#on the pro side: i know how to operate now. i can do everything from scopes to surgery except tumour resection because

[anthonyed]

When I was 6 I said I wanted to become a doctor -> I became

When I was 17 I said I wanted to become an anesthesist -> I came close to pursuing surgery (unwillingly, let it be known i want nothing to do with this whole life what more work and people around it??)

When I was 26 all I wanted to do was cease to exist -> 32 now lol

When I was 28 I decided that what I need is a license to practice so I can reap my own fucking money my own fucking way -> I'm 32 and just got my license to practice and just got out to making my own fucking money my own fucking way and I'm scared as hell

I'm 32 now and all I want is enough money to ensure my luxury without working till I fucking die -> please God give me some jackpot please please pleaseee

[stvrlight-nyx]

My interpretation of Murder Drones episode 7(a lot about N and Uzi) EPISODE 7 SPOILERS‼️‼️

N is the most caring drone ever, he cares so much about V (friendship) that first thing he can think about is trying to move the rocks to get back to her. After all the shit she put him through, he still thinks of her as one of his closest friends besides his old crush on her. HES JUST SUCH AN ANGEL OMG.

N’s direct-ness towards Tessa is very interesting, because you can see his character wants to really help “Tessa” (who we now know was never actually Tessa), but obviously cares and loves Uzi a lot whether that be platonic or romantic. He clearly emphasises his point by putting a full stop at the end, making it clear to Tessa that he doesn’t want anything bad to happen to Uzi. Taking it back to my point about N having to choose between Tessa and his family from back in Manor House, or Uzi this “little bot” that in my opinion he’s poured his heart out to (coming from a Nuzi shipper and no it’s not pro ship). Well we now know that after the whole absolute solver using Cyn as a host and Tessa as a skin suit that he is 100% on Uzi’s side.

YOU ARE TELLING ME THIS MAN DIDN’T KNOW IF HE WAS GONNA LIVE OR NOT AND THE FIRST PERSON HE CALLED OUT TO WAS UZI LIKE AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA. Anyway yea so uh, you can see here that N’s first thought and in past episodes too, his first thought is Uzi. Clearly showing he cares for her and loves her a lot. Usually you brain or in their case their programming should probably make you think about yourself but, he often thinks about Uzi first and then himself like N just confess istg.

I don’t really wanna go through it now maybe in another post but it has to be here so…

J oh deary me J. J is the kinda of character who clearly has always been jealous of N, and how fond Tessa was of him compared to her. Obviously, because you can clearly even as the audience see that Tessa doesn’t really care too much about J, she clearly has to receive the approval from someone else. And that’s where the company comes in, in my opinion I think the company is just feeding her ego so she begins to do more for them. The company had control over V and N previously but because of their exploration and independence they now know the truth but, because of J’s hunger for approval she is turning a blind eye towards her curiosity.

The idea that this isn’t even “The real Tessa” is wild to me, you’re telling me the solver literally an eldritch entity can adapt to humane environments, features, and characteristics that easily. If I were Uzi I’d be wetting myself right now. For me what I would really like to see is the solver disinfecting everyone(or like collecting itself) and somehow disconnecting itself from Cyn and Tessa cus I don’t think it will be able to operate without a host and skinsuit.

DOLL A LITRAL ICON AND GIRLBOSS. Her ideas of the absolute solver while also trying to use it to her advantage is really interesting, it’s crazy that she knew everything but didn’t tell Uzi. Some may argue with me and say ‘oh but doll did it to avoid Uzi ratting her out’ which is correct but, do you think it would alter the storyline if she did? I think it would. Some more question I would’ve asked doll are things like

Do you expect to defeat the solver alone? After defeating the solver what are your theories for a cure? And why do you look good doing everything?(shes so cool)

I am not really talking heavily about Nori right now cuz she deserves her own post but, the notes behind her are really cool to me. Like did she know about the absolute solver and the involvement with the disassembly drones and JcJ? But that’s kinda it

AGAIN N THINKING ABOUT UZI BEFORE HIMSELF AND OTHERS AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

Apparently can only add ten images so I’ll do a part 2

Reblogs>>>>likes

[actuallyidontgiveadamn]

i've never been vocal about bnha before but chapter 382 leaks depiction of AFO and Hawks as equal opposites got me so good I will explode if I don't rant about it and Hawks character development in general

If you want to read about the chapter 382 only, skip to the part with the manga pages

But I think it's necessary to start from the beginning so here are my quick thoughts

Given his late introduction, sparse appearances and mostly support role in any given situation Hawks can be narratively classified as a side character even to side characters (pro-heroes, with students being the main heroes). Within the narrative he himself insists on being a support to other heroes, from cheering them up (mostly through manipulating emotions and lying, but that's a topic for another rant) to gathering information on the enemy, and assisting in fights.

What I think we the readers and he himself has been failing to see is that he's not just supporting, he's actually leading. He was initially shown as an arrogant hero who works alone and ignores his sidekicks and interns because he couldn't bother with them being slow, but the moment a given situation gets more serious we can see that he's actually good at working with others. He's good at reading people and circumstances, bending any given situation even as it actively unfolds, manipulating people and coordinating fights.

When we first see him, he successfully pulls an 'ignorant brat' stunt on both public and heroes, which manipulates public opinion on Endeavor and Endeavor's opinion on him, both to his desired outcomes.

The High-End fight was basically staged by him, and when it happens in the middle of a city very much not according to plan he still manages to ensure that it ends with no casualties.

Operation against the PLF is once again his doing and I personally would've very much loved to see him coordinating it instead of being incapacitated at the very start.

Then again, the moment he gets up from the hospital bed, he's taking everything in his hands. He encourages Endeavor to keep fighting by walking in on his family meeting just at the right time (absolutely not a coincidence) and saying just the right words. He's the one to come up with heroes' public speech. He appears to support Deku and other heroes politely suggesting what they should do and how they should behave when basically he's giving orders right and left to three most experienced and proper adult heroes. All while being a crippled 23yo who never had a normal life. He's two days out of Comissions control, he's injured beyond recognition, and he opts to leading others, which he still views as just supporting them.

And now the final fight against the final Big Bad of the entire series. Hawks enters it yet again considering himself an Endeavor's sidekick. After all, the final battle should be between the Worst Villain and the Top Hero, right? And then this rapidly changes to show us who is actually carrying that fight. Even while Endeavor is still fighting, we see how Hawks is the one coordinating the fight and keeping Endeavor focused.

When Endeavor falls, Hawk's role as the leader shines to its fullest. He is still crippled and so he understands he's no match to AFO and yet he's succesfull in fighting, stalling, manipulating, and annoying the main villain.

He denies AFO leaving, denies him proceeding with his plans, gets support from other heroes and supports them in return, he's now successfully leading a team effort. And even though Hawks doesn't know who may or may not come to his aid, he's fast to adapt to the changes. He's relentless and AFO is noticing it.

Enters chapter 382 and its composition.

Hawks is now actually mirrored to AFO. Through art and panels and phrases.

First of all notice how they are being simultaneously addressed to as "2人��男" - "Two men". Their panels are obviously mirrored despite them not actually facing each other since Hawks is standing behind Tokoyami's back at the moment and AFO is in the air. This mirror is getting even better in the page below. They now have a same sentence for both of them with a one word difference.

For AFO it's "The situation still isn't the best" and for Hawks "The situation still isn't the worst", with 'best' and 'worst' written on their respective sides.

Then we get main focus of this chapter on Toga, but in the end we're brought full circle to AFO and Hawks, with the same mirror panels and almost the exact same sentence again.

Once again 'two men' and once again 'the situation' sentence starts being written for both characters but then it changes.

First of all 'still' (まだ) changes to 'already' (もう), and continues for AFO as 'The situation is already becoming the best'. But then suddenly it starts over and has 'still' in it as in the beginning. As if Hawks is refusing to recognise the change of circumstances in AFO's favor. For Hawks it's 'The situation is still' - and then even continued by Hawks himself speaking it out loud - "not the worst"'. Hawks insists on saying 'still' though he too clearly sees that things just got worse for the heroes. (And I have a feeling that this sentence and Hawks' response is a big nod to his "I'm an optimist" line).

So in this chapter Hawks is obviously shown as an equal opposite to AFO. He's finally acknowledged having the same role as the mastermind and the leader but on the heroes' side. Throughout the battle (and the whole previous manga) he's been shown as smart, quick-thinking, both parts supportive and leading, and most of all unyielding despite all the circumstances. Getting him finally recognised for these qualities is a huge development and an acknowledgement for a 'side character'.

Insane part is that he himself still doesn't seem to get it. At that moment he's supporting Tokoyami and feeling unworthy of it.

[thearoacespark]

voting (a balanced take? hopefully)

disclaimer: I don’t usually do this. I’m still very young and learning about the world and this is all pretty surface level observation— but I wanted to try and say something anyways—it’s likely imperfect and there is probably nuance I’ve missed. Also, this is mostly geared towards my fellow USAmericans.

I have been guilty of sharing sentiment with “vote blue no matter who, VOTE VOTE” posts, and being gripped with a sense of fear and urgency like no other. I understand. Project 2025, the ideals of Trump’s platform (lots of the immigration ideas eerily close to Proposition 187…) are very scary.

But let’s slow down. Others have said if we’re voting out of fear and as if we have no other choice, then it’s no better than having no choice as all. I have to agree.

In my opinion, while emotion does push people to act and is a good motivator, I feel much better choosing on my own rather than being pressured or guilted by others.

After all, no one can truly force another to do something they don’t want to—but we can discuss, debate, and change minds.

Instead of saying it’s impossible, let’s consider a third party candidate, specifically one that is explicitly pro-Palestine. In my opinion, it’s tough, especially for these reasons:

- No matter how you look at it four months is a short period of time. We might have less than four months, some ballots are printed and solidified early, according to AOC’s Instagram Live Talk. (link: https://www.instagram.com/reel/C9l41vgOAGj/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link)

- Many people have not heard of these third party candidates— I had not been familiar with Jill Stein or Claudia de la Cruz before today. Do many people know of the members of Congress who have already called for ceasefire? (https://workingfamilies.org/ceasefire-tracker/) Tumblr endorsements help and I appreciate the information on other platforms regardless, but what about people who are mostly offline?

- There’d need to be a robust and wide-spreading social media, news, TV and more campaign to get enough people informed in such a short time, much less get them on board and overcome the substantial opposition already faced by the pro-Palestine movement in general. Campaign managers need to be paid salaries. Transportation, advertising, food, gas… it costs a lot of money. A lot of people are already struggling financially and donating what they can— and donations to Gaza E-SIMs and evacuation funds help people right now. (By the way, plugging Operation Olive Branch: https://linktr.ee/opolivebranch)

- Even if they do get elected, it can’t be just the president— they will face extreme pushback, likely from all sides, and they need House and Congress and Court members on their side to make not only foreign policy shifts but also other systemic changes to society that are dearly needed.

For now, I’m voting blue because I think it’s our best shot at something better… but if someone has a detailed plan on how to turn a third-party candidate from improbable to possible that addresses these issues in concrete ways, then maybe the conversation can change. The time crunch, however, is extremely tough.

What now?

- Vote. Even if nothing about this post changes your opinion on the presidential election, I’d encourage you to vote, just for voter turnout and to exercise that political power! There are still nonpresedential and local elections that will directly impact your community. (https://www.usa.gov/confirm-voter-registration)

- Continue to advocate for causes you believe in and educate others, and learn about issues outside just the US.

- Being confident in the best action to take and trying to convince others to vote blue shouldn’t mean dismissing criticism of our current institutions and the current Democratic candidate, or attacking people who bring up these criticisms (of course, check for sources and records first!) These conversations should be ongoing.

- Try to fact-check everything you hear and dispel misinformation as much as possible!

- Continue to consider pushing alternative voting methods such as Ranked Choice Voting—I haven’t read into it enough to say more concrete details, but something has got to change 😭

- Share resources whenever you can, and take care of yourself and others :)

[paralyze-fic]

Paralyze.

Chapter 46

After the reunion ended, all the U.A. students sat down at a table.

I was sitting on the chair at the end, with Izuku on my left and Tsuyu on my right, Amajiki directly across from me. When we sat down, Izuku and Togata senpai were looking down with a depressed aura, I felt my other three classmates and two senpais staring at me.

Taking a deep breath, I told them what happened.

//////

"How frustrating..." I sighed at Eijiro's words.

Don't need to tell me, buddy, I know.

"Deku-kun..." Uraraka said and I looked over my shoulder when I heard the elevator's ding noise.

Aizawa sensei was there, "What's this, a funeral?" His voice almost made me laugh, but the situation was way too gloomy for a laugh.

He said something to Tsuyu before saying something else.

"Oh, whatever... originally, I was thinking of suspending your internships today..."

The processing of his words in my brain didn't allow me to listen to anything else, well, until somebody tapped my shoulder slightly.

On my left side was Aizawa sensei crouching down, "I can count on you to take care of Midoriya, (L/n)?" I stared at Izuku for a second, and I sent him a small smile, turning back to our teacher.

"Of course, Eraserhead."

He said another thing to Izuku, placing his fist on the green-haired boy's chest, "Understood, problem boy?"

"Mirio... could you lift your head, please?" Amajiki senpai said and my eyes drifted off to him.

I recalled how his quirk was a topic during the reunion, but I wasn't paying attention at that time.

"Let me tell you something..." Everyone turned to look at Aizawa sensei, and so did I, "The hand that you couldn't reach... didn't have to become desperation to Eri-chan."

//////

"So keep looking forward and keep going..." I whispered the last thing Aizawa told us while I was lying beside my boyfriend in bed.

Katsuki was lying on his side, with his head on top of my chest, one leg over my hips and his arm around my waist.

Basically, I was trapped in his grip.

I didn't mind that, Katsuki tends to become really clingy when he's asleep, but only when I'm with him. On his own he just turns around a bunch, I tried to make him hug a pillow in his sleep, but he threw it out of the bed after a few minutes.

I'm the only thing he hugs and clings to, and that only made him extra cute.

But, for now, I had to sleep. We have classes tomorrow.

So I turned to face him and he hid his face on my chest, tightening his hold on me. My mind was racing for another while, I couldn't help but think the mission was going to be risky. Like, yes, Eri-chan is with the Yakuza, that in itself is dangerous, but...

The last thing I wanted to happen was police officers, bystanders or pro-heroes... dying.

But right as I was overthinking everything, Katsuki shifted and his face was now hiding on my neck, his warm breath tickling my skin but relaxing me at the same time.

And with a sigh, I hugged him closer to me, burying my nose in his spiky yet soft hair, and closed my eyes.

//////

My fingers glowed as I got ready to climb the rock wall.

Aizawa told us in private what we could absolutely not do, under any circumstances.

"Don't talk about the operation with nobody. Understand?"

The five of us excluded a 'Yes, sir' and we began with this training.

I could feel Katsuki's glare piercing the back of my neck, he knew that I was in some kind of difficult shit, but I couldn't tell him.

My enhanced fingers broke through the rock, breaking it and I began my climbing, placing my foot where the holes left by my hands were. "The moves of the interns seem sharp!" I heard Jiro's voice exclaiming with an impressed voice.

"You're involved in something big, I just know it...!" I looked over my shoulder, Katsuki was staring at me but tsked and turned towards Eijiro instead. "Hey, bastard! Spit it out!"

"Sorry! Can't do it!"

I sighed and silently kept climbing.

And that's how the class went by.

//////

It was during English class when I was recalling what Aizawa had told us yesterday.

"Having said this, leaving aside the big three, whose abilities equal or even surpass the pros, I think your roles would be little ones. Asui, Uraraka, Kirishima. The three of you aren't exactly here willingly. What do you wanna do?"

The three of them had said they couldn't back out now, already knowing the situation Togata senpai, Izuku and I were involved in.

But when Present Mic said something about homework for tomorrow, I realized the class ended and now we had hero training.

Even when I loved this class, I couldn't completely focus on anything, and Eijiro had to nudge me quite a few times to get me to concentrate.

While Eijiro was close to me, I used that opportunity to talk with him. During those opportunities, I could feel Katsuki looking at me, but whenever I turned to him, he looked away. It left me wondering what I did.

Apart from keeping this situation with my internship secret, that is.

//////

The next day went exactly the same, I was still thinking about the reunion we had two days ago and how those freaking bullets were made...

It made me sick.

How could a man do that to his own daughter?

This might sound villain-like, but I wish I could make him go through everything Eri-chan has been put through. To experience all that pain and suffering.

The more I thought about that, the angrier I got. And I needed to cool down.

Aizawa was inside his sleeping bag and everybody else was talking with one another. I lowered my hand covering my face, got up and walked to the door, but as soon as I did, everyone went silent.

"(M/n)...?" I looked at Eijiro, and he was looking at me with a curious expression. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," I said, attempting a smile, and he saw right through me.

Right as I walked out of the classroom, Eijiro was right on my ankles. We walked to the boy's bathroom and when we entered, I went to the sink to wash my face.

"What happened?" While the cold water dripped down my chin I sighed and turned to Eijiro.

"I was thinking about... Eri-chan."

The silence between us became tense and I stared down at the sink. After a few seconds I felt Eijiro's hand stroking my upper back slowly.

"I know how it feels when you can't help somebody, (M/n)..." I glanced at him with a curious expression.

"Really?" He nodded slowly a few times, looking away from me, "Would you tell me?"

He seemed a bit hesitant, "Maybe some other day," I showed him a smile to show him I understood and he gave me that bright smile of sharp teeth.

"Let's go back to class."

//////

"Good night," I said as I got up from my chair and walked to the elevator, hearing my classmates yelling a 'Good night!' back.

I walked into my room, closed the door behind me, leaning on it while sighing deeply. Looking down at the ground, I decided to take a shower, do my homework or finish some (drawing/writing) and then, go to bed.

And I did. Until it was almost 2 a.m.

Right as I was lying down on my bed to sleep, my phone vibrated on my desk. I groaned but sat up and reached out to it.

When I read the text I jumped up from my bed and walked out of my room. On my way to the stairs, I was met with Eijiro and with just looking at each other we kept going downstairs into the common room. Izuku was there, by the couches, and we saw Uraraka and Tsuyu coming over too.

"You heard?" We looked at Izuku and down to our phones.

"The operation starts today...!"

[kiivg]

i looove the art u did of ur V in that hammock bed with the screens in the background and Jackie below, but what's ur V up to exactly? is he editing the recordings? whats his job?

.Tysm!!!! My V, Gianluca Vargas, is part of my 3Vs AU, so he’s not my main V canonically, but he’s probably the one I like playing the most because I get to run around in flashy suits and kiss Takemura 💋. My actual V is Gianluca’s ex, and Sunny’s half-sister (never going to play as her, I just need someone to be mean to Johnny, be hardcore pro-Arasaka, and then die at the end.)

.So his job is basically an AI (or digital idk) sex worker kind of thing, (idk if that’s what a Brain Dance is because they’re confusing af), where he basically controls a private area of the net that’s his own, and caters mostly to rich clientele. He has default programs that he’s made himself which the AIs run on and he can dip in and out to control them to make the whole situation more personal. On the picture he’s controlling LynchMO8 as his main, but he’s running three others at the same time, and recording BeccaMO6 for further purposes (maybe blackmail, maybe to sell on to others as a separate BD experience). Essentially, hardly anyone knows he’s the one who’s running the whole operation, and WHY would they, he’s a scumbag Valentino from The Glen harhar. Each one of the AIs has Cerdita tattooed however (that’s his left hand, which is basically an AI in its own right,) so it’s like his brand I guess? But I think I called his business Mañana Vices?

.Gianluca is also low-key obsessed with Delamain, and the way he controls and entire fleet of vehicles with little to no issue, (until the big old quest, which maybe I solely concentrated on so I could get all the dialogue of Delamain rediscovering everything again hehehe..) So he runs as many AIs as he can, and has five sockets in his head where he can jack straight into things. He’s never going to be Delamain (as much as he wants to be) but he’s going to keep trying.

.He’s definitely a skilled Netrunner, and the majority of his money came from hacking companies and stealing it, so he could support his sister as she went through the training to become a member of Trauma Team. But then he was like “Huh I LIKE money” so he just kept stealing. He is the one who does all the netrunning in my 3Vs, like he helps to catch the Peter Pan guy for River, helps to interrogate Anders before Takemura shows up, actually probably does 80% of Takemura’s questline because V is too busy elsewhere.

.The link with Jackie is literally that Jackie was really close to V, and she and Gianluca were mostly sweethearts growing up and then she went corporate, and now they’re just friends with benefits. Which is basically if she needs something hacking, she’ll just rock up and things go from there. So him and Jackie are like acquaintances, but they’re close enough to just chill out together every so often, I don’t think he and Misty get along though since she read his tarot and hit a little too close to home. Plus I like to think that Gianluca has a dad who’s sweet on Mama Welles hehehe.

.Anyway, on the subject of Gianluca, here’s a little kind of smutty thing of him and Takemura 👹💋💕. (Also I’m posting off my phone so maybe the formatting is awful.).

When the knock came at the side of his van, Takemura was quick to gather his weapon, finger hovering over the trigger, concealed within the darkness of his vehicle. His mind had slipped elsewhere, thinking through the realities of what they were planning to do, what they had to do, and how it could very easily go so wrong. He keeps his mouth closed, trying to discern footsteps from the heavy patter of rain, waiting for the intruder to either pass along or open fire. There was every chance it was a drunkard in the night, and every other chance that it was a bounty hunter seeking his head. He steadies himself as he had been trained to do, slowing his breath, slowing his heart rate. It had been done a thousand times before, waiting to strike like a viper in the shadows.

The knock appears at his window, a pale shroud of a man slapping a flat palm against the dirtied glass. He points with a finger to the locking mechanism with the same hand, his other raised above his head, holding a jacket aloft to keep himself somewhat dry. The man knocks again, more urgently, gesturing somewhat wildly to the rain that pelts him from above, before trying the door handle futilely. Takemura can see the man’s lips moving, glinting in reflected city light; but the words he could not hear.

It takes a moment, far longer than just a moment, for Takemura’s eyes to adjust to the way the lights of Night City dazzle upon the pale shroud, illuminating him in a halo of advertising pinks and purples, to recognise him; V’s netrunner. The one she has saved in her holo as “Gives Good Head”. A fact Goro had not wanted to know, and yet, it was a thought hooked into the back of his head every time he had seen the man. With a golden triangle tattooed onto plump lips, a set of golden teeth behind them, always fiddling with something; a cigarette, the nails of his organic hand, the straw of an ungodly sweetened drink he had already drank and thrown away, putting anything he could between those lips to keep them busied.

Takemura lets him in.

A button pressed and the door unlocks, he leans over to pull the handle, unlatching and leaving it open just a touch. His weapon is slipped quietly into his holster, safety back on, and he removes what debris he can from the passenger seat. Old papers from a previous owner, a corporate magazine with Yorinobu’s face plastered across it, the wrappers of several burgers he would not willingly admit to eating. There is a fumble as the man, Luca, climbs in, jostling a vinyl bag into Takemura’s lap, and slamming the van door behind him with a heavy sigh. The bottom of it is dripping with rainwater, no doubt left on the floor as he had tried to beg his way into the safety of the vehicle.

Gianluca’s cheeks are flushed, from the cold or the rain, but with the heavier breaths Takemura assumes he had been running. “Were you followed?” He asks, fingers pressed to the ignition. He glances in the mirrors, and then in the screens that show him the rear of the vehicle and the sides consecutively. Nothing but the rain and all that accompanies it.

“What? No, it’s fucking raining,” Gianluca gestures to the outside, “mierda.” He squirms in the passenger seat, attempting to swipe the rain from his impromptu umbrella-cum-jacket, soaked through, and trying to pull the fabric of his slacks away from where they cling to his skin, also soaked through. If Takemura was a man of lesser standing it would be hard to tear his eyes away from the sight, and yet, he doesn’t, knowing that would be far more suspicious than simply staring. Rather he replaces his confusion with a frown, silently chastising the younger man for his shuffling and wiggling as he tries to readjust himself into a comfier situation.

Gianluca was wearing white. Or a close enough colour to it. In the low light of the rearview screen it looks green, and when an advert for Us Cracks billows brightly above Night City it turns pink. Yet it remains white in Takemura’s mind; white slacks, white jacket, white shirt; all wet and now significantly opaque, offset with black and gold waistcoat, tie and shoes. And with a glance down, black underwear, visible now, thanks to the sudden onset of heavy rain. If the man notices Takemura staring, he says nothing, only settles in his seat apologetically, trying to steady his uneven breaths.

“I bought coffee, and food,” he gestures to the bag, a peace offering, a patterned red thing, “I figured you should stop trying to find Japan in Night City, so I got patatas bravas, empanadas, tamales, and churros, for after.” He takes foil lined boxes out of the bag as he speaks, shaking each one to hear the rattle of food before he discerns what it is. It does not go unnoticed that the churros are placed closer to himself than Takemura, the man’s incessant sweet tooth staking a claim on the sugary snacks. Each box leaves a small ring of steam on the inside window, fighting valiantly against the chill of the weather outside.

“I am not hungry.” Takemura lied, returning his gaze to the building opposite, thinking back to the task at hand, and not of Gianluca’s spread position as he plucks at the fabric between his thighs. From the way he sits, each inch of clothing is either a creased hill of bunched fabric, or a damp puddle of tattooed skin blended beneath a synthetic silk mix.

He glances back to Gianluca when the man lurches forward, tugging off the waistcoat and unknotting his tie. He hangs his jacket from the back of his headrest, the van rocking as he turns to check and see there was nothing back there that would cause it damage. His waist coat is next, and his tie is rolled up, held in his tight fists until water droplets run down into the cuffs of his shirt, and then placed on the shoulder of his seat. Part of Takemura wants to chastise the man for taking over a space that was not his, and the other part, the part which likes knowing the three words V had resigned the man to, likes watching tattooed hands run across the damp shirt, wrinkles smoothed, pulled taut and damp over hardening nipples.

“You don’t have to eat now, Takemura, but it’s good food, and I promised abuelita I’d, you know,” he gestures limply and without definition, grabbing the bag and setting the boxes back inside. He hesitates with the small box of churros, lamenting the treat he would have to leave in the hands of another man. It’s something to distract him, focusing on the smell of the food, and then the strong bitterness of brewed coffee as Gianluca pulls the decorated flask out. Without his optics he cannot smoothly translate the words carved in Spanish, but the small upturn of Luca’s lips tells him they were written fondly.

It’s more of a planned picnic than an impromptu dash around the streets for something that resembles a meal. Homemade, Takemura thinks, a twitch in his stomach that can’t decide whether to swell with affection or curdle with jealousy. His own grandmother had raised him as a child, before Arasaka, and he can see love in the way Gianluca handles the boxes, the flask, the way he pours coffee from it and into the small cups. Abuelita, he thinks, trying to conjure an image that would suit the title, trying to figure out how Night City had bred a woman who would give her fully grown grandson, a thief, a ganger, and more even, a perfectly wrapped meal and send him out on his way knowing full well that he had his own concealed weapons at hand.

The coffee itself is stronger than he would have liked, and it burns a trail down his chest when he drinks it. Gianluca himself, drops in three pill capsules to his own, and they fizz as they disintegrate, black coffee now swirling with little flecks of pink and blue. A puddle of the night sky held in his palm. He declines one of them when Gianluca offers, smiling to himself when the man drops the fourth in; muttering to himself about how it is only sugar.

It is more than sugar, V had told him when they had met in Tom’s Diner, concentrated and synthetically made. Absurdly sweet, to the point that it made her gag when she had first tried one. Gianluca split the pills himself, one capsule held the contents of three. Different flavours to make one overall combination of saccharine granules. An abomination, Takemura had thought, wondering how he felt as if he could now smell that over the bitterness of his own drink.

“You have told your grandmother about me?” Takemura asks, glancing back at the red bag, placed closely in the rear of the van. How much? He wonders at first; Saburo-sama’s failed bodyguard, an Arasaka outlaw, a rat from Chiba 11 who was given everything and failed his only purpose.

“No,” Gianluca says, sighing as he swallows a gulp of coffee, shrugging as the warmth blooms in his chest too, “well, just a little.” His smile is coquettish as he glances over, cradling his plastic mug in hand, blowing the steam as it rises to his lips.

“You should not have done this, anyone who knows-” Takemura starts.

“Is at risk, si, si, I said you’re a friend of a friend who’s a little run down.” His worries are not dissuaded off by Gianluca’s limp wave, nor by the way he shrugs out his admittance. “Anyway, she’ll be pissed if you don’t try some.” He points a thumb at the food, raising his brows in a way that relayed his message in all seriousness.

For a moment Takemura feels a pang of something in his gut, a slight worry over disappointing the faceless figment of a grandmother of the man beside him, over being judged by the same woman. The pang sets in the scales of his stomach, balanced out by Gianluca’s behaviour, which tells him that the younger man had spoken of him fondly enough that said grandmother had made him the equivalent of a packed lunch. Or perhaps she was simply like that, perhaps Gianluca was simply like that. Helpful; and in Night City? The words don’t sit comfortably together.

“A friend of a friend?” He asks, sipping at his coffee, watching the way Gianluca swirls his own by tipping his wrist, stirring the sugar as he pours himself a second cup. Personally, he didn’t believe that friend of a friend described him accurately enough. He wasn’t friends with V. Their relationship was one of purely business. She had seen what had happened at Konpeki, and Takemura needed her statement. There was little more to it.

But Gianluca, he hadn’t been there. Takemura didn’t need the man. And yet, throwing him from his van hadn’t even crossed his mind. Granted, his mind could easily excuse it; Gianluca was an exceptional netrunner, the man had skills and a certain know-how of a great many things that neither V nor Takemura knew how to do. Even V had explained to him, if there was a way of getting Gianluca to the parade float without danger, he’d be able to hack it without the daemon that Takemura had purchased, and he’d probably do it faster than V could upload it. But he was a coward, his chosen implants spoke to that, and was mostly useless in a firefight.

He would be useful in other, more specific ways, is what V had told him, as she had first shared his contact information. Not that Takemura had been tech savvy enough to be able to change the name of him, and with his pride and previous blunders, hadn’t asked anyone to help him to do so.

So he remains, Gives Good Head.

And if Takemura had to explain that to anyone, he’d struggle beyond what was reasonable. Because there would be no way for him to know either way, despite the flirtatious nature of the man, despite the way he mouthed at everything and anything he could. Takemura couldn’t simply just ask; and there sits the struggling thought, because he didn’t know what he would ask, specifically. If he questioned the title, then Gianluca would either have to lie, or be believed to be lying, or demonstrate if the monicker lived up to standard.

“You did not mention V?” Takemura asks, holding his dwindling cup out to be refilled, staring at the black liquid as it decants, eyes flickering from it to Luca’s hand, to the damp collar of his shirt, to the way his hair dries awkwardly around the face. He can see the soft whirring of cybernetics on his pupils, a dimly lit gold as he runs through whatever data breach he explores.

“Why would I? She doesn’t like her, she’s not making any of this for someone like V,” he offers another smile, plump lips pulled taut, “just accept the food, Takemura, not everything needs to be dissected.” He holds up his own cup, tapping it against Takemura’s, before downing it himself. He hums in undecided agreement, staring at the steam that rises from his cup. Perhaps it did need dissecting. If Gianluca couldn’t hack the float by himself, more or less even have a reason to do so, why was he still here? Bringing coffee and food like this was something else, as if they weren’t scouting for information on the parade floats, as if he was a friend of a friend.

From the corner of his eye he can see Gianluca readjusting himself, pulling at the crotch of his slacks, picking at the damp fabric. Thumb held behind his belt as he stops it from digging into his gut, trying to relax and ignoring the squelch of wet fabric against wet fabric as he moves.

He was handsome, Takemura knew this, Takemura had seen this. Takemura knew that Gianluca also knew he was handsome too. It had been easy to see the way he had flirted with those around them, with street food vendors and passersby, with the NCPD when they got a little too suspicious, a tilt to his hips, a wink, his tongue pressing against that golden triangle. Like a peacock, he thought. Brightly fanned tail feathers like a shield around him. Takemura held reserve on it all, trying not to think of the contact on his holo, trying not to look when Gianluca raised his hips to pluck his slacks from where they uncomfortably cling to his arse.

“You and V have a history?” Takemura asks. He already knew, her holo contact, but there was more behind it. Which meant there was more to all this, and Gianluca was wrong; this did need to be dissected. Because if she was paying him, then that meant she might be paying others, and that was an endless list of people who might know where Takemura was. And if not that, then blackmail, if V had something to hold over Gianluca, surely the man, coward or not, would find a way out of the trap she had set for him.

“Si.” He admits, thumping back down into his seat with a bounce, angling himself to the side so he could look at Takemura head on. He sits on one side of his hips, legs crossed at the ankles, his clothes were drier now. Still damp, still smelling of Night City’s rain water, but less see-through, whiter now.

“If there is more to this, then I would like to know.” Takemura explains, his voice lowering a tone, trying to convey the words he didn’t want to speak. “If it could affect what we aim to do.” He adds.

“Are you asking professionally or…”

“Yes.” He says quickly, not wanting to entertain the idea of this being anything but business. There had been many within Arasaka’s training camps who had felled their own training over a lover, over quick trysts in silent corners. Takemura had not been one of them. Where the urge arose he squashed it down, and when he couldn’t deny himself any longer, when his body thrummed with arousal and desire, when heat and sex and lust dropped off of him like sweat, like an overfilled cup of coffee, like rainwater off a white suit, he pushed it down again. Further, deeper, and restrained himself mentally in ways that would so often break other men.

Takemura had patience and willpower, an uncanny ability to simply deny the part of him that wanted to lose himself with another for just a few moments. A few moments back then would have cost him a lifetime, a few moments now; he dared not entertain, and yet-

“We had a thing back when we were teenagers, she was my first proper output, gave me my first blowjob a couple blocks from here,” Gianluca’s words fall so unapologetically from his tongue, wet and organic in a self imposed gilded cage of teeth, “she got a job with Arasaka, I stayed in the Glen, we fuck when she gets a little homesick.” Takemura has to chew on his own tongue, he was homesick, he was only a couple blocks from a couple blocks away, he was trapped in his own vehicle with a gilded man dripping onto the centre console, talking about fucking a woman, talking about giving head, giving Good head.

“And you two are…” He clears his throat awkwardly, unwilling to say the next words. Because Gianluca was beautiful, and V was beautiful, and Takemura’s hormonal balance regulators had been turned off along with everything else, and he had unwittingly grown used to them thrumming away in his body, limiting the things he had taught himself to deny naturally.

“Are you asking professionally? Because I’m sitting in your van, in this pinche clima, in this soaked suit, and compiling all the information I can get off the Arasaka compound; and I’m not doing it just to get that puta to ride my dick.” Gianluca inches over, leaner closer, lowering his voice from where it had been raised in disbelief and annoyance. “There are easier ways to… mierda, Takemura, pa ti. That’s why.” He jabs a finger in Takemura’s direction, pointedly enough that he looks down, and then back up into Gianluca’s eyes. Golden lines turning as he tries, fails, to connect with Takemura’s own disabled optics, a hitch in the download as he turns his gaze back to the building beyond them.

He readjusts himself again as he sits back in the passenger seat, and Takemura’s gaze does not flee his form, not immediately. Because perhaps he had fooled himself, and he was a lesser man than he thought he was, because now the only image in his head was V writhing in Gianluca’s lap, head thrown back, arched and panting and wanton and brimming with lust and decorated with sweat. And so easily does she fade, replaced by his own body.

A part of him laments the image, laments the desire to take Gianluca’s cock in hand and press it inside of himself, and so he turns back to the building in the distance. Because it should be the other way around, he should have Luca on him, his status would demand it. He could not debase himself in front of a lesser man, a younger man, to give his most intimate parts up so freely to someone like Gianluca. A larger part of him doesn’t care, because the images playing in his mind increase twofold. Of being inside of Luca, of being on top of Luca, of being underneath Luca, of being spread legged with wide tattooed shoulders under his thighs, and a mouth, lips tattooed, tongue organic, teeth gilded, pressed open against his cock.

“I knew it was going to rain, waited for it, even.” Gianluca whispers. A soft admittance under the patter of raindrops. And when Takemura turns he sees the man dissected, his reasons laid bare.

He had the foresight to bring a vinyl bag that wouldn’t crumple with the weight of water, and not an umbrella to save himself the same misery. To bring food that would keep its heat, coffee the same, enough to warm himself that he would need another reason to shed his clothes; his damp clothes, pale and sticky against darker skin. He had sat in Takemura’s van drenched in sheer fabric, tugging and pulling at it, guiding his gaze in a dance across his body, a display, an allure; hands pressed against his thighs, his groin, his chest, sat lower in his seat so his hips pushed up, black underwear a stark contrast to everything he was and wore.

With tentative fingers he pulls a glittering datashard from his neck, eyes settling to their natural colour, and offers it to Takemura without need for recompense. For you, pa ti. A compilation of what he had gathered from the compound, a gift to help with the sabotaging of the parade.

He is dissected. He is lain bare. He is dressed in raindrops and distant city light.

And Takemura kisses him.

He grabs the offered wrist and pulls him close, pressing chapped lips to Luca’s own tattooed ones. His breath is sugary, his tongue more so. Takemura claws his hand around the back of Gianluca’s neck, pulling him closer like a chained dog, fingers digging into organic flesh and cybernetics alike. He can feel the stubble of hair growth as he grips harder, pressing himself closer; encouraging, if not forcing the younger man to open his mouth fully and share what lays there.

The heavy thrum of his heartbeat is felt through his wrist, a rising thudding beneath Takemura’s fingertips. It sings in time with Luca’s desperate grunt, the sound of his rings clacking against Takemura’s own neck. And when he squeezes harder he hears Luca’s moan over the sound of raindrops, open mouthed and whining, stuttering as Takemura’s tongue pressed in against his own. He yields so easily to him, letting him grab and take and pull, pushing against him with the same ferocity, keening into the state of being devoured.

Gianluca bites at Takemura’s lip as he tries to pull away, following him with kisses to his cheek, his jaw, golden teeth catching against the cybernetics of his neck. He bites down where flesh meets metal, upper teeth scraping his jawline, decorating the plates with his tongue as Takemura groans into the open air.

“You planned this.” Takemura heaves, accusing him as if he hadn’t instigated the kiss himself, catching his breath deep in his lungs. Gianluca pulls back, only the inch that the other man’s grip would allow, and offers a shining smile, he licks his lips, that golden triangle, and nods.

“Si,” he whispers, “but it’s going better than I expected.” He laughs breathlessly, kissing at the hand around his wrist, laving his tongue against the metalwork, trying to pull the fingers into his mouth. He stares at Takemura all the while, watching those dark brown eyes fall heavy, how his jaw twitches as he grinds his teeth.

With a shuddering breath he releases his grip, and instead, points three fingers together, his fourth curled into his palm, and lets Gianluca take them into his mouth. He kisses them at the joined tip, lets the flat of his tongue drag across them. Lips press down towards the cuff of his jacket, and he inhales deeply. It must smell of synthetic leather and sweat, but Gianluca rises with a smile, nipping at the palm of his hand, of the bumps and callouses there. The edge of his nose pressed against the three fingers as he returns to his beginning, and slowly he nips at those too, opening his lips to take them to the first knuckle.

He grins around them easily enough, forcing his tongue between the trio, curling it, flattening it, letting his saliva coat the inch he has in his mouth. Takemura still watches on, knowing almost entirely what both of them are thinking of, using most of his restraint to stop himself from pressing his free hand against the throb of heat below his gut. His whimper is embarrassing as Gianluca takes the fingers in further, to the second, the third, until his lips are flush against Takemura’s knuckles, and the only thing stopping him from going further is the fourth finger he had not taken. He swallows. And Takemura can feel the constriction of his throat against his fingertips, and the way his cock throbs against the inside of his slacks.

Gianluca pulls off, ever so slowly, allowing Takemura to set the pace as he takes his fingers from between the lips, each one sticky with sugared saliva. It’s sinful, the sight of them, glistening in the lowlight, a match to his lips, damp themselves, and open with staggering breath. It’s mesmerising almost, the ethereal nature of it broken when the datashard is pressed against them; all the information he needs, the reason why they where both here, a veritable tower block against the sight of a flush-faced Gianluca.

“Touch yourself, Takemura.” Gianluca whispers, eyes flickering the to fingers he had swallowed.

“I am.. I am not sure.” He says lamely. It seems inappropriate, what he just did was inappropriate, Gianluca’s hands trailing down his own body, catching on damp wrinkles of his shirt, thumbs pulling open his belt buckle, the sound of his slacks zipper being pulled down, it was all inappropriate.

His internal conflict must be written plainly on his face. The way his eyes skitter back and forth, from his hands to Gianluca’s own, to the younger man’s glossy eyed appearance and down to his own lap; and back to the soft frown that graces Gianluca’s brows, and the sound of a zipper being tugged back up. The sound almost echoed in Takemura’s gut, like a pendulum that swung between regret and relief. He’d never had someone… do that before. Truthfully, he wouldn’t have even entertained the mere thought of it before, and had he done so, Arasaka would have noted the stimulation in his endocrine system and flagged it up to be reviewed, as they always had done.

That in itself came with a sickening feeling of relief. It felt dirty. It felt dirty to want to do what Gianluca asked of him. It felt dirtier to hear those words in his head, over and over, and wonder if he could just take a hold of his own sex in spit-slicked fingers, apologise, and ask the younger man to watch, to touch, to taste.

“Is it me, or… this wasn’t a transactional sex thing, you know,” Gianluca clears his throat awkwardly, swiping a hand back through his hair and muttering to himself, “qué cabrón.” He looks over at Takemura, still holding the datashard aloft in wet fingers, his cock half hard in his slacks, and a heat decorating his cheeks.

A moment sits between them in the lowlight. Neither of them quite knowing exactly what to do. Whatever intimacy had stirred between them had been stalled by Takemura’s hesitance, and with each glance between them, fleeting, nervous, like two deer stuck in each others headlamps, it stalled again.

“Let me…” Gianluca says, turning in his seat to grab his pocket square and pluck the shard from Takemura’s fingers. He takes Takemura’s hand in his own, wiping away the excess saliva he had left, distracting himself by semi-detailing the metal work across his knuckles. “Listen, I can walk home,” he drops the datashard into the empty ashtray, “and, that’ll probably need to be filtered through, I can recheck the guard rota the day before V goes in just for extra safety, might even throw in a weaponry jammer if any open fire on the night and-“

“Gianluca.” Takemura says, halting the man in his stumbling words. He doesn’t know what he is going to say, nor how he intends to speak it in forced English. Instead he turns his hand in his own, bringing the organic knuckles to his lips. The kiss is chaste, less so when he reaches over to press against his lips. “I will drive you home.” He opts to say, knowing that it is merely a delay tactic, and one that is foolish in itself. The small smile at least is worth the detour, even if the words are abstract from their meaning.

With a press of a button the van splutters to life, rattling in protest of not yet being allowed to die its death. And he waits until Gianluca has tossed what remains in their cups from the window, and replaced the flask in the patterned red bag, before he moves off from their location.

The navigation system pings to life, a sultry female voice telling Takemura to take a right in so many kilometres, and congratulating him with flirtatious laughter and innuendo every few commands. An echo of the previous owner’s taste, and one that fully wilts any desire that might have been thriving in Takemura’s mind. “You, uh, you chose her, ¿si?” Gianluca asks behind a closed fist, stifling his laughter. Takemura fixes him with a stare, his face unmoving even as the navigator compliments him on his driving.

It is enough to settle the tense atmosphere they had both created. Even as Takemura’s shoulders grew tighter with each command. At the very least it had been a short drive, and the patter of rain had died down to a slow drizzle. It didn’t, however, give Takemura the time he needed to figure out what the plan for this was. Because he has seen Gianluca knocked back by some of those in Night City, and he had always brushed it off with a grin. Perhaps it was because this was private, because it had just been the two of them. And he didn’t know if it was him by himself, or the lack of onlookers which changed it.

With a wanton moan their navigator announced they had arrived at their destination, and Takemura happily punched enough buttons to shut her off, and then the ignition.

“Try the food, Takemura, it’s good, prometo.” Gianluca says with a reassuring nod. It’s enough to stop Takemura from saying, or doing, anything particularly foolish. He taps his fingers against the ashtray, a quiet reminder that Takemura still had work to do, and plucks his discarded clothing from the back of his seat. “You have my contact, right?” He asks faltering as he grasps the handle, hearing the click of the van door opening. He nods silently, thinking back to the name in his phone, back to the way he had swallowed his fingers. Takemura didn’t know whether to thank V or curse her for those three words of sexual wisdom.

Gianluca lingers as he clambers out, his clothes folded over his arm, a dazzling white now he stood under the city lights. He hovers a moment, chewing on the inside of his lip as if the words he wants to say fail to form on his tongue. Takemura wants to say something himself, but find no words can actually help him in this situation. And were it some soppy screamsheet nonsense, he imagines he might have kissed him farewell, but that was not life in Night City, not for Takemura. No, life for him was watching Gianluca step away, shut the door, and hurriedly enter the apartment complex he lived in.

Takemura punches the ignition button again, waiting for the van to regrettably sputter back to life before pulling away. He had work to do, and he was hungry.

[accessible-tumbling]

ID 1: Two screenshots from a Facebook post by Ashley Cairns, whose account is labeled "Founder | Employer Branding | Talent Operations and Analytics" with the post reading:

"I've been absent from LinkedIn for the last week or so, and I didn't want to talk about it at first… I wanted to move on and get back to things, but if what I went through could happen to me - it can happen to anybody. And we need to talk about it.

"In April I suffered a miscarriage. It was devastating. My husband and I had been trying for over a year, and our hearts broke. I had to be rushed to the emergency room. Everything happened so fast. I was scared.

"I live in Texas.

"Not a week later we had workers from the state health department on our doorstep. Unannounced. Inquiring about the state of my pregnancy. When I told them what had happened (which I should not have to do!) I was told I had to call the state to report a miscarriage, since my pregnancy was 'on file'.

"The state of women's health care in this country is abysmal, terrifying, and just plain wrong.

"The last few weeks have been spent trying to get my health back, look for work, get a company off the ground, and take care of our family. I have an amazing support system - a caring husband, my parents who flew in from Tennessee to help around the house, my mother-in-law who took me in from the hospital and didn't let me lift a finger. An active support system is great, but what woman in #Texas and America needs is a government and Healthcare system on their side.

"Dealing with hormones, and sadness, and not being able to stay awake more than 2 hours without being in pain, trying to start a company, trying to go to events and network, trying to keep life going as normal for our niece - the last thing I needed was the added stress.

"I believe if more women speak up about their experiences we can erase the stigma of miscarriages, and get to work fixing this broken Healthcare system.

"I will be getting back to posting sarcastic and cynical posts soon. For now I'm focusing on finding work, and taking care of myself. And as a glutton for punishment I will be adding Fighting for Women's Healthcare more actively to my plate as well. If you have a similar story comment it below or DM me. I will be collecting testimonials, and looking to meet with people working towards this goal to help anyway I can."

ID 2: An ad from Planned Parenthood. There is a black and white picture of two men in suits with their backs to the viewer, standing in front of a worried looking woman who has opened the door for them. The caption reads, "How would you like the police to investigate your miscarriage?" The text at the bottom of the picture reads:

"So-called 'pro-lifers' think nothing of invading women’s privacy and jeopardizing their health. Their national campaign of violence and intimidation attracts plenty of media attention. But the outrages they commit now are nothing compared to what would happen if they win.

"The Human Life Amendment to the Constitution treats the fetus as an independent human being from the very instant of fertilization. Abortion would be called murder under all circumstances. So would many effective birth control methods. And every miscarriage could be suspect.

"While some anti-choice activists declare that only health professionals who assist with an abortion should be charged with murder, countless women could be caught up in police investigations and prosecutions even if they are never arraigned (note: this word is difficult to make out, it could be wrong).

"If the right to choose abortion is limited or eliminated, women who can afford to travel could probably evade the law. Poor women and teenagers with no resources would be forced to induce their own abortions or subject themselves to an illicit, dangerous back-alley procedure.

"And thousands of them would be brutalised, maimed and killed. How do we know what will happen if the extremists win? Because that’s the way it was before abortion was made legal and safe in 1973. The choice they present isn’t whether abortion should be stopped.

"Prohibition never worked. The choice is privacy… or punishment. Safety for women…or terrible danger. It’s really not a choice we need to make again. Make time to save your right to choose. Before the so-called “pro-lifers” start making your choices for you.

"Take action! To support Planned Parenthood’s Campaign to Keep Abortion Safe and Legal, please mail your contribution to PPFA, 810 Seventh Avenue, New York, New York 10019-5818."

The last line at the bottom reads, "Don’t wait until women are dying again," with the Planned Parenthood Federation of America logo next to it. End ID.

This sounds like something from The Handmaid’s Tale, ffs.

[blackcatcabin]

Let’s talk aesthetics and color schemes. My duck friends are back! Something that inspires me is the aesthetic of a luxury hunting lodge. Think Deep warm colors (your reds, oranges, yellows) and muted cool colors (your greens, blues, purples) As ridiculous as that sounds, another way to put it is more Gordy and Sons upscale outfitter and less Bass Pro Shops. (Iykyk) It’s very much a muted color scheme with burgundy’s, dark neutrals, and soft blue grays to work with which is also what I look for in my make up choices. I used to love bright colors, and as much as I think I rocked it…I really didn’t. Even more natural colors looked to be too bright on me. Not too long ago I figured out I had to get rid of my wet n wild contour pallet and huda neutrals (while great, just washed me out entirely). And embraced that I am a full on evening ghostly cabin type of girly. I clung to contour too sharp for my face and purples so bright you’d think it’s 1982. Y2K makeup did get the chromes right though… I will NEVER rid myself of the chrome nail polish!

Side thought: a red lip is universal I highly recommend checking out poundcake their reds match your undertone and smell amazing. Like a cake! 10/10

I’ve seen the new trend being “wearing your colors” where some lady takes a bunch of color swatches and magically you can see someone go from dull to happy in a matter of seconds. Which I know this is also a total rouse, but I’m totally bought into it. Now no one can get me to ever stop wearing black, I am a millennial, black is flattering on everyone, and I will die on that hill. But since embracing the muted colored “soft autumn” that the style quiz told me I was, I am I find my choices to be very easy. A lot of guess work is taken out of how I shop now with a target goal in mind. Does this elevate/flatter my tone and does it stick within my color pallet I want to keep? If you listen to some fashion podcasts the most useful thing I’ve heard was “pick three words to describe your wardrobe.” It goes beyond the closet, 3 words to describe your career, your life, your self. It’s a good method of operation to move towards your goals.

After college it’s incredibly easy to just get lost. No routine in place except for the one you make. And if you’re any girly out there, being an admin for yourself is hard. So we’re doing the three word method when it comes to color choices and everything else. And if it doesn’t fall in that category it doesn’t help what I’m trying to build.

My 3: Elevated, Classic, Sexy

Elevated: great its a blue top but is it elevated? Am I just wasting 10$ to buy something in that color or should I invest in something that’s going to make me feel uplifted

Classic: will this stand the test of time? Fast fashion and busy prints will not do my wallet or my figure justice

Sexy: and I say this out of the MANY times I’ve heard this from friends and family - Do you look like a grandma? And not coastal cute grandma who doesn’t take shit from anyone and drinks her whiskey neat, I mean straight up doily’s covering every inch of the house, salmon wallpaper everywhere, seashell soap that doesn’t work and has dust on it, Karen across the street grandma. Which essentially reminds me to just dress my age.

[mertefekamanlitedu]

can't stop playin - Rainbow Six: Siege

Diving into Rainbow Six: Siege

Rainbow Six Siege is a super cool game where you get to be either a defender or an attacker. It's made by Ubisoft, the same folks who brought us other awesome games like Assassin's Creed and Far Cry. If you've never heard of it, don't worry. It's what they call an FPS game, which stands for First Person Shooter. Think shooting games where you see through the eyes of your character. Other popular FPS games you might know are Call of Duty, Battlefield, VALORANT and CS2 (CS:GO).

Getting Started with Rainbow Six Siege

In Rainbow Six Siege, each player gets to pick an operator, and each operator has their own special ability. Some can blow stuff up, some can heal their teammates, and others can set traps. You also get to choose from a bunch of different guns and gadgets barricades, reinforces, and explosives. There's this important phase at the start of each round called the drone phase, where you can use drones to scout the map and find the bad guys. The goal of the game is simple: either wipe out the other team or plant the defuser if you're attacking, and if you're defending, make sure they don't do that and stay alive!

Exploring the World of Rainbow Six Siege

Rainbow Six Siege has lots of different maps and game modes to keep things interesting. Some people play super competitively, while others just want to have fun. What's awesome is that the game has destructible environments, which means you can blow holes in walls and create new paths. This sets it apart from other FPS games like Valorant and CS:GO (now called CS2). Plus, you can rappel up and down walls and lean left or right to peek around corners, which adds a whole new level of strategy.

Tactical Thrills and Esports Chills

One of the coolest things about Rainbow Six Siege is how tactical it can be. There are even big esports events where pro players show off their skills. For me some of the best players out there are Beaulo and Spoit, who make the game look easy (even though it's not!). These pros really highlight how intense and competitive Siege can get.

Fun Times in Rainbow Six Siege

But hey, Rainbow Six Siege isn't just serious business. There are fun events like Rainbow is Magic, where everything gets a magical makeover, and other silly game modes to goof around in. Content creators like Jynxzi and Marley make hilarious videos that show off the lighter side of the game.

About Me

As for me, my favorite esports player is Beaulo because he's just so damn good. And when it comes to content creators, Jynxzi takes the cake for me. I absolutely love playing on the Oregon map because of its great lighting and the fun of both attacking and defending.

Rainbow Six Siege is more than just a game, it's a whole experience. Whether you're in it for the tactics, the laughs, or the thrill of competition, there's something for everyone. So grab your gear, pick your operator, and let's breach and clear!

[video-production-leeds]

An Interview with a Professional Drone Pilot

Discover the world of drone videography with Byron , our drone pilot and camera operator at Shot Blast Media. In this exclusive interview, Byron shares insights into drone technology evolution, memorable flight experiences, and the meticulous planning behind each shoot. From tackling challenges to prioritising safety, Byron offers a glimpse into capturing breathtaking aerial footage. Whether you’re an aspiring drone pilot or curious about aerial magic, join us as we soar into cinematic exploration with Byron. How did you get started as a drone pilot? I wanted to be a drone pilot after watching lots of films with drone videography in them! I researched how I could go about doing this, bought a drone, got my licence and now I’m a drone pilot! How has drone technology evolved since you started flying? I don’t think drone technology has evolved hugely since I started flying, however, I have developed more understanding of droning over the years. When I first started flying, I didn’t realise there were FPV drones (first person drones), that there were mini drones, that there were drones with 6 propellers on and loads more! I use a Mavic 2 Pro, so it’s a little bit more junior compared to the big drones you see on TV. For football matches they use a drone operator and camera operator, so I’ve developed my understanding of drones by witnessing this! What certifications or licences do you hold as a drone pilot? With drone flying, I hold a basic operator and flyer ID for the UK. This is open to anyone, and you can easily do it online. It’s very cheap, I think it’s about £11, and that’s the main licence you need in order to fly a drone. I also now hold an Irish licence, as in Ireland, you need a different flyer ID to the UK, which is very important information to know. I also hold an A2 COC certificate which means I can fly commercially and I can get restrictions lifted easily. It’s simple to give your certificate to whoever needs to see it so that they can see you have completed all your exams. It also means they will be a lot more flexible with you if you have this certificate, as well as the flyer ID. What is your most memorable drone flight experience? My most memorable drone flight experience is definitely a shoot I did in Wales recently, with our client ENGIE. We shot in a powerstation in Dinorwig from the outside. We had to go to all different sides of the mountain to film, and we had to change the schedule around a little bit due to the forecast rain the next day. This meant we had to go to Ffestiniog, which is about 45 minutes away, as we had to do all the drone work in one day due to the bad weather. Everything that day took a good 10 hours, including climbing up mountains and filming all the drone shots, but it was very enjoyable and I think the final work is beautiful. How do you approach planning a drone shoot for a new project? Well, planning is very important, because if something does go wrong with droning, it’s always good to refer back to the paperwork you originally did. I completed my drone course with UAVHUB, and they supplied a basic planning guide that is very simple to use. This planning guide has all your risk assessments and method statements (RAMS) in it so you’re ready to go! I have adjusted the planning guide quite a lot, and I’d be happy to send a link to anyone if you’re interested to see it, so feel free to get in touch. It basically has all the operation procedures on there, onsite surveys, presite surveys, and anything else you could possibly need for a drone flight. You just fill that out before the drone flying takes place, which takes about 20 minutes, print out the document and then you’re ready to fly! How do you handle unexpected challenges or obstacles during a shoot? There’s always a new challenge, but I will highlight one that happened to me recently. I went to Ireland to shoot a film for a company and I didn’t realise you needed a separate flyer ID to fly in Northern Ireland. So, my challenge at the airport was to quickly complete a flyer ID test for Ireland, which took a while to get approved. I had to get air traffic control approval as well during a short time frame as we were filming close to a flight path. It was a very complicated shoot. I would always look into everything you need to fly at least a couple of weeks beforehand. For me, it was challenging as this shoot came up very quickly, so it was hard to sort out in a short timeframe. Just remember, air traffic control is always there to help you, and that was the first time I reached out to them, but it all worked out well for us, fortunately. What safety measures do you prioritise during a drone flight? People are always prioritised. You can always get a new drone, a new building, a new whatever. Yes, it would be incredibly annoying, difficult and expensive, however people are the only thing you cannot replace. You can’t replace fingers! So, I always try to prioritise the safety of everyone on site. I always tell everyone around me that I’m flying a drone, and if anything was to go wrong, I would shout out ���drone going down!’ Make sure you keep everyone safe, that they are at a comfortable distance away from the drone, and that they are happy with what is being filmed. How do you see the role of drones in videography evolving in the coming years? Drones are already doing a pretty big job in the film industry. Everytime I see them on TV, I always admire the drone work! You can get good quality cameras, like we use at Shot Blast Media, but a lot of people now can just film anything they want on their phone. However, not everyone can send a drone up to get a wonderful shot! It’s going to be one of those things in the future that stands out a lot more than your average phone/camera shot. What advice would you give to someone aspiring to become a professional drone pilot? Do it! That’s my main advice! Following on from this, I would always try to start off with a small drone. DGI mini’s are usually quite good for that, and they’re cheap too. It’s also better to start off with a small, light drone as using heavy drones means that you have to get even more licences and certifications. I’d always advise that you get the right help. Like I mentioned earlier, I use UAVHUB for all of my licences, and it’s a very simple way of doing it. Lastly, make sure you enjoy it! Take the drone out, shoot lots of fun stuff with it and always take lots of batteries as they run out very quickly! If you enjoyed this interview with Byron, our drone pilot and camera operator, make sure to check out some of our other blogs ! Contact us today to find out more about how we can help you with your drone videography needs: +44 (0)113 288 3245 | hello@shotblastmedia.co.uk Your Industrial Story Starts Here Press the button. Make the call. Transform your media. +44 (0)113 288 3245 hello@shotblastmedia.co.uk Contact Us

[back-and-totheleft]

Oliver Stone gets controversial (again)

Many people think of Oliver Stone as an opinionated, hot-headed, left-leaning director of controversial Hollywood films. They may be correct, but he’s also a multiple Oscar winner — for directing “Platoon” and “Born on the Fourth of July,” and for writing “Midnight Express.” And he’s a great conversationalist. He sat down to have one last week in Los Angeles to promote the release of his newest film, “Snowden,” which he directed and co-wrote, and which tells the story of former CIA and NSA operative-turned government operations whistleblower Edward Snowden (played by Joseph Gordon-Levitt).

Q: When you start out to make a film like this, have you already decided in your head whether Snowden was right or wrong in what he did?

A: I want to let the audience decide. I have two halves. People know me for some of my outspoken beliefs which I’ve stated because I strongly feel I have the right of a citizen; I’m not solely a filmmaker, so I do speak out. Sometimes I’m criticized for it, and sometimes I’m confused (by it). People sometimes attribute political filmmaking to my films, but that’s not true. I consider myself a dramatist and a professional, and that’s what I do. I tell the story. In this case I had met with Snowden in January of 2014 for the first time. I was wary, and he was wary. We didn’t know how to do this thing. I didn’t know the details. I’d read all the press reports, but many of them were inaccurate. I went back two more times to meet with him in Moscow, and then in late May we started to move ahead and, with his Russian lawyer, we bought the book from (the British newspaper) The Guardian. My script co-writer Kieran Fitzgerald and I decided to go with a Snowden realism story. Snowden gave us a tremendous amount of detail, and I ended up going back to Moscow nine times. This is a very complicated screenplay because we wanted to get the details right on the NSA, but without the cooperation of the NSA. I didn’t want to do a “Zero Dark Thirty,” where you get the cooperation of an agency like the CIA, but of course they guide you and tell you what to do. It was very tricky. We wanted to walk this thing as straight as we could, and as best we could, also give the NSA’s side of the story.

Q: Do you think you’re on any government watch lists because of making this film?

A: (Laughs) I don’t know; I’ve never inquired. We made the movie without a hindrance. But we didn’t get the cooperation of any major movie studio. We don’t know why, but I always suspect that it’s self censorship, which happens when you reach the McCarthy-like levels this country has reached, where we’re oppressing the truth as much as possible. So Open Road Films was very brave to distribute this.

Q: Was it frustrating for you that the major studios wouldn’t touch it?

A: It was very frustrating, but there’s another issue here. The movie is perceived as being critical of America. This guy was an American, and that’s what’s frustrating, that you cannot dissent from this (Hollywood) system. What I’m saying is that we only do pro-American movies now. This has happened more and more since (President Ronald) Reagan. In the 1970s, in the wake of the Vietnam War, there was a certain disillusionment with what we were doing, that people were actually making movies that were critical of our society. Many of the movies were praised — you know what they are — but in the 80s and into the 90s, I was one of the few that was actually doings things that were saying, ‘Hey! Look at this! Look in the mirror!’ Spike lee and others were doing that, and more recently “Syriana” was a very interesting movie. But almost everything tends to glorify America, and the karma is bad on this. You can’t look in the mirror and see what we actually did in foreign countries. It tells you a lot about where our culture is headed. We’re going to head into the garbage can with this kind of thinking, and I see it everywhere. I tried to do (a film on) the My Lai massacre, I tried to do the Martin Luther King (Jr.) story, but they didn’t happen. So, you know, you make your way in this system.

Q: How did you happen to make “Snowden?”

A: I didn’t want to do “Snowden.” I knew it would have problems. I sensed it. Also, it’s a current affair and the story could break either way. Anything could come out of the woodwork; you don’t know what’s going to happen. So you stay away from hot potatoes if you can.

Q: So why did you do it?

A: Because it was important.

Q: But so many people are saying that this kind of information is being put out on Facebook and Twitter by the masses, not just by Snowden. What are your thoughts on that?

A: Oh, that’s the argument of “I have nothing to hide” crap. But when you get older you realize that you do have a lot to hide. You have basic soul to hide.

— Ed Symkus, "Oliver Stone gets controversial (again) with ‘Snowden’," Sea Coast Online, Sept 6 2016

[summeroffice]

Interview with Наталья Влащенко

0:15 Mykhailo, the last time I saw you was before the war. I want to ask you, how do you feel? It's definitely not easier. It is not easier, on the contrary, much more difficult. Because people want to have a planning horizon certain. They want to understand when and how it will be finalised. Then they will be able to plan their personal lives specifically. Today, there's uncertainty and it is very difficult because your relatives may be on one side or another or abroad. Well, if they left, I mean wives, children and so on. Or they may be on the front line where the situation is very difficult. On the other side you don't understand if you will be able to make a career. What will happen to Ukraine?

14:19 Mykhailo, how to make it so that intelligence would sell better than the feeling of hate? Generation. First, second, third. It's a change that happens gradually. It is when people do not live by annual plans or for a month, it is when the institute of reputation appears and when the strategy for 10, 15, 20 years appears who we want to be.

32:14 It is very important to understand that if you want to speak on behalf of Ukraine, you must be deep in topic. You must create the impression of a highly intellectual elite in Ukraine. You have to create such an impression that they want to communicate with you, they want to believe you, and most importantly, they want to have a partnership or even a friendly relationship with you.

35:04 Power is about responsibility for ideas and about the operational capacity of ideas. Can you just say we can do something or do you really see the logistical possibility to do it?

39:53 If you will invest in your intelligence, in the development of your mind, then you will be able to control the processes and make the right choice, and when the right emotions, which should be given by parents, will be added to the mind, the cold mind.

40:14 The Mykhailo Podolyak that first came to the Office of the President, and the Mykhailo Podolyak that is now sitting before me, what's the difference between them? We change every day. If a person wants to develop…

How have you changed [There are no subtitles; I don't really understand]? Tougher probably and more sensitive on the other hand to [make?] human right actions. I believe that we have to speak right here and now right or wrong and not mask our real emotions. This is the greatest freedom for you if you can allow yourself to be who you are and give characteristics to other people and they will accept it because they will understand that you are objective. And today I can afford it because I saw many people in extremely extreme conditions and saw who they are. And many of them shocked me with the quality of their human qualities.

41:53 You are very lucky. It is a stellar time because you are so lucky to have seen many people who are the stars of world politics. Not only the president of Ukraine, not only Yermak but also world leaders. Who impressed you the most? Let's not talk about Volodymyr Zelenskyy and his team but about those people whom you saw for the first time in Ukraine.

I was much more impressed by simple people. Our people. You know, to come here for a day or two and say something… Many of my friends from Lithuania or Estonia or Latvia take a very strong pro-Ukrainian position, they say a lot but they are in Lithuania and in Estonia and in Latvia but the people who were here in the first hours of the war are impressive. They made certain decisions for themselves to go to the east of Ukraine or to the north of Ukraine or to the south of Ukraine and actively work. Only a few know the names of these people. They are not stars of the world media but they are the real stars of this stage of the historical development of humanity because everything depends on such people.

I will tell you that I called many people in the first days and people picked up the phone 24 hours a day, they took on many more functions, including in this building, people who held the position of department directors or consultants there even, they took on many functions that are not theirs and performed them and none of them ever today says that look, we're heroes. No, they continue to perform certain functions. This is for me, these people are all…

You know, when I came here on the first day. Well, when the large-scale invasion had already begun on the 24th. It was in the morning, around 6:30, I was a little slow because everyone was leaving the city and it was difficult to leave in the oncoming lane, they were also driving. I had no doubt what kind of president I'll see, knowing his psychology, but I had certain doubts about whether there were many such people. There are so many people like this in Ukraine, and this is the key to this war. And if I have to write a book about them, I will definitely write it.

Because to write about Boris Johnson, for example, he is public and everyone has seen it and everyone has seen the pattern of his behaviour, everyone has seen what he says, or about Andrzej Duda, for example, and so on, it's all obvious, or about Emmanuel Macron. We can talk about it because it's public and everyone saw it. These people are famous. But many more opportunities for Ukraine were given by those people about whom few people know. There is a need to write about them, how they made decisions, how they were ready to go there or to another place, how did they take responsibility personally, I especially emphasise the first three months of the war.

45:32 Did you have a few minutes a day for this place? [I can't understand what it may mean] It's not my type. My type is quite pragmatic, I really like it when they say that you can recruit these people for money. I really like it, it's just that people don't know the type of my character at all. It is we who can recruit whomever we need. And it can't be pragmatic because you either do the work or say, that's it, I won't go any further.

46:51 You are saying that If you set certain tasks for yourself, then in principle you close the door for feelings, emotions, until you finish, no emotions, right? What tasks do you set for yourself as an adviser to the president all these months? Quite simple tasks. One voice that should still be among these or other state institutions, this is very important because it was easy enough to work in the first months and it is quite difficult today because there are many of those who voice their own self in their comments on behalf of the state.

49:18 How many times did you change the location of where you spent the night? Constantly, and we won't discuss it. [He smiles]

49:27 When does your working day begin? To be honest, I don't even know when it ends. It's one big working day, a marathon. The only news [?] I have is that the marathon is going on, I'm saying this with irony, from the 24th 7:30 in the morning. But if we speak directly according to the schedule, well, from 7 in the morning as a rule until 10, 11, 12 [I guess 22, 23, 24].

49: 52 How often do you communicate with the president and Andriy Yermak? Constantly. It's work after all.

Every day? Well, the president and Mr. Yermak belong to the category of people who want to know the details, they want to be in operational information. You have to constantly communicate, you have to constantly answer certain questions and you have to constantly demonstrate understanding of these issues, they need it as expert evaluations.

50:18 How has the president changed? Explain in simple words.

52:10 Which book by which Ukrainian writer has made an impression on you lately? It's a bit difficult because I prefer to read classic literature or literature that…

All right, what are you reading right now? Do you have time to read? I definitely have time to read. Right now almost everything related to fantasy probably.

Is it your favourite genre? No, no. You're asking about now. I attempt to go to some, you know, illusory worlds to understand what people can think about this when we live in a fantastic time when the historical process as such is changing.

54:48 What about your personal taboo? What is not acceptable for you absolutely? Insincerity of people. Narcissism of people, insincerity, outright lies, anonymity.

55:03 Your friend, as I understand, Mr Arestovych, some people consider him a narcissist, some people consider him ironic. He's an ironic person. He played an absolutely positive role in the first half or even two thirds of the war, of course then the space was saturated with various speakers and certain nuances in his work occurred, but I emphasise once again that I treat the work that he did with great respect…

Do you continue to communicate with him? Definitely. I don't see… Again, when you speak about taboo, I said, insincerity is not possible. If you communicate with a person and you like him, then you are what you should be regardless of who he is, what status he has, and so on. Either you say that you are not a sincere person and you use people. I don't belong to the category of people, I don't like it when people behave like that. Either you clearly and concretely refer to a person or not. And Mr. Arestovych, I say once again, I want to fix it, I regard with great respect because of the very, very huge volume of work he performed in the first months of the war, had a very positive effect on public sentiment, and this is important.

56:32 Gratitude is a good human quality. I don't expect gratitude, I expect something different, professionalism from everyone. Please do your work professionally if you want to be thanked, please whoever can do it. But don't expect it. Just do the job.

58:05 The dictatorship of the law or the dictatorship of opinion? The dictatorship of the law. Definitely.

58:14 What is useless to ask you? I don't even know. You can ask everything, question is whether you get an answer.

58:29 Will you ever write a book about what you felt during the war and what happened to you that you can't tell about now? Well, it's not even discussed [it's settled]. We will definitely do it and in such a thriller style that it will be interesting to many people.

Do you like thrillers? Yes, of course.

58:51 Have you ever been jealous of anyone? No. It's normal. I'm not saying that envy is bad but it's just that in our country, unfortunately, everything boils down to envy with a negative context. But I don't, I think that if a person is successful, then on the contrary, you should say, you're cool. And if… Well, how does it prevent you from becoming… I just don't understand, what should prevent you from becoming like that, or even taking the first place and not the second, third, fourth. It's normal.

It's just talk but human nature, you know, is like Mozart and Salieri, do you understand? It's not so, it's not so, not everything is like that. It's slightly different. If you are self-confident and if you are ready to invest in yourself, I always say, if you are ready to spend time, effort and become someone else then you're successful because you understand why you do it. But if you want to sit on the couch and be told that look, you're a genius. Well, it doesn't work this way. And then you start to envy because someone runs and invests in himself. Competition is a cool thing. If you're a talent, then in any case it will be in demand.

1:01:36 What will you do after the war? Do you think about it or maybe you know it? Will you go to politics? Well, because you are involved in politics and you are ready for politics? It is definitely of little interest to me because politics is a slightly different composition and type of character, and as for what we will do, we know what we will do. We will not do anything except for remembering all the people, we will have to engrave all those who paid the price so that we could talk to you. And it's not one day, it's not two days, it's not three days. This is the time to visit the families of people who have lost their loved ones.

So you will stay in the game. And you do not have such a thing that when the surrender is signed, you will get on a yacht and go somewhere for a year? I will get into my car, my personal car and drive to other addresses in Ukraine. And by this I mean, we will have to look at everything that we freed, talk to people who lost their loved ones because of stress or who survived the occupation and it will be necessary to record all this. Because when you talk about a book, the emotion must be right in the book or in your memories of what happened, and in order for you to be correct you have to communicate with everyone, you have to feel that nerve of loss to the end, we have to hear it at the end, and not again, I'll repeat, how great we are. Great are those who today pay the maximum price.

[9w1ft]

a small and shameless reflection on the concert…

thinking today about everything that led up to this moment. all of the deep research and inside jokes, all of the drafts and prototyping. plans to pull this off way back in 2019! and now, nearly four years later, the chance was upon us.

i planned this sign with one purpose in mind: i wanted to make taylor smile. in retrospect, it’s all i’ve ever wanted out of any of this. hoping that i might buy a little time and trying everything to get her laughing 😌…

and so i made the sign big and animated and sparkly 🥰 something she couldn’t not notice. it was all going according to plan.. by the grace of the gods @theprologues and i had secured seats near the stage and not just that, seats near a corner. it was opening night!

i tried to retrace my memory and mimic what i did at rep tour tokyo because, well, i figure it provided the best chance at being noticeable, should that have been in the stars. so we walked the floor, passed by production booths, scanned the area for cameras, had fun taking photos in various places and looking around at everyone’s amazing costumes, and finally, we settled into our seats in section Q row 17 seats 3 and 4

and actually, right up until the concert began we had a fully wide open view. it couldn’t get any better!

for being so close to the stage, i still was not sure when taylor would appear… or if she would even come close, but i just had this feeling that we would have a shot at it. for months i had been doing image training in my mind of what i would do, how i would react… what i would say or shout out… what hand would hold what and move what. …yeah 😆 it all goes out the window. what with the peer pressure and the heat of the moment letting doubt creep in and you’re like, god, am i really doing this? but in my heart i was COMMITTED. because.. you’ve got to know what you love. and you’ve got to get a real kick out of it because there’s too much in the world that can spoil life if you let it.

😌 not in my wildest dreams would i have guessed that the moment would come toward the end of the show, and it would be during this song:

THIS SONG! like… i still cannot BELIEVE that it would be anti-hero, of all songs, the one where, you know, she cranks the meta commentary firehose to maximum, oh and, cuts open the RIGHT SIDE EYE of a SUNNY SIDE UP EGG, … where was eye.. ah yes, who knew that this song would bring taylor right in front of this unhinged tumblr kaylor, eye theory chief operating officer, for an eye theory practical effects moment 😭

i’ve searched near and far for the best footage possible but nothing has quite captured the spontaneous combustion of the moment. here, below, is a clip from what pro captured, next to an artistic rendering of the inside of my brain:

and while it’s hard to explain exactly how the moment went down, i nevertheless —surprise of the century, i know— made a small video tribute 😌 ↓

i did manage to get my eye sign off of my person and up high by my face just in time to sing out “im the problem it’s me!” which, god, i don’t think anything can possibly top 😆😆

pro and i were a shambles and i haven’t felt this out of my own body since god knows when. it was the most amazing moment and i just… i hope taylor got a kick out of it and i also hope karlie got a kick out of hearing about it but also i just hope she could feel all of the love that pro and i were channeling in that moment from all of you, tumblr kaylor fam and eye theory truthers near and far, to her 🥹 it’s weird to feel like she’s so far away and yet was like.. less than five meters in front of us for a few seconds just a few weeks ago 😭 the inability of my phone to capture her in contrast and in focus is, i think, a tribute to her cosmic power and literal brilliance 😌 yes 😌 that’s how i see it.

anyway. thank you for letting me share!

[stepphase]

How to record your PC screen in video with the Game bar

Windows 10: How to record your PC screen in video with the Game bar: Record a video of everything happening on your Windows 10 PC screen using the Xbox Game Bar built into the operating system.

In fact, if you're looking for a way to video-record what you're doing on your computer. You probably don't need to install any third-party software. As well as, Windows 10 includes a tool, the Xbox Game Bar, intended for gamers. Which will allow you to take a video capture of what is display on the screen.

After all, the utility theoretically only allows video games to record. But it is quite possible to divert its use to make it record other content with a few exceptions.

Of course, the Xbox Game Bar is not capable of recording Windows 10 File Explorer or Desktop. For all other applications, just make it believe they are games. Demonstration.

Activate the Game bar - How to record your PC screen in video with the Game bar

Click on the Start menu to go to Windows Settings . Enter the Games menu and check that the game bar is in Activated mode .

Below are the different keyboard shortcuts to use the different functions of the game bar.

Configure the Game Bar settings

In the side menu, now go to the tab dedicated to Captures . All video captures made with the game bar are saved by default in the directory:

C: \ Users \ YourPC \ Videos \ Captures

Then scroll through the game bar settings and customize your preferences. You will be able to choose to record the audio data, to define the frequency of video frames of your capture, to opt for a high quality of capture, or to Capture mouse cursor in recordings, or not.

Start a recording - How to record your PC screen in video with the Game bar

Open the app (or game) you want to save a video capture of and activate the Game Bar using the Windows + G keyboard shortcut .

The game bar display and have several panes: capture, audio, performance. As well as a central bar allowing you to show or hide each element. Also, you can manage all the technical parameters of your video capture from these menus.

Then click on the record button to start video capture, then click on the window of the program you want to capture video from.

The game bar is displayed and has several panes: capture, audio, performance, as well as a central bar allowing you to show or hide each element. You can manage all the technical parameters of your video capture from these menus.

Then click on the record button to start video capture, then click on the window of the program you want to capture video from.

A gallery containing all the captures made is then displayed. You will be able to view each of them directly or access the directory in which they are stored by clicking on Open location when a file is selected, or by clicking the direct icon appearing in a folder.

How to record your PC screen in video with the Game bar

We are here to hear from you

Of course, you can contact us to let us know if we are missing something on our stepphase.com page. Post credit to 01net and I hope you like it and by the way, thank you for your visit.

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[yourtoradorasextendedwarranty]

Hillary Clinton called the election illegitimate for years. She also called the people that voted for Trump a "Basket of deplorables". This coming from the same side that claimed that Republicans have never been able to "accept an election". Hi pot, this is kettle, have fun talking past one another.

That as an aside, The Durham report more or less proved that Dems lied about Russian Collusion. Not just that but the second impeachment was a sham as well. The process only happened as an attempt to BAR him running again. IE: the process through which a sitting office holder should be held to account, was weaponized by ONE POLITICAL FACTION primarily, while they held bulk power. Not because he was evil. But because he was asking questions, and doing things that were antithetical to the security state and the foundation of the Uniparty.

What's more, Biden was actually guilty of what the Media accused him of. Need proof?

So if the president is NOT allowed to withhold congressional aid, which fun fact Trump never said he was going to do, AN AID said, and I quote, "Trump asked me to ask Ukraine for information about some video floating around where Biden was asking for a quid pro quo, 'I don't want a quid pro quo, but can you ask them to look into that', but I honestly knew myself that Trump really wanted a quid pro quo." <So what does this read as? Easy, this is a person attributing intent based on something he did not hear, and was not told.

We also know now that the Steele Dossier was used as smear tactics against Trump and the FBI LIED about information, to acquire FOIA warrants. Which IS ILLEGAL. REALLY fucking illegal. So Russia was fake, the entire Steele dossier was fake, this video proves that Biden as VP did demand a quid pro quo, AND to top matters off Trump requested info on this almost a year before Biden announced that he was going to run.

And then let's get to the bulk of the point which you are claiming which is that,

Because by being unabashedly vile, but never admitting any remorse nor being substantially punished, he demonstrates their idea of strength. He is what they want to be: strong enough to do whatever they want without consequences or compassion.

Oh, you mean like Antifa and the left do/have done CONSISTENTLY?! When they killed David Dorn. Wished they had killed Rittenhouse. Bragged about how it's "Their right" to rob stores, riot, and loot, in *checks notes* MOSTLY BLACK COMMUNITIES! Sure ok. But it's republicans that want that. EIGHT FUCKING MONTHS of riots, lootings and killings. 30+ dead and hundreds injured. At the hands of BLM and Antifa no less.

Trump was also vastly anti war. So much so he was trying to pull troops from over seas. Which is funny because that was the left position during the Obama Admin. Now the left are openly pro war. As are the Democrats. And a number of republicans are anti war now. You know what's better? Trumps DOJ heads lied to him about how many troops we had over seas, so as to continue operations over there.

For a bunch of people who claim to be progressive you sure are happy that brown people in other countries are still dying, and you are supporting that party that's the most for it now. As well as the party that BOTCHED the Afghanistan pull out. A pull out that left US citizens stranded, some of whom are dead now.

I'm super sick of hearing people shit on Trump voters as if they actually know what's going on in the world. Trump needs to come out in favor of breathing so that they will oppose it. Since it's literally, "We must oppose everything he says always." He could support UBI and all of a sudden Dems would be like "WHAT NO! UBI IS AWEFUL NO ONE WANTS IT!"

Why? Because you punks can't seem to think for yourself at all. You just regurgitate everything CNN, Vaush, The NYT, and Dems tell you to.

THe GOP loves him-WTF for?

[its-tiamat]

hiii! may i request headcanons with hawks and dabi with a s/o whose love language is gift giving? like, they love giving things randomly. "this cat plush reminded me of you, so i bought it for you." "i noticed that your headphone is broken. here, a new headphone!" "you mentioned you like this brand of candy, and i, well... i may have bought five bags of candy for you." and so on. it's like... giving gifts is the s/o's way to show their affection. they just want to make their loved one happy~

thank you so much!! ❤

|| WITH A S/O WHOSE LOVE LANGUAGE IS GIFT GIVING ||

yesyesyesyesyes I loved writing this!!! Also, I'll never stop saying this, but I'm amazed by all the nice people I've been able to interact with lately. Aren't ya a lovely bunch?

Pairings: dabi × reader • hawks × reader

Warnings: none

He's not... used to receiving that many gifts, he was kinda neglected as a child and at the League? He always felt like he had to preserve his status and he never let himself indulge in too much affection towards other members. He better get used to it though, as giving him little sweet presents is your way to show how strong your love is.

He knows how important it is to you, and it's not like he doesn't appreciate your gesture, but sometimes it leaves him so confused it's almost fun.

"I heard the other day, your headphones weren't working well," you say, "do you like blue? I bought you a new pair!" Dabi raises his eyes from his phone: "Huh? For me?"

"She's giving you a present, you goon," says Toga, smacking Dabi on the head, "look! they're even your favorite color! Stop being so dense and thank her, for once!" Toga turned to look at you: "Don't worry baby, he loves them. And he loves you too." Shigaraki chuckles, and Dabi's face reddens more and more ad he goes back to stare at his phone.

He'll apologize for being so dumb at first and thank you profusely for the gift ("they work so well, and you even got my favorite color, you are amazing!") once the rest of the League is out of the picture. To be honest, you'd buy him more gifts just to see his flustered face when he gets them.

"Hey love," you call him, while walking by his side down a dark alley. He turns his head to give you his full attention, slowing down his walk. "You know how we went shopping the other day, and you showed me those cinnamon blueberry rolls you used to eat as a kid right?"

"Right..." Dabi scratches the back of his head as he stops in front of an old, wooden black door in the darkest spot of the alley. The air smells of alcohol and cigarettes, and you can hear unintelligible words being spoken inside. "What does it have to do with this operation?"

"Huh? Nothing. I just thought it would have been so nice to get you some of them." You pull out a paper bag from your backpack. "So I did. I wanted to treat you!"

Nothing beats seeing his stunned face as he takes your gift in his hands "I...We're on a mission.. but thanks. I mean it. You're lovely." He smiled, softly.

You had managed to capture a couple of their men alive, but the enemy's hideout was now burnt to ashes. The paper bag you gave Dabi, however, didn't seem to have a single scratch on it.

At first it felt a bit awkward to gift him stuff because did I mention it? He's a top pro hero. Can't he buy whatever he wants?

But that's not the point of gifts. And oh, the way his face lightens whenever you give him a gift! He smiles like a toddler at Christmas, even for the smallest of presents means so much to him. They are physical demonstrations of your love!  (*remembers Hawks' past* yes please give him tons of gifts buy him everything please he deserves it pretty please)

He's never been too tied to his physical possessions anyway, but there's something so sweet about holding the key chain you bought for him in his hand, while you're far away. It's like a memo that, as soon as he's done with his job, he can come home to you and finally rest.

He still remembers the day you gave it to him: "I got you a thing, hope you don't mind it," you said.

"Huh? I didn't even notice it!" You laughed. Of course he had. You thought buying something from a stand far from where he was seated would have given you an advantage, but he was so good at spotting you even in the crowd. You handed him the small package, and restrained a laugh as he shred the paper around your gift like knowing what was inside was the reason of his life. No gift paper was safe from him.

"A little chick?" He grinned, as he held the small, round, needle felt chick in his hand. You couldn't hold your laugh for any longer.

"It's a key chain! You like it, right?" Hawks smooched your cheek in the loudest way possible before answering: "I love it! It kinda looks like me, doesn't it?"

You blushed. "I mean, that's the kind of the first thing that came to my mind when I saw it so... It looked so soft and cute, I didn't have the heart to leave it there."

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