#and that work is being done by people who signed up for it many of whom are ex-radicals themselves

[lizardho]

Being at BYU after my mission was weird. Like. Bad weird. Everybody was still acting like missionaries but they had nobody to teach so it all turned into the holier-than-thou bs that missions always degenerate into over time. Just the forced establishment of some weird social hierarchy where value is based on how devout you are, with people digging and scratching and clawing their way around humanity in order to become even more devout.

And this bullshit was actively killing me. The attempts to stay Good Enough were scraping the remnants of my humanity out of my husk like a spoon scraping the last bits of watermelon from a rind - I was doing what I had always done, be Mormon, do what Mormons do, be as good a Mormon as I could be, only it was breaking me. Instead of healing me, making me whole, taking away my burdens, it was pulling the life out of me in exchange for nothing. I was just being squeezed dry of everything I had to offer and being given back shame and isolation and rejection because I didn’t do it first, or fast enough, or with a willing enough heart, or whatever the hell they could come up with.

But despite myself, because most people smarter than me AND dumber than me would have left already, I found myself trying over and over and over again to make it work with no success.

One day, I snap. I’ve had enough. I need answers. I’ve looked everywhere and done everything I could by myself, and nothing had come of it, so I went to talk to a faculty member. A teacher at the school. He taught religion classes and his lessons were powerfully and inspiringly honest, earnest, and filled with raw humanity. I figured if I could get a straight (ha) answer from anyone, it would be that guy. He wasn’t involved in the Mormon rat race. He wasn’t playing the stupid “I’m Worthier Than You” games that were so pernicious on campus. He was being real and open and vulnerable and I needed that from someone.

So I go into his office and I lay my cards on the table. I figure if I’m gonna get helped, I need to be honest. I share with him my weird feelings about dad leaving the church on my mission. About my siblings leaving the church. About my own doubts and hurts. I tell him about how hard it is to be in limbo like this without knowing what to do or where to turn. I tell him I need answers.

And he listens. And then he starts with the usual Mormon apologetics bullshit. And I say “no” because I’m done with that. That doesn’t fly with me anymore. And he sees and hears me say no and he puts a hand on mine, makes direct eye contact, and says,

“You know, you don’t have to go to church, right?”

I, being a person who was hurting, interpreted that as “if you have questions that I can’t answer you should fuck off.” I got defensive immediately and he again listened, put his hand on mine, and said,

“Not what I meant. You can stay if you want, but I want you to know you can leave too. Take a break. Give yourself time to heal. This isn’t supposed to hurt this much, and if it hurts you can take a break and come back when it feels good.”

I’m actually getting choked up just writing that out. Nobody had ever said that to me before. When I talked about my dysphoria to my parents, they said teenagers are supposed to feel like that a little bit. When I talked to people about my difficulties at church they had always told me that it was a sign that church was working. That I was doing it right. That growth was supposed to hurt, that excising the Natural Man from me was supposed to be difficult, that I was supposed to be feeling this anxious and sad and scared. I had never ever ever been told that pain and suffering were signs things were going wrong. I had actually explicitly been told by many many many many many many many many people that it was good, that the hurt and the heartache and the constant feeling of never being good enough and never being able to fit into my own skin or love myself in any meaningful way was desirable. That it was something they envied.

It’s not supposed to hurt. Some things can, and should. My parents were right that some body concerns were normal (although we later found out my specific concerns were more abnormal lmao, I got that tgirl swag). My family and friends were right that challenging myself with difficult assignments and ambitious goals was supposed to feel uncomfortable.

And at the same time, THIS was not supposed to hurt. I was not meant to have this gaping throbbing aching hole in my Me that never let up. It wasn’t supposed to hurt. IT WASN’T SUPPOSED TO HURT.

I don’t know when exactly I started crying, but I was crying the whole rest of the day. It was the first time in a while I had to actually take a Valium to clam down. It wasn’t supposed to hurt.

He also told me that if it ever stopped hurting I could always come back.

I think that was the day I really left. Others might say otherwise, I still tried to make it work for a few more months after that, but the idea that it wasn’t supposed to hurt really changed me.

If any of you are reading this - there are things that are supposed to be difficult. Things that are supposed to hurt. But if your faith or your beliefs about the world or yourself leave you feeling like you’ve been hollowed out at a minor mistake or setback, if your failures and setbacks leave you feeling raw and numb frequently, if the company you keep or the places you stay leave you feeling constantly inadequate with out hope or help, then I’ll tell you the same thing that professor told me:

You can go somewhere else. You can do something else. And you can always come back when you want.

But it’s not supposed to hurt.

[razorblade180]

Actor AU6

Ruby:You know what’s funny about filming a movie where you’re aged up? *steps aside*

Summer:*in DC costume* Sup.

Ruby:I wonder how many people are going to notice the difference.

Summer:They’ll know it’s me when the acting improves.

Ruby:Wow!

xxxxxxx

Blake:Excuse me ma’am. Where’s the bathroom?

Yang:Oh it’s just…*flexes bicep* That way to the left.

Blake:Haha, why thank you.

Yang:There’s also one to the…*flexes tricep* right over here.

Nora:Stop it before you pull something you dork.

xxxxxx

Interviewer: So, Yang Xiao Long, fans have noticed you got a few gains for this movie.

Yang:Yep! Never again haha!

Interviewer:What? Why not.

Weiss:She was such a baby off set.

Yang:Mad respect for personal trainers and gym enthusiasts. I like to feel a burn but I missed my arms not being sore. Adam would literally be nice enough to make me oatmeal and I’d just look at sadly because I don’t want to lift the spoon.

Interviewer:Was it as painful for the rest of you?

Blake:I actually think I like protein shakes now and that’s deeply upsetting.

Weiss:I’ve always lived the gym life. They wanted more squats so I gave them more squats.

xxxxxx

Ruby:*sitting sadly*

Superman:*sits beside her* It seems you have a lot on your mind?

Ruby:A lot has changed since we last met; big changes. Atlas fell, my sister and I got into a fight, now we’re here and…Jessica keeps asking about Jaune.

Superman:*tucks lips in* Mmhmm..

Ruby:Like…damn bitch, it was adventure. Let it go.

Crew laughing in the background

Ruby:I got dozens with this guy. Get in line!

xxxxxx

Ozpin:*swinging cane*

Ruby:*getting beaten*

Jessica:*off screen*…I’m actually the director on this episode.

Ruby:*having a panic attack*

Jessica:I wish I was joking. I needed the experience.

xxxxxx

Blake:Guys, I think I know where we are.

Beautiful wide panning shot

Blake:…I think we’re in Candy Land~

Weiss:Fuck ooooffff. *covers face* That was so random! Ahaha!

Yang:Honestly falling from your world into Candy Land sounds more terrifying than a place like Wonderland.

Bloop!

Blake:I think we’re in Wonderland.

Director Roman:Ever After…

Blake:*nods*…I said that so confidently to. Holy hell…

xxxxxx

Jaune:Today I met a little girl who was a RWBY fan. She asked me if there was any way to come back stage to pet Juniper. *bites muffin* I couldn’t tell her that Juniper was a prop.

Neo:So what did you say?

Jaune:I told her I actually don’t get to see him either. Now both of our days are ruined. This job is cruel.

xxxxxx

Pyrrha:Sup guys. It’s me, here to traumatize you again. *flips camera*

Penny:I’m here for the kill assist.

Pyrrha:You think we’ll be in final episode somehow?

Penny:Oh absolutely. I signed up for the role of “Ruby’s friend” and somehow landed “ghost of the narrative” by mistake.

Pyrrha:Saaame! Funny how that works out.

xxxxxx

Weiss:Where are Blake and Yang?

Jaune:Must’ve had bigger things to work out.

Meanwhile on storming bridge

Yang:Bl- what the!?

Adam:*draws sword* THIS ONE IS FOR ALL THE MARBLES!!

Blake:Sorry! The more I tried to not of the worst situation, the harder it got!

Yang:…*looks at camera* Can we keep this?

Roman:No.

Yang:But I want another cool fight!

xxxxxx

Oscar:*getting makeup done*

Penny:Ready to die on screen?

Oscar:Yeah. I took notes from the best.

Penny:So you’ve been looking at me?

Oscar:Whenever I can.

Penny:*giggles*

Coco:Hold still and stop flirting!

xxxxxx

Jabberwok:*crumbles into Neo*

Neo:*finger guns*…..*makes Adam*

Blake:Oh my gooood!

Yang:*grinning* THIS ONE IS FOR ALL THE MARBLES!

Adam:JUST WHAT I WANTED TO HEAR! FACE MEEEEE!

Ruby:At this point you should just put him at the tea party.

Nora:You don’t even canonically know him!

Ruby:But it would be hilarious!

Weiss:What kills me is an army of Adams would probably be more effective than the Jabberwoks.

xxxxx

Ruby:*in a bat suit* This is the secret life option the blacksmith didn’t want to reveal.

Weiss:Ruby calls on quits and chooses Gotham over Remnant.

Blake:Willingly going to Gotham City is crazy. Life is not that bad.

Ruby:I don’t wanna take this off.

[faerytreealtars]

[ Artwork used for piles are all by JosieWren ]

Pile One - Green Woman.

Cards - Queen of Cups, Strength & Five of Swords.

Spirit is saying loud and clear that the blessing they bring your way is something you may not notice physically, at least not at first because they are helping you, help yourself! Those who struggle with limiting thoughts, anxiety that keeps your mind racing all day and night or even feeling too much just for being yourself. Say goodbye to those struggles, take a breath, and allow your body to release. Treat your emotions like the messengers they are, be gentle and kind to yourself and give yourself some grace... You are only a little human living in a big chaotic world no one is asking for perfection except perhaps you, yourself. I see that spirit is blessing you with the recognition to realise your strength. Your strength has brought you here to this moment and you have done so well, worked so hard, Be proud of yourself and recognise your achievements. You can't attract more or rush more blessings if you're failing to notice the blessing of NOW. Spirit says to practice more breathwork as you carry on through this journey. So to finish off, the blessings that spirit is bringing your way is the freedom to be yourself and embrace the moment more often so you can live more happily and less anxiously. As the wise man Newt Scamander once said "Worrying means you suffer twice oh and before I sign off on your reading I just heard "If you have a dream, just do it, you can't strategize it for that is not the mysterious way that spirit provides"

Pile Two - Woman of Ferns Cards: Two of Cups, Ten of Pentacles & The Sun

Spirit is announcing an end to relationships and connections that are not authentic, true or aligning with your divine soul. I see new people coming into your life in the form of deep loving friendships and perhaps a few romances for those who are open to it. These new friends will help you attract more joyful moments and adventures into your life and share with them making loads of new memories to reflect upon fondly. For a tiny amount of you, I see that at least one of these new connections you make will allow you to have a dream come to life in the career sphere in a collaborative effort and create something that will provide long-lasting abundance to you and any future family that you may have. Now, before you run off in glee and excitement for these new connections Spirit has some advice they wish to share. Firstly remain open-minded you may find connection with the most unlikeliest of people, those who you may think you have nothing in common with based on first appearances. I'm seeing the image of Elphaba and Glinda from Wicked and hearing the song "What is this feeling?" so that's a BIG hint from spirit. Secondly, you need to make an effort too, not anything that feels forced off course but for those who are more introverted, quiet or shy (I'm in this gang too so don't worry I'm not judging but Spirit is kind of gently scolding me now too, so you're not alone!) don't be afraid to show your interest back and open up more, you can't attract your soul tribe if you aren't letting the world see your "vibes" and also I'm hearing don't procrastinate on joining in on clubs, causes or community lead projects out of fears of not fitting in. It's time make this the year you live with no regrets and try everything you feel called towards.

Pile Three - Moth Winged Faery Cards: The World, Five of Cups & Five of Wands

With the world and two court cards with the number 5 present I see your blessing involves a very big change, and one that may push you out of your comfort zone. This will be a divine transformation of self in so many ways. I feel some of you wish to travel or move away from your current location, to leave behind conflict with others and perhaps even yourself and you will, that is something spirit promises to help you bring in. They want to remind you to be patient with not only yourself but the world in general. Many great shifts are about to happen this year and though it may feel like everything is unravelling apart that is only the illusion of a limited mind, if you take the time to tune into your intuition you will see that in fact it is actually things coming together but first you must stop resisting and gripping on to those or that which must leave. The truth is we cannot move on to better places or times without making some sacrifices, it is those who are willing to sacrifice that which they believe is important (spoiler alert: it's not!) that can then be compensated by spirit with even better things. It is all so different for so many of you but trust in yourself and you will instinctively know what is meant to go.

My gratitude to those who stayed, spared their time and read these messages, I Know Spirit will put in the path of those who are meant to read it. I wish you luck and love wherever you may be. <3

[seafoamreadings]

week of january 12th, 2025

these are written predominantly for the *rising* signs but they are also intuitively "channeled" enough that they should work for any dominant energy you have! (try your sun if you don't know rising, or more advanced readers can try moon, anywhere you have a stellium, etc and see what works best for you!)

aries: quite probably you're not at your most energetic with mars in retrograde in cancer. a little opposition from the sun will help slightly this week. but overall it's best to embrace a restful period.

taurus: nurture your connection with friends and acquaintances, and make new ones if you can. it should be fun and not a chore, so make sure they're people you actually like. this is the backbone of a healthy social group, which we need as social beings, however introverted we are.

gemini: this gentle week has mercury making some light but pleasant aspects to outer planets, helping you do good for the wider world while also using the macrocosm as a form of your own microcosmic introspection. as above so below. watch for the patterns.

cancerians: use this week's broadly supportive astrology to strengthen yourself, developing whatever facets of your life have deficiencies to correct. this could be anything from romance to academics to your literal muscles, but get to it!

leo: don't let yourself be shamed for seeking attention. obviously, respect the boundaries of others, but also remember at all times that attention is a fundamental human need, which it is all our birthright to have fulfilled. in that spirit, generously attend to those who need you, too.

virgo: the key to any interpersonal issues is to follow what makes you happy. relationships that aren't doing so need to be rectified fast, or wrapped up and properly mourned. relationships that do, are to be pursued and nourished.

libra: always a graceful one, this week has you looking more poised than ever even if you don't feel it internally. this can have people flocking to you, trying to get some of that equilibrium in their own lives. provide what you can/want, but don't let anyone drain your energy.

scorpio: while this week's sun-mars opposition can feel draining for many, it probably reinvigorates you at least a little bit. the emotional vulnerability other people are a bit nervous about gives you life, really.

sagittarius: this is another period for you to focus on your home life and your roots. you might unearth a family secret, discover an interesting ancestor, or just make your house particularly comfortable and beautiful.

capricorn: this particular sun-mars opposition is an awkward feeling for you due to the signs these objects are in and the retrograde of mars ongoing. so, not comfortable, but most likely no real harm is done.

aquarius: there is about to be a significant amount of uranian energy but this week is the calm before the storm. with that said, it will feel like a storm to many but it's the brand of chaos you actually thrive in. so for now, batten down any hatches in need of it and go about your business quietly.

pisces: you may find yourself getting a lot of attention this week or just being overall quite busy. all in all this will be a series of good and rewarding things, although it may feel chaotic and hectic at the same time. you are something of a creature of the void, though, so in many ways, this is a flow you can go with.

watch the transit posts in real time to have the best guide through your week. want a little more? have a look at my patreon or ko-fi.

check out my etsy for a private reading or fill out this form to set up a reading through venmo, cashapp, or paypal.

[mama-qwerty]

Innocence

Okay, this was meant as the first chapter of a story that follows Knuckles as he leaves his village and travels the galaxy, leading up to his arrival on the mushroom planet and into the second movie.

And, being me, I'm not sure it'll ever really get done, but the first chapter can fit the Innocence prompt for @year-of-the-echidna, so I'mma post it. I may work on more chapters, but we'll see.

~~~

Age 6

His tribe marched, eager to face the owl warrior who held the location of the Master Emerald. They would make it tell them where it was, and they would retrieve it, restoring the echidna their honor that was lost so long ago.

His father had left him behind, claiming today was not the day he would bring honor to their people. The boy had been disappointed, but had done as his father wished. He stayed in the village, with the few elders who were too old and frail to fight. Too sick to carry a spear.

The illness that had claimed his mother a few seasons ago now resided within their lungs. He heard that same rattle when they coughed. Saw how it sapped their strength. Their life. This sickness seemed to appear more often in recent years, claiming a few of the older and weaker members of the tribe each winter.

Some of the elders spoke of this illness as a curse, leveled upon them by the god Chaos for the behavior of their ancestors. It prevented eggs from growing properly, dramatically lowering the birthrate for the clan. He had been the only egg hatched in a long time, and his birth had heralded a celebration. A healthy puggle, finally. He had become the clan’s child, one who was cherished and cared for by all.

But his parents had loved him most. And this illness that had taken any possible playmates from him had also claimed his beloved mother.

Now, as he looked upon the fading elders, he was reminded of how his mother looked those last few weeks. Pale and hollow. Barely able to lift her hand to stroke his muzzle in the way he liked, the way that soothed his panicked heart.

His own hand rose to stroke it now.

It brought no comfort.

The village seemed so big without the warriors. Without his father. So empty. As the last puggle hatched in many years, he had no friends to play with to pass the time. No siblings. So he wandered into the forest near the village. He knew these trees like the back of his hand, where the very beginnings of his knuckle spurs were starting to grow. They itched sometimes, and he absently scratched now as he moved to the spot he and his mother had sat at many times before the gods called her home.

A small clearing among some towering trees. The grass, usually worn flat from their many excursions to this little haven, had begun to recover, and now stood almost knee high to him. The sight filled him with a newfound grief for his mother. It was if they had never been here. As if she had never been here. The signs of their time together, spent learning bird calls and the ways of nature, all but erased.

He tried not to think about it.

Turning to one tree to his left, he dug his claws in and scaled it in a few quick bounds. It was his favorite climbing tree, and it bore the scars of his claws from countless ascensions. Nestling into the crook of a branch, the wood worn smooth from the familiarity of the movement, he settled against the trunk, eyes flicking across the forest surrounding him. He could see in all directions from this vantage, and imagined himself fighting enemies like his father. Watching them approach to pounce on them from above, defeating them with ease.

One day. One day he would be a great warrior. The best the village had ever seen. The best the whole island had ever seen. No, the world. The whole universe.

He would make his father proud. He would bring honor to his tribe and his family.

The boy settled onto the branch, lacing his fingers together to rest his hands on his belly. He stared up through the canopy above him, the sun filtering softly through the breaks in the leaves. The day was warm, but the shadowed forest provided a cool respite.

His eyes grew heavy, and he soon fell into a light doze as he waited for his father to return victorious.

~X~X~X~

The boy opened his eyes. They burned from tears, his muzzle still soggy from the ones he’d shed before finally passing out from exhaustion.

He pushed himself up into a sitting position, wiping his eyes with the heels of trembling hands. It was night, fairly late if he wasn’t mistaken. The remnants of a fire smoldered in the hearth of his home, the slowly dying embers a dark orange.

He wished it had been a nightmare. A bad dream he could push away, shake off like water after a swim.

A quick glance to his right told him otherwise.

One of the village elders sat slumped against the far wall. Soft, wet snores floated to him, and the old woman held his training spear in her hands. She had taken it from him when they’d received the news, and he had wanted to rush off to join the battle that had long been lost.

They were gone. The warriors.

His father.

He’d been asleep in his tree when he’d heard the yelling. Fearing he’d missed the victorious return of his tribe, he hurried back to the village, only to discover that what he had mistaken for celebratory cheers were instead pain filled cries of the few warriors who’d managed to return. They were battered and beaten, their wounds severe and fatal.

The elders had tried to steer him away, but he skirted their attempts and listened, eyes wide, as the fading warriors told of what happened.

It had been a slaughter.

The tribe had cornered the owl, who had sent a small blue hedgehog—obviously her apprentice—through a portal ring. They had tried to subdue her, get her to reveal the Master Emerald’s location, but she had refused. A battle ensued, one that was more fierce than the echidna were expecting. The owl seemed to have more fight left in her than anticipated.

One by one, the warriors fell. Every injury they inflicted upon the owl was returned two-fold. Even now, the warriors dying by her talons admitted she fought bravely. But she was one, and they were many, and by the time she’d taken out the last few, her own injuries proved too severe. She finally crumpled to the ground, and lay dead among the echidna she’d ended.

The boy stood motionless for a moment, not wanting to believe it.

No. No, his father was alive. Merely hurt, that’s all. Some big stupid owl couldn’t kill him, he was the greatest warrior their tribe had ever known!

As tears brimmed in his eyes, he’d ran back to his home, snatching up his mask and spear. He was going to help his father. It wasn’t too late. It couldn’t be too late. He couldn’t be gone, he couldn’t be.

But the elder currently snoring in the corner of his home had stopped him, grabbing his arm with a surprising strength. He’d fought her, tried to escape, but couldn’t remove her hand. He yelled at her, ordered her to release him. Begged her to let him go. He had to help his father. His father needed him, couldn’t she see that?

Her grip did not loosen. Her eyes were kind. Pitying. Sorrowful.

That went straight into his chest, causing it to tighten to an almost painful degree. His struggles increased and he screamed at her to let him go. Please. Please. Let him go. He needed to see his father.

Her grip stayed firm.

And after a moment more of struggle, he let out a long, painful wail, and fell to his knees to cry.

He didn’t want to. Warriors didn’t cry. He was a warrior, like his father. His father wouldn’t cry.

Except that wasn’t true.

When his mother had passed, his father had cried. He had held his son, wiping the tears from the boy’s muzzle as his own trickled down. Had tried to soothe the boy’s aching heart, that had felt like a piece had been torn from it when his mother had taken her last breath.

His father had cried, then. His own heart breaking for his lost love.

And so the boy cried now. Because he wasn’t a warrior. Not yet. He was a child who’d just lost his only remaining parent. And his heart felt like it was torn in half.

The elder who’d stopped him had held him then, gathering him up into her arms and holding him tight. He released his grief, letting the tears roll down his muzzle, gripping her tunic in his fists. Great sobs shook his chest, and he hiccuped in stuttering, shaky breaths until his grief stole his energy, dragging him down into the restless sleep of mourning.

Now he stood, walking toward the door. He considered taking his spear back, but didn’t want to wake the old woman.

The night was cool, and he stood in the middle of his village, his face turned up to the moon. It was a crescent tonight, much like the white patch of fur on his chest. The elders had been excited when they’d seen that after his hatching, his father had told him. They believed it was a good omen from the gods.

His lip pulled in a little snarl at that. Good omen. It didn’t seem to offer him much luck. The only child born in nearly a decade, orphaned at six years old, and one of the few remaining echidna left in possibly the universe. They had not had any word from the other clans in a long time, and for all they knew, the Nuk’les clan was the last.

He took a deep breath, letting it out slowly. Tears burned his throat, and he swallowed them down. A knot lodged in his chest, the tight feeling making it hard to breathe. He lifted a hand to massage it, as though that may loosen the tension.

Gone. His father was gone. He would never learn to be a great warrior now. Never make his father proud. Never fight beside him in battle. Never earn his true name.

The boy gave a soft huff at that thought. Echidna weren’t given a name after they hatched. At least, not their final name. Instead they’re given a kind of nickname that stayed with them until they were old enough to earn a name that suited them, and reflected their importance and place in the tribe.

His father had been Chikuy’lotli, which meant ‘strong heart’. The boy’s current name was Teptsi’metli, meaning ‘little moon’, chosen because of the mark on his chest. He likely would have earned his true name after his first battle, when he had proven himself to his brothers-in-arms.

But that would never happen now. He was alone. No one to stand for him in their rituals. No one to mark him with his new name. There were so few of them left now, most of them old and injured.

The owls hadn’t just stolen the Master Emerald from them all those years ago. They’d also taken his entire family. His heritage. What was he supposed to do now?

The tears returned, slipping down his muzzle unnoticed.

~X~X~X~

A month had passed since that fateful battle.

The injured warriors had succumbed to their wounds two days later. He had helped the elders bury them, and done the tribe’s death ritual. They had honored the rest of the fallen as well, casting prayers and sacred blessings to guide their souls to the Great Battleground in the Sky. The elders sent up an extra prayer for the boy’s parents to watch over him, and help him be strong.

The boy swallowed hard, trying to hold back the tears that stubbornly tried to escape.

After that day, he didn’t speak much. The elders watched over him, tried to care for him, but he distanced himself. He heard their coughs, how they became worse as the days went on.

And when the first elder died not long after, he helped with that death ritual as well.

Over that next month, the boy’s life became about death.

Three elders remained. He tended to them as well as he could, but he was a child, and struggling to care for himself. But he tried. He brought them food and water. Kept their fires burning at night. Made the medicinal potions his mother had taught him.

He cared for them, just as they had cared for him and the rest of the tribe.

And he buried them when they could no longer fight the illness that had taken root inside them.

And now, the boy stood in the middle of his village once more. He looked around himself, and the quiet weighed on him like a physical thing. There was no training. No singing. No chores being done, no cooking going on. No laughter, no chatting, no stories.

No life.

He was alone.

A six year old boy. The last of the echidna.

He wanted to cry. To just collapse to his knees and drop his face into his hands and weep. He missed them all so much. His parents. The other warriors, who had let him copy their moves as they trained, even though his father said he was too young. The women who’d let him help with the cooking and told him the stories of their people.

His tribe. His family.

Gone.

He wouldn’t let himself cry. He wouldn’t dishonor their memory in such a way. He was a warrior now, the only one left to carry on their ways. Their teachings.

He swallowed down the tears, trying to focus on what to do next.

The quest. His people’s quest, that had driven them for generations. It must be completed. The honor of his people must be restored.

And he was the only one left to do it.

Taking a deep breath, the boy let it out slowly as he focused only on what his next steps were. The owl was dead, and as far as he knew, all the owls were dead. So what did that leave? Who else knew about the Master Emerald’s location?

The hedgehog.

He needed to find where the owl had sent the hedgehog. If he found that blue hedgehog, then he could get it to talk. Tell him where the Emerald was, so he could get it and restore his people’s honor. He was the last. It was his destiny to finish the quest begun so long ago.

With a little nod, the boy began to gather a pack with food, water, and the tribe’s supply of rings. Donning his wooden mask, and with spear in hand, he took one last look at his village before turning and throwing a ring.

The portal opened with a woosh, and he stared at the window leading to another planet. He didn’t have anywhere specific in mind when he’d thrown it, just an idea of ‘somewhere else’.

The last child of the Nuk’les tribe took a deep breath, standing tall and pulling his shoulders back.

And then he stepped through the portal, leaving his empty village behind forever.

[svsssbestiaryzine]

SVSSS Bestiary Zine FAQ

The sign ups have been open for a week now, and here are some of the most common questions we’ve been asked! 

Can I be both a writer and an artist? 

In short, hopefully! As we receive more sign ups this project gets larger and a bit more complicated for us to manage so, going off of the previous post addressing this question- 

Everyone who signs up is committing to making at least one piece for the zine, we ask that you pick a role (writer, artist, or otherwise) based on what you feel most comfortable working with and are certain you will be able to complete. 

Once your main contribution is done you are free to ask a mod about changing your role to start on another piece!

However, please see the following question for more information about multiple pieces. 

Is there a limit to how many pieces we can contribute? 

Tentatively yes, but the exact number we are unsure of. With there being multiple things each role can do, we want to allow for creators to make what they want but ensure that everyone gets their time to shine with their work being shown in the zine. So artists can potentially do a bestiary page, bonus content piece, as well as fic art. Writers can potentially write both journal entries and a fic. 

However, in the start of the creating process you will be clarifying what your main contribution will be, and after that there will most likely be a period (after X check-in) where secondary or following pieces will then be allowed to be started. 

What is the process for picking the creatures for the bestiary? 

There will be a form for submitting ideas after everyone joins the discord server and is accounted for. There, you will determine your role and what your main contribution will be and which part of the zine you want that piece to be for (Main zine or Nsfw). 

For artists, there are two options-

In the next part there will be a section of the form where you will submit short descriptions of your creature idea. (ex. Name: Three winged cerulean tortoise. Details: tortoise based creature with wings that lives in deep water.) 

There will be 6 locations (human realm, demon realm-gen, demon realm-northern desert, demon realm-southern realm, borderlands, the endless abyss) you can submit one idea to each location, but are only required to do a minimum of three. Having a spread of locations helps us make sure that there is a good variety of creatures. 

After this form, the mods will be going through to make sure there isn’t too much overlap with other people’s monsters. Then to start the creation period the mods will be assigning participants one of their submitted ideas to work on. 

If you do not have ideas or would like to be surprised, you will have the option to be randomly paired with a writer that has ideas to prompt you. 

For writers, two options as well-

If you have ideas you will submit them like mentioned above for artists. 

If you do not have ideas or would like to be surprised, you will have the option to be randomly paired with an artist and their idea to write for. 

Because we know that a lot of people have ideas, we want to make sure that those can be shared, but we ask that creators for bestiary pages be open to doing other people’s ideas for pairing purposes.

 

How will artists and writers be paired? 

Pairing will be prioritized between people who have an idea + want to do someone else's idea. After we pair off writers and artists for the bestiary pages this way, we will see who is left over and ask if anyone with similar ideas wants to collaborate. If there are people left after that, then we will ask if the remaining creators would be willing to drop their idea for a secondary piece to be matched for a first piece. (This is also where pinch hitters could come into play.)

Can I create using original monsters from my previous works? 

As long as they are your original creations, yes of course! There will be a section of the form for you to submit the related works for us to double check. 

Can I create in mediums other than digital art? 

Of course! If you are planning to make something for a bestiary page entry you need to ensure you can edit it to be a clean png to be put on a bestiary page, otherwise you can talk with a mod about it being a bonus content piece. 

Can I sign up as a back-up or pinch hit creator? 

Yes! Leave a note at the end of your sign-up that you would like to pinch hit and select the role that matches your skillset (Or add an additional note with the pitch hit note if you would like to do both art or writing) then the mods can give you a pinch hit role in the discord server when it opens. 

[dramaticallytotal]

TDWT Headcanons Pt. 8

Idea Post Part One Last Part

• Chris did provide jackets for everyone in the Yukon. Just because he didn't want to be sued again and he knew Courtney was itching to do so. Definitely not for his anemic kid- anemic assistant.

• Chris and Chef also provided board and card games for the kids for downtime or in between shoots as they know bored kids and dangerous kids. Plus, Izzy makes up most of that danger if bored, which means they have to include Monopoly since that is her favorite game.

• Noah's not allowed to play blackjack since he can count cards.

• Clue is a popular game to play amongst the kids, and because there are so many of them, they tend to team up. Noah and Izzy aren't allowed to team up anymore. Neither are Heather and Leshawna.

• Alejandro doesn't want to admit that he loves game days because it was something he never got to do in his family, but he really loves it. He's was only allowed to play chess, checkers, go, and the like. (He gets really excited to know Noah, Heather, and Cody play go they also play chess along with Courtney).

• Hide and Seek is another popular game they all play, and though Courtney and Heather like to pretend they're too mature for it, they end up the most competitive on finding people and hiding. Izzy, Noah, Leshawna, and Cody are almost always the last ones to be found. Alejandro loves the game but also has a hard time with it because José used to pretend they were playing hide and seek and then just leave Alejandro hiding for hours.

• Harold has hosted DnD campaigns for some of the cast between Action and World Tour. The common players are Noah, Cody, Owen, Leshawna, Heather, Beth, Lindsay, and Trent.

• Lindsay carries emergency lip gloss and chapstick with her at all times. Not just for herself! For everyone. No one knows where she hides them all. She even assigned specific scents/flavors to people. Everyone found this out in Yukon when she screamed about chapped lips.

• Even though she is pretending to not know who Tyler is, she makes sure to give him his favorite chapstick: Cake Batter.

• The kids are constantly quoting vines, and it leaves Chris and Chef really confused and done.

• Example:

Cody, seeing a road work ahead sign when they are staying at a hotel: "Road work ahead?"

All the contestants' heads popped up from their seats of the bus they rented.

Chef driving looks at Chris who looks baffled: "Uh yeah."

Chris: "Have you guys seriously never seen those signs before? It means-"

All the contestants in perfect unison: "Uh, yeah. I sure hope it does."

Chris and Chef looking at the contestants then at each other: -_-

• The contestants are allowed to change up their outfits in episodes as long as they consist of the pieces of clothing they were wearing when they got introduced. So, for example, Noah can take off any of his shirts as long as he's wearing at least one that everyone knows is part of his signature outfit. Izzy sometimes uses her skirt wrap as a shawl. Lindsay has convertible boots where she can switch out the height of her heel/different style of heel.

• Gwen makes sure to get a postcard everywhere they stop to give to her Nana after the show is over.

• Ezekiel has a room in the crew part of the ship, but there's a camera pointed at the cargo hold door with a motion sensor alarm for him to know if someone goes in. It's so he can sneak down and make some noise to freak someone out and to sell the whole "feral" plot.

• Tyler, despite being basically supernaturally clumsy, is actually a really good cheer leader. In fact, he is on his school's cheer team.

• In the London challenge, Noah was the one to distract the corgis....well more like they distracted him and everyone watching is baffled when Noah pulls out a bag of dog treats that should not have fit in his utility belt. The corgis fell in love with him, and instead of Owen putting them in a sack, they followed Noah out like ducklings.

• Owen, being more of a little shit when Duncan starts being buddy buddy with him, convinces the punk that if they want to stay on Alejandro's good side to call him Al. Later in the confessional, Owen just smiled maniacally and cackled.

• When Noah was eliminated, he did fall into the lake like in canon kind of. Each time a contestant jumps out, there is almost always a body of water, a landing pad, or something to help break their fall with or without a parachute. They always make it seem like they fell from higher up if it's a stunt with no parachute. So, thankfully, Noah hit the mat, but he hit the side and promptly slipped off into the eel infested lake.

• Luckily, he wasn't fully submerged and quickly got but not before he was attacked by one eel. It leaped out of the water and hit his leg. It was more of a graze, really, considering he was actively getting out of the lake. It wasn't terrible, but he still had to go to the hospital

• The kids also hella quote SpongeBob.

• First class does have a TV. But there are so many parental locks on that thing.

• Heather is getting really sick and tired of Alejandro's big obvious crush on Noah. She's trying her best to keep him focused on getting...ew...aleheather to happen for the cameras. She wants her promised bonus for it. But she also wants her friend back. So she wants this whole thing to be a speed run because it's breaking her that Noah won't even look at her anymore. She knows why, god she knows, but she hates it.

• If you have a deal with Chris or the network, you are not allowed to reveal it under any circumstances during the duration of the show with the penalty of doing so being immediate disqualification and a penalty fee.

• Which is why she can't tell Noah about her deal, but the distance between them hurts. It started when he confessed to Heather that he may have had a small, very small crush on Alejandro. Then, she had been told the producers wanted the flirting between her and Alejandro more present in the next episode. She did it, but she saw how betrayed Noah looked at her.

• Next thing she knew, he was eliminated.

• Gwen started to hide her sketchbook because she started drawing Trent a lot more like when they were dating, and she's afraid someone will see it and start to think they'd start throwing challenges again for something as simple as her still liking her ex.

• The fake "pregnancy" scandal Blaineley announced about Tyler was actually him trying on the 9-month baby belly they have for health class to see if he could bend down and sit down with as much ease as his buddies thought. (His parents sued Celebrity Manhunt for spreading false and demeaning information about him).

• And someone did die after cooking a recipe from DJ and his Momma's show, "Momma's Heaping Healthy," but it wasn't because of the calories, carbs, or cholesterol, or anything like that. It was because the person who made it didn't substitute an ingredient that someone from their family was allergic to, and the person ate the food at a family reunion. The person who served it tried to blame DJ and his Momma's recipe, but that didn't hold up, so he tried to sue them for not including substitute options. It's a very messy situation since some saw what was going on and decided to sue the mother & son duo for their excessive weight gain. Then, more people jumped on the smoking train and started claiming their food was the cause of multiple problems.

• DJ and his Momma used a lot of money to pay lawyers. They're not homeless, just a little low on funds at the moment. DJ wants to win to get them back the money they spent on lawyers but to also open a restaurant with his mom instead of the show. With a restaurant, they would have more insurance with bogus claims like the ones they were dealing with.

• Owen's ad for the Bellybuster 5000 was a satire commercial he did for a comedy show.

• The only true things Blainley reported were the raccoon adoption between Courtney and Duncan, Heather's weight gain, and the subsequent back and forth she and Gwen went through, and the Total Drama Brothers' split.

• It was because of the lies and the angry parents suing her and Celebrity Manhunt about them, plus the treatment of the interns was real, and they sued too. Also it was aired on live TV... Everyone saw it, and a lot of people were appalled. This is some of the reasons she was fired from Celebrity Manhunt.

• Leshawna didn't actually knock a tooth out of Heather, but they did fight in Germany, which resulted in them getting into each other's faces and Leshawna slapping Heather hard. She hadn't meant to do it so hard, but Chris took her aside and said the majority of the viewers missed her and Heather fighting, and he would pay her a large sum to amp up any fight they had. They had had small spats here and there because of Alejandro, but the one in Germany was the worst because Heather brought up something she had told her in confidence, which resulted in the slap.

• Alejandro is so whipped. He practically melts when he's the chosen cuddle buddy for the night. He secretly wishes that he was the only cuddle buddy, I mean, it makes sense! They fit so well together, and plus he runs hot and Noah is always cold, and they help regulate each other.

• Noah gave up trying not to cuddle with anyone once Izzy let it out that he's already been filmed cuddling almost everyone. He wasn't happy at all, but he knew it would keep happening, so he made a list of those he is okay cuddling.

• Him adding Alejandro is purely strategic shut up.

Next Part

[icewindandboringhorror]

It's always interesting to hear about people's weird/unexpected "alternate life paths". Like, something that you could have done with your life, a job you almost took, a school you almost went to, etc - that was still actually realistic enough that it could have happened, but NOW it seems to not suit your current personality.

Like for example, I currently hate advertising (how manipulative it is, brands trying to be 'relatable', social media amplifying it to an obnoxious extreme, etc.) so much that even seeing a little ad before a youtube video is grating to even witness, but there was a point in time where I was genuinely seriously considering going into marketing/making commercials as a career lol. Or like, I have a relative who was very inclined to be a pastor when they were younger, even though today they're a super strong atheist, etc. etc.

[faeriefully]

I believe I am beginning to realize something about myself… I do not know what a healthy amount of work is for a person

[inmirova]

In an ideal world, it would be a program for Deaf teachers, the government could even put it under vocational rehab if they wanted to! Unfortunately, even some Deaf schools don't employ many Deaf teachers and a lot of teaching jobs end up going to interpreters or just hearing & non-signing people instead. But you're right and I love what you said, we can hope 🩷

idk man. i just think itd be really cool if sign language classes were mandatory throughout primary school. yeah because it would make communication with deaf kids and autistic/nonverbal kids much easier. and those kids would be accessible to the others so they cold make friends and have healthy relationships. yeah. and kids would eat that shit up man. like their own little secret language? they love that.

[foldingfittedsheets]

Mattresses, unbeknownst to many, are a lot like cars. Every year new ones roll out, they’re always tweaking and innovating and you’ll never find the same one you loved decades ago when buying a new one.

Where I sold mattresses had a three month return or exchange program for this reason. New beds take a while to break in, and they’re a big expense. Your body is used to the old one. So we made sure people were loving it. If a bed got returned we’d take it back, sanitize and clean it, then sell it again on clearance.

To sell these we always had to disclose what clearance meant to customers, and they had to sign that they knew what they were getting. (FYI, not every company is as… forthright about the used bed situation)

In clearance we had beds that were floor models, we had returns, and more rarely we had old models whose line had been discontinued. These clearance beds were always final sale, so a bed could only be sold twice.

Now, the manager at the store I was working at had realized a vital fact. Clearance beds in the warehouse didn’t sell, especially old models that salespeople weren’t familiar with. And even more especially in odd sizes, like twin extra longs. So he set up a split king on the showroom floor to exhibit clearance beds, pulling all those forgotten twin extra longs out onto the showroom.

Almost all of these were brand new discontinued models. Beds I’d never learned in training were exhumed to be displayed. The manufacturers had moved on to new lines and they’d been left behind. Why would he take such in interest in selling old stock, you might wonder? Because we made double commission on the sales margin of clearance beds, and if we’d had a bed long enough they dropped the cost in the system so it was a fucking cash cow to sell these. Even with huge discounts the commissions were wonderful so it was a win win.

When I got started I was jazzed about this program, I was so on board to sell weird old brand new beds and make a ton of money. I had a wonderful older couple come in, looking for a split king adjustable set. This was a white whale sale.

The current clearance models on the floor were a latex mattress that was brand new despite being of an age to start first grade, and a tempurpedic floor model. The couple laid down and it was like magic. They each loved the bed they’d laid down on. They wanted to buy the whole shebang.

I. Was. Thrilled. I told them about the clearance program and what that meant, and they weren’t bothered in the least. I wrote up the sale then dashed into the back, fizzing with excitement to tell my manager what I’d done.

“You sold the death bed?!” He asked in delight.

I pulled up short, my smile freezing in place. “What…?”

“Didn’t you check the notes?”

I hesitated for a long beat then slowly shook my head. You see, dear reader, all beds had a personal history. Every clearance bed had logs written up by the person who took the return, as well as warehouse crew after sanitizing. It helped us know what to expect when selling them. “Wasn’t it just a floor model? You said it was a floor model…”

He slowly shook his head. I checked the notes.

It turned out, it had been sold as a floor model. The first time. But the company had made an exception and taken it back as a return two months later. Why? Because it’s owner had passed away.

I stared at the computer in horror and my manager shrugged. “They signed the clearance form. Technically it was a floor model.”

“We know for a fact that a man died in that bed!”

“What they don’t know can’t haunt them,” he said philosophically.

The man came back a week later for more sheets, utterly delighted to tell me how well they were sleeping. I clamped my teeth down around the secret of the deathbed, choosing to let them love their new bed without the stigma. Only one person would be haunted by that deathbed, and it was me.

[slogthor]

Re the rehabilitated alt right people thing- that’s the way it always is. I’m not trying to educate anyone on the subject I think you should look it up yourself but formerly radicalized people who are part of hate groups and remove themselves have like. Seems like fuckin lifelong struggles with not being racist. Self reported. Oops I had a wretched thought again my bad I relapsed on my racism addiction

[thoughtportal]

Opinion Here’s how to get free Paxlovid as many times as you need it

When the public health emergency around covid-19 ended, vaccines and treatments became commercial products, meaning companies could charge for them as they do other pharmaceuticals. Paxlovid, the highly effective antiviral pill that can prevent covid from becoming severe, now has a list price of nearly $1,400 for a five-day treatment course.

Thanks to an innovative agreement between the Biden administration and the drug’s manufacturer, Pfizer, Americans can still access the medication free or at very low cost through a program called Paxcess. The problem is that too few people — including pharmacists — are aware of it.

I learned of Paxcess only after readers wrote that pharmacies were charging them hundreds of dollars — or even the full list price — to fill their Paxlovid prescription. This shouldn’t be happening. A representative from Pfizer, which runs the program, explained to me that patients on Medicare and Medicaid or who are uninsured should get free Paxlovid. They need to sign up by going to paxlovid.iassist.com or by calling 877-219-7225. “We wanted to make enrollment as easy and as quick as possible,” the representative said.

Indeed, the process is straightforward. I clicked through the web form myself, and there are only three sets of information required. Patients first enter their name, date of birth and address. They then input their prescriber’s name and address and select their insurance type.

All this should take less than five minutes and can be done at home or at the pharmacy. A physician or pharmacist can fill it out on behalf of the patient, too. Importantly, this form does not ask for medical history, proof of a positive coronavirus test, income verification, citizenship status or other potentially sensitive and time-consuming information.

But there is one key requirement people need to be aware of: Patients must have a prescription for Paxlovid to start the enrollment process. It is not possible to pre-enroll. (Though, in a sense, people on Medicare or Medicaid are already pre-enrolled.)

Once the questionnaire is complete, the website generates a voucher within seconds. People can print it or email it themselves, and then they can exchange it for a free course of Paxlovid at most pharmacies.

Pfizer’s representative tells me that more than 57,000 pharmacies are contracted to participate in this program, including major chain drugstores such as CVS and Walgreens and large retail chains such as Walmart, Kroger and Costco. For those unable to go in person, a mail-order option is available, too.

The program works a little differently for patients with commercial insurance. Some insurance plans already cover Paxlovid without a co-pay. Anyone who is told there will be a charge should sign up for Paxcess, which would further bring down their co-pay and might even cover the entire cost.

Several readers have attested that Paxcess’s process was fast and seamless. I was also glad to learn that there is basically no limit to the number of times someone could use it. A person who contracts the coronavirus three times in a year could access Paxlovid free or at low cost each time.

Unfortunately, readers informed me of one major glitch: Though the Paxcess voucher is honored when presented, some pharmacies are not offering the program proactively. As a result, many patients are still being charged high co-pays even if they could have gotten the medication at no cost.

This is incredibly frustrating. However, after interviewing multiple people involved in the process, including representatives of major pharmacy chains and Biden administration officials, I believe everyone is sincere in trying to make things right. As we saw in the early days of the coronavirus vaccine rollout, it’s hard to get a new program off the ground. Policies that look good on paper run into multiple barriers during implementation.

Those involved are actively identifying and addressing these problems. For instance, a Walgreens representative explained to me that in addition to educating pharmacists and pharmacy techs about the program, the company learned it also had to make system changes to account for a different workflow. Normally, when pharmacists process a prescription, they inform patients of the co-pay and dispense the medication. But with Paxlovid, the system needs to stop them if there is a co-pay, so they can prompt patients to sign up for Paxcess.

Here is where patients and consumers must take a proactive role. That might not feel fair; after all, if someone is ill, people expect that the system will work to help them. But that’s not our reality. While pharmacies work to fix their system glitches, patients need to be their own best advocates. That means signing up for Paxcess as soon as they receive a Paxlovid prescription and helping spread the word so that others can get the antiviral at little or no cost, too.

{source}

[reignpage]

The Other Woman

Pt 1, Pt 2, Pt 3

The doctors and psychologists said it’d be great for your husband’s well-being to be with friends and family. And for the most part, that’s proven true. 

Insisting on welcoming Satoru back properly, his students organised a party and invited anyone who had a remote connection with their teacher. Even Nanami had taken time off from work to be here and had given a polite pat on his shoulder and a genuine greeting. 

That brought a huge smile to the white-haired man who pounced on the poor guy without remorse, giggling about how he knew he ‘always liked him really’. It felt great to watch him be surrounded by and showered with so much love and support, the kind he deserves; you could tell it was bringing life back to him. After all, it must have been painful for him to have been cooped up in the house trying to reconcile his new reality with the one he remembers. 

You keep reminding yourself of that. 

Satoru needs this. 

He needs normalcy. The normal he remembers, the normal he went to sleep thinking about and not the one he had suddenly woken up to, years passing him by. 

Everyone knows this. He knows this. Just as you do. 

So why is every person in the party sneaking you pitying and concerned glances?

Sure, no one could possibly think this is easy for you, to be the stranger that Satoru still gets surprised to see in the morning. The one he hesitates to say goodnight to, unsure of the boundaries, the etiquette, the right thing to do. He sometimes forgets to text you if he’s going out, shocked and annoyed, you’re sure, to see the many missed calls and messages from you. And you know he studies the picture frames all over your house like a textbook that would give him all the answer he needs.

All he gets, you’re willing to bet, is the realisation that you’re both the tether he needs to keep grounded, that guides him through the sea of memories he cannot touch, and the leash that binds him to a role he doesn’t remember signing up for. 

Are they looking at you with worry because of the inevitable toll this sudden shift has taken on your mental health or because your husband is talking to his ex-girlfriend the way he used to talk to you?

It can’t be the latter, right?

Because there’s nothing to be worried about. 

Satoru is simply catching up, trying to stitch up the crater-sized hole in his memory with a familiar face. There’s no reason for your hand to shake as you sip your drink or for your eyes to keep darting back over to them, sat alone at a table like they’re the only people in here. 

He’s laughing, throwing his head back and making that obnoxious cackle you love to hear. Loved. Because this one isn’t for you. It’s for her. The woman he shouldn’t be near, the woman he shouldn’t even think about, shouldn’t let touch his arm. 

You’re the wife. 

You’ve got the ring to prove it. 

He’s wearing it. Just not on the hand attached to the arm strung over the back of her chair like he’s protecting her from the rest of the world. Hell, maybe he is. Maybe his infinity is on and covering her. But you don’t have it in you to throw something at them to find out. Either result would be just as humiliating as the other. 

There’s nothing to be done. 

You can’t interrupt. 

Because Satoru needs to know what he said goodbye to all those years ago to know what he says ‘hey, pretty lady’ and ‘good morning, gorgeous’ to now. Or used to say. Now, you’re lucky if he even looks at you without shuffling his feet. 

Eventually, the night draws to its natural end. 

People bid their farewells twice, once to him and her, and then to you. Each time breaks your heart even more until you feel it crumble inside, little shards falling to pieces he won’t pick up. She stands before you, a small, shy smile, like she knows what she’s done. And says it’s ‘lovely to meet you’, and of course you can’t say it back. 

Not when you had been introduced by your name, ‘my beautiful wife’ going nowhere near the tip of his tongue as if those words had never been uttered by your husband. And not when she had been introduced in a hastily withdrawn, stuttered freudian slip of hell. 

“This is my girlfr— Sorry, I mean, my friend. From high school. Yeah, high school.”

Satoru blushes, scratching the back of his neck awkwardly as he waves goodbye to her. And you can tell he finds the act lacklustre, an uninspired, unnatural way to say goodbye to the woman you woke up to and slept beside. 

“Did you have a good time?”

He nods, a soft smile playing on his lip as he casts his gaze across the room, sweeping by the empty hall like he can still see every single person that came. “It was nice to see everyone and catch up.”

You’re thankful he doesn’t ask if you enjoyed the evening because you can’t lie to him but you also can’t tell the truth, can’t burden him anymore with the reminder that he doesn’t fill the shoes of your husband, that he continues to stumble with every step, dragging you down with him. 

So, instead, you fill the silence with a question that is so harmless, so normal it slips out before you can even think to anticipate the devastating crack that goes through your very soul. 

“Ready to go home?”

Satoru nods.

But he’s looking at a seat in the back. 

A seat that’s probably still warm. A seat you could never fill because you aren’t the woman he thought, hoped, he would marry. 

You’re just the woman he did. 

[bumblebeerror]

Since people seem confused -

What Union Organized Protest Terms Mean and What You Should/Shouldn’t Do About Them

STRIKE:

Workers are in some way refusing to work all at once/in large numbers

Usually used to protest job conditions

Includes mass walk-out, showing up but refusing to do specific things, and showing up to picket the place of work

This tactic is used primarily to create pressure on corperations due to lost profits and damaged reputation - work not being done means consumers will refund orders, go elsewhere, or file complaints. Also raises awareness for the working conditions of the workplace, further damaging the company’s reputation.

It is also used to demonstrate the skill/value of said workers, as difficult to replace quickly enough to prevent losses.

Unless directed otherwise by the strike participants, you as a consumer carry on as normal, including buying from/business with the corporation, and responding accordingly (refunding your purchase, filing complaints) when the corporation fails to deliver due to the strike.

Your solidarity with the workers means listening to what their plan for the protest is and staying up to date, as those plans sometimes change.

BOYCOTT:

A call by unions/organized workers/political or social groups to avoid shopping/doing business with the corporation.

Can be done by many groups of people, is more often a CONSUMER based decision rather than one initiated by workers or unions

Usually in response to changes or policy the corporation makes that the group views as immoral ( supporting Israel, funding lobbyist groups for more lax business regulation, mistreating employees, opposing gay or trans people’s existence )

Is meant to show a corporation that their practices are costing them money and harming their reputation, and that their competition can and will scoop their consumer base up

If you agree with the group calling for the boycott, this signals that you should avoid shopping/doing business with said corporation.

SCAB:

A worker who is hired to replace a striking worker

Usually hired en masse once the strike is public, with very little vetting/interviewing/etc - getting bodies into workplaces.

Do not become a scab. A corporation may try to mislead you into believing your position is not a scab. They will not be up front. Be very wary of applying to jobs at corporations with active strikes

PICKET LINE:

A literal group of people, usually striking workers and sympathetic protesters, occupying the grounds around a business

Typically holding signs informing others of their grievances. Their aim is to turn you away from the business

If striking workers are involved, this is a strike that is calling for a boycott.

Don’t cross the picket line.

Listen to Organized Workers.

Strike =/= Boycott

[harmoonix]

Winter Observations ❄️

❄️ Saturn in late degrees or 3rd decan (20° to 29° degrees) is meant to finish a lesson in this lifetime. The lesson can be something unfinished from your past life

❄️ Capricorn Moons/10th house Moons have a hard time staying focused only on one thing. They want to do multiple things at once due to their multitasking power

❄️ Saturn in the 6th/8th or 12th house gets drained easily. Tiredness can be a problem for them. They need to maintain a balance between their work and some time for themselves

❄️ 2nd house placements may love to make gifts/spoil others with it. They also love to plan things for others like surprises, parties, etc

❄️ moon - jupiter aspects are gifted with wisdom and optimism. Somehow, it is hard for them to think badly upon a situation. Always keeping their heads up

❄️ Chiron in the 2nd house or Taurus may struggle with their worth/self - value. They can over criticize themselves. They may also struggle to love their bodies

❄️ Having Moon or Venus dominance in your chart shows that you're a very gentle and nice person. Also, don't let others take your nice personality in vain

❄️ a couple who shares the same chiron sign can share the same traumas/dark traits. Couple therapy can be a healing key for you

❄️ Sun in the 11th house can sometimes indicate being married multiple times during your lifetime. Kinda like J-LO reference (Mi gente latino💣)

❄️ Taylor Swift has both Moon and Chiron in Cancer, which can be a bit of a sign of 'making a song about every romantic experience you went through'

❄️ Those with Chiron x harsh Venus aspects have a hard time opening their feelings. Sometimes, these can indicate a fear of breakup or abandonment

❄️ Mercury in dark houses like 8th or 12th hosue can turn to be big snitches. Mercury tends to have a darker energy here, especially if also aspects Pluto

❄️ Aries in the 3rd/6th or 11th house can posses a violent nature when it comes to their talking. Basically, it tends to curse and talk dirty a lot

❄️ Virgo in the 8th or 12th house can be triggered by many things. Is like you live in permanent fear of something. They may also show lots of phobias

❄️ Someone with Virgo Chiron is definitely the therapist of their friends, family and even partner. People approach you so much when they need help

❄️ 1st house lord in the 4th or 6th houses have a very empathic/kind nature. They also tend to be quite nostalgic and very in tune with themselves

❄️ 10th hosue lord in the 11th house can becomes famous on internet before anything else. Is it like people will know you from social media

❄️ Aries Risings or Mars should find a career/job where they can take the leader position because it fits them so much. They can also work in fields where people may do lots of physical work

❄️ 3rd house placements, especially Venus/Mars/Moon, may have a passion for cars/motorcycles/bikes. Everything that has wheels

❄️ Leo Chrion is either a placement where the native seeks love and attention, either the placement where the native never got to experience these

❄️ Leo Jupiter has a lot of chances to become popular for their talents. It can be done in a creative field such as acting or drawing

❄️ Lots of ppl with Mercury in the 10th house tend to be remembered for their voices. It's like the voice you'll always remember, even after a long time

❄️ Venus in the 4th house can often get a spouse who can be the 'bread winner', basically a traditional family or a trad spouse as well

❄️ Venus and Moon in the 5th house can be good at flirting/taking the first step in a relationship. Head over heals energy

❄️ Mercury in the 6th house is a very active house for Mercury. Basically, communicating daily helps your mental health and mood. You may also worry a lot as a person

❄️ Idk why people romanticize possessive aspects in a relationship like pluto - venus/asc/mars. They're not okay unless you're in that situation..which I don't wish upon nobody

❄️ I wrote in the past about how I don't get along with cancer placements, I realized it was because most cancer people I knew were very controlling. Tbh with you, I never got the chance to meet good people with cancer placements

❄️ Lacking water placements in your chart can manifest in 2 ways:

Being hypersensitive, lacking the feeling of feeling love or closure

Being a cold person. Not showing your feelings to the world thinking that they see you as a weak/soft person

❄️ Pisces Risings always tell what's on their heart. They seem so genuine and nice even when you don't interact with them.

❄️ Moon in Scorpio or the 8th hosue can indicate intense inner feelings. Is hard for them to explain what they feel, and that's what can make them to be more private

❄️ Something that I observed within the moon in fire signs or fire houses 1st/5th/9th is that they get pissed off very easily. Is so easy for them to burst out and be angry/sad/moody

❄️ Jupiter in Cancer/Capricorn/Libra/Leo can experience a step family. Like step-dad, step-mom, step siblings, Jupiter can also give you things in excess ex: in Cancer/Leo, many family members

❄️ Jupiter in aspects with Lilith (all aspects), can indicate issues with hypersexuality. Like I said, Jupiter can give you things in excess. When aspecting Lilith, the desire for physical touch can be high

❄️🩵 Hope you all have a good winter season for the next 3 months!! Also early/late happy birthday for everyone born in the winter🙏🏼🥳

Harmoonix ❄️🩵🫶🏼 2024