#EC / CRASH COURSE

[theologyy]

Review: “My Investing Journey and Learning” by Carmen Mundt

Qualifications: I’m a journalist reporting on business, economics, and defense who’s been in the industry for 7 years — the last 3 have been at, debatably, the #1 business publication in the world.

Rating: 2/5 stars

Thoughts: I cannot believe I spent 39 euros on this.

This 39 page ebook provides incredibly basic information that can all be found in this article.

First: while the ebook is about 40 pages, it probably has about 10 pages of actual information in it, interspersed with inspirational quotes from Sheryl Sandberg and Warren Buffet, with some pictures of Carmen in Monaco.

There’s about 1 page of “introduction” from Carmen that talks about her upbringing and journey to university in London. I won’t comment too much on her personal story, but an important thing to note is that she says she came from a “traditional Spanish household” where her father was the breadwinner and her mother had no access to family finances. After the 2008 crash, her family couldn’t afford to send her to college. She moved to London, applied for a student loan, and began studying finance at a university while working part time.

Carmen very, very briefly mentioned her regrets as to her mother’s inability to access higher education, work, and family financial planning; she says she’d never want to be in that position. While literally only one sentence, I think it makes it clear who the audience for this ebook is: someone who has absolutely, positively, no idea about money.

(She also very, very briefly mentions “big changes in her personal life” that made a full-time job in finance “not sustainable,” leading to her move to Monaco. This is her only reference to George.)

The rest of the book very simply explains how to make a budget, set financial goals, invest in the stock market, and mitigate risk. The information was kinda factually correct, and was written in a coherent manner. I think that’s the highest praise I can give it.

Here’s the thing: like other reviewers have called out, I am pretty certain that Carmen didn’t write anything besides the introduction. Whole sections (and indeed the entire format of the ebook) were clearly ripped from the Female Invest introductory courses. (I spent 3 hours clicking through each course so I could find direct wording comparisons to make this claim. I really wouldn’t recommend it.) I do think she edited these sections, and she interjected a few personal sentences; but I believe that’s where her involvement ended.

From an expert perspective, a lot of the information is so simplistic as to be almost incorrect. This isn’t a “first day of Econ 101” ebook — this is a “freshman year of high school home ec class” ebook. (Did anyone else’s home ec classes teach budgeting, or just me?)

Here’s an example. In a section on stocks, Carmen/Female Invest writes: “Investing in stocks allows you to support companies and causes you care about while still making a profit.”

On a basic level, this is correct. Purchasing a stock technically means you’re buying a little bit of a company, and I guess therefore supporting it. But unless a company is IPOing, you’re buying those stocks from another investor — which means your purchase has no effect on the company. So it’s a little disingenuous to claim you’re somehow helping the company. The ebook is rife with this kind of thing.

Carmen pushed in her advertising posts that the Female Invest courses were a key supplement to her book. So obviously, I had to do those too. And holy shit, they were so much worse than the ebook. Some parts were blatantly incorrect on basic information (they claim markets are open 24/7, when most are only open 9am-4:30pm on weekdays) and have some of the most patronizing metaphors I have ever read. (One of the most egregious was comparing your investment portfolio to a pizza because “stocks, bonds, and ETFs” make up different “sizes of slices to make a whole pie”. This isn’t even an accurate equivalent — maybe a calzone, pasta, and pizza make up a whole meal? I don’t even know.)

I would not recommend buying this ebook unless you, too, were barred from even thinking about a stock by your traditional father. Even then, consider free sources.

A Disclaimer on disclosures: So, after @ohblimeygeorge sent me a reddit post also reviewing Carmen’s book that mentioned ad disclosures, I decided to dive into the regulations. In the U.S., influential advertising is regulated by the FTC — in the EU, it’s regulated by the EU Commission, which I believe Carmen would qualify under since she is a Spanish citizen who lives in Monaco. First, I looked at this legal brief on content monetization business models, and concluded that that the ebook likely falls under “affiliate marketing” as Carmen likely receives a percentage of each ebook sold through her link.

(An additional disclaimer: obviously, I don’t know the details of the deal Carmen has with Female Invest, but I’d think it unlikely that she isn’t getting paid for their collaboration. She mentioned in an Instagram story under her Female Invest highlight that she “tried purchasing equity but they were already too big for what I could afford” but “did buy a bit of their crowdfunding.” Since she doesn’t have equity, i.e. doesn’t own a piece of the company, it’d be weird if she was doing this for free.)

Back on topic. I next looked at this legal brief on advertising disclosures. It states that affiliate marketing must be disclosed: “you need to make sure your audiences understand that it’s advertising.” Disclosures can include hashtags and “mentioning” advertising in the caption. Carmen has not disclosed advertising in any of her Female Invest posts, and appears to be violating this regulation. (Interestingly, her only posts that follow disclosure requirements are her Tommy posts.)

It’s apparently not uncommon. An EU Commission study showed 80% of influencers in the EU do not properly disclose ads.

So, there’s that too.

[girlishwhimsies]

two bits mom comes over one night and brings one of her daughters baby dolls to show cherrycola how to be parents. like how to hold, feed, change, rock a baby. 😭

two bits mom asks ily

no cause i’m actually obsessed with this it’s NOT funny like cherry would be so stressed that she is gonna mess up cause she didn’t have any little cousins (she’s the youngest in all of her family) so she never had anyone to watch or mimic ughhhh. as SOON as she brings this up to two bits mom girl would deadass be pulling up with her daughters baby dolls and giving her and soda a whole crash course 😭 even better if cause she’s a nurse she was able to get one of those fake babies they use for home ec from there and have them take care of it for like 24 hours

just ughhhh cherry would feel so much less stressed when she finally is able to have every detail down!!!

[canmom]

the unity thing is a hot mess huh. they will probably find some way to walk back some of it in response to backlash, clarify the install fee if they do commit, and solve some of the cases where it's prohibitively expensive (mostly f2p mobile games), maybe delay the Jan 1st deadline because their 'install detection' tech obviously isn't there - but 'retroactively changing the license' part is the really scary one. especially since this goes against some of the on-record promises made by Unity in the past.

it's kind of impressive how like... one of the cornerstones of the entire modern game dev industry can completely evaporate its trust overnight. this has apparently has to do with the company's IPO, the loss of most of the founders, the ex-EA CEO etc. but regardless of motivation, it's extremely horrible from a game preservation standpoint if we start to see games getting pulled from stores to shield against the new install fee.

this means everyone's going to start looking for Unity alternatives. the obvious one that comes to mind is Godot, which has the advantage of being lightweight and open source. however, Godot's got significant performance issues baked into its architecture, especially in comparison to Unity's DOTS and Burst compiler. by contrast, Unreal is a beast in terms of grahpical performance (not so much CPU-side, it's beaten by DOTS there), but it's anything but lightweight - on my old laptop the editor had a bit of a tendency to swallow up my 1050Ti's VRAM and crash. still, this will probably be a real shot in the arm for Unreal lmao

Bevy is the engine with the most promise imo (pure ECS with the power of the Rust compiler underlying it), but Bevy is immature, and lacks a lot of features you depend on in Unity (which is to say, Unity has some really great tools for profiling and debugging which Bevy lacks, plus Unity has a lot of good built in systems for VFX, shader authoring etc.) particularly the rendering side needs a lot of work. if anything good comes of this, it might be a whole lot more interest in developing Bevy.

for my line of work in VR, if Unity becomes toxic, this is pretty devastating. nearly every game for standalone VR is made in Unity - I feel like I can count the non-Unity games on the Quest 2 on one hand. almost all the pedagogical information out there is written for Unity. so I can only speculate what's gonna happen there. it may be that Unity is able to stay on as the default for Quest 2/3, since Meta has made it so most games are sold on a flat one-time price rather than f2p. of course it does rather depend whether Unity's secret proprietary install-counting tool starts counting pirate installs.

all in all I guess we see how this shakes out but it's kind of a rough thing to happen less than a year after I become a game dev working in unity ^^'

[quietbluejay]

False Gods 8

he doesn't let go of the knife torgaddon:…go on

they want to make Loken the scapegoat for the trampling people thing so their plan to get loken out of the way so they can murder karkasy is…not subtle torgaddon: the warmaster will never agree targhost: lol. lmao. it was his idea. well torgaddon's backed into a corner now, he has to pick between loken and the sons of horus

it was a little cheesy maybe but it was a very fun scene

and now, what's petronella been up to apparently it's taken her months to transcribe everything Horus said she's not taking care of herself and then she realized something was missing

ah i thought i remembered this happening but i hoped i was wrong

yeah so in addition to maggard having his tongue cut out he's also a sex slave just when you think petronella might get slightly sympathetic

i really wish i didn't have to read this she's sexually harassing him and enjoying the fact that he can't get away or say no because of what she could do to him

this is i'm not going to elaborate but it's very uncomfortable thankfully it ends fairly fast, the tldr is petronella orders maggard to infiltrate the lodge because they respect him

now let's take a look at evil sexy lamp horus!

angron. is being the reasonable one here. angron. anyways what they really need are siege experts like the Iron Warriors horus: if i could contact Perturabo i'd have him here kharn leaves and horus talks with the mechanicum dude a bit

watch out Regulus, Regular Horus is gone. You're stuck with Kabedon Horus. anyways Horus will give him the STCs the technocracy has in exchange for the full support of the mechanicum on month ten, a bunch of ships show up in orbit and everyone thinks it's an attack for a sec but actually it's something much worse it's Fulgrim

I actually like Fulgrim so I'm allowed to make that joke despite everything, Loken is happy to see the EC huh apparently Fulgrim got Perturabo and the others to chill out re: Horus getting appointed Warmaster AUGFGH (fulgrim description) (perfection used)

loken: mersadie might be beautiful idk also loken: hastur sejanus was beautiful. fulgrim is the best looking man i've ever seen in my entire life. i'd say this was on purpose except all the writers seem to ship loken/mersadie anyways loken is happy to see tarvitz, bit less happy to see everyone else all the EC main characters have shown up (Tarvitz, Lucius, Eidolon and Fabius) anyways Fulgrim is here because there have been reports that they've been too brutal in this campaign Fulgrim: is Angron up to his usual tricks Horus: Angron's the same as he's always been Fulgrim: that bad huh

Fulgrim: let's talk about it in private and let the kids go have fun Fulgrim: beating each other up or whatever

evil sexy lamp horus strikes again… so the mournival and the EC are happy to see each other again, there's bear hugs, back slapping, etc (ok it's just the mournival doing that) so now we know that Eidolon and Abaddon have canonically hugged i kind of want art of that, i can just imagine the expression on Eidolon's face torgaddon decides to tease lucius a bit and asks him if he wants a rematch with loken

lucius wipes the floor with loken this time lucius: best 2/3 loken: maybe another time time for the lodge to meet again targhost: so what's up with fulgrim spying on us

raises eyebrows. is that so so they're worrying about Fulgrim and then surprise! Horus shows up to crash the meeting he's bringing Maggard to join! also Tybalt Marr

initiation time except Maggard of course is silent lmao

horus is just like me fr fr

aximand: why are you here? targost: aximand!!! you can't just ask the warmaster why he's here!!! horus: lol it's fine, it's only fair that i explain

okay????? you know i was joking when i said sexy lamp i wasn't expecting him to get an upgrade...

it's time for horus speech

he talks up everyone and the difficult road they have ahead of them but doesn't really say anything of substance (yet) horus: cmon let me indulge my sense of the dramatic (once again: just like me fr fr) he's basically prepping them for going full traitor but first, gotta deal with Varvarus and Karkasy

uh oh

wait i thought up something funny Aximand: why did saxophone music suddenly start playing Horus: surprise I'm gatecrashing your meeting Aximand: ah, it becomes clear now

it makes it a bit rough to read sometimes but i do appreciate that like, loken and torgaddon aren't actually portrayed as being somehow magically more moral than their comrades and a lot of why they don't end up going to chaos like everyone else is more due to chance than anything else like look at aximand he's not notably worse than anyone else, if he'd been on the trip with loken to davin, he'd probably have been in the same position torgaddon was in loken is a little less chance because he never really liked the lodge but he did still end up joining, things could still have shaken out differently for him

EC visit was short, no one knows what Horus and Fulgrim talked about, Loken and Lucius shook hands annnnd Fulgrim walked off with the anathame back to the war with the technocracy they're close to breaking open the Iron Citadel which sounds like something Perturabo would name Loken knows it's going to be some bitter fighting and that whoever goes into that breach is gonna die so he's awaiting the order with trepidation so what happened with the anathame? welllllll Fabius stole it and by that I mean Horus gave him a permission slip to take it

yep they share a handshake and promise to share a bottle of wine after everything's done you know i genuinely forgot angron actually showed up in this book Angron is leading the World Eaters rn okay uh i guess this got retconned

it's a very different interpretation of Angron from Betrayer's

I gotta say I prefer Betrayer's interpretation but it is definitely a retcon of this haha it's got depth rather than a guy who just enjoys killing World Eaters eating their Khorne flakes

yeah i do NOT remember this bit (Angron and World Eaters just had a mountain collapse on them) I do gotta question what the point was of this and I'm once again wondering if BL has a battle scene quota because this bit isn't quite as out of place and taking up unnecessary space as the one in Praetorian of Dorn but it's still kind of after seeing that, Torgaddon and Loken charge in at least Torgaddon thought this through a bit more he knows it's possibly suicidal but retreat is not an option here for loken it's that the sight of seeing a primarch being buried just makes him charge McNeill can write battle scenes and I'd honestly say this is a better one than the one on Davin's moon but there's no emotional pull here okay, Loken realizes the battle is over and won but the killing is still going on, so with an effort he tries to stop

Varvarus shows up after the battle is won and turns pale when he sees the slaughter so the technocracy surrenders Varvarus weakly tries to defend the Imperium as being not always like this

hi Angron

loken screams internally but it's too late now they have to kill all the surrendered opponents that they managed to not slaughter before also Varvarus is dead

Horus gives a very nice speech for Varvarus' funeral time to move on to the next world now over to Karkasy who is writing and gets a knock on his door …. it's Maggard welp he's brought a message

yeah they gave him a magazine cutout threat letter using his own works, though, that's not half bad now over to Petronella, who is still writing her work

there's a knock at her door, who she thinks is maggard but lo

abaddon once again Horus' goon slabman: you want i should give her concrete shoes and send her to sleep with the fishes? ok he doesn't say that but it's implied, okay

so Horus is here to read Petronella's work so far he's very nice and mild mannered so far but then of course

back to Karkasy, he's being strangled to death by Maggard and then Maggard shoots him in the head with Petronella, Horus starts slowly walking towards her and she pleads with him to let her revise it and then she tries to pull rank lol

so what's going on with the rest of our regular human cast? well Mersadie and Sindermann are gathered around Keeler's bed in the medicae as she's been in a coma since the daemon incident there's nothing physically wrong with her that anyone can find

ah Karkasy's death got framed as a suicide and the whole magazine letter thing was the "suicide note" but there's a knock on the door it's moderati primus dude the emperor worshipper, not the titansexual he's come to see the saint and now it's time for Loken and Torgaddon to meet and Torgaddon's not even dead yet and I'm getting sad about him

well i guess whoever shot him didn't know angron would show up loken is shocked torgaddon is…not that shocked well tbf he was there for that conversation at the lodge something has happened to their legion, and they don't like it

;-; one more to go!

[ask-dcf]

Chara Starhunter

❌NAME: Chara Starhunter ❌ Pronounces: She/her ❌Age: 18 ❌Gender: Female ❌Personality: Despite her serious looking demeanor she is welcoming of anyone who wishes to talk to her. However she is also a no shit taker. So if threatened or looked down on she won’t hesitate to throw a punch to defend herself or others. ❌ Side: For Freedom ❌About or story: Chara Starhunter is from a Star Wars AU and is a former imperial Ace pilot and is considered the youngest Ace pilot of the imperial academy. Top marks. A strong resistance to G-Force capable of handling turns that could harm anyone. And leader of the first Commando Experiment Squad known as “Circus Squad” (Because unlike the gray hue every imperial pilot had on their fighters. Theirs differentiates with many colors, as if like a circus) She became known as the “Red Baroness” (as a reference to the red Baron) and was seen as a highly decorated star pilot. However an incident caused her to lose her whole squadron who she saw as her own family. Because of this she went rogue and began to harass the Company that abandoned her and her pilots to a suicide mission. After escaping from a chase in battle her ship had a malfunction which caused her hyper speed escape to break the barrier between worlds. Causing her to crash into the anti-void. Where she was introduced to the multiverse.

She found herself in the unnamed universe and deciding to put her skills to good use. With help of getting her ship fixed and fueled she signed up with the Red Squad. Working as an infiltrator at times but mostly eyes in the sky and air combatant. She is always looking for new missions in order to help those in need.

❌Sector: Homebased at B. Tends to go to C a lot on missions.

❌Powers and capacity: Has no magic but is good at hand to hand combat (she works out at the gym). She is also good with her blasters and doesn’t miss like a typical storm trooper. But her go-to is her star fighter.

Equipment:

Modified EC-17 hold-out blaster with proper scope setting and flash pistol function. Able to shoot a bolt that can blind her enemies when fired.

WESTAR-35 Mandalorian pistol. Usually used when having to go on team missions. Basic pistol functions with self recharging power battery.

GALAAR-15 (CURRENTLY BROKEN) Assault rifle she found along with the WESTAR on her home planet she was visiting to scavenge for supplies. Weapon’s power cell and inner mechanical functions damaged and is useless until repaired.

Modified TIE/HU Hunter multi-role starfighter. Colored Red. Call sign “Heartbreaker”. Preferred to be used by Chara. Capable of hyperdrive, shields, ion blasters, laser canons, and up to 12 proton torpedoes. The twin ion engines and S-foils helps this starfighter be deadly with both with both fire power and speed. Navigation system shotty due to being in new universe. However constantly updated when on a new mission to a new place.

————————————————————————————-

Character for @1unnamed-universe Discord server

So yeah I made a new chara combining both Star Wars and undertale XD Two my fave fandoms. Course in the Star Wars AU she didn’t go down the usual Chara path. She is an absolute bad ass and I love her. Especially the ship she flying. I loved the Tie Hunters when I was a kid playing rogue squadron.

I thought I would do something interesting by having a starfighter Chara with many modified stuff to help her in battle.

So am gonna have fun playing her. One day I hope to get her ship designed with a proper ref. I’ll give more details of her background soon but for now just gonna have the standard ref and info.

art by @xjunjox

[starlit-seadragon]

Day 8 - EC

Tried something a little different with a mostly dialogue-focused piece!

Following the Dragonsong War, Yume and Aymeric decide that, while courtship is an unreasonable course of action at present, writing letters to each other is completely acceptable; they are, after all, still friends.

The moogles of the post system find their correspondence to be quite diverting.

kupo.

My FFXIV Write Masterpost here.

The wooden hatch of Gridania's post-moogle hut slammed open. Startled, the moogles in the room stopped their work and turned towards the disturbance. Through the opening, a breathless moogle sped, skidding across a tabletop and crashing into a pile of mail.

The moogles looked on in apprehension.

From the center of the pile of mail, a furry paw emerged, a single letter clutched within. The wayward moogle's head followed. He brandished the letter like a banner.

"We got another one, kupo!" he cried.

The room erupted into cheers.

A storm swept through, various moogles flying this way and that, shouting over one another to be heard.

"Who has the knife?"

"Over here, kupo!"

"Be careful with that!"

"Grab the kupo nuts!"

"KUPO NUTS!"

All at once, the activity ceased. The moogles had arranged themselves into a loose circle, some floating, others resting atop tables or on piles of mail. The kupo nuts had been passed around, and they ate in contented anticipation as the moogle with the letter opener verrrrrry gently removed the wax seal.

Without damaging the envelope.

As was only proper, they handed it back to the moogle who had brought the letter. Whoever brought in the next part of the story held the grand honor and responsibility of its telling.

The postmoogle cleared his throat excessively.

"Friends, moogles, countrymen. I bring to you now the next installment in the story of two young lovers. What sweet nothings will pass between them this time? Will they ever tell each other how they truly feel? And what--"

"Oh for the love of -- get on with it!"

A kupo nut landed squarely on the reader's head and bounced off. A moogle below caught it and flew to a safe distance to enjoy their spoil.

"Kupopo! Settle down now! The next moogle to interrupt is getting their kupo nuts confiscated, you hear?" The moogle with the knife brandished it to demonstrate their point.

The reader fluffed out his fur in indignation.

"Well I never," he sniffed.

"Please, do continue," encouraged the letter-opener. Murmurs of assent echoed throughout the circle.

The reader cleared his throat again.

And again.

And again.

The letter-opener placed a paw on the reader's shoulder.

"Right," the reader muttered. In a clear voice, he read:

"My dear Aymeric,"

"Ohhh that one never fails to warm my pom," a moogle swooned.

"Hush, we're barely into it!"

"Your kupo nuts!"

Loudly, they shushed each other. The letter-opener pointed at the crowd with intent.

"I am writing to you from the sunlit fields of the peaks of Gyr Abania. There are butterflies here larger than I am, in all the colors of dawn. I hear tell, however, that they are quite toxic, so observing from a distance may prove the wisest course of action. The land is rugged but beautiful, with wide, open fields and sloping paths. Imagine riding a chocobo through it, wind in your hair, the smell of earth all around -- perhaps we could have a race. Have you a favored bird you think could best Tsubasa? I should like to see you try."

A chorus of "ooooooh"s echoed through the moogles.

"Let's see... she's talking about politics... blah blah..." The reader shuffled through the pages, searching. "Oh, here we go. I know that time is brief and that our correspondence is briefer--"

A moogle near the back scoffed. "Brief? Her letter is three pages long!"

"--but I pray you'll allow me a moment to address the moogles... presently reading... this letter..."

An uneasy silence descended.

"...yes, I know you've been reading these letters; the kupo nut crumbs were the least of the clues. While I am used to all of the star prying into my personal affairs, I suspect Aymeric has largely been spared this invasion, at least to the extent that I've had to endure it. As such, I'd consider it a personal favor if you ceased pawing through our correspondence, to say nothing of the sanctity of the post -- which I'm sure I don't need to explain to you."

A whimper sounded. Several paws brushed self-consciously at crumb-laden fur.

"Upon delivery of this letter, you will confess to your prying and formally apologize to Aymeric. Additionally, you will make amends by polishing armor and oiling weapons at the Congregation of Our Knights Most Heavenly. Do not attempt to shirk this duty, for I will know. If you're still tempted, pray ask your cousins in the Churning Mists what happens to those who do not heed me."

"Sh-she's bluffing!" one moogle cried.

"She's not," answered another glumly.

Several moogles shivered violently.

"Shirayume is scary when she's angry, kupo!"

"Why is it always White Mages...?"

Like a heavy raincloud, they sulked, teary and sullen.

"Guess we better get started then," one mumbled. A kupo nut was thrown in their direction.

Grumbling, the moogles resealed the letter, taking great care to brush any errant kupo nut crumbs away.

Hours later, the Congregation floors were covered in crumbs, but their weapons and armor gleamed.

[invisibleraven]

Accidentally confessing to each other while laughing over something for Willie/anyone? Please and thank you

Willie groaned as he looked over his schedule for the fall. He'd needed a skills course to graduate, and Dr. Butler the guidance counsellor had told him in no uncertain terms that no, he could not do Woodworking again. Which sucked, because it was an easy A involving him revamping the birdhouse he had made his first year for the third time and not losing a digit to the power saw.

So now Willie was stuck in Home Ec.

He was not looking forward to learning how to cook and sew and a course that still had a syllabus set in the 1950's where the women were expected to make a home while the men worked in ugly suits and ties. Even moreso when he learned the teacher was Miss Abernathy, who looked like she had just finished sucking a lemon every second and hated Willie for skateboarding on school grounds. And for winning the school mural design contest when she wanted her star pupils to win.

Willie just hoped she graded him fairly because he doubted he'd win in the fight over that, he wasn't exactly popular with any of the faculty given the aforementioned skateboarding and tendency to flaut the dress code.

Thankfully when he walked into the class, he spied an empty spot at the bench with Alex and Reggie. "Hey brochachos, you two doing this class?"

Alex rolled his eyes and nodded. "The computer classes were full."

Reggie beamed. "I like baking! My MeeMaw taught me how to do all this stuff, and Alex didn't trust me to take Wood Shop on my own, so here I am."

"Well I know nothing, so you may end up helping me limp my way through," Willie said, pulling his hair into a bun. Grinning to himself when Alex flushed at the move and Reggie failed to meet his eyes.

Look, Willie knew he was hot okay? And he knew that Alex and Reggie thought so too, despite their very established relationship. It wasn't like either of them were hard on the eyes either, so if they ever wanted him to join them, well Willie was game, but he doubted that was a real possibility.

Either way, it was time to focus, as Miss Abernathy walked in, her perpetual scowl present and accounted for and she told them to take out their notebooks for a crash course in health and safety regulations for this class. Willie groaned and wondered if it wasn't too late to switch to art classes.

A few weeks later, Willie was really wishing he had switched to art. He hated sewing, his fingers were constantly getting pricked with the needles, and thus all his fabric was full of small bloodstains. He was terrified of the sewing machine, even more so when Alex used it with ease and managed to make a set of placemats. Reggie had turned in a stuffed dog with a wonky head that he gifted to Willie once he got a decent grade. Willie had managed a passable pair of funky socks, but they had fallen apart in the wash when Willie wore them.

Thankfully now they were moving onto baking. At least this meant they got to eat in class, even if Willie still wasn't sure he should be trusted with spice levels given his very white benchmates. Maybe he'd keep his experiments with poblanos for when he cooked at Julie's house during band meetings.

Band meetings that he went to, because he helped Reggie design merch, helped load and unload the van with Alex. He was fine being an unpaid roadie since it meant he saw every Phantoms show for free and the Molinas fed them all every time they were over, which was pretty often.

"We're making muffins," Alex said as Willie found his seat. "Reg wants blueberry, I think carrot would be better, so you get to break the tie."

"Why not both?' Willie asked. "They might be an interesting combo. But I call not it on grating the carrots."

"That's not...okay," Alex sighed. "You're on dry ingredients, Reggie is on wet."

"You want me to use the lactose free milk sweetness?" Reggie asked.

"Nah, I'm okay having dairy if it's baked," Alex replied. "Willie you vegan this month?"

"I missed honey too much, so no," Willie replied.

"Honey?" Reggie questioned. "Not milk? Butter? Cheese?"

Alex snorted with laughter at that, and Reggie giggled, with Willie joining in. They had many a debate over his love of cheese conflicting with his occasional veganism. And how the vegan cheese downright sucked.

Willie shrugged, still giggling a little. "I like honey."

"I like you too," Reggie said, then slapped a hand over his mouth.

Willie sat up a little straighter at that. "It's okay Reggie. I like you as well, but I gotta say, not the nickname I woulda given you."

"Please, I get stuck with hot dog and he gets something better than honey?" Alex groused playfully.

"He's cowboy obviously," Willie replied. "And I like you too hot dog, don't worry."

"Well d'uh," Alex said, blushing pink. "It hasn't been super obvious what with you flirting and wearing all your crop tops to this class even after the teacher made you sit through three different videos about appropriate clothing to cook in."

Willie shrugged. "It made you both look."

"We were looking anyway," Reggie admitted. "So how about we do these muffins, and maybe enjoy them on a picnic date this afternoon?"

"Sounds good to me," Willie said, and began measuring ingredients. And maybe whisking a little vigorously, covering them in flour, just to make them laugh. Even if they got in trouble and had to stay late to clean up the mess.

Willie didn't mind, and that afternoon, he could care less about the flour still streaking his hair because he had Alex feeding him muffins (he was right about the blueberry carrot combo) while Reggie strummed his six string, serenading them both.

And Willie had never been happier he had to do Home Ec-no matter what grade he got, his new boyfriends were more than worth it.

[wishingxuponxstars]

Doesn't know how to clean the floor? Someone hasn't been paying attention in Snow White's home ec crash course.

[cringywhitedragon]

Complete random idea but what would happen if we were to put Zero against Nemesis (Or any of the Sin Vessels/Sinners for that matter from EC) (And Some AU stuff)

I chose Nemesis mainly cause of Punishment and its similarities to Ragnrok from Z4 since I can imagine a boss fight against her ala Dr. Weil/Falling Down as he races to destroy Punishment before it can take out the planet and all life on it.

Perhaps Reploids might be relic of the First Era in a possible AU? Perhaps they fled due to humans being well you know… Would that make the Gods of the EC mavericks in their eyes? I mean HERS is pretty close to the Maverick Virus and all.

This developed into something much more: Somehow Reploids fled Earth prior to the destruction of the First Era, establishing their own empire amongst the stars and free from humans/earthlings, leading to the creation of the Reploid Frederation.

Despite being free, Reploids kept a close eye on humanity and the path they were taking.Though there was a lot of disagreement between Reploids on if they should intervene but it was largely decided they wouldn’t.

However, following the destruction of Earth, the HERS crisis and humanity’s plans of resettling elsewhere did it finally make the Reploids do something.

With the original humanity now gone, they returned to Earth to retrieve two specific things (Others were brought back but that’s for another time): Two legendary heroes

X and Zero (and maybe even Axl cause he needs some love as well)

The two were rebuild but kept deactivated only to be brought back should it be necessary.

More debates, disagreements, and even a contegancy plan to eliminate HERS (they would be treated like mavericks even though at this point Reploid-kind believed they were gone until what is known as the Seeding Incidnet) but not much would happen.

An attempt destroy them was tried late in the Second Era but failed when Humans got involved. Reploids, under the newly re-established Maverick Hunters, were sent into the Virtual World and tasked with hunting down Earthlings that displayed HERS before this was abandoned (Reploids didn’t need Black Boxes due to their DNA Souls and Cyber Elves)

Reploids would eventually develop their own technology as they evolved (To a point that they were pretty much able to replicate organic life perfectly in a way) and even discover a way to time travel (Plays a major role in this AU). However to prevent it from being abused, it became heavily regulated.

Things would calm down until the Climb One incident, which would mark the decision to revive X as Reploid-kind couldn’t make an agreement on what to do.

He took over as the Reploid race’s primary leader and with the use of their newly aquired time travel technology, Reploid-kind would keep an eye on the Third Era.

Looking into the future, X and Many others became disturbed of how things would eventually turn out (“The cycle of destruction will only repeat! X! You have to do something about this! Send someone, anyone and have those Vessels destroyed. It’s only going to cause more HERS to appear and we know how this will end!)

(“We made that choice years ago that Reploids would remain out of human business. As much as I would like to, this would only bring our kinds more suffering or even another war.)

Reploid-kind would let the Third Era play out as it was supposed to.

However… Not everyone wanted things this way.

A renegade force, determined to finally put an end to the cycle of destruction steals one of the Reploid Federation’s top secret ships capable of time travel (The Time Drive) and head for the now repopulated Third Era Earth.

Of course the Reploid Federation doesn’t take this lying down and after a small skirmish, the renegades manage to escape with another important piece of cargo.

The still deactivated Zero

The slumbering Crimson Hunter is acidently ejected when the rebel’s vessel gets hit and crashes onto the planet. Awakening from the ruins of a broken capsule with no memories save for his final stand against Dr Weil and Ragnarok many many years ago, Zero finds himself on an unfamiliar world and contacted by a group who has “inlisted” his help on “saving the future”.

Working with the renegade faction, Zero fights his way throughout different time periods of the Third Era to retrieve and destroy the Vessels of Sin all while dealing with forces of familiar and supernatural and possibly uncovering the truth of what happened to those who came before.

A world of magic and gods built atop the ruins of a once thriving planet.

Those of the old world who had fled to the stars now return to the birthplace of their species.

Old friends whom once fought side by side, brought back from their mechanical graves, now stand on divided sides over the future.

Can this endless cycle of death and destruction be broken for good, or is it doomed to repeat thanks to the Sins of Man?

This AU I will call Megaman: Sinhunter

[izzy-b-hands]

my brain is buzzing with random au ideas and shit while im sitting here awake entirely too early

and i just. Fucking Niche AUs I'll probably never finish part two:

-Call Center AU: Ed and Stede are middle managers learning to work together (and falling in love of course) after their companies and staff merged in a new big ass building (for fun: many rumors it's haunted. It isn't, Buttons just hates getting up early for work so during the week he hides out and lives in the basement.) Badminton & Co are trying to buy out their newly merged company with plans to fire everyone. Is this one just so I can shove in Murray Hewitt references with Stede? Partially! It's also bc i can throw in The Office references for my mum, who thus far will only read fic if I have a few in there & it's mainly comedy, and she hasn't read like any of my stuff fic or original in ages so. Yeah skdnfng

-NTSB (National Transportation Safety Board) AU aka did u know aviation is another special interest of mine? u do now!!:

Ed and Stede lead separate teams as part of Aotearoa's TAIC (their version of the NTSB), and are called in to assist with an NTSB investigation re: a crashed plane & a dead Badminton bro as a result ( Either of the two we've seen thus far, w/subplot abt him being a dick who was super rich bc of a shit ton of rental properties in Aotearoa that he didn't keep up well and hiked rent on constantly bc he seems like the landlord type.)

However, as it progresses it becomes clear there's more at stake than just a plane accident investigation (tho obvi also v important still) bc it appears there might be sabotage involving ppl in both the states and Aotearoa (aka hi jack!! and any other random pirates or historical ppl i might add in lol.)

This is difficult tho, bc like. they didn't like this Badminton of course so him being dead is like well this will be positive for his renters at least maybe, but also holy fuck other ppl died as a result jfc what the fuck. so then it's a matter of do we or do we not reveal the whole truth & open up what would be a can of worms re: Badminton, but would be an utter disservice to the rest of the victims' families if NOT revealed.

Substitute Teacher AU:

A school has had just. horrible luck and a few scandals and now the entire staff has been fired and the district really doesn't wanna spend that much money on new ppl yet so

enter Stede and Ed as separate teams of substitutes, attempting to cover all the topics at a decently large school where tbh they could use even more teachers (enter Doug, Mary, Spanish Jackie who actually teaches French & likes how her nickname fucks w/the kids a bit lmaoo, & Jack as additional help)

Nigel & Chauncey both have kids at the school, and expect special treatment as a reward for donating generously to the school (not really that generously tho), which means they are Nightmare Parents. Like yes it's sad they're both divorced but like if u talked to them for five mins u would Understand.

Big events in it would be Parent/Teacher Conferences (Izzy and Jim end up having to manhandle a screaming Nigel outside after Roach asks him to tell his kid to stop trying to set things on fire in Home Ec), at least one school dance ("Ed, they're vaping in the bathroom, what do I do?" "Idk join them?" "Ed!" "What? They'll do it regardless!!") and the graduation of the oldest grade (I think middle schoolers would be both the cruelest and funniest option for this au) and how they'll actually miss these goddamn kids, & don't know if they'll be contracted for the same school next year as permanent or called in to sub more or what

Topics for everyone thus far:

Jackie-French as noted above. She also enjoys that the kids always think Frenchie should teach her class purely based on his name. Doesn't tolerate any bs during class & will send u to the principals, but if everyone behaves they get an extra point added to their grade just for showing up and being polite. For some kids, for various reasons, it's a life saver.

Frenchie-joint band and choir director with The Swede. Treated like a local rock star by the kids bc he tells them how back home he plays in a few bands, and plays gigs in between teaching contracts/assignments. A couple make fan shirts after they google and manage to find out the name of the band he usually performs with. They give him one too and he can't help but well up bc. kids man. one minute little assholes the next moment doing something so kind and unexpected!

The Swede- mainly choir director but helps with the band bc they have a huge class size but of course the district doesn't care abt that.

Ed & Stede-joint principals, also Theater. Ed jokes that he's the Fun Principal bc he occasionally lets the kids get away with like. smoking near the school or playing hooky. If he catches them they get a 'guys cmon if u keep this up i gotta stop u forever so like. be mindful' talk. Stede thinks he's truly the Fun One tho bc he keeps making up ideas for those funny dress up weeks schools do in the states and Ed we are teaching here so we should do as the Romans do, so to speak! (how does that work, it doesn't really as far as i know with a lot of teaching jobs but shhhhh fiction time.)

Buttons-shop related classes, any and all, including woodworking and a v basic automotive class (obvi they won't pay for a garage set up, so he has to rely on drawing and otherwise illustrating & using texts to teach.) Also serves as the lunch room monitor bc the kids are p sure the rumor that he once ate a guy is true, and no one wants to Test Him.

Jim-Gym. Took it on purely bc they think it's funny to hear the kids go 'its time for gym/Jim!' Another beloved teacher for being supportive when kids struggle with the class, and also bc if everyone has good attendance each quarter then they'll take a day to show them knife throwing (after permission slips are signed of course.)

Olu-Spanish, but defers to Jim a lot bc then he gets to talk to Jim and no he doesn't have a crush on Jim! Also occasionally bemoans to Jim for them teaching the kids to swear in Spanish. Jim finally kisses him during one such lovingly made complaint.

Wee John-Home Ec, sewing & other textile based art. One of the fave teachers bc he always has snacks in his classroom, and will let any exhausted kids nap during class so long as they turn in finished projects (first is a lil plushie, then a bigger one, finally they have to design & attempt an article of clothing. Doesn't have to be anywhere near perfect or even complete, he just wants them to try.) Once freed Stede after he accidentally sewed his finger to some fabric while mucking abt after school in the classroom.

Fang-any and all math classes. No one knows how he handles the work load, but he's always chill af abt it. Another student fave for being kind and taking extra time with kids that suck at math, or flat out have dyscalculia & require the extra tutoring as part of their IEP.

Ivan-Social Studies. He knows the kids find it boring, so he does his best to give it some extra shine by making up projects for the kids to do that are graded a little bit kinder than regular hw bc he's more concerned that they have fun (and might retain the info better as a result.) One of the kids' faves ends up being a journal assignment abt the Oregon Trail, aka write an Oregon Trail story that can be as dramatic and/or like the video game as they want.

Izzy-Head Librarian. Cannot believe they fired the library staff as well as everyone else at the school. cannot get over how little the district does to help keep up said library (books are heavily damaged & still on the shelf, new books rarely ordered, and literally the shelves are not in Dewey order. That makes a vein in his forehead twitch every day until he takes an evening to correctly label and reshelve everything.) Winds up staying late a lot to repair books, order new books (when he runs out of what little funding there is, he puts them on his own cc and just doesn't tell anyone, claiming them as charitable donations from 'an anon donor'), and otherwise do any additional upkeep to get the place up to par. Realizes halfway thru the year no one got assigned to teach the Health class, and begrudgingly takes it on as well. He teaches in a section of the library, with Mary taking over main library duties for that time. Has to deal with all the horribleness that is teaching middle schoolers that topic ("You can't all keep laughing every time I say penis or we'll never get through this chapter. And that's hell for you as much as it is for me!")

Roach-Home Ec, cooking class. also helps in the lunch room bc literally they did not actually hire any kitchen staff, the subs are told to do that too. He winds up telling the kids they can help by prepping the ingredients for their lunch in his classroom, then he'll take it all to be finished for lunchtime in the industrial kitchen. They end up loving it after the first week, bc he brings in recipes that are decently healthy but that most the kids are up to trying or already like.

Mary-painting substitute if Doug is out for a day, but mainly works alongside Izzy in the library as the assistant librarian. Yes they gossip abt Ed and Stede. Yes they have a running bet on when they'll finally announce a relationship and fill out that paperwork with HR (this immediately starts a side convo for them abt the shoddy quality of the paperwork & how slowly it gets filed. They admit to being sticklers at times, but also they're right.)

Doug-art, painting and sculpture. Always up for weird art ideas, and has the graduating grade (even if they don't take his elective course) make a mural before the end of the year. They each get a framed pic of it, and he plans to have each graduating class redo the wall each year, should he be contracted for another full year.

Jack-biology/gen science. Encourages the kids to 'really get into' the dissections. Does his best to try and get the district to agree to a field trip to the local morgue to see a full on embalming, but is told uhhhh no bud. Accidentally reveals a parentage issue for a few kids while using eye & hair color to teach Punett squares.

Lucius-Creative Writing. Has a loving feud with Pete bc most of the kids are in both their classes. Said kids have bets on if Pete or Lucius will propose to each other or not by the end of the year. Makes a point to be a safe place for any kids with writing that may point to some other issues going on in life (based off my hs lit mag teacher Dr. Brenda Werner. No joke, she saved my life as a kid, I think Lucius would be the same for his class.)

Pete-Newspaper/Yearbook. Very big on making sure stories are accurate, bc 'ppl doubt my stories a lot, so you need your details and shit in order.' The kids: ooooh he swore!!!! and promptly do not absorb this knowledge fully. But they enjoy his class bc he's chill and is happy to let them explore what options journalism can offer, and to research odder stories for internal class articles vs school paper ones (Missing: David, Where's Shelly? vs Cilantro: Should Roach Use It In Our Lunch Or Does It Taste Like Soap.)

[faeriekit]

Your local library will probably also have a bunch of study resources for catching yourself up to speed on certain subjects, not to mention on stuff you may be missing in school that isn't necessarily obvious— like sex ed and home ec stuff. If you can't get there in person, see if you can access the online resources. Databases aimed at kids and teens often have worksheets, simplified overviews on subjects, and an easy-to-browse interface.

But, seriously. Things I would recommend to supplement your schoolwork that homeschooling might not necessarily offer you:

Any book on body health/sex ed out of your age appropriate section (the original care and keeping of you is good if you're afab, there's good unisex ones nowadays)

Any "money for [your age group]" book, ideally one on budgeting

A cookbook aimed at easy-to-make meals (something like the sad bastard cookbook)

Something on cars (not my area of expertise sorry)

Something on home repair (the mercury stardust book is good)

Something for clothing repair (this one I'll leave up to your local librarians, there's a million of these)

I absolutely second khan academy and crash course; they were great resources when I was in high school and college, and vihart used to work for them, if I remember correctly.

DEAR EDUCATIONALLY NEGLECTED HOMESCHOOLERS

I’ve gathered some resources and tips and tricks on self-educating after educational neglect. This is only what I did and what I know helped me. I’m about to graduate college with honors after having no education past the age of 9. I wouldn’t be here without the following. Everything is free, and at/well above the standard for education in the US.

The holy grail: Khan Academy. Nearly every course you could take is available here, in order and by grade level. Their open-source free courses rival some of the college classes I’ve taken. This is your most solid resource.

For inattentive types: Crash Course offers a variety of courses that are snappy, entertaining, and extremely rewarding. They work for my ADHD brain. They also have college prep advice, which is essential if you’re looking to go to higher education with no classroom experience.

To catch up on your reading: There are certain books that you may have read had you gone to school that you’ve missed out on. This list is the most well-rounded and can fill you in on both children’s books and classic novels that are essential or at least extremely helpful to be familiar with. You can find a majority of these easily at a local library (and some for free in PDF form online low key). There are a few higher level classics in here that I’d highly recommend. If it doesn’t work for you, I’d always recommend asking your local librarian.

*BE AWARE* The book list I recommend suggests you read Harry Potter books, and given their transphobic author you may or may not want to read them. If you choose to, I’d highly recommend buying the books secondhand or borrowing from a library to avoid financially supporting a living author with dangerous and damaging views.

TEST, TEST, TEST: Again, Khan Academy is your go-to for this. I don’t personally like standardized testing, but going through SAT and ACT courses was the best way I found to really reveal my gaps so that I could supplement.

Finally: As much as you can, enjoy the process. Education can be thrilling and teach you so much about yourself, and help shape your view of the world. It can get frustrating, but I’d like to encourage you that everyone can learn. No pace is the perfect pace, and your learning style is the right learning style for you. In teaching yourself, be patient, be kind, and indulge in the subjects you really enjoy without neglecting others. You are your teacher. Give yourself what others chose not to.

[essl-studies]

10-4-2024

Chem Class today was a bit odd as we merely reviewed what we learned on Wednesday and then dod some more worksheets. Class was quick and easy and we were done a full twenty minutes early compared to normal.

I was able to walk to the public library, return some books I borrowed, and stil make it back to the bus stop with enough time to relax and watch some crash course videos on my phone (I supliment what I learn in class eith the corresponding video to make sure I understand the material each day)

Beef roast and smashed red potatoes for supper. I made three differnet veggies fornthe family to choose from (asparagus, corn on the cob, and kale)

Bathtime was lied an Olympic sport tonight. By the end I was soaked and there was soapy water all over every surface of the bathroom, all cause I had to wash the girls' hair.

Had to do two loads of laundry today as my bedsheets were due for a cleaning. Other than that, I just worked on my materials project thatis due next Tuesday in ECED 293 (EC Learning environment, methods, and materials).

[bike-safety]

A Step-by-Step Guide to Ensuring Helmet Safety for Bike Riders

As a seasoned powersport bike rider, I've learned that the road is full of surprises, and the key to enjoying every ride is being well-prepared, especially when it comes to helmet safety. This comprehensive guide is designed to walk you through the essential steps of ensuring helmet safety, a topic I am passionate about. Whether you're a beginner or a veteran rider, these insights will help safeguard your journeys.

Understanding Helmet Safety: The Basics

The Role of Helmets in Rider Safety: A helmet isn't just a piece of gear; it's your primary line of defence in an unforeseen incident. It's designed to protect your head from impacts, reducing the risk of serious brain injuries and saving lives. Statistics consistently show that wearing a proper helmet significantly lowers the risk of fatal injuries.

Step 1: Choosing the Right Helmet

Fit is Key: A helmet should fit snugly but comfortably. It shouldn't be too tight or too loose. A good test is to put the helmet on and try to roll it off your head with your hands. If it comes off easily, it's too big.

Understanding Helmet Standards: Look for helmets that meet safety standards such as DOT, ECE, or SNELL. These certifications ensure the helmet has passed rigorous safety tests.

Types of Helmets: Depending on your riding style, you might choose between full-face, modular, open-face, or half helmets. Full-face helmets provide the most comprehensive protection, while open-face or half helmets offer more freedom and airflow but less protection.

Step 2: Proper Helmet Maintenance

Regular Inspection: Regularly check your helmet for cracks, strap integrity, and signs of wear. The helmet’s protective capabilities can diminish over time or after a crash.

Cleaning Your Helmet: Use mild soap and water to clean the exterior. For the interior, remove the pads and liners if possible and wash them according to the manufacturer's instructions.

When to Replace: Replace your helmet every five years or after a significant impact, even if there are no visible signs of damage.

Step 3: Understanding the Technology

Impact Absorption Materials: Modern helmets use materials like expanded polystyrene (EPS) foam that effectively absorb impact, protecting your skull.

Shell Materials and Design: The outer shell, usually made from polycarbonate, fibreglass, or carbon fibre, is designed to withstand hard impacts and distribute force.

Innovative Technologies: Look for helmets with additional safety features like the Multi-directional Impact Protection System (MIPS), which helps reduce rotational forces on the brain during an angled impact.

Step 4: Fitting and Adjusting Your Helmet

Proper Sizing: Use a tape measure to determine your head size. Match this measurement with the manufacturer's size chart.

Adjusting Straps and Pads: Adjust the chin strap so that it fits snugly under your chin. Use the pads to fine-tune the fit, ensuring the helmet is secure but comfortable.

Step 5: Enhancing Safety with Additional Features

Visors and Face Shields: Ensure your helmet has a high-quality visor or face shield to protect your eyes from debris and wind. Look for anti-fog and anti-scratch coatings for better visibility.

Ventilation: Good ventilation is crucial for comfort, especially on long rides. Look for helmets with adjustable vents.

Communication Systems: Consider helmets with integrated communication systems for easy communication with fellow riders.

Step 6: Staying Informed and Updated

Keeping Up with Advancements: The world of helmet technology is constantly evolving. Stay updated on new materials, designs, and safety features.

Training and Awareness: Regularly participate in rider safety courses. These courses often provide valuable tips on helmet safety and overall riding strategies.

Final Thoughts

Wearing a helmet is just the first step; understanding and maintaining it is crucial for ensuring maximum protection on every ride. As a powersport bike enthusiast, I believe that a well-informed rider is a safe rider. Invest time in choosing the right helmet, maintain it properly, and stay informed about the latest in helmet technology. Your helmet is more than gear—it's your guardian on the road.

[nycannabistimes]

#Repost @cannabispharmd with @use.repost ・・・ Traumatic Brain Injury -- It's a major focus for healthcare and professional sports alike. And emerging evidence suggests that the #endocannabinoidsystem plays a critical role in regulating the body's response to brain injury. Which means that from car crashes and gunshot wounds to strokes and sports injuries -- the endocannabinoid system is a viable therapeutic target! Does this mean every NFL player needs to be getting high after every game? Of course not, but the evidence of ECS changes after head injury opens up a whole new way of understanding (and treating) TBI #traumaticbraininjury #tbi (at Times Square, New York City) https://www.instagram.com/p/CnK2RugOglH/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[moongirlwidow]

You got it

Always. And I mean at least they’re somewhat edible? And he came back with the milk?

@official-pietro-maximoff we’re doing a crash course in grocery shopping and sending you to home ec

Ready for school?

@moongirlwidow

Never

[goldtinged]

                         EMMA CARSTAIRS  //  A  CRASH  COURSE

            ❝  kit  thought  about  emma  with  her  sword,  emma  saving  his  life.                  emma  hugging  cristina  and  looking  at  julian  like  he  hung  the  moon  ❞

CONTEXT

emma cordelia carstairs is a character appearing within cassandra clare’s shadowhunter universe. she is a shadowhunter (half angel, half human warriors mandated to protect the world from demons)

she appears as the central character in THE DARK ARTIFICES, a trilogy published in 2016. 

She also appears in THE MORTAL INSTRUMENTS, specifically as a side character in city of heavenly fire (book 6). she is 12 years old during the events of the original trilogy

If you’ve seen shadowhunters  TV - she does not appear in the show but some people related to her do. JEM CARSTAIRS (aka brother zachariah) is her uncle and HELEN BLACKTHORN is the sister of her parabatai, Julian. 

CONTEXT PT 2: IMPORTANT EVENTS / TERMS

the dark war: civil war between shadowhunter factions which led to the destruction of large swarths of shadowhunter society and the death of family families. Emma’s parents (supposedly) died in the dark war. evil side is led by Jonathan Morgenstern. This shit is basically based off of Harry Potter so just think deathly hallows adkakd

the endarkened: shadowhunter’s who were turned from angelic to demonic, and became part of Jonathan’s army. Some did so by choice, others by force. 

the clave: shadowhunter government, whose seat is in Idris. Idris is the shadowhunter capital, a small city hidden somewhere between france and germany that cannot be accessed by non-shadowhunters. all the good characters hate the clave (and rightly so)

downworlders: name givern to non shadowhunters. eg, werewolves, vampires, warlocks fae ect. 

the cold peace: a policy enacted by the clave at the end of the dark war, that punished faerie’s for supporting Jonathan Morgenstern. Leads to the exile of shadowhunters with fae heritage, regardless of their allegiance during the war. it makes interacting with faerie’s illegal.  basically any character who is decent fucking hates this policy

parabatai: soldiers who take a vow to become twinned and fight side by side until death.  After the vow they are bound together magically for life. It is physically painful to be apart from one another, and the pain of losing a parabatai is considered to be unendurable. They are closer than siblings, and fairly rare within the shadowhunter world.  it is illegal for them to fall in love and doing so is punishable under the strongest laws. eg, stripping of runes and exile

BASICS:

Emma was born in 1995. Her parents are John and Cordelia Carstairs. She emigrated to Los Angeles at the beginning of the Dark War as her parents wanted to help assist the Shadowhunter’s they knew there. 

She was raised alongside The Blackthorn family, training at the institute they run. Her childhood best friend is Julian Blackthorn. 

Emma is a skilled shadowhunter, regarded by some to be the best of her generation, and the successor to Jace Herondale of the title. 

She is the current owner of Cortana, a shortsword held within the Carstairs family, forged by Wayland the Smith, it is said to be one of the great swords and therefore is her most valued possession

SKILLS + ATTRIBUTES + RANDOM CHARACTERISATIONS:

extremely dedicated and driven. is considered the best not because of her raw talent but because of how hard she trains. considers the same for herself, she cares most about being good so that when the time comes to enact revenge for her parents she will be successful

distant within the blackthorn family: although she grew up with them, and they consider her their extra sister, emma does not feel comfortable within the family. partially because she misses her own, partially because she believes they don’t consider her family. always refers to them as “julian’s family” “julian’s siblings”. realises by the end of the series she is integral to the blackthorns and how much she loves them / allows herself to be loved by them

funny and blunt: she is sarcastic, both as a means of deflecting attention but also because it’s her sense of humour. she is extremely blunt, bad at lying, and will pretty much always just say what she thinks. not one to maintain relationships she doesn’t value

she is confident and outspoken, especially in terms of her sexuality

skill with music is a family trait but emma can’t play the violin for shit which makes her feel bad. 

FAMILY:

Her biological family: John and Cordelia Carstairs (parents, deceased), James Carstairs (uncle), Mina Carstairs (cousin)

Her adopted family: The Blackthorns

consisting of;

Mark and Helen Blackthorn: the eldest Blackthorn siblings, half siblings to the rest. They are both half faerie, half shadowhunter. Both are exiled at the end of the Dark War as part of The Cold Peace (a policy to punish all fae for the involvement of faerie in working against Shadowhunters)

Julian Blackthorn: the eldest sibling living in the family home during the war. He is Emma’s parabatai

Ty and Livvy Blackthorn: twins, two years younger than Julian. 

Dru Blackthorn: the youngest girl, four years younger than Emma and Julian

Tavvy Blackthorn: the baby of the family

OTHER IMPORTANT RELATIONSHIPS:

Cristina Rosales: Emma’s best friend, who is on a trip to LA from Mexico during the event of the series (international postings are part of shadowhunter training)

Jem Carstairs: her uncle and the only living Carstairs left beside herself (until his daughter Mina is born). 

Tessa Gray: a powerful warlock, Jem’s wife

Clary Fairchild: also her best friend and a mentor. Clary helped her and Julian after the war

Jace Herondale: her mentor and someone she admires

Kit Herondale: Comes to live with the family during the events of the book. He and Emma relate to feeling both family to and separated from The Blackthorns.  Sidenote, kit is a legend and I love him

Cameron Ashdown: Emma’s on and off again boyfriend

Diana Wrayburn: tutor at the institute, only person in the series with braincells. 

CRASH COURSE OF THE EVENTS OF THE SERIES

CITY OF HEAVENLY FIRE + THE NOVELLAS //

emma and julian become parabatai, so that emma isn’t sent to the shadowhunter academy (school for war orphans lol)

We could—” he started, then stopped, swallowed, and started again. “We could become parabatai.” He said it shyly, half-turning his face away from her, so that the shadows partially hid his expression. “Then they couldn’t separate us,” he added. “Not ever.” Emma felt her heart turn over. “Jules, being parabatai is a big deal,” she said. “It’s—it’s forever.” He looked at her, his face open and guileless. There was no trickery in Jules, no darkness. “Aren’t we forever?” he asked  

julian kills his father in the dark war after he is endarkened, to protect his siblings. the clave puts him through a gruelling trial that turns both emma and julian against the clave, embedding a deep seed of resentment and mistrust that fuels a lot of their actions through the rest of the series

julian’s uncle takes over the institute but unknown to everyone, he’s mentally unable to manage it. julian starts running the institute age 12, in secret, so that his family can stay together. emma does not know about this

LADY MIDNIGHT //

emma discovers the body of faerie children, murdered in the same way as her parents were. She always suspected her parents weren’t killed in the war, but killed under the cover of the war. she begins to investigate the murders, and hopes she can enact the revenge she has dreamed of fulfilling

meanwhile, a faerie contingent who have also heard about the murders ask for emma’s help solving them. Because this is illegal, they offer to return Mark Blackthorn to the family in exchange for the shadowhunters help

meanwhile meanwhile, emma and julian realise they are in love and they fuck, even though that is ALSO illegal because parabatai cannot fall in love with each other (though no one knows why). their powers start to change as their feelings for eachother grow

emma solves her parents murder. she kills the person who killed them but realises she gets no satisfaction from it. too late realises she’s based her whole life around getting revenge and now she has nothing

emma talks to jem about the parabatai law and finds out it’s illegal because there is a curse that becomes active when parabatai fall in love. emma thinks the reason her and julian’s powers are changing is because the curse is starting

she receives some frankly terrible advice from tessa and decides to make julian fall out of love with her by breaking his heart

does so by telling him she’s dating his brother, mark

asks mark to fake the relationship, mark in turn offers they just date for real, which she goes for. END BOOK

LORD OF SHADOWS //

emma and mark are dating but it’s fallen back into fake dating because they realise they’re better friends and, mark is in a love triangle between his ex fairy boyfriend and cristina

eventually when emma is sure julian sufficiently resents her they stage a massive break-up

this is a whole ass book of emma and julian angst,,,,, and it’s delicious

julian finds out about the curse and why emma lied and he’s mad, but also, he can’t fully be mad because the curse is deFINITELY WORKING NOW

back to the actual plot: a group of pro cold war supported with extreme anti-downworld takes (they are legit just fantasy fascists) start to rise to power within the clave. honestly there is way more actual plot but it’s not relevant to this blog or emma’s characterisation so moving on

back to emma and julian: they come up with a plan to deal with the curse. emma will beg the inquisitor to exile her but not strip her runes in exchange for them not telling everyone paratabai are cursed which he agrees to

UNTIL ..... the cohort initiate violence during a clave trial and the inquisitor is killed. so is julian’s little sister, livvy. END BOOK

QUEEN OF AIR AND DARKNESS //

i hate this book so there’s that

the leader of the cohort is made inquisitor and starts enacting shitty policies

julian is worried about the curse and how it’s starting to affect him so he just goes and gets all his emotions removed and so he feels nothing for anyone

ty spends the book bullying kit into helping him bring livvy back from the dead (AND IT WORKS LOL)

800 pages of bullshit I don’t have time to get into

the curse comes to fruition, turning emma and julian into giant nephilim with great powers but no feelings (think like, aang in the avatar state) they basically nearly kill everyone but then their family saves them

conveniently, the heavenly fire burns off their parabatai runes thus solving their problem

the cohort take control of the capital in protest of alec lightwood getting made inquisitor. all the shadowhunters who aren’t weirdos abandon the city

helen blackthorn is allowed to return and she decides to take over running the institute, freeing julian from his obligation

emma and julian decide to go travelling the world and the series ends

EMMA + JULIAN:

they are a MESS but I love them. 

essentially, they know each other better than anyone. emma understands the pressure julian is under, the weight on his shoulders, his insecurities but also his strengths. julian see’s how emma puts on a facade of strength, gives her a safe space to be vulnerable, and provides a haven of unconditional love

used to sleep in the same bed as kids to help with nightmares, developed a system of communication only they understand, tell eachother everything (until lady midnight anyway)

emma understands how much of his life revolves around his family because hers does too

“you don’t have to do this for me” emma was saying, softly but earnestly, in a voice cristina had never heard her use before“I think I do” julian said “I think I  remember making a vow to that effect”“whither thou goest, I will go, whatever stupid thing you do, I will also do? was that the vow”

I LOVE THEM!!

best friends to lovers EXCELLENCE

THIS is the biggest crash course ever and I hope it makes sense. It’s hard to condense so much information not only from the books (and each is like 800 pages) but also from the entire world and lore. But I hope this helps somewhat and I’m always willing to answer questions for anyone who has any.