#basically grades are fractured into points

[natasha-barton]

Best thing ever is when you think you fucked up on an exam but then it turns out you actually did really well . It’s a joy I can’t describe

[wanologic]

college au prequel: what happened to danny during junior year - 2940 words

Viscous green liquid sludges through a dry river bed, whetting the cracked ground and seeping deep into the void. Soil softens, becoming fat with nutrient. In the most basic definition, still itself, but filled with new matter, ready and accepting of more. This is what it was made for, its purpose. It has been sitting, dry and untended for too long. In this symbiosis it is more than it dreamed to be. Complete in the sense that it has been starved.

--

Danny wakes up, the dream lingering.

He’s been feeling odd lately, despite the fact that he is more comfortable in his skin than ever. He has a goal, he has support. 

A bridge, he called himself.

Even if he’s only sixteen and his influence is contextually small, he has time. People are listening. Ghosts are listening. Small steps over a long period will get you where you need to go, and he’s still just a kid. 

A kid who has to get ready for school.

He goes through the familiar motions, snags a quick breakfast and lets his parents know he’s headed out, that he’ll see them later. He’s out the door and on his way before he knows it.

Danny’s grades have improved since his freshman year. The pressure to keep things secret has all but alleviated and his family is sticking close. The world might not know that Fenton and Phantom are the same, but the people who matter do.

He’s managing. Thriving, even.

His extracurriculars are atypical of a high school junior, but he plays his role well. The Ghost Investigation Ward meets Phantom and the Fentons on neutral ground that evening, working their way methodically through a tangle of red tape. Teaching, learning. There’s always danger in compromise, but both parties are being two faced. It’s civil for now.

He’ll do this from the opposite angle on another day, playing border guard for the dimensional tear nestled into the fabric of his basement. Walker would be proud of him. He’s enforcing the Rules.

And it’s all going well as far as he can tell. Things are so much less chaotic than they were, his brawls feel like bonding, his head is no longer on a swivel.

For now, it’s off to his room. A space for himself to decompress after a long day's work.

He spends a lot of time thinking about a prehistoric past. What the future might look like once his job is over. This solid physical reality fed that swirling and infinite realm of emotion directly, once. It didn’t last, but time has passed. 

Danny is more aware of this fractured nature than most. He’s sure it’s why he’s had so much success. Why the responsibility falls on him. He feels it every time he calls upon his second self. 

And that’s what it is, isn’t it? Human first, ghost second. Humanity is the frame of reference he was born with. Everything new he experiences in this strange half-life is compared against it. Spectra once asked him what he was. But humanity is in his nature. He is a creepy boy with creepy powers. He’s sure of it. 

Going ghost.

Returning to humanity.

Not that he prefers one over the other. He’s made the choice. More than once. When his memories were erased or his powers short-circuited he always took them back. Felt the thrumming and euphoric energy pulsing through his being once again. His shape projected and unreal. Weightless. It feels incredible.

At some point, some late night discussion about feelings, whether it was with family or with friends, he realized his dual nature was more of a privilege than he could ever hope to fully comprehend. His human half feeds his ghost half everything. His ghost half is complete. No wonder he’s so determined, so strong. He has never once craved emotion the way the others have. He has intrinsic access to everything. Every failed test, every frustration, every joy, every thrill. He is comfortable and whole. Has no need to lash out. Two separate identities working together as two polar magnets, inseparable through the strength of their attraction, moving through the world as one.

He slips the familiar glowing rings across his body, the cool wash of ectoplasm coursing through his veins. Back again, blood pumps oxygen to his cells. Human. Ghost. Human. Ghost.

--

This time the dream is stranger.

The river craves the ocean. 

Danny feels the sand cake beneath his nails as he digs a trench, a violation of the river’s established bed. There’s a trickle as a thin and frothy stream flows out of sync with the current along the path he lays. It longs for the larger disconnected body ahead. A curious tendril seeking an easier path. He digs deeper, automatic, compelled by a force he doesn’t quite understand. 

Is this a bridge too?

He’s both excited and afraid to find out.

The liquid pools at his fingertips as fast as he can dig. Nudging. The sand is saturated and wet in front of him. He’s not sure how much further he has to go. But if he can claw his way through this dense barrier he’s sure it will pick up momentum even without him. The fluid mass can carve its own trench. Wider. Faster. Wider again.

He wakes up in a cold sweat. He somehow feels incorporeal. This isn’t right. He looks at his hands. His fingers in the dark. Clean. Spotless. He feels the sheets beneath his body, the press of the blanket above. So he’s still human then, wrong as it may seem. He clutches at his chest as he tries to calm his racing heart, quell the strength of an intense emotion that he cannot describe. It’s exhilarating. It’s terrifying.

He stops digging and fashions a dam, not yet ready for what the final connection could mean.

His head hurts.

Nausea tucks itself against his gut.

He takes a shower.

--

It’s Saturday and he has business in the Ghost Zone.

He shifts, expecting the weird feeling to subside. Instead it’s more of the same. Something is off. He ignores it. A thing to worry about later when he has less to do.

His work that day goes smoothly, another step in what he can only hope is the right direction. And it feels nice, giving in to the compulsion and focusing on what is in front of him, what is currently begging his attention, rather than the problems lurking beneath the surface. It is a learned behavior, one he falls back into easily.

Upon his return he feels like he is dragging a piece of the Infinite Realms back with him. The air seems to thicken, the cold steel walls of the portal are closing in on him. The exit is a pinpoint.  He’s being called back. He wants to move forward. He can feel silky fingers worm their way over his skin, hundreds of tendrils trying to pull him into their embrace. He stays strong. Moves with intent. The invisible hands can’t find enough purchase and he is finally welcomed back into the Physical World like the denizen he is. 

The caress stays with him much longer than he’s willing to admit.

--

Weeks go by and he only feels stranger and stranger. High. His attention slides off of everything so easily, his eyes blurring mid-conversation, a stuffy feeling, like a balloon that’s expanding well past the boundaries of his head. He loses time. Cancels appointments. He doesn’t feel well, sorry, he’s going to stay home today.

There is something Danny knows he needs to do. He can’t keep existing in limbo like this, his job only half-finished, pulled in two directions but choosing neither. His powers will wane once again in his indecision. His purpose sits unfulfilled.

He lays back and stares at the softly luminescent stars pasted to the ceiling of his room. Takes deep and even breaths as he struggles to remain present. His sister is worried for him, he’s sure. The best he can do for her is secretly practice what she has preached.

Danny eventually thinks back to that trickling stream. The slimy offshoot of the coursing river. He thinks of the dam he dreamed up all those weeks ago, sure it’s bigger now. His denial adds weight and height to the metaphor. Every day it feels less like a figment of his fucked up imagination and more like the worlds are trying to tell him something. What’s on the other side now, he wonders? Is the river still flowing? Are the fruits of his labor still there or has that little hand-clawed pathway dried up? How large is the reservoir pressing up against that sandy hill if it hasn’t?

He’s scared. 

He doesn’t want to know. 

But this isn’t what he promised himself.

A peek can’t hurt.

--

The dream comes easily, now that he lets it.

The funny thing about water is that it always finds a way. No matter what people do, how they try to tame it, erosion is inevitable. It starts as a dark wet splotch, the faint idea of a tiny breach in the all-but-permeable barrier between worlds—the river and the ocean. As the spot expands a dip forms on the horizon. The water moves. Under, through, over. Destructive. Alive. Danny shouldn’t have looked but he can’t stop what has already started. Equilibrium will be achieved one way or another. It was only ever a matter of time. He stands in the shallows, cowed as the wall comes down. Slowly first, then all at once.

The edges of panic are sharp and he realizes what is happening only a beat too late. 

The dam breaks.

He screams.

He was the dam, he is the trench, the rapid connection of energy flowing out of bounds and rushing along a new path. Lightning striking the rod to avoid burning down the house. The portal below him is a wound, a tear. He is something asked for, something natural. His mind can’t keep up as he struggles to regain ground and prevent being swept away by the violent current.

Dim awareness of his physical body comes back to him slowly as he writhes against the foreign dimension assaulting his senses. A second death. His double life was a conceptual marvel, a switch flipping from on to off, and back on again. He is the embodiment of two worlds, split, distinct. His quest to join them together requires this of him, doesn’t it? Whatever autonomy he has against the will of the universe cannot remain if he truly wants to serve his purpose. It’s a choice he has to make. One that he has been making. One that has been made.

He takes a deep and shuddering breath.

He tries to let go, and finds that he can’t. It’s like being electrocuted all over again, his nerves fried and his joints stuck rigid. It’s a feeling that is impossible to control, tense as he is.

His breath still comes ragged as colors around him saturate and the world warps. He can feel his fear, his desperation, feeding the momentum of whatever is happening. The exchange of emotion, osmosis through a rapidly deteriorating membrane. Thousands of overlapping inputs assault his mind as he feels the energy sliding around in the folds of his brain. He breathes through it. It’s not at all painful, but it is intense. His human points of reference aren’t working to help him conceptualize what is happening. His atoms are buzzing with newfound energy and the world is no longer solid. He tries once again to attempt the mindfulness ritual Jazz has been shoving down his throat, tries to name five things around him. The exercise fails him as he feels his brain liquefy in his skull. He gasps at the sloshing sensation, back arching. He’s going to be unmade.

Instead of loosening his grip, he tightens it. Remembering what it is to be human with all the force he can muster. His knuckles are white. Sweat slips down his brow. If he can’t let go, he has to hold on. He is gasping, thrashing. He’s hyperventilating, he’s sure, but no oxygen floods his system. He wants release, wants off this ride. The world outside of his perception ceases to exist. Flesh slips from his bones and it feels so, so good.

Then he sees it.

His eyes are blind, but he perceives it, somehow. The yawning void of the infinite realms is so much bigger, so much hungrier than he had ever thought. Reading that tablet, all that time ago, he thought his purpose was something simple. Easy in a way that a fourteen year old imagination could rationalize. The earth and the zone were two physical spaces that only needed to understand each other and hold hands to achieve that elusive harmony. 

He’d been wrong.

It’s not the earth that feeds the realms. Dimensions aren’t something that can be explained by an elementary understanding of mass and matter. They aren’t some static three dimensional points in time and space. They are universes of their own, expanding, interstitched in a nasty and sticky web of inexplicable physics folding over and back on themselves, forever too complicated to pry apart.

The realms are fed by the conscious universe perceiving itself, the soul, the spirit, whatever you want to call it. Emotions aren’t some grid of faces on a paper, they are infinite, they are cause and effect, the chicken and the egg, projecting forever in a möbius loop human understanding can never truly describe.

He’s going to go insane, he concludes. Here on his bed, on some random weekday, alone in his room. The magnetic pull of his two halves are phasing into each other, becoming imperceivable as the two separate forms he once knew. He’s not even sure that he really exists at this point. 

There is another choice to make.

He thinks back to what he knows about this buried history, Pariah Dark, The Ancients, wonders if they considered this connection, what they knew about how this should happen. Is there a way to do this that is objectively correct? If he knew more would it be easier? Or would it go down just the same? He has no desire to conquer. Only to be a bridge. A tether. An example. To show that this merging from two to one can be peaceful, a shift in perception rather than a violent overhaul. It is unavoidable now. His only wish is to remain recognizable as himself. 

He focuses not on his mind but on his body. He has to rebuild from the ground up or risk losing himself forever. Start small, a beating heart. Vascular systems. Skeletal. Muscular. Take a breath and pump blood into the empty cavern of his skull. Human is what he knows, though he’s never had to think about it quite this way before. His nerves lace through the structures he’s struggling to create, half intuition, half memory. It feels like being a ghost, all projection and thought, a deep and innate understanding. He knows this. He’s existed this way every moment of his short life and he can do it again. He’s alive, his blood is red, his flesh is tangible.

His brain slams back into his body and he promptly throws up.

--

The worlds are connected once again.

Danny’s hands shake as he tries to get a grip on himself. He’s been changed. He can feel it. The Infinite Realms has marked him as he has marked it. The world is flowing through and from him. Energy hums under his skin, and in it there is access to a well so deep he’s not sure it could ever run dry. 

He finally gets it. This is what being a bridge between worlds means for him.

He gets off his bed slowly. Half floating, half stumbling for balance. His instincts are scattered and his breath no longer sits in his body the same.

This change gives him the authority and the power, the perception and understanding to mend the bleeding fracture between dimensions. He will be listened to. He cannot be hurt. His appearance no longer matters, he is what he is, wholly and entirely. He exists as a linchpin. He is the keystone in the arch where one side is living and the other is dead.

Gravity feels so odd. Like someone changed the coefficient.

He sobs and grabs his dresser for support, woozy and unbalanced, a newborn deer walking on unfamiliar legs. He intends to make his way downstairs. Wants to fall into the embrace of his parents. Needs someone to hold him and tell him that everything will still be okay. He looks to the door.

And without moving, he is there.

Breath comes hard and fast as he steadies himself. His perception catching up to the new perspective. His hand is on the handle, he radiates a trail of semi-physical matter with every motion. It will take practice to appear normal again. He’s reminded of his freshman year.

When he finally opens the door, a swirling green wall is all that meets him. He stares at it, the cold vapor of the Realms slipping around and through him.

He knows the observants exist on the other side. He is sure of it as he is sure of anything. They are there to acknowledge the crown above his head. To observe what he has finally made of himself. 

He will tell him that he didn’t want this, didn’t ask for it.

They will tell him that he is lying.

He steps through the threshold.

[rageprufrock]

Sneak Peak: MLC Fanfic

I have so many chores to do so instead I am on tumblr posting this little snippet instead because adulthood is a SCAM.

Anyway, please have some in-progress modern AU where Jiao Liqiao hits Di Feisheng with a car.

The whole thing starts when Jiao Liqiao hits Di Feisheng with an orange Hummer outside of the Alliance Security headquarters while he's on the phone with Li Lianhua.

***

Six hours later, Li Lianhua is sitting around in Di Feisheng's hospital room dressed like someone's dad's dirty uncle best friend: beat up pajama pants, a shirt he'd grabbed at random hearing the shriek of tires through the phone line, and a pair of Fang Duobing's fucking sky blue Adidas slides he'd stolen as he'd bolted out the door.

"It's not that I want to criticize you, lao-Di," Li Lianhua says, critically, "but I told you to run that woman out of town as soon as humanly possible at least five times."

Di Feisheng, who's been provided pain medication and is angry about it, busies himself with glaring at the ceiling. 

"Now look at you," Li Lianhua goes on, like a bastard, "you've got a hairline fracture in your foot, you've got a broken leg, three cracked ribs, a low grade concussion, and also you're the top four trending tags on Weibo." 

That these are factual statements does not make Li Lianhua's continued, unwanted presence in Di Feisheng's hospital room any less insufferable. 

"Alliance Security CEO accident," Li Lianhua reads off his phone. "Alliance CEO car crash. Alliance CEO crazy girlfriend. Alliance CEO handsome." 

Di Feisheng's head lolls around so he can center a wild-eyed glare at Li Lianhua.

"Why are you here?" he asks through gritted teeth.

Li Lianhua squints at him. "Can you be considered human?" he demands. "There I was, enjoying my Saturday morning like a normal person—"

"You were calling me to complain that our CDN felt 'kind of slow,' like an asshole," Di Feisheng corrects.

"—and then I hear you yelling and the sounds of vehicular violence," Li Lianhua goes on. "Any person with a heart would be concerned."

"Fang Duobing made you come," Di Feisheng says.

"Fang Duobing made me come," Li Lianhua agrees.

"Well I'm not dead, so you can leave now," Di Feisheng mutters.

"'As someone who has also wanted to hit their boss with a car, but never truly had the courage, I respectfully acknowledge Jiao Liqiao as my master and will endeavor to serve her as a faithful student in all things,'" Li Lianhua reads, going back to scrolling through Weibo. "'I never want to know the truth or any details about why she did it. Just that she hit this beautiful mean-faced millionaire with a car is enough. I would die for her.'"  

Di Feisheng goes back to staring at the ceiling and begins to systematically reflect on the wrongs that have led to specific terrible moment. This begins with lingering resentment over college scheduling that had put him in a 9:30 programming basics class with Li Xiangyi and concludes with admitting that perhaps Fang Duobing had been right when he'd said, two years ago, "A'Fei, you can't just tell a woman it's fine if she's in love with you and that you guys can keep working together but that it's none of your business." But at that point, Fang Duobing was still the infant Li Xiangyi was fucking as some kind of weird post mental breakdown enrichment activity, and seemed like a poor source of professional counseling. In the years since, Di Feisheng can admit that while Fang Duobing continues to be an infant Li Xiangyi is fucking as a weird post mental breakdown enrichment activity, he has a sharp and nuanced emotional intelligence—as long as it has nothing to do with his profoundly repulsive attachment to Li Xiangyi. 

"Miss Jiao is going to get some truly staggering letters in jail," Li Lianhua observes with audible admiration in his voice. For not the first and likely not the last time, Di Feisheng swears never to answer another phone call or text message from this bastard again.  

"If you like her so much, you should hire her once she's served her time," he mutters through gritted teeth. The sharp edge of pain is starting to break through the drugs, but he feels clearer, sharper, less like he's trying to hear shouting through the rush of a flowing river. "Is there a reason you're still hanging around here?" 

Li Lianhua slants him a look, beaming with charity. "Now don't get shy, A'Fei—"

"Stop calling me A'Fei," Di Feisheng snaps.

"—I came in a DiDi, so Xiaobao is coming to pick me up," Li Lianhua finishes. "You'll be back to your peace and blessed quiet soon." 

Which is of course the precise moment that little treasure of Li Lianhua's pokes his abominably sunny little face into the doorway of the sickroom and declares, all smiles:

"Okay! I just finished with the nursing jiejies! They’re wrapping up your discharge paperwork and we should be able to take you home with us this afternoon.” 

“What,” Di Feisheng and Li Lianhua say.

[postapocalypticposse]

CW for eyestrain, mentions of neglect, mention of religion.

We're disabled. Disabled in the way where walking hurts, doing basic tasks is draining, taking care of ourselves is a chore.

Recently, after years of complaining, I took my back pain into my own hands and went to the doctors. We turned 18 last year and our parents don't care what we go to the doctors for BC it's no longer their problem.

We were diagnosed with chronic back pain, which we knew would be the case.

But I'm livid. Livid that we have lived with this awful pain for 4 years and we're dismissed with growing pains and other bs.

I'm mad because it took me turning into an adult and experiencing the scariest injury I've ever faced, at my job. Last September i dropped my tailbone at work and I was mocked then sent home with no medical intervention. I already struggled with mobility etc due to unknown circumstances since I haven't had a chance to see a doctor about it. Now I can't sit down for long since it puts pressure on my lower spine. I can't stand for long because my legs will give out and my spine will hurt a ridiculous amount. Pain meds don't help this pain, I've tried the strongest ones I can get my hands on without getting prescribed anything. My hips give out if I walk for too long, my knees will ache too.

The amount of health neglect I've faced as a teenager has been unreal. I was denied medical intervention for 3 days when I fractured my ankle in 3 places at school. When I was unable to eat and was constantly in agony due to a chronic disease in my gallbladder, I was told it was BC I was lazy by my parents and told "It was a punishment from god for not believing in him", I tell my parents I'm atheist, but I'm not, Im pagan. It didn't take until I was coming home from school, going to sleep constantly to avoid waking up in agony, not eating and not leaving the house, my grades dropping BC of that until I was listened to. I had surgery last year because my gallbladder was close to rupturing due to 6 clusters straining the organ.

Neglect is something that is just the tip of the iceberg in our trauma. But now instead of crying or begging we just take it into our own hands or ignore it until it gets to a dangerous point, because that's what we learned to do. I'm going to be physically disabled for the rest of my life now. I'm mad and that's all I can say.

[princessconsuela120]

So while writing the next two chapters I’ve realized there’s a lot of extra info I haven’t added so I’m gonna make this a second info page for Juno, broken down into sections!

Basics:

- Juno Marsh is the daughter of Sharon and Randy Marsh, and twin sister of Stanley Marsh, younger sister of Shelley Marsh. She is the youngest in the family.

- She lives in South Park Colorado next door to the Broflovski’s

- She had mid length raven black hair, and deep blue eyes.

- She owns a dog named Sparky.

- She is friends with her brothers friends, though her closest friend is Kenny McCormick.

- She is a junior at South Park High.

Friends:

Kenny McCormick - lead guitarist in the band Crimson Dawn. Best friends with Juno Marsh since preschool. Was turned mortal in 5th grade after a mission to defeat his curse set out by him and Juno, where they broke him of his curse. Big pothead, but not to the point where it’s a problem. Dumb on the outside, but is actually really smart. Works a job to provide mostly for his little sister. Karen adores Juno. Kevin McCormick and Shelly Marsh have been dating for 3 years, and were set up by Kenny and Juno.

Stan Marsh - lead singer in the band Crimson Dawn. Still best friends with Kyle. Short tempered, but actually very sensitive. Hates his family lovingly. Has depression, takes anti-depressants. Has an alcohol problem, though he’s trying very hard to fix it. Refuses to take off his hat, Juno had to get him to wash his hair more. Not as greasy as it was when they were kids, but not the best.

Kyle Broflovski - Has been in love with Juno Marsh since the 4th grade. He fell first she fell harder. The smartest in the class. Is on the varsity basketball team, number 19 (Juno’s bday). Still wears his hat all the time, hates his hair but has warmed up to it more. Hates anything to do with alcohol or drugs. Designated driver always. Helps his brother with homework. Babysits Ike with Juno frequently. An awkward teenage boy, though a lot of girls have crushes on him (including Juno).

Eric Cartman - Still an asshole. Is trying his best. Has chilled down a lot since 4th grade. Was put on medication and sent to therapy after being diagnosed with Bipolar II disorder, with the help of Juno. Almost flunked out of high school, Juno tutored him which led to discovering his mental illness. Is surprisingly a lot better after starting medication. He pretends not to tolerate anyone but actually has a soft spot for his friends. Is slowly working his way up to being forgiven, even by Kyle. Forgets to take his meds and can be insufferable when Liane doesn’t remind him.

Butters - still the sweetest boy alive. Was diagnosed with autism, with Juno’s help. Brought both Juno and Kenny to Hawaii, they’re his favorite people. Juno is the only one allowed to call him Leo. He’s softened up a lot after discovering that he isn’t crazy his mind is just a little different. Owns a cat named Oatmeal, she’s basically his service cat.

Craig Tucker - Cousins with the Marsh family (Laura is Randy’s sister). Very close with Juno, has a fake rivalry with Stan. Smoking buddies with Juno and Kenny.

Tweek Tweak - works for tweak bros with his family. Juno and Craig convinced him to form a new recipe for coffee, and has slowly derailed him from his meth addiction. He still has raging anxiety but is getting healthier. Tweek and Craig have been together since 4th grade.

Wendy Testaburger - Has been dating Stan off and on since 4th grade. Good friends with Juno Marsh, even if her and Stan are on a break.

Stick of truth:

Story will come later!

Juno is known as Princess Juno of the Nine Realms, Princess Juno for short. She is “married” to the elf prince Kyle, which United their kingdoms and made them king and queen.

Fractured But Whole:

Story will come later!

Juno is known as The Gemini.

Her abilities are cloning, power replication (can temporarily take the powers of an individual), yin and Yang ( damages all enemies but strengthens all teammates), and water manipulation. She had started her own super hero team against Coon and Friends titled Supers of Terrific Dare (STDs) with members; The Gemini (Juno), Mysterion (Kenny), Call Girl (Wendy), SheWolf (Annie), FashionMonger (Bebe), Barbaria (Red),

Nightshade (Nichole), Henrietta, Michael, Pete, Super Craig, Wonder Tweek. (Yes she gained girl and goth alliance, making her the strongest group)

More of the girls superhero’s I came up with come later in a character chart!

[literaticat]

Hi Jennifer, In response to a recent question about Russian folk/fairytale content in a children’s novel, you mentioned that apart from that specific content, folk/fairytales are generally a bit tough to sell. Is it because the market is saturated, or do you see another reason? I believe that children still like those kinds of stories, but maybe I’m wrong? Thank you.

When I was a kid in the 1900's, "Folk Tales" were an extremely popular and thriving subsection of Children's Books. They won lots of awards. (Some were fantastic. Probably all of them were well-intentioned. Many of them were seriously racist/problematic, actually!)

The thing about them is, as picture books, they are usually REALLY long and wordy and old-fashioned compared to much of what is popular today, and that TYPE of book (lengthy "storybooks" about sometimes real/sometimes entirely made-up but with a facade of "real" cultural legends) are just... not a thing anymore. You can still find them in the picture book classics section, or at the library, or at *particularly* deeply stocked bookstores (Wild Rumpus had a big folklore section last time I went!) -- but that KIND of book is really not published anymore. So if you go in calling your thing a "folk tale" it automatically raises red flags, such as: "this will be long. this will be old-fashioned. this might be racist."

There are still definitely 'riffs' on fairy tales (Three Little Narwhals or Little Rainbow Riding Hood are two made up examples) -- but they'd be written in a much shorter, punchier way, and they feel "modern" compared to those old-fashioned folk tales of my youth. So if you're writing one of those kinds of picture books, OK - just make sure it's VERY FUN and SHORT!

Basically: Unless you are bringing something astonishing to the table, I'd personally shy away from writing a straight-up, not-modernized or reimagined version of a fairy/folktale for any age range. (LOTS of them already exist!)

As for books that have a fairytale/folktale inspiration, well, there are MANY middle grade / YA books have a sort of "fractured fairy tale" element (reimagining Cinderella as, say, a cyborg or a space princess or a mermaid or a girl at the mall or whatever!) -- to the point where it's a bit cliche and editors sort of roll their eyes maybe, but hey, those books will always exist, nothing wrong with that. I would just perhaps not hinge my entire pitch on the idea of the 'reimagined fairy tale' bc it sounds kinda cheesy; instead I'd say what is great about THIS BOOK and maybe mention the Inspo as an aside, or just let it speak for itself. The exception might be if it is taking inspiration from a lesser-known / under-represented cultural tradition and it seems like it NEEDS to be said.

(Again, I'm not saying "never write a book that has some folk tale / fairy tale as its inspiration!" -- I'm saying, don't PITCH it like "oh this is based on Cinderella" and that's the only thing about it -- that's not an interesting enough hook, because there are ten bajillion Cinderella reboots already, and we can probably already tell it's based on Cinderella. What ELSE does it have going for it? Or how is this taking the idea of Cinderella and really turning it inside out / bringing something new and awesome to the table?)

[lednet-sorrow-au-blog]

Something in class watching the first movie of HTTYD

Tw:Fat shaming,and just me yapping cause I am tired of THEIR bs,big vent,Swearing,and just mixing up my problems.

Leave if you are not well rn,I am just letting out my thoughts I kept.

Hiccup:"They were only trying to defend themselves!"

Some jerk tbh:"Yeah!You fattie!"

?:"Yay!I love fat shaming!"

Me:"Why are you fat shaming???"

Some jerk tbh:"Shut up,you should not be talking."

Okay,excuse me,no not excuse.Like you should shut the flipping f- up.You have no right to just say that even after a few seconds saying what they said.

Like shit goddamn,I hate his attitude and his little 'friends' that be playing like- I should not say.But seriously I hate them, like I really dislike them ut cannot hate much cause maybe my good old heart and mind says "There must be something of why they are this reckless" TO GET SENT TO A LOWER GRADE CLASS ROOM-

I really hate them,I hate the class being pretty casual with the word 'kys' out loud or someone's back.LEGIT one or two making one person who has a struggle with understanding to say a slur word about skin colour!Like yes,I am dark humour.But I don't PUBLICLY and OPENLINGLY WITHOUT WARNING like here about shit.

They false accuse me for making a hint of a very suggestive content.

WHICH WHY ON A VIDEO- Like I know,I don't act on it,nor do I feel much comfortable but I never do a big ass suggestive stuff.It would be slightly.I hate to be recalled back and them saying I am "cringe" and such is damn. And if I did,my parents would saw CAUSE THATS MY MOM'S ACCOUNT SHE MADE.

And don't go saying I would only and the only person.There is legit PEOPLE AND BEINGS IN THE CLASS WHO SAYS SUGGESTIVE CONTENT.THEY ACT ON IT FOR REAL.And if I did,it would,the video would be label with warnings.Either way I won't and never do those.

Sometimes I feel like I cannot vent to my family or any of my friends or my new therapist.Cause I feel they will react so harsh.My mom have to cut me off to say what I ALREADY KNOW, it was just letting it out and to relieve.Not GET THE WORDS STRUCK IN MY HEART AND OPEN WOUNDS LIKE YOU THINK YOU HELPING BUT ENABLING WHAT YOUR CHILD WANTED TO REALLY TRY TO EXPLAIN IS AAAAAAHHHHHHHH

This is why I can never explain how I feel, she holds my cheek and comforts while hurting me.What is the point if your child is crying more from your words?...Don't you see your killing them inside.Like mentally worsening.

Oh please for the love of god it would "worsen my health" and "You need to detach" and I guess the first progress would be in something your living in?I could just detach from her like she said like it was easy.SHE WAS IN THE FIRST PLACE I HAD TO UNDERSTAND SOME CONCEPTS AND FAILED TO KNOW WHAT IS CORRECT AND NOT, I FELT I CANNOT EXPLAIN AND THATS WHY I KEPT MYSELF SILENT OF MY FEELINGS AND THOUGHTS FOR YEARS.

I cannot with that bullshit of the person, someone,OUR NEW PEER GOT HURT.I thought some could come to comfort her,but it seemed like it was only the two adults and I.I didn't wanna leave her when she was carried to the bench,I didn't wanna take off and had fun to skate while the other is hurting on their first field trip in their new school.I thought those people said they wanted to comfort her but I seem and my teacher they said to "come with her" assuming they can go in a car to not walk more back.

THEY ARE INJURED.WHAT THE FUCK.I know how it would feel and others if you got hurt and can't do much at the moment with no equipment to up stand.And I was checking,cause for the sake I was hoping they didn't fracture their ankle.I had to use basic words to communicate them since they barely know English much.I wished some would atleast be beside her to a company and attend their need of help.AND GUESS WHAT?THEY,THAT BOY AND THEIR FRIENDO DOES CRAP WHEN WALKING BACK TO THE SCHOOL AND HUT SOMEONE WITH FUCKING SNOW?!

I need to vent and yap,texting here is my comfort and only way to keep my self sane.

[tealcrush]

I remember in 6th grade (2001ish) a friend of mine who was no longer my friend because she was popular now (read: unhealthily skinny and her parents had money) saw my best friend and I walking down the hallway holding hands because we were KIDS WHO WERE FRIENDS and told us we shouldn't do that because holding hands was "basically sexual" and people might think we're dating. We. were. ELEVEN.

Then in 9th grade I (not being unhealthily skinny and also having undiagnosed ADHD/autism) did not like the super low rise painted on jeans that girls were wearing because they were incredibly uncomfortable and made me feel like I was being looked at. At one point my cousin gave me a pair of baggy jeans that didn't fit him anymore but fit me perfectly. Think Walmart knockoff JNCOs but not unreasonably huge. Had a dragon on the back pocket. VERY comfy, perfectly broken in. I liked the baggy pants and fitted top look, like a lot. One day in study hall I was minding my own business sitting alone at a table and some boys decided to call me transphobic slurs. For the crime of wearing comfortable pants. I just put my headphones on and turned my music up louder and they went off to bother someone else. They were the BEST pants though. The early 2000s were just like that.

In 5th grade I remember a boy being RELENTLESSLY bullied because he was a little more effeminate than the others (none of them had hit puberty yet I don't know where they got the idea that their voices weren't ALSO squeaky). Just day in day out harassing him calling him names because they were SURE he was gay, not that any of us were quite sure what that meant. One day he was standing on a chair putting something up on the wall for the teacher and one of them thought it would be funny to pull the chair out from under him. He cracked his skull open on the cinderblock wall and had to go to the hospital. I mean a literal skull fracture. Because the boys had decided he was gay and that meant he was an acceptable target for anything they wanted to do to him. I don't think any of them actually got in trouble for it either.

"I was born in the wrong generation" I mean this with all the love in my heart, but if you say you want to have been a kid in the early 2000s you're either stupid or sadistic. they called you a fag for wearing jeans.

[rrenginefitters]

What Is Included In The Reconditioning Service For A Range Rover 2.0 Engine?

The Range Rover 2.0 engine is a high-performance unit, delivering power, efficiency, and versatility. However, like any engine, wear and tear can lead to decreased performance over time. Rather than opting for an entirely new engine, reconditioning is an increasingly popular option. This process revives the engine's operational abilities while providing a cost-effective solution. Whether you are considering engine replacement or simply wish to enhance the performance of your current engine, understanding the reconditioning process is crucial. Inspection and Diagnostics: The First Step The reconditioning process for a Range Rover 2.0 engines begins with a detailed inspection and diagnostics phase. During this step, the engine is removed from the vehicle and thoroughly examined. Technicians utilize advanced diagnostic tools to identify specific issues like leaks, worn-out components, and performance irregularities. A comprehensive assessment of the engine block, pistons, crankshaft, and other integral parts is conducted. The goal here is to identify which parts require replacement and which can be restored. This phase also includes running tests to detect potential problems related to fuel systems, cooling systems, and electrical connections. Whether the engine is being reconditioned for general maintenance or complete engine replacement, diagnostics are vital to ensuring efficiency. Cleaning and Stripping Down the Engine Once the diagnostics are complete, the engine is stripped down to its basic components. Every part, from the cylinder head to the pistons, is disassembled and removed. After disassembly, the parts are subjected to thorough cleaning. High-pressure washing systems and industrial-grade chemicals are often used to clean every component. Cleaning removes all accumulated grime, carbon deposits, and oil residue that can hinder performance. This step is crucial in ensuring the engine’s reconditioned components work optimally. The thorough cleaning process can be considered as resetting the engine, providing a clean slate before reassembly. At this point, parts that need replacement are set aside, awaiting supply and fit services. Replacing Worn-Out Components with New Parts Replacing worn or damaged parts is a core element of the reconditioning service for a Range Rover 2.0 engine. After disassembly and cleaning, components like pistons, piston rings, bearings, gaskets, and timing belts are carefully inspected. If these parts do not meet the required standards, they are replaced with high-quality replacements. Choosing the right replacement parts ensures that the engine runs smoothly post-reconditioning. Parts that show signs of excessive wear or are beyond repair are immediately replaced. The focus is to achieve optimal performance while preventing future breakdowns. Engine replacement services that include supply and fit ensure the installation of new parts with precision. Reconditioning the Cylinder Head The cylinder head is a critical part of the engine that affects its overall performance. During the reconditioning process, the cylinder head is carefully restored to its original specifications. The head is machined, and components like valves, valve seats, and valve springs are inspected and reconditioned as necessary. Reseating the valves and ensuring the proper compression levels within the cylinder head is essential for efficient engine performance. This reconditioning ensures the engine operates smoothly without experiencing compression loss or other internal combustion issues. The cylinder head's reconditioning is often paired with engine replacement to provide the best performance possible. Crankshaft and Camshaft Reconditioning The crankshaft and camshaft play vital roles in an engine's function. These components are inspected for wear, stress fractures, or damage caused by heat and stress over time. If necessary, the crankshaft and camshaft are machined and polished to restore their surfaces. In severe cases, they are replaced with new components that meet the manufacturer’s specifications. Proper reconditioning or replacement of these shafts ensures that the engine’s moving parts function harmoniously, reducing the risk of vibrations or poor timing. This careful attention to the crankshaft and camshaft forms the backbone of a successful reconditioning service for any engine, including the Range Rover 2.0. Rebuilding and Reassembly of the Engine After reconditioning the engine’s components, the engine is meticulously rebuilt. Technicians carefully reassemble the engine, ensuring all parts are correctly installed, torqued to factory specifications, and lubricated. This includes installing the cylinder head, crankshaft, camshaft, pistons, and valves back into their respective places. During this phase, the new and restored parts are fitted with precision, ensuring the engine operates efficiently once back in the vehicle. The assembly process demands a high level of expertise, as even a small misalignment could affect the engine’s performance. The reassembly ensures that all components work together seamlessly, preparing the engine for its return to full operation. Testing and Tuning: Ensuring Optimal Performance Once the reassembly is complete, the engine is subjected to rigorous testing. These tests are designed to ensure that the engine performs as expected under various conditions. The engine is run on a test bench to evaluate factors such as fuel efficiency, power output, temperature regulation, and oil pressure. This phase also includes tuning the engine to meet optimal performance standards. Fine-tuning ensures that the engine runs smoothly with proper air-fuel mixtures, combustion efficiency, and timing. Any issues detected during testing are addressed immediately. These tests are critical to ensuring that the reconditioned engine meets or exceeds the original specifications. Installation and Final Checks The final step of the reconditioning service involves reinstalling the engine into the Range Rover. Once the engine is back in the vehicle, further checks are conducted to ensure everything is functioning correctly. Supply and fit services ensure that all components are installed accurately, including connections to the vehicle's fuel, exhaust, and cooling systems. Technicians run additional tests once the engine is in place to ensure there are no installation issues. This final phase guarantees that the engine performs to the required standards before it is handed back to the owner. This process ensures reliability, longevity, and optimal performance for the newly reconditioned Range Rover 2.0 engine. Read the full article

[mossyinkynebulous]

Hold up, Mossy lore time because it came to me and it's slightly funny. Throwing it under a break since it's a bit of a read and I don't want to clutter my dash too much. CW for needles btw

So, my 4th grade year, I'd be like 10, I fractured my tibia at softball practice bc they were teaching us how to slide. Well my family had been planning to go on vacation to Balaxi that year, but since I was in a cast we couldn't go anymore. Our next option was to go visit my aunt in Montana, but she ended up having to get a surgery and so we just decided to go somewhere else. Our next trip destination was Arkansas. I think it was around Murfreesboro, Arkansas because we were going to go diamond hunting or something like that.

So I got my cast off a couple weeks before the trip, but was still using crutches until my parents forced my to go without them out in the park because I was babying my leg. Which I was slightly, but up to that point it still relatively hurt to walk.

Anyways, not the point. We were staying in a motel that we found the day we got to the town because the one we had booked didn't have their pool up and working, and my mom really wanted a pool. That's also not relevant, but like, bruh, it's a pool who cares.

So it's the morning before we were going to the park and my dad asked me if I had brought an epipen with us. To which I confidently answered no, but I brought a practice one.

For those that don't have an epipen or haven't seen one before, the package comes with two and a practice epipen that very clearly says practice on it and looks very distinctly different so you don't mess up in an emergency situation.

Well, my dad asked me to go grab it and double checked with me that it was a practice one. Then said something along the lines of that since I was so sure that it was a practice one to go ahead and practice.

So I took the thing and sat down on the bed beside him and went through the directions. Taking it out of the container, reading that you swing it into your outer thing so that it clicks and then hold it there for three seconds. And I followed those directions to a T. Except the last one.

What I thought had been a practice epipen had been the actual thing and so my 10 year old self, that was in now way in need of use for an epipen, jammed that thing into my leg expecting just to soreness of jamming a blunt object, only to be surprised when this thick long needle goes into my leg with the associated pain. And so in my surprise I yoinked it back out because I didn't need the medicine in my system and two that hurt and the action of pulling it out will make it stop hurting.

I vaguely remember my dad saying something about how I was supposed to leave it in for three seconds and then heckled me a bit about it. My mom, who was in the bathroom at the time, came out to know what was going on because I made a sound when the needle went in and then proceeded to heckle me about it. And we kind of joked about the thing after that and how I was preemptively ready to go.

Also, for anyone who knows how expensive those things are, because they are ridiculously overpriced, I was under really good state insurance that covered all my medical costs, basically. Like it covered my braces and the two different inhalers I took and all my other meds so we weren't paying anything for my medical/dental/optical bills. Won't go into detail about how I came under that insurance bc that's a little too personal of lore, but yeah, the state paid for it and the American healthcare system sucks.

[where-does-the-heart-lie]

You're probably getting bombarded with asks right now so sorry to add to the clutter - but I am a huge rock nerd - that goes beyond like Steven Universe and Houseki no Kuni. So I just want to share some stones and stuff that have cool properties and maybe could provide some inspiration (mainly tho so I can list off rock facts)

Mercury: Mohs 3.5, Toughness: Brittle - Malleable. Technically Mercury is always found in it's liquid form unless amalgamated with other elements, etc. But Mercury actually can be solidified, creating a "rock" with a 3.5 Mohs scale. What's interesting about this is that this solid Mercury produces an awful echo-screeching sound when bent. Idk how this would apply for a SU One Piece Character, but having the abilities to liquify, solidify, as well as being a very heavy metal which corrodes or amalgamates with many other rocks, a character like this would be a difficult opponent, or a powerful ally.

Calsilica: This ones funny because it's not a natural gem, and has an extensive history of people trying to claim that it is. Rather, Calsilica can be made from the run off byproducts in plastic, epoxy, wax, etc, condensed so hard it becomes a rock. I've had character ideas of this kind being a gem who either feels like they're lesser for being man-made, or even having imposter syndrome.

Painite: Mohs 7.5-8, tough. An incredibly rare, red-orange gem, which though is a lesser "hardness" then diamond, could easily break or shatter one.

That's another interesting thing about diamonds that was less included in the show, but they are very brittle - while sapphires, rubies, jade may be of a lesser Mohs scale, they could easily crush a diamond. Especially Jade. Jade may be one of the toughest, naturally occurring gemstones out there (hence why there are so many carvings made out of it) and can even be stronger than steal, also with no known cleavage point (point where the gemstone easily fractures most) it's a kind durable to both blunt and pin-point force.

Rutile: Rutile itself can be pretty thin and weak, but they usually occur inside of other gemstones, as needle-like fractals and growths. Their possibilities are endless and they're gorgeous. Hundreds of gem kinds can be "rutilated".

Carbyne: The. Strongest. Material. Known to man. Taking Graphenes place. I have OC's made of this, but the possibilities for character development are endless. Because, technically, only a 100 atoms of carbyne exist. They have to be contained by a graphene tube in order to stay in existence. These could be extremely powerful characters, but say their outer coating of graphene is gone? They'll vaporize. Carbyne, Graphene, and Buckminsterfullerene are all in the carbon family along with diamonds, and so modern experimentation has led to their creations, and thus, gemstones both harder and tougher than any diamond.

Though, having said all that stuff about diamonds, there is one kind that is incredibly difficult to shatter and that is Bort or Bortz. It's technically a term for any diamond that isn't jewel-grade, or natural diamond, used for cutting tools and abrasives, but as a gemstone, it would be the top tier of diamonds. Their crystal structure is smaller than a normal diamond and so blows or damage are spread out evenly through the material, rather than a regular diamond which will often take force over one point of cleavage and completely shatter.

Ok I will be quiet now I've literally been typing this for more than an hour - I just love gem Au's and your designs especially. Idk if you've heard of Houseki no Kuni but it's basically a manga/show where the characters are completely made out of the gemstones, unlike being manifestations of light in Steven Universe. I'm working on a fic/head canon au of HNK One Piece characters (once again because I'm a rock nerd)

Good lord. That's a lot of rock facts.

I def will be using this information in the future so I'm posting this as future reference/ getting this long thing outta my inbox/ showing everyone else these rock facts

Thanks for the ask and tips!

[ejzah]

Omg I absolutely loved "There’s A Lot to Lose"! I hope you have some sort of follow up in mind with like Callen checking on Kensi, or any other angsty fics during that period in mind! Happy Easter and thank you for always writing!

A/N: Thanks anon! I’m glad you’ve been enjoying the stories, and I apologize for the delay in writing this (but isn’t that ever the case with me).

***

Second Chances

It’s three days since the team returned from Mexico and Sam hobbles along down the hallway of the post critical care wing of the hospital. Technically, he’s not supposed to be up and about on his own, but Sam Hanna has never been very good at following doctor’s orders. Besides, he tramped all over Mexico with police and criminals chasing him. He can handle a few hundred feet.

He pauses just outside Deeks’ room, taking a moment to observe before he’s noticed. Deeks lays asleep, head turned towards the blind covered windows, Kensi half-slumped on the edge of his bed. Sam doubts she’s left the hospital at all since they were admitted, even though Nell confirmed all her injuries were relatively minor.

He’s glad about that at least. There’s be more than enough fallout from this case.

Figuring he’s seen enough, he lightly knocks on the door, just loud enough to announce his presence without waking Deeks. Although, with the type of meds he’s probably on, Sam imagines he could probably sleep through another shootout.

Kensi jerks up at the sound, wild-eyed and on edge in the few seconds it takes her to realize Sam’s standing there. Even in the poor lighting, she looks exhausted.

“Sam.” She sound grateful as she stands, leaning over for a tight hug. When she releases him, Kensi’s eyes travel down to his bandage and booted feet, not missing that he’s grabbed onto her vacated chair for support. “Aren’t you supposed to be resting your leg?” she asks, mildly admonishing.

“Eh, I did earlier,” Sam says, shrugging off her concern. “Besides, G’s not really a great conversationalist right now.” It’s dark humor, given what they just barely survived, but he figures since their resident jokesters are out of commission, somebody has to pick up the slack.

“How’s he doing?”

“Better.” He thinks of the Callen’s struggled to stay awake long enough to complete the basic physical and respiratory therapy exercises every day. The blood he occasionally coughs up, sometimes with minimal activity. “It’s going to be a long road, but he can manage it. He’s tough.”

“He is,” Kensi agrees, rubbing at her elbows. “I’m sorry I didn’t get a chance to come see you guys before but…” she glances over her shoulder, and Sam can tell she’s itching to go to Deeks again. That’s a good sign at least. Though, Kensi’s not exactly the type to abandon Deeks in his time of need, even if they had broken up.

“Hey, I understand,” Sam assures her. “After everything you’ve been through, after all you’ve done to bring him home, it’s hard to step away.”

Kensi nods, brows furrowing as she reaches over to brush his cheek. Deeks remains still, other than the even rise and fall of his chest, right hand loosely placed over the blankets pulled up to his neck. His skin is speckled with cuts, burns, and bruises, which somehow look worse in the dim lighting.

“What did the doctor say about him? Nell said his overall prognosis was good.”

“Uh, he has a severe, grade 3 concussion,” she says. She twists her bottom lip between her thumb and forefinger. “You know, from the TBI. So that’s not great, but the doctor said it could have been a lot worse. There wasn’t any bleeding or fractures, or enough pressure to require surgical intervention at this point. The couple times he’s been awake, he seems to remember bits and pieces. I guess he’s lucky.”

“I suppose we all are.” Sam pauses a beat and then brushes Kensi’s shoulder, meeting her gaze steadily. “And how are you doing? I know things were kind of tense between you two when we left.”

Kensi sighs, lifting her eyes towards the ceiling. “I guess you probably know about our fight,” she guesses. There’s no judgment in her voice, though maybe slight exasperation.

“Barely.”

“Deeks and I had a…disagreement and I, I purposely misunderstood what he was saying. Tension was high and we were stressed, but it’s not really an excuse for what I accused Deeks of or almost leaving without him.” She pauses, swallowing deeply. “I guess what happened kind of put everything in perspective for me.

“Does that mean you made up?” Sam asks gently.

“When Deeks woke up for the first time, he said he still wants to get married and I do too. I love him more than anything,” Kensi whispers. Her voice trembles as she cups Deeks’ hand beneath the blanket. “But what if I can’t give him what he wants? I’m afraid he’ll just give in and do whatever I want to keep me happy, to keep us together.” Tears fill her eyes as she says the last few words. Her turmoil is almost tangible and Sam gently grips her shoulder, hoping to ground her, to steady her.

“Hey, you have plenty of time to figure that out, Kensi,” he says. “I know you two are going to feel like this is a sign to get married as soon as possible, that life is short, but don’t fall into that trap. Talk to each other. Work things out. Realize that you’ve been gifted a second chance and take it.”

Kensi nods jerkily, dipping her chin slightly, likely to hide oncoming tears.

“I’ll try,” she mutters thickly.

“You guys got this.” He pulls her in for a second, briefer hug. “And if you don’t, I’ll come kick some sense into both your butts.”

Kensi chuckles at that. “Thanks, Sam.”

“Anytime for family.”

***

A/N: Just a bit of angst as requested. I’m never quite sure how much anyone else on the team new about the fight, so I went with them having a basic idea. Additionally, the medical info about Deeks is taken directly from 10x06. I decided to keep it close to the timeline of the first fic. Hope you enjoyed!

Thanks for the prompt!

[grahamstoney]

How To Start Your Own Religion

New Post has been published on https://grahamstoney.com/religion/how-start-your-own-religion

How To Start Your Own Religion

I don’t know about you, but personally I can’t think of any better way to stroke your own ego than starting your very own religion and amassing millions of devoted followers. Well, as long as it’s a successful religion that is; obviously there’s no point starting a religion that doesn’t outlast your own mortal lifespan. For a truly enduring sense of self-importance you want your followers to continue worshipping you for at least a couple of millennia and that’s going to be difficult if you don’t have any by the time you die.

Clearly the mythology surrounding Jesus, Buddha and Mohammed make them difficult role models to emulate, but if a B-grade science fiction writer can start his own religion in our own life times then you can do it too. So here are my tips on how to start your own successful religion:

Endow Yourself With Divinity

Having an easily recognizable icon to brand your religion will help too.

Nobody argues with God. Well, nobody that you need to worry about anyway. So if you want to start a religion, you need to claim some divinity for yourself. The simplest way to do this is to just outright claim to be the messiah from some ancient religion; but many have tried this and failed. A more effective way is to make ambiguous statements like “I am who I am”, and let your followers fill in the blanks. They’ll feel very smart for having worked out that you’re divine before everyone else, and will spend the rest of their lives spreading your gospel for you thus saving you a great deal of time and effort.

Claiming divine inspiration is important so that when you are questioned by the unbelievers down the track you have something to fall back on. Stories of archangels can come in handy for this, and stone tablets engraved with divine teachings have paved the way before you for centuries. More recently, golden tablets have come into vogue. Never mind that the alleged tablets always go missing; that just adds to the intrigue that helps keep your new belief system alive.

Create A Believable Doctrine

In philosophy, an idea needs to be logical in order to survive. In science, it needs to be testable. But in religion, it only needs to be believable; and the minimum standard required for that is considerably lower than you might first think. Remember to offer your new believers something of immediate value that humans crave, such as a sense of community and a way of dealing with their more troubling emotions.

Keep your kookiest ideas for your privileged inner circle. Once your believers are hooked into your mindset of unlimited possibility, eternal life and the potential for relief from their mental suffering, you can leave it until say level 4 to tell them that the earth was in fact populated by aliens from an exploding volcano.

Your doctrine doesn’t need to make logical sense; it just needs to be believable. In fact, too much logical sense can destroy the mind-fracturing hypnotic trance you want your believers in. You want some inconsistency in your doctrine in order to keep theologians speculating and arguing over for centuries to come.

Maintain An Air Of Mystery

People are fascinated by mystery. They want to know. They want answers. Once they have them though, they stop asking questions. Or rather, they’ll stop asking you. If you want your new religion to flourish you need to provide just enough facts to hook your believers in, but maintain an air of mystery that keeps them curious so they have to keep coming back for more. If you start pointing out too early in the piece basic facts like that the meaning of your life is whatever you choose it to be, or that so-called spiritual experiences are really just intense emotional reactions in our subconscious, you’ll just ruin it for everybody.

Most people have no idea [intlink id=”512″ type=”post”]how their own mind works[/intlink], and by maintaining an air of mystery you can use this to your advantage. Remember that 50% of people have a below-average I.Q., and that even an average I.Q. is… well… pretty average. Modern man is even less well educated when it comes to dealing with their emotions, which are the thing that cause us the most suffering. Offer almost any kind of relief from fear and grief, and they’ll come running.

Offer Something Your Followers Will Value

Your doctrine needs to make your followers feel some kind of benefit in following you while also maintaining your permanent position at the top of the pecking order. Humans are emotional beings constantly in search of safety to assuage our anxiety about dying. Your doctrine should incorporate elements that help deal with this primal fear.

Time-honoured approaches to this include an afterlife or some form or reincarnation. These are ideal hooks on which to hang your view of morality by tying it to eternal judgement after death if your followers don’t do what you tell them during this lifetime. Obviously nobody can really prove what happens to our soul after we die, which means you can make up whatever shit you like.

I can’t stress enough that the belief system you are teaching doesn’t need to be logical so long as it offers something of value. Despite hundreds of years of western science, we still respond to new ideas emotionally and then back rationalise with our own internal logic. Emotion always beats logic like rock beats scissors. Plenty of existing religions contain contradictory ideas which the faithful happily swallow, because of the other benefits the religion offers and the fact that they are often indoctrinated into it before they were old enough to realise that it’s obviously bullshit.

Get Yourself Some Disciples

Obviously in order to have followers spread your message for you, you’re going to need to have some. Getting yourself disciples is easier than you think as there are plenty of people desperate to escape their tedious, mundane lives to choose from.

If you can pepper your teachings with some simple practical wisdom like “Be nice to other people, and they’ll be nice to you” then you’ll attract a bunch of people who will be grateful for all you’ve done to improve their lives. Point out to them that you are the one true path to enlightenment, and they’ll be yours forever.

Once you’ve achieved sufficient critical mass, even smart people with low self-esteem will begin following out of sheer peer pressure. Eventually a government will form that takes on your ideas and encourage the rest of the masses to follow suit with draconian laws based on your teachings. Finally you’ll be home and hosed once an army or two launch a few crusades/jihads to impose your belief system on everyone else, backed with a moral justification for the reckless murdering and greedy pillaging of all those who don’t immediately recognise your divinity when faced with a lethal weapon.

Start Your Own Community

A few disciples are a good start, but you’ll need a whole community of people to promote your new-found wisdom to the world, with you as their guru. Communities are great because people naturally gravitate towards them. We evolved in small tribes no bigger than a hundred or so, so modern life forces people to group into smaller groupings where we feel safe. It helps give people a sense of us-and-them that’s important for feeling that we belong.

To use this to your advantage, you need to start a hierarchical community of your own that you can be the leader of. Endow your disciples with leadership responsibilities, and they’ll remain loyal to you as long as you keep stoking their self-esteem by privately pointing out that they’re better than all those plebs below them. Include some abstinence-based teaching that keeps your leadership hierarchy eternally restless and before long you’ll be making the Catholic church look like Lord of the Flies.

Declare Any Dissent Blasphemous

Religious ideas hold a special pride of place in believers hearts and we’ve often been taught that we should respect other people’s cherished beliefs no matter how ludicrous they may be. You can capitalise on this and reinforce it by declaring any dissent from your teachings to be blasphemous.

Somehow the mere fact that someone believes some crazy shit means that everyone else should at least treat that shit with respect. This will cover a multitude of sins on your part if you use it to your advantage. Punishments like stoning to death, burning at the stake, social ostracism via excommunication and more recently litigation have all been used by religions through the ages to deal with the sin of blasphemy by their detractors. This helps keep the faithful too frightened to speak up for themselves, and permanently angry with those who choose not to follow your teachings as a prophet.

If you declare that you are above insult and criticism, your followers will run riot killing anyone who speaks against you, for insulting their prophet. You might think that if your followers can’t handle the thought of you being insulted then their faith in you must be pretty insecure; but don’t worry, history shows that this will never occur to them.

Once the faithful are indoctrinated with an appropriate sense of self-righteousness over the idea that they are following the one true religion, the natural human tendency to avoid admitting to ourselves that we’ve been taken for a ride will keep your fancy new belief system rolling along for generations to come.

Teach Your Ideas To Children

Young children have fertile imaginations largely because their brains haven’t developed sufficiently for them to have strong powers of reason and a good grasp on reality yet. This makes them the ideal planting ground for your wacky new ideas. Once indoctrinated as children, it’s very difficult for adults to completely divorce themselves from the ideas they heard when they were too young to know any better.

As adults your followers will even argue in favour of beliefs that you taught them as children, having completely forgotten that they weren’t endowed with these ideas directly from God himself. Instead, they’ll think they came up with them through their own volition. Promote your ideas under the guise of religious education and you’ll be able to get away with all sorts of mental and spiritual abuse that would otherwise land you in jail.

Avoid Being Martyred Too Early

Although martyrdom has been a successful route to social immortality for many religious leaders, you want to think very carefully before following this well trodden path. A lot of martyrs end up forgotten altogether and even the successful ones don’t get to enjoy the full fruits of their labours. Before you fall for your own bullshit remember that like all other religious belief systems, yours is completely made up.

Once you’ve martyred yourself you’ll be out of the picture entirely and you won’t get to enjoy the lasting satisfaction which comes from being a household deity. Stories of your imminent return may keep your followers faithful and eager for centuries, but it won’t help you any. If you must die for your cause, try to leave it until old age was just about to take you out anyway.

[plokoonsdisapprovingeyebrows]

Frame type headcanon ramble because I’ve had it sitting around for ages and I wanna share it lol. There’ll be a part 2 at some point so I can talk more about the individual frame types cause there’s lots of them.

PART 2 HERE

Notes on Frame Type:

↠   Frametype refers to physical (non-electrical) schematics like skeletal structure, engine type/grade, and armor pattern. Also comes with some base coding, some inherited memory data, and some other weird shit that no-one really knows a whole lot about (because the Primacy only grants study proposals once in a blue moon). Because it's the most visible level of differentiation between Cybertronians, it tends to be the first... sorting system that they categorize themselves by, resulting in stuff like Functionism.

↠   Divided into three 'ancestral types' based on mythological divisions of the Thirteen: 

Warframes claim descent from Prima the Sword, Megatronus the Shield, Liege Maximo the Burning Torch, and the Wanderer. They are distinguished by their thicker armor, more struts and shock absorbers in their skeletal system, more flex joints practically everywhere, and some more fun stuff I'm not sure how to describe as yet. 

Groundframes claim descent from the Record-Keeper, the Muse, Alchemist the Philosopher, and Solus the Smith. They are distinguished by not having most of the stuff listed above. 

Flightframes claim descent from Vector the Timekeeper, Nexus the Sundered, the Guiding Hand, and the Guardian Wall, and are distinguished by being flight-capable (without deliberate modding). 

Over time, these three ancestral types split into several quite different phenotypes — unintentionally due to environmental pressures, such as the case of the minibots during the Cataclysm, or through deliberate engineering, such as the Second Generation military projects that led to the creation of dexters, rotaries, and flighted warbuilds ('Seekers').

↠   Most Cybertronian languages have a pronoun system that is either based around or can be extended into frame types. I’ve been using letter-number codes to describe them — please imagine that they're standing in for sounds I can't possibly transcribe in human orthography lmao.

Coda to the above point — I really fuckin hate the Aligned canon of 'there are 13 different frametypes based on the Thirteen Primes and one of them is Girl', so mech vs. femme is 100% not a thing here. There are no 'girl' frametypes and 'boy' frametypes, there are no girl robots and no boy robots at all, I'm just using she/he/they/etc. pronouns for English-language convenience. 

↠   Shifters have their own system configurations and technically their own frametype, but they have a 'root form' that usually conforms outwardly to one of the standard frametypes. Shifters tend to be smaller (and they're an absolute nightmare for medics, Shifter medical care is its own specialty) and are commonly classed with various minibot subtypes. Jazz, for example, is usually an articulate, but he can make himself as big as a light standard or as small as a sylph.

↠   Triplechangers also have their own system configuration and frametype, but unless they have visibly incongruent kibble (or they're using their pronoun i guess) it's common to mistake them for heavy warbuilds. One way to tell them apart? The warbuilds tend to have narrower waists. It's not foolproof, but triplechangers are generally packing more stuff in their innards. With heavy warbuilds the frametype ideal is to stuff as many important components as possible into their heavily-armored chests. Which is just not possible with the triplechangers.

Notes on System Configuration:

↠   System Configuration refers to processor schematics, (most) computer hardware, (most) software, and electrical system components/layout. It's a lot more important and relevant to your average Cybertronian than frame type is in most cases, but also largely invisible from the outside. Some system configurations are more common in certain frametypes; for example the ferus and efficiens systems are particularly widespread among flightframes as compared to groundframes, but in general any frametype could have any of the five standard configurations.

↠   Shifter configuration is the only one of the special configurations that is 'natural' — it goes back to Amalgamous the Star of Chaos, one of the Thirteen. The others were all the product of deliberate engineering. Although the fracture and gestalt configurations were inspired by the mythical depiction of Nexus Prime as having five component bodies, Nexus did not pass down this trait, and it was left up to daring scientists to recreate.

↠   Literally any transformation-capable frametype can be reformatted into a gestalt configuration, allowing that mech to combine with up to five other mecha. (My combiners tend to look something more like Bayverse Devastator sans wrecking balls, incidentally. Love that alien look.) Theoretically you could even do it with someone like Omega Supreme but nobody has yet because the size difference is Awkward.

↠   Fracture configuration likewise is something someone of any frametype can be reformatted into — it's basically just a matter of getting an extra body or two that matches your existing frametype and creating a spark-deep network. It can be a steep learning curve to pay attention to more than one body at once, though, and that's where the special system configuration comes in. A fracturemech's frametype is whatever frametype their component bodies are — unlike gestalts, a fracturemech's components all match. They do have a combined form, but the form that counts for frametype purposes is the one that can transform — and combined mecha can't transform.

↠   the Sparked Ship Special and Sparked City Special configurations are notable for having more individual variation than any other system configuration — they are tailor-made for the individual ship or city according to their projected needs and environments. 

They are classed as a group rather than as 'Unclassified Configurations' because they do share some basic architecture and also are uniformly ridiculously complex. Most are paired with semi-independent AIs in a permanent network, and they all deliberately add lots of new stuff to their system over the course of their long long lives, in response to external pressures or even just plain curiosity or boredom. (Much like regular Cybertronians, in fact; these guys — sparked cities in particular — just aren't limited to whatever they can stuff into a frame that needs to transform on the regular.)

Notes on Size Class:

↠  the main concern of size class is weight and mass rather than height per se; height classes cross over with each other and the weight classes don't. You get classed to match the weight; so even if you're, say, only 12' tall and massing to match Class 3, if you weigh over 500kg you get classed in Class 4. 

Height does matter in that manufacturers and builders tend to assume that if you weigh and mass a certain amount then you're going to be within a certain height range as well, for ease of standardization. And once you get much beyond Class 12, very few manufacturers and whatnot account for you anyway, so ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ 

[gabriclknox]

“i’ve always been crazy, but it’s kept me from going insane.”

INTRODUCING GABRIEL T. KNOX:

BASICS.

Name: Gabriel “Gabe” Knox

Birthday/Age: April 14, 1980/42 years old

Gender & Pronouns: Cis Man/He, Him

Occupation: Owner of Zodiac Brewery

Residence: Canyon Point

Time in Great Falls: Entire life

BRIEF BIO.

Born to Thomas and Lyla Knox, Gabriel is the eldest of four. Early on, Thomas set his expectations for his son-- he wanted Gabe to become a lawyer, or a doctor, something with prestige. But Gabe was a wild child and had plans of his own. Between fighting and failing grades, he’s kicked out of high school during his sophomore year.

Went to work as a hand on Ward Ranch. Learned a lot about life and becoming a man. Also discovered his love for the rodeo. Spent the next several years living for rodeo nights and neon lights. 

Eventually met his future wife, Addison, and proposed once she found out she was pregnant. Became a dad at twenty-seven to their firstborn son, Tyler. 

Had a major riding accent at the rodeo, ended up with broken bones and a concussion. Addison basically made him take a step back from ranching and the rodeo. During that time, he got his GED and started working with this uncle, who owned Zodiac Brewery at the time.

At thirty-three, he formally left Ward Ranch and took over the brewery. 

After a surprise pregnancy, he becomes a father once again at age thirty-five to twins, Logan and Lochlyn. 

Tragedy struck a year ago. After Addison’s car breaks down at Logan’s soccer practice, Gabe comes to pick them up. On the way home, a drunk driver struck Gabe’s truck, killing Addison and Logan instantly and critically wounding Gabe. He suffered two lumbar vertebrae fractures and as a result, had to relearn how to walk. 

He’s been a recluse for the last year and is still struggling physically and emotionally. Still attends physical therapy and now walks with only a slight limp. Has developed a drinking problem, but is trying hard to be the rock his broken family needs. Being a single dad is tough: Tyler is now fifteen and going through a rebellious phase, meanwhile seven year old Lochlyn is starting to ask questions that Gabe doesn’t know how to answer. 

QUICK FACTS.

Loves karaoke-- he will embarrass the hell out of you. Despite his antics, he’s actually a fairly decent singer and dabbles with guitar & piano when he gets the chance.

Has two pets: a Blue Heeler doggo named Ozzie, and an orange tabby cat named Goose (yes, that’s a Top Gun reference because it’s his fav movie).

Still loves the rodeo and loves to go ride whenever he can.

WANTED CONNECTIONS.

Friends, ride or die, buddies from high school, etc.

Family members (one younger brother, two younger sisters, multiple cousins)

Employees

Babysitter(s) for his kiddos

Enemies, rivals, etc.

Flings, fwb, blind dates, crushes, etc.

Anything!

[lucysinthesky]

— I CAN’T CARE ABOUT ANYTHING BUT YOU

( lovefool, the cardigans )

•••

: : LUCILLE “LUCY” LLOYD, 19 : :

( the american sweetheart, virginia gardner )

•••

i. BASIC INFORMATION

» full name: lucille allison lloyd

» nicknames: lucy, luce, lou, lulu (primarily used by her mother)

» age: nineteen

» birthday: july 4th, 2000

» birthplace: philadelphia, pennsylvania

» zodiac sign: cancer

» current residence: moordale, united kingdom

» gender: cis female

» occupation: upon lucy’s introduction to the series, she is enrolled as part of an abroad program at moordale secondary school. she functions as a full-time student.

ii. HEALTH

» physical health: lucy has no prior health concerns. years of cheerleading have allowed her to maintain an active lifestyle and an average weight.

» scars: lucy has two visible scars. the first is a small, straight line on her abdomen which was a result of an emergency appendectomy. the procedure was done just a few days prior to her thirteenth birthday. the second is an uneven circle near the base of her left thumb. it is nearly invisible but occurred as a result from an accident within her sophomore chemistry lab. while working with a strong acid, lucy accidentally got a small drop of the liquid on her hand. despite being protected by latex gloves, the corrosive material burned its way through the defensive layering and onto her skin.

» broken (any) bones: in ninth grade, lucy fractured her right ankle after landing a cartwheel incorrectly. she didn’t require any casting but was required to be benched from the cheerleading squad for two months.

iii. MENTAL HEALTH

» extrovert or introvert: lucy sees herself as an extrovert. she’s not loud or attention-seeking; she’s social. she never approaches others unless they seem ready for a conversation. still, if given the opportunity, she will converse with just about anybody. she is wildly charismatic and polite to the point where it is nearly a fatal flaw.

» logical or creative: a fan of math and science, lucy considers herself more logical rather than creative. although she enjoys the arts, she finds herself more inclined to work analytically rather than through improvisation.

» optimist or pessimist: the events in lucy’s life have left her cautiously optimistic. sometimes, when things feel too right, lucy feels a sense of impending doom. while she hopes her happiness can sustain and manifest itself, sometimes she wonders if she’s just destined to attract negativity.

» phobias / fears: dying alone is lucy’s deepest fear. being unlovable seems a worse fate than death. she craves perfection from every area of her life and fears what others will think of her if they see her stumble for more than a brief second. she hates feeling trapped, being rejected, and disappointing others. in a more comical manner, ever since she was young, lucy has hated all insects but especially those that have a thick exoskeleton. she cannot physically bring herself to smash any bug that seems as if it will make a crunching sound. additionally, lucy fears the idea of being electrocuted and, as such, hates lightning.

» problems: at age fifteen, lucy was properly diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder and clinical depression.

iv. PERSONALITY

» goals / dreams:

» quirks / habits:

» likes:

» dislikes:

» flaws:

v. FAMILY

» parents: lillian lloyd (mother, fc: mädchen amick), dennis quint (absent father, fc: jon hamm)

» sibling(s): n/a.

» children: n/a.

vi. APPEARANCE

» height: five feet, eight inches

» weight: one hundred and thirty six pounds

» eyes:

» hair:

» face and complexion:

» build:

» defining marks:

» dress style:

» faceclaim: virginia gardner

vii. ROMANTIC & SEXUAL

» marital status: never been married.

» sexual preference:

» ever had sex:

» opinion on sex:

» opinion on relationships:

» turn ons:

» turn offs:

» past relationships:

» future relationship(s): soon after moving to moodale, lucy begins a sexual relationship with oxford university senior, aiden holmes (fc: andrew garfield). despite both lucy and aiden having romantic feelings for one another, they choose to never label their relationship. following aiden’s move to america, resulting in their subsequent “break-up”, lucy dates fellow classmate and abroad program member: jeremy glaser (fc: nat wolff). later, lucy begins to develop strong feelings for another member of the american cohort: dani reeves (fc: diana silvers).

viii. FRIENDSHIP

» big group of friends or several close friends:

» best friend:

» ever lied to a friend:

» the most horrible thing they did to a friend:

» list of friends:

; eleanor “ellie” holmes ( classmate & best friend / maude apatow / @holmes-not-rigby )

; aimee gibbs ( classmate & close friend / aimee lou wood )

; eric effiong ( classmate & close friend / ncuti gatwa )

; steve morley ( classmate & close friend / chris jenks )

; maeve wiley ( classmate & friend by association / emma mackey )

; jackson marchetti ( classmate & hook-up? / kedar williams-stirling )

; ola nyman ( classmate & friend / patricia allison )

; aiden holmes ( almost boyfriend & close friend / andrew garfield / oc )

; jeremy glaser ( classmate & convenient boyfriend / nat wolff / oc )

; danielle “dani” reeves ( classmate & crush / diana silvers / oc )

ix. MORALITY

» ever been drunk:

» lied to a significant other:

» cheated on significant other:

» gotten into a fight:

» deepest regret:

» religion:

x. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

» instagram (as if they were living in the modern day):

» inspiration: betty cooper (riverdale), donna sheridan (mamma mia!), dani clayton (the haunting of hill house), marlene mckinnon (harry potter), quinn fabray (glee), torrance shipman (bring it on), gwen stacy (marvel), cassie howard (euphoria: season one), samantha fraser (fear street trilogy), aria montgomery (pretty little liars)

» gifboard:

» people:

» playlist(s):