#DNA Recovery

[simplyforensic]

DNA Recovery After Sequential Processing of Latent Fingerprints on Black Polyethylene Plastic

Date: May 19, 2024Source: Journal of Forensic SciencesAuthors: Abigail S. Bathrick MFS, Sarah Norsworthy MS, Dane T. Plaza BS, Mallory N. McCormick BA, Donia Slack MS, Robert S. Ramotowski MS The Impact of Sequential Treatments on DNA Analysis from Latent Fingerprints on Black Polyethylene Plastic Introduction In forensic science, both latent fingerprint visualization and DNA analysis are…

[soloansia]

Mangiare

Parlare

Sorridere

Basta poco per fingere di stare bene.

[6ebe]

Spain’s always got some new superstar teenager

[heaven-s-black-box]

Never mine- Wakana/Sawamura ft. unrequited!MiyuSawa

Return to File

Recovery date: January 23rd, 2020

Description: Who would’ve guessed you’d be married in 48 hours?

Notes: A personal favorite entry.

Word count: 818

Back to directory

“So, how you feeling?” Miyuki asked, his usual smirk seemed forced.

“Great!” Sawamura yelled in his usual over the top way. “I can’t wait to be married to her!”

Miyuki smiled, not because he was happy that Sawamura was getting married, but because he was happy. Miyuki could care less about the wedding... okay, that was a lie. Miyuki hated the idea that Sawamura was marrying someone that wasn’t him. He wanted to scream, cry. But he wouldn’t, at least not in front of Sawamura, he wouldn’t ruin this for him. Kuramochi was the only one he told about how he really felt.

He still remembers showing up at Mochi’s in the middle of the night drunk. He had just gotten the wedding invite, and like any heart broken soul, he decided to drink his troubles away. He had spent the night crying about how stupid he was, and Mochi tried to convince him to confess. He kept saying, “There’s still time to tell him.”

That was months ago, now there was no time. Here he and Sawamura were, almost 48 until the wedding. They were at a baseball diamond, their safe place both alone and together. Sawamura had called him a few hours ago asking to play catch. It was late, or early, a little after midnight. Sawamura was trying to work out his pre wedding jitters.

“Wakana’s a lucky girl, but I feel a little bad. I mean, she has to spend the rest of her life with you,” he teased.

“Hey!” Sawamura yelled throwing the ball at Miyuki’s head.

Miyuki laughed, he loved Sawamura’s temper. It was one of the things from a long list of things he loved. He never thought he’d be pushed like this, confess or hold his peace. It would have been easy months ago, even years ago, back in highschool. But now… he couldn’t do that to him, he loved him, as long as Sawamura was happy he could make do. He thought…

“I can’t believe you. Sawamura Eijun. The obnoxious loud mouth pitcher. Is getting married in 48 hours.”

“Ya, it’s like a dream.” More like a nightmare, Miyuki thought.

---

“Well,” Miyuki started,” I for one, never thought we’d be here.” I hoped I’d be the one sitting at the newly wed table. “I still remember the cocky junior high kid who challenged one of my senpai’s. First day in the big city and already picking fights.” Everyone laughed, Miyuki felt his mouth go dry. “Wakana’s gonna have her hands full with him. Seriously, keep an eye on him or he’ll lose his own head. Haha,” he looked over at the newly weds, at Saw-Eijun (There were two Sawamura’s now). “Unfortunately, I can’t tell every story about Sawamura because we’d be here all day. Not even embarrassing stories narrows it down enough.” Again laughter, he took a sip of his beer and laughed when Saw-Eijun yelled at him. “Y’know he basically picked a fight with the coach on the first day. After showing up late, and he got caught trying to sneak in to the introduction line.” The coach was smiling and Wakana was patting her husband on the back.” Although getting caught may have been my fault, him being late was Kuramochi’s fault.” Mochi yelled at him and Ryousuke had to stop him from killing Miyuki. “But, that’s enough from me. Wakana,” he said looking over at them, “take care of my partner for me.” With that he stepped off the stage as everyone applauded.

---

Miyuki was able to stick around through the rest of the toasts, they were all stories he knew but they never got old. He almost made it through the first dance, although that was a close call. But, it was  the cake cutting, watching them feed eachother, that broke him. He excused himself for fresh air, but he had no intent on returning. He didn’t want to be around when Eijun got back to his seat.

He had taken Kuramochi’s advice and decided to confess. He couldn’t do it in person, he didn’t want to face that heartbreak face on. So he wrote a love letter, and inclosed with it in the envelope was a button. Straight from the pages of one of Eijun’s manga, it was the second button of his blazer.  

From outside the venue he could hear the laughter, music, and cheers. He’d played this out so many times, but it hurt actually going through with it. But there was no way he could go back, he could move the letter and definately could face Eijun if he read it. So, he hailed a cab and went home. Somewhere between getting home and going to bed, he blocked Eijun’s number. But before he did, he sent one last text:

To: Loud mouth pitcher Time 10:46 p.m I’m sorry… but I meant every word. Sent Loud mouth pitcher blocked

[vimbry]

I actually found a pdf of an infographic of those genetic diet uh gene things the other day that my mum had sent off for couple years ago. apparently I am highly susceptible to salt problems! it hasn't stopped me!

it also taught me that I have high alcohol sensitivity (never tried it. think this is science talk for ''lightweight'') and a slow caffeine metaboliser (also never tried. but I guess if I did it'd be Forever Coffee)

[powerofthemindmotivation]

528hz Soul Awakening: Powerful DNA Repair Meditation for Spiritual Trans...

[ludwigplayingthetrombone]

Post war/coma comic about Gai struggling with his recovery

Since tumblr hates long form comics, I have to split this into 2 bc its 36 images. This is the first part, part 2 i'll either do as a reblog or a separate post right after this, stay tuned! Links to support me in pinned post <3

tw: s*icidal thoughts, injury, a little blood

Bisuke: Gai's Back!

Gai: GRAAH!

Kks: Im home Gai: Welcome back Kks: [wheels rolling] Hey,

Kks: Ga-!? Gai: Im fine. The tile is cool on my face. Kks: Wanna go lay down in bed? Gai: I am so /sick/ of lying down. Kks: Ok. What do you want for supper?

Gai: You're not going to comment? Kks: I already know what happened. You overdid it again. I should be able to keep up with chores, kakashi. Kks: You can. Just don' bull through it all in one go. Do you want to end up in the hospital again? Gai: Please don't. Kks: I know sitting still is hard for you, and "too much" is in your DNA, but you have to take this slow so you don't exacerbate your injuries, Gai. You went from hyper-aware to pretending your body limits dont exist. Gai: Like you haven't done the same.

Gai: You've proved your point. Kks: It's not about that. And you've dragged me to bed and out of bed repeatedly when I needed it. You were burning alive from the inside. Tsunade told you your immune system is out of whack. You need to take it easy. /I/ know you're capable, but are you trying to prove to /yourself/ you are? Gai: You want me to admit my embarrassment? Kks: If something serioud happens, You'll be even more embarrassed then

Gai: How could you possibly know how I FEEL?! How could you EVER KNOW HOW I FEEL?! Kks: I DON'T! But I've /been/ the one ouking and sobbing on your bathroom floor because I couldn't take living anymore! And I don't want that for YOU!

Kks: I'm sorry, Gai. Gai: I'm sorry

Kks: I can't stand knowing you're in pain, and I can't get you help. If there was a way, I'd do anything. Gai: You do so much to help me already.... And I yelled at you Kks: I've screamed at you so much, that was pretty tame. I wish I was like you with things like this. Not great with what to say...... But I can listen.

Gai: I hate feeling so weak. I'm tired all the time, in constant pain, I can't even walk-..... I can tell tenten and the boys worry despite my efforts to appear positive. Kks: They're just not sure how to react. They know you hate being babied, but don't want to push you into hurting yourself. You hate being told you can't do something. They love you. You get stronger everyday, everyone is cheering you on.

Gai: I know it's irrational, but... I feel like you gave up the Hokage position to take care of me. Kks: Haa!? I'm grateful if anything. I'd be retired too if I could. That'd be amazing. I'm dreading just helping Tsunade but as long as you're by my side, I'll be fine. We're still equals, rivals, friends, partners

Gai: Even if I can't- Kks: /Always/ wil be, dickhead. Gai: You worry about me hurting myself? Kks: I know you think about it

Kks: We're the same in that regard Gai: I would never act on this, please believe me, these thoughts are rare........... Kks: It's ok, Gai. Gai: Sometimes I think i should have just died. I feel so out of place on the streets I used to feel so at home at. I never asked to live. I didn't plan to. I just don't know how to-...

Kks: I understand that. Though, dying didn't feel any better. Gai: I know I didn't fully pass like you did. I didn't see papa. Just for a moment, I wish I could have seen him.

Kks: As much as I'm sure he wants to see you again, It's too soon. Dai'd slap the shit out of you for wanting to waste your youth just to see him. Gai: [chuckle] probably. Kks: I have those thoughts less and less now, but they're still there. "why am I the one who survives?" "Burden" "Gai will come to his senses eventually"

Gai: FALSE!! None of my grief is with you! I love living here with you! My love for you only burns hotter each day! You're so lovely inside and out! Kks: Maa What did I do to deserve such praise from teh mouth of the hottest man in Konoha?? Gai: YOU STILL THINK I'M HOT?! Kks: YOU-! [CACKLE]

Kks: Your bad taste is the only reason I had a chance before someone snatched you up. Gai: The worst. Kks: Thought we'd irritate eachother, but it's been pretty smooth. Even though you still get played by the dogs. Gai: You really wanna throw those stones?

Gai: They play you just as easily. don't lie. Kks: My point is, whatever you need from me, you have it. No questions asked. Even if you yell and scream, i can take it. You held me together when I was unraveling, and I'll never forget it. Didn't trust anyone else to see me like that. Broken

Gai: I never saw you as that. Kks: I'll never see you as that

[restinslices]

Lin Kuei Bros: Play Fighting

Smoke so dramatic-. Anyway, don’t ask why I thought of this. The voices were loud

Bi-Han

Play fighting with any of them is bold as fuck but HIM? You don't like your life 

I'm not saying he's gonna straight up assault you but out of all the brothers, he has the highest chance of hitting you hard as shit on accident 

He probably wouldn't even like play fighting that much. He'd prefer sparring cause at least you're working on your skills. Why you just fucking around?

You gotta catch him on the right day. Some days he's busy and some days he's just legit not in the mood. 

“Imma start it off slow. Imma scope the scenery out-”

If you somehow get this man to cooperate, first of all good job. Second of all, y'all do not stop until you give up. 

The type to pin you down and not let go until you admit he won. If you refuse, you're legit not moving. 

This is a big guy so you're not moving him. You give up, he lets go and you manage to crack a smile out of him

We never see him smile in the game but listen bitch, I'm here for the fantasy-

If he's not in the mood, I can see him just saying “no” like you're a puppy or smth. 

You'd go to swing on him again and he'd either grab your hand or give you a look that tells you he's being serious 

Going back to him accidentally hitting you hard as shit, he's used to sparring with two other buff ass men. Imma guess you're not as buff as them, and some of y'all reading this ain't men. Accidents are bound to happen 

You'd think the Grandmaster would have more control but I just think it slips sometimes. He's stupidly prideful and he's used to sparring so sometimes that's where his mind goes. Also once again, he probably sometimes forgets a hit Kuai Liang could handle is a hit that'll take years off your life. 

I would love to say he gets on his knees and apologizes but this is the same man who betrayed his brothers and was like “why y'all tweaking?” so um… 

You're gasping for air and he's “see why I always say no?”

I feel like I'm making him sound abusive but as someone who's play fought with my older siblings, they hit you hard as shit then tell you you're a bitch when a tear slips out. Why the fuck are you hitting me this hard in my chest? You got 5+ years on me-

He's an older brother. He's gonna hit hard. I swear it's in their DNA 

And if he does apologize it's not really verbal. He checks to make sure your limbs are alright then offers to do something else. 

“Are you gonna say you're sorry?” “For?” “For almost breaking my damn lung” “You started this”

You'd expect that the next time you wanna play fight he'd decline cause he doesn't wanna hurt you again. Wrong. 

Remember he's an older brother. THE older brother. Y'all squaring up again. You don't care about your health so fuck it. 

Honestly would be super fun besides the limb you're gonna lose 

Kuai Liang

Would be more cooperative than Bi-Han but still isn't overly excited to play fight 

Bi-Han is the “tell mom. I don't care” older brother. Kuai Liang is the “wait wait wait, I'm sorry. You can hit me back. Calm down. You want some candy?” older brother 

Fully aware he could cause terrible injuries but as time passes on, he relaxes more 

Definitely play fought as a kid but after Tomas started jumping everytime he heard his voice, he thought “maybe I need new hobbies”.

You’ve interrupted his recovery

He actively focuses on holding back and being soft even if you tell him not to

“Hit me harder” “No❤”

Honestly a fun time though. He holds back when it comes to strength but still tussles with you. Also let's you get hits in even when he could easily dodge them. 

If he accidentally injured you frfr, he's checking up on you immediately and says y'all stopping for today. 

“No, I'm ok” “Can you even breathe right now?” “Uhhh… yes😀” “We're done”

For sure feels like an asshole depending on how bad you're hurt. He's not sliding down the wall in pain but he's like “damn, that was a little too hard”. 

“You can hit me back” “No. I've seen Twilight” “What?” “It's gonna hurt me more than it's gonna hurt you. I'm not doing that”. (Now I wanna write you making them watch Twilight. I'm never gonna be rid of this addiction-)

You gotta hit him back so y'all can be even. It's the only way to move on

Y'all are not doing that shit again for at least another week or so. 

“We gotta scrap right here right now” “No”

Does the thing older siblings do when they put their hand on your head so when you swing at them, you're just hitting air. 

It's so infuriating so you gotta stop. 

The next time though, you swear you're gonna win. You will not. 

Tomas Vrbada

The most willing and having the most fun 

Tomas has two older brothers that probably jumped him on several occasions growing up and you're gonna try and convince me he doesn't have aggression to get out?

People would probably expect he's the softest but no. He's the youngest. As the youngest myself I can assure you, we are used to putting our all in these fights cause we gotta use all our strength to defeat these evil mfs we live with. Sometimes it's not enough-

You're not his older sibling so he's not scrapping like his life depends on it but I do think he's hitting somewhat hard 

Not as hard as Bi-Han, not as soft as Kuai Liang 

You feel his hits but it's not knocking the wind outta you 

Super fun cause he's also using the environment. Definitely is grabbing a pillow and starts swinging it at you. Definitely is running around the couch to chase you. Definitely has thrown you but made sure to aim at something soft. He's probably even turned off the lights then threw a folded blanket at you 

“Cheater” “Don't be upset you didn't think of it first”

You're fighting but laughing at the same time. There's no real tension. Just fucking around. 

Probably starts initiating it too

If he does injure you fr, for a split second he'd actually see it as a victory then he'd remember you're not his older brothers and is like “oh shit-”. 

Injuring those two would mean freedom (or a worse jumping. really depends), injuring you is not good. 

He knows how bad those hits can hurt so he makes sure you're alright. He's not watching you as much as Kuai Liang would but he'd still make sure you're not overly sore. 

He doesn't feel as bad as Kuai Liang would cause he kinda knows this shit happens. Kuai Liang kinda got a little bit of guilt cause Tomas gets into a fighting stance when he raises his hand up. Tomas hasn't victimized anyone so he's more chill about these situations 😭

Tells you random ass stories about when he used to play fight with his brothers. 

“One time Bi-Han threw me in the air and Kuai Liang jumped to catch me only to throw me against the wall”

“This reminds me of when Bi-Han swept my feet from under me and Kuai Liang jumped on me”

“What is it called when someone jumps on you elbow first?”

“This one time I woke up to them standing over me. I knew it was a wrap”

“One time Bi-Han slapped the back of my neck so hard, it was red for at least a week”

“One time Kuai Liang-” “Tomas… you need a therapist” “I don't think that's what it is”

Unlike Kuai Liang who makes you wait, he's cool with scrapping days later. 

Actually says “time out” when he wants a break. Also says “time in” fast as fuck though to catch you off guard 

Legit the most fun brother. I don't make the rules (except I do). 

I did not mean to write the least for Kuai Liang but I was really brain empty for him. Y’all should give me ideas, thanks bookie

[blackswallowtailbutterfly]

If you're going to call me a woman, just go ahead and call me useless too. It just means the same thing `\/(:/)\/'

I can't tell if this is sarcastic in reference to something or not, so I'm going to take it at face value.

You need to stop hating yourself. Women have better immune systems, better balance, are more likely to survive famine and plague. Our DNA takes more time to break down, meaning it's much easier to track the matrilineal genetic line. Genetically we have much more variation than men do and we live longer on average. Humans are a social species and women commit far less violent crime, especially sexually-motivated violent crime. We have higher endurance, higher pain tolerance, and shorter recovery periods. And in a system designed by men for men, we still outperform them in school, in the medical profession, in safety, etc..

Men outperform us in absolute strength, but not relative strength. They outperform us in short bursts of speed, but not long-distance running or swimming. And they outperform us in committing horrific violence, especially sexually motivated.

I don't know about you, but that doesn't say women are useless to me. It says men are at best flashy, at worst bad for the species since they actively stifle creative minds and commit horrific acts. To a social species dependent on our big brains and on community, stifling half and committing violence against your own is detrimental. And yet we live. Clearly it's women who have been keeping our species alive for millennia.

[haunt3d0ll]

moze troche kontrowersyjna opinia ale strasznie mnie denerwuja motylki ktore wprowadzaja inne osoby w ed szczegolnie te mlodsze zamiast odpowiadav im jak zostac motylkiem i na inne tego typu pytania powinni ostrzegac ze ana to nie jest zadne dobre rozwiazanie przyjaciolka czy inne i to powazna choroba ktora moze doprowadzic do smierci. blagam mamy chora satysfakcjr z tego ze widac nam kosci nie mamy miesiaczki mdlejemy i inne dziadostwa to nie jest normalne. kolejna rzecz to rozpowszechnianie tego gdzie indziej niz na tumblrze na przyklad tik toku. siedzi tam pelno bardzo mlodych osob ktorym moze taka tresc wyskoczyc w dla ciebie i moga zaglebic sie w temacie niszczac sobie zycie bo przeciez co zlego moze sie stac? ana i ogolnie ed to najwieksze gowno w jakie mozna wpasc. studnia bez dna niekonczaca sie chora satysfakcja z utraty wagi do momentu gdzie zagraza naszym zyciu. nawet po recovery zawsze siedzi nam to gdzies z tylu glowy i ze slaba psychika bardzo latwo spowrotem w to wpasc wiem bo sama przechodzilam to kilka razy i wiem o czym mowie. to chyba jedyny post gdzie dam jakiekolwiek tagi bo mysle ze to wazny temat i powinien dotrzec do jak najwiekszej liczby motylkow

[fatkish]

Heyyy

Idk if you have request rules, but i was wondering id you could write a father Aizawa (platonic obviously) in which hr got called by his daughter's school becase she got involved in a fight with a group of bullies.

Like she got tired of seeing the bullies do whatever they wanted so she confront them and it ended up in a bad fight.

So how he arrives school and she has a bad bruise in her face but then she explains him everything.

Thanks :)

Aizawa x Daughter Reader: Fight

Reader is Eri’s age so let’s say 7-8 ish.

Reader goes to school with Eri and is in the same class as her. Reader sees Eri as her adoptive little sister and is very protective of her.

Reader is Aizawa’s biological daughter. She was made by Giraki in a test tube using Aizawa’s DNA as well as others. Reader was found with the league and after getting separated from them in Kamino, the heroes caught her and her past was revealed. Aizawa decided that since he would take her in due to (being ordered by the police and HPSC) her being his daughter.

Reader absolutely loves him and has a slightly off sense of justice. She’s always saying that her daddy is super strong as she refers to his biceps. She wants to be just like her dad.

When Eri started to go to school with (y/n), Eri was super shy and had a hard enough time communicating and getting over her shyness, it didn’t help when the bullies turned their attention towards her

The reader isn’t someone who lets other’s hurt the people they care about. They’ll fight for others but not themselves.

One day, the reader noticed the bullies picking on Eri and the reader used her quirk (it’s erasure just like Aizawa) to intimidate the bullies and uses her scary aura to make them leave.

This had gone on for quite some time, Eri and reader didn’t want to tell Aizawa because they both know how tired he is and they didn’t want to add more to his plate.

The bullies would make fun of Eri’s horn, call her names, insult her and their dads, (Aizawa and Present Mic, since Mic has dropped the girls off and picked them up some assume that Mic and Aizawa are the girl’s dads) they’ll harass Eri and pull her hair, use their quirks on her when adults aren’t looking and recently they started messing with Eri’s stuff, ruining her books and stealing her lunch or dumping it

Reader had had enough after a few months and decided that these bullies were villains.

The reader got in a fist fight with the bullies leading to the bullies (one with a black eye, one lost a few baby teeth, and the third sprained their wrist) to be relatively unscathed with only a couple scraps and bruises. The reader was less lucky and had lost a few teeth, broke two fingers, had a few nasty cuts and one really deep one, a black eye and various bruises and scratches and a very minor concussion from falling and hitting her head

When Aizawa got the call he wasn’t expecting to see his daughter in the condition she was in. He asked Eri what happened since reader was unconscious

When Eri told Aizawa what happened he immediately asked why they didn’t tell him anything. When Aizawa learned that the girls didn’t want to add any stress to his life by telling him, he told Eri that she should have told him and that finding out this way is much more stressful than them telling him.

Needless to say, Dadzawa gave the teachers, principal, and the bullies parents a stern talking to.

When reader woke up after Recovery Girl healed her injuries, Aizawa had a talk with her. He told he that he was proud of her standing up for Eri, but that she’s still going to be punished since she threw the first punch. He told her that violence doesn’t solve anything but that she should have told him earlier to avoid this

After that, Aizawa gave the reader a hug and that night, Eri and reader got to have their favorite foods for dessert and dinner

[therealcocoshady]

Recovery - Chapter 44

Synopsis : Em and reader talk about the possibility of him retiring.

Author’s Note : hi guys 🌟. It’s been a while since I last updated Recovery. Here is a new chapter. I hope you guys like it ❤️.

You looked at Marshall, completely flabbergasted. You expected him to tell you it was a joke, that he wasn’t seriously thinking about retirement, but he looked awfully serious.

- You… you want to retire ?! You asked carefully.

- I’m thinking about it, he said. Look, babe… I’ve achieved everything I wanted when I first started. I gained respect. I worked with the people I admire most. I put out great music, I’ve toured the world, I’ve won awards… I made a fuck ton of money, that my grandchildren and even their children will benefit from. And let’s be honest : I’m fifty-two. It’s not stupid to think about retirement.

You looked at him intently, taking in everything he said. Sure, it made sense, on some level. But it also felt wrong. And weird. The man you met and fell in love with put music first and foremost, was a workaholic and would never have thought of retirement as an option. He had often joked about it, sure, especially in moments of frustration, but never in earnest. You sighed and held his hand.

- I know it makes sense, you said softly. But I know music is everything to you. And I know that you’re in a shitty situation right now, but maybe there are changes you could make ? Adjustments ?

- Sounds like something Paul would say, he chuckled. I don’t know. I’m just considering it. I often toy with the idea of disappearing from the public. Wouldn’t it be great if everyone forgot about me ? Like, not my music, but just me ? I’d be able to go places, enjoy life.

- I’m sure we can still do that, you said.

- You know, if I retired, it could benefit you as well, he pointed out. I’d have more time. Maybe be less of a grumpy asshole.

- I can’t imagine you not making music, you said.

- I’ll always have ideas, he said. It’s in my DNA at this point. But I don’t know… maybe be more of a producer ? Again, I’m just thinking, here.

- Whatever you decide, I’ll support you, you said. I love you no matter what. I just want you to be happy.

- As long as I have you, I’ll be happy, he assured you.

He pulled you to him and kissed you lovingly. You enjoyed the sunset for a minute and drove back to the house. You were about to watch a movie when you heard a knock on the door. It was Paul.

- What are you doing here ? Marshall greeted him curtly.

- Checking in on you, the manager said. You’re not answering anyone’s calls. How are you doing ?

- You know how I’m doing, he replied dryly.

- Still mad at me ? Paul asked.

- Yeah. Let me in so we can talk ?

Marshall let him in silently and sat on the couch and Paul greeted you. You were not too sure why Marshall was mad at him, though. As far as you knew, the manager hadn’t done anything wrong. You weren’t his biggest fan but you secretly hoped he would talk some sense into your boyfriend. You meant every word when you said you would be there for him no matter what, but you couldn’t imagine him retiring. Not when it came from a place of frustration and disappointment. Had he told you his inspiration had run dry, things would have been different, but this wasn’t the case and you knew it.

- I know what Tracy did is hard to swallow, Paul said tentatively.

- It’s not about Tracy, Marshall said. I mean, it is. But a full severance package… Really ?! She fucked me over, Paul. Not only me but Y/N, too. And you as well.

- You might want to let me explain, the manager said calmly.

- Yeah, your boyfriend scoffed. I’d love to know why you let her leave Shady Records with a fuckton of money and benefits for a whole year.

- She threatened to sue, his friend said.

- Sue who ? Marshall said heatedly. Us ? She’s the one who leaked the track ! She’s the one who put my career and my relationship in jeopardy ! Why the fuck would she sue us ?!?!

- Not us, Paul hummed. Y/N.

- Me ?! You asked in shock.

You were taken aback. First of all, Marshall hadn’t mentioned Paul affording Tracy tons of benefits when letting her go. Though, now that you thought about it, it further explained his bad mood. And second of all… threatening to sue you ?! That woman had some nerve. Yes, you had « broken her nose » (as far as you thought, it was just a punch) but suing… really ?

- That’s ridiculous, you scoffed.

- Is it ? Paul hummed. You did assault her !

- Don’t talk to her like that, Marshall said defensively as he protectively wrapped an arm around you.

- Merely stating facts, Paul shrugged. I understand the anger, Y/N. As I understand yours, Marshall. But the thing is, Tracy threatened to sue and I had to make the best decision. For the business and for you personally. Both of you. It’s better to lose a couple of hundred of thousands of dollars than to have to deal with unwanted media attention.

- Thank you, Paul, you said with genuine gratefulness.

- Thanks, man, Marshall said more calmly.

- I’m as pissed as you are, Paul said. But now we have to move forward. We’ll find a replacement eventually. It will probably take two people, but we’ll make it work.

- Did she do that much ? You asked.

- She did, Marshall said. Both as my assistant and Paul’s right hand.

- I have already contacted a head-hunter, we will soon have profiles to review, the manager said. In the meantime, I’m handling things.

- You can hire someone to assist you, but I’m not getting a personal assistant, Marshall declared.

The way he said it definitely seemed solemn and definitive. His manager looked at him calmly, much like a parent looks at a stubborn child.

- You don’t exactly have a choice, Paul tried to reason. You need someone to help you. I can’t do it all.

- I don’t care, Marshall groaned. You really think I’m going to let someone in again ? Have them around my house ? My kids ? Y/N ?! No way, bro. I’d rather manage my schedule myself. If there’s one to manage, that is.

You expected the manager to have some sort of big reaction but he didn’t. In fact, he didn’t even seemed phased by the possibility that Marshall considered retirement as a serious option after all the events that had unfolded.

- It’s only been a week, Paul finally said after a few seconds of silence.

- I know, Marshall replied. But after what happened… maybe it’s a sign. You know as much as i do that we need people we can trust.

- And you know as much as I do that you can’t decide to stop everything right now, the manager replied. Look… if you need to take a step back, that’s fine. But we still have obligations. Both towards artists you’re collaborating with, as well as promoting the album. The music video shoot at the bare minimum.

- Right, Marshall said. When is that again ?

- Late January, Paul said. Look… here’s what we’re going to do : you’re going to take some rest, enjoy the holidays. I’m cancelling your scheduled studio sessions until January. And I’m not adding anything to your schedule either. But we have to proceed with what’s been planned already.

- I guess, Marshall replied gloomily. Thanks, man.

They spent a couple of minutes talking about the aforementioned music video. You hadn’t heard about the plans to film one previously but, apparently, Track 12 - the song Marshall had written for you - having turned into a fan favorite quickly after the album release, his team had suggested making a music video. The whole plan had been made since before his tour, with a script already being finalized, casting being done and everything. In truth, the whole thing made you uneasy. People might not connect the dots and associate that song to you but the most recent events made you a bit nervous. You loved the track, it was beautiful. But you also knew that him making a music video would give the song and his personal life that much more attention.

- Are you ok ? Marshall asked as he grabbed your hand. You look like you zoned out for a minute.

- I’m thinking, that’s all, you hummed.

- About what ? Marshall asked.

- Obviously, it’s not my place to tell you what to do, but… do you really want to do this ? You shyly asked. I know people love this song. God knows I love it too but… it’s personal business.

- I know, he said softly. But I’m proud of this track. I think it’s one of the best I’ve ever made. So… if I have to make one last music video, it might as well be this one. Plus, we’ve had the script for ages. I can swear it is tasteful and it’s going to be great.

- Not to mention that we’ve already spent a lot of money on making this happen, Paul hummed.

- Yeah, that too, Marshall shrugged.

- Right, you said flatly.

- I’ll show you the script, your boyfriend offered. And since it might be my last-

- Nothing’s set in stone yet, the manager recalled. You take a break and we’ll see then.

- Whatever, Marshall said. All I’m saying is… I’ll make sure it’s perfect. You can even come on set with me.

- We’ll see, you said nervously.

He nodded and pressed a kiss to your temple before going back to his conversation with Paul. They discussed some plans that had been made for the beginning of the upcoming year, some work trips, collaborations. And even though the manager understood Marshall’s wish of possibly taking a step back, he was adamant that they hire an assistant.

- We won’t need one if it’s for six months, Marshall hummed.

- I don’t think you realize everything that needs to be done, Paul groaned. I won’t have the time to assist you in everything. And last time I checked, you needed a lot of help in managing your schedule. I’m your manager and business partner, I don’t have time to be your mother, Marshall.

- Don’t treat me like a kid, man.

- Then don’t act like a bratty one, Paul said. You need someone to help you and you know it.

- No I don’t !

- The arrangements for your upcoming trips to NYC and Hawaii didn’t plan themselves, the manager argued. Neither did your medical appointments in the last twenty years. Or any of your work meetings. And don’t get me started in everything that needs to be done when you’re on a set.

- Whatever, Marshall groaned. The only people I would trust besides my immediate family are in this room : me, you, and Y/N. I’m not hiring a fucking stranger.

- For all I care, you could hire Y/N, Paul snapped. My point is : we have work to do, and I’m not letting Tracy’s departure ruin it. Neither should you.

Marshall groaned and mumbled something. His stance was defensive and he clearly didn’t want to be having this conversation. Months ago, you wouldn’t have expected to see eye to eye with Paul on anything, but there you were. Until Paul brought your name in the conversation, that is.

- Maybe you could step up to the plate, Y/N, Paul said.

- I don’t know how to say this but… no, you said. Don’t get me wrong, I want you guys to succeed. But find someone else.

- Look, it’s not a very hard job-, Paul started.

- With all due respect, Paul, I’m a scholar, you said. I’ve worked hard for my degree and, though I understand you mean well, the perspective of making coffee and appointments for Marshall is below me.

- Fine, Paul sighed. I’ll send you some profile of possible candidates, Marshall. And if you don’t choose someone by early January, I will.

- Great, Marshall said.

- Until then, I have handled your travel arrangements for next week and Christmas, he added. You’re welcome.

- Thanks man, your boyfriend said. I appreciate it.

Paul got up and grabbed his jacket, preparing to leave. Before crossing the threshold, he turned to you.

- Take care of him, will you ?

- I will, you said with a smile. Thanks, Paul.

- Good luck with him, he added with a chuckle.

As he left, you felt Marshall’s arms wrap around you and he buried his face in your neck.

- He’s annoying, he said.

- So are you, you hummed.

- Really ? He asked.

- You’re stubborn.

- It’s my life, I can do whatev-

- He cares about you, you said.

- Since when do you defend Paul ? He asked with a groan.

- Since I agree with him, you said as you ran your fingers through his hair. You shouldn’t let Tracy ruin things for you. Besides, I’m grateful he avoided a lawsuit.

- She wouldn’t have, Marshall shrugged. Simply wanted more money, I guess.

- Anyway… you didn’t tell me you planned on traveling, you hummed as you changed the subject.

- Because baldy ruined the surprise, Marshall said. I made plans for us to spend a couple of days in New York next week. To do some Christmas shopping. And after Christmas, we’re flying to Hawaii. Spending New Year’s Eve just the two of us.

- Really ?! You asked. Oh my God, you’re the best !

You turned and engulfed him in a hug. He gave you a smile and kissed you lovingly.

- I figured you’d enjoy it, he said with a grin.

- Christmas shopping in New York ! You shrieked. Do you do this every year ?

- Absolutely not, he chuckled. But you’re always watching these corny movies, so I thought you’d enjoy it. Plus, seeing as my kids think I’m a monster… I should probably suck up to them with presents.

- They don’t think you’re a monster, you argued. They love you.

- You should have seen the intervention when that track leaked, he sighed. I know they love me but I can tell they’re disappointed. I really want to make it up to them for the holidays.

You nodded and kissed him, promising that your first Christmas together with his family would be great. You wanted nothing more than for him to have a good time and, hopefully, he would go back to work in a few weeks feeling more like himself and energized.

A FEW DAYS LATER - MARSHALL’S POV

They had spend the next days planning their first holidays together. Christmas was approaching and they wanted to make it count. Marshall could tell Y/N wanted to cheer him up and, as for him, he could feel that not being on talking terms with her Dad was getting to her. Whether it was with his family or just the two of them, he wanted to make sure she would have the perfect Christmas she deserved. And if it meant putting up with his girl humming All I Want For Christmas and watching countless crappy movies, so be it. Same for decorating the house. He was usually a bit grumpy around the holidays, what with his childhood and everything. If it weren’t for his loved ones, he probably wouldn’t make a fuss about it but as long as they were happy, he didn’t mind putting up with the whole folklore. And the perspective of seeing his girl all giddy and excited when she’d admire the Christmas lights in NYC was pretty nice. He was packing his bag for the next day when he received a call from Kim, who asked if she could swing by his place to talk. He thought she wanted to coordinate with him for their daughters’ presents, but she specified that they needed to be alone. It was a little suspicious but he told her to come by anyway, since Y/N was spending the day with Talia and Jamal.

- What’s up, Kim? He asked as she entered the house. Everything alright ?

- All good, she said with a smile. I came to give you your Christmas present.

- You haven’t given me a present in fifteen years, he stated matter-of-factly. Also… it’s not Christmas yet.

- I couldn’t give it to you with other people around.

He raised an eyebrow, waiting for her to elaborate. She just smiled and handed him an envelope.

- What’s this ? He asked.

- You’ve looked out for me since we were fifteen, she said. This is me looking out for you.

He frowned, not exactly seeing what she was getting at. He opened the envelope and, much to his surprise, he found divorce papers.

- What’s that ? He asked.

- Your passport to freedom, she said with a smile. I saw how happy you are with Y/N, at Thanksgiving. She’s good for you. You even told me she’s the love of your life.

- She is, he nodded. She really is. I don’t know how she does it, but she manages to put up with my shit. And she makes me happy.

- So we agree that it doesn’t make sense to stay married to me, she simply stated. I knew you’d never ask me for a divorce, so I’m doing it. I don’t want you to have regrets.

- I’ll never regret marrying you a third time, he hummed. I did what I had to do for you and the kids. You needed me.

- And now you need to think about yourself, she said with a smile. And we both know you can’t be fully happy with her if you’re still secretly married to me.

- I guess you’re right, he agreed. Are you sure, though ?

- I’m good, she assured him. I’m not going to lie, it’s weird. But I’m sober. I’m healthy. I don’t need your help anymore. And as soon as you sign these papers, you’re free. I mean, there’s still a procedure but… it’s our third divorce, so you know how it works.

He chuckled and nodded before looking at the divorce papers again. He was touched by Kim’s kindness. She really was looking out for him. Still, it was bittersweet. Keeping this secret from everyone in his life had been tough but, on some level, it was hard to let go. She seemed to pick up on it right away.

- You know you’ll still have to put up with me, right, old man ? She joked.

- Yeah, I know, he said with a smile. It’s weird, that’s all.

- I was a lousy wife anyway, she chuckled. You won’t miss it.

- And I was a bad husband, he continued.

- Not the third time around, she remarked. This marriage has been pretty peaceful.

- For you, yeah, he grinned. I still put you through rehab and lost sleep over you for a while.

- Shut up, she giggled as she rolled her eyes. I’m trying to be a good wife, here.

- You are, he said emotionally as he brought her into a hug. It’s the nicest thing you’ve done for me.

They hugged each other tightly. It was clearly emotional for the both of them. She was right : he never would have asked for a divorce, but he was grateful that she did. He kissed her cheek and went to put the papers in his office.

- I’ll get you a good divorce settlement, he said. It’s the least I can do.

- You’ve done enough, she said. But thanks.

- Promise me you’ll take care ?

- Promise, she said with a smile. Promise me you won’t fuck it up ?

- Promise, he said. Enough fuck ups. I really though I’d lost her when that track leaked, you know ?

- I bet, she said. But I was happy for you when Hailie told me she came back and forgave you.

- Yeah. We’re working through it but we’re good. She deserves an award for supporting me and putting up with everything I’ve done, Marshall said.

- I think there’s one, she chuckled. It’s called an engagement ring.

[heaven-s-black-box]

Cats & Dogs- #2 & Kanitama

Return to File

Recovery date: March 9th, 2024

Description: Number two gets forgotten, again.

Notes: I've been wanting to write this forever, it's inspired by that one episode of pokemon (I think Indigo League) where they have to find their trainers.

Word count: 675

Back to directory

Number two looked right, then left, then right again. Then he looked back at the empty sidewalk behind him, and back at the road… He huffed a sigh before dropping his butt down beside the bus stop sign. Forgotten again. Honestly, it was absurd how often even Number one seemed to forget him. Granted he was almost ten times smaller than Tetsuya Kuroko, but size be damned Tetsuya would not stand for continuously being forgotten by the Seirin team.

He vowed that this time he would not be bought back so easily! No amount of apologetic cooing from Riko or treats and pets from everyone else would win him back! No amount of-

Tetsuya’s head jerked forward harshly as something hit his head. With a low yip, he whipped his head around to find a chubby white and gray cat with its paw raised. Slowly, cautiously eyeing the cat’s raised paw, Tetsuya raised himself to his feet and turned around.

The cat seemed to be sizing him up, deciding if a fight would be worth it or not. Tetsuya figured he could take this pest, he’d take down bigger prey– Kagami, who seemed to have run away with his tail between his legs, Tetsuya would have to apologize when he came back– he could certainly take on this chubby little thing who attacked him while his guard was down. He jerked as the cat slowly lowered its paw, backing down from the altercation.

The cat gave him a slow nod, and Tetsuya settled back into a seated position.

What a weird animal.

“Lap dog.”

Tetsuya was ripped from his contemplation by the cat’s scoff as it took another swing, this time at his jersey.

Before its paw was pulled away, Tetsuya snapped at it and earned himself a hiss as the cat jumped backwards. Tetsuya stood back up, this time much more defensive as he bared his teeth at the stupid cat.

He wanted to be invisible again please and thank you.

“At least I don't go around picking fights with others.”

The cat rolled its eyes as the entered another silent standoff. This time, Tetsuya didn’t relax when the cat put its paw down again.

A loud screeching noise filled the street, and Tetsuya turned to watch a bus pull up across the street. His tail began to wag wildly as he anticipated his rescue, but his excitement came to an abrupt end as the cat bit his tail.

“What is your problem!” Tetsuya yelped as he turned back around, licking gently at his tail.

“What are you doing here?”

“What?”

The cat tilted its head.

“I’ve never seen you here before, what are you do-”

“Kitty!” A soft gasp cut the cat off.

They both turned to find a young man with glasses and a baseball cap with an S on it. The cat scoffed. Meanwhile the man crouched down, the shopping bag in his hand crinkling as he moved, and slowly moved towards them. Tetsuya began to cautiously approach him, but the cat stayed still.

“Aw, is this your friend?” The man asked, patting Tetsuya as the dog rubbed up against him. “Here, I brought you some tuna.”

The man pulled a can from his bag and opened it, setting it on the ground and sliding it over to the cat. The cat slunk closer, sniffed the tuna, and then stuck his nose up in the air– much to the dismay of the man.

“Wah!”

“Number two!”

“Number two!” “Tetsuya!”

“Tetsu!”

Tetsuya stopped rubbing against the man and looked down the street to find the Seirin basketball team walking their way. The man must have also looked away because the next thing he said was, “Not again.” and Tetsuya turned to find the cat missing. Truely a strange animal.

He didn’t dwell on it any longer as the man scooped him up.

“I’m gonna guess you’re Number two?” He asked before looking back towards Seirin and yelling, “is this your dog?”

Seirin definitely wouldn’t get off the hook so easily this time.

[linkspooky]

Okay, so I received an ask in response to an MHA critical post I received last night that I originally responded to, but then decided to delete the ask and the original post because I didn't want to get into an argument.

However, I feel like I should address one of their complaints about a post I made last night. That I was being too dismissive on the cultural reasons for some of the writing choices Horikoshi made because I am obviously not a part of the culture that Horikoshi grew up in and is commenting on in his piece of work.

I tried not to dismiss the cultural reasons entirely in the post though, I just said I don't think you can entirely blame Hori's writing choices on them. My cited example was there are other shonen jump mangas that don't go out of their way to gruesomely kill their villains (which is what I'm taking fault with.) I understand that the death penalty is a common response to murder in japan, but within the realm of fiction of shonen manga doesn't have a trend of killing all their villains.

But yeah, that might have been a shallow argument.

So there are different lenses of fiction you can criticize Horikoshi's writing on, because every piece of fiction is in fact influenced by the culture it's in, as well as obviously the author's personal life and unconscious biases but that's not all. There's also genre to consider, and influences / inspiration the author might have taken from other works.

For example, there is also genre in particular MHA is written as a response / commentary to both western comics and classic shonen jump manga. Horikoshi said in an interview:

“Probably have to be Goku and Spiderman. To me, when mentioning heroes, these two are the ones that I think of. In Goku’s case, it’s the reassurance that everything is going to be fine he brings when arriving.” 

There are multiple critical analysis lenses that you can analyze a story from. If you're talking about MHA from a feminist lens then you're likely to stick to topics relevant to that, like say japanese feminist movements. If you're talking from the sociopolitical angle then it's relevant to discuss collectivism, and especially how it inspired the Todoroki Family. However, my intent wasn't to dismiss sociopolitical reasons as why Horikoshi chose to write the story this way, but to say it's not the only reason that informs Hori's storytelling choices. MHA isn't just one thing it's multiple thing, me deliberately choosing to talk about MHA as a response to both eastern shonen manga and western comics is a valid critical lens to apply to the manga. You can talk about both obviously, but that was a pretty short post. Perhaps I didn't word my post the best but please try to be understanding that I can't make a post covering all of my bases on leaks night.

For a manga where Horikoshi cited his concept of heroism comes from Goku and Spiderman, they both don't kill their villains, Goku specifically let Vegeta live so if those are his inspirations the choice to kill every villain is weird to say the least.

I can make the argument that MHA fails as any kind of meaningful commentary on comics in general because it doesn't seem to understand the comics it is taking inspiration from. The X-Men are the underdogs in their story, not members of the privileged class they are the outcasts. Batman doesn't kill people because he believes that most of his mentally ill victims turned villains deserve a second chance and he can't dictate who deserves recovery and who doesn't.

If anyone reading this post is curious, here are posts by @siflshonen that discuss both the manga influences and comic infleunces easter and western infleunces on MHA, and also the cultural ones. They are also really long posts because those topics require a great length to discuss critically. This one is about MHA's manga DNA in regards to Bakugo's character, and specifically references Yu-Gi-Oh and Kaiba's character as well as Jonouchi as response for Bakugo's development arc from bully to best friend. This one discusses more about the nuances of collectivism. This one is in reference to the Todoroki family, it discusses both collectivism / japanese family roles / honnae and tatamae concepts that the Todofam is critiqueig, and also how Enji is inspired by eastern ideas of heroes while All Might is inspired by western ones. (Therefore it's not a wrong critical lens to compare MHA to other shonen manga and western comics because that is literally what the manga is taking inspiration from and commenting on).

Here's a powerpoint presentation by @sans-san that discussed Hegemonic Masculinity in Tokyo Ghoul in terms of work culture and how the CCG is inspired by that, which I think also applies to Enji's character as well.

This post by @bnhaobservation spoke about how the Todorokis decision for not disavowing or abandoning Toya after he was sentenced to life in prison would still be a progressive ending to the TODOFAM arc, and while I still wouldn't have been satisfied by that ending I'd at least be able to accept it. That is however, not what we got, we got Toya dying a slow agonizing death while hooked up to life support. So we could have still gotten a slightly softer ending where Toya's at least allowed to live that would have still been in line with the values of the culture that produced MHA.

This post by @bnhaobservation also talks about how the Todofam plotline can still be seen as progressive in some ways in regards to his criticism of Enji's parenting, because of certain outdated attitudes of parenting that still exist about Enji pushing Shoto to his absolute limits.

However, I don't want to debate the person who sent the ask, I just wanted to clarify I'm not trying to make a reductive statement that sociopolitical circumstances have nothing to do with Hori's writing choices, but that you can also analyze it from a lens of genre, commentary on comics and shonen manga, and also the predecessors he's taking inspiration from. All of these things have an inspiration on Hori's storytelling choices.

Since I'd rather not debate, now that I've gotten clarifying things out of the way I'm actually going to use this post as a book reccommendation.

Here's Shigaraki with Underground, one of my favorite books. It is a non-fiction work from famed fiction author Haruki Murakami about the Saren Gas attacks.

On a clear spring day in 1995 five members of a religious cult unleashed poison gas in the Tokyo Subway system. In an attempt to discover why, Haruki Murakami talks to the people who lived through the catasrophe and lays bare the Japanese Psyche.

For those who are unaware the Saren Gas attacks were a terrorist attack where members of the Aum Shirikyo cult released saren gas in the public subway system. It is the biggest japanese terrorist attack in modern japanese history and at the time and even the modern day it was a great shock to them as a whole.

The book consists of several interviews with the victims of the attack, and they are incredibly harrowing to read I remember crying while reading this book multiple times. However, at the end of the book after giving considerable time to let the victims share their stories Haruki Murakami also devotes space in the book to interviewing former members of the Aum Shirikyo cult.

Haruki clarifies his intent in his decision to include testimonial from the cult in the afterword of the novel. "As I worked on this book I attended several of the trials of the defendants of the Tokyo Gas attack. I wanted to see and hear those people with my own eyes ad ears, in order to come to some understanding of who they were. I also wanted to know what they were thinking now. What I found there was a dismal, gloomy, hopeless scene. The court was like a room with no exit. There must have been a way out in the beginning, but now it had become a nightmarish chamber from which there was no escape. [...] To all of them I posed the same question, that is, whether they regretted having joined Aum. Almost everyone answered: "No, I have no regrets. I don't think those years are wasted" Why is that? THe answer is simple - because in Aum they found a purity of purpose theycould not find in ordinary society. Even if in the end it became something monstrous, the radiant, warm memory of the peace they originally found remains inside them and nothing else can replace it. [...] However, as I went through the process of interviewing these Aum members and former members, one thing I felt quite strongly was that it was't spite of being part of the elite that they went in that direction, but because they were a part of the elite. [...] However, we need tor ealize that most of the people who join cults are not abnormal; they're not disadvantaged; they're not eccentrics. They are people who live average lives (and nmaybe from the outside, more than average lives), who live in my neighborhood and yours.

Haruki interviews members of Aum Shirikiyo because he wants to make the point that the people in these cult aren't from a dangerous fringe element of japanese society, but rather they are normal people, some of them even highly educated. The capacity to commit those crimes exists in normal people, and also the capacity to fall victim to a cult.

The Ikuhara anime Mawaru Penguindrum is heavily inspired by both the Saren Gas attacks and the questions that Haruki Murakami asked in the Underground. Fully covered here in this article: Exploring Mawaru Penguindrum 2011 from a historical, cultural and literary perspective here.

Underground was Murakami’s attempt to interview survivors of the Sarin Subway Attack. Apart from learning the perspectives of ordinary citizens involved in that shocking incident, he also managed to interview several members of Aum Shinrikyo and tried to get their point of view on the matter. (In the Japanese edition of the book, the interview with the cult members were published in a separate book, titled The Place that was Promised.) It was an important piece of journalistic work that criticized the public’s attitude of questioning what happened, instead of asking the proper question of why it had happened. In the anime, viewers knew that an event took place in 1995 that affected all the characters, but what exactly was the event about? Why did the people do that? What social factors attributed to the occurrence of such event? These are the questions that Mawaru Penguindrum asked, and one that we were left to ponder on.

Ikuhara and Murakami both exist in the same culture as Horikoshi, Haruki is an incredibly prolific japanese author and he was born in 1945 but both of them are able to ask more meaningful questions about the society they live in then Horikoshi accomplishes with the league of villains and the todoroki family. Haruki Murakami emphasizes the humanity of the aum shirikyo members and that they are not lunatic fringe members, and Mawaru Penguindrum is about the extreme social pressures that people especially children can be a victim of.

Literature is influenced by the culture it takes place in, but it's also a response to that influence and the piece of art that Horikoshi wrote just isn't as thoughtful of a response than what was written by both Ikuhara and Murakami.

More book recommendations if you're interested. The Setting Sun, by Osamu Dazai. Pachinko by Min Jin Lee. How do you Live? by Genzaburo Yoshino. In the Miso Soup by Ryo Murakami. People who Eat Darkness by Richard Lloyd Perry. Night on the Galactic Railroad by Kenji Miyazawa (I'd argue this is an example of good collectivism). The Memory Police by Yuko Ogawa. Out by Natsuo Kirino. There was a couple more I wanted to include but they had cannibalism in them so I thought it better not to reccommend them.

[life-as-gwen]

What do Dandelions know that I don’t?

Let’s talk about dandelions, Taraxacum Officinale. My favorite flower since I was a small child. The flower that nobody liked. As a kid, I loved seeing them growing in the grass, it was so pretty, the bright yellow on the green lawn. I especially loved it when the grass was full of them. I could not understand why people were always trying to kill them.

This was a flower I was allowed to pick, make bouquets with and collect. I remember picking them in the front yard to “save them” from my Dad. The good intention was there anyways.

As an adult, I still like them. I still think they are pretty. But I am a little more philosophical about it. Not that I don’t pick a bouquet when I have the chance.

Think about the dandelion. This is a flower that yearns to live and grow. “Damn hard to get rid of” as my Dad would say. We dig them out by the roots or poison them, and still they come back, spotting the grass with little yellow blooms. We put cinder blocks over them to make a sidewalk and they will pop up in the cracks. It’s like they don’t know, or don’t care that they are under attack. They are just doing their thing.

When it is time for them to die, there is no ugliness, no hard pieces to hurt your feet when you walk barefoot on the lawn. They just change to a white, soft puff ball, and when the wind is just right, their seeds and their DNA are blown up in the air. Wherever they land, a new flower will grow.

What if we had even some of these qualities? What if, in a world that thought we were ugly and unwanted, we could see our own beauty? What if we had the strength to stand up and come back from our defeats, as beautiful and strong as we were before? What if obstacles in our path were simply things we needed to either go around, or go through? What if when we were old and done, we sat at peace, knowing that our lives had meant something and we were leaving a legacy?

I believe that in recovery we have a responsibility to keep learning. The knowledge we get from sources such as AA, NA, OA, Smart Recovery, counselling, therapy, social media, podcasts etc., is invaluable. We would not make it without these resources. But sometimes can we learn lessons and be inspired by the simple things right in front of us, like a silly little flower? from flowers that have been there all along?