#Squirrel rambles

[friendlycursedspaceotter]

Pro tip for my disabled and chronically ill friends in college: if you have to put a work order in and it is related any bit at all to your disability, write, very clearly in the "describe what needs to get done" section, "This issue is a health hazard," followed by a description of how the issue relates to your disability/chronic illness.

They are required to put it as a high-priority issue and fix it ASAP. Required BY LAW. Yes, I said it. They are legally required to fix these things, both under OSHA regulations and the ADA.

Play the disability card. I'm begging you. DISABLED IS NOT A BAD WORD. But don't abuse it. This is a fine line here.

Example: I'm heat and noise sensitive. My HVAC unit started breaking down and rattling loudly. That would be an example of a health hazard. A broken light could be a health hazard to someone with vision issues. I can only speak for myself here. But y'all have the right to speak up and advocate to yourself.

Neurodivergent people, this applies to you too. You're one of us (one of us! one of us! one of us!). Don't let the exclusionists gatekeep this information from you.

[summergirl2408]

Ya know the english language is generally fine and all but y'all just don't have decent words for some german essentials

For example I will never not hate the english word for Brötchen

I mean I know if I say either bread roll or bun people are gonna generally understand what I mean but neither of those words actually encompass the full range of german Brötchen

To me this is a bread roll:

And this is a bun:

But both of those words do not feel correct for any of these things:

Those are proper Brötchen and calling them bread roll or bun just feels so wrong

[hatchetings]

“dan and donna are married” “dan and donna are close friends”

no. they fucking HATE each other.

they want one another dead.

they’re very neutral to one another on air, but the moment the camera turns off? they are clawing at one another like cats, they’re swearing and yelling at each other, they’re making petty comments towards one another.

they cannot STAND eachother.

and that. THAT is why dan agrees with jerry that donna is killer in hatchet town.

they are praying for one another’s downfall.

[entitiesandeggbutts]

im making you all look at my dog, she turned three today and she’s the best

[invinciblerodent]

btw yes, I'm also still stuck thinking about how in the cutscene at the start of the attack of Astarion's siblings, Astarion himself is standing right next to your bed.

Every time that scene is mentioned or brought up on my dash, I just keep thinking about how the bed the PC is shown using in the long rests (which seems to me like the top left one as you enter that side-room), and the one in which he's presumably been resting, are basically on the very opposite ends of the room.

like... sure, it already has me scratching at the walls to think about how, when unromanced, he probably felt something was wrong and went immediately to wake you and let you know (trust!!! friendship!!!), but it has me extra feral to think that he had abandoned the bed he had originally claimed in favor of yours, and was sprung from his lover's embrace by the arrival of his siblings. (Because you can't talk about cuddling, and cuddliness, and call yourself "cuddly Astarion" in the same scene, without actually cuddling sometimes lol.)

I kind of like to imagine that even on top of it being self-defense, springing to his feet so fast, there could also be something instinctively protective in the fact that he so quickly puts his own body between you and danger.

I mean,

right before the camera would focus on him, he's bent forward, snarling at them to get away, coiled to strike even unarmed (well. as unarmed as a vampire can be), and only relaxes into the conversation-pose when you stir, and Aurelia speaks.

And like, that doesn't feel like a conscious action, or even much of a purposeful decision from a mechanic standpoint (most likely the devs needed him to stand there-ish for there to be enough room for the PC to get up, and stand next to him for the conversation's camera angles to make sense), but I do like to imagine that at this point in the relationship, he just... acts without thinking, and puts himself into the more dangerous position on instinct. It lines up very nicely with that sweet, rather earnest line he says in the Wyrm's Lookout scene. (PC: "All that matters to me is that you're safe." Astarion: "I know you do. It matters to me, as well. I want to be able to protect you, too.")

... The rest of his "this is for us, this is to protect you, we're a team" lines are of course calculated, manipulative bullshit, and taking them at face value would be a mistake even if there is a kernel of truth at their core, but I think that one is genuine, and it's corroborated by this unthinking jump to your defense.

[foldingfittedsheets]

Some experiences just blaze themselves across your soul forever. Even if you don’t want them to. My memory is often spotty but I remember some things I’d rather not with perfect clarity.

Like the morning I was walking to my car to go to work. It was a chilly fall morning, mist and fog clung to the treetops, the thin light was grey and damp. It was early enough that no one else was stirring, it was like I had the world to myself.

My car sits right beside the dumpster, which is enclosed by a paltry wooden fence for propriety. As I got within a few feet of my car I heard a bizarre wet sound. I paused and looked toward the dumpster.

Two squirrels were darting away up a nearby tree, startled from their pillaging of trash. The sound I’d heard was haunting me. Something small but heavy, something damp and limp. Almost against my will I looked around the corner of the fence.

There, splayed on the cold wet concrete, was a dead parakeet. Dropped unceremoniously into the dumpster, it had been found and feasted upon by squirrels, then abandoned with a splat into my still misty morning.

I was so distressed. I’d never met this bird but seeing it’s little body left so carelessly with the accumulated rubbish hurt my heart. It hadn’t been cherished enough to be disposed of with care. It’s body had been left to scavengers.

All day I would remember it and shudder but I couldn’t convey to any of my coworkers how awful it had been.

I’ve never been able to see the neighborhood squirrels the same. Rodents are omnivores and it’s just a fact of life, but the ones by us are cursed for me now. I can still hear the sad wet sound of that bird hitting the ground.

[nabwastaken]

MEME TIME

[pup-pee]

lalalalaa

[beanthebugboi]

Little everyday things that give me species euphoria

Watching my pupils expand and contract in the bathroom mirror while I flick the light on and off.

Tilting my head to read, because a few pages of the pdf I'm reading through are sideways- a perfectly acceptable excuse to use an animalistic gesture in public.

Sharing my perfume with my friends. Now they smell like me, clearly marked as part of my pack.

Listening to asmr to fall asleep, and suddenly the tingly feeling along my spine spreads to my phantom wings.

Digging my teeth in and yanking back to take bites out of the tough crust of the cheap mini-pizza I had for lunch.

Turning all the pillows and blankets on my bed into a perfectly constructed nest, safe and cozy <3

(feel free to add yours!!)

[oreo-creampie]

At least you appreciate the spam likes. I know alot of creators that will block users for that

I will never understand why people don't like spam likes? I heard someone say it shows their fics aren't being read, but it's more like that person could be saving them for later

There are several times I come across i fic I don't have that time to read at the moment. Or simple i want to wait till I finished my day and Im curing up with the intentions of reading. A treat for myself later

Why would you want to block someone who is just trying to read content?

For me it's one of the highest forms of flattery. Cause I remember when the coutless amount of times I've read someone from someone and craved reading more from them. It's the way they write, and portray the character that hits so wonderful i have to binge their works

Which always makes it heart warming knowing that in the page that person is wanting to see more of. Not saying anyone who spam likes it binges my content craves my writing style/or the way I write the characters, just that they want a little more from me as a content creator. It's exciting, flattering and makes me low-key proud of myself.

Spam likes are welcomed and encouraged, go nuts

[peblezq]

A sketch of Tony Stark and Doreen Green from my new fic "The Mechanic & the Squirrel"

[peppermint-jade]

not at all what I normally post, but I just have to talk about this book. As an amateur Arthurian nerd who is slightly out of practice, this book was amazing. Now granted, the King Arthur Brainrot has been on the downlow for a bit for me, but safe to say I'm back into it. I picked it up on a whim and finished it in record time (I don't have the time/energy to read like I used to) so I know it's good. It's so refreshing to read something Arthurian by someone who gets it??? Like.... so much good stuff here. we have:

Kay centric narrative (!!!)

Historical accuracy for the 6th century! (mentions of no plate armor, accurate weapons, place names, romans, saxons, etc)

Galehaut (who I didn't even know existed but am now obsessed with. what do you mean he acted like a romantic rival to Gwenhwyfar??? (as her name is spelled in the book))

on that subject, queer Lancelot

Warrior King Arthur (who swears like a sailor and is depicted in a unique, almost negative light)

Glastonbury Tor as a central location (yes I know he was "buried" at the abbey but the tor is so iconic)

calling the sword from the lake Caliburn rather than Excalibur

Neutral Morgan le Fey/Morgana figure (sorta net positive I guess)

Christopher Marlowe is here

probably more stuff I'm forgetting tbh

anyways please someone go read this book. It's very good I promise. Especially if you're an Arthurian nerd. You can tell the author had all of this knowledge and decided to write about it, rather than an author who decided to write about an Arthurian topic then researched it if that makes sense.

[acourtofquestions]

Since (haven’t read CC yet) 3 Maasverse main characters thus far are artists in one way or another (something I love in fandoms and especially these/Maasverse)

With:

Aelin the musician (composer/piano forte player) & appreciator of the arts. Fashionista. & semi-ballerina.

Nesta the dancer (a lil lovely scene tidbit I thought was freeing and mostly fun)

And of course Feyre THE Artist (& best example as this is crucial to how she sees the world).

Especially with the latter 2 in ACOTAR & our Archerons; even their father was a wood carver/sculptor… (let’s stick with the latter phrase… cause it’s too soon for carver to be heard as anything other than CREEPY “bone carver”😅) … so that leaves us with one; Elain.

Random HC here but: what if Elain’s a singer?

Specifically thought of this because of a certain other “singer in the series” ;-) *psst* Azriel the “shadowsinger” cause while I know that’s not what they meant, it sounds fun to me :-)

[littlewinnow]

Didnt know home depot sold flower bulbs!! Bought a couple to plant in an empty area in my yard very excited!! 🌷💐

[firequeenofficial]

What about squirrel BigB?

The real reason he digs those holes is to hide his nuts for the winter. He tells other people he hasn't dug any holes so they won't go dig them up again. It drives Swan Grian crazy.

[iwanttobepersephone]

Just took the most amazing set of photos at the amusement park

A toast to our eating buddy!