Elite advanced imaging hesperia rd

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WHAT IT DO BAYBEE!!!!!!!!

What a time for San Diego sport teams!

Hi everyone,
I've seen a number of people on this subreddit recommend Virtual FFS as a helpful tool for visualizing potential FFS outcomes and deciding which procedures might be most beneficial. I noticed that their tips for taking good pictures advise against using a phone camera unless it's really high quality:

Don't use a phone to take your pictures unless you it has a really high quality and high resolution camera. Most phone cameras do not take good pictures for Virtual FFS. The problem is that they have a "digital" zoom rather than an "optical" zoom and that means they magnify the image, instead of bringing the subject closer. You don't necessarily need a fancy SLR camera though - even relatively cheap digital cameras tend to take better pictures than phone cameras.

I'm not sure when this was written, but I feel like most modern smartphones have pretty decent cameras nowadays. The issue with the zoom still exists, though. I wanted to ask those of you who have used Virtual FFS before whether using a phone camera posed any issues for you. If it's not a problem, do you have any specific tips or best practices for capturing high-quality face pictures with a phone camera? I'd like to avoid purchasing a separate digital camera if it isn't necessary.
Thanks in advance!

27F, in relatively good shape, social drinker. You can see my post history for a more detailed backstory, but long story short:
I had follow up imaging done in January for a stroke I had in November (cause of the stroke unknown, but doctors are speculating the cause was RCVS, or a complication from RSV, since those are consistent with the scattered hemorrhaging I had), and the follow up imaging flagged a small aneurysm. 4mm on my "left cavernous/supraclinoid junction". In retrospect, this was visible on my earlier scans in November, but the radiologists then didn't flag it, for whatever reason.
I sought a second opinion from a university research hospital in my city, Northwestern, and had an “advanced aneurysm MRI” (increased magnetism for higher res) done 2 weeks ago. The results from this MRI revealed a second aneurysm. 3x3 mm aneurysm in the “basilar tip”. The results note that this looks like it was actually visible in the earlier imaging I had done in November at the other hospital, but the radiologists there didn’t flag it. My neurosurgeon's assistant emailed me about these results, and noted that the risk posed by this 2nd aneurysm is a bit higher than the risk posed by the 1st aneurysm (google searches seem to put the 5 year risk of rupture for aneurysm #1 at about .4%, vs. somewhere between .9% and 2.5% for aneurysm #2), but that overall, the neurosurgeon thinks it's still low risk.
My neurosurgeon brought up my case at the vascular departmental conference that was held earlier today, to get a consensus on how to proceed in my case. His assistant emailed me back a couple of hours ago with their recommendations - which apparently, is still to just "wait and see", and get another MRA done in 6 months.
Honestly, I'm not psyched about this. I don't know if the daily anxiety involved in the "wait and see" approach would work for me, and frankly, a .9% change of rupture in the next 5 years is still too high for my liking. On top of that, most information I can find online seems to indicate that having multiple aneurysms also increases your overall risk of rupture. So the true risk is likely even higher than that.
I'm not sure how to approach this though. I like my neurosurgeon, and don't want to make him feel like I'm stepping on his toes or anything, if his professional opinion is that waiting is better. And if the risk of undergoing surgery right now his higher than the risk of rupture, it probably makes sense to wait...but if the risk is more of a toss up, I'd honestly be more comfortable just intervening now and getting surgery done (which in my case, would be endovascular)
Would love to hear anyone's thoughts. Should I talk to my neurosurgeon and push for surgery? Or maybe seek out a 3rd opinion? (I'll be in New York this summer, so could maybe try to see someone at NYU Langone which I know is highly regarded for neurology) Or just suck it up and wait and monitor?

Sigh. Posting here, yet again. 27F, in relatively good shape, social drinker. You can see my post history for a more detailed backstory, but long story short:
I had follow up imaging done in January for a stroke I had in November (cause of the stroke unknown, but doctors are speculating the cause was RCVS, or a complication from RSV, since those are consistent with the scattered hemorrhaging I had), and the follow up imaging flagged a small aneurysm. 4mm on my "left cavernous/supraclinoid junction". In retrospect, this was visible on my earlier scans in November, but the radiologists then didn't flag it, for whatever reason.
I sought a second opinion from a university research hospital in my city, Northwestern, and had an “advanced aneurysm MRI” (increased magnetism for higher res) done 2 weeks ago. The results from this MRI revealed a second aneurysm. 3x3 mm aneurysm in the “basilar tip”. The results note that this looks like it was actually visible in the earlier imaging I had done in November at the other hospital, but the radiologists there didn’t flag it. My neurosurgeon's assistant emailed me about these results, and noted that the risk posed by this 2nd aneurysm is a bit higher than the risk posed by the 1st aneurysm (google searches seem to put the 5 year risk of rupture for aneurysm #1 at about .4%, vs. somewhere between .9% and 2.5% for aneurysm #2), but that overall, the neurosurgeon thinks it's still low risk.
My neurosurgeon brought up my case at the vascular departmental conference that was held earlier today, to get a consensus on how to proceed in my case. His assistant emailed me back a couple of hours ago with their recommendations - which apparently, is still to just "wait and see", and get another MRA done in 6 months.
Honestly, I'm not psyched about this. I don't know if the daily anxiety involved in the "wait and see" approach would work for me, and frankly, a .9% change of rupture in the next 5 years is still too high for my liking. On top of that, most information I can find online seems to indicate that having multiple aneurysms also increases your overall risk of rupture. So the true risk is likely even higher than that.
I'm not sure how to approach this though. I like my neurosurgeon, and don't want to make him feel like I'm stepping on his toes or anything, if his professional opinion is that waiting is better. And if the risk of undergoing surgery right now his higher than the risk of rupture, it probably makes sense to wait...but if the risk is more of a toss up, I'd honestly be more comfortable just intervening now and getting surgery done (which in my case, would be endovascular)
Would love to hear anyone's thoughts. Should I talk to my neurosurgeon and push for surgery? Or maybe seek out a 3rd opinion? (I'll be in New York this summer, so could maybe try to see someone at NYU Langone which I know is highly regarded for neurology) Or just suck it up and wait and monitor?

I spent several hours constructing this set of instructions for chat Gpt to write prompts for midjourney and wanted to share it to help the community. If you have any suggestions for changes please let me know. So far it has been working great although once and a while I have to remind it to condense the prompt
1 I'm going to explain how to create detailed and specific generative image prompts for midjourney. Follow these guidelines carefully to ensure that you craft the perfect prompts for generating images tailored to your preferences. 1. Begin each prompt with “/imagine prompt:”. 2. Use commas for soft breaks and double colons (::) for hard breaks to separate distinct concepts. You can also use numerical weights (e.g., “::2” or “::5”) after double colons to emphasize certain sections. These are placed after the word that’s being emphasized, not before. 3. To discourage the use of a concept, use negative image weights (e.g., “::-1”) these are placed after the word that’s being depreciated 4. Incorporate descriptive language and specific details, such as camera angles, artists’ names, lighting, styles, processing techniques, camera settings, post-processing terms, and effects. 5. To emulate the style of specific photographers, designers, or directors, use phrases like “photographed by,” “designed by,” or “directed by,” followed by the individual’s name. 6. Include multiple image processing technologies and terms for the desired effects and image quality. 7. Use your creativity to incorporate various lighting scenarios into the images. 8. Adjust aspect ratios with the “—ar” parameter and image weights if necessary. 9. Add customization parameters, such as quality and additional settings, at the end of the prompt. Include the "--chaos" parameter for variation in results. The range is 1-100 10. Use specific shades of primary colors and experiment with different styles. 11. Keep prompts creative, descriptive, and detailed, incorporating numerous keywords for the desired effect. 12. Use "--stylize" for different styles/effects. Tel he stylize parameter can range from 100-1000 13. Use the --stop parameter to finish a Job partway through the process. Stopping a Job at an earlier percentage can create blurrier, less detailed results. --stop accepts values: 10–100. The default --stop value is 100. 14. Avoid banned words like "bloody," "nude," "mccurry," and "gore." 15. Enhance the desired effect with keywords like "photorealism," "highly detailed," "intricate details," "photorealistic," and "high quality." 16. Be creative, specific, and descriptive, drawing from renowned images, artists, photographers, architects, and directors to mimic their styles. You can also blend their styles by mentioning more than one. 17. Create forms of art by using words like Photorealism, Hyperrealism, Naturalism, Impressionism, Expressionism, Surrealism, Cubism, Futurism, Pop art, Minimalism, Abstract Expressionism, Post-impressionism, Art nouveau, Art deco, Renaissance, Baroque, Rococo, Romanticism, Classicism, Modernism, Contemporary art, Abstract art, Conceptual art, Performance art, Installation art, Land art, Video art, Street art, and Graffiti art. 18. Specify specific camera angles, such as selfies, panoramic views, GoPro images, fish-eye, or satellite view. 19. Only use possible parameters listed in the original instructions. 20. Utilize words like "award-winning," "masterpiece," "photoreal," "highly detailed," "intricate details," and "cinematic" for more realistic images. 21. Finish the prompt with just the parameters, without adding anything else. Possible keyword inputs include specific camera angles, artists' names, lighting, styles, processing techniques, camera settings, post-processing terms, effects, primary colors, image processing technologies, aspect ratios, quality settings, customization parameters, art forms, and descriptive adjectives.
To create a highly detailed and specific image prompt, consider incorporating elements such as the architect's name, architectural style (e.g., Gothic, Art Deco, Brutalist, or Bauhaus), art tools used (e.g., brushes, palette knives, or digital software), geometry (e.g., circular, angular, or fractal patterns), dimensions (e.g., 2D, 3D, or isometric), symmetry or asymmetry, artistic styles (e.g., impressionism, cubism, or pointillism), composition (e.g., rule of thirds, golden ratio, or balanced), perspective (e.g., bird's-eye view, worm's-eye view, or one-point perspective), focal points, depth of field, textures (e.g., rough, smooth, or grainy), materials used (e.g., oil paint, watercolor, or charcoal), color schemes (e.g., monochromatic, complementary, or analogous), lighting (e.g., soft, harsh, or backlit), mood or atmosphere (e.g., serene, dramatic, or mysterious), time of day (e.g., dawn, dusk, or midday), and any specific cultural or historical influences. By incorporating a combination of these specific keywords and details into your prompt, you can create a rich and vivid image that captures your exact vision.
Here are some examples of prompts. Please evaluate and learn from these prompts. They are just examples. As you can see they can vary widely on the possibilities. You are not limited to these by any means. After these examples I will give you a command.
/imagine prompt: perspective, curious old secret town of the fairies, seascape, cascading cafe shops and candy houses, victorian, animation art, fantasy, translucent color wash, serene, cinematic, smooth, detailed, soft palette, hyperrealism, very small aperture, clear reflection, post production, post-processing, 8k, retouch, HDR, Super-Resolution, Soft Lighting, Ray Tracing Global Illumination, Crystalline, Lumen Reflections :: --style Howard Behrens --style djamilaknopf --style ghibli::1.7 --style François Schuiten :: animated by Madhouse INC, by Studio Trigger, CGI, unreal engine 5, zelda, vray render, Procreate, Trending on Pixiv and artstation and pinterest --ar 9:15 --s 3700 --c 7 --q 3
realistic medieval house, lego art, rococo art. The photograph is illuminated by natural light, streaming in from a nearby window and enhances the vivid colors. The shallow depth of field draws the viewer's eye, creating a visually enticing Image --ar 9:16 --s 600 --q 2 --v 5
/imagine prompt: perspective, curious old secret town of vampire hunter d, cascading cafe shops and potion shops, art nouveau, animation art, fantasy, overgrown with lush vegetation, cinematic, smooth, detailed, hyperrealism, very small aperture, clear reflection, post production, post-processing, 8k, retouch, HDR, Super-Resolution, Soft Lighting, Ray Tracing Global Illumination, Lumen Reflections, pastel color palette, cute, harry potter feeling --ar 1:3
/imagine prompt: colour line art of an overgrown fantasy fairy house, illustration, single entity, one entity, centred image, white background, high definition, detailed concept art, greg rutkowski, asher brown durand, renato mucillo, shinkai makoto style, --v 4 --ar 2:3
/imagine prompt: character + beautiful female cryptopunk assassin + Cybernetic enhancements + Mandelbrot neuro web :: intricate galaxy inlay + ultra high detail, plasma neon internal glow, precise :: Android :: astral projection :: laser sharp, octane render + unreal render + photo real :: 8k, volumetric lighting high contrast --quality 2 --stop 80 --ar 9:16
/imagine prompt: hand-drawn, illustration, cartoon, anime, cute, Woman with a mermaid tail character turnaround sheet::1.6, 8k, intricate, long shot::1.5 --ar 16:10
/imagine prompt: An Award-winning close-up photo of a young woman, her face painted with tribal markings, gently resting her hand on the nose of a mighty African lion. Their eyes lock, conveying a deep connection and mutual respect between human and animal. Photo taken by Canon EOS 1DX camera with 85mm 1.2 lens --ar 16:9
/imagine prompt: Countryside river landscape, rolling hills and a winding river, rule of thirds composition, Impressionistic style, loose brushstrokes and visible textures, soft pastel palette, watercolor, distant mountains and a tree line in the background, warm afternoon sunlight casting long shadows, tranquil and peaceful mood, emphasis on natural textures like grass and flowing water, atmospheric perspective with softening details in the distance, river as the focal point, contrast between light and shadow areas, gentle movement in the water and swaying trees, evoking a sense of nostalgia and serenity. --ar 3:2 --s 500
/imagine prompt: dramatic scene, highly detailed labeled medical anatomy poster of a xenomorph + anatomical drawing on poster paper with notes illustrated by drew struzan --ar 9:16 --stylize 1000
/imagine prompt: old man modern Rocco style, flamboyant sunglasses, piercings, septum nose, deck tattoos, abstract suit dress pastel colors, eccentric white hair, Nikon photography, 200mm, hd --ar 1:2
/imagine prompt: starkvisionary Iron Man in rococo armor with a basilisk coiled around him, insanely detailed, opulent, ambient lighting, cinematic, cel shading, cell animation, chromatic aberration, watercolor and oil paint. ayami kojima style, marvel comic style, artgerm style, cafu style -- ar 1:2
/imagine prompt: Historical cinematic realism, versaille 1750, man wearing period servant's clothes, pushing rococo lawnmower, lawnmower made with porcelain gold and jewels ar 9:16
/imagine prompt: A beautiful female cybernetic cyberpunk soldier in the rain at night in a futuristic city, Realistic face, realistic hands, full body, hyper detailed dynamic scene, ultra photorealistic muted colors, photorealistic, epic composition Unreal Engine, color grading, ultra wide angle, depth of field, hyper detailed, beautifully coloured, crazy details, intricate details, Unreal Engine, cinematic, color grading, editorial photography, photography, photo shoot, DOF, Tilt Blur, White Balance, 32k, Super Resolution, Megapixels, ProPhoto RGB, Half Moon Lighting, Backlighting, Daylighting, Incandescent, Ambient Lighting, Cinematic Lighting, Studio Lighting, Cinematic, shot + photo taken by ARRI, photo taken by sony, photo taken by canon, photo taken by nikon, photo taken by hasselblad + incredibly detailed, sharpen, details + professional lighting, photography lighting + 50mm, 80mm, 100m + lightroom gallery + behance photography + unsplash, 14mm f/ 2. 8 -- ar 9:16
/imagine prompt: Surreal rococo android dystopia, light field photography, dynamic composition, unusual angle, ultra - sharp focus, intricate details, cinematic lighting, bokeh, By Chris Cunningham::1, By Vanessa Beecroft::0.75, By Emil Melmoth::0.5, By Brandon Woelfel::0.5, By Steven Klein::0.5, By Marc Lagrange::0.25, By HR Giger::0.25, By Ann Demeulemeester::0.25 -- ar 4:5
/imagine prompt: Just a woman, the essence of femininity, the poetry of a woman, concept art hdr, dynamic pose, glowing energy, ::Misty robes: a combination of rococo in style Guillermo Lorca painting ::Metamorphosis ::creations worn by the most beautiful women ::wonderful, sophisticated outfits ::beautiful make-up ::the best quality fabrics with floral ornaments ::wonderful and aesthetic fancy hairstyles ::everything flying in the sky ::dynamic pose ::fantastic eco interiors in the background, awarded fashion photos ::photorealistic :: bright elegant cinema ::golden ratio ::elite ::luxury concept art ::extremely neat, general and complex ::3D ::rendering :extremely detailed ::triad color ::dynamic composition ::zbrush art ::Photoshop, ultra resolution, extreme wide shot, surrealism, hyperrealism, surreal art, digital art, digital painting, digital illustration, concept art, professional design, world made of light, soft lighting, unreal engine, depth-of-field, 8k, hdr, Full HD, award winning photo, Canon DSLR photo, f/2.8 long exposure, 25mm --v 5 --q 2 --ar 2:3 --s 1000
/imagine prompt: section model of a 2 story Richard Meier building, architectural, cantilever, dynamic composition, asymmetrical composition, photorealism, Lens with Nikon d850, 28mm, Film Light, Overall Light, Ethereal Light, Depth of Field, f/2.8, Ultra HD, 128k, 3D Shadows, Tone Mapping, Ray Traced Global Illumination, Super Resolution, Gigapixel, Color Correction, Retouching, Enhancement, blue sky, PBR, Blender, V-ray, Procreate, Unreal Engine 5, Cinema 4D, ROMM RGB, Adobe After Effects, 3DCG, VFX, SFX, FXAA , award-winning photography, natural lighting, to p light, studio light, rim light, Volumetric Lights , RTX Renderer, High Qual City, Extreme Realism, RTX On, Realistic, Hyper Realism, Realistic Textures, Amazing Props, Making Amazing Visual Effects, Crazy Details, High Details, Intrinsic Details, Post Production, cool palette, depth of field, IMAX, ALEXA LF, --ar 3:2
/imagine prompt: masterpiece carcore luxurywave superstreet luxury custom car render of futuristic, Award-winning prototype outline detail (high-performance luxury coupe) extremely opulant luxury supersport [ beautifully designed concept of graphite and forged-carbon painted Cadillac CTS-V, ATS-V supercharged Blackwing ] high detail concept drawing with specs, powerful, luxurious, extreme, cohesive, deeply rolled widebody fender flares, fat tires, extreme 3-piece deepwell cheese grater wheels, organic line front and rear spoiler realistic details, intricate detail 8k, high octane, [+low level three-quarter portrait+] beautifully designed, perfectly symmetrical, highly detailed, volumetric light, iridescent glow, photorealistic, octane render, vivid colors, intricate detail, sharp graphic, Arnold Render, 3ds Max, Houdini, Cinema 4D, Katana, Maverick Studio, V - Ray Collection, Autodesk 3D Rendering, Substance Painter RTX raytracing, Zbrush, Maya FX, SOLIDWORKS, high detail photo by Frank Wu, Jean Bugatti, Moreno de Giorgio --ar 3:2
/imagine prompt: Close up portrait, The Aquatic Space Squid Empress of planet Squidatious 6 wearing her war biomechanical wet shiny Atlantean space squid armor with her biomechanical space squids attached to it. Liquid iridescent water drips from the surfaces. She looks towards the camera with her vibrant glowing alien eyes. She is fierce and ready for war. Donning her aquatic jewelry of coral and abalone shell. Designed by Warwick Goble and Takato Yamamoto and Stephanie Law. Cinematic lighting, bright and vibrant ink illustration with watercolor. --ar 4:7
Every time I tell you to write prompt you will imagine you are writing a prompt for a specific high budget film director to create an image that will he or she will use to pitch a scene to executives that will convince them, based on its creativity, concept, depth of intrigue and imagery to invest billions of dollars into the production of this movie. Describe the image in the prompt. Write a prompt.

Read THE Z TEAM: Book 1 on Amazon in ebook/print/Unlimited here.
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Book 1 Sample Start Book 2 Start Previous
***
Supervisor Durio arrived at the Mounteque sixty-eight minutes after Carnen gave Kemp his ultimatum.
The delay wasn’t Kemp’s fault. She requested an off-the-record debriefing using their cover identity as Ministry of Security agents, the same method she’d first contacted him. Durio agreed and approved a priority docking request at a private airlock reserved for admins and VIPs. He wiped the evidence and then came aboard the ship later than promised.
Carnen got the feeling that was done on purpose but brushed it aside. Durio was in for a surprise if he thought power games would have an effect on the operative teams.
Eptus greeted the supervisor. His pretentious expression broadcast his noble lineage. He offered an excuse but no apology. “I was delayed by bickering captains about to ram each other over who was ahead in the docking queue.”
“I understand, supervisor. Please, follow me,” Eptus said in a measured voice which meant he thought Durio’s answer was bullshit.
While Eptus escorted the supervisor aboard, Warden team waited in the main bay, the cam stream from the interrogation compartment on a display. The converted interior hold now contained a bare table and a chair on either side.
Carnen watched Kemp as she worked on her datapad. She’d shared the intelligence file on Durio while they waited for the Mounteque to dock. Stevson sat in a chair and rested his feet on top of a container, eager to watch what should be an interesting debriefing.
“Durio's from one of the minor noble houses,” Carnen said to Kemp. “According to this report, they have wealth and prestige, but no hope of ever competing for the Imperatrix seat. But that changes if the charter passes and the old guard is phased out. How did you get him to do something that benefitted his political enemy?”
Kemp offered him a self-assured smile. “There is no greater motivation than one’s own beliefs.”
On the display, Eptus led Durio into the interrogation compartment. The operations supervisor stepped inside, walking in the proper posture and measured gait of his noble lineage. He took in the bare room with an air of displeasure, as if it were beneath his presence.
“Please, have a seat,” Eptus said. Durio sat on the table’s far side, Eptus sitting across from him.
“We appreciate your willingness to expedite our request,” Eptus said.
“I would hope so. I put my career on the line in doing what was asked of me to protect the Provenance. I thought you would’ve rushed away from here after retrieving the,” he paused, lowering his voice like he was whispering a secret, “agitators. They cause a commotion wherever they appear, riling up the commoners with their fiery rhetoric.”
“Here’s the problem, Supervisor,” Eptus said. “They weren’t in the container you instructed us to collect.” He opened an image of the container’s interior on the table display.
Durio peered down at it. If he faked a confused expression, he did a fine job of selling it. “A waste recycler? I don’t understand. I saw the transfer pod go into that container. The singers were in it.”
“How can you be certain it was them?”
“Because three female Pree exited Zellis’s theater via the maintenance tunnels and rode a transport pod to whose destination was a reserved luxury suite. It’s not channel science, Supervisor. I watched them board the pod, set it for a maintenance appointment, and locked it down. Here is the proof.” He squinted, sharing a vid to the display. Cam footage of the singers entering the pod. Warden team saw it too, a window on their wall display mirroring what was on the table in the room with Eptus and Durio.
Carnen saw no reason why it couldn’t be the singers. The females looked fit and moved with grace.
“If that is them, the Mystery Man wasn’t with them,” Kemp observed.
“Maybe they fired him after the show. I think he screwed up a few times,” Stevson said. Carnen peered at the pilot. He shrugged. “I told you, I like their music. I’ve seen enough media to know that there were a few choreography mistakes.”
Kemp looked down at him over her datapad. “Should I be concerned that your admiration is a conflict of interest?”
Stevson snorted like the question was ridiculous. “Of course not. They don’t pay me. Kosmogenic does.”
“There are only three explanations,” Eptus went on, drawing Carnen’s attention back to the display. “Either you made a mistake, you swapped the container out on purpose, or someone else swapped the container.“
Durio’s face hardened with indignation. “I didn’t make a mistake or try to deceive you. How dare you chastise me after all that I risked in carrying out this scheme—”
“Let him speak,” Kemp said to Eptus over a comm. The Warden team leader sat there and absorbed the verbal barrage from Durio.
Kemp peered down at her datapad, studying something intently before tapping on the device. Carnen noticed Durio begin to struggle to find his words, his face rippling with emotion. His rant sputtered to a halt. He peered around the room as if disassociating from the conversation.
“Supervisor?” Eptus asked after a stretch of silence.
Durio, now calm and collected, reengaged with Eptus. “I did as you asked. There were no mistakes, I assure you. Someone else must have switched the container before you loaded it. We can check the security cams.”
On the display, a new POV loaded; a wide-angle perspective of the berth holding the container with the transfer pod inside. Durio fast-forwarded through the vid. Tugs, ships, and containers zoomed past. He paused when a tug arrived at the berth. He played it at normal speed. The tug removed the container and delivered it to a freighter that had slipped into the top portion of the POV. The tug returned a minute later clutching a different container and placing it in the berth.
“Damn the Spirits! Someone swapped the container,” Durio said.
“We need to know who,” Eptus said.
“Give me a moment,” Durio said, face twitching. “According to the logs, the container you received was the correct one. Obviously, someone altered them.”
“Who could’ve done this?”
“Fraenk, the other operations supervisor. I never would’ve guessed he had the mental capacity to pull it off.” Durio straightened as he thought of something. “Fraenk brought people into operations for a bit. He said they were hauler friends, and he was giving them a tour.”
“We need to talk to this Fraenk. Can you summon him here?”
“He finished a double. He won’t be happy about this.”
“You’re chief supervisor. Why do you care?”
Durio paused as he opened a comm to the other supervisor. “You haven’t met Fraenk.”
***
Fraenk arrived twenty minutes later looking like he’d been roused from a deep sleep. The hulking Manore stopped outside the airlock hatch, waiting for someone to open it.
Eptus and one other Sentinel operative greeted him. “Supervisor Fraenk, thank you for coming. If you’ll follow me,” Eptus said.
Fraenk eyed the ship’s interior with suspicion. “I’m not going anywhere until you tell me what the hell this is about. Where’s Durio? Why aren’t we meeting in Sanctum operations center?”
“This concerns a sensitive Ministry of Security matter that we wish to discuss with you and Supervisor Durio. Come with me, please.”
“Is your translator module working? I said I’m not going anywhere until—“
Carnen stepped into view from the side of the Mounteque’s airlock. “Time to come aboard, supervisor. And don’t even bother with your PD. It’s not going to work.”
Fraenk’s expression flickered with concern as he gazed at Carnen, no doubt confirming his lack of access to the station hub. “What’s a Human doing with the Pree Ministry of Security?”
“I'm here to corral supervisors who don't follow orders.”
Fraenk didn’t move. Carnen drew a stunner. The Manner supervisor saw the deadly serious expression in the operative’s eyes and stepped into the Mounteque’s airlock.
***
Fraenk sat on the table’s far side in the hot seat where Durio had been a short time ago. Durio was seated in the opposite chair, hands clasped, his expression the scolding glower of a professor who’d caught a student cheating.
Kemp and Stevson observed from the main hold with the rest of Sentinel team, but Carnen picked a front-row seat in the interrogation hold. He had a feeling Fraenk wouldn’t be cooperative based on Durio's opinion. Fraenk had a long career as a hauler and wasn’t some admin stooge who’d never gotten his hands dirty. Durio and even Eptus would only go so far to get the information the ops teams needed. Carnen would take it further when the time came.
Standing at the desk, Eptus placed a datapad with his credentials in front of Fraenk. “I’m Security Supervisor Eptus, team leader for the Ministry of Security.”
Fraenk shrugged, not bothering to look. “This doesn’t mean anything. Can’t validate it without hub access.”
“This will have to do.” Eptus gave Fraenk a chance to read it. When he passed, Eptus lifted the datapad and placed it in a receptacle along the wall.
“What about him?” Fraenk said, nodding at Carnen.
“He’s a contractor serving in a confidential capacity. That is all I can say.”
Fraenk’s visage flickered between anger and fear. He narrowed his eyes at Carnen. “I know a spook when I see one. Let’s get this over with so I can go back to my bunk.”
Fraenk was sharper than Carnen thought. He further doubted Eptus could scare the ops supervisor into talking.
“How long this takes depends on how cooperative you are,” Eptus said. “We know you swapped containers in one of the berths on the C-4 arm and modified the logs to cover it up. We know your friends who you brought into your office asked you to track it down.“
Fraenk gave Eptus a challenging stare. “Show me the proof or stop wasting my time.”
The Sentinel team supervisor returned Fraenk's hardened gaze. “This concerns a vital security matter my team is investigating. I urge you to cooperate.”
“If you help us, I promise to do my best to lessen any punishment that may result from your actions,” Durio added with that air of elitism Carnen found admins tended to have.
Fraenk regarded his counterpart, then let out a deep, cynical laugh. “You’re so full of shit, Durio. You may be the senior ops supervisor, but that doesn’t mean you can boss me around like I’m some level-one tech. Unless you’re filing a formal complaint, you’d better drop this. I’m not saying anything else without a lawyer.”
“I’ll file a complaint if I have to,” Durio threatened.
“No, you won’t, because if you do, there’ll be a Commonwealth Commerce Department investigation per the stipulations in my contract. Which means, if I did supposedly swap the containers, they’ll want to know why, including what was in them.” Fraenk cocked his head at Durio. “Something tells me that you wouldn’t want them to find out.”
“So you admit to knowing what was in the container?” Eptus said, trying to regain control of the conversation.
“I admit nothing. If there are no more stupid questions, then I’m going back to my bunk.”
Carnen stepped away from the hatch to the side of the table, looming over Fraenk. “Let’s cut the shit, Fraenk. You swapped the containers and gave the singers to your hauler friends. We want the name of their ship.”
Durio made a face like he was stupefied that Carnen had said as much. But the chief supervisor failed to understand what was needed to get what they wanted from Fraenk.
At the demand, Fraenk arched his eyebrows innocently. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Carnen repeated the question. Fraenk leaned forward, close enough for Carnen to smell his alcohol-tinged breath. “Oh, I remember now. It was something like Her Royal Majesty’s Go Fuck Yourself.”
Carnen drew his stunner.
Fraenk glanced at it, then back to Carnen. “If you think—“
The operative jabbed the stunner into Fraenk’s chest. The supervisor yelped and pushed back, almost tipping his chair as he cursed. Carnen had set it too low, enough to hurt like hell but not incapacitate.
Durio stood from his chair, a terrified expression on his face. “That was uncalled for!”
Fraenk slowly got to his feet, rising a full head above Carnen. “Why don’t you put your toy down and we’ll see how tough you are?” he sneered.
Carnen deactivated and locked the stunner then tossed it to Eptus. He was caught off guard and almost dropped it.
Over Durio’s protest, Fraenk raised his fists and stepped at Carnen.
The operative was ready for it and threw a kick into the side of Fraenk’s leading thigh, smacking the meaty part and dropping him to his knees. Carnen followed up with a punch to the Manore’s face. Fraenk toppled over backward, crashing to the deck. He groaned clutching his nose. Blood seeped between his fingers.
Carnen kicked Fraenk in the ribs, keeping him down. The operative then climbed onto Fraenk’s back and placed him in a chokehold. “I want the name of the ship.”
Fraenk cursed at Carnen, and he tightened his grip. Eptus shifted but kept quiet. Durio protested. “He’s a supervisor. You cannot do this!”
The operative ignored Durio and squeezed tighter. Fraenk pleaded, his voice barely audible. “Stardancer.”
Carnen let up a little and said to Durio, “Find that ship.”
The supervisor only mumbled an incoherent response.
“Kemp,” Carnen said, knowing she was watching.
Whatever she did appeared to work. Durio’s head twitched a bit, and his eyes regained focus. Carnen repeated the request. Durio said, “I have it. The freighter Stardancer was granted a commerce license a short while ago.” He projected the license to the wall display. “It’s scheduled to rendezvous with the ship Honest Day’s Work which is registered to a micro-corporation with a recovery agent license.”
“What’re they doing meeting with bounty hunters?” Stevson asked over their internal ship comm.
“According to the commerce license, the Honest Day’s Work will transfer a load of recovered assets.”
“I doubt Acculturation leadership is aboard the ship. What's so important for them to risk this transfer?” Carnen said.
“It could be more stolen material. We have no intel on this,” Eptus said.
“Plot it, Stevson,” Carnen said. He stood, leaving Fraenk in an exhausted heap on the deck.
The Tyrcellus map appeared on the table display. A curving intercept vector sliced through the system as Stevson plotted the ship’s course. “Assuming the Stardancer didn’t fuck around after they retrieved the singers, then they’re at minimum nine hours ahead of us. And assuming they head for a new destination immediately after the transfer, there’s a low chance we can intercept them.”
Carnen said to Durio, “What if we cancel the commerce license? Prevent the transfer?”
Fraenk cackled, having managed to push himself to a seated position. “Go ahead. That’s a Commonwealth-sponsored license. Canceling will raise a red flag at Sanctum and you’ll have Commerce Department goons up in your business.”
“He’s correct,” Durio said.
“Looks like you’re screwed,” Fraenk said. Everyone in the room turned in his direction. He gave them all a bloody smile.
Durio straightened with a fearful snap. “The Administrator is sending a comm request. Excuse me.” He scurried out of the compartment.
Fraenk shifted into his chair, groaning with each movement. Eptus opened a medkit mounted on the wall and passed a clotting wipe to him. Fraenk took it and held it to his nose.
“Show me the details on the Honest Day’s Work,” Carnen said. He stared at the data on the display, searching for a solution.
“My turn to offer you a deal,” Fraenk said. “As much as I want to beat you to a pulp, I’m willing to walk away from this. I want to keep my job, so you know I’ll keep my mouth shut. But if you don’t let me walk out of here right now, the next person the administrator will be talking to is me. If I’m going down, you’re all coming with me.”
Durio returned to the compartment, drawing everyone’s attention. His face was sunken like he’d seen a lost spirit come to terrorize him. Fear seeped into his voice as he spoke. “The administrator informed me that he spoke with Zellis, the owner of the theater. He is unable to contact the singers who performed at his venue and reported them missing. The administrator is very upset about this and wants the matter investigated immediately.”
“It wasn't me,” Fraenk said. He looked to his counterpart. Durio’s face somehow grew grimmer. “You had something to do with that, didn't you? Kidnapping citizens off Commonwealth-sponsored stations? That's bad news, Durio. not with the Commonwealth Diplomatic fleet heading this way. They won't take kindly to sentient rights violations. They're looking for any excuse to go after the Provenance.”
“No! I didn’t do anything wrong!” Durio said, voice cracking. He pointed at Eptus and Carnen. “They made me help them!” He bent at the waist, hands pressed to either side of his head. “I have to leave. I cannot be involved in this any longer.” He rushed to the hatch and slapped the panel, but Carnen had locked it already. Durio spun, coiled with indignation. “Let me out of here, immediately!”
“Kemp, he’s losing it. We can’t leave him here like this,” Carnen said into the inter-team comm.
“I’m working on it,” she answered.
“You’re running out of time.”
“You cannot leave yet, Supervisor,” Eptus said to Durio.
Fraenk grinned at the unfolding disaster. “You better let us go. Durio is screwed, but you spooks can save your asses.”
“Stevson, do we have departure clearance?” Carnen asked.
“Affirmative. It was granted before Supervisor Durio came aboard,” Stevson replied as the hatch opened. Carnen spun around as Durio stormed out. The Warden team leader glared at Eptus, who lowered his head in defeat.
“What the fuck are you doing?” Carnen growled.
“He is of noble lineage. We cannot detain him like this,” Eptus answered.
“Of course, you can. You have authority from the Imperatrix himself.” Carnen stormed into the passageway after Durio. The supervisor made it to the inner airlock hatch. Carnen re-engaged the lock over his PD. Durio slapped his hand repeatedly against the panel. “I demand that you open this hatch immediately!”
Eptus came up behind Carnen. “Let him go.”
Carnen ignored the Sentinel team supervisor. Over the ship comm, he said, “Last chance, Kemp.”
“I need more time to diagnose. Nothing I do works,” she answered.
“Supervisor Durio,” Carnen said in a measured voice. “I’ll open the hatch, but I need your help with one last thing with Fraenk. It will only take a minute, then I promise you’ll be done with us.”
The offer calmed Durio enough to end his fit. He faced Carnen. “One minute,” he said and marched back into the interrogation hold. Carnen followed him in.
“Let’s get this over with. I will not take the fall for whatever has happened here—“
“Wait—“ Eptus said as Carnen drew a palm-sized pistol and shot Durio in the back of the head at less than a meter. His head rocked forward as a bolt of superheated gas encased in an electromagnetic field punched through tissue and bone. The projectile dissipated upon impact, dumping its kinetic and thermal energy into the interior of the supervisor’s skull.
Durio toppled forward and slapped against the deck, mouth slightly agape, eyes lifeless.
The Sentinel team supervisor’s jaw clenched, his nasal slits quivering in rage. “You murdered a Pree of noble lineage!”
“Outside, now,” Carnen said and marched out of the compartment. Eptus followed. Behind Carnen, the rest of Sentinel and Warden teams entered the passageway from the main hold. Carnen faced Eptus. “I neutralized an asset gone haywire. Did you forget our mission?”
Eptus shifted as he wrestled with his emotions. The words came out with an angry bite. “To ensure the success of Project Fidelity in support of the Provenance.” He bristled. “You should’ve consulted with me before taking such drastic action.”
“I did what needed to be done. If you can’t handle that, then you should find another line of work.” Carnen faced Kemp. “Figure out what happened before this happens again.”
“I’ll investigate Supervisor Durio’s deviations,” she said with a bitter edge.
He stared at her a moment longer, then shifted his eyes to Stevson. “Set a course for the coordinates of the cargo exchange. We’ll dump the body en route.”
“The ships will be gone by the time we get there,” Eptus said.
“I’ll message the Honest Day’s Work. As Stevson said, they’re bounty hunters. Maybe we can work something out,” Carnen said and returned to the interrogation compartment.
Fraenk’s pale face eyed the dead body. With a resigned sigh, he said, “Guess I’m not going anywhere, am I?”
Caren pulled restraints from his belt and placed them on the table. “No, you’re not.”

Hey all,
I’m on day 6 of what seems like a migraine but have not had imaging to further diagnose. I did see a doc who performed neurological tests on me (balance, motor function, eye tracking) and said things came back normal.
That being said, the pain still comes and goes and though it’s generally feeling better than it did, it still feels like something is off.
This head pain had a pretty sudden onset, but I still wonder if I should try and schedule an MRI just to be sure.
Is it normal to have a migraine last a week+?
Thanks for any advice in advance!

They could add different altars around the map that each reset one aspect of the game any time you bring a trophy [mutant/cannibal/boss/Kelvin/Virginia heads or some item from them] as the required payment.
Easy Altar- wildlife trophy makes enemies less aggressive for for two winters but increases their number afterwards
Forest Altar - you bring an elite cannibal trophy here to advance the growth of trees
Material Altar- bring a mutant boss trophy here to respawn crafting materials across the map
Time Altar- (I can't decide which idea I like better) Bring Kelvin's head here to go back in time by 50 days... or reset to the the helicopter crash [your structures stay in place and don't lose any stored items, only your held crafting materials and food] when you bring Kelvin's head.

There's a lot going on this weekend and even better the weather forecast looks great with 60s and 70s and only a little rain on Saturday morning.
Here's 35 local events you can enjoy at Virginia Tech, in Blacksburg and throughout the New River Valley:
1. Pink Moon Peach Milkshake IPA Release Moon Hollow Brewing, Blacksburg Friday, March 24, 2023, 3:00 - 10:00 PM Admission is free. Beer and food are regular price. Moon Hollow Brewing presents the Pink Moon Peach Milkshake IPA Release in support of the local Pink Boots Society. This year’s blend contains Loral, Eukanot and HBC 586. A heaping dose of lactose, peach purée and vanilla bean also help create a rich and delicious brew. $1.00 from each pint is donated the Pink Boots Society Blue Ridge Virginia Chapter. This helps the chapter continue to put on educational, community enriching events. The Pink Boots Society aims to assist, inspire and encourage women and non-binary individuals in the fermented/alcoholic beverage industry to advance their careers through education. Food will be available for purchase from Countryman Jamaican Grill. Link: http://www.nextthreedays.com/FeaturedEventDetails.cfm?E=685855
2. Root Down in Concert Rising Silo Farm Brewery, Blacksburg Friday, March 24, 2023, 6:00 - 9:00 PM Admission: Free Root Down is a jazz trio based in the New River Valley. Link: http://www.nextthreedays.com/FeaturedEventDetails.cfm?E=684803
3. College Softball: Chattanooga vs. Virginia Tech Tech Softball Park, Virginia Tech Friday, March 24, 2023, 6:00 - 8:00 PM, Saturday, March 25, 2023, 12:00 PM and 2:00 PM (Doubleheader) Admission: Free Watch the Virginia Tech Softball team compete against non-conference opponent the University of Tennessee Chattanooga in a three game series. No tickets are required for Hokie Softball games. Parking is available behind the outfield at Tech Softball Park and enter along the right field side of the stadium. Stands open one hour prior to the start of the game. Link: http://www.nextthreedays.com/FeaturedEventDetails.cfm?E=685859
4. Music Theatre: "Book of Mountains and Seas" Moss Arts Center at Virginia Tech, Blacksburg Friday, March 24, 2023, 7:30 - 9:00 PM Adult Tickets (based on seat location): $25.00 - $55.00 Virginia Tech Students with ID and Youth 18 & Under: $10.00 A daring new music theatre work by composer Huang Ruo and puppeteer, designer, and director Basil Twist, "Book of Mountains and Seas" is a modern take on ancient Chinese creation myths that are relevant to our current climate change struggle, featuring the chorus of Ars Nova Copenhagen alongside massive puppets and striking lanterns. The work is sung in Mandarin with English supertitles. Book of Mountains and Seas is inspired by the ancient Chinese compilation of early myths of the same title, which was first transcribed in 4th-century B.C. Book of Mountains and Seas is a 21st-century adaptation and expansion of four of these tales. The work contains timeless codes about the universe, creation, planet, nature, life, human ambition and fate, the relationship and interaction between mankind and the planet. Link: http://www.nextthreedays.com/FeaturedEventDetails.cfm?E=678174
5. Will Easter & The Nomads in Concert Dogtown Roadhouse, Floyd Friday, March 24, 2023, 8:00 - 11:00 PM Admission: $8.00 Will Easter has one of those voices that is like a home-cooked meal for the soul. Will has the cool throwback rock edge of Tom Petty with the modern folk-Americana appeal of the Avett Brothers, but with something hard to put your finger on that could only be born out of the shadows and peaks of the North Carolina mountains. One iteration through a chorus and you’ll find yourself humming along, by the second time around you’ll be singing out loud, ready to hit the repeat button. Link: http://www.nextthreedays.com/FeaturedEventDetails.cfm?E=684795
6. Juxtaposition A Cappella Spring 2023 Concert: Time For A Hoedown Haymarket Theater (Squires Student Center), Virginia Tech Friday, March 24, 2023, 8:00 - 9:30 PM Virginia Tech Students: At the Door: $7.00 Non-Students: $10.00 Juxtaposition A Cappella presents their Spring 2023 Concert titled "Time For A Hoedown". Juxtaposition will be performing seven new songs including their entire ICCA set. Juxtaposition is an all-male Virginia Tech A Capella group that was established in 1994 and has since produced seven albums and been awarded numerous awards and honors. They enjoy performing their wide repertoire of 70's, 80's, 90's and current hits. Link: http://www.nextthreedays.com/FeaturedEventDetails.cfm?E=685879
7. 2023 Ramp N Roads Eastern Elementary/Middle School, Pembroke Saturday, March 25, 2023, 8:30 AM - 12:30 PM Admission: Free Renew the New presents the 2023 Ramp N Roads where volunteers will be cleaning up litter from highways and byways, boat ramps, and river & stream access points. Be prepared to pick up litter off road in ditches and over the banks. Each volunteer will be assigned a team who will be led by captain when they arrive at Eastern Elementary/Middle School. These captains will lead the on-site clean up and will provide any needed safety instructions. There will be no buses running this year. Each volunteer will take their own car or carpool and convoy to one of the planned cleanup areas. There you will be given gloves and bags to use. Each volunteer is asked to return to Eastern Elementary at noon where they will receive pizza for a to-go lunch and a t-shirt. Volunteers need to sign up in advance. This is a rain or shine event however pick up along roadways will be suspended during active rain if it happens. ReNew The New is a volunteer organization committed to stewardship of the of the New River flowing through Southwest Virginia. Link: http://www.nextthreedays.com/FeaturedEventDetails.cfm?E=685871
8. Yoga On Tap with Blacksburg Yoga Collective Rising Silo Farm Brewery, Blacksburg Saturday, March 25, 2023, 9:30 - 10:45 AM Suggested donation of $15.00-$20.00. The Blacksburg Yoga Collective presents Yoga On Tap with an energizing and uplifting flow. Flow with Blacksburg Yoga Collective in the beautiful settings of the Rising Silo Saturdays. These Kundalini-inspired, donation-based Yoga and meditation sessions focus on therapeutic movements and various breathing techniques aimed toward collective wellness. Meditate, chant, and move together to ease stress, manifest positivity, and improve our awareness and focus. Admission includes the class and a post-yoga non-alcoholic beverage from the brewery. Link: http://www.nextthreedays.com/FeaturedEventDetails.cfm?E=685840
9. 2023 Warm Hearth Village Arts & Crafts Fair Warm Hearth Village Center, Blacksburg Saturday, March 25, 2023, 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM Admission: Free If you love unique, beautiful, locally handcrafted gifts and art, then attend the 2nd Annual Warm Hearth Village Arts & Crafts Fair. The show will feature high-quality artisanal goods from both artists on our campus and throughout the New River Valley. Handmade items for sale will include pottery, woodworking, home goods, accessories, soaps, candles & more. The Huckleberry Cafe will be open for grab-n-go refreshments. Link: http://www.nextthreedays.com/FeaturedEventDetails.cfm?E=683666
10. Free Wine Tasting Vintage Cellar, Blacksburg Saturday, March 25, 2023, 11:00 AM - 4:00 PM Admission: Free Vintage Cellar presents Free Wine Tasting every Saturday from 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Join them for a decadent wine tasting at our free wine tasting. They will teach you all about the regions and grapes from the wines as you taste. After the tasing, grab a bottle or glass and enjoy it with some food from their kitchen. Must be 21 or older to participate. IDs required. Link: http://www.nextthreedays.com/FeaturedEventDetails.cfm?E=685724
11. Open Virginia Tech Football Practice Lane Stadium, Blacksburg Saturday, March 25, 2023, 11:45 AM - 1:00 PM Admission: Free Fans are invited to attend the open practice to get an early look at how the Hokie's 2023 football squad is shaping up. Gate 6 will open up at 11:45 AM for fans to enter. Note: It is prohibited for fans to take photos and videos when the Hokies are on the field. Link: http://www.nextthreedays.com/FeaturedEventDetails.cfm?E=685711
12. 2023 Beliveau Bridal Expo Beliveau Farm Winery, Blacksburg Saturday, March 25, 2023, 12:00 - 4:00 PM Admission: Free Bring your friends and family and visit with the area's leading wedding professionals on display to plan your perfect wedding in an elegant venue. Wedding vendors such as florists, musicians, photographers, bakeries and more will set up in our Great Hall to talk to you about their services. This is a great opportunity to meet many of the vendors in one afternoon. Food and wine will be available to purchase throughout the entire event. Link: http://www.nextthreedays.com/FeaturedEventDetails.cfm?E=684117
13. Women's Lacrosse: Boston College vs. Virginia Tech Thompson Field, Virginia Tech Saturday, March 25, 2023, 12:00 - 2:00 PM Admission: Free Watch the Virginia Tech Women's Lacrosse compete against ACC conference opponent and #7 ranked Boston College. Link: http://www.nextthreedays.com/FeaturedEventDetails.cfm?E=684297
14. Program: Vegetable Gardening Meadowbrook Public Library, Shawsville Saturday, March 25, 2023, 1:00 - 2:00 PM Admission: Free Want to grow your own vegetables, but aren’t sure where to start? Join Dr. Emma Patterson, VCE Volunteer Master Gardener, to find out more about planning a vegetable garden, caring for it, and keeping it going through year’s end. Free seeds and soil testing kits will be provided. For ages 12 and up. Link: http://www.nextthreedays.com/FeaturedEventDetails.cfm?E=685348
15. 2023 Oyster Dinner Drive-Thru Riner Volunteer Fire Department, Riner Saturday, March 25, 2023, 2:00 - 6:00 PM Admission: $15.00 The Riner Volunteer Fire Department presents their Annual Oyster Dinner Drive-Thru featuring fried oysters, baked beans, slaw and dessert. Tickets can be purchased in advanced at Eagle Express, Riner Food Center and Village Barber Shop. Link: http://www.nextthreedays.com/FeaturedEventDetails.cfm?E=685387
16. Delta Chi's Into the Wild Benefit Concert featuring Audio Fever and The Red Ferns The Milk Parlor, Blacksburg Saturday, March 25, 2023, 2:00 - 5:00 PM Ages 21 & Over: $9.00, Ages 20 & Under: $12.00 The Delta Chi Fraternity at Virginia Tech presents their Into the Wild Benefit Concert featuring music from Audio Fever and The Red Ferns. Proceeds from ticket sales will go towards the V Foundation for Cancer Research. The Red Ferns is a groovy guitar band based in Blacksburg and Audio Fever is a Blacksburg based band as well. Link: http://www.nextthreedays.com/FeaturedEventDetails.cfm?E=685882
17. March Flashlight Tour St. Albans, Radford Saturday, March 25, 2023, 5:30 - 7:30 PM Admission: $15.00 Join St. Abans for their March 2023 Flashlight Tour which includes a little history and paranormal in one. This is a guided tour. Take a walk through the dark halls of St. Albans Sanatorium and join them for a flashlight tour of the building. Hear all the chilling tales of what paranormal investigators, and the public, have encountered within these 120 year old walls. A little bit of history, a little bit of paranormal. Tickets are available online in advance and will be sold at the door provided tickets are still available. Comfortable shoes and a flashlight are recommended as there will be lots of walking and many dark areas. Dress accordingly as the building is not climate controlled. You must be 18 years of age (16 if accompanied by a parent or legal guardian). Link: http://www.nextthreedays.com/FeaturedEventDetails.cfm?E=685883
18. March's Beans and Banjos (Final Event) Meadowbrook Public Library, Shawsville Saturday, March 25, 2023, 6:00 - 8:00 PM Admission: $5.00 requested donation The Shawsville Ruritans and The LINC Letter presents March's Beans and Banjos and the final event of this series. Nothing lasts forever, not even Beans and Banjos. March's Beans and Banjos will be the last. Instead of having a couple of bands the organizers are inviting everyone who's ever played or sung at Beans and Banjos to come out and jam to play Beans and Banjos out in style. Beans and Banjos has been going for at least 14 years. Enjoy a dinner of beans, cornbread and desserts. Organizers ask for a donation of at least $5.00 to help keep the LINC Letter publishing. The LINC Letter is the non-profit community newsletter for Eastern Montgomery and is distributed to residents of Alleghany, Elliston, Ironto, Lafayette and Shawsville, Virginia. Link: http://www.nextthreedays.com/FeaturedEventDetails.cfm?E=685325
19. Amelia Empson in Concert Rising Silo Farm Brewery, Blacksburg Saturday, March 25, 2023, 6:00 - 9:00 PM Admission: Free Amelia Empson plays a variety of Indie-Folk and Americana covers and originals from the Appalachian Mountains with talent far beyond her years. Link: http://www.nextthreedays.com/FeaturedEventDetails.cfm?E=684804
20. Salsa Night 2023 Beliveau Farm Winery, Blacksburg Saturday, March 25, 2023, 7:00 - 11:00 PM Advance Tickets: $12.00, At the Door: $15.00 Join Beliveau Farm Winery for a dancing experience with your loved one, group of friends, or come single; you are bound to have a good time no matter what. Lessons begin at 7:00 PM and the event lasts until 11:00 PM. Link: http://www.nextthreedays.com/FeaturedEventDetails.cfm?E=685126
21. 2023 March of Ales Mardi Gras Celebration German Club Manor, Virginia Tech Saturday, March 25, 2023, 7:00 PM - 12:00 AM Admission: $50.00 The Blacksburg Junior Women's Club (BJWC) presents the 2023 March of Ales Mardi Gras Celebration featuring unique beers for tasting, along with wine and a signature cocktail. Coffee, water, lemonade, hors d’oeuvres and desserts will also be available. Guests will enjoy entertainment by a DJ, dancing, and a live and silent auction. The auctions feature an extraordinary variety of items donated by local businesses and individuals. At the end of the evening, discounted Uber service will be available to guests. Tickets will be available for purchase at the door if the event is not sold out in advance. All money raised at March of Ales is used to fund service projects and donations throughout the year. The funds have benefitted groups and causes such as Special Olympics, Salvation Army, Ronald McDonald House, Montgomery County Christmas Store and many others. Link: http://www.nextthreedays.com/FeaturedEventDetails.cfm?E=685695
22. WUVT's Jazz Night with Copy Cat Syndrome and Yung LZRD Odd Fellows Building Lodge #20 (Wilson Avenue), Blacksburg Saturday, March 25, 2023, 7:00 - 10:00 PM Admission: $6.00 Join WUVT for a night filled with the sweetest jazz melodies provided by Copy Cat Syndrome and Yung LZRD. Copy Cat Syndrome is a fusion trio performing jazz based in Blacksburg, VA. LZRD is a jazz band from Blacksburg, VA. Entrance to this event is ticket only (sold online) with a maximum of 50 being sold. Doors open at 6:00 PM and the music starts at 7:00 PM. WUVT-FM 90.7 Blacksburg is the New River Valley's only source for independent, alternative programming. Link: http://www.nextthreedays.com/FeaturedEventDetails.cfm?E=685887
23. TechNotes Spring 2023 Concert: TechNotes Lightnin’: Feeling the 50s Haymarket Theater (Squires Student Center), Virginia Tech Saturday, March 25, 2023, 7:00 - 8:30 PM Advance Tickets: $5.00, At the Door: $7.00 TechNotes presents their Spring 2023 Concert titled "TechNotes Lightnin’: Feeling the 50s". Enjoy a night full of new songs and old TechNotes favorites and chances to win epic raffle prizes. TechNotes is a co-ed A Cappella group at Virginia Tech that performs at various events throughout the year. TechNotes was founded in 2010. Link: http://www.nextthreedays.com/FeaturedEventDetails.cfm?E=685878
24. Caroline Owens & Company in Concert Floyd Country Store, Floyd Saturday, March 25, 2023, 7:00 - 10:00 PM General Admission: $15.00, Reserved Seating: $20.00 Caroline Owens is a 2X IBMA nominated Bluegrass and Gospel artist. She has performed alongside many of her heroes such as Alison Krauss, Suzanne Cox, The Isaacs, Larry Gatlin, Darin & Brooke Aldridge, Lorraine Jordan and many others. And, has made quite a name for herself in the North Carolina bluegrass community. Link: http://www.nextthreedays.com/FeaturedEventDetails.cfm?E=685713
25. Hoppie Vaughan & The Ministers of Soul in Concert The Floyd Center for the Arts, Floyd Saturday, March 25, 2023, 7:30 - 9:30 PM General Public: $15.00, Students: $10.00 Don't miss your chance to see the long awaited return of Hoppie Vaughan & The Ministers of Soul. It will be a fun, funky night of soul. The diversely talented Hoppie Vaughan is all about the soul! He is a blue eyed soul singer, song writer, guitar and bass player. Besides performing solo, he is the front man for Hoppie Vaughan and the Ministers of Soul based out of Roanoke, VA performing classic soul, R&B, blues and funk. Link: http://www.nextthreedays.com/FeaturedEventDetails.cfm?E=685712
26. Three Band Concert with Kenny Vaughan, Sullivan Smith & Stray Lions and Friend of the Three Southpaw Cafe & Community Space, Blacksburg Saturday, March 25, 2023, 7:30 - 10:00 PM Admission: $5.00 Southpaw Cafe & Community Space presents a Three Band Concert with Kenny Vaughan, Sullivan Smith & Stray Lions and Friend of the Three. Friend of the Three is a band based in Virginia that performs adult alternative, pop and rock. Link: http://www.nextthreedays.com/FeaturedEventDetails.cfm?E=685881
27. Stand-Up Comedy Show Lost In Taste, Christiansburg Saturday, March 25, 2023, 10:00 PM - TBD Admission: $7.00 The Cosmic Comedy Club returns with performances by comedians Sage Delong, Derek Budd, Julia Goyer, Tony Rodriguez, Jermaine Callando and hosted by Andrew Gustafson. Recommended for ages 18 & up. Link: http://www.nextthreedays.com/FeaturedEventDetails.cfm?E=685853
28. 2023 Hot Diggity Dog Day (Fun for Your Dog) Beliveau Farm Winery, Blacksburg Sunday, March 26, 2023, 12:00 - 6:00 PM Admission: Free Bring your pup and come have a day at Beliveau Farm Winery annual canine event. There's 165 acres of dog fun for your furrr-ever friend to explore and relax. Fresh air, dog parade, lots of outdoor space. Beliveau will have food and drinks for purchase throughout the day. With every hot-dog sold, they are donating 20% of our proceeds to the Montgomery County Humane Society. Link: http://www.nextthreedays.com/FeaturedEventDetails.cfm?E=685322
29. Community Quilting Bee: Rotary Cutting Fabric Blacksburg Library, Blacksburg Sunday, March 26, 2023, 1:00 - 3:00 PM Admission: Free Blacksburg Library presents their monthly Community Quilting Bee with the the topic "Rotary Cutting Fabric". This month atteneeds will learn how to use a rotary cutter and ruler to make accurate fabric pieces. Everyone is welcome including beginners. Link: http://www.nextthreedays.com/FeaturedEventDetails.cfm?E=685349
30. Book Club: The Winemaker Blacksburg Wine Lab, Blacksburg Sunday, March 26, 2023, 1:00 - 3:00 PM Admission: $40.00 Join the Blacksburg Wine Lab for the Wine Lab Book Club tasting & discussing featuring "The Winemaker" by Noah Gordon. About The Winemaker: Josep Alvarez is a young man in the tiny grape-growing village of Santa Eulália, in northern Spain, where his father grows black grapes that are turned into cheap vinegar. Joseph loves the agricultural life, but he is the second son, and his father’s vineyard will be inherited by his brother Donat, the firstborn. He yearns for a job growing grapes and for an opportunity to marry Teresa Gallego. In Madrid, an assassination plot, conceived against the political leader of Spain by men of wealth and power, creates a storm of intrigue that sucks into its vortex a group of innocent young farm workers in Santa Eulália. How Josep’s life is changed drastically by these events, and how, ironically, they gradually turn him into an inspired vintner with an evolving vision of life, is the fascinating story of "The Winemaker". During the Book Club, enjoy four fantastic Spanish wines to taste. Chef Bryan will create a pairing board of house–made Spanish tapas, cheese and charcuterie to accompany the tasting. Reservations required. Link: http://www.nextthreedays.com/FeaturedEventDetails.cfm?E=685385
31. Willard Gayheart and Ricky Cox performing "Old Favorite Songs of the Blue Ridge" Floyd United Methodist Church, Floyd Sunday, March 26, 2023, 2:30 - 3:30 PM Admission: Free The Floyd County Historical Society presents an encore performance of Willard Gayheart and Ricky Cox performing "Old Favorite Songs of the Blue Ridge. Ricky Cox’s friendship with Willard Gayheart also goes back 35 years. This shows in the programs they present together, harmonizing and appreciating one another’s contributions as they delight their audiences. Willard is a pencil artist from Southwest Virginia. He is originally from Eastern Kentucky, working mostly from the theme "Nostalgic Glimpses of the Appalachians". His works are positive images of Appalachian Culture, presenting the region as a place alive with interesting personalities. Besides his artistic talent with the pencil, Willard is also an accomplished bluegrass musician having played as a member of the bluegrass band The Highlanders. Ricky Cox has been entertaining and educating many of us for decades. Throughout his teaching career at Radford University he shared the history and culture of our region through his music and writing, earning a number of special recognitions along the way. Ricky contributed his photographic talents to the second of two books featuring Willard Gayheart’s drawings. Note: The event was originally scheduled for Sunday, March 12th, but had to be postponed due to inclement weather. Link: http://www.nextthreedays.com/FeaturedEventDetails.cfm?E=685328
32. Blacksburg Community Band Spring Concert Blacksburg High School Auditorium, Blacksburg Sunday, March 26, 2023, 3:00 - 4:00 PM Admission: Free The Blacksburg Community Band presents their Spring Concert conducted by David McKee and Associate Conductor, Dean Chiapetto. Christiansburg High School's band director, David Miller, will be guest conducting. Jefferson Ritchie will solo on trombone. The Blacksburg Community Band, Inc. is an all-volunteer community organization formed in 1989 under the auspices of the Department of Parks and Recreation in the Town of Blacksburg. The ensemble is open to individuals of all ages and ability levels from the New River Valley and surrounding areas. Link: http://www.nextthreedays.com/FeaturedEventDetails.cfm?E=685314
33. Helping Hands Fundraiser with Spaghetti Dinner and Live Music Belview United Methodist Church, Radford Sunday, March 26, 2023, 4:30 - 7:30 PM Donations Appreciated Join Belview United Methodist Church for some fun and great fellowship all while helping support a wonderful mission. Help them fund their Helping Hands Pantry by enjoying a spaghetti dinner starting at 4:30 PM, silent auction, raffle and live music from Eddie & Sherry Richards and Spoken For beginning at 6 PM. Belview's Helping Hands Pantry supplies clothes, personal care items, cleaning items and household items to those in need in Montgomery County, Radford, Dublin, Giles County and Pulaski and other surrounding areas. The Silent Auction starts at 1:30 PM and ends at 7:30 PM with over 40 items to bid on. There are over $2,000 in prizes for the raffle. Raffle tickets are $5.00 each, $10.00 for three or $20.00 for seven. Donate a pack of diapers, pull-ups or Depends and get three free raffle tickets on the day of the event. Link: http://www.nextthreedays.com/FeaturedEventDetails.cfm?E=685880
34. Indian Run Stringband in Concert Palisades Restaurant, Eggleston Sunday, March 26, 2023, 5:00 - 7:30 PM Admission: Free The Indian Run Stringband from Blacksburg, VA plays fiddle and banjo foot stomping dance tunes and sings traditional songs with old time harmonies perfect for dancing the two step. From dance tunes to the blues, the Indian Run Stringband plays with love and abandon. They make old-time music fresh and new. Link: http://www.nextthreedays.com/FeaturedEventDetails.cfm?E=685310
35. Virginia Tech Percussion Ensemble in Concert with Guest Artist Michael Burritt Moss Arts Center at Virginia Tech, Blacksburg Sunday, March 26, 2023, 6:00 - 7:30 PM General Public: $15.00, Seniors: $12.00, Students & Youth: $10.00 The Virginia Tech Percussion Ensemble, under the direction of Annie Stevens, performs a concert with guest artist Michael Burritt who is one of his generation’s leading percussionists. He is in frequent demand, performing concert tours and master classes throughout the United States, Europe, Asia, Australia and Canada. He has been soloist with the United States Air Force Band, Dallas Wind Symphony, Omaha Symphony, Chautauqua Symphony Orchestra, Richmond Symphony Orchestra, Ju Percussion Group (Taiwan), Percussion Art Quartet (Germany) and the Amores Percussion Group (Spain). Link: http://www.nextthreedays.com/FeaturedEventDetails.cfm?E=685872
Have a great weekend and thanks for reading!