#Canada beauty influencer

[alyssa-ai]

My home 🇨🇦 for the next 3 months 😁

On my way to the office… so happy 😊

[yourstrulyjasmine]

I was thinking earlier. That me being a big belieber fan, I want to be right beside Justin Bieber 1 day. I'm thinking because he's married now. I can have another one and ❤️❤️i love her too. I want 2 meet some celebs one day. 😋

I hate concerts but let's try backstage chances.

One day I can post the moments here.

[pomegranatesarchive]

sniff sniff | oscar piastri

pairing: oscar piastri x youtuber!reader

summary: you accidentally sniff a famous f1 driver, only to see him the next day wining 2nd place.

tagged: oscarpiastri, yourusername

f1updates: these two tweets were caught by a fan of both y/n l/n the youtuber, and oscar piastri, the driver for mclaren. what do you guys think, were they talking about each other, or was it a funny coincidence?

view comments below!

user1: this is gold

user2: what IF just IF they were talking about eachother

user3: no way that’s a COINCIDENCE

user4: i seriously hope it was y/n who sniffed oscar

user5: this is funny

user6: what’s y/n doing in monaco

user7: she got invited by ferrari to watch the grand prix 😭

user8: okay but actually, how do you accidentally sniff someone ???

user9: for you to PHYSICALLY hear a sniff, they must’ve been up close and personal

user10: accidentally sniffing someone is crazy

tagged: yourusername

f1updates: y/n l/n at the grand prix, she just arrived!

view comments below!

user11: she’s actually GLOWING

user12: what does she know about f1 ?? 🙄

user13: absolutely nothing 😭 but she did ‘study’ as much as she could last week

user14: skin care routine when ???

user15: beautiful 😍😍

user16: i NEED to know if it was her that sniffed oscar

tagged: yourusername, oscarpiastri

f1gossip: it has been confirmed that it was in fact youtuber, y/n l/n that sniffed oscar piastri. the second hand embarrassment is strong on this one.

view comments below!

user17: “the second hand embarrassment is strong on this one” WHATTT

user18: admin did NOT have to eat y/n up like that

yourusername: did i just get silenced by a gossip page…

user19: NO WAY 😭😭

user20: this is actually so funny

user21: if i was y/n i would just kill myself

user22: NO THIS IS SO HUMILIATING

user23: i’m sorry but the “???” is killing me

user24: ship??

user25: THEYVE INTERACTED ONCEEEE

— y/n has posted new pictures!

liked by oscarpiastri, landonorris, mclaren, charles_leclerc, and 692,926 others!

tagged: oscarpiastri

yourusername: monaco was great, excited for canada 🏎️ (ps new video up tonight!)

view comments below!

user26: OSCAR TAGGED ???

user27: she’s going to canada for the next race ?!?!?!

user28: OSCAR IS IN HER NEW VIDEO!!! I REPEAT OSCAR IS IN THE NEW VIDEO !!!!

scuderiaferrari: @/mclaren pls give us back our influencer

mclaren: she clearly like us more? sorry not sorry!

user29: okay but i’m so excited for grand prix content??

user30: oscar and y/n sitting in a tree

user31: k-i-s-s-i-n-g

user32: first comes love

user33: then comes marriage

user34: then comes marriage

user35: then comes baby in a baby carriage!

user36: oscar and y/n are so cute together

user37: no way they’re NOT dating

landonorris: sniff sniff

charles_leclerc: sniff sniff

maxverstappen1: sniff sniff

logansargent: sniff sniff

yukitsunoda0511: sniff sniff

alex_albon: sniff sniff

georgerussell163: sniff sniff

danielriccardo: sniff sniff

carlossainz55: sniff sniff

oscarpiastri: sniff sniff

yourusername: i hate it here

[cheekydimplesblog]

My Review of MaGéAu Naturel Products

If you’re looking to try out some natural skincare products that are made in Europe I think I found a brand that you should add in your list, it’s called MaGeAu Naturel. Few weeks back, I got the opportunity to finally get my hands on some of the high in demand skincare products by this brand and I had to share my thoughts on it with your guys. So, the products that I have been using for quite…

[moviecritc]

Hi I don't know if you write about Charles and Alexandra, but what about something based in obsessed by olivia rodrigo, in a more sapphic way, maybe reader and alex can make out or something. also if you can mix it with smau would be super cool 💕

obsessed ⋆ charles leclerc, alexandra saint mleux

pairing: charles leclerc x singer!reader (various fc) x alexandra saint mleux

warnings: some bad words for the three of them (it was for the sake of the plot, nothing to harsh)

a/n: i made her a singer to add more drama. also i loooved this idea, i've been wanting to write something like this so much, thanks for requesting it <33

Remember that requests are open 💕💕

masterlist | wattpad | letterboxd

yourusername just posted!

liked by sabrinacarpenter, charlesleclerc and 145,824 others

yourusername some visuals from the Paris music video 💜🩷💙

view all comments

user1 i felt so seen in the first verses of the song, i'm also a sucker for gossip

charlesleclerc 💜😍

user2 so dry

user3 what is someone so cool like yn dating someone so boring and simple like charles

user4 graduated in cuntology with a master in slayfication and cum laude in mother is mothering 101

sabrinacarpenter princess of glittery gel pen songs 💜💜💜💜

user5 IM SO IN LOVE

user5 that i might stop breathing

user6 yn using paris as a joke bc charles is monegasque is beyond cuteness

user7 GOALS.

user8 imagine having YN LN as a gf and NOT POSTING HER leclerc you better watch out

user9 it's giving taylor and joe

user10 THE HEARTSSS never beating bi allegations

When Y/N saw the Instagram notification, curiosity got the better of her. Just curiosity. She and Charles had been dating for almost six months, and this was the girl he had been with before her, so she simply wanted to know who she was. She scrolled through her posts, seeing the life she had after breaking up with Charles; she worked at a museum in Monaco and at the same time was an influencer.

Looking at her photos, she realized she was very beautiful. Very, very beautiful. Her hair was healthy, long, and a gorgeous dark brown, her body was perfect, the clothes fit her great, and she had a very sweet voice. She wondered why Charles had ended things with Alexandra.

Then, as she scrolled through her highlighted stories, she accidentally liked one. Y/N immediately threw her phone down. "Shit," she said, grimacing. "Shit, shit, shit." She picked up the phone again and saw the red heart on a photo of Alexandra in a bikini with a beautiful sunset in the background. Y/N stared at the photo for a moment and then removed the like.

She ran her hands over her face, feeling like an idiot. Alexandra would still see the notification, then she would see that Y/N had removed the like, and she would probably think she was weird. Or worse, she could message Charles, asking what his girlfriend was doing stalking her profile.

Charles was at the Grand Prix of Canada at that moment, she was in Monaco. The time difference was huge, and she wasn't going to bother him with this nonsense. So she decided to message Alexandra directly.

Y/N couldn't stop thinking about Alexandra for the rest of the day. She found herself a couple of times staring at her pictures, she knew that Alex lived in Monaco and that they could bump into each other anytime. That idea felt amazing. She seemed like a gorgeous person, and the little chit chat they had felt really comfortable, even when Alex was her boyfriend's ex.

Y/N didn't mention any of this to Charles, he probably just make a big deal of it and they would have a discussion. And she was too lazy to think about arguments.

So she wrote a song. For the nexts days she focused on the lyrics and when Y/N handed the papers to her producer, they loved it. As soon as they could they recorded the song.

When Charles came back from the race, he found Y/N staying after midnight in the studio so she could finish the song. And he didn't complaint, because he really thought the song was about him.

yousername just posted!

liked by yournamehq, alexandrasaintmleux and 583,981 others

yourusername 'obsessed' is now yours, with the mv starring @alexademie 🍒🍸💎

the comments have been restricted

alexademie so proud of this project 🤧💙

sabrinacarpenter MISS? i was not expecting this at all and it was so so good 😩😩

gracieabrams QUEEN. in capitals and screaming.

chappelroan so cunty, so hot, so sapphic.

laufey ok now IM obsessed with YOU.

She didn't even think it was a bad idea until she saw her. They had decided to meet at a private club in Monaco; Alex wore a black satin dress that fit her extremely well, with her hair loose as she had seen so often in photos and a sparkling gaze. Y/N felt stupid for only wearing a white top and jeans.

"You showed up," Alexandra said with a smirk.

"You thought I wouldn't come?" she asked, matching her expression. Alexandra lowered her head, saying nothing and tucking her hair behind her ear. Y/N went to the bar and ordered a round of shots, although she didn't need to get drunk to do what she was about to do.

She drank one and then watched as Alexandra imitated her.

"Where did you leave Charles?" Alexandra asked, pulling her to a sofa area. The club wasn't very crowded, but more people would start arriving soon.

Y/N clicked her tongue. "Charles is the last person I want to talk about right now, honestly."

"You're right," Alexandra agreed as she nodded. "Let's talk about the song, then."

Y/N looked at her with a silly smile, trying very hard not to feel embarrassed. Although she knew she had nothing to be embarrassed about, she could see from Alex's expression that she had liked the song.

"What did you think?" she asked, sipping her cocktail.

"I loved it. I never thought someone would write songs about me," she lowered her gaze a little and then Y/N noticed how she had the tip of her heel circling around her foot.

"Did Charles ever dedicate any of his piano songs to you?" Y/N asked, furrowing her brow a little.

"Charles never even dedicated time to me," Alexandra looked away a bit.

Y/N nodded, perfectly understanding what Alexandra was talking about. Charles was too focused on his career, and unless you asked him, he could completely ignore you for weeks or change plans you had been planning for months because he had to train. That was the kind of person Charles was. At first, it had been a dream, accompanying him to his races and spending time with him, but when you scheduled a tour to be able to attend most of his races and he didn't show up at almost any of your concerts… It affected you.

"Men," Y/N said simply, rolling her eyes.

"Exactly! They're unbelievable, in the worst sense of the word," Alex spoke, slightly laughing.

They fell silent for a few moments, not breaking eye contact. The music had been turned up, and they were bathed in purple and green lights, moving around the room. Alexandra almost glowed for Y/N's eyes; under that lighting, everything seemed unreal. She leaned toward her, but didn't make the final move, wanting Alex to take that step.

Alexandra smiled mischievously and pressed their lips together. It was a calm kiss, not too long but their lips touched enough to explore them calmly, and for Y/N to remember the slight scent of red licorice from Alex's cologne.

As they separated, Alexandra got as close as possible to Y/N, resting her head on her shoulder. "Are you drunk?" Y/N questioned, fearing for a moment that it was all an act of alcohol.

"No," she denied vehemently.

Y/N didn't think much more about it, discreetly grabbed her phone to text Charles that it was best for them to end their relationship. She and Alexandra kissed a couple more times that night.

Five months later

alexandrasaintmleux just posted a story!

[caption 1: opening night 🍒 @yourusername] [caption 2: best view 💖]

[maybe-boys-do-love]

It's wild that the whole global trend of gay-focused happy ending romance shows and movies has only been going on for *looks at calendar* a measly ten years!

Just ten years ago. 2014. That's when you get the discovery of a market for queer romance series and films with happy endings. That year the OG Love Sick in Thailand came out. Brazil puts out The Way He Looks, which deserves so much more credit than it receives for influencing the aeshtetics of the genre. Looking premieres on HBO, and although it had low ratings, it's an important touchstone. And, despite Nickelodeon’s censorship and shifting the program from tv to its website, the Legend of Korra confirms Korrasami in its season finale.

The next year, in 2015, we get Love Sick season 2, and China, pre-censorship laws has a few options: Happy Together (not the Wong Kar Wai one lol), Mr. X and I, and Falling In Love with a Rival. Canada, premieres Schitt's Creek. In the US, Steven Universe reveals Garnet as a romantic fusion between two female characters, and will proceed to just be so sapphic. Norwegian web series Skam premieres and sets up a gay protagonist for its third season, which will drop in 2016 and entirely change the global media landscape.

Then, 2016! This is the MOMENT. That aforementioned Skam season happens. Japan puts out the film version of Ossan's Love and anime series Yuri!!! on Ice. China has the impactful Addicted Heroine, which directly leads to increased censorship. The US has Moonlight come out and take home the Oscar. In Thailand, GMMTV enters the BL game and Thai BL explodes: Puppy Honey, SOTUS, Water Boyy, Make It Right, plus, the Thai Gay OK Bangkok, which, like its influence, Looking, is more in the queer tradition but introduces two dramatically important directors to the Thai BL industry, Aof and Jojo.

By 2017, Taiwan enters the game with its History series. Korea’s BL industry actually kicks off with Method and Long Time No See. Thailand’s got too many BLs to mention. Call Me By Your Name, though not a happy ending, makes a big splash that will send ripples through the whole genre, and God's Own Country offers a gruff counter-argument to problematic age differences and twink obsessions. This is also the year of Netflix reboot of One Day At a Time bringing some wlw to the screen, and the Disney Channel has a main character come out as ‘gay’ on Andi Mack ( I’m am ready to throw fists with anyone who thinks the Disney Channel aesthetic isn’t a part of current queer culture). And I'd be remiss not to mention the influential cult-following of chaotic web-series The Gay and Wondrous Life of Caleb Gallo: "Sometimes things that are expensive...are worse."

All this happened, and we hadn’t even gotten to Love, Simon, Elite, or ITSAY, yet.

Prior to all this there are some major precursors some of which signaled and primed a receptive market, others influenced the people who'd go on to create the QLs. Japan has a sputtering start in the 2010s with a few BL films (Takumi-Kun, Boys Love, and Jujoun Pure Heart). Most significantly in the American context, you have Glee, and its ending really makes way for the new era that can center gay young people in a world where queerness, due to easy access to digital information, is less novel to the characters. And the QL book and graphic novel landscape was way ahead of the television and film industries, directly creating many of the stories that the latter industries used.

There's plenty of the traditional queer media content (tragic melodramas and independent camp comedies) going on prior to and alongside QL, and there are some outlying queer romance films with happy endings that precede the era but feel very much akin to QL genre tropes and goals, many with a focus on postcolonial and multicultural perspectives (Saving Face, The Wedding Banquet, Big Eden, Maurice, My Beautiful Launderette, and Weekend). I don't mean to suggest that everything I’ve listed ought to be categorized as QL.

Rather, I want to point out how all of these new-era queer romance works are in a big queer global conversation together, in the creation of a new contemporary genre, a genre that has more capacity and thematic interest to include digital technology and normalize cross-cultural relationships than other genres (there's a reason fansubs and web platforms are so easily accepted and integrated to the proliferation of these series).

You're not too late to be part of the conversation. Imagine being alive in the 1960s and 70s and participating in the blossoming of the sci-fi genre. That flowering is where gay romance sits now. Join the party.

[hybbart]

Hello! Sorry if this has been asked before, but where do you draw your inspiration from for the zombie apocalypse au?

Also, if you had any fic recs regarding the above, genuinely I would give you my soul !!

Thank you!!

My biggest inspiration is just British Columbia, I guess? And a bit of the rest of Canada too. But I really love my home province, it's the most beautiful place in the world to me.

I take reference photos every time I go anywhere and when I need refs I usually end up looking up places in B.C. Avian City used references from Vancouver and Surrey, and a lot of the shots from between there and Ren's Kingdom are based on places and pictures I took while visiting the sunshine coast and Vancouver Island. Lake shots are based on the various fishing lakes up in the interior, so on, so forth.

For like, media inspirations the healing/iyashikei genre like yokohama shopping log, girls last tour, and yuru camp are big inspos. For zombie stories ZOM100: bucketlist of the dead is a big one, and the last of us part 1 even though it's very cynical. I suppose in some ways minecraft and 7 days to die also given my playstyle is "ignore mobs and find a cute place to farm." but that's probably more of an alignment of interests, but they are good for making me think about resource management. Speaking of, story of seasons, of course. In particular tale of two towns, big influence on the hospital-ranch areas. And Digimon and pokemon always have influence in everything I make. And then Zutomayo's DARKEN videos inspire me a lot.

For music it's a lot of Johnny cash, the chicks, Yokohama shopping log OST, and Zutomayo but I mostly use the songs my family always plays on road trips which is a lot of 90s rock and country.

Um, fic recs, basically just search ranchers and zombie apocalypse and its variations lol, I can't really search up fic recs at the moment and I'm terrible at remembering the off the top of my head. There's one with grumbot in the title that I like a lot.

Part of the problem is also that the whole au was inspired by the fact that all the zombie aus I liked and in particular a boat boys one were all abandoned a few chapters in, so even the recs I have are mostly abandoned stories!

[vomittedsoap]

Assigning AMC's The Terror characters music

[if they were cooler....I mean tbh none of these guys other than Blanky would have any music taste at all. Or at most they would have one big Spotify Megaplaylist with no defining genre]

Crozier: The Cars, Bob Dylan, The Who, Merle Haggard, Johnny Cash, The Police, Tom Petty, Live, Rush. Sometimes can get into stuff like TOOL.

Blanky: probably one of those people who talks about all the concerts he went to in his heyday, i.e. Nirvana, Smashing Pumpkins, KMFDM, Depeche Mode, The Who, Skinny Puppy, Tool, etc. He brought Crozier along too sometimes. Has the coolest music taste but you never know until something is brought up and he says "I remember that show...it was great." and adds nothing else.

Fitzjames: Mitski and Kate Bush lmao. Other than that, just whatever's popular. Anoying to listen to music with him cuz he's one of those people who thinks everyone will be impressed by him singing along to Paramore.

John Franklin: Hank Williams Sr, David Allen Coe, Joe Rogan podcast and believes everything Rogan says.

Hodgson/Little (Little wouldn't listen to anything if it weren't for Hodgson): fun or chill stuff like Third Eye Blind, Blink-182, Moby, Oasis, Smashing Pumpkins, Yellowcard. Hodgson plays the guitar a little bit and plays for Little and Irving sometimes.

Irving: Music that they play in Walgreens; i.e. GooGooDolls, Matchbox Twenty, Maroon5, The Fray, Semisonic, Train, Hoobastank, Counting Crows, TobyMac. Also has been caught listening to stuff from bands he claims have Christian members/influences (Evanescence, Slayer, Skillet, Black Veil Brides)

Jopson: Ska/rap metal, surprisingly... 311, No Doubt, Mindless Self Indulgence, Butthole Surfers, The Prodigy, knows how to get jiggy to Marilyn Manson, orgy, and NIN.

Tozer: Who Let the Dogs Out, Baby Got Back, Limp Bizkit, Creed....stuff like that. Once was caught singing a Taylor Swift song to an unconscious Heather tho.

Collins: boring stuff like Radiohead, Phoebe Bridgers, Fiona Apple, Chad VanGaalen, Blind Melon, Collective Soul, Pearl Jam, Alex G.

Bridgens/Peglar (they share): Beatles gooners, probably listen on vinyl or something dumb.

Silna: 10hr relaxing music for dogs, Mitski, Fog Lake, Interpol, Boards of Canada, whatever audiobook she's into.

Goodsir: shares with Silna, also Collins got him interested in Radiohead. But mostly classical for studying.

Hickey: The Prodigy, ICP, Chumbawamba... jk its actually beautiful majestic sh*t like The Smiths, Slowdive, and The Cranberries.

[self-loving-vampire]

How would you personally define agency? Most people seem to give a definition that's close to what willpower is, being someone's personal drive to enact change in their lives, but then there's concepts like political agency which also factor in whether or not someone actually has the power to enact that change into reality. I've been thinking a lot about the latter lately, and wondering if someone can truly be an active agent in their own life if so much of it is being destroyed through no fault if their own by outside forces/actors.

That is because here are different types of agency for different contexts and I'm not sure if anyone has properly categorized them before.

For example, I have previously posted about how I consider self-actualized trans people to have extremely high agency.

It's not that trans people have a lot of power in society (if anything the opposite is true), but that their goals often require deliberately overcoming many obstacles and going against normative influence. The world around you often does not want you to transition and will try to prevent it, so to do it anyway suggests a frankly beautiful level of independence and determination, even if they don't necessarily have the power to match.

This will seems to be the first type of agency you are describing, and I know from experience that it can have better outcomes than one might initially expect too.

In contrast, billionaires have a different type of agency in that they have much greater power and resources with which to influence the world around them. Their goals generally not require the same type of drive, but their decision-making has significantly less constraints.

As I said elsewhere, agency and free will in general are also always limited in some way in the absence of true omnipotence, which means agency is relative.

A billionaire's money can buy them a lot of power, but not literally infinite power. The fact that they don't have literally infinite power doesn't mean they lack agency, and in the same way the fact that I am not a billionaire doesn't mean I lack agency.

I could not just press a button and transition instantly with full acceptance from everyone around me, but I can scheme a daring plot to escape to Canada and start HRT, so I did that.

I can't change the outcome of the recent US election, but I can still try to help those close to me get out, and I already am.

I can't make it so everyone in the world stops aging or bring everyone who has ever died back from the dead, but I can motivate some of the people around me to live, and I already have.

I can't just decide to stop having a disability, and I can't just ignore its effects on my life and my abilities either, but there are still things I can do to train and become stronger anyway.

I think to me this is at the core of having agency: Taking action.

Even if you don't have access to the perfect actions omnipotence would grant you, you take action anyway. Smaller actions are not meaningless.

[korshrimpski]

KEVIN KORCHINSKI APPRECIATION POST

Hello, this is a remake of a post i made last season and i'm making it because 1. love kevin 2. can't stop thinking of how shit my old post was lol, so a remake is need (you won't find the og post because i deleted it)

1. let's start with some base things. he was drafted 7th overall in the 2022 draft to chicago

2. he's a defenceman

3. his rookie season was last year. he struggled a bit and is going to play in the AHL this year for the rockford icehogs

4. he got 5 goals and 10 assist

5. his dynamic with connor bedard is so sweet. They were both rookies for the chicago blackhawks last year but before that they played on team canada (wjc) 2023 together.

6. In warms ups connor would glide in bump into kevin, kevin would bump/push him back and connor would spin (x) (x.2) (x.3)

7. they also got their first fine together 🤗 (they went no bucket for their rookie lap and got fined)

8. since kevin and connor's whl teams never played each other they bicker about which team would have hypothetically beaten the other in a match up

9. kevin and connor combined to defeat the leafs in OT last season and it was beautiful

10. if you want more kevin and connor content here is a list of videos for you to watch:

Every Shift Season 1 Episode 5: Ambition to Action | 15:06-15:20

Every Shift Season 2 Episode 6: Great Expectations | timestamps; 1:37-4:20

(INSTAGRAM video)

they did a podcast together (it is a very painful watch because of the host :/)

11. he has a youtube channel (the name of which i cannot remember which makes me so sad) but it is him doing backflips or talking about hockey

12. speaking of him having a youtube channel- he was asked if he could be an influencer and he said he would try and then fail

13. there is a scar under his eye that he got when he was playing in the WHL conference finals and got high sticked in game one

14. the reason he decided to go to the WHL was to follow in his fathers' footsteps and so they have something to bond over (x 0:00-0:45)

15. kevin speaks really high of his dad as he is one of his main inspirations

16. literally whenever there is a single post about him people default to the "hi kevin" video/gif from spongebob lol

17. he used to play the piano because his mum wanted one of her kids to learn piano so kevin was put in piano. In year 9 he quit to focus on hockey. But he still likes playing piano for his mum

18. but kevin likes music and can play guitar, ex.1, ex.2,

19. here's him singing a zach bryan song with alex vlasic x

20. speaking of zach bryan, kevin is a big country fan

21. he is also a big coldplay fan because of his dad

22. his favourite show is suits

23. he was a very energetic kid and because of that his grandad called him "energy bunny" (x)

24. his hockey habit is that he has to change his laces every game. if they're a pair of laces he likes he'll keep them for a couple of games. he also has to retie his laces after every period

25. he is competitive with big sister whenever they play cards | timestamp: 10:26-10:56

26. he was at school for a test, when his friend told him he got drafted to the Seattle Thunderbirds (x)

27. during his rookie season, colin blackwell took kevin under his wing. they would drive together to practice some days and colin teached kevin who to cook steak

28. there is an amazing video of kevin and sam savioe singing shallow by lady gaga in colins car that i have to show you, like it's beautiful x

29. he might be real or not idk his existence is debated

[nyenvs3000w25]

Nature and Art: Inviting Interpretation

Art invites interpretation, being not only something to be observed, but something to be felt, translated, and shared. Nature speaks in colours, textures, and movement, and I think of nature as a piece of art in itself; something beautiful that evokes emotion, tells a story, and whose beauty is in the eye of the beholder. In the same way that interpreters balance education and recreation to make experiences meaningful, art can capture not just what you see, but what you feel when you engage with nature (Beck et al., 2018).

As an artist myself, I find it very powerful how art can convey a message, and I think artists should take advantage of this influence whenever possible. My opinion may be biased, but I think art in all its forms is one of the most powerful tools to help with interpretation. For example, my parents both lived in Muskoka before I was born, and the town they lived in was surrounded by murals and historical tributes to the Group of Seven. My parents filled our house with these paintings over the years, surrounding me with their rich depictions of Canada’s landscapes. I grew up immersed in this art, becoming inspired not only by the paintings themselves, but by the nature they portrayed and the powerful beauty of the wilderness.

One of my favorite Group of Seven paintings (Thomson, 1912)

Art is a powerful tool for interpretation, but also for invoking action. Back in high school art class, I did a project where the theme was something along the lines of global issues that you feel passionately about. I think this provides a perfect example for this blog post, because it helps display how art can be used as a political statement to inspire change, as well as something to find beauty within.

Plastic Fish, 2019: A painting representing the issue of marine plastic pollution

A similar example of this is the work of Banksy, an English graffiti artist who I admire for his ability to make bold statements about social and political issues. Using his fame and influence to draw attention to deeper subjects, such as environmental issues and humanitarian rights, Banksy reminds us that art can serve as a powerful tool for activism and change.

Graffiti art by Banksy representing urbanization and loss of natural environments (Banksy, 2010)

All this to say, art is inherently connected to broader themes, such as environmental issues and nature, and I believe its significance is extremely important in a changing world with increasing opportunities for our voices to be heard. The “gift of beauty” lies in art’s ability to make us feel, pause, and reflect. Beauty is not just aesthetic; it’s an invitation to connect with something greater than ourselves. Ultimately, interpretation is about connection. Whether through words, performance, or visual arts, it allows us to see ourselves within nature and history. Art museums, much like blogs, thrive on interpretation—offering space for dialogue, reflection, and personal meaning (Beck et al., 2018). Who am I to interpret nature through art? I am someone who listens, observes, and translates—and in doing so, I invite others to see nature not just as it is, but as it feels.

References

Banksy. (2010). I Remember When All This Was Trees. Aerosol on cinder-block wall. Detroit, Michigan. https://beltmag.com/the-fight-over-graffiti-banksy-in-detroit/

Beck, L., Cable, T.T., Knudson, D.M. (2018). Interpreting Cultural and Natural Heritage: For a Better World. Sagamore Publishing LLC. https://sagamore.vitalsource.com/books/9781571678669

Thomson, T. (1912). Canoe [Painting]. Art Gallery of Ontario, Toronto, Canada. https://www.ago.ca

[reading-writing-revolution]

The List -- Fraud, Waste and Abuse Edition

I asked ChatGPT to look at one of the earlier lists of authoritarian actions the Trump Regime is taking and categorize them according to the labels "fraud, waste and abuse". The goal was to have AI categorize and list which action represented fraud (a lie or cheat of the American people), waste (an action that was wasteful of resources) or abuse (an action that was deliberately abusive in nature against the American people), and here's the list: The original list can be found here: https://theweeklylistreturns.substack.com/p/week-17-the-return

Here’s a recategorization of the entries based on Fraud, Waste, and Abuse:

FRAUD (Cheating the American People)

Media and Information Manipulation

WAPO restricting opinion pieces to only pro-libertarian, pro-free-market views.

White House barring major media outlets while allowing only conservative news sources.

Voice of America journalists facing HR investigations for critical reporting on Trump.

AI-generated video depicting "TRUMP GAZA" misrepresenting geopolitical reality.

Corruption and Conflicts of Interest

Dr. Mehmet Oz retaining millions in investments despite nomination to oversee Medicare/Medicaid.

Lynn Dekleva’s appointment to EPA despite prior lobbying for chemical industries.

Capital One, Rocket Mortgage, and other corporations escaping consumer protection lawsuits under Trump’s CFPB.

Zelle network operators, including major banks, escaping fraud investigations due to CFPB case dismissals.

Musk inserting DOGE personnel into FAA while SpaceX stands to win a major $2.4 billion contract.

Musk influencing NASA operations and receiving private access to internal agency discussions.

Election and Legal Manipulation

DOJ reviewing conviction of Tina Peters, a convicted election conspiracist.

Harmeet Dhillon and John Sauer suggesting some court orders can be ignored.

Demotion of prosecutors overseeing Capitol insurrection cases.

Trump pardoning January 6 defendants and shutting down investigations into domestic extremism.

House Republicans attempting to extend Trump’s presidency beyond two terms.

Trump proposing national crypto reserve, raising conflict-of-interest concerns.

Trump's DOJ delaying foreign bribery cases under the pretext of reassessing corruption laws.

WASTE (Destroying Essential Programs and Services)

Federal Budget and Economic Policy

Mass layoffs across federal agencies, including 10,000 EPA staff and nearly all 1,700 CFPB employees.

Foreign aid freeze cutting off health and disaster relief funding worldwide.

Termination of USAID programs combating polio, HIV, and malaria.

Attempt to defund universities over "illegal protests," violating the First Amendment.

Pausing military aid to Ukraine despite ongoing war.

Stock market crashes due to abrupt tariff announcements, harming U.S. economy.

Trump tariffs against Canada, Mexico, and China escalating trade wars.

Overhaul of rural broadband program to favor Starlink, awarding billions to Musk.

Musk manipulating air safety concerns to justify Starlink involvement in FAA.

Mismanagement of Agencies

Abandoning lawsuits against chemical companies accused of releasing carcinogens.

Closing civil rights and anti-discrimination enforcement offices under DOGE.

Halting State Department’s global air quality monitoring program after a decade.

Ending federal policies allowing language assistance for non-English speakers.

GOP’s "big beautiful bill" cutting key programs like Medicaid and food assistance.

Environmental and Public Infrastructure Neglect

Dismantling of NOAA, jeopardizing weather forecasting and climate research.

Closing of National Park Service offices, leading to nationwide protests.

Cuts to FEMA disaster relief workforce weeks before hurricane season.

Ending federal enforcement of clean air and water regulations.

ABUSE (Harming or Causing Distress to Americans)

Targeting Vulnerable Populations

Trump regime removing all transgender troops unless granted a waiver.

Federal judge blocking attempts to withhold hospital funding for trans youth.

Ending hiring discrimination lawsuits, enabling racial bias in policing and fire departments.

ICE attempting to obtain home addresses of 700,000 undocumented immigrants.

DOGE seeking IRS tax records to target recipients of government benefits.

Undermining Public Safety

Trump-appointed officials ordering mass layoffs of air traffic controllers.

Musk soliciting retired air traffic controllers due to FAA staffing crisis.

Halting cyber defense operations against Russia, putting national security at risk.

Removing high-ranking Black military officials from leadership roles.

Attempt to rename Fort Moore to honor a Confederate general.

Authoritarian and Anti-Democratic Actions

White House pressuring USAID to cover up impacts of foreign aid freeze.

Targeting federal judges who oppose Trump’s agenda.

Seizing and transporting classified document boxes on Air Force One.

House Republicans introducing bills to rename federal buildings after Trump.

Human Rights and Foreign Policy Failures

Zelensky humiliated at the White House, leading to international fallout.

Abandoning U.S. military aid and intelligence support for Ukraine.

Praising Putin while criticizing NATO allies.

Cutting U.S. foreign aid while China, Russia, and Iran expand influence.

GOP officials pressuring Zelensky to "apologize" to Trump.

Arrest and deportation threats increasing for immigrants under ICE expansion.

Conclusion

Fraud: Policies that deceive the public or enable corruption.

Waste: Reckless destruction of necessary government functions and resources.

Abuse: Policies designed to cause harm, distress, or fear to specific groups or the general public.

This categorization highlights how many of these actions fit into a broader pattern of corruption, negligence, and authoritarian behavior.

[bellisima-writes]

Good Omens Season 3 Fanfic Roundup - To Our World

Happy New Year fandom fam! It's been a while since I did a fanfic roundup, since life has been life-ing and reading has been suffering, but I recently did finish two longer fics and thought it was a good time to provide another update.

It seems that Hair-Watch 2025 is in full effect, with my dashboard full of speculations on when filming of season 3 will begin and whether or not we will see glimpses of red and white hair popping up soon. So, a Season 3 fic roundup felt apt.

A quick caveat on these works: I personally prefer stories that go beyond our favorite Demon and Angel. Stories that embrace the ensemble-ness of the original Good Omens book and place the fate of the world in the able hands of the humans, or part-humans.

So these stories tend to focus on that, on the human-ness of the characters involved, on the world that exists outside of just A and C and on the struggle of the sons of God and Satan to push against their fate and choose something beyond the ineffable plan. These are not stories where Crowley and Aziraphale solve everything on their own.

The Beginning of the End (Again) by @addledmongoose: This one was one of the first I read after completing my own post season 2 fic, and it was a breath of fresh air to see how differently we could work with the same ingredients to deliver a completely different story. Addled's prose are professional and clear, painting action and plot beautifully and vividly with every passage. The story follows Crowley and Aziraphale as they work separately (and eventually together) to influence the Messiah and convince him not to end the world. the mood is light, the characterizations are spot on and the plot plots. And Aziraphale being jealous of Jesus is a plot point I will never tire of.

A Place for the End of the World by @kitty-kat-undercover : This was a very different story from the others. Slower, beautifully written and OCs that really add heart and soul to the story: this one follows Crowley as he seeks to spend the end of the world with a friend in rural Canada while Aziraphale works in Heaven to avert the end. The beauty of mother earth and human connection is a major piece of this story, with the author taking the time and space to really paint a picture and a feeling around the characters we know and love.

And I Did by @di-42: a plot-driven and action-packed version of Season 3, where Crowley, as the Grand Duke of Hell, and Aziraphale, as Supreme Archangel, try to navigate the Second Coming while being on "opposite sides." Sometimes there are fictions that, rightfully so, skirt the issue of resolving the Second Coming plot. Plot is hard, plot is complicated, and landing an Armageddon story with the gravity it requires, is not easy. But this fic does not shy away from the tricky bits (with a few fan theories and a very clever head canon), and the author does a fantastic job of pulling it all together and delivering an emotional and satisfying resolution for all of humanity.

Part III: Not Single Spies (Of Nice and Ominous: a reluctant eschatology of the Second Attempt) by @e-rated-beardo: I have to caveat this one, as it is part of a series that I did not fully read. As I said above, life is lifing, and I could not commit to the full series right now, but can confidently say that the author's mastery of gorgeous prose definitely make the entire series worth reading. This story was another breath of fresh air, with the plot revolving around more than just Aziraphale and Crowley and allowing the readers to get to know the burden and the pain of the reborn messiah and his family. The characterizations are spot on, the plot runs at an exciting clip, and the time we spend with every single character helps build the end into a satisfying conclusion.

And mine, Time Marches Forward: more a post Season 1 Second Coming story than a post Season 2 (if S1 ended with the final 15). This story focuses on Aziraphale finding his inner strength while Crowley learns to lean on others, both through a very special bond with a 15-year-old, powerful Antichrist who's struggling to contend with the upcoming end of the world and the part he's meant to play.

There are so many more on AO3 (1,371 at the time of writing this, to be exact), and some really popular ones we've all heard about that are not listed here. So enjoy whatever flavor of Season 3 that suits you as we all eagerly await news about the canon version of these events to come later this year.

Ciao💜💜💜

[volo-thereforeiam]

"Choice feminism" is bad for women in East Asia? What are you on about? Are you seriously rather subscribe to radical feminism that is so white and fail to account WOC and women from the global south in general? Are you seriously going to subscribe to a transphobic movement? You can't say this kind of feminism isn't transphobic because look at 4B or 6B4T in South Korea and China. The movement explicitly exclude transwomen and has been glorified to death by mostly white women. If anything I say the feminism that includes transwomen is good for East Asia to fix the transphobia problem. I feel sorry for transpeople in East Asia if all the feminists are like you.

I'm just going to elaborate point by point.

"'Choice feminism' is bad for women in East Asia? What are you on about?" On paper, choice feminism sounds great because it empowers women to do whatever they want, as long as it's their choice. In reality, women have been groomed to "choose" things that primarily benefit men. People don't make choices in a vacuum; we're influenced by our environment. When strict gender roles and expectations for women still exist aggressively in East Asia, the path of least resistance is to conform to those values. East Asian women "choose" to be housewives and follow exhaustive beauty regimes because society is kinder to them when they do. Or they think these choices are good for them due to moral grooming. Let me ask you: if a conservative, religious, sheltered, and uneducated woman chooses to marry a man 20 years older and have 5+ babies, how much of that is truly her choice? What women need is not empowerment, but agency.

"Are you seriously rather subscribe to radical feminism that is so white and fail to account WOC and women from the global south in general?" That's an interesting perspective, anon! I'd love to hear more about why you consider radical feminism to be "white" someday. Personally, I think liberal feminism (or 3rd wave feminism/choice feminism, I use these terms interchangeably) is the movement that fails to account for women from the global south. While it's true that liberal feminism is quite inclusive, it is still mostly US/Europe-centric (and for simplicity, I include Canada and Australia in the same category). This means that when it accounts for WOC, it's primarily considering WOC who live in those regions. It is known as "Western feminism" for a reason. Radical feminism, on the other hand, doesn't need to work as hard to include WOC from the global south because those women already tend to gravitate towards it instead of liberal feminism. The reason is that liberal feminism has shifted its focus from women’s issues to a broader concern with gender. When women outside the US and Europe haven’t even secured basic rights directly tied to their sex, why should they align with a movement that has moved on to different concerns?

"Are you seriously going to subscribe to a transphobic movement? You can't say this kind of feminism isn't transphobic because look at 4B or 6B4T in South Korea and China. The movement explicitly exclude transwomen and has been glorified to death by mostly white women." 4B and 6B4T at the core are meant to serve as direct opposition of South Korea and China's patriarchal state and combat its aggressive pro-natalist policies, which view women’s bodies and reproductive abilities as tools for the state’s future. Other aspects of the movement, such as rejecting rigid beauty standards and degrading depictions of women in otaku culture, are part of women's effort to not make themselves (excuse the wording) look "breedable". I hope it’s clear why transwomen can't be included in this specific movement.

Regarding the movement being glorified mainly by white women, I'm not aware it is the case because my focus isn't on the West like yours is. But even if we accept your claim as true, how does the support from white women automatically make the movement fundamentally "white" (and, by implication, bad in your view)? Roe v. Wade was just overturned, so it's understandable that Western women, especially Americans, would take an interest in the 4B movement. Or maybe they simply empathize with their fellow women. Let me ask you this: for someone so determined to include transwomen in every feminist movement, why do you consider white women less of women?

"If anything I say the feminism that includes transwomen is good for East Asia to fix the transphobia problem. I feel sorry for transpeople in East Asia if all the feminists are like you." Or we could have separate movements that collaborate when necessary but don't have to be synonymous. Why does feminism need to stretch itself thin to cover every issue? Isn't that one of the factors Roe v. Wade was overturned despite majority in the US disapproved supreme court decision? Feminism in the West has been defanged so much by consumerism, sex empowerment and gender issues. I also believe having a movement specifically for trans people allows for a focus on their unique issues, making it more effective.

You don't need to be sorry for transpeople here because what I'm fighting for can ultimately benefit them too. You policing women's advocacy movement, however, does not benefit anyone.

[janesurlife]

"When I was young, I learned a lesson that is still etched in my mind. I'm not sure how old I was exactly, but I think I was around 12. During that age, I loved to go fishing. I love the sea, because I am of Mallorca, and in my case the sea is part of my life. It is about the feeling of being by the sea, sitting on the rocks with your family and friends, or on a boat: the disconnection and peace you feel is something. special. One day I went fishing when I could having been training. The next day I lost my match. I remember I was crying in the car on the way home, and my uncle, who at that early age had a great influence on me, and who made me fall in love with tennis, told me : “Okay, it's just a tennis match. Don't cry now, there's no point. If you want to fish, you can fish. But if you want to win, you have to do what you have to first. do.” It was a very important lesson for me. He sees me as a perfectionist, so it's because of that inner voice that was calling me on the car ride home. The voice has never left me. One day I will be able to be in the sea. "Today and tomorrow... I have to practice."

"I wasn't a kid who really had sports idols. I guess it has to do with my Mallorcan character. My heroes were people I knew in real life. But when I was 12 years old I was able to play for the first time with Carlos Moyá. A Spanish compatriot, also from Mallorca. French Open champion and first Spanish player to be number 1. I was so nervous just to hit some balls with him. It was an unforgettable experience, a window to another world. Tennis was transforming from something that was just for fun (a child's game) to a true pursuit of making a living. It made me dream a little more. One day, maybe I can play at Roland-Garros..."

"But pain is one of life's greatest teachers. I got hurt when I was 17 and was told I would probably never play professional tennis again. I learned that things can end in an instant. It's not just a small crack in my foot, it is a disease. There is no cure, only management. What does that mean? You go from the greatest joy to waking up the next morning without being able to walk. great lesson of humility and I was lucky to have a father (the true influence I have had in my life) who was always so positive. "We will find a solution," he said. "And if we don't, there are other things in life besides the problem. tennis." Hearing those words, I could barely process it, but thank God, after a lot of pain, surgeries, rehab, and tears, a solution was found and, all these years, I was able to fight it."

"Tennis is a sport that demands a lot from you mentally, but there are many moments of joy that I will never forget. The Davis Cup in 2004, Roland Garros in 2005, of course Wimbledon in 2008. But then there is my first US Open and when I closed the circle of the Grand Slam tournaments in Melbourne. And I don't forget those tournaments like the one in Madrid and Barcelona in my country, or the one in Indian Wells in Miami, or the one in Cincinnati where I won. for the first time in 2013, or the beautiful Monte Carlo, or the special feeling of Rome, or Shanghai and Beijing with those incredible fans... Canada, Mexico, Chile, Brazil, my first days in Buenos Aires... so many. of incredible memories. However, you can never stop trying. You can never relax. You always have to improve, and that has been the constant in my life. That's how I became a better player.

For 30 years, the image I conveyed to the world was not always what I felt inside. Honestly, I've been nervous before every game I've played; that never leaves you. Every night before a game I went to bed feeling like I might lose (and when I woke up in the morning too!). In tennis, the difference between players is very fine, and between rivals even more so. When you go out on the field anything can happen, that's why all your senses must be awake, alive. That feeling, the inner fire and the nerves, the adrenaline of going out and seeing a full court, is a very difficult feeling to describe. It is a feeling that only a few can understand, and something that I am sure will never be the same again now that I retire as a professional. There will still be those moments playing exhibitions and maybe in other sports as well. "I will always compete and try to do my best, but it won't be the same feeling as walking in front of the fans in a certain stadium."

For most of my career, I was good at controlling emotions. With one exception. I went through a very difficult time, mentally, a few years ago. I was very used to physical pain, but there were times on the court when I had a hard time controlling my breathing and I couldn't play at the highest level. I have no problem saying it now. After all, we are human beings, not superheroes. The person you see on center court with a trophy is a person. Exhausted, relieved, happy, grateful, but only one person. Fortunately, I haven't gotten to the point where I can't control things like anxiety, but there are times with every player when it's hard to control your mind, and when that happens it's hard to have full control of your game. There were months when I thought about taking a complete break from tennis to clear my mind. In the end, I worked on it every day to get better. I conquered it by always moving forward and little by little I became myself again. What I am most proud of is that I may have struggled, but I never gave up. "I always gave my best."

Tennis is also a teacher of life itself. Most of the time, you don't win the tournament you play. No matter who you are, at the end of many weeks you will have lost. Real life is the same. You learn to live with the moments of joy and the moments of pain, and try to treat them the same way. In the good times I never thought he was Superman and in the bad times I never thought he was a failure. "What makes you grow as a person is life itself: the failures, the nerves, the anguish, the joy, the process of waking up every day and trying to be a little better to achieve your goals." "At the end of the day, you get what you give. I hope my legacy is that I always tried to treat others with deep respect. This was my parents' golden rule. When I was a child, my father He always told me: “Inventing is difficult. Copying is much easier.” It wasn't about life. Look around you and see how people you admire treat people. them. Act like them and you will probably live a happy life. I carried that lesson with me in every game I played. I was not driven by hatred for my rivals, but by deep respect and admiration I simply tried to wake up every morning and improve a little to keep up with them. "I tried... I always tried." "For over 30 years I have given everything I could to this game. In return, I received joy and happiness. Joy and happiness, love and friendship, and so much more... Sincerely, Rafa."

[olivafans]

Trump Proposes 'Gulf of America': A Name Change for Gulf of Mexico

President-elect Donald Trump has announced plans to rename the Gulf of Mexico to the "Gulf of America." During a press conference at Mar-a-Lago on January 7, 2025, Trump stated, "We’re going to be changing the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America, which has a beautiful ring." He emphasized that this change would reflect the U.S.'s significant presence and influence in the region, stating, "Because we do most of the work there and it's ours."

This proposal is part of a broader set of statements from Trump where he also discussed imposing tariffs on Mexico and Canada, critiqued immigration policies, and hinted at not ruling out military or economic measures for control over other territories like the Panama Canal and Greenland. The announcement has sparked a debate, with reactions varying from support among his base to criticism from others who see it as an unnecessary move or a distraction from more pressing issues.

Historically, the idea of renaming the Gulf of Mexico has been floated before, notably by a Mississippi state representative in 2012 for satirical purposes related to immigration debates. However, Trump's proposal seems more serious, though it remains unclear how he would enact such a change legally or internationally.

Reaction on social media and from various news outlets has been mixed. Some posts on X have humorously or satirically supported the idea, while others have criticized it as an example of overreach or nationalism. Critics argue it could strain international relations, particularly with Mexico, where the Gulf's current name originates from the city of Mexico.

From a legal standpoint, renaming a geographical feature like a gulf involves complex international agreements and domestic legislation, potentially requiring cooperation from bordering countries like Mexico, Cuba, and the U.S. states that line the Gulf.

The practical implications of this name change, if it were to proceed, would involve updating maps, textbooks, and official documents, which could be both costly and logistically challenging.