#Comparing React And React Native

[educableonline]

Choosing the Right Framework: React vs React Native for Your Web or Mobile App

Read the article here: https://www.educable.co.in/2023/04/react-vs-react-native.html

[dandelionsresilience]

Good News - May 15-21

Like these weekly compilations? Support me on Ko-fi! Also, if you tip me on Ko-fi, at the end of the month I'll send you a link to all of the articles I found but didn't use each week - almost double the content!

1. Translocation of 2,000 rhinos in Africa gets underway in “one of the most audacious conservation efforts of modern times”

“The 2,000 rhinos - more than are currently found in any single wild location in Africa - represent around 12-15% of the continent’s remaining white rhino population. […] “Rhinos perform an important ecological function in the environment as a large grazing herbivore,” says Dale Wepener[….] “The protection of rhino is far more than just looking after rhino; other species that occur in the protected areas will benefit from the protection,” explains Jooste. “This will lead to an increase in diversity and result in much healthier ecosystems.”

2. Florida Corridor Buffers Effects of Climate Change on Wildlife — And People

“A massive multi-partner effort that has conserved 10 million acres for wildlife in Florida over past decades will help buffer wildlife—and people—from the effects of climate change, a new report says. […] Protecting these corridors is important for wildlife genetics, demography and connectivity […], conducting prescribed fires in the corridor can reduce the risk of more intense wildfires [… and] they can provide buffers against hurricanes and seasonal thunderstorms.”

3. Global life expectancy to increase by nearly 5 years by 2050 despite geopolitical, metabolic, and environmental threats

“Increases are expected to be largest in countries where life expectancy is lower, contributing to a convergence of increased life expectancy across geographies. The trend is largely driven by public health measures that have prevented and improved survival rates from cardiovascular diseases, COVID-19, and a range of communicable, maternal, neonatal, and nutritional diseases (CMNNs).”

4. Valencia has Spain’s longest urban park

“Jardin del Turia (Turia Garden) is the green spine of the City of Valencia and Spain’s (and possibly Europe’s) longest urban park stretching for a length of 8.5 kilometres [… and] the current administration plans to make Jardin del Turia Europe’s largest city green space by extending it to the sea[….] Almost all Valencia residents (97 per cent) live within 300 metres of an urban green space. […] Jardin del Turia is a true urban oasis that provides exceptional thermal comfort, with a temperature difference of up to three degrees compared to other areas of the city.”

5. This Paint Could Clean Both Itself and the Air

“When an artificial ultraviolet light source shines on [photocatalytic] paint, the nanoparticles react with pollutants to make them break down—theoretically removing them from the nearby air and preventing a discoloring buildup. [… R]esearchers developed a new photocatalytic paint that they claim works using UV rays from ordinary sunlight, making its self-cleaning properties easier to activate. They’ve also shown that they can effectively produce this paint from recycled materials [including fallen leaves].”

6. Planting Seedlings for a Cooler Rockingham

“A dedicated group of volunteers recently planted over a thousand native seedlings in Lewington Reserve [… and] re-established canopy cover to areas of the reserve to create cooling shade for the local community and provide homes for native wildlife. […] Planting lots of trees and shrubs in urban areas can help create shade and cool cities, mitigating the impacts of climate change, contributing to biodiversity conservation and building greener, more resilient communities.”

7. Sydney’s first dedicated affordable housing for trans women designed to deliver ‘positive outcomes’

“Community housing provider and charity Common Equity NSW, […] which is for people on very low to moderate incomes, prides itself on creating inclusive living and promotes the independence and well-being of people and communities […, and] will deliver the first-of-its-kind social housing in a bid to provide a safe place to live for transgender women seeking an affordable home.”

8. Rewilding: How a herd of bison reintroduced to Romania is helping ‘supercharge’ carbon removal

“170 European Bison reintroduced to Romania’s Țarcu mountains could help capture and store the carbon released by up to 84,000 average US petrol cars each year. […] By grazing a 48 square kilometre area of grassland in a wider landscape of 300 kilometres squared, they helped to capture an additional 54,000 tonnes of carbon each year. That is around 10 times the amount that would be captured by the ecosystem without the bison.”

9. World’s biggest grids could be powered by renewables, with little or no storage

“[…] 100% renewable supply can then match the load by putting surplus electricity into two kinds of distributed storage worth that [an energy expert] says are worth buying anyway – ice-storage air-conditioning and smart bidirectional charging of electric cars, and recover that energy when needed, filling the last gaps with unobtrusively flexible demand.”

10. Supporting the Long-Term Survival of Copper River Salmon and Alaska Native Traditions

“With $4.3 million in NOAA funds, the Copper River Watershed Project and The Eyak Corporation will remove fish passage barriers, opening more streams for salmon spawning and subsistence fishing. [… As part of this effort, o]ld narrow culverts that constrict water flow will be replaced with “stream simulation” culverts wide enough to fit the full stream, including its banks. They are also deep to allow contractors to place stones and other material inside to mimic a natural stream bottom.”

May 8-14 news here | (all credit for images and written material can be found at the source linked; I don’t claim credit for anything but curating.)

[daenerysstormreborn]

The whole concept of left brain/right brain isn’t super solid but I think it’s the most accurate way to describe the difference between Arya and Sansa’s skill sets. I think with training either girl could be a politician or a warrior. I think they both could’ve survived if their roles were swapped. Both have demonstrated the ability to adapt.

Arya specializes in the concrete and logical, in immediate observations and perceptions, and intuitive reactions to those. Arya is quick on her toes and great at making on-the spot assessments and reacting appropriately. She’s extremely observant and perceptive and these things come very naturally to her. She’s great at learning language, but isn’t said to write poetry and doesn’t take marked interest in story or songs. Her focus is typically on her immediate environment and current situation. She doesn’t spend time ruminating or crafting distant future lives for herself. She is alert and attuned to the facts and the present.

Sansa is more abstract and artistic, focusing on the qualitative aspects of life, engaging in creative pursuits. She loves the romantic and fantastical and is more attuned to ideas and concepts than the facts of her immediate surroundings. She absorbs history and heraldry and has a knack for aesthetics and mastery of her native language (i.e., writing poetry and being an eloquent speaker. Learning new language is “left brain” whereas mastery of your native language is “right brain.”), but isn’t said to be very good at math and her romanticized lens inhibits her perception of fact at times. She has a vivid imagination and spends a lot of time ruminating on her past and conjuring fantasies of idealized futures, comparing her own life to familiar narratives instead of being 100% present in her surroundings.

Which isn’t to say these skill sets are mutually exclusive to the girls. Arya can be very creative (she is excellent with performing and getting into roles as a faceless man) and Sansa can be quick on her toes (like when she saved Dontos). These skill sets also are not opposites and the girls do not “complete” each other. Both are full complete people on their own who are learning to apply their natural strengths to navigate their worlds.

What’s interesting to me is that they’re both a little aimless right now for different reasons relating to what I described above. Arya is great at taking action but doesn’t have a vision of her ideal future (at least not that we’ve seen) so she doesn’t know where to go next. Her biggest desires are “go home” and “go to the wall to see Jon” but those aren’t options to her so she ends up a bit directionless, traveling across the ocean and becoming a faceless man because she has to do SOMETHING because she’s a doer, but doesn’t know what to do. Meanwhile Sansa has goals for her future of being a lady with a loving husband and a family, but she is not a doer and doesn’t know what steps to take to escape her current situation, so she goes along with Littlefinger’s plan. Arya has inertia but no direction and Sansa has direction but no inertia

Of course, for both girls, age and and trauma are factors in them going down the paths they’re on and I expect that we’ll see them both grow!

[the-great-empress]

Better with them than with you

Here Mc is woman

Warning: grammatical errors, English is not my native language

Tags: @huuvu

PART II | PART III

Mc POV.

—Help them... that's why I chose you

—Mc… you… are a descendant of Lilith

Confusion and speechlessness was how I felt... but... I had the feeling that this was a sentence...

—Lilith!

I heard Lucifer exclaim with happiness and then hugged me with fervor... while the cold and emptiness ruled my body... I also heard the rest of the brothers happy for Lilith, except Satan... then... the next thing I can remember was being in the common room from the house of lamentations surrounded by smiles and praises from Mammon, Beelzebub, Asmodeus, Leviathan... Lucifer and... Belphegor... were fighting to sit on my sides, while they praised me and talked about Lilith... How long has it been since the revelation?

My gaze was fixed in front, on the other large piece of furniture, Diavolo was smiling with his charming smile, Barbatos with his cordial smile and... Satan with an expression of empathy and slight sadness... Why are you sad, Satan? Why are you looking at me like that? Do I have something on my face?

Barbatos in summary said that he could no longer return to my original timeline… I felt like my soul fell into the abyss as I continued standing…

—I want to return to the place where they don't know who my ancestor is.

—I want to be treated like before the revelation

—I don't want to continue hearing about Lilith or being compared to her.

—I am not a replacement…

—Will Simeon and Luke hate me if they find out that I share blood with that angel who caused the brothers' fall? Nobody should know

They were the things that constantly prevented me from sleeping at night while I cried like a stupid girl, but as if he knew I was staying up late, he knocked on the door of my temporary room and said my name with affection and a certain air of sadness, every time I opened it. At the door, there he was... Satan with a book in his hands... it became a routine... Satan would come, we would read a chapter of a book and then cuddle and he would say sweet words about me... the others... they continued talking about Lilith, they bought me clothes adorable and angelic looking, they were aware that that was not the type of clothing I liked

More than a few people missed that this was Lilith's favorite style, as well as how my hair was the same color she had... that same night they mentioned it... I bought some hair dye and grabbed the kitchen scissors... The next day I entered the dining room with the opposite color to how I had it and with very short hair. The scandal that arose at that moment was great and Asmodeus recovered the "beautiful" original color of my hair with a potion.

No matter what I do... they will find a way to keep me looking like Lilith so I gave up and let them use me however they wanted.

Even Simeon commented that I was like an angel "Please Simeon... don't keep thinking about it... you could know who my ancestor is and I don't want you to hate me" I repeated in my mind, I feel like a criminal for Lilith's actions even if I don't I committed them. Is it because I cooperated with her to help the brothers? Why am I proof that she came out the winner and free from her punishment? The weight of keeping Lilith's secret tortures my body, I want to cry... scream... hit something... talk to someone... Satan was not an option, I was afraid that because of that he would have an attack of anger and fight with the brothers, definitely Barbatos and in Diavolo especially were not options, I didn't even want to think about how they would react, Simeon and Luke less so and as for Solomon I didn't know whether to even hint at him, I didn't want to involve him in a personal problem of that caliber.

Michael… when Michael apologized for the actions of Lilith and the brothers I cried, I just cried while he hugged me, Michael really… I…

—Lilith!

Six of the brothers exclaimed in surprise as they observed her sister alive in front of them. They did not hesitate to run towards her and hug her while Satan and I watched the scene in surprise. I could swear I felt Satan's hands squeezing mine with comfort.

—Why are you still here? You better not get your hopes up and leave as soon as possible and take THAT Satan with you

They were the first words I crossed with Lilith alone.

How are you Satan?

Of all of them, the one that worries me the most is Satan, every time Ppyong returned I asked him about the avatar, he kept me up to date that he is still in the house of lamentations with the other Lords and Lilith although he only saw her once

Were you able to repair your relationship with your siblings?

The first days in “hell” were difficult… difficult to get used to the fact that the angels are the bad and cruel ones after all in my world they were the ones who supported me, well, most of them… difficult to trust the word of the demons and that they have no other intentions, in my reality, demons are liars and do actions behind the backs of others... hard to believe that here I would have someone that I can call family...

But I quickly began to like this "hell", I don't have to hide who I share blood with as if it were the worst of taboos or a criminal, in fact I don't even care if they call me "Solomon" or "Daughter of Solomon" nor that believe that I am Solomon, I would say that it makes me feel proud, perhaps because I have a good relationship with him and for all the support and help he has given me, I love listening to his stories like a little girl who loves to listen to those stories of her parents, although only distant relatives, I see him as a good father and parental figure

Satan, King Satan, dislikes that even his own subjects are confused about me being Solomon... and I thank him from the bottom of my heart... I really want to help him, help the seven kingdoms... kingdoms... kings... this feeling is... no Mc , concentrate, you can't feel that feeling again... that same feeling that caused you immense pain when the six of them made it more than clear who they preferred.

—There is nothing wrong with falling in love with kings.

Dad please

—Your mind denies it and your heart wants to express a big statement, but he is so hurt that he needs help.

No, it is not that which begins with “L”, it is only companionship and understanding, only that, and there is only sexual act for the “energy”, it is only that for me and especially for them, nothing more

—If it's just companionship, why when you were replenishing “energy” with Satan did Mammon join in and the three of them ended up with a sprained hip?

I don't know, but it's not that word! Wait a minute, did you hear everything?

—Even the angels in heaven would hear Bimet's complaints about how a human managed to "paralyze" two kings, fu fu~, when Leviathan finds out about that and King Lucifer who is waiting for you to wake up, you will have to satisfy two jealous kings

Oh please kings Lucifer and Leviathan have no reason or reason for jealousy, there is not even a hint of romance in this, stop pairing me with kings

—But you would make a good couple with them. Have you not noticed the subtle changes of the kings? Although the other Satan, the magician, that Simeon and even the other Raphael and Michael also have their charm. How about the best of both realities?

Aaaaahhh! I want to wake up!

†~†~†~†~†~†~†

Narrator POV

Intense and fervent

Those were the words with which Mc described the face of King Lucifer who looked at her with such fervor, it did not help that the king was in absolute silence and both were alone in that room, Mc tried to break the tension, however, the silent gaze of the king was more powerful, for a moment the woman remembered the words of her ancestor Solomon

“There is nothing wrong with falling in love with kings”

“Haven't you noticed the subtle changes of kings?”

The human hesitated, but then denied it, she didn't want to get her hopes up again... at that, some light knocks were heard on the other side of the door, it was Gamigin reporting that Ppyong returned with "that" for Mc and then she heard Ppyong and Jjok say good morning to both Lucifer and Mc

The woman felt great relief, but it was crushed by the disgust that Lucifer's face began to reflect

—Yes, he's so jealous that he can't hear "that"

It was Solomon's voice

—It's not jealousy!

Mc mentally remarked to her

Meanwhile with the two kings “wounded in battle”

—His Majesty has a meeting in TWO HOURS and he doesn’t even react! —shouted a hysterical Bimet to Buer who was intrigued and worried about the state of the two kings

On the stretchers were the kings Satan and Mammon, the lascivious faces full of ecstasy of the two rulers and the throbbing lumps under the sheets said it all

—What did you do to keep the two of you in climax? Solomon's daughter only lasted a few hours in that state, but they still haven't reacted —murmurs Buer fearfully

—I also want Solomon to cause those heartbeats in me —complained Sitri clearly jealous

Meanwhile in the Devildom… in Diavolo's castle was the prince of the same name, his loyal butler and the lords, except for Satan.

—Very well, Lucifer and I will go to "Hell" to bring Mc back —said Diavolo happily

N/T: MC! Shit! What the fuck did you do to Mammon and Satan?!

[thatdeadaquarius]

OKAY BUT I HAVE MORE IDEA FOR BLUNT READER CUZ I LOVE THAT AU SO MUCHANDMDJFKSLDKF

So you know how french people's insult are always outta pocket (from a person who's first language is french I can tell you that no other language compares in insult -apart for African languages)

Like,, some "bad" insult here would be : bitch, fuck off, whore,..

Which we can all agree is boring...

BUT THEN IN FRENCH!!!

We be getting creative with it

Eg.

"mange tes mort" wich translates to "eat your dead (relatives)"

"vas te fair enculer" means "go get yourself pegged in the ass"

(yes, we have a specific word for being fucked in the ass 💀)

AND THOSE WOULD BE THE COMMON ONES AS WELL

English could never compare ✨

BUT ANYWAYS

how would the characters react if reader was from france/ belgium/ canada(or any other french speaking country) and started cursing people out like they eould do in their home countrie !?!?

The eay their face would drop

We would make a couple of people cry

AND GOD(us haha) FORBID A KID OVER-HEAR US AND STARTS REPEATING US

Trying to un-teach them would be hell *cries*

Your thoughts?

Love yaaaa~

ABSOLUTE TOP TIER ORAH MY BELOVED!!

Nobody has any idea how much I HATE ENGLISH both for its rules/pronounciation BS/etc. But also, most importantly, THERES LIKE NO GOOD CUSS WORDS- OR LIKE CUSS PHRASES??

I HAD TO PUT THIS GIF BC THAT WAS LITERALLY ME WHEN I HAD THE REALIZATION TO LOOK UP OTHER LANGUAGE CUSS WORDS AND I WAS JUST BLOWN AWAY BY HOW GOOD THEY WERE- HOW CREATIVE- 😫😭🥲 ENGLISH WHY R U SO SHITY IN EVERY POSSIBLE LANGUAGE SITUATION-

like idk we got "eat shit and die / fuck off / go fuck yourself" ???? Like- thats pathetic 😟.

I love hearing someone just cuss smbody out their native language/non-english, it’s so badass and cool to see

Anyway u already know i love non-native english speakers from the bottom of my heart✨️

GOD I FUCKING LOVE BLUNT LANGUAGE AU ITS LIKE ONE OF TOP FAV AS U CAN PROBABLY GUESS I COULD WRITE A LITERAL FANFIC ENTIRELY OFF THIS SIMPLE PREMISE 💖💓💗💞❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥

omg so i HAVE SPECIFICALLY HEARD ABT FRENCH BEING RLLY CREATIVEEE

and i researched french cusswords/phrases,,,

😭 BRO IM CRYING

“bête comme ses pieds!” IM ROLLING ON THE FLOOR-

(trans: you’re as stupid AS YOUR FEEEEEETT)

idk what’s funnier, you translating urself in real time and saying all these phrases to ppl,

OR just scaring the ever-loving shit out of every teyvat citizen within a mile radius bc oh wow- you look pissed, so yeah somebody’s about to lose all their self-esteem for the rest of their life bc ur insults are known to be extra cutting bc ur so blunt-

OH CREATOR ABOVE (…oh creator, present??)- you changed to your holy language FOR THIS???

everybody just giving the npc the most bombastic side-eye for pushing you to do this,

or even just you stubbing ur toe/ate food when it was too hot

or my favorite, getting onto ppl like Wanderer when they do smth silly lmao

STOP I HAD A FOUL THOUGHT OF GETTING ONTO Ei AND WANDERER (like ei for not keeping him/at least giving him to someone else to raise, then all the shit he did as Scaramouche lol)

AND THIS CUSSWORD COMES OUT UNDER UR BREATH OR SMTH- DOES THIS FIT BC THIS KILLS ME:

“Putain de salope…” (whore of whore, I LIED IT MEANS FUCKING BITCH LMAO😭)

JUST GETTING THE MOM AND THE SON IN ONE FULL BREATH CRYINGGGG

STOPPP wanderer using it against other ppl ever since u used it lol

oh no stop dont bring the kids into thisss 😭😭

Klee would deffo be the first one to pick up ur words and use them, omg she just uses them as catchphrases like when throwing her bombs 💀

“Mange tes mort!” JUST WITH A SMILE ON HER FACE AS SHE THROWS HER HUGE SKILL BOMB INTO A FISH POND

Venti would definitely make sure the winds “pass along phrases of the sacred All-God language!”

which just means anyone who UNDERSTANDS YOU JUST GETS GENTLY CREATIVELY CUSSED OUT BY THE WIND IM SOBBINGGG

☆

i hope u guys are having a great summer! its basically too hot to go outside where I am, not unless ur going straight into the water or smth

which hey, ill be doing that this weekend, floating down the river about an hour away from my house with friends! :]

which,,, if anyone sees this, U GOTTA HELP ME THINK OF A 1000 FOLLOWERS MILESTONE THING TO DO IDK WHAT TO DO BUT I WANNA CELEBRATE IT BC I NEVER THOUGHT THATD HAPPEN!! lmk what u think in the comments if u read this!

☆

Safe Travels 0rah,

💀♒

♡the beloveds♡

@karmawonders / @0rah-s / @randomnatics / @glxssynarvi / @nexylaza / @genshin-impacts-me / @wholesomey-artist / @thedevioussmirk / @the-dumber-scaramouche / @chocogi

[pyroclastic727]

The Marvels is being scathed by critics, and that's a good thing.

I finally saw The Marvels today. I'm a bit late to the party, so all I saw about the movie was the teaser at the end of Ms Marvel, and way too many critical reviews of it.

Now, obviously on Tumblr you find the good reviews, like, the cats outnumbering the white men and how Kamala Khan is, like, basically all of us. But in person, I've had someone tell me that it's bad because Rotten Tomatoes rates it 43%, which-- besides wondering why anyone would listen to Rotten Tomatoes, I'd have to wonder why the website would give it such a low rating. The easy answer is that the Tomatoes review committee is populated by white men, who, upon having no one to relate to, react badly to the movie. But I think there's more to it.

The Marvels is a revolution. Through its character-driven writing and brazen exploration of morality, it rewrites the superhero formula completely, by questioning what exactly it means to be a superhero.

The Marvels was directed by Nia DaCosta, an award-winning Harlem native and creative visionary whose approach to this film was to define these characters as humans, not as superheroes. Her approach to heroism directly addresses that the idea that a hero is not always right. A hero, DaCosta claims, is "someone who's trying their best with the information and tools they have at the time. They'll always get it wrong." Carol Danvers's arc directly addresses this, as the resolution of her subplot involves her re-igniting the sun that she snuffed out. Her heroic act is to undo the damage that she wrought.

When compared to old Marvel, this message just doesn't come through. In WandaVision, Wanda's grief is for a family that was killed by the Avengers. Yet, she is painted as a villain, even as she searches for a happy home, even as she at one point joins the Avengers. The Avengers cannot undo what they did, and don't really try. They defeat the big bad, sacrifice their lives, but nothing brings back Wanda's family. Nothing undoes that war. No one searches for Wanda after the event, to try to help her with her grief, except for Monica, and she's working against orders. Their heroics are militant, but while they excel at destruction, they leave the people they hurt in the dust.

This antiheroic plot of old Marvel is precisely what appealed to so many American audiences. Their protagonists are: a rich corporation, a super-soldier, a privileged teenager, a scientist who makes weapons, an ex-convict, a man born into godlike power, and I'm sure there are others but I don't actually care that much... (these would be iron man, captain america, peter parker spiderman, hulk, antman, thor, and etc). All these archetypes appeal to American ideals that the wealthy would sympathize with. They claim that there are people who are inherently bad and seek the power that they have, in the way that a poor person might want a job that a wealthy person wants their child to secure. They claim that it is their business to save those which cannot save themselves, and use this to get involved in wars that are not theirs, and beat up badguys whose backstory they have no way of knowing-- and they punch before they stop and listen.

They are cops in every sense of the word. The responsibility of the vigilante is to defend against evil, but part of that responsibility is to figure out who exactly is evil and who is in need of help.

The Marvels creates a team that tries to distinguish evil from good, and delves into the grey area between them. The final battle between Carol Danvers and Dar-benn has the superhero pinning the grey-haired antagonist to the ground as she begs for, then demands, that Carol fix what she damaged. Monica urges her to listen. Through this, The Marvels argues that a hero does not always beat up the bad guy and fight against unrelenting evil, but that a hero can be wrong, and that a hero can reconsider. It's kindness in the way that is revolutionary, where it's much easier to choose cruelty.

The fact that the movie is getting torn apart by critics, then, is not just because it is a "girls movie" or it doesn't have a strong white man for the white male viewer to sympathize with. The Marvels cannot appeal to Marvel fans because it rewrites the genre itself. It takes a film series whose purpose was to depict the struggles of cops, of the wealthy, of people with too much power who are trying to learn how to responsibly wield it, but don't. And it gives that power to people who have watched superheroes try and fail, who are slowly learning to be better heroes than the ones before them.

The next generation is a critique of the last, a group trying not to make the mistakes of the chosen ones that came before them, and as such, the movie exists to critique the movies that came before it. Therefore, a viewer of Marvel who would positively review it, due to sympathizing with the previous heroes and enjoying the power fantasy, would dislike it out of its existence being critical and contradictory to the films they like themselves.

The Marvels is not for Marvel fans-- at least, not those who saw the Avengers as purely heroes. Instead, the film reaches out to people who would have been against the old Avengers, who want a story that dismantles the unquestioned idealism of superheroes and writes about people trying to protect their communities and the people they care about.

So, let the critics complain. The MCU is shedding its roots as a pro-cop and pro-colonialism power fantasy, and evolving into an exploration of what it means to be a true hero.

[rallentando1011]

Hello! I hope your doing okay❤️❤️

I’d like to request a Reader with a accent ( I’m native and I kinda realized how differently I sound compared to other people). How would the Rottmnt boys react? Like maybe sometimes they don’t know what the reader is saying??? Or have a hard time understanding?? Or maybe the reader says things differently? It’s fine if you don’t wanna do it, just thought I’d request. Thank you and have a nice day!! ❤️❤️❤️👽

ROTTMNT Boys W/ a Reader With an Accent

Thank you very much for this super sweet request! I may have projected on some parts of this, but don’t we all? Anyway, hope you’re having a great day, take care of yourselves, and enjoy!

(Also, I promise I am working through my requests and appreciate every one! Request guidelines are HERE)

Word Count: 855

Donnie:

Donnie loves ranting to you and listening to you in return, no matter what topic you guys talk about

Sometimes as you’re speaking you’ll use a word or phrase and see him have a genuine physical reaction to it

Head askew, eyebrow lifted, lips pressed together

When he feels confused, his expression says it more quickly than his words

Any time you mispronounce a word, he genuinely needs to butt in and correct you

Call it semantics or pedantics or whatever you want, he can not and will not let it go

If you’re fumbling over words or can’t think of the specific one you want to say, he’ll try to help by throwing out suggestions

Most of the time, he’s right on the money, almost impossibly so

You’ve jokingly accused him of using his tech to read your mind, but he hasn’t… probably

He’s just an intuitive fellow who loves his context clues

Hand gestures while you’re talking help him figure out what you mean

You two could go back and forth in a conversation of mostly hand gesticulations

He keeps a list of any regional or culturally specific words you use, partially so he has them for future reference, partially because he finds them endearing

If you ever find it, though, he will insist that it is strictly for the former

Nope, no sentimental value to it at all

Mikey: 

Mikey is a highly empathetic person, so whenever he doesn’t know what you’re saying or you don’t know what you’re trying to say, he’s understanding about it

He sits patiently and calmly as you work through your words

Likewise, he waits until after you finish speaking your sentiments to ask for clarification

Now, Mikey may be a compassionate little guy, but he can also be a menace (still to be determined if he is intentionally or incidentally that way)

Instead of specifying what he doesn’t get, he endlessly repeats

“Huh?... Huh?”

He does this until you physically shake him back to reality

In general, he is extravagantly generous with his compliments

Whether it be about appearance or personality traits, he absolutely loves showering people in praise

The same goes for you and your voice

Even when your accent occasionally confuses your conversation, he still loves your pronunciation of the words

And you can trust that he’s vocal about it

He might ask you to repeat a word just so he can hear you say it again

He just loves y̶o̶u̶ your voice that much

Leo: 

Leo is a giggler

No matter the situation, serious or silly, he’s always quick to crack a joke or pun or just laugh

When Leo doesn’t understand something you said, you’ll know

You can always tell by the purely mischievous grin that commandeers his features

You’ll be talking normally when all of a sudden you have to pause because that man will not stop smirking

When you ask him what the issue is, he slowly repeats whatever you mispronounced, hints of lighthearted condescension hiding in his tone

Somehow he asks you to repeat yourself in the most puzzling ways possible

“Run that back real quick?”

“Run what back?”

Leo may lightly tease you for saying something wrong, but he usually knows how far he can push and still be lighthearted

Although, if he ever oversteps with his teasing, he will apologize profusely, insisting that he finds it sweet

If you ever feel insecure about your accent or the unorthodox words you use, he picks up on it, immediately drops his teasing, and talks with you about how awesome you and your characteristics are

Even though he chuckles at any odd words you say, it’s never out of malice

He just finds it endearing

Raph:

Out of all of the brothers, Raph has the most experience interacting with people who come from all kinds of backgrounds with all kinds of voices

He’s always the one to go on patrols

Or talk with business owners when him and his brothers are at a restaurant

Or sneak into Times Square disguised in a hippopotamus costume to buy his father a robe

Either way, he’s been exposed to a multitude of accents

He even has one himself

With all that being said, it is abundantly clear that he is highly understanding of your odd pronunciations, even when he can’t understand you

He always waits until you finish your sentence or thought before incredibly bashfully correcting your pronunciation or asking for you to repeat yourself

Just to repeat it for emphasis, he is extremely shy while doing this

Shuffling his feet, clearing his throat, twiddling his thumbs

He just doesn’t want to frustrate you

However, he knows that he would want to be corrected if he made an error, so he finds it only decent to extend that same liberty to you

Raph occasionally giggles when your accent muddles your meaning

He doesn’t mean to, and does try to conceal his laughter, but sometimes he can’t help himself

It’s adorable- er, he means hilarious

He always specifies afterward that he was laughing at the situation, never at you and your wonderful traits

[artbyblastweave]

My sense of what Crossovers are for, conceptually, the thing they do that other works can't, was entirely formulated by my early-childhood exposure to Kurt Busiek and George Perez's seminal 2004 Marvel/DC crossover JLA/Avengers. Like most stuff Busiek writes it's a love-letter, and part-and-parcel with its status as a love-letter was that he took the time to render the horror and bewilderment that the respective teams had upon encountering the status-quo of their counterpart's setting. The JLA encounter the anti-mutant hysteria, the supervillainous fiefdoms like Latveria, figures like Hulk and Punisher being allowed to roam free, all those tonal hallmarks of Marvel, and they come to the conclusion that the Marvel Universe is hanging on by its fingernails and that the Avengers are somewhere between in over their heads and actively negligent. Meanwhile the Avengers explore the shiny, forward-thinking, optimistic DC universe, encounter the ubiquitously positive reactions they get from people on the street just for visibly Being Superheroes, see things like the Flash Museum and the Hall of Justice, and Captain America comes to the conclusion that the Justice League obviously must have led a fascist takeover of America. Then they hit each other a lot. Anyway, if you're writing a crossover between two works and you want me to care at all, you need to meet the JLA/Avengers Bar. When a character from one work is placed in the context of another work's setting, what commentary on the original work is that character in a position to provide through their outlook and worldview? What insight, in turn, can their commentary provide on on the assumptions and conventions of their native narrative? Have all characters involved experienced enough of the events of their own work that they've actually got something to compare and contrast with, or is the crossover occurring so early in one or more of their respective timelines that you're basically dealing with OCs due to the butterfly effect? Are you actually acknowledging the different properties as discrete narratives that are abrading each other in interesting ways, or are you for the one millionth time reimagining Izuku Midoriya as a native resident of some other setting (seemingly decided via roulette wheel?) And of course, are you correct in your assessments of how these are bouncing off each other? How many times am I getting hit with "They would not fucking say that/react like that/understand their new surroundings in that way/go five minutes without trying to disembowel this fan-favorite character from the other work that you've decided they're getting along great with?"

[mimisempai]

I love the joy in you

Summary

An offhand remark by Crowley about Aziraphale's hair brings back a bad memory for the angel. But a revelation from the demon could turn that memory into a pleasant one.

Notes

Prompt : "Your hair is so soft. Like a bunny."

On Ao3

Rating G -  420 words

Light jazzy music came from the gramophone.

A soft, warm breeze blew in through the window, gently rustling the curtains.

Aziraphale was snuggled against Crowley on the sofa, lulled by the hypnotic movement of the demon's long fingers in his hair, feeling the numbness that precedes sleep begin to overtake him.

Suddenly, Crowley's voice disturbed the peaceful atmosphere, "Your hair is so soft. Like a bunny."

The angel replied in a lazy voice, "Did you just compare me to a bunny?"

Crowley chuckled slightly and ruffled Aziraphale's hair before resuming his caresses.

Aziraphale continued, "How would you know, have you ever petted a rabbit?"

Crowley replied, "Need I remind you of Harry?"

Aziraphale muttered, "Thank you for reminding me of that disastrous children's show.

Crowley bowed his head and, grasping the angel's chin, said, "Well, the kids may not have enjoyed the show, but I thought you were both adorable."

Aziraphale laughed self-deprecatingly and replied dubiously, "Yes, yes, that's right. Adorably ridiculous, yes."

Crowley held the angel's chin and insisted, "I did find you adorable. I didn't have time to dwell on it, with Hellhound and Armageddon, you know. But you were adorable in my memory. And do you know why?"

Aziraphale shook his head, and Crowley, running his thumb gently over his lips, said softly, "Because you were doing something you loved. No matter that the reason was our shared mission, no matter that the kids didn't welcome it, you were having fun. Just like on stage in 1941, without the shotgun stunt, of course. When you're enjoying something you love like that, it's like when you're eating one of your favorite dishes or tasting a fine wine or listening to your favorite piece of music, you have this expression of deep joy and it makes you absolutely adorable."

Giving the angel no time to react, Crowley leaned in, his mouth replacing his thumb on the angel's lips in a tender kiss.

When their lips parted, although the Angel's cheeks were flushed, there was a playful gleam in his eyes as he said, "Well, I have to have that expression right now, don't I? Because I'm really enjoying something that I love. And you know what? I intend to keep doing it."

He passed his tongue over his lips and added in a whisper, "Right now. 

Taking advantage of having rendered the demon speechless for a fleeting second, Aziraphale lifted his head to capture Crowley's lips in turn, filled with delight as he fully enjoyed the one he loved.

_________

Still not beta'd

Still not my native language

Still hoping you'll enjoy this story  🥰

Still thanking you for bearing with me 😝

Ineffable Growing Love - Series post S2 - Part 1 - Part 2

Ineffable fan fictions Masterpost : here

[still-a-morosexual-help]

Okay so,

Mammon's a cat person over a dog person. When asked on chat why, he says because cats are aloof and proud.

Mammon absolutely prefers cats because they remind him of Lucifer. (yes ik the aloof & proud thing is a stereotype that isn't true for all, if not most, cats. I've had a lot of cats throughout the years and only one of them fell into it, but the point still stands)

Devildom cats have been "extinct" since before the brothers fell as none of them have seen any of the native cats.

The cats currently in the Devildom were originally human world cats who were brought over by Satan

Satan, compared to everyone else, has the best control of his Sin.

Satan uses cats as something of an anchor that he can focus on and use to pull himself out of that headspace when angry

Mammon, compared to everyone else, has the best control of his anger & ability to transform into his demon form when angry.

Mammon (as shown in s4) very clearly knows how to talk Satan down when he's angry (even if he was angry enough to have transformed at the moment)

Mammon also reacts quickly, appropriately & with zero hesitation to Kid! Satan, almost as if it's instinct, to the point that he doesn't even question why Satan is suddenly a kid

Since Satan was created out of Lucifer's anger, he would have been a ball of pure rage during those early days after he was "born". He'd have to be taught to control his anger pretty early on. He definitely wouldn't have been allowed to leave his brothers, let alone the Devildom, at this point

For cats to be so effective at instantly stopping his rage they would have been introduced to him at this^ very early stage

Mammon's the one who goes up to the human world the most, to the point that he can navigate it pretty well. He even frequently snuck down to the human world when he was an angel

(Satan is one of the brothers who had the most trouble figuring things out in the human world in S3)

Mammon absolutely introduced cats to Satan & used them as a way to calm him down

One day Satan is going to wake up and realise the reason he loves cats so much stems from the fact that they have similar personality traits to Lucifer and the man's gonna have the existential crisis of the century

[visualtaehyun]

Pronoun changes, my beloved!

Apologies in advance for how chaotic and lengthy this will be but this is my jam lmao For ease of understanding, I'll color-code all words referring to Mork and Day like this!

Disclaimer: not a native Thai speaker, still learning 🙏

Last episode, Mork called himself พี่ /phi/ once so I'd been waiting that entire episode for either of them to initiate a switch in pronouns!!

เดย์ พี่เอง /Day, phi ehng/

It just makes sense tbh, considering all of Day's friends defaulted to calling Mork พี่ /phi/ and Porjai also just calls herself พี่ /phi/ while calling Day น้อง /nong/, น้องเดย์ /nong Day/ or just เดย์ /Day/.

Real quick- พี่ /phi/ = lit. older sibling; respectful yet familiar form of address for someone older (2nd or 3rd person pronoun); can be used to refer to oneself in reference to someone younger (1st person pronoun) น้อง /nong/ = lit. younger sibling; mostly used to refer to someone younger (2nd or 3rd person pronoun) but can be used to refer to oneself in reference to someone older (1st person pronoun)

So, episode 5!

Day accidentally calls Mork พี่ /phi/ and another boundary's crossed 👀 Of course our flustered Day tries to backpaddle immediately to Mork's delight (Day is so teasable, I completely understand Mork haha):

อะไรของคุณ /a rai kaawng khun/

ไอ้น้องเดย์ /ai nong Day/ -> Nong Day? Sweet, affectionate. Ai nong Day? Teasing, trying to annoy Day 😂 พี่ยืมเสื้อตัวนึงนะ /phi yeuum seuua dtuua neung na/ -> The tone of his voice 🫠 This is when Mork starts calling himself พี่ /phi/!

Mork has officially abandoned the polite formal คุณ /khun/ that both him and Day previously used to call each other and he now mostly calls him by his name, เดย์ /Day/, but sometimes he doesn't~

เราเองอ่ะ ก็โพสต์อะไรบ้างดิ /rao ehng a, gaaw post a rai baang di/

เรา /rao/ as a 2nd person pronoun is used by older people for calling someone younger or in general by someone more senior for calling juniors (though I've also heard it between age mates or even by younger people when scolding someone older they're close to lol it sounds a bit condescending or patronizing though). It's not formal or polite, it has a degree of familiarity though!

Quick intermission for the photo caption (though the subs provide a very good alternative pun!)

ข้าวเช้าแบบปัง ปัง /khaao chaao baeb bpang bpang/

ปัง /bpang/ = bread, hence the pun, but it's also an onomatopoeic expression for a loud noise (like Bang!) and, in the same vein, slang for 'popular'. I guess it's comparable to saying sth. or sb. is 'the bomb' in English or like- A bangin' breakfast lol You'd obviously lose the bread pun though.

And now, back to our regularly scheduled programming!

Mork calls him น้องเดย์ /nong Day/ and himself พี่หมอก /phi Mork/ but he also phrases his question with a คับ /khap/ at the end (that's a polite male ending particle) - it's halfway between sweet and teasing but Day's reaction tells us that he's accepting it at face value. :)

Place your bets now as to how everyone will react once they hear the changed speaking habits of these two lmao Personally, I wanna see Night's reaction the most

Gee is up first!

Last night, Day did still call him คุณ /khun/ HMMM 😏 (Gee's also referencing the love song Mork sang for Day in ep. 4)

I wanna highlight the little banter about the hotpot restaurant here too because it's something I hear irl a bunch but rarely in (BL) series!!

Day: มึงดูตากูด้วยค่ะ /mueng duu dtaa guu duay kha/ Gee: มึงก็ให้พี่มึงป้อนซิคะ /mueng gaaw hai phi mueng bpaawn si kha/

These two (as well as most of Day's friends) use กู/มึง /guu mueng/ with each other which- nothing new there, close friends often use these rude pronouns with each other BUT what's interesting to me is the particle they both use at the end: ค่ะ/คะ /kha/! They're polite feminine ending particles so usually used by women, when speaking politely. But in this case, they're both using them to sass each other! :D

I've exhausted my time for this evening so the rest of the episode will have to wait until later, sadly. And this post only covers part 1/4 hahaaahh... 🥴

[asherlockstudy]

hey! i am working through the one story. it is FASCINATING. can't wait to hear your thoughts on 437 and Link's obsession with everyone else's horniness and not just focusing the dancing girl.

Thank you so much!!!!! :@@@

I am not a big fan of Sextember because I am supposed to take them seriously and not question what they say, so I am in a constant state of mentally yelling "shut up" to my brain. Moreover I used to not like it because it always served as a setback after the GMEs the previous years, like an overcorrection. And it is tmi sometimes. Thankfully this time we only get one episode.

Okay what does this mean: "...what I did when I was 15 years old and I was - still my Nana's romance and just thumb through them until I found a word that I thought was a euphemism for wiener. And then I was off to the jackpot *rubs ear* ". Now, I am not a native English speaker but I looked it up and found this phrase "off to the jackpot" nowhere, so what if I took it way too literally, as in "I was off - to the - jack pot". Is this what it means? And if so, was it a euphemism for wiener that did it for Link? Am I understanding this right or...?

When asked how frequently he has missionary sex, Link tried SO HARD to not say like 95% of the time lol. But honestly I agree with Rhett it is getting a totally unfair bad rap, it's one of the best positions if you actually love the person and I wonder whether some people shit on it because they don't have that level of intimacy / comfort and missionary makes it awkward and not because it is always SO bOrINg

Rhett all "ooh" and "ah" and "interesting", especially when Link said he always tidies himself up after sex and before sleep, as if they hadn't had a huge convo with Josh between them a few years ago in GMM in which Rhett had a hard time dealing with the fact that Link always needs to get up and put clean clothes after sex while he likes to sleep naked and he had enough opinions about it that you could almost suspect it was his slumber that Link was interrupting. Also there was an accidental "I know you don't like me sleeping without a t-shirt" or something or a similar fail of epic calibre by Rhett. And I think it was also the episode where they were flirting and Rhett was asking Link whether "a girl" likes to wear her boyfriend's t-shirts because he's so much bigger than her, all that after it was established Link has a habit of taking Rhett's t-shirts... But here yeah, Rhett was hearing all this for the first time...

Link saying he became good at sex after he moved to California

Do shut up, they explained why it is the case, shhhhh hush shut shut stop

The fact that they chose Belvedere over each other... wow. First of all, I am against the person who sent that voicemail. Just saying. We know that it is something that makes them uncomfortable, don't make them confront it face to face. They were clearly very uncomfortable. The biggest, deepest and ultimate reason they picked Belvedere was because the fan was essentially manipulating them into picking each other. They put them against the concept of mating with an animal-like deity and everybody knowing about it. So, everything that is vile put together - bestiality, sacrilege, shame. What they were doing was to bring forward the image of a "secret Rhett and Link sex affair", very triggering, to their face? Come on. And push them to say that after all that wouldn't be all that bad compared to the other horror. And they reacted against it exactly because the answer was manipulated to be obvious. Unless they truly think that publicly shagging a rooster god is a better idea, which would be kind of alarming. They obviously did not give the normal answer because they felt coerced into it and because the whole situation is very suspicious. I mean, average platonic straight friends comfortable in their skin would be like "okay man it's gonna be one lame night and we never talk about it again and nobody will know hahaha". But they couldn't even go for that. You know? Unless they truly are the most unattractive people they have seen to each other... which... based on previous interactions those last 12 years... doesn't seem to be exactly the case. But what do I know? I still think that voicemail was a big foul both from the sender and the crew and they were frustrated, they lowkey admitted it.

Honestly, I sort of understand Link in the strip club thing. Men are used to be so unapologetic about their horniness and lust that it has become a standard thing to just go with your pals and all sport a hard on for the same woman in the public. I am not saying it is bad but I can totally get that someone might not like this type of vulnerability or impertinent forwardness (whichever way you look at it). I don't think it was so much for not going crazy for the stripper (though it could be a possibility to suspect) but rather that Link is uneasy with blurring lines of dynamics (the irony), he likes clear-cut situations................Unless he has no alternative.................. But it could be that the knowledge of horny males surrounding him could be alarming to him for various reasons, fair enough.

"Because Christy will call me a name, she'll call me names" yeah… yeah… *zips mouth*

Despite receiving judgment again, Link was mostly keeping it cool except he showed hints of annoyance in two occasions, when Rhett said a billion times he would double check with his wife first before doing anything like going to a strip club (which is awesome and the right thing to do, however he said it so many times it felt he put on the cassette playing) and the second time Rhett came back to the "I'm not going to the strip club with you, I already knew I would not have a good time with you in a strip club" which was so out of nowhere and it hurt Link, despite being able to laugh at it the first time Rhett made the joke. Rhett was kinda assholey in this episode. He is always off-putting to me in Sextembers. At this rate, if in theory there is a chance of doing a big announcement, you know what, I don't see Rhett doing it in the next 50 years lol He is so not ready.

Okay he saved it a bit with this last look I guess

"See what names you call me when my head is between your legs"

[dandelionsresilience]

Good News - August 15-21

Like these weekly compilations? Tip me at $kaybarr1735 or check out my new(ly repurposed) Patreon!

1. Smart hives and dancing robot bees could boost sustainable beekeeping

“[Researchers] developed a digital comb—a thin circuit board equipped with various sensors around which bees build their combs. Several of these in each hive can then transmit data to researchers, providing real-time monitoring. [… Digital comb] can [also] be activated to heat up certain parts of a beehive […] to keep the bees warm during the winter[…. N]ot only have [honeybee] colonies reacted positively, but swarm intelligence responds to the temperature changes by reducing the bees' own heat production, helping them save energy.”

2. Babirusa pigs born at London Zoo for first time

“Thanks to their gnarly tusks […] and hairless bodies, the pigs are often called "rat pigs" or "demon pigs” in their native Indonesia[….] “[The piglets] are already looking really strong and have so much energy - scampering around their home and chasing each other - it’s a joy to watch. They’re quite easy to tell apart thanks to their individual hair styles - one has a head of fuzzy red hair, while its sibling has a tuft of dark brown hair.””

3. 6,000 sheep will soon be grazing on 10,000 acres of Texas solar fields

“The animals are more efficient than lawn mowers, since they can get into the nooks and crannies under panel arrays[….] Mowing is also more likely to kick up rocks or other debris, damaging panels that then must be repaired, adding to costs. Agrivoltaics projects involving sheep have been shown to improve the quality of the soil, since their manure is a natural fertilizer. […] Using sheep instead of mowers also cuts down on fossil fuel use, while allowing native plants to mature and bloom.”

4. Florida is building the world's largest environmental restoration project

“Florida is embarking on an ambitious ecological restoration project in the Everglades: building a reservoir large enough to secure the state's water supply. […] As well as protecting the drinking water of South Floridians, the reservoir is also intended to dramatically reduce the algae-causing discharges that have previously shut down beaches and caused mass fish die-offs.”

5. The Right to Repair Movement Continues to Accelerate

“Consumers can now demand that manufacturers repair products [including mobile phones….] The liability period for product defects is extended by 12 months after repair, incentivising repairs over replacements. [… M]anufacturers may need to redesign products for easier disassembly, repair, and durability. This could include adopting modular designs, standardizing parts, and developing diagnostic tools for assessing the health of a particular product. In the long run, this could ultimately bring down both manufacturing and repair costs.”

6. Federal Judge Rules Trans Teen Can Play Soccer Just In Time For Her To Attend First Practice

“Today, standing in front of a courtroom, attorneys for Parker Tirrell and Iris Turmelle, two transgender girls, won an emergency temporary restraining order allowing Tirrell to continue playing soccer with her friends. […] Tirrell joined her soccer team last year and received full support from her teammates, who, according to the filing, are her biggest source of emotional support and acceptance.”

7. Pilot study uses recycled glass to grow plants for salsa ingredients

“"We're trying to reduce landfill waste at the same time as growing edible vegetables," says Andrea Quezada, a chemistry graduate student[….] Early results suggest that the plants grown in recyclable glass have faster growth rates and retain more water compared to those grown in 100% traditional soil. [… T]he pots that included any amount of recyclable glass [also] didn't have any fungal growth.”

8. Feds announce funding push for ropeless fishing gear that spares rare whales

“Federal fishing managers are promoting the use of ropeless gear in the lobster and crab fishing industries because of the plight of North Atlantic right whales. […] Lobster fishing is typically performed with traps on the ocean bottom that are connected to the surface via a vertical line. In ropeless fishing methods, fishermen use systems such an inflatable lift bag that brings the trap to the surface.”

9. Solar farms can benefit nature and boost biodiversity. Here’s how

“[… M]anaging solar farms as wildflower meadows can benefit bumblebee foraging and nesting, while larger solar farms can increase pollinator densities in surrounding landscapes[….] Solar farms have been found to boost the diversity and abundance of certain plants, invertebrates and birds, compared to that on farmland, if solar panels are integrated with vegetation, even in urban areas.”

10. National Wildlife Federation Forms Tribal Advisory Council to Guide Conservation Initiatives, Partnerships

“The council will provide expertise and consultation related to respecting Indigenous Knowledges; wildlife and natural resources; Indian law and policy; Free, Prior and Informed Consent[… as well as] help ensure the Federation’s actions honor and respect the experiences and sovereignty of Indigenous partners.”

August 8-14 news here | (all credit for images and written material can be found at the source linked; I don’t claim credit for anything but curating.)

[numberoneasmogirlfriend]

How would the brothers react to a Slavic MC that randomly starts speaking their native language?

Mammon, Leviathan would be like "holy shit MC stop with the spells"

And in reality you would be just talking about the weather.

I love poetry, and since it's hard to translate such poems without losing the meaning, I often just explain what the piece is about. I think that Satan and Asmodeus would be the only ones who like to hear me rant about that.

I mean Satan is canonically in love with books so I guess he'd like poetry just as much as me. And Asmo would be just liking the love-ish and erotic topics. Maybe Lucifer also? I guess he likes that classical vibe so we would listen to Chopin as i ramble about a random poet from the nineteenth century. And Diavolo because he likes to know a lot about humans and angels, I guess Simeon would like to listen to me as well. Also I would love to compare the demons humans know from literature, to the ones in devildom. But that's for another post I guess, I already drifted far from the original prompt lol.

[vermutandherring]

Horse Ranch was, without exaggeration, one of the most anticipated additions to The Sims 4. Perhaps, if the previous game had not set such a high bar, expectations for the fourth would have been lower. Although it cannot be less, given the game's initially tarnished reputation. Nevertheless, Horse Ranch significantly raises the bar of the game from the first seconds. The developers expose themselves, proving that the closed world is just an excuse for their own laziness and unwillingness to do anything more than small worlds of the same type. It turns out that even in a limited space there is room for majestic and graceful horses, the appearance of which players have been waiting for almost a dozen years. I often go to extremes, saying on the one hand that subsequent games in the series have the right to repeat themselves. If they don't bring to the industry or even the franchise itself, there's nothing wrong with that as long as it's a good game in its own right. But Sims 4 is not the case. I have repeatedly pointed out that this particular game is a leech, which, nevertheless, we continue to play. This waiting game has gone on too long. But, as they say, patience is rewarded.

The horses in the Horse Ranch expansion pack have undergone a significant improvement compared to The Sims 3. They look really graceful, their faces are no longer obtuse and silly, and in general they look relatively realistic in the game's cartoonish graphics. In the 3d game, you will need a bunch of mods to make the horses closer to their living counterparts and get aesthetic pleasure from their appearance. In the 4th, they are really nice to watch. Especially in a bunch with well-developed animations.

I last played Sims 3 not so long ago, so the contrast in the movements of both the animal and the rider feels good. They no longer slide across the ground like logs, and the reins are not glued tightly to their necks. Now you see how your character literally sets the direction and the horse, leaning and bending to turn or jump, reacts to the control by realistically stomping its hooves.

The style of the game is also focused on the western type of horse riding inherent in American culture. I will not say that this is the best idea, given that many players think of the classical school when they hear the words "horse riding". I myself would prefer to see more classic elements. But it is worth considering that The Sims is originally an American story about the American dream, created by Americans. I think, against the background of numerous additions that represent various cultures of the world, it is worth leaving something for yourself. However, that doesn't excuse the fact that the game has too… No. TOO little horse equipment per se. 3 saddles, 2 bridles and several accessories, including two saddle pads. For the money the add-on costs, it should have featured some more unusual equipment. In addition, the story of Native American tribes is woven into the expansion, so why not develop this theme a little deeper, and add more historical and cultural artifacts?

The first minutes of the game are really fun. Everything seems completely new, you want to try so many things at the same time. But this euphoria quickly passes when you understand that all improvement ends in the appearance and animations. The new discipline – barrel racing – is not impressive at all. All you can do is run in circles around the barrels. That's all. When I say circles, I mean it literally. No eights, complex tricks or at least movement in the other direction. With show jumping, or rather what was left of it, it is even worse. Instead of a chain of obstacles that could be built into an entire arena in The Sims 3, you can practice with just one small obstacle that is as high as your character's knees. At first it is interesting to watch, but then it is so depressing that training horses turns into a mortal routine.

By the way, now your horses have as many as 4 skills. One develops the character of your pet and expands the number of interactions with it, the other 3 - endurance, jumping and agility - have almost no effect on anything. Gold medals at the first levels of competition difficulty are very easy, even if the horse's skills are minimal. And yes, all competitions are our 'favorite' and well-known rabbit holes, where you cannot even conditionally observe the development of the event. What is even more annoying is the fact that now there is practically no point in training. Unlike Sims 3, in the fourth game foals do not inherit skills from their parents, only character traits. If earlier you could breed a foal with almost 100% skills, train it quickly, win a few competitions and sell it for good money, now you have to suffer for a very long time with one horse to get at least something for it. For these reasons, I see no need to keep a mare and a stallion to develop a pedigree. It's too long, too unrewarding and terribly boring. Considering the lags, it is also dangerous for nerves.

What is undoubtedly pleasing against the background of all these endless minuses is the mobility of horses. They no longer stomp endlessly in place when you try to interact with them, they don't need a lot of space to perform actions, and most importantly, no more ugly stalls that take up too much space. Now you have a 3x3 bedding where your horse can sleep, but which you can do without. Fortunately, instead of large, clumsy barns, you can now build luxurious stables. Another plus is that several horses can use the feeder and waterer at the same time.

In addition, all lots have small paddocks nearby. And all areas of the town have barrels and obstacles, so you don't have to place them on your lot. It is enough to build a house and a stable when the training area is nearby. Thus, on the largest lots, you can arrange whole farms and ranches with a bunch of animals.

Speaking of animals, I can't say much about goats and sheep. Yes, they are cute. But like the rest of the livestock, they have a more decorative function, if you, like me, don't really like to dig around with all this craftable stuff. They are not always friendly, they can butt and do not want your attention. Given that we already have rabbits that can help you in the garden, I think goats and sheep could come up with more interesting roles. If you have too many decorative animals, then taking care of them is a nightmare. Fortunately, the ranch hand you can hire is great at their job. In addition to taking care of the animals, they tend the garden, can do things and take care of the animals from Cottage Living. However, sometimes there are weird lags where they idle instead of leaving the lot when the job is done, or quits without notification and you have to hire them again.

Overall I like the new expansion pack. It adds long-awaited new experiences to the routine of Sims' lives. But as with all add-ons for The Sims 4, Horse Ranch is fun right up until you've tried all the features of the set. A week later, I no longer feel a burning desire to return to my ranch, because I know that nothing new or interesting awaits me. Rather the opposite: endless bugs, simulation problems and sheep that hate me. Undoubtedly, if you are crazy about horses and Horse Ranch was a long-awaited addition for you, it is worth your attention. After all, where EA has screwed up, there will always be talented creators and their mods. If horses sound empty to you, I don't think Horse Ranch will be able to dilute your routine for long. In any case, this add-on is not worth its full price, and despite the good idea that players have been waiting for, it is another heartless DLC that openly encroaches on our wallets like never before.

I think at this point I like the scale of the game more, which the new expansion pack adds to the game, which makes its world feel less closed. My sims can sit in the pond while the horses walk in the pasture and the little goats sleep under their feet.