#but like do americans etc not hate? do they not hate in public? i feel like germans do

[rexaleph]

became a bit of a fragrantica poster recently lmao

anyways, news from that front: couple weeks ago someone made a thread on english fragrantica abt biases and prejudices you might have towards brands, inspired by a thread on the russian forum. and obviously i love hating things for no reason so i wrote a long response like "never tried it and don't want to, the bottles are ugly, reminds me of a bad tweet i saw 2 years ago" etc etc. but few people really played the game as much, the thread mostly turned into litigating if it's ok not to like chanel for the nazi collaboration and the inane "and yet you participate in society" shit that follows. so now i looked at the russian thread (i don't have an account on the forum) and it's 16 pages and 2 years of people having a fun time discussing all the perfumes they hate for no reason, with like real interesting variety in the prejudices as well (though everyone who hates middle eastern perfume will ofc be racist abt it). so like is this cultural? is this part of my culture?

[historicity-was-already-taken]

Welcome New Followers Post xiv

gonna make this bullet points of Things to Know because deadlines, but hi! welcome!

-this is not a jewish identity or a jumblr blog. i am a jewish person and a holocaust historian, so my content often overlaps with those realms of tumblr

-this is first and foremost a public history blog. public history and public historians do history for the public. we're passionate about transmitting complex historical topics from the academe to the people, and we're in constant (one-sided lmao) conversation with entities such as: film writers and producers, textbook writers, government bodies, journalists, etc regarding the construction of public memory, and the responsibilities that entails

-you don't have to ask if something is ok to reblog. I appreciate the thought, but unless I turn off reblogs or specifically ask people not to engage in certain ways, you're fine, that said:

-I do see and read all tags, replies, and rbs. I consider them public, and I often respond to them as new posts. If you want to engage with me and don't want others to see, then send me an ask which includes the words "please respond privately"

-You can should disagree with me and tell me when you think I'm wrong! Now, I won't lie, years of existing as a young-appearing hyper feminine (i like skirts and bows and sparkly shoes it is what it is) female, Jewish historian have made me defensive and bitey af, and I often misread neutral tones as "coming for me" tones and respond in kind. I apologize for when/if that happens to you, and I assure that, once I realize you're not coming at me in bad faith, I will feel horribly guilty.

-There is a learning curve here. I don't have any desire to gatekeep my blog (it's the opposite tbh), but I do use high level terms which can have multiple meanings in different contexts. I actively try to avoid using impenetrable academic jargon in this space, but sometimes that jargon is the only appropriate phrasing available. In those cases, I urge you to do some research and poke around and then, if you still don't understand what I mean, DM me.

-I am a white, American woman. I am actively anti-racist, and anti-bigotry in general, but there will be times when I do or say something clueless or privileged. If you see that and you have the energy, please tell me! I want this blog to be a welcome place for all,* and I appreciate call-outs as an opportunity for (un)learning.

-Building on that, this is an anti-bigotry space which I'd like people of all demographics and identities to feel comfortable engaging with.* That said, I don't play nice when some random corner of tumblr rolls up in here and barfs their shit all over my posts.

-I am a cringe millennial. I started this blog in 2011, when I was 21, had just finished college, before I'd heard back from any graduate schools, and before I had much resembling a career. I am currently 34. It's fine. But a lot of you are in your teens and 20s and are just starting on your careers, so like, please don't negatively compare yourselves to me or get self-deprecating when/if you want to contact me. We all learn and achieve at different paces and that's ok.

-My book, The Girl Bandits of the Warsaw Ghetto, will be released in Fall 2025. Trust me I will be screaming from the rooftops and you will not miss the announcements lmao.

-If I don't reply to an ask or a DM, it's not because I hate you. There are 800 reasons why I may not reply, and none of them are personal.

and finally

-I am not your Good Leftist Anti-Zionist Jew. I am not here as a rhetorical cudgel for left-wing anti-Semites who seek out Jews with politics similar to mine to then use as a weapon against other Jewish folks. Don't fucking do it.

*That does not mean that everything I post here will make you feel comfortable. History isn't supposed to make you feel comfortable. Sometimes, it can and should make you feel actively uncomfortable, because that discomfort/cognitive dissonance means you're learning (keep your cognitive dissonance temper tantrums tf away from me, tho). It does mean that I, as an individual, want you all to feel that this is a space where you are welcome to learn and ask questions.

i tried to use bullet points to keep this short, and i failed miserably. on brand.

[infamous-if]

✮ FAQ ✮

hi, it's amy!! i did not expect this kind of reaction and there's a lot of questions-- so much more than i expected--which has made me very happy. i've mostly left them on a rolling queue so if your question hasn't been answered yet, it's coming i haven't ignored you :)

there's been a lot of repeat questions about some things so this is just a quick FAQ to clear things up and not clog the dash with the same answers.

CONTENT WARNINGS?

This post is spoilery, but content warnings for the game here.

Will we able to choose X, Y, and Z?

Pertaining to the band, I will make it type-in and customizable as much as possible. Right now you can:

Choose your band's name.

their genre

the name of your song and the theme (as of right now, the theme will be choice-based so i can have the variables and write accordingly)

whether your band has a unifying 'aesthetic' or you guys all wear whatever you want on stage

you'll be able to occasionally write lyrics, it'll be a combination of typing in and 'filling the blanks' and if your MC is co-songwriting, it'll also be choices

your band's approach to their image, whether they're underground or mainstream, kid-friendly or 'devil music' according to parents (lol)

and more. i really want infamous to be as customizable as possible.

Pertaining to your MC:

the usual stuff is customizable: (name/surname, appearance, height, pronouns, gender identity etc)

personality and public image is up to you. customize whether you're controversial, whether you have strong stage presence, whether you're a fame/money hungry social climber or a passionate ~artist~ etc etc.

The things that are set with your MC:

their age is set. where your MC was born and raised up until middle school will be headcannon, but they are American. The state in which you grew up after that will be headcannon. no matter what, you grew up with seven and you met your bandmates freshman year of high school.

your MC idolizes G and Misfit Alley. They will think and feel like a fan, at least in the beginning, and that can't be changed. Of course, whether you maintain a cool face or go crazy and act like a fan is up to you.

your MC cares about Seven. They were your best friend since you were 11, so it makes sense. Of course, you can choose whether your MC wants to mend the relationship or is just as angry, and even if your MC has accepted Seven is their past and they need to move on, but Seven isn't someone MC just doesn't give a fuck about. it wouldn't make sense.

Do we have to engage in an affair to romance G or Victoria?

Yes.

MC is a doormat/loser/isn't as talented as everyone else!!

You're wrong.

I will not be answering about this anymore.

Read.

What is a sub-romance?

It’s the same as a romance except your decisions do not influence how it ends and it is controlled by the narrative. I have full control on whether the romance succeeds or fails based on what the narrative requires.

Do we have to [insert anything about Seven]?

Lol, these are prob the most frequently asked questions but you do not have to hate Seven the way they hate you. there's going to be a variety of approaches toward seven.

but they will hate you no matter what! at least in the start of the route.

you can

be former friends and then reconcile as lovers

be former friends and reconcile as friends

be former lovers and reconcile as friends

be former lovers and reconcile as lovers

be former lovers/friends and not reconcile at all

Why are they like this? Why can't they be like [this]?

Yes, I have gotten this question already 😭 i really want to be clear that these characters aren't completely moral people. they will do problematic things (obviously not bigoted things, dw) they will fuck up, they will be toxic, they will probably (emotionally) lash out at MC sometimes (and MC can do so in return). i just want to make it clear now so i don't surprise anyone when the story gets more plot heavy.

they will also engage sexual acts, do drugs, drink, party, do terrible shit yk...

that's showbiz, baby !

Do we have to engage in [insert sexual or immoral behavior here]?

Nope.

Attitude wise, your MC can theoretically be a pure glittery unicorn who has never had a mean or immoral thought in their life.

Is NSFW allowed?

Yes.

Can I call August [insert gendered term here]?

Nope!

Do we have to have a crush on Orion?

No.

Do we have to romance anyone at all?

While this is a romance-centered story, I'm going to insert a non-romance platonic play-through for people who just want to play with the fame parts. Soo no.

Can we be friends with Soft Violence?

Yep, you can befriend the members of Soft Violence.

Seven and Avina.

I won't be answering questions in terms of Savina and Avina's relationship as that is spoilery. But I will say that Seven is an RO and the MC is the main character. No false advertising here :)

So we can end up with Seven?

Yes.

Do we have to?

No. You can end the story hating or ignoring Seven.

Can we romance multiple ROs?

Yes, but there will be a point where you can only romance one RO outside of the G-Vic-MC poly.

Can we romance G and V individually?

Yes.

Can we romance Rowan?

As of right now, no plans for that!

Does every route have angst?

Yes. August has the least.

Can we write songs about the ROs/will it be acknowledged?

Yes and yes.

Subromances?

Dakota, Blake (you meet in the prologue) and E (you meet in chapter 2) are sub-romances.

There’s (possibly) one more.

Be warned: sub-romances are at the mercy of my writing.

Who the f**k is Dakota?

Spoilery!

Will you be having a plan for the next update?

As of right now, it's a release-when-done deal. Maybe if my life is more organized I'll actually have plans set lol! I'll try to keep things updated as much as I can.

Can you add [customizable thing]?

You can suggest it but I can't guarantee it will be added!

Does choosing a bus lock you out of Seven's romance/stay for the whole game?

The bus you choose stays the same the entire story and no, it does not lock you out of a Seven romance. Really you'll just miss some 'bus exclusive' scenes.

Can we draw the characters or imagine them differently?

Do as you wish and imagine them as you wish! So as long as you do not whitewash them.

Can we write fanfiction?

Sure! I just won’t reblog or interact in order to protect myself!

Twine?

In the future and if I ever learn to code twine.

You don't answer my questions.

Sorry. I don't mean to ignore your ask. Or it's spoilery and I can't! Sometimes I also miss mentions. I try my best to see them all!

This is problematic for me.

That is the point. I will not be sanitizing Infamous. Apologies in advance!!! 🙏

I don't like [this].

Don't read it :)

[Suggestion]

I listen to them all! Doesn’t mean I’ll add them though :)

[Music Rec]

Even if I don’t reply, I do see it and add it into a queue to add it to the Infamous master playlist! I love song recs!

[Any praise or kind words or jokes]

i am so grateful and even if i do not reply (to avoid spamming), i read it all ! (and giggle to myself)

Do not:

request things rudely please. I take into consideration all requests if they are said politely. It doesn’t hurt to be kind :)

whitewash my characters of color

follow or engage in infamous if you are under 18 ! <3

✮✮

thats all i can think of now, but i know there's more i just haven't noted them. if there's any more i'll make sure to add it here, if you guys have any questions that weren't answered pls send them my way and thanks again for your interest!

[velvet-wishes-candy-dreams]

Hi! Can I ask for some headcanons about how would America react to getting a love letter from his crush?

And what a time for me to finally answer this ask! Ah, well, better late then never, I suppose! To anyone who's made an ask for me dated back in 2022, you are all entitled to financial compensation,,,, </3 No matter! The Bear is back in the kitchen, and they're ready to cook!! Hopefully this is up to what you in 2022 was hoping for! Warnings: None, Use Of They/Them (Just In Case!) and You/Your/Yours/Etc. Gender: Gender Neutral

America

If there's anything that should be well known about Alfred when it comes to the other countries, it's a simple as this; He's nothing short of an attention-whore.

It's no wonder, though, as he's considered to be super well known; albeit being one of the most annoying in the bunch.

So, it's not the biggest shock to him to have people who want to be around him or get to know him more, some more than none being romantic.

However, no one knows that the American would always turn down and reject the affection of those that try to woo him over. It's not like he hates it or enjoys seeing people try their best to win his heart, but they're all fighting for something that isn't there, for his heart already belongs to someone else.

And that someone was you.

It started off as a simple admiration, you treated Alfred as a normal person. You wouldn't bash and berate his childish behavior, and you also weren't someone who'd swoon and fall for his charms. You'd let him yap your ear off and let him boast about himself, waving it off and nodding in agreement as you always did.

Then, that's when the sparks would hit him. The way he'd feel his heart race when he'd finally see you, the way that he'd always feel his stomachs doing flips when he'd think about how he was going to see you somewhere, how he'd find himself rambling to anyone who'd listen about not himself, but you...The puzzles were starting to fit together, but he still wasn't able to understand that he was actually in love.

As he'd sit at his desk, checking out what had to be done and all the junk that had to be fixed, he'd always find himself getting distracted and looking through the giant pile of fan mail. They were all mostly letters, praises and questions for Alfred to ponder and think about or even start drafting a response before forgetting about it soon later, but the most that came in were love letters.

Of course, it'd be desperate people, people who profess their love and thinking that they can just confess and live the life of their dreams with the American. It was all just parasocial relationships that would never come true! An exasperated grin came on his face as he sighed. Yup...Nothing was new. For once, all that he wanted was to not have to see random nobodies names at the end of their letters. It wasn't fair. He'd hope and pray that maybe somehow, someway, people would get a clue and stop with all the cheesy letters. As Alfred flipped through the letters, skimming pass every name, he grew more and more frustrated. All he wanted was finally see a name that was not someone else's, but- The sound of papers rustling stopped suddenly, the blondes mouth agape as his eyes darted over a name. A name so familiar, it caused his heart to race, as if he caught sight of them in public. Their name. His hands shook as he felt warmth start to rush to his face. All this time, he thought that they'd just be a happy thought to him, nothing more than just an angel that'd never see him the way he saw them. And yet here he is, reading from top to bottom their heartfelt love letter they'd written for him. And the more he read, the more his eyes opened to what he'd fail to notice as his own emotions kept him from realizing it. The way their face would grow warm when he'd lightly tease them, they way they'd admire him from afar, how they'd sneak glances to him while he'd walk by, not knowing that he had just been looking at them to begin with. Alfred's heart swelled, overwhelmed with joy as he knew they'd finally notice him, not aware of the fact that he felt the same way towards them. That night, there was a pep in his step as he skipped home, clutching the letter close to his heart as he did so, protected under his bomber jacket to keep it safe from the beginning drops of the warm, summer rain. Once in side, he made quick to his room, sliding the note from his chest out as he examined it again. Seeing again, for the hundredth time, they signed it with love, the American fell onto his bed, squealing and giggling like a little girl as he felt more giddy and excited. He sat up, punching his pillows as he whisper-screamed a boisterous 'YES!! YES!! YES!!' to himself, boxing their air before falling back down again. His glasses had flown off, and his blonde hair was all mushed from his excitement, but he didn't care. A satisfied sigh came to his lips as he rolled over to his side, nibbling on his bottom lip. He could feel his cheeks burning, whether it was from the blush or from holding his smile for so long, but it didn't matter. His feelings for them were the same as theirs towards him, and that's all he needed. Alfred's eyes shut as he hummed, the letter resting just above his head as he started thinking, planning everything in his head.

Yeah...Tomorrow would be the day...He'll totally confess to them in a super awesome, badass way. He's America, damnit! He's always so extravagant with everything. But it had to be super romantic too. There's no way that he could blow it. After all, they love him. They really, really love him. And Alfred just couldn't wait to show them just how much he loves them too...

[literaticat]

With parents/guardians regulating  (I hate the word but I think it's accurate) what they want kids to have access to, it makes libraries and the poor librarians have to fall in line and carry what only certain parents 'approve of' (to the detriment of us all). And publishers and writers might not take chances on books they know might be banned or challenged. 

Sooo how much power/influence do publishers really have? I mean in society and pop culture, I guess. I feel like publishers are beholden to everyone no matter what side of the political spectrum you fall on. 

And that old adage 'if you try to please everyone you will please no one' is starting to really be the truth. The recent Scholastic fiasco comes to mind.

(so sorry in advance this turned into a lengthy rant that doesn't answer the question) (but then again, I am not even sure I get what the question part is, so OH WELL, strap in for some book ban talk!)

A very small minority of unhinged, ridiculous parents and horrific politicians are actually trying to ruin schools and libraries for everyone. I mean:

Louisiana has current legislation that would criminalize libraries joining the American Library Association. (ie, yes, a librarian could be ARRESTED AND SENTENCED TO TWO YEARS HARD LABOR what the actual fuck???)

Utah has a law that allows any district to pull any book that any other district has pulled

Florida "moms for liberty" (LOL - FU) are trying to have librarians arrested -- Again and again -- etc etc --

I could keep going but I actually have to work at my job THWARTING BOOK BANNERS today!

So just for what it's worth -- I don't think most librarians want to or are "falling in line" and bowing to these parents. Librarians, hopefully, want to make a library that has a collection of material that will best serve all their patrons. And it truly is a very small number of patrons that launch these bizarre campaigns against books.

They do have budgets though, which are also being slashed in many cases, and obviously if they know that their particular community leans toward a certain mindset, they might make choices that reflect that when curating their collection, sure. But yeah -- all the librarians I know are big fans of free speech and freedom to read, and are willing to go to bat for that -- that's why some places are going so far as to pass LITERAL LAWS against librarians, because short of that, librarians are tough to stop!

I would say, too -- Publishers are not trying to "avoid bans" (I mean they aren't ENCOURAGING them either obviously!) -- but in my experience, they simply don't think that way when deciding what to acquire. They can't, because the fact is, it doesn't MATTER what the book is about. A book doesn't have to have "scandalous content" for people to want to ban it -- PICTURE BOOKS are being taken off shelves -- books with themes like embracing your own beauty. Or making stew with neighbors. Lots of times books are challenged for pretty blatantly racist reasons -- no reason at all, actually, other than a BIPOC person wrote it so it must have "critical race theory" (???) in it. For reals.

(Also -- these "banners" / "moms for liberty" aren't READING the books. It is a few people using canned language that somebody else came up with to paper objections to books across districts where they don't even have children. I'd argue that whoever is pulling the strings here doesn't actually even care about ANY of this -- they are using some batshit people who have too much time on their hands to just heap school districts and public libraries with challenges about every last thing because they want it to become so difficult and annoying that the librarians and library boards just give up. They want all libraries and schools to be privatized. I dunno - follow the money.)

Ugh. Again -- this is probably not answering your question??? Sorry, and I really do have to stop typing now. I guess my point is :

Publishers are beholden, in some cases, to their shareholders -- but really, to readers at the end of the day -- most readers want freedom to read and the free exchange of ideas and freedom of speech, etc -- those are the people who pay for books -- so that's who publishers cater to.

Librarians are mostly pretty staunch advocates for free speech and freedom to read, and publishers are supporting them as well.

Writers hopefully, same!

(In the case of the "Scholastic Fiasco" -- Scholastic wasn't trying to bow to nasty parents, exactly -- they were trying to protect the educators who might get harassed, fired, or potentially arrested by those nasty parents. Unfortunately, as you say, it blew up, because you can't have it both ways, etc etc.)

I really do have to go now sorry I couldn't solve book banning this morning :-/

[communistkenobi]

what are some of your favorite nonfiction podcasts?

the big one I recommend is just king things - two marxist academics go through the books of Stephen King in publication order. extremely funny and insightful podcast, very accessible (like this is not a theory podcast or anything, it’s very laid back and casual), and I really appreciate their approach to literary criticism.

game studies study buddies is by the same hosts as just king things but this is a theory podcast. Each episode they go over and discuss a book from the field of game studies (ie the academic study of games). I very much recommend you listen to this if you want to like passively absorb critical/leftist theory. The hosts are academics, one of which teaches about games regularly as a professor, so it kind of feels like someone is teaching you about a text. I find it fairly accessible, I learn a lot about games, and as I said they very frequently structure their discussions with left wing theory. I find them very insightful!

blowback is very good, it’s about the imperial history of the United States. a history/journalist type podcast. this can get extremely heavy and difficult to listen to given the subject matter so I would not binge this (I usually listen to it when I’m doing a physical activity) but it’s a really good source of historical information and has helped me develop my political understanding of modern western imperial history. each season covers a different event: S1 is the invasion of Iraq, S2 is the Cuban Revolution, S3 is the Korean War, S4 is the invasion of Afghanistan

ALAB (all lawyers are bad) is good with some caveats. It’s a podcast by a bunch of lawyers who spend a lot of time on twitter discussing how horrible lawyers are, usually either focusing on specific high-profile lawyers (Kavanaugh, Dershowitz), specific american legal regimes (anti-BDS legislation, sanction law, etc), or specific trends in the legal system that causes structural problems (eg lifetime judgeship appointments with no mandatory retirement age). They also sometimes do random funny lawsuits or cover legal responses to events like Jan 6th. A mixed bag in terms of focus but mostly it’s hating on American law and the legal system. This is a critical recommendation because it’s a bunch of lawyers dudes riffing and some of their analysis can be stupid/bad, they say stupid shit that comes off as “anti identity politics” at times, etc. I’m pulling from memory because it’s been a while since I listened to them so I’m sorry if this is overly vague/general. The best way to describe it is chapo-adjacent if that means anything to you lol

and finally the podcast knowledge fight. this is a podcast dedicated to covering and debunking Alex Jones. in all honesty I don’t find this podcast super valuable in terms of analysis, like they are only really focused on debunking the claims Jones makes and explaining why they’re factually wrong. Which like that’s a good thing to do, I’m not saying its bad, but I don’t really need to be convinced Jones is lying about everything lol so I don’t personally find it super useful/insightful. If you have to interact with Alex Jones fans regularly (like family members) then maybe that will be more valuable for you! Totally depends. however the reason I bring them up is because I DO recommend the series of episodes they have titled formulaic objections - in this series they go through all the deposition material from the sandy hook lawsuit against Alex Jones (the one that cost him a billion dollars in damages and court sanctions lol). They play clips of the depositions throughout these episodes, which are so fucking insane to listen to. Like listening to a bunch of employees of an insane fringe right wing media organisation being questioned by lawyers for hours on end is so entertaining lmao. This lawsuit is about the sandy hook school shooting so a warning about the subject matter, it can get dark at times, but on the whole it’s extremely fucking funny to listen to. And the hosts provide a lot of context for what’s going on in the lawsuit, talk about it, and also they debunk the shit Jones lies about in court that you may not know about, so I find that part of it really good.

[notyouraryang0dd3ss]

I find it so bizarre that I’ve seen some of your anons say they remember when she got super famous around 2008… as an international ex-swiftie I can tell you right now that is so far from the reality at least on a global scale. Maybe in the USA she was super famous then but she was still relatively unknown until the whole Kanye VMA situation, and even then only a small number of people knew her for her music itself. I was a fan since her first album but she wasn’t like an overnight global success (tbh I think she hates that she wasn’t cause it definitely feels like she tries to make it seem like she was). And when she did start to become “Taylor Swift” the brand it was NOT COOL to like her. In fact I remember being picked on for liking her. Like why would I like that lame country singer. Country music is lame. It wasn’t till 1989 that she became cool to like her (I could argue I Knew You Were Trouble but for the sake of it I’ll say 1989). Then the whole Kanye 2.0 situation and she went into “hiding” (aka didn’t call paparazzi on herself). Then Reputation is where I think people were back on the Taylor train. She’s not really fallen from grace since well until now. I just find it interesting the perception she was a mega star in 2008 when I don’t think globally she was till 2014/2016. And even then most of the success for her music followed personal drama that increased her fame not the other way around. Don’t get me wrong she has always been in the public eye but definitely more of an American Celebrity than a global one for the most part of the start of her career. Even now I see a lot of other international people saying she’s not got a large global pull like she does in the USA. She’s no Michael / Madonna / Janet / Britney / Beyoncé.

this ask is so funny “(tbh i think she hates that she wasn’t)” is so true. she is the queen of taylor swift historical revisionism and i feel like her rerelease campaign is part of revising the history of her personal brand too

thank you for this ask this is so insightful. im american if it isnt super obvious already enough but she’s always been big here. idk if other americans are aware of this but we’re an incredibly self centered country and assume whatever the american opinion is is the default global opinion which is fundamentally not true. she’s always been big here and her blowing up around 1989 (or her full shift to pop) makes sense. she makes really catchy pop music (if i accidentally hear a song it will get stuck in my head for days) and isn’t vocally challenging to sing along with.

“she went into hiding (aka didnt call the paparazzi on herself)” LMFAO SO TRUE! her reputation era was hilarious cause she framed herself as being universally hated yet had the highest grossing tour of 2017…like let’s be real.

i feel like the eras tour is her establishing herself as a global force on par with michael/madonna/beyoncé/britney etc. but it isn’t really sticking. like it is financially but also…its not? idk i just feel like she doesn’t have that IT factor no matter how much she tries to fabricate it through other means. her brand is not her music (despite being her being the first billionaire solely off her music) its being Taylor Swift™️

idk. only time will tell her actual legacy but she will go down as a musician whose 4 AOTYs did not deserve their awards. and i got so sidetracked but yes swifties do overhype the timeline of her intl fame to fuel their delusion over her

[forest-faerie-witch]

RIP America

I have been up all night. I've been following the campaign since Harris was at the first DNC. I have hoped and hoped that she would win. But now, as that lunatic is 3 points from winning, my chest is tight and I'm fighting tears.

I've been terrified through this whole thing. Afraid of losing my right to control my own body. Scared of losing my disability income. Worried about my daughter's rights. I'm deeply troubled about our world. What is going to happen to Ukraine now? To our immigrant friends?

There are things I can't wrap my head around. How is it OK for a convicted criminal to not only run for public office, but THE public office? To lead our entire country?! How is this lawful? How did our founding fathers not anticipate this? Did they just think "Well, it's just common sense, right?" They obviously didn't have the foresight to see the state of human beings in this century.

And what happened to separation of church and state? Why are the religious nuts still waving their bibles around at my uterus? How about, it's NONE OF YOUR FUCKING BUSINESS! You wanna believe in your god? Good for you. But don't tell me how to live just because we don't agree. I don't tell you what to do. I don't care. It's a free country, right? Well, apparently not if we are still being held to christian ideals.

This country was NOT based on religion. It was based on the freedom from religious persecution. (Do your homework people). It is NOT one nation under god. That was added to our money and our pledge in the 50s by... you guessed it, the religious right. Look it up. It's fact.

And now women are going to continue to die because of the abortion bans because of that fucking maniac's overturning of Roe v Wade. And once he's in office his MAGAtards are going to feel it's open season on all "other" people. Gays, trans, some of whom I call friends. It's going to be the wild west. Redneck ideology will only be rivaled by the christian right, comingled in most cases.

Haven't we had enough racism? Isn't there enough hate already? You guys - the HALF of our country who thought it was a great idea to put this fucking piece of shit back in the white house - are going to see. Yeah, you think he's so funny. "Oh he just says it like it is, says what's on his mind, etc." Oh yes, so presidential. If I want to talk shit with people, I don't go to the white house for it. I want my commander in chief to be presidential. Not a fucking convicted rapist, cheater, misogynist, lying waste of air.

He is going to pardon himself. All he's wanted through this whole thing was to win so he wouldn't go to prison. You'll see. He does NOT CARE ABOUT YOU! All he cares about is Donald Trump. He surrounds himself with sycophants who lick his arsehole and do his bidding. He'll let all the lunatics out that attacked our capitol. Insurgents. People, wake the fuck up! Think about this. All you who consider yourself "patriots," how would you feel if a group of people attacked the capitol when it wasn't your idea? You'd be furious!

I'm not saying Kamala was perfect. And she did the best she could in the short time she had to run. But at least she had solid plans for furthering our people. Her vision was one of unity, safety, equal rights and building the economy where everyone has a fair shot. I've never heard a single detailed policy from that... thing. All he does is wave his hands around and say don't worry, it's going to be great.

WHAT'S GOING TO BE GREAT?!!!!! Explain it to me. Tell me how you're going to do these things? Oh right. Tariffs. The idiot doesn't even know how tariffs work. Tariffs will cost the AMERICAN PEOPLE! If an exporter has to pay more to export their goods to us, then the companies that buy those goods have to pay more, and in turn, we pay that difference. The man is a moron. It's no wonder all his businesses fail and he filed bankruptcy 6 times.

He has no idea how to run a country. He let 100s of thousands of people die with his deplorable handling of COVID. Inject bleach... how fucking stupid can someone be. He inherited a good economy from Obama and fucked it up. And then has the nerve to further hypnotize his cult followers saying his presidency was the best ever. His economy the best ever. Everything the best ever. When the rest of the world knows he was the least popular president - ever. Was the worst president. He's so deluded by his own ego he believes his own lies and then so do his followers.

I'm old. I have a small income. I can't afford to pack up and try and find another country to live in. And believe me, I've been looking into it. But the only way you can live in another country is if you have MONEY. If you can't contribute to society in another country, good luck moving there. But the prospect of living in a Trump dystopia is terrifying.

Let's hope that I'm wrong. I'm really hoping I am.

[mlmxreader]

The Private's Sergeant | Robert Zussman x gn!reader

『••✎••』

↳ ❝ zussman x gn!reader (or male) “I thought you hated PDA” where maybe one of y’all get embarrassed from pda, but something causes the other to get jealous or uncomfortable so they hold the others hand or something cutesy :3 - @mockerycrow ❞

: ̗̀➛ You and Zussman have an understanding when it comes to PDA, but when a certain pair of SOE agents come to the camp, the rule suddenly doesn't matter.

: ̗̀➛ swearing, sexual references/implications/etc

: ̗̀➛ MINORS DNI

•───────────────★•♛•★──────────────•

Pierson had been annoying you relentlessly lately, and if you didn’t have Zussman at your side telling you not to do it, you would have made boots from his spleen almost a week ago; you and Pierson had never seen eye to eye, and he made it very clearly that he didn’t like you - but you also made it perfectly clear that the feeling was mutual.

Tempers were slowly dwindling, and everyone knew better than to stay in the same place when you and Pierson were around; but unlike him, you never took your temper out on the men. You made it clear that that, especially, was where your issue with him came from.

Zussman was your saving grace, though. He would drag you away when he could see you about to lose your temper, sit you down and get you to smoke his cigarette rations and talk it through until you were better; if no one else was around, he would kiss you and hold your hand, running his thumb across your knuckles.

You made it known early on in the relationship, you didn’t like public displays of affection. You hated it, couldn’t stand it. But you would accept Zussman’s affections in private, and although he wasn’t exactly keen on having to wait to so much as hold your hand, he didn’t mind it. 

Pierson was, thankfully, indisposed of when the SOE came to camp, chatting to the… admittedly quite handsome Major and his beautiful second in command.

You were sitting next to Red at the fire as it brewed a small metal tin of coffee, leaned over slightly as you raised your brows; he had to practically grab you to stop you from falling over. 

“Oi, Red,” you hummed. “D’you reckon Robbie would be down for adding a third?”

Red laughed, pulling you over as he rolled his eyes. “You’re insatiable.”

You shrugged, running a hand down your face and checking the coffee. “Can you blame me? Look at ‘em, they’re fucking gorgeous… nothing on Robbie, obviously, but… still.”

Zussman came back over, moving you aside for a moment before letting you sit between his legs. “You’re both quiet… what have you done?”

Red pointed over at the SOE agents. “Your Sergeant asked if you would add the British Agents into your relationship.”

Zussman didn’t even bother trying to bite back the laugh that came from the back of his throat. “I thought you settled for the handsome, American G.I.?”

You shrugged, looking up at him and grinning. “What? I was window shopping.”

He laughed, shaking his head fondly as he leaned over, getting a good look at the SOE agents before leaning back and humming. “Which one were you window shopping for?”

“Six o’clock,” you told him, pointing over to the Major.

A hum of approval left your boyfriend. “Yeah, I can see why…”

You nodded, leaning back slightly. It wasn’t unusual for soldiers to sit between one another’s legs; usually, if there wasn’t enough room to sit down, someone would always end up sitting between another’s legs. It was normal, more than anything, across the board. 

“I doubt he’s as big as you, though,” you admitted softly, running your thumb across your bottom lip as you watched the way he walked towards the table.

Zussman bit back his grin as he looked over at Red and raised his brows smugly. “Hear that? Old Major ain’t as big as me.”

“I said I doubt it,” you pointed out playfully. “Don’t get cocky.”

“Good enough,” he chuckled, spreading his legs a little and letting you lean against his right leg slightly.

“He’s definitely not as thick, though,” you mused.

Zussman clenched his jaw a little, trying not to laugh as he watched the Major approach; nudging you slightly with his leg, Zussman made sure that you were sat upright as he did his best to bite back the giggle forming in the back of his throat.

All eyes on you as the Major cleared his throat.

“Sergeant?”

You nodded, lighting up one of Zussman’s cigarettes and taking a drag. “Turner send you over?”

“You weren’t at the debriefing,” the Major pointed out. “I thought all officers were supposed to be in attendance, that’s what Davies told me.”

You scoffed, shaking your head. “That old cunt doesn’t know shit… ask Turner, he’ll tell you I wasn’t there because I don’t give a shit. If information can’t be passed onto the men, I ain’t taking it, either.”

The Major nodded, smiling as he hummed softly. “Handsome and humble…”

Zussman caught the remark, and narrowed his eyes as he looked at the Major, clenching his jaw. 

“So, erm, Major,” Red cleared his throat, standing up and offering his hand. “Why don’t I introduce you to the others?”

The Major nodded, shaking Red’s hand and then gesturing for him to show the way; the second they were out of earshot, you turned to Zussman, and grinned.

“Hear that?” You asked smugly. “He reckons I’m handsome.”

His jaw clenched as he glared at you. “I’m not saying you’re not, but…”

“But?”

“Why did he point it out?” He asked with a scoff, shaking his head. “Red doesn’t.”

You raised a brow, moving so that you were knelt facing him. “Stiles sometimes does… and Turner.”

“Yeah, but they know you,” he pointed out with a huff. “They’re our friends… he isn’t.”

“So, what?” You asked, tilting your head to the side. “You don’t trust me?”

Zussman shook his head. “I don’t trust him.”

You smiled, taking a quick look around before pulling yourself up onto his lap, your hands on his chest as you smiled. He was quick, grabbing you by the sides to keep you steady as he raised a brow, a little confused as to why you were being so bold, so public.

“I thought you hated PDA.”

“Well, seeing you so jealous…” you mused, trailing a hand down to his belt and tugging it softly. “I can’t ignore how hot it is…”

Zussman rolled his eyes. “Did you mean what you said earlier? About me being bigger than him?”

You nodded as you grinned, leaning down so that your lips were right next to his ear, your voice quiet and breath hot. “I know you’re definitely thicker… and no one could ever make me cum the way you do, Robbie. You know that.”

He swallowed thickly, biting back the urge to buck his hips up into you as a shaky breath left his lips. “Do you wanna go to… our spot?”

You licked your lips. “I would fucking love to.”

[ahiddenpath]

Life Talk

Discussing how I'm dealing with Things beneath the cut.

I doubt I'll be able to say anything about the US election results that you haven't seen a million times before. I wasn't sure if I should bother commenting. I'm not sure where I am in the processing stages, so... Forgive me if my tone is weird. I definitely feel weird.

First thing's first; I've anticipated this outcome since people started blaming Biden for inflation. That's a typical thing in American politics; whoever is in charge currently is blamed for everything, which often causes the presidency to swap from D to R and back, regardless of where problems began. Of course, if voters really were worried about the economy, well... The Trump tariffs are a laughably, horrifically bad solution. But... I don't think the average American voter understands tariffs. So like. Whelp. There's a very real reason why Rs want to gut public education. Well, there are several, but yeah, a less educated populace is easier to fleece.

Obviously there are a million other horrible things going on here; if I tried to get into them all, I would never finish this post. But I can't say I'm experiencing shock or betrayal. I knew many Americans hate women, POC, the queer community, and others more than they care about their own self interests. Although most, I think, are simply not educated enough to understand that their self interests are at risk, and many others were sucked into the far right cult stuff years ago. Rs always scream about the liberal media, but so much American media (and social media!) is owned by the right, or is at least paid off by them. I'm wondering, as education continues to fail, especially given the next administration, will Americans have any hope of thinking beyond whatever Facebook posts and news in the pocket of (or in fear of) the right tells them?

We're in a bad way, but this didn't happen on the day of the election. We've been living in this environment for years, now. Are things about to get worse? Yes, of course. I think it's an important time to remember who your friends and loved ones are, to lean on them and check in on them, to do stupid fun stuff with them. And I think it's time to step away from the doom scrolling and inventing horrible what-if scenarios. Obviously this is a scary time; I'm not trying to diminish that. But spiraling causes pain now, PLUS more pain later if the bad thing comes to pass.

I've seen some interesting posts with actionable ideas. Get a passport ASAP, look into moving (to blue states, out of climate change buffer areas, or internationally if you can, although obviously that is not easy nor readily available), think about if your industry will be impacted by tariffs and sweeping federal government layoffs, get sterilized if you know you don't want kids, get that medical appointment you've been pushing off. Actionable stuff is productive! Spiraling isn't. Although uhhh, that's easier said than done. I'm just trying to push myself in a better direction, here.

As for me, here are some fractured snippets of how I've been feeling:

-Mourning. Shit, I'm 35. Trump will be in office until I'm 39. My child bearing window is closing. Are we not having a family bc of orange oompah loompah and his country and world destroying policies?

-I'm aware that I will be buffered from some things, purely because of how I look, where I live, etc. And the fact that I'm married to a safe man who adores me affords some protection. I feel weird about it, but must acknowledge it, so I don't get uhh. Disconnected from people who are more vulnerable than me. I think that Democratic politicians who mean well, but don't experience what so many Democrat constituents go through/suffer with for various reasons, becoming so... Out of touch and unrelatable... Um, I think that played a role in getting us here. It's difficult for these politicians to organize or affect change when their life experience is... Just overall safer by default. And this applies to people who aren't politicians, too, just on a less official level.

Those of us who are comparatively safer for various reasons need to hear people who are less safe and acknowledge that some things impact us differently, and we need to prioritize what the most vulnerable need.

-On the day before the election, I started Googling how to become a witch and books on witchcraft. I did it with a wry grin, because I'm aware that magic/witchcraft/New Age stuff/tarot/crystals/mysticism/etc surge in popularity during times of political and economic strife. Meaning that they are SUPER FUCKING POPULAR right now, and have been for a while. You might know that I'm a Seeker (tarot practitioner), but I'm also a scientist. I'm... not the most spiritual person.

But, like, FUCK IT. Time to become a witch. Time to creep into the wild woods and make a hut and live with the bears. TIME TO CURSE SOME MF-ers!

I told my reasonable friend. Here is our conversation:

Hidden: So I'm googling witch books.

Friend: No. We don't turn to magic in the face of tragedy. We drink hot cocoa.

Hidden: FINE I GUESS (hrmph!!!!)

I told another friend the same:

Friend: How are you holding up?

Hidden: Googling how to become a witch. So... yeah.

Friend: How... how DO you become a witch?

Hidden: IDK, that's why I'm googling it.

Sigh. I might still buy that book on the history of witchcraft and paganism. What, it's history! xD

-Otherwise, I've been weirdly fortunate that work has been so demanding. I've been learning more about in silico analysis lately (using huge protein databases to predict how developable a new antibody based drug might be, which residues to change, and how immunogenic your antibody might be). I'm learning and doing so much that I come home exhausted, but like. Maybe that's the lack of sleep on Tuesday night talking.

-I've been leaning into the animal of myself these last few days. The soft, squishy, vulnerable meat of me. Sleep and work and food and relying on my partner bond with my husband. Listening to his heartbeat, feeling the low rumble of his voice when we cuddle, letting skin on skin release safe and happy hormones.

-I think I need to get off reddit and its eternal doom. Like, permanently. Tumblr and Insta are the only other social media I use, but Tumblr is all digimon and Insta is all cats and dolls. I'm hoping the political posts that aren't primarily actionable die down on Tumblr soon, so I don't need to spend less time here, but obviously people need to post what they are going to post. If I'm here less, this is likely why.

Most of all, do what you can to beat back despair. I don't really have comforting words, except that you're not alone. Other people DO think and feel the way you do now. Let's all try to be there for each other, distract one another, and maybe have some hugs and hot drinks. Or like... start a coven, idk.

You are loved. Ask for help if you need to, offer it if you can.

[ghouldtime]

Yay!! I havent done one in like...a decade but here goes. I'm a female, late 20s 5ft0 and I'm a day care teacher. I teach the older one year olds. I'm american, I have long wavy dirty blonde hair and I'm on the curvier side of life. I'm very feminine. Not coquette feminine but like..sweaters, nails done, skin care on lock etc. I like to cook and bake and I keep a clean home. I'm very honest, but I'm not a blunt person. Patient, nurturing, I like to think I'm kind. I have anxiety, ocd and ADHD, I'm medicated for them tho. People say i have no backbone, people tend to take advantage of me but im working on boundaries. I love animals, kids, the occasional video game and nature. I like to be manhandled a bit in the bed room, oops. I'm definitely more of a "trad wife" even though I hate that term. I like honesty, masculinity of a nontoxic variety, and traditional traits I guess. Strength, provider, leader etc. I look for singing who can kind of guide me, keep me grounded. More responsible, not afraid to say no, will gladly take the lead and speak for me at public places. Order my food and make my phone calls for me lollol. I have a high sex drive, not sure if that would matter.

Thank you so much, this will be interesting. I feel like such a loser kid again lollol. 28 and married sending in a match up for a fictional character but this is fun!!

Hey there anon! Great to see you again, I hope I'm going to do this right and get you justice :D you sound like an absolute lovely person and I'm glad you dropped by 💚

I ship you with...

Sergeant Kyle "Gaz" Garrick

⊹₊ ˚‧︵‿₊୨୧₊‿︵‧ ˚ ₊⊹₊ ˚‧︵‿₊୨୧₊‿︵‧ ˚ ₊⊹₊ ˚‧︵‿₊୨୧₊‿︵‧ ˚ ₊⊹

Kyle is a character that many often overlook or underappreciate! He's a very interesting, complex character who shows a significant amount of growth in the series. He's the Captain's protege for a reason. Loyal to the core, he isn't one to stray from the ones he cares about for even a second. Distance and time and others can separate you from him but that won't let him feel any lesser.

A strong moral compass serves as his guide - he doesn't just want to keep the peace, he doesn't just want to do his job, he wants justice in every sense of the word - even if it goes against the books. He isn't one to sit back and do what he's told alone, he'll question the moment he has any doubts. The rules for him are a guide, and he's going to question them whenever they're going against the people he sees and what he feels. And the second he has a single inkling that something being done is wrong, unjust, unfair - he's speaking his mind.

While generally kind hearted and easy going, his temper is a flare ready to be lit by those uncautious and brash. Usually its due to others telling him things that goes against his sensibility, empathy, and internal guide urging him to do right and to help as many others as possible. He's easily frustrated, especially with the system he works for, and wants to do right in the world but feels limited. He still has much to learn and grow from but he shares a determination and curiosity that always shines through, even if it can be muddled by conflicting internal thoughts and wants at times.

⊹₊ ˚‧︵‿₊୨୧₊‿︵‧ ˚ ₊⊹₊ ˚‧︵‿₊୨୧₊‿︵‧ ˚ ₊⊹₊ ˚‧︵‿₊୨୧₊‿︵‧ ˚ ₊⊹

Your honesty and care for others is what first caught his attention

That sort of thing is so lost in the world - especially his world, so seeing it struck a chord within his heart he long since thought was buried

Seeing someone so genuine, so patient, and so true to themselves and what they care about was beyond incredibly refreshing

While he's friendly and usually quite polite externally, he doesn't let others get too close to him because of how many times he's seen others turn and betray one another. Trust isn't something that comes easily to him when it comes to personal relationships but he felt he could trust you, even rather early on

Such kindness wasn't something that could be faked, nor was the ability to foster others' and encourage them as well

Kyle isn't someone who is going to take advantage of that because he's SEEN that all erased time and time again. No, he's going to treasure that

The world lacks so many kind things so he's naturally going to cherish the good in the world that he fights so hard for

He respects the ever loving hell out of it and will do everything in his power to keep it that way because it's no easy feat when the world can be so awful at times

Gaz will ALWAYS speak up when he sees wrong and when he sees people doing wrong, he'll call them out on it. He most certainly would do that if anyone tried to walk all over you or use your kindness to their own advantage/gain

He will still tell things as they are, even if it's someone he cares about. That means he isn't an enabler, he isn't going to let people walk all over him. Not only will he speak up for himself but he will speak up for YOU, or to you

One of the many wonderful things about Kyle is he's adaptable. He knows how to make the best of the situations he's in or he'll sure try. Sometimes he may fumble a bit but each time is a learning experience he always takes to heart. Everything he does is genuine and he always strives for better

If you need him to take the lead? Sure, he's your man. The Captain brings him near everywhere and keeps Gaz near him for a reason. Need him to help? He's also your guy, he can follow orders, he's a soldier. Wouldn't still be if he was piss poor at listening to directions. He'll only contest if he doesn't agree with how its being done or the reasoning

He does feel the most confident though if he has the lead and can make choices to what he feels is best. He'll always take your opinion into account because he does care for you, but you can leave him to do what you need to and rest assured, he'll get it done

He's a natural born provider AND protector. A lot of his character centers around saving others from harm and his loyalty to every individual, that increases tenfold when its those who are actually close to him. He WANTS to help as much as he can, even if he's still learning the nuances

Convinced he's the perfect fit!

⊹₊ ˚‧︵‿₊୨୧₊‿︵‧ ˚ ₊⊹₊ ˚‧︵‿₊୨୧₊‿︵‧ ˚ ₊⊹₊ ˚‧︵‿₊୨୧₊‿︵‧ ˚ ₊⊹

Relationship Headcannons

He was the one who approached you and was drawn to you first. He's charming, intuitive, and when he has a goal - he's going for it

Your femininity is something he admires. Being in a world of rough and tumble, it's nice to have someone around who embraces something different so confidently!

Cooking nights are one of his favorite go-to dates. You both can do food prep together. He prefers cooking (it's not as exact as baking and it can leave him to do what he thinks is best and has a lot of wiggle room for creativity and experimentation) so he'll do that and clean up after himself, he'll leave it to you to handle dessert~

He's still helping you fully clean up, btw. Cleaning is something that's been drilled into him and he can't just sit there and LET someone else do all the work, no, he's helping

He also likes going on nice strolls too! It's perfect for enjoying the great outdoors without the pressure of hikes. Going out into a park to have a picnic date is yet another thing he loves. It's low pressure, easy, and doesn't have any obligations except spending time with one another

While he isn't as extroverted and outspoken as some, he still shows his love with little pet names and keeping a hand on the small of your back or fixing your hair if he's just passing. He'll be happy to keep you by his side or laze together doing your own things together

And if you're having a stressful day, he's just a call away - if he can drop what he's doing, he will, and he'll be right on over. His loyalty is unmatched, as is his drive to help you. Though his work can get in the way, he'll still do his best to still send messages when he can

He often memorizes what products you use and will restock them when he knows you're running low or if he's about to be deployed. He's just trying to give you one less thing to think and worry about while he's gone

He also hides notes around them for you to find, just to brighten up your day :)

He's not perfect, he still has a lot to learn and certainly can be too stubborn for his own good, but he will always take things to heart and learn from mistakes to become an even better version of himself

💚💚💚💚💚💚💚

Haven't done one of these before so hope I did it well! And still trying to work on my Gaz characterization to get him 110% down so I hope I did him and you some justice!

[leviiackrman]

TAG CATCH UP: PERSONAL PICREW, QUESTIONS + URL SONGS;

Heyyooooo I’m back (even tho I never left) but these illnesses have been kicking my ass and I FINALLY feel better! I’ve been tagged in a bunch of fun games recently that I’ve been neglecting, but thank you so much to everyone who tagged me! Have an oversized post to suit my oversized fashion taste tehe

Tagged by: URL Tag: @rolangf @carrionsflower @timdownie @thedeadthree || Questions 1: @rosenfey || Questions 2 + Picrew: @binatalia

Tagging: @bbrocklesnar @risingsh0t @statichvm @marivenah @confidentandgood @unholymilf @florbelles @simonxriley @shellibisshe @roofgeese @aezyrraeshh @faerune @tekehu @arklay @jackiesarch @minaharkers @captmactavish @carlosoliveiraa @queennymeria @shadowglens @nightbloodbix @riikugan @heroofpenamstan @fenharel @alexxmason @malefiicarum @gearvmac @gwynbleidd @delzinrowe + @binickmiller

|| hair colour is not accurate cus I’m a brunette but I bleached it recently so it’s a lot warmer than this! Wolf cut going strong tho and not this long but anyway ||

L: Liar Liar - Dylan, Bastille

E: ERA - The Faim

V: Vampire Disco - Friday Pilots Club

I: IDK How to Talk to Girls - Beth McCarthy

I: I Don’t Like You..OK - The Hunna, Kelsey Karter & The Heroines

A: AmEN! - Bring me the Horizon, Lil Uzi Vert, Daryl Palumbo

C: Conquer - Marshmello, Space Laces

K: Kick Back - Kenshi Yonezu

R: Rise (Redux) - The World Alive, League of Legends

M: Make it Out Alive - ONE OK ROCK

A: Animals - Nickelback

N: Not Alone - New Rules

last song: Stormy Weather - Kings of Leon (my saved songs was playing while doing my chores lmao)

currently watching: I’m FINALLY watching American Horror Story (after my bestie pestered me for years aha) and I LOVE it!! I’m also watching The Kardashians cus it’s good background noise when I’m working lmao, and on going critical role etc

3 ships: I’m gonna choose 3 of my oc ships cus brain no function: Margot x Levi, Rin x Dabi + Mineyo x Rin

favourite colour: mustard yellow! Just such a pretty colour and so cheerful!

currently consuming: the daggerheart one shot hehehehe! So now I’m planning ideas for a daggerheart oc for when me and my sister make our characters!

first ship: anakin x padme…. forever a precious ship to me

place of birth: South England, UK

current location: 30 mins from my birth place lmao, I’ve moved a lot tho

relationship status: single pringle as always but my brain clearly is pining cus I keep having dreams about having a partner…

last movie: oh daymn… uhhh idk I don’t really watch films anymore! I think it was Suzume!

currently working on: oh BOY so many things! I’m making the invites, seating plan, table decorations and other bits for my sisters wedding, I also need to make a curtain for our stair window cus it freaks my dad out lmao, more crochet designs for my Etsy shop (critical role characters and Disney princesses are in progress), timelines for my ocs which is taking FOREVER cus i ain’t no writer, more drawings for my ocs, my oc publication, MULTIPLE ideas for oc art and just never ending odd projects cus i CANT. STOP. OH and all the planning for mummas fundraiser/birthday! So it’s a lot aha

are you named after anyone? Not my first name, but my dad went to a garden centre the day my sister was born and chose 2 flowers for our middle names, so she’s Molly Jasmine and I’m Jessica Rose!

when was the last you cried? Uhhh idk I cry a lot, half the time I don’t even realise I am. Probably on the weekend when I was feeling shit

do you have kids? AHAHAHA no. I have 0 intention of having my own children but whenever I’m financially stable (and potentially with someone) I wanna adopt/foster as many kids as I can!

what sports do you play/have you played? When I was younger I played football, hate it now. I play games at work with the kids a lot but nothing legit

do you use sarcasm? I’m British. So what do you think?

what is the first thing you notice about people? Their eyes and smiles! I can tell when someone isn’t smiling genuinely tbh

what is your eye color? Hazel but got a lot of green in them

scary movies or happy endings? Scary movies. That way I can create my own happy endings while enjoying the carnage hehe

any talents? I don’t really believe in ‘talents’, I prefer to think that anyone can CREATE a talent through practice and dedication. I guess you could say my art skills are a talent, but again I practiced for my whole life so it’s not really a talent more than determination. I can also cook decently, dance/sing okay, but they’re not talents to me, just passions

where were you born? The shit hole called England.

what are your hobbies? Oh FUCK I have way too many… drawing, crocheting, editing, writing, reading, watching anime, creating characters + content, puzzles, painting, diamond painting, organising and SO MANY MORE

do you have any pets? I doooo! I have 1 doggo named Harley and she is my pride and joy, I love her sm

how tall are you? 5 foot 11 and a half, so I just say 6 foot

favorite subject in school? Art, history, dance, drama and IT

dream job? Freelance artist or concept artists. Tho the latter is less likely nowadays cus yknow… everything is fucked from AI…

[orbitposting]

A Manifesto, Of Sorts

I've been lurking within the DID community for like 5 years now (with an extended system denial break at one point) and I swear I cannot find a place for my opinions and experiences with DID anywhere. (For context, I still consider myself as early in discovery, diagnosed systems agree that I have DID, two therapists seem to agree but seem afraid of placing the label on me, and I would consider myself a more covert system.)

For one, the DID community is headed by systems who have been for treatment in years and have florid presentations. While I agree that having therapeutically educated systems lead the cause to educate the public, it feels like there's nowhere for newly discovered systems to go, even in the background of social media. While I've heard every popular system acknowledge the existence of more covert systems (MultiplicityandMe, DissociaDID, Entropy, etc.), covert systems tend to be sidelined and unacknowledged in the DID community, even when studies suggest that we are actually the majority. The most popular DID channels, however, are generally those which singlets find more interesting or worse, "acceptable". This is through no fault of anyone's really, but it is unfortunate. Even with the estimation that DID is about three percent of the population and OSDD bumps that up to maybe seven percent, the community itself is not necessarily enough to hold up certain creators.

In my experience being in community with systems online, this does have an effect on system spaces. I believe this is two-fold. One, systems with extensive inner worlds and a high number of alters (especially fictives) often are subjected to barrages of hate, usually by more singlets than systems. This also applies to any system that has any hobbies that aren't "socially acceptable" or are "chronically-online". And two, systems who don't have fantastical presentations or inner worlds are either ignored or similarly doubted. A lot of people in the second category likely aren't openly systems, too. Contrary to popular belief, if you are able to fake being a singlet, that actually gets you much farther than pretending to be or openly being a system.

Much like my experiences with IRL queer friends vs. the state of queer discourse online, the systems I've had the pleasure of getting to know more personally differ quite a lot from the seemingly "standard" community beliefs. While a lot of traumagenic systems are vehemently against the mere concept of endogenic systems, my closest system friend actually accepts endogenic systems. This is not because she disowns the Theory of Structural Dissociation, she simply sees the claim of being "endogenic" as a route to accepting that you're a system. It's much easier to accept systemhood without having to confront the traumatic nature of dissociative disorders. Claiming to be endogenic may also be a natural consequence of denial, specifically of trauma, that many systems experience.

Another thing I've noticed, specifically on DID YouTube is the most popular DID channels are from England. As an American, this is a distinctly different system experience. Let me explain. While I understand the NHS doesn't work much with dissociation, there are private providers that do, such as the CTAD Clinic. DID diagnoses are also provided through the NHS, but of course far more slowly. In the US, it seems damn near impossible to get an actual DID diagnosis. Like I touched on at the beginning, I've had two or so therapists echo that I experience key parts of DID to me, but they still kept a lot of space from acknowledging the connection. I asked my system friend who *has* been diagnosed (and is in an area with more resources in the US, albeit still not great), and she mentioned that clinicians stay far away from the diagnosis of DID unless they feel it is necessary. This statement is likely also true in the UK, but the UK seems to have more clinicians trained on dissociation.

Now, about the main stain on the DID community: the fake claiming witch hunt. I'm going to start off by restating that no, you shouldn't publicly fake claim. No one owes you their medical paperwork. Disabled people also deserve privacy!

There's a lot of aspects to this. There are DID creators who claim that no one fakes DID since you lose more than you gain. While I agree you generally lose more than you gain as a system, there still are some people who are still drawn to feign DID. There are also people who believe that they have DID and learn that they are wrong! During Lockdown, the DID community exploded in size. I do not believe that everyone who was there was a system. However, plenty of systems likely left as well, due to safety concerns.

The DID community during Lockdown was a bustling community on like-minded people who were safe to express themselves online. In my opinion, this is a reason someone could believe they have or feign a disorder. People are programmed for connection. During Lockdown, a time of trauma, turmoil, loss of social connection, and loss of societal roles, the DID community gave people the opportunity to rebuild their sense of self. However, basing your identity on the premise of DID if you don't have it can have consequences. Mainly, if you form your main connections based on the premise that you have DID, and you discover you do not, you don't just lose your sense of identity, you lose your social connections.

I also believe that some expectations of the DID community actually can make it more hospitable to people who don't actually have DID than people that do. While lots of systems who have gone through lots of therapy unlock lots of system awareness, there seems to be an expectation that every system post-discovery knows lots of system information. Sometimes, it seems like every alter on PluralKit should have an extremely fleshed out intro with pronouns, role, age, a Picrew of how they look internally, etc. Since I personally struggle with front awareness and system awareness, I've learned to just avoid using PluralKit. (Sometimes systems reveal so much about their system online that I genuinely fear for them, in a way. Listing all of your triggers is great until someone attempts to wield one against you or your system.) Newly discovered systems are more likely to fall for this expectation of knowledge, which could leave even genuine systems to provide false information about system members based on guesses, rather than observation. Theoretically, it's easier to just say you have an alter of X character, anyways. This is not to say that fictives are a red flag for feigning. We really can never know. Just remember that if a system is making you uncomfortable for any reason, you can simply block and move on. No need for targeted harassment.

I think it's more realistic that the DID community acknowledge that some people can and will fake DID, just like any other disorder. I hate how some creators will just pretend it's impossible or there is no reason for it just to uphold the community. If that lie is what's keeping the DID community together, it is an extremely fragile community held together by a lie.

In my opinion, the current DID community is very fragile. While DID is real, the representation of DID online is a bit far-fetched at times. DID is being treated as a fantastical, mystical thing rather than a condition. The system experience is not completely disconnected from the human experience, and I feel like that concept is getting lost nowadays.

If you made it this far, here's an otter drawing I drew yesterday :)

[viktorgf]

—OC QUESTIONNAIRE

tagged by jackie @gwynbleidd i love u so much truly 🫶🏻 i’m doing this interview style tag game for my rockstar girlies (gta, rdr 🤭) cs i do not talk abt them at all ever. if u even care (kidding)

tagging: @ravensgard 🌿 @simply-jason 🌿 @sikoi 🌿 @teamhawkeye 🌿 @jackiesarch 🌿 @corvosattano 🌿 @marazhaiaezyrraesh 🌿 @yrlietlanaevyss 🌿 @rosayoro 🌿 @rvchelking 🌿 and you!! 🩷

NAME: agent jennifer daniels of the federal intelligence bureau, los santos sector 😎.

NICKNAME: jen (do not call her jenny tho she hates that), agent daniels (sarcastically), eye in the sky, various derogatory terms exchanged between her and pretty much everyone she talks to.

GENDER: she’s One Of The Girlies. a girl’s girl in a world of egomaniacal men. “save me, women. save me!”

STAR SIGN: the most sagittarius woman to ever sagittarius.

HEIGHT: 5’10. without the boots.

ORIENTATION: i actually haven’t thought abt it but now that i am, she’s a bisexual queen, leaning towards women.

NATIONALITY/ETHNICITY: argentinian! born in argentina and has duel citizenship between there and the united states.

FAVORITE FRUIT: pineapple. she eats a metric fuck ton of it, truly. she brings a container of it to work, midnight snack, etc.

FAVORITE SEASON: she’s the most comfortable during a san andreas autumn cs the weather is forgiving towards her wardrobe. —sexy patterned fur coats. knee high boots. she likes the aesthetic and looking expensive and a lot of that is layers and unforgiving textures. summer is good for the other half of her wardrobe tho, being silk button ups. mesh. high heels. low cut blouses.

FAVORITE FLOWER: lupine. she tried to grow a little plot of it at her home in rockford hills but didn’t have the patience to maintain them, so she gets a bouquet delivered once in a while to display.

FAVORITE SCENT: she loves a heady wine scent, like a deep cherry or a gourmand-type. she likes to smell edible.

COFFEE, TEA, or HOT CHOCOLATE: coffee and a cigarette on the balcony every morning. and on her way to work. and when she’s briefing with her colleagues. and when she’s flying. and in her office. and when she’s bothering dave. and when she’s beefing with steve cs she’s bored. and on her way home. and with dinner. and before bed.

AVERAGE HOURS OF SLEEP: like, 10. she needs her beauty sleep or she will be absolutely miserable in the morning, and make it everyone’s problem.

DOGS or CATS: neither. if she’s gonna be around a dog it has to be her size and scary as hell, but not constantly barking— like a mastiff guard dog.

DREAM TRIP: either back to argentina, or somewhere in the southern hemisphere where she can lay in the sun for 18 hours and get absolutely piss drunk in public.

NUMBER OF BLANKETS: she has one silk sheet and a massive down duvet.

RANDOM FACT: she drives a really obnoxious lilac purple pegassi vacca. and it’s unreasonably souped up— neon light kit, spoiler, led headlights, sport tires, custom leather interior, all of it. everything. government money baby. 🤑

NAME: lieutenant eileen carlisle to you 🫵🏻.

NICKNAME: lindy, linds, miss carlisle, the desert hum.

GENDER: she/her, the milfiest milf i have.

STAR SIGN: she’s gotta be a virgo i just feel it in my bones.

HEIGHT: a touch above average for the time, 5’4. but she has the attitude of a woman who is 6 feet.

ORIENTATION: she says she’s straight but that will not stop her from being homoerotic towards women.

ETHNICITY/NATIONALITY: american. she was born in new york city and fled before she was even 18.

FAVORITE FRUIT: she loves a good crispy apple and every byproduct in between.

FAVORITE SEASON: spring, when everything is in full bloom and alive.

FAVORITE FLOWER: wildflowers. entire fields of them. she would sleep in a field of wildflowers— the ground to be her bed, the sky her awning.

FAVORITE SCENT: fresh coffee and leather.

COFFEE, TEA, or HOT CHOCOLATE: she hasn’t been able to get her hands on tea in a long time so she settles for coffee.

AVERAGE HOURS OF SLEEP: fucking zero genuinely. she can’t sleep on a bedroll, she’s a night owl, coffee keeps her up, she can’t sleep through the gang stirring at the break of dawn, she’s a light sleeper in general. no rest for the wicked, she would say.

DOGS OR CATS: dogs; she was always around them so she welcomes the company.

DREAM TRIP: somewhere cozy and quiet. she’s kinda been sold on the tahiti trip if she’s being honest.

NUMBER OF BLANKETS: none. even when she had a bed she would kick it off mid-sleep.

RANDOM FACT: wants to so badly own an orchard and make jams and shit. she wants to be an artisan and make good clean cash :( she thinks it’s too late for her, but she will never not yearn for the fruit.

[philosophicalconservatism]

Response To An Earlier Post

the-psudo

So the freedom to think you're gay or trans or a furry or a socialist or that Israel is committing genocide against Palestinians is a fundamental right. Locke says so. When Democrats make you feel uncomfortable for persecuting those people, they're doing nothing wrong. You're not entitled to an emotional safe space where no one is allowed to call you a bigot, because that censors their freedom of expression.

Philosophicalconservatism

Liberals are not doing anything wrong when they make people feel bad in the name of gender Ideology. They are doing something wrong when they pass laws that punish American citizens (employers, landlords, teachers etc.) for not using pronouns in the prescribed manner, in the name of preventing personal offense ( thus effectively providing safe spaces). Such laws have been established in New York, California, and other U.S. states, as well as in Canada and elsewhere abroad . They are also wrong when they punish students for the same speech crimes. The executive branch of the government is wrong when it conspires with big tech companies to similarly regulate speech in a politically correct manner.

The problem with illegitimately classifying a dissenting view as "hate" or "persecution" simply because you dislike it, is that this ultimately serves as a justification for the kinds of stifling policies I am discussing here. This is exactly what this sort of rhetoric is designed to do. If speech is truly "violence" or something very similar to it, then men and women must be protected from its impact in the same way as they would need to be protected from physical violence. And that is precisely what these laws and policies were created to do.

The idea that all of this Left-wing rhetoric about tolerance is only about people being left alone is dissimulation on the part of the far Left, and either niavete or (far more likely) willful ignorance on your part (you are smarter than that). We have seen this charade before whereby parties on the political Left tell us that all they want is for certain individuals to be left alone in to live their own lives, only to subsequently have a related set of opinions imposed by the force of law upon the public. The Left told us that allowing gays and lesbians to be included within the concept of state marriage was simply about people being left alone to live their own lives; it would not effect anyone else. The next thing we know we see cases like Masterpiece Cake shop v.s. Colorado in which private businesses are required by the state to cater to and accommodate these "private matters" that do not concern anyone else.

And when these policies are eventually enacted we are told that the suppression of our own rights is literally the recognition of the rights of another. A person has the right to be called by a certain pronoun. Individuals have the right to have other people create original products ( not to merely sell them existing products) which celebrate things they themselves do not believe in. When the modern Left stops leveraging this misrepresentative rhetoric about the "hate" and "persecution" of their opponents into policies which restrict the rights and liberties of those same opponents, then we will simply chalk their words up to harmless talk and disregard them.

But they will not do this because they fundamentally do not believe in the distinction between public and private morality; between the public and the private sphere.

".

[painted-bees]

OK, so normally I really don't like bringing up controversial or scary/disturbing topics, but I just came across this thing recently and.... ht tps: //m.yo utub e.com /watch ?v= u0YXBkKQnQA

Yeah ... :(

But, it made me really curious. How would your OCs Rafael and Magritte react to this phenomenon? How would it make them feel, what do they think?

(Of course I'm talking about when they're in the future, since ik their whole story takes place in the 2010s. But they are still Millenials, so Mags & Raf would be in their 30's and 40's respectively by 2023-24)

(And yes I am aware they're from Canada and this problem is mostly in American (from what I've seen))

I'm especially curious how Magritte will view it, since well... she's someone born with a significant condition that makes it hard to focus, sit still, pay attention, or have certain awareness of her surroundings, etc. (all the things the lady mentions in the vid) How would she feel knowing there's now millions of neurotypical children with the same problems but for a different reason?- Because of their overindulgence/obsession in social media/technology. (really do wonder what the neurodivergent GenZ & Millenials think about this phenomenon and how it's gonna affect the Gen Alpha ones)

Also - and I know I'm really reaching with this one but - how do you think they would combat or prevent this issue with their own child? Assuming they ever decide to have one in the future.. 😅

Yeah, sorry for that whole essay of a question. 😅

And you don't have to respond if this is too deep or personal of a topic for you (believe me I really don't wanna think about how this a reality either), but if you do, I really recommend you watching the vid in full.

so, for context, the video talks about how the current generation of kids are preforming at grade levels much lower than their current grade, and are presenting behavioral problems--that are, apparently, a result of phone overuse. [/simplified]

Raf would kinda deliberately avoid putting too much thought into it and wouldn't have much of an opinion aside from "it sounds like a very complicated situation" and "when in doubt, blame the parents [/hj]"

Margie, though, has some strong opinions about North american school structures/cirriculums haha. the children and technology aren't the problem. The world is changing, it will always change. Standardized grade school is a relatively new structure, and it has hardly changed at all since it was first concieved, especially compared to how much the rest of the world/society has changed since then. School systems have not and cannot adapt fast enough to accomodate the rapidly changing job market, technology, advancements in psychological understanding, etc. And, to Margie, the fact that schools apparently can no longer teach kids in an effective manner is proof to her that the public school system is becoming obsolete and needs to change or be replaced with something more suitable for the current era. Because, after all, "anything you learn after 4th grade is kinda useless in real life application anyways, I haven't retained any of it, lmao."

Margie really very dislikes the public school system and considers it an extremely stressful waste of her childhood 😂 she coulda spent all that time...learning and playing music instead of getting yelled at by teachers and parents and made to hate subjects/activities she might have loved if they had just been introduced to her differently.

As for their own kids, they can't have 'em and don't want 'em haha