#modern portfolio theory

[teamfinodha]

Alpha Generator – What It Is and How It Works? #Finodha

[oval3000]

Chapter 3

Yandere Teacher Nanami x Student Reader

Warning: Abuse, Smut, Abduction, Violence, Rough play, toxic behavior, age gap, everything from all above. Mainly from his point of view...somewhat... modern au- idk. College teacher x student.

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

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

He could hear the voice of his fellow female colleague, trying to get his attention. He could hear her light heels speeding up against the floors, "Mr. Nanami? Could you help me with the new test sheets? I have to print a lot and my students are going to come in a few minutes." He rolled his eyes. Not the first time his colleague asked for help even though it was her responsibility to do so herself.

"You were supposed to have them ready the day before," he turned around to face, having his head tilted a bit. He had things to do, and he was a busy man so when someone came in and stopped him, it irritated him dearly.

"I know, but I got caught with the time." She placed her hand on his biceps, she looked at him with a sad expression on her face, "Please."

At that moment he saw another colleague, "Mr. Yamagachi, can you help Miss. Ito with her work?"

"I'm pretty sure Mr. Yamagachi is busy." She smiled letting out a bit of laughter.

"So am I. Next time plan more so you can actually do your job." Nanami turned back around and exited the building. He got into his nice car and drove off.

He pulled up to his new two-story house brick, victorian, home. He closed the dark brown wood door behind him, dropping his briefcase on the floor. He took off his tan blazer off, hanging on the coat rack at the corner of the front entrance. He opened the door to his office and placed his items on the desk. He pinched the bridge of his glasses, pulling them off his face. As he sat down on his chair, his head swung back making him stare at the ceiling. He side-eyed his computer, moving the mouse to turn it on. quickly logging in and going through his gallery. He saw the portfolio of pictures and images of you. Pictures that he took of you during his class. They weren't clear pictures, mostly blurry due to the fact that he had to zoom through the lens to take the pic of you and no one else. A perk of having a bunch of students that don't pay attention is that students won't notice Nanami, sneaking, pulling out his phone, and taking a few pics of you. He made it seem like he was just using his phone, scrolling through whatever. Sure, he has the photo of you that you took when you got your school ID, but it just wasn't enough.

He looked around his desk and imagined the empty space to be filled with pictures of you and him together. Pictures of you holding children. If he wanted to go through this, he needed a nice home. A home that resembles having a family with plenty of rooms and space. He got up and went towards the master bedroom. He walked over to the windows, opening the white curtain revealing a big wood board that covered the whole window, behind the board was another set of white curtains. He tugged on the board to test the strength and smiled to himself to see how secure it was. It wasn't a permanent thing, he'll eventually take it off once you are comfortable. He doesn't even how you'll react towards this, towards him. Are you going to scream? Are you going to try and escape? Or are you going to accept him a be the perfect wife for him? Questions that he wants clear answers to, but the only thing he can get is theories.

He went towards the bed, tugging on the rope that was tied to the headboard, again smiling to himself on how secure it was. He quickly swept the empty side of the closet so it was ready for all of your things. He dusted off half of the empty drawers, ready to be stuffed with your undergarments. The room is fairly large. A nice comfy armrest chair in the corners with a matching stool at the front. The bed, a king-size bed, perfectly centered, the headboard up against the while, and two nightstands on either side of the bed. On the other side, across from the bed, is a door that leads to the bathroom. He picked up the brown, paper, bag from the chair and opened the door to the bathroom. He grabbed all the items from the brown, paper, bag and placed them on the bathroom counter. He crumbled the paper bag and tossed it in the trash. He placed the extra toothbrushes and toothpaste in one of the drawers. He placed the box of pads under the bathroom sink. All hygiene products, he placed them in their designated spot; shampoo, body wash, conditioner, and body scrub. He went back to the room and placed all other products into the white vanity that he built and got for you; hair brush, moisturiser, sunscreen, all types of serums, spray facial mist, hair ties, hair oils, hair blow dryer, lip oils, lip balms, and some nail polishes. The cashier who scanned of of his items was calling him sweet for getting all of this for his significant other. Nanami smiled and thanked her. It was sweet, so you would be happy to be here, right?

He quickly cleaned the rest of the house, settling everything in. Tidying up the kitchen and living room, leaving everything simple and clean. Of course, things can change once you're here. If you want to move things around or add things, Nanami made sure to keep it simple that way you can add your personal touch to the house. Nanami, resting on the couch, turning on the flat-screen TV, resting on top of the fireplace, pulled out his phone and went through your social media post. He never used social media, but he knew he was to get to know you a lot more, so he quickly downloaded them and made fake names. You kept things private so it was a hard time for him to get through, you had friends and relatives who weren't private and who posted things about you. He saw posts that your friends and relatives have put out like the day they took you to celebrate your birthday at a restaurant or when you went to the movies and they posted a 'best day ever' selfie with you in the background. He was lucky to remember the people you talked to when he saw you at the college campus or else he wouldn't know more about you.

He went through many scenarios in his head. Was this the right thing to do? Is this necessary? Would it be easier if he just talked to you and confessed his feelings towards you? After all, what's the worst that can happen? Him being rejected? No. He just can't accept that.

Not when he could feel your body heat as he leaned closer to you, hovering over you. "I'm having trouble with this one Mr. Nanami?"

He placed his hands in front of you almost caging you in. Your back was turned to him as you were sitting down, staring at the question with a wooden pencil in your hand. You were so oblivious about everything it made Nanami go feral. He leaned closer to you, his mouth near your neck, "What are you not understanding, sweetheart?"

"Which formula am I supposed to use when they didn't give the percent number on how much it's been missing?" You said, rereading the question in your head.

"Which one do you think would work the best when one variable is missing, love." His cock felt like it was going to explode with cum on how close and how cute you were to him. He loved this. He enjoyed this.

"This one?" You pointed to one of the formulas tilting your head a bit.

Nanami smiled, "Yes, correct. You're doing amazing." His lips parted, feeling his crotch area getting tight. He thought he was able to control himself by now but clearly, he wasn't. He was thankful that the chair was blocking his hard boner from your back or else his plan was going to come to an end and all of his hard work would've gone to the trash. he saw the way you quickly solved the question of how easily you cached on. His high hopes were showing. Maybe it wouldn't be hard?

Days would go by and eventually, you fully understood everything he had taught you that you miss. You asked Nanami if you were ready to retake the test and he was trying to insist that it's okay to take more time to study, but you told Nanami that you are ready. Nanami enjoyed these moments he had with you even though you had no idea what was going on, he didn't want it to end. He needed you.

He knew that his time was coming close, so when he saw you outside the campus building, sitting on one of the benches, he walked up to you. "Everything alright, (Y/n)?"

You looked up from your phone, "Yes, I'm just waiting for my cab"

"Well," he looked around to find no one. The time stamp during this moment is where there are fewer students, and less crowded. "If you want, I can take you? I'm heading out for my lunch break, I can take you home." You weren't really sure about it. Nanami could see that you were hesitant. "It'll be no problem. Besides you most likely have things to do. Don't want to waste time waiting, right?"

"Right. Okay." You got up, quickly canceling your ride." Thank you, Mr. Nanami." You followed him to his. He opened the passenger side for you. When you got inside his car you were quite surprised at how neat and clean his car was. "You have a nice car, sir."

"Really? I mean, it's just a car in average condition." He said, starting his car and pulling out of the parking lot.

"Well, I guess I've never seen a guy keeping his car in good shape." You said, trying not to keep things awkward between the both of you. You never head a teacher driving you home or anywhere. Yes, you went inside strangers' cars, mainly cab and Uber drivers that you contacted before, but never someone that you sort of knew and definitely never a teacher.

"Never seen a guy have a clean car?" He questioned, giving you glances.

"No. My ex-boyfriend was really messy. He always had a messy and smelly car." You clutched your bag close to you.

Nanami felt his throat a bit dry. His hands were gripping the steering wheel. "Ex-boyfriend?"

"Yeah, I used to date this one guy. He was my first boyfriend. We only lasted like three months so I wouldn't really call him a boyfriend. We hardly did anything together." You said. You looked out at the window and realized something. "Wait," Nanami pulled over to a curb in an area where it was isolated, and pulled out a white cloth while you stared out at the window, "I never even told you where I lived, I liv-" You couldn't finish the sentence because Nanami quickly covered your mouth.

The cloth had two pills in it, "That's it." Nanami felt his arm getting slapped repeatedly by you. He could hear your muffled screams, which made him pull you closer, lifting your head up so the pills could go down. You felt the small pills going down your throat. You felt like you were going to choke, so you had no choice, but to swallow them. It was painful and soon you felt weak. "Good girl." Eventually, you fell into your sleep. He got your phone and took out the memory card and battery before tossing it out. Nanami continued to drive off.

He pulled up to the house and parked in the garage that was connected to the house. He opened his door and quickly went towards yours. He opened the passenger door and carried you out bridal style. He entered the home and headed upstairs. He placed you on the bed and quickly tied your hands with the ropes that were tied to the headboard.

He finally took a deep breath, falling down on the bed next to you. He looked over his side and stared at you. He stared at the ceiling, feeling his heartbeat slowing down a bit. His palms began to feel less shaky and the sweat forming finally calmed down.

He sat up covering his face with his hands. "What the hell am I doing?" He got up and paced around the room staring at your unconscious body. He got on the bed and hovered over you. "You're driving me crazy," he whispered to you. He placed his hand on your waist, " You're doing this to me." He placed a light kiss on your lips.

He got up and headed down to the kitchen and decided to make a light sandwich. After he finished he went to the car and gathered the rest of your things. He went through your bag and found your wallet. He found your IDs and cards.

He heard light noises coming from upstairs. He got up from the chair and placed the cards on the kitchen table. The closer he got to the second floor the more he could hear more of the noises and groaning. He opened more of the bedroom door and saw you opening your eyes. You moved to your side buring your face into your hands. He saw the way you peeked at the entrance and saw him which made you quickly sit up. He saw the way tears were forming in your eyes. You curled yourself up, bringing your knees up to your chest. " Please don't hurt me."

He shut the door behind him.

"Please."

He walked closer to you. "I won't hurt you."

"Where am I?"

"You're at home. With me."

@black-swan-blog27

@srae123

@foggyturtleknightangel

[uwmspeccoll]

Staff Pick of the Week

Décoration moderne dans l'intérieur by Henry Delacroix (1907-1974) was published in Paris by S. de Bonadona, likely around 1935. Delacroix studied architecture at the National School of Decorative Arts of Paris joining his father’s architectural firm upon graduation. He made a name for himself reconstructing French cities after World War II, most notably City of 4000 in La Courneuve.  

Capturing Delacroix’s penchant for modern art deco inspired interiors, Décoration moderne dans l'intérieur is a portfolio of the genre’s luminaries. The publication contains forty-eight vibrant pochoir (stencil coloring) printed plates of designs by Francis Jourdain, Pierre Chareau, Georges Djo-Bourgeois, and the author, Henry Delacroix himself. He also included a seemingly heartfelt introduction that loosely translates to the idea of a man’s physical and spiritual needs being met through the luxury of a home that can facilitate the rest needed to nurture his imagination.  

Delacroix produced several portfolios of this kind showcasing ideas for an array of architectural settings and including painterly accessories inspired by Chagall and Matisse. A delight for anyone interested in interior design or color theory! Our copy of Décoration moderne dans l'intérieur is part of a gift from the estate of our dear friend Dennis Bayuzick.  

View other books from the collection of Dennis Bayuzick. 

View more posts featuring Decorative Plates.

View other Staff Picks.

– Jenna, Special Collections Graduate Intern 

[arcielee]

Wait So Long

Summary: You are trying to surprise your boyfriend and it does not work out like you had planned. Pairing: modern Aegon Targaryen x FemaleReader   Word Count: 2279 Warnings: Implied sexy times, but this is purely fluff. Author’s Note: Here is another part of my series-that-isn’t-really-a-series. This is a collaboration piece I did with the darling, talented @f4ll-for-you ♥ Her work is amazing and I cannot thank her enough for her help with this piece! And a shoutout to my amazing beta reader @foxee-d-or.  Taglist (my Tumblr kindred spirits): @aaaaaamond @sirenofavalon @annikin-im-panicin @watercolorskyy @schniiipsel @aspen-carter @aemondx @fan-goddess​ @babygirlyofthevale​ @randomdragonfires​

“Yeah, I know, Cree, but I keep telling you and Jace that I fucking suck at this game,” you heard Aegon whine into his headset, animated with his hands and wielding the controller as an emphasis to his words. “And, yet, I still play with you all, only to be verbally abused by you cunts-” his eyes rolled over and he saw you. 

One of the many things you cherished about your relationship with this man was his ability to read you like a book, to such a degree he seemed more aware of the emotion you were feeling before it registered with yourself. Aegon moved in a fluid motion, beginning with the words, “Hey, I’ve got to go right now,” before he tore off and abandoned both the headset and controller on the couch; he pushed from his seat and moved towards you, his brow furrowed with concern.

Then you felt it, the tears that spilled from the corners of your eyes and bunching your lashes together. You did not know when it started, perhaps the frustration that had been building since you first took on this contract role, something you have been adamant about six weeks prior.

In the beginning, you saw his hesitation, but you coaxed him into believing it was a good idea, and in theory it had been. You promised him this job would allow you to polish your portfolio and you promised to quit that customer service role you currently worked. You explained your excitement to finally do something with your damn degree and how you could use the extra money to upgrade your equipment.

“I can buy you new equipment, though,” he had argued and you vehemently refused, continuing on about your independence, how this was your career, your passion.

And he listened to your every word, watching you in a way that was so uniquely him and you loved him for it: the slight tilt of his head, how his lips pursed together when he was not quite yet convinced, how his lavender eyes moved back and forth with your presentation. 

“Only four weeks?” was all he had asked when you were done. You swore yes. 

Now you were on to your seventh week, dealing with a client who was unhappy with everything you presented, with their ceaseless revisions that kept prolonging the contract; yes, the pay was nice, but you were unsure if it was worth your sanity.  

In truth, you did want to utilize your degree and this opportunity would allow you to be rid of the customer service role you had since uni, to finally transition to remote work life. You also had an ulterior motive: a gift for Aegon. 

He had always spoiled you and you loved him for it, but you were also frustrated that any gift you managed seemed to pale in comparison. “Babe,” he laughed the one time you tried to bring it up to him, “I’m a fucking trust fund baby. Just allow me to pay it forward, since you have already done so much for me as it is!”

This only made you all the more determined to contribute, as meager as your income seemed prior to this contract, but Aegon never breathed a word of complaint, other than he hated you being away from the apartment you shared. 

It was the selling point. “If I take this, I will quit that job,” your tone honeyed and your eyes doleful. “This way I can work at home and be with you.” 

But also, you desperately wanted to buy him a dog. 

The idea came from his friends, Jace and Cregan, when you had a moment alone to press them for an anniversary gift for Aegon. They hemmed over their words and finally Jace mentioned getting him a dog and Cregan nodded enthusiastically. 

“He sends us clips all the time,” he continued. “Specifically a golden retriever.” 

You squealed your excitement at the possibility to outshine your boyfriend gift wise. “This is perfect! There is no way he can top that!”

They had exchanged looks, but said nothing. 

Fate presented itself with a text from Cregan, letting you know his half-sister’s dog was pregnant from a dog park mishap, which also happened to be the same dog that began Aegon’s fixation on them. You texted Sara immediately and she offered your pick of the litter, letting you know her dog was about five weeks along. 

It felt like everything was falling into place: the contract job would finish a week after, you could take Aegon to choose his pup, then go to Cregan and Jace’s apartment to collect the pet paraphernalia you had been hoarding there. 

There was a moment when Cregan stopped by to grab the royal purple collar and leash, that Aegon happened to return home sooner than you planned. 

Your relationship had a rocky beginning, but through his rehabilitation came an unwavering trust between you both. You considered yourself lucky to have Aegon as your boyfriend in that regard; there was no hint of jealousy when he found Cregan at the apartment, but his confusion was apparent when he saw him holding the leash and collar. 

“I was showing her the collar,” his friend stammered. “I bought it for this…girl I am dating-uh, fucking,” Cregan had a white knuckled grip and you watched Aegon for his response.

“Uh,” he narrowed his eyes on him for a moment. “That’s good for you?” 

Cregan was quick to leave. 

Sara let you know the puppies had been born but that was four weeks ago and you were three weeks extended into this contract with the most unpleasable, nit-picking cunt clients. You wanted it to end; you had already sneaked away to pay the pet deposit and all that was left was to bring Aegon to be surprised by the litter, but instead you received your umpteenth email of revisions needed and it would damn you to another week of this never ending misery. 

At first, you felt confident when you accepted this contract; you always had a knack to gauge colors, pigmentation, and you were software savvy to pick up on whatever the client was using. The interview left you feeling like they would value your expertise, but instead the weeks whittled away at your self-confidence, having you second guess your every attempt to begin this damnable career. 

You thought to quit it all and just accept being spoiled by Aegon. 

“Hey, pretty,” you heard Aegon coo and it returned your attention to the kitchen. He was rounding the counter and moving towards your spot; you worked here because the lighting was what you wanted and you appreciated how it overlooked the living room, where the curtains were drawn and allowed whatever sunshine was available to pour in. 

Aegon would crash onto the couch when he knew you were at the end of your workday and you liked looking up from your laptop screen, exchanging glances with him. 

“What’s going on?”

His arm wrapped around your shoulder and you allowed your head to fall to his chest; silent sobs of your budding frustration wracked your body. You felt him tuck you under his chin, wrapping both arms around you, with the whisper of, “Come on, sweet girl, I know you need to cry, but remember to breathe…” 

The tears eventually subsided and he pulled you from the counter, bringing you back to the couch. He pulled you into his lap and held onto you still, while he hummed one of the many songs he seemed to have on repeat in his mind; his singing, his musical talent was a newer habit he discovered during his rehabilitation and was something you adored, along with his sobriety. 

When he finished his chorus, you pulled back from his chest and he reached to grab your chin, turning your head to meet with his eyes. 

“Quit the fucking contract,” he repeated, time and time again. “I will pay you whatever they will pay you and you can stay right here in my lap, but, you know, without the tears. Perhaps lingerie instead? It would be purely professional, of course.” 

Your laughter felt groggy from your tears and he moved his large, warm palm to wipe your face dry. “Aeg,” your voice cracked, but you could not help your smile. “I’m gross.” 

“Yes, you are,” he agreed with a smirk, wiping his hand dry on his jeans and moving to your other cheek. “Quit these cunts, they do not deserve you.” 

“But…” and you faltered for a moment, realizing it was best to come clean with your true intention with the job. “But I also wanted this because I have a surprise for you.” 

He groaned, falling back into the couch and pulling you against his chest. “How many times must I tell you that I already have everything I want,” and he wrapped his arms tight around your waist, nuzzling into your neck. “Must you make me repeat the cliches? That your presence in my life is present enough? That you, pretty girl, are my gift?”

You giggled and squirmed from his hold, the stubble on his jawline tickling your neck. You pulled back to look into his beautiful eyes and his wide cheesy grin on display. “I know, but I wanted to something more, give you something you really want-”

“I am dead serious about my contract opening,” he dead-panned. “About the pay and the underwear.”

You looked at him, his smile so contagious, and leaned forward to capture his lips with your own. His fingers combed through your hair, holding the back of your head; his lips felt warm and soft against your own, his beard growth tickling still. You giggled and he moved to rub his face against your neck again, goosebumps rippling over you.

“But what about a puppy?”

He stopped his movement and pulled back to take you in. “That was the gift?” The excitement bubbled in his voice, his eyes bright as they looked over you. “You were really going to get me a puppy?” 

You nodded, smiling from his reaction. “Sara’s dog had a litter and I already paid all the fees, I have been getting the supplies, then we would go and pick you out a new furry friend…” 

His hands cupped your face and he pressed a kiss to your hairline, then tilted your head back to find your lips again; you melted against his chest. “This is why you have been working this shit job?” He pulled away, his tone accusing. “I have been absolutely heartsore watching you slave away for these ungrateful swines who cannot tell the difference between azure or cerulean-”

“...you couldn’t either when we first started dating,” you remind him with a grin. 

He held up a finger. “True, but if I hired a brilliant graphic designer, I would listen to your expertise and learn.” You blush and he sighed, pulling you against his chest for another hug and it was your turn to sigh, loving how well you fit against him.  

There was a moment of silence and he continued. “A dog is a big responsibility and I would need your help,” he leaned forward and pressed his lips against your neck. “I am also not a fan of the stress they have been causing you, your anxiety has been in overdrive since this contract keeps being extended…” 

You sighed again and he shifted his legs, catching your chin to bring your eyes to meet with his own. “I know you want this for your career and I will support whatever you choose,” he began, his eyes wide and watchful, the hint of a smirk to his lips. “I feel I must repeat myself and let you know I will happily fund you to be my perfect girl.” 

You cannot help but roll your eyes, but giggled knowing that he would actually pay you to be a homebody, if it meant he got to be around you all the time. 

The evening was spent with your laptop off, your notifications muted, and cuddled up with Aegon while watching some TV show you had been binging together. There is comfort being curled up, a pleasant warmth shared that inevitably lulls Aegon to sleep and you listen to his soft snores. 

You were careful to pull away, creeping towards your laptop and reading the emails missed; not one included a thank you for your effort shown thus far, or any indication that your supposed contract would be over any time soon. Rubbing your eyes as if it would wipe away your frustration, you decided you had enough, that there were other jobs, other opportunities, and you didn’t deserve to be treated like this. 

After pressing send on your resignation email, you slammed your laptop shut and felt a mixture of relief and worry wash over you. The sound caused Aegon to stir, his sleepy eyes barely open. “Babe?” he sounded confused, almost delirious. 

“After careful consideration I have decided to accept your offer,” you joked, doing your best to mark the worry that brimmed beneath.

Aegon smiles, your words registering and waking him up. “Wonderful,” he breathed, pulling you in and sprinkling kisses over your face. “We start tomorrow with picking up our puppy,” and he giggled in a way that made your heart swell in your chest. “Then, we have to pick out a uniform…”

You giggled and grinned with how he suggestively wiggled his eyebrows, feeling a sense of relief washing over you and letting you know that you made the right decision; you could trust that, together, you would figure it out.

Arcie’s Masterlist // modern Aegon Targaryen masterlist

[romance-club-daily]

A little bit late, but I'm gonna jump in on the recent "RC uses AI art" bandwagon. I understand where you're coming from — I'm an aspiring translator and even before the whole AI craze I had no idea how tf I'm gonna look for a job once I'd graduate, but now the situation's even more dire. That being said, I think we really really REALLY shouldn't jump to conclusions about in this case because

do we actually have any proof that it's AI generated art besides "it looks like that"? Because AI... doesn't really have a "style", it's literally gonna look like the art you feed to it/what it finds on the web. I've already seen at least one instance of artists being told that their art is actually AI generated just because it looks similiar. CGs in all stories are usually more realistic-looking, imo, and showcase the biggest differences between different artists' styles. All of this is speculation is conjecture, but like, so is the whole thing about RC using AI art in the first place. So I'll just move on to more solid argument

just last month, on August 4th, RC announced an open call for hiring artists. I guess this vacancy was targeted at CIS countries since as far as I'm aware they didn't crosspost it to Facebook or Twitter or anywhere besides VK and Telegram channel. On 28th they stopped accepting applications from artists and are, most likely, currently continuing the tryouts. My point is: what kind of company would resort to using free AI and then go and hire real humans you actually have to pay? It just doesn't make sense

Here is my translation of these posts about the whole hiring business and screenshots. I'll send you links via another submission or ask because I'm afraid tumblr might nuke this one

translation, if anyone knows russian and thinks I made a mistake of some sort feel free to correct me, after all there's a lot of artist argot I'm not too sure about:

august 4th:

2D artist vacancy

Friends, we announce that we started hiring artists to Romance Club team. ❤

We're YSI, an independent game development sudio from Moldova, that creates interactive visual novels. We're looking for people who may become a part of our big family.

If you're a talented character and/or game locations 2D artist (or you're just great at drawing), then you're exactly who we're looking for!

✅ What do we want from the applicants?

- creativity and rich imagination;

- to be professionaly versed in 2D graphics softwares (experience with Adobe Photoshop is necessary);

- to be able to draw by hand using a graphic tablet;

- your portfolio is necessary.

❗All of the applicants will be given a test assignment❗

✅ Why you should choose Romance Club:

- friendly young team as well as modern office in the capital of Moldova;

- to work with experienced professionals in informal and inspiring environment;

- opportunity to realize your own creative ideas;

- exciting long-term projects;

- fair wage + bonuses;

- possible career development;

- game dev is cool!

If you're interested, send us your portfolio at jobs @ yourstoryinteractive. com and briefly tell us about your skills

August 28th:

2D artist vacancy, applications closed

Friends, we finished the hiring process for artists❗

Huge thanks to those who sent us their resume. Everyone turned out to be incredibly talented and interesting.

✅ Candidates that received an e-mail from us move on to the next stage of tryouts

Our apologies for not being able to reply to everyone personally. We received a great deal of applications and, unfortunately, couldn't possibly contact everybody.

Thank you for showing interest in Romance Club and working for our company!

With all due respect,

Your Story Interactive

As a side note, it is possible that some of the artists may use AI without their hire-ups and writers and so on even knowing that — unlikely, I don't have any proof of that, but it's a possibility. But I feel that the only thing we're doing here is treading muddy waters of conspiracy theories. I'm repeating myself, but it just seems unlikely that there's actually any AI involved when the company in question just started hiring new artists. You may argue that they had to use AI for the most recent update because of the staff shortage but once again: let's not dive into conspiracy theories. Okay, I took longer than I needed to, but I rest my case

_____________________________________________________________

I agree with you on some points, it could be the artist using it without the company knowing and it is a possibility (although I think would be naive of them). But I believe that hiring artists and using AI is something that can happen simultaneously, in the beginning. One thing may not have to do with the other either. That said, it has caught our attention because the style has changed drastically from one update to the next and is very similar to how AI-generated images look. The public used to complain that the characters didn't have realistic poses and out of nowhere they change some to something ultra-realistic (without being able to see a real evolution until reaching this point), almost like a painting which happens to be very similar to how the AI works with images. It's something to be suspicious of, we shouldn't straight accuse them, but being suspicious and sharing our distrust is valid, given that many companies have recently been doing this. And if an employee is using AI and they know about it, It has to be approved by someone at the company, and it carries the company name. I don't think they're that naive (an artist's style changes suddenly and no one wonders why).

Since when they see that using AI is cheaper (or costs almost nothing) and it's fast, they have to make a decision, ethical or not.

Let's see what will happen, but I hope for a good outcome! I love RC stories and would be shame if they go for this path.

And of course, this is absolutely my opinion on this, you can agree or not and that's ok for me.

[justforbooks]

Phil Baines, who has died aged 65 of multiple system atrophy, was one of the most distinctive voices in contemporary British graphic design. His work included books, posters, art catalogues and lettering for three important London monuments – the memorial to the Indian Ocean tsunami in the grounds of the Natural History Museum and the 7 July memorials in Hyde Park and Tavistock Square, commemorating the victims of the 2005 London bombings. These projects point to Baines’s defining attributes: a scholarly appreciation of letterforms, a deep-rooted respect for materials and a love of collaboration.

Such attributes can also be seen in Baines’s cover designs for the Penguin Great Ideas series (2004-20), works by “great thinkers, pioneers, radicals and visionaries” that gave him a canvas on which to display his typographic philosophy. The Saint Augustine – Confessions of a Sinner cover, for instance, uses ancient ecclesiastical letterforms and yet looks superbly modern. For Chuang Tzu — The Tao of Nature, Baines arranged letters to suggest a butterfly in flight. David Pearson, one of two art directors for the series, described how his “often-oblique approach gave the series a crucial added dimension”.

Born in Kendal, Cumbria, Phil was one of the three children of Martin Baines, a construction contract manager, and Joan (nee Quarmby), a horticulturalist. Growing up in a Roman Catholic household, he began studies for the priesthood at Ushaw College, County Durham. During the holidays from Ushaw he worked at the Guild of Lakeland Craftsmen, Windermere, and from there his interest and confidence in art grew.

At the start of his fourth year, he quit Ushaw, and in 1980 began a year’s study on the foundation course at Cumbria College of Art and Design. In 1982 he moved to London and enrolled on the graphic design course at St Martin’s School of Art (now Central Saint Martins), where he met Jackie Warner, whom he married in 1989, and where he was among a talented cohort, many of whom went on to study, as he did, at the Royal College of Art.

Richard Doust, then leader of the first-year course at St Martins, recalled the portfolio Baines submitted for admission: “I was so excited … I was sure he was going to be someone very special. He quickly established his individuality. He made typography and particularly letterpress his own territory.”

Baines was fiercely individual – he did not join schools of thought or align himself with fashionable camps. Instead, he built a creative practice based on his belief in the “humanist” qualities of the English typographic tradition.

His contemporaries were using the computer to bring a new complexity to graphic communication. Smart software allowed for the overlapping and interweaving of text in ways that echoed the ecclesiastical manuscripts that Baines admired so much. He was no Luddite, and used the computer himself, yet his work invariably retained an element of the handmade.

Paradoxically, his work was greatly admired by the new generation of digital designers. Neville Brody, for instance, included Baines’s work in his experimental typography publication FUSE, produced to demonstrate the malleability of the new digital typography. Baines’s work does not look out of place among the other contributors, many of them American typography radicals whose multi-layered layouts were driven by modish theories of deconstruction and poststructuralism.

In 1988 he returned to Central Saint Martins (CSM), as part of the faculty. In staff meetings his willingness to say the unsayable was a frequent cause for consternation among colleagues. To his students he preached a doctrine of “object-based learning”, a typically contrarian notion in the age of screen-based and virtual graphic design. He was appointed a professor in 2006 and retired in 2020 as emeritus professor.

Despite his commitment to teaching, Baines did not give up his work for clients. As well as designing books for leading publishers, he worked for the Crafts Council and the Ditchling Museum of Art + Craft, and designed the signage for CSM��s King’s Cross campus. He designed exhibition catalogues for Matt’s Gallery, south-west London, relishing the creative three-way collaboration that existed between the gallery’s director, Robin Klassnik, exhibiting artists and himself.

He wrote books that contributed to the understanding of visual communication: Type & Typography (with Andrew Haslam, 2002), Signs: Lettering in the Environment (with Catherine Dixon, 2003) and Penguin by Design: A Cover Story 1935-2005 (2005), the last of which helped establish Penguin cover art as one of the most important bodies of graphic art in British design history.

With Dixon, he co-curated the Central Lettering Record, an archive of typographic history housed at CSM, and in November 2023 his work was celebrated in an exhibition, Extol: Phil Baines Celebrating Letters, at the Lethaby gallery, CSM. He was appointed as the Royal Mint advisory committee’s lettering expert in 2016, and reappointed in 2021 to advise on the integration of lettering on new coins and medals, with consideration given to special issues and the accession of King Charles to the throne. For this work, in 2023 he was awarded the Coronation medal.

Baines was an enthusiastic runner and cyclist, and loved music, especially the Manchester post-punk band the Fall. He was a collector of signs, lettering, and railwayana, and built his own studios at his home in Willesden Green, north-west London. A few years before his retirement he moved to Great Paxton, Cambridgeshire, where he took up bellringing.

He is survived by Jackie and their two daughters, Beth and Felicity, and by his father.

🔔 Philip Andrew Baines, graphic designer, born 8 December 1958; died 19 December 2023

Daily inspiration. Discover more photos at Just for Books…?

[rjzimmerman]

This tiny frog has become a test case for applying the calculus of capitalism to conservation (Anthropocene Magazine)

Excerpt from this story from Anthropocene Magazine:

The coquí llanero seems like an unlikely mascot for bold investing. Pale yellow and no wider than a dime, the tiny Puerto Rican frog bears little resemblance to the bulls, sharks and bears that frequent stock trading lingo.

But this endangered amphibian has now become a new test case for how conservation biology can be fused with the calculus of capitalism.

Using the same thinking that investors use to guard against the unpredictable economic ups and downs of the future, a team of scientists has found they can improve the odds of protecting this rare frog from the unforeseeable effects of threats such as climate change, according to a new paper in Frontiers in Conservation Science.

Central to the approach is what’s known as portfolio theory. Rather than focusing on a single investment, such as one company’s stock, under portfolio theory a person spreads their bets across a range of different ways to earn money. Some will perform better than others in certain situations, much as the value of stocks and bonds often move in opposite directions. While holding bonds might not seem like the best money maker during soaring stock prices, over the long term that kind of diversity can guard against being too vulnerable to the roller coast of financial markets.

“Diversification of investments is kind of a magic bullet for stability under future market uncertainty,” said Mitch Eaton, an ecologist at the U.S. Geological Survey’s Southeast Climate Adaptation Center and the paper’s lead author. “The idea behind using modern portfolio theory is to manage risk under future climate uncertainty, and to help managers consider investments more carefully.”

This isn’t the first time such thinking has been applied to conservation. I’ve written about similar thinking among people trying to decide which coral species to try to save. Nature is, in many ways, the original practitioner of portfolio theory, with evolution rewarding species that can maintain genetic diversity. Scientists used the portfolio term to explain the remarkable productivity of sockeye salmon runs in Bristol Bay, Alaska.

[erisweekofficial]

Here are some questions to help brainstorm how you can contribute to Eris week. You can use them for fic, art, quotes, head canons, theories, playlists, and more! Remember that we’re all here to support one another’s ideas, so don't be afraid to do something outside your comfort zone!

Read more under the cut.

ARRANGED MARRIAGE 

How would Eris initially feel about being forced into an arranged marriage? Would he see it as an opportunity, a burden, or something else? 

How would Eris act when meeting his prospective bride or groom? How do they perceive each other, and how does that relationship evolve over time? 

If Eris was part of an arranged marriage, would internal struggles would Eris face? Does he wrestle with the conflict between duty and personal desires? How does he reconcile his own ambitions

What if Eris or his prospective partner was in love with someone else? Would he go through with the marriage? 

Would Eris ever arrange a marriage for his children? What would be his reasoning? What would he do if we were met with resistance? 

MODERN AU 

If Eris was in the modern world, what kind of job would he have? Would he have a role that naturally aligns with his personality and skills, or would you prefer to place him in a role that is at odds with his nature? 

Example Jobs: CEO, Mafia Boss, Doctor, Portfolio Manager, Attorney, Commercial Real Estate Agent, Actor, Fashion Designer, Detective, Musician, Academic, Dramaturgist, Ambassador, Politician 

What modern-day traditions or celebrations would Eris participate in? Does he celebrate with family? Friends? Alone? 

What mundane activities or rituals would Eris have in a modern au? What does he do when those are interrupted? 

Would Eris have different relationships with the actor characters in a modern setting, or would they essentially be the same? (it’s up to you!) 

What other tropes could you combine with modern au?

[atwooozi]

gojo x oc

Chapter 14: Dumplings

summary: Ai navigates the pressures of her job and the complex relationships with her colleagues. As she waits for a meeting with the intimidating Director Yaga, she finds solace in Geto's photography.

genre: modern AU, slice of life, comedy, eventual romance, eventual smut, some angst

A/N:

I want to apologize for such a long gap in posting. Things got pretty busy on my end with the semester coming to a close and having to start up practicum. Things aren't so backloaded this time so I have more time to post hopefully.

Anyway, the song to go with this chapter is Last Summer Whisper by Anri

READ ON AO3

Sitting in the Hollow offices, Ai waited for Director Yaga to call her in for their meeting. He wanted to see where Ai and her team were in terms of the story. It was nice to have a break from having to follow Gojo around, but seeing her boss wasn't a much better alternative. She leaned her head back against the wall and closed her eyes as she waited to be called. 

“Tired?” 

Ai opened her eyes slightly to see Geto take a seat next to her. She closed her eyes again and sighed. “You could say that.” 

Geto chuckled and bumped her shoulder playfully. “Do you want to see some of the photos I developed?” 

Ai took a moment before she opened her eyes again, sitting up straight. “Sure.” 

Geto passed Ai the portfolio and she flipped through the glossy pages. While Ai wasn't necessarily a photography expert, she could see the energy in each snapshot. The activities were so mundane, yet Geto somehow transformed them into something extraordinary. There was a candidness to the shots that were just so captivating.

 Ai was surprised by the way Geto captured Gojo’s playfulness in a simple photo. She ran her fingers delicately over the pages. The scenes he captured felt so real, so human. One photo showed Gojo interacting with his co-stars, laughing as he made shadow puppets against the wall of his dressing room. That day was so ordinary, but it showed a side of Gojo that people rarely get to see; his warmth and joy. This was the Gojo that Ai wanted to present to the rest of the world, and these photos were a testament to that depth. 

“They're amazing, Geto,” Ai said as she flipped through the pages some more. “Your work is amazing…” 

“Thank you,” Geto said with a prideful smile as he took the binder back. “How's writing going?” 

Ai glared at the man, causing him to raise his hands in defense and laugh some more. She wasn’t sure if it was just her, but she felt that most writers hated it when people asked them how it was going. It just made her want to work less if she was being honest.  

“Sorry,” Geto said with a small smirk playing on his lips. 

Ai narrowed her eyes at Geto causing him to lean back in his seat and chuckle. “At least, someone did their homework.” 

As Ai was about to open her mouth to give Geto a piece of her mind Director Yaga opened his door and looked to them both. “Come in,” he said gruffly before walking back inside. 

Ai and Geto both stood up and filed their way inside the office, each taking a seat across from Yaga. Director Yaga’s office was… strange , to put it lightly. Sitting alongside various awards in journalism were handmade plush toys of various colors and sizes. No one who worked at Hollow dared to ask Yaga about the toys directly, but since the director didn’t have kids, people tried their best to come up with theories. 

Geto glance around the office before taking his seat next to Ai. “This is an interesting collection of–” Ai pinched Geto’s side causing him to grimace and wear a strained smile. “I like your decor.” He muttered without saying much else. 

“How's the profile going so far?” Yaga asked, thankfully ignoring Geto’s snark. 

Geto glanced at Ai as if encouraging her to speak and she hesitated momentarily. “It's…It's coming together,” Ai said and gave a tight smile. “He's finally starting to open up.” 

Yaga nodded as he listened. “Good, I skimmed over some of your notes…but you didn’t send any pages.”

Ai winced a bit but did her best to smile. “I just had a big breakthrough last night so I didn’t want to send you anything mediocre until I had Junpei look it over…?” 

Ai smiled a bit more but looked down at her lap feeling some guilt spread through her chest. She had absolutely nothing written yet, but Yaga didn’t need to know that.  

Yaga let his stare linger on Ai for a beat before turning his attention to Geto. She was safe for a day or two longer, hopefully. 

“You're not really my concern, Geto-san, but since your stuff is going in my magazine I might as well take a look.” He said as he took the portfolio from Geto. The three sat in silence as Yaga looked through the photographs. 

Director Yaga wasn't someone who was particularly fond of working with people outside the magazine. He would if it was necessary, but he preferred working with people he felt like he could trust. Plus, the costs that came with getting big names for just a few shots, felt like a scam. 

Ai recalled Yaga saying something along the lines of ‘They're just as good as those big names. People who read Hollow do it for the articles. If they wanna look at pictures they can grab a damn photobook.’

“They're good,” Yaga admitted as he handed Geto his photos back. “I see why they wanted you for the job.” 

Geto gave Yaga a smug smile, his eyes turning into sharp slits that Ai had become accustomed to. “Thank you for the compliment, Yaga-san.” 

Yaga nodded and looked through his schedule as if the two weren’t even in the office anymore. “You two can leave now,” he said dismissively as he shifted his interest to something on his computer. 

Ai and Geto quickly excused themselves and made their way out of the offices. 

“You like working for that guy?” Geto asked once they were far enough from the building. 

Ai giggled and shrugged. “I mean, he gave me my first job and while I don't particularly like him– I like my work.” 

Geto nodded as he listened to Ai’s reasoning. “Maybe you should look at other options? Just because you're comfortable doesn't mean you can't find anything better.” 

Ai rolled her eyes and nudged Geto playfully. “Got any other sage advice, Geto sensei ? Should I invest in some stocks, too?” 

Geto stuck his tongue out at her. “Just giving you my two cents.” 

Ai sighed and stretched her arms over her head, causing her shoulders to pop. Geto winced at the sound and shook his head in disapproval. 

“I appreciate it,” Ai said as she exhaled. 

Geto nodded and put his hands in his pockets. “Are you excited for later today?”

“Hm?” Ai tried her best to recall what was on today's schedule but kept drawing a blank. When she finally remembered she had almost walked into the back of a poor salaryman before Geto stopped her. “That comedian’s show, right?” 

Geto eyed Ai with concern but nodded. “Yeah, Takaba Fumihiko.”

“Right! He has that interview with him…” Ai muttered mostly to herself as she tried to sort through Gojo’s schedule in her head. The more she tried to remember the more dates and times became blurry just like the rest of her thoughts lately.  

Ai gave Geto a weak smile and looked ahead. She felt like she was falling apart at the seams after that meeting. If Geto could see it, someone whom she had only known for a little more than two weeks, it must’ve been obvious to ‌just about anyone. “Are you looking forward to it?” 

“A bit.” Geto shrugged as they walked. “I would watch some of his performances with my dad when I was a kid.” 

“But he’s so over the top!” Ai laughed. “His style is something that my grandpa would be into he’s all puns and lame gags.” 

Geto rolled his eyes and scoffed at Ai’s comment. “ Oh, I didn’t realize that on top of being a journalist that you were comedy legend too.” 

Ai giggled. “You know something?” She couldn’t help but smile. “You look cool but you're probably just as lame if not lamer than Gojo.” 

Geto clicked his tongue at Ai's comment and turned his nose up at her. “I'm not lame .”

“Name one cool thing about you that doesn’t have to do with your looks.” Ai challenged as she stared Geto dead in the eye. 

He paused for a moment and looked around at his surroundings as he tried to think. “... I,” the man was stalling, letting his word drag on as he tried to give Ai an answer. “I run a well-respected food blog I’ll have you know.” 

“So cool,” Ai laughed and continued to walk ahead. “Are you going to stay in the area or do you want to meet up later?” 

Geto stopped next to Ai as he pondered what to do. “Did you want to get something to eat? I know all the best places.” 

Ai shrugged. “Chinese?”

⨯ . ⁺ ✦ ⊹ ꙳ ⁺ ‧ ⨯. ⁺ ✦ ⊹ . * ꙳ ✦ ⊹⨯ . ⁺ ✦ ⊹ ꙳ ⁺ ‧ ⨯. ⁺ ✦ ⊹ . * ꙳ ✦ ⊹⨯ . ⁺ ✦ ⊹ ꙳ ⁺

Geto and Ai were sitting off to the side of a small Chinese restaurant that seated probably twenty to twenty-five at most. The atmosphere was cozy, with dim lighting casting a gentle glow over the dark wooden tables. The lanterns that hung from the ceiling, along with the accents of red added to the restaurant’s charm. They ordered potstickers, shumai, and a spicy tofu dish at Geto's insistence so they didn't just get plates and plates of different types of dumplings.  

As they waited for their food, Ai took in the surroundings. The walls were mostly bare, but some of the corners were adorned with paintings of serene landscapes. The aroma of sizzling dishes being prepared in the kitchen traveled through the air, making Ai’s stomach growl in anticipation. She glanced at Geto, who seemed completely at ease, his eyes scanning the menu one last time as if contemplating whether to order something more. 

“The tofu is really good,” Ai smiled as she gulped water to dilute the spice on her tongue. 

“Aren't you glad we ordered some?” Geto asked as he divvied up the rest of the food for them both. 

Ai noticed that he had given her more than he had given himself. She wondered if sharing a meal was Geto’s way of checking in on people he cared for. Whatever his reasoning was, she couldn’t help but feel touched by the gesture.   

“I don't need all that,” Ai complained as she tried to put some of the potstickers on Geto's plate, but he blocked her with his chopsticks. 

“Eat,” Geto said as he glanced up at her from under his lashes. His gaze was soft yet firm, a mix of concern and insistence “You need the energy. I'll just eat whatever you don't finish.” 

Before Ai could even begin to open her mouth in protest Geto stopped with a shake of his head. “I’m sure you have sizable brain in that large head of yours, but thinking burns a lot of calories so eat.”

Ai didn't fight Geto. It's not like she minded; she was tired, and the food was good. She picked up her chopsticks and took another bite, savoring the flavors.   

“You could’ve said that without mentioning me having a big head…” 

“But it’s one of your more prominent features.” Geto hummed as he enjoyed his tofu.

Ai looked out the window and sighed as she watched the people go by. She had never felt so tired. She had hoped that once this story was over things could go back to the way they were: easy, boring, simple. 

“How are things going with Satoru?” Geto arched his brow. 

“Good, I feel like he’s finally opening up to me.”

Geto narrowed his eyes at Ai and gave her a knowing smile. “That’s nice, but that wasn’t what I meant.”

Ai frowned. “Things are going nowhere–just like how they should be.”  

Geto nodded and glanced away. “Are you sure about that?” 

Ai popped a dumpling in her mouth and furrowed her brows at Geto’s question. She was starting to feel like he was trying to play games with her now just like how Gojo seemed to be. She was beginning to think that the two of them were the reason behind her exhaustion rather than this assignment in general. 

“What do you mean?” Ai asked, chewing her dumpling slowly as she waited for Geto to speak. 

Geto shrugged and set down his chopsticks, looking Ai in the eyes. “What was yesterday about then?” 

“Nothing happened.” Ai shook her head. “We just talked and he walked with me to the station.” 

Geto leaned back in his chair, folding his arms across his chest as he studied Ai’s face. “What did you talk about?” 

“Fushiguro Toji,” Ai said, setting down her own chopsticks. 

Surprise flickered in Geto’s eyes. “He talked about Toji?” 

Ai nodded. “Yeah, why?” 

“I’m just surprised, that’s all,” Geto said as he picked up his chopsticks, ready to eat again.

Ai studied Geto’s expression waiting for him to continue speaking, but he just silently ate the food that was in front of them. His expression seemed pensive though as if there was something that didn’t play out quite right in his mind.  

After a few moments of unsettling silence, Geto finally spoke again. “It’s unusual for Satoru to bring up Toji with anyone.” 

Ai’s flicked up from her food to Geto. “Why do you think he mentioned him to me then?” 

Geto paused, considering his words carefully. “Maybe he’s testing you.” 

“Testing me?” 

Ai started to panic internally. If Geto was right that Gojo was testing her then how would she know if she passed or not? Would he even let her know? Would he let her try again? She felt a sudden urge to call Gojo and beg for a second chance. Maybe if she begged he’d take some pity on her. The thought was horrifying but she would swallow what was left of her pride if she needed to. 

Geto picked a potsticker off Ai’s plate, popping it into his mouth. Ai watched Geto, her mind racing with questions she didn’t want to voice. She picked at her food, her appetite dampened by the turn of their conversation. 

“How do I know if I passed?” She finally asked, trying to keep her voice steady. 

Geto shrugged, his nonchalant attitude was driving Ai up a wall. “I don’t think it’s something that you have to worry about.” 

Ai let out a sigh, feeling a mix of relief and anxiety. “I wish I knew what he was thinking…” 

Geto chuckled. “Don’t we all?” he rested his head against his palm as he smiled to himself. “I’ve known him for years and I still can’t figure out what he’s thinking sometimes.”  

Ai smiled and nodded, she took another bite of her food, feeling a bit more at ease. She looked over at Geto with a newfound appreciation. He was still a menace, but he had a way of calming her that she hadn’t expected from him. It made her wonder if that’s what Gojo liked about him too. 

“Stop smiling at me, you're creeping me out,” Geto said as he picked off Ai’s plate. 

Ai rolled her eyes, but she couldn’t help but laugh. “Okay, okay. But seriously, thanks for this.” 

Geto gave a small nod, his smile looked a bit more genuine this time. “Anytime, Ai.”  

⨯ . ⁺ ✦ ⊹ ꙳ ⁺ ‧ ⨯. ⁺ ✦ ⊹ . * ꙳ ✦ ⊹⨯ . ⁺ ✦ ⊹ ꙳ ⁺ ‧ ⨯. ⁺ ✦ ⊹ . * ꙳ ✦ ⊹⨯ . ⁺ ✦ ⊹ ꙳ ⁺

After wandering around Kanda with Geto, he and Ai had taken a taxi to the set of Takaba Fumihiko's talk show. It felt cozy in comparison to the Jujutsu Kaisen set. There were enough seats to fit a handful of people in the audience while the rest of the room was for Takaba and his two guests. This evening it would be Gojo and Zenin Maki, who were promoting their upcoming movie. 

After taking in the scene that was Takaba's “clubhouse”, Ai and Geto made their way to Gojo's green room. 

“Senpai,” Junpei quickly stood up and greeted Ai and Geto. 

“Hey Junpei-kun, is everything okay?” Ai said as she quickly stepped into the room. 

Junpei sighed and looked over his shoulder at the mischievous-looking Gojo. “Y-Yes…”

When Ai looked over Junpei's shoulder at Gojo he quickly turned his head away from her. From the looks of it, he seemed to be pouting. 

“Don't be mean to kids, Satoru.” Geto tutted as he started to put the lens on his camera. 

Gojo huffed and leaned back in his makeup chair. He was wearing fitted black slacks, a light blue button-up, and a rather expensive-looking pair of leather black loafers.

“No glasses today?” Ai asked as she sat down on the small couch behind Gojo.   

Gojo seemed to debate whether he wanted to answer or not before letting himself break out into a smile. “Nah, something about the lights reflecting off the camera. Plus, I look better without them, don't you think, Ai-chan?” 

Ai rolled her eyes playfully at Gojo. “If you say so.” She didn't want to say anything that Gojo could read into. Ai was still trying to figure out how to navigate her relationship with him, and her talk with Geto certainly did not help. 

“Are you nervous for Takaba’s show, Gojo-san?” Junpei asked with a smile. 

Junpei was so mild-mannered that Ai felt herself swell with pride when she saw her kouhai speak without hesitance to Gojo. 

Gojo shrugged casually as he turned his attention to Junpei. “Nah, not really. It's just another gig. Besides, Maki will be there too, so I don't have to do too much work.” 

“Do talk shows feel like a lot of work with you?” Ai asked as she started to jot some notes down. Gojo didn't seem to do many talk shows, if any at all. However, given that he was promoting a movie that was going to be in theaters, it seemed like an absolute must. 

Gojo made a face and sighed before answering. “I mean, regular talk shows are boring as hell, but at least Takaba has us play games, so it's much better.” 

“Not a fan of talking about yourself?” 

Just before Gojo could answer Ai, a PA called for Gojo, it was time. “I guess there's just not much to say.” He stood up from his makeup chair and a small crowd of stylists came over to make sure that he was picture-perfect. “Wish me luck, Ai-chan.” 

Ai nodded and gave him an encouraging smile. “Break a leg, Gojo,” she said as she stood up. 

As Gojo walked out, Ai, Geto, and Junpei followed behind. They would be standing on the sidelines while Gojo would turn on the charm for the cameras and the small studio audience. 

The show went by relatively well. Gojo immediately fell into a groove with Takaba. Maki's more stern energy made her a natural straight man for the two men to play off of. 

Yet, despite the lively energy on set Ai couldn't help but feel a bit of an ache in her chest as she looked Gojo's way. His laughs and his smiles looked and sounded so natural, but when she glanced down at his hand she could see him tense it with each laugh and grin. He was putting on a show. She wondered what it was that bothered him so much. She desperately wanted to know, but she wasn’t sure if it was for the benefit of her story, or out of the concern that she couldn’t help but have for the man. 

[pinturas-gran-guerra-aire]

1916 10 28 Icarus - Russell Smith

beware: this is a photochopped version of the original, besides correcting red glare, I photochopped the barely visible broken wing tip on Boelcke's Albatros, I don't know if it was a flaw of the photo or it was supposed to be a strip of camouflaged fabric fluttering, but it looked like green snot and it was an eye sore just in the middle of the painting and it ruined it for me. Color filters failed so I airbrushed it over in my clumsy attempts to improve on it. You can view the originals and order prints at the artist site.

Oswald Boelcke is considered the father of the German fighter air force, as well as the "Father of Air Fighting Tactics”. He was the first to formalize rules of air fighting, which he presented as the Dicta Boelcke. His theories on air combat are still relevant and are still used by modern military pilots. Credited with 40 victories, he was respected and revered on both side of the lines and served as a mentor to many early German WWI pilots, including Manfred von Richthofen, who continued to idolize Boelke until his own death in 1918.Boelcke was killed on Oct. 28, 1916 while flying an afternoon sortie - his sixth of the day - with Erwin Böhme and Manfred von Richthofen. While diving to attack a patrol of British DH2s, Boelcke and Böhme momentarily lost sight of each other. Böhme's landing gear brushed Boelcke's upper wing causing pieces of the wing to slowly break away. Boelcke managed to bring the aircraft down in what amounted to a controlled crash, but as his wheels touched the ground the Albatros flipped on its back and Boelcke’s skull was crushed. Oswald Boelcke was only 25 years old

[monstersdownthepath]

I just read your excellent article on Pazuzu, and it left me with an uncanny feeling of deja vu, until I remembered Barbatos (my beloved).

Between their somewhat similar portfolios, their ability to travel to the material plane with little difficulty, and their hear name ability, do you think there's any relation between the Lord of Temptation and the Mistletoe Monk (my beloved), or could they even be the same entity?

Same entity? Definitely not. Similar relationship? Perhaps.

I one received a very convincing theory from a follower positing that Barbatos (my beloved) may be a reformed Qlippoth Lord who sees Hell's vision of eradicating free will as a means to an end to destroy demonic life altogether, a theory I now personally subscribe to. Pazuzu was among the first of all demons, and an entity like Barbatos (my beloved) would be older still; as far as I'm aware there's no concrete proof that Pazuzu himself wasn't also a qlippoth... and, in fact, as I was writing this I had to check a small fact I remembered: in Extinction Curse: Life's Long Shadow, Pazuzu is mentioned alongside Dagon and Jubilex as being one of the Qlippoth Lords who was transformed into a demon! Huh!!! But who knows if that's truly canon, or simply a biased take from apocrypha about Zevgavizeb (also a qli-turned-de).

Given that Mr. Jacobs had a hand in creating the Obyrith, the D&D 3.5 precursors to the PF's qlippoth, and that Pazuzu in D&D went from obyrith to demon lord, there may be some lingering design echoes here. Take that as you will.

All this to say that it's possible Pazuzu and Barbatos (my beloved) were cut from a similar cloth, if not the same cloth, in much the same way that some modern parasites share a common ancestor. We know that the Mistletoe Monk does frequently meet with Chaotic entities of various alignments, but whatever his direct relationship (if any) with the Lord of the Skies may be is never directly stated.

[teamfinodha]

Alpha Generator – What It Is and How It Works? #Finodha

[neworange]

Project Driven Learning - Dumped in notion today's morning😅

Vision

[ ] Job But in a good organization that I can be proud of

[ ] Worked for interesting companies at the beginning of my career which are also easier to get into and can provide valuable experience and a learning environment

[ ] I want to build visionary solutions for an organization like Sundar Pichai did for Google.

Projects

[ ] Meaningful projects - projects that I want to use myself

[ ] Find clone development projects of popular apps

[ ] I'll just have to build Just good enough projects

[ ] Project Matrix - Value / Complexity / Skills / Scope

[ ] Projects that are not just learning coding and development but also cloud computing and other skills

[ ] Don’t just build what you are passionate about but build what resonates with the target audience for which you are going to be applying for

[ ] What’s the enterprise-level business problem for which a solution can be coded equivalent to the exercises I’ve done from the book

[ ] Enterprise level Solving some Business Problems

System

[ ] Build the developer's Brain

[ ] Setting up a system to efficiently complete projects after projects

[ ] Build using AI and Google → Do the same projects using tutorials → Build a similar project of my own on my own

[ ] Keep reflecting to improve the project system and workflow

[ ] What are the outcomes of working on that project?

[ ] Pivot when projects not working or when gotten stuck

[ ] Which projects to take

[ ] Each project must have Skill/ challenge/ value/ purpose criteria

[ ] aligned with your immediate goals, if not add to the project backlog

[ ] Create mini frameworks to build project-efficient, effective and robust solutions.

[ ] Learn from the experts - So many online have built projects with so many functional things

[ ] How they approach building a new project

[ ] How they plan to Strategically set up for success

[ ] How they start a project from scratch

[ ] How do they plan architecture?

[ ] Build a project-building system and improve it along the way while building and learning

Resources

[ ] Theory management by reflecting on the progress of the project

[ ] Cross-check the concepts learnt in the theory

[ ] Find books & courses with enterprise-level application project

[ ] Full in-depth tutorials with examples

[ ] Reverse engineer Portfolios and Github

[ ] Research the expert people in building projects.

[ ] Medium, Github contributors

[ ] Udemy SDE project tutorials

[ ] Workshop → Software Development

[ ] Job boards require analysis to practice skills for software engineering

[ ] Agile certification

[ ] Cloud Certification

[ ] Software development online communities to ask for help and feedback and get to know about new things

High-Quality Questions

[ ] How to become a GitHub star

[ ] How to become an open-source star

[ ] what it takes to create a software from scratch till deployment

[ ] How to become a modern software engineer

[ ] What are the skills apart from coding and development?

[ ] What skills to acquire to go from to great engineer

Profession

[ ] Gather a network of support system

To help out of the stuck zone

Get feedback on stuck projects

[ ] Find a few developer friends

[ ] Ask them if they have built projects and hosted them on GitHub

[ ] Ask them to give feedback on my progress & help me make it functional

[ ] Software development online communities to get to know about new things

[writingwithstyle]

welcome to writing with style

This course is about style, how we analyze it, how we cultivate it. Our goal in this course is to expand our stylistic repertoires. We will do this by digging into sentences—clauses, phrases, words, and punctuation—to see how even the smallest units of writing can persuade. We’ll begin with some grammar review, not to ensure “correctness” (a word whose meaning and effects we will closely examine), but rather to understand the way sentences work rhetorically. Far from being the stuffy domain of reactionary pedants, grammar is historically related to practices of magic (hence the etymological relation between “grammar” and “glamor”). As is appropriate for magicians, we will learn an esoteric language—figures and tropes such as parataxis, hypotaxis, syntaxis, diacope, epistrophe, apostrophe, synecdoche, metonymy, and many more. And like magicians, we’ll spend much of our time practicing, experimenting—looking at your writing, trying on different styles through repetition and imitation. Here is what I hope for you by the end of this course:

That you appreciate the difference between prescriptive and descriptive accounts of language.

That you discern how different situations call for different styles. 

That you deploy grammatical and stylistic vocabulary with confidence and accuracy.

That you cultivate a rhetorically sophisticated repertoire of styles.

That you enjoy written style: that working with words gives you pleasure and delight. 

course elements

The course consists of a commonplace book, several short exercises, three major assignments, and a portfolio that will include revisions and an explanatory letter. I will ask you to keep copies of all these assignments in Google Drive folders so that you can access them all at the end of the course. There is also a brief final exam on the terminology that we’ll be learning throughout the course. As we approach the major assignments, we will read examples of the genres, describe them, and apply those descriptions to your own writing. Fuller project descriptions can be found in the syllabus.

readings

books

Virginia Tufte, Artful Sentences, 978-0961392185

Mark Forsyth, Elements of Eloquence, 978-0-425-27618-1

short pieces (provisional list)

John Muckelbauer, “Asignification”

Henry Louis Gates, Jr., The Signifying Monkey (selections)

William Gass, “The Ontology of the Sentence, or How to Make a World of Words” 

Joan Didion, "Why I Write"

Terry Tempest Williams, "Why I Write"

Ursula K. LeGuin, "The Carrier Bag Theory of Fiction"

N.K. Jemisin, "How Long ’til Black Future Month?"

James Baldwin, "My Dungeon Shook"

Martin Luther King, Jr., "Letter from Birmingham Jail"

Lydia Davis, "Grammar Questions"

Constance Hale, Sin and Syntax (selections)

Jonathan Alexander, "Students’ Right to Write"

Emerging in Early Modern Europe, commonplace books were privately made and held collections of information, which would include snippets of text, phrases or words to remember, and even bits of verse. I’d like you each to keep a commonplace book. With this commonplace book, you will compile things that might become elements of your own styles. You’ll need a keen eye and an attuned ear along with scissors and glue. What turns of phrase, words, sentence, images and photographs inspire you? A notebook will be provided to this end. All that the commonplace book requires of you is the selection and collection of such stylistics elements. Additionally, you will need to develop an index system to organize and categorize entries.

[shefsolutionllc]

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[codingbit-001]

Step Into the World of Coding with CodingBit!

Bytco College - Polytechnic, in collaboration with CodingBit World, invites you to our Web Development Workshop—your gateway to mastering the art of building stunning, modern websites. Whether you're a complete beginner or looking to refine your skills, this workshop is designed just for you!

📌 What You’ll Gain: ✨ Learn to create responsive websites from scratch ✨ Hands-on experience with HTML, CSS, and JavaScript ✨ Real-world projects to boost your confidence and portfolio ✨ Expert insights from the talented team at CodingBit World

💻 Why Join? This workshop goes beyond theory, providing practical skills and industry-relevant techniques. With CodingBit World, you’re learning from the best to kickstart your journey in the web development field.

📍 Location: Bytco College, Polytechnic

Don’t miss this chance to explore your coding potential. Join the workshop and be part of the CodingBit World!