#so any formatting issues aren't my fault

[movietonight]

Since it’s still Disability Pride Month I decided to share this relevant 2008 interview between blind journalist David Block and David Ogden Stiers 

David Ogden Stiers’ impressive 30 plus year acting career spans Broadway,

concert halls, movies and television. He has worked with Hollywood

A-listers such as Woody Allen, Tom Hanks, and Jim Carrey. He has been the

Associate Conductor for the Newport Symphony Orchestra for over 15 years.

He has also lent his distinctive voice to numerous PBS documentaries and

the 2006 motion picture Lady in the Water. However, despite his remarkable

and varied career, he is probably best remembered for his brilliant

portrayal of the tough, yet sometimes sensitive war-time physician, Major

Charles Emerson Winchester III on M*A*S*H from 1977 through 1983.

Stiers’ illustrious career makes him a household name and face. But, what

fans may not know about him is that he stuttered throughout his childhood,

adolescence, and even into his early acting career. Stiers said that being

an actor helped cure him.

“I didn’t stutter when the lines were written for me,” said Stiers.

“Without lines to read was another story. One day, I noticed that I wasn’t

stuttering anymore, with or without lines. I overcame it by not giving up,

by continuing to play roles, and by overcoming my fear of saying something

wrong, or sounding stupid.”

The fact that he stuttered was not his sole reason for compassionately

portraying people with disabilities.

Stiers said: “The task of loving people doesn’t have to do with their worst

aspects. It has to do with their best aspects. My feeling, we’re all the

same person but differently expressed. There’s some things I can do others

can’t, vise versa. We’re all accomplished. We’re all on the earth, and the

more we help each other get our tasks accomplished, the better our lives.”

This was exuded when he portrayed Dan Franklin, a special education teacher

in the 1977 movie, A Circle of Children. One of the themes of the movie

included special education teachers helping autistic children reach their

full potential.

While preparing for the movie the cast visited a classroom for autistic

children.

“We sat in the class with them,” said Stiers. “We sat on the floor with the

class. We did a lot with them.”

None of the children who appeared in the movie were autistic.

Being in the movie was not the only time that Stiers

interacted with autistic people. While on M*A*S*H, Stiers and other cast

members frequently interacted with William Christopher’s autistic son, Ned.

Christopher, who was the compassionate Father Mulcahy on M*A*SH, often

brought Ned to the set.

“Ned was beginning to function pretty well,” said Stiers. “Whenever Ned

felt comfortable enough to come over to a group of people who were talking,

he was immediately included. Ned was an intelligent young man who thought

at a rate of speed that I could never do.”

In 1976 and 1977 Stiers guest starred on The Mary Tyler Moore show, three

times, portraying the WJM Station Manager Mel Price, who happened to

stutter. At the time, Stiers stopped stuttering.

“I auditioned for the role and because it was terribly easy for me to

stutter realistically, they hired me.”

Stiers summed up Mel Price as being a falsely nice person. Stiers said that

this was particularly evident in episode 157, “Look at Us, We’re Walking.”

In that show, Mary Richards (Mary Tyler Moore) and Lou Grant (Ed Asner)

told Mel Price that if they didn’t get a raise, they’d quit. Price refused

and they walked out. At the end of the episode, Price asked them to return

and he even promised them a raise.

Stiers said: “that episode was like a forecast of what was to come in

corporate America. ‘You put in some good work; we’ll kill your 401k. If you

don’t like that, if you get upset and walk away, we won’t care. We’ll hire

someone better qualified for less money. If you want to go, then go!’

That’s pretty much how I view corporate business now. I don’t think that

they care about middle management or medium numbers staff.”

While on The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Stiers learned from the M*A*S*H writers

and producers that Larry Linville, who played Major Frank Burns, was

leaving the series and they hired Stiers to replace him.

“They wanted to keep the character number in tact,” said Stiers.

Although there were a number of episodes when Winchester was incredibly

benevolent, two of them dealt with him helping disabled soldiers.

In episode 188, “Morale Victory,” Winchester was kind to Private David

Sheridan (James Stephens) who thought that his dream of being a concert

pianist was ruined because of his permanently injured hand. Winchester

showed Sheridan that he could still pursue a meaningful music career, and

that his dream could never be silenced unless he allowed it to be.

“That episode was actually an idea and a present from Loretta Swit,” said

Stiers. Swit, who played Major Margaret “Hot Lips” Houlihan, had the idea

of having an affair with Private Sheridan but changed her mind because her

character had had flings with other wounded

Stiers said that the producers did not develop that episode because Stiers

used to stutter or because he portrayed Mel Price.

soldiers. Swit wondered who else could have a rapport with him. She knew

that Stiers studied at Julliard, so he became her obvious choice. She took

her idea to the producers and they liked it.

“They told me this was from Loretta,” said Stiers. “That was the hardest I

ever hugged her.”

“There are those serendipitous overlap realities that don’t actually know

one another,” said Stiers.

In 1987, four years after M*A*S*H ended, Stiers appeared on Matlock in

episode 26 “Blind Justice.” Stiers portrayed Arthur Hampton, a blind

sculptor who committed murder.

In episode 244, “Run for the Money” Winchester befriended Private Walter

Palmer (Phil Brock) who stuttered. Winchester told Palmer that from reading

his record, he knew that he had an incredibly high I.Q. To prove this, he

gave Palmer his copy of Moby Dick and told him that that the book was

worthy of his intelligence. When Private Palmer asked Winchester why he was

being so nice to him, Winchester changed the subject.

At the end of the episode, Winchester returned to his tent and played a

tape that his sister Honoria mailed him. She stuttered.

Stiers explained why Winchester refused to tell Palmer why he was being

kind and supportive: “It was part of the character trait that Winchester

would NEVER admit that he had been kind to someone. He would never admit

that that kindness came from a part of his heart that was wounded by

someone else’s trouble. He would not admit to things like moments of

compassion or insight. He maintained that awful glacial exterior.”

“The producers hired for me a blind advisor to be on the set,” said Stiers.

“She was a wonderful young lady with a gorgeous golden retriever, whose

name was unfortunately Andy. (There were two Andy(s) on the set, the Seeing

Eye dog and Matlock’s star, Andy Griffith.) I was not adept to being around

people with disabilities, never attaching my stuttering as a kid to anyone

else’s. I thought that I would never understand anyone else’s problems.

That changed when I was on Matlock. It was opening my head and my heart;

getting on with the empathy that we all need to bring to bear on getting

along with each other.” On the Matlock set, Stiers committed a memorably

embarrassing faux pas: “I would finish rehearsing a scene; I’d walk to the

woman and ask, `How did I look? Did I do everything right?’ I forgot that

she couldn’t see. She forgave me. We became good friends.”

Stiers’ advice to all aspiring actors and musicians, both able-bodied

and/or with disabilities is the same…… never give up!

#this is the interview that is cited in that one metv article and it was a little tough to find the whole thing #mash #disability pride month #david ogden stiers #I just copy pasted the interview as it was on the website #so any formatting issues aren't my fault #speech impediment #blindness #autism #disability

[girderednerve]

hi it's me again, here to be a bitch about graduate school

so the IT & older adults class about which i have kvetched endlessly (& will, assuredly, kvetch more) has exactly two major assignments. the midterm is to turn in a paper prospectus, and the final is to turn in a research paper building off of the prospectus. the prospectus includes a couple paragraphs about one's main intended points and then a short annotated bibliography, which is more or less reasonable. i turned in my prospectus the day it was due, eighteen days ago; i received feedback on my prospectus this afternoon, which is good because if there were any major issues with it i would've had that much less time to make adjustments for the 2.5k final paper. this is a pointless length for a paper to be; nothing we write in this class is publishable, and research papers are not a useful format outside of research journals; but i decided to do this to myself & go to grad school so i really have no business complaining about this pointless fucking assignment. really i just want to complain about grading, as ever—

the professor told us repeatedly in class that we would receive substantive feedback, and that we might need to revise & resubmit for friday. much hay was made of the importance of reading the comments. here are the comments i received on my prospectus: 1. good job; 2. this is an important topic; 3. make sure your DOIs hyperlink, per APA 7.

& that's it!

everyone who says that masters degrees should be required at all levels of professional librarianship should explain this bullshit to me. there must be master's programs which expect one to, i don't know, learn how to write? i am not that good a writer. i tend to go on, i get excited about my own ideas & wander off with them. perhaps this class could approach the topic of technical writing? but no, that might be useful. if we aren't going to build practical skills, perhaps we could have critical conversations? but no, sadly that is also not an option.

things i plan to write in this course review: - this professor made a series of jokes which were deeply tasteless, particularly given that this course nominally deals with the social difficulties faced by older adults; - feedback was neither substantive nor timely, and if you act like that's the TA's fault i'm going to mail you an unrefrigerated dead fish; - this course actively discouraged critical thinking & was largely a waste of time; - this course did not engage at all with the social factors which underpin the technologies discussed, which is a glaring oversight; - tech classes which eschew discussions about ethics ought to be struck from the course catalog for woeful irresponsibility in general, but particularly when they deal with vulnerable populations, like older adults.

oh btw i do have a 100% in the class but who gives a fuck about that, i am trying to like, learn something lmao

#there is no excuse for this post i have mainly written it as a reminder to myself #technically i'm a grad student #i always say i'll be mean on the course review but then i'm not mean because i'm trying to be constructive #so i am writing down all the things i am mad about now so when it is course review time i remember #all the stupid shit that this professor has done #also i mean i just wanted to complain about my grade here OK i'm very petty

[asparklerwhowrites]

Writing Indian characters, from an Indian person

India is a huge country! while most characters in mainstream media are from the 'big cities' i.e Mumbai, Delhi, Hyderabad, etc, there are many, many more places and areas to look at! since India is such a vast country, there is incredible diversity. 19,500 languages and dialects are present, with people of different skin, eye, and hair colors and types! there are, of course, a lot of inherent prejudices present, which I'll address a little later.

#1. Know their roots

There is no 'one' Indian experience. People from different places celebrate different festivals, worship different gods, and speak different languages!

A checklist of things you should know about your Indian character's background, in essence:

Which state and city/town/village are they from?

How many and which languages do they speak, and with what frequency? (Mostly, people can speak at least two languages!)

Are they religious? (more on religion later)

What are some of their favourite memories/moments linked to their culture? (festivals, family gatherings, etc)

#2. Naming your character

Some common names for boys: Aarav, Advik, Shlok, Farhan, Ritvik, Aarush, Krish, Ojas, Zain.

Some common names for girls: Arushi, Ishita, Trisha, Rhea, Riya, Zoya, Vedika, Khushi, Charvi.

Common last names: Shah, Singh, Agarwal, Banerjee, Dala, Bhat, Joshi, Iyer, Jain, Dhawan, Dixit.

Be careful while picking a last name: last names are very much indicators of the ethnicity/community you're from! most older folks can guess the ethnicity of people just by their last name - it's pretty cool.

Naming systems usually follow the name-surname format, and children usually take the last name of their father - but I believe some regions have a bit of a different system, so look that up!

#3. Stereotypes to avoid

This goes without saying, but I'm gonna say it anyway. Being 'Indian' shouldn't be your character's entire personality. Give them traits, feelings, and a purpose other than being a token diverse character. Some stereotypes that are really a no-no when it comes to Indian characters:

Making them good at math and academics in general (my Cs in math beg to differ that all Indians are good at math. often, the reason Indians are stereotyped to be so smart stems from an incredibly toxic and harmful environment at home which forces children to get good grades. unless you've experienced that, its not your story to write)

Making your Indian character 'hate' being Indian (not everyone?? hates their culture?? like there are many, MANY faults with India as a country, and it's important to recognize and take action against that - which often makes us iffy about how we feel about our country, it's genuinely not your place to write about that UNLESS you are Indian. don't bring in 'hatred' of a place you've never visited, and don't know much about.)

Make them scaredy-cats, 'cowards', who are good at nothing but being the 'brain' (I will literally behead you if you do this/lh)

#4. Why India shouldn't be portrayed as 'perfect' either

It's likely that most of you won't be going in SO deep with your Indian character, but India isn't the perfect 'uNiTy iN diVerSitY' as it's depicted in media. There are incredible tensions between religions (especially Hindus and Muslims), and even remnants of the 'untouchable' way of thinking remain between castes. There's a lot of violence against women, and misogyny is definitely something Indians are not foreign to. People with paler skin are considered to be 'better' than those with darker skin (in the older generations especially)

#5. Some common customs

Removing your shoes before entering the house, since your house is considered to be 'godly' and shoes shouldn't be brought inside

Eating dal (lentils), chawal (rice), sabji (a mixture of vegetables/meat that's cooked in different ways) roti (Indian flatbread) is considered to be a full, well-balanced meal and at least aspects of it are eaten for lunch and dinner (if not all four elements)

The suffixes -bhai (for men) and -ben (for women) are added to first names and are commonly used by adults to refer to someone of importance or who they hold to esteem.

However, 'bhai' (which literally means 'brother) is often used as slang when referring to friends or family. Other slang includes 'arrey' which is used to show irritation or 'yaar' which has the same context.

It's custom to call adults who you refer to in a friendly way 'aunty' or 'uncle', like the parents of your friends.

Talking back to your elders is forbidden, especially your grandparents who you have to refer to with utmost respect.

#6. Religions

India is a very religiously diverse country. The most common religion is Hinduism, then Islam, Christianity, Sikhism, and Buddhism. All religions have their own complexities, and since I'm a Hindu, I can tell you a little bit about that!

It's common to have a mandir which is a small altar dedicated to the deities your family worships. (Fun fact - they're usually placed in the East direction because that's where the sun rises)

Most kids can say a few shloks by-heart, which are a few lines of prayer! (lmao I've forgotten most but I used to be able to rattle off at least ten when I was younger)

Most people know at least the general plot of the Ramayan and Mahabharat - two famous epic stories. (I'm not sure if they're inherently 'Hindu' or not)

Many people wear necklaces with a small pendant of the deity they worship!

Common Hindu deities: Saraswati, Ganesha, Shiva, Krishna, Vishnu.

It's important to note that religious violence is a thing. Muslims especially, are oppressed and discriminated against. It's a very, very complex issue, and one that's been going on for thousands of years.

#7. Myth & Facts

India is a very poor country

Yep! Lakhs of people live in villages with no electricity, clean water, or amenities nearby. There's no point sugar-coating it. There are HUGE gaps between the poor and the rich (have you heard of Ambani and Adani :D) and while our millionaires rejoice in their thirty-story mansions, people die of famine, disease, and hunger every day. I am personally lucky enough to be EXTREMELY privileged and attend an international school and live in one of the most developed cities. Most people aren't as lucky as me, and it's a really true, horrifying reality.

Everyone in India is vegetarian

No lmao - while many people ARE, there's a greater and equal amount of non-vegetarian people.

We burn our dead in parking lots

This circulated back when the second wave was going on in India, and the media blew it out of proportion. First of all, what the actual f!ck. Cremation is a Hindu ritual, and by saying that aLL Indians burn their dead you are erasing the other religions here. Secondly, cremation is a sacred ritual only attended by close family of the deceased member. It does not happed in PARKING LOTS. It's a time of grief and loss, not a way to humiliate a religion for the way they treat their dead.

Drop any other questions about India in the comments/DM me!

#india #writing india #writing resources #writers on tumblr #writers of tumblr #writing community #writing characters #writing blog #creative writing #writing advice #writing indians #indian culture #desi culture #am writing #writer things #writers of the world #writerscommunity #writersofinstagram #writeblr #writerscreed #writers and poets #writerlife #writersofig #new writeblr #female writers

[0viciouslyvague0]

"It'll just be a short trip, you'll be okay, right?":

◇Character(s) Involved: Albedo, Childe, Diluc and Kaeya

◇Genre: Lightly angsty, Lightly Fluffy

◇Format: Headcanons

◇Au Setting: None

◇Summary: It's your first time leaving your lover alone to go on an urgent trip, surely they'll be able to cope without your presence, right? Well...

Albedo:

◇"Of course I will, be sure to take care of yourself as well, okay?"

◇Albedo takes your absence rather well and it's not really any surprise to you that he would considering how he'd be away for days on end himself doing research in other parts of Mondstadt. Though, just because he takes it well, doesn't mean he doesn't miss you when the two of you are seperated, he's just found ways to cope with it.

◇Ways he copes with your absence is by surrounding himself with things he knows you like. Pages of his sketchbook would be filled with drawings of your favourite things and he'll occasionally eat food that he knows you enjoy eating. It's the little things that help dull the slight ache in his heart whenever you're away, it keeps your presence lingering even when he knows your not around. Klee has teased him about these habits of his and each time the little girl childishly asks him if he misses you because he loves you, Albedo can't help but huff out a chuckle and entertain her by answering with a yes, he does miss you because he loves you, very dearly. Klee confesses with a giggle that she's surprised that her older brother figure was capable of falling in love with somone and honestly, Albedo can't truly believe it either, never really seeing himself as the sort to do so, but he doesn't really mind it one bit. As long as it was you guiding him through this new discovery in his life, he'd be happy to remain by your side for as long as he could.

Childe:

◇"An adventure without me? Oh, how will my dearest darling survive in the wild without their protector?"

◇Seriously, punch his arm, he deserves it and hey, he may even thank you for it. Jokes aside though, Childe understands if you have to take a trip somewhere for family or work related purposes so he won't stop you. Like Albedo, he's probably gone a lot due to issues regarding the Fatui or family, and he trusts that you'll be able to handle yourself without him around. At least, that's what he initially thinks. He'll eventually send over a few lower ranking fatui agents to watch over you just to make sure that you're safe and sound. Can't take any risk, y'know?

◇Childe's a busy person, so his manner of coping is to just go on with his day like usual and occasionally get updates from his agents about your status. The one thing that changes when you're away though, is his irresponsibility regarding his own well-being. We all know that he gets into fights whenever he can and the fights themselves aren't really the problem but the trouble arises after said fights are over. You see, he refuses to get any wounds he has bandaged or cared for properly, his agents have to literally beg for him to visit a proper doctor for wounds that seem too major to ignore. He's just gotten so used to you fussing over him and tending to his injuries that he doesn't even think about going to a regular doctor anymore, deciding to just wait it out until you return home to care for him. He's gotten a little too used to you babying him and you have to admit that there is some fault on your part as well, you just can't help but spoil him a little too much sometimes.

(More under the cut!)

Diluc:

◇"I'll be fine, but are sure you'll be alright?"

◇Oh, this poor man. Although his words and reaction seem leveled and calm, he's incredibly anxious about letting you leave to go on your trip. No matter how strong you may be, there'll always be something in the back of his mind that's screaming about your well-being and safety and given his past, you can understand why he'd stress so much about those issues. Days leading up to your trip, Diluc would try his best to spend as much time as he could with you, he'll even take a day or two off, something incredibly rare for him to do, just to help you pack up and get ready for your trip. He was often rather vulnerable behind closed doors with you and as hard as he tried to hide it as to not make you worry, you could tell that he was a little nervous, maybe even scared, to let you go, even if it was just for a week or two.

◇The way Diluc copes, at least for the first few days, isn't exactly... healthy. He works himself harder than he usually does, and his sleeping schedule is even more haywire than usual. It surprisingly takes Kaeya to bring him down to earth one day, telling him, albeit in his usual bastard manner, how sad you'd be to see him in such a state, terribly sleep deprived and not taking care of himself. Although he may snap a retort back to Kaeya in response, his words do stick with him when he finally closes up the tavern, not like he'd ever admit to it, of course. Unfortunately, Kaeya's right, you wouldn't be so thrilled to see him in such a sorry state, so he tries his best to care for himself a little better and to not worry so much about you, putting a little more faith in your ability to handle yourself just fine without him. In the meantime, he'll be counting down the days, waiting (im)patiently for your return, and the first thing he'll do when he finally has you safe in his arm, is tell you how happy he is to have you home.

Kaeya:

◇"Of course I will. Ah, time alone to myself, I wonder what mischief I'll get up to without you"

◇Punch his arm, the sequel. Though he may sound like he's rather glad to have some time to himself, he's honestly a little... worried. He probably would have invited himself along for the ride if it weren't for the fact that he had quite the number of duties to do in Mondstadt. He tried his hardest to put on an indifferent facade around you, but you noticed that little things about him would change leading up to the day of your trip. The grip of his hugs when you woke up in the morning became tighter than usual, almost like he didn't want to let you go and he'd come back home earlier than usual from the tavern, using the excuse that Diluc kicked him out early, to spend more time with you. When he kissed you goodbye before your trip, you almost thought you were hallucinating, seeing his facade drop momentarily to show you a rather sad smile before sending you off.

◇The way Kaeya copes, at least for the first few days, is by hiding your things in a way that'll be easy to put back later, but is at least out of his range of sight for the time being. He knew that he would miss you, but he didn't think he'd do so this badly. At first, he tried to go back to his usual schedule, the schedule he had before he got serious with you, but for some reason, the routine made him realize just how... miserably lonely he was, and hey, if he didn't realize it himself sooner, Rosaria and Diluc (mostly Diluc) were more than happy to spill those cans of beans to him. It took him a while to let the realization sink in that erasing you just hurt him more than ease him, so slowly but surely, he started putting your things back where they belonged, and even got into the habit of doing small things that reminded him of you. His changes don't magically bring you back home to him any quicker, but it at least keeps him company for the time being while he longfully waits for you to come home. Be prepared to have him stick next to you like glue for the next few days, he's just... really glad to have you back home with him again.

A/N: Hello! Thank you so much for reading and I hope you enjoyed this post! I'm super sorry if the grammar or spelling is incredibly off, I wrote this in a bit of a dazed state but I'll fix some stuff up when I come back to reread it in the morning! This was just a little something I thought of while writing request and speaking of that, thank you so much to those who requested stuff! I'll try my best to get them posted!

(Requests are open and anon is anon!)

#genshin impact x reader #genshin x reader #genshin imagines #genshin headcanons #albedo x reader #childe x reader #diluc x reader #kaeya x reader

[traincat]

I know the comic piracy debate is a never-ending cycle, but in India where I live, you can't get western comics (or manga for that matter). There aren't comic book stores. Sometimes on Amazon you can find collected editions worth more than INR 1000 at least, for the paperbacks. Most older collections, even from the early 2000s, will be upwards of INR 6000. And sure, it's because the exchange value is so low for Indian rupees, but that's still a LOT of money to Indian citizens. You can get digital editions of random odd issues for approx. INR 150, so that's there. But overall it's really a huge investment to buy a physical comic. So yes, I pirate. But I get so guilty when this debate rolls around, every time. I just don't see any other alternative.

I debated whether or not to answer this considering I haven't really addressed the comics piracy issue before so I'm not sure I'm the right account to talk about it, and also because my askbox is not a confessional and I am not a priest, but then some Spider-Man news broke that I feels ties into it this so whatever, we're going for it. The comics piracy debate comes up every couple of months and will probably continue to come up every couple of months until forever and all of these points have been stated before by others because nothing in this debate is new. First things first, you shouldn't feel guilty. I'm going to suggest actually that nobody should feel guilty, unless you are like, a millionaire and you're exclusively pirating indie books. The prices you're quoting are prohibitively expensive but I have some unfortunate news for everyone involved: the prices are really bad in the US, too. If you want good collected editions, especially in hardcover, they're going to run at similar if not quite equal prices. Comics have gone from a cheap hobby to an overwhelmingly expensive hobby.

This is a good article comparing to the cover costs of American comics since the 1960s adjusted for inflation which I think puts some things in perspective. Comics currently cost roughly $5 USD per issue, which doesn't sound that bad, even though most of my monthly streaming services are roughly that price for a whole month's access to a library of content. But it only doesn't sound that bad if you're not buying special issues (the Marvel Pride book retailed for $10), and if you're only reading one or two books a month. The problem is, American superhero comics are specifically designed so you're not reading just one or two books per month -- this is why we have events! And crossovers! Not for the story potential but because it forces the consumer to purchase more product. This is why there's constantly an event running with a checklist of tie-in issues in the back. So now you're spending probably at least $20 a month. If you're a fan with a lot of interest in different titles, and in different publishers, this can easily hit triple USD digits. It's a money pit. It's not affordable to most people. And this is where that new Spider-Man news comes in, because it was announced today that Amazing Spider-Man is going back to a thrice monthly schedule like it used to operate on during Brand New Day. Which sounds good at first -- more comics, yay -- until you realize that's probably going to be $15 USD a month for a one title. That's $180 a year for one title, not including annuals or special issues. That's not feasible for a lot of fans -- young fans, poor fans, fans with other financial obligations etc. And most people aren't reading just one title. I don't know how the X-Men fans are currently financing their Krakoa habit and I'm afraid to ask. There are services like Marvel Unlimited, which make things slightly more affordable, but I imagine the wait for newer issues to hit the service can be alienating for some fans who want to join in current discussions, the library has some incredibly massive holes in it which is unacceptable when it's coming from inside the mouse house, and I believe, although I could be wrong, that it is not available in all countries. Comics are no longer an easily accessible hobby, if you're paying for everything you read.

"But the creatives deserve to get paid" is the common argument and yeah, they do, I'm not arguing that point. They should absolutely get paid and they should get well. I'm a writer, I'm a published writer even, and I want to be a published novelist, and I definitely want to get paid, and I'm reserving the right to be a complete hypocrite about this, as I do with everything in my life, but this is where the difference between indie publications and Marvel publications comes in: Marvel is owned by Disney. There is absolutely no excuse for Disney not to pay their creatives. If they are not getting paid fairly, it's not because you pirated a book -- it's because Disney has a vested interest in not paying their creators, as evidenced by Alan Dean Foster's lawsuit claiming that they are withholding royalties from him. Fans pirating these books are not the reason the creatives are not getting paid fairly -- the creatives are not getting paid fairly for the same reason that Disney park employees experience homelessness, and it's because Disney would rather put that money into the pockets of their executives. There is no debate on that subject. It's easier and perhaps more convenient to blame fans for pirating comics rather than putting all of their money into what has been for years now a prohibitively expensive hobby to keep up with, but the fact of the matter is Disney could pay all of their creatives what they're worth without hurting their bottom line and instead chooses not to. That is not on you, as an individual reader. You have no reason to feel guilty about that, no matter what your circumstances are, and you do not have to justify your actions to either me or the House of the Mouse. I'm with you, and Disney ultimately doesn't care. They're making that money up elsewhere and then not distributing it fairly to the people who create the properties their media empire is built off of. But especially if you're buying older books, you should know that your money is not going to the creative team -- once it's out of publication, they're not going to get any of the money you spent on it. The argument then becomes that you should be supporting local comics stores which yes, is true, but also doesn't apply to everyone, like anon who doesn't have access to local comic book stores. And again, this can become prohibitively expensive -- collections are expensive. Older, hard to find collections can be very expensive. Once something is out of print, all bets are off on what it might be selling for. Buying single issues is only affordable if the single issue isn't desirable or sometimes if it's in exceedingly bad condition. For the sake of transparency, I have a fairly big single issue collection because it's my preferred format, but I had the time to bargain hunt, access to local comic book stores and large comic conventions, and I'm very good at sniping eBay auctions. The most I have ever dropped on a single issue was expensive for me -- and still under three digits USD -- and it's for an issue from the '60s that is not in great condition.

The problem with this debate is that it is generally a nuanced issue that always gets boiled down to "piracy bad" in a way that makes a lot of well meaning and well intentioned fans, especially the ones with extenuating circumstances, feel bad. It's not your fault. You shouldn't feel guilty. There are a huge amount of reasons why someone might pirate something that are not bad reasons and do not make you a bad person who is personally withholding money from the creators -- because you're not. I don't publicly tell people where to pirate comics, mostly because I really don't think it's that hard to find out for yourselves especially because several creators involved with Marvel themselves have, I suspect accidentally, posted pages of their work to social media WITH THE BANNER OF A WELL KNOWN COMICS PIRACY SITE STILL IN THE IMAGE please learn how to crop, so maybe my standpoint on the issue wasn't well known, but there it is. I think readers should, if they are able to financially and otherwise, support the creators they like, but that it should be acknowledged that this is a more complicated issue than it's commonly made out to be on Twitter and that the largest part of the blame needs to be put on the companies making these comics inaccessible to many and who refuse to pay their creators fairly, not on individual fans. Don't feel guilty, anon.

#traincat talks comics #*replies

[homeofhousechickens]

ive been having a really tough time with art lately. im afraid my art will never improve and that art will continue to just.... make me angry and upset and sad until i just fucking give up on it.

Art should be a fun hobby or past time and not something that causes you pain is how i think of it.

Its taken me a while to respond to this because i really wanted to get across what i really felt about it.

Why are you frustrated with your art? Are you upset it isnt the same as your peers or what you see online? Alot of times when people have these issues its usually because of needlessly comparing their art to other peoples art OR comparing where they think other people think there art should be. Are you not making the art you want to make?

Lets say you have been doing art for 5 years or more and still struggle with the fundamentals, that doesnt mean your art is less valid or you aren't improving in any way.

The act of creation is something to be enjoyed.

Now sometimes the fustration comes from place of not having structure or a guide or even a goal. Sometimes its something thats in your environment thats holding you back from enjoying your art. Maybe a needlessly criticizing friend or unsupportive family is whats compounding the issue but its important to always remember that its YOU making the art and your the one you really want to please. Even when doing a commission the first critic isnt your client but yourself after all.

If i can give any advice if your really fustrated with your progress its to do some sketching every single day and do not share it anywhere. In pen traditionally is best because you have to learn to live with and adapt to mistakes. If your someone who needs other humans to be held accountable an art group where you do art together can be a tremendous help.

Maybe try to finish a small piece daily as well but sometimes our emotions and energy just arent there everyday and its okay but do try to do something everyday. Dont stress about it, it can be a doodle of chair or a pretty eye the sode of your thumbnail. On days when you want to learn something look up lessons (for example the law of thirds) and practice them intill your bored and move onto to something new. Come back to stuff you have "learned" every now an again and do prompts related to it. Whens the last time you did a shape excercise where you just draw squares, circles, and triangles?

There is no time limit for learning and doing art.

Art is something us humans have been joyfully doing for thousands of years in all kinds of formats and medias.

I honestly think that our modern times have put alot of strain and expectations on new and budding artists especially with the creation of social media so its not your fault for feeling this way but it is important to move away from that kind of thinking for a positive impact on your art and yourself

#i think this was a fears ask but it sounds like a vent #hopefully my advice can help even if it can sound a little harsh #it comes from a place of love

[male-readers-like-kpop-idols-too]

Could I request a stray kids reaction? since i feel pretty bad when people tell me on class trips that I've been crying in my sleep..i wondered how the boys would react to that if their s/o was crying in their sleep. ps: i love your account because there aren't many male reader accs that are so good and cute

oof thank you sm. Ive been on a skz kick so I was loving this.

also the end may be shit because I'm having a bad night. 

Bang Chan

(Y/n) was sitting on one of the chairs in Chan's room, they had a blanket draped over and was fast asleep. Chan had his headphones on loud and only noticed (Y/n) was crying when he saw the reflection of them in a black monitor. He took off his headphones to make sure they were crying. Chan saw more droplets fall and kneeled and shook (Y/n) awake.

"Hey baby, wake up. Are you okay? Anything you want to talk about?"

When he realized that this was normal for them, he would still worry but would always be open if (Y/n) needed to talk. 

Minho 

He would be dead ass serious, Minho thought (Y/n) was kidding at first. The first time they stayed over, they both were in bed and watching some show. (Y/n) slowly drifted off on Minho. He set his phone down and was getting ready to sleep. His shirt started to get wet, Minho was confused until he looked down and saw tears leaking out of (Y/n)'s eye. No heaving sobs, just faint dripping. He would wake them up and ask if everything is okay. It would take him a while to get used to but Minho would try his best to make (Y/n) happy. 

Changbin

He would be so scared, even if they told him. (Y/n) would just be laying in Chnagbin's bed taking a nap and when he walked in to wake them. He saw tears falling and immediately ask if everything was okay, any bad dreams, or if they wanted to talk. (Y/n) told him that was normal, Changbin would still feed them and watch their favorite show with them. He would cuddle (Y/n) trying to not make them cry when they're asleep. Changbin would think that it was a problem that (Y/n) didn't know or want to talk about. 

Hyunjin

He would laugh at a bit, not being mean but as a perfect match. His members have told him that he talks in his sleep. If something was seriously wrong of course he would be worried and take care of (Y/n). Hyunjin would be weirded out and wanted to make sure that they were actually okay but it wouldn't be much of an issue. If they saw (Y/n) sleeping and crying, they would probably make sure everything is okay between (Y/n) and Hyunjin. 

Jisung

He wouldn't believe it for a while, (Y/n) would wake up with Jisung cuddling them and him offering tissues. He kept offering to talk things out but Jisung realized that it was just how you slept. Things would be set up once (Y/n) woke up, a bottle of water, tissues, and a packaged snack. Jisung could lie but he would always be slightly worried. Even if it wasn't about his partner's emotional being, it would be about their health. Making sure that they had plenty of water and would almost be annoying about it but he only cared. 

Felix

He might make a meme out of it. If it was okay with (Y/n) and they could laugh about it. Felix thought you were joking and he didn't know if it was a light crying or full out sobs. But otherwise, he wouldn't have any problems. He would have to adjust at first but would adjust to it. He would keep a glass of water by him for (Y/n) when they woke up.

Seungmin

He didn't believe it and would feel so bad about it even if it wasn't his fault. Seungmin thought (Y/n) was crying because of something they didn't want to talk about but as they spent more time haring a bed. Seungmin would want (Y/n) to go to a doctor to see and make sure they were okay. 

Jeongin

He's scared, even if (Y/n) told him before. Jeongin would wake them up and make sure they weren't having a nightmare. He would be worried for a while. Jeongin would wake up with a start once in a while and saw them crying, he would ask his members and see how common it was. He would have a little space for (Y/n)'s stuff when they woke up, Jeongin would also over-prepare and be clinging to them if they were crying especially hard.

For the love of god I hope this formatted right

#male reader #kpop male reader #kpop mlm #x male reader #stray kids male reader #stray kids jeongin #stray kids hyunjin #stray kids reactions #stray kids #stray kids x male reader #stray kids x y/n #stray kids x reader #bang chan reader #bang chan male reader #seo changbin #changbin reader #han jisung #han stray kids #jisung reader #lee minho #minho male reader #hyunjin male reader #jeongin male reader #felix male reader #seungmin male reader #seungmin reader #stray kids seungmin #felix reader #stray kids felix

[arethereanyoriginalusernames]

CHARACTER SPOTLIGHT

ADDISON WOODS, P 1

Requested by @zoophobiapika

For anyone who does not know what this is, Character Spotlight 1 is where I criticized how a specified character is written. Part 2 is where I analyze the character and make predictions. Also, I'm doing these in a slightly different format, so if you see me redo my Damian character spotlight, don't be surprised (plus I'm not proud of that one). I am also specifically criticizing how the character is written. I'm no expert when it comes to art, so if you'd like a critique on his design, I'd recommend bugging @rzphhs.

Zoophobia belongs to our fandom's Lord and savior, Vivziepop. This, however, is not a critique of her CURRENT writing skills. Not sure if you noticed, but zoophobia is kinda old. The reason I'm doing this is because I believe that when we analyze stories we love and find flaws within them, we can find ways to improve our own writing. I do not hate Vivziepop, and this is not meant as an attack. Also, you're free to disagree with me. I'm not some godly figure who's always correct. However, I ask that any comments remain civil. If any arguments or whatever break out over this, Imma Chase some bitches with a pool noodle. We good? Let's go.

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" BREAKING NEWS. LOCAL CANADIAN HAS DECIDED TO ONCE AGAIN TALK BAD ABOUT AN INCREDIBLY CUTE CHARACTER! IF YOU HAVE SEEN THIS INDIVIDUAL REPORT THEM TO THE DEPARTMENT OF WHOGIVESAFUCK AND TURN THEM IN IMMEDIATELY. THIS PERSON WAS LAST SEEN ROBBING A STARBUCKS, WHICH YOU'D THINK WOULD BE A BIGGER CRIME, BUT HEY, WE ALL KNOW WHAT TAKES PRIORITY! "

Oh what a lovely day. I haven't slept all night, and I have ammonia or something. Lovely. What a perfect time to talk about a fictional character. Look, if it's any comfort to the fan girls who come across this, part 2 will have me being more of a fan than a critic. Just bare with me for this, and if worse comes to worse, blame Pika.

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As per usual, let's get started with some criticism I don't agree with.

Addison looks like a girl

Alright, first of all, don't read my stories. Second, maybe this is because I live in Canada where the need for equality is pounded into your head every other hour, but...yeah? Dudes can look girly. Have you never seen a girly guy before? If so, how? Now, I'm aware that some people have an issue with this because Addi is gay, and girly gays are a common trope when gays are presented in media. While yes, this is true, Addi being a sort of trope isn't necessarily a bad thing. A trope-y character can still be written well and be entertaining. Besides, it's been said that all original ideas have been done before, so good luck trying to ever find a 100% original character anywhere.

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That's about all, but before I tear this character limb from limb, I'd like to go over things I DO like about this character.

He was ok in chapter 3

Yeah, he had problems there too, like when he just stood around and had little to no reaction to his bff turning into a mini cuthulu, but those are not problems exclusive to Addi. He didn't stand out much, per say, but what we got wasn't terrible. His banter with others was fine and even funny at some points.

He has a character motivation

Yeah, his goal to find love is a boring one, but unlike some of our other important characters, he actually has one.

He might be more interesting in the future

Addison is basically an artificial life form created by Xirxene, and not only is Xirxen after him, if Vivz still goes with this concept in the reboot, he apparently has mad sword skills yo, a dark side called Adder, and can summon two giant ass snakes. If that concept is still going to be used, then hell yeah, I'm down for that shit

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Now the moment we've been waiting for. What do I have against Addi? Why do I find him annoying as a critic of zp? Grab a cup of maple syrup, because this'll be a doozy. I'll order my issues from least bothersome to the most.

His relationship with Gustav

Ok, I think we can all agree that this relationship was poorly done. While I myself have no problems with this pairing, the way Vivz had them come together was shit. Gustav looks like a pedo creep hitting on a student, and Addi looks like an idiot as he just lets Gustav insult one of his friends. Their relationship is hasty, and the only apparent attraction they have for each other is their looks (and Addi looking like a 12 year old doesn't really help Gustav's pedo case. Don't worry, any concerned readers, there isn't any pedophilia going on. Addi has apparently been aged up to 17, and Gustav is 19)

Just to clarify, hasty relationships in stories aren't in themselves a bad thing. This could serve as a reflection on both the characters. Perhaps they fall in love easily. Perhaps their just the type of people who'd do these sorts of things. The problem here is that Addi is the only one of the two who seems like he'd do this. It's stated by Dame (who could be hyperbolising here for all we know ) that Addi throws himself at guys very often. Gustav, however, doesn't seem to have anything about him that'd suggest he'd be down for dating someone he just met.

You know how this relationship could be fixed? Gustav is 19, so he would've graduated only a year or so ago. So, have him and Addi be old friends who hung out before Gustav graduated. Perhaps have them have an attraction to each other that was initially waved off by Gustav at first, but now he's back, he might be interested now. Also, have them be attracted to each other for more then just looks. Perhaps they respect each other's talents, perhaps they have similar interests. That'd make their relationship a little more believable.

His personality

You know, in all my time spent in the zp fan base, I've noticed that the majority of Addi fans like him because he's cute. Not because of his personality. Just because he's cute. I mean, I don't entirely blame them for focusing on his appearance more because his personality. .....woof.

Zoophobiacomic.com describes his personality as the following;

" Addison likes to keep to himself and spends most of his time working in the Art Wing. While he doesn’t often open up to others and can sometimes hide away an air of elitism, he has developed a close friendship with his classmates Damian and Sahara. Their outward energy and enthusiasm has begun to counteract Addison’s typically introverted nature"

So he's shy, and a bit of an elitist, and he's slowly becoming more self confident. Ok.....now let's look at what the comic itself presents us. For one thing, he's surprising sassy, especially in ch3, not just to Dame, but to Leeson the crazy priest as well. He's also surprisingly self centered. Look at how he reacts to Dame being a shit to other people compared to how he reacts to Dame being a shit to him. Orchestrating an event that gets your cousin set on fire? That's ok. Preventing Addi from going on a date? That bastard! He doesn't even seem to care when Gustav insults one of his best friends. He also doesn't show any regret about attacking Mackenzie. Him having these traits aren't a problem, but this raises a bit of a concern for me since I don't think this is the impression we're supposed to get from his character.

His dumbass decisions

Yes Addison, go off on a date with some sexy random dude when there's an entire organization after you and you have no way of defending yourself. 10/10. 100/100. A+. Gold Star, Gud Job, Perfect Logic, Go buy a colouring book you infant!

His PTSD

Let me get one thing strsight (so at least one thing in this post isn't gay af), I don't have an issue with him having PTSD. My problem is how it's handled. The story acts like Addi attacking Mackenzie is just peachy keen because it was triggered by his ptsd. Except guess what? It isn't.

I'm going to be honest, I (someone with more then one handicap) hate it when those with disabilities are treated like babies, and The world must conform to their needs, and nothing is their fault because mashed potatoes. Look, a handicap can affect how you live your life, but it doesn't mean you get a free ticket to easy street. If anything, your life gets harder. And guess what? People babying you and pretending that your disability prevents you from any fault DOESN'T HELP. IT MAKES YOU WORSE. I'll use one of my own handicaps as an example. I have Auditory Processing Disorder. One symptom is that I can't hear myself, do I often talk incredibly loudly without realising it. Now imagine I went through life always yelling because no one told me to take it down a peg. Soon, yelling would become a habit, and it'd be a much harder problem to fix.

You guys starting to realize why other characters acting like Addi did nothing wrong bothers me? That's not how you react when someone with a disability does something like Addi does. It also makes me concerned that the comic will continue down the route of "oh, he has a disorder, so he's not really at fault ", excusing various bad things Addi does on his PTSD.

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So now I've typed out enough words to rewrite the American constitution, I'll end it here. Thank you for reading, and tell me what you think. If you'd like to see me critique another character like this, feel free to request it.

I apologize for wasting your time.

-ATOUN

#zoophobia #zoophobia addison #zoophobia critique #zp #vivzmind