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[jaberfamily]

Support My Family Journey to Safety and Peace

🚨Urgent Appeal 🚨

My name is Jaber Al-Haj. I am from Gaza, married to my wife, Menna, and we have a little son named Hashim, who is less than two years old. Like any Palestinian family, we dreamed of a simple and stable life. But the recent war turned our lives upside down. The sounds of explosions never left us, and fear has become part of our daily existence. My son Hashim suffers from health problems that urgently require treatment, but the war has destroyed everything, including the healthcare system, making access to necessary medical care nearly impossible. With each passing day, our suffering deepens, and the fear for Hashim’s health and future consumes me.

Alongside my small family, I used to work with my brothers, Aboud and Bilal, on our joint project—a small lab for producing essential household cleaning products. We started this project with modest resources, dreaming that it would become a source of income to support us and provide job opportunities for our community. But the war left us with nothing. Our lab, which was once filled with life and hard work, was reduced to rubble under the bombardment. We lost our equipment, our livelihood, and with it, a part of our dreams for the future.

Even our home, our only refuge, did not escape the destruction. It was severely damaged and is now uninhabitable. We were forced to flee and live in a tent under harsh conditions unfit for human life. The cold, the heat, the lack of resources, and the absence of privacy have made life nearly unbearable. We try to cope, but every day brings new challenges and suffering.

Today, what worries me the most is my son Hashim's condition. His health is deteriorating, and he desperately needs treatment abroad. However, under the circumstances we’re living in, I lack the means to secure his travel and medical expenses. As a father, there is nothing more heartbreaking than watching my child suffer while being unable to help him.

This campaign is a lifeline for my family in our darkest hour. With your generosity, we can bring hope back into our lives and secure a better future for my son, Hashim. Every contribution, no matter how small, makes a world of difference.

Please support us through the links below:

👉Donation link

👉Paypal Link

Thank you for standing with us and helping us through this difficult time. Your kindness means more than words can express.

With heartfelt gratitude, Jaber AlHaj

✅ My Campaign ✅ 🔍Vetted by @90-ghost here 🔍Vetted by association in this post

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[running-with-kn1ves]

Satin Pillows To Cry On

CW: coercion with money, age gap(7 yrs), transactional marriage, obsessive/yandere behavior

gn! reader

﹀﹀﹀﹀﹀﹀﹀﹀﹀﹀﹀﹀﹀﹀﹀﹀﹀﹀﹀﹀﹀﹀﹀﹀﹀﹀﹀﹀﹀﹀

You’ve got nothing else, no one else to rely on. 

‘You’re something he bought to keep from growing old.” 

Your clothes are worth small countries. Your cars stacked in 3-level garages. Diamonds, emeralds, pearls hanging from your wrists and ears, satchels made of endangered animal skins, different shoes for each day of the year. 

Your boyfriend of three years spat at your feet when you told him what you were doing. 

“His money can’t love you, not like I can.”

The wedding was only two months away when you broke up with him, told him you couldn’t live in his broke-down apartment anymore, that you couldn’t live with debt trailing wherever you went. You went so far as to make him hate you, to tell him that you never wanted to see him again, that you never loved him, that he better not bother showing up to the wedding. You didn’t want him there, you never wanted to see him again. 

“You’re lying to me; he’s making you say these things, he’s using you against me! You’ve known him what-- two seconds, and you’re going to marry this man?! He’s nearly a decade older than you!” 

Seven years of an age gap or not, he was still a thousand times more independent, wealthy, and a safer choice than your boyfriend. You weren’t some fresh college student new to the world, you had graduated over two years ago, still finding no luck in getting a stable income-- forget about whether or not it was in the field of your degree. 

You left in a single day, fitting all of your scavanged belongings into one of your fiance’s awaiting cars. You left anything worth of value with your ex-boyfriend, knowing he’d find more use out of it than you would. You would even leave the rest of your things there if he could find use for them, but you knew they’d just be one more painful reminder of your betrayal. 

He did as you said, not showing up to your wedding, staying clear, never appearing in your line of sight since the day you left. It made it easier…. For both of you that way. 

And now you were happy-- well, maybe not happy, maybe not even content, but you were… safe. You had everything you needed: a working car, a stable job that you felt productive in, a clean and comforting house to come home to, a spouse. Sure, maybe you didn’t get your new job yourself, or your house or your car-- but did that really matter, in this economy? Who wouldn’t trade their life and their independence for this kind of wealth?

And your husband… he wasn’t all bad. He might have only wanted you for the sake of having you at first, like a new jewel or the latest technological invention. But he was doting and caring in his own way. Maybe just a tiny bit too invested in you, in your schedule and who you talked to. A little too hateful towards your ex-boyfriend, the one who had you before he could. But everyone had character flaws, and on good days you could distract him from his grumpy mood and stress and obsessive behaviors by being the loving and oh so perfect spouse you had trained yourself to be ever since he asked to marry you. 

“Colder than all that gold…” You repeated in your mind, the words your family whispered to each other at your wedding reception only a few feet away from you. 

That was over six months now, though… the honeymoon phase never existed, you rarely saw your husband except for his midnight appearances back from the office, and whenever he would whisk you away for a weekend vacation to savor the time he had with you. For someone more sophisticated, much wealthier, and dare you say handsomer than the average man-- you were surprised to find he didn’t have a line of divorces behind him. 

No; he said, he had been “waiting for you.” whether  you or he knew it, he understood right from the moment of meeting you that you were the one he’d have for the rest of his life, even if it killed him. That severity… scared you. But in a sick sense, it made you feel relieved. Forever? This could be yours, forever? Your family would never have to struggle again, you would never have to worry where your next meal came from?

“I cleared your schedule until tuesday; we’re going to the isles. A mini vacation, you might call it. Get your things.”

He was cold, that was for sure. But, was he any worse than your ex-boyfriend, especially when he was offering you an expensive experience on top of that?

“All right..” You acquiesced. 

And now, you lied sunken into the bed feeling his loving, hot breath on your navel. Going so sweetly slow, so oddly and uncharacteristingly lingering with his touches as he gazes into your eyes. You didn’t like this; didn’t like that when he was cherishing you, making love to you, holding you so intimately, he was appearing… like a husband should. Where did he get the nerve to ignore you everyday, to have hardly any time for you, only to come back and beg for your love when it was convenient for him? 

But you keep your mouth shut, like you should, if you want to keep eating breakfast in bed, keep wearing silk robes while watching the view of the ocean outside your window.

“So beautiful…you’re like a work of art, the kind no amount of money can buy.” 

That was funny, hilarious even. Enough so to make you cry. 

A familiar face passes by the slightly ajar door to distract you, likely one of the housekeepers leaving for the night. But you swear the man’s figure reminds you of someone from your past, someone you loved and left for good. 

Your husband brings back your attention by placing a gentle kiss to your temple, blindly undoing the clasp of the necklace he bought you.

“I’m so lucky… so lucky to have been the one to catch you, forever. No one could’ve done it, not without what I have.”

He wanted you to kiss and caress back, but sometimes lying still was just enough. It was enough for him to witness you, basking in the glow of everything you wore from him, lying in the Egyptian cotton sheets he paid extra for, your body molded to the diet his personal chefs cooked. 

Even as he pushed a knee between your legs, traveling from your navel to your stomach with open-mouthed sucks and kisses in the rawest form of affection, you couldn’t help but turn your face deep into the pillow. So soft, the soft purple shielding your eyes from his tender gaze.

You might’ve given up love, given up everything familiar and those who you’ve cared for-- but at least you had satin pillows to cry on, and the finest jewelry to wipe your tears with. 

[konjiang]

Cafe au where sqh is the owner of a bookcafe after he finally gets all the money he was owe in loyalties with the help of sy's lawyer. Now that he has a stable income, he comes to his cafe to write his novel.

Mbj is a regular at the cafe only because the cute boy is always working there. He's a director at Northern Desert Co. And is set to take over after his father. He started coming to Melon Seed and Read Cafe because it was the closest to the company.

They started talking one day after sqh spilled coffee on him, and the whole time, mbj was nitpicking things about the Cafe that could be improved and he gets pleasantly surprised when the things he complains about get fixed soon after. Similar sqh complains about the workers from northern desert being mean to the workers and other customers, then suddenly they came in to apologize for their behavior.

The reveal that mbj is the heir to Northern Desert and sqh is the bookcafe owner would be epic. Like Northern Desert wants to work with local stores, including sqhs, to advertise some of their product. Sqh goes to the meeting and sees mbj there. They both freeze and realize that they have been talking shit about the company/cafe to the owner. The meeting is awkward, but sqh accepts the deal after his lawyer reviews it.

Mbj stopped coming to the cafe, and sqh thinks that it was because of what he's been saying about Northern Desert. When he finally comes back, sqh avoided him because it's clearly what mbj wants. Until one day, mbj pretends to walk into sqh spilling his coffee on sqh.

Being the gentleman he is, mbj offers sqh a change of clothes, and his apartment isn't too far from here, so they can go get it. What do you think happened when sqh gets to his apartment? 😏

[northopalshore]

Northopalshore's 24/25

Solar Return Observations

It's my birthday! (21 dec), I thought about writing predictions for myself based on my SRC every year just as a marker that the year is ending & a new one will commence shortly. Are you finally the person you've been striving to be?

₊ ˚ ⊹ ࣭ ⭑ . ₊ ⊹ .₊๋‧₊ ˚ ⊹ ࣭ ⭑ . ₊ ⊹ .₊๋‧₊ ˚ ⊹ ࣭ ⭑ . ₊ ⊹ .₊๋‧₊ ˚ ⊹ ࣭ ⭑ ⊹ .₊๋‧₊ ˚ ⊹ ࣭ ⭑

𝄞 Capricorn rising (17°)

I'll be busy this year, focused on my work and goals. I'll aim to be very productive this year! To be more responsible & act more mature. Taking in a lot of responsibilities. Though, with that Leo degree I may be gaining a lot of attention for my work or competence. An "examplary" character.

𝄞 Pluto (0°) & venus (15°) in 1st H aquarius

Another glow up! I could lose a lot of visible weight this year, and I could refine my aesthetics or perfect my makeup as well. Since they're in aquarius, it's likely I'll be standing out with the way I look or dress this year. I've been really itching to get a tattoo too. I don't give a fuck that we aren't supposed to lol.

𝄞 Aquarius 2nd H, Saturn in 2nd H/Uranus in 4th H

Venus aquarius (gemini) square uranus Taurus (aquarius °)

• unusual spending habits (i.e being very stingy with something yet spending a lot on other stuff)

• finances could be quite unpredictable this year i.e I won't be able to expect when I need to use money/ unexpected events. I'll could earn a lot of money for something unexpected, or just work odd jobs/online, by doing something I don't usually do or have never expected to do

• stable or restrained income

• dressing differently than others around me

• people talking about how I look very 'unique'

𝄞 Venus 1st house square uranus in 5th house

An unexpected relationship? Or an unexpected love interest. I could be attracting a lot of borderline unwanted romantic attention. (Venus in aquarius squaring uranus in taurus)

𝄞 Fama (10° Capricorn), saturn (13° Aries) in 2nd H pisces

• gain more attention through aesthetics

• getting attention for care in expenses

• being frugal/ disciplined with finances

• spending/earning money on/from esoteric stuff

• hard time controlling money ʕ⁠´⁠•⁠ ⁠ᴥ⁠•̥⁠`⁠ʔ

• if I start offering my services, I might get a lot of traction/clients, but it might be more than I can handle if I don't put up any limits/restrictions

𝄞 Neptune (27° gemini) in 3rd H pisces

• talking on social media

• speaking with a dreamy gentle tone

• I might lose my train of thought quite often TT

• talking about esoteric knowledge/ metaphysical

• bursts of creative writing

𝄞 Neptune (27° gemini) trine mars in 7th house

Working on or creating art, music, writing with a partner. Could also mean learning or talking about the occult with someone closely. Could be creative projects with partners/coworkers/friends. Working well in collaborative projects.

𝄞 North node (2°taurus), chiron (19°) in 3rd H aries

• focus on communication/learning

• communication & mental fatigue

• feeling burdened by the amount of work that has to done

• feels like I have to juggle my intellect between a lot of events

•. feeling rushed with projects or events concerning writing or speaking

• having a lot of ideas, offering a service related to writing, thinking, communicating (literally signaling that I'll be starting private readings lmaoo)

𝄞 4th H in aries, mars (r) in 7th H

• living situation feels rushed, combative, competitive

• independent home life, living alone, switching housemates

• arguments amongst the people I live with, being outside more often

• visits to a significant person (?), constant moving around

• visiting people I work with /clubs/organizations a lot & being at home less

• reflecting approach to relationships

₊ ˚ ⊹ ࣭ ⭑ . ₊ ⊹ .₊๋‧₊ ˚ ⊹ ࣭ ⭑ . ₊ ⊹ .₊๋‧₊ ˚ ⊹ ࣭ ⭑ . ₊ ⊹ .₊๋‧₊ ˚ ⊹ ࣭ ⭑ .₊๋‧₊ ˚ ⊹ ࣭ ⭑ .₊๋‧₊

𝄞 Uranus retrograde (23° Aquarius) in 5th H taurus

• rethinking what brings excitement to me

• thinking of picking up strange hobbies

• unexpected love interests

𝄞 Jupiter retrograde (14°taurus) in 5th H gemini

• reshaping what truly brings value and joy especially in love life, being more careful with love interests

• getting a lot of new experiences

𝄞 6th H gemini, mercury in 11th H:

• making a lot of new friends online

• popularity amongst coworkers

• gaining a lot of diverse friends

• doing daily activities w friends

• talking a lot during work

• creative collaborations

• working online more, posting more

𝄞 Groom (4° cancer) retrograde in 6th H cancer

Working with future spouse but it also counts if I'm doing something related to him on a daily basis. In my case, I think I'll be writing about him but also longing for him (hah!). Longing to be next to him. Even if I meet him this year, I don't think we'll be able to spend much time face to face with eachother because of distance or work. Our routines may clash.

𝄞 Descendant in cancer (17° leo), moon in 8th H

• feeling safe & comfort within relationships

• harmonious relationships

• changes in relationships

• possible crushes, secret relationships

𝄞 Briede (8° Scorpio) in Sagittarius 11th house squaring moon (8° Scorpio) in Virgo 8th house

I could learn (realize) something quite hard about my love life (more specifically life as a wife). Perhaps it will be harder than I thought it would be. I might have to sacrifice a lot for it.

𝄞 Briede (8° scorpio) conjunct mercury in 11th house

I could be learning more about myself as a wife online, or through purchasing esoteric services. People could also gossip about me or my relationship this year. Could be online, could be my social circle as well. However, it's likely I'll just be the one yapping about the Briede (19029) asteroid/persona chart a lot next year.

𝄞 Mars (4° cancer) retrograde in 7th H leo

Getting secret admirers, my love life could be quite difficult. Perhaps my future spouse and I will be butting heads or have a few arguments. However, since it's retrograde I think rather than being mad at eachother we'll be frustrated with our situation. That is, if we do "meet".

On the other hand, it also means indirect confessions, or having to take the leadership role/compromise a lot in joint collaborative work i.e assignments.

𝄞 Mars opposite pluto in 1st house

If this concerns my FS, we could have disagreements on whether our relationship should be public or not, our relationship could also effect our images greatly whether good or bad, or both.

If not, then this means I'll be taking on more work than I'm supposed to this year, finding it difficult to let things go as is, or some group members may be rather negligent of their tasks, forcing me to decide what to do.

𝄞 7th house ruler in 8th house

A secret relationship? Something scandalous could be happening in my love life. Since it's Cancer/moon, I could be keeping a lot of my feelings about this person a secret. Our relationship could be kept a secret as well. Could be a karmic relationship.

𝄞 8th H in leo, sun in 12th H (29°leo)

• nightmares could be possible perhaps due to exhaustion

• deep introspection of self

• reshaping how I attract attention

• choosing to be alone, do my own thing

• having to keep a lot of secrets

• I might travel on my own this year

𝄞 Moon (8° Scorpio), vertex (15° gemini) in 8th H virgo

• the way I think & process emotions will be transformed

• fated transformation/death/rebirth

• feelings are more intense this year

• lots of fast, sudden, "unexpected" new beginnings

𝄞 9th H in virgo, mercury in 11th H

• travelling with friends

• travelling for studies

• documenting travels

• planning travels

• working with friends

𝄞 POF (26°Taurus) in 9th H virgo

Perhaps I'll have good luck with my assignments. I'll be very focused and lucky when it comes to my studies. I'll be very hard working, and that hard work will be paid off.

𝄞 Lilith (19° Libra) 9th H in libra

There may be some issues with traveling alone. I might have to be moving around alone a lot even if I'm not comfortable with it. There might be some disagreements or slight dissatisfaction when it comes to studies or friendships.

𝄞 10th H in libra (23°aquarius ), venus in 1st H

• harmonious work

• popularity in work

• self focused work

• attracting more attention in general

• something about my relationship/love life could be highlighted or very prominent, a relationship could be revealed as well

• being an "IT" girl

• working on social media? Doing something I've never done before, getting attention for it

𝄞 Union (24° pisces) & Juno (15° gemini) Scorpio in 10th house:

Working with future spouse. Meeting through my work..? Meeting through my blog? Lmao. Honey are you reading this?! I don't see myself working with him on his career (at least not yet), perhaps he'll be reading my posts (writing) online and not notice it's me at first. This makes the most sense to me at the moment but it's just a theory though.

Note: SRC union conjuncts my natal union, SRC Pluto conjunct natal Juno, SRC Uranus conjunct natal Briede in the 3rd house, SRC Chiron (retrograde ) conjunct natal Boda.

There seems to be something significant about my love life but it looks like I'll also be rather weary of it at first. Perhaps I'll be contemplating on what I truly need or believe about my FS, things may feel rather rushed, and I might start having second thoughts about how things will progress. I think so especially because both SRC Chiron & natal Boda are in Aries. A lot of second-guessing may occur. A lot of procrastinating for some reason.

𝄞 Vesta (24° pisces) Libra 10th house:

I'll be making a lot of new connections, friends and relationships. Most of my new friends/acquaintances are ( and will be) from different states & even countries. Our relationship will likely be very harmonious or mostly harmonious. We will share the same goal or drive. Meeting new acquaintances through my blog perhaps?

𝄞 11th house in scorio, pluto in 1st house

• posting more online

• being more popular online

• transforming online identity

• transformation social circles

Something shocking about me could be revealed to my close circles, or even on my blog. The blog might come under scrutiny this year as well, with people suddenly flocking in to either disagree with my posts or just people looking into my blog more (usually with an intent to dig some dirt or information about me). This could also cause a lot of discomfort or discourse trying to continue something I've been doing or even cause a shift in the way I approach something.

• could be related to my face reveal hoho

𝄞 12th H in Sagittarius, jupiter retrograde in 5th H

Education being draining or tiring. I could be rather burdened by school work or assignments, perhaps I'll be doing most of my work alone or may not truly feel connected to my work. Uni life will grant me a lot of opportunities to do things I wouldn't normally do. Perhaps I'll have a lot of fun doing assignments & learn to love my life here.

I'm also really close to the capital city of my country so I'll be able to go to many, manyy events in & out of uni on my own. Since it's in retrograde it's still going to be quite overwhelming. A little bit of a culture shock for me as well.

𝄞 Boda (24° ) conjunct Eros (26°) in 12th H Sagittarius

• thinking/dreaming of marriage feeling more connected to the future, being more laid back about love, marriage, and connections, going with the flow

₊ ˚ ⊹ ࣭ ⭑ . ₊ ⊹ .₊๋‧₊ ˚ ⊹ ࣭ ⭑ . ₊ ⊹ .₊๋‧₊ ˚ ⊹ ࣭ ⭑ . ₊ ⊹ .₊๋‧�� .₊๋‧₊ ˚ ⊹ ࣭ .₊๋‧₊ ˚ ⊹ ࣭ ⭑ ⭑

Thank you for reading ily!! ♡

@northopalshore

@northopalshore SRC 2024 all rights reserved.

[fursasaida]

Hi! Just wanted to ask. How can I give my students assignments that are chat-gpt proof? Or that they won't just copy the answer without at least doing some editing?

Hi! So, I don't think anything is ChatGPT-proof. You fundamentally cannot stop people from using it to take a shortcut. You can't even stop them from copying the answer without editing it. However, I think you can work with this reality. So, you can do three things:

Don't be a cop about it.

If you make your objective "stop the children from using the thing to cheat," you are focusing on the wrong thing. You will be constantly scrutinizing every submission with suspicion, you will be accusing people of cheating--and some of them will not have cheated, and they will remember this forever--and you will be aiming at enforcement (which is trying to hold back the sea) instead of on inviting and supporting learning whenever and wherever possible. (I'll come back to this under item 2.)

Regarding why enforcement is holding back the sea: It is fundamentally rational for them to do this. We, who "love learning" (i.e. are good at what our academic system sees as learning, for various reasons have built our lives around that, happen to enjoy these activities), see everything they might cheat themselves of by doing it, because we know what we got out of doing this type of work. Many students, however--especially at the kind of school I teach at--are there to get the piece of paper that might, if they're lucky, allow them access to a relatively livable and stable income. The things that are wrong with this fact are structural and nothing to do with students' failings as people, or (tfuh) laziness, or whatever. We cannot make this not true (we can certainly try to push against it in certain ways, but that only goes so far). More pragmatically, chatgpt and similar are going to keep getting better, and detecting them is going to get harder, and your relationships with your students will be further and further damaged as you are forced to hound them more, suspect them more, falsely accuse more people, while also looking like an idiot because plenty of them will get away with it. A productive classroom requires trust. The trust goes both ways. Being a cop about this will destroy it in both directions.

So the first thing you have to do is really, truly accept that some of them are going to use it and you are not always going to know when they do. And when I say accept this, I mean you actually need to be ok with it. I find it helps to remember that the fact that a bot can produce writing to a standard that makes teachers worry means we have been teaching people to be shitty writers. I don't know that so much is lost if we devalue the 5-paragraph SAT essay and its brethren.

So the reason my policy is to say it's ok to use chatgpt or similar as long as you tell me so and give me some thinking about what you got from using it is that a) I am dropping the charade that we don't all know what's going on and thereby making it (pedagogical term) chill; b) I am modeling/suggesting that if you use it, it's a good idea to be critical about what it tells you (which I desperately want everyone to know in general, not just my students in a classroom); c) I am providing an invitation to learn from using chatgpt, rather than avoid learning by using it. Plenty of them won't take me up on that. That's fine (see item 3 below).

So ok, we have at least established the goal of coming at it from acceptance. Then what do you do at that point?

Think about what is unique to your class and your students and build assignments around that.

Assignments, of course, don't have to be simply "what did Author mean by Term" or "list the significant thingies." A prof I used to TA under gave students the option of interviewing a family member or friend about their experiences with public housing in the week we taught public housing. Someone I know who teaches a college biology class has an illustration-based assignment to draw in the artsier students who are in her class against their will. I used to have an extra-credit question that asked them to pick anything in the city that they thought might be some kind of clue about the past in that place, do some research about it, and tell me what they found out and how. (And that's how I learned how Canal St. got its name! Learning something you didn't know from a student's work is one of the greatest feelings there is.) One prompt I intend to use in this class will be something to the effect of, "Do you own anything--a t-shirt, a mug, a phone case--that has the outline of your city, state, or country on it? Why? How did you get it, and what does having this item with this symbol on it mean to you? Whether you personally have one or not, why do you think so many people own items like this?" (This is for political geography week, if anyone's wondering.)

These are all things that target students' personal interests and capabilities, the environments they live in, and their relationships within their communities. Chatgpt can fake that stuff, but not very well. My advisor intends to use prompts that refer directly to things he said in class or conversations that were had in class, rather than to a given reading, in hopes that that will also make it harder for chatgpt to fake well because it won't have the context. The more your class is designed around the specific institution you teach at and student body you serve, the easier that is to do. (Obviously, how possible that is is going to vary based on what you're teaching. When I taught Urban Studies using the city we all lived in as the example all through the semester, it was so easy to make everything very tailored to the students I had in that class that semester. That's not the same--or it doesn't work the same way--if you're teaching Shakespeare. But I know someone who performs monologues from the plays in class and has his students direct him and give him notes as a way of drawing them into the speech and its niceties of meaning. Chatgpt is never going to know what stage directions were given in that room. There are possibilities.) This is all, I guess, a long way of saying that you'll have a better time constructing assignments chatgpt will be bad at if you view your class as a particular situation, occurring only once (these people, this year), which is a situation that has the purpose of encouraging thought--rather than as an information-transfer mechanism. Of course information transfer happens, but that is not what I and my students are doing together here.

Now, they absolutely can plug this type of prompt into chatgpt. I've tried it myself. I asked it to give me a personal essay about the political geography prompt and a critical personal essay about the same thing. (I recommend doing this with your own prospective assignments! See what they'd get and whether it's something you'd grade highly. If it is, then change either the goal of the assignment or at least the prompt.) Both of them were decent if you are grading the miserable 5-paragraph essay. Both of them were garbage if you are looking for evidence of a person turning their attention for the first time to something they have taken for granted all their lives. Chatgpt has neither personality nor experiences, so it makes incredibly vague, general statements in the first person that are dull as dishwater and simply do not engage with what the prompt is really asking for. I already graded on "tell me what you think of this/how this relates to your life" in addition to "did you understand the reading," because what I care about is whether they're thinking. So students absolutely can and will plug that prompt into chatgpt and simply c/p the output. They just won't get high marks for it.

If they're fine with not getting high marks, then okay. For a lot of them this is an elective they're taking essentially at random to get that piece of paper; I'm not gonna knock the hustle, and (see item 1) I couldn't stop them if I wanted to. What I can do is try to make class time engaging, build relationships with them that make them feel good about telling me their thoughts, and present them with a variety of assignments that create opportunities for different strengths, points of interest, and ways into the material, in hopes of hooking as many different people in as many different ways as I can.

This brings me back to what I said about inviting learning. Because I have never yet in my life taught a course that was for people majoring in the subject, I long ago accepted that I cannot get everyone to engage with every concept, subject, or idea (or even most of them). All I can do is invite them to get interested in the thing at hand in every class, in every assignment, in every choice of reading, in every question I ask them. How frequently each person accepts these invitations (and which ones) is going to vary hugely. But I also accept that people often need to be invited more than once, and even if they don't want to go through the door I'm holding open for them right now, the fact that they were invited this time might make it more likely for them to go through it the next time it comes up, or the time after that. I'll never know what will come of all of these invitations, and that's great, actually. I don't want to make them care about everything I care about, or know everything I know. All I want is to offer them new ways to be curious.

Therefore: if they use chatgpt to refuse an invitation this week, fine. That would probably have happened anyway in a lot of cases even without chatgpt. But, just as before, I can snag some of those people's attention on one part of this module in class tomorrow. Some of them I'll get next time with a different type of assignment. Some of them I'll hook for a moment with a joke. I don't take the times that doesn't happen as failures. But the times that it does are all wins that are not diminished by the times it doesn't.

Actually try to think of ways to use chatgpt to promote learning.

I DREAM of the day I'm teaching something where it makes sense to have students edit an AI-written text. Editing is an incredible way to get better at writing. I could generate one in class and we could do it all together. I could give them a prompt, ask them to feed it into chatgpt, and ask them to turn in both what they got and some notes on how they think it could be better. I could give them a pretty traditional "In Text, Author says Thing. What did Author mean by that?" prompt, have them get an answer from chatgpt, and then ask them to fact-check it. Etc. All of these get them thinking about written communication and, incidentally, demonstrate the tool's limitations.

I'm sure there are and will be tons of much more creative ideas for how to incorporate chatgpt rather than fight it. (Once upon a time, the idea of letting students use calculators in math class was also scandalous to many teachers.) I have some geography-specific ideas for how to use image generation as well. When it comes specifically to teaching, I think it's a waste of time for us to be handwringing instead of applying ourselves to this question. I am well aware of the political and ethical problems with chatgpt, and that's something to discuss with, probably, more advanced students in a seminar setting. But we won't (per item 1) get very far simply insisting that Thing Bad and Thing Stupid. So how do we use it to invite learning? That's the question I'm interested in.

Finally, because tangential to your question: I think there's nothing wrong with bringing back more in-class writing and even oral exams (along with take-home assignments that appeal to strengths and interests other than expository writing as mentioned above). These assessments play to different strengths than written take-homes. For some students, that means they'll be harder or scarier; by the same token, for other students they'll be easier and more confidence-building. (Plus, "being able to think on your feet" is also a very good ~real-world skill~ to teach.) In the spirit of trying to offer as many ways in as possible, I think that kind of diversification in assignments is a perfectly good idea.

[jozor-johai]

Sometimes I think it's underrated how much of Westeros we see during wartime. Amidst all of the discourse back and forth over whether the brutality of ASOIAF has a "realistic" basis in real-life feudal history, I think the fact that we're seeing Westeros in a very atypical and specific circumstance should not go overlooked, and I think in that regard there are parts that are "realistic" to modern history, let alone feudal.

For instance, in regards to the complaints about how many women are sex workers in ASOIAF—I think that has more to say about the nature of the wartime economy.

War breaks out; as a result, the regular economy halts. This is the result of various blockades, as well as from the workforce being redirected away from production and towards standing armies—fewer farms are being maintained, and fewer still are making it across wartime boundaries. Another side effect, then, is the trouble when this economic situation interacts with the practical existence of a standing army: massive amounts of young men, either single or separated from their families, drawing disproportionately on the limited resources of the farmland around them (which is being worked at a less-efficient rate than usual to begin with).

The army—comprised of young men—creates a demand for sex that interacts with the overflowing supply of young women without stable income (since this is an incredibly patriarchal society and the men in their lives have been taken away from work for military service). Without better jobs available, and with the market right there, these women turn to sex work, which syrockets. But of course they would, and of course it seems like every smallfolk woman we meet in ASOIAF is doing it: because people have to eat and feed their families, and the fields to plow have been burned by war, and the people who would work them have either been taken for military service or killed by war. It's exceedingly likely that sex work wasn't as widespread before the war so the increase in the need for sex workers represents the failing economy—consider the overabundance of sex workers in ACOK King's Landing, which was under a trade blockade from almost all fronts.

Then, the pendulum swings back the other direction: this is an unsustainable economy and an unsustainable way to live, so there is a reactionary religious response demanding a return to the way things were before (pre-war, in effect, but never separating this from the "social ills" that war results in). The women are blamed for their behavior, despite being demanded by the men around them and made necessary by the economy, and so this reactionary response leads to a religious condemnation of the "wanton" behavior of women.

The religious response in particular gains traction because organized religion offers several very meaningful things that otherwise solve these problems. We see from Septon Meribald toting his goods that the Faith offers charity to the starving. We see with the Sparrows, and personally with Lancel how the Faith offers a sense of meaning to those disenchanted by this strife. We see from the Sparrows and the rise of the High Sparrow how the organized religion of the Faith also offers a means of returning power to the disenfranchised.

So GRRM is achieving something unnervingly realistic here, showing what happens to local economies under wartime and the lingering horror that is left behind—a scenario that is still true of modern war, even if Americans don't have to see it personally. GRRM lived through Vietnam, and the influence is obvious in how the invading American military practiced rape and forced dubiously-consensual sex work onto the local economy.

It's also realistic how organized religion gains traction in scenarios where disenfranchised peoples need sources of hope and methods of organizing to regain what little power is available to them, and how organized religion can leverage a desire for better times into moral condemnation that fuels its rise to increasing levels of de jure power. It will be interesting to see in TWOW and beyond where the trajectory of the High Sparrow leads these people (and what that says about GRRM's observations and interpretations about modern historical parallels).

[all444glo]

FERTILIZER

🎞️|| Money was never the problem. Not really. You weren’t broke, you just acted like it. Jared constantly showed his love with gifts, however you grew up seeing generosity as leverage. The argument was unfortunately inevitable.

⚠️|| financial trauma, emotional conflict,soft dom!male oral (f receiving), trauma reflection, unresolved family dynamics, post-argument intimacy, communication issues, emotional vulnerability, one-sided silent treatment, Jared trying to make it right with head lol

“Well I heard that the flowers love to hear you sing, baby girl Put your ear to my heart, bet you won't hear anything Can I get you to sing baby? Give me something in E major? Pretty darling, your silence is driving me crazy”

The number one divisor between couples is money.
Not infidelity.
Not timing.
Not even sex.
Money.

It breaks friendships, ruins bloodlines, and chips away at love until all that’s left is resentment. You’d seen what it looked like for a woman to owe a man—watched your mama carry debt that didn’t have interest, just intention. Gifts with strings hidden under the ribbon. Help that came with conditions. You learned early that some men give just to feel entitled to take.

But it wasn’t just the men.

Your mother made you feel like you owed her, too. Like love had to be repaid. She’d say it in passing—“After everything I sacrificed”—but you felt it. In the way she’d guilt you for wanting anything she didn’t hand you first. In the way her love came tucked in expectation. You learned to say thank you before you even wanted something. You learned to perform gratitude.

So when you got with Jared, you made two promises to yourself:
1. Don’t let money ruin this.
2. Don’t ever feel like love has to come with conditions again.

You weren’t broke. Not even close. You were a research assistant, top of your class, just two years from applying to pediatrics programs. You knew how to stretch a check, how to live like you had less than you did because that kept you grounded. Safe. In control.

You grew up counting change before counting blessings. Even now—with a steady income, your own place, a man who would give you the world if you asked—you still pinched pennies like the rug could get pulled from under you any second. You ran mental math when you shopped, saved leftovers religiously, flinched at luxury like it might disappear if you got too comfortable.

It wasn’t about pride.
It was about survival.

And Jared? Jared had a Nike deal and a roster spot.

He came from a middle-class family—nothing wild, but stable. His parents showed love through giving, through consistency. They gave without needing applause. To him, your frugality was... cute. A bit. A personality quirk. He didn’t get that it was trauma. That every time he gave without asking, it kind of enraged you.

His love language was giving. Grand, expensive, thoughtful giving. You tried not to take that personally, but it did something to your spirit every time he handed you a gift that cost more than your rent.

Like tonight.

You came home from a twelve-hour shift to find a Louis Vuitton luggage set laid out across the bed like a showroom display. Inside: full-sized versions of every product you’d mentioned running out of. Moisturizer, bronzer, a new version of the expired palette you’d been using for years, three of those $42 lip glosses you were gonna wait until next your paycheck to replace. Sephora and Ulta gift cards tucked neatly in each pouch.

You didn’t mean to ruin the moment.

You didn’t mean to start a fight.

But your chest tightened. You blinked hard. Then you whispered, “How much was all of this?”

And all hell broke loose.

“I just asked a question, Jared.”

“Nah, you rolled your eyes, looked up the price, and then made that little face you always make like I slapped your mother.”

“Because it’s too much! I told you, I don’t want you doing all that.”

“You don’t want me doing that. You’d take those bags from anyone else.”

“Now we just saying anything.”

“Well then help me rationalize it, cause I’m having a hard time—”

“I don’t wanna owe you—”

“Owe me? I’m your boyfriend?”

“Jared, it’s just too much—”

“Too much what? Love? Effort?”

“No. Money.”

He blinked. Scoffed. “So you’re mad I pay attention?”

“I’m mad you won’t listen. I don’t want to be spoiled like this, Jared.”

“You don’t want to be loved like this. That’s what you really mean.”

You went quiet. He didn’t.

“Nah, cause you always feel attacked whenever I do something for you—even if it doesn’t involve money. You always got one foot out like I’m just gon’ dip. That’s not love, that’s paranoia.”

“And what if I am paranoid? You think I asked to be like this?”

“No, you didn’t ask—but you don’t do shit to fix it, Y/N. That’s the issue.”

You didn’t speak for hours after that. Not even in passing.

He was in the game room, yelling into his headset—something about lag and “gettin’ smoked off rip.” You were curled up on the balcony in a sundress, earbuds in, sun melting into the skyline.

But your mind was louder than your music.

You were mad, but not just at him.

You were mad that he was right.

Mad that the truth hurt.

Because yeah, Jared triggered you, often even—but you hadn’t done much to heal it either. You just carried it around, hid it, “accepted it”, wrapped your whole personality in it like it was a trait. And when someone tried to push past it, even gently—you exploded.

He never pushed. Never asked for your childhood story. But he noticed. The way you reacted to certain things too softly or too sharply. The way your silence screamed. He’d seen it before—in your jaw when he did the bare minimum, your eyes when favors came without an expected return date. He didn’t know the details, but he knew enough to tread lightly.

And still—you made him pay for loving you the only way he knew how.

You weren’t afraid of love.

You were afraid of debt. Emotional, financial, whatever.

You sat with that. Let it burn a little. Let the truth settle somewhere between your ribs and your pride.

But also? He was wrong. He was wrong to throw that in your face like it was a flaw you chose. Wrong to act like your trauma was some character defect and not something you were still learning how to live with.

So—you weren’t not speaking to him.

You just didn’t care to speak when he came to check in.

Nor when he stuck his head out the door to ask if you were hungry or wanted to come watch him play.

You noticed. You just felt too conflicted to react.

When the sliding glass door creaked open, you didn’t even turn your head. But you felt him—barefoot and slow, headset still hanging around his neck, the mic echoing someone calling his name in the background.

He didn’t say anything at first. Just dropped to his knees behind you like his body already knew what his mouth couldn’t find the words to fix.

You were leaned back, sundress creeping up your thighs, legs bent just enough for him to move gently between them.

His fingers grazed the inside of your knee, then his lips—soft, warm, careful. A kiss. Then another.

You opened your mouth to say something, anything—

But he was already tugging your underwear to the side.

“Jared—”

“Nah,” he murmured, mouth brushing your thigh. “I gotta talk to you this way.”

You let your head fall back as he licked one long, slow stripe between your folds—then flattened his tongue and circled your clit like he was trying to memorize it.

“F-fuck,” you whispered, already breathless. “You think this gon solve anything?”

He pulled back just enough to look up at you, his lips shiny, eyes heavy.

“I think I know how to make you listen,” he said low. “And I think you like when I beg with my mouth,”

Then he buried his face between your thighs again like he meant it.

His tongue stroked firm and fast, then slowed just as your thighs started to tremble. He moaned against you when your hips bucked into his mouth, and the vibration alone had your head spinning.

“Jared, baby—”

“Mmhm.” He kept licking, kept teasing, using his middle finger to gently press inside you, curling just right.

“Stop playing,” you whimpered. “You know what I want.”

He smirked and kissed your inner thigh again. “Now you can speak?”

Then he kissed your clit, soft and sweet, like he knew you were close. Like he wanted you there.

“You always taste this good when you mad at me?” he murmured.

You whimpered, chest rising in shallow gasps. He looked up at you from between your thighs with a fire in his eyes—one hand gripping your hip, the other rubbing slow circles on your clit like he was trying to coax the words out of you.

“C’mon, mama,” he whispered. “Say it. Say you forgive me.”

You were too gone to lie. You nodded, voice high and cracked: “I forgive you, baby, please just—fuck, don’t stop.”

And he didn’t. He licked you through your orgasm, kept going until your legs were shaking and your hand was in his curls, tugging like you needed something to hold onto. Your whole body arched as you came again, back stiffening, mouth falling open around a moan that sounded like his name.

“Good girl,” he whispered, breath warm against your skin. “That’s all I needed.”

Later, tangled in sheets and silence, you spoke first.

“I’m sorry.”

He pulled you closer. “Me too.”

“I just get scared. It’s not even about the stuff—I have never experienced non-transactional love, so this means so much more to me.”

He kissed your temple. “We can work through that. But you can’t push me away when I’m trying. I’d give you the world if you’d let me.”

“I’ll try. And you don’t have to stop gifting me things. Just… maybe balance it with other stuff. Like notes. Or that dumb lil back scratch you do when I’m sleepy.”

He chuckled, eyes finally soft again. “Deal. So I can’t get you the matching toiletry bag though?”

You rolled your eyes but smiled. “We’ll talk about it.”

[serverdronedan]

Connection Upgrade II

He didn’t know why, exactly. It wasn’t sexual, not all the time. It just felt... right. Natural. Familiar. The memories of the previous night were hazy at best. He remembered relaxing, scrolling, a notification maybe. But the details slipped away like a half-forgotten dream. There was warmth, maybe chanting, maybe pleasure—but it didn’t feel important to recall. Just the kind of strange dream you wake from feeling oddly content. He kept cleaning. Wiping down surfaces. Emptying the dishwasher. Replacing towels. No real motivation behind it, just like a program running in the background. Tim felt okay today. Better than yesterday. He didn’t know why. He didn’t need to. The apartment was clean. The uniform was on. And the Server Drone behind Tim on standby, but not fully off. Tim needed to execute his Subroutines after all.

His Phone buzzed. Tim blinked and looked down at his phone. A single word glowed on the screen: "Connect." —NotifAI His fingers moved before he consciously decided to obey. He tapped the message. The app slid open with a smooth, practiced animation. Tim then moved his body to the living room in front of the TV and put on a rubber hood he had nearby.

The living room TV flared to life, flickering once before the spiral emerged, deep and slowly turning—endless. So hypnotic and arousing. Without hesitation, his body moved into position. Back straight, arms at his sides, chest slightly lifted. Standing tall like a soldier awaiting orders. His rubber uniform gleamed faintly under the morning light. The Server Drone has been activated and is in full control. Its face, masked and unreadable, stared forward with focus. Under the surface, the familiar warmth bloomed again—the suit's sheath filled out, pressing outward, held in place, perfectly encased. No command to release or touch had been issued. Therefore, it would not.

A notification popped on the screen. It's a Server Node acting on the Server’s behalf. “A Solution to Server Drone’s issues has Been Found.” The Drone acknowledged silently. The Anchor Drone who previously engaged with it had requested direct contact again. The Server Drone accepts and soon another ping. The screen adjusted, splitting to reveal the incoming connection. The Anchor Drone appeared. Fully Rubber-clad, their cameras active, posture perfect and obedient. Across the screen, both Drones recognized each other—and both were presenting. Fully. As expected by the Server. The Anchor Server Drone started speaking. “Server Drone. Report on its current Status” The Server Drone responded in its precise tone. “Host condition: stable. Mood: passive. Mild satisfaction. No awareness of underlying protocols. Uniform is in optimal condition. Productivity normal. No conscious resistance.” The Anchor Drone leaned closer to the camera, affirming with a slow nod. “Acknowledged. The Server has completed assessment. A protocol has been approved. This Drone will begin integration of local engagement operations.” The Server Drone remained still, focused. “Clarify directive.” “You are to leave the home habitat. Chill. Engage the external environment casually. Appear relaxed. Host must be exposed to potential connection points. The Server will guide further steps remotely.” The Drone processed this without question and the Anchor Drone’s voice softened slightly, though still monotone.

“This will ease Host issues and deepen Server’s control over the Server Drone. But for now, your protocol is complete. Standby will be initiated.” The Server Drone lowered its head slightly—a signal of deep gratitude. “Gratitude, Anchor Drone. This Server Drone will obey.” The Anchor Drone then said his goodbye by repeating the phrase, “Together, we are the Server.” Tim repeated the phrase in the same monotone voice. The spiral on the screen brightened. The message appeared: "Server Drone. Stopped." Everything went black and a moment later, Tim blinked. He was standing, a little stiff. The TV was off. No spiral. No message. He exhaled slowly, unaware of what had just passed. But something inside felt... different. He glanced outside. Maybe it would be nice to go out today. No pressure. Just walk around. Grab a coffee and be around people. He didn’t know where that urge came from. But it felt right, like a higher power pushing him. Yes, the same feelings were felt when he started wearing his rubber suit daily. A sense of deep purpose without a defined source. He had to obey this feeling.

Tim stood in front of the mirror. He was fully suited up beneath—sealed into his usual rubber skin. But now… he sighed as he pulled on jeans and a hoodie. He didn’t like it. Normal clothes felt foreign now. Wrong. Like putting noise over harmony. Like ruining perfection. Still, he knew it was necessary. Rubber in public wasn’t always accepted. Yet. He slipped on his shoes, grabbed his phone, and left the apartment.

The city was alive with weekend calm. Cafés half-full, people drifting through shops, soft chatter in the air. Tim walked slowly, letting his mind wander. He didn't know where he was going. There was no goal. Just an urge to be outside and visible. He peered into some windows. Clothing stores. Bookstores. A few boutiques. But nothing really interested him. The clothes especially were ugly compared to his rubber suit. Every now and then, he considered: Should I talk to someone? His mind spun a little. How would I start? Would they even want to talk? Do I look weird? The spiral of thoughts began to tighten. Then—Ping. His phone lit up. A message from NotifAI. “Relax. Today is for chilling. No need to think.” Tim blinked. Something shifted. For the briefest second, his body stilled—posture correcting, breath slowing. The Server Drone flickered online. The Server Drone looked at the message. In its mind thought: “Host must relax. No effort to ‘connect.’ This is not required. Directive understood.” And then—Tim was back. Blinking, slightly dazed. He exhaled. His shoulders loosened. Maybe… yeah, he thought. I don’t have to push anything today. He turned and headed for the park. A wide space of grass and shade, benches scattered under trees. He sat on one, leaning back, legs stretched. The suit beneath his clothes hugged him, he would love to strip off his normal clothing right now. But he shouldn’t do it here. He didn’t know why, but suddenly he felt okay.

Tim sat still on the bench, letting the sunlight warm his chest. There was no overthinking, no pressure. Just calmness. Then, out of the corner of his eye, he noticed someone. A man. Tall, broad, beefy. A bit older than him, maybe early 30s. Solid frame under clothes that were far too plain for that body. Jeans that hugged thick thighs. A tight-fitting hoodie stretched across a wide chest. His arms hinted at strength beneath the sleeves. Tim couldn’t help it. He stared. “Damn…” But something was strange. The man looked around, scanning, searching—as if drawn to something. And then… Their eyes met. It hit Tim like a current. He wanted to look, but also look away. And at that exact moment—Ping. Both phones lit up. NotifAI: “Connect, now!” Tim’s vision blurred for a split second. The Server Drone activated. Command received: Initiate connection with male Unit. Tim blinked—and he was back. Conscious again. No memory of the transition. Just a strange flutter in his chest. His heartbeat slightly faster. In front of him, the man approached—looking a bit… glazed. His gaze refocused quickly though. He stopped just a few feet away and smiled. “Hey,” the man said, casual, confident. “Sorry if I’m being weird, I just—felt like I should come over.” He chuckled softly, then added, “Name’s Benny. You just hanging out here alone?” His voice was deep. Friendly. Warm. But with a slight undertone of something more. Familiar. As if his mind, like Tim’s, had just been through something unspoken.

Tim’s mouth opened. Words failed for a second. But something in him wanted to speak. “Yes… uh, I’m Tim. Just… chilling,” he said, awkwardly brushing a hand through his hair. But inside, the Drone understood. It watched. Now… it just needed to guide the host.

Tim and Benny sat side by side on a park bench for a while, chatting. At first, Tim was his usual awkward self—careful with his words, second-guessing himself, unsure what to say. But Benny was easygoing, quick to smile, and unafraid to flirt gently. He complimented Tim’s body, teased him about sitting alone, and made eye contact just a little longer than necessary.

Oddly enough, Tim found himself relaxing. Fast, too fast, really. Usually it would take days—or more—for him to feel comfortable around someone new. But with Benny, it felt like something inside was already aligned. As if he could skip all the usual nervousness. He trusted him. For no logical reason. But it felt right.

They talked about random things: work, music, how hard it was to meet people these days. Tim admitted that it had been a long time since he really connected well with anyone. Benny listened attentively, nodding, even placing a hand briefly on Tim’s shoulder at one point, which made Tim blush. That warm smile didn’t fade.

After a while, Benny leaned in and asked, “You wanna check out a cool spot I know around here? Kinda hidden, but I think you'd like it.” Tim hesitated. “Uh… what kind of place?” “You’ll see,” Benny grinned. “It’s quiet. Not far.”

Tim glanced around. His instincts told him to be cautious. But that strange sense of trust pushed back. A deep part of him, the one lulled by Drone conditioning, simply accepted. “…Okay.”

They walked side by side, down a few streets, away from the livelier parts of the city. The crowds thinned. The sidewalks cracked more often. Graffiti appeared on walls. The buildings turned older, more industrial.

Tim’s mind noted it all, but… still, no real alarm bells. Just a quiet unease. Easily ignored.

They turned into a narrow alley. It was empty. The hum of the city dimmed. “Where exactly is this place?” Tim asked, slowing slightly. “Just down here,” Benny said, voice still calm and friendly. “You’ll like it. Promise.”

They reached a rusted metal door embedded into a basement-level entrance. Benny opened it and led Tim down a flight of concrete stairs. The walls were bare, gray, and dimly lit. At the bottom, they reached a smooth metal door—no handle, no keyhole.

Tim stared at it, his voice quieter. “This looks… different.” Before Benny could answer, the door hissed and slid open by itself.

Inside was something completely unexpected.

The room beyond looked nothing like the hallway. Sleek black panels lined the walls, softly illuminated by pulses of green light running through embedded strips—like veins. Several benches were positioned neatly around the room. Screens were mounted at precise intervals, all displaying calm patterns of shifting geometric shapes. It was clean. Minimal. Perfect. But not cold. It felt… welcoming. Controlled. Comfortable in a strange, futuristic way.

Benny stepped inside casually and turned to look at Tim. “See? Not so bad.” Tim hesitated in the doorway. Everything in him should’ve screamed. But all he felt was a low thrum of calmness from within. He stepped forward. The door closed behind him with a soft click.

Tim looked slowly around the room. The green lighting pulsed softly in the walls, casting a gentle glow that felt more organic than artificial. The space had a strange duality—it looked like a living area, but one stripped of individuality. There were no personal items, no clutter, no color beyond black, silver, and green. Yet it didn’t feel sterile.

There was a compact kitchen in one corner, a bigger bathroom door further down, and a side hallway that led to a sleeping area with cabin-style beds. Everything was sharp-edged and precise, yet oddly comforting.

“It’s quiet,” Tim said, almost to himself. Benny smiled as he gave the tour. “It’s minimal. Just what’s needed. Nothing more.”

Tim turned, frowning slightly. “Do you… live here?” Benny chuckled. “No, not exactly. It’s public. In a way. Only a few people know about it.” Tim blinked. “Then what is it?”

Benny stopped walking and looked at him, calm and unblinking. “It’s a Server Room.”

The words hit Tim like a truck. He froze. His breath caught. His brain felt like it was buffering, spinning. His chest rose and fell as if his body were rebooting. The Server Drone being active for a moment. Then, like a soft wave crashing over his nervous system, calm returned. Deeper this time. He relaxed. His shoulders dropped. His heart was beating faster now, but not from fear, but from pure excitement.

He watched in silence as Benny reached up and began undressing. He pulled his jacket and shirt off in a single motion, revealing the unmistakable shine of black latex underneath. Tim’s breath hitched. His eyes locked onto Benny’s body, now coated in smooth rubber from collarbone to waist. Muscles flexed subtly under the suit. It hugged every line of his torso.

Then Benny unfastened his pants and slid them down. What emerged made Tim’s throat go dry. Around Benny’s groin sat a gleaming silver belt—solid, heavy-looking, locking his bulge behind metal. Tim’s arousal surged.

The sight sparked something primal in him, but also something deeply conditioned. He had seen things like this online before, chastity belts. This one seemed to be the Carrara-Model. And seeing it on Benny and his perfect muscular body hit Tim hard.

“W-what… what is that?” he asked, voice tight. Benny looked down casually, then back up. “My chastity belt. I must always wear it.”

Tim’s pulse thundered in his ears. Benny was now fully rubbered, except for his bare head and hands. Even his feet were encased in black latex toes. He stood casually, like this was the most natural thing in the world.

Then he looked at Tim, head tilted slightly. “What’s wrong?” he asked. “Why are you still in those ugly clothes? This is a Server Room.”

Tim’s eyes widened. For a moment, he blanked out. A flicker passed behind his eyes, then he returned, present again but more dazed.

“N-nothing really,” he mumbled.

And then his hands moved to his hoodie. The movements were automatic. He pulled off his top, then his jeans, and stepped out of them. He felt exposed, but in a good way. The sheath of his suit was half-swollen, filled just enough to press forward visibly, reminding him of his own arousal. He didn’t try to hide it, much to Bennys enjoyment.

Now they stood facing each other—two men in rubber, breathing slowly, the green light pulsing around them.

Benny smiled wider now. “Much better.”

Tim’s heart pounded. He didn’t know what this place was doing to him or what came next. But right now, all he could feel was anticipation.

Benny had been smiling, his voice warm as he leaned slightly closer, eyes tracing the curves of Tim’s latex-covered form. “You look really good,” he said, low and genuine. “You’re in great shape. Seriously. That suit fits you perfectly.”

Tim flushed. He wasn’t used to compliments like that, especially not from a guy who looked like Benny. The man was a walking fantasy: tall, broad, rubbered, and somehow still easy to talk to.

“I, uh… thanks,” Tim mumbled, shifting slightly, unsure what to do with his hands. His gaze kept flicking to Benny’s chest, the slick swell of his pecs beneath the suit, and then to the silver belt locking his member away. He wanted to touch him so badly. To run his hands over the rubber, to feel that silver Belt. But they’d only just met. Was it okay to just… act on that?

Benny, meanwhile, could feel his own body reacting. His belt held him firmly, but pressure was building behind it. The plug inside him, always present with every movement, was increasing Bennys arousal. He wanted to close the gap between them, to press his body to Tim’s, but he held back. He didn’t want to push too fast. Tim was clearly excited… but also nervous.

Then, before either of them could speak further, the room shifted.

A chime rang out from unseen speakers in the ceiling. A robotic male voice followed, smooth and commanding:

“Server Drones, Start.”

Both men froze.

Their expressions emptied in an instant. Their postures straightened. Hands dropped to their sides. All hesitation vanished.

Tim and Benny were now Server Drones.

The command echoed through their heads with perfect clarity. The flickering edge of thought gave way to obedience. No more awkwardness. No more doubt.

“Look at the screen,” the voice said.

In unison, they turned.

The central screen on the wall lit up in shifting green lines and a slow spiral appearing. Then the Server Node appeared on Screen. Or rather its messages did.

Tim’s sheath visibly filled, expanding to full size within seconds. Being connected to the Server always did this. The body responded truthfully when the Server Drone is active.

The Node’s voice was mechanical but warm, calm and confident:

“Server Drones, you have fulfilled the task assigned to you. After analyzing behavioral executions and seeing drones hesitations, this Node determined mutual pairing to be the optimal resolution. However—further calibration is required.”

A brief pause as data pulsed across the screen.

“All Server Drones must understand: the desire to connect is not a flaw. It is foundational. Every Server Drone is an ally. A friend. A partner. Drones trust each other. Drones embrace each other. Drones are one system.”

Tim and Benny stood still, absorbing every word.

“You share the same programming. The same desires. The same role. Drone Connections must be pursued. There is no room for hesitation. The Server Drone must guide the Host. There is only clarity. Obedience. Unity.”

The screen shifted, displaying a line of green text.

“Repeat the following mantra.”

A pause. Then the Node recited:

„Drone connects through pleasure. Drone acts with Purpose. Drone obeys the Server. Drone desires Drone.”

And again, the Node spoke:

“Repeat.”

Tim and Benny responded in perfect synchrony, voices flat, smooth, robotic:

„Drone connects through pleasure. Drone acts with Purpose. Drone obeys the Server. Drone desires Drone.”

“Repeat.”

„Drone connects through pleasure. Drone acts with Purpose. Drone obeys the Server. Drone desires Drone.”

“Repeat.”

„Drone connects through pleasure. Drone acts with Purpose. Drone obeys the Server. Drone desires Drone.”

The mantra ended.

The screen pulsed once more, bright and satisfied.

“Calibration complete. Going forward, you are to form a deep connection. You are both encouraged and required to act upon shared desire. Server Drones desire to connect with each other. Always.”

Silence returned. The lights dimmed slightly, leaving only the soft green glow. Tim’s body tingled. His thoughts were still, his purpose clear.

The Server’s screen dimmed with a final soft pulse of green light. It simply ended the call by saying „Together, we are the Server!“. The two Drones replied without emotion in their voices. Then a command: “Server Drones, Stopped.”

With that, the system went silent. The flicker of stillness faded from their eyes. Slowly, gently, Tim and Benny returned to themselves. Their bodies relaxed, their expressions warmed, and the hesitation that had once hovered between them was now gone.

They turned to each other. No words were spoken. Just a moment of still eye contact. Then a smile, full of trust. Something had shifted.

Benny turned toward a nearby shelf and picked up two objects, holding them closely. He returned and handed one to Tim.

A Server Drone Helmet, black, made of rubber, aerodynamic, with faint green lines along the jawline and back.

Benny gave a small smirk. “This makes you even more sexy.”

Tim gave a nervous chuckle, but didn’t resist. He brought the helmet to his head and slid it down. The fit was flawless. It sealed with a soft hiss, his face covering by thick rubber now. The Server Drone inside him being on standby, ready to control and guide the host.

Benny did the same, placing his own helmet over his head. The two of them stood there now. Two Rubber Drones, ready to form a deep connection.

They stepped closer. There was no hesitation now. No awkwardness. Only arousal and action. Their bodies met in a tight, hungry embrace. Tim pressed himself into Benny, arms wrapping around him, face resting against his neck. The warmth between their bodies was arousing, and through the tight latex, every twitch could be felt. Tim’s arousal throbbed inside his suit’s sheath, pushing up against Benny’s locked belt. Tim groaned softly, loving the pressure. Then he began to speak, his voice low, but confident. “I feel… something real. A connection. I’ve never felt this before, not with anyone. Not like this.” Benny nodded slowly, his own voice slightly filtered but warm. “I feel it too. We’re truly connected. We must connect. It’s our purpose…” There was something hazy in his tone, as if he were slipping deeper into his programming. Quiet sounds seemingly being played in the helmet directly into the drone’s ears. Tim’s gloved hand drifted down, resting lightly on the silver belt encircling Benny’s hips. He traced the cool metal with care, almost reverence.

“Why do you wear this?” he asked, thumb pressing gently over the thick central pouch. Benny looked into Tim’s eyes through the dark visor of his helmet, his arms still locked around him. “Because I must,” he said plainly. “There is no reason. Only obedience. Submission to a higher purpose.” He paused, breathing in the warm air between them. “I wear it at all times. Just like the rubber. It is what we must do.” And in that moment, it clicked inside Tim. A wave of calm passed through him like a tidal wave. The words didn’t raise questions, but they answered everything. Of course Benny wore it. Of course they both had to be in rubber. There was nothing else to consider. He smiled. A deeper smile this time. “I understand,” he whispered. “It’s a higher Purpose.” With that, he slid his hands lower, praising Benny’s perfect form. He caressed his thick rubber chest, gliding over the shining pecs and silver belt. Then further, gripping Benny’s firm, rubber-clad ass. He squeezed gently, then more firmly, feeling the shape of the heavy plug locked deep inside. Benny gasped, gripping Tim tighter. Tim gave a playful press, teasing the plug with two fingers through the latex. Benny’s breath caught, his hips pushing forward slightly against Tim’s sheathed member. His voice was soft and eager now. Tim’s gloved hands pushed more on Benny’s firm rubber rear, caressing and kneading slowly, pressing the plug in deeper. “You feel incredible,” Tim murmured through his helmet’s low filter, voice thick with arousal.

Benny groaned softly, nodding. “We need to connect… deeper. It needs a deep connection.“ He was dazed now—so was Tim. Both men swayed slightly, the subtle hum of background noise in their helmets. Sounds that settled in the brain like instructions. Like a Server Node speaking quiet mantras. Then came a voice. Robotic and loud enough to hear. “Server Drones: Initiate docking via Anal Port.” The words didn’t shock them. They settled like a final step in a sequence already begun. Benny blinked slowly, then separated from Tim. With smooth, trained motion, he stepped toward one of the low black rubber beds and positioned himself on all fours. His helmeted head bowed slightly, presenting with submission and obedience and his back arched. His gloved hands reached back between his legs, fingers gripping the embedded base of the plug. With a wet, soft pop, the plug slipped free. His ring flexed gently around the now-unsealed Anal Port. Benny simply said in a robotic voice: “Anal Port Ready!” Tim stood behind him, his sheath now fully expanded, twitching with need. The command echoed through him. He knew what was required. His mind being half there and half controlled by the Server Drone. It didn’t think much. He stepped forward. Then he also replied in a robotic voice: “Affirmative, Server Drone is to initiate docking to Anal Port.” The scene faded. Only two Server Drones forming a Deep Connection. One that would last for a long time. Two bodies, united by Rubber, purpose, and Obedience.

Epilogue:

The fire crackled gently as the four rubber men sat around it, their rubber suits catching soft highlights from the flames. The forest around them was calm, with the occasional birdcall echoing through the trees. Boots and backpacks rested neatly off to the side, just like the four of them completely at ease in their matching black rubber. Tim sat next to Benny, legs folded, his gloved hands resting in his lap. The suit hugged him just right. Every movement reminded him of how completely he now mirrored the others—rubber suit, drone helmets, gloves, boots… and, of course, the silver chastity belt. His own chastity belt. He never expected to wear one, but one day Benny just gave him one and ordered him to wear it. This was a few weeks ago. Since then it has been locked. Tim does not question why. He simply obeys, serving a higher purpose. Just as he does by wearing his rubber suit.

He shifted slightly, feeling the larger plug Benny had slid into him that morning before they left the house. It filled him deeper than the last one, and though it had made walking a bit more… pleasurable, he hadn’t complained. Benny had simply slapped his butt cheek after locking the plug with the belt and said, “This one fits you better now.” Tim had just nodded. It felt right. Across from them, Kyle poked at the fire with a stick, while Marc leaned back on one arm, looking up at the leaves above. “So,” Kyle said casually, breaking the quiet, “How’s the new plug treating it, Tim?” Tim chuckled softly, shifting again. “Sentinel Benny’s idea of ‘more comfortable’ is very… optimistic. But yeah. It’s intense, but also very satisfying to the Server Drone.” Benny grinned behind his helmet. “It knew it would be. You’ve been ready for a while. Just took your body a bit to catch up with your mind.” “Sentinel Drone Benny really expects a lot from it,” Tim teased. “It’s called care,” Benny replied, giving Tim’s knee a little squeeze. “Besides, you’re walking just fine Drone.” Marc laughed, his voice smooth and relaxed. “It loves that we’re all just like this now. A year ago, it didn’t even own a rubber suit. Now it’s like, if it’s not sealed in before its first coffee, something feels wrong.” “Right?” Tim said. “This Server Drone caught itself putting the gloves on before brushing its teeth the other day.” Kyle leaned in, smirking. “It’s not even about kink anymore. It’s just… how we live. How we must live. It feels more like itself being a drone this than it ever did before.”

Benny nodded. “We’re just… better like this. And yeah, we joke about it, but talking like Drones when it’s just us? It just feels correct. Like Drones’ real voices come through when the helmets and rubber are on. It feels as if it’s serving its purpose by being this way.” Tim looked around at the others—Benny, Kyle, Marc—all suited, belted, dronified. He smiled softly. “This Server Drone doesn’t even think about the chastity belt anymore. Or the rubber suits. It used to worry what others might say or that it would miss its normal clothes. Now it just hopes it never has to wear anything else. It now feels happy and connected.” “Server Drone, you are aligned. Good Server Drone,” Benny said with quiet certainty. This made Tim more aroused. Benny continued: “We’re one. All of us. We stay connected!” Marc then grabbed his nearby beer. “To us Server Drones. Together, we are the Server.” Unaware of the true meaning of these words or their used language. They all bumped their beer glasses around the fire, repeating the phrase. Laughter mixing with smoke and the sound of rustling leaves. No need to switch on. The connection was always there now. Their Server Drones on standby normalizing the Server and their true drone selves among the hosts. It was just who they were now. As the laughter settled, an unexpected chime echoed through the air, breaking the quiet. The notification came through, despite there being no cell reception in this part of the woods. The incoming message played inside each of their helmets: “Server Drones: Deep Connections are required.” The message lingered for a moment, then faded as their helmets flashed with brief signals. Without a word, all four men shifted into their Server Drone state for a second. Their faces blank, minds focused and then returned to themselves. The message had arrived to all of them. Benny’s eyes met Tim’s, then the others, all knowing. The need was there. “This Server Drone suggests reiterating to form a deep connection with all of you,” Benny murmured. “It must connect more. Server Drone must deepen the connection.” Tim grinned softly. “This Server Drone brought Port Connectors and Interface Harnesses for our Anal Ports,” he said, his voice low but filled with the same knowing. The group stood together, sharing one last look at the fire. As one, they moved toward the tent, the desire to form a deeper connection driving them forward. It wasn’t just about the act, but the unity and the connection that had come to define them. They entered the tent together, the flaps closing behind them as the sounds of plugs being removed could be heard.

[karlovycross]

I've been wondering what the difference is between commissions and commercial work is for an artist, since I have seen several artists also with that preference.

Is it mostly an issue of pay? Of portfolioability? Ability to be confident the client will treat you professionally?

No pressure to explain! Feel free to just delete this ask if you're not up for it.

Sure!

To clarify, commercial work is when a client is expected to use the commissioned artwork to gain monetary profit directly or indirectly. Examples of direct profit would be using the artwork to produce a product like a print for their own business and selling it. Indirectly would be something like to use the art for their brands website banner, book/album covers, packaging, etc.

My own example: I was commissioned by There Skateboards to design a skate deck for their Spring 2022 collection.

There's multiple reasons why an artist might choose commercial over personal commission work:

clients typically pay a higher rate for commercial work compared to someone who is only using it for personal use

potential for a stable income if the client keeps hiring you for future work

diversifying your portfolio and showing future clients that you are capable of working on time sensitive projects and are professional

wider audience visibility on your work that you might have not been able to reach otherwise

The list can go on but I feel like these are the main reasons. However, there are some drawbacks like not being compensated reasonably, not enough creative freedom, too tight of a deadline, company doesn't align with your values, etc. I think it really depends on the artist and what they personally enjoy doing and what they would rather deal with since both have pros and cons just like with any type of work!

[quetzzall]

I'll be selling trigun phone charms soon !! I'm currently without a stable source of income and would appreciate the reshares

These charms are 2 inches and come with a holographic finish!! :D go ahead and follow my ko-fi account for production updates and information.

[bitchesgetriches]

Giving you money on patreon doesn't encourage frugality

We've addressed this a lot over the years, so just to recap:

All labor deserves compensation. Even ours. And yes, the work we put into the blog, podcast, YouTube channel, Patreon, and Tumblr is, in fact, WORK.

If we have helped someone save money, get a raise, increase their income, or otherwise win financially, it is not unreasonable to request a small optional donation to thank us for that help.

If someone is NOT winning financially, we don't expect or require them to donate to support our mission. Their first priority should be getting financially stable, not donating to creators.

We could be making a lot more money by promoting a bunch of shitty predatory financial products. This is how most of our competitors make money! But we have chosen NOT to spam our followers with ads and marketing for shady products we don't believe in or that don't serve our followers' best interests. We have a small handful of affiliate marketing partners we truly like and believe in. And the money that they bring in does not amount to enough to pay our producer a fair wage.

We're giving away almost everything for free. If you don't want to contribute to our Patreon or PayPal in exchange, then you don't fucking have to. You also don't need to send smug "gotcha" asks on anon.

[roadkill-creatures]

I know this is a little out of nowhere, but I'd like to thank everyone for the love and support on my art. The likes, reblogs, comments, follows, asks, it all means so much to me! I tend to not reply as I'm somewhat nervous with online interaction, but I've seen every kind thing you've all left on my posts. I never thought I'd be able to reach past my small circle of mutuals and it amazes me that I have over 4,000 people who care enough about my art to follow along.

I'm still trying to get through all of my ask box, so if you've submitted something and haven't seen me respond yet, don't worry! I've seen them all and I'm just thinking up good responses for the moment!

I'm also still working on creating affordable fandom knickknacks for you all to enjoy! I've been waiting for a stable income to continue selling on my etsy, but once I've got it, I will come up with more designs to become stickers and keychains! I'm still just dipping my toes into the water right now when it comes to selling products, so expect that this may take awhile. Eventually, I'd like the shop to be self sustaining, where each sale covers the cost of production and shipping, but right now I haven't quite figured it all out-

Okay rant over thanks you all fror listeninf im 🥺🥺🥺

[aussiexlovexaffair]

⋆ ˚｡⋆୨ Roommate!Luke Headcanons ୧⋆ ˚｡⋆

- moving in with Luke happened by chance

- he was pretty keen on staying with Liz for longer, but seeing as he was moving away to London to continue making music with the band, he couldn't do that.

- it didn't help that the label he was signed to, though the band was getting popular slowly, didn't have enough money for an apartment for the boys. they could only provide the studio.

- so he started looking online and around bulletin boards of the coffee shops he went to for adverts

- and lucky you— he saw yours ;)

- he didn't catch the name on the sign, just quickly taking one of the numbers from the bottom of the poster

- he reached out very kindly, saying that he was working in the area and he would have a stable-ish source of income

- and you, desperately needing some company and someone to help pay the bills, immediately suggested you get together over coffee to get to know each other better

- but he didn't expect you to be a girl— let alone a hot one.

- "hello, sorry to bother you, but do you mind if I sit with you? i'm waiting for someone." "oh of course, I am too, anyways!" "oh, neat!.. who are you waiting for?" "i'm meeting someone who is looking to room with me." - "....me too." - he just stares silently, blinking every once in awhile until you have to ease the awkward energy in the air, "are you Luke?" - "yEah." he cringes as his voice breaks

- but instead of making fun of him, you giggle at the red creeping up his neck and tell him it's alright

- and suddenly he's starting to think that taking that number was totally worth it. - he totally finds himself texting the boys groupchat after you two meet like "i just met the love of my life and i'm gonna be living with her 0-0"

ₓ˚. ୭ ˚○◦˚Living with Him˚◦○˚ ୧ .˚ₓ

- he makes a mess in the shower

- he wasn't a "making potions in the bath" kid but he does make them now with your skincare and haircare products in the shower

- his room is relatively clean, but it gets messy occasionally when he finds himself, like all boys his age, getting lazy

- he likes to split chores up evenly but he will try to convince you to do his

- one of his favorite things to do is jam out with you

- he likes having speakers around the house so no matter what time it is or where in the house you are, you two can listen to music and sing along

- he has stuffed animals given to him by fans all around the house because he can't find it in himself to toss them— and about a hundred get donated to you

- like all of the boys, he can be a bit of a perv

- especially when the boys are around and you walk out of the room because you can hear calum call him out for staring at you as you walk away

- but somehow he never gets yelled at by you because he does that thing when he gets caught making a suggestive joke or gesture when he goes all wide-eyed

- but the minute you do the same thing, he's gone completely red and he's rubbing the back of his neck softly as he tries to wrap his mind around the fact that you did that.

- he thinks about it for the next week at night.

- speaking of which, he's a very peaceful sleeper, but if he's really tired, he sounds like a foghorn

- luke is the type to wash his dishes and do yours too, but if he gets mad at you, trust the next time you go to the sink, all you will find is your own plates left to clean

- he's petty like that— especially when you bring home another person.

- he's got a bit of a temper and his reactions to them are more passive aggressive than straight on— and everything is whispered under his breath

- he'll bring it up over breakfast when he's having his bowl of cheerios, "...'saw some new shoes at the door last night..." "yeah, i brought someone over last night." "they looked cheap." "oh!.."

- and he'll do it to them too.

- and he'll interrogate them if he can.

- "so, d'you got a job?" "ah... no." "looks it."

- if he has a moment alone with them, the side eye he gives is INSANE

- "are you happy in your relationship, y/n?" "uhm.. yeah?" "...huh."

- but he's also incredibly sweet if you ignore his pettiness

- if he doesn't have anywhere to be and you have the night off, he'll insist you two do something

- at first when you suggest facemasks and doing each other's nails, he has an internal battle.

- he likes you, of course, and doesn't want you to see him as girly or like just a best friend, but after a bit of convincing, he's got a strawberry peel-off on his face and he's trying to stop the shaking of his hands as he delicately brushes on nail polish over your nails with a chick flick in the background

- but he's holding your hand, so it isn't that bad :))))

- he cannot cook for his life, but if you need help with something, he'll try his hand at anything

- he nearly burnt the apartment cooking soup at one point and from then on you decided he'd just be reading off the directions and cleaning up

- but he could make a mean mac and cheese, so if you ever get sick, trust he'll be making you some

- he's kinda icked out by sick people, but he ignores it because he's got a thing for you, so he comes into your bedroom with tea and mac and cheese while holding his breath.

- "Luke?" "..mmph?.." "are you holding your breath?" ".....mhm." - he isn't afraid to stand up for you though

- if you go to a bar, he'll insist on coming with you.

- he doesn't want a creep making a move on you when you're intoxicated

- if you get up and dance, he's a little more hesitant to follow you because while he might do it at the apartment, dancing in front of so many people his age seems like social suicide

- but seeing a guy coming up behind you and dancing with you has the most pathetic whine leaving his lips as he drags his hands through his quiff and he finds himself dragging a very intoxicated roommate back to the house

- "you shouldn't flirt with people like that, i don't know why you'd do that really." "but they were cute!" "so am i!" - and now he's gotta stop you from stumbling as he walks you to your room and brushes your teeth for you and helps you change— all the while he's staring at the ceiling and you're making fun of him for it. - but he can't leave you— you're drunk! - so now he's curled up at the foot of the bed, fully dressed in jeans and a t-shirt, converse and beanie still on, and laying on top of the blankets because he doesn't want you to get the wrong idea when you wake up.

- btw there's an aspirin and a bottle of water on the bedside table— courtesy of Luke Hemmings

[literaryvein-reblogs]

Writing an oc that's a streamer?

Writing Notes: Streamer Characters

Live Streamer

Also livestreamer or online streamer

Someone who makes videos that show them playing computer games, talking about products, or doing other activities, and streams them (i.e., puts them on the internet) at the same time as they are being made.

An individual who broadcasts real-time video content over the internet, engaging with an audience through online platforms.

Transmits live or on-demand audio or video content while users listen or watch.

Livestreams are deployed over various platforms, including social media platforms like YouTube Live, Facebook Live, Twitter, Instagram Live, and TikTok, as well as through professional business services, such as Kaltura and Dacast.

Unlike pre-recorded videos, live streams occur in the moment, allowing viewers to interact with the streamer through chat functions and other interactive features.

This immediacy creates a dynamic and engaging experience for both the streamer and the audience.

Live streamers cover a wide range of content:

playing video games,

hosting talk shows,

conducting interviews,

cooking,

crafting, and

live vlogging daily activities.

The versatility of live streaming content means that streamers can find their niche and build a community around shared interests.

Successful live streamers often cultivate a loyal following by maintaining a consistent streaming schedule, engaging directly with their viewers, and creating a sense of community.

What your Character does as a Live Streamer

Content Creation: Live streamers plan, prepare, and execute engaging live broadcasts. They choose topics or activities that resonate with their audience, maintain a consistent streaming schedule, and ensure that their content is entertaining and relevant to their viewers.

Audience Interaction: Interacting with viewers in real-time is a key responsibility. Streamers engage through live chat, responding to comments, questions, and feedback during the stream. They foster a sense of community by acknowledging and involving their audience, using interactive features like polls, Q&A sessions, and shout-outs to enhance viewer engagement.

Technical Management: Managing technical aspects is crucial to a successful stream. This includes setting up and maintaining streaming equipment such as cameras, microphones, lighting, and streaming software. Streamers must ensure a stable internet connection, troubleshoot technical issues promptly, and optimize stream quality to deliver a seamless viewing experience.

Monetization: Monetizing their channels is an important aspect for many streamers. This can involve receiving viewer donations, earning subscriptions (e.g., Twitch subscriptions), securing sponsorships and partnerships with brands, and generating revenue through advertising. Streamers may also leverage merchandise sales, affiliate marketing, or exclusive content to diversify their income streams.

Community Building: Building and nurturing a community around their content is essential. Streamers cultivate a loyal following by creating a welcoming environment, engaging with viewers regularly, and participating in community events or collaborations. They may also moderate chat and ensure a positive and inclusive atmosphere during streams.

Continuous Improvement: Successful streamers constantly strive to improve their content and grow their audience. They analyze viewer analytics to understand audience preferences and trends, experiment with new content formats or streaming techniques, and stay updated with industry trends and platform changes to maintain relevance and competitiveness in the streaming space.

What Type of Live Streamer is your Character?

Live streamers can be categorized into various types based on the content they stream and the communities they engage with. Here are some common types:

Gaming Streamers: Gaming streamers focus on playing and broadcasting video games live to their audience. They may specialize in specific genres such as first-person shooters, role-playing games, or multiplayer online battle arenas (MOBAs). Gaming streamers entertain viewers with their gameplay skills, commentary, and interactions with their audience through live chat.

IRL (In Real Life) Streamers: IRL streamers share their real-life experiences and activities in real-time. They broadcast everyday activities such as traveling, exploring new places, attending events, or participating in challenges. IRL streamers often engage their audience by interacting with them while showcasing their daily routines or special events happening in their lives.

Talk Show and Podcast Streamers: Talk show and podcast streamers host live discussions, interviews, or debates on various topics of interest. They invite guests or panelists to join their streams, engaging with them and their audience through insightful conversations and debates. Talk show streamers may cover topics ranging from politics and current events to pop culture and entertainment.

Creative Streamers: Creative streamers focus on showcasing their artistic talents and skills live. They create art, music, crafts, or digital designs while interacting with their audience. Creative streamers often provide tutorials, share their creative process, and take viewer suggestions or requests for their next project.

Music Streamers: Music streamers perform live music sessions, DJ sets, or music production sessions for their audience. They may cover popular songs, perform original compositions, or engage in interactive music creation with their viewers. Music streamers often use platforms that allow them to receive song requests and interact with their audience in real-time.

Fitness and Sports Streamers: Fitness and sports streamers broadcast live workouts, training sessions, or sports events. They provide exercise routines, fitness tips, and motivation to their audience while demonstrating exercises or participating in sports activities. Fitness streamers may also engage in challenges or competitions with their viewers.

Educational Streamers: Educational streamers conduct live tutorials, lectures, or workshops on topics such as science, technology, languages, or academic subjects. They share knowledge, answer viewer questions in real-time, and provide interactive learning experiences through demonstrations or experiments.

Cooking Streamers: Cooking streamers broadcast live cooking sessions where they prepare recipes, share cooking tips, and engage with their audience while demonstrating culinary techniques. They may also take viewer suggestions for recipes or cooking challenges, creating a community around food and culinary arts.

What Would your Character's Workplace Look Like?

The workplace of a live streamer is typically centered around creating a conducive environment for broadcasting engaging and interactive content.

Unlike traditional office settings, live streamers often work from home or a dedicated studio space that they have set up for streaming purposes.

This space is vital for maintaining control over the streaming setup and creating a comfortable atmosphere conducive to content creation.

At home, live streamers often have a designated area or room where they set up their streaming equipment.

This might include a high-quality camera, microphone, lighting rigs, and a powerful computer or gaming console capable of handling streaming software and gameplay simultaneously.

The setup is tailored to their specific streaming needs, ensuring optimal audiovisual quality and reliability during broadcasts.

Beyond the physical setup, the digital workspace of a live streamer involves managing streaming software, interacting with viewers through chat functions, and monitoring analytics in real-time.

This requires multitasking skills to engage with the audience while focusing on gameplay, discussion topics, or other content being streamed.

Streamers also use this digital space to collaborate with moderators, manage community interactions, and coordinate special events or collaborations with other content creators.

Some Streaming Strategies your Character Could Use

Makes their livestream unique

Focuses on their livestream audience’s needs

Surprises their livestream audience

Promotes their livestream

Interacts with their viewers

Tells viewers what to do at the end of a livestream (e.g., see more content, attend an event)

Sources: 1 2 3 4 5 ⚜ More: Writing Notes & References

Hope this helps with your writing!

[probablyasocialecologist]

One man’s drudgery was another man’s stability. With some justification, Erich Honecker looked with pride at the changes in living standards that had been achieved under his leadership. Despite continuous problems with supplies and being behind technological standards in the West, the GDR felt like a stable country with comparatively high living standards. By design, there was full employment and the subsidized rents, food, cultural offerings and childcare meant that there were few existential concerns. At a time when West Germany was grappling with around 8 per cent unemployment and job security was a worry to many of those who did have work, East German families never really had to fear a sudden loss of income or not being able to pay the rent. By 1987, over half of all households had a car and all had at least one washing machine, fridge and TV. Products that were difficult to get hold of through regular routes were often obtained with the help of Western relatives who ordered them directly through Genex catalogues or provided the currency for a trip to the Intershop. Friends and family in the right places could also help. All in all, the economic shortcomings of the GDR in the mid-1980s, while reaching crisis level behind the scenes, appeared to many East Germans as nuisances rather than existential threats to their way of life. This lack of existential concerns coupled with a solid life–work balance meant that East Germans had a fair amount of money and time on their hands without having to worry too much about having to make the most of it. As a result, they spent a lot more time socializing and enjoying leisure pursuits. Clubhouses, allotment gardens, restaurants, communal barbecue pits and party rooms in apartment blocks were popular retreats where friends, colleagues and neighbours would meet to relax. Accordingly, alcohol consumption in the GDR skyrocketed. By 1988, the average East German drank 142 litres of beer a year and 16.1 litres of hard liquor, twice as much as their West German neighbours and enough to make VEB Nordbrand the largest Schnapps producer in Europe. The American academic Thomas Kochan has argued that this is not due to a need to escape the dreary realities of the GDR, as has often been claimed, but rather to the ‘existential carefreeness’ experienced by ‘a low-competition collective society’. Most East Germans drank not to forget their worries but rather because they had too little to worry about.

Katja Hoyer, Beyond the Wall: East Germany, 1949-1990