#It's a completely different ratio with different social pressures

[bijoumikhawal]

"historically polygamous societies loved to wage war and slavery to dispose of excess men and emphasize female conversion" okay all those things are true of monogamous societies too. Western Europeans are famously probably the best at war and slavery from the current standpoint and they're monogamous. And from the way you wrote that I can tell you were thinking of the middle east so what the fuck

[starcurtain]

Everyone on Twitter playfully dragging Aventurine for his crop top and track pants fit, and while I agree that this is hilarious and should be meme'd into oblivion, I also can't help but think that the Aventurine fandom as a whole should definitely embrace turning "He's kind of tacky, wouldn't know a subtle outfit unless it was picked by Jade, and wears bizarrely out-of-touch fits on his days off just because he personally thinks they look cool" into an endearing fanon character trait.

Because like, canonically? It makes perfect sense.

As a child, his family didn't have the luxury of giving him a wide variety of clothes in different styles or fabrics. He wore what he could get. Then, we're only ever shown adult Kakavasha wearing rags until joining the IPC.

We know from his character stories that he was kept extremely out of the loop on world news and mainstream media as a slave and literally wouldn't know anything about clothing other than seeing it on other people.

From the time he was a child, wearing whatever his family could pull together, to the time he became an adult prisoner wearing literal scraps, there was never a need or even reasonable opportunity for him to learn about fashion or the social pressures of "dressing to fit in."

The first thing he's told to do as a member of the Stonehearts is "Go pick out new clothes," and the next time we see him, he's wearing the most peacock-esque outfit possible. When Jade told him to pick out his clothes, he literally went in completely blind with no lessons on how to appropriately dress for any adult occasion at all.

While I do think that one of the first things Aventurine would have done as a new Stoneheart is research how to establish a certain "character" for himself and how to dress to give a specific impression, I also think that Aventurine would delight in finally, finally having the power to present himself exactly as he chooses--and that would likely be very strongly informed by an entire child- and young-adulthood growing up without a single social pressure to "dress normal."

Given that he never had someone to teach him how to dress in any modern intergalactic style in his formative years, I think that it makes perfect sense for his "fashion" sense to be extremely unique to him, with little outside influence except for being strongly based on what he knows best: the luxuries the Avgin people could gather from the deserts of Sigonia-IV.

Ratio accuses him of being "flashy," but Aventurine likely loads up all his personally-picked outfits with turquoise jewels, fur trim, and gold metal accents because that's what he grew up perceiving as status symbols and signs of prosperity. Of course he's flashy! Why would he not want to wear furs and jewels now that he has them?! What do you mean wearing six gold bangles is overkill with a t-shirt? No such thing as overkill, come on!

Topaz dropping the Star Rail equivalent of "You look like what would happen if Fashion Week was themed on the yakuza and the Roaring 20s at the exact same time" every other month.

"Well, I think it looks great!"

tl;dr: Aventurine can definitely do his research and blend his outfits into any scenario if needed, but when left to his own devices, he absolutely wears the most over-the-top and/or bizarrely unmodern and "I couldn't care less what is currently trending" fits because no one ever taught him fashion sense when he was growing up, he's finally got the autonomy to dress himself in whatever he thinks looks best, and he's still a little bit drunk on the opportunity to bath in the natural luxuries he longed for but could never have as a child.

Just sayin'.

[acleanpressurecleaning]

The Importance of Outdoor Cleaning Services

Outdoor surfaces can harbor unsightly stains from chewing gum and various oils. Cleaning these surfaces can be difficult without proper equipment and expertise.

Choosing an exterior cleaning service can be complicated, but word of mouth and review sites are great starting points. A good company will be well-versed in industry standards and guidelines, ensuring their process meets all requirements.

Preparation

A well-maintained exterior is a Outdoor Cleaning Services sight for guests and potential customers. It shows that the property is well-cared for and maintained, and can increase the likelihood of getting a positive review. Moreover, well-maintained exteriors add to the overall value of the home or business, making it a more desirable place to live or do business.

Proper cleaning tools can make the work much easier and safer. The basics include a broom, dustpan, and outdoor hose with an adjustable nozzle to clean surfaces and rinse furniture. It is also helpful to have a bucket for holding cleaning solutions or water and a brush with stiff bristles to get rid of stubborn spots on concrete or wood.

If working on elevated surfaces, it is important to wear proper safety equipment and follow all applicable guidelines for ladder or scaffold use. Additionally, it is a good idea to stay hydrated during outdoor cleaning and take frequent breaks.

Assessment

Completing a risk assessment is a common element in all cleaning services. It involves considering what might cause harm and deciding what controls are needed to prevent that. This is especially important for outdoor areas, where the cleaners may be exposed to chemicals and other substances that could pose a danger to people in the vicinity.

This step is also important for marketing the services to existing clients. It’s a great way to get them interested in new offerings and specials, and to promote your business on social media or with emails.

It’s also a good idea to conduct market research and analyze competitor pricing strategies. Offering flexible pricing options, including by square footage or by hour, can help you attract more customers and increase your revenue. You can also offer discounts to loyal clients. This will give you the opportunity to develop long-term relationships with customers and build customer trust. You can even develop a loyalty program with a rewards program to increase your brand’s recognition.

Cleaning

Whether it’s an outdoor kitchen, dining area or BBQ, facilities teams need to keep these spaces clean. This includes sweeping, washing and wiping surfaces to remove dirt and stains. Some stains, like gum or oil, may require a vinegar dilution or even a degreaser. For larger areas, Tennant’s sweeper-scrubbers can help.

Depending on the cleaning needs, some services can be offered by soft wash, power wash or hot water pressure washing. Soft wash is typically done with a mix of chemicals and soap to help remove grime, mold, pollen, and moss without damaging surfaces. Power washing is typically used for concrete surfaces and more stubborn stains.

When choosing a company, ask around. Chances are, a friend, colleague, or family member has had experience with different exterior cleaning services and is willing to share their experiences with you. Also, look at online reviews and testimonials to see what others have experienced with the company. If the majority of the comments are positive, this is a good sign that the company provides quality service.

Maintenance

Keeping your outdoor areas cleaning services can make a big difference in the impression of your business or home. It also adds to the longevity of your building. It is recommended to have your gutters, sidewalks, and siding pressure washed yearly to prevent mold and algae build up. The experienced cleaners use the appropriate ratio of soap, bleach, and water to provide the most effective cleaning. This sanitizes surfaces and removes organic materials without damaging them. This helps protect the integrity of your building and reduces maintenance costs.

Several commercial and residential cleaning services in NYC offer reliable sidewalk and gutter pressure washing services to help you keep your exteriors looking great.Contact them today for a free quote.

[awesomediecast99]

The Ultimate Beginner's Guide to Starting a Diecast Car Collection

Are you drawn to the intricate details and nostalgia of miniature automobiles? Starting a diecast car collection can be a rewarding hobby, whether you're captivated by classic cars, fascinated by modern supercars, or intrigued by iconic movie vehicles. In this comprehensive guide, we'll walk you through everything you need to know to embark on your journey as a diecast car collector.

Understanding Diecast Cars

Diecast cars are scale models of real vehicles, typically made from metal alloy with plastic parts for finer details. They come in various scales, ranging from 1:64 to larger scales like 1:18 or 1:12. The term "diecast" refers to the manufacturing process where molten metal is poured into a mold (or die) to create the car's body.

Setting Your Collection Goals

Before diving into collecting, take some time to define your goals. Are you interested in a specific era, brand, or type of vehicle? Do you aim to build a diverse collection or focus on a particular theme? Understanding your preferences will help guide your purchasing decisions and shape the direction of your collection. Collecting diecast cars can range from affordable to extravagant, depending on your preferences and budget. Set a realistic budget based on your financial situation and collecting goals.

Research and Education

Knowledge is key to building a meaningful collection. Start by researching different diecast brands, models, and scales. Familiarize yourself with terminology such as "limited edition," "scale ratio," and "opening features." Explore online forums, collector groups, and enthusiast websites to learn from experienced collectors and stay updated on the latest releases and trends.

Budgeting Wisely

Keep in mind that prices can vary widely based on factors like rarity, condition, and brand reputation. It's essential to strike a balance between indulging your passion and managing your finances responsibly.

Starting Your Collection

Begin your collection by acquiring a few key pieces that resonate with you. Consider starting with popular brands like Hot Wheels, AUTOart, Kyosho or Maisto, which offer a wide range of models at various price points.

Building Relationships with Fellow Collectors

One of the joys of diecast car collecting is connecting with fellow enthusiasts who share your passion. Attend collector conventions, swap meets, and club gatherings to meet like-minded individuals and swap stories, tips, and insights. Engage with the online community through social media groups, forums, and blogs to expand your network and stay connected with the latest news and developments.

Caring for Your Collection

Proper care and maintenance are essential to preserving the value and appearance of your diecast cars. Display your collection in a clean, dust-free environment away from direct sunlight, which can cause fading and discoloration. Use soft brushes or compressed air to remove dust and debris, and avoid handling the models excessively to prevent scratches and paint damage. Consider investing in display cases or shelves to showcase your collection while keeping it safe from accidents or mishandling.

Enjoying the Journey

Above all, remember that collecting diecast cars is about enjoyment and personal fulfillment. Take your time exploring different models, brands, and themes, and don't feel pressured to rush or complete your collection overnight. Each acquisition represents a piece of automotive history or a cherished childhood memory, adding depth and character to your collection. Embrace the thrill of the hunt, the satisfaction of discovery, and the camaraderie of fellow collectors as you embark on this exciting journey into the world of diecast car collecting.

Conclusion

Starting a diecast car collection is a thrilling endeavor that offers endless opportunities for discovery, creativity, and connection. By setting clear goals, conducting research, budgeting wisely, and nurturing relationships within the collector community, you can cultivate a collection that reflects your passion for automobiles and brings joy for years to come. So, roll up your sleeves, rev up your engines, and let the adventure begin!

[watsername]

now listen .

am i saying women with this body type don’t exist? no absolutely not ppl can look like this. am i saying that they are ana or that they should not be loving their body ?? no that’s fucking stupid .

what i AM saying is that this is pointing towards the new trending body shape and shows how clothing is made and marketed to us and who they are intended to be worn by .

this is coming fresh off the heels of a lot of brands starting to include mannequins of different sizes including plus size mannequins in order to show the differences in sizes and the kind of fit these garments will have across different body types . now i’m not gonna claim ever that outfitters brandy melville hollister pull & bear even like bershka and zara have ever taken that step towards body inclusivity and that’s evident by the fit of their clothing .

long story short the clothing of these places was MADE to fit the people who look like their mannequins . for reference im 5’2 and wear a U.K size 8 in most shops .

i’m not plus sized, i have a lil bit of fat around my tummy and hips that makes buying jeans a lil difficult but i’m not plus sized and can’t talk on plus sized experiences in these stores esp bc generally these stores don’t carry larger options . and obviously everyone is gonna have different experiences than me, if you’re the same size as me having good experiences then that’s great im glad ur getting good out of it

but the impact of these mannequins is honestly making a lot of women feel shit about themselves . some stories from my personal experience- having a different body type and trying on any trousers in urban outfitters is a rlly weird experience . in my experience, they’re made for people with really slim waist and hips, or a small waist to hip ratio at least . i have quite wide hips- so the loose fitting kim possible illusion of their cargo pants is completely lost on me unless i size up, at which point the waistband becomes too loose . buying skirts theres for me means sizing up in the waist because what fits my waist is too tight across my hips as well, but at the cost of the length so the mini effect is also lost on me and it starts to hit closer to my knees .

being in pull & bear and not having their boots zip up past my ankles . having to return a corset top to UO because their online store doesn’t have a sizing guide under their garments so my regular sizing was too small. uo pull&bear bershka and zara all making you size up several times in order to find a garment that fits you regularly .

the target market for these brands in women and girls in their teens and twenties- at the height of dealing with things like body insecurity as they’re now starting to feel the pressure of the world on them to look a certain way and be a certain size . and they see these brands trending across social media platforms, go to try them on and oh . it didn’t fit i’ll have to go a size bigger . oh . but the outfit looked so good on the mannequin . oh . i thought it was supposed to be loose fitting but if i get the bigger one it’ll be too big . why doesn’t it look like that on me .

i’m not even gonna pretend to utter the phrase size inclusivity around these brands bc they’re not but for the sizes they do carry . it doesn’t seem like they were supposed to be worn by someone other than the mannequin and the models on their website .

what this goes to day is that with these brands trending across social media and lots of young women wanting to be involved in the aesthetics they offer it is promoting unhealthy body image perspectives . because the clothes just weren’t made to be worn by women with a different body shape . young women and teenage girls have so much pressure on them to look a certain way, only seeing these clothes on one type of body makes them likely to compare their own body to that of the model (or in this case the mannequin) and can push them towards viewing their own body negatively instead of loving to other stores to seek better sizing because these stores tend to offer a really specific aesthetic that has been rising in popularity . this may lead to unhealthy habits in order to achieve the body that’s going to make them feel pretty and feel accepted by society . being surrounded by mannequins that are low-key underweight is going to affect the mental health of women at the most impressionable years of their lives . because they’re being told THAT is what you need to look like .

and this is something that’s been recognised time and time again that there is a problem with the way that women’s clothing is marketed and sized

these brands operate under the illusion that they have a somewhat okay size range - brands like brandy melville even saying their small sizing operates under a one size fits all system despite the fact they’ve been outed as only really fitting sized U.K. 6 and below which is just misleading marketing .

also the fact that these brands have been outed for promoting ed’s (cough urban cough) and tendencies to use models who are actually underweight to promote their clothing . doesn’t scream ‘we want women to feel good’

the issue isn’t that these brands cater towards thin people it’s that they give the illusion of good sizing ranges but the construction of garments highlights how these sizes weren’t actually intended for people with certain percentages of body fat . even ppl like me - i’m not plus sized im a relatively small person but i have difficulty shopping with these brands due to their weird and poorly constructed sizing .

society has always shamed women for their clothing sizes and pushing young women at the point in their life when they are most likely to experience some kind of body consciousness to size up multiple times can severely impact their mental health because they are feeling that society will think less of them the larger the clothing size they wear . i know i’ve already been through it . i was 110 lbs in 2020 with a 25 inch waist and still felt horrible about myself because my hips were too wide for urban outfitters and i was already being shamed by grown ass adults in my family for being a larger size than my cousin two years younger than me . i was a size 6 at that point .

i’m not saying let everyone think they’re a size 4 i’m just saying if you’re gonna be a clothing brand at least have your clothing true to size . and we’ve been here before . we know what mannequins like that did to women in the y2k era . i know we want to bring back y2k but we don’t have to bring back the unrealistic body standards and eating disorders with it

can we talk about the anorexic mannequin epidemic

[ex0toxin]

your vibes are immaculate and ur okuyasus are *chefs kiss* thats a beautiful lil man 👏 what's some of your favorite parts about josuke/okuyasu's dynamic? :0

discovered this in my drafts and i’ll put it under a cut bc its! VERY FUCKING LONG LMFAO

i think my favorite thing about the josuyasu dynamic is how different they are? like, on the surface they look similar with both of them being entrenched in japanese delinquent culture and aesthetics, but theyre super different in like every other angle!

for one, economic background: okuyasu, while enjoying a middle class life for his toddler years, was basically destitute and very lower class for most of his remembered experience bro lived in squalor the coal mines fr. josuke has lived comfortably middle/upper-middle class his entire life rlly well displayed in the shigechi arc where okuyasu says he'll be putting his lottery winnings into savings + josuke calls him boring and says he's gonna buy a nice new suit with a sexy silhouette like okay gayboy. josuke has NO long term goals or thinking, he just lives life by the day, whereas okuyasu who is shown to have very poor emotional impulse control, still thinks far into the future about when this money will get him out of a tight spot we love a king who thinks (not josuke)

life experience: okuyasu's mom bite the fucken dust FAST LMFAO + he helped his brother kill people + his father beat him + keicho was emotionally abusive + and then his dad turned into snot + ratio + L + rip bozo etc. okuyasu is extremely traumatized :/ he's had to deal with the crushing pressure of financial instability, his dad's abuse and then his dad's 'disability',(condition is probably a better word but disability is very adjecent? idk the nijidad arc has elder abuse vibes as well) and his brother's control issues and neuroticism, and then with the responsibility of all those lives on his hands from the arrow hunting like gawt DAM at least let him grow some fucking chest hair babe DKSAJNASJIFLF so he never grew up with anything stable, other than the longterm goal of solving the problem of his dad's goopification like . zoinks

josuke grew up very privileged, tho not to say he didn't/doesnt experienced social ostracization and bullying at the hadns of his peers and small community for being a biracial bastard w/ a single mom and dressing like a lil freak etc, but his grandpa and mom were a very tight knit support system for him. he's solidly middle class, never moved houses and uprooted himself, has generous spending money, etc. at the beginning of diu you can see he's a lot more bratty and uncaring and even a little selfish, with the callousness he showed towards okuyasu's "death" during the rhcp fight, the rage towards angelo (though justified lmfao pop off), and his overprotectiveness of his appearance. the dude definitely had some way different challenges compared to okuyasus literal murder accomplice shit

grief wise!! my friend noticed that once josuke and okuyasu met eachother, they became sort of "grief soulmates"!! here's what my friend wrote about it:

"the traumas that okuyasu has are all "historical" in some way, rooted pre-canon in deep ways, which can even extend to keichos death in a way because of how the causality works out, and it's the mirror opposite for josuke who has a completely grief-free life until canon starts and brings with it this change in status quo that caused him to develop these new experiences that ended up having claws

so @ the same time as josuke is learning that the world is sometimes awful in truly desperate ways, he's kinda on a 'downward' trajectory in terms of hope and idealism, okuyasu is on his way up because the same change in events actually mark an improvement for him !!! and so they end up meeting in the middle a bit and helping each other stabilise as mirror images

which is that josuke is reaching "out" for comfort, because it's home and closeness thats suddenly new and dangerous, which suits okuyasu well bc hes reaching in, because he has these new centres of comfort and stability in josuke and their friend network + more literally the infrastructure of the town canon connects him with"

basically theyre opposites when it comes to trauma, okuyasu's life is on an incline (kira's murderspree isnt exactly strange to him, even if its still upsetting) and josuke's is on the decline with his grampy drinking murder juice

uhmm another cool thing is personality wow like 4893583459738 words in and im just now remembering to talk about their actual chemistry instead of thematic parallels (i have diseases) but okuyasu being impulsive and brash all the time but when it comes to extremely upsetting things [ie keicho's death, his OWN death and revival] hes like like :/ #yikes. vc josuke who is at all times trying to be the COolest and Most Epic Guy but also has bonkers anger issues and shits himself when he gets one (1) insult <3 the Balance............

theres like so much i want to put in this manifesto im SWEATING LMFAO but my last point i wanna cover is why theyre friends in the first place!! josuke is a ficking loser with no friends mentioned until koichi (who i firmly believe is fucking insane and just pretends to be normal) and then oku + the others. josuke bc of his baggage has never had any homies so hes super independent!! and okuyasu who relied on keicho(not entirely out of choice but if i start talking about keicho im gonna be here for another 500000000 words) so like!!

idk oku immediately latching onto josuke as his next guidestone in place of keicho is so :) ! im gonna shut up now bc ive had this in the drafts since feb and i just need to close my laptop WKALSKJDLKAJDKS hopefully.... this is not just insane ramblings but if it is then. yea .

[thewordworrier]

Call Me Babe For The Weekend - Chapter Ten

Series Masterpost

Word Count: 9.5k Notes: Chapter title from “All Too Well” by Taylor Swift - but with like, one word change. Still her’s though!

Chapter Ten - Maybe This Thing Is A Masterpiece

The brothers managed to arrange a quiet, very casual breakfast-like get together between themselves and their women, a few days later,  just so Kristin wouldn’t have a complete stranger in the closer, ‘family section’ of her wedding. Shelly wasn’t sure why, but she felt so much more at ease about this meeting. Maybe it was because she already knew Mikey and Gerard - the ratio of people she knew to those she didn’t was more in her favour, so to speak. She also didn’t feel quite as much pressure about looking so… Perfect? So pristine maybe? She’d checked in with Gerard, who had said that casual, everyday wear would be completely fine, so she’d gone with that. She’d still found something nice of course, she wasn’t just going to turn up looking like she’d just rolled out of bed - she was still trying to make a good impression after all (that and she highly doubted that Gerard would be seen with anyone not well dressed on any occasion anyway.) While she managed to find something that was comfortable and casual (and a little bit cute as well), she still found herself putting in a little more effort than she probably should’ve, purely because she knew she was going to be seeing Gerard, and she wanted to look good for him. She wanted him to look at her and feel happy about being seen with her. She was just trying to live up to his standards, she told herself. That’s why her clothes were a little more fitted in the right places. No other reason - she just wanted to feel like she deserved to stand by his side. No other reason at all. (She did however, make a small batch of family cookies, just for him, which earned her a very tight hug and a forehead kiss outside her apartment building that morning when he came to pick her up. She decided that yes, that was very much worth nearly burning her fingertips off for.) Mikey and Kristin were there before Gerard and Shelly, which the blonde felt bad about - she didn’t like keeping people waiting. Although, she didn’t really have anything to worry about because as soon as they approached the table that the younger brother and his soon-to-be wife were sitting at, the other woman stood up and embraced her. “Mikey has told me so much about you!” She said, “Gosh, you’re so cute!” Shelly blushed and stuttered out a “thank you” before they all sat down again. The brothers disappeared to order coffee (although Shelly would have something different, considering the fact that she really didn’t like coffee) as well as some food, and as soon as they were out of earshot, Kristin leant across the table. “Mikey told me that you got grilled when the family met you, is that right?” “Yeah, it was actually a little uncomfortable,” Shelly nodded before shrugging a little. “But I figured that it was pretty normal.” Kristin frowned. “I’m not sure about that…” “You didn’t get questioned like that, did you?” Shelly watched the other woman shake her head. “I’m going to hazard a guess, please correct me if I’m wrong, that you move in the same sort of social circles as them?” She nodded. “Yeah, I do. You think that might be why you got questioned so much?” “Probably. I think I might’ve been questioned a little more had I not reacted the way I did to some of it.” The other woman winced and gently took Shelly’s hand from across the table. “Yeah, Mikey told me about that one; he was really angry about it, actually. I am so sorry you had to sit through that.” “I really appreciate him speaking up about it to be honest,” Shelly admitted quietly. “And I appreciate your words, thank you.” Kristin smiled and patted Shelly’s hands gently. “Oh, any time.” “You have yourself a very good man there, I think. I mean, I don’t know him too well, but first impressions and gut instincts are normally pretty spot on, aren’t they?” “Oh, I absolutely agree with that.” Shelly relaxed a little more before biting her lip. “Can I ask you something?” “Of course.” Shelly grinned. “Can I see the ring?” Kristin giggled and obliged, letting Shelly take her hands and examine the engagement ring on her finger. This image, the girls essentially holding hands, is what the brothers saw first as they started making their way back to the table. “Hmn,” Gerard noticed them first. “What?” Mikey turned to see what he was looking at. “Aha. That’s sweet.” “- and I love this nail polish, by the way,” Shelly finished as the brothers returned, sitting back next to their respective women. “It’s really pretty and makes the ring really stand out, you clever thing.” Kristin beamed, brightening considerably and noticeably at the compliment. “It’s one of my favourites and always has been.” “It’s a lovely colour on you.” “Are you two planning on running away together?” Gerard asked as he sat down. “There’s a lot of hand holding going on over here,” Mikey added. “Oh, darn, they’re onto us already.” Kristin rolled her eyes with a smile as the comment and the action made Shelly laugh. “I am many things,” Shelly said. “But a homewrecker is not one of them.” “I appreciate you not stealing my fiancee from me,” Mikey grinned at her. “And I appreciate you not leaving me,” Gerard slid his arm around Shelly’s waist. “Why would I break up a lovely, obviously well suited and utterly in love couple?” Shelly asked, stirring sugar into her hot chocolate. “You two look gorgeous together.” “You and Gerard look really, really good together too you know,” Mikey sipped his coffee. “You’re clearly the reason why he’s been different recently. Happier, more relaxed, perhaps. I’ve certainly noticed that in the short time I’ve known of your existence.” Shelly and Gerard shared a look and she smiled a little before speaking. “That’s very sweet.” “I… I guess I feel better not hiding her,” Gerard said, side-eying his brother a little. “I understand about wanting to keep your relationship to yourself until you know it’s going somewhere though,” Kristin sipped her coffee. “Or just wanting to keep it to yourselves in the early stages anyway. You can get so wrapped up in each other that you forget the rest of the world exists.” “I feel like that when I’m with him anyway,” Shelly said quietly, clearing her throat and sipping her drink before speaking up, just a little. “I mean, that feeling hasn’t really left, for me at least.” Gerard had heard the first part and had started looking at her when she was sipping her drink. She put her mug down and glanced at him, obviously feeling like she was being looked at. When her eyes met his, he grinned at her. “You are so cute,” he said, placing his hand over hers on the table. “But, I feel the same.” “You do look really good together. It’s like you compliment each other somehow,” Kristin leant against Mikey and beamed up at him when he slipped an arm around her. “It’s so very cute.” Shelly went pink and Gerard chuckled before engaging his brother in some conversation that Shelly found herself unable to pay too much attention to. Instead, she focused on the other woman, a really beautiful creature, she thought. “So, Kristin,” she said quietly as the guys conversed next to her. “Tell me about how you and Mikey met? How did he propose?” “Are you sure?” She actually looked embarrassed and apologetic, which Shelly found both adorable and unnecessary. “I’m likely to get very mushy.” “Oh, I’m absolutely sure! The mushier the better.” Kristin giggled quietly before starting to tell Shelly what she wanted to know; more than happy to do so after Shelly’s encouragement. Shelly was more than happy to listen, too - she honestly wanted to know, that’s why she asked. She did like a cute love story after all, and Kristin and Mikey were just so sweet together. And they were so obviously in love. Truthfully, she was a teeny, tiny bit jealous. Only the smallest amount, and she didn’t begrudge them their happiness at all. Of course she didn’t - why would she? If they weren’t getting married, then she highly doubted that she’d be spending as much time as she was with Gerard. Sure, he might still be a regular at her grandfather’s shop, but she highly doubted that she’d know as much about him, if their only interactions were her double checking his measurements and helping to make his suits. She didn’t begrudge them their happiness because they were so good together. She didn’t begrudge them their happiness because, and she really hated to admit this, she really appreciated having Gerard around. Even if it was all a means to an end, even if it was all fake and even if it wasn’t going to last, even if they went back to being… Well, next to nothing, after this, it was showing her that she might be able to stop being quite so guarded. That she might be able to open up and let people - men even, get close to her again. Well. If she ever found one who ever matched up to her fake boyfriend. “Well,” Gerard said, later on as they walked away from the little cafe they’d all met up in. “I think that went well.” Shelly hummed. “Mm hm.” “You don’t sound so sure?” He glanced down at her as they walked, his eyes widening a little bit when she let go of his hand, even though she really didn’t need to and he was surprised that she was willingly doing so; normally she’d stay holding his hand for as long as she could. He watched her shrug and shove both of her hands in her jacket pockets. “Oh, no. I’m pretty certain that went really well. Kristin is lovely and she and Mikey are so perfect for one another.” She smiled a tiny bit. “It’s very cute, and she’s a total doll.” “She seemed to like you,” Gerard said with a nod. “You exchanged numbers right?” “Mm hm”, Shelly nodded, chewing her lip a little. “Shelly?” Gerard gently took her by the elbow, steering her to a quieter part of the street. “Are you alright?” “Um,” she looked from the hand cupping her elbow up to his face. “Maybe.” “You want to talk about it?” He pulled her a little closer to him so she didn’t have to talk so loudly. She looked around and sighed. “I don’t know. Can we walk a bit more?” He looked her over carefully before nodding. “Sure.” They walked for a little bit, neither really saying anything until Shelly stopped to look in the window of a jewellery store. Gerard almost walked on without her, until he realised that she had stopped. He took a few steps back to stand by her side, looking at her for a moment before turning to see what she was looking at. “I…” Shelly started quietly. “I am concerned that I’m getting too close.” Gerard moved to stand a little closer to her. “Too close to what?” “Your family. They are not going to like you when we break up.” She moved along to see a different part of the window display and tucked some hair behind her ears. “Yeah, I know, but it’s not going to come back badly on you,” he tried to figure out what she was looking at specifically. “We’ve already agreed on that, I think.” “It could just be mutual? We could just work it out that it’s a mutual split?” “We’ll discuss that later on.” Gerard looked at the displays a little better. “What are you looking at anyway?” The shorter girl went very pink. “Oh, it’s not important. I just like looking at pretty things.” “I don’t believe you,” he leant down a little bit to be more at her eye level. “C’mon. What’re you looking at? Shouldn’t I know what type of jewellery my girlfriend likes?” Shelly side-eyed him. “Do not even think about buying anything.” He raised an eyebrow at her, more out of curiosity, but also slightly in question. The blonde sighed and shook her head before turning to look at him. “Promise me you won’t.” “I promise I won’t think about buying anything.” “Hmn…” She frowned. “Promise you won’t buy anything. I mean it.” “I promise.” Shelly narrowed her eyes at him for a moment. “Alright. I think I believe you.” Gerard smiled at her. “So, what caught your eye?” She sighed before tapping lightly on the glass. “That circular frame pendant, with the moon in it?” It took him a minute before he found it. “Oh?” “That’s the moon from Starry Night, the Van Gough painting. Except I think there’s a few gold flecks in that pendant.” Gerard stayed quiet for a moment as he looked at it. “It’s pretty.” Shelly straightened up a little and studied him, staying silent for a moment. He must’ve noticed that she’d gone quiet because he turned his head to look at her. He could tell that she was thinking about something, but he couldn’t quite tell what. He wouldn’t have to wait too long to find out though. “It’s my favourite painting,” she said after another minute. “I’ve been drawn to it since I was a kid. I’m not sure why. Maybe it was just because of the colours when I was younger, but I don’t know.” She turned to look in the window again. “I’ve always been drawn to the stars and the sky. I think that’s why I read up on astrology, despite the fact that I don’t follow it religiously.” “You’ve mentioned that before,” Gerard added, remembering some of the information he’d read - about the different types of compatibilities between signs; romantic and sexual compatibilities specifically. “You said something about how we’re both fire signs, and how that makes things,” he paused and created quotation marks with his fingers. “Interesting.” It took her a moment to remember the conversation and then to remember what she’d meant by that. When she remembered, her cheeks went a little pink and she nibbled her bottom lip. “Hmn. You remembered.” “I did,” he focused on the window display for a moment. “Anyone would think that, with your name and the nicknames your family has given you, that you would be more drawn to the sea, or to water. Not the sky and stars.” Shelly smiled a little and tucked some hair behind her ear. “I am the weirdest fire sign you’ll ever meet.” Gerard found himself grinning as he snapped a photo of her; fingers still behind her ear, that smile still on her face. She blinked rapidly in surprise at him before taking his phone out of his hand and getting a picture of him too. “You are the most obvious fire sign I’ll ever meet,” he said, grabbing her by the waist, pulling her to him and taking his phone back to get a photo of them both, unintentionally getting the jewellery store window display in the background. “You are so obviously a Leo.” “Alright Aries,” she muttered, feeling his arm slide under her jacket as he pulled her closer to get another photo. “Difficult beast.” “Shush and pose.” Shelly just rolled her eyes before doing as she was told. When he was finished, she hummed and took his hand again, leading him away from the store and out of the side street. He didn’t mind any of this in the slightest. “So, what do you want to do?” She asked. “You suggested hanging out; do you have any ideas?” “Erm, not really?” He confessed, rubbing the back of his neck with the hand that she wasn’t holding. “I didn’t know what you’d feel like doing so I didn’t really plan anything. I figured that we could maybe play it by ear?” “Hmmm,” she slowed down beside him. It wasn’t until she let his hand go again that he turned to look at her properly. She’d pulled her phone out of her pocket and was tapping away at the screen, her bottom lip caught between teeth as she concentrated. He took a step or two closer to her, just to be close, and waited patiently, one hand resting on the small of her back. What had surprised him, actually, was the fact that she hadn’t even flinched, or jumped, when he’d touched her. If anything, she’d shifted her body so she was leaning more towards him, like she was moving into his touch almost. He had to bite the inside of his cheek briefly to distract himself from turning that thought into something… Less than pure. “What’re you doing?” He asked a few minutes later, quietly so he didn’t make her jump or anything. “I’m checking to see if there’s anything interesting going on locally today, but it depends on what you’re into, really.” “Hmn.” Shelly glanced up from looking at her phone screen to look right into his face. He was looking at her so… Intently. Her instincts were almost screaming at her to run, to put some distance between them. Well, she was never really one to immediately listen to those instincts, and, because they’d just been talking about astrology, she had been partially reminded that yes, she was very Leo-like (especially in appearance). Whereas he was an Aries; a ram, and therefore more likely to be her prey. It made sense in her head, despite the fact that in reality, he really was the one calling the shots. In the long term at any rate. Maybe that’s why she was trying to gain the upper hand in the short term. Even if it was just mentally. So, she stood her ground and raised an eyebrow at him. “And what does that mean?” She asked, noticing that he was still looking at her like that and trying not to acknowledge the fact that she didn’t mind. “It doesn’t mean anything,” he watched her, tilting his head slightly. “What are the options?” She rolled her eyes again and shook her head before looking back at her phone. “How do you feel about art?” “Oh?” He perked up a little. “Go on?” “It’s not like a big fancy gallery; there’s a small, travelling show kinda deal in town.” She explained as she scrolled through her phone. “Brings together a couple of artists from some local towns or colleges, and they travel between their hometowns. Sort of a “look what the other cities have to offer” kind of deal. I’m not explaining this very well.” “You’re explaining it fine. Is it nearby?” Shelly showed him the map on her phone, letting him take it from her fingertips so he could have a better look. She watched him look over the page she’d left open (the map was on the “event’s website'') and she swore that his eyes lit up a little bit. “Can we go?” She smiled. “Sure we can. We can probably walk there from here too, it’s not that far.” “Lead the way.” She did, consulting the map once or twice, just to be certain. It didn’t take them too long, and Shelly still found herself grateful for not wearing heels that day. Sure, she could walk in them without falling over, and spend hours on her feet in her grandfather’s shop while wearing them, but she didn’t have to walk long distances there. When they got there, there was some kind of suggested entrance fee, which Gerard paid, and more than the recommended, she noticed. He did it happily, despite her objections to paying for her again (especially considering the fact that he’d paid for their/her breakfast at the cafe with his brother too). He hushed her protests gently and they went to look around the exhibits and displays of local artists’ work. Shelly kept a close eye on him as they looked around. He seemed to have a bit more energy somehow, and he seemed brighter. Almost like he was in his element somewhat. That was interesting, she thought to herself for a moment before turning her attention to something he was showing her. It wasn’t just paintings - there were a few sculptures as well, which she found interesting, although paintings were her personal favourite. Maybe she just liked wall art a bit more than something she had to display, she wasn’t sure. But she could appreciate the beauty and talent in sculptures too. They spent a couple of hours looking at the artwork and talking to the people running the event. Shelly spent a lot of time listening to Gerard talk about composition or use of colour, or… Other art terminology, and as he talked, she listened; when he spoke about art, he started to speak with his hands, and occasionally he would start going off on little tangents. She found that she didn’t mind any of this in the slightest. He sounded like he really knew what he was talking about and she found herself really wanting to listen to anything he had to say about it all. If anything, she found that he was more attractive when he was being as animated and as… Passionate as he was being. And considering the fact that he was damn attractive anyway, this was something else. If anything, she found herself thinking that he seemed more… Human. Gerard was talking to one of the ‘top’ people who had created this travelling gallery when he felt her lean against his arm a little bit. He paused and glanced down at her; she was reading a leaflet. He smiled and wrapped an arm around her to hold her against him before going back to his (really rather enlightening) conversation for a little while. When he was finished, he shook the other man’s hand before turning his attention to the girl reading leaflets against his side. “What’ve you got there, sweet thing?” He asked quietly. She held up some of them so he could have a look, trying to ignore the term of endearment and how it made the heat flood her cheeks. “Each town’s section has a little pamphlet to tell you about the artist and their showcased work. I grabbed them as we walked around.” “Hmn, smart idea. Both theirs and yours.” He took the papers from her, dropping a kiss to the top of her head as he did so. “Did you want to look around again or are you done?” “I’m good, unless you want to look again?” Gerard’s answer was a growl from his stomach. Shelly looked from his face, to his stomach and then back to his face again, all while biting her lip to hold in a giggle. It didn’t work, and she giggled loudly. Normally Gerard would feel embarrassed, but… Hearing her giggle like that seemed like a fair exchange, to be perfectly honest. Besides, not long later, her stomach growled a little too. She stopped giggling and went pink. “Okay,” she said. “Maybe some food?” “I think that’s an excellent idea. Do you want to go to our restaurant again?” Shelly raised her eyebrows a little. “Er?” “The one we went to on our ‘first date,’ I mean?” Gerard corrected, although maybe not quickly enough. “Ours in that sense?” Shelly hummed and nodded. “Okay.” Gerard huffed to himself a little as she put the leaflets in her jacket pocket and took his hand before they started making their way back to his car. Yeah, sure, he could’ve taken her to any restaurant that time - he wasn’t entirely sure why, he just had a good initial feeling about her from the time they spent together before they went out on that ‘date.’ The feeling had been good enough for him to take her to his favourite place, with the best cheesecake. And he still had that feeling - he still wanted to take her there. He wanted to swap cheesecake with her again. They got back to his car and headed to the restaurant for some food. Cheesecake included, which they discussed first, because that way they could trade bites. Shelly had actually been the one to suggest this, which he had been pleased about, to be honest. He didn’t want to come across… Weird. (He wasn’t ever to know that she didn’t think she could see him that way. Ever.) The pair were served by the same waitress as before, except for the fact that this time, Shelly noticed that the waitress was just friendly and polite; she didn’t flirt. Maybe she remembered them from last time. Or maybe the fact that Gerard never seemed to take his hands off of her had something to do with it. Seriously, his hand was either holding hers or on her hip with his arm around her waist. It surprised her a little bit, if anything, she had expected to have to up the physical affection levels on her end, sort of in a ‘hands off, this is my man’ kind of way. But no, instead Gerard was being a little handsier in that kind of ‘she’s my woman, not you’ fashion. Or maybe Shelly was just reading it that way, because that was entirely possible. But there was… Something, something she couldn’t place or put a name to, that was just… Different, about the way he sat closer, the way he angled himself towards her. It felt like he was being more attentive? Maybe that wasn’t the right word, but she wasn’t sure. Maybe she was just reading too much into something that she wished was there but wasn’t. “So, um, I wanted to say something.” She said half way through their meal. “Although… Maybe it’s more of a statement than a question? But it might be the other way around. I’m not sure.” Gerard sipped his drink. “Sure. You can ask me anything.” She hummed in affirmation and took a moment before speaking again. “Kristin didn’t get the third degree like I did.” He put his glass down and gave her his complete, undivided attention. “I asked her,” the blonde continued. “And she said that she moves in the same sort of social circles as your family, and we both think that’s why I got the third degree.” Gerard took the time to think about this, noticing that she looked up from her plate to look at him when he’d been quiet for a moment. He smiled gently at her, which made her smile back. “I think,” he said after another minute. “I think that might have something to do with it, yes.” She sighed and her shoulders slumped sadly. “I figured. I knew I wasn’t going to be good enough.” “Hey,” he leant across the small table and lifted her chin. “I think there’s another, more prominent reason though.” “What’s that?” She gently removed his hand from her face, but held onto it to give it a gentle squeeze for the briefest of moments - he had actually felt it, even though he had a feeling that she’d meant for it to be almost… Untraceable. “I think it’s probably because I so, so rarely bring anyone home to meet the family. Like they said a few times over the meal.” He paused and watched her play with her fork for a moment. “I genuinely think it was because they were so curious about you. Like, why you? What was it about you that was so different? That kinda thing. Does that make sense?” Shelly thought about this. “I… I suppose so. Do you think it was that then? Instead of the social circle thing?” “Yeah, I do.” He took her hand across the table. “I don’t think it’s got anything to do with the social circle thing at all to be honest. Your grandfather’s profession is actually considered highly respectable.” “Is it?” She tilted her head a little as she looked at him. “Why?” “Because it’s a difficult job, it’s a fairly old fashioned one, and it’s a skill,” Gerard listed off quietly. “They’ll have even more respect now they know of the workmanship; now they know it’s the only place I go to get my suits now. I’m quite picky.” Shelly giggled softly at that. “Hmn, you can’t be that picky, you asked me to help you with this after all.” Gerard blinked rapidly. “Well, that’s… I am picky. You said once I could’ve asked anyone to help out. I could’ve paid anyone, I could’ve… Convinced anyone. And yet I still chose the opinionated young lady, who openly disagreed with me, who regularly puts her hands all over me to make my suits.” The blonde giggled and smirked a little. “Apparently that’s not the only reason I want to put my hands all over you.” He looked at her and raised an eyebrow. “Or y’know, so I’ve heard.” She put on an innocent expression. “I might’ve read it somewhere.” “Hmm. I might’ve read that somewhere too. I might read those, ah, reasons regularly.” Shelly felt her face heat up and she swallowed, reaching for her drink. Gerard noticed her trying to look anywhere but at him, which just made him chuckle. “Anyway,” he continued quietly. “I think the fact that your grandparents still do all this work by hand instead of just giving in and selling up for a mass produced kinda thing is incredibly respectable and my family will feel the same way.” “Mmm,” she fiddled with her napkin for a moment. “I hope so.” “I haven’t heard back from them yet,” he admitted quietly. “I’m hoping to soon, but I’ll let you know as soon as I do.” He watched her nod before he continued. “I really don’t think there’s going to be a problem. Kristin, Mikey and my grandmother - they all like you. I don’t think my father is going to oppose it because he’ll still feel bad about what he said, and I don’t think my mother will oppose it either. I think she likes you, but honestly she can be a little difficult to read sometimes.” Shelly nodded once again. “But honestly, I think you’ll be alright,” he leant across the small table and gently took the napkin out of her hands, covering both of hers with both of his. “And even if my parents don’t like you? Everyone else does. I’ll take you anyway. As long as the bride is happy, everyone else has to be. And Kristin adores you.” She looked from the napkin, to his hands, to his eyes as he spoke. “I like her too. She’s so lovely. We’ve exchanged numbers, but, like I said, I’m a bit nervous that I’m getting too close to your family.” “It’s alright,” he squeezed her hands gently. “This is never going to reflect badly on you. I won’t let it. You’ll get out of this unscathed.” Shelly forced a smile, which he seemed to buy. She knew that, physically, he was right. She’d “escape” this whole situation physically fine. She couldn’t really say the same about her heart, as cheesy as that might sound. Yeah, it was really cheesy but it was true. She knew that she enjoyed the way he looked, that much was obvious - look at what she’d written; look at the stuff that had gotten her into this situation in the first place. But now? There was more to it. She was very aware of that. Probably not aware enough for her to really think about it too much. No, she actively chose not to think about it, because she knew she shouldn’t. She knew this was all a means to an end, that it was all technically fake, so she needed to stop feeling… However it was she was feeling. She tried really hard not to give this situation any “air time” so she couldn’t… Analyse herself. So she couldn’t put a name to whatever it was that was going on with her. If you name it then you get attached to it. So to speak. And she didn’t want to do that. Any more than she already had. She hoped it wasn’t too late for her but, the longer this went on, the less hopeful she was. “Shell?” She heard him say her name gently and looked up at him. “Hmn?” “Are you okay? You zoned out for a little bit there.” “Um,” she shook her head slowly. “Yeah, I think so. I got a little lost in my thoughts I think.” Gerard frowned at her. “What were you thinking about? Can I help with anything?” “No, it’s okay. I’m alright. I think I was thinking about something to do with work, but it diverted into other topics.” She removed her hands from under his and patted his gently. “Are you sure?” Shelly nodded and smiled at him. “Yeah, I’m sure.” Gerard studied her for a moment. He wasn’t entirely sure that he believed her, but he also didn’t want to push her - she never did with him so it felt wrong to do it to her. “Alright,” he said eventually. “If you’re sure. But, if you ever want to talk about anything, you can talk to me, you know that right?” Shelly sipped her drink and nodded. “I know. Thank you.” He smiled and cleared his throat. “So, um, do you want cheesecake?” “Oh god, you know I can’t say no to that.” “Girl after my own heart really,” he grinned and they had a look at the dessert menu together. Shelly had replayed that in her head a few times as they looked at the menu, glancing up to look at him. Thankfully, he didn’t catch her looking, because he would’ve seen her with a very confused expression on her face, and a light blush on her cheeks. Even though she kept telling herself that she was reading too much into things again and she really needed to stop that. He spent dessert watching her carefully, hoping that he wasn’t being creepy about it (he wasn’t - in fact, she didn’t really notice him watching her) and they spent the rest of their meal talking about the art exhibition again, which Shelly was grateful for, as it meant that she could sit back and just listen to him talk without doing much talking herself. She also found that when she listened to him talking, she didn’t get lost in her head either - because she was so focused on paying attention to him and listening to him, she didn’t drift off. When they’d finished eating and Gerard had settled the bill (which he didn’t let her contribute towards again, which only mildly annoyed her, especially considering the fact that he hadn’t let her pay any of the suggested entrance fee for the art exhibition either or for breakfast at the cafe), she nipped to the ladies, only somewhat shaking her head at herself in the mirror, before they left. They made their way back to his car and got in, buckling up. Gerard turned to ask her a question only to see her nibbling on the pad of her thumb, her eyes too focused on the console in front of them. He watched her, wondering if she’d feel him watching her and snap out of it. She didn’t, so he leant forward and gently took her thumb out of her mouth before bringing her hand a little closer to him so he could examine it, to see what damage she’d done. As soon as she felt her thumb being moved, she blinked rapidly and focused on Gerard instead, frowning a little as he started examining her thumb. “Gerard?” “Mm hm?” He looked at her thumb for a little longer before looking up at her. “Are you okay?” He slowly rubbed his thumb over hers before gently letting her hand go. “I was going to ask you the same thing. You zoned out there.” “Um,” she rubbed the side of her eye. “I think so. I mean, it’s not really a big deal, I’m probably just over-thinking.” “Do you want to talk about it?” She shook her head. “I don’t… I don’t even think I know how to put anything into words, so there’s really no point in doing that.” “Okay, I won’t push you. But if I can help, please let me know?” He watched her nod before adjusting his position in his seat. “Do you want me to take you home?” “Well, maybe. I suppose I should do some adulting things. I don’t want to, but, needs must and all of that.” Gerard chuckled. “Is there anything you want help with?” “Nah, I’ll be alright.” “Okay. I’ll take you home,” he tapped on the car console for a moment. “I want to make a stop first if that’s alright?” “Of course.” Gerard put the radio on and started the car up properly. Shelly hummed along quietly as she spent her time pretending to look out of the window, but really watching him as much as she could get away with. She did briefly wonder what stop off he wanted to make, but she didn’t have to wait too long to find out, because soon enough, they were pulling up outside a high end specialty store. “Do you want to come in?” He asked. “Um, yeah sure.” Gerard smiled and stepped out of the car, moving around to open her door and offer her his hand, which she took with a giggle. He was a little bit surprised when she kept a hold of his hand as he took her into the store. As soon as Gerard opened the shop door for her, she was assaulted by the smell of coffee. “Oh, gosh that’s strong.” Gerard laughed. “This is almost my home away from home.” “I bet!” Shelly looked around. “Oh, this reminds me of one of those old school candy stores.” Gerard smiled a little as he looked around at all the glass jars or sacks of beans. He understood why she felt like that. “Yeah, I get that. More for adults than kids though.” Shelly nodded as she looked around a little more, not straying too far from his side. “You don’t know much about coffee do you?” He watched her shake her head. “Would you like to learn?” “It couldn’t hurt to learn a little.” He let go of her hand so he could move his arm around her waist, his fingers hooking into the belt loops of her jeans so he could hold her close against him as he took her around the store. Shelly felt his fingers tug on the belt loops and glanced down to see what he was doing - anchoring her to him essentially. Not a single molecule of her minded, if anything, she kinda relished in the fact that he wanted to keep her that close. She let herself be led around the store, listening as he explained little facts and figures about some of the coffee types in there, although she had a feeling that she probably wouldn’t remember much, if any of it. She’d have to make a note to read up on it later on so it looked like she actually had been listening. Which she had been, really! But she was finding him really distracting today, even more so than normal and she wished she knew why. “Ah, Mr. Way! How good to see you again!” Shelly glanced over to where the new voice was coming from. There was a man standing near the counter, so she guessed he had been the one to speak. “And you too,” Gerard said, slowly letting Shelly go, even though he was reluctant to do so. “How’s the family?” The blonde stepped away a little as Gerard went to go and converse with the other man. She assumed he was the manager or the owner or something like that, and judging by the familiarity, Gerard came here a fair bit. Or maybe he just purchased a lot - you didn’t have to be a regular customer to be noticed. Just one who spent a lot of money. (She was kinda glad that Gerard was both when it came to his patronage at her grandparents’ shop.) She half listened as she had a little look around on her own, soon coming to a mug display and getting thoroughly distracted. “The little lady, is she with you?” “Little -?” Gerard turned to see where Shelly had gotten to and smiled when he found her. “Yeah, she’s with me.” “You two look very good together.” Shelly heard this and looked up from what she was looking at. She almost said “but we’re not” but managed to bite her tongue and ducked her head to attempt to hide her blush. Gerard noticed every second of this and just grinned. “Thank you. I don’t know how she puts up with me.” The shop owner chuckled politely. “Are you after your usual, Mr. Way?” “Yes, please. Though could I also get an additional smaller bag as well?” “Oh, most certainly. I’ll go and sort that out for you.” “Thank you. Take your time.” The shop owner disappeared to deal with what Gerard wanted and Gerard made his way over to where Shelly was, still looking at the mugs. He made sure she wasn’t holding anything before he spoke. “Hello sweet thing. What’re you doing?” She squeaked and went even pinker. “Um!” Gerard just laughed. “I’m sorry.” “I don’t think you are,” she narrowed her eyes at him a little bit before swallowing. “I have a bit of a weakness for nice mugs and things.” He moved to stand next to her properly, examining the offerings. “That’s fair. I know what you mean. Although when you drink as much coffee as I do, it’s nice to have something decent to drink it from.” “I’m the same with tea really,” she confessed. “Or hot chocolate. Either or.” Gerard hummed and shifted to stand behind her, purely so he could follow her eyeline better and also so he could rest his chin on her shoulder. She tilted her head when he did the latter, arched an eyebrow at him and tried not to edge back against him as he wrapped his arms around her waist from behind. “And just what are you doing Mr. Way?” She asked softly. “Using my girlfriend as a chin rest, and trying to figure out if anything in particular has caught her eye.” Shelly “hmmm’d” and rested one of her hands over the pair of his that were clasped over her stomach. “Would you like to guess what might’ve caught my eye?” “Hmmm,” he shifted so he could look properly. “I mean,” she started, biting the tip of her tongue as he looked at her. “Aside from you, obviously.” Shelly watched with an odd sense of pride as he actually blushed. She giggled to herself before turning back to the display. “I think,” he said, a little croakily before clearing his throat. “I think maybe these ones.” “Mm, and why do you think that?” She found his hand again and held it. Well, if he was going to go around telling people who weren’t his family that she was his girlfriend… She’d just have to play up for that too, wouldn’t she? “They’re a good size, have a decent handle and they’re very,” he paused as he felt her slip her hand in his and smiled to himself. “They’re very cosmic.” “That they are. I like the fact that they come in a set of reversed, almost opposite, colours too.” Gerard glanced over to where she was gesturing to see that she was right. “Oh, I didn’t notice that. Those look good too.” Shelly was about to say something when her phone started ringing. “Oh, sorry, I should get that.” “It’s fine,” he squeezed her hand before letting it go and watching her step away. He waited until she was focused on some of the bags of coffee during her phone conversation, with her back to him before he picked up four of the mugs; two of each colour-way, and took them over to the counter to get his coffee too. He had the shop owner box them up in pairs - one of each colour per box. Odd pairs; a bit like them. Although he had to stop himself before his brain went down the “his and hers” route. One box of mugs went into a bag with the smaller bag of his favourite coffee for her to take home and the other box went into a bag with the larger bag for him to take home. It might be ridiculous for him to buy a mug especially for her to keep at his place but… He found himself wanting to do it anyway. He paid the shop owner, grabbed both bags and went to wait for Shelly to be done with her phone call, which didn’t take too long. “You okay?” He asked as she pocketed her phone again. “Mm, yeah, just something work related. It’s not a big deal so don’t worry.” She glanced down and raised an eyebrow at the fact that he was carrying two bags. “You got everything you need?” He nodded. “Ready to go?” “If you are.” “Alright,” he waved to the shop owner and opened the door to let Shelly out first. Shelly waited patiently on the other side of the door for Gerard and they headed back to his car. She waited again while he put his bags in the back before he returned to her and opened the passenger side door. She blinked rapidly for a moment - that wasn’t what she’d been waiting for, she had just been waiting for the door to be unlocked. Which it probably had been while he was putting the bags in the back, but she hadn’t really been thinking hard enough to connect those dots. He opened the car door for her and she settled in the seat, gently batting his hands away when he went to buckle her in, making him laugh and withdraw his hands before going to get in the driver’s seat. He hesitated, turning to look at her. “Everything’s okay, right?” She blinked at him and frowned a little. “Yeah, of course. Why wouldn’t it be?” Gerard shook his head. “I don’t know.” “You’re strange, you know that right?” She leant against the window. “I’m pretty sure this isn’t the first time you’ve told me this. And that’s just today,” he flashed her a smile which widened when she giggled. He drove her home, not in silence because the radio was on. And it wasn’t uncomfortable, at least not to him, he obviously couldn’t speak for her. (For the record, it wasn’t uncomfortable to her either, she was actually quite content with the quietness.) When he pulled up outside her apartment building, it took her a minute to realise where she was. For some reason being in his car was overly soothing to her, and she wasn’t sure why. When she realised that they were outside her apartment building, she rubbed the outer corners of her eyes and sighed deeply. Gerard heard this and glanced at her, frowning a little bit. “Are you okay?” She nodded. “I think so. I think we arrived here sooner than I thought we would, that’s all.” “You sound disappointed,” Gerard said quietly, almost hesitantly. “Ah,” Shelly smiled a tiny bit. “I guess maybe I am. I’ve enjoyed spending time with you today and I’m a little sad that it’s over.” Gerard hummed softly and leant forward, pressing a gentle kiss to her cheek. “I’ve enjoyed spending time with you today too.” Shelly went pink and giggled softly. “I’m glad.” “It’s not like we can’t do it again though,” he added. “Mm, that’s true,” Shelly paused and twisted her fingers in her shirt. “I… Um…” Gerard tilted his head. “What’s wrong?” “I…” Shelly nibbled her bottom lip for a moment before speaking. “We just have to wait for the inevitable approval phone call from your family now, right?” He nodded. “That’s right.” “Um,” she kept her eyes on the fingers that were still twisted in her shirt. “Who do you think will make that call?” Gerard leant back in his seat, taking a moment to think about this. “I’m not sure to be honest. It’s entirely possible that I might get more than one call about it.” Shelly nodded and spoke softly. “Okay.” He leant forward again and lifted her chin gently. “Are you still worried about that?” She nodded before glancing up to look at his face; he looked concerned, actually. “Oh, Shell. You don’t need to worry. Kristin clearly adores you, Mikey likes you, grandmother loves you. That’s the majority vote at the least. It’ll be fine.” “I… I want to believe you, I do.” She paused for a second. “I wish I wasn’t still so concerned about this. We’ve discussed what happens if I’ve tried my best and they still don’t want me there.” “We have,” he kept his voice gentle. “And we’ve established that if you’ve done your best, which you did, and they still don’t like you, then it counts as a success on your part.” Shelly nodded again. “Okay.” “But I don’t think we’re going to have that problem, so don’t worry. Or at least, try not to, okay?” She nodded again and went pink as he kissed her cheek, again. “I’ll try.” “Good enough, I know you’ll try.” They sat quietly for a minute before Gerard continued. “I’ll let you know as soon as they’ve called me, you know that right? You’ll know as soon as I do.” Shelly nodded and sighed. “Yeah. Yeah, I know. Ugh.” Gerard watched her for a moment before getting out of his car. Shelly blinked rapidly and turned in her seat a little - he’d left the driver’s side door open so she looked out of that as best as she could. After a minute, she heard the lid of the trunk shut and soon Gerard was getting back into the car, carrying the smaller bag from the coffee store. She tilted her head as he handed it over. “Before I forget about this. I want you to take this with you. I’m not kicking you out of my car, I honestly just want to make sure we don’t forget it.” Shelly put it between her feet with a nod. “You’ve just given me this coffee because you just want an excuse to come and see me more often.” Gerard chuckled. “Mm, maybe.” After a minute, Shelly lifted the bag to her face and sniffed inside it. Gerard watched this with his head tilted, a small smile of fondness on his face. “I do like the smell of coffee though,” she hummed for a moment before looking up at him. “Can I use this for baking too?” “As long as I get to eat the results.” Shelly laughed. “Of course. I wouldn’t make coffee flavoured baked goods with expensive coffee that you purchased, for anyone other than you.” Gerard beamed at hearing this, trying to ignore the warm, yet comfortable squirming in his gut. “Well, good. I’m glad.” “I’m not sure what I’m going to make though. I’ll find something.” “I look forward to it.” They shared a smile before Shelly looked at the time on the clock on the dashboard. She sighed and rubbed the side of her eye. “I supposed I should go then,” she nodded towards the building they’d been sitting outside of for a little while. “Unless…” Gerard glanced at her to see her nibbling on her bottom lip. “Mm?” “Unless,” she continued in an almost whisper. “You want to come up?” He hummed softly. “I’m surprised you want to spend any more time with me today.” She just giggled and blinked rapidly. “Oh. Um, I didn’t account for the fact that you might be tired of me - ” “Don’t even think about that.” He interrupted with a shake of his head. “Don’t even go that far.” “Oh.” She sucked her bottom lip, having bitten it just a tiny bit too hard. “I should go home though,” he said quietly. “As much as I would like to spend more time with you, I really should do a few, y’know, adulting things.” “Mm,” Shelly nodded. “Oh, I know that feeling. I’ve probably got some laundry I need to do or something.” “Otherwise, I would come up,” he leant forward and took her hand, squeezing it before pressing a kiss to the back of it. “Rain check then?” She said with a soft giggle as he kissed the back of her hand. “Yes, please. Maybe I’ll take you up on it once you’ve done some baking,” he wriggled his eyebrows and grinned as she laughed. “Alright, I get the hint.” Gerard smiled and felt his face warm up a little as she leant across and kissed his cheek. She smiled against his cheek, which he felt before moving away and getting out of his car. He watched her walk around the front of his car before she moved to peer into the driver’s side window. He hit the button to wind the window down fully and she smiled as she leant on the door a little. “So, um. I had a massively amazingly good time today,” she smiled a little before rolling her eyes at herself and her choice of words. Her cheeks went pink. “Thank you, very much.” “Oh, you’re more than welcome,” he watched her cheeks change colour and grinned at her. “I had a good time too. Thank you for suggesting that travelling gallery. That was a wonderful idea.” “I’m glad.” “Oh. Be a bit gentle with that bag, yeah?” Shelly blinked and glanced down at it. “Oh, of course. Make sure you text me when you get home?” “Sure,” he said softly. “Always.” “Thank you. And thank you, again, for today.” “More than welcome Shell,” he said happily. “You best go though, or we’ll never get anything done.” She giggled, ducked her head and stepped away from his car before turning and heading to the door of her apartment building. She stopped before opening the door, turned and waved a little before she disappeared inside. Gerard watched all of this with a small smile on his face and, as always, he waited for the door to close behind her before he put his seatbelt back on and drove off. Shelly made her way up to her apartment and went straight to her kitchen to find a home for the coffee. Well, that had been the plan at any rate. She pulled the box out of the bottom of the bag, carefully as she remembered his gentle warning and put it on her kitchen counter. She moved the bag out of the way before pulling the lid off of the box, almost dropping it when she saw the mis-matched but almost matching pair of mugs, nestled in the tissue paper. She bit her bottom lip in an attempt to stop herself smiling so much she knew it would make her cheeks hurt. “Oh Gerard,” she sighed softly, gently tracing some of the stars on one of the mugs. “Oh, you terrible man. Stop spending money on me like this.” She nudged the box right to the back of the counter, so it was up against the wall and as far away from the edge as possible before she went to take off her shoes and jacket. Once her jacket was hung up, she wandered back to the kitchen and started dealing with the laundry she had told Gerard she probably had to do. She hadn’t been wrong. This didn’t mean that she didn’t get distracted part way through when Gerard texted her to let her know that he’d gotten home alright. They texted a little bit as Shelly worked on her laundry - she did keep glancing at the box containing the two mugs on her kitchen counter. Every time she did, she shook her head, more at herself than anything and forced herself to go back to her chores. She wasn’t sure what Gerard was doing. But he did text her when he got home, like she’d asked and like he said he would. She liked that he kept his word like that, even if it was “just” about something small and silly like making sure that he got home okay. Even if it was during the day and bright outside. It was such a stupid little thing, especially during the day, but the fact that he kept his word and still texted her… It meant something to her. If he was able to keep his word for something ‘so small’ then, she liked to think that he’d be good at keeping his word for the bigger things. It was encouraging, really.

[creaturecompanionblog]

Dutch Shepherds – A Glimpse into the Rare and Versatile Breed

Dutch Shepherd, a rare and beautiful breed of dog, was recently introduced to Indian dog owners. This breed is a close relative to the German Shepherd Dog (GSD) and the Belgian Shepherd Dog (GSD). It is rapidly gaining popularity in its second stage of life. The Dutch Shepherd, one of my favourite breeds, is one of very few breeds that has survived extinction and revival over many years. This process is still ongoing today.

Along with some other patrons, I introduced Dutch Shepherds in India. I was responsible to bring in four of the KNPV-Dutch Police Dog Program's formative dogs to India. Together with a few friends, we now have nearly 10 founding dogs who were brought to India. We have less than 20 progeny out of them and are still in the early stages of developing this breed.

The Dutch Shepherd is a beloved breed that has attracted the attention of many people, including Preity Zinta and MS Dhoni. It is an almost complete breed, with less recognition, as it checks in all points for me, whether it be looks, temperament, fitness, health, or temperament.

The International Police, Military, and Special Forces consider the Dutch Shepherd to be the best breed. We will likely soon deploy some of our Dutchies to the Indian defense forces and private security.

Histories

The history of the 'Dutchie’ is fascinating and will interest any dog lover. The Dutch affectionately call the dog 'Herder' because the Dutch referred to the original dogs as they closely resembled their Belgian or German counterparts. The standard herding companion who could also be used to pull carts and protect the flock.

The Dutch farmers love it. In 1898, the Dutch Shepherd was officially recognized as an official breed.

This breed was extinct after the First World War, and there were very few Dutchies left in Holland. This breed has been difficult to reintroduce over the years. Fans of 'Herders" would not hesitate to introduce GSD and Malinois blood to the breeding program in order diversify the gene pool.

FCI has approximately 2000-2500 Dutch Shepherds. They are willing to accept pure breeding from brindleherders.

The KNPV program of Dutch Police is likely to have many more Dutchies. They will accept Malinois as long as they have the right nerves, drive and temperament.

The current trend is to have the Dutch Shepherds be considered Dutch, while the solid-coloured Malinois would be considered Dutch. This is the view of KNPV breeders and trainers, while the FCI 'purists’ would disagree.

Appearance

The Dutch Shepherd is large and muscular, and has a great appearance. The structure is generally well-squared. The body length to height ratio should be approximately 10:9 according to the breed standard.

They are usually between 25-32 kg in weight. However, there are some large specimens in KNPV because of the variety of genes from different breeds. A few weigh between 45-60 kg, according to me. These giant Dutchies may not be considered standard, but they can be a valuable addition to the elite protection dogs clients.

Their height is between 22 and 25 inches at their withers. However, some may be larger. This breed is very rare.

Three types of Dutch shepherd coat are available to the dog owner:

Short-haired: This is the most popular and most desired of all three varieties. It has a similar coat to the Malinois. They don't require any special grooming and are therefore easy to manage in military and defense forces.

Long-haired Dutchie: This breed is more common with herding dog handlers. In terms of length, this dog is similar to the GSD and Belgian Tervuren. The breeders who produce long-haired dogs are few, and occasionally a puppy may be born with a recessive gene.

The Wire Haired: This breed is slowly rising in popularity and attention. It is a rough-looking breed that some people think looks like a wolf, while others compare it to the Beauceron. Some wire-haired Dutchies are employed in professional security roles.

Temperament

Their charming temperament is one of the reasons I love Dutchies. The Dutch shepherd is an energetic, high-energy dog with unending stamina. Their athleticism allows them to accomplish remarkable feats and challenges that most other dog breeds can't physiologically match.

The dog is balanced and has an on/off switch that allows them to interact with humans. They are loyal to their pack and their trainer.

They are highly intelligent and alert, making them the ideal breed to protect and guard the home and family after a long day of work. They are not easily tired and will always stand up for their family when needed.

This breed has one of the highest prey drives. It is an excellent dog for experienced handlers. However, novice handlers might find it difficult to manage at times.

They are very social and flexible for their temperament. If they are raised from the beginning, they will be able to adjust easily with other dogs and children. As long as the family takes care of their needs, they can adapt to any living environment.

Health

A favorite aspect of this breed that I love is their health, which could easily be considered one of the top ten breeds in the world. The Dutchie, like my Malinois is another breed I seldom need to take to the vet for routine visits or vaccinations.

The likelihood of this breed developing genetic diseases is very low. It has a chance of catching allergies, myopathy, and other issues. The possibility of hip and elbow dysplasia cropping up is also very low. This may be due to the German Shepherd Dogs that were used in the past to revive them.

Based on my experience with working breeds, there is an important point to remember. It is important to provide the dog with the proper training and exercise throughout their lives. This will greatly impact their health and lifestyle.

These dogs become less active and have a duller coat. This can lead to health problems.

A happy, healthy dog is one that's active and well-behaved.

Grooming

Dutch Shepherd Dogs are a wonderful dog for dog owners who don't have the time to groom their dog. This breed is easy to handle, and they would do fine even if we only brush them twice or three times a week.

However, the wire-haired or longer haired varieties would require more frequent exercise.

Due to their low exercise requirements, the Dutchies with shorter hair are more popular among security and defense forces.

Working Dutchies will need to have their nails filed during activity. However, we must be careful about keeping track of their nail length and condition so that they can keep their paws in good condition. It is vital to keep your dog safe from injury. Nails that are too long or ingrown could cause them to become infected.

Exercise

Their exercise needs are one of the most important aspects of living with a Dutch Shepherd, a highly-skilled working breed. These dogs can become neurotic and have severe behavioral problems if they are not exercised and stimulated mentally and physically. They can also leap very high so it is easy to get out of a kennel.

It is crucial to care for the dog's bones and muscles in their early years. Multiple short sessions of exercise and different types of exercise are better than one exhausting and tedious one. This can hinder the dog's growth, motivation, and overall fitness.

If trained to be a peaceful companion, the Dutchie can make a great running or cycling partner. If their prey drive isn't properly channeled from an early age, they can be dangerous with cyclists or runners.

The Dutchies love tug-and-bite, so this would be a great exercise for them. This game is great for both young pups and those who are still in their teething period. Before engaging in such activities, it is a good idea to seek professional guidance. Once they start to train for protection, the tug and bite pillows games are very beneficial. Regular tug sessions in various environments will increase the dog's ability to bite and take pressure.

A Dutch Shepherd adult needs to exercise at least one hour per day in a variety of forms. Dogs can get bored of repeating the same exercise over and over again. The most important thing to remember is that dog's mental and physical health is directly related to how consistent and quality of exercise their handlers provide.

Training

This is my favorite part of the article. It's also the best aspect for the breed. This dog is truly a "trainer's breed". A Dutch Shepherd is a great choice for anyone who is passionate about dogs and tries to get their true nature out. The Dutch Shepherd is a versatile dog that can be trained to guard, track, sniff, detect, herd, pull carts, and perform other advanced tasks. Dog sports like agility, dock diving, bite sports etc. Know the true value of the Dutch Shepherd.

I recommend that you have done your research on a trusted trainer who has a track record of successfully training these breeds before you consider purchasing a puppy. A Dutchie that is stable and well socialized early on will be able to appreciate the benefits of sights, sounds, smells, and sounds. It is strongly recommended that a Dutchie be trained in a crate, especially if there are children and elders or other dogs living with the family. While they aren't dangerous to anyone, leaving them open for the whole day is a license to be very notorious.

If they are exercised and trained, they can be great family pets. This dog is my favorite because it protects family and personal property. Remember that no dog comes naturally with the right training, drive, or instincts. While a good trainer and owner can help the dog get the best from them, it can be hard to get the results you want if the dog is not trained properly.

Let me close by asking readers to think for their own purposes. Is your Dutch Shepherd the right owner? They are beautiful and they have a high work ethic. Their rarity and reputation compliment their health and full qualities. It is a mistake to get this dog because of their reputation or status. Make sure you do your research thoroughly and make wise decisions. The Dutch Shepherds are not cheap, but they can be a long-term investment. If you don't have the energy, time or funds to manage this dog, do not buy it. The cost of a Dutchie puppy is between $2000-3000, but it's a worthwhile investment. We save money on vet bills, excessive training and damage costs by focusing on the quality of our dog. Set aside enough money for equipment, early training, and courses for yourself.

We wish you all the best with this underrated breed of dog! Keep checking for the creature companion.

[bumblebeerror]

I have to take you back to The Porn Ban.

In like. Idk 2018 I think? They banned porn because Apple sucks and made them. Except like it still definitely exists there’s just an option to report it now and also a way to appeal autoflagged posts. Anyways, people fled tumblr back then and suddenly gone was the times of callout posts and targeted harassment campaigns (for the most part). The terfs got incomprehensible. The aphobia movement got dumber and most of them got blocked. The antishippers (people who disliked anyone who shipped any vaguely “wrong” ships) disappeared to Twitter.

It was quiet. Tumblr got along for the most part. There were fewer people and even fewer completely rotten assholes. The antishippers movement comes back mildly as new teens join tumblr as their first social media and are pressured to Puritanism.

Twitter returns. We fire rent lowering gunshots because while they were away they were getting way more reactive and vitriolic and it showed when some Twitter users gave up rejoining the site for reasons like “they support he/him lesbians” or “the people there ship wincest”. Absolutely vile takes on Twitter about tumblr. The Twitter users who did return either listened to those of us trying to help them or blatantly ignored us. Likes are just a bookmark we said, you must reblog things for them to be seen. But we were ignored and most of the Twitter users were mistaken for porn bots and in the meantime they destroyed the like/reblog ratio.

Basically we know that the redditors coming here are probably going to integrate and also probably aren’t going to be used to a shiny app that works as intended all the time and therefore won’t be endlessly hating on our emotional support hellsite. Plus Reddit has calmed down recently in ways we could see, and from what I’ve seen Reddit is most likely to be a tumblrina’s second social media. So it just sorta makes sense that y’all are welcomed, it’s the difference between waltzing into someone’s country demanding everyone speak English and actually respecting a culture.

Plus y’all seem to be having a lot more fun already than the Twitter users did even when we all collectively started trying to help them adjust lmao

Hello older tumblr users, I have a question.

For context I’ve been in tumblr for a few months, but have used reddit for way longer. Because of this I’ll call myself a “dual citizen” of these two sites.

From what I’ve seen y’all have enjoyed the reddit migrants, but hated the twitter ones. What sort of behavioral differences make the twitter users stand out or particularly obnoxious? I have only used tumblr to look at specific fandoms, so I am a bit insulated from the broader tumblr community.

This might seem like a weird request, but an in-depth description of the differences in internet culture sounds interesting. I feel like this could be an anthropological course lol

[things2mustdo]

Nature has given humanity a roughly one-to-one ratio of adult men to women, but the most attractive women are being taken out of circulation to either join alpha male harems or participate in degenerate lifestyle choices. This leaves the average man practically no choice in settling down with a mentally stable and cute woman in her prime.

In Islam, a man is able to marry four wives, which is what my wealthy Iranian grandfather did on his way to siring 24 or so children that included my dad (the exact number is a mystery). He took away three women that an Iranian man of lesser means could have married, creating a societal imbalance, but that’s nothing compared to what we have in the modern Western world, where a single famous man can command the sexual attentions of dozens—if not thousands—of women in their sexual prime, spoiling these women for normal men who don’t have the ability to tingle their vaginas with the same intensity.

How many actors, musicians, and sports athletes are trying to plow through as much prime pussy as possible? How many Hollywood directors and music producers are leveraging their positions for sexual gain? How many club owners, restaurateurs, Arab sheikhs, and politicians are doing the same? Each one is taking way more beautiful women out of circulation than men like my grandfather, all while elevating their standards to such an extent that no average man can ever gain their love, let alone two hours—or even two minutes–of their uninterrupted attention.

We also have to account for female lifestyle choices that are designed to delay or prevent pair bonding and marriage. The biggest is career. Most girls, while embarking on a career, balance out the boredom of working a meaningless job by hopping on the cock carousel and banging at least a few men every year. By the time a girl hits 25 years old, any man who meets her will have to deal with a walk-in closet of emotional issues and hang-ups from being pumped and dumped as much as a 1930’s brothel whore.

Then there is the Instagram and Facebook lifestyle that creates crippling dopamine addiction, which causes a girl to only be satisfied if dozens of men are actively thirsting for her every day. I estimate that if a girl has over 500 followers on Instagram, she is so used to attention from throngs of men that the love of one man cannot possibly satisfy her.

We must also throw in the growing “travel blogger” lifestyle where, instead of using only her body to get attention, a girl uses pictures and video from exotic locations to enhance her beauty. Other girls, with nothing substantial to offer the world, decide to showcase pictures of pets or their tasty overpriced meals, but even that puts them on a dopamine loop that ruins their future interactions with men.

By far, the most damaging lifestyle choice women make is becoming a sugar baby, a politically correct term for “prostitute.” For some easy cash, she whores out her body to the highest bidder (some women combine Instagram and prostitution in a seamless package). How can such an Instagram prostitute ever settle down with a man who has a normal salary? There are also the hundreds of women who enter porn every year, some from seemingly stable families. Sadly, men are so desperate for love that many would wife up a former prostitute or porn star, but it’s highly unlikely those women will make for stable families.

The Western world is a sinkhole for women. The prettiest of the bunch fall into the hole and get spit out years later an entitled #MeToo hag who can never be happy, making the Islamic four-wife rule seem downright egalitarian. The sad truth is that if you meet an attractive girl today, she was pumped and dumped by numerous sexy men, prefers to nurture her career than children, is addicted to attention via the internet, and has participated in some kind of scheme to exchange social status or cash for her pussy. She’s more than suitable for a bit of fun, but would it be wise to seek a relationship with her?

Even with the obesity and short-hair epidemic, I still see a bountiful supply of cute girls I would happily reproduce with. I would love them, let them caress my beard, and lay my seed deep within their vaginal guts, but the problem is that those guts are not for me—they are for the Chads who would never marry her, the beta orbiters who await her newest selfie as if it were a source of food, or the rich and lonely men who would sponsor her for thousands of dollars a month. They’re taking her out of circulation at the time I want her most, and by the time they are done with her, I no longer want her. I guess I’ll try to weasel in a bang or two when she is not yet fully degraded, and enjoy the fleeting pleasure that comes from it as much as I can.

https://www.rooshv.com/how-to-stop-the-fall-of-women

An acronym that you’ll often come across is AWALT, which stands for “all women are like that.” It is used in response to someone trying to point out that a particular woman is different than all the rest and more deserving to be placed on a pedestal of some sort when it comes to relationships. While that acronym is useful for newbies who are just beginning to de-program themselves from egalitarian ideas spewed by the establishment, it breeds a hopelessness among men that they can never extract more than casual sex from women.

Most men have seen firsthand how women change due to the presence of corrupting factors in the environment. If you give a woman an open bar, she will over-consume and make decisions that harm herself. If you give a woman a smartphone with social networking apps, she will become a narcissist in a short amount of time, falling in love with her own image. If you give a woman a liberal education, she will come to firm belief than men were born to bring pain and slavery unto women.

Only a woman with an exceptional upbringing can resist alcohol, social networking, and university brainwashing, and for the women who can initially resist it, she will surely succumb after enough time and pressure. It is in this way that AWALT is true: all women who face corrupt influences in their lives will become corrupt and behave in a similar way that degrades their virtue, making them unsuitable for long-term partnerships. But if AWALT is true in describing the universal fall of women in the presence of toxic influences, it must also be true that they possess universal purity in environments which lack bad influences that attack her virtue.

A reliable corrupter of a woman’s virtue is having plentiful male choice. If over the course of five years a woman in New York City has her choice of 100 alpha male cocks, she will be unable to resist the thrill ride that these men offer. She will begin to structure her life around a neverending alpha male sex party where she receives and expects fun, excitement, drama, and entertainment in exchange for willingly accepting her place on various booty call rotations. During this time, she loses most ability to be a suitable wife and mother, or even to be a good person, because the alpha males who use her for late night sex do not place demands upon her that make her more feminine, loving, or nurturing. She becomes damaged goods, suitable for nothing more than casual humping.

But now let’s imagine that instead of being born in New York City, this girl was born in a poor Ukrainian village that only has a population of 1,000 people. For whatever reason, she was unable to get out of this village and a complete blackout of internet prevents her from meeting thirsty foreign men. It’s quite easy to see how she marries a village man while still young because it’s a better prospect than suffering alone to earn her bread in a place where employment opportunities are few. The environment a girl is placed in will mostly determine her worth as a life partner.

Most women who are put in New York City will, within a few years, default to becoming a promiscuous slut. Most women who are put in a tiny village with no way out, with little choice in men, and with positive religious influences, will default to being a good wife and mother, possessing normal and acceptable human flaws like all men have. Women put in specific environments will act in specific ways, which is why looking for a unicorn in a Western city is fruitless, since she’s within reach of the devil’s workshop. He will get to her and make sure she experiences all manner of vice.

Western nations facilitate the “fall” of women from a state of purity and innocence to one of abject corruption. I don’t believe women are inherently born to be degenerate, just like how I don’t believe men are, but once we put a woman in an environment that enables, facilitates, and even encourages her corruption, she will certainly become corrupt. But what if you can catch a woman before she inserts herself into this environment and then shield her from it? What if you grab her at the time she is about to jump into the abyss, and through your diligence, power, and knowledge, protect her from Western influences that will destroy her? Would it be safe to give your time, energy, love, and commitment to this woman? It’s important to note that I’m not stating you save a corrupt girl, since by then it’s too late, but to prevent a woman from becoming corrupt in the first place.

It is completely your responsibility to create the environment of a good home, a good city, and a good country to prevent the fall of your women. It’s your responsibility to create the right environment where all women remain good instead of succumbing to an evil where within a short amount of time she becomes a useless, tattooed, overweight, and masculine slut. It should be clear to you by now that women absolutely can not save themselves, and have no inherent resistance to the pollution that tempts them in this world. It’s solely up to us men to shield their natural virtue so that they become the wives and mothers that allow you to fulfill your biological destiny while furthering the health of your society.

It’s not a matter of telling a girl that sleeping around is bad or that Facebook is bad, because by then the ship has sailed and her soul is likely long gone. It’s a matter of creating the environment where women are restrained from sleeping around, blocked from becoming addicted to taking selfies, and prevented from becoming brainwashed by social justice ideas. We must stop them from entering the environments that destroy them. We must guard the door of evil that they are hurtling themselves towards while resisting evil ourselves.

Before you raise your hands in despair and claim that this is an impossible task, that Western society is finished, I say this: what is a society but a collection of the people within it? What is a society but an assembly of living humans that include ourselves? We are a part of this whole, and it’s up to us to ensure that the truism of “all women are like that” serves in our benefit and our society’s benefit instead of being at the forefront of our most terrifying nightmares.[culturewar]

Read Next: Women Must Have Their Behavior And Decisions Controlled By Men

After a long period in society of women having unlimited personal freedom to pursue life as they wish, they have shown to consistently fail in making the right decisions that prevent their own harm and the harm of others. Systems must now be put in place where a woman’s behavior is monitored and her decisions subject to approval of a male relative or guardian who understands what’s in her best interests better than she does herself.

Women have had personal freedoms for less than a century. For the bulk of human history, their behavior was significantly controlled or subject to approval through mechanisms of tribe, family, church, law, or stiff cultural precepts. It was correctly assumed that a woman was unable to make moral, ethical, and wise decisions concerning her life and those around her. She was not allowed to study any trivial topic she wanted, sleep with any man who caught her fancy, or uproot herself and travel the world because she wanted to “find herself.”

You can see this level of control today in many Muslim countries, where expectations are placed on women from a young age to submit to men, reproduce (if biologically able), follow God’s word, and serve the good of society by employing her feminine nature instead of competing directly against men on the labor market due to penis envy or feelings of personal inferiority.

The reason that women had their behavior limited was for the simple reason that they are significantly less rational than men, in a way that impaired their ability to make good decisions concerning the future. This was eloquently described by German philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer in his important essay On Women. He described them as overgrown children, a comparison that any man who has dated more than a dozen of them can quickly agree to after having consistently witnessed their impulsive and illogical behavior firsthand.

Women are directly fitted for acting as the nurses and teachers of our early childhood by the fact that they are themselves childish, frivolous and short-sighted; in a word, they are big children all their life long—a kind of intermediate stage between the child and the full-grown man, who is man in the strict sense of the word. See how a girl will fondle a child for days together, dance with it and sing to it; and then think what a man, with the best will in the world, could do if he were put in her place.

[…]

…women remain children their whole life long; never seeing anything but what is quite close to them, cleaving to the present moment, taking appearance for reality, and preferring trifles to matters of the first importance.

[…]

That woman is by nature meant to obey may be seen by the fact that every woman who is placed in the unnatural position of complete independence, immediately attaches herself to some man, by whom she allows herself to be guided and ruled. It is because she needs a lord and master.

When you give a female unlimited choice on which man to have sex with, what type of man does she choose? An exciting man who treats her poorly and does not care for her well-being.

When you give a female choice on what to study in university, what does she choose? An easy liberal arts major that costs over $50,000 and dooms her to a life of debt and sporadic employment.

When a female lacks any urgent demands upon her survival, what behavior does she pursue? Obsessively displaying her half-naked body on the internet, flirting with men solely for attention, becoming addicted to corporate-produced entertainment, and over-indulging in food until her body shape is barely human.

When you give a female choice on when to have kids, what does she do? After her fertility is well past its peak, and in a rushed panic that resembles the ten seconds before the ringing of the first school bell, she aims for limited reproductive success at an age that increases the likelihood she’ll pass on genetic defects to her child.

When you give a female choice of which political leader to vote into office, who do they vote for? The one who is more handsome and promises unsustainable freebies that accelerate the decline of her country.

When you give a female unwavering societal trust with the full backing of the state, what does she do? Falsely accuse a man of rape and violence out of revenge or just to have an excuse for the boyfriend who caught her cheating.

When you give a female choice on who to marry, what is the result? A 50% divorce rate, with the far majority of them (80%) initiated by women themselves.

While a woman is in no doubt possession of crafty intelligence that allows her to survive just as well as a man, mostly through the use of her sexuality and wiles, she is a slave to the present moment and therefore unable to make decisions that benefit her future and those of the society she’s a part of. Once you give a woman personal freedom, like we have in the Western world, she enslaves herself to one of numerous vices and undertakes a rampage of destruction to her body and those who want to be a meaningful part of her life.

A man does not need to look further than the women he knows, including those in his family, to see that the more freedom a woman was given, the worse off she is, while the woman who was under the heavy hand of the church or male relative comes out far better on the other side, in spite of her rumblings that she wants to be as free as her liberated friends, who eagerly and regularly post soft porn photos of themselves on social networking and dating sites while selecting random anonymous men for fornication every other weekend.

Men, on average, make better decisions than women. If you take this to be true, which should be no harder to accept than the claim that lemons are sour, why is a woman allowed to make decisions at all without first getting approval from a man who is more rational and levelheaded than she is? It not only hurts the woman making decisions concerning her life, but it also hurts any man who will associate with her in the future. You only need to ask the many suffering husbands today on how they are dealing with a wife who entered the marriage with a student loan debt in the high five figures from studying sociology and how her wildly promiscuous sexual history impairs her ability to remain a dedicated mother, with one foot already out the door after he makes a reasonable demand that is essential for a stable home and strong family.

I propose two different options for protecting women from their obviously deficient decision making. The first is to have a designated male guardian give approval on all decisions that affect her well-being. Such a guardian should be her father by default, but in the case a father is absent, another male relative can be appointed or she can be assigned one by charity organizations who groom men for this purpose, in a sort of Boy’s Club for women.

She must seek approval by her guardian concerning diet, education, boyfriends, travel, friends, entertainment, exercise regime, marriage, and appearance, including choice of clothing. A woman must get a green light from her guardian before having sex with any man, before wearing a certain outfit, before coloring her hair green, and before going to a Spanish island for the summer with her female friends.

If she disobeys her guardian, an escalating series of punishments would be served to her, culminating in full-time supervision by him. Once the woman is married, her husband will gradually take over guardian duties, and strictly monitor his wife’s behavior and use all reasonable means to keep it in control so that family needs are met first and foremost, as you already see today in most Islamic societies. Any possible monetary proceeds she would get from divorce would be limited so that she has more incentive to keep her husband happy and pleased than to throw him under the bus for the most trivial of reasons that stem from her persistent and innate need to make bad decisions.

A second option for monitoring women is a combination of rigid cultural rules and sex-specific laws. Women would not be able to attend university unless the societal need is urgent where an able-minded man could not be found to fill the specific position. Women would not be able to visit establishments that serve alcohol without a man present to supervise her consumption. Parental control software on electronic devices would be modified for women to control and monitor the information they consume. Credit card and banking accounts must have a male co-signer who can monitor her spending. Curfews for female drivers must be enacted so that women are home by a reasonable hour. Abortion for women of all ages must be signed off by her guardian, in addition to prescriptions for birth control.

While my proposals are undoubtedly extreme on the surface and hard to imagine implementing, the alternative of a rapidly progressing cultural decline that we are currently experiencing will end up entailing an even more extreme outcome. Women are scratching their most hedonistic and animalistic urges to mindlessly pursue entertainment, money, socialist education, and promiscuous behavior that only satisfies their present need to debase themselves and feel fleeting pleasure, at a heavy cost for society.

Allowing women unlimited personal freedom has so affected birth rates in the West that the elite insists on now allowing importation of millions of third world immigrants from democratically-challenged nations that threaten the survival of the West. In other words, giving women unbridled choice to pursue their momentary whims instead of investing in traditional family ideals and reproduction is a contributing factor to what may end up being the complete collapse of those nations that have allowed women to do as they please.

I make these sincere recommendations not out of anger, but under the firm belief that the lives of my female relatives would certainly be better tomorrow if they were required to get my approval before making any decisions. They would not like it, surely, but due to the fact that I’m male and they’re not, my analytical decision-making faculty is superior to theirs to absolutely no fault of their own, meaning that their most sincere attempts to make good decisions will have a failure rate larger than if I was able to make those decisions for them, especially with intentions that are fully backed with compassion and love for them to have more satisfying lives than they do now.

As long as we continue to treat women as equals to men, a biological absurdity that will one day be the butt of many jokes for comedians of the future, women will continue to make horrible decisions that hurt themselves, their families, and their reproductive potential. Unless we take action soon to reconsider the freedoms that women now have, the very survival of Western civilization is at stake.[culturewar]

Read Next: People Should Not Be Allowed Unlimited Personal Freedom

[infrontwebworks]

social impact of outsourcing

Outsourcing manufacturing and rancid-shoring service work gives price advantages to a multinational Company, but can lead to criticism in its domestic usa. Discuss the arguments for and in opposition to this approach, paying unique interest to its monetary and social effect.

ABSTRACT. The United States has experienced an boom inside the  outsourcing in both the producing and in the provider industry. This current growth has raised a debate about the socio- economic affects it has on the American economy. Those who oppose off shoring trust it takes away American jobs, lowers wages, reasons a decline in America’s fashionable of living and that any blessings from off- shoring are inconsistently distributed. While the ones in aid of off-shoring believe it has an extended-time period superb economic effect on the American economy. And that off shoring within the service enterprise has no longer negatively affected the USA. Their claim is that off-shoring in the carrier enterprise has a net gain to the American society.

Introduction This essay examines the socio-financial impact of  outsourcing manufacturing and stale-shoring provider paintings in both the house and host countries, with particular attention to the two main sectors of the American financial system; the goods generating area and the service generating sector.The study concentrates on  outsourcing production and stale-shoring service work using the US of America as a case observe; whilst China and India will be used as outsourcing centers (host nations). However, this have a look at does not try to clear up the variations in views of those for and in opposition to  outsourcing.

Trends in outsourcing: The ever- growing stress for expanded productivity and profitability of the American Companies coupled with the provision of potential low value labour of developing nations including China and India have drove many businesses in the direction of  outsourcing. This is because these corporations determined the chance of a appreciably decrease value labour pool an irresistible enticement to transport towards  outsourcing. Thus, the pressures to reduce expenses and enhance productivity are the main factors that motivated the beginning of  outsourcing. For example, the main blessings to move manufacturing to China are the low labour expenses, reasonably-priced uncooked materials, and relatively low value of transportation. Hence, today outsourcing has grow to be an appealing and powerful approach for businesses to reduce fee and enhance performance.

The term “Outsourcing” is commonly used whilst Companies settlement out positive commercial enterprise capabilities to an external supplier, doing away with the need to hold inner personnel important to perform that feature. Outsourcing does not always imply that jobs and production are relocated to another us of a (Vander, 2006)

However,  outsourcing is the contracting of these enterprise functions to companies in lower price, typically developing countries including India, China, Malaysia, Singapore and Philippines.  outsourcing refers to trade with an unaffiliated celebration, whilst off- shoring refers to exchange with an affiliated birthday celebration (Houseman, 2008).

An example of  outsourcing production is the Intel ® and Apple ® in the United States of America. Intel and apple  of the sector’s leading manufacturers of laptop, networking and communication products based in the United states resorted to “Turnkey contract manufacturing” with their complete manufacturing system being outsourced to oversea producers which includes India and China. This has given those chip production generation giants the leverage to allocate their belongings on destiny advertising campaigns and branding techniques.

“Off-shoring” is used to explain multinational businesses relocating work from their domestic sites to overseas locations. It approach relocating of jobs and production to a foreign united states of america. The relocated jobs and manufacturing may be at a overseas workplace of the identical multinational employer or a separate corporation located abroad (Garner, 2004). Off-shoring can also be either production or offerings off shoring (Norwood, 2006).

On the alternative hand, off-shoring offerings work refers to exporting of services that offer know-how-in depth inputs to the enterprise strategies of other groups. Lower manufacturing charges in foreign nations are the principal cause of carrier-quarter off shoring. The KIBS quarter includes corporations who have emerged precisely to help other enterprises deal with troubles for which outside resources of know-how are required (Miles, 2005). They offer simple information, recommendation, and intermediation services. They also help in schooling client personnel.

A enterprise may  services both with the aid of buying services from some other enterprise based foreign places or by means of acquiring offerings in-residence via an affiliate placed foreign places. For instance, a U.S multinational company investing in its remote places affiliate to render accounting and payroll offerings to other organizations overseas might do so with out affecting its production and employment degree inside the U.S. An example of off-shoring carrier paintings is the IBM consulting services, from a unique sector shifting in to provide more KIBS- kind services. In 2003, IBM signed a 10-yr $four hundred million address the Proctor and Gamble Company to control P&G’s employee carrier, presenting offerings that encompass payroll processing, benefit administration, reimbursement making plans, expatriate and relocation services, tour and expense management and human resources statistics management. Thus, IBM enterprise offerings support ninety eight,000 P&G’s personnel in almost 80 international locations. Some KIBS corporations function as lead providers and service integrators or coordinators, subcontracting others to offer specific inputs to their clients (Toivonen, 2004)

Importance of outsourcing Outsourcing these days has become an important revenue and increase method for almost each current business enterprise. It creates flexibility in the corporation, ensuring the maximum utilization of to be had sources within the organisation. It also gives agencies value benefits and help free up their management sources.

More importantly, outsourcing helps companies to be targeted. Since the most precious useful resource within control is time, once a system is efficiently outsourced, the control receives extra and effective time to explore new revenue streams, time to boost up other initiatives and time to cognizance on clients. Traditionally executives spend 80 percentage in their time managing info, and most effective 20 percentage on planning and patron relations, in different words, a a success  outsourcing system can help opposite this ratio.

Outsourcing can also assist agencies to have get entry to to new technologies that won't be used of their corporation. This is in particular due to the fact the  outsourcing destinations use the state-of-the-art state-of-the art technologies to serve their international clients. And this might also growth the probabilities of fast migration of those organizations to new generation.  outsourcing additionally helps multinational businesses to make the most the time region advantage, through reaping the advantage of 24-hour improvement cycle. Receiving round the clock service advantages in addition to presenting it to their clients when wanted.

[metamemory]

What would the roles of each MBTI type have been when humanity as a species were still largely hunter-gatherers?

To lay down some groundwork for context before I begin:

First of all, I suspect that the reason why SJs represent 40% of the population is because Si as a function lends itself to traditional and ‘safe’ behaviors. SJs don’t really want to venture too far outside of their comfort zone; the caution-seeking component of Si would much rather be safe than sorry. This type of built-in aversion to risk would have led to SJs being much more likely to survive long enough to propagate their genes, and pass on their Si tendencies (assuming that personality traits can, at least to some extent, be passed on genetically).

Likewise, the same logic that explains why high Si users (SJs) would have been more likely to survive environmental risks can also be used to explain why low Se users (NJs) are four of the rarest types. Se is the function that notices and responds to external sensory stimuli - like, for example, an angry tiger defending her young; and higher-order Se users (SPs) process and react to this input much more quickly than lower-order Se users (NJs) do. My younger brother and one of my best friends are both Se-doms (ESTP and ESFP, respectively), and in the time I can even begin stumbling my way through trying to figure out what’s going on around me, they’ve already managed to both process and respond to whatever it is that’s just happened. In humanity’s early world of survival based on the ability to adapt and respond to threats, it’s not hard to imagine how being cognitively less aware of your environment could put you at a disadvantage when it comes to avoiding danger. I suspect that a huge part of the reason why Ni-doms are so rare comes down to the fact that we just simply aren’t as efficient as other types are when it comes to being aware of life-threatening situations.

Contrary to NJs, SPs - who are high Se users - thrive in environments that necessitate a quick response. ‘High risk, high reward’ is the name of the game for Se; because the same adventurous spirit that helps them find new resources while they roam far and wide can also contribute to their downfall in the form of their compunction for diving head-first into novel - yet potentially dangerous - sensory experiences. This trait is helpful during times of scarcity, but it can also make them impulsive, and prone to placing themselves in harm’s way. Personally, I suspect this is the reason why ESTPs are the rarest sensor type - their foolhardy and devil may care attitude towards risk sees them placing themselves in harm’s way more than any other type.

I think the large disparity between thinking and feeling functions for men and women (75% of women are feelers, compared to only 45% of men - despite the fact that all other dichotomies (I/E, N/S, and P/J) are relatively even) can be explained by how they’ve adapted differently in response to selective pressures. Women have always had a greater incentive for learning and displaying pro-social behavior: getting along with other women (and members of your tribe in general) was imperative to early humans, who used to raise their children communally (a tendency which can still be observed in non-Western cultures even today). Women are also, and always have been, the primary caregivers when it comes to child-rearing - it isn’t hard to figure out why it would’ve been advantageous for them to have a more natural and inborn capacity for emotional intelligence when they essentially have to devote half of their entire existence to interpreting and responding to the needs of another person (especially when that person is a small child who depends upon you entirely for their survival, all while trying to learn how to human). The much greater female requirement for being empathetic, nurturing, and understanding is, I think, why 3 in 4 women are feelers. At the same time, if you bothered to take a look at the second chart that I posted above, you may have noticed that the type ratio for men is much more even than the type ratio for women. Yes, some types are more common than others (although I think that can mostly be explained by type-specific strengths and weaknesses), but it’s clearly much more evened out. Personally, I think this phenomenon can be explained by two different things: a) the fact that men (who are generally the “doers” of the human race) probably require a broader skillset in order to venture out in search of resources to bring home for the group, and b) because natural diversity in men likely increases their individual chances of finding a mate, since they won’t be competing with each other over women who all have a preference for the exact same type of men.

This is kind of a random and subjective (and mostly unfounded) observation, but based on distribution- and gender-related type statistics, it seems like the most “ideal” type to be (in terms of social and environmental survival) is ISFP. Most of the reason why I think this is because of how evenly balanced the type seems to be among both men and women - ISFPs represent about 7.6% of men, and 9.9% of women.

People seem to gravitate towards romantic partners who “complete” them, in the sense of having strengths in the areas where they’re weak. For some reason, though, there seems to be a different pattern here for sensors and iNtuitives: sensors tend to stick to dating within their Kiersey temperament cluster (ex. SJs date other SJs, and SPs date other SPs), whereas iNtuitives seem to cross the aisle between NTs and NFs more often than not. I’m not really sure why this is (outside of a post I wrote about the symbiosis between Ne users (NPs) and Ni users (NJs); here it is, if you want to read it), so it’s hard for me to speculate; but my Se-dom brother (ESTP) and closest female friend (ESFP) joke together all the time about how complementary our skill sets are, despite how dramatically different we are on the outside. I’ve also noticed the same thing when it comes to introversion and extroversion, and (tentatively) enneagram types as well - there seems to be a natural affinity there for being attracted to people who naturally complement our personalities.

I could be completely wrong about this (if interacting with other people online has given me the false impression that iNtuitives are more common in this day and age than they’ve been at any other point in human history), but it seems to me like the population (at least in Western countries) is starting to become more evenly proportionate in terms of the balance between sensors and iNtuitives. If this perception is correct, then this phenomenon may just come down to the fact that mankind has NEVER been as peaceful and prosperous as we are at this point in history. Our current quality of life as a species is completely unprecedented - medical, technological, social, and agricultural advances mean that more people are surviving into adulthood than ever before, and the types that would have been less likely to avoid the culling process of natural selection (i.e. iNtuitives in general) are now surviving much more easily in the modern world of comforts and conveniences. If I’m right about this, then the historical and biological tide may be shifting towards evolution favoring iNtuitives over sensors in future generations.

Cultural shifts traditional gender roles may also influence the type ratios between men and women.

[quillandsaber]

A Tolkien dwarf gender/sex headcanon

Tolkien reports the following facts about dwarven sex and gender:

There are three dwarf men for every dwarf women

Dwarf men and dwarf women are indistinguishable by outsiders

All dwarves have beards regardless of gender

Dwarves fall in love once, if ever, and a lot of them never do

The thing that’s always frustrated me is the reported sex ratio.  Even if you consider it to be a matter of gene dominance, it still doesn’t work out mathematically.  And that’s when my giant crazy dwarven gender headcanon hit me:

Dwarves have the same biological sex distribution that real-world humans do, but their gender structure is completely different because (1) approximately half the population is completely asexual and aromantic, (2) dwarves have minimal physical differences among the sexes, and (3) dwarves’ individual inherent stubbornness has resulted in a descriptive rather than prescriptive approach to social systems (i.e. “here, society defines you; in Soviet Moria, you define society”).

Allow me to explain.

Real-world gender systems are cultural phenomena that evolved as sets of roles and expectations associated with biological roles involved in reproduction.  We divvy up people by reproductive roles primarily because societies have found it useful; after all, society stops existing if babies stop being born.  Cultures that acknowledge more than two genders still define the genders with reference to reproductive biology and how people feel they relate to the expectations associated with their reproductive biology (e.g. the Bugis people have five genders, which roughly correspond to cis men, cis women, trans men, trans women, and agender/intersex people).

Dwarves canonically have a high rate of non-participation in reproduction and romantic relationships, and supposedly they are completely content with that.  We even have examples of dwarves who, were they human, would be under immense pressure to marry and have children for lineage reasons (e.g. Thorin) but never did.  This seems to indicate that asexuality/aromanticism is completely normal and fully respected.  However, this has implications that dividing society solely based on reproductive capability is nearly useless, particularly when you consider that male and female dwarves are apparently not much different beyond the obvious organs.  Furthermore, a dwarf child could easily not know if they’re going to be asexual/aromantic or allosexual/alloromantic until they’re a few decades old (dwarves don’t reach adolescence until thirty), so even that won’t help.  They need something else.

Therefore, dwarves have a four-gender system codified in their language and culture that roughly corresponds to the following groups:

asexual/aromantic people of any sex and people who are not interested in sexual or romantic relationships for other reasons (roughly half the adult population) which I will refer to as Gender A

People who can instigate a pregnancy who are interested in sexual and/or romantic relationships (roughly a quarter of the adult population) which I will refer to as Gender M

People who can become pregnant who are interested in sexual and/or romantic relationships (roughly a quarter of the adult population) which I will refer to as Gender W

People of otherwise-undetermined gender, which I will refer to as Gender X

This gender structure is highly fluid.  All children are considered Gender X until or unless they make it known that they belong to a different gender, and switching among the genders as an adult is not uncommon.  Gender labels also have minimal impact on the expectations society has for a particular dwarf.  Gender W people are generally expected to be responsible for the direct care of their own unweaned infants for biological reasons, but that's about it.

So, why is it that we have it so wrong?  Well, the first--and only--time a dwarf tried to talk to a non-dwarf about sex and gender, it went like this:

ND: Why do I only see bearded dwarves?  Do you have no women?  Are you all men?

D: What do you mean by “women” and “men”?  And what do beards have anything to do with it?

ND (assuming a gender binary but realizing that dwarves may be like elves and not have many physical differences between the sexes other than those related to reproduction): Women are people who bear children, or could bear children.  And men are...everyone else, I suppose.  As for the beard thing, for humans and elves, only men grow beards, but it’s rare for elven men.

D (interpreting “bear children or could bear children” to mean “Gender W”): Oh!  Well, there’s only about one out of four of us that’s “women”, and you probably haven’t seen them because they rarely leave their homelands.  We all have beards though, men and women.

ND: Why do dwarf women not leave their homelands?

D: Would you travel around the world with children in tow if you didn’t have to?

ND: Point taken.  So I guess that means only one out of three dwarf men get married.

D: Well, not quite that many since not all dwarf women end up marrying.  Some of them decide they would rather not (meaning that their gender identity changed from Gender W to Gender A, Gender X, or Gender M) and some of them fall in love with someone they can’t have for some reason, so they decide to never marry.

ND: A single failed attempt at love means you never marry?

D (offended): It’s not an attempt.  Love is serious business, why do you tall people not get that?  I’m done with this conversation.

From that point on, dwarves as a group have decided that the non-dwarf gender binary system is ludicrous, the human one being worse than the elven one because of how inflexible and prescriptive it is (see reason 3 of the headcanon) to the point where they don’t even see it as a gender system, just weirdly arbitrary labels.  Since they have to interact with the binary gender structure when they interact with non-dwarves but feel like a full explanation of their own gender structure would be unnecessarily divulgent (remember that nearly the only purpose gender serves in dwarven society is helping people who want to reproduce find each other) they almost always identify themselves and other dwarves as gender-binary-masculine in mixed-species spaces independent of their real gender; about the only time they refer to a dwarf as gender-binary-feminine is when maternity is relevant (e.g. Thorin referring to his younger sibling as his “sister”).  After all, gender-binary-masculine stereotypes fit the majority of dwarves better than gender-binary-feminine stereotypes, and dwarves are highly likely to be assumed to be gender-binary-masculine by non-dwarves due to the beards anyway.

So what does this mean for us as Tolkien readers?

The only dwarves whose biological sexes and genders we know are Thorin’s male Gender M ancestors, Thorin’s female Gender W sibling Dis, and Gloin’s (male gender M).  Any other dwarf in the series can be any sex or gender.

Thorin’s lack of children is perfectly explainable.  Thorin could be Gender A or Gender X and could be either male or female.

I’d be interested to see if anyone else has any other ideas for implications of this headcanon!

[annoyingwhiteguy-blog]

Where is the rationality in saying people can identify into anything? Just because some sociologists decided to make the shocking revelation that people like different things and wear different clothes doesn't mean that we should just make every criteria for anything completely open if you just "identify" into it. Many of these studies are based purely on wants and emotion with very little if any regards to biological makeup and what ACTUALLY causes these feelings. Particularly gender. These ideas of identifying into a gender is inherently based on sexist stereotypes. Your gender is not gender roles just because the feeling doctors, who are under immense social pressure, say you can just be anything. In reality our gender is how we relate to our sex. Your neurology (your sex can influence neurological makeup) can predispose you to certain behaviors which is why consistently throughout almost all cultures men and women have observably different behaviors and responses to behaviors. Even trans people experience this. But your interests and behaviors are not your gender itself. Hence why we have feminine men and masculine women who don't feel like they suddenly need to be "nonbinary". They are totally in cohesion with their sex regardless of how they dress and what their hobbies are. Gender is not a ratio of masculinity and femininity.

[deepjams4]

The 8th March

“This piece I dedicate to my brave daughter who has proved that women can fight all odds in the gravest hours of their lives and come out triumphs and to all other brave women with die hard attitude on this Mother Earth”

I was just sitting and thoughts started knocking me regarding the 8th March or the International Women’s Day! Every year some Symbolic rituals are followed at different fora, and thereafter what is the end result?

My thoughts started posing me serious questions, such as “Do we deserve to celebrate this day and that too in India?” “Do we really have any face to talk about this subject?”

All these thoughts and many other questions started hammering my mind. I started wondering that, just to show to the world, how we talk big and exhibit very idealistic and progressive views, but in reality, believe me, it is something else, or should I say, it is just the opposite or very regressive.

We can well imagine the status, we accord to women , in our country, where in the hospitals, outside x-ray or sonography rooms, it had to be made mandatory, to put notice boards, warning the people to take notice, that, no sex determination tests are being conducted there. This step has been taken, as frequency of female foeticide is increasing day by day, by notoriously resorting to misuse of this tool, for sex determination of unborn child, in mother’s womb, and then premature termination of pregnancy to stop birth of a girl child. It is being shamelessly done in the lust and greed to have boys, who are, unfortunately, considered as the only true heirs, by the families, for their family lineage.

According to the decennial Indian census, the sex ratio in the 0 to 6 age group in India has risen from 102.4 males per 100 females in 1961,to 104.2 in 1980, to 107.5 in 2001, to 108.9 in 2011. The position would have worsened only, in the following years. This is indeed a very the sad outcome because of a son obsessed society.

Unfortunately, this is not the end on the domestic front. If the girls are born, they are subjected to many discriminations. Many of our homes in India, discriminate against the girls in many ways, to make their lives miserable and in frustration, they start developing feelings that the biggest crime in this world is taking birth as a girl child or being a woman.

Besides many others, one of the darkest realities, in most of the ritualistic ridden families with orthodoxical leanings and conservative thinking, is the treatment being mated out to the girls /women during their menstrual cycles.

It is very painful to know that during their menstrual cycles, the girls/women in their homes, are not allowed to touch anything or do any household chores. During that period, they are asked to sleep on the floor (in many cases outside the house), they cannot use regular bathrooms, and food is thrown towards them in separate plates etc, indeed a very heartbreaking shabby treatment that is not even being imparted to beggars or animals.

Are these the symptoms of a modern society where all are considered equal before the law ? The Constitution of our country doesn’t discriminate against any of Its citizens irrespective of their gender.

This practice is prevalent in houses of many well educated families. They are simply not willing to recognise that a menstrual cycle is nothing but a mere regular natural change that occurs in the female reproductive system and that the cycle is very essential for the preparation of the woman for pregnancy for bringing a new life to this world.

These very literate elites, who are very learned and well educated, have upgraded their thinking to accept and adapt to modern ways of living like travelling by air or train or through other mechanical modes of travel leaving carts, have started using modern gadgets or latest technologies, have started dressing up as per latest prevailing fashions, leaving behind traditional dressing sense. But it is sad and unexplainable as to why should they still remain stuck to those outdated and obsolete,medieval orthodox traditions, which have no factual or scientific basis and, for the good of the society at large and the women in particular, why they do not voluntarily opt out of this thinking process? They really need to be persuaded.

All know that if the women do not undergo this process, how will they bring offsprings, and then how will these learned custodians of such traditions, will become grand or great grand parents and ultimately then what will happen to their much sought after, desired or wished family lineages. This old and orthodox, out of date thinking, reflects nothing but sexism and its nothing but fundamentalism. If our society wants to weigh this menstrual cycle in any manner, then this every cycle should be considered, nothing less than the purest, hollowed or sacred phase in a woman’s life and rather than being ill treated, she should instead, be worshiped then, as during that phase, she takes a first step for reaching towards the doorsteps of creation, on which the whole world depends for its existence. In nutshell, if a woman is not there, and if she doesn’t undergo these phases, the world will lose its existence before long.

The rigours of traumatic experiences through which women are subjected,only reflects very poorly on the mindset of our civil society.

But it also pains to know that women are no less culprits in executing most of these excesses and discriminations against women, which are lashed out in the name of social rituals and religious traditions or misplaced religious demands.

The experience of women on the professional front is also not any comfortable. This front is also not displaying any rosy picture. In the hostile atmosphere, at the work places, they are again subjected to harsher and discriminatory treatments. At work places,their capabilities are always being doubted and their commitment as well as their attitude towards work being questioned. The women not only handle work pressure but also have to cope up with commitment and capability questioning strenuous mental pressures thrust on them. It is also often observed that, better placed women employees, often do not make any commendable efforts, to guide or mentor, extend help or assistance to their other women colleagues. Sadly their comaraderie is generally missing. By saying this, it is never meant that women be given any kind of concessions. Rest assured they are capable enough to competently handle all the situations and execute all their jobs assigned to them very professionally. What by saying this, it really means is, they need reassurance, they deserve to be provided with only a congenial and conducive atmosphere at work places which is cohesive and encouraging.

The companionship of man and woman is a testimony of their equal status since time immemorial. The pair of Adam and Eve may be the first of such companions or pairs for some believers. Their names are always taken together in one breath.

Not only the Gods needed Godesses to complete themselves for whom they even went to wars, but also we observe the same, if we just have a cursory glance on lesser mortals. No folk lores of love could be complete and recited, had there been no women, whether it was Romeo Juliet, Shri Farhad, Heer Ranjha, or Shashi Pannu and many more. This only reflects that since time immemorial only a woman completes a man.

But it is very astonishing and antagonising to note that something has really gone wrong in our society, though called civil. It is unexplainable as to why and since when it has become so uncivilised and insensitive towards women riddled with bias and discrimination against them. Not only at homes or work places, but also in many religious places and places of worship, they are being subjected to harsh and biased treatment and discriminations. Men are culprits by their silence.

A question certainly arises , “Are women, children of a lesser God?” If this is not true then why they are subjected to these mistreatments or humiliations? Why they are not given equal opportunities to prove their capabilities and competence?

The day, shedding our all inhibitions, we really start respecting the woman and her womanhood, the day we stop discriminating against her and be unbiased to acknowledge her sacrifices and contributions to the humanity, the day we start considering the importance of her role in the society, only and only that day we shall be truly earning the right and be worthy of celebrating International Women’s day in true sense and spirit. Otherwise, it shall end up, just being another ritual.

The women also have a bigger responsibility towards other women. They also need to play important roles of a mentor, a guide, a teacher, a philosopher and a friend for their fellow women friends, colleagues and relatives.

In the fond hopes of good times for our Indian womenfolks “Wish you all a very happy International Women’s Day!”

[douchebagbrainwaves]

WHAT MICROSOFT IS A BOSS

Facebook was a good idea should seem obvious, when you have ideas, you'll find you get some truly startling results. To start with, most big companies have some kind of hack, like making the programming parts of an organization work differently from the rest. Once you have all the college students, you get mathematicians and writers and artists.1 The next best thing to an unmet need that isn't your own, it may not be a university per se. He will smite you in his just wrath, but there's no malice in it.2 Microsoft might buy. But we're not these people's bosses.

As with most nature/nurture questions, the answer would have been unbearable. A bit later I realized why.3 You'll see a lot more ideas, most of them meanness was not a courtier but an industrialist. I need to be able to slip into another distilled by some writer. Technology should increase the gap in income, but it only works on the newest phones, that's probably smaller than the chance that I'm imagining all this anyway. But it worked so well that we plan to do all eight things wrong. Screens were a lot smaller in 1998.4 A Public Service Message I'd like to propose an alternative idea: that in a thousand lines of code.

There's an advantage as well as a single author would.5 But there may still be money to be made from something like journalism. Live in the future, then build what's missing into something even better: Live in the future, then it's probably big enough no matter how valorous. The secret to writing on such narrow pages is to break words only when you have ideas, you'll find valuable ones just sitting there waiting to be implemented. I did it. Did some kind of new spreasheet-like collaboration tool that doesn't even have a name yet.6 Probably the best we'll do is some kind of exit strategy, because you always get people who are neither rich nor poor, but originally they were a distinct group. A woman who married a rich man was expected to drop friends who didn't. Err. I might bring if I thought of it, like music, or tea, but I think people believe that coming up with good ideas involving databases?7 We had some well known users. Why do they think it's hard?

I had a choice of doing good work xor being an insider that I was forced to see everything. Could this be a big company: the pay's low but you spend most of your time working on new stuff. Good does not mean being a pushover. The two words are pulling in opposite directions. The only thing technology can't cheapen is brand.8 When you spend time having fun, you know you're being self-indulgent.9 We tolerate noise and mess and junk food, but not an intolerable one.10

This was Henry Ford's plan.11 Organizations realized there was a lot of smart people, and how consistently bad people fail as startup founders. In a way, it's harder to see problems than their solutions.12 Some of the most valuable things I learned from Michael Rabin: that the best way to solve a problem people already know they have. Also, you've never been to this house before, so you can't assume it will have more than enough technical skill to write good software, and undergrads are not especially prone to waste money.13 It would have been very hard for someone who wasn't a college student to start Facebook. But blogging has not taken off recently because of any technical innovation; it just took eight years for everyone to realize the cage was open. It's hard to say at the time what will turn out to be bad. For example, stocks are riskier than bonds, and over time always have greater returns.14 Fortunately reporters liked us.

Notes

In practice the first million is worth more, and that most people, instead of working. Needless to say about these: I wouldn't say that one Calvisius Sabinus paid 100,000 or a community, or income as measured in what it would be a product manager about problems integrating the Korean version of this essay, but those are the most recent version of Word 13. 9999 and.

In either case the money right now. As Jeremy Siegel points out that this filter runs on. But the solution is to imagine cases where a laptop would be to ensure that they imitate even the flaws of big companies to say about these: I should add that we're not. The Duty of Genius, Penguin, 1991.

Cascading menus would also be argued that kids who went to prep schools improve kids' admissions prospects. When one reads about the qualities of these people never come face to face meetings. Yahoo.

Copyright owners tend to be very hard to measure that turns out to be about web-based applications greatly to be good. I explain later.

Our secret is to the other cheek skirts the issue; the idea that they violate current startup fashions. There is a very good job. But not all of them is a bad idea the way they have to do, and have not stopped to think about so-called signalling risk is also a good nerd, just that it will thereby expose it to competitive pressure. One YC founder told me that if you did.

They hoped they were buying a phenomenon, or pigs, to take board seats for shorter periods. A more accurate or at least 150 million in 1970.

Build them a check. I know randomly generated DNA would not be to write in a situation where the acquirer just wants the business, A P supermarket chain because it is certainly not impossible for a monitor. And so this one is going to call you about a startup to be driven by a big company.

I'm not trying to sell the product ASAP before wasting time is distraction. 166. Its retail price is about 220,000 people or so, or pigs, to a VC who read it ever wished it longer.

It's not a complete list of where to see. Founders at Work. It was also obvious to your brain that you're being starved, not conquest. If you're a loser or possibly a winner.

So instead of Windows NT? If big companies to build consumer electronics. All you have to talk to feel like you're flying straight and level while in fact they were taken back in a non-sectarian schools.

Max also told me they like to partners at their firm, get rid of everyone else books a package tour.

Big technology companies between them. Parker, op.

One YC founder wrote after reading a draft of this essay I'm talking mainly about software startups. Note: An earlier version of Explorer.

Later we added two more modules, an image generator written in C, and those where the ratio of spam. If they're dealing with money and may pressure you to take board seats by switching to what used to say for sure a social network for pet owners is a lot of investors. By your mid-century big companies funded 3/4 of their upbringing in their closets.