry, wonnie."

"oh." wonyoung pouted, genuinely upset. she wanted to hang out with both of them, and gaeul knew that wonyoung was too kind to forget the older girl. "i'll get you food, okay?"

"you don't have to." yujin argued, looking at her roommate. "she has money."

"she needs to eat too." wonyoung pointed out, before grinning softly (gaeul wondered if she looked like that when she thought of yujin). "plus, i promised y/nnie that i was gonna get her bread."

sighing, yujin nodded in defeat. there wasn't much that she could do against l/n y/n when it came to wonyoung.

the two put their shoes on, and all gaeul could do was listen as she tried her hardest not to cry from frustration.

(she didn't understand why the gastrocnemius and the soleus were this important to dance.)

"you two have fun." gaeul cleared her throat, trying not to let it waver. "don't spend too much money."

she could hear the hesitation in the air, and she wondered if yujin had saw through her at that moment. she wondered if somehow she had garnered a chance.

(wonyoung looked at her figure with worried eyes, and all yujin could do was look at wonyoung.)

yujin cleared her throat. "we'll see you later, unnie!"

gaeul nodded, listening to the door click closed.

it was just a silly little crush.

it didn't matter whether she looked for signs of yujin everywhere. she didn't care that she turned her head whenever she smelt her perfume in class. it didn't bother her that she would always think of yujin's coffee order before hers.

it was a crush, and there was no chance it would have been reciprocated.

kim gaeul wasn't jang wonyoung.

gaeul wondered what it was like to really excel at something.

by no means was gaeul average. she had made it into Seoul's University of Multi-Arts, one of the sought out SKYS universities. she was smart, averaging a 3.7 unweighted gpa. she was talented, enough to warrant a spot on the top university volleyball team of the nation.

but even though she wasn't average, she was just gaeul.

gaeul who was another face on the team. gaeul who was just another dance major. gaeul who was nothing special.

the dorm room door opened with a swing, and the tall, opposite hitter appeared, loud and boisterous as ever.

"unnie," yujin exclaimed, the door clicking closes behind her as she showed off a bouquet of pink roses. "do you think wonyoung would like this?"

gaeul loved pink, just like yujin loved jang wonyoung.

"you shouldn't give flowers to a girl that's taken, yujin."

it hurt. so deeply.

yujin sighed, "wonyoung's sad, though."

gaeul was sad too.

she was tired from bouncing back from the studio to the court every day. she was upset that her parents had missed her birthday to work extra hours at their stupid corporate jobs.

she was sad, because she wanted to hate jang wonyoung, but no matter what she did, the girl would always be like a little sister.

she could never blame wonyoung for being wonyoung, gaeul could only blame herself.

"she's sad and taken." gaeul smiled softly, covering up the pain with a grin. "you're gonna start a fight between her and y/n."

"i know..."

yujin plopped down on her bed, still gripping onto the bouquet.

gaeul looked at the young girl, listening to her huff as she turned to look at the dancer.

yujin had a good heart, perhaps a little too soft for her own benefit (and gaeul loved it, just like she liked, loved, yujin).

the older girl looked at her, eyebrows furrowed as yujin sat quietly at the foot of her bed.

"do you want to start a fight between her and y/n?"

"no!" yujin shook her head almost immediately. gaeul couldn't help but smile. yujin always had a soft spot for her old schoolmates. "y/nnie's cool. she's good for wonyoung."

yujin was quiet, and that was all gaeul needed to know.

she sat up, sitting beside the taller girl wordlessly. she could hear the chatter of the students and the chirping of the birds from outside. she hoped that the silence would envelop yujin, she hoped it would comfort her.

so gaeul waited.

"i just wish i told wonyoung first."

gaeul smiled.

i wish i could tell you.

"i know." the setter whispered, the silence deafening her ears. she looked over to yujin, the sun illuminating the girl brightly. "but you didn't, and there's nothing you can do."

yujin looked at her, and gaeul swore saw something.

but yujin wouldn't look at her like that. she wasn't wonyoung.

"i know." the younger girl's hand twitched, her eyes trained on gaeul's slightly calloused hands.

"i'm not letting you beat yourself up over this." the older girl sighed. she stood up, her eyes trained on yujin. "let's get food. what are you craving?"

and almost instantly, gaeul's loud, boisterous ahn yujin came back.

"my parents just came back from thailand!" yujin exclaimed, a slight blush on her face. "so thai food?"

"okay." gaeul nodded, ignoring the loud beating of her heart. "i'll drive this time."

yujin looked at her, and gaeul wondered if yujin wished she was wonyoung at that very moment.

gaeul wondered how well the team would take it if she decided to transfer schools.

she turned her body, facing the door as she listened to the wind blowing through her undrawn curtains.

suma had already been short players before ryujin and alex had left, and yeji was clearly at her breaking point, losing her setter in the mix. jimin had been in a funk since catching yeji, and coach bam was dragging the younger girls through hell and back, giving them little leeway for mistakes. gaeul wasn't even sure they were going to win this year, and she didn't need her parents breathing down her neck because of another loss.

(plus, yonsei had a great dance program that gaeul had eyed before choosing suma.)

yujin burst into the room, nearly out of breath. gaeul shot up, wondering why the younger girl was causing such a commotion.

the door creaked closed, and gaeul waited for the younger girl to speak.

yujin sat down at the foot of gaeul's bed, her head hung low as gaeul scooted closer to her. the older girl stayed quiet, letting yujin catch her breath and sort through her thoughts.

yujin's voice broke through the silence in a whisper.

"wonyoung broke up with y/n."

gaeul looked at yujin.

"what?"

wonyoung was y/n's and y/n was wonyoung's. although gaeul never had a good example of love, she didn't need to to know that they were meant for each other. she would've never thought that they would break up so abruptly.

the older girl looked at yujin, quiet and calm.

"yujin?" gaeul whispered. "are you okay?"

yujin spoke gently, and it sounded almost foreign to gaeul. "i didn't think wonyoung would be this sad."

gaeul sighed. "she loves her, yujin."

the younger girl stayed silent.

"i guess so." she muttered, playing with the side of her thumb. "i just don't understand how she loves her so much."

"yujin..." gaeul shook her head in disbelief.

sometimes, she forgot that yujin had never been in love or even thought of love. the younger girl was just a meathead who liked volleyball and pretty things.

yujin looked up, confused. "did i say something wrong?"

"no." gaeul sighed, the younger girl's eyes shining with guilt. "i just want you to understand why wonyoung is sad, and your pea brain isn't gonna take an explanation from anyone else."

"unnie!"

gaeul rolled her eyes playfully before letting the silence take its course.

"wonyoung loves y/n." yujin stared at gaeul, trying to take in everything the older girl was saying. "that's her y/n."

"but she could be anyone's y/n."

and you could be anyone's yujin.

"not to wonyoung." yujin looked more confused than before, and gaeul couldn't help but ask. "have you ever been in love, yujin?"

"no." yujin shook her head. "have you?"

gaeul stared at yujin.

"yeah." it was weird admitting it out loud. "i think so."

yujin stared back at her, her eyes shimmering against the bright light of the sun.

"what's it like?"

the older girl smiled, trying to push back the blush that was rising into her cheeks. "you know i'm not good with words."

yujin held her gaze, and gaeul knew that she couldn't say no.

gaeul nodded, yujin keeping her full attention on the girl in front of her.

"i guess..." she took a deep breath, trying to gather her thoughts, and trying to think of anything aside from the girl in front of her. "being in love with someone is like having your own person with you all the time."

gaeul looked down, playing with her hands as yujin's eyes bore into the crown of her head.

"you always have a piece of them everywhere." gaeul could feel the hot rays on her back. "maybe it's a cardigan at some store that reminds you of them, or the coffee order that you always check the price of. maybe it's the food at some random corner on the street."

gaeul just wanted yujin.

"maybe it's everything but nothing."

gaeul looked up, finding yujin's eyes glazed over with an emotion that gaeul had never seen before. the older girl wondered if she had just confused her more.

"yujin?"

almost instantly, yujin snapped back to reality.

"why?" yujin cleared her throat, unable to meet gaeul's eyes. "why would wonyoung break up with y/n if y/n was her person?"

gaeul traced the faint bruises on her forearm.

"maybe because she didn't feel like a person."

for a moment, everything was quiet, and yujin couldn't help but watch the sun shine against her roommate's figure.

"that explanation is making me sadder." yujin sighed, her eyes never leaving gaeul.

the older girl looked up, smiling softly at yujin as their eyes met. "i told you i wasn't good with words..."

the room settled in a stillness, and gaeul could hear the hum of the lights, and the blood rushing through her veins.

she wondered if yujin liked the quiet.

suddenly, yujin shot up, almost robotically as she grabbed a random blue hoodie from her coat rack. her face was a firey red as she muttered nonsense under her breath.

"i need-" yujin cleared her throat, avoiding the older's gaze. "i'm gonna go find wonyoung."

gaeul couldn't compare, no matter how hard she could've tried.

"okay."

the door slammed closed, and everything came crashing down.

gaeul didn't mean to avoid yujin.

though the younger girl had been suspiciously insistent on hanging out with her these past two weeks, gaeul had been swamped with schoolwork and volleyball and hadn't been in their dorm for longer than six hours (which was mostly her sleeping).

most of the time she saw yujin was in practice, and they could never find the time to hang out after, considering yeji had made it her mission to recruit gaeul as her new setter instead of shin ryujin.

but gaeul had messed up again, setting slightly too high for yeji's liking.

yeji landed lightly, grabbing the ball as she chucked it full force toward gaeul's stomach. the setter winced, her finger getting jammed as she caught it.

"what the fuck is wrong with you?" the captain yelled, gaeul keeping her head down.

"sorry, sunbaenim." gaeul felt small, and she just wished everything would stop being so loud. "i'm not feeling well."

"i don't care if you're feeling well or not." yeji spit out, jabbing her finger on gaeul's temple. "you're my setter... mine. stop thinking about yujin and play properly."

gaeul looked up, eyes wide and distraught.

"i wasn't thinking-"

"leave gaeul alone, yeji." jimin interrupted.

gaeul hadn't heard jimin speak since the party.

"look at you finally talking again." yeji smirked, and jimin tried her best to stand her ground. the captain smiled at her proudly. "for a second, i thought i broke you."

she turned to gaeul, the younger girl's eyes avoiding her own. "yujin doesn't think about you. she doesn't care about you. you understand that right?"

she knew that. gaeul didn't need to be reminded of that.

gaeul nodded. "yes, sunbaenim."

yeji glanced at jimin, giving her a smile before turning her attention back to gaeul. the older girl leaned in, her lips dangerously close to gaeul's ear.

"yujin doesn't care about you like her." gaeul's eyes widened once more. how did yeji know about yujin's crush on wonyoung? "i know you already know that. you're a smart girl, so stop thinking you have a chance and focus on what's important, okay?"

"yeji." jimin pushed yeji away from gaeul, the captain glaring at the dark-haired girl.

rolling her eyes, yeji watched as gaeul sulked in silence. "answer me."

"yes, sunbaenim."

"get your head out of your ass and set properly." yeji mutter, grabbing the ball from gaeul. "i won't ask again."

"yes, sunbaenim." gaeul bowed. "sorry."

yeji looked at her for a moment, the entire court filling with a tense silence.

"good."

there was a glint sparkling in her eye, something that jimin had already been familiar with. gaeul couldn't help but blush at the sight of it.

the captain walked away, getting a drink of water and leaving the two girls alone.

"gaeul." jimin muttered, her eyebrows furrowing. she watched as yeji eyed gaeul once more. "don't fall for it."

"what?"

jimin looked at her almost desperately. "please. just don't fall for it."

gaeul looked at her curiously before yeji called her over. she didn't understand what jimin meant, but gaeul wouldn't know until it was too late.

yujin missed gaeul.

she missed the frustrated sighs that came from her side of the room, and that stupid nike headband that the girl always seemed to wear when studying. she missed waking up to the window wide open as the shorter girl shivered in her bed, and she missed the stack of books that engulfed gaeul's desk.

she hadn't spoken to her all week. whenever yujin would wake up, gaeul's already-made bed would be empty, and her school bag would be gone. by the time the day ended, gaeul either had practice with the team or with yeji.

(personally, yujin thought yeji had been a little too close to gaeul.)

their dorm was silent without gaeul, and not the silent that yujin learned to love.

"unnie!" the taller girl rushed to the setter, nearly tripping over her own shoes with excitement. "wanna go get food?"

yujin looked at her with anticipation, her heart beating out of her chest as she waited for a response.

"i can't." gaeul sighed, watching as yujin deflated. "yeji-sunbaenim needs me to train with her."

"that's the fifth time this week." she just wanted gaeul to herself. "can't you just ditch her?"

"i can't." gaeul looked at yujin, and yujin could feel her face suddenly erupt into a blush. "we're already down people."

"it's her fault that ryujin-unnie and alex-unnie left." the girl muttered. "we were already short people because of coach bam, but now there's only eight of us."

"it's fine." gaeul shrugged, re-taping her jammed ring finger. "at least i'm getting minutes."

"i guess so..." yujin nodded, watching as gaeul quietly hummed. she knew gaeul wouldn't do anything stupid, but every time yeji looked at the older girl, she couldn't help but get a sinking feeling. "i can stop by and watch."

"it's okay, yujin." gaeul could only imagine how angry yeji would be throughout the whole practice. "i don't think yeji-sunbaenim would like that."

yujin didn't like yeji. she was hot-headed, and blamed everyone but herself. she wasn't a good captain, especially to the younger girls, and everything always seemed to revolve around her.

but yujin especially didn't like how fond of gaeul she suddenly became.

"why?" the younger girl bit the side of her cheek. "does she... does she like you?"

gaeul shook her head. "that's not why."

"are you sure?" yujin had heard stories from ryujin, about how yeji could make anyone hers, so long as she had enough interest. "i can sit in and double-check for you."

"it's okay." gaeul had never seen yujin this panicked, and she wanted to do everything she could to calm her down (without angering yeji in the process, of course). "wonyoung's coming over later, right?"

"yeah." yujin relaxed for a moment, and it took everything in gaeul not to break into pieces. "but, she doesn't have to! i can reschedule and go with you instead."

gaeul blushed, wishing that yujin meant it in more of a romantic way than a friendly way.

"you're sweet." sighing, she shook her head. "i'll be okay though."

yujin just wanted to be with gaeul.

"but-"

"kim gaeul!" yeji's voice boomed from outside the changing room. "you better hurry the fuck up."

"yes, sunbaenim." gaeul replied, standing up as she squeezed the taller girl's forearm. "i'll see you later, yujinnie."

gaeul walked out, missing the lovestruck look that was etched across yujin's face.

"yujinnie?" the younger girl smiled, covering her mouth as she blushed.

she was so gonna tell wonyoung later.

gaeul wondered if something had changed.

aside from yujin's odd behavior (which gaeul found endearing), gaeul found herself less and less tired from yeji's one-on-one practices. she didn't know whether it was the fact that yeji had decided to stop yelling at her, but it felt nice going to bed with some energy left.

but something was wrong. gaeul could feel it in her stomach.

the two changed quietly in the change room, and the clock ticked, filling the void. it was only eight pm. if gaeul went home now and finished studying, she could finally have a proper conversation with yujin before she passed out. it had been nearly three days since they last spoke.

the setter quickly packed her stuff, only stopping as she felt a presence near her.

"gaeul." yeji hummed. gaeul turned around to face her senior. "i've been thinking about something."

yeji's tone carried a softness that gaeul didn't know the girl was capable of. carefully, yeji sat down next to her, waiting for gaeul to do the same.

gaeul followed, looking at her with anticipating eyes.

"i need my setter." yeji placed a hand dangerously high on her thigh. "i need you. do you understand?"

no one had ever wanted gaeul before.

she was the girl who was always given numbers to give to her friends. gaeul was the friend who gave relationship advice without experience. no guy or girl had ever bothered to look her way. but now, her captain was here, and despite everything, gaeul had never felt more needed.

"gaeul?" yeji whispered.

gaeul swallowed. "yes, sunbaenim?"

the older girl leaned in, her face suddenly millimeters away from gaeul's. "has anyone told you how pretty you are?"

gaeul had never been called pretty before.

"i need you to focus on me, okay? forget about yujin." gaeul felt a cold hand playing with the hem of her shirt. "let me help you."

yeji kissed her softly, her hand making its way under gaeul's shirt. she tasted like mint-flavored smoke and smelled like a long day outside. it felt suffocating, wrong almost, and gaeul couldn't help but wonder if kisses were supposed to feel like this.

"sunbaenim," gaeul pulled away as yeji started attacking her neck. "i don't think-"

the older girl looked up, feeling yeji's hands on her waistband. "let me help you."

it was all wrong, but gaeul just wanted to be needed by someone, even if it wasn't yujin.

"okay."

gaeul came home around two am.

she ignored all the worried texts and calls from yujin by yeji's orders, and went home feeling like a shell of herself. she knew what happened wasn't right, and seeing yujin's and wonyoung's faces as she entered their dorm room was enough to solidify it.

she didn't miss the looks that they gave her as she entered her bed, not even bothering to change (but she missed the look that wonyoung had given yujin as the opposite hitter held back tears).

yujin tried to talk to gaeul the next day, to try and understand why she had slept with yeji. but gaeul didn't want to tell her that she just needed to about everything; about how she wasn't pretty enough, about how she would never be anything like wonyoung.

gaeul had slept with jeon somi that night, and with some random girl from yonsei the day after.

"gaeul-unnie."

"wonyoung." gaeul smiled, trying her best to shake off yeji's gaze on her. she didn't need a reminder of why she was spiralling right now. "what's wrong?"

"i can't get my form right." wonyoung massaged the volleyball nervously, ignoring the glare yujin was sending her. "can you help me?"

yujin rolled her eyes. "your form looked fine to me."

"yujin." gaeul sighed before nodding at wonyoung. "yeah, i'll help you."

"i can't hit anything." wonyoung pouted, glancing at a fumming yujin. "i feel like my form's right but i just need someone to double-check."

gaeul stood up, ushering wonyoung with a hand on the middle of the taller girl's back. "can i see it?"

yujin bit her tongue.

"sure." gaeul smiled, and yujin wanted nothing more than for her to smile at her. "haewon, can you-"

"haewon's resting." yujin interrupted, before she stood up. "i'll do it."

haewon looked at her. "i'm not-"

"you are." yujin insisted before turning back to gaeul with a grin. "what do you need help with?"

"i just need you to try and set this."

gaeul gave her the ball, her eyes looking expectantly at yujin. the taller girl gladly took it.

"okay."

wonyoung took a step back, waiting for yujin. though she wasn't a setter, she had known wonyoung well enough to know where the middle blocker would've wanted it. still, wonyoung had swung slightly too early.

yujin stared at her.

"that was a shit spike."

gaeul rolled her eyes. "yujin."

"i'm already your opposite." yujin whined. "why do you need to train her?"

gaeul sighed, shaking her head. "because we only have one person as opposite, and the only other person available is jimin-sunbaenim who's training to be an outside."

"can't you just ask to chaeryeong-unnie?" yujin said, exasperated. she didn't understand why anything was the way it was.

why couldn't gaeul just like her back?

gaeul took a deep breath. she didn't want to argue with yujin. "you go ahead."

yujin nodded before hesitating. she didn't want to leave gaeul alone with a girl, and even though she trusted wonyoung, she had never felt such an ugly feeling before.

(yujin had asked if it was normal, and wonyoung had burst into tears thinking about y/n and her new girlfriend.)

gaeul watched as yujin left, stealing glances at wonyoung. the setter should've known that yeji was right. she'd always be second to the taller girl.

she turned to wonyoung, grabbing a motionless ball on the ground.

"you're swinging too early." gaeul explained, watching as yeji stretched from a distance. "do you want me to delay it a little?"

"you like yujin-unnie, don't you, unnie?"

gaeul could feel her cheeks heat up. wonyoung wasn't supposed to know, but there was no point denying it now.

"what does that have to do with spiking?" she muttered.

"i know how to spike." wonyoung caught a glimpse of yujin, who had been talking to chaeryeong as she stole glances at the two. "yeji-sunbaenim said you were in love with her in the change room. i don't know if yujin-unnie knows, but-"

gaeul shook her head. "this isn't important."

"unnie." wonyoung didn't want another relationship to be ruined because of her. "i understand. i just don't want yujin-unnie to find out that way."

"she won't find out."

"you're not gonna tell her?" wonyoung questioned. "i'm sure she feels the same w-"

"she doesn't." gaeul said sternly. she didn't even know why wonyoung had brought it up in the first place. "i know she doesn't."

wonyoung stared at her, wishing that the older girl would just listen to her for a moment.

"don't you think you guys have been talking for too long?"

gaeul turned around, coming face to face with the taller girl. "yujin."

"it's okay." wonyoung gave a reassuring smile. she knew how horrible yujin had felt these past few days (she had to talk her out of getting gaeul's attention 'the yeji way'). "yeji-sunbaenim starting to get mad and i don't want her to yell at me for distracting her setter."

"she won't yell at you." gaeul looked over at yujin who was glaring at yeji.

wonyoung gave her a look. if there was anyone in the room who understood what she was going through at that very moment, it was jang wonyoung.

sighing, gaeul nodded before wonyoung engulfed her in a hug. the older girl couldn't help but let out a much-needed laugh. wonyoung was too sweet to hate.

yujin couldn't help but shift her focus toward the two.

"thanks, wonyoung." gaeul pulled away and squeezed her arm.

the middle blocker nodded and walked away, sparing a glare at jimin as she took a seat next to haewon.

yujin watched as gaeul shook her head, gripping the ball before turning to the net. the fluorescent lights shined against her face, and the built-in fans hummed from above.

yujin swallowed. "what was that?"

gaeul smiled, and it was like everything had gone quiet.

"nothing."

kim gaeul was beautiful.

masterlist | next

taglist (CLOSED)!!

@serenitygrace24 @moontealemonpie @writingficsblog @kittyeij @cutieseo @limbforalimb @ahnneyong @yumtooki @lcv3lies @sserajeans @jiwoneiric @babycubchae @trsrina @xyxlyn @misumiausworld @slowlyturninggay291 @awkwardtoafault @captivq @ddeonutz @noiacha @sserabey @d7dream @slowlyturninggay291 @lvwr @perfectsunlight @forever-in-the-sky2 @juhyunsthirdwife @uzumakioden @txtbrainrot @rosiehrs @yunjinhart @skisk1 @bzeus28 @deeznutzryu @jisooftme @danistolemyheart @li0ilthecxnt @eggomi @ddoxhan @zhivaxo @sweet-dhrafts @livelaughloveyujin @luveuly @marimo-anura @yunnybunnyy @ivy-aurora @wonyoluvr

[georgemaries]

business analytics course

A business analytics course focuses on equipping learners with skills to analyze data, derive insights, and make informed business decisions. Topics typically include statistical analysis, data visualization, and predictive modeling. By completing a business analytics course, individuals can enhance their analytical abilities and improve organizational performance in data-driven environments.

[batmanisagatewaydrug]

so since it's riddlehands hour anyways apparently what's your favorite type of origin story for him? ik a lot of people prefer the modern canon one where he's a hyper competent successful business analyst with a dozen degrees but ngl the annual 8 one is just so much more charming to me...the way he says he was this close to resigning himself to a life of working a dead end minimum wage job at fictional UPS if it wasn't for a chance coincidence...he's such a regular guy in that it ironically makes him stand out among the other villains way more exciting origins

I like when he's a working class piece of shit with a bad life and a worse personality who decides to make it everyone else's problem! a man of the people! hang on I actually have more thoughts about this that I'm going to come back to but I'm doing a work thing!

[dreaminginthedeepsouth]

LETTERS FROM AN AMERICAN

July 6, 2023

HEATHER COX RICHARDSON

JUL 7, 2023

The payroll processing firm ADP said today that private sector jobs jumped by 497,000 in June, far higher than the Dow Jones consensus estimate predicted. The big gains were in leisure and hospitality, which added 232,000 new hires; construction with 97,000; and trade, transportation and utilities with 90,000. Annual pay rose at a rate of 6.4%. Most of the jobs came from companies with fewer than 50 employees. 

The Dow Jones Industrial Average, which is a way to measure the stock market by aggregating certain stocks, dropped 372 points as the strong labor market made traders afraid that the Fed would raise interest rates again to cool the economy. Higher interest rates make borrowing more expensive, slowing investment. 

Today, as the Washington Post’s climate reporter Scott Dance warned that the sudden surge of broken heat records around the globe is raising alarm among scientists, Bloomberg’s Cailley LaPara reported that the incentives in the Inflation Reduction Act for emerging technologies to address climate change have long-term as well as short-term benefits. 

Dance noted that temperatures in the North Atlantic are already close to their typical annual peak although we are early in the season, sea ice levels around Antarctica are terribly low, and Monday was the Earth’s hottest day in at least 125,000 years and Tuesday was hotter. LaPara noted that while much attention has been paid to the short-term solar, EV, and wind industries in the U.S., emerging technologies for industries that can’t be electrified—technologies like sustainable aviation fuel, clean hydrogen, and direct air capture, which pulls carbon dioxide out of the air—offer huge potential to reduce emissions by 2030. 

This news was the backdrop today as President Biden was in South Carolina to talk about Bidenomics. After touting the huge investments of both public and private capital that are bringing new businesses and repaired infrastructure to that state, Biden noted that analysts have said that the new laws Democrats have passed will do more for Republican-dominated states than for Democratic ones. “Well, that’s okay with me,” Biden said, “because we’re all Americans. Because my view is: Wherever the need is most, that’s the place we should be helping. And that’s what we’re doing. Because the way I look at it, the progress we’re making is good for all Americans, all of America.”

On Air Force One on the way to the event, deputy press secretary Andrew Bates began his remarks to the press: “President Biden promised that he would be a president for all Americans, regardless of where they live and regardless of whether they voted for him or not. He also promised to rebuild the middle class. The fact that Bidenomics has now galvanized over $500 billion in job-creating private sector investment is the newest testament to how seriously he takes fulfilling those promises.”

Bates listed all the economic accomplishments of the administration and then added: “the most powerful endorsement of Bidenomics is this: Every signature economic law this President has signed, congressional Republicans who voted “no” and attacked it on Fox News then went home to their district and hailed its benefits.” He noted that “Senator Lindsey Graham called the Inflation Reduction Act ‘a nightmare for South Carolina,’” then, “[j]ust two months later, he called BMW’s electric vehicles announcement ‘one of the most consequential announcements in the history of the state of South Carolina.’” “Representative Joe Wilson blasted the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law but later announced, ‘I welcome Scout Motors’ plans to invest $2 billion and create up to 4,000 jobs in South Carolina.’ Nancy Mace called Bidenomics legislation a…‘disaster,’ then welcomed a RAISE grant to Charleston.” 

“[W]hat could speak to the effectiveness of Bidenomics more than these conversions?” Bates asked.

While Biden is trying to sell Americans on an economic vision for the future, the Republican leadership is doubling down on dislike of President Biden and the Democrats. Early on the morning of July 2, Trump, who remains the presumptive 2024 Republican presidential nominee, shared a meme of President Biden that included a flag reading: “F*CK BIDEN AND F*CK YOU FOR VOTING FOR HIM!” The next morning, in all caps, he railed against what he called “massive prosecutorial conduct” and “the weaponization of law enforcement,” asking: “Do the people of this once great nation even have a choice but to protest the potential doom of the United States of America??? 2024!!!”

Prosecutors have told U.S. district judge Aileen Cannon that they want to begin Trump’s trial on 37 federal charges for keeping and hiding classified national security documents, and as his legal trouble heats up, Trump appears to be calling for violence against Democrats. On June 29 he posted what he claimed was the address of former president Barack Obama, inspiring a man who had been at the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol to repost the address and to warn, “We got these losers surrounded! See you in hell,…Obama’s [sic].” Taylor Tarranto then headed there with firearms and ammunition, as well as a machete, in his van. Secret Service agents arrested him. 

Indeed, those crossing the law for the former president are not faring well. More than 1,000 people have been arrested for their participation in the events of January 6, and those higher up the ladder are starting to feel the heat as well. Trump lawyer Lin Wood, who pushed Trump’s 2020 election lies, was permitted to “retire” his law license on Tuesday rather than be disbarred. Trump lawyer John Eastman is facing disbarment in California for trying to overturn the 2020 election with his “fake elector” scheme, a ploy whose legitimacy the Supreme Court rejected last week. And today, Trump aide Walt Nauta pleaded not guilty to federal charges of withholding documents and conspiring to obstruct justice for allegedly helping Trump hide the classified documents he had at Mar-a-Lago. 

Trump Republicans—MAGA Republicans—are cementing their identity by fanning fears based on cultural issues, but it is becoming clear those are no longer as powerful as they used to be as the reality of Republican extremism becomes clear. 

Yesterday the man who raped and impregnated a then-9-year-old Ohio girl was sentenced to at least 25 years in prison. Last year, after the Supreme Court overturned the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision recognizing the constitutional right to abortion, President Biden used her case to argue for the need for abortion access. Republican lawmakers, who had criminalized all abortions after 6 weeks, before most people know they’re pregnant, publicly doubted that the case was real (Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost told the Fox News Channel there was “not a damn scintilla of evidence” to support the story). Unable to receive an abortion in Ohio, the girl, who had since turned 10, had to travel to Indiana, where Dr. Caitlin Bernard performed the procedure.

Republican Indiana attorney general Todd Rokita complained—inaccurately—that Bernard had not reported child abuse and that she had violated privacy laws by talking to a reporter, although she did not identify the patient and her employer said she acted properly. Bernard was nonetheless reprimanded for her handling of privacy issues and fined by the Indiana licensing board. Her employer disagreed.

As Republican-dominated states have dramatically restricted abortion, they have fueled such a backlash that party members are either trying to avoid talking about it or are now replacing the phrase “national ban” with “national consensus” or “national standard,” although as feminist writer Jessica Valenti, who studies this language, notes, they still mean strict antiabortion measures. In the House, some newly-elected and swing-district Republicans have blocked abortion measures from coming to a vote out of concern they will lose their seats in 2024. 

But it is not at all clear the issue will go away. Yesterday, those committed to protecting abortion rights in Ohio turned in 70% more signatures than they needed to get a measure amending the constitution to protect that access on the ballot this November. In August, though, antiabortion forces will use a special election to try to change the threshold for constitutional amendments, requiring 60% of voters rather than a majority.

LETTERS FROM AN AMERICAN

HEATHER COX RICHARDSON

[itsbansheebitch]

More thoughts

I get both sides, but I feel a little confused they couldn't find four people in their +25 employees

Data analyst (Are you seriously telling me you couldn't personally email or even just HIRE matpat's team who do data analytics as part of Theorist Media to help??? The man would be overjoyed to help???)

Editor (Put the first $6 towards a can of coffee grounds, dude)

PR Team (Even, like, a single person, please, for the love of god)

Business Major (Or literally anyone that has taken a home ec/budgeting/personal finance class)

First, the Dish Granted series was started when gold leaf burgers were novel, now it's seen as tone deaf (for obvious reasons) it should have shifted to something like interviews with people who make that kind of food or local businesses (like parmesan cheese shops in Parma, Italy) or the history of food (like talking about the history of modern Native American slavery on Californian wine vinyards). Not to mention the untapped potential of Food Fraud topics. Either shift it, or scrap it. Any data analyst or chronically online person could tell you that.

Second, why did you keep "anyone can afford $6 a month" in? Are the editors asleep at the wheel? Are they overworked? What is going on? You know damn well to not make generalizations about what people can afford. That's NEVER a good idea, especially when you KNOW (because YT gives you analytics) that most of your viewers are young (16/18-30/35 range, I'd guess) who probably, either 1, are still in school and either arent paid well/dont have jobs OR 2, arent paid well and tired of people's shit, like people who own businesses talking about "tough financial decisions." To them, Watcher isn't going to look different from the other people talking like that, because this was so sudden, with no input from fans, and in the video you hear shit like "anyone can afford [X]." To be frank, it wouldn't really matter what the amount is, because that generalization goes against the message they have stood by for years. THAT is a slap in the face.

Third, what are yall doing with the budgeting? Every artist has a right to make art that they are proud of. Every artist deserves to have their work seen if they so choose. Every artist deserves to make a living. HOWEVER, there are MANY options online when it comes to making money, especially on YT. You could get into marketing, data analysis, expanding your demographic, looking at what people are interested in right now VS what will stand the test of time (not gold leaf burgers), etc.

You have to either have these skills, develop these skills, or hire someone to do it for you. It's understandable that you would want a team behind the production, but I find +25 employees to be WAY too many people, especially in LA. Bailey Sarian has a Dark History section on her YT (and Spotify podcast) where she has hired historians to help make sure her episodes are as accurate as possible. You've caught heat before from Puppet History's missing & incorrect info, you should do the same. She has about three (3) "intermissions" per episode for ad breaks. I never see anyone complain. People WOULD listen to yall talk for that long (+1 hour videos), tbh, though that's not necessary.

Why are yall out here with Teslas, expensive food, new gear, scripts (where there weren't scripts before, PH is different, that makes sense), and "better than TV" level sets??? I need to put your accountant in this week's church prayer list what the actual hell??? Ya'll, this video is literally the meme:

Guys help me budget:

LA Rent: 2K per month

Videos: 100K per vid

+25 Employees: God only knows

New stuff for videos: Don't get me started

Like, are you serious?

You have a right to do whatever you want with your art. You have a right to charge whatever you'd like for that art. You have a right to make a living from your art and you have a right to ask your fans for money.

Your fans have a right to be angry when they've been supporting yall for, what, almost 10 years? They have a right to choose when and where to spend their money even when you've made an impact. They have a right to feel betrayed, especially when there are better options (like Nebula or consulting with Theorist Media).

Fans DO NOT have a right to be racist to any members of Watcher, now that they have made a decision they do not agree with.

I personally, think this is a really silly decision and could have been solved (haha solved) with a simple YT poll, but apparently we had to get... this. I respect their decision, I just don't think it was a smart one. I wish them the best, and I hope they find a better solution. Any further comment from me will depend on what steps they take next.