#(For context it's a joke where you say “At least you're pretty” or something similar to call someone not very smart lol but usually

[thatoneluckybee]

oh sweetheart

[iaus]

4, 6, 8 for salem!

4) What song describes your OC and their partner/love interest?

i feel like. song questions are always dangerous to ask me because i'm like. well. there's at least 5 and all of them have wildly different contexts--

the most recent for him and frederick that i've been clawing at the walls over is THE LONELIEST by maneskin but that's like specifically if they never work their shit out and is also in light of the new Upgraded Rage ProblemsTM that i'm kind of giving salem that freaked frederick out. (attuning to an evil weapon doesn't help when you careen towards some evil tendencies.)

but i think in general i MOSTLY associate salem and frederick with way out there by lord huron because i think the REAL FEELINGS started when frederick died/got revived and the party then left him behind for the following fight because everyone was worried he'd die again.

find me way out there there's no road that will lead us back when you follow the strange trails they will take you who knows where if i found a way to stay with you tonight it would only make me late for a date i can't escape

(not to shill but. there's a reason i used the song for that one story i wrote.)

but like. not only is it the song that gave ME the blorbo shakes but i think it also could weave into some insecurity about lifespan discrepancy. frederick is a relatively young high elf (still hundreds of years older LOL) and salem's a middle-aged aasimar who even if he gets to retire will probably have a significantly shortened lifespan after all the stress and the fact that he really Fucked Around in his early 20s. so... inherently even if they DO work out they feel pretty tragic to me.

special shout out to rory by foxing which is what i associate salem and alfie's relationship. (salem: "i wrote you a letter / asked your best friend to send it / but took to the sea before you cold have read it / retreated to snowcapped waters of the unknown" vs alfie: "i swear i'm a good man / so why don't you love me back" & "my head made a home for the hum of the insects / but my hands shake and shudder at the mention / of half-written reasons why we'll only be friends")

ANYWAY. sorry for the word vomit. i promise you i'm normal about my music choices for characters.

6) If your OC is in a fantasy setting, what profession would they be in the modern day?

he'd work on an offshore oil rig.

i wish i was joking but the second i read this question that was first thing that popped into my mind. like. salem's so focused on Running from everything and Avoiding making meaningful connections that i think a job where he would have to run himself ragged for a set amount of time and then has long off periods for him to just spiral would be ""ideal"" for him.

he is that asshole at the bar you have to peel off the floor every night.

but. in a similar vein i could see him doing long distance trucking or other seasonal work that requires him to be alone and isolated. (my second thought was him doing various seasonal work as he travels and lives out of his car/motels.)

being in a modern day setting would be AWFUL for him tbh.

8) What hobbies does your OC have? What do they do to unwind?

salem is one of those cis men who doesn't have hobbies and it really shows. who said that.

i was going to say whittling but i genuinely think salem doesn't have the patience for that. he's a very the gratification needs to happen Now sort of guy.

though i think despite that he probably takes some great comfort in mending/sewing things because i KNOW his mother and older sister would have been like no you're not throwing that away but we're not fixing it FOR you you'll learn how to do it yourself. something something it's one of the few tenuous connections he has to his family.

oh i literally jsut remembered in downtime salem IS trying to learn forgery. so i suppose that would count as a hobby. to extend from that maybe some calligraphy work and maybe that could eventually lead to him drawing but i don't think he'd be very good at it.

it's a very funny contrast to his whole character though.

oc asks

[noxrynne]

uhhhhh this site sucks i had to edit this four times to get the thing to actually do thee cut goddamn its more cuz its a block'a text no one should be forced to scroll THAT long over sheesh

Just putting it under a read more as people really hate the animation/show and the weird thing is it's one of the few times I think I've related to a character present in it (who is usually the topic of everyone's derision) in such a way where it's like looking in a mirror when I was... god, fucking 12 - 22~, and kind of it clicking in my head what was wrong with me. Not like, full picture, but. I don't know, I never really related to a character like this before and it's weird. Not necessarily in a bad way, either. Like, it makes me uncomfortable. Sure, but it's kind of... a healthy discomfort, for me at least. To see it all laid out in this way where it... and I feel pathetically stupid for this, clicked in my head why someone from my trans therapy group yelled at me after they realized how I was treating myself. I went through a lot of similar dark places. I behaved in similar ways. I got yelled at, like I deserved, but never understood why someone cared. I've been working on self improvement in this area for a while, and it's absolutely the hardest one. And a lot of it did, maybe stupidly? Begin with this character and some of the songs that followed, and now I'm really thinking back on it since my boyfriend and I watched the newly released show and. There's a scene that hit me really hard. I don't think it didn't belong there. It nailed in the idiot part of my brain the "see? other people have problems like that. Know people like that. Are treated that way, too. It's not that there's something wrong with you, intrinsically. Just a dash of rotten luck and collapsing in on yourself in the aftermath." It took it seriously, in a context that meshed with my brain to where I felt like "yeah, that's. That's at least. How I felt. Pretty much. When I was treated like that. Brushed it off and turned it into jokes, too." I don't wanna get into all the nitty gritty details, because they aren't pretty and I still have to contend with it. But it felt kinda... mmm, I don't know, like when I saw so many people shitting on it - saying it doesn't belong, in fact, this should never be portrayed, it's immoral to portray this and so on. I have such a warped view of... the topic, I guess? But I mean, it did help me contextualize a few things better that I've been struggling to. And I found a lot of comfort in that uncomfortable scene because of that. And... like, I know I have a... how do I phrase it, like a... not... normal view? Since I... like, was kinda... I mean. Like. I. I don't know. I mean I know. I just. You know. But I don't know, like. I feel nervous talking about it, because of the media property it's related to and how strongly people feel about it. And, I mean, I know the healthy answer is to just be "fuck it, you're allowed" but I guess I just think back to all the times things I liked/cared about were shit on and feel like "Should... I feel... guilty? Because I kinda do. And I don't think I should. But maybe I should? Is there something to it or... something that I don't get?" and yeah this is about Angel Dust in Hazbin Hotel. yeah this is the character story that got me to (even with the pilot/songs) try to actually tackle this shit 'cuz I still can't get myself to physically talk about these things irl. and. idk. its. mm. its hard to really feel like im. i just. i dont talk about it much at all 'cuz i dont wanna annoy people if they hate the show 'n stuff 'cuz i know ppl feel strongly and. yeah. so i over explained it because a part of me wanted to express a kinda... happiness that a story got me to think better about myself. and i dont. understand why there's so many like. snap judgments or vitriol, i guess.

[walterdecourceys]

context for nauta @sesamie and anyone else who cares:

twenty-five grand and it doesn't even have to be your foot in the picture: this is walter's introductory scene in bway, as freddie's "marketing agent." he is negotiating a shoe advertisement for freddie to do. the deal he eventually settles on is 25k for freddie to sign a photo of someone else wearing the shoe, because "a photo session, i told them, was going to cost real money."

well we couldn't be sure he's alive but then you couldn't be sure he was dead (no change there, eh?): walter spends most of act 2 of london trying to pull off an elaborate deal that involves anatoly losing the chess match and returning to the ussr. one of the key parts of this plan is promising florence that if anatoly loses, her father (who has been a political prisoner of the soviet union for the past thirty years, and presumed dead) will return home. at the end he reveals that he has no idea if florence's father is even still alive. but then, she couldn't be sure he was dead! no change there 🤷

for christ's sake i'm doing a goddamn job and i think i'm doing it well: line that makes me crazyinsane in the head. this is from the end of bway, in which walter has pulled of a deal similar to the one described above, except it involved making an elderly hungarian man impersonate florence's father and basically convince her that they've been reunited. walter decides to tell her directly that he's lied to her (??) and that instead of her father coming home, a captured cia agent will. walter is confused as to why she's upset by this. insists that he's doing his job well and his bosses are pleased with him. we move they move some trust gets built up that is how it's played!!!!! pained smileeeeeee

you and i both know freddie isn't good for much besides pushing pieces around on a chessboard: similar situation as the last two quotes, this time from us tour. walter reveals that he made the deal so that he could get access to the chess market in russia (???? hilarious character motivation. what's his problem). florence asks if freddie knows about this. walter says the aforementioned line. important to note that us tour is also the production where florence freddie and walter have some kind of toxic polyamory situation going on

do you think i enjoy playing with people's emotions? - ANOTHER LINE THAT MAKES ME CRAZYINSANE. this is from sydney it's while walter is trying to orchestrate the deal. florence says something to the effect of "i absolutely don't trust you you're cia" and walter says. hold on can i do the whole thing off the top of my head. do you think i enjoy playing with people's emotions in a way that ensures i have to extinguish my own while you and your morals can selfishly, safely survive? and now here just for once, i can do something rewarding - you have to forget anyone else's ambitions, all that should matter to you is your father's alive! <- insane line. most direct insight into walter's psyche in the chess canon. makes me feel normal

yes i'm hoping the chlamydia will distract me from the boredom - a hit from the danny strong script. at least part of pretty much all chesses is set in bangkok, and therefore pretty much all chesses have at least one joke about the bangkok nightlife. this is one such joke. immediately after this molokov says "i'm sure that can be arranged," which is a very normal thing to say to your rival coworker

boy does your wife have a surprise waiting for her - walter says this after anatoly defects (with another woman) in us tour. this is the first time we find out anatoly has a wife. walter just walks offstage after this. it's really funny

anatoly has good taste - florence has just met her boyfriend's wife for the first time. she comments that she's quite attractive. walter agrees that "anatoly has good taste," and then i think the stage direction has him putting his hand over florence's??? very very odd. this is the only time walter does something that could be constituted as making a pass at florence. very appropriate time to make such a comment nice going buddy

addendum 1: i knowww some of these aren't the full quote i knowww it's "isn't good for much besides pushing pieces on a chessboard." tumblr character limit wants to harm me

addendum 2: feel free to vote on this is you are unfamiliar with chess i promise some of these lines are stranger in context

[gffa]

I know I've brought this up before, but how much of the fandom reception of the prequels do you think stemmed from the genre dissonance? That the prequels, genre-wise, are closer to high fantasy, while the OT is more an adventure/space western/underdog triumph story.

The prequels also have elements more reminiscent of a romantic period/court drama/Shakespearean tragedy, while if you consider the underdog angle of the OT, the OT also seems kinda similar to some of those inspirational movies about sports teams or something, or a shonen anime with the "Power of Friendship".

I'm just saying, these are rather disparate genres that tend to attract different demographics of people.

And not many people tend to be... great about understanding why they don't like something, much less putting it into words, or understanding that they can dislike something without that something being actually bad. (For example, instead of "I just don't really like [thing]," the usual statement is something along the lines of "[thing] absolutely sucks.")

So the usual response is trying to find (and gather) solidarity while putting down or being condescending towards any dissent, and trying to justify their own dislike. (*gestures vaguely towards pineapple on pizza*)

And historically, it's not uncommon for people to... react strongly towards things they find... different or abnormal, which they judge based on themselves, their emotional response to something, and what they're used to.

Looking at kids, this behavior is... fairly normal. "You're weird," "ew, why do you like that, that's gross," "that's stupid," and so on. A lot of kids/teens/young adults also get defensive really easily. And let's face it--adults are basically just older, taller kids who've had to deal with more of life.

(To be honest, I also get defensive really easily. A lot of people do, and it's... it's normal. The defensive reaction can be lashing out, denial, or just being passive-aggressive or staying silent and tuning it out or mentally rolling your eyes at it. But I'm trying to work on it, because just because it's normal doesn't mean it's a good reaction.)

So, what I'm wondering is whether some fans dislike the prequels simply because it's a different genre...

...but instead of realizing that, they try to defend and justify their dislike by pointing fingers and criticizing whatever stood out or looked different from the OT or cherry-picking details/taking things out of context or making negative conflations (that can be refuted).

Because it's not about logic, it's about how they feel. And people want to feel justified and validated, and we want to feel like we're right and we enjoy staying in our comfort zones. So... yeah. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

LOL, okay, this response is going to be really disjointed because I went off in like a dozen different tangents and even then it's not enough to cover everything, so just kind of read this in a Scattered Thoughts Nerd kind of tone, where I'm staring off into the distance because Navel Gazing Gets Me Going Sometimes. 😂 In my experience, it's sort of a mix. I don't hang around a lot of people who dislike the prequels (in the sense of dismissing them/not being fannish about them) because, well, that's the heart of my interest in Star Wars, so our areas of interest basically don't really overlap that much, so I don't have a chance to talk to a lot of people and find out their reasons or even how they dislike the prequels, in the bigger trends of fandom. I do think there's an element of what you're talking about, that sometimes people can't just dislike things because it's not their genre of choice, that's absolutely a part of it. Mostly because that's how a lot of people react to anything they don't like (and it's something I and literally everyone else has to work on), there has to be a reason for it that it's objectively bad and, like, I have experienced a lot of people getting mad because I like something in a different way than they do. And I don't mean just in Star Wars fandom, but in almost any given fandom--if someone likes something in a way someone else doesn't, if they talk loudly about it (even within their own space), then there's always a contingent of people who have to find a reason why that person is objectively wrong (or even try to make them morally wrong), rather than just shrugging and going, "We see things differently, my view on things doesn't overwrite theirs and their view on things doesn't overwrite mine." It gets more complicated in instances where fandom attitudes genuinely can be hurtful, especially when they're overlapping into the way real people are treated, likes/dislikes don't 100% exist in a bubble, especially when it comes to queer fans, fans of color, disabled fans, mentally ill fans, etc. But that there are a lot of instances where fandom culture has always been--and is increasingly so--contentious and it's hard to chill out when someone is always screaming at you, when the atmosphere of the fandom is always so intense. Further, there's also an element of how fandom has always been--and also is increasingly so--about personal resonance, personal emotional investment, interpretation, and meaning. That sometimes we identify with something so deeply that we feel attacked when someone else likes or dislikes something we feel so strongly about, something that we feel is a reflection of ourselves, and I see a lot of that as well. And this, too, often crosses over into lines of how the context of how we treat characters can be reflections of how we treat real world people, but that there's no monolith here as well. For example: I make fun of Anakin, this angers some people, because how dare I not take this fictional victim 100% seriously, despite that I have repeatedly said that Anakin is the character I most identify with, that things I make fun of him for are ones that I resonate with personally. I'm not disrespecting mentally ill people, especially considering that Anakin is not bound to a single interpretation on this front--he is not canonically mentally ill, no matter how easy it is for us in fandom to map much of that onto his character or, in my case, feel that so much of what I see in him are things I struggle with myself. By and large, the majority of the people I see (at least on tumblr) who make fun of Anakin are doing so within the same vein, that they're being silly about him on things that they personally relate to. (My experiences on this are not universal, I cannot speak for the whole of even any one part of fandom, only my own sphere of experience, but this is what I've seen.) As always, it's fine if someone doesn't vibe with my style or they find that it's not their thing because they do take him more seriously, but that preference does not make my jokes

suddenly not have the context that I relate a lot to what I see in Anakin. In contrast, the way some of the fandom treats Mace or Finn isn't just personal all the time. Not liking their characters isn't inherently racist, but the way they're consistently, consistently treated sure as hell speaks to a larger pattern of racism in fandom and doesn't come without that context. It's the same with Rey--is there a huge vein of misogyny when it comes to her character? Abso-fucking-lutely there is. Things Luke and Anakin get a pass on, Rey is raked over the coals for. Is everyone who dislikes Rey a misogynist? Not even close. Some don't like her because Finn was used as a prop for her story. Some people don't like her because she got sucked into Kylo Ren's story too much. Some just don't care for the way she was written for other reasons. Some just don't vibe with her. It's fine. Nothing is a monolith. And to circle this back around to what you're talking about--it's hard to judge, both because no part of fandom is a monolith in their reactions, but also because we're only hearing from a selection of the fans. How do you know how many people who aren't fans of the prequels, who just don't care for them because it's not their genre, but just go about their day? You don't hear from a lot of them because they moved on to things they do like, so it seems like they must not exist--except, they do, and they're just out there doing things they like more. We only hear from the people who feel the need to tell others they dislike the prequels for this reason or that reason, some valid, some less valid, etc. Ultimately, I do think there's probably a fair amount of genre dissonance for why people dislike the prequels and channel that into "they're objectively bad" and get defensive when people like them and say they were great, but only because that's true of anything anywhere. But that it's only one small slice of the bigger picture (and there's a lot of stuff that I had to eschew in the writing of this response as well because it can be a pretty sprawling topic), where there are tons of reasons and reactions that people have, as well as they're perfectly free to dislike the prequels for whatever reason they do or don't have, it doesn't really affect my opinions, unless they're trying to shove it in my face or are being a dick to those who disagree with them.

[nothorses]

So I have a question/something I'd like your input on, since I feel like you'd have something interesting to say about this.

Anyways, some background: i'm in a child and youth care program in a rather left leaning, relatively progressive college, in a rather left leaning/progressive city.

It's actually been a very validating experience so far--I feel so much more accepted here then at my last school, which, while it was located relatively close to the city, had a rather more conservative student body and faculty. I had to fight for accomodation and acceptance, and I didn't end up going to my convocation since, when I had asked, they said they wouldn't call my prefered name when I'd get the certificate at the ceremony, or use the right name on it (they made it seem that their hands were completely tied, even though I know of other schools who've done this exact thing, incl the school I'm at now, without needing proof of a legal name change).

Anyways, at this school, i'm even having instructors I don't even know well going to bat for me and using their connections to get the help I needed when I was having trouble with my name being displayed wrong in the online classroom. Like, thank god for having CYC's as profs, right?

So, to my point: one of our classes is all about inclusion and anti oppressive practices. It's literally the name of the class. I actually enjoy the class a fair bit--despite classes being virtual, my class is sharing a lot and there's a lot of bonding and openness going on in the virtual lecture space. It's encouraged me to be open about my own troubles as a trans person, and people have been v supportive.

In a recent lecture, we start talking about the different terms of discrimination against various groups that face oppression (like, racism, albleism, etc). So she asks us: what is the term for discrimination against trans people? And I say Transphobia. Because that's the term I see most often, and the one I say myself. Apparently the Proper term now is cissexism (or cisgenderism?), and I got chided for saying transphobia.

I went and turned my mic on and basically said that I feel like transphobia is the term the general population is only Just started to take seriously, and the instructor argued that as we're in an academic circle, and as CYCs, it's our job to use the most progressive terms to move things forward, and that we shouldn't be conflating the discrimination trans people face with a phobia. Since, not only does it validate the fear of trans people, but it's not fair to those that have legitimate phobias.

I dropped it there, but I was brave and I asked to speak with the instructor after class.

During that talk, I pretty much said that it's hard being probably the only trans person in at least first year, and being visible and open as one, and having to be told the "right" term to use for my own experiences. She could relate, she said, as she's a black woman, and have faced probably similar experiences from white people correcting her on terms she uses for her own experiences. She did say though, as she's in the role of an instructor, it is her job to educate herself, think on what they're saying, and potentially make changes to her language.

But, she also said she can't speak for my experiences, and she won't make me change my language.

I was appreciative, and I talked about things I've personally faced, and how, even just 10 years ago, trans people were treated so frequently as a joke. Even on screen deaths were funny in media. I brought up that the trans panic defense was still considered a valid defense to use in court not long ago (and still probably is in some places), and someone won a case recently that way. Even just the term "transphobia" is only just recently been taken seriously, in my eyes, while before it was often brushed off as not a legitimate concern. Even when I was first coming out, I was told I was just confused, or trans people were just doing it for attention. I still face open glares sometimes, purposeful misgendering, fights with my sister about some of her transphobic views she refuses to question... And while it was hard to be that vulnerable, the conversation ended on a very good note.

I personally don't feel ready to change this language. But I don't really know if I was in the right to argue all of this. I'm only one trans person, I don't want to talk over those who've probably fought to switch the language away from "transphobia" as the valid term. But, i'm in an awkward position of being an unofficial spokesperson as the token trans guy in the class, talking to a lot of folks who've admitted I am the first trans person they've met. So, i dunno, i'm weird with conflict and I was wondering what you're thoughts were on all of this.

This is kind of a tricky one for a lot of reasons, tbh? And I have... a few thoughts. This is already super long, so under the cut it goes!

The first thing is that “transphobia” and “cissexism” aren’t actually interchangeable; they’re different concepts. “Transphobia” refers to bigotry against trans people or transness in general, while “cissexism” or “cisgenderism” is appealing to (or is) the wider system of oppression. (x)

That’s not to say those words are actually used that way in practice, because they’re not, and I certainly don’t use them that way every time either. Like you said, “transphobia” is the word people more often understand. When I’m writing for or talking to audiences that don’t already have a strong background in trans theory, I stick to “transphobia” for clarity’s sake.

But if you’re positioning yourself as an educational authority on the subject, and even going so far as to correct trans people on those terms- you should know that. If your question is “which term refers to discrimination against trans people?”, your answer is reliant upon how you choose to define “discrimination” in that context.

It’s also reasonable to assume people would answer with the first term if they don’t know both of them, and what she’s set up sounds like an unfair “gotcha!” meant to cow uninformed cis people.

And tbh, I take issue with that. There’s a great essay on this- The Cycle of Socialization by Bobbie Harro. The core of this cycle, which allows oppression to continue and encourages its perpetuation, includes confusion and insecurity: oppression is complex, and big, and people are afraid of taking a stand and doing it wrong. They are insecure in their knowledge and position, and afraid that if they try, they’ll get it wrong, and they’ll be punished. So they stay silent. What is that “gotcha!” moment doing except enforcing that fear and silence?

The other thing here are her reasons for using “cissexism” instead. She’s absolutely right that there is dialogue about what terms to use, and her listed reasons are informed and well-educated. I don’t know how I feel about the discussion myself, honestly, as I’ve seen it from the start and I’ve watched it play out for multiple years.

I don’t know if I agree that it’s ableist, part of that being that the “-phobic” thing was originally created as a “compassionate justification” for people’s bigotry against gay people (though there is the “-misic/misia” replacement for “-phobia” if you prefer). That’s still problematic for different reasons; like she said, it might validate bigotry as “fear”. “Cissexism” illustrates bigotry as enforcing a system rather than being honestly rooted in feelings, and that’s generally a good thing, imo.

But, y’know, “transphobia” is what people readily understand, and punishing people for using it is counterproductive. Using “transphobia” as a starting point for a discussion and an understanding is helpful, too; it connects these ideas back to what people already know. It meets them where they are. If you want to add “cissexism” to their vocabulary from there, please do! But that shouldn’t be rooted in shame.

I don’t know if any of this is helpful, but I thought I’d throw out what seemed to be the core of the issue to me, in case it resonated with you. If you still feel weird about the interaction, it might be worth it to address that with her again; she seems like she’s genuinely trying, and cares, and like she’s open to making changes. If nothing else, you might be able to sort out what’s still bugging you and address it as a feelings issue, rather than a language one, if that works better for you.

Good luck! And sorry for the super long answer, lol.

[cryptid-killjoy]

Scary. Flotsam would think thank goodness for natural selection. Things were always as they should be. He was pretty certain she was on the other side chasing Jet with frying pans and he was turning it right around on her, and frying up her eyeballs on the very same skillet and eating them over easy in Hell, and then using her hair as dental floss. Bam! Frying pan. Cannibal chase! Skewer! Sizzle. Mmm. Yum. Repeat. He can see it stuck on a loop. Probably has something to do with Pierre. Maybe he thought it was funny too and kept watching it once it happened for his own enjoyment? Who knew? Flo's dreams are weird like that. He gets a kick out of them. He's sort of like Roger Rabbit when he tells those to Thomas. As least they're funny. They make him laugh.

His laughter now was similar only far more extreme since it involved more than his own brain and came out of Thomas's mouth even inadvertently.

"You have no idea."

Thomas added to his thoughts and only made the moment better helping him envision the actual picture not just the one he'd made up in his head. It was more fun than the one he'd imagined.

"Yeah, actually... you do. You play an instrument and you're good at it. I think your rhythm is just fine." His brows gave an uplift with an air of insinuation and let his eyes drift down towards Thomas's pelvis. "Very, very fine indeed. If your rhythm was off it was all her. I can attest to that." He chuckled.

Then an even bigger grin grew when the Molotov cocktails were mentioned. What a great memory. Thomas brought that one up every now and then and Flotsam never grew tired of it because it was the proof in his mind that so called goodie-goodie hunter guy wasn't what he claimed to be. He saw the guy have too much fun. It wasn't forced. It wasn't fake. He knew it. People don't fake being forced to do those sorts of acts. It was all big, bad, secret official crush from there. Oh, Flotsam always sort of had one, an attraction, but that sealed the deal. It wasn't just looks then or that feeling he gets from riling someone up. It was a real connection. He just felt it. He had fun with him. Something clicked and he never let it go somewhere inside. He was just also despite his reputation was a person with a sense of duty and focused where he was needed. Family. Always family.

What really got him about the bomb comment though was the context. He knew Thomas was joking around as was he but he said to go back and bomb the sitch up. The whole thing kept Flotsam laughing and all, but he still shook his head no.

"Maybe. I'm not sure I'd change one little bloody thing. I'm too happy."

It was one of those could we really be us if we didn't go through what we went though comments? He wasn't trying to get deep. He was just grinning at his partner. Did he wish he could have saved his loved one some pain? Sure. Of course he does. But, fuck nah. Could they ever be this tight if they hadn't? No fucking way.

Hence the song that came to mind. It was about living in the moment. Absolutely. As they were. It was also about enjoying whatever the Hell passes and what they go through. That was his point. Enjoy the roller coaster as people say. Enjoy the ride. He was feeling pretty up right now. He was feeling like the next drop wasn't a crash landing, but thrill ride full of fun waiting to happen. He was strapped in with Thomas. That's what that smile was. For as wired and weird, maybe even gloomy as he felt when he left NZ he felt damn good right now. He'd live in a musical any day the way he was feeling.

Dancing in the street with Thomas and turnips. He was A-Okay. Then when they got back to the beach and the picnic was all strewn out with the turnips and the pups on the blankets he felt so free. They were talking about buying more property for goodness sake. He couldn't believe he was a land owner to begin with. His business owned places but that was different.

"Yeah, I guess celebrities do."

Flotsam gave that one a think. Think, think, think. He suddenly had a flash back to the Hundred Acre Wood.

"Is Valerie a celebrity? Her song was on the radio. Electric Voodoo... I don't know... when you're in metal circuits it's hard to tell. It's niche. Let's do ourselves a favor and never move to LA just in case." He laughed. "And never vacation in New York. So boring. You seen one skyscraper you seen them all. I'm not about the traffic. Unless there's some cool event there let's just keep that off the list."

"Just remind me if we ever lose all our money and we lose all this shit we're gaining that it we can just promise to look back and say it was fun while it lasted. But, that's yes. This is so great. It's like a double birthday. It's getting close. A pre-birthday. We're getting Ireland, er the Emerald Isles. You're buying me the ocean."

That's where the grin blossomed. Thomas was buying him the ocean. The ocean front cottage was already a fun surprise. Getting to keep it was like a fantasy of a life time. He didn't know if it was for sale, but Thomas had a magic bartering mouth. He was good at that with zero threats and everything. Usually. It was right after that right as Flotsam was drawing on his turnip something caught his eye.

"Hey. What's that?" He crawled on all fours setting his turnip aside a moment out a few feet and swept some sand aside. He furrowed his brows as he pulled out a shell. He sat back on his skinny rump again to inspect it with both hands holding it closer to his face, but he was still jazzed on the other topic, grin still spread.

"Giving me the ocean. I can't believe it. I feel like that's a song. He Gave Me the Ocean."

Then he popped the clam shaped shell open. "Look it has both sides." He said curiously and then when he pried the two pieces apart. "Woah. I think. No way. I feel a-" He got up on his knees to pick out the hard piece. "It is. Yes. It is. Look." Then he knee walked up to Thomas to hold a tiny pearl the size of a little friendship bead in the palm of his hand. "Can't believe I really found that.... on our beach too."

Yes. Their beach. He knew it would happen. Once Thomas said something could be true it always could if Flotsam so wanted it. He wanted it.

"What should we do with it?"

Rapunzel could never be Barbie. Her greatest aspiration was to become a social worker, and thank fuck that didn’t work out, or there’d be even more screwed up people out there. She settled quickly on being a mooch. He was still peeved by the fact that she had once talked to his work and got him a week off behind his back and then planned a whole trip to England. Spur of the moment plans? Great! Surprises? Sure! Making a man take a week off work when he was still new-ish to the job and use up all of the vacation days that he ever had, and rid him of the chance of making money that he could have used a lot more than a trip to see his mother? Nah, that’s not right, innit. He’s been stewing on that for near on twenty years.

Laughter was usually a good sign. It didn’t sound too manic. I didn’t exactly sound like the kind of laughter that usually covered up a cry either.

“I’m glad my former misery brings you such comfort,” Thomas said, though he was chuckling. It really was a whole lifetime ago. Plenty of wasted time. But he was making up for it now, wasn’t he? He was exploring the world with his favorite person by his side. Someone who would never put him through all of that annoying disney princess shit. “Practicing is one thing, but having some flouncy woman tell you that you aren’t moving right - oh, it was absolutely tragic. I know about rhythm, thank you very much.”

They were always going to be them. Marriage required being best friends throughout, it was even more important than the romantic aspect sometimes. Having each other’s backs no matter what, always keeping a couple of brews in the fridge to have a chat and bitch about life sometimes. That aspect wasn’t going way.

“Yes please,” He grinned. “Moltov cocktail that bitch, like old times.”

There were still a lot of times when he wanted to go back and time and beat himself over the head, like Rafiki to Simba with that big stick of his. Stop being so stupid. Stop being so pretty-girl-blind. Stop falling for the first person that seems to need you in any capacity. Doesn’t matter that it makes you feel like a big man, just makes you into a beta in the end. But alas, he only met one time traveller and he couldn’t take him that far back, so there was no point in dwelling on it too much. He had everything now. Better late than never.

“Not even a moment over,” He said, making his statement all the more dramatic, but he meant it. Flotsam had one of those ageless-type faces. It was beautiful. Maybe there was something to growing up with the swamp air and muds.

They didn’t need Kuzco in order for things to be musical. Thomas was a natural piano player and Flotsam - he was just skilled at everything else. This bursting out in song moment felt a bit like a musical but it wasn’t nearly as annoying as one. The turnip vendor was very happy with the big purchase and began bagging right away, not commenting on the singing because every good businessman knows that you don’t ask questions when money is being thrown at you.

It wasn’t really a song that he knew but he took part eagerly, watching, holding the stroller until Flotsam took his hand and they did a spin. Impromptu. Not choreographed. Not to Ed Sheeran. Just natural, like dancing was supposed to feel.

It was a good message too. And something that they both did. Enjoy each moment. Look forward to the next, but not at the expense of the present.

--

Thomas had out a knife, was carving the turnip carefully. It felt a lot different to a pumpkin. Most of the ones that he had seen while researching ideas came out looking like mummy heads, which was indeed spooky in its own right but he wanted a couple that were more just .. them.

“It’s no less crazy than when we started looking into properties on our honeymoon,” He said with a little shrug. These grand ideas - they didn’t seem outrageous. They seemed entirely within the realm of possibility. A dream they could reach. “Don’t celebrities do it all the time? I don’t see why we couldn’t. It is a gorgeous spot.”

[ask-the-wordsmith]

hello!!! you're really talented at roleplaying on tumblr and i was wondering if you had any tips on how to write for rps and just generally how to get started if you havent really done it before! thanks so much, ur very cool!!

OHHHH thank you so much for asking!! no seriously, thanks for asking, I’m in a bit of an original-content slump so I will grab any chance to talk about RP and feel better about myself—

First off, I have a writing tag on my most well-known RP blog (percival-queen) with a few posts that might be worth the read if you can get past my rambles. There’s quite a few on getting a RP blog started, at least (things like making icons and whatnot). #[ 2 feathered quills - writing advice ]

But, that’s boring to me, so I’m not gonna rehash any of it! Writing tips below the cut!

The very basics

“Yes, and!” Basically, never negate anything your partner says! And I don’t mean your muse can’t say no to something. I mean YOU, as the narrator, should never change something your partner establishes, even if it’s not what you had planned. Jello gives the funniest and best example of this on an episode of Tip Of The Tongue, where is one guy says “hey dude, pass me the soda!” and the other replies, “there’s no soda! WE’RE ON THE MOON!” ...Yeah. Don’t do that.

Don’t godmod. This is what makes the rule above work. Remember that in role-play, you can only 100% control YOUR muse’s actions. You have 0% control over your partner’s actions: try not to assume even little things, like that they’ll accept a handshake. The world around your muses (such as minor NPCs, weather, and other events neither muse caused) might be a 50-50% split, or one person might have more control than the other— but unless you and your partner really click, it might be best to communicate about this number beforehand. Which reminds me!

Communicate OOC. The amount in which you have to do this varies depending on the length/importance of the thread and how chill your partners are. Goldbricker-ramsey and I almost never planned past the setup (“hey can my muse show up at your muses’s doorstep on the verge of fainting” “YES! ...do you know why?” “nah I’ll figure it out later” “OKAY!”), but donutbadge likes to discuss at least the outline of the entire plot before starting. Everyone is different! Figuring out how much you need to communicate is the first step of communication.

Slightly less basic basics

Conflict is good. In all writing, but ESPECIALLY role-play. Note that this does NOT mean every thread has to have conflict— but something I notice a lot of beginning role-players do is that they (usually subconsciously) avoid any kind of rude/mean/conflict-inducing behavior because it makes them uncomfortable. They feel like they’re doing something wrong. But conflict, whether life-threatening or just siblings yelling at each other, is often the source of the most interesting threads, and can even lead to the best fluff further down the line! This is where OOC communication can come in handy, if you feel nervous about your muse doing something that you wouldn’t do.

*disclaimer for the advice above: do communicate OOC if you’re going to have any “heavy/mature” conflict, or even heavy/mature themes in your thread. If it’s the sort of stuff that needs to be tagged for triggers, you MUST ask your partner about it first.

Remember your character basics. I know this feels like it shouldn’t even need to be said on the list, but it’s insane how much I see this just... not happen. With villains, it might tie into the whole “avoiding conflict” thing, but it’s not villain-exclusive. If your muse’s DEFINING PERSONALITY TRAIT is being a hothead who’s easily ticked off, don’t have them immediately forgive the random guy who bumped into them on the street! I think “nice” muses tend to be easier to play because less people are inclined to make a nice character act mean (unless it’s in the context of a joke or crackpost, and ofc those are fine).

Look for contrasts. With same-world characters and new interactions alike, searching for evident contrasts can get past the awkward “hello my name is x what is your name how do you do” stuff and into the actually interesting dynamics. Contrasts can be anything from “one muse is a farmer and the other is a city boy” to “one muse a pacifist sweetheart and the other is literally a murderer.” Once you’ve found your contrast, look for an excuse to bring it up in IC conversation and let the fun begin! (A classic trope if you want a less-serious thread is one muse not knowing or misunderstanding something, e.x. “hey look a pizzeria!” “a what now?” “YOU’VE NEVER TRIED PIZZA?!?”)

Look for similarities. Contrasts are sometimes harder to find but easier to make threads out of. Similarities are easier to find but less interesting most of the time, so try looking for the unexpected similarities between your muses! Do they have similar backstories? Personalities? Especially if it’s something you’ve never seen explored before, find a reason to bring it up and let the Bonding Moments (TM) happen.

Make strong choices. ...when it’s in-character, of course. Some muses really are just Chill and that’s kinda their Thing, but 99% of them are super expressive— because, guess what, those characters are the best ones for writing, whether in RP or prose! If you have a decision, but it seems kind of boring, go back to your character basics and see if there’s anything you can use to make it stronger.

If a partner muse asks your muse to dance, you know what’d be the most boring answer? “Sure.” Unless you’re part of the 1% of muses that would do Exactly That, you know what would be more interesting? “HECK YEAH!” or “I thought you'd never ask!” or “Really? You’re sure you want to dance with me?!” or... pretty much anything!

The same can even be said when the choice is negative. You know what else is a boring answer to being asked to dance? “No thanks.” Again: unless you’re RPing as the 1%, please, PLEASE give your answer more flavor. “Not in a million years, you shallow jerk!” or “No... I’m sure I’d just step on your feet and get in the way...” or “N-no way, b-baka!” or “(*PANICKED SCREAMING, RUNS AWAY, TRIPS ON THE STAIRCASE, AND DROPS A GLASS SHOE AS THEY FUMBLE WITH THEIR HAIR*)” are all more interesting than the first response.

Get used to feeling out endings. This might take some practice, but what I mean is, try to be aware when you’re reaching the natural conclusion of a thread. A lot of threads just kinda lose momentum and die out, sometimes without even an official end, and while that’s okay (role-play is supposed to be relaxing and for fun!), it’s MORE satisfying to have a thread wrapped up with a nice neat bow. For threads that have conflict in them, the ending should be shortly after the resolution of the conflict— whether good or bad. For non-conflict threads (the ones that read like domestic fics), a good ending is for the characters to finish whatever they’re doing— eating a meal, going shopping, whatever— and wrapping up their conversation at the same time.

There are of course a billion variations on ending threads, and I could probably make a whole post dedicated to the subject, but for now I think this ramble is plenty!

[flowersinmytimemachine]

The German song that mentions Mclennon

Okay so as I've already said, there is a song in German that names John, Paul and also Yoko Ono. They are only mentioned in the chorus but concerning the topic of the song I think it is worth talking about.

The song is called "Kogong" by Mark Forster. (Sollten das hier deutschsprachige Leute lesen, bitte tötet mich nicht :D)

Here is the official music video:

1. About the singer

Mark Forster is a 35-year-old German Singer-Songwriter. He had his first major hit in 2014 and ever since has been able to become one of Germanys most famous pop singers. He is known for his catchy and easy-going tunes. Most of the songs talk about love, self-confidence or just having a good time.

Just like many people, I know a bunch of his songs without really being a fan. They just play his hits on the radio ALL THE TIME. Despite his fame, some people say that his songs literally sound more or less the same. (If you want to get a better idea of his usual sound, some of my favourites are: "Flash mich", "Au revoir", EFF- "Stimme")

Why am I telling you all of this? Well, "Kogong" is quite the opposite of that. Maybe you could hear that this song sounds rather melancholic and slow. And guess what? That piano that you can hear in the background? Yep, that's Pauls piano. Mark Forster literally flew to London just to record this song at Abbey Road Studios. He says:

"We recorded 'Kogong' at Abbey Road Studios, in Studio 2, where the Beatles made all their records. And the piano that you can hear in 'Kogong' is the same piano that Paul Mccartney played 'Let It Be' on. That was quite special for me and my band and I think you can hear that the old Beatles spirit somewhat comes through in it."

Kogong came out in 2017. It was released on the only album by Forster that has an overall more serious sound. So what exactly is "Kogong" about?

2. The lyrics

Here are two pictures, one with the German lyrics and one with a translation by me.

When you read the lyrics, you will probably see that it is kinda hard to understand, especially after only one listen. Quite a few phrases don't seem to make a lot of sense. Well German audiences were not so happy either with this piece. Some said that the melody is good even though nobody was used to this kind of song by Forster. But the comments online seem to share the same opinion on the text: Forster probably only wanted to show that he is also able to write more intellectual sounding songs. Many just view it as avantgardist crap. Then again the video has 20 Mio views on YouTube and is currently his 6th most listened to song on Spotify so 🤔

But now about the interesting stuff. How could ANYONE who knows at least the slightest bit about Mclennon not stumble across this line:

"I am fucking Yoko Ono. My heart is Paul and John."

My heart is Paul and John? Yes Mark, I couldn't have said it any better myself. So ever since this song came out, I was curious what all these confusing lyrics could mean. Where is the connection between this one line and the rest of the song? What did Mark Forster say about it?

3. Interpretation

Here is a statement by Forster:

"Kogong is the sound of the heart when it's listening. The song is about small and big things that my heart told me but that I kind of couldn't really hear. I really hope that I'll be able to pay more attention to it in the future, so maybe this song is my new start."

So the subject of the song is not really able to listen to its heart. Furthermore, the lyrics hint on multiple topics and problems that the person has to face:

Being not happy at all, maybe even depressed ("you're not fine, you're only half-way fine"), this could also suggest that the subject has to keep up a facade while suffering inside

Problems in a relationship, marriage or even having an affair ("what you still want from her", "you hug eachother for far too long")

Self-image, Self-acceptance ("Wherever you are, you will always be yourself", "you need your peace")

The above mentioned quote says that this is a personal song. Another time he said that he realised that he wanted to become a singer while walking on the Road to Santiago (hence the line about hiking).

In another interview he stated that he tries to write in the same way as he thinks minus the rhymes. Overall short phrases which came to his mind.

So in concern of listening to ones heart: The lyrics suggest that the subject is not only unable to listen to its heart but rather actively ignores it due to outer circumstances. ("I don't want to hear a thing and am beating my chest like King Kong.").

Seems like there is a constant dispute between the heart and the subject. Which finally leads us to the line:

"I am fucking Yoko Ono, my heart is Paul and John."

How could a seemingly average pop singer connect a song about inner conflicts, love and self-image to John, Paul and Yoko Ono??

Well Forster said that he literally grew up with the Beatles and that they influenced him deeply. But to connect specific names to this topic, he couldn't only have been enjoying their songs. He has to know about their history and especially about their break-up. I've read a few opinions that "John" is only in there because it rhymes with "Kogong". So if he came up with that name and him being a Beatles fan, maybe the association to John Lennon isn't that far off. But why "fucking Yoko Ono"? Mark says:

"Yoko Ono is often accused of breaking up* the Beatles. And sometimes that's how I feel about my heart: Yoko Ono brings me and my heart apart." (*literally bringing apart)

?Eh?

Tbh that's hella confusing. I think he was kinda joking tho since he also states that the "fucking" is in there because of that British town. Which obviously makes no sense. Since Forster is serious about the rest of the song, its almost like he doesn't really want to talk about the true meaning of that line.

I mean the "John" could have suited only as a filler word at first. But I just don't think that other songwriters would automatically then connect that to Yoko Ono and especially Paul. Furthermore John and Paul form an unity here in the symbol of the heart. Despite the songs topic that's just such an romantic association.

Of course the average listener could easily say that this is all random nonsense. But for me who is genuinely interested in the Beatles/ Mclennon, this line doesn't seem out of context.

So if we take the lyrics of Kogong seriously, Mark Forster connects difficult romantic relationships and listening to your heart with John and Paul. Btw I know that Yoko didn't break up the Beatles, but Mark Forster is only talking about the infamous accusation of such. And even if he's only referring to the rumored breakup, wouldn't it be Beatles VS Yoko or Beatles VS John and Yoko? No, Mark Forster has to put John and Paul on one side and due to the metaphor with the heart, they together are portrayed as something pure, something romantic.

4. Conclusion

Well I can't really break the song down to every little phrase and its possible meaning. I think this post is already long enough 😅

Nevertheless "Kogong" by Mark Forster talks about conflicts with the inner-self concering love or becoming the person that you really are. All of this is quite explicitely connected to John and Paul (and Yoko) in the peak line of the chorus. (Just the way Forster sings this part is so...honest and amazing..). In my opinion, Mark Forster implies a really close (possible even romantic) connection between Paul and John while being put up against Yoko.

Shipping Mclennon or viewing their relationship as very close/romantic is often connected with horny teenagers on social media who make up crazy theories to satisfy their own desires. But here we have a man in his 30s who seemingly hints on similar ideas concerning their relationship in one of his most famous songs. And I know that this is not the first time that pop culture mentions their connection in that way but its actually the first very serious approach that I know of.

And maybe I am really reading too much into all of this. ( I mean I'm a Mclennon shipper after all lol) But in the end we still have a man who flew all the way to London just to sing-scream "I am fucking Yoko Ono, my heart is Paul and John" at Abbey Road Studios and I think that's pretty cool.

If you finished this mess till the end, thank you so much and let me know your opinion on it! ☺️🙌

(Sorry for any writing mistakes and I also have the sources of the quotes at hand, but obviously they are in German)

[abittoolate70]

01-20-22

4/166 days until my birthday

Morning weight: 113

Evening weight: 113

Total calories: 450/500

Tofu stir fry (400) + tangelo (50)

I wasn't hungry today, but I still ate. Whenever I feel like I need to force myself to eat, I have teriyaki tofu because it's always appetizing.

Exercise:

I wasn't able to exercise this morning because I felt like throwing up, but I still did my night stuff and some walking. I really need to post the schedule I'm following.

Journal:

Ok... Today was exciting but I think I nearly had a panic attack. I got asked out by the boy I like (boy 1) and another boy confessed his feelings for me (I think??) as well. So first, some context. The first boy I've only known since this school year, but we have similar interests and he's a hard worker. He's quite nice to me and we walk to some of our classes together. The second boy (boy 2) I've had an on and off crush on since middle school and he has always been drowning me in compliments; you're so pretty, smart, kind, etc. We also hang out quite a bit and he's funny and cute. I really appreciate him but until today I thought he talked about everyone that way. Today I spent lunch with him and some friends (I don't eat lunch lol) and he walked me to my English class. But in my English class (we have the same English teacher, different periods, and he's really talkative with teachers) we did this activity where you had to write about one quality your friends love about you, and then had to read it to the class. My teacher commented a little on everyone's answers, and then she called on me last. I read it, and then she added how boy 2 told her how much he admires me (she said this in front of the whole class). I was really embarrassed because she went on about this for about 5 minutes or so, but I was also extremely flattered and surprised. I should mention that boy 1 is also in this class, and honestly I was too distracted to see how he reacted.

Then afterwards I walked to Spanish (a class I share with boy 1) but boy 1 seemed to be avoiding me considering we usually walk together. Once in class, we talked for a while and then he asked me if I date people. I said the most action I've ever gotten was in elementary school, where you just giggle and give each other cookies (which is true haha). Then he brought up that one of his new years resolutions was to get a girlfriend, and I nodded, and then he was like "ok, I'm making moves right now.." and he looked at me, and I realized he was trying to ask me out. I froze for a good two minutes and my arms started shaking until he finally looked away. I feel really bad but I wasn't expecting it at all and I hope I didn't hurt his feelings or anything. We talked normally afterwards and he still walked me to my next class. I hope things won't be awkward tomorrow.

One positive thing: male attention? Like why? I've never been asked out except for as a joke until today. Are my eyebrows looking extra snazzy or something?

One not so positive thing: lots of homework and now I think I have to choose between two boys I like a lot. I just hope I'm not having some giant misunderstanding or something. I'm planning to text boy 1 to maybe apologize or at least say hi, and I'm also going to thank boy 2 for all the nice things he said about me. If you have any input or advice, I'm desperate.

Motivation for today: being skinnier than I am today on Valentine's day, so that hopefully whoever I'm with doesn't think I'm disgusting.

Also a side note but my mom must have mind reading powers, in the car she was like "any cute boys you want to talk about??" And then she kept pointing out my fellow ROTC members in the street. I love my mom.

I would talk about this to my mom, but she tends to share my business so I don't really want to. And I do have female friend I could talk to about this, but I don't want to risk it.

See ya tomorrow!

[tanejineri]

wait hold on their whole account is like this they're not joking

don't get me wrong i have gripes with certain parts of the game but to consider it a reason to hate the whole thing is jsut kind of absurd to me, like is it really so much of a problem that it takes away from the whole experience?

mother 1 was the 80s, and tbh you'll fucking need ana, idc if she's a glass canon with horrid defense, you're not even going to bother focusing on the sheer fucking ASS she kicks with psi moves. ninten also has no offensive psi, so guess who's winning in that department? she's not incompetent at all, just someone who needs help and the person helping just so happens to be male. and also its the 80s

mother 2 i agree the damsel thing is like whatever, and i'm not sure about the japanese version but the localization was like "oh i chose to be like that" and its like. kind of believable because she also kicks ass in the psi department. ness' psi, sure he's got rockin', is sort of on a similar place as ninten where most of his moves are support (paralysis, flash [i know it has kill chance but its so low it might as well not be more of a support move], im pretty sure he got shields as well but its been a minute since i played m2) while the rest of the offense goes over to the female party member. poo kind of breaks that though so like fair fair

mother 3? there's only so much you can put in a gba cartridge. i hate chapter 3 as well but it's made to have us see how the fuck everything gone to shit? yknow, to give context to the plot? don't get me wrong, i do wish kumatora was developed more, but i wish that for just about everyone in the game. sure she was kind of an afterthought it may appear but there was definitely plans for her according to the background context

a lot of things go over the heads of people like you because of refusal to look at things that aren't directly fed to you. this applies to the other party, sure, but to render everything else void because of the flaws of god forbid an underbaked glass cannon? you wouldn't be saying the same things if they were male. i hate misogyny as much as the next guy but oml please look at cats or something. oh wait the male cats dont treat the female cats very well and would eat their litters-

edit: i forgot about hinawa she's got at least a bit of spunk in her if you're looking for it i'm not sure taking care of children in a clearly joyful manner is tradwife propaganda tho

this is so fucking funny but bait was supposed to be believable giggle

dawg has reblogs turned off because they knew people like me were gonna laugh at them

[isroselalondebisexual]

Heya! If you're still doing trollswap stuff, how do you think John Peixes (there's a Jade and Dave Peixes and I wanna see this boy as tyrian), Rose Ampora (Idk I like Rose as seadweller purple but! that's just me), Jade Leijon (Dog girl...turned cat girl? :0, also Jade as a Witch of Heart is an interesting concept to me!), and Dave Maryam (Idk, Dave as a jadeblood would be cool, especially given that I think the jade caste is female majority?)

John Peixes, raised with as much wealth and power as a troll can have, with a lusus that makes demands but also loves him. Tbeh the idea of John using his power to hurt others is laughable, but I absolutely think that he’s the kind of person who would take advantage of his station to make sure that he’s first in line to see whatever cool new movie/game/interest of his that’s coming out. Is he going to burn down your neighborhood for the sake of a selfie background? No. Is he gonna post hella untagged spoilers for that movie you were looking forward to? You bet your ass. He’s well-intentioned over all, he likes all the warmer castes and has opinions ranging from “I mean what they’re up to is kind of not my business” to “they’re all so funny” depending on the mood of the night, a little condescending but never out of any malice. Nobody’s sure what to make of him because on one hand, it sorta sounds like he could have ideas for radical social reform in that he’s NOT mean to warm bloods and that’s usually how treason presents itself, but on the other hand he’s like… really endearing and his jokes are genuinely funny so most people actually really, really like him and are pretty pleased to be able to say “yes this one is our heir. He’s a little dumb but by god he’s doing his best.” There’s a sort of mutual back and forth of him looking at all of his subjects and going “aw cute” and them looking at him and going “fuck he’s adorable.” It’s possible that John, after maybe getting prompted from Rose or smth, uses his charm and social media presence (he’s got a sizable following, but no one is obligated to subscribe to his various channels) to start up a system where if someone in an area next to you dies, you can inform the heir and his orphaner and those lususes are donated to the cause of “Keep my horrorterror lusus from killing everyone by screaming.” He really doesn’t like killing things, it leaves a bad taste in his mouth and he gets. Weird. When he has to deal with death. So he’s really, really grateful he has a moirail like Rose to help take care of him! As Heir of Life, he’s got a pretty ridiculously high sense of empathy, especially considering the society he was raised in, and sometimes it can get so overwhelming he just shuts down. He’s compassionate, and interested in fixing things, but he isn’t sure how to DO that, aside from just, well, being himself. Taking things as they come to him. The universe is vast and cold and uncaring and he’s only one person in the midst of it all, and he knows that even though he was hatched into a position of pretty high political power, he’s still only ONE troll, and all trolls are killable. So he finds his balance by doing what he can, with what he has, where he is at. His quest is to embody the idea of giving his all, and he is truly awakened when he comes to the conclusion that what he has to give is enough. He is kind enough, tries hard enough, he is good enough just as himself, always bettering the situation around him to the best of his abilities and letting the rest of the universe sort itself out.

Rose Ampora, the most powerful and wealthy troll in Alternia except for one, who she is conveniently pale with. I think she’d be pretty similar to Rose Peixes in that she is driven and ruthless. She is second to no one, she’s top of the hemospectrum, a princess, royalty, she’s smarter, stronger, faster, better and she likes it that way. Her lusus is pretty lax, all things considered, content to go along with whatever she asks Seahorsemom to do, and it’s sort of frustrating that her lusus doesn’t share the same drive as she does, but convenient too, because that means whatever she wants, Seahorsemom will agree to, or at the very least acquiesce. If Rose starts misbehaving, Seahorsemom isn’t likely to enact any discipline, so Rose sort of has the run of the hive. Rose can be pretty mean when she wants to be, convinced of her own authority and superiority and raised on a violent, unfair planet in the deep waters of a violent, freaky ocean. Razor sharp and whip-fast reflexes are necessary to survive the deep sea, and transfer over into her everynight life and conversation styles. John is her best friend, and is the calm to her storm. He’s the one who tells her when she’s being too mean, or when someone wasn’t really trying to pick a fight with her, the one who laughs at other people’s jokes and clues her in that she shouldn’t be tensing up and reaching for her needles, the one who soothes her down and blurs the sharp edges on her, and she’s really, really grateful she has a moirail like John to help take care of her! As Seer of Hope, her goal is to stop focusing so much on the bad, on the violent way things were, she needs to stop thinking that all and any words thrown her way are threats or veiled mockery, and instead try to look towards the good, the prospects of the new world, the way things can become better without having to fight fang and claw for it. She’s always wanted better, you know. Always wanted to be better, herself, better, for her moirail, better, always trying, always clawing desperately for better, but she’s so focused on the negatives that that became impossible for her. As Seer of Hope, she must learn to change her perspective. Also, somewhat unrelated note, but violet Rose would be the best dresser Alternia has ever seen. Just sayin. She’s a disaster at all times always but that sure as hell doesn’t mean she needs to look like one.

Jade Leijon! Raised in a cave in the middle of the woods by an oversized, two-mouthed housecat who loves her! Pounce always seemed pretty spunky, from how Nepeta described her, so Jade still has a high-energy lusus that she can go out gallivanting about with! Jade, I can’t really see being a huntress, which may frustrate Pounce bc go!!!! Hunt!!!! It’s for food!!!!! We are cats!!!! But Jade is very likely content to just eat normal troll food and keeps her rifle on her for protection reasons. Of course, if anything in the forest decides that Jade is prey, it’s gonna lose that fight, and she’ll eat that, but she doesn’t like, go out of her way to hunt things. Having an affectionate cat for a lusus probably means Jade has a good understanding of “tell me to stop touching you and I will” but ALSO is the type of person to get aaaaaaaaaaaaall up in your personal space just like, casually, because she loves you and why wouldn’t she be here!!!! What do you mean you’re busy on the computer no you’re not, it’s time to cuddle with Jade now! Very likely still has her vast variety of interests, but her attention is more apt to flit between them, getting bored with something means immediately dropping it and going to something else. So he’s very smart and very impassioned about her interests, she just has a very non-linear way of going about it! Still super duper friendly and the local sweetheart of everyone, good at finding the way people like to communicate and successfully mimicking the other person’s communication style. This leads to her not being entirely sure of what her own personality is, because she’s a pretty big people pleaser and she feels like she puts on a different “mask” every time she talks to a different person, but really all that means is she’s very in tune to the emotions and personalities of the people she’s engaged with and very skilled at context-based decisions! As Witch of Heart, this is only emphasized, as she is the kind of person who is able to change emotions and the way her soul operates to best fit the needs she is presented with! Her nuanced capabilities are what let her really flourish as Witch of Heart, though sometimes the things that seem obvious to her make her come off as, paradoxically, emotionally distant. OBVIOUSLY her friends feel x way about y things, why are they making everything so complicated??? It’s simple, couldn’t be plainer, her friends are so silly and they can be sorta dumb sometimes, wow! But in reality Jade is the one who has that emotional clarity, and her friends aren’t being dumb, they’re just dealing with feelings and thoughts that are really complicated to them, despite seeming simple to Jade. She’s got a little bit of trouble with understanding that her experiences are not universal- there are some disconnects she’s gotta work through- but she’s deeply caring and very smart so it all works out for the best in the end.

Dave Maryam! So you said that the jadebloods were a female-majority caste and what immediately came to mind was “Dave is trans confirmed” so Dave is trans, confirmed. He lives alone in the desert, with a mothergrub for a lusus and we know the mothergrub really loved Kanaya and was very close to her so Dave has a good lusus, always blessed as a concept 10/10. I imagine he’d actually be really sick of the cold, since deserts get fucking chilly at night, and so he’s more of a daytime person, despite not really knowing why. Obviously he’s not a rainbow drinker, John, that’s absurd. Like how Dave in canon is all “lmao obviously I’m not gay” until he takes the time to figure out that yeah, yeah he is, despite overwhelming signs, that’s Dave with his own rainbowdrinking nature in this. Jade thinks he’s dumb and doesn’t understand what the issue is here. Dave thinks maybe SHES the dumb one, how about that! They’re dumb children and I love them. Isolation is exceedingly not-fun, and Dave can’t really get into photography cause there’s not a lot to photograph out here in the middle of nowhere. Not a lot of shit to die for him to put in jars, either. The ruins he lives close to are very interesting, though, so he ends up something of an archaeologist, digging up those ruins, trying to decipher them, funneling endless hours into those weird rocks and carved frogs and cryptic symbols because it’s one of the only things for him to DO out there in the middle of nowhere. He creates a VAST wealth of comics, also because art is one of the only things he’s able to do out there in the middle of nowhere, and the responses he gets from people who read (but generally don’t fully understand) his comics might be empty and artificial but so is the flimsy validation he gets from seeing his follower count rise and the notes go up. As Knight of Space he is similar to Dave Harley, in that he upholds the balance of the universe and needs to breed the new one, which STILL just means he’s the weird frog dad now. It’s interesting for him bc he always knew he was gonna be working with weird babies of one sort or another, and he was pretty comfortable with the role of fatherhood being something he would eventually assume, but instead of bug people he’s just got. Like. A bunch of weird frogs. Jade come check this out these things are NASTY lol. He enjoys them, but doesn’t form as close of an emotional attachment to them, because he’s been conditioned by Alternia and the structure of how his species reproduces to know that while they’re temporarily in his care, he must eventually set them off to go do their own things (like, say, becoming the universe, for example). His role as a father of these weird paradox frogs is the method by which he protects the universe and it’s existence, which is something that makes him feel incredibly important and gives him a sense of wholeness, which he deserves. 

[sparatus]

Thank you, and no problem! So I've had a couple of different ppl (both autistic and allistic) tell me I should get tested bc I have a lot of the behaviors/thought patterns. I took a few online tests (the AQ ones, geared towards aspergers) and I got 37/50 ("very likely"). My question is, do you think I should get tested officially? What do you even do once you're diagnosed? Or just whatever advice you can think of off the top of your head.

OK NOW THAT IM OUTTA CLASS

tb totally h there’s this weird phenomenon i’ve noticed where like….. us autistics can tell when someone is either one of us or adjacent to us. it’s like gaydar but for autism. we can usually tell when somebody’s on the spectrum, and if they’re not then they’re displaying symptoms well enough to trick a very fine-tuned sixth sense. so if u’ve got autistic friends saying u might be on the system i’d say listening to them is a good bet, ur probably at least displaying similar behaviors.

also i applaud u 4 going for multiple tests, lord knows there can be discrepancies and inaccuracies in self-reporting so it’s good to check multiple sources. i’d also suggest looking up lists of symptoms and traits, both typical and atypical since atypical autism is a lot more likely to be missed!! my autism is significantly more atypical, so i wasn’t diagnosed until i was 15. this is a pretty good list of atypical traits.

honestly, getting tested is up to you. it’s useful for me, because i have a lot of traits and needs as an autistic person where being able to inform people of my diagnosis saves everyone involved a lot of unpleasantness. my diagnosis also brings me a form of comfort in that i can point definitively to it and say “this is why i’m doing x” or “this is why y distresses me more than it does everyone else.” it’s putting a name to a problem.

if you think being diagnosed could help you in some way, or if it would make you feel better to know for sure whether or not you’re autistic, then by all means, seek help. word to the wise, if you do decide to go for testing, you’ll want to do a bunch of soul-searching beforehand and lay out all your evidence. armchair physicians drive everyone nuts, especially shrinks. but if you don’t really think it would make much difference either way, then maybe don’t go for it, that’s okay too!! it’s 100% okay to just leave it at “i’m not diagnosed, but i do display symptoms.”

and if you do go for it, and you do get diagnosed, then, well, you get to decide where you go from there, don’t you? personally, i spent a lot of time digging through memories and figuring out how many things suddenly made sense in context of undiagnosed autism (spoilers, i started genuinely wondering how nobody figured out something was wrong sooner). i know a lot of people find comfort in autisticcharacteroftheday’s posts, because it can be comforting to look at all these different characters who are like you. i’ve submitted quite a few characters to it, personally proudest of saren, daro’xen, and thundercracker (of transformers fame) ;)

ultimately, if you do get diagnosed, the biggest thing is to just realize that all it changes is now you have something to explain “odd” or “eccentric” behavior. it’s not the kind of news where you have to move to a commune or whatever. it’s a label to explain how your brain is wired, is all. you may need time to come to terms with it, you may just go “ah, okay, cool,” and move right the fuck on with your bam-slam-oh-hot-damn-in’ life. there’s no one way to approach it.

(and, fun note, if you do get diagnosed, you can make fun jokes about it!! i personally love to say the grand high shadow autism council has claimed a certain character as autistic or decreed allistics can no longer do z irritating-and-honestly-offensive thing or demanded sacrifice of w allistic characters or whatever. it’s fun!! humor is a wonderful tool!!)