#we are NOT experts on anything but do our best to research everything we talk about

[justbackgroundnoise]

A friend and I have a women's sports podcast and it's such a blast to make! We've been doing it for about three years now and it's so fun to have an outlet to talk about something we love. We chat about all kinds of stuff from soccer to basketball and hockey and have so much planned for the future and our little hobby.

[byunpum]

The new member

Pair: Miles Quaritch (baby blue boii) x Human reader

tw: Recom squad, fluff, save pandora team, nothing special for the moment. This changes according to the chapter.

POV: Y/N is sent from Earth to Pandora to be part of a particular group of people…

p.s. This story is created after the ship altercation. Neteyam never dies, the sullys are able to run away, but spider decides to go with his "father" to the base. All recoms are still alive.

AVATAR MASTERLIST |Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5

NOTE: Hello!!! I'm back with one of my stories, which I usually imagine before going to sleep XD. Actually, I had thought about this story, while I was writing the 'experiment 56' parts. You know this is a pilot, if you like it and I see that it has a good feedback, I'll keep going. From now on I warn you that I am not very expert in this Navi culture, but I did my best. And sorry for the spelling. English is not my mother tongue.

Protecting Pandora Association or by its initials PPA. The association dedicated to the welfare and conservation of pandora. Our goal is to make pandora our home, in a safe and healthy way. Respecting the life that already inhabits the planet. We want humans to be able to coexist and adapt to pandora. Trying not to make the same mistakes we made on earth.

"Are you serious Dr. Williams? The RDA is doing a good job here on Pandora," says General Ardmore, sitting in her office. This was one of the many quotes, complaints and scoldings that Dr. Williams had, towards the RDA and their inappropriate work in Pandora.

"A good job? General Ardmore, they are annihilating Pandora's wildlife and its creatures. Everything. They are supposed to be adapting, not attacking pandora" the doctor complained, the annoyance in his voice was palpable. "we can modify some things, but you don't have the right to question my work here in the RDA" says the general. Taking a sip from his coffee cup.

"Yes, I have all the rights I want. Because I am the director of the PPA, I am the one who signs the checks so that the RDA can continue to survive. And I'm going to make a lot of changes." Dr. Williams was very sure of his plan, and the disaster that was happening in Pandora was going to end.

General Ardmore kept silent, she knew it was better to keep quiet. The PPA was the association that sent money to the RDA to survive on Pandora, for their research and civilization on this new planet.

"Listen to me carefully because I am not going to repeat myself. You are going to stop every attack towards the life of pandora, be it towards the wildlife, the navis and when I speak of all the navi, you are also going to stop the attacks on the tulkun. EVERYTHING HAS TO STOP" the dr, Williams continues speaking. "In addition I am going to send a group of people who will be in charge of keeping an eye on your teams. And they will notify me of everything that is going on." General Ardmore, swallowed deeply and nodded her head down.

A Quaritch was sitting on his bed, as he analyzed some of the bruises on his arms. After the altercation he had with Jake Sully two months ago, he had gotten his non-son, 'Spider', to come with him to the base. The boy had tried to convince his "father" to stop chasing Jake Sully, but he was still analyzing the issue. He was in no physical condition to act and get into trouble.

He heard several knocks on the door. "colonel general Ardmore is looking for you" mansk says, as he peeks in the door. "did he tell you what he wanted to talk to me about?" asks Quaritch to one of his squadron members. "she didn't tell me anything, but she looks kind of upset" says mansk, walking away. Quaritch gets up and heads straight for the exit. He is surprised when he sees General Ardmore outside the rooms. " good morning general" Ardmore interrupts " we are going to have some changes here at the base… well at RDA".

"The PPA association wants to make some changes, and that includes sending staff to supervise our teams," says Ardmore. "With all due respect, but my team doesn't need any supervisors," Quaritch says with an annoyed tone. "But you will, it would be a new member of your team." Ardmore begins to explain everything to quaritch, what was going on and what was going to happen in the RDA. Ardmore hands him some documents, where it is written his new rules to follow. "This can't be," says Quaritch. "Believe me I don't agree with this, but they are the ones giving the money. So we have to play their game" Ardmore walks away down the hall. "The new member of your team arrives tomorrow" says Ardmore as he disappears from sight.

Damn protective association, and their damn rules. A new member, and them watching them all the time?. He wasn't going to stand for this. But he had to, he had no choice. Quaritch entered the common room area. All members of his team were there. "Good fellows…. We are joined by a new member" he says with a cheeky, sarcastic grin.

The RDA and PPA had greatly improved the technology of the transport ships from earth to pandora. Before it was 6 years to arrive, then it improved and was 6 months and currently it was a week. And there was Y/N getting up from her induced sleep. You were a little dizzy, and you were nauseous. The doctors on the transport ship helped stabilize you. And then they moved you to the recessed area, so you could get acclimated to gravity again. A noticeable change in the technology was the new exopacks, which were now super small tubes that were placed in the nose and the rest of the plastic tube was placed in the ears until it was connected to the oxygen machine at the waist. Your mouth was left uncovered, but the oxygen you breathed was enough to keep your lungs from collapsing.

You were transferred with other members of the PPA team, all of them human. You could see through the window how the sun was approaching on the horizon, while everyone was preparing to descend from space orbit to the planet. You had never seen anything like this before, you were in shock. You sat in your seat and waited for the descent to begin.

"Well team, today the newest member of our squadron arrives" says Quaritch, trying to sound positive. But the faces of the team members were something else. They didn't seem to have another member in the group, let alone one to supervise them. They had enough, with the scientists monitoring their new avatar bodies. "You don't know who it will be? Or what he looks like?" asks lyle, as he continues to get ready for the day. " I don't know, but I imagine it will be someone on our level" Quaritch tries to be funny, but manages to get the team to scoff a little. "That's enough… keep getting ready. I'll go to the welcome area and greet the new member" Quaritch leaves the room. "this is going to suck" says Soldier Lopez, as he laughs.

The landing didn't take long, and the entire PPA team arrived safely at the RDA facility. You were a little nervous, you knew what your mission was. You were an ambientalist who had just graduated, you were the youngest in your class. And even in this very team you were the youngest. Many could not explain why they recruited you, but your dedication and preparation got you here at Pandora. As soon as the doors of the ship opened, you were speechless. It was a beautiful landscape, you couldn't wait to investigate the place. Of course, they had already told you that you were going to be part of a group and that they were avatars. And that they were Marines and blah blah blah. You had confidence in yourself, but you couldn't lie… you were scared to death.

Outside the ship were the leaders of each team. They were all human soldiers, except Quaritch, his squadron were the only avatar recoms on the base. The other avatars still had their human bodies. Miles stood there, watching as a number of scientists got off the ship. To his impression, most of them were strong, tall and looked imposing, even some women were like that. He figured if he got someone like that, well… it would be good for the group.

"Colonel Miles Quaritch?" asked a manager." Yes, that's me," Quaritch said as he stepped forward. "Well, here's your new member," said the officer, standing in front of him was a strong, tall man. Quite a perfect soldier. "Nice to meet you" said Miles offering his hand as a greeting, to the boy, until the manager interrupted him. The officer takes you by the arm and pushes you in front of Quaritch. "Y/N…mmm member code 786. Yes, this is your new member." The man drops you in front of this very very tall blue man who was looking at you with a disappointed look on his face.

" Hello!!!! My name is Y/N, I am your new supervisor" he says with a wide smile. This must be a joke, it's the only thing that comes to mind. They just gave him a bunny." H-hello my name is" Miles tries to speak, until you reach over take his hand and give it a squeeze. " Colonel Miles quaritch, I know all about you, it's nice to meet you" you say without taking off your stupid grin. "Ahhh, it's nice to meet you" Quaritch tries to analyze you. You were small, you looked smart and if you could hold half your weight, that was amazing. He knew his team wouldn't like this.

"Are you sure I'm the team you're looking for?" asks Quaritch still in a state of shook. You look down at your papers, then back up at him. "Yes, look!!!" you raise your arms, so he can see the papers. Oh my goodness, you were adorable. Miles takes the papers in his hands and starts reading. "oh, that's right… well we have to deal with this chihuahua" says the man, and you look at him somewhat surprised. He just called you a chihuahua. "Well, y/n….follow me I'll introduce you to your new team" says Quaritch starting to walk inside the base. While he is walking, you were running.

He led you through the hallways, he was quiet. You were pretty sure, he was not happy with your presence. It's not like you are the ideal warrior, you would get fatigued if you ran for 10 minutes and that's if it was a good day. You just wished his team was nice. You had never been in a good group, they always pushed you away from the others, and didn't include you. " Are they nice?" you ask as you try to keep up with him. " No promises" Quaritch says as he keeps walking. Before long you arrived at the door to the bedroom area.

It was a huge door, as it opened you saw how big the place was. Well, for you it sure was big, but for them it was something of normal size. In the middle was a sitting area, in another corner some tables and board games. And all around were the rooms. Each one had the name of each member of the team, but what impressed you the most was the large window on the ceiling. You could see the whole sky of Pandora. And a beautiful illumination came into the whole area. In this area, were all the members of the squadron, they were sitting, they had comfortable clothes. Apparently they were waiting for you to arrive.

Quaritch entered first, and you followed him. All eyes of the members turned to you. You felt your breath stop, when you see how they are getting up and approaching you. "And this beautiful princess who is she?" says Brown as he looks you up and down. Lyle and mansk are whispering various things to each other. " Guys…this is new member" says Quaritch, and everyone gets quiet. " You're kidding, right?" says z-dog, the woman gives you a quick look. "Hey, slow down" lyle kneels down to be at your level. "Nice to meet you, gorgeous…what's your name" lyle, takes your hand and gives it a little kiss. " stop being flirty" Miles pushes him away, lyle stands up and gives you a smile. "My name is y/n" you speak shyly.

"hey, relax… we're not going to eat you" says mansk, as he sits down on the couch." Well come… I'll show you your room" Quaritch guides you to your room, when you get to the door you see that next to you is his room. "This is your room, it's set up for you, you know…it's all oxygen stuff. And you're right next to me. If anything happens let me know" Quaritch hands you the key to your room. "Take the day off, I imagine your suitcases will be arriving later. And don't worry, you'll get used to being here with us" Miles gives you a smile. "Thank you" There is a small silence between the two of you, until Quaritch shifts his gaze.

"I'll let you know when dinner is ready" You give him a smile. Quaritch had to admit, you had a beautiful smile. You walk into your room and he sees the door close. He feels someone tap him on the shoulder. "Wow Colonel…the girl is beautiful!!!" says Brown, shaking him a little. "Yes…she is very…" Quaritch fixes his throat, and pushes his roommate away. "Idiot" Quaritch walks out of the bedroom area. Lyle gives Brown a look, and they laugh.

p.s. If you like this pilot, let me know. That way I'll be encouraged to continue with the story.

The "I know I can change him" squad: @mechformers @cullenswife @littlethief78 @nieshiren @parasiiite @bxnnywriting @shelbythequeen @sassvy-blog-blog @shaylang21

[dirtybiowareconfessions]

Raven!! Our resident justice warrior, programmer and sex expert! Can you please share tutorials on how a woman can please another woman, if you have them available??? I did research of my own years back when I realized my sapphic inclinations, but all I got was shady porn sites. I'll conduct some more research now that I'm fully grown of course, but it never hurts to ask for a trusted expert's insight.

I don’t have vids, if that’s what you’re asking. But here’s some tips:

- TALK TO YOUR PARTNER. This is in all-caps because it’s important. It’s the most important thing I can tell you. Talk to your partner about sex, about what they like what they don’t like and what they would like to experience with you. Share fantasies, share your favourite porn (yes fan fiction counts), ask them to teach you how to pleasure them.

That said, here are some other tips:

- invest in foreplay, kissing, running your fingers over your partner’s body, gripping them

- if your partner is into hair pulling: grab a handful by the nape of the neck and direct them however you want, either making them stand still or guiding them towards the position you want. Grab a LOT, grabbing just a few strands leads to actual hurt, and not the good kind

- don’t go straight for the clit, tease them first, lick around the vulva, give the inner thighs some attention by kissing/biting/licking

- if you want a little temperature play, after you ate them up for a while, blow cold air into their vulva.

- if they’re into edging, then definitely ask them to teach you how to please them… then do something merely *similar* or just straight out edge them until they need to cum, the release after a long play session? 10/10

- teasing can happen with fingers, mouth, toys, but the brain is still your best ally in sex: dirty talk goes a loooooooong way, ex: ‘I’m going to put something in your mouth, and then you’re going to show me how you like it, and how grateful you are’ then sit in their face or feed them your fingers.

- unless specified otherwise, pleasure should be mutual, but not focused on orgasm.

- if they like it, play with their breasts, pinching, kneading, biting, sucking.

- don’t underestimate how powerful looking at someone is, devouring them with your eyes, slowly

- if your partner tastes good, tell them so

- if your partner likes to be penetrated with toys or a strap, invest in a hula hoop and train at least 3x a week. This will train the muscles you need.

- if you’re into being pleasured, then give your partner feedback on what they’re doing right, and redirect them if they’re on the wrong place

- teach your partner how to please you

- do NOT berate your partner while you’re both in bed. (Unless they’re into that) it feels awful to be berated during an intimate and vulnerable act.

- after everything is said and done, ask for feedback. What they liked, what they didn’t, where you can improve. Also give feedback.

- kiss, kiss often, and kiss passionately.

- when it comes to consent? practise FRIES: Freely given, Reversible, Informed, Enthusiastic, Specific. Everything I’ve said so far implies your partner and you have agreed that you’re both into it.

Anything that isn’t an enthusiastic ‘yes!’ is a no. ‘I guess so..?’ it’s a no ‘we can if you want to’ is a no, ‘I’ll fuck you just to shut you up,’ is a no.

involve consent into your dirty talk ‘I’m going to do X while you tell me how you feel, if you stop, I stop.’

- cut your nails FFS! Middle and pointer fingers, else you’re gonna tear up their vagina

- even if you’re not into kink, spicing up your sex lives with bondage tape is always interesting. It only sticks to itself, it doesn’t pull on hair or skin. Just don’t cover the nose with it

Aaaaaaaabd that’s all I have for now. Anyone else with tips feel free to chime in!! ^^

-r

[listen-to-the-inner-walrus]

since i seem to be becoming a titanic guy, ive decided to just lean into it and explain the best i can, in laymans terms, what happened to titan and why the design had been criticised by experts in the deep-sea diving community. 

i will preface this with the fact that im not an engineer. i have a psychology degree so this is not in my wheelhouse; im simply attempting to relay the information that has been made public in a more layman-friendly way. if i get anything wrong, please correct me.

a second preface is that quite a lot of this post is relying on oceanliner design’s video on this topic. though hes less critical of oceangate than i am, mike does a great job of breaking everything down so anyone can understand it. [any statements i make without listing a source are likely to be information from this video]

so with that out of the way, lets jump into it:

first, lets talk about what titan was. ive seen it described as a submarine by many people and im pretty sure ive also described it as such, but titan was a deep-sea submersible with a guiding philosophy of simplicity.

whats the difference between them?

submarines are self-independent vehicles meaning they do not rely on exterior support.

meanwhile, submersibles can submerge and can act independently to an extent, they primarily rely on exterior support such as being tethered to the mother-ship, or in titans case, receiving navigational inputs from said ship.

and here we meet our first bit of criticism; almost all other submersibles do not rely on external navigational inputs. they have their own equipment and systems for this. it may seem trivial, but as oceanographer peter girguis points out, these systems are as important for navigation as they are for the safety of the crew. [x]

when you are in water that deep, you need to know your exact position and be in constant contact with the mother ship. and its not as if oceangate did not have access to this technology, the beacons they use are commercially available. instead, they relied on short texts as a form of communication which is simply unacceptable. the submersible limiting factor has real-time verbal communication between those in the sub and those on the mother ship on dives 27,000 feet deeper than the titanic wreck.

“titan [did] not appear to have some of the other kinds of sensors, beacons and other systems that we use in research, that are also important just to maintain contact.”

“titan was not designed with research in mind.”

most deep-sea submersible designs are based around the design for the dsv alvin as it was one of the first of its kind. you might ask why its alvin that designs are based around and not another. well that would be because alvin was launched in 1964 and is still in use today and has completed over 5000 dives.

and this is why so many in the deep-sea submersible community are so outraged at titans design. titan was around 5 or 6 years old when it imploded; alvin is 59 this year. we have the technology to create submersibles like alvin or limiting factor that are arguably safer to be in than on the deck of a ship [x]; this disaster should never have fucking happened.

okay, so now lets move onto the actual design of titan which differs very much to most other deep-sea submersible and this is not a good thing. the reason most designs are so similar is because these features have been shown time and time again to be safe. again, ill refer to what peter girguis stated:

anyway, ill get back on topic. this is alvins design:

alvins pressure vessel is a large sphere with titanium walls that are 2 inches or 5cm thick. titanium is used as it is a very strong metal as whathisname from 2012 sang about, and a sphere is used because its the best shape for equally distributing pressure. when designing these vessels, you do not want any areas where pressure can build up and a sphere does not have any; the entire structure reinforces itself.

unlike literally every other deep-sea submersible, titans pressure vessel was not a sphere and not made of titanium, rather it was cylindrical with two hemisphere on either side and was built out of carbon fiber. see the shape below:

the important part is the big circle labelled “personal sphere”. this is called the pressure vessel and is where crew and any equipment needing protection from the water pressure reside. this vessel needs to be able to withstand around 6000 pounds or 3 tonnes of pressure per square inch, which is about 400 times the pressure on the surface.

if they had followed previous designs, they would have had to make a much larger sphere in order to fit everyone. but the bigger you make your sphere, the weaker it becomes so you then have to use thicker walls, and all of this makes the pressure vessel much heavier. and this is where youd run into problems because the submersible still needs to be able to plucked from the ocean at the end of the trip and to power itself in the water. the heavier it is, the harder this becomes.

first, well address the shape. as the design philosophy of titan was so that it could carry up to 6 passengers, it would have been very difficult for the pressure vessel to be shaped as a sphere. alvin, in comparison, can only fit three crew and equipment.

so instead, they chose a cylinder. this is not a terrible choice by itself. it is preferable to use round shapes in high-pressure environments as pressure builds up in corners, especially right angles. if youve ever wondered why plane windows have round corners, its because the square windows on the de havilland comet (the worlds first jetliner) gave areas where pressure could build up and caused the jet to suffer a series of explosive decompressions. it crashed many times. [x]

now, well get into where the design really has problems: the materials used. as i mentioned, the majority of the pressure vessel was made of carbon fiber. the ceo of oceangate, stockton rush, believed that carbon fiber would have a better strength-to-buoyancy ratio than titanium, and this was one reason why it was chosen. [x]

so in terms of shape, its not the worst choice. it is much preferable to use a sphere as a cylinder is not as adept at equally distributing pressure, but their choice was at least logical.

on the end of the cylinder, there were two titanium rings bonded to the carbon fiber hull (though the method of bonding is not publicly available), and these rings were then bolted to two titanium hemispheres. now, you might notice that titan does have four right angles in the pressure vessels, but these are within the vessel so as long as no pressure can get into vessel, these are fine.

the problem with this is that carbon fiber is an experimental material that has not been fully evaluated. stockton rush was very aware of this as he was repeatedly warned by many experts in the field, including deep-sea exploration specialist rob mccallum who stated that:

“that carbon fibre is not an acceptable material”

if this occurs, not only do the gaps give areas for pressure to build, the pressure vessel becomes much weaker, and runs the risk of failing as happened. this risk only gets worse when you decide to use expired carbon fiber.

now, you might be saying “kai, you literally told us earlier that they did use titanium” and if you are, A+ to you my friend, youve led us straight onto another problem with the design of the titan: using multiple materials.

one major concern about the carbon fiber for the hull is that it had to be layered up and cured in between until the hull was 12.7cm or 7 inches thick. these layers cause a problem that titanium does not have; there is a risk of de-lamination, aka the layers separating. as previously stated, the titan was several years old so it had already gone through many pressurisations and dive cycles which all run the risk of de-laminating the hull.

and this, ladies and gentleman and those of us past that stage, is why deep-sea submersibles use titanium not carbon fiber.

by designing titan like this, stockton rush strayed ridiculously far away from any other designs which have been tested and shown to work. the submersible was not safe to travel on, especially so far down to be able to visit the titanic wreck. as rob mccallum states:

you just dont do it. by introducing areas where multiple materials meet, you are introducing potential points of failure because well done, stockton, youve introduced yet another area where pressure can build up.

“[titan] was the only submersible in the world doing commercial work that was unclassed. it was not certified by an independent agency.”

in fact, it makes sense to go through the process because you then know that your vessel is safe and idk, its probably better for marketing if your vessel has been certified as safe.

mccallum goes on to describe stockton as a “maverick entrepreneur” who wanted to think outside of the box even when it comes to things like the rules of physics or tried and true engineering principles.

and im sure we can all guess why. it wouldnt have passed and the company has recognised that the design lays outside of the accepted system. though its not a mandatory process even though it really fucking should be, theres no reason to not let your vessels be examined by a marine organisation.

we know that the hull was breached. we know this as one of the very few safety features aboard titan was something known as a “real-time hull health monitoring system” or an rtm. [x]

and he is completely right because what happened to the titan showed how the design of it was so flawed. [x]

“if you steer away from sound engineering principles, which are all based on hard won experience, there is a price to pay, and its a terrible price”

this did what it said on the tin and it did before the catastrophic implosion of titan. when the rtm picked up on too much strain on the hull, it sounded an alarm as a warning. those on board were prepped so they knew what this meant so they used one of the other few safety features on the sub: dropping the ballasts.

ballasts are heavy material gathered in the bottom of a ship or vessel to help stabilise the ship. you use them in order to stop a ship from becoming top-heavy as a top-heavy ship is much more likely to capsize; see the ss principessa jolanda that sank at launch as she launched with all her fittings completed and empty ballasts, causing the center of gravity to be too high. some ships have port and starboard (left and right) water ballasts and if theyre listing dangerously to one side, they can release the water in that ballast to attempt to stabilise the ship.

this, again, is an area of criticism as most submersibles have multiple features that can be used in an emergency. marine geologist, chris goldfinger points out that most submersibles have multiple ways of self-rescue, such as detaching the pressure vessel from the sub itself. [x]

in the case of the titan, dropping the ballasts was the only way the ship could surface in an emergency. it appears that those on board attempted to do so, but did not surface quick enough to avoid catastrophe.

“[titan did not have] nearly that much redundancy and self-rescue capability."

“im concerned that they [oceangate] overlooked some of the features that we build into research submersibles, because they struck [the builders] as costly or unnecessary, or uninteresting. a lot of those features that we see across submersibles have evolved over decades, precisely because they work, and because we know it increases safety for the crew.”

"i have grown tired of industry players who try to use a safety argument to stop innovation"

hes also stated that titan was underprepared which most experts in the field agree with, such as girguis who stated that:

and we know that stockton rush was aware of all these issues; email exchanges show that people at the company came to him with concerns, but he brushed them away. instead, we have statements from him like:

he heard warnings from employees and from deep-sea submersible experts, and a former employee david lochridge alleged in a counterclaim lawsuit in 2018 that he was fired for raising concerns over quality control and testing of potential flaws. [x]

keep in mind that oceangate originally sued him for breach of contract because he brought all of his concerns to osha because he was that concerned. though, this was settled out of court, it clearly shows that this disaster was years in the making.

“it was only a matter of time before they killed somebody.”

as victor vescovo stated:

[cogaytes]

day three of @tiertice-week-2023 :D

Title: always (be by my side)

Prompt: “memory”

Wordcount: 1418

Summary:

The next few months reveal exactly how much has slipped through the cracks, so to speak. How deep they go. He starts spending entire conversations focused entirely on controlling his expression, on not betraying all that he's forgotten. Whether the detailing on Cyrah's wedding dress was lace or embroidery. The sound of her laugh. The bedtime stories he would read to Wylie every night before tucking him in. Hundreds of memories with his best friend—their Foxfire days, joining the Black Swan together, late nights on the roof talking about anything and everything. Hiding the self-loathing from his face when he realizes he doesn't know the name of Tiergan's favorite Beatles song is one of his lowest points of the whole ordeal.

One day it all finally becomes too much.

---

or, prentice struggles with the effects of the mind break. written for day three of tiertice week 2023, inspired by the prompt "memory"!

Warnings: memory loss

read on ao3 or under the cut!

It's the little things that are the hardest for Prentice.

His mind is whole, again, yes. His body is healthy. He's been reunited with his loved ones. Minus Cyrah. He has a family again.

But there are still pieces missing.

Tiergan had told him what to expect, of course. As the Black Swan's resident telepathy expert, he'd been the one assigned to conduct research on broken minds and potential methods of healing. He'd urged Prentice from the very first day to consider that pieces of his mind might be too shattered to be fully healed by the time the Moonlark was ready. And Prentice had ignored him. He'd thought he was better, stronger than this; he'd been convinced that there was no way the cost would be as great as Tiergan anticipated. Worrying was Tiergan's strong suit; it was only natural that his friend would overemphasize the risks in a last ditch effort to get Prentice to find another Keeper. And he was a Keeper, wasn't he? His entire purpose was to hold memories. How could he lose them when he’d already been healed?

But, like always, Tiergan had been right.

The first moment Prentice realizes how much he's missing is one of his first nights back with Wylie. They're sitting at Tiergan's kitchen table at Solreef, sneaking leftover mallowmelt from the cupboards. On pure instinct, Prentice swipes a bit of whipped cream from the top of Wylie's and boops him on the nose with it. And Wylie's face freezes. They sit there for a moment, neither daring to say a word. 

Finally Prentice breaks the silence. "Did I do something wrong?"

"No." Wylie's voice is tentative, hesitant and hopeful in a way he hasn't heard it sound before. He hasn't heard his son's voice in a very long time, though, has he? "It's just—you used to do that when I was little, too."

Though he fights it, confusion manages to bleed into his expression for just a moment, and he can see Wylie's face fall. 

"You don't remember it, do you?" His son doesn't sound accusatory, only matter-of-fact, and somehow that makes it worse. But there's real despair in his voice—a hint of pleading. As if he's begging Prentice to find the scene familiar. "Do you remember any of our mallowmelt nights? We used to sneak into the pantry every Friday night when Mom was asleep. It was our little secret, you said. We'd eat outside on a blanket and watch the stars on nice evenings. I used to fall asleep snuggled up next to you; you'd carry me inside and tuck me in."

Prentice wracks his brain, searches desperately for any faint trace of recognition, but comes up empty-handed. He can picture the scene so clearly—a tiny Wylie, giggling, maybe on the plaid blanket Cyrah loved, with whipped cream on his nose and framed by a background of stars. But for some reason, he can't call to mind anything that resembles a memory. "I don't— I can't— I'm sorry, Wy," he says at last, trying to keep his voice steady. Pulling Wylie into a hug, he lets his son's head rest on his shoulder, and begs the sharp pang of guilt in the pit of his stomach to go away.

The next few months reveal exactly how much has slipped through the cracks, so to speak. How deep they go. He starts spending entire conversations focused entirely on controlling his expression, on not betraying all that he's forgotten. Whether the detailing on Cyrah's wedding dress was lace or embroidery. The sound of her laugh. The bedtime stories he would read to Wylie every night before tucking him in. Hundreds of memories with his best friend—their Foxfire days, joining the Black Swan together, late nights on the roof talking about anything and everything. Hiding the self-loathing from his face when he realizes he doesn't know the name of Tiergan's favorite Beatles song is one of his lowest points of the whole ordeal.

One day it all finally becomes too much.

There's something he should be remembering, he just knows it. He scours his brain, wincing at the jagged edges of his own mind, but he can't for the life of him identify it. This feeling—this longing—there has to be context. Why can't he fucking find it in the maze of his own thoughts?

He comes to the sudden realization that he can't breathe. Something hot and wet is flowing down his face—oh. He's crying. And over something so small and so stupid, too. It's pathetic, really.

His heart sinks through his stomach, past his knees, and lands somewhere around his toes when he hears his name from the doorway: "Prentice?"

And of course, it's Tiergan. Tiergan, crossing the room in three quick steps, wearing that tunic he has no right to look so nice in. Tiergan, wrapping an arm around his shoulders and tugging him close, allowing him to bury his face in the tunic. And Prentice wails for everything he doesn't know how to explain. He wants to stay here, in this safety forever. But eventually his sobs slow to a halt, and Tiergan gives him that look again. The one he's been receiving ever since he woke up; the one he doesn't know how to interpret. It's soft and sad, with eyes that linger on his face and a probing stare that makes him feel the urge to turn away or blush…and there's that confusing feeling again.

"Want to talk about it?" Tiergan says softly.

"I— I don't know how to—"

"Hey, it's okay." He feels his friend begin to rub slow, gentle circles on his back. "You don't have to say anything."

And, ironically enough, it's that which gives Prentice the strength to finally his voice. "Tiergan…what were we to each other? Before…"

The circles stop. "We were best friends." And that's Tiergan's carefully neutral voice, the one he uses on his spying missions when he's extracting information from a target. The one he uses when he's hiding something. "Why do you ask?"

A wave of frustration floods through Prentice's body, paired with a foreign sense of embarrassment. Why can't Tiergan just say it?  He stumbles over his words, mumbling, "I keep— I've forgotten so much and—" 

The weight of hands on his shoulders. Deep blue eyes staring into his own. "Breathe, Prentice," comes the soothing voice, and Prentice clings to it to ground himself.

Finally, it all comes spilling out. The thing that sent him into tears in the first place. "I keep wanting to hold your hand, and I don't know why!"

For once, Tiergan is speechless. "...Oh."

"Tiergan, what were we?" Prentice demands, harsher than he meant to. He reaches an apologetic hand to thumb the back of Tiergan's instinctively, before thinking better of it.

"I— I don't know."

"How can you—" Prentice tries to keep his voice from rising, but the words still come out as a bit of a shout.

"We were still working things out." A pause. "I had confessed…feelings…for you a few weeks before it all happened. You told me that you reciprocated them, but that you wanted to take things slow. We never got the chance to define things before…"

"Tiergan…why didn't you tell me?"

"I guess…I didn't want to pressure you into anything if you'd forgotten. It would have felt like manipulating you into something I wanted but you had no way of knowing if you felt too. And…something inside told me that if you'd forgotten it, then it must not have meant that much to you originally."

"Tiergan. You know it doesn't work like that."

"I know. I'm sorry. I-"

And then Prentice kisses him.

He hadn't been planning on it. He doesn't even know where the instinct came from. But Tiergan's eyes were filling with tears, and his lips looked so soft, and suddenly Prentice was leaning forward. 

Tiergan tastes like cinnamon and apple cider, and Prentice's hands find his face to cup his cheek like second nature, and he can feel Tiergan twine his own fingers through Prentice's hair, and it all just feels so right. When they break apart, blushing, he asks, “Have we done that before?"

Tiergan stares at his lips in wonder, as if he can't believe they were just on his own. "No. No, we have not."

"Oh. Well, maybe we should do it again sometime."

Something that looks suspiciously like hope lights up Tiergan's eyes. "Really?"

Prentice smiles and reaches for his hand, finally. The feeling he gets at linking their fingers together—it's better even than what he'd imagined. "Yeah."

"I'd like that," Tiergan says softly.

And maybe Prentice had forgotten what he had with the wonderful man in front of him, but it'll be okay. Tiergan will always be happy to remind him.

[renfaires]

What is it about the summer for me? Why does the universe seemingly work against me this time of year?

The last time I talked to Bryan, it was at Daniel’s funeral (almost 18 years ago)—and that memory has gotten me through some of the worst times in my life (I still have dreams about that deep hug he gave me, and wouldn’t let go; it was honestly one of the most comforting experiences of my life). He wasn’t my friend (he was my older brother’s), but I grew up with him around the house (we were neighbors) and he was literally one of the nicest people I’ve ever met (which is saying a lot, considering the people my brother typically hung out with).

He called me about a year ago, out of the blue. My brother warned me. “Hey I talked to Bryan earlier, and he asked for your number, so expect a phone call.”

I was really thrown off by it. Hadn’t talked to him in over a decade (and we were NEVER that close anyway). Still reeling from pandemic life adjustments, partner and I had just separated, my dog had just been diagnosed with an auto-immune disease, I was broke, depressed, anxious, unmedicated, and really going through it, so I ignored the call (I know… that’s gonna bother me forever now) and he actually left a voicemail (like, who does that unless they really want to talk to someone?)

I never returned his call, blaming it on my social anxiety and the fact I’d rather text than talk… Still doesn’t excuse why I never texted him either (but honestly, I just didn’t have the spoons until very recently). But I kept the voicemail. I always intended to call back when I felt well enough…

And now I won’t ever get the chance. Bryan died by suicide this morning, and everything’s come full-circle in the worst way possible (two brothers who lost their best friends to suicide almost exactly 18 years apart)… Only Bryan had kids (which makes everything harder)—who must be teens by now (yes, I come from the South where pregnant teenagers was like a fad)

I’m not trying to feel sorry for myself, or guilt myself (there’s already plenty of that), I’m just struggling with how to support my brother while also dealing with my own mixed emotions. But I am tired of going to friends’ funerals (we’re too young for this). And I’m so emotionally exhausted researching death statistics (for work) and seeing my friends represented in the data (especially the suicide metric).

I’m tired of being the person my family always comes to with difficult things like these, like I’m expected to be the expert in resiliency because I work in the grief field and was bereaved as a kid from my own friend’s suicide… they think I’m just supposed to know how to handle this stuff I guess.

But honestly, it never gets easier. What looks like resiliency is actually just careful compartmentalization and repression for me. I’m not okay. I usually tend to just shut down emotionally rather than “deal.” But I can say I probably wouldn’t feel as shitty and depressed if I had maybe answered his call a year ago. Not that it would have changed anything, but who knows… And like I said, I’m not trying to guilt myself (even if I do feel some); I DID get a bit of a mental warning alarm when my brother gave me the heads up a year ago; it was just so random and out of nowhere that I suspected his call had to do with “heavy” things (but I wasn’t emotionally equipped to talk to him back then). I guess I’ll never know now.

Anyway, if you have the bandwidth (that’s important), reach out to your people and ask how they’re doing (it’s so easy for all of us to get wrapped up in our own shit). Tell them you love them. And take care of each other.

[trustedpackersandmoversblog]

6 practical things about packing and moving!

Changes are a necessary part of our life. While some people move several times in their life, some may only move once or twice, but the chaos of the process remains. And if you are planning to move from Jamshedpur to Kolkata soon, be sure to talk to packers and movers in Jamshedpur and take a moment to read the packing tips below. You want your things to arrive at your new home safe, right?

We created this blog post to help you create a great packing list backed by quality packing tips. Read it in detail and see how you can apply them to your moving process!

Allow enough time to pack: It's not always about packing, but really about all the little steps you take to get the most out of your packing. It takes a lot of thought, leadership, planning and organization to make the proposed plan work. You talk to people who have recently moved, spend time on the Internet, and check all the information you can get from articles, blogs, forums, etc. Then there are site assessments and discussions with moving professionals. not only the recommended move, but also other relocation options that you originally considered for yourself. And all this just takes a lot of time. So make sure you get into a calm mental zone so you can easily focus on everything!

Learn about good moving tips: The more you learn about moving options, the more you will learn about moving in general. If you do a flawless move without any prior knowledge of the subject, you may be scammed or misled by moving companies if you find a fake move for your moving project! So as soon as you start doing your research and analysis, try to ask for expert advice and talk to moving experts (customer service managers) who will help you quickly through the chat panel of their moving company websites. They give you a detailed overview of the survey about goods, prices and services.

Think of ways to reduce moving costs: It doesn't hurt if someone thinks of ways to save on moving costs. Saving a few bucks while moving is always a smart way to save money. Some of the tactics you can consider for the same are you can reduce your moving load, you can utilize house items to cushion and pack your stuff, you can shop around to find low-budget deals, or you can choose your moving services mindfully so that your moving expenses remain within budget. Then, of course, there will be some negotiation with the mover ahead of getting into a moving contract with the moving company. These would be some of the popular practical moving ideas that will help you to save money but to do it unfailingly, you can simply check out some money-saving tips on the internet and move easy!

Inspect, enlist and prepare early: The belongings that will move with you to your new house must once be evaluated by your team of professionals before anything proceeds. This is the time when the experts upon surveying it all will offer you the best moving price that you will pay them upon successful completion of your move. You must personally inspect the belongings at your end and catalog the items that are to be prepared for the move. You can discuss and decide with the movers if you have any queries or concerns regarding packing or moving of your belongings or if you want special handling and packing for any of your possessions. At the same time, do ask them about the special packing assistance and services they offer and how can you be sure of the safety of your goods during the transit.

Treat your goods with extreme care: Every item in your household should be packed with extreme care. You cannot let go of your belongings due to mishandling, so it becomes primal to take care of the right process and assimilate top-quality packing materials into the task. Before you start with the goods handling chore, you have to first reach out to all the areas and corners of your house to evacuate. Unless you know the amount of stuff you have in there in your household, you would not be able to figure out the packing and preparation that would follow. So, first, inspect every area of your house and prioritize quality packing assistance for the different kinds of goods that you have at your place. Have everything insured under suitable moving insurance.

Establish every moving requirement: We may have focused on the packing procedures and other goods handling ideas in this post, but to have a flawless move, there are many more things to keep in check. For example, you will need to have your documents and other important evidence securely with you; then ample amount of money you will need for the move along with the additional funds you will keep along for the move emergencies. Simultaneously, make sure you are attending to all the important tasks that you need to close before you leave for the move. There would be a lot of things you will need to keep track of – like all the places where you need to make payments, the offices you need to email and call to notify them of your move and address change, etc.

No one wants to see their loved one broken, especially after moving to a new house. After all, everyone invests their hard-earned money to make their home a home with everything they need. That is why it is better to seek professional help.

[annesdiary]

10 March 2024

Okay so a bit of an update for myself. for my own sake. It's going to be long af.

Future me, if you're rereading this, bring a cup of tea. Well, actually popcorn.

I think I may just talk a bit about each person who is close to me.

B got together with her crush, the guy seems to be a sweetheart.

A forgot my birthday.

E too. I told her, she apologized. Shortly after that she hung up the phone.

I thought I needed closure from E too. And I called her to talk to her.

(Idk if you know this; I'm a smart woman, I'm quite familiar with literary theory, victorian literature etc. that's what I read in my free time, that's my field of speciality). I mentioned my research about Sherlock Holmes. It's late, I'm tired and I don't really want to get into the details.

Me: I'm doing this research about Sherlock Holmes and literary stuff.... E: what literary stuff? you need to be more specific, you can't build a research on "literary stuff".

Me after I patiently explained some stuff that I presume she didn't understand: And than I have to do a poster about it. E: you know who you should talk to? *a student she had's name* Me: why would I talk to her? E: she can draw. you can't just slap text on a poster and call it a day. Me: I spent hours going through last years winners to see what I have to do, those contained predominantly text and small-ish, simple illustrations E: *going on and on about stuff she doesn't know because she hasn't been a part of academic life in decades* Me: *finally giving up* You're right.

I called her as a friend. Just because I told her "Sherlock Holmes and literary stuff" she assumes that that's all I have in my head. Meanwhile I'm reading academic papers published by people from the most prestigious universities in my second language in my free time. She last learnt literature (very basic stuff!) when she went to uni. She learnt English literature as part of her ESL programme. At least 25-30 years ago. English was NOT her major, English literature for her was ONE course. . Literature is my major, it's one of my hobbies, I am (by university thing's standards) kind of an expert in it. How dare she look down on me, seriously. In regards to my field of study.

I'm fine. :)

E was tagged in a post, making god-knows-what with woman, one of her friends. (And other ladies.) I never heard anything good about that lady. E only ever talked shit about that woman. E wanted to cut this lady out of her life several times.

Now this lady posted several pictures with E, doing some painting activity.

Thinking of the quote, I don’t know who said it: If I’m a lot, then go find less.

I talked to T a few weeks ago, he was going somewhere by train and we texted, he was telling me kind of nsfw jokes and I kind of enjoyed that. A few hours later, he shut it down, telling me he thinks he went to far.

K is sweet as ever. We talked a few weeks ago, well, she asked for my advice about some girls who went to our class in high school. I didn't keep in touch with them, she did. And it felt so good because she told me how heathy she thinks out friendship is. And how I understand when she doesn't have time to meet up but I know she's always here for me.

And now for the absolute best part: N told me she'd like me to participate in a thing. I have to do research and then put everything I've found on a poster. She helped me with that and she is the absolute best.

I'm so happy I met her and she was kind of my way into academia. It was my first time writing an abstract and she was so kind and patient with me. (I think considering it's my first time, I actually did great, I did the thing with one correction. After I corrected the mistakes she found, for the 2nd time she said it was a great start.)

I'm so grateful for her and I feel like this attachment is the healthiest I am capable of. Like I know she corrects me because she wants me to be better. I know she's a great communicator and she'll let me know if I'm too much/annoy her/crossed a boundary of hers.

In her last e-mail she said "Okay, it's a great start, send it to *a prof's name* if he accepts it, great. But if not, there will be other people who accept it."

Which is so reassuring both emotionally and academically.

[techdata1]

Data Science Courses

Introduction

In today's world, we all expect to get some pleasure. That is why we need to do such courses that can help us to build our future. You might have dreams in your eyes to see yourself in an established position and make your parents happy. After completing your studies you should enroll your name to Artificial intelligence courses in Pune and Mumbai. 

These courses will teach you how to deal with the matter. Hence you all need to know about the utility of these courses. Our experienced faculties will guide you so that you won't find any problems. 

What is the future of Artificial Intelligence

There are lots of scopes if you do Artificial Intelligence courses. As we have already mentioned, research is still going on. We don't know where science will take us. It is an amazing tool that we should have in our toolkit. In the future, with the help of AI, you can research several things.

Many people are unaware of it. That is why they decide to have some courses. No such institute will provide you with all the advantages. So, if you want to see yourself in the topmost position then you can contact us for an Artificial intelligence course in Mumbai. 

What is the speciality of these courses

Several people are opting for higher degrees. Even after pursuing higher degrees people are unable to get jobs. Those who wanted to see themselves in a greater position can or for these courses. 

The Maharashtrian people can easily do this course after the completion of their graduation. 

The specialities of this course are as follows.

You will get to know all types of new and interesting facts. These things were unknown to you. All the Machine learning course in Pune and Mumbai can provide you with the courses.

The time is flexible. You can easily manage it with other works. We have different durations for all the students. If you wish then you can opt for a batch or self-study. The decision is entirely yours.

All the teachers are highly qualified. They come from reputed backgrounds. The best thing is that they have sound knowledge regarding the course. The teachers will make you learn everything. 

There are special doubt clearing classes. You can attend those classes to clear all your doubts. If you have anything to ask then you can ask the faculty. This way you can solve your problems. 

Regular mock tests were also held. You can participate in those tests and see how you are improving. 

All types of books and other materials will be provided as well as suggested to you. Follow those books. These books are highly efficient and you can gain your knowledge. 

We can assure you of our service. One of the best things which our centre provides is the CCTV camera. This camera will capture all your movements. Everything will be recorded. So if any disputes occur, we can easily bring those to your notice.

Let's talk about the payment structure. The payment is very reasonable. There are various modes of payment. You can choose at your convenience. Another thing is that you can also pay partly. We can understand that people often face problems giving the entire amount at a time.

How will you benefit from the Artificial Intelligence courses

There are so many things for you to know. Our world is progressing. We can expect that experts will try to sort out several types of courses. 

With the help of an Artificial intelligence course in Pune, you can try to find dugongs. These are kinds of animals that live under the water. Several scientists are studying them. It seems to be a difficult tak. Several scientists spend their time researching. With the help of AI, it would not seem to be a difficult task.

Cancer patients can also get back their life. It is one of the best treatments. This can only be possible with the help of Artificial Intelligence. 

Will Data Science in Mumbai and Pune Change Your Life

Yes, of course. Data Science will help you to change your life forever. 

Data Science Course in Mumbai offers you to learn all the programming languages which include hands-on knowledge and you can gain experience. It is also offering you to learn through live interactive sessions. You can also engage yourself in discussions with faculty and peers. They are ready to assist you at any time of the day. All the classes are taken by professional faculties.

Classes are held via videoconferencing and it reinforces learning. It will help you to brush up on your knowledge and give you tips to polish your overview and give you a chance to land your dream job. Other than that it also offers Mock interviews and walk-in-interview questions with industry veterans which will make you ready to face any sort of interview in your further life. You are getting the chance as it provides you with dedicated industry leaders and their outstanding recommendations will prove to be helpful in your educational and career inquiries. That is why it is best for you to do a Data science course in Pune from a reputed coaching centre so that you won't face any trouble in the future. 

We are providing you with a facility where you can learn through live interactive sessions and you can engage in discussion with renowned faculty and peers. 

[captainmdhridoyhossain-blog]

[ad_1] My snarky side debated writing a one-word blog post this week, with “no” as the answer to the title question. But I didn’t want to do that to you. (Although I promise I’ll write a one-word blog post someday!) Let’s dive in and discuss the extended dance mix answer of “Should ChatGPT set your SEO writing strategy?” Here we go… Have you ever gone to a party and met that person who has an opinion on everything? They’ll insist they know how something works — when actually, they’re just spewing out words that sound authoritative and cool. Are they right some of the time? Sure. They may even be brilliant people. But does that mean you should take every word they say as gospel? Oh no. Definitely not. It doesn’t mean that you can’t trust anything they say. But you do want to take their expert advice with a massive grain of salt. Just like with ChatGPT. ChatGPT: High wow factor, but no clue. This topic popped up when I saw this article sharing how Google’s Gary Illyes advises against using AI and LLM (language learning models like ChatGPT) to diagnose SEO issues. Illyes said on LinkedIn, “LLMs have a very high wow factor, but they have no clue about your website; don’t use them for diagnosing potential issues with it.” And this is what’s scary. I’m seeing articles about how to use ChatGPT to diagnose content issues or ranking problems. Sure, with the right prompts, I can compare one of my blog posts in ChatGPT against a competing page with a better ranking and ask what should be improved. I’ve even tested this myself on my most trafficked page. And you know what happened? My ranking dropped. So…yeah. Plus, there was that time I asked Google’s Bard what the best keyphrases were for a page about SEO copywriting training. Bard spit back [digital marketing] as one of the answers — a keyphrase so general and competitive, there’s no way in hell the page would position for it. I’m not saying that ChatGPT is worthless. I use it like a writing intern who helps me do minor research, brainstorm copy ideas and enhance my creative process. But I would never hand over my strategy to an intern and say, “Figure it out.” [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GfU8CZVNb6o[/embed] Sorry. I had to throw a Letterkenny reference in there (IYKYK). Writing tools don’t replace smart, strategic SEO writers. The thing about ChatGPT, Google’s Bard, Yoast — or even Semrush — is they’re just tools. They help us do our job easier — and they may even flag things we could improve — but they should never dictate our strategy. Especially since we know their advice is often incorrect — no matter how authoritative it sounds. Only a living, breathing human should make those calls. Just like the charismatic person at the party — ChatGPT may talk a good SEO game. It may give you insights or provide some valuable facts. You may feel amazed at its brilliance and want to trust every word from its LLM mouth. But does it have any real clue about what to do with your website? Nope. Only an expert can give you that information. Everything else is just fluff. What do you think? Have you heard that ChatGPT was suitable for SEO decisions? (There’s no shame; that information is out there.)  Leave a comment below! Oh, and did you see my video about the “new Google” and the future of SEO writing? Enjoy! [ad_2] #ChatGPT #Set #SEO #Writing #Strategy #SuccessWorks

[themomsandthecity]

Dwyane Wade Says Daughter Zaya Was Scared to Come Out to Him: "I Had to Check Myself"

Dwyane Wade spoke to the importance of self-awareness in parenting during a talk at the Creative Artists Agency Amplify event in Ojai, CA, on June 27. Speaking with NBA player Chris Paul and manager Lisa Metelus, Wade reflected on his daughter, Zaya Wade, being "scared" to speak to him about her transgender identity. At the time, Zaya was so afraid of coming out to her father that she physically hid in Gabrielle Union's arms. "I had to go look myself in the mirror and ask myself: 'Why was my child scared? Scared to tell me something about herself?'" "I came home and I just remember my child being scared to talk to me, like hiding in my wife's arm in a chair," he said, according to NBC News. For Wade, who is a father of five, the fear on his daughter's face gave him a new perspective and forced him to reevaluate his parenting techniques. "I think I'm this dad that's like, 'Hey, come and tell me anything! I'm a cool dad,'" he continued. "And it was fear in my child's face to tell me and so I had to check myself. I had to go look myself in the mirror and ask myself: 'Why was my child scared? Scared to tell me something about herself?'" Following the initial conversation about his daughter's identity, Wade began to listen to Zaya more deeply and do his own research to build on his perspective using information from experts in the LGBTQ+ community. For Wade, the moment also opened up an opportunity to reflect on his masculinity. "In a lot of work as parents - and as people - what we do is we put our fears and everything on our kids. And I guess I was doing that," he said. "So I had to go look myself in the mirror and ask myself . . . 'What is it about my masculinity that has my child afraid?'" According to Wade, Zaya, who recently celebrated her 16th birthday, has been aware of her gender identity since she was 3 years old. He added that Zaya came out as gay in the third grade. "What's the point of being on this earth if you're gonna try to be someone you're not?" Zaya said during an intimate conversation with her father in 2020. "It's like you're not even living as yourself. Just be true and don't care what the stereotypical way of being you is." Shortly after Zaya came out to her parents, Wade recalled his initial reaction to the news in a 2020 interview on "The Ellen DeGeneres Show." "[Gabrielle and I] take our roles and responsibilities as parents very seriously, so when a child comes home with a question, when a child comes home with an issue, it's our job as parents to listen to that and to give them the best information that we can," he said at the time. "That doesn't change because sexuality is now involved in it." In another 2020 interview on Naomi Campbell's YouTube show, "No Filter With Naomi," Union added, "What we've realized through our very public journey is that us loving our children unconditionally has inspired other people to love their children unconditionally. And it doesn't mean you have all the answers or you're gonna get everything right. But, it's step one, love your babies. They don't need to be mini versions of you. They can be happy, healthy, and successful without doing everything that you did. Just love them and release them to be themselves." The same year, Union, Wade, and Zaya wore coordinated outfits adorned with the colors of the genderqueer and nonbinary pride flag while walking the red carpet at the 2020 Truth Awards in Los Angeles. Inspired by his own father's parenting approach, Wade - who has expressed fear for his daughter's safety - told NBC that he hopes to combat "miseducation" on what it means to be transgender. "I think the hardest part about it is shutting out the world and shutting out the people that really are not in [our] circle," he said. "But they have opinions and we are a public-facing family." Related: Zaya Wade Says "Positives" of Her Inclusive Platform Outweigh "All of the Negativity" https://www.popsugar.com/family/dwyane-wade-zaya-scared-come-out-quotes-49213699?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=tumblr

[senaabhyasagra]

Best NDA Academy In Agra

NDA Preparation 2023

The NDA exam is a competitive examination in India conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) for admission to the National Defence Academy (NDA) and the Indian Naval Academy (INA). Join Senaabhyas Defence Academy For Best NDA Academy In Agra and crack NDA Exam With Right Guidance .National Defence Academy (NDA) Examination is the most awaited and opportunity-grabbing exam for numerous Aspirants preparing for Defence Exams.

Serving in any Indian Defence force is the dream of many students. Those who always bring a passion to be a Soldier, begin their journey from school days or before qualifying for Intermediate .But numerous aspirants attain this dream after 12th, they have to start their preparation from then and here comes various queries regarding to NDA Preparation. How to do that in such less time? From where I’ve to start? What strategies I use to make?….and so on.

So here came Senaabhyas Defence Academy, which bring courage and build responsibility to provide study plans, free study materials, exam cracking roadmap, expertise from Winners, and most importantly ‘take care of every Student’. Everyone is welcome here to grab knowledge and information from our Experts.

So let’s take a look to the best NDA Preparation 2023 tricks and strategies. Everyone has their study plan and strategies to follow, but here we listed tips which came from Top rankers and Ex-Defence officers or Selection Board Experts. Before discussing such golden strategies, you’ve to make clear some basics of NDA Examination.

About NDA Examination

NDA(National Defence Academy) is a National level Defence examination conducted by Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) twice every year. Aspirants preparing for Defence Services in Army, Navy and Air Force can take part in the examination. It’s a two step process –

Offline Written Test

Personality test or SSB Interview, women are not allowed to take part in NDA Examination but on 18 August 2021, Supreme Court issued an Interim Order to allow women to appear in UPSC NDA Examination. If talking about current situation, both men and women can appear in exam and got equal opportunity to serve in Defence Services. Recently, on 21st December 2022 UPSC released NDA I 2023 Notification for aspirants preparing for Defence Exams. The registration will open till 10th January 2023 and exam will be conducted on 16th April 2023.

Strategies for NDA Preparation

So let’s discuss some golden Strategies you should make before preparing for NDA Examination.

Make a Study Plan :

Read full syllabus, grab a plane Notebook and start writing your study plan. Write number of hours per day you give to every subject, write weekly & monthly targets, give yourself tests and further more.

Collect Study Material :

Don’t make a heap of books. Research it on Google, consult with your mentors or experts and choose good & definite books wisely.

Don’t forget NCERT :

NCERT is the golden key amomg all study materials in NDA Preparation. It works to clear your basics which need to be very perfect.

Write what you learn :

Don’t just read and forget, it’s the biggest mistake. Write what you learn after reading. It make concepts more clear, because writing on paper seems equal as writing on Memory.

Create your own Notes :

Bring a separate Notebook for every subject. After testing yourself through writing, make clear notes of everything you learn in your language.

Test yourself weekly :

What you learn or covers in 1 week, is need to be tested. Make a test for yourself from PYQ of topics you covered weekly.

Never End your preparation :

Completing syllabus once, doesn’t mean you’re ready. After completing, begin it again. Brain needs to recall anything to make it permanently stored.

Solve Previous Year Papers :

It’s obvious to solve them, but it will be great if you analyse them. Solve as much as possible and make topics summary which examiner cover maximum time.

Tricks for NDA Preparation

Though learning Grammar is necessary, but add some extra efforts for English. Start conversations in English with your friend, or any family member even they are not following the same. Learning Antonyms & Synonyms is a great mess for students. To crack this, start reading English Newspaper on daily basis, example- The Hindu, The Times of India etc .SSB Interview seems tough. To overcome this start preparing for it from day one, when you’re preparing for exam.

Add Yoga, Breathing Exercises and Jogging on your daily routine. It will help you when preparing for SSB after few months. Make study notes in your own language. No matter how you write them, just make it cover everything & based on your understanding. Don’t go extra deep in any topic. Cover its basics and important parts. Keep tracking previous year questions. This helps you to practice, even noticing examiner’s targeted topics.

[townplanners]

Why Town Planner Wise Choice For Building And Construction?

We all want to build a house and make it our home. We spend a lot of time and effort in building our dream house. The best way to get the right town planner Gold Coast is by doing some research on them. You can find out about their experience, expertise in this field and even their communication skills. Here are some of the things that you should consider before hiring a town planner:

Accessibility

A town planner will be your guide, who can help you with any problem that you have. They are always available to provide advice and support when needed.

If you have any questions about building or construction processes, the town planner can answer them for you.

If there is anything wrong with your proposed property, they will point it out before anything goes wrong so that it does not become a major issue later on.

Town planners also know everything about the local area in which they work so they can offer advice on places where it would be best to buy the property or build new buildings according to their natural surroundings.

Expertise

A town planner is a professional who has knowledge of town planning, building and construction as well as law, economics and environment. He or she is expert in these fields. Furthermore, he or she has a good understanding on social issues that affect the construction industry.

A good planner will have a professional attitude. He or she should have integrity and be honest to clients. A good planner should also be able to work well with other people, especially when there is a conflict of interest among parties involved in the project.

Communication skills

Communication skills are one of the most important skills in the world of business. Communication is an essential part of any job and is especially important for town planners. Town planners must be able to communicate clearly, concisely and effectively with each other and with their clients.

Communication is an ongoing process, not just a single event or conversation. It involves listening as well as talking; keeping an open mind to different points of view; being aware of non-verbal cues from others.

Paying attention to what you're saying; being honest about what you think without offending anyone else; giving feedback when appropriate without passing judgment on someone's ideas or opinions; asking questions if there's something you don't understand (or pretending like there's nothing wrong); taking responsibility for saying something that may have offended someone else so that they feel safe enough within their environment with you present

Time management

Time is money. You can't get it back once it's gone, so it's important to use your time wisely and efficiently. Planning is an essential skill for any business or organization that wants to succeed. It can save you a lot of money, stress, and hassle in the long run. If you're new to town planning and construction, don't worry—the best way to learn this skill is by doing!

Conclusion

So, we’ve looked at some of the reasons why it can be a good idea to use town planner Gold Coast as part of your construction project. They can help with anything from finding out where all the utilities are on a site to ensuring that there will be enough parking spaces for people who live nearby or work at your business.

Source by – Why Town Planner Wise Choice For Building And Construction?

[generouskittentidalwave]

OP your art is absolutely beautiful and so are your thoughts! Honestly I feel the art part too, I draw simultaneously myself and I can go from making a highly detailed piece to then drawing a banana riding in a go-cart just because I can ✋😭

I have a dear friend who is like a sister to me, and she relates to Astro so much for the similar reason that you do, Astro really has touched the hearts of many people!

It's okay to speak your mind on things and I agree with your point entirely! I am glad I atleast am not the only one with that same viewpoint.

It's okay to have disagreements and conversations about said disagreements, it's okay to talk and discuss it but you need to remember to keep yourself aware during it. Acknowledge what the person is saying, be respectful about the situation and the person, and never make harmful assumptions about another person. Assumptions lead to misunderstandings and assumptions based on misunderstandings can lead to people reacting to defend themselves and a downward spiral occurs to the point you lose what you were talking about in the first place. It's not a conversation anymore, it's a fight, and you learn nothing from a fight. If it starts to become a fight rather than a discussion it's your responsibility to take action and stop yourself from responding, for the good of yourself and others, as it just isn't worth it.

And just because someone disagrees with you doesn't mean you are a bad person, and that also doesn't make them a bad person either. If we all agreed on everything all the time we would run ourselves to the ground. We are all our own individuals and that's okay. There is nothing wrong with having a different opinion, or view, or perspective on whatever that may be.

We also aren't perfect, if we were perfect all the time then that would not only be freaky but we would also lose our sense of self and who we are. We are built from the mistakes we make by learning from them, accepting them and getting better and stronger because of them. Mistakes don't define who we are, what we chose to take away from those mistakes does, so don't let it discourage you so much if you make a mistake, and try not to judge others for doing the same, as you were most likely in those very same shoes yourself.

And as for Tezuka's characters, like the one discussed, there are so, so, SO many iterations of the character. It really, honestly, depends on which individual version you are looking at in this particular case because you can't make a good or bad generalization on a character that, unlike Astro, didn't have a set in stone canon continuity.

And further on that when you bring up something serious that affects real life situations, it's best to treat it with extra care and caution. I find it best that, if you get in a situation like that, before posting anything it's best to always, even if you are the best expert in that field, to do extra research on it to make sure you got everything right, and if you don't and someone brings it up take note of that outside perspective as it'll help better your knowledge in the future.

And lastly, just have fun with the media you are taking in! Don't let it drive you off the walls, it's supposed to be enjoyable and fun! If it's not enjoyable and causes you stress it's best to take a step back and give yourself room to breathe, that's perfectly okay! That doesn't mean there is anything wrong with you, or wrong with the media you are consuming, things just get overwhelming at times and that's okay, I promise that it's okay and that it's okay to take a break, you deserve it as much as anyone else ^^

Final few drawings from this sketchbook now that I’m recycling it! Kind of sad because this particular notebook was one I used as a little kid, it has some suuuper old and embarrassingly bad (but funny) drawings in it.

Also just going to put this here; I know something kind of blew up here over the weekend in this corner of Tumblr. Dr. Tezuka has been dead for several decades now, so we will never know exactly what “ending” he thought about for Tenma and Astro further than how they got separated and never really permanently reunited throughout his numerous re-writes and loose canon tendencies. That’s up to us to parse and make meaning of and potentially imagine beyond for ourselves as audience members of the series, which many fans have done over the years (And even any other official work done after Tezuka’s passing, like AB2003 and ATB, Pluto etc are basically the same thing). I believe we are allowed to disagree with the evaluations of media that others come up with, whether just in our heads or posted publicly! However, it is not our job to budge every last person’s opinion on the internet. We may “see” each other on a somewhat regular basis because, let’s face it, this fandom is pretty small, but at the end of the day none of us know everything that informs the meaning being made by the others — and we are not obligated to disclose such personal information for any reason, in real life or online. To give you an example and offer up something about myself, Astro as a character resonates with me in large part because he stands on the border between one group and another; although he is certainly a robot, he lives his life as a human would most of the time, creating a split between himself and other robots while still not being accepted fully into human society. It gives him a unique opportunity to bridge the two together, but as a result he can never be entirely one or the other. The reason why I find that fascinating is because I am a second-gen immigrant Asian-American, and it forms some parallels with the way I feel in my own life, having been raised more American than Asian. Also, my parents are culturally Chinese-Indonesian, but ethnically appear Chinese (as do I). I will never be fully accepted into native Chinese, Indonesian, or Chinese-Indonesian communities because I act too much like an “American” despite my appearance. I will also never be fully accepted into the American community I live in because I still cling onto some of my heritage, and of course also because of my appearance. But maybe due to my experience in both worlds, the chances have increased that I could foster greater empathy, interest, or understanding between them, and Astro gives me hope for that.

However— I wouldn’t expect anyone here to know that (or even remember after reading it — it’s fine, you can purge the info from your brain LOL) even if it does affect my readings of certain scenarios and stories. If someone were to post something that doesn’t acknowledge or reflect the perspective I have, I can feel any type of way about it, but I have to remind myself I don’t know where they’re coming from and to try not to take it too personally, since they don’t know where I’m coming from either. Maybe someone has had the exact opposite experience from me, maybe they just haven’t been in any comparable situation to begin with, they could also be a lot younger or older, or from another part of the world — on the internet you really just don’t know, and a person doesn’t really have to tell you if they don’t want to. Personally, once I’ve said my piece, I’ve said it. If someone disagrees with me over the same point repeatedly, and I considered their viewpoint but decided to retain mine, I don’t continue to engage them, because I know it gets unproductive sooner or later (neither side changes their mind or learns anything new, if anything we both just become more stubborn about our own arguments because we have to keep making the same one over and over). I do think about Tezuka’s and other artists’ work very seriously, as an artist myself and an aspiring professional, and I believe that’s a valid angle to come from. Yet I often just draw things on a whim despite the aforementioned, and as embarrassing as it is to admit, most of my drawings have very little meaning. I just post on here hoping it might make someone else a bit happier to see it; I suspect that many others in the community do the same. (Obviously if I misrepresent something severely in my own work, which I hope I will not but you never know, I want someone to tell me about it, but I didn’t think this was the case in the particular situation happening now.)

and… I will freely admit to sharing outlandish internet takes both as a kid and as an adult, then changing my mind and looking back on it, as well as my behavior in general, later with regret 😭 it will happen again, I’m sure… perhaps this is one and I should have kept my mouth shut, but I hope this at least gave some of my perspective. If you want to probe any further into my thoughts or ask for clarification you can!