#now it's cindy and liz...

[rzvera]

me thinking about literally any ship from disco elysium: this too is dialectics

[yyarrow]

here, some references for drawing so we can make fanart the way it was meant to be made

[yellow-yarrow]

*feels intense anxiety for no reason* ough the horrors. i need distraction *opens psd document*

[thollandsgirl2013]

𝐐𝐮𝐢𝐭𝐞 𝐑𝐨𝐨𝐦

Parings → Peter Parker x Reader

Warnings → insecurities, fluff, angst

Summary → Seven minutes in heaven, what could happen?

(gif not mine)

Parties had never been your scene. The loud music, the dim lighting, and the sea of unfamiliar faces always made you feel out of place. But when Betty insisted, practically dragging you along with MJ, you found yourself reluctantly agreeing. Betty and MJ were your best friends, and as much as you didn't enjoy parties, you hated the idea of being left out more.

The moment you stepped into the crowded living room, you stuck close to MJ, your safety net. You shared a knowing look, silently agreeing to stick together for the night. But that plan quickly fell apart when Betty spotted Ned across the room. With a playful wink, she ditched you two in favor of her boyfriend, leaving you and MJ to fend for yourselves.

That’s when the trouble began.

You didn’t know how, but before you knew it, you were dragged into a game of Seven Minutes in Heaven. The circle of players quickly formed: you, MJ, Betty, Ned, Flash, Cindy, Abe, Tiny, Jason, and Peter. The moment you saw Peter, your heart skipped a beat. You had a crush on him for as long as you could remember, but he had liked Liz back in sophomore year. Now that Liz was gone, you didn’t know if he was interested in anyone else. You hoped, silently and fervently, that the bottle would point to him.

It was your turn. You took a deep breath, trying to steady your nerves, and spun the bottle. It whirled around, the tension in the room thick as everyone watched. The bottle slowed, and your heart pounded in your chest as it pointed directly at Peter.

Your excitement was short-lived, though. Peter’s face was expressionless, almost cold, as he got up. He didn’t seem excited at all. In fact, he looked like he’d rather be anywhere but here. A lump formed in your throat, but you forced yourself to keep calm. Maybe he was just as nervous as you were.

The two of you were ushered into a small, cramped closet. Flash and Jason slammed the door shut with a loud laugh, locking you both in. The dim light from the overhead bulb cast shadows on the walls, making the small space feel even smaller. Peter stood as far away from you as possible, his hands shoved into his pockets.

You tried to swallow your disappointment, but your insecurities were already creeping in, whispering that he didn't want to be here with you. You cleared your throat, trying to break the awkward silence. “Um, hey.”

“Hi,” he replied, his voice flat.

You shifted uncomfortably, your nerves getting the better of you. “W-we don’t have to do anything. You don’t have to kiss me if you don’t want to. I’m sure you’d rather be in here with someone else. We can just stay where we are.” Your voice trailed off, growing quieter with each word.

Peter’s expression softened slightly, and he finally met your gaze. “It’s nothing to do with you. I’m sorry I seemed rude. I’m just really stressed out lately, and parties aren’t really my thing. I only came because of Ned.”

A small smile tugged at your lips. “Me too. Betty practically dragged me here.”

He chuckled softly, the sound easing some of the tension between you. “Seems like we have something in common.”

For some reason, his words gave you a burst of courage. Maybe it was the small space or the fact that you were alone with him, but you suddenly felt braver. “Hey, Peter, I… um, I wanted to tell you something for a while.” You swallowed hard, nerves bubbling up again. “I-I really like you. And it’s okay if you don’t feel the same. You don’t really know me, so I get it.”

Peter blinked, clearly stunned by your confession. His expression was unreadable, and your heart sank a little. But then, to your surprise, he spoke. “Yeah, I don’t really know you… but maybe I’d like to. Maybe we could go on a date sometime? Get to know each other? And if it goes well… who knows.... maybe we could start dating.”

Peter had never dated anyone or even gone on a date, so he was hopeful. You like him, so maybe it will be good.

“Yes! I-I mean, yeah, sure,” you replied, trying to sound casual despite the excitement bubbling inside you.

A shy smile tugged at the corners of his lips. “Hey, we still have two minutes. Do you want to… maybe… kiss?”

You felt your cheeks heat up, but you nodded. “Yeah.” Your voice was just a whisper.

The kiss was soft, tentative, and a little awkward, but it was sweet in its own way. It was both of your first kisses. Neither of you were experienced, but you both tried, and by the time you leaned in again for a second kiss, it felt a little more natural, a little more right.

Suddenly, the door was yanked open, and Flash’s voice rang out. “Yo, Parker’s kissing Y/n!” He sounded half-amazed, half-amused. Ned cheered loudly, and you pulled away from Peter, your face burning with embarrassment. Peter glared at Flash, clearly annoyed.

MJ gave you a thumbs up from across the room, her smirk evident even in the dim light.

“Shut up, Flash. Leave us alone,” Peter snapped, grabbing your hand and pulling you out of the closet. Without another word, he led you upstairs, away from the chaos of the party.

Peter guided you to a quiet room at the far end of the hall, away from the noise and the teasing. He closed the door behind you and turned to face you, a soft smile on his lips. “Sorry about Flash. He’s an idiot.”

You giggled, still a little flustered from the kiss. “It’s okay. I’m just glad we got out of there.”

He hesitated for a moment, then took a step closer to you, his eyes meeting yours. "So, about that date… h-how about tomorrow? Maybe we can go to the movies or grab some coffee?" His voice was hopeful, a bit nervous.

You smiled, your own nerves finally settling. “I’d like that.”

Peter’s smile grew, and for the first time that night, he seemed genuinely happy. “Me too.”

As the two of you stood there, you felt something shift. The awkwardness of the game downstairs was replaced with something new—something exciting. You leaned up, pressing a soft kiss to his cheek, feeling the warmth of his skin against your lips.

Peter caught your gaze, and for a moment, it felt like the world outside that small room didn't exist. He leaned down slowly, capturing your lips in another kiss, this one more sure, more confident. It was sweet and gentle.

When you finally pulled back, both of you were smiling, a little breathless but incredibly happy. "We should probably get back downstairs before they start making stuff up," you said, though you made no move to leave.

"Yeah," Peter replied, his voice soft, "let's go."

As you left the party that night, walking side by side with Peter, you couldn’t help but feel like maybe, just maybe, this could be the start of something wonderful.

‎∗ ࣪ ˖༺ 𓆩☆𓆪 ༻˖ ࣪ ∗

[renmorris]

Liz/Cindy sometime after the first tribunal. I think Lizzie should be allowed to break things and graffito shit and scream at the top of her lungs as a treat. I think she’d also find that really mortifyingly juvenile and unacceptable though. Can Cindy introduce her to the concept of vent art please???

I’m picturing Lizzie being burnt out, like it’s a few days after the shooting and it’s been confirmed that the mercs are no longer in the area and it’s safe for her on the streets. Maybe she was spending time with Leo and the missus and they’re very kind to her and comforting but she's restless from being cooped up and afraid and she needs something else now.

[deathofacupid]

oops | peter parker

tw: spidey senses be letting homeboy down

summary: you're just a bit clumsy.

being popular had never been necessary to you. that being said, landing a spot in flash and liz's clique was more of a... mistake, really, than anything else. looking upon it now, as you did every other time, you cringed so hard.

since 7th grade, you'd had the most massive crush on peter parker. it all started when he'd lent you a pencil in math class. why you thought that to be attractive, you weren't sure. but it was. and you hadn't ever been very coordinated around him, to say the least. that year, you'd been partnered with him for a art project. at first, you were very excited, but didn't know that you wouldn't be able to get two words out around him.

the boy had always been picked on by flash, that wasn't news to anyone. when you had accidentally knocked over the glass of bright red paint and spilt it all over the front of his shirt, everyone laughed. they laughed because they thought you did it on purpose. they laughed because they thought it was funny. and they laughed because peter had started crying.

god, that was the most terrible day of your life.

and the worst part?

you had heard him and ned gushing over the new starwars shirt, and that he'd finally saved up enough allowance to buy it (the shirt was limited addition, and was more expensive than it needed to be) earlier that day.

the next day, you tried your hardest to explain it him that it really was just an accident, but he had made it a point to stay away from you, because the poor kid thought you were trying to bully him. not only that, but flash and his clique started to hang out around you, they claimed it was because what you had done was "epic" and "took crazy guts."

his group consisted of liz, gwen, cindy, harry, and himself. and since you had no other friends, you just let it be.

then in 8th grade, you accidentally insulted him, you were trying to make small talk, but ended up humiliating him in front of the entire grade. you'd never forget his bright red face, twisted in embarrassment, tears filling his eyes as he tried to desperately blink them back. that too, you were applauded for by your friends.

basically, every singled time (yes, there were more, but they were not to be spoken about) you'd ended up hurting him. so eventually in freshman, you'd stayed away, fantasizing from afar.

currently you were fantasizing from the bleachers, staring at peter as he did curl-ups as ned kept his feet in place.

"and i know, right? zach is so hot!" liz squealed.

cindy nodded aggressively, "he's so asking you out to the dance, trust me. ooh! i forgot to tell you! harry finally asked me. but i guess i kinda already figured that he would."

dazed, you looked up, "huh? figured who out?"

"that you like peter parker," cindy shrugged.

"yeah, but- wait, what?"

she rolled her eyes, "you've literally been checking him out all period. dude, he totally got a glow-up! did you see his abs?"

yes. duh. what do you think i've been staring at?

you hummed in response instead. "well?"

"well, what, liz?"

"are you gonna ask him?"

"no! he hates me!"

"how do you know?" cindy countered.

"because i bully him!"

"yeah," liz nodded, "i was actually gonna ask about that. do you have, like, a degradation kink or something?"

"one, that's not how those work. two, i didn't mean to do all that... i just... i freeze up around him."

"leave it to our girl to crush on a dork," the korean girl giggled.

"he's not a dork."

they rose an eyebrow at you.

"okay, well, still," you defended, "he's cute."

"girls!" a voice boomed, "you done gossiping?"

"stupid coach," you muttered, before stepping off the bleachers with your friends.

coach doss looked around, clearly last minute planning something. "uh, okay, let's do dodgeball. two teams, a and b. cindy, a. liz, b. harry, a. y/n, b. peter, a," he continued but you ignored that.

you and peter were on opposite sides. and how would that end? you pushed away those thoughts and pressed your lips together. it was fine, no big deal. just avoid him, right?

you picked up a ball, and stood there. kids were yelling and screaming, and you just stood near the corner, where no one noticed you. soon enough, it was you and just some other kids. your teammates looked at you expectantly, and you being you, panicked, not liking the sudden attention. so you squeezed your eyes tight and threw the ball as hard as you could in a random direction.

only when you heard a crack and a yelp did you look up.

and what had you done?

you'd hit peter right in the face. he was clutching his nose, which was bleeding like hell, and groaning in pain. coach blew his whistle and rushed over.

"good going," liz mouthed and your cheeks burned.

"damn, y/n, definitely busted something," harry whistled.

"oh my god, peter, i'm sorry," you rushed out.

coach doss shook his head. "definitely broken. no worries, l/n, it was an accident. go ahead and take him to the nurse. i'll write you a pass."

no worries?

you nodded and walked up to peter, avoiding any and all eye contact. the two of you walked in silence down the hall until:

"why do you hate me?" he blurted out, sounding equal parts pained and confused.

"no, i-i don't hate you!" you said quickly.

"you don't? but... you've been picking on me since... i dunno, middle school?"

"i don't- that's not-" you and two options, tell the truth or go with it. and peter deserved the truth, no matter how embarrassing it was. you inhaled, and in one breath; "ilikeyoualotijustdon'tknowhowtoactlikeanormalpersomaroundyoiandit'sreally-"

"what?"

"i, uh, i like you. like you, like you."

"is- is this another joke?"

"no!"

"i'm sorry, i don't, it's just... you, um, literally bully me."

"i get really nervous around you," you blushed, "i thought you hated me. because... of that."

"i don't hate you, either."

"really?"

"yeah," he paused for a second, "i liked you, too, but i figured you didn't feel the same because, you know."

"god, this is humiliating. i just freeze up around you. and- i, um, yeah."

"well, i don't hate you. and if you're not messing with me-"

"i'm not," you interrupted.

he smiled, "then i'd really like to hang out with you."

"like a date? o-or not, that's fine, too," you stammered.

"yeah. a date."

"cool."

you stared at him for while, "shit, i'm so sorry i broke your nose!"

he laughed as you took a step closer, brushing your fingers over his cheek. realizing how close you were to him, you jerked back, accidentally hitting his. freaking. nose.

"ow," he said quietly.

"oops."

[24mirrorshards]

so it's heavily implied that Harry isn't the only character with a skill set, and that there is at least some overlap between peoples' skill sets. I'm sure not everyones' is identical (why would non-cops have an Esprit de Corps?), but assuming most people have at least most of the same ones, I would guess that Cuno's main/signature skill is Pain Threshold.

He's quicker to open up to Harry if Harry punches him. When he talks about how shitty and short he expects his life will be, it's like he thinks it's funny and cool. One of Harry's skills (I think Empathy?) points out that Cuno has a soft spot for people he perceives as dangerous. This all seems pretty indicative of high Pain Threshold.

Cunoesse's is pretty obviously Half-Light; the near-complete lack of trust and knee-jerk escalation of literally everything and nothing is pretty telling.

Some other guesses at different characters' main skills under the cut, some with reasoning some without

Harry's own skills hint that Soona has high Interfacing and Trant has high Encyclopedia and there's nothing about them that suggests his skills were wrong about that, so I'm gonna go with those for those two

Kim: Composure. Kim is well-mannered but outwardly unemotional, and he hates the idea of looking foolish.

Cindy: Conceptualization - what else?

Klaasje: Either Drama or Suggestion, for obvious reasons

Evrart: Rhetoric or Suggestion

Liz and Joyce both probably have Logic as theirs, they both think information through in a clear manner

Pretty sure Tommy's is Inland Empire; he's all sensitive and imaginative but without the calculated quality that comes with skills like Conceptualization or Drama

Lena's is Empathy, without a doubt

Titus' is probably Authority, I can see the case for Half-Light with the intimidation tactics but he's too composed for that IMO. (Maybe his is actually the Union-guy version of Esprit?)

I REALLY wish we got to know the ravers better. Their quest was kind of long, but I feel like they had so little to say relative to the quest's length? They are some of my favorite NPCs regardless. If I had to guess their signature skills, I'd say Andre's is Savoir Faire (good dancer, sneaky with the whole meth lab thing), Egg Head's is probably either Shivers (shouts vague things that he's heard from others around town) or Electrochemistry ("party boy"), Noid's is probably either Inland Empire or Conceptualization, and Acele's could be Interfacing (would rather record than party, knowledgeable about recording equipment) or, oddly enough, Volition (least self-destructive of the bunch, perseveres despite a lack of optimism)

And yeah that's all I've got for now.

[allaboutcinderella]

The Adventures of Cinderella’s Daughter (2000)

Starring: Laurie Sheirs as the title role

Yes this is really something that exists!

And it is… something. 😅

This mini series follows, you guessed it, Cinderella’s daughter, on some of her adventures as a teenage princess. 💁🏼‍♀️

✨SPOILERS AHEAD✨

Our main character, CINDY (super clever name…) narrates the entire series which right off the bat makes me cringe a bit. She talks about how she just wants to be “like a normal teen” and constantly points out what a drag it is to be royal and the daughter of the most “perfect storybook romance ever.” 🤦🏼‍♀️

First I have to say that even though this mini series looks like it had a budget of maybe $50, the acting was… not great, IT’S SEVERE LACK OF HOOP SKIRTS and the writing was extremely cheesy… it had a surprising cast!

Including STAN LEE!! What?!

He makes a cameo is the priest. That kinda blew my mind 🤯.

Also Jim Wise as Fred the “Fairy God-Brother.”

Now, I will give credit where credit is due, not all the episodes are bad. They’re not great, but I was enjoying some moments of it. (Then the acting got bad again and my attention would shift…)

• The first episode is pretty much what you’d expect of this kind of sequel. It’s a reverse Cinderella story. Cindy wishes to attend the jamboree being held in the village, but her father forbids her to mingle with commoners. She argues that he’s a hypocrite seeing as her mother used to be one and he still loved her. His mind isn’t changed, so cue in Fred, the Fairy Godmother’s… son? (Ok) His magic powers aren’t amazing but he somehow manages to supply Cindy with some ✨magic peasant clothes✨ to wear to the jamboree. She is excited mainly because there’s a peasant boy she thinks is cute, Gaven 👦🏻🤎 and hopes to dance with him. And wouldn’t you know it, she gets her wish… after beating him at… arm wrestling. 👀 However, unlike her mom, she stays past curfew therefore breaking the magic spell, revealing a ballgown and crown to show AHHH SHE’S A PRINCESS! The embarrassment! 🤦🏼‍♀️

Gaven accuses her of “playing a peasant” to make fun of them, causing Cindy run off. He realizes then that she is a teenage like him who wants friends and to have fun, so he finds her and makes up. 💁🏻‍♂️

• The second episode is about how Cindy wants to compete to be on her ye old high school’s jousting team. The this episode was so bad I had to skip forward, but it’s all to show Gaven “she’s tough even if she’s a princess.” Done. 🤺

• The third, possibly the better of the episodes, is one where we see that Cinderella almost didn’t marry the Prince due to her stepsister finding a wicked fairy godfather to trick her into not marrying the Prince. (Sound familiar…?) This kind of blew my mind because this came before Cinderella 3 and Twice Charmed, which have similar plots. The Prince even JUMPS OFF A BALCONY down to Cinderella… reminded me of the Prince jumping out the window.

• The final episode is more of a Cinderella story… for Gaven! 🤴🏻

Cindy finds herself trapped in an almost arranged engagement to a stuck up Prince who is basically just an ass. He makes fun of Gaven for being poor and does other weird things like tell Cindy to be more ladylike if she’s going to marry him. He even gives her a dress he wants her to wear to the ball because it’s what his queen would wear. ✨Yikes✨

Gaven manages to get the help of Fred for himself and disguise himself as the asshole Prince to dance with Cindy. But seeing as Cindy thinks he’s the other guy, she doesn’t enjoy their time. Of course she finds out it’s been him all along and boom! Happy ending!

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

It’s a silly series and it’s painfully 2000’s - cheap 2000’s. But did I still sit and watch it? Yep.

I think the acting of Jim Wise (Fred) and Liz Lavoie (Cinderella) saved this series for me. Their acting was good. And of course Shirley Jones (the fairy godmother) was good as well.

•• Do I recommend watching it? ••

Well… I think it’s so crazy someone had the idea to make this. It’s honestly so wacky I think people should watch it just to see it with their own eyes. I know my curiosity got the better of me and now that I’ve watched it once I can say confidently that I never have to again 😆

I did also find it insane that Cinderella 3 and the stage show Twice Charmed must have gotten inspiration from this series. Some things were just way too similar…

But if you still don’t watch it… your life will go on just fine. 👍🏻

Thanks for reading! Let me know if you guys watch this series and what you think!

[companion-showdown]

Showdown 2k24: Round 2

Everyone has been split into groups of 16 roughly by how well known they are and seeded within those groups to determin matches. There will be 16 polls posted every day (so two of the groups) except Friday. At the end of the round groups will be paired up and re-seeded ready for next time

the submission form for contestant propaganda is still open, you can find it here.

ROUND 1

Day 4

Mary Shelley vs Ikalla

Claudia Winkleman vs Cinder

Hector vs Sibling Different

Ruth Leonidas vs Susan Who

Alan Turing vs Peter Summerfield

John Lennon vs Dorothy (The Wonderful Doctor of Oz)

Tom Campbell vs Barusa

Peter Cushing vs Alison Cheney

Brian the Ood vs Penelope Gate

Hattie Munroe vs Gabby Gonzalez

Splinx vs Grayla

V.M.McCrimmon vs Patience

Andy Davidson vs Dormouse

The Squire vs Weeping Angel (Origins)

Cindy Wu vs Guinevere Winchester

Child Master (The Then and the Now) vs Koschei

previous and future days under the cut

Day 1

Jamie McCrimmon vs Sergeant Benton WINNER: Jamie McCrimmon

Vicki Pallister vs Zoe Heriot WINNER: Zoe Heriot

Barbara Wright vs Steven Taylor WINNER: Barbara Wright

Victoria Waterfield vs Sarah-Jane Smith WINNER: Sarah-Jane Smith

Jo Grant vs The Brigadier WINNER: Jo Grant

Ian Chesterton vs Leela WINNER: Leela

Liz Shaw vs Polly Wright WINNER: Liz Shaw

Dodo Chaplet vs Susan Foreman WINNER: Susan Foreman

Charley Pollard vs Mark Seven WINNER: Charley Pollard

Cass Fermazzi vs Molly O'Sullivan WINNER: Molly O'Sullivan

Oliver Harper vs Liv Chenka WINNER: Liv Chenka

C'rizz vs Lucie Miller WINNER: Lucie Miller

Iris Wildthyme vs Anya Kingdom WINNER: Iris Wildthyme

Erimem vs Bliss WINNER: Bliss

Hex Schofield vs Helen Sinclair WINNER: Helen Sinclair

Tania Bell vs Evelyn Smythe WINNER: Evelyn Smythe

Day 2

Bill Potts vs Nardole WINNER: Bill Potts

The TARDIS vs River Song WINNER: The TARDIS

Wilfred Mott vs Jack Harkness WINNER: Wilfred Mott

Amy Pond vs Martha Jones WINNER: Martha Jones

Clara Oswald vs Rory Williams WINNER: Clara Oswald

Ruby Sunday vs Rose Noble WINNER: Rose Noble

Kate Stewart vs Canton Everette Deleware III WINNER: Kate Stewart

Missy vs Donna Noble WINNER: Donna Noble

Bernice Summerfield vs Marie (Alien Bodies) WINNER: Bernice Summerfield

Chris Cwej vs Business Woman WINNER: Chris Cwej

Roz Forrester vs The Mortimer family WINNER: Roz Forrester

Rosie Taylor vs Compassion WINNER: Compassion

Fitz Kreiner vs Serena WINNER: Fitz Kreiner

Badger vs Wolsey WINNER: Wolsey

Sam Jones vs Claudia Marwood WINNER: Sam Jones

Homunculette vs Anji Kapoor WINNER: Anji Kapoor

Day 3

Ace McShane vs Mags WINNER: Ace McShane

Romana I vs Nyssa WINNER: Nyssa

Romana II vs Ryan Sinclair WINNER: Romana II

Graham O'Brien vs Mel Bush WINNER: Mel Bush

Vislor Turlough vs K9 WINNER: K9

Chang Lee vs Tegan Jovanka WINNER: Tegan Jovanka

Inston-Vee Vinder vs Grace Holloway WINNER: Inston-Vee Vinder

Peri Brown vs Yasmin Khan WINNER: Yasmin Khan

Frobisher vs ARC WINNER: Frobisher

Duh vs Josie Day WINNER: Josie Day

Ssard vs Chantir WINNER: Ssard

Gus Goodman vs Izzy Sinclair WINNER: Izzy Sinclair

Rose-the-cat vs Abslom Daak WINNER: Rose-the-cat

Majenta Pryce vs Maxwell Edison WINNER: Majenta Pryce

Kroton vs Ly-Chee the Wise WINNER: Kroton

Fey Truscott-Sade vs Destrii WINNER: Destrii

[dreaminginthedeepsouth]

Mike Luckovich

* * * *

LETTERS FROM AN AMERICAN

October 5, 2023

HEATHER COX RICHARDSON

Katherine Faulders, Alexander Mallin, and Mike Levine of ABC News reported today that sources have told them that former president Trump shared information about U.S. nuclear subs with Anthony Pratt, an Australian billionaire who was a member of the Mar-a-Lago club. The sources say Pratt then shared that information with at least 45 others: more than a dozen foreign officials, his own employees, and a few journalists. Trump allegedly shared the exact number of nuclear warheads U.S. submarines carry, and exactly how close they can get to a Russian submarine without being detected. 

Former defense secretary William Cohen explained to CNN’s Anderson Cooper how information about nuclear submarines fit into the larger picture of what’s known as the nuclear triad, the land, sea, and air systems that protect the U.S. “Out of the triad,” he said, “the submarine is the one that is most secure for us because it's not targetable…. So they're special. And he is giving away special information on what is protecting us around the world.”

FBI agents and the team overseen by special counsel Jack Smith, looking into Trump’s mishandling of national security documents, have interviewed Pratt at least twice. About a year ago, on November 9, 2022, U.S. Navy nuclear engineer Jonathan Toebbe and his wife, Dianna, were sentenced to more than 19 years in prison for conspiring to sell classified information about nuclear-powered warships to a foreign country.

“Naval nuclear engineer Jonathan Toebbe was entrusted with our nation’s critical secrets and, along with his wife Diana Toebbe, put the security of our country at risk for financial gain,” U.S. Attorney Cindy Chung for the Western District of Pennsylvania said at the time. “Their serious criminal conduct betrayed and endangered the Department of the Navy’s loyal and selfless service members. The seriousness of the offense in this case cannot be overstated.”

Trump today endorsed Representative Jim Jordan (R-OH) for the speakership. There is an important history to this endorsement. On January 11, 2021—five days after the attack on the U.S. Capitol and the attempt of some Republican lawmakers to overturn the lawful results of the 2020 presidential election—Trump awarded Jordan the Medal of Freedom without a real explanation of why he deserved it. 

On January 6, 2021, then-Representative Liz Cheney (R-WY) told Jordan to get away from her because “You f*ck*ng did this!” 

Yesterday, in a speech at the University of Minnesota, Cheney explained: “Jim Jordan knew more about what Donald Trump had planned for January 6 than any other member of the House of Representatives. Jim Jordan was involved, was part of the conspiracy in which Donald Trump was engaged as he attempted to overturn the election…. There was a handful of people, of which he was the leader, who knew what Donald Trump had planned. Now somebody needs to ask Jim Jordan, ‘Why didn’t you report to the Capitol Police what you knew Donald Trump had planned? You were in those meetings at the White House.’”

She concluded: “If the Republicans decide that Jim Jordan should be the Speaker of the House…there would no longer be any possible way to argue that a group of elected Republicans could be counted on to defend the Constitution.”

Meanwhile, Trump’s lawyers are trying to get the indictments against him for trying to overturn the lawful results of the 2020 election thrown out, arguing that a president has absolute immunity from prosecution for criminal as well as civil prosecutions. If this argument succeeded, it would mean that a president was above the law and could do anything they wanted without fear of prosecution. In her newsletter Civil Discourse, Joyce White Vance suggests this is likely an attempt to delay the trial at least until after the Republican National Convention nominates a presidential candidate and possibly until after the 2024 election itself.  

Trump’s tangles with the law are not going well, and in a sudden flurry today, his lawyers tried to delay or get rid of them. In his coverage of Trump’s fraud trial in New York this week, Daily Beast political investigations reporter Jose Pagliery noted that Trump likely appeared in person because he had cited the trial as the reason he could not give a deposition in his $500 million lawsuit against his former fixer Michael Cohen for talking about him and thus breaking his fiduciary duty to act solely in Trump’s interest. That deposition was rescheduled for Monday. Today, Trump withdrew his case against Cohen, clearly suggesting he was afraid to testify. 

In the New York fraud trial, a document introduced into evidence today undermined the argument that Trump wasn’t involved in the fraudulent valuations at the heart of the case. The Trump Organization’s 2014 statement of financial condition included a note from the organization’s comptroller saying: “DJT TO GET FINAL REVIEW.” 

Apparently concerned that Trump would try to move his assets around to hide them, Justice Arthur Engoron today ordered Trump, his older sons, and the two Trump Organization employees in the suit not to move money or open a new business without reporting it to the independent monitor overseeing the businesses. They must also provide a list of each of their businesses and anyone who shares ownership of those businesses. 

Trump has also asked Judge Aileen Cannon to delay his trial for mishandling the national security documents he stashed at Mar-a-Lago until after the 2024 election. 

—

LETTERS FROM AN AMERICAN

HEATHER COX RICHARDSON

[aaronymous999]

Procrastinating proofreading a fanfic so be ready for your favorite Spider-Man enjoyer to spam post about the dynamics between his Spider OCs for the next few posts!

Aaron and Liz Allan

Because Aaron isn’t exactly accepted into the Spider Society, their interactions are incredibly few and far between, but Liz is always the top operative Miguel decides to send to Earth 5169, as she blends in pretty well and gets along with Aaron. She’s willing to lie to Aaron on Miguel’s half, telling him that she is just automatically sent to Earth 5169 whenever there’s a problem. Which Aaron always believes, although Cindy is a lot more skeptical than Aaron, but she doesn’t butt in on their dynamic.

When Goldweaver first arrived to defeat a glitching futuristic Black Cat, she didn’t interact much with Aaron, and wanted to leave as soon as possible. But when Aaron started asking questions and begged her to stay. She quickly realized her connection with him was beyond both of them being Spider-People, she could tell they were both the same person, relatively. They were different in the ways that mattered, but their home lives and childhood up until Middle School was freakily similar, and it may or may not have given Liz a gender crisis and Aaron questioning himself. They talked for a bit and Liz stuck around for about a week, just until Miguel called her back.

That first meeting of theirs was fun, they went around in their civilian forms ( Aaron saying Liz was his cousin although Peter just KNEW that was bullshit. ) and having fun. Liz doesn’t get the chance to just mess around all that often and have fun, especially in other universes, so it gave her a bit of a different perspective on the whole, universal crime fighting thing, which she usually covered up back in her universe with “day long roadtrips”, but now she started taking more “week long roadtrips.”

The next few times they met have been pretty uneventful, but they’ve grown a deep bond, and despite their differences have really bonded over their similarities, and Aaron often gives Liz advice on her guilt over bullying Petra. Since Aaron himself was bullied by the same people Liz used to hang out with. Which Liz also feels secondhand guilty for even though Aaron assures her that she’s in an entire different universe and that it’s not her fault. They ESPECIALLY bond over Mark after the events of Arc 1, having a supervillain brother that is the same dude is pretty relatable for them.

More recently however Aaron has become to question how exactly she gets to his universe all the time, and she’s been struggling not to tell him the truth. Especially about her friends at HQ who are almost exactly like Aaron’s friends in his universe. But Aaron hasn’t fully worked up the courage to confront her about it just yet, and Liz is only feeling more and more guilty, so she’ll probably end up confessing about the Spider Society to him.

[yellow-yarrow]

I think if Cindy had a crush on someone (like Liz) she would be very tsundere about it cause she would think that it wouldn't fit her tough skull artist persona if she was blushing and daydreaming about holding her hand (which she does anyway)

first she would be like "ooh pretty Lizzy with her fancy degree decided to join the bino book club. *continues painting on the wall* Can you tell me how many laws I'm breaking right now, your honour?" and then Liz compliments her graffito and she uncharacteristically goes 😳🙄uhm, uh well, thanks,,

[noloveforned]

friday shows up pretty fast on short weeks like this one. it always seems like i don't have enough prep time before my show but then 8pm hits and i stop overthinking things and it all magically works. so tune into wlur from 8pm to midnight tonight to see what's on the menu!

last week's show is streaming on mixcloud, as per usual.

ps- i updated the site last weekend to use a more modern theme as i was toying around with attempts to embed the stream (i think that ship has sailed). please let me know if anything is broken, missing, or weird.

no love for ned on wlur – june 30th, 2023 from 8-10pm

artist // track // album // label the hardship post // what a day // somebody spoke // sub pop sarah shannon // wheen in a wheel // demo 98 ep // snappy little numbers added dimensions // time blind // benefit for prevention point split 7" // strange mono wireheads // one thousand red venomous snakes // potentially venus // tenth court bunnygrunt // private affair // karen hater's club // happy happy birthday to me sweeping promises // throw of the dice // good living is coming for you // feel it the breeders // go man go // last splash (thirtieth anniversary edition) // 4ad divorcer // leech // espionage 7" ep // domestic departure vagabon // heroine // persian garden cassette // miscreant liz phair // miss lucy // exile in guyville (outtake) // matador love in hell // enya // demo cassette // (self-released) the cherries // sunshine this week // self-titled two // jigsaw bagpipe operation // thank the lord // little twitch 7" ep // secret center terje torkellsen // getting green // loose ends... // subjangle l con // appear // the isolator // idée fixe edith frost // waiting room // edith frost ep // drag city nina keith featuring barrie and qur'an shaheed // blow up yr life (u need to) // blow up yr life (u need to) digital single // (self-released) kieran hebden and william tyler // darkness, darkness // darkness, darkness - ep // psychic hotline aaron leaney featuring guy thouin // inward // lockdown // astral spirits marthe lea band // sakina // asura // motvind prof. james benson // song for my black mother // the gow-dow experience // jazzman cécile mclorin salvant // doudou // mélusine // nonesuch lionmilk // daily i dream // intergalactic warp terminal 222 // leaving cleo reed // slip away // root cause // reeding yaya bey // when saturn returns // exodus the north star ep // big dada yl // play dead // don't feed the pigeons // novelty yungmorpheus featuring jimetta rose // where it goes // from whence it came // lex sault // i surrender // untitled (god) // forever living originals flasher // eastern ave // in my myth ep // domino desario // throw it back // signal and noise // fort lowell cindy // earthly belonging // why not now? // tough love neil brogan // i'm a recluse // yrs truly // brogan the lemon twigs // in my head // everything harmony // captured tracks martin frawley // this is gonna change your mind // the wannabe // trouble in mind

[natromanxoff]

Today - April 21, 1992

(x)

LIZ’S PLEA FROM THE HEART

By LIZ MOORE and JANE MOORE

SUPERSTAR Liz Taylor stood before 72,000 cheering rock fans last night to make an emotional appeal on the worldwide spread of Aids.

Her stirring words came in a moving tribute to tragic Queen singer Freddie Mercury — a victim of the disease — at a Wembley concert in his honour.

The show, watched by a billion TV viewers worldwide, featured a galaxy of stars including Elton John, George Michael, David Bowie, Lisa Stansfield and Seal. Tickets were sold out within three hours — before any of the acts were even confirmed.

Liz told the crowd, many bedecked in red ribbons as a mark of respect: "Freddie was an extraordinary rock star who rushed across our cultural landscape like a comet shooting across the sky. The [Turn to Page 2]

[Photo caption: Liz Taylor makes her emotional appeal at the Freddie Mercury tribute concert last night]

We’re here to celebrate his dreams, cry as much as you like

[From Page 1] bright light of his talent still exhilarates even now that his life has been so cruelly extinguished.”

Liz, president of the American Foundation for Aids Research, was heckled by an unruly group shouting “get off”.

Security guards (…) in quickly to break up a fight after others in the crowd turned on them.

And Liz pointed angrily at them and shouted: “I’ll get off in a minute. I’ve got something to say first.”

Liz then carried on with her speech by urging fans not to share needles for drugs and practise safe sex with condoms.

“Please don’t let it happen to you,” she said. “You are the future of our world, you are the best and the brightest, you are the shining light that will illuminate a better world tomorrow.

“I will keep telling you until you do and I won’t give in and I won’t give up because the world needs you to live.”

From the moment Freddie Mercury’s words and music boomed out over the enormous speakers, the night belonged to him.

First on stage were the remaining members of Queen who announced the concert in February.

Voice crackling with emotion, drummer Roger Taylor said: “We are here to celebrate the life and dreams of Freddie.

“You can cry as much as you like.”

As the bright Bank Holiday was shone down on the 300ft stage, they introduced the opening act of the night — heavy rock band Metallica.

Fans went wild, waving Freddie Mercury memorial flags and banners throught the numbers.

The stage was cleared for the acts and (…) huge video screens either side sprang into life to show old footage of flamboyant Freddie in action.

As he sang The Great Pretender, the crowd — (…) in tears — stood in a respectful silence before erupting (…) applause at the end.

After US band Extreme, who (…) fans to a medley of Queen greatest hits, had left the stage Def Leppard played a track with Brian May.

Many of the fans in the audience wore a three-inch red ribbon, which has become a worlwide symbol of Aids campaignes.

Backstage Liz, who has seen many of her close friends die from the disease, presented singer George Michael with a £10,000 red rhinestone brooch in the shape of a ribbon.

Stars from all around the world offered their services for Freddie’s glittering(?) tribute, the biggest concert since Live Aid.

Bob Geldof, organiser of that concert and the tribute, was next on stage in a green floral suit to sing the song Too Late God.

He said: “It seems unlikely but Freddie and I were very good friends. This is a song we wrote together.”

The audience was later reduced to fits of laughter by outrageous rock band Spinal Tap who (…) for their grand entrance.

Guitarist Nigel Tufnell said: “Unfortunately Freddie was not as big a fan of us as we were of him. Therefore, in his honour we have got our set short by 35 songs. It’s what Freddie would have wanted.”

Then, speaking from America, super model Cindy Crawford introduced U2 via satellite from Sacramento, California and there were other link-ups with a concert in South Africa. Next on stage were rock band Guns ‘n’ Roses.

Later a procession of stars joined Queen’s surviving members for the group’s greatest hits, including Seal, Paul Young, Lisa Stansfield and an Under Pressure duet from David Bowie and Annie Lennox wearing a black make-up mask.

The final (…) came from George Michael and Elton John.

They all got a rapturous response from the crowd which included celebrities such as Michael Caine’s wife Shakira, golfer Nick Faldo, Michael Winner and Barbara Windsor.

Performers and friends had started arriving at the North London stadium throughout the afternoon.

But however early the stars arrived, Freddie’s dedicated fans were there hours and even days earlier.

Coming from all across Europe and beyond, they claimed a few (…) by the (…) and (…) their (…) to a rock legend.

Freddie Mercury once said: “I always knew I was a star.” Last night proved that the legend lives on.

[Photo caption: Dedicated fans, some of whom had queued through the night, enjoy the Bank Holiday sunshine for the glittering action to begin on the 300ft Wembley stage]

[Photo caption: An emotional moment for surviving Queen stars John Deacon, Roger Taylor and Brian May as they greet 72,000 rock fans at the start of the star-studded tribute to Freddie]

[superchris2h]

The Daily AI™ | Weekly Free Edition

Your Trusted Resource for AI/ML News

Cindy Taylor | AI & Finance™

May 31, 2024

RECEIVE THE DAILY AI 3 TIMES PER WEEK TO YOUR INBOX. SUBSCRIBE NOW

The week was (mainly) upbeat, as conflicts in (both) public and private sectors continued to rule the scene. That said, geopolitical tensions heightened alongside countermoves from nation-states.

Here are the headlines:

OpenAI has a new LLM for schools;

Tech giants are seeking to cut Nvidia’s industry lead;

AI-generated images are coming to WhatsApp;

Google (finally) addressed the hallucination issue (officially);

Plus, Sony Pictures is (reportedly) turning to AI to cut costs;

And much more!

Of course, it’s your Daily AI™!

The DWN AI Index™ Update

The DWN AI Index™ Update

On 5/30/24, the index was (marginally) negative with a -94.98-point change, at -3.28%, to close at 2804.34.

DWN/AI Index™ Individual Stock Closing Prices:

Amazon (AMZN) at $179.32,

Arista Networks (ANET) at $303.67,

C3.ai (AI) at $28.57,

CrowdStrike Holdings (CRWD) at $315.92,

Duolingo (DUOL) at $194.38,

iRhythm Technologies (IRTC) at $88.13,

Microsoft Corporation (MSFT) at $414.67,

NVIDIA Corporation (NVDA) at $1,105.00,

Palantir Technologies (PLTR) at $21.73,

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing (TSM) at $152.96,

Alphabet, Inc. (GOOG) closed at $173.56, while Meta Platforms, Inc. (META) closed at $467.05.

Under the AI Hood

OpenAI

Just as we were all surprised by ChatGPT-4o, OpenAI launched ChatGPT Edu, the academic version of its popular Large Language Model (LLM) series.

ChatGPT Edu enables access to ChatGPT-4o (academically), giving users access to text capabilities, math, and coding. Additionally, users can access the web and have increased capacities than ChatGPT’s free version.

Similarly, Big Four behemoth PwC announced its integration with ChatGPT Enterprise. Also, PwC is the largest user of the model.

Meta/Microsoft/Advanced Micro Devices (AMD)/Broadcom/Nvidia

The industry landscape changed (massively) with the introduction of a new standard from Meta, Microsoft, AMD, and Broadcom (Ultra Accelerator Link). Ultra Accelerator Link is a new standard for AI data centers that challenges Nvidia’s edge in the sector. According to a May 30 Reuters report, the (new) effort establishes open communications between AI accelerators.

Furthermore, other firms involved include Alphabet, Intel, Cisco Systems, and Hewlett-Packard Enterprise.

Google

The ongoing issues with Google AI overviews in search results came to a head. In a May 30 post by the Vice President of Google Search, Liz Reid, the tech giant iterated that things were not as outlandish as the claims on social media platforms made them out to be.

Reid indicated that after rigorous testing, there were a few odd results for “uncommon queries” and that their ecosystems had “information gaps.”

Industry Dive

Meta/WhatsApp

Mobile messaging platform WhatsApp announced the development of new AI image generation features. The new tools are (reportedly) under development and will (soon) be available to everyone.

Similarly, on May 29, Meta revealed its identification of deceptive AI-generated content on Facebook and Instagram in the current Israel-Gaza conflict.

Perplexity AI

Industry unicorn Perplexity AI upped its AI game with a new feature that converts user search queries into shareable web pages. The feature is available for free and paid users on its Arc Search app, and AI text prompts power the conversions.

The US Department of Commerce

The China-America AI spat reached new highs with reports of new US AI chip restrictions. According to a May 30 Bloomberg report, American authorities have (significantly) reduced the issuance rate of AI chip export licenses from chipmakers to Gulf countries, citing Chinese access to Middle Eastern markets.

Additionally, the American Federal Government is (reportedly) conducting a national security regional review per AI.

Everything Else

The Center for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH)

Alarmingly, across the pond in the United Kingdom, the Center for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH) unearthed results from an experiment involving safeguards using AI voice cloning tools.

In the experiment, the CCDH tested six voice cloning tools to create false content of several leaders, including Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Labor Party chief Sir Keir Starmer.

Additionally, (eighty percent) of the content (reportedly) looked convincing. Only one of the tool’s safeguards remained impenetrable, and the team circumvented others.

Fable Studio

Interestingly, South African-based Fable Studio demonstrated its ability to create content with two series produced by its (new) Showrunner app that allows users to (automatically) create content.

Sony Pictures

Similarly, on May 30, at an investor conference in Japan, Sony Pictures Chief Tony Vinciquerra revealed the Hollywood giant’s shift to AI-generated content to cut costs.

The move follows back-and-forth industry conversations on the use of AI in the movie industry.

Following the Money

The People’s Republic of China

On the other hand, China’s ambitions for AI dominance grew even bolder with the launch of a $47.5 billion chip fund.

According to a May 29 CNBC report, the new fund will (expectedly) focus on local chip manufacturers with the current (ongoing) issues.

Atropos Health

Exactly.ai

We move across the pond to the United Kingdom, where AI-powered illustration platform Exactly.ai raised $4.3 million in seed funding. Additionally, Speedinvest led the round alongside GuruDev Capital, Cornerstone VC, and InReach Ventures.

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The Daily AI™ is a new paid newsletter published every M/W/F from the team at Digital Wealth News™ and AI & Finance™ covering the artificial intelligence ecosystem worldwide. Subscribe today to stay abreast of all the latest news and players in the AI/ML sector.

*Disclaimer**: The information on the Daily AI™ is for general informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended as investment advice and should not be relied upon as a substitute for consultations with qualified professionals familiar with your financial needs. The Daily AI™ does not endorse specific investments, strategies, or financial service firms. The opinions expressed by authors do not necessarily reflect the views of the Daily AI™ or its affiliated brands or entities. Please conduct your (own) research and due diligence, and consult your financial advisor before making investment decisions.

#technology #tech #ai #artificialintelligence #daily #aiartificialintelligence #meta #google #alphabet #sony #sonypictures

[mylifeasjazmine]

bella, where the hell you been loca?

Last year I rediscovered Tumblr and then I was on a roll, then I fell off! I’m not entirely sure how that happened but I’m back and I have a lot to say!

I’m not even sure where to start so here’s a 2023 recap;

January was calm from what I can recollect, I was still getting my autonomy back and the 31st of that month marked the one year anniversary since my accident and I’m not sure if I mentioned this but I also got a car a few days before my year anniversary which was very special to me to have been able to come full circle like that. Romantically, I didn’t have anything going on. I was going dates to fill the time but nothing serious ever evolved from any of it.

February brings me to my first trip of the year and the first time I had been able to use my flight benefits. Ashley and I took a day trip to New York and came home and drove to Miami for a day, it was quick but fun! Since I was mobile in more way than one now, I was getting back to my “old” self again. Getting dressed, hanging out with my friends.

March was nothing to write home about either. I had training for a new position at work and spent a lot of time with my niece. I can’t recall anything major happening this month either if I’m being honest. I can remember emotionally feeling a little sad because I was feeling disconnected from the world. I had gotten a little busy with work and I was becoming a little bit of a hermit crab again.

April is when the year started to pick up a little speed for me. Adel and I took a trip to Puerto Rico, it was the first time for the both of us. We had so much fun we ended up extending for another day. During this time I started to get a little into fitness and I was shedding my little hermit crab shell again. Maybe it was the braids, the tan and the warm weather, but life was feeling like life again.

May started with a bang! I went on a cruise with like 12 other family members and we had a blast. It was short but we still enjoyed ourselves. The whole month was actually pretty eventful. Allie’s surprise 30th party was that month and I also got to see Bryson Tiller live with Zamira. We sang and cried our little hearts out. Eli’s birthday is also in May so we celebrated her too. As you can see, we are well into the year and we are still batting zero in romance department, but we keep living.

June may still go down as my favorite month of the year. As soon as the month started I went to Miami with Cindy and Eli to go see Kathy before she popped out her new baby but you know we still turned it into a trip while we were out there. The week after I got back I went to Chicago with Gabby and some of the girls for her Bachelorette Trip. It wasn’t my first time in Chicago but it was the first time I spent real time there and I really enjoyed myself. When I got back from Chicago, I went to the Sorry Papi Tour with Eli and Cindy! I also had training for what would be my second promotion of the year. We also found out the gender of my brother’s newest baby, it was a boy!

July I tried to sit my ass down but I think I still had June ants in my pants. I spent 4th of July with Liz and Amanda and the kids which I love to do. I flew to Texas a few days later to spend Adel’s birthday with her. Such a cute little trip. I was trying to get back into rest mode this moth so I didn’t pop out too much after that. I remember going downtown one hot ass night with Amanda and Liz and then just spending the rest of the month in my pool trying not to die of heatstroke. I also made one year with my job, which came pretty quickly.

August is when life started to get a little interesting I think lol. This month I was feeling overwhelmed with my living situation and in that same swoop someone I know needed a dog-sitter for a few days so I packed my shit and was a dog mom for like 4 days. I won’t get into too many details but long story short, that was the last time I ever saw that person because they lied about their flight being canceled so they could stay an extra day knowing their dog was sick and I was ready to go home. That weekend was also the weekend we celebrated my Grammy’s 65th birthday. This weekend, I also started going back and forth with a handsome man that I had always been interested in back it just never seemed to happen. Before the month was over, we had hung out a few times and if I am being honest, I was feeling pretty optimistic. I blame my Sagittarius Venus for that.

September rolls around and we celebrate my godson Zavier, my niece Amaia also turned 2 this month. Not to mention, my little sister turned 18 on us! All the while, things with this handsome man seem to be working in my favor. We are spending a good amount of time together, I’m getting to know him more and I am liking what I’m seeing. At this point, the only things I’ve been up to is working, working out, spending time with my family and seeing him when I could. I think it’s important to note that neither one of us had really said anything about how we felt about the other. Everything was more of a “use your context clues” kinda vibe for a little. I also didn’t want to get ahead of myself so I was just going with the flow.

October is finally here! This is my birthday month so I knew the vibes were gonna be 1000. We kicked off the month celebrating my cousin Jazmin. We had a cousin’s night out and we had a blast. The next week was Gabby’s wedding so I traveled to the Dominican Republic for the first time. The wedding was beautiful and I cried my eyes out pretty much the whole weekend. Plus, I was the ONLY single person there. Don’t tell me I’m not one of God’s strongest soldiers because my lord lol. In between this, I am still seeing the handsome man but at this rate I have developed feelings for him and I don’t know what to do with them. So naturally, I decided to do nothing and bury them. But we were still hanging out so that was getting hard. My birthday rolls around but this year I wanted to spend it solo. So a few days before I went to dinner with some of my best friends and on the day of I just hung out with my brothers.

November hits and I’m literally catching a flight on the 1st. For my solo trip, I went to Sacramento to see my favorite artist Victoria Monet. It was an AMAZING show, I am so happy I went. While I was out there I think there was one day that I literally didn’t even speak. It was so peaceful. But it gave me time to think about some things and I felt like I was getting in over my head with the handsome man so I started to subconsciously pull back a little. When I came back from my trip, I saw him for what I didn’t know then would be the last time for 4 months. But looking back, that last time felt different. Something felt off. On the bright side, I did have training for another promotion, that makes 3 for the year. I also got to take my brother to see the Magic play at an in-season play-off game which was dope. The best thing that happened this month was rekindling my friendship with Eyad. We ran into one night out and decided to make a pact to hang out once a week and we’ve been sticking to it! He’s legitimately become one of my best friends.

December marks the end of this relatively smooth year. Christmas is my favorite holiday so the vibes were up. I hadn’t really spoken to the handsome man because I was trying to swallow those feelings I had for him. Then one day, he asks me if I listen to Christmas music and sends me a playlist. That playlist sends me into a frenzy and I can’t think straight for like 2 days. If you know me, you know how much I love music and thoughtful gifts so the me a playlist is the perfect depiction of that. It might not hold that kinda weight for everyone, and it’s probably silly, but no one has ever made me a playlist before so I was geekin’. That drove me to finally tell him how I feel about him, sort of. I told him that I like him but there’s so much more I wanted to say. He told me he liked me too but, at this point what his but was doesn’t matter because having a “but” in the first place just puts a stop to everything. What I will say is that his “but” was enough for him to just decide I need to fall back. With the tale as old as time, as I pulled away, I could feel his energy more. I tried doing on dates to distract myself but it didn’t work. The only thing that worked was time.

Fast forward to April 2024, so far I have gone on two trips and both have been with Adel. We went to New York and we just back came back from Atlanta. So far, I am on promotion number one of the year and in July I will make 2 years with my job. I have seen the handsome man again and he has sent me yet another playlist. Do I still have feelings for him? I think so, but I can’t keep driving myself crazy wondering, I have to keep on living and remember that what’s for me, will always be for me. If you made it this far, thank you for your time. This felt really good for me to release.