#build a community

[diamondintherug-blog]

And I LOVE IT

Heartwarming story: Little girl doesn’t have to do anything to fund her dad’s surgery because his expenses are covered by his country’s universal healthcare.

[smilesparks]

Fanfic is so weird. It's like... A fanfic writer hands you a charcuterie board overflowing with the best morsels of fine cheese, fruit, and savory crackers with a huge smile. And then pardons themselves to a corner and hopes that perchance someone will turn and offer them a smile or a word of thanks or a little pat on the head. But so often, they are forgotten for the day once you have feasted and moved on. And yet, somehow, they find the courage and fortitude to do it all again next chapter. Because sometimes, someone does offer one of those things, and the joy they get from the few keeps them providing a feast for all.

[cvnntagious]

understanding

intent :

the purpose of my original post was to educate on the principals of basic respect, and hopefully create a more positive sturntumblr community. of course, it didn't work that way, as many have seen. the whole situation was blown way out of proportion, and didn't need to be as big as it turned out for the comment that was made. i personally never thought what @bernardsbendystraws said was the worst thing i'd seen the night that i made that post, but it became the main focus of the conversation because i had reached out trying to explain how i had already seen others upset by the small comment, and she was triggered by it. she's entitled to have her own opinion and emotions on the topic, but i was bothered by how my words and intentions were being completely misconstrued.

i admit, i definitely should've just ignored it, but seeing as i pride myself on being an honest person, getting accused of being otherwise was getting under my skin. there were even times that i would post something with the thought in mind that it'd be my last because i no longer saw any point in arguing, and then i'd get upset all over again by the response. although i defended myself in the most mature way i could, i recognize that not responding at all would've been better. i'm not a hateful person, and i feel as even though i tried to come at it with a good heart, what i posted made it seem like i wanted to spread negativity. for that, i'm sorry.

still, i'm not sorry for saying what i did in my original post, as i feel as though the respect is still needed. although the topic of conversation was about religion because that was the most recent problem, i believe it stands for many other things within this fandom if we would like to keep a strong and healthy community. this goes for things like gender, sexual orientation, race, ect. not just religion. respect is so crucial.

hate :

i was notified after responding to some of the things in my inbox, there were people sending @muwapsturniolo, a beautiful black woman, disgusting, racist asks on my behalf. i, myself am exactly half black, but even if i weren't, i've made it very clear that i don't stand for racism, homophobia, ableism, and more in my 'about me' post pinned on my page. i'm still not quite sure how to respond to the disgusting things i saw being left in peaches' inbox, as i'm in utter disbelief that someone would have the audacity to do that and claim it was to defend me. first off, i didn't need defending, and definitely not if the only way you can 'defend' someone is by sending them the most disrespectful, hurtful things i think i've ever seen in my life.

i had taken the anons i was getting as mere support, but am now recognizing that within that support, there was a lot of bashing of another person, despite me claiming i wouldn't tolerate that. it was 100% my mistake. me, peaches, and rose clearly weren't happy with each other, and i would say still really aren't, but nowhere within our drama did that give anyone the right to say what they did to peaches. she simply didn't deserve it.

aftermath :

this situation is over with. i stand on what i said about respect, rose is done talking about it, and peaches is continuing on with her break, hopefully in peace. i've never been in tumblr drama before, and i don't plan on being in any more, but that doesn't mean i won't stand up for what's right. hopefully, if needed, in full private.

i see all of the things still in my inbox that show genuine support, and i'm forever grateful. i also see all of the stories from people who feel like they've finally been given a voice after they've had problems with rose, and i'm not here to silence them. i will no longer be responding to those anons, but keep in mind that this doesn't mean i don't agree with some of the points that have been made in them. i won't be entertaining the hate whatsoever, but if you feel the need to speak to someone about a problem you're having in the community, even if it's not worded in the most respectful way possible, my inbox is always open. i'll read, but won't be posting, or giving my own opinion on it

still, i don't want to be seen as some hero for doing/saying what i felt was right, nor do i want to be seen as a victim to this drama. i'm happy to have seen that so many people agree with me, as it makes me feel as though most people in this fandom do have basic respect, which could be grounds for building such a healthy environment.

i will actually no longer be posting about the drama with rose and peaches whatsoever, and be going back to doing what my blog was made for, writing. i encourage others to stop posting about it too, as we don't need more opinions put in on our problems, and all i've wanted was a more understanding + respectful community.

-love, your grandma cvnty ☆!

[diamondintherug-blog]

Thanks 37th United States President Richard Milhous Nixon!

pegging isnt gay. if you're a guy, and a woman pegs you, that's heterosexual, not gay

[prompt-heaven]

a list of 100+ buildings to put in your fantasy town

academy

adventurer's guild

alchemist

apiary

apothecary

aquarium

armory

art gallery

bakery

bank

barber

barracks

bathhouse

blacksmith

boathouse

book store

bookbinder

botanical garden

brothel

butcher

carpenter

cartographer

casino

castle

cobbler

coffee shop

council chamber

court house

crypt for the noble family

dentist

distillery

docks

dovecot

dyer

embassy

farmer's market

fighting pit

fishmonger

fortune teller

gallows

gatehouse

general store

graveyard

greenhouses

guard post

guildhall

gymnasium

haberdashery

haunted house

hedge maze

herbalist

hospice

hospital

house for sale

inn

jail

jeweller

kindergarten

leatherworker

library

locksmith

mail courier

manor house

market

mayor's house

monastery

morgue

museum

music shop

observatory

orchard

orphanage

outhouse

paper maker

pawnshop

pet shop

potion shop

potter

printmaker

quest board

residence

restricted zone

sawmill

school

scribe

sewer entrance

sheriff's office

shrine

silversmith

spa

speakeasy

spice merchant

sports stadium

stables

street market

tailor

tannery

tavern

tax collector

tea house

temple

textile shop

theatre

thieves guild

thrift store

tinker's workshop

town crier post

town square

townhall

toy store

trinket shop

warehouse

watchtower

water mill

weaver

well

windmill

wishing well

wizard tower

[not-available-for-comment]

So. Storytime for guerilla gardeners and solarpunk enthusiasts. This story comes to me 3rd hand but I believe the basic shape of it is true, even if details may be off.

So there’s this guy who lives in my parents’ town. Wanted to have a pocket farm but lives on an urban lot in a small city instead because y’know jobs and stuff. He could definitely get a few raised beds in the backyard but nothing all that impressive and the front yard is on a very busy road with the expectation that it’ll look reasonably traditional (plus planting food by busy roads isn’t always a good idea).

However

After he’s lived there for a while, he realizes his neighbors are all older people who maybe have more challenges taking care of their yards than they used to. So he goes to his next door neighbor and offers a deal: I’ll mow and maintain your front yard for free if you let me knock down the fences between our backyards and plant them both with food. And you’ll get a cut of the produce.

Presumably the neighbor already knew and trusted this guy because he said yes. So he starts mowing and maintaining his and his neighbor’s front yards and planting food in their now-shared backyards. After a season or two this goes well enough that the next neighbor down the street asks if he can be in on this too.

So now there’s 3 front yards to mow and three backyards full of produce. And it keeps going from there. Dude gets a rider lawnmower and does everyone’s front yards, and meanwhile he’s maintaining an entire block’s worth of produce in the back. His yields got so high that he was able to start offering boxes of produce outside of the block’s residents too. This is how I heard of him: my parents’ next door neighbors were picking up a regular box of produce from him.

I love a couple of things about this story:

Offering to maintain people’s front yards for them allows baby boomers to feed their thirst for keeping up appearances while still getting food production into the neighborhood

As homeowners age offering services like this is legitimately good community building

BLOCK-LONG POCKET FARM

These exact circumstances might not be replicable everywhere, but I love thinking about how these principles could be applied.

[timothy-kang]

(via Beyond Traffic: How to Build a Killer Community Around Your Business Blog)

Let's be real – driving traffic is great, but what really makes a blog thrive? It's the community you build. A loyal, engaged audience isn't just a number; they're your advocates, your feedback loop, and ultimately, a huge part of your success.

[diamondintherug-blog]

It's called freedom Earl. Barbara made her choice and I ain't about to step on that freedom, same as I wouldn't want her telling me my truck ain't a truck without a lift kit. Now how's about you go over there and do the American thing, say you're sorry, and you'll say her name properly from now on so we can get to work on this 40 rack fer Christ's sake.

above all else a trans woman is a person. above all else a trans women is a woman who goes to the same grocery store as you and buys fruits in the same grocery cart as you and goes home and eats her dinner the same as you. above all else a trans woman is a woman who dresses like you do and talks the same way you do. above all else a trans woman is a woman who wants to be cared about the same way you want to be cared about and a trans woman is a woman who makes friends the same way you make friends. above all else you should care about trans women because they are people. treat her as such.

[minart-was-taken]

The new snapshot seems SO fun. But uhm. Uhm. There is an aspect I'm worried about.

[gunpowdercarousel]

I don't need therapy I need rabid gay people freaking out in my inbox

[landmin3girl]

technology cc finds (mix of retro and modern)

✧ laptop | radio | cd player

✧ tiny tunes speaker | standing ipad | vcr and tape

✧ super nintendo | ipad | phone with earplugs

· · ─────── ·𖥸· ─────── · ·

[diamondintherug-blog]

Power to the people!

Apparently Target is rethinking being anti DEI because foot traffic in their stores has been declining for like 10 weeks straight and their stock has been dropping in unison and listen, I know a lot of this is probably because consumer spending goes down in general when the economy is unstable (tarrifs, mass federal gov layoffs etc.) but I think we should just keep running boycotts of different brands to convince them that they only make money when they're woke. I know we dunked on rainbow capitalism because it was cornball and performative but I don't even give a shit. These companies shouldn't be able to be openly pro-Trump and expect us to ignore it. They should not be allowed to bend the knee to racist, xenophobic, homophobic, transphobic, abelist, generally bigoted culture war bullshit without taking a hit to their bottom line. These billionaire dipshits wanted unfettered capitalism with a madman at the helm and they should not be allowed to enable that without feeling some of the hurt along with the rest of us. Make these corporate assholes think money is stored in the woke

[luulapants]

talking to people recently out of prison: a do-and-don't guide

Don't ask, "How was prison?" (Answer: traumatic!)

Do ask, "What are you most looking forward to doing again now that you're out?"

Don't ask, "How long were you in for?" (Answer: too long!)

Do ask, "Is there any technology or pop culture I can help catch you up on?"

Don't ask, "How are you going to avoid getting back into bad behaviors?" (Leave the paternalistic bullshit to their PO.)

Do ask, "How's your support network? Do you have people helping you adjust?"

Don't ask, "Do you have a job yet?" (Their PO is asking them ALL the time, don't worry.)

Do ask, "Are there any opportunities I should keep an ear out for and let you know about?"

Don't ask, "Do you have an ankle monitor?" (And definitely don't ask to see it - no one likes to be gawked at.)

Do ask, "Do you have parole restrictions we need to accommodate when making plans?"

Don't say, "Hey, you shouldn't be doing that - it's against your parole!" (A lot of parole restrictions are bullshit, and they are an adult who deserves agency, even the agency to take risks.)

Do ask, "Are there any bullshit parole restrictions you need help working around?"

Don't ask, "Are you an addict?" (Not everyone in prison is, and they'll tell you if they want you to know.)

Do say, "If there's stuff you might get in trouble for, like empty alcohol containers, I can throw them away at my place."

Don't say, "It's probably best if you put your whole prison life behind you and start fresh." (Just because it was traumatic doesn't mean important experiences and relationships didn't happen there.)

Do say, "If you have letters from friends on the inside that you don't want your PO to find, you can keep them at my place."

Don't say, "You paid your debt to society." (Regardless of what they may have done, harm cannot be repaid through senseless suffering.)

Do say, "You are more than the worst thing you've ever done."

Do not ever ask "What were you arrested for?"/"What did you do?"/"Were you guilty?"

People are more than the worst thing they've ever done.

[borgevino]

the allergy i am seeing grow up around small talk in any form is troubling to me. do you know how to make friends with people in your physical environment? it typically starts with small talk. do you want to live in community? small talk. do you want to have the type of relationship with your neighbors where you can run over and borrow a battery for your smoke detector when it starts beeping at 10pm? small talk!! do you want leeway from your coworkers when you fuck up something small? you gotta be able to build a relationship and that's small talk, baybeee.

"but i don't need friends and i don't care about community!" okay, lone ranger, what about the people in your community who need you? "but i have social anxiety!" me too, bud! we simply must soldier on. making up lists of questions to ask people helps. and people are predisposed to be generous, i've found. even if you make some kind of mistake, what is this but the natural give and take of human interaction? nobody is perfect.

you were not put on this earth to live by yourself and then die. you need people and people need you. treat those around you with curiosity and generousness of spirit and you will gain so much goodwill in return.