#Hence why I am posting this on my like 3 socials :D

[neon-catarina]

@strange-and-horrifying THIS WAS MADE SPECIFICALLY FOR YOU.

yay I can barely animate

[zelenbug]

Omg... I saw your speculative biology post about rayman creatures, i am so weak for those!

Do you have any more headcanons you could tell me about? Personally I'm most interested in the Teensies and flies (ahem, Murfy) but you can tell me about anyone you feel like. I'd see it as a win either way :D

If you want to offcourse!

surprised this wasnt as niche as i expected ! i dont really have much more to say that i havent mentioned in the post but this is giving me something to fink about so im happy to pull some more out of my brain

-

teensies have pupils in much the same way mice and rats etc do. its just that they have really dark colored irises so you cant see the pupils under most conditions. however some teensies are weird and have really light irises, as in these guys. the eyes are set up like the same otherwise

globteens case is explainable with how incredibly pale he is. he might just have some kind of leucism

-

also i concluded from rayman 3 that they have 2 toes on their feet and this is the closest visual approximation

-

something i also concluded from rayman 3 is that teensy heights vary a LOT. several are taller than rayman! explicitly! and i think it gave romeo permanent back problems hence his incredible posture (i have no idea why ottos posture is really weird but in like, the opposite way, why is he this upright)

most teensies still live up to their name, but some ethnic groups will tend to be noticeably taller, like sylkins tufkins nookins (especially nookins) etc. but they can all be randomly tall. i think this is a given for any species of anything but its kind of notable for the people literally named teensies, also just how much the heights seem to vary (this is obtained with raymap also, theyre not found on the same map but the heights are relative to rayman and should be accurate)

its funny sometimes my headcanons are just . descriptions of things that literally are canon. but like. you get me this is something that is remarkable in my hc lore

-

nose does has cartilage in it (gotta protect the magic organ thing somehow) but its still like. very squeezable. makes a honk through cartoon logic, hurts some people if honked though (Ales Mansay)

speaking of him. if the magic organ is broken, its still like. present it just doesnt function well. i have no idea what it actually looks like other than some kind of blob thing that takes up most of the schnozzle (with some space for like. the nasal cavity). the closest thing i could think of is. the melon on cetaceans. i dont know if itd be like that i just think it wouldnt be much like a brain??? its hard to imagine An Organ Dedicated Specifically To Synthesizing Magic.

ive been thinking about it but im not sure if other species have that too, just much smaller placed somewhere else on the head, just allowing them to use magic. i think i like it better if Everyone gets access to it regardless of having An Organ Dedicated Specifically To Synthesizing Magic

-

i doodled baby murfy once

greenbottle larvae dont tend to talk much, or do much other than eat rotted meat all day. you cant really socialize or play games with them or anything

they dont end up remembering how it was like to be a larva or a pupa. pupating would feel like going to bed for like a week and then you wake up suddenly having conciousness and wings. its around this time they get named too, larvae are treated almost like a weird pet that will suddenly turn into a person eventually

also like, imagine the adaptation period after emerging from the pupa. its like being a 13 year old and a newborn at the same time. they do adapt fairly quickly though, one whos 15 or even 14 (both ages equivalent, not glade years) can already seem pretty normal

also the actual hatchday, and the day they stop being a pupa, are treated as separate, so its like they get TWO free birthdays! unless the dates overlap

much of this Larva Information applies to the other bugs as well. they have larvae and then pupate and then emerge as actual concious beings

[gladumfdoodles]

Hello hello! I was curious what your reasoning was for all the different bird wings for different seasons w/ grian, i think they're all so cool and i understand the s7 and s10 one but i'd love to hear more about the others and how you got them if you have time :D!

(P.s. Love you're writing, currently in the process of reading the princess bride au and the writing for that is so good)

post this is referring to

i am so glad you asked my friend!! here is my reasoning behind each of the different birds I chose for Grian:

season 6: Cory's Shearwater

Grian based in the ocean for this season, and shearwaters are sea dwelling birds! I also wanted a bird with brown and white feathers, the brown so that it matched Grian's hair, and the white for poultry man. His feathers are much more tame because he's still finding his feet within the hermitcraft server, hence why they match his hair

season 7: Crimson Macaw

pesky bird!! Grian based in the jungle this season, and now that he's more adjusted to the server, he's perfectly fine with showing off!

season 8: European Starling

listen I know everyone hates these guys cause they're an invasive species but come on, they look absolutely stunning. hang on, let me get a better picture of them just so you can see their plumage better

absolutely gorgeous. I thought it fit his season 8 base, the midnight alley, very well, with its mystical and magical vibe. also, starlings are very social creatures, which matches up with boatem very well. also if you've ever seen a murmuration of these flying at night, it's absolutely terrifying and beautiful at the same time, and that combination of horror and beauty really matches the season 8 feeling

season 9: Hermit Thrush

going back to our brown roots, season 8 was pretty stressful, so I'd like to imagine he wanted to take season 9 more calm and relaxed, hence the feathers matching his hair. Also, hermit thrushes live in mountainous areas, which fits in with his rocky base. Finally, I saw that the hermit thrush was a brown mountain bird with the name "hermit" attached to it and it was just too good of an opportunity to pass up

season 10: Kingfisher

this one is pretty self explanatory, Grian's entire thing so far for this season is taking it slow, and kingfishers are known for their patience. Also, fishing. I think about 80% of what Grian's done on hermitcraft so far is fishing. so he gets the fish bird

thanks for sending in this ask and letting me ramble! I love birds and I love hermitcraft so this was very fun for me :]

(and thank you!! the princess bride au has been very fun to write, so I'm glad you're enjoying it <3)

[writingmochi]

! "untitled #3: writer's edition" tag game !

credits to that anon who gave an ask on @/fairyofshampgyu's blog + idk what to name it so i just do that instead lmao

rules: write your favorite thing you’ve written, the least favorite, and one you think deserved more hype! then also post a screenshot of your recently saved on pinterest (just so it looks pretty)

tagged by: smiles @boba-beom! you've been posting so much more fics i haven't keep up yet :") but thanks for tagging me! this is fun!

another episode of lissie, the breaker of the chain. also warning: profanity, i will fucking curse + don't mind me expanding it. still creds to that anon though. i freaking adore you for asking that

part 1. favorite work(s) i've written (aka @/writingmochi staple and a must-read for people who finds my blog for the first time [welcome, new followers! hope you enjoy them!]):

crossroads, a enhypen jay one-shot

still is the proudest fic i've ever written. very studio ghibli (according to @/jeongwins) and also very movie-like. @/orochxi melodramas got me in the feels to write this but this is more wholesome that viv's memento mori-coded fics lmao... fun fact: this is almost a nct chenle fic inspired by parasite (2019) hence the fish-out-of-water scenario

troubled pixies, a txt taehyun one-shot two-shot

definitely my favorite character-building-wise. the fact that i have to figure out not only mc + taehyun but also the sisters, their partners, and the sisters' parents' characteristics here is so complicated yet fun, especially how intricate it is. also currently my longest one-shot i've written (52k) that tumblr hates it so much, it has to be divided into two :") (also, this is one of @/boba-beom's fav fics. i've successfully infected her with 80s/90s songs hehehe) + istg mc here is a definite lux lisbon if she live in 90s instead of the 70s, complete with the chainsmoking and her taste in 90s alt songs

time wave, a txt yeonjun series

now, this is my favorite world-building-wise. i made haeyang this intricate place and setting with its supernatural aspect only some people get (you will know when you read). before writing this, i know i had to make a life is strange (2013) inspired au because it is one of my favorite story-based games of all time. and i’m proud that it kinda becomes its own self especially with my own twists on it. hope you are ready because the [redacted] spin-off will be posted around october! fun fact: this was supposed to be written for stray kids han

part 2. least favorite work i've written:

a story of two broken hearts, a enhypen jake series

i am still proud of this even though it is my least favorite!!!! why, you ask? because this is the first building block of my blog as a whole which is then continue with time wave's chapters as i honed my writing skill. it is the shortest one-shot currently (at 9k though which is still considered long-fic) but you could definitely sense my style even with that. and i don't wanna change it any other way... :]

part 3. work(s) that deserve more hype:

smirch, a txt and enhypen series

I SWEAR TO FUCKING GOD! THIS IS ALSO ONE OF MY FAV FIC TO WORLD-BUILD AND I'M SO SAD THIS DOESN'T DESERVE MORE HYPE ABOUT IT! i made a social media au style of the characters' intro/profile and i also allow you guys to talk to them if you want and help with the world-building. please make their world grow so it can also motivate me to write this series! + this is a naughty teen series but not euphoria-esque, if you like skins uk especially gen 1 with tony, cassie, and a little bit of effy, please consider reading this :")

isobel, a txt soobin one-shot

this deserves more hype because tumblr let me down by not putting it in the tags aaaaaaaaaaaaa i re-post this 10 fucking times istg and ughhhh D: D: if you like magical realism or any of the genres written at the top, please consider reading it too

pizzeria run, a enhypen sunoo one-shot

the more time this fic is available on my blog, i have accumulated a few thoughts: (1) enhablr peeps are horny and like smut more than any other creative writing genre; (2) enhablr peeps don't read sunoo fics like they read heeseung/sunghoon/jungwon/niki's; and (3) enhablr peeps don't like anything except for romance. and that is sad to me because there are so many writers who write any topic other than romance or smut that is as great. so, if you want something different or if you like horror, do consider reading this one :D

part 4. recently saved pins on pinterest:

all of them are smirch post-episode updates! since the last entry is jay's, most of them are what happened to jay and mc after jay's episode (and one for heeseung's post-episode update). more pins will come soon as i make my moodboard for a few of my fics public!

tagging: my fellow writer mutuals @orochxi @impuritywritings @tyunlatte @heart2beom, my favorite seonghwa ateez writer @tenelkadjowrites and any other writers who want to join!

p.s. if someone tags me this tag game again when i've posted ateez fics, I'll definitely include one of them in here!

[nevillegoddardsblog]

Romanticising Manifesting

Lexii posted this message on YouTube. I liked it a lot, hence I'm posting it here as well. This wasn't written by me. Enjoy reading it!

why aren’t you romanticizing your life?

it’s such a helpful technique to live in the end, plus it helps with self concept and manifestation :D

definition of romanticizing:

deal with or describe in an idealized way; make something better and more appealing than it is

step 1:

find out who YOUR dream person is, not everyone else’s. your desires. not what people tell you to look like okay? its you, not them.

what do they look like?

what’s their signature scent?

what’s their routine?

a day in their life?

their income?

their personality?

their social life?

their school life?

etc

step 2:

create your own dream routine. when you wake up, what do you want to do? slip out of your soft silk pyjamas, stretch, have an iced glass of lemon water, do pilates, have a smoothie bowl for breakfast? sip coffee in fingerless gloves, an oversized hoodie, scroll on your new laptop as you gaze out a rainy window? drink a monster and go skateboarding for an hour? read and practice a new language? make subliminals? stream or edit a youtube video for an hour with a vanilla milkshake? go shopping?

step 3:

play pretend! when you wake up, act like the prettiest person in the world, your dream self, because YOU ARE. wear that outfit you were saving for when you achieved your desired body because you already have it? do that hairstyle you wanted to because your hair is already perfect and idealized. write those pretty notes in school and walk like you own the place because you do. you are your dream self.

step 4:

scripting, affirming, subliminals, meditation, visualizing! do whatever you want! create your own routine. for romanticizing, I use journaling/scripting! for example, i wake up and write in my “manifestation journal” (a special journal i made custom to my liking, set intentions on, script/affirm in) something like this:

dear diary, today i woke up 111x prettier than i was yesterday. i literally had the best day ever; my self concept was on point, everything worked on my favour and i manifested so many things! i’m stunning, and my body is just even more perfect than i imagined it to be! i think of things i desire and they come true, because i am a master manifestor and it is the law. i am my own sugar daddy, i give myself everything i want instantly. i am the one who has it all, etc.

this is completely customizable and you can put WHATEVER you want in it!

affirming:

you can customize and make affirmations that make you feel like your dream self. for example: -i am the embodiment of aphrodite and venus, of love and beauty -logic? who’s that? i only know success -my life is more perfect than perfection itself -my presence is the only thing needed for people to fall in love with me ETC! ANYTHING YOU LIKE, that makes YOU feel good and like YOUR dream self, say it, think it, repeat it!

subliminals:

listen to subliminals whenever YOU want. YOU give yourself results, they’re just tools. you can also use placebo effect for music -i found this playlist on spotify for manifesting: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3jI...

visualize:

you can create a pretty scene of your dream life and dream self and repeat it, daydream like a pretty person and really FEEL that scene. you can also use pinterest for inspiration, make vision/manifesting boards, etc. meditation and visualization usually go hand in hand, but meditation is just a way to relax and calm yourself, and you can romanticize it too :)

conclusion:

do what makes YOU feel like your dream self; a pretty person, a perfect person… it’s YOU!

[silverhallow]

I'm really sorry you're feeling a bit low and don't know what to do or if you should keep on doing what you like(d). I'm pretty sure the momentary lack of response has nothing to do with you or the quality of your work though! I can only imagine how lonely it can feel out there in the virtual world/social media and every missing like, comment or reaction might seem like a rejection or dislike. Please don't forget there might be a 1000 different reasons... part/1

... (that have absolutely nothing to do with you!) why you don't get this or that reaction. People might be too busy, stressed out, have work/family problems or are going through a little rough patch. I get it, we got so used to measure success with likes and comments that a lack thereof can seem like a failure. But it is not! Try no to worry too much about it, treat yourself to a little 'me-time' taking care of you and wait a bit before you get back to it all. part/2

Who knows, maybe tomorrow or in a few days or next week everything falls back into place and people are ready to show you their appreciation. Btw, posting how you feel instead of disappearing without a word is so important so I applaud you for that! Thank you for this little reminder to show our appreciation and gratitude more vocally. part/3

So, since I'm already here, I'm gonna use this opportunity to tell you how much I appreciate everything you do! Every single one of your fics/AUs is such a joy to read and it amazes me how you keep on coming up with new stories and ideas. Don't ever doubt yourself or dare to think anything is boring or dull! Your great👏🏼👑😊😘(was looking for a bowing emoji but alas didn't find one, hence the crown😉😂) part/4

Wow Nonnie, thank you for such a long ask! i think this might be the longest one i've ever gotten!!

i totally understand that people are busy and have far better things to do than read my work. I think i'd just gotten so used to have at least one comment the following morning that when i didn't it sort of made me confuse and wonder if it was me. Like never apologise to me for not reading my work yet... i get it. I post like a machine and you guys have lives (and yes i am human... May I can practically see you screaming that I am a robot...)

Because of the way that things had been going, there was less engagement in my asks unless people were wanting sneak peaks and I was doing the rose game... or it was me asking you guys for things, made me honestly wonder if I was the problem.

Work's been a lot lately, and not even because i'm busy but because of the opposite. i've got a lot of pressure on one case i'm working and it's stressful and people don't seem to be supportive of that but cause I'm not actually in my usual department it's even harder.

I am very much alone at work. the nearest person to me that does the same job to me is a 110 miles away.

I used to measure the success of my stories on hits and kudos and the likes but after a minor meltdown over a year ago I stopped caring about them. I was getting interactions for a set of regulars (some of whom no longer comment on my work but I think still read it...) and that was enough.

but because i'm feeling so out of sorts with my professional life, i've thrown myself into this a bit more and it's...crept in here.

seriously like sometimes to a writer just the one comment can lift their spirits. we do this for free... like I spend a lot of my free time doing this, (and not free time as I write at work as well) so when the comments and the interactions stop... it makes me wonder why i'm doing this.

I don't have my comments moderated and i allow guests to post comments, and I have my asks on Anon so that people can share without feeling shy.

I am always grateful for the interaction and it's what makes it all the more worth it.

I am not the sort of person who can keep in her feelings, it will either show on my face or i have to get them off my chest or they will actually consume me. i've had so many issues in the past with no opening up and sharing so it's why I will sometimes have these little wobbles and rambles about it but usually below a cut because not everyone wants to read about my anxiety and my issues.

but i think we all need the reminder, I used to be so bad at it but I have to practise what i preach, it's why I will send my favourite author's asks about their stories, wanting to know some of the minor details, wanting to know more.

its why i will reply to people's posts and why i will ALWAYS reply to comments! even if its a thank you for reading because it's so important that people know we've read them!

But thank you so much for your lovely and sweet comments in part 4. it is wonderful to know that people aren't sick of me yet... I couldn't do this without you guys because I've spent enough years with the stories in my head and not writing them down and you guys constantly wanting new AUs and new stories is the reason I am still doing this and i am onto my 284 Bridgerton Story...

Thank you for reaching out and saying all these lovely things and to everyone else who reached out yesterday. I am feeling better... not masses but a bit. it's good to know that you guys still appreciate me.

[detective4blog]

DNI (and other information!)

The things that are starred are a trigger of mine, hence why they are here. I didn't think I'd have to make one of these, apologies for doing so. Things aren't under "read more" because that's glitchy, sorry.

-Blogs centered around pro//shipping and anti//shipping. I just don't want the energy from either side here I'm fucking tired /nm.

-TERF or whatever the fuck else you fucks call yourselves.

-P//dophile* or p//do supporter*

-Neo nazi*/racist/homophobic

-Support cringe culture

-Write sm/t of Agent 47/Diana, s/exulize him and Diana*

-If you do not think poly relationships are valid/if you think polyamorus people don't belong in LGBTQ+

-If you bash Dean Winchester*

-If you ship D//ckerst//r*

-K//orkie Ke//nobi theorists*

-Anti MOGAI

-If you bash Satine Kyzie*

-If you ship R//xsoka

-Panphobic*

-Ace/aro exclusionist/phobic

-Exclusionists

-If you don't support neopronouns. If you clowns interact I get to take your fucking knees.

-French (this one is a joke please laugh I am so funny)

Other Info

-If mutuals fall under some of the more specific DNI categories (ex shipping something), you don't have to unfollow. This applies only to mutuals

-I am not the best at tagging things with a tw, please tell me if you need something tagged, I will do it!! I tag as "tw *insert thing*".

-I do take requests for edits and writing. I will not do anything that violates the things listed above (inc//st, p//do, etc). Any NSFT content should be requested on my NSFT side blog, @detective4sideblog.

-My vent posts will be tagged with "rayx vents" so feel free to block that. I also post quite a lot against BBC's Sherlock, and will tag that with "Sherlock bashing", "anti BBC's Sherlock", and I think "tw Sherlock bashing". Again, feel free to block those.

-I consume media critically but in a silent sort of way so I can still find enjoyment in it. Obviously if it's something huge like the racism in The Bad Batch I'll reblog stuff. Idk this is just how I am lmao.

-I try to use tone tags more, please let me know if you need them in DM conversations and I will use them.

-Don't be afraid to ask me if I'm in a fandom, chances are I either am and forgot all about it, I am not (but have interest!), have mutuals who are in it so I rb for them, or I am not in it but wanted to support the CC!! I will also make edits for fandoms I am not in, but I won't write (sorry)

-My AO3 account, Wattpad, (I have other socials but I'm too lazy to list).

-Don't be afraid to hit me up! I am always happy to chat.

-Here's a link for world issues since I had to unpin that post for this one.

-Ways to support Palestine if you can't donate

-A good master post of ways to support Palestine

-I made a Pronouny!!

-My Self Ship Blog

-Uhh use any of my names <3

-A post of how to make the ringing stop that I'm saving here because it's saving my sanity

[tuber-culosis]

I've been reading through a lot of radfem blogs and posts lately. and gotta say, i'm leaning a lot towards radical feminism. And im definitely gender critical.

but one topic I want to talk about in particular is the criticism of Islam.

Which I feel is totally valid considering the current state of mainstream islam and Muslims.

Mainstream Islam (is what you see on all social media, seemingly practised by a lot of Muslims) IS sexist. And homophobic. There's no use denying it, neither do I think I'm a bad Muslim for not supposedly defending my own religion. You have to recognise the flaws in your own system to improve and progress.

Then arises the question why am I still Muslim then/ why do I still practise Islam? If I recognise the way it is practised is sexist and homophobic, which are things I'm against?

The difference lies in my belief that "mainstream Islam" is much different from the root of Islam.

Many (read: a LOT, not all) modern Muslims have been influenced by ultra conservative movements that want to return Islam to the way they believe was practised during the time of the Prophet (pbuh), ie; some centuries back. This is propagated by the ideas of Salafism and Wahhabism that frankly, prevent progress, reform or any sort of growth in Muslim communities.

I personally have witnessed this in my own country, India, where women are increasingly wearing the hijab and even full body covering purdahs, not talking to the opposite gender, men not looking a woman other than their wives in the eye, etc compared to when my mother was a child, when almost all Muslim women dressed in normal comfortable clothes and there were no much gender segregations. (Gender segregation still existed to a certain degree due to conservative Indian culture ofc)

This radicalisation led to the development of ultra conservative Muslims who enforce sexist, homophobic and separatist policies in the name of God.

They claim to want to return to "true Islam" but they add so many unnecessary rules and regulations you have to follow in order to be a "true Muslim" that are almost so impossible to follow I can vouch I have unconciously broken like 50 of them in one day maybe. These "laws" are derived from:

1. The hadith

2. Arab culture

3. Poor translation of the Quran to fit these radical ideals.

Explaining each of these in a little more detail,

1. A lot of practising Muslims might come at me for this one, but I feel that considering the hadith to be a holy source of guidance and believing everything in the Hadith when there are so many contradictions and logical fallacies, is foolish.

For those who have no clue what the hadith is, Islam basically has the Qur'an, which is, as we believe, a holy book revealed by God to the Prophet (pbuh), which acts as divine guidance on how to live life as a good person. It has rules, suggestions, and guidance to take desicions on a lot of everyday matters we face. It was a godsend (hehe pun fully intended) to women, who weren't even allowed to own property back then. Muslims believe that the Quran is guaranteed againt corruption by God, as revealed in one of the verses. Therefore, to a believer, it is THE book to consult, and the verses will never change, no matter how many years pass. There's actually a really interesting way the Quran is coded, so people can know if it has been tampered with or not, if anyone is interested. But the bottom line is, for a Muslim, the verses of Quran cannot be challenged. There are various INTERPRETATIONS of said verses, but the core Arabic text is the same.

Now there is a secondary source of guidance in the form of Hadith, which is literature that claims to record things the Prophet (pbuh) has said in his lifetime. The problem I find, along with other hadith critics, is that it was compiled much later after the death of the Prophet. Muslims argue that these hadiths were passed down in a proper recorded chain of transmitters that can assure the message hasn't been altered or tampered with. The problem is, that the standard used then was just how reliable was a person's memory and how trustworthy they were, and they did not actually judge the actual content of the hadith. So even if a hadith hypothetically said "Kill all the disbelievers", (which, fyi, it does NOT) and it had a reliable chain of recorders, it would be accepted as "sahih" (trustworthy) hadith, even though it clearly goes against the guidelines of the Quran, where it says there shall be no compulsion in religion (which implies you cannot just murder anyone who refuses to believe/ believes another religion). If one actually examined the content of this imaginary hadith, it would be easy to see it's tampered with by people with or without malicious intent (for eg, it might've actually been "You can kill the disbelievers ONLY if they attack you and will not leave you and your family alone") or some may not even remotely be the words of the Prophet, as he only followed the Quran.

Also, the integrity of the Hadith isn't guaranteed by God anywhere in the Quran. To know more about this, I suggest you read this link , and this one.

So yeah, I take hadith with a (large) grain of salt. So I will not be including them in my discussion obviously.

Now a lot of these hadith have been fabricated, as established, or reflect something that was applicable specifically in that time and setting, seeing that the Prophet was an ordinary man who couldn't predict the future or know about all the different cultures of the world.

So even if the headscarf was a part of Arabian attire, that doesn't mean it has to be assimilated into our cultures now. Just because prostitutes used to pluck all their eyebrows out to signify that they are prostitutes (sex work is forbidden in Islam, because of the negative impact on women and society), doesn't mean that women are not allowed to pluck their eyebrows now.

Following these hadith blindly without considering for a moment that hey, these might be outdated, seeing it isn't meant for all time periods like the Quran, and half of these contradict themselves, maybe we shouldn't consider this as an authority on rules in Islam. Personally, I don't believe anything is forbidden that is mentioned as such solely in the Hadith, and not in the Quran.

But the staunch belief in all of these Hadith leads to micromanaging of women, and literally everyone else. Few ridiculous examples include:

women can't pluck their eyebrows

men can't wear silk or gold, and they need to grow beards

music and dance is forbidden (seriously???)

the Prophet married a literal child of nine years (no do not try to justify it as "it was acceptable back then". According to the Qur'an it wasn't. Girls had to be mature enough to reject or agree to marriages and literal children can't do that. There is plenty of research to prove that Aisha (ra), his wife, was at the very least 19 or 20. Again a case of unreliable and maybe purposefully manipulated Hadith. Scholars and people who uphold the theory that Aisha was 9, and hence, child marriage is legal are pedophiles through and through)

I feel that if anything, hadith should be considered with the authority of historical commentary, giving us more context to the times, and should never be blindly trusted just because a lot of scholars say it is a "sahih" (trusted) hadith.

Also a main feature of Islam is that you don't need an extra priest (no offence to religions who have priests) or a scholar to tell you things and intervene with God for you. You have a holy book, your own common sense and humanity, and you pray to establish a connection with God. Scholars are secondary OPINIONS who can provide insight from their knowledge and research to people who want it, but by no means any authority on things, just like hadith.

2. Arab culture and society, especially back the times that radicals want to emulate, was heavily patriarchal. Islam gave women rights and protection, but they were still limited by the cultural norms of that era.

What these people actually want is to return society to Arabic culture in that time period. (Exhibit A: the abaya/purdah for women and khandoorah for men. exhibit B: sex-segregated spaces)

Back then, women were expected to be caretakers and mothers, and men were expected to be the strong masculine protector.

Enforcing said cultural norms into modern day Islam is ridiculous. Saying that women rarely left the house back then, hence women shouldn't leave their houses now is the same as saying there weren't phones back then, so I shouldn't use one now. Would you ever give up your phones? So how about we do the same to women's autonomy and freedom? Adapt to modern times like regular humans?

If women were meant to stay at home, and meant to just rear children, and never meant to be seen in public, and never meant to be seen by the opposite sex, as extremists say "is God's will", then why is none of this found in the Quran? Do you seriously believe that God, describe multiple times as All-forgiving and generous and kind, would ever persecute women to such a fate? If you do believe that, then maybe you need to re-examine in the nature of God that you believe in. Also if you tell me the "it's for their safety" gimmick, I will flip out. It has been proved multiple times that a woman's dressing has nothing whatsoever to do with why men rape.

Sure, Islam advocates for modesty in dressing, for both sexes. Both are called to not stare rudely (many Muslim men seem to forget that part of the verse, strangely), both are advised to dress in modest, comfortable, clean and practical attire. Never once is anything remotely like "YOU'LL GO TO HELL IF YOU EXPOSE YOUR ELBOW, WOMAN". But the way modern Muslims enforce the dress code (some even going to the lengths of saying women shouldn't wear BRIGHT COLOURED CLOTHES, so as to not attract attention!!! I'm looking at you, Mufti Menk), you'd think that God says something much worse than that. Infact God pulls out Uno reverse, and encourages us to dress as beautifully as we want, especially when visiting the mosque.

3. A lot of English translations of the Quran come from Saudi Arabia. A country famous for its conservative practise of Islam. While the original Arabic text cannot be changed, a lot of these translations include information in parantheses that add "rules" based on the above mentioned factors, that a casual reader or a new Muslim who doesn't know Arabic will consider to be authentic rules of the Quran, extrapolated from the verse, and not extra additions that are often derived from hadith. A very good example of this is the headcover verse, which you can see in this link.

Even all the hostility surrounding homosexual people has been derived from cultural influences and one set of verses. From around 6000 verses, just a single set passingly mention homosexuality. Don't you think that if it truly were such a great sin, God would have explicitly forbidden it? Also why would he create such a natural variation in sexuality and then forbid it? Why isn't it forbidden for animals then? Is all-loving God that cruel to create this natural and healthy attraction in them and then explicitly forbid it when straight people get to marry and live life in bliss? (Please don't say that "God also created pedophilia, and that's natural, so by this logic shouldn't we allow that too?" because pedophilia IS NOT HEALTHY, AT ALL. IT'S IS A DISORDER. Unlike homosexuality) I'm also not picking and choosing things to fit my lifestyle, as some might say, as I am straight, and the only reason I support the LGBT community because I have basic humanity?? And they're humans who deserve rights and joy and freedom and acceptance just like the rest of us.

There have been reformed translations of Quran which examine the verse without prior bias against LGBT people, and they have presented an alternate translation, that the verse condemns sexual assault, which happened to be homosexual in the particular story. Check out this link too, which explains how closely examining the words used could change the meaning from one thing to another.

What I attempted to prove in this extremely long post is that the practise of a religion isn't necessarily the reflection of its true nature.

There are progressive open-minded people who believe in Islam because it gives them hope and solace. People who believe because core beliefs of Islam aligned with their own views and simple logic.

NOT to say there aren't religious bigots who will totally use religion to manipulate people into oppressing themselves or other people. There are, there are a LOT of people like that who call themselves "scholars". And there are a lot of people who follow these extremely harmful regressive version of Islam without critically thinking about what they are following.

I've seen a post discussing the meaning of the word Islam, which means submission to God. It said that it implies total submission, without questioning what we believe.

That is an argument used by both religious extremists to further their beliefs, and by the opposite side, who say the religion is oppressive.

I wish to present a view that Islam itself tells us to think critically, to use our brains to question everything and anything we believe. And then to arrive at our own conclusions. And if you're a decent, kind human, those beliefs maybe align with Islam (not saying that if you're not Muslim, you're horrible, that is not what I meant at all). And if the opinion between people differs, there's always logic and reasoning behind every rule that is presented in the Quran. Don't believe me? Here's the verse that tells people not to blindly follow their parents' religion. And here's a list of verses about critical thinking.

The reason we (atleast reformist Muslims) submit to God is because we questioned it, we came to the conclusion that Hey! This is right. I can submit to my Creator by, who is basically the consciousness that created everything and is the source of all goodness, love and strength, because the rules mentioned here make sense and they privde a moral framework for me to base important desicions on. They feel right. And there is logic behind everything written in this.

I don't mean to present Islam as an all-perfect amazing religion everyone should believe and that I'm right, everyone else, especially those liberal atheists who criticise my religion are wrong and WILL BURN IN HELL. I consider Islam a perfect moral framework, and that's my business only. Anyone can follow what they want and it's none of my business. In fact there is no compulsion in religion at all, and people who say Muslim or go to hell are wrong imo.

What I intended was to paint a picture of reformist Muslims who are still out there, who follow the religion because they questioned it. And not the religion as this stringent rule book we all have to follow down to a t, micromanaging every aspect of our lives and living in perpetual fear of hell, but rather this basic moral guide that teaches us tact, compassion and justice, to bring us closer to God spiritually. I wanted to show that the majority isn't always reflective of what I think is the true core of Islam.

I feel that many practises in the name of Islam are highly questionable and should be criticized, but I also want people to know that the people who seemingly represent the religion, are not representative of the entire mass of believers. That sometimes the practises you might criticize might have nothing to do with the actual religion, atleast according to some of us. It was also for fellow Muslims who might be in the same place I was a few years ago, questioning everything I had learnt was part of my religion.

This is also NOT to undermine struggles of people forced to follow Islam and its seeming requirements like hijab. This is not to claim that nope, every Muslim is fine and ok, and we're all peaceful progressive people. In fact I wish to do the exact opposite, to show that people who enforce oppressive policies in the name of Islam aren't actually backed by the religion and neither should they be backed by other Muslims. I'm also not trying to say no one should criticize Islam. Criticism helps us grow. Criticism is necessary to uncover oppression and eradicate it. So by all means, criticize.

I'm so glad I found the subreddit r/progressive_Islam when I did because it helped me a lot, and opened me to other like-minded progressive Muslims, who actively hope to counter the negative effects of Salafism and conservatism that is overtaking Islam.

So yeah, I think I covered almost everything I wanted to talk about and here's a final link that pretty much just states my position on things.

PS idk why this thingy is in different colours it just seemed cooler and less boring to read

[imjustmarcy]

My Ao3 review of the year??

So, because I have nothing better to do, here: have a list of every fic (mainly bnha, oops) that I posted this year, sorted by different AUs and plot bc holy shit I made like 4 series this year-

Endeavor-centric:

The day that wasn't (x) (5k) Gonna be honest, not a big fan of Endeavor, but my pal Platypus mentioned their dream they had and well, this was born. Basically Endeavor getting hit with a Quirk that turns him into a ghost and makes so he's forced to follow his children around and hear what they really think of him. With a sprinkle of DabiHawks

Hawks-centric:

The Discovery (x) (1k) so my brain decided to write aromatic bisexual Hawks bc self project much and this is just a small piece of him finding out he's aro.

Very self indulgent DabiHawks plus Mar projecting onto Hawks again:

The bird that forgot how to fly (x) (2k) just some hurt/comfort that I wrote to vent

Dabihawks as parents:

Yes I am indeed that bitch. Now prepare yourself bc I wrote A LOT about this...

Phoenix (x) (20k) basically the introduction to the story of Ryu, the DabiHawks kid, and chapter two goes more in depth about him and his best friends. Chapter one is more DabiHawks centric, and chapter 3 is just a mister dump of extra info.

A (not really) spooky Halloween (x) (3k) Halloween special of Ryu trying to sneak out to a haunted house with his friends. Spoiler: his dads know and just decide to fuck with him.

Ryu's little time travel adventure (x) (6k) Ryu gets hit with a Quirk that sends him to the past, before his idiotic dads were even together. There will be a next part to this but at this rate it will have to be posted sometime in January so...

The new League of Villains (x) (7k) so Mar's monkey brain wanted to make a part with Ryu becoming a villain so... He's vry badass and formes the Dragon Alliance, aka the new LOV, with the help of his best friends and with the purpose of destroying the Hero Commission :D

Dabihawks has Ryu, but it's crack:

There's a lot more crack works for the Dragon Verse than there is for the 'Canon' story... Oh well

Sneaky is my middle name (or not) (x) (4k) Hawks has a big ass mouth and lets it slip he has a son and is married. Dabi is not amused.

Who's the dad? (x) (4k) follow-up to that disaster and poor attempt at a social media fic. The internet is smart and everyone already suspects that #DabiIsTheDad

Should've keep it in your pants (x) (4k) inspired by the amazing fic 'Stolen Fried Chicken'. Where Hawks discovers that his son's dad is very much not dead. Ft Natsuo and Hawks being the best bros and having one braincell between the two of them.

Dabi's Biggest Secret(s) (x) (3k) the Todorokis find a bunch of old flash drives with their older brother's videos and discover he used to date Hawks and had a kid with him before they even graduated high school :D

Hawks makes a scene (x) (2k) complementary to the previous part, with Hawks finding out Touya is not dead and proceeding to scream at his face in front of the entire League because he left Hawks and his son to belive he was dead.

Dabi the waking cryptid (x) (1k) modern college AU with no quirks?? I guess. So the league is all curious about why does Dabi never hangs out with them. Guy's just busy with his model and actor fiancé, his studies, and their son.

Again very self indulgent DabiHawks but it's Angel and demon AU.

Angel wings and demon instincts (x) (6k) Dabi is a demon and gets sent to earth to cause havoc, Hawks is an angel sent to find Dabi and keep him from causing havoc. They gay for each other. That's it.

An angel's first time (x) (1k) the first smut I write in the past 4 years or so, still demon and angel AU.

Shiggy, Hawks and Dabi being childhood friends <3

The Terror Trio (x) (2k) those three as childhood friends + their reunion, with a sprinkle or Shiggy/Natsuo and DabiHawks at the end.

The de-aged Terror Trio (or the little menaces, according to Aizawa Shota) (x) (5k) the Terror Trio get de-aged and found by Aizawa, who takes them to UA. They almost make class 1A have a heart attack.

Converting Eri to chaos, a guide by the Terror Trio (x) (5k) the de-aged Terror Trio bonds with Eri and they cause havoc at UA. A fourth and maybe last part on the works.

Yay for even more self indulgent DabiHawks:

The mysterious case of Hawks' boyfriend (x) (2k) Hawks is already dating Dabi, everyone at his agency are snoopy bitches and want to know the tea.

FINALLY, SOMETHING THAT'S NOT BNHA! My vld rewrite:

My Blood (x) (800) Lance is Altean and Allura is his cousing. Lotor is his half-brother. Klance and Lotura. The og version (the Spanish version, being published in my wattpad) is currently about halfway through the story, with 30 chapters. I'm working on translating this one and posting it on AO3, hence the low word count.

Aaaaand that's it. I just started writing in English this year, and that sort of really boosted my creativity, since I started posting stuff on AO3 just this past September, so to post this much fics in that amount of time... Damn. Will update the post if I manage to finish this I'm writing for Christmas/Ryu's birthday/Hawks' birthday.

[eroticcannibal]

Ok I am going to demonstrate why “scary” diagnosis are not an indicator that someone MUST be abusive or toxic since y’all like to freak out after reading the first thing on google. (Mind you, even proffesionals aren’t immune to being ridiculous about these disorders.)

Covering ASPD for now, I’ll do NPD later, feel free to poke me to do others.

ASPD: (DSMV)

1. Disregard and violation for others rights since age 15 as demonstrated by one of these seven features:

a: Failure to obey laws and norms by engaging in behavior which results in criminal arrest, or would warrant criminal arrest (As a leftist queer, I would like to point out that anyone ticking this box has a damn good chance of not being a bad person. In fact failure to tick this box could indicate being a bad person! This criteria has literally been used against marginalised people and activists to pathologise their work and their suffering. And no, many proffesionals do not care to distinguish between meeting this criteria for good or bad reasons. Laws are not morals.)

b: Lying, deception, and manipulation, for profit or self-amusement (How “abusive” or “toxic” this is does depend on how far it goes, small children also engage in this behaviour and it’s.... honestly just funny most of the time. Context is important. Probably more likely to be a sign of shittiness than A, but also not required for diagnosis)

c: Impulsive behaviour (litterally not a sign of abuse or toxicity, ALSO contradicts point 1, impulsivity is.... impulsive. It’s hard to control and often does NOT match up with desires, so impulsive behaviour that causes harm to someone cannot be assumed to indicate that person has a disregard for others)

d: Irritability and aggression, manifested as frequently assaults others, or engages in fighting (this can be a sign of anything from a disregard of others to learning difficulties or a sign of abuse in the home or a sign of being frequently bullied, something others in the person’s life may miss and therefore chalk the behavior up to a disregard for others. Also not required for diagnosis.)

e: Blatantly disregards safety of self and others, (have y’all heard of autism? Also even if malicious, not required for diagnosis)

f: A pattern of irresponsibility (since age 15? SHOCKING. Sounds like a teenager. Also not required for diagnosis. also also not to go off on one here about the double standards between the mentally ill and the “””sane”””” but y’all can’t take responsibility for shit either, hence this post)

g: Lack of remorse for actions (remorse isn’t required to be a good person, what sounds better: someone who is so remorseful that they are paralyzed by their guilt, or someone who may not feel remorse, but can still realise that their actions were negative and can still choose to make ammends? Also judging this one in others is iffy, I was accused of not feeling remorse for something I was arrested for.... which was false, I just don’t display emotions clearly on my face. My child was accused of lacking remorse by their school when they were litterally TOO YOUNG TO PROPERLY PROCESS WHAT THEY HAD DONE WRONG which almost set them on a path to this very diagnosis! Further down the line we are both seeking an ADHD diagnosis, not ASPD.)

2: Person is over age 15

3: Conduct disorder was present before age 15 (are y’all gonna judge adults as abusive based on childhood actions? Cus then ur all abusive, kids can be shits.)

4: antisocial behaviour does not occur in the context of schizophrenia or bipolar.

ICD criteria:

Personality disorder, usually coming to attention because of a gross disparity between behaviour and the prevailing social norms (you get the gist by now, not necessarily a morally bad thing), and characterized by at least 3 of the following:

1. callous unconcern for the feelings of others; (probably a dick move, not required for diagnosis)

2. gross and persistent attitude of irresponsibility and disregard for social norms, rules and obligations; (social norms often BAD tho so......)

3. incapacity to maintain enduring relationships, though having no difficulty in establishing them; (nothing about the cause for this, certainly not a guarantee of toxic or abusive behaviour)

4. very low tolerance to frustration and a low threshold for discharge of aggression, including violence; (where is the agression and violence directed? Again not necessarily an indicator of toxicity or abuse nor required for diagnosis)

5. incapacity to experience guilt and to profit from experience, particularly punishment; (basically covered this one under the DSM remorse bit)

6. marked proneness to blame others, or to offer plausible rationalizations, for the behaviour that has brought the patient into conflict with society (oh boy this one sounds like victim blaming too, especially given, say, how many black people are diagnosed with ASPD......)

There may also be persistent irritability as an associated feature.  (oooh, scary)  Conduct disorder during childhood and adolescence, though not invariably present, may further support the diagnosis.

SO you see, there is a whole spectrum of possibilities which means that someone can fit the criteria and NOT be an abusive and toxic prick, and even if they were at the time of diagnosis, it does not mean they have continued that behaviour.

[sing-it-out-anonymous]

Open Letter 19

Hi there! How are you during these times of pandemic? Ako, i'm coping up with the current situation. Mas daghan man jud times na wala koy ka storya, and my ideas somehow are shutting off in my head. Scroll-scroll lang permi sa fb and daghan jud kog mga disagreement sa mga post, lami pud mu-react, dili man ko ani dati ahaha so i call it side-effect of the isolation.

Mutuo na ko anang notion nga the more na maka get along ka, hinay-hinay pud na mugawas imong tinuod na color. like me, at first sa tumblr newbie pa ulaw-ulaw kuno kay murag tanga ga sulat og mga butang na nahitabo around me, pero kadugayan og sigeg anonymously ranting about anything or stating things here, it really made me comfortable and i can say nga naa nako sa comfort zone nga ibulgar nako sa akong mga readers kung kinsa sad ko, by way of my writings. So bare with me, it’s not like I’m a coward nga I didn’t state my name kung kinsa ko. But this brings me comfort, I can shoutout what I want to state.

So here it is..

First of all, I’m a political science graduate, and I’m proud of it. I didn’t end up working on any non government organizations neither working sa mga government offices. Nag pol sci ko, dili tungod kay gusto ko mahimong governor, senator, mayor, kagawad or unsa pang klaseng rank sa government offices. Tong highschool ko, I really don’t know what I’m going to do after, and when people saw my character, ni-ana sila na nice daw kung maglawyer ko, and then sympre pag lawyer, pol sci jud na ilang prep course. So nag pol sci ko, siguro slight sila ang reason, pero before ko nagpa enroll, I really think this is my destiny. And I never regretted it. Every single day of learning were like “ aha moment” for me. My intellectuality widens, na akong perspective sa kalibutan na maximize. I love learning pol sci, I love learning theories, historical facts atbp. That’s why even nga I didn’t end up sa mga pang pol sci nga trabaho jud, I didn’t regret my choice. And if mubalik ko sa akong past, kani gihapon ang course na gusto na ko e take. I’m a die hard fan of this course. I’m a die hard fan of my teachers, nga maskin karon gina follow nako sila sa fb to get good insights. Kani akong topic run, cause I was scrolling yesterday late at night and I saw someone endorsing Political Science sa mga graduates sa K-12, and I didn’t think she did a good job in endorsing the course. The way I read it, mura bag wala jud niya na-tagamtaman ang gina offer sa course. So sad. Pol Sci iyang prep course sa college, pero murag dili sia graduate of pol sci. What a shame.

Kani tanan questions diri, mao ni ang questions na gipang tubag niya, and I want to put justice sa Pol Sci nga course, dili ni english pero I’ll try my best na e- endorse ni sa uban.. so here it is

Question 1: “Why Did I Choose Political Science”

Yun nga, I told you the history why naka take og Pol Sci. Basically, you will never know the reason man jud, and most of the influences ngano ko nagtake ani is based on my circles. Pero like what I’ve said, I never regretted to be here.

Sa ako nga nahuman nako ni na course, I can say to you that this is a good preparatory course for law school because of its discipline. Tinuod nga mas daghan subjects sa law school na natake up sa Accountancy na course, og mas hasa sila magbasa og law subjects kay yun nga, mao na na ilang training sigeg basa og law like oblicon and the same, ilaha man jud na. naa silay overview, mao mas hasa sila. While ang Pol Sci, 2-3 subjects lang ata ang naa sa Law School: Phil Con, Int’l Law, so sa kana na butang kulelat jud ang pol sci because dili kana ang pol sci about. Parehas sa akong giingon, ang disiplina sa political science ang reason ngano ideal sia pang preparatory course. We can understand the public policy behind every law, because every law is not just a “law” on its own, but the heart of every law is to safeguard and protect the welfare of the people and only the discipline of political science will help you understand the depth of safeguarding the people, mao mana ang law all about diba? Law school should not be a money making industry and to prevent that of becoming one, I really suggest na magtake up kag pol sci.  being a lawyer in the making, should give you a sense of responsibility and accountability. And ang pol sci jud ang best na prep course for that.

I’m currently working as a staff sa isa ka business and pol sci helped to examine and analyze mga puzzles diri sa office. Coz business is not just about business, its about the people also, the employees, the employer and their relationship. Discipline is really important. Kung ni graduate kag pol sci without its discipline then maypag wala ka nag pol sci dhai.  

 Question 2: “What is my current job and how long did it take to find a job?”

I’m a licensed real estate broker, currently I am working as non-exclusive broker and as regular staff in a real estate company. Before I graduated College, nag take kog 120 hrs nga course para maka take og board exam sa real estate broker, which means mon to fri school, and Saturday-Sunday lecture time for REB. For my case, dili siya lisud mangita og job since kaila na ko ang tag iya sa company. But as far as I know sa akong mga friends, naay uban nga naka trabaho dayun, og naay uban nga dugay nakakita og trabaho. Mas daghan kog classmate nga nag proceed og law or nag study og balik sa different course-naay uban nag teacher, nag pilot and etc, naa say uban nga nahimo governor, government worker and same. Actually kung imong pangutana, dali ba makakita og trabaho, well dhai depende na siya sa imong attitude mangita og trabaho. Dili na siya sa imong kurso. Kung disidido jud ka maningkamot makakita jud dayun ka kay makita mana sa imong “exterior”- sa imong aura. kung tamadun jud ka, wala juy para sa imo. Dili man gud pattern ang kinabuhi nga 1+1=2, in reality kelangan jud ikaw mismo naa kay pananaw sa kalibutan para makasugakod.

Question 3: “Am I using what I learned in college in my current job and/or further studies?”

Of course, parehas sa akong giingon sa Question 1, gina-apply na ko ang discipline sa akong course. Imposible kaayo nga dili ni ma-apply nga tanan tao is a political animal and social being. Tanan tao kay naay influence-either gamay or dako og tanan tao naay measurement sa ilang power. Og dili lang kana, personally kay makahalobilo man sad kog mga clients, ma-apply na ko na kelangan sad nako e- safeguard ilang welfare as buyers and also the employer. Dili man gud all the time imong answer sa tanan problema kay 1+1=2. Naay ubang problema na kelangan e set aside nimo ang answer, sometimes you need to compromise, og ang discipline sa pol sci ang nakatabang ana sa ako-on how to handle spaces of error sa akong circle and to give teeth on the regulations. Teeth is really important, without it, there is no authority. Kana bang social authority, dili enough imong charisma ana og coercive kaayo ka maskin pag ikaw ang tag-iya sa company. Kelangan na ma-balance nimo na para naay loyalty imong tao sa imo.

Question 4: How did Political Science improve my views towards the government, society, and life in general?

Pol Sci really impacted my world views; nga tanan diay is an interconnected beings, especially nga naa ta sa republican state-nga ang tao naa siay freedom of speech whether unsa iyang ika-ingon sa gobyerno. Our right of suffrage entitles us to demand sa atong governement. Second, what pol sci taught me is to really see the facts, kung naa bay historical context behind every dispute, naa bay cultural racism nga nahitabo. Dili pwede sa personal views lang nagadagan tanan, hence, e-base nimo ang imong analyses sa facts and the probabilities. Being a Pol Sci graduate does not entitle me to be opinionated, rather, to see both side of every dispute, and analyses without prejudice. It trained me to detach my self from my point of view. Third,  “understanding” is an understatement kay para sa ako mao na ang main theme sa Pol Sci, if you can’t understand a belief that is contrary to ones beliefs, naa kay kulang sa imong learnings. Dili ka complete kung ang rebuttal nimo is imo lang sang belief. Kung naa jud kay pinaglalaban nga thought, make sure nga gitan-aw nimo ang both sides. Pol Sci in general is about helping us to cooperate sa matag-usa. It should give us an avenue to build bridges. Mao mas lisud-lisud kung mutrabaho kag gobyerno tapos imong disiplina kay naa kay racial discrimination. Importante jud nga ang connection sa gobyerno, society og sa imong individual self kay naay harmony og dapat mao na sia ang goal. Because our reality is not lemons, it’s not simple as ABCDs. Pol Sci is a training ground for interconnectivity. Kung makita nimo ang kalibutan wala sia naga return kung asa sia nag-begin, rather every progress is a process of development either by peace or destruction. And ang discipline sa Pol Sci is to expand the evolution of peace with nations, welfare sa mga tao, og naay collective trust ang tao sa gobyerno, vice versa. Mao na ang realidad jud.

For me pud noh as closing remarks sa Question 4, shut up ka kung colurom ka og wa ka gabayad og tax. haha.

Question 5: What is my advise to people planning to take up Political Science?

Political Science is ideal also for business management, all in one na jud ni nga course. For people na gusto mutrabaho og gobyerno sa maskin unsang aspect, mas nice jud guys na mag Pol Sci mo para naa moy conscience kung mag-corrupt mog kwarta sa bayan.

Og sa general public, love it with all your heart and you will not regret the universe of political science. Ayaw ng pinugos sayang kwarta- may nalang ng kwarta mabalik pa sa imo, pero ang oras sa jud dili na mabalik.

-          End   -

I hope na natagaan na kog justice akong course. Wala jud ko nag sugar coat guys. This is plainly based on my personal experience. I hope nga naingganyo ta mo to have a harmonious living thru learning pol sci. :D

Always,

A

[chrisdarebashfulsmiles]

Step 1: post a picture of a secret location on social media. Make people talk and speculate aout where is the wife. Step 2: purchase an article in a popular website about the new house that you bought including pictures of th every same sport where the wife posed 2 days ago, hence confirming the location. If people don't see how prepared and planned all this was, I have zero hope for humanity. Now the question is, why do they need to prepare and plan all these stunts if they are THE REAL DEAL??

I know Nonnie, this is PR 101. Something laughable but at the same time something that upsets and a lot. And it's understandable, because it could make us think: what will happen next?

We have to be worried? Being in a fandom sometimes it's stressful. And yes, you can support people, but you have to see....in a certain way the finish line. RN I'm laughing and at the same time thinking: D, what have you done/what are you going to do? Nothing will change in my life whatever PR stunts came from that team... But a lot changes in D's life.

Sometimes I have a strong desire to know "the plot". Sometimes I only would like to say " If you read D, we are not paid to be the last straw of your free good PR". Because is what cc are. And we are fed constantly by his real so.

People can call us names but this is the truth and this is what it is. We are almost always willing to see what will happen and I will personally keep watching and listening him all my life because I enjoy it. But I would be a real pain in the ass like no tomorrow If there was something that I don't like. We are not stupid, we observe but we are not endlessly patient. Why am I saying this? Because it's the truth and because a house is a huge PR stunt that I hope it's the big last one I have to see.

Since 2013 I involuntary invested so much ( and gained so much because I have found wonderful friends that I will have in the despite everything) in this "stuff" learning also how to recognize some important things. But I also experienced what means caring too much for a person that I don't really know and there are lines that are important to not be crossed.

I apologize, this reply is too long. But it's even before knowing about the house in the middle of the night that I was wondering why this is acceptable in D and C's point of view. Because folks, nothing has change under the "water"... so...why not a breach?

Anyway, again. Yes is PR, yes it was coming. Yes it's stupid. And not only because free PR has limitations. I know I'm a broken record but everybody everywhere should be wiser.

(It's 3:25 am here so be kind if there are typos) :)

[flowersinmytimemachine]

The German song that mentions Mclennon

Okay so as I've already said, there is a song in German that names John, Paul and also Yoko Ono. They are only mentioned in the chorus but concerning the topic of the song I think it is worth talking about.

The song is called "Kogong" by Mark Forster. (Sollten das hier deutschsprachige Leute lesen, bitte t��tet mich nicht :D)

Here is the official music video:

1. About the singer

Mark Forster is a 35-year-old German Singer-Songwriter. He had his first major hit in 2014 and ever since has been able to become one of Germanys most famous pop singers. He is known for his catchy and easy-going tunes. Most of the songs talk about love, self-confidence or just having a good time.

Just like many people, I know a bunch of his songs without really being a fan. They just play his hits on the radio ALL THE TIME. Despite his fame, some people say that his songs literally sound more or less the same. (If you want to get a better idea of his usual sound, some of my favourites are: "Flash mich", "Au revoir", EFF- "Stimme")

Why am I telling you all of this? Well, "Kogong" is quite the opposite of that. Maybe you could hear that this song sounds rather melancholic and slow. And guess what? That piano that you can hear in the background? Yep, that's Pauls piano. Mark Forster literally flew to London just to record this song at Abbey Road Studios. He says:

"We recorded 'Kogong' at Abbey Road Studios, in Studio 2, where the Beatles made all their records. And the piano that you can hear in 'Kogong' is the same piano that Paul Mccartney played 'Let It Be' on. That was quite special for me and my band and I think you can hear that the old Beatles spirit somewhat comes through in it."

Kogong came out in 2017. It was released on the only album by Forster that has an overall more serious sound. So what exactly is "Kogong" about?

2. The lyrics

Here are two pictures, one with the German lyrics and one with a translation by me.

When you read the lyrics, you will probably see that it is kinda hard to understand, especially after only one listen. Quite a few phrases don't seem to make a lot of sense. Well German audiences were not so happy either with this piece. Some said that the melody is good even though nobody was used to this kind of song by Forster. But the comments online seem to share the same opinion on the text: Forster probably only wanted to show that he is also able to write more intellectual sounding songs. Many just view it as avantgardist crap. Then again the video has 20 Mio views on YouTube and is currently his 6th most listened to song on Spotify so 🤔

But now about the interesting stuff. How could ANYONE who knows at least the slightest bit about Mclennon not stumble across this line:

"I am fucking Yoko Ono. My heart is Paul and John."

My heart is Paul and John? Yes Mark, I couldn't have said it any better myself. So ever since this song came out, I was curious what all these confusing lyrics could mean. Where is the connection between this one line and the rest of the song? What did Mark Forster say about it?

3. Interpretation

Here is a statement by Forster:

"Kogong is the sound of the heart when it's listening. The song is about small and big things that my heart told me but that I kind of couldn't really hear. I really hope that I'll be able to pay more attention to it in the future, so maybe this song is my new start."

So the subject of the song is not really able to listen to its heart. Furthermore, the lyrics hint on multiple topics and problems that the person has to face:

Being not happy at all, maybe even depressed ("you're not fine, you're only half-way fine"), this could also suggest that the subject has to keep up a facade while suffering inside

Problems in a relationship, marriage or even having an affair ("what you still want from her", "you hug eachother for far too long")

Self-image, Self-acceptance ("Wherever you are, you will always be yourself", "you need your peace")

The above mentioned quote says that this is a personal song. Another time he said that he realised that he wanted to become a singer while walking on the Road to Santiago (hence the line about hiking).

In another interview he stated that he tries to write in the same way as he thinks minus the rhymes. Overall short phrases which came to his mind.

So in concern of listening to ones heart: The lyrics suggest that the subject is not only unable to listen to its heart but rather actively ignores it due to outer circumstances. ("I don't want to hear a thing and am beating my chest like King Kong.").

Seems like there is a constant dispute between the heart and the subject. Which finally leads us to the line:

"I am fucking Yoko Ono, my heart is Paul and John."

How could a seemingly average pop singer connect a song about inner conflicts, love and self-image to John, Paul and Yoko Ono??

Well Forster said that he literally grew up with the Beatles and that they influenced him deeply. But to connect specific names to this topic, he couldn't only have been enjoying their songs. He has to know about their history and especially about their break-up. I've read a few opinions that "John" is only in there because it rhymes with "Kogong". So if he came up with that name and him being a Beatles fan, maybe the association to John Lennon isn't that far off. But why "fucking Yoko Ono"? Mark says:

"Yoko Ono is often accused of breaking up* the Beatles. And sometimes that's how I feel about my heart: Yoko Ono brings me and my heart apart." (*literally bringing apart)

?Eh?

Tbh that's hella confusing. I think he was kinda joking tho since he also states that the "fucking" is in there because of that British town. Which obviously makes no sense. Since Forster is serious about the rest of the song, its almost like he doesn't really want to talk about the true meaning of that line.

I mean the "John" could have suited only as a filler word at first. But I just don't think that other songwriters would automatically then connect that to Yoko Ono and especially Paul. Furthermore John and Paul form an unity here in the symbol of the heart. Despite the songs topic that's just such an romantic association.

Of course the average listener could easily say that this is all random nonsense. But for me who is genuinely interested in the Beatles/ Mclennon, this line doesn't seem out of context.

So if we take the lyrics of Kogong seriously, Mark Forster connects difficult romantic relationships and listening to your heart with John and Paul. Btw I know that Yoko didn't break up the Beatles, but Mark Forster is only talking about the infamous accusation of such. And even if he's only referring to the rumored breakup, wouldn't it be Beatles VS Yoko or Beatles VS John and Yoko? No, Mark Forster has to put John and Paul on one side and due to the metaphor with the heart, they together are portrayed as something pure, something romantic.

4. Conclusion

Well I can't really break the song down to every little phrase and its possible meaning. I think this post is already long enough 😅

Nevertheless "Kogong" by Mark Forster talks about conflicts with the inner-self concering love or becoming the person that you really are. All of this is quite explicitely connected to John and Paul (and Yoko) in the peak line of the chorus. (Just the way Forster sings this part is so...honest and amazing..). In my opinion, Mark Forster implies a really close (possible even romantic) connection between Paul and John while being put up against Yoko.

Shipping Mclennon or viewing their relationship as very close/romantic is often connected with horny teenagers on social media who make up crazy theories to satisfy their own desires. But here we have a man in his 30s who seemingly hints on similar ideas concerning their relationship in one of his most famous songs. And I know that this is not the first time that pop culture mentions their connection in that way but its actually the first very serious approach that I know of.

And maybe I am really reading too much into all of this. ( I mean I'm a Mclennon shipper after all lol) But in the end we still have a man who flew all the way to London just to sing-scream "I am fucking Yoko Ono, my heart is Paul and John" at Abbey Road Studios and I think that's pretty cool.

If you finished this mess till the end, thank you so much and let me know your opinion on it! ☺️🙌

(Sorry for any writing mistakes and I also have the sources of the quotes at hand, but obviously they are in German)