#and 2. my advisors contacts at the programs i’m looking at
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January 3, 2023
AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
INVITED TO MY CHOICE 2 [Choice D] FOR AN INTERVIEW WEEKEND
okokokokok lemme back up a lil
So I put together a rough list of PhD programs in the order of “would like to attend” and it’s not entirely accurate, because each of theses programs has pros n cons that are unequally weighted, but I’m keeping it as is because why not [I have since decided to list them alphabetically to better reflect the wibbly-wobbly nature of how I feel about these schools (ex. my “Choice 7 is now my Choice A because it comes first in the alphabet) and to also use an alphabetical system to minimize undergrad and grad admissions confusion]. ANYWAY I finish my TA thing today (more on that later), do some grading (what a bizarre thing to do suddenly after.. seventeen years of being graded), then get set to walk home. I open my email while I’m somewhere in the middle of campus to find an invitation to a recruitment day from one of the people I contacted. They’re paying for my flight, for my hotel, for my food... Of course I screamed and called my parents and apparently I screeched again so loudly on the phone with my mom initially that my dad had to come out of a meeting and tell my mom to turn the volume down.
NOW. I am ecstatic. This is one of the top programs for my field in the US. It would look fantastic to be able to graduate from a place like that. It’s perhaps not in the city environment that I want, but it seems a little more lively than where I’m at now. Not to mention that the campus is beautiful.
However. Allow me to back up a bit more.
I was told (after I had reached out to the guy), that one of the potential advisors I was interested in doesn’t.. have the best reputation with lady scientists, if you catch my drift. I might’ve even lamented over this here because it’s something that’s unfortunately common in male-dominated fields (or fields that are equally split but have older big-name men). And so I wrote in my personal statement that I was interested in working with another person at the school instead, but I still put that guy in on my app as a potential advisor because you have to name three people. The guy I don’t want to work with is the one who emailed me though. And like, he’s not director of admissions or graduate studies or anything.. he’s just a guy there. So it worries me just a little (because what am I if not a little bag of worries) that the institution might’ve paired me up with that guy. To be fair, his lab definitely aligns more with my previous research experience and my actual interests, but uh. I’d rather not be paranoid for six years around a person who can become as close to you as a really good friend or parent, in some cases (not to mention that they can be lifetime collaborators).
But. That very well could be me entirely overthinking. For now, I just want to bask in the fact that what was probably my best application overall has yielded some results.
What a way to start the new year.
It’s a little funny, but uh, this morning, before the class started, I thought to myself “I am going to get into [Choice 1 [Choice E]].” That didn’t happen, not today, anyway, but it’s a weird coincidence that I got this email on the same day. Something, something, speak it into existence, I guess.
Today I’m thankful for the invitation to interview :)
Even if I have to miss the first day of my classes to do so :P (I am very much understating the effect that missing a full day of class will have on me.. not to mention that it’s the first day and most of these my two academic ones are upper-levels so they’ll spend ten minutes on the syllabus before rockin n rollin into day one content (but but but. it’s day one content. I can review day one content on my own. I’ll be okay.))
Also the TA thing went alright, I’d say. I overestimated how much background knowledge they were coming in with... it’s a science class and none of the students are natural science majors, so things like hypothesis testing aren’t really part of what they do. I recognize that a) they haven’t had a full lecture yet, b) they’re taking this to “easily” fulfill a science requirement, and c) I didn’t prepare as much as I needed to (I won’t fault myself for this, as it’s been a minute since I’ve taken this class and I’ve never TA’d before), so I’ve been pretty lenient with grading the first assignments. I’ll inevitably improve and settle into my own style, but I’m happy with how today went. Very happy.
What a good day, wow.
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the woes of an unrequited crush-luther hargreeves (part ii)
a/n: this is part 2 of college!au luther fic. enjoy :)
masterlist | prompt list
part i
warnings: mentions of death (no I promise I did not kill her), mentions of food, swearing probably, kissing, mentions of bullying
word count: 4,753
It had been exactly 5 months, 28 days, 34 minutes, and 12 seconds since you’d last spoken to Luther... not that anyone was counting. Your junior year of college had just started and you were living in a new apartment with Sophie and Charlotte, with a new room mate this year, named Kayla. If anyone asked, your summer had been great. You’d had the opportunity to work with your advisor as part of a program your college offered, doing summer research. Your classes were off to an amazing start and you’d even gotten a new, high-paying job at your university’s writing center.
In all honesty, your summer had sucked. You had gotten so far in over your head with the research program and your grandfather had died just three weeks before the start of the new semester. Your living situation was beyond awkward, with Sophie and Charlotte making it a point to never bring any of the Hargreeves over, or even say any of their names. Kayla was kind and sweet and she did her best to include you, but it wasn’t the same. Your birthday was coming up, and you were dreading it more than anything. A year ago, Sophie and Charlotte had banded together, pulling out all the stops, giving you the best birthday you’d ever had. Now... now you weren’t sure what to even expect. You sighed as the cool air hit you as you opened the door to the building, heading down the hall to your advisors office. The woman was kind and young and new to the university and a lot of students drifted towards her when they needed a nice chat or help with citations or a good talk about the Cold War. She’d been sympathetic to your situation, even if you withheld some of the details. She didn’t need to be bogged down with all your petty personal life drama and she had enough on her plate. You turned the corner and knocked into someone, stumbling back a bit. You looked up to see Allison. “Oh my God, I’m so sorry.” She said, straightening up.
"No worries.” You breathed out, throat closing up. Why, why did the world hate you? You gave her a tight smile and continued to move down the hallway until you were safely inside your advisors office. She smiled at you as you sat down in the chair nearest her desk. Max, one of the other History majors, shot you a smile from where he was sitting on a bean bag chair. You discussed your ideas for a final project for one of her classes, wanting to make sure you found all your research even thought the semester had just started. You wanted this project to go perfectly, it was your favorite time in history, which happened very little and you would be damned you didn’t do it well. You stayed to talk to her for a little bit longer, but eventually left as Max was leaving. Max was one of the sweetest boys in the department and the two of you were quite friendly. He’d been one of the saving graces of your summer and he’d been on the listening end of a many late night phone call about your problems. Kayla had even teased you that the two of you would be together in no time. You had laughed her off, because Max had a girlfriend (who was just as sweet as he was and was a good friend of yours as well) and because for as hard you tried, no one really compared to the way you felt about Luther. It sucked and you wanted nothing more than to move on with your life but you had never quite gotten closure and there was painful dull in your chest anytime you see him or his siblings on campus. Which just your luck, Diego, Luther, Vanya, and Allison were standing off the side of the doorway, and they went silent as you walked past. You kept your head down as you willed your feet to move quicker and Max gripped your arm as you stumbled out of the building. That was the closest you had come to them, besides your run-in with Allison just an hour prior, and you felt like you were going to throw up.
“You want to come over?” Max asked. You shook your head, blinking back tears. You needed to get over this. “I’ll let you play Mario Kart on the Switch.” Max offered and you were tempted to say yes, but you really should go back to your apartment to work on some homework. “C’mon, I’ll buy you McDonalds.” That was the key word. You laughed a little, looking up at him. “You deserve the world (Y/N/N), don’t ever forget it.” He said, slinging his arm around you as he walked to his car.
-
The Hargreeves sat around the apartment, laughing at some joke Klaus had made. Sophie and Charlotte had invited them over to see the new place and meet the new room mate and (Y/N) was at Max’s (who lived just down the hall). Sophie had promised she wouldn’t come back for at least a few hours, so it was the perfect time. “Mmm, I ran into (Y/N) today, like literally. Practically knocked the poor girl over.” Allison said as she ate a strawberry.
“Jeez Allison, tell us how you really feel.” Five joked.
“That was the most awkward thing ever when we saw her today.” Vanya said, to which Diego agreed.
“We need to talk about that.” Sophie said, shifting away from Klaus. “Her birthday is coming up and the situation is getting unbearable, so you guys need to make up and soon.”
“What, the five months of radio silence not enough for you?” Ben muttered and Sophie shot him a look. Diego opened his mouth to shoot something back when keys jingled in the door.
-
You walked through the door, sighing to yourself. You’d spent a good few hours at Max and Elena’s (who lived just just down the hall, conveniently) and it had been a good break from the drama of the real world. But you had homework to do. You walked into the entryway, seeing all the Hargreeves gathered in your kitchen along with your room mates. Kayla, ever the peacemaker, shot you a bright smile. “How was your day darling?” She asked as you eyes narrowed, surveying the room. You made brief eye contact with Luther and quickly looked away.
“I’m too sober to deal with this.” You huffed, turning around and leaving the apartment again.
-
The door shut behind her and Diego swiveled towards Sophie. “That really seems like she wants to make up with us.” He snarked, shooting her an ugly look. Sophie shot an equally ugly look back.
“Look, I don’t care what you say or how you do it. I just care that things stopping happening like this. Fix it.”
-
You trudged back down the hallway and opened the door to Max’s apartment. He turned to you, a teasing grin on his face. “Back so soon?” You crash-landed on his couch, face-first. He came over to the couch, propping his legs up against yours as he sat down. You twisted and sat up, legs still covered by his lanky ones.
“Every single one of them is in my apartment right now.” You huffed.
“The Hargreeves?” He asked, quirking an eyebrow.
“No, all of Santa’s elves. Yes, the Hargreeves.”
“Hey, I was just making sure I understood. Why are they there?” You shrugged.
“Beats me. And I’m too sober to deal with anything any of them have to say, so... here I am.”
“You’re always sober.”
“Exactly. I’ll will be dealing with that situation approximately... never.” He shook his head.
“Well, we need to talk about your birthday.” You groaned, flopping back down on the couch. “What are we doing?”
“How about nothing? Can we do nothing? Is nothing an appropriate answer?” He shot you a look.
“C’mon, our advisors want to do something for you.” The advisors in the department really liked you and tried to make the best of everyone’s birthday, so yours was no different. They’d just picked the wrong year. “How about like, a picnic or something? While the weather is still nice?”
“I don’t care. You decide and I’ll just show up.”
“That’s not how this works.”
“Well then, I want to do nothing.”
“We’re doing something.”
-
You squinted as you trudged towards the tables in the park near campus. The sun was out and the weather warm and your friends had gone a long way to give you the best birthday. The day had been good so far with Kayla bringing you coffee this morning and Elena taking you out to lunch. A picnic in the park with a larger group of your friends and movie night in Max and Elena’s apartment later that night with your core group was the plan for the rest of the day. For as much as you had dreaded it, you couldn’t deny how good it felt to be appreciated by the people around you and it made your heart feel full. You cherished the hugs and laughs as the afternoon wore on, and every minute felt so full of joy until... until you saw the Hargreeves minus Luther but plus Lila walking towards the group. Sophie and Charlotte made their way over to the group, along with Elena, who knew Allison through the theatre department. You rolled your eyes, turning to Max. “You have to be fucking kidding me.” You said, shaking your head. You turned to walk away from them and were suddenly faced with Five. You jumped. “Jesus Christ. Weren’t you just...” You asked, turning back to where his siblings were and you were sure you had just seen him there too. “Never mind.” He sighed, sticking his hand out, present in his grasp.
“Happy birthday.” You stared at the present dumbfounded and he shook it. “Take it. I’m not going to stand here forever.” You tentatively took it from him.
“Thanks.. I think?” A teasing smirk settled on his face as he shoved his hands back in his pockets. The smirk was quickly replaced by a serious look though.
“Look, I’m sorry things happened the way they did. Don’t tell my siblings I said this, but not having you around has kinda sucked. I wish there was something we could do to fix it, but as much as your room mates want to pretend otherwise, this is between you and Luther.”
“Thank you.” You said sincerely. “Why are you guys here though?” Five sighed.
“Your room mates, well Sophie, think if we’re around long enough you’ll just like us again. But like I just said this is-”
“Between me and Luther, yeah.” You sucked in a deep breath and you could feel Max’s weary glance at you. “Well, thanks for this,” You said, shaking the present in your hand. “And thanks for coming. Help yourself to the food.” You gestured to the table and quickly turned away. Losing your friendship with the Hargreeves had been one of the worst parts of the whole situation and you were truly starting to wonder if you had been wrong from the beginning about them. You shook your head to clear that thought. No, no they were still the bad people you knew them to be. Sure, Five was his own entity and made his own choices separate of his siblings. But the others had set you up to be one big joke and you would not tolerate people like that nor let them back into your life. They were all like Luther, who wasn’t even present, cowards.
-
You sat in Max’s apartment that night as the rain pattered down. You guys had gotten one of the last summer rainstorms for the year that night and your whole world felt at peace. You’d been able to have a really good conversation with Ben and Vanya earlier, and while it didn’t change anything, the look Charlotte gave you was enough to ease just a little bit of the pain. Luther had still been a no-show, which was probably for the best. You weren’t sure how you would’ve reacted and you weren’t sure what might’ve come out of Max’s mouth. Your phone dinged and you looked down. Speak of the devil, you thought to yourself.
Hey, are you home? I have a birthday present for you.
You sighed as the phone dinged again.
I want to talk to you.
You could never say no to him and maybe... maybe just maybe this would give you the closure you needed to move on with your life.
Give me five minutes.
You pulled on your shoes. “Hey, someone is here to drop off a present for me. I’ll be back in like five, ten maybe?” You said, standing by the door. Max gave you a thumbs up and you disappeared out the door. You took a deep breath as your feet pounded down the stairs, anxious to get this over with. You opened the door to your building, warm water cascading down as you hurried over to Luther’s truck. You opened the passenger door and slid in, desperate to get out of the rain. He turned to look at you, giving you a soft smile. Your heart ached. He wordlessly handed you neatly wrapped gift. You took an unsure look at him and he nodded, encouraging you to open it. You tentatively and carefully unwrapped the gift, a book sliding out. It was an original copy of your favorite book, and you looked up at him, a warmth spreading over you. “Luther, how- we talked about this, what, maybe once?” He shrugged as you bit your lip. He shifted in his seat and you looked back to him.
“(Y/N), I’m really sorry about all of this.”
“Luther-”
“I just want things to go back to the way they used to be. Where we were friends and my favorite part of my day was getting to see you smile.” You closed your eyes, heart warring over disappointment and forgiveness. You were disappointed it had taken this long to hear him say those words, over the way you knew things could never go back to the way they used to be, but your heart felt forgiveness towards him all the same. You opened your eyes and you realized you were much closer to Luther than you had originally realized. “I really want to kiss you.” He whispered. You closed your eyes, and connected the distance, throwing everything to the wind, to just know what this feeling was like one time. The book slid off your lap, thudding to the floor of the car, and you pulled away abruptly. Why had you done that? Now you were only going to be able to think of the taste of his lips on yours as your heart continued to break over the fact that you could never have him.
“I’m sorry Luther, really, I- I can’t.” You whispered, grabbing the book off the floor of the car. He looked at you in hurt and the look was enough to make you run, slamming the car door behind you. The rain seemed to come down harder as you rushed back inside, willing yourself not to cry. He had hurt you, and no kiss could change that. You could forgive him, but you could never forget.
-
You could hear the noise from down the hallway, which only made your feet move faster in giddy excitement. A bunch of you were getting together to have dinner at Max and Elena’s, and even though Allison and Diego (and probably Lila if you were being honest, because the girl didn’t go anywhere without Diego) were going to be there, it couldn’t diminish your excitement for the night. You let yourself into the apartment you were a constant visitor of, and the boys cheered as you kicked off your shoes. There were a few graduated students here and one, Dean, had just gotten back from a few months in Italy and he wrapped you in a hug. You were surprised, you hadn’t expected to see the boy for at least another few weeks. He squished your face as you turned, surveying who else was there. As to be expected, Allison was seated next to Elena and Diego and Lila were in the living room with a few of Max’s friends. You made your way over to the couch, sitting down as the boys played Mario Kart.
“So, (Y/N), any new romantic prospects on the horizon?” Reyna, a senior theatre major, asked you. You shook your head.
“That’s not what I heard.” Dean said, taking a sip of his drink. Everyone turned to look at him, but he turned to Max, a smirk on his face. “She kissed Luther.” You shot up from where you were laying on the couch as everyone turned their attention back to you.
“I’m never telling you anything ever again.” You said seriously, but his grin was light and teasing and you don’t think he even really knew what he had just done.
“You kissed Luther?” Max questioned but Allison broke into a shit-eating grin.
“Alright, finally! Took you like eight months longer than I had expected though.” She said.
“No, no. Yes, I kissed him, but it wasn’t like that. It was a mistake and it’s never happening again.”
“When?” Max asked, voice grave.
“My birthday.” Max sighed, turning his back to you.
“So.. you kissed Luther. That should change everything.” Diego stated.
“It doesn’t change the fact that you guys fucked me over.”
“What did we do to make you hate us so much?” Lila asked.
“I was just some sick joke to you guys, you played with my feelings and left me humiliated, and I refuse to be the butt of everyone’s jokes. I was in high school and I refuse to be the same here, especially not to you people.”
“What are you talking about?” Diego questioned, eyebrows furrowed. You sighed.
“I’m not explaining it to you. You can’t even be bothered to own up to it.” you huffed, pushing yourself up from the couch. You pushed past Dean and Reyna, making your way out of the apartment, and down the hall. So much for a fun night.
-
The door slammed behind her. Diego swiveled towards her friends, utterly confused. Why hadn’t Luther told anyone he had kissed her? “Okay, what just happened?” Allison questioned. Max sighed.
“She has it in her head that this is some sort of elaborate prank to humiliate her for liking Luther.” Elena explained.
“That’s ridiculous, we’d never do something like that.” Allison defended. Max sighed, yet again.
“Look, this is something you may not know about her, but you have to understand. While she was in high school, and throughout her freshman year, she was the butt of everyone’s jokes, constantly being played and left out. It wasn’t even until she became friends with us that she got a taste of what real friendship is like. So, for you guys, the most popular people on campus to actually like her? It’s foreign and she doesn’t know how to handle that.”
“But Luther wouldn’t hurt her like that. He really liked her, still does.” Diego defended. She should know Luther better than that. Max shrugged.
“I said that too. She told me this story, how in middle school, boys would come up to her as a joke, to ask her out to embarrass her and run away laughing when she’d say yes. I think it left a memory that no one would ever really like her, so for Luther to like her, her first thought is that it was some twisted prank rather than him actually liking her.” There was pause. “As much as she wants to pretend that this doesn’t change anything, it changes everything. And I really hope she figures it out because I’ve never seen her as happy then when she was with him.”
-
You sighed as you locked the door to the Writing Center. It was late at night and you were dreading the walk back to your apartment. You and Sophie were originally supposed to work this shift together but she had changed her mind at the last minute, not wanting to be on campus so late. It was fine, really, but it left you without another tutor and without a ride back to the apartment. “Hey, are you just heading you out?” You heard from behind you and you turned to see Luther. You nodded, not trusting your voice. “Can I give you a ride?” You shook your head.
“It’s fine Luther, really.”
“Please? It would make me feel better knowing you got home safely.” You wanted to make a snarky remark about not doing things for him but you couldn’t bring yourself as you looked at him. You knew that as much as you didn’t want to sit in a car with him, you didn’t want to walk home this late at night more. It also meant a lot that even after everything, he still cared so much about your safety. You nodded, readjusting the straps of your bag on your shoulders. He cracked a soft smile and the two of you walked out in silence to his car. He opened your door for you and you slid in, dropping your bag to the ground. He walked around the back and got in, starting the car. The ride back to your apartment was silent and awkward and you felt a wave of relief roll over you as you saw your apartment building come within sight. Luther parked the car, but you made no move to get out. He had turned the car off completely and you had a feeling there was something he wanted to say. The silence continued until you felt forced to say something.
“Luther, I’m sorry, I really am.” He looked at you.
“Why’d you kiss me?” You sighed, shrugging, as you pulled the sleeves of your sweatshirt around your hands.
“I wanted to know what it was like.” You said softly.
“I just... still don’t understand what happened that day. I mean, I really liked you, I still do, and I thought that you liked me back. But then you freaked out, and I still don’t understand it.” He said, never once taking his eyes off of you.
“I was, I am in love with you, and all I ever was to you was some sick joke for laughs. I couldn’t do it.”
“You think you were joke? (Y/N), I am just as equally in love with you, and I would never hurt you like that.”
“Why? Why are you in love with me? What could I possibly have to offer you that every other girl on campus who pines after you doesn’t have? I’m certainly not as pretty or as smart as some of the girls you hang out with.”
“Because you’re you! Because when I’m having a bad day, I can just talk to you and it seems like all my problems fade away. Because you’re so incredibly smart and passionate and you aren’t afraid to pursue your dreams. Because you get along with my siblings, because I can get lost in your eyes! There’s not another girl on campus who looks at me for me and not for my name.” By this point, you were in tears as you had a horrible sinking feeling that you had royally fucked up. This whole time, you had thought it was a prank meant to hurt you when you had been the one to cause all the hurt. All this... for what? “And I thought after that day that you kissed me, that things might get better, but we still aren’t talking to each other but I just want my friend back, in any way I can have her.” Your head rested in your hands, unsure of what to do or what to say. You were still crazy in love with boy, and he you.
“Where do we go from here?” You whispered, looking up at him from your hands.
“Well, you have two options. You walk back inside your apartment and don’t look back, and we let the other go. Or you sit here and we talk about everything that needs to be talked about.”
“I mean, how do we even fix this Luther?”
“We start over. Start from a place of trust and communication. Tell me the truth about the last six months.”
“You want the truth? I am in love with you and it scares the hell out of me, because I’m so used to everyone leaving me or using me for their own gain. And I was so scared you would be like everyone else that I left before you could hurt me anymore, convincing myself this was some elaborate lie to hurt me. But the last six months have been hell and there were nights where I wanted nothing more than to seek you out because I felt so alone.” Your voice broke on the last word and you weren’t sure how much more of this you could take.
“I would’ve been there, you know. If you had asked.” You nodded.
“I’m sorry Luther.” You whispered, and he put his hand on your knee.
“I’m sorry I never reached out earlier. I should’ve, because you were clearly not okay.” You shrugged, wiping your tears.
“I kinda deserved it.”
“Hey, I could’ve at least fought for the girl I’m in love with. I just let you walk out of my life.” You took a sharp breath because you weren’t quite sure you’d ever get used to hearing him refer to you as the girl he was in love with. You looked up at him and he inched closer. “I’m going to kiss you again, if that’s okay with you, but you have to promise not to run away again.”
You nodded. “I promise I’m not going anywhere as long as you want me here.” He kissed you again, and it was so wonderfully different from the last time, because you were both trying to communicate everything you weren’t sure how to say, and because you weren’t sure this would be the last time you’d kiss him. He pulled away, but the two of you remained quite close, feeling his lips mumble his next words against yours.
“Five owes Kayla so much money.” You laughed, cupping his face. He smiled at you.
“Hey, can I kiss you again?” He nodded, and you placed a short, but sweet kiss on his lips. He held you close though.
“Hey, what are you doing on Saturday?” You shrugged.
“Nothing.”
“You want to go on a date?” You nodded, smiling giddily. A pause. “Hey, we can’t hang out on Saturday. I’m taking a really pretty girl on a date.” You snorted.
“Oh yeah?” He nodded, a stupid grin on his face.
“Yeah, I’m really nervous.”
“Well, you should give me a kiss for good luck then. The date has to go well, obviously.” He smirked and kissed your lips again. You reveled in the feeling as he pulled away. You let his thumb rub soft circles on your cheek as you looked at him. Your phone dinged, and you sighed. It was Sophie, asking if you’d be home soon. “I should probably get inside, it’s getting late.” He nodded, looking slightly disappointed. “Can I have a goodnight kiss?” He nodded, pressing a brief kiss to your lips. “I never want to stop doing that.” He smiled. “I’ll text you in the morning, okay?” He nodded again.
“Sleep well.” He said as you opened the door, grabbing your bag from the floor. You slung it over your shoulder as you stood by the door.
“Night Luther. Love you.”
Being able to say the words freely put a smile on your face, which only grew when he responded with a “Love you too.” You shut the door, waving to him as you headed inside your apartment building. For the first time in months, you could go to sleep feeling the happiest you had in years. For the first time, everything was going just right, even if had taken a couple months longer and left turns to get there.
#luther hargreeves#luther hargreeves fic#luther hargreeves x reader#luther hargreeves imagines#luther hargreeves imagine#I hope this ended okay#I got in my feels
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Shawn James Goodwin — Four Valuable Lessons about Graphic Design
When it comes to graphic design, I(Shawn James Goodwin) am an idiot. I’m not embarrassed to admit it, although I probably should be since I manage the marketing for three exhibit companies. Yet, there’s rarely a day that I don’t make graphic design decisions about our websites, sales literature, email marketing broadcasts, and trade show displays. Does my lack of graphic design expertise show? I certainly hope not. Frankly, I think we do a pretty good job.
Like most marketing managers, or any manager who understands his or her limitations, I rely on talented people, such as graphic designers. Not only do they understand the tools, such as Photoshop, Illustrator, or Quark, but they spend their days immersed in graphic design issues. They understand the nuances and the trends. They remind me that this color text on that background is unreadable and that I’ve created visual clutter and confusion in my effort to say and show too much. If I ask them to add a “star burst” with a price, they guide me to a more contemporary solution that doesn’t reek of 1980’s clip art.
Fortunately, I’ve learn some valuable lessons over the years regarding graphic design, which I’ll share. These aren’t font, color, or layout tips. Remember, I’m an idiot. These are tips for anyone working with graphic designers, tips that hopefully will save you time, money, and slow the aging process.
Four Valuable Lessons about Graphic Design
It’s Your Project, Part 1: I’d hate to be a graphic designer and work with most clients. Their expectations are unrealistic, their directions are vague, and their budget is pitiful. Most clients don’t know what they want and expect the graphic designer to be psychic. Clients will use terms like “modern” and “visually striking” and “colorful” and expect those concepts to be transparent to anyone. They are not, any more than a “tree” looks the same to someone living in New England or the Pacific Northwest or Australia.
Take ownership of your project. The more information you convey to the graphic designer, the more effort you put into prepping the project, the more likely the final result will match your objectives. Take the time to collect examples of ads, websites, and sales flyers that you like. Graphic designers are visual. They’ll take those cues and use them to create your design. Too often I hear someone say, “I wanted something original and didn’t want to influence the creative process by being too specific or showing them examples.” Really? When did vagueness become a muse? Go ahead and be lazy. Just don’t pretend that your laziness is a brilliant creative design strategy.
It’s Your Project, Part 2. Let’s say you decide to ignore my advice in Part 1. I’m not offended, but I am snickering behind your back. Your graphic designer loves and hates you. You’ve made their job much harder, but you’ve made them a little richer. Most graphic designers work on an hourly rate with incremental time minimums. You are now paying for pondering and investigating and false starts. Each back and forth is getting you closer to your perfect design, but you’re paying for the privilege of having a graphic designer at your beck and call. If you work best following this process and have the budget, then hire a graphic designer full time or recognize that time is money, your money, and don’t complain when you get the final bill.
Mind Meld = Success and Increased Productivity. I’ve worked with the same graphic design firm for over four years. They are good, which is the most important criteria. Equally important is that we now have a history together. They understand what I want. I understand how best to communicate with them. They understand the exhibit industry and, in fact, have gone out of their way to learn about the trade show business — the graphic requirements, the shows, the publications, and much more. They have grown with us and have been instrumental in developing the graphics and branding for multiple product lines and marketing programs.
The lesson . . . once you’ve found a graphic designer (or design firm) that you respect and like, it pays to remain loyal. They’ll watch your back with ad agencies and suppliers. They’ll guard your branding, even when you want to trample all over it because of a wild idea at 2 am with a shelf life of 24 hours. You’ll develop a communication shorthand, which saves you money and them aggravation. Each project is still your project but getting from point A to Z, generally skips about half the alphabet.
Trust Your Instincts. It got you this far, and unless you have a history of flops, bad decisions, and marketing Hindenburgs, you’ve learned something valuable along the way. Be open to advice. But trust your instincts. If you are wrong, it was only a job in a down economy with little chance of future employment.
Finally, be amazed. There are lots and lots of people who call themselves graphic designers. Just as there are lots of people who call themselves investment advisors (GRRR!) or bankers (double GRRR!). When you find a talented graphic designer, one who syncs with your vision and your personality, hold on tight and be amazed.
Shawn James Goodwin a graphic designer from Ottawa, Canada. Contact us for logo designing, graphic designing and Social Media Marketing.
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Fight or Flight - Chapter 11: Weighing
Pairing: Drake Walker x MC (Riley Liu)
Book: The Royal Heir (canon divergent from the end of book 2)
Word Count: ~3300
Rating: PG-13 (language only)
Summary: Six days since The Walker Absconding
Author’s Note: This series follows the Walkers, their friends, and Cordonia as a whole after they flee the country with their daughter during Barthelemy Beaumont’s attempted coup. To catch up on this series, check out it’s masterlist. (link can be found via my bio - sorry, Tumblr is once again not putting my posts with links in tag searches)
Rashad sighed heavily as he sat in a chair that was much too big behind a desk that was much too formal in an office that was much too stuffy. He’d agreed to be king-regent because he knew Liam was backed into a corner, and that his previous turns as legal counsel to both the palace and the Beaumonts made him the only obviously neutral party in the nobility. But not even one week in, and he found himself wishing he’d refused the appointment. He missed his job, his duties, his office, and that didn’t even touch on the mess he’d been handed.
It’s not like he wasn’t used to complicated and stressful work. But at Sloan Enterprises, it was work he was passionate about, work that he found stimulating and enthralling. Now, he was engulfed in so many decisions ranging from the banal to the insane. It was work he honestly wanted no part of, but that hadn’t exactly been an option.
His goal had simply been to get through the social season and reach the Conclave without rocking the boat, so to speak. Keep Cordonia on a steady course until someone who wanted the title of monarch could assume it, then return to his life as quickly as possible. But that had rapidly proved to be an impossibility. He’d already had to initiate a treason and kidnapping investigation, strip a duke and duchess of their titles, and postpone the social season. He’d done more in a few days than he’d hoped to do during his entire “reign.”
Now, he was facing numerous protests across the country that he had no idea how to handle. He wasn’t some verbose, eloquent speaker. Any speech from him was unlikely to quell citizen unrest. But in the past 36 hours, he’d watched news coverage of five different protests from five different groups. There was the group that called themselves the True Cordonians, a collection of traditionalists who had always opposed Drake and Riley and their connections to the United States, who were upset that the “traitorous” Walkers hadn’t been found yet. Counter-protesters to them had popped up in front of the Valtoria estate, denouncing the kidnapping and treason charges. That group hadn’t named themselves, but “She’s their kid” had become their rallying cry. Then there were the protests in Lythikos that called for Olivia’s installation as the “rightful regent” as well as a pro-Beaumont group that had come out in support of Barthelemy in Ramsford following his exclusive interview with Ana de Luca. And of course, the Liberation Core was using all the turmoil to spread their anti-monarchy message. Even if Rashad had been confident in his abilities to give a national address, he was completely unsure how to find a message that would even partially unify all those opposing groups.
All he wanted to do was to leave as little of a mark as possible as a ruler and to hand off the crown with Cordonia in a stable position. But it was rapidly seeming like those goals were mutually exclusive. And as loathe as he was to make big decisions, hiding away in the palace and letting the country fall to pieces was not something he could do. He needed to steady the ship, so to speak. And that’s why he was meeting with Lady Hana today.
Almost on cue, he heard a sharp tap on the main office door. After a second, Stefan entered, bowing his head slightly. Liam had offered to let his personal assistant stay on and help him with day to day tasks and the basics and essentials of the role. Rashad wasn’t naive enough to think that Stafan wasn’t essentially spying on him and reporting back to Liam, but he’d needed all the help he could get, and Stefan had proved invaluable, preparing daily briefings and news summaries, so he’d kept the man on his staff.
“Your Regency, Lady Hana is here for her appointment.”
“Thank you, Stefan. Send her in, please.”
A few moments later, Lady Hana entered, bowing her head slightly.
“Good afternoon, Your Regency.”
“Same to you, Lady Hana. Please, have a seat.” He gestured to the chairs in front of the desk. He was well aware this was probably awkward for her as well. She had probably been in this same office not that long ago with Liam behind the desk.
“Thank you,” she said with a little nod, smoothing her skirt before she sat down.
“So, I figure we better get right down to business.”
“I’ve told Bastien and the investigators everything I know, but I can-”
“No! Not that; I know you’ve already given your statement. I wanted to talk to you about Valtoria.”
Hana was still and silent for just a moment before nodding crisply. “Very well. I would appreciate if I could have a day or two to move my belongings out of the estate.”
Rashad grimaced. This was so uncomfortable. “No, you misunderstand me, Lady Hana. I wanted to discuss whether you were open to accepting the title of Duchess of Valtoria.”
Her eyes widened at that. “Me? As a duchess?”
“Yes. You’ve been living there for about a year and a half at this point, and I am guessing you have served as an advisor to Lady Ri- er, the previous duchess at various points.”
“Well, yes. But it was really nothing.”
“I seriously doubt that.”
She gave him a little smile at that. “Why are you looking to appoint me?”
Rashad figured he had better level with her. She wasn’t going to respond well to flattery she found insincere. “There is too much instability across the kingdom at the moment. Too much is unfolding, and the citizens are rightly unsettled. You are a known presence at that duchy, and you are more than qualified to hold the title. You stepping into that role would help reduce the sense that everything is changing. I might not be able to keep Lythikos and Ramsford calm and peaceful, but if I can give Valtoria some sense of stability, that would be a start at least.”
“I don’t know. This seems like a gigantic call for you to make while you’re…”
“A placeholder?”
“I didn’t know how to phrase it politely,” she said with a little smile.
“That’s quite alright. To answer your question, I’m not sure if this is the right call, but it seems like a natural place to start. You know the people of Valtoria. You’ve lived there and you’ve served them and the country as a whole well. You have the skills and talents required for the position, and professional recruitment is one area I actually do have some experience, so I am confident you would do well in that role. But the choice is yours, of course.”
He watched her swallow, trying to read her expression, but her face wasn’t giving much away. He had no idea what she was thinking, but after a few seconds of tense silence, she nodded. “Alright then. If it’s what the citizens of Valtoria need, I’d be honored to accept.
With that, she stretched her left hand across the desk, so Rashad grasped it firmly. As he pulled out some of the paperwork he’d prepared in hopes that she agreed and started going over some of the logistics, he hoped that his first major decision as regent would be one of his only major decisions. The fear of public scrutiny already loomed large in his mind, and this was a decision he was actually fairly confident in. Sadly, he was a realist, and he knew things were likely to get worse before they got better. All he could do, though, was keep trotting along, trying to get the country through the next couple of months relatively unscathed.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Riley let out a groan, dropping her head into her hands. “Drake, this fucking sucks.”
“Yeah, it does.”
She glanced out the window, almost feeling like she would see a drone with a little camera courtesy of Amalas just peering into their room. Was she using drones? Did she have spies tailing them? Was she just scanning publicly accessible photos tagged in Greek cities with facial ID software? Did it even matter? The end result was the same. Someone she wasn’t sure she could trust knew where her family was, and that was mad nerve-wracking.
Riley glanced back down at Drake, who was sitting on the floor with Bridget, keeping her from using the dresser to pull up to standing. She’d discovered how to do so this morning, and she kept wanting to repeat it, but the last thing they needed was for her to pull the dresser down on top of herself. It made Riley think about all the furniture around their private quarters that Drake had bolted to the wall in preparation for this milestone. None of that would matter anymore.
For the moment, Bridget was distracted with a pile of blocks she was putting into a pillowcase over and over. Riley knew she would return to trying to escape Drake’s reach to try out her new skill soon enough, but for now, at least, she was safely and happily playing.
Riley and Drake had been discussing what to do next for hours and hours at this point. They had called Olivia earlier, and after some back and forth, Drake and Olivia had both seemed confident that Amalas wasn’t actively following them and didn’t know their location beyond the city. After all, she had been eager to contact Olivia with her intel, and it seemed like too much of a coincidence for that call to come just a few hours after they had spent any real time out in public since their fleeing was common knowledge.
The best guess Drake had was that they had been in the background of someone’s Pictagram post or some shit like that, and that Amalas was just constantly running some sort of facial recognition program constantly on posts tagged with various cities in Greece. After all, she had to know they were trapped in Greece at this point. If they attempted to cross the borders, they would have to show their ID cards and they would likely be arrested on the spot.
Even if Amalas was just aware of their general location, it still was concerning that she was devoting that much effort to keeping tabs on them. But what actions they needed to take next were unclear to both of them. Hence them talking around in circles for hours and hours, just waiting for some idea that felt better than all the crappy ones they’d both thrown out there.
“I just don’t like sitting around with her knowing where we are, Drake. Even if she doesn’t know the exact details.”
Drake glanced up at her and gave a little shrug. This wasn’t the first time she’d expressed that sentiment. “I don’t like it either. But there’s no guarantee things will be better if we move on to a new city.”
“Olivia said that she’s trying to use us as leverage. How does that sit right with you?”
He shot her a clearly annoyed glare before looking back at Bridget, emptying the pillowcase for her to start filling with blocks again before he said, “It doesn’t fucking sit right with me. But we need to think long term here. We will need to find places to stay for at least a couple of months. That’s the earliest the Conclave can happen, and the charges won’t be dropped before then. We’re also going to need food and warmer clothing when it’s not the middle of summer, and that beater of a car is not going to hold up forever. We need to be frugal and cautious now.”
Riley knew he was right. Her instinct was always to scramble and react, often impulsively. If they kept following her lead every step of the way, they were probably going to make things harder than they needed to be. And she did appreciate that Drake was trying to put more thought into concrete plans. Both of them drifting along without a clear plan, complacent beyond belief was how Bridget was named heir and they found themselves in this situation in the first place.
“Are we even going to have enough money to get us through the next couple of months?”
Drake let out a sigh and shook his head.
“How long?” Riley asked, scrunching her eyes closed as she braced for the answer.
“Three weeks, more or less, if we keep our expenses like they have been.” She opened her eyes and locked them on his. His shoulders sagged and his eyes were sad and heavy, like he was somehow letting her down by telling her the honest facts.
“Drake… How are we going…” she trailed off, unable to finish her thought.
“I’m gonna need to pick up some odd jobs or something, find a way to make some money.”
“How are we going to do that without any ID we can show or anything. I mean, Amalas is out as a source of forgeries at this point, so unless-”
“Olivia told us she was going to poke around, see what she could do. Hana has our passports, so that’s a start at least.”
“I don’t know. I just… I hate this. Everything we have to do feels like it’s gonna get us caught.”
Drake ran his hand over the stubble on his jaw. He hadn’t shaved this morning, and in all the time she had known him, Riley could count the number of times he hadn’t shaved on one hand. She wondered if he was trying to grow a beard to make himself less recognizable or if he had just been too stressed and sleep deprived to bother today. She knew he wasn’t sleeping well.
“I don’t know how to fix this perfectly, Riley. I just don’t.” He looked so dejected, placing his chin on his bent knee, so Riley slid off the end of the bed and joined him and Bridget on the floor, threading her legs under his raised leg in hopes of conveying some degree of comfort.
“Well, we’re just going to have to make a decision and not look back here. And it looks like the two least bad options are to either stay hiding out here for as long as possible and hope that Amalas doesn’t go blabbing, or move on to a new city and hope she doesn’t find us there and that it isn’t too much of an expense to do so.”
He nodded, reaching for her hand. She grabbed on tightly, threading their fingers together. Maybe it was for the best they were both mad conflicted here. It allowed them to really decide on their next move as a team.
“I know I’ve been kind of reluctant to head to a new city, but one thing that is worth considering is that if we went to a bigger city, I might be able to find some under the table work. Day labor, that sort of thing. Plus…” he trailed off and shook his head a little at that, so Riley pushed on.
“What?”
“Well, we have a better chance of finding someone to do a forgery for us in a bigger city, too.”
“You think we should just find a random stranger to forge us passports with new identities?”
“We might have to. I hope Olivia can come through for us, but I’m not counting on that. She’s not going to risk her reputation and good standing to really put her neck out there for us. It’s one thing to keep our location a secret, it’s another to draw attention to herself by asking a lot of questions about how to fake a convincing Greek passport. So if she isn’t able to help us, we’re probably going to have to find someone to do it for us at some point.”
“I thought you said the bigger cities would be the first place they would try to track us.”
“Yeah, but it’s been a few days. They are probably broadening their search at this point. I feel like that risk isn’t as bad as it used to be.”
“So are you saying you think we should head out?”
He paused for a moment and swallowed roughly, running his free hand through his hair. “I don’t know. I think we could stay here for a little while longer and wait to see what Olivia can do for us about fabricated identification, or we could cut our losses and start trying to plan for that on our own. I don’t exactly like either option, Walker, but I think those two I could live with. Where are you at?”
She bit her lip, trying to figure out what was best. She wished there was a clear sign that one option was better than another, but there just wasn’t. They were going to be gambling here no matter what, and while she normally loved a good game of poker, the fact that the stakes here included the safety of her daughter and her family left her feeling sick to her stomach.
“I guess I don’t trust Amalas knowing even our general location.”
“Even though…,” Drake started, taking a deep breath and giving her hand a squeeze before he continued, “even though you thought she might be a good resource for us yesterday?”
Riley opened her mouth to snap back at him, frustrated that he seemed to be trying to trap her or accuse her or something, but she stopped when she saw the look in his eyes. He was afraid of her. She’d never seen that look directed at her before, not quite like that. Sure, she’d seen him upset and terrified, but she had never been the source of it before. So she swallowed down her instinct to lash out and defend herself and let out a little sigh. She’d put him through enough with this whole fugitive status already, and she didn’t want him to feel like he couldn’t be honest with her, couldn’t challenge her. They had always pushed each other, even before they were together. She couldn’t risk losing that now.
“The situation has changed,” she said, trying to keep any defensiveness out of her voice. “If she’s putting the effort into keeping tabs on our whereabouts, she has something up her sleeve, and I don’t trust her. It was one thing when I hoped we might be able to leverage some juicy info and future political favors, but now… I just don’t think we’re going to be willing to pay the price she wants.”
Drake nodded a couple of times before he said, “Okay, so we’re moving on then?”
“If you’re okay with that.”
“As long as we go to a bigger city, I’m okay with it.”
She gave him a little smile and reached up to cup his cheek with her free hand. “Got a place in mind?”
“If we’re gonna do this, we might as well commit. I say Athens, unless you-”
But she cut him off, shaking her head before leaning over to kiss his cheek. “Thank you, Drake.”
“You don’t need to thank me. I’m-” he started, but threw himself to the side and grabbed Bridget who was crawling over to the dresser, tugging her into his lap. “Oh no you don’t, Peanut.”
Riley felt her lips widening into a genuine smile, a feeling that almost felt foreign after the past several days. But her family was here, and they were all just doing the best they could. Even if it all fell apart, at least she could take comfort in that fact. So for now, she just took in her husband and her daughter sharing a normal moment, happy simply to be together.
Permatag: @walkerswhiskeygirl @riley--walker @bebepac @ravenpuff02 @oofchoices @octobereighth @drakewalker04 @kimmiedoo5 @mfackenthal @thequeenofcronuts
The Royal Romance/The Royal Heir: @iaminlovewithtrr @ao719 @mskaneko @katedrakeohd @jovialyouthmusic @marshmallowsandfire @axwalker @kingliam2019 @sirbeepsalot @texaskitten30 @princessleac1 @ladyangel70 @dcbbw @yaushie
Drake x MC: @no-one-u-know @drakeandcamilleofvaltoria @iplaydrake @gibbles82 @drakewalkerisreal @notoriouscs @drakesensworld @drake-colt-lover-99
Fight or Flight: @masterofbluff @burnsoslow @bobasheebaby @shz256
#drake walker#drake x mc#trr au#trh au#trr fanfic#trh fanfic#trr au fanfic#trh au fanfic#choices fanfiction
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VLD S1E1: The Rise of Voltron
Season 1 Episode 1: The Rise of Voltron
Transcript by @dragonofyang
Summary: Out on the edge of the solar system on Kerberos, Shiro, Sam, and Matt are extracting ice cores from Kerberos’ surface when they’re abducted by a mysterious alien race. One year later, cadets Lance, Pidge, and Hunk pick up alien radio chatter that leads them to find the missing pilot Shiro when he crash lands back on Earth, and they meet Keith, who was attempting to rescue him at the same time. Together, Shiro, Lance, Pidge, Hunk, and Keith find the Blue Lion, one of five alien spaceships shaped like lions that forms the mysterious Voltron, and they fly to Arus, their next mission is to find and pilot the other four missing Lions of Voltron with the help of Princess Allura and her advisor Coran of the planet Altea to defeat Emperor Zarkon.
[Google Doc]
Sam: Easy, son. This ice is delicate.
Matt: Amazing. Isn’t this exciting, Shiro?
Shiro: You guys get a little more excited about ice samples than I do.
Sam: This is history in the making. Not only have we traveled farther than any human ever has, but this ice could hold microscopic clues about the existence of life outside Earth.
Matt: Think of it, Dad. We could use those clues to become the first people to meet aliens.
Sam: My life’s work would be complete. What is that? Seismic activity?
Shiro: We should get back to the ship.
Sam: What? What is that? It can’t be.
Shiro: Run. Come on, run!
Unnamed Galra Commander: Emperor Zarkon, we were scouting System X-9-Y as ordered when we found these primitive scientists. I don’t think they know anything useful.
Zarkon: Take them back to the main fleet for interrogation. The Druids will find out what they know.
Shiro: Please, we come from a peaceful planet! We mean you no harm! We’re unarmed!
[Scene change to an unmarked hallway lined with holding cells in the Galra ship.]
Male: Look, they brought in another one.
Female: Who is it?
Second Male: Over there. It’s another one.
Shiro: Huh?
[Scene change back to Kerberos, labeled “One Year Later”.]
Lance: Galaxy Garrison flight log 5-11-14. Begin descent to Kerberos for rescue mission.
Hunk: Lance, can you keep this thing straight?
Lance: Relax, Hunk. I’m just getting a feel for the stick. I mean, it’s not like I did this! Or this!
Hunk: Okay, unless you wanna wipe beef stroganoff out of all the little nooks and crannies in this thing, you’d better knock it off, man!
Pidge: We’ve picked up a distress beacon!
Lance: Alright, look alive, team. Pidge, track coordinates.
Pidge: Copy.
Hunk: Knock it off, Lance! Please!
Lance: Well, this one’s on you, buddy, we’ve got a hydraulic stabilizer out.
Hunk: Oh, no.
Lance: Oh, no. Fix now, puke later.
Pidge: I lost contact. The shaking is interfering with our sensors.
Lance: Come on, Hunk!
Hunk: It’s not responding.
Lance: Oh, never mind, fellas. Thar she blows. Preparing for approach on visual.
Pidge: I don’t think that’s advisable with our current mechanical and gastrointestinal issues.
Hunk: Agreed.
Lance: Stop worrying. This baby can take it, can’t you, champ? See? She was--she was nodding. She was nodding. Pidge, hail down to them and let them know their ride is here.
Pidge: Attention, lunar vessel--[screams]
Lance: What are you doing? Buckle your belt. And Hunk, stop that shaking!
Hunk: I’m try--oh, no.
Pidge: Attention, lunar vessel, this is Galaxy Garrison Rescue Craft One Victor Six Three Tango. Coming in for landing and extraction, against crew recommendations.
Lance: No time for your mutinous comments now, Pidge. They’re going under and we’re going in.
Pidge: Look out for that overhang!
Lance: No worries, my first year in flight school, you know what they called me? They called me “The Tailor” because of how I thread the needle. Come around, come around! Come on, come on!
Hunk: We lost a wing!
Lance: Oh, man.
Computer: Simulation failed.
Pidge: Nice work, Tailor.
Iverson: Roll out, donkeys! Well, let’s see if we can’t use this complete failure as a lesson for the rest of you students. Can anyone point out the mistakes these three so-called cadets made in the simulator?
Student 1: The engineer puked in the main gearbox.
Iverson: Yes. As everyone knows, vomit is not an approved lubricant for engine systems. What else?
Student 2: The comms spec removed his safety harness.
Student 3: The pilot crashed!
Iverson: Correct. And worst of all, the whole jump, they’re arguing with each other. Heck, if you’re gonna be this bad individually, you’d better at least be able to work as a team! Galaxy Garrison exists to turn young cadets like you into the next generation of elite astroexplorers, but these kinds of mental mistakes are exactly what cost the lives of the men on the Kerberos mission.
Pidge: That’s not true, sir!
Iverson: What did you say?
Lance: Sorry, sir. I think he may have hit his head when he fell out of his chair. But point taken.
Iverson: I hope I don’t need to remind you that the only reason you’re here is that the best pilot in your class had a discipline issue and flunked out. Don’t follow in his footsteps. Next!
[Scene change to outside the Galaxy Garrison compound.]
Iverson: Lights out in five! Everyone back to their dorms, now.
Hunk: We shouldn’t be doing this.
Lance: You heard Commander Iverson. We need to bond as a team. We’re gonna grab Pidge, hit the town, loosen up, meet some nice girls and--
Hunk: I-I’m just saying this here, right now, on the record. This is a bad idea.
Lance: You know, for someone in a space exploration program, you don’t have much of a sense of adventure.
Hunk: All of your little “adventures” end up with me in the principal’s office. Oh, man.
Guard: L-5 north all clear.
Hunk: I’m fine.
Lance: Where is he going?
[Scene change to the roof of the Galaxy Garrison.]
Lance: You come up here to rock out?
Pidge: Oh, Lance, Hunk. No, um, just looking at the stars.
Lance: Where’d you get this stuff? It doesn’t look like Garrison tech.
Pidge: I built it.
Hunk: You built all of this?
Pidge: Stop it! With this thing, I can scan all the way to the edge of the solar system.
Lance: That right? All the way to Kerberos? You go ballistic every time the instructors bring it up. What’s your deal?
Pidge: Second warning, Hunk.
Lance: Look, Pidge, if we’re going to bond as a team, we can’t have any secrets.
Pidge: Fine. The world as you know it is about to change. The Kerberos mission wasn’t lost because of some malfunction or crew mistake. Stop touching my equipment! So, I’ve been scanning the system and picking up alien radio chatter.
Hunk: Whoa, what? Aliens?
Lance: Okay. So, you’re insane. Got it.
Pidge: I’m serious. They keep repeating one word: “Voltron.” And tonight, it’s going crazier than I have ever heard it.
Lance: How crazy?
Iverson, over PA: Attention, students. This is not a drill. We are on lockdown! Security situation Zulu Niner. Repeat: all students are to remain in barracks until further notice.
Hunk: What’s going on? Is that a meteor? A very, very big meteor?
Pidge: It’s a ship.
Lance: Holy crow! I can’t believe what I’m seeing! That’s not one of ours.
Pidge: No. It’s one of theirs.
Hunk: So, wait, there really are aliens out there?
Pidge: We’ve gotta see that ship!
Lance: Hunk, come on!
Hunk: Oh, this is the worst team-building exercise ever.
[Scene change to the cliffs where the mystery space ship landed.]
Lance: Whoa! What the heck is that thing? And who the heck is she?
Pidge: Lance!
Lance: Ow! Right, alien ship. Man, we’ll never get past all those guards to get a look.
Hunk: Aw, man. Yeah, yeah, I guess there’s nothing to do but head back to the barracks, right?
Pidge: Wait, they set up a camera in there and I grabbed its feed. Look!
Shiro: Hey! What are you doing?
Iverson: Calm down, Shiro. We just need to keep you quarantined until we run some tests.
Shiro: You have to listen to me! They destroy worlds! Aliens are coming!
Lance: That’s Shiro, the pilot of the Kerberos mission! That guy’s my hero!
Hunk: Guess he’s not dead in space, after all.
Pidge: But where’s the rest of the crew?
Iverson: Do you know how long you’ve been gone?
Shiro: I don’t know. Months? Years? Look, there’s no time. Aliens are coming here for a weapon. They’re probably on their way. They’ll destroy us. We have to find Voltron.
Pidge: Voltron!
Man: Sir, take a look at this. It appears his arm has been replaced with a cyborg prosthetic.
Iverson: Put him under until we know what that thing can do.
Shiro: No, no, no! Don’t put me under! No! There’s no time!
Pidge: They didn’t ask about the rest of the crew.
Lance: What are they doing? The guy’s a legend. They’re not even gonna listen to him?
Pidge: We have to get him out.
Hunk: Uh, I hate to be the voice of reason here, always, but weren’t we just watching on TV because there was no way to get past the guards?
Lance: That was before we were properly motivated. We’ve just gotta think. Could we tunnel in?
Pidge: Maybe we could get some hazmat suits and sneak in like med techs.
Hunk: Or we dress up like cooks, head back to the dorms, sneak into the commissary, little late-night snack.
Lance: No. What we need is a distraction.
Hunk: Is that the aliens? Is that the aliens? Are they here? They got here so quick!
Pidge: No. Those explosions were a distraction for him. The Garrison’s headed toward the blast, and he’s sneaking in from the other side.
Lance: No way! Oh, he is not going to beat us in there! That guy’s always trying to one-up me!
Hunk: Who is it?
Lance: Keith!
Pidge: Who?
Hunk: Are you sure?
Lance: Oh, I’d recognize that mullet anywhere!
Pidge: Who’s Keith?
Man: These readings are off the chart. Hey!
Keith: Shiro?
Lance: Nope. No, you--no, no, no. No, you don’t. I’m saving Shiro.
Keith: Who are you?
Lance: Who am I? Uh, the name’s Lance. We were in the same class at the Garrison.
Keith: Really, are you an engineer?
Lance: No, I’m a pilot! We were, like, rivals. You know, Lance and Keith, neck and neck.
Keith: Oh, wait, I remember you. You’re a cargo pilot.
Lance: Well, not anymore. I’m fighter class now, thanks to you washing out.
Keith: Well, congratulations.
Hunk: Oh, man. They’re coming back and they do not look happy. We gotta go. Uh, do you mind if we catch a ride with you?
Pidge: Is this thing going to be big enough for all of us?
Keith: No.
Pidge: Why am I holding this guy?
Hunk: Hey, we did all fit.
Lance: Can’t this thing go any faster?
Keith: We could toss out some non-essential weight.
Lance: Oh, right! Okay, so that was an insult. I get it.
Keith: Big man, lean left!
All: Whoa!
Hunk: Aw, man! Mr. Harris just wiped out Professor Montgomery! No, no, he’s fine.
Keith: Big man, lean right!
Hunk: Guys? Is that a cliff up ahead?
Lance: Oh, no, no, no!
Keith: Yup.
Pidge: No, no, no!
Lance: What are you doing? You’re going to kill us all!
Keith: Shut up and trust me!
[Scene change to outside Keith’s home.]
Keith: It’s good to have you back.
Shiro: It’s good to be back.
Keith: So what happened out there? Where were you?
Shiro: I wish I could tell you. My head’s still pretty scrambled. I was on an alien ship, somehow I escaped. It’s all a blur. How did you know to come save me when I crashed?
Keith: You should come see this.
[Scene change to inside Keith’s home.]
Shiro: What have you been working on?
Keith: I can’t explain it, really. After getting booted from the Garrison, I was kinda lost and found myself drawn out to this place. It’s like something… some energy was telling me to search.
Shiro: For what?
Keith: Well, I didn’t know at the time… until I stumbled across this area. It’s an outcropping of giant boulders with caves covered in these ancient markings. Each tells a slightly different story about a blue lion, but they all share clues leading to some event, some arrival happening last night. Then, you showed up.
Shiro: I should thank you all for getting me out. Lance, right?
Pidge: The nervous guy’s Hunk. I’m Pidge. So, did anyone else from your crew make it out?
Shiro: I’m not sure. I remember the mission and being captured. After that, it’s just bits and pieces.
Hunk: Yeah, sorry to interrupt, but back to the aliens. Where are they now? Are they coming? Are they coming for all of us? Like, where are they at this very moment?
Shiro: I can’t really put it together. I remember the word “Voltron.” It’s some kind of weapon they’re looking for, but I don’t know why. Whatever it is, I think we need to find it before they do.
Hunk: Well, last night, I was rummaging through Pidge’s stuff, and I found this picture. Look, it’s his girlfriend.
Pidge: Hey, give me that! What were you doing in my stuff?
Hunk: I was looking for a candy bar. But, then, I started reading his diary--
Pidge: What?!
Hunk: --and I noticed that the repeating series of numbers the aliens are searching for looks a lot like a Fraunhofer line.
Keith: Frown who?
Hunk: It’s a number describing the emission spectrum of an element, only, this element doesn’t exist on EArth. I thought it might be this Voltron, and I think I can build a machine to look for it, kinda like a Voltron Geiger counter.
Lance: Hunk, you big gassy genius!
Hunk: It’s pretty fascinating, really. The wavelength looks like this.
Keith: Give me that.
[Scene change to the canyons leading to Blue Lion’s hiding place.]
Lance: Okay, I admit it. This is super freaky.
Hunk: I’m getting a reading. Whoa. Whoa.
Shiro: What are these?
Keith: These are the lion carvings I was telling you about. They’re everywhere around here.
Lance: Hmm. Whoa. Whoa!
All: What?
Keith: They’ve never done that before.
Lance: They are everywhere.
Pidge: Is this it? Is this the Voltron?
Shiro: It must be.
Keith: This is what’s been causing all of this crazy energy out here. Looks like there’s a forcefield around it.
Lance: Does anyone else get the feeling this is staring at them?
Shiro: No.
Lance: Yeah. The eyes are totally following me.
Keith: I wonder how we get through this.
Lance: Maybe you just have to knock. Whoa. Uh, did everyone just see that?
Hunk: Voltron is a robot. Voltron is a huge, huge awesome robot!
Pidge: And this thing is only one part of it! I wonder where the rest of them are.
Shiro: This is what they’re looking for.
Keith: Incredible.
Lance: Hmm. Mmm… hmm… Here we go. Uh? Huh.
Pidge: Whoa.
Hunk: Whoa.
Lance: Alright! Very nice!
Hunk: Okay, guys, I feel the need to point out, just so that we’re all, you know, aware. We are in some kind of futuristic alien cat head right now.
Lance: Whoa. Did you guys just hear that?
Keith: Hear what?
Lance: I think it’s talking to me. Hmm… Um… Okay, got it. Now, let’s try this.
Keith: You are the worst pilot ever!
Iverson: What in the Sam Hill is that?
Garrison Officer: It appears to be a flying blue lion, sir.
Lance: Isn’t this awesome?
Hunk: Make it stop. Make it stop.
Lance: I’m not making it do anything. It’s like it’s on autopilot.
Keith: Where are you going?!
Lance: I just said it’s on autopilot! It says there’s an alien ship approaching Earth. I think we’re supposed to stop it.
Pidge: What did it say, exactly?
Lance: Well, it’s not like it’s saying words. More like feeding ideas into my brain, kind of.
Hunk: Well, if this thing is the weapon they’re coming for, why don’t we just, I don’t know, give it to them? Maybe they’ll leave us alone. Sorry, lion, nothing personal.
Shiro: You don’t understand. These monsters spread like a plague throughout the galaxy, destroying everything in their path. There’s no bargaining with them. They won’t stop until everything’s dead.
Hunk: Oh. Never mind, then.
[Cut to space.]
Hunk: Uh… Holy crow! Is that really an alien ship?
Shiro: They found me.
Pidge: We’ve got to get it out of here!
Lance: Hang on! Alright, okay! I think I know what to do!
Pidge: Be careful, man. This isn’t a simulator.
Lance: Well, that’s good. I always wreck a simulator. Let’s try this.
Shiro: Nice job, Lance!
Lance: Okay, I think it’s time to get these guys away from our planet.
Unnamed Galra Commander: Lord Zarkon, the escaped prisoner and his people found the lion. It attacked us and is heading out of the system.
Zarkon: Follow that lion and alert all ships in the area to intercept. Capturing that lion is your first and only priority.
Unnamed Galra Commander: Yes, Your Majesty. Full power after the lion!
Hunk: Oh, no!
Pidge: They’re gaining on us!
Lance: It’s weird. They’re not trying to shoot us. They’re just chasing.
Hunk: Okay, seriously, now we think having aliens follow us is good? I am not on board with this new direction, guys.
Keith: Where are we?
Shiro: Edge of the solar system. There’s Kerberos.
Pidge: It takes months for our ships to get out this far. We got out here in five seconds.
Hunk: What is that?
Lance: Uh, this may seem crazy, but I think the lion wants us to go through there.
Pidge: Where does it go?
Lance: I-I don’t know. Shiro, you’re the senior officer here. What should we do?
Shiro: Whatever’s happening, the lion knows more than we do. I say we trust it, but we’re a team now. We should decide together.
Lance: Alright. Guess we’re all ditching class tomorrow.
Lance: Whoa. That was…
Hunk: So sorry.
Pidge: I’m just surprised it took this long.
Shiro: I don’t recognize any of these constellations. We must be a long, long way from Earth.
Lance: The lion seems to want to go to this planet. I think… I think it’s going home.
Lance: Guys, personal space. Hunk, your breath is killing me.
Hunk: Um, is it just me or is anyone else having second thoughts about flying through a mysterious wormhole? Why are we listening to a robotic lion anyway?
Lance: Got us away from that alien warship, didn’t it?
Keith: I don’t know if you noticed, but we’re in an alien warship.
Lance: Oh, are you scared?
Keith: With you at the helm? Terrified.
Shiro: Alright, knock it off. No one’s happy to be in this situation, but we’re here now. If we want to get through this, we’ve got to do it together.
Pidge: So, what do we do?
Shiro: First, we find out where we’re headed. Lance?
Lance: I don’t know. I’m sorry. The lion’s not talking to me anymore. Wait! Wait, wait wait! Shh! Listen. I think I hear something.
Keith: I’m hearing it, too.
Hunk: It’s uh--it’s kind of a--a high-pitched squeal?
All: [exclaim in disgust] Come on, Lance!
Lance: But seriously, there’s a castle up ahead.
All: Wow.
Shiro: Keep your guard up.
Pidge: Something wrong?
Shiro: My crew was captured by aliens once. I’m not gonna let it happen again.
Hunk: Oh, no! No! I knew it was going to eat us! No! Oh, the door is open. Guess I was wrong about you.
Hunk: Hello?
Pidge: From the size of the lion, I expected these steps to be bigger.
Computer: Hold for identity scan.
Pidge: What?
Shiro: Why are we here? What do you want with us?
Lance: Whoa!
Pidge: Whoa. I guess we’re going that way.
Hunk: Hello? Hello? Hello?
Lance: Where are we?
Pidge: It’s some kind of control room.
Hunk: Are these guys… dead?
Allura: Father!
Lance: Woah! Hello.
Allura: Who are you? Where am I?
Lance: My name’s Lance, and you’re right here in my arms.
Allura: Your ears…
Lance: Yeah?
Allura: They’re hideous. What’s wrong with them?
Lance: Nothing’s wrong with them! They heard exactly what you said about them!
Allura: Who are you? Where is King Alfor? What are you doing in my castle?
Lance: A giant blue lion brought us here. That’s all we know!
Allura: How do you have the Blue Lion? What happened to its paladin? What are you all doing here? Unless… How long has it been?
Shiro: We don’t know what you’re talking about. Why don’t you tell us who you are? Maybe we can help.
Allura: I am Princess Allura of Planet Altea. I’ve got to find out where we are and how long we’ve been asleep.
Pidge: Okay, that’s how that works.
Coran: Enemy combatants! Quiznak! You’re lucky I have a case of the ol’ “sleep chamber knees”. Otherwise I’d grab your head like this, wrap you up like so, one, two, three! Sleepytime!
Lance: Well, before you did that I’d--[grunts repeatedly] like that.
Coran: Oh, really? Well how could you do that when I’ve already come at you with this? Ha, ha, ha, hey!
Hunk: Man, these guys are good.
Allura: It can’t be.
Coran: What is it?
Allura: We’ve been asleep for ten thousand years.
[Transition to a flashback, ten thousand years ago.]
Alfor: Zarkon.
Zarkon: Your fleet has been destroyed, Alfor. I will be there shortly to claim Voltron.
Allura: Father, we must form Voltron and fight before it’s too late!
Alfor: It’s already too late. We must send the lions away. We can’t risk them falling into Zarkon’s hands.
Allura: We can’t give up hope!
Alfor: I’m sorry, daughter. If all goes well, I will see you again soon.
Allura: Father…
Alfor: I love you.
[Transition back to the present.]
Allura: Planet Altea and all of the planets in our solar system have been destroyed. Coran, Father is gone. Our entire civilization… Zarkon.
Shiro: Zarkon?
Allura: He was the king of the Galra. A vile creature and enemy to all free people.
Shiro: I remember now… I was his prisoner.
Allura: He’s still alive? Impossible!
Shiro: I can’t explain it, but it’s true. He’s searching for a super-weapon called Voltron.
Allura: He’s searching for it because he knows it’s the only thing that can defeat him, and that’s exactly why we must find it before he does.
[Cut to an unspecified location full of floating purple crystals.]
Haggar: Ah…
[Cut to an unspecified location on Zarkon’s command ship.]
Haggar: The Blue Lion has returned, and now I feel a resurgence of Altean energy.
Zarkon: Alfor’s daughter lives? How?
Haggar: I know not, but it is time to reclaim what is rightfully ours.
Zarkon: Yes. I shall wipe that foul race from the universe forever and take back Voltron. Contact my commanders.
[Cut to a Galra cruiser in deep space.]
Male voice: Emperor Zarkon requests an audience.
Zarkon: Commander Sendak, the Princess of Altea is alive and hiding in your sector. We believe she alone holds the whereabouts of the remaining lions. Your battle fleet is the closest to her location. Retrieve her and the lions. With them all, the Galra Empire will be unstoppable.
Sendak: I fight for the empire. I conquer in the name of Galra. No foe has ever stood in my way and none ever will. Vrepit Sa! Set a course for Arus.
[Cut to the Castle of Lions.]
Coran: Princess, you must eat. It’s been ten thousand years.
Allura: I’m not hungry.
Lance: Man, ten thousand years? That's like one thousand plus ten.
Keith: That’s times ten.
Lance: Whatever, dropout.
Hunk: I haven’t eaten since breakfast and I’m starving.
Pidge: Yeah, but you’ve thrown up, like, five times.
Shiro: I can’t believe your civilization created such advanced technology ten thousand years ago. It must have been an incredible place.
Coran: Yes, it was… but now it is gone and we’re the last Alteans alive.
Allura: Looks like we’re not the last, after all.
Coran: A Galra battleship has set its tracker to us!
Allura: How did they find us?
Lance: I’m not sure, but I bet it’s Keith’s fault.
Keith: Say whatever you’ve gotta say to make yourself feel better. After getting us stuck on the other side of a wormhole!
Lance: I’ll stick you in a wormhole!
Shiro: Stow it, cadets! This is no time to place blame, it’s time to work as a team. How long before they arrive?
Coran: At their speed? Oh, well, uh, carry the two… I’d say probably a couple of days.
Allura: Good. Let them come. By the time they get here, you five will have reformed Voltron, and together, we will destroy Zarkon’s empire.
Hunk: Sorry. Food goo.
Shiro: Princess, there are five of these lions. How are we going to find the rest?
[Transition to the bridge of the Castle of Lions.]
Coran: King Alfor connected the lions to Allura’s life force. She alone is the key to the lions’ whereabouts.
All: Whoa.
Pidge: These are coordinates. The Black Lion looks like it’s in the same location as the Blue Lion.
Coran: Look at your primitive synapses firing away in their little brain cage!
Allura: Very observant. That’s because the Black Lion is in the castle.
Coran: To keep the Black Lion out of Zarkon’s hands, King Alfor locked it in the castle. It can only be freed if the other four lions are present.
Allura: As you have found, the lions choose their pilots. It is a mystical bond and cannot be forced. The quintessence of the pilot is mirrored in his lion. Together, they form something greater than science can explain. The Black Lion is the decisive head of Voltron. It will take a pilot who is a born leader and in control at all times, someone whose men will follow without hesitation. That is why, Shiro, you will pilot the Black Lion. The Green Lion has an inquisitive personality and needs a pilot of intellect and daring. Pidge, you will pilot the Green Lion. The Blue Lion--
Lance: Whoa, hold up, let me guess. Takes the most handsome slash best pilot of the bunch?
Allura: The Yellow Lion is caring and kind. Its pilot is one who puts the needs of others above his own. His heart must be mighty. As the leg of Voltron, you will lift the team up and hold them together. The Red Lion is temperamental and the most difficult to master. It’s faster and more agile than the others, but also more unstable. Its pilot needs to be someone who relies more on instincts than skill alone. Keith, you will fly the Red Lion.
Lance: What? This guy?
Allura: Unfortunately, I cannot locate the Red Lion’s coordinates yet. There must be something wrong with the castle. After ten thousand years, it might need some work.
Coran: Don’t worry, we’ll find it soon. They don’t call me “The Coranic” for nothing. It’s because it sounds like “mechanic.” So… Coranic, mechanic. It’s not--it doesn’t sound… exactly like it. It’s similar.
Allura: Once all the lions are united, you will form Voltron, the most powerful warrior ever known, the Defender of the Universe.
Lance: Awesome.
Pidge: Oh…
Hunk: Wait. Okay, we’re going to be in there and flying lions. Got that part. How do lions turn into legs? Also, is this going to be a long trip? Because I have to pee. Do you people pee?
Shiro: We don’t have much time. Pidge and I will go after the Green Lion. Lance, you take Hunk and get the yellow one. Keith, you stay here. If you locate that Red Lion, go get it.
Allura: In the meantime, I’ll get this castle’s defenses ready. They’ll be sorely needed.
Coran: I’ll ready a pod and load the coordinates so that you can reach the Green Lion.
[Transition to the launch of the lion and the pod.]
Coran: We can only keep the wormholes that lead to the other lions open for two of your Earth hours, so you’ll have to be quick about your work. The good news is that according to my readings, both planets are relatively peaceful. So, if you do get stuck, they could be relaxing places to live out the rest of your lives. Enjoy the trip!
Lance: Wait! What? No!
Hunk: I did not receive the memo on this.
[Scene change to a lush green planet where Shiro and Pidge land.]
Pidge: Look! It’s just a… whatever that thing is. I… uh, I think he wants us to get in his canoe.
Shiro: Then, I guess we should go.
Pidge: Huh.
Shiro: I’ve been locked up by aliens for a year. This is nothing.
Pidge: I wonder if Hunk and Lance are having as good a time as us.
[Cut to a sandy planet, where Hunk and Lance are not having as good a time.]
Hunk: Oh, no! No, no, no! Oh! Oh, no! I thought Coran said these planets were peaceful!
Lance: Maybe “peaceful” means something else in Altean!
Hunk: According to the coordinates, we’re right on top of the Yellow Lion. It’s below there, where they’re mining for the ore. They don’t even know the lion is there. Or maybe they just got here and they’re digging for the lion? What do you think, Lance?
Lance: Who cares? Just go get it! I’m dropping you down there.
Hunk: Me? Down there? No. No, no, no.
Lance: Yes, I’ll cover you.
Hunk, You know, what if the Yellow Lion doesn’t work? W-What if--what if I can’t get in the mine? What if I start crying? It’s too late. I’m already crying!
Lance: Sorry, no time for questions.
Hunk: Oh, yeah, sure, just drop me off in an alien planet. That’s cool, man. It’s only occupied by mean purple aliens that want to kill me, but whatever. Just ignore them and go connect with a big, yellow, mechanical cat. Easy-peasy. Yeah. That all makes a ton of sense to me. Cool.
Hunk: Okay, I’m in a giant hole. Now what, Hunk? Huh? Whoa. Pretty. How am I gonna get through that? Hmm? Hmm...
[Cut to Blue Lion on the surface, then Hunk drilling through the rock, and back to Blue as Lance fights the Galra fighters.]
Lance: Oh, no! Hunk!
[Scene change to Shiro and Pidge on the river with the alien.]
Pidge: I know the princess said this is supposed to be my lion, but what if she’s wrong? I mean, she’s probably not wrong. She’s a princess, but I’m not a pilot, even though I’ve always wanted to be a pilot. I mean, I read all the fighter manuals, but never got to fly the simulator, but, hey, I can’t be all that worse than Lance. He crashed all the time, but what if I get in there and it doesn’t respond? What if I get in there and it’s too big and my feet don’t touch the pedals? What if there aren’t even pedals?
Shiro: You’re rambling. Listen, our commander on the Kerberos mission is the smartest man I ever met and he always said, “If you get too worried about what could go wrong, you might miss a chance to do something great.”
Shiro: Go. Be great.
Pidge: Woo-hoo-hoo!
[Cut to Blue Lion on the sandy planet.]
Lance: Hunk, come on! Please, buddy! Oh, no, no, no, no, no! Going down! We’re going down! Oh, no.
Hunk: You okay, Lance?
Lance: Hunk! I thought you were dead! You jumped in front of all those shots to save my life!
Hunk: Well, actually, I was trying to get out of the way. Thankfully, what this thing lacks in speed, it more than makes up for in armor. Man, can it take a beating! Ooh. We’ve got incoming!
Allura: Paladins, please hurry back. I can’t hold the wormhole much longer.
Lance: Let’s get out of here!
Hunk: Ugh, not this again.
Lance: Quit screwing around, Hunk! The wormhole is closing!
[Cut to the bridge of the Castle of Lions.]
Allura: You made it.
Lance: Yeah, just barely. That was a nightmare. I almost puked out there. I felt like Hunk!
Hunk: Think how I felt. I am Hunk.
Pidge: Yeah, we had a tough time, too.
Shiro: Did we find the Red Lion yet?
Coran: Allura just located it. There’s a bit of good news and bad news. The good news is the Red Lion is nearby. The bad news is it’s on-board the Galra ship now orbiting Arus. But wait, good news again. We’re Arus!
Shiro: They’re here already?
Coran: Yes. Guess my calculations were a bit off. Finger counting is--it’s more of an art than a science. Hmm?
Sendak: Princess Allura, this is Commander Sendak of the Galra Empire. I come on behalf of Emperor Zarkon, Lord of the Known Universe. I am here to confiscate the lions. Turn them over to me, or I will destroy your planet.
Shiro: Alright, let’s not panic.
Hunk: Not panic? The scary purple alien thing is driving his battleship toward us. We only have four lions.
Pidge: Technically, only three working lions.
Hunk: That’s right, thank you, Pidge. Three working lions a-and a castle that’s, like, ten thousand years old.
Coran: Actually, it’s ten thousand and six hundred years old. You see, it was built by my grandfather--
Hunk: Thanks, Coran. Thank you for that. See? Now is the perfect time to panic!
Allura: Wait! This castle has a particle barrier we can activate.
Lance: Girl, you’ve already activated my par--
Shiro: Lance!
Coran: The particle barrier won’t hold Sendak’s ion cannon forever. The Galra technology must have advanced since we fought them last.
Hunk: Panic now?
Shiro: No, we’ve just got to figure out our plan of action, and figure it out quickly.
Lance: I say we pop through a wormhole and live to fight another day.
Hunk: I second that, yes. I mean, we tried to find all the lions, right? We gave it the ol’ college try. Couldn’t do it. We only have three. We can’t form Voltron. I mean, I guess we could form a snake. Or a worm! To go through that hole, Lance, that you were talking about.
Lance: Then, it’s settled. Allura, you ride with me. One of you take the old guy.
Pidge: We can’t just abandon Arus. The Galra will keep destroying planets and capturing prisoners until we stop them.
Hunk: Okay. If we run, then maybe Sendak will follow us and leave this planet alone, like when we left Earth. We form the snake-worm thingamagjig and we--[hisses] out of here.
Keith: Sendak could destroy the planet, then come after us anyway. Staying is our only option.
Lance: Here's an option: shut your quiznak.
Keith: I don’t think you’re using that word correctly.
Lance: What do you know, Mullet?
Keith: We’re staying.
Lance: Leaving!
Pidge: Staying!
Hunk: Snake!
Shiro: Guys, stop! Princess Allura, these are your lions. You’ve dealt with the Galra Empire before. You know what we’re facing better than any of us. What do you think is the best course of action?
Allura: I… I don’t know.
Coran: Perhaps your father can help.
Allura: My father?
[Transition to the computer room that hosts Alfor’s AI.]
Allura: Coran, what is this?
Coran: King Alfor knew that there was a chance he might never see you again. So his memories, his very being, were stored in this computer for you.
Allura: Father! Father, it is so good to see you.
Alfor: Allura, my only child, how I’ve missed your face.
Allura: I’m so frightened. A Galra ship is set to attack, and I don’t know what to do. Please, Father, I need your help.
Alfor: I would do anything to take this burden from you.
Allura: I don’t know if we should run to preserve what we have or stay and risk everything. I want to fight, but the paladins of old are gone. I know what you would do.
Alfor: I scattered the Lions of Voltron to keep them out of Zarkon’s hands. You urged me to keep them and fight, but, for the greater good of protecting the universe, I chose to hide them.
Allura: I think I understand.
Alfor: No, daughter, you were right. I made a terrible mistake, one that cost the universe countless lives. Forming Voltron is the only way to stop Zarkon. You must be willing to sacrifice everything to assemble the lions and correct my error.
[Scene change to Allura entering the bridge once more, looking determined in her flight suit.]
Allura: You five paladins were brought here for a reason. The Voltron Lions are meant to be piloted by you and you alone. We must fight, and keep fighting until we defeat Zarkon. It is our destiny. Voltron is the universe’s only hope. We are the universe’s only hope.
Shiro: We’re with you, Princess.
[Cut to the armory of the castle.]
Allura: Your suits of armor.
Lance: Cool!
Shiro: Outstanding.
Keith: Nice.
Pidge: Oh, neat!
Hunk: Hmm…
Coran: Princess, are you sure about this? They aren’t exactly the best and brightest the universe has to offer.
Allura: No, but they’re all we’ve got.
Shiro: Boys, it’s time to suit up!
Allura: The bayard is the traditional weapon of the Paladins of Voltron. It takes a distinct shape for each paladin.
Lance: Whoo! Aw, you got a cute little bayard.
Pidge: Yeah, it is pretty cute.
Allura: Shiro, I’m afraid your bayard was lost with its paladin.
Shiro: I guess I’ll just have to make do.
[Cut to the bridge.]
Allura: You’ll need to retrieve the Red Lion from Sendak’s ship.
Keith: That’s a pretty big ship. How are we gonna know where the Red Lion is?
Pidge: Well, it’s not a matter of “we.” It’s a matter of “you.”
Hunk: Pidge is right. Once we get you in, you’ll be able to feel its presence and, like, track it down.
Lance: Yeah. You know how you felt that crazy energy while we were in the desert?
Keith: Yeah. You made fun of me for that.
Lance: And I’m proud of that, but turns out it’s exactly like that mumbo-jumbo.
Allura: Keith, the Red Lion is extremely temperamental. You’ll have to earn its respect.
Shiro: Alright. Here’s our plan of attack. The Galra Empire knows about the Blue and Yellow Lion, but they don’t know we have the Green Lion, too.
[Cut to outer space.]
Shiro: Hunk, Lance, you’ll act as a decoy by pretending to give yourselves up.
Lance: Attention, Galra ship. Do not fire. We’re surrendering our lions. Hope this works.
Shiro: While Sendak is distracted, Keith, Pidge, and I will sneak onto the ship in the Green Lion. Keith and I will find the Red Lion while Pidge guards our exit. Hunk, Lance, find some way to take down that ion cannon.
Lance: Pidge, what’s your ETA?
Pidge: We’re in.
Sendak: Activate tractor beam.
Hunk: What’s that thing?
Lance: I think that’s our signal to get out of here!
Sendak: They lied to us. Launch fighters!
Lance: Hunk, you dismantle the ion cannon while I take these jerks on a space ride.
Hunk: Ten-four!
[Cut to inside the Galra ship.]
Shiro: I’ve been here before. After I was taken by the Galra cruiser off Kerberos, they brought us here.
Pidge: So, that means your other crewmembers, they might be held captive here. We… We’ve gotta rescue them.
Shiro: Pidge, we don’t have time. We have to get the Red Lion and get back to Arus.
Pidge: But we can’t just leave prisoners here!
Shiro: Look, no one understands that more than me, but in war, we have to make hard choices. Now, let’s get moving.
Pidge: No! Commander Holt is my father. He and my brother were the ones on the Kerberos mission with you.
Shiro: Commander Holt is your father?
Pidge: Yes. I’ve been searching everywhere for him and my brother and I’m not going to give up looking when I’m this close. I won’t!
Shiro: I’m coming with you.
Keith: What?
Shiro: I remember where the prisoners are held. Keith, you go find the Red Lion.
Keith: By myself?
Shiro: Minor change of plans. You’ll be fine. Just remember, patience yields focus, so--run!
Keith: Great. Now which way?
[Cut to Yellow Lion flying outside the Galra ship.]
Hunk: What the quiznak? What is that? A forcefield?
[Cut to the castle on Arus.]
Allura: Particle barrier up!
Coran: Is that what’s supposed to happen? Oh, the barrier crystals are out of alignment.
Allura: We have to fix it immediately. Without the particle barrier, we’ll be defenseless.
Coran: We’re both too big. What can we do?
Allura: The mice!
Coran: How do they know how to do this?
Allura: I can hear them talking to me. I think our minds are connected. It must be from sharing the sleep pod for ten thousand years. Thank you, friends. Coran, what are you doing?
Coran: I’m trying to get them to make me a sandwich.
[Cut to Keith on the Galra ship.]
Keith: You’ve gotta be kidding me! Patience yields focus. Gotcha.
[Cut to Pidge and Shiro on the Galra ship.]
Shiro: That thing saw us. We should get out of here.
Pidge: Wait, I think this might come in handy. Now I’ll just reset the controls… and it’s working for us! I’m gonna call you Rover. Follow me! Open up.
Shiro: Excellent, Pidge.
Pidge: Dad?
Shiro: Don’t be afraid. We’re here to help you escape.
Prisoner: It’s you… It’s you, the Champion. If anyone can get us out of here, he can.
Shiro: Wh… what did you call me?
Pidge: We don’t have much time. Let’s get to the escape pods.
Shiro: Let’s go. Come on!
[Cut to Lance in Blue Lion.]
Lance: Whoa-ho-ho! Yeah, buddy! This is way more fun without Hunk’s barfing!
[Cut to Keith in a hangar where Red is floating inside a shield.]
Keith: Bingo. Let’s get out of here. Open up. It’s me. Keith. Your buddy. It’s me! Keith, your--I am your paladin! I’m bonding with you! Hey! Come on! We’re connected! You’re not getting this lion! Good kitty. Let’s roll.
[Cut to Shiro and Pidge by an escape pod with the prisoners.]
Pidge: Hurry!
Drone: Halt!
Pidge, distorted: Shiro, what’s wrong?
Prisoner: Thank you, Shiro.
Shiro: Wait! How do you…?
Pidge: Shiro, that was amazing! Where did you learn to fight with that?
Shiro: No idea.
[Cut to Yellow Lion.]
Hunk: Come on, just break, you stupid thing! Score one for Hunk! You guys made it!
Pidge: Kitty Rose has left the stage!
Lance: Let’s get the heck out of here!
Hunk: I hope I stopped that cannon. I could barely make a dent in it.
Haxus: They stole the Red Lion!
Sendak: After them! Either we get those lions or we blow this whole planet to cosmic dust! Fire the ion cannon.
Haxus: Sir, the ion cannon has been damaged.
Sendak: Then send the drones to fix it!
[Cut to the Black Lion’s hangar in the Castle of Lions, then to the bridge.]
Allura: Oh…
Coran: Oh, quiznak!
Allura: Sendak is entering the Arusian atmosphere. We need Voltron now!
[Cut to the bridge of Sendak’s ship.]
Haxus: The ion cannon is back online!
Sendak: Fire!
[Cut to Hunk inside Yellow Lion.]
Hunk: Man, those Galra guys repair things fast.
Coran: The barrier gets weaker with every blast. Once that shield goes down, the castle will be defenseless.
Allura: I can give you cover with the castle defenses for a while, but you have to form Voltron now or we’ll all be destroyed!
Hunk: Jeez, no pressure.
Shiro: Listen up, Team Voltron! The only way to succeed is to give it all you’ve got! This looks bad, but we can do this! Are you with me?
Hunk: I’m nodding. Is everyone else nodding?
Keith, Lance, Pidge: Yes.
Shiro: Let’s do this!
Lance: Uh, how?
Keith: Good question. Does anyone have any ideas of how to form Voltron?
Hunk: I don’t see a “combine into giant robot” button anywhere on my dashboard.
Pidge: This is insane! Can’t they just ceasefire for one minute so we can figure this out? Is that too much to ask?
Keith: We’ve gotta do something!
Hunk: Combine!
Keith: Hey!
Hunk: Okay, that didn’t work.
Allura: Quickly, Paladins! Our energy levels are getting low!
Shiro: Maybe if we fly in formation, we’ll just combine. Take off on my cue. One, two, three, Voltron!
Keith: Here we go!
Lance: Come on, come on!
Shiro: Nothing’s happening.
Lance: Hey, wait, wait, wait. I feel something!
Hunk: I do, too. I feel it. It’s like we’re all being pulled in the same direction!
Shiro: Uh, guys, I think I know why. Look up.
Lance: What the cheese?
Pidge: Sendak’s ship is sucking us in like a black hole!
[Cut to Sendak on the bridge of his ship.]
Sendak: Send a report to Emperor Zarkon: “The day is ours.”
[Cut to the castle, then to Shiro in Black.]
Shiro: Oh, no!
Hunk: I don’t care what you say, Shiro. I’m panicking now!
Pidge: It can’t end here!
Lance: This is it!
Keith: It’s been an honor flying with you boys.
Hunk: Oh, no!
Shiro: No! We can do this. We have to believe in ourselves. We can’t give up. We are the universe’s only hope. Everyone is relying on us. We can’t fail! We won’t fail! If we work together, we’ll win together!
All: Yeah!
[Cut to Sendak on his bridge.]
Sendak: Voltron!
[Cut to Voltron outside the Galra ship.]
Keith: I can’t believe it!
Pidge: We formed Voltron!
Hunk: I’m a leg!
Lance: How are we doing this?
Shiro: I don’t know, but let’s get that cannon!
[Scene change to outside the Castle of Lions at sunset, after their victory.]
Allura: Good work, Paladins!
Lance: Thanks, pretty lady.
Shiro: We did it.
Keith: Heck yeah, we did.
Shiro: How did we do it?
Hunk: I was just, like, screaming the whole time. Maybe that did it.
Shiro: We’re not gonna stop searching until we find your brother and father. Wherever they are, I know they’d be proud of you.
Allura: We won the battle, but the war has only just begun. I’m afraid Zarkon will not stop until he gets these lions.
Coran: Good thing you paladins know what you’re doing, because you’re going to have to form Voltron again and again.
Hunk: Totally. Wait, what?
Lance: We barely survived forming Voltron this one time.
Coran: And you only had to fight one ship. Wait until you have to fight a whole fleet of them! It’s not going to be easy being the Defenders of the Universe.
Shiro: Defenders of the Universe, huh? That’s got a nice ring to it.
End.
#vld#voltron#voltron legendary defender#transcript#shiro#allura#hunk#pidge#lance#keith#coran#sendak#haxus#sam holt#matt holt#alfor#zarkon#commander iverson
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Endemic Pandemic
Part 1: Seattle as the Epicenter
How did it all start? First, it was STEP A, everyone from China, talking about it and one student bemoaning the fact that some people in Wuhan, China will eat anything. It seems eating a diseased bat started it, as contact with a monkey started AIDS. That group made it back and we had a fun time. The next two-week class was canceled because travel from China had been suspended. I skipped the next group to go to Mexico with Rene and Anne, and started the fourth group with a reduced group. After only one week, the UW decided to cancel in-person classes and that program ended. Now, there is the worry that I may not even have enough work to retire as I had planned. I started job hunting as soon as we heard the program will probably close the end of summer. Now, it's the start of spring quarter, and we only have 20 new students (as opposed to a healthy 80). Moreover, these classes may have to be on-line, so I'll have to learn a program called Zoom. All the signs are pointing to me getting out of this career and Rene is talking about getting out of the country. China and Iran took the biggest initial hits, then Italy closed down. Just today, 3/11/2020, Dumptr canceled all flights to and from Europe, except for England, who Brexited earlier this year. Also, today, the public schools followed the university's precedent, and closed down, as did the Burke Museum. The governor has banned any meetings over 250 people. Any meetings over 13 are discouraged and on my way back from the gym, which is still open, the train was mostly empty, with the buses being just a little fuller. You see people in masks, bus drivers, students until the classes were cancelled, doctors and nurses, shoppers, passers by. It's all disconcerting. People are over reacting, in my opinion...the North Dakotan whose bus driver always made it through when all the others cancelled.
Facebook and Instagram are double edged swords. First, it is and always has been a community of contact at a time when face to face contact has decreased steadily over the years. (Ironically, it's been decreasing directly because of the technology that gave us Facebook in the first place!) I send a photo of a candle burning for all our brothers and sisters across the world to my Greek pagan witch friend Vas. I am at home after going to our favorite neighborhood coffee shop this morning with the dog (hoping to see its friend Pinky there), only to find out that they are closing, due to the uncertainty. There are those who say that what is happening now in Italy will happen here, too. It's only a matter of time.
Speaking of FB, I'm chatting on line now with Alban, my brother-from-another-life teacher friend in France, where everything is still normal. We talked about how people are getting into being the characters in an epidemic horror film and acting accordingly. We both acknowledge the advantages of learning in the flesh, but also know people are lazy and always take the easy way out. Even as we communicated, President Macron issued the edict to close all schools and universities starting Monday. I look outside to the sunny March day and think similar days greeted the Spanish Flu and the Black Death. At least this one is not smelly.
Here's the resume I have sent:
CAREER SUMMARY
My international experience began after undergraduate school with the Peace Corps in Morocco. My strengths of responsibility, patience and adaptability gained from being raised on a farm contributed to a successful and rewarding overseas experience. The professional aspect of my international experience began with teaching and studying in the Teaching English as a Second Language Program at CSU. As the Graduate Student Representative, in addition to teaching, being the liaison between the faculty and the students honed my leadership, organizational and diplomatic skills. From my first teaching job at Saint Martin’s College to my extensive career at the University of Washington, these skills developed greatly over the years.
Writing and editing, International relations, counseling, public relations, intercultural communication,
EMPLOYMENT
English Language Instructor, UW Campus and downtown ELP, material development, listening and speaking and grammar specialties 3/16/2005 to present
Compliance Specialist, (change to Professional Staff status from Extension Lecturer) effective March 2004
Admissions and Immigration Director, University of Washington International Outreach Programs, Seattle WA. Admissions and Immigration for all UW Educational Outreach International Programs. Primary Designated Student Official in the Immigration and Customs Enforcement SEVIS program. 1/2004 to present.
Director of Student Services, University of Washington Educational Outreach, Seattle, WA. Directing all international student services in the English Language program including acceptance, immigration advising, orientation (initial and on-going), information dissemination (weekly newsletter), sponsors, housing, language exchange and extracurricular activities. Teaching an English Language class is part of the administration positions. 9/2000 to 1/2004.
Acting Director, Downtown ESL Program, Directing ESL program with 80 students and nine faculty and staff. Payroll and expenditure authorization, supervising office staff and providing support for teachers and students. June 12-August 18, 2000.
International Student Advisor, ESL Programs, University of Washington Educational Outreach (UWEO), Seattle, WA. Immigration, academic and personal advising. Activities supervisor, conversation exchange program coordinator, extended orientation class development and instruction, weekly newsletter publisher. Taught extended orientation class in ESL Program, speaking and listening focus. Liaison with UWEO Business Office, sponsoring agencies and embassies, UW housing office, and home stay agencies. 3/87 to 9/2000.
PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS AND SERVICES
Peace Corps Volunteer, Taza, Morocco. High school instructor of English at Lycee Sidi Azzouz in Taza. Outreach to disabled children in a special summer project at a special school in Martil, Morocco. From 6/78-6/80.
Member NAFSA: Association of International Educators and the Association of Washington International Student Affairs (AWISA). Received Outstanding Service Award. Reached out especially to the LGBT international community by producing a video and presenting workshops and sessions yearly at national and regional TESOL and NAFSA conferences.
EDUCATION AND PROFESSIONAL TRAINING
Cetlalic Language Program, Cuernavaca, Mexico, Intensive Spanish study January 3-16, 2004.
International House, Madrid, Spain, Intensive Spanish Study and Study Abroad experience 99-00
NAFSA Professional Development Training May 1998
M.A. TESL/Linguistics, Colorado State University 1982
B.S. Psychology, Minor in French, University of North Dakota, 1977
a week, we had done some bonding and I was remembering the difference between the two girls with similar, to me, names.
Like the 1918 Spanish Flu, which took my grandmother Voeller and Catherine Thomas' husband, starting the huge Voeller clan, the last dying before this next-100-year epidemic took hold. It centered in a nursing home in Kirkland, and has taken mostly the elderly. Some say it is cleaning out the dark, negative energy.
Part 2: Two Months in
It's now been over two months since people were sent to their rooms to thinking long and hard about what they have done...to the
Mother, to Gaia. Yesterday was Mother's Day and I posted photos both of my mother and Gaia in celebration of the day. I have picked up a variety pack of online friends...Roial Co (Philippine Reiki Master (I attuned him from 2 to 3 over the phone in an hour-long ceremony last weekend. He could be part of the soul family...other members being Kim, Aric, Bob, Bachir, Robert, Vivian, Paki, Roy, Cynthia, Alban for sure), Mahamed, Eryk (also for sure), Samuel and the latest...Randy. There could be up to 90 scattered across the planet at this time...like shatters of glass (Roi). I'm almost to the point where I can start writing in my books again.
The state was supposed to go into what is called "Stage 2" on June 1, five days from now, but people are still dying (up to 100,000 in the states, 300,000 worldwide) so now it's mid-month. More monetary help is on the way. The veil is thinning. Strange events are starting to become common. I am meeting good people around the world on social media. We send money to Samuel after vetting him, but Kelvin Moore turns out to be a Yemeni hack. Oh well. My gardens, on the other hand, are glorious and giving me much pleasure. I have fresh flowers here at my little at home desk and downstairs on the kitchen counter. The ones at my office desk are from the top deck and the ones on the counter are from the east English garden. I am trying to attract elves and fairies to both gardens and have started playing my harp out there, with melodies that come to me from the plants' exhalations. I installed a lady bug house at the base of the climbing vines and will sit out there when the weather gets better and it's supposed to reach record heat this summer. Yikes. Along with world pandemic, murder hornets, ravaging storms and the 17 year cadydid cycle falling on 2020, a record heat wave and resulting fires are just par for the course.
Going out in public these days, at least here in the city, you would see that nearly everyone has a mask on. It's a bit disconcerting looking at eyes above various colors of masks, the new item of outer wear. The cute barista wore a black one, the owner a bandanna, his wife, the chef, a more medical-looking surgical mask, the lady in front of me, a homemade jobby. Out in the boonies, there is a culture war between those who believe we need to wear masks to protect both ourselves and others and those who believe that it's all a hoax and it's a way for the government to muzzle us, limit our freedom. Both sides see the other as sheeple.
Part 3: Month 6
It's now 70 days until November 3 and as Antonio from Spain said, "At the end of the day, it's up to a few Floridians, a bunch of Ohioans and a handful of Michiganians to decide the future of mankind..." The DNC went better than anyone had expected, with great speeches from both Michelle and Barack Obama, the AOC, Kamala Harris and culminating with one by Biden, himself. This week, the shit show in a burning dumpster called teh RNC has started with hysterical screaming and drug-induced ramblings laying all blame the the Dems and predicting a daily reality of lawlessness, rioting and burning cities if Biden gets elected. Only 70 days until we decide whether to stay in this country, or like our ancestors, try our luck in a new one: Mexico, Spain or Portugal are the top runners right now. We plan to go south to check out Flagstaff and Sedona, Arizona this Christmas. Last Christmas, it was El Paso, Alpine and Marfa, Texas and Los Crucas, New Mexico.
I am on the break between summer and fall...noteably the longest one of the year, often five weeks. I usually go back to North Dakota during this time, but that's not happening this year, probably never again. The last time I was there, I was suffering from depression and I had a feeling I would not be seeing it again. Best to leave it to my memories of happier days there when the people I grew up with were still alive.
This divide in the country, instigated by Russian bots and carried out by Puppet Dumpster, has been the last straw, the one to have broken the camel's back that was my family connection. Foreseen by my late sister Lori, when she said (in response to whether it was now my job to keep the family together), "We are all adults now. If anyone decides to never see the others again, then that's up to them, not you." First, it was LaVonne who stopped texting or answering my texts. Then, Dennis stopped answering my phone calls and stopped calling as well. Rosie and Jamie are still cyber-stalking me on Facebook and Instagram (Rosie made an Instagram account as soon as I said I was leaving FB in disgust. She has never posted anything and has no photos in her folder...she just checks to see what I'm up to.) I stopped posting political craziness last week as it was becoming too much work to research what was fear-inducing truth and what was fear-inducing fiction. The tainted GOP is all about striking fear into the hearts of anyone who will listen to their rabid rantings.
Another week, another innocent black man shot by racist white police. Then, to add insult to injury, a trumped up 17 year old from Illinois goes across the border to shoot two protesters, walking by police to go home and then turn himself in the next day. (It comes out later that he shot the first victim in the back, and that his mom drove him to the protest, as if it were a soccer practice!) I had to break my political silence on FB, which I have just decided I will have to leave. I don't know if I can deal with Liker, the current alternative, either. It's the brainchild of some guy who saw where FB was going in 2012 and decided people needed an option. They need an option, all right. The option to opt out of social media, the new Dolls of the 2010s and now 20s.
I wake up early on 8/27/2020 and disable my Facebook account. I can't quite go cold turkey and get rid of Messenger along with it, because there are some people on there I still want to support. This is the second time I have tried to do this. After 13 years (is that all? It seems half my life!), it's a main social outlet that I am moving away from. Especially now, in the time of pandemics, it will be more isolating, but the vitriol and Hate being spewed forth is out of balance with what's really out there...I hope. There were those who had to spew the venom that the skateboarder that was killed, a gentle, long-haired hippy soul, deserved to die. I can not relate nor be exposed to such unadulterated hate. Their minds have been poisoned by no other than the POTUS, (and the institutionalized racism/hate behind him) as well as hate speech on line. My family has succumbed to the Fear of the Other as well. So be it. It may mean leaving the country if this upcoming election is stolen like the last one was. I refuse to believe that a majority of people in this country have drunk the Kool-aid.
Reading "The Witches are Coming" by Lindy West is giving me more insight, a chance to laugh and even some hope.
"Our propensity for always, always, always choosing what is comfortable over what is right helped pave the road to this low and surreal moment in US history."
Part 4: Month 7
From September 8 to 18, Seattle was socked in under a cloud of ash from the fires down south. I could feel the ashes of the bodies the those who died, as well as the chemicals of the burnt human structures. Breitenbush Hot Springs lay in ashes with only the main buildings saved. I could feel the heaviness in my lungs. Mishka could sense it and acted out by peeing outside the box. On the 14th, it finally rained some and we still have more days to endure. I got up from epic dreams of lost family (my mom, That Bitch Denis, DJ, my nieces who my mom prepared us for so they could come in and check us out sleeping) and went out into the acid rain to witness it. The craziness coming from the POTUS and media intensifies as it's now 50 days till the election.
Then, when it seems to be darkest before the dawn, the triple threat of the GOPruients, COVID-19 and the death-ash from the west coast fires, we find on the evening of 9/18/20 that the Notorious RBG, Ruth Bader Ginsberg, justice of the SCOTUS, died at 87, after having fought numerous ailments, including cancer. That bitch, Moscow Mitch immediately states the Senate will vote on a replacement even before the body is cold, even though in 2016 he said that the people of the US should have a say in the next SCOTUS, therefore, the appointment should wait until the election of the new president...blocking Obama in this last year, from appointing one. This will enable the Dumpster in his last weeks to appoint another conservative, anti-abortionist.
It becomes harder to grasp what is actually going on..these times are so unprecedented in our life times, though to those of us for whom AIDS was an epidemic, this is our second time around fearing for our lives. We know it's a long haul with many casualties before we come out on the other side, but whatever was normal no longer will be.
We go out for healthy burgers at Little Big Burger, where you can get a lettuce wrap in the place of a bun. We are both on edge and irritable and go to our separate corners after we eat in silence to grieve in our own way. Me typing here with all my altar lights on and a candle burning by the RBG candle, as the first fall rains sound outside, clearing the air for the first time in 10 days. The temptation to sell the house and leave the country is strong. The need to stay and fight on will probably prevail, but may not take the re-election of the anti-Christ, the embodiment of the Seven Deadly sins: pride, greed, lust, envy, gluttony, wrath and sloth,
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We placed your fitness first to help you improve your health and way of life, lose weight, gain lean muscle mass, condition or recuperate from an injury. If you have any type of inquiries relating to the sort of workout plans I supply, or any other questions regarding my services as a female individual instructor within Derby, please utilize the contact type listed below. To find out more on the various options Women Personal Trainer Derby provides, have a look at my prices page. This gets on a specific basis; nonetheless, lots of people discover exercise a lot more satisfying if the experience is shared. If you would love to be educated jointly with a female good friend or relative after that this can be set up, offering both individuals are from the Derby location.
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You can see client testimonials on Google, Facebook and also various other systems. The scores are additionally handy to get a basic concept regarding the high quality of service, and you ought to not forget to examine the comments if you will work with a personal trainer. Picking the appropriate physical fitness trainer can be a challenging task for people. Personal trainers tend to have capacities that may transform lives forever, as well as therefore individuals should require time prior to coming to a decision. Unlike a generalised plan, you will certainly comply with a customized strategy, as well as the result-oriented training will certainly help attain wanted results within a quick period. Have you determined the threat before starting physical conditioning training on your own? It's fine if you are well versed with the exact same, however absence of knowledge and also bad execution can become deadly once in a while.
Supervisors Of Spelthorne Acrobatics.
A great deal of individuals appear to have a rate of interest in freehand exercise and gym. Nonetheless, they can not make it for a frantic schedule or are not comfortable with the gymnasium's conventional atmosphere. I have been educating with Jason for the last 8 months and also have never ever before felt more powerful, fitter as well as healthier in my life. He is hardcore however if you are significant about altering your body as well as way of life he is THE GUY!!! I could not recommend him any kind of greater, don't do it for anybody else however yourself. Our personal training rates are among the most competitive in the UK.
You will not simply obtain a handout with standard nutrition standards so frequently used by fitness instructors. Rather, you can find more information on workflow rules on easyfitpersonaltraining.co.uk crm's help pages here. 'll receive a comprehensive plan developed to suit your specific lifestyle. No 2 clients are the same, so why should their training prepares coincide? Commercial fitness centers tend to use cookie-cutter, 'one dimension fits all' methodologies which they relate to everyone in precisely similarly. Yet we identify that everyone needs a strategy perfectly tailored to their needs. All our diets and training programmes are specially developed for every person, and also we function very closely with you over the weeks to guarantee they keep working for you. Andy is a wonderful motivator with brilliant fitness and also dietary understanding.
What My Customers Say:.
I've been training at the PT manufacturing facility for a couple of months now and also it's a fantastic gym. Terrific series of equipment, constantly tidy as well as the proprietors as well as instructors are always respectful and also pleasant. Every one of the trainers are very specialist and also do a wonderful job. I can always access the devices I require, where as at some fitness centers queuing for tools is the norm.
How can I lose 20 pounds in 4 weeks?
How to Lose 20 Pounds as Fast as Possible 1. Count Calories. It may sound like a no-brainer, but counting calories is one of the easiest and most effective ways to start losing weight fast.
2. Drink More Water.
3. Increase Your Protein Intake.
4. Cut Your Carb Consumption.
personal training wendover . Start Lifting Weights.
6. Eat More Fiber.
7. Set a Sleep Schedule.
8. Stay Accountable.
More items•
You asked to carry on training, we didn't wish to stop educating you ... so we've found a means to carry on! We've constructed a specifically created outside one to one personal training space passed by city government and the police. Training sessions are readily available in blocks of either 8 sessions for ₤ 330 or 12 sessions for ₤ 440. We take either cash money, bacs repayment or standing order payments, so we can suit all clients. Do not stress though, we'll educate you everything you require to know and also advisor you along the way. All our nourishment strategies are individually composed by our expert instructors, using the most recent in dietary research study combined with appropriate hydration degrees.
An Entire Team Making You Fit And Healthy.
I'm visibly more powerful & certainly enjoying my gym sessions more- as an added perk I've gone down over 10 extra pounds. We're still below, far better than ever and we would certainly enjoy to aid you with your health and fitness goals.
I would extremely advise to anyone looking for a wonderful location to train. Every session is difficult as well as progressive.Ryan is a leading individual, truly appreciate the job he has actually done with me. I have actually noticed a large change in my body, physical fitness and also personality. Thanks to him.The fitness center is always tidy as well as set up with a clear outlined. There is present of room in the gym, so that you are able to exercise as well as do what you need.
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This is the very extensive and detailed rant of a fed up black, female student of class 2020
-You are free to scroll past this if you want. I really just needed to get this off my chest. But if you have advice or are experiencing a similar situation, feel free to message me-
So first off, I haven't liked going to school since I was 9. And highschool has only deepened my loathing of it. But maybe I don't hate school in general. Maybe I just hate the schools I've gone to ( 4 in total ). This rant is about highschool specifically. Perhaps what I'm about to type is normal and I'm overreacting. But I'm tired of not talking about my problems because I'm worried that I'll sound like an ungrateful brat. Typing/ writing about my issues makes me feel better. And I really need to feel better.
So here are the main points in order of severity: Low income, Advisory, Graphic Arts and Discipline/Work Ethic
Low Income:
I've only ever gone to low income schools in my neighborhood. I hoped high school would be different but thanks to the crappy education of my old school and an even crappier selective enrollment test score, I couldn't get into the schools I wanted. Then again my single mother probably couldn't afford those other schools anyway.
My highschool shares a building with another highschool. And unfortunately they called dibs on the best features and have control of the heating and ac. We don't even have our own gym. We also have the least amount of space with the smallest class being mine of 144 seniors. So there's a lot of packed classrooms.
Speaking of having way too many students, recourses are slim as a result. Our best equipment, chromebooks, need to be reserved weeks in advance by the teacher and even then they still may not be able to get enough of them for their class. Said chromebooks can often be missing keys, not work at all or be stolen easily because of their small size.
A few other issues are terrible lunches ( I've been bringing lunch from home since sophmore year), very limited field trips, mice infestation, very few clubs ( if we have any idk ) and teachers have to pay for just about everything class related.
Advisory:
Advisories were created to prepare us for greek life in college. I honestly think it's to keep everyone in check but ok. Even so I have absolutely 0 interest in anything frat or sorority related ( no offense to those who do ) as well as many of my classmates but advisory is mandatory.
My first 2 years of advisory were hell. Most of my advisory sisters were either people I'd never talk to because we weren't in the same class, had nothing in common or they were straight up terrible people. I should mention that freshman year has the worst students because about 30% don't make to the next grade or just transfer. Most of my advisory sisters I had problems with were in that 30% ( a few had already repeated ).
Since I kept to myself there were very few incidents were I was put into a tense situation with them. The main conflicts involved our advisor, who I guarantee you was not the problem. She was essentially a poor, white, optimistic, young math teacher from out of town that was thrown to the slaughter. And my cowardly self watched not wanting to be next.
She ended up leaving by junior year so what was left of my advisory merged with another and got a new advisor. The only downside is that our new advisor is a firm believer in " sisterhood " and no cliques ( even if you converse easier with a certain group of people and advisory is already a forced clique in itself ). Maybe I'd be more up for advisory events , which we rarely have , if my advisory experience wasn't sullied so early on.
Graphic Arts:
The reason I chose my school was because it had an art class. In seventh grade I knew I wanted to have a career in art and that my talent was lacking but had potential. So you can imagine my horror when I learned that the art teacher had left once I'd gotten there.
I was sad but stayed positive and even highly recommended them to get another art teacher. Then by sophomore we got an art after school program ( 4:25 to 6 twice a week ). I managed to keep my grades the same and take the classes every week for the entire school year. I only missed about 4 days total. For once I actually enjoyed staying after school.
The class taught me so much and I didn't have to wait for the summer to take an art class downtown. Even better I got to interact with other young artists of my race ( there was usually only one other black kid at the summer classes ). Everything was finally looking up.
Then the art galleries happened. The school hosted one per semester. I brought my art to display but I couldn't stay cuz of a shitload of math homework. I got complimented the next day but still regretted not staying. So I vowed to attend the next one with even more pieces than before.
The night finally came and I was hyped. Me and two seniors were in charge of doing caricatures for free ( one senior gave me a dollar tho ). I had fun with that but noticed something weird...none of our art was displayed.
Apparently they cut it out for time along with the theatre clubs performance. And I would've been fine with that. If my family hadn't come.
The icing on the cake was when they turned off the lights in the hallway where we were drawing the caricatures so they could start the show for the performing art groups. I couldn't contact my family until the show was over and booooiii were they pissed. Especially my mom. I was more sad than anything. I had a feeling my school valued the performing art more and this just proved that. At least now we have an actual art class. And my art teacher is awesome and supportive as hell.
Discipline/ Work Ethic:
These are together cuz they've equally fucked me up. Don't get me wrong. I have a 4.2 gpa and 0 detentions.
The problem is my classmates.
I have been to soooo many class/school meetings about behavior and grade issues over the past 4 years. One of which a staff member said " now i know all of ain't bs-in' but why aren't those people helping the ones who are."
Like wow! Thanks. I hate it.
I'd be happy to help my fellow classmates. It's just that their version of help is cheating off my tests and copying my homework.
So yeah my bad. I've been sooo selfish.
I can count on my hand the amount of times I've been told that I'm doing a good job directly and not in front of a class as a way to embarrass them.
This year behavior was so bad that they made a competition to see which advisory would get the least demerits. Big mistake. My heart goes out to all the poor well behaved students who lost because of a few advisory mates. It only takes one. The record for most demerits in a day was 30 I think.
I forgot the competition was going on at some point cuz I've only gotten 2 demerits in 4 years. My advisory won second and we played the waiting game for our prize only to have a pizza party with 17 other advisories. The winning advisory was salty as hell. But hey we got free lunch at least.
I managed to get good grades simply by doing everything on time and having no social life. This was by choice really. I promised myself I'd do better in college but now I gotta study for ap.
It was actually ap literature that gave me a new perspective on my classmates work ethic. We were given a lengthy reading assignment but the due date was stretched by two class days and the weekend. Even though I'd been mentally drained lately ( by lately I mean since the 1st week of school ) and had other work to do, I completed it with slightly less annotations.
Upon the due date I discovered that I and one other classmate completed the reading. Even the valedictorian didn't do it!!! And this wasn't a one time thing either.
In fact my class is notorious for never doing work on time. I'm talking completing-a-project-in-the-class before-the-it's -due- for bad. And some people I understand. Some of them really need help and resources. But every one else. Excuses excuses. The extended due dates gave me extra free time but it made the work I completed on time feel pointless. Like I could've just not done it and not face any consequences.
I tried that and was stressed out all day to the point of doing the work anyway. School's got me whipped I guess.
So if I hate highschool so much why do I go on time everyday, miss at most 3 days a year, do my work, behave myself and study??? Simple. I'm trying to get out. Having a good gpa and test scores will get me more scholarships cuz God knows my mom can't afford art college ( I got into my first choice so yeah:). Really highschool has just been a means to an end.
I've had my good days and have made some friends but I really just wanna run to hills with my diploma in hand. And thats what's kept me going. But now we're quarantined.
And my school has decided to make work optional.....and I have all A's......
Needless to say I've barely done any work at all. If we never have to go back theres a good chance I won't. I'm so numb at this point that I don't care that we may not have a prom ( aka the only dance I was ever going to go to ).
I'm just done. Done and fed up.
But thank you to my mom, family, bestie, teachers and my classmates that actually want to have a future for keeping me going. If I don't completely give up it's thanks to you. Future me, I hope you get everything you want at art school:)
#school#highschool#class of 2020#2020#senior year#rant#lomg rant#if anyone wants to share their shitty highschool experience feel free#i actually left a lot of stuff out#like the freshman year camping trip#and social media drama#and spanish class#ughh im getting flashbacks#if you read this thanks it means a lot😊💗💗💗
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replacing An Excess Skin With A Facelift.
Hifu Treatment
Content
What Can I expect during My Cryopen therapy?
two therapies.
Cryomatic Ii Cryo Console.
contact united States Today For Your Cryo storage Space Solutions (or Anything Else Gas Or Cryo Related).
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See Our providers.
What Can I Do To lessen Cellulite?
There is nothing that I feel can be improved at Cadogan Cosmetics. I was dealt with as well as cared for very well the location was very clean.
Cosmetic surgery outcomes as well as benefits can differ and also are various for each person. Therefore, https://luton.hi-fu.co.uk/ can not ensure specific results. Mr Alamouti is among our top boob job, fat reduction & abdominoplasty surgeons.
Nevertheless, it is essential to remember that although your external look will certainly look healthy and balanced and recovered, inside your body will certainly still take 6 to eight weeks to recover completely. The outcomes of the Principle ™ Facelift procedure will certainly leave your with a natural, fresh as well as vibrant appearance that lasts up to ten years. I really feel so excellent regarding myself and also can not think how much far better I appear to look. I would very advise having surgical treatment with Amir at Bella Vou. I really feel much more youthful and also revitalised in my look, as well as it's all thanks to Bella Vou.
Mr Super qualified in Medication in 1987 and also learnt Bariatric surgical treatment in 2001. We'll exist to assist throughout your journey, from yourfirst consultationto completion of yourcomprehensive aftercareprogramme. Facelift surgery can offer you a more vibrant and renewed appearance. Consent By ticking this box you consent to obtain marketing material by means of email, text, post and telephone calls from The Medical facility Team and Transform and any third parties directly related to your care.
Can you get frostbite from cryotherapy?
Frostbite is possible if someone has wet clothing or is overly sweaty during the session. Make sure the client is completely dry before they enter the cryotherapy chamber. If not make sure they dry off any water or excess sweat from working out with a towel.
What Can I anticipate during My Cryopen treatment?
Hi-Fu.co.uk hifu Daventry: full feature set will certainly ask you concerning the results you're wishing for and also deal with you to attain the best end result. Springfield Medical facility opened up in 1987 and is just one of Essex's leading private healthcare facilities. It is a 64 bedded device containing fifty 8 private bedrooms 4 of which are 2 bedded moms and dad as well as child areas and a high observation system with 2 beds. The operation is performed under a basic anaesthetic and also normally takes two to three hours.
What is the cost of ThermiVa?
The Non-Invasive, Non-Hormonal Option
Average Cost: $2,650. Range: $1,250 to $3,900 for 3 treatments for the first year. One follow-up appointment per year: $1000-$1500 per year afterwards. ThermiVa is NOT covered by insurance or Medicare.
Tea and coffee are high in caffeine, so we suggest you to keep those to a minimum. Also, attempt to stay clear of foods that are high in sugar and salt as high as feasible. These include the advancement of a blood clot, nausea or vomiting as well as vomiting, as well as postoperative pain. As the surgical treatment entails the use of an anaesthetic representative, it is likewise feasible that you may create anaesthetic issues. At the end of the surgical procedure, the registered nurses will certainly move you to a recovery space. Below, you will slowly wake up from your anaesthetic under close guidance.
My skin is tighter and also more flexible, stretch marks are hardly noticeable, as well as I make certain I wouldn't even get approved for abdominoplasty surgery anymore.
As the ultrasound waves are focused throughout the treatment areas, you will certainly really feel small quantities of power transmitted with to accurate depths under the skin.
Dr Dhillon will evaluate the skin and assistance figure out if HIFU is the most appropriate treatment to deal with any type of concerns patients might have, factoring in the condition of the skin and the individual's unique goals.
A full HIFU face as well as neck procedure normally takesbetween minutes, while an upper body treatment on its own will certainly take about thirty minutes.
A gel is applied to the location that will be treated as well as the ultrasonic tool is overlooked the skin.
Routine touch-up treatments will certainly aid keep the skin producing new collagen and also prolong the longevity of results.
Some clients delight in an initial result immediately complying with the treatment, yet the ultimate results will take place in simply 2 to 12 weeks, as exhausted collagen is renewed as well as renewed.
There is no special prep work or recovery as well as usually on the face it usually takes one treatment to obtain a recognizable outcome on the body a program of 4 therapies generally obtains the preferred outcomes.
two therapies.
The procedure takes in between 1 - 1.5 hrs, can be performed either under local anaesthetic or sedation, and is treated as a day case. The natural aging process will certainly proceed from the factor accomplished following the procedure.
You want to redefine your face by lowering loose, drooping skin. The appearance of your face is making you look older than you feel.
Cryomatic Ii Cryo Console.
We have actually invited an option of the country's very best specialists to join us at the Cadogan Center to ensure that you can be sure that whatever the nature of your treatment, you will be seeing one of the top professionals in the country. A 'mini-lift', or 'mini-facelift', is an innovative anti-ageing procedure that uses the most recent minimally intrusive medical strategies to transform the clock back on the age of your face by about 10 years. I really felt entirely safe and guaranteed, he explained every little thing in fantastic information and I really felt really confident that I would get the appearance I wanted, and also I did I'm thrilled with the end result. Among the Bella Vou group will certainly give you a phone call the day after surgical treatment to see to it you're well, have actually had a great evening, and to address any kind of questions. Prep work for your treatment can help reduce the danger of infection and also boost recovery. Shower and also laundry hair everyday as well as quit smoking cigarettes as well as e-cigarettes to minimize the danger of healing issues. Sometimes people present earlier, in their early forties as well as the treatment can be successful in the seventies, eighties or even nineties.
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The benefit of the Principle ™ Facelift is that it is under local, not a general anaesthetic, making it much safer for individuals with existing clinical issues. Bella Vou is committed to offering fulfillment, the highest possible requirements of treatment, and a very personal touch throughout the client journey. The highly-skilled, professional personnel are enthusiastic concerning helping people achieve the results they desire, but likewise making their experience delightful, stress and anxiety, and convenient. You will have little bruising, swelling, or scarring complying with the Concept ™ Facelift. Many people can go back to their normal regular within an issue of days.
get In Touch With united States Today For Your Cryo storage Space Solutions (or Anything Else Gas Or Cryo Related).
How can a 60 year old lose belly fat?
Burn more calories than you eat or drink. Eat more veggies, fruits, whole grains, fish, beans, and low-fat or fat-free dairy; and keep meat and poultry lean. Limit empty calories, like sugars and foods with little or no nutritional value. Avoid fad diets because the results don't last.
I feel more certain, I felt there was a more youthful person waiting to venture out, it has actually made a great difference to me and also how I feel. The entire experience has actually been superb as well as I'm over the moon with my outcomes. The treatment defined on this web page might be adjusted to meet your individual needs, so it is very important to follow your medical care professional's guidance and also raise any kind of inquiries that you might have with them. Also after you've left medical facility, we're still looking after you every step of the means. Once you're ready to be discharged, you'll need to prepare a taxi, pal or relative to take you house as you will not be able to drive. You must additionally ask if they can run some light tasks such as looking for you as you won't be really feeling up to it.
Woodland Hospital has 28 solitary areas, all with en collection facilities, 10 short remain beds as well as a 2 bedded high dependency device. If you would like to talk with somebody what is included and also just how much the procedure will set you back, call our team on, or leave us a message via our online query type here. Other sorts of facelift include the mid-face lift and composite facelift and also include lifting much deeper layers of the face. A healthy diet regimen is an essential factor in assisting you to heal and recoup after a facelift. Eat great deals of healthy and balanced environment-friendly veggies, fresh fruit, and high-protein foods such as chicken, fish and also legumes.
Does Cryo hurt?
HOW WILL MY BODY REACT TO THE COLD TEMPERATURE? Cold air therapy in the whole-body chamber uses dry, oxygenated air, so you won't experience shivering, goosebumps or other reactions that you might associate with being cold. Because of this technology, unlike an ice bath or immersion, cryotherapy is not painful.
There are many various other anti-ageing solutions readily available, both surgical and also non-surgical. Ask for a telephone call from among our client advisors or publication an appointment at the Cadogan Center if you would love to review your problems in more information. You may function from home the following day, yet it will certainly rely on just how sensitive you are to the discovery of current surgical treatment, as to when you head out to fulfill individuals. The factor is that you will certainly not be jeopardising the result by going out. Our Surgical Client Expert, Ellie, addresses our patients most regularly asked inquiries. Adhering to the procedure, you will certainly recuperate in our ambulatory healing rooms for in between two to three hrs, depending on the scale of the procedure. Once our professional nursing team more than happy that your first recuperation is full and also you are secure to return home, you will be permitted to leave the Clinic come with by a good friend or participant of your family members.
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The results of Mini Face Lifting surgical treatment are anticipated to be stable for 3-- 5 years, however note that as you mature your face will certainly transform throughout the years. For instance, the tissues around the cheek will remain to be influenced by the aging adjustments and also gravity. People can go back to their normal day-to-day tasks after 1 week, however prevent difficult exercise/ activity for 6 weeks including any contact sporting activities. Mini Facelift Surgery usually takes approximately 1 -2 hrs to carry out depending on the complexity of the surgery. Muscles additionally shed their size and stamina as well as with loss of bone particularly around the upper as well as lower jaws, the face handles the regular functions of aging. The skin loses collagen as well as hyaluronic acid, with sun-damage and contamination, pigmentation, fine blood vessels as well as wrinkles show up.
Is Cryoskin better than coolsculpting?
The product of these improvements is Cryoskin: a treatment system that is faster and more effective than coolsculpting. Cryoskin fat-freezing treatments are faster than coolsculpting and are more customizable. Cryoskin technicians hold an instrument that gets cold, then they move it around your targeted areas.
The skin loses flexibility and also ends up being lax, fat reductions and also comes to be displaced by gravity creating the common jowls, level cheek and reduced eye bags. Please supply a little more information so we can obtain the most effective member of our team to call you back each time to match you. The Cadogan Clinic is an award-winning boutique exclusive healthcare facility on Sloane Street in the heart of Chelsea. We offer one of the most sophisticated medical and also non surgical strategies in our fully-fitted consulting rooms, advanced operating theaters and purpose-built aesthetics as well as laser collection. The Micro-Lift treatment is made to assist alleviate very early indications of aging and also moderate loss of flexibility loss. Picking a surgeon who is an expert in their field and also concentrates on face-lifts will certainly make certain you get the very best outcomes possible.
Clifton Park Medical facility which opened in 2006, is located just outside York city centre. The healthcare facility has actually been rated 'Great' by the Care Top Quality Compensation and also has 24 beds, 2 theatres, a day situation system, a huge outpatients department with x-ray facilities and on-site physiotherapy, including a tiny fitness center location. Free auto auto parking is offered for simple accessibility to our easily positioned hospital just outside of York city centre. Our health center is registered with the Treatment Quality Payment and has superior facilities. We offer fixed price packages for our facelifts so you can feel confident there won't be any economic surprises. We suggest you to refrain from any type of exhausting activity for the very first 8 weeks. You can expect to return to work after one to two weeks, and after 3 weeks if you have likewise had a blepharoplasty.
You can contact our clinical cosmetic team anytime, day or evening if you have any worries or questions. Timberland Hospital is just one of Northamptonshire's leading exclusive hospitals situated in Kettering.
Both nurses who I handled were superb, as well as the whole team got along however specialist, and actually put my mind comfortable. That I was able to remain later than I probably required after my surgical treatment to harmonize my husbands routine was substantially valued. If you have any type of concerns or questions please phone call to talk to among our consultants or demand a recall to talk at a time that suits you.
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Holy Hands
Fandoms: Shall We Date?: Obey Me!
Not Rated
Graphic Depictions Of Violence
F/M, Other
Complete Work
Chapter List
Chapter 15
Lucifer blanched at the lifeless human.
His gut twisted at the sight of them splayed out at the feet of the enemy. Their normally defiant brow and mirthful smirk were softened to complacence by the artificial sleep.
He blinked to make sure he was actually seeing them there, lack of sleep had caused him to start hallucinating after all. But even after multiple checks there they were. Their commanding, self-assured presence was gone and they looked smaller than he'd ever seen them.
They looked wrong.
"You harm them and I will send you back where you came from in pieces" he warned. Satan growled in agreement next to him.
Acacia fixed him with a stare that he saw out of the corner of his eye. It simply screamed 'I thought you didn't care'.
He didn't, but they were his responsibility and he couldn't let Michael tarnish his reputation.
The angel unsheathed his sword once more and held it against the sleeping humans fragile skin. Lucifer felt his stomach drop into his shoes at the sight.
" No! "
Acacia's scream broke the delicate tension, and before he even knew what he was doing he was bolting towards the angel threatening his human.
Michael simply waved his hand and 6 angel guards rushed Lucifer. He took down four before the last two subdued him. Normally he could take down 1000 before giving up but he was weakened by months of stress and no sleep. Not to mention the lack of human sin weakening the entire Devildom. Michael looked down at where the Avatar of Pride was forced to his knees.
He'd planned this well.
Out of the corner of his eye Lucifer saw Satan locked in desperate combat with Simon. The angel seemed hesitant to fight him but he held his own none the less.
"I'm going to give you a choice." Michaels voice drew his attention once again, but he wasn't talking to Lucifer. "Give up that throne now and I'll spare their life."
"Oh no that won't be necessary." Diavolo raised a hand. "I won't give up my seat for anyone much less that human." He chuckled.
The hair on Lucifer's arms stood up as he processed what Diavolo had said.
"You'll let the exchange student die?" Michael questioned.
"There are plenty more humans, what's one?"
Lucifer prayed Diavolo was bluffing...but it was unlikely.
"Very well," Micheal shrugged and raised his sword. Acacia watched in silence, unable to make a sound.
"Do not worry little lamb," Michael spoke soothingly to the unconscious MC. "I am sending you somewhere far better," he brought his sword down.
" Stop "
The angel stopped his slice just before it severed the human's head. He looked up to the demon who had spoken, a smirk on his face.
"If you let them die" Lucifer addressed Diavolo from his kneeled position. "You will lose my loyalty forever."
The prince made eye contact with his trusted advisor. They had a silent battle as they stared.
"Lucifer...you swore yourself to me and only me. Are you saying you'd betray me after everything I've done for you? For your family?"
"Yes" was his simple reply.
Diavolo looked at the sleeping human, then to Michael threatening to dethrone him. Then finally back to Lucifer.
"Well my loyalty it to my kingdom, and one human will not change that--"
"Michael" Lucifer immediately switched gears. "You already have the Devildom in the palm of your hand, there is no need for innocent blood."
"Yes but I don't just want the Devildom Lucifer, I want you to say you'll return home with me." He practically whined. "Say you will and the human lives."
Lucifer stared at the floor. He could feel Acacia glaring daggers into the back of his head. Satan stared at him as well from where his face was pinned to the floor by Simon. His strength gone now that Acacia's wrath had been replaced by fear.
Looking up he saw MC once more, but there was something different. He couldn't quite place it until he realized what the difference was. His skin turned to ice.
Their eyes were open.
They stared at him from their place on the floor. Wide eyes conveying a fear so animalistic he almost choked. They had woken up amongst this mess and had the presence of mind not to move, but the only sight they had was of the most powerful person they knew kneeling at the mercy of an unknown assailant. He felt a deep feeling he didn't understand, one of admiration for the sheer courage MC seemed to possess.
He raised his eyes back to Michael as not to draw attention to them. Clearing his throat he tried to remember what they'd been talking about.
"Let MC live...and I will return with you." He lied. Michael didn't move. Lucifer knew it would take more drastic measures to convince him. Swallowing the disgust that rose in his throat he decided...he was already on his knees. "Please." He said softly.
Michael stared at him for a moment longer before sheathing his sword.
Lucifer had one shot, and he hoped MC would understand what he needed of them. The angels let him stand and Acacia came up beside him to make sure MC was alright. Carefully he looked at MC, then to Acacia, and finally to the window behind Diavolo's throne, then back to MC.
MC stared back at him, understanding written on their features.
In one smooth motion Lucifer knocked Michael off his feet with one of his large black wings and instantly changed direction. MC was on their feet, grabbing Acacia's hand and bolting for the window.
Lucifer made a mad-dash for Satan, flinging his younger brother over his shoulder and heading for the window as well. Angels all around them scrambled after the humans but they were too quick, breaking the glass pane and falling to the ground 2 stories below. Lucifer ducked under and angels swinging swords and kept running. Michael blocked his path, sword at the ready.
Opening his jet black wings, Lucifer caught a breeze from the broken window and soared high over Michael's head. He flung himself and his weakened brother outside without a second thought.
Micheal let out a screech like a bird of prey and threw his head out the window, looking for the escapees. But they had gone, hidden somewhere in the Devildom foliage below.
They had the home field advantage, he'd never find them in the town.
Turning around he ordered three of his men to keep Diavolo and the butler in check and the rest to search the land, they complied quickly. All but one.
"Simon, a word."
Simon stepped sheepishly closer to his supervisor.
"Yes?"
"You were to keep Lucifer's brother on the ground, yet you didn't. I know you did it on purpose." He scolded. Simon lowered his head in shame. "Don't worry child, I'm not angry. I'm sure you bonded with these sinners while you were in that silly program, it's only natural." He placed a hand on Simon's dark hair.
Simon nodded solemnly.
"You must understand we are doing this so they may come home , don't you want them to come home?"
Simon nodded vigorously.
"Of course you do, you have a good heart Simon. So I want to see no more of this disobedience, it's for their own good."
"For their own good" he repeated. "Thank you"
Michael dismissed Simon to go drink from the holy water before turning back to Lord Diavolo, still captive on his throne.
"Your kingdom is mine now young man, but I'm afraid there is no salvation for you."
Diavolo stared at his hands. He had no reason to fight back, he'd lost his kingdom and his best friend. His heart sank at the thought of the cost he'd suffered for his callous words. Truly he'd underestimated how much Lucifer cared for their pet human.
Michael raised his sword.
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Thank you so much! I attended one particular school in the 2018-19 school year, transferred to a community college this past school year, and plan to return to that school in the fall. Just went to a CC to save money. The school I'm hoping to return to is an incredibly large UNI, and has the same core requirements as the CC. I enrolled in US HISTORY II in the Spring 2019 semester, and thought I should take US HISTORY I at the CC. My advisor convinced me that I had taken the other class,
oof that sounds like an absolute pain in the ass to deal with ngl
so I’m not sure how much help I’ll be but here’s my 2 cents worth:
First off, I don’t think your advisor screwed you over on purpose. I’ll be honest and say I had pretty fantastic advisors at school so I’m a little biased, but I definitely don’t think they’re out there trying to hurt students. My guess is that rather than being an intentional thing, this was probably miscommunication/misunderstanding.
(From a somewhat cynical standpoint, at least at my large public uni, advisors were evaluated by their graduation metrics meaning they wanted all their advisees to get their requirements done with a solid GPA and out the door as quickly as possible bc it looked good on them. Telling you to take the wrong required course would be like tying their own laces together at the start of a race.)
It does seem really strange that your record shows the wrong class. Have you tried contacting the registrar to ask about that? As much as phone calls can suck, I’ve found they’re often the best way to get direct answers to tricky things like this.
I really don’t think a university would reject your transfer application over something like this. It might mean you have to take a class you shouldn’t have (which absolutely does suck) but I cannot imagine they’d look at this and decide to reject you. That would be....real weird.
My suggestion would be:
Don’t despair!
Contact the registrar about why the record is incorrect and see if you can get that cleared up
Reach out to an academic advisor at your transfer uni to talk it over. In my experience, advisors are often willing to work with you to find the best use of your existing credits and facilitate that process (for example, I took an English class my freshman year because I thought I needed that credit. Turns out it was not one of the classes I was supposed to take for any of my 3 majors BUT my primary advisor used that credit to fill in for an actual requirement so that those credits didn’t go to waste). It’ll depend on your uni’s policies and your specific department/major requirements, but some programs will retroactively apply the prereq credit if you’ve taken an advanced class (e.g., I tested into Spanish 303 and retroactively got credit for 101/102 despite not taking them). Again, definitely very variable across universities/programs but since you took the second course, that may be a thing your advisor offers.
I know this mostly boils down to “talk to people” but seriously, I’ve found that that’s the right answer to 90% of problems at school. Advisors and other staff exist to help you make it through your degree program successfully, and they can work magic if you reach out to them. They just can’t help if they don’t know you need the help.
#asked & answered#anonymice#i'm not sure how much help this is but hopefully it's a little!#if there's anything more you want to talk over or anything my inbox and DMs are always open#hope things get cleared up <3#also seriously: talk to your advisors#i can't count the number of times i crossed campus hyperventilating and about to bawl#and then sat in my primary advisor's office for 5 min#and the whole thing got cleared up#it's weird and hard to ask for help#especially when it feels like you should've caught the problem earlier/done something to fix it#but they're there to help#and in my experience#they WANT to help#every advisor i've had through 4.5 years and 3+ majors#has genuinely wanted to see their students succeed and do well#Anonymice
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Hey I've just been having a really shitty time lately; with the pandemic I've been stuck at home with my family, and things are slowly sliding from bad to worse. I'm 17, going to college this fall, and stressed out of my mind. My parents called me lazy and pressured me into getting a job in the middle of a pandemic, but because it's only part-time suddenly even that's not enough and they want more. (1/?)
(2/?) I work more than my dad does. He works maybe 1-2 days a week...I work 4. Every week. My mom's offering to send him back to college bc "we can afford it" while simultaneously telling me "there's only so much we can do for you" and "you'll spend your whole life in debt." I'm 17. I make minimum wage. My dad's 50 with a nursing degree. I'm already stressed, mentally-ill, and struggling, and they just want more. I'll never be enough for them.
(3/?) Not to mention being at home has only fucked this relationship up more. My dad used to physically abuse me when I was younger, but now that I'm a lot older and stronger than he is my mom's suddenly concerned about domestic violence because my father "can't afford to go to jail," and I've been yelled at more than once when we got into a fight over that. The other day, she screamed at me for even daring to imply they had abused me in the past. I'm so angry and tired.
(4/?) They keep saying they can't understand why I could possibly be upset or angry about anything. They tell me I'm making shit up, or putting words in their mouth, or "making the choice to focus on the negative." I KNOW they did shit to me. I KNOW they hurt me, and keep hurting me. But because they make money and I have stuff, apparently that means it's not possible; my life must be perfect. I don't know what to do.
(5/5) I want to run away; I even want to kill myself, I just want to get out. But I don't know how. I feel stupid and awful, like a burden and a failure just watching my mental health go down again. I was doing good! I thought things were better! But they're not, and I feel like I'm back here all over again.
Hi Anon,
I’ll be honest, your parents sound terrible. But you are not trapped.
First, check with your college and find out if they require freshman to live on campus their first year. If not, getting an apartment with some other students could save you a lot of money. Save everything you’re making at your job, and use it either toward paying down your college fees or putting a deposit down on an apartment. If you can’t hold out until the school-year starts, some apartments offer one-month leases that you can do for just 1-2 months until the dorms open up.
Next, (or simultaneously) start applying for grants and scholarships, and here’s a place to start: https://studentaid.gov/understand-aid/types/scholarships. These can help with costs as well. Each one requires a different application, but check with your college about this too, because some schools have a streamlined scholarship application process. By filling out one large application through your college, they might be able to help you apply for lots of others.
Some financial aid, like FAFSA, doesn’t work unless your parents are completely absent from your life, or dead, or they sign a form saying they refuse to help you. Sounds like your parents wouldn’t even do that much for you, but there are still other options, and you can talk to your college counselors and advisors about those.
Colleges also often have an orientation week or couple days at the start where they introduce you to older students whose actual job it is to help you navigate things for a bit. There are also work-study programs for students to make a little money by working a job on campus to offset expenses. It reduces travel costs to and from a job and they work with your class schedules.
Your parents are gaslighting you. If at all possible, cut ties. At the very least, reduce contact a little. The thing about parents (or any shit family member) is, if you’re never going to be enough for them, it’s kind of good news, because it means you can stop trying to meet any of their expectations. You don’t have to argue about things they will never understand or admit to. You can just let them be wrong and live your life. Be free.
They think they can bully you into providing for them, but you don’t have to do anything you don’t want to do. They don’t deserve your help. If you decide to help them later anyway, it’s your choice.
Once you’re at school and things are a little sorted, seriously consider talking to the counselors or a therapist about your parents abusive behavior and your relationship with them. Try to get in 1 or 2 sessions before the holidays. Your parents will probably expect you home over breaks and therapy can help you prepare to either approach them differently while you’re home, or how to stay strong when you tell them you aren’t coming back.
If you’re going into debt for college, that means they aren’t paying for it, right? So, they don’t get to tell you what to do anymore once you’re out of there. You decide what you’re okay with and what you’re not.
Look at me- look me right in the eyes through this screen- are you looking?
You’ve got this.
-Miss Fay
#college#relationships#family#parents#dad#mom#physical abuse#abuse tw#cursing tw#mental health#debt#stress#work
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Written by David Stoeckel and Katie Andersen
My co-authors on this post, David Stoeckel and Katie Andersen, are former college athletes with over three decades of combined experience advising college-bound student-athletes. Here are some of the questions they get asked all the time:
1. CAN I REALISTICALLY PLAY MY SPORT AT THE COLLEGE LEVEL?
Statistics show that approximately 3-12% of high school athletes will compete at the NCAA level, depending on their sport. Don’t underestimate the power of your athletic abilities, though, especially if you’ve played your sport for a number of years, and had good coaching. You may be surprised to learn how many college athletic recruiting opportunities await you.
2. WHEN SHOULD I START MY ATHLETIC RECRUITING PROCESS?
Many college coaches are looking for 10th grade high school recruits so try introducing yourself to recruiters by the middle of sophomore year. If you wait longer, you may still get recruited but you’ll likely have missed a few opportunities.
3. WILL COLLEGE COACHES DISCOVER ME OR SHOULD I DO SOMETHING IN ORDER TO GET RECRUITED?
This is mostly on you. If you’re not proactive in your initial recruiting efforts, coaches will never make the effort to evaluate you simply because they won’t know who you are. You can introduce yourself to college coaches by sending them an introductory email and attaching your Student-Athlete Profile.
4. HOW DO COLLEGE COACHES ASSESS MY ATHLETIC ABILITY AND DETERMINE IF I’M A GOOD ATHLETIC FIT FOR THEIR PROGRAM?
A quality video is often considered to be the single most valuable recruiting tool a high school athlete can have, especially if you’re trying to reach coaches who may never see you play in person. Some tips for recruiting videos: put your best clips first, use spot shadows, record in HD, don’t worry too much about music, keep it around 3-5 minutes. Oh, and recruiters must be able to quickly find your jersey number and be able to clearly see you as you showcase your abilities.
Two other ways recruiters evaluate athletes include ID camps and Showcase tournaments.
5. WHAT ARE ID CAMPS AND SHOWCASE TOURNAMENTS?
ID camps are generally sponsored by an individual school, or by a private organization. They provide individual recruits the opportunity to display their skills while giving coaches the opportunity to “identify” and evaluate top prospective recruits for their programs.
Showcase Tournaments usually involve entire teams (e.g., baseball, basketball, soccer, volleyball, lacrosse) and, like ID camps, they offer college coaches the chance to scout prospective recruits.
Important: When you participate in one of these events, it’s essential to email your list of coaches 2-3 weeks prior to the competition, and possibly send a friendly reminder email the weekend before. That way they’ll be sure to know you’re participating in the event.
Pro Tips: Keep your reminder email short! And don’t forget to tell coaches the dates and times of your games, your field number, your uniform colors, your jersey number, and your position.
6. HOW SHOULD I IDENTIFY AND CONTACT REALISTIC “LIKELY” SCHOOLS THAT ARE A GOOD MATCH WITH MY GRADES AND TEST SCORES AS WELL AS MY ATHLETIC ABILITY?
Begin with the process described in the “How to Create a Great College List” post. In addition, student-athletes should evaluate: a) What are my feelings about playing college sports? b) How much playing time should I anticipate during my freshman year? c) How likely am I to play NCAA Division I, II, or III? and d) How realistic is it for me to earn an athletic scholarship?
Also, it’s a good idea to seek the input of both your counselor and your high school and club team coaches, as they may suggest schools that aren’t yet on your radar. Create a recruiting list of at least 60 schools that generally meet your academic profile and athletic recruiting goals.
Why so many schools? An average athlete receives responses from only 15-20% of the coaches to whom they email introductions. Initiating this step as soon as possible increases your chances of hearing back from college coaches. The NCAA Guide for the College-Bound Student-Athlete details the specific dates when coaches initiate communications with prospective recruits.
7. DO COACHES USE SOCIAL MEDIA FOR ATHLETIC RECRUITING?
Absolutely! Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter are among the most popular tools for student-athletes to showcase their talents and tell their stories. It should be no surprise that college coaches use these as an easy way to stay updated on a potential recruit’s recent successes. It also allows them to research a student-athlete’s character, personality, and interests.
Keep in mind that college coaches evaluate the consistency of your email and phone conversations with your social media presence to make sure you represent your authentic self.
8. WILL VISITING A COLLEGE HELP ME GET RECRUITED AND, IF SO, WHEN SHOULD I PLAN TO VISIT?
Visiting college campuses and meeting college coaches in person can be truly invaluable for all involved. A visit helps you determine your comfort level on campus in a number of ways. In addition to learning about your fit as a “student”, a campus visit with the coach to see enables you to see the athletic facilities, possibly see the team practice, and potentially meet some of the team members. Furthermore, your campus visit tells the coach that you have a sincere interest in their school.
Make these visits approximately according to this schedule:
Division I: starting August 1 before junior year
Division II: starting June 15 after sophomore year
Division III: any time
Before you make a visit a) do your research to find out if you’re a match for their program and b) focus on schools where the coaches have expressed a strong positive interest in you.
Important: Review the current NCAA Recruiting Rules to make sure you understand when coaches are allowed to meet with you so you can make the most out of your visit. These rules limit the timing and type of communication a college coach can use with you in order to slow down the pace of recruiting activities.
9. WHAT ELSE SHOULD I KNOW ABOUT NCAA RECRUITING RULES?
The NCAA establishes and enforces strict rules on when and where college coaches can actively recruit you (i.e., when coaches can speak with you on the phone, in person, or on their campus). Every high school athlete should know these rules. To find them, download the NCAA Guide for the College-Bound Student-Athlete. These rules are reviewed and updated each year (usually around June), so it’s important to stay in touch with your college advisor and check the NCAA website. Pay special attention to the pages regarding Recruiting Rules.
10. IF A COLLEGE COACH WANTS ME TO BE ON THEIR TEAM, CAN THEY HELP ME GET ACCEPTED TO THEIR UNIVERSITY?
Maybe. College admissions officers take many factors into account and sports ability is just one aspect of your application. At Division I and II schools, recruited athletes may receive support in the college admission process, while coaches at Division III schools have less influence over the admissions process.
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Networking
In 2020, I attended Marketing Management - Financial Services program at George Brown College. In the orientation for new students, an instructor said, 70% of people find their jobs through networking. I wondered what networking was, why it was important and how I should network. In Marketing Seminar Series course, I found the answers. Our professor, Troy Jalovec, is a branch manager at BMO, who knows many people and has a broad network. He said he got many opportunities through networking and he wanted to teach us how to succeed in finding a job. He invited speakers from Canadian top banks, marketing start-ups, travel companies, and financial enterprises to give us speeches about their careers, work experience, and their ideas about how to get a job. It was very helpful and rewarding.
I would like to share what I learned from the course.
1. Taking advantage of every opportunity to network
We should take advantage of every opportunity to know people and network, because we don’t know which one will help us, or if their connection will help us in the future. Gurjot is one of the speakers. He is a personal banker at Bank of Montreal. When he was a customer service representative, he networked a lot. So that when he applied to personal banker position, he got the promotion easily. The reason was that he knew all of the interviewers in the interview. See, networking is significant.
I recalled one of my experiences. In January, I wanted to buy a book called Canadian Securities Course. I searched second-hand books online and found a seller in Kijiji. Surprisedly, he was a client advisor at RBC. I went to meet him and buy the book. In the meantime, I talked with him and asked if he could introduce me to his coworkers because I really wanted to land a job at a bank. But he said he could not do that, since I didn’t have any work experience in Canada. It would cost his reputation. But If I had experience in a bank, he could help me. Even though he didn’t help me, I added his linkedin and would like to keep in touch with him. Maybe he will help me get a job in the future.
2. Don’t limit yourself
Some people only focus on one field when they look for jobs. They don’t want to take the job if it is not their favorite one. It is not advisable, especially for new graduates. If you don’t try it, how can you know if you like it or not, or if the job is suitable. Another speaker Candy is Head of Marketing at Travelzoo. At first, she was confused about what she wanted to do or what she was good at. She tried many jobs after graduation, such as financial analyst, sales representative, and brand manager. Later she found that she liked marketing. She encouraged us to look for more opportunities and try them. For me, I know I like financial field and I am passionate about working in a bank, but I won’t only apply to jobs in banks. I applied for sales representative, marketing coordinator, customer service representative and so on. Any work opportunity is good for me to gain experience and helps with my future career. Therefore, we should apply to as many positions as possible.
What did/do I do?
1. After taking some classes, I started to build my own network. I opened a Linkedin account, completed my profile, and connected many people. One day, a person who worked in CIBC messaged me and we chatted for a bit. I said that I wanted to work in a bank. He said he could send my resume to his coworker, which surprised me. After that, I sent him my resume and asked him to inform me if there was a chance. I will contact him later to see how it is going.
2. I attended several job fairs, dropped some resumes and got 2 interviews. I got to know several people in job fairs and connected them in Linkedin. We sometimes exchange information of hunting jobs. After I took the interviews, I learned how the interviews were going in Canada and how I should prepare for them.
3. I hunt jobs through companies’ websites, Linkedin, Indeed, Workopolis, and Simplyhired. I think Linkedin is the most useful one, on which there are many opportunities and the positions look reliable. I set job alerts and receive emails, every time there are positions related to my field. On top of that, I can still send messages to those whose companies are attractive to me, and make friends with them, so that they may introduce me to his/her company someday.
4. For the connections in Linkedin, I keep in touch with them by giving likes or making comments on their posts, and message them directly, such as how are you or how is everything going.
In May, I will start my coop as a digital marketing coordinator at Web and Marketing Studio. I got the job from George Brown Career Portal. Even though I didn’t land the job through networking, networking is still a very important method to get a job. I’m sure it will help me with my future career.
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FAQ regarding undergrad research
I thought I’d put this together because I remember when I was an undergrad looking for research opportunities I literally had no idea what to do or expect! So I hope this will help :)
Disclaimer: Some of these answers may only apply to undergraduate research opportunities in the life sciences in US universities that conduct research.
How can I find a list of potential principal investigators (PIs)?
You can search the department or research facility’s website for a list of research topics and PIs. Oftentimes there will be a description of the research and/or PI, or even a link to their own lab webpage.
Do the PIs have to be professors I’ve had classes with before?
Nope! There are lots of PIs who don’t teach undergraduate courses, but they still have their own labs. Unless specifically stated by the PI, being a student in one of their courses is not an automatic requirement.
How do I get started contacting them?
Send an email. I have a template you can use here. If you don’t hear back within a week, feel free to send a follow-up email (by forwarding your original email so the info is still there). PIs are busy people, so it might take them a while!
What year in college can I start looking for research opportunities?
As early as freshman year. Honestly, coming in with lab experience is not important for undergrad researchers; labs would rather have someone that can stick around for a long time. Training a freshman vs training a senior sometimes takes the same time (as lab techniques can be highly specialized that most college lab courses don’t cover), but a freshman is going to generate more data than a senior. In fact, many labs won’t take seniors for that reason, so start early!
But I’m a senior! What do I do?
Never fear, continue to contact labs! I would recommend focusing on PIs who know you and your work ethic (so a professor whose class you took and did well in), as they’re more likely to make an exception. I didn’t start looking for undergrad research until my senior year too, but a professor I took many classes with and did great in knew me well enough to let me join the lab, even though it was literally for just 1 semester. So it’s not impossible!
What factors into a PI accepting/not accepting an undergraduate researcher?
A lot: funding, space, # of projects, availability of mentors, to name a few. Therefore, if a PI can not accept you this semester, don’t feel too down! There are many factors that come into play, and so much is out of your control.
I got an interview with a potential PI! Any tips on what to expect/how to prepare?
Congrats! Check out this post for helpful pointers!
I got the position!! Any tips on how to make the most out of my undergrad research experience?
Double congrats! And sure thing: Check out this post.
Can I get paid or earn course credit for my time in the lab?
Sure! It depends on the PI, but some PIs may pay undergrads over the summer, or hire them as part-time techs. There are also undergrad fellowships/scholarships that can apply to lab research, as well as work study opportunities. You can also earn course credit for your time (just check with your advisor). Usually it’s 2 hours per credit, up to 3 or 4 credits per semester. These are things you can discuss with your PI during your interview.
How many hours/week am I expected to be in lab?
As many as you can give. Ideally, a continuous chunk of time is more useful; you’ll get more done by being in the lab for 2 hours straight than 30 min here and 30 min there. I personally like undergrads to be here at least 2 hours at a time for a minimum of 4 hours/week. If you want your own project, aim for 10 hours/week. But of course this is all dependent on your lab, the type of research you’re doing, and your own schedule.
Will I be given an independent project right off the bat?
You will most likely be taken under the wing of someone in the lab (like a grad student, lab tech, postdoc, even another undergrad) to first help with their project and to learn research techniques. So don’t worry, you’ll be guided every step of the way! A lab will never just “throw you to the wolves” as that’s not beneficial for anyone. Then after you have a good amount of training under your belt, you and your mentor will see what kinds of independent projects you can take on (and many factors go into that, including how many hours/week you can be in the lab, etc).
What do I do if after a few weeks, I decide I really don’t want to work in a particular lab anymore?
Please don’t hurt yourself by staying in a situation you don’t feel comfortable in (either mentally, emotionally, or physically). Meet with the PI privately and explain that you don’t feel like the lab is a good fit for you, and you would like to leave (maybe give a week’s notice so you can wrap some stuff up). You won’t hurt any feelings or burn any bridges if the exit is done politely. You have every right to do what’s best for you!
Will I have opportunities to be an author on a paper or give poster presentations at meetings?
Absolutely. It depends on your lab and project, but undergrads definitely have opportunities to be listed as a contributing author if their work is in the paper, and there are lots of poster sessions for students (your university may host a few themselves!). Chat with your mentor about these opportunities if this is something you’re interested in.
How much research experience (including undergrad research) do employers/internships/graduate schools look for in a competitive candidate?
At least 1 year.
Are undergraduate research opportunities only limited to my university?
Nope! You can find opportunities (both paid and volunteer) at other research institutions in your area. Some may be specialized programs for undergrads that involve a competitive application process (and perhaps a great stipend too!)
I still have some questions regarding undergrad research. Is it ok if I contact you?
Absolutely!!! My inbox and private messaging are always open!
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