#mgs sphere

[odinsblog]

The Venetian Resort in Las Vegas, otherwise known as Sphere, transformed into a giant pumpkin on October 2, in the lead-up to Halloween

[sunsolii]

Napoleon's Marshals and their Birthstones Part 2

This is part 2 of my series where I list all 26 marshal's birthstones, I'll also be adding two non-marshals to the list ;). In this post I'll go over months May through August, the format will be the same as the last post. If you want to review the terms used in the post I'll put the link to the first part here .

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Emerald (May)

Marshals- Davout, Kellermann, Massena, Perignon, and Poniatowski

Type: Mineral

Group: Beryl (Be₃Al₂(SiO₃)₆)

Color: Green or bluish-green

Cleavage: Indistinct to none

Fracture: Conchoidal

Mohs Scale: 7.5-8

Luster: Vitreous

Streak: White

Fun Fact: Emerald is one of the four cardinal (most valuable) gemstones, along with diamond, ruby, and sapphire. Its value is due to the limited amount of beryllium (an element in beryl minerals) found in one location on the surface of the Earth, making it rare to find. An even rarer type of emerald is a trapiche emerald, which has the shape of a wheel, with each piece of emerald separated by the inclusion of black shale; the shale becomes less present as time passes. Its green color is due to the presence of chromium or vanadium in its chemical composition. Traces of iron make the color turn into a bluish or yellowish tint.

Pearl (June)

Marshals- N/A (Honorable mention: Joséphine de Beauharnais)

Type: Mineral

Group: Carbonate (CaCo₃)

Color: White, pink, silver, cream, iridescent, blue, gold

Cleavage: None

Fracture: Uneven

Mohs Scale: 2.5-4.5

Luster: Pearly

Streak: White

Fun Facts: Pearls are made either naturally or synthetically. Natural pearls are formed inside the soft tissue of various mollusk species like oysters and mussels when an irritant such as sand gets inside the mollusk. As a defense mechanism, the mollusk covers the object with a substance called nacre, a combination of aragonite and conchiolin. These layers build up over time until they create a pearl. Man-made or cultured pearls are formed when a small piece of a mussel shell is inserted into the mollusk's tissue, causing the mollusk to secrete nacre onto the shell piece. Under a controlled environment, pearls form a perfectly shaped sphere, rather than forming in irregular shapes like organic pearls form.

Ruby (July)

Marshals- Moncey, and Marmont

Type: Mineral

Group: Oxide (Al₂O₃)

Color: Blood red, orange red, pink, or purple red

Cleavage: Indistinct

Fracture: Conchoidal or splintery

Mohs Scale: 9

Luster: Vitreous

Streak: White

Fun Fact: Rubies have the same chemical composition as sapphires, making them the same type of mineral (corundum), the only difference being that rubies are red due to chromium in their crystal lattice, while sapphires are blue, but it does come in different colors [1]. Rubies are not only known for their use in expensive jewelry but also for having major cultural significance ranging from ancient to modern times. In ancient Greece, rubies were thought to preserve mental and physical strength. Many Greek warriors wore talismans with rubies as protection when heading into battles [2].

Peridot (August)

Marshals- Bessières (Honorable mention: Napoleon Bonaparte)

Type: Mineral

Group: Silicate ((Mg,Fe)₂SiO₄)

Color: Green, yellowish-green, olive-green

Cleavage: Poor

Fracture: Conchoidal

Mohs Scale: 6.5-7

Luster: Vitreous or greasy

Streak: Colorless

Fun Fact: Peridot can be dissolved in hydrochloric acid, creating a gelatinous silica form. It was first discovered on the volcanic island of Zabargad in the Red Sea (located near Egypt) 3,500 years ago. The largest known peridot was also discovered in Egypt, weighing approximately 319 carats. The Egyptians were very fond of peridot and believed it to be the gemstone of the sun god Ra, giving it the name the 'evening emerald.' When determining the value of a peridot, its color plays an important role. Peridots with a pure green hue are more desirable than those with a yellowish tint (high iron levels are present). Peridot is also the gemstone with the most inclusions visibly present, which can affect its value, but it is often attributed to it being part of its natural structure.

--------------------------------------------------------------

Sources:

Emerald: King, H. M. (n.d.). Emerald. geology. https://geology.com/gemstones/emerald/

Pearl: MAT, M. (2023, August 26). Pearl: Mineral, gemstone: Properties, formation, occurrence. Geology Science. https://geologyscience.com/minerals/organic-minerals/pearl/?amp

Ruby: [1] King, H. M. (n.d.). Ruby and Sapphire. geology. https://geology.com/gemstones/ruby-and-sapphire/

[2] MAT, M. (2023, April 25). Ruby: Properties, formation, occurrence " Geology science. Geology Science. https://geologyscience.com/gemstone/ruby/?amp

Peridot: MAT, M. (2023, August 29). Peridot : Gemstone, properties, occurrence and uses " geology science. Geology Science. https://geologyscience.com/gemstone/peridot/?amp

[sylviegunpla]

Amuro Ray gets Cask of Amontillado'd into the MG Ver Ka Hi-ν (SUPPLEMENTAL to: Gunpla: Completed Collection of Minis Part 1: EFSF Alliance)

First we start with the boy:

Then we put him in his little seat:

Then he becomes entombed in The Sphere: (below the cut)

The little sphere sits in the Inner Frame:

and the outer frame gets assembled (and yes i see the decal that has fallen off, such is life; this was before i used Mr. Softer and Mr. Setter)

We can still see him from above

And then the outer armor is complete, and we shut the hatch:

All that's left is The Machine:

Boo!

[literaticat]

Thanks for guiding us! Lately, we've heard about the need/desire for shorter middle grade. What about chapter books and illustrated chapter books to help fill the gaps? Have you heard anything publishers want concerning chapter books? Thanks!

I'm sorry that I have to start with some background intel, forgive me if you already know this but if I don't explain it all the way, there will be more questions from other folks!

First, some definitions: Early Reader books (very thin, often "leveled" or marked with an actual reading 1-4 reading difficulty level emblazoned on the front, like Frog and Toad, or any I Can Read book, LOTS of white space on the page, few words, illustrations on every page) are specifically for very young kids... say, 3-5 years old-ish?... who are just starting out with reading, still sounding out words, etc. Chapter Books (what the publishing industry calls chapter books - almost always series, always illustrated but usually B&W, may have some pages without illustrations, still plenty of white space on the page but more "story" than ER books, like June B Jones or Magic Treehouse or Ivy and Bean) are specifically for young kids (6-8-ish) who are just becoming fluent readers. Middle Grade books are for kids 8-12 who are confident independent readers.

Now, some history: In the Middle Grade sphere, the trend in the past decade or so has been for longer, more sophisticated, the "big chonkers" if you will. But more recently, as post-pandemic kids reading levels have taken a nosedive and fewer kids are reading for fun, people have realized that those Big Chonkers are not necessarily appealing to kids who a) have shorter than ever attention spans, b) aren't used to reading long books and in some cases CAN'T read them or just don't want to, c) aren't used to reading books for fun, ETC.

Hence, why the call recently for shorter MG books (and if long, than quite "zippy" with shorter chapters), more highly illustrated MG books, hybrid GN/MG books, younger/easier MG books. Early readers and chapter books have always stayed the same, but MG has gone more sophisticated and left the younger/less reading-confident part of the demographic behind, so that's where the gap in the market is. Another word for these books is "Hi-Lo" -- high interest level, low reading level.

So all of that lengthy background is just to say, the thing is, chapter books, etc, already exist in a relatively bountiful way, the publishers that publish those books will continue to publish them, no problemo. But people aren't talking about them much or actively seeking them out... because they are already there. The problem is, that they don't fill the gap or take the place of the younger/shorter/easier MG, because chapter books are typically geared toward early elementary kiddos.

A 9 or 10 year old who isn't a great reader still wants to read something that is FOR THEM, not something babyish for a 6 year old! ;-)

In other words, if you are writing chapter books, cool, go for it; but no, nobody is really talking about them per se. I haven't heard much of anything new regarding chapter books in... ever, actually, because the chapter book market is just its own stable regular thing. It's a smaller market because fewer publishers do them; it's a narrow age range, and kids age out of it quickly, so you don't see deals for them quite as often as MG or other kinds of kids books, but they can and do sell. As it has always been, publishers like there to be a strong high-concept "hook" and/or extremely voicey central character(s), chapter books are usually sold in series so I would suggest writing the entirety of one book and then having some ideas for possible follow-up books, etc. There are loads of posts on here about chapter books (click the hashtag below for more)! Good luck!

[wyrmguardsecrets]

What do you mean let this happen, do you think we can go their IRL house and unplug Turtle Mage's router? If they're off RPing in their own sphere not doing anything with other people then what the fuck is MG going to do about random proofless accusations about their RP? "ArE yOu ReAlLy GoInG tO lEt ThIs HapPeN mG?" Yes sure let me get into my Actual Consequences Mobile and drive to Blizz HQ where I shall block them from the server because some anon claims they are doing bad RP. Fucking moron.

.

[miirshroom]

Elden Ring Elemental Allegory Hypothesis

So there's a question that has been on my mind for a while: does this Buckler shield look like a Helium atom?

There is an episode of Stargate SG-1 called "The Torment of Tantalus". A researcher named Ernest Littlefield has been stranded alone on a alien planet for over 50 years since 1945. The planet was called Heliopolis and was at one point the centre of power for Ra - a parasitic snake-like alien that lived inside a human host and presented himself as a god to the people of Earth. But long before this the planet was once the meeting place of 4 alien groups who communicated using the universal language - atoms.

I think it possible that one of the more subtle layers of Elden Ring is in using references to the periodic table of the elements to fill in some gaps in knowledge.

Summation of Sets - counting Rivets and Gemstones

For reasons that will become apparent later, the Buckler Shield is actually not the best example to start with because it is too generic and represents a few too many possibilities. Two better examples would be the Riveted Shield and Moon of Nokstella as both examples could be construed as referencing the moon (Selene):

Riveted Wooden Shield: Outer ring: 12 electrons - magnesium (Mg) Inner detail: 22 electrons - titanium (Ti) Combined: 34 electrons - selenium (Se)

Moon of Nokstella: Ring of small gems: 34 electrons - selenium (Se) Gems in settings: 4 electrons - beryllium (Be) Combined: 38 electrons - strontium (Sr)

I had an entire other post breaking down the elements of the Moon of Nokstella. But here I will run through the Riveted Wooden Shield.

The Riveted Wooden Shield is starting equipment for the Warrior class and the image upon it is of a sword and tree. The most likely reading of this is that the "tree" is represented as a conifer above ground and it's root system below ground, and the sword bisects these horizontally. The odd curvature of lines above and below the sword tip suggests also that the sword pierces a round object - perhaps an eye or full moon. The aesthetic of the Warrior implies a connection with the Blind Swordsman who long ago sealed the God of Rot, and indeed the head piece of this set covers and blinds the right eye (from the vantage of someone looking at the character). The right eye is associated with the eye of Horus and the moon in contrast to the left eye being the eye of Ra and the sun.

Magnesium, Titanium, and Selenium are all elements with connection to Greece. Selenium is named for Selene, the Ancient Greek word for the moon. Being the synthesis of inner and outer rivets this indicates the end product of the Blue Dancer/Blind Swordsman's actions - creation of a moon. As discussed further with the Moon of Nokstella, I believe this to be creation of the black moon or dark moon as selenium is a dark silvery metal.

Titanium is named similarly for the Greek Titans. The Titans were the pre-Olympian gods such as Gaia (earth), her son and husband Uranus (sky), their 6 male children, and 6 female children. The most well know titan is Cronus, the leader of the Titans who castrated and overthrew his father Uranus to become the god associated with the sky and the planet Saturn. The eldest of the Olympians are offspring of Cronus and Rhea: Hestia (Vesta - Virgin goddess of the hearth), Demeter (Ceres/Isis), Hera (Juno), Poseidon (Neptune), and Zeus (Jupiter). Some other Titans of note are the titan Hyperion and titaness Theia whose offspring were Helios (sun), Selene (moon) and Eos (dawn). And also Iapetus, father of the Titans Atlas (who holds up the celestial spheres (stars) on his shoulders) and Prometheus (who brought fire to man).

The name of elemental magnesium "comes from Magnesia, a district of Thessaly (Greece) where the mineral magnesia alba was first found". The word "magnet" has a similar origin as natural lodestones were also found in Magnesia. In the 1st or 2nd century BC there was an astronomer and thaumaturge named Aglaonice of Thessaly who was best known as a sorceress able to 'make the moon disappear from the sky'. It is the speculation of modern astronomers that this means that she could predict the general timeframe when a lunar eclipse would occur.

"Plutarch wrote that she was "thoroughly acquainted with the periods of the full moon when it is subject to eclipse, and, knowing beforehand the time when the moon was due to be overtaken by the earth's shadow, imposed upon the women, and made them all believe that she was drawing down the moon." Peter Bicknell notes that in most lunar eclipses the Moon does not disappear completely, but simply takes on a reddish hue. The ancient sources which discuss Aglaonice do not describe such a change of colour and there is no suggestion that she failed to convince observers that she was able to draw down the Moon. Bicknell speculates that in the first and second centuries BC there was a period in which the Moon appeared significantly less bright during the lunar eclipse due to variations in solar activity, and this might explain this apparent inconsistency." - Wikipedia article on Aglaonice

Overall, the point is that the shield can be read as indicating a time when the old Titans were supplanted by their offspring and thrown under the earth. This coincided with the old concept of the moon being replaced with a new one, which may be characterized as a lunar eclipse. Note that the landscape of the Lands Between is built upon the bodies of giants, and those giants are of a size to operate the Giant's Forge. And in agreement with the ancient mythic nature of this reading the Warrior is the oldest of all Tarnished - as the selection screen indicates "they were all warriors once".

Speculation on the Buckler Shield

Helium (He) would actually tie in quite nicely with the themes of Elden Ring. Its name is derived from "Helios" the Greek god of the sun, as the element was first observed via 7-prism electromagnetic spectroscopy instruments aimed at the sun. The first recorded observation of helium occurred during an eclipse on 18 August 1868 (also called "The King of Siam's Eclipse") by French astronomer Pierre Jules César Janssen. But it was not identified as a new element until a second astronomer - Norman Lokyer - observed the same spectral reading from England in October 1868 and confirmed the discovery with the help of chemist Edward Frankland.

Helium is the only element to have been first discovered in outer space before being found on earth and is very abundant in both the sun and the planet Jupiter in our solar system. It was later found on earth and isolated by chemist William Ramsay in 1895. Ramsay was also known for discovering Neon, Argon, Krypton and Xenon, and for isolating and characterizing Radon in 1910. Helium has many industrial applications such as the cooling of superconducting magnets, arc welding, growing crystals for silicon wafers and as a safer gas for lifting airships than the flammable hydrogen gas. It is generated through alpha particle decay of radioactive elements.

Buckler

A small metal roundshield. The bump in the center enables parrying techniques. A well-timed parry can break an enemy's stance, allowing a critical hit. Best suited for those prepared to take the risk to reap their reward.

The Buckler is starting equipment for the bandit class, or sold by Gatekeeper Gostoc. And based on this available information there is nothing that immediately stands out as relating to the shield being connected to helium. Although helium does have a fairly stable nucleus relative to its neighbours hydrogen and lithium, it is not what it is known for, and it is certainly not a metal. The description of the bump in the centre enabling parrying brings to mind the way that the nuclei of atoms will prefer to repel each other, thus performing nuclear fusion requires particles to be accelerated towards each other at very high speeds. Californium and Berkelium have been produced by bombarding Curium with alpha particles, Mendelevium is produced by bombarding Einsteinium with alpha particles.

There is a secondary explanation that fits - which is actually the first one that I had thought of. There is a theme in Elden Ring of shells. Turtles have shells that are symbolic of protecting secrets, snakes have shells (which don't match their species), the sorcerers have trays of shells sitting in their rises. One of the successful models of the atom is to arrange the electrons in shells, where the valence electrons in the outermost shell are available for bonding. It was coincidentally Edward Frankland again who introduced the concept of valence in the same year as the discovery of helium.

The Buckler is made of an unspecified metal, and as it happens there are many elements which are found with 2 valence electrons in their outer shell. These include Zinc (Zn), Iron (Fe), Nickel (Ni), Cobalt (Co), Yttrium (Y), Vanadium (V), Scandium (Sc), Technetium (Tc), Cadmium (Cd), Lutetium (Lu), Hafnium (Hf), Tantalum (Ta), Tungsten (W), Rhenium (Re), Osmium (Os), Iridium (Ir), Mercury (Hg). As well as the entire alkaline earth metal group of Beryllium (Be), Magnesium (Mg), Calcium (Ca), Strontium (Sr), Barium (Ba), and Radium (Ra). Whittled down the periodic table to a mere 23 or so entries of interest - not bad! And at least 10 of these (in bold) were already thought by me to be elements of interest.

And by the traces of rust on the shield the "metal" in question could be simply iron. Iron has two electrons in the outer shell and is the heaviest element produced by the sun with nuclear fusion. Iron represents a transition point - for lighter elements energy is produced by nuclear fusion and for heavier elements energy is produced by nuclear fission. Although the Earth's core is largely composed of iron, most available elemental iron in the earth's crust originated from meteorites.

This post is just an introduction to the kinds of things that I'm thinking about, really. Assuming the convention that rivets represent electrons there are so many other shields to sift through and cross reference with the other known information to confirm a real pattern. Other possible elemental references I have noticed: the variety of flame colours found in game being reminiscent of the colours produced in burning metals for flame tests; characters whose names or story themes represent mythological figures who have elements named for them; characters whose names contain a syllable that is a standard abbreviation for an element; and known types of metals incorporated in descriptions and visuals like gold, silver, copper, bronze, brass, iron, steel, etc.

And also, the buckler shield may be present in Elden Ring but it originated at least as early as Dark Souls. So that begs the question of how long ago could FromSoft have started playing with elemental metaphor go that uses the true atomic elements of the periodic table as inspiration lurking beneath an alchemical framing device.

[sadistpet]

Questions for the mun. A series of questions for the mun / the person behind the muse(s)

@gcldfanged / @valour-bound :

What caused you to start writing? What was your key point?

OH MY GOD UM im really not sure???? as far as i can remember ive always been writing

i was a freakishly verbose child ( I CALLED MY SISTER AN IMBECILE WHEN I WAS 3??? ) and very ahead in terms of reading and writing because kno. The Autism. i was reading like actually Reading adult-level encyclopedias for fun from when i was like, 3 or something so ive always been into literature and i think it just kinda spawned from there?? i was writing stories and keeping them in punched pockets, writing plays and fanfiction and stories on microsoft word, so it was something i always did afaik

if there was a key point i don't remember it, but there are some things that stick out to me; once when i was around 11?i got a pokemon fan magazine that had honest to god fanfiction in it and that was like. immense to me. like you're telling me other people write about their favourite franchises like this?? and after that i really started taking stuff more seriously in regards to how i was writing another was when i was. ??? unsure but my teacher at the time wrote on my work "remember me when you are a famous author :)" and that sticks with me to this day. she was kind of a huge bitch but that was such a genuinely moving comment and i think abt it a lot sometimes

and a lot of little things too. like being told by online friends that i was an amazing writer for my age, or my english teacher being legitimately visibly excited to talk about my writing. so yea :3

Are you happy with how your favorite canon muse was portrayed in canon?

HMMM. in terms of raikov i Think so ? but i do wish we had got more of him. and specifically more of his relationship with volgin because they're very cute together. idk if i've mentioned it here before but i theorise that their relationship was initially meant to play a larger part in mgs3, because mgs is known for having very multi-layered and complex villains, and volgin isn't really shown as one. and yeah that's likely what they were going for with a more bond-esque narrative, but the fact he's constantly portrayed as evil personified WHILE ALSO having parts that shows he genuinely loves and cares abt someone... idk. it feels like they wanted to make that more prominent to add more depth to his character but they just didn't

SO REALLY thats my only critique, i wish we had seen more of him interacting with the other characters rather than nameless npcs. i'm kind of content with him being a mostly blank slate, though -- it means i can do a lot more work on him :3

What are your biggest (personal) Tumblr crushes?

gonna do this in rp sphere only bc otherwise i think ill die of embarrassment BUT i literally have so many like oh my god if i fucking. follow you then you can assume i look up to you because WROW i follow such cool writers. my main ones if i had to choose are han (@cwarscars), hope (@viruslearnt), jason (@tacticalvalor), soda (@gcldfanged) and ryder (@zendatsu); theyre the ones i look up to the most i think :D theyre all genuinely such sweet people and terrifyingly amazing writers like hoyl fuckign shit

[nezumasa]

It is incredible how detached fandom discourses are from one another b/c if you go to tumblr and more shipping focused community, people get really fucking mad at like 3 year age gap between adults and at worst, like shotacon and lolicon

And then you go to Rule 34 video and one the most watched and liked videos on the site is at 10 million views and it’s Quiet MGS and Lara Croft fucking and getting impregnated by a horse and raping each other. It’s part of a five part series w/ one extra and the lowest is at 3 million views.

Like it’s all still dubious in the face of general society but if you are in fan spheres, we can all get worse.

10 million views is a lot.

[thecrookedwriterspath]

Moon + Seraph Pitch Week

Comp Titles:

Dragon Rider (book) x Talking with Dragons (book)

Title:

[WIP] Dragons and Kingdoms

Graysen encounters the dragon Almyra in a snowy forest, and after they both panic, they start to realize that maybe neither is as problematic as they once thought. However, traveling entertainer Talwin throws their tenuous balance into chaos as she schemes with Keith, Graysen's brother, to get back at her sister. None of them realize the greater danger of the neighboring lord looking for refugees, both at the winter festival and in the woods, and he's closing in on their secrets.

Classic high fantasy but magic is rare and limited. MG/YA, limited 3rd POV with 2 POVs

Themes/Tropes

Understanding the Other

Not fitting in

Fake dating

Mental health/illness, focus on Anxiety

Generational politics

Sibling rivalry

Content Warnings

Descriptions of panic attacks, occasional mild gore

Writing stage

First draft is mostly done but it needs a rewrite. The vibes are good but I have learned more about writing and plotting since starting it years back. It's on a hiatus but I'm starting to work on reorganizing it.

Art

Commissioned sugarholicsheep for chibis of Graysen and Talwin.

Related links:

Playlist for book 1:

Old Art from my deviantart:

Talwin family/sibling exploration:

Taglist: @sabels-small-sphere @surroundedbypearls @ink-flavored @pure-solomon

[brithombar]

the ezio trilogy and its unique look at aging and growing into a man has been bastardized by the current everything is open world action game format. ezio spending the entirety of AC2 becoming a deadly assassin & then entering AC Brotherhood a wounded 30+ man who needed gameplay aids to perform the acrobatics of the previous game but who now possesses the ability to uplift & to mentor the next generation of assassins & then entering AC Revelations as a middle aged man where the only improvement the gameplay has made is a more elaborate strategy aspect for the assassins was a way for the gameplay to evolve with the advantages & limitations of age & its been bastardized as a concept into this wave of protagonists who start out as amnesiacs who cannot remember the awesome powers they possess inherently from the beginning of the game. these protagonists start out the game both young & untested so gamers can feel the accomplishment of novelty but they are also wise veterans so gamers can feel they are powerful without restraint, they have no communities to rebuild, they have no friends to support them, they have nobody to uplift and are never asked to degrade themselves by sharing their knowledge with others, they do not feel any sorrow over their past because constant monuments are dotted throughout the game to remind the player of how awesome they are & how no uncertainty exists. the bildungsroman present is this oroboros where the end is the beginning & the entire game was merely an unpleasant blip in the gamers awesomesauce poggerino lifestyle.

i'd like to see the bildungsroman & life story ezio auditore presents in the action game format done again & brought over into the indie sphere so it can be achieved with different genres, along with the multi generational approach mgs did with the snakes. i resent that popular media is such a wasteland of allowing adult nerds to relive an idealized version of their childhood that i've also been forced into nostalgia because i have to return to an original spin on the concept to experience authentic storytelling

[saltyztuna]

Argenthill Magical Girl Yuri Au

(I’ll come back to add to this later)

OKOK in the zone rn so I’m just gonna jot down what I’ve cooked up for a argenthill magical girl yuri au uhm disclaimer 1. They are all adults in this au, a lot of the ‘professional’ magical girls in this universe do this as a job. 2. I am just trying to get this outta my brain rn before I forget so some details are a w.i.p and I also have not thought very far into this.. my brain just got distracted by a stray thought and decided it seemed interesting enough to pick up and build on 😖!!

onto some thoughts about argenti in this au..

the way argenti is introduced to magical girls-

(which I’m now shortening to MGs because I’m too lazy to type that 700 more times)

is through this au’s version of idrilla, argenti was sickly as a child and turned to stories and documentaries about MGs as a form of escapism. one day her tv was broadcasting a special on idrilla for a anniversary of some kind and argenti happened to be watching it that day. basically idrilla went on to talk about their career and their ideals. that broadcast inspired argenti to want to become a MGs. although since she was ill and didn’t have a good connection with magic- she couldn’t become one..

like it poisons her bad, she DOES NOT have a good reaction to it. and the illness she has is due to an overbundance already in her system.. so her caretaker doesn’t allow her to become one. it could kill her if she did attempt to become one normally.. but luckily for her on what is legit the worst day of her life- she stumbles upon an injured animal and nurses it to health. that animal turns out to be a MGs mascot. they’re miscellaneous animals that turn into various weaponry or armor. think mog from ff13-2!- argenti’s is a helmet. Idk the animal yet.. but it offers her a safe way to become a magical girl and she takes the offer. she quickly skyrockets onto the popularity charts due to her charisma and natural talent. her type of magical girl archetype is more of a kind of like idol/celebrity type magical girl. main motif are rose/feathers

main outfit design insp is lightning ff13-2 (mainly the feather skirt w armor combo…)

other misc insp is beauty and the beast fairytale (has a secondary form where her helmet falls onto her head and she enters an enraged beast state. she is both beauty and beast ehhhheheheheh)

Further design notes for self. make inside of hair white. keep armor even tho it’s gonna be ass to draw everytime.. I like to make myself suffer apparently.

sphere/casting staff combo.

as for boothill

Boothill picks up MGs as a side job to earn some extra cash and take out evil folk. she has an actual day job aside from her nightly magical girl vigilante justice shenanigans. still deciding on her job but maybe a family business of some kind. unsure if her daughter is alive or not but aside from the kinda angsty stuff in their backstories I want this au to be fluffy and silly🥹✌️ like things mights get tense depending on where I decide to take the story( I have ideas…) uhm but they do get a happy ending!! as for how boothill got roped into the magical girl world, since her daughter does/did exist in this au- I’m thinking maybe her daughter was obsessed with them and wanted to be one. whether or not she’s alive in this au or not, it leads to boothill becoming one. either to get extra money to keep her and her daughter afloat or in her daughter’s honor after her death. boothill doesn’t have a company or organization backing her. she does freelance work under an obscure unofficial guild.

Idrilla Yapping

Idrilla as big bad. Anti-villain. could have possibly been a hero or anti-hero if things had been slightly different. They disappeared a long while before the setting of the story. After spending years promoting the magical girl industry and basically popularizing it as well as inspiring a whole generation of magical girls- they uncovered the truth about the power system and culture they currently have and how it ends up leading to the death of many of the workers very early in life due to basically burning up their magical reserves and then their life force. Realizing they basically led these girls and young women to their doom, in repentance idrilla retires from their job and falls off the face of the planet. wanting to do right by the MGs she did wrong she vows to tear down the system and prevent anyone else from the same fate.

more misc stuff

⭐️boothill is aware of how the current system works, she hates it but manages to make it work in her favor for now.

⭐️argenti is unaware not out of naivety but because she chooses to ignore warning signs, out of a desperate need to believe the world is the beautiful place her idol once described it as. she doesn’t really have choice much else to believe in after her idol disappearence. because if it isn’t then why did she fight so hard for her place in it.

⭐️the magic used to make magical girls- can also turn them into the beasts they fight.

basically what happens is.. when a magical girl uses her powers too often and too recklessly. they begin to develop a syndrome where they become ‘allergic’ to their magic. this syndrome if not treated correctly then turns said magical girl into a monster.

Argenti has a version of this, until meeting her mascot she didn’t really use any type of magic but she already had an ‘allergy’ to the stuff.

⭐️

.

stuff im debating on adding or just thinking about

💥boothill’s daughter being a previous magical girl (she would probably have been in her teens? most magical girls are young adults but most start pretty early.. there aren’t many full-time magical girls who live past their 30s though.. 40s if they’re especially lucky or careful.) she probably died due to magical girl shenanigans. whether on duty or because of an ‘allergy’ to magic. clem was likely the only family boothill had left after an incident resulted in the death of the rest of her family. Clem, the only family she had left dying to due the magical girl industry- ended up making boothill hate the entire idea of it. she’s angry, and wants the people responsible to pay. but their aren’t many ways to reach the people in charge of the industry without working on the inside. so, despite hating the whole idea of magical girls she partners up with clem’s old mascot.

ANYWAYS THATS ALL I GOT! this is all over the place and kinda sucks(to me at least) but it was fun…✨✨✨

I also wrote this down on paper while brainstorming on the floor(??)

cus I guess that’s where I work best LMAO.. also writing with a pen on paper is faster than typing for me, and my brain was going wild.

[vapehk1]

MYLE vs JUUL Pods: A Comparative Analysis

MYLE Pods and JUUL Pods stand as prominent figures in the vaping landscape, commanding considerable attention for their respective pod-based vaping systems tailored to diverse lifestyles and preferences. This comparative analysis dives deep into the nuances of MYLE and JUUL pods, exploring their similarities, disparities, performance metrics, popularity, and wider implications within the vaping community. Introduction: Pod-Based Vaping Systems The allure of pod-based vaping systems lies in their simplicity, portability, and user-friendly design. These systems typically comprise a battery (or mod) paired with replaceable pods containing e-liquid, streamlining the vaping experience by eliminating the hassle of manual refills and coil changes. Such convenience appeals broadly to both novice and seasoned vapers alike. 1. Design and Build Quality MYLE Pods: MYLE pods are renowned for their sleek, ergonomic design. Crafted to blend compactness with durability, they feature a smooth finish and streamlined contours that comfortably fit in the hand. User feedback frequently lauds MYLE pods for their meticulous attention to materials and overall construction quality. JUUL Pods: JUUL pods mirror this ethos, emphasizing portability and user-friendliness. The JUUL device itself epitomizes minimalism and is designed to seamlessly integrate into daily life. With a reputation for consistency and robust build, JUUL pods ensure a dependable vaping experience with each use. 2. Flavor Options MYLE Pods: MYLE caters to diverse palates with an expansive array of flavors. From classic tobacco and refreshing menthol to vibrant fruit and indulgent dessert profiles, MYLE pods aim to please a broad spectrum of tastes. Each flavor is crafted to deliver a gratifying vaping experience characterized by distinct nuances and a smooth finish. JUUL Pods: Initially celebrated for a select lineup including staples like Virginia Tobacco and Cool Mint, JUUL Labs has since diversified its flavor offerings. Extending beyond traditional boundaries, JUUL pods now embrace an assortment of fruit and dessert flavors, maintaining a steadfast commitment to flavor profile consistency and high-quality standards. 3. Nicotine Strength MYLE Pods: MYLE pods provide nicotine strengths ranging from 1.0% (10 mg/ml) to 5.0% (50 mg/ml). This versatility empowers users to tailor their vaping experience to suit personal preferences and habits, whether opting for a milder intake or a more potent nicotine hit. JUUL Pods: Traditionally offering a robust 5.0% (50 mg/ml) nicotine strength, JUUL initially catered to users seeking a potent nicotine punch. Responding to regulatory shifts and user feedback, JUUL Labs now offers lower strength options at 3.0% and 1.5%, accommodating vapers seeking a gentler nicotine experience. 4. Battery Life and Charging MYLE Pods: Battery longevity in MYLE devices varies based on usage patterns and battery capacity. Engineered for efficiency, MYLE pods enable prolonged vaping sessions without frequent recharges. Fast-charging capabilities further minimize downtime between sessions, enhancing user convenience. JUUL Pods: Renowned for efficient battery management, JUUL devices sustain extended vaping periods on a single charge. Flexible in application, JUUL pods integrate magnetic charging interfaces for streamlined recharging, reinforcing their reputation for user-friendly design. 5. Popularity and Market Presence MYLE Pods: MYLE pods carve a distinctive niche within the vaping sphere, attracting a dedicated following drawn to its fusion of aesthetic appeal, flavor diversity, and nicotine alternatives. While lacking the ubiquity of JUUL, MYLE continues expanding its footprint, resonating with users exploring alternatives to conventional smoking. JUUL Pods: JUUL asserts dominance in the vaping industry, celebrated for pioneering pod-based vaping innovation. Despite regulatory hurdles and controversies, JUUL commands significant market influence and fosters a loyal community appreciative of its unwavering reliability and performance standards. 6. Regulatory and Health Considerations MYLE Pods: Regulatory scrutiny envelops MYLE pods, underscoring adherence to stringent safety protocols, comprehensive labeling, and transparent ingredient disclosures. Advocating informed consumption, users are encouraged to weigh the potential risks and benefits associated with vaping and nicotine use. JUUL Pods: Navigating regulatory challenges, JUUL confronts scrutiny over youth usage and nicotine dependency. In response, JUUL Labs institutes safeguards encompassing age verification protocols, flavor constraints, and educational initiatives. As the discourse on vaping unfolds, responsible use and industry oversight emerge as pivotal considerations. Conclusion In summary, MYLE pods and JUUL pods offer distinct advantages, catering to diverse vaping preferences and profiles. MYLE excels in flavor variety and nicotine customization, while JUUL maintains a stronghold on quality, accessibility, and market presence. Choosing between MYLE and JUUL pods hinges on individual preferences regarding design aesthetics, flavor preferences, nicotine strengths, and overall vaping experiences. As the disposable vaping landscape evolves, both brands remain poised to innovate and adapt, shaping the trajectory of pod-based vaping systems. Read the full article

[mikegremgonline]

Mastering Conflict Resolution: Building Stronger Relationships Through Effective Communication

Conflict, whether in professional settings or personal relationships, tests even the most composed individuals. It disrupts peace of mind and complicates interactions with others. However, skillfully managing conflict offers opportunities for growth, understanding, and ultimately, stronger relationships.

This guide offers practical strategies for navigating conflicts and fostering collaborative environments across various contexts, from workplaces to personal spheres.

Understanding the Importance of Communication

Effective conflict resolution hinges on clear and empathetic communication. Enhance your communication skills with these approaches:

Active Listening: Dedicate your full attention and ask clarifying questions to deeply understand the other person’s perspective.

Mirroring and Paraphrasing: Reflect what you’ve heard to show understanding and validate the other person’s feelings.

Empathy: Acknowledge and validate others’ emotions, fostering mutual respect and opening paths to resolution.

Building Trust and Collaboration

Trust forms the bedrock of constructive conflict resolution. Cultivate trust with these strategies:

Team-Building Activities: Engage in bonding activities to strengthen team cohesion and foster unity.

Celebrating Together: Recognize collective achievements to underscore the value of collaboration and teamwork.

Positive Reinforcement: Encourage positive behaviors to create a supportive and motivating environment.

Equipping Yourself with Essential Tools

Enhance your conflict management capabilities with these key tools:

Conflict Resolution Training: Attend workshops to learn practical techniques and refine your communication skills.

Role-Playing Exercises: Practice conflict scenarios to build confidence in applying learned strategies.

Establishing Ground Rules: Define clear guidelines for addressing conflicts, ensuring fairness and efficiency.

Bringing in a Qualified Mediator

In complex conflicts, consider involving a qualified mediator such as Michael Gregory, known for impartially facilitating resolutions:

Facilitating Understanding: Mediators bridge communication gaps and facilitate mutual understanding between conflicting parties.

Finding Common Ground: Guide discussions toward identifying shared interests and crafting mutually acceptable solutions.

Conclusion

Conflict is an inevitable part of life, but with effective communication, trust-building efforts, and the right tools, conflicts can transform into opportunities for growth and stronger relationships.

Approach conflicts with confidence. Apply these strategies to navigate situations constructively and create harmonious environments for all involved.

For professional mediation and conflict resolution assistance, contact Michael Gregory directly at (651) 633-5311 or via email at mg@mikegreg.com.

[literaticat]

what does an agent do if they find their passion is waning for the genre/categories they represent? Is it easy to pivot to repping something else?

I think this is something that happens organically over time to any agent. It's not like you only rep picture books, then all of a sudden, blammo, you hate picture books and want to entirely switch to adult romance -- it's more likely that you'd be doing kids books of all kinds, and find the grooves that are really working for you, and maybe you are selling a fair amount picture books AND a fair amount of YA romance so your list starts being weighted toward those areas, and one of your YA authors decides to write an adult romance, so you get your colleagues advice about who to send to in that world and sell that, and realize you are into it, so you get a couple more authors who write in that space, etc, and then one of them writes an adult thriller or something, so you expand into that genre a bit, etc. But this just doesn't happen on a dime, it happens over the course of years.

Like when I started, I really was only interested in repping YA, and now, years later, while I still do rep YA, that's far from the largest part of my list. I expanded based on what was selling, what came in that I was intrigued by, etc. (And I've found that there are things I do NOT think I am able to do well by or don't have a taste or knack for, and that's fine too!)

As for "is it easy", it's been my personal experience that it is extremely easy for a children's book agent to pivot to anything in the kids book sphere. With a few minor exceptions, most all imprints and editors do many types of books -- once you are selling MG contemporary, for example, you know all the editors who do MG horror or MG SF or whatever, and 90% of those who do YA of various kinds, and probably 75% of those who do picture books or nonfiction or graphic novels. Once you are selling illustrated books, you'll then know 100% of the people who do PB, 90% GN, 75% of NF/MG/YA. So if you do both illustrated books and novels, you'll basically know 90-100% of all the editors who do all of it. (Whether you have the personal taste or desire to pivot is something else, but it's for SURE both possible and easy if that's what you want to do).

I assume that it is similar in the adult book world -- there are really only so many imprints, once you know them, you know them.

I do think it'd be a little more difficult switching from Only-Kids to Only-Adult or vice-versa -- aside from having to meet an entirely new crop of editors, there are just "rules", genre expectations or what have you that you simply might not know if that kind of book is not your bread-and-butter. But certainly there are lots of agents who happily and successfully do both!

[rnomics]

Life, Vol. 14, Pages 765: Understanding the Thermodynamics of Magnesium Binding to #RNA Structural Motifs

Divalent magnesium ions (Mg2+) serve a vital role in defining the structural and catalytic chemistry of a wide array of #RNA molecules. The body of structural information on #RNA motifs continues to expand and, in turn, the functional importance of Mg2+ is revealed. A combination of prior work on the structural characterization of magnesium binding ligands with inner- and outer-sphere coordination modes, with recorded experimental binding energies for inner- and outer-sphere contacts, demonstrates the relative affinity and thermodynamic hierarchy for these sites. In turn, these can be correlated with cellular concentrations of free available magnesium ions, allowing the prioritization of populating important functional sites and a correlation with physiological function. This paper summarizes some of the key results of that analysis and provides predictive rules for the affinity and role of newly identified Mg binding sites on complex #RNA structures. The influence of crystal packing on magnesium binding to #RNA motifs, relative to their solution form, is addressed and caveats made. https://www.mdpi.com/2075-1729/14/6/765?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=tumblr

[springhousegurgaon]

In terms of how we work, coworking spaces are growing over time. Unlike traditional company offices, coworking spaces in Mg Road, Gurgaon, offer a perfect environment where independent individuals from all spheres of professions share a workspace.