#i will not compromise and i am so very particular about my things and i cannot imagine anyone else particular in the same way i am

[cryolyst]

~

#learning that there are things that could be disagreements in a shared living situation that i never even considered #everyone warned me about division of chores and differing desires for house decor or like. use of the bathroom. #but now it's like bro we already have a 50'' tv we do not need a bigger one. what the fuck. #don't offer to pay for it yourself i straight up don't want that in our living room. #or like. being willing to save up for a good investment vs wanting to get something good enough for now and upgrading further down #the latter has its merits especially depending on what it is but it sounds like a waste of money for some smaller things #whyyyyyyy are we buying this shitty 20 dollar shoe rack right now #that we'll need to either store away or sell when we get the nice 60 dollar one. why can't we just wait and make do with our stairway rn. #anyways. not to get extreme about it but this is another reason why i can't see myself getting married <3 #i will not compromise and i am so very particular about my things and i cannot imagine anyone else particular in the same way i am #and i would not make someone else compromise for me bc i don't think i would be compromising for them and that just isn't right #they speak!

[redstarwriting]

protected

hobie brown x o’hara!reader

request?: yes

request: “I know you’re probably busy 🙏🏽 but can I request a hobie x reader Where reader is miguels kid but from another universe and we were known as “dangerous” to the multiverse and miguel had to watch over us and we find out while hanging out with hobie and hobie has to comfort us as we try to process the fact that Miguel wasn’t our real dad and just someone keeping the mutliverse safe?

I really hope this makes sense i just don’t know how to make is make sense uk? 😭 💀”

requested by: @millerworld​

word count: 1.7k

genre: angst with some fluff

Warnings: language, mentions of childbirth death, big feelings of betrayal, probably horrible spanish, honestly a lot of angst

A/N: apologies for the wait for this one! i love writing angst though so i was rubbing my hands together like an evil lil bitch writing this. i apologize if the spanish is wrong/not how it would actually be said/worded. been a minute since i took a spanish course, so i am a little rusty. please enjoy, and thank you so much for requesting, love! :)

───────────────────────────────────

Ever since you remembered your dad, Miguel O’Hara, was there. Of course, there are certain moments of your childhood you don’t remember, as every child has, but your earliest memory is your dad picking you up and soothing you as you cried at two years old. And ever since then, he was always there. Your friends at school would always say you were so lucky that you had a dad that was so devoted to you, and you agreed. To an extent. See, he was very particular about what he allowed you to do. It wasn’t in a negative way, necessarily, he was just protective. His favorite saying and your least favorite saying in your house was ‘I just want what’s best for you, cariño.’

It resulted in you staying home from school events, friend events, and generally any type of event where your safety could have been compromised. It caused you to be a bit of a loner, always hearing about the parties, the gossip, all of it instead of actually experiencing it for yourself.

Of course, it annoyed you.

It still does.

He’s loosened up a bit eventually, though, allowing you to go to work with him. Which also meant you got to meet many spiders. Quite a few of the spider-people quickly became your closest friends, as it was simpler and easier for your dad to keep tabs on you in Spider Society. Much to his chagrin, you quickly became best friends with Hobie Brown. The two of you were around the same age, and since you were annoyed at your dad and in your rebellious era, you got along swimmingly. A little too swimmingly, actually, which Miguel purposefully chose to ignore for the most part. Until he saw Hobie sucking his little one’s face off. Regardless, Hobie was always quick to validate all your conflicted, annoyed, and even positive feelings about your father. He even helped you come out of your shell and rebel against Miguel occasionally.

Miguel didn’t like this very much, but he also knew that Hobie was still a good influence on you. No matter how many times both of you tried to convince him that he wasn’t. But sometimes, Hobie would talk you into doing things that he very much disliked. Hated, even. And this time was one of those times. While he was out, containing a particularly difficult anomaly, Hobie convinced you to search through Miguel’s personal files on his supercomputer because he bet if your birth certificate would be anywhere, it would be there. When you found a folder with your name, you expected to open it to see some family pictures, hoping for your birth certificate with the name of your mom. Your dad never really talked about your mom, just that she passed away during childbirth. You stopped asking because every time you did, he would get very quiet and a guilty look would appear on his face. But you’d be lying if you said you weren’t curious. So you went into this endeavor excited to see what you might find out. Unfortunately, that excitement didn’t last for very long. See when you opened your file expecting these mundane things, that wasn’t what you were met with.

In fact, that was nowhere near what you found.

You found detailed notes all about you.

“What the hell,” you mumble, scrolling through the various pictures of you as an infant, with two adult strangers. Hobie said nothing, looking at all the pictures and skimming the important parts of all the files you were pulling up with a frown on his face. You stop on a specific picture of a woman holding you in a hospital bed. She was smiling.

And she was very much alive.

Tears immediately start to well up in your eyes as Hobie gently pulls your hands away from the computer. “Think that’s enough a’ that, love,” he says softly. You yank your arms away from him. “No.” You scroll to the next photo, seeing a man you’ve never met before holding you in the same hospital room, with the same strange woman right next to him. The next time you scroll, it’s a detailed account from Miguel about who you are. Notes from your dad declaring you a ‘danger’ and that you ‘must be contained somehow.’ Talk of your biological parents, their names, and how you had to be separated from them before ‘irreversible damage was done to the multiverse.’

You stare at the screen, and Hobie pulls your hands away again, successfully this time. He steps between you and the screens, blocking your view and slowly walking you backward and away from the files. You’re too shocked to say anything, the only thing you can do is quietly cry. Hobie opens his mouth to say something when Miguel’s voice rings out. “What do the two of you think you’re doing?”

The two of you turn your heads toward Miguel, and his annoyed frown turns to one of concern as soon as he sees the look on your face. “¿Qué tienes, mi corazón?” Miguel asks, his voice much softer as he approaches you. Hobie moves, positioning himself between you and your ‘father,’ and scoffs. “Think you got some explainin’ to do ‘ere, mate,” Hobie says, and Miguel looks at him confused. Then he sees what’s on the screen. A look of horrified realization spreads across his face, and he looks at you. “(Y/n), cariño, I can explain.”

“Don’t call me that,” your voice, albeit shaky, finally comes back to you. Hobie turns his attention to you, squeezing the hand you’ve been holding onto for dear life ever since he pulled you away from the computer. “(Y/n)—”

“Who am I? Who are you to me?”

“…Please, let me—”

“WHO ARE THOSE PEOPLE?!” you shout, desperately yearning for your dad to say they weren’t what was said in his reports. But all he does is frown. “They’re… they are your biological parents,” he confesses, and you make a choked noise. Hobie subtly begins turning his watch to his universe, ready to make an escape from your dad at any point. “If you just let me explain—”

“I’m a threat to the multiverse?” you choke out through your tears, “What the fuck does that mean, papá?! If I can even call you that.” Miguel’s jaw clenches. “Don’t forget who raised you.”

“How could I?! How could you?! Is this why you never let me do anything?! Too worried your querido bebecito would destroy the fucking multiverse?!”

“(Y/n). I did it to protect everyone.”

“What about me?! Did you ever plan on telling me?! How is separating me from my family protecting me?!” Hobie places an arm around your shoulder, pulling you closer and keeping you shielded by him as Miguel tries to step closer to you. Miguel glares at him, and Hobie glares back. Miguel holds out his hand in a surrendering way. “It was to protect you just as much, if not more, as it was to protect everyone else. If you would just listen—“

“No. No, I’m done listening to you.”

“Cariño—”

“I am not tú cariño. I am not tú corazoón. You are not mi papá,” you say, venom behind your words. You can practically see Miguel’s heart shatter into tiny little pieces.

That was the worst thing you could have ever said to him.

Before he can say anything else, Hobie opens the portal, pulling you through and closing it almost immediately. You find yourself in the familiar atmosphere of his flat. “C’mere, love,” he mumbles, pulling you into his arms. You grip his shirt, sobbing into his chest as he rocks you back and forth, softly shushing you occasionally and rubbing your back. After what feels like hours, but was really maybe a minute, he swiftly picks you up, carrying you bridal style to his bed as you continue to cry into his shirt. He sits down, placing a soft kiss to the top of your head and rubbing up and down your arm. He can’t help but feel guilty for this. If he didn’t convince you to look at the computer…

“Don’t blame yourself, Hobie… please,” you whimper, and he sighs. “Love, you needa stop bein’ so good at knowin’ what i’m thinkin’,” he mumbles, and you look up at him with a soft smile. “Can’t help it. Even your thoughts are loud,” you say, and he snorts. “Chuffed to see the cryin’ made ya feel better,” he says and you shake your head. “I still feel like shit, Hobie,” you whisper, and he frowns. He gently wipes some tears away from your cheeks. “Reckon all ‘at cryin’ has you knackered?” he mumbles, and you nod softly. He lays backwards, maneuvering the two of you to be laying down. The two of you face each other, one of his hands cradling the side of your face while the other soothingly rubs up and down your side. You grip onto his shirt, and he places a soft peck on your nose. “‘m sorry, love,” he says, and you sniffle. “I already told you it isn’t your fault.”

“‘Kay, still feel like it was,” he says, and you sigh. “That’s not important right now,” he mumbles, gently pulling you closer. “What’s important is that I make you feel better.” You look at him, your eyes are still glossy from tears. “Never met someone who looked so stunnin’ when they cry,” he says, gently stroking your cheek. You smile softly, and he does too. “There’s my favorite smile,” he whispers before softly placing his lips on yours. It’s only for a second, but it makes all the pain go away. And you’re grateful for that. Even if it is just for a second. “Get some sleep, love.” He kisses your forehead, tangling his legs with yours and pulling your head into his chest. You relax into him. He was right. The crying was exhausting. Before you know it, you’re asleep as Hobie gently traces shapes into your skin, whispering anything and everything he loves about you to you so softly that if you weren’t really listening, you wouldn’t hear any of it. No one makes you feel protected quite like Hobie does.

And even if it’s just for a moment, thanks to Hobie, you feel like everything will be okay.

───────────────────────────────────

#hobie brown x reader #hobie x reader #hobie brown x y/n #hobie brown x you #spiderpunk x reader #spiderverse x reader #o'hara!reader #dad!miguel #hobie brown #hobie #miguel o'hara #spiderverse

[jawnscoffee]

Sherlock's Wedding Speech

ok so this is a very random onehsot i've head in my head for AGES and it rained today and that means: perfect day to stay inside and write :D

the title says everything (even though i have NO idea if sherlock would actually say sth like this but i just love his best man speech way too much). hope you like it!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ladies and gentlemen, family, friends, and...uhm... others. 

When I stood here for the first time, I was babbling something about telegrams that John received, which, in case you forgot, are still not actually telegrams; we just call them telegrams. I still haven't figured out why, by the way. I guess I'll just have to be content with the fact that it's a wedding tradition.  

When I stood here for the first time, I thought telegrams were stupid because I didn't know what it was like to receive telegrams myself. I didn't understand why people would congratulate you on something like a wedding or on finding somebody you want to spend the rest of your life with. I thought it was stupid since a wedding is nobody else's business anyway, and after all, it is very rare that you actually do end up spending the rest of your life with the particular person you married that day.  I didn't understand because I didn't know back then what it felt like to have found someone you knew you would love for the rest of your life and even longer still, no matter what. I didn't understand because I didn't know what it felt like to be loved by this particular person just as much in return. 

When John Watson asked me to marry him, I suddenly did.  

John Watson. My friend, John Watson. My...love. 

When John first broached the subject of getting married, I was confused—even more so when he asked me to be his best man.  I confess that at first, once again, I didn't realise he was asking me. It took me a little longer to understand what he was saying than when he asked me to be his best man and why he, all of a sudden, knelt down in front of me. I couldn't express just a scrap of emotion, which, understandably, unsettled John a bit.  Looking back at it, I think the reason why I couldn't do it was because, just as I didn't expect to be anybody's best man or best friend, I didn't expect anybody to ever kneel down for me. Or, well, propose to me, as I later understood.  

For a very long time, I thought that a wedding was nothing short of a celebration of all that is false, specious, irrational, and sentimental in this ailing and morally compromised world. I considered a wedding to be nothing but honouring the death watch beetle that is the doom of our society and, in time, one feels certain, our entire species. I, unfortunately, stated both of these fairly openly, if anyone has trouble remembering.  

When John knelt down in front of me and asked me to be his husband, though, this mindset died just like my false belief about telegrams, and I finally started to understand. 

John Watson right here is not only my helpmate during my adventures, which I consider to have been ours for a long time, actually. John Watson is not only the bravest, kindest, and wisest human being I have ever had the good fortune of knowing, even though this is, by any means, the case. 

This man, whom I am lucky enough to call my husband from now on, is far more than that.  

John Watson is the person I have never even imagined meeting, since it takes a good bit of luck to meet your special someone. But I did have this luck. Because John Watson is my special someone.

He is the person I will love for the rest of my life and even longer, and he has saved me from so many misfortunes I'm unable to put into words.

He is not only my best friend and the one whom I love most in this world, but also the one who showed me what it's like to be loved in return. He showed me that receiving felicitating telegrams is actually not a stupid thing at all, because sometimes even I cannot believe how lucky I am to have found my very own kind of forever.

He showed me that weddings are not a death watch beetle that is the doom of our society, but rather a promise that I am more than willing to make.  

This time, I cannot congratulate you on your choice of companion, John. I'm still an utterly ridiculous man, redeemed only by the warmth and constancy of your friendship and...love. But, nevertheless, I will happily thank everyone who congratulates me. 

When I say I love this man and will love him until all eternity, it is the truest promise of which I'm capable.

I won't say that I love John more than anybody has ever loved anyone before, since you cannot and should not compare one love to another. However, when I say I love this man, I mean that I love him more than anyone will ever love him and has ever loved him before, and that I have a lifetime ahead to prove that.  

With the bright rings on our ring fingers, I've made an even brighter promise I will never forget to try to fulfil. 

John, when you knelt down, you made me, and this is something I can say for certain, the happiest man on earth.  I wish I could describe it more in detail, but I simply love you more than words can say.  

With the rings on our fingers, you stole the very last piece of my heart, and I'm not afraid to call myself a heartless man any more. 

I don't need legal papers to say that I'm yours and you're mine, because I already am and will always be yours. But if this is the way to celebrate the luck I've got, I'll be more than happy to raise my glass to the man who is not only my love but also my husband from this day on.  

I love you, John Watson, more than everything I've ever loved before. Thank you for making me the happiest I've ever been.    

tagging: @topsyturvy-turtely @a-victorian-girl @lisbeth-kk @peanitbear @just-a-fixed-point-in-time @dw91165 @writingloud @7-percent @blogstandbygoy @johnlockifconvenient @kat987 @mary-johnlocked @meohmycroft @consultingtribble @paulineholmes02 @jameshavinganxiety @lastsociopaths @catlock-holmes @jobooksncoffee (hope that's okay! tbh still don't get when and what people you're supposed to tag...)

#johnlock #bbc sherlock #sherlock #sherlock holmes #sherlock bbc #sherlock fandom #john watson #johnlock fanfiction #sherlock x john #wedding #wedding speech #jawnscoffeewrites

[dduane]

Diane, I am wondering something about writing and you are very wise and very kind.

For context, I've been seeing a therapist for a few months and just saw a psychiatrist Sunday night and they both used the phrase "dissociative daydreaming". It started when I was about 13 and I'm 28 now and it is getting in the way of my life. I'll be having a one-on-one conversation with someone alone in a quiet room and completely miss a few seconds of what they say, and I zone out a lot when eating at restaurants and it creeps people out. The psychiatrist says we are going to work on getting this under control in the next couple months.

The thing is, I like writing fiction and I do a lot of my imagining while I'm in this "zoned out" state. You know, that being a major part of dissociative daydreaming. So I'm wondering, sorry for assuming (assuming makes an ass out of you and me), but if you do not also dissociative daydream, or any other fiction writers here do, how do you think about your stories? Do you just sit down at your desk and say to yourself "I shall write a story now" without leaving your unoccupied body staring at a wall?

First of all: my apologies for having taken so long to get to this... my ask box is so piled up with overdue stuff right now. (sigh) And thanks for the nice words. I don't know about the "wise", and sometimes I screw up the "kind", but I do what I can with what I've got.

Anyway, re: "Do you just sit down at your desk and say to yourself 'I shall write a story now' without leaving your unoccupied body staring at a wall?"

...Yeah, pretty much. Here's how the story-building process usually goes for me.

First I outline. (As detailed here.) The outlining is for me the equivalent of drawing a blueprint, or doing the measure-twice work that comes before taking a saw to the materials you're going to use to build a bookshelf. For this part of the process, as I assemble the underlying framework of the story, I've found it vital to be as completely present, alert and aware as possible. This is where the order of physical action gets laid out, errors of reasoning get caught, blind alleys get erased from the blueprint, useless character transactions get identified and thrown away, and hunches / incomplete ideas get incorporated.

While assembling the outline, if I find my concentration drifting or somehow compromised, I stop work as quickly as possible and put it aside until I can find time to deal with it when I won't be distracted by other stuff. Much experience has taught me that if I get sloppy about this, I may well wind up being really annoyed about it later on... secondary to having missed something vital about character interactions, or screwed up some important sequence of physical action. The writing time lost in fixing careless errors of this kind infuriates me... so I take my time with the outlining.

It's after the framework of the story is in place that the vaguing-out stages of both writing and thinking about the writing come into play. Over many years I've found that the shower, in the morning, is one of the best places for this. Usually when I'm in active writing mode on a project, the first thing I'll do after waking up (while still in bed) will be to look over the writing done the previous day, and—if there's need—check the outline to see what I was planning to do next. Then I hit the showers.

That's where the ideas really start to flow while I'm unfocused: scene descriptions and action sequences in particular. I don't know what it is, but running water really seems to do it for me. (One time I was up at this place for a writing trip, and plotted about six novels one after the other, over a week. Those tubes in the picture dump a liter of hot water per second onto your head. Very, very effective for me.)

...I'm also absolutely horrified to have to admit that one of the very best places for me to be in order to have dialogue arrive is at the kitchen sink, doing dishes. Possibly because there are few other situations in my day to day life where I more desperately want to have my mind be somewhere else. Anywhere else. (But also: running water again...)

In between these two modes of composition lies a hybrid "full-spectrum" writing mode in which I can switch pretty much seamlessly from total immersion in the scene presently unfolding to a more analytical examination of what's going on: a constant realtime adjustment of format issues, timing, pacing, and a lot of other things. When in this mode I can vague out when necessary, inventing new stuff as needed or refining material that was already there, and then snap back into the mode where I'm keeping an eye on paragraph lengths or whether there are too many em-dashes popping up. :)

...Anyway, that''s how it goes for me. The usual caveat applies here: other people's (entirely successful!) processes will not necessarily look anything like this. ...Meanwhile, I absolutely wish you good results in your upcoming brainwork, and the better management of your own process.

#writing #writing process #also #hot water #LOTS OF HOT WATER

[slicesofapple]

Favorite TodoBaku/BakuTodo fics

So, I am fairly new to this fandom/pairing, but I decided to start building my favorites list. Already it is very, very hard to choose. There are so many amazing fics and incredible authors writing them! But these (in no particular order) are the ones I am coming back to/re-reading the most. (I'll be adding to this as I go, this is just the start of it). Many of these authors have other fantastic todobaku/bakutodo fics as well.

playing with fire by ninanna. rated M. How things unfold and overlap, hurt and please between two people who do not see any potential in each other beside rivalry and occasional partnership. [Note: I think this is now my favorite all-time fic; it's a tour de force; spectacular. all ninanna's todabaku/bakutodo fics are - the author reaches in and rips out your guts in the best way possible.]

The Feel of His Hand is Like Home by XenophonSpeaks. rated T. A typical mission goes unexpectedly south, leaving Todoroki reeling with panic, injured and compromised. Thankfully, he didn't embark on this mission alone. [This author! so good.]

Sated, by Crossfire. rated M. Some Alphas and Omegas get cuddly, or tired, or hungry. Some Alphas and Omegas like to fuck. Bakugou and Todoroki like to fight. [I'm a sucker for (especially non-explicit) alpha/beta/omega, and this one hits the sweetest of sweet spots.]

anything you say can and will be held against you by delectum. rated G. What is the correct protocol for when the villain you’re supposed to be apprehending starts flirting? [So funny and perfectly executed.]

Be Kind, Rewind by seventh_time_lucky. rated T. What starts off as a normal-seeming Sunday starts to get stranger and stranger, until Shouto finds himself locked out of UA, with no money and no phone, and the only person he can find to help is Midoriya. But Midoriya is too tall and cries every time he looks at Shouto, and Shouto starts to think something has gone really, really wrong. [Perfect angst. wip.]

Finding and Holding by bigcatsmallcat. rated T. Shouto gets temporarily quirked into a mushroom. [This one is really bakutododeku, but it is so adorable I had to put it in.]

Something of Silence by Viidoll. rated T. When Bakugou Katsuki is unexpectedly hit with a muting quirk, he makes it his mission to hunt down the moron stupid enough to silence him. Reluctant to receive help, he somehow gets it anyway - in the perplexing form of one Todoroki Shouto. In the process of losing his voice and struggling to get it back, Bakugou might just learn a little about listening. [Ah, one of the earliest ones I read of these two. So perfect.]

put some socks on by Tierfal. rated T. Shouto comes home after an extremely long day, and Bakugou is sitting on the couch. [The banter here is especially delectable.]

the witch's familiar by orange_cheetah. rated M. The night he escapes from the castle, crown prince Todoroki Shouto finds himself cursed by the magician in his father's employ. Undeterred, Todoroki strikes up a deal of his own: kill the most powerful witch in the kingdom to have the curse broken. There's just one small problem: he's somehow ended up as the familiar of the witch in question—Bakugou Katsuki. [This is such great storytelling, the way the pieces all slot into place at the end.]

i'm tired, i'm tired of not loving you by yekijan. rated M. [Amnesia fic. So much fabulous angst.]

Ten Years Wanting by Ramabear (RyMagnatar). Rated E. Bakugou. His name is Bakugou. Or at least that is what they call him.Everyone has been calling him by some other phrase that he cannot understand and that makes his head hurt when he hears it too much. Bakugou doesn’t feel right until he hears Todoroki call him that and then it does. He remembers Todoroki calling him Bakugou. He has never really said his name with fondness and even now, as he tells Bakugou what he expects of him, he doesn’t say it kindly but he does say it.Something in the back of Bakugou’s mind tells him that this is progress. This is more than what there was before. This is closer to what he wants. [Another amnesia fic, this time the other way around].

A normal poly relationship doesn't have this many fucking spreadsheets by Anonymous. Not Rated. three teenage boys being fucking idiots because actually being mature about your feelings is for suckers. [wip. this is hilarious but also very sweet. warning: izuku is pretty much an asshole here, at least so far. and it is very much bakutodo/todobaku, not bakutododeku.]

I will love you in every universe by HeavenCat. Rated T. During a rescue mission, pro hero Katsuki aka Dynamight switches places with his fifteen-year-old self. (it's so good! so sweet and funny and good).

feel free to put your own faves in the comments or tags 😉

#todobaku #bakutodo #fic rec #a03 #fanfic recs #todoroki shouto #bakugou katsuki #bnha #mha

[mommalosthermind]

So I'm slowly starting to come to understand that we shouldn't censor things but also I'm still a little uncomfortable with the site allowing things like pedophilia to be written in a way that's romanticized. I get it. Avoid it since I don't like it but at what point do we say, 'hmm this isn't okay.' I mean I get it, fiction doesn't hurt people but if that were truly the case then why are we lobbying for rep/realism/etc in media? Fiction, at some point, has to have some effect on real life.

Hello darling! I got your second ask too, please don’t worry, you’re definitely not coming across as unkind.

And you’re definitely not the only one to have similar thoughts or concerns.

But my answer’s going to be the same.

There is no such thing as a little censorship, and opening that particular can of pringles is not going to end happily for anyone. It’s better to not open it at all. And yes, that means people will create deeply fucked up things. But they should have the ability to do so, just like you should have the ability to avoid the hell out of it.

(Which, for AO3, is where I start in on my tag your shit appropriately/read the fucking tags!!! Rants. Learned the hard way a million years ago when I *thought* I was reading something very very different than I was, so when I got to ‘Character has sex with a dog’ I lost my mind, then realized I fucked up and hadn’t read the tags. If I had, I would have noped out of that fic immediately. So. That entire encounter was on me.)

“At what point is this not okay?” Well, that’s the whole point, isn’t it? Who would be in charge of deciding where the line goes? Who gets to decide what goes on which side of the line?

The last anon seemed to think writing was the same as doing, and thus writing shouldn’t be allowed at all.

And then got annoyed when I pointed out how often those unsavory themes happen in movies or TV without any warning at all, and generally, people move right past it.

Fiction doesn’t hurt people. People hurt people.

My favorite comparison is still my kitchen curtains, because my curtains are still weird: fairies, trees. Very witchy. I’ve seen people do literal double takes over my curtains. I can tell by the way they squint they can’t stand them or don’t understand why I would want something so *non-traditional* in such a public part of my house. They keep their damned mouths shut though, because they know its rude to tell me to change my curtains to fit their idea of a kitchen. (And also because I’d toss them out after laughing my ass off but that’s not relevant)

Person A has an idea of what ‘acceptable’ levels are, but that’s much much less than person B. Who wins? No one.

And no one should have the power to just decide things like that.

It’s stupid o’clock at night where I am, so I’m not about to go digging for studies, but I know we’ve got pretty solid proof that media doesn’t cause behaviors spontaneously. At the risk of sounding old, but this same argument once was applied to music, too. The weird compromise was slapping content warnings for language/sex/violence on CD’s. (Y’know. A significantly less useful form of tagging?) It didn’t… really do shit for anyone. Other than make those CD’s more attractive to teens, tbh. But. The argument at the time was rap and rock were violent and would make kids go insane and violent just by listening.

It… didn’t. It still doesn’t.

Reading dark fic isn’t going to cause someone to do something out of the blue.

Someone who’s debating doing the thing might seek out media about whatever their obsession is, yes. But their obsession was already there. Fic, music, movies, they’re not going to create it. I’d wager those girls who murdered their friend and blamed ‘slenderman’ had signs long before they went that far.

Part of the problem with this entire thought is that it’s thought policing. Folks assume the thought equals the sin. And as someone with pretty wonky intrusive thoughts and a long family history of mental issues— no. I have weird ass thoughts all the time. ‘Huh, I’m up high, I should jump, maybe I’ll float.’ I’m not gonna act on them. I know they’re weird thoughts. I’m not gonna float, I’d just die. Your brain just… says things sometimes. Some of us more than others. Therapy’s helpful for folks who struggle with that.

Fiction’s got nothing to do with it, though. Fiction just represents someone else working through their lives.

Melissa Etheridge wrote a song (scarecrow) about Matthew Sheppard’s murder. She didn’t cause anyone else to go torture another lonely gay boy to death. She was working through her grief at losing another one of us. And we worked through our grief when she sang.

Art is made for the making of it. Fiction—even the kind that squicks you— is still art.

As for the other part of your ask, the representation? I’m not sure I see the connection you’re trying to make. When people talk about rep, they’re talking about making the characters more authentic, more reflective of the beautiful range of humanity at large. Not seven brown haired white guys and one bitchy white woman and the unnamed not-white side character used for shit jokes. There should be a rainbow of humans in media, because little black girls deserve to know they’re strong and smart and beautiful. Because queer kids of all sizes and shapes deserve to know they’re loved. Because boys should get to be princesses. Because people with chronic illnesses, disabilities, they should get to be part of the stories. Because white folk need to see the rest of the world as human. Folks want to see themselves in the heroes, the happiness, the successes.

Too many kids never get to see themselves on the screen or read about people who look like them.

I loved belle as a kid because she looked like me and she loved reading. I loved Ariel because she wanted to be free. I cried over encanto because I know what it’s like to be excluded, what it’s like to be the big sister. I cried over reading red white and royal blue because the gays get to live and they’re happy. Everyone should have some way to connect.

The realism bit,though, I don’t think is the consumers as a whole. Yeah, some folks prefer it, but from what I’ve seen over the last 20 years, it’s more like the people who control most popular media have decided that’s what they wanna make. I don’t care for it, tbh. Media doesn’t need to be an exact copy of the real world.

Stories are meant as a place of solace, or at least a place that is different, than your day to day.

I like stories that have soft, happy ever afters. We’ve worked through the Big Bad Thing and come out stronger for it and now we get our well deserved rest. The real world doesn’t give me those things. Other people look at the state of the world, read seriously fucked up shit, and then go, well, at least my life isn’t that. It could be worse! And this is their happy place.

So. I’m not sure I’m much help here, but tl;dr: remember the tenets of fandom:

1) kinktomato: your kink is not my kink and that is okay. (You like this, I do not, I’m gonna leave it alone, the end.)

2) DLDR: Don’t like? Don’t read. Filtering and blocking are your besties.

3) ship and let ship (or sit down) — don’t press your dislike onto the people who do like. Let ‘em alone, go find what you do like.

4) tag appropriately, read the damn tags.

5) curate your own spaces. You alone are responsible for your online existence/experiences

6) have fun. Enjoy it. Be weird. Be silly. Be fucked up. Be unrepentantly yourself. Don’t let anyone else take that away from you.

#momma talks #asks #answered asks #censorship #i am very tired its like 1 am so this is probably more incoherent than I think it is im so sorry

[taylorswiftstylequestions]

Hi Sarah. I am feeling very unwell right now. I have always wanted to be childfree. For a while it felt like that meant no partner either and the pressure from my own mother has also always felt very suffocating. In recent years she has even taken to calling me brainwashed which feels like a knife in my heart and a complete disregard for my own identity and wants. I am 26 now and still don't want children and I met a partner who initially seemed not to want them either, but everytime we see a child now he says "don't you want one someday?" and it feels as if he is slowly trying to change my mind so one day I will. I love him so much, but this is taking such a toll on me. It makes me question if I should just compromise and have a kid in my thirties or leave someone who ticks off every box except that one? Did you ever face pressures like this? Does your mother respect you instead of treating it as an attack on her or making you feel that something is terribly wrong with you? Have you and your partner always been on the same page about it or was there ever a period of confusion like this? I understand if this is all too personal to answer explicitly, but I just felt compelled to ask you since you always have some beautiful insight and helping words for us (and you shine so bright).

Hi friend! Thinking of you - this is such a heavy thing to have weighing on your brain. It's a big and immensely personal life decision - it's a lot to figure out on your own and between yourself and your partner let alone all the added weight of the opinions other people in your life might have on this choice.

My husband (🥰🥰🥰) and I have always gratefully been aligned on our choice about what we want to do as a family and it was something established early on when we were dating. We also still do regular check ins (it comes up intermittently as some of our friends make the choice to have children and we gather to celebrate these additions to their/our lives or have their littles around as part of group events and dinners) even now. "It's so fun watching XYZ grow up - but I'm still confident in our decision to not have one of our own. Are you still sure?" / "Instead of kids, I'm really excited to adopt more cats with you" / "I like the life we've built with us and Allistor as a family. Are you still happy with that?"

My parents inquire about our choice every time I see them and my mom in particular doesn't accept my response about our choice. Despite having consistently given the same answer for at least 6 years - I imagine she still thinks I'm going to change my mind. I anticipate navigating our relationship in the next few years especially to be difficult and emotional.

All that said, there's a lot of nuance and highly personal feelings in this decision. People are absolutely allowed to change their minds about kids. People are absolutely allowed to be resolute and sure in their opinions (yes or no). One partner may be on the fence and the other may be so sure one way or the other and through personal discussions and conversations, you make a compromised choice based on what's right for the two of you. Regardless of where you land, you deserve the freedom to make the choice that you want to make and to be with a partner who respects and aligns with that choice (can confirm it is 100% possible) - and the intricacies of finding that alignment can be validating or devastating depending on where you each land.

I'm sorry I can't be more helpful for you but I recognize and feel you on how immensely difficult this is. I wish you transparent, respectful and open conversations with your partner on this. I'm here for you!

#tsser

[sgiandubh]

The ripple effect

So finally, it would seem the news from Hollywood are not good at all. A press release from SAG-AFTRA informs us that AMPTP/TPTB chose to drop the towel after a very long negotiation process (not a good sign, in my book), that continued even after their latest unacceptable offer, as you can read down below (https://x.com/sagaftra/status/1712368110253285730?s=20):

The mainstream media (always NYT, in this house) reported also on the studios' offer, which may or may not be helpful for understanding what exactly is at stake (https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/12/business/media/actors-strike-talks-suspended.html?searchResultPosition=2):

Now that is a very hardball, completely insolent position. I am peeling my eyes in disbelief at the idea of offering 'further protections around the use of A.I.', when it was hoped that the use of A.I. would be treated as an exception, not as future reality the industry should work 'around'. This is what really is at stake, not the almost abusive allegation of 'unbearable economic burden' (that is a mafioso pretext) an 800 million USD yearly viewership bonus would supposedly entail. The real financial impact of such a compromise solution, as disclosed by SAG-AFTRA, is negligible: 'less than 57 cents/subscriber'.

And, to make things worse, it would seem the studios deliberately lied to the press, too (it would not be the first time - we shippers know it so well, eh?):

All this circus, despite a cataclysmic impact on California's economy:

(Sourced at: https://www.nytimes.com/2023/09/21/realestate/writers-strike-rent-ny-la.html).

And that was the situation three weeks ago, when I found this article and promptly set it aside, waiting for the right moment to share it with you. And you know the situation is serious, when news like these are to be found not in the business, but in the real estate section of the newspaper. Along with this kind of comments, likely to suggest the possibility of unrest, if things go on like this:

People living in their flats without electricity or sleeping in their cars: it would seem this strike added unwanted insult to the drastic COVID injury in this particular sector of the labor market.

But what interested me the most about this whole affair was the ripple effect on the British film industry, in an attempt to see what is next for OL's Season 8. Thankfully, I didn't have to go very far and speculate more than the NYT did itself. Oh, and before Mordor starts shouting insanities, their LHR's correspondent paper, back in September, is called 'Hollywood Strikes Send a Chill Through Britain’s Film Industry' (https://www.nytimes.com/2023/09/19/business/hollywood-strikes-uk-filmmaking-industry.html):

Despite my unflappable optimism, I have to say that doesn't sound good at all, especially when you know this is precisely the case for OL, a production 'with stars who are SAG-AFTRA members' (or at least compelled to stand in solidarity with the strike, by SAG-AFTRA's own statement of conduct). I predict a very late start for the shooting of Season 8. And further unrest in the UK sector 'in the middle of next year' means that UK based and staffed productions may be fewer and less important, since that calendar announced by Equity could seriously compromise their promotion, a risk not many studios are willing to take. So less alternatives for both S&C, at least for the UK alone.

The writers' strike was a very long one - five months. I suppose the studios are willing to play for time and prefer a long stalemate of the negotiations with SAG-AFTRA, in the attempt of breaking the union consensus from the inside. With people's economies gone and the prospect of a dire, uncertain way ahead, there is no way SAG-AFTRA's compensations, mainly aimed at keeping people afloat with their rent costs, could cover the real impact on its members' everyday lives, on the long run. They would also prefer to foolishly cry over a fictitious 800 million USD 'burden' and not see the (at least) six times bigger negative impact on the local economy, which translates both in net losses of profit for thousands of businesses (mainly SMEs) and thousands of lost jobs.

And in the middle of all this, it would seem that Herself is on her way to the NYCC. Whatever for, sweet summer child, I would brazenly ask this strange, diminutive woman who started it all.

#sag aftra strike

[writingquestionsanswered]

Ambitions Story with Multiple POVs

Anonymous asked: I am trying to write a dark fantasy/cosmic horror story with a pseudo-anthology structure that is sort of like that parable about the blind men all feeling different parts of an elephant and thinking its a totally different creature. There are multiple POV characters (about 5-7) each are from very different walks of life, who the story cuts between as they all independently investigate supernatural stuff going on, each unaware of eachother and only getting a small slice of the mystery, while the reader who can see the whole picture that starts to form is able to put the pieces together to figure out what is really going on, as well as see how the actions of one character causes ripples that effect the others. I am struggling to: work out pacing of the individual revelations, avoid a gigantic cast that the reader can't keep straight (each POV character has their own supporting characters), make sure the individual stories connect (even if the characters themselves never realize it, etc.) How do I go about making this structure manageable without having to compromise on it too much?

[Ask edited for length]

I would suggest plotting out each of these POVs as though they were different stories. Then, create a timeline document and plot the major points of each plotline to see places where things might intersect. You could potentially have some of these characters cross paths--and even work together in some ways--without ever knowing the bigger connection.

As for the cast--not all of these characters need to have giant support casts. You could have a POV character who is working with one other person, for example. Or--let's say all of your POV characters are race car drivers, and they all have a pit crew, manager, etc. Consider the fact that you don't necessarily want 6 POVs telling different bus similar stories in a similar way... if all six of your POV characters are trying to make it to a particular championship race (is that even a thing?) and hopefully win the prize, you don't want to tell that same story six times following six different people. So, maybe one POV would be an old, legendary driver. One POV would be a young, green and untested driver. One POV would be the spouse of one of the drivers. One POV would be the manager of one of the drivers. One POV would be a pit crew member of one of the drivers. And, of course, these paths would all converge at the championship race. So, that way, instead of getting driver one's journey to the championship, driver two's journey to the championship, driver three's journey to the championship... all of which are going to look more or less the same, now you're getting these vastly different perspectives. Because the spouse of a driver can still tell the story of the driver's journey to the championship, but it's a different view of the story than the driver themselves, so it makes things more interesting. This also helps cut down on supporting cast, or at the very least creates variation so your reader doesn't have to remember six different drivers, six different managers, six different pit crews, six different spouses/significant others, etc.

I hope that helps!

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

I’ve been writing seriously for over 30 years and love to share what I’ve learned. Have a writing question? My inbox is always open!

LEARN MORE about WQA

SEE MY ask policies

VISIT MY Master List of Top Posts

COFFEE & FEEDBACK COMMISSIONS ko-fi.com/wqa

#wqaadvice

[yourtongzhihazel]

i absolutely love how succintly you outline a lot of your thoughts on marxism and consider you a really good writer as a whole, but i will say one of your common expressions has kind of puzzled me and i'd love to get your insight on it.

often you'll refer to the bourgeoise with a particular level of capital (and there fore political power) as "the high priests of capitalism", and while i understand the point you try to make with that, that capitalists act in service to their political interests as ruling class, a very "money is the true god of the capitalist" rhetoric.

my issue comes from the fact that i feel that equating the relation the bourgeoise have with the capitalist system to one a church has with god, or the one members of a church have with their organization, is kind of ignoring the fact that the church exists as first and foremost a tool of the ruling class, and using the analogue of a church for economics feels a little aimless when the church arose and exists by economic interests, not viceversa.

again, maybe i'm missing something! it's just something your posts got me thinking. much love!

No worries!

I'm borrowing from (if i remember correctly that is) quotes from Parenti. You are correct! In a capitalist society, one avenue for dissipating worker anger, displeasure, complaints, etc. is through established religions and their institutions. Of course, this is the famous "religion is the opium of the masses" as Marx put it. Religion is absolutely one of many tools at the disposal of the bourgeoisie no doubt. But at the end of the day, religion is a supernatural, immaterial thing. You cannot back up all your actions using religion alone. After all, what power does your god hold to non-believers? Thus, you need to be able to justify your actions through material, "scientific" means.

So why are bourgeois scholars, economists, historians, etc. the "high priests of capitalism"?

First, we have to discuss the dissolution of the field of political-economy into constituent parts; into the social sciences of sociology, psychology, anthropology, history, economics, etc., etc.. Coming from physics, a common habit is to break down difficult questions into parts. A question as complicated as political-economy, then, merits breaking into parts, no? The difference is, when us physicists break down questions into parts and solve each part, we then have to reconstruct the parts together to form a coherent model. The same cannot be said of the constituent fields of political-economy. Because the "problem" of political-economy has now been atomized, each part of this shattered whole cannot sufficiently supply the necessary context, history, statistics, and data to answer any questions about political-economy in a holistic, coherent manner. Is it by design? I cannot say for certain. What matters more is that the breaking up of political-economy in the way it has been done in our current society, ultimately makes it harder to investigate problems related to political-economy. By design or not, it makes the task of the bourgeoisie simpler.

Second, we have to relate to how these "high priests of capitalism" are produced, how they interact with society, and the distinct purpose they serve under a DOTB. To clarify, its not necessary that these "high priests" be members of the bourgeoisie! Indeed, there are many bourgeoisie who can lay claim to be sociologists, anthropologists, etc., but so can many proletarians!

In our capitalist society, the heads of universities, newspapers, labs, journals, think tanks etc. are, if not bourgeoisie themselves, appointed by the bourgeoisie. This means, that they demonstrate that they will tow the bourgeoisie line. Those that do not tow the bourgeois line are demoted, fired, or otherwise compromised. These departments heads then curtail their department's output to match the bourgeois line. This is how bourgeois scientists are reproduced (I am short-handing the bourgeois scholars, economists, historians, etc. into "bourgeois scientists").

Bourgeois scientists go on to "investigate" their respective field using the tools presented by bourgeois ideology: liberalism. Their findings are then passed up and published and used as justification to reinforce the superstructure of capitalism under the guise of "scientific evaluation". Of course, liberalism doesn't follow a rigorous study of materialism. Therefore, the produced material is unscientific in nature and falls short in analysis/discussion due to the author's liberalism. Thus, there is a feedback loop of generating bourgeois scientists to reinforce capitalist ideology, which then brings up more bourgeois scientists, similar to the feedback loop between labor reinforcing capital and vice versa.

Just like the primitive accumulation of the peasants in pre-capitalist (or proto-capitalist) economies into capitalist economies which kick-started capitalism, so too was there a "primitive accumulation" of scholarship into bourgeois ideology. As a new mode of production replaced feudalism, people, naturally, sought to study and understand it. But, since the bourgeoisie have to capital to buy and use the printing presses, only those friendly to bourgeois interests are published and printed, filling the nascent field of political-economy with bourgeois scholars who now became famous from the explosion of information made possible by capitalism (yes, capitalism was progressive compared to feudalism).

Why are bourgeois scientists the "high priests of capitalism"? because they unscientifically publish and proclaim the "scientific" justification for the continued existence of capitalism and its expansion in imperialism. They follow and tow the bourgeois ideology of liberalism, and they reinforce the capitalist superstructure. When I call bourgeois scientists "high priests", I am directly attacking the unscientific nature of the bastardized social sciences, and I am drawing direct attention to the fact that they are put in place by the systems driven by capitalism and by the bourgeoisie in order to push their ideology.

#Hazel's press releases

[touristclass]

Hi again! Want to relate something about dating in case it is of any interest.

Right out of the blue, I was asked out by a straight man (here where I live). Flattered, I went on a few dates with him. Nothing serious, I thought. But it did not take long at all before he was pressuring me into a physical relationship. And pressuring me a lot!

Obviously, I was never a typical guy, when living as a male. So when I was doing the guy thing (long before transition), I would take my time. And was never pushy, preferring to get to know somebody well first. Before things got physical. Turns out that, from what I understand from cis women I know now, that how I was is not typical male behavior at all. So I was a bit blindsided. When the roles were reversed and I was the woman this time.

I'm hearing from my straight cis girlfriends that a lot of straight guys expect sex by the second or third date at the latest. I suppose this is fine if that is what a particular lady wants. And I'd even fantasized about doing that on the first date! But when it happened for real, and when the opportunity was there. I did not want to take it. Yet. Because my intuition was telling me not to.

And I am glad I didn't. Because the more I learned about him, the more I found we were not very compatible. So better to not have made things any more serious, and we could go our separate ways without it being harder (I broke it off with him because of compatibility issues that had nothing to do with sex).

Fantasy is one thing. But reality is something else. So if you find yourself out there. Dating guys. Know what to expect. Establish boundaries. And don't do anything you are not comfortable in doing. Even if you do not understand why, because it could be your intuition warning you. And if you have principles and a certain sense of right and wrong for you. You do not have to compromise that. For anybody.

Last but not least. Flattery is what got me to go out with him in the first place. And it is nice to be treated like a lady. So be careful with that if it is shown toward you. And be safe.

Your trans friend, ~Jen @touristclass

#trans pride #transgender #transsexual #transgender support #lgbtqia #transisbeautiful #gender dysphoria #male to female #cross dressing #mtf trans #female gender identity

[secretgamergirl]

American Politics and Vampires

It's 2024, a capital-E Election Year in the U.S. and I am already starting to see the slow creep in my feed here of posts stressing the importance of voting, and the accompanying utterly infuriating mix of comments beneath them of sad little efforts from neo-nazis to counter that messaging and hot takes from clueless children that are pretty hard to distinguish from the former.

I was a little tempted after seeing a few of these today, but I didn't feel like being a big nag, and so instead I'm going to ramble about how a while back I saw someone ask a question that resulted in a really uncomfortable silence- "Why are there so many stories about vampires where they fought on the wrong side of the civil war?" (And yeah, these are actually very related topics.)

Let's picture for a moment your standard vampire. We've got someone who looks more or less like a normal human being, but is secretly a monster who is compelled to suck the blood out of normal humans, leaving them either dead, or as these sort of out of it, sickly, very suggestible types just barely going through the motions of life, and getting drained again before they can start to recover and escape. A given story might try to give you a more sympathetic vampire as an exception, because we don't generally enjoy reading stories about this sort of monster, but the typical standard vampire also totally loves their inherently predatory nature. They'll refer to the people they're draining as cattle or vermin or whatever, consider them to be lesser beings, and live in some big fancy castle or mansion or whatever, maybe getting all prideful about their ancestral lines or whatever.

Vampires aren't going to actively describe themselves as slave owners. They're going to talk about their familiars or servants or whatever, but let's be honest here. If you're a vampire in the U.S. in the lead-up to the civil war, there is zero chance you don't have a bunch of slaves and the federal government is formally abolishing that, you're not gonna like it and you're probably not going to have a problem killing people to be able to maintain your lifestyle.

Meanwhile, here's the quote people love tossing around about the group of people we refer to with a term that really doesn't fit anything about them: "Conservatism consists of exactly one proposition, to wit: There must be in-groups whom the law protects but does not bind, alongside out-groups whom the law binds but does not protect." - Frank Wilhoit

So... special people who consider themselves above normal humans, insist on being able to do things without facing consequences for them, and in particular being very keen on harming normal people who just have to deal. That kinda lines up perfectly with our description of vampires, doesn't it! And a hell of a lot of things, through the whole history of this country, make a hell of a lot of sense when you realize that roughly half of all politicians from the ones we have now all the way back to the founding of the country have been straight up vampires. Metaphorically speaking.

That's not to say that half the population of this country is comprised of vampires. It's more that vampires, by their nature, feel like they have to be in positions of leadership where they can control as much human cattle as they can, so they're going to claw their way to political power and hold onto it with an absolute death grip, any way they possibly can.

Like, knowing how bad this country has gotten about education on Certain Things, and other countries not having a particular incentive to learn these things, are we all aware of the three-fifths compromise? See, when this country was first founded it was really kinda 13 countries in this weird military alliance, and there was a lot of squabbling about who was paying for what and how to divide up this extra land everyone was collectively starting to acquire further and further to the west and everyone had to sit down and hash out the foundations of what's now the federal government. Part of that was establishing the whole congress deal, where rather than just putting some number of people in the seats from each state, there would be general elections of reps to fill seats based on total population. All well and good, except then a bunch of vampires stood up and went "hey so those population totals count our slaves, right? Because we've got a whole bunch of slaves, and obviously we're not going to actually let any of them vote because they're not really people but like they're mouths that need feeding within our borders so that counts right? We can send more vampires to serve in congress proportionate to all these slaves we have?"

Now you would HOPE the response to that would be "what? NO! Screw you! Quit having slaves!" or at least "what? NO! If you don't let slaves vote you can't count them as citizens for how many people you get to send in to represent your state you monsters!" What actually happened though, because there were already so many vampires in the room deciding this that just telling them all to screw off apparently wasn't an option was people went "OK we are not going to let you have 100 times the voting power of a normal human being because you're a vampire with 100 slaves... how about we just give you 60 times the voting power?" Which is completely absurd! But, yeah, half-vampire-run country. You'd also figure this particular awful disproportionate power grab issue would have died when we abolished slavery, but uh... we didn't actually do a super great job at that. The actual wording of our slavery ban has a heck of a loophole in it.

"Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction." So you know, you're a vampire. You failed to overthrow the government and they made you release all your slaves, AND they're technically allowed to vote now. That's bad for you because not only can you not boss them around or get extra federal votes out of them, they're probably going to vote against your evil interests. Fortunately you argued for these loopholes about people in prisons, and hey, you can exploit the hell out of that! Build a ton of prisons! Pass laws that let you arrest huge amounts of people for... being former slaves essentially. Make huge huge numbers of arrests. Offer to house other states' prisoners too! All these people are totally living in your state, AND they're full citizens with voting rights, so, yeah draw those district maps up to count them all, but oh whoops, none of them can actually cast those votes, because they're in prison and all. Still, their bodies count for population proportion, so the one vampire with a residence next to the prison effectly just gets to vote for all of them. Oh and the way the 13th amendment is written you can totally have them all do any sort of slave labor you need done while they're in there. Dangerous firefighting, horrible no-shade road construction, whatever you like really.

There's all kinds of awful crap like this baked into our laws, and it's imperative that we get rid of it all, both because, you know, basic human rights, and because it's all in there explicitly to give disproportionate power to vampires and make it particularly hard to get rid of them. Meanwhile, yeah, the vampires are also very much aware of that, and doing everything they can to keep us from doing that, so they can continue to, you know, rule forever, kill us for a combination of the enjoyment they get and a means of population control to thwart all this pesky democracy stuff, etc.

Now, a big part of how all of this has shaken out is that America has profoundly bad system for handling elections. A lot of other countries do stuff where you rank a bunch of candidates and when the votes get tabulated there's this whole multistep process weeding out the ones with no chance and then counting based on people's second choices and all that, but no, we go with "this guy got 21% of the vote and the next highest only got 20.95% so first guy wins who cares about the rest of this" (at least for general popular vote stuff, there's special rules and exceptions for lots of stuff like... amending weird crap that keeps vampires in power where you need various wide majorities, naturally). Anyway all the vampires get this so they pool their resources and pick just one vampire to run for any given thing and throw all the votes they have (bloated by various messed up means of getting extra votes and not counting big piles that disagree with them) without any other vampires splitting the vampire vote. This kinda necessitates the counterplay of having just the one non-vampire run for any given office. So, how do we work out who this one non-vampire is? Well, in the vast majority of cases, people are so disinterested in politics that only one person is going to even bother to fill out the paperwork to run (or nobody will, just letting some vampire run unopposed!) but for higher profile stuff, presidency especially, there's usually enough people interested that we have (technically unofficial) votes to agree on who we're all going to vote for later. Which isn't the worst system? Think of it like a tournament bracket (and really it'd be better if we branched those more, or used one of those better systems other countries have).

Oh and this is also only covering the various government offices where people are voted for directly. There's a ton of others like, you know, the entire judicial branch, which is arguably the most important, because it ultimately doesn't matter what the law says about anything when a dispute, even one in incredibly bad faith, can be brought before a vampire judge who's just going to rule in favor of vampire interests. Nothing for it beyond keeping vampires out of office so they can't appoint other vampires as judges and such.

So... yeah. The most important thing in all this is hey, do absolutely everything you can to thwart the efforts of vampires. They're super well-organized and weirdly open about wanting to enslave or kill the rest of us, along with doing everything they can to get away from this whole voting thing and just kinda rule forever as feudal lords, free to claim the blood of all within their domain and all. Past that, you want people in power who are like... competent? Willing to thwart and dismantle vampire rule, while also actually doing whatever job they're in the running to go and do.

So basically, when it comes to matters of voting, the really important thing to do is not freaking blow everything off until the big vampire vs. non-vampire vote. If the non-vampire sucks at that point, that's on you for not pushing for and voting for someone who doesn't suck when the primary happened. And if all those people suck, it's on you for not opting to run yourself or pestering someone you like to do so. But yeah, if you spaced that long and now it's just a vampire or some jerk you don't like, deal with it, vote for the jerk. We need to protect the weak and vulnerable among us from the vampires first and foremost and keep them from outlawing stakes and garlic, people!

Oh and the other thing with American voting is that yeah sometimes in smaller local elections things get weird and there isn't a vampire in the running or there is but you know from polls that everyone has kind of agreed nobody's voting for the vampire and then cool you can maybe vote for some cool weirdo who didn't get party backing over someone who did. That's never going to happen in a big election though. There's too much infrastructure involved in getting viable candidates propped up, the vampire vote is going to be in play in a serious way, and any sort of third party/write-in candidate is just kinda going to be some weirdo who has no chance at all of winning and is just here on an ego trip, so, yeah just focus on disempowering vampires.

But again, I'm writing about vampires not voting strategy so uh... hey white supremacy kinda works as wannabe vampires with this metaphor. The vampires aren't going to turn anyone new into vampires most likely but they tempt weird pasty creeps with promises that they might get to be vampires later if they help the vampires with their agenda and bring them pre-battered victims and such. Oh and a lot of people would prefer to stake them than deprive them of political power and like, OK, put your money where your mouth is then. Talking about that sort of thing in public is just going to make them post more guards around their coffins. Vampire Hunters gotta work solo or in small well-vetted groups.

#American politics #vampires #history #racism #fascism

[thegodthief]

The client I have a crush on at work, to whom I have never been inappropriate nor granted exceptions, with whom I have always strived to keep a professional relationship with even though they have called me out as queer and propositioned me in what was one of the most intense conversations in my life...

The person that made my ice-bound heart weep from intensity...

Was overheard by someone who realized the importance of what they heard and immediately came to me to tell me what was said.

"I can get anything I want from [Keri's Department]. I have her all but in my pocket, so let me know what you want and I'll make it happen. Don't worry about the rules. I can get around the rules. She'll bend for me, I know it."

The person who relayed this to me apologized for flat-out snitching, but they know how fiercely I defend my team and how vocal I am about my department being neutral towards the clients because even the appearance of impropriety is enough to start too much sticky shit. They said that normally such talk wouldn't mean anything because I am well known for keeping an emotional distance from all the clients, but there was something about this particular person that made them worry for/about me.

I confirmed to them that I am not in any relationship with any of the clients, physical, emotional, romantic, or other. I admitted that there were some clients that I did like to look twice at or enjoyed their presence a little more than others, but I did not permit the stirrings of the body determine the performance of my office. (They laughed at the idea that Keri might be appreciative of the human form.) I thanked them for telling me this information and confirmed that it would be held in confidence.

For one thing, that particular client had not requested anything beyond was their right to request. And I am subject to the very same checks and balances that I put in place to prevent undue favorable decisions. My second has the right and the duty to call me out if I make a mistake or if my decision appears questionable. My second has the right and the duty to go over my head if something isn't sitting well with them. All my team has that right, actually. Our department is just that important.

I admitted that I was dismayed and disappointed that the client's friendliness was actually a trap for improper entanglements. They asked me if I was disappointed because a client was making a slow trap for me, or because I thought I had found someone that could be a friend and was betrayed instead.

"Is it that obvious?"

"[Keri], your face didn't go on a journey, it went to a wake."

"Ah. Yea. This one stings. But I'll be okay. It just means I'll have to go back to being That Bitch™ to everyone. I won't say anything to [that client] because there is nothing to be said. I will maintain my distance and stoicism. This is all a show and I will play my part."

They apologized again for bringing me pain. I told them I would rather have the pain they brought me rather than be placed in a compromising position later. Again, the appearance of impropriety can be more damaging than any unauthorized approval.

The next day, that client came in to the office to request an indulgence that was not theirs to receive. Normally, I would come explain the matter to the client in person. This time, I asked my team to make a group exercise of examining this client's situation and briefly discuss the outcome. They all agreed that the client had asked for a privilege that was not theirs to receive. I sent my second and another team member to discuss the matter with that client.

That client initially refused to speak with them and asked for me directly. "She'll make time for me, I'm sure. Just tell her I'm here." My second confirmed that I was not available and that either they receive the information now or receive a phone call from my second later, but the matter had already been discussed and settled. That client huffed and grumped but accepted to hear out my team.

"So, that's the way it is."

"Yes."

"I guess I was expecting too much. I really thought... never mind."

The property notes were updated and my second raised an eyebrow when they saw I had noted that any further requests from this particular client were to be routed to my immediate superior. They waited until lunch when the office was empty to say anything.

"So, about [that client], I saw your note. That was personal."

"Yes."

"Want me to handle them if they come back?"

"Only if you are comfortable."

"Absolutely. Someone taught me how to be rude to clients and say 'no', after all. For what it's worth, I don't doubt you. But if this hurts, I'll take it from you."

"Yea, this one hurts."

"Mine."

It has been a few weeks since this happened. That client has come back several times, requesting to speak with me personally each time, and requesting something above what they are permitted to receive. Each time, it has been a different team member that has spoken to them. The one time they demanded to speak with a manager, my immediate superior came out to meet with them.

"Where's [Keri]?"

"She's working on a project and can't be disturbed until it's done. I'm her superior so whatever I rule, she has to uphold. Your request cannot be granted, and no one on staff has the authority to overrule that. Did you submit your written request to your board that does have the authority?"

"Never mind. I see how this is going to be."

They left and haven't been back.

If anyone else has picked up on my weakness, they have chosen silence. I am finally able to remark on the matter. All of my relationships have ended poorly, and after a decade of wondering what the fuck is wrong with me, the one time I allow myself to consider the possibility of an idea, and it winds up being an exploitative trap.

I am proud of my team, of my second especially.

I am thankful for my superior's choice to not interrogate me about the one fucking time that Keri chooses not to engage in a matter.

But, I am tired. I am very tired.

#Keri goes to work. #And chooses the pain of solitude in lieu of being made someone else's tool. #Again.

[tomriddleslove]

Hey coming as anon because I wanted to participate and not show my mutuals how delusional i am lol .

I am 5'5 female with brown eyes and black hair . I am an ambivert and ig quite brutally honest (per say my friends) tho i curse 24/7 . I am academically very good and I love to go on arcade and go bowling or trampoline. Also I love to party , not like actual clubs bcoz I'm not the legal age but just the vibe y'know . I'm pretty skinny and have medium hair . I love to bully my friends lol and i curse alot . Also I loveeee to dress up . I also love to slap and punch around my friends jokingly and I'm veryyyy sarcastic .

Tysmmm and I'm so sorry for this being long .

- 💗 anon

This one had me pondering a bit, I was in a toss up between three people but came to my conclusion at the end 😻🙏🏼

Pairing: Blaise Zabini

People forget Blaise Zabini is Canonically a snooty person who views himself as above everyone else.

That being said, I think he would adore someone who wasn’t afraid to say what they thought and knew their worth.

Like Blaise himself, he would not want an overtly extroverted partner, but he would want someone who can hang out with his friends and go to a party every once in a while.

Beauty and Brains are the winning combo for him. He loves a smart girl, he thinks it’s the hottest thing in the world. I think it’s probably what first got him to notice you, when Theodore was complaining about you turning down an invite to his halloween party because you needed to revise. You later compromised to come halfway through - work hard and play harder.

You’re witty with your remarks and your favourite hobby to do together is to people watch and comment on everyone as they walk past. Never overtly rude, your friends bear the worst of the brunt. It’s all in good faith though, you’d do anything for your friends (but they’re hillarious to make fun of with blaise.)

He loves a girl who likes her gifts and expensive things. For Blaise, it’s his way of demonstrating his ‘influence’ . He’s not overtly aggressive like Mattheo, nor does he flaunt like mattheo. It’s effortless for him, dropping thousands on gifts for you for no particular reason.

ACTS OF SERVICE. SO BLAISE CODED.

Massaging your shoulder when you’re tired. Carrying your stuff for you when you’re going out. When he says princess treatment, he means it. That being said, he also respects the fact that sometimes you don’t want that. Sometimes he knows all you want to do is grab a fat bag of strawberry laces and rot in bed all day with him. And if that’s what you want, that’s what he’ll do. He knows you better than you know yourself, so attuned to who you are he knows you’re sick days before you do. He has your timetable memorised, picking you up from every class.

When the other hear you two talk they think you must hate eachother, always making snarky sarcastic remarks at one another. Really, you two love one another so much it’s almost sickening, but that’s just how the two of you are.

Blaise isn’t one for outwardly showing his emotions. He’s known as the calm one, the one who is alway poised and collected. He’s reluctant to show them to you, but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t need comforting from time to time.

On those days, you’ll find a slightly quieter part of the common room to sit in. You’ll rest your head on his shoulder, and hold his hand. You’d soothingly rub circles on the back of his hand with your thumb, letting him know you’re there.

That’s all he could ever ask for, and it means more than words could express.

He always makes sure to go all out for your anniversary. You immediately got the Mrs Zabini seal of approval when you first met her, and for a woman who do infamously cycled through husbands like seasons of the year, she knew you were the one for her son.

This meant so much to Blaise, who loved his mum dearly. He literally has your wedding planned out.

I love Blaise so much I could write for days but yeah .

#slytherin #slytherin boys #tom riddle #harry potter #draco malfoy #lorenzo berkshire #slytherin boys fic #theodore nott #blaise zabini #pansy parkinson

[azucar-skull]

I am foaming at the mouth I need to rant about something in Feral Casey AU.

Okay so Usagi and Hana.

Usagi and Hana are the Henry and Sam of FCAU. Quite literally if you have seen TLOU HBO series. This wasn't my intention though.

I know I wanted one of the main cast to be deaf, a challenge to better myself in representation. And originally, I chose Usagi.

It was gonna be so cute. Usagi getting caught in an explosion to save Hana and then the two end up needing to rely on each other. Usagi needed her ears, and Hana needed his protection and guidance.

Then Leo and Usagi would be the ultimate disabled couple with Leo being an amputee. And they would be so fucking cute together and AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA--

But there was a problem.

Hana didn't have a personality.

At the time, her only personality trait was that she was dependent on Usagi and then ultimately became a rude character that I didn't want her to be. I tried to twist it as her overcoming ableism but nothing worked out.

After much debate, I made Hana the deaf character to fix her personality.

I'm not saying being deaf is a personality trait. But Hana being deaf brought out a better personality within her.

Now I have a little girl who becomes deaf in the crossfire of an explosion and her personality takes a turn. She is scared, she is lost, and she needs Usagi to be her shield. Once they finally find the Resistance and Casey Jr taught her sign language, she became more independent.

Because she had hearing beforehand, she knows of a life where sound meant something to her. And she wants it back more than anything. She gets cochlear implants and wears them all the time. Usagi is happy for her.

But then things come up. Noises became too much, she starts getting headaches, the implants become uncomfortable since she wears them ALL DAY.

She refuses to put them on one day and this is Usagi and Hana’s first fight of many.

Now, don't get me wrong, Usagi wants to be a good brother. Truly. But he doesn't understand Hana’s situation. He just assumes at first.

In this fight, Usagi and Hana go back and forth about needing the implants until Hana manages to sign why she hates them. Usagi negotiates a compromise, asking her to wear them when they are outside. The outside contains Kraang and gunfire and other things that you need to listen out for. Hana agrees.

But then things get worse.

Her hearing becomes more and more damaged and the implants needed to get upgraded again and again. She still finds them uncomfortable to wear, still gets headaches when she wears them, voices become harder to understand, and implants are very hard to come by in the apocalypse.

So one day, when she and the others are meant to be going out, she refused to wear them. Usagi and Hana fight again.

Usagi wants to keep her safe, you know? He means well. But Hana was just not having it. Her anger bubbles over as she aggressively signs her thoughts until her hands stopped making sense.

And then all she could do was scream.

Then she broke down crying.

The siblings never fought again after that. Usagi finally breaks out of his audism mindset and learns to support Hana’s choices no matter what.

We get to watch a character go from a scared, shy, dependant child turn into a stubborn-headed, strong, independent girl through the journey of accepting Deafness. This is a journey I have been building since the idea for FCAU started and I am grateful to have the support of my ASL professor (who is Deaf) who caught me drawing sketches of Hana and became invested in helping me.

And there is a reason why Usagi is so keen on his ways but I don't wanna spoil it yet. TLDR, it has to do with depression and shit. It's a whole thing that we'll get into later.

BUT THAT'S NOT ALL.

Without spoiling too much, there's going to be a particular episode about 1/4 way through the story involving Usagi and Hana’s relationship and uhh let's just say it'll make you cry.

Usagi proves himself as the loving brother that will do anything for his sister and puts her above all else.

As Hana faces a great fear that she is no longer afraid off because she knows she can handle it and knows who got her back.

Okay rant over, I am satisfied. I'm going to bed.

#feral casey au #feral casey au rottmnt #fcau rottmnt #rottmnt #tmnt #rise of the teenage mutant ninja turtles #teenage mutant ninja turtles

[teatitty]

Okay so! In the witcher games, the person doing most of the journaling of Geralt's adventures [from main story to side quests to character profiles] is Dandelion himself. This is made very obvious in the tone and style of the entries and the fact that more than one of them say "my friend Geralt" and similar such things

But for this post we're going to focus on one in particular from TW2:

Despite my long friendship with Geralt, I know little more about this peculiar brotherhood or guild than learned tomes provide. On top of that, I am obliged to discretion, so I shall write nothing more than necessary on the subject.

Now, Dandelion is a well known unreliable narrator. He's unreliable in the books, and unreliable in the games. This is both a flaw and a strength. In this case? It's a strength. Because here's the thing: the games are, canon-wise, set after the events of all the books. So the Dandelion we see in the games is based heavily on the one in the books. We're not gonna talk about the nitty little ways in which they differ because that's not important

The important part is this: Dandelion saying he doesn't know much about witchers outside of what you read is factually false, because Geralt has told him quite a few things about them in the books, such as the fact that they don't hunt dragons. Their friendship, at this point in time, has spanned nearly 30 years and Geralt has always been open and honest with Dandelion about these subjects

But then Dandelion goes on with his second sentence: "I am obliged to discretion, so I shall write nothing more than necessary" is a direct contradiction of him saying he only knows what he's read in tomes. If that was true, there'd be no reason for him to mention discretion at all, because surely any knowledge he has of them could be easily found by just anyone. Clearly, this isn't the case

If anything, Dandelion contradicting himself actually might point to him having read a lot of the tomes still hidden in Kaer Morhen, thus turning his earlier statement from a straight up lie into a half-truth. Which is something he is very fucking good at actually. But it's that second line, about discretion, that tells us everything we need to know about his friendship with Geralt:

He respects Geralt, and witchers as a whole, far too much to record or write anything about them that could potentially compromise them. His wording is important. He says he's obliged to be discreet - meaning legally or morally bound. In his usual flippant way, he's confirmed quite succinctly that he has either been sworn to secrecy by the witchers themselves and/or simply feels it more moral to respect their privacy and avoid writing anything without their explicit approval first

It's a very small part of his journal entries and, unless you pay close attention to these sorts of things, is easy to glance right over without a second thought, which is precisely what he wants you to do. His loyalties to Geralt extend far beyond his loyalties to the academic fields he engages with and that's uniquely beautiful to me

#the witcher books #the witcher games #dandelion #meta post #I didn't get top of my class in all my reading comp classes for nothing!