#Can't believe I was concerned that it might not be the same as my archives obsession

[theboredbori]

Damn, this Magnus do be Protocol-ing

Aka I am incredibly normal about them always, here's my current designs of Sam and Alice, they're so!!!! I love them!!!

Designs might be revised later on etc etc, it literally took me 3 hours yesterday to come up with a design for Alice that captures her essence

Talk to me about protocol I'm going insane

[nezumithewriter]

season three of the magnus archives was fucking awesome

ep 81: "guess who got framed for murder" "anyways my childhood was fucked up"

ep 82: "it was a little bloody and i didn't like daisy" - my mother

ep 83: "JON? There's a weird letter in the mailbox for you. Says.. uh... 'statement of'" jon crashing through the wall with tape recorder sfx

ep 84: I GOT A JOB AT THE MAGNUS INSTITUTE?!? (I'M INEXTRICABLY TIED TO A BEING BEYOND MY COMPREHENSION)

ep 85: The man was there but also wasn't, fuck you want from me?

ep 86: Holy fuck i love melanie king i can't think of a funny 3am joke for this one except i can WORKING MY JOB AT THE MAGNUS ARCHIVES (READ A PAPER ABOUT CHILDHOOD TRAUMA) (MY COWORKERS NEED THERAPY) but seriously i love melanie king so much i need her to get out of there and to safety

ep 87: the Stranger watching this plumber with adhd swag walk in, fix their pipes, and leave despite all of the dead people's faces being cut off around him

ep 88: DIG.

ep 89: girlboss explains her fire fetish to concerned eldritch entity in training, oh and also AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

ep 90: dude calm the fuck down they're just doing some reps on the high bar so what if they have no eyes it's fine dude why are you running

ep 91: Daisy Tonner kills mr. blue sky

ep 92: Elias really said "acab, also i killed gertrude and leitner lol. we're at war with a dozen or so eldritch abominations"

ep 93: Jonathan Sims explains the magnus archives lore to his friends after reading a statement about the corruption from terraria

ep 94: "the monster stole all of my 'give a damn' many years ago"

ep 95: Basira reading her alchemy book two feet away while Martin has a crisis over the fact he can feel the emotions of the statement giver when recording

ep 96: Jon and Daisy do a silly and commit a crime or two (broke and entered, murdered a mandela catalogue alternate, etc)

ep 97: "Are you going to kill me?" "What?? No!!!" "..." "well not rn!!!"

ep 98: "Are you worried about getting fired?" Melanie on her way to commit attempted murder

ep 99: Jonathan Sims gets kidnapped by the clown police (ASMR)

ep 100: can't believe we got The Spiral, The Desolation, The Web, the Dark/Buried, the Lonely in the same episode. the statements were so well done and the were clear and precise

ep 101: "why is the door locked" michael, 2 seconds before helen has a gamer's rise up moment

ep 102: knives, beetle wives, french, oh my!

ep 103: jon really said "fuck it we ball" and decided to use his eldritch powers to be petty

ep 104: "Tim! I might be an eldritch monster but that was unacceptable!"

ep 105: "你说中文?" "no i don't speak chinese"

ep 106: FUCK YOU ELIAS (GONE WRONG) (I WANT THIS BITCH DEAD)

ep 107: JON EATS THE STATEMENTS AND ALSO TREVOR AND JULIA ARE THERE THIS IS THE FIRST EPISODE WHERE I FELT INCREDIBLY EXCITED IS THIS WHAT MCU FANS FELT LIKE ENDGAME

ep 108: "Was he… woOoOo?" -- Basira Hussain, 2017

ep 109: FNAF but with three screaming corpses and a guy

ep 110: trans cinematographer deconstructs the film industry (and mr spider is there too)

ep 111: Jon interviews an emo book (real)

ep 112: #1 Victory Royale

ep 113: "STOP-- touching the plastic explosive"

ep 114: daisy and tim getting happy over the prospect of exploding a circus

ep 115: delicious, finally some good fucking food

ep 116: fuck your dance in particular *CANNON SFX*

ep 117: "hope we don't die!" vs tim and daisy's "fuck it we ball"

ep 118: Martin gets to commit arson-- FUCK YOU ELIAS FUCK YOU ELIAS FUCK YOU ELIAS FU

ep 119: genuinely one of the coolest episodes i've ever listened to due in part to the fact that i was just as confused as the characters (i listened without a transcript). The ways the stranger fucks with the archives team while they're slowly going insane from how much they've forgotten and no longer understand is phenomenal. I'm gonna miss Tim.

ep 120: world's weirdest clipshow that ends with police brutality

[officialtrashbin]

Reading preview:

“Why on God’s green earth do ya have an anti-mutant collar under your pillow, Cajun?”

Gambit raises his hands in surrender. “Would you believe Remy if he said it a weddin’ gift?”

“Course Ah wouldn’t!”

Gambit blinks and realizes Rogue has closed the distance between them when he wasn’t paying attention, her other palm splaying over his heart as if assuring it still functions. She might feel it threatening to beat out of his chest just to get closer to her. Close enough to touch.

Her pretty nose wrinkles up at him. “Start talkin’ or Ah’m confiscatin’ it.”

The cursed thing was borrowed, contrary to anyone’s knowledge, from Professor Xavier’s vault of precarious items assembled along the walls like war medals. Science projects. Doo-dads. Gadgets weaponized against the mutant menaces, or something to that headache-inducing extent. Gambit had been raised and honed a thief, and the vault hadn’t been particularly reinforced to prevent a nightly excursion or two.

“It not like anyone else were usin’ it,” he says. “Gambit wanted to see if it help him sleep.”

Rogue’s eyebrow quirks. “You’re a terrible liar for such a petty thief.”

Perhaps he’s just bad at lying to her (and Storm, because that woman possesses an uncanny third eye for punching straight through his nonsense). She only caught him at all because he was bad at hiding secrets from her, too, and noticed the collar peering out from under his pillow in the middle of an otherwise casual pass to bid him goodnight.

“Maybe you just got a good eye,” he replies.

“Why do ya have it, really? Can't keep avoidin’ my questions, Swamp Rat, or Ah’ll just keep houndin’ ya like a fly to a horse’s rear.”

“Dat sounds promisin’. I quite like havin’ you around, chere.”

Her expression shifts, all at once too sad for him to endure, and to his horror, the honesty reaches her eyes. Bella Donna looked the same way the night he left her behind.

His gut fills with concrete and he catches her hand in his. “Anna—”

“Please, Remy. For once could ya be honest with me?”

The truth: he wears it as needed like a cool hand to a fever, such a temporary relief from the reality of the agony gradually building inside of him, a soda bottle shaken to the edge of expulsion. He’s been enduring too many days lately with his nail under the cap of disaster. A single night with the collar has been enough of a momentary relief to realign his power for a week or two, at least, though sleeping in it has given him such an awful crick behind his shoulder he can’t reach.

The truth: such information will regularly intercept his routine with long days under Ol’ One Eye’s watch and more concerned glances than he knows how to deflect. He neither wants to worry Rogue nor hurt anyone who isn’t himself when the situation inevitably goes tits-up, so the collar has been his long term short-term contingency plan.

The truth: he’s scared of hurting Rogue.

The truth: he’s scared.

[detransdamnation]

I think I might not actually be trans but I don't know where these feelings come from then, what caused them and what to do against my dysphoria. I just want to be a woman again. do you have any resources on this? thank you in advance

Hey there, Anon.

Unfortunately, there aren't too many resources for dysphoric detransitioned people and what few do pop up either don't last long, cater exclusively to youth or the parents of them, or (in my personal opinion) don't actually do all that much to tangibly help us as people. That isn't to say that the resources do not exist, period—but from what I have seen, they are largely community-based and almost exclusively online (which can open its own can of worms), as academic and medical efforts where they do exist more often concern dysphoric people who are actively transitioning, or wish to make that leap.

That being said, frustrating circumstance does not mean that you cannot take steps to try to help yourself. It's difficult for me to know what, exactly, to suggest, as I don't know you, so I can't make too many assumptions on what, specifically, may have contributed to your dysphoria and what you may find helpful. But not all hope is lost. I scoured the Internet looking for something that could help you, and although most of what has been put out there suffers/ed from the same things I listed above, I did find one organization that may be of interest to you. Gender Dysphoria Alliance aims to better understand dysphoria, all the ways it can present, and the best ways to help those affected by it. This could be helpful to you if you are looking specifically for well-rounded conversation that is supportive of detransitioners and centric of homosexual and female sex rights, critical of the ways in which the transgender community approaches things but also not inherently gender-critical and not necessarily dismissive of transition as a legitimate option for some. There is a members' forum specifically for those who are impacted by dysphoria to participate in, although in order to join, you will need to receive approval from a moderator to ensure the space remains reflective of its intent and target group.

Insofar as the process of working through dysphoria goes, if you are wondering where to start, I came across this archived Substack post entitled Alternatives to Transition: A step-by-step guide to thinking your way out of dysphoria without repressing it*. This is a short, concise article which, coincidentally, outlines more or less the same approach I took (and still try to take) when dealing with my own dysphoria; that you said "I just want to be a woman again" in your submission makes me think it may be helpful for you as well. In essence, dysphoric people—as a feature of our dysphoria—are prone to hyper-analysis and extreme black-and-white thinking. We tend to see (the ideas of) men and women as (often rather extreme) caricatures of stereotypes—leading us to believe that we are, or are meant to be, the opposite sex (or even another gender entirely) because we do not fit those stereotypes. In the process of this re-identification, we lose the ability to understand that very few people are actually adequately described by any of their sex's stereotypes to a T—and simultaneously, that virtually no non-dysphoric person looks at menial things and categorically assigns them a gender (in general, or to know how to conform or not to conform) like we do. In short, we're too in-our-own-heads emotionally to logically understand how things actually are. This isn't our fault as dysphoric people—but it does mean we're unlikely to get anywhere until we learn to reformulate our thinking. This post gives you specific direction on how to start that process.

But dysphoria rarely happens "just because," and in deconstructing your own, you may find that your dysphoria was only secondary to another, greater issue, whether environmental or psychological. This is a little more difficult to give guidance on, as dysphoria which has been influenced by the surrounding environment isn't something that one can change overnight, or even necessarily escape from. As far as psychological issues go, it'd be easy for me to suggest therapy; however, I don't like to because I find it to be a canned response, especially nowadays. It's unhelpful to people who do not have the monetary means to go to therapy, as well as insensitive to those who have had bad experiences which turned them off or even set them further back.

On top of this, what is a great barrier for dysphoric detransitioners in finding psychological help is that many gender psychologists are geared to only support circular, gender-affirmative treatment (i.e., transition is the cure for your dysphoria because you are transgender) in their practice, which—should go without saying—isn't helpful to us as detransitioners, and may even inadvertently harm us. I don't mean to dissuade you from going this route if you feel you need it, or to be overall pessimistic about the state of things (although I'll admit I am)—but I also find it imperative to be honest about the difficulties you may face in finding someone who would be beneficial to you in your specific situation. I will say that in my research for you, I did find one website which offers more well-rounded therapy for dysphoric people; however, it's not something I'm personally comfortable publicly endorsing on my blog because the website itself admits that the advertised therapists are not vetted by the organization itself (meaning at minimum, they agree with the mission statement and probably won't blindly affirm your dysphoria—but that's about all that's guaranteed). Still, if you would like to have this on hand regardless, you are free to message me for the link.

Finally, if you happen to be struggling with the ways in which the transgender community or gender theory has harmed you but are struggling to put the "why" and "how" into words (or just want reassurance that you're not crazy for feeling hurt), I'd like to direct you to The New Thought Crime*. This is a series of five blog posts. Very long read, very information-heavy. However, when I was in your same position coming up to three years ago now, teetering between the two paths, not sure if I even wanted to "take the risk" and disenfranchise myself from something I had spent so many years working so hard to carefully craft for myself, this was what ripped the blinders off and forced me to realize just how much I was harming myself by transitioning. Nothing has ever made me feel so seen and heard in such a dark place. It is initially advertised as for detransitioned women but it is genuinely helpful to everyone no matter their sex, identity, or previous or current relationship with the community. I would recommend it to anyone and everyone.

I hope this points you in the right direction. I wish you luck and perseverance.

*P.S. If you find either of these posts helpful, it would be wise to save them elsewhere, as The Wayback Machine as of late seems to be falling short of its prerogative in archiving lost or deleted Internet pages. Go figure.

[creativitytheemotion]

Inside Out reImagined - Read Me

Many of you browsing the tags I use are probably fans of Inside Out (2015). Some of you might even think that Inside Out is peak cinema.

I most likely do not share your views, and for that reason, I ask you to keep an open mind as you proceed.

If worst comes to worst, you can always just back away, add me to the AO3 Saviour list and forget I ever existed.

Okay?

Now, then, let's begin.

Also, CW: abuse, depression, possibly unwarranted hatred towards a children's movie

Backstory

Inside Out reImagined is an AU that came to me in 2019, as I was in a prolonged personal low. It was a time during which I was abused, gaslit and constantly told to reconsider my tastes in basically everything. I have since cut off all ties with the abuser, to the point where I can't even tell you his current social media, but experiences of the abuse, both in thoughts at the time and thoughts today, have come to shape the AU.

Largely, the AU is "about" the same things that the movie is about: funny emotion people controlling a girl's mind. However, as myself and the abuser were both constantly in pursuit of a Higher Creative Standard™, we may have torn Inside Out to shreds.

The abuser, of course, had no interest in piecing back the shreds to a cohesive story, or pursuing fanfic in any meaningful way after he ended up making enemies with the entire The Incredibles fandom. I did, however, and all on my own, I created a brand new worldbuilding for Inside Out from the ground up.

By November 30, 2019, the draft of the fanfic was largely complete, and in the hands of a neurotypical without ongoing trauma, could very well have entered editing and been published in its entirety as early as 2020. However, the abuse ended up reflecting on me and I slowly burned bridges without realising that I burned bridges, leaving me even worse off than I was when I started.

Since then, I always kept reImagined tucked away safely in the back of my mind, even as I pursued other fanfic projects. However, the only real impetus to actually finish what I started came when Inside Out 2 came along, this year. Since then, I have attempted to keep a steady schedule, but have been affected by burnout.

Broadly

The first seven chapters that are currently up (FanFiction.Net, Archive of Our Own, Wattpad) should be self-explanatory enough with regards to the worldbuilding, as I've written them targeting people who aren't even fans of Inside Out. However, just to reiterate:

The mind, in the reImagined AU, is dominated by two distinct forces: Imagination and Consciousness. Imagination represents limitless potential, and therefore, can be used to perform any sort of imaginable feat. However, Consciousness is responsible for keeping certain mechanisms of the mind in check, and acts as a balance for Imagination.

Imagination is subdivided into five elements, which is where the familiar five emotions come from. Consciousness can also be subdivided into elements, but this shouldn't concern you if you're not writing about the mind of a traumatised person, which Riley is not in this universe.

By the way, about Riley: in this AU, she's moving to China. I just felt like the stakes weren't high enough in the movie.

From this foundation - Imagination and Consciousness in interplay - as well as research on actual neuroscience, as well as how I perceive the mind to be, I've constructed a whole new worldbuilding for an Inside Out-like story. However, as I've prioritised the worldbuilding, the plot had to adjust accordingly. It wouldn't exactly be fun if Joy could solve every problem she came across via use of her Imagination, now, would it?

More?

I could talk endlessly about how reImagined addresses every single flaw and plot hole that I believe Inside Out to have. That being said, I fully realise that if you don't see these flaws, then I'll just be yapping into the void. Instead, I'm going to quietly continue working on the fic, and if you're interested (in either hearing more or providing concrit on my text), you're always welcome to join the reImagined Discord: https://discord.gg/TnhzEmSMsP

[mack3030]

This advice comes from the experience of a good friend of mine, who is a recolorist and converter. She creates all of her content either by recoloring the meshes of others or converting things from other 3D games and posting them with proper credit for FREE. She has a very specific taste and tends to convert or recolor items into things she would use for her own unique gameplay style, so needless to say most of her items are pretty original. [Also the person being spoken of will not be tagged anywhere in this post. :D] However, she recently decided "Hey, my pantry is a bit low in game. I'd really like to have some IRL food items in the Sims 4." So she made a few things, like Velveeta cheese, etc. Real brands, recolored from other people's meshes, that she wanted in her game. So she released them for free because she thought other people might want them. She is far from the first person to do so, I can think of plenty of other creators, free and paywalled who have done the same such as beansbuilds, yourdorkbrains, and others. This isn't new, and nobody can "copyright" this idea right? Hahahaha. Wrong. In comes this paywaller, who in addition to paywalling "food" items that multiple other creators could make and release for free, also paywalls things like store signs and other things that bill-l-s4cc and beansbuilds easily can make and release for early access. Oh, and she uses adfly, so if you want any of her "free" releases you have to risk a virus. 🤢 She sends an "ask" to my friend, saying "Hey is it just me or are you making the exact same stuff as me?" Thankfully, my friend can answer this ask privately so she does saying "Hey, no I'm not. I made items for my own game, and they're items that are food items bought en masse around the world in stores, and I'm not the only creator that does this so...thanks for the concern I guess?" Only to get another ask from that creator who was like "Oh I guess I'll believe you but I'm a small time creator trying to get my name out there, and it's hard when bigger creators make the same things I make my things." [Paywaller translation: I'm butthurt that you made recolors of items I made because they are typical grocery items, because now people will come to you for them since you offer them for free, and I can't charge people for them behind my paywall!] Can the audacity get any higher? Oh yes it can. After my friend responded saying "Uh. Sorry to burst your bubble but branded grocery items aren't original and lots of creators are doing them and I've already got people in my inbox who have requested other items that are grocery items and when I have energy I do plan to get to them..." The paywaller has to raise the snark level higher "Oh and I saw you made *insert specific food item here* right after me. But then you deleted it. Just reminding you if you do take ideas from others it's not okay!" At which point my friend was REALLY confused because she had not made that food item and didn't delete any posts. She of course responded "Uhm. I didn't make that food item, and you must be confusing me with another food creator because if you look back at all my posts there's nothing there, and my blog is archived in the wayback machine so you can confirm I didn't make those items. Good luck I guess?" So what can we learn, new creators? First, CC that involves making "food items" that have real life brands is not a new thing. Multiple creators do it. It's not a niche market. This also goes for signs for businesses, as well as other items related to certain brands. {Ex: a mcdonalds set with mcdonalds food items and outfits}. Also, those brands have copyright over THEIR logo and trademark. This goes for paywallers AND free CC creators. Anyone putting that logo or trademark into the sims 4 game is putting themselves at risk of getting copyright striked in general. Now chances are those brands are going to be LESS likely to copyright strike you if you are releasing your stuff for free or early access because you are not actively trying to profit off their brand. But

paywallers beware, as you're showing intent of trying to profit off their brand. And if the right people are notified...that could be a bad day for you. Second, you probably shouldn't bully more experienced creators just because you are butthurt that they are releasing similar things to you. The only way you can have a real claim against them is literally if they use the same mesh/model you converted, steal a model you made, or they are stealing your textures/graphics. {Or in a recent case I can think of, trying to make their advertising graphics look uncannily similar to your unique advertising/preview graphics intentionally.} In the words of a pretty wise book, "There is nothing new under the sun." In communities like this people will have similar ideas and do similar things. But unless there is actual texture/graphics/model theft going on, or the person is literally releasing a very SPECIFIC and NICHE item right after you do {ex: a cat shaped yarn bowl}, it's probably just a funny twist of coincidence. Anyway, needless to say, don't be this way. Period.

[8uggestionamplifie6]

I've been thinking. Would Anakin and Padme actually be good parents?????

Like, think about this realistically.

Anakin already has a kark ton of problems. For one, he does NOT know how to love unpossessively. Two, he is already super controlling and kinda toxic(?).

If he leaves the Jedi Order to be with Padme and the twins, he would never learn the difference between attachment and love.

(And yes there is a freaking difference. Love is when you care about someone to the point where you want them to be happy, even if it's not with you. Attachment is when you 'love' someone so much that you can't stand the thought of that person being with someone else that isn't you. There is a very clear difference. Even George Lucas said it in a few interviews.)

Like, I'm pretty sure Obi-Wan tried to teach Anakin the difference, but Anakin just never understood it or didn't want to accept it. Anakin wasn't raised in the Temple. He wasn't taught Jedi beliefs and the difference between love and attachment on a daily basis by the creche masters. Instead, he had been freed from slavery, separated from his mother, Qui-Gon got killed, and he experienced a MASSIVE culture shock once he was accepted into the Temple, and he had been paired with an (although good) unwilling master AKA Obi-Wan who only accepted Anakin as his student because of Qui-Gon's final words.

Yes, I know, they do eventually develop an actual strong relationship, but the main reason Obi-Wan fought for Anakin to become his padawan in the first place was because of Qui-Gon. The only reason why Anakin was even accepted into the Order was because of Qui-Gon and later, Obi-Wan's insistence to keep his promise to Qui-Gon.

(Also? Really Qui-Gon? You had nothing to say to your Padawan who was basically your son? Even when you appeared in the Clone Wars, you hardly even cared about Obi-Wan, you just obsessing over Anakin. Like, I get that he's the 'Chosen One' or whatever, but I don't care. You don't treat your apprentice/son like that. And then you had the audacity to force a guilty and crying Obi-Wan who was holding your dying body to promise to train Anakin Skywalker, who Obi-Wan didn't even like for that matter? Like? Bish, you ungrateful nerfherder.)

As I said, Anakin doesn't understand how to love like securely and non-possessively. He was probably taught it by Obi-Wan and the rest of the Jedi, but that information clearly went through one ear and straight out the other.

Maybe Anakin would be a good parent for the first few years of Leia and Luke's lives, but the moment puberty hits? BAM! Helicopter parent right there!

This mainly concerns Leia because in Anakin's mind, she's a girl, she's not a trained force-sensitive, so she can't protect herself, and she's HIS daughter, she shouldn't do this or that, she can't have this or that. She can't have male friends, she can't hang out with any guys, etc. Because Anakin doesn't want Leia to not spend time with him or not be there constantly. He's controlling and he wants to control her life. Like I said, she is HIS daughter, not her own person (scroll all the way to the bottom for an explanation). He'd likely refuse to let Leia go to any parties, talk to any boys, or even have a basic social life.

Things might be a little different for Luke. Anakin might not be as controlling but will still be controlling to some degree.

Moreover, Padme would NOT reign him in or even stop him. She's already shown in AOTC and ROTS that she is perfectly willing to make excuses for any and all of Anakin's bad terrible decisions even though the evidence is right there in front of her face.

Like, she seriously tryna make me believe that killing a ton of innocent people in the Tusken village is good? Sure, maybe SOME of them might have deserved it, but all of them? No, they didn't, especially not the poor innocent kids. Like, Padme, is you good in thy head or not? You ain't see no red flags?🚩🚩🚩 anybody?

Also, in ROTS, she knows that Anakin is fully capable and willing to kill innocent people if he believes someone he loves is in danger/dead, but when Obi-Wan tells her what Anakin did in the Temple to the Younglings, she tryna act all slick like, "I don't be knowing what you talkin about", even though she clearly does. She seen Anakin confess what he did to the Tuskens and now she tryna lie? And on her death bed, she tryna convince me and Obi-Wan that Darth Vader is still good, like, did the dude NOT just strangle you and kill a bunch of innocent people?

I may be dumb, but I'm not THAT dumb, okay? I understand what murder is. Anakin just straight up shanked all of the Jedi in the Temple with the 501st.

Like, bruh, I get you smart and all, Padme, and you a senator and all, but I don't know if have any more brain cells than I do money when it comes to Anakin. And I have 0 dollars right now.

So, like, no, I don't think Padme would stop Anakin in the slightest. She'd probably make more excuses for him, like "that's how he shows his love for you" or "just get over it, Leia" or even "he's your father, let him do what he wants".

In short, the freaking helicopter parenting would continue and Luke and Leia are gonna be trapped because they ain't no trained Jedi. They can't do shit and they are still minors.

Leia/Luke might even run away from home or even Fall (*extreme case**very extreme and unlikely but still possible*) 'cause they are force-sensitive y'know.

Freaking Court might even get involved. Some lawyers might also be called up. Luke and Leia better make sure to dial the numbers of some therapists for their parents, too, and also maybe a mind healer. Neither of your parents are straight in their heads.

Anyways, none of yall gotta agree with me 'cause this is just my opinion, but at least look at it from my point of view first before you hate on me in the comments. Like, I really hope that Anakin and Padme would be good parents but I just don't see it working out (????).

I hghly recommend this fanfic for any interested reader. It explains the problems of helicopter parenting from Anakin very nicely, so please read it. Also, please read some of the comments.

There's more!!! ⬇️⬇️⬇️

Let me share something:

"A desperate parent hovers; a good parent guides."

Every parent needs to learn to let go of their kids eventually. The kids are going to leave the nest sooner or later and the parent needs to understand this.

Maybe, during the first 15 years or so, the parent can hover, but once that kid starts wanting to be independent, you gotta start giving that kid some space.

Like a bird, they gotta spread their wings and they can't do that if they stay cooped up in the nest for the rest of their lives. No baby bird is gonna fly immediately after they gain their wings and feathers. They gotta stretch them out first, do a few practice runs, and then they'll finally know how to fly.

Same thing for your kids. If they want independence but you know that they can't handle it yet, just give it to them. They gotta learn somehow. They gotta practice. And you just gotta be there to catch them if they fall.

You can stop hovering and instead start guiding. Because your son/daughter isn't just YOUR child anymore—they're becoming their own person and you need to realize and accept that. They're becoming an adult and your equal, so you gotta stop treating them like they're just your kid. Bc they're both your kid and their own person and you gotta realize that.

You can't keep your kids in the nest forever. Sooner or later, they're gonna rebel against your hovering and they'll cut you out of their lives bc you're being a toxic influence on them and they know it. Then, despite all your desperate hovering to keep your kids safe and in the nest, YOU are going to be the reason why your kids don't want you in their lives anymore.

You just gotta let go.

Yes, you can hover like a desperate parent for the first ten and a half years of your kids' lives, but eventually you're gonna have to stop doing that. Because they aren't dumb ten year olds anymore that need your constant hovering. Now they're teens and now they're adults who are experiencing the real world.

And the only thing you can do is accept that your kid has grown up. Or they will grow up. Or they are growing up.

You just need to cross the line from hovering to guiding.

You gotta let go of the bike sometime and let your kid ride on their own without the training wheels.

You just gotta cross that line. Maybe it'll be a little hard, but when was parenting ever easy? I know that it'll hurt to have to let your kids go, but you just gotta trust them.

You have already spent the last nearly two decades loving them, caring for them, and teaching them all you know. You just have to hope that they'll keep your lessons and teachings close to their hearts and that they'll listen to the occasional advice or two.

You just gotta trust your kid and your parenting skills, and cross that line.

Your son/daughter has become their own person. And the only thing you can do is be there for them, be ready to support them, be ready to give some of your wisdom, and trust that they'll succeed.

For helicopter parents, however, they never cross that line between hovering and guiding, and I'm not sure Anakin would be able to either.

[p1nkwitch]

@lonelyeyesweek

Day 1 - First Meeting

Peter was very reluctant to go to the Magnus institute funding party; uncle Nathaniel informed him that one of his new duties would be to make business with James Wright and he really didn't want to do that. A beholder… What a nightmare.

I would've stayed at home

'Cause I was doin' better alone

Peter was very reluctant to go to the Magnus institute funding party; uncle Nathaniel informed him that one of his new duties would be to make business with James Wright and he really didn't want to do that. A beholder… What a nightmare.

The party was unfortunately the most informal way to meet the man, otherwise he would be forced to enter a small room with the watcher to make sure he didn't dry up his family money for an indefinite amount of time.

So he was really dreading the moment he would be meeting this man, Simon kept telling him that James was an old friend and that it would be fine, that he was actually funny beneath all the politeness, however he wasn't so sure about that.

Due to Simon’s and his uncle’s influence he has a very loose idea of some boring old man, a type of academic with a nondescript look that he will forget as soon as he leaves.

With any luck he would just make his acquaintance today and then he may go from the party, Peter preferred to be at home instead of dilly dallying with the masses. As much as he likes to observe people, he likes it better when it's on his own terms and when he is not forced to be part of an event.

So he goes with very little hope for the night, the only positive is that he may get some free food and some alcohol, albeit champagne will not do much for him.

The moment Simon sees him, he zeroes on him and stays nearby talking about his trips to Europe. He also tells him about a few sacrifices he made that actually seemed rather interesting. Still Peter preferred the ones he committed at the ocean, but he knew the man was always more partial to the sky so its not surprising they are all on that vein.

“What about you Captain? You have a few voyages under your belt now lad, how did those go? Were they to your liking?” And the answer to that is a bit complicated, Peter is still getting used to handling a ship, his crew hasn't been properly trained yet to keep themselves in check so he has to… ugh make a few rules.

The other problem is that most of his crew is formed of older, more experienced sailors. Peter is 26 and unfortunately has a rather… soft looking face, he has been trying to grow a beard to at least make himself look a bit more rugged or older looking, but that will take time and he just has a five o’clock shadow for now. It will take him months to have anything resembling what he wants. The graying hair does work a bit better, that he can count for at least.

He is considering hiring someone to relay his messages to, so that way he can stay away most of the time and he can practice his solitude in peace. He really would love to not be perceived until he looks like he wants.

“Its ok, I still need to figure out a few things to be honest, I would love it if the crew was a bit less…”

“Talkative?”

“Friendly” Simon nods at him and pats his shoulder before going back to another story of a trip he made like 250 years ago. It is quite interesting, albeit Peter gets struck with how old the man is. Most of the time he can forget it, easy to do when Simon is so lively, but when he tells him these stories…. hard to ignore in all honesty.

Picking up an offered champagne glass he listens distractedly wondering when he will meet the man organizing this whole charade.

The older man talks to him but at some point his sentence drifts off and he looks behind him with a grin. A bit lost and now concerned, those grins never end up well for him, Peter turns back to check what exactly was his companion watching.

The answer comes to him like a hit to the face.

An older man talking and entertaining several people at the same time, Peter doesn't realize that he was gripping his glass very tightly until Simon waves and calls for the man over.

He wasn't boring looking like his uncle or very, very old like Simon. He must be in his fifties, he was dressed up impeccably with a black shirt that had his sleeves rolled out to his elbows, a deep green vest with golden details and dark green pants.

The man also has a pencil moustache and a few moles near his jaw, which made him stand out. He was also a bit shorter than him, but most people are so that doesn't surprise him.

The air of surety, of knowing he had made him feel bigger than he was however.

Peter swallows and feels his face warm up for reasons he can't comprehend.

When the man turns around towards Simon, he can see his eyes-

Grey.

Peter never looks anyone to their eyes and yet, and yet-

For a second it feels as if the man also froze looking at him, he had a look of….surprise almost?

But it was only for a second, the next thing Peter knows is that the man starts to approach them while he is struggling to not disappear in a puff of smoke. Oh, Forsaken protect him.

“Hello Simon” His voice is very low and amused, oh fuck.

“Hello James!! It's been a while hasn't it?” Ja-

James?

“You are James Wright?” Peter cuts off the man before he answers back to Simon and he realizes that he is an idiot, shit-

No wonder he was so eye-catching then.

…

For some reason James' lips twitch upwards as if he was trying not to smile at something. Peter has no way to know what is so funny.

“You must be Peter Lukas then? Nathaniel… told me about you, its a pleasure to meet you” Peter smiles his usual vapid smile to keep him from prying, he already feels exposed and kind of confused about the man. Better to make this quick and go.

“Yes, uncle mentioned you too, albeit he did not do you justice” ???? What the fuck is he doing, what is wrong with him??? Why did he say that??

Peter feels his hands sweat and his face warm up, he is praying he is not red in the face.

James looks perplexed and he feels Simon staring at him with the biggest grin ever as if he was having the time of his life which knowing him, he probably did, he loves drama after all.

“Is that so?” The man crosses his arms and Peter has to keep himself from staring at the flex of it he has to.

What the hell is wrong with him?

“Yes! He made you sound like a boring old man to be honest, but you are quite the opposite, you look very-” Peter spends a lot of time alone, meaning he doesn't properly talk with people. His usual mechanism of defense is to talk so much that everyone just lets him be.

That translates into him not having a filter, because of that he just says what is on his mind, even if he knows he shouldn't. In this case it is a shot in the foot and he has no idea why, why is he reacting like this? The man is-

Is just a bit good looking thats all!! No need to be so nervous.

“...Good” His face is burning, Peter knows he must be red all over.

He is an embarrassment to the family name, he has to go, he has to go now. How is he going to face him to do business oh shit-

James for his part seems to look at him with something akin to wonder an a bit of curiosity, while Simon-

Simon for his part is sighing mentally about his nephew’s taste in man. Very on brand for a Lukas, albeit Jonah seems to be quite taken aback.

Peter might look like Mordechai but they are not alike at all.

“Well thank you Mister Lukas”

“Peter is alright” Why won't he shut uppppp, what is wrong with him? This has never happened before, a little bit more and he will spontaneously combust.

James smiles at him and something in his chest squeezes. Is he dying? Is his heart giving out on him so soon?

“Well Peter, it was lovely meeting you. I can't wait to make business with you. I'm sure we will get along… very well”

“I can't wait” !!!!!! He wants to die.

Peter is going out to sea for the next 4 months just to get rid of whatever this is.

James grins at him and is about to leave, making him let out a breath of relief when he turns slightly.

“Say… I was going to ask Simon to drink with me after the party, in my office. Would you like to join us?” No!

“Sure” The man gives him a smug look and goes.

Simon pats his back.

“You need to get better at flirting, albeit i do believe you impressed him quite a bit, he usually ignores all the Lukas that come to make business with him”

“Im going to kill myself” He hates his life so much.

“Ah lad don't be like that, its just a few drinks, it doesn't have to go anywhere else”

Several years and flings with the man later. Peter is left with only grief at James sudden passing. They had something of a thing going on, not really labeled, since neither liked that. But the man suddenly broke things up and Peter in his anger left for months on end.

By the time he came back he found out James died and he had a new replacement.

Elias Bouchard.

He hates him on principle.

Peter is cold with him at every little meeting, speaks just as necessary and goes before the man even attempts to chat him up. At least he has his own loneliness, the only thing that truly lasts for him.

It sings out to him, like a siren song, it's easier to get lost on it, to just… become colder and harsher. What else should he do? It's not like Peter could ever love someone like that again.

Or want to.

“-ter, Peter!!”

“What do you want Mr Bouchard?” The younger man was glaring at him and it feels unfair, he should be the one glaring.

“I was asking you if you intend to stop being difficult and listen to me for once! I swear i get you lonely ones love playing at the grief stricken partner, but its been months already im getting tired of trying to talk to you like pulling teeth. Listen- i know i was kind of an ass, but really i needed to do the switch and i was worried a bit about people talking about some favouritism-” What the hell is he on about now??? Also how dare he!

“What- are you talking about? I'm not faking- what are you-!? Listen, I'm not up for games, let alone your games. I have better things to do than be your little entertainment, give me the papers to sign and I will be on my way, off of your life-” Elias gets up and slams his hands on the desk making him flinch.

“That attitude!! I don't want you out of my way!!! I said what I said as James because I was going to change bodies and people were talking about our relationship too much, it would look odd when I became Elias and we hooked up again!!”

Peter freezes.

“What- what do you mean became Elias?” The man who is not Elias??? Narrows his eyes and then suddenly looks surprised and confused.

“You don't know-”

“What do you-”

“How can you not know I told you- i-” Elias? Drifts off and looks to the empty room with a blank expression.

“I forgot to tell you”

“Um-”

“I thought i told you after- oh, oh fuck we ended up sleeping together after sacrificing that woman at the restaurant, i got distracted and-”

Peter starts to piece together a few things.

“James…?” Elias flops on his chair covering his face and doing a muffled scream into his hands.

“I can believe i forgot i got so excited that you let me tie you up that i completely forgot” Peter’s face burns.

“I-”

“Yes, yes it's me, I thought you were being difficult not that you- oh my god you actually were grieving me weren't you? You sap” His face turns smug, and it's so familiar-

The eyes-!

“Yes, those are really mine”

“You-!” Peter wants to punch him.

“Me?” Elias already closes his eyes expecting a punch. Yet he side steps the desk, comes closer and pulls him up to his feet by his tie.

“If you- you want to choke me-” He shuts him with a kiss. It takes a bit to register on the other’s mind because once he does he grips his hair and pulls them closer practically melting against him. Peter doesn't stop kissing him, cnat.

“You twat-” In between kisses he curses him out, he was making the rounds across his neck, decided that he was going to leave pretty little marks for everyone to see. Elias? James? Doesn't seem to mind much.

“Sorry-”

“You- fucking- bloody- ass!!” A bite close to the jugular has him moan a bit, Peter’s hands go to grip his thighs and the other catches his meaning because he lets him lift him up. He carries him to the small couch and drops him there with an ompf-

“Hey-” That he interrupts when he climbs on top of him and starts to kiss him again with a very clear intention in mind.

“Oh…” Yes, Peter is glad he can use forsaken to soundproof the room, he had no intentions to let the other be quiet.

Now that he is not upset, angry or… turned on, Peter lays his head on top of Elias' chest, while he explains the whole being Jonah Magnus, and thinks that he is very handsome.

Not in the same way as James was, no, but he was still very handsome.

“I was leaning more into pretty but unassuming, but thank you for the vote of confidence for the new body” What a smug prick.

“He is not…?”

“God no, only fragments or echos, the real Elias is very dead, its just me”

“Jonah?” Elias nods at his question.

“Basically”

“Huh” The shorter man’s hands play with his hair making him nuzzle his neck. He thinks about it for a bit, but decides to go for it, after all he has gotten this far anyways “Pleasure to meet you Jonah”

The other stays quiet for a bit.

“Pleasure to meet you Peter”

Their relationship is not conventional or normal by anyone's standards, but…

It works.

Somewhat.

“So… I got you so distracted you forgot to tell me huh?” Elias sighs.

“I can show you exactly how enticing you looked to me to make me forget, do not tempt me” Feeling his face heat up he tries to play it off.

“Maybe when we are in an actual bed and want to experiment a bit” Elias chuckles and then turns into a full blown laugh that makes him feel the rumble of it against his ear.

“I can't believe this, but i missed you” He hears Elias heart speed up while admitting that to him, it makes his face warm up.

Peter knows he missed him too, but he wont admit that, too out of character. So instead...

“Will take that with me, feels delicious”

“Oh hush, you already cannibalized yourself, don't be a prick”

Yes, he definetly missed this bastard and he will have so much fun re-aquitaining to him properly. They are closer in age now, Peter’s body is a bit older than Elias now, just 6 years, but it feels good.

This time people will give Elias looks instead of him, Peter’s gray hair and beard made him look older.

“You are impossible Peter”

“Stop reading my mind then” Elias sighs and kisses the top of his head hesitantly.

“Don't make it so easy then” Peter lets out a breath.

Prick.

"Never"

"Rude, what a rude person you are" Peter nuzzles him and that shuts him up.

Better.

[jessiarts]

Hi, I don't know if your reference to someone complaining about entitlement and guilt trippy posts was about mine specifically or it's just a coincidence and you just saw a similar post, but mine was in response to someone saying being a lurker was wrong and that people should make sideblogs just to reblog art they don't feel like reblogging on their main account. I didn't mean to say people can't complain about their posts not getting many reblogs in general.

Hello.

Are you talking about this comic I drew? Or something I reblogged?

Either way, I don't believe so?

I mean as far as the comic is concerned it definitely wasn't, because I based that on events that have happened more than once regarding my art getting reposted and seeing the same happen to many others, as well as various instances over the years where I've witnessed abuse thrown at other artists/content makers where they were called entitled or guilt-trippy just for talking about their experiences/being sad that no one sees their stuff anymore. It wasn't really triggered by any specific posts that I had seen. (Honestly didn't expect it to take off like that either, but I suppose that goes to show that it's an even bigger problem than I thought seeing as so many relate to it, which is kinda saddening.)

If you instead mean something that I reblogged, I still don't believe so. Feel free to link me to whatever post you're referring to that you made (as well as whatever post you're asking about on my end if it wasn't the comic) I did try to skim your blog to see if there was something I had forgotten about but I couldn't find anything like what you described from you, but I could have easily missed it. I also searched for your blog name in my archive in case I reblogged something that you either made or commented on and that also came up empty, so I'll need some help here to know what you're referring to.

That said (and I'm not trying to be snarky at all when I say this), while I can appreciate that you're trying to clear up a possible miscommunication (I think that's what this ask is? I might be wrong) it may be unwarranted because until this ask I'm not sure I've ever run into your blog before and I'm not quite sure why you might believe I based my comic (or other posts) off something said by you specifically?

Again, feel free to help me out with the specifics, but as of right now it's looking like it must have been a coincidence.

Take care.

[shitpostingfromthebarricade]

@pilferingapples brought to my attention the fact that I never made a masterlist for the submissions for this challenge back in May, so I'm remedying this egregious error now.

The prompt was, "I'm afraid you're going to have to carry me."

(This was not a competition nor judged in any way; these are simply in order of submission to the challenge.)

[[MORE]]

[[MORE]]

The Five Stages by PiecesofCait ( @thepiecesofcait )

Turns out grief isn't the only g-word that takes a bit to process.

Tell Me Why by ShitpostingFromTheBarricade ( @shitpostingfromthebarricade )

Enjolras finds a list that he was never meant to.

Warnings: language, scalding take on (and spoilers for) The Breakfast Club

Seating Arrangements by AnnaBolena ( @annabrolena )

“Enjolras has decided to take drinks with us in celebration tonight!” Bahorel’s voice booms across the room. One of his hulking arms is wrapped securely around the girl tending to him, the other is raised in victory.

“Lest Bahorel give anyone a false impression: Enjolras was persuaded with great industry to take a single cup, that is all. No need to make a spectacle of it,” Feuilly placates those already cheering, though no one's joy is truly tempered by the revelation.

a.k.a. Enjolras celebrates with his friends :)

Images in Red by OpensUp4Nobody ( @opens-up-4-nobody )

Enjolras is a grad student having a bad time.

Drink to Forget by whowillbestrongandstandwithme ( @whowillbestrongandstandwithme )

Grantaire finds Enjolras, alone and drunk, after a meeting. He takes Enjolras home and tries to prevent him from saying anything he'll regret- but then Enjolras shares a secret that he has kept even from Combeferre. Somehow this night brings them closer together. The two realize they aren't so different after all.

non-asleep things by Rhyolite ( @rhyolight )

The city wasn’t asleep. It never was, really, at any hour of the night a carriage might rumble past, or a loud and happy group of people might pass under one’s window, talking loudly, or any of other (usually loud) non-asleep things.

Enjolras was also not asleep.

Against All Odds by BookDragon6127

Enjolras is too stubborn for his own good and Grantaire is the one who needs to make sure the leader in red doesn't accidentally kill himself in the name of the revolution

The Way of Fools by temperamental_mistress

“The way of fools seems right to them, but the wise listen to advice.” (Proverbs 12:15)

Carry Your Beliefs by kjack89 (@kjack89 )

Alternatively titled, Grantaire and the parable of the toad.

But the toad did not speak, and in fact did not move, still crouched against the stone.

Grantaire gaped at the small creature, who didn’t seem at all concerned that it had somehow spoken, and he shook his head slowly. “Too much wine,” he muttered. “Joly warned me this might happen one day, but I must confess, I did not believe that a wine dream would manifest as—”

He waved a vague hand at the toad, which just stared back at him, unimpressed.

About the bothersome discrepancy between word and deed by Gr_malk_n ( @theravensgrin )

In which there is pining, painting, smoking, a lack of clear communication and headaches for everyone, but especially for Combeferre.

Oh, and they try to save a community centre.

Finally, I Understand by edgy_fluffball ( @edgy-fluffball )

After a rally gone wrong it is Grantaire who sees himself having to take on more responsibility than he ever planned having. Unfortunately, that means dealing with both Courfeyrac and Enjolras.

I am Wilderness and Waves by mariuspondmercy ( @mariuspondmercy )

Musichetta is the captain of her own ship, master of pirate crews sailing the seven seas for her own agenda - wilderness and the oceans were her home.

Join her and her lovers on a journey through the Seven Seas.

Carry Me by HMS_Chill ( @hms-chill )

The silence wakes Grantaire after the barricade has fallen, but he's not going down without a fight.

(Based on this post from @g-hostly-g on tumblr)

Theatrical Tragedy by BadassIndustries ( @badassindistress )

Courfeyrac grinned happily. His dearest friends, come together in celebration of him, getting together harmoniously and all nicely dressed, if a bit sombrely. Enjolras had even submitted to having his cravat retied and Marius at last accepted the gift of an old waistcoat. Combeferre looked as neat as ever and had not mentioned cadavers or unsightly diseases even once. To top it all off, Courfeyrac’s curls were behaving admirably and his hat had graciously consented to stay with him for a fortnight already. After the performance, those of his friends more inclined to dance were to meet him at a public ball and altogether this would make a perfect night.

like real people do by bleulily ( @eponinearchive )

“So what’s the plan?” Grantaire asked, pulling him out of his thoughts. He placed a hand on Enjolras’s arm, warm and gentle against Enjolras’s skin.

Enjolras gave his phone a last glance before turning his attention to the hand Grantaire had placed against his arm. He realised Grantaire was covering him from the guides in case they turned back to see them. Enjolras smiled. “We have to pretend to be dating whenever we’re near them,” Enjolras explained. “You know, do those cheesy things Marius does whenever he has a new fancy. I don’t want to disappoint my mother or ruin your night.”

Grantaire regarded him, his head tilting to the side as an eyebrow quirked curiously, his lips turning upwards into a sly smile. “So you think Pontmercy is the model of excellence for a healthy and romantic relationship?”

Things that go bumping in the night by adorablecrab ( @adorablecrab )

The wise thing to do would be to silently lock the door and hope whoever was outside wasn’t too determined to get in. Possibly escape through the window...

Will the World Remember You if You Fall? by pirates_and_candles

Courfeyrac realizes that he loves Jehan. The only problem is that Jehan is in love with Montparnasse and there's a revolution coming...

Flowers in my lungs by decayingliberty ( @decayingliberty )

There are flowers growing in Courfeyrac's chest and he can't breathe.

For Want of a Book by WilwyWaylan ( @wilwywaylan )

Bahorel needs a book from the library. Bahorel certainly does not need to see Feuilly. Sadly, it seems that you can find way more redheads than the book you need in that library...

[dramallamadingdang]

The post I want to make on the MTS forums but can't...

...because they're touchy about discussing the "p" word. As in "piracy." I understand why they are, but I also think that they're wrong to silence people about "pirating" yet not have a care in the world if people tell others to buy used disks, for reasons that you'll see if you choose to read this thing. But...Their site, their rules and that's cool and all that. I’ve got no problems with that. I just think it’s doing the current (and future) TS2 community a disservice. Hence, this post.

Now that EA has announced that they will no longer give out the TS2 Ultimate Collection, I think it's time to address how to get the game if you don't already have it and want it. Or if you have it but your disks are lost/damaged. Or if you suddenly find yourself with a new machine that doesn't have an optical disk drive and you don't have and/or don't want to buy an external one. Or even if somewhere down the line EA removes the UC from your access, if you have it already and you then can't install it on a new machine. (They'd be entirely within their rights to do that, by the way.) If one is concerned about legality, then one ought to know what actually is legal or not and why and where the shades of gray are, so that you can make informed decisions about what you want to do. So, if you're interested in that, that's what I'm going to talk about in this post. 

I'm going to say this up-front, though, as a sort of teaser: Now that EA is no longer giving out the UC like people give out Halloween candy: THERE IS CURRENTLY NO FULLY-LEGAL WAY TO GET OR PLAY THE GAME, if you don't already have it. Yes, the above is true, and behind the cut is why.

Here are my "credentials," if you will: A nice chunk of my income comes from royalties and licensing and stuff. Much such stuff is sold in digital format, music CDs and data CDs of original compositions and stuff like that. I have sued individuals and companies, successfully, who've infringed on my copyrights and/or the licensing agreements that I'm involved in. I'm pretty well-versed in this stuff.

So let's make one thing about this issue clear off the top: You do not these days purchase games or non-game software or movies or music or whatever that comes on a disk or in some digital form like, say, a book you download onto your Kindle. You only purchase a license to use the information on that one, single disk or that you got from that one, single download that you paid for. It's a small but all-important distinction, and it pretty much defines what makes things legal or not when we're talking about getting TS2 now that EA is no longer selling it or giving it away themselves.

Now that EA is out of the picture, at least for now, you have three options for getting the game:

1) Find someone selling disks that you know absolutely for certain have not been used.

Guess what? Still probably not fully-legal. The reason is this: If you're buying from a genuine retailer and not some shady "business" in Taiwan or a guy on eBay or something, EA recalled all new, existing, unopened TS2 discs from all retailers (at least in the US and I believe -- but am not certain -- worldwide) years ago. 2013ish, if memory serves. Those retailers were given full refunds for any unsold discs but were actually not required to physically return those discs. (Because, of course, EA didn't want to pay for return shipping!) They were supposed to destroy the disks, in good faith, in exchange for the refund. Even if they didn't receive a refund, they're still not supposed to be selling disks anymore because they've been recalled. Those disks are not supposed to exist and all end-user (that's you) licenses associated with them are now void. Which means that even if you now manage to find a genuinely unused retail disk, you have no legal license to use the game because EA voided it. They only way it would be legal is if you are buying from an individual (not a retailer of any kind) who bought the game and somehow never installed it...and I'd take such stories with a grain of salt, personally. 

Because, remember: You're not buying a game; you're buying a license to use a game, and EA has revoked those licenses on retail disks that were unsold as of 2013ish. Now, is someone going to come pounding on your door to arrest you or to serve you court documents because they’re suing you? Of course not! But bear in mind that if the above applies to you, your game is not fully legal.

2) You can buy used disks from someone. Ebay and Amazon Marketplace and such are teeming with them.

Also not fully legal. Why? Because, as I said, each disk comes with a license to use the game for a single buyer and his/her household. No one else. That's one of the things that the End-User License Agreement says and that you agree to, probably without reading it, when you install the game. So as soon as the original buyer of the disk you subsequently bought installed the game on a machine, that single user license was used up. It cannot be transferred to another person. The disk can be transferred, sure, but not the license to use it, which when it comes to legality is all that matters. So, if you buy used disks, you still do not have a legal license to use the game.

Again, no one's going to come pounding on your door, of course. No one's pounding on the door of second-hand game shops, either, because it's not illegal to sell the used disks at all. But it is legally shade to actually use those disks when you buy them. So, just realize that your game is not fully legal if you bought used any or all of the disks you have. Then move on and don't worry about it...but also don't claim that you have a "legal" game so you're somehow more moral or whatever than people who pirate it. Because that's not true at all. In fact, legally you're in exactly the same boat -- pirate ship or otherwise ;) -- as people who've “pirated” the game. Which leads me to...

3) You can "pirate" the game. Meaning, you can get it via torrenting so that you never have a physical disk and you use a no-CD crack to play the game. Or you can make a copy of your friend's disks. Whatever.

There are multiple legal issues here. I'm not going to discuss why it's illegal to pass around copies of a game. I trust that everyone understands why that's so.

But you might be surprised to learn that it's actually not illegal to download the game illegitimately, for the same reason why buying and selling used disks isn't illegal. But there’s a catch. Again, the issue is that you don't buy a game; you buy a license to use it. So the problem arises, again, from using what you downloaded (or using that copy you made of your buddy's disk), because you don't have a license to do so. Sure, obviously no one would download something that they wouldn't then use, but my point is that if you download the game from a torrent, your legal problem is exactly the same as the legal problem that people who buy used disks have. And at least you, as a "pirater" did not pay someone for your legally-shady copy of the game. No one profited at EA's expense, in other words, whereas someone did exactly that if you bought used disks, especially if the seller didn't originally buy the disks themselves, which is usually the case at second-hand shops.

If you download the game via a torrent (as opposed to making copies of someone's disks), it's illegal not because you downloaded the file but because of the way torrenting works. It works by sharing your incomplete download with other downloaders as you download, as you go along, as well as after you do so, if you continue to "seed" the torrent after your own download is completed. The sharing part is illegal for what I hope are obvious reasons; the downloading part is not. It’s a technicality, sure, but then all of this discussion is.

In the end, the most-illegal thing you can do when it comes to this stuff is not downloading via torrenting but making a copy of your buddy's disks for your own use because in that case you're transgressing twice. And here's why.

There's a thing in copyright law called Fair Use. This covers multiple things, but the relevant bit here is that it allows you to make a backup of digital media that you've legitimately bought for archival purposes. This has always been on the books, as long as there've been digital formats, which goes all the way back to tapes. So if you have, say, a copy of The Lion King on DVD and your three-year-old insists on watching it twice a day if she can and in the process breaks a disk a week, you have a right to make a copy of the original in order to preserve the original. (OK, you're not supposed to make multiple backups, just one, but seriously? The kid breaks them constantly and Disney disks are terribly overpriced. And no, I'm not talking from experience at all. :) ) Anyway, Fair Use = 1 backup of your legitimately-purchased disks.

But then in the 90s the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) came along. (In the US, that is. There's similar bullshit worldwide, though.) Mostly it came about because movie and music distributors (not the musicians, one needs to point out) are absolute control freaks and were really, really pissed that CDs/DVDs are so damn easy to make copies of. The relevant bit of this was that it said, "Nope, no more personal backups for you! At all! And hey! No ripping that CD to put the songs on your phone or MP3 player, either! You gotta buy another copy of the songs from iTunes or whatever it is that we want to make more money from today!" It all comes back to "You don't buy a movie. You buy a license to view the content on that one disk, so if your obsessive three-year-old breaks it you have to buy a new disk every week. Sucks to be you, but it's really awesome for us." (Needless to say, you can guess what I think -- as a musician -- of this bit of corporate greed.)

My ranting aside, the issue now is that it is technically illegal to make copies of disks and stuff that you legitimately own, even for your own use and you never share anything with anyone. Again, no one's going to come knocking on your door, but you should know about this. (Mostly, in the wake of DMCA, court cases have involved small companies that make software that can rip DVDs by decoding/bypassing encryption, not individuals who make or use copies of disks. They know they can’t pursue such individuals in any practical way. Instead, they seek to take away the tools that allow you to do it.) So, that's transgression #1 when it comes to making a copy of your buddy's TS2's disks. The other, of course, is the same as the other points: You don't have a legal license to use that copy of your buddy's disk. So, you're transgressing coming and going, so to speak.

So, what's a TS2 fan to do now? Honestly? All three options are problematic, legally. Unless you can somehow manage to find genuinely never-used disks from an individual (not a retailer), you will not be fully legit. So, if you want to be pure and clean and looking down on all the sinners from your fine high horse, you can't get TS2 now if you find you need it, unless EA decides to distribute it again. But for the rest of us? I'm not going to advocate any particular thing because, as I said, all of the options are shady and more or less equally so and for the same reason across the board. But you have the info now -- if you’ve actually managed to read all this -- and you can make an informed decision for yourself, should you need to acquire the game again. Or for the first time. But for the love of God, please don't go around saying that you're all legit because you bought used disks while that person over there *gasp* got their game on the torrents. Because you're not legit, and you’re not legit for pretty much the same reason as a dirty pirate is.