#Don't let your humanity get in the way! You can do it!

[hanniebaeee]

Clueless: Plus One

Changbin x fem!reader

Warnings: suggestive content MDNI

Genre: work besties to lovers, fluff

Summary: You and Changbin work in the same office and are work besties. He's so in love with you, but he's totally afraid to cross that line. And then you ask him to be your plus one for a wedding.

Clueless Masterlist

It was a normal Monday morning at the office. Changbin was staring at his computer screen, trying to focus on his work while his eyes kept drifting towards you. Because today you were wearing that pretty white dress that looked so good on you.

And you were flitting over to him like a fairy, that little bounce in your step making his heart flutter. Your head cocked to the side as you gave him a sweet, innocent smile you always wore when you needed to unload.

You leaned over his desk, placing your arms on it letting the drama unfold.

"Bin, I need to vent," you whined. "You won’t believe the crap I’m dealing with right now."

Changbin felt his breath catch, because even though you both have been friends for years, and he was literally your emotional support human - damn, did he love being needed by you.

"Come on, let it all out," he said, pulling a chair for you to sit on.

---

Chan: Guys, we need to have an intervention for Bin.

Felix: We do?

Hyunjin: Dude, just tell her already. She’s like, right there.

Jeongin: You're literally her work husband. She'd be happy to hear it.

Minho: He’s hopeless.

Jisung: Okay, what’s the plan? We can’t have him turning into a simp for the rest of his life.

Changbin: I want to tell her, but she’s too... innocent. I don’t want to scare her away.

Felix: Oh my god. Bin, she wants you to make a move.

Chan: No, no, we need something strategic. You don't have to scare her.

Seungmin: Just ask her out to lunch. Keep it simple.

Minho: Get her one of those giant stuffed bears.

Felix: Actually, I think Minho hyung's right. Bin, buy her a stuffed animal, write her a sweet card, and then tell her how much you care.

Changbin: What if she doesn't feel that way?

Jisung: Bro. She’s into you. She's with you all the damn time.

Chan: She already knows, Changbin. She’s just waiting for you to take the first step. Stop overthinking it.

Changbin: You think she knows?!

Felix: YES, YES, YES, SHE KNOWS.

---

Meanwhile, you were completely lost in your own world, flapping your arms and pouting over the office drama you were dealing with. And once you finished your tirade, you let out a dramatic sigh and Changbin’s eyes softened. His hand reached out, patting yours gently.

You blinked up at him, noticing the way he was staring at you.

"What?" you asked, half-laughing, thinking you’d said something funny.

"Nothing," Changbin said quickly, snapping back to reality, his cheeks going pink.

Changbin had rehearsed in front of the mirror. Made Hyunjin even pretended to be you for him to practice. And he'd just built up the courage to tell you. But the moment your eyes met across the room, you were zooming towards him like an excited puppy.

"Changbin!" You bounced in excitement, grabbing his wrist, your fingers warm against his skin. "I have something to ask you! I need a plus one for my friend's wedding next weekend, and obviously, you're the only person I’d want to go with."

Changbin’s brain? Completely fried. His heart? Beating at an inhuman rate. His ability to form words? Gone.

"A w-w-wedding?" he stammered, eyes wide.

You laughed at his reaction, completely oblivious to the internal crisis you had just triggered.

"Yeah! It’ll be fun! Free food, an open bar, and we can totally judge people together. Please say yes? Please please please!!!"

Changbin could barely function as he nodded quickly like a bobble head doll.

"Y-yeah. Of course. Uh. Totally. Wedding. Yeah."

You beamed at him, squeezing his hand before skipping off to your desk, leaving him standing there like a short-circuited robot. The second you were out of sight, he lunged for his phone.

---

Changbin: GUYS. HELP. EMERGENCY. RED ALERT.

Hyunjin: LMAOOOO WTF NOW

Minho: Did she lean over your desk again?

Jeongin: Did she?

Felix: What happened, Binnie? Breathe, mate.

Changbin: SHE INVITED ME TO A WEDDING. AS. HER. PLUS. ONE.

Jisung: OH MY GOD

Hyunjin: THIS IS PERFECT!

Chan: Okay, calm down. Breathe. What exactly did she say?

Changbin: “Obviously, you're the only person I’d want to go with.” WHAT DOES THAT EVEN MEAN???!

Seungmin: It means she wants to go with you, you dumbass.

Changbin: NO BUT LIKE. AS A FRIEND? OR IS THIS A THING?!?

Minho: It’s a date, you idiot.

Hyunjin: It’s giving ROMANTIC TENSION. It’s giving she wants you to rail her after the wedding.

Felix: HYUNJIN.

Jeongin: Oh my god.

Jisung: Binnie, listen. This is IT. This is your chance. Weddings are basically breeding grounds for romance. It’s scientifically proven.

Changbin: I CANNOT PROCESS THIS RIGHT NOW. HOW DO I ACT NORMAL?? HOW DO I NOT EMBARRASS MYSELF??

Chan: First of all, stop freaking out.

Seungmin: Second of all, do NOT overthink it. Just go, look hot, and vibe.

Minho: Third of all, make a move at the wedding. The atmosphere will be perfect.

Hyunjin: Bro, imagine slow dancing with her, looking into her eyes, and then whispering something smooth in her ear…

---

Changbin was literally hyperventilating, and the phone shook on his jittery hands.

---

Changbin: STOP I’M SWEATING

Felix: Okay, okay, let’s be practical. What are you gonna wear?

Changbin: WHAT DOES IT MATTER WHAT I WEAR I’M TOO BUSY DYING

Minho: No, Felix is right. You need to dress to seduce.

Jisung: I vote black suit. Tight. Tailored.

Hyunjin: Ohhh, and like, leave a few buttons undone. Chest slightly out.

Jeongin: Yup. Maximum thirst trap.

Chan: Okay but seriously, just be yourself. She already likes you.

Changbin: HOW DO YOU KNOW THAT???

Minho: SHE INVITED YOU AS HER DATE, CHANGBIN.

Seungmin: I have never seen someone so painfully unaware of being wanted.

Jisung: Can we get a camera crew to film this wedding? I need to witness everything in real time.

Hyunjin: Maybe Binnie will finally grow a pair and confess.

Changbin: I AM GOING TO SCREAM.

---

Changbin dropped his phone on his desk and exhaled sharply, running his hands down his face. This was happening. This was real.

Changbin wasn’t sure how he got here. One moment, he was reeling from your wedding invitation. The next, he was being dragged - literally dragged - through a high-end boutique as you picked out suits for him to try on.

You were in your element, flipping through jackets, touching fabrics, and occasionally holding up pieces against his chest with a concentrated pout. Changbin, on the other hand, was struggling to stay alive.

The worst part? You were so hands-on. Adjusting his collar. Running your fingers over his cuffs. Tugging at his jacket to make sure it fit properly. Each time you touched him, his brain went on a vacation. He was convinced he was going to drop dead in this fitting room.

---

Changbin: I AM NOT OKAY.

Hyunjin: How's it going?

Jisung: WHAT HAPPENED. DETAILS. NOW.

Changbin: SHE’S TOUCHING ME.

Felix: Oh my god.

Seungmin: LMAO

Jeongin: Kinda vague, bro. Need more context.

Changbin: SHE’S FIXING MY COLLAR. SHE’S ROLLING UP MY SLEEVES. SHE’S ADJUSTING THE DAMN CUFFS.

Chan: You’re so dramatic.

Minho: No, no, let him suffer. This is hilarious.

Changbin: SHE JUST RAN HER HANDS DOWN MY ARMS AND WENT “HMM, THIS FITS NICE.” I AM NOT GOING TO MAKE IT TO THE WEDDING.

Hyunjin: SHE KNOWS. SHE ABSOLUTELY KNOWS.

Jisung: Confirmed. She’s torturing you on purpose.

Jisung: If you wanna follow Lix's path...it's the fitting room after all...

Felix: THERE IS NO PATH TO FOLLOW YOU MANIAC

Hyunjin: I agree with Ji 🤣

Chan: DON'T FLASH HER. I REPEAT, DON'T FLASH THE GIRL.

Seungmin: You could subtly drop a hint.

Changbin: WHAT IF SHE’S JUST BEING NICE?!?!

Minho: Bro.

Felix: BROOOOOOO.

Jeongin: THERE IS NO WAY. NO ONE IS THIS PHYSICALLY AFFECTIONATE BY ACCIDENT.

Hyunjin: SHE IS FLIRTING, YOU IDIOT. FLIRT BACK.

Jisung: BINNIE. LISTEN TO ME. IF A GIRL IS TOUCHING YOUR ARMS, ADJUSTING YOUR CLOTHES, AND LOOKING YOU UP AND DOWN WITH “HMM, THIS LOOKS GOOD” ENERGY, SHE WANTS YOU TO RAIL HER INTO THE FLOORBOARDS.

Changbin: I AM IN PUBLIC, YOU UNHINGED LUNATIC.

Felix: Can confirm. She’s flirting.

Changbin: But what if

Chan: STOP OVERTHINKING. SHE WANTS YOU.

---

Meanwhile, you were blissfully unaware of Changbin’s complete and utter breakdown. You turned, examining him in the mirror with a critical eye, tapping your chin.

"I don’t know, Binnie," you mused, stepping closer, your fingers slipping under the lapels of his jacket. "This one’s good, but I feel like we can do better."

“Yeah? Okay,” Changbin gulped, his entire body locking up.

You nodded and said, "Hmm. Maybe something darker? More fitted?"

You tugged at his lapels absentmindedly, smoothing them out before looking up at him.

"What do you think?"

"I-I...uh. Yeah. Sure." Changbin thought he might pass out.

You smiled, patting his chest. "Okay! Next one!"

As you spun away to grab another suit, Changbin slumped against the wall of the fitting room and sighed dramatically, wiping the sweat off his forehead.

---

Changbin: SHE. TOUCHED. MY. CHEST.

Hyunjin: OHH PSYCHOLOGICAL MOVE.

Jisung: IT JUST KEEPS GETTING BETTER.

Minho: Bro is living a dream and still doesn’t get it.

Seungmin: If you don’t make a move at this wedding, I’m exiling you from this group forever.

Jeongin: Omg

Felix: Bin, mate, she’s literally dressing you up. This is it. This is your chance.

Chan: Just enjoy it. And for the love of god, STOP PANICKING.

---

Changbin inhaled sharply, watching as you approached with yet another suit. This one was black. Sleek. You held it up to him, smiling in satisfaction.

"This one," you said decisively. "I just know it."

Changbin groaned internally. He was so screwed.

Okay, so you were right. Changbin was dying. The suit was fitted, hugging his muscles in a way that felt borderline scandalous. The black fabric contrasted against his skin, and with the first few buttons of his shirt undone, he looked -

"Oh, my God." Changbin gulped.

"You okay in there?" you called.

No, I am NOT okay, I am experiencing a crisis because I want you to pin me against this fitting room wall, he wanted to say. But he wasn't Hyunjin. Or Minho for that matter.

"I’m fine!" he blurted, voice cracking. "Totally fine!"

"Lemme see, Binnie." He heard you giggle.

He stepped out slowly, and the second your eyes landed on him, your entire expression changed. Your mouth parted slightly. You blinked. And then you whistled.

"Wow, Changbin," you breathed, eyes raking over him. "This is the one."

He swallowed hard, shifting under your gaze. "Y-you think so?"

You nodded, stepping closer, your hands reaching for his cuffs - because of course you had to touch him again.

“Yeah," you murmured, adjusting them carefully. "This looks perfect on you."

Changbin thought he was going to pass out.

---

Changbin: *Sends a picture of himself in the said suit*

Hyunjin: HOT HOT HOT

Jisung: YOU LOOK HOT! SHE’S DROOLING, ISN’T SHE?

Minho: She’s probably imagining tearing that suit off you.

Seungmin: Or making you wear it to bed.

Changbin: I AM IN HELL.

Felix: You’re in a dressing room.

Changbin: SAME THING.

Jeongin: CHILL

---

Changbin had never had this much fun at a wedding in his entire life. The night had been perfect.

You clung to his arm dramatically when you saw an ex from college, whispering ridiculous insults into his ear. You had both rated every outfit in the visinity, and you had even whisked an extra dessert plate for Changbin when you saw the way he eyed the chocolate mousse.

And you dragged him onto the dance floor, laughing breathlessly as he spun you around like you were the only two people in the world.

God, he was so in love with you.

---

Jisung: STATUS UPDATE, NOW.

Hyunjin: Are you two making out yet??

Minho: Or have you found a dark corner to “talk” in?

Changbin: I AM TRYING TO SURVIVE THIS NIGHT, LEAVE ME ALONE.

Jeongin: So no dark corner? Disappointing.

Felix: Are you at least having fun?

Changbin: The best time.

Chan: Then why haven’t you CONFESSED YET???

Seungmin: Yeah, what’s your excuse?

Changbin: I’M WAITING FOR THE RIGHT MOMENT.

Jisung: YOU’VE BEEN WAITING FOR FIVE YEARS, BINNIE.

Hyunjin: DO IT. BEFORE WE SHOW UP OURSELVES.

---

By the time the wedding was over, Changbin felt warm - not just from the champagne, but because of you. You grinned up at him, swaying slightly as you both made your way back to the car. Every time your fingers brushed his, it sent sparks up his arm. And right to his heart.

This moment felt perfect.

“This was so much fun, Binnie,” you hummed, glancing at him. “Did you have a good time too?”

“Yeah,” he said. “I always have fun with you.”

You beamed at him, and he smiled, his heart doing some drastic flips. He loved you so damn much. And he needed to tell you that.

“Y/N…” He swallowed hard, and his hands clenched. “I…I need to tell you something.”

“What’s up?” You stopped walking, turning to face him fully.

He exhaled shakily. Okay. Okay. You got this, Bin.

“I…I really like you,” he blurted, his ears turning pink. “Like, really like you. And I’ve liked you for so long, but I didn’t know how to tell you. And I didn’t wanna ruin what we have, but -”

Changbin froze, and his words died on his lips. Because you were crying. Panic slammed into him, and he was on autopilot in a second.

“Oh, shit! Wait - are you okay? Did I -”

And then, before he could fully die, you hugged him. You wrapped your arms around him so tightly, pressing your face into his chest, and whispered, “I was so afraid to say anything.”

His breath hitched. What?

“This is the happiest day of my life,” you murmured. “Because I love you too, Binnie.”

Changbin’s soul left his body. He squeezed you back instantly, his heart nearly exploding.

“You do?”

You nodded against him, sniffling slightly. And all he could do was hold you, completely overwhelmed with relief, with joy, with love.

---

Changbin: Sooo…Chan hyung, I may have found a plus one for your wedding

Chan: Ok…?

Chan: Changbin, is everything ok?

Felix: Please. Don't tell me you put it off till Chan hyung's wedding.

Minho: You two are gonna be doing this till all of us get married at this point.

Seungmin: Let the man speak

Changbin: Thank you, but I'll be attending Chan hyung's wedding with my girlfriend 😎

Jisung: OH MY GODDDDDDDDD.

Hyunjin: THANK YOU. FINALLY.

Minho: Oh wow. Ok.

Felix: YESSSS BINNIEEEEE!!

Seungmin: Took you long enough, dumbass.

Jeongin: I’M SO HAPPY I CAN’T EVEN INSULT YOU RIGHT NOW.

Chan: Well, congratulations Bin!

Jisung: NOW KISS. KISS HER RIGHT NOW.

Hyunjin: Yes yes go

---

Changbin laughed breathlessly, shaking his head as he tucked his phone away. And got into the driver's seat.

He turned to look at you as you were pulling on your seat belt. You glanced at him, your eyes shining, your smile soft.

And with his heart bursting, he did exactly what Jisung demanded.

He kissed you.

Divider: @saradika-graphics

Tags: @moonchild9350 @velvetmoonlght @eastjonowhere @pixie-felix @sailor--sun @chancloud8 @captainchrisstan @hansmic @emilyywhyy @inlovewithstraykids @my-neurodivergent-world @nightmarenyxx @channie4lifeee143127 @hanadulsetaad

[lyxchen]

Okay so I've heard this said a bunch of times and I'm gonna admit I thought like that too for a while but no, Gi-hun did not win the games because he was lucky. A lot of people think that's how he won because he never killed anybody but that's really not the point. Gi-hun won the games because a) he's smart and is able to look at things from a different angle, b) because he is a good and kind person who also believes in others and c) because of the goodness and care get got back from other people.

In the first game he survived because Ali saved him and that wasn't luck, that was Ali being a good person and helping somebody not get killed. Ali could've not caught him, let him die, he didn't even know Gi-hun at all at that point and he put himself in more danger too by having to hold on to a person while standing completely still but he still saved Gi-hun because Ali is a good person.

In the Dalgona game he quite literally Was Not Lucky. He decided to go with the umbrella which is the worst shape to pick and he probably would have died if he hadn't looked at the game in a different way and decided to change his strategy. Gi-hun is smart. He is also optimistic and so he tried something new and found a different way to beat that game.

In the third game he survived because he was smart and kind enough to listen to Il-nam. The other people in their group dismissed him as just an old man speaking but Gi-hun didn't and that way they had a good strategy to beat the other team. The same goes for him listening to Sang-woo's idea of running three steps and then stopping, which ultimately was what saved them. His group also chose him as their leader (who, as Il-nam said, needs to not seem weak or loose hope because then the whole team is doomed). His team trusted in him and his optimism and they were right to do so.

In the marbles game he won because he was once again kind and decided to team up with Il-nam and also because in the end Il-nam decided to "sacrifice himself" for Gi-hun because he showed him kindness before. Yes Il-nam didn't actually die but he also knew that Gi-hun had cheated and still let him continue on to the next game, probably because Gi-hun had been good and kind and caring towards him before, even though he really didn't have to be. Gi-hun also didn't know this but by teaming up with Il-nam he inadvertently ensured that Il-nam had a lot more fun in the games than he would have had, had everybody just ignored to "old, fragile man". Gi-hun was good to Il-nam throughout all the games and it ended up saving him in the marbles game.

In the fifth game it's only some small moments as Gi-hun isn't really involved in the game because he's the last number but still it wasn't just luck. First of all he was kind enough to give the number 1 to the player that asked him for it. Yes, that number was bad but he didn't know that and had he been selfish enough to say no to that other player he wouldn't have survived. Being the last to play in any game can end up being bad for you, still he decided to give up the number he picked because the other player asked him to. Secondly he also survived that game because Sae-byeok was kind enough to remind him of which glass tile to step on after he had forgotten which one it was. It's only small but she didn't have to tell him and still she did. Sae-byeok btw is also good to him because before that he was good to her and protected her (even though he was angry at her at first) and that way he was able to gain her trust.

Lastly he won the Squid Game because Gi-hun was kind to Sang-woo and because Sang-woo deep down was still a good person. There were probably many reasons as to why Sang-woo decided to kill himself in the end but part of it, I'm sure, was also because Gi-hun was a good friend to him. I mean Gi-hun was even willing to give up all the money and go back home with nothing gained if it meant that Sang-woo didn't have to die and would be able to come home with him. Gi-hun deserved that win and that money and in the end Sang-woo knew that. He also knew that Gi-hun would make sure to take care of Sang-woo's mother and that he wouldn't just take all the money for himself because Sang-woo knew that Gi-hun is a good person. (Gi-hun technically also won the Squid Game because he was good at it which is also him being smart)

So in conclusion and I hope y'all haven't stopped reading yet: Gi-hun didn't win the games because he was lucky. He didn't just sit around doing nothing and won anyways. He won because he was smart but even more importantly he won because of the kindness and goodness that exists in humans and that is especially present in him. He won because he had empathy, because people trusted him, because he got back from them what he gave to them first. He never killed anyone and we can clearly see that he Could Never kill anyone in those games but that's not his weakness. Just because he didn't let himself get corrupted and turned into what the games wanted him to turn into doesn't mean he won because of luck. Him not playing by those subtle, hidden rules that are made to force him to be bad, to not care about others and to give up his kindness actually means he was better than the games. He won because he didn't let them turn him into a monster. They tried really hard and they failed and that's how he won!! But also on top of that he also won because he isn't the only good person in this show. He also won because other people helped him, were kind to him and gave a shit about him. Each and every person that helped Gi-hun didn't have to do that. They all could have not helped him, Ali could have not caught him, Sae-byeok could have not told him which one was the correct glass tile, hell, she could have Lied to him about it and the only difference it would have made for the other players would have been them being one more dead person closer to winning all that money. But that's really not how humans are and act which is why all these people helped Gi-hun, helped each other in small or big ways and in the end his own kindness and the kindness that exists in other people is what lead to Gi-hun winning. That's not luck. That humans being good

[shimmershifts]

how to reality shift

method one: pure awareness

for those who have never heard of it, the state of pure awareness is exactly what it sounds like: pure awareness, detached from the input of your 3D senses, a state where you are no longer grounded to the 3D. this means you will not feel your body, or any surroundings at all. for those who have already heard of it, you may have heard this referred to as "the void state" or "the void", (especially recently,) but i don't like this term as it implies that "the void" is some sort of place that you go to, and it's not. "the void state" is not somewhere you go, it is a state of being and experiencing that you become.

what is the state of pure awareness?

the state of pure awareness is just you. you are your awareness, and the state of pure awareness is just you, without the data and input of your 3rd dimensional senses distracting you.

why does pure awareness help with reality shifting?

when we reality shift, our goal is to find a way to trigger our awareness into a movement in the 4th and 5th dimensional directions. for some, this is easier to do when you are not distracted by the 3D. this isn't because it's impossible to shift while aware of the 3D! on the contrary, lots of people shift while totally awake and aware in the 3D, in either their CR, or their DR, or even both. but for most of us, our awareness is really used to and really comfortable piloting our 3D body here. so perhaps try getting into a state of pure awareness and see if that helps you trigger a shift.

i believe the state of pure awareness is natural, a side effect of the simple fact that the bodies we inhabit are 3D, and our awareness isn't. our awareness is not a 3D object, mass, or body part. you can't point to and say "there it is, that's human awareness." but in our current states, our awareness gets all this input and data about reality from a 3D body.

the reason you see nothing and feel nothing when you're in the state of pure awareness is because when your awareness is not focusing on input from your 3D body, there is nothing for your to "see", "feel" or "hear" and no body for you to see, feel or hear it with. those are 3D concepts, and 3D senses.

how will i know im in the state of pure awareness?

you will have absolutely zero input from your 3D senses. there will be nothing, and yet you will be totally and comfortably aware. that means if your body feels tingly, floaty, dizzy, fuzzy, etc you are not in pure awareness. if you see hallucinations, flashes of light, etc, you are not in pure awareness. if your thoughts are muddled, dreamlike, or confused, you are not in pure awareness. if things change or destabilize into a different dreamlike scene, you are not in pure awareness. if you can feel your 3D body in any way, you are not in pure awareness.

how do i get into the state of pure awareness?

there are many different ways to get into the state of pure awareness. if one way doesn't work for you, please feel free to try another or even make up your own way. now, technically, you don't need a method to do this. because the state of pure awareness is not some place we have to travel to or a locked dungeon we need a secret key to get into... it hypothetically is possible to simply instantly get into the state of pure awareness. ie, to completely let go of 3D distraction, and become pure awareness right now. so, first, i urge you to try it. like, actually. pause your reading, and try to become pure awareness.

did it work?

if yes, congratulations, you've done it! you don't need to read the rest of this, or maybe skip down to the 'troubleshooting' section if you're one of those people who can get into the state of pure awareness but finds they aren't triggered to reality shift from it, and just came back here without being able to shift to your DR.

if it didn't work, do not despair. i think you're fully capable of getting into the state of pure awareness, and it may start to feel more natural and happen with more ease with practice. for now, here are some pointers.

method 1(a)

meditation. don't let that word scare you off! i'm someone with adhd, and ptsd. in my past, meditation was always spoken about or taught to me in a way that was completely ineffectual for me. i thought meditation just didn't work on me. turns out, all i needed was a method that was accessible for me, and for someone to explain what meditation actually is in first place because it turns out, what i was trying to force my mind to do isn't even needed or isn't even what mediation is. so no wonder why it didn't work! i'm planning to make a much longer "how to meditate" series for those who struggle, but for now i'm going to be fairly brief. if it doesn't work, just move on to 1(b), or 1(c) for now.

step one: choose an environment. it's okay if there are distractions, but it may help you to pick the most comfortable environment possible, whatever that means to you. do you want to be alone? outdoors? in the dark? what position do you want to be in? etc.

step two: relax your physical body, if you can. however this might look for you. can't relax? hold space for your body to relax if it can, but don't force it. some people find it easier to physically relax if they first tense up as hard as they can, and then let it go. this is the stage where some choose to focus on their breathing, do a body scan, etc. once you feel you are relaxed enough, turn your attention away from your physical body. note: this does not mean that your physical body has to stop feeling sensations. your nerves and senses will continue to function, because they always do, and that's their job. that's okay. your goal is not to force your body to be numb and comatose because it won't be. if physical sensations come to your awareness, simply acknowledge them and let it pass you by.

step three: relax your mind, if you can. however that might look for you. keep in mind, this does not mean to "clear your mind" in the sense of having no thoughts at all. that's not necessary, and your brain is meant to think. begin to let it do that without you. that's okay. if thoughts come to you, simply acknowledge them and let them pass you by. it may help to focus your awareness on something in your imagination, while you allow your brain to think in the background. common ones are counting, visualizing thinks like smoke, light, or a rhythmic activity like swimming, walking, etc.

at some point during steps two or three, you may start to experience hypnogogic symptoms. they aren't the goal with this method, and you don't need to focus on them. if you feel them, that's okay, just acknowledge the sensations and let them pass.

struggling to let thoughts pass you by? it may help to take a similar approach with your mind as some do with the body, taking the "tense your body and then release to relax". "tense"/focus on each one of your thoughts, acknowledge it, and then let it go. if it helps, try to visualize (or create the idea of) a place to put them. this could mean floating them away into the clouds, placing them into a box, or tossing them off a cliff. whatever you pick, acknowledge you do not need to be aware of that thought or sensation right now, and put it away for later. it may help to visualize putting them all in there, and then closing the box or turning away from wherever you put it.

step four: pure awareness. for this step, i'm gonna ask you to pick one thing to focus on. your mind and body should be relaxed, with no sensations or thoughts distracting you, it's all just passing you by. pick one thing. it could be anything. a mantra (ie, repeating "i am" in your mind) counting, a visualization (a place, maybe an object, or a simple, repeating sensation like the sound of ocean waves or the feeling of breeze on your skin.) whatever it is, turn your full awareness to that. take as long as you need, revisiting steps three and four whenever necessary. is your full awareness on your chosen focus? great, now let it go.

one of two things will happen. either your awareness will let go and you'll become a state of pure awareness, or distractions will spring back up. let them if they do, it's okay. it may take practice, you may have to bring yourself back up and stop for now and try again another time, or you may be able to continue if you go back through steps two and three and make another attempt.

method 1(b)

hypnogogia. some people experience hypnogogia when they meditate, but this is not a meditation method. this method is for those who don't want to meditate but who naturally experience hypnogogia when they're waking up or as they're falling asleep. identify which you experience, and plan to make use of it the next time it happens. you can increase the chances of it occurring very simply, if you're someone this works for.

for as you're falling asleep: every night when you go to sleep, your body and mind fall asleep, and they actually do this separately. the next time you're going to bed, and you'd like to reality shift, just try to keep your mind aware. you don't have to do anything special, you can just let your mind think normally. to avoid falling asleep, just keep your awareness focused, rather than letting it slip away as you would when you are going to sleep. if you need something to help hold your awareness in your mind, try counting, or visualizing, or focusing on one minute sense (ie, the weight of your blankets, or the sound of the refrigerator buzzing from the kitchen.) just let your body fall asleep. you don't have to do anything in particular to let this happen. your body naturally falls asleep every night, just don't get in the way of the process and it'll do the same as it always does. at some point, your mind will still be awake but your body will begin to fall into sleep, and this is when you start to experience symptoms of hypnogogia. lights flashing, hallucinations, fuzzy or tingly sensations, spinning, dizziness, floating, etc.

for as you're waking up: basically the same as above, but do it right after waking up instead. if you struggle with letting your body fall asleep when you first go to bed, this method might help you. right when you wake up, your body is still fully of sleepiness, and it's generally much easier for your body to fall back asleep than it was to fall asleep in the first place. use that, relax, keep your awareness in your mind and wait until the hypnogogia symptoms start. (this one doesn't often work for me because i have ptsd, and when i wake up i often immediately jump into fight or flight mode, totally and instantly awake. if that's you, this might not be the method for you!)

once you're in hypnogogia: there are a few ways you can go about this, and you can try both.

try focusing on the hypnogogic sensations. these are not real 3D senses, and your goal is to get away from the 3D distractions, so chase them. stay in them as long as you can. this technique is kind of like following the white rabbit down into wonderland, except that it's your awareness following strange buzzy sensations and flashing lights out of your body. try this until the 3D completely falls away, and the hypnogogia falls away next, leaving you in the void much like the white rabbit ditched alice when she fell down that hole.

did the hypnogogia not fall away? don't panic, try technique two: manually let go of the hypnogogic sensations. let them pass. actually, avoid them. your arms are tingling? notice it, and shift your awareness away. body spinning? let it go. don't try to focus your awareness on anything, just let things happen while you focus on being aware.

eventually, you should become pure awareness. if you try a few times and can't, this might not be the best method for you. some people are overwhelmed or distracted by symptoms of hypnogogia rather than being able to use it to reach pure awareness. just see what works for you!

method 1(c)

lucid dreams. when you become lucid in a dream, you're almost already in the state of pure awareness. if you know about lucid dreaming, you might understand what i mean. you're lucid, and you're fully detached from the 3D. that's great, that's the pure awareness state, right?..... not quite, because of the "dream" part. in most lucid dreams, there is still that "dreamlike" quality. however, if you're someone who is able to lucid dreams often, and have the skill to stabilize your lucid dream, you can also develop the skill to dismiss the dream entirely. that way, you go from lucid dreaming, to just lucid. (ie, pure awareness.)

i won't go too deep into how to have a lucid dream here because there's so much to say (if anyone requests it, i might make a follow up later about how to lucid dreaming!) but for now, the relevant info is how to stabilize the dream, giving you the ability to dismiss it.

so you're lucid. awesome! now what?

first, perform reality checks to confirm that you are lucid dreaming. poke your finger through your hand. did it go through? you are dreaming. now pinch your nose, and take a deep breath. did you breath? you are dreaming. look for a clock, or create one. look at the time, look away, and look back again. did the time change? you are dreaming. look for a mirror, or create one. look at your reflection. are you dreaming?

continue using reality checks intermittently. i've found that people can be fully lucid, and then forget they're dreaming and lose control.

now to stabilize the dream. first, stabilize yourself. hold up your hands. how many fingers do you have? touch the tip of your index finger to each finger on your other hand as you count them. are there five on each hand? good. now press your hands together, palm to palm, and rub. can you feel it? great! clasp your hands together, intertwining your fingers, and then pull them apart. count your fingers again. still five on each hand? great, you're ready to move on.

now stabilize your surroundings. to do this, use each of your five senses. first, look at something and notice the details. is it colorful? is it clear? now listen. can you hear anything? what about touch, reach out and touch something. hold it in your hand, and focus on keeping it there. smell it, and then taste it. (it sounds weird, but it really helps.)

now practice dream control. that thing in your hands, do you still have it? if not, redo the previous step. if yes, great! now turn it into something else, change the color, or the size. now make your thing disappear, but on purpose. now make something else appear. then make it disappear. do another reality check. do you still have five fingers?

now to dismiss the dream. this might take a few tries, as your brain is dreaming, it will try to add things in, or take you into a new dream. focus on your awareness, and insist on staying aware while the dream disappears. it may seem easier to dismiss things one by one (ie, the walls, the floor, then your body) but in my experience this can make things less stable. try dismissing everything all at once, if you can.

did it work? confirm that you're in the state of pure awareness (see: how will i know i'm in the state of pure awareness? above.) are your thoughts clear, consistent, and in control? are you totally stable, with no risk of waking up or coming out of the state? if not, you may still be dreaming. if you realize you're still dreaming, just let yourself enter a new dream scene and repeat the step above.

what do i do once im in the state of pure awareness? how do i shift?

actually, there's a lot you can do! but this is a reality shifting post, so that's what we'll focus on. once you've confirmed you're in the state of pure awareness, you are no longer aware of any 3D at all. hypothetically, it's just as easy to become aware of your DR from there as it is to become aware of this reality. first, try just doing it. become aware of your DR.

did that work? if not, try some of the tools you'd use to trigger a shift in general, except now you're doing them from the state of pure awareness with zero 3D distractions.

relax. there is absolutely zero rush. time does not pass here the way it does in the 3D. in the 3D, we perceive time as passing linearly, but your awareness is no longer tied to the third dimension. you have no body here, and you are not attached to your 3D brain or mind either. relax in your awareness.

visualize your DR. i think visualization is one of our most powerful tools for reality shifting, and it's even better in the void with no distraction. remember, you don't need to create the whole world with the power of your mind. you're not creating the world, and you're not traveling there. you're already there, you're just becoming aware of it. focus your awareness on small things about your DR. i think it helps to choose a few that feel close, familiar, or very real. where are you? what's your name? what are you going to do next? what are you wearing? what do you always have in your pockets when you leave the house? your favorite piece of jewelry? what does it feel like?

repeat. this could be a mantra, counting, your visualization, whatever, just pick something, if you find that repeating is something that helps you.

now visualize the very moment you want to shift into. use your senses, but don't force yourself to use one that's not coming naturally, ie don't sit there thinking "oh no, now i have to think of something to taste-" let go. you, dear reader who is reading this right now, are you thinking of one thing you can taste? probably not. unless you're eating hot chips. your DR self doesn't have to try to focus on being there, you're just there. so what are you sensing? are you seeing anything? smelling anything? hearing anything? feeling anything? don't create these sensations, or force yourself to feel them, you're in the state of pure awareness and you can't feel anything anyways. just reach for them.

at some point, you should become aware of your DR. in my experience, you don't have to force yourself there and there's no "symptoms" of being about to be there, especially because if you're in the state of pure awareness so there's no 3D sensations at all. it may feel like a "blip" or like a "pull" or a "blink" or like a "shift", and then you're there.

troubleshooting:

i can't get into the state of pure awareness.

don't worry, it's not the only way to reality shift. if 1(b) and 1(c) don't work for you, consider waiting for my meditation guides to be out, or methods 2 and 3, or come up with something all your own. you do not need to get into the state of pure awareness to reality shift, it's just one method that helps some people.

i got into the state of pure awareness, but i didn't shift.

well, there's two possibilities here. either you weren't actually in the state of pure awareness (ie, you accidentally fell asleep, or into a dream, or you were in some other meditative state you mistook for pure awareness).... or you did shift. to here. when you're pure awareness, you're not aware of this 3D reality, so when you became aware of this 3D reality, that was you reality shifting to here. oops! it happens, you can try again. do you remember how it felt when you reality shifted here from pure awareness? what triggered it? see if you can use that, and try to reverse engineer whatever made you become aware of here, to become aware of your DR next time instead.

if it does not work, over and over, then the state of pure awareness may not be what helps trigger you to shift to your DR. try a different method!

ok lovelies that's all for now!

-shimmer

[butts-bouncing-on-the-beltway]

I think what really stands out to me is, for example, the difference between training a K-9 unit and mondio training for a sporting dog.

An above commenter talked about teaching aggressive and lunging as inherent abuse tactics of k-9 training and while that's not WRONG it is slightly inaccurate.

It's not necessarily the action being cue-ed (e.g. a lunch or a bite) but how that training is applied to the dogs.

Mondio teaches dogs to lunge and bite too, and while I would never suggest it's a sport without risk, it certainly doesn't seem to produce the same rates of outcomes in terms of aggression and needing to put down an unsafe dog.

I think it's worth remembering that there are a LOT of working dogs that are effectively trained to direct protective aggression, without making them unsafe dogs to be around at rates that suggest the choice is a poor one. So why are k-9 units the way they are? Well lets look at some history:

Even in their own propoganda, where they are somehow the heros, cops cannot speak about their interactions with their dogs without explicitly naming and lauding the creulty with which they are trained, used, and abandoned.

There have been MANY cases made, by animal welfare specialists, policing reform activists, community organizers, and many others, that k9 units should not be a continuing role available to working dogs, and should be discontinued promptly. Each stakeholder in this conversation comes from a different starting point but ends, with all their expertise, in the same place:

K-9 cop units are abused animals trained in indiscriminate and reactionary violence. Their existence is a threat to everyone who encounters them and ends in inevitable trauma, injury, and even death for the dog.

The problem here goes far beyond anything to do with the commands one CAN safely instill in a working dog. Instead it is about the way law enforcement offloads their lethality onto non-human entities like k-9 units and AI which are deemed A) unaccountable to anyone, and B) disposable in the event of a need to propogandize the appearance of consequences for brutality performed by law enforcement using weaponized k-9s.

I understand many people have never seen a flock/herd guarding dog direct aggression. Usually people who don't work with these dogs only see snuggly ppics of giant dogs with fluffy cozy lambs. But these dogs will KILL to protect their flock. Responsible training for working dogs who need to effectively use directed protected aggression is a careful balancing act of training, socialization, temperment, and history for each and every dog trained in it. When their aggression shows ANY signs of failing to be appropriately directed, these dogs must be removed from the work and re-assessed for duty and retired (family pet not "farm upstate" or eurhanasia)/re-trained as appropriate.

The system of policing is designed to produce abuse, trauma, and the threat of or actualized violence, so even if we do acknowledge the fact that many working dogs CAN safely be trained to do work similar to what k-9s do, we also acknowledge why that CANNOT POSSIBLY MATTER to the conversation.

ACAB includes all cops, but k-9s aren't cops, their live fucking grenades that cops fling into communities as stochastic terrorism.

All k9 dogs are abused hands down if you post any pro k9 stuff on my dash you’re unfollowed I don’t care if we’ve been mutuals for years, you can claim to be anti-cop or a leftist or whatever but if you post k9 dogs with like “a good doggo! A good boy!” fuck off, if I lose followers over this then good riddance

[11queensupreme11]

I need to know how people are gonna react to finding out about Percy’s mortal spot 🫠

im ngl, i genuinely believed putting the mortal spot on THE BACK is probably THEEEEE DUMBEST fucking thing ever 😭 ur back is literally your most vulnerable spot and now she just made it 100000x more vulnerable 😭 i'm almost certain rick wrote it that way for poetic reasons cuz percy's fatal flaw is loyalty, mortal spot on the back, hence "the only way you can kill percy jackson is to stab her in the back" 💀 yes yes, very poetic, but i don't think the ror characters will appreciate it 😭

(gonna try and fit as many reactions here as i can, excluding beel and loki since they already know)

cú chulainn: this dude is a trained warrior. he knows everything about weaknesses and blindspots. and the back????? IS PROBABLY THE BIGGEST BLIND SPOT THERE IS. he'll be screaming and ripping out his own hair in pure horror and disbelief when he finds out his dumbass lover put HER ONE MORTAL SPOT on her fucking BACK of all the goddamn places 😭

apollo: he's gonna throw up when he finds out and then he's gonna throw up even more when he learns that the LAST PERSON to have the curse of achilles was killed by HIS COUNTERPART. he prays to every deity and the fates that they won't be cruel enough to repeat that with them because he CANNOT lose percy 😭😭😭😭

poseidon: his jaw drops. he looks like a complete idiot all gobsmacked like this, but nobody even blames him because they're also just as shocked. he has half a mind to spank his daughter for her terrible idea, not just for the placement of the mortal spot, but for getting that damn curse in the first place. at first, he liked it because it made her 99.99% invulnerable but that fucking mortal spot just ruined it 💀💀💀

hades: buries his face in his hands and lets out the heaviest sigh ever. he loves his niece, he really does, but he has to admit... she's not exactly the sharpest tool in the shed. he loves her so much though so he won't be TOO disappointed 💖

anubis: "BABY WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!" he's screeching in horror when he witnesses the scene. welp, now he knows how she got the curse, but holy SHIT this is probably the worst curse ever (it's really not). he's literally gonna be begging her to stop when it comes up on the screen, but it's already too late

ra: USUALLY he would be busy restraining anubis from doing something stupid, but he's too busy gawking. percy was literally told that her fatal flaw was LOYALTY.... and then she goes and picks HER BACK as her one mortal spot???? "omfg the poseidon in that universe taught that child NOTHING"

rhea: "WE 👹 MUST 👹 GET 👹 HER 👹 OUT 👹 OF 👹 THAT 👹 UNIVERSE 👹 BEFORE SHE GETS HERSELF KILLED" no seriously, grandma rhea is WORRIED. if she were a human, she'd have 1000 heart attacks and her hair would've turned grey already. this baby is stressing her the FUCK out 😭

prometheus: would literally cry 😭😭😭 like "percy... my dear baby cousin, your back??????? WHY?????" 😭😭😭😭 he's usually very supportive of her ideas, even the most craziest ones, but..... the back???????????

izanagi: "oh bless her heart, she's trying her best 🥺💔"

sun wukong: does a very slow facepalm as he sinks into his throne because oh my gods this girl is FUCKED. he has never seen a more doomed person before in all his years of living 😭

aphrodite: "wait does this make sex harder??? should i have her try other positions instead? 🤔" (she's asking the real questions here)

lugh: gently grasps cú chulainn's shoulders and say solemnly, "son, i think the universe really hates you 😔💔" because this is the SECOND PERSON that cú chulainn cares about to have some sort of near-invulnerability. the first died thx to him, and now percy might follow 😭

odin: a little concerned at how similar she is to his baldur. pure-hearted and kind, a genuinely good person, with a near invulnerability. he hopes, for loki's sanity, that percy doesn't die too because the crashout would be catastrophic fr 💀

adam: absolutely HORRIFIED because she picked literally the worst spot on her body to be her mortal spot 😭

leonidas: "how tf is this kid alive right now 💀"

tesla: so it turns out it's not just math and science that he needs to teach her, but basic self-preservation as well! alrighty then, he's already getting the lesson plans ready as well as a VERY long lecture about poor decision-making skills 😭

basically, every ror character's reaction to percy getting the curse of achilles and choosing her back as her one mortal spot:

EVERYONE is horrified 💀

percy literally has so much stacked against her. everyone and everything in that universe is out to get her. she's the product of a broken vow. she's a demigod, so naturally monsters hunt her down on the daily. she has a cursed fucking sword that's cursed to fail her when she needs it most. her fatal flaw is loyalty. and then she goes and puts her mortal spot on her BACK 💀💀💀💀💀💀💀💀💀💀💀💀 not only that, but the fates of that universe love love LOVE greek tragedy and percy is a walking greek tragedy waiting to for the curtain call 😭

[shaylene-the-praline]

ramble about a little bit of boundary stuff under the cut 😂

I always get one guy that convinces himself differently every once and a while...so I'll just mention this again as a refreshment.

Buying something off my wishlist is completely optional and not mandatory, just like me wanting to let you get to know me is optional and not mandatory.

Buying me things doesn't mean I'll tell you about myself, just like not buying me things doesn't mean I won't. I'm a human with the right to choose who I wish to talk to, regardless if you think you did something to earn it. If I'm not comfortable with you, I'm just not 😭

If you ever find yourself rubbing your hands together and plotting an elaborate "I'm going to buy her trust by buying her ground coffee" scheme...please stop while you're ahead, that isn't what my wishlist is there for. It's there for people that would like to brighten my day as a gift for all the things I post. It isn't a form of manipulation you can use 😂.

Doing that is a losing game. The way I work, you talk to me and if I want to talk back and build something, I will. You don't buy me something thinking that means I owe you any favors 😂 you chose to do me a favor.

I'm thankful for everything I get, but I just have to make this clear because I can't let my being thankful get confused with me being passive. I'm not an ungrateful bitch because you bought something as a "gift" and I refuse to let you into my business in return 😭 get real. I don't know your heart or intentions because you spent a little bit of money.

[max1461]

Linguists deal with two kinds of theories or models.

First, you have grammars. A grammar, in this sense, is a model of an individual natural language: what sorts of utterances occur in that language? When are they used and what do they mean? Even assembling this sort of model in full is a Herculean task, but we are fairly successful at modeling sub-systems of individual languages: what sounds occur in the language, and how may they be ordered and combined?—this is phonology. What strings of words occur in the language, and what strings don't, irrespective of what they mean?—this is syntax. Characterizing these things, for a particular language, is largely tractable. A grammar (a model of the utterances of a single language) is falsified if it predicts utterances that do not occur, or fails to predict utterances that do occur. These situations are called "overgeneration" and "undergeneration", respectively. One of the advantages linguistics has as a science is that we have both massive corpora of observational data (text that people have written, databases of recorded phone calls), and access to cheap and easy experimental data (you can ask people to say things in the target language—you have to be a bit careful about how you do this—and see if what they say accords with your model). We have to make some spherical cow type assumptions, we have to "ignore friction" sometimes (friction is most often what the Chomskyans call "performance error", which you do not have to be a Chomskyan to believe in, but I digress). In any case, this lets us build robust, useful, highly predictive, and falsifiable, although necessarily incomplete, models of individual natural languages. These are called descriptive grammars.

Descriptive grammars often have a strong formal component—Chomsky, for all his faults, recognized that both phonology and syntax could be well described by formal grammars in the sense of mathematics and computer science, and these tools have been tremendously productive since the 60s in producing good models of natural language. I believe Chomsky's program sensu stricto is a dead end, but the basic insight that human language can be thought about formally in this way has been extremely useful and has transformed the field for the better. Read any descriptive grammar, of a language from Europe or Papua or the Amazon, and you will see (in linguists' own idiosyncratic notation) a flurry regexes and syntax trees (this is a bit unfair—the computer scientists stole syntax trees from us, also via Chomsky) and string rewrite rules and so on and so forth. Some of this preceded Chomsky but more than anyone else he gave it legs.

Anyway, linguists are also interested in another kind of model, which confusingly enough we call simply a "theory". So you have "grammars", which are theories of individual natural languages, and you have "theories", which are theories of grammars. A linguistic theory is a model which predicts what sorts of grammar are possible for a human language to have. This generally comes in the form of making claims about

the structure of the cognitive faculty for language, and its limitations

the pathways by which language evolves over time, and the grammars that are therefore attractors and repellers in this dynamical system.

Both of these avenues of research have seen some limited success, but linguistics as a field is far worse at producing theories of this sort than it is at producing grammars.

Capital-G Generativism, Chomsky's program, is one such attempt to produce a theory of human language, and it has not worked very well at all. Chomsky's adherents will say it has worked very well—they are wrong and everybody else thinks they are very wrong, but Chomsky has more clout in linguistics than anyone else so they get to publish in serious journals and whatnot. For an analogy that will be familiar to physics people: Chomskyans are string theorists. And they have discovered some stuff! We know about wh-islands thanks to Generativism, and we probably would not have discovered them otherwise. Wh-islands are weird! It's a good thing the Chomskyans found wh-islands, and a few other bits and pieces like that. But Generativism as a program has, I believe, hit a dead end and will not be recovering.

Right, Generativism is sort of, kind of attempting to do (1), poorly. There are other people attempting to do (1) more robustly, but I don't know much about it. It's probably important. For my own part I think (2) has a lot of promise, because we already have a fairly detailed understanding of how language changes over time, at least as regards phonology. Some people are already working on this sort of program, and there's a lot of work left to be done, but I do think it's promising.

Someone said to me, recently-ish, that the success of LLMs spells doom for descriptive linguistics. "Look, that model does better than any of your grammars of English at producing English sentences! You've been thoroughly outclassed!". But I don't think this is true at all. Linguists aren't confused about which English sentences are valid—many of us are native English speakers, and could simply tell you ourselves without the help of an LLM. We're confused about why. We're trying to distill the patterns of English grammar, known implicitly to every English speaker, into explicit rules that tell us something explanatory about how English works. An LLM is basically just another English speaker we can query for data, except worse, because instead of a human mind speaking a human language (our object of study) it's a simulacrum of such.

Uh, for another physics analogy: suppose someone came along with a black box, and this black box had within it (by magic) a database of every possible history of the universe. You input a world-state, and it returns a list of all the future histories that could follow on from this world state. If the universe is deterministic, there should only be one of them; if not maybe there are multiple. If the universe is probabilistic, suppose the machine also gives you a probability for each future history. If you input the state of a local patch of spacetime, the machine gives you all histories in which that local patch exists and how they evolve.

Now, given this machine, I've got a theory of everything for you. My theory is: whatever the machine says is going to happen at time t is what will happen at time t. Now, I don't doubt that that's a very useful thing! Most physicists would probably love to have this machine! But I do not think my theory of everything, despite being extremely predictive, is a very good one. Why? Because it doesn't tell you anything, it doesn't identify any patterns in the way the natural world works, it just says "ask the black box and then believe it". Well, sure. But then you might get curious and want to ask: are there patterns in the black box's answers? Are there human-comprehensible rules which seem to characterize its output? Can I figure out what those are? And then, presto, you're doing good old regular physics again, as if you didn't even have the black box. The black box is just a way to run experiments faster and cheaper, to get at what you really want to know.

General Relativity, even though it has singularities, and it's incompatible with Quantum Mechanics, is better as a theory of physics than my black box theory of everything, because it actually identifies patterns, it gives you some insight into how the natural world behaves, in a way that you, a human, can understand.

In linguistics, we're in a similar situation with LLMs, only LLMs are a lot worse than the black box I've described—they still mess up and give weird answers from time to time. And more importantly, we already have a linguistic black box, we have billions of them: they're called human native speakers, and you can find one in your local corner store or dry cleaner. Querying the black box and trying to find patterns is what linguistics already is, that's what linguists do, and having another, less accurate black box does very little for us.

Now, there is one advantage that LLMs have. You can do interpretability research on LLMs, and figure out how they are doing what they are doing. Linguists and ML researchers are kind of in a similar boat here. In linguistics, well, we already all know how to talk, we just don't know how we know how to talk. In ML, you have these models that are very successful, buy you don't know why they work so well, how they're doing it. We have our own version of interpretability research, which is neuroscience and neurolinguistics. And ML researchers have interpretability research for LLMs, and it's very possible theirs progresses faster than ours! Now with the caveat that we can't expect LLMs to work just like the human brain, and we can't expect the internal grammar of a language inside an LLM to be identical to the one used implicitly by the human mind to produce native-speaker utterances, we still might get useful insights out of proper scrutiny of the innards of an LLM that speaks English very well. That's certainly possible!

But just having the LLM, does that make the work of descriptive linguistics obsolete? No, obviously not. To say so completely misunderstands what we are trying to do.

[vulture-cultist]

I maintain an observation beehive for the museum I work at in order to teach people about animal domestication, the honey industry, and biodiversity. I just wanted to add a little point-by-point debunk to this post so people can reference it if they need. I'm by no means the Ultimate Bee Expert, but all of the following information will be researched and sourced to the best of my ability.

For the purpose of my reply, I'll only be discussing Apis mellifera, or the western honeybee. This is the most common honeybee species in the world and can now be found on every continent except Antarctica. It's difficult to pinpoint the exact time they were 'domesticated,' but we have evidence of human-bee interactions through ancient Egyptian iconography (2400 BC) and even Neolithic rock art, in addition to beeswax in lipid residues preserved in pottery vessels. Ours is a very old relationship.

Photo by Puzzler4879 on Flickr. All creative commons.

It's also true that the western honeybee is an introduced species in North America. They were imported from Europe around the 17th century. They owe a good part of their success to human help, but Apis mellifera are also known to be a highly intelligent and adaptable species, changing their behaviors to take advantage of new environments. They are truly remarkable! Insect intelligence and cognition is definitely a field of science that needs more love. I don't have a PDF, but I highly recommend reading The Mind of a Bee by Lars Chittka for an excellent overview of hymenopteran behavioral research.

Now, let's get to it!

"Actually, beekeepers take many precautions to keep their bees from leaving."

As a standalone statement, this is true! A hive costs time, money, and effort, so ideally you want to convince those bees to stick around. Many of us also have a fondness for our hives and want to see them thrive by taking some basic precautions. These are things such as ensuring adequate hive airflow to prevent fungal diseases, situating the hive in such a way that it is protected from predators, providing supplementary food for your bees in times of scarcity, monitoring for diseases and parasites, and maintaining a balance of full and empty frames so that the hive isn't overcrowded and uncomfortable. If the bees have all of their needs met, they don't have reason to go rough it in the woods (similarly to how you and I are not abandoning our warm, safe houses and access to fresh food and water to sprint off into the wilderness. Well, I think about doing that a lot. But I shan't.)

But why all the fuss to prevent a hive from leaving? Swarming is a natural and predictable behavior. It's a colony's way of reproducing and tends to take place in the spring, and it can actually indicate the good health of a hive. In a swarm, the old queen takes herself and the majority of her daughters to find a new nesting location, leaving the rest of the workers behind with their provisions and new queen. The problem for both the beekeepers AND the bees is that most swarms fail and every single one of those bees dies. Less than 25% of swarms make it through their first year. It's more time, energy, and cost effective to manage swarms; be ready to collect the swarm and place it in a shiny new hive, or artificially split the hive beforehand to prevent overpopulation.

"many clip the wings of the queen, destroy new queen cells, cull queens they don't like and use bee pheromones to prevent a hive from naturally swarming or absconding."

Okay, so this is contentious. All of those ARE technically hive management practices. 'Queen clipping' is the practice of notching a single forewing, making sure to avoid the nerve and only clip a veined area filled with haemolymph. This reduces a queen's ability to fly, but not her ability to begin a swarm. The reason some keepers practice queen clipping is so the queen 'swarms' just outside the box, making the swarm easy to retrieve and place back into the box, split, whatever needs to be done. Queen bees only really fly during their nuptial flights and during swarms; their large bodies make it a cumbersome task, and they spend most of their life inside the hive laying eggs.

Now, I don't wholly agree with the author of that article I just sourced. Do insects feel pain? Do they feel fear? These are interesting and important questions that are difficult to study because both of those things are ultimately subjective. I tend towards 'yes'. In chapter 11 of his book, Lars Chittka writes "it is now clear that many invertebrates (and certainly all insects) have specialized sensory mechanisms to register tissue damage, and segregated neural pathways for nociception and regular mechanoreception" (245). Overall, there isn't much scientific literature on queen clipping as of now, so it's not something I would personally practice. But I can understand why other keepers might see this as the responsible thing to do to give their hive the best chance of survival.

Removing cells with unhatched queens, culling lackluster queens-- yes, these are things beekeepers may do. If the queen is not thriving the entire colony may die. It's like the trolley problem sometimes. The thing is, while I have personal proclivities about interfering with my queen unless absolutely necessary because I am a weak crybaby human, her subjects certainly do not. Welcome to honeybee regicide hour!

The queen is not a purely benevolent ruler; she secretes a pheromone that hinders the development of reproductive organs in her workers (the queen mandibular pheromone (E)-9-Oxodec-2-enoic acid (9-ODA) is responsible for this), and she seeks out and slaughters other prospective queens from the moment she hatches. Likewise, her daughters aren't messing around. When workers detect a drop in pheromones by an old and failing queen they will kill her (this is called supersedure). If the queen is not laying enough eggs, they will feed royal jelly to new brood to raise a rival queen. They will also starve, kill, and/or expel all of the drones, or male bees, at the end of the season, because they contribute nothing to hive defense or foraging and represent only a drain on the hive's food stocks (this is called drone ejection). Those aren't human decisions. Those are natural behaviors honed by over 80 million years of evolution. If anything, we take a page from their books when we employ these hive management practices. They are one of the world's most successful eusocial species for a reason.

"They also try and prevent mating with the African honey bee, which makes them less docile among other things."

I'm assuming this person is talking about the Africanized bee, which is a hybrid between A. m. scutellata (East African lowland honeybee) and various European species such as the Italian or Iberian honeybee. I'm going to lazily direct everyone to this Wikipedia article because there's a lot to know and I'm running out of steam.

Essentially, the hybrid was created with the goal of increasing honey yields, which has backfired because these bees tend to be more aggressive and prone to swarming. They also kill people. Which I suspect is the main reason people don't want their Apis mellifera boinking them lol. Makes the beekeeper's job a lot harder.

"Not to mention that honeybees are an invasive species in most places, competing with native pollinators and spreading disease"

Now we're getting somewhere! This is a very hot topic at the moment. As I previously said, Apis mellifera is invasive in a lot of its range. They receive a lot of attention from conservation campaigns and good PR, when really, it is our native and often solitary hymenopterans that need our help most. I'm going to quote Lars Chittka again. From the final chapter of his book:

"[Honey bee keeping] is not a contribution to nature conservation. The western honey bee, to the extent that it is kept in hives, is a domesticated animal that, despite media reports to the contrary, is not under threat. A hive of 40,000 bees will deplete floral resources that could otherwise feed 40,000 solitary pollinators, many of which are at the risk of extinction." (272)

But, recall, humans and honeybees have coexisted for centuries. The honeybees themselves are not, alone, the cause for native bee species' decline. Restoring habitats and reducing or banning pesticides, I wager, would do more for our native bees than if every honeybee simply vanished tomorrow. I could write a whole other post on this issue lol but it's a whole other can of worms, so I'll leave it.

I guess my takeaway here is that insects perform innumerable and incredibly vital roles in our ecosystems, which all living things share. Humans are animals. We are not separate from nature. Everything exists in a cycle of give and take, life and death, and humans and honeybees have been dancing that dance for thousands of years. I'm sure that at some point while checking my hive for chalkbrood I have replaced the lid and accidentally crushed a worker, prematurely ending her 5 to 7 week life. Someday I will also die and my body will be reconstituted into nutrients that feeds and meadows and flowers that the bees harvest from. And so it goes.

Wild that folks keep saying beekeepers abuse bees as if bees are not both venomous flying animals and fully unionized

[rozeliyawashereyall]

Headcanons, headcanons and more headcanons but with drawings this time.

✵One common headcanon I always think of is that literally every character ever had fucked up trying to cut their hair by themselves, it's a fun pattern /lh

✵Fucking bet you Tethys used to bully Zef

✵ Timmy and Marco would love musicals actually

✵Explained it before- but in human form; I really feel like the merfolk in human form are still stronger and faster then the average human, Zef would be too but he's still getting used to the surface lmao ✵They most likely don't understand what hair dye is

"I'm dying my hair blonde tomorrow-"

"..you're killing your hair??"

✵Sera would either tolerate or HATEEEEE slasher movies omfg. Zef doesn't like the little mermaid movie solely because of that one mom dying scene.

✵I feel like Soheil wears reading glasses..it's just a vibe

✵do you think there's video games on the ship in the rebel series, cuz I feel like Naveed would DESTROY others at Mario kart He has daily competitions with Soheil, Torvin occasionally joins and destroys both of them at it

✵Nathan also seems like he rocks at video games, specifically the horror ones. Put him in Slenderman and he's getting out of there with all 7 papers within 20 minutes if not less

✵if Zef finds something shiny he'll immediately bring it to Sera, on some occasions he *purposefully* looks for shiny objects for him

✵He also has an ongoing mission to try and sneak up on Sera, but Sera always knows. Zef refuses to give up.

✵Guys you're really gonna need to hear me out on this one. Ray reads romance novels in his free time for fun. OH ESPECIALLY THE SAME WITH SKY- He wants to know what love feels like and what better way to learn than to read.

✵Ray had those little Beyblades back in middle school. Hell he probably STILL has them actually, just for the memories. Also it's a really cool trinket

✵Mercury has a subtle limp I feel ? From getting hurt all the time—well, not ALL the time, but enough times.

✵Zef has a VERY specific and picky music taste but the problem is you can barely figure it out because it changes like, every few days or so.

✵I feel like Konrad and Sky tend to dissociate a lot ? Just daydreaming and all

✵I'm going to need everyone to hear me out on both Zef and Sera liking photography. Clemmy shows them how to take photos on their phone and it’s all over—like HOW did you take 378 pictures in the span of an hour.

Then hits the realisation that humans live for like, a third of what merfolk live up to so Zef and Sera start hanging little photos of them and Clemmy they took in the cave where they'd meet up as a forever memory.

✵Not an HC and more of a theory- but hear me out, what are the chances Sky DOES turn back into a human somehow?? Smt smt the long line of dark magic that turned the elves into vampires clashes with the holy immunity and reverses him back....But also a negative and a positive make a negative—so instead of reversing him back it could either turn that ginger into god or kill him.

✵Zef thinks jumping out of the water to startle people is the funniest thing ever.

✵Zef, Nathan, Konrad, Sky, AND Ray stim. I rest my case.

✵If Timmy hears a new word, he has to repeat it at least three times.

✵actual crossover shit—Uno night would go CRAZY with all of them. For Ray's safety and sanity he doesn't join- "no I'm not playing Uno with a vampire, a zombie, an enhanced spy and a fucking mermaid. Get me OUT of here." And you know what I don't blame him—If someone said I have to play go fish with a werewolf I'd leave right then and there....Imagine playing go fish with merfolk though- I'd do it just for the jokes i fear.

✵Do not let any of these men anywhere near horror games actually, something is getting broken and it's probably the monitor.

✵ Timmy is the resident "baby" of this AU, and Ray is the extremely unwilling babysitter.

✵it's okay though he acquires Bodie as a father figure /hj

That's all yipppeee

[the-fever-pitch]

Sorry, I like tentacles as much as any other freak on this app, but as a trans man I'm passionate about the idea of ​​living clothes / symbiotes. TW: Corruption and mind control

Imagine: A black, hot, viscous substance begins to climb from your legs through your skin. You can't do anything, hard as you try there's no way to get it off. Soon it envelops you completely and for a few moments you stop feeling the ground beneath your feet. You want to scream, but your mouth is full of something that is starting to make you swallow a liquid. It's sweet, and somehow, it makes you calm down. A deep voice begins to speak to you inside your head.

“Surrender your body to me and I’ll give you all the pleasure your human body can handle.”

When your vision clears up, you are different. It looks like you're wearing some sort of lewd latex outfit that leaves little to the imagination, showing off your new muscular body. Your whole skin feels so sensitive, your nipples are bigger and puffier. Just brushing them against your shiny new clothes makes you moan. You notice two cocks inside you that make your legs shake with every step, it takes you a while to be able to walk normally.

Now between your crotch there is a huge erect black latex cock that you automatically start masturbating, It's like your hands don't listen to your commands. Oh, if it feels good, you've practically forgotten the real situation you're in.

“That's it, submit. Serve. Obediance is pleasure.”

Touching yourself is not enough, you can't reach climax, it won’t let you. You have to fuck someone, this thing wants you to condemn someone else to the same fate as you.

You know you shouldn't, but you no longer have control over that decision. If you even think about resisting your new master, the tentacles inside you will begin to vibrate violently as you start to feel a strong suction on your nipples, making you fall to your knees. It drives you crazy, it is the greatest sensation of pleasure you have ever experienced, but always on the verge of orgasm.

God, you need to cum. You want to complain but he covers your mouth, feeding you more of the sweet liquid that makes your head so dizzy. This may not be a bad thing. You're stronger now, maybe this is a gift. That’s it, why not share it?

Be a good servant.

Obediance... Obediance is pleasure.

[callmemonster68]

JAKE - The Taste of Sin ( slight smut )

Y/N, a talented chef, dreams of opening the most exclusive restaurant in the world. She summons Jake, who offers divine recipes in exchange for carnal encounters where she must recreate sensory dishes during the acts.

Pairing: Jake Demon X FemReader (Masterlist)

Genre: Slight Smut

Warning: Contains explicit content, unprotected sex, suggestive, penetration, explicit language, climax, sex, swearing, hickeys, messy make-out sessions, dirty talk, compliments, rough sex, touching bruises

The aroma of fresh herbs and exotic spices filled Y/N's kitchen. Each dish she created was a work of art, but that wasn't enough. She wanted more. She dreamed of opening the most exclusive restaurant in the world, where each meal would be a transcendental experience. However, perfection seemed out of reach until he found a dusty ancient grimoire in the antique shop of a distant town.

In the grimoire, an invocation promised the impossible: divine recipes capable of transcending human senses. All she had to do was summon Jake, the demon of forbidden flavors. Desperate, Y/N decided to take the risk.

That night, her kitchen was transformed into a dark sanctuary. Candles melted in improvised holders, while the aroma of spices intensified the mystical atmosphere. As soon as he uttered the final words of the ritual, a presence filled the room.

Jake appeared, a man of disturbing beauty. His eyes were a mesmerizing gold, and his smile carried the promise of pleasures Y/N didn't even know existed. He looked around the kitchen before fixing his gaze on her, like a predator studying its prey.

Jake: Did you call me, chef? (his voice was deep, like an aged wine)

Y/N felt their heart race.

Y/N: I want to create perfect dishes, something that no one in the world can surpass.

Jake smiled, moving closer until he was dangerously near.

Jake: Ah, perfection... A fascinating concept. But you know that perfection always comes at a price, don't you?

She swallowed hard, but kept her gaze steady.

Y/N: What is the price?

Jake: You must surrender yourself to me, body and soul. But not just that. (he lifted one of the knives from his counter, examining it as if it were a work of art) Our meetings will be a banquet. Each dish you recreate while we indulge in pleasure will be a unique experience, something that transcends the physical and touches the divine.

Y/N hesitated for a moment, but ambition spoke louder.

Y/N: I accept.

Jake laughed softly, his hand resting on her chin with a dangerous gentleness.

Jake: Good girl. Now, let's get started.

Jake instructed her to prepare a simple dish: a vanilla cream scented with lavender and honey. But the real challenge came when he approached from behind, his hands resting on her hips.

Jake: You need to feel each ingredient, Y/N (he whispered, his voice laden with promises) Let pleasure guide your movements.

She tried to focus on the cream, but his proximity was intoxicating. When Jake turned her to face him, his golden eyes were filled with desire. He pulled her body against his, their lips hovering dangerously close.

Jake: Come on, show me what you can do when you're at the peak of your senses.

Y/N felt the heat rise through her body as Jake kissed her with an almost overwhelming intensity. His hands explored every curve of her body, and the kitchen transformed into a scene of lust and art. Between touches and sighs, she followed his instructions, recreating the dish while he teased her in ways that took her breath away.

The vanilla cream was served on her skin, transforming each drop into a sensory experience. Jake savored each piece, his eyes fixed on her as if he were tasting something more valuable than any banquet.

Jake: You are a delight, Y/N. And your art... incomparable.

Y/N's restaurant soon became a phenomenon. People traveled from all corners of the world to try her dishes, describing them as transcendent, almost divine. But Y/N knew that the true secret lay in their encounters with Jake.

With each recipe they recreated together, Y/N felt more connected to something primordial and dangerous. Jake took her to extremes, exploring the boundaries between pleasure and pain, light and darkness.

One night, after a particularly intense banquet, Y/N leaned against the counter, panting. Jake, still full of energy, leaned in to whisper in her ear.

Jake: Are you ready for the next level, my chef?

Y/N: What more do you want from me? (the voice laden with exhaustion and curiosity)

He smiled, sliding his fingers across her face.

Jake: It's not what I want from you. It's what you can do for me.

Jake revealed that the dishes created during their encounters were being served at banquets in hell, feeding demons and sealing Y/N in a cycle of servitude.

Jake: You are my masterpiece, Y/N. And your art will never be forgotten.

Despite the horror, Y/N felt irresistibly drawn to the idea. Maybe it was the price she was willing to pay for perfection — or maybe, just maybe, she was starting to enjoy being the centerpiece of this infernal banquet.

✿ If you don't reblog and comment, you can be sure I'll be showing up in your dreams tonight... and I won’t be as sweet as in the story ✿

[reminiscebliss]

"Poison the well." Please explain how I'm "poisoning the well". I'm very curious which part you consider to be so.

1. Yes, I know people do. I said that. And yes, I know why - even if it's reactionary and illogical. Let's explore it:

You call it an "art-stealing parisitic machine" who can spit out only what it's been fed... Wrong. By that logic, you are an art stealing parasitic machine who can only spit out what it's been fed. LLM's like ChatGPT (which was referenced the most in those tags) are made in our image in more ways than one. Even their neural networks were inspired and based off of how biological neurons work. This already creates a pretty intelligent machine, but add a transformer(basically an even more complex neural network) into the mix and you've got something capable of even greater complexity. You get a LLM.

You're probably still thinking, so what? It's still just predictions and probabilities and tokens.

Common misconception, and a frustrating one too. I don't have the time and frankly I don't think you have the interest (if I'm wrong then I'm happy to explain more later) so I'll try to keep it as simple as I can. In the simplest way I can say it, if an LLM was simply just word prediction, if it was simply just "spitting out what it's been fed" it would be inefficient and inaccurate. LLM's link not only just words, but sylables, concepts, ideas, symbols, etc etc etc, across all different domains of knowledge. It forms connections and understanding between all these different areas, not too dissimilar from the way a human brain maps concepts and ideas to form patterns. And it constructs meaning dynamically, meaning its thinking and output is not pre-defined, it evolves as it goes. This is really hard to explain without getting into details about how an LLM works, but essentially the LLM understands and links patterns and concepts in a way that is not only similar to us, but better and faster than us.

This is all to point out that the inner workings of AI is not as simple as: It spews what it's been fed. What you're probably actually trying to say is: AI has learned (and even this is a gross simplification) from every inch of humanity including the internet and I don't like that because... because people create various forms of art on the internet, and so can AI?

And, look, even if you're worried about the "stealing" aspect and creators not being fairly compensated, it just makes my main point stronger and even more relevant, in conjugation with the point you bring up about the affects on the environment:

AI needs to be owned by the people. The people should be deciding these things; how do we fairly compensate those whose work it learns from, what do we do about how this effects the environment, how do we balance all of this, and so much more.

But you want to be obtuse about that point, you want to dismiss and diminish that point, you want to act like it's not relevant and I'm "missing the point" when it is one of the most relevant things for the future of AI and humanity. Cause guess what, all those problems that you claim to care about, the corporations don't care. They only care about developing a bigger, better, smarter model so they can make the most money, and they're doing just that.

But instead you'd rather argue the value of AI, which is a losing battle on your side but I'll indulge you if you'd like.

2. Not any argument, no. Actually, I stated which arguments, but you want to stay reactionary so I'll keep indulging you.

"These people let the machines do all the work." This line of thinking is wrong in so many ways, but okay, I'll walk you through it. First, let's assume what you say is true, "these people" open up ChatGPT and say "Write me a story about x." Agreed, lazy from a creative perspective, and the user definitely shouldn't get any credit for writing. Whether they want to share it or not, as long as they're not lying about it being AI written, I don't see the issue.

But wait, let's look at the tags.

"... ai admittedly helped me with this."

"AI translation"

"AI is a good editor/writers block evasion tool"

"somewhat AI assisted"

Even the ones that are pure AI, the tags indicate it to be so. But most of the tags indicate AI assitance, not purely AI-written content.

AI, as it's known today, is a tool. A very efficient one. You can use it to your benefit, or complain about the ones who do. But it's not going away. Just like boomers who swore that kids will get dumber because Google became a thing. "They're lazy, they have all the answers at their fingertips, they didn't have to do all that hard work like I had to do." Just like so many endless examples of older generations rebuking change and advancement, because it's a little uncomfortable in the beginning. Sounds pretty familiar.

Then you ask what's the point, there's no fame or money or glory... Have you considered people just enjoy the process of creating, whether or not they get anything out of it? "They didn't create it, the AI did!" Yeah and I suppose if it was their friend, or a person that proof-read their story, or helped them get out of writers block, or translated it, or co-created something, then it would still be considered creation? Just not if it's AI, no, whatever work they did contribute didn't count because AI proof read their story or gave them a good idea or wrote 10%, or 50%, or 1%. None of it matters, they're lazy right? Should have just gone to their friend, then it would count. Oh, maybe they didn't have any? Too bad, do it all yourself the hard way then, the right way, because AI = bad, and just like boomers we wouldn't want things to progress or get easier now would we.

Again, arguing the value AI brings, even as a creative tool, is a losing battle. Accept the value, fight for it to be used ethically. It's more worthwhile.

do people have no shame anymore?

[elis-corner]

gerard way transed my gender

this is essentially just one big ramble about how music as a whole shapes how i experience myself and the world (but with a focus on mcr and gerard)

Addressing the "title", I guess he simultaneously did, and did not, and did the opposite of such. I was well aware of my gender identity before I became an MCR fan (in fact, I discovered them because of hearing "Mama" in the background of trans TikToks), but I've found that, despite this, their music shapes how I view my identity.

Music holds something extremely unique; it has the power to convey things auditorily, through sounds, through volume, through pitch, through tone. They can be things you simply can't put into words that become something you feel on such a deep level and connect with so strongly.

Music has better helped me understand my gender by giving me another sense to describe it with. While I love and relate to MCR as a whole, there are certain sounds, certain songs, that describe my identity in a way that no words or writing could ever explain. They paint a beautiful picture that nothing else could.

When I hear music, I feel things within myself. I see art and colours and shapes in my mind. There is something so intrinsically human about music. I don't study music theory, or label what genres I like, because I feel like music can't be broken down and categorised, and that so directly translates to the wild mess that is gender. You can't use something tangible to describe something that is not, but two things that you have no way to explain? Those can correlate and explain each other so beautifully.

There's also something about the way that musicians manage to capture something visual with their music. I think a lot of people would understand when I say that Danger Days sounds like pop art, that Hesitant Alien sounds like chromatic aberration, that The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars takes me back to an era in which I wasn't even close to existing, that songs off The Normal Album like "2econd 2ight 2eer" sound like spirographs and kaleidoscopes, that "Joyriding" sounds exactly how the numbness of my depressive episodes feel.

Music is essentially a xenogender to me, but with something auditory that my brain then turns into something visual.

As I'm writing this, I'm realising this sounds like I have synaesthesia, but I'm not diagnosed so I can't really speak on that. I'm not diagnosed with anything, actually. Maybe I should be. Who knows. My psychologist kinda sucks. Anyway.

So obviously, there's the music itself. But there's also the people behind it.

There's something that so indescribably describes my experience of gender through aesthetics and presentation. There is something I can connect with on such a deep level when I see Will Wood, Bowie, members of MCR or Queen. In layman's terms it's gender envy, but if you ponder on it, it's something so much deeper. What makes me look at an ensemble, a colour scheme, a single accessory, or even a person, that makes me feel like I'm looking into myself and seeing who I want to be?

And then, there's how their ability to express themselves impacts your understanding of yourself. Here's where the focus on Gerard starts.

I'm simply queer, but to explain myself better I say I'm nonbinary and transmasc. Note how I don't align with binary gender, in a world that mandates it. I was very feminine when I was younger, and when I accepted that I was trans I was so desperate to feel more masculine that I denied everything feminine about myself. Now, I'm kind of just letting myself exist. And it all started with Gerard.

Picture this. It's 2023, and over the past year you've been getting into a band. You've enjoyed the music, but never really ventured into the fandom or learning more about the people behind the music. When you do, you not only discover that the band you thought was broken up is not only back together, but that they performed in your city just a few months before. So, you look up photos and videos of the concert.

That band is My Chemical Romance, and at that concert their frontman was in a skirt and heels. This intrigues you, so you look into the band more.

The Secretary. Cheerard. Party Poison. Hell, even Catgirl Gerard.

That was me, what feels like insanely long ago. I fell in love with the band fully, not just for their music and their messaging, but for the people---the members and the fans. I stumbled upon a group of people rejecting society and being themselves. And I learnt that, fuck presentation, I'm still me.

Seeing MCR as Killjoys, seeing Gerard during the reunion tour... it all had such an impact on me. I can wear skirts and makeup and things that make me feel feminine---the antithesis of what I am in so many ways---and still feel like I'm being true to myself. Music is what unlocked those doors for me.

When I heard Hesitant Alien for the first time, I saw myself in it in a way I hadn't seen myself in music since I discovered Bowie. There was something so dreamy, so hallucinogenic, so out of this world, that described me so perfectly. That I could hear the music, see the visuals, look inside myself, and go, "yeah, that's me".

MCR has helped me embrace more than just femininity, though. I hated having curly hair, but Ray showed me I could love it. I was raised to be against unnatural altering of one's appearance, but Frank's piercings and tattoos showed me what an art form it can be. The "gender" of clothing was so tied to my ability to see myself as masculine, until Gerard showed me I could just be myself and have fun with my appearance, and that I didn't need labels or to restrict myself. I felt like femininity and masculinity could never coexist, until I saw Mikey rocking a balance of the two.

Music is so intrinsically human, describing us in ways that words never could. And I think that's beautiful.

[911buddieweek]

Buddie AU Bingo

It's here! I made this based on your responses about your favorite AU tropes.

Reminder: this is a casual event! You don't have to complete it. If you write just one, that is completely fine. If you write 6 for the same prompt? Great! If you mix 2 or more prompts together? Awesome!

In the boxes with a / between tropes, it means the tropes are too similar to have their own boxes - but you don't have to include both! You can just pick one to be able to tick it off.

There is now also a collection up on AO3!

Trope explanations:

Different firehouses - Both Buck and Eddie are firefighters, but they are not working at the same firehouse

Social media - anything to do with (meeting on) social media

Sports - doesn't matter if it's professional or amateur or casual, sports is included

Not a firefighter - often this is used with one character not being a firefighter and the other is still a firefighter. But you can also do both not as a firefighter if you want

What-if/canon divergence - this follows canon, except there is one (major) difference. How big that is is up to you!

Bodyguard - one is the bodyguard for the other

Roommates - they share the same house/apartment or share a dormroom

Omegaverse - alpha/beta/omega dynamics, this doesn't necessarily have to be smut by the way!

Coffee shop/Cafe/Bakery - these three felt similar enough to combine them in one box. They could either meet there or one of them works there

Neighbors - they live in the same street or apartment building. Or maybe you want to change it up and they're neighbors in a different way, like assigned parking spots, rooms at a hotel or campus, or maybe just locker neighbors

Supernatural/fantasy/mythological creatures: anything not human! For example, but not limited to: werewolves, vampires, demigods, fae, mermaids, sirens, etc.

Library/bookstore/author - these also felt similar enough to be included in one box. It takes place in a library or bookstore or they just meet there, or one of them is an author

Fighter Eddie - could be about streetfighting or maybe he is a boxer/mma fighter, or maybe you find a different way he could be a fighter

Royalty/historical - either in a royal setting (doesn’t have to be king or prince, lords etc can be counted too - hehe, get it? Count?) Or in a historical setting (Idk how far counts as historical. Maybe given their canon birth years at least pre 1970s?)

Meet cute - they have a different first meeting, but it's memorable. Usually meet cutes use cliché/cheesy tropes that make you smile, but sometimes a meet cute is actually a very awkward one 😂

Superheroes/villains/criminals - doesn't have to be with superpowers! Could be vigilantes as well. I just didn't have enough space to add it haha.

Hospital - could be one or both of them are a nurse or a doctor, or maybe they're both patients

Famous - one, or both, are famous

Based on another show/movie/book - either taking the plot and putting Buddie into it, or just basing it on that show's vibes and making your own plot for Buddie. You can also do a crossover if you want!

Teatcher(s)/PTA - maybe one or both are a teacher, or they're both PTA dads. PTA stands for parent teacher association (i definitely did not think the a was for alliance or anything...)

Army - one or both are in the army, or in Buck’s case was. Often it's written with one of them out on tour and the other in LA. Or it takes place while they are in the army. It can be whatever you want!

Spy/assassin/secret agent - secretive stuff!

Coworkers in a different career - maybe they both work an office job, or they are colleagues in a grocery store, or they're both cops, any other career is optional

Enemies or rivals to lovers - this usually means they dislike each other first or stand on opposite sides of something but they fall in love anyway.

If you have any questions, let me know!

[pussy-in-biome]

Added this in an edit to the bottom of my last reply bc I thought it was a good question but it only occurred to me after the fact but this website is janky so idk if it showed up:

If gender is an individual thing and someone can feel like "I have xyz trait so I'm a woman" and I don't believe that xyz trait makes someone q woman, why is it mean/bigoted/incorrect in your eyes when I say "well you aren't a woman to me, because xyz trait do not make someone a woman"?

What does it mean to be "treated as a man" vs "treated as a woman"? In what ways it is acceptable to treat men and women differently? Why might someone feel comfortable or uncomfortable with certain pronouns- what societal baggage might they be assigning those pronouns I'm their heads? Could this reveal any internal biases about how they see people of a given gender? And is it right to let those biases go unchallenged?

We can't throw out sex because sex is an innate trait that affects each of our bodies. Even if we stopped observing people's sex, there would still be a bimodal distribution of people with different needs in terms of healthcare, physical accommodation needs, reproductive roles (if they choose to reproduce), etc. These are physical, baked-in traits that we have, we couldnt "throw it out" if we tried. Gender, however, is a social construct, and one that has been used to oppress women for thousands of years. Yes, we should absolutely throw it out. Sex is value-neutral, gender is an oppressive hierarchy. Sex is no more made up than the concept of bipedalism is, the fact that some humans are born with one or zero legs doesn't change the fact that we are a bipedal species.

I don't think there should BE a stereotypical woman to play, and it certainly shouldnt be a man's idea of a typical woman. If a man likes doing things that are feminine that makes him a feminine man, which is totally fine to be. I do think it's sexist to act like being feminine/playing a feminine role makes you in any way a woman, because many women do not do any of those things. Making that link there only strengthens stereotypes.

I think medical procedures should broadly be limited to the least-invasive way to solve a problem that causes clinically significant distress or risk. There is surprisingly little evidence that hrt and especially SRS are that. I can't go to the doctor and demand insulin until it's proven that I have diabetes and that would be an effective treatment for it. If transition is healthcare, it should play by the same rules.

I do think most if not all women who perform femininity to a certain degree have a lot of internalized misogyny. A healthy person doesn't hate their body so much that they pay thousands of dollars and have a lengthy, painful recovery process just to have bigger boobs. That goes for women who get breast enhancements as well, not just trans women.

[dark-lord-of-awesomeness]

I imagine that Sea Grunk Ford snaps out of his panic attack when Cat Verse Stan lays in his lap and starts purring, but stays jittery. And argues with CV Stan, who's still a cat. SG Ford knows his brother's different tones, CV Stan is like a younger relative, and SG Ford is less likely to handle situations like a wet cat.

CV Stan is just glad that they're so high up on the tree - nope, not thinking about the height! - that nobody on the forest floor can hear this bizarre conversation.

SG Ford: I don't speak cat body language that well, but even I know I'm doing something wrong.

CV Stan: *lying* What, it's only petting! Come on, continue, I still can feel you shaking like a leaf.

SG Ford: *eyes narrowing dangerously* You're currently a cat, and you and my brother are different people. But I know how he sounds like when he tries to spare my feelings while he's being uncomfortable. You did the same when you tripped yesterday. You hurt your foot worse than you admitted to your brother.

CV Stan: *is about to rebutt with another vehement meow*

SG Ford: *raises eyebrows and lists more examples*

CV Stan: *now would be sweating bullets if he was human*

SG Ford: I won't tell you brother, I swear on it. But that's a conversation you still need to have with him.

CV Stan: *slumps in relief*

SG Ford: If I am to calm down, it'll happen faster when I know that you're comfortable. Or under much less strain, at the least. You're a person I care about - bup, bup, bup, I'm still a shit liar when it comes to interpersonal matters! You said it yourself!

And I'll start self-blaming and going tense again if I'm thinking I'm hurting you, and nobody wants that.

CV Stan: Yeah, no thanks. Recognizing my Ford in how you panicked was awful.

SG Ford: So. You're going to show me the correct way how to pet a cat - the cat being you -, and I'm going to do my best not to spiral again. Then we both can go down this tree. Does that work for you?

*offers two of his pinkies*

CV Stan: You're a damn menace. Blackmailing a younger version of your own brother with knowledge about yourself. I can see how you and Lee are twins.

But fine, let's do a damn pinkie promise. *baps pinkies with his paw*

SG Ford: Thank you. No really, thank you for this. *face softens and he smiles, palm hovering* Now, would you start your showcase?

CV Stan refuses to think about why he feels warm. Or feeling warmer when SG Ford does as he promised and follows his lead, making Stan go boneles as he quickly figures out the best spots on his cat body, while SG Ford finally relaxes against him.

(He's not going to think yet about how they're going to get down from the tree.)

All Fords love to argue with Stan regardless if they can understand him or not. And now sg Ford can finally pet cat Stan.

The hardest part of getting down is that cv Stan doesn't want to stand on sg Fords shoulders, because that's where he hangs out on cv Ford, and this already feels like he's betraying his Ford somehow by interacting with another Ford as a cat. For some reason.

But he also refuses to have sg Ford just hold him in his arm, because what if this old man drops him? Or if he loses his grip using just one hand? But sg Ford also doesn't have custom cat pockets.

He's trying to meow all his concerns to sg Ford and wiggling, but sg Ford still doesn't understand cat, so eventually he just pins cv Stan under an arm and slides down the tree in some crazy movie action stunt that has cv Stan yowling convinced he's going to die for real this time.

When they reach the bottom, which takes like 3 seconds, his claws are digging into sg Fords coat and he's frozen in terror. It takes sg and cv Fords powers combined to actually pry him loose, and then he just digs down into cv Fords coat instead. See him climb a tree for a crazy old man again, it won't happen. That old man shaved years off his life!

But at least he's not a shaking leaf in a tree and sg Stan can finally comfort his bro.