#spans over 21 years :D

[trixstriforce]

this blog would be VERY full if i posted about my loz hero au here but that is not a good thing bc i have too much lore and i rewrite major plot points every other minute

[nahimjustfeelingit-writes]

HBCU CONFESSIONS.

Erik x Valencia

Smut

Part One.

What am I going to do? I’m pregnant and it’s my freshman year. I don’t know if I should keep the baby or not. Any advice?

-Florida A&M

My stupid boyfriend cheated on me so I fucked his homeboy. Now both of them are fighting over me 🤭

-Hampton

I think my roommate has a thing for me. I’m not gay, but I’ve caught myself staring at his dick a few times. This shit is confusing me. I don’t like dick I like pussy!

-Morehouse College

My girlfriend wants me to eat her butt. She keeps begging me to do it. Who on here ever ate ass before? I need some advice because gahdamn she won’t leave a nigga alone.

-Morgan State

I already know what yall gonna say but I don’t give a fuck. My homegirl keep telling me about how her man is cheating on her. He’s cheating with me. I’m the side chick. The D is just too good. At this point I’m already too far gone. Judge me if you want I don’t care 🤷🏿‍♀️

-Clark Atlanta University

I had a train ran on me the other night. No, they didn’t fuck me. They ate me 😩 and it was a bunch of Omegas! Since they like to show their tongue so much I wanted to see which one of them could make me cum the hardest 😘

-Howard University

-I wish to remain anonymous. I’m not as experienced in the sex department and I am 21 years old. I want to hook up with someone here. Maybe I have unrealistic expectations, but I want it to be with someone I’ve been eyeing around campus. He doesn’t know I exist, but he’s so beautiful. If I could just have one chance with him…

-Texas Southern

“I did it.”

Valencia shut her MacBook Pro and fell back against her bed within her dorm room. Across from her sat her roommate, Brielle. They’d been roommates since freshman year.

“It was an anonymous submission, right? Nothing to worry about.” Brielle replied while looking over her notes for her A&P lab practical.

“I know, but what if someone figures it out?—

Her phone buzzed next to her thigh again.

“Jesus…he keeps fucking calling me.”

Brielle chuckles, “His ego is bruised. He probably wants to make sure you don’t say anything about it.”

“It’s been a week. He needs to let the shit go.”

Valencia ends the call for the eighth time that rainy evening. She’s already angry with herself for even allowing that man to have his way with her body. It was the worst experience. Worse than her first time.

“Head was trash, dick was trash…”

“So, I guess it isn’t all true that Que’s are great in bed, huh?” Brielle jokes.

“It’s definitely not true. I just wish it was with him.”

Valencia grabbed a pillow and screamed into it. Brielle simply laughed at her antics.

“Isn’t he a Que too?” Brielle questions.

“He is. Maybe he’ll be the exception.”

Valencia slowly removed the pillow from her face and blinked her eyes up at the ceiling. Butterflies formed in her belly just thinking about him.

“He’s so damn fine, Brie. Like, why couldn’t it be him that had all of this instead of Isaiah?!”

“Who is this again? Girl, you know my attention span is fucked up.” Brielle replied with a laugh.

“His name is Erik. He’s getting his doctorate.”

“Hm,” Brielle highlighted a section in her textbook orange, “How old is he?”

“I don’t know, like…thirties maybe?”

“Since when do you like them older?” Brielle asked with a shocked tone of voice.

“Since now! He’s too fine, Brie. And he’s really smart. Like a genius. He has so many accomplishments. A sexy nerd.”

“He sounds like he’s out of your league—”

“He’s also a TA—”

Brielle’s eyes went wide.

“A TA? Girl…don’t do it.”

Valencia had to admit that Brielle was right.

“It’ll never happen anyway. That man walks past me everyday like he doesn’t see me. I’ll just crush from afar at this point I don’t even know why I sent that fucking message.”

Valencia pouted in bed. Silence filled the room as she laid there staring at the television. Brielle was completely absorbed into her notes to care. Valencia could be doing some schoolwork herself, but the thought of her anonymous ask kept circulating in her mind.

Valencia sat up on her elbow and reached for her laptop again. Brielle cut her brown eyes at her and smirked playfully. Valencia checked the blog and noticed one note. Clicking on it, it was just a like. Her submission is nothing compared to the other wild confessions.

“There he goes again,” Brielle motioned with her eyes at Valencia’s phone, “Do you want me to cuss his ass out? Block that nigga!”

Valencia grabbed her phone and proceeded to block him.

“You know I have Chemistry with that limp dick fucker, right?” Brielle said.

“Just ignore him, Brie. He’ll be alright.”

“He keeps harassing you!”

Valencia sat her laptop on their shared desk. She shut off her lamp light snd slipped beneath the sheets. She had an early class tomorrow and needed to ease her mind into slumber.

“Goodnight, Brie. Don’t stay up too late.” Valencia said.

“I’ll try. You know I’m a night owl.” Brielle grumbled.

The rain seemed to flow into the following afternoon. Valencia ran as fast as she could back to her dorm after the boring lecture she had to endure. A fellow student held the door for her and she made it inside although she was drenched from head to toe. She smoothed wet braids from her face and adjusted her cropped T-shirt. The brisk air of the building caused goosebumps to form along her sepia skin. She could even feel her teeth chattering.

Removing her heavy school bag from her shoulder, Valencia took long strides towards the elevators. She waited impatiently while rubbing her wet arms to try and warm up. She silently cursed herself for not bringing her umbrella. The sunny morning and clear sky deceived her. She stared down at her black and white Adidas Campus 00s for two seconds before the elevator doors opened. Valencia took a step forward and just then a deep timbre sent a shiver up her spine.

“Going up?”

Valencia was halfway into the elevator when her chocolate orbs fell upon the one person she wasn’t expecting to see in her dorm building.

Valencia may have met her match with Erik Stevens.

“Yes,” She stepped to the side so that he could enter.

“Thank you.”

Valencia scooted towards the corner of the elevator.

“Which floor?”

“Six.”

“Bet, that’s where I’m going.”

He has a dorm on the sixth floor? She thought.

She focused on him like she was studying a passage out of one of her textbooks. First, her eyes took in the style of his hair. He kept the sides and back tapered but the rest was beautifully loc’d and braided back. His eyes were shielded with gold-rimmed glasses that complimented his face and made him like artsy. She trailed her gaze down his neck to his broad shoulders. He wore a cream-colored hoodie and khaki cargo pants. On his feet were a pair of boots and in his firm grip was a dripping wet umbrella.

“After you.”

Valencia picked herself up and slipped past him since he was holding the door for her. She could smell his cologne and it was her new favorite smell.

“Thank you.” She said.

She instantly felt warm and fuzzy. He had this effect on her she hadn’t felt in a long while truly. Not even for that lackluster lay she had a week ago. Isaiah who?

Valencia walked into a crowded lounge area with a confused look on her face. She spotted Brielle near the window sitting on a lounger. She was chatting with a few of their mutual girl friends. The grey clouds outside began to allow the sun to peek through. She walked over to them and dropped her bag to the floor.

“Cindy, Skai…”

Cindy jutted out her petite hip and smiled with her braces in greeting. Skai raised her hand and fluttered her fingers covered in various gold rings. Skai was playing in Brielle’s ginger-colored coily hair as she typed away on her tablet.

“Why is everybody sitting here in the lounge?” Valencia questioned.

“Rumor has it, Rochelle isn’t our RA anymore.” Skai revealed.

Valencia furrowed her brows and squinted her eyes.

“Really?—”

“CAN I HAVE YOUR ATTENTION PLEASE!”

The chatter amongst everyone died down to a pregnant pause. Everyone looked towards Erik. Valencia caught his eye briefly and she could feel herself squirming from that small interaction alone.

“My name is Erik. I’m sure some of you have seen your emails, and for those that haven’t, I’m here to fill you in. Rochelle had a personal emergency and she will not continue as your RA for the final months of this semester. I will take over that position from here on out.”

Whispers circulated around the room. Erik stood there with his back straight, arms folded, and poker-faced.

Elusive nature.

Mellow.

“Uh-oh…”

Valencia turned her gaze towards Brielle. Her friend gave her a mischievous smirk. Valencia suppressed a laugh and threw her hands in the air dismissively.

“I will be staying on this floor for the remainder of the semester to keep an eye on things and act as a guide. I know a lot about TSU and I’m more than happy to help. Does anyone have any questions for me?”

Erik scanned the room through his glasses intently, similar to a drill sergeant. For some reason, his presence evoked a feeling of obedience.

A quiet Alpha.

“Well, that’s all I have to say for now,” Erik clapped his hands together in finality, “You can resume studying or whatever it is you were doing. Matt, right?”

Erik pointed to a freshman sitting at a desk. Matt was tall and lanky with designer braids in his hair and dressed like he was ready for a runway. A lot of designer. Definitely attention seeking.

“Yeah. How you know me?”

“I’m a Que Dog. You still interested, right?”

Something in Matt shifted. He stood taller and raised his chin with confidence.

“Absolutely.” Matt replied with excitement.

“Your probationary period starts tonight. You got a lot of work to do.”

Valencia could sense the nervousness in Matt.

“I’m ready.” Matt replied.

“We’ll see.”

Erik walked past Matt and towards the elevators. Valencia watched him leave and when he’d finally gone she let out a shaky breath.

“I don’t think I’m going to enjoy a man being our RA,” Cindy said with obvious disdain.

“Same,” Skai stood up and pulled her tight denim skirt down over her rotund backside and generous thighs.

“Valencia is going to keep me up playing DJ hero every night since her crush is our new RA.”

Valencia glared at Brielle.

“You have a crush on him?!” Cindy questioned with a surprised expression.

“What happened to Isaiah?” Skai asked.

“Isaiah was a disappointment. He talked a big game after that party and when we went back to his room he pretty much did the opposite of what he said he was gonna do.” Valencia recalled with frustration.

“I’M GoNnA MAke YoU CuM,” Brielle mocked.

“I’Mma GiVe YoU THIs DiCk AnD HaVE YOu BeGGiNG FoR MorE.” Valencia said

“oh my fucking GOD,” Cindy giggled, “It was that horrible?”

“Cindy, horrible isn’t even the word. If I could find a word to describe how awful it was I would. Can’t eat pussy for shit, constantly tried to stick it in my ass because he couldn’t find my pussy, has a big dick but can’t fuck, kept asking me if I liked it, it was terrible.”

“I’m so sorry for you, sis,” Skai shook her head, “I really thought he was going to knock the Sonic rings out that coochie.”

“Maybe he was drunk?” Cindy said

“He wasn’t. He had a little bit of weed, that’s it.”

Valencia reached for her bag and stood up to leave.

“Let me go study, I’ll catch up with ya’ll later.”

“Sure you don’t wanna come out with us for drinks tonight?” Brielle asked with a smile.

“I have to train. I have a swim meet coming up.”

“Fine! Maybe Saturday!”

Valencia put a thumb up as she walked away towards her dorm room.

Thirty notes.

Girl if you don’t approach this man!

Who is it? I wanna know 👀

If he hasn’t taken the hint by now he don’t want you.

Valencia’s heart sank to the pit of her stomach. Most of the replies were nothing but discouraging. She wished she could take back her anonymous submission. Sitting at their shared desk in an oversized yellow Nike hoodie and her braided hair in a messy bun, she clicked on a tab on her MacBook to continue reading about Erik’s accomplishments at TSU. He’s an alumni receiving his doctorate in Computer Hardware Engineering. Summa cum laude. Pledge President. Star Football player. Leading place in various academic clubs and competitions. Tutor in multiple complex subjects such as quantum physics, chemistry, mathematics, and philosophy. Fluent in languages such as French, Spanish, Chinese, Latin, and signing.

Overly intellectual.

Valencia could go on and on about how perfect Erik seemed to be. She was infatuated past the point of no return. Far gone. The sexist fucking nerd she’d ever known. But still, it was just a reminder that he wouldn’t be concerned with a twenty-one-year-old chick with no experience and nowhere near as much maturity as him. He probably wanted a sophisticated woman. confident, in charge, and calm. A lot of experience and knowledge about the world and about culture, art, and literature. Someone who can quote Aristotle.

Studious.

Oh? He was in the Military? That explains a lot.

Valencia clicked out of the tab and back to the HBCU Confessions blog. As she scrolled the page, she wondered to herself who could have created it? She’d heard whispers around campus about how the infamous blog became active again after some years.

As she scrolled, an instant message icon popped up. She shifted her hips in her seat and leaned in to click on the message. It was probably some old man asking if she wanted to be their sugar baby or a bot. Valencia’s dark brown eyes scanned the message.

-Hi:)

It was the blog. HBCU Confessions. The owner.

-Hello ❤️

Why would they message her?

-I read your submission. Probably the most innocent out of them all.

Valencia didn’t know how to take that. Was it an issue?

-Unfortunately for you, I don’t have THAT MUCH excitement in my life lol

-Nothing wrong with that. It prompted me to message you personally.

-It was that interesting? Lol

-I’d like to understand and see if I could give you some advice.

-Thank you! I’d actually love some advice. 🥰

-Perfect. What makes it an unrealistic expectation? Because I can tell you now, I doubt it is.

-He’s on a different level than me. He’s also older than me. Idk I just get this vibe that he wouldn’t be interested.

Valencia grabbed her hot pink Stanley cup to take a sip of water.

-How much older? I know you’re 21.

-All I know is that he’s in his 30s.

-I’m still not seeing where it’s unrealistic. Have you tried anything at all? A smile? Anything?

-No. I’ve been too shy to.

-Shy or afraid of rejection?

-BOTH.

-You gotta break out of that.

-Do you know for sure if he’s single?

-I’ve seen him around campus with this professor sometimes for lunch but that’s it. I’m not sure if they are dating or just friends lol

-What school are you attending again?

-Texas Southern

-Really? 👀

-👀👀👀

Valencia made a face at her laptop screen. Did they know something she didn’t?

-Is there something I should know?

-I think I may know who you’re talking about. He’s not available from what I know…

So, this person attended TSU as well? Makes sense now why they singled out her confession.

-Who am I talking about then? 😌

-He’s 33 by the way.

Valencia’s shoulders slumped.

-This still doesn’t confirm that we’re talking about the same person.

-He’s a Nupe, right?

-No. he’s a Que. lol

-You sure? He’s about 6’0, teaches chemistry, spends time with that one English Literature professor…

Valencia considered their description of Erik but she was sure he said that he was a Que Dog earlier. And he’s a TA for quantum physics not chemistry. The only similarity is the English Lit teacher. Professor Boyd.

-I don’t think we’re talking about the same person. Send me a picture.

Valencia waited two minutes before a picture popped up in their chat.

-His name is James Parham.

-He’s cute but that’s not my crush 😂

-Well then I have no idea who you’re talking about lol.

-wait!

Valencia waited. She stood up from her seat at the desk to grab her phone from the charger. Checking her notifications, she received a text from Brielle an hour ago. Valencia opened the text thread and there was a video. She pressed play and it was a lot of motion to keep the phone steady until the video zoomed into a table far off in the corner. Valencia squinted her eyes and recognition washed over her face.

Erik.

He was sitting alone in a booth with a drink in his hand, bobbing his head to the music.

Ping.

-Is it him?

-Yes!

-😌 ohhh so Erik?

-He’s definitely single.

-Make a move before it’s too late.

-what do you suggest I do? Can you give me some advice please?

-Erik is introverted and often mistaken for being timid. He is indeed an Omega and takes pride in that. You can find him around campus reading a book or working out. He’s a homebody for sure. Sometimes you may catch him out and about. He’s a chill dude with this mysterious aura about him. That’s what I’ve gathered from just seeing him around campus.

-I would start off by playing into his interests. He likes to read so find out what books he likes. From what I know he’s big on poetry. He likes to run around campus at 6 am. Need help tutoring? See if he’s offering some study hours for that. Start there and see where it goes.

-This is really good advice! It’s very subtle and a perfect way to get his attention without being too obvious. Thank you! ❤️

-You’re welcome love 💗 I’m here if you need anything. Feel free to chat with me.

Intent listener…

“I really don’t know what to do about it, Erik…”

Andrea, Erik’s friend from college and English Literature professor at TSU walked alongside him in the early afternoon the following day.

“He’s so confusing half the damn time, I can’t even tell if he’s into me or not.”

Erik had both hands in the pockets of his slacks. Today was his day to assistant teach quantum physics. He really wasn’t up for it because he’d been up so late in the dorms trying to settle a sneaky party. Apparently, Rochelle allowed them to party and have drinks which is against the rules and grounds for expulsion. He just walked and listened. Out of his friend group, he’s the one they go to to vent because he doesn’t disrupt them, and he gives great advice.

“How long have we known James, Drea? That nigga can’t express himself for shit. Just know, he’s feelin’ you. He’s always had a thing for you.” Erik replied.

Andrea took a sip of her super green smoothie.

“Well, I’m not gonna wait around for him to speak up. What is he so afraid of?”

Erik turned his gaze onto Andrea through his gold-rimmed glasses.

“We’ve been friends for about ten years, Drea. Maybe he’s afraid that if things don’t work out with you two romantically, it’ll mess up the bond you both had as friends.”

Andrea mulled over Erik’s words. They settled in front of the school fountain and sat down on a bench facing it.

“You have a point. We’re going to a spoken word tonight. We’ll see how it goes.”

“Spoken word, huh? Wow…I haven’t done one of those in forever.” Erik replied with a smirk.

“Coming back to Texas is nostalgic, ain’t it?” Andrea said with a giggle.

“It is—”

“Oh! Guess what?”

Andrea leaned into Erik with a playful look in her eyes. Erik narrowed his eyes at her in response.

“Are you gonna guess?” Andrea pestered.

“Aight, You’re finally gonna write that book you’ve been talking about all these years.”

“No! I changed my mind about the book,” Andrea rolls her eyes, “the blog…”

Erik’s eyebrows shot up.

“Yep. It’s been so long I had to see what was going on with it.”

Erik chuckled, “Nah. You’re back on there? Drea,” Erik shook his head, “You’re a professor now! What if somebody finds out?”

“Who’s gonna find out, Erik? We never revealed ourselves when we used it. Nobody knows what school we went to or who we were. Well…I think I may have slipped up last night…”

“What the hell did you do, Drea?”

Erik surveyed his surroundings to make sure they were safe to talk about this.

“I got the sweetest confession from a student here and I just had to message them.” Andrea said.

“Okay, what did they say?”

“So, they pretty much confessed to having a crush on someone here and being afraid to approach them…”

“Who?” Erik said impatiently.

“You.”

Andrea laughed at Erik’s expression. He furrowed his brows and looked at her like she was talking gibberish.

“…Did they say who they were?” Erik asked.

His interest was peeked.

“No. All I know is she’s twenty-one, very shy, feels as if she has no chance in hell with you.”

“Why are you telling me this?” Erik fussed.

“Because I thought you’d want to know! You need some action in your life, Erik. When was the last time you had sex?”

“Aye, don’t worry about it, girl,” Erik playfully shoved Andrea, “I’m just saying, what am I supposed to do with this information? Like…I don’t even know how the girl looks.”

“You will eventually. I gave her some advice. She may pop up today…”

Erik couldn’t deny that he was intrigued. Could be fun to see how things play out.

“Okay, okay…the log in still the same?”

Andrea smirked, “Still the same. You remember?”

“Yeah…it was my idea, wasn’t it?” Erik smart-mouthed.

“Alright, smart ass.”

Andrea checked the time on her Apple Watch.

“Let me head back to my office. When does your class start?”

“In an hour. I’m gonna head over to the library and do a bit of grading to kill some time.”

Andrea and Erik stood up at the same time. Andrea opened her arms to accept a hug from Erik. She squeezed her old friend and then kissed his cheek.

“Aight, Daka, I’ll catch you later.”

“Have a good class, Drea.”

They parted ways and headed in opposite directions.

Valencia felt cute today.

She did her makeup for once. She dressed in a body con black dress that enhanced her curves. She wore her favorite Carolina Herrera perfume. Anything to get his attention.

On her way to the library after her philosophy class, Valencia entered the library with a grace that turned heads. She took the elevators to the third level of the library, her stomach doing flips because of how nervous she was. She exited onto the third level and walked further into the silent area until she was near the windows that overlooked the campus.

Valencia took a seat and proceeded to retrieve her MacBook, and textbook. She wanted to format her notes with bullet points and colors while the information was still fresh on her mind. It was Friday evening and she didn’t want to spend her weekend catching up on school work. Her cafe noir eyes would look up to see if her crush had shown up yet.

After some time, her attention veered back to the HBCU Confessions blog. She was excited to see that there was a new message from the blog.

-Any luck today?

Valencia typed.

-No 😪

Erik strolled over to a desk diagonal to Valencia. He quickly took his laptop and other work out of his bag. It was the last thing on his mind after what Andrea told him. He opened his laptop and found his way back to Tumblr. Being back sparked memories of mischief and lust. Erik started this blog for laughs and he honestly didn’t expect it to transform into what it is today. What started out as a blog strictly for TSU, expanded to other colleges unexpectedly. So many scandalous things go down at college and it sucked that our people didn’t really have their own way of connecting across HBCUs. So, Erik started the blog for fun, and it quickly evolved.

He’d known secrets about people across colleges. It didn’t matter if you were the dean, a professor, a student, or a coach, your deepest darkest thoughts and feelings were exposed for everyone to see with the option of remaining anonymous. Erik witnessed breakups and hookups. It was a guilty pleasure of his, like watching hentai. Erik had many guilty pleasures. Who didn’t?

He successfully logged back in and found himself staring at hundreds of notifications. The only thing he was concerned with was whoever this anonymous person was that had a crush on him. It’s been a while since he’d been with a woman. Being in the military as an engineer was a busy job. He worked a lot and on top of that he moved around from state to state. Hardly any time to settle down or date. He did date a few women, but it was all a dead end.

Erik found what he was looking for.

ebonygoddess1990s_-No 😪

Erik read the entire thread and couldn’t help but chuckle quietly. He was tickled by Andrea’s advice to his secret admirer. She knew him like she knew her classic literature. He was indeed laidback, quiet, nerdy, and ambitious. The more he read the messages, the more he wanted to find out who this woman was. He decided to respond to their message. Why not? It would be fun to play along. Just like the old days.

-Where are you right now?

Meanwhile, Valencia’s head shot up at her MacBook when she heard the ping of a new message. She read the message.

-Where are you right now?

-Library ☺️

-Usually he’s there around this time.

Valencia looked up and she was staring at him sitting at a table diagonally from her table. He didn’t know that she was eyeing him down since he was focused on his laptop. He wore a pair of slim fit paisley and gray pants with a white button down shirt and brown loafers.

-He’s here now 😳

Erik sat up straighter and his eyes locked with Valencia’s. She quickly averted her gaze to her laptop, tucking her braids behind her left ear. Erik took his time admiring Valencia. His eyes started at her feet. She wore a pair of black gladiator sandals with silver spikes on them. She had red painted toes and smooth, brown legs. His onyx eyes ascended further up her body, over the curve of her hip, the hourglass shape of her waist, her toned arms, ample cleavage, neatly braided hair, and then finally her beautiful face.

He really really liked the shape of her lips. Large and wide set with a plump, pouty appearance and equally full on the top and bottom. He’d seen plenty of beautiful women every day, but whoever this girl was, she was the most beautiful. It was her rich, brown skin. Her pretty doe eyes. That body. Erik was certain that she’s his secret admirer, but he needed to be sure. Excitement brewed in him as he typed a response.

-You should say hi. Get his attention.

-I’m nervous 😭

-Don’t be. Just go for it. How else will you know if he’s interested?

-I dare you to give him a flirty wave with a seductive smile. 😏

Valencia’s eyes went round with surprise. That was bold. Bolder than she initially planned to be. She cleared her throat and turned in her seat. Crossing one leg over the other, Valencia flipped her braids so that it gave her a messy look and then she made her eyes look sleepy and hypnotic like Dorothy Dandridge. She took a deep breath in and focused her gaze on Erik steadily. After five seconds, he looked up and did a double take. Valencia raised a small hand and waved at him slowly while her lips were formed in a smile.

Erik simply smirked at her and raked his eyes up and down her frame. That’s all. He just smirked at her and then he dropped his gaze back to his laptop. Valencia gripped the back of her chair to try and calm her racing heart. That slight interaction had her bewitched. He smirked at her and he checked her out. She wanted to jump up and down.

Ping.

-How did it go?

-He smiled at me and then he looked me up and down. 😭 clearly he likes what he sees!

Erik nibbled on his bottom lip to control the urge to smile with all of his teeth. This was so much fun. The most fun he’d had an a long time. It was good to be back.

Erik packed his things so that he could be on his way to the class he needed to assist. As he was getting ready to leave, he felt his phone vibrating with an incoming call. He plucked his cell from his pocket and brought it to his ear. His eyes connected with Valencia’s briefly before turning away.

“Hello? Hey…I was headed there now—really? You sure? Okay…no, no…it’s all good. Uh…I’ll just finish grading everything and drop it off later? Perfect. Alright…see you next Friday…”

Erik ended the call. Fuck it. He didn’t want to assist that class today anyway now that something and someone had his attention more. He stole a glance at her and she was reading from a philosophy textbook. He knew philosophy well. So well that he tutored for it. Erik had an idea. He took his seat again and brought his laptop back out. He opened it to the messages and began typing away.

-That’s a good thing 😌 What’s he doing now?

-He was going to leave but changed his mind. I wonder why. Hmmm…maybe he can’t get enough of me lol

-maybe 🤔 lol. What are you doing now? Are you studying?

-I am. It’s philosophy. It’s so boring but I have to do it.

-Philosophy, huh? He actually tutors philosophy.

Valencia giggled to herself and shook her head.

-Why am I not surprised. He’s so smart 😍

Erik licked his lips. She was infatuated with his intellect. He liked that.

-You want another dare?

Valencia looked heavenward. Erik peeked over at her.

-Okay. What do you dare?

Valencia’s eyes veered from her laptop to Erik again.

Ping.

-I dare you to ask him to be your tutor.

Valencia exhaled louder than she’d expected to. She brought a hand to her belly to calm the butterflies. That actually wouldn’t be a bad idea. She just needed to calm her nerves. Valencia counted down from ten in her head and stood up from her seat. She paused with her fingertips against her philosophy textbook before lifting it from the table. She pressed it against her, beneath her cleavage, hugging it with both arms like those school girls from teen dramas.

She started making her way towards him slowly. Erik didn’t look away from his laptop until she was standing next to him. Being that close to him, his features more prominent, Valencia couldn’t find the words to speak. Erik looked up at her through his glasses and gave her a friendly smile before recognition washed over his face.

“Hi.” Erik said.

“Hi…”

Valencia shifted her focus on the empty seat at the table. She took a moment to gather herself before scooting out the chair and making herself comfortable.

“Weren’t you in the elevator the other day?” Erik said.

“Yeah…yeah that was me,” Valencia smiles.

Erik nodded his head, “You look different.”

She wasn’t as dolled up and she was soaked from head to toe.

“I didn’t look very flattering,” Valencia released a dry chuckle, growing more bashful the more his eyes were on her.

“No, what I mean is…you’re not all wet.”

Valencia blinked at Erik. Heat crept up her face. The way he said wet…

Erik’s eyes fell to the book that pushed her titties up.

“Philosophy. What’s your major?”

“Psychology.” Valencia replied.

“It doesn’t matter how slowly you go, as long as you don’t stop…”

He sounded those words out so smooth like he was serenading her. Valencia furrowed her brows at Erik’s response. Her full lips parted invitingly.

“…What?” She questions.

“Confucius. Confucianism? the importance of having a good moral character?”

“Oh—oh!”

Valencia sat her textbook down and giggled.

“Right, right…I had a brain fart.”

Erik laughed.

“Uhm…do you tutor?”

Valencia leaned in, unknowingly exposing her cleavage more. Erik fought the urge to look, focusing his penetrating gaze on her face.

He adjusted his glasses very studiously, “I do actually.”

“That’s perfect actually,” Valencia folds her arms against the table, “I could use a tutor. You seem to be well versed in the subject.”

Valencia looked at Erik expectantly with those doe eyes and honestly she could have whatever she wanted if she kept staring at him like that.

“Are you asking me?” Erik quirked a brow.

“…Please?”

Valencia folded her hands and pouted her bottom lip. It was adorable.

“Are you free after five?” Erik inquired.

“I am, actually. Tonight I have plans with friends but I can meet at five.”

“Alright,” Erik shut his laptop, “We can study in the lounge at the dorms. Wait…”

Erik touched Valencia’s arm, stopping her from standing. The hairs on her arm stood up like a jolt of electricity coursed through her.

“I didn’t catch your name…”

“Oh…sorry. Valencia.”

“Nice to formally meet you, Miss Valencia. I’m Erik.”

“I remember.”

They smiled at each other. Erik stood up, placing his laptop in his bag. Valencia took her time retrieving her textbook, unsure of what else to say.

“Well, I guess this is goodbye for now—”

“Valencia?”

Isaiah.

The last person she’d hope to run into. He looked irritated with her as he approached them. Valencia fixed her face into a look of frustration and Erik noticed straight away. The tension between them was palpable.

“What it do, shawty? You avoiding me?”

Valencia looked between Erik and Isaiah. Isaiah loomed closer, draping his arm around her shoulder. Valencia rolled her eyes.

“What can I do for you, Isaiah?” Valencia quipped.

“Did you block me?”

“I did—”

“For what? Didn’t we have a good time?”

Valencia pursed her lips and shut her eyes.

“Isaiah, don’t make me embarrass you…”

Truthfully, she was the one embarrassed at the moment. Erik’s eyebrows ticked up and the corner of his mouth twitched. Isaiah cut his eyes at Erik, sizing him up initially before he recognized him.

“Oh, shit what’s poppin’, Poet?”

Isaiah raised his hand to dab Erik. Erik slowly brought his hand forward and their palms collided with a loud smack and a firm grip. Erik released his hand and watched as Isaiah discreetly flexed his fingers.

“Don’t mind us, just tryna see why my girl mad at me.”

Isaiah clearly couldn’t read the room.

“I’m not your girl, Isaiah.”

Valencia lifted his arm from around her and turned to leave. She threw Erik a furtive glance before retreating quickly.

“Valencia!”

Shhhhhhhhhh!

He was in a library after all.

Isaiah was ready to chase her down but Erik yoked him up by his backpack to stop him.

“Gahdamn, Bro,” Isaiah fixed his bag.

“She’s not interested, One Pump Chump.”

“Fuck you and that nickname. That was one fucking time. I was drunk.”

“Yeahhhh and I’m sure the same happened with Valencia?”

Isaiah glared dangerously at Erik.

“If it didn’t happen that way, it shouldn’t matter, right?”

Erik slapped Isaiah on the back and proceeded to walk away.

“I’ll catch you later, little bruh.”

Erik threw up a hook and twisted his tongue before descending the stairs with a laugh.

[sincerely-sofie]

Do songs that you listen often to ever remind you of characters or events from TPiaG or other stories you've written? It happens to me a lot with stuff from a story with OCs I've been helping my best friend make for years now.

Anyways, I'm asking about it because a song from my playlist reminded me a lot of Twig when I heard it while driving the other day. I had heard the song a million times before, but when I was thinking about the lyrics more they seemed to perfectly fit her internal conflict. The song was Blurt by Mega Mango if you want to take a listen.

The song is definitely just about dealing with mental health issues in general, but my PMD brainrot made it so that this was all I could think about after my epiphany. On that note, I want to offer you a congratulations for writing characters so well that they takes over my brain from time to time. I greatly appreciate it. :D

First up: Thanks so much for your kind words! Second: Oh my goodness. My friend, you are opening up Pandora's Box. 

TPiaG doesn't have as many songs associated with it as my other projects because it hasn't been in development for several years— however, a vital part of my story development process is listening to music and imagining all the animatics of the characters and storyline that I want to make set to them. I do this for every project that sufficiently resonates with the blorbo frequency in my brain, and TPiaG is no exception! 

In terms of songs that embody specific events but aren't connected to a single character, I regularly listen to “Turn the Lights off” by Tally Hall and imagine a sort of extended theme song animation for if TPiaG were an animated series. There's so many lines that mention concepts important to the story!

Another animatic song, this one set in the Dark Future when Twig was human and starting her and Grovyle's quest to save the world, is "Running Out Of Time" by Lin-Manuel Miranda--- specifically the stretch spanning at roughly 1:10 to the end of the song. I have a very vivid image of Twig repeatedly shouting at Grovyle that they need to abscond ASAP as he frantically gathers supplies that spilled out of his bag while they're being pursued by the sableye, and then of Dusknoir being dismissed by a ferryman as he's interrogating him on which way they went.

I also still listen to “Let's Get This Over With” by They Might be Giants and imagine the rest of that one unfinished animatic I posted forever ago. That song isn't as blatantly connected to the events of the game, but there's a few anchor points in the lyrics I really enjoy. 

As for individual characters and songs I associate with them, here’s a selection with links to Spotify for easy listening!

Twig:

"Hey, Doctor Doctor" by Milk in the Microwave

"Monster" by Half Moon Run

"Smile" by Ukuletea

"Feelings Are Fatal" by mxmtoon

... And now, "Blurt" by Mega Mango as well!

Ark:

"Problems" by Mother Mother 

"Rule #21- Momento Mori" by Fish in a Birdcage

"What You Know" by Two Door Cinema Club

Kip:

"I'm Not Fine" by Blixemi

"Don't Throw Out My Legos" by AJR

"Just Take My Wallet" by Jack Stauber’s Micropop

Grovyle:

"The Villain I Appear to Be" covered by Annapantsu

"Surface Pressure" covered by Annapantsu

(I don't know why both of these songs are specifically the versions sung by Annapantsu. Apparently she's Grovyle-coded in my head.)

Celebi:

(Insert any bubblegum pop or kawaii future bass song of your choice here.)

(Celebi has somehow evaded my ability to assign her songs. I’ll get her someday.)

Dusknoir: 

"I'll Be Good" by Jaymes Young

"Never Love an Anchor" by The Crane Wives

"I Was Me" by Imagine Dragons

Twig's Aunt:

"Family Jewels" by Marina and the Diamonds

"In Fact (Demo Version)" By Gregory and the Hawk

"Ain't It Fun" by Paramore

Twig's Mother:

"Brother" by Madds Buckley

And for those who'd enjoy some Travailshipping songs...

"You Are The Moon" by The Hush Sound

"Dark Clay" by Levi Weaver

"When the Day Met the Night" by Panic! at the Disco

"Can I Have the Day With You" by Sam Ock

"Tongues & Teeth" by The Crane Wives

[akkrosu]

@ellaspore, I blame you entirely for this. How dare you give me the courage to express my thoughts openly. Consider this me shouting from the rooftops.

So, my music-obsessed brain has been sitting on a particular KinnPorsche moment for over a year now. So let me get crazy and belatedly add my own two cents to all the meta we already have for this show.

In episode 5, we had Kinn and Porsche trying to cope with their confusion over their first time in The Bathroom™ and their feelings for each other by making out with other people, Porsche at Yok’s bar and Kinn in his room. And the music (Volunteer by David Celeste, a composer I like about as much as the staff of many Thai BLs seem to) does something so wonderful in that moment to illustrate their feelings—especially Porsche’s—that I’m still gushing about it a year later.

The first interesting thing is that we start the scene in complete darkness, musically speaking. All we have is this simple and super vague piano melody. The first time I watched this scene I remember how unsettled the music made me feel because of how vague it is; I didn’t know how to understand or interpret it and the mood of the scene around it. And this is because there is something fundamental missing.

All the piano plays is fifths—first g and d in the first two measures, then d and a in the following. (I am aware that the last three bars of the transcription below make it a little more complicated because of that f# in the left hand, which means it’s not just fifths, but since this particular harmonic holds no value for what I’m about to write, I’ll just ignore it.) And it is important that they are fifths, because fifths are pretty much the backbone of any harmonic. They tell us some basics about the key we’re in and about the chords we’re using, which is important because these two things are what creates the mood of the entire piece.

The first five measures of the piece, which correspond to roughly 0:00 to 0:13 of the video linked above and about 21:11 to 21:23 of episode 5.

But we’re missing one fundamental factor to get clarification about the exact key and chords here: the third. In case you don’t know, every basic chord is made up of three notes: the base note, the third and the fifth. And the third is arguably the most important note of the chord—at least in our case—because it differentiates between a major and a minor chord.

Basically (and this is simplified quite a bit), every chord exists in two modes—major and minor. The only difference between them, musically speaking, is the third: in a major chord, the third is a major third, meaning it is four semitones up from the base note, whereas the minor chord has a minor third, which is three semitones up from the base note.

A little illustration of the construction of a basic chord (here C major) and the intervals between its notes.

What that means in practice is that the chords sound radically different. In general, major chords sound more upbeat, happy and positive, while minor chords have more of a somber, sad vibe to them. Feel free to listen to the demonstration below.

So, now that we have the basics of harmony out of the way—how in the world does this relate to the scene and KinnPorsche? Well, now that you understand why thirds are so important, you’ll also understand why the lack of a third is equally important. As I mentioned before, we start the scene and the piece with only fifths. Because we’re missing the third especially in the first chord (spanning the first two bars), we can’t determine the mode of the chord or the key of the entire piece, and so we’re ripped of any sort of understanding about the mood of the music and the scene. This creates a really unsettled and tense feeling and makes you think that’s what the characters are feeling. As we watch Porsche make out with that girl, the music tells us how uncertain he himself is of what he’s doing. He doesn’t know if he’s making the right choices. He’s walking a fine line of mental instability, yay.

As powerful as this lack of the third is, what’s even more powerful is when and how it finally does appear. Because it shows up in the exact instant that Porsche suddenly pauses and his mind flashes back to Kinn (~21:27 of the episode). And we get it in a very subtle, but elegant way: the strings, which were quietly reinforcing the fifths in the piano before, now add that third note to complete the first chord of the theme, the only chord we really need because it is the tonic (which makes it the most important one in determining the key).

Based on only the fifths—g and d—the chord (and the key, which is identical to the tonic) could have been a G major or g minor chord. In the case of the first one, the third would have been a b, and in the second one a b flat (see the above video demonstration of a G major and minor chord for reference). And what note do the strings add? A b flat, which puts both the chord and the key into g minor, the sadder, quieter mode of the two. It finally gives us the clarification we needed: what Porsche is doing isn’t working, he is sad about how things are with Kinn, he misses Kinn and his touch. Before, he wasn’t sure about what he was doing, now he knows it’s not what he wants or needs. His attempt at forgetting him through this woman has failed.

Measures 9-15, which correspond to roughly 0:15 to 0:26 of the video and 21:25 to 21:37 of the episode.

I also really appreciate how the strings were the ones to bring this resolution, not only because they have a very soft tone and are therefore already typically connected to sad music, but also because they make it possible to introduce the new note very carefully and quietly. For at least the first half of the first measure in the above picture, the note can’t even be heard, and then it is introduced through a crescendo, slowly appearing like it is dawning on Porsche that he can’t forget Kinn.

From this point on—as Porsche tries to distract himself from this realization by kissing the woman and we get to see Kinn do the same—, more strings come in and the piano develops the theme we have heard twice now. The piece also gets a bit more complex harmonically, but all of these changes just serve to highlight the minor key we are in and the depressed, lonely, even desperate mood of both Kinn and Porsche. It mixes well with the almost feverish, desperate way especially Kinn behaves in that moment.

So, I want to thank whoever was in charge of the music in this show because they made some excellent choices (and some interesting ones—looking at you, weird MIDI-sounding version of Vivaldi’s Summer that for some reason comes up again and again), but this piece in particular stood out to me because of how perfectly it was edited into the scene. This doesn’t happen very often in (Thai) BLs since very few of them have scores specifically written for them, so most have to make do with pre-existing pieces that can often not be incorporated as elegantly and interestingly as an original soundtrack.

[trigun-manga-overhaul]

Trigun Ultimate Overhaul Update - Unreleased Promotional Material and Origin Story.

OVERHAUL FRIDAY 12/23/22 - PROMOTIONAL MATERIAL AND ORIGIN STORY.

It's been four years since the project started and the goal has never changed. The only thing that really changed was the scope of it and how much material was needed to keep people interested and all the edits made in connection with that. It started as a single man undertaking but eventually grew to have a consistent team of three, along with a few guest helpers here and there.

In this post we'll share the story of how the project came to be and then a few iterations of these edits we've made.

(Above: Early Overhaul promotional edit.)

THE STORY

To briefly tell the story of how we got here, we've got to go back to 2018.

It started with me, the project leader, D, getting into Trigun in November of 2018. Being a relatively new fan, I have learned a lot in the brief time I've been in this fandom and community, actually, it was pretty dead when I came around. I had no intention of being alone in my newfound interest, so I wanted to start get things going and wrote up a plan for how I wanted to revive the fandom as a whole.

At the same time, I started checking up on the history of the fandom in every corner it existed, learning more and more about what has happened in the past and where everyone went. During that dive I learned about people's displeasure over the manga and how there were two translations. I realized quickly afterwards that I had seen both in my desire to read the manga back at the start, and that I had found the Scanlation first but immediately dropped it due to the horrible quality and went on to find the Dark Horse Comics translation.

But what I few from fans of the past, a repeated notion between more dedicated fans, was that the Dark Horse Comics translation was also subpar and that the writing was off, something I agreed with.

I've always been a very determined person and a perfectionist, so it was just a matter of time before I decided to be the one to make that new translation. I got all the files I needed and started working on a method for preparing them, planning out everything I needed done before I really could get to work. I was doing all of this in the background while I made daily content for the subreddit in early 2019, back when there were only about 2000 people. I also started a Trigun Discord server, TriCord, at the time, wanting to connect with as many people as possible.

(Above: The thumbnail for the Spotify playlist "Dancing Revolver.")

I spent the next months cleaning pages. I was removing text and redrawing bubbles and backgrounds as needed, as well as removing compression from the downloaded pages to make them clear and crisp. Some would see it as tedious work but I personally quite enjoyed it. It was pretty therapeutic and a nice way to unwind after coming home from work.

On a more personal note, it was also really nice to have this project on the side when things went a little sideways. Within the span of a single week both my parents were suddenly hospitalized and I had to temporarily move into a room at their house, so that I could look after them when they came back from hospital, as they required care. My mom was wheelchair bound for a month and then used crutches for a while afterwards, and my dad was very ill. With all that worry, it was vital to be able to clear my mind with a bit of creative work. My dad was diagnosed with cancer then, but through a successful operation, he made a full recovery and has been cancer free since.

A month or so later, I finished the entire cleaning process, allowing me to tackle the translation finally.

(Above: A black background variation of the 10/29/21 release.)

In retrospective, there's a ton about the earliest translations that I want to change in the new version, as my skill have vastly improved since. I have more experience and the tools I have have grown, so I would be able to do a better job today than back then, another reason why 2.0 is needed before I'm satisfied with the work done.

In late 2019 I had some help looking over pages I've already translated and typeset, just to get a better sense for what I need to look out for. This is the first time I'm actually working with anyone on the project, having been handling the planning and work alone before this. However, those who were kind to help me out didn't have all the time in the world to help out whenever it was needed, and they weren't as deeply into the process I was, so it was difficult for a few people to get a feel for what I wanted exactly.

I had a stable work partner from November 2019 and to July 2020 but then that partnership went silent. It wasn't before the summer of 2020 that I ended up with one of my current stable partners for the project, someone who really brought the quality of the writing to a whole new level. That partner being Vulpana. With our combined set of skills, I personally feel like the final results of our writing that improved greatly.

Later the second work partner, Arth, would join. With a sharp eye for all the technicalities of writing, as well as a much less constantly tired eye on all the work, we have reached as good as the text can get. I am very happy with the work we're doing together, the feel of it and the coherency. We work really well together and our communication is professional and fantastic.

(Above: The first version of the credit page for Trigul Vol 2.)

It was also through encouragement from various parties that I decided to list the Overhaul project on my CV while looking for another job. As I personally didn't see the point in listing a nerdy project, others insisted it couldn't hurt and that the project in of itself is impressive.

I had to eat my own words in late 2021 though, as I ended up getting offered a job as a professional translator for a respected international theater anthropology organization. They expressed their interest in my project, noting that they were impressed by the personal dedication to translate and formulate for fun. I gladly accepted the position, of course, and it became my dream job. Been working that position since and it has both helped my project and my project has helped it.

As there's not much else to say, I'll share a few more images as promised! Enjoy!

(Above: Early idea for the credit page for Trigun Vol 2.)

(Above: Spotify thumbnail for the upcoming Overhaul work theme playlist.)

MORE INFO NEXT WEEK!

[jivvin]

if you're willing to do the music ask thing, I'd also love a Playlist from you as well. If doing them all is too much, just do the questions you like the most. :D

oh man, this sure was a ride <3

1: A song you like with a color in the title

Charles Brown - Black Night. it's double damage, 'cause the artist's name also has a colour in it ;p

2: A song you like with a number in the title

Steeleye Span - Seven Hundred Elves

3: A song that reminds you of summertime

Cesaria Evora - Sangue de Beirona

4: A song that reminds you of someone you would rather forget about

i don't have anything quite like that, but this one - Michal Oginski - Polonaise Farewell - reminds me of someone departed, thinking of whom is still painful, so i don't listen to it often

5: A song that needs to be played LOUD

Ida Maria - Oh My God

6: A song that makes you want to dance

Florence + The Machine - Free

7: A song to drive to

i can't and don't drive, but this is what i imagine would be a cool track to drive to: Wormview - Ashes and Diamonds

8: A song about drugs or alcohol

again, can't recall anything quite like that. SIAMÉS - The Wolf is a great song though, about addiction in general

9: A song that makes you happy

Meg Rock - Clover

10: A song that makes you sad

Neutral - Luna

11: A song that you never get tired of

Caravan Palace - Miracle. don't know if i'll never get tired of it, but there was definitely a time when i was listening to it a lot and often, and i still love it

12: A song from your preteen years

Sum 41 - Fat Lip

13: One of your favorite 80’s songs

Kate Bush - Running Up That Hill

14: A song that you would love played at your wedding

honestly never given it any thought or whatever, but i guess this is a nice wedding-vibe song: Beach Boys - God Only Knows

15: A song that is a cover by another artist

Hannah Gill - Somebody That I Used to Know. i love the original, but there's just something about this cover, man

16: One of your favorite classical songs

and here's where i out myself as the most basic bitch imaginable, but Eric Satie - Gnosienne no.1

17: A song that would sing a duet with on karaoke

i absolutely cannot imagine myself singing karaoke, let alone with another living person( sorry, but this is the one that genuinely stumped me, i can't even come up with an interesting alternative here

18: A song from the year that you were born

Queen - The Show Must Go On

19: A song that makes you think about life

Alex Wurman - Ending

20: A song that has many meanings to you

The National - Sorrow

21: A favorite song with a person’s name in the title

Anaïs Mitchell & Jefferson Hamer - Willie's Lady

22: A song that moves you forward

Антитіла - Все красиво

23: A song that you think everybody should listen to

Go_A - Solovey

24: A song by a band you wish were still together

Високосный год - Метро. i not so much wish they were still together, as i wish they'd done more than 1 album over their entire career

25: A song by an artist no longer living

Connie Boswell - I Cover the Waterfront. this is probably the category where i could go on for an especially long time lol

26: A song that makes you want to fall in love

not sure if i've ever gotten this kinda feeling from a song, but Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeroes - Home is one of my favourite love songs, and i think it captures well this warm, upbeat feeling love is theoretically supposed to give you

27: A song that breaks your heart

Лея - Підмінок. definitely cried at this one

28: A song by an artist with a voice that you love

Rammstein - Haifisch

29: A song that you remember from your childhood

Oda Kanako - Moonlight Densetsu (ﾉ◕ヮ◕)ﾉ*:･ﾟ✧

30: A song that reminds you of yourself

well, that's easy: Gotye - Smoke and Mirrors

[fandomlessfinder]

hi!! i'm a 26 year old gmt-based writer looking for an enthusiastic writing partner who would like to write a long-term 1x1 verse inspired by netflix's new romance show ( and the book it's based on ) 𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙙𝙖𝙮. we'd be writing ocs and would diverge from some of the canon events ( especially what ends up happening towards the end ! ) but the main thing we would take from the plot be that we'd write our muses lives together over the span of several years.

i'm happy to write it as m/f or f/f and, if it's the former, i don't mind whether i write the male or female muse.

i'd like us to become really good friends and gush about our muses together over d*scord.

i'm looking to write either on a private dscord server or using private tmblr sideblogs.

i work full time and struggle with adhd-related fatigue so i would really require my writing partner to understand waiting sometimes multiple days for replies to para threads and only really expect rapid fire if we're doing short stuff or texting threads.

what to expect: lots of enthusiastic plotting and headcanoning, pinterest boards, playlists, manips / edits, worldbuilding, the verse getting more and more detailed as time goes on with side characters / side plots etc.

if you're interested, please give this post a like & i'll follow / IM you. must be around 21+ just out of personal preference. ❤️

( sorry, this is my second time sending this, admittedly i hadnt seen the rules, please feel free to delete the earlier one! )

..

Op hmu in dms Im interested lol

[writingformeandyou]

An Amic Recap

The smile that came to my sleepy ass face when Mod Vic posted, tho. I was extremely happy to see Vic pop in for a moment and decided that I should probably provide a recap of life as well. It’s got its highs and lows, but I just want people to know that they cannot gloss over things like abuse and mental health.

Quick TL;DR: College student that does not know what sleep is somehow is doing decent. Also, mental health is a thing and abuse from parents should not be excused. 

Quick P.S: I  am realizing that the stuff I have written for the abuse might be triggering so the paragraphs following 2022 before going into 2022-2023 is the worst of it as that’s what goes over me being disowned. 

So, let’s start from 2020. The year of chaotic madness and me graduating and going to college. This year was rough, I had really bad point of views that I should not have had provided my my Trump cultist parents. I honestly did think that Covid was the “Chinese flu” and that span of thought didn’t undo itself until I got into college. I was just generally a really upset kid stuck around the wrong people 24/7 that was sad that I’d miss out on my senior experiences. 

Heading into college I felt sick as hell. I had doubts and the whole way I was teased about how I legit seemed on the brink of throwing up. I didn’t think I could do it. My whole high school experience was being compared to my younger sibling and being a C and D student. I was terrified... but then again I knew I had to do it. This was probably the only way I could get away from my parents and their year long groundings, physical punishments, thievery, etc. that final semester of high school was my best with me having my first AB streak since my elementary experience. 

Finally came college, I was very reclusive that first year; a habit formed by living with my parents during covid. I did occasionally go out but as soon as my roommate went to move in with her roommate of choice it was just me and finally I could hide. Finally, I could breathe. I was developing such terrible insomnia at this time and had to start taking melatonin supplements to keep my crap together. Also, I finally brought my PS4 with me, and FFXV became a very grounding game as can be expected. And, seemingly terribly my academic advisor starts a discussion about how I might have ADHD. I felt such terrible shame thinking that I could be one of those kids and avoided it. 

Somehow, I survived the 2020-2021 school year and continued on from there.

2021-2022 my parents start getting weird. I stopped going to church years ago after seeing the harm that Christians do to people and start acknowledging my religious status as Agnostic. They start telling me to go to church, that the rough church going experiences I had in the past isn’t an everywhere thing but I simply respond that there’s some things in the bible that I just am not in agreement with and it’s for the best that I don’t go to a religious group setting. Also, I added that evolution would have to be pried from my cold, dead hands because that has been a topic of interest ever since elementary and I basically got jumped at church as a young teen for saying that I thought god triggered evolution. 

Throughout the year I am questioned when I will get married though at the oldest I am 21. I’ve officially come to the conclusion that I will not marry until I am out of college and other things are coming to mind. For example, I have finally accepted that I am bi. It was a relief when that clicked completely and when I finally accepted that I couldn’t just be that good Christian girl anymore. I came out to my parents simply as they were teasing me about a woman from a movie and how I must think that she is hot. It is likely that the teasing came because my adult younger brother ran away shortly after my graduation so they missed being able to tease in this way. They laughed at me but I was really happy, I thought that this was a win and honestly I didn’t want any assurances that I was ok. I thought that they loved me after all. 

This summer, I started a job at a place I grew up going to. Things start getting really weird. My parents try to hook me up with their friends (the youngest of which being 25) and I start getting chewed out for my dad having to see me in “lewd” ways by me wearing the occasional tank top or leggings because I started to occasionally work out. I muted my stepmother because, more often than not I’d be harassed by cussing text messages that I’d rather not revisit. At this point, I have broken down at work multiple times, and my coworkers start becoming extremely concerned for me. My boss pulls me to the side one day and tells me that while I have room to grow she has seen that I am a capable woman and that I need to do whatever I can to survive the summer. She also brings up a discussion about parentification because I was always on standby with my phone for my kid sisters. Also, since I felt safe with her I brought up a discussion about me potentially having ADHD and she pointed out that girls and women present differently and that from what she has seen she thinks I could fit the mold as well.

2022, the school year is on the brink of coming along and I have an ominous feeling. Two days before move in I had a nightmare with zombies and a lot of loss. It seems like it’s something so little but having dreams like that back in high school for me usually meant a hell of a time was to come and that I need to prepare for some literal emotional damage. This time though, I ignored it cause it had been so long since the last one that I had to just be dreaming.

One day before move in, I make a life changing choice. I got in contact with my younger brother that ran away and offered to give him our Xbox 360 that was gifted to us specifically by a relative. I didn’t have the space and recently got the most recent Xbox. I then take it to a friend of his and head home to see my parents. A lot of this I’ve blocked out but they accused me of stealing from them, started saying nasty things about me being bi, and even equated me to a pedophile. They sent me out, telling me to not come back until I had the damn console back and threatened to call the police.

This was the most scared that I ever was. My father was never that aggressive to me and my kid sisters were horrified. I knew that I had to contact someone to save my ass quick and called a guy friend from college (specifically my college roomie’s bf) so he started rushing to pick me up asap. I got the console and then threatening messages came. I called my previous academic advisor, terrified and confused about what to do cause my friend would have been another 30 minutes. She talked me through the whole thing as I spoke terrified and sob broken words. What she said next was get a friend from town to save me so I wracked my mind and immediately messaged a friend that I now consider to be a dear sister. At the time she wasn’t 100% a friend but we could talk cause she was the sister of a friend but that friend was out of state for college. She told me to head home because of the threats and that she’d be there soon. So I did, I went to that hellscape.

I was numb as all of the yelling happened. As he threw stuff and accused me of stealing more from him. I didn’t even get everything of mine, but at least I got the most important stuff. I didn’t cry, all I really did was say “uh huh” or “ok.” Now I know from my counselor that this was a trauma response. I remember hearing him yell something about my friend being there, he was probably pissed that I took steps to make sure I wouldn’t just be kicked out or on the brink of being murdered without a witness.

I remember they yelled at each other. He accused her of making me a gay degenerate, etc. but I couldn’t help but to internally laugh because she’s a Catholic that goes to church every week. She’s one of the few religious people that I’ve met that does not immediately hate or ostracize those who are different. He threw my boxes of stuff, damaging one and making all of my books spill onto the lawn in the process. I wonder if the neighbors that already disliked him disliked him more after that day because I was the one member of the family that talked to the “enemies.”

Things zoom by from there. I was terribly sick and couldn’t stomach the ice cream I was given, I got a hug from my now adoptive parents, hugged my now sister, and hugged my college friend before he took me home to my dorm. That night was too damn quiet. I couldn’t stay in my room alone and went to the basement lounge with my Xbox and played Stardew Valley. I remember being terribly annoyed when some drunks came around and watched while making loud and bothersome comments, but with time their presence brought me repose. Eventually they left, and one of my best friends from home, a guy that my parents desperately hoped I would get with, messaged me and we talked for hours as he assured me that I had a place with him and his family if need be.

Before anyone asks, no I did not date him. We dated back in junior high and HS for a time but stopped both times. We both have agreed that we are siblings by heart so dating just feels odd. I think that is one thing that angered them, that I could feel so safe with a man who was not going to become a significant other or something. 

Finally, 2022-2023. Things were hit or miss for a while and I remember people watching me closely and asking if I felt any urge to self harm. No, I did not. I’d come too damn far to let those feckers ruin it all for me so I wouldn’t. I just immersed myself in college more. One day though, I remember seeing a car that looked like my stepmom’s driving in front of the dorm as I was walking with my girls to the car. My knees fell out from under me and I became a blubbering and crying mess with the thought of “I am in danger. They’ve finally come for me.” I remember my two friends clinging onto me, telling me that I was ok and that it wasn’t them. Good news is we had preexisting plans to go out to get me comfort food so perfect timing I guess.

Every week I met with my current academic advisor, making game plans and figuring things out. Eventually, I even found myself kinda enjoying the poetry class that I thought I’d hate because I could use it to vent my frustrations. With time it was almost time to leave for winter break and I was praised by my advisor and told by him that he didn’t think that he would know anyone ever again who could face such adversity and still take on a double major, a minor, and other college related things with a job. Around this point I was also asked by a friend about what I would do about my surname since it is my father’s and I don’t plan to marry anytime soon so I responded honestly, “I am stealing it and making something out of it.” 

Cue winter and I visit the UK for study abroad. By this time I have 100% concluded that I will never extend the olive branch to my father or stepmother. To hell with them! Whenever my brother would do so they would complain about him and joke at his expense, I know my position in things. I am not playing their games. Also, at this point I am reembracing liking fandoms and other stuff like that because I had a mental block to all of those things for a while due to my parents belittling me and telling me that as an adult I shouldn’t like them. 

Now I am 22 years old. I am nearing the end of my junior year of college and am amazed that I have made it this far. Back in junior high I swore that I would drop out of high school and yet here I am even when my parents tried their damnedest to get me to drop out. I have family and I am loved by many and have learned that a long time ago I lost my family member status. I am now learning what it is like to be a true family member and am honestly finally happy though there are hard days. 

I have been praised for the start to my history senior project and have been told that there is a chance that I could possibly publish my findings. I have my fingers crossed because imagine the family disappointment publishing something. Damn, I’d leave a copy at those feckers’ house! 

So yeah, chaos over the years. I have hope for the future no matter how scary it seems. I have not gotten the ADHD diagnosis yet cause I am terrible about going to the doctor and in general have found a way to make this weird spaghetti coding in my brain work with being a student, finally. A small part of me wishes I could brag about my successes to those problematic people, but I just know they’ll take the credit for making me finally grow up by kicking me out and disowning me. Nope, they aren’t getting that credit because I am the one who learned how to function while they tried to steal my ability to do so. They should have noticed that year long groundings in high school weren’t really that efficient in anything but giving me the chance to learn how to be sneaky.

Anyways, that’s about it. Now that I am healing from them and the things that they have told me I might have to consider writing again. I cannot and will not make promises though because I’ve done that many times and it’s just mean to offer something and not provide. Also, I’ve been playing FFXV: War for Eos on my phone so if you’d like to play join me and my guild (Bros) Choco Bros. I am not the leader but we’d be happy to have more people who love FFXV. 

Also, a final thing since I am amused by this. I started watching Trigun and um... I think I have a type. 

[notebooknebula]

From Veteran To Real Estate Millionaire: Gervon Simon with Jay Conner

https://www.jayconner.com/podcast/episode-73-from-veteran-to-real-estate-millionaire-gervon-simon-with-jay-conner-the-private-money-authority/

Key Takeaways:

Funding your deals without using your own money

How to Become a Millionaire in three years

Perfecting the BRRR method: Buy, Rehab, Renovate, Refinance

How to find real estate deals before your competition does: be a realtor

Veterans can get multiple VA loans,

Lessons learned: Have a margin and learn to say no—nothing ever goes according to your budget plan.

Don’t let your emotions decide—the math should make the decision.

Advice for new investors: partner in some way or form, especially with someone who knows what they’re doing.

Don’t wait to buy real estate. The number way to be on the winning side is by owning properties.

Gervon Simon is the founder of GQ Home Team, a real estate company that buys/sells homes.

Within just 12 months in business, in 2021, they sold 61 homes worth over $30M.

On the side, he has also stepped into real estate development, and since 2020, he has flipped 10 properties.

Gervon is a military veteran who attended The United States Military Academy at West Point, from 2013 to 2017, where he played football and graduated with a degree in business management.

During Gervon's time serving as an officer in the Army, he had to gain the trust of many different kinds of individuals to be effective at his job.

Today, he draws upon this experience when he works with his real estate clients, and he is dedicated to being transparent, honest, and encouraging each step of the way.

Gervon has had the opportunity to work with several clients in a variety of circumstances, whether the clients were purchasing their first home, selling their home due to hard times, or relocating from across the country for a military move.

He faced many different situations and challenges, and each time he’s been able to empower his clients to accomplish their goals. In addition to helping his clients with their real estate endeavors,

Gervon also invests in real estate on his own, and in 2018 he purchased his first 2 rental properties.

Timestamps:

0:01 – Get Ready To Be Plugged Into The Money

0:17 – Today’s guests: Gervon Simon

2:13 – How Gervon Simon Gets Started In The Real Estate Business

5:51 – How Do You Fund Your Deals Without Using Your Own Money

7:10 – Jay’s Free Private Money Guide: https://www.JayConner.com/MoneyGuide

8:31 – How To Become A Millionaire In A Span Of 3 Years

11:37 – Perfecting the BRRRR Method

14:06 – How To Find the Best Real Estate Deals Before Your Competition Does

16:25 – Veterans Can Get Multiple VA Loans

19:03 – Gervon Simon’s Early Struggles And Lessons Learned On His Real Estate Business

21:53 – Best Advice For Brand New Real Estate Investors

25:47 – Connect with Gervon Simon: https://www.TheGQHomeTeam.com

26:01 – Team Website – https://www.GQHomeTeamWA.com

26:29 – Parting Comments from Gervon Simon: Don’t Wait To Buy Real Estate. The Number One Way Of Being A Part Of The Winning Side Is Own Real Estate And Collect Assets.

Private Money Academy Conference:

https://www.JaysLiveEvent.com

Free Report:

Join the Private Money Academy: 

Have you read Jay’s new book: Where to Get The Money Now?

It is available FREE (all you pay is the shipping and handling) at

What is Private Money? Real Estate Investing with Jay Conner

Jay Conner is a proven real estate investment leader. He maximizes creative methods to buy and sell properties with profits averaging $67,000 per deal without using his own money or credit.

What is Real Estate Investing? Live Private Money Academy Conference

YouTube Channel

Apple Podcasts:

Facebook:

Listen to our Podcast:

[enchantingtragedyfart]

Find a therapist in Berlin Berlin, Germany

Inhaltverzeichnis

Counseling, Support & Information

Berlin International Therapist Directory

Anja Dittmeier, M.A., HPP, PCC kAleiDoscope – Coaching, Counseling & Psychotherapy

The dyadic interplay between relationship satisfaction, perceived positive and negative social control, and a reduction of sedentary behavior time. Annals of Behavioral Medicine. We do not undertake treatment, therapy or specific support in difficult life circumstances ourselves.

Brain and cognition, 87, 16-21.

Beyond one work day?

For each of them describes a different level of human existence, and each of them has given me slightly different knowledge of the human being.

In J. Rauthmann (Ed.), The Handbook of Personality Dynamics and Processes.

We provide online counseling and online psychotherapy via Skype or Microsoft Teams. Skype psychotherapy – install the skype program on your computer; Teams – you don’t need to install the program, just click on the link provided in the invitation at the appointed time. Our platform empowers employees with 1on1 counseling sessions and evidence-based digital training and tools to proactively improve their mental well-being. Nilo.health is the mental well-being support for your entire workforce. Our counselors, therapists, and digital content are easily accessible all in one platform. We're a team of mental-health positive, ambitious, and entrepreneurial people who never see anyone as just another employee.

Effects of semantic number information on grammatical processing of mass nouns. Stem-, Spraak- en Taalpathologie, 20, 41-44. Spada, J., Scholz, M., Kirsten, H., Hensch, T., https://nowewidoki.com Horn, K., Jawinski, P., Ulke, C., Burkhardt, R., Wirkner, K., Loeffler, M., Hegerl, U., & Sander, C. Genome-wide association analysis of actigraphic sleep phenotypes in the LIFE Adult Study. Journal of Sleep Research, 25(6), 690–701. Decreased cerebellar-cerebral connectivity contributes to complex task performance.

Counseling, Support & Information

Technology, Instruction, Cognition and Learning, 3. Deffke, I., Sander,T., Heidenreich,J., Sommer, W., Curio,G., Trahms, L., & Lüschow,A., (2007). MEG/EEG sources of the 170 ms response to faces are co-localized in the fusiform gyrus. Neuroimage, 35, 1495?

She graduated in psychology from the SWPS University of Humanities and Social Sciences, and then trained at the MABOR school of integrative psychotherapy. At WOPP, she provides consultation and psychotherapy to adults and adolescents. During my studies I gained experience working in foundations and kindergartens for children with Asperger’s Syndrome and Autism.

Berlin International Therapist Directory

He trained mainly in the United States. He completed a master’s degree and a two-year Gestalt therapy course in the Department of Family and Marriage Therapy at Southern Connecticut State University. He is a trained EMDR therapist in the certification process. He earned a Master of Arts and Pedagogy degree from the Academy of Music in Bydgoszcz, Poland.

Bey, K., Montag, C., Reuter, M, Weber, B., & Markett, S. Susceptibility to everyday cognitive failure is reflected in functional network interactions in the resting brain. NeuroImage 121, 1-9. Ulke, C., Sander, C., Jawinski, P., Mauche, N., Huang, J., Spada, J., Wittekind, D., Mergl, R., Luck, T., Riedel-Heller, S., Hensch, T., & Hegerl, U. Sleep disturbances and upregulation of brain arousal during daytime in depressed versus non-depressed elderly subjects. The World Journal of Biological Psychiatry, 18(8), 633–640.

Anja Dittmeier, M.A., HPP, PCC kAleiDoscope – Coaching, Counseling & Psychotherapy

Personality effects on personal relationships over the life span. In A. L. Vangelisti, H.T. Reis, & M.A. Fitzpatrick (Eds.), Stability and change in relationships (pp. 35-56). Cambridge University Press. Van Aken, M. A. G., Denissen, J.J.A., Branje, S. J. T., Dubas, J. S., & Goossens, L.

If necessary, we can help you get in touch with the appropriate support providers. Your employer and your university might give you access to psychotherapy. It could be easier than finding a therapist yourself. In my practice, I warmly welcome clients from diverse backgrounds, offering a confidential, non-judgmental space where exploration and understanding are paramount.

Berman, R.M., Prudic, J., Brakemeier, E.L., Olfson, M., Sackeim, H.A. Subjective evaluation of the therapeutic and cognitive effects of ECT. Journal of Brain Stimulation, 1(1), 16-26. Depi vagyok, ugye? A depresszió internetes fórumának szuggesztiói [I am depressed, am I? Suggestions of an online forum on depression].

[johnthejacobs]

Indegene Share Price Rising Through The Waves

Introduction In the realm of healthcare and pharmaceutical services, Indegene has been making waves with its remarkable performance in the market as Indegene Share Price has seen a phenomenal rise . This article delves into the factors contributing to the upward trajectory of Indegene Share Price, examining the company's growth drivers and market dynamics. Indegene Limited specializes in providing comprehensive research and development (R&D) and management services tailored for healthcare and pharmaceutical enterprises. With over two decades of experience in the life sciences domain, the company leverages purpose-built technology to establish itself as a leading "digital-first" commercialization entity exclusively dedicated to serving the global life sciences industry.

Their extensive suite of solutions empowers biopharmaceutical, emerging biotech, and medical device companies throughout the product lifecycle, facilitating more effective, efficient, and modern operations. Indegene's portfolio encompasses a wide array of solutions covering commercial, medical, regulatory, and R&D operations within the life sciences sector.

Among their offerings, Enterprise Commercial Solutions take center stage, aiding life sciences companies in fulfilling their digital marketing needs. This strategic focus aligns with market trends, as evidenced by the Everest Report indicating sales and marketing as the largest expenditure segment for life sciences companies in 2021. Providers like Indegene craft tailored marketing plans and campaigns, leveraging approved clinical trial data to generate promotional content, thereby facilitating personalized engagement strategies for healthcare professionals (HCPs) and patients.

Moreover, Indegene's repertoire includes digital asset management, marketing automation, customer data management, and analytics solutions, enabling the measurement of campaign effectiveness. The incorporation of proprietary Natural Language Processing (NLP)-based tools and platforms further enhances efficiency, reduces reliance on manpower, and ensures regulatory compliance within these solutions.

The company's impressive client roster speaks volumes about its industry reputation, with 19 of the 20 largest biopharmaceutical companies in the world by 2021 revenue listed among its clientele, as verified by the Everest Report. A significant portion of Indegene's revenue stems consistently from these top 19 clients across multiple years, highlighting their sustained trust and reliance on the company's services. As of June 30, 2022, Indegene maintains 52 active clients, defined as those generating at least $0.25 million in revenue over the preceding year. Within this cohort, 21 clients contribute revenues ranging from $1 million to $10 million, while three clients fall within the $10 million to $25 million range, and four clients generate over $25 million each.

Originally incorporated as ‘Indegene Lifesystems Private Limited’ in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, the company underwent a significant transition, relocating its registered office from Maharashtra to Karnataka in February 2017. Alongside this relocation, the company's name was updated to ‘Indegene Limited’, as reflected in the fresh certificate of incorporation issued by the Registrar of Companies on November 17, 2022.

A Leader in Healthcare and Pharmaceuticals Indegene Limited emerges as a leading player in the healthcare and pharmaceuticals sector, renowned for its comprehensive range of research, development, and management services. With a strong foothold in the industry and a reputation for excellence, Indegene is positioned as a key contributor to the advancement of healthcare solutions globally.

Harnessing Decades of Expertise At the core of Indegene's success lies its extensive expertise in the life sciences domain, spanning over two decades. The company's deep-rooted knowledge and experience enable it to navigate complex challenges and deliver innovative solutions that meet the evolving needs of the healthcare industry. This expertise serves as a driving force behind the upward movement of Indegene's share price.

Embracing Digital Transformation Indegene distinguishes itself as a "digital-first" commercialization company, leveraging cutting-edge technology to drive growth and innovation. By embracing digital transformation, the company enhances efficiency, scalability, and customer engagement, thereby bolstering its market position and driving positive sentiment among investors.

Expanding Global Footprint Indegene's strategic expansion initiatives play a pivotal role in propelling its share price upwards. The company has successfully expanded its presence beyond domestic borders, catering to a diverse clientele across international markets. By tapping into new geographic regions and demographic segments, Indegene broadens its revenue streams and diversifies its risk profile, contributing to its overall growth trajectory.

Financial Performance and Investor Confidence The robust financial performance of Indegene serves as a significant catalyst for the rising share price. With impressive revenue growth, strong profitability metrics, and prudent financial management practices, the company garners confidence and trust from investors. Moreover, transparent communication and proactive investor relations initiatives further reinforce investor sentiment, fueling the positive momentum of Indegene's share price.

Navigating Challenges and Seizing Opportunities Despite facing challenges such as regulatory complexities and competitive pressures, Indegene remains resilient and adaptable. The company's ability to navigate challenges effectively while capitalizing on emerging opportunities positions it for sustained growth and value creation. By staying agile and responsive to market dynamics, Indegene continues to drive shareholder value and propel its share price upwards.

Conclusion The rising share price of Indegene Limited underscores the company's leadership position, strategic vision, and commitment to excellence in the healthcare and pharmaceuticals industry. With a focus on innovation, digital transformation, and global expansion, Indegene is well-positioned to capitalize on emerging opportunities and navigate evolving market dynamics. As investors and stakeholders witness the company's upward trajectory, the future looks promising for Indegene as it continues to deliver value and drive growth in the healthcare sector.

[cbibankrd]

CBiBank Research Department: The European Union's expenditure on environmental protection has experienced a 24% increase over a span of four years.

By Fion Leonardo

The European Union has seen a 24% increase in expenditure on environmental protection (EP) from 2018 to 2022, with investments in 2022 alone reaching 69 billion euros ($77.47 billion), according to the European statistics office, Eurostat, on Wednesday.

There was a dip in EP investments in 2020, corresponding with the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic and a reduction in economic investments, but a rebound was observed from 2021 onwards, Eurostat noted.

In the year 2022, a significant portion of the EP investments were channeled towards wastewater treatment and waste management services, making up 44% and 25.7% of the total investments respectively. These were followed by investments in air protection (10.5%), and protection against radiation, environmental R&D, and other EP activities (7.8%), as stated by Eurostat. Nevertheless, the investments dedicated to biodiversity and landscape protection represented only 4.4% of the total.

On July 12, the European Parliament passed a contentious law aimed at fostering biodiversity protection and nature restoration activities. Currently, negotiations are underway among EU lawmakers and member countries to finalize the text before the EU Parliament elections in 2024.

In terms of corporate investments in EP, they constituted about 65% of the total expenditures in 2022, approximately 44 billion euros, marking a 22% increase since 2018, Eurostat reported. The general government and non-profit institutions serving households made up the remaining 35%, growing 21% over four years.

Eurostat pointed out the variations in investment sources across Member States, as some countries predominantly depend on the government for EP services, while others leverage market-based approaches to some extent.

Eurostat commented, "Given that a large amount of EP investments are related to waste and wastewater management services, the variations observed may be due to the different organization of the provision of such services across countries."

[forblogmostly]

Servotech Power Systems Ltd. - Q2 & H1 FY24 Earnings Release and Shareholder's Letter

Servotech Power Systems Ltd. (SPSL), a pioneering name in the field of sustainable energy solutions, has recently released its Q2 and H1 FY24 earnings reports. The company’s relentless commitment to innovation and sustainability has made it a market leader in EV charging solutions, advanced solar products, and more. In this blog, we’ll take a closer look at SPSL’s journey, recent developments, financial performance, and management insights.

Servotech Power Systems Ltd.: A Sustainable Energy Innovator — SPSL has emerged as a trailblazer in the sustainable energy sector, offering cutting-edge solutions for Electric Vehicles (EV) and solar power integration. The company’s mission is to combine technology and innovation to drive a cleaner, more environmentally friendly future. Let’s delve into the key aspects of SPSL:

EV Charging Solutions: SPSL manufactures a wide range of EV chargers, contributing significantly to the country’s transition to electric vehicles. As of September 2023, the company has garnered a substantial market share in the EV charging sector. This marks a pivotal step toward the widespread adoption of electric vehicles.

Solar Products: SPSL is actively involved in the end-to-end manufacturing, procurement, and distribution of advanced solar products. These products are designed to provide clean and renewable energy solutions to meet the growing demand for sustainable power sources.

Diverse Product Portfolio: Beyond EV chargers and solar solutions, SPSL is engaged in the manufacturing and sale of LED, UVC, and medical-grade products in India, furthering its commitment to sustainable technologies.

Manufacturing Excellence: SPSL operates from a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility, spanning over 55,000 square feet in Haryana, backed by an advanced R&D center equipped with cutting-edge technology solutions.

Extensive Supply Chain: With a strong supply chain network, SPSL has a presence in over 600+ cities and operates across 21+ Indian states. This robust network ensures that the company can efficiently reach customers and clients nationwide.

Notable Clientele: SPSL has earned a reputation for providing high-quality and reliable sustainable power solutions to a variety of industries. It counts prestigious clients like IOCL, BPCL, GAIL, Indian Railways, the Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology, and the Government of India among its customers.

Solar Power Initiatives: SPSL has successfully implemented over 15 MW of solar power plants in various locations throughout India. It has also solarized more than 1,00,000 homes in different states by installing Solar Home lighting Systems.

Subsidiaries: SPSL operates two subsidiaries: Rebreathe Medical Devices India Pvt. Ltd. (95.0% Holding) — Engaged in manufacturing critical medical equipment, such as oxygen concentrator devices and spare parts.

Techbec Green Energy Pvt. Ltd. (100.0% Holding) — Focused on the manufacturing, trading, and distribution of essential components for Electric Vehicle (EV) Chargers.

Key Developments in FY24: In the current financial year, SPSL has achieved significant milestones and embarked on transformative projects: Implementation of SAP S/4 HANA: SPSL successfully implemented SAP S/4 HANA in record-breaking time. This advanced enterprise resource planning (ERP) solution empowers the company with real-time insights for decision-making and enhanced customer experiences.

MoU with the Government of Uttar Pradesh: SPSL signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Government of Uttar Pradesh to establish an EV Charger manufacturing facility. This project aligns with the Uttar Pradesh Electric Vehicle Manufacturing and Mobility Policy 2022 and involves an investment of approximately ₹300 Crores, with the aim to produce around 10,000 DC EV fast-chargers annually.

Collaboration with National Solar Energy Federation of India (NSEFI): SPSL partnered with NSEFI to establish a solar-powered EV Charger-enabled carport as a pilot project in Hauz Khas, Delhi. The project involves DC chargers, solar panels, and various chargers to promote sustainable EV charging solutions.

Corporate Restructuring: SPSL streamlined its corporate structure by divesting its subsidiary, Techbec Global Solutions Pvt. Ltd., and incorporating a new subsidiary, Techbec Green Energy Pvt. Ltd. This new subsidiary focuses on manufacturing, trading, distribution, and acting as selling and purchaser agents for essential components for EV Chargers.

Strategic Partnership with IIT Roorkee: SPSL signed two Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) with IIT Roorkee to develop cutting-edge rectifier units for CCS2 chargers and onboard EV chargers for two, three, and four-wheelers. This strategic partnership aims to produce high-quality onboard chargers that are compact and lightweight, eliminating the need for separate charging devices.

Strategic Partnership with EMCOR Power Solutions: Under this MOU, EMCOR Power Solutions has committed to provide SPSL with 1,000 Charge Point Operator (CPO) sites in India. SPSL will manufacture and install 30kW, 60kW, and higher capacity DC fast EV chargers to revolutionize EV charging infrastructure in the country.

Patents for Energy Management Technologies: SPSL filed two patents for Energy Management Technologies aimed at enhancing grid service optimization through a battery energy storage system. This innovation effectively channels renewable energy into Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) for maximum value, contributing to the transition to sustainable energy.

Employee Ownership: SPSL is dedicated to fostering a culture of employee ownership. The company approved the distribution of 33,308 options to eligible employees as part of the Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) Scheme for the year 2022.

Stock Split: SPSL approved a stock split in the ratio of 1:2, further enhancing shareholder value.

Key Financial Metrics: The financial performance of SPSL for Q2 and H1 FY24 demonstrates substantial growth and positive trends:

Total Revenue: Q2 FY24 revenue stands at ₹8,659.09 lakhs, marking a remarkable 115.2% increase compared to ₹4,023.96 lakhs in Q2 FY23. H1 FY24 revenue increased by 130.1% to ₹16,640.44 lakhs compared to ₹7,230.48 lakhs in H1 FY23.

EBITDA and Margins: EBITDA showed remarkable growth, reaching ₹597.01 lakhs in Q2 FY24, with a margin of 6.89%. The increase is a significant 148.2% compared to ₹240.50 lakhs in Q2 FY23. H1 FY24 EBITDA stood at ₹1,309.92 lakhs with a margin of 7.87%. The improvement in EBITDA margins was driven by higher-margin product offerings.

PAT and Margins: Profit After Tax (PAT) for Q2 FY24 surged to ₹312.41 lakhs, showing a significant 300.3% increase compared to ₹78.04 lakhs in Q2 FY23, with a margin of 3.60%. H1 FY24

About the company: Servotech Power Systems Ltd. (SPSL) is a dynamic and forward-thinking company that has positioned itself at the forefront of sustainable energy solutions in India. Established as a pioneer in the field, SPSL has rapidly evolved into a market leader, providing innovative and eco-friendly products and services that cater to the growing demand for electric vehicles (EVs) and solar power integration.

Servotech Power Systems Ltd. is making significant strides in shaping the landscape of sustainable energy solutions in India. Their relentless pursuit of innovation, coupled with strategic collaborations and a diverse product portfolio, positions them as leaders in the transition to cleaner and greener energy sources. The company’s impact on the electric vehicle and solar energy sectors underscores their crucial role in shaping a more sustainable and eco-friendly future.

[ledenews]

Eight Players from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Sent to Nailers Camp

The Wheeling Nailers, proud ECHL affiliate of the Pittsburgh Penguins, have announced that eight players have been added to their training camp roster. All eight players are coming from the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. In goal, Taylor Gauthier returns for his second professional season. Gauthier started last year in Wheeling, then played the entire second half of the campaign for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. Between the two levels, he posted a 16-10-7 record in 36 appearances. On the blueline, the Nailers received rookie Thimo Nickl. Nickl is a 21-year old native of Austria, who is set to make his North American pro debut, after playing the last three seasons in Sweden. He was originally selected by the Anaheim Ducks in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft. There are six forwards on their way to the Friendly City, and two of those were members of last year's squad. Justin Addamo had an enormous rookie season with 21 goals and 33 points in 42 ECHL games, as well as five AHL goals, which helped him earn an AHL contract from the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. Jordan Frasca is beginning the second season of his three-year NHL entry level contract. Frasca collected 12 points in 36 games with the Nailers, and really hit his stride in March, when he scored four times in a five-game span. 2020 fourth-round draft pick Lukas Svejkovsky begins his second pro season, after recording 15 points as a rookie with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. Svejkovsky had electric numbers in juniors, as he finished the 2021-22 season with 76 points in 57 games. Ty Glover also enters his second season in the organization, after tallying seven goals and 12 points for the AHL Penguins a year ago. Glover will be the fourth player in team history from England. Dillon Hamaliuk was acquired by Pittsburgh in a trade with the San Jose Sharks over the summer. Hamaliuk spent the majority of the 2021-22 season with the AHL's San Jose Barracuda, then amassed seven points in six games last year with the Wichita Thunder. Evan Vierling earned an AHL contract this summer, following an outstanding conclusion to his junior career. Vierling finished fifth in the OHL with 95 points as a member of the Barrie Colts. Wheeling's training camp roster now consists of 18 forwards, eight defensemen, and three goalies for a total of 29 players. The Nailers will have an intrasquad scrimmage on Friday at 7:10, followed by a preseason game against Cincinnati on Sunday at 2:10. Both contests are free to attend with open seating. The 2023-24 regular season begins on Saturday, October 21st, when Wheeling visits Cincinnati at 7:35. The home opener is Saturday, November 4th at 7:10 against Reading. Mad Chad Taylor will be the star of the night, as he juggles chainsaws. That night will also feature a magnetic schedule giveaway and the debut of Big Timber Brewing's Nail Ale. Season memberships and other terrific ticket plans for the 2023-24 season are available now by calling (304) 234-GOAL. The Wheeling Nailers, considered one of the top things to do in Wheeling, West Virginia, provide affordable family entertainment for fans throughout the Ohio Valley. Updated 2023 Wheeling Nailers Training Camp Roster#4 D Quinn Wichers#5 D David Drake#6 D Sebastian Dirven#7 D Davis Bunz#8 D Avery Winslow#9 F Tanner Laderoute#10 F David Jankowski#11 F Peter Laviolette III#12 F Jarrett Lee#13 F Matthew Quercia#14 F Jordan Frasca#15 F Bobby Hampton#16 F Cam Hausinger#17 F Dominiks Marcinkevics#18 F Shaw Boomhower#19 F Félix Paré#20 F Justin Addamo#21 F Cédric Desruisseaux#22 D Jeff Solow#28 D Louie Roehl#31 G Oskar Autio#33 G Taylor Gauthier#35 G David Tendeck#36 F Matt Koopman#41 F Evan Vierling#51 F Ty Glover#70 F Dillon Hamaliuk#72 F Lukas Svejkovsky#82 D Thimo Nickl Read the full article

[ncisfranchise-source]

How can NCIS Season 21 best pay tribute to original cast member David McCallum, who died on Monday at age 90?

McCallum played chief medical examiner-turned-NCIS Historian Dr. Donald “Ducky” Mallard for all 20 seasons, most recently appearing (remotely) in the final two episodes of Season 20 last spring. He had been the show’s last remaining original cast member following the exit of series lead Mark Harmon early in Season 19. (Sean Murray in Season 1 only recurred as McGee.)

“For over 20 years, David McCallum endeared himself to audiences around the world playing the wise, quirky, and sometimes enigmatic, Dr. Donald ‘Ducky’ Mallard,” NCIS executive producers Steven D. Binder and David North said in a statement. “But as much as his fans may have loved him, those who worked side by side with David loved him that much more …. From Day 1, it was an honor to work with him and he never let us down. He was, quite simply, a legend.”

The character of Ducky as of late was largely off-screen, ostensibly on a globe-trotting book tour; his most recent video consultation was delivered from a stop in Edinburgh. So on the one hand, the NCIS writers may decide to emulate what, say, Call Me Kat did for the late Leslie Jordan and simply have Ducky continue to live an idyllic off-camera existence.

Or, the well-watched CBS drama might choose to better honor McCallum — whose acting legacy spanned nearly 70 years and also included memorable roles on The Man From U.N.C.L.E., Sapphire & Steel and other TV shows — by giving the longtime NCIS team member an emotional sendoff of his own.

If NCIS takes the latter, sadder route, which faces from the show’s past do you think should be on hand to pay the good doctor their last respects? We have a few suggestions, followed by a poll where you can express your own wishes….

Mark Harmon as Gibbs

LAST APPEARED: Gibbs was tooling around in his newly finished boat when it shockingly went “boom” in the Season 18 finale. In the fourth episode of Season 19 — after Gibbs, McGee et al solved the case of a contract killer hired by a conglomerate to clear the way for an environment-poisoning copper mine  — “boss” decided to stay put in “the middle of nowhere,” in Alaska, where the multi-episode arc had led him.

CHARACTER STATUS: As EP Steven Binder told TVLine a year ago, “There’s this feeling among the writing staff — and I share it — that we left [Gibbs] sort of nowhere but also everywhere. Like, when I think of Gibbs, I don’t think of him living in an apartment in Alaska. Instead, I imagine he’s sort of melted into pixie dust and is floating around in the sky until he is called back to duty.”

What better “call to duty” than to pay D.C. a quick visit to say a proper farewell to longtime friend and esteemed colleague “Duck”?

Michael Weatherly as Tony

LAST APPEARED: Original cast member Weatherly’s run ended with the Season 13 finale, after Tony learned that longtime romantic interest Ziva David had years earlier — prior to her “death” — given birth to their daughter, Tali. Weatherly has often teased some sort of NCIS encore (sometimes even a “Tiva” two-fer), but even in the wake of Bull‘s cancellation, that has not yet come to fruition.

CHARACTER STATUS: As detailed in the “Ziva” recap below, Tony and Tali presumably enjoyed a reunion with Ziva sometime in late Season 17. Since both former NCIS agents really should be on hand for any Ducky remembrance, the series could deliver some overdue fan service along the way.

Pauley Perrette as Abby

LAST APPEARED: Original cast member Perrette’s NCIS run ended after 15 seasons, in May 2018.

CHARACTER STATUS: After Clayton Revees fatally took a bullet for her during a seemingly random (but not) street mugging, Abby committed herself to following in the MI6 agent’s footsteps by shepherding a charity for homeless women. She then accompanied Reeves’ body back to his London home, before embarking on this new chapter in her life. Abby, like Ducky, was all about the science, so it’d be odd to not hear from her, in some way, in any sendoff episode. (She just might not share a scene with Gibbs.)

Cote de Pablo as Ziva

LAST APPEARED: After exiting NCIS at the start of Season 11 (ending an eight-season run), de Pablo’s enigmatic Ziva most unexpectedly resurfaced in the Season 16 finale, then recurred in a handful of Season 17 episodes.

CHARACTER STATUS: In de Pablo’s mid-Season 17 mini-arc, Gibbs helped Ziva with the “one thing” she needed to tend to before reuniting with Tony and their daughter Tali: making sure that Adam Eshel was OK. Once that was handled, Ziva told Gibbs that she had slipped word to Tony to get Tali into hiding, and that once he and Tali are safe and settled, she would reach out. So presumably the DiNozzo-Davids are reunited and well. But having one show up to honor Ducky without the other could be narratively clunky.

Emily Wickersham as Ellie

LAST APPEARED: In the Season 18 finale, “Rule 91” (as in the Gibbs rule, “When you walk away, don’t look back”)

CHARACTER STATUS: Special Agent Bishop famously — and abruptly! — dipped on romantic interest Nick Torres and the rest of NCIS at large in order to prep for a super-secret undercover op on behalf of Odette, a former CIA operative and Ziva David’s onetime cohort. While it’d be nice to somehow bring Ellie in “from the cold,” it might create more closure issues with Nick than any one guest spot can resolve.

Maria Bello as Dr. 'Jack' Sloane

LAST APPEARED: Bello’s swan song as forensic psychologist Jack Sloane aired in March 2021, ending a three-season run.

CHARACTER STATUS: Jack had hinted that she was leaving NCIS to retire to “Costa Rica”; instead, she stayed put in Afghanistan after a mission with Gibbs, to continue a friend’s work protecting young girls from abduction by the Taliban. Having been around for Ducky’s transition from Chief M.E. to NCIS Historian, it’d be fitting to hear from Jack again.

Adam Campbell as 'Young Ducky'

LAST APPEARED: Campbell’s fourth turn as Young Donald Mallard, in flashbacks, aired early in Season 18.

CHARACTER STATUS: Alive and well… in the past. But what a sweet touch it could be to serve up even the briefest new flashback to bring the good doctor’s colorful story full circle.

Bob Newhart as Ducky's mentor, Dr. Walter Magnus

LAST APPEARED: In the mid-Season 8 episode “Recruited” — the esteemed guest star’s only NCIS visit thus far.

CHARACTER STATUS: Out there in the world somewhere, though Newhart, now age 94, hasn’t acted on a TV series since an April 2020 episode of Young Sheldon.

[yousehouse]

Unmasking the Illusory Truth Effect: The Deceptive Power of Repetition

Source: The Denver Post, 21 November 2016

In recent years, the internet has witnessed a surge in the consumption of false information, exemplified by the rapid spread of COVID-19 misinformation, where around 1.1 million misleading articles circulated on social media within a year. This phenomenon, known as "The Illusory Truth Effect," extends its influence beyond health concerns, impacting areas like marketing and journalism (Vellani et al., 2023)

Amidst the overflow of digital information, distinguishing reality from deception becomes increasingly paramount. As highlighted by Pennycook et al. in their 2018 study, our capacity to discern truth from falsehood isn't merely important; it's foundational to our perception of rationality and mental stability, spanning a wide range of domains.

One striking revelation from the research is the "illusory truth effect," a phenomenon that persists despite seemingly unbelievable fake news. This effect remains steadfast despite fact-checker labels and the clash of political beliefs. It serves as a sobering reminder of social media platforms' role in perpetuating misinformation. Merely tagging stories as disputed proves an ineffective countermeasure (Pennycock et al., 2018).

Credit: Ross MacDonald

Even more astonishing is that prior exposure has little sway over entirely implausible statements. This implies that even a modest semblance of plausibility can fuel the illusory truth effect, significantly boosting perceived accuracy with repetition (Pennycock et al., 2018).

These findings ripple beyond the confines of academia; they hold profound implications for democracy itself. In a world where an informed electorate is the bedrock of a functioning democracy, the research paints a challenging picture. A cautionary approach using a Facebook-developed warning labeled "Disputed by 3rd Party Fact-Checkers" didn't manage to dismantle the illusory truth effect. While it did reduce perceptions of fake news accuracy and deter sharing on social media, these effects proved somewhat fragile. Repetition, as it turns out, has a knack for eroding even the most well-intentioned warnings. This underscores the necessity for more comprehensive strategies to shield the public from the deluge of fake news rather than relying solely on qualifiers (Pennycock et al., 2018).

Moreover, the illusory truth effect's reach extends beyond social media and politics. It has the potential to shape beliefs in areas like religion and the paranormal, where empirical validation often proves elusive. The ease of information processing, or "fluency," can become a deceptive stand-in for truth in these domains. This revelation compels us to contemplate the far-reaching consequences of our cognitive biases and the power of repetition to shape our perceptions (Pennycock et al., 2018).

In a world where information is both a blessing and a curse, awareness of the illusory truth effect and its subtle influence on our beliefs is paramount. It serves as a call to action for society to cultivate a discerning and critical mindset that can navigate the complex web of information with wisdom and clarity (Pennycock et al., 2018).

References:

Pennycook, G., Cannon, T. D., & Rand, D. G. (2018). Prior exposure increases perceived accuracy of fake news. Journal of Experimental Psychology. General, 147(12), 1865-1880. https://doi.org/10.1037/xge0000465

Vellani, V., Zheng, S., Ercelik, D., & Sharot, T. (2023). The illusory truth effect leads to the spread of misinformation. Cognition, 236, 105421-105421. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cognition.2023.105421