#in that in having a job where i need to establish a rapport with a stranger somewhat frequently

[iamnotlookingidonotseeit]

(in mingled delight and astonishment) I'm turning into my dad

[bts5sosempire]

𝐩𝐚𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠: miguel o'hara x gn! reader

𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐬: n/a

𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭: crack/ comedy, fluff, (name) with that gremlin attitude, ✨asstheticque✨, getting on his nerves, established relationship, spider/non-spider (name)

𝐬𝐮𝐦𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐲: "hey, it looked at me first."

𝐚/𝐧: help, I kennot escape this man...😔 there are some things in here that are what me and friends used to do in high school too. For funsies, especially the 2nd one. I hope some of my Spanish isn't lost to me too.

You were swiveling in your chair, legs propped up like a frog while spinning around like a circle. Miguel had been staring at the screen for who knows how long before standing up. Your spin slowly stopped when you stopped directly with his back turned against you and heard the chair cracking from the weight being lifted off. You weren't trying to make it obvious, but goddamn him. Every. Single. Time.

All those cakes all up in your face like it's your birthday.

"Holy fuck," you mutter before swinging your head to look at the screen again, acting like nothing happened, 'monkey do not see, monkey do not know'. Miguel looked over his shoulder at you, and he saw you eyeing him out of your peripheral view before averting to look at the bright screens within split second.

"Something the matter?" He caught you, and you smack your lips together before saying it was nothing. Miguel then hums. Idling around, your eyes looked at your fingers that rapport against the desk.

You smack your lips again, turning your head to look at Miguel, "Actually, there is. How do you carry all that ass on a Thursday morning?"

Miguel groan at that, "(Name)..."

You: "It's a valid question. You ever wonder you can replace Perseu's statue in the museum too?"

Then Layla's presence was announced on Miguel's shoulder with loud laughter.

°

"Izquierdo, derecho, izquierdo, derecho," (left, right, left, right) was your new sudden prayer when you suddenly lagged when a wild Mayday had appeared; then they nestled in your arms as they babble away. But your eyes were intense on one thing, and Miguel doesn't need to know what it is.

Miguel: "Querido/a..."

You: "Hey, it looked at me first."

With a whole bunch of spiders added into the mix, then you also added in there is a formula for chaos. Especially when Hobie is around, it's like having two devils setting the place of fire, Miguel should've kept you as a secret. The man internally groan.

"What's with you and...ass?" The man stops walking, pinches his brow with two fingers then turns around to look at you. Mayday had your face in both her puggy hands as you made puffer fish lips at her. She giggles when you tried to made the attempt to pretend you were going to kiss her.

"I like the extra cushion, okay? I'm sure you look at mine too when I'm not looking." Miguel was about to open his mouth to say something, but close it up when the only word that managed to pass his lips was, 'That..' A little smug look went across your lips.

°

There were rare days when Miguel was out of his suit; he was antsy like he was allergic to regular clothes for once. His work was always a 25/8 job, not a 9/5, then call it a day. There's no sleep for the wicked, you guess.

"Hey, hey," you appear into the room where he mostly stays and hooked onto a belt loophole and slowly spin the man around to face you. It wasn't until your hands settled into the back of his pants pocket. You were looking up at him, your chin resting against the crevice of his pecs and you smiled up at him. "I thought it was chill day?"

Miguel swoops down to kiss your forehead as a greeting by lowering his head. "I'm just checking," you squint your eyes at him and made a face, "I really am."

There was a knowing hum from you, and he swooped in again to kiss the side of your temple this time. "That's hard to believe; once you work, you work. There's no rest, not even a ten-minute break." Wiggling your fingers inside his back pockets to press the cakes, he tenses up, and you happily laugh when he is caught off-guard. You both almost topple at how he stumbles a bit back; if it wasn't for him putting a hand against the monitor's desk.

"Don't play with me right now, Corazoncito/a," Miguel warned, and you only let out another hum for him to go on if he dared. And he did. Miguel, broad arms encase around your midsection and change the position by hoisting you up, twirling you, and seating you on the desk. "I told you so," he then frees an arm. Miguel's fingers grab your jaw and press a thumb to your lips. "Now get ready for me."

Oh boy.

[bronx-bomber87]

Happy Monday all :) Some UC Lucy and overly protective Tim. Always a fun combo to watch. Also Aaron telling like it is and getting a puppy. This is a good one before our epic next ep. Let’s get started.

5x07 Crossfire

We start off with Lucy getting recruited for a UC Op. She is official now post school. It’s for an all girl gang. They’ve been extorting shop owners on their turf. One stood up and he paid the price for it. What they need Lucy to do is infiltrate them. Get in close and see if they can’t get confession or murder weapon.

Lucy looks a little intimidated by the task. Harper doesn’t let that doubt linger for long. Builds her up saying she’s a UC now. This is what they do. Come in where they’re not wanted to build rapport and trust. Lucy puts her feelings of doubt in check and says she will figure it out.

Tim and Aaron show up for a noise complaint. The lady tells them she was just arguing with her son. Aaron asks what the problem is? She says he’s not listening, mouthy and cutting school. That she’s worried he’s going to end up like his sister. That'll she lose him to a gang. He’s only 15 years old. Tim tells her they can’t arrest or do anything unless he’s committed a crime.

She said she doesn’t want that. Just wants them to put the fear of God into him. See if it’ll keep him out of trouble. Aaron volunteers to talk to the kid. He does such good job with him. I love watching Tim watch him do that. You can see he’s impressed with the cop Aaron is becoming. He’s got a Lucy level skill of connecting with people and being genuinely empathetic. Aaron ends up giving Tabin his card for whenever he needs it to vent.

It doesn't take long before he is blowing up Aaron's phone complaining about his mom. It's actually pretty cute watching Aaron reply to him. He is enjoying helping this kid out and you can tell. Tim makes a joke about how he has a puppy now. The same kind of speech he gave Lucy back when she met Tamara in 3x02. Aaron is having the same resolve Lucy did back then. I mean yes her puppy lives with her now but we all love that haha He is cool as a cucumber saying as long as his mom is a good cook. LOL Tim just shakes his head.

We get some more Harper/Lucy goodness. Nyla is bringing over all the intel on the Razors. The folder is embarrassingly light. Lucy is confused because all these women have heavy records. Tons of drug arrests including meth. Harper tells her no one takes girl gangs seriously. It shows in the amount of intel they have on these women.

Lucy once again expresses her worry about making her way in. Harper knows she can do this. Wouldn’t have tapped her for this if she didn’t. I love their cute bonding moment about Lucy being a threat herself. Hehe That is true. Our girl is a powerhouse to be feared really. Especially with UC. Learned from the best in the business. Really loved this moment with them. Looking forward to more in S6.

Lucy is looking for any kind of in and finds out about Tim's call this morning. The sister of Tabin (Aaron’s puppy.) is in the gang. Lucy and Harper approach them about the call. Tim is cute af saying the call was cute. That all puppies are cute LOL Lucy’s comment is adorable about Tamara. Stealing earrings and losing them. It's classic and you know she wouldn't have it any other way. Tamara stopped being a puppy and became their pseudo daughter long ago though. This is an adorable moment nonetheless.

They’re telling Aaron this kid could be Lucy’s way in. One she desperately needs to establish instant rapport with them. You can see Aaron’s hesitancy on the whole matter. Knowing the mom’s feelings on opening that door for her son. Everyone seems on board for this plan except Aaron.

Which sucks cause he’s the rookie out of all of them. So his opinion while respected doesn’t carry the weight he wants it to. Tim says they can stakeout the meet together. Watch over Tabin so nothing happens to him. It's the only thing calming Aaron in this moment. So he agrees to reach out. They need the mother consent first before anything else.

Aaron is able to get Tabin's mom to consent. Telling her it'll be safe for him to do this. We find them next getting ready to send Lucy in. They’re posted outside a block party the gang is having. They spot Vina and signal Lucy to head in. She does so like a bat out of hell. Love her entrance and confidence she holds. Just handles that car like a damn champ as she drifts into the party literally. The concern on Tim's face from the moment she enters the scene is evident.

Tim looks anxious af the minute that gun is pulled on Lucy. He knows she can handle herself. Logically he knows that. It’s the emotional part that is flipping out right now. Even knowing she can handle herself doesn’t stop him from worrying like crazy. Doesn't ease the panic rising in his throat at the sight of her with a gun in her face. You can tell he is sick to his stomach watching this. Also look at Aaron he’s worried for Tim worrying. He can sense the tension coming off that man in waves.

Don’t tell me that man doesn’t know Tim Is gone for her. Aaron knows what's up. He has always sensed something more between them. Nothing he could put words to but he knows. Just like Grey, Angela and Harper know. Hence the look he’s doing right now for Tim. Worried Tim is a favorite of mine. We’re getting that right off the bat in this op.

Man is so in love and showing all his cards to Aaron. Doesn’t mean to be but he sure is. His whole body tenses up the minute that gun comes out. Legit panic all over his beautiful features. Lastly Lucy looks amazing btw. Like completely in BAMF mode. I’m as straight as an arrow. I’m sure you all can tell by way I drool over Eric. But damn if I don’t have a little girl crush on Lucy Chen haha

Lucy is smooth af in her verbiage. I love Angela and Harper smiling at her ‘Genes’ comment. They’re so proud of their girl. Makes me so very happy. Being the bad ass they knew she would be on this OP. Lucy holds her own the entire time. Doesn’t flinch once with that gun in her face. Shana comes up and has Vina stand down. Lucy says she’s gonna roll then. Acting like she doesn't need to be at this party. But she gets invited to stay for a drink or two. Mission accomplished. She’s in.

We watch Lucy lay down her backstory like a friggin champ. Saying she did a stretch at the same prison Shana did. Pulling out a name that will solidify her status for that. We watch Tim relax a little when she buys her story. Tells Aaron that Shawty is on the DOJ’s payroll and will back Lucy’s cover. Everything is falling into place like it's supposed to. Aaron says it time to pull Tabin then. He did what he was supposed to do. There is no need for him to stay at this party any longer than he has.

Tim tells him no. He’s fine where he is. Aaron presses it some more and says No sir he’s not. I said last episode Aaron had some serious balls with Tim. He for sure does in this moment holy hell. I remember gasping that he said that to Tim. I also said 'Excuse me.' with Tim when it happened LOL I was shocked Aaron would call him out like that. Tapping into Lucy from 1x03. Telling him like it is.

Tim is shocked too hence his reaction. He’s also mad that Aaron could not only see that but call him out on it. As we all know unless it’s Lucy and even then Tim doesn’t like to be called out. If looks could kill our lovely Aaron would be dead LOL Is Aaron right? Yes of course he is. Tim Is putting Lucy above this kid. That’s his first instinct is to protect her career and advance it. I love him for it truly I do. Doesn't mean Aaron is off base in what he is saying either.

Now even though I agree there is a time and place Aaron. Maybe don't call out your superior officer on an op like that lol But he’s definitely not wrong in this thought process. This is the thing Tim was scared of happening. Losing his objectivity based on Lucy alone. Now that’s been happening for years let's be honest. heh

Lucy Chen has been his blind spot for a long time. It’s just more prominent in this season. But Tim has always been putting her first since her early days. Now it usually has positive results. Unfortunately we see it has negative consequences this time around. Like what happens to this kid as we will see soon enough. Aaron’s fear of Tim wins out before the scene is up though. He says he shouldn't have said anything….Look at Aaron's eyes he is straight scared he just angered the beast ha

Sadly it turns out as badly as Aaron predicted it would. Tabin gets into with someone at the party and gets his ass beat. They break it up but not before he takes some serious damage. Lucy asks him if he’s ok Tabin says yes. Vina tries to get him to take the gun and he refuses. She makes fun of him and they take off. We can see how upset Lucy is he was hurt like that.

Unfortunately she has to compartmentalize and rejoin them. Harper says she’s in and they can leave now. Tim copies and they go to find Tabin. It’s super sad when they grab him up. Aaron looks so upset he got hurt. When the mom finds out she tears into them both. Can't say I blame her tbh. Aaron does jump in front of Tim (verbally speaking) during the whole thing. Doesn't do any good but I do love that.

Lucy gets brought along on a money run. I mean if nothing else Tabin's intro go her in real fast. Which is exactly what Lucy needed. It was the purpose of him being there. It’s so fun to watch her hold her own in these op's gotta say. Vina is a loose cannon and it shows. Lucy has to rein her in once again with being violent. It’s where we find out it was Vina who killed the owner not Shana. Harper’s original assumption was her not the sister. Which really sucks for Tabin and his mom. They had him be a CI to take her out not his sister…

Lucy meets up with Tim and Aaron outside Tabin's house. Vina is visiting her brother. Getting rid of the gun like Shana wanted her to by giving it to Tabin. Lucy lets them know it was Vina who killed store owner not the leader. Aaron looks so devastated. Lucy tells him how sorry she is but it’s true. That she probably has the gun on her right now. Tells them she doesn’t want to blow her cover so she’s gonna hang back. Tim understands and they roll up to arrest Vina.

She surrenders quickly but she already gave her brother the gun. Aaron see’s this and calls it out. We then watch Lucy all but bolt to Tim’s side. Cover blown because she thought he was in danger. Rolls up to back them in this arrest. I love that she had her cover protected then saw Tim was in potential danger. Said screw my cover my man is in trouble. Then launched to go protect him. Fantastic. Aaron gets him to drop the gun and hand it off. Tabin then says Aaron used him. It’s pretty sad tbh. They originally did this to bring her home not get her arrested because of their involvement. Sadly not how it worked out at all.

It’s confirmed the gun Vina had was the one that killed the owner. Aaron looks so sad about the whole ordeal. Lucy asks if his puppy has answered? He says no…Lucy reminds him they got a killer off the street. He replies sadly 'But it was his sister…' Her comforting skills kicking in telling him he’ll get it someday. As Tim and Aaron leave for night Tim and Lucy lock eyes.

Real subtle guys. The mini longing going on in this brief moment is primo though. Tim checking in on her but also sending heart eyes her way. Lucy doing the same thing in this gaze of theirs. The pining is real and evident in every episode. I adore that. Even one where they don’t have a ton of content. Testament to the amazing chemistry that Eric and Melissa have. Can take the smallest moments and make them explosive.

Also lord I love it when we get Tim Bradford in a Henley. Mmmm man makes something so simple so very sexy. Aaron apologizes to Tim for saying what he said. That he was out of line. Tim telling him yeah he was. Not in a place with Aaron yet to admit his faults. But it was good he saw how out of line he was in saying it then and there.

Tim does compliment him and say he had his back with the mom earlier. Aaron stepping right into that compliment saying yeah she was gonna lay him out LOL Oh how far our Tim has come for him to have a convo like that with Aaron and have it end with a smile. So proud of him it’s insane. That’s all she wrote for this one. Not a ton but enough that we got some goodies.

~~~

Side notes-non Chenford

Elijah sucks LOL that’s it ha

Thank you forever and always to those who read, like and comment on these. Crazy ride it’s been doing these and you all make it worth it. See you all in 5x08 :)

[gnashingwailing]

Kept notes on a reread I was doing of The Art of Love and War because I am so obsessed with the gay little borrower darkfic... sharing with u @fireflywritesgt

it falls apart at ch12 because that is where i consistently turn into a puddle under my covers kicking my legs and making sounds only audible to shrimps.

I HOPE THIS IS A SMALL TOKEN OF APPRECIATION FOR HOW GUD THIS FIC IS, SINCERELY... LIKE I SAID PUTTING THIS IN SOMEBODY'S INBOX IS PROBABLY A WAR CRIME. SO.

There is soooo muuuuch I want to saaaay. I did a reread and excuse my being verbose but.

Ch10 where Harry reads about how tinies don’t ask for things and prefer to do favors for them — how extra insulting that makes his message in Ch1!! “Just ask” no wonder Joe was so pissed!!

ALSO him feeling “dirty, somehow” about accepting chocolate that didn’t kill him… was he having a little bit of feelings for “the kind man” and it got transmuted into self-loathing… 😭 oh internalized homophobia tag we’re really in it now…

Re: ch2 I would kill for Joe’s pov of this… I’m also so fascinated to pick up the detail that Joe apparently talked to himself regularly, for Harry to hear him through the radiator pipes… one assumes Joe doesn’t have guests. Poor guy! He’s really smart! He likes talking! The assistant job is perfect for himmmm.

Re: ch3, i wonder how much Captain Calloway’s “if you die it’s your own damn fault” has influenced Joe’s life ethos of fucking around and finding out (btw… Harry would be sooo horrified to know Joe had been poisoned 3 times and still tried that chocolate 😭 yet another fun! anecdote of his) … im also kinda curious about Gutters. What’s that guy’s deal. And OF. COURSE. How Captain got all his injuries. It’s also so very sad he feels this tension with the guys, what they’d do to him if they knew more about who he really was. I love this as a metaphor for homophobia…

Ch5 I’m still fixated on the giants who are guarding the place. Hundreds of tinies going there every day… you’d think there’d be snatchers all over the place 👀 and the other great worldbuilding… lab tinies… “they were corralling everyone everywhere and the women and kids went one way…” GOD. also them building tiny capitalism plus tiny race science is just 😭😭😭 noooo… the way Harry reinforces their shared dignity and humanity by showing genuine interest in Joe’s art.. ouuuugh it hits every time.

ALSO I WAS SO SUSPICIOUS OF HILL WHEN I FIRST READ CH6 BUT NOW THST I KNOW HE IS A BONA FIDE WIFEGUY ALL IS REDEEMED. I AM so curious as to why he keeps tiny town schematics in his office if he dislikes it…

Ch7 profoundly funny to me how Hill is like “miniature is the academic term” and Joe is like what. Tinies.

I really appreciate how Harry started off having some uh. Idk. Colonizer savior complex stuff + noble savage ideas about Joe? Like “oh it’s in mother nature’s hands whether he survives then… I see…” as if the tinies social constructs about Pets are some immutable fact of nature instead of. A social construct !! It’s really well-done, how you show him gradually understanding that he needs to listen to Joe, not assume he knows what’s best for him just because he read a 50yr old anthropology book!! It makes me love Harry all the more that he managed to grow through it out of fondness for Joe 🥺

AND OF COURSE. THE G/T GOODNESS. My god. I loooooove that Joe is so creeped out by giants that he has to keep his eyes closed to stomach it… just feels. Hmm. Realistic?? It would be so overwhelming. I love that his trust gets rewarded with the doctor not hurting him…

The rapport they establish being based on talking to one another… it’s just suuuuch a perfect central theme for this story… Joe being able to tame Harry’s anger by reminding him of Joe’s own humanity. “Please don’t do that, doc. This is mean. You’re being mean.” And “you’re treating me like I’m not even… not even…” UGH. RENT FREE IN MY HEAD, WARREN. “Maybe he could do it; maybe he could sit in the same room as a giant for five minutes. He would only have to do it once, and then he would never have to do it again, he reasoned.” Bitch u thought… get loved and cared for idiot…

Joe asking him “why not”, echoing Harry’s words that stuck with him…

And then him being sooo pissed at the phone it’s just absolutely amazing stuff. Wagging his finger at it/Dr Hill lmaooo. I was hootin and hollerin when I realized this foreshadows him being the assistant!!! He can talk on the phone just fine!!!!

His legs threatening to give way from the prospect of Harry seeing him at ground level after he escapes using the phone receiver… ouuugh. It’s SO GOOD. He’s come such a long way…

“Touching every wooden beam he passed for good luck” is INCREDIBLY cute mental imagery.., he’s happy… poor guy has awful luck tho so Harry is just pissed 😭 HIM NEARLY DESTROYING THE PLATES BECSUSE HARRY SCARED HIM SO BAD HAD ME FEELING.. SOME KIND OF WAY…

Ch8 also has the first mention of Joe’s books… I’m sooo curious where he got these.. did he perhaps make them…? 👀 YEAH HARRY SHOULD FEEL LIKE A MONSTER THO. YOU TERRORIZED A LIL MOVIE STAR!!! HE ONLY BROKE A FEW THINGS… Making him hide under his covers like he saw a monster… 😭

I love their first god awful handshake lmao. Incredible subversion of the usual g/t first meetings… Joe’s just like OK 👋 NOW GET THAT THANG OUTTA HERE

And then Joe going “I know about that!” Joe protested, his voice growing stronger. “It’s up to me, doc. If it happens, it happens and it’ll be my own damn fault.” … something tells me when Harry finally comes to understand Joe’s recklessness with his own life and what feelings about its worth may be underpinning that, he will be so sad 😔

Joe losing his toes to frostbite… realizing that could very likely be from when he was kidnapped and enslaved with O’Grady… uuuugh he’s so brave to want to connect with anybody at all let alone with Harry!!

Ch9 professor wifeguy moments… yesss… I love that he wants to hang out with another tiny too 😭 Joe is making friends!! I can’t wait to find out about Lorraine and what “other place” she knows about!!! Lmfao I can tell she’s going to be incredible just from the little bit Joe hears of her. I wonder too if she’s been marked… aahhh I’m so excited to learn more about these two. How interesting of a parallel, too, that Harry noted Dr Hill might also be a former soldier… something-something folks unable to fully integrate into society finding and building community with each other…

Also PROFOUNDLY interested to note on a reread that the tiny town on his wall says “a SAFE place to be” and the one in Riverdale said “a CIVILIZED place to be” 😬 a damn prison indeed… I also really wonder just HOW the tinies are paying their rent(?) to stay there, if they’re all as disdainful of “borrowing” as a career as O’Grady seems to be…

MAY I JUST NOTE that Joe stimming around is sooo charming to me. He’s kickin’ his legs. He’s pacing back and forth. He’s doing something like that in the walls when Harry was first listening to him. I LOVE HIM.. aND I love how this chapter we see him going from “that tall bastard (derogatory)” to “that tall bastard (amused)”

AND POOR JOE ON THE MOST CURSED FIELD TRIP IMAGINABLE. There is much to love here but I absolutely adore this imagery: “Joe buried himself in the curtain as the doctor, dressed to the nines in his work clothes and vaguely resembling a horse in a brown suit, sidled over to him and towered there and seethed.” HE’S TERRIFIED 😭 and Joe learns that other people value his wellbeing more than he does… wow Joe no need to ponder that any further until Ch15!!!

There’s SO much incredible prose in this chapter… the haaaaands oh my god the hands. The tinies are on the order of 2-3 inches tall, right? You really get a vivid sense of how big and dangerous everything is to them… absolutely A+ stuff.

This part also slays me everytime I think about it: “Joe was hidden inside [the pocket], and the thought of how unhinged his dear neighbour must look to his fellow giants as he walked and talked gave him no small amount of delight.” HE WOUUUULD.

The mystery of just what Joe created as a boy… what he can’t find it in himself to articulate… why he can hardly fathom talking about himself and his inner world to anyone …

PART 10… the difference in the way Joe confronts Harry here vs with the assistant in part 16 is somehow heartbreaking to me. I think the anger must just be displacement for how he’s really feeling (worried, uncomfortable…) and he’s more able to show his feelings to Harry with the assistants than he is now… but Joeeeee. I don’t ever want him to feel hopeless with Harry, like he just has to accept whatever he wants 😭 I love him in this chapter… Arms crossed, eyes narrowed… red faced… clawing at the air as he ranted Jdhdhdj GOD HE’S SO ICONIC: ““Nope. Not gonna happen! Veto!” Joe leapt up from the box, strode all the way to the edge of the table, and jabbed a finger at him. “I don’t know what kind of sick, twisted doctor things you intend to do to people but whatever it is, it’s not happening in my house!”” I guess I want him to still be comfortable with yelling veto at Harry lmao!!

And then Joe being like WHO GIVES A SHIT ABOUT YOU SAVING ME THE OTHER DAY. THAT MEANS NOTHING TO ME, A WILD AND INDEPENDENT TINY WHO HAD IT ALL UNDER CONTROL, AT ALL.

ALSO: the way he words this, I have a strong suspicion he does not know the word “patients”?! “”Let’s make a deal in exchange for patients. Give me something in exchange for patients.” Joe stammered. “You do that and I won’t make any trouble.””

Harry thinking of Joe as “the little bastard” in counterpoint to Joe’s “the tall bastard” really makes me smile too, hahahah.

AND THE FURTHER G/T TROPE INVERSION… just because he was willing to get in the giant’s hands one time doesn’t mean he’s suddenly fine with it!! I love how pissed they are at each other over this misunderstanding lmfao. He’s 👏 a 👏 wild 👏 tiny 👏 ‼️

And it’s so meaningful to me that the two of them bond more over sharing art with one another… Harry wants to introduce Joe to an amazing piano player… and Joe is so happy!!! The idea for a Charlie Chaplin bit with a rich miniature woman is SO inspired btw, I was as delighted as Joe was 😭 Harry being like “oh shit wait is this offensive” and then Joe just being like “THIS FUCKS SO HARD LMAO IT REALLY DO BE LIKE THAT”

And then the tragic aftermath… Harry NOTICING that he didn’t even know that he was doing anything wrong by bringing Joe there, it just FELT so dreadfully taboo (enough that Hill, who is MARRIED TO A TINY, also seems like he’s been caught doing something wrong when Harry first meets him)…. and then of course society reinforces that fear in a terrible way. Only a shared humanity regarding love of art saves poor Joe.. how lucky he’s gotten enough exposure to be able to speak in the presence of giants. You have to ponder how many tinies just as wonderfully complex as him have died for not having that skill. It’s so very sad!!! THE IMAGERY OF HIM ON THE LAMP LIKE IT’S A STREETCORNER JUST TWISTED THE KNIFE. Your writing really is so excellent, the way you can carry us through so many different emotions… Joe my belovedddd. I’m simply obsessed with the implications of him NAMING HARRY. WHAT IS /THAT/?? And the way that the narration in the story from this point on swaps to using Harry as his name… it speaks VOLUMES without you needing to elaborate on it at all. Joe has changed him! He’s becoming someone he likes better than Herman! A day we had good luck… Harry is good luck… Luck as a concept very different from what giants think of… I am absolutely enamored with how clearly he has a whole other world, another culture, that Harry can only guess at and be grateful to be included in.

JOE GETTING A NICE BATH AND A COMFORTABLE BED IN THIS CHAPTER IS JUST SO WHOLESOME (even if it will torment his Calvinist sensibilities later…) I am also so charmed to imagine how Joe must have woken up and been like “what the FUCK did I do last night. Where the HELL am I 🤨”

And then in Ch11 he’s like I WILL PROCEED NOT TO THINK OF THAT AT ALL. <- clueless

Ch11 is one of my favorites I think… we really get a good glimpse into how much heavy-duty rationalizing Joe is doing LMAO. “Taking food is fine, because I’m just using this tall bastard.” “It’s fine if I have leisure time.” “It’s fine if I like Harry and his company and I miss him when he’s gone and I want to give him a name.” “AS LONG AS I DON’T GET COMFORTABLE ALL OF THIS IS FINE.” This line is such a banger lol: “Joe Piccoli was many things as he went to sleep that night, but he was not a pet, and he was not comfortable.” And then the mouse!!! That Joe decides to draw rather than kill!!! Look at his needs being met!!!!!

IT ALSO ABSOLUTELY FUCKIN KILLED ME WHEN I REALIZED IN THIS CHAPTER THAT THE BOYS HAVE JUST. FULLY LEFT THAT FLOORBOARD OFF LMFAO??? THAT’S HIS SKYLIGHT NOW…

And then. Good god. The arm scene… it’s just. Soooo. 👌👌👌👌 I’m so … 😵‍💫💖❤️‍🔥…

“I’m a wild tiny!” “You’re going to be a dead tiny if that gets infected.” Their dynamic is so fucking funny. AND THE TENDERNESS OF HARRY TOUCHING JOE… Joe being so overwhelmed not exactly with fear but HMMM I WONDER WHAT EMOTION AND WHY HE MIGHT FEEL SO OVERWHELMED HE STILL NEEDS TO CLOSE HIS EYES AND PRETEND HE’S HIDDEN UNDER THE FLOOR AGAIN… 🤔🤔🤔 whyever would the touch of this kind giant make his hair stand on end and make him contemplate the reverence he’s being touched with and leave his cheeks burning… it is a mystery

And then Joe being so afraid the mouse would be hurt because in contrast to the kindness he’s been shown, he still has this long history of awful experiences with giants.. this part in particular made my heart hurt:

“Don’t kill the mouse, Harry, please don’t kill it. It’s just like me. It hasn’t done anything to you.” Joe begged.

Followed by him remembering that this is /Harry, his friend, who he knows/:

“The words hit Joe like the breaking of a spell, and he stood in the kitchen windowsill feeling downright foolish. Of course Harry wouldn’t kill the mouse, Joe realized - of course he wouldn’t do that.”

OUGH. This story is SO delicious I’m beyond obsessed…

The two of them having a much less Charged encounter after Joe has resolved some of his internal conflicts, at least for the moment… chatting away like they’re two normal friends while Harry touches him… 😵‍💫😵‍💫😵‍💫 I LOVE THESE TWO SO MUCH‼️

Their motorcycle shenanigans… Harry showing Joe his precious Contraption and Joe absolutely hating it omg it was so peak 😭 PLAYING “WHO’S-MORE-BORING CHICKEN”… the way Joe is like “I would rather Die than have to listen to this guy talk about how he’s more exciting than me. Absolutely not.”

I also very much appreciate the foreshadowing of the street car on this re-read…

AND may I say I really love that they went on a little nature trip together!!! I have thought often of the potential of a g/t story set outdoors, where the normal sized person and the tiny are both made small by how all-encompassing the wilderness is. Something to do with camping or backpacking! Maybe something I want to write one day! This gave me a delightful taste of that.

AND ANYWAY THE ACCEPTING OF COMFORT EVEN AS IT FLIES IN THE FACE OF EVERYTHING HE’S BEEN TAUGHT TO ROMANTICIZE AND VALUE… ouuuughhh GET LOVED IDIOT!! GET SEEN AND KNOWN AND TAKEN CARE OF!!!

And then ch12… Harry’s realization that Joe won’t ever bring up anything if it’s just for his own benefit. Which by the way, on a re-read I can appreciate how cleverly you’ve set this up, if I didn’t write that clearly enough before! There’s something cultural there but also, I think, something uniquely Joe that Harry maybe can’t fully see yet. Harry’s watch from his parents breaking down at the same moment he’s trying to change his relationship with Joe, the new most important person in his life (at least I presume! He doesn’t seem to have other close friends/family) … very very good. This sentence is so evocative. Simultaneously funny and sad: “With the way Joe’s eyes shifted from side to side one would think the doctor had suggested they go rob a bank.” It’s very good angst realizing how much Harry is asking of Joe without him even knowing it…

BTW this part is so delightful. They’re so interested in each other!!! “When his footsteps announced his arrival, he could see the tiny’s movements through the missing floorboards as his neighbour crossed the floor and climbed back up to the windowsill above the counter.” <- guy who absolutely has NOT been gotten

“Joe smiling. A rare sight indeed.” JUST…. My heaaaart ‼️‼️

Also hilarious how Joe and now Harry have both had “mmm I do NOT like the way this guy is smiling right now” moments 🤣

GOD tho, Joe’s opening up about getting snatched… much like Harry, it made me feel absolutely beside myself.

^^^ AS YOU CAN SEE. I'VE FULLY FALLEN APART.

[mweothe11e]

hello! how are you? I wish to participate in your tarot game. my initials are MG + my nickname is Bri (cus of my username ofc). my emoji is 🐦‍🔥

my self help tip would be to learn to stand your ground—allowing people to walk all over you will only worsen your mental state. once you’ve learned to identify your needs, and once you’ve learned to understand your emotional reactions to situations, life will become so much easier. adopting an “idgaf” mentality especially in scenarios where people will be overtly judgemental toward you goes a long way. just don’t overdue it, though, because it can easily make one become too self centered. this advice is more-so learning how to set proper boundaries that will work for you while also respecting other people’s boundaries and at the least, understanding where the other party is coming from. in my case, I do like to help my coworkers and building good rapport with them, but I also grew to not care what other people thought of me—I do my job effectively while also not overdoing it, either. when I first began, since it was my first job, I didn’t know what my boundaries were, so I was taken advantage of a lot. it took me a few years to establish boundaries. though, there was a time I was TOO stubborn about them, so I initially came across as resistant and selfish. nowadays, I’ve learned from that, too, so I believe I am at a good balance. all in all, I feel my mental state has improved compared to when I first began as a naive employee. I have a coworker who has never learned to set proper boundaries, and they are always miserable. they complain a lot about the workplace and all they do for them, yet they still say yes to every single request. I do sympathize, yet this person is an example of lacking self awareness and not vocalizing their feelings (difficulty saying “no,” for example). so, yes, please learn to stand up for yourself. it’s not too late to do so. and once you do, who cares what others think—they’re only upset because you are no longer available to service their every whims. I hope this advice helps those who need to hear this ❤️

Hi MG/Bri,

Thank you so much for patiently waiting for your turn in my game.

The card pulled for “What do you need to learn to love about yourself” is: The Stone (LXVII)

The practical approach to learning to love yourself is: Devil

It was an absolute pleasure to read through your entire ask because yessss for context and healthy boundaries! I love how thorough you were in explaining why it is important which makes so much sense why the Stone card showed up in your reading. You’ve mentioned the IDGAF attitude which is definitely giving me Stone vibes. To be firm in your healthy boundaries, like a Stone, you persevere through life, unyielding to the toxic societal norms that were instilled to make the world conform in a blind sheep mentality. This IDGAF attitude of yourself is something you need to learn to love and appreciate more often! It seems rather odd at first, like how can you learn to love having an IDGAF attitude, but then you reiterated the importance of healthy boundaries, so this is your reason why this side of you should be appreciated more!

How you can show love to your IDGAF attitude is not caving into that whole hive community mindset. It’s like if your community is pressuring you to get married at a certain age and you don’t feel that you have any reliable suitors to create a lasting happy family with, say NO. Basically, your practical tip on how to honor your IDGAF attitude is to literally reinforce it with healthy boundaries. Just don’t cave into peer pressure if you don’t feel like it, then you’re all set.

This concludes your reading.

Do let me know how this resonates with you.

(This reading is for entertainment purposes only.)

[thebibliomancer]

Essential Avengers: Avengers West Coast #70: The BIG ONE!

May, 1991

Guest-starring Spider-Woman! Enter: THE PACIFIC OVERLORDS!

Is that the Daidarabotchi? And we're fresh out of Cirnos.

The Avengers wouldn't let Cirno join because she looks a child. But they might refer her to the Power Pack.

But I digress.

Last time, the Avengers West Coast finally caught up on that new roster thing and booted US Agent out on his ass. So there's not a lot of last time to speak of because I think we may have turned a page.

See? Now we have Spider-Woman hanging around.

Okay, so jokes aside, one of the random comics I have is a random issue of a Spider-Woman comic where she mentions that she's with the West Coast Avengers so I'm hype.

I figure this must be how she establishes a rapport with the team, maybe even how she joins the team. Hank and Jan are quitting so they're going to be some people down.

But I'm getting ahead of myself.

Spider-Woman is hanging onto the Balboa Pavilion at the Newport Beach marina, wishing she was in Denver. She's literally just hanging out. She's not trying to do any superhero stuff. But she sees a boat coming into the marina under cover of darkness and figures the thing to do is investigate.

The book assumes that readers may not be familiar with Spider-Woman because how much has she even been in since then? She was in Freedom Force when they arrested the Avengers in that pair of linked annuals. And apparently, she was in some Iron Man and Spider-Man books.

Point being, Spider-Woman describes how her web works in pretty thorough detail. Her webs are made of psychic energy! So they fade away after a few seconds if Spider-Woman doesn't need them, instead of the hour that Spider-Man's chemical based webs take to break down. And because the webs are manifesting, not being webshot out of some webshooters, Spider-Woman can form webs at a distance or control their movements with her mind.

Also, manifesting the webs gives Spider-Woman a tingling senstation in her hands that she loves. Good to know.

Spider-Woman creates a web tether between the pavilion and some crates on the dock and slides down to spy on the boat coming in.

She happens to see Jawbreaker coming off the boat with Taifu slung over his shoulder and she also sees Kuroko unstealthing.

Julia Carpenter, Spider-Woman, sneaks after the two, to try and figure out whether this is a crime or not, but the dock creaks under her feet, giving her away.

Kuroko tells Jawbreaker not to let Julia get the trunk. Which she didn't even know she should be curious about before that. Good job, Kuroko.

Jawbreaker charges at Spider-Woman, who flips him into some crates. Which just makes him mad so he pops back up and pops Spider-Woman in the face.

Jawbreaker, failing to break her jaw: "Hey, you're tougher than you look, red! And faster!"

Spider-Woman: "I can type, too! Oh, yeah -- and I can do this!"

And she starts tangling him up with her psionic webs, which are described as looking like they're made of light. Buuuut, Jawbreaker is strong enough to tear through them.

When Spider-Woman tries to put some space between her and the big guy, Kuroko trips her. But that just tells Julia where the invisible woman is, which earns Kuroko a kick to the face. But getting distracted doing that earns Julia a punch into the ocean.

Kuroko criticizes Jawbreaker for punching the interloper somewhere they can't verify that she's dead but Jawbreaker don't give a crap.

Taifu wakes up and accuses Jawbreaker of having no respect for anyone, not even himself. Which earns that guy also a knockout blow. Back over the shoulder you go, Taifu.

Kuroko and Jawbreaker and also his trunk and Taifu cargo then fuck off before they attract any more attention.

Meanwhile, the Avengers West Coast finish up their first meeting with their new roster.

Tigra is all over Iron Man, declaring him even more on the ball than the original guy. Iron Man accepts the compliment awkwardly because secretly he is the original guy.

Hawkeye complains about being on probation. But, my dude, you had so many chances to not keep fighting US Agent.

Wonder Man is just grouchy.

And Dr Pym and Wasp are looking forward for things to settle down so they can quit and "get on with the rest of our separate-but-equal lives."

What a weird way to describe divorce, Hank. But Wasp agrees with the sentiment.

Apparently, Tigra has been chatting up Iron Man because she wants him to hook her up with his boss, Tony Stark.

(Oh, the ironies!)

Iron Man says he'll try but, uh, um, Stark is... out of town! Yeah, that's it!

Tigra basically shrugs that off and says since Iron Man has been standing in for Stark, he can take her on a date instead.

Oh, Tigra, you smooth operator.

Huh. It's been a minute since Tigra was trying to smooch on Iron Man. Back when her cat instincts made her hypersexual and she was trying to juggle Wonder Man, Iron Man, and Hank Pym at the same time.

But now she's got the cat soul under control so maybe these two crazy kids can make this work. Who knows?

I will say that Tigra quipping about getting a can-opener slew me.

Elsewhere, Hawkeye takes Scarlet Witch aside and apologizes. He was whining about being on probation when Wanda had her entire life implode in Byrne's run.

Wanda says that she's looking at that like another life, one she can't go back to, so she's going to focus on putting together a new life.

Hm. The Thomases are happy to undo some of Byrne's changes. Breaking up Hank and Jan again. Bringing Hawkeye officially back to the team. Booting US Agent. But I guess they don't want to revert the changes to Vision. Or can't think of a good way to do it. Or can't do it because Larry Hama now has dibs on Vision.

Who knows?

Quicksilver pops by, looking like a casual man in a sweater, and says that putting your life back together is such a Maximoff Move. And since he believes Wanda believes it, he feels it's time to move on.

He's happy to be a reserve member. Pitch in when needed. But characteristically, he's got a little bit of the wanderlust and he wants to go see the world "before your fellow humans ruin what little remains of it."

That's our Quicksilver.

Hawkeye points out that with himself, Quicksilver, and Scarlet Witch in one place, they've practically got a kooky quartet. Which leads Wanda to comment that they could use a leader like Cap to lead the Avengers West Coast. To Hawkeye's irritation because dammit, he was that leader before he quit in a huff!

Meanwhile, Hank and Jan discuss their respective plans. Jan is eventually going to move back East but she has some stuff she wants to do first that she doesn't want to talk about lest she incur bad luck.

(I suspect that the writer is just leaving her options open.)

image

Hank and Jan in this era continue to be the best at being divorced.

Of course, they don't have a lot of competition. This is before T'Challa and Storm get married and then have their marriage annulled. This is before Spider-Man sold his marriage to the devil. This is before Tony Stark fake married Emma Frost as part of a scheme. So I guess what I'm saying is that Hank and Jan are just better at being divorced than Hawkeye and Mockingbird or Scarlet Witch and Vision.

... Why are so many divorces concentrated in California?

When Wanda goes inside the Avengers Mansion, she runs into Wonder Man, who is on the phone setting up a date with a Sandra, who he met at the wrap party for "Beverly Hills Rich Persons II."

Calling a woman late at night and going 'hey you said call you anytime and this is a time, let's go on a date.'

He is very clearly doing this just to lash out at Wanda for not wanting to date him.

Scarlet Witch: "Oh, Wanda... Wanda... you really hurt him when you said the two of you shouldn't go out anymore. But it was too painful... knowing it was Simon's brain patterns that were used as the basis for the Vision... the husband who's now more lst to you than if he were in another galaxy."

I mean... Yeah!

It wasn't a great rebound relationship because Wonder Man and Vision were basically brothers.

Meanwhile, plot? Remember the plot?

Jawbreaker, Kuroko, the trunk, and the unconscious Taifu reach the Filmland in Wax museum in Costa Mesa. That's where their mysterious boss is set up.

Whose secret lair is cunningly hidden behind an Elvira.

I must admit, that's some old school hidden lair style that I really appreciate.

Although, when Jawbreaker comes into the hidden lab he loudly announces his presence, giving a minion a startle and causing him to drop a monitoring device.

The big boss yells that such a mistake will cost his life but clarifies that he means the idiot who dropped the thing, not Jawbreaker for causing it.

That's some old school villainy that I feel would be bad for morale.

Hello, Doctor Demonicus. He was a villain created for the licensed Marvel Godzilla book, a criminal geneticist with an interest in creating monsters. And now he's here!

Always fun when characters created for a licensed book make their way into the mainstream marvel stuff. See also: Machine Man and Death's Head.

Kuroko asks if it is safe for Doctor Demonicus to hide in the middle of an American city but as he explains, he tried having hidden island bases and even a space satellite base but they kept getting discovered!

He also has to admit that this base was nearly discovered, too.

When Human Torch and Living Lightning were fighting, back in issue 62, Doctor Demonicus though they were looking for him. But when he realized they weren't, he became intrigued and kidnapped Living Lightning in the instant before his apparent death at the hands of Dr Pym.

In fact, Doctor Demonicus has Living Lightning all bound up in science bondage in his lab. When he finally wakes up, Doctor Demonicus is going to give him an ultimatum to serve him or die. And since Demonicus' machines are needed to keep the unconscious Living Lightning from devolving into random electrical pulses... the or die is a very real threat.

Doctor Demonicus is very intrigued by Living Lightning. Not like the boring Taifu, who Doctor Demonicus created and knew would betray him.

And now it is time to reveal what is in the box that Jawbreaker has been lugging around.

IT'S THE LIFESTONE!

That's the radioactive meteor that Doctor Demonicus found and was using to create kaiju in his first appearance. SHIELD blasted the rest of it, so this little chunk is the last of the Lifestone.

Is he going to make a kaiju with it? That'd be fun. The Avengers haven't fought a kaiju since Acts of Vengeance. Or maybe that Tetrarchs of Entropy thing, if the giant entropy snake counts.

Anyway, elsewhere, Tigra and Iron Man return to the Avengers West Mansion from their bowling date.

They went bowling.

Amazing.

Although, Tigra doesn't seem too enthused. Impressed that Iron Man can bowl in his armor. But not enthused.

But Tigra sees a Spider-Woman shaped intruder and decides she'll get some fun this evening after all by beating up the intruder.

Tigra is just leaping to violence when Iron Man turns on his high beams to "stop you from making a fool of yourself, Tigra -- though I may be too late on that score."

You're not getting a second date, Iron Man.

Iron Man, Tony Stark, claims to have been the Iron Man during Secret Wars (he wasn't) to explain how he knows Spider-Woman. And he also ran into her in Iron Man #214.

This claim confuses Hawkeye because that would mean he met the new Iron Man during Secret Wars but new Iron Man never clarified that's when they first met.

But Iron Man badly covering up that he's the original guy is old news at this point.

Hawkeye questions what Spider-Woman is doing in Los Angeles, when she usually operates out of Denver.

She doesn't answer that.

Instead, she says she came to the Avengers West Coast because they're the only heroes she knows in the area. Then warns them about the Pacific Overlords that she ran into.

Later, Iron Man flies through the wall of the Filmland in Wax museum.

Spider-Woman clarifies that she got the impression from Jawbreaker and Kuroko's headquarters weren't far from Newport Beach but she can't be sure of that. And she definitely didn't say it was specifically here.

No, Hank Pym said it was specifically here. Using his science brain. And a device he invented that detected an unauthorized power source.

Dr Pym: "I didn't ask anybody to crash through that wall just for the thrill of watching concrete splatter."

Splatter is usually a wetter sound, I think. Maybe patter. That's a nice rubble-y noise.

Using his device, Dr Pym directs Iron Man to blast further into the wax museum, eventually finding his way to Doctor Demonicus' lab. His abandoned lab. Well, seemingly abandoned.

Because a big hand lashes out from around an equipment bank and crushes Dr Pym's device.

Iron Man and Hawkeye blast repulsors and shoot arrows at the Big One but he reflects the energy back at them as vibrational waves, that hit like a localized earthquake under their feet.

And its Scarlet Witch who susses that interaction out. Good job, Wanda! You don't often get to be the smart one in a fight when the team includes Dr Pym and Iron Man.

Spider-Woman makes an offhand comment that the Big One is so strong, "he's not gonna be beaten unless he trips himself up."

And Wanda can work with that.

She uses her probability altering power to make the floor right under Big One super slippery. How does probability alteration do that? Look... just go with it. Which allows Tigra to kick Big One so he trips and lands on his back like a turtle.

Wanda got the idea because Big One's legs were so short. In fact, his proportions are a lot like a big... baby...

Oh dangit the Avengers just beat up a giant mutated toddler.

Scarlet Witch vows that the Avengers are gonna do some avenging as soon as they figure out who experimented on a baby. And luckily, Big One happens to babble "dokk... mon-i-kuss..." cluing the Avengers who needs to be punched in the face.

Iron Man: "Dr. Demonicus!?" Hawkeye: "Sure! This kind of genetic tinkering's got his fingerprints all over it!" Tigra: "If it is him he'd better run for cover!" Dr Pym: "He already has Tigra. So now the real question is... where in the world do we start looking for him?"

In the next issue, I guess? Guest-starring Namor and Sunfire.

Well, next week time it is back to East Coast Avengers for the satisfyingly numbered issue #333. And then we look for Doctor Demonicus the time after the next time.

Follow @essential-avengers. Like and reblog. And always know where your towel is.

[puffin-smoke]

Two days ago y'all saw Duarte at their lowest. Duarte trying to fix a mistake they had made years ago and being met with a brick wall. So let's see what got them here. Let's talk about:

Natalie Rollins and the Worst Mistake Duarte Ever Made

please ignore my theatrical ass, i'm very excited :DD

Duarte first met Natalie a month into their hunting career. They were bright eyed and bushy tailed, earning the nickname Lightningbug at every turn. She'd only done a few successful hunts, and for half-bloods that had bounties worth as much as dirt, but she was trying to claw her way to notoriety nonetheless. And for that she needed one big job.

She strolled into the inn where notices and bounties were posted one evening. She knew there'd be a notice up for a newly spotted electric eel half-blood, who had supposedly been electrocuting any hunters who got close. Perfect for Duarte. But when she got up to the notice board there was no poster in sight. She looked over to the barkeep, who was in charge of putting up the posters each day.

"Where the hell's that new eel poster? You not put it up yet?"

"Already taken, kid." They didn't look up from the glass they were polishing. They gestured vaguely towards a table on the far side of the room. "You still want it, take it up with her. She snagged it the moment I put it up."

Duarte followed his hand towards the table. That was where Natalie was sitting. Duarte swore and a few patrons gave her the stink eye.

Natalie was a well established hunter. She'd been in this game since she was eighteen and had built up a rapport with the other hunters over the years. So naturally she wasn't the biggest fan of Duarte. She tended to have that effect on people.

Undeterred, or maybe just a bit stupid, Duarte walked up to her and took a seat, grinning. She propped her boots up on the table. Just play it cool.

Natalie gave her one annoyed look over her drink and that was it. No other acknowledgement that she was there.

"So, Nat! How's your evening been?"

"Firstly, don't call me that. Second, just cut to the chase, I know why your here." She sighed and pushed Duarte's feet off the table. "And the answer is no. This is my bounty, fair and square."

Duarte drops the smile. "Oh come on, this is a big job- you can't handle this! "

Bad move. Duarte knew that. Natalie scoffed. "And you can?"

"Course I can!" She replies, entirely earnest. She was a damn good hunter, who just needed some good luck. She slowly leans towards Natalie,trying to inconspicuously snatch the poster and make a run for it. Natalie moves it away, unimpressed.

"Go find something else, Lightningbug."

"You know I hate being called that."

"Then leave."

And so she did, grumbling and swearing the whole time. But she'd be back. Duarte knew that Natalie liked to plan out her hunts in detail, and thus she'd be back on that table to flesh out her plan. Duarte still had a chance.

It'd be simple. Turn up the charm, befriend the hunter and snag the case. Easy. She could be charming. Probably. Maybe she could just bug her into handing it over.

So she shows up the next day, finding Natalie at that same table, nose deep in a book with sea creatures etched into the cover. Duarte pushes the book down so she can meet her eyes, and grins. Natalie looks back at her, unimpressed.

"You're back. Why am I not suprised?"

"I'm here to see if you've thought anymore about my offer?"

Natalie nearly laughs. "Your "offer" was you insulting me and trying to order me about. Not very convincing."

The conversation doesn't go anywhere from there and eventually Duarte leaves.

The next day is alot of the same. Natalie had a new book that was somehow thicker than the last volume, and Duarte once trying her hand at either annoying or persuading the hunter.

"...so, if you're so intent on doing this job, then why haven't you already?"

"I'm not about to get myself fried by going in half-cocked." She gestures to a diagram in her book. A detailed map of all of an electric eels organs and what they do, how the electricity is discharged, with several handwritten notes peppered around it. "Everything has a weakness. "

Duarte cocks her head, still not entirely sees the point. "Couldn't you figure out that by actually going to fight the damn thing?"

"I could also die. Not intent on doing that any time soon."

"Hm. Not what I would do."

"I'm sure."

After a few days of this, Duarte shows up early, and takes a seat before Natalie can get the chance. Natalie arrives a half hour later, her arms filled with parchment and a new book, this one a very uniform teal. She surveys Duarte critically.

"You're in my spot."

"There's room next to me, if you'd like."

Natalie for a moment looks as though she's assessing if she could throw a book hard enough to kill Duarte. Seeming to decide that would be too messy, she dumps her books on the table and takes a seat. "Fine. Don't touch my stuff."

Duarte nods and grins. Natalie spreads her papers across the table, each one of them with more detailed diagrams that Duarte didn't understand. Might as well find out. "What's all this for? Find the weakness yet?"

She'd meant it mildly mockingly, but Natalie didn't seem to take it that way. Or maybe she just ignored it. She ignored alot of things Duarte said. "It's the electricity that's tripping me up... it'll make it harder for me to grab them, and knives are out of the question."

Their mind whirrs. "What about blunt force? One knock to the back of the head, they'll be out like a light."

Natalie nods, as though conceding a point to her. "Could work. It's getting close that's the problem; this thing releases electrical impulses, so the half-blood'll probably do something similar."

"Hm. So what's the plan?"

For the first time, Natalie looked confused, but quickly set her features back, that stern, unreachable expression. "Well, I'm going to have to find some kind of insulator." Her eyes go back to scanning the parchment, the book. "It can't be wood- that's too clunky, this guy'll probably be slippery. I need to be fast."

Duarte noticed the emphasis on certain words. It was fine. It was a reminder. She was getting to mixed up in the fast pace of the conversation. It had been nice, a break from the hostility she treated most hunters with. Duarte swallows and snipes. "That'll be a first for you then. Sure you can handle it?"

"Oh fuck off." Natalie bats them in the chest, playfully yet spiteful. "If I couldn't handle it I would've given the job over to you, Lightningbug."

Duarte was half tempted to hit her back, but lowered her hand. "There's still time for that."

The hunter laughs. It's short, restrained, but tunic. "Still no."

Duarte sinks down into their seat, defeated. "Fine." A thought crosses her mind. A solution maybe. "Would leather work?"

Its a throwaway thought. Just her thinking out loud, fully prepared to be shot down. But Natalie doesn't. Her face, at times, is easy to read and this is one of them. Her eyes widen for a split second, the corner of her lips cinch. She's fascinated. Suprised. "Shit."

"Shit?"

The hunter stands. Thoughts flicker behind her eyes, a mile a minute. Duarte can't help but watch them. Natalie begins to collect her things, dumping them into her bag at random. "No- shit- that could work. That might work- how the hell didn't I think of that?"

Duarte smirked and set their hands behind her head, lounging as much as her chair would allow her. "That's just what happens when you work with the-"

She stopped mid sentence when she realised that Natalie was already gone. "Oh." She sits there for the next twenty minutes, feeling too embarrassed for her liking, shame colouring her cheeks. She was gone, off to plan and read diagrams that Duarte didn't understand. Duarte didn't want to look into why she felt so annoyed with herself.

The next night Duarte sat alone at the bar. She'd checked the notice board a dozen times by now, searching for something to peak her interest. Nothing. So she sat alone, barely touching her drink, planning her next move.

That was when she felt a tap on her back. "You gonna sit there moping all night? We've got a job to do."

Natalie?

Duarte spun in her seat, whirling around to face her, almost falling off her seat in the process. She scrambled to regain her composure, but nothing could hide the surprise in her eyes. "The hell are you doing here?"

The hunter squints at her as though it were obvious. "Getting you." She throws what initially looks like a rag to Duarte. But she looks a little closer and it's anything but. It's essentially leather overalls, stitched together roughly, as though done with shaking hands. There's a mask and matching gloves in the pockets. "Now come on, this is a two person job."

Duarte shouldn't be sitting there slack-jawed but she is. Natalie, mildly concerned now, pokes her. "You suddenly not want this? I can always go to someone else-"

That gets her to stand up. "No!" She yells a little too loud. She cringes at herself. "I mean, no. We're splitting the reward right?"

"There you are, Lightningbug." The hunter laughs again, once more tight and short. The note of a song cut short. She sighs. "And no need to get ahead of yourself."

And with that she leads Duarte out of the tavern, and the hunt is on.

The pair throw the majority of their weapons into a bush: Duarte's harpoon, Natalie's crossbow, the combined sum of their knives. Anything that had metal. Their only weaponry was a finely carved wooden stake and a thick wooden club. They donned the outfits and began to stalk through the swamp. The plan, which Natalie explained in unsparing detail, was for Duarte to come at the half-blood from the front and Natalie from behind. Easy.

It didn't take long for them to find the half-blood, perched at the edge of a brook. Gills flexed and twitched as the half-blood drunk, webbed fingers let them catch more water in hand. Scales ran across their skin, dark and glittering. Duarte took one deep breath. She looked to Natalie, who nodded and continued onwards.

With that, Duarte smiled underneath the mask. This was going to be fun.

To summarise, the hunt went off without a hitch. Duarte had been annoyed that she had to be bait at first, but it had only taken a moment for her to fully sink into the role. While she came at the half-blood from the front, Natalie snuck up from behind. One hit from the bat and the half-blood was out like a light.

Duarte would eventually look back on this night and want to vomit. But that's neither here nor there.

For a moment the pair of hunters stood in silence, the quiet only interrupted by laboured breathing. Duarte was the first to speak. She grinned.

"Told you that you needed me."

Natalie rolls her eyes. "Don't get cocky." She nods towards the unconscious body. "Now, grab their legs. Let's get 'em to the arena."

And they do. The half-blood is disposed of, the reward is split. This was when Duarte had planned to leave. To go back to ignoring Natalie, to their own self imposed isolation. This was exactly what she needed, the big job. A big enough notch on her belt to give her the notoriety she deserved. She could go back to normal.

But she doesn't. She finds Natalie at that table the next day. And the next. It was a game to Duarte. Life was always a game to her.

"What's the point of this again? I'm pretty sure we could take this bozo on in our sleep."

"Mhm, and I don't want that sleep to last forever. So shut up, I'm tryna read."

Trading snipes and taunts came easy to Duarte, and even easier with Natalie. It was comforting. Exhilarating. But above all it was fascinating to learn more about her hunter. She'd previously seemed so untouchable, so above it all. A personality hidden behind intelligent blue eyes. Slowly that gruffness was stripped away, and Duarte could finally see what was underneath. The sparkle in her eyes when she has an idea. The way her jaw sets when she's frustrated. The way her laugh is like a silver bell.

"Fucking hell- someday I'm not gonna be around to save you, y'know that?."

"Oh, thank the divines, I can die in peace."

It was all a game to Duarte. A wonderful, fascinating game.

The first time she kissed Natalie was a game as well. And it had been fun. She'd thought about it for so long. Looking into her eyes from up close. Losing herself in them. Running her hands through her hair.

A game. Only a game.

It was a cold day in December. The windows were coated with a thin layer of frost, painting the outside world blurry and cold. But it was warm inside, it was safe. Duarte was staying with Natalie, who was renting out a room in town from some kind old lady. The two had just caught wind of a particularly interesting bounty; a hawk half-blood who'd recently escaped the arena. Some idiot had upped it's dose of Malesycthe and it had gotten loose. Right now they were running wild through the swamps, lost, confused, deranged.

Thus the two had gone to work immediately, books and files all spread across their bed with both hunter's perched on either side, looking for an insight. A weakness.

The two had been joking around, shooting the shit as they always did. It was normal. Duarte called Natalie a bookworm, Natalie called her a regular one. They did this everyday.

"oh my god- shit, I could get used to this."

That wasn't. That wasn't normal, that scared Duarte.

Duarte laughed. "The hell do you mean?"

There was a smile on Natalie's lips. "Just... this. You and me."

Duarte knew what came next. Those next three words. She could hear them.

And for some reason it fucking terrified her. The warmth suddenly felt choking, the safety like an iron grip. She couldn't do this. Natalie kept talking, kept smiling. It was beautiful but it was unknown.

"I just... I think this is the best it's ever gonna get for me. I-"

Duarte stood. "I- I've got to go."

Natalie's face fell. Some of that steeliness returned to her eyes, as though to fight off the shock that invaded them. "What? Why, did something-"

Duarte couldn't let her finish the sentence. "No. I mean yes. I can't do this- I have to go."

With that she turned on her heel and ran, sprinted. She didn't look back. She exploded down the stairs, almost tripping over her own feet. Where was she going? She didn't know. Just away.

It just made it all feel so real, so vivid. This was just supposed to be a game, a way to have fun and unwind, to propel her career forwards. It was just a game.

She still has the wanted poster in her hands. She must have grabbed it on her way out. She examines the crude drawing of the half-blood, the feathered skin, the beady eyes. She shrugs. "Might as well."

So she heads out later that night, harpoon in hand. She stalks through the woods, mildly lost, until she hears it. The shriek of a hawk, shrill and grating. It echoes through the night, silencing the chirping crickets and the whispering trees. The noise gets closer and closer, a scream, a war cry.

Duarte is knocked to the ground, talons raking across her skin. Her head hits the ground with a crack, and blood begins to run down her neck. She clambers to her feet, her vision for a moment blurry, gripping the harpoon in her hands.

The figure standing before her is bigger than anything the poster could have depicted. Feathers are draped from its arms, dirt and blood ridden. Talons like knives, gleaming in the moonlight, shimmering in the darkness. Long and slender. Its eyes were wild, bloodshot, its pupils pinpricks.

Staring right at Duarte.

Crap.

For a moment the two circled each other, a stalemate. The half-blood's mouth was foaming, drool hanging from it's jagged teeth. It's fists clench, it shifts onto it's back legs, rearing up to pounce. To lunge. A voice cuts through the tension.

"Oh shit- Duarte, you fucking idiot-"

Natalie. She runs in from the woods, crossbow in hand. With shaking hands she loads a bolt into the bow, movements somehow still precise and sharp. She-

The half-blood turns from Duarte to Natalie and lunges. It throws her to the ground, knocking her crossbow across the grass, out of arms reach. She desperately tries to throw the beast off of her, kicking, slapping, biting, screaming. It's no use. It's frenzied eyes have no mercy in them.

A bloodcurdling scream rings out across the swamps. Blood is splattered across the grass, dying it a deep crimson. Blood flows from the wound in Natalie's throat like water. A choking noise replaces the scream.

All Duarte can do is stand there. Frozen. Watching.

The half-blood looks up from its meal and turns to Duarte for a split second. It's eyes a threat. A promise.

Duarte doesn't know much but she knows she doesn't want to be next. So she runs. She runs and runs until she's back in town and can regret it.

But her mind hides regret and shame with a blanket of embarrassment and fear. A mound of what ifs. Justifications for what happened, for what she did. Her mind was good at that, always doubling down and convincing her she was in the right.

Natalie survives the attack; she managed to grab one of her knives from her boot and force the half-blood off that way. She ran home, hand plastered against her neck, desperately trying to staunch the bleeding. By the time she got back to town, all she could do was collapse onto pavement into a pool of her own blood. Someone was kind enough to help her, and smart enough to know healing magic. So Natalie survived. She couldn't speak for six months, couldn't hunt for eight, but she survived.

Still Duarte never spoke to her again.

Something within her didn't see the point; everything had worked out in the end. Natalie was alive, the half-blood was dead, and Duarte was back to doing what they were good at. Rushing into hunts the moment she could. It was efficiency. She never got a chance to speak to Natalie, and it seemed she didn't want to be spoken to. Every time the pair's eyes met, Natalie looked away, something sad washing through her eyes. Maybe some of the embarrassment Duarte herself held.

Eventually she quit hunting for good and moved away. Duarte never saw her eyes again but dreamt of them constantly, an anchor in the wave of reasoning in her mind. A true north.

But it was just a game to Duarte Cardoza. One she would never change her strategy for.

-----

And that's it! That's why Natalie hates Duarte, and slapped her in the face. Same girl, same.

Here's the letter Duarte sent her, the one that she mentioned in the scenario post.

Dear To Natalie Rollins

I know this letter will probably come as a shock to you, and maybe an annoyance. But I need to talk to you.

I know I don't have the right to ask anything of you after how things ended and how I acted, but could we please talk? I need to know if you could ever forgive me for what I let happen. Please

From, Duarte Cardoza

She rewrote that letter twenty times.

[ultrvmonogamy]

Let’s say hypothetically you were married, but there is an intern working at your division and you two would become friends. She finds a job at your place of work, but you don’t work directly together anymore. Some romantic feelings would develop between the two of you. Would you cheat on your wife or would you try and stay friends to not ruin the friendship and see what may happen down the line? Like in case you and your wife ever divorce or things become more serious between you and your friend as she gets older?

first of all as a man, whether or not married, one of the last things i'd wanna do is cultivate non-professional dynamics w a woman who's subordinate to me in the workplace. sometimes it's essentially unavoidable to share a laugh over smth, but to me feeling a potential for strong rapport is all the more reason to be mindful of keeping my distance.

i'm kind of imagining a corporate environment just due to the fact that there are interns, and in an environment of corporate politics and power moves and HR antics, i'm trying to steer as clear as possible of any situation that can potentially ruin me on the basis of simply looking in the wrong direction at the wrong time. it surely depends somewhat on the workplace culture and whatnot, but things can get very ugly very fast.

now more to ur point, i think: loyalty is paramount to me in a committed relationship. it's smth i want and need for myself, and it's one of the most meaningful things that i can provide to a partner. it's a core aspect of partnership as far as i'm concerned. we're a team. we stand together, and we protect each other's heart. there has to be a fundamental inviolable agreement on that, and it needs to be rooted in mutually valuing that kind of relationship and being as motivated to provide it for one another as to receive it from each other. if that's not there, i'm not going to be marrying that person.

from my perspective a committed relationship is unlikely to endure without vigilance. even with that common appreciation for and drive to provide loyalty to one another, relationships are challenging. there are undoubtedly going to be times when one or both partners are gonna be more emotionally vulnerable than others, and those times will likely at some point coincide w partners already experiencing friction or feeling out of sync or similar. if ur not proactively avoiding the creation of precarious situations and ur out their cultivating friendships that are just this side of romantic in nature, ur setting urself up to be one misstep away from setting smth catastrophic in motion.

furthermore, ur opening urself up to doubt and/or second-guessing that can start out innocent and benign but plant seeds that insidiously erode the bond between u and ur partner. i believe that for a relationship to endure requires more or less the exact opposite. the bond needs to be nurtured internally while armored against external interference. you have to establish and protect ur boundaries. if it isn't already clear i'm sure as hell not gonna be cheating on my partner w this intern, but beyond that i'm not going to allow a situation where this intern dares to think that she can take me from my girl.

i say shut that shit down and if someone wants to try to test that boundary, well then at that point they're disrespecting my girl and are willfully pursuing a course of action that threaten's my partner's wellbeing. if i'm not gonna go warrior mode when faced w that, what the fuck am i even trying to do? in my eyes if i'm not going to look out for my partner in a situation like that, then i have no business taking up her space for a man. it'd be like condemning the person i allegedly love to being stuck w the kind of partner she definitely does not want.

wrt keeping someone in tow for a possible future connection or wtv, fuck all that noise. i mean, obviously all of this depends on what kind of "marriage" ur both trying to have in the first place, but any form of committed relationship i'd want fully precludes being half in and half out. and for me personally the whole idea of keeping someone around as a contingency plan like that is just fucking disgusting.

you asked hypothetically abt me, and where i'm coming from is that i legitimately internally intrinsically almost desperately want to be so fucking good to and good for my girl. i want to be for her the one person that she can be sure no matter what she has to face in life, i will do everything in my power to face it with her. in light of all that, the last thing she should have to worry abt is some fucking intern. and again, rly, fuck anyone who'd dare to think they could take my girl's man from her.

thanks for the ask, and idk what might've inspired u to have this question in the first place or to send it my way, but whatever u've got going on over there, i hope u'll find a positive path forward.

[procrastinationau]

helloooo I'm not dead! I've actually been working on some interludes, one of which is pretty much done and just needs some editing before I post it. the interludes I'm working on are pretty exposition-y but will hopefully help clear a few things up. plus one of them has chase in it. you guys like chase right

I'm also considering reinstating the one short fic I think I've mentioned before that I thought I'd have to cut since things had changed so much. I'm now thinking I could keep it with some tweaks. I'll have to see. I definitely want to keep it in if I can because it has some really fun interactions between two characters whose relationship I want to focus on a little more. so! we'll see.

Clay's introduction is still in the outlining stage, but I'm starting to zero in on how I want it to go. It's still going to be a while before I start writing it and even longer before I start posting it, but it's coming.

the original plan was to jump right from Clay's introduction to the finale and skip "royal rumble" (the episode where four wu go active at once) but I might include it just for the sake of fleshing the characters and their dynamics out just that little bit more before the finale. I'm mainly concerned with giving clay enough focus since he's coming in so late that he doesn't get much time to establish himself as a character or build a real rapport with the other members of his team. We'll see.

all this to say that while we're definitely approaching the end of season one, there is still plenty of fic coming. It may take a while, because I'm an adult with a job and bills and a life, but it is coming. I figure most of the people left in the fandom these days can probably relate lol

That's all for now byeeeeee. but look out for that first interlude coming soon :)

[mysticdoodles]

Hello! I'm interested in getting into the world of marine biology (honestly I'd be happy just working at an aquarium lol) but I have no idea where to start. Do you have any tips or useful info?

I actually got a question similar to this before! (Linked ^^)

Just in case the link is broken for any reason, here's a short list of recommendations I can give you regardless >u< 1. Take internships or volunteer at places! Paid internships are ideal, but much more rare because of how competitive the field can be, so be prepared to volunteer or intern without pay. Needless to say, have a second job that's your primary source of income while doing this. Hands-on experience working with animals is essential, and places are always hurting for volunteers. I recommend your local NOAA branch, or assisting college or grad school students with their research studies for practical field experience. This will help you figure out what you enjoy most about the job; And you're more likely to stumble upon openings when you're already present at a facility, and established a rapport with your colleagues!

2. That being said, your ultimate goal should be seeking some form of paid experience. Getting paid somewhere that is animal husbandry focused, even if it isn't your end goal marine bio job, WILL help immensely. I went far too long without knowing that whether or not you've been paid to do a job in marine biology/animal husbandry is a HUGE deciding factor in you being hired or turned away. It's the biggest middle finger in the industry that NOBODY tells you this is something they want to see on applications. I only found out because a staff member at a facility I worked for took pity on me, and told me directly when they rejected my interview for an official position. I had years worth of valuable internship experience and acquired a lot of hands-on skills for system tracing, animal handling and enclosure maintenance at accredited husbandry facilities, but apparently none of it counted until I had been paid to run the 50-square-foot fish department at a tiny Petco for 10 months ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Guess the ghosting process starts early!

3. If you can afford it, get SCUBA certified. For any facility that involves in-water maintenance deeper than chest-height, you NEED to be on SCUBA. These facilities are very rarely qualified to give SCUBA certification themselves, so it's very common that being SCUBA certified will be a requirement on the job opening that you must fulfill outside of work prior to application. It doesn't need to be anything more than Open Water (aka Basic Diver) certification, and you do not need to buy your own gear, as facilities are more likely to provide their own equipment to prevent potential contamination issues. The important thing is that you get trained in how to assemble/disassemble/properly use gear, and practice emergency procedures for safety. At my current facility, we have annual refreshers on the safety procedures.

Hope this helps! I'm going to drink some water now xD

[dankusner]

The Jury Likes Me, the Jury Likes Me Not

Building Rapport In the Courtroom

By Jason Bloom and Karin Powdermaker

Il of us have been to a party or gathering where we were introduced to a myriad of new people, yet only one or two stood out in our mind. These were people that, for one reason or another, we were drawn to, people we connected with. These were not people we knew anything special about, other than maybe their job and relation to the host of the party, yet we felt a certain level of comfort with them that was distinctly different from the level of comfort we felt with other guests.

What is it that makes us instantly like them or feel connected to them?

Certainly, the physical attractiveness of a person can influence people to a degree, but in examining the connection deeper, there are certain personality traits that make some people more appealing upon an initial meeting than others. Some people just make us feel comfortable around them. That amount of appeal and comfort often dictates the level of rapport built between two people.

Rapport refers to the harmony experienced between people, or instant kinship.

For attorneys and witnesses, understanding this phenomenon is paramount to establishing and maintaining a connection with jurors in the courtroom. In examining what personal attributes enhance rapport building, two factors must be examined: (1) the non-verbal cues people express, and (2) the relation-ship-building skills employed.

Non-Verbal Communication

Non-verbal communication is vital to building rapport. Only 7 percent of ones message is communicated verbally; the

540 Texas Bar Journal • June 2006

remaining 93 percent is communicated non-verbally through speech tenor and tone, body language, and physical demeanor (Mehrabian 1981). I Or, as Will Smith exclaims in the movie Hitch,

"Ninety percent of what you're saying ain't coming out of your mouth."2

Eye Contact

Think back to a time when you were first introduced to someone and they barely glanced at you. What kind of an impact did that make on you? More than likely, you were left with a negative impression of that person because that person made you feel unworthy of their attention. Rarely do people stop and think, "That person must be distracted, or maybe he or she is really shy." The typical reaction, by most people, is to assume that the person is either rude or does not feel that you are important enough to assign any amount of time to.

Unfortunately, those initial reactions lay the groundwork for impressions that can be long lasting and deeply rooted.

The need to be accepted and respected are core needs of all humans; making eye contact is essential coward offering acceptance to others. When eye contact is made on an initial meeting, people feel important. They feel as though that person has made an attempt not only to include you, but also to connect with you.

Direct eye contact is an essential component of establishing rapport in the courtroom. Based on numerous post-trial juror interviews, jurors remember and report positive feelings toward those witnesses and attorneys who made them feel included and part of the process. When queried further for specifically what these attorneys and witnesses did to gen-crate feelings of inclusion, an overwhelming majority of jurors reported that the person made eye contact with them. Jurors reported that they felt as if that person was talking directly to them and truly wanted them to understand what they were saying.

Eye contact with jurors should be a natural process, by which a witness or attorney talks with jurors as they would any ordinary group of people. Note that jurors desire to be spoken "with," not spoken "to." For witnesses, adjusting their posture partly coward the jury box and partly toward the questioning attorney can make eye contact with jurors effortless and easy. In other words, a small shift of the chair angled toward the jury will allow witnesses to present to the jury, in a natural and relaxed posture, one that includes them in the conversa-tion. Jurors have reacted negatively towards witnesses who engage one-on-one with the attorney, never even glancing the way of the jurors. Jurors have expressed that this makes them feel excluded from the conversation and thus the process. An actual juror interviewed after a six week antitrust case said this about the plaintiffs expert: "Mr. X didn't even look over at us one time while he was testifying; it was like we were invisi-ble. I didn't care for him." Attorneys can greatly enhance rapport and juror appeal by including jurors in their questioning with glances their way and prompts with their questions such as: "Could you tell the ladies and gentlemen of the jury?" This gives the attorney an opportunity to

www.texasbar.com

[dpsininstituteofeducation]

Practical Classroom Management Tips for New Teachers

Starting your teaching journey is both exciting and daunting. As a new teacher, one of the most critical skills you will need is effective classroom management. It lays the foundation for a positive learning environment, where students can thrive academically and socially. In this blog, we’ll explore practical tips that can help you navigate the challenges of classroom management. If you're pursuing your B.Ed or D.El.Ed at the D.P Singh Institute of Education, these strategies will be invaluable!

1. Set Clear Expectations

Setting clear expectations is the cornerstone of effective classroom management. From the very first day, it’s crucial to communicate the rules and procedures you want your students to follow.

Why It Matters

When students understand what is expected of them, they are more inclined to follow the instructions. Clarity helps reduce misunderstandings and promotes a respectful classroom atmosphere.

How to Implement This

Create a Classroom Contract: Involve your students in establishing the rules. This can foster a sense of ownership. Have students sign a classroom contract, showing their commitment to the rules.

Use Visual Aids: Display the rules prominently in the classroom. Use posters or charts that are visually engaging. This serves as a constant reminder of the expectations.

2. Build Relationships

Developing strong relationships with your students is essential. When students feel connected to you, they are more engaged and willing to participate in class.

Why It Matters

Strong relationships promote a positive classroom environment. Students who feel valued and understood are more likely to engage meaningfully in their education.

How to Implement This

Learn Names Quickly: Use name tags or seating charts initially. Address students by their names to make them feel recognized.

Show Interest: Ask about their interests and hobbies. This small effort can significantly enhance your rapport with them.

3. Be Organized

An organized classroom sets the tone for effective learning. Students thrive in environments that are structured and predictable.

Why It Matters

Organization minimizes chaos and confusion. An orderly classroom allows for smoother transitions and helps maintain focus.

How to Implement This

Create a Daily Schedule: Have a clear outline of daily activities. Display this schedule in the classroom for easy reference.

Label Everything: Use labels for storage bins, supplies, and areas of the classroom. This not only helps you stay organized but also teaches students to respect the order.

4. Use Positive Reinforcement

Positive reinforcement encourages desirable behavior. Rather than focusing solely on what students do poorly, recognize what they do correctly.

Why It Matters

Recognizing good behavior boosts students’ self-esteem. It motivates them to continue behaving appropriately and sets a positive tone for the classroom.

How to Implement This

Praise Specific Behaviors: Instead of saying “Good job,” say “I appreciate how you helped your classmate.” This provides clarity on what behavior is being praised.

Create a Reward System: Develop a simple reward system, like stickers or tokens, for students who meet behavior goals.

5. Incorporate Engaging Activities

Engagement is key to keeping students focused and minimizing disruptive behavior. The more involved they are, the less likely they are to stray off task.

Why It Matters

Interactive lessons enhance learning and retention. Engaged students are less likely to misbehave and more likely to enjoy the learning process.

How to Implement This

Use Group Work: Incorporate collaborative projects that require teamwork. This not only improves learning but also fosters social skills.

Incorporate Hands-On Activities: Use materials and activities that allow students to learn through experience. This could include anything from science experiments to artistic efforts.

6. Develop a Routine

Establishing a consistent routine helps students feel secure and focused. Routines make transitions smoother and reduce anxiety.

Why It Matters

When students know what to expect, they are less likely to misbehave. A routine creates a stable environment conducive to learning.

How to Implement This

Start Each Day the Same Way: Have a consistent morning routine. This could include a morning message, a brief discussion, or a warm-up activity.

End-of-Day Procedures: Create a clear process for ending the day. This helps students wrap up their thoughts and prepares them for dismissal.

7. Address Disruptions Calmly

Disruptions are inevitable in any classroom. The key is how you handle them.

Why It Matters

Calmly addressing disruptions shows students that you are in control. It also models appropriate ways to deal with conflicts and distractions.

How to Implement This

Stay Calm: Take a deep breath before responding to a disruption. Your calm demeanor will set the tone for the students.

Speak Privately: If a student is acting out, address the behavior privately. This helps maintain their dignity and encourages them to reflect on their actions.

8. Encourage Student Voice

Involving students in the decision-making process gives them a sense of ownership over their learning environment.

Why It Matters

When students feel their voices matter, they are more invested in their education. This can result in better behavior and engagement.

How to Implement This

Class Meetings: Hold regular class meetings to discuss issues and gather input. This creates a democratic atmosphere in the classroom.

Feedback Forms: Use simple forms where students can express their opinions about lessons and classroom activities. This encourages open communication.

9. Stay Flexible

Flexibility is essential in teaching. Not every lesson will go as planned, and that's fine!

Why It Matters

Being adaptable allows you to respond to the unique needs of your students. It also creates a more dynamic learning environment.

How to Implement This

Adjust on the Fly: If a lesson isn’t resonating with students, don’t hesitate to change it mid-lesson. This shows students that their understanding is your priority.

Be Open to New Ideas: Listen to your students’ feedback. They may suggest alternative approaches that could work better.

10. Reflect and Improve

Reflection is a vital part of professional growth. Taking time to assess your classroom management strategies can lead to meaningful improvements.

Why It Matters

Continuous improvement enhances your teaching skills and benefits your students. Reflecting on your practices helps you identify areas for growth.

How to Implement This

Keep a Journal: Write about your experiences, what worked, and what didn’t. This can provide insights over time.

Seek Feedback: Ask for feedback from colleagues or mentors. Fresh perspectives can offer valuable suggestions for improvement.

Join the Best B.Ed College in Bihar

If you're looking to enhance your teaching skills, consider enrolling at the D.P Singh Institute of Education. As one of the best B.Ed colleges in Bihar, we offer comprehensive training that prepares you for real classroom challenges.

Best D.El.Ed Colleges in Bihar

We also provide excellent D.El.Ed courses, equipping future educators with essential skills. With our experienced faculty and supportive environment, you’ll thrive in your teaching career.

Conclusion

Effective classroom management is crucial for new teachers. Implement these practical tips to create a positive learning environment. Remember, the journey may be challenging, but it’s also rewarding. Start your teaching career strong with the D.P Singh Institute of Education, one of the best D.El.Ed colleges in Bihar!

[mayaduffphleb]

Mastering the Art of Phlebotomy: The Ultimate Guide to Anderson Phlebotomy Training

The field of phlebotomy is a crucial aspect of healthcare, as it involves the extraction of‍ blood from patients ‍for testing, transfusions, research, and more. Becoming a skilled phlebotomist ⁣requires ⁣specialized‍ training and certification, which is where Anderson Phlebotomy Training comes into play. In ⁣this ultimate guide, ⁤we will explore the⁤ importance of⁢ mastering ‌the art of phlebotomy and how Anderson Phlebotomy Training can help you achieve your goals⁤ in this rewarding career path.

Introduction to‍ Phlebotomy Training

Phlebotomy is a critical⁣ skill in the healthcare industry, as accurate blood collection is ​essential for diagnosing, ‍treating, and ​monitoring various medical conditions. Phlebotomy training programs provide students⁤ with the knowledge and skills ‌needed to perform venipuncture procedures safely and effectively. ‍Anderson Phlebotomy Training is a reputable institution that offers comprehensive courses to aspiring ⁣phlebotomists, focusing on hands-on experience,​ theoretical learning, and practical skills development.

Benefits of Anderson Phlebotomy Training

Anderson Phlebotomy Training provides students with a range of benefits that set them up for success in the field⁢ of phlebotomy. Some of the key advantages of choosing‍ Anderson Phlebotomy Training include:

– ​Expert Instructors:⁢ The training program is led by experienced phlebotomy professionals who provide personalized ​instruction and guidance to students. – Hands-On Experience: Students have the opportunity to practice venipuncture techniques on simulation arms ‍and real patients, gaining valuable ⁣practical skills. – Certification ‍Preparation:⁣ Anderson Phlebotomy Training prepares students ⁤to sit⁣ for national certification exams, such as the National Healthcareer Association (NHA) Phlebotomy Technician Certification. – Job Placement Assistance: Upon ​completion⁢ of the program, ‍Anderson Phlebotomy Training offers job ‌placement assistance to help students ‌secure positions ⁤in ‍healthcare settings.

Practical Tips for Success in ‌Phlebotomy Training

To​ excel in your⁣ phlebotomy training program at Anderson, follow these practical tips:

– Practice⁤ regularly:‌ The key to mastering venipuncture is consistent practice.​ Take advantage of practice sessions to hone your skills. – Pay attention to detail:​ Accuracy is crucial in phlebotomy. Double-check ⁣patient ⁣information, labels, and collection tubes to avoid errors. – Stay current on best practices: Keep up with the latest developments in phlebotomy‌ techniques, equipment, and safety protocols. – Develop good communication skills: Establishing rapport with patients and colleagues is essential for a successful phlebotomy career.

First-Hand Experience ⁢at Anderson Phlebotomy Training

“I recently completed the phlebotomy ​training ​program at Anderson and I can confidently say that it was‌ a transformative experience. The instructors were knowledgeable and supportive, the hands-on practice was invaluable, and ‍the certification exam prep was thorough.‌ Thanks to Anderson‌ Phlebotomy Training, I feel well-equipped to embark on a successful career in phlebotomy.”

mastering the art of phlebotomy is a rewarding journey ⁢that requires ​dedication, skill, and expert training. Anderson Phlebotomy Training offers a comprehensive program that equips students with the knowledge and practical skills needed to excel in the field of phlebotomy. By enrolling in​ Anderson Phlebotomy Training, you can ‌pave ⁤the way for ⁤a fulfilling career in healthcare as‌ a certified phlebotomist.

https://phlebotomyclassesonline.net/mastering-the-art-of-phlebotomy-the-ultimate-guide-to-anderson-phlebotomy-training/

[oliviaphleb]

Stand apart with this Phlebotomist Cover Letter Sample: Land Your Dream Job!

**Stand Out with⁢ this Phlebotomist Cover⁣ Letter Sample: Land Your ⁢Dream Job!**

Are you a phlebotomist looking to make a great first impression and secure your ⁤dream job? Crafting a compelling cover letter is key to standing out from the competition and showcasing your skills and passion ⁣for⁤ the field. In this article, we will provide you with a sample ⁣phlebotomist cover letter that⁣ will help you ‍land your ‍dream job.

**Introduction**

A well-written cover letter is your opportunity to introduce yourself to potential ​employers, highlight your qualifications, and demonstrate why you are the perfect candidate for the job. In the competitive field of phlebotomy, a strong cover letter can make all the difference in getting noticed by hiring managers.

**Why a Cover ⁢Letter is Important for Phlebotomists**

As a phlebotomist, your work ⁢involves drawing blood⁣ from patients for medical tests,⁤ transfusions, ⁣donations, or research. While your‌ resume provides a summary of your education and work experience, your cover letter allows you to personalize your application and⁢ show how​ your​ skills⁤ and qualifications align with the specific requirements of the ​job⁢ you ​are applying for.

**Sample Phlebotomist Cover Letter**

Below is a sample phlebotomist cover ⁤letter that you can use as a template to create your⁣ own unique and compelling‍ cover letter:

[Your Name] [Your Address] [City, State, Zip Code] [Email Address] [Phone Number] [Date]

[Recipient Name] [Title] [Company Name] [Company Address] [City, State, Zip Code]

Dear [Recipient Name],

I⁤ am writing to express my interest in⁢ the phlebotomist position at​ [Company Name] as advertised on ‍ [where you found the job posting]. With a Bachelor’s ​degree​ in Clinical Laboratory Science​ and two years of experience working as⁣ a phlebotomist⁣ at ⁤ [Previous Employer], I am ⁣confident in my ability to contribute to your team and provide high-quality care to patients.

In my current role, I have demonstrated proficiency in venipuncture,‍ capillary ⁣puncture, and specimen processing. I have a strong⁢ attention to detail and excellent communication skills, which allow me to quickly establish rapport with patients and ensure their comfort during blood draws. I am familiar⁢ with maintaining a clean and safe work environment and following all laboratory ⁤protocols and standards.

I am passionate about providing compassionate ⁤care ​to patients and ‌am committed to upholding the highest standards of professionalism ⁤and ethical conduct. I am excited about the ⁢opportunity to bring my skills and experience to [Company Name] and contribute to your mission of ‍providing exceptional⁤ healthcare services to the community.

Thank you for considering my application. I look⁣ forward to the opportunity​ to discuss ⁢how my qualifications ⁣align with the needs of your team. Please find ​my resume attached for your review. I am available for an interview at your earliest convenience and can be reached at⁣ [Phone Number] ‌ or [Email Address].

Sincerely, [Your Name]

**Conclusion**

A well-crafted phlebotomist cover letter can set you apart from other applicants and help you land your dream job in the field. By highlighting your skills, ⁢experience, and passion for patient care, you can demonstrate to potential employers ⁢that you​ are the ideal candidate for the position. Use ⁤the sample cover letter provided in this article as a guide to create your own personalized cover letter that showcases your unique qualifications and abilities. Good luck in your job search!

https://phlebotomytechnicianschools.org/stand-apart-with-this-phlebotomist-cover-letter-sample-land-your-dream-job/

[trinaphleb]

Mastering the Art of Phlebotomy: A Comprehensive Guide to the Phlebotomy Area

Title: Mastering the Art of Phlebotomy: A Comprehensive Guide to the Phlebotomy Area

Meta Title: Mastering the⁣ Art of⁤ Phlebotomy | A Comprehensive Guide for Beginners

Meta Description: Learn everything ⁤you⁤ need to know about phlebotomy, from techniques⁣ to equipment, in ​this comprehensive guide for beginners.

Introduction: Phlebotomy is a crucial aspect of the healthcare​ industry, playing a vital role in the diagnosis and treatment of patients. ‌Mastering ⁤the ‌art of phlebotomy requires precision, skill, and knowledge of the human body. In this comprehensive guide, we will explore the ​world of phlebotomy,‌ covering everything from techniques to equipment, to help you excel in this field.

Benefits ⁤of Phlebotomy: 1. Fulfilling Career: Phlebotomy offers a rewarding career path where you can make a difference in the lives of patients. 2. Job Security: With the demand ‍for phlebotomists on the rise, job security in⁢ this field is high. 3. Skill Development: Mastering phlebotomy techniques hones ​your skills in ‍attention to ⁣detail and patient care.

Practical Tips for⁣ Mastering Phlebotomy: 1. Practice Proper Handwashing: Maintaining good hand ⁢hygiene is ⁢crucial to⁢ prevent infection. 2. Communicate Effectively: Establishing rapport ⁢with patients can ease ⁣their anxiety and improve the phlebotomy experience. 3. ​Stay Organized: ‌Keep your workspace tidy and organized to work efficiently.

Techniques ‌and Equipment: 1. Vein Selection: The art‌ of phlebotomy ⁤begins with ⁤selecting ‍the right vein for⁢ blood collection. Look ‌for visible, palpable veins ​for a successful draw. 2.⁢ Needle ⁢Insertion: Use a swift,⁣ smooth motion to insert⁢ the needle into the vein‍ at the correct angle. 3. Tube ⁣Collection: Ensure proper⁣ labeling and ​order of draw when collecting blood samples. 4. Equipment: Familiarize⁣ yourself with different types of needles, tubes, and syringes used in‍ phlebotomy.

Case Study: Emily, a phlebotomy student,⁤ struggled ⁤with needle‍ insertion technique during ​her training. Through practice and guidance from her instructor, she improved‍ her‍ skills and gained ⁢confidence in phlebotomy.

First-Hand Experience: “I have been a phlebotomist for⁢ 5 years, and⁢ I believe that attention to detail and compassion⁢ are essential in this field. Every patient encounter is ⁣an opportunity to provide quality care and ‍make a positive impact.” – Sarah, Phlebotomist

Conclusion: Mastering the art of phlebotomy requires⁤ dedication, practice, and a deep understanding of techniques and equipment.⁣ By ‌following the comprehensive ‍guide‌ outlined above, you can enhance your skills and excel in the field of phlebotomy. Remember, each blood draw is⁤ an ⁤opportunity to provide exceptional care and make a ‌difference ‍in the lives of patients.

https://phlebotomyschoolsonline.org/mastering-the-art-of-phlebotomy-a-comprehensive-guide-to-the-phlebotomy-area/

[marylandlifecoaching]

Some Times A Sandwich

Some times a sandwich. I've been doing street outreach on and off for 38 years. 25 of those years on a consistent basis. Outreach is a different animal. You're there to help, but often discarded. Yes, sometimes you are warmly received. Yet other times, not at all. I've been cursed at, had my life threaten, and even went hands on a few times. So why do I do it? Because someone needs a sandwich. Let me explain.

People on the streets have a story. And it usually involves some sort of horrific trauma. {I could literally write several books on the matter.} But for the purpose of this article, the trauma is ground zero to change a life. And it does. My job as an outreach worker is to make contact and establish a rapport. But not everyone is open to help. But a sandwich, almost always. 

My job is not to save anyone. I see it as more to let them know that they are not forgotten. That they matter. And yes at times, I deal with some really bad people. Murderers, rapist and sex offenders, just to name a few. But I engage anyway. And the truth is, the vast majority could care less and will not change. But some do. And if I can reach someone and prevent them from causing a trauma to another, then what is the price of that? 

I sometimes meet people on the worst day of their life. Other times, on the last day of their life. To be able reach someone at that moment is sacred. On those days, you never know what you're going to encounter. Is someone going to get physical? Maybe stab you with a needle? Show up at your office with weapon? All possibilities. But I do the work, because many can't do it for themselves. 

When I get someone into treatment, off the streets, or reconnected to family, a life changes. And while I am really good at meeting people where they are {emotionally speaking}, sometimes it's offering a sandwich, that starts the conversation.