Tumgik
#The real ones are LENGTHY and require you to critically think about them and some are even answered in parts
twoshelvesblog · 30 days
Text
I opened Google Maps in the middle of the Ocean and found!
Tumblr media
Well, the short answer is nothing! Sorry to disappoint you all but hey, ever wondered how the sailors go from one place to the other? An ocean has no roads or highways to travel, it's just open waters. Usually, there isn’t always a straight line to travel between two ports or any two places where the ship needs to navigate. Can you imagine finding a stop sign or a U-bend in the Atlantic? So how are sailors reaching places without these roads or routes? Well, some of you might think there are precalculated routes that have been present since Columbus found the New World but interestingly even if such routes are present one would need a whole lot of other resources to find his way through them. Most of us have pre-historic thinking about sailors using table lengthy charts and huge compasses to draw routes and mark positions but it is not all true. Imagine finding your way though the Singapore strait with just charts and compasses!
Tumblr media
An aerial view of downtown Singapore showing some of the shipping that makes the Singapore Strait one of the busiest shipping lanes in the world. Thus the need for a chart-like navigation system was always looked upon. But the data Google Maps provide in the land would be of no use in such a place! Therefore a new system of navigation called the ECDIS was created!
What’s the Difference?
Well an ECDIS or an Electronic Chart Data and Information System is not much different than Google Maps in terms of usage. However, the resources used vastly differ. An ECDIS shows us land masses, islands, depths of the ocean, and some other critical information useful for a ship to navigate safely. It can also be incorporated with the RADAR and can inform about the ships nearby!
History of ECDIS
The International Convention on the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) includes a requirement for all ships to carry to up-to-date nautical charts and publications for the intended voyage. This requirement was satisfied by the ships by maintaining paper charts which was kept updated by weekly corrections. Progressively from 2012, the chart carriage requirement for certain classes of vessels is to be satisfied by electronic means using an Electronic Chart Display and Information System (ECDIS). This meant that the traditional paper charts are to be replaced by electronic charts. ECDIS, however, includes not only the visualisation of all paper chart information on a computer screen, but also provides a wide range of other data required for navigational purposes. ECDIS is a highly complex and sophisticated system, which besides the navigational functions includes components of a computer-based information system delivering a real-time display of the navigator’s own vessel located with reference to the surrounding sea area.
Tumblr media
ECDIS and RADAR systems Credit: UKHO
Potential benefits of ECDIS
Reduced workload for the navigator (charts and nautical publications updating, voyage planning, all information in “one hand”) Navigation in real time increasing situational awareness in combination with proper lookout Automatic route monitoring (warnings and indications of hazards to the operator, in time arrivals) Automatic track control (reduces bunker costs), if ECDIS is connected to the autopilot Prediction of special manoeuvres (predicted path, trial manoeuvre, docking mode) Availability of a chart during the night without night vision loss Access to additional information resources As the world keeps changing our ways need to evolve, whether it be running an automated car or maybe someday driving unattended ships. Technology cannot be underestimated. But for now, such systems are not only an aid to the industry but also the living stem of the logistics network keeping global transportation alive! Read the full article
0 notes
ineedmmoresthanyou · 11 months
Text
Guide to 1-3-2-6 Betting System and How it Works
Nowadays there are several online alternatives that provide these services totally free or for a reduced fee. It takes a bit of work to learn to use them in the beginning once you learn just how to utilize these devices they can be an outright game-changer for your outcomes. Elimination games are also critical as they offer possibilities to make use of the despair of a group that's up versus the wall surface. If the leading group has actually won by close margins the general public might still overvalue them by emphasizing the series lead as opposed to a rational evaluation of exactly how the video games actually played out. The major https://medium.com/@casinohowtowin/a-comprehensive-comparison-of-major-gambling-and-betting-strategies-74099f8fd8bc idea to take in here is that oddsmakers don't set probabilities and also lines based entirely on what they think the game's outcome will certainly be. Sportsbooks also want to draw in about equivalent action on both sides of a wager to secure themselves from a potentially large loss.
What is the 1 3 2 6 betting system?
What you have to do is continuously risk on units 1, 3, 2, and 6 on every round as long as you win. The betting system will certainly require you to bet one system for the initial wager as well as three units for the following wager. If the very first as well as 2nd bet success, you continue wagering two units on the 3rd and six units on the 4th.
The bankroll is the amount of money you will deposit for your betting ventures. This amount, despite your scenario, should be a sum that you can pay for to lose. Where legal on-line sports betting is not presently offered. If you've experienced a touch of losses, don't attempt to offset it by making quick wagers with a lot of cash. Hold your horses and also make certain to wager sensibly so points don't get out of hand. Produce accounts on as several sporting activities wagering sites as feasible.
Extra Wagering Overviews
When we discuss abookmaker's margin, we discuss the amount of cash they take per wager. There are great deals of aspects, but the cost you will see is not the "true probabilities" for that bet. With football being a low-scoring sporting activity, the various in between 2 goals and three goals is fairly substantial, so the odds connected will be different than the -110 criterion for other sporting activities. On the other hand, if the gambler chooses Peru and also attracts with Brazil 2-2, the Peru choice is rated as a victor due to the fact that the final score with the 0.5 objectives is practically 2.5-2. If the gambler picks Brazil as well as they win 1-0, a gambler wins their bet since Brazil won by more than 0.5 objectives as well as 'covered'. If the bettor picks Brazil and draws with Japan 2-2, the bet is graded as a loser because Brazil did not cover the 0.5 goals.
Keep an eye on the schedule and also elements that can help maintain a streak to life.
That's almost impossible and the main reason whyThe Martingale method does not work.
This means that your exposure at any type of one-time coincides for each wager.
If you read this write-up, you most likely currently tried complying with informant services. Many people believe that discovering an informant on a platform with a lengthy and also lucrative forecast history is enough to sustain also your American football betting system. This football wagering strategy is based upon mathematics and also genuine probability. By this, I imply that they are supplying odds greater than the real probability of winning. Every time you find betting opportunities similar to this, you ought to put bets on them.
Wagering With A Statistical Model
Arbitrage wagering and also matched wagering are the only techniques for winning each time as well as making guaranteed cash with football betting. The reality is that, at some point you will certainly lose when sports betting. No person has a 100% hit price when it concerns wagering, yet if you apply a solid strategy, you can earn a profit, also if you lose more than you win. Hedging wagers is by far the most effective betting strategy.
Breaking $100: Free PGA Betting Picks and Strategy - 2023 Mexico Open - RotoBaller
Breaking $100: Free PGA Betting Picks and Strategy - 2023 Mexico Open.
This is why it's always a great suggestion to get some aid, and also this overview is here to reveal you exactly how you can win much more bets. Read more about outright betting on our betting odds page, where you can also discover the very best bookies for esports chances. It's also worth stating about straight-out wagering, where you pick a group to win a competitors-- a market supplied across a series of sports and also esports.
SportsBettingDime.com does not target any kind of people under the age of 21. Making use of any of the info located at SportsBettingDime.com to breach any kind of regulation or statute is prohibited. SportsBettingDime.com is not sustained by or linked to any kind of specialist, university or university league, organization, or group. For further standards please visit our liable online gaming page.
Best Bitcoin Betting Sites in Australia: Crypto Australian Sportsbooks ... - The Daily Collegian Online
Best Bitcoin Betting Sites in Australia: Crypto Australian Sportsbooks ....
But those with a lot more experience will certainly check out the smaller sized betting markets where there is likely to be a lot more variation in regards to the chances on deal. Below, the odds are extra affordable as well as appealing to the consumers, as the winning team will certainly need to fulfill specific criteria for your wager to be effective. For esports betting, this is no various, indicating that if a player/team is a lot more likely to win than their challenger, bookies will use a handicap market for you. Yes, football wagering techniques are the same as football betting techniques, as both terms describe the exact same sporting activity. Arbitrage wagering, matched betting, as well as value betting are a few of one of the most reliable methods used in soccer betting as well. Dutching is used to position multiple bank on the exact same game/match to develop an equal profit or loss on all results.
0 notes
hudsonmwjabildtrup · 2 years
Text
Great Tips For Paying Down Your Student Education Loans 모바일대출 잘나오는곳
Receiving school loans symbolizes the only method many individuals can get superior degrees, and is also a thing that countless individuals do every year. The very fact remains to be, although, that the good amount of knowledge on the subject ought to be purchased prior to ever putting your signature on in the dotted line. The article under is supposed to assist.
Begin your student loan research by checking out the most secure choices first. These are generally the federal loans. They may be safe from your credit score, and their interest rates don't fluctuate. These personal loans also carry some consumer safety. This can be into position in the event of fiscal issues or joblessness following your graduation from college.
For those who have taken an individual bank loan out and you also are shifting, make sure to permit your loan provider know. It is necessary for your financial institution in order to speak to you constantly. They will not be too happy when they have to be on a wild goose run after to find you.
Tend not to normal over a student loan. Defaulting on govt personal loans can lead to consequences like garnished wages and taxation refunds withheld. Defaulting on private loans might be a disaster for any cosigners you experienced. Obviously, defaulting on any bank loan dangers critical injury to your credit report, which fees you even a lot more in the future.
Learn how lengthy you may have involving graduation and the commencement of financial loan monthly payments. For Stafford lending options, you should have six months. For Perkins loans, you have nine several weeks. Grace time periods for other lending options vary. Know if you are supposed to spend them back again, and make your payments by the due date!
Ensure you understand the terms of personal loan forgiveness. Some courses will forgive part or each one of any government student education loans you may have removed under a number of situations. By way of example, if you are still in debts right after decade has passed and therefore are doing work in a community support, not for profit or govt place, you might be qualified to receive a number of personal loan forgiveness courses.
When figuring out how much cash to borrow as education loans, consider to determine the minimal quantity required to make do for your semesters at issue. A lot of students have the mistake of credit the most sum probable and living the high life while in school. By avoiding this enticement, you should live frugally now, and definitely will be much happier in the many years to come when you are not repaying those funds.
To maintain your student loan weight low, locate real estate which is as affordable as you possibly can. When dormitory areas are hassle-free, they are often more expensive than apartment rentals around grounds. The greater number of cash you have to use, the greater number of your principal is going to be -- and the much more you will need to pay out over the lifetime of the money.
When establishing how much you can afford to pay on your loans monthly, think about your once-a-year cash flow. Should your starting salary surpasses your overall student loan personal debt at graduation, aim to reimburse your lending options within 10 years. Should your personal loan debts is more than your earnings, look at a prolonged settlement use of 10 to 20 years.
소액대출가능한곳 Look at loan consolidation for your personal student education loans. It will help you mix your several federal government bank loan monthly payments into a single, reasonably priced repayment. It can also decrease interest levels, especially when they differ. 1 significant thing to consider to this particular repayment alternative is that you simply could forfeit your deferment and forbearance proper rights.
To ensure that your student loan funds visit the proper profile, ensure that you submit all forms carefully and totally, offering all your determining information and facts. This way the money visit your bank account instead of finding yourself shed in admin frustration. This will imply the difference in between beginning a semester punctually and having to miss 50 % a year.
Starting up to repay your student education loans when you are continue to in school can amount to important cost savings. Even small repayments will decrease the level of accrued attention, significance a reduced sum is going to be placed on the loan upon graduating. Take this into account each time you discover your self with some more dollars in your pocket.
When trying to get financial loans, ensure you offer accurate information. This can be anything being mindful with simply because you will get a lesser education loan if anything is incorrect. In case you have questions about filling out the application form, talk to experts on educational funding from the school.
You can save cash by purchasing meals plan from the school cafeteria. The easiest way to do that is to pay for foods as opposed to a certain money volume. This lets you spend 1 level value for every dinner you consume, rather than be billed for added stuff in the cafeteria.
To help keep your education loan charges as little as probable, take into account keeping away from banks whenever you can. Their interest rates are greater, in addition to their borrowing pricing is also often more than community backing choices. Which means that you possess significantly less to repay over the life of your loan.
Ensure all of your current paperwork is right. It is important that your lenders know where to reach you always. Read your entire deal and be sure you are aware of it. If you find errors, deal with them without delay. Provide any requested info in a timely manner. Commence repaying your education loans promptly.
Remember that you may be able to deduct a number of your student loan curiosity from your income taxes. Around $2500 can be deductible. This really is a considerable decrease in your tax expenses. If you get it back by means of a reimburse, input it towards your student loan to assist you pay back your concept more quickly and minimize your interest rates.
There might be certainly that education loans are getting to be practically necessary for practically every person to fulfill their dream about advanced schooling. But, if care is just not practiced, they can result in economic destroy. Refer returning to the aforementioned ideas when necessary to be on the proper training course now and later on.
1 note · View note
aaenlewis88 · 2 years
Text
You can review how to expend in true estate and have an comprehending of the intricacies of it. The report down down below offers some thing for seasoned traders and novices alike. Hold on finding out for valuable guidance on succeeding with accurate estate investments.
Make assured that you set up real hunting targets primarily based typically on the investing prepare that you have. You really should truly not established a goal to get 10 houses in the span of a thirty day period if you only have a hundred thousand bucks to your title. Set up realistic anticipations to steer clear of setbacks at all expenditures. Mindful not to overextend in terms of shopping for residence. Actual estate investing is extremely interesting, and often it can get the larger of you. You could bite off more than you can fiscally chew. Know your portions and your budgets and adhere with them. Even if it looks like an uncomplicated flip, seriously will not go earlier your shelling out approach! There are two primary regulations to just take into account when shifting into the industrial or commercial real estate marketplace. In the beginning, do not overpay for the residence. You do not want to overpay for the legitimate home. Think about looking for independently at real actual physical households as they are, and the kind of rental earnings that can be expected from your business company. You will require to have similarly quantities working for your specific challenge. When pondering of obtaining a property to commit in, you should get a small something you know will go up in cost. Land all around h2o or parks will crank out you far far more earnings in the lengthy run. Get all variables into thing to contemplate when projecting rises in home gain. Uncover a contractor to work with that you can get together with with. There is certainly no induce to get an particular person to aid you with repairing up the legitimate estate you commit in if you seriously do not like how they function. You can conserve oneself a fantastic offer of discomfort if you just learn a further person that you know will perform very very well with you. Comply with remaining terrific at bookkeeping. It can be truly extremely straightforward to neglect excellent accounting strategies, specifically when you have obtained only commenced. There is a ton of other objects to be associated with in real estate investing. But primary accounting procedures are critical. If you get on watch now, you can help you save you some troubles afterwards on. Have an far more exit system or two. When it arrives time to encourage, you may perhaps potentially find it can acquire extra time than you would like. By attaining a again up prepare or two, you can keep on to retain on your own fiscally protected and seem so you are able to transfer ahead in your price home profession. Under no circumstances go into this along. You have to have other folks who can advise you or lend their know-how to support you look at all capabilities of investing in genuine estate. Build a romance with them and find out from their knowledge. It is partnerships like these that can garner you the most odds for cash flow. Retain in ideas that severe estate investing is substantially distinct than just buying for belongings. Home obtaining is a great deal much more of an psychological celebration. bookkeepers. is considerably additional of a figures online video recreation. You will will need to know how significantly you can receive a property for, how a lot renovations will cost, and how you substantially you want to hire or supply it for. Search for the services of your have assets inspector prior to you close to a offer you. An specialist inspector will be prepared to uncover any structural complications that have been undetected on the floor area. This will assist you save you a whole lot of difficulties and expense down the road when these damages switch into increased challenges. A piece of home that has latest problems ought to seriously be fastened by the seller prior to the deal closes. Diversification is a fantastic crucial to investment final decision achievement. If you are only putting your money in one particular distinct location, you will only attain from a single particular. Distribute your dollars by way of varied classes of investments and you can see many possibilities. This will minimize some of the pressure if any selected space sees a fall. A one of the simplest techniques to assist conserve your cash is to have a distinct sum taken out of your paycheck and invested promptly. Endeavor this forces you to assistance you conserve on a regular basis. You can have the cash flow despatched to the money establishment and account of your preference. Some businesses even allow you to buy U.S. value price savings bonds straight in this technique. This report will support you transform into flourishing with authentic estate investments. Do not have nervousness when you are probably into a offer. Share these recommendations with relatives and mates so they can also benefit from the strategies composed in this report.
1 note · View note
perpetual-stories · 3 years
Text
How To Fight Writers Block
hello, hello. hope everyone is doing well. as you can all tell, this post will be about how to fight writers block.
it’s really annoying to me when I hear people say “oh you don’t have writers block, you’re just lazy.”
first of all, yes, I am naturally lazy. second of all, how dare you. writing isn’t as easy as many think. granted, all you have to do is write down words on paper, but it’s not always easy to find the right words to express what you are feeling, or what you wish to say.
I have had terrible writer’s block for the last few days and it’s horrible! as a business owner or a small writing store, I have to be ready to write and fulfill my clients’ ideas and orders.
it’s not easy. It takes a heavy toll on my imagination, and digs me a deep pit of blockage, drowning in the lack of originality because of the constant writing and repetition or certain phrases and sentences in different projects.
i am making this post in the hopes to remind myself about over coming the dreaded and sometimes skeptically believed writer’s block.
What is writer’s block?
Yeah, I know. We all know what that is, but let me define it.
is the state of being unable to proceed with writing, and/or the inability to start writing something new
some people believe it to be a real problem, others believe it's “all in your head”
What Causes Writer’s Block?
in the 1970s, clinical psychologists Jerome Singer and Michael Barrios decided to find out
they concluded that there are four broad causes of writer's block:
Excessively harsh self-criticism
Fear of comparison to other writers
Lack of external motivation, like attention and praise
Lack of internal motivation, like the desire to tell one's story
How to overcome writer's block: 20 tips
1. Develop a writing routine:
Author and artist Twyla Tharp once wrote: “Creativity is a habit, and the best creativity is a result of good work habits.”
it might seem counterintuitive
if you only write when you “feel creative,” you're bound to get stuck in a tar pit of writer's block
The only way to push through is by disciplining yourself to write on a regular schedule. It might be every day, every other day, or just on weekends — but whatever it is, stick to it!
2. Use "imperfect" words:
A writer can spend hours looking for the perfect word or phrase to illustrate a concept
You can avoid this fruitless endeavor by putting, “In other words…” and simply writing what you’re thinking, whether it’s eloquent or not
You can then come back and refine it later by doing a CTRL+F search for “in other words.”
3. Do non-writing activities:
one of the best ways to climb out of a writing funk is to take yourself out of your own work and into someone else’s
Go to an exhibition, to the cinema, to a play, a gig, eat a delicious meal
immerse yourself in great STUFF and get your synapses crackling in a different way
Snippets of conversations, sounds, colors, sensations will creep into the space that once felt empty
4. Freewrite through it:
free-writing involves writing for a pre-set amount of time without pause — and without regard for grammar, spelling, or topic. You just write.
The goal of freewriting is to write without second-guessing yourself — free from doubt, apathy, or self-consciousness, all of which contribute to writer's block. Here’s how:
Find the right surroundings. Go somewhere you won't be disturbed.
Pick your writing utensils. Will you type at your computer, or write with pen and paper? (Tip: if you're prone to hitting the backspace button, you should freewrite the old-fashioned way!)
Settle on a time-limit. Your first time around, set your timer for just 10 minutes to get the feel for it. You can gradually increase this interval as you grow more comfortable with freewriting.
5. Relax on your first draft:
Many writers suffer form perfectionism, which is especially debilitating during a first draft
“Blocks often occur because writers put a lot of pressure on themselves to sound ‘right’ the first time. A good way to loosen up and have fun again in a draft is to give yourself permission to write imperfectly.” — editor Lauren Hughes
perfect is the enemy of good,” so don't agonize about getting it exactly right! You can always go back and edit, maybe even get a second pair of eyes on the manuscript
6. Don’t start at the beginning:
the most intimidating part of writing is the start, when you have a whole empty book to fill with coherent words
instead of starting with the chronological beginning of whatever it is you’re trying to write, dive into middle, or wherever you feel confident
7. Take a shower:
Have you ever noticed that the best ideas tend to arrive while in the shower, or while doing other “mindless” tasks?
research shows that when you’re doing something monotonous (such as showering, walking, or cleaning), your brain goes on autopilot, leaving your unconscious free to wander without logic-driven restrictions
showering is my favourite thing to do if I may add
8. Balance your inner critic:
successful writers have in common is the ability to hear their inner critic, respectfully acknowledge its points, and move forward
You don't need to completely ignore that critical voice, nor should you cower before it
you must establish a respectful, balanced relationship, so you can address what's necessary and skip over what's insecure and irrelevant
9. Switch up your tool:
a change of scenery can really help with writer's block. However, that scenery doesn't have to be your physical location — changing up your writing tool can be just as big a help!
if you’ve been typing on your word processor of choice, try switching to pen and paper. Or if you're just sick of Google Docs, consider using specialized novel writing software.
10. Change your POV:
great advice from editor Lauren Hughes: “When blocked, try to see your story from another perspective ‘in the room’ to help yourself move beyond the block. How might a minor character narrate the scene if they were witnessing it? A ‘fly on the wall’ or another inanimate object?
11. Exercise your creative muscles:
Any skill requires practice if you want to improve, and writing is no different! So if you’re feeling stuck, perhaps it’s time for a strengthening scribble-session to bolster your abilities
12. Map out your story:
If your story has stopped chugging along, help it pick up steam by taking a more structured approach — specifically, by writing an outline
13. Write something else:
Though it's important to try and push through writer's block with what you're actually working on, sometimes it's simply impossible
feel free to push your current piece to the side for now and write something new
14. Work on your characters:
It follows that if your characters are not clearly defined, you’re more likely to run into writer’s block
15. Stop writing for readers:
write for yourself, not your potential readers
this will help you reclaim the joy of being creative and get you back in touch with what matters: the story.
this is something I really need to do. because of my etsy business i don't write for fun anymore, but instead as a business and a deadline. i'm going to have to pull out my old crappy wattled fanfics or write some new ones.
16. Try a more visual process:
when words fail you, forget them and get visual. Create mind maps, drawings, Lego structures — ideally related to your story, but whatever unblocks your mind!
17. Look for the root of it:
writer’s block often comes from a problem deeper than simple “lack of inspiration.” So let's dig deep: why are you really blocked? Ask yourself the following questions:
Do I feel pressure to succeed and/or competition with other writers?
Have I lost sight of what my story is about, or interest in where it's going?
Do I lack confidence in my own abilities, even if I've written plenty before?
Have I not written for so long that I feel intimidated by the mere act?
Am I simply feeling tired and run-down?
once you identify what's wrong, it'll be so much easier to fix.
18. Quit the Internet:
If willpower isn’t your strong suit and your biggest challenge is staying focused, try a site blocker like Freedom or an app like Cold Turkey
19. Let the words find you:
meditate, go for a walk, take that shower
Word Palette is a great app that features a keyboard of random words, allowing you to simply click your way to your next masterpiece.
You can also try AI auto-completers like Talk to Transformer, where you can enter a phrase and let the app “guess what comes next.”
even though they often produce nonsense, it's a great way to help that writer's block.
20. Write like Hemingway:
And if your biggest block is your own self-doubt about your prose, Hemingway offers suggestions to improve your writing as you go
it's a pretty cool app if you ask me.
it highlights your sentences (if need be) and makes suggestions on how to improve them!
well, there you have it! a lengthy post on how to fight writer's block. now i just hope i can combat my own soon.
like, comment and reblog if you find this useful! feel free to reblog in instagram and tag me perpetualstories
Follow me on instagram and tumblr for more writing and grammar tips and more!
376 notes · View notes
cherienymphe · 4 years
Text
Protect & Serve (Steve Rogers x Reader)
Tumblr media
WARNINGS: Cop!Steve, mentions of abuse, mentions of miscarriage, eventual STALKING/KIDNAPPING/NON-CON
IF ANY OF THIS OFFENDS YOU, PLEASE DNI
Also this series will be based off of one of my worst fears, so you guys have fun with this.
➥ {page breaks done by @whimsicalrogers​}
summary:  escaping an ugly past, you have no choice but to return home. While much has remained the same, Officer Rogers is a new addition who has won over the hearts of the town in your absence. And no one believes you when you start to see him for who he really is
~
You threw the last of your empty boxes into the garbage in front of your house. Your back ached, and your legs were screaming for a reprieve, but you’d been determined to finish unpacking by the end of the day. And so you had.
The cicadas were loud in the nearby trees, the dark sky decorated with stars. Though you were back down south, you’d forgotten how cool the nights could get. You tightened your sweater around you as you looked along the street. In the years past, so much had changed…but a lot had remained the same.
With a sigh, you turned to make your way back into the house. You’d been running like a train nonstop for the past 3 days, determined to completely unpack and get settled long before school started back. You wanted one less thing to worry about.
You placed your back against the door as you closed it, taking a calming breath and locking it. You closed your eyes, reminding yourself that you were safe. Your ex-husband was far away and none the wiser to your location. You had nothing to be afraid of. You chanted this to yourself until you were able to finally move away from the door.
Your modest house was so quiet, and you welcomed the silence as you made your way upstairs. The atmosphere was so peaceful, and for the first time in a long time, you could hear your own thoughts. Living with Aldrich for so long, you’d forgotten what that had felt like.
He was regularly criticizing anything he could think of, his biting words packaged in a smile that was a tad too wide. Kissing you a tad too harsh and grabbing you a tad too tight. You honestly didn’t know how you’d put up with it for so long. You were disappointed with yourself, but even more disappointed that it took a miscarriage for you to finally leave him.
It should never have come to that.
You settled into bed, somewhat uncomfortable, but only in a way that was unfamiliar to you. You were alone and safe and at peace for the first time in years. Determined to have a good night’s sleep, you pushed painful thoughts out of your mind, and vowed to make your regrets fuel your new future.
Tumblr media
The grocer handed your bags to you with a shy smile on his face, cheeks flushing when your fingers brushed over his.
“Thanks,” you told him.
“Have a good day,” he recited, something he probably said a hundred times a day.
You left with a quiet ‘you too’ thrown over your shoulder before making your way outside. The town was filled with both familiar and unfamiliar faces alike. Sure, you’d been gone for almost 10 years, but you hadn’t expected your small town to have expanded this much in a million years.
You noticed a scratch on the side of your car when you neared it, and you took a closer look. With a huff, you looked around, but no one was parked near you and no shopping carts were close by either. Convincing yourself that it wasn’t that big of a deal, you settled into your car and placed your groceries in the passenger seat.
As you drove down the familiar street, you chuckled to yourself, recalling how you vowed to never return here. The universe had a twisted sense of humor that way because here you were, almost 10 years later, seeking sanctuary in the one place you hated most. Perhaps, in a way, this was your life lesson.
You’d been so desperate to get out of this backwards small town that you’d run off with the first man to give you the chance. How foolish you were then to think you were in love. You were just barely an adult, could hardly even be called one. Aldrich Killian was older and gorgeous and most importantly, he’d been going places.
A chance of luck, or perhaps misfortune, had placed him in your nowhere town, and you’d fallen head over heels immediately. He took to you just the same, and there was no hesitation whatsoever to run off with him to the big city. You left everything and everyone behind without a backwards glance.
He hid his true nature well. So well that it took you an entire two years into the relationship to learn about the other women. Having traveled all the way to New York on his coattails, you’d been distraught…and hurt. You may have been silly then, but not that silly.
He came home the next day to find you gone. His money made it easy for him to track you down at a friend’s place though, and the romantic in you was swayed by the sight of the powerful man on his knees, begging for your forgiveness. Surprisingly, he was true to his word, and from then on out, you were the only one.
But your relief was short-lived. You soon came to find out that these other women had something in common with the way he treated them, and with them out of the picture, you soon had that very same thing in common too.
It started out small. A raised voice here, a harsh grip there, but then he’d slapped you. Real hard too. It had left your ears ringing, and you’d been so shocked, that you didn’t see the next one coming. It became a regular occurrence, but it was always followed up by gifts and apologetic words. He’d be good for a few days, and it became easy to believe things would change. But like clockwork, the cycle repeated.
You hadn’t even known that you were pregnant when he shoved you down the stairs. You could only blink in shock when the doctor told you that you’d suffered a miscarriage. That was one of the first things you heard when you woke up inside of the hospital, and the sudden loss of something you didn’t even know you had was heartbreaking.
So when they asked for the truth, suspicion already in their eyes as they looked at the fading bruises and the fresh ones, you gave it to them without hesitation. Proving it was easy enough, and the divorce papers had been drawn up in no time, but Aldrich had money. A lot of it too.
He didn’t even do some measly community service.
You scoffed in the quiet car, hands tightening on the wheel. All of that was over now. You were back home and far away from him. Things would be different now. They had to be…
You frowned when your car started to sputter, confusion filling you as your eyes widened. You looked at the dash, and your confusion grew as you realized you were completely out of gas. A disbelieving scoff left you as you had no choice but to turn your car off. You sat back in your seat with a sigh, blinking as you realized that you had no one to call.
All of your family was gone, and all of your former friends had long left. The ones that hadn’t, the bridge had been burned long ago. Grabbing yours keys and your purse and the few grocery bags you had, you decided you’d have to walk home. It wasn’t too far of a walk. In New York, it’d be considered nothing.
It was late in the evening though, and you were sure it was going to be dark before you reached your house. You didn’t feel comfortable just leaving your car on the side of the road, but you didn’t exactly have a choice. This stretch of road was lengthy, and the thought of being out here at night made you nervous.
You squinted when red and blue reflected off of the pavement from over your shoulder. You looked over just as a police cruiser pulled up beside you. Your heart skipped a beat when the person inside turned it off and proceeded to exit the car. He curved around the front of the car, and you blinked at the full sight of him.
His blond hair was neatly pushed away from his face, and you sharply inhaled at his handsome features. He was tall, and his blue eyes were focused entirely on you as he approached you. His smile was kind, inviting even, and you were tempted to return it, but something prevented you from doing so. He reminded you of your ex-husband, and you warily eyed the way his uniform hugged him, plastered to the bands of muscle that were his arms.
“Evening, ma’am,” he greeted.
“Good evening,” you murmured.
“Was that your car I passed not too long ago?”
You looked in the direction of where you left your car before nodding.
“I…ran out of gas. Which is odd because I was sure I had over half a tank when I left home,” you told him.
He chuckled, and you frowned at him. Catching sight of your glower, he shook his head, taking a step towards you.
“I’m not laughing at you, I promise. It just seems that the punks in this town got another victim.”
He pointed in the direction of your car.
“You got yourself an older model, one that doesn’t require the gas cap to be opened from the inside. They like to steal gas from whoever they can,” he explained.
With a scoff, you realized they were still pulling that mess the teens did before you left. How silly of you to think the kids here would move onto bigger and better things. The blond before you spoke before you had the chance to.
“You live far?”
You squinted up at him, hesitating before eventually shaking your head.
“Not really…no.”
You watched as he walked to the passenger side, opening the door as he faced you.
“Let me drive you home,” he offered.
Your face pinched, wondering how to refuse. You didn’t get in the car with strangers, no matter their profession. You started to shake your head.
“It’s not that far. I can walk-.”
“It’s going to get dark soon, and you need to get those groceries in the fridge.”
He wasn’t wrong, but still, you hesitated. He threw you a crooked smile, leaning his arm on the open door now.
“I won’t be able to rest if I don’t know you made it home, so if you don’t get in, I’ll just have to ride alongside you,” he teased.
Although, you got the feeling that he was entirely serious. Reluctantly, you walked towards the cruiser.
“Okay.”
He closed the door for you as you made yourself comfortable, clicking your seatbelt into place.
“Are you really that responsible or is it just because you’re in the car with me?” he wondered with a chuckle as he sat beside you.
“Just that responsible,” you murmured as he started the car.
You gave him directions to your house, and he followed them with a hum.
“You’re new,” he suddenly said.
It was a statement, not a question, and you frowned.
“Hardly,” you said, shaking your head.
“Huh. I’ve never seen you around…”
You squirmed in your seat at his questions, and you fought with yourself. You told yourself that you were just so skittish after your ex-husband, and you told yourself to calm down. This man wasn’t him.
“I only recently moved back,” you eventually replied.
“How long you been gone?”
He took a left, and you blew out a breath.
“Almost…10 years?”
He let out a low whistle, tapping his finger on the wheel.
“No wonder. I moved to town about 6 years ago. 10 years is an awfully long time,” he noted. “What made you come back?”
“Divorce.”
He didn’t respond right away, and you could feel him eyeing you.
“I’m sorry,” he quietly said.
“Don’t be,” you honestly replied.
You pointed at your house, and he pulled into the yard. You tried not to be so obvious as you hurried to get out of his car. You were halted by a hand on your arm, and you looked over at him.
“Don’t worry about your car. I’ll get some gas in it and make sure it arrives here safe and sound,” he said with a smile.
“Oh, you don’t have to-.”
“Don’t worry about it. Consider as part of my job description.”
You nodded, finally throwing him a small smile.
“Thank you…” you eyed his badge. “Officer Rogers.”
He chuckled, shaking his head.
“Please…call me Steve.”
You simply replied with a strained smile before exiting the car. He watched you as you made your way to your door, and when you finally got it open, you waved him goodbye. He returned it, but he didn’t drive off. Not even when you closed and locked the door.
Through the window, you watched him sit there for a while, longer than you deemed necessary. Eventually, he pulled out of your yard, and you turned to put your groceries away with a frown.
Tumblr media
“Y/N Y/L/N… I haven’t seen you in ages…”
You glanced up at the familiar voice, and your eyes widened as they connected with familiar blue ones. You blinked.
“Wanda,” you greeted in surprise. “…hi.”
She placed her hand on the chair across from you, grinning as her reddish-brown hair spilled around her shoulders.
“So you’re back,” she said.
“So I am,” you nodded. “You look great!”
“You’re one to talk. When you skipped town, you were this confused little girl who didn’t know who she was trying to be. Now you come back here and you’re like something out of every miserable husband’s wet dream,” she teased.
You scoffed at that, shaking your head.
“Hardly…”
“Still as blind as ever, I see. Are you back in the old house?” she wondered.
You shook your head.
“No. I considered it, but… It’s too painful,” you told her.
She solemnly nodded, and you perked up.
“So…do you work here?” you wondered, glancing around the impressive diner.
She smirked.
“Sort of. It’s actually kind of mine now…”
Your lips parted, and a genuine smile fell over them.
“You bought it,” you said, in awe.
“I did,” she breathed, glancing around. “I always said I would…but part of me didn’t think I’d ever do it.”
“…but you did! And it looks amazing! You actually turned this place into something worth coming to,” you complimented her.
She hummed, taking the seat in front of you as she looked around with a wistful sigh.
“This could’ve been ours, you know…”
She looked at you, and you glanced away.
“Yeah, well… I was too busy chasing dick,” you replied, and she laughed.
“You were young and in love! If I’d had an Aldrich Killian offering to whisk me away from here, I’d have done the same too.”
“…and I would have locked you away to prevent you from ruining your life,” you threw back.
Her smile fell, and her eyes dimmed a tad as she studied you.
“Trouble in paradise?”
“There is no paradise. I’m not sure there ever was…”
There was a brief awkward silence, and she suddenly sighed.
“Was he the reason you didn’t come for the funerals?”
You didn’t reply, but there was no need to. She shook her head.
“I knew you wouldn’t just…not come. Everybody else was so convinced, but not me. I knew there had to be a good reason… Where did he drag you to anyway?”
You leaned back in your chair with a wistful smile.
“New York.”
“Was it at least fun?”
You mulled over her question before you shook your head.
“No. Aldrich…liked women,” you said with a shrug.
Wanda’s face fell at that.
“…and…when he gave those women up so I would stay, I found out that…he liked hitting women even more,” you quietly continued.
“Y/N,” she whispered, reaching across the table to take your hand.
“I’m past it…mostly. Some of us just have to learn our life lessons the hard way,” you told her with a shrug.
“Don’t say that. You loved him! That’s hardly worthy of a punishment. Sometimes, people are just shitty, and it has nothing to do with us.”
The bell over the door rang from behind you, and Wanda loudly welcomed them without even glancing up. Several voices filled the establishment, and you noted that they traveled and congregated to a table in the back corner, behind you. You heard footsteps approaching, and Wanda finally glanced up. You watched as she grinned at the newcomer.
“Steve!”
You followed her gaze, and sure enough, it was the officer from the other day. You didn’t know if he was on break or getting off of a shift, but he was still in uniform. His hands were on his hips as he looked between you two, a slow smile moving along his pink lips.
“Wanda…ma’am,” he greeted.
Wanda gestured to you.
“This is my friend-.”
“We’ve actually already met, but I never did get the pleasure of learning your name…”
You cleared your throat, feeling put on the spot as Wanda looked at you.
“Y/N,” you told him.
His smile slowly widened, and he ran his eyes over your face, drinking you in.
“Y/N,” he greeted again. “It’s nice to put a name to the face.”
You simply replied with a tense smile as you laid your arms on the table.
“Wanda, me and the rest of the crew are going to have the usual,” he told her.
“Of course! I’ll get Gwen to get right on it.”
He smiled at her.
“Thanks.”
He looked to you, blue eyes connecting with yours.
“Y/N,” he acknowledged with a nod just before leaving.
“You’re in town for five minutes and already have an admirer,” she slyly said once he was out of earshot.
“No, I’m in town for five minutes, and you’re already trying to set me up,” you corrected.
She waved you off.
“I’m just saying…he’s nice. I’m not telling you to marry the guy, but he’s a good man. As squeaky clean as they come,” she told you.
“So you’re saying that’s what I need?” you sarcastically wondered.
“I’m not saying you need anything. I just think it’d be nice for you…and he clearly likes you. Leave it to you to be back for five minutes and catch the eye of the most sought-after man in town,” she breathed. “Every woman within a 75-mile radius has been trying to bag Steve Rogers ever since he breezed into the city limits 6 years ago.”
“Well then you take him.”
“I would, but I’m happily taken. Besides, he seems to have his eye on someone else. How did you meet him anyway?”
You happily told her of your embarrassing encounter with the man that was sitting not even 5 tables away.
Tumblr media
You watched as the tow truck pulled your car just beside the curb in front of your house. Officer Rogers and his cruiser were parked on the other side of the driveway, and the blond man leaned against the vehicle as he supervised the process. Only a few minutes later, and your car was back, and the truck was driving off as Steve waved them off.
You hugged your sweater to you as you approached him. He met you halfway, and you sent him an appreciative smile.
“Thank you,” you breathed. “You honestly didn’t have to do that. I could’ve easily put some gas in it and drove it home.”
“…but you would’ve had to walk to the gas station to fill a gas jug, and then walk to your car,” he said, shaking his head. “It was nothing, really.”
“Either way, I still feel bad. I was more than capable…”
He chuckled.
“So how do you know Wanda? You girls go way back or something?”
“Yeah,” you said with a nod. “We were two troublemakers.”
He found that funny, maybe because Wanda was so different now. He rubbed the side of his neck, and his face slowly began to fall.
“When you told me your name, I thought it sounded familiar, you know. You’re Y/N Y/L/N…aren’t you?”
Your own visage grew solemn, and you slowly nodded.
“I’m sorry about your family. I know it happened years ago, but… I wanted to offer my condolences all the same,” he whispered.
You took a deep breath, chest clenching.
“Thank you. I really appreciate that…and for my car,” you added, trying to lighten the mood. “You really didn’t have to do that…nor drive me home that night.”
The corner of his lips quirked upwards ever so slightly, and his blue eyes sparkled.
“Well…if you’re feeling that bad about it…treat me to dinner,” he offered.
You blinked, taken off guard by his bold proposal, and your lips parted as words failed you. He ran his eyes over you as he waited for your response. You thought about Wanda’s words. She assured you that he was a good guy, and to be honest, you wanted a good guy…but not yet.
Your divorce had only been finalized a few months ago, and you really needed time to yourself. You were barely an adult when you ran off with Aldrich, and you’d spent the last decade with him. You wanted to know who you were when you weren’t with him. You owed yourself that.
“I uh…I’m flattered, really, but… I’m not really interested in anything like that for the time being,” you honestly replied.
His eyes dimmed just a bit, but the smile never wavered. You felt bad.
“I’m really sorry. Besides, it just…doesn’t seem appropriate for some reason.”
Steve sharply inhaled and nodded.
“I understand. Have a good night,” he said before taking a step back and turning to go to his car.
You sighed as you watched him go, but you knew that it was for the best. You made your way inside of your quiet house, hoping for a good night of sleep, but sleep did not easily find you.
Too many things were on your mind.
Seeing Wanda brought back so many memories that you would honestly rather forget. She reminded you of a time you spent sneaking out to meet her, idly dreaming of things you halfway hoped to accomplish. An already rocky relationship with your family that only crumbled when you took off.
You thought about how you didn’t talk to them for years, too busy following Aldrich around like a lost dog. You’d thought you had more time. You had put off what you knew you needed to do again and again. You thought the chance would always be there…until it wasn’t.
In a single night, your entire family had been ripped away from you. A car accident. Something so simple. Aldrich hadn’t even let you go to the funeral. By then, he’d grown possessive, and it wasn’t long after that he started putting his hands on you. Part of you thought he’d waited until you had no one to run to.
You sat up in bed when you heard a noise on the side of your house. You were upstairs, and the fact that it was loud enough to reach your ears worried you. Slowly, and quietly, you left your bed, creeping towards the window.
At first, you didn’t see anything and thought that you’d imagined it. However, what you thought was a part of the general darkness, moved. Your eyes widened, and you reached for your phone, immediately dialing 911.
“911, what’s your emergency?”
You stumbled over your address, the numbers and street name still new to you, but you shakily told her about the strange man in your yard. Your eyes didn’t leave him the entire time, and relief didn’t fill you when the silhouette eventually left.
One of the upsides to a small town was that it took no time for you to hear sirens coming from down the street. You hurriedly ran downstairs, opening the door as the cruiser pulled into your yard. Steve greeted you, and you did calm down a bit at the familiar face.
“Is he still here?” was the first thing he asked, one hand on his gun.
“I don’t know,” you whispered, placing one hand on your heart and the other on your forehead.
He briefly touched your shoulder before telling you he was going to secure the perimeter of the property. You stood in your doorway while he did so, trying, and failing, to convince yourself that you’d imagined it. After all, the worst thing to happen in your town was your family’s car accident. Strange men skulking about people’s homes was unheard of.
When Steve was done, he shook his head at you, one foot on your steps.
“It’s all clear.”
You didn’t know whether or not to be relieved.
“Are you sure it was a man? Not some animal?”
You shrugged.
“I…don’t know. I was trying to fall asleep just before so it’s possible. I’m sorry,” you apologized.
He sighed.
“It’s alright. This is my job, remember? This is what I’m here for,” he told you.
“Thank you,” you breathed. “I appreciate it, Steve.”
He paused, blue eyes connecting with yours as the corner of his lips curved upwards into a smirk.
“That’s Officer Rogers to you.”
You blinked, brows furrowing just a tad as he turned away.
“You try to get some sleep,” he threw over his shoulder.
You hurriedly closed your door as he drove away, frown deepening as you mulled over his cold behavior.
~
tags: @harryspet​ @darkficreposter​ @mcudarklibrary​ @jtargaryen18​ @kellyn1604​ @readermia​ @sebabestianstan101​ @villanellevi​ @opheliadawnwalker3​ @notyourtypicalrose​ @nickyl316h​ @captainchrisstan​ @coconutqueen21​ @briannab1234​ @buckybarnesplumwhore​
1K notes · View notes
thevividgreenmoss · 3 years
Text
It might be useful to know that for Marx nature was a single continuum at work inside, as well as outside, human beings: a unity of being with the incontestable conditions of its own being. To injure, exploit, deplete the inner nature (the human being; the labouring body) for capitalist accumulation would necessarily involve exploitation/depletion of that external nature (ecology) that Marx describes as an ‘extension’ of the human body — meaning that without that external nature, the inner has neither history, nor society, nor future. Or, to take another example, what Marx offers is not so much a critique of religion (‘opium’ of the people and all that) but a critique of the kind of critiques of religion that were available in his time, not to speak of ours (Religion as Un-Reason, clerical/class conspiracy, etc.), and an alternative reading of religious consciousness. 
...Marx was not opposed to the problematics of rationality as such. However, he was vehemently opposed to these particular ways of staging religion as the battleground for Reason and Un-Reason, and to conceiving of the liberal state as an antidote to religious alienation. He would take up the second, liberal–constitutionalist view in ‘On the Jewish Question’. Here we are dealing with the former view, of religion as self-alienation due to Un-Reason.
Feuerbach, then, is Marx’s own point of departure in the opening paragraphs of his ‘Contribution’ where he begins with two patently Feuerbachian formulations: ��Man … has found only the reflection of himself in the fantastic reality of heaven’, and ‘The foundation of irreligious criticism is: Man makes religion, religion does not make man’ (emphasis original). But then he immediately goes on to deconstruct this form of thought, to suggest that religion is not just an illusion but a necessary illusion — a form of alienation that fully corresponds to the reality of an alienated life-world — which, therefore, has its own kind of relevance and power in the world as it is, in fact, constituted. Let me quote a very famous and rather lengthy passage from ‘Contribution’, so that we can look more closely at some of the key phrases in it:
       “The foundation of irreligious criticism is: Man makes religion, religion does not make man … But man is no abstract being squatting outside the world. Man is the world of man — state, society. This state and this society produce religion, which is an inverted consciousness of the world, because they are an inverted world. Religion is the general theory of this world, its encyclopaedic compendium, its logic in popular form, its spiritual point d’honneur, its enthusiasm, its moral sanction, its solemn complement, and its universal basis of consolation and justification. It is the fantastic realization of the human essence since the human essence has not acquired any true reality. The struggle against religion is, therefore, indirectly the struggle against that world whose spiritual aroma is religion.
Religious suffering is, at one and the same time, the expression of real suffering and a protest against real suffering. Religion is the sigh of the oppressed creature, the heart of a heartless world, and the soul of soulless conditions. It is the opium of the people.
The abolition of religion as the illusory happiness of the people is the demand for their real happiness. To call on them to give up their illusions about their condition is to call on them to give up a condition that requires illusions …
It is, therefore, the task of history, once the other-world of truth has vanished, to establish the truth of this world. It is the immediate task of philosophy, which is in the service of history, to unmask self-estrangement in its unholy forms once the holy form of human self-estrangement has been unmasked. Thus, the criticism of Heaven turns into the criticism of Earth, the criticism of religion into the criticism of law, and the criticism of theology into the criticism of politics (emphasis original)”.
The first significant formulation here is that religion is ‘inverted consciousness of the world, because they are an inverted world’. In other words, there is a kind of correspondence between the two inversions — in the Real itself, and in the Imaginary — with the inescapable inference that the inversion of an inversion has to have some kind of truth to it. In the chaos of these mirroring inversions, religion emerges as a kind of practical consciousness, a way of making sense of an irrational, oppressive world because it offers us ‘the general theory of this world, its encyclopaedic compendium’, a ‘soul in soul-less circumstance’ of a ‘heartless world’. Religion serves as solace as well as protest. Having given to religion its due, without at all granting its theology the status of objective truth, Marx then offers the counterpoint: ‘The abolition of religion as the illusory happiness of the people is the demand for their real happiness … Thus, the criticism of Heaven turns into the criticism of Earth, the criticism of religion into the criticism of law, and the criticism of theology into the criticism of politics’.
  What secular practice has to engage itself with, then, is not the question of truth-content in religious metaphysic as such, but with the materiality of its existence and the purposes it serves in the concrete lives of people. If religion is a necessary illusion, then discussions of Reason and Un-Reason are beside the point. What need to be investigated are the social conditions in which such illusions become necessary. Religion even serves as a source of ethics for numerous people because the existing material structures of state and society fail to serve as a basis for an ethical life. One can see that this is an early text. Marx is just beginning to grasp that alienation is not a state of mind but a lived experience of reality itself, and in its own way a necessary relation, given the nature of that reality. As his own thinking develops further, this distinction between mere states of mind and actual lived relations with reality itself will become crucial in his theorizations on the question of ideology more generally. The idea that what you need is not just a philosophical refutation but a social transformation — that you cannot change states of mind without changing the real conditions in which the mind operates upon raw materials of the real — is already present in his early writing, but it is vague, ungrounded. Later, as his socioeconomic studies deepened, he came to believe that mere assertions of atheism or falsity of religious belief may, in fact, be counterproductive in organizing a struggle against the conditions that produced that kind of belief. He also came to believe that in modern capitalist societies no religious belief is nearly as deeply rooted or as universally powerful as the fetish of the commodity. Capitalism itself was a universal ‘religion of everyday life’ with a global reach and into such depths of consciousness that no Universal Church of the past had ever achieved. The passage thus logically ends with the claim that what we need is not a criticism of religion but of law and politics.
Aijaz Ahmad, Alienation and Freedom: Marx’s Ontology of Social Being
57 notes · View notes
rpbetter · 2 years
Text
Anyone doing the Post+ Protest this weekend?
Anyone want to, but you're not sure what you'd do without tumblr for 48 hours?*
Here are some suggestions:
work on your drafts off of tumblr - gather what you owe (it doesn't have to be everything if you owe a lot or do very lengthy replies, but it's better to grab more than you end up needing than running out) and write them using google docs or whatever program or app you like best outside of a browser. Then, you can move them over and format them as usual when the protest is over
work on your inbox - same deal! Just take what's in your inbox and write your replies off of tumblr (if your mutuals don't send the whole prompt or just looking at it, you can't remember what the full context was, find the memes and copy that, too, first)
get some headcanon prompts - pull them from memes, character development questionnaires, writing prompts, etc. and paste them into a doc to pick from and write later while logged off
write down headcanon topics until this weekend - just that, be thinking of things you'd love an opportunity to talk about but usually don't have the time or drive to tackle over the remainder of the week, and write them up while logged off
grab some writing prompts - use them as inspiration for writing some open starters or stand-alone things like doing the full month's worth of spooky, October prompts this year starring your muse, getting a head start this weekend
have a canon or an OC in specific fandoms? Of course, you do! And, I bet there are some thoughts you have about those universes and/or events involving your muse. You can write some meta, some discussion on how your muse differs from canon, or even a one-shot to fill in gaps with your muse or revisit an event from their perspective
make/learn to make those icons, edits, or graphics you've been meaning/wanting to do
anything you need to get caught up on or have been wanting to work on for a while, this is a great time to do it! Most of the things you do on tumblr as a RPer don't actually require you being logged in to work on
What happens when you have the impulse to check tumblr, though?
it's habitual, that's how habitual things work, don't feel bad about it or anything! You're not critically addicted to tumblr, and even if you are, it's not meth, it's okay
message friends instead - see ahead of time which friends/mutuals/writing partners are intending to do the logoff, you can help each other out by being around to DM each other instead
find something else ahead of time that satisfies the same habitual sort of needs - browser games are great for this, they often have the same elements of click, scroll, refresh
games games are great, too, it's just that we often still check tumblr on mobile while playing them and that might also be habitual for you
decide you're going to learn how to do something this weekend - make it something you can accomplish, but that is personally complex enough to be occupying for you while not being boring or feeling excessively like work
I've seen a lot of suggestions, this time and the last time around, but they're not specific to RPers...and a few of them are at least mildly insulting with an attitude that this is your time to realize that you're addicted to tumblr and need to go outside, this will be a life-changing experience for a healthier you.
Yes, totally read a book, have a movie weekend with friends, do various social activities (that are safe and responsible for you to do in your area, obviously), go on a walk, go biking, whatever the hell you want to do. However, I'm not comfortable implying that no one does this shit regularly as it is, or that everyone is physically or psychologically capable of doing it. Honestly, if you simply don't have a driving need for "a healthier life" and/or do not feel like you're leading an unhealthy, unhappy one because you have online hobbies, you're 100% valid as well.
So, I'd rather give some suggestions specifically geared toward RPers, that might be closer to normal for your downtime online, that are not negated by real-life limitations, and that aren't things that are your actual, daily responsibilities (studying, engaging with your pets, laundry).
If you participate in the protest, it's best to have some ideas before you log out, so I hope this helped!
*by the way, if you can't make it that full 48 hours, just fully logging out for as long as possible makes a difference! While the full 48 is the best and would be great, the whole point is demonstrating that we're really serious about how not alright with many aspects of this we are - if you never log off of tumblr or are usually logged in for several hours a day, logging off for as long as possible during the hours you're usually here does say something. Please remember that it is important to actually log out! Not simply not visiting your dash or interacting with posts, but literally logging out of your account(s).
-No one is judging you for not being able to participate, either, and there are a variety of reasons why you might not be able to. Maybe, if you have to remain logged in for the duration, you could help out friends who are protesting by keeping them busy, saving things for them to view on tumblr until after the protest is over so you're not reminding them, and generally being supportive of the effort in whatever way you can. This post is a suggestion post, it isn't meant to guilt or push anyone into protesting or shame them for not doing so. Neither is it a perfect listing of everything you could do - you can and should consider what will work out best for you as an individual!
-if you have questions about the protest, the link in the first sentence takes you directly to the blog for it. In the pinned post, they have information like what date and specific timezone time the protest will run for. They also have answered numerous questions, so, check out the blog, please! However, if you want to ask me why anyone is doing this: it is neither about tumblr or content creators making money, everyone is realistic about the former and supportive of the latter. The issue is tumblr advertising this feature to fandom content creators, refusing to listen to its userbase ever, and offering no legal protection will assuming no legal risks with this feature. There are other issues, but these are the primary ones, that the feature is incredibly harmful and legitimately dangerous to those it is being marketed to.
3 notes · View notes
earnestly-endlessly · 4 years
Note
Could you please rec cherik fics where they still have powers but being mutant is well accepted? (Kind of like the Daycare Verse by brillingspoons) THANK U SO MUCH YOURE INCREDIBLE
Hi anon, of course I have a list for you. I am so sorry for the delay. I have been super busy lately with work and home renovations, but I’m back and I have a looong list for you. Now, the nature of x-men as a parallel of the very real fight of minority groups for civil rights makes it pretty hard to find fics where everyone accepts mutants.That’s actually why I love the x-men, because they represent the fight of those who are ostracised. So, some of these might have some social commentary, but the main focus does not lie there. Also, if you love the Daycare Verse check out pocky_slash’s fics (who actually wrote the majority of the Daycare Verse). 
------
Cherik ´Still Have Powers Modern AU´ Fic Recs
irreconcilable differences (make for surprisingly good bedfellows) – pocky_slash
Summary: Tonight on The Evening Report with Malcolm Stevens, noted geneticist and mutant equality proponent Dr. Charles Xavier faces off with the infamous mutant rights activist Magneto in a live televised debate over the Genetic Nondiscrimination Act.
(At least, if they can stop flirting long enough to stay on topic.)
Words and Pictures – pocky_slash
Summary: When Lorna's powers manifest early, Charles Xavier's mutant picture books are the perfect teaching tool. Erik just hadn't expected the author to be so young. Or attractive. Or available.
For the Record – endingthemes
Summary: As prominent figures in the mutant rights movement, activists Charles Xavier and Erik Lehnsherr are pretty much household names. When a romance scandal between them breaks, their celebrity reaches new heights, and though the increased exposure is great, there’s a big problem -- the two of them are just friends.
Too bad no one believes them.
Runs in the Family – Anonysquirrel (chibirisuchan)
Summary: Alex knew his own reputation. Hell, he'd started some of his own reputation, because it kept some of the smarter thugs off his back. Everyone knew Alex's reputation. There was no way Hank didn't know his reputation, but he'd brought Alex into a house with some really expensive things and a lot of innocent little kids and his too-friendly, too-harmless dad.
But clearly Hank hadn't told his family anything about Alex, just like he hadn't told Alex anything about his family. At least, not about the brain-breaking parts of his family.
"I didn't know where to start," Hank said, for the dozenth time.
Featuring mpreg!Charles in a Kiss The Cook apron, overprotective!Erik in wet black leather, and baked goods. Lots and lots of baked goods.
(Another segment of this series is posted under the Cookie Cutter fic collection - thanks again, Takmarierah!)
Impulse Decisions – listerinezero
Summary: Erik wakes up in Las Vegas with a hell of a hangover, a telepath in his bed, and a ring on his finger. Now what?
You Show Me Yours - endingthemes
Summary: When Erik receives nudes in the middle of the night from an unknown number, he's confused and mildly amused. He doesn't expect it to turn into an actual conversation...with feelings.
As if that's not baffling enough, his friend's brother ends up crashing at his place, further complicating everything.
Some Such Place (The Big Screen Classics Remix) - Pocky_Slash
Summary: Erik's spent the last eighteen months having lengthy socio-political conversations and casual sex with Charles Xavier after seeing Monday matinees at a dingy little independent movie theatre in the Village. That doesn't mean they're friends. Or that Erik should have any say in what Charles is going to do with his future.
(At least, that's what Erik keeps telling himself.)
Into Your Tar, Honey  - tomato_greens
Summary: Really, Alex doesn’t know why he’s in the damn class.
(Or, the one in which Charles teaches an online Introduction to Biology course, and Alex reads more than he expected to.)
Heli Cases - Black_Betty
Summary: "Heli Cases" is a program on PBS whose aim is to educate on the rapidly increasing occurrence of genetic mutation in the general populous by breaking the complex science down into palatable, easy to digest pieces.
It is also the only thing that helps Erik get his fussy daughter to fall asleep.
(Featuring Dadneto, baby Lorna and the struggles of single fatherhood, and Charles as the host of a late night show about genetics.)
Bound - FuryRed
Summary: Is there anything worse than someone else’s wedding? Well, perhaps your sister’s wedding- where the groom just has to invite his boss and that man just happens to be your ex-boyfriend; a person you had an extremely passionate and tumultuous relationship with that ended badly.
Charles hadn’t seen Erik for a year by the time Raven had told him about the wedding. He wasn’t looking forward to the occasion, particularly when Raven explained that they would be celebrating the event with a two-week extravaganza at a luxury hotel, meaning that Charles would be forced to spend a whole fortnight with the man who he’d given everything to; the man who had ultimately broken his heart…
An Exercise in Frustration – ikeracity
Summary: Erik Lehnsherr's latest critically-acclaimed film Shame features a full-frontal nudity scene. His long-suffering husband Charles is really very peeved about it.
Eyes on Fire - Black_Betty
Summary: Every once in a while, fashion tycoon Emma Frost invites her favourite male models over to entertain her. And by "entertain", I mean she makes them have kinky consensual sex in front of her....Emma never touches herself when she watches, but she always has a glass of wine with her. Emma likes it best when they eventually forget that she's watching.
Charles and Erik meet each other through Emma...
(I've taken some liberties with the prompt, but all the sex is still there, and it's wholly consensual...and gradually, becomes more than just sex...)
Order Up - ikeracity
Summary: Charles has a terrible habit of multitasking, and that is probably why he absentmindedly tells the pizza man that he loves him when hanging up.
Then the pizza man says it back. And Charles is pretty much smitten from there.
Some Assembly Required - manic_intent
Summary: "Alex and Hank were two teenagers who frequently fight in school. One fight got so bad that the principal called in their fathers (as both came from single-parent families)/ guardians for a conference. This was how Charles and Erik meet."
Limited Release - rageprufrock
Summary: When Alex Summers broke out of supermax to rescue his stupid kid brother, he had no idea it was going to be so fucking complicated.
Math Reasons – pearl_o, pocky_slash
Summary: "Mom says Erik always knows what he wants, it just sometimes takes him a little while to actually realize it," Ruth said.
Charles fell in love with Erik the first night they met, the first week of freshman year. Two years of friendship, adventures, arguments, hijinks, secrets, and summer visits later, Erik is starting to catch up.
It’s kind of our whole thing – pearl_o, pocky_slash
Summary: After two years of best friendship, Charles and Erik thought they knew everything there was to know about each other. They're surprised, then, when their first summer as a couple reveals that they have a lot to learn about each other and themselves.
PART 2 of Math Reasons
A Nice Boy (The Family Matters Edition) – pocky_slash
Summary: Erik's not sure whether the problem is that he doesn't want his parents to meet Charles or that he doesn't want Charles to meet his parents. Either way, he never invites Charles to brunch. Why should he? It's not like they're dating.
apple season – pocky_slash
Summary: "You know," Charles says while they're sitting around the kitchen table reading the paper, "You should take Anya apple picking."
"Don't you mean 'we?'" Erik responds. The silence that follows is enough to make him re-examine his own apple picking memories a little more closely. Uneven ground littered with apples, tree roots, holes, and narrow passage between rows of orchard trees. "Oh," he says.
rooms/shares – pocky_slash
Summary: Erik is single, working a cube job he hates, letting his master's degree in mutant studies collect dust, and living on his best friend's couch. When she kicks him out, he's forced to trawl Craigslist for the least-offensive rooming option within his meagre budget. He never expects a response from the persnickety, high maintenance ad he replies to as a joke, but it's possible this too-nice apartment and mysteriously absent roommate might be the answer to all four of his problems.
Continue firm and constant – aesc
Summary: Moira hasn't seen her old partner in saving the world from threats human and intergalactic, Erik Lehnsherr, for a few years. When she finally does see him again, she finds a man different from the one who's been with her down in the dark and the dirt and the blood... or maybe he isn't so different after all.
Tough little baby telepath – aesc, pearl_o
Five Part Series
Summary: Teenage telepath Charles Xavier takes a job as a consultant, working with prickly police detective Erik Lehnsherr. Charles is used to being on his own and taking care of himself; he has no reason to think that his relationship with this stern, icy man is going to change any of that.
Frosted hearts – aesc, palalife
Summary: Emma Frost has 99 problems, but a date ain't one. Specifically, she has no time to play the dating game--which is fine with her, because she'd much rather run it instead. From a set of sleek, silver and white offices on Fifth Avenue and with her trusty, stylish, and silent partner Janos Quested, Emma has built Frosted Hearts into New York City's premiere dating service, built on the principle that money, and a sufficiently rigorous psionic scan, can, in fact, buy you love.
Somewhere in Frosted Hearts's server is one Charles Xavier, genius and geneticist, with the kind of nicely-starched good looks that sell well on brochures for New England prep schools. He's also a telepath who's decided to give up pursuing serious relationships and instead spend his thirties doing what he should have done as a teenager: have a lot of sex with random people. Fortunately for him, Erik Lehnsherr, metallokinetic and engineering executive, has absolutely no time in his heart or his schedule for anything more serious than... well, absolutely nothing romantic at all.
Mercy of the Fallen (the AirDrop Security Update 2.0) – pocky_slash
Summary: Erik Lehnsherr feels defined by his past sins and after years of acting against his own moral compass, he's finally struck out on his own. He's his own boss now, and determined to work hard to help the mutant community and make up for years of doing someone else's dirty work.
Complicating this is Charles Xavier, mutant advocate, genetics professor, unfairly attractive telepath, and owner of the coffee shop below Erik's office. Erik may not think he deserves to be a part of the community he's thrown himself into helping, but Charles has other ideas on the matter, and he's determined to do everything in his power to make Erik see himself as a force for good.
you follow and i’ll lead – pearl_o, pocky_slash
Summary: When Charles discovers how frustrated and self-conscious his best friend Erik is about his ignorance about sex, he's eager to volunteer to help teach him and practice. Charles might not have any more direct experience than Erik, but he does have a telepath's mind full of accidentally picked-up fantasies and memories, as well as knowledge of a few dirty books - and more importantly, he's been madly in love with Erik for years. This seems like a brilliant, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that he can't pass up.
Now he just needs to manage to keep his feelings in check, and not ruin their friendship forever.
Snail Mail – pocky_slash
Summary: Alex isn't thrilled when his boss, Erik, starts sending him to hand deliver notes to Erik's husband up at the university--that is, until he sees the Professor's hot new TA, and suddenly, the notes can't come fast enough. If only Alex could work up the guts to ask him out....
this is life (and everything’s all right) – pocky_slash
Summary: Edie Lehnsherr came into Charles' life long before he ever heard Erik Lehnsherr's name, and her death left a gaping hole in the lives of everyone in Charles' family. As the first Purim without her approaches, he begins to get creative in his efforts to bring everyone out of their grief. Kitchen creativity, however, is not quite his strength....
Watching the Detectives – Clocks
Summary: Detectives Charles Xavier and Erik Lehnsherr are good friends and colleagues. However, when they go undercover at a Christmas party to nab a prime suspect, Erik keeps reminding himself to stay professional and ignore feelings of unexpected jealousy.
Student/Teacher Relations – PoorMedea
Summary: As a TA, Charles knows he can't get involved in all his students' lives. He needs to keep professional boundaries, to make sure that he's an authority figure. But when he accidentally finds out how complicated Erik Lehnsherr's home life is, he suddenly finds that distance hard to maintain.
Fill for the prompt: Erik is the teen dad of adorable baby!Lorna. I just want teen!Erik being a dad, with adorable interactions between him and his baby. Angst is good too since there's always going to be some in such situations, but mainly I want to see teen dad Erik being an awesome dad who loves the hell out of his daughter despite whatever else may be going on.
Conspiracy of Kisses – Alaceron
Summary: Seven-year-old Erik needs to keep his telepathic best friend Charles from finding out that he wants to kiss him. But that's okay, because he has a plan - he'll put on a tinfoil hat.
Favorite Mistake – endingthemes
Summary: Charles Xavier doesn’t think anything of it when he sneaks out without even saying goodbye to his latest one-night stand. What he doesn’t expect is to walk into his new position in the Xavier Industries marketing department and find that his latest hook-up is now his new boss.
Never Take Biology for Granite – ikeracity, pangea
Summary: Charles is an internet celebrity who garners his fame from posting educational, in-depth videos about a different animal every week, though for some reason his viewers are always more interested in his sex life with his geologist husband, Erik, who happens to frown heavily upon all living things.
Except for Charles, of course, whom he's missed these past couple days while attending a geologic convention--though considering the subject material of Charles' newest video, he's wishing he would've stayed away longer.
This Is Not Comedy – baehj2915
Summary: Written for amarriageoftrueminds' prompt for a Cherik version of Louis CK's tangent about the fuckability of Ewan McGregor.
Naturally the similarities end there. I made this about Erik's full on public lust-filled gay revelation, and the chaos that spirals from there.
Snowed In – dedkake
Summary: Charles and Erik have a one night stand, but a blizzard traps them in Erik's apartment afterward.
109 notes · View notes
Text
Watching House as a Physician.  Season 2 Episode 3. Infectious diseases & Respiratory.
Welcome to another episode of medicine done badly.  I’ve been watching House on Amazon prime.  Got the subscription during the pandemic, as like everyone else, I’ve garnered an online shopping habit now. 
Alright. In the opening scene a young roof worker falls off the roof presumably due to acute shortness of breath. i.e. trouble breathing. (why do we use the term shortness of breath? it’s the english version of the greek term dyspnoea - the actual preferred language of Western doctors. Fuck do I know why we like Greek and Latin so much. Moving on.) Then cut to Dr. Cuddy examining him in the back of the ambulance. 
Tumblr media
This would never happen in real life. Yes you can be on the scene and handover to the paramedics or EMT when they arrive as a doctor. But they would take over. I personally wouldn’t have the balls to look after a patient in a different environment, different resources and field I’m not familiar with. You can have field Emergency docs - but requires different training. 
Also, ethically, you’re not meant to treat family or friends. Dr. Cuddy later in the episode gets a bit emotionally involved - this is why we don’t treat people close to us. We lose objectivity. We make mistakes. And you see later see Cuddy do some pretty bad ones. 
I feel like much of this episode is not really IM. THere’s less differential diagnoses being made. More side tracks into trauma, emergency, intensive care or vascular surgery. 
Anyhoo. Trauma and emergency would manage the fall and post fall traumatic injuries. And the trauma protocol was either not shown or completely off in this episode. Surgeons don’t seem to exist in House, at least not very much. Similarly, no other doctors exist except surgeons in Grey’s anatomy.  Also you can’t clear a C Spine clinically, which is what Dr. Cuddy does in the back of the ambulance. You’d need a CT first and clearance both radiological (by a radiologist) and a clinician. 
Aaaanddd, you can’t just listen to the chest and go no pneumothorax (air in lung or collapsed lung) - yes it’s reassuring, but again you’d need imaging to confirm this, given how serious a condition this is. It is realistic to consider in the setting of a fall, particularly if there are rib fractures that can puncture the lung.
Once the more critical injuries are managed, we would look after the IM side to things. 
So. Finally.. differential diagnoses.
Takes what seems and feels like days before they finally sit down and go through differentials. Really not much on that white board. Dark fingers, broken ribs, fever and lung infiltrates. Time line’s not clear on when he developed the fever.
Presenting complaint isn’t really addressed. It could be: - Dyspnoea, leading to the fall, he’s requiring O2 via nasal prongs, which suggests that he’s hypoxic (this is definitely odd in a young guy who’s normally very physical fit if he works as labourer). so much to unpack here, but they never get into this well.  Post fall, Cuddy notices his ring and pinky finger becoming dusky, which becomes very central in this episode. Very few things would cause this. pains me that they do no differentials on a white board for this alone. 
Tumblr media
Then a lot of throwing around medical terms. 
PTT prolonged and Fibrinogen off. These are markers of your coagulation pathway and signs that you’re not forming the clots the way you should if you have an injury.  DIC is also thrown around. What is DIC? Disseminated intravascular coagulopathy. Certainly severe sepsis and trauma can cause this and lead to severe bleeding. It will throw off your coagulation pathways (things that stop bleeding). It’s not common. I’ve treated it once, while I was rotating in ICU, it is not standard ward medicine practice. Standard therapy is fresh frozen plasma (FFP) and even large metropolitan hospitals only have a limited supply. It’s a huge concern for surgery and post-op (as you patient will just not stop bleeding after you cut them open, and if not treated, potentially bleed to death). Cuddy mentions ARDS. Acute respiratory distress syndrome, it could be a complication, but it’s not a cause. Again, falls more into the realm of critical care (a la ICU). However, patient had SOB prior to the fall. Finally HOuse makes the observation. of “what if he was sick before he had his run in with gravity...” Everyone jumps to Pneumonia. And this is where it gets confusing.  If he was unwell, the minute he entered the emergency department with a fever and hypoxia, they would have worked him up for any garden variety pneumonia, bacterial or viral. Cultures would have been sent and imaging. Any young hypoxic patient would prompt a closer look at the chest. And no one waits that long to start antibiotics - “sepsis kills” is a slogan often used around hospitals. You have to initiate empirical therapy within 30 mins, to reduce mortality and morbiditiy. 
Ordering an Echocardiogram (USS of the Heart) also makes no sense in the context of a lung infection. I would order one, but not to look at the lungs.
Then there’s the most unrealistic thing about this series. Doctors breaking into patient homes.
Tumblr media
It is however, a good way to showcase social history. It’d be boring to watch a doctor ask the patient outright about their living situation etc, but it’s far more interesting to see exactly how they live. We try as much as possible to illustrate to each other and ourselves what the living environment and working environment of our patients are like. 
In the context of infection, a good social history can point out exposure. As they exemplify by showing dead rodents and mould. This leads to 2 further differentials: Rat bite fever (caused by streptobacillus, something you’d see in the US, but probably not anywhere else), it’s an unrealistic differential in general. And the 2nd is aspergillosis.  Okay..  So aspergillus is a mould commonly found in our environment. In fact it’s everywhere around us. 
Tumblr media
THere’s few times when it’s an issue.  It is a concern in respiratory syndromes like asthma or bronchiectasis. And also as an opportunistic infection in immunocompromised individuals. in the context of asthma, it’s not so much the aspergillus itself that causes issue, it’s our body’s over reaction. It’s a hypersensitivity issue that causes inflammation in the lungs or a pneumonitis. We even gave it a name. Allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis. It’s still badness, but it doesn’t happen that quickly. We also have specific tests for this, which were obviously not considered in this episode of medicine done badly. In the immunocompromised host (steroid therapy in transplant patients or those on chemo, etc.), you can get the invasive mould as an opportunistic infection.  I don’t really understand why they think it would be the case here. Also, killing the bug with heavy duty anti fungals will only give more issues rather than do anything. They start him on amphotericin. this is not standard practice.  And now it flips to why amphotericin is not standard practice or first line treatment for invasive aspergillosis. The patient has now become anuric (not making any urine). (First line drug by the way is voraconazole, superior efficacy in trials with a lower mortality rate and ADRs) Also, note that they have just jumped straight to dire renal failure from the amphotericin. No work up. That said, heavy drugs like amphotericin are often a cause, but  It’s often temporary with the appropriate supportive measures (stop insulting agents, give hydration, monitor fluid balance), reversible, even if you require temporary dialysis or haemofiltration. Anyways, would get into AKI another day, that’s a whole other post in and of itself.  Then his hand is apparently “dying.” There’s pain on light touch, but it’s not a cold, pulseless limb. Or discoloured. doesn’t add up. This now enters vascular surgeon territory. Again. It’s interesting that there’s never any referrals to any other teams. If he has good circulation, I would imagine they would try to save the hand and consider other differentials. 
The only time I can think of an emergency amputation in this situation is necrotising fascitiis. That’s the only thing that would occur that rapidly  AND necessitate losing tissue or limb.  With a young person who’s this ill, there’s often multiple subspecialties involved by this point. I’m also surprised he’s not in ICU.
Then there’s a buncha filler scenes of the cast of house getting emotional. Ho my god, they’ve taken the hand of a young 20 something physical labourer. Indeed, this is badness. Unlike House, we actually are trained to always consider how a patient’s illness impacts their activities of daily living and livelihood. 
I find the general population assumes that we practice medicine in a vacuum, we merely treat the clinical illness and ignore everything else. They imagine that we all must be like house. 
Actually we try to put things in perspective as much as possible and knowing our limitations in this area, we often enlist the help of friends - physiotherapists, occupational therapists and social workers. They never exist on TV or on the movies. Ever. Unless it’s to portray how terrible it is to be a social worker.  From time to time in this episode, Cuddy laments that being chief of medicine is too administrative and she hasn’t been a doctor in years. That also doesn’t happen in real life. If you’re chief you’re still a doctor. You have admin shit to do deal with yes, but you still practice. It’s like being chief resident, in all the TV shows with one of these, you still seem them working as residents, be it scrubs or grey’s anatomy. 
Tumblr media
Back to the differential. They finally get to endocarditis. Culture negative to be precise. That indeed would explain the bilateral dusky fingers that led to unnecessary amputation. Septic emboli. 
Going to stop here, more out of exhaustion now. I’ve created quite a lengthy post. Happy to reblog thoughts on culture negative endocarditis on request later. This is a worthy topic to study up on for students or residents. At least review Duke’s criteria and think about your clinical features like Roth Spots and Janeway lesions or Ouch Osler’s nodes. 
The ending is also a far fetched connection to make, but is one that we would consider. In fact, we would ask in detail every time from day one - have you had any exposure to animals. It’s very rare to see someone so young be that sick out of the blue when you’re immunocompetent and have no underlying predisposing conditions. If there’s no focal source, then we would even ask about injectable recreational drugs, exotic travels, sexual health. 
Most of the time, patients that sick are honest to their doctors. 
But what about..
Tumblr media
Frankly, much as we lie as humans, when our lives our on the line, we’re generally pretty honest (sometimes too honest) with the people we want to save us. 
Any patient who is young and comes to hospital requiring inpatient admission, they’d be investigated by subspecialties with expertise in certain areas such as infectious disease. The dept of infectious disease would either be home team, or all over this patient as they special in the realm of both common and rare infectious diseases, culture negative endocarditis would have been considered before a hand amputation.
The term, “department of diagnostic medicine is laughable,” particularly when they consider it the only department in the world in the show. 
In actuality, it’s a department that is universal and exists everywhere. it’s Internal medicine. Dr. Vivek Murthy, the next surgeon general (and also the last one under Obama) is an internal medicine physician. Ken Jeong of Community and the Hangover fame is also a physician of internal medicine. 
Beginning to get the sense that most episodes are going to end with a diagnosis that is either infectious disease, rheumatology or haematology. But generally those tend to be most interesting and give the most plot twists or meaty differentials V.s. a stroke or acute myocardial infarction is fairly straightforward to diagnose. 
This is a very twisty episode in all the wrong directions. 
Dyspnoea is a very common presenting complaint. There’s a properly done approach to this in the podcast by the Curbsiders by the way. 
22 notes · View notes
resinatingbeauty · 3 years
Text
Real Talk Time (#RTT) - My Messages to all “Baby” Witches / Anyone Discovering Their Spirituality
•When it comes to magick, if it feels right you’re doing it right. You won’t know if it feels right if you don’t do it. A lot of us fall victim to the obsession that is part of the process, in my opinion, of realizing your potential as a witch/magician/wiccan/magick user of any sort, that is the compulsive consumption of all things magickal or new age/occult related. You begin building this collection of books, accumulating supplies, candles, symbols, accents for your altar-all this time reading and searching for things to perform spells and rituals that you never end up performing because of all the time and energy put into accumulating ..stuff.
The irony being is there is nothing inherently magickal about stuff. Magick is not a tangible thing, it’s a spiritual thing. The reality is you don’t need much stuff at all to manifest your desires and intentions. You don’t need to have the equivalent of the Library of Congress filled with books and texts about magick spells, invocations, rituals, etc. either. Don’t get me wrong, knowledge is a great thing, knowledge is power, but balance is a very important fundamental concept in all new age/occult/pagan traditions and if all you’ve been doing is absorbing and not performing then you’re missing out on what makes magick worth doing- doing it. Just do it *itnsert angry Shia Labeouf motivational meme here*
Tumblr media
The problem with the over consumption of knowledge is the lack of experience to go along with it. If you’re moving constantly through various texts, chances are you haven’t taken the time to act on what had been written. Magick is about finding your connection to the universe, finding that perfect balance of confidence, humility, understanding, and inner peace that allows you to be just so in tune with yourself and everything around you that you truly, without a doubt, feel a part of it- not just a little part, but a BIG part- big enough to move mountains. What one author says to do may be contradicted by another even in the same vein of thought, but that’s them. You have to find what works for you. Once you find it, never let it go. Elaborate on it, because you can do no wrong spiritually, so long as you aren’t, you know, committing mass murder or persuading others to do it a la Jamestown.
Tumblr media
•Those elaborate and intriguing rituals sound great until you do them (or not). I am admittedly guilty of this, as I truly enjoyed the textbook style of Donald Michael Kraig’s writing on Ceremonial Magick (highly recommend Modern Magick any edition to anyone interested in that kind of thing) and good old Aleister Crowley who could turn a mundane love spell into something out of an HP Lovecraft novel (I’m sure it’s intentional), but the wonderful imagery these texts would form in my mind couldn’t, nay, wouldn’t be manifested into reality because, quite simply, I don’t have the kind of attention span or space for that kind of thing, and I ultimately found that I don’t need all the props and paraphernalia to manifest my magick. This also goes along with my first message about accumulating stuff. While there is more than enough reason behind all the symbols, tools, and objects we utilize as spiritualists, the chalice is just a pretty cup to those who aren’t inclined to use it as such. Rituals obtain power through the repetition, focus, and energy put into them, not the objects used to facilitate this process, though these objects help maintain that focus or visual, they are not sources of magick unto themselves. The talismans I create are not magickal themselves, they were made into talismans through energy transfer and intent, the ritual is in their creation, my own essence flowing into them through my hands as they work. If you aren’t the type of person who regularly goes through these grandiose measures and thrives in the complex and detailed who also has the time to devout to several hour long invocations for regular cleansing, keep it simple. Unless you’re that kind of person, chances are the more complex it is the less likely you are to do it. While you’re researching and visualizing these rituals in your mind’s eye like a movie, ask yourself if that type of thing is something you have the time, space, and attention span for (I know I don’t.) Any magick is better than none.
Now, some rituals are supposed to be complex, intricate workings that are intended to work off around a high level of energy and commitment (think exorcisms / banishing rituals, summonings or invokations etc). Crowley and Peter Carroll (another of my favorites) openly wrote about long, sensual, demanding rituals where trance states induced by drugs, sleep deprivation / sensory deprivation, hypnosis, and other means were incorporated into rituals, but they aren’t exactly a requirement.
In the same breath, anyone who criticizes how you perform a ritual (unless you’re asking for assistance or experiencing adverse affects) is full of shit. If you have channeled the energy and focus toward your intent, you will manifest results. Period. It doesn’t matter if you focus your altar around summoning Lillith, make the necessary offerings, draw the sigil, etc., if you’re actually thinking about what you’re going to have for dinner on March 3rd, you’re probably not doing it right. I don’t know you, however, you may have great success completely detaching yourself from your purpose- whatever works for you.
Tumblr media
•Don’t fixate on labels - fixate on bettering yourself and your connection to the universe. There’s a lot of elitist internet witches and what not around, but hear me brothers and sisters, they are nothing but psychic vampires trying to throw you off your game. “My Book of Shadows is bigger than yours” is only relevant if you give a damn. I sure as hell don’t. I’m not impressed with lengthy resumes of spells and rituals performed over the last twenty years. If you choose to keep a Book of Shadows, its primary purpose should be reflection, allowing you to correspond your craft with reality and for you to look back at and troubleshoot or reiterate. It isn’t a badge of honor. The choice of keeping one is also entirely optional- though recommended, some do better performing their piece and setting it aside until the see the results they desire. Unless your spells affect me (or I ask you about your work) , you do you and I’ll do me. The only important thing is that you do so for yourself, you do so because it feels right and natural for you to do so, and you do it for the betterment of yourself and all of us who have to live in the world you have directly influenced. Whether you’re a “baby” witch, a cape wearing pointy hat toting broomstick bombshell, a woods witch, weed witch, green witch, black witch, voodoo priestess, magician, chaote, occultist, necromancer, reiki practitioner, shaman , level 300 Geodude- we are all working toward the same goals, one way or another. Regardless of what you choose to identify yourself with or what system/rules you choose to follow, we need to build each other up, not put each other down. We have the major indoctrinated religions doing that for us.
That is all.
18 notes · View notes
fuse2dx · 3 years
Text
December ‘20
Bugsnax
Tumblr media
Bugsnax is an odd little title, landing somewhere between Pokémon Snap and Ape Escape. There’s a bit less of a frantic pace though, instead telling a tale of a remote island where the titular part-animal, part-snack race roam about, with a series of characters each having their own relationship to them that... typically involves eating them. The disappearance of one key villager has been the catalyst to everything heading into a state of confusion though, and as the new person in town, it becomes your job to pull everything back together, all while trying to piece together a better understanding of just what Bugsnax are in the first place.
The game’s main cast are loud, colourful, and full of personality, with some decent queer representation going on too. It’s regularly quite charming, but the story runs parallel to a pretty simple gameplay loop of going out to a new area, meeting an estranged villager, getting a new tool that allows you to catch some new ‘snax in service of a given task for said villager, that inevitably fuels their return to the village. While catching a good chunk of the 100-strong Bugsnax portfolio follows a fairly repeatable mould of trap-setting and capture, some require some slightly more creative thinking, and final smattering lean more on good fortune as you try and juggle a few different elements in a way that sets up the perfect snaring. 
I’ve seen some talk of folks who found the last sections of the game a little out of character, but having gone through all of the side missions before heading for the finish line, nothing came as too much of a surprise for myself. As a PS5 launch game it might lack the flair and experimentation that one might expect, but in better handling one’s expectations and seeing ‘just’ a game with extraordinary timing, it’s a pleasant and sufficiently entertaining romp - just nothing particularly out of the ordinary.   
Demon’s Souls
Tumblr media
I was in two minds coming into this. I’ve played the opening few hours of Demon’s Souls about 5 times now, with each attempt before this one stalling at different points for a variety of petty and frustrating reasons. So this, a fresh chance to try again, newly polished and smoothed out, with active servers, and a revitalised community? Excellent! Yet on the other hand, how much of the magic is Bluepoint likely to have been able to recreate? Even as a shot-for-shot remake, what if they had diluted the experience? 
While I can’t speak with any particular authority here, very little seems to have changed outside of the visual overhaul. Some areas might be a bit easier to navigate owing to their new lick of paint, but enemies still pose the same threat, and everything is still where it should be, as are the obtuse, woefully under-discussed karmic swings that underpin its tendency system. Let’s not pull punches; it’s most notably a mean platform to build a game upon that makes suffering players suffer more, and is likely not one that you’ll even be aware of it before near irreversible damage is already done. From have undoubtably done similar concepts much better since, and while I might bemoan it, there’s also something to be said for allowing it to still exist just as it did at the series’ outset. It’s likely a wise choice on Bluepoint’s part to have left it untouched, albeit a slightly cruel one.
While the lack of a single, interconnected world was not yet on the cards for this particular Souls outing, there’s still plenty of great level design, with each of the game’s archstones providing a theme that’s adhered to brilliantly. A few exceptions aside, boss battles are typically less about flexing combat chops too, proving more of a challenge in solving how to approach them in the first place. In doing so, it creates some truly memorable moments alongside those that are purely frantic and rewarding thereafter. The same can be said for the game at large too; while its punishment of new players might be its most infamous quality, it does do a remarkable job in having you learn its every inch, and how best to deal with everything it cares to throw at you. While the chase of 1:1 replication might mean some of its jankiness remains, its visual overhaul and silky smooth frame rate certainly do a good job in helping you overlook it all and in embracing the still best-in-class world building. One of the years’ best, and by far the most compelling reason to date for next-gen ownership. 
Grindstone
Tumblr media
Grindstone was front and centre right as the doors opened on Apple Arcade, and it’s a pretty easy to see why it’d be pegged for such honours. It’s bright, colourful, charming, and very easy to pick up. Some of Capy’s other noteworthy titles might fall more into the realm of the arthouse, but this is them at full power, exhibiting that ultimate strength of knowing just how to capture any given audience. Most of the game is spent planning out your turn, and it looks great even in this calm stillness - but as you unleash the mighty Jorj on each of his rampages, there is a satisfying spring into action that gives the same kind of satisfactory twang you might get from an elastic band, or a coiled slinky about to bound down a flight of stairs.
Within a few short stages almost all of the base mechanics are laid bare, with each turn asking you to plot a course through colour-matched enemies, and landing you far enough away from any enraged enemies that’d seek to do you harm. Chain for long enough and you’ll spawn a grindstone that’ll let you switch colours mid-combo, and building up enough hits can then allow you to expend that strength on monsters with higher health pools. The range of enemy types grows as you progress, as does the array of new tools you can build that allow you new ways of dealing with them all, but ultimately the balance that needs addressing is knowing just when to walk away. There’s typically three goals to each level - opening the exit being just the first of these - and while in some cases you might have a handle on things when the exit does open up, it’s often not the case, and hanging around too long carries the risk of losing all of your progress on the stage if you lose a clear path to your escape.
Some of its later mechanics and the level arrangements can be quite taxing, and while never completely unfair, it can definitely... grind... on your patience. For something that could easily be taken as a casual little puzzle game, it’s quite lengthy too - the path unbroken leads you through a whopping 180 stages, but without extensive draining of resources from each of these, you’ll likely need to try some of the side dungeons to help make your way to the end too. Very likely more than your bargained for then, and yet still plenty compelling to boot.
Necrobarista
Tumblr media
Some neatly constructed character models and a snappy trailer might attempt to tell you otherwise, but let us be clear with one another that Necrobarista is very much a visual novel. A shock to the system this may be, but anyone reading this likely knows by now this is far from a bad thing around these parts, so let us look a little closer.
It’s quite a melancholic thing, set in a less than conventional, somewhat Purgatorial coffee shop, where the newly departed stop in for a brief spell and a brew before taking the next step into the great unknown. While there’s a setup here for lots of stories to be told, it really draws in on a small cast of characters who look after the shop, and how a few key visitors change the world built up around them. Between each of the game’s chapters there’s the opportunity to unlock new side stories dependent on which of the phrases you chose to identify with from the chapter just gone, and although short, these do some good work fleshing out some characters and breaking up the main tale. As the title would suggest, the particulars of coffee do come up as a point of conversation, but there’s no drink-making side shows here - just a lot of talking, scheming about how to cheat death, and the more chin-scratching topic of a more accepting approach to this great inevitability.
It’s fairly short - comfortably under 10 hours - but crucially gets plenty of character development from each of its cast given the tight focus. Rather than the still portraits that you might come to expect of the genre, characters are given a real depth with 3D models that convey just as much as their words, which also helps this effort. Perhaps most crucially, and whether it’s in spite of all of the death, or instead because of it, there’s plenty of quite thoughtful and heartfelt sentiment hidden inside it. Comes recommended.
Tangle Tower
Tumblr media
I picked this up for Switch based on a recommendation, not knowing that I’d unknowingly be closing out an Apple Arcade hat trick for the month. So yes, it’s another more story-driven game, not too heavy on the input requirements, but instead good for getting you thinking.
It’s immediately very easy on the eye, with each and every character drawn in large format and animated with buckets of quirk and charm that runneth over. Every single one is brilliantly voiced too, with varying degrees of charisma, bluster, dry wit, and numerous other characteristics that shine through in brilliant harmony with the art. It’s a murder mystery, see, and while you’re putting together what everyone says has happened, looking out for who’s fancying who and the like, you’re also doing so with the critical expectation that at least one person is likely spinning you some tall tales. Luckily you’ll find clues that help you get closer to the truth and help deconstruct some of these falsehoods, whether they’re in plain sight or hidden behind one of many puzzles. These are exemplary in just how well-pitched they come, each being self-contained and just tricky enough to have you pause to really think about them, but without ever being too irksome or troubling to stop you enjoying yourself. Once you do start to get to the point of unmasking some secrets, there’s also a neat little interface the game rolls out for you to drop in and then verify these revelations; pairing numerous characters, items and statements to help demonstrate to it that you’re keeping up with it all, and things are clear enough to move on. There’s subtle little prods in the right direction just when they seem to be needed, further cementing the game’s solid grasp of when it’s best to say something, and when it can let you just stumble about and get on with it.
It’s a fantastic little game. I lost a day or so to this, and had a wonderful time doing so. I hope that it’s not too far away that I forget all of the details, so that I might do it all over again.
5 notes · View notes
aion-rsa · 3 years
Text
The Best Games of 2020
https://ift.tt/eA8V8J
Despite how almost every other aspect of the year went, 2020 was a landmark year for video games. Not only did it see the release of highly-anticipated titles like The Last of Us Part II, Animal Crossing: New Horizons, Ghost of Tsushima, and Cyberpunk 2077, but 2020 also marked the beginning of a new generation of console and PC gaming with the release of the Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 5, and new GPUs from NVIDIA and AMD. We even got a new Half-Life game this year!
What would’ve made the gaming year ever better? Big-name video game companies could have done more to eliminate development crunch and be more transparent about their business practices with customers and the press. And we definitely could have all been nicer to each other.
But video games also helped keep us connected when we couldn’t see our friends and loved ones in person. They helped us travel to new and interesting places when we couldn’t leave our homes. Most importantly, all 20 games on our best-of-the-year list made us feel excited about this medium at a time when it was so difficult to enjoy anything else.
To that affect, Den of Geek is celebrating 20 video games our contributors and critics, as well as our community of readers, voted as the very best of 2020.
20. Star Wars: Squadrons
For the last decade or so, most Star Wars games have focused on the power fantasy of being a lightsaber-swinging, Force-wielding Jedi. That’s all well and good, but for a long time it seemed like everyone forgot that some of the most beloved Star Wars games of all time were actually space shooters like X-Wing vs. TIE Fighter and Rogue Squadron. In many ways, Star Wars: Squadrons is a throwback to those games, both in terms of gameplay and design. Controls are a pitch perfect mix of arcade simplicity and strategy, requiring quick thinking about whether to focus your ship’s power on attacking or defending.
Squadrons is also much more tightly focused than other recent games from large publishers, with a breezy yet enjoyable single-player campaign, and a multiplayer mode that, while light on modes, eschews the more annoying modern conventions of the online PvP like invasive microtransactions. But Squadrons is not stuck in its old school ways.
If you have the hardware for it on PC or PS4, you can jump into the cockpit of any of the playable ships for one one of the most immersive VR modes around. Similar to how The Mandalorian has rejuvenated the live-action side of the Star Wars media empire, Squadrons is a perfect mix of all of the best things we’ve always loved about Star Wars video games, and everything we want them to be going forward.  – CF
19. Journey to the Savage Planet
Science fiction writers have long held on to this idea that, if and when humankind eventually colonizes the universe, it will do so as some sort of united, utopian entity, like Starfleet. But that future seems less and less likely every day. If and when humanity spreads across the stars, it will likely be messy, absurd, and profit-motivated. Journey to the Savage Planet wallows in that type of future. As an unnamed human (or dog, if you choose), you’re dropped onto the planet AR-Y26 by Kindred, the fourth biggest intergalactic exploration company with the simple goal of collecting as many resources as possible and leaving.
The Metroidvania gameplay loop of crafting equipment to access new areas is compelling, a rarity for 3D games in the genre. And it offers plenty of surprises too. You’ll start off with the typical blaster and scanner before eventually unlocking a grappling hook that lets you swing around levels like Spider-Man. But it’s style that ultimately lifts Journey to the Savage Planet above so many other games released in 2020. For one thing, the world and the fauna you’ll encounter are incredibly unique, and well, alien. And the regular live-action updates from Kindred beamed directly to your ship are among some of the funniest and most bizarre cinematics out this year in any game, providing plenty of motivation to see this journey through to its end. – CF
18. Half-Life: Alyx
As VR gaming continues to evolve, it’s becoming clear that the technology is more than just one truly great game away from widespread adoption. If that were all it took, then Half-Life: Alyx would have put a VR set under a lot of Christmas trees. 
It’s truly wild to think that we got a new Half-Life game this year and that it sometimes feels like the game’s release was barely a blip on the cultural radar. While its somewhat muted debut can be attributed to its VR exclusivity (and the fact it launched at the onset of a global health crisis), Half-Life: Alyx surpassed all possible hype by offering a truly incredibly narrative-driven adventure bolstered by some of the cleverest uses of VR technology that we’ve ever seen.
Half-Life: Alyx isn’t the first great VR game, but Valve’s glorious return to form does shows how VR can advance fundamental elements of gameplay and storytelling rather than just show familiar games from a new perspective. – MB
17. Carrion
The indie game space is where you typically see the most experimentation, and this year proved no different when the gruesome and morbid Carrion released back in July. Highly inspired by the likes of John Carpenter’s The Thing, Alien, and other cult classic horror films known for their excellent use of practical SFX, this platformer cleverly flips the script, putting you in the role of the monster to dispatch helpless scientists in the claustrophobic depths of an underground lab as an ever-growing amorphous blob creature. What follows is a brief but effective 2D platformer that is fast paced and delectably gory.
The controls could have made controlling the creature a real pain, but Phobia Game Studio recognized that the key here was letting you move swiftly through the levels. As such, gliding through vents to take down scientists from above or underneath quickly becomes second nature. Encounters still pose a good degree of challenge, however, thanks to the heavily armed soldiers that show up later in the game, but this never stops Carrion from fulfilling every horror aficionado’s devilish fantasy of being the bloodthirsty monster. – AP
16. Kentucky Route Zero
Calling Kentucky Route Zero an homage to classic point-and-click adventure games is technically correct, but it doesn’t come close to doing the experience justice. Kentucky Route Zero is more like a poem or fable in video game form. It’s a feeling, a distillation of what it’s like to come of age in the Great Recession and its fallout over the last decade. Kentucky Route Zero is an epithet for rural America told through a fever dream, an examination of a version of rural Appalachia where talking skeletons and robotic musicians live alongside gas station attendants and truck drivers.
Nothing about Kentucky Route Zero fits the typical confines of what we expect from a video game, and that includes its release. Developed by a team of only three, the first episode of the five-episode experience was released in 2013, but the final product was only realized in early 2020. That lengthy development cycle meant that the game’s scope and story could grow to only better encapsulate this moment in time, and the final product stands out as one of best games of the year. To say more is to spoil its excellent story. – CF
15. Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1+2
Though it’s been a hot minute since skateboarding games dominated the console space, Vicarious Visions’ excellent remake collection of the first two Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater titles was a reminder of how the entire series captured a whole generation of players in the late ’90s and early ’00s. Whether it’s grinding down rails, performing kickflips, or landing the gravity-defying 1080 on a vert ramp, everything in Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1+2 feels and looks exactly as you remember it but touched up with modern flare. That’s the mark of any great remake, and why this game in particular was the best example of the practice this year.
Classic skating locations like Warehouse, School and Downtown have all been faithfully remade from the ground up for a 21st century audience, effortlessly delivering the same thrills and balanced challenge as they did before. The fact that select mechanical features like reverts, which wouldn’t arrive until later entries, have been retroactively added is also a nice touch, instantly making Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1+2 the definitive way to experience these skateboarding classics. – AP
14. Ori and the Will of the Wisps
The fact that Ori and the Will of the Wisps managed to usurp the critically acclaimed 2015 original in most design aspects speaks to just how well Moon Studios has mastered the art of the Metroidvania. Whisking players off on another tight 10-hour journey set within a mystical forest full of secrets to discover, this 2D adventure gives off a fantastical vibe in a way few others do. It’s an expert blend between smart combat mechanics, highly polished platforming, and emotional storytelling. That it runs at a silky 60 fps both on Nintendo Switch and Xbox is the cherry on top.
The major improvements Will of the Wisps makes over Blind Forest relate to saving and combat. Whereas previously it was the responsibility of players to lay down specific checkpoints, progress is now more in line with other 2D platformers and less punishing. Combat, meanwhile, has been completely revamped with the inclusion of special charms and upgradeable skills, most of which result in more flexible enemy encounters. These tweaks are implemented without ever compromising on Ori’s core hook of magical exploration and challenging platforming, instantly making it one of the best Metroidvanias out there. – AP
13. Call of Duty: Warzone
Call of Duty: Warzone was a natural and perhaps even necessary evolution for the long-running shooter franchise, carving out a space for it in the ever-crowding battle royale genre. While it’s largely derivative of battle royale titles that came before, the staggering 150-player count, always excellent CoD controls, top-notch presentation, and flexible cash system have made it eminently popular and fun for casual players and series vets alike. The CoD fan base feels vibrant again after years of stagnation in the shadow of breakout titles like PUBG and Fortnite, and that’s without going into how Warzone has revitalized the franchise’s presence in the streaming space.
One of the best facets of the game’s design is that the large player count all but ensures that, even if a player is new to the genre or series, the chances of them being the absolute worst player in the field is very low. Better still, the “Gulag” respawn mechanic opens up the possibility for ultimate revenge should you earn your way back into the match, which is a nice way to up engagement for those who suffer disappointing deaths.
The game doesn’t feel quite as dynamic or high-stakes as some of its competitors on the market, but it’s definitely one of the easiest to pick up and play. It’s no wonder Warzone has expanded CoD’s already enormous audience over the course of 2020. – BB
12. Astro’s Playroom
With launch lineups mostly filled with graphically enhanced releases of last-gen games, the release of the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X has been more than a little underwhelming. The one bright spot is Astro’s Playroom, a little first-party Sony game that received virtually no pre-release hype and comes pre-installed on every PS5.
While at first glance a typical 3D platformer, Astro’s Playroom soon reveals itself to be a fantastic showcase of what’s possible with the new DualSense controller. In one level, you’re feeling the resistance from the controller’s adaptive triggers as you spring jump through obstacles dressed as a frog. In another, you’re expertly moving the controller back and forth to climb walls in a robotic monkey suit. Even just standing in the rain causes the controller to pulse ever so slightly with each drop. And all of this takes place across worlds celebrating the entire history of PlayStation, where you collect classic consoles and accessories, culminating in an unexpected boss battle throwback to an original PSX tech demo.
Astro’s Playroom may be short, but it’s an oh so sweet and exciting taste of what’s possible with the power of next-gen consoles. – CF
11. Doom Eternal
It would have been easy for Doom Eternal to be more of the same. After all, 2016’s Doom became the surprising gold-standard for single-player FPS games by virtue of its clever writing and gameplay that blended the best of classic and modern design concepts. Yet, Doom Eternal proved to be something much more than “the same but bigger.”
With its arena-like levels and resource management mechanics, Doom Eternal sometimes feels like a puzzle game set in the Doom universe. While the transition to this new style can be jarring, you soon find that Doom Eternal is speaking the same language in a different dialect. The brutal brilliance of a classic Doom game remains but it’s presented in the form of a kind of FPS dance that puts you in a state of pure zen once you figure out how to make that perfect run through a room full of demonic baddies. 
Four years after Doom showed this old franchise could pull off new tricks, Doom Eternal proves that this series is at the forefront of FPS innovation once more. – MB
10. Demon’s Souls
Although initially released in 2009 for the PlayStation 3, Demon’s Souls would help define the next generation of gaming by establishing the Soulslike genre, which has influenced everything from recent Star Wars games to The Legend of Zelda. The “problem” is that the legacy of Demon’s Souls has been sort of eclipsed by the accomplishments of its successors.
That’s the beauty of the remake for the PS5. Aided by the power of the console’s next-gen hardware, developer Bluepoint Games pays homage to one of the most historically significant games of the last 15 years while wisely updating it in ways that show that the foundation of FromSoftware’s breakthrough hit remains arguably the best entry in a genre that isn’t exactly lacking in modern classics. 
In a year where finding a next-gen console proved to be more difficult than any Soulslike game, Demon’s Souls remains the best reason to battle the bots at online stores in the hopes of joining gaming’s next generation as soon as possible. – MB
9. Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout
There were multiple times this year where couped-up players relied heavily on “bean” games to help maintain a human connection. Before Among Us dominated the Twitch streams, it was Mediatonic’s intentionally clumsy and hilarious Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout that had us competitively raging with our friends. It did so by merging the wildly popular battle royale genre with the inflatable-fueled antics of early ’90s game shows, where dodging swinging hammers and battling giant fruit against 59 others became the norm for a few weeks – all in the pursuit of winning a highly coveted crown.
Needless to say, making Fall Guys free to PS Plus subscribers for a month turned out to be a genius marketing move, urging everyone to hop into the game’s inventive gamut of levels and make a fool of themselves. Much of what sets it apart from other battle royale attempts is its low-skill barrier to entry, and thanks to frequent seasonal updates, new unlockable outfits and fresh mini-games always being added, bumbling to the top of the pack as a colorful bean remains consistent fun. – AP
8. Animal Crossing: New Horizons
It’s not an exaggeration to say that Animal Crossing: New Horizons should be included in history books about the Covid-19 pandemic. Releasing just as lockdowns were being instituted across the globe, New Horizons provided the escapism we so desperately needed while quarantining, attracting not just the usual Nintendo fanbase, but even those who had never played games in the past but were now looking for something to occupy their time at home. Whether we played it with friends or alone, New Horizons provided the routine and distraction that so many of us needed in a world suddenly thrown into chaos.
Of course, it helped that New Horizons is the best Animal Crossing game to date, with tons of new ways to customize your island (and yourself). And as Covid-19 restrictions have stretched much longer than many of us anticipated, New Horizons has kept pace, with Nintendo releasing a steady stream of new fish to catch, fruits to harvest, and events to participate in throughout the year. It may not be the game that everyone wanted, but New Horizons is the game that 2020 needed. – CF
7. Cyberpunk 2077
When Cyberpunk 2077’s legacy is written, there’s no doubt that the opening chapter is going to focus on the bugs, technical shortcomings, and empty promises that have turned what looked to be one of 2020’s guaranteed hits into one of modern gaming’s most debated debuts. 
Yet, the reason that this game’s initial issues will likely not ultimately define it is that Cyberpunk 2077 reveals itself to be a special experience whenever you’re able to play it without crashes or bugs ruining your experience. From its stunning side quests that revive one of The Witcher 3’s best elements to its shockingly human narrative, Cyberpunk 2077 regularly showcases the undeniable talent of the individuals who battled internal and external factors to deliver their vision. 
Cyberpunk 2077’s technical problems wouldn’t hurt as much as they do if there wasn’t a truly great game at the heart of them that people are begging to be able to play as intended. – MB
6. Final Fantasy VII Remake
The pressure was on for Square Enix from the moment it announced Final Fantasy VII Remake back in 2015. For those who obsessed over the original back in 1997, the prospect of a remake was the stuff dreams were made of, and this year we finally got to relive Cloud, Aerith, Barret, and Tifa’s grand adventure (the first act of it, at least) with fully updated, well, everything. Astonishingly, the remake actually lived up to expectations and delivered not just a faithful update to the original game but a modern RPG that stands as one of its generation’s best regardless of nostalgia.
The key to Square Enix’s success was its approach, which aimed not to duplicate the experience of the original game, but to capture the essence and spirit of it while using modern game design to deliver the story in a way that doesn’t feel retro or rehashed at all. The game looks dazzling by 2020 standards (Midgar never looked better) but doesn’t compromise the integrity of the original designs, and the real-time combat—arguably the biggest departure from the original—is a blast to play.
Time will tell how exactly Square Enix will follow through with the rest of the remake as we enter a new console generation, but in the meantime, they studio has left us with a terrific reimagining of the most celebrated title in the studio’s expansive oeuvre. – BB
5. Assassin’s Creed Valhalla
Ubisoft deserves credit for keeping a franchise like Assassin’s Creed, which is 13 years old at this point, thriving in an industry that is flooded with more open world games now than it ever has been. The series is always competitive in the genre, and Assassin’s Creed Valhalla proves why: it’s as refined as any of its predecessors and delivers a balanced experience with a rich world to explore, tons of strange stories to uncover, and a mash-up milieu that combines the eerie atmosphere of 5th-century England with the otherworldly spectacle of Norse mythology.
No open world game is perfect, and Valhalla certainly has a handful of shortcomings. But it’s a bloody good time to play, and there’s so much to do that there’s no question that you get your money’s worth. Eivor’s quest for glory and domination is also arguably the most cinematic story in the entire AC catalog, with some truly breathtaking cutscenes that rival those found in more linear games that can’t sniff Valhalla’s scope. Some of the more otherworldly moments in the back half of the game are pure, unadulterated, nonsensical fun, and overall, this is one of the best entries in the series. – BB
4. Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales
Insomniac is one of those studios that you can always rely on to deliver fun, polished games that shine in every category, and Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales only adds to the team’s sterling reputation. Building on the already brilliant formula the studio created with the original Marvel’s Spider-Man, Miles’s story is one of loss, friendship, identity, and the strength of the Black and Hispanic communities of Harlem.
The side-quel is also one of the best launch titles arguably ever. While it is a cross-gen game, the PS5 version is currently the best showcase of what next-gen gaming is capable of from a visual and performance standpoint. You won’t find a better-looking New York City in any other video game, period, and Insomniac’s outstanding animation work looks insanely good when bolstered by the PS5’s considerable horsepower. Miles plays differently than Peter Parker did in the original game as well, with his Venom Powers giving enemy encounters a new feel and rhythm.
Insomniac outdid itself with an excellent follow-up that would’ve been a forgettable DLC expansion in the hands of a less ambitious studio. But Miles Morales is one of the best modern-day superhero characters ever created, and it’s only right that he get a game that lives up to his greatness. – BB
3. Hades
The popularity of roguelikes has been calmly bubbling up for years now, yet only in 2020 did it truly become mainstream thanks to an ideal balance between gameplay and story as demonstrated by Hades. Players who previously took umbrage with the genre’s nature to wipe out all progress at each run’s end suddenly had a reason to jump back in, now inspired by Zagreus’ various tries to escape hell and overthrow his eponymous father. This alone sees Hades tower over most of its peers in terms of balance, further backed up by rewarding gameplay and a gorgeous comic book art style that makes the well-worn mythological Greek milieu feel fresh.
Developer Supergiant Games proved its penchant for creating flexible mechanical loops in prior titles, and in many ways, Hades feels like a culmination of all those ideas distilled in one neat package. It’s a great example of semi-randomized systems layering perfectly on top of other systems, until players eventually find themselves completing runs using distinct weapons, upgrading persistent abilities and slowly discovering which of the god’s many boons gel best with one another. Hades is always a hellishly good time. – AP
2. Ghost of Tsushima
The concept of honor has never been explored in a game as lyrically and philosophically as it is in Ghost of Tsushima, Sucker Punch’s story-driven samurai epic. Jin Sakai’s grand adventure is both brutal and beautiful, stretching across the grasslands and snowy peaks of the titular island, as he pushes the oppressive Mongol army out of his homeland, all the while wrestling internally with the kind of man, warrior, and leader he ultimately wants to be.
This game is outstanding on so many fronts that it’s difficult to list them all here. Visually, it looks so stunning that anyone who walks past your TV as you play is all but guaranteed to stop and stare for a while. The combat is fast and challenging, the stealth mechanic is on-point, the score is sweeping and sentimental, the character models are incredibly realistic, the online multiplayer mode “Legends” is actually a blast to play…and the list goes on. This poetic, pitch-perfect modern masterpiece is emblematic of the soulful, cinematic storytelling PlayStation Studios is known for, and it’s a wonderful way to send the PS4 off into the sunset. – BB
1. The Last of Us Part II (Also Reader’s Choice)
You can’t even say the name of our 2020 game of the year without sparking numerous debates that often make it nearly impossible to have a productive conversation about the game itself. That makes it that much more tempting to somehow find a kind of middle-ground that will “justify” the game’s lofty position to everyone regardless of where they stand. 
The thing about The Last of Us Part 2,though, is that its divisiveness is very much part of the experience. Naughty Dog’s follow-up to arguably its greatest game is a bold attempt to live up to the franchise’s legacy by furthering what came before while trying to find its own way. Much like Ellie herself, The Last of Us Part 2 doesn’t always make the right decisions. Yet, at a time when bigger budgets are seen as an excuse to play it safe, The Last of Us Part 2 impresses through its willingness to present a big, bold, and personal adventure that is often anything but what was expected. 
cnx.cmd.push(function() { cnx({ playerId: "106e33c0-3911-473c-b599-b1426db57530", }).render("0270c398a82f44f49c23c16122516796"); });
Anyone can generate a little controversy by saying something stupid, offensive, or hurtful. The beauty of The Last of Us Part 2’s controversy is that it stems from a heartfelt attempt to advance the conversation through indie-like passion and big budget production. – MB
The post The Best Games of 2020 appeared first on Den of Geek.
from Den of Geek https://ift.tt/2KKY9QG
3 notes · View notes