#"technical education"

[starlightseraph]

finding out that gillian anderson likes women has been the best part of my week.

[doubleedgemode]

*thinks abt the classic gg quotes where a.b.a calls herself an innocent little girl and has a weird little nobility complex* what does that mean

(Expanded on in this post's tags)

[littledreamling]

for the get to know you ask game: papyrus!

papyrus ⇢ if you put your ‘on repeat’ playlist on shuffle, what’s the first song that comes up? what do you like about it / associate it with? From this ask!

I just answered this ask but hey! I can shuffle these playlists all day long, here are two more songs for you Vi!

Monsoon by Hippo Campus: oh I fell in love with this song the very first time I heard it. I love the vibe it has; it's very chill and never fails to make me a little sleepy (mostly because I first heard it, and subsequently replayed it for three days straight, when I was trying to fall asleep while sick. Thankfully, I associate it more with falling asleep than I do with being sick). It's one of those songs that gets stuck in my head very easily so I'm glad that I love it as much as I do!

Danger Zone by Kenny Loggins: yep, the Top Gun song... I can't say that I'm particularly proud of this one, but I can't (with good conscience) say that I don't absolutely adore it. It's definitely a favorite, mostly because I first saw Top Gun in a movie theater (which is a completely different experience than watching it on a TV at home) and it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that it changed my life. Military propaganda aside, it was a fantastic movie that still holds a really special place in my heart (if it says anything, I Ain't Worried, from the second Top Gun movie, was my top song on spotify wrapped this year...) so this song always reminds me of that moment, sitting in a near-empty movie theater, falling in love with aviation for the first time.

[chucktaylorupset]

For as long as I could remember, whenever I was in pain, whether from a cut or a toothache, Mother would make a tincture of lobelia and skullcap. It had never lessened the pain, not one degree. Because of this, I can come to respect pain, even revere it, as necessary and untouchable. Twenty minutes after I swallowed the red pills, the earache was gone. I couldn't comprehend its absence. I spent the afternoon swinging my head from left to right, trying to jog the pain loose again. I thought if I could shout loudly enough, or move quickly enough, perhaps the earache would return and I would know the medicine had been a sham after all. Charles watched in silence, but he must have found my behavior absurd, especially when I began to pull on my ear, which still ached dully, so I could test the limits of this strange witchcraft.

From Educated by Tara Westover

terribly charmed by my sibling sending me a voice message that just said “i just always take ibuprofen at the wrong time. i had a headache all afternoon, from three to eight pm and then i took an ibuprofen half an hour before the headache went away! i could have just saved an ibuprofen!”

[theologyy]

Review: “My Investing Journey and Learning” by Carmen Mundt

Qualifications: I’m a journalist reporting on business, economics, and defense who’s been in the industry for 7 years — the last 3 have been at, debatably, the #1 business publication in the world.

Rating: 2/5 stars

Thoughts: I cannot believe I spent 39 euros on this.

This 39 page ebook provides incredibly basic information that can all be found in this article.

First: while the ebook is about 40 pages, it probably has about 10 pages of actual information in it, interspersed with inspirational quotes from Sheryl Sandberg and Warren Buffet, with some pictures of Carmen in Monaco.

There’s about 1 page of “introduction” from Carmen that talks about her upbringing and journey to university in London. I won’t comment too much on her personal story, but an important thing to note is that she says she came from a “traditional Spanish household” where her father was the breadwinner and her mother had no access to family finances. After the 2008 crash, her family couldn’t afford to send her to college. She moved to London, applied for a student loan, and began studying finance at a university while working part time.

Carmen very, very briefly mentioned her regrets as to her mother’s inability to access higher education, work, and family financial planning; she says she’d never want to be in that position. While literally only one sentence, I think it makes it clear who the audience for this ebook is: someone who has absolutely, positively, no idea about money.

(She also very, very briefly mentions “big changes in her personal life” that made a full-time job in finance “not sustainable,” leading to her move to Monaco. This is her only reference to George.)

The rest of the book very simply explains how to make a budget, set financial goals, invest in the stock market, and mitigate risk. The information was kinda factually correct, and was written in a coherent manner. I think that’s the highest praise I can give it.

Here’s the thing: like other reviewers have called out, I am pretty certain that Carmen didn’t write anything besides the introduction. Whole sections (and indeed the entire format of the ebook) were clearly ripped from the Female Invest introductory courses. (I spent 3 hours clicking through each course so I could find direct wording comparisons to make this claim. I really wouldn’t recommend it.) I do think she edited these sections, and she interjected a few personal sentences; but I believe that’s where her involvement ended.

From an expert perspective, a lot of the information is so simplistic as to be almost incorrect. This isn’t a “first day of Econ 101” ebook — this is a “freshman year of high school home ec class” ebook. (Did anyone else’s home ec classes teach budgeting, or just me?)

Here’s an example. In a section on stocks, Carmen/Female Invest writes: “Investing in stocks allows you to support companies and causes you care about while still making a profit.”

On a basic level, this is correct. Purchasing a stock technically means you’re buying a little bit of a company, and I guess therefore supporting it. But unless a company is IPOing, you’re buying those stocks from another investor — which means your purchase has no effect on the company. So it’s a little disingenuous to claim you’re somehow helping the company. The ebook is rife with this kind of thing.

Carmen pushed in her advertising posts that the Female Invest courses were a key supplement to her book. So obviously, I had to do those too. And holy shit, they were so much worse than the ebook. Some parts were blatantly incorrect on basic information (they claim markets are open 24/7, when most are only open 9am-4:30pm on weekdays) and have some of the most patronizing metaphors I have ever read. (One of the most egregious was comparing your investment portfolio to a pizza because “stocks, bonds, and ETFs” make up different “sizes of slices to make a whole pie”. This isn’t even an accurate equivalent — maybe a calzone, pasta, and pizza make up a whole meal? I don’t even know.)

I would not recommend buying this ebook unless you, too, were barred from even thinking about a stock by your traditional father. Even then, consider free sources.

A Disclaimer on disclosures: So, after @ohblimeygeorge sent me a reddit post also reviewing Carmen’s book that mentioned ad disclosures, I decided to dive into the regulations. In the U.S., influential advertising is regulated by the FTC — in the EU, it’s regulated by the EU Commission, which I believe Carmen would qualify under since she is a Spanish citizen who lives in Monaco. First, I looked at this legal brief on content monetization business models, and concluded that that the ebook likely falls under “affiliate marketing” as Carmen likely receives a percentage of each ebook sold through her link.

(An additional disclaimer: obviously, I don’t know the details of the deal Carmen has with Female Invest, but I’d think it unlikely that she isn’t getting paid for their collaboration. She mentioned in an Instagram story under her Female Invest highlight that she “tried purchasing equity but they were already too big for what I could afford” but “did buy a bit of their crowdfunding.” Since she doesn’t have equity, i.e. doesn’t own a piece of the company, it’d be weird if she was doing this for free.)

Back on topic. I next looked at this legal brief on advertising disclosures. It states that affiliate marketing must be disclosed: “you need to make sure your audiences understand that it’s advertising.” Disclosures can include hashtags and “mentioning” advertising in the caption. Carmen has not disclosed advertising in any of her Female Invest posts, and appears to be violating this regulation. (Interestingly, her only posts that follow disclosure requirements are her Tommy posts.)

It’s apparently not uncommon. An EU Commission study showed 80% of influencers in the EU do not properly disclose ads.

So, there’s that too.

[batmanisagatewaydrug]

this is more a question about sex ed than a sex ed question but do you have a way to describe how the vagina cleans itself other than comparing it to a self cleaning oven?? I don’t know if it’s common, but seeing that comparison icks me out every time, so I was wondering if you had a better one or if I can simply describe it as self cleaning?

hi anon,

you're in luck, because technically speaking my area of "expertise" (emphasis on the air quotes) is studying the teaching of sex ed. knowing the answers to a lot of common sex ed questions is just a cool side perk :)

anyway, let's dispense with the metaphors altogether. who gives a shit about self-cleaning ovens? the vagina is a thriving microbiome rich in flora (read: bacteria) that's kept in check by healthy by carefully balanced levels of acidity that allows the bacteria to grow just enough to be healthy without overgrowing and causing an infection. (this is why you see so many sex educators and healthcare providers cautioning against up setting your vaginal pH balance: if the acidity levels get fucked up, the bacteria levels follow and can cause all manner of complications that nobody will enjoy.)

anything unnecessary and unwanted in the biome (mostly cells, tissues, bacteria, and mucus) is passed out of the vagina as discharge. contrary to what some people will tell you, discharge is normal and healthy, a sign of a functioning vagina! the only time discharge is cause for concern is if it changes colors (green, yellow, and reddish brown are not our friends), textures (look out for cottage cheese!), and/or smell (pungent, unpleasant odors are rarely good).

[leprosycock]

what’s really cool and awesome and normal is how in spite of artists’ best efforts to offer art to the general public, to people who don’t have art education and aren’t immersed in a particular sect of any given genre or culture, putting their work in low-cost or free galleries or airports or the sides of buildings or in parks or in malls or in outdoor shopping squares or in any public area where their projects can be viewed, people still reject the notion of art as a whole because they consider it entirely secondary to everything valuable in a person’s life. you can’t tell someone you’re an art major without seeing that inherent condescension or repulsion or confusion crossing someone’s face if they haven’t bothered to engage with art on a personal level before. it’s always considered an afterthought and never anything vital to the world we all live in and how art exists in genuinely and literally every single fucking facet of our lives. if you tell someone you understand art and can engage with it on a professional level, you’re considered pretentious and self-aggrandizing/obsessed and stuck-up and snotty and impossible to talk to. if you look down on extremely milquetoast and uninteresting and surface-level pieces of art, like very bad generic music with poor and uninspired poetry or extremely literal portraiture or ai art, you’re a gatekeeper and, again, pretentious and snotty. you are not permitted to engage with your passions outside of fellow artists because the “my kid/little sibling/niece/nephew/a five year old could do that” mindset is so pervasive and unless something is extremely easy to swallow and exceedingly literal, people will not accept it as Real Art because they refuse to understand its history, context, the artist’s technical skill and education, and WHY it exists. this also definitely pivots to subject matter and how only certain kinds are permitted and allowed by many, many others. sure, you as a self-obsessed millennial woman can engage with a coffee table book full of Powerful Feminist Quotes about how your ex-boyfriend wouldn’t go see “it ends with us” with you in theaters and your grandpa made a joke about periods once, but if you’re forced to engage with abstraction or an artist who happens to say a slur or the amount of precision and planning and dedication and adoration that goes into performing 4d design that discusses subject matter that YOU don’t like, you’ll shrivel like a fucking leaf and retreat back to what makes you comfortable. i hate it i hate anti-art and i hate being stuck in anti-art worlds

[why-animals-do-the-thing]

Happy National Zookeeper Week!

I’ll admit, I’m feeling a little spicy about it this year (well, every year) because zoos use the celebration for lots of positive facility PR, yet staff don’t often get the support and respect that is claimed in those posts.

So I want to share this great article written by a zoo industry consulting group last year looking at the reality of what happens when a workforce ends up conflicted between their passion (zoos and animals) and pragmatism (paying rent, existing in a capitalist society). They assessed AZA compensation rates by region against things such as a living wage and rental rates in the area. (All text formatting within quotes, such as bold and italics, is original to the article text.)

I cannot give the Canopy Group enough support for the way they framed this research:

“By observing the economics of keeper compensation, it’s no secret that keepers land on the lower end of the wage spectrum. Like all other wages and salaries, the market value of keeper compensation is driven by several economic factors – including the size of the labor pool, the rigor and danger of the work, the technical ability required, and the educational requirements. However, there is one factor that artificially lowers the market value of keeper compensation more than any other: passion.

In this article, we’ll take a look at why passion lowers the market value of animal care worker wages. More importantly, we’ll consider many factors that have emerged in recent years that are making people reevaluate the value of following their passion – a trend contributing to The Great Resignation, especially as it applies to zoos, aquariums, and similar organizations. (…)

The argument here is passion versus pragmatism: the unknown versus the sure thing. It is a decision all zookeepers and animal care technicians have made. Working with animals is immensely rewarding, but this passion is also very popular. This, historically, has meant that the keeper candidate pool is very large. Therefore, if the wage is livable and working conditions are reasonable, the pool should remain large. In a very real sense, a passion for animals drives down the market value of keeper compensation. Anyone who has been through an Economics 101 course will recognize this as a fundamental market principle: supply vs. demand.

However, many zoos and aquariums are having a more difficult time filling positions than normal and have started to see higher turnover rates in recent years. This begs the question – is the current keeper wage too low?”

Their findings?

Here’s their graph of “the median wage of keepers from organizations in different AZA-defined regions” from an AZA survey done in 2021. (Median is the type of average that looks at the middle of a data set’s range).

The median wage for AZA keepers in the South/Southeast was just over $15/hr at the low end, and the median wage for AZA keepers in the Far West / PNW was a little under $26/hr. That’s pretty dang low everywhere, especially when you factor in the increased cost of living in places like the West Coast. Also consider that looking at the median wage doesn’t mean this reflects just entry-level compensation - this data indicates the the compensation middle for all keeper positions, including people who have built their careers as keepers in those places long-term.

Then, they compared those wages to the “living wage” in each region - which they defined as “a calculation of what it takes to live in a particular area, without any other income. A living wage calculation takes into consideration how many earners are in a household, how many children are being supported, etc. The living wage includes the costs of all the basic items a household needs to be self-sufficient.”

“If you receive a wage for a job that is below the living wage, then you are essentially taking a negative net income. This is unsustainable for the long term, and essentially defines where wages start to exploit passion.”

Here’s a figure they provided using the MIT Living Wage Calculator showing the average living wage for each of the AZA regions. The chart on the left shows the living wage for a single person with no kids; the second, for two parents with two incomes and one child to support.

“By comparing the two graphs [to the earlier graph of the AZA median compensation rates], we find that median wages in the Southeast/South and Southwest regions are lower than the living wage for each household configuration in those regions. In other words, if you are a single person household or part of a two-income household raising 1 child in the South, a starting keeper salary will likely leave you with a negative net income. While many people work at this level, it increases the risk of accumulating debt, lowers a person’s ability to afford a home, set a much later retirement age, and can lead to many other negative, long-term effects.”

Big yikes, right?

Next, they looked at living wage vs. compensation for single parents.

“The single-parent living wage exceeds the average keeper wage in all AZA regions. In fact, the living wage required as a single parent is double the average AZA keeper wage in some regions.”

And then they did housing, specifically, being able to purchase a home.

“In many places, even a two-income household at an average keeper salary would not purchase a mid-level home. This means that keepers have to wait far longer than their peers to purchase a home. While paying rent in the meantime, this rent will account for a larger portion of their income than their peers. All in, these effects can set hopeful homeowners back years or decades.”

Canopy’s conclusion was something anyone involved in the field knew was coming.

“Companies like Chipotle, McDonalds, Best Buy, FedEx, Home Depot, Publix, and Walmart are all offering similar starting wages near starting keeper wages – plus many fringe benefits (like tuition reimbursement) and ample advancement opportunities. Many potential keepers in younger generations are putting their passion on the shelf so they can meet basic standard-of-living concerns.

To attract and retain quality candidates, an organization must consider the journey each new employee would have to make over their career. If the journey is fraught with massive debt, decreased disposable income, and limited career opportunities, then you are limiting your potential candidate pool to the small group of people who have decided that following their passion is worth significant lifelong financial hardship. There are many potential candidates out there willing to sacrifice and arm and leg for animals and conservation, but they wouldn’t dare jeopardize the financial future of their dependents and families.”

This is something I’ve heard about for years, and seen first hand. The low average wage at zoological facilities has been damaging their ability to hire and retain skilled staff for as long as I’ve been involved in the industry. I know so many zookeepers who still have roommates into their 30’s, or work multiple jobs, just to be able to make ends meet.

There’s a mythology about zookeeping jobs, a narrative that seeps into the field and actively exploits people’s passion for the job: it tells people that they’re so lucky to be able to work with these rare and cool animals; that they’re greedy and ungrateful when they ask for more compensation because they’re privileged to get to have the job at all. It says that most people would give anything to have these opportunities, so current zookeepers are interchangable and easily replaceable. Ask for too much? Push for a living wage? There’s always someone willing to take your spot. Not all facilities perpetuate this mentality - some places do treat their staff well without intentionally manipulating them to stay them in unsustainable jobs, and there can be legitimate financial reasons that limit staff compensation (mostly at smaller facilities, afaik) - but it’s a reality in the field.

For a long time, this type of mentality towards staff was sustainable. There really were always more people wanting to work in the field. But now, after three years of pandemic stressors and inflation, it’s starting to be a problem. A lot of staff left during the last few years, and facilities are having a really hard time hiring people and retaining them for any duration. I think a large part of that is low compensation rates. People are prioritizing long-term financial stability and recognizing when their passion is being exploited.

When I first started on tumblr back in 2011, there was a whole group of us within the United States who were baby zookeepers or volunteering as industry hopefuls. We all became friends, and I’ve stayed in touch with, or at least aware of, most of them as their careers progressed. Of the 10-15 or so people in that cohort? I can think of three who are still employed in the zoo industry. Everyone else has moved on into other fields - often with great grief over the loss - because of the extreme emotional labor, the physical exhaustion, and the lack of appropriate compensation.

But I guess that annual pizza party, being featured on social media, and maybe getting additional snacks all week makes up for it all?

[nattikay]

Avatar but with Na'vi captions/subtitles Na'vi → English and English → Na'vi

Detailed notes under cut!

[edit] Correcting a few slips and typos:

Rolo'a nìtxan tsaw tsaw should be tsakem because the thing he's referring to is an action

fko a ralpeng tìkanti Eywayä fko should be 'awpo

Fmoli kivar ayoe sawtuteti alahe Sawtuteti should be sawtuteru; the sky people were the students, not the lesson 😅 this one was a particularly dumb slip on my part and I'm not sure how I missed it, hìtxoa ma eylan, krro krro lu oe skxawng 🙃

For peng san Toruk Makto syaw foru Foru should be ayngaru; I got caught up in the original English "calls to them" and forgot that I set it up in Na'vi as a direct quote so it should be "calls to you" 🙃 gosh i miss kelutral emojis these regular ones just aren't the same i need Derp ;w;

Corrections complete, now back to the original notes:

I have been wanting to do something like this for a while. I initially planned to do more scenes, but was having trouble finding the clips (unfortunately I don't have a full editable copy of A1 like I do with A2...that said, if anyone knows where i might source such a thing...let me know >_>)

At first I planned to add only captions (plus accurate subtitles, because as you can see the official ones can be a bit ehhhh lol) for the actual spoken Na'vi, but then halfway through editing I was like "lol y'know what'd be funny, if I also translated all the English dialogue into Na'vi". so i did ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

That said, on to the more specific notes:

Na'vi → English

First a disclaimer that any "corrections" are made for nerdy/educational purposes, not to say "haha look at these dumb actors who can't speak right". Memorizing lines in a foreign language is hard, and I'm sure delivering those lines while acting is even harder! It makes sense that there'll be mispronunciations, accidentally dropped words, smoothing over tìftang, etc. Plus, practically speaking, the number of people in the general audience who know or care whether the Na'vi is mispronounced is....................extremely small, so ^^; yeah.

Unfortunately for me I am part of that extremely small number, so as someone who studies and teaches this language as a hobby, I still felt obligated to make a note of some of the more glaring errors, hence the "actor transcription" slot that sometimes appears, which is there to contrast the intended line with what the actor actually said if and when they're different.

Learners, please note that just because I didn't include an actor transcription doesn't necessarily mean the line was pronounced perfectly—there are a lot of small vowel slips etc. that I didn't bother to "correct" because I felt it was still understandable even if it's technically inaccurate (mixing up a/ä is a common one for instance, as is mixing up i/ì/e), and catching all of them would've taken far more time ^^; That said, admittedly which ones counted as "I should note this" and which ones were "I'll let that slide" was a bit played by ear but w/e, hopefully it is still useful or at least interesting ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

i apologize to Mo'at for adding extra ???? to one of her transcribed lines, I was tired when I made that panel lol

English → Na'vi

Making the Na'vi → English section is fairly straightforward, as I didn't really have to do any of the translating—all the canon lines are freely available online and have been for years. I just had to edit them into the video. For the English → Na'vi section, however, I had to do the translating myself—and therefore feel the need to go through it a little more line-by-line, to justify some of my decisions hrh.

It's nice to meet you, sir → Lu sìltsan fwa ultxarun ngengati Two things about this line: one, I was a little stuck on whether I should use ultxa si (to meet intentionally) or ultxarun (to meet by chance/to encounter). I ended up going with ultxarun because ultxa si made it sound to me more like this meeting had been arranged, which of course it hadn't. Jake may not have "encountered" Eytukan in the sense of stumbling across him in the woods, but he certainly didn't set out with the intention to meet him; the chance circumstances just kinda brought him here.

Two, Na'vi (as far as we currently know) doesn't really have separate honorifics like "sir" or "ma'am". What it does have, though, is formal first- and second-person pronouns, so I used the formal ngenga instead of the casual nga to indicate the (attempted) respectful attitude of "sir".

three, i so wanted to bop Jake on the head while editing this lol, buddy your skxawng is showing

one who interprets the will of Eywa → fko a ralpeng tìkanit Eywayä Initially I was going to translate "will" as tìnew (want/desire), but then changed it to tìkan (aim/purpose/goal/intention). Tìnew sounded more to me like Eywa is discreetly requesting specific actions which the tsahìk must interpret and answer to, while tìkan sounded more like Eywa is just doing her Eywa thing and the tsahìk is simply interpreting what that means, which felt more accurate to me.

What are you called? → Pefya fko syaw ngaru? No need to justify this one, it's pretty straightforward lol—I just think it's fun that she worded it that way in English, because "how does one call to you?" is the standard way of asking someone's identity in Na'vi!

It is hard to fill a cup which is already full → Lu ngäzìk fwa teya si tsngalur a lu teya mi again no justifying really needed, I was just kinda proud of this line because I made it rhyme lol

Jarhead clan → olo' alu Sähena-re'o Na'vi doesn't typically describe nouns with other nouns like that (sähena-re'o), but I felt like it worked for Jake's spitballing. plus Eytukan's about to drop the term "uniltìranyu-tsamsiyu" in the next few lines anyways so i think i can get a pass lol

For my people → Suteri oeyä Ok, for such a short little line this one definitely had me conflicted. If I were to translate the full line "I was afraid for my people", I would say suteri oeyä oe txopu soli (lit. "concerning my people, I was afraid"). In the forest dialect the topical is always supposed to come at the beginning of the sentence. However, that's not how Neytiri delivers the line, and I wanted to keep it consistent with her delivery. In the end I decided that fudging the "topical must come first" rule here was ok here because she is essentially saying "I was afraid", realizing that Jake might not understand what she meant, then doubling back to clarify "for my people".

I considered using fpi ("for the sake of/for the benefit of") instead of the topical, but that felt off, as if Neytiri being afraid somehow benefitted the clan.

I also considered using Na'vi instead of sute—I'd have to drop the oeyä for this because "my the People" sounds silly, but "I was afraid for the People" as in the Na'vi as a whole would make sense here. However, a standalone "Na'viri" just didn't look right to me, and while fpi Na'vi/Na'vifpi" looked a little better, I'd already decided that fpi wasn't quite what I wanted.

So, in the end I stuck with suteri oeyä concerning my people.

Jake's and Tsu'tey's speech

This one gets its own little section because it was an interesting case; I'm basically redoing Tsu'tey's job. Now, if you take the entirety of Jake's speech and line it up with the entirety of Tsu'tey's translation, it's pretty good; they do basically say the same thing (I suspect this is actually what happened lol, that KP was given the full speech and asked to translate it and said "yeah ok" and wrote Tsu'tey's version).

As you can see, though, when you go through it line-by-line the way it's delivered in the movie, it's....not always quite accurate lol. So I made a version that was a more literal to Jake's speech line-by-line.

On that note, I've noticed that KP tends to really prefer the shortened versions of case endings ("for" vs "foru" etc.) I like them sometimes ("oey" and "ngey" have really been growing on me lately lol), but as a personal style preference I wouldn't have used them in all the same places he does (this is 100% a personal preference thing that will vary between speakers, neither is more or less "correct"). That said, if and when one of the lines I translated wound up being very similar to what Tsu'tey already said, out of respect for the original I went ahead and kept the same shortened endings, as well as matching the word order.

You ride out as fast as the wind can carry you → Kämakto nìwin nìfya'o a win nìftxan na hufwe atusul Literally, "ride out in a manner as fast as the running wind".

Ngl I actually VASTLY prefer Tsu'tey's version of this one lol. "May the wind propel you" is a lovely "meaning-not-words" interpretation and I like it a lot. However, for comparisons' sake I wanted to do one that was closer to Jake's original line. That said, I'm not surprised they went with a less literal translation for this line because "as fast as the wind can carry you" is actually really hard to pull off grammatically in Na'vi. It'd have to be like "as fast as the wind's ability which is to carry you" or smth, which just sounded clunky imo. So I decided that "as fast as the running wind" was a good middle ground. Not as clean or poetic as Tsu'tey's interpretation, but techincally closer to Jake's original line without being too clunky.

peng san I'm not sure if the quotation opener is strictly necessary here but it felt more cohesive to have it in my personal opinion, so I added it to mine but didn't mark it as a mistake in Tsu'tey's.

//

and uhhhhh that's it I think. Perhaps one day I will make a part 2 if I get access to more scenes. I also already have an English → Na'vi translation of an A2 scene that I'm gonna make into a subtitled video one of these days. I'd love to do a Na'vi → English for A2 as well, but unfortunately we don't currently have a complete list of the Na'vi lines for A2 like we do for A1, and as you have seen here actor delivery can make it very hard to translate by ear, even for experienced learners. Maybe someday...

[munchee-academic]

Minnette de Silva is my Roman Empire and here is why.

It’s 1918, Sri Lanka is still known as Ceylon, a British Colony and the last place you’d expect to find feminist ground breaking artistic pioneers. Minnette de Silva is born and concurs.

One of the first modernist architects to come from Sri Lanka AND the first Asian woman to become an Associate of the Royal Institute of British Architects.

She was awarded the SLIA Gold Medal for her contribution to architecture “regional modernism for the tropics”

She did not complete her formal education due to family circumstances. Despite not finishing the modern equivalent of her A-Levels, she undertook an apprenticeship and attended lectures at the Ceylon Technical College (Desi kids rejoice at an intellectual icon who had an untraditional path through education). She then joined the Sir Jamsetjee Jeejebhoy School of Art which allowed her to study under many influential architects.

She was eclectic, intelligent and a force to be reckoned. She was expelled from the Government School of Architecture in India for attending a Free Gandhi March and refusing to write an apology letter to the Head of the School for it (we don’t stan Gandhi but we do stan standing up for your beliefs!)

Her father was extremely opposed to her career path but she went for it anyway. A bad bitch. An unstoppable force.

According to The Guardian “During her time at the Architectural Association (AA) in the UK she cut an elegant figure, draped in silk saris and followed by a train of young male students bearing her bags and instruments.”

This is how I imagine her walking down those halls!

Minnette de Silva returned to a newly independent Sri Lanka in 1949, and established her career in Kandy. She was influenced by Ananda Coomaraswamy, and advocated for the preservation of the traditional methods of craftsmanship, construction, and acquiring materials. She was inspired to create a style that incorporated the newly Western methods of development with the natural style, aesthetic, and landscapes of the tropical island.

The photos below are her designs and they are

e x q u i s i t e ✨

She never married. According to Architectual Record Minette explained to a friend “husbands are only good for carrying one’s bags”

My real life reaction to reading THAT quote🔥

However, Minette was always plagued by financial insecurity, she died penniless in a hospital in Kandy on the 24th of November 1998 at the age of 80. She had fallen from her bathtub at home, and was not found for days. Only a relative few of her building remain standing.

RIP Minette de Silva, you were a pioneer and an inspiration.

[jackiequick]

—Fearless in Smallville ~ Dc Comics OC

—-

Face Claim: Sophia Bush

-----------

Full Name: Lucille Claire Kent

Nicknames: Lucy, Lucy Lu, Miss Kent, Claire, Clara

Age: 16-29 (spanning different seasons)

Height: 5’3” - 5’4”

Birthdate: August 3 (Leo)

Jobs: High school reporter, photographer, and reporter for Daily Planet/Gotham Gazette

Family: Jonathan Kent (father), Martha Kent (mother), Clark Kent (brother), Lois Lane (sister-in-law)

Extended Family: Kara Zor-El, Chloe Sullivan, Oliver Queen, Lana Lang, Tess Mercer, Jimmy Olsen, Arthur Curry, Cyborg, Wally West, and more

Relationship Status: Single for the most part, dated Oliver Queen, Lex Luthor, and Bruce Wayne

Personality: Lucy is brave, compassionate, and stubborn, with a tenacious streak that helps her achieve her goals. She is down to earth, determined, and often a quick thinker. Her curiosity drives her to uncover the truth, while her politeness and humor make her approachable. However, she can be headstrong and struggles with emotional boundaries. A bit of a chatterbox, she can present herself as a social butterfly when in the mood to be outgoing.

~~~~

Background: Born and raised in Smallville, Lucy grew up alongside her brother Clark, unaware of his alien origins until their teenage years. She attended Smallville High, where she was involved in various clubs and developed a love for journalism and photography. Despite initially disliking school, she found a passion for English, Art, and History, which influenced her hobbies and career choices.

Hobbies and Interests: Lucy enjoys photography, dancing, reading mystery novels, and volunteering at local shelters. She is an avid fan of classic rock music and loves baking, often trying out new recipes on weekends. Her interest in writing and reading extends to specific texts that capture her curiosity.

Goals and Aspirations: Lucy aims to become a renowned investigative journalist, uncovering stories that make a difference. She also hopes to travel the world, documenting different cultures and stories.

Skills:

Combat: Basic self-defense, proficient with guns and crossbows

Languages: Fluent in Spanish, conversational in French

Technical: Advanced photography techniques, basic hacking skills

Physical Description:

Distinctive Features: Small scar on her wrist from an accident in a cornfield, scar behind her shoulder from a bow and arrow incident on a rooftop, and rough hands due to her activities.

Fashion Sense: Casual and practical, often seen in comfortable jeans, flannels, and her favorite hoop earrings. She dresses more professionally when required for her job at the Daily Planet/Gotham Gazette.

Fears and Insecurities: Lucy has a fear of being alone, misjudged, or misunderstood. She also fears being harmed or humiliated by others, which occasionally affects her confidence in social situations.

~~~~

Education: Lucy initially disliked school and learning but grew to enjoy English, Art, and History in high school. These subjects were entertaining and engaging for her, leading to her interest in writing, reading, and photography.

Relationships: Lucy has a close-knit group of friends, including Chloe Sullivan and Lana Lang. She has had complex relationships with Oliver Queen, Lex Luthor, and Bruce Wayne, each shaping her view on trust and love.

Quotes:

“Sometimes, the truth is buried where no one wants to look.”

“Courage isn’t the absence of fear; it’s the determination to keep going despite it.”

Daily Life: A typical day for Lucy involves early morning runs, followed by a busy day at the Gotham Gazette. Evenings are reserved for spending time with friends and family or working on her latest investigative piece.

~~~

~~~~~

How Lucy met Lex

You know the tale of Superman, but do you know of his beginnings? Smallville. It’s where he grew up with his family, made friends and foes, fell in love, got his education, explored his powers on his own terms, and became the man he is today.

On that very day, when Clark arrived on Earth, the Kent family were already anticipating another child. However, they couldn’t conceive until the meteor shower fell onto Smallville, nearly crashing down everything within it. In that very ship arrived a toddler not older than 2, naked. Martha, Jonathan, and Lucy were turned upside down in shock at the young boy. Lucille Claire Kent was less than 5 but curiously smiled in her daddy’s arms while her mother gently picked up the boy, wrapping him in a red blanket. Jonathan was confused, looking up at the sky as his wife searched for answers, finding Lionel Luthor and his son Lex Luthor amidst the chaos. Clark became warm and gentle, very much in awe of his newfound world.

Lucille, Clark, and Lex all sat in that truck, never to be seen again until later on in high school.

That same day, they met again, after older Lex, almost fresh out of college, knocked his car across a bridge, hitting Clark as the police, firefighters, and ambulance arrived later on. Along with Lucy and their father to see the damage. 48 hours later, a gift was sent to Kent Farm, a gift from Lex for the accident that happened. A car and a necklace. Their father wasn��t the happiest man alive to be seeing these gifts, knowing Clark is still too young to drive around town and Lucy’s jewelry might not even be real, possibly causing her an allergic reaction or something. But the more pressing matters were how Clark was completely fine after that accident!

Their parents knew the possible reason behind that issue, but the siblings were confused as hell. Even going as far as to test out that theory, noticing that Clark runs rather fast, doesn’t get hurt that easily, and etc. He is an alien! As they found out soon enough by their parents.

Later on that week, Lucy arrived at the mansion to find Lex in his office. They never got an actual chance to properly speak to one another. He was dressed in a navy blue sweater, black pants, and dress shoes in comparison to her green and blue flannel, t-shirt, jeans, and black flats along with her favorite hoop earrings.

She stood in the doorway holding up a basket of fruit, knocking on the door to catch his attention. He looked up with a smile, standing up from his chair to greet the young woman, motioning for her to come inside.

“Hi,” she said with her slight raspy voice and giggly smile, “Oh um, your guard let me in.”

He chuckled, “Hey. And yeah, I was going to ask how you got inside.”

“Charm, I guess?”

“I guess so. So, what brings you by?”

“Uh, I just wanted to thank you for the necklace and the truck. But I don’t know why, because it’s not me you crashed into, it was my brother.”

“Yeah, but you looked rather in bad shape as well. I figured a gift could cheer you up and apologize for the accident I caused.”

“Yeah..Dad’s not too happy about that. He thinks you’re just winning us over or something like that.”

He walked with her around the room, taking the small fruit basket out of her hands and placing it on the desk. Lex asked, “Well am I?”

“I’m afraid to say that you won me over,” she replied with a chuckle.

“That was sort of the plan.”

“Well, it worked.”

“You said Clark is your brother, older brother I’m guessing?”

“Oh no, quite the opposite actually. I’m older by two years. He’s a freshman and I’m almost a junior.”

“Wow, really? You both look rather young.”

“Genetics I guess. But you’re rather young yourself.”

The two smiled and chatted, laughing every so often. Taking a liking to each other rather quickly. Lucy could see what Clark, who had already met up with Lex twice, meant by saying he’s a pretty alright person. Charming, kind, strong-minded, well-mannered, rich, and impressive. Lex found himself taking a great fondness to her. He didn’t know if it was because he hadn’t met that many people in Smallville just yet, or what it was. But he found her sweet, silly, charming, open-minded at times, and a bit of a chatterbox. He didn’t mind it at all.

The two became friends within that week.

Little did they know that friendship would soon turn upside down...

----

How Lucy Met Bruce Wayne Years Later

Meanwhile, while Clark was off training with his powers, Lucy went to Metropolis to start as a young intern for the Daily Planet. Just picking up coffee and donuts for the staff, assisting with actual reports, picking up dry cleaning, and getting things done in general.

Eventually, Perry White gave her the opportunity to start actually doing more writing and photography than just picking up dry cleaning for the staff. She grinned, working with Jimmy Olsen on a few small pieces for the Daily Planet, getting to deal with the morning greetings and nightly specials collection of the paper.

Finding whatever opportunity for what she deemed as interesting subjects that young folk like her and Jimmy would enjoy. Around that same time, Clark returned home, and she hugged her big brother, suggesting that he get a job at the Daily Planet as well. The Kent Siblings at the Daily Planet!

He accepted her request, deciding to take a crack at it and thinking it would be rather helpful for when he gets his real opportunity to save the lives of many. The moment he arrived at the Daily Planet, he met her. Lois Lane. And he was starstruck the second he saw her, fumbling over his words as the pair spoke. He could practically hear his sister coughing down a few giggles from her desk the entire time. Can you blame her? She found it adorable.

But her moment to become starstruck came only a few short days after her meeting with Perry White. He wanted a few reporters from the Planet to fly over to Gotham Bay to get the latest footage and scoop on the Charity Events being hosted there. Lucy was picked out of all the other reporters, being dragged into the mess with people such as Cat Grant and such.

She always heard about Gotham's modern-day elements with that vintage noir style that made it feel classy. Timeless even.

The moment she arrived at Gotham airport in a hurry to reach her hotel and get a feel for the actual city she would be placed into for the next few days, Lucy bumped shoulders with someone, giving a small sorry not realizing she dropped her sunglasses. Thankfully, the person she bumped into did.

He noticed the simple silver dollar glasses that landed on the floor, calling out, “Excuse me, miss?”

She turned around, hummed quietly facing the person who she assumed called her back there. She pointed to herself to make sure, the man noticed jogging up to her.

Once he did, she got a better glimpse of him. Tall, rich bright blue eyes that are as clear as day, and a soft wide smile. Along with a noticeable mark on his upper cheekbone.

“I believe you dropped these,” he said with a smile holding up the statement sunglasses.

“Oh uh-yes I did,” she replied, fumbling with her bag on her shoulder, smiling softly, “I’m sorry.”

“It’s alright. Things happen.”

“Thank you, Mr…”

“Wayne. Bruce Wayne.”

“Thank you, Mr. Wayne.”

“No problem.”

“Do you need a hand?”

“Uh um, yes please.”

He helped carry the suitcase out the door, as she held her bag. The two smiled, holding up to a 5-minute simple conversation waiting for the taxi to arrive. He opened the door for the lady, placing the suitcase beside her. She closed the door, thanking him once again for the help.

Before the taxi driver could take off, Bruce leaned down facing the window remembering something, “I didn’t get your name.”

“Lucy,” she replied with a smile.

The taxi driver drove off, leaving Bruce Wayne standing there with a smile. He chuckled at the thought, as he heard Alfred call from him saying that his car was ready to take him home. Alfred saw the look on his face, smiling to himself, enjoying the thought of the young man happy for whatever reason.

Two nights later, the Charity Event arrived, Lucy walked in a short gray dress, that had pockets near the front, red pumps, and her hair tied up with pieces hanging out to frame her face. She wasn’t going for anything fancy, just something business casual and professional.

She took tips and quick interviews from people, getting a feel of the Charity Event as well as the people of Gotham. The elite center of men and women asked for photos to be requested in their inboxes, meanwhile other folks gladly spoke to them answering simple questions. Such as Jim Gordon who spoke to her and Cat Grant with such calm intellect that made them feel comfortable during the event.

A few ladies went running around and past them, finding themselves on the other end of the hallway towards the elegant man who walked into the building. Gushing, asking him things, flirting with the man in question, and requesting a few dances on the floorboard. Hell, even Cat Grant rushed over, hoping to snatch him up for a few minutes to herself. All Bruce Wayne could do was laugh and smile, catching a glimpse of the women in the far right corner loudly giggling. They locked eyes, recognizing each other again. She shrugged at the chaos as he mouthed jokingly, ‘help’.

She jokingly mouthed, ‘You’re on your own.’ The woman walked away sipping her drink, grabbing an interview with a few ladies of the jurying party. Some time later, she found herself on the dance floor with a nice blonde billionaire chatting away mid-laugh, until the blue-eyed man from earlier asked if he can cut in.

The pair nodded, as both men switched places. Now her hands were placed securely in his own, as his other gently lay on her waist. Her arm rested above his shoulder with ease.

“So, Mr. Wayne..” She said, being cut off by a smile.

“Bruce. You can call me Bruce.” He replied with a smile.

“Bruce. I see you escaped the attack of the wild she-wolves.”

“Ah, well, you see I’m a master at escaping situations like that one.”

“It’s a gift then, Mr. Wayne.”

Bruce smiled, liking the way it rolled off her tongue, he almost would’ve melted at the sound. His last name came off too sly, tender, and sweetly dressed like a cowboy’s favorite slice of pie on a nice sunny day. She returned the smile, getting lost in his eyes for a moment with a raised eyebrow.

“What? Like what you see?” She teased him with a grin, “Mr. Wayne.”

“Stop that,” he replied with a grin, twirling her around.

“Stop what?”

“The way you say my name, Ms. Kent.”

“Or what?”

“I might have to show you the town and then take you home.”

“A billionaire’s house? No thank you, hon. Wait—I didn’t tell you my last name..”

She landed mid-twirl into his arms, their chests against one another as she let a blush rise to her cheeks.

“It’s on your name tag,” he said with a smile, it was his turn to make her melt a bit tonight.

“Oh um, right,” she added, swaying in place as her eyes landed on his face.

“Yes?”

“I have a question.”

“Go for it.”

“Did you know about me coming here tonight?”

“No, I had no idea they were sending a Daily Planet reporter to Gotham, darling.”

“Fair, are you here for the Charity or free drinks?”

“Oh not exactly, Wayne Enterprises is offering a huge donation to the orphanage and hospitals nearby.”

Lucy smiled hearing that. She remembered hearing from Lois that Gotham men can be trash sometimes, but that's not what she sees. Especially adoring the fact that he was someone with money giving to the less fortunate, it was sweet and showed that he cared.

She smiled softly, “That’s lovely.”

“Now I have a question to ask you.” He added, returning the smile, “If you knew who I was when we met at the airport, would you have thought differently?”

“Hmm, depending on the situation. If I had to rate it, I would’ve given you a 7 for kindness and generosity towards me.”

“I’ll take it. May I say, you’re a good dancer, Ms. Kent.”

“Thank you, Mr. Wayne.”

“You have a slight change in accent, where are you from?”

“Uh, can you guess?”

“Hmm, Tennessee?”

“Close. It’s the southern part of the country, Kansas.”

“Kansas? Never met anyone from there before.”

“Well now you have!”

“It’s my lucky day.”

The pair kept chatting, Lucy being able to get some insight into Wayne Enterprises and the CEO of the company, but still wanting more about Gotham. Bruce found himself very responsive and liking the fact that she didn’t see him as the billionaire or walk away like the other women at the party. His eyes rushed to meet her face, taking it all in.

The two got to know each other fairly well. But it didn’t stop there, as the next morning he showed up at her hotel doorstep requesting to show her the city for the article she was writing. She agreed, following him to the limousine, where Alfred Pennyworth introduced himself graciously.

Little did the pair know that they would be dating afterwards. Spending visits to Gotham and Metropolis, date nights, and meeting friends. That’s how Bruce actually met Clark Kent and Lois Lane. Superman met Batman during those visits, growing respect for one another.

World’s Finest.

//

That's all folks! I have a short story on how Oliver Queen met Lucy but that would have to be for another time ;) Anyways let me know what you think in the comments below!

Tags: @gaminggirlsstuff @gcthvile @missstrawbs2001 @cherrysft @rickb-chaos @starkleila @infinetlyforgotten @meiramel @sherloquestea @djs8891 @buckysteveloki-me @yetanotherwells @nakiaswg @carellmcu @ximehs @xgoddessoffandomsx

[gallifreyinstituteforlearning]

GIL Schedule + Masterpost 2024

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In our efforts to extend this philosophy, our dedicated human liaison on Earth has been working to develop social media content and comprehensive learning modules that are meticulously tailored to meet the unique needs and capabilities of humans. These modules have been crafted to be compatible with your extremely rudimentary technology, thereby ensuring that you can engage with the vast expanse of knowledge that we are eager to share. It is our hope that these learning modules will prove to be not only educational but also profoundly enlightening, representing a significant stride in narrowing the gap between Gallifreyans and humans.

This year marks an exciting phase for the Institute as we welcome aboard new members of staff. We are particularly thrilled to introduce Noraxoekodurosugofbyn of Prydon, who will be assuming the role of Translation Officer for Mutter's Spiral, following that rather regrettable incident. Additionally, we are delighted to announce that Myishu 'the Fryer' of Scendeles will be leading our catering team.

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For humans

GIL is brought to you by its creator, researcher, writer, and all-around nutso Whovian, @fatelesschild, with art by the incomparable @fritzmetzger. It has no affiliation with the BBC or the actual Gallifrey. Sorry. I'm just your common or garden human gal pal, working full-time in medicine, putting a ridiculous amount of time into this.

So if you're finding joy in this part of the internet and fancy supporting the cause to help make new content, feel free to buy me a coffee on Ko-fi. I'm so tired.

[safety-pin-punk]

Bit of a tough one, but got any ideas for adding punk style to office/business clothes? I love my job - and still wear my beat-up, ladder-laced docs and safety pin earrings - but some days I really miss my patch pants, deathhawk, and jacket :(

Uuuuuuhhhhhhhhgggggggggg I HATE professional attire SO FUCKING MUCH

I was an chemistry/education double major for almost a full 4 years before I switched to straight chemistry. Not because I hated teaching, I actually loved it. My students were my kids. But the environment was horrendous. Administration was horrific. The ‘ethos’ you are supposed to follow as a teacher is just dehumanizing and toxic.

But during those 4 years, I had a very strict dress code that I had to follow. Stricter than the dress code of the actual schools I was working in. I ended up wearing pretty much the same outfit every day in a different color. Sweater with a collar underneath, khakis, and boots that looked enough like dress shoes to get by. And technically I wasn’t even allowed to wear that because it was a ‘mens outfit’ but my supervisor didn’t snitch on me for it soo. But yeah, I felt this ask to my core

Now I don’t know what type of job you have anon, but here are my best ideas for you.

Wear a jacket to work, not while you work, but to work. And not just a jacket, but a battle jacket. Take it off when you’re there, put it on when you leave. (Bonus points if you theme one to your actual job)

Leave your old patch pants for after work and more fun occasions. BUT, theres no reason that you cant wear a pair of jeans with a *few* patches on them during a casual friday or office party. Especially if there is nothing ‘offensive’ on them

Add chains. Just say they are wallet chains. They are all wallet chains. Yes you just have that many wallets. No they can not see them.

Im sorry. I wish I was more help here. I hate professionalism rules. The only reason jeans are considered unprofessional are because they were popular among the poor when they were first made in like the 1800s (dont quote be for the year)

[sophieinwonderland]

Episode 4 of Responding to the "Sophie is Dangerous Doc": On Genders and Slurs

If you haven't seen my other posts on this:

Episode 1 (Block Evasion Allegations) Episode 2 (All Tibetan Buddhists are Monks) Episode 3 (Survivor's Network) Episode 3.5 (Hate Groups)

Let's just get right into this!

First, just noting that I absolutely H*TE the culture online around censoring sl*rs where this is a t*rrible word nobody should say, BUT it's totally okay if you replace ONE vowel with an asterisk. Mostly because, when reading it in their heads, I'm certain most everyone is going to instantly read the slur as the slur, and it should be just as triggering to those who would be triggered by it. This isn't specifically an issue with the author but more collective st*pidity of the internet.

Here I went through the trouble of, after realizing I had messed up, to at least replace the whole word with "the T-slur" when all I needed to do was write "tr*nny." Silly me. (This is the only time I'll be writing it that way in this post. I just really need to illustrate how stupid I find this whole thing.)

This bare-minimum censorship while being outraged over saying a slur is just a tad too ridiculous to me to take seriously.

Context...

This came about during an argument with someone over the word endogenic. They were arguing, in essence, that because the word "endogenous" may have had vague ties to Freud fakeclaiming trauma, the word "endogenic" was bad because it's the same word.

My point was to illustrate how even if this was true and endogenous was offensive, two words can sound similar and have the same roots with similar literal meanings with one still being offensive and the other not. The example I gave was how trans/transgender are perfectly fine terms while the t-slur is bad despite both having the same roots and literal meanings. Connotations of specific words matter. Not just their roots.

I apologized after seeing how that affected people because I wasn't aware of the severity of the term.

Derogatory terms aren't all equal, and while there are certain pejoratives that you never should say, ever... others are generally acceptable in neutral contexts when not using them as an insult.

My mistake here was not being educated in which category this particular pejorative fell under.

On our gender...

A huge part of this narrative is the idea that I just suddenly for the first time ever decided to identify as genderfluid because I was under fire.

This is, like much of what is said in this document, completely false.

I had previously posted about how being a system with multiple genders makes our system's body more accurately described as genderfluid.

This post was back in August of 2022. Well before the slur discourse in May of 2023.

I believe there were other posts but they're hard to find because Tumblr searches are bad. (I used google to find this one.)

The idea that the body/system is technically genderfluid isn't something I invented out of thin air for that one discussion, but is something that had been on my mind for a long time, and something I had talked about before.

While I won't blame the author for not having an encyclopedic knowledge of every post I ever made. This is yet another instance of accusations and assertions without ever even bothering to confirm if they were true.

This lack of due diligence is a massive theme in the "Sophie is dangerous" document.

If anyone had asked me if I had made public statements referring to our body being genderfluid, I could have answered and provided a source.

In fact, the author quotes me saying that I've always considered the body genderfluid, even highlighting it...

But didn't once think, as any reasonable person would have in this situation, that there may be evidence of this out there.

Instead, the author lazily repeats the lie that this was something new I just suddenly decided for the sake of this one argument.

Transness...

There are a couple problems.

First, let's start with the point near the end about being queer. Because my point was more than that.

It was that genderfluidity is not merely queer, but specifically on the transgender spectrum as seen below:

My position is actually that any system with fronting headmates of a different gender than their AGAB is genderfluid to an extent. And because of this, is on the transgender spectrum. (Regardless of whether they identify as transgender or not.)

Slipper Slopes and Bad Precedents.

This is a ridiculous take meant to try to villainize me. And is a bit of revisionist history at that.

I initially apologized and did explain that the intent was not to reclaim the term, and that I didn't feel comfortable reclaiming it. I stand by that.

I didn't cast myself as a victim over people being upset by it.

After my apology, I listened to numerous transgender systems who were uncomfortable with the topic that arose from that, and uncomfortable with the people taking issue with a girl in an AMAB body using the T-slur.

There is a lot of underlying complexity here that I believe needed to be addressed.

Because simply apologizing without addressing these other issues sets a precedent that I didn't want to be setting.

I wasn't going to let the takeaway from that conversation be "individual headmates can't reclaim slurs, even ones they could be called, unless they directly identify by the specific term for the experiences they have."

I've never been called the T-slur. But as more systems are out publicly and headmates of different genders are expressing their gender, it's likely that they'll be victims of transphobia.

Systems with multiple genders are, as a whole, genderfluid.

Genderfluidity is on the transgender spectrum. Regardless of whether they identify as transgender or not.

And it's pretty weird to try to police the language people on the transgender spectrum use based on whether they specifically call themselves transgender or not.

My biggest problem with the whole discourse around that topic is that it ultimately presents an intrusive ideology that is super concerned with policing the specific terms GNC people use and identify by. And worse, it presents the gender of systems as less important than those who have varying genders for other reasons.

The precedents you set don't exist in a vacuum. The fact is that you are arguing this at the same time that sysmeds have resorted to maliciously misgendering endogenic systems, justifying it under the basis that it's not actual misgendering because the headmate with those genders aren't real.

Something which, if you remember from the previous episode, the OP of the "Sophie is dangerous document" doesn't believes counts as real misgendering.

In the end, it's a very slippery slope from "female headmates in AMAB bodies with gender dysphoria can't reclaim transgender slurs" to "gender discrimination against headmates is totally separate to that faced by trans people and misgendering headmates isn't as bad as misgendering real transgender people."

And this is a slippery slope the author of the document appears to have fallen straight down and crashed face-first on.

[bre1995]

Fellow Travelers Quotes

Now some of these are my favorite quotes/interactions, but also these are some that just get me no matter how many times I watch the show.

(And yes I did watch all 8 episodes again just for this 🤭🩷)

Hawk: May I ask you a personal question? is this uh.. is this milk drinking a habit of yours?

Hawk: Down, boy, I'm no Red.

Hawk: I'll spend the afternoon picturing you kneeling in prayer.

Tim: Hawkins Z. Fuller. I'd love to know what the "Z' stands for.

H: Zebadiah.

Tim: Zedbadiah?

Hawk: Don't start

Tim: I'm your boy, right? Hmm?

Hawk: Well, well.

Tim: And your boy wants to go to the party.

Hawk: How much does he want to go?

Hawk: Now, show me what my boy really wants.

Tim: I committed mortal sins for you.

Hawk: Oh, here we go.

Tim: I could go to hell.

Hawk: Hell's a fantasy, Skippy. So is heaven, the Trinity, democracy, and the holy war against communism.

H: Here comes the sermon. You let me know when I should genuflect.

Tim: You're the coward, not me!

Tim: Unfortunately, the lock is broken.

Hawk: That's top secret, by the way.

Tim: I'll take it to my grave.

Hawk: I'm sorry, that you're dying. That not a single fucking soul gives a shit. And that you didn't knock first.

Tim: What are you - -

Hawk: Your lock's still broken downstairs.

Tim: Where have you been?

Hawk: Doesn't matter. I'm home now.

Hawk: I fell for you the first moment I laid eyes on you. Right away, I was taken by your beauty, but I was won over by your mind. To touch you, to feel your body against mine brought me more happiness than you could ever know. I know you love me. And my feelings for you are deep. But I've always known that we have no real future together...... I don't mean to hurt you. But I think it's better for both of us to part ways.

(Yes I know this is technically the letter, but you can not convince me that these were words towards Tim 100%)

Tim: And that is the last dirty thing I'm ever going to do for you.

Tim: Well, we both know my eyesight is terrible. And maybe the dementia is setting in, but I think Hawkins Fuller is standing in my apartment.

Hawk: Hi, Skippy

Tim: Yeah, it's you.

Tim: Twenty-four hours. That's a long way to travel for Chinese takeout.

Hawk: I've decided to forgive you.

Tim: Forgive me?

Hawk: You haven't called in three weeks.

Tim: Four

Hawk: How do I love thee? Let me count the weeks.

Hawk: Liste, Skippy. I wanna spend the weekend with you. Go back to the office, tell Dragon Lady you don't feel well.

Tim: Is this my birthday present?

Hawk: It's more like an education.

Tim; Educate me.

Hawk: Tim, what do you want?

Tim: I wanna be with you.

Hawk: Ok. Let's go inside.

Tim: No! No. I wanna be with you. Sleep in the same bed with you all night. Not get kicked out at midnight so the neighbors won't see me leaving in the morning! I wanna eat a meal with you like other couples. We've never eaten in a restaurant! Men do eat in restaurants! I could be your cousin.

Hawk: Nephew.

Tim: From the poor side of the family.

Hawk: Obviously.

Hawk: I needed to see you, Skippy. That's all I know.

Tim: Maybe you should give me some lessons.

Hawk: Senator Smith is a good man, Skippy.

Like you.

Hawk: Skippy, everybody lies about somethin'. You and me, we lie about who we sleep with.

Tim: Not "who we sleep with."

Hawk: What?

Tim: It'n not.... who we sleep with. It's who we love.

Hawk: Skippy, just.... Will you give me a chance?

Tim: A chance to do what?

Hawk: To.... To fuck it up again.

Tim: Are you sure?

Hawk: No. I'm not sure of anything anymore.

Tim: If he makes the appointment, we can.

Hawk: What appointment am I making?

Tim: We're going to talk about it later.

Hawk: You're right, Miss Addison. I am wonderful. So why don't you just suffer?

Hawk: Peanut butter.

Tim: They didn't have crunchy?

Hawk: No, I looked.

Tim: What, he's straight? The way that you're straight?

Tim: I can't bear being this happy.

Tim: You know, you've been rather sweet lately.

Hawk: Your Honor, I stand before you accused of being sweet.

Hawk: You trust me?

Don't answer that.

Hawk: Skippy. I didn't raise my boy to be a soldier.

Tim: Hawk. Promise you won't write.

Hawk: I won't.

Hawk: I've never gotten used to this.

Tim: My prison tattoo.

Did you forget that I'm a convicted felon?

Hawk: Nice to see you, Skippy.

Or is it Father Skippy now?

Hawk: So no vow of celibacy then?

Tim: Not yet, but I practice it.

Or try to.

I slip now and then.

Not with somebody.

Hawk: Man's second- best friend.

Tim: I'm in love with someone I can't have.

I can't stop thinking about him.

Father Lawrence: Am I to understand that you have feelings for another man?

Tim: Yes

Father Lawrence: Are you aware that the Church views this as a mortal sin?

Tim: I am. But I don't know how love can be a sin.

Tim: He'll be fine by morning.

Hawk: And you know this how?

Tim: I've experimented.

Tim: Beyond measure.

Frankie: The tragedy is you holding on to him.

Hawk: Pay no attention to these hyenas.

They don't bite.

Berry: Yes, we do.

Hawk: Hi, Skippy

Tim: Hi.

Hawk: A few years.

Tim: Eleven.

Tim: Maybe.... Maybe we should go.

Hawk: No, no, no. Look, no talking. Just like church.

Hawk: Completely?

Tim: Out of the closet. Even to my family.

Hawk: Did they call in an exorcist?

Hawk: They don't need this place.

Tim: Oh, my God.

Oh, my God, you want to hide this house from them.

Because it's on gay Fire Island.

Oh, my God.

Hawk: You are nothing but judgement. You always were. Saint Tim, the fucking holy.

Hawk: Skippy.

Tim: What?

Hawk: Skippy.

Stay with me.

Will you stay with me?

Stay with me.

Tim: Okay.

Okay, you lied.

But you didn't lie about everything.

Did you love him?

Hawk: So much,

Tim: And that love was real.

Tim: You family needs you.

Hawk: Don't you need me, Skippy?

Tim: I have you.

Tim: Maybe I shouldn't care so much.

Rafael: My darling.

There will be people that will say, "You must get over him if you want to be happy," and they will be right.

But it will also be the stupidest thing anyone ever says to you.

Hawk: Tim.

Tim: I woke up last night, and I didn't know where I was.

I knew I was in a hospital, but I couldn't remember.

I didn't know who I was.

Hawk: Timothy David Laughlin.

That adorable Catholic boy from Staten Island.

Tim: Mr. Fuller.

Hawk: Corporal Laughlin.

Tim. You broke your promise.

"Promise you won't write." You wrote.

Hawk: You sent a telegram. Very succinct.

"Hawk. The Hungarian refugees. Do something."

If the Soviets hadn't invaded Hungary, I might never have heard from you.

Tim: The epitome of marital fidelity.

Hawk: I try.

Tim: You bring men here?

Hawk: You'd be the first.

Tim: Don't believe you.

Hawk: Shut up and drink your milk.

The Army made a man out of my Skippy.

Tim: Yeah, it did.

Hawk: Yeah.

He's all grown up now.

Tim: I am.

Hawk: I want you to fuck me.

Tim: Is that a bribe?

To get me to come back?

Hawk: Do I have to bribe you to come back?

Tim: No.

I knew this was going to happen the minute I opened your letter.

Tim: I feel like im fading away.

I'm disappearing a little every day.

Hawk: No, I'm here.

I've got you.

I've got you.

Hawk: Skippy.

I don't suppose you happen to own a tuxedo.

Hawk: What?

Tim: It feels like we're on a date.

Hawk: I should warn you, I may make a pass.

Tim: A girl can hope, can't she?

Hawk: Just to be clear....

Tim isn't Lucy's friend. He's my friend. He just got out of the hospital. I was there with him the whole time. I climbed into his bed and held him.

Hawk: Skippy.

A long time ago, I did something to hurt you. And I think, even being in your life hurt you in some way.

Tim: Hawk.

You don't have....

I spent my whole life, waiting for God to love me. And then I realized the only thing that matters is I love God. It's the same with you. I have loved you my whole life. I've never loved anyone, but you. You were my great, consuming love. And most people don't get one of those.

I did.

I have no regrets.

Tim: Mm. Would you look at that?

Hmm?

In public, and the world didn't come to an end.

Hawk: I want to stay.

Tim: I have to fight this fight.

That means letting go of everything else.

And if you're around, I will not be able to let go.

Hawk: But I wanna show up for you.

Tim: Make it easy for me.

Hawk: Hey, Skippy.

Promise you won't write.

Tim: I won't.

Hawk: Sweetheart.

Kimberly: Hmm?

Hawk: He wasn't my friend.

He was the man I loved.

[grifff17]

Audiodrama Sunday 10/13/2024

Happy Audiodrama Sunday! Last week I didn't get a chance to make one of these, so strap in, I've got a lot of shows to talk about this week. I may write this one more rushed than previous ones for that reason.

@midnightburgr - New Welcome to the Horizon. Verge’s secret finally comes out, I love how they set up verge having 4 arms in the last main feed episode. Bringing up the black exclusion law was so brutal, I’m from Oregon and somehow didn’t learn about that law until my senior year of high school, really felt like my education failed me there. Also the song was so good, audiodramas with original music is my favorite thing!

@brimstonevalleymall - It's back! I thought this show was dead! I decided to give it a relisten in prep for season 2, the standout scene was Trainee and Misroch’s heart to heart.

Dear Liisphyra - Season 4 finale. The ad read for an opposing radio station interrupted by a technical issue was so funny. I keep thinking I should submit a question to this show but I never get around to it.

Rude Tales of Magic - I finally started the Nethermurk campaign. this campaign is so quoteable. Both “if we die we die together” and “Hot dogs are made of boys” in specific silly voices are burned into my brain.

@breakerwhiskey - It's back! Much sooner than I expected. I can't wait to see what direction the story goes from here, an inconsistent upload schedule is really interesting given the framing device of the show.

Case Study IREC-A59 - We have communication! I love good “humans are space orcs” worldbuilding. 

Skyjacks: Courier's Call - I loved the overcomplicated discussion of code phrases. Erin breaking character and cracking up when Fenton figured out the curse was so funny. The worldbuilding that magic items come from someone trained in magic caring about an object for a long period of time is such an incredibly cool detail. I may steal that for a dnd game at some point.

@starfallpod - Season 2! Lots of new characters in this one. I like the orphan kids a lot. What is functionally a giant dragon mechsuit possibly coming to life is truly terrifying, though it seems likely that the kids stole it.

@lostterminalpod - Season 17! This show has such cool worldbuilding, it's a truly unique take on a post-apocalyptic world. My favorite part of post-apocalypses is always the theme of hope, which Lost Terminal nails.

@storiesfromylelmore - ItMe really knows exactly how to pull at my heart. Rion wanting to get rid of his werewolfness was heartbreaking, and Keryth sneaking out to make healing potions because she keeps injuring herself to give Rion luck was just as brutal.

Starwhal Odyssey - The quote “in the cutthroat world of interdimensional restaurateurs, theft is pretty common” really sums up this episode. I love all the tenants we're getting to meet, the tabaxi family based off the cast's cats is incredible.

@worldgonewrongpod - This episode got unexpectedly real, it really nailed the whole vibes of this show. Anyways, I'd want to meet the ghost of Alan Turing.

@kingmakerpod - Love to have the Kingmaker gang back for season 2.  A lot of pieces moved into place to set up this season, including what I'm guessing is World War 1! Getting more into the alt history and politics of the setting is very cool.

That was a lot. Hopefully I'll be able to keep up with future weeks.