#and I want to get you something meaningful.

[butts-bouncing-on-the-beltway]

These are great ideas! I'd love to reflect/expand on them a bit.

It's not particularly glamorous work but I think a lot about my various community clean up programs over the years. It started as a prison abolition and community-sanitation project. See, where I grew up, "cleaning up trash outside" was a conviction sentence. In CA, a huge deal of essential services are performed by un-/under-paid detained people with no rights or safety protections. This meant that you would drive down the highway on the school field trip bus and see literal chain gangs being overseen by prison staff. It was upsetting to say the least.

Several people in the community decided to branch out in their more specific advocacy for prison abolition and seek to disrupt the ability of the state to force detainees to provide these services. There were a lot of ways they did this, depending on the service, but for this, they went the route of "at least we can make this a "prison job" with nothing to actually do". The hope was it would discourage continued reliance on these people in more dangerous clean up locations like highway on ramps so at least they could be less likely to be injured. I was young, as were the organizers, and i'm really not sure how meaningful we actually were in that, but nonetheless the clean ups were a HUGE success.

Something we noticed is that when the environment is more welcoming and comfortable, people are more likely to spend time in it TOGETHER in community with each other. This ALONE would have been worth it to us because it helped us recruit and empower new volunteers for future clean ups, it helped us direct people to aid resources and orgs we worked with, and it eased interpersonal tensions in the community for everyone to be in regular contact with each other. So ever since, my goals for community work have been as follows:

1) physically bring people together in shared space for An Activity

For me, this is usually a community clean up project, a meal, managing a community garden, or kids' programming. I find that when people are sharing space with purpose it can make it easier for everyone to give each other that unconditional regard that's essential to sharing space with love and respect

2) always be the first one to get your hands in the work

If you organized it, then you better be the first one getting your hands dirty before a single one of your guests. Facilitation is all about smoothing over barriers that may prevent others from acting on their own power. You are not there to teach, to do on behalf of, or to lead. You are simply there to perform the work, and in order to facilitate that performance, you have arranged and ensured the presence of others willing to do the same. If you boss people around, they will get annoyed and stop coming. If people feel overly confused and uncertain, the work won't get done and folks will stop coming. So do the work. Talk to others about why you're doing what you're doing as its happening so they can learn if they want, and be willing to answer questions or offer suggestions without pressing the issue.

3) always make sure people feel that you are excited to have them there, even if they only come for the photo ops, if they only come once a year, or if they only come to hang with their friends, the work is the point but the work goes beyond the tasks being performed. Never alienate a potential ally for their current level of readiness to act because this readiness is inherently changeable based on timing and circumstance.

Some of my gardest working volunteers over the years have been people who basically just showed up, ate the food, and listened to us talk for YEARS before actually doing anything.

But they LISTENED. If I had made them feel unwelcome because they weren't participating in the ways I wanted at the pace I wanted, they would never have spent the time with us to hear what we had to say. Facilitation means that the door never closes, no matter how long someone drags their feet about getting started, because you have to assume that they wouldn't still be gearing up if they weren't eventually going to get around to it.

So what am I doing right now?

The land we live on uses trees as plot markers. We've been starting up conversations with our neighbors to the tune of "hey, could we add some fruit trees to the line? You would of course be welcome to the fryit same as us!"

I'm using my garden as a pilot test bed for neighborhood hurricane resilience landscaping. We live in wetlands and flood horribly during hurricanes, which historically has devastated the neighborhood. We've been introducing storm gardens and restoring the creek with the goal of reducing the severity of storm and flood damage. Ideally as more neighbors agree to work with us, we'll be able to reduce the risk of the neighborhood pretty substantially!

Food fridges are a huge benefit to communities, especially those whose food pantries choose to or are required to means test their applicants. Food fridges are hugely effective at reducing childhood food insecurity, and at reducing the medical risks of food instability in a region. The nearest food fridge program to us is a 4hr round trip drive though. Longterm, we hope to have a community garden and multiple locations willing to host a "fridge" with food from that garden, but for now we're on the scale of a neighborhood.

I'm starting a mending and tailoring business! I've got some lovely little business cards with a website and QR code, and they're gonna go up all over town in the new year. People can call and ask for help repairing favorite or essential clothing items, and can make full new purchases from recycled fabric garments, etc. I used to do a stitch and bitch in person and for a hot minute I tried to do one virtually, but I think I might do something similar again here! Give people a Q&A space to come learn about sewing or mending or other aspects of the work while I deal with my orders.

The neighborhood trashcan is a classic. I've had one plenty of times and its always worth it. People are usually happy to throw trash where it goes! Assuming it HAS anywhere to go. So I buy those enclosed park bins from restaurant supply places online and park them on the sidewalk with a little sign that says to use it. Practically overnight the area gets prettier and cleaner.

I've stopped using pesticides, and while I can't control what my neighbors do, I can talk to them about what I'm doing and why. As my garden establishes and really comes together, I expect to get people asking after it. That's always an opening for me to share HOW my results are so good - functional planting blueprints based on forest layering, reducing the introduction of harmful materials and chemicals, increasing local bio-diversity through intentional planting and cultivation of volunteer seedlings, supporting the plants via inter-species and intra-genus environmental function planning, etc. I have a lovely, healthy looking "lawn" in the dead of winter while theirs are drowning in fozen mud sludge because I worked WITH my environment instead of against it, and if they like my results, well I would be delighted to show them how I did it. Historically, this has been pretty effective for me in getting people on board.

My local craigslist free section is a glorious place. I can find people giving away decades old stores of craft supplies, recycled wooden shipping pallets and fire wood, chickens for the flock or for butchering, furniture or clothes, practically anything you like as long as you can come haul it. Right now, I just make a day of things, rent a little uhaul truck, and snag what I want, but eventually I want to have my own little pull behind hauling trailer so I don't even have to do that.

Did you know that you can buy clothes from the thrift store, alter and repair them, and then give them BACK to the thrift store? Now, granted, your work DOES need to actually be able to sell back to gen.pop., so depending on skill and what you're doing, this may not be a good plan lol. But I like being able to give a lot of plus size clothes to the thrift shop since I know they cycle faster, and it's pretty easy to take damaged or slightly marred straight size clothes and upsize them. Once when I was in high school I briefly had a deal with the local thrift shop that any donation clothes they received that could not be put on the shelves, I could have as long as I turned at least some of them into new garments they COULD sell. Got me a steady supply of recycled fabric I didn't have to pay for, got them an atypical garment supply source they could use to round out their stock. Another option for this is finding someone who sells fabric scrap by weight. There's a few shops I use that will send you 10lbs of fabric scrap for the cost of shipping, and that's a great way of getting inexpensive fabric stores for whatever I like.

Anyway, best of luck to anyone figuring out what they have room to do or room to facilitate in their lives. I believe in yall

How to begin a sustainable way of life

This is a draft of something I've been writing for a couple months. It is mainly focused on the culture of the USA. Feel free to repost or otherwise share, with or without credit.

Do not tell people what to do—help them do it! 

Give the gift of relief from being forced to engage in society’s unsustainable ways of life. 

“People need to eat more plant-based foods.” ->Talk about your favorite recipes, give others recipes, cook for them, and grow vegetables and plants in your garden and give them away as gifts. 

“People need to repair their clothes.” -> Offer to repair others’ clothes, and teach people how to repair their clothes. 

“People need to buy less clothes.” -> Give them old clothes that you don’t want, help them repair their clothes

“People need to buy less plastic stuff.” -> Learn to make things that can serve the same purpose, such as baskets, and give them as gifts. Let people borrow things you own so they don’t have to buy their own. 

“People need to stop using leafblowers and other gas-guzzling machinery.” -> Offer to rake the leaves. You can use them as compost in your own garden. 

“People need to be more educated about nature.”-> Learn about nature yourself. Tell people about nature. Be open about your love of creatures such as snakes, spiders, and frogs. Do not show awareness that this could be strange. You are not obligated to quiet down your enthusiasm for creepy crawlies to demonstrate awareness that it is weird. Point out at every opportunity how these animals are beneficial. 

“People need to use cars less.” -> Offer rides to others whenever you must go somewhere. Whenever you are about to go to the store, ask your neighbor or your friend who lives along the way, “Is there anything you need from the store?” 

You cannot control others’ behaviors, but you can free them from being controlled. 

If you think to yourself, “But this would be so difficult to do!” ask yourself WHY? Why does your society coerce you into less sustainable ways of living, forcing you to consume excessively? After thinking about this, consider that it is less simple and easy than you thought to make more sustainable choices, so why would you judge others for not doing it? 

Do not act alone—act with others! 

Environmentally friendly behaviors that can be done alone, without collaborating with or consulting another person, are the least powerful of all. Whenever an “environmentally friendly” behavior is suggested, figure out “How can I give this as a gift?” or “How can I make this possible on the level of a whole community?” 

“Personal choices” do not work because every single person has to make them individually. If you are focused on making your own personal choice, you are not focused on others. If you are not focused on others, you are not helping them. If nobody is helping each other, most people won’t be able to make the “personal choice.”

You inherently share an ecosystem with your neighbors  

            Start with your neighbors, the people physically close to you. You live on the same patch of land, containing roots from the same plants and trees. You can speak to them face to face without traveling, which means you can easily bring them physical things without using resources to travel. 

            Always talk to your neighbors and be friendly with them. Offer them favors unprompted and tell them about how your garden is doing. Do not be afraid to be annoying—a slightly annoying neighbor who is helpful, kind, and can be relied upon for a variety of favors or in times of need is a necessary and inevitable part of a good community. If you make the effort to be present in somebody’s life, they will have to put up with you on some occasions, but that is just life. We cannot rely on each other if we do not put up with each other. 

Simply spending time with someone influences them for good 

Every hour you spend outside with your neighbor is an hour your neighbor doesn’t spend watching Fox News. Every hour you spend talking with someone and interacting with them in the real world, eating real food and enjoying your real surroundings, is an hour you don’t spend only hearing a curated picture of what reality is like from social media. 

            Isolation makes it easy for people to become indoctrinated into extremist beliefs. When someone spends more time alone, watching TV, Youtube, or scrolling social media, than they do with others, their concept of what other people are like and what the world is like comes more from social media than real life. TV and online media are meant to influence you in a specific way. Simply restricting the access these influences have to yourself and others is helpful. 

A garden is the source of many gifts 

If you grow a garden, you can give your neighbors and friends the gift of food, plants, and crafted objects. This is one of the foundational ways to form community. When you give food, you provide support to others. When you give plants, you are encouraging and teaching about gardening. It is even better when you give recipes cooked from things you grew, or items crafted from things you grew. You can also give the gift of knowledge of how to grow these plants, cook these recipes, or craft these objects. 

More on gift-giving

            Some people are uncomfortable with receiving items or services as gifts. They want to feel like they are giving something back, instead of having obligation to return the favor hanging over them. 

            It can help to ask a simple favor that can be easily fulfilled. People generally like the feeling of helping someone else. 

When you give someone a gift, it can help to say something like “Oh, I have too many of this thing to take care of/store/eat myself! Do you think you could take some?” This makes your neighbor feel like they are helping you. 

When allowing others to borrow items, you might not get them back. Don’t worry about that. It just means the item found a place where it was needed the most. You can ask about the item if you think it might have been forgotten, and this can create an opportunity for a second meeting. But don’t press. 

If the person you give to insists upon some form of payment, this is a good opportunity to negotiate a trade. 

Ask to be given compostable or recyclable things 

Ask your neighbor to save compostable scraps, biodegradable cardboard and paper products, and any other items that might be put to use. Use them in your own compost pile. Or, start a compost pile at the edge of the yard where you both can add to it. Remember that “wet” compost like vegetable and fruit bits needs to be mixed with twice as much of “dry” and “woody” compost like cardboard, leaves, small twigs, paper and wood bits. 

Use the front yard for gardening

Overcome the cultural norm that the front yard is only decorative. Use the front yard for gardening so you can be seen by others enjoying your garden, and others can witness the demonstration of the possibilities of land. In the front yard, anything you do intentionally with your land can be witnessed. It also makes you a visible presence in your community. 

Grow staple foods 

Don’t just grow vegetables that cannot be the core component of a meal themselves. Grow potatoes, dry beans, black eyed peas and other nourishing, calorie-dense foods. Grow the ingredients of meals. You could even build a garden around a recipe.

Invite neighbors and friends over to eat food made from things you grew 

Be sure to send them home with leftovers.  

Grow plants for baskets 

Containers are one of the fundamental human needs. If we had more containers, we wouldn’t need plastic so much. You can learn to make baskets, and to grow plants that provide the raw materials for baskets. 

If someone rakes their leaves, ask to have the leaves  

If you see someone putting leaves in bags, don’t be afraid to ask if you can have the leaves. More likely than not they will be happy to agree. 

Collaborate with neighbors to plant things in the no-man’s-land of the property line 

In the border land between your neighbor’s yard and your yard, it is almost always just mowed grass because no one can plant anything without it affecting their neighbor. But these border lands add up to a lot of space. It would be much better if you talked to your neighbor about what would be nice to plant there, and together created a plan for that space. 

Give others the freedom to wander 

Make it clear that you will not get mad if the neighbor’s kids play in your yard or run across it. Invite the neighbors onto your land as much as possible. Tell them they are allowed to spend time in a favored spot whenever they would like.  

The power of the hand-made sign 

If there is a yard sale, you always know about it because of the hand-drawn signs placed around. Therefore, a cookout or unwanted item exchange can be announced the same way. In rural areas I have seen hand-made signs that say: FIREWOOD or WE BUY GOATS or EGGS. This is one of the few technologies of community that remain in the USA. If someone who looks to buy and sell can put up a hand-made sign, why shouldn’t you?  

Religious people or people with strong political opinions like to put signs everywhere. If they have the confidence and courage to do so, why shouldn’t you? 

So if there is a message you would like everyone to see, use the simple power of the hand-made sign. Proclaim “BEE FRIENDLY ZONE!” above your pollinator garden with all the confidence of a religious fundamentalist billboard. Announce to the world, “VEGETABLES FREE TO ALL—JUST ASK!” “WE TAKE LEAVES—NO PESTICIDES.” Instead of YARD SALE, or perhaps in conjunction with YARD SALE, you can write, PLANT EXCHANGE or SEED SWAP or CLOTHING SWAP. Who can stop you? 

Someone has to do it for society to change  

Some of these ideas might be eccentric, strange, or even socially unacceptable, but there is no way to change what is normal except to move against it. Someone has to be weird. It might as well be you. 

[phantomrose96]

Small Nation

It is a very good time for the small nation with all the world's people. It's the economy, really, that's good. And this is good for everyone. Jobs are easy to come by, and they don't even work you that hard. In fact if you wanted to take some time off because your kid was just born, they'll let you do it. This is good since so many people are having 4 or 5 or even 6 kids. And having plenty of jobs is good too since those kids need money to live and grow. And the economy, well, that makes it even better. Because the people know if they invest $1, they get back $2. And if they invest $2, they get back $4. This is all great for buying things your baby needs, like a house to live in, and an education, and stuffy little animal toys.

It's a very good time for the small nation with all the world's people because they haven't even had winter in 3 years now. Which is the longest anyone has ever seen them not have winter, even the really old folks. People used to die in the winter. Homeless folks, mostly. But there aren't many homeless folks now. And there's not much winter.

This is happy for everyone except, understandably, the company that makes the gas to heat people's homes. The economy is good and they really deserve some of that good, too. But it's hard. It's a hard time to be a company making the gas to heat people's homes when there hasn't been a winter in 3 years now. But the politicians are good, and they work something out, and there are in fact plenty of reasons they can come up with to buy and burn the gas that used to heat people's homes.

There might have been some politicians who didn't like that much at first. Just seems a little wrong, you know? But they go into rooms with oil executives who say things like "I knew your father," and it's a very meaningful conversation. They all knew each other. The families. And they talk in a bubble with really incredible food and, really, it's the economy that makes this all possible you know? They've got working folk who are good fathers and good mothers who'd need to be let go if the gas to heat people's homes doesn't get burned anymore. So they find things that work. They burn the gas.

The small nation with all the world's people doesn't get on airplanes anymore. That one was a real loss, for the airline industry. There were some really good mothers and fathers who got let go from their jobs when there wasn't anyone telling the planes where to land anymore, or anyone putting tags on bags anymore, or anyone needing to serve beverages in the sky anymore. It was really very sad, for all those reasons.

But there was just nothing the small nation with everyone could do about this. There was nowhere left to go. If you got on a plane and flew to somewhere else, you'd land underwater. If you got on a plane to somewhere else, the heat would hurt your skin and your eyes and your children's eyes. If you got on a plane to somewhere else, the hurricanes might just knock your plane out of the sky.

But it's a small sacrifice, really. Everything you could need is already in the small nation with all the world's people. And as long as you stay there, you'll never have to think about anyone else in the rest of the world.

[cheapshrimpysheep]

Hii! Can I request short headcanons with Rook, Jade, Idia, and Jamil with a really affectionate reader? Not clingly and respects if they don't want PDA but is just so affectionate.

COMMENTS: I'm glad you asked for short headcanons because I'm the opposite of an affectionate reader. 😅

But here it is, I hope you and all like it.

CHARACTERS: Rook Hunt / Jade Leech / Idia Shroud / Jamil Viper

TAGS: Fluff; GN Reader; Headcanons; Bullet Points

WORD COUNT: An average of 80 words per character

If you'd like to read something similar but longer, I recommend:

Meaningful Kiss (Riddle, Leona, Azul, Jamil, Vil, Idia, Malleus)

Meaningful Kiss 2 (Ace, Deuce, Jack, Epel, Sebek)

Meaningful Kiss 3 (Ruggie, Jade, Kalim, Silver, Lilia)

Meaningful Kiss 4 (Cater, Trey, Floyd, Rook)

.

ROOK LOVES IT!

He adores all forms of demonstration of love and receiving it from you in any form is already merveilleux for him.

He is very grateful that you respect his boundaries as he respects yours. At least in terms of physical touch, he still stalks you.

He's more of a ‘words of affection’ person than a ‘physical touch’ one. 

He will receive any display of affection from you and in return he will give you a shower of compliments and affectionate words.

Jade is suspicious of you! At least in the beginning, before he gets to know you better.

Are you trying to butter him up? Are you using some form of emotional manipulation to get something from him?

But after realizing that you're just like that, he starts to enjoy being the target of your affection.

He won't mind receiving any displays of affection from you, but he will never return it.

Unless you are dating. Only then will he show genuine displays of affection.

NO displays of affection unless you are flirting with him! Otherwise Idia will get mixed signals.*

The more affection you give him just out of friendship, the more he will distance himself from you.

If you're just friends, he hates it.

But if you're dating... he still hates PDA, but privately he loves any display of affection you give him.

He likes to be pampered by you in this case.

He will become more smug/confident with you and reciprocate your affection.

Jamil distrusts you! At least in the beginning, before he gets to know you better.

Are you trying to make him trust you? For what purpose? Are you trying to manipulate him emotionally?

But after realizing that you're just like that, he starts not to care much.

If you're just friends, he's already used to Kalim's displays of affection, so he's pretty neutral about it.

But if you are flirting with him, he will get smug and reciprocate with 'words of affection'.

He also doesn't like PDA.

*I speak from experience... I'm Idia btw.

If you dropped in here out of the blue and want to read more from me, you can find it in my pinned post: INDEX

[hwnglx]

pick a pile - what makes you attractive?

welcome back lovely reader! let's take a peak into what makes you so attractive. breathe slowly, take your time and use your intuition to go with the pile that speaks to you the most. remember to take what resonates, and leave what doesn't. 𓆩♡𓆪

˖ ࣪ ⊹ ꒰ঌ pile 1 ໒꒱ ⊹ ࣪ ˖

you're attractive, in the way you're interested in creating these meaningful and emotional connections to people.

you aren't the type of person who feels the need to place yourself above anyone, in order to feel good about yourself. your desire for balance and harmony in your relationships makes you highly attractive.

the way you're able to put yourself in other people's shoes, and approach them with empathy, is wonderful. you give them this precious feeling of being understood.

you're a person who has very comforting energy, and a soothing effect on others. someone who brings the calm after the chaos, and hope into situations that seem lost.

spirit keeps showing me this image of a bandaid.

your attractiveness lies in your gentleness. in your ability to mend and heal.

the fact that you've been through so much, but this inner spark of hope inside you still remained bright and dazzling in the end, makes you very special.

it's likely that a lot of you aren't fully aware of this, but your existence is dazzling, and extraordinary in many people's eyes.

you stand out. you're unique.

there's something about your presence that shines differently, compared to the people around you. it's almost like a butterfly that can't see the beauty of its own wings.

i believe a good amount of you, have gone through your own losses and heartbreaks in the past.

it's likely you went through different cycles, and various impactful stages in your life where you were forced to adapt and adjust. unexpected situations which caught you off guard and resulted in you needing to pick up the pieces by yourself.

but the way you've been able to bounce back, and still find this inner courage to keep going, despite the hurt, is impressive.

i believe you've come to a point where you've been able to move away from that state of sorrow, and turned it into something that fuels your power.

your ability to bravely deal with the things that life unexpectedly throws you head on, makes you very attractive.

you still have a more sensitive heart, and your core will always be a little soft and sweet deep down; but your character has gained a lot of strength throughout the years.

this is something you radiate to the outside now. your inner power makes you incredibly attractive.

you look at the things you've been through till now, as experiences which have shaped you immensely, and turned you into the person you are today.

a lot of you are also likely to be outspoken, and pretty straightforward. you like getting to the true core of topics, and aren't afraid to voice things others might shy away from.

your attractiveness lies in your ability to balance these two coinciding sides in you; one that is full of empathy, warmth and a kind heart, and one that is self-sufficient, ambitious and courageous.

˖ ࣪ ⊹ ꒰ঌ pile 2 ໒꒱ ⊹ ࣪ ˖

you're attractive, in the way you relentlessly work towards fulfilling your own dreams and goals.

you're willing to put in consistent effort, in order to build yourself the dream life you desire so badly.

i just don't see you liking to rely on anyone else to do the work for you. you're very self-sufficient, and recognize that in order to get to a place of satisfaction and contentment within yourself, you have to be the one to make the effort. there's nothing like enjoying the fruits of your own labor.

a lot of you are very sure of what you want for yourself. some of you might actively manifest, by imagining and picturing how you want your life to be.

creating moodboards on pinterest or something. creating folders of style inspiration, or interior design inspirations. this is how i want to be dressed, this is the place i want to live in.

you're not gonna be someone who throws the towel and gives in, just because someone else might label your dreams as impossible, or unrealistic.

it's almost like you'll tell them “well, i'll show you then”

you have high aspirations, standards and expectations towards yourself, as well as others, which makes you even more attractive.

you just do not settle for anything less than what you want.

people can't get to you too easily. you're guarded and careful about who you let in closely.

many people are likely to look at you as a person they can't quite decipher or fully figure out at first; someone whose facade they'd like to look beyond.

the fact that you aren't an open book who's constantly accessible and available twenty four seven, makes you highly attractive to others. you cautiously keep them at an arm's length, and people might have to work for your attention.

there might even be some people envious of you.

envious of the fact that you're so self-reliant, independent, and in no need of anyone's help or guidance in life.

and although you give off a more detached and colder vibe to some people on the outside, people who actually know the true you, are aware of how sweet and empathetic you can in fact be. you just have a genuine heart deep down.

you're likely to be someone with a lot of depth and layers, and the closer people get to knowing you in your entirety, the more they get to see of your more complex, introspective and sensitive sides.

you might be much more emotional, romantic and dreamy than what meets the eye at first; and this is likely to draw a lot of people to you.

like “wow, i didn't know you had this side to you”

there's this type of reversal charm, where you might pleasantly surprise some people with how soft you can actually be at times, compared to the first impression they had of you.

some of you might literally have an rbf, but a beautiful smile that brightens and lights up your face in a whole new way.

you also give me very very creative energy. i feel like you love to express yourself beautifully, in many artistic ways. and you see art as a way to live out your most authentic self.

˖ ࣪ ⊹ ꒰ঌ pile 3 ໒꒱ ⊹ ࣪ ˖

you're attractive, in the way you lead with your heart.

it's likely that you're a person who nurtures a strong connection to their vast and rich emotional world. you're someone who genuinely cares.

like.. i don't think you even know how to just not care about things, and go through life in a nonchalant “meh” way. most of the time, you're very chalant. (ㅜ same!)

this makes you much more attractive than you might realize.

you can easily get emotionally invested in plenty of your endeavors; whether that's your relationships, the choices you have to make, the different situations life throws in your way.

you feel everything in a deep and profound manner, and this makes you unique.

reason why i believe you might not be fully aware of this, is because you seem to have the tendency to see yourself as more lacking than you actually are.

you're likely to be a person who's very humble at their core. an eternal student of life.

someone who tries their best to grow continuously and better themselves through every situation they get confronted with; especially the disappointments, regrets, losses.

you're eager to pull the lesson out of every experience in life, and sincerely want to learn from your mistakes.

despite criticism hurting you sometimes, you're still trying your best to improve yourself through it all.

this hard-working, grounded, down to earth and modest energy makes you incredibly attractive.

i think you're slowly but surely trying to let go of certain limitations you habitually set yourself till now. you might've felt trapped in your mind and stuck for a good while, but you're progressively coming out of that place.

despite the exhausting struggles you've been through till now, you're still standing strong!

your endurance, resilience and inner strength makes you immensely attractive.

yes you're wounded, yes you don't see yourself as perfect, but you're still ready to fight. you are a true warrior.

even with your naturally modest character, i don't see you as a person who allows people to step all over them anymore. you're starting to learn to be more strict and clear with your boundaries.

people might see you as someone who's becoming more guarded and closing yourself off, but to you, it's what's necessary to protect yourself.

you're attractive in the way you're becoming more and more aware of your true worth and your value.

you shouldn't let people look at your inner softness as weakness anymore.

on the contrary, it makes you incredibly strong and attractive, if you confidently embrace that side of you. i can see you stepping into your true power, once you learn to acknowledge your qualities more.

it's very likely for the things you yourself see as your downfalls, to be your actual strengths. you might just see yourself in a negative light way too quickly.

for example, your emotionality and sensitivity doesn't have to be a flaw. it can be your asset. it makes you special.

not everyone is capable of emotional connection the way you are. not everyone has the ability to be so genuinely loving, caring and sincerely empathetic the way you are.

don't constantly see yourself for what you aren't, for what you lack, for what you can't do. but see yourself for what you are and what you have, what you can indeed do!

note; i was definitely the most passionate about this pile because i have to admit, i relate so much 🥹 sending you all my support and hugs sweet reader

[snailchimera]

I think the problem here is that "I would/would not flip the switch" and "I would address the external factors that caused the trolley problem in the first place" are actually answering two different, equally valid questions, but people on one side or the other of the debate are only acknowledging their own question.

"Do something about the trolley driver/the trolley owner/the person tying people to trolley tracks" is a nonsense answer to the question "given a bad consequence for action and a worse consequence for inaction, what's the right choice?", which was the original purpose of the trolley problem. However, a lot of people giving that response are actually responding to personal experiences with fundamentally unjust systems that offer false dichotomies, so they address the trolley problem as a system with harmful factors that can be changed. In that context, they're very used to pushback from people who don't actually want these systems to change, and who insist on these false dichotomies to discredit the possibility of a less harmful system. Thus, they tend to hear " no, you have to pick throwing or not throwing the switch" and interpret that response as "You're stupid for thinking this system can change or that there are options outside of it, so learn to accept the death and suffering it causes like a real adult."

"Nothing will ever get better so fucking deal with it" is an absolutely terrible answer to the question "Given a system that causes harm, what is the best way to mitigate the harm?" The best answer in the long term is, generally, to dismantle the harmful system. But, as you yourself explained, that long term solution isn't really what the trolley question was originally for. People approaching it from that original perspective are using the trolley problem as a simplified model of a choice with no good options, usually in the context of action vs. inaction. The person at the switch needs to make a snap judgment to either passively allow the worse outcome to occur, or prevent it but be directly responsible for the still very bad consequences. Even if you do choose to expand your view to encompass the system as the system-dismantlers do, you cannot alter the trolley system or the conductor or whoever is tying people to tracks in the next five seconds. Thus, people working with the original framework tend to hear "I would stop this from happening in the first place" and interpret that as "I refuse to acknowledge that there will ever be a choice without a clear, unambiguously morally correct answer that does no harm, and/or I don't want to engage with that possibility in any meaningful way."

I think both of these perspectives are valuable, and I think they're much more valuable when considered together rather than pitched against each other. There are choices you have to make in the moment with the material circumstances at hand, and also situations with no good outcomes are often the result of bigger problems that need to be addressed. You should consider both.

The root of my frustration with a lot of trolley problem discourse is that 'What does it mean to act ethically in a world where shitty luck and the actions of strangers you'll never meet have left you without any purely good options?' is, like, possibly one of the most relevant and universally applicable questions moral philosophy might help answer.

Saying it's a bad question because it's the negligent trolley engineer's fault literally exactly misses the point - yes how to deal on a personal level with systems and infrastructure that designed without much care for human collateral damage is an incredibly useful thing to think about!

[ivesambrose]

Your 2025,

Happy New Year my loves 🤎

Frost & Fortune | 2025 Readings ✨

Services Offered

Client Love

Thank you for the tip 🎀

Picture 1

your central theme for this year deals with self expression, creativity, romance, children or your inner child as well as your health. You'll be refining your daily routine and approach your life with more structure and purpose instead of spontaneously doing what you want. A lot of you may have struggled with creative burn out or procrastination in the previous year but you'll be pushed out of your comfort zone when it comes to that. I see that some of you will sit down with yourself and really ask, "will a much younger and naive and vulnerable version of me truly look up to me or be happy with what I've become and who I am as a person?" In this question you'll find your answers and the changes you need to make. You might be a bit critical of yourself initially but understand that constrictive criticism towards yourself and making and effort afterwards is also a healthy thing to do. Some of you might even turn a turn a possible passion into a part of your daily life this can be getting a job that you're truly happy about it something that lets you fit in what you want to do into your daily routine efficiently. You might face situations that will test your resilience. You'll learn how to not emotionally lash out in situations. Keep your cool and decorum and navigate accordingly. You'll also learn how to pick your battles carefully. relationships will be significant focus. You'll learn who to associate with, who not to, how to show up for yourself and the significant people in your life. How to establish boundaries between you and the ones you consider acquaintances as well. Not everyone is your friend and shouldn't be. Some of you might be interacting with a lot of people possibly for career related purposes. Learn when to unwind, detach and take time solely for yourself. Don't fall into the trap of people pleasing. Certain relationships might be deepening too. Some of you might change homes or completely renovate your existing home. Some of you might be asserting your independence within your family as well. Others of you might be leaving your home/parents home and venturing off by yourselves learning how to navigate the world on your own and finding your voice. Your immediate environment will also play a prominent role in your life this year. Also expect a lot of short trips, learning and networking. Start of year: Focus on grounding yourself and building a solid foundation. It's okay to take things slow you're not running a marathon. Bring your focus on long term plans, establishing security at the same time enjoying life's pleasures.

Middle of year: Refine, work with diligence, keep a tracker or planner/journal, health(mind and body) will be primary focus.

End of year: Step into the spotlight and celebrate your growth. Look back at yourself with pride.

Picture 2

Your most transformative year yet. Central theme of destiny and finding one's soul's purpose. You'll be stepping out of your comfort zone regardless of the type of comfort it brought you and venture out into the unknown. The change will be profound and unlike anything you've experienced but it has been a long time coming. This will transform you into the person you're meant to be. Don't be scared. You have wanted this. Financial matters, inheritances, joint ventures might also play a role in your growth. Intuition will be at an all time high be sure to listen to what your instincts are telling you before being persuaded by the masses. You'll also be making a lot of meaningful connections this year. You'll finally be taking off a mask and freeing yourself from a cage you had put yourself in or felt you were in. You'll be honing your existing skills and learning new ones and will be manifesting opportunities extensively for yourself. All you need is blind faith. You'll be pushed to trust the unseen and the unknown. Put logic aside when it comes to your dreams and goals and other pursuits this year. Things will only make sense by the end of it. You'll be stepping into a more leadership role this year. People will be inspired by your confidence as well as charisma. There may even be a drastic change in your overall appearance or the way you talk and present yourself. Some of you might be moving away states or countries. It will be because it's time for you to pursue your dreams fearlessly. It's not about chasing them anymore, it's about making them a part of your reality so that it becomes normal and not something out of reach. A lot of people will be enamored by you and you might end up becoming their muse. You might also feel deeply connected to your spiritual side as well and have related experiences. Many experiences, places, people and even your dreams will inspire you immensely. Lot of deja vu moments as well. Again, trust in your gut feeling about places and people. You'll feel deeply connected to something this year, it will feel like home somehow or a part of you. This year is about finding the lost pieces of yourself and building cathedrals within your soul. You have immense power. Trust it. Start of year: A focus on building meaningful partnerships. Forging new ones too. (Professional, romantic or personal) Collaborations and commitments as well.

Middle of year: Communication, learning, trips, networking, ideas and recognition. Collecting and making a lot of memories. Lot of mental stimulation.

End of year: Significant development in your professional life, building a legacy, fame, reputation and taking note of your personal achievements.

Picture 3

Your central theme is personal growth through higher learning, expansion of ideas and unconventional approaches to life. This year is big on exploration as well as travel for you. You may have been following the norms or what's expected from you for a long time or because that was the only thing that was available to you so haven't yet gotten the chance to step out of the box but this will be changing now. This year also emphasizes focused determination and victory. All your obstacles will be overcome with sheer discipline. Remember where your awareness and focus goes, energy flows. Things will also gain momentum this year compared to the previous one so don't be surprised if things start coming through all at once after a period of stagnation. This is a good year for your creative pursuits as well as love. If you're a lover girl/lover boy, congratulations! Please romanticize your life even further actually. I feel as though you'll find someone or friends and people who are just as willing to pour into you and give as much as you do. You'll be learning to receive and nurture this year. Some of you might also be going for higher education which in itself is a huge achievement, please be proud of you and your academic achievements. You'll be very proficient in problem solving and finding clarity too. Your head will feel less like an entanglement of sizzling wires. you will be attracting individuals who balance out your energy and propell you forward as well. A lot of exchange of ideas and experiences. You may also want to build a community or become a part of one. A lot of you will be finding new hobbies as well and actually be sticking to them. Deep transformation is also unavoidable. Certain hidden aspects or information might come up but it will bring you more clarity than trauma. You will learn how to make proper financial investments or receive money from unknown or unconventional resources. You'll also feel like a version of you has died and is long gone but a new one blooms and makes sure those around you bloom as well. I feel a lot of you will make sure you turn your life into art/a cinematic experience this year no matter what. Start of year: You'll be cautious and communicative, pursuing knowledge and expanding your network. Let your voice be heard, let your ideas be known. New conversations, contracts, opportunities etc.

Middle of year: Noticeable and visible progress in every area of your life. Enjoy your journey.

End of year: A more balanced and harmonious energy, a focus on relationships as well as making yourself and your surroundings more beautiful.

[charlesslut16]

-very merry christmas-

summary : you can't see your family, so Lando tries everything to make it happen...

PAIRINGS : lando norris x fem!reader

WARNINGS : none

note : I hope that you have a great day, my loves!!!

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The gentle hum of the jet engines was familiar, a steady rhythm that usually calmed your nerves, but today, the soft noise only seemed to amplify the quiet ache in your chest.

You stared out of the small plane window, watching the clouds drift by in soft, cotton-like clumps. It should have been a comforting view, but all you could think about was how this Christmas was shaping up to be unlike any other.

You’d tried everything. You’d fought to get time off work, even sacrificed family traditions to make it happen. But no matter how hard you tried, no flights had been available.

Your mind raced with images of your family back home—your siblings laughing around the Christmas tree, your parents cooking in the kitchen, the sound of carols filling the house. You hadn’t seen them in what felt like forever, and now you wouldn’t be there to share the magic of Christmas morning with them.

Lando, your boyfriend, had been understanding, of course. He always was. It’s one of the things you loved most about him—his ability to always put others’ feelings first, even when his own were clearly brimming over with excitement.

You’d both decided to spend Christmas together in Monaco, with his family, but deep down, you couldn’t help but feel the weight of missing your own. Lando had insisted, though, that you’d make new memories together. And while that was sweet, it didn’t stop the ache inside you.

Lando’s hand found yours, his fingers warm and steady, pulling you from your thoughts.

“Are you okay, love?” he asked, his voice laced with a mixture of concern and tenderness.

You nodded, offering a half-hearted smile, trying to hide the disappointment that clung to you. “Yeah, just… thinking about everything. You know, Christmas.”

He squeezed your hand, his thumb gently brushing over your knuckles. “I know you’re missing your family, but I promise you, we’ll make it special. It won’t be the same, but it’ll be just as meaningful. I swear.”

“I know,” you murmured. “It’s just hard, you know?”

He smiled softly. “I get it. But we’ll figure it out. I promise.”

You tried to focus on the bright side—the beauty of Monaco, the excitement of being with Lando’s family, but as the plane flew closer to its destination, the sadness didn’t seem to want to let go.

When the plane touched down, you were immediately swept up in the bustling energy of the Monaco airport. Lando was already in his element, his mind on everything at once. As the two of you navigated the crowds, you caught sight of the shining Christmas trees and twinkling lights that lined the walkways, and for a moment, you felt that familiar holiday warmth.

But when Lando turned to you, his expression serious and a little secretive, you knew something was up.

“I’ve got a little surprise for you,” he said, his eyes dancing with a playful gleam.

You raised an eyebrow, puzzled. “What do you mean?”

“You’ll see,” he said with a wink. “But first, we’ve got to head back to my parents’ house.”

You climbed into the car with him, the anticipation mounting in your chest. As the car sped through the streets of Monaco, you tried to imagine what could be in store, but nothing could have prepared you for what Lando had planned.

When you arrived at the house, the door swung open before you even had a chance to knock, and Lando’s parents greeted you warmly, their arms wide. You were soon swept inside, the scent of mulled wine and cinnamon filling your senses.

The house was decorated beautifully, lights sparkling in every corner. There was the unmistakable feel of holiday cheer, but something was different about the atmosphere—something that felt a little extra special, though you couldn’t quite put your finger on it.

As you followed Lando through the hallway, you were greeted by more than just his family. You were greeted by your family.

Your breath caught in your throat as you looked at your mom, your dad, your sister, and your brother. They stood there in front of the grand Christmas tree, their faces lighting up with joy at the sight of you.

“How—” You couldn’t finish the question, your voice cracking with emotion.

Lando smiled, his eyes glowing with warmth. “I know how much you’ve been missing them, so I flew them out. They’re here, just like you always wanted. We’re all going to have Christmas together.”

Tears filled your eyes, and you couldn’t stop the flood of emotions that washed over you. “Lando… I can’t believe you did this.”

“You deserve to have your family with you, especially at Christmas,” he said softly. “I love you. And I wanted this to be perfect.”

Your heart was in your throat as you rushed toward your family, embracing them all at once. The warmth of their hugs enveloped you, and it felt as if all the space between you and home had finally melted away.

After the initial whirlwind of emotions settled, Lando gathered everyone together, leading you all into the living room, where the fire crackled softly in the hearth. It felt like a dream—a beautiful, surreal dream.

He turned to you then, his eyes shining. “There’s one more thing I need to do.”

Before you could even react, he was kneeling in front of you, pulling a small velvet box from his pocket. You gasped, the breath catching in your chest.

“[Y/N],” he said softly, his voice thick with emotion, “Christmas isn’t just about family. It’s about love. And you’re my everything. I want to spend every Christmas with you for the rest of our lives. So, will you marry me?”

The room fell silent, all eyes on you. You could feel your heartbeat in your throat, the words struggling to break free. But as you looked into Lando’s eyes, the man who had brought your family halfway across the world just to make this Christmas unforgettable, the answer was already clear.

“Yes! Yes, I’ll marry you!”

The room erupted into cheers and applause as Lando slid the ring onto your finger, his smile brighter than the Christmas lights surrounding you. It was a moment you would never forget—a moment where love, family, and everything you held dear came together in the most perfect way.

As you kissed him, feeling the joy and warmth of everything you’d ever wanted, you whispered against his lips, “This really is the very merriest Christmas.”

Lando’s arms wrapped around you tighter, pulling you closer as the cheers of your family echoed around you. “It’s only just begun,” he murmured. “Merry Christmas, my love.”

And with that, you knew you were home, no matter where you were.

[diamonddaze01]

Plan B-Day

pairing: producer!hjs x gn!reader genre: fluff | au: producer!shua | warnings: mentions of tears rating: e for everyone! | wc: 1.5k a/n: to the sweetest boy in the world. happy birthday <3333

summary: it's supposed to be shua's special day, so why is is everything going wrong?

The day starts with quiet determination. You’d promised yourself weeks ago that Joshua’s birthday would be perfect, that every small moment would show him just how much he means to you. He’s always been so thoughtful, always putting your happiness above his own. For once, you want to return that love tenfold.

You wake up early, slipping out of bed with a stealthiness that would make a spy jealous. The plan is simple but meaningful: start the morning with freshly baked cinnamon rolls, his favorite. You picture his sleepy smile, the way his eyes crinkle at the edges when he’s happy, and it fuels you through kneading the dough and sprinkling cinnamon sugar with care.

You’re halfway through rolling out the dough when Joshua stumbles into the kitchen, his hair a soft mess and sleep still clinging to his features. He’s in his pajama pants and one of your oversized hoodies, rubbing his eyes like a sleepy kitten.

“Morning,” he murmurs, voice rough and low. His gaze lands on you, standing at the counter with flour smudged on your face, and he smiles.

“Go back to bed!” you exclaim, spinning around to block his view of your cinnamon roll operation. “You’re not supposed to see this yet!”

He raises an eyebrow, amused. “I just wanted some water.”

You narrow your eyes, watching as he pours himself a glass from the tap. He’s moving slowly, clearly in no rush to leave.

“Joshua Hong, if you don’t leave this kitchen in thirty seconds—”

“I’m going,” he laughs, holding up his hands in mock surrender. “But don’t think I didn’t see the flour on your face. You’re cute when you’re flustered, you know that?”

You huff, throwing a dishtowel at him as he retreats back down the hallway, laughing all the way.

It isn’t until twenty minutes later that the disaster strikes. You’d turned your back for just a moment—just long enough to check your phone—and when you open the oven, a plume of smoke billows out. Your cinnamon rolls, once fluffy and full of promise, are now blackened and charred.

The smoke alarm wails, piercing and relentless, as you scramble to pull the tray from the oven. Joshua comes rushing in again, his face full of concern that quickly shifts to barely concealed amusement when he sees you frantically waving a dish towel at the smoke detector.

“Wow,” he says, leaning against the counter with a smirk. “Are those... supposed to be edible?”

You glare at him, though your face is burning with embarrassment. “I don’t see you trying to make anything, birthday boy.”

He chuckles, stepping forward to pluck the ruined tray from your hands. “Don’t worry about it. We can just grab something later. I’m not picky, you know.”

“But I wanted to make you breakfast,” you say, your voice small.

“And I wanted to sleep in, but I guess neither of us is getting what we want,” he teases, pressing a kiss to the top of your head. “Seriously, it’s fine. Stop stressing, okay? It’s just a day.”

You spend the rest of the morning trying to shake off the failed breakfast incident, but the feeling of disappointment lingers. Still, you tell yourself you’ll make it up to him during lunch. You’ve already planned to meet him at his office with takeout from his favorite café, and the thought of surprising him keeps you going as you tackle a pile of work emails.

But, as fate would have it, your midday meeting refuses to end. The minutes tick by agonizingly slowly, each passing moment feeling like another nail in the coffin of your carefully planned day. When you finally manage to escape the call, it’s already past two.

Your heart sinks as you pull out your phone to text Joshua. Y/N: I’m so sorry, babe. Meeting ran late. I’ll make it up to you tonight. Promise.

His reply is almost immediate: 

Shua <3: Don’t worry about it. Hope work’s not too rough today. :)

The smiley face feels like salt in the wound. Joshua deserves so much more than this, and you can’t shake the feeling that you’re letting him down.

By the time evening rolls around, you’re determined to salvage what’s left of the day. You’ve planned a special dinner—a home-cooked meal of all his favorite dishes—and you’re excited to finally spend some quality time together. But, as if the universe has it out for you, your car breaks down on the way home.

It starts with a sputtering noise, followed by a dreadful lurch that sends your heart racing. You barely manage to steer it onto the shoulder before the engine gives out completely, leaving you stranded on the side of the road.

You let out a groan of frustration, slamming your hands against the steering wheel. A quick call to the tow truck service confirms that it’ll be at least an hour before anyone can get to you.

Joshua calls while you’re waiting, his voice warm and calm on the other end of the line. “Hey, you okay? You’re usually home by now.”

You hesitate, not wanting to ruin the surprise of the dinner you had planned. “Yeah, I’m fine. Just... running a little late. Don’t wait up, okay?”

“Noted,” he says, though there’s a hint of suspicion in his tone. “Don’t stress yourself out, alright? Whatever it is, we can do it tomorrow.”

You bite back the urge to cry. “Okay. Love you.”

“Love you more.”

When you finally step through the front door, well past eight, you’re exhausted and defeated. You’ve spent the entire day trying to make Joshua’s birthday special, and all you have to show for it is a string of mishaps.

But the sight that greets you takes your breath away. The dining room is bathed in the soft glow of candlelight, the table set with dishes you immediately recognize as your favorites. The smell of something delicious lingers in the air, and standing in the middle of it all is Joshua, wearing an apron and an affectionate smile.

“You’re late,” he says, his voice teasing but gentle.

You don’t make it more than two steps before the weight of the day crashes over you. Tears spill over as you stand there in the doorway, helpless and overwhelmed.

“Hey, hey,” Joshua says, closing the distance between you in a heartbeat. His arms wrap around you, pulling you flush against him. He holds you tightly, one hand stroking your back while the other cups the back of your head. “What’s wrong?”

“I ruined everything,” you manage between sobs. “I wanted to make your birthday special, but I burned breakfast, missed lunch, and my car broke down, so I couldn’t even make you dinner—”

“Stop,” he murmurs, pulling back just enough to tilt your chin up so he can look into your eyes. His gaze is steady and full of love, his thumbs gently brushing away your tears.

“You didn’t ruin anything,” he says softly. “You know why? Because I got to wake up next to you this morning, and I’ll get to fall asleep next to you tonight. And in between, I got to be loved by you. That’s all I need.”

Before you can protest, he leans in, capturing your lips in a kiss that’s as soft as it is grounding. It’s the kind of kiss that speaks volumes, one that says everything he doesn’t need to put into words. He kisses you again and again—once to quiet your self-doubt, twice to remind you how much he adores you, and a third time just because he can.

The doorbell rings, breaking the tender moment.

Joshua quirks an eyebrow as you step away to answer it. When you return, it’s with a box in one hand and a bag in the other.

“What’s this?” he asks, his curiosity piqued.

You set the box down carefully, pulling out the cake you’d ordered earlier in the week. It’s simple but elegant, adorned with his favorite flavors. You light a single candle and bring it to him, your voice soft as you say, “Make a wish.”

He closes his eyes, the flickering candlelight dancing across his features. When he opens them again, he’s smiling in that way that makes your heart flutter.

“Best birthday ever,” he murmurs as he pulls you onto his lap.

“Wait, there’s more,” you say, reaching for the bag. You hand him the gift you’d chosen weeks ago: a sleek, leather-bound journal embossed with his initials. Inside, you’d written a small note: For all the thoughts, dreams, and songs you haven’t written yet. I’ll always be here to listen.

Joshua’s eyes soften as he reads the note. He traces the cover with his fingers before looking up at you, his expression full of unspoken emotion. “You’re amazing, you know that?”

You shrug, a little embarrassed. “I just wanted to show you how much you mean to me.”

He smiles, leaning in to kiss you again. This one is slower, deeper, as if he’s trying to pour all his gratitude and love into it.

When the kiss breaks, he rests his forehead against yours. “You already do. Every single day.”

The rest of the evening is spent curled up together, sharing bites of cake and laughing over the day’s mishaps. And as you drift off to sleep in his arms, you realize that maybe, just maybe, the best gifts are the ones you never plan for.

[goddessinnerglow]

Become Your Best Version Before 2025 - Day 29

Prioritizing Yourself and Your Needs

Hey Goddesses! As we near the end of our journey together and after exploring how to stay motivated yesterday, let's dive into something equally important, making yourself a priority. This isn't just about self-care; it's about fundamentally restructuring how you value your own needs in your daily life. Think about it: how often do you postpone your own dreams because someone else's needs seem more urgent?

Research shows that people who prioritize their wellbeing are not only happier but also more effective in their relationships and careers. Yet, 78% of us regularly put others' needs before our own essential requirements. Let's break this cycle together.

Building on yesterday's motivation strategies, let's create a sustainable plan for putting yourself first. The key is understanding that self-prioritization isn't selfish, it's essential for your growth and ability to support others effectively. Look at it this way: if you’re running on empty, you can’t give your best to anyone or anything. Think of it like recharging your phone, you wouldn’t expect it to work on 1% battery all day, right? The same goes for you.

Understanding Your Current Patterns

Start by noting when you typically abandon your own needs:

Do you skip meals to finish work?

Cancel exercise plans for last-minute requests?

Postpone personal goals to help others achieve theirs?

Creating Your Self-Priority Framework

1.Morning Intention Setting. Begin each day with a simple question: "What do I need today?" This isn't about wants; it's about genuine needs for your wellbeing. Maybe it's 7 hours of sleep, a proper lunch break, or 30 minutes of quiet time.

2.The Energy Audit. Track your energy levels throughout the week. Notice when you feel depleted versus energized. This awareness helps you identify:

Activities that drain you

Relationships that need boundaries

Times when you're most vulnerable to saying "yes" when you mean "no"

3.Boundary Setting Strategy. Develop a systematic approach to protecting your time and energy:

Create a "non-negotiable" list of self-care activities

Practice delayed response to requests ("Let me check my schedule and get back to you")

Set specific times for availability to others

4.The Wellbeing Check-In System. Schedule weekly reviews where you assess:

How well you maintained your boundaries

Areas where you need more support

Adjustments needed in your self-care routine

Making It Sustainable

Remember our motivation techniques from yesterday? Let's integrate them:

Set small, achievable daily self-care goals

Celebrate when you successfully prioritize your needs

Build a support system that encourages your self-prioritization journey

It’s also important to surround yourself with people who respect and support your boundaries. If you’re met with resistance when you say no, remember: their reaction is not your responsibility. Taking care of yourself is not something you need to justify.

Today's Challenge:

Identify your top three non-negotiable self-care needs

Schedule specific times for these in tomorrow's calendar

Practice one "boundary phrase" you'll use when needed

Set up your first weekly wellbeing check-in

As we approach the final two days of our journey, remember that prioritizing yourself is a skill that improves with practice. Your "self-first" muscles will grow stronger each time you choose to honor your needs.

See you tomorrow for Day 30! Don't forget, this isn't about becoming self-centered; it's about becoming self-aware. When you genuinely prioritize your wellbeing, you become more present, more capable, and more available for meaningful connections with others.

♡ ☆:.｡ Keep glowing, babes! ♡ ☆:.｡ With love, Goddess Inner Glow.

[prettyinaccurate]

Hey we don’t know each other, but I just found out that you were the one who drew that picture of TommyInnit standing above the lava in the Nether with the caption “It’s not your time to die yet” on it?

I just wanted to say that back in the days of lockdown, I had heard of the dsmp but wasn’t interested in getting into it (I figured the story couldn’t be that compelling or worth looking into), but I randomly saw YOUR art piece and it made me go “Wow, okay wait, so there’s like, depth and angst and stuff to this thing? There’s more to it than silliness? Maybe I should check it out…”

And from there I became a massive dsmp fan, which got me through some of the worst of lockdown and got me over the worst/biggest art block I’d ever had, I met tons of fellow fans who became close friends of mine, I got into other minecraft-related spheres after the dsmp ended and had a wonderful time with those, and I’m still having fun with things like Hermitcraft and Life Series today with both old and new friends.

And in a way, I have you to directly thank for all of that, and for unintentionally being the catalyst that started a snowball rolling of so much joy in my life and so many new adventures online and irl.

So I know that art is one of your older pieces and you probably haven’t thought about it in a while, but I wanted to say thank you for drawing it and for unintentionally making an impact in the life of me, a stranger. I’m glad I found you and that you’re still active making other art (you’ve improved SO MUCH, btw! I loved your old stuff obviously but I LOVE your new stuff!), and I wish you happiness and gentleness all your life. I hope you never forget how your art can bring so much good that you’ll never even be aware of. Have a nice day!

It's hard not to be embarrassed about my Dream SMP days with everything that has happened after, but it's things like this that keep me from ever deleting old art. I am so glad that something I put into the world was able to - directly or not - develop into something that holds place in your memory.

I might not know you, but we are all the same; little things can spiral into meaningful experiences, and the connection we can form as artists, no matter how inconsequential, is more significant than any one body of work could ever hope to be.

I wish you the best 💕

[fanfoolishness]

Going for the whole list. Trying to make the most of my time before I head back to work!

48 fics. Holy cow! Then again, I love writing things in the 1000 - 5000 word range, which makes this sort of nonsense possible.

Something new... I can't say that there's much I did that's utterly new. I really stuck within my wheelhouse of angst, hurt/comfort, family feels and Dragon Age romance. I've also been at this ficcing thing for nearly 25 years, so it's getting a little hard to be entirely new with what I write. Unless you mean new things like new characters, which I certainly did, with dives on all the Batch and then exploring things like Lucanis and Spite's dynamic.

The Bad Batch has inspired the most work of the year, between awesome challenges like @summer-of-bad-batch and friends encouraging me. But, I know that Dragon Age is going to be a powerful engine for my creativity for the next several years if the previous games are anything to go off of, thanks to the magic of replayability and making new characters.

I wrote mainly for Jedi: Survivor, The Bad Batch, and Dragon Age: The Veilguard with a little dabbling in The Mandalorian.

Harding x Rook, though I was so dazzled by getting through the game I didn't get as deep in my feels as I might have. I might replay some parts of my first Rook just for that. Lucanis x Rook has really stolen my heart though. I'm nothing if not a sucker for a tortured man, especially one where the romance ends hopefully!

Cal Kestis, Crosshair, Omega, Tech, both of my Rooks, Lace Harding, Lucanis, really the Veilguard in general.

Yep! The Bad Batch was totally new, and we didn't get the Veilguard until Halloween.

Most meaningful fic for me to write.... a rain that sounds like home tackles sibling grief, recovery, and learning to accept help through a character who struggles with admitting he feels anything at all. Dragging Crosshair through his feelings for 8 chapters was a painful and meaningful joy.

Loved working on the waves flowing, the dawn blooming. Tears kept seeping out of my eyes as I wrote. It's full of a bittersweet pride and fierce family love that Hunter feels for Omega, with a side look at a Crosshair who's fully at peace.

What fic was most satisfying to finish: a sickness of the soul. 10 chapters when I don't often do chaptered fic (usually one every few years, but this year I had two!!), deep conversations between Cal and Merrin, Weird Force Shit, and a deep look at Cal's fears and hatreds. This was really fun even when it was difficult, and I still love rereading it.

a rain that sounds like home, hands down. I stewed over it for weeks, maybe months, before I got enough down to start to feel confident posting it. It was so hard to avoid the temptation to have Crosshair be a mess right away, when he's THE MOST emotionally unavailable character in the history of ever, and while I wanted my big messy breakdown I forced myself to take 30K to get there. Many things to @just-here-with-my-thoughts who listened to me beating my head against the wall on this.

the thing with feathers (it isn't hope.) was surprisingly fun and easy and I banged it out in a morning with very little editing needed. Spite and Lucanis figuring each other out with a healthy side of whump makes me happy.

Longest: a rain that sounds like home at 43,000 words. Shortest: Spite's Sight, where Spite sees something wrong with Rook but can't describe it, 119 words, almost a true drabble.

Oooh, fav writing songs. Twice by Little Dragon is a hypnotic, spare little piano song that helps me get into a groove easily; Tell My Lover by Kathryn Joseph is another deeply moody piano song that winds up on almost all of my shipping playlists when I need an angsty vibe. Barnacled Warship by Johnny Flynn was one I really loved for chipped Crosshair vibes. I loved Cinder Well's Two Heads, Grey Mare for Cal's grief when writing a sickness of the soul.

Hardest fic to title: the shorter they are, often the tougher they are to pull out a phrase for the title. Little drabbles often just get one or two interesting words to name them.

Oooooh, fav title. a sickness of the soul grabbed me immediately as Merrin's diagnosis for Cal's dark side leanings; but I think I just adore the take on Emily Dickinson's poem with the thing with feathers (it isn't hope). For a single word title, I really liked Senescence as a rather medical word applied to the Batch entering their twilight years, a callback to the Kaminoans' presence in their lives from birth until death.

Favorite opening line?? oh man. I'm really not that great at opener lines, they're not my favorite. My very first Bad Batch fic, Still, had a decent one: It’s a feeling every soldier knows instinctively: the unique prickle of the hairs on the back of the neck, the slight stiffening of the spine, the body’s realization coming a split second before the mind’s. 

Favorite closing line is going to be much more difficult. I love closers. But upon review this year, I didn't have any that really bowled me over! I do like this one from ill-fitted, about Crosshair in The Solitary Clone: The shadows pool around him, and he waits to go and keep the peace.

Favorite piece of dialogue: I really liked this open moment from Hunter, set during Breaching the Wall when Crosshair isn't sure if he can recover. "Crosshair, you’re the most stubborn bastard I’ve ever met.”  Hunter’s voice was warm, affectionate.  “If you decide to get better, you will.  I know it.  You just… you have to decide you deserve it.”

Funniest line might be this exchange between Tech and Phee in A New Fascination:

“We still need to get you back in one piece.  I have a feeling your family would have strong words for me if I left you here for the birds.” “The gulls would not be interested in me unless I had already died,” Tech pointed out.  “I am far too large to register as a prey item for this species.”

21. What surprised me while working on a story? I was quite surprised to go on a tangent in a rain that sounds like home and introduce Crosshair to a bunch of elderly characters on Pabu. Crosshair, darling of the elderly. It didn't change the whole story, but proved a great way to show him starting to weave himself into daily life on Pabu and start to form his own connections with the community separate from his relationships with his siblings.

22. Ugh, Google Docs because I can write from my big heavy gaming laptop at home or from my iPad Pro at a coffee shop. I know they're evil, yes, I know.

23. Finishing TWO chaptered fics with concepts that were difficult to wrangle, where both fics stymied me at multiple times, where both challenged me and I challenged them right back.

24. How do I celebrate finishing fics? Often by scampering off to my husband to chatter at him about how excited I was to finish it.

25. Go back to the source material, especially for Dragon Age. Going to dive right back in after this most likely.

26. Go check out my art blog at @doodlingfoolishness :-D All my art goes there. I also customized two droids and a puffer pig this year as part of my general Star Wars fandom, haha, and worked on multiple Batuu bounds/cosplay ideas.

27. Just Summer of Bad Batch and the upcoming Changed zine with a focus on Tech and Crosshair!

28. I would thank @stardustandash for hanging out in multiple fandoms with me, @mordororbust for patiently listening to me freak out even when we haven't had fandoms in common for years, @red-velvet-panda and @azertyrobaz for just being generally awesome (even if I got some very stupid Crosshair related nicknames on Discord from them), and @rederiswrites for being an awesome writer and also for sharing my love for Lucanis x Rook/cheering my writing on in general.

29. I wrote nearly 172,000 words this year!!!! Could I write 3000 more tonight to get to 175K??? Doubtful but I'm still extremely proud of this, it was my best year ever!

30. So. Much. Dragon Age. And we're heading back to the Severed Floor soon... there's going to be an awful lot to explore!

A slightly revised version of last year's questions! Two ways to play: Reblog and have your followers send you numbers, or answer the whole list!

How many fics have you worked on since January?

What’s something new that you tried in a fic this year?

What piece of media inspired you the most? (This can be the fandom you wrote the most for, the one that spawned the most ideas, the one you thought about the most, etc.)

How many fandoms did you write for this year?

What ships captured your heart?

What characters captured your heart?

Did you write for any new fandoms or ships this year?

What fic meant the most to you to write?

What fic made you feel the happiest to work on?

What fic was the most satisfying to finish writing?

What fic was the most difficult to write?

What fic was the easiest to write?

What were your shortest and longest fics posted this year?

What were your go-to writing songs?

What was the hardest fic to title?

What's your favorite title of the year?

Share your favorite opening line

Share your favorite ending line

Share your favorite piece of dialogue

Share your funniest line

What's something that surprised you while you were working on a fic? Did it change the story?

What writing programs did you use? Did you write by hand?

If you had to choose one, what was THE most satisfying writing moment of your year?

Did you do anything special to celebrate finishing a fic?

How did you recharge between fics?

Did you create fanworks other than fic?

How many events did you take part in? (bangs, exchanges, ship weeks, zines, prompt memes, they all count!)

If this were an awards show, who would you thank?

What's left on your to-do list for 2024?

What would you like to write next year?

[hoodshem]

See those gorgeous DnP photocards? Yeah, i made them myself [:<

To put it shortly – i live in Russia, where it's basically impossible to get any official DnP merch, and they don't have any tour dates here, but i have two phannie friends and i wanted to gift them something meaningful for New Year, so i had to improvise a bit and made them photocards myself!

Thanks again @redbonemarrow for your scans, you literally saved my day 🙏

I managed to find a small package for one of the packs, which was the perfect TIT shade of blue, and i put a sticker with the basic tour poster on, so it looked amazing!

And i also put clear tape on the back of the cards to give them a little ✨shine✨

The shining in action lol

I tried to match the cards in each pack to my friends' personalities so @annnlovesoranges got some extra cowboy ones and the other friend (who doesn't have a tumblr acc lol) got all the swag ones (⁠ ͡⁠°⁠ ͜⁠ʖ⁠ ͡⁠°⁠)

And because i'm a good friend, everyone (me included) got some stickers as well! The middle one is mine, 'cause i'm a phillie kinda lad, and all the others are for everyone else [:

I also made myself some cards, but they honestly kinda suck, 'cause they were the ones i experimented on and they turned out super shitty, but now that feels almost intentional lol

And on the right is an ✨aesthetic✨ pic with my scrunkly nails and penis rocket in the background

I feel so blessed to be in the phandom, because it brought me comfort in hard times and a new friend, so cheers to the new year, which hopefully will bring us even more good things (⁠◕⁠ᴗ⁠◕⁠✿⁠)

Happy new year, my darling phannies 🎄

[syscest]

hi im assuming the us vs them post is about a specific term, which one would that be?

so the sysmed out-group term being referenced in the joke post was (as the reblogs guessed) "endogenic", and I'll lay our thoughts out straight just once to avoid being potentially taken the wrong way

I've got two angles here, existential theological linguistic bullshit, and harm-reduction. stay with me here because even if you're not on board with the first thing you'll want to see the second.

so "traumagenic vs endogenic" is a false dichotomy, and I don't just mean "there's a secret third thing", I mean both classifications are fundamentally not real.

personally? we haven't the foggiest idea why we're a system. but the thing is, I don't think anybody else does either - I think it's genuinely impossible to know why your own consciousness is behind your own eyes and controlling your own body, why you *experience* existing in first-person at all. Like shit, lots of singlets believe it's because a soul has been created or introduced to their flesh, and a bunch of others think that's a load of crap and the chemicals just *do this* on their own. Singlets get this unalienable right to believe whatever the hell they want about why they're experiencing being themselves all the damn time, and I refuse to believe that systems are uniquely special in a way that singlets are not such that anyone can fucking flawlessly divine the cause of our consciousness all of a sudden. These are existential-tier questions and to deny their impossible complexity and the right to self-belief over them is, in my eyes, to deny systems something many singlets feel is part of what makes them human.

You can believe all sorts of stuff about the nature of your own systemhood just like how you can believe all sorts of stuff about the nature of your own existence - that doesn't make you definitively right, it's just a meaningful mechanism through which you understand your own experiences that other people should respect - it's like any faith, go figure.

Frustratingly, these words - traumagenic, endogenic - they're not talking about belief, they're objective buckets actively being used for exclusion. So every time we use the term "traumagenic systems", in saying "systems that objectively exist because of trauma" we are saying, loudly, "it is possible to know why a system exists". and frankly? no the fuck it isn't.

Anyway that's airy bullshit and reflects very idealised interactions so - practical, realist opinions, and harm reduction:

Saying "I'm pro-endo" is a net good, though I think "I support all systems" is probably marginally better because it doesn't perpetuate categories pushed by sysmeds for exclusionary reasons as being essential to defining systemhood - as we joked about.

Contrastingly, self-declaring "traumagenic" or "endogenic" in a bio is a net bad. Saying "I'm a traumagenic system" also says "Hello sysmeds, I believe in your dichotomy and I'm one of the good ones" (great way to get sysmed followers), and that factor doesn't go away if you go on to say that you support all systems - you've already thrown away your opportunity to shield more vulnerable systems from harassment through making who sysmeds need to target more obscure.

In fact, regardless of whether your bio says to sysmeds "I am a target" or "I'm not a target", by saying it explicitly, you're pressuring other, more vulnerable systems to similarly self-declare. It's like cis people putting pronouns in their bio to shield trans people from harassment through obscurity and embarrassment, but in reverse - if you shut up about it, and *just* call yourself a plural system, even if you do believe in their categorisations, you stop the propogation of the self-labelling and exclusionists are forced to make themselves look like idiots because most of their harassment would have to be done at random. It's basically herd immunity - nobody talks, everybody walks.

anyway yeah there's context for future, though honestly the section in plural respect is a lot more succinct lmao

[baccarry]

A Step Forward

Summary: When Bucky Barnes agrees to take part in Secret Santa, he hopes to draw your name so he can finally take the first step and give you a gift that shows how much you mean to him. But fate, his friends' pranks, and his own insecurities get in the way. On Christmas night, you'll discover that even the smallest gesture can be the beginning of something greater.

Pairing: Bucky Barnes x Reader

Rating: G

Note: As the countdown to New Year’s continues, I’m fully soaking in the festive atmosphere. In my country, New Year’s is celebrated even more widely than Christmas, and the excitement is still building. While we wait, here’s a new story to keep the holiday spirit alive.

Sorry, but English is not my native language, so if you notice any mistakes, please correct them. I would also appreciate beta reading services.

3019 Words.

Bucky clutched the folded slip of paper with a name printed on it. His gaze, usually steady and focused, darted around the room, searching for something to anchor onto. Somewhere in this room, he knew you were there, and just the thought made his heart race. All he wanted was to draw your name from this Secret Santa lottery, but fate had other plans.

He already knew whose name was on the paper. Quickly unfolding it, he grimaced and folded it back up again—the worst possible outcome. Yet, for some reason, he unfolded it once more, as if hoping the letters would magically rearrange themselves. Maybe from another angle or under different lighting... But no, the name remained the same.

“Sam,” he muttered, barely stopping himself from dropping the slip. His breath hitched, and Bucky closed his eyes, feeling a wave of disappointment swell inside him.

“Damn it,” he grumbled under his breath. His thoughts revolved around a completely different name—yours. For the past few weeks, he’d been carefully planning. He already knew the perfect gift for you, something that would carry not only a touch of old-fashioned elegance but also reveal the care and admiration he hid behind his guarded exterior.

Sam. Of course, it had to be Sam. Bucky shook his head, pretending it didn’t bother him in the slightest.

“You look like you just drew my name, old man,” came Sam’s teasing voice from behind. Bucky turned sharply, shoving the slip of paper into his jacket pocket.

“Shut up, Wilson,” he growled, trying to mask his irritation. “And no, it’s not yours.”

Sam’s grin spread wide—the kind of mischievous smirk Bucky knew all too well. It was the same look he always got before delivering a particularly annoying jab. Judging by the glint in his eyes, Sam had already figured out how to twist the situation into a joke.

“You know,” Sam drawled, folding his arms across his chest, “I may not be a genius, but your face says more than you’d like. Hoping for someone special, huh?” He shot a meaningful glance in your direction across the room.

“I’m willing to bet you’d want to trade for your ‘assignment,’” Sam added, his smirk growing wider.

Bucky stiffened as Sam dramatically pulled out his own slip, holding it just enough for Bucky to see a corner. Instinct kicked in—he stepped closer, his hand already reaching to grab it, but Sam, chuckling, pulled it back just in time, like dangling a string before a cat.

“Ah-ah! Not so fast, old man,” Sam said with a wink. “First, admit you wanted to draw her.”

Bucky froze, his gaze turning sharp as January frost, and his lips pressed into a thin line. He hesitated for just a moment before muttering:

“I didn’t even want to play this stupid game.”

“Come on, don’t lie,” Sam teased, clearly enjoying himself. “I’ve seen you staring at her all evening. You’re two steps away from doodling her name in hearts in your notebook.”

Bucky huffed irritably, trying to brush off the taunt, but a faint blush crept up his cheeks, much to his annoyance. Straightening up, he crossed his arms over his chest and retorted with a challenge:

“Even if I wanted her name, what’s it to you?”

“Well,” Sam said, tapping the slip of paper in his hand, “maybe this is your little Christmas miracle. But, you know, miracles come with a price.”

Bucky squinted at him suspiciously.

“What do you want, Wilson?”

“Oh, just a small favor,” Sam said, pausing for dramatic effect. “You take my next patrol shift. The whole thing. Freezing toes, grumpy agents, and endless vending machine coffee.”

Bucky clenched his arms tighter across his chest, feeling irritation bubbling up. But when his gaze flickered to you—your smile lighting up the room—he sighed, the tension easing just slightly.

“Fine, Wilson,” he grumbled, extending a hand. “Give it here. But if you ever pull something like this again, I swear…”

“Merry Christmas, Bucky,” Sam interrupted with a grin, handing over the slip with your name on it. “And don’t forget my present.”

Bucky just shook his head, trying to hide how his heart thudded with excitement.

Now everything depended on him.

The central hall sparkled with festive lights. The air was filled with the scent of pine and hot chocolate. People murmured, exchanging smiles and glances as they waited for the next surprise. Pepper Potts effortlessly handled the role of host, pulling beautifully wrapped presents from a large box and reading the names on the cards.

You stood next to Wanda, shivering slightly with anticipation. Your eyes kept wandering to Bucky Barnes, who, as usual, stayed on the outskirts of the gathering, as if trying to hide in an invisible shell.

“I can’t believe he’s participating,” you murmured, nodding in his direction.

Wanda smiled faintly and shrugged.

“I’m afraid it’s going to be the last time.”

“Why?” you asked, glancing at her in surprise.

“My idiot brother thought it would be funny to gift him a pack of magnets,” Wanda explained with an eye roll.

“Magnets?” You couldn’t hold back a smile. “But vibranium isn’t magnetic.”

“That’s exactly what Clint said,” Wanda sighed. “So Pietro added double-sided tape, ‘just in case the magnets didn’t work.’”

You paused for a moment, and it genuinely struck you as odd.

“That’s… mean, I guess,” you said with a shrug, glancing at Bucky again.

At that very moment, Pepper handed him a gift. You noticed Pietro and Clint exchange mischievous glances, barely stifling their laughter. Bucky took the box with an expression of wary skepticism, typical of someone accustomed to expecting a trick.

You felt a pang of sympathy. Being the odd one out in any group, especially one this tight-knit, couldn’t be easy. Steve somehow managed, with his charm smoothing over any rough edges. But Bucky… It was harder for him. He seemed too quiet, too serious for all this commotion.

“Idiots,” Wanda muttered quietly, watching Bucky accept the gift with a polite nod of thanks.

You nodded silently, stealing another glance at him. You often tried to start conversations with him, showing him attention. He was a great conversationalist—attentive, polite, as if from another era. And although he spoke little, there was always something profound in his gaze that made you feel like he truly listened to every word.

“Modern men just aren’t the same,” your grandmother used to say. And now, you found yourself agreeing with her. You didn’t even need to acknowledge that you had fallen for him. The feeling had crept up unnoticed, born from his small gestures, his reserved kindness, and his genuine interest.

Bucky met your gaze across the room. His face remained impassive, but a warm spark flickered in his eyes, making your heart skip a beat. You smiled, and to your surprise, he gave you a small nod, as if thanking you for something you hadn’t even said.

Hearing your name called, you barely registered it. Passing Steve and Sam, you overheard their conversation, and a wave of anger surged through you. Steve, laughing, quietly said:

“I can’t believe we actually did it.”

Sam, nodding toward Bucky, added with a smirk:

“Well, the old man practically asked for it.”

Your steps slowed, and then you froze, a storm of thoughts whirling in your mind. “How could they do this?!” Bucky, who always kept his distance, had joined this Secret Santa exchange, albeit reluctantly. He deserved at least something pleasant, not a cruel joke.

What hurt the most was Steve’s involvement. Captain America. You had always considered him the epitome of decency and kindness. Now, he had fallen so low in your eyes it was hard to comprehend.

You barely heard Pepper calling your name or what she said about the gift. Mechanically grabbing two boxes, you turned on your heel and headed back to Wanda. But on the way, you couldn’t resist stopping in front of Steve and Sam.

“Is this funny to you?” you hissed, stopping abruptly.

They exchanged confused glances, clearly not expecting such an outburst. Sam was the first to speak.

“Whoa, hold on. What’s wrong?”

“What’s wrong?” You narrowed your eyes, glaring at each of them. “You think it’s funny to give Bucky some stupid ‘joke’ gift? To someone who already struggles to fit in here? You think it’s amusing to make him feel like an outsider? Or do you think he doesn’t deserve a real present?”

Steve raised his hands, trying to calm you.

“Wait, what are you even talking about?”

Your argument, though quiet, had already drawn some attention from the remaining guests. Bucky, who stood nearby, turned at the sound of your voice. His gaze shifted between you and his friends, a mix of surprise and worry flashing in his eyes.

“Let’s step outside,” Steve suggested, his voice calm but firm, nodding toward the corridor. You hesitated for a moment, then nodded and followed him, clutching the boxes tightly. Sam stayed behind as Pepper called his name.

You returned from the corridor after your talk with Steve, feeling strange. Your anger had melted away, replaced by a mix of embarrassment and lingering regret. Now, you knew Steve and Sam had nothing to do with the magnet prank. They had only wanted to help. They printed your name again and slipped it to Bucky. If either of them had drawn your name, it wouldn’t have been an issue—they would have simply swapped. But Plan B was made specifically for Bucky because he wanted to give you a gift. A real one, from the heart.

You glanced at the two boxes in your hands, a wave of awkwardness washing over you. How had you even ended up with both gifts? That wasn’t like you at all.

Back in the hall, you found it almost deserted. Pepper was giving instructions to one of the staff, while the rest of the guests had moved upstairs to continue the festivities. You slowed your steps, scanning the room for someone who could tell you where Bucky had gone.

Initially, you headed toward the elevator, intending to join the others. But something inside stopped you. A quiet intuition, a little voice saying, “That’s not where you need to go.” Turning, you made your way downstairs, not entirely sure why.

And it turned out to be the right decision. Near the door leading outside, you saw Bucky. He walked slowly, his posture slightly hunched, more so than usual. Near the nearest trash bin, you spotted something familiar—a discarded, unwrapped gift. Looking closer, you realized it was the Secret Santa present.

Bucky hadn’t even taken it with him.

Your heart ached. You could see how hard it must be for him: reserved, cautious, constantly feeling out of place. And now, this gesture screamed louder than words. He clearly felt uncomfortable, as if even participating in this game confirmed his worst fears—that he didn’t belong.

Taking a deep breath, clutching the boxes tighter, you made your way toward him.

“Bucky!” you called, quickening your pace. He paused for a moment but didn’t turn around, as if unsure he was the one being addressed. His shoulders tensed, as if bracing for another blow from the universe, and the sight made your heart ache.

“Bucky, wait!” you called out louder this time, and he stopped completely. When he slowly turned around, you saw a mix of exhaustion and regret in his eyes. You took a deep breath, trying to gather your thoughts—you needed to explain everything to him, but you had no idea where to start.

“These shoes make it impossible to keep up with your big strides,” you joked, trying to lighten the mood. Bucky raised an eyebrow slightly, and you thought you saw the faintest shadow of a smile tug at the corner of his lips.

But you still didn’t know how to continue. Standing beside him, you shifted awkwardly from one foot to the other, still holding the boxes in your hands. His gaze flicked to the gifts, and you noticed his shoulders tense just slightly.

“That one’s yours?” you asked, holding up the smaller gift wrapped in red paper with golden snowflakes.

Bucky shook his head and gestured toward the second box—the one in dark blue wrapping with a silver ribbon. His gaze lingered on it a moment too long, and you noticed the faint twitch of his fingers.

“That one.”

You lifted the blue box higher, inspecting it under the dim corridor light. Something clinked softly inside, and Bucky visibly tensed, as if afraid the contents might have been damaged. Resisting the urge to peek inside, you handed both boxes to him, freeing your hands.

“Hold these,” you said, digging into your bag.

Bucky instinctively took the boxes, his puzzled gaze never leaving you. You continued rummaging until you pulled out a small, neatly wrapped package tied with a red ribbon.

Now, a minor dilemma arose: his hands were full with your gifts, and holding the package meant you couldn’t take them back. You both stood in awkward silence for a moment before you firmly grabbed his sleeve.

“Come on,” you said, tugging him back toward the tower.

“Look, I really appreciate how much you care about me,” he began reluctantly, following your lead. “But perfect songs, modern dancing, and all this…”

“I’m not asking you to go back to the party, Bucky,” you interrupted, glancing back at him. “I’m asking you to find a place to put my gifts so I can give you yours.”

His eyes widened slightly, and he slowed his pace.

“This is for me?”

“No, Barnes,” you replied with an exaggerated eye roll and a teasing smile. “I just brought it to show off how good I am at wrapping presents.”

The corners of his mouth twitched faintly, but he said nothing. Instead, you both approached the reception desk, where he carefully set down the boxes. You handed him the small package you’d been holding and watched as he untied the ribbon and began unwrapping the paper with almost painstaking precision.

It was both endearing and slightly exasperating. You would’ve torn through the wrapping in seconds, but Bucky meticulously smoothed out each piece and folded it neatly before slipping it into his jacket pocket. Finally, he took the gift in his hands, his face softening as he realized what it was.

You smiled, watching him examine the gift. His eyes held genuine surprise and joy.

“You know, you can give gifts to people you didn’t draw for Secret Santa, right? Or was it different in the forties?” you asked, teasing him lightly. “Never mind, don’t answer.”

You brushed a strand of hair back, still riding the wave of excitement from his reaction. You weren’t ready to open your own gift just yet—afraid your reaction might not match his. Plus, watching him enjoy his moment was far more rewarding.

Almost casually, you adjusted your hair and said nonchalantly:

“There’s a small club on the corner of 5th Avenue and 42nd Street. It’s called ‘Velvet Echo.’ They’re having a concert tonight—modern songs, but performed in the style of past decades, from the twenties to the eighties. I’m heading there now…”

You left the statement open, casting him a questioning glance.

“Velvet Echo” was one of those cozy places that preserved the charm of bygone eras: a small stage, dim lighting, plush velvet chairs, and jazzy melodies transitioning into retro-pop. It always felt like stepping back in time, into a more romantic age.

Bucky squinted slightly, clearly intrigued by your choice.

“Sounds… unusual,” he said, trying to keep his tone neutral, but you caught the flicker of interest in his eyes. “Are you going alone?”

“That depends,” you said, shifting the gifts around in your hands, needing something to occupy them. “But I don’t know how to dance… at all.”

Bucky’s smile softened, and a hint of tenderness glimmered in his eyes.

“Well,” he said, stepping closer, “I don’t think that’s a problem. Any woman can dance if she’s led the right way. After all, I was a decent dancer… in the forties.”

The warmth in his words was like the first golden ray of sunlight in winter. You smiled back instinctively, a pleasant flutter stirring in your chest.

“Well then, maybe you can show me how it’s done,” you said boldly, raising an eyebrow at him.

Bucky chuckled, shaking his head, and gestured toward the door.

“Let’s start by getting there.”

He stepped behind the reception desk and noticed your coat draped over a chair. With practiced ease that felt almost instinctual, he picked it up and helped you into it, his hands resting lightly on your shoulders as he adjusted the collar.

“Thanks,” you said, turning to see him smoothing the fabric, ensuring it looked perfect.

“My pleasure,” he replied quietly, his voice steady yet soft.

Together, you headed toward the exit, walking side by side. Bucky held the door open, allowing you to step through first. The simple, old-fashioned gesture made your heart skip a beat—it was rare and oddly touching in today’s world.

Outside, snowflakes floated lazily through the glow of streetlights, giving the night a magical holiday charm. You glanced over at Bucky as he adjusted his scarf, then smiled warmly.

“They have the best hot chocolate in the city at ‘Velvet Echo,’” you said. “Consider it a bonus for your dance lesson.”

He chuckled, tilting his head slightly.

“Then I’d better make sure this evening is worth your while.”

And with that, the two of you walked forward, blending into the sounds of a city already alive with Christmas anticipation.

[softness-and-shattering]

For a long time I had an image saved in my phone, it was one of those written-over memes from The Wizard of Oz, "but are you a good witch or a bad witch?" except witch was swapped out with Jew.

"Are you one of the Good Jews (virulently anti-zionist) or one of the Bad Jews (bathing in Palestinian baby blood)?". Its never a valid question no matter what you put in the brackets and we won't play. We shouldnt need to announce our presence/guarantee our safety with a fifty page manifesto detailing the crimes of the Israeli government denouncing every single one in detail, plus pointing out and debunking a slew of popular antisemitic conspiracy theories like, say, shadow cabals and lizard people.

Neither should we have to open a discussion about how we can continue to belong to our faith AND culture AND history - because Judaism is an ethnoreligion not just a belief system- while being queer, and beg for understanding and acceptance to be who we are. To be in queer spaces devoted to celebrating our unique identities and to feel like its not safe to be all of yourself is real shitty.

And its also ridiculous that we cant ever talk about Zionism because you all have decided that it means at it core absolute hatred of Palestinians. No. At its core its an absolute love of Eretz Yisroel and Am Yisroel, and a grief of two thousands years of colonisation and exile by Rome. It has nothing to do with Palestinians at all, which did become conflict for obvious geographical reasons but its not ideologically insurmountable at all. Its not grounded in hate. And Im rethinking if I should even say this or not because I think its important, and because I know a lot of you who at best arent examining your biases and at medium-worst are just looking for people you can get away with bullying, could take this as a hair trigger to send me hate.

And I usually dont talk about this stuff for this exact reason. And I dislike it. There are so many good meaningful conversations to be had if we're stuck in our thinking about what the acceptable party lines are and what we have to say exactly to get by. And to be clear, if I say something bigoted or shitty, tell me. As a general rule. Dont come raging into my inbox, have some basic decency and Ill afford you the same, and a reply within my ability and capacity. I never want to be an asshole. I will always engage critical thinking about my own beliefs and ideas. I think this is enough caveat-ing for now. If you want to be a good and thoughtful person you always need to engage in self-reflection. If this post makes you angry, I suggest taking a break and thinking about it rather than immediately responding. Its not life and death, this is tumblr.

Jewish queer people deserve to be safe in queer spaces.

[yeomongi]

𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐟𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐬 — 𐙚

genre : fluff ! ^^

pairing : seonghwa x you

word count : 600ish

warnings : menstruation & period pain, idk anything else

synopsis : a comforting moment between you and seonghwa as he helps you through the unbearable pain of your period cramps, showing his love through small but meaningful actions.

note : i decided to do this request as well since i really enjoyed writing my previous yeosang fluff!! also going to post a san version after this since i find it really comforting :3 this one is a bit shorter but i hope you still enjoyed! reblogs and interactions appreciated <3

it started like it always did—sharp pains twisting through your lower abdomen, the kind that made you curl up on the couch and wonder how something so natural could be so cruel. you’d been battling these cramps all day, hoping that the painkillers you took hours ago would do their job. but they didn’t. nothing seemed to work, and now all you wanted was the comfort of seonghwa.

seonghwa had this way of making everything feel less overwhelming, like the world could spin a little slower if you were in his arms. and right now, you needed that more than anything.

you heard the front door open softly, the familiar sound of seonghwa kicking off his shoes and hanging up his coat. you tried to sit up a little, but the ache in your stomach pulled you back down.

“y/n?” his voice called out, gentle and warm, like always.

“in here,” you croaked, pulling the blanket tighter around yourself.

he appeared in the doorway, his brows furrowing the moment he saw you curled up on the couch.

“baby, what’s wrong?” he asked, crossing the room to kneel beside you.

“cramps,” you mumbled, your voice small. “they’re really bad this time.”

his expression softened with concern as he reached out to brush a strand of hair from your face.

“why didn’t you call me?”

you shrugged, not wanting to admit that you didn’t want to bother him while he was busy. seonghwa sighed, his thumb gently stroking your cheek.

“you’re never a bother, y/n. you know that, right?”

you nodded, but the way his eyes searched yours told you he wasn’t convinced.

“okay,” he said softly, standing up. “stay right here. i’ll be back in a minute.”

he disappeared into the kitchen, and you could hear the faint sounds of him rummaging around. when he returned, he was holding a glass of water and a heating pad.

“here,” he said, handing you the water first. “you need to stay hydrated.”

you took a small sip, even though you didn’t feel like it. he gently placed the heating pad on your stomach, adjusting it until it felt just right. the warmth was immediate, and you let out a soft sigh of relief.

“better?” he asked, sitting down beside you.

“a little,” you admitted.

seonghwa reached for the remote and turned on the tv, flipping through the channels until he landed on your favorite show.

“we’ll just sit here for a bit, okay?” he said, his voice calm and soothing.

you nodded, leaning into him as he wrapped an arm around your shoulders. his presence alone was enough to make the pain feel a little less unbearable.

as the episode played, he kept his hand on your arm, tracing light patterns with his fingers. it was such a small gesture, but it made you feel cared for in a way that words couldn’t.

“do you want me to get you anything else?” he asked after a while.

“just stay,” you whispered.

he smiled, pressing a soft kiss to the top of your head.

“always.”

you stayed like that for a while, the two of you wrapped up in each other and the warmth of the moment. eventually, the heating pad and seonghwa’s presence worked together to dull the pain, and you found yourself relaxing for the first time all day.

“thank you,” you murmured, your voice barely above a whisper.

“you don’t have to thank me,” he said softly. “i’ll always take care of you, y/n.”

and you believed him. because with seonghwa, you never had to face anything alone.