#but if you can't get vaccinated then don't time travel

[npdclaraoswald]

Read a short story where the guy time traveled and then died of smallpox. And not to victimblame, but why would you time travel to 1500s America- famously experiencing a devastating smallpox outbreak- without getting vaccinated?

[yourlocalbreadenthusiast]

Kindly take a break from scrolling to read this, it's important.

Take your time to grieve and come to terms with the election results, but once you've done that, it's time to get to work. We have two months. And a lot to do in that time. We have to prepare, to be ready.

Be careful about what you post or say online. Anything potentially incriminating should be avoided. Threatening language, even if clearly a joke, can be used against you.

Know someone who's trans? Someone who's had an abortion? Someone who's LGBTQIA+? Someone who's an immigrant? Someone who attends protests? Someone who's disabled? Someone who might in any way be at risk due to laws being put into place? No you don't.

Move away from social media platforms and browsers that require you to use your real identity or input a large amount of personal information. Now's a good time to find alternate means of communicating online. Tails, Element, Tor, Mastodon, Firefox, and Lemmy are all decent options.

Find a community. Someone you can talk to, either online or in real life, that you'll have reliable contact with. We need to try and create a network, but one that's as anonymous as possible.

Start scrubbing your trail as much as possible. Get rid of old accounts that can still be traced to you but are no longer used, delete personal data off the internet. There are websites out there that will freely remove your data from the internet, but be careful about which one you use, make sure it's safe and legitimate first.

Change any usernames that you can that contain any personal information. Names, birthdays, anything.

Plan B has a four year shelf life. Stock up, but don't take more than you you'll need. We don't want a COVID repeat where everyone buys an excessive amount of things and leaves none for everybody else.

There are doctors that will sterilize you, if that's the way you want to go.

Stop using online period trackers right now. Delete all data from it if possible first, then delete the app itself. If you must, write it down, but in a subtle manner and on something you keep at home. Don't label it, just put the dates. If you're really worried, discard older records and only keep the most recent few, and label the dates as other random events, like "go to mall" or "chicken salad for dinner this night"

Get your vaccines now.

Save money.

Archive. We have to start collecting records, media, data, books, and articles now. On racism, on fascism, on homophobia, on gender, on self-reliance, on survival, on safe travels routes, on equality, on justice, on anything that may be useful and/or censored soon. We can't let them erase it.

Collect those online resources. Bookmark them, copy files into your storage, Screenshot pages. Create a decentralized library where everyone is working to be part of a whole, storing what they can individually and sharing it between one another. Again, be careful about doing this.

Second-hand bookstores are your best friend. Books are usually very cheap in them, and they often have a decent stock. See what you can find.

When buying ANYTHING I have mentioned above, or anything else that maybe put you in danger, try to use cash to reduce your spending trail.

Check your car information online, many newer models can be remotely tracked.

Turn your phone completely off if you may be at risk due to your location and current activities. Turning off your GPS also helps.

Take note of where you are. Who are your friends? Who's a safe person? Where can you go besides your own home that you know you'll be safe? Establish these connections now.

Who around you is not safe? Who and where do you need to avoid? Do you need to move? If you cannot afford moving but need to, there are fundraisers that can help you. If even that is not an option, at least try to make sure your home is secure. Have someone who can help you. Have a fallback safe place.

And finally, I want anyone with resources to put them in the replies. Flood it with useful links, information, tips, anything. We're in this together. Do not panic. Organize.

EDIT: Please be civil in the replies.

[the-daycare-pokecenter]

Happy Friday!!! - Fall/Winter Dos and Don'ts!

The month of October has began!! Spooky season creeps upon us ever closer, and that means a couple of yearly trends will be rearing their heads. The DCPC is here with some 'do's and 'dont's for this holiday season!

Do...

Keep in mind the sun will set earlier and earlier this month! Be safe out there, and if you plan on traveling at night be aware of your surroundings. Sleeping Pokemon do NOT like to be woken up!

- Daycare Trainer Copper

Don't...

Catch/Adopt/Buy a ghost type just for the holiday. Ghost types are just like every other Pokemon. They have feelings and wants and needs. Ghost types are full of so much love and get attatched very easily. If you abandon a ghost type, it will haunt you. No doubt about it.

- Daycare Trainer Willow

Do...

Experiment with new foods for your Pokemon!!! Just like we love pumpkin spice and peppermint, your pokemon love a variety in their diets. I love to include "seasonal" herbs and flavors into my homemade Pokekibble batches, and every Pokemon loves it!! Be sure to check that anything you're giving them is safe for them first!

- Daycare Trainer Aster

Don't...

Explore abandoned or dangerous places alone. Urban exploring and cave diving are fun and all, but if you go alone, you might just not come back at all. Also, don't just go with any stranger you find in the street. Find someone you trust to go with you, otherwise... well, you might not come back.

- Daycare Trainer Dune

Do...

Make sure your Pokemon are all up-to-date on things like vaccines, monthly/yearly washes and polishes, and pokecenter visits! It can be easy to forget as the weather gets cozier that we have some responsibilities as trainers that can not get ignored. Keep your pokemon healthy and happy!

- Daycare Trainer Fox

Don't...

Keep your Pokemon cooped up in their Pokeballs or indoors just because the season is getting colder. They still want to stretch their legs and walk with you or sit outside and camp with you. Remember, almost every Pokemon registered to a trainer has been caught in the wild. They're used to the seasons changing! Even pokemon who were hatched should be acclimated to the weather as it changes.

- Daycare Trainer Park

Do...

Keep your houses and camps secured! While Pokemon are used to the cold, some of them can't help but try and wiggle their way inside a warm house or tent. There's also an uptick of ghost type Pokemon this month, so unless you want a gengar in your living room, secure your house with the proper rights and rituals! (Keep in mind, some people offer wards that will HURT ghost type pokemon, including your own. Do your own research to find wards that simply BLOCK ghost types.)

- Daycare Trainer Nitara

Don't...

Stop battling! If you stop battling entirely for the season, your Pokemon might have too much leftover energy. There's always a seasonal slew of people saying their pokemon "turn wild" all over again when it gets cold. This is because you're not exercising them enough! If they don't battle, you should still be giving your Pokemon some kind of outside time if they're used to it.

- Director Moor

Do...

Wear the proper gear. For any and all situations above, you should be sure that you and your pokemon are wearing what's right for the situations. Camping, urban exploring, or simply going outside on a chilly day; wear the right clothes or risk getting sick or hurt. Some of your Pokemon, such as reptilian friends, may also need to wear something throughout the winter.

- Mr. Montague

Don't...

Forget the law. Even though fall and winter mean fewer people outside, more empty open spaces, you cannot allow this to make you forget about the law. If your reigon has ordinances about where you can battle, what times you can battle, or anything of the like, please keep that in mind as the months get colder. No one wants to get arrested when jail cells are even colder than usual.

- Manager Seren

[mandiemegatron]

What would 'Shot Day' be like on the Polar Tang? 🤔 Being trapped in an enclosed space underneath the sea, with a doctor who has the power to teleport you or himself, and without knowing when.

I have no doubts that there will be crewmates who are afraid of needles, *cough* shachi and penguin *cough*. And with a doctor like Law thats gonna be a scary day 😆

Hi pumpkin !! I hope youre having a great day so far 🤭🤭💖💖💖

Mm I absolutely love this ask - picture this ! 😈

"I need you to stay with Shachi tonight."

Looking up at Law, you rose an eyebrow and pursed your lips to the side in confusion before asking,

"Did I do something wrong?"

Law rolls his eyes and leans down to press an annoyed, chaste kiss to the top of you head. "No, stupid," he murmurs before pulling away, giving you a pointed stare as he continues,

"It's vaccination day."

Your eyes immediately light up and you cackle slightly, throwing Law a wide grin before nodding a few times before going back to your crossword.

"Oh yeah, that's not a problem. I'm sure he'll be happy to have the company," you reply, throwing your Captain one last grin as he leans down to steal another quick kiss, lips just brushing before he pulls away and stalks off, his head held a little higher.

This would work.

This would work.

The plan was set.

Warm cuddles and gentle kisses had lulled Shachi into a false sense of security, his arms wrapped lazily around your waist. One of your hands dances over his naked back, your face pressed into the space of his neck as your lips peppered soft kisses to his skin.

"Not that I don't love this," Shachi started, his voice low and curious as he asked, "But usually during the week you stay with the boss."

You froze in his grasp and decided to give a slight shrug, your own voice low and tired as you murmured,

"Can't I cuddle with my other man, too?"

Shachi cooed softly at your response, hugging you tight for a moment before curling around you a little more.

"Of course you can. Sorry, babe."

You gave a cheeky giggle and nipped at his throat before wrapping yourself around him tightly, pulling a slightly choked sound from him.

"Ah - babe, that's a little-"

Shachi froze as a sudden flash of blue hue sparked around you two, his entire frame freezing in your grasp as he rasped out,

"It's fuckin' needle day, isn't it?!"

You held tighter as Law suddenly appeared, a heavy hand gripping Shachis upper arm as his other hand stabbed a needle into his flesh, ignore the high-pitched shriek that his best friend gave as the vaccine pooled into him.

Law was gone as quickly as he came, the blue haze lifting as the Captain disappeared with his Room. You were almost 100% sure you were deaf in your left ear, Shachi's shriek still ringing in your head as he pathetically half-sobbed into your hair.

"You traitor!" He whined with a sad moan, his one arm feeling numb and warm as the vaccine traveled through his system.

"Unfortunately, it's gotta happen! Last thing we want is to lose you because of some silly virus."

Shachi sniffled and whined, still holding onto you like a child would a stuffed animal. You pinched his side lovingly as you pulled back to look up at him.

"Right?"

He sniffled again and gave a slow snod, frowning down at you.

"You're so cruel, babe," he moaned out after a moment, bending his head down to kiss you. You laughed and kissed him back, your hand dancing over his back in a soothing manner once more.

"Ah, but you still love me," you replied gently against his lips, entirely glad he wasn't actually upset with you.

"It's okay, Penguin gets his tomorrow since he's on watch tonight. We both know how fun that's gunna be,"

Shachi snickered at your words, a wicked grin on his lips as he replied,

"He's not as easy to grab, ya know. You can't just cuddle up to him and go, 'oh, can't I just spend time with my other other man?' That's not gunna work on him."

You were both laughing at that, his mimicry of you pulling tears to your eyes from laughing so hard. "I do not sound like that! And I know, I have a different plan for him."

He rose an eyebrow at you, waiting for you to continue. When you didn't, he bent down and nipped at your bottom lip.

"Well?"

You laughed and settled back into his arms, pressing a few kisses to his chest before replying,

"Oh, I'm not stupid enough to tell you."

IT WOULD BE FUNNY. I agree 110% that both Shachi and Peng are TERRIFIED of needles, just bc it would be hilarious. Hey man, needles be scary.

Should I do Pengs part next? 🤭🤭🤭💖💖💖

Thank you SO much for this ask, I love asks like this 🤭🤭💖💖💖 smooch smooch !

[morlock-holmes]

The people you’re arguing with re: pre-modern quality of life, are all broadly rationalist-adjacent, and are therefore deeply committed to arch-Whig-History and will never concede that anything was better for anyone ever before this exact moment in time.

for what it’s worth, I get your point - comparative social status is really great, and people who had a lot of it might’ve been very unwilling to give it up in order to certain material benefits of industrial society.

For a total no-brainer post-industrial example - anyone who’d trade being a trust fund playboy in the early 20th century for being a lower income wage worker today is a fool. There is no way you could legitimately argue that the internet is better than a life of relative leisure, high status, and wealth.

the further back you go, the trickier the argument gets, due to things like antibiotics, motorized transport, etc all being pretty handy, but I absolutely would go to bat that the median Regency English gentry or noble had a better quality of life than the median lower income American, in many respects.

go back to the Iron Age, gets a little trickier, but idk, I might still say that a high status Viking leader had a better life than I do, but it’s a smaller chunk of society the further back you go. Wealthy Romans seemed to be having a pretty decent time, tbh

I do think I’m more sensitive to relative status than some people. That said, I also think a lot of the Whig History fans I’ve known were part of the current socioeconomic top 10% and just didn’t realize how much it sucks to not have that status. Especially looking at a guy like John Green going in on it, like yeah John, of course you don’t rate being nationally known and respected for making a living pursuing your life’s passion, you’re doing that now

Well, I have another side to things, though you get most of it.

I mean, I don't want to overestimate wealth here. Part of my point is *also* that, assuming what we read of Diogenes is true, he was probably more fulfilled as a human being than Elon Musk, and Elon Musk is the world's richest man in the safest and most technologically advanced time in human history while Diogenes lived in a god damn jug.

Like, people who idealize or become nostalgic about the past are very, very often asking,

"Why do I feel so [angry/tired/hopeless/trapped] despite the fact that I have easy access to [insert material comfort here]"

And the response is very often to say, "Because you are fundamentally irrational. [Insert material comfort here] is actually the most important advancement in all of human history."

Like, in that conversation one person says,

"You live better than anybody in pre-industrial times."

And when I say, "Well, I don't know, Leonard Da Vinci and Gengis Khan seemed like they did okay"

A second person comes along to say,

"Well, those are inherently scarce positional goods, you can't expect social advances to make those more prevalent, what modernity actually gives us is travel, a library, a well-stocked sewing room, a hundred paintings you painted yourself"

And when I say, "Yeah I don't have that stuff either" a third person says,

"Yeah, obviously you can't expect to get that stuff, modernity gives you flush toilets, iPads and childhood vaccines."

And first of all yeah, I know, I said that, and second:

*Boy* have these rose-y eyed optimists spent a *lot* of time telling me what sorts of human pleasures I really ought to stop expecting to have more of.

I mean "wasn't stillborn" is quite literally the *absolute bare minimum* that a person can expect out of life.

Remember how in the 50s some kid would hate peas, and his parents would force him to eat them and if he complained they'd say, "You ought to be grateful for those peas, there are starving children in Africa"?

Turns out that "You'd better learn to be thankful for this because it's all you're gonna get and you could have it a lot worse" isn't actually optimistic or empowering.

And that sentiment lurks just below the surface of a lot of these odes to modernity.

PS - If you asked that pea hating child whether he would want to trade places with that starving African child he might well say, "Well, at least *he* isn't being forced to eat these awful peas!" and I think there is some justice to that response even if it doesn't represent a literal desire to experience a famine.

[andreal831]

How do you think the Mikaelsons would’ve dealt with covid - like would they have isolated or would they have thought that beneath them? etc.

Interesting question. They would all handle it so differently. This would be about two-ish years after the end of Season 4 so everyone would be separated.

Freya would be the most impacted by it. Not only is she mortal, but her girlfriend is a doctor. Keelin would be volunteering for every shift she could given her werewolf healing abilities. She would take it as a duty to save as many lives as she could since hers wouldn't be in jeopardy, unlike her follow doctors. But Freya wouldn't have that perk. Keelin would refuse to see Freya until the vaccine was created. She wouldn't risk brining home germs that could get Freya sick, especially since they didn't know the impact vampire blood would have on curing COVID.

Klaus would be the least impacted. He was already spiraling and wouldn't have let a silly thing like a pandemic stop him. He wouldn't even need to be worried about anyone in his family since they were all basically immune to human viruses. He would just assume Freya was fine. He would continue wrecking havoc on everyone he saw. He would be annoyed that everything was shut down and he had to actually go find his food the hard way.

Kol and Davina wouldn't mind. They would be bummed that they had to cancel all of their travel plans, but they would make the best of it. They had nearly lost each other so many times and would love to isolate together. They could finally, actually, get to know each other in a normal way since they didn't really know anything about the other before. Kol would begrudgingly wear a mask in public but often forget to cover his nose despite Davina constantly reminding him. He wouldn't let Davina out of the house in anything less than medical grade mask. He would be paranoid of losing her once again.

Rebekah and Marcel would also hunker down for most of the pandemic. Marcel would be concerned about New Orleans and how his city was coping, but other than that, they also would enjoy the peace. Rebekah and Marcel would play their part and wear masks in public, despite neither of them needing them. But Rebekah just wants to feel human and Marcel is happy to go along with it.

Hayley would be managing New Orleans and worried about Hope. But the Salvatore School would not shut down as most of their residence don't have anywhere to go and can't even get sick. Hayley would debate pulling Hope back home since travel was limited and she wouldn't want to be stuck away from her daughter for months. Hope would initially go back to New Orleans with Freya and Hayley but after a few months, she would miss her friends and return to school. Hayley would help the wolves who would struggle because a lot of their jobs closed. She would make sure they were taken care of. Hope and Hayley would also wear masks and Hayley would be very cautious to change her clothes as soon as she got home to make sure she didn't get Freya sick. Hayley would do all of their shopping to limit Freya's exposure, which would drive Freya mad, but she would appreciate the gesture.

Elijah would be in France with Antoinette. They would struggle since Antoinette doesn't use daylight rings and relies on hunting food at night. With everything closed, she would be limited in options. They would have to get creative on luring people out and would likely relocate to a bigger city where there were more options. They would both wear masks to not draw attention to themselves. But they also wouldn't mind isolating at home and getting to know each other better. This would have been early in their relationship.

Thanks for the ask!

[emblazonet]

Moreta: Dragonlady of Pern

THIS BOOK IS SO GOOD!! It's so good! This is 100% my favourite Pern book so far. The characters are all great. The setting felt alive and interesting. The stakes were fucking high. I knew Moreta was going to die, in the way you know Vanyel is going to die in The Last Herald-Mage trilogy, because we're going back in time to explore the life of a characters from an in-universe ballad, and it made me love her more.

It's also about a pandemic, but in a soothing way? Honestly it was SUCH a relief to read a story about people just fucking doing the work of Dealing With A Contagious Flu without much of the bullshittery we've all had to live through these past three years.

This got long, so more under the cut!

There are no psycho anti-vax cults in Pern. The small population scattered over a continent that's constantly being besieged by Thread does not, generally, have the luxury of either the greed we've gotten to witness IRL nor the misinformation campaigns. Characters that hoard are stolen from; characters who try to prevent vaccination are villains in the narrative and the good guys go into their territory to vaccinate—that's Moreta's final heroic moment! She dies, not from the disease but from exhaustion, to ensure everyone gets vaccinated to PREVENT A SECOND WAVE.

I expected to feel re-traumatized by the pandemic conflict. Instead, it felt healing to read about these characters. It felt affirming. It made me feel better about my choice to continue wearing a mask in public. It felt invigorating: ok, so my world isn't as sensible as Pern's, but it's still worth it to fight disease, to fight the depression and apathy—in short, it did exactly what a fantasy book is supposed to do. Inspire. I don't know that this will be everyone's take away, but it was mine.

This book gets so much right, I can't even believe this is the same author who wrote all those other Pern books I've read so far. (How did we jump from the crap of The White Dragon into this? HOW?) All these things:

Despite there being SO MANY characters, the book largely juggles its cast well, and while I often forgot names, the context usually helped me out. Every character actually felt unique and distinct and like they had different lives they were living.

Moreta and Alessan's relationship was so well done. You know it's not a romance that will go anywhere, so it feels precious when they snatch some time together. Also, Alessan is just an attractive dude character? Unlike any other of the male leads in a Pern book, Alessan appeals to me.

The relationship between Moreta and the older queen rider, Leri—UGH MY HEART. At the beginning of the book I was worried Moreta would have the 'not like other girls' vibe... I needn't worried. Leri as mentor, accomplice and friend is everything I could have asked for in a female friendship. And Moreta has other relationships and positive experiences with women, and it's so good, but what she has with Leri is so special.

The way the book builds this yearning for Moreta to be able to fly Orlith again, and then at the end she's with Leri's exhausted Holth, and they die away from their partners in the line of duty—I CRIED OK. It was so much. It was so good.

Only small bits of time travel, smart avoidance of paradoxes, thank you.

I was super invested in Moreta's healing of the Thread-damaged dragon wings. The whole process of healing dragons was super interesting!

Loved that Threadfall kept on happening throughout, it made the stakes even higher in the best way possible.

There were things I think could have been better:

I didn't enjoy Moreta's introduction and it made me feel like the book was gonna suck lol, she was arguing with Nesso and then talking about her body in a way that just felt dated and weird.

Everyone on Pern must have the same blood type I guess? Because they're just using extracted blood to make the vaccine, and the vaccine appears to have no ill effect. Honestly, the book had so much going on I'm pretty grateful it didn't go into Accurate Medical Science, but it did feel incredibly oversimplified.

Telgar Weyr's Weyrleader just sort of like decides everyone's not allowed into his territory and fuck you guys but I didn't really get a feel for that character at all or where he was coming from? So it undermined Moreta's end sacrifice a bit, because the ending felt rushed.

I really wanted Sh'gall to do something so egregiously annoying that someone yelled at him. Sh'gall was basically the comic relief though, I generally enjoyed how useless he was lol.

Overall? 11/10 and I REALLY hope the rest of the Pern books are this good! I'm going to pick back up in January with Nerilka's Story.

[aita-polls]

Am I the asshole for not being able to vacation?

Every year since 2021, my whole family has gone on an expensive overseas vacation... except myself and my spouse.

Now, it isn't so much that I'm not welcome. My mom even offered to pay for our plane tickets and hotel. It's that we're not really able to go, even with those expenses paid, for a multitude of reasons.

1) My dog requires medical attention and I can't afford to kennel him.

2) I don't get enough time off from my workplace. They're usually gone for a whole month, but I only get 3 weeks off in a year- and that's if I have no sick days or unavoidable appointments I need that time for.

3) My spouse is cripplingly afraid of planes, and I would not feel right leaving them behind.

4) Why are we pretending covid isn't still an issue, this is still very much a concern, even vaccinated.

The first year this happened, 2021, my sister and her kids were going to go by themselves and invited mom and myself to join on our own dime. Mom was able to go and I wasn't, but that wasn't really upsetting to me, because the decision to go or not was spontaneous.

The next year, 2022, they all told me ahead of time they were going to do this and I thought, at first, I might be able to, but over the course of the year our dog got sick, my spouse divulged their fear to me, and I realized saving up the vacation time is unreasonable, if not impossible. I told them I couldn't join after all, but they still went, and I wasn't upset because I had been planning to go.

Then in 2023 they said they were going again and invited me again, and i was upset because I told them I couldn't and why the previous year, but apparently they didn't understand that these problems I have are permanent. I then made it clear that for the foreseeable future, joining them on such a vacation is impossible for me.

Now here is where I may be the asshole:

This year I found out they are going again and I freaked out. I accused them of shutting me out of the family, and told them they were all assholes for going when I can't.

Then my mom talked to me and said that my and my spouse were always invited, and it's always our decision not to go. She said that I was welcome to also make plans of my own, such as a road trip one day travel away, and we could do those as a family too.

But if I were to plan such a trip, I would be expected to plan one that I can afford my own expenses for, and money is really tight. I honestly don't know how my single-mom-on-one-income sister can afford to keep going with her kids (and yes, she's paying their own way, I asked if my mom was paying for them too and she is not).

Am I the asshole for believing that it isn't a family vacation if not all of us can go? Am I the asshole for telling them they are shutting me out of the family? Do I have any right to demand my family not go on a vacation when I can't?

[cringelordofchaos]

Tolkien Black headcanons !!!!!!

Tw for multiple mentions of getting shot

Non-binary + romantically attracted to girls (based on Tupperware character description), pronouns - he/they

A bit of a Math+physics nerd + one of the best students in class (Cartman canonically cheats off of them on tests sometimes)

Has a really healthy and wholesome relationship with their parents + they sometimes either intentionally or unintentionally embarrass him in front of his friends but all in good fun (think of Ninjago Jay's relationship with Ed and Edna for reference)

Bit of a complicated relationship with Nichole (canon but i forgot in which episode it was said, but Nichole told Cartman that she and Tolkien are having some issues in their relationship? But it's not any of Cartmans business) (though he loves her and they even canonically have a picture of them together in his room)

Best friends with Craig, Clyde's a close second

Already mentioned it in my Craig headcanons posts but before Craig got with Tweek he would joke about proposing to Tolkien in the future so he could live off of their and their parents wealth lmao

Most serious/realistic??? out of Craig's gang

Has a bit more goofy / derpy side but is mostly embarrassed by it

Voice cracks in the future come to be the death of him

TW TRAUMA + POLICE BRUTALITY - is still quite distraught from being shot in the arm by a cop (in South ParQ Vaccination Special? Or was it on The Pandemic Special?) and is still distraught from that time his parents were arrested for no reason (in TFBW, where they also constantly targeted him and treated him (a ten year old child) like a threat), especially since most their childhood, like all the other kids, they were told that cops are their friends they can trust! But now he knows he can't trust them and avoids them whenever possible

Friendly

Canonically likes basketball (I like to imagine they sometimes play with Kyle!)

Favorite colour is purple (NO WAYYYY WHO WOULD'VE THOUGHTTTTTT /s)

Canonically feels out of place sometimes because of their family being rich

Sometimes takes the role of "the mom friend" (idk why. based on vibes. screw me)

Cringe TikTok user (canon 😞)

Not too much of a nerd like his dad

Since they actually hate that their name is Tolkien (cuz they don't like JRR Tolkien's books) maybe they change it in the future? I don't know what to though (but sometimes likes Token better)

Kind of understandably tired of everyone's shit

Wendy once said "I've dated him before, he's really nice!" or something like that sooo I take it as canon

Hates Cartman and has every single right to do so (he threw a rock at their head, shot them, and is just a racist asshole all the fucking time to them 😭😭)

But wait - what I don't understand is that they said "all that dungeons and dragons shit is lame" but in the stick of truth (haven't played it, only saw like 2 scenes in it) they were fully on board with playing fantasy? Like -

"THANK YOU FOR THY MESSAGE, TRAVELER! I SHALL MAKE HASTE TO KUPA KEEP!" - that sounds pretty nerdy to me Tolkien. Maybe they DO like nerdy shit but are just embarrassed to be associated with it???????? Idk I'm starting to get confused. Tolkien hyper fans / analysts if you're out there please help me

Canonically plays bass and still has his bass guitar in his room as shown in TFBW

Good person that usually puts others before themselves (like when Cartman told him to "be the bigger person" and tricked him into going over to him and getting shot by him)(still stands his ground and doesn't let people walk over him)

On southparkstudios.com it was said they're good friends with kenny and share struggles related to income (opposite sides of the same coin) so maybe they hang out sometimes. that'd be kinda cool.

Cat person I've decided though I don't think he cares too much abt the dogs vs cats debate

Gifted + talented kid but sometimes might be a perfectionist with overtly high expectations for themselves???????? Idfk what I'm on dude

Good memory

Likes to roleplay

Can't tell if he prefers fiction or nonfiction cuz of stick of truth but also because of the whole hating his name thing Eufhfhfuufnceucb

Ermmmm i think that's it for now Byeeeee god im so cringe

[tamavonpineapple]

Leosagi culture shocks I wanna see (based on my personal hcs)

Medicine/hygiene: as excited as Leo is to finally have Usagi visiting New York, you can't tell me that one of the first things Leo does isn't throwing his edo period boyfriend in the shower and chucking his clothes in the washing machine. Since they live in a sewer, Splinter made extra sure to drill good hygiene and cleanliness into his tots. As such Usagi's first two visits are spent learning about soap/shampoo (special kind for fur from Hidden City), toothbrushing, toilets, etc. I feel like he'd be amazed and shocked at how much cleanliness actually matters when it comes to health. He'd also be dragged to Donnie's lab frequently for vaccines. Even after bacteria and viruses are explained to him, Usagi would still be kind of scared and Leo is just holding his boyfriend's hand the whole time. Considering Leo is the resident medic, Usagi would be very interested in hearing Leo info dump on how surgeries and major wound stitches are done along with disinfection.

Modern tech: this one's obvious, he's from the Edo period and Leo is from the 21st century. Usagi is mesmerized by how advanced everything is and is shocked that none of it is magic. Donnie takes immense pleasure in educating Usagi in the ways of modern technology and how it all functions.

Culture: as a traveller, Usagi probably has quite the open mind for his time and generally appreciates the new cultures he comes across. I think he'd be so amazed at how big and how diverse the world is. Especially when it settles in how Japan (what was previously his whole world) is such a small part for an enormous planet. Considering that New York is an immigrant city, Usagi would probably adore how much of a cultural melting pot it is. Leo gets them some cloaking broaches and the two have several dates just exploring the cultural hubs of New York. Be it the traditional preserved cultures or the new ones created from the mesh.

Self expression: another thing I feel Usagi would appreciate is how freely people can express themselves. Be it gender or culturally, people just wear what they want. Especially people as nonchalant as the turtles. The four have been having fashion nights with April since forever and no way they didn't absolutely slay in dresses and skirts. No way they also didn't drag Usagi into their fashion shenanigans.

Art: it's canonically confirmed that Usagi is a lover of art in all its forms. He'd absolutely loose his mind at how many styles of everything there are. I can see him bonding with Mikey in this aspect, with the young turtle showing Usagi all the best drawing/painting techniques there are. Music is another big thing: he's that one dude who's spotify is just a mix of everything (different genres, languages, instruments, etc). Electro music is something he'd take longer to warm up too, but I think he'd end up enjoying vocaloid. Mostly because of how diverse in themes vocaloid is (depression, love, violence, redemption, etc) and because it's his first exposure to modern music that he can actually understand (since it's japanese).

Reading: I don't think Usagi would've been an avid reader before Leo. Mostly cause there wasn't much to read. Now that he can visit New York, he just gobbles up whatever literature he can find. He reads a mix of Japanese and English (helped him learn the language faster). Usagi really likes mythology, history, and poetry books. He also has a taste for the occasional novel and manga that Leo recommends him. As a samurai, Usagi's all about self improvement. So I feel like he'd read a lot therapy-esque books regarding things like healthy relationship and adjusting to new perspectives. He'd also work on any biases or assumptions he has from living in Edo Japan (like towards disabilities).

Media: like with any other tech, Usagi is shocked by how easy it is to learn anything curtesy of the internet. I also feel like he'd have a deep appreciation for the art of cinema considering its like theater but so much more. Especially with animation since its story told through moving art. Hell I bet he and Mikey have their own little animation stop motion drawing pads.

Relationships: here's where the biggest shocks are mostly cause how different things are from how Usagi was raised. First comes his relationship with Leo and how they each express love. Even nowadays PDA is frowned upon in Japan and Japanese don't tend to explicitly outright say they love each other. Usagi, who's probably very reserved with his affection and likely a little touch starved, is just floored with how openly affectionate both physically and verbally Leo is. I feel like he'd be a little embarrassed at first and slowly ease into being more open with how he loves Leo in more physical ways. Then there's the general Hamato dynamic. Even now, japanese culture has emphasis on respecting elders and the heavy expectations children have to succeed in the eyes of said parents. Combined with general edo period extreme formalities between parents and their children plus how Usagi's father barely raised him yet still put pressure on him to become a great samurai. Then we have Splinter: a rat man who's doing his absolute best to be involved in his kids lives and make up for the time they lost due to his trauma (mother's death, kidnapping, battle nexus, turning into a rat, etc), never pressures his kids, lets them grow as individuals and enjoy their own interests, very involved in their shenanigans, works hard to support his kids, and (most importantly) freely shows unconditional love. Just seeing a parent as involved and affectionate as Splinter is would be a big shock to Usagi. Especially a male parent cause traditional gender roles and since Usagi is from an era where fathers freely send their sons to die for honor while Splinter would blow up the Earth before even thinking of knowingly putting his sons at risk. Plus the brothers constant talk back and disobey their father. Then we go to the sibling dynamics. Like with parent-child relationships, edo period sibling dynamics were draped in formality and seriousness: affection is very reserved and any threats are literal plus the hierarchy placed by seniority. The Hamato siblings are probably Usagi's first exposure to a normal healthy sibling dynamic. Which would probably be confusing in itself since sibling relationships are a weird mesh of superficial hate but genuine love. Like Donnie wouldn't hesitate to take a bullet for Leo but no way in hell is he touching his new boots. Any of the brothers could be arguing as if they're about to kill each other and be cuddling on the couch not 15 minutes later. The constant back and forth would be a whiplash for Usagi and it would take some time to fully decipher how they communicate. Then there's their relationship with April. Splinter doesn't see her as his daughter but she is undeniably the Hamato's big sister. If you add in Cass and Sunita, then you have Usagi reveling in finally having strong independent female friends who aren't potential love interests. Throw in Casey Jr and the typical TMNT adventures and you've got Usagi collapsing exhausted from the sheer craziness of this friend group. Usagi would be civil and respectful with Draxum.

Okay i completely forgot about this, I saw it during vacations and then proceeded to forget about it. Sorry Okay, ejem, there are thing that I want to adress.

1. During that (and previous) period, japan already had toothbrushes, shampoo and soap, they already new about hygiene. We tend to imagine that this topics are modern and, let's be honest, came from Europe. No, for GODS' SAKE TOILET PAPER WAS INVENTED IN CHINA DURING THE 6th CENTURY!! And let's bw honest, Usagi lives in a world of furries, of course they already specialize soap/shampoo. I had nothing to add to the vaccines, i had a couple of scenes already planned regarding that topic. However, Usagi has been stabbed a couple times, and was perfectly fine with Chizu drugging him so he could get a rest, I can't really picture this man being a childman who needs to hold someone's hand to get vaccinated. (tho it'll be ironic, ngl)

Culture: Usagi himself has stated some levelnof discomfort regarding immigrants in Japan, because is japan, I wont go deep here, cuz theres a bunch of articles and videos about japan being an isolated country. It is certainly easier to imagine an initial rejection and a LONG adaptation process that will culminate with him accepting that the world is much more diverse than he imagined, but he would not stop being himself.

Art: usagi and Mikey bonding through art It's another plot that I had envisioned for rabbit stew, Usagi's fascinated by markets, color pencils, and all that, but usagi will also showed him the traditional techniques from his father homeland, cuz you know, sumi-e and ukiyo-e, since they're not inferior to modern of different techniques. (Btw have you ever heard of that band that plays with modern and traditional instruments?)

As for the rest of it, I mostly agree with the other points you've made. Except for one small detail that is bothering me and that is that it only seems to focus on how New York is going to change Usagi... I'll be real with you all, if we are just going to make Usagi a white dude and erase what being a 16th century samurai is... Well, I don't see the appeal anymore.

There are also things to rescue from there that the modern society lacks, despite of how murky the society in which he was raised may be. But here it seems like we're focusing on how cool New York is over Japan.

And let me tell you, food, environment, manners, global warming? These are some of the many things that Usagi will have a strong opinion on... That's if it survives the rot that is being fed microplastics to actually learn about it.

[cleolinda]

In defense of astrology, slightly

I am generally a fairly private person, save for the topics I have decided to be embarrassingly detailed about for the greater good (the greater good). Bipolar! I'm it! Therefore, however, there are many topics I have not really weighed in on, and THAT IS FOR THE BEST. This is a policy that Cleolinda Industries will largely continue.

However, this also means that you do not know that I am a crystal-loving weirdo. Listen, I love shiny rocks as much as I love vaccinations and democracy, that's just how it is. I really like essential oils because I like perfume, not because I think they cure miasma or wifi emanations. I am vaguely interested in past lives, but not to the point that I think hypnosis (or crystals, or essential oils) would really tell me any details. Maybe it would! Life is a rich weird tapestry.

(I do suspect that I was some kind of governess or housekeeper or lady-in-waiting in a past life, but that may be my love for Jane Eyre talking. You know, the kind of person who just stood back, clutching a tea tray in amazement/horror, while Things Insisted On Happening. Probably while keeping a diary about it. Don't lie, you know I'm onto something here.)

What I am really here today to talk about is: I love astrology. BUT. The "but" is very important here. To me, astrology is a uquiz on steroids, or maybe shrooms. People love it because it's just another way of talking about themselves, and I am no exception. Downside: there are angles and degrees and, if you get deep enough into it, math, and I didn't ask for homework in my navel-gazing. However, I admit that the math is a plus for some people. They can be the ones to explain quincunxes to me.

So, I can't read your chart for you (I could take a messy stab at it), because I am interested in astrology insofar as it helps me become less of a disaster. I use it for journaling, mostly. As prompts for calling myself out on my own shit. "You know, perhaps I AM too much of an absent-minded dreamer! Thanks, South Node!" But that's the thing: I am very good at reading my own chart therapeutically, or maybe making up bullshit therapeutically, and either way, if it helps, it helps. I don't know what your placements mean for you. I know that I am a Sagittarius sun with negative athleticism who never leaves the house—a very lacking Sagittarius, in other words—but my moon and ascendant and whatever-all account for that. Maybe I should aspire to be more Sagittarius-like. Maybe I should look into traveling more! This too shall be journaled upon.

I do have a Sagittarius mug from when I was a kid that I still use to hold pens. The knick-knacks are the best thing about astrology, honestly.

So I can't explain anyone else. I reverse-engineer my interpretations from what I know about myself, because I'm the person I intend to help. I don't try to predict the future, because obviously I would get that wrong. I don't wring my hands about Mercury retrogrades (because I was born during one. Bring it). I definitely do not judge people by their signs, a thing I have actually heard people complain about. They are probably Scorpios. My Venus is in Scorpio and I very much enjoy this sign (I believe this placement explains why I love vampires), so I'm the last person to judge them.

Anyway, I felt like discussing my approach to astrology because I think it can be very helpful, even for skeptics, if you use it—I won't say "the right way," but a particular way. I don't know which planet indicates self-improvement, but mine is probably somewhere very earnest.

NEXT TIME ON: HALF-HEARTED APOLOGIA: my tarot decks, let me show you them.

[my-little-wraithlings]

Good god, as a fanfic author that writes primarily whump and hurt/comfort (both emotional and physical), watching Renfield had me fucking quivering with need! My whole fanfic career is about making convoluted reasons for critters (characters) being in pain and being cared for. But good lord, I don't even need to work! This movie practically hand-feeds situations to you!

Anyway, my brain keeps rattling around with little fic ideas. A few quick fic ideas below.

Note: All the scenarios below can, in this state of being, be read platonically or romantically depending on your particular views. Personally, I don't ship Dracula and Renfield around the time of the movie but I honestly felt they've always had a romantic pull more towards the beginning of their relationship. Still super toxic/concerning but believable.

1 ) Robert is struggling to adjust to human life, mainly in the small ways. Now that he has his freedom for sure, he's trying to discover what to do with his time. He's not the brightest and each decade he's only had limited in any given culture so he's not really sure what activities/jobs are open to him. His therapy friends and Rebecca have helped him start over but he's still finding adjustment difficult. Because of the murdered cops, he's unable to get back to his apartment currently until the complex can be cleaned up and cleared for people to go back home. Meanwhile, he's living with Rebecca. The problem is that she is an incredibly strong presence and Robert is living in her "territory". It doesn't take long for Rebecca and Mark to recognize that Robert is starting to imprint on Rebecca as his new master. A reality they have to quickly work to reverse.

2 ) The setting is the past, shortly after Renfield has fallen to Dracula's alluring words. Things happen and they have to leave Dracula's current lair. On their travels, Renfield is injured during the day while he is moving Dracula's coffin. Renfield is still getting used to his new powers, the call of insects do not yet catch his cravings like they will in the future. As the sun sinks, Renfield feels himself starting to fade to wounds that were worse than he realized. Dracula is awakened and finds his familiar in a bad state. The vampire is struck by an unfamiliar feeling of concern. He has grown attached to his new servant. The relationship is new and delicate. An affection that has not yet turned smothering and abusive fills Dracula. He teaches Renfield the rewards of being a loyal servant by healing his wounds for the first time.

3 ) Robert's time as a familiar has made him more than a little strange by human standards. It's things beyond the cravings to eat insects. His skin is pale, his heartbeat is slower than a human's, his body runs cooler than a normal human. He's still able to get sick but it hasn't been something that has come up since work for Dracula. Now that his supply of Dracula blood is limited to a few jugs (I'm taking liberties, shush), he refuses to take any unless he is fatally wounded. When he catches the flu from someone at therapy, it hits him hard. He has no vaccines and his body hasn't had to make antibodies in a very long time. When the fever hits, it hits him. Rebecca is busy trying to juggle her life, keeping secrets from her sister, and helping Robert get his place back. She is struck with guilt when she finally realizes Robert is sick. His fever bumped his body heat up to that of a normal human being and Rebecca hadn't noticed right away. Despite the very real fact that people from Robert's time don't handle flu well, he's still refusing to take the blood. Rebecca does her best to help and the two snuggle up since Robert can't remember what it's like to be comforted while sick. While holding him, Rebecca decides she'll have to feed him some blood when he loses consciousness if this fever doesn't break soon.

4 ) (In the past) Vampire appetites are fickle things. When in an isolated area and there's no food in the nearby seasonal village, choices have to be made. Renfield is the human nearby. Though slight changes have set in for him, he still has the power to provide a meal. He's skittish and frightened by the idea. He has seen his master eat, it makes the bugs squirm in his belly. But despite his hunger, Dracula is being strangely patient with him. Renfield knows it is his duty and agrees to let his master feed before Renfield can cower away and need to be forced. It's a horrific experience!! Renfield feels even colder than usual but is important. He is left alive. And his master's gratitude is paid forward. Renfield is allowed to curl close to his master while fighting off the quivering torment and dizziness of blood-loss. Renfield smiles while he recovers, because surely this privilege means he really is important to Master!

5 ) also, any fuckin' excuse for broken ribs and stab wounds.

--

Okay, those weren't short but whatever.

This movie also really leans itself to being extremely easy to crossover with lots of stuff. I wish I was still caught up with NCIS: New Orleans. that'd be perfect!

[sineala]

Do you know of any Captain America comic where Cap thinks about or does go back to his original time, but then decides he doesn't belong there anymore and comes back (or decides not to go back at all idk)? Is that a thing, or did I make it up in my head? I figured you might know, but if you don't sorry to bug you!

You are thinking of a real comic! The comic you are probably thinking of Mark Waid's five-issue miniseries Captain America: Man Out of Time, which is a modern retelling of Steve's origin story. Man Out of Time is probably my favorite Cap comic, specifically because of the decision Steve makes.

So there's him getting frozen and found by the Avengers in Avengers #4, but the retelling also covers a few more of the issues after that. In particular, it goes up through Avengers #8, which is the first appearance of Kang the Conqueror. (Though, technically, of course, he says he's also a couple other villains who have already appeared. Kang's gonna Kang.)

What actually happens in Avengers #8 is a fairly standard supervillain fight -- the Avengers fight him, mostly get captured and taken to his spaceship, get rescued, then punch him some more. They destroy some of his weapons and reflect others, and then he gets in his spaceship and retreats, zooming away. So that's canon. Just so you know what canonically happens. Nothing that happens in Man Out of Time is technically 616 canon. But that doesn't mean it's not a good story.

So this isn't how it goes in Man Out of Time's version of Avengers #8. At all.

I was going to make this a much longer post with many more panels but the very very short summary of the miniseries is that this is a version of Steve's early days in the future focusing heavily on his alienation from modern society -- he spends almost all of Avengers #4 convinced he's dreaming and he's going to wake up any minute.

He must be dreaming. Why are the Dodgers in Los Angeles?

When he finally accepts that it's real, he immediately wants to find someone who will send him back so he can try to save Bucky.

Reed Richards has a time machine, so Steve does possess the capability to go back.

Tony takes Steve on a date to the Smithsonian (as well as a private Radiohead concert and apparently Steve likes Radiohead?) and tries to sell him one last time on the wonders of the future, like how we have space travel now and less sexism and less racism and way fewer vaccine-preventable diseases and God I liked this book so much better when I thought people would all want to be vaccinated against diseases that could kill them.

Anyway. Steve can't be convinced; he still wants to go back to the forties. Eventually the president has to tell him he can't go back because he knows too much about the future.

Steve's not happy.

I was going to say that Mark Waid did not have to go this hard but I think maybe he did.

So Steve has to stay and he's miserable and then he starts to hate a lot of things about the future that are still bad. He finds out human trafficking exists. He finds out the designated-hitter rule exists. These things are not really comparable but he's upset about both of them. He finds out about domestic terrorism. The Vietnam War. MLK's assassination. This wasn't what he thought he was fighting for.

(The events of Avengers #5-7 happen in the background.)

And that's when we get to Avengers #8 and Kang. Kang captures the team. And Kang sends Steve back in time. To 1945. To V-J Day. So this is after Bucky is gone, but still, this is Steve's home, right? He should be happy. And for a bit, he is. He's a returning soldier, just like all the other GIs. A hot dog costs a nickel, like it ought to.

And then things start to fall apart. He goes to a Dodgers game, the Brooklyn Dodgers, as they obviously ought to be. I don't know why so much of Steve's personal betrayal by the future and also the past is about baseball, but, yeah, it is. So he watches the game and he starts talking to the kid and his father sitting next to him and the kid's a big Dodgers fan, right? Loves baseball. So Steve asks him if he wants to play for the Dodgers when he grows up.

Relevant information: the kid's black.

(Other relevant information, if you're not a baseball fan: Jackie Robinson, the first black man to play in major-league baseball, started playing for the Dodgers in 1947. He was in the minor leagues in 1946. But this story is set in 1945.)

So naturally the father would like Steve to stop lying about how his son could ever play for the Dodgers because obviously integrated baseball is a fantasy.

Steve is starting to suspect that maybe the past isn't as great as he remembered.

(Incidentally, a nice development in actual baseball news a couple years ago is that Baseball Reference, the big baseball stats organization, finally integrated... their data. All of the Negro Leagues statistics are now listed as major league, so a lot of good players are finally getting the recognition they deserve.)

Anyway. Steve can't find most of the people he knew in the war but then runs into a GI he knew, who wants to talk to him about how great life is now. He's not feeling it.

He realizes it's because he left the Avengers. He couldn't save Bucky. But he can still save the Avengers from Kang. He needs to help them. That's where he needs to be.

Luckily, he has his identicard still on him! And he can leave them a message!

He tells Rick when and where he is, and Reed comes and picks him up in his time machine.

And then he and the Avengers kick Kang's ass.

The miniseries then ends with Steve going to the Grand Canyon, where Bucky said he always wanted to visit. So Steve draws Bucky. But Steve knows now that he can't live in the past. It's tempting, he says. But it's where fossils come from.

So he lies there. He goes through his CDs. He sets aside Bing Crosby. And he listens to Radiohead. Because he lives in the future now.

So, yeah.

I love this miniseries and it really shaped how I view Steve as a character and I love that he got the chance to make this decision and he made it and I really didn't like Avengers: Endgame.

(There is another universe where Steve faces a similar decision. This is probably not the issue you were thinking of, but Marvel Adventures Avengers #37 has a plot where the Invaders -- who seem to be some kind of combination of the Invaders and the All-Winners Squad, and also it's the 50s -- come to the present and offer Steve a chance to come back. Steve seems to be seriously considering it but before he can decide whether to use the doll that will send him back to the past, Wolverine destroys it because the future needs him here and Steve's like, yeah, you're probably right. So he's still in the future but... he didn't actually get to decide that.)

I hope Man Out of Time is the comic you're thinking of! If you like Steve at all, you should read it. It's the best.

[randomly-a-fan]

Malon's Guardian Angel Final Part

Part 1

Part 2

Jason drove the girls, included the wounded Saint Bernard to the animal hospital, while Malon cries her eyes out, trying to keep Jewel alive. "Hang in there Jewel... You're going to be okay... You have to." Malon cried to Jewel. MJ felt bad for Malon, she's even tearing up, if it wasn't for Jewel, she would've lost her baby girl by that monstrous beast. She prayed that Jewel will survive this.

As they made it to the animal hospital, the veterinarian took the dog in quickly, while MJ explain to the doctors what has happened to the dog. Not only that they'll do everything they could, they're also going to check to see if the Saint Bernard had a microchip, which helps the veterinarians find out who the dog belongs to, but they have to save the dog first. It took six hours for the Voorhees to wait to see if the dog is going to survive, until finally, one of the veterinarians came out with the news. "The dog is patched up and gave it Rabies vaccinations, she'll have to stay in the animal hospital for a few days." The veterinarian explained. "Thanks doctor." MJ thanked, then she turned to Malon. "Alright sweetie, time to go." MJ said to her daughter. "I'm staying..." Malon said with a straight face. "Malon, you can't stay here; the veterinarian said that she needed to stay for a few days." MJ explained. "Daddy stayed with me when I was in the hospital, I'll do the same for her." Malon replied.

The veterinarian smiled at Malon for having a big heart. "You know what Malon? you have a big heart for animals, how about you come by every day so you can see Jewel anytime as she recovers, you just have to go home for the night, will that work?" The veterinarian asked. Malon looked over at her dad and received a nod from him. So, Malon decided to go home and visit Jewel every day until she's better, maybe even help out while she's at it. "That's actually a good idea, it'll help keep Malon occupied while she was suspended, so it should be good if she could help out somehow." MJ explained. The veterinarian smiled to hear that they're giving Malon something to do while she's off school for a few days. "That settles it, we'll see you tomorrow, Malon." The veterinarian said as she waved goodbye.

So, every day, Malon goes to the animal hospital to check on Jewel while helping the animal doctors clean the cages and sweep the floor. Malon may not be a fan of cleaning, but she's not doing it for her own pleasure, but for the animal's pleasure. "You're doing a great job Malon; you must have a way with animals." The veterinarian complimented. "Thanks... I love animals, so I want to get a career that involves helping animals, just like my dad." Malon explained. "How's Jewel doing?" Malon asked. "Well, she's doing fine, we also found out who the owner of the Saint Bernard was." The veterinarian answered. Malon made a sad impression, she's happy that the dog is doing fine and that she's already has an owner, she's just upset that she won't get to be with Jewel anymore.

***

As the weeks passed, Jewel is back to the Voorhees' home for until the owner comes to pick her up. When they heard the doorbell, Malon hugged the Saint Bernard tight. At the door was the little girl around Malon's age with her dad. "Biscuit!" The girl exclaimed with happy tears, as she rushed over to her Saint Bernard. "Thank you for finding her and taking care of her!" The girl thanked. Malon smiled with a nod, until the girl's father noticed that Malon was sad. "You know what? Me and my family travel a lot, and whenever the dog can't come with us, she stays with my older brother, but... He doesn't have a way with dogs..." The father explained. "Yeah, that's right, maybe you can look after Biscuit whenever me and my family go on a trip!" The little girl finished her dad's thoughts. Malon's smile perked up. "Yeah... OKAY." Malon said with excitement. "And Uh... You don't suppose you would like to come over sometime... Since I kind of lost my best friend." Malon explained. The girl nodded sadly. "Yeah... I lost my little sister to a mysterious death." She replied. "So, maybe you finding Biscuit is an answer to our misery." She added. Then they both share a laugh. "My name is Robin... What's yours?" Robin asked. "I'm Malon." Malon introduced herself.

So, Malon and Robin have been having a fun chat while the father hangs out with MJ and Jason. "You have a swell daughter in there, I almost feel bad for taking Biscuit back home with us." The father explained; who is known as Phil. "Well, I'm actually a little sad too, I'm starting to get along with Biscuit, and I've never seen Malon this happy since her best friend moved away." MJ admits as she watched Malon and Robin playing with Biscuit. Then Phil came up with an idea. "You know what? Biscuit is actually a puppy breeder, if you ever consider getting a puppy for Malon, here's my card." Phil offered. "I'll even give you guys a puppy for free for finding Biscuit and taking care of her." Phil added. MJ was speechless and didn't know what to say, until Jason placed a hand on her shoulder. "I guess we'll have a lot to talk about, honey." MJ said to Jason. "Thank you Phil, we'll keep that in consideration." MJ thanked.

***

Malon was back to school when her suspension ended, and everyone is happy to have her back. "It's nice to have you back Malon, please take your seat." The teacher escorted. Malon smiled and went to her seat. She noticed that Annie wasn't in class that day, Malon wondered if her nose is really that serious. Then a student from behind her poked her back. "In case you're wondering, Annie is being transferred to another school." The student whispered. Malon nodded, since she knew not to chat with a student when the teacher is about to speak. "Now class, we have a new student joining us today, her name is Robin McCoy." The teacher introduced. When Malon saw Robin McCoy, it was the same girl that she have met last week. "Robin, you may sit with Malon Voorhees over there, if you like." The teacher escorted Robin to her new seat. "Hi Malon..." Robin whispered. "Hi Robin... Quite a coincidence huh?" Malon whispered back before the two of them giggled.

When school ended, Malon was on her way back home. As Malon entered the house, she saw her mom and dad standing with a smile. "Hi mom, hi dad... Why are you just standing there?" As Malon waited for an answer, she noticed something on the floor, correction; someone.

Malon was all tears. "A PUPPY." Malon went down on the floor to meet with the little Saint Bernard puppy. "Aw, he's so cute! Is he mine?" Malon asked as she was holding the puppy in her arms. "He sure is, he's one of Biscuit's puppies; Robin's dad wanted to give you a puppy as a thank you for looking after his Saint Bernard, and putting her in good care. Me and your father had been talking about it, and I have to admit, you took really good care of Biscuit from the moment you've found her, so we think maybe you're old enough to be responsible with this puppy." MJ explained with a smile. "Oh, thank you mom!" Malon rushed over to her parents and gave them a big hug while crying with tears. "I love you guys so much!" Malon exclaimed.

After the hug ended, the puppy came walking towards her. "Any thoughts on the name for this little beast?" MJ asked. "Hmm... Brown eyes, brown fur... I think I'll name him Cocoa." Malon decided. "Cocoa, that's a cute and accurate name." Then MJ kneeled down to the floor. "Welcome to the Voorhees' family, Cocoa." MJ greeted the puppy. Cocoa was very calm, but yet, lovable. Jason couldn't help but tear up when he saw Malon so happy, and how his wife is keeping her cool, even though she hated dogs, she loved her family even more.

As the weeks passed, Cocoa was getting so big. He may be a challenge when it comes to making a mess, or stealing food, but Malon was doing a great job; he managed to house-train Cocoa and took her out for walks every day, and tried to make her sit whenever they stop. Jason made Malon's job easier by taking Cocoa out for a walk during a rainy day or night.

Even though MJ is stuck with the dog, she had a soft spot for Cocoa, he likes to cuddle with her on the couch, which she finds rather adorable, she had to admit. "Don't... Be... Cute..." MJ said calmly, but, Cocoa couldn't help but be cute for her.

Malon often times thinks about her rabbit Skippy, but, she now has a new best friend who will never leave her side. Cocoa is even well trained to go out for walks without needing a leash, which is a great sign. He is just as playful as his mother Biscuit.

The End

[firespirited]

I think Dolly Parton is a brilliant singer songwriter and performer. She made her way in a music scene and a society that didn't respect women. But I don't like the way Dolly Parton runs Dollywood and her lack of political action (unless we find out she donates to actual leftists or runs an abortion underground railroad or something) . And I really can't stand "Dolly Parton" the persona, the huge hearted giver of folksy poverty advice that appears on TV. I love her work but totally cringe when she's called to play a magical whimsical godmother to all. I don't wish to harsh anyone's mellow about her, she's played delightful characters, she's a hard-working career woman who doesn't use her public.

I know It's not fair to hold her to higher standards to any other artists and yet. Dolly playing everyone's best friend and ally "Dolly" gets on my nerves. It usually involves some anecdotes about how she grew up dirt poor and that makes people have to be creative and resilient. Yeah and some don't make it and you could make sure your employees never have to feel the cold and rrrrrgh. Irrational annoyance not even at the woman herself but the weird pedestal society put her on.

So seeing her as a revered icon in a sci fi about the future was jarring. On one hand, she's tacitly taking a political position for trans and gender identity rights IRL by appearing in this episode which is huge. Dollywood probably won't have pro trans policies but as a quiet declaration, it's still not nothing.

On the other hand, in the story, her advice was as about as good as a fortune cookie saying "trust your heart" or "take one step then think about the next" and not very respectful of the fact she was dealing with a woman fighting for her people's lives against a violent state facing a complex ethical dilemma: one life for many. I really don't think that's the time to talk about your momma's can-do attitude. It's time to say "that sucks, that's an awful position to be in. would you like someone to bounce your options and potential moves off until you can see more clearly?" or even "that's rough honey, can I give you a song and a hug?"

IDK it was a complicated episode. Lots of issues to unpack: we fought for this teen's agency to get surgery for herself but now the teen's agency to join an activist group for her people against her repressive nation is in question? The father who lost sight of the mission and potentially endangered his daughter due to a need for vengeance. The diplomatic channels that were presented as the 'right thing' when they've been comfortable with human rights abuses before, it was just setting up these women to be failed by state apparatus. And they would have been if it wasn't for the last minute miracle evidence beyond evidence even though there was already plenty of evidence.

It's a good episode if I'm still thinking about it later, very good if I'm poking holes in the story writing.

The Orville new horizons has become quite the excellent sci-fi. I really hope McFarlane has enough dirt on studio execs to get another season made. Committing to the android staying aromantic was bold. Tackling the trans hot topic via intersex issues was bold. They even pulled a "Tuvix" ethical right that sure felt wrong with the time travel episode.

Now if Dolly could set the terms for the conglomerate that runs Dollywood and demand the right to unionize, living wages, healthcare and full anti discrimination policies regardless of what Tennessee laws may be passed, I'll open a shrine to Dolly Parton. Tacit just isn’t enough when your former poverty and status as gay icon is going to be part of your identity and selling points. I do hope she made bank on that vaccine though, excellent investment.

[exeggcute]

hey I have messaged you before because we both have boneitus but I wanted to ask - how severe has the immune compromise from humera and biologics been for you? My joint pain is just on the inside of manageable and I'm concerned that, going to uni and generally being outdoorsy, I'm putting my health more at risk by starting it then by seeking other methods of management? right now inflammation and pain are the only concerns, not more severe health risks.

[2nd message: obviously you can't give medical advice etc I'm just hoping to hear your perspective and experience. my mother is less severely impacted and also doesn't seem to be too compromised but I think she's a bit casual about health risks sometimes]

tbh I haven't felt like the immune compromise has been too bad even though I started taking biologics during the height of covid... now that I'm thinking about it I remember I was supposed to start my first humira shot before the covid vaccine was widely available, literally had the shot sitting on the counter to thaw, but then the pharmacy rang me up to say they got a batch of vaccines in and I postponed my humira shot a few days so I could go get a different shot first lol. other than getting Actual Covid about a year ago (which sucked ass but obviously didn't kill me, I think my partner who's normally in great health got hit harder by it than I did) I actually think I've gotten sick way less often in the past few years than I ever did pre-biologics/pre-covid. knock on fucking wood obviously. and I was aaaallllwaaaays getting sick with random shit pre-2020. not sure whether that's a testament to how well proper masking works or a testament to how treating my fucked-up immune system actually made me less susceptible to random viral infections but either way there's some anecdata for you.

but full disclosure that I'm a homebody in general, and then the combo of covid and my Problems means I haven't been traveled out of state more than once or twice, I still mask up in public 95% of the time, my only roommate is my partner who also masks up in public 95% of the time, we live in a private residence with our own bathroom/laundry facilities, etc. granted I do still Go Out and have potential avenues of exposure to whatever random shit is brewing, particularly in restaurants, but I don't wanna generalize my experience too too much if you're a student and might be living in a dorm, travelling a lot, etc.

although with that said I think (and don't quote me on this?) the main concerns with biologics are less about your average cold/flu/covid situation than with more serious stuff like TB or hospital acquired infections or whatever. I definitely had to get a TB test before I could start humira. and I have admittedly had some chronic but very mild skin infections thanks to being immunocompromised, but they've all been treatable, and it's hard to say whether they were caused by the biologics themselves or the combo of biologics + intermittent steroid use + preexisting eczema + recently adding methotrexate into the mix. and generally having the constitution of a sickly orphan boy lol. which is all to say that unless you're being exposed to really freaky shit on the regular I don't think going on biologics will be the difference between you staying healthy and you getting struck down by Icky Space Virus, especially since biologics are a targeted immunosuppressant in a way that (e.g.) prednisone isn't. a good N95 or KN95 mask goes a long way, too.

it's ultimately up to you and your comfort level, especially if you said you're managing the joint pain okay right now—but I've also been there and I know that "managing" pain still is not a fun place to be at all. I also don't know if you have a flavor of boneitis that turns into degrative damage over time, so that's another consideration; I was honestly pretty scared about the (depending on who you ask, minor) cancer risk of taking TNF inhibitors, but I kind of rationalized it as like, okay, if I go on these drugs and get cancer, there's a solid chance of surviving cancer, but if I don't go on these drugs and my spine fuses permanently then my spine will be fused forever and ever and I can never fix it. there's also the fact that untreated inflammation is a major cancer trigger in itself, so on the crohn's side of things I have a way higher chance of getting cancer from untreated crohn's than I do of getting cancer from crohn's treatment.

don't take it as medical advice but here's my two cents: if your doctor thinks it's safe, and if you would benefit significantly from treatment, I think it's worth trying. soooooo many people take these drugs and the majority don't have life-altering side effects. with the immune suppression specifically, or even other minor side effects, I see it as a question of whether those risks/side effects are outweighed by the symptoms you're dealing with on a daily basis. I tend to approach that with a rough formula of severity x probability on both sides, which means unless the side effects are really bad AND really likely to happen, or unless the symptoms are relatively minor, I usually gravitate towards taking the drug. "symptom I already have that fucking sucks" usually comes out on top as the greater evil. but that's just me!

tangentially related point you might find interesting: I mentioned the other day about getting a consultation from a cosmetic surgeon who I later found out was related to the lead singer of imagine dragons, but the way I found that out was because I asked the surgeon if it was okay to get operated on while taking humira, and he said that not only was it fine, but also that he takes humira for the same arthritis + IBD combo that I have. and then later I heard an imagine dragons song on the radio, which reminded me how the lead singer is my nemesis because he's the most famous person alive with spondylitis but makes shitty music, and then I thought about how he's from vegas, and then how he's mormon, and then how the surgeon I saw is also mormon (BYU diploma spotted in his office lol. despite his main specialty being top surgery. #respect), and then how the surgeon told me he has like eight brothers and they all have IBD too, and then I was like "there can't be that many mormon families in las vegas with the same genetic autoimmune issues, right...?" and looked up the lead singer's last name and it was the same as the surgeon's...

so anyway just know that active practicing surgeons take biologics and seem to be doing alright! and also that someone out there has a family with a million sons who all have Shitting Constantly disease. the toilet paper bill when those kids were growing up must have been totally insane