#I've known that getting a job that is full time and pays well is highly important

[crimsonblackrose]

I looked at how much according to experts I can spend on housing a month and omg I can afford nothing with my current job. 😂 Like I knew I couldn’t, but just how little I can actually afford at this job is pathetic.

#mumblings about work #mumblings #I've known that getting a job that is full time and pays well is highly important #but damn the actual peanuts I'm paid is pretty bad once you chop out rent #my aunt and uncle are going to charge me less than the expert amount but it's still more than I expected #and since my health insurance i foot the bill for myself is so expensive #that's essentially half my pay check just for rent to my aunt and uncle and my health insurance this year #which really that shouldn't be right...I mean it's a little less than half but by like a razors edge that #I'm just looking at my dream of moving downtown with a little sad face and looking at jobs with a someone please pay me a lot more money #I mean my salary is essentially unlivable which I knew but also like well damn #I could ask for a raise but that feels dangerous atm because we literally just laid off like 13% of the company #and I don't want to have no job and then now suddenly I'm eating into my saved downpayment #adulting sucks y'all I just want roots #I also planned next month to go downtown and explore #and then a friend I haven't seen in like 5 years (omg) was like hey road trip? #so now she's coming to visit later in the month and we're going to stay downtown so I can explore neighborhoods again #and I'm like well huh what do I want to do for my birthday then? #because the idea of paying for places downtown twice in one month does not sound like fun #Still want to go downtown and see people #but I've got to think about it a little more #My aunt asked me what I wanted to do and I'm like uhhhhh #because she asked if I wanted to go to the place I was supposed to go with dad and I'm like #well first off they're closed till spring and second off how expensive is this going to be? #Like I don't think she realizes that I was starting to feel a little stable and then throwing rent at me (which is a fair thing to do) #is just like whelp now I've got to decide what's worth doing financially and what's not #and I'm going to lean towards doing nothing to save money #which is my go to #I had planned to go visit friends this year but since I want to move out asap it's kind of let's find a new job and save up so I can move #which means not going to hawaii or seattle or new york #and frowning at the idea of going downtown even

[fizzingwizard]

life stuff

I did so many dumb things yesterday. Can't even remember them all now, but for one, I went to the wrong floor when I got home and even tried the key before I realized. I also went to a sushi place where you have color-coded plates, and I took a plate that wasn't my color. I have been going there for years and I've never not once done that before. Also at work I was just a basketcase who couldn't commit to anything.

Then today I made oatmeal, but apparently never turned the kettle on?? So I just poured ice cold water on my oats and uh yeah not appetizing. I just decided to starve until dinner 9_9

I'm a little perplexed by so many senior moments, but I think it just means I'm a lot more tired than I realized. It was a tough week. Many teachers were out sick. Including a teacher who quit for (highly legitimate) personal reasons just last week, we were missing four to five teachers nearly every day. We didn't have one day with a full staff. It's also conference season so I had a ton going on, and my kids were unusually difficult. I think it's a combo of them all being sick but not sick enough to stay home, and my challenging students just having some extra challenges, and everything happening at the same time. I've also been under the weather in a weird nebulous way: various symptoms, overall fatigue, no fever, but lasting weeks and weeks. Can't call out for it as much as I want to. Wednesday was alright but every other day was like wow, welcome to hell. Though I shouldn't say that because hell would be a kid getting hurt. No injuries, no disasters, just a very tired and frustrated teacher.

Because of all the teacher absences, those of us who were here every day got slapped with a lot more on-duty time and just stints of break here and there. We couldn't even get what's in our contracts a couple days, which always pisses me off because I'm literally not getting paid for one hour that I'm at work. And the company doesn't want us to do overtime of course bc they have to pay us for it. (They are known for "forgetting" to account for overtime hours as well so everyone double checks their paychecks). Yet we've been understaffed all year, so in order to not pay for overtime, they just send teachers from another nearby school to ours to help. One of my coworkers always insists on apologizing to them. I'm not apologizing. I didn't do it. Let the company apologize. I'll thank the other school for helping (not that they have a choice) but tbh it'd be better if they said it was impossible, then the company might actually hire a full time teacher. Oh btw last year when several of us were helping the other school when their teacher left on paternity leave for the rest of the year, no one thanked us. In face they mostly just forgot about us and looked surprised every time we turned up (biweekly! for months!) to do the job they told us they needed us to do

Anyway I told the manager that as much as I understand why break/prep time is limited when there are many teacher absences, it looked as though time had been redistributed without any thought about equality. Wed's hours were a mess, but I let it slide because I thought I could fix it to be okay for Friday. Well, someone else was out on Fri, and the time was redistributed again and I had less for the whole week than everyone else. Now there are a few factors: some teachers work longer hours than others but make "the same" pay (I put it in quotes because some of the contracts are a little different and I don't know the details, but it's roughly similar anyway). A teacher who is at the school for 7 hours has gets the same off-duty time as ones who are there for 8 or 9. But if it's okay to give more off-duty time to 9 hr teachers than 7 hr ones, that's never been expressed. And because 7 hr teachers go home before the least staffed period of the day, it's the 8 hr teacher who end up with less off-duty time because there are fewer opportunities to take it. The ones that come earlier than 4 pm have to go to the 7 hr teacher first. The ones that come after 5 pm are only available to the 9hr (which sucks for them because who wants to not have a break till after 5? they do usually get some break earlier as well but it's shorter).

Overall the distribution is unfair and dumb even when it's done according to the books. We used to have a couple leaders who would point out when things were too tight or not fair to whoever, but they both quit in the mass exodus of last year. I thought I could point it out and the manager would say "oh sorry, I'll keep an eye on that for the future." I didn't expect my schedule to be changed, just that promise. Instead the manager first said it was fine that I had less off-duty time than everyone else because I had conferences (??? our contracts don't change when there are conferences - or do they? lol well if they do it was never a problem any other year before now...). So I was like not really, and she proceeded to give me a bit of someone else's prep, the teacher who had the most for the week, only I found out later that that teacher wasn't feeling well that day. She may have been given the extra time due to her condition, and because I brought it up, she lost it. But I had no idea she wasn't feeling well. When I found out, I tried to trade with her, but she refused every time. It's just 15 min we're talking about. What does it say to you when teachers feel guilty all day long for having 15 min of prep time that could have been someone else's? fuck everything

Also only found out later that another coworker spent all of her prep time onboarding a new teacher. New teacher, hurrah, whatever, it's fucking January already but sure. Well, that coworker could have used a little extra off-duty time as well. But nobody bothers to tell Fizz. I would have happily traded off-duty time with her as well but I'm not pyschic my dude. I'm just not.

While I'm complaining let me sandwich in another annoyance. The other class decided they wanted to do a certain project. They began work on the project, but then got told by the manager that they had to include my class, because what they were doing was big enough to be unfair if only one class got to participate. Since they had already begun work, it was taken for granted that my class would just be doing the project as well now. No one asked if that was alright with me. No one asked if I wanted to edit or add anything. Actually, no one even TOLD ME WHAT WE WERE DOING. The other class teacher told my co-teacher the project was happening, but not the details. I waited two weeks, nothing, so finally I had to go ask them what the heck this was about, and they then told ME what to do. Absolutely no interest in what I might think about it at all. They decided, so I just have to do it. I could argue, of course! But like every time I have the audacity to disagree with Things That Someone Has Decided, I'd just be seen as making trouble for no reason. The project is good for the kids, so it's not easy to be against it. And I'm not against it. But I do feel disrespected. Like did it occur to no one that I, also a classroom teacher, might already have my own project in mind for my class??? If this had happened in reverse, then as soon as I knew my project was going to be expected of another class as well, I would have gone and talked to that class's teachers. I would have asked for their input and changes and I would have been fully prepared, no matter how unlikely it was, for the possibility that they just wouldn't want to do it at all. Because it's their class and i don't make decisions about their class. "But it's a cute project for little kids" blah blah everything we do is a cute project for little kids. IT'S STILL WORK FOR TEACHERS. Kill me for preferring the projects I chose and put effort into instead of projects someone else picked out without even asking my opinion. And I'm still doing it! I haven't made a scene! But was it really too much to expect at least "sorry about this" or "do you want to change anything"?? I really saw red for a while.

I'm fed up with my job in a lot of ways and I want to switch. But I don't know where to go. Finding somewhere new will mean starting over from base salary which is even lower than what I make now. The more tiring and demanding the work becomes, the less the pay makes it feel worth it. No one becomes a pre-k teacher to get rich. We like little kids. But there sure are a lot of expectations of teacher's the schools are basically throwing peanuts at. The perk, yeah, is the time off. But since it's only during cold months I never really do anything with it. It was nice to go home over the holidays, but I couldn't afford to do it every year whether I had the time off or not lol.

I honestly don't know what to do right now and it's making me extra anxious. Just hoping something will fall into my lap hahaha great strategy there. Glassdoor sends me useless spam every day :) Even got one saying I'd be a "perfect fit" to teach Christian ed to the kids of a traveling circus x'D

#fizz's life

[hookcompany]

Sumter County Garbage Pickup Provider Hook Company Offers Various Trash Removal Services

Family-owned and operated Sumter County garbage pickup provider Hook Company now offers various trash removal services for residential and commercial purposes. Those interested in scheduling service with the company or learning more about its prices or policies are encouraged to visit the official website or contact staff directly via phone or email for more information. Owner Justin Bentley founded Hook Company in 1991 with the help of his family. “Our goal from the very beginning is just to help keep our amazing communities free of unwasted waste and to provide an invaluable service to our customers,” Justin said. “We do our best to meet the individual needs of our customers by offering flexible, reliable, and cost-effective garbage pick-up services to suit a range of project goals and budgets.” Along with weekly residential trash pickup services, the company provides options for junk removal and hauling, one-time garbage pickup, renovation waste removal, construction debris removal, appliance or furniture hauling, and other general waste management services. While the company is well-known for its punctual and professional residential garbage pickup services across Sumter County, it regularly works with local businesses, contractors, property managers, and organizations to help support short or long-term waste removal efforts. The company provides a free, no-obligation quote for its services so that customers can confidently book with full transparency on pricing, scheduling, and the general process. The company’s rates are as low as $22 per month with a weekly pickup of up to three 30-gallon bags of household garbage. Those interested in weekly residential services can navigate to the company website, click the “Get Service” tab in the menu bar, and submit the available form to be added to the company’s schedule. The website notes that to complete the online sign-up, the user must pay online or call the office to provide payment information. The customer will not be added to the trash service schedule until payment is received. Hook Company offers services across Sumter County, including Bushnell, Center hill, Lake Panasoffkee, Sumterville, and Webster, as well as Floral City, Inverness Highlands North, and Inverness Highlands South in neighboring Citrus County. The company will also hold a customer’s account during the winter months at no additional charge if residents leave the area for an extended period of time. The company has garnered a positive online reputation and currently holds a 5-star rating on its Google business listing with 40 reviews to date. One satisfied customer booked the company’s junk removal services and commented on the quick turnaround time and reasonable pricing. Carol Rouster said, “Justin was AWESOME. We needed furniture removed quickly due to new furniture arriving. Justin came out the same day and removed all that we needed. Pricing was very reasonable. We won't hesitate to use them again!” Another positive review notes that the customer has used the company’s services on a long-term basis and will continue to do so. Thomas Williams said, “I've been with this company for a long time. I have never had any problems with them and my trash has always been picked up when it is supposed to be. This is a great company that I would highly recommend to anyone. Thank you Hook Company for doing a great job for residents of Sumter County.” Those interested in booking the company’s residential trash pickup service can use the service information form on the website to begin the process. Readers interested in commercial waste pickup, junk removal, or other forms of waste management options are encouraged to contact the company directly via phone or email to learn more. from https://www.pressadvantage.com/story/55438-sumter-county-garbage-pickup-provider-hook-company-offers-various-trash-removal-services

[tinyboxxtink]

"Black Magic" *Part 4*

Whoooooo! Okay alright here's 4, I don't know if I can get 5 up tonight but at least you'll have the whole "day". [you'll see]

YA'LL enjoy this because....it's gonna come crashing down. I'm so sorry. Maybe I should leave it here tonight. Yeah I might.

Also-- WINK! When you see it you'll know. 😉

@bookishfanfic

@stars-in-the-skies-world

@omgsuperstarg

@chasingeverybreakingwave

@gibbs274

@milkshqke

@wanniiieeee

@word-scribbless

@objection-argumentative

@aprildecker-blog

@lolliepopsicle

@madamsnape921

@stars-trash-18

Part 3

Part 5

-----------------------------

“Well!” he wiped tears away from his face and then yours before he gathered up your trash and threw it away. “ I think that's quite enough of the melodramatic stories today. Now it's time to show you my favorite place,”

He took your hands and let you further deeper into the park. You had never been this deep into Central Park before you don't think you'd ever actually been in Central Park, you've just passed it. You were kind of a shit New Yorker.

“Where are we going?” You asked as he pulled you faster down some steps until you reached what you could only describe as a “Cave”.

“You'll see,” he smiled as you approached the cave. You both walked inside and before you was something you never thought you'd see.

“Oh my god…” You said breathlessly. Are those…?”

“Penguins” You heard a smile in his voice as you stared. In front of you with a long glass tank encased in the stone. It was full of happy, smiling, swimming, penguins.

“How... why….why is this here?”

“Well the zoo is right next door.” He explained. “And they accidentally made the penguin exhibit about a foot outside of the zoo's zoning area. So, while it is technically part of the Central Park Zoo, this one area is completely free to the public. It beats paying $50.” He laughed.

“Penguins are my favorite,” you said softly as you just continued to stare at them. It was true. You loved penguins since you were a little girl and you had no idea why. They were just so cute.

“Mine too,” he smiled, taking his arms and pulling you into his chest from behind. They look so happy. And they're in little tuxedos. Which I highly approve of,” He joked. You giggled in response.

“I like to come here when I've had a really long day or a really bad day in court.” He continued to explain. “And just sit here and watch them; and imagine how much more enjoyable life would be as a penguin. Look at them they're so happy and carefree, not a worry in the world.”

“God wouldn’t that be nice,” You sighed. “No rent, no bills, no annoying job.” you have laughed, giving him a nudge

“And.. They are also monogamous,” He stopped laughing and turned you to face him.

“What?” You stopped laughing as well, giving him a stunned expression.

“Did you know that when a male penguin fancies a girl penguin he will look everywhere until he finds the perfect rock or pebble as an offering to said female. And if she accepts it, then they're together until they die.”

“So.. basically like an engagement ring,” You whispered. Oh god.. what was happening?

“Yeah I guess so they get engaged and married. Without the wedding of course.” He nodded.

“Can you imagine that? I mean they’d be pretty prepared already in their little tuxedos” you laughed, hopefully trying to change the subject getting away from marriage although you didn't really know how. “Rafael…”

Okay surely even if he was under this spell, was there kind of some kind of backstory? Did he think you had been together for a very long time? There's no way he was going to propose after one day was he?

“Don't worry carino, I'm not proposing. He laughed, noticing the panic in your eyes. "I'm not that crazy.”

“Right you laughed and nodded your head. “Of course. Because we've only known each other so shortly….?” You tried to ask in a leading way.

“Right. But if we're being totally honest,” he took your hands. “I think I fell in love with you the moment you walked in the door on your first day.”

You silently gasped.. Could that be true? Was that him making that up in his head? Did he have memories before today? Did he have real memories before today? How far did this thing go? Could he actually really be saying that? Your mind started swimming.

“I..” You looked into his eyes, searching for sincerity. Obviously it was there but you didn't know if it was fabricated or real. But any real form of sincerity was moot at this point. Right?

“Really?” Was all you could say back.

“Yeah,” he smiled while he stroked your hair. “Really,”

That was it you couldn't take this anymore. You Broke down crying once again, and threw your arms around him. You were holding him so tightly, as if he was going to disappear in front of your eyes any second.

“Please Don't leave me, you sobbed. “Please don't leave me,”

“Hey hey hey,” He took your arms and pulled you over to a bench in the cave. Then he sat you down and put both hands on your shoulders.” I'm not leaving you. I'm not going anywhere, okay? Never,”

“You can't say that,” You sobbed. You completely threw any thoughts of keeping this under wraps out the window.

"Why not?” He looked at you quizzically.

“Because….because this isn't real!!” You kept sobbing.

“What…? Baby you have to calm down,” He started getting really concerned.

“I….” You tried to find the words to explain it without sounding crazy. Then you realized it didn't matter.

“I...my roommate Chloe she's a...well she, she made this...stuff, that I put in your coffee yesterday and it made you think you're in love with me.” You realized you had said explanation a little too loudly, as the very few other people that were in the cave with you gave you strange looks and started to walk away. You looked at Rafael who was just staring at you in disbelief and confusion.

“What are you talking about?” He half laughed. Baby look I don't know what you think you did. But if you're talking about what I think you're talking about--- magic isn't real.”

“Yes it is!” You continued to sob. “I didn't believe it either. That's why I did it. I thought on the off chance maybe it would work but I didn't really think it worked like this” you gestured between the two of you.

“What, make an actual connection between us? Has anything you said to me today been a lie?”

“No” You started to calm yourself down.

“And I can promise you nothing I have done today has been a lie, or fabricated in any way,” He wiped the tears from your face.

“So again, I don't know what you think you did, but my feelings for you are real. The only magic here is the magic of true love,”

“See who says that?!” you cried angrily. “Nobody says that for real, Rafael. Not unless they're--”

“Under some kind of magic spell?” Rafael asked sarcastically

“This isn't funny!”

“Okay so what you're just saying is that tomorrow I'm going to wake up, and just think you're a normal girl and what? Think today was a fluke?”

“No.. you're not going to remember anything.”

“I really doubt that,”

“It's true! Why do you think I said back at Maria’s that I need you to hold on to this day? I need you to remember this day? I wasn’t just saying that to be cute.”

“Okay well I'm taking you seriously now. I'm committing this day to my memory this entire day even with your nutty little break down here.” He took both of your shoulders and looked at you seriously.

“Because I'm going to prove to you that this is not some kind of magic spell. It's me and you and our real feelings. I told you I fell in love with you the day I met you, that was before today. That was three months ago!”

Could that be true? Could this have just fast forwarded the time that it would have taken you to get here? Is he really going to remember this?

“Okay” was all you could say.

“Okay.” He smiled, pulling you into him again and kissing your forehead while stroking your hair. “I'm never going to forget you Y/N. I could never forget you,”

“Okay,” you repeated, believing him a little more this time.

Rafael glanced at his phone. Oh God it's four fifteen already,”

“So…? Do you turn into a pumpkin at 5?” You joked.

“No but I did promise Olivia that I would drop off some paperwork. Do you mind?”

Oh God you really don't want to face Liv again, at the risk of exposing your secret. But what else could you do?

“Yeah I guess that's fine.” You shrugged.

It definitely was NOT fine.

-----

You walked into the NYPD police station nervously, as if you were a hooker doing a perp walk. You hoped that maybe since Raphael had calmed down maybe Olivia would just think this morning was a joke after all. You hoped he wouldn't say anything.

“Olivia!” He walked over to her desk and still had your hand in his.

“Hey Rafa.. what is this? I thought you weren't dating your intern?” She frowned.

“Oh I'm not ... Apparently I'm under her spell,” He laughed.

Oh my God oh my God oh my God what…. Why was he being so flippant about this? Oh God.

“...Excuse me?” She asked him seriously.

“Did you get her in on this Y/N? Pretend that she has no idea about us?” He asked you while still laughing. You wanted to crawl into a hole.

“I don't have any idea about-- didn't you say this morning that you were kidding?” Olivia looked at you angrily.

“What? I don't remember this morning.” Rafael looked confused.

Oh God maybe it was starting to wear off and then forget-me-nots were working oh God oh God oh god….

“What is wrong with you?” Olivia put both of her hands on her shoulders, then she looked at you. “Did you actually do something to him?

What? No, I didn't do anything!” You cried defensively, hoping she would back off.

“Liv back off she didn't do anything. Magic isn't real. What is wrong with you?” Rafael stood in front of you.

“Then explain how you feel right now???” Olivia crossed her arms.

“What are you talking about? We've been in love for months now!”

Oh shit. Oh GOD.WHAT?

“WHAT?” Olivia almost screamed.

"I didn't tell you because I didn't want you to overeat like this." He gave her a look.

“Oh that is bullshit.” She spat, and then looked at you over his shoulder. “You did something to him and I will damn sure figure out what it is,”

“Liv you need to seriously back off,” Rafael increased the space between the two of you.

Liv nodded, but mouthed to you over his head with a whisper. “I am going to figure out what you did and you're going to pay.”

You gulped and looked at Rafael who was still glaring at Liv. “Look Olivia, you need to get over whatever thing you have for me and just let me be happy.”

That was it! That was why she was so upset about this. She was in love with him too. Oh God. You suddenly wondered how accessible that spell that Chloe did was.

“I.. you.. we…” She stammered. “Here's your warrant,” Rafael tossed some papers at her and walked out the door with your hand in his. You looked back at Liv who was still fuming. That can't be good.

----

“Can you believe the nerve of her?” He scoffed as you walked out.

“Yeah totally,” You laughed nervously.

“I'm sorry about her. She doesn't know when to stop beating a dead horse,” He sighed.

“So you know she's had a thing for you? And you've never had a thing for her?”

“I mean there was a time when we first met that I thought maybe something could happen. But too much time has passed and I don't feel that way about her anymore, but apparently she still does.” He shook his head.

“And besides whatever feelings I thought I had for her went out the window the moment I saw

you,” he smiled, pulling you in for a kiss.

“Oh I mean since this morning,” he teased. But you knew he was right on the money.

“Haha. Can we please not joke about it?” You asked dejectedly.

“I'm sorry carino. Let's go get some dinner huh? Forget about this?”

“Yes please” You smiled.

---

He took you to his favorite restaurant Forlini’s and you two had an amazing dinner laughing, talking and discussing Broadway shows.

"Wait so you saw RENT with the ORIGINAL cast?!"

"Yeah…." He lightly chuckled. "I know, I'm super old."

"Oh I wasn't going to say that at all. I was going to say you are so lucky!!!!” You squealed.

“So you've never seen a show on Broadway?” He asked.

“Well...when I first met Chloe she was working as a PA for one of the directors of a show that had just gone to Broadway. It didn't last very long; it wasn't that great of a show. Except for the leading actor in my opinion,”

“Oh really?” he looked at you curiously. “What show?”

“It was called “Leap Of Faith”, I think? It was based on some movie about some televangelist creep con man, who fell in love with the sheriff and his heart turned to gold or some lame-ass thing like that. You rolled your eyes

“Oh really was it that bad?” he laughed.

“I mean, the songs were good and like I said the leading man Raul Esparza was amazing,” You smiled as you sipped your wine.

“Raul Esparza? You know when I was younger, people used to say that I looked like him.” He chuckled as he sipped his scotch.

“Really?? Nah I don't see it. You're way more handsome,” you smiled.

You continued to have a fabulous dinner so fun and easy, you almost forgot it was all fantasy. Before you knew it, Rafael was walking you to your door.

"Well I had a fabulous 'last’ 24 hours with you mi amor,” Rafael smiled.

“Yeah.. me too,” you said sadly.

“You sure you don't want me to come in?” He asked you with mischievous eyes.

“No, you better not.” You wanted so badly to let him, but you didn't want tomorrow to be jarring for him.

"Oh right I might wake up tomorrow and forget where I am," he teased, tickling you. You laughed while he was doing it, but the pain of really knowing he was right knocked you right back to sadness.

"Well good night beautiful. I'll see you tomorrow" He grinned.

"Yeah…." You smiled sadly thinking "not like this,”

He kissed you gently, but you pulled him in for a deep long passionate kiss, desperately memorizing every detail. His tongue, his mouth, his hands, his smell, his skin on yours.

"Wow, I should be under spells more often he chuckled. He gave you one last small kiss, and you held onto his hands.

"....Baby I'll stay if you want me to, you don't have to be so sad," He stroked your hair and gave you a reassuring smile.

"No…" you shook your head silently chastising yourself. "Let him go," you said mentally.

"No it's ok I'll see you tomorrow" you have him the bravest smile you could.

"Ok. Maybe tomorrow when you see you were being silly I'll sleep over," he winked, walking down the hall.

You slowly shut the door and fell down the floor sobbing.

Chloe came running out of her bedroom to check on you.

"Aw honey…."

"I love him Chloe,” you sobbed. “I didn't know how much or even if I really did before today but I really love him.”

“Oh honey. I can make more right now, even a bigger batch so it'll last longer!” She offered.

NO you shook your head sternly. "That's not fair to him"

"Well….it might be,” She gave you a hopeful look.

“What are you talking about?”

“Come on,” She picked you up and dragged you to her room.

She sat you on her bed as she went and pulled an ancient looking book from her shelf. You read the cover: “The Grimoire.”

“I borrowed it from my friend Maggie,” She explained. “Basically it's a master list of spells,”

“And she just let you borrow this?” You gave her a suspicious look.

“I told her it was an emergency.”

“Really?”

“Well! It was. Of the heart. She gets it she’s an empath and a romantic,” She assured you. “Anyway!” She turned to a dog eared page.

“Read” it she instructed.

You read the page: “ ‘Emotion Magnifier’....what is this?”

“It's the spell I used on Rafael.” She smiled.

“...What?”

“It wasn't really a love spell per say,”. She explained. “Those are frowned upon in the witch community. Y'know free will and all,”

“Wait so this didn't mess with his free will?”

“No ma'am! It just magnifies whatever somebody already feels. You just have to zone in on what emotion you want to draw out. So I used amorous feelings on Rafael,”

“So...that means...what exactly…?” You wanted to make sure you understood what she was saying.

“Well since he went so insane this morning, it magnified some already pretty strong feelings for you.” She smiled

“WHAT?!”

Your mind was spinning. Had he really been telling the truth about falling in love with you the moment he saw you? Has this actually just sped up the process of your relationship? Why hasn't he ever said anything? You've never really talked. How was this possible?

"So...what you're saying is…"

"He was clearly already smitten with you darling," She grinned even bigger at you.

"Oh my god….oh my god!!!!" You squealed. Maybe...maybe those feelings would be stronger than any potion, maybe he would remember today.

You went to bed that night with a hopeful heart.

-----

#rafael barba #rafael barba x you #rafael barba x reader #rafael barba fanfiction #law and order svu #law and order svu fanfiction

[digital-heart]

So before solmare can give any official archangel designs, I figure I'd finally show my archangel oc designs. Some I've had for months, others are newer.

Some of these might be more obscure archangels lmao, but I saw them on a list and got ideas

My council of archangels:

Michael

He is the golden boy, with a thousand watt smile to draw in people and put them at ease; he's charismatic with a loud presence. But, he's like a politician. He specifically keeps up this act to bring himself loyalty and support, to make people think he's got their back and is capable of no wrong. There's cruelty behind those eyes, masked by his brilliant radiance, he's selfish, truthfully. He wants people to follow him and listen to what he says; he'd say it's in father's name, but it's for himself. He can't stand disobedience, and likes his fellow archangels like they're collectable porcelain dolls he keeps.

The eye patch comes from the rebellion, in my own version of it where lucifer and Michael were fighting, lucifer's wings were torn off (I like to imagine sometimes Michael cutting or tearing then off lucifer's back for effect), and from behind Michael Satan emerged from the wing's pool of blood and jumped on his back full feral mode and clawed out his eye before being shaken off.

Raphael

The healer. He holds himself highly, in that smug way you can tell someone finds you less than their equal and more just amusing to watch. He does care, just more like someone cares for someone weaker than them. Like he'd see a person struggling with a thing and be like, awe, you poor fool, of course you can't do it right, here, let me guide you. Has an appreciation for music that seems intellectual, and he holds himself as such; in his own eyes, no other compares to him. He thinks nothing of letting others know this and what he perceives as what they get wrong and their flaws and points them out. Bitch.

Camael

The celestial judge. He is justice and righteousness in humanoid form, he's a good himbo who wants peace and to protect everybody. He decides the sentence of all crimes in the celestial realm, and that includes angels who are judged to deserve to fall or be executed. He values justice above all, but there are times where he can't help but feel for those he judges. He's too much of a good boy, too soft on the inside to be the calculating judge who only sees the facts like he presumably should be, and sometimes he thinks he's weaker and broken for it. He holds himself up as a warrior, but he can actually get startled easily; fire scares him most.

(His eyes are golden, not white; this picrew hadn't had yellow options lmao)

Ariel

The lioness. She is a lover of and protector of nature. Less in the tree hugger way, more the, if you step on that flower she is going to shoot you with her arrow. She's very rough along the edges and intimidating, preferring plants to people or angels or demons, but anyone who is nice to nature she likes. She is in charge of the celestial lions, a flock of golden, winged lions she rides in battle, and leads other angels who also ride them.

(The physical traits shared with cam started accidentally, but now I keep thinking of them as twins possibly)

Pravuil

The record keeper. Nearly always annoyed at something, he writes the records for important meetings and acts as the celestial librarian, managing every book and scroll and note in a grand library containing all the knowledge in the realm. His memory records everything, and he's the actual smartest of the archangels. He acts like he dislikes everybody, but he actually sincerely cares about and would protect his angelic family if it came to it, even putting them above his library he cares for. Secret softy under a crunchy shell.

Jophiel

The understanding one. She is seen as one of the most beautiful angels, and she always has a gentle hand. She's always trying to help with issues and be there for everyone with a cute smile. The only time she's upset, is when others are upset and she's unable or unsure how to help. Never has anything mean to say or harsh actions, only kindness. She loves humans, and thinks even demons can be taught better, she adores all. She's delicate, but she's been known to roll up her sleeves to help with physical work if someone needs it, and she's a great solver and logical, which people underestimate a ton. A sweet, sweet baby.

Gabriel

The messenger. She delivers messages not just in her realm, but between realms. She also delivers prophecies to humans, and alerts her fellow archangels of possible futures as well. She can see hazy branching futures while it is undecided, but if something is set then a clear vision can cause her to feel faint with its weight. Clear futures are rare, and often only comes from eventful things, but it's common to see her distracted as she flicks around possible small futures, and a lot of the time bumps into things if no one is steering her while she walks and does this. She can turn it off, but she's fascinated by it and chooses not to unless she needs to put her full attention on something, and even then she can feel the prophecies itching at her mind all around trying to get back in, so it's also for comfort she keeps the visions in her mind.

Sandalphon

The director of prayers. He closely monitors the human realm and makes reports often on the realm and how it's doing. He can be soft spoken and often reserved, but he's very nice and loving. He adores kids so much. He likes it when his siblings are enjoying them selves, and often rather watches than gets involved unless he's dragged to join. He enjoys art a lot, and can't play any sports with any skill even if you payed him.

He and metatron are twins.

Metatron

Scribe of the book of life. He keeps meticulous records of the human realm and the lives of most beings who reside there. He is rather shy, but with his looks and the way he talks in trying to act not shy, he sometimes accidentally seems flirtatious, he's mostly unaware of his effect, though. He often gets distracted observing things, as he likes to write journals on things unrelated to his job as well, and can sit for hours so he can write a vivid description of something, like water or trees or stones. A secret poet, but he rarely let's anyone see those books.

He and sandalphon are twins.

Uriel

The light. He's a teacher amongst angels and sometimes humans, bringing literal light and the light of wisdom. He's pretty laid back and prefers to achieve what he wants and needs with only the amount of energy absolutely needed. He has a calm energy, and is generally unbothered. He's curious about humans, but in the way researchers are curious about a discovery. They're more like funny little curiosities to him than anything equal to his fellow angels. He's not likely to be involved in matters that won't effect him, and would rather sit and keep watch with a small, unbothered smile. He's surprisingly stern under that calm smile, though, and is capable of being a bit harsh occasionally, but he acts more like it's a joke to him.

Part 2 with more angels coming soonish !

Also gonna add links to the picrews in a reblog.

#obey me #shall we date #om oc #obey me oc #obey me angels #om angels #obey me archangels #angel oc

[almosthumanophelia]

Tenno Ophelia

Backstory and Overview

// I decided to finally make a (coherent) post detailing Ophelia's history and origin story as a Tenno. I've discussed it a bit on this blog before, but a few things have changed, and I wanted to really get it all down. Some facts and the exact timeline may differ somewhat from the canon in-game Tenno; I don't really consider this an AU, just a thing to keep in mind. Feel free to spread this around or offer some thoughts, asks and feedback are always welcome. Story time!

Ophelia was born to well-off parents, both computer scientists and engineers, and some of the best in their field. They lived in the middle tiers of Orokin society, and had a similar level of standing as the high ranks of the modern Corpus.

Her father focused on the hardware side of things; her mother, the software. Though they were trusted with many projects, they were best known for their work with Cephalons. They instilled an early love of Cephalons in their infant daughter, who began to have conversations with the geometric holographic projections almost as soon as she could speak.

One day, the pair got an offer - or rather, an order disguised as an offer - to travel to the Tau system aboard the Zariman. They would be chief engineers for the ship's more complex systems, and assist in establishing the technological aspects of the new colony once they arrived. They had no close family, and nobody they trusted to take in their daughter. Because they would be gone for years, they had no choice but to bring her along as well. Ophelia embarked on the mission with her parents when she was just three years old.

The disaster that followed was well documented in classified Orokin records. Ophelia's father was the first to succumb to the madness. Her mother held on long enough to get their child to safety, hiding her in a cargo storage area, locking the door, and scrambling the door codes so that when she eventually gave in as well, she would be unable to enter.

The plan worked, but at a cost. The cargo area was not as well shielded from radiation and Void energy. Ophelia was left exposed, and suffered severe Void energy burns. They scarred nearly her entire body, leaving twisted, blackened marks over every part of skin they touched. Some of the other children could hear her screams of pain and terror, even from corridors away. She would not be extracted and treated until the Orokin recovered the ship. Although her exact memories of events were always fuzzy, the emotions and sensations she experienced stayed with her long after her rescue.

The traumatized toddler was very quiet, and often refused to speak at all. When she did, it was typically out of fear of being left alone and abandoned once more. The Void scarring left her physically weakened, and often suffering from pains and aches. Orokin experiments and probes to try and determine the full effects of Void energy were exceptionally painful for her. Often, anyone who attempted to treat her was subject to severe injuries and burns from outbursts of energy. But unlike most of the other Tenno, Ophelia's outbursts were deliberate. She learned to harness her power early as a defense mechanism.

The Orokin were left with a child who was volatile, traumatized, violent, and a selectively mute amnesiac - but one who was exceptionally powerful. They weren't willing (or, really, able) to dispose of her, but she needed a permanent guardian. Margulis, who had taken the Tenno on as her charges, soon noticed a pattern in the girl's behavior. Though she shunned human contact, she still whispered to the facility Cephalons, often late at night when she was supposed to be sleeping.

At the age of five, Ophelia was given her first and only Cephalon: a fairly recent Series Two by the name of Cephalon Ordis, whose sole standing order was her care and well-being. The two hit it off, and were soon inseparable. When she talked to her Cephalon, she became more personable, happy, and open. Eventually, slowly, Ophelia began to open up to the other children once again, though she still kept them at arms' length.

Then Margulis vanished, and Ophelia's fears of abandonment flared up once more. She clung to Ordis more tightly than ever. Her bond with him had evolved beyond Cephalon and master; they were much more akin to parent and child. Ordis was her sole support system as she was ushered into the role of child warrior, under Ballas's direction. When she eventually learned that Margulis had been killed, her upset over the situation, combined with how poorly she herself had been treated in the past, began to turn into a burning hatred of the Orokin. It was a hate she would carry the rest of her life.

Ophelia's first and favorite Warframe was a Volt, one that matched her volatile, fragile, but highly dangerous and powerful nature. She became known for quick, ruthless strikes, slaughtering the enemy before they had a chance to react. The bloody scenes of battle were cathartic to the girl, and helped her deal with her trauma and loss. She took a certain amount of pride in being good at what she did, trained hard, and soon was considered to be on par with the Orokin mercenaries of old. Missions were never a source of conflict or moral crisis for her; she did her job and did it well, and she grew up killing for a cause.

When the time came to turn on the Orokin, she saw it as a way to make them pay for what they had done. She moved against them without hesitation and without mercy, falling perfectly in line with Natah and the Sentients' plan. However, she would not go into cryosleep willingly, and be separated from her beloved Ordis. She had to be put to sleep, and never got a chance to explain or say farewell. She was thirteen.

Over a hundred years later, she was awake once more, and on missions once again - this time, following the guidance of the Lotus, though much more loosely than she had under the Orokin. She viewed the Lotus as more of a battle commander than a mother, but she still carried a certain respect and affection for her. Reunited with Ordis and feeling free for the first time in her life, Ophelia displayed a real sense of spunk and humor in her work, though she often acted outside the bounds of her orders. Other Tenno grew to knew her as something of a rebellious wild card.

Ophelia's skills aside from warrior and mercenary work included hacking and programming, something she inherited from her parents. She was always exceptional when it came to working with tech, and was never shy about showing that off. However, memories of the parents she inherited her skill from, as well as those of her life before the Zariman, would forever elude her. What little she had, had been permanently corrupted by her long cryosleep. She was now only a Tenno, and nothing else. Ophelia could not even remember her own last name. Meanwhile, aches and pains would forever continue to plague her, even as she grew a bit more physically strong. Nightmares and night terrors were more symptoms left over from her younger days; the only one ever able to calm her during one of these episodes was Ordis.

Upon uncovering fragments of Ordis's memory that revealed his past to her, Ophelia was shocked. She saw the parallels in their life stories, and carried a deep gratitude to the Cephalon that had looked after her so faithfully. After a bit of coaxing and coding backdoors, she spoke directly to the part of Ordis that was still faithful to his roots as Ordan. He admitted that he had not seen her as a punishment for a very long time, and they came to an understanding that their familial affection for each other was genuine and mutual. Her training from that point onward began to focus more on emulating Ordan's battle style. Eventually, Ophelia would adopt the last name Karris as a tribute to the man she considered her true father.

#warframe #tenno #orokin #cephalon ordis #operator #the lotus #opheliathings #this is what you are (operator ophelia au) #my ocs

[john-langley-bristol-blogger]

From yesterday's hero to today's ranter.

Okay, so "hero" may be taking literal license to the extreme, none the less I was able to employment matchmake for two wonderful people yesterday.

First off was taking Jay to meet a retailer friend of mine who was looking for someone reliable to work a few hours a week in his indoor retail unit. "How much do you think I should pay her?" he asked. He started at £8.00 per hour and I got him up to £10 because she is worth every penny, and with deal done I'm really happy for them both, and Jay will be such a huge asset to him towards selling his Christmas stock. Jay is someone I would move heaven and earth to help in any way I can, and he is just a nice, honest, straightforward, down-to-earth bloke.

Having left them to it my next task was catching up with another friend who I haven't seen for quite some time. Simon R is a highly experienced barista, and what he doesn't know about the coffee shop hospitality sector you could write on the back of a postage stamp. He can run shifts, stores, manage and train teams as well as being fantastic with customer service, and the calm go-to guy if and when there is a store problem.

Simon has been working for s major supermarket chain for some time now, and I've always known his heart is back behind the bar doing what he does best of all. So when the manager of a coffee shop asked if I knew anyone seeking a job, Simon, without any hesitation at all, sprung to mind as being perfect!

I should point out that even before asking Simon if he would be interested I'd already raved about him, his knowledge, capabilities, and professionalism to the manager of the coffee shop and secured him a management in training position. So far whoopee-doo! It's all looking great for him. Now all I needed to do was go and find Simon at the supermarket and gain his enthusiasm, which I did, and it took less than five minutes for him to decide to go for it. I asked if I could pass his number on to the coffee shop manager, and then raced back to see her feeling really excited that again I had done something positive for two very special people - albeit him being interviewed and offered the job, of course. All I can say is that my strongest gut feeling tells me that this will be a formality and he will be starting his new role inside a month. I'm excited.

Fast forward and it's by now 6.30 this morning, and I wake up to a cold, grey sky, and the sound of Glasgow's COP26 conference being discussed on the radio. How fucking dreary! I fail miserably to get past the irony of private jets, helicopters, and Presidential cavalcades piling into Scotland's capital to attend a climate change conference which will turn out to be nothing more than a junket talking-shop for the great and the good, especially given that the news informs me basically sod-all has happened in the world since the last conference. However, on the positive side, with hundreds of thousands of more people, it will be as good for Glasgow's economy as quite possibly it will for the malt whisky industry too, as wee dram after wee dram is necked to the overall rejoice of the highland, lowland, and Speyside distilleries.

With all that said, and - with no pun intended, in the true spirit of the headline I will now turn my full attention to the "rant."

What an absolute load of bollocks all this climate change bile is!

While I'm in no way disputing climate change, as shock of all horrors this is something which has been happening for the past 4.5 billion years, the UN is now saying that the last 7 years are the hottest "on record". Now given that records started around the mid 1800's while the planet is approximately 4.5 billion years old, can anyone else see the problem here, or is it just me?

I may have an IQ of 148, but I am by no means a genius as this is still work in progress, and given my current demise due to emphysema I'm living with the fact that I will never reach an Einstein level of thinking, so why bother. However, I do live with and quite enjoy the fact that I never have been and never will be one of the sheeple in the world. I'm not one to jump on the bandwagon of populist thinking or belief in the common tribalist way, or follow the narrative because the downside being that if I don't I will be outcast simply because I don't feel any sense of 'belonging.' I am a free-spirit, my own person who fully owns my shit - as they say, a free thinker, and if all of that isn't enough, I don't give a flying fuck what others think because I don't say things solely to please others and fit into whatever box suits whatever their bubble happens to take the shape of. So I'm a renegade, an outcast, a rebel, and a square peg where the majority of others are round in this world and fit the round holes because they are conditioned to do.

All of which leads me to an undeniable fact that climate is NOT the problem, the people are. The world is over-populated, and the more people there are the more schools, colleges, universities, hospitals, doctors, nurses, surgeries, offices, factories, police, fire services, roads, houses, land grabs, and other infrastructure and resources have to be found. This is by no means rocket science, and it doesn't take a genius to work out. No one wants to take any ownership at all of the facts that it's people who are the problem, and the fewer people in the world the more of everything there is to go around. Look, I'm no genius when it comes to basic mathematics either, however, even I can even work out the sums on this one without the need for a calculator.

Trust me, this planet has been taking care of itself for over 4 billion years and will continue to do so long after humanity has been eradicated and shaken like fleas off a dog's back. So the sheer and brazen conceit and arrogance of those who think they can 'save' the planet is breathtaking!

Okay, are you ready now for the part that people really do not want to hear, or in any way acknowledge? The way and the only way that this issue will be resolved will be via millions of people dying. Radical, or what! It's already begun with the global COVID pandemic, and any strains that will now follow. Likewise, there will be the severest weather conditions, and what is classed as other 'disasters' because this is planet payback time and millions more will lose their lives as time marches on as a consequence.

These I believe are the missing, if not completely ignored part of the global equation which no one wants to hear because the sheer weight of pulling on heartstrings to such an extent is so, so overwhelming to our sensitivities that this doesn't bear thinking about.

I rest my case.

#John Langley #Bristol #author #blogger #death's door diaries #johnny rockard #home & lifestyle #climate change #paris climate agreement #climatebreakdown #climate news #climate summit #conference #cop26 agenda #cop26: glasgow climate change conference 2021 #who is attending cop26? #humanity #covid 19 #covid deaths

[dontcallmecarrie]

Hi there! I've got a question, what is Tony's threat level according to other intelligence agencies after all the snafu of TWIFFON? Like does CBI and FBI' opinion differ from Interpol or MI6? And what about SI legal? Do they have specific lawyers on threat watch and Pepper too? At this point I'm even wondering what does Bill Gates and other competitors think of SI legal? Are they crying in opposition? What was president' reaction over SHIELD' fall and Tony? What about FoxTV and Twitter?

Disclaimer: TWiFFON was created with accidental world domination as an end goal long before I posted the first chapter, as a spitefic in response to the fandom’s reaction to Civil War, and Tony’s treatment in particular. I am a very broke student who’s doing this for fun, as stress relief between classes and whenever I have the time. I am not a political science major, or economics, or business. I have absolutely no clue as to how a corporation’s run, or international law, this is just me derping around in the MCU and keeping my fingers crossed that comic book science covers for whatever I’ve missed and hoping for the best. [So if I screwed something up on the legal side, you’ll know why.]

Okay, now that that’s taken care of: the gist of what you’re asking can be found in a post I did a while back, on power dynamics behind the scenes. 

[more under the cut, because you guys know how I roll and RIP whoever’s on mobile otherwise. Because this turned into surprise SI meta.]

To sum up from that post: 

Tony and Co. are pretty damn formidable, but PR’s mostly on top of things to make them seem like they’re harmless. Whether or not it works depends a lot on a myriad of factors, including economics, political leanings, and location, and as I’ve said before the US has a different view on Tony than the rest of the world does. I’m not going to delve into specifics [this was supposed to be crack, dammit!], because of the above, but given that in real life the heavy pull that corporations have, I’d like to think that in terms of suspension of disbelief I’m not doing too badly. 

I mean, sure, there’s always going to be opposition, but a) Stark Industries used to be in the weapons manufacturing business, so they’re used to cutthroat politics even if they changed tracks a while back [and we’ve seen it happen, and will continue to do so in the fic], and b) I haven’t even touched on how comic book science influences things, like how Wakanda’s existence throws a wrench into International politics or Howard Stark’s infamous legacy [which is a story for another post].

I mean, in real life, the US really did a number on Latin America in the ‘60s and ‘70s. Now imagine what could’ve happened if SHIELD was also out there fucking shit up.

Or how Vietnam must’ve been like, because guess who probably got some of the contracts for supplying the military with munitions? Or just what might’ve led to a different sociopolitical landscape, because how would have Captain America’s image have influenced the Red Scare? Would Howard’s influence [via SHIELD, or otherwise] led to a different way of dealing with Iran? He was known to have participated in the Manhattan Project, so that’s already one change felt: how else did he make it into the history books?

Just…I could go on. I haven’t watched any of the tv shows, but…well. You get the idea. How influential was Howard, even before Tony was born? Bits and pieces’ll show up in TWiFFON, and some other things I write, but…well. You get the idea. 

Also: I have no clue how economics work in real life [again, broke student here, statistics’re more my speed at the moment], but…if NAFTA and the TPP can exist, in real life, and royally fuck up international economies because profits, then a fictional company that’s been kicking since before World War II and is currently headed by some of the sharpest minds in their generation is, again, not too far out in terms of suspension of disbelief. 

After all, Stark Industries is a family company. [Well…kinda.]

Sure, at the time it was also for weapons manufacturing, but still: Tony grew up knowing he’d inherit it someday. I cover this a bit in the PR interlude, and I think you guys might be able to see hints of it in the Legal interlude as well, but Tony grew up with Obadiah being a larger presence in his life than Howard was, and I forget if it got cut or not but in one draft the PR representative was also a known face. 

So, Stark Industries’ presence has been a constant in Tony’s life. Stemming from childhood, even, and we can see its influence early on, too: remember how he was 17 when he worked with PR to keep stock prices from plunging and thus avoid layoffs? 

Tony’s very possessive of what he has, when it comes to people. Add in a dash of spite and his issues, and you get a company that hasn’t changed its stance on vacation time in decades, or health insurance coverage for its employees since before the Reagan administration, and offered roughly a month of paternity leave shortly after Tony took over the company. [Daddy issues for the win.]

Sure, it cut into profits a little, but iit wasn’t like he was hurting for money. And Tony always had a patent or two ready to shut up the board whenever anyone tried to complain and the ‘hey our productivity’s way higher than the competition’ wasn’t enough of a reason to keep things as they were. 

Plus, remember how I said it part of it was out of spite? Tony’s mentally flipping his father off the whole time, but he’s also very smug about it because ha, that that, Hammer and your stupid budget cuts! 

And all the while, Forbes and the Wall Street Journal are all but gushing about how SI’s employee satisfaction rates are off the charts. Tony tries to make it background noise, because really, it should not be unusual to offer that much maternity leave, seriously, what is wrong with you people…and in doing, so kinda misses out on some things.

Like, for instance, just how diehard loyal Stark Industries is. 

There’s a reason everyone in SI’s so rabid about corporate espionage, and maybe money can’t buy everything but overtime pay sure goes a long way sometimes and turns out that on-site daycare is a smash hit, who knew? It’s not just the pay, really; it’s the company picnics with a line-item for property damage, it’s the rivalry Legal and R&D have that has the rest of the company eating popcorn, it’s in the top-of-the-line coffeemakers in the break rooms and free entertainment whenever Hammer Industries tries to do a thing and fails epically. 

Add in the way SI’s got some very strict policies on stuff like sexual harassment [because Tony may act like a playboy for the cameras but he respects women and won’t stand for it], and JARVIS’ assistance, plus Pepper being Pepper, and you’ve got a company full of highly motivated, hypercompetent people all united under the same banner and an employee satisfaction rate that makes the competition go equal parts ‘that sounds fake but okay’ and ‘just what the hell do these people even eat?!’ and that’s why, in the legal sense at least, Tony’s all but untouchable. Business-wise, SI’s feared and envied because Legal’s Seen Some Shit and PR’s handled two generations of Starks and good fucking luck getting a spy in. when JARVIS is in charge of background checks and all fellow coworkers are willing to go the extra mile if it means showing up Hammer. [And I haven’t even mentioned SWORD yet.] Again, SI used to be a weapons company. Sure, they’re doing more civilian-friendly stuff now, but that kind of legacy is really hard to erase even if you tried. You don’t get to the top by being kind, in that industry […I think; again, broke student here], and we’ll see that aspect crop up more as we go along in the fic, too.

Just…where other companies took a colder turn, went more for profits and took advantage of the tax cuts, Stark Industries didn’t change a thing. Jobs didn’t move offshore, and the international branches were chugging along well before NAFTA was put into effect. After all, unlike other sectors, they can afford to do so, because Tony takes pride in churning out top-of-the-line stuff [be it bomb, pre-Afghanistan, or the latest tablet or nanoprocessor], and, again, his genius means he can increase revenue without having to do it at the expense of SI’s employees if push ever came to shove.

Plus, I reiterate: this is meant to be self-indulgent stress relief. Suspension of disbelief’s a thing, this is the same universe where we have cryogenically-preserved supersoldiers running around and magic exists. 

To sum up: okay, now what you’ve got is a company of hypercompetent employees who’re diehard loyal and who knows how many resources at their disposal. So when things snowball…well. Really, it was a tiny bit of miscommunication, could’ve happened to anyone!

It’s just. Umm. Just a tiny case of world domination. 

[not going too much into specifics because guess what the fallout-from-AoU/buildup-to-CW arc’s even about, and I kinda went overboard with the meta enough as is.]

#I got an ask! #Naught replies #meta #if you're going to be evil might as well do it right meta #Stark Industries #behind the scenes #thinking aloud #Naught rambles

[batch83]

Well done, you!

An LSE Journey Essay

Looking deep into ourselves to find our real motivation can be hard especially when everything around us have been going by in a blur. Our true purpose, should we ever find it early, tend to get lost somewhere between making a living, paying the bills, raising kids and running a hundred different errands. Before you know it, you're well into your middle age and wondering where did the last 10 years go. It is in this age that I started to question what my endgame is.  

I was born in the North to Ilocano parents, raised in Metro Manila and educated in both private and government institutions.  I majored in Architecture but majority of my work is in another discipline.  For the past 13+ years in Singapore, I worked, and mostly enjoyed, working in Civil Engineering specifically in Geotech where we do a lot of underground works for tunnels and transport structures.  Such a badass feeling for a female to actually do this in a predominantly male field! I left the Philippines not because there was a pressing need to provide. On the contrary, I have a stable but boring job in the city. I was surprised when I got the call from a foreign headhunter that, at the prospect of new adventures and since there's nothing to lose (they paid for all the expenses anyway), I relented and went along to see where'd I'd end up. Fortunately, fate has been good. 

Being a migrant worker for most of my youth can be quite unsettling.  I have all the time in the world in a new environment full of possibilities, earning a decent disposable income and not saddled with pressing responsibilities. When you're new in a foreign land, the allure of all things shiny are very tempting. It's these times that I went on a spree, a moderate one by standard, but to an Ilocano it's a spree nonetheless.  Year in and out, I accumulated stuff that I liked and like to share with my family. But as my belongings grew and lugging them from one rental house to the next becomes harder, I thought "there must be more to gain in living here than this".  

Enter social media.

I spent numerous hours scrolling, clicking and just wasting time away but it's an upside that I saw an A-LSE sponsored seminar on one of the shared posts. At this point I'm already indoctrinated in the concept of financial management by another OFW (also an admirable Fin-Lit and Social Enterprise advocate) and seeing the A-LSE program page with all the bright faces of the students, my curiosity was piqued. What is this group that makes people come together and learn new stuff to improve themselves? The FOMO (fear of missing out) is strong and I had to join in on the fun. I finally got in a year after putting my name down on the waiting list.

 And so, the grind begins.

 The program started with self-introspection -- who are you, what makes you get up in the morning, what's your mission -- its wading at the rubbish and finding the bits that radiate sunshine. It's the equivalent of doing the Marie-Kondo in your life and removing the clutter.

As a parent, my goal is to give my child the tools and opportunities that will enable him to achieve good things in life. Not great, but good. I can only lead him to the starting line, I will leave it up to him to finish it in ways he sees fit.  Of course, to be able to do that I will need the financial capacity to provide for his primary needs but also to be there emotionally to support and guide him in his decisions. My goal is to show him the dignity in working and the joy of doing good, to impart the values I've learned from my parents, to have fun and appreciate the arts.

As a sibling, my goal to help them finish their tertiary education has been fulfilled. My siblings are now enjoying their chosen professions and has now embarked on new pursuits to ascend to the next level. Next is to help them map out their financial plans for the future -- that's a tactic to make them financially independent and not borrow money from me.

As a daughter, my goal is to see my parents enjoy the latter years of their lives and to help them come into terms that they need to step back and let their children take on the responsibilities on managing their estate.

As a person, my goal to become an instrument of change in however small way I can manage. Running for public office seems the easiest route but as I have no death wish and plan to live a longer-ish life, that's a no-go for me.

My goal is to achieve financial independence in the next decade, to establish my own enterprise, have enough to sustain my health coverage and retirement in the later years and leave a worthy legacy to my family. Lastly, I want to travel every year or every other year to places that are culturally rich and ‘gram worthy.

The 10 sessions have brought immense knowledge and insight about the core competencies of the LSE program. Journals have been written to provide a deeper insight for each session.

For Leadership, I find Tina Liamson's lecture on Migration & Principles of Leadership enlightening. The most fascinating has got to be from Dr. Juan Kanapi's Appreciative Inquiry. This is the first time I've heard of it and it's quite difficult to grasp the idea and can be easily confused with positivity. But at the end, It shows that if practiced AI is not just mind tricks but a powerful tool in realising your full potential.

The best lectures for Financial Literacy are the split sessions of Vince Rapisura and Edwin Salonga. (Edwin's lecture is about Social Entrepreneur but I remembered a lot more on his lecture about Finances, hence…) Who knew studying finance concepts could be this good? And most definitely not boring! I now have a deeper understanding about managing my finances better and learning that my current insurance is shit, which I really need to rectify soon. I can't tell you enough how the things I've learned from these wonder duos are gold. Call me by any other name (read: biased), but Ed's lecture is my most favourite of the lot.

The Social Entrepreneurship sessions have the most gravitas for these lectures carry the main core of the program. They're not all boring, mind you, but can be a bit challenging. The lectures on this series provided many useful tips for future entrepreneurial endeavors and is a big help in formulating our business plan. Other insights for the SE series can be read here and here.

At every journal writing, I try to reflect on what I've learned and think of ways to apply them in my daily life.  Most often I find things and events that need to be tweaked or heavily redesigned in order for it to be aligned with my future goals. Most pressing of these are the consolidation of my assets and liabilities, and making a clear plan on mapping out my finances that will include my son's future education.  The next point is to work on myself and how I carry myself as a leader starting at home. What better place to practice than to apply these learning in the household first? Hopefully, I will be able to improve my inability to forge meaningful connections to people by the time I have to build my own enterprise. I am not aspiring to be Miss Friendship, I'm ok with Miss Effective Boss or even Miss Influencer-For-The-Greater-Good. Tall order, I know, but we're allowed to dream and dreaming is free.

Joining the program made me realise the answer to my question, "So what happens now?" 

During my first few years as a migrant worker, my goal is to save so I can buy gadgets to connect me home. After having a mobile phone, a laptop and the ability to call home any time, ano na? As I enter my 14th year of being a migrant, I've somewhat been able to achieve the things I hoped for. Not the millions of dollars in bank account **fingers crossed**, but a comfortable life. But that restlessness persists. Learning that there are available avenues to pursue these in the Philippines is a big help in making me step into the right direction closer to the things I wanted to become. Programs like these give hope.  With that, I realise that there is more I can do back home than where I am currently at. I have the knowledge; I can share it -- starting with a small group of like-minded people who are willing to help themselves. Acquiring and sharing knowledge is free so I may as well start with that. 

All the sessions have been audio recorded and kept in a cloud that I shared with family members. Many of the things Dr. Kanapi said are the things I so want to say to my father. Sharing it is just a click away, let him hear it straight from the board-certified horse's mouth.  

I also plan to lead the residents in our small sitio towards a better understanding of financial management which can be instrumental in their livelihood. These people have been known in the family for decades. They have worked alongside our grandparents in tilling the land and their children continues to do so. While there have been advancements in their lives, I believe there is more to be done -- better education for their children/grandchildren, opening bank accounts, accessing government programs, using tech etc. I am excited to share with them the different concepts we have learned in the program, and also a good training ground for me to improve my leadership skills.

I highly commend the A-LSE program for striving to make the Filipino Migrant Workers' quest for relevancy and better lives. Much appreciation to A-LSE founding Team and the current secretariat who makes it run smoothly. The past month has been very trying but everyone has been great in providing feedback and extending their hands.  For that, a big Salute! to everyone -- for the team and the speakers who traverse the globe every year. 

As a program alumnus, I will most definitely uphold the values of the LSE in the best way that I possibly can. Sadly, my physical involvement with the LSE will not extend to the volunteer work for the next batch as  I have made plans for the next year that will make it impossible to fulfill my duties on the site . However, I am willing to extend my skill/expertise in whatever way I can as long as it is done remotely. 

Thank you, A-LSE.

Congratulations, Batch 83!

2019 will be remembered as the year I turned another leaf over.

#ALSE Singapore #My LSE Journey #ALSE Batch 83 #Ateneo OF-LIFE

[ruffoverthinksthings]

I've thoroughly enjoyed the Claudine/Frollo headcannons, do you have any in mind for Esmeralda/Phoebus? If the sequel movies are wiped from this universe, that means their son doesn't exist (or not yet). Also, do you have another headcannon for onesided fresme on frollo's part? How would he handle being unable to obtain her in this universe?

Ilike to believe the sequels and spin-offs are valid, as the bookseries (which is, as of the Rise of the Isle of the Lost, is canon…to a certain extent) makes reference to characters that could onlyexist outside of the original movies, such as:

Diegode Vil, presumably the child of Ivy de Vil from the 101 DalmatiansTV series, or a descendant from the rest of the extended de Vilfamily, and

Jade,Jay’s cousin and presumably the daughter of Nasira, Jafar’ssister from the Aladdin video game series

There’sa level of personal bias, with the amount of work I’ve already putinto expanding the world with my own ideas, but I think we can allagree that the Isle and Auradon would be a whole lot less interestingif we didn’t have the likes of:

Mozenrath(Aladdin animated series) acting as Maleficent’s longsuffering middle manager, and personal chew toy as an “inferiormagical being,”

LadyWaltham (Tarzan animated series) adding an element of sympathyto the Isle of the Lost with her regretting her brother Clayton andher nephew are still on there and unable to return, and

LadyCaine (Tangled: Before Ever After), who adds a deliciouselement of grayness and a MASSIVE stain on the otherwise pristinereputation all sympathetic Disney monarchs have.

Ontothe headcanons:

Phoebusbecomes one of the new Captains of the Guard in France once theoriginal forces are merged with, or completely replaced by the newlyestablished Auradon Royal Guard. Though the actual administrative andexecutive power lies much higher up the ranks (such as theCommander-In-Chief, Beast), he himself is an incredibly influentialmember, well-known and well-loved by the citizenship and the fellowsoldiers he patrols the streets with.

Auradonhad to rely heavily on translators, human and machine, or translatingmagic during its tumultuous first years, as everyone struggled tofind one common language for every state to use as the internationalstandard (it’s English still). A LOT of things get lost intranslation or don’t translate too good into another language, orsomeone gets VERY offended when someone who is fluent in both Frenchand Chinese tells you exactly what they meant, and howunflattering it is.

Andthis isn’t even going into all the numerous cultural clashes andfaux paus, such as one unfortunate Louisiana chef realizing you’renot supposed to serve pork to most Agrahbans until he was alreadyuncovering the dish...

Phoebusbridges the gap through his calm, professional demeanor, alwaysshowing politeness and civility to everyone whoever they may be, andof course, his sense of humour, given “a real workout” when hehas to figure out how to make someone laugh with universallyunderstood comedy (someone falling face first into a pile of horsedung), non-verbal humour (wearing a silly, pink, fuzzy bunny earswhilst on duty), and using simple plays on word that foreigners caneasily get, or are tailored specifically to their language.

“Inever quite realized eggs could be such a huge source of humour,”he muses when he has to speak to Spanish speaking citizens.

However,his usefulness quickly dwindled as the culture clashes settled down,people started learning English, and of course, the already olderPhoebus found himself growing ever older and unable to keep up withthe rapid pace of advancement and pop culture references in Auradon,not to mention his disadvantage of “not being gifted a smartphonefor my first birthday.”

Hehas an incredibly cushy administrative position that pays well,commands respect from his soldiers still, and gives him great hoursto spend with his family and other pursuits, but as he’s no longergoing out (or being allowed) on patrols and interacting personallywith the people in his jurisdiction, he can’t help but wonder ifhe’s just being eased into the idea of retirement, and Auradon issimply too nice to boot him for the much feared “chainsaw HR” ofsome corporations from BGU London.

(Forthose not familiar with the term, “chainsaw HR” is when entiredivisions, and numbers into the hundreds are suddenly, and oftentimeswithout proper recompense or retirement packages, fired or forcedinto early retirement.

It’sa play on the term “axed” for being suddenly fired, and chainsawsbeing a modern, much more efficient tool for the same job as aliteral ax.)

It’ssafe to say that at the age of 55 or so, and having already lived oneillustrious career then a brief revival, he’s having a midlifecrisis, not helped by the fact that many other Auradonians about hisage are feeling as obsolete as last year’s ayGem.

(“Butit came out just a year ago!”

“Yeah,but they updated to a new, much better firmware and hardwarearchitecture, all the hot new apps don’t even bother with legacyupdates.”)

Esmerelda has fared much better.

Shehas become an activist in this world, using the power of theinternet, the normalization of the “other,” and the erasure ofthe national and ethnic boundaries that once separated communities tohelp her fellow Romani people (I won’t use “gypsies,” as that’san offensive term to them), and other marginalized, and forgottengroups, such as much of the Wild Fae population.

Shealso owns and teaches at a dance studio, using them to train the nextgeneration of performers (“Be they for the street, the stage, orthe screen”), and waging a subtle campaign to remove the stigma forblatant and shameless use of sexuality.

I’vealways known Auradon is a conservative wet dream in many respects,and the fact that ripping a tiny tear in your skirt is considered“scandalous” by teenagers says a lot.

Beforeyou ask, YES, Esmerelda is still as desired and lusted afternow as she was BGU—probably even more so, now that we have thecombined populations of all the states, and she is a very popular andcommon presence on the internet.

Beforeyou also ask, Phoebus has long gotten over it and considers it “partof the package.”

Sheis one of the most knowledgeable and well-versed with moderntechnology out of the “Travellers” (Auradonians who were adultsor close to it Before Great Uniting), seeing as her troupe ofperformers have always been highly adaptable and all to ready to dowhatever it takes to survive, fit in with the locale they have foundthemselves in, and afterwards, thrive.

Thatthey have generally relied on being couriers and brokers ofinformation, and the internet basically being a giant free market ofinformation has helped GREATLY.

Withher religion, she still isn’t 100% on the existence of God, onlyever praying to Him during times of crisis or as a show of good faithwith the religious institutions of Auradon, but the Greek Pantheonhas given her hope that Supreme Beings like Him do exist.

“Atthe very least, He’s been very light on throwing down lightningbolts from up on high.”

(Thoughmuch less murderous and many other negative traits than the original,Disney Zeus is still INCREDIBLY fond of “warning shots.”)

Andonce more, before you ask, I can seriously see her making a cameo inthe canon as a guest dance instructor for the Descendants, if sheisn’t already a full-time staff member of Auradon Prep, and yes,she would definitely mentor Evie by showing her much healthier waysof expressing her sexuality and femininity without feeling like she’sdegrading herself, or turning herself into a “slab of meat in thebutcher’s window.”

Zephyrwas born BGU, and if my idea that the states had been communicatingfor a few years before the idea of fusing is canon, has a veryunique perspective of being a “Traveler Tot,” living with theideas and concepts imported over through the portals andcommunication crystals, before he got to live it in Auradon when thetechnology and materials could be more easily accessed and produced.

Heis still hyperactive and excitable as ever, though most of that wasbeing channeled into a combination of soldier training and becoming acircus performer like his parents; in his mind, there really isn’tmuch difference between the two, as they both require incrediblephysical skill and endurance, a sharp and creative mind, andrelentless, dedicated training, day-in, day-out.

“Itall really comes down to what you mean when you say you ‘slayedthem,’” he says.

Thisquickly changes in Auradon when he finds himself addicted to HeroRising, the video game that Carlos was seen playing during hisfirst night in Auradon. While initially Phoebus sees it as a good wayfor him to blow off all his excess energy and get some physicaltraining done, and Esmerelda tolerates it as he’s not going offstealing and rearranging stop signs, it evolves into something muchmore for him in time.

Atfirst, he’s the best player on the block, then in theneighbourhood, then the school, then the city, then the state, andfinally, one of the Hall of Famers in Auradon. As he grows older, hejust barely passes his high school subjects as a conditional for hissponsors support and working with the Hero Rising developersas a PR person, community idol AKA a “Paragon,” and beta tester.The height of his fame and success comes when the latest release,Hero Rising: The Lost Legion, features a new playablecharacter based off of him, and his unique dance-like fighting style:

“Twister.”

Trueto the name, his life is sent into a spin cycle after that.

Afew years pass, a new Hero Rising is released, and everyone isgushing over the new characters, and Twister gives up his place onthe cover art alongside the series “cornerstones” to give them achance to shine.

NewParagons are brought in as the old guard goes off to college, retiresfrom the business into different, less-demanding pursuits, or isquietly given a send-off as they simply aren’t as salable nor asgood as they were a few years ago.

Zephyrquickly realizes that while he’s still got it, these new kids areinsane, and have so many advantages he didn’t, like muchbetter nutrition, a much more generous school schedule, and havingthe infrastructure, the audience, and the sponsors for Hero RisingParagons already there, rather than helping spearhead them.

Hecontinues on, making less and less public appearances, awkwardlybeing one of the only adult Paragons in crowds increasingly filledwith little kids and teenagers, and new characters based off the newParagons get the spotlight.

“Everyonealready knows Twister, and played him to death in all the specialinstance maps, the players want someone new!”

Thedeath-knell of his career and the cold, hard slap from Reality comeswhen Twister is removed from the roster due to development costs, andthe fact that Zephyr’s fees and royalties were considered too highfor the relatively lower cost of a new, fresh face who the fans aremuch more eager to see digitized.

Heand Phoebus both find themselves facing obsolescence, being leftbehind by a world that has simply moved too fast for them and leftthem in its dust, as they were only ever good at one thing each:fighting, either real bad guys or fictional ones.

Andso, with Esmerelda’s love and support, the two go off to reeducatethemselves and train in the new industries and careers Auradondemands, incidentally becoming the inspiration for the blockbusterfeel good movie of eight years from this time of writing:

“WithHonours”

Thestory of how a father and son went back to college, forced to startfrom scratch in a brand new world, learning new tricks, makingstrange friends, and doing a whole lot of growing up they didn’tknow they still needed to do.

Nowonto Frollo:

Helaments his permanent loss of Esmerelda (unlike the other Villains,he harbours no fantasies of Claudine getting him off the Isle—notwhen there’s still so much Good Work to be done here in this landof Sinners and Nonbelievers), and takes the disastrous results of hisobsession and lusting after her as a cautionary tale, the catastrophethat befalls those who turn away from God and the Right Path, and howthey take the whole world down with them.

Publicly,he is “that” preacher yelling about modesty, the sanctity ofmarriage and sexuality, and how pretty much everyone on theIsle is damned for engaging in such scandalous, salacious acts likepremarital sex, sexual intercourse without the intention ofprocreation, and of course, homosexuality.

Privately,he seeks a form of redemption by raising a good, Christian child inClaudine, the child he would have born with Esmerelda and raised ifcircumstances had been different (yeee-eep), and is looking for awoman with whom he can have a much healthier relationship with, toshow someone from this Isle what marriage and the word “love”truly means than the perversion the Islanders have turned it into.

Asboth Claudine and Not Esmerelda will attest to, he’s failedmiserably on both counts, but as usual, is blissfully unaware ofeither.

[realtalk-princeton]

Recently, I've really started resenting my decision to come here instead of Harvard. There's a lot of things I keep thinking about, and I can't seem to reconcile a single, straightforward advantage Princeton has over Harvard. The main things are 1) Workload - the classes here are just harder, and you end up with a worse grade to show for it. It just seem undeniable that we're likely disadvantaged by lower GPAs for recruiting/grad school, and AT BEST, the recruiter/admission people understand the

the GPA difference, so we’re not ridiculously disadvantaged. But in terms of workload, still doesn’t change the fact that my one COS217 assignment is more homework than a weeks worth of total coursework for all but the hardest majors there. They’re out having fun in Boston or chilling with friends while I’m consistently stressed purely from academic workload. 2) Extracurriculars - it seems like there’s so much more stuff to do on campus over there, and the EC scene at Princeton doesn’t really seems to be so much more that they have on campus (from what I hear from friends). There seems such easy access to resume bloat, and they have the free-time to actually pursue it as well. Overall here, it just feels like I’m working harder, have less time to relax, and am on track to less successful than i would’ve been at H and it’s miserable to think about. Sorry that this felt like a rant but I just wanted to get these thoughts off my chest.

Response from Regina:

if the only reason you came here was so that you could be more successful than the people at harvard then i have some news for youu! your success is  dependent on how hard you work.  yes, harvard is easier than here.  im not sure about what harvard has that we dont in terms of extracurriculars  but if we dont have it apply for funding and make it happen!  yes princeton is incredibly hard and harder than harvard but life can be unfair and people might not know that its harder here but you dont need to have all of your successes be noticed by others.  if you’re unhappy here for other reasons (or even these reasons) thats perfectly valid as we cannot say your feelings are invalid but you should figure out a way to be happier! if that means transferring, or switching majors, or creating new clubs on campus, you should do that! but dont have yourself a pity party because if you do that, you are correct that you wont be as successful as your friends from harvard.  if you truly hate spending that much time on your 217 assignment then you probably shouldnt be a cos major if you dont enjoy it.  pick yourself up and remind yourself that you’re at the BEST UNIVERSITY IN THE COUNTRY and decide on what you can do to fix the way that you are feeling!  we want the best for you op and hope that your rant helped you feel better but you gotta put those complaints into action or else you wont be making yourself feel any better.  hope this helped and good luck on finishing othello and your finals!!

Response from Sushi:

^great response Regina (edit: and also Sulpicia)

Response from Sulpicia:

Got ninja’d but I had a rant as well:

We get A LOT of questions like this, and the short answer is that I’m sorry that you think the grass is greener, but there’s nothing you can do about the decision you made in the past. If you want to go to Harvard for grad school great, but otherwise that’s kind of all you can do.

Quite frankly, I don’t think Harvard is in general better than Princeton. My overall philosophy is that different schools are better for different people with different goals, and while Harvard has things Princeton lacks, Princeton has things Harvard lacks. I’m not going to make a T chart or anything, but Princeton has the highest per undergrad spending IN THE WORLD and there are many many advantages that you get here that I’m sure you’re taking for granted because they’re easy to.

Additionally, we get so many ridiculous questions about how Harvard is “so much easier” because their average GPA is higher. It is 0.2 points higher. That is not that much; it’s genuinely like a third of a letter grade higher, and both averages are pretty high. Honestly, if you think that your whole career is going to be derailed because you got one more A- than you think you /might/ have gotten at another school, what are you doing? Your college career does not and should not dictate your entire life and career trajectory, and people thinking that they absolutely must have the best GPA and the best entry-level jobs are not being realistic. Yes, those jobs are great and yes, they will pay well but you are at a school with an ENORMOUS alumni network that will only get richer as your classmates and friends build their own careers. Creativity and hard work are attributes that are prized in the workplace, not the highest GPA (check out the NYT article that came out recently about being a B student).

I don’t think we’re disadvantaged in grad school or recruiting because of GPA. Maybe computer science students don’t get recruited as much as they do from Stanford or a place that is known for CS, but the opportunities we get are ones people at other schools would KILL for. This year we had three Rhodes Scholars, the most from any one school (tied with Yale). We had two Marshall Scholars. People go to top law/med schools every year. Yes, it’s because truly impressive students come here, but it’s insane to me that we have 1-3 Rhodes Scholars EVERY YEAR when many state schools or smaller private colleges would be lucky to have had one or two ever. We get these chances because of the Princeton name, because of the classes/paid internships/fellowships/research trips that give people good resume fodder and essay topics, and because of the coaching we get. If you’re not getting jobs, go to Career Services to the office full of people who are paid to get you a job. I’m sorry that the Fall COS 217 assignment is shit, but that’s life and you’re not the first person to be stuck doing it all break. I highly doubt that everyone at Harvard is “chilling in Boston” and I’m sure most are just as stressed, strung-out, and afraid of failure as you are, if not more so because there’s more pressure to have a perfect GPA.

Like Regina said, I don’t know what’s going on a Harvard (and not the city of Boston) that we don’t have, but there are over 300 groups here and new ones start all the time so I don’t know what you want. Nobody is going to spoon-feed you the life you want, and all this “X university is easier” bullshit is petty and not constructive and honestly just rude. Princeton is lacking in a lot of things but if you’re not getting academic, career, or extracurricular support that you need, then there are resources you can find very clearly on campus.

[dannick99]

I just have to give a cheers to my dear Dad up there on Derby Day, who’s probably so thankful he’s exactly where he is today, knowing him and considering all things as they have been lately! Dogwood stable had a whopping eight horses in the Derby from 1991 - 2013.  Second, third, fourth and beyond. My father never got that ultimate gold ring of horseracing. But he got closer than most in the history of the sport.   We won the Preakness (Summer Squall), and we won the Belmont (Palace Malice), and a gazillion other important races with a continuous string of some of the top horses in the world along the way.   Not only did he enter the game at a time when the old guard of American society and finance was well-ensconsed and befittingly claimed the Sport of Kings as their own. But  Cot Campbell found an incredibly innovative way to break his way into the old game, initially much to the dismay of these old American families – the Vanderbilts Whitneys, Phipps, etc..-  but that didn’t slow him down. He was a believer…. in his own dream. Not long after his idea was conceived and implemented and the green and gold silks were becoming a more familiar sight at the top racetracks around the country, the reality hit that he had actually changed the name of the game, and I dare say allowed for racing to continue as a modern sport that it is today.   As he always said, necessity is the mother of invention!   Cot Campbell therefore became known, for the span of his long prosperous career and for eternity in the horse racing world, as the “Pioneer of Thoroughbred Racehorse Syndication.” He always said to the press:  I was the lucky one who stumbled into it! If I hadn’t, someone else surely would have. Second part may be truth, first part not so true. It was what he was built for. What he was made for - his destiny.  His dad, another hero of mine for reasons I’ll go into another day, and his grandfather exposed him to horseracing back in the days of the great Kelso. Dad found his hero in the way of this big hearted, hard-trying beauty of a horse (look him up if you’re interested). With more exposure throughout his childhood, he fell in love with horses, and the risk and energy and every aspect of the classic romantic sport of horseracing that came with those powerful majestic animals barrelling down the racetrack. My beloved grandfather, Wild Bill Campbell, (Who I miss at times almost as much as my dad) had a horseracing stable for a brief stint called Shoestring Stable in historic Franklin, TN. When World War II broke out, there was a ban on unnecessary travel (um, how we all get that now in 2020 :-&!). He had just gotten his stable working on all cylinders and in full blown Go-mode - ready to ship these primed young racehorses off to the racetrack to do what they were born to do. Due to this poorly-timed government ban, Shoestring Stable went bankrupt before they ever broke out of the gate.  But after experiencing days at the track with his grandfather and seeing his own father build and labor over his stable of racehorses (whether they raced or not), the love and passion for the sport was stamped in Cot Campbell’s blood from that time forward.   A lot of history dots to be filled in after that in my father’s quite unorthodox life and early career, but one commonality for these two Campbell men was work in the fields of sportswriting, novel and guidebook and memoir writing, PR, and advertising. Believe me, there are endless (now funny)lesson-loaded stories between the two of them and their respective careers full of stunts and stints working in every possible kind of position and situation but I’ll continue on for now and revisit those on another interesting day. I was fortunate enough to work for my dad for seven years in the Dogwood Stable office (a beautiful white Victorian house with a wrap-around porch) in Aiken, SC as PR Director. My dad did not believe in nepotism. I had to deserve the job and got no special treatment or pay. And it was a highly sought-after job whenever it happened to open up.  I called him 'Cot' when I was on duty, like the rest of his employees. This job was one of the most rewarding and most challenging experiences of my life. A lot was demanded and especially when we had an entry in a Triple Crown race, and even more especially when we had a favorite. Crazy, energetic bustling times. A bonus was getting to know so many members of the national sports press personally who have since become lifelong friends.  That position as one of the Top 10 Horseracing stables in the country for a long time required it.  EightDerby horses required it! My dad was a very smart businessman in everything that he touched....once he stopped drinking. At age 31. That decision changed his life. As it can sure do. That's another accomplishment of his I am inordinately proud of. He went on to help endless friends and strangers make that same decision for themselves. He only attended AA in the beginning of his sobriety but was a strong believer in and advocate for the program until he died, even saying he thought the best 'church' out there was AA. My dad was a sought out speaker at AA meetings his whole life, and I think he would say that stopping drinking for him was the thing in his life he was the most proud of. I've always said I wouldn't be here if he hadn't made it AA that dark night in mid-town Atlanta in 1957.   He wrote about his drinking life (and all the rest of it) in his third published book called Memoirs of A Longshot - subtitled 'A Riproarious Life'.  It's a highly entertaining read.   Anyway, my job as PR Director in the 90's was selling Dogwood (although it was really selling itself at that point) to the assorted colorful lot of top-of-their-game Sportswriters. . I have never learned as much in the business world as I did as PR Director of Dogwood stable, and I’ve done a lot of things in a lot of varied and significant positions (In the worlds of writing, editing, photography, PR, journalism, and nonprofit management and fundraising). And I”ve never been exposed to a classier, more colorful interesting world than that of horseracing. The final truth of the story is that horseracing would not be what it is today if my father had not done what he did when he did it and how he did it. Yes, maybe/probably someone else would’ve come up with it eventually and run with it, but they didn’t. He did ...early on. And he knew what to do with it. And  made the very bold risky decision to sell out of his thriving Atlanta ad agency - Burton-Campbell (googleable if you care) to start forming racehorse partnerships, when everyone in Atlanta thought he were crazy. Except for mom, as Dad was always quick to point out.  He bought some horses at auction,  bought some land in southern Georgia, built a race track on it, a southern black woman stewing up the absolute best of dishes, and houses for trainers and staff and their families, etc. etc.. Then he bought some high-pedigreed horses at auction and brought them back to Dogwood Farm in Greenville, Georgia.   And then he bought another farm one a mile away to entertain guests after they’ve seen the horses breeze (85+% of their full-out ability)  on a beautiful Saturday afternoon. Cars and busloads from Atlanta would flock to the farm on fall and spring weekends. They would tour the farm, get to know the horses and then come out to the race track watching area with their cocktails where my dynamic dad would get on the megaphone to explain what was happening with each horse.  Everyone was mesmerized. Groups of horses one set at a time flying by the crowd in all their majesty, hooves pounding, athleticism-at-its-best personified. How can you, If you were a guest for the day at the old Dogwood Farm in Greenville Georgia, not see these flashy powerful animals creating beauty in motion on the race track and not want in on that scene!!  You start to picture your future:  those well-recognized yellow and gold polka dot Dogwood silks worn by maybe Steve Cauthen.....or in more current days Irad Ortiz.  You, with your Owner credentials, get to show up in the paddock, watch your horse get saddled, shake the jockey's hand and listen to the trainer give race instructions. Then you go to the Clubhouse to your front and center box seat, drinking a Mint Julep or a Belmont Breeze or Saratoga Sunrise and watch YOUR horse win their race, at Saratoga or Keeneland or Belmont or Churchill Downs that YOU were there and present for.  And after the race, you run down to the track, congrats and high-fives along the route, to get your picture taken in the winners' circle.  “Count me in!!! I’ll take two or three shares!”   My father brought more than 1500 new people into racing, that (in most cases) couldn't have been in the game otherwise, through their being able to buy a share in a horse (or a group of horses in the beginning days).   Dad was a straight shooter too. He was always known by his clients and people he worked with, the media and everyone in the industry as dealing with total honesty and integrity. It’s a reputation he died with. And deserved to, wholeheartedly. My dad was a man of truth. Whether raw and brutal or warm and fuzzy. He delivered it as it was. And I did and do respect the hell out of that and learned a lot of good things from it that continue to serve me well. In business, yes he was a salesman. He was selling a fun experience (albeit an expensive one), but there were no hidden costs in any Dogwood syndicate. Our clients were treated like gold. They were what made the Dogwood engines keep running, as any clients in any business can take credit for, so they were treated as they should be and most became dear family lifetime friends. These were investors who, win or lose at the end of the day, were in it for the experience. Period. Cot Campbell rubbed people’s noses in the fact that they very well WON’T make money!   “Don’t get into it if you’re looking to make money” he was known to say.   He sold the experience as Crepes Suzette. It’s decadent, it’s extra, it’s rich, you may lose something in the taking (or gain - weight!), but you’ll have a hell of a fun time in the interim! So every time Triple Crown season rolls around on this first Saturday in May, the memories come flooding back of our Derby experiences as a family, and the pride wells up in me to see these owners there (MOST of whom these days are part of a partnership) celebrating and cheering on their horse, and to know that the whole game was changed back in the early ‘70’s by one man – my Dad, Cot Campbell, allowing fans to own a piece of a racehorse and that has therefore allowed the great sport of horseracing to continue to thrive on the level it does. So, I’m raising my Mint Julep to you, Dad. (You always made me a good strong drink....vicarious pouring, i always suspected ;-)). He wasn't perfect, but he did life right in my book. And left an undeniable unusual legacy that stands forever. And provided his family with a fun, interesting as heck life, and I’m one grateful daughter. CHEERS, WCC!! On Coronavirus Derby Day and every other day..... Liloo -- www.lilacampbellphotography.com