#what stands out between these things and the Things is the ‘biological’ aspect

[c0la-queen]

Tom Headcanons | The Tired Friend

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Appearance:

Tom's skin is fairly tan. His hair is a light brown color and he keeps his facial hair at a chin scruff.

He is the shortest of the boys, standing 5'11 tall. The teasing he experiences from the boys due to this makes him grumpy and he is not afraid to punch them in the gut over it.

While he is slightly lanky (not to the same level as Matt, but not as bulky as Tord or Edd) he does have a healthy bit of chub to him.

It's unknown exactly how many tattoos Tom has, or if he even has any at all. He refuses to answer the question. If Reader asks, he'll just ominously say "you'll find out" then change the subject. As for piercings, he has an eyebrow piercing and multiple ear piercings.

Family Life:

Tom is the most tragic of the group in this aspect.

When he was young, his parents passed away in an accident. Since he was a child, his brain blocked out the entire experience, so he can't remember exactly what the accident was- nor does he really want to remember.

He and his brother went and lived with an aunt after this happened- they were still in town, so his friends didn't change.

He was never particularly close with that aunt so he fell out of touch with her after a while.

As for his brother, who is a year younger than him, he talks to him occasionally but not often.

So, overall, doesn't have the best relationship with his biological family- but that's okay, because the roommates are his family now.

Personality:

Seems kind of cold, but he's actually pretty friendly.

He's just tired all the time.

His sense of humor is broken. He would find fail videos the funniest shit. Probably loves the Everlong trend on Tik Tok.

A huge music nerd, but keeps it lowkey because he thinks its embarrassing. He knows all kinds of music, and can probably name a shit ton of songs that play on the radio off the top of his head. Definitely has a whole self full of vinyl records that he's collected.

I like to dip more into his bass playing than a lot of people I've seen ever do. He usually waits until he's home alone or only one other person is in the house to play, just because he doesn't wanna bother the others. Has learned how to play a good handful of songs on his bass. Follows those accounts on Tik Tok that do bass and electric guitar covers of songs.

He's pretty decent at singing, but never sings around others because it makes him flustered. Will occasionally sing lullabies to Reader when she can't sleep or had a nightmare. But she's the only one he'll sing for.

Although he acts like he hates all of them, he cares a lot about the others. He doesn't acknowledge it or admit it, but he does take care of his roommates here and there. Yes, even Tord.

On the flip side, he's shit at taking care of himself. it's honestly a miracle that he's as healthy as he is. Probably ends up falling asleep in random areas of the house the most, leaving the others to sigh and lay a blanket on top of him when they find him.

"Cry about it." "Sucks to suck."

He likes playing Minecraft. Finds it so peaceful, definitely a welcome break from the chaotic household. He'll let Reader lay between his legs while they lay in bed with him and he plays. Learned how to play his favorite Minecraft songs on his bass.

Chronic sloucher. The man has Certified shrimp posture. Help his poor spine.

Tom is a professional photographer! He's very good at what he does and has quite the schedule booked. Makes sure its very clear to his clients that he is not available for bookings on the weekends - those are reserved for his family roommates.

He loves Ghost-type Pokemon. I have no reasoning behind this one, honestly. Just vibes. He's got a Gengar Squishmallow on his bed that he treats like his own son.

A very simple man. Likes the simple and peaceful things in life. Too bad he got his ass irreparably bonded with three (four counting Reader) of the most unhinged, chaotic people in existence.

Yes. Several of his accessories are black and white checkered. Sue him, but he's consistent. Main things to note of this theme are his phone case, a pair of slip-on Vans, and the old skateboard in his closet that he hasn't used since secondary school.

Like Tord, he's got a smoking habit that he's trying to combat with vaping. Still uses cigarettes on particularly stressful or frustrating nights.

Likes drinking Java Monster Energy.

Very proud vinyl record collector. Not picky about what kind of records he gets, though he tends to prefer ska and classic rock (dad rock). One of the best things to get him as a present, he'll love it dearly.

Has so many playlists. Making them is therapeutic for him. It's one of his love languages, a way that he expresses his feelings. Also has playlists for his emotions, and for all kinds of different situations like rainy days or beach trips. Showing Reader his playlists would be him opening up to them in a huge way.

Playlist (From My Spotify Playlist For Him):

Arctic Monkeys

Tame Impala

Fall Out Boy

Green Day

The All-American Rejects

Halestorm

Waterparks

Wallows

Anthony Amorim

Lovejoy

Gorillaz

Cigarettes After Sex

#eddsworld #eddsworld x reader #eddsworld tom #eddsworld tom x reader

[heartgold]

Disorganized ep1 re-read thoughts to sort out properly later, **** and Natsuhi centric

At one glance Natsuhi being the narrative punching bag is fun from the standpoint of Sayo taking out her resentment towards her by writing her into Situations (maybe I'm reaching but the specific accusation Eva throws at her about pushing Kinzo thru the window onto the courtyard below reads like a stand-in for getting to accuse her of having pushed her off the cliff) but it's even more interesting and painful seeing how even with all that, she gives Natsuhi so much narrative focus, Especially with her struggles being a woman stuck amidst the chains of the Ushiromiya family and her feelings of inadequacy as a wife and mother. Natsuhi is relentlessly put through the wringer but also gets to be one of the stars of this episode. The bits with Natsuhi swearing to protect Jessica no matter what because a mother would become a demon to protect her daughter are so painful on a re-read considering what she did. And, again reaching, the part where Natsuhi runs people out of the study when there's a killer out there also reads as a stand-in for Sayo's feelings about having survived attempted murder by the woman who should've adopted and protected her. They even bring up that she would feel differently had it been Jessica instead, she wouldn't throw her beloved (biological) daughter to the wolves. Man.

Like. Underneath the resentment and sadness and anger it reads like Sayo tries to process the trauma of learning about what she did by trying to understand Natsuhi through writing her character and drawing parallels between them. The entire idea of women unable to fulfill the role of wives and mothers being treated as subhuman is presented in the story through Natsuhi's suffering, with the bitter realization later on that it was that very aspect of Natsuhi's pain that culminated into the incident in the first place and passed that pain forwards. There are too many feelings imbued into Natsuhi's characterization, many contradictions. Sayo grieves the adopted mother she never had being also the madam who was horrible to her as a servant her whole life and the reason her life snowballed down a thorny path while also understanding and resonating with her pain more than anyone else. It's a very delicate, bittersweet portrayal. It feels a bit similar to how she sometimes uses Kinzo as a stand-in for herself in a way that reads as very self-loathing, portraying her pain and the parts she hates about herself through the people who ruined her life, except Kinzo is reduced to a narrative spectre and a caricature, written as a pathetic dying old man crying over Beatrice and spouting nonsense about sorcery in the background to obfuscate the mystery from the fantasy, a dead narrative device pretending to be alive, whereas Natsuhi is brought to the forefront and her suffering as a woman wronged and dehumanized by the family are central to ep1. There's an immensity of contradictory feelings in there but it's clear how Sayo's resentment towards those two is on very different scales.

By comparison this makes it even clearer how ep5, the other Natsuhi-centric episode, was a forgery written without love. Besides the obvious with the entire premise of the message bottles being foregone by making Battler an accomplice, ep5 focuses purely on punishing and humiliating Natsuhi as much as possible for those specific aspects of her suffering, and "the man from 19 years ago" is characterized as primarily revenge-motivated when in truth Sayo's actions were a result of the depths of desperation and seeing no other future for herself or the family besides death, there was anger and catharsis in it but they were never the main goal, more like an internal justification for why they all should die alongside her. The whole thing tramples on the original meaning of the message bottles, which is very much The Point of this forgery from both meta and irl angles. The witch trial in the court of illusions reads a lot like an allegory for witch hunters discussing the latest forgery in internet forums in the worst faith possible and tearing the real tragedy apart in the process alongside the dignity and humanity of very real dead people. "Natsuhi wanted to defend Kinzo's honor even with all the torment he put her through? (ignores everything about her character centering being a woman fighting to be deemed worthy after being dehumanized for being unable to fulfill the role of a wife) what, was she FUCKING that old man? lol"

Speaking of that, something that's funny in a horrible way is how ep5 basically retells the entire "how did Kinzo leave the study?" argument from ep1 verbatim but with SO MUCH meta-mockery involved. Eva's receipt is now Erika's perfect seal (countering Natsuhi's defense that the receipt couldve been replaced). The idea that there could be hidden passages is instantly countered by Dlanor using the decalogue. Same goes for Battler's "what if grandpa was hiding under the bed and snuck out while you weren't looking?!" genius theory since Dlanor & co can magically check all spots simultaneously. And then "what if Kinzo was thrown out the window" is back except it's Battler having a midair anime battle with Dlanor (DESCRIBED AS LOOKING LIKE A KNIGHT ON A WHITE HORSE) over whether peepaw would jump out the window and survive and demonstrating it by flying outta there dramatically after dropping some epic action lines then Beato also jumping out and into his arms like a princess escaping a tower. It's hilarious with how it makes fun of everything but at the same time so painful how it tramples on everything ep1 stood for regarding The Heart. I'm just imagining GM!Lambda having so much fun coming up with this scenario because it's such a Lambda thing. Mockery thinly disguised with exciting action and cheesy lines and even a bit of romance. Pop cute etc let's take the piss out of everything and everyone. And also include a bunch of genuine hints and clues despite it all. It's not like I want you to make an epic comeback or anything

#umineko spoilers #◇ #maq don't open it's spoiler city

[relaxxattack]

I apologize if this is like weird or anything so just ignore this if it bothers you, but all this talk about palewear and quadrant holidays is reminding me of this one joke I saw once where it was something like "marriage counselors are just Ashen prostitutes," and now I can't stop thinking about what it would look like in Alternian society for prostitutes of the conciliatory quadrants.

Like every time I just start cracking up bc like how would that even work. If you have an established business how do you advertise that. If you're trying to attract clients with how you dress in public what's the difference between wearing something that *suggests* your line of work vs the conciliatory equivalent of standing in the middle of Walmart in lingerie. I guess how you'd view stuff paleways would depend on how important you'd headcanon papping as a biological need vs a social expectation but the fact that it's literally supposed to be the most emotionally intimate, or at least requires the most trust, is like. How the fuck do you even have a one night stand. Like how does that work. I'm giggling just thinking about it.

Anyways sorry for rambling in your inbox but tl;dr What are your thoughts on conciliatory prostitution?

this is the funniest ask i’ve ever gotten

i would say the line between therapists and conciliatory prostitution is the fact that therapists are more of a health/medical thing… by definition a therapist usually finds a mental medical problem of yours and helps with it the way a doctor would help with something physically

IRL, getting bandaged up by someone can be either professional (ie at a doctors office) or unprofessional/erotic, (ie after a battle your crush is tending to your wounds and keeps making eye contact and leaning in very close…) so in human society there are already cases of things that can be medical or romantic depending on literally just context and vibes

a therapist is going to be in a clinical office, their room is not going to lend itself to a troll’s comfort in a way that screams romance— a therapist is NOT going to be anywhere near a pile, for instance, though they might prescribe that activity to their patient lol

meanwhile an actual conciliatory prostitute… you’re right that it would be a little strange, and maybe hollow, given that proper moirallegiance is supposed to involve the most amount of knowledge + trust out of any other quadrant.

but, consider that matespritship— and human romance, here— involves trust and emotional attachment as well, usually! and yet prostitution still exists…. because it’s about the physical aspect of romance alone, for people who need to get that energy out occasionally

so let me postulate that conciliatory prostitution would be the same— focused only on the physical parts of the relationship.

therefore, a pale prostitute would really be more like a masseuse than a therapist. they’d ask you questions about your life, of course, get you in a pile and listen to you talk for a bit before massaging you and getting your tension out; you know, there’s got to be foreplay. but it would likely feel somewhat hollow and businesslike as opposed to… you know, an actual pile session with a moirail. sort of the same as concupiscent prostitution

#should this be tagged nsft? LMAO. ig ask to Tag #papping is definitely a biological thing imo because the whole point of it is to calm people down; most ways of calming people down are #like going ‘shhhhh’ is just a thing we all do that magically calms babies somehow for some biological reasons so i assume pappings the same #meanwhile i think it’d be really hard to suggest your profession in public… there’s any number of reasons someone might ‘dress slutty’ lol #quadrants #op #wow this got long sorry #long post

[rhythmantics]

Do you think that Cross was ever meant to be PARIAH, but was cut for sequel bait? Apparently there are some shots of him in the WOI memories that mention PARIAH. The way the game states that PARIAH would be the only to stand up agains Mercer, and Cross literally beats him in a fight. The game also has people say that PARIAH and Mercer meeting would’ve not good, and how together Mercer and Cross get shit done makes me wonder.

Cross had a really interesting original blurb in the PRIMA guide, which sketches out an early version of the game. The decision to split into a sequel seems to have been made very early on, before the PRIMA guide, because they realized they couldn't fit both Greene AND Pariah into the same game, but the PRIMA materials were written shortly after, because many fundamental character aspects were changed by the game itself. I'll transcribe it, since it's very... vertical:

Resilient, resourceful, and deadly, the Specialist is sent in when things fail to go according to plan - BLACKWATCH'S last line of insurance. His world is a world of absolutes: like mathematics, only one answer can be gained out of any equation. To him the world is easy to understand. He believes BLACKWATCH is all that stands between the average American and a biological apocalypse. His knowledge of BLACKWATCH [has] been highly edited by his superior, the General, to fit his world-view. Confronted with proof that his cause is deceptive, he re-orients his mindset instantly to keep in line with his religious beliefs. Shown absolute proof that his employers are on the wrong side of the moral divide, he will go after them with the same verve he showed as their lapdog - but even worse, he'll do so as a zealot of the highest order. This trait is further exacerbated as Cross begins to realize he too has succumbed to the infection that is rampaging through the city. Unlike the majority of the poor souls who lose higher functions, Cross's training allows him to seek the Hive Mind, and learn the threat the Prototype poses not only to BLACKWATCH, but to his new masters...

Other important things to note: hunters in this iteration of the game actually have limited shapeshifting and consumption abilities - the ones who can consume can pretty much only consume other hunters, and while they can shapeshift into human form, their minds are very much inhuman and they have a difficult time "relating." (This seems to have carried into the game itself, when you get infected vision and realize how many military personnel etc. are walking around infected, and Alex commenting that Greene is using them as spies).

Supreme hunter DOES exist, but he seems like a late-stage addition, both in-and-out of universe. His bio doesn't mention Cross at all, leading me to believe that the Cross/Supreme Hunter merge happened fairly late in development.

And finally, this religion thing in Cross's bio, which is actually seen elsewhere - such as Elizabeth's bio and old concept art, where they were attempting to capture a "goddess" vibe with the character (with PARIAH kinda-sorta having "born of a virgin/immaculate conception" vibes, since the father is never mentioned). Maybe even the edgy wings on Mercer's jacket, which we've seen since some of his earliest concepts + he originally had something to do with crows and could sprout crow wings out of his stupid backpack. Also the religious character is literally named CROSS.

At least we can say that Cross was definitely meant to fall in with the virus, and that it would've been a big betrayal - his bio outlines a clear arc of "Blackwatch are the good guys yippee!" to "Friendship ended with Blackwatch, now the Prototype is my best friend" to "what if the virus is Jesus" to "friendship ended with the Prototype, now the Virus (which may or may not be god and/or Jesus) is my best friend."

In that sense, if you imagine that the final boss was originally meant to be PARIAH and Supreme Hunter didn't exist, I think the Occam's Razor solution here is that Cross was originally meant to be your ally (like Phone Voice in the game), and then slowly go off the deep end as the infection took hold and started influencing his thoughts. This would culminate in betraying the player and using his position as an intelligent hunter with a human form under Greene's control + his position as Captain within Blackwatch's ranks to free PARIAH.

At that point, I don't really know how it'd go - but I imagine he'd be consumed by PARIAH for his trouble, given the hunter bios have so much "they eat each other to become stronger" stuff in it. Whether this happens on-screen (the cool epic dramatic option) or off-screen (like it did with Supreme Hunter), I can't say.

It's kind of interesting, though, from a religious angle. I know I've talked before about how Xander is the "dad" in the story, and Greene is the "mom," but the religion aspect kind of adds to it. Greene the virgin Mary, the Virus impregnating her, PARIAH as Jesus, Cross as an apostle... and what does that make Alex? Xander? Man playing with god? An usurper? I can't say anything for sure, but this theme is definitely in there, so it's interesting to talk about.

So... yeah! I don't necessarily know that that answered your question, but it's interesting, right?

#prototype 2009 #[prototype] #robert cross #alex mercer #alexander j mercer

[shock-micro]

Pokémon Prophecies: Genesect

I said a bit earlier that I had an idea for a Legends game set in a future Unova. Let's elaborate on that, shall we?

Why center it around Genesect?

Because Genesect, in this, is only the first of its kind.

Let's set this in the far future, after some terrible war has come and passed, in a post-post-apocalyptic type setting. Humanity lives in these dazzling cities, and Pokémon are... not the same. All but the most hardy of biological species were wiped out, and in their place, are two types of Pokémon.

Iron-Paradoxes- now given regular names, as they're just normal Pokémon in this era- and "Genesis" forms, resurrected forms of Pokémon long lost, given new technological grace to help them survive in the new environment.

So, if you're reading this far in, you've probably already played Legends: Arceus. So, you should know the format: Find new area, complete a quest, unlock the area's ride Pokémon, complete another quest, quell the area's Noble, and catch more Pokémon to rank up and prove yourself worthy of entering a more dangerous area.

Each of the rides you obtain is a new paradox- maybe even direct reflections of the Legends ones, like a paradox Braviary for gliding. And the frenzied Nobles? Well, those could be replaced with the new Genesis forms, something having gone wrong with their cybernetics.

Turns out, each of the Genesis forms were altered by a corrupted form of the Drives that change Techno Blast's type, and so, say, a Genesis Weezing that was supposed to clean the air actually did quite the opposite, or a Genesis Staraptor caused a great blizzard due to a Frost Drive causing it to generate snowy gales with every wing-flap.

Each area could be like spiraling deeper into the heart of Unova, seeing how old cities grew and what became of the smaller towns, until you reach the former site of the Entralink at its center. Now, instead of the great Entree, there stands a skyscraper that pierces the heavens, in the center of the new capital city, "Genesis".

In terms of how this all ties in with the version differences between Black and White, we can reconcile that very cleanly with the Entree being destroyed. The two realities collapsed into each other, with Black's world winning out in most aspects, though some legends still tell of a time when and a world where a great forest could be found at the site of Black City.

I feel there's a good bit of stuff you could do, with a post-post-war Unova. Unity Tower, the former tallest tower in Unova, could have been demolished in the war, replaced with a memorial and a message of peace. The story itself wouldn't be dark, it'd stay light-hearted and maybe even uplifting, but things like this could be an interesting way to set the stage for why the Pokémon world is the way it is now. People have rebuilt, they're living their lives alongside Pokémon as they always have, there's just one somber note in the now-distant past of a time where the world was anything but united.

Nature could still be found throughout Unova, but there would be a lot less closer to its heart. I have a very slight idea of why, which could potentially involve Unova getting its very own Great Crater.

Let's get back to that first question I posed. Why Genesect? As I said, Genesect is simply the first of its kind, but there's been no trace of it for years. It was last said to be found in the heart of Unova, at the former site of the Entree. Finding the living form of Genesect could be the key to understanding why the new Genesis forms have been going wrong, when poring over ancient blueprints has revealed nothing.

So, would this be an interesting idea? Let me know! I know GameFreak would never do something like this, but hey, a robot can dream.

#pokemon #legends arceus #pokemon legends arceus #genesect #legends unova #prophecies genesect

[angelicallyher]

୭ৎ 𝐌𝐘 𝐌𝐀𝐍𝐈𝐅𝐄𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 𝐋𝐈𝐒𝐓 𝐅𝐎𝐑 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒 .ᐟ

everything my heart ever wished for…

𝓓𝐈𝐀𝐑𝐘 𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐑𝐘 ⌗ 𝐎𝟏 — lets talk about my desires ever since i found out about loa ! in order to begin my journey, it is important to have clear goals so that i know what im working towards. this way i can return to them whenever i feel stuck or demotivated. im keeping myself accountable by writing my goals down, so here’s my list of desires ! ♡

౨ৎ┊𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐦 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞

⤷ im living the life i always dreamed of. my life is beautiful, exciting, eventful, enjoyable, dramatic, euphoric, magical, well organized & perfect. every aspect of my life matches my dream life perfectly. life is worth living. i live in perfect world (no pollution, racism, etc). everything about my life is exciting. theres never a day thats boring or dull. everyday is a new adventure i cant wait for. every day something interesting happens in my life. im excited to sleep & wake up to another wonderful day, i wake up refreshed & energetic. events that unfold in my life seem like something that only happens in movies. i experience amazing moments & make lasting memories. i experience desired scenarios. every desired scenario i wish to happen unfolds. i live life to the fullest. life is so easy, everything works out in my favour & falls into place. choices i make always lead to the best outcome there is. my desired beautiful environment is romanticized. im invited to the best events. theres many events that i have the pleasure to attending like official events along with events that are just parties, hangouts & more. i have a perfect social, school, family, career, financial & personal life. i have a perfect balance between them all. always motivated & productive, i spend every day well. im in touch with ppl i care for. i never have arguments or be on bad terms with anyone. i meet new loving ppl & make genuine connections. im admired, loved, respected. everything works out perfectly in my favour. im forever healthy. no harm/pain of any kind can come my way or to loved ones. im safe & protected. my life is free of negativity.

౨ৎ┊𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞

⤷ i want to manifest a completely new appearance ideally, from head to toe ! from a beautifully dainty hourglass body to big & upturned glittery doll eyes. that includes my face, body, skin, hair & beauty.

౨ৎ┊𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐟𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐲

⤷ i want a happy, euphoric family life. my ideal biological family would be perfect, supportive, easygoing & free of any problem or negativity. id have the best relationship with my family, my relatives are loving, caring, accepting & understanding. we are close, we never have arguments nor be in bad terms with one another. my family is physically & mentally healthy. i have good bonding times with family. my family endlessly supports me. my ideal parents are lenient & let me do whatever it is i want. i have a safe, healthy, protected, happy family.

౨ৎ┊𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐠𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐩 𝐨𝐟 𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐬

⤷ i have the most wonderful friends. i have a perfect, kind, loving, cool, fun, loyal & gorgeous friend group! i meet my desired friend group how i want. my friends look how i desire, they have desired name, personality, etc. i have a healthy relationship with my friends. i have genuine friends. we have similar interests but we’re our own person, making our friend group unique & intriguing. everyone in my friend group has different characteristics from each other & we emit auras that arent similar to one another. my friends are supportive & dependable, theyre always there for me & on my side. everyone in my friend group is stylish & has their own style. we have the same humour. we have inside jokes & nicknames for us & other ppl. it’s fun & laughs when we’re together. we always go on fun adventures & hang out together! we can do fun things at any time. i have a wealthy circle of friends who have a major “it” factor that make us out stand everyone else, we are iconic. friends want the best for me & each other. i am surrounded with positive influences. my friend group is free from drama or tension, never argue or fight over dumb reasons. no one gets left behind or excluded, everyone in my group sticks up for each other. im immune to fake & toxic ppl. we stay friends forever & make unforgettable memories.

౨ৎ┊𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐡𝐨𝐦𝐞

⤷ to live in the house of my dreams! i want my desired house down to the floorboards, every single detail is how i want it to be. its grand, spacious, beautiful with the prettiest view ever. its in my ideal location. my house has all my desired rooms & i live with my desired ppl. its always clean & organized. my home feels safe, radiant & positive.

౨ৎ┊𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐚𝐜𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐜 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞

⤷ i want to have a romanticized movie-like school life. my high school experience feels like a fun tv show or movie. my school life is absolutely amazing & memorable. love going to school, everyday is filled with lasting memories. school is stress free & enjoyable. i attend my ideal school & ideal classes. my school always has fun events, everyone participates in the activities & have fun. i am a heartthrob. i am loved, admired, respected by all of my teachers & peers. i maintain a perfect reputation, get along well with everyone. im always the centre of positive attention. im known all over the school as the top student. im the it girl of my school, the prettiest, smartest, wealthiest, most popular girl in school. i easily run my entire school without even trying. im always influencing others in a positive way, always a leader everywhere i go. every grade in my school knows me & idolizes me. everyone in my classes gets along with each other. everyone at my school rarely use their phones; everyone talks to each other & find something instead. everyone in school interacts with each other & is sociable. my class goes on lots of grand & spontaneous senior trips. i join my desired of clubs at school. active in my school. im close with all of the teachers. im the queen b of my school, i achieve the highest score/grade in all classes with no effort. grades revised. im an academic overachiever. excel in academics & extra curricular activities. naturally a 4.0 gpa student, i have high intelligence, i love learning and growing. photographic memory, every school work is too easy. i understand every subject with ease & learn quickly. i know the right answer to any question. immune to cramming, burnout, procrastination.

౨ৎ┊𝐰𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐡

⤷ to live a luxurious nepo baby lifestyle, i have an extremely rich, wealthy, successful & humble family who are forever financially secure. i have huge generational wealth. i effortlessly have over a million dollars in my bank account. im in full control of my money. i can afford anything & everything i want freely. i have unlimited amount of money. age doesnt matter, im always making money like a grownup. i have a good relationship with money. no matter how much i spend ill always have more than enough money, i could never run out. im a money magnet, money flows through me & my family easily & consistently. my family has a good reputation & highly respected. me & my family are so rich we have black platinum cards. have my own culinary chef & maids. tons of opportunities that lead to financial success & luxurious experiences.

and the rest of my desires in my manifestation list !

xoxo, angelia ৎ୭

#𝒶ngelicallyher 🎀 #law of assumption #loassumption #manifestation #manifesting #loa tumblr #dream life #master manifestor #ෆ 𝒷looming

[tangleweave]

1. What is your favorite trope to rp?

5. What is a character you love, but don’t think you can write?

6. Name 3 things you love most about your muse/muses.

7. What is one overrated roleplay trend?

11. Do you welcome duplicates of your character or stay away from them?

13. Is there one trope you can’t stand?

14. What is your opinion on writing smut?

15. What is your opinion on tagging triggers?

17. What makes you insecure about your own writing?

18. What is one thing you’d wish to see more in the rp community?

22. Are there any red roleplay flags for you that make you back off immedately?

23. Your favorite fandom to write in?

24. Have you ever left a fandom because of negativity?

25. One thing you’d like new roleplayers to know?

Once I'm done with this list you'll know everything worth knowing about me. 😉 Here we go...

1. The shy and awkward phase of nascent romantic interest, where each muse is just beginning to realize they like the other. I dunno why, I'm just kind of a slut for that.

5. Oh. Wow. Hm. Uh... y'know, I'm fairly confident in my writing skill, and I'd like to think I'm pretty good at finding characters' individual voices (even villains). But, I have trouble finding specifically female voices in my head... and the first one that came to mind for this question was Mystique. I think she's incredible as a character, complex, layered, uncompromising in her beliefs, a badass in every way, but I just don't think I have the chops to write her... not least of which because I don't share her gender. I don't necessarily consider this a deal-breaker, but I am very much aware that womanhood comes with an array of experiences, both biological and societal, which men simply don't have, and I have a hard time imagining I could do proper justice to RPing a woman.

...that's probably a longer answer than you needed.

6. My muses all have stubborn streaks, and martyr complexes. And they're also willing to be goofy when they don't need to have a game face on. In all of these aspects, they reflect facets of me.

7. ABO romance. I'm so very sorry to those of you out there who love that kind of thing, and it's taken me this long to realize it, but I just don't see the appeal. Threads either collapse within ten posts or they go on interminably (I know I've seen at least one out there with something like 400+ notes); there doesn't seem to be any in-between. Obviously the long ones are happy-making for their authors and bless them for that, but... meh?

11. I would gladly welcome duplicates of them, especially Dr. Strange, Spidey, Vision, and Groot. But I've not been approached, and I haven't gone out of my way to seek threads with that express purpose.

13. "Canon character A belongs with canon character B because canon." Bzzzzt! Wrong. I have exactly ONE ship here on Tumblr that has any canon foundation -- coincidentally with the mun who sent me this list of questions!

14. Love it, as long as both writers are consenting adults and not crazypants. I prefer it to be discreet, such as under cuts, or maybe even off Tumblr altogether (Discord is a thing!), but y'know, do what you like, all our muses get horny at some point or another.

15. AN ABSOLUTE MUST. No debate will be entertained.

17. Re-reading it too many times. I eventually find something about it I dislike enough to try and go back and change it, when it was perfectly fine the way it was before.

18. Uhh... RP? 😂 It'll happen sometimes where people are posting nothing but meme prompts, and yet there will be so few actual responses to them, such that my entire room could be plastered in meme prompt wallpaper just from what's on my dash between one active RP post and the next.

22. Lack of a clear declaration that an RPer is 18+, lack of a Rules page, lack of a Characters page for multi-muses... and, I cannot stress this enough, problematic themes without trigger warnings. We ask for TW's for a reason in this community and it's the height of selfishness to ignore this request. I will have my boundaries respected, or I will not engage. Simple as that.

23. It should come as no surprise my dedicated love is to the Marvel fandom.

24. Not an entire fandom, no, but negativity has touched me in ways that caused me to lose contact with productions I enjoyed. I had Naruto shoved down my throat by a "friend" who'd hoped to Stockholm me into liking it, and he almost succeeded, but he wound up driving me broke one summer (and now not only am I jaded towards Naruto, I have a passionate hatred for World of WarCraft, his favorite game of the time); I'd been enjoying Chobits with my ex-girlfriend but never finished it because our relationship went very sour (and I almost bailed out on Yu-Gi-Oh! over the very same relationship). I don't see myself coming back to those productions, but I never really considered myself part of the attendant fandoms in the first place.

25. Cultivate your experience. It's perfectly normal to seek out swaths of RPers only to realize you don't have nearly as much in common with a lot of them as you'd hoped. If you don't care for what you're seeing from someone, it's okay to drop them! The Unfollow button is as much a friend of yours as the Follow button is. There are always more RPers, and they're all eager to have someone to write with.

#munday answers #answered asks #illbringthechaosmagic

[sacredshadow]

And now for some thoughts about Mahjarrat, specifically about gender.

(Gonna try to be careful with gender terms and stuff here but Mahjarrat can change their gender so whatever form of genitals they have usually indicates their preferred pronouns. That’s what I’m going to be referring to when I say male or female. I understand for humans it’s a little bit more complicated so I’m going to try to do this in a way that doesn’t upset or exclude anyone. Also this does touch on some stuff about pregnancy and does have to have a few sentences on the cause of pregnancy but it should be pretty clean.)

I’ve finally come up with a reason for female Mahjarrat having breasts: they don’t. They have absolutely no need for them, as they don’t breastfeed their children, it is simply something they opted to add to their appearance after their arrival on Gielinor, when humans and other species more used to different-looking genders started using the wrong pronouns for them.

Without this slight shapeshifting alteration/some things shoved down the front of their robes, male and female Mahjarrat look almost identical. In fact, if you remove everything but the underpants (which, tbh, a lot of them don’t really wear), then there is no difference except for features like skin tone, size, fitness, and other things that also alter between humans. And the things that don’t alter between humans but do between Mahjarrat, like chin-spikes, horns, and ridges. Those vary quite a bit between individuals.

Since Jagex has been a bit lazy and has used a recoloured version of the same model for all female Mahjarrat, it looks like the chin-spikes are an exclusively male feature, but they are not. Unlike the mimicry of breasts, that is not a mimicry of a beard. It just happens to be that the female Mahjarrat model doesn’t have them and (I think but I can’t be bothered to check) all the males do. They really don’t have any differences except the genitals, which I might discuss in another post since not everyone wants to read that.

The basics are that all Mahjarrat are capable of both impregnating a partner and getting pregnant themselves (I would have loved to have a whole thing where there’s only one gender or way more than just male and female, but I remember seeing a jmod saying that it was just the two so I’m stuck with that). We also know from the existence of Moia that Mahjarrat are, um, ‘compatible’ with humans. Keeping in mind what was previously said, a human with a uterus may have to be careful of pregnancy when in a relationship with any gender of Mahjarrat. A human with a penis, however, won’t actually be able to achieve an offspring out of a relationship with a Mahjarrat, no matter how it goes.

Now, a Mahjarrat pregnancy is not like that of a human or really anything else on Gielinor. It isn’t the “baby grows in tummy” thing or the “lay egg and sit on it for ages” thing, more of a “weird magical energy thing gets stronger and stronger and then it turns into a child”. It’s like a mammalian pregnancy in the way that the foetus is connected to the parent and is growing stronger with nourishment the parent provides, except there is no physical aspect (the only way to tell is that on another Mahjarrat’s kin awareness thing it appears that there are two Mahjarrat instead of just the one that they can see. The foetus is small and a lot less powerful, just a little blip that usually appears closely resemblant to the parent rather than a whole other Mahjarrat standing next to them. It’s very subtle, especially in the earlier stages, and is only really noticeable when it is specifically looked for.), and since Mahjarrat don’t eat, the nourishment provided is in the form of magical energy and can be given to or taken from the foetus by the parent at will. Although if the parent takes too much, the pregnancy will be terminated.

If the parent has a partner, whether they be the biological other parent of the offspring or not, they will usually donate some of their energy to the birthing parent to help them stay strong. Both of these parents will usually raise the child together. The Freneskraen words that are most similar to mother and father literally mean “parent who actually gave birth to the child” and “parent who didn’t give birth but helped create the child”, although quite often they are just the one who raises the child and the actual “father” is someone else the “mother” was with at the ritual of enervation. There is no aspect of gender at all.

And speaking of not having a gender, when the child is born after about a year (although it can be delayed indefinitely) when the little bit of magical energy finally grows strong enough to develop a physical form, the child has no gender. The “pup” as they are known (since some other people were using that word and I thought it was good) (well in Freneskraen they aren’t called pups but the word starts with a vague p sound and that’s what it ended up translating to in common tongue) will not have any genitals until they reach adulthood, a process that is not at all talked about and is usually quite a shock (perhaps you have a grandmother or another older relative who’s told you about when they first got their period and had no idea what was happening? Yeah it’s like that).

The pup stage lasts until the Mahjarrat can walk, communicate successfully, and have developed their claws and teeth fully. The amount of time this takes varies between individuals, usually depending on their power. The pups that develop fastest are usually destined to be great warriors and high-ranking in the tribe. After that the children grow bigger and stronger as they learn to fight and how to behave properly. And then when they have reached their full height and have developed genitals and are considered strong enough, they are considered full adults.

And now, the answer to the question I know has been circling through your minds for far too long: If that’s how Mahjarrat are born, why does Zamorak have a belly button? And again, the answer is that he doesn’t. He just thinks it looks fashionable or cool or something.

#runescape #rs3 #mahjarrat #sorry that was a lot to read and went waaay off topic

[pkmnomegaverse]

One prototype character from Gen 2 who has no information on them but I can use for my own purposes is Gama. Which on one hand, is a bit of a nonsense name, but they’re maybe the prototype dragon type Gym Leader. Hard to guess since nothing exists for them info wise but the name. But I’ve always needed another Blackthorn clan member who takes over the Blackthorn Gym once Clair becomes the Champion. This dude for sure exists, I’ve just never bothered to come up with a name for him (he’s also the same dude the Elders try to set Ethan up with after Lance dies). So sure, he can be Gama!

Admittedly I haven’t thought about him much other than in relation to Ethan. Whereas Lance (and even Clair to a degree) does internalize a lot of the more conservative teachings of his clan, he’s still open to different viewpoints and ways of thinking. Helped by how his travels have broadened his horizons and introduced him to different ways of looking at things. He’s still stubborn deep down (I always think about how the guy resorts to violence when faced with people he deems as evil. That Hyperbeam at the Team Rocket Grunt left an impression), but I think he, when it comes down to it, is a reasonable person. It’s why despite the dodgey aspect of him and Ethan as a couple, I think they could make things work. Lance never wanted to control Ethan or even have them fall into that traditional alpha/omega couple dynamic. He valued how Ethan was capable of being strong and independent. Even if it does lead to some go between with Lance as the mediator between Ethan and the Clan Elders. Ultimately there was tension in the clan about how much free rein Lance gave Ethan.

(There’s tension with Clair/Lyra too but I tend to see it that Clair is viewed as a bit of a lost cause by the elders. She’s the stubborn hard to control one whereas Lance has always been more willing to go along with what they wanted. I don’t want to say he was groomed by them to lead the clan a certain way, but they def raised him with a certain vision in mind on the proper way he should act. And with both of his parents dead, they did have a hand in how he was raised. Clair is the spare heir so had more freedom between the two of them). But Mr. Gama Blackthorn? That guy has bought into a lot more of the clan teachings so while he’s probably a fine enough Gym Leader, would not have been a good husband for Ethan. Controlling type of guy. I do think Clair would have enough influence that she could have mediated things to an extent, had Ethan agreed to marry the guy. But ultimately wouldn’t have gone well. Even when I try to think about a route where Ethan stays with the clan, it seems like Clair and Lyra would eventually stage an intervention at some point and try to get him to take the kids and run. Or even just get him to move in with them? Those two would have to be completely out of the picture for a route where Ethan never leaves (cause he kinda would get trapped in this scenario). Or I guess a less rebellious Clair could tip things that way as well? But even then, if Lyra is around, Lyra won’t stand for it.

Let’s pretend Ethan does somehow stay though. In such a route, I think Hale still hates his stepdad, as that’s a running theme for him. Although it’s probably more justified in this route since his mom is visibly unhappy and even his stepdad is only really looking out for him out of obligation. Hale may be the heir, but Gama would have an obvious preference for any of his own biological children he would have with Ethan. Of which there would for sure be at least one. Alpha son cause I think it would further complicate things with the family and how Gama has a clear favorite.

Gama isn’t a direct cousin of Lance and Clair, but a 2nd/3rd cousin or something from a different family branch. Age wise, he’s right around Ethan’s age. This is purely speculation, but the only information that can maybe be assumed about prototype game Gama is they were possibly a young Gym Leader. Like child/early teens young. This comes from one of the earlier beta sprites for Clair looking like a child (or at least being quite a bit younger than final Clair). And if Gama went on to become Clair, it stands to reason the character might have been meant to be a child prodigy of sorts. So I like the idea of maintaining this which would mean Gama is right around the same age as Ethan. Plus or minus a year or two in either direction (I think it would be funnier if he were a bit younger, but I’m fairly sure that with my timeline being what it is, same age works better).

This probably is also why he’s a bit more stuck in his mindset. Young enough he hasn’t had the time to branch out and expand his world view. Which who knows, maybe Ethan would be able to work with the guy and get him to lighten up by traveling around with him. No reason I couldn’t spin things in a way where they work out for the better. But as they’re never meant to be, no reason to speculate on that. And when I speculate on “what ifs”, it tends to be “bad ends” not alternate “good ends.”

#Gama #Lance #Clair #Ethan #isn’t bad or anything just in a mood so under a cut #although do talk about Ethan and the Blackthorn clan drama some aka my fav gen 2 plotline #Lyra #Hale #this is yet another me talking to myself post so it’s kinda all over #JohtoChampionShipping #NemuShipping #I’m so bad about tagging ship posts #Hint never search by ship on this blog search by character you’ll get more info that way

[larcoindia]

WHAT IS THE USE OF ETP SLUDGE?

WHAT IS THE USE OF ETP SLUDGE?

Definition of ETP

The eco-warrior who transforms the water that exits our homes and businesses into something Mother Nature would be proud of is the effluent treatment plant. See, water that has been used for many purposes—be it for an industrial operation or your daily shower—isn’t quite pure.

Before being released into rivers or other bodies of water, industrial wastewater is treated by an ETP, which is essentially a sophisticated system, to remove pollutants and poisons. Businesses that produce wastewater with various chemicals, suspended particles, and occasionally hazardous elements should pay particular attention to this.

I. UNDERSTANDING ETP SLUDGE

Definition of ETP Sludge

Let’s start with the basics. ETP stands for Effluent Treatment Plant, and the sludge it produces is essentially the byproduct of treating industrial wastewater. In simpler terms, when factories and industries clean up their water before releasing it back into the environment, what’s left behind is what we call ETP sludge.

Understanding ETP sludge composition and characteristics is crucial to developing effective plans for its treatment, disposal, or even potential resource recovery. Because of this, firms hoping to integrate environmentally responsible and ethical waste management practices alongside environmental compliance must grasp the complexities of ETP sludge.”

Composition of ETP Sludge

Solid components: The solid components come first. Imagine that little bits are floating about in the gummy mixture; picture the sediment collecting at the bottom of your grandmother’s homemade soup. These solids are a mixture of debris from the wastewater treatment process, fragments of organic materials, and chemicals. In essence, it is the cleaning procedure’s leftover material.

Liquid components: It’s not all sticky and viscous, unlike what you may believe. ETP sludge contains a liquid component as well. Water that was not entirely separated from the solids during the treatment procedure is carried out in this part. You have a two-layered sludge with coexisting liquid and solid components.

Chemical elements: There is a chemical fingerprint to ETP sludge; it is not just a random mixture. Phosphorus, nitrogen, and heavy metals are among the elements we are discussing. Before being concentrated in the sludge, these components were present in the industrial wastewater. Although many substances may be advantageous when used in moderation, high concentrations may pose a threat to the ecosystem.

Characteristics of ETP Sludge

Physical properties: texture, colour, and More

First up, let’s talk about the physical aspects of ETP sludge. Imagine a gooey, thick substance with a texture that’s a mix between pancake batter and creamy peanut butter. The colour can vary; it might be anything from earthy browns to murky greens, depending on what it’s been soaking up. Picture a cross between melted chocolate and swamp water—charming, right?

Now, let’s talk smell. Brace yourself; it’s not exactly a field of flowers. ETP sludge can have a distinct odour, kind of like a blend of earthiness and industrial vibes. Not exactly a candle scent, but it’s a part of what makes ETP sludge, well, ETP sludge.

Chemical properties: The Elemental Dance

Moving on to the chemical side of things, it’s like the sludge’s own little periodic table party. We’ve got elements like nitrogen, phosphorus, and various heavy metals joining the mix. It’s like the sludge is holding onto these elements after its spa day with industrial wastewater. While a pinch of these elements is natural, too much can be a bit like spicing up your soup—moderation is the key!

Biological Properties: Microscopic Life in Action

Now, let’s zoom in on the microscopic universe within ETP sludge. Yes, it’s got a whole ecosystem going on! Microorganisms, bacteria, and other tiny life forms are doing their thing in there. It’s like a bustling city of tiny creatures, breaking down the organic matter and playing a crucial role in the sludge’s transformation. Think of it as a microscopic cleanup crew with a bustling community.

II. USE OF ETP SLUDGE

Agricultural Applications

Soil conditioning: One of the amazing benefits of ETP waste is its ability to regenerate our soil. Consider it a spa day for the planet. The organic content and nutrients in the sludge help to improve soil structure and texture. It improves water retention and aeration, giving the soil a comfortable home for plant roots. ETP sludge, in a nutshell, functions as a natural conditioner, transforming tired, depleted soil into a healthy paradise for plants.

Nutrient content: Let us now discuss the nutritional benefits that come with ETP sludge. This sludge is a treasure trove of critical nutrients for plants, not just a random combination. Nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, the plant’s holy trinity, are abundant. These nutrients become readily available to plants when we apply ETP sludge to the soil, acting as a green multivitamin for our crops. It’s similar to providing them with a nutritional boost for optimal growth and development.

Impact on crop yield: The big kicker is the effect on agricultural yield. According to research, adding ETP sludge waste to agricultural operations can dramatically increase crop output. Improved soil structure and nutrient availability result in healthier, more vigorous crops. Farmers and the environment benefit from increased yields while reducing the demand for synthetic fertilisers.

Environmental Benefits

Reduction of waste: Ever wondered what happens to all the icky stuff filtered out during industrial wastewater treatment? Well, that’s where ETP sludge steps in as a waste warrior. Instead of letting those residues become a burden on landfills, industries are repurposing them into a valuable resource. By converting waste into something useful like ETP sludge, we’re not only cutting down on the amount of waste piling up but also finding a clever way to give it a second life.

Sustainable resource utilization: plants that treat wastewater are leading the way in adopting the circular economy. Imagine a society in which water is recycled and used again rather than merely being used and thrown away. These plants turn sewage into a valuable resource, almost like magical alchemists. They guarantee our communities have access to clean water constantly by collecting and treating wastewater.

Using Bioenergy’s Potential: Have you ever considered the potential that lurks in your sewage? Undoubtedly, wastewater treatment plants have! Many people are now using anaerobic digestion to harness the potential of bioenergy. Sewage contains organic debris that is broken down by microorganisms, yielding biogas as a byproduct. The plants that produced the biogas are thereafter able to use it as a sustainable energy source.

Rich in Nutrient Byproducts: Wastewater treatment plants generate more than just energy. Known as biosolids, the nutrient-rich wastewater treatment wastes are a boon to agriculture. These nutrient-rich materials can be applied as a natural fertilizer to improve soil quality and encourage strong plant development. Sustainable agriculture and wastewater treatment both benefit from this!

III. Where Does Sludge Generate in ETP?

Let’s get down to the specifics of wastewater treatment, starting with the ETP (Effluent Treatment Plants), where that infamous sludge originated. Get ready for a new perspective on the origins of this sleazy company!

Imagine this: Your home is abandoned when your regular trash disappears. But have you ever wondered about its final destination? Now for the unsung hero of waste management: the effluent treatment plant.

Now here’s the twist: ETP sludge doesn’t just appear; it results from the ETP’s constant fight against contaminants. Contaminants and solids are trapped in the wastewater as it passes through the treatment process, creating the infamous sludge. The main and secondary therapy phases are where the major action happens.

Grit and big particles, which are heavy hitters in the first treatment, bow down and form the first layer of sludge. But there’s still more! The microbial workforce feasts on organic contaminants in the secondary treatment, creating a second act of sludge in the process.

That’s right, sludge isn’t a cunning visitor; rather, it’s a consequence of ETP sludge’s enormous efforts to clean our wastewater.

Primary Treatment

We’re putting on our virtual diving gear today to examine the primary treatment and the initial stages of the cleansing procedure. Consider it the first part of the wastewater’s superhero transformation, leading up to more sophisticated treatments. So grab a seat, and let’s dive into the world of sedimentation and big solids removal!

1. Removal of large solids

The sewerage system of a major city is similar to a busy highway in that it carries a variety of undesirable passengers, such as plastic, leaves, and other heavy trash. Eliminating these unattractive passengers is the primary priority in the field of wastewater treatment.

Imagine an enormous screen positioned to capture the major participants. This is exactly what occurs in primary therapy when large solids are removed. As bouncers, screens, or barracks, make sure only the liquid passes through the entrance gate. It is comparable to a club bouncer, but for wastewater!

Why is this a critical step? In other words, clearing out these big solids not only keeps downstream machinery from becoming damaged but also makes the treatment process run more smoothly and effectively. It’s similar to organising your space before beginning a thorough cleaning; both are necessary for a flawless outcome.

2. Sedimentation

With the heavyweights now out of the way, let the minute details of sedimentation take centre stage. Imagine a peaceful pond; the still surface conceals the commotion below. Sedimentation functions similarly.

The water in the sedimentation tank slows down, allowing suspended particles—both inorganic and organic—to sink to the bottom. For wastewater, it’s similar to having a tranquil meditation session when it can release the contaminants it has been holding onto.

As gravity takes over and pulls these particles downward, magic happens. After that, the purified water gracefully rises to the top, prepared for the subsequent stage of treatment. This procedure not only gets rid of undesirable particles but also sets up the secondary treatment stage, which is where the real superheroes of microbiology come into play.

Secondary Treatment

1. Biological processes

A hive of microbes that never stop striving to decompose the organic materials in wastewater. The biological processes involved in secondary treatment are mostly driven by these microscopic heroes, who serve as nature’s cleanup team.

Wastewater carries a mixture of contaminants, including organic materials, into the secondary treatment stage. In this stage, we use the ability of bacteria and other microbes to eat these contaminants and change them into less dangerous materials. It resembles a fine dining experience for tiny organisms!

This organic process—often called “activated sludge”—creates a microbial dance in which the bacteria decompose the contaminants and generate more sludge as a result. Our wastewater choreographers maintain a careful balance by ensuring that everyone is moving in unison.

2. Aeration tanks

Let us now highlight the aeration tanks, which are the actual venue where the microbial dance takes place. These tanks resemble the wastewater treatment plant’s opulent ballrooms.

We add oxygen to the mixture in these tanks to provide an aerobic environment that promotes the growth of our microbial performers. Visualize the aeration tanks as active dance floors filled with swirling oxygen bubbles that invigorate our microbial dancers.

The microorganisms can break down contaminants more effectively because of the aerobic conditions in the tanks. It’s a rhythmic, dynamic process that guarantees our wastewater is thoroughly cleaned before it travels further.

The microbes grow as they break down organic waste, creating what is known as “activated sludge.” This sludge is a mixture of superhero microbes and the leftovers of the contaminants they have eaten. But don’t worry—our treatment plant gurus have a strategy for handling this waste.

Tertiary Treatment

1. Filtration

Consider your water flowing through a high-tech sieve, where every contaminant is collected and retained before reaching your glass. That is the filtration magic, the hidden hero of pure water. This procedure brings water purification to the next level during tertiary treatment.

Filtration is the process of removing residual particles, microorganisms, and toxins using various materials, such as sand, gravel, and activated carbon. It’s as if we’re giving our water a final spa treatment before it gets to our homes, to ensure it’s as pure as possible.

What’s the best part? Filtration is a natural procedure that closely resembles Mother Nature’s own washing methods. It is both environmentally friendly and extremely effective, providing us with water that not only quenches our thirst but also respects the environment.

2. Disinfection

Now that our water has been thoroughly cleaned by the filtration spa, it’s time for the second act: disinfection. This is when we say our final goodbyes to any leftover bacteria that may have survived earlier stages of treatment. We want our water to be as safe as it is refreshing, after all. Disinfection is often accomplished by the use of chlorine, ozone, or ultraviolet (UV) radiation—potent agents that eliminate any leftover nasties. Consider it the superhero phase of water treatment, in which invisible hazards are vanquished to ensure that the water is superhero-clean.

Sludge Dewatering

1. Centrifugation

Have you ever wondered how to transform wastewater sludge? Enter centrifugation or Sludge dewatering. Imagine a high-speed spin that separates water from sludge, with the dexterity of a superhero saving the day.

A centrifuge, in simple words, functions like a cosmic force field, employing centrifugal force to drive water out of the sludge. The result? Drier sludge is ready to say goodbye to surplus water. It’s like your sludge never knew it needed a spa day!

But why is centrifugation getting all the attention? It is, after all, lightning-fast, energy-efficient, and space-conscious. This strategy works brilliantly for industries looking to lower their water usage and carbon footprint. Say welcome to more environmentally friendly wastewater treatment!

2. Belt press

Let us now discuss the Belt Press, the unsung hero of sludge dewatering. Consider your sludge strolling along a conveyor belt, gently squeezed to yield its liquid treasure. This procedure is as lovely as it sounds!

Belt Press is like a sludge yoga class: slow, steady, and highly powerful. The sludge flows between two belts, becoming wedged and encouraging water to depart quickly. The result? Mother Nature gives you a standing ovation for reduced volume and improved solid content!

What distinguishes the belt press as a noteworthy option? It’s simple to use, low-maintenance, and ideal for managing large amounts of sludge. Belt Press has made a name for itself in the realm of sustainable wastewater treatment due to its effectiveness and simplicity.

IV. Challenges and Risks Associated with ETP Sludge

Volume Overload: ETPs treat thousands of gallons of water every day. The huge volume of sludge produced has the potential to overwhelm existing disposal facilities. Managing such a massive volume necessitates creative solutions and a solid infrastructure.

Chemical Conundrum: ETP sludge frequently contains a combination of chemicals employed in the treatment process. It is difficult to dispose of this chemically laden sludge without damaging the environment. It’s a conundrum that necessitates a delicate balance of effective treatment and environmental safety.

Regulatory Rigma: It is not easy to navigate the intricate web of environmental regulations. ETP sludge management must adhere to strict criteria, and any deviation can result in legal ramifications. Keeping up with ever-changing rules is critical for firms involved in this process.

Heavy Metal Contamination

To start with, let’s make some things plain. Not the newest Grammy-winning band—we’re talking about elements like lead, mercury, cadmium, and arsenic when we say heavy metals. Even if these metals lack the glitz of a rock star, they nevertheless know how to enter our ecosystems.

The Stealthy Intruders: Metals are quietly contaminating our land, water, and air—like a cunning ninja moving through the dark. Since heavy metal pollution lacks a loud sound system and flashy lights, it can easily go unnoticed, much like a rock performance.

The Sources: Let’s expose the guilty now. Agricultural runoff, poor waste disposal, industrial discharges, and even air deposition are some of the ways that heavy metals can find their way into our ecosystem. It’s as if these pollutants have a backstage pass that allows them to infiltrate our environment without our knowledge.

The Consequences:

What, then, is the major issue? Indeed, heavy metal pollution can have a disastrous effect on animals, ecosystems, and yes—you got it—humans. These quiet invaders can do more than just cause problems; they can cause havoc. They can hinder the growth of plants and cause serious health problems for both humans and animals.

Human Health Concerns: The effects of heavy metals are universal, affecting all people. Extended exposure to low concentrations of these pollutants can result in a variety of health complications, including reproductive difficulties and neurological impairments. It seems like a diabolical scheme taking place in our backyard.

The Battle Against Heavy Metal Pollution: Do not be alarmed, fellow Earth lovers! We are not without hope in this fight. Governments, businesses, and people are collaborating to address the issue of heavy metal pollution. An increasing number of measures are being taken to eject these undesirable guests from our ecosystem, ranging from strict environmental rules to cutting-edge clean-up technologies.

Pathogen Presence:

an invisible metropolis, yet one that is brimming with life. That is the microbial world found in ETP waste! Numerous microorganisms cohabit in this dense, nutrient-rich habitat, adding to the intricate dance of biological treatment.

Meet the Pathogens: Although the majority of the microorganisms living in the ETP sludge are helpful, there is a negative aspect to this tiny community: the existence of pathogens. These microscopic troublemakers include viruses, bacteria, and other microbes that can endanger the environment and human health.

Understanding the Risks: It’s important to remember that wastewater treatment facilities are built to reduce the hazards brought on by the presence of pathogens, so don’t freak out just yet. To protect our communities, we must nevertheless be aware of these possible risks and comprehend how they are controlled.

Managing Pathogens in ETP Sludge: To control pathogenic populations, wastewater treatment experts use a variety of techniques. Together, anaerobic digestion and thermal treatment lower the pathogen burden and increase the safety of the sludge for disposal or reuse in the future.

Impact on the Environment: Why is this important? Indeed, the environment and human health may be impacted by the microorganisms found in ETP waste. To maintain the general health of our ecosystems, it is imperative that hazardous bacteria not be allowed to escape into water bodies through improper treatment and management.

Gazing Forward: With the development of technology and our growing knowledge of microbial ecosystems, intriguing new opportunities for wastewater treatment lie ahead. The prevalence of pathogens in ETP sludge is continuously being reduced by experts and researchers to make the environment cleaner and healthier for everyone.

Conclusion: 

Sludge from Effluent Treatment Plants (ETPs), which is the result of their hard work, is not merely the byproduct of cleaning. It’s an application-rich resource that supports sustainable environmental practices and ethical trash disposal. We looked at the uses of ETP sludge in agriculture, where it feeds crops with rich nutrients and conditions the soil. Unquestionably, the effect on crop yield demonstrates how important it is for ETP waste to reduce the need for synthetic fertilizers and increase agricultural productivity.

Another intriguing aspect was energy generation since biogas is produced using ETP sludge sewage as a raw material. Organic waste is converted into a useful source of energy through the microbial magic of anaerobic digestion, which is consistent with the concepts of sustainability and resource efficiency.

Environmental advantages like waste minimization and sustainable resource use highlight how crucial it is to see ETP sludge as a valuable resource rather than a burden in the fight for a cleaner Earth.

We also investigated the beginnings of sludge in the ETPs’ basic and secondary treatment phases. Sludge is not an enigmatic stranger; rather, it is a byproduct of the ETP sludge’s ceaseless attempts to clean wastewater, underscoring the interdependence of various treatment procedures.

On the other hand, some risks and difficulties are hidden, such as volume overload, complicated chemicals, and intricate regulations. Vigilant management measures are necessary to protect human health and the environment from heavy metal contamination and infections, If you want an ETP plant Quotation then contact us, and we will get in touch soon.

It’s evident, as we come to the end of our exploration of the world of ETP sludge, that comprehending and controlling this intricate byproduct are crucial first steps toward a sustainable and environmentally friendly future. A world free of pollution and disease is made possible by continuous research, technological breakthroughs, and a common commitment to environmental responsibility. To build a better, more sustainable tomorrow, let’s keep delving into the mysteries of wastewater treatment and ETP sludge.

#water treatment #water filter #water purification #Effluent treatment plant #etp plant manufacturers

[priveetru]

do you not think that defining "being a woman" as having anything to do with "being feminine" is itself misogynistic? femininity is how women are oppressed; sex is why women are oppressed. so you are defining women by their oppression, therefore rationalizing that oppression as natural to womanhood rather than recognizing it as the travesty it is.

femininity is foot binding, breast ironing, fgm, painting your face with carcinogens, wearing high heels when they're proven to permanently damage your legs, wearing restricting clothing so you can't run even if you need to, corsets, eating disorders, plucking hairs out, skin cancer from sunbed use. there is huge variety in what is considered "feminine" in different places & times – the commonality between how different cultures define "feminine behaviors" is that they're always behaviors that waste our time, our money, our energy, or physically hurt us. because that's the point of femininity. it's a patriarchal invention, its purpose is to injure us.

thus, defining "femininity" as an inherent part of womanhood is itself woman-hating rhetoric. you are defining us by our oppression, which is a belief that only serves to perpetuate that oppression. femininity has nothing to do with womanhood inherently.

This answer ended up longer than I expected - good luck.

I understand and in many ways agree with this. On the masculinity side, you can also see men so dedicated to their masculinity and being perceived correctly that they will go on drugs, commit crimes, or destroy their relationships with people who care for them over it.

At this point though, we've essentially conceded that the perceptions of others are important to us, and that the concepts of femininity and masculinity have and continue to have huge influence on people.

These influences set in at a young age, and are very difficult to impossible to change later in life - depending on how profound you want the change to be.

But we should be clear, through feminist analysis we have disassembled many of the concepts surrounding femininity/masculinity and over time we have removed many of the expectations around the more harmful behaviors you laid out. I don't think we should stop analyzing or disassembling these concepts.

There are aspects of the femininity/masculinity dichotomy that aren't oppression, and there is a large difference between social expectation or social enforcement of a norm and a personal identification with some aspect of femininity/masculinity.

There's also some nuance when it comes to the individuals perception of femininity being what they identify with not necessarily the socially defined category. For instance, my mother was the main earner and so I may perceive various things as feminine that society would not simply due to my associating them with my mom.

Someone could have a toxic identification with femininity or masculinity. This is the origin of toxic masculinity where men see bad behavior such as violence or being controlling as inextricably linked to their gender. This is worth analysis, but asserting all masculinity or femininity is toxic and should be removed is at the very least not a reasonable goal at the moment.

TL;DR - We may be better off if gender slowly stops existing and it's even healthy to work towards that for the clearly toxic elements of the genders, but as it stands - it exists, has influence over people, and must be contended with.

Personally, I think grappling with femininity's relationship to womanhood is an important part of improving and relieving unjust pressures on women, biological or otherwise.

#gender #femininity #discourse #answers

[warningsine]

or some time now, David Grossman has been describing his writing as a means of survival, as a way of no longer feeling a victim in the "disaster zone" of the seemingly eternal conflict that is Israel-Palestine. At moments he has talked of the risk of dispassion, of being paralysed with fear and despair. With the publication of this extraordinary, impassioned novel, such purpose or hope acquires a new meaning and intensity. It now seems that the life to be saved by writing, even though the struggle may be doomed, could only be – perhaps always has been – the life of a child.

To the End of the Land tells the story of Ora, who leaves her home in Jerusalem to walk across Israel to Galilee, in order to avoid the "notifiers" who might arrive at any moment to inform her of the death of her son. It is the trip they had planned together to celebrate his discharge from military service. Instead, he volunteers to rejoin the army in a high-intensity offensive – "a kick-ass operation" – against the Palestinians at the start of the second intifada. Ofer has been lost to his mother "forever from the moment he was nationalised". Her husband, Ilan, has left her, taking her other son, Adam, with him to South America, after she failed to support Ofer when he was investigated over an incident in Hebron which left a Palestinian trapped in a meat-locker for two days. Ora is, among many other things, her son's failed conscience, a voice of caution for him and for her country which neither wishes to hear. Her love for him is limitless, but when he justifies the recourse to violence against the Palestinians, her sole focus is on saving "her child from the barbarian standing opposite her".

Grossman has not ventured into this territory in his fiction for a long time – not since his earliest novel, The Smile of the Lamb, which was the first Israeli novel to be written about the occupation. To the End of the Land is a chronicle that loops back through Ora's memory and history to cover every war since the founding of Israel in 1948. Ora believes that Israel has no future: "It doesn't really have a chance, this country. It just doesn't." Although Ora will never leave Israel, she is running away (the Hebrew title is A Woman Escaping News). All the characters in this story are in some sense escapees. The novel is a tribute to their resilience as well as to the precarious vitality of family life, memories of which form the densest fabric of the book. Nonetheless, To the End of the Land offers its own bleak reply to the prayer that ends See Under: Love, the most famous of Grossman's novels: that a man might "live in this world from birth to death and know nothing of war".

Ora takes off on her journey in the company of Avram, the man who is in fact Ofer's biological father, narrating her son's life, from birth to what may or may not be death, as they travel across the land. The complex erotics of their story, and of the love-triangle between Ora, Avram and Ilan, is one of the strongest aspects of the book; as is the deft precision of Grossman's depiction of the land – beautifully rendered in Jessica Cohen's translation – that veers, along with the rise and fall of Ora's moods, from lush to desolate. Ora is, as she puts it, the first "notification-refusenik". Ofer will not die as long as she keeps talking and writing about his life (she keeps notebooks as she goes). "Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death," Avram whispers to her near the end of the novel, "I will fear no evil, for my story is with me." She also believes, in what she herself recognises as "flipped-out" magical thinking, that if she is not there to receive the notification, then it will be impossible for her son to have died. Although he has often and brilliantly performed such feats of ventriloquism before, it is of special significance that Grossman has taken the risk of telling this tale through the eyes of a woman. Before anything else, To the End of the Land is a novel that recounts like no other I have read the lengths to which a mother will go to preserve the life of her child.

In his literary essays, Grossman has described how dispersing himself through his fictional characters allows him to hold on – just – to the fragments of being that would otherwise cause him to fall apart (characters like Ora, at once steely and endlessly changeable, become then a microcosm of his art). It is for Grossman the ethical gift of fiction, working against our natural impulse to protect ourselves "from any Other", to force writer and reader into another person's skin. This has political consequences: "I write and I try not to shield myself from the legitimacy and suffering of my enemy," he states in his 2007 Arthur Miller Freedom to Write lecture, "or from the tragedy and complexity of his life, or from his mistakes and crimes, or from knowing what I myself am doing to him." Grossman has been one of the most outspoken Jewish Israeli voices against the occupation. He demonstrates weekly against the house demolitions in the East Jerusalem neighbourhood of Sheikh Jarrah (and was beaten by the police a matter of weeks ago). He has always been scrupulous in avoiding what he calls in the same 2007 essay the "public, general, nationalised idiom". It is because Anshel Wasserman, the writer who miraculously returns from the concentration camps in See Under: Love, had no "Jewish nationalism" in his stories that – like Grossman, one could say – he found "favour with the children of the world".

And yet, this is a novel that forces us to ask more than ever: who are the Arabs for Israel's Jews? When Ora gets the Palestinian-Israeli Sami to drive her and Ofer to his military registration point, it is the son who points out the crass insensitivity of what she has done. Later, in one of the most powerful scenes in the novel, Sami allows her partially to redeem herself by driving her through a checkpoint with a sick Palestinian child in her lap to a makeshift hospital where she, and we as readers, are witness to the precariousness of life under occupation (a child on the other side against whom all the odds are stacked but who deserves no less to survive). Sickness is the great equaliser, and it is everywhere – Ora, Avram and Ilan first meet as hospital patients in the midst of the 1967 war. However, the most brutal scene is Avram's memory of being tortured by the Egyptians in the 1973 war. It is the core trauma of the novel and Ofer is its child – he is conceived when Ora determines to prove to Avram that his experience has not unmanned him. As Avram digs his own grave and is buried alive, mocking Egyptian soldiers take photographs. Reading this moment, it felt as if Abu Ghraib – the signature atrocity of the west – had been handed over to the Arabs. In this novel, anyone is capable of being a monster, but it is the Israelis who suffer most.

To the End of the Land emerges at a time when, by Grossman's own account, it has become harder and harder to resist the dominant narrative of his country, a narrative he has done more than most Israeli writers to expose. Ora is by no means immune from it. When Ofer is frightened as a child by what he sees as too few Jews in a country fenced in by enemies, she takes him to the Armoured Corps site at Latrun and shows him the tanks and guns: "What was good enough for a whole country was good enough for my child." The "public, nationalised" narrative which Grossman has so scrupulously avoided till now makes its appearance like the return of the repressed.

It has become part of the legend of this novel that, while he was writing it, Grossman's son Uri was killed on the last day of the 2006 Israeli offensive in Lebanon. It will never be read now without that knowledge, without that unspeakable pain, which is in danger of conferring on the book a mythical status. To the End of the Land is without question one of the most powerful and moving novels I have read. But we do the novel, and Grossman, no favours if we turn it into a sacred object, beyond critical scrutiny and outside the reach of the history to which it so complexly and sometimes disturbingly relates.

#to the end of the land #david grossman #books #reviews

[zodiacrant]

💘Astro Notes💘

(All about Partners, Love, Marriage and Children, plus some Sex)

(These may or may not apply to you, please keep an open mind and take it as entertainment rather than life changing facts)

(This was highly requested so I took my time with it to gather as much information on romantic partners, children and possibly marriage)

A post by @4thouse to check the signs of your degrees

💘The degrees of Venus, the house our Venus resides in and the 7th house tells us alot about our perfect match or the “love of our life” if you will. (Ex. I have Gemini Venus in 25 degrees, so I am very attracted to Aries like people. My Venus is in the 5th house at 13 degrees, another Aries degree, which means I’ll meet this person in a social setting like a party, a club, a hangout, a show, a bar or a gathering. Finally, my 7th house at 3 degrees means I am very likely to be with another Gemini Venus.)

💘Moon Square Venus leaves a strain or a distance between the parent and their children.

💘Uranus in the 8th is very likely to be super chill about sex and might have no standards at all. They’re attracted to non conforming people.

💘The 4th and 10th house can give us an insight into how we act differently in a relationship. The 4th house is us in private, while the 10th in public. (Ex. Virgo 4th and Pisces 10th is like an “angel in streets and a devil in the sheets”.)

💘When it comes to sex, our 9th house tells us about our hookups and our stance on them. Having a Water or a Fire sign, Sun, Mars or Jupiter makes it easier for the person to “hit it and quit it”. While on the other hand, having an Earth or Air sign, Moon, Venus, or Saturn in the 9th makes it harder for the person to be fully open about one night stands. However, they’re very likely to have friends with benefits or a regular hookup buddy.

💘Although the 1st, 2nd, 7th and 8th have to do with the physical aspects of attraction and relationships but the 3rd and 6th is what people ultimately love us for. Our way of talking, interests, topics of discussion, humor, odd behaviors, and imperfections. They’re the things we try to hide or monitor to appear more appealing to people.

💘Chiron and the house it resides in is our baggage. The emotional landfill that comes with being in a relationship with you. The sign of the Chiron is what are we harboring and the house it resides in is about what. (Ex. I have Sagittarius Chiron in 10th house Scorpio. So my baggage is all about freedom, attachment, trust, communication and, thanks to the 10th, daddy issues. Yay!!)

💘Don’t hold too hard onto someone that has your Sun in their 12th. Their purpose is to teach you a karmic lesson.

💘Our Water houses tell us what will our kids inherit from us. 4th house is how we raise them, 8th our mental issues, habits and problems, 12th is what they will ultimately make out of it themselves and how will they end growing up to be.

💘Our first crushes and instant attractions have the sign of our Venus in their 1st, 2nd or 7th

💘People with Water in the 2nd would love a big wedding.

💘The degree of the Moon and Saturn, along with the houses they reside in give us insight to us as parents. (Ex. I have Moon in 0 degrees so I may never physically have a child of my own or if I do have a biological child, then I won’t have an emotional connection with them. It’s in 11th house at 13th degrees, which means being a parental figure or an inspiration rather than a conventional parent. Saturn in 7 degrees makes me diplomatic, fair and understanding when disciplining. I have Saturn in 3rd house at 18 degrees, making me either too tough or too easy on them.)

💘Aries in 7th house might be over it before it even starts.

💘Houses with Mutable signs tells you about your fetish and/or odd turn on’s. (Ex. Having a Mutable AS, 4th, 7th, 10th is very into daddy/mommy and boy/girl fantasy, Power dynamics, role play, rags to riches stories, boss and employee etc)

💘Adding on the previous point. That’s why people with reoccurring Mutable signs over the houses, having 6 at most, can be perceived as sexually adventurous and comfortable with their sexuality.

💘The degree of the 5th house can tell you about the sign of the person you’ll have your first child with.

💘Moon Trine MC is very likely to have children early on or yern for kids from a young age. (I am talking 18+ people, not kids)

💘Pluto and/or Uranus in 4th/5th/7th will despise the idea of marriage and having children. Uranus might look at it as a trap that will take away their freedom. They will likely agree to do it organically and naturally as they find someone they love and feel ready to settle. Pluto, however, that’ll be like turning the Earth upside down. Even when they get married and have children, they will always be their own priority. Pluto in this house requires them to transform and become content with themselves on the inside to be happy with the outside.

💘Venus conjunct Uranus and/or Neptune, as well as those who have it in th 9th, 11th or 12th are good with long distance relationships.

💘Venus Trine/Conjunct Jupiter are attractive to people. No matter how they look, act, talk, they could shit on your bed and people would still worship them.

💘Having your Sun in someone’s Moon and the other way around is complementary but not strong enough to form a true bond.

💘The degree of your 1st house will let you know how you should act to attract desired partners.

💘The degree of a Mother’s Saturn and Moon predicts their children’s Sun sign or dominant sign.

💘Lilith in the 5th may dreaded having kids or is not going to be happy with how they turned out.

💘Mutable Lilith in the 4th indicates losing family or leaving them behind. I find this to be also relevant to Mutable sign in the 4th but the presence of Lilith suggests it will happen negatively or out of need not want.

💘Gemini in the 7th is actually very picky about their partners.

💘Having an Earth sign over the 8th or the 8th in an Earth degree indicates marrying a rich person, because of the 8th house association with inheritance. (Or you could be the rich person in question.)

💘Because the 2nd house is the family life and home we were brought into, the 10th is the one we ultimately ended up creating. The sign over the 10th along with planets residing there (if there were) give us an insight of our future home life.

💘People with planets residing in the same houses have a longstanding relationship.

💘You’re very likely to date people with your Mars being their Sun and vice versa.

💘North Node in the 2nd, 5th, 7th or/and in Taurus, Leo or Libra will have a successful long lasting relationship. This will only come true if they work on turning from their South Node (past self) to the North Node (present self)

💘Libra and Cancer MC idea of success involves a romantic love story

💘Saturn and/or Neptune in 7th might stay in a relationship regardless of how horrible it gets. With Saturn, these relationships have a sense of familiarity and predictability, which gives them comfort. For Neptune, it’s the fear of never finding love, so they decide to stay with a bad certainty than a good maybe.

💘Pisces and Taurus Moons are prone to stick out a bad relationship. They will do everything until there’s nothing more to do.

💘Having opposing North Nodes could mean this person is your soulmate. (This doesn’t have to necessarily be romantic though)

💘It is stated that people with Uranus in 5th or the 7th will never truly settle.

(I hope enjoyed the post. I wanted to add what the 4th and 5th can tell us about marriage, kids and us as parents but because they’re 24 individual points then I’ll post them separately. Love you 💕)

#zodiacrant #zodiac #taurus #pisces #aries #libra #virgo #aquarius #sagittarius #cancer #leo #capricorn #gemini #scorpio #astrology #zodiac signs #signs #astro #astro notes #astrology notes #astro observations #astrology observations #love #zodiac and love

[likealittleheartbeat]

Today’s lecture: Aang’s not the fictional orphan we’re used to. Fiction is filled with orphans. From HP to Anne of Green Gables to Oliver Twist, parents be dead af. The story of the orphan made a pretty perfect analogy in Western fiction: the loneliness and vulnerability we face as we strive to chart our path forward. And this became especially pronounced with the influx of the ideas of individualism in Europe (diagnose its cause as you like: industrialism, enclosure, capitalism, the reformation, humanism, etc). All anyone knew for sure is that you came from a void and you were here and then *poof* ‘You’ are gone. In between, you had to figure this shit out alone. The orphan worked perfectly for this sense of existential alienation and the creation of one’s character from nothing—pretty relevant to the work of an author. They didn’t have any formal past to hold onto. All they had from the past was the possibility of imagination: that before they can remember they were at one time loved (which is nice, but hella vague). Little Orphan Annie, for example, had a whole gaggle of orphans singing made-up stories about how caring their birth parents might’ve been. Outside of this imagined past, the world was new to an orphan and they were encountering everything for the first time as they went along. They could run into various personalities, cultures, and classes, etc., and then they had to determine what to add to themselves and what to guard themselves against, often making plenty of entertaining mistakes along the way. They were individuals in an individualist world—meaning, they had no one else they could truly depend on, except maybe that little bit of faith-based love.

The character of Aang easily points to this tradition. Is he an orphan? Check! Is he trying to find his way in this world? Check! Does he have that former love to keep him warm? Check! But there’s something different about this character. It’s especially evident when we compare him to his closest orphan parallel in fiction, that other flying boy, Peter Pan. Peter, even compared to most orphans in fiction, is beyond forgetful. He can hardly remember a few minutes ago, let alone whatever family he once had. It’s not that Aang’s ability to remember things from his past stands out in the crowded field of orphans (Harry Potter has quite a vivid memory of his parents for being only an infant, and a traumatized one at that). But Aang, unlike the rest of his fellow orphans, has a form and practice to his memory. He has a specific culture, with dietary laws, physical arts, customary dress and tattooing, and religious as well as contemplative practices, that recall his past and the people in it. His claim to a love from the past also has a claim on him that requires him to face it and physically maintain it, rather than simply trust in its existence.

There’s also the matter of non-human continuity. Though the people are gone, the air nomad temples remain and the air, too. The land and environment itself are sites of memory for Aang, and pilgrimage to these sites (not to be confused with colonizing or settling) plays a role in reconnecting him to his people. He also deeply values two animals that are associated with his people and their practices (one of which is explicitly recognized as an airbending teacher). All these aspects allow him to remain connected to his culture across time and space, which would be important for a nomadic people. In fact, Aang’s culture among the air nomads was a culture of parentlessness—one was not raised with any distinct connection to biological parents—so it makes sense that it focused on other methods to instill belonging and lineage. It follows then, despite his isolation of some 100 years from his people, he can remember and embody them in distinct ways everyday.

It’s exactly this feature, his embodiment of an unconditional love, that makes him vulnerable to harm from others, though. Unlike the internal sense of love which other orphan characters can reshape so that it fits ‘just so’ in their new worlds (without interrupting anyone else’s lifestyles), Aang’s distinct and outward manifestation of his loving past makes it impossible for him to assimilate. Meals, hair, and dance all become points of contention when he’s asked to conform. Maintaining his connection to his own traditions is his utmost priority. And that makes him all the more bold and appealing as a target for aggressors. In their pursuit to annihilate his culture once and for all, whole empires are given much easier means to identify and locate Aang. He’s a brightly tattooed and uniquely clothed bald monk flying on a sometimes shedding giant one-of-a-kind bison between noted holy sites, in which he will then sit as still and vulnerable as a sitting turtleduck—because he will not hide, lapse, or compromise his faith if he can help it. His beliefs even play into the reason for an episodic structure for the show! Think of Zuko staring confusedly at amap in the first season trying to understand the Avatar’s directive. His focus on bliss means that his urgent travels are less efficient and directly focused on the necessary goals of escape and mastery that the tactical thinkers, like Zuko, Zhao, or even Sokka, would expect. And it’s not without reason to aim for a more strategic mindset. Meditating, seeking joy, and the like provide more chances for his adversaries to fortify their empire against him and others who fail to conform.

Even more inconceivable to his peers and enemies alike, Aang’s pacifism grants his pursuers life and grace where others would mame and kill to protect themselves. Holding onto the methods of his lost guardians means putting himself at more risk and lessening others’ ability to empathize with his decisions as they demand urgency. Look at the way even the gaang members chastise Aang for his insistence on a nonlethal approach to the Firelord.

Maintaining a connection to the past also means holding onto its darkness, too. Unlike all the fictional orphans who imagine or remember perfect parents—people who they’re sure would never have abandoned them, Aang faces his past with more realism. Without dismissing the role of outside forces, he recognizes that he and his paternal figures had agency in separating from one another, as harsh as that is to acknowledge. “How could they do that to me? They wanted to take away everything I knew and everyone I loved.” There’s an actual painful rejection that marks their relationship and will always mark it, but it does not occlude love or belonging. Even without them, he still keeps up their customs and still finds sanctuary in their ruined temples. Aang’s relentless in maintaining his reverence for his family. And it shapes the honest approaches Katara, Toph, and Zuko take in addressing their parents and moving toward loving relationships.

It is easy to be loved without a past. Aang’s portrayal demonstrates that it’s much more complicated to be a real (boy lol) human and to actively maintain your connection to your distinct customs (whether those be familial, religious, or cultural) in a new environment where care might depend on one’s readiness to assimilate. But Aang’s body and daily life are a testament to his history, so he’s forced to instead pursue the question: Can you build loving relationships with others when your adherence to your history demonstrates daily and publicly that you are dedicated to something or someone else?

The show does not simply answer this question with an affirmative; it suggests you cannot build truly loving relationships without maintaining a compassionate relationship to your past. Aang’s dedication to the air nomads sets a precedent. He encourages others’ interests in themselves and their own traditions, both through explicit encouragement and in his own model of practice and reverence. And, interestingly, in seeking broader and deeper historical sources, instead of becoming more conservative, all three of Aang’s teachers actually innovate their hidebound traditions. They all discover that their people’s histories are not as rigid as they originally assumed. When they open themselves up to links they’ve previously ignored within their cultures—diverse peoples, animal icons, abandoned sites, secreted texts, even parts of themselves—it has massive ramifications. Look at Katara’s complicated insistence on female waterbending in the Northern Water Tribe or her revelation in bending sweat, or Toph’s tutelage under the badgermoles, and especially Zuko and Iroh’s sharing of the secret histories of Sozin and Roku and the Sun Warriors. The past, though smudged, isn’t ever quite gone. Each character, like anyone, is bound to a cultural past containing as much kindness as harm. No one comes from a genealogy or tradition free of broken bones or bone breakers. And no one will get through life without their own shames and sufferings, some of which you’ll pass down to your own cultural descendants (which is the way of life rather than some ultimate failure.)

We’re getting some other coming-of-age orphan-ish characters these days who learn to remember their past—think Adventure Time, Steven Universe, and She-ra whose intergenerational narratives clearly take some inspiration from ATLA. (We enter into all those stories similar to Avatar—on the other side of decimating and memory-erasing global wars). But specific memories for Adora or Steven or Finn are important only in the context of recognizing trauma. Our protagonists in these series apparently need to witness the horror and failures of the cultures that preceded them so they can do things differently—the classic abuse rhetoric, “end the cycle.”

Avatar, showing its Eastern and indigenous foundations, remains unique in arguing instead to continue cycles, acknowledging the harm and failures alongside the virtues (and one can trace these values in all three of the major Abrahamic traditions and plenty of secular practices, too, though they often go unacknowledged). Avatar honors the deep past. Isn’t this what the very basic idea of the Avatar rebirth cycle demonstrates? (The Fire Nation’s goal, the reason they commit multiple genocides, is to end the cycle of the Avatar.) Avatar Aang and the show itself look to tradition, elders, and environment for the wisdom they sustain across miles and years. As the last airbender, the true orphan of the series, Aang can tend to his memories of these customs. And, despite the estrangement the daily customs recall and even incite, they travel with him as precious ancestors across borders of conflict, geography, and time to ultimately feel and be less alone.

#aanglove #aang #meta #atla meta #buddhism #religion #literature #atla

[kimbureh]

Fascism and the absence of self-reflection in Disco Elysium

Let’s talk about the true Problematic Fave(TM): Noid internalizing right-wing ideology without himself noticing. Which is so brilliantly depicted, I will try my best to do the game’s writing justice.

If you talk to Noid once you have moved him and his posse inside the church, he will continue to talk about “unity” and explain he is very suspicious of all kinds of authorities. On the surface, this might not sound very right-wing, “Unity” is just a thing he likes to yell to the beats along with his anodic dance music friends. The screenshot above continues:

This is such a simple reaction, or rather, a non-reaction. Fascism clearly doesn’t spark any strong emotions inside of Noid. Which is very telling, and a core detail Noid’s character is based on. To explain that, we’ll have to dive into real world politics for a second.

idk if you ever encountered the stereotype of a self-proclaimed leftist who turned out to be *actually* right-wing. and even if you have, your experience would merely be anecdotal. People use ill-fitting words to describe their political ideas all the time. But there is a vocal group of people online who turned this mental dissonance into a source of their identity: TERFs.

TERFs largely think they are progressive, feminist, leftist. They treat distancing themselves from right-wing ideology as a linguistic detail at best. They are not bothered by publicly putting themselves in the vicinity of fascist ideology, as long as it serves their purpose (more on that in a bit), they remain “unaroused by the accusation of fascism”, so to speak.

Whenever a woman* speaks out against their endorsement of fascism, TERFs berate her for undermining the *Unity* of women. They say, women should stand together in their fight against men/trans-people/the boogieman. They call dissenting women “traitors” and use the idea of unity as a means of exerting control over deviating perspectives. Why?

Noid gives several reasons. Unity leads to greatness, unity is trueness. But, most importantly, Noid wants to escape his fears. The idea goes like this: “If everyone thinks like I do, and acts like I do, there is nothing to fear”. Never underestimate how deeply afraid TERFs are; of men in general, of gender diversity, of sex, of change. And it is because these fears are so real and relatable to many people that TERFism can take root, even within people who consider themselves to be part of the opposite side of the political spectrum.

His name is Noid because he is deeply paranoid. He mentions several times that he is suspicious of authorities, but he doesn’t make the mental connection between Unity and the implied authority to keep such Unity. Also note how “trueness” is core to this idea. TERFs like to invoke an “absolute biological truth” when discussing gender, both missing the subject entirely (gender is not biology) as well as lacking basic understanding of the so-called “truths” they refer to (misrepresenting what science knows about biological sex).

.

“Most anything decieves. Wants to steal your life away.”

This is another key aspect of all right-wing flavors; the constant feeling of being under siege, being threatened by virtually anything. Gender, foreigners, science, everything that disrupts the fragile comfort of “Unity”.

And yet, Noid will object if you turn Egg-Head into a fascist mouth-piece, same as he objects with any ideology you instill in his friend. Which leads me to my last point: The idea of “trueness” makes this kind of right-wingers believe they transcend political ideologies, since they are “simply” stating “irrevocable facts”.

Remember Noid’s rejection of the left-right paradigm: TERFs and Corona-deniers and Identitarians tend to see themselves as unbiased because they think they have left behind the oversimplified idea of “left and right”, or subscribe to the faulty idea that left-wing and right-wing violence become congruent at its most outer extremes (which they do not, but that’s another essay). What they instead do by tossing out the dichotomy, is rob themselves of any tools to conceptualize their actions as something happening on a political spectrum that can be examined and critisized.

And the insidious thing about this ideology is that it’s right-wing in anything but the name: You cannot critisize Truth. By invoking Truth, all self-reflection is abadoned, The claimed Truth is supposedly “self-evident” and “apparent to all” and other people musst be *consciously malicious to disagree*. What is the result? Paranoia. Fear is core to fascism, I cannot stress this enough.

An ideology that denies all nuance (like using the concept of a political spectrum would allow them to) and is solely built on extremes (”There is only one truth!”) can only become paranoia.

.

I’ve called Noid my “problematic fave” in the beginning. And he is. I love him and I don’t want him to be afraid. And it took me three playthroughs to uncover his fascism--- I thought he was quirky, I thought he just enjoyed to yell words, I thought he had a point. And indeed, he is not wrong in diagnosing problems, BUT he is drawing the wrong conclusions, in my opinion. And as I said above, it is very very hard for sombody who claims “trueness” and “truth” as being on “their side” (while denying there to BE sides) to engage in critical self-reflection. Still, problematic fave.

#disco elysium #terfs for tw

[authoressofdarkness]

I saw that you're taking prompts, from the dialogue list. Can I get number 20? “I’ve never had someone taking care of me before.” for starker obviously. I'm excited, I love reading your works. Thank you in advance!

Hi anon! That means so much to me and I’m v glad to be taking this as my first prompt. Thank you 💙

I kinda want to try some new things with some of these prompts, so I’m gonna go at this with omega Tony and alpha Peter and see where it goes. I hope that’s okay with you anon and that everyone likes it 😘

Same age college AU, omegaverse, alpha Peter Parker, omega Tony Stark, some angst and some fluff at the end.

—

It’s a well known fact that Tony Stark has a shitty family.

Well, at least to anyone who knows him, it is. They know how he’ll do anything to not be at home when his father is around, to get out of the endless pressures of social events and promotional things and questions of mating and management and all of the things that he hated about being born an omega and being attached to the last name Stark to top it all off—

For years, it was just him. Some flings, mainly to piss his father off, but he never had his attention for longer than the time it took to scold him or order him around, and his mother was never much help, either. He had precious few friends growing up, never really made any real ones until college when he met Rhodey and Pepper — an alpha and a beta respectively that helped him manage things there and that were the first people to truly understand the depths of struggles he had going on at home.

And they were great friends, still are, but there was never anything more there between them. They helped him float through the first year of school, and then—

And then came Peter Parker.

Tony doesn’t hate all alphas on principle, although he is often rather tempted to try to, what with how they were shoved in his face most of his life. They were great for a good fling but most of them were meatheads. As horny as Tony was, he couldn’t allow just anyone to be close to him, nothing too get to serious, because he’s got a lot of responsibility coming down to him and he needs the right partner — alpha or otherwise — to be willing to deal with that. Not that he’s particularly interested in mating right now but he also isn’t going to allow someone close enough to potentially mark him knowing the repercussions of that.

He’s the heir to Stark Industries, sure, but he’s still an omega. An alpha will have significant legal power over him once they’re mated. And he wants to be the one to run SI, to take on his legacy, to build, to create, and to run his business, and he’s not going to let anyone stop him, even if that means flings forever.

(Not that that’s legally going to fly because he can’t take over until he’s considered qualified which implies a certain amount of stability that translates into having an alpha that’s more than just a fuck buddy but—)

It doesn’t matter. None of it matters after he meets Peter.

Peter is a year younger than him in school, technically, but biologically they’re the same age. Peter just started a bit later than most — and for good reasons, as Tony comes to find out.

He’s in one of Tony’s engineering classes and his organic chemistry class and the omega would be lying if he said he wasn’t immediately taken with him.

He can’t help it. Peter is cute, with his overgrown curls and slim form and silky skin and shy little smile and—

The other man is all alpha, there’s no doubt about it. He exudes it without even trying, but there’s a shyness to him, too. He’s not a meathead; he’s a sweetheart. From day one he’s respectful of Tony in class, kind when he sees him around campus, and that makes them the perfect lab partners in chemistry, and after knowing that, it’s just the natural choice for them to partner for the project in engineering and then—

Then things spiral, and Tony doesn’t even care.

He’s seeking the alpha’s attention, and Peter, the innocent, shy thing he is, is happy to give, to dote on Tony in ways that he would resist if they were coming from anyone else.

They’re not even fucking, but it’s intimate, so intimate that he can’t even explain it, and he loves it, scarily so. It both soothes and sets all his instincts on edge at the same time.

By mid semester they both have keys to come and go freely from each other’s rooms. It’s more common to see them together than it is to ever spot one of them out alone. The whole school probably thinks they’re a couple, and even though they’ve never made it official — and he’s never allowed himself to even come close to considering it before — Tony can’t bring himself to mind.

As midterms approach, though, Tony locks himself in to focus on his work. He doesn’t mean to, really; it’s just that hours studying slip into full nights and then he hasn’t eaten and he hasn’t left the room, even missing one of his classes because he doesn’t realize the time.

Peter hasn’t come by in days and except for the occasional check in text, Tony hasn’t heard from him, either. But they’re both busy with midterms so he really isn’t surprised. In fact he barely has time to eat, let alone check his phone, so even if he was texting him regularly Tony probably wouldn’t be answering.

Except mid terms or no, of course Peter notices when Tony misses class. And when his texts go unanswered by the absorbed omega, he doesn’t hesitate to show up and let himself in.

Tony doesn’t even realize anyone is there until he feels a hand on his shoulder. He jumps so hard he nearly knocks the chair back, and when he turns around he sees Peter, stepping back and holding his hands up in the universal “I surrender” gesture, clearly not having meant to startle him.

“I’m sorry, I knocked but you didn’t answer so I let myself in. I just— you weren’t in class, and I was worried… are you okay? When was the last time you ate?” It takes all of two seconds for Peter’s sheepishness to melt into concern, and he steps forward again, closing the distance between them to tilt Tony’s chin up, looking at the shadow stretching across his jaw where he hasn’t shaved in a few days. “You’ve lost weight,” he murmurs, thumb brushing over Tony’s cheekbone tenderly — which, yeah, is definitely more prominent than it was at the beginning of the week.

Tony’s eyes flutter and he leans into the touch for a moment before refocusing and shaking it off. “I’m fine. This is normal, Peter. I know what I’m doing.”

“Do you?” Peter raises an eyebrow. “Do you even know what day it is?”

“It’s Saturday—“

“It’s Monday, Tony. 1pm on Monday, at that. You missed engineering this morning and you haven’t answered my texts all weekend.” Surprise flits across Tony’s face at that, because — yeah, last time he checked it was Saturday, and he had no new texts from Peter, so— “When was the last time you ate?” Peter continues to prod, voice gentle but insistent.

Both aspects only serve to spark irritation in him, though. Tony bats Peter’s hand away from his face, frowning. He doesn’t need to be treated with kid gloves. “I ate a little while ago. I’m fine.”

“You don’t even know what day it is—“

“It all kind of blurs together when you’re not doing anything besides working, okay—“

“Two days is a lot of blur, Tony—“

“And just because I need a shave doesn’t mean I haven’t left my desk or that this isn’t totally normal for midterms—“

“You’re the one saying you haven’t left your desk, not me—“

“That’s not what I meant! I’m just saying—“

“I’m just saying you need to take a short break, it’s not that big of a deal—“

“I don’t need a break, I know my limits—“

“Tony, I really don’t think—“

“Jesus fucking— You’re not my alpha, Parker, would you fuck off?”

The words come out before he can stop them, and he flinched himself at the hurt on Peter’s face, the way the alpha physically recoils, shoving his hands in his pockets.

“I’m not— god, I know that, okay? I’m just trying to help you, Tony. Please, this isn’t sustainable. You need to eat. Just— let me find you something, and then I’ll leave, okay?”

Leave? No, he doesn’t want him to leave. But the only thing that comes out is a quiet “whatever,” and he watches Peter escape to the kitchen with a ball of guilt growing in his chest.

Peter is just trying to help. He likes Peter and he doesn’t want him to leave, he just— he panics, and then he snaps.

Because what if Peter wants more? What if he really likes him? And Tony is a fuck up that does shit like this when he feels emotions and has so much baggage attached to being with him and—

And Peter knows that, at least some of it. It’s been a few months of seeing each other nearly every day, now, and his family situation was never a secret.

So why is he still here? Oh god, did Tony just ruin it?

The thought, for reasons that he’s refusing to immediately think about, is almost too much to bear. He stands up, fumbling his way out of the chair and into the kitchen.

The smell hits him almost as soon as he enters, and he sucks in a deep breath. His traitorous stomach growls, loud and demanding.

Soup bubbles on the stove as Peter works at the counter, chopping up some fruits and vegetables. He’s already managed to put a few little storage containers of food together for him, and something in Tony’s gut feels warm at the sight. But it also drops — preparing premade meals most certainly means that Peter isn’t intending to come back.

He looks up when Tony enters, expression wary. “The soup was the quickest thing you had, and since I had to be here for as long as it takes to boil anyway I thought I would just—“

“Peter.” His own voice sounds remarkable calm for how shaky he suddenly feels, lurching towards the alpha at the countertop. “It’s okay. I… thank you, for this. I’m sorry.”

Peter looks taken aback by the apology. “Tony, you don’t have to apologize. You’re right; I’m not your alpha and it’s not my place to give you orders. I just… I care about you, okay? I just want to help. I know you don’t think about me that way, and I’m sorry I overstepped, but—“

“You’re wrong.”

“What?” The words draw Peter up short.

Tony takes a breath, looking down. He focuses on the alpha’s hands, watching him chop instead of looking at his face. It’s easier. “You’re wrong. It’s not that I don’t think of you that way. The problem is… that I do. And I… I’m not used to this. I’ve never had someone take care of me before. Not really, not in any way that mattered. And what I feel for you… it scares me.” He takes a little breath again, looking down at his own hands. “I want you to be my alpha, Peter. But I’m not really a good omega, and I just have so much shit that comes along with being with me. The thought of asking you to do that… what that could do to us… I just don’t think I could handle that.”

He hears the knife ting against the countertop as Peter sets it down, and the pitter patter of footsteps as the alpha crosses the room. He’s suddenly being drawn into a pair of lanky but surprisingly strong arms, surrounded by the musky, relaxing scent of alpha, and he practically melts into it, nestling his nose into the spot between the collar of Peter’s sweatshirt and his throat almost automatically.

Peter’s hand running up and down his back is soothing, relaxing him the rest of the way, and the press of the alpha’s chin against his head is just the perfect weight to be comfortable, reassuring.

“Tony… I’m not an idiot,” he says gently. “I know who you are. What you’ve done, where you came from, what’s expected of you — and yeah, I’m sure there’s more that you haven’t told me and that’s not public, but— I get why this is a struggle for you, and why you feel the need to put so much pressure on yourself. There’s nothing wrong with you for that and it is most definitely not your own fault that you’re not used to being taken care of. And you’ve no idea how badly or how long I’ve wanted to be your alpha.” He pulls back a little to look down at him, fingers scratching Tony’s scalp gently as he works his fingers through his hair. “But that doesn’t mean that this kind of behavior — towards yourself or others — is good or acceptable. It’s okay to let me take care of you — at least in small ways. I know you’re scared of losing your independence, but that’s not what I want for you, either. I just want to help.”

“Help,” Tony echoes, eyes drifting to the pan on the stove and then back to Peter. “I… I think I’d like that.” He bites his lip, looking up at him. They’re about the same size and height, but this close, wrapped in the alpha’s arms and scent, with his steady gaze on him, he can’t help but feel small by comparison. “You really want to be my alpha?”

“Only if you want me to be, but…” Peter looks down at him and cracks his shy little smile. “I’d like to try, if you’d let me.”

“I’d like that,” Tony admits. He shifts to press up against him, putting a hand on his chest. “I’d also really like it if you’d kiss me.”

Peter looks a little surprised, but not unpleasantly. Still, he shakes his head, giving him a little push back. “Tony, you didn’t even know what day it was. God knows when the last time you brushed your teeth is. No offense, but… ew.”

Tony just laughs a little, unable to help himself. “If I brush my teeth…?”

“Maybe. If you eat your food as well.” Peter moves back to the counter, finishing up the container he was working on. “We can’t be doing anything that’s going to burn you extra calories when you don’t have enough to begin with, hm?”

Tony finds himself grinning. “That’s an argument I can get behind. Literally and metaphorically.”

Peter flashes a grin in return, voice back to that gentle but insistent tone that he knows so well when he says, “Go, Tony.”

And for once, Tony is all too happy to obey.

#starker #ironspider #peter parker x tony stark #tony stark x peter parker #prompting #my prompts #my writing #kris talks #kris answers #omega tony stark #alpha peter parker #starker omegaverse #fluff