#I know most people don't see or dislike or live across the country from their relatives but I just don't see how (barring abuse or somethin

[phoneheadedtrans]

You say the hill's too steep too climb, climbing. You say you'd to see me try, chidding. You pick the place and I'll choose the time, and I'll climb the hill in my own way. Just wait awhile for the right day. And as I rise above the tree line and the clouds you look in the sounds and the faces of the crowd.

[radioactivepeasant]

Fic Prompts: Snippet Thursday

Following up from last week's poll, this week we have Prisoner Exchange AU: Jak gets in trouble (we all knew it had to happen sooner or later)

The second his boots hit the sand, Jak knew he'd screwed up. He could see Damas waiting in the vehicle pit, having what looked to be an extremely intense conversation with Sig. And Jak knew it was his fault. The idea of facing the wrath of the king was far from appealing, but he disliked the idea of Sig taking the blame for his stupidity.

"So do we face the music, or fake our deaths and flee the country?" Daxter asked morosely from behind him.

The question was answered for him when Damas looked over at them. Oh, he looked calm at first glance, but his eyes radiated fury. He pointed at them, and then to the ground beside him, and his meaning was clear:

Get your you-know-what over here. Now.

"Dun-da-dun: we're dead," Daxter announced.

"Extremely dead," Jak agreed.

Nevertheless, he ignored the way his stomach churned and twisted around his ribs, and picked his way across the sand.

Being in trouble was nothing new for Jak. In fact, most of his memories involved getting punished for one escapade or another. But this was the first time in recent memory that he could remember being anxious about getting in trouble. He'd seen Damas angry a few times before, but it had never been directed at him. In spite of everything they'd gone through, and everything they'd worked to build, Jak felt his pulse racing, and the old familiar instinct to fight for his life.

When he'd reached the men, Jak opened his mouth, intending to defend Sig. Damas beat him to it.

"What were you thinking?" he demanded.

Jak had thought that would have been obvious.

"That...I...was gonna clear out the metalpede nest?"

The glare he got in return warned him to try a different tack.

"Look, don't blame Sig. If he hadn't gone with me, I would've gone without him."

Damas did not appear to like that any more than the last statement. A muscle in his jaw twitched, and he narrowed his eyes at Jak.

"I told you not to enter the canyons until you had all three amulets."

"I'm sorry, okay? But we lost seven people to that nest!" Jak defended, flinging out an arm to gesture to the walls. "Egil's goons are already pushing past the river and winter's on the way. We can't afford to lose any more scouts!"

"I cannot afford to lose you!" Damas snapped.

Jak flinched away from his harsh tone. A mixture of confusion, nerves, and wounded pride compelled him to retort, "I'm trying to help! I live here now, remember?"

Damas closed his eyes and took a deliberately slow breath. Sig, Jak, and Daxter exchanged nervous glances. They knew full well this didn't herald anything good.

"Sig," Damas said through gritted teeth, "take the boys to their room, then wait for me in the aviary."

Sig nodded, but didn't verbally respond. He seemed to be feeling much more guilt than Jak did. He stepped to the left and put a hand on Jak’s shoulder. Before they could leave, Damas turned and cleared his throat.

"Wait. Give me your gate passes- both of you. You're all confined to the city until I decide what to do with you."

Privately, Jak thought that being deprived of his gate pass was a heavy punishment already. But Damas seemed mad enough that mentioning it might cause him to prove Jak wrong. He kept his mouth shut -- somewhat belatedly, so much for Damas’s attempts at teaching him negotiation -- and let his father take his gate pass away.

Well, this sucks, he thought, but knew better than to voice it.

When they'd walked far enough to be mostly out of earshot, Daxter remarked, "Well, that could've gone worse."

"Might still get worse," Sig sighed. He ran a hand over his head. "...Damas is right. I almost got us killed out there, cherries. He's got every right to be mad."

Jak tugged at his amulet restlessly. "You didn't want me to go along," he argued, "Doesn't that count for something? He's acting like I didn't take on a Swarm King with just Daxter and a gun!"

Sig ducked into the archway leading to the tower entrance and grimaced.

"No, he's acting like a man who lost his only son for years, and then had to deal with him recklessly risking his life on something that takes an entire team to accomplish. He-"

The big warrior stopped and blew out a frustrated breath. "You scared him, cherry. We scared him. And if anything had happened to you today, it would've been on me."

He shook his head and stomped into the lift.

"Two years I spent tearing Haven apart to find you, and then I let you waltz right back into danger. Unbelievable."

Jak settled into the corner of the lift and waited a few seconds until the silence became uncomfortable.

"Sig," he said, "You knew us before he did. In Haven, I mean. You know what we can do! You wouldn't have been able to stop me from joining the mission."

Guilt plucked at his lungs until he added, "I never meant for you to get in trouble, Sig. Usually we're the only ones who get blamed."

Sig's prosthetic eye whirred as its focus narrowed onto Jak’s face.

"Whatever was "usual" in Haven," he warned, "you're better off forgetting it. Things are different in the Wastelands, you know that!"

"I'm trying to help!" Jak argued. Why didn't anyone get that?! If he was capable of helping, he was obligated to help, wasn't he?

The lift locked into place and Sig pushed him out into the empty throne room. "You want to help?" he muttered, more to himself than to Jak or Daxter, "Maybe quit acting like it doesn't matter what happens to you as long as a job gets done."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

Sig shook his head and pointed down the side corridor. "Just...go on back to your room, cherry. Precursors willing, Damas will have calmed down by the time he makes it up here. But I wouldn't be expecting that gate pass back anytime soon."

"You can't be serious," Jak groaned.

He was.

______________________________________

The room had seemed impractically large the first night the boys had been "quarantined" in the tower. Now it felt like the walls were closing in as Jak paced the circumference of the chamber for the fifth time. It had already been an hour, and there had been no sign of Damas. Somehow, that was worse than him being mad. When you knew it was coming, but they made you wait-

That was one of the most terrifying parts of the Baron’s prison.

As Jak started his sixth circuit, tracing his fingers along the wall, he passed Daxter lying on the bed.

"Huh," Daxter said aloud, wrinkling his nose.

"What?" Jak paused mid-step to look down at him.

Daxter sat up suddenly with a furrowed brow. "Say uh...you don't think Spikes was- nah, he doesn't seem that touchy-feely."

Jak thought of Damas holding him, the night he'd finally understood who he was. He thought of fierce embraces and quiet tears and kept them to himself.

"What do you mean, Dax?"

The ottsel fidgeted, and Jak recognized the emotion coloring his eyes as regret.

"It's just..."

Daxter's ears drooped.

"When you go off without me, I know you don't need my help. And I know you can take any monster that comes your way. But I worry anyway -- I can't help it! I lost ya for two years, and sometimes I get scared! Osmo, back in Haven, he called that traumatic stress."

Jak felt a pit in his stomach as he sank back down to sit beside Daxter on the bed.

"Oh," he said quietly.

He'd known, of course. Daxter always wore his heart on his sleeve. But he never talked about it.

"Do- do you think Spike Dad feels like that?" asked Daxter, gnawing on his lip, "cos if he does, I'm gonna feel like a heel."

Jak was silent as he contemplated that. Traumatic stress, huh? What would've set off-

Oh. He'd snuck out. Damas probably found his room empty. Did he have a flashback, like Jak did when doors were locked? Had Jak caused him to panic?

With a groan, Jak put his face in his hands.

"I suck at being a son," he grumbled.

"In our defense, only one of us has been actively parented before this," Daxter suggested, but it was half-hearted.

His ears twitched, first up, then back down again.

"Do...do you think he's gonna yell?"

"If he yells, I'll yell back," Jak answered hesitantly. "But I don't- I don't think he's going to be like Samos. I just...haven't decided if that's a good thing yet."

_________________________________________

Damas entered the chamber well over two hours later to find his son pacing like a caged caracal. By the slightly disturbed furniture, pushed away from walls here and there, it looked as if Jak had been at this for a while now. From all that Sig had told him, he could guess he was in for a fight. Considering what he'd been put through before returning to Spargus, the boy understandably did not take well to any perceived threat to his autonomy. But the moment Jak spotted him, his shoulders slumped.

"So-" Damas began, trying not to read too much into how resigned Jak looked.

"Look-" Jak interrupted, then winced slightly.

"I- We're...sorry," he said haltingly. "I...just wanted- I just wanted to help you."

He looked so earnest. Damas didn’t doubt he and Daxter had managed to talk Sig into letting them turn his scouting mission into a search-and-destroy. It was hard to argue with a face like that. Did the boy even understand what he'd done wrong?

"Oh Jak," Damas sighed.

He lowered himself to the small couch by the window and beckoned him over.

"Come. Sit with me."

Jak hesitated, but complied. The couch was small, but he tried to give Damas as much space as possible. He picked at a scar on his thumb and didn't look up.

"Why you?" Damas asked. When Jak didn't immediately answer, he prodded his shoulder. "Hmm? Why did you, specifically, have to go kill those metalpedes?"

Jak shrugged. "Because I could. Because I'm harder to kill than other people. Why risk them if I don't need to?"

From any other Spargan, those words would've been commendable. Coming from his only child, they burned Damas like brands pressed into his skin. Jak should never have been taught to see himself as expendable. He should never have suffered as he had. And yet Damas had failed to protect him.

"And you gave no thought at all to Sig’s warnings that this was a task too dangerous for one person?"

He watched his son's brows quirk as if something about the question puzzled him.

"Wh- when, um, when we were kids," Jak mumbled, "Nobody actually...cared...if we were doing something dangerous. Not unless it inconvenienced them. They expected us to do these things. To...to earn our keep."

When he looked up at last, Damas was frowning thoughtfully.

"Hmm. I...think I understand."

Damas turned that thought over in his mind. It would do no good to get angry now: Jak would just think it was directed at him. Still, it was for the best that the people of that tiny village were far, far beyond his reach.

"My son," he said, gently but firmly, "You must unlearn what your captors drilled into you. You are home now- you are free now. Those expectations do not apply."

For a moment, Jak said nothing. Then he whispered, "I don't know who I am without them."

Daxter peeked over the arm of the couch with an endearingly miserable look.

"Jak didn't mean to scare ya, and- and Sig just came along to watch our backs! Don't be mad at Sig, er, sir."

An honorific out of Daxter? Hell must have frozen over. It was this, more than anything, that told Damas that the boys truly were sorry.

"Sig didn't do wrong by going with you," he allowed, and dropped a hand over the couch arm to rest over Daxter's head. "But he did not inform me of what was happening, or give me time to form a larger team. That is what he did wrong- and what you did wrong. But we are not here to discuss Sig. We are here to decide what consequences I need to set to ensure that this does not happen again."

Both boys winced, and Damas noticed Daxter curl in on himself as though shielding himself before a blow. Jak schooled his face into an emotionless mask.

Damas regretted his promise to spare Haven for Jak's sake.

"You will be confined to the tower for six days," Damas announced, forcing himself to ignore the boys' reactions. "If you want your gate pass back, you'll have to earn it. Show me that I can trust you to make better decisions."

"And...after the week is up?" asked Daxter tentatively.

The king shifted his weight and ran a hand over his face. Alright, Sig. I'm choosing my battles.

"Before I came in here, I was going to ban you from the Arena trials until midwinter," he admitted.

Jak stiffened beside him, the protest already on his lips.

"But," Damas continued, "as you seem to have a better understanding of the gravity of the situation than I had initially thought, I offer a compromise."

Jak flexed his fingers and glanced over nervously. "O...kay?"

Damas offered a small smile in response. "You will only be barred from the Arena until you can escape me in a sparring match. How long that lasts will be up to you."

Jak sagged with relief -- and Daxter suddenly got a lot more anxious. Sure, Jak could fight metalheads the size of buildings and come out on top. But Damas had something the metalheads didn't: opposable thumbs.

This probably wasn't going to be as easy as Jak was thinking.

"Thanks. For...for not yelling," Jak said unexpectedly. "Daxter doesn't like yelling."

Damas dropped his other hand across the back of Jak's neck and squeezed affectionately, just the barest hint of pressure.

"If you have to shout to make your point, you've already lost control of the situation," he advised.

He caught the incredulous expression passing between the two boys and chose to let it go. They were still learning what it was to have a childhood. Lessons in leadership could come later.

"I know you're still getting to know me," he said hesitantly, "Perhaps the restrictions I place do not make sense to you. But they exist because I care about your safety. I fought to make this city one in which you could choose your own path. So you wouldn't have to fight for your life."

Daxter stretched up on tip-paws. "But that's why Jak fights!" he protested, "Cause he can't stand the idea of anybody goin' through what he did!"

Damas flinched, ever so slightly, and Daxter regretted bringing it up. It was fairly obvious that Damas had the same kind of survivor's guilt that he did.

"I...don't know a whole lot about dads, sure, but he's just doin' what you do, doesn't that count for somethin?"

Damas shook his head, but he didn't appear to be disagreeing. He only whispered, "I should have been there."

Daxter knew what he meant.

After a moment's hesitation, he climbed up onto the arm of the couch and tentatively patted Damas’s shoulder.

"Aw, look. Jak, uh...Jak has always been pretty fearless about runnin' into danger. Even before things went sideways! He used to wade out to the sandbar to save stranded Lurker Hounds, even though he knew they were gonna try and bite him! He uh, he had to learn that from somewhere, right?"

Jak raised his head and blinked. He'd sort of figured he'd learned it from his own elder self in an eternal loop. But...could Daxter be right? Was that wild, fearless, reckless little kid simply acting like a normal Wastelander?

"Maybe you fought so he wouldn't have to," Daxter suggested, merely thinking out loud, "But maybe he decided to be just like you? I mean have you met him? The kid's got a head like a rock!"

"Dude, really?" Jak glared at him.

Damas’s smile was bittersweet at best. "It is...a nice thought, Daxter," he admitted, "Admittedly, Jak...was quite stubborn when he was Mar."

Impulsively, he swung his arms close, dragging both boys into an impromptu embrace.

"However, you are still grounded."

"Darnit!" Daxter fumed.

[wordsmithic]

Hello ! About your post on how greeks arent western, do greeks really considers themselves closer to levantine/north africans than to northern europeans ? Most of the greeks i've seen were adamants that they had way more in common with england or sweden than lebanon or syria and most of you dislike muslims so greeks actually feeling more connected to non euro mediterraneans than others europeans and hanging out with them bc of perceived similarities is really surprising.

(My apologies if you got my ask multiple time my wifi was having a stroke)

I think Greeks who claim we are closer to NW Europeans refer mostly to the social aspect of things, probably to the situation of Human Rights and views of women and minorities. That's what my experience has shown me, at least.

They also forget that they eat roasted lamb on Easter and dance kalamatiano on full volume with their family outside the whole day, or go to a pazari for the festivity of a saint and eat souvlaki, or watch people jump over the fire at festivities, and scream every time they see their grandma putting semedakia everywhere 😂 (stuff closer to the Middle Eastern life) When they have grown up with singers like Sharbel (Lebanese Greek-Cypriot) and Arash (Iranian-Swedish) and songs which are covers with 50 more versions across the Middle East!!!

The latest trend in Greece is to try to be more like the US and NW Europeans culture-wise (Americanization is a big thing here, and it was discussed also in Greek school). This includes seeing traditional Greek culture as barbaric/rural and being ashamed of it. Hence why many Greeks conveniently forget that part of their culture when they compare their daily life to a foreigner's.

Due to the Americanization and turn of Greece toward the EU, many Greeks have not learned about Middle Eastern cultures and actually tend to believe US propaganda which paints Eastern countries as savage backwaters. I've met grown Greeks who think Iran is still at war with Iraq, for example. But they don't know that Iran is actually friendly with Greece (as a Greek you can get an Iranian visa pretty fast), that Greece bought cheap oil from them during our financial crisis, and they also have a cultural center and an embassy in Athens.

Greeks who feel closer to NW Europeans tend to be misinformed about Eastern cultures. I don't think they have taken into account factors like the multitude of common phrases and basic words, our common ways of politeness (how to bring gifts and how to have complicated rituals of politeness like tarof), common ways of receiving guests and honoring other people, same traditional coffee + 90% of our dishes being the same, similar dances, instruments, fairytales, legends, symbolism like the pomegranate, etc.

I don't personally know the Greeks you've spoken to but the attitude of some Greeks when it comes to Eastern cultures is "wait, do you imply that we are like them??" And then you show them how the other culture actually looks like and they're like "huuuh! I had no idea!" Also, last time I checked, NW (Catholic, Protestant, etc) churches didn't have a balcony for women but guess which do: Greek orthodox churches (it's called γυναικωνίτης) and mosques!

Some have not even thought of our similarities until they go abroad and find themselves suddenly vibing and having fun with Arabs and Turks (bonus points for historical jokes). And Lebanon?? The Lebanese are like Greeks 2.0 in appearance, customs (especially with the Christian population), songs, food, family etc. When I first discovered videos of a Lebanese youtuber (shoutout to Mark Hachem) I initially thought his family was Greek-Lebanese from all the similarities. You would have Pascha or a wedding with a Lebanese family and you wouldn't know they were of another ethnicity until you tried to speak to each other 😂

Something else to consider: Greeks say all the time how NW Europeans are not open, how they don't have proper nightlife and don't enjoy their lives, how their cuisine sucks, their dances are silly, they drink without meter, they are too strict, they don't want to be open to other cultures and speak to foreigners in English, they take too long to form friendships, they are very set in their ways. I don't mean that this is true for every single NW European. I only mean that these are basic cultural things that Greeks (with their own biases) recognize as different from theirs to the degree of dislike. How come then that so many Greeks criticize NW Europeans for such basic elements of life, and yet they see themselves to be just like them? Isn't that contradictory?

It's true that in Greece, Afghanis, Syrians, Iranians, Pakistanis, and other Middle Easterners are not seen in the best way but this is mostly because they are "the poor immigrants". You won't be shocked to learn that in Middle Eastern countries they also look down upon their own "poor immigrants" who "bring crime and take jobs". So I would say this is a worldwide phenomenon. In Greece, there's always the historical trauma from our former Muslim conquerors/slavers/genociders (search about the amele taburu) and Erdogan who is quite provocative, but modern socioeconomic barriers and political biases play a much bigger role in how Greeks approach their neighbors. I don't see Greeks having such a problem with rich Arabs from the UAE who buy Greek land, bring their yachts, and close off hotels for their parties, in spite of the larger cultural and religious differences 😉

It's not that we cannot have fun with NW Europeans or that we have nothing in common. Many Greeks have comfortably made a new life in the UK, Holland, Belgium, Sweden, Germany etc. Many NW Europeans are a pleasure to befriend as a Greek. And there are various levels of similarities with Western countries depending on the country. With some Greek friends were were saying the other day how we can more easily share a life philosophy with people from the UK and France than the US, for example. (The US is more isolated and far) Of course, we are more likely to feel quite close to South Italians, Spanish, and Portuguese people because we are all around the Mediterranean basin.

Hopefully I covered you and I didn't bloat your liver too much with such a wall of text 😂 Have a great day, or night!

[moonsfireflies1993]

The American who killed the panamenian protesters and other reasons why I dislike American culture

This Tuesday, November 7 some teacher unions and indigenous collectives were protesting closing of the railroads because of the mining contract and the corruption, a man called Kenneth Darlington killed 2 of the protesters who were unarmed. This man had trouble with the law years prior. In 2005, he was detained for the illegal possession of arms. Of course, because anything can be bought in Panama he was pardoned from all charges.

The man is a zonian American. And what is a zonian? Well, zonians were the Americans who grew up inside the canal zone. Which meant they lived inside the American settlement that managed the Panama Canal. Most of the Americans who lived there were from the south of the US, and only spoke english. Most of them grew up isolated from Panamanian society and disconnected from all the problems Panama was dealing with their precedence on Panamanian land.

They even implemented some of their ways, like segregation of blacks and whites in some of their canal zone areas. They loved how they lived in Panama because they had so many benefits that the common Americans living in the US didn't had. Like, free taxes, good housing, good salary, and long vacations.

Some of those Zonians got back to the US and most of them mourned the life they had in Panama. So, as you can imagine, now being American retirees some came back to live in Panama. Some of them never left and stayed in the Albrook area, trying to adapt to the changes while also holding some of those old American ideals from the South.

As you know from my older posts, Panama is currently dealing with a corruption crisis that has to do more than just random people fighting for nature preservation. This crisis that started in October made some far-leftist unions manifest, some taking advantage of the situation and others with other concerns regarding their community. Some people support their methods of protests of closing railroads and some people criticize it because of how it's leaving some provinces without access to resources.

Regardless of the anger of being trapped in traffic because of the protests no one absolutely no one has the right to kill another individual.

Now, going to the title of this post it may look like someone who hates Americans in general which is not entirely like that. But, on my end, from what I have seen on how Americans live, with college/university debt, a health system with absurd prices and their individualistic culture. As someone who has interacted with all kinds of Americans visiting Panama, I always felt some disdain for how they think their ways of living apply the same in a different country, in this case, them visiting Panama. Don't get me wrong, I have met nice Americans as well, but also someone's who come across as entitled.

It was a surprise of mine to see today, Wednesday 8 a post from the New York Post talking about the event and to my surprise, the amount of American accounts commenting distasteful things without even asking a Panamanian about the issue or doing some research. It just confirms a bit more of my judgment of how they live in a bubble, thinking their ways apply to the rest of the world. Then again I know some Americans don't think in such ways, but sadly I have seen some of this kind of behaviour in both extremes of the left and the right. Trying to relate to an issue by applying some of their American mindset to it. And what I mean by that is just their society rules, what is ok and not ok in their culture and even their societal issues.

I don't think you need to be from another country to understand why killing is bad, especially if a group is unarmed and not actively attacking you. And celebrating it just tells me the lack of character and ethics of that individual.

[hanzajesthanza]

i just finished your newest video essay and again you did not disappoint!! i love how your essays talk about the things no one else seems to even think about, and in such depth as well. as someone for whom the witcher is like. probably the most important story i’ve ever come across (plus i’m polish so it’s even more meaningful and personal lol), seeing the work you’ve put into researching all this genuinely warms my heart 💞 congrats and thank you!!!!!!

aw, thank you! tbh i was a little worried when i put it up because i thought maybe it wouldn't do well and i'd be a "one-hit wonder" 😅... also i didn't know if the subject would be interesting to everyone :x

so i'm really glad it resonated with you and people seem to be enjoying it!! i'm especially grateful you see how i try to look at things "no one else seems to think about," that's indeed the case... or, well, maybe not "think" about (because idk what other people have in their minds), but at least, "talk about": the witcher has an absolutely interesting story, and on top of that i find it just as interesting as a cultural phenomenon, which affects how we understand its story!

(this turned into a long ramble :p no pressure to read all of this, just thinking out loud)

there's a broader context to everything we discuss "as a fandom"; and how witcher has been added to, modified, re-interpreted, and changed for international audiences (which isn't inherently "bad," but is definitely something that exists and should be considered) has created a lot of fragmentation in how it's understood, which leads to confusion (and some very passionate arguments) online.

it's kind of meta, because witcher itself (in my interpretation of it) is (in part) all about how "we live in a society" and none of our decisions, views, or ideas are truly "our own," because they've been influenced by our experiences and those around us - emphasizing the role of society in individual identity, and calling into question individual agency to make decisions. at least that's how it seems to me, in my view which is probably affected by how the US is a very individualist society and has been from its very conception. (though -okay really going on a tangent here- i'd be interested to read on how individualism and collectivism present themselves in poland, as central europe but also a post-soviet bloc country, because what i studied about collectivism focused on only the US, the mediterranean, and east asia).

back to topic, i feel like most american interpretations of the witcher, both on the scale of the company (orbit, netflix) and consumer (readers, audiences), have not only been divorced of its polish context, but that most readers are not going to be aware of that that context even exists, much less go to seek that context on their own. (by 'context,' i don't only mean the cultural, historic, and mythological references in the witcher, but stuff like when/where witcher was written, how it was written (short stories to saga), andrzej sapkowski's background and perspective, how witcher presented itself as a pop culture phenomenon in poland). to most american readers, it's just "another fantasy series" with no context as to who or where it came from, which leads to confusion, upset, and even dislike, when they come across something which they don't understand the context or reasoning for.

though i guess take these statements with a grain of salt, because this is really based on my own personal experiences with the series and my experiences are not universal. but this is what happened to me when i first read the witcher: i had very little context for it, so didn't understand why the books were supposed to be such a big deal, nor most of the messages their author was conveying with them. (and i guess i'm a creature of emotion too, and there's something very moving about disconnect between generations and cultures which makes me want to investigate, learn and try to understand different perspectives. i don't like resentment and arguments, when they are the result of miscommunication)

total rant lmao, but, yes, you're correct and i'm grateful for this ask because i feel seen by it!

a key motivation of mine in making these essays is absolutely that most audiences are not innately, if they know about or have heard of the witcher, going to think about this big-picture stuff: the morphing and changing of the witcher over time, across countries and languages, and in different authors' hands... and yet, they (and their fan experiences) will be affected by these broad cultural understandings all the same.

and, though i will eventually like to make some casual, more insular videos (like character analysis, book review, fun games and discussions) i just feel like it's absolutely necessary to look at this huge context behind it all first!!

[kafkaoftherubble]

Ok so the idea for dear emperor is that in schools (elementary school, not higher education) kids are treated like crap and are taught nationalist propaganda. They're at an era where people are vaguely aware it's propaganda so everyone dislikes the royal family a little. Basically, the school system is just absolute trash because the royal family keeps trying to change it to turn kids into hardcore monarchists.

Ira never attended elementary school because he lived out on a farm. He attended a military school and later a college, but those were both in adulthood so he didn't get the horrible treatment and abuse of elementary school.

Because of this, Ira cannot understand Edith's desire to change the school system either. All he attended was college and he's best friends with Volker, so he doesn't understand how Volker's family could've created such a horrible school system when they seem to be such nice people.

Because Ira missed out on this universal experience of going to school, he's alienated from part of Edith's views and refuses to see it her way because he's too stubborn in his belief that Volker is perfect

Sorry for my tardiness!

Ah, so an elementary school that keeps having to revise the syllabi to prop up the national narratives du jour? And yet everyone knows that it's just propagandist rewrites. It's historical revisionism based entirely on which narrative helps the royal family (instead of new evidence and interpretations uncovered by continuous historical studies and findings; these are two kinds of historical revisionism)!

Very interesting! I can totally imagine that. In fact, I don't have to imagine. Such a thing is happening in (some states in) the U.S., India [1] [2] [3], Japan, and even my own country. China has its own whole thing. And the Philippines has its own thing, and... really, I kinda wonder which country isn't guilty of this, haha. (I suppose the more pressing issue is the severity of it.)

But this makes me wonder about the degree of freedom in Volker's country. How free are the people to criticize the government?

Have they been free before, but are now less free? My anecdotal impression is that losing a right you used to have often generates way more resentment and urgency to act than never possessing that right, to begin with. The latter is usually a lot more slow-burning than the first as social movements.

Are there other countries around Volker's Country by which information, knowledge, and ideas trade? And I do mean free trading of ideas/the freedom of ideas. While social movements can be homebrew for sure, seeds of ideas have to come somewhere, and across history, these ideas are often cosmopolitan in nature. They are not "grown out of one person or a few in a local and never escaping it to other areas." Instead, ideas are traded across regions, cities, and countries, and they altogether build something grander that can then also be spread to other parts of the world—before assimilating and adapting for local needs. I ask, because Brandi specifically touts democracy. Whence did it come? The best and most viable ideas are built by many instead of one, so I kinda wanna know how an idea like democracy comes to thrive in Volker's Country. (Is it via some books? Some manifestos from far-away land? Some salons within the country?)

There are probably other questions that can flesh out this particular aspect. Why I thought about it is this: the target of these nationalist ideas is children first and foremost, right?

When nationalist revisions happen in education, the ones who shout the loudest are the adults who know what's up. Because these adults can read the curricula, compare it to their own realities/experience/history, and realize it's crap. Kids, however, are statistically less predisposed to do so. They are young and less experienced about the world than an adult. They may also be sheltered from reality—not a fault, because children are supposed to be sheltered in some ways for their development anyway (ex: who the fuck thinks it's good to expose children to war or backbreaking labor?). Their own history is also just starting to grow, being young and all.

However, since you mentioned "everyone knows the education system is trying to make kids hardcore nationalists," I assume that "everyone" does indeed include the kids themselves.

And how would these kids know that their education is shit? The most plausible way I can imagine is "because most of the adults around them tell 'em about it." But for most adults to be able to talk about these things would imply a certain degree of freedom of speech. After all, if only a few kids knew that their education is crap—because their parents told them behind closed doors or because they saw some events with their own eyes—then it wouldn't be "everyone," innit?

Hence my question above!

So yea, just some asides I couldn't help but pursue for a bit hahaha. I hope it's useful for your worldbuilding or plot planning somewhat!

-----

Back to Ira and Edith!

Yes! I think the backstory you give makes a ton of causal sense!!!

Of course Edith would think of education reform! She was once its recipient, and therefore easily projects her lived experience under the system to the the kids of today. She knows the stakes of education because she's been through it. That awards her the necessary sensitivity—or at least, it gives her the potential to be sensitive.

I also like how Ira's personal relationship with Volker while studying influences much of his reluctance to "demonize" Volker.

There is a bit more stuff in your lore that can also add to why Ira doesn't want to see Volker as bad! You might have already known that while conceiving Ira's backstory (he's your baby after all! Hahahhaha), but just in case you missed it:

First, the military school. If I had to imagine a place where the most cynical anti-establishment people and the most diehard patriots will be spawned, I'd think a military school too. Patriotism directed either to the ideal of "the motherland" or to the ideal of "the ruler/royal family" is kinda required to be drilled into all soldiers because it will be important for their job.

Second, Ira's transformation from an illiterate kid to a literate soon-to-be governor. I can imagine how someone will see this transformation as a second wind worthy of gratitude. Imagine never knowing you could be good at art until someone gives you the chance, tutors you, supports you... and then finally awards you a position to do this secret talent you never knew existed in you. I imagine that is how Ira could feel, and it's only logical that he would then feel grateful and a sense of "I owe you." And why wouldn't it be directed to Volker?

Coupled that with Ira's own relationship with Volker's nephew: I assume, for now, that the young prince is a lot more noble and open-minded than his uncle despite also being a recipient of the current education system. Ira could then justify that there is no need for extreme/large-scale/sweeping education reform if the same system could produce someone like This Young Prince. "If the system is so bad, then why is This Young Prince coming out of it pretty good? Clearly, the problem is just Volker losing his touch with reality. The fault is a few individuals and not the system."

This will oppose Edith and Brandi's foundational stance, right? "The fault is in the system, beyond just a few individuals."

----

Honestly, I really wanna know how are you gonna resolve this tension between Ira and Edith now! Will either one of them have to be sacrificed for the other person's cause? Will Edith have to remove Ira for her goal? Will Ira have to remove Edith for his goal? Will they cause a civil war? Will there be a compromise?

Such exciting scenarios!!!

What an exciting story you have there,  π!!! GAH

I gleefully await more Dear Emperor lore from you, brutha!!!

KEEP 'EM COMING!

[akatsuki-shin]

Can I ask, why do you love MLM romance better than Het romance? What makes them better? I did not mean anything negative, and I know everyone have their own like and dislike but I want to know your thoughts....

Also what do you think that made Asian MLM (Danmei, BL manga/manhwa/manhua/tv series) romances different than western MLM romances?

Other than because there was a period of time when I consumed too much bad shoujo/otome that makes me kinda fed up with straight romance, I also don't actually hate it at all.

I think I've also replied in a previous ask that if I can see two handsome guys together, why do I have to see one guy with some random girl 😂 There's really no deeper reason or meaning to that, I just happen to prefer BL than others because I enjoy reading them more, that's all.

For the next question, I'm going to answer from my personal experience and point of view, so you may get different answer when asking other people.

There are A LOT of differences between Asian BL and Western BL. Most of it fundamentally lies in the culture that comes out in the story writing, the dialogues, the way the characters express their feelings, how they react to situations, etc.

It's like the color white is seen as "pure, honest, clean" in the West, but in some Asian countries, it's a color worn for mourning.

(and obviously, the way the characters are designed physically also differ between Asia and the West)

This isn't something I can easily put into words because at least in my experiences, the majority of the differences aren't something tangible. It's something you feel as you progress through the story.

Perhaps the only way I can describe it is this:

I'm Asian, I live in a Southeast Asian country, I was raised by an entire Chinese diaspora family, and I grew up watching Asian media — particularly East Asian media (Japanese, Chinese, a bit of Korean). Due to our country's history, our local media is influenced by various cultures from around the world, but mainly still a lot of Asian cultures in there.

We are people who live in high context cultures. You will find more subtleties in expressions in Asian medias, compared to Western media that is more bold and upfront about it. These subtleties and the way characters in Asian media express themselves is how I myself grew up, so I can relate so much more to that than with Western media, which totally feels foreign to me.

Plus, most people in Asia doesn't flaunt their sexuality in public, especially if they're part of the minority groups. You may come across Asian BL where the characters probably don't even confess "I love you" to each other (e.g. the recently popular danmei adaptation like "The Untamed" and "Word of Honor"). However, throughout the story, you can see their feelings for each other throughout their words, actions, gestures, and the symbolism presented in the media.

I think these subtle vs bold expressions is the biggest difference for me in both media.

[berpendar]

How Talking to Strangers on Internet Teach Me a Few Things About Myself

I spent most of my 2023 talking to strangers on the internet — lots of them.

The journey began around April. As a third year university student who participated in independent study program, I had a lot of free time. Aside from working and studying, I didn't have much to do. Just right when the boredom was about to kick in, I downloaded Telegram.

Initially, I installed the app to find out about specific news that was circulating only on this platform. (Don't worry, I wasn't looking for porn, illegal or weird stuffs.) I intended to uninstall the app after I got what I was searching for. But, as I was about to do so, I thought to myself, "Why not try the infamous anonymous chat bot?"

So, I did.

And as you might already expect, I got hooked.

My introduction to Telegram then led me to another discovery and, some may say, addiction.

One day, when I was scrolling through Twitter, I came across discussions about an unfamiliar app called Voisa. According to people, it's like the call version of the anonymous chat bot. Intrigued, I promptly installed the app and, to my surprise, it felt so much more convenient that I stopped using the anonymous chat bot altogether.

But that's the thing with anonymous chat bot and application like Voisa. You can meet various people from different regions, countries, or even continents. If you're interested, you can exchange social media information with the person you're talking to. After that, you can choose to continue the conversation or end it and return to your real life activities. Or you can look for another strangers to converse with if you haven't had enough. These apps are incredibly convenient to use.

A nice way to kill time, to escape the boredom, to fill the void.

I don't talk to strangers everyday though, obviously. I only do it whenever I have the time and energy to deal with people I have no initial knowledge about who they are and what they're capable of doing during the short time we're in contact.

You see, there are a lot of strange people in this world, and I've met a few of them thanks to these apps. Aside from perverted individuals, I've had experiences talking to people I wouldn't even bother to interact with in real life. There are those who refuse to listen to what the other person has to say, individuals who adopt the 'I'm much older than you, I have lived much longer than you, and you're a girl much younger than me; so you should listen to me' attitude, and the 'Damn, we click so much. Is this destiny? Seems like I don't have to look anywhere else for a bride. I want you' type of guy. The list can go on. All in all, I've had my fair share of encountering unpleasant experiences there.

And yet, despite the peculiar and occasionally unpleasant encounters I've had, I never grow tired of talking to strangers and continue to use the app.

The main reason to explain my situation is I'm simply bored and lonely. Hence, I seek some social stimulations. Another reason is that the more I interact with other people, the more I learn about myself.

Sometimes I talk to a person, be it my friend or people I just know, and they ask me this type of question: "What's your type in men?"

Such a simple question, but I always find it's hard to answer.

It's not that I don't have any type or preference. It's just easier for me to point out a few things I dislike instead of the things I like.

I don't like it when a person treats me like an object. I don't appreciate it when someone doesn't want to listen and empathize. I don't take it kindly to someone trying to dictate my thoughts and actions. I'm not keen of a person who interacts with me while imposing preconceived expectations or imaginations about who they think I am.

My experiences of talking to strangers on the internet helps me find the most suitable word to summarize the previous paragraph.

Respect.

I would like to be treated with respect.

I want them to treat me as someone deserving of being listened to, who is capable of experiencing emotions, who lives a different life and therefore has different values, experiences, and approaches compared to them — I want them to treat me like another equal human being.

Sometimes I wonder whether I ask too much for wanting to be treated with respect. However, when I think about it, who doesn't want to be respected? I think it's pretty normal for wanting this type of treatment. It's the bare minimum we tend to forget.

So, with this being said, I would like to remind myself.

If there's someone who makes me feel bad for wanting to be treated with respect, maybe I'm just talking to the wrong person.

[boyfhee]

honestly there's just something about the way that modi himself is shown in the media that rubs me the wrong way. i don't really watch indian news as i am currently leaving elsewhere but my father does and from what i notice very few media channels actually criticize modi and his bad decisions.

most of the time all i see is praise for him while anything that goes even slightly against him is rare to come across. i know that there are a few news channels that do though. and it's been like that since the first time he became pm.

i lived in india during that time and I was heavily influenced by the media/my school to view him as this ideal "perfect" pm and i don't think much has changed in that matter. like for example my 4 year old cousin has nothing to say but praise for him and it just is like super duper weird to me.

also like that anon mentioned him being very hindu nationalist it is one of the reasons that i do not like modi. not only is he super oppressive towards Muslims he is like that towards Sikhs as well. and the biggest proof i have for that is Muslim history being removed from textbooks. it may seem like that has nothing to do with Sikhs but it's the fact that Sikh history has deep roots in the Muslim rule of India.

also i do not even want to get started on the shit he has done to panjab/panjabis becasue that is so fucking much. also the ignoring of the blue star operation it has been 40 years and there is still nothing being said about it.

and when the kisan andolan was going on it was all up and in very one's face and it's still like that it's just ignored more. the way that he was acting? the way that he was treating the farmers that have been feeding indians? as someone who's family has a famer background it just added more reasons to dislike his rule.

and then there are his party members... like kangana? really? after all the shit she did and said against kisans during their protest? bjp is just super iffy vibes for me

i'm not the best with words so i don't even know if this makes sense but yeah anyways

— 🧸

the point is, there is criticism towards modi, although way less than the praise that is thrown around no one, i mean no one, addresses the actual issues. i don't think our school ever focused on politics which is my many of my friends and i were and are still so disconnected from all this. so one thing is people definitely need to talk more.

i'm not really educated enough to comment on the sikh history in india, but modi actually has oppressive behaviour towards anyone who doesn't follow hinduism. and the whole kisan andolan was such a turn off for me like, aren't these people his majority voters? it's kind of pathetic how his entire agenda revolves around giving benefits to farmers but he ignores every single issue faced by them.

and his party members ... i'm not even going to say anything. he was literally promoting a rapist it only proves that he doesn't care about anything that's happening in the country as long as he's winning.

[hazbinned]

OOC Conversation Boundaries

My blog about doubled in size this week (hello!), so I just want to go over what I'm comfortable talking about, and what I'm not! This is for everyone, not just the new people, so please read this if you see it. =)

Topics I'm fine with discussing: Hazbin Hotel/Helluva Boss, our characters and scenes, ships, music, books, films, art, common interests, other NORMAL topics.

Topics I'm NOT fine with discussing: Personal information (like where I live, aside from which country), venting/ranting/trauma dumping/mental health (unless we're really close and gave you permission), politics, drama/vagueposting, anything controversial, real life upsetting topics, anything that violates my rules.

I must stress that unless we are very close, I am extremely uncomfortable being vented to about anything — it is not that I don't care about you. I must also stress that I am not comfortable discussing other people in this community unless it is to say something positive about them, even if you don't name names.

Vagueposting (or vague-messaging) and venting will eventually lead to a block, not because I am mad at you or dislike you, but because it makes me EXTREMELY distressed and I want no parts in it, whether on the dash or in messages.

Images and content: Please do not send me images or videos of real gore or dead animals (skeletons are fine), or anything explicitly NSFW.

PART OF BEING AUTISTIC IS THAT sometimes, I might come across as rude, annoyed, or inconsiderate totally on accident, and not even know it. I also have trouble reading tone, and I am in my early 20s, which means I may have a different texting style/lingo than you do if you're older. Please be as kind and patient as possible (and sugarcoat it) if something bothered you and you opt to bring it up. I would never intentionally hurt your feelings and am definitely thinking both of us were just having fun. If it becomes apparent that our communication styles are frequently causing anxiety for us both, I will break the mutual and probably block for my own comfort. This does NOT mean I dislike you or have a problem with you. It is simply to protect both of us from unnecessary stress. Sometimes the way two people chat just doesn't work and that is totally fine- I wish you the best!

Adhering to this guide will help keep this a safe place for me. Thank you!

Ad Addendum: I don't know how to reply to single-word messages and small talk like "hi", "sup," "hey," or questions in the vein of "do you want to be friends." You're welcome to talk to me, but please have something to say right off the bat and be willing to become friends naturally if that is something you want. I will most likely not reply to messages of this nature because they never lead anywhere.

[andswarwrites]

Day 5

Random subject today, but I hate having to choose between two categories, like you're either a tea drinker or a coffee drinker.  I drink coffee in the morning, or when I feel like drinking it, and I drink tea in the afternoon, or, get this, when I feel like drinking it.  What about the cat person, dog person debacle?  I love dogs, and I love cats.  I guess that opens up a whole other subject: is there anything I dislike?  Of course there is, there are.  Can I be more specific?  I don't know.  They don't lurk near the surface of my brain.  Off the top of my head, I can't think of anything.  Most people hate Brussels sprouts and blue cheese.  Not me.

If there's one thing I can criticize, it is the actual action of being critical.  You'd think since I dislike snide, rude, or even forceful statements, that I'd be a proponent of optimistic, sunny positivity.  And there are the two categories again: you're either negative or positive.  You know what I want?  I want to be real.  Negativity can creep into speech and demeanor because someone is going through a difficult period of their life, they're having trouble adjusting, they don't have enough support, so they have to actively seek it, by telling their troubles over and over.  They just don't see the bright side.  What will help such ones?  A listening ear.

Now, before I criticize positivity, after saying I don't like being critical, I want to explain my point of view.  If you naturally see the cup as half full, if you can always find the silver lining, that is awesome.  I flatter myself that I'm a little like that too.  But I worry that the urge to be positive can result in a lack of trueness to ourselves.  We all have rough days.  We all have low times.  Acknowledging such days and times is much healthier than trying to gloss over them.  And if honestly opening up about what you are going through is met with almost hostile "feel-goodness", that's almost worse than apathy.

There are many different forms of grief, though everyone understands grief when you lose someone in death.  But think of all the other ways we experience loss.  As amazing as parenthood is, there are so many stages: babyhood, toddlerhood, small child, not so small child, pre-teen, teen, and all of a sudden (I'm not there yet with N-, but it's close) they're out of your home, making a home of their own, living their own life.  I wouldn't have it any other way, of course, I wouldn't want to stunt my kid's growth to keep her with me indefinitely, but sometimes, you have to deal with the loss of one stage, and accept and at length appreciate the new one.

We experience loss in relationships.  Someone we were extremely close to at one point, now lives across the country or even the planet, or neither of us can any longer make the time to communicate with each other.  Maybe the dynamic that brought us close together has faded.  Sometimes there is a difference of opinion, and you need to give the person some time and space, in order to hopefully make peace at some point.  And in a marriage, you have to deal with change over and over again.  Every few years, both partners change just enough that you have to get to know each other again.  And that can be fun, but also difficult.

There are more examples with which I am less familiar, such as the loss of a job, the loss of health, or the loss of youth.  I've heard about these trials from friends and family.  I realize that you need to process the loss until you accept it, and one of the best ways to process and eventually accept new situations is to talk about what you are going through with others, if you have a circle of supportive and rational friends.  Now imagine if a "negative" person is talking to a "positive" person, how is that going to go?  Will our "negative" person be interrupted, corrected, or even exhorted?

I cringe because, I've been the "positive" person in that scenario.  I didn't understand that someone you know might talk about what they are going through every time they see you, and that's not because they are being "negative".  What they are going through hurts.  If you see someone in physical pain, do you expect them to just stop suddenly because their pain is inconvenient to you?  The pain killer is a listening ear.  And after listening to the pain being expressed, you might need a listening ear yourself.

I know it seems like I'm knocking positivity, and I'm not.  Having a positive outlook in life is healthy and will get you far.  But in my case, I keep that outlook as something personal, not something I have to shower on everybody I meet.  I don't feel the need to adjust everyone else's perspective, that's not my place.  Like I said, I used to try to force feed others positivity when I was younger, and I am so over that.  If you come to me with a problem, I will first let you get it all off of your chest, and then I will ask if there's something you need that I can help with.  That's where I'm at right now.

Imagine that your brain and what you communicate are a refrigerator and its contents.  How many of us leave leftovers and condiments, or even fresh fruit and vegetables at the back, and we have all this crowded, cluttered mess in front.  Now something makes you reach into the rear of the fridge, and you pull out something rotten, mouldy and downright nasty.  That's a thought that has been festering, unattended.  The best place for such a thought is in the garbage.

The point of that fridge illustration is that anyone can have toxic traits, right?  It doesn't make you a fundamentally bad person, you just neglected to clean out the fridge for a while, and when you got around to it, it was unpleasant and a little loathsome.  Now imagine you're cleaning out the fridge with a friend, and they make you feel like they've never left a jar of olives until it was coated in nastiness.  A friend should roll up their sleeves and help out, not sit in judgement.  It may be hard to listen when you don't agree, or you're struggling to understand, but remember, if that thought doesn't get expressed, it's going to just get worse.  Listen.  Without judgement.  Not always easy, especially if it's directed at you.  That's where I've got some work to do.

[gemsofthegalaxy]

eeeee no this is great this is exciting lol. i love to spread the greg love around esp bc. well. hes got a lot of haters which is fine ppl are entitled to dislike whoever. but i like to see positive stuff about my favs now and again >_>

Yeah tbh he gives me very wayward, constantly uprooted, never having the chance to really settle except perhaps at his Grandpa's over some summers but he never got to know the people around there either, because Ewan always wanted him to do whatever activities Ewan laid out for him, some of which he liked like being with animals, others he was less a fan of, vibes.

And yeah! i just think it would be kinda funny for him to be like, he's American when it's most convenient but he mostly aligns himself with Canada to sort of distance himself, always shifting and molding himself to whatever will get him the best deal or out of a tight spot.

Okay, questions: I think Greg would be very quiet and awkward in school, sitting to the side of the room. I actually sort of think he would be a bit of a teacher's pet, he seems like a suck-up and that his mother would always encourage him to make a good impression but also challenge grades (this carries over to university). He's still got very middling grades even tho teachers like him. I feel like in canon he mimics the poetic and verbose way Ewan speaks, so to some adults he comes across as an "old soul" or mature and always has gotten along with older people.

Honestly the American college/university reputation thing scares the shit out of me. I wrote a whole college au for Tomgreg and I was not brave enough to put them in a specific state/college because I didn't want to have to act like I knew the culture around that place, if it would be a good or bad job for Tom or any of that.... That being said, people do still have pride around their alumni and certain universities do have reputations, especially program specific ones like "This place is the BEST for medicine ugh you could only get in There instead?" but i don't think it's as intense as the US. I think mostly Greg just wanted to go to a place where he could live on his own for a while, so not in the city his mother lived in XD

ummm. for his first job I've become very attached to the idea he worked at an Ice Cream shack which was typicalish for *my* coastal upbringing, again thats just bc i wrote a fic about it tho lol. Quite a few people have early summer jobs at local organizations bc the government subsidizes summer term student jobs, like, working for the people putting on the yearly town festival, or for the city cultural department putting on events for kids.

I also headcanon he went to Explore, which is a French language intensive immersion program. i also went to this and i still can barely speak French so to me it's not unrealistic that he'd have gone at least once, and still be only okay at French. It's for university students. It would have been SO funny to see him try to speak French to Marcia and she just switches back to English continuously which sometimes Francophone people will do to you In Canada x_x i believe it could have happened.

Okay, um we did have Marianas Trench which was part of MY FOB/PATD/MTrench emo/pop punk trifecta personally. I feel like Greg would have a very wide and varied music taste. Where i'm from country music is soo popular lmfao so I think he likes that but i don't like it, so I can't tell you what.

OH My god somehow I have never actually considered Tom and Greg at a hockey game but that would be.... so amazing. i bet they would actually be very competitive it could get ugly. oh GOD now, i don't know if Greg is a Habs or Leafs fan. I was saying he's Ontarian, which would be more Leafs, but he might have an allegiance to Quebec anyway because of his Grandfather........... god. Especially if Ewan cared at all about Hockey which god idk. If he did, Greg might be obligated to be a Habs fan (which ew. i was born and raised Leafs smh). Maybe he supports Boston to avoid the fighting tho tbh.

Lastly. 100% i think he pulls "you're such an AMERICAN" on tom if it's ever a) funny or b) beneficial to his argument even tho again he's a dual citizen lol.

Thank you so much for being interested to hear my perspective!!! we dont get much background on greg so this is all conjecture with a HIGH dose of projection from me. but i love to talk about it and share my opinions anyway~!

Hello hi 👋 if you are willing to indulge me I would love to hear any and all of your Canadian Greg thoughts!!

I am also a Canadian Greg truther but I live in America so I can’t imagine the full extent of what it means for him to be a Canadian boy™

Ooooohhhh hell yeah I love to share the Good Word about Canadian Greg at least from my thoughts

while I tend to tweak his background based on the specific fic I am writing here in there, I really truly believe Greg has moved around a lot in his life. I like to think in fact he's got American citizenship/was probably born there but after his dad (presumably) left after he (presumably) cheated on Greg's mother, they moved back to Canada so Marianne could be closer to Ewan (for better or for worse considering Ewan is....... kinda a dick imo) and now he's a dual-citizen, always an interloper, never quite Canadian enough but not quite settled into American culture.

Partially due to my own experience I think he grew up mostly in Ontario, he doesn't come across as, like, Quebecois to me tho neither do Ewan or Logan despite canonically being raised there so uh you know, and I only ever spent 5 weeks in Quebec myself. but, French Canadian peoples tend to be connected to their Francophone identities in my experience with Acadians and other Francophones in other areas of Ontario, so yeah i mean idk. It's not impossible but he feels more Ontarian, I could see some Western hcs but I've never been further West so like........... i stick him in Ontario bc it's what I know better.

On that, I think he speaks passable but not excellent French with an Okay accent, he likes and knows hockey, has a variety of Canadian slang he doesn't pull out around his US folks. He likes colour-coded Canadian money because it's easier, dammit.

I also like to imagine him spending a bit of time in small town Atlantic Canada, that is the epitome of self-indulgence for Me because that's where my own actual experience mostly lies. He has some random factoids about fishing. I like to imagine he did Little Rocks which is a curling program for kids, he was almost definitely a Scout (he might have moved to Canada young enough to be a Beaver Scout🥺) and he knows, how to safely start a fire and camping basics (i think he prefers to stay in a cabin to a tent tho lmfao), and I believe he genuinely likes some outdoorsy activities, such as hiking, but also wants to be able to retreat to a comfortable area and not be left out in the rain or anything like that.

I think he was raised Catholic which could be anywhere lmao and knows how to hunt but doesn't love it (which I think it was said he did in the scripts in Hunting, as well as Tom, but I can't recall?). I think he made friends that always felt temporary, he was often the new kid and always the weird gawky guy, but he got along with some people even if he was sometimes the butt of the joke too. He did stupid shit like putting hairspray on his hands and letting other guys light it on fire, partially to fit in and partially because "What's the worst that could happen". Not necessarily exclusive to Canada but I knew these guys irl. So.

One of the things I've noticed that is a big difference between Canadians and US Americans is we don't mythologize or adore our founders the way they do. Unsure impact that has on Greg, but part of me likes to do a little excusing for him, that he rationalizes meddling with American politics and the landscape of the News using the idea that it's not his "Real home", even though he knows damn well the US impacts Canada in a huge way. It's another one of his many excuses, like, "it's not my fault, i'll get in trouble if I don't, i need a job to survive and this one is as good as any" etc.

Finally. Another one of my Greg headcanons despite having 0 evidence canonically and in fact evidence against it to an extent- he likes a good graphic tee. Most of them are stored at his mother's. Most importantly, he owns this:

which i photographed in a real Canadian walmart.

[olderthannetfic]

To try to add to the discussion regarding anon, wanting insta-friends, and boundaries ... I think a lot of people in fandom personally overestimate how many people are approaching fandom as their main social hangout. Lots of people in fandom don't care about having lifelong best friends and generally treat fandom friends as acquaintances who share a hobby. While a lot of us are lonely nerds, many people in fandom either already have a close-knit friend group and aren't seeking it out in fandom or don't even want one in the first place.

If you go into a social interaction wanting or expecting the other person to form that relationship with you but they're entirely uninterested ... then I think they can very easily come across as rude, standoffish, cold, or as if they dislike you.

--

I think you're right. A lot of people—or at least the kinds of lonely and confused people who often find their way to anon ask boxes—arrive in a fandom space looking for their Destined Best Friend like a wuxia hero falling in mancrush 30 seconds after meeting some dude. (Look, I was just thinking about Ancient Detective again, okay.)

That perception of coldness is definitely driven, in many cases, by unrealistic hopes.

But I think the problem runs even deeper.

I 10000% approach fandom as my life. My OKCupid profile was balls-to-the-wall crazy fandom shit to weed out the weak. Aside from my college roommate (according to her—but this is the woman who wrote her college diary as Harry Potter fanfic, changing all our names to HP ones, so...), basically all of my offline friends are fanfic nerds and have been for decades.

But...

While I'm a very loud and TMI person in many ways, I'm also an emotional clam. I'll tell you I laughed or that I was angry five seconds after meeting you. I won't tell you I was sad or vulnerable. You gotta reach the ten year mark for that or something. 🤣

Even as a person who prefers fandom friends and an extrovert who is always open to new friends, I still don't just instantly fall for every geek I come across. I've had those love-at-first-sight-but-platonic experiences. They don't happen very often, but they do exist. The most intense one I can think of is somebody I met at a bunch of cons one year, but then I moved across the country and don't go to those cons anymore, and she's not online much. Boo.

The holy grail of fandom friendship happened to me: A bunch of us met about ten years ago via a meetup, and we somehow just gelled. Part of it was random chance in terms of who showed up, what their native personalities were like, and how much free time they had, not to mention whether they lived a long or short drive from each other. Part of it was that I was having weekly dinner parties. We'd have liked each other regardless, I imagine, but we wouldn't have come together like that without regular interactions during the time we were getting to know each other. Side people have come and gone, but that main group coalesced all around the same time, and we're pretty solidly all friends with other individual members of the group as well as being a group together. We have a stupid name for our friend group, it's that much of a Thing. (TBH, I suspect that the level of gelling that happened is why new people haven't usually stuck around. It probably feels hard to break in.)

I'm not saying this to brag but because the interesting thing is that I tried to get that to happen after I moved away, and I couldn't. It wasn't possible to recreate the magic. I made friends, but I never succeeded in making another group like that. I might have been able to with more effort and time and fewer trips back to see my old group, but effort alone wasn't enough. IMO, it requires both a lot of luck and the right effort at the right time. Proximity matters a lot too if you live in a place with horrible commutes. I know several other fannish friend groups like mine around here, people I like who like me, but I'm not part of their pods because we live at least an hour apart and we just never get around to visiting.

A lot of the fandom best friends I know of, people who've been close for 10, 20, 30+ years, are people who meet offline too. They may live near each other, or they may see each other at cons. A lot of them also have private chats of some kind with just two or just a few, in a space that's safer and more intimate than a big fandom discord. I don't think you have to meet people offline to be besties, but many humans form friendships better face-to-face. (So even if that's not you, it may apply to people you want to be friends with.)

--

The point of this self involved ramble is that I too, despite my friendliness, do not warm to overshare-y randos in discords that quickly.

I want fandom friends for life whom I'll still know when I'm old. That is what I'm here for.

But I've also had very close, long-term friends, and I understand that it takes work. I also understand that genuine intimacy is slow to develop. Barfing out your angst creates a false sense of intimacy very quickly, but it doesn't result in the same kind of bond as working up to it.

What matters most is some intangible cocktail of personality traits. You have to approach the world in compatible ways. Your senses of humor have to line up. Shared specific fandom interests matter a little. Overall fandom interest matters a ton to me personally. But a lot of it is "are we compatible humans?", and that's not something you can easily answer just from a couple of discord chats.

--

I think some fans who try to make friends too quickly are interpreting other fans as standoffish not just because those fans aren't doing what they want but because of fundamental misunderstandings about what's possible.

Feelings aren't controllable.

You can engineer situations that make them more and less likely. (Doomscrolling-->more anxiety, taking a walk through nature-->more peace of mind, doing fun activities with people-->more positive emotions about those people, etc.) But what you're doing is planting a seed and watering it. Some seeds are duds. Some were misidentified and grow into something you didn't expect. A seed is just potential. It's not a guarantee of a mature plant.

I fail at befriending people all the time. I too strike out.

Friendship is like romantic love: sometimes, there's nothing wrong with the person, but you're just not feeling it. Sometimes, it hits you right away. Sometimes, it grows from knowing someone a long time. And some people can only feel it after knowing someone for a while.

Going into something thinking only about your needs is shooting yourself in the foot. You have to think about what makes humans tick. If it's love at first sight for both of you, great, but it won't usually be. That's not how most bffs happen.

--

I think many people dream of some kind of fictionalized version of In The Soop where they're on a bucolic vacation with their eternal besties. And it is possible. But you've either got to put in a decade of work first or have your eternal friendship imposed on you by a talent agency and a bunch of reality tv editors.

[bazzybelle]

Get to Know Me

Thank you @aristocratic-otter, @excalisbury, and @aroace-genderfluid-sheep for the tags. 💜

Relationship status: Married. We've been together for 10 years this October (married for 5 of them). It hit me out of nowhere that we're celebrating our 5th anniversary. I could have sworn we just got married like 2 years ago...

Favorite color: Wine purple. Like a dark, deep, wine colour. I love painting my nails and if I could choose one colour to have them for the rest of my life, I'd choose a wine-purple colour.

Favorite food: My Nonna's gnocchi with a simple tomato sauce.

Song stuck in your head: Since I just finished watching Ms. Marvel (super fucking fun, btw), Livin' On A Prayer by Bon Jovi is currently stuck on repeat in my brain.

Last thing you googled: I couldn't remember the placement of the colours for the Asexual flag, so I googled that.

Time: 7:56 PM

Dream trip: My instinct is to say like backpacking across Europe and just see all the countries, but I think my actual dream trip would be to go to Japan/South Korea, or to New Zealand.

Last book you read: I have been reading non-stop fanfiction, friends... The last book I read was probably The Charm Offensive. Such a GOOD BOOK and nails what it's like to live with chronic depression. Highly recommend.

Last book you enjoyed: I mean all the books I've read I've immensely enjoyed, but I think the last book to make me scream in excitement, was probably The Sandman audiobooks. I want to read all the novels now, and I am so excited for the Netflix series. The stories are so rich, and the characters are so cool. Everything about it is incredible.

Last book you hated reading: See, I have to really think back on a book that I could not get through, and that's pretty difficult. The only thing that's coming to mind is Tacitus' The Annals... I had to read that book for a class and MY GOD is it ever dry.

Favorite thing to cook/bake: Christmas cookies. It's a special thing I do for friends and family. I book an entire weekend and just go to town baking different types of cookies for the holidays. :D

Favorite craft to do in your free time: I'm not really a crafty person... Does baking count? Because I love to bake in my free time.

Most niche dislikes: I don't know?

Opinion on circuses, now and in history: They're fucking awful... I suppose in some extreme examples, they were a place where disenfranchised people could make SOME money, but not without enduring endless abuse. I like circuses like Cirque du Soleil (acrobatic performances).

Do you have a sense of direction, and if not what is the worst way you’ve gotten lost: ZERO sense of direction. Jesus... if I didn't have google maps, I'd get lost a block away from my own home.

The worst way I've gotten lost... Thing is, I can get lost REALLY easily, but I try not to panic too much. Like I've gotten lost several times while living in Florence, but anytime that happened, I just headed towards Santa Maria Fiore and the massive cupula dome, and was always able to find my way home.

Here's a funny story about me driving my friends nuts because I just don't know where I live. So before I moved out, I used to live near a major highway. Like you could exit that highway and be two blocks from my house. But I just... never realized that. So whenever friends would drive me home, I would use visual cues on the highway to tell me that my exit was coming up.

Well, it was super dark... and I wasn't able to see where we were, so we missed the exit. I tried to direct my friend as best as I could to my house, but we ended up driving around this neighbourhood for almost an hour because I could not see anything.

Turns out we were 2 mins away from my house the entire time.

Rightfully so, my friend never drove me home again.

I've seen several of these, so if you've done one already, I apologize. Tagging, @carryonsimoncarryonbaz, @f-ing-ruthless-baz, @fight-surrender, @amywaterwings, @palimpsessed, @giishu, @captain-aralias, @stardustasincocaine, @artsyunderstudy, @martsonmars, @angelsfalling16, @facewithoutheart

[nephilim-problems]

Rossi's Daughter pt. 2

You can find part 1 here

"Thor," I called, patting the bed.

He crawled up and cuddled next to me. I pulled my phone out and shot a text to my friends to see if either one could watch him until I got back. It was basically routine. Sometimes I'd be gone for a month or 2 in some random country and my friends would usually stay here. Both were still in college and lived in small apartments closer to college and since it was Thursday they would probably enjoy staying the weekend and I told them they could have parties whenever they want as long as they don't destroy anything.

I set my alarm to 5:30 A.M and turned on some soft music and slipped into a deep sleep with my dog by my side.

I woke up and got ready, picking a nice black dress that showed just enough to be exciting but not enough to look unprofessional. I realized I was ready 10 minutes early so I decided I wanted to read a good book while I waited.

I was getting really lost in my book when I heard Rossi crack his throat. I looked up to see him standing in front of me holding my bags.

"Packing light this time I see," he said, making me smile.

"I'm hoping we'll only be gone for a short time," I said, tucking my book in my bag and standing up.

"We all hope for that," he smirked, throwing my bags in the trunk and opening my car door for me.

"Your friend," I paused as he slid in the driver's side. "Tell me about him."

"What do you want to know?"

"His likes, dislikes? That would really help me."

"He likes work, he doesn't like leaving work."

"So he's married to his job. Not the first time I've seen this."

"So you know how to deal with him?"

"I have ideas but everyone is different."

"Do escorts have certain types they go for?"

"Some do."

"Do you?"

"Kind of. Big CEO types mostly, they spend the most."

"Oh my dear (Y/N), always after the money."

"The only thing I've needed is money."

"Money can't buy happiness."

"You're one to talk."

Rossi parked in front of a weird entrance to the airport. I was a bit nervous to enter and see everyone but I forced myself out of the car anyway.

"So why exactly do you need my help?" I asked pulling my bag out with me. "Or am I just here to meet Aaron?"

"A little bit of both. The team will brief you on the plane," he replied, grabbing my bags and his from the trunk of the car.

"I can take my own bag," I protested while grabbing a

"Ack-" Rossi replied, smacking my hands away. "A lady never carries her own bag."

I rolled my eyes and followed him into a plane.

"The team will brief you on the plane," Rossi said as we traveled through a security gate.

"You couldn't do this yourselves?" I asked as Rossi led me to wherever we were going.

"We could but we need someone to understand who we are hunting better," he replied "and if you do well you might have a job opportunity open for you."

"I see, they're an escort," I responded as Rossi led me on to an airstrip. "Why would the BAU ever offer me a job? I have no job experience."

"That will be a discussion for later. For now let's just focus on the case," Rossi replied as he led me up some steps into a jet. There weren't many people here, just a small 3 people all men.

Rossi had his hand on the small of my back and led me into where all 3 men were sitting. They were all staring at me which wasn't out of the ordinary, men usually stared at me but it almost felt like they were studying me, watching my every move.

"(Y/N) this is my team, SSA Spencer Reid, SSA Derek Morgan, and BAU Unit Chief Aaron Hotchner," Rossi said, pointing to each individual person.

"Is this your consult?" Aaron Hotchner said shifting uncomfortably.

"Yes Aaron she is. She'll be extremely helpful in this case, and she's a good profiler," Rossi said, patting my shoulder.

"So she isn't an escort?" Derek Morgan asked, sipping a cup of coffee.

"All escorts are profilers," I responded, smirking.

"Is that so?" Aaron asked and I took it as a challenge.

I stepped towards him and took his tie in my hands, "You're a dad. A good dad. You were coloring yesterday with your child. You tried to wash it off but it stayed. You have a lot of money too and you flaunt it. You run a hardship here but you definitely don't at home."

"Anything else," he responded and I could swear I saw a smile flash slightly across his face.

"You never used to be this serious. When did you lose your smile?" I smiled as his faltered. I lowered my voice so only he could hear. "I'm sure that tie would look really nice around my wrists now."

He shifted realizing what I just said. I smiled and bit my lip as I stepped back. I heard very slight whispering from Morgan and Rossi.

"How much did you tell her about Hotch?" Morgan whispered.

"I only told her about Haley," Rossi replied, making Morgan look shocked.

"What about me sweetheart," Morgan laughed and I made eye contact with him.

"You're a classic alpha male but you're super nice to the women you date. Definitely a huge flirt," that statement caused the other 3 to chuckle as Morgan looked smug. I pushed him against the wall and grazed my lips against his ear. His breath hitched in his chest as I kept my hand exactly where I had pushed him, I kept my lips against his ear.

"You love it when a woman takes control. If I'm being honest you'd look so hot under me while I use you to pleasure myself," I whispered, feeling him stiffen and his breathing change to rough.

"(Y/N), I need you to be nice to my team," Rossi called, making me back up.

I didn't take my eyes off Morgan. He didn't leave my eyes either. He looked excited.

"I am being nice, Babbo," I said innocently, taking my eyes away from Morgan and looking at Rossi.

"Teasing my team isn't being nice," he responded.

"I was just proving a point," I smiled and squeezed his arm. "I promise i'll be good from now on."

"How do you two know each other?" Reid asked, clearing the uncomfortable silence.

"(Y/N)," Rossi paused, wrapping his hand around my waist bringing me closer. "(Y/N) is my daughter."

I wasn't entirely shocked by what he said, as we've always acted like father daughter; however we've never announced it to anyone before. It always opened up questions that neither of us wanted to be asked. Everyone else was though. Even Hotch had a surprised look on his face.

[jeonjk0504]

I appreciate your dialogue. I can see that we don't agree and that is ok. When straight people use projections of queerness as part of their hobby, I do see that as problematic. If you didn't enjoy thinking of Taekook together queerly/romantically, not just platonically, you wouldn't have an entire blog dedicated to them as a ship. You would have a friendship blog. You wouldn't be followed by people who believe Tkk to be romantic.

When people depoliticize queerness, that is a problem. Being queer is an identity that is marginalized. I am not comfortable with people saying 'They want kids and are traditional so they will never act on it' but then STILL have a shipping blog. But what makes me uncomfortable is not your personal problem.

The fact that so few people who care about tkk have no idea what it feels like to be a queer person in these spaces tips me off to the general attitude of the community. This blog exists on a public platform. It is not a neutral space. Your thoughts influence people and you may not be the most qualified person to make commentary on the lives and feelings of LGBTQ people in traditional societies.

(2/3) Having said all that, thank you for listening. I appreciate your good intentions and caring way of doing things. Hoping for only good things for you.

(3/3) Like seriously I hope nothing I said came off as too harsh in tone or like I was putting you down! You have my respect.

_____

Hey anon,

I hope it’s okay i put these together. :) I see a lot of emotion but also assumptions that you are throwing my way, and i don‘t take that as offense per se, but i want to put some things out there. By itself i think it‘s fair that you voice your opinion or critic as i take it.

First of all, you are talking about straight people who see this as a hobby, but you don‘t know anything about my background or reasons for having this blog (which originally was for my own personal space and never meant to have a big audience. But i take it as it is and try to work with it.) I dislike being center of these kind of assumptions so i would kindly ask of you to leave me out of it. It‘s okay to criticize said spaces though and to make people aware that they need to question their intentions and the impact it may have on the community and even the people in the center of discussion.

When i say, „they have traditional views“ it‘s usually backed up by things they have said themselves. I‘m not writing fanfiction here and it‘s merely a neutral statement and usually a subject in a dialogue to get a better understanding of the big picture. There is nothing romantic about oppressed relationships, and i think it‘s important to talk about how countries like SK are erasing the LGBTQIA community. Would you rather i act as if homophobia (also internalized) is nothing to consider? (While writing this i just realized i maybe should put more warning tags in my asks…) Just because my blog has a romantic relationship as a focus, it doesn‘t mean it‘s all supposed to be romantic. Maybe that‘s what you got from it though?

And if they were to be romantically involved (quick to remind, we are still in completely hypothetical spaces), wouldn‘t it be better to have the impression that people support who they are instead of erasure and assumption that they are straight? And i‘m asking that on a website which they don‘t even know about…

It‘s okay to worry about my influence (even though i doubt i have a lot) on a sensitive topic, and i know i can be a bit factual. I hope it doesn‘t come across as not empathetic. I really thought about your comment and tried to take in your perspective and feelings, because as you might suspect, i don‘t want to hurt anyone on here - quite the opposite. I suppose it can be hurtful to see your personal struggles as a talking subject on a blog that feels romanticized. I have some distance to a specific reality that you have to live through - that must be really hard!

I can‘t take that feeling from you of course, but i will take it into consideration while i am in dialogue with people so i keep on being aware of that reality.

You didn‘t come off as harsh, don‘t worry! It can be hard to communicate on platforms like these where we have to double check how things come across. I hope i managed to tackle what you were asking of me - if not, it has no ill intention and i hope you maybe ask again. I wish you the best! :)