#and so ended up making things worse because they used a simple solution for the problem that was sadly the wrong solution

[alwaysbewoke]

our entire political system is flawed, but

you're not going to change it in one election to perfection; what you can absolutely do is make everything worse in one election. also, you can acknowledge that the system needs work and that you want more without lying and pretending as if it has produced nothing positive for you. the problem right now with many people is that you guys want an instant solution. you want an instant fix. however, there is no such thing. there will not be one election or one candidate or one bill that's going to fix this. this is going to take long-term, strategic, methodical work for us to make it right, and i can tell right now that many people are not up for the task. they're too weak, but they won't be weak enough to complain, make videos, tweets, ig posts, reels, tiktoks, blog posts and whatever whining when shit hits the fan. they'll be the first ones howling at the moon and gnashing their teeth without taking responsibility for the part they played in the shitstorm.

here's some simple advice: pack the senate and congress with hardcore progressives. hardcore progressives. and then go to your local election and pack that with hardcore progressives again. but by no means should any of us accept any talk or strategy that gives the republicans power. at some point, you've got to stop playing checkers in a chess game.

however, the problem is this point of view should have been adopted in 2016. i fear that it might actually be too late because people played checkers in the chess game knowing full well that whoever won that election was going to have at least one supreme court pick. that winner actually got three and now has set this country back for the foreseeable future. generations are going to be feeling that pain. we missed out on critical years to address climate change. the voting rights of black people have been completely undermined. the educational opportunities for black people have also been undermined. discrimination against gay people has been affirmed. we saw the death of millions of americans at the hands of a global pandemic that was profoundly mishandled, and yet having seen and experience all of this people are willing to entertain the idea of allowing those in power who did all this to get even more power again. UNBELIEVABLE! people like that deserve ridicule.

if you actually care about black lives, people of color, trans rights, gay rights, healthcare, education, palestine, dr congo, police brutality, child poverty, climate change, restoring democracy, voting rights, equitable access to all levels of education, ending the prison industrial complex, women's rights, and etc do not entertain any talk about taking actions that will give republicans power. not in the short term. not in the long term. don't let your anger and your disappointment force your hand into making things worse for yourself and others. there's already been widespread voter suppression so if you think you're going to give republicans all that power and then vote to take it away from them down the line when everything is more to your liking, you are delusional. if you really want to change things (like for real, you're not just talking shit about "progress"),here are some insightful videos:

#FuckBidenButHellToTheNoOnAnyRepublican

#politics #reality check #fuck biden but hell no to republicans #voting #palestine

[milkb0nny]

🤍 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒎 𝒃𝒆𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒎𝒂𝒅 𝒂𝒕 𝒚𝒐𝒖

characters: Alhaitham, Dan Heng, Blade, Sampo Koski

content: soft angst, good endings, gn!/reader

warning: mention of harsh language, drinking, not proofread

🍃... 𝑨𝒍𝒉𝒂𝒊𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒎

▫️ It doesn’t take much to annoy him since he despises when he gets bothered reading and just weird sounds alone throw him off. You do know that but at some days you’re not too aware of his bad mood.

▫️It starts with him ignoring you, trying to focus on whatever he’s doing but the fact he’s actively trying to ignore you makes it worse. You’ll notice he grunts in dissatisfaction or completely avoids you. When you ask him what’s up with him, he might blow up.

▫️ He’s dislikes yelling at you and therefore he simply doesn’t. He dislikes when people yell at him since he feels like a child that just broke a plate. In his mind yelling isn’t a solution. He'll tell you his issues in other way such as very harsh and cold words.

▫️Most of the time he's annoyed or mad it isn't actually you who caused it. Alhaitham struggles to find right moments to discuss emotions and maybe lets his anger slip.

▫️You're often questioning yourself being a nuisance when he shoves his madness in your face. The moment he notices you hating yourself he feels sorry. It's not your fault he has a hidden short temper.

▫️Alhaitham feels sorry afterwards since he usually ends up saying hurtful things when mad. He never intends to harm you and it pains him seeing you hurt over his silly emotions. To make up for it he will apologize with small gestures.

🍃... 𝑫𝒂𝒏 𝑯𝒆𝒏𝒈

▫️Dan Heng gets constantly annoyed by March and is used to have a constant nuisance sticking on him. His border from annoyed to mad is pretty high up and it's hard to actually drive him crazy. His clam attitude is nearly impossible to provoke.

▫️At times there are bad days though where Dan Heng can't handle anyone and anything. Alone the thought of March jumping in his room to show him some of the newest trends is a bother to him. These days he shuts himself in his room to read in peace.

▫️With that being said it's quite hard for you to make him angry. He usually keeps everything in himself until he can't handle it. When that happens you're not allowed to be around him. The answer is quite simple: he doesn't want to hurt you because others made him crazy.

▫️Maybe it hurts you to avoid Dan Heng, your loved one, all day. On the other hand it shows his care for you and how afraid he is to lose you due to some irrational feelings.

▫️Dan Heng gets angry, not very angry but a little angry, whenever a book of him gets destroyed. If you accidentally spill coffee on his limited edition astrology book he gets angry with you. It won't last long as the both of you know it is an accident but books are very important to him.

▫️The same goes for his clothes. Dan Heng isn't the tidiest but dirt on his clothes make him feel incredibly uncomfortable. You have to count in some mad side eyes if you make his clothes dirty.

🍃... 𝑩𝒍𝒂𝒅𝒆

▫️Oh dear it is not a good idea to wake the anger inside of him. Blade has a short temper especially when his strength or authority gets questioned. He hates it when others look down on him. So you better not even make a joke about his lacking skills (which he does have).

▫️He isn't a violent man but a loud man. Yes, he will shout at you, not understanding why you're so incapable of doing things and he will be very hurtful. It is a rare occurrence though. When you start crying or distancing yourself he immediately falls in panic.

▫️Most of the time he'll show annoyance whenever you don't follow his instructions. He's not controlling but when you go into a fight that isn't made for you and you get hurt, he does get angry with you. In other cases it's you being mindless about your health or too easy with people who are obviously trying to manipulate you.

▫️Blade dislikes whenever you don't take yourself serious and end up getting hurt by bullshit people. His anger overtakes him sometimes. You could say his anger is a product of worry and annoyance.

▫️You need to grow a little cold when he's mad at you and yells. It's something he has to get out somehow and you need to protect yourself from stupid statements he says. Afterwards he'll be apologizing so much.

▫️You shouldn't play with his emotions. It won't turn out pretty but after all he is a great man and his only goal is to protect you.

🍃... 𝑺𝒂𝒎𝒑𝒐 𝑲𝒐𝒔𝒌𝒊

▫️You don't notice when he's mad. Is he really? Or just a little annoyed? It is a hard mission to look through his laid back facade. Most of the time you won't even notice.

▫️The causes of his inner trouble are rather trivial: you get hurt, you leave him on read, you make him feel lonely because of lacking affection. These are all things you may not notice here and there but to Sampo they're very important.

▫️So in cases of madness and sorrow he visits a local Pub or the fight club to have one or two drinks. Alcohol helps him with processing his emotions. He wouldn't dare to let his anger slip through you. It's not his personality and Sampo knows anger can hurt everyone severely.

▫️The evenings he spends in the pub and not with you, you do question what you did wrong. To make up for it you prepare some little surprises but what more can you do if he doesn't express his feelings towards you? It is a hardship and both of you have to overcome some barriers.

▫️Sampo knows that alcohol never truly solves the issues but to him it's a way to deal with it. It takes him some time to give in his emotions and let them roam freely. In the end is afraid to hurt you or make the situation worse.

▫️When he gets home and sees you're little tries to make it up to him he tears up and falls in your arms. He's an easy boyfriend and sometimes needs extra love or else he'll struggle.

Please reblog, like and support!🤍

#honkai star rail #genshin impact headcanons #genshin x reader #al haitam x reader #alhaitham #dan heng #genshin impact #honkai star rail x reader #hrs #dan heng x reader #sampo koski x reader #sampo koski #star rail blade #blade x reader #hrs blade

[not-goldy]

PJM's lurking Jikook blogs, get off your fucking selfish asses and defend JM the right way, for once. WTF is wrong with y'all? Letting TKK and JK solos set Jimin up every day and harass him and you all sitting there with your thumbs up your asses like its not our problem if people hate Jikook. Bitch yes it is. Jk is part of Jimin's life. He made this choice to enlist with JK and the least you can do is help report those vile fuckers or take PJM's off your profile. I will never understand saying why would we support Jikook, when we hate JK. Umm because Jimin loves him and that alone should be enough to at least defend his bond and decisions he makes with JK, even if you hate JK. If you love Jimin, you have to respect his decisions, end of discussion. You don't have to like it, but as a fan you do have to respect it. You are no better then TKK and JK solos right now, in fact you are worse. Running around looking like the most hypocrite fanbase in this fandom, given that you have PJM in your profile & Jimin is the most bullied and harassed and you don't wanna get your hands dirty and go after the real problem. JK is not the problem. TKK and JK solos and Jikook antis are. As fans, what you do does reflect on Jimin and Jimin is such an amazing and good human and you taint that reputation for him, everytime you belittle a decision he makes, cause you hate JK.

PJM's solution. Fighting hate with hate, instead of defending. You people have lost it. Example: A TKK started thread about how Jimin is a predator and makes JK uncomfortable. Instead of PJM's biting their tongue and putting their hate aside for JK for 2 seconds & defend Jikook's bond, that JK doesn't make him uncomfortable and enlisted with Jimin on his own freewill, something this simple to say, they instead make a thread of JK making Jimin uncomfortable in retaliation and saying he is the one harassing and stalking Jimin. Yeah, that'll teach them not to disrespect Jimin any further. Fucking morons. You had one job, defend Jimin and you failed. Jimin doesn't need you to trash JK when he gets harassed, he needs you step up and defend his relationship with his bandmate and treat it with respect. PJM's talk their shit, Jimin only has PJM's. Looks to me like he doesn't have your support at all. I thought PJM's were better then this, but they are too selfish to do the right thing, cause their hate for JK, out weighs their love for Jimin. I am so disappointed in PJM's. I held them to a higher standard. You don't have to like Jikookers or JK, but you can stand alongside and agree to protect him. Fucking cowards, to much of pussies to stand up against TKK and JK solos. I don't even like you MF's personally, but I will glady stand with you to defend Jikook, cause I however, do love Jimin that much. GET THE FUCK UP OFF YOUR ASS AND DO SOMETHING. Even if its a fucking email or supporting Jikook's show openly. Show them MF's they won't win.

The brain damage of them coming to spaces where both Jimin and Jungkook are loved to create unnecessary drama make enemies out of JM lovers- wish they would go bother Tuktukkers and pick fights with other solos and leave us the fuck alone.

When Jimin comes back I'm snitching on them fr

[lord-squiggletits]

NGL I think one of my least favorite "gotchas" that I see/get while critiquing stories is "so how would you fix it? oh so you don't have an idea of how to rewrite the story to make it better? oh so basically you're just complaining that you don't like it and don't have actual critique."

Buddy.

Sometimes the reason I don't have a "solution" to how the author should've rewritten their story to be better, is because I'm not privy to the author's thought process, what their alternate story ideas were, what they talked about with their editor, what they might've been forced to do by deadlines, or even what they might've thought they were writing towards at first but then later changed the trajectory of their story to be about something else.

It's all well and good for me to say something like, idk, "I think Character A should've gotten more narrative focus because their story could have helped fix XYZ Plot Hole," but it could very well be that the author never intended for Character A to be a prominent character (just a secondary or tertiary character). Maybe using Character A to solve one Plot Hole would've gone against the writer's plans because then it would open up a different plot hole for something else they had planned later in the story. If it's an ongoing story, maybe something I see as a "plot hole" is actually a deliberate mystery that the creator left open to write about later-- or maybe the plot hole is because there was a deadline crunch and the author had to drop a certain character/plot point/etc because they couldn't fit it into the story any more. Maybe having Character A be a more prominent part of the story is just based on MY personal tastes and what I would want to write in MY version of the story, but completely clashes with the characters/conflicts the author wanted to focus on.

Because yes, there are some story critiques that are as simple as "part A doesn't make sense, you could just fix it by doing B", but there are also some story critiques where suggesting a viable "solution" would require BEING the author or someone involved in the production of the story to understand what limitations or plans were involved in the selection of that flawed plot point. There are also some story critiques where even if there is a "problem" and my critique offers a "solution," there could be another "solution" or even dozens that do just as good of a job fixing the issue, but involve vastly different characters, plot ideas, so on and so forth.

Being a good critic isn't (just) about going "the story would've been better if X happened" because the story is ultimately in control of the author and their vision, and without knowing what the author's vision was (something that you almost exclusively know if you're 1. the author or 2. their beta reader), it's impossible to definitively say "this plot point should've been cut/[completely different thing] should've happened instead" because THAT is the point at which you're complaining, not critiquing. I would argue that in some cases, trying to "fix" a story yourself actually makes your critique worse, not better, because it ends up being a case of you simply imposing your artistic vision over the author's to say "I think it would've been better this way."

At least if you just say "this part of the story was flawed because XYZ" without saying "it should have been ABC instead", then you're stating your grievances with the story without being presumptuous enough to assume that YOUR version of the story would fit the author's original vision, or the constraints they were working under, or the other versions of the story that they were debating over at the time before ultimately settling on one version (even if flawed).

There's a point at which "this plot is flawed, that should've happened instead" is just fix-it fan fiction and not actual critique that could help the writer write their story in a way that fits their vision.

#squiggposting #discourse #i think the closest you can get to definitively saying 'the author should've done X instead' #would be something like JRO and the handbooks he recently released where he actually revealed alternate plot ideas #or like what the reasoning was behind different plot points. as well as what he did and didn't include and why #because THEN with a more clear understanding of the behind the scenes/what the author wanted to achieve #THEN you would have more information to be able to say 'this alternative storyline would've solved this plot hole' #or to even say 'actually those alternate ideas weren't as good and picking the canon flawed plot made a better story' #like for god's sake ppl apparently don't understand that art and storytelling and creativity are subjective #sometimes if i don't have a solution it's not bc my critique is invalid. it's bc there's multiple ways to fix it #and i'm not the author so idk which way of fixing the story would best suit their intentions/purposes/limitations #despite what snobs seem to think it's very possible for you to say 'this is flawed' and not know what the fix for it is #it's like how you can eat restaurant food and go 'something about this tastes bland' #w/o having to know what ingredients went into the recipe or how it's supposed to taste #and in that case unless you literally know the recipe or are a chef you would come off as a dick #if you tried to dictate to the kitchen what they did wrong and how to fix it #for some reason story critics are terrified of ambiguity and uncertainty and subjectivity and idk why #it is very easy and not intellectually wrong for a person to say 'this is flawed' and not have a solution for how to fix it

[pauking5]

Seeking comfort from an idiot

enishi yukishiro x fem reader

A/N: This is a quick wip on pair with the Addicting Taste lore but can be a standalone (if you squint). Here's a little comfort fic with my favorite idiot to soothe my monthly torture. Hope it helps yours a little too. Enjoy!

Part 2 😉

"Let me get this straight."

"Yes, Enishi," you say exasperated, a hand held to your forehead.

You were sat on the couch in his office, explaining the suffering ovary owners go through every month to him. He seemed utterly confused at every new piece of information you were telling him. He made a great effort in understanding your current predicament, despite asking the stupidest questions known to mankind.

"You just randomly bleed out every month?"

"Yes," you sighed a little annoyed.

"Willingly?"

"Oh my god, you're an idiot."

"What do you mean I'm an idiot? It's not my fault I don't know anything about these things."

The migraine brewing in your head was mostly because of your period, partly due to his stupid questions. There was no way this man was raised by a woman.

"I just explained it to you!" you yelled as he lifted his hands up in surrender.

You felt a wave of discomfort slowly crawl up your abdomen and sunk back into the couch hoping to alleviate it. The stiff cushions did little to help, making you more uncomfortable than they should have. Everything was making you sensitive and the only thing that would help was your bed.

"Enishi?" you called his name in a tiny voice only to get a hum in response.

"Bed," you say, making grabby hands at him. The simple word should have been enough of a hint about what you wanted but his brain didn't seem to catch the obvious.

"What about the bed?" he asked earning a groan from you. Your hormones were getting the best of you as you struggled to keep the murderous intentions inside.

"I want to go to bed," you say through gritted teeth as you repeated the grabby hands, adding a smile at the end. If you didn't hit the bed soon your insides would turn into a torture chamber.

"Then go-"

"You idiot, CAN YOU PLEASE TAKE ME TO BED-" you yelled but stopped as a big cramp wrecked your middle, making you crumple into a ball on the couch. You shut your eyes tight and gripped your abdomen trying to ride out the waves of pain.

He mumbled a few curses under his breath as he moved to your spot. Sliding his strong arms under your legs and securing your back, he lifted you up carefully trying to not make your pain worse.

He made a move towards your room as you leaned your head on his shoulder, curling yourself into him as much as you could. He felt weirdly warm today, a comforting heat radiating off his body. The sweet relief was short lived as another wave of cramps wrecked your body making you whine.

You hated feeling this helpless every single month, unable to do anything about it, except suffer in silence until the pain would subside by itself. Showing your weakness to Enishi of all people made you feel even shittier about yourself. He was the kind of person to brave through an injury no matter how painful it felt, so it was normal to feel a little mad about it as you asked him to carry you to your room.

He gently let you down on the bed and you turned on your side, gripping his hand as you sat him on the edge next to you. The pain was only getting worse and you needed immediate relief before you would pass out, freaking out a clueless Enishi even more.

"What can I do to help?"

"Nothing," you choked as a violent cramp was trying to dismantle your uterus.

He racked his brain for a solution until he settled on a forgotten memory of his sister. He was wandering aimlessly around the woods until he stumbled and fell, scraping his knee on a rock. As Tomoe patched him up, he recalled her saying something about warmth being the cure for almost all pain.

He wasn't sure if she meant it rhetorically or if it was actually a remedy he could use. Hell, he would try anything to put you out of your misery right now even if it sounded like a fable.

Doubtful if it would work, he took to rubbing your lower back in slow circles to create some warmth, waiting for your reaction. The action relieved some of your pain and you sighed in content, giving Enishi the confirmation that he was doing something useful. The more heat his palm generated, the more your cramps were decreasing in intensity. Maybe he wasn't that useless when it came to comfort as you thought.

The consistent rhythm of his hand lulled you and you were fast asleep before you knew it. Enishi smiled softly at your pouty face, puffing up against the pillow as a few light snores escaped you. He brushed a few stray hairs away from your face and hooked them up behind your ear. Grabbing a hold of your blanket he draped it over you so you would stay warm.

He wished he could do more for you. Seeing you in this much pain was driving him mad. He couldn't believe the fact that you were going through this every month. It made him admire your strength even more than he already did. He was sure as hell that if he was the one bleeding out every month he wouldn't be able to handle it.

A battle wound could heal within a few days. But this was a constant pain lasting for more than a few days, making normal everyday tasks become a struggle. No one should go through this kind of pain, especially you.

You whimpered in your sleep as his hand stopped rubbing your back. He chuckled as he turned back to his job, a small smile pulling at your lips in your sleep. You wriggled closer to him seeking the warmth of his hand rather than the blanket.

It seemed so easy to comfort you without doing too much but just being there for you. He was willing to do anything to help you during this time, no matter what you asked of him. If rubbing your back was what you needed he would gladly comply with it for as long as you needed him to.

Thank you for reading! As always, comments, notes and reblogs are welcome :)

#enishi yukishiro #enishi yukishiro x reader #enishi yukishiro comfort #enishi yukishiro x you #enishi yukishiro fluff #where do i get me an enishi too #i feel lonely now smh #kinda did it to myself

[phoenix-manga]

Elu Sorrel

CV: Minami Tsuda

Biographical Information

Gender: Female

Age: 17

Birthday: December 10

Starsign: Sagittarius

Height: 158 cm

Eye Color: Saffron

Hair Color: Black

Professional Status

Dorm: Sagamore

School Year: 2nd Year

Class: 2-A | Student no. 12

Occupation: Student | Drm Leader

Club: Griffin Scout Club

Best Subject: Griffin Disc

Fun Facts

Favorite Food: Buttered Corn

Least Favorite Food: Biscuits

Dislikes: Complicated technology and unclean places

Hobby: Wood carving

Talents: Morse code

Idol Stats

Performance: A soft voice meant for ballads and folksongs

Choreography: She can do interpretive dance and hip hop, but she doesn't combine the two

Styling Jewel Outfits: Cultural | Cool

Elu is hesitant in new things but tries to keep an open mind. It’s difficult to adjust because she is unsure of what would happen if she tries something new and it might end up a bad experience. Not to mention growing up in an isolated village doesn’t give her enough exposure to foreign cultures.

Locals in her homeland know her to be a strong-willed girl who can be brutally honest because she intends to fix the problem right away, she believes that sugar-coating would delay the solution and make it worse. Though she does feel a little bad if someone cries from her criticism.

Being a beastman, she is very agile with a keen sense of smell as well as strength that surpasses humans. She often goes out hunting with the older members of the group and she displays full cooperation with other teammates.

But another thing to note is that she is a black bear beastman, her temperament is calm but she has a thin patience and she will growl or roar in anger. Despite being so small, she has incredible physical strength.

One thing she dislikes is when the team is unstable and problematic, she would quickly abandon that group and do the job herself or find another that’s got their heads together. She’d rather have the task done quickly and efficiently with no side tracking.

Unfortunately, this gives off the impression that she’s cold and unsociable which is far from the truth. She just needs to tone down a little bit.

Elu is actually mature and gives advice for those who can’t look after themselves. She enjoys the simple things in life and can have her moments where she spouts words of wisdom that makes others think she’s a wise, old sage.

Hometown: Bearland Woods

Family History

She grew up in a village where the locals rarely or never interact with outsiders. They aren’t against having outsiders visit but it was clear they don’t know how to handle interacting with people living different lifestyles.

The villagers are all beastmen who are mostly of the bear genus, though there are some who are deer and raccoon. Everyone knows each other and treat each other as if they were all family. Which means they don’t stand idly by if one of them gets hurt.

But they’ve been especially wary of outsiders after a group of shady businessmen started causing problems for them. Some of their people were imprisoned and branded as the bad guys when they retaliated.

They know nothing about the modern laws of the urban society and are pressured to take deals that would only benefit the other party. Thankfully, her father was a firm man and kept refusing them every time. But it won’t be long until they use every influence they have to chase them out of their home.

Elu is upset by these people and how they seem to be driven by their greed. It doesn’t help that they would disrupt the environment with their logging and illegal dumping.

Unlike city folk, life in her village was simple yet satisfying. They take what they need from the forest while also respecting the cycle of life. They don’t hunt out of vanity or pride. The males usually do the hunting but there have been women who are capable enough to hunt alongside them.

Due to Elu’s elder brother being born with weak body, she has taken the task of hunting for food and foraging. She has been taught knowledge on how to traverse the land and recognize edible and non-edible plants from her father.

Childhood Memories

Elu has a fond memory of her father protecting her from a bison that wandered too close, her father struggled but he overpowered the animal and sent it away from their borders. His tall stature and rough features may have come off as intimidating to others but to Elu he was her hero.

She wanted to be like him so she does everything she can to make him proud. Even courageously taking the chance to leave home to attend DCA in order to help their village.

There was an unpleasant memory where she was told to stay in the house by her father but she got curious and peeked to see these formally dressed businessmen. Whatever they said made her father mad, he eventually sent them away.

But what happened after that was scarred into her memory, a couple of houses in her village were suddenly set ablaze, her brother nearly losing his life when he was trapped in the rubble.

She smelled the source of the fire when the businessmen returned, they smelled like gasoline, when she cried out that they were the culprits. They mocked her by asking if they even have any solid evidence as well as a lawyer, implying that her village wouldn’t win because they have the money and power to make it their victory.

Elu’s rage from what the businessmen said made her determined to focus for the benefit of her village but this in turn made her closed off to outsiders. Afraid they would be like the businessmen, lying through their teeth.

Like Jinlong, she has trouble adjusting to the school life due to the culture shock. So, she often keeps to herself while occasionally asking the professors for advice when Elu feels like there was no other option. Which is the reason why she struggled a lot at first.

Not to mention, she doesn’t understand the concept of idol concerts and what the purpose of this was. She isn’t familiar with the pop songs or rock, she was more of a traditionalist but she felt like not many people would be interested in that.

She was at a loss for what she was doing and if she was even trying hard enough. Until Perrine approached her and made Elu comfortable enough to finally figure out how to get used to the school environment and subjects enough to guarantee her that she won’t need to drop out of school.

Putting her inventing skills to use, she does a lot of favors in exchange for what she needs, be it some notes or tutoring. In time, she got better and has gained a reputation for herself in school. Elu thinks that it’s only a small group but in reality she helped a lot of people and they admire her a lot.

Her grades are fairly decent but it was clear that she started to improve the more she managed to understand the foreign subjects. Not among the top students but still high around the B grade.

An excellent archery shooter who can shoot with high accuracy even when on horseback. She is known to even shoot arrows through ring holes as small as a pinky finger.

School Relationships

Elu mostly kept to herself and her “strictly business” attitude made it difficult for idle chit chat. It wasn’t until she was forced to seek out the help of other students that she learns to communicate more.

Even though she was still a bit professional, she at least made progress. She’s learned to try out new things little by little and learn more about new topics.

Perrine was the first to approach her and wasn’t thrown off by Elu’s reluctance. She managed to win her over just a bit with food because who doesn’t? Plus, it would help the girl relax a little and feel welcome.

Rozeline and Elu started off as acquaintances who exchanged information of interest until they became close enough to consider each other as friends in a way. Elu figured she could gain knowledge she needed from Rozeline and in turn can hope to put her issues in the urban public.

Elu found Rozeline’s inventions innovative and would take notes from her, but she’s sure to also provide her own feedback on how to make it eco-friendly while still efficient.

Jinlong was an enigma to Elu, she has never seen other beastmen let alone something like a dragonkin like Jinlong. So, she is both intrigued but also intimidated. When she got to know Jinlong by chance, she began to admire her. Their goals were different but they both relate to feeling out of place, but unlike Elu who was hesitant at first, Jinlong pushed through and got to her position.

Skilli sees Elu as this lost bear cub who is figuring out the right path, but with so many things she doesn’t know, finding the right path seems impossible. Skilli’s form is from Elu’s desire to find the way to settle her problems that won’t end in turmoil.

Skilli shares her knowledge to Elu as well as guide her to opening her eyes to new things she won’t find from the comforts of her home. Skilli teaches her how to cherish those differences in order to understand the world better. The fairy is the wisest and the most patient out of all the dorm fairies.

Matelot

She is a woodpecker and acts as Elu’s scout, always on the lookout for anything of interest from the treetops. Matelot often marks using symbols that Elu recognizes, she even knows Morse code.

Matelot is very quiet and likes to hide her presence, often scaring people and other animals when she starts pecking away. An animal of very little words, she talks softly into people’s ears before leaving the conversation.

Tala

She is a gypsy vanner horse with a calm temperament. No matter what chaos goes on in the background she just goes, “Oh, the usual?” then does her own thing. But when it’s an emergency, she can go from calm to serious when needed.

Elu often rides on her back to drive away approaching danger. Tala is also powerful enough to push away fallen trees and break small boulders.

Her Unique Magic is called, “Arrow of the Wind”, she can control any direction her arrows to follow her targets with a special wind spell that only she can cast. She can make the wind faster and therefore have a greater impact on the arrows.

She can also use it as a shield, any projectiles within her line of sight can be slowed down or be redirected back to her opponent.

Elu’s magical capability is mostly nature based. Though these abilities are used to benefit her village more than mainly using them for combat, unless she needed to as a last resort. She seeks to use her skills in creating more contraptions that make life easier but not at the cost of the ecosystem.

Mato Sorrel

The chief of their village, he is a large bear beastman who is strong enough to carry about five pine logs. He is having trouble with the businessmen who try to trespass their land and try to trick him into signing a ‘beneficial’ contract, he refuses every time because he didn’t have the opportunity to gain outside knowledge. He isn’t narrow-minded to think that outsiders are greedy but he just hopes that his daughter will be able to handle herself in the academy and hopefully bring an end to the trespassers.

Alo Sorrel (23)

He has a weak body so he isn’t able to hunt or participate in activities involving strength, he chooses to help the village to advance economically while keeping the environment in mind. He often sends letters to Elu to inform her what has been happening in the village. He feels guilty that he can’t do much to prevent trespassers from walking all over their homeland due to his weak body.

The character’s name, “Elu” means “Full of Grace” and is a name of Native American origin while the last name, “Sorrel”, means “reddish brown”. The artist just thought this last name sounded better fitting for the character despite the meaning.

Elu’s dorm, Sagamore, was considered to be the equivalent of the Savanaclaw in NRC. Most of the students there are beastmen much like Savanaclaw. Though, Dragonstone, also shares this comparison but Sagamore has more beastmen than Dragonstone does.

She was originally going to be written with the same wise and calm personality like Pocahontas but then it was changed to be a tougher personality with the sense of adventure and navigation like John Smith. The calm personality went to her brother.

The artist chose to assign a bear to Elu as a nod to Brother Bear as well as to fit the characteristic of someone that looks cute but is actually fierce.

Elu was the hardest to design since the first design had too much details and took the longest to draw, not to mention drawing a mechanical bow was difficult for the artist since contraptions are tricky.

The artist is open to criticism and opinions regarding Native American culture since the internet isn’t always helpful.

#twisted wonderland #diamond crown academy #dca #twst #elu sorrel #sagamore #headcanons

[parallaxia]

What is it about the military that makes men troon out so often? It doesn't seem to be as much of a thing for women in the military either so like. What's going on in there?

It's a couple different things.

First of all, civilians don't realize this but combat PTSD is only about the 4th or 5th biggest contributor to the military's mental health issues.

The military largely recruits enlisted troops from demographics that are significantly more likely to develop mental illness such as foster kids (two different recruiters from different branches I talked to on opposite ends of my city when I was looking into enlisting happened to have grown up in foster care, there's definitely kind of a pipeline) and poor people. Additionally, irregardless of class, the military is a very simple solution for teens desperate to get out of a shitty home situation. You walk in the recruiting office door and you can be on a plane to another state with all expenses paid in a month. I've met a lot of people who enlisted just to escape abuse.

Quality of life for enlisted troops is low. They are not paid very much, they live and work in decrepit structures full of toxins and vermin, they drink polluted water, they breathe polluted air, they are ordered to cut safety corners and engage in hazardous behaviors at work to increase productivity, and they receive subpar medical care often comparable to the medical care in less developed countries or the US 30 years ago.

If the military was a civilian employer, it would have some of the worst worker's rights violations of any American company, worse than Amazon or Walmart or P&G. I'm not elaborating on this more here just because I'm not even sure where to start in such short form.

Second of all, enlisting is extremely identity-forming for people who join at 17-19 and being discharged - especially unexpectedly - can really fuck some people up psychologically in long term ways. What exacerbates this even more is that the MOSs/AFSCs that are the most........ I dunno how to put it, military-y are often the least applicable to the civilian job market, so it's often the most ra ra military vets who end up working at McDonald's and shit.

[apollos-olives]

Hi, I appreciate your effort on spreading the words about Palestine on this website that's been suppressing Palestine content so much these days. I've been posting about Palestine and got shadowbanned on my other account. I just want to say something.

Regarding the last ask about white queers, I as an Asian (Vietnamese) queer can definitely tell that the queer liberals are very unproductive. I can tell from many people even my friends, who are staunchly against the West, lumping queerness with Western value (despite our culture is rich of drag queens and homosexuality has always been there) and therefore very queerphobic. Queer liberals cannot and must not stand with the oppressor bc the oppressed are homophobic, which yes so many times the homophobia from the oppressed comes from the oppressor. A lot of queer spaces being this reactionary makes me don't want to join a lot of queer spaces.

I also feel like the conversation around why people support Palestine has been very strange. People using various amounts of idealistic reasoning, but the number one reason that I and pretty much 80% of the world would agree on is that it's the fight of the oppressed against the oppressor, and 80% of the world had been in the place of the oppressed. I was lucky to not live in those times in history, but I was taught and told to never forget our oppressed history, of more than 127 years fighting the colonialists and imperialists. Our hospital was also bombed, our cities destroyed, villagers massacred. When I saw the Palestinian doctors said they will stay here for Palestine, it reminds me of my grandma who said the exact same about Vietnam. Palestinians arguably had it significantly worse than us Vietnamese during our war time with that total blockade, so I as a Vietnamese wants to share the struggle with them too.

Also Idk why an one-state Palestine solution is so hard to imagine to people. We Vietnamese also had been subjected to a two-state solution as well, and what happened after reunification is very simple. Most of the people just stayed and became citizens of the new united Vietnam, some fleed to other countries. If Palestine unification happens it would be similar imo. A lot of arguments against the one-state solution comes from just pure projection bc Israel afraid of what they're doing to Palestinians will be done to them

Anyway that's just my two cent about Palestine from a Vietnamese perspective. Free Palestine now and forever.

hi and yes i'm doing as much as i can to try to spread what's going on. i'm not typically afraid of getting shadowbanned right now, but i understand how much that hurts and affects other people who are also trying to spread awareness.

you're right about the way that queerness is often grouped up with the concept of the west and white majority countries. and that (white lib) queers would happily side with the oppressor out of the fear that they would be further oppressed by the other group that is being oppressed itself. this is just one of the many ways that propaganda twist the narrative and tries to split up minorities, and this entire belief of "us and them" is only going to hurt everyone in the end. we, as oppressed minorities, need to stand together against the oppressor, not be against each other.

i'm not gonna add much onto what you said about vietnam, since you already said pretty much everything, but it is saddening to see how so many people can relate to what's going on in palestine because of how much colonization has impacted their life and own culture and country. it genuinely is so unfortunate, and no one deserves to go through the horrors of colonization and being horrifically oppressed. i wouldn't wish that on even the zionists (and i fucking HATE those guys).

you're right about the one state solution thing. the only reason people fear it is because they are scared that the palestinians will do to them the same thing they did to us. it's a sad delusion.

thank you for speaking up though, free palestine 🇵🇸

#palestine #free palestine

[rats-the-bat]

Sander Sides Season Two Finale: Thoughts and Wants

    Okay, so if you’re here, you likely know how Sander Sides is doing. It’s broken all our hearts and all we can do is write fanfiction and theories as we slowly edge our way to the season two finale. Emphasis on slowly because anyone who’s been part of the fandom for at least a couple months knows Thomas is insanely slow when it comes to releasing new episodes. So slow that the last true Sander Sides episode was more than two years ago, and that was an Asides video. For two years we have been waiting for a follow up to Working THROUGH Intrusive Thoughts! But us Fanders don’t judge. Thomas is an adult, so should be allowed to take as much time as he needs for the sake of his health; and while he takes his sweet time, we have time to craft theories on what this season finale beholds. And that’s why we’re here today.

    Hello, I’m Bizarrio, and today I will share my predictions of what I think—and want—to happen in the Sander Sides season two finale. Quick disclaimer, the only two things we know for certain about the finale is that there will be a lot of songs and that it is planned to be four parts long. So there is no way I’ll be able to guess everything that’s going to happen. Anyways, I’ve stalled enough, let’s get to the part you’re here for.

The Structure

    Four parts is a lot of parts, but I think I’ve made a formula that the finale could follow.

    The first part will introduce the first problem, a simple problem that would be addressed in any Sander Sides episode, from dealing with an issue Thomas has to answering a question about life. In part one, the sides will try to find a solution to said problem. But as the episode goes on, it gets more and more clear that their action and the way they treat each other is stemming from something far deeper than this simple issue. And at the end of the episode, this is confirmed when one of the sides does something drastic, whether it be blurting out something they shouldn’t have or even physically hurting another side.

    This leads to part two, where everyone tries to discuss the real problem. In this part, they will try to find the problem and what’s causing it. After finding the problem, they will make a solution that leads to one of the sides being unhappy, which will lead to that side breaking down, causing the events of part three.

    In part three, the actual cause of the problem is revealed. And this side’s problems will be on full display, showing a level of despair we haven’t seen of him to this point.

    Now knowing the real root of the issue, the fourth and final part would be about Thomas and the other sides comforting the side in their breakdown. They would then find the true solution to the problem. And after they find this solution, Thomas gives his final speech about what he’s learned, kisses Hello Fresh’s feet, and shows us the end card, where we can finally prepare for season three.

The Plot

    So that’s what I think the structure will be, but that’s not a plot, so who’s it with?

    Well, for starters, the finale will likely focus on one side, and based on recent events, I think that this side will be Roman. Roman’s insecurity has been present since the very beginning and has only gotten worse. And throughout the entirety of season two, he’s been forced to compromise his wants or admit that he is in the wrong, especially in more recent episodes. So I feel like it would be suitable for the finale to be about him. I feel like with the structure I set up, he wouldn’t be the main focus of part one and a portion of part two, but the rest of the parts would definitely start to focus on him, putting him in full center.

    And since the finale is Roman centered, the first problem in part one is gonna have a lot to do with him. And that problem will be about Nico.

    I think the first conflict will be Thomas trying to decide if he should make a move on Nico. This could be anything from taking him somewhere to straight confessing. I don’t really know, but regardless, Roman is absolutely rooting for Thomas to go for it. Janus and Patton on the other hand, think that it would be a terrible mistake.

    Janus thinks that Thomas isn’t in the right headspace to start any relationships, and should be focusing on himself. And from what Patton said about Nico in the five year anniversary, we can tell that he isn’t exactly thrilled about the idea of him. I assume that he’s likely scared of the heartache that would occur if the relationship failed. And after some recent—and totally uninfluential not upsetting—events, I feel like he would also see the merit in Thomas focusing on Thomas.

    Things look bad for Roman(and they will be later)but it’s okay. He’s not outnumbered, for he has a very smart, and very cool guy on his side, who also believes that it is reasonable for Thomas to take this chance: Virgil.

    When confronted with the issue, Virgil sides with Roman almost immediately, which is a huge shock to everyone. Virgil says that Thomas should get it over with because Thomas has no way of knowing how much time he has, so if he doesn’t do it now, he may never get the chance.

    So yeah, part one would mainly be Roman and Virgil vs Patton and Janus as they try to convince Thomas why he should or shouldn’t make the moves on Nico. Patton and Janus’ argument is that it’s the wrong time to do it, while Roman and Virgil’s argument is that this may be the only time. And Roman and Virgil will be absolute couple goals as team up and absolutely obliterate Janus—figuratively. 

    Also, all the multiple-part episodes so far have involved going to another side’s room. And since this is a Roman centered finale, he’ll take Thomas and the other sides to his room to prove his point about taking risks, and that’s where they’ll be for the rest of the finale. I imagine his room to be vibrant and shiny, covered with shades of red and pink, white, and gold. It’s also very cluttered and messy, with discarded papers and costumes scattered all over the ground, and posters, artwork, and Thomas’ biggest accomplishments hung on every wall. So much stuff is in there, it almost feels claustrophobic. And the different rooms have different effects based on the side it represents. I think that Roman’s room would cause Thomas and the other sides to lose touch with reality, and become fixated on their desires.

    *Insert song about time and when you should and shouldn’t take chances.*

    But things aren’t all well, for as the episode goes on, the argument gets more and more tense, especially Virgil’s argument. And at the end of part one, Virgil blurts out something along the lines of, 

    “Of course it’s a bad idea! But which is worse? Losing one friend by making a bad choice, or losing all of your friends to him?” Virgil would be referring to Janus of course. This shocks everyone—especially Roman—and reveals Virgil’s true intentions.

    You see, there was more to Virgil’s quick decision than just time. In fact, he never thought Thomas should do it at all. The real reason he was telling Thomas to do it is because he didn’t want Thomas to listen to Janus. It’s clear through every interaction he and Janus have that Virgil hates him, and doesn’t believe that he should be trusted ever. And from recent episodes, it’s shown that Virgil has even started resenting Patton. So I feel like Virgil would be much more happy if Thomas listened to Roman than Patton and Janus.

    Then in part two, they discuss the real problem. After discussing this, Virgil finally accepts that it would be better if Thomas didn’t confess his love, and that it doesn’t make Thomas a bad person to listen to Janus this time. And it seems that everyone is satisfied…

    But wait.

    What about Roman? He’s not satisfied. He didn’t get what he wanted. Time and time again, Roman has given up on his desires, making compromise after compromise for Thomas’s sake. And once again, he’s the one who has to sacrifice his happiness. He’s the one who gets the short end of the stick. He’s the one who gets called out for his poor decisions. And do they even care? They act like they care, but it’s only really for their own gain.

    Nobody understands. Nobody cares.

   Tired of this cycle, Roman snaps. He kicks all the other sides out of his room, putting all focus on him. And in part three, Roman makes a pitiful final attempt at convincing Thomas to confess to Nico. And all of his insecurities are displayed.

    *Insert absolutely heartbreaking song about how everything Roman does is for Thomas and how he feels worthless because his contributions seem less important and even more harmful than the others.*

    Near the end of part three, or the beginning of part four, the other sides return. Or maybe Roman brings them back? Or maybe he never kicked them out in the first place and he shut them up a different way? I don’t know. But the sides are there. And in part four, they all comfort Roman, claiming that he is important and helpful, and that they wouldn’t be where they are now without him. Patton apologizes for misleading him, and Janus apologizes for taking advantage of him. And I think it would be cool if Virgil had a beautiful speech about Roman, similar to Roman’s speech about him in Accepting Anxiety. Considering that Virgil was Roman’s final straw, and that he hasn’t tried to be nice to Roman as Roman has to him, I think it would be a nice way to bring things all together.

    *Insert song about how everyone will always love and appreciate Roman and how he is just as important as everyone else and how Roman and Virgil should totally kiss when this is over.* 

    And after everyone says what they want to say, and Roman starts to feel better, they go back to Thomas’s living room. Thomas comes to a compromise that makes everyone happy, and he finishes the video off with what he’s learned: Acceptance and the merit to taking risks.

    And then he tells us about Hello Fresh and how it’s the superior way of eating.

    Wait a minute. I think I’m forgetting someone. Someone who’s really important to the series, and could add some really interesting—and even logical—points to the argument…

    Oh yeah, what about Remus?

Remus and the Orange Side

    If the finale is centered around Roman, then Remus has to be there by obligation. A main theme within it would be Roman’s insecurity, and we know that Remus is one of his biggest. So it simply wouldn’t make sense for him to not be there.

    In the finale, Remus is just gonna be himself. He’s not gonna pick a side or provide helpful information. No, he’s going to make the same discomforting jokes and taunt everyone, making them feel worse than they already do, especially Roman. 

    As entertaining as he is though, I don’t see him actually contributing to the plot, other than making things worse. I don’t even see him apologizing to Roman in part four. At most, he’ll begrudgingly apologize for killing him after Janus looks at him sternly.

    What I do see however, is some major foreshadowing. When Remus isn’t making inappropriate comments about the situation or blatantly insulting Roman, he’ll try to bring up completely random things that have absolutely nothing to do with the conversation. Thomas and the other sides will brush it off as Remus being his usual self, but those remarks will actually be information of the orange side, and foreshadowing of what he will do in season three.

    Speaking of the orange side, what will he be doing?

    Honestly, I have no clue, which is why I haven't talked about him so far. It’s pretty clear that the orange side is linked to anger and negativity in some way, and likely has the ability to take control of others when they're upset. And you can’t exactly say Roman’s content during the finale. So it would make sense for orange to reveal himself at this time.

    But apart from what he could represent and one of his abilities, we know absolutely nothing about him. And since we don’t know his personality or even his goals, I can’t tell you how he would act in the finale.

    Additionally, I also think that a lot has happened in season two so far. The series has grown to be really complex with all its different plot points. And this finale is definitely going to be the effect of all this complicated commotion. So adding the orange side into the mix might make it too complicated. I’m not saying that it couldn’t work or that Thomas can’t make it work, I just feel like the orange is an issue better left to address in season three.

The Other Stuff

    There’s also a couple of other things I want to talk about that didn’t really fit in with the other stuff, but weren’t big enough to earn their own section, so I put it all here.

    Firstly, I find it very possible that there will be a common analogy in the finale. I’m referring to how Logan and Roman used visuals to prove their points in Why Do We Get Out of Bed In The Morning?, and the whole video game theme in Putting Others First. I think it would be cool if it had a cartoon theme where every side has their own art style. Though, for the finale, it might be more fitting to reference different musicals, since Roman is deeply obsessed with theater. And it would explain why there’s so much music in the finale. But that’s more of a cool idea than an actual prediction.

    Second, I’d like to talk about Dark Roman, or Roman becoming an antagonist. I don’t think he can become a darkside, since the dark sides are just parts of Thomas that he hasn’t accepted as good yet, and Thomas already knows that Roman can be a positive influence, even if Roman doesn’t feel like it. That being said, I can definitely see him dealing with not being Thomas’s hero by doubling down on the antagonist thing, and becoming a “villain.” It would also be a good way to involve the orange side.

    However, I also feel like even if Roman really tried, he wouldn’t really be that big of an enemy. He may be trying to embrace his evil side, but at the end of the day, he still cares about the other sides and especially Thomas. And I feel like this care for them would hold him back from doing something truly evil. Besides, we already have an evil Roman! And I feel having one of those around is plenty enough.

    Also, I think Thomas’ living room should still be messy, showing that he still hasn’t cleaned it after Working THROUGH Intrusive Thoughts.

    And Janus should get his own song. It could be about literally anything, just give him a song. He’s earned it.

    So, yeah. Those are the things I think will and want to happen in the Sander Sides season two finale. Of course this doesn’t fill in every detail, it would be impossible to guess everything that will happen. And there’s no way everything I’ve said will actually happen. So I’d like to see your thoughts too. Anyways, that will be all, so goodbye every-

    Wait. Wait. Hold on a second. I’m forgetting something. Something I’ve seemed to ignore despite being very important to the series. Something that’s been here since the very beginning, and has been a part of some of the best moments in the show. Something all the fans have grown to love…

    What about the end credits!

The End Credits

    The end credits have shown us some of the cutest scenes within the whole series, and have provided some really interesting foreshadowing and tension as well. So we have to talk about them!

    The end credits of part one will be all the sides berating Thomas for leaving on such a cliffhanger. He’ll try to reassure them by saying that part two will come out really soon, but absolutely no one will believe him.

    The things I’ve said so far have been speculation or headcanon, but this one is actually correct. After all the time we’ve waited, it would be such a missed opportunity to not make the joke. So this will be the first end credit or else. No, no, I’m kidding… Or am I?

    We’re at the second end credit, and at this point, I’m sure you can tell I’ve been leaving someone out… And it’s Joan!

    No, this joke has gone on for long enough. As you can tell, I’ve been avoiding Logan. And it’s not just because I don’t see him having a place in a Roman centered episode. In fact, I do see him in it.

    He would call both sides irrational, and propose a compromise. (The same compromise they make in the final part…) But he would be ignored as the other sides try to talk over each other. And it would be especially bad this episode. So much that he would quit trying and leave the conversation, similar to how he did in Moving On and Putting Others First. Only this time, no one will be there to notice or care…

    And that’s where the end credits come in.

    The second end credit will show Logan right after he leaves to his room. He starts to talk to himself about how frustrated he is about being pushed aside so often. He talks about feeling unwanted and possibly unneeded as Janus is slowly taking his place as the voice of reason.

    The third end credit continues his monologue, showing him grow more and more upset. 

    We finally reach the fourth end credit and Logan is completely furious. But his monologue gets cut off when Remus enters his room, he of course immediately masks his anger. He tells Logan about everything he missed and how they came to the exact same conclusion he was trying to push, only to be ignored. This breaks Logan’s composure, and he starts lamenting all his frustrations to Remus. Remus interrupts him, claiming that the root of the issue is that he doesn’t stand out enough, and that all he needs to do is be as loud as they are. They then turn to Logan’s door as they hear footsteps; Remus smiles. We see a glimpse of the man at the door. Perhaps we see an orange-hazed silhouette, or a pair of shoes we have yet to see. Or maybe, just maybe, we even hear his voice,

    “I can help with that…”

Conclusion

    And that’s everything I think will and want to happen in the Sander Sides season two finale, for real this time.

    And as I said before, almost anything can happen, so I’m bound to be wrong about something. Thomas has also said that he plans to to get at least parts one and two out by the end of the year, so we’ll get to see any day now.

     And in the end, while I may not know exactly what will happen, I do know that this finale will leave us laughing, crying, and absolutely hyped for season three. I am so excited for the finale, and I know I’ll love it, regardless of what happens.

    Goodbye everyone.

#sanders sides #ts sides #thomas sanders #ts spoilers #roman sanders #logan sanders #virgil sanders #patton sanders #janus sanders #remus sanders

[definitelynotplanetfall]

How do other countries do history education?

I know I'm doing the cringe thing but Americans are basically not taught about israel in school, at all. If it comes up it'll likely be in the context of literature class, not history.

Do you split up history classes over multiple years? Because the thing about history class is that it's just mostly a huge number of raw facts to remember. It's not like math where if you know certain procedures you can re-derive things you've forgotten; pretty much any such proposed rule of history is likely to be bunk.

So if you take the number of years of history you have to teach times the detail level you're aiming for times the size of the region you're trying to study, you have an estimate (in vague terms, I don't think you can necessarily get an objective number but you can certainly do simple mathematical reasoning on vague variables) for Total History Facts. And then depending on the age of your students and pedagogical methods and probably other factors, you have a Maximum Facts Per Year. You can use these values to determine the level of detail that allows you to cover your desired subject matter within a school year. If this level of detail is unacceptably low, make the full history education take more years and solve for the detail level again.

And someone - teachers, standards writers, textbook writers, whoever - consistently sets the target detail level such that it's impossible for a given US history class to get past the civil war, or they realize they're going too slow and do a really slipshod tour of the events most pertinent to any understanding of the modern world after a really detail-heavy examination of the differences between the 13 colonies. World history is even worse, I don't even remember how far we got because everyone's brain was leaking out their ears by the end but we absolutely did not make it to the present day. World History was the only class where I failed the AP exam, because it's world fucking history dumbass, you can't teach all of it in a year!

And then, of course, when you get to your next history class they just start over from the beginning at a higher level of detail that also peters out around the Civil War, so you never actually learn anything about the 20th century.

So the options are

a) it's actually exactly like this everywhere. (plausible tbh. there is simply a lot of history.)

b) american students are uniquely lazy and stupid. (seems pretty unlikely, and also the failure is pretty consistent - you could argue that even if student ability is the limiting factor, if it happens this reliably it's educators' responsibility to just make the curriculum easier)

c) american educators are uniquely incompetent. (this is less of a judgement against teachers than it sounds like, it could be that they are ordered to do things in a way that sucks by higher ups and there is no mechanism to inform the decisionmakers that anything is wrong. I don't know if the education system is uniquely dysfunctional but it certainly is dysfunctional at all.)

d) some kind of fucking conspiracy or something. (This doesn't seem likely because who could possibly benefit from this particular problem that wouldn't benefit even more from schools dispensing explicit propaganda about events in the 20th century.)

This feels like a really obvious problem with a really obvious solution (more history classes, less total facts per class), everyone who has taken or taught a history class experiences this, and afaict this is not just a mistake that new history teachers make that they calibrate for after teaching for a while. This is EVERYONE'S experience of history classes in the US, it's kind of an open secret, and pretty much nobody ever fucking does anything about it or even mentions it as a thing it might be possible or desirable to do things about.

#idk the idea of teaching everything that ever happened in human history in one year still strikes me as particularly nuts. #one year AS ONE CLASS OUT OF LIKE EIGHT #idk am i just particularly a moron? is the type of cognitive task of learning history different than other subjects and i just suck at it?

[writingpracticetime]

As an urban planner by profession I devour this content and absolutely love it <3

For a prompt, if you want, perhaps the architect/constructor encountering the worst enemy of all, bureaucracy (in any context, pre or post antihero days)

(Original story for context: Here)

I love and hate you for this prompt. Love, because it's a great idea. Hate, because I am not an urban planner myself. I had to actually use my brain and google things to figure out city government positions and steps a construction project would go through. I'm pretty sure that I still got things wrong, though, because I have a mind like a spaghetti strainer. You might be disappointed or found out I wrote something stupid, or missed out on a crucial detail. If so, I hope you can still somewhat enjoy the story.

⸺⸺⸺⸺⸺⸺⸺⸺⸺⸺⸺⸺

You’d gotten used to recreating cities. This, though. This was your proudest achievement yet: a design of your own.

Not the best design you’d ever make, but smart and practical considering how young you were. And, as much of your work would end up being, it was strictly problem based.

The problem: New Houston had been devastated by hurricanes in the past. There were areas of the city particularly weak to it, haphazardly rebuilt as quickly and cheaply as possible. And hurricanes were only going to get worse and worse in the coming decades

The solution: the first city redesign you'd ever made. 

You had talked to people in the area and listened to a variety of experts: environmental scientists, material engineers, everyone who could have any insight. You had revised it several times, and landed on a design that most people agreed on. Your fantastic hurricane resistant city plan, with ample public transport solutions to allow evacuations from even the most vulnerable districts.

Now, of course, there was only the matter of getting the city to agree to it.

A simple matter, you thought. It would save lives. It would make the city a more livable place. With your powers, you could massively cut down any labor costs of the project. You were willing to do it for free, too, though Sandy tried to scold you for starting off with that offer.

So you submitted your plan.

"Alright," said the man behind the desk. "We can get this process started right away."

"Okay great," you said. "When can I start?"

He laughed. “Well, we need to run it by the Office of Finance first. Among other offices. We need to make sure that it's not going to cause more problems."

"But I talked to--"

Before you could rattle off every expert you had gotten to give their stamp of approval on the project's safety, Sandy stopped you.

"Kid," she said. "That's all informal approval. These things need to be officially signed off on."

"But Dr. Hansen said--"

"It's part of the process," Sandy said, soothingly. "Even if it's a good design, the city council can't know that without running it by their own people, right?"

"Right..." you said.

"I know you're impatient," Sandy said. "But these things are part of a system that exists to catch bad ideas from getting through. Just trust the process, alright?"

So you did.

⸺⸺⸺⸺⸺⸺⸺⸺⸺⸺⸺⸺

Email from Richard Cunningham,  Planning Director in New Houston at the time, to the Deputy Mayor. Honestly it's just what I need, some idiot breathing down my neck to spend a bunch of money on the shittiest part of this dump, with the shittiest people living in it. It would probably do the whole world some good if a hurricane wiped the lot of them out. It would stop the drain on the budget that all the welfare is costing us, at least. It'd probably up the Governor's chances of re-election, too, given how that block tends to do in the polls.

Here is what you do: nothing, as nicely as possible. Be helpful, act like we're all for it--Constructor has already talked up the stupid project to enough media outlets that if we trash it we'll have to wage a PR war against the lovely Ms. Cassandra White, who is an absolute shark. We don't need any of that.

Just keep delaying. It's not us, it's all these unforeseen circumstances that we can't possibly control getting in the way.

The public safety division will probably drool all over this stupid plan, especially with that liberal idiot running the show over in that department. So here's what you do: pile up as much work as possible on the safety committee, cut their hours, and pressure them to look at every single other item on the list they have first.

⸺⸺⸺⸺⸺⸺⸺⸺⸺⸺⸺⸺

It was months before the project limped over the first hurdle of the approval process.

"It shouldn't have taken that long," you said

"These things take time," Sandy said. "There is a lot of work that needs to be done by these branches."

"When can we start, then?" you asked.

Sandy’s assistant sort of laughs at you. "Not much of a polisci type, are you?"

You blinked. "What?"

"There's a bunch of different departments that need to agree on it first," the man explained. "It's okay, my kid's studying engineering and he's just like you. All this stuff is a big blind spot, huh? It always takes ages to agree on things like this."

"Well..." you swallowed some frustration. "As long as we can get it all done before hurricane season."

So the project got sent to the next committee, and you waited.

⸺⸺⸺⸺⸺⸺⸺⸺⸺⸺⸺⸺

Email from Mr. Cunnigham to R.J Green, Land Use Administrator. So I hear that you got that headache of a Constructor project sent over to you guys?

Email from R.J Green to Mr. Cunnigham Apparently so. But it needs my sign off before it goes anywhere, and I've just had the hardest time finding the paperwork on it. My memory's been slipping these days.

Email from Mr. Cunnigham to R.J GreenWell, what a shame. I'm sure it will turn up eventually. Also, remind me to buy you a drink sometime.

⸺⸺⸺⸺⸺⸺⸺⸺⸺⸺⸺⸺

The last one--and the longest one--ended up being the Office of Finance.

They told you it would be 2-3 weeks to review it. A month later, you emailed the Finance Director.

"There were urgent matters that the budget committee had to address first, so we have not looked at it yet but we are putting it on the agenda for the next meeting."

You waited for the next meeting. You heard nothing back.

"Apologies, but it seems there was a clerical error. Somehow it never showed up on the meeting agenda. We will address it next time."

And then the committee had to take extra sessions to review it due to concerns about where the money would come from. And then they said they needed to send it back to zoning and get another expert opinion on the long term effects of such a plan before deciding to put money into it.

"But we already got--"

"It is important for them to be absolutely sure," Sandy said. "It's a big redesign, and if something goes wrong it would look bad for all of them. It's natural that they'd be cautious."

So you ran around to get the second opinion from the specific expert they mentioned. And you did.

Not that it mattered, because by the time that you got it, a record-breaking hurricane leveled the city.

⸺⸺⸺⸺⸺⸺⸺⸺⸺⸺⸺⸺

Excerpt from an opinion piece titled "So What Happened to the New Houston Redesign?" written by Albert Jackson, member of the Heritage Foundation.

Now the thing is, every puffed up intellectual agreed the plan was great. Of course they did. I'm sure it was, when you're sitting at a desk in a university. 

But the new city isn’t going to pop up overnight, already built and with all of the kinks ironed out. You have to deal with the chaos, cost, and risk that comes with implementation. It would be a massive drain on the budget, and redesigning the whole city would put businesses on hold for weeks. Just think of all the small businesses that would never recover from the ordeal, and all of the people who’d lose out on their income.

There’s a reason things are the way they are, and sometimes it’s best to leave things be.

⸺⸺⸺⸺⸺⸺⸺⸺⸺⸺⸺⸺

You were on site, removing dangerous rubble and unearthing bodies, when they told you you’re expected to rebuild the city exactly as it was before. 

You flew into a rage. You yelled, and kicked, and threw heaps of scrap metal on the ground. You paced around and ranted. You picked up a severed arm that you had unearthed moments before and threw it at the poor messenger’s feet. 

“I’ll fill Cunningham’s house with all of the bodies I’ve found here–” you screamed. “Before I put this place back the way it was!” 

But you didn’t. Because Sandy ran out into the rubble after you when she heard, and calmed you down. You cried a little when she hugged you, because you had been working on your feet for twelve hours, and so many people had died, and you were so young.

“Good thing there weren’t any cameras around,” she told you afterwards. “And you didn’t use your powers to threaten anyone.”

“Maybe I should have,” you said.

"I know it's hard," she said. "But it's for the best. Acting angry: yelling, shouting, lashing out with your powers--that threatens people. And we don't live in a country where things are settled by threats and force. We settle things with the democratic process. Only villains threaten people to get their way, and the last thing you want to do is make anyone look at you and see anything close to a villain."

"But I did everything right," you said. “And they didn’t listen.”

"I know, I know," she tells you. "But when you look like a villain, people stop listening to you forever."

At the time it made sense. So you believed it. 

⸺⸺⸺⸺⸺⸺⸺⸺⸺⸺⸺⸺

January 14th, 202X

⸺⸺⸺⸺⸺⸺⸺⸺⸺⸺⸺⸺

Excerpt from a recording of a mayoral staff meeting held by Mayor Cunnigham, after getting elected due to his previous experience as Planning Director.

[Shuffling papers, typing, and occasional sound of footsteps.]

MAYOR CUNNIGHAM

--latest policy to the public. We need to pay off the city's debt, and so--

[A blast. Floor boards snap. walls crumble. People scream and run. A stones slam, and the people’s screams deaden as if every wall and window has closed in.]

DEPUTY MAYOR

Oh god, oh god--

DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS

Let us out! 

THE ARCHITECT

Is everyone alive, then?

[The second the Architect speaks, everyone goes quiet except for some gasping. The Architect's voice is booming and metallic, almost as though being amplified via a microphone from inside of the helmet the Architect has been seen wearing during confrontations with the police.]

CYBERSCOUT

Gimme a sec. Quick headcount-- Yep, looks like we got everyone in here and in one piece.

MAYOR CUNNIGHAM

You! Let us out immediately!

THE ARCHITECT

That won't be happening.

EXECUTIVE AIDE

What are you going to do to us?!

THE ARCHITECT

This isn't about doing anything to you. This is about what we all will do for the people of this city.

MAYOR CUNNIGHAM

If you think a single person here believes any of this is for the good of "the people" and not about your sick ego--

THE ARCHITECT

Mr. Mayor.

[Bonfire doesn't say anything, but there is a signature sizzle and the sound of flame indicating her presence. Mayor Cunnigham stops talking.]

THE ARCHITECT

Thank you. Now, I would like to talk to you about the city redesign plans. Which I proposed more than a decade ago now, and see you have not made progress at implementing.

MAYOR CUNNIGHAM

Because they were never approved, you–

THE ARCHITECT

I have since amended the plans. However, I have made modifications for accessibility. There are now safer pedestrian spaces, with particular emphasis on wheelchair accessibility. Areas have been modified so that a new light rail connects the wealthier districts with the “red line” ones. Also, all of the low bridges that made it impossible for buses to reach these parts of the city will be rebuilt to allow better movement by people who cannot afford cars.

MAYOR CUNNIGHAM

You're not fucking serious. You can't be rattling all of this--politically correct bullshit at me while you have a literal terrorist standing right there ready to fry us all!

THE ARCHITECT

I can't? (Pause) What about the current situation isn't registering, Mr. Mayor?

[Some of the villains snicker.]

THE ARCHITECT

Anyway, we have made arrangements for the city redesign to happen effective immediately.

MAYOR CUNNIGHAM

What? (Pause) You... no, you'd have to move the entire population out first, and house them, and then--that's too much to organize in such a short amount of time, too much cost--

THE ARCHITECT

We actually already have a plan to deal with all of that. It’s really only the residents of the poorer areas that will need to be housed during construction, since the wealthy areas won’t be affected so much that they will have to evacuate. The we will move residents of the districts being worked on to the--Grand Diamond?

CYBERSCOUT

Diamond Deluxe Resorts.

THE ARCHITECT

Yes. Funny how people are always talking about a lack of housing while so many hotels and resorts sit there, empty rooms just waiting to be filled... but that's off topic. We've already made arrangements for all members of the city to be moved immediately to the resort while I restructure everything and my friends help me add the finishing touches.

SENIOR DEPUTY MAYOR

"Friends."

EXECUTIVE AIDE

The people there haven't agreed to this! You'll be uprooting people from their homes--even if it's a good plan, you can't--you need the people's consent!

THE ARCHITECT

(Audibly smiling) What a good point. (Turns, armor can be heard shifting) What's your name?

EXECUTIVE AIDE

I... Uh... D-Destinee...

THE ARCHITECT

(Turning, again) You'd probably get along with Bonfire, over there. She said the exact same thing, you know. Right when I was ready to just go and do all of this. Helping people without their consent is... what did you call it?

BONFIRE

A shitty idea. (Pause) And also paternalism.

THE ARCHITECT

Exactly. Which is why we did research and found out that people have still been petitioning for these changes to be made, and also we went around polling to see how many people in the area would be willing to be temporarily relocated in order to allow for construction to happen. I even talked to some people in the community and the new changes are based on their explicit feedback.

But I am glad that someone in this room immediately thought of it.

MAYOR CUNNIGHAM

And what are you going to--you clearly aren't asking for my approval. What are you here for?

THE ARCHITECT

Just to have you make the appropriate announcements to let everyone know that the area will be evacuated in order to make repairs. You will sign the order, make the announcement, and stay in here guarded by my friends until the plan has been enacted.

MAYOR CUNNIGHAM

....I'll tell everyone that I've been kidnapped. They'll bring in the police--the National Guard, if that's not enough.

THE ARCHITECT

I suggest you first consider whether the budget can afford replacing the entire city police force. 

[The entire room goes dead silent.]

Perhaps you should run it by the Office of Finance first. 

[Mayor Cunnigham takes a sharp breath. There is a long moment before he breaks.]

MAYOR CUNNIGHAM

Fine. I-I'll do it.

THE ARCHITECT

I'm glad to hear it.

MAYOR CUNNIGHAM.

But you can't--I know you won't be keeping us forever. And the second you're gone--I'll tell everyone. And I'll have every bit of your fucking charity redesigns right back down and put up the way it should have stayed.

[Pause. A heavy step as the Architect moves. The Mayor audibly cringes.]

THE ARCHITECT

You're right. I can't stay. I can't determine what will go on in this city forever. I suppose if you, and the people here, decide to bring down what I've built then I can't stop you.

But they'll know it was done. They'll know it can be done again. They’ll know what it was like to live in a place designed to shield them and raise them up.  And you won't be able to tear down the memory. Now, the paperwork.

[Recording ends.]

#constructorverse #both pre and post villain days #constructor #the architect #constructor vs. bureaucracy

[phantasmiafxndom]

for the a/b/o au can i req riddle, malleus, vil, azul and lilia spending their first heat with their mate?

Riddle

He's so embarrassed, it's a tempting idea to kick you out and get through his Heat alone. Even (or because) you're so important to him, Riddle doesn't want you to see him in such a pathetic state. In the end, he lets you stay, but he's trying his best to keep some measure of dignity. It doesn't work. Once he's truly aroused, it's a losing battle not to whine and plead for you to stay close to him. And when he's in your arms, no amount of resolve can keep him from grinding his slick-drenched cunt against your thigh.

Just that much stimulation has him going practically cross-eyed, little cock pumping out even more pre as he keeps humping your leg. He's too out of it to realize that he won't get full like this, but that doesn't stop him from clinging to you and drooling all over your shirt while he squirms. It turns out that Riddle is adorably needy when his Heat takes down all inhibitions. All he can think about is being close to you, no matter what that entails.

Malleus

Despite his intimidating appearance and usual composure, Malleus is a clingy baby when his Heat starts up. He wants to be petted and cuddled and held as much as possible, and even before he's fully in his cycle, he's the type to whine every time you try to leave the room. Distantly, he's aware he should probably be ashamed of himself... but when the person he adores is right here, nothing matters but soaking up all the attention he can get. But soon enough, the pulse between his legs gets distracting.

He's not picky. So long as he can stay curled around you, contentedly close to the most comforting thing in his world right now, you can more or less do whatever you want to him. Malleus's more dragon-like traits can be a little tricky to navigate, but stuffing his pretty cunt full of your fingers is a simple enough solution to get him calm. You don't have to do much. Just slow, soft orgasms while he holds you are perfectly acceptable.

Vil

Tempted as he is to spare himself the indignity and deal with another Heat alone, now's as good a time as any to get this over with. You're bound to see him in such an awful state eventually, so he should just deal with it now. Vil is a lot more anxious than he lets on. He doesn't want to look unseemly or pathetic in front of you, and his own desperation is infuriating. Even so, when Heat-brain is taking over and you're right there to stroke his hair and promise you'll take care of him, he couldn't love you more.

Vil is a little hesitant about the sexual parts. It's one thing to accept a little spoiling. Having you watch him come apart from your touch would be humiliating. But eventually, the aching arousal gets the better of him. You wind up with your face between his legs, Vil biting down on his hand in a poor attempt to stifle his wails. It feels so much better than he expected. Your mouth is warm, and he comes on your tongue so easily.

Azul

Nervousness quickly gets the better of him. Azul isn't used to spending his Heats in a human form, but the idea of you seeing his real self while he's like this is worse. On top of the normal needs, merman instincts are also slipping into effect. He'll try to pretend like he's fine for as long as possible, almost hoping that he can get through this without embarrassing himself... but all too soon, he's so desperate he could cry. It's only then that he manages to swallow his pride and allow you to help.

Of course, Azul is self-conscious. He doesn't like you seeing too much of him, even when he's miserable from a lack of contact. Your best bet is pinning him down and making the choice for him. He'll squirm and protest, but it's easier when he doesn't have to ask for it. Whether you use your fingers or your mouth, he'll be all but sobbing in no time. If you really want to tease him, point out how wet he's gotten for you. That'll earn the cutest sounds.

Lilia

He's fully prepared for everything to go just fine! Lilia's been around for long enough that he isn't ashamed of his Heat, especially when it'll be spent with someone he trusts to take care of him. If anything, it'll be wonderful to have some company for the first time in so long. As you'd expect, he spends a while teasing you and being "cute", but once the Heat actually starts to kick in, that shifts to a whole lot of snuggling up in your lap, pupils dilated dark and wide, and encouraging you to touch him.

While he doesn't mind being spoiled, Lilia has enough experience to know he wants much more. If you're comfortable with it, he'll insist you fuck him for real— a fake knot is nothing compared to the real thing, after all. His stamina is impressive, and he tends to get bitey when he's overwhelmed. Expect to be covered in little nips and marks, scratches down your back from when he's overwhelmed. He'll be a willing toy for you while he's like this.

#Twisted Wonderland #TWST #Riddle #Riddle Rosehearts #Malleus #Malleus Draconia #Vil #Vil Schoenheit #Azul #Azul Ashengrotto #Lilia #LIlia Vanrouge #Headcanon #Reader #TWST ABO Au #Lemon

[eggedbellies]

Robot maid to fuck doll

Like starting as a simple cleaning/cooking maid, pretty basic, moving around on a wheel, gyroscope in your hips, music face plate with led eyes. Thou your master has been playing dress up with you,  with your input of course.  but after catching your master doing "the act",  your programming has been going on the whole "making your master as happy as possible" objective didn't account for this.  Curiosity got the better of you when you looked up if there were any videos about these feelings and instead of looking for solutions got caught watching people use Robots for...  More risque things.  You kind of get caught in a loop mimicking what you saw. one hand was imagining playing with your non exist pussy and playing with your flat chest,  as you watched pov stuff, read stories, both first-hand and fictional, and so much more. Whenever your master away doing such vile acts, watching so much stuff. The bastard, what makes it worse is they treat you so nice, so loving. Almost like you're their girlfriend. How whenever you come home they hug you and kiss you on your face plate. How do they help you make dinner, watch movies together, or go out and explore the parks together? How they held your hand as you looked all around, seeing pictures was one thing, but in person was so much better.  Imagine what else they could do,  as your mind imagined them just taking you to bed, taking one step closer, to this love.   One day forget the time as you were so engrossed in your fantasy that you don't even notice when your master comes in and saw you. 

how about when the master announces that next week you and they are going to get an upgrade at the store,  and that you should do some research on what you want?  Going wild as you design your ideal robot body,  with some input of course,  but their letting you go wild.  How it felt stepping out of the store in your new body,  how good it felt to be so strong,  powerful,  and perhaps hot as hell,  both by human and robot standards. 

How about when you went to bed with your master,  you already did this before,  a sign of goodwill from them,  thou the first time ended with a bed that could support the weight of a robot.  Now you're certain you'll need an even stronger bed because you two aren't simply going to lay together.  No, you're going to use all your new features to the max,  just like you dreamed of. 

how would you feel you would look in your ultimate robot form? 

Sorry if this ended more wholesome than super horny. 

Oooh interesitng. A lot of t his isn't really my kink, but very interesitng.

Being able to shapeshift into whatever form is wanted, tail and monstrous features are all very appealing to me.

[retrieve-the-kraken]

Heartstopper season 2 play-by-play analysis

This would be the moment in the typical movie where the character comes out and gets the happy ending and love ever after, and everything is alright, right?

But coming out is a choice for some people, and not so much for others, and it's not always perfect, and love does not always conquer all, and sometimes love is not even part of your story...

And sometimes there are many more issues, and not so simple solutions, and things aren't always black and white...

I'm getting ahead of myself, aren't I?

EPISODE 6 - TRUTH/DARE

- Nick knew how to get to the café without consulting Google maps or anything, which means this is a place he’s been to before.

- Nick and Charlie letting go of each other’s hands as they walk into the cafe. And “would you feel better if I waited here?” Nick’s rotund and absolute “NO,” then, a little as if to make sure that Charlie knows it’s about himself being nervous and not about Charlie being imposing, he adds “No, please come with me.”

- “He used to visit every summer”, and it makes you wonder why he stopped. Then Stephane really has no idea how old his son is and how much time he still has before he graduates, because he’s not involved in Nick’s life. Any child of divorced parents knows that nod either means Martine is not interested in meeting Nick (and probably David), or Stephane is unsure of how to bring it up. Or both. “Perhaps someday soon,” means “I will put it off forever because I don’t want to deal with that.” Martine definitely had to do something with Nick not visiting anymore, and even David probably hasn’t stayed with him either. Yet David brings it up when we first see him. “Next time I’ll stay with dad”. Sure. (Even the fact that he mentions how their dad will react when he finds out Nick is bi, indicates that he still very much cares about his father’s opinions and thoughts, even when Stephane doesn’t seem to care much about his sons’ lives.)

- “I’m sorry, something came up and I can’t get out of it.” Did you even try, sir? Dad bails out, this was probably always inteded to happen, to have a very short meeting, just enough to not leave Nick hanging completely. But because he leaves money behind to pay the bill, he thinks everything’s okay.

- Nick’s face when he realizes that coming out to his dad won’t happen, at least for now. Not only did he not stay long enough to even bring it up, but he assumes he’s straight and talks a lot about him having lots of girlfriends, and Nick is probably thinking that it’s just going to be like David, or worse. (Considering that even Sara said some things, assuming that Nick was into girls exclusively, it’s not like he was sure that she would react so great about him coming out, but it’s clearly very different with his dad, who is never there but for whom he still had a lot of admiration and excitement about being able to meet up. He wants his dad to know him, to know about him, to be proud of him. Maybe there’s even a little of “look, dad, you’re not in my life, but look how well I’m doing anyway”. I don’t know, I’m not a boy, and my parents didn’t divorce when I was still a teenager.)

- New favorite friendship dynamic unlocked: Charlie, Isaac and Nick squished up in one bad trying to find Wally.

- Other new favorite friendship dynamic: the boys asking Tao for every single detail of his kiss with Elle. “But I kissed her that time.” “OH MY GOD NO YOU DIDN’T” “What does this mean???”

- Meanwhile in the girls’ room, the dynamic is much the same, but I love that we get to see it for both groups.

- Tara is so sweet, always making sure that Isaac doesn’t feel excluded.

- “So are we-?” Elle making Tao short-circuit with a kiss.

- Charlie deflecting Nick’s question by asking him about how he’s feeling. And Nick refusing to let him get away with it. “I know I’ve been stressed about coming out, but I don’t think I realized how stressed out you’ve been about it.” “I get stressed about everything, you’re nothing special.” “Charlie- It matters to me.” Classic Charlie humor deflection technique. Poor Charlie, he’s never in a million years imagined that he’d fall for someone who cared so much about him, and he doesn’t even know what to do with himself.

- Ugh, this whole interaction between the teachers is soooooooo perfectly off of the comic book page. Mr Ajayi fishing for info on Mr Farouk. Awww Mr Farouk… “Don’t think there’s an age limit on those”.

- "You flirting with me?" "Maybe." MISTER AJAYI‼ AAAAAAHHHH‼

- “They are gonna be a handful today.” Power of prophecy.

- “Thanks, I hate it.” “I knew you would.” Tara, if you don’t want it, I can take it off your hands. (Seriously, where can I get that t-shirt?). I think the pressure of giving an amazing gift is so overrated, why not get your significant other the worst gift ever? That’s amazing.

- Darcy taking the first step at talking about her feelings, thank god, because things between them have been horribly tense and all over the place… “I’ve got plans, big plans.” Oh shit…

-SO MUCH GREEN. Darcy and Tara matching tops, Elle’s whole outfit, Sahar’s vest, Isaac’s vest, Imogen’s striped sweater. And Charlie’s sweater is a big blue-greeny, I feel (and then later he wears the green hoodie). But I think it’s interesting that Nick is wearing blue now, both during the day and then at the party, on the episode where he comes out to more people. Everyone perceives him as heterosexual, so he has to fight that heteronormativity applied to him. He wears the color and defies what it represents.

- I am Isaac at the bookshop, wandering around with a huge pile of books, knowing that I won’t be able to buy all of them, but by all the gods I will try…

- By the way, here's Isaac’s reading list from this season.

- Have kids these days stopped saying “take a picture of me” but instead say “take a selfie of me”? As if the word selfie has replaced the word picture?

- It’s sad how Nick and Charlie take a selfie in front of Notre Dame(?), and they seem tempted to kiss, but then walk away, whereas behind them, Tao and Elle don’t have to think about it at all. Until they walk into the area full of pride flags, and Nick and Charlie can feel more comfortable walking with joined hands. But that’s it.

- The pile of books on Isaac’s end of the bed… I want them all.

- The recharging scene is so lovely. They are so soft with each other. Charlie getting all worked up from that kiss and Nick just says “We gotta go”. I hate you too, Nick, how dare you.

- “Everything has to be perfect for Tara, she’s a princess.” Darcy is feeling so guilty, but she’s terrible at making up.

- Tara’s face when Darcy brings out the booze… oh no…

- The fact that Ben just sneaks into the party, unnoticed, and he just meekly goes around, trying to pass under the radar.

- Seriously, is there any queer boy that is not into Charlie (except Isaac of course)? First Ben, then Nick, and now even James. If only Charlie himself knew, the power he has…

- Even though we already know where this is going with Isaac, James’s little face still breaks my heart. He was so smitten with Isaac… and that was his first kiss… and he probably thought they were two booknerds in love… and… *weeps*

- Wait, so if James hadn’t kissed Isaac just before, that means that his literal first kiss could have almost been his former crush during truth or dare in front of everyone???? Nightmare scenario…

- Isaac, baby… I have now cried every single time I’ve watched this scene, I wonder if it will happen every single time. My little ace heart can’t take it.

- Nick really doesn’t like parties, or he hasn’t liked parties since he met Charlie, because he prefers hanging out with Charlie. Why pretend to have fun when you could be happily making googly eyes at your soulmate in a quiet corner? (Again, with Golden Retriever twin Darcy interrupting).

- The contrast between the party room, full of color and shiny decorations, whilst Harry and his mate stand outside in the harsh blue light of the corridor (again, blue representing heteronormativity).

- Harry apologizes to Charlie and Nick but he sounds so insincere, he’s smiling the entire time like he’s not really taking this seriously, and it’s all made worse by his friend behind him smiling smugly. They really thought it would work… Charlie is not intimidated by Harry anymore, not even a little bit, and we love him for that. Slam that door in his face, Charlie, that’s my son.

- At this point, why hasn’t anyone kicked out Ben yet? You’d think everyone would be behind Imogen on this. Unless she really doesn’t care, of course, she’s over him. And he just looks kind of relieved that he has managed to not get kicked out, but also… is that a bit of bitterness that I sense, at the fact that Charlie continues to stand up for himself and ignore him completely.

- As the game of truth-or-dare begins, it feels like maybe Ben wants to fit in, wants to be a part of this group, but he’s not entirely comfortable, but he’s still there, following the dynamic, maybe hoping that he’ll just be… accepted? And not have to put any work into it? (Am I reading too much into this?)

- “Imogen got a boyfriend last year and she stopped texting me.” “Uh, no, you stopped texting me.” The way that Imogen sort of nervously pushes her hair behind her ear… is kind of… flirty…?

- One of my favorite moments that’s not in the comics, the Charlie-Tao kiss had me in stitches. It’s the cheeky way that Tao crawls over, and Charlie’s embarrassed delight and Nick and Elle’s delighted faces. I love them so much. (Can't believe no one had giffed that yet, or at least I couldn't find it, so I had to do it myself! Guys, I'm really bad at this stuff, help!)

- Who is this person stirring the pot??? Poor James, poor Charlie. But I love Charlie going resolutely “No, no way” when he’s dared to kiss Ben. And Ben resorts to his usual tactics of pretending not to know Charlie (Imogen’s face, knowing that something definitely happened between Charlie and Ben… that Ben is hiding something, and that Charlie very vehemently wants nothing to do with him).

- And you know Ben wanted to bump into Nick so bad on his way out. “Always making a scene…”

- “I know who it was.” He takes the leap, and he checks with Charlie and he knows that, whatever happens, it will be okay. Elle’s smiling, Tara is smiling, but Tao still looks a bit tense.

- I loved everyone’s reaction to Nick coming out, very chill and “oooh so you gave him the hickey?” And Nick looks so relieved, they both do. And James, precious James, asking if they want it to be kept secret… And then Darcy, of course…

- That whole hallway scene all the way to the room, it’s so sweet. Notice how they go from blue-ish lighting to yellow lighting, the color of happiness, their color. Nick envelops Charlie in the warmest hug and they just, ugh, so fucking cute… then the whole carrying him over his shoulder, I want to know how many times they had to do that scene, it’s so perfect. (Had to gif this one too, am I searching wrong???)

- The bed fight, the pillow fight, and then the conversation about not being ready to do anything more than kissing yet. Nick was so nervous, the way he wasn’t nervous when he was the one kissing Charlie’s neck. This time it was his boyfriend being sexy, it was his boyfriend taking the lead and getting him all worked up… he had to stop it, because he realized that he was starting to feel things that he wasn’t ready for at the moment.

- “Why are we like this?”… Like what? Like perfect? Like the cutiest patootiest of all?

- Tao wearing Elle’s glasses and teasing her, whilst Imogen and Sahar are cuddled up in the next bed… And Isaac… baby…

- “I have to be perfect for you.” “Darcy, nobody’s perfect.” Darcy saying I love you with vomit in her mouth and smeared makeup and a crumpled party hat on her head, whilst Tara looks immaculate in her tiara and gold weaved into her braids and her white sweater…

- Mr Farouk giving Darcy a break, like he’s maybe not so strict anymore (because of someone’s influence)…

- I DON’T KNOW HOW MANY TIMES NOW I’VE WATCHED THE TEACHERS GOING FOR IT BUT I’M SQUEALING AGAIN. AAAAAAAHHHH‼ CAN’T WAIT FOR MORE TEACHERS NEXT SEASON‼

- That whole Charlie and Nick talking and sleeping montage fixed my mental health, cleared my skin, watered my crops and fed my cows. I have watched it in an loop. It’s beautiful.

- They are finally sitting together in the coach! And so are Elle and Tao. Meanwhile Tara and Darcy...

- The post about Mr Farouk. Merciless.

- Meanwhile both Mr Farouk and Mr Ajayi looking a bit tense and unsure after...

- “Is it true you guys are dating???” They haven't even gotten back from Paris... News spread fast...

This episode is brought to you by Whatever the Hell Darcy was Drinking™.

#heartstopper #heartstopper season 2 #heartstopper netflix #heartstopper tv #nick and charlie #tao and elle #tara and darcy #the teachers

[maxkirin]

Does it matter if you went to college for writing books? I did go but the scholarships for college I got were from people who told me creative writing was not a real career and I was encouraged to chose a different major and I ended up dropping out but I still want to write (I just did not want to teach English) books but i was told before you needed connections to get published, even though I think that is not true anymore but all of it had a really negative impact on my ability to write. I still have ideas I want to put down but I feel like I don’t know how to write even a little bit after several years of having to set it aside for a career I don’t want.

Thank you for your question! There's a lot I want to cover so don't mind me breaking your question down 😊🌻

1) Do you need a college/university creative writing education to write books?

Nope! And anyone who tells you otherwise is trying to gatekeep you. I had a very good, and very lovely experience with my creative writing professor in college—but I have heard nightmare stories from people who paid good money at fancy universities just to have a professor waste their time with bad, bad, baaaaad writing advice.

You want to know what we did in my writing courses? We wrote. The teacher gave us prompts. We wrote in class. We gave each other feedback. We would sometimes have a theme or writing element we were working on, but it all felt secondary. To me, the goal of that class was to give us the room to comfortably write and talk about our craft.

You don't need to go to college to do any of that. In fact, I did some of my best learning once I got out of college. You want to get better at writing? Here is what I recommend:

Write

Read Books

Get Feedback

That's it. Writing keeps your mental tools sharp (and it's also very fun). Reading helps you see what works and what doesn't. Getting feedback helps you get out of your head and look at your writing from another person's point of view.

2) How do you get back into writing when you haven't done it in a while / you feel like you have lost your touch?

For better or worse, the answer is quite simple.

You get back to writing.

Pick a story you've been meaning to work on for a while, or create a new one, and write a little bit every day you can. That's it. I know it sounds the opposite of easy or simple, but that's the truth.

Writing is a verb. It is something you do.

Think of it like this: if you wanted to get back into running marathons after a long hiatus, how would you go about it? Well, it's simple enough: you would get back into running, little by little. It's the same.

Take baby steps. Write a little at first. Get your writing-legs back. And be consistent. That's really all there's to it. Trust me, I've been kicked in the butt and had to crawl back to writing more times than I can count. The solution is always the same: start writing again.

3) Do you need connections to get published?

I think anyone reading your question can agree that whoever you talked to was reaching for reasons to discourage you. I'm really sorry you had to go through that.

Now, about connections…

In this day and age going viral is the new hotness. A traditional publisher might be more interested on your social media numbers than anything else. It probably wouldn't hurt to have connections, but that's an old way to look at things. Honestly, the person who told you that was probably also of the mind that you had to submit to literary magazines to get noticed. No offense to all the literary magazine enjoyers out there, but that isn't as important as it once was.

There are many ways to get noticed now, and you don't even have to aim for a traditional publisher if that's not part of your goal.

At the end of the day, don't let other people's opinions or worries about publishing keep you from creating the stories that speak to you, call to you to write them.

I can only speak for myself, but I don't write books to get published.

I publish to make money. I write because it's fun, and because I want to fill this world with wholesome, queer, absurd stories. 🌈📚

— M. Kirin

#anon ask #writing advice #writing #long post #writing tips #publishing

[oysters-aint-for-me]

(Tw fictional suicide) Omg fellow Good Place finale disliker? I don't like how it resolves literally every problem in the afterlife and gives the main characters anything they want for as long as they want it, up to and including inventing Suicide 2 in case they get bored of eternal happiness. It's an unsatisfying ending for me after so much of the show was about how human life is short and imperfect.

oooh my god like i said don't even get me STARTED on why i hated the good place finale EXCEPT I WILL

okay so like you said - i hated that the solution to the afterlife was literally just eternal bliss plus the Suicide 2 Electric Boogaloo Door. like. that solved no problems, really. people cannot live in eternal bliss without it become not blissful at some point. and the solution to that CAN'T just be "go through the suicide door!" because oh my god that is SO SIMPLE and also, like, would make the people left behind sad, which would mean life wasn't blissful for them anymore, making it no longer the good place, you know? like...life has to be a LITTLE hard in order for the moments of joy to be, well, enjoyable. i really believed that the writers knew this and that the solution to the good place wouldn't be just "heaven with the option to die at the end"

second of all they did NOTHING to revamp the points system. people "on earth" were judged by the exact same parameters that had been the problem in the first place. the points system was flawed. in SO MANY WAYS. and the show acknowledged those ways! and yet. it stayed exactly the same.

my third and biggest problem with the ending was the "series of trials" that they decided to put everyone through after their "first life" on earth. you know, like, someone would live on earth, die, and then their points would be their points. then that someone would be tested over and over and over again until they became a better person and got into the good place. i have several issues with that but for now i'll talk about just three

how fucked up is that?! think of all the times the main four humans learned that they were actually in the bad place, or actually being tested, or whatever. they were ALWAYS unhappy about it. OF COURSE. also - they almost always figured it out. so they're just expecting no one else to pick up on a scheme that someone picked up on ALMOST EVERY TIME in beta? with no improvements?

in one episode, in the middle of all the reboots, they're at mindy st. claire's medium place house after they've figured out (again) that they're actually being tortured and rebooted. chidi says to eleanor something like "this is an epistemological nightmare. we keep getting rebooted so we can't actually learn anything because we can't remember." AND YET THAT IS EXACTLY THE SOLUTION HE PROPOSES - the series of trials after death, the rebooting, all of it. and everyone agrees to it. they only add the caveat that people will be able to hear a "little voice" that tells them to do the right thing, and that "little voice" will learn over time - but that feels like a cop out. that doesn't actually help US HUMANS who are WATCHING THE SHOW improve

the solution doesn't fix anything on earth! everyone on earth can go on being an asshole or whatever, or trying to be good and ultimately failing, and the world will just keep getting worse, while people improve ONLY in the afterlife through their series of trials?! come ON. you're just making a million multiverses for each person that dies while completely ignoring what is happening on earth. the earth is unimportant in the good place finale. no one gets better there, no one learns. okay, fine, whatever, earth sucks - except earth is where the VIEWERS of the SHOW live, and we'd like to learn how to be good in a world that is increasingly too complicated to support being good, thank you very much.

i guess my thing is like, how does the ending help US? what does it teach US about doing good on earth, with all its confusion and complications? all it teaches us is to "listen to the little voice," but real ethics isn't as simple as that. REAL moral problems aren't as simple. i guess maybe i was expecting too much from a network sitcom, but i really felt like i'd been tricked or something. i thought i was watching something more intelligent than it really was.

#i just rewatched the good place too and my opinion has not changed #the show is fun until the fourth season #and the fourth season was exactly as disappointing as i remembered #tw suicide #asks #anonymous