#test muse: March 7th

[shining-gem34]

||Need to hunt down some lore later but musing over March 7th and I just ;w; wonder how...horrendous? Traumatizing? Her past must've been for a Memo Keeper to personally interfere any attempts to uncover it.

The possibly of March 7th remembering those memories and if she...Will it erase the adorable and bright photographer we all know and love up to this point? What kind of person was she? Why was her memories sealed away in the first place?

For the present March 7th, she still strives to learn about her past because she feels the need to know. She wants to know where she came from, what kind of life she had, why was she inside a block of ice, and why were her memories sealed? She had considered she might not be the same person anymore if she remembers.

But she's confident she's no different in the past: an adorable photographer!

So yes it does give her a reason to keep a diary and pick up photography. She wants to keep records of her own life as a Trailblazer. She learns from Dan Heng about the universe in the Archives, what information she is missing, and hope some of it is familiar to her. She learns about the path of Akivili from Himeko/PomPom. She learns it's okay to feel safe and rely on her new family from Welt.

She learns what it means to show that same kindness to their new companions, Caelus/Stelle. ;w; who are also in the same both as her (and Dan Heng to some extent) with their lacking memorirs problem.

Yes, March 7th can be bubbly, adorable, and sometimes a bit cringy. But she has her own troubles too behind her smile.

But isn't that why it's important? If she smiles, then that means everything will be okay.

[yishuns]

“hey, don’t look so down!” march whips out her camera, framing niamh within the lens. she snaps a quick picture for posterity. “there, i’ve already kept a record of it, so you can turn that frown upside down! if you keep this up, who knows, your face is gonna get stuck that way~”

@lightsmartyr, for niamh. call.

[taruchinator]

🍁 General Audiences

🍁 1.6k Words

🍁 Day 3 | Favorite Scent of @flufftober!

Caelus was an unapologetic sweater snatcher.

Based on his distinct hobby of diving headfirst into trash cans within a five mile radius of him in hopes of searching for treasure, this shouldn't come up as a surprise.

Didn't make it any less embarrassing, though.

“There he is! Told you we'd find the little thief in here, Dan Heng!”

IT'S HONKAI STAR RAIL TIME BABYYYYY <3

Welcome to Day 3 of Flufftober, where I get to talk about one of my favorite poly ships in all of media—DanCaeMarch! Or the Astral Family, I guess? 🤔

I wanted this prompt to have something to do with clothing, so who better to have the spotlight then honorary trash panda himself—Caelus! 🐼 Enjoy!

Caelus was an unapologetic sweater snatcher.

Based on his distinct hobby of diving headfirst into trash cans within a five mile radius of him in hopes of searching for treasure, this shouldn't come up as a surprise.

In his defense, he didn't do it on purpose at first! If anyone was to blame, it would have to be Dan Heng for introducing him to the world of sharing clothes with your partner. After a particularly chilly sparring session with Yanqing—those icicle swords were no joke—, Dan Heng offered his coat to Caelus once he noticed the gray haired male was shivering.

“You can give it back to me once we're on the Express.” Those were the words uttered from his raven haired boyfriend, and so the trailblazer left it at that.

Except he never actually gave it back.

Dan Heng never said anything either, so that was more than enough for Caelus to keep that little secret to himself.

March 7th didn't make it easier on him, either.

The bubbly girl in their trio of a relationship rarely wore anything to cover herself—be it through sunny skies or stormy weathers, March always put her outfit as a number one priority. If she ever added something to her one-piece pastel/floral combo, it was only because it looked good.

Hence her being over the moon with a fuzzy sweater Natasha had given her during their next visit to Belobog.

“Check it out, you guys! No one can deny who's the cutest trailblazer on the Express now!” March was twirling and taking selfies left, right and center with her new fit, all the while bringing her boys to different places across Belobog for the entire day. It was incredibly exhausting, but neither of them had the heart to voice their protests aloud.

After their visit however, Caelus couldn't help but wonder how comfortable the sweater actually was. Stealing it was a strong word, so that wasn't it. He'd call it… borrowing.

Just like he'd borrowed Dan Heng's coat!

… and forgot to return it.

“It's not weird to want to snuggle with my partner's clothes after a long day of work, is it? Of course not, no way!” Caelus mused to himself while holding both pieces—one on each hand—above his head.

The Astral Express had just come back from a short visit to Herta's Space Station for more testing on the Simulated Universe, and the silver haired male wanted nothing more than to crash in his room with the two most important people in his life beside him.

But since Dan Heng was busy going through security checks with Arlan and March had a prior engagement with Himeko, he was all alone aboard the train. And so, their garments became his sole source of comfort while they weren't with him.

Caelus didn't have many things to call his own—a home planet, memories of a life before becoming a trailblazer, or even the answers to who, or what, he was—except for one constant truth: the Astral Express.

The people in it had become his family, and most importantly of all, his lifeline.

When there was ever any doubt, March and Dan Heng were the reason he kept going.

“God, I'm turning into such a sap…” With a long sigh, Caelus let his mind wander onto the softness of the fabrics between his fingers, relishing in the faint and subtle scents emanating from each of them as they corresponded to their owner.

Dan Heng always had a rich, earthy smell to him that Caelus could never really describe with anything other than pinecones and mirth. It was strange considering the young man barely spent time outside unless it was required for w mission, but it suited him somehow, especially now that he knew of his Vidyadhara heritage.

March was much less complicated. Sweet just like her, and with hints of peppermint that left his heart feeling warm and fuzzy despite what nature would make him think. It was a scent that reminded him of bright smiles and warm hugs and home. A content sigh escaped Caelus’ lips.

Great Akivili, he had it bad.

“There he is! Told you we'd find the little thief in here, Dan Heng!”

Caelus’ eyes flew open at the unmistakable voice of his girlfriend, calling from just outside his now wide open bedroom door. As he turned, he could see the girl pointing an accusing finger in his direction, a pout on her lips that he couldn't help but want to kiss away. Had to hold on to the intrusive thoughts for now, though.

Dan Heng stood beside her, looking as unimpressed as ever, but with a hint of amusement hidden somewhere in his dark forest eyes. He crossed his arms as he gave Caelus a look over. “Is there anything you'd like to share with the class?”

Caelus looked from one side to the other, eyes wide and most definitely looking like what others described as a ‘deer caught in headlights’. He shrugged with a sheepish smile. “Y-You guys came back early! I thought you had plans and stuff…”

March stomped from her position in the doorway, now entering Caelus’ room. After sitting down next to him on the bed, she jabbed a finger right at his chest with a look of annoyance across her face. “I was talking to Himeko about our next trip to Belobog, and then she brought up that she saw you sneaking out of my room with my favorite sweater!”

Oof. Outed by Himeko. The worst kind of betrayal.

The girl then proceeded to reach for the garment, holding her against her chest. “I've been looking everywhere for this! I was gonna show it off to Bronya the other day but couldn't find it anywhere! I figured Dan Heng or Mr. Yang must have put it in the dirty laundry by mistake, but then this guy told me he was missing one of his coats, too!”

Caelus’ gaze then shifted to Dan Heng, the slight pink in his cheeks almost impossible to subside any longer. “I, um… I-I didn't—”

“I didn't mind you keeping it. It's not like I don't have others.” The raven smiled at him slightly with an underlying fondness reserved for him and March. “I just thought that you'd give it back in your own time.”

“Wait, all this time you knew?” March's response came laced with confusion rather than annoyance. And Caelus couldn't help but feel the same. “W-Why didn't you say anything?”

Dan Heng merely shrugged. “Like I said, I thought you'd give it back in your own time. I too have fondness for the things you lend me from time to time… even if they're a little too worn for my liking.”

The trailblazer's eyebrows furrowed for a moment, only for images of him lending the Vidyadhara small things like his jacket, phone and other miscellaneous items started crossing his mind. He smiled sheepishly at the thought. It didn't happen often, but he liked sharing things with Dan Heng. Maybe this was the raven's way of saying he liked doing that too.

“Aww wait a minute! Does that mean you got to wear Caelus’ jacket?” March spoke once more, the pout returning to her lips once more as she crossed her arms in the cutest attempt at a tantrum the trailblazer had ever seen. “No fair, I wanna wear it too! Even if it is all stinky and sweaty like Caelus is…”

“Hey!” Caelus jokingly shoved against her, enveloping her entire frame in his arms with a goofy grin on his face. “I'll have you know I smell as delicate as roses! Argenti said so last time we spoke!”

March's giggles bounced across the room while she tried to escape his grasp with no avail. “Ew, he definitely did not! And if you heard that then you need to get your ears checked!”

As their giggles mixed together in the comfort of the dimly lit room, Dan Heng sneakily took a seat on the empty spot next to Caelus, wrapping an arm around the duo with another smile grazing his lips. “Himeko and Mr. Yang are still talking over some business with Asta. They might be a while. Mind if we join you?”

The gray haired male's pulse began to race as his cheeks tinted pink once more. The smile that followed after was completely unavoidable and almost felt like second nature. Everything felt like that when he was with these two. “I'd really like that… I was planning for a lonely evening anyways, hehe…”

“You dummy.” March spoke once more, still trapped within the confines of Caelus’ arms, but this time leaning upwards to give him a kiss on the tip of his nose. A pleasant chill ran across his spine. “If you wanted to cuddle, you just had to ask! No need to go around like some raccoon stealing our clothes. You're already a trash panda, anyways…”

“Hey!”

“What I'm trying to say is that we want to be here with you! We love you!” The statement was so clear and without hesitation, almost as if saying something as simple as ‘the sky is blue’. Yet March never ceased to amaze him with her bluntness.

And as Dan Heng nuzzled his chin against the top of his head, Caelus knew he felt the same.

Nothing else mattered—only them three as they eventually slept into the comfort of the night, knowing that no matter what the path of Akivili had in store for them, as long as they had each other, they could walk it without fear.

And if Himeko and Mr. Yang found them later and took a few pictures like the proud parents they were (despite Pom-Pom's insistence that ‘them being in the same room like this was inappropriate’), well, that was something they'd keep to themselves.

[reflective-muses]

/bullies you into adding March 7th

Ahhhh

I'll add her as a test muse. She's very fun and cute. ;w;

[ofhope]

"Thank you for your help, sir... I-it seems I even got two of them!" From the vending machine, she salvaged two cans of very particular content. With an extra to spare, she thought it was only fair to share with the kind gentleman that aided her before, and thus, she offered him one of the cans, hoping he would accept it. "Please take one, sir. It looks like soda, but it's actually cake. Cake in a can... It's my first time trying one. Have you tried one of these before?"

... for Welt Yang, test muse.

“Cake in a can?” a peculiar spectacle, pronounced evenly in his confused tone. “No, no, I... don't believe I've ever heard of a cake in a can before. I'm no stranger to similar means of dining, MREs come to mind, but this... invention has escaped my notice. Much to my surprise: if such an oddity was in high stock, I would have thought March 7th to have procured it.”

With a thank-you, Welt returned to their prior seating, cane stationed neatly aside their table.

“How, precisely, would a cake stored in an aluminum can be retrieved? The slot shouldn't be proportional to the dessert's size,” gazed upon as a subject of scientific intrigue than a treat, Welt fixed his glasses, rolled over the canister in his hand, mulling over the odd, albeit minimalistic, label. “There appear to be no instructional guides, either.”

Sliding his thumb beneath the can's lip, the lid popped off with minimal effort, no carbonated hiss trailing his action.

“... I see. May I?” grasping Annie's own, Welt administered the same fix, sugary treat now revealed to her own eyes — wisps of strawberry met their noses, a scent not artificial in spite of its container. “There. I suppose this is meant to be ate without utensils, given the apparent lack.”

A scrunch of the nose. Returning to Annie her own, Welt testily pressed his forefinger against its spongy contents, retreating without a gooey stickiness that he, nor Pom-Pom, ever really liked.

“I cannot say this isn't a unique teatime treat...”

[nousgazed]

"TODAY IS ALSO MARCH 7TH!"

#NOUSGAZED: an indie and selective hsr multimuse, curated by mik (19, they/them, gmt +8)—featuring the astral express' dearest march 7th, among others. mutuals-only. blog is still a wip!

muse list below~

primary:

serval

march 7th

arlan

secondary:

screwllum

argenti

clara

test:

luka

silver wolf

boothill

[pompomexpress-arch]

//little summary of the muses present on this blog so far!!

High muse:

Sampo

Caelus (testing)

In the middle:

Pom-Pom

March 7th

Only here to bother people because he knows He Can:

Yanqing

Will probs add him as soon as he's released in the game:

Luka

The list should stop here i think, unless they release (a) character(s) i LOVE LOVE and absolutely want to write, we'll keep at this!!! (maybe jing yuan one day if his story motivates me!!!!!!!! but yeaH).

[swirldmg]

#SWIRLDMG:  PRIVATE & SELECTIVE ,  mutuals only multimuse ,  featuring characters from GENSHIN IMPACT and HONKAI STAR RAIL .   loved & adored by TEDDY ,  ( they / them ,  23 . )

RULES / HEADER ART.

MUSES :

venti ,  MAIN MUSE.  ( formerly un.piety ) qiqi ,  primary. yaoyao ,  primary. yae miko ,  secondary. collei ,  secondary. paimon ,  secondary. heizou ,  test. aether ,  test. sparkle , test. lyney , test.

TO BE ADDED : xiao ,  klee , stelle , march 7th .

energy and motivation for each muse varies from day to day and i’m likely to focus on some more than others . this blog is prone to periods of inactivity due to my health ! ( ALL MUSES ARE HEADCANON BASED . i do what i want . )

PROSHIP  &�� NON - RP BLOGS DNI .

[shining-gem34]

||Basic HC's ideas for March 7th and PomPom

March 7th

-Photography is her passion because since she has no memory of her past- She wants to take pictures of every adventure she has been in so she won't ever forget.

-She definitely can sew after Himeko (and Natasha) taught her. Any recent plushies are made by her hands. :3

-Definitely into the arts and crafts where she likes making scrapbooks and collage books eith her photos. Have to make them cute and pretty!

-90% of the time she will be the one to intiate a "girls" night among the trio. Yes she will drag Dan Heng and Caelus for sleepover in her room.

-Still debating on her weapons choice and why she chose a bow. It could be something she is adept with. It could also be the easiest(?) long-distance weapon. Not sure yet.

-I like to think when she first woke up, she had no control over her phase 6(or was it 7?) Ice powers. Everything she touches turns into ice, and if she gets startled: I C E. It got better over time with practice.

-Communication with anything cute? Hmmm. Might go into this later.

-March 7th is never the type to get angry. She's a cheerful and bubbly young girl, but it doesn't mean she's stupid. Yes she might be a bit slow to process information (could be an effect from her slumber inside ice). But she is definitely more aware than you think about things so hurt her friends? YOU GET AN ARROW TO THE KNEE-

-Angry March 7th? The shine is gone in her eyes and she is not smiling anymore. If she does, it's more frosty just like her element.

Conductor PomPom

-They/Them (Non-binary)

-I do see them as like an Avatar of Akivili since not much is known about them in general. I have to refresh my memory on that. I do know he met Himeko after she fixed the Astral Express and took role of Conductor.

-Too many hellos and goodbyes to people who boarded the Astral Express. :(( It will not be the first nor will it be the last, but PomPom cares for everyone that have stepped onto the passage. Definitely will cry if any of the current crew have to leave for good.

-Avatar of Akivili: If the Astral Express is broken/down, PomPom will naturally disappear too. Their existence is linked to the AE hence why they are sensitive to any changes inside.

-They usually appear as timid and adorable when a situation arises but if PomPom is like the last one standing to protect the AE- Very terrifying in a way they WILL eject you out after you experience very uhh strong hallucinations. :3 Rarely happens tho so don't worry.

-I do think they cannot leave the Express. If they do, they must remain a certain distance to stay connected to it. If they move too far, they disappear. Usually, they'll return to the Express. Unusual cases? They don't reappear at all and that will be bad news.

-PomPom (Astral Express) every month has to go through a software update aka maintence to stay strong and keep the powers of Akivili up. If you don't heed their warnings,Y̶̢͓̫͔̘̗͛̌͆͆́̈́͗̒̈́̍̔̍͜͠ö̵̫͔̰̩̭́̽̍͐̍̇̿͆͗͊̋̈͝͠u̴̥̤̦͐̈́͒̅̌ ̴̛͈͉̝̹̥̉̋a̴̢̳̰̥̫̤̲̤̩͇̯̒̆̄́̋̐͋̑̓̅̆̕͝͠͠ͅr̸̨̨̨̨̰̤̩̼̫̦̩̼̒̀̀̋̂̋e̶͉̗̫͔̱͎͖̍̒͒͝ ̴̰͇̝̙̖̙̌͆̈̽̕͝i̷͖͛̏̉̑̕ń̶͚͍͇͇̹͓̫͍͎̦̰͎̲̟̂ͅ ̴͎̩͉̮̹͌͐̅͊̔̃̀̒͗͑̚͝ḁ̸̱̭̖͚͎̱̭̼̭͕̍̈̉̕͘͜͠ ̵͓̦̍w̴̨̫̣̙̭̩͚̤̹͔̤̗̹̩͎̍͌̆͂̑̎̚o̷̙̱͚̬̖̤̩͚̮͜͝ṙ̸͓͓̟͉̝̖̤̠̇͑͝l̵̥͎̖͚̘̺͓͒̿̔ḑ̵̩̺̀ ̷̩͔̳̔̓̏͌͐͒͋͠o̵͎̗̳͕̫͒̎͗͌̄̋̕f̶͍̮̤͈̹̻̙̯̩͓͗̍͊̓̾ ̴̢̫̬̥͍̗̲̠̩͕̱͈͖͛̎͛́̽͜͝ͅp̷̼̺̤̯͎͇̥͎̈́̈́̍̀̚͠ͅà̴̛͈̥̯̐̌͌͠í̶̛̱́́̐̓͗̓͒̃̃̽͝ṇ̷̨̛̩̺̣̪̟͇͍̰̊͊̈́̀̂͐̋̑͛͘.̸̟͚̇͛̒͆͌̿̽̍.

-PomPom!!! Definitely loves souvenirs because they can't leave the Express. 3: So remember to get something for the conductor alright?

-Related to recent Astral Express mechanics, because the energy it uses requires jumping between the worlds, PomPom can feel when the energy is declining. It does affect them to the point they might become lethargic and sleepy.

[jacquelinep21]

(I wrote this email to my grandmother, aunt, and uncle last week and felt pretty good with how it turned out so decided to publish it here.) 

Friday, May 1st, 2020

Coucou !

I’ve been wanting to write you for a while now, I even started a draft and wrote about ¾’s of it, had to stop to make dinner, and then never finished it. Maybe I was overthinking how I wanted to get the writing perfect when I should’ve just sent something to say hello, give you an update, and check-in that all was well with you. Mieux vaut tard que jamais.

How to describe everything and nothing that has happened since mid-March? Both on a personal level and on a “what’s the situation in France” level?

Personally, I’ve been cooking, both familiar recipes, and trying new ones such as Chickpea Curry, Mushroom-Stuffed Eggplant, One-Pan Wine Braised Chicken with Artichoke Hearts, Shakshuka, Spanish Tortilla, Roasted Red Pepper Cheese Toast, Peanut Butter Chile Sauce drizzled over broccoli and rice, Butternut Squash & Shallot Hash w/Poached Eggs, and a couple others. Let me admit, some were successes, others...will have to be adjusted and reattempted. Not to mention there are days when not having a dishwasher gets to be exhausting.

I still have multiple school projects that I have been working on, both group and individual. My classes were already supposed to end mid-April even before this all started, so it didn’t change much and most classes didn’t have any online classes, as the projects were more important and already put in place. I have three more to turn in before grades are due mid-May, and now the first part of my thesis is due one month later, at the end of June. Productivity has been difficult, as there are days that I feel like I need to do things for me, rather than sitting on my computer switching between reading the news and trying to do school work, but I’ve gotten a little better at it. My job, checking guests into apartments, and working in the office, is obviously non-existent, and likely will be until at least September, but because of the government's chômage partiel or temporary/partial unemployment of over 10 million people in France, I’m still getting 90% of my salary, which I am very thankful for.

What I have been doing for pleasure these days is listening to podcasts, my favorite being Spilled Milk, which I discovered in September when I was doing the grape harvest, a comedy show about food recorded in Seattle. I was taking a photograph or two a day with my dad’s 1984 Minolta 35mm film camera but ran out of film and can’t find a viable way to get more. I’ve been reading every day, finished two books so far, and have started a third. We’ve been watching movies and TV shows, such as Breaking Bad, the Jason Bourne trilogies, Charade, Star Wars, and others I’ve put off watching until now. Something I never thought I would do was a virtual dance/fitness classes but they have been a great source of dopamine and just physical movement. There are also weekly video chats with either Benjamin or I’s friends, which has been especially nice when we can reunite multiple time zones all in one call. My friend that works at Politico’s audio department asked if I’d be interested in recording an audio-diary twice a week as part of a project they’re working on of different people’s experiences during lockdown so I’ve been contributing to that (though not sure what’s become of the project so far). The most coincidental thing that has happened to me during confinement is changing the channel on the TV maybe the second week into the lockdown, as the Prime Minister’s press conference was ending (otherwise we hardly ever watch the TV), to a different channel only to see someone that looked vaguely familiar, and then see the street we live on. We soon figured out the people across the street we had seen filming once or twice were making a documentary on the lockdown. I contacted them after we finished watching the episode and they asked if I was interested in being interviewed. So that happened, haha. I don’t believe it’s possible to stream the episode outside of Europe so I’ve included the video here, it’s in English.

There are of course the daily musings outside the window to see what the neighbors across the street are doing or what is happening on the street below. Avenue de Saint-Ouen has calmed since this all began but it still is busier than I would’ve expected, both with cars and people, not resembling photos you may have seen of an eerily empty Paris. Sundays are the exception, when I can almost clearly hear what someone is saying on their balcony across the way, where the joggers' loud steps hitting the pavement echoes as they try to reach home before their 10am curfew, and the church bells ring telling us the time. The typical characters I can see on their balconies every day include the bald man that drinks his cup of coffee while smoking his morning cigarette, the retired man on the top floor that tends to his potted herbs that dangle over the balcony railing, or his neighbors that have two young boys that run back and forth. The weather has been clearer than any Parisian spring I’ve seen and the temperatures even got to the high 70’s last week but have now dropped and the clouds are back. We are allowed to walk for up to one hour within a 1km radius of our address, as long as we have a form, now available to download on our phones, filled out, otherwise there can be fines, though I have only seen police officers stop people twice.

So what is the situation in France right now? As of Thursday night, 24,376 people have died from Covid-19 in France, 26,283 people are currently hospitalized (551 less than the day before) and 4,019 are in the ICU (188 less than the day before). On May 11th, the lockdown will be lifted to a certain extent, but many restrictions will still be in place. Starting May 7th each département, kind of like a county, will either be classified red or green, depending on multiple factors, and this can change the severity of the rules after May 11th. Preschools, elementary schools, and daycares can reopen, on a voluntary basis by each family, so those in need that cannot do online learning and depend on the meals can return to school under certain hygiene measures. Public transportation will increase slightly but not back to the normal frequency, masks will be obligatory, every other seat must be left empty, employeurs are encouraged the adjust hours of employees that have to return to work to avoid rush hour, and that those not commuting to and from work should avoid public transportation during these hours. We will be able to leave the house without filling out a form, as long as it’s less than 100km from our address. Farther than this (62 miles) we will need to have a legitimate reason, such as professional or imperative family needs. No meetings, private or public, of more than ten people. Individual sports any time of day (currently in Paris jogging isn’t permitted between 10am and 7pm) but no team sports. Libraries and small museums may reopen while abiding by hygiene procedures. Parks may reopen but if considered dangerous, such as in Paris, they may remain closed. Most businesses can reopen, except restaurants, bars, cafés, large museums, movie theaters, concert venues, or theaters, while controlling the number of people in the business and customers may be turned away if they aren’t wearing a mask. Farmers markets may reopen as well. Malls may or may not reopen, depending on their size. Working from home is still strongly encouraged. The government hopes to test 700,000 people a week, though who can get tested isn’t clear. If you test positive you must self isolate for 14 days either at your residence or an allocated hotel, and teams of people will attempt to get in contact with those who may have been infected by said persons to get tested. An app is also in development to track this but is also highly controversial and will have to be voted on by parliament. Masks will be distributed by employeurs, by schools, to nonprofits for those in need, social action centers, and La Poste has set up a website where they can be bought, the government paying for part of the costs. The second phase in which things could change is June 2nd.

Voilà, I think that’s everything. I would love to hear from you when you can write back. Miss you and thinking of you.

Love,

Melissa

P.S. Some recent Articles/Blogs/Newsletters/Podcasts that are Paris related:

David Lebovitz's May 2020 Newsletter

When Cookies Fly and Other Tales of Staying Entertained During Quarantine

Lettre Recommandé: Notes from France by Lauren Collins

Podcast: Documenting confinement in Paris, checking in with the French psyche, May Day history (interview with the couple making the documentary that I was featured in briefly among other interesting things.)

The New Paris Podcast: Paris in Confinement

The Earful Tower Podcast: What does Paris look like in lockdown? (he has recorded several episodes about what has been going on, this is just a more recent one, light-hearted)

The Street That Still Offers Paris Hope

Denuded of Tourists, Paris Reveals Its Old Beating Heart

France 24's English Coverage of the France Lockdown (a great news outlet in English with a more French perspective of whats going on in France with articles and videos)

[roller-rink-haruno]

Get to Know Me Better!

I was tagged by the wonderful @wasabipesto !

1. Name/Alias: Lisa!

2. Birthday: March 7th!

3. Zodiac sign: Pisces

4. Height: a very tall 4 ft and 8 and 1/2 inches!

5. Hobbies: Uhhhh, I try too many new things to keep many hobbies... I crochet though!

6. Favorite color: Brown! Wait, no! Green! Pink! Seriously? I don’t know if I actually have a favorite color anymore. But I really do love browns and mossy greens! And pinks!

7. Favorite books: Oh no! Another hard question! How about favorite authors? Tamora Pierce and Terry Pratchett are AMAZING!

8. Last song you listened to: “An Open Letter” from the Hamilton Mixtape

9. Last film I watched: I fell asleep to Dylan Moran’s standup, but the last movie I actually watched was The Green Book!

10. Inspiration/Muse: Uh... I don’t know? Other people are pretty inspiring! But I don’t inspire easily. I get brief flashes, but nothing that sticks...

11. Dream Job: God this changes all the time. Like, actual job that I get paid for? I just want to work in the government and help make things better. That’s why I’m sticking with local gov and community development. It’s important work! And maybe it isn’t the foreign service, but it’s there and at the end of the day you can say I actually helped someone do something, which is important if I’m not going to burnout or wilt and wane.

My actual dream “job” though? Being the cantankerous neighborhood aunty. I want to be the person adults feel safe letting their children outside because they know I’ll be on the porch watching them. I want to be the neighbor that other neighbors feel they can go to if there’s some sort of problem. I want kids who need a little bit more attention to tell me that they got an A on their history test, and I want to be able to tell them good job and give them a treat. I want to make sure everyone in my neighborhood is able to vote if they want to, and if folks aren’t naturalized I want to tutor them for the naturalization exam. Is that weird? It’s probably really weird. Sorry.

12. I was doing roller derby for a bit before my league turned weird. I also love Sakura Haruno, particularly @itsthechocopuff’s interpretation of the character.

13. Top three ships: VetVimes has a real hold on me. Uh, outside of that? I mean, I’m good with most ships, tbh. I really like Shikamaru/Sakura.

14. Chapstick or lipstick: Am I putting in effort or no? If I’m putting in effort, it’s lipstick every time. If not, chapstick. Though, to be honest, I do like playing around with different colors. So if it’s what I prefer to mess around with when I’m feeling playful, then lipstick! Absolutely! I have a couple of dark greens, a black liquid lipstick (Witches - KVD), a nice chocolate brown color (Beautymark - Nyx), a few reds (Outlaw -KVD, Exotic - Nyx), a nice spooky gray-lavender-mauve color (Embellishment - Nyx)... even an entire lip pallet to make my own (Anastasia-BH)!

15. Currently reading: Street Magic by Tamora Pierce! Plants! Stones! Magic! Middle Eastern/Central Asia inspired setting! POC characters! Snarky elder lesbian character with realistic recovery from a small amount of brain damage received two books prior! Realistic views on gangs and why gangs are such an important fixture in low-mod income communities! It’s excellent!

Hmmmm... I’ll tag @itsthechocopuff , @cakesandfail , @dog-dyke, and @mostly-void-partly-stars! Anyone else who wants to, feel free!

[reflective-muses]

welcome! please read ♥

indie multi-muse ◆ selective ◆ semi-private ◆ activity: moderate/slow Penned by Yuki/Ashley (she/her, 30+); 15+ years rp experience est aug 2023

Minors DNI - 21+ Only!

Main Muses: Kaveh (Genshin Impact), Aventurine (Honkai Star Rail)

Secondary: Tighnari (Genshin Impact), Lyney (Genshin Impact), March 7th (HSR, testing!), Jiaoqiu (HSR, testing!)

Upon Request: Futaba Sakura (Persona 5), Nagisa Hazuki (Free!; it has been a decade since i've written for this boy, so bear with me) More muses to be added as I feel inspired to write them. March, Jiaoqiu and Nagisa aren't on my card yet whoops.

◆ About ◆ Rules and Shipping ◆ Muses ◆ Ask Memes ◆ Open Starters ◆

tldr:

i'm old and have been around a long time (just coming back)

be respectful, no drama

ask memes never expire! i reblog a lot of ask memes. if you want to interact and aren't sure how, feel free to send a meme! please just tell me which one it's from--if you can, link back to it. it helps a lot! don't forget to specify which muse it's for, too!

i love shipping (please scream at me about cute 2d boys in love) - i love platonic and familial ships, too!! - i will never assume you also ship my favorite ships or want to ship them (unless you state somewhere you do)--this is just good rp etiquette - if you do ship my fave ships i will probably scream about them to you in DMs/discord rofl

my DMs/askbox are always open

you are never a bother!

Please feel free to turn our asks into threads!

Open starters are free for any mutuals to reply to!

Game Progress: - Genshin Impact: Fully caught up on AQ and all character story quests. I'm not caught up on hangouts--only Kaveh's is finished. I don't have favorites. - Honkai Star Rail: Fully caught up with 2.4 main story. Still working on some side quests, but not worried about spoilers for those.

last updated: august 25, 2024

[ivorytowerblr]

NaNoWriMo 2017: June 16th

I said ‘a decent’ entry, which I don’t have because I 1) slept in really late, 2) was busy, 3) am getting a cold. Should be done by tomorrow if I work at it, then I can start the final chapter.

Word Count: 234 Monthly Word Count: 6476 Previous: November (Masterpost); December (Masterpost); January (Masterpost); February (Masterpost); March (Masterpost); April (Masterpost); May (Masterpost); June: Week One (1st-7th) Week Two (8th-14th) 15th.

“They very likely have access to various kinds of diseases and toxins, and won’t hesitate to expose their enemies to them.” Surya’s expression had been grave. “So you’re going to need to be vaccinated against them before we go after Hekate.”

“If... there’s time,” Vachagan had said, doubtful. “Won’t they be worried about exposing Hekate to illness, since she’s so valuable to them?”

“It’s entirely likely she’s been vaccinated, either in her childhood or while in their care,” Surya had pointed out. “Either way, you need to be protected. It’s very important.”

“I don’t want to waste any more time, but…” Vachagan had nodded. “I won’t do her any good if I get myself killed or make her sick. Let’s go.”

Surya had gestured for her to go with him, and he had taken her somewhere private, and performed a few tests -- a simple blood test was necessary, and some allergy reaction sheets -- before injecting her with something that he promised would keep her safe, and through her, Hekate.

All I can do is wait, I suppose, Vachagan mused, leaning back as she drowsed in her seat. Wait and start my investigation.

It was snowing outside, applying another layer to the already thick blanket of snow outside. In the fading light, pierced by the train’s headlamps, the snow seemed yellowed and dirty somehow, as though tainted even as it fell from the clouds above.

[techmaestro]

A Winter Soldier Dad

In this universe, HYDRA almost got caught out in their infiltration by Howard not too long after Tony was born, and things go rather cockeyed from there.

1917

March 10th: James Buchanan Barnes is born.

August 15th: Howard Anthony Stark is Born.

1918

July 4th, Steven Grant Rogers is born.

1921

April 9th: Peggy (Margaret) Carter is born.

1943

June: Stark Expo with Howard’s fail flying car.

June 14th: Steve picked up for project rebirth.

October: Bucky picked up at the front as a POW.

November 24th: Steve to the rescue as Captain America.

1944

December: Bucky falls off the train and is recovered by Russians in league with HYDRA.

1945

January: Steve crashes the Valkyrie into the ice.

1950-1952

SHIELD is founded by Howard Stark, Peggy Carter, and Chester Phillips. Exact date unclear.

1970

May 29th: Tony (Anthony Edward) Stark is Born.

1971

January 7th: Clint(on Francis) Barton is born.

October 20th: HYDRA catches wind of Howard looking into their doings, ends up making arrangements to deal with him.

November 19th: The Winter Soldier kills the Stark parents. The child ends up going with him instead of being left behind, and he does not return to base.

1975

The Winter Soldier, now Bucky, stops traveling for the first time to allow Tony to have a year of school. He ends up moving them halfway through the school year, a trend which will continue until High School.

1982

A teacher finally has Tony long enough to find out how smart he is, gets him skipped up a couple grades, and Tony has the paperwork and tests done to start high school early. 

1986

Tony offered scholarships after his testing to several schools, and ends up picking the one that will let him follow a technological field.

Bucky tells Tony about what happened to his parents instead of just his name. He thinks on it.

1988

Tony and Rhodey meet over spring break and immediately become fast friends who stay in touch via letter correspondence.

1991

March: Finishes design and Dum-E is born as Tony’s thesis project for his Doctorate. 

1992

Tony gets a small business off the ground in the computer engineering field.

1995

Tony goes after SI to get his rightful inheritance sorted out, things are tied up until his current handprint is compared to the one in the Stark baby files.

1997

January: Tony builds his impossible house on a cliff, making sure it’s defensible to Bucky’s standards. He finds out how money can affect a housing situation when the house goes up fast.

April: Uses the money influx to sort out the code to get JARVIS online the first time, hs been musing on the code piecemeal for years.

July 12th: JARVIS becomes properly sentient and asks his first emotionally driven question.

1999

October: Tony meets and hires Pepper Potts as his personal assistant. 

2000

New Years: Killian makes his resolve to be an asshole to Tony someday, though events were more in line with Tony just not having the time to speak to the man, rather than forgetting. Killian never makes the offered appointment.

2001

September 11: National catastrophe strikes. Tony did not arrive for an intended meeting in the area, and immediately throws more focus into weapons for National Defense.

2002

Obadiah loses patience with Tony not doing as told and takes out a hit on him, urging the man overseas to ‘better ties’ while selling weapons.

He’s promptly captured and subjected to months of horror as per Afghanistan.

Bucky makes sure that Obadiah is permanently taken care of after that.

Beginning of the stealthy removal of Stark Industries from making weapons, without breaking any military ties. Instead, emphasis on armor and defensive measures begins. Medical technologies become vastly higher on the priority scale, and the computer company Tony previously founded suddenly becomes far more lucrative than the weapons company that should have been.

Iron Man begins to be seen around the world, though never in conjunction with Tony Stark. Operations are stealthier as he sorts out the mess Obadiah left behind while he was presumed dead. Bucky is far from thrilled that his son is in danger at all.

2003

Bruce makes a mess with the Hulk coming on the scene.

Tony realizes he has a little problem with the element options he has for the reactor. He immediately digs deep to try to find out more about his dad, taking time he hadn’t previously had to do so. He figures he should at least have a clue about his birth parents before he dies. He spends extra time with Bucky but is hesitant to inform him of the situation before he notices on his own.

2004

January: Tony manages to pin down the element situation in the model, which is for an expo that never actually got to be put together beyond that. He’s amazed at the man’s brilliance and sad he never got to meet him. He does tell Bucky he’s all better.

2005

January: SHIELD finally tracks Iron Man back to Tony and proceeds to try to make contact via Natasha. It does not go well as Bucky recognizes the woman’s training.

Tony responds to this with understandable suspicion and immediately sees the woman out. He then turns his attention to investigating SHIELD. Upon finding out about the Steve Hunt, he starts to pay more attention to that, wanting to know about his dad’s best friend.

2007

Weapons production in Stark Enterprises has come to a near standstill by this point, and all outstanding weapon caches are taken care of to Tony’s satisfaction. Any lingering traces of weapons manufacture in SI are via non-lethal routes.

2008

Tony decides that it’s a perfect time to out himself when people start getting too close to casting their eye on Bucky and his life, and declares he’s Iron Man on national television. He uses this and the leverage it gets him to further look into ways to expand his companies. He ends up putting Pepper in charge of SI so he can look after Barnes Inc himself without a split in his attention.

2011

Tony and Bucky end up kidnapping Steve nearly immediately after he’s found, and SHIELD being infiltrated by HYDRA comes to light. This ends up bringing Tony’s gaze on it intently.

Thor touches down in New Mexico.

2012

Loki happens and events here are largely unchanged, though Bucky is on site and Steve and Tony have already hashed out most of their differences.

[anycontentposter]

Photographing the Demise of Martin Tower

For those not from a certain area of Pennsylvania, you likely have never heard of Martin Tower or knew that it was imploded in a spectacular way earlier this year. But for those in the Lehigh Valley, the third-largest metropolitan area in PA, Martin Tower served as a symbol of many meanings, from the fall of one of the greatest steel companies in the world to a landmark whose relief stood out in stark contrast to the surrounding landscape.

Martin Tower as seen through a particularly intense snow storm

The 332’ building, shaped in a unique cruciform configuration, once housed the headquarters for Bethlehem Steel, once the second-largest steelmaker in the world. While dwarfed by the likes of the U.S. Steel Tower in Pittsburgh and many other buildings both there and in Philadelphia, Martin Tower was the largest building in the Lehigh Valley and was visible from miles away across the area. The groundbreaking to construct the tower was in 1969 and by 1972 the building was completed and occupied. Named after Bethlehem Steel’s former chairman Edmund F. Martin, the building utilized 32 million pounds of steel and housed nearly 1,200 employees across several different departments. Reams have been written and college courses taught about the downfall of Bethlehem Steel, and to this day the answer to the question of “why Bethlehem Steel go bankrupt?” will be dependent on who you’re asking.

While Bethlehem Steel fully went bankrupt in 2001 and the last steel employees left the tower in 2003, a few companies retained residency in the tower until 2007, when it became fully vacant. A testament to its notability, the building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2010 and efforts to save it continued up until its demolition.

My fascination with Martin Tower began several years ago when I became enamored with combining a budding interest in urban exploration with my already solidified bug for photography. The building, being the largest in the area was a constant muse and appeared in my work several times whether by intention or happenstance. Luckily, in 2014, the owners and the site manager allowed for a day of public exploration of the first floor of the tower and the grounds around it, which housed a variety of annex buildings including a power house and a print shop. The building itself was still immaculate, from the Mad Men-esque wallpaper in the women’s bathrooms to the computers and notepads still left at the front desk reminding me more of a time capsule than a building that had been abandoned for seven years.

Martin Tower photographed from about three miles away Martin Tower Instameet, 2014 Part of the lobby area that led to what once was the auditorium Inside the women’s bathroom

Chains locking one of the annex buildings The overgrown entrance to what once was the printery.

Bookcases in what once was the Schwab Library in the main tower

The company’s iconic I-beam logo sits in front of the tower. The tower as seen from the lookout at nearby Lehigh University A newspaper dating to about 1992 as seen left in the tower in 2017. The headline reads, “Steel’s future looks brighter.”

This limited visit at the Instameet only solidified my interest in fully exploring every nook and cranny of the tower and I spent the next several years on and off writing and calling the owners and property management trying to obtain access to document the inside. That came in a roundabout way, after I started working at the National Museum of Industrial History (NMIH) in Bethlehem, just three miles from the tower’s site and on the scenic campus of the former steel mill.

The museum houses a significant archive of Bethlehem Steel materials, including 35mm, medium format, and large format negatives that were shot throughout the company’s history. With these stunning images, many of which likely haven’t seen the light of day since they were developed, the museum held several events where the public was able to see the building come to life through the lenses of company photographers in black and white and color film.

Through my work with the museum I was able to visit the tower several times, once in 2017 as mosaics from the former printery building were removed prior to its razing, and several more times earlier this year as the building was being prepared for demolition and museum volunteers were removing paperwork and artifacts left in the building. While the building was unfortunately gutted before we were able to visit, I was able to photograph the entire site as well as much of the building’s first floor, basement and sub-basement, and the unparalleled view from its rooftop.

The tower can be seen in the distance in this nighttime view from St. Michael’s cemetery, a view made famous by photographer Walker Evans in a series he created for the Farm Security Administration. A 2017 Visit to the Tower

In 2017 the printery is razed and work began on the other annex buildings in the tower. These views show the printery building being demolished and a view of a patrol office inside the main tower.

A Final Look: Inside the Last Days of Martin Tower

These images, taken in March of 2019, provide a final look documenting the inside of the building prior to its preparation for implosion.

A view of the 21st floor, where the executive offices and board room were. Looking down the elevator shaft from the top floor. Looking down the side of the tower

In this view the freight elevator is visible that allowed access to all of the tower’s floors as the main elevator shaft was being used to funnel demolition debris to the main floor.

A glass door etched with the company’s logo A view from the 7th floor through a broken window

What remained of the annex buildings prior to the implosion The view of downtown Bethlehem and the former steel plant from the roof of Martin Tower

A Week Prior to the Implosion, May 2019

As the building’s implosion drew nearer, I was intent on locating a unique view to witness this historic event. Thousands of onlookers would be inundating every public viewing area around town, so my first inclination was to try to get a helicopter for the day. I assumed this wouldn’t be an easy feat, but a friend of a friend, Ted Rosenberger of Vertivue Air Charters quickly agreed to turn down paying customers that day to fly me and document the implosion for NMIH archives. Prior to the implosion day, we took a test run – seeing where the no-fly zone was and where we ideally would like to be for the actual demolition. With us was Gardner Raymond of Consequence Video Designs, who operated the helicopter’s nosecam and provided the local news station, WFMZ, with live footage and NMIH with the video for its archives. Both have my eternal thanks for providing not only the museum with an amazing video but also giving me a platform to witness history and photograph one of the most memorable days I’ve had in some time.

The Implosion, May 19, 7:03AM

The building, which took three years and an unbelievable amount of steel and concrete to construct, came tumbling down in 16 seconds. If you’ve never seen a large building implode, especially one that holds a sentimental place in many people’s lives, it’s both shocking and stunning. From the air, it almost looked like a video game, and it wasn’t until we were back on the ground and friends were sending me their videos that it began to look real. Following the implosion, we circled the site until the dust cleared to get some footage for the news station and so I could get some shots of the rubble before we headed back to the airport. I went over to the site later in the day to get some shots of the rubble and was able to return the next day and get access to the site to take some closer photos. The demolition team did an astounding job, with nearly all of the rubble falling in on the building itself and minimal debris surrounding the site.

The Aftermath

Work at the implosion site is still ongoing and crews are still working to remove, sort, and process the I-beams, concrete, and other rubble from the implosion.

I also want to thank all of the workers and site management personnel who escorted me around the tower and gave me ample time to work, as well as my team at NMIH who let me spend time working on this project.

For those wondering about gear, I was shooting with two Canon 5D Mark IIIs, one outfitted with a Sigma 120-300mm f/2.8 and the other with a Sigma 50mm ART f/1.4. Figuring out which focal length to use was tricky. In hindsight, I wish I would have shot the actual implosion with the longer lens, but a delay in the implosion coupled with a very short notice before the explosives went off meant I was shooting with the 50mm to ensure I was getting the full implosion. There were many others who got equally good, if not better, shots from the ground, but I was satisfied with my work due to the unique angle.

About the author: Glenn Koehler is a photographer and writer based in the Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania. The opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author. Koehler’s work spans photojournalism during fires and Hurricane Katrina to fine art displayed in galleries and museums. He is currently working towards an A.S. at Northampton Community College and plans to continue his studies at Moravian College. His work has been featured in regional publications such as The Morning Call and in national publications such as The Washington Post and the Associated Press. You can find more of his work on his website. This article was also published here.

Read more about this at petapixel.com

https://coolarticlespinner.com/photographing-the-demise-of-martin-tower/

[fruitbatwalton]

OK bands you know the score.....

The more hits your blog gets by the fans.....  The higher you go in The Chart.....

So Tweet it, Facebook it.....

Generally expose yourself.....

                                     Click here for the Ralph's Life website

Tracks from the Top Ten Blogged Bands are played  every Sunday 5-7pm on Radio KC as part of  Ralph's Indie Show. LISTEN TO LAST WEEK'S TOP 10 HERE AS PLAYED ON RADIO KC - 5.3.17  

RALPH'S BRAND NEW TOP 10 CHART 

PUBLISHED - 11.3.17

No 1: Snippet

Today's post focuses on the quintessentially English songwriting of Johnno Casson who performs under the pseudonym of Snippet. 

April 7th will see the release of his new album Future Melancholy Pop Music��and the title sees the contents doing exactly what it says on the tin. It's 15 tracks of reflective, retrospective, introspective, captivating, engaging, satirical, funky and just plain compulsive lo-fi listening pleasure.

No 2: The Farm

The Farm are using Pledgemusic to release 3 brand new songs plus a re-mix of Feel The Love, all signed by the band, as well as the new EP being part of some extremely groovy merchandise bundles.

Founding member Peter Hooton said - "We're releasing this music now because we've been playing festivals for a few years and everyone we meet always asks the same question, 'When are you releasing new material'."

No 3: Cold Summer 

This year kicks off with Cold Summer releasing Waiting as a single in advance of their first live shows of the year. It's a tried and tested fans favourite that grabs you by the nuts from the first riff and doesn't let go until the frantic chant at the end. They're building a bridge between Alt Rock and Post Hardcore/Punk fans with this one. All things to all rockers. 

Needless to say Ralph's giving it a spin on the Radio KC Indie Show in the near (Sunday 5th March) future.

No 4: Floodhounds

FloodHounds - 'I Wanna Know'

Pre Order the single from floodhounds.bandcamp.com Officially released on iTunes/Spotify etc on 4th March. Video by Tom Flynn Using footage from Fritz Lang's 1927 film Metropolis.

Make Noise Studios/Practice Sheffield provided the live band footage.

No 5: Ian Roland & Simon Yapp

On Ralph's Radio KC Indie Show next Sunday (March 5th) we'll be featuring a few a few Americana styled tracks so it was very timeous when Day Became You, the new EP from Ian Roland & Simon Yapp was dropped off via the good offices of the postal service.

Produced by Nigel Stonier (Thea Gilmore, The Waterboys, Joan Baez, Martha Wainwright, Fairport Convention et al), the EP is the new release by Folk, Americana duo Ian Roland & Simon Yapp.

No 6: JUXTA

If you like your post punk downright dystopian and delightfully dirty (alliteration is my muse) then have I got the album for you.

Welcome To Your Life is the long awaited second album from JUXTA, one of the most important bands on the indie scene right now.

Combining high energy punk rock with dark industrial sounds JUXTA draws on a range of influences from Joy Division to Nine Inch Nails to devastating effect.

No 7: Scott Lloyd

The In The Garden EP will be the sixth Scott Lloyd release to date and covers insightful themes such as getting older, childhood, mental health and loss. Normally a solo performer, Scott has used a full band to back him on the EP, which is a step away from his previous acoustic sound. The EP was recorded at Limefield Studios, Manchester in July 2016 and will be released independently by Scott.

No 8: Sam Jefferson

Ralph's giving Too Much For You by Sam Jefferson a spin on the Radio KC Indie Show on March 5th so we thought it'd be nice to run a feature too. 

Raised on a steady diet of Blind Lemon Jefferson (probably no relation), Bert Jansch, and Woody Guthrie records, traditional Blues and Folk music is at the heart of his musical soul. 

No 9: Syd.31

Self-styled angriest band in the UK Syd.31 have pronounced that they're taking rage to a level rarely heard before.

With two successful EPs and a single behind them, they are attempting to redefine what it means to be a band as society rips itself apart - music with purpose and impact. Imagine Slayer joining forces with Die Antwoord, or the bastard love child of Grace Jones and the late lamented Sid Vicious fronting Atari Teenage Riot.

No 10: Graham Marshall

It's fair to say we're fans of Graham Marshall here in the kennel, not only due to his infectious glass-gargling voice but also due to the tenacity of the man in what is for many, a long and difficult path to achieve anything close to recognition, never mind fame and fortune. 

Ralph will be giving a track from Mr Complicated a spin soon on the Radio KC Indie Show so make sure you tune in every Sunday from 5-7pm GMT on rkc.noip.me. and hopefully we'll see Graham Marshall hitting the road soon and not just in his 40' ASDA delivery truck.