#and if we're being so real with ourselves if this goes by how much i rewatch movies?

[capricioussuns]

[ID: a tweet thread by @ OrionDBlack in response to a tweet by @ Lubchansky that reads "the US is obviously hurtling into a serious 'gender critical' movement and frankly i have no idea how we're supposed to combat it given that almost nobody who isn't trans seems to give a shit or notice"

OrionDBlack's reply reads "Aight imma spit real quick and hope that my FBI agent doesnt turn my phone off. /j Let's talk real quick.

There was a moment in Black History around the Civil Rights movement where there was a currently-unimaginable amount of coalition building. It is truly amazing to me that a letter from the Panthers talking about queer rights was signed by Mexican, Chinese, Black etc activists.

During that time, and the time that followed, the government dedicated themselves to wedging as much bullshit between our groups as possible. Crack. AIDS. Model minorities. Super predators. It just goes on and on.

Every time class consciousness gets a little bit closer to being realized, shit like this comes out in full force. We see BLM being branded as ultra violent. We see gender critical movements get a massive flux in support. We see how disabled people are basically being euthanized.

It's just straight facts that our government is experienced in disrupting and assaulting leftist movements. All of it is on public record. Our own country is included in the collective that have been broken down and "readjusted" for the benefit of white supremacy and capitalism.

The good thing is that we know we're getting closer, cuz they're scared. The bad thing is that we lose lives and are pushed a few steps back. Trans people are more of a target now than we were before, and it was already bad. Disabled people. PoC. The intersections therein.

I kinda miss the slogan 'all power to all the people'. Because 'all the people' means EVERYONE. It's inclusive. It implies that the work of deconstructing our isms is how we empower ourselves and are able to then collect under mutual interest. All power to all the people yall.

Anyway. Just do what you can. Just surviving is a revolutionary act. If you can do more, do so. We'll figure this shit out somehow." /End ID]

[when-did-this-become-difficult]

there's a game at work where we're supposed to submit our 4 favorite movies and i wanna include how to blow up a pipeline (2022) so fuckin bad but i will not this is a large corporation, the company i work for sksksksksksksk it's genuinely such a good movie though

[strwberri-milk]

Hello 👋. May I request for our LADS men's reaction if we give them a mini plushie version of ourselves for company? (and maybe we have a mini plushie version of them). Like when Xavi runs off on his own or when Zayne is busy or when We're too busy to visit Rafa or when we can't meet Sylus. 🤭. Sorry I'm too sad that I can't get Zayne's card so I'm hunting all the fluff I can find and I don't know what type of finance ruining shenanigans are they throwing for his bday

good luck solider i was there during the rafayel apocalypse and thank god i got a job to pay back that hole in my wallet

Zayne didn't know what to make of the little plush that appeared on his desk after you visited him one day. He couldn't help but laugh as he realised how close it looked to you, smiling to himself when he sends you a picture of it.

You text back immediately, asking him if he likes the fact that he has a little version of you to keep him company. He's busy trying to figure out when you had the time do all of this when you send him another photo of yourself holding a tiny Zayne plushie, telling him that you didn't want to be left alone either for his overnights.

The entire ordeal has him admiring just how adorable you are. He can't believe how lucky he is to have found you, texting you a thank you as he makes sure the plush of you has a safe spot on his desk.

Xavier didn't quite know what to do when he was presented with a little plushie version of yourself. His first thought was to keep you safe in his pocket but he was worried you'd fall out while he was fighting.

He ends up finding a safe space in his home to keep it and when he goes to work he keeps it with a small bag of his other things for the office. He won't take it to the field in worries of losing the plush you gave to him. He protects it the way he does you which you find totally adorable.

Rafayel absolutely adores the little thing you give him. He loves it so much that he takes it everywhere with him. Whenever he gets bored from painting or inspired to he starts making new outfits for the plush. The plush ends up amassing a wardrobe you think is a little too intensive for a stuffed toy but Rafayel makes sure you don't miss out by buying you new clothes too. You have caught him dozing off with it on multiple occasions if you take too long to visit him and you never have the heart to take it away from him.

Sylus doesn't really know what to do with it. In his opinion he'd have a much better time with the real deal but you tell him that you can't always be by his side so this is a much better substitute. He tries to tell you again that he'd just come and find you but you aren't having any of it, telling him to consider the plush an extension of you.

When you say it like that he decides he has no choice but to make sure the plush of you is treated just as well as he treats you. He doesn't spoil it by any means but whenever you see it you find that it's tidy and pristine, sitting carefully on a higher shelf to avoid being knocked down but coincidentally at a perfect height for him to reach.

[2tcs]

Day 4: Going to an event where a relative is performing and Planet

“Come on hurry up!” Steph’s excitement was contagious as Dick began bouncing on his toes as they tried to find a good spot to see the stage. Tim had offered to buy seats in the balcony to be able to see better without the crowd but apparently they needed the ‘full mosh experience’. 

“Who are these people again Steph?” Tim asked. He knew exactly who they were but it was always fun pretending he didn’t.

“Ugh. Tim! I know you know who the Specters are! And today they’re doing a face reveal at the end of the show!” Steph said as she started to bounce in place. Watching her and Dick standing next to each other reminds Tim of why he ordered more shots of espresso than normal. They were like excited puppies.

“Happy. Excited.” Cass whispered next to him while smiling at Steph and Dick.

“GOOD EVENING GOTHAM CITY!” The lead singer, Farshee, said as a toxic green glow and fog overtook the stage. “WE ARE THE SPECTERS. AND TONIGHT. TONIGHT WE WILL PLAY FOR YOU THE CONCERT OF THE DEAD!”

At the end of this announcement, the lights brightened to wight and the fog cleared and revealed the band members. Farshee the lead singer, Siren the lead guitar, Temptress on the bass guitar, and Jinx on the drums.

“LET’S SET THIS THING OFF!” Siren yelled before letting strumming her guitar as her and Temptress screamed before Farshee started singing.

Throughout the concert, Tim noticed how a lot of the songs involved accidents and death. It shouldn’t have been much of a surprise considering the name of the band and the name they chose for this concert. Tim thinks he remembers Steph saying that it was the name that the band was using for their upcoming album. By the time the band Tim had completely forgotten the reveal. That is until Farshee took off his mask and Time was faced with the face of his twin. The twin he wasn’t supposed to know about. The twin that his parents had given up at birth. Holy shit! That way Daniel!

“So now you've seen our faces.” Farshee said with a slight smile on his lips as his bandmates took off their own masks. “My name is Danny.”

“My name is Ember. Remember it.” Siren said as she strummed a cord on her guitar.

“You can call me Kitty.” Temptress gave her name with a wink as Jinx walked up and wrapped an arm around her waist.

“And I’m Jonny. Sup.”

“Now I know many of you are wondering why we decided to reveal ourselves. Well in order for me to properly explain I need to clear up a common misconception about us. When we first started two years ago many of you pegged us as being metas. Now many of you have noticed that we never confirmed or denied this. And there's a reason for that.” After saying that Danny posed and seemed to be trying to fortify his nerves. As Tim looked at the other members of the band he noticed that they were all fidgeting.

“Nervous. Scared.” Cass said beside Tim.

“Scared of what? Met as are protected.” Steph asked as Dick got a serious look on his face.

“The truth is.” Danny started before nervously licking his lips. “The truth is that we’re not. Metas that is. We do have powers but those powers are something most of our people have. We're what the American government has dubbed an ecto-entities.We call ourselves spirits and ghosts. After tonight our website will have a forum posted for questions if you have any. But the main thing to know is that during Luthor's presidency a set of laws were passed called the Anti-Ecto Acts. These laws state that anything that is made of, produces, or consumes a substance called ectoplasm is to be handed over to the government for containment, experimentation, and disposal.” As Danny spoke more and more voices in the crowd started to shout in outrage at what was just implied.

“That goes in direct violation of the meta protection act.” Dick said in shock.

“Shit. Its real.” Tim gasped in shock as he looked up the law on his phone, catching the attention of some of the people around him who pulled out their phones to look at the law themselves.

“There’s a branch of the government that is tasked with enforcing this law. They are called the Ghost Investigation Ward or GIW. Normally we would not be open with what we are due to this group but in the last month there has been a change. A large number of people nationwide have disappeared. Normally this would, sadly, be normal. People disappear every day. But our people keep a census on who and how many of us are on this side of the vail. And over a third of those people have disappeared practically overnight. So this is us. Calling out to the Justice League and you the people. Help us be able to exist in peace. Help us gain our freedom. And help us call out the US government. This government sanctioned genocide. And if you think that you are safe? That this doesn’t affect you? Just look around. How many people do you know who have had a brush with death? How many heroes do you know of who have died and then come back to life? Death leaves a mark. That is a saying that you hear everywhere. And it is true. Anyone who has been close to death has traces of ectoplasm on them. Therefore they are subject to the Anti-Ecto Act.” Sighing Danny looked up into the crowd. Searching for something before addressing the audience again. “I wish we could end this concert on a happy note. But I can’t brush this off anymore. I can’t ignore it anymore. And I hope you all reach out to your loved ones and make sure they're safe. I hope you all stay safe.”

With a final look around the stadium the Specters walked backstage, leaving everyone else to find their own exit.

“I think the B will want to hear about this.” Dick said.

“I think he’s going to have an aneurysm the moment he hears about this.” Steph adds.

“Mad.” Cass said with a nod.

“Typing up the report now and running a scan of all government documentation that references ghosts, spirits, ectoplasm, and the Anti-Ecto Acts. They’re set to automatically download and save a copy to my private laptop. That way I have a viable excuse if these GIW agents can see if their stuff is tampered with. So far I can see a lot of redacted files. This might take O getting involved.” Tim said before turning away from the exit to head backstage.

“And where are you going?” Dick asked.

“To talk to my brother.”

“What are you talking about? I didn’t see anyone else here.” Steph said as she caught up with Tim.

“New old brother.” Cass smiled while looking at Tim.

“Ya Cass. Our parents gave him up for adoption when we were born so he probably doesn’t know. The only reason I know was after the first clone debacle with Cadmus and I did a search on my one face. Got a 99% match and looked into him. Our parents didn’t even give him a name.”

“Well that’s messed up. We’ll just have to make sure he knows that he is always welcome. You know B will have the papers signed the moment he sees him and finds out that he needs help.” Dick chimed in as he typed something on his phone. Judging by the chime that Tim heard from Steph and Cass phones he must have messaged the group chat.

“Hay you! You can’t go back there.” A guard said as they were about to head through the employees only doors.

“My name is Timothy Drake-Wayne. I want to help but I need to talk to the Specters to see if they would be willing to work with the Wayne lawyers to help fight the government. Would you please inform the band of my offer? Me and my family will wait here while you do.” Tim said before leaning against the wall making it clear he wasn’t going to leave until his request was fulfilled.

“I can ask if they will see you but no means no and if they don’t want to see you”

“Then we will leave. Now please inform them of my offer.”

“Pushy rich pricks.” The guard mumbled before gesturing for another guard to watch the door while he delivered the message.

A few minutes later and a coded report to Bruce's batphone the guard came back and waved them through the door and towards the break room that the band was using. Upon entering the room Tim noticed that the band had already changed out into more comfortable clothing and were lounging around the far side of the room. Except for Danny. He was sitting at a table that was placed in the middle of the room. When he noticed them enter he sat up straighter and gave a half smile.

“Hay Tim. Never thought we would ever get to meet face to face. Wish it was under better circumstances though.” Danny greeted them.

“You expected to meet me someday?” Tim asked as he took the seat across from Danny.

“A friend of mine pointed out how much we looked alike and we joked about it until my sister overheard us and mentioned that mom and dad kept my adoption papers with our baby memorabilia in the attic. I thought she was just joking and told her to prove it. So she grabbed the papers and showed them to me. Mr. and Mrs. Drake’s names were on the birth certificate. A little google searching and figured out that we were twins. I also know that you looked into me a few years back yourself.” Danny chuckled.

“After the Cadmus Labs were found to be doing cloning I got a bit paranoid and did a facial recognition scan on the internet. Found you and did my own digging. You looked happy. I didn’t want to intrude.” Tim said before pulling out his phone and bringing up the acts. “I can get a hold of my lawyers and have them fight the validity of this law. I can also make sure that you and your friends and family are safe.”

“Thank you Tim. And here. I was planning on getting Batman's attention while I was here and giving him this but considering the Wayne famile’s connections? This is just as good.” Danny said as he pushed a small cloth pencil bag over to Tim.

“A flash drive?” Dick asked as he looked over Tim’s shoulder as he opened the bag.

“Several flash drives.” Steph said as she took the bag from Tim and started counting.

“It’s all the information that me and my friends were able to get. They’re even color coded. green is for the laws and basic profiling. yellow is for the things that the GIW has been caught doing in public. And red is for the things that they have been doing behind closed doors. I would suggest leaving the red one for the Justice League. It has some really graphic stuff on it that someone who hasn’t seen the worst of humanity wouldn’t be able to handle.” Danny said while looking at his hands. “I don’t want you to see them.”

“They hurt you.” Cass said softly while hugging herself.

“Ya. They hurt me. And so many others… Tim. Here’s my personal number. If you or the League has any questions please don’t hesitate to ask. And here.” Danny began drawing on a piece of paper before handing what looked like a summoning circle over to Tim with his card. “That is a one time use summoning circle for Prince Phantom.”

“You know a Prince?” Dick asked.

“This is Tim’s twin brother. Are you seriously surprised that someone who shared a womb with this weirdo wouldn’t have strange acquaintances?” Steph asked while giving Dick a deadpan look.

“Fine. You have a point.” Dick pouted.

“Here. This is by business card and on the back is my personal cell number. I’ll make sure these get to the Bat. I’ll admit. I’m curious how you got involved with this. So if you’re willing. Can we talk about it?” Tim asked when he handed over his own card.

“Thanks. I’ll think about it. But me and my friends need to get moving so when the GIW storm Gotham looking for us we’ll be hidden away in one of the safe houses that we have set up.”

“Are you sure you wouldn’t like to stay in one of the safehouses that we have set up?” Tim offered.

“No, but I appreciate the offer. It’s just safer if we don’t involve you any more than I already have.” Danny said while going over to the door and opening it. Clearly indicating the end of the discussion.

“Okay. Just know my offer stands. Talk to you later?”

“Ya. Talk to you later. Stay safe.” Danny said before shutting the door behind him.

“Welp. Back to work I guess.” Steph shrugged as she began to walk back the way they came.

“Don’t worry Tim. We’ll make sure these laws are repealed and you can set up a proper meeting with your twin.” Dick tried to reassure Tim as he wrapped one of his arms around Tim’s shoulder in a side hug.

“Protect brother.” Cass promised as she tapped her knuckles against Tim’s.

When they got home they called an emergency meeting in the batcave. And after Batman read through the law he took a quick glimpse of what was on the red flash drive. And immediately took the flash drives and headed to the watchtower.

[orcboxer]

listen 20 years ago i was happy and now i'm not so as far as i'm concerned yeah the world is getting worse

I grew up in a hyperreligious, hyperconservative family and church that was constantly convinced that we were living in The End Times and the future always looked bleak and every new problem was The Worst Things Have Ever Been and we were all miserable all the time. And when you believe without question that Things Are Always Getting Worse, that implies Things Were Better In The Past. And that's like, a cornerstone of right wing ideology. On the big picture, if you can't conceive of a better future, you won't bother trying to make one, and that makes you easier to control.

Now I can't speak to your personal life, of course, and I'll admit my life is better now than it was 20 years ago (I left the church, came out as gay, started treatment for my mental health, all that jazz). But I can tell you that the quality of life of the average human has improved, and things are, overall, largely improving on many different levels globally.

Over the past century, globally speaking, the average lifespan has increased, infant mortality has decreased, poverty has greatly decreased, education has become way more accessible, voter inequality has decreased, water quality has increased, food availability has greatly increased, access to healthcare has increased -- I could go on. You'd actually be really surprised how much better things have gotten. Every person I've "quizzed" on it has greatly underestimated the quantity of statistical improvement. It's like we're all conditioned to assume the worst.

It's easy to fixate on all the problems, and it doesn't help when that's all anyone ever talks about. But that's why it's so important to keep things in perspective. If a headline is like "525 billion tons of pollution is in the ocean" you just see a big number and assume it's bad, but you have no frame of reference for it so you're really just going on vibes. You gotta ask like. How much pollution was there last year? What is being counted as pollution? How did they arrive at this number? What initiatives are being taken to remove pollution? So on and so forth.

We are constantly flooded with hyperbolic doomerism and while there absolutely are very real problems that need urgent action (like climate change), it is also completely unhelpful to anyone for us to burn ourselves out trying to be The Correct Amount Of Upset about all the problems in the world all the time. You can't fix everything, you have limits, but there are things you can help with. Do those things and let yourself feel good about it. And let yourself actually appreciate the work that other people have done to make the world a better place. So many people whose names will never grace history books have paved the way for you to do your thing, and it's a damn shame all that work goes underappreciated by most folks.

Learn to question negative statements. If someone says "The world is getting worse" you should be asking, "By what metric?" And then you should be asking, "How can we improve those numbers?" I swear to god it makes a huge difference for your mental health.

[telomeke]

4 MINUTES EPISODE 5 – FLASHBACKS, WATCHALONGS AND AN OMINOUS CULTURAL TOUCHPOINT

They're doing a great job with this show and I'm now a newly-minted fan of Director Ning Bhanbhassa Dhubthien, whose confident hand has been assuredly steering the proceedings in 4 Minutes. 🤩

Ep.5 has irrefutably confirmed that the 4 Minutes of the title really is a reference to the four-minute limbo after the heart stops beating (4 Minutes Sultrier Version Ep.5 timestamp 42:20).

So the layers are now being slowly peeled back and more was revealed to us, shedding flashes of light on the convoluted storyline. All is still not clear yet, but some ideas are starting to take shape.

OK, this is mostly guesswork but anyway–

It's quite firmly implanted in my mind now that we're seeing a lot of Great's four minutes of brain activity post cardiac arrest. But what's been percolating in my mind since the last episode is that that we might also be seeing Tyme's four-minute post-death flashback, especially since we also saw him getting shot in the opening sequence of Episode 1.

And so those scenes and sequences shown from Tyme's point of view may also be him re-living his own past experiences (concurrently with Great's?) even as his own heart has stopped.

This thought was triggered by Ep.4's revelation that people who find themselves in the Four-Minute Zone get to enter some sort of common waiting room, and they get to meet others in there too:

And the vibes I got watching this scene reminded me so much of Great and Tyme's conversation at their lakeside glamping in the trailer, which we got to see fully in Episode 5:

I don't think this is Great and Tyme on a romantic date in the real world. Serene, other-worldly and seemingly divorced from reality – this locale has them talking about how beautiful it all is, and Great even says "I wanna stay here forever" before admitting "But we probably can't."

It really looks like this is Great and Tyme finding each other in the four-minute post-death netherworld, with the art gallery meeting room switched up for a more romantic getaway instead (that Great got to choose). And with the clock ticking ominously down to 11:04...

There's also this little snippet from the trailer:

Tyme is locked out of a room, and he calls out for Great even as his surroundings are all sepia-toned and soft-focused.

I think this is 4 Minutes showing us that Tyme's four minutes will be up before Great's are, and Tyme will swept back to the real world – or away to another world – while Great is left behind. (Or maybe it's the other way around?)

Ominously, we are not shown Great's rapture and release from four-minute limbo – as much as I want a Happily Ever After for the two newest pretty boys who have won my heart, 4 Minutes is making no such promises. So I suppose we should prepare ourselves for the possibility that while Great (or Tyme) may well be waking up from a four-minute hiatus and returning to the world of the living at 11:04 – it's not a guarantee that the other will rejoin him there when his own four minutes tick down. 😬💔😭

‌

Anyway, I've refrained from commenting on the numeral 4 as a symbol of death, because this is more a thing in Chinese culture rather than Thai (and up until Ep.5 Thai-Chinese references were at most only faintly present in 4 Minutes).

Well that certainly changed, at 4 Minutes Sultrier Version Ep.5 timestamp 34:50:

The temple where Ep.1 accident victim Khun Manee goes to hire a hitman is unmistakably Chinese. The mafia don she engages with also speaks in Teochew Chinese (I think) at timestamp 36:25.

And so when her siam si/เซียมซี fortune stick shows up with the numeral 4, the link with death is all but confirmed (the word for death in many Chinese dialects like Hokkien, Teochew, Cantonese and Hakka sounds similar to the word for the numeral 4, although there are tonal differences). No surprises then, that the Chinese don tells Manee "Someone's probably going to die."

This had a Thai parallel in Ep.1, when the clock in Khun Manee's hospital room showed us it was thirteen minutes past 1 o'clock in the afternoon:

As portentous as this might appear to occidental minds, it's not just the Western superstition surrounding the number 13 that's threading darker undertones into the fabric of this scene.

In Thai culture (where belief in the supernatural abounds), the numeral 13 is also sometimes considered ill-omened because it looks rather like the Thai word for ghost – ผี – flipped onto its side, adding to the general sense of foreboding in Ep.1.

And for me, this was not meant to foreshadow all the deaths taking place in subsequent scenes and episodes, although it isn't inappropriate as a device.

We have been seeing ghosts in this series – Great, Lukwa, possibly Tyme, and whoever else who found themselves caught in the spectral dimension that exists between life and death in the universe of 4 Minutes.

‌And this may be just my fevered 4 Minutes obsessed brain overthinking things again, but in this light – the paired thirteen (13:13) is likely a reference to the ghostly half-lives of our protagonist couple Great and Tyme, getting to share a precious (final?) four minutes together in that twilight zone between the world of the living and the great beyond.

But it seems more than likely that they will be yanked apart when their four minutes are up. 😧 So will that separation be forever? I wait on tenterhooks to see.

P.S. Links to my own fan theory as to what it all might possibly mean:

And some more supporting information, embedded in the show:

‌

[patdkoala]

I Think We're Alone Now

Pairing: Joel Miller x female reader

Warnings: Takes place in the show after the last episode. SPOILERS FOR TLOU SHOW, Smut, use of nickname (Baby), pullout method™, cumming on chest, hair pulling, oral (f receiving), edging, Joel Miller being a slut (yes that is a warning)

Joel has always been there for me and Ellie ever since we all met. I became really close with Ellie in a sort of motherly older sister way.

I look out for her when it comes to womanly things and I have let her know many times that I am always there for her to talk to about anything she doesn't feel comfortable talking to Joel about.

"So, are you and Joel fucking?" Ellie asked as she ate the soup that Maria had made her. Joel choked on his soup, Tommy just looked at me, and I smacked Ellie in the arm.

"I regret teaching you what that word actually meant," I muttered under my breath. Joel just glared at me from across the table.

"So? Are you?" She asked again as I looked over at her and I took another bite of my soup. "Well, uhm. Ells, I don't think that's any of your business. I also think you are way too young to be asking me and Joel this type of question," I said as Ellie shrugged.

We all just sat there and finished eating out soup. Joel kept looking up at me every few seconds. I ignored his glances.

"We should get going. I'll leave the rest of the soup in a Tupperware for you guys," Maria said as she and Tommy put on their coats and started walking toward the door.

"Can I join you guys?" Ellie asked as I looked over at Joel who was already holding her jacket and backpack.

"Oh! Sure! I'll get the guest room all nice for you, sweetheart," Maria said as Tommy took the backpack from Joel. Joel then helped Ellie put on her sweater.

"You call us if anything goes wrong. Also, call us if you just want to talk to us," Joel said as he gave a quick kiss on the top of Ellie's head just as she walked out the door. "I know I know. I'll be safe and I'll call if anything goes wrong. Love you guys bye," Ellie said as she waved at me and then saluted to Joel.

After Joel shut the door, I walked back into the kitchen of our beautiful home.

Maria, who is now heavily pregnant with Tommy Miller's baby, finished setting up a house for Joel, Ellie, and me to live in once we came back from getting Ellie back from the fireflies.

Sure, Joel and I lied to Ells about what really happened but that was just to protect her from the real dangers of what could have happened. They were going to kill her if Joel and I hadn't killed every son of a bitch that laid a hand on her.

After we saved her, Joel and I took her back to the town where Maria and Tommy seem to run.

I told Joel that it would be good for him to be around family whether they get along or not. And that it would be good for Ellie to be in a town where she can act like a normal teenager.

Of course, we didn't tell anyone that Ellie is immune but we did tell them that we need to be bunked together. Like a family because that is what we have made ourselves into.

Joel and I hadn't really had time together alone since moving in.

"You know, this was Ellie's idea right?" Joel said as I cleaned up the bowls and I took out ingredients to make some cookies.

"What was?" I asked as Joel got closer to me.

"She said that you and I needed a date night so she asked me and Tommy earlier today if after dinner she could go home with him," He said as I smiled.

"So, the little girl that just asked if you and I were fucking, she set you and me up on a date?" I asked as I poured some of the ingredients into a bowl.

"Yeah she- what are you doing?"

"Making cookies. What does it look like I'm doing?"

"I just didn't know you knew how to bake. You seemed much more dangerous than that."

"Dangerous women can bake," I said as he stuck his finger in the bowl and licked some of the cookie dough off of his finger.

"You know I don't like it when you do that," I said as he smirked at me. "You've never complained about me putting my finger in things before," He said as I rolled my eyes at him.

"No, but I do always tell you it's better when you use two fingers," I said as Joel picked me up and moved the cookie mix onto the floor in one swift motion.

I was now seated on the counter and Joel was standing between my legs. We kissed roughly I then pulled him closer to me by wrapping my legs around his waist.

My hands moved through his greying hair and I tugged at the root as he moaned into my mouth with the sudden tug.

"Tell me what you want, baby," Joel said as I moaned out into his neck as he held the back of my head.

"You, I want you, Joel. Please," I said as he smiled and looked at me. "What about my cookies?" He asked as I smiled back at him.

"Later, baby. I need you right now," I said as he nodded and then held onto my legs that were still wrapped around him. I held onto him by also holding onto his neck.

He walked us into our fresh new bedroom that had clean sheets on the bed and it also didn't smell like a dead person or an infected because we were finally safe.

"What are you laughing at?" Joel asked as he took my shoes off me. I hadn't even realized I had been giggling.

"We are okay. And we are about to have sex in a clean bed," I said as Joel smiled right before taking off his many layers of clothes and then he got on the bed over me.

He slowly unbuttoned my jeans since I was still mostly clothed. He then unbuttoned his jeans and then he started to kiss up and down my body again.

When he was closer to the bottom half of my body I would grab hold of his hair and tug lightly which would, of course, cause a moan to escape his lips.

"Is this where you want me, baby?" He asked as I didn't make a sound I just nodded and then tugged his head towards exactly where I wanted him.

He moved my underwear down my legs and then before I knew it, his mouth was on me and I was moaning like a mad woman.

He stopped right before I came into his mouth which of course pissed me off.

"Hey, don't edge me you sick son of a bitch."

"I'm sorry baby but I need to feel your body pulse around me," He said as he got back on top of me and he removed his cock from his jeans, and pushed it inside of me.

I moaned so loud that I got worried Ellie might be able to hear me from next door.

"It's ok, you can be as loud as you want Ellie is at Tommy's remember?" He said as I nodded and then he continued to move in and out of me with such intense motions.

I screamed out as I came with him still inside of me and he then pulled out and came on my chest.

"Remind me to get Ellie her own place for her birthday," I said as Joel smiled at me and rolled over. "Now why would we go and do a thing like that?"

"Because then maybe we can keep doing whatever the fuck that was," I said as he just nodded and smiled his perfect Joel Miller smile.

"According to Ellie, we were fucking," He said as I hit him in the face with a pillow.

[wordsinhaled]

honestly i know we're beyond the whole "wow, they're ACTUALLY on my screen" type of representation in terms of what we expect of queer media representation these days. but there absolutely is still a little wounded part of me that goes "wow, they're ACTUALLY on my screen" when i get to see just... queer people being queer together, on my actual TV. like, there is a part of me that is healed when i get to see ACTUAL handholding. actual kissing. ACTUAL INTIMACY. actual queer people being Regular Queer People, knowing each other's allergies and shit?

i mean. there is still a part of me that feels the same way when i see another real live queer person in my vicinity IN REAL LIFE, and i have to remind myself to act Regular and Well Adjusted... and i'm 30 years old and married in a queer relationship. because i was taught there was not anyone else like me and that if there were others like me they wouldn't just be, like, thriving, they'd be idk, actively hiding themselves. when i was growing up i was not shown people in relationships like mine. i didn't even perceive the possibility of a future for myself past adolescence tbh? i was always literally given the message that my life will forever be hard, because i'm queer; that what i had to look forward to in the future was oppression and hardship

sometimes i have no IDEA how to act around queer folks who were raised in more accepting environments, even now that i'm proudly out and feel so much better about myself in so many ways than i ever did as a younger person

and like? i shouldn't be 30 years old and getting emotional because two male presenting folks held hands in a piece of media i'm watching. it shouldn't have to feel pleasant disbelief every time i see an established queer relationship presented in a film??? that's fucked up??? but it's what they want us to feel. sure. life is hard a lot of the time, and so is being queer, sometimes? but i don't feel my life has ever been hard BECAUSE i'm queer. it's been hard because of others. and the fucking fucked up system. the system that the very people who always told me my life would be hard CONTRIBUTE to, ACTIVELY, with ACTIVE MALICE, because they WANT our lives to be hard. they want us to destroy ourselves and hate us when we refuse to and insist on living with joy

so idk where i'm going with this but in other words let's break stuff

[befuddledcinnamonroll]

Oh these two idiots are both so gone.

Ooh, "creating art is about exploring what you like" is a nice line. So often we put too much into feeling like creativity has to end up with a good product, and less about what it can teach us about ourselves.

I like how this show talks about art. And New is making it so clear here that he does put a part of himself in all of his shows, whatever people might think. Respect.

And we're normalizing taking breaks and that you can't be productive and creative all the time! Fabulous.

We love a queen who makes the most of her background time.

I mean, valid question Peem, but also - pot, kettle, etc, etc.

Oh god, their actual boyfriend era is going to end me.

You know what I really love about this Phum/Peem scene? They're making it clear that mutual attraction is just one piece of the relationship puzzle. But the friendship still needs to be there, the caring when someone is having a bad day, and being there to pick them up. So many BLs gloss over the mutual support part of romantic relationships in favor of the swoony bits, but this is the kind of thing that makes a couple seem likely to actually last.

Also what does it say about BLs that I was so relieved they actually rolled up their pant legs at the pool? (Of course they still end up wet in the end, but it's the principle of the thing!)

Phum is just 100% always thirsty for Peem and I respect it.

Haha, love Q being all "hands off my baby, stat".

And they're communicating so openly! My sweeties.

Omg, omg, Fang trying to teach himself to express tenderness to Tan, I cannot.

Just go slow Fang, or you may kill this man with happiness!

Aaaaaah, not Pun finding a little bird and wanting to help it, going to Chain (of course), AND naming it Penguin.

I am already at lethal levels of cuteness overload, and we haven't even gotten to the FangTan scene yet.

Staawwwp.

Lolol, of course he got sick, he got wet for 30 seconds. But again we get the subversion, we're paying tribute to the sick trope, but not fully engaging! Heh, this show is so fun.

Has anyone else noticed the slight tone shift for Phum when he's talking to Peem? There's a new softness to it and it's adorable.

Toey, no, no crying wolf to your boyfriend!

But the pencil case thing is adorable.

I think the Peem and Q friendship chemistry might be my favorite in the whole show.

Lol, not Peem letting slip he slept with Phum last night!

Beer, you are such a champion. Good wingmanning, while also not excusing Phum's bad behaviors.

Oh, baby Phum being sent away, that's heart-breaking. No wonder he has walls like that.

I am loving these reveals with Fang. He's such an internal character, so we are unpeeling the layers slowly. But seeing how annoyed he is to not be able to reach Tan, and how fast Tan is able to make him smile again, makes it so clear how much he really needs him.

And the way he smiles so big when he thinks no one can see, but goes right back to pouty face with Tan because it gets him the attention he craves...

Whoever dressed Q for this series, I love you.

Phum going from self-doubt to full steam ahead the moment he gets reassurance his feelings are returned is delightful to see.

Omg, domestic Fang and Tan. But also Fang, you can learn to cook other things, y'know?

Lolol, Fang absolutely loves Tan's antics, it's so freaking adorable.

Aou and Boom always frickin bring it, we thank you for your service boys.

Also more trope play! Tan holding Fang down in the cliche way, but Fang still showing agency and not playing the blushing maiden. Perfect.

Ok, I liked the Kluen scene. He's being shown as a real person with a life of his own, he's not just the "rival". And Peem is being more straightforward with him.

Hahaha, Chain short-circuiting more and more as Pun gets closer.

MATT, WHAT THE HELL?! You do not interfere with my crumbs, dammit!!

Omg, not Chain just blurting out that he likes being shipped with Pun.

I love that everyone is shocked by Phum except for Beer, who is just like "yup".

I do typically hate public declarations, but I will let it go here, because the friend group is the key to the whole series.

Also, Pun is drunk again, so Chain better be ready for some biting! Chomp, chomp.

[storiesbyjes2g]

3.174 Eighty four years

Dub and Maia's wedding was incredibly beautiful, not because of the location or decorations because they had none and did it on a sidewalk. The beauty came from the sentiments shared between them. When he called all frantic about proposing, I told him to tell her what's in his heart because our women love it when we're vulnerable to them. It makes them feel safe. But what he did was so much greater than that. Not only did he speak from the heart but also he revealed his innermost secret, which reminded me so much of myself in my younger days. He admitted to not being as confident, strong, and cool as he purports to be. Admitting to be a fake was such a risky move, but it touched me. That's a phase many men go through, and at some point we have to face the music and be real with ourselves and everyone in our lives. It's the only way to move forward and grow. And for him to do that in his vows on this sacred day? That took guts, and I have so much more respect for him.

After dozens of pictures and selfies, how about this dude offered to babysit so me and Sophia can go out tonight...his wedding night! It turns out that his brother, who was only invited to babysit, met a girl and made plans, so Dub and Maia weren't going to do any celebrating tonight, anyway. Even so, his offer was incredibly kind! I only pushed back a little bit, and it didn't take much to twist my arm. He might be the only friend I have who can volunteer to watch my child and I accept with no questions asked. Sophia didn't hesitate either when I told her about the offer on the way back to the rental. He was right about it being umpteen years since me and my extra special lady went on a date, and I was as giddy as the first time we went out.

As much as we enjoy looking good, our wedding attire wasn't quite our vibe for a date night. We were elegant and looked more like hot mayor and first lady, heh. We're more grown and sexy and I see you looking, so we changed. Sophia went all out, changing her hair and everything, so I ran an errand while I had a chance. Dub told me about a gift shop in the park in the park across the street, and I picked up a few things to sweeten our evening—partial pun intended, heh. Romance was never my thing, but I know women. Some are practical, like Maia. Others are idealists, hopeless romantics...the list goes on and on. Whatever type they are, all of them enjoy being surprised with a gift from time to time. I've never given Sophia a flower bouquet before. That should be just the thing to set the tone for the night.

[sleepy-sirin]

Incarnation (Honkai Star Rail x Child! Herrscher! Reader)

Summary: In which Y/n, the creation of Will of Honkai, successfully defeated her own creator with the help of her friends. After defeating the Will of Honkai, for using too much of her power she goes into a deep sleep.

Previous | Next chapter

Chapter 2

Second POV:

"Jarlio-Vl, we're here." Dan Heng said.

"Brrr. It really is one big snowball." March said, as she hugged herself for some warmth.

"It really is one big snowball." Stelle commented.

"Hey, get your own metaphor!" March said to Stelle.

"*Sigh* Snow as far as the eye can. Which direction should we take?" She asked.

"Based on the coordinates, the target should be up ahead." Dan Heng said.

"Then what are we waiting for? Let's- Wait! Where's Y/n?" March panic, knowing they lost you.

The trio search everywhere for you, only to find you sleeping peacefully through the snow. Dan Heng picked you up and carries you into his arms.

"How come she can sleep at this cold temperature?" March asked.

"Considering what Mr.Yang said, that she's not exactly a human but a herrscher." Stelle stated.

"I'll look after her since Mr.Yang entrusted me, knowing if she ever attack anyone of us." Dan Heng said.

"Remember, we should stay vigilant. We know very little about this world." He said.

"Calm down. Between the four of us, nothing will stand in our way." March said.

"I mean c'mon, Stelle, you've got a Stellaron in your body, I have my special Six-Phased Ice powers, Dan Heng... Uhh, he's got that mysterious past thing going for him... and Y/n being a dangerous herrscher, we don't know if she's in our side or not..." She said.

"So, if people start creating trouble for us, they're gonna regret it!" She said.

"Let's just make sure that we're not the ones creating trouble..." Stelle sweatdropped.

"Well, let's not get ahead of ourselves, hehe... Let's go. Braving the unknown... that's the real spirit of trailblazing!" March said.

The four of them walk away and find what they were looking for. They've encountered some of Fragmentum monsters and fight them off to clear their path. Dan Heng was having a hard time since he was holding you while fighting.

The four of them notice a large snow bump along their way, knowing that someone was hiding underneath the snow, hearing someone shivering.

"Hey, get outta there or you'll shiver to death." March said. The person who was hiding is holding their breath to not make a sound.

"Holding your breath won't help..." She said.

"I got this, March. If someone's got their head stuck in the sand, or the snow in this case... they just need a helping hand." Dan Heng said.

"You idiotic human, are you asking for a death wish." You said, you finally awake from your sleep. The trio looks surprised that your awake now.

"Can you put me down now?" Y/n asked Dan Heng.

Dan Heng complied as he puts you down. You walk behind the person who was hiding in snow, and kick them as hard as you can.

"Ouch!"

The man finally left the snow he was hiding. He was slightly hurt from the kick you gave him, and you don't give a damn about it.

"Little girl, was that really necessary? Is crawling around in the snow a crime these days? I mean, c'mon, surely it doesn't warrant a kicking?" The man said. The four of them glared at him.

"... But then again how can I blame you? I mean, I caught you off guard. It had to happen, you could even say I deserved it, huh? Besides, I've made a gallant group of new friends as a result, hehe..." He said.

"... Is Captain Gepard around? H-He's an old buddy of mine..." He asked, slightly worried that he would be caught.

"Who?" March asked.

"Wait, you're not Silvermane Guards? Well, why didn't you say so? Turns out we're on the same side after all! Pleasure to meet you, the name's Sampo Koski." Sampo introduce himself.

"I'm Stelle." Stelle introduce herself.

You didn't introduce yourself but told him:

"Call me Herrscher of the Sea, since you don't have the privilege to call my name."

Sampo sweatdropped, knowing that you don't fully trust him to utter your name, he decided to play along with it. Unaware that you spoke of is your real title.

"Excellent. I'll remember the names. I never thought I'd run into friends from the same line of work out here in this frozen wasteland. *sigh* Business is bad these days, but fear not. Sampo Koski isn't interested in hoarding. There's more than enough treasure to go around, so let's get rich together! Hahaha." Sampo said.

"Say, why don't we join forces? I have reliable intel the main strength of the Silvermane Guards is being deployed to the front line. This is a golden opportunity..." He said.

"What business are you talking about?" Stelle asked, still wary of Sampo.

"Come now, friends. I can understand the mistrust, but there's no need for the charade. Then again, I know the rules, vigilance is the name of the game in our profession. It's my fault for letting my enthusiasm and sincerity get the better of me..." Sampo said.

"Anyway, a meeting like this has to have been written in the stars. Ask me anything you like, I won't skimp on the details. Still, make it snappy, you're never more than ten feet from a Silvermane Guards..." He said.

"Is there a settlement nearby?" Stelle asked.

"Settlement? What a literary turn of phrase. Why, there's only one place in this world where the living still reside, our beloved Belobog! The further away you get, the dicier things become." Sampo said.

While the two of them continue their conversation, you get bored listening to them and decide to go to sleep again, not caring about the conversation they have. Dan Heng and March 7th notice that you fell asleep again.

"*sigh* She fell asleep again." March said.

"Looks like she got bored listening to their conversation." Dan Heng said, he carries you into his arms again.

"Aww, she looks so innocent when she sleeps. How come you get to carry her but I don't?" March pouts.

"Mr.Yang told me to look after her and you will probably drop her somewhere." Dan Heng stated.

"No I won't!" March argue.

Some time later, Stelle and Sampo are done talking to each other.

"By the way, why don't just take us to the city? We don't really know the way." March said.

"The city? Already? I haven't even started trading yet. Showing you the way is easy enough, missy, but it would cost-" Sampo was about to continue but Dan Heng gave him a hard glare.

"...B-But it would be my pleasure! "Kindness" is Sampo Koski's middle name. Follow me, friends, and keep quiet. We don't want to be spotted by the guards." He stutters.

Sampo guided them the path where Belobog is, and started a conversation. Sometime later they were stopped by the Silvermane Guards.

"...Who are they?" Dan Heng asked.

"Uh, you remember the Silvermane Guards I mentioned? That's them..." Sampo explained.

"Help me, old friends! I don't wanna be caught!" Sampo cowers in fear.

"It's the suspect and his accomplices! Arrest them!" A soldier said.

"It's now or never! Over to you, dear friends!" Sampo said, as he runs away from them.

"Hey! Where do you think you're- and he's gone." March deadpanned. She summons her bow and arrow ready to fight the soldiers.

Stelle, March 7th, and Dan Heng, they all fight the soldiers one by one. Dan Heng managed to avoid you getting hit while fighting off the soldier. The soldier on the other hand didn't want to accidentally hit you while you were sleeping.

When March 7th uses her burst on the soldiers but only to be blocked by someone.

He is a tall, stout man with a fair skin, blue eyes and blond hair. Gepard is dressed in thick white clothing with blue and gold trimmings and gold garments, alongside a breastplate and armor for his left hand which appears to have a blue, crystalline design.

"I, Gepard Landau, Captain of the Silvermane Guards, order you to relinquish your futile resistance." Gepard said.

"Grr, that Sampo cheated us all. Wait till I get my hands on him..." March muttered.

"Suspect! Relinquish your resistance!" A soldier said.

"Ugh, so I'm a criminal, huh? Forget Sampo, wait until I get my hands on YOU!" March said.

Dan Heng put you down and placed you away from the fight, so you wouldn't get hurt. From all the fighting they have been doing for an hour, they felt the ground began shaking and out of nowhere some blue tentacles appeared, only to wrap it on Gepard and his soldiers, squeezing them tightly.

The trio felt a dark aura around and turn where it was coming from. It was coming from you, who was woken up with their fight and feeling pissed for disturbing your dream.

"Isn't it rude to fight here when someone is enjoying their dream, hmm~?"

[a-dinosaur-a-day]

Why So Serious? This is a Dinosaur Blog?

So we live in a world that has built its entire mythology off of hierarchies. The idea that the rich are better than the poor. The whites better than people of color. Men better than women. Able-bodied and able-minded better than the disabled and neurodivergent. Straight, cis folk better than queers. christians better than any other people of any other religion. That's the society we in "western" places live in. Another fundamental component of that is that humans are better, more important, more "evolved" or "chosen" than any other living thing.

and that is just as false as all the rest of them.

you can't dismantle it without dismantling the others first, of course. since humano-supremacy is the one the rest is built off of, you won't properly unlearn it unless you unlearn white supremacy first. that's why we see countless vegans being real racist pieces of shit all the time.

but you do have to unlearn anthropocentrism, too. you do. because the biosphere is all fundamentally equal. we are one part of nature, of the ecosystem, connected to all the rest. we are partners in the evolution of life. understanding that is necessary: to combat climate change, to fight against ecofascism, to ensure the survival of our species and the world. we are not uniquely evil or uniquely good. we're just some naked apes that made a bunch of mistakes, but we can fix them, too.

I live with five parrots. every day they remind me that the idea humans are "more evolved" is ridiculous. they understand things I would never expect. and they remind me that they're dinosaurs every damn day. and that's just another type of tetrapod, something so close to us its easy to empathize with them. Now apply it to fungi. It gets harder, right?

But that's why we have to keep working.

And that's why we have to see the history of life not just as an interesting story, but the story of us. The history of all of us. and it explains so much! The quirks of geology lead to the geography of slavery in the united states. Humans wouldn't have even evolved if a rock hadn't randomly hit the planet at the right time. We have hiccups because we descend from fish. The list goes on.

We need to produce a human population that thinks ecologically and evolutionarily, so that we can tackle the real problems and move forward.

And that's why I'm so gd-damned serious about dinosaurs. Because dinosaurs, in that western mythos, are the "lumbering, dumb lizards" that went extinct because they sucked, so the cool mammals could come in and run the show - and we, the coolest mammals of all, took our rightful place as the leaders.

But that's not what happened.

Dinosaurs were well adapted for their environments, intelligent and active animals - and were thriving right until the end-Cretaceous. Nonavian ones only went extinct because of a giant space rock. And dinosaurs are STILL WITH US - as birds - and doing better than ever. There are more species of dinosaur alive today than there are mammals. and humans just kind of, happened, thanks to some lucky accidents. we are as much a product of random chance as the extinction of nonavian dinosaurs was.

All of our anthropocentric myths are just that - myths. frankly, how can we call ourselves "more evolved", when we're destroying the planet - gleefully and rapidly? We have to unlearn this myth.

And, in between crying about my thesis, I will do everything I can to help people unlearn that myth and see the true beauty that is the history of life.

so, yeah. come learn with me. it's the only way to liberate us all.

[mangle-my-mind]

Todd Haynes on Arthur Stuart

OM: I think you would agree that the character who most personalizes the film and makes it so emotional is Arthur. He's not just the guy who walks around asking what Rosebud is.

TH: Arthur is me. He's you. He's the fan who becomes part of the story, the silhouette who has the light turned onto him. I still have a crush on him, the character, and it's largely due to Christian [Bale's] performance - there's just something so heartbreaking about it. I still can't be completely objective about Arthur. It is a very difficult part to play, and much less inviting than the more colorful roles in the film. But the weight on that character/actor to carry the film and ground you emotionally, and give you a consistent point of entry into the story - through all of these flashbacks and dizzying whirlwind of memories - was enormous. I think Christian rose to the occasion and presented us with a consistent point of ourselves as the public who buys the music. The film had to have a really strong fan point of view, not just as a framework for letting Mandy and the rest tell the story. He is there for us as a reminder of our place in the cycle of pop and consumer culture, that we're really central to it. Something about that cycle - where the kiss between Brian and Curt is photographed, the photograph gets printed, it goes through the press, it gets sold at the newsstand, some little kid in Manchester buys it, he takes it home, he opens it up, and it gives him an erection - is very real. There's something palpable about intercutting the public sexuality of the rock stars with the very private, unknown sexuality of the consumer, and how one directly affects the other. I think it all has to do with the tremendous joy that rock performers get from performing their music, the sexual connection to the audience, which film-makers cannot experience. To have lived a live moment with an audience, where some kind of charge is being let out on one end and taken in on the other, is pretty amazing. It's also why rock speaks to adolescents. They are most in need and most open to all kinds of charges like that, because it's not yet codified, or genderized or labelled.

Source - Superstardust: Talking Glam with Todd Haynes, Oren Moverman

Emphasis my own :)

[blessedarethebinarybreakers]

Hey I don’t mean to further flood your inbox and I know I sent an ask a week or so ago. But in church this morning the sermon was on the 1 John passage about how if you hate your brother or sister you don’t love God, and I just. I bet you can guess which political figure immediately comes to mind. I know we’re supposed to love and pray for and forgive our enemies, and it’s not supposed to be a thing where you only do it if you know you’ll get an apology/changed behavior/etc. But the most positive thing I can say where he’s concerned is if he showed up on my doorstep bleeding and starving I would work past my anger to bind his wounds and feed him cuz that’s what you’re supposed to do for fellow human beings. Other than that I have no love for him (or people like him, really). Just anger and immense disdain. Maybe even hate. What do I do with that??

Hey there, I feel you on this. I can also think of maaany political figures I feel this about lol.

I have an old post delving into what it means to love one's enemy and what forgiveness is (and isn't) that I recommend to you.

I'll start with a TL;DR from that post, and then add some other stuff about working through feelings like anger and hate, and close with some reading recs <3

When we find it desperately difficult to love, or to forgive, we can ask God to feel and be what we find ourselves unable to feel and be.

We can remember Christ's words on the cross about the soldiers crucifying him: he does not say "I forgive them," but asks, "Father, you forgive them, for they know not what they do."

He cannot himself forgive them in that moment — not while they are in the act of torturing and killing him, not while they hold all power over him, not even when his compassion allows him to understand that they do what they do out of ignorance — so he asks God to be that forgiveness for them.

When I struggle to feel love for someone who is doing great harm and seems completely unrepentant of that, I turn to God the way Jesus did: "God, I'm struggling to see the spark of You in them. Please love them the way I can't in this moment."

Next point:

Throughout the Bible, the concepts of love and hate are much more about action than sentiment.

If you feel love for someone, yet don't come to their aid when they need it most, what use was that love to them? Meanwhile, if you fear or disdain someone, yet help them in their direst need, you have acted with love.

Furthermore, when it comes to difficult emotions, the good news is that we are indeed invited to bring all our feelings — anger, disdain, even hate — to God. We can be real about what we're feeling.

Scripture shows us this over and over: There are so many psalms, and passages from the prophets, where someone has been hounded and terrorized enough to wish pain or even death upon the ones who oppress them. In one of the most infamous, Psalm 137, the psalmist even goes so far as to wish that their oppressors' children might be "dashed upon a rock" — that everything Babylon has made them suffer might be enacted on Babylon.

These are not pretty feelings, yet they are preserved in holy poetry, because they are part of the human experience. (And tantamount to understanding them is realizing that those praying such things will happen almost never have the power to enact them. The psalmist who wishes Babylon's soldiers experience what they've put the psalmist's people doesn't have the army, the weapons, the power to actually make that happen. They're just honest about wishing it in a moment of collective trauma and grief.)

In all this, I'm not saying God "wants" us to feel loathing or hate — any thought or feeling that puts us at risk of denying another person's humanity is one we do need to work on; but we do that work by being honest about feeling it, rather than being too ashamed to face it or to share it with God.

No pressure to read any of these of course, but here are texts I'd recommend on these topics:

James Baldwin's The Fire Next Time, a brief but rich text in which (among other things) Baldwin grapples with the need to love his oppressor (namely white people) — to affirm their humanity in a way they have denied him. Only in recognizing one another's humanity can we have any hope of something like justice and peace for the generations to come. Baldwin believes this vehemently, but he still acknowledges that it's still not easy, in fact it's one of the hardest things, to love one's oppressors in such a way. .

Cole Arthur Riley's This Here Flesh, another short book rich in meaning. I especially recommend the chapters on lament, rage, justice, and repair for this topic. One thing she discusses is that love is not "niceness," that rage can be righteous, that sometimes the most loving thing we can do is to let a harmful person witness our rage, to call them out. .

The same link from the beginning to that post about what forgiveness is and what it is not

[rupertgayes]

How would you pitch watching Due South to someone who doesn't know it?

THE PREMISE: mountie from the northern reaches of canada goes to chicago to avenge dead dad (also a mountie), gets into buddy-cop shenanigans with a detective. said detective leaves the show in season 3 and gets replaced by another detective, shenanigans continue to ensue. there's also a dog. he's very cute.

THE PITCH: honestly, after being in the spn fandom and having most of popular culture awash with prestige shows (that are not spn, but like spn are typically dark and gritty and like killing characters off too) and having most of the popular media landscape try to cover their collective asses by having an aloof, 'you-can't-make-fun-of-this-because-we're-not-taking-it-seriously-ourselves' air, it was truly refreshing to sit down with a close friend of mine and check out this show.

i'm being completely serious when i say there's a certain je ne sais quoi about this show. is it because it's from the 90s? perhaps. is it because it's canadian? maybe. i wasn't even alive when this show first started airing and i'm not a media analyst. it basically takes the premise of the dudeley do-right cartoon and asks 'okay, but what if that was like, a real guy?' and fucking runs with it to the wildest heights. it's a comedy, but it's also so bizarre in some ways that it makes it a truly unique treat to watch. i love psych and brooklyn 99 for having a comedic procedural aspect, and neither of them are comparable in whatever it is that due south is doing.

there's honestly a lot of heart and soul in the entire show, and it has the ability to shift from just being comedic to having drama, mystery, and moments that pull at your heartstrings. it's a show that you can enjoy on the surface as a fun episodic show with fun characters and fun moments, but it also lends itself quite well to extrapolating on the characters, their motivations, etc. (and by etc i'm also including any shipping you might want to do).

i won't say it's a paragon of DEI, but again, i think it has a level of earnestness which makes any slip-ups it does have something i can kinda view with indulgence, versus shows that are making the same (or worse) mistakes 20+ years after this show already ended. these characters are treated with a level of dignity and respect, and i think overall the characterization is pretty consistent - there are some shifts happening between seasons 1-2 and 3-4, but i feel like it has more to do with budgets, a change in creative team, etc., versus writers not 'getting' certain characters.

there's also a lot of memorable episodes, scenes, bits. i think the latter seasons are more campy (my favorite) and some eps from s1 and 2 make for legitimately some great television. even the more mid episodes have something worthwhile, too. some of my fave moments in no order:

fraser (the mountie) saving and talking to? a rat in a strip club

also him going to a leather club

twice

and meeting a mountie in a latex version of his red serge uniform

using a tarp as a parachute

mafia egg conspiracy

aliens??

due south but make it silence of the lambs a little bit

performance arsonist

lake pirates? ghost ship?

also why are most of the major bad guys here doing some form of environmental crime? get your captain planet on ig, i'm into it

also fellow cops can also be bad guys. acab ig??

sick muscle cars eric kripke himself would've enjoyed. sometimes they get set on fire tho

due south but make it to wong foo thanks for everything

fraser running away from women so he doesn't have to kiss or interact with them

way too much time in closets, in general.

fellas is it gay to ask your new partner of one week maybe to pretend he's a woman so he can decide if he finds you attractive

there are red ships and green ships but no ships like partnerships :)

and to reiterate about the dog: there's a dog who's half wolf and all deaf and fraser can talk to him 'because he (the dog) reads lips'

his dead dad shows up too sometimes

anyway, it was really nice to watch this show for the first time, there are still moment i scream-laugh at because they're just so ridiculous and i'd never catch any other moments like that in any other show. i definitely see why there's still active fans for it thirty years later. there's also some wild shipping fodder here, which is at least partially why there are still fics getting written for these guys today. destiel if the cw weren't cowards etc etc. when i watched the finale, i cried tears of joy because while i'd miss the characters, they got an ending that actually seemed to fit, instead of it being a rush job, which is not unique to spn but, you know.

also you can watch it for free on youtube rn.

[edwardbabygirlteach]

Some thoughts on Izzy and why I’m sad people hate him so much without any consideration to his character history and the theme of the show.

Like don’t get me wrong, I understand the Izzy we have seen so far is…rough to say the least.

But here's the thing. We know that in season 2 we're going to get a lot of good character development from him, and I'm very excited about this.

“Izzy goes on a remarkable journey this season” says O'Neill. "He understands what love is and whom he's in love with."

“it's been quite demanding to be playing a man enraged by unrequited love, who's basically a hopeless romantic,"

Izzy is clearly struggling with some internalized issues. Internalized homophobia probably being one of them.

He's struggling with the fact he's devoted everything he has every day to Blackbeard. He doesn't understand why Ed is suddenly this open and emotionally available person for Stede, he doesn't know why stede gets that side of Ed and he never has.

Even Ivan points it out when he says “This is the most open and available I've ever seen him"

Im not saying Izzy's actions so far in the show are to be ignored or excused by any means but I think Izzy is dealing with emotions he was never taught how to deal with, how to recognize or even made to feel like he was allowed to feel them. I think we can kind of assume Izzy was raised to be a"man's man" and not to be "soft”

Even David Jenkins has said himself “a lot of what were taught about being a man is wrong"

What we're going to be seeing in season 2 is Izzy realizing this. Just as we've seen Ed and Stede processing through something similar in season 1 though maybe not as extreme. They were both raised by shit fathers who made it a point to tell them that being soft or gentle is a bad thing. That enjoying the gentler things in life is Un masculine. Like Stede's love for picking flowers, Or Ed's love for fine fabrics.

This is clearly something that real people struggle with in the real world everyday. What it means to be a Man, to be masculine.

I guess all in all what I'm trying to say is that yeah Izzy has been a shitty person for the most part so far, but he's dealing with a lot and trying to process through it. Like a lot of real people do on a day to day basis.

This show is about breaking the mold. It's about grabbing toxic masculinity and ripping it apart and throwing it in the trash.

It's sad to me so many people are quick to just toss Izzy aside like a one dimensional character who doesn't have his own trauma and pain. I think we’ve all made mistakes in life, things we wish we had known better than to do or say but just didn’t know any better of at the time. We should all be allowed to grow and learn and become better versions of ourselves.

Anyways, Thanks for coming to my izzy hands character development Ted Talk. I can’t say when I first watched the show that I thought I’d ever be an izzy fan but the more I dig into his character and the more I see fandom interpretations of him the more he grows on me.