#but like shipping has such a big impact on peoples reading comprehension here

[playingonedchess]

ive never really cared about star wars beyond entertaining films with fun fight scenes or really seen how itd be much deeper than that so the fandom on here baffles me a bit but escpecially how universially hated reylo is. like i enjoyed those films and didnt really have much of an opinion on their relationship other than it couldve been interesting and i dont think it really made sense that they kissed it wouldve been better if itd been a bit different but like i really wasnt that invested and like i dont think it was that bad mostly meh wasted opportunity. but like the fandom on here reacts way out of proportion its sort of weird. especially funny since if theyd both been guys it wouldnt have been universally shipped but would definitelly be big on here (like i get the impression it already is in other fandom spaces) and would be one of those controversial ones with loads of discourse but i feel like general consensus would lean way less into it being cringe and more into like unironically thinking its good?

[absolutezerotolerance]

Gruvians: It's just fiction! stop taking it so seriously! Also Gruvians: writes long metas on why the ship is brilliant, stalks accounts they were blocked by to bitch about said account not liking their ship, stalks posts they disagree with & vehemently reading the tags within each reblog of said posts & treats head canons such as a Gray liking Lucy & Erza first before Juvia as some sort of personal attack against them.

A large part of the GrUvia fanbase seems to be built on insecurity, and I think that for exactly the reasons you mentioned.

The GrUvia ship has come under a lot more scrutiny than most other ships in Fairy Tail, and I think it's resulted in them being completely unwilling to think about their ship in any kind of nuance.

One of our friends once mentioned that they don't support the ship in one of the most innocent ways possible, and it led to several days worth of battling with GrUvia fans and explaining her stance and why she was justified in her opinion. It got to the extent that she had to explicitly state that she would not be responding to any more asks because she didn't want her blog to become known for being anti-GrUvia. Just for stating an opinion. That is how quick the ship's fanbase are to anger.

You're either supportive and unequivocally good, or you're not and you must be attacked.

We've seen evidence that this has even extended over their ability to think critically about each other. We've received asks about how there is a psychologist in the GrUvia fanbase who thinks that the ship is healthy, and one of our admins was in the fandom when the whole GrUvia University thing went down. If I was a GrUvia fan, I would be disgusted by how they're treating people.

They cannot handle the idea that there is a space that exists in the Fairy Tail fandom that doesn't welcome them. Whenever we post things with the tagline "GRUVIA FANS: DO NOT INTERACT" we'd get at least 1 ask from a butt-hurt fan who could not find it in themselves to take our advise to block us and move on, and instead had tantrums after tantrums in our ask box.

(Hi, one of the other admins here popping in for just a second! Quick tw for a mention of stalking. I’ve been doxxed twice, I still get sent death threats, harrassed online, harassed in real life, and my stalker used this ship as an example of why I had to fall in love with him if he just kept trying. I personally am convinced that they’re too stupid to realize how hypocritical they are when they say don’t apply it to real life. Fiction always affects reality, even when it’s not blatantly obvious, and people really need to be more conscious of that and the fact that there are levels to it. A character’s favorite color may not have a big impact in real life, but normalizing abusive relationships has a massive negative impact, as seen by all the victims sharing their stories on this blog and those who share their stories elsewhere, because let’s face it, this nasty ship is not the only time an abusive relationship has been romantisized.

That being said, this does not mean all GrUvia shippers are stalkers/abusers. Fiction does affect reality, but that doesn't mean it controls reality. People have moral compasses, and sometimes they like to explore weird/amoral/dark things in fiction, and it's better to do that in ficiton than in real life. The problem lies within the fact that the vast majority of them that I have personally interacted with (<- reread the bold part and use your reading comprehension skills please) have been willing to doxx, harass, or abuse others. Pro-Juvia and Pro-grUvia shippers are notorious for these things, but some anti-Juvia and Anti-GrUvia people are too. The problem lies within the attitude of the shippers even more so than the ship itself. If we could both have conversations about it, with respect that neither side is going to change the other's thoughts and opinions, then the fandom would be a much happier and safer place.

Personally, I would love if we could just coexist and enjoy Fairy Tail together. Alas, it is not meant to be, hence the creation and necessity of this vent space)

On some level, I do feel bad for the GrUvia fanbase that they have to exist with so much scrutiny. But then I remember the content of the ship itself, and I genuinely think that they've only ever made it worse for themselves by being aggressive.

If the fandom was able to have discussions like this, to talk about ships through a critical lens and have an actual conversation about this, the ship would still be awful. But the fandom, itself, wouldn't be viewed as this group of people with the mental complexity of toddlers.

[dylanobrienisbatman]

Omg give us ur rant abt hating d*rklina as a ship.. im petty

Okay Anon, so i saw this the other day and I wasn't in the right headspace to answer but i am now!

So to start off, I am firmly in the ship and let ship category. You like a ship, i don't care. That doesn't mean i won't rag on the ship itself but I don't send hate, I don't really engage with shippers from ships I don't like, and I am liberal with the block button and the blacklist feature. Cultivate your tumblr/online experience, y'all. You don't owe anyone on this hellsite (or any other) a damn thing.

However, I REALLY do hate d*rklina as a ship, and I have a big problem with the way the shippers talk about it, so I hope you were being serious about wanting a rant because here it goes.

As for the ship itself, i feel like the reasons I dislike it are pretty obvious and standard. It's abusive. He is her abuser. He manipulates her. He spends months grooming her and gaslighting her, intentionally trying to get her under his control so that when he literally enslaves her it will go over easier. He never actually loved her, he wanted to use her for her power. It's not complicated, it's not really 'up for debate', that is the way its written, and the author has explained that that was the intended interpretation of her work. I mean he literally sexually assaults her in the second book, and straight up tells her he's going to kill everyone she loves so that she has no choice but to fall to him because she is completely alone in the world. He threatens to skin her alive in the second book when they're on the boat, he has no problem torturing her to get Mal to do what he wants. That's not love. He does not love her. It's pretty black and white, its explicitly written as an abusive relationship. The point was to show how easily powerful men can manipulate and abuse young naive women who don't know any better and try to see the best in people. Alina 'fell' for the version of Darkles Sparkles that he intentionally created to try to control her. Nothing he told her was true, from his backstory, to them both being 'the only one like [each other]' (hello, baghra), to using Genya to convince Alina that Mal had abandoned her, everything he did was manipulation so that he could get her under his control. It is not a romance, it is not 'a ship war', d*rklina is not written as romantic. He is her abuser. Full stop.

There is also the point about him being just a generally horrible person all around. He's not morally grey. He just isn't. He sold an 11 year old into sex slavery, forced her to stay in that situation so he could use her, and then mutilated her when she defied him. He also groomed and abused Zoya, because he saw that she was exceptionally powerful and wanted to use her the way he wanted to use Alina. He enslaved Alina. He blinded and mutilated his own mother. He is a genocidal maniac. He shows no remorse, he doesn't care about anyone but himself and his own power. He is not the type of character that should be romantically shipped with anyone. If you like him, that's absolutely fine! One of my fave characters ever is Kai Parker from TVD. Dude was a straight up psychopath. He tried to kill multiple pairs of toddlers. He brutally murdered his pregnant sister AT HER WEDDING. He is a HORRIBLE person. But I think he's a brilliant character. But do I think he's a good guy, do I want him anywhere near any characters in that show in a romantic way (ehem b*nkai)? Absolutely fucking not. Being a fan of a villain character is fine, but fucking own that shit. Villains can be SUCH good characters, but they're still villains. Erasing the bad they've done so you can justify putting them in situations where they WILL harm the people around them because you can't level with yourself about the bad things they've done doesn't make you 'woke', it just makes you look like you don't understand the media you're consuming.

Which leads me to why I have such a problem with the way D*rklina shippers engage with the ship. They simultaneously wanna say "oh we know it's toxic/bad/abusive/etc., that's why we like it!" and then also they try to claim that it should be endgame, they romanticize scenes where he is abusing her (and by romanticize I mean they literally try to frame his abuse as romantic, not like "oh yeah my ship is interacting!!". those are different things. You can be excited about ship interactions without trying to say that things he is doing to her are actually romantic), they try to argue that he is morally grey/misunderstood/etc., and they straight up try to lie and say he's not her abuser.

If you wanna ship an abusive ship, own it. Be straight up about why you like it. It's okay to be into dark shit, y'all. It does NOT make you a bad person to be into dark shit. But this idea that fiction doesn't impact real life, and that people can't call the ship out for what it is is a problem is a very troubling trend in fandom. Nobody is saying you can't ship it, do what you want. But this idea that these people are 'oppressed' because fans of the show/book continue to point out the facts about the way the story was written and how the relationship is actually presented is fucking insane. Someone saying that D*rklina is abusive is not calling you out, they are stating a fact. It's the story as it was presented. You trying to say it's not makes it look like you have no reading comprehension. And this idea that 'well i'll be on the lookout for evil shadow wizards in real life lol' is such horse shit too. His shadow wizard powers aren't the issue. He is a powerful man who grooms and abuses young women. You're telling me you lived through the Me Too movement and you wanna act like thats not a real threat that young women face every day? You're telling me that you can't see that the actual real life connection you're supposed to be making here? Okay, well you should maybe deal with that and come back to me, because that's an issue.

Fiction is meant to teach us lessons. Darkles is meant to teach us something. He is meant to show us that sometimes, powerful men lie to, manipulate, groom, and abuse young women, and we should be aware of that. The story is about a young woman who is sucked into an abusive situation, and then she breaks free and in the end she is able to defeat her abuser. That is a really powerful story, and one that millions of real life women can relate too. To pretend that that story doesn't have real life connections makes you look insensitive and frankly, kind of cruel.

So basically, in the end, my biggest issue is that D*rklina shippers love to spout this nonsense about 'knowing' it's bad and that he's a villain, and 'that's why they like him', and then turn around and try to say that he's not actually the villain, he's not actually bad, and the things he does to Alina that are abuse are actually romantic and sweet. You wanna ship an abusive ship, you do you, but lets not pretend it's anything other than what it is, but romanticizing and normalizing abuse tactics so you can feel, what? morally superior? Cool? edgy and different? That has real life impacts. You are normalizing abuse. Real people will engage with that rhetoric, and it will make it difficult for them to see abuse when it happens to them or the people around them because they believe its romantic or normal to be treated that way.

You wanna be a villain stan? You wanna ship dark ships? Good on ya, but fucking own your shit, y'all.

[advocaado]

Fiction does not exist in a vacuum and absolutely can and does affect reality.

HOWEVER

Before you pin on your thought police badge and march off to start attacking people on the internet for the media they consume and create, let’s take a minute to talk about nuance and identify some actual problematic trends in media which have real life consequences.

The big question you need to ask yourself before you decry a person or piece of media is: Is that person/piece of media promoting, validating, and normalizing trends or acts that hurt real people? Or is that person/piece of media exploring a dark theme in fiction/harmlessly indulging in a kink?

Below are some examples of cases where “problematic” content in fiction is a danger to real life people, and many where it isn’t. This will not be an exhaustive list. I don’t have endless amounts of time to sit here and talk about every problem in fictional media, and even if I did, I wouldn’t, because there are many more things I’d rather do with my time.

Disclaimer: No media is 100% problem free. No human is 100% problem free. Engaging with others online to discuss problems in media is totally fine. If you don’t like something, it’s your god given right to bitch about it. Bitch to your heart’s content. Just don’t be an absolute ass cloak about it.

Example 1: Huckleberry Finn

This book famously contains racism. Is this a problem? No, not really. Listen. This book is literally about how racism is bad. The message is to not be a racist piece of shit. That’s the takeaway. If you got any other message from this book you need to work on your reading comprehension. Books that teach lessons are good things and impact society in positive ways. This book does literally the opposite of normalizing, promoting, and validating racism. It’s taught in schools for this exact reason. It’s not sugarcoated and that’s exactly what makes it powerful.

Example 2: Fairy Tail

The famous complaint about this and other works by Hiro Mashima is that the women are overly sexualized. Over sexualization of women is a big problem in media across the globe, but particularly in the media that comes out of Japan. It’s a problem that absolutely does affect real women. More on that later. But is Mashima really the big perpetuater of the kind of gross male reader voyeurism that has such a fierce grip on the anime industry? Actually, no. Not really. Yes, almost all the female characters in Fairy Tail are hot and have big boobs in a way that appeals to men. However, the lens through which Mashima tells his stories is not voyeuristic. He doesn’t go out of his way to draw panty shots or sexualize female characters nonconsensually. 9 times out of 10 the women are sexy because they want to be and do it in a way that is empowering for them. There are occasional exceptions, but by and large Fairy Tail is not the big offender of female objectification in anime. Moreover, almost all its male characters are hot and have six packs and idol hair in a way that appeals to women. Everyone is hot. There is no deeper meaning here. Enjoy this series if you like to watch hot people having fun and going on adventures together.

Example 3: Goblin Slayer

Oh, boy, Goblin Slayer. Now here’s a can of worms. Many upon many have decried GS for its inclusion of rape scenes and mentions. The goblins in GS have no females of their own species so they must impregnate human women to continue their race. This sounds utterly awful and it is. But is this finally our shining example of a dark theme in fiction that is problematic in a way that is dangerous to real people? Sorry, but no. Firstly, the concept of a fantasy creature who needs to use humans to reproduce was not invented by Kumo Kagyu and is in fact common in folklore around the world. He didn’t make it up as a way to condone rape. Could he have? Sure. But that’s not the reality of the series. The assault by goblins on human women is not treated as a good thing by Kagyu. It is shocking and horrific and has big consequences within the narrative for both the goblins and their victims. It isn’t treated lightly and does not serve to normalize, validate, or promote rape in real life. The reader/viewer is meant to be disgusted by the goblins, and these scenes, which are few and brief, serve their intended purpose. Nobody is going out and assaulting women in real life because they thought it was cool when the goblins did it in GS.

Oh, but Goblin Slayer, I’m not done with you just yet. Because while it would be a huge stretch to label the inclusion of rape in the series a danger to real life people, there’s something else that you don’t need to stretch nearly so much to identify as such. Remember when I talked about the voyeuristic male gaze being a concerning trend in anime? Well, GS has that in spades. The normalization of sexually objectifying women in non sexual situations is very much present in the series. Describing in loving detail the chest size/shape of every female character often and with gusto is a big part of the light novels. Kagyu loves to describe what a girl’s boobs are doing while she’s sitting at a table eating or doing any other mundane thing for no reason other than to sexualize her for the reader. He made the intentional decision to make Sword Maiden, a rape victim, very overtly sexual for the male gaze without the character having any agency in it. Sword maiden isn’t trying to be sexy. She doesn’t own her sexuality. Hell, she’s blind. Being sexy doesn’t empower her. She’s just fap fodder for the male reader. These things normalize objectifying women and are part of a longtime trend in anime which have real world consequences for both women and men. The sexualization of nonconsenting women is a huge problem in Japan and very much promoted through their media. Anime and light novels continue to send and perpetuate the message that objectifying women is okay and natural for boys to do, and while Kagyu certainly isn’t the worst offender, he’s happily hopped aboard that trolly because he doesn’t see anything wrong with it. And he can’t, because it’s been SO normalized.

Example 4: The Birth of a Nation.

This movie, while entirely fictional, is straight up anti-black propaganda intentionally made to spread hate and fear of black people. Obviously this is incredibly problematic and harmful to real black people. This movie was designed to be that way. The message is very clear. It’s a movie meant to rally whites against blacks, and it did. Horrifically so. Typically media containing hateful messages is less overt about it today, but abusing stereotypes and caricatures of real groups of people and otherwise intentionally perpetuating harmful ideas through fiction is a shitty thing to do and should be wholeheartedly condemned. (Note the keyword “intentionally”. If an author does this out of ignorance, which is all too common, rather than condemn we should seek to educate. People are capable of learning and growing and canceling them for mistakes made in ignorance is every bit as shitty as the mistake they made in the first place.)

Example 5: Fanfiction and shipping

At last, we come to fan media. This is where “don’t like don’t read” becomes the golden rule. Indulging in a kink or exploring dark themes in fanfiction is harmless 99.9% of the time. Fanfiction simply doesn’t have the reach, and thereby the influence, that mainstream media has. If someone wants to write something really fucked up, that’s their choice and nobody is making you read it. Unless the author is outright condoning harming real people, it’s really not your business what they choose to write about. Furthermore, deciding to read fucked up fanfiction does NOT make you a bad person. As stated before, the human psyche is messy and the world is not squeaky clean or a safe place. People are drawn to dark things and there’s really nothing wrong with that so long as real people aren’t being harmed. If something makes you uncomfortable, don’t engage. Protect yourself. You’re not making the world a better place by harassing people online. You’re just being a jerk and honestly doing far more harm to real ass people than that 20 year old writer on AO3 who wanted to write a story about Sasuke having sex with Naruto’s son because of 10 years of repressed sexual impulses toward Naruto.

I could say more but I’m tired and ready to celebrate my Friday by getting drunk. Feel free to interact if you want, just do everyone a favor and don’t be a dick.

TLDR

Things that make you a bad person:

Murdering people

Sexually assaulting/harassing people

Having sex with children

Creating or indulging in porn of real minors

Harassing and sending death threats to real people over the fictional media they create and consume

Espousing, condoning, or perpetuating hate toward marginalized peoples

Espousing, condoning, or perpetuating hate toward anyone tbh

Using fiction as a vehicle to promote, validate, and normalize causing harm to real people

Generally being an ass cloak

Things that DON’T make you a bad person

Consuming media that contains problematic elements

Creating media that contains problematic elements so long as you aren’t promoting, validating, and normalizing harmful acts toward real people

Writing fanfiction

Reading fanfiction

Shipping whatever you goddamn want to ship

[nellie-elizabeth]

Queliot Fic Recs - Master Post (March 11, 2020)

Hi everyone! I’ve been meaning to do this for a while, but now that we’re staring down the barrel of the show’s official ending, I thought I’d finally take the time to post a master fic rec list!

A couple of notes:

This is by no means comprehensive; I’m sure I’m forgetting several lovely fics, and will be updating this list as I remember/find more.

This list will not include WIPs (the only exception being where I rec a completed story that is part of a series, and mention that sequel(s) are still in progress). I will add the WIPs I’m reading once they are complete!

I am open to suggestions from others, so please reblog and add your own recommendations! I would love to add to this and make it a one-stop-shop resource for people looking for something new to read.

When I know the tumblr handle of the author, I have included it. But in several cases I don’t know the author’s tumblr, if they have one - if you have this information to fill in, please let me know and I will update the master post. (Also, if you notice any broken links or mistakes - I did my best, but this thing is hefty and I’m sure there are errors!)

This took me… forever to put together, so if you find it useful, please reblog - and more importantly, please leave comments & kudos on the stories you read!

Link to the Google Doc, if that’s easier for you to read.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1sIUMZcIcpnZ1_9T3o7dkqUaqEw0miwNTfTuZjvjGto4/edit?usp=sharing

Hefty rec list under the cut.

Season Three Gapfillers/Deviations from Canon

These stories usually deal with the aftermath of the mosaic in some way. Many of them were written before the revelations of 4x05, but some were written later, and either comply with canon, or deviate from it from that point.

shipping it by Mizzy (@mizzy2k). Mature. 16,344 words. The Muntjac “ships” Queliot and is trying to help them along. What else can I say? There’s angst, there’s love, it’s silly and it’s sincere.

Sense Memories by mtothedestiel (@summersteve). Explicit. 2,616 words. This is an ABO fic, which is not something I would typically read. But I love this author so much that I decided to give it a try. The thing I like about it is the idea of the mosaic timeline leaving a tangible, physical impact on Quentin and Eliot, and how they might deal with the fallout in this more extreme scenario. If ABO isn’t for you, though, proceed with caution.

throw your shadow over me by peacefrog (@lizardkingeliot). Explicit. 8,187 words. Okay I’m going to recommend basically everything peacefrog has written, but this one is probably my favorite. It’s a super angst-y sex scene between Quentin and Eliot during season three, where Eliot believes this is his last chance to be with Quentin, and is basically dreading the emotional fallout even while it’s happening.

i start spinning (slipping out of time) by peacefrog (@lizardkingeliot). Teen. 2,570 words. Before Eliot goes to Margo to discuss the god-killing bullet, he and Quentin have a conversation about Quentin’s choice to stay at Blackspire. Features a heartbreaking memory of their life together at the mosaic, and just generally gorgeous canon-compliant angst.

Promises by Rizandace (@Nellie-Elizabeth). Explicit. 7,751 words. Eliot and Quentin have it out about Quentin’s decision to stay in Blackspire, and hash out their feelings for each other. This one is canon-divergent (and is probably the one-shot I am the most proud of!)

Overthinking It by Rizandace (@Nellie-Elizabeth). Teen. 3,581 words. Eliot finds out about the abyss key, and it prompts a discussion about Quentin and Eliot’s relationship.

Honey You’re On Fire, Let Me Help by sirfoxheart (@sirfoxheart). Explicit. 5,857 words. Quentin accidentally picks up the abyss key… Eliot finds him and does what he can to distract him. This is hot, of course, but also so desperately full of feeling and love. As the summary implies, there is a good deal of depression and talk of suicide in this story, so take care.

Can’t Let Go by sirfoxheart (@sirfoxheart). Explicit. 5,384 words. UGH. This is what SHOULD have happened after Eliot and Quentin remember the mosaic time-line. This is so satisfying and gave me some catharsis in the aftermath of the direction the story has taken in canon.

~~~~~

Post-Season Four Fix-Its

These stories maintain the canon of season four, and continue on from there. They generally involve bringing Quentin back from the dead.

What Matter Where by achray. Explicit. 28,782 words. Eliot becomes Prince Consort of the Underworld. He gets to be with Q when he’s back home, though. This is almost tough to read, because my brain doesn’t want to accept any half-happy endings, any reality where Eliot can’t spend all of his time by Quentin’s side. But on the other hand… Eliot has to make a big, big sacrifice to bring Quentin back, and you definitely feel the gravitas of that.

life ain’t fair (so i guess we’d better cheat) by micksgotkicks (@lovelyquentin). Teen. 1,137 words. This is more of a pre-fix-it. Eliot rages against the heavens for taking Quentin from him, and resolves to get him back. Short and painful. Cathartic.

Being Alive by miss_whimsy (@bambiesque). Gen. 7,022 words. Eliot sends the letter to Quentin with the magical stamp. And when that doesn’t work, he sends a bunch more. This is one of the very few fics on this list that has any connection to season five canon, which I’m not watching. I did watch 5x03, however, and this fic is borne out of Eliot Waugh never giving up - the way we all know it should have gone.

What kind of man (loves like this)? by destielpasta (@queliotpasta). Explicit. 3,160 words. Eliot and Quentin go out dancing. This fic has a certain quality about it that’s difficult to describe - I could just really feel their love for each other jump off the page, specifically in how badly they clearly want to care for each other. This fic also straddles the line between categories - the author describes it as a “fix-it” and it does deal with Quentin’s resurrection in a more immediate way, but the subject matter itself is much more about the aftermath, rather than the actual “bringing Q back from the dead” part.

You’re a Story (I Can Follow) by Page161of180. Mature. 19,695 words. I think everyone’s read this, but how could I not include it? This technically isn’t a fix-it, because it was written before the season four finale confirmed the theory of Quentin’s death. This author, like the collective fandom, assumed that death would be temporary… and thus, this is the story of Eliot being the Orpheus to Quentin’s Eurydice. It is stunning - a gold standard in writing intense grief with a happy ending. Eliot is undone by Quentin’s death here, and has to fight through obstacle after obstacle to get him back - the biggest one being, his own lack of self-worth. There’s also a somewhat-connected sequel/prequel called And Remember What You Were Before (Not Rated, 6,998 words), which is completely worth the read.

(like a perfect picture) in a broken frame by PanBoleyn (@eidetictelekinetic). Not Rated. 20,631 words. Another resurrection/fix-it fic… Really great group dynamics as everyone works on bringing Quentin back, but also a focus on Eliot’s despair. Kind of your standard fix-it, exactly what the characters should have tried to do, in a world where canon hadn’t betrayed us so badly.

life fades (but you remain) by peacefrog (@lizardkingeliot). Explicit. 62,735. Stunning. STUNNING. Eliot finds a way to get Quentin back, but it comes at a cost. The two of them have to work it out. This features some incredibly good angst with a happy ending, scorching sex, a really intriguing OC in an early chapter, and some nice screen-time for the lovely Alice Quinn, to boot.

as it was by peacefrog (@lizardkingeliot). Mature. 3,913 words. Short and sweet - Penny-40 leads Quentin to where he needs to go, and that’s back home to Eliot.

In the Woods Somewhere by pineapplecrushface (@pineapplecrushface). Explicit. 15,528 words. This is the most creative take on a fix-it I’ve seen! The summary outlines the premise best: “Alice being unable to wipe younger Quentin's memory during the timeshare spell had a ripple effect.” Eliot is so desperate for Quentin in this one, and Quentin, from the afterlife, is having to work out how he feels and where he wants to be.

In Which We Grieve by portraitofemmy (@portraitofemmy). Teen. 3,413 words. I hesitate to call this a “fix-it” really, since Quentin doesn’t come back to life. But despite that, he and Eliot make it work. This is sad, but cathartic too.

(this is not a) Temporary Love by rizcriz (@sadlittlenerdking). Teen. 20,684 words. A fix-it that includes some intense mosaic feels too, as Margo and Eliot read over some letters/notes written during the mosaic timeline. I also like this one for how the rest of the gang finally notices how sick and worn-down Quentin is, and forces Q and Eliot to take a mental health vacation once Quentin is back in the land of the living!

~~~~~

Post-Season Four/Post-Possession - Not Fix-Its

These stories take place after the events of season four, or, in some cases, after an imagined ending of season four (written before the series finale aired), ignoring season five canon. They are not fix-its in the sense that either a) they ignore Quentin’s death in canon and proceed like it never happened, or b) Quentin’s resurrection happened “off-screen” and is not the focus of the story. These fics often deal with the aftermath, both physical and psychological, of Eliot’s possession. They also usually deal with Quentin and Eliot’s reconciliation after the events of seasons three and four, and sometimes continue through their time as an established couple.

your body (your heart) in his hands by Allegria23 (@allegria23). Explicit. 18,636 words. This fic follows Eliot and Quentin into their future. I’m recommending it specifically for the way it deals with Quentin’s discipline - I’ve never seen a fic tackle the subject in quite this way, and with so much care and gentleness. If you are not a fan of kid!fic, don’t be put off by the premise - Eliot and Quentin are great fathers with amazing kids in this future universe, but the focus really does remain on their romance. This story is part of a series called second time around which is all worth a read, especially the latest part, entitled The Special Dish. The whole series really embodies the romance of effort, and how putting in the time to nurture and grow a relationship is what makes it work.

Be still my foolish heart (i’m almost me again) by Butterfly (@butterflydm). Explicit. 3,754 words. A birthday fic for Quentin - he’s a little overwhelmed by the party held in his honor. He sneaks off to be alone, Eliot follows him, and Q tells Eliot about his discipline.

Living Room, NY by cartographies (@honeybabydichotomy). Teen. 11,254 words. Eliot goes to therapy. I’m recc’ing this specifically for Eliot’s rambling confession of love to Quentin in chapter two. The whole thing is lovely, but that part really knocked me the fuck out.

Imagine being loved by me. by destielpasta (@queliotpasta). Explicit. 11,225 words. Holy moly. This is a top-tier fave for me. It’s about sex, it’s about love, it’s about working through a relationship after trauma. Eliot is touch-starved but can’t be touched - so Quentin and Eliot must get creative.

Yes and Yes and Maybe Yes by hetrez (@hetrez). Mature. 5,542 words. The author describes this as “consent porn, with feelings,” and that’s a pretty good descriptor. Quentin has PTSD because of the Monster, and Eliot’s touch can be triggering for him. They work together to get through it. This is hot, yes, but it’s hot specifically because of how badly Eliot wants to take care of Quentin and make him feel safe.

The Dreamers by hetrez (@hetrez). Teen. 10,143 words. Post-possession, Quentin and Eliot are together but things aren’t smooth sailing. The scene from this story that always sticks in my head is Quentin asking Eliot if he wants to have a family again, like they did before with Arielle and Teddy - and Eliot’s horrifically wrong-footed response: “You’ll get a wife again and we’ll have another baby.” As might be predicted, Quentin doesn’t take that very well… and this story is at least partially working out where they stand, what they both want.

The Drum Beats Out of Time by HMGFanfic (@hmgfanfic). Mature. 68,605 words. This series features two stories: Suitcase of Memories and I Fall Behind. Both are amazing, but I Fall Behind in particular is one of my top-tier favorite fics in the whole fandom. This fic does not pull its punches in terms of the effects of Eliot’s possession, and it makes things really rough for Quentin and Eliot’s relationship. Quentin does a reckless thing, Eliot panics, they hash it out - but it’s not easy, and it’s not so clear-cut. These fics also features glimpses of their life together at the mosaic, and a lovely epilogue that shows how they’ve made progress and are still healing as a couple.

the right time and place by impossibletruths (@impossibletruths). Teen. 3,675 words. Eliot trying to propose to Quentin. It’s sweet and fluffy and good for the soul.

hearts like houses by impossibletruths (@impossibletruths). Explicit. 11,888 words. Quentin and Eliot celebrate Eliot’s birthday, post-possession. They get away for a trip, to try and put their worries behind them. This story is full of so much intimacy and gentleness that it just melts my whole heart.

five times my writing was better than the magicians by micksgotkicks (@lovelyquentin). Teen. 6,019 words. These are just… soft. It’s five different short fics, all with slight variations on the simple concept of Quentin and Eliot reuniting post-possession. There’s no intensive deep-dive, nothing too grim or challenging. It’s just the two of them finding their way to each other again and again. Very healing to read, in light of canon’s (inferior) version of reality.

struck from a great height by mtothedestiel (@summersteve). Explicit. 4,517 words. “Life affirming sex” is the most telling tag on this thing. Post-possession, Eliot and Quentin find their way into each other’s arms. Really hot sex, lots of feelings… everything we deserved at the end of the Monster story-line.

And So Lift Your Spirits by OrchardsinSnow (@orchardsinsnow). Explicit. 3,437 words. This was one of the first fics I remember reading in the aftermath of my desperate post-season four feelings, and it hit the spot in the best way. Eliot’s POV - he loves Quentin, but has doubts that he’s actually deserving of something so wonderful, that Quentin could really reciprocate and want to stay. Quentin finds an insanely hot, insanely romantic way to reassure him.

Ten Twenty-Eight by Page161of180. Not Rated. 5,974 words. This is slice-of-life about Quentin Coldwater and how he’s spent Eliot’s birthday, October 28, over the years. It’s told through notes from the Library branch of the Underworld, with added comments from Alice and Penny. It’s weird, but rewarding. I love the record-keeping aspect. This author has a real gift for outsider POV, and this is one of my favorites!

Nights and Mornings by Page161of180. Mature. 6,734 words. Two connected stories, in the aftermath of possession. Quentin doesn’t die, but he does still get back together with Alice, a la 4x12. These stories deal with Eliot’s thoughts on that, and… spoiler… Quentin/Alice is just not meant to be. Quentin makes a different choice.

The Honor of Your Presence by Page161of180. Mature. 18,117 words. Quentin and Eliot get married, and we hear the story from three different POVs… Todd, Rafe, and Marina 23. Random? Yes. Brilliant? Also yes. I love how each POV has a different and distinct literary style. And how even the people who aren’t closest to Quentin and Eliot can see how insanely in love they are with each other.

The Wanting Then, the Needing Now by Page161of180. Not rated. 3,799 words. Alice’s POV, as Eliot is saved from possession, and Quentin falls apart. Basically, Alice realizes where Quentin really belongs. I love the way this author does justice to Quentin’s love for Alice - it’s not a footnote, it’s not an insignificant blip. It’s real, and that doesn’t invalidate the fact that Quentin chooses Eliot. This has a much longer sequel which is also very good - but that story is more Alice-centric and not really focused on Queliot as much, even though they definitely play a part.

Lay Me Down (Pockets Full of Stones) by PanBoleyn (@eidetictelekinetic). Not Rated. 10,024 words. Post-possession, Eliot realizes how badly Quentin has been dealing with things. He’s angry at their friends for not keeping a better eye out - but all that matters right now is finding Quentin and making sure he’s alright. I love this story for how messy their reunion is - how all of their feelings just come spilling out of them without finesse.

(one kiss) it all comes down to this by PanBoleyn (@eidetictelekinetic). Not Rated. 6,391 words. True Love’s Kiss… the boys need to talk about their feelings, and a curse forces the issue. This is so entirely my jam.

box of chocolates by peacefrog (@lizardkingeliot). Mature. 9,256 words. This short series begins with the Teen-rated for love (if it finds you worthy) and features Eliot asking Quentin to be his valentine. Because Quentin and Eliot are… Quentin and Eliot, it still takes them a little while to get their shit together, after that.

when lips and skin remember by peacefrog (@lizardkingeliot). Explicit. 6,163 words. This is for the monthly prompt challenge - “blindfolds” and features Quentin helping Eliot through some sensory issues, post-Monster possession.

an end (but the start of all things that are left to do) by peacefrog (@lizardkingeliot). Explicit. 2,388 words. Birthday smut! Q is alive and gets a blowjob, as the universe requires.

the one with the dog by portraitofemmy (@portraitofemmy). Explicit. 80,517 words. If you haven’t already read this series, what are you waiting for?? It is IDEAL for soothing the soul. Eliot and Quentin deal with the aftermath of their trauma, both physical and mental. They hang out at the condo in New York, they take care of an adorable dog named Lady Desdemona, they have lots of hot sex of course. They heal. Every single one of the twelve stories in this series is worth reading, but my favorites are probably (this is) the beat of my heart (Explicit, 11,700 words), Five Card Draw (Explicit, 3,531 words), all the way home I’ll be warm (Explicit, 15,640 words), and Come What May (Teen, 3,352 words).

5 Scenes from a Road Trip by portraitofemmy (@portraitofemmy). Explicit. 16,218 words. In the aftermath of season four (sans Quentin’s death), the boys need a change of scenery to begin healing and finding their way back to one another. I love how this fic shows their closeness, and how the boundaries of their relationship often defy description. They love each other beyond sex, beyond conventional romance - although they achieve those things, too, as they definitely deserve.

did you know my baby loves me? by portraitofemmy (@portraitofemmy). Explicit. 7,776 words. Quentin tops Eliot on his birthday. What it says on the tin. But as always with this author, even something that should be ostensibly a PWP is filled with so much feeling and love that you could just drown in it.

To Learn to Be Again by portraitofemmy (@portraitofemmy). Explicit. 18,295 words. “I don’t think- I can’t be anyone’s boyfriend right now, Eliot.” Eliot loves Quentin, Quentin loves Eliot, but that’s not always enough to give them a happily ever after. Quentin goes to therapy, deals with his trauma and his mental health, and Eliot is right there beside him with no expectations. This is so, so lovely and every ounce of their happiness feels earned and all the more precious for the pain that’s mixed up with it.

do not go gentle by portraitofemmy (@portraitofemmy). Explicit. 10,260 words. This is almost a fix-it, in that Quentin imagines the events of 4x13, but they don’t actually happen. So be warned if any depiction of Quentin’s death is a trigger for you. I love the way this story deals with the Alice of it all, and also the way Quentin and Eliot talk through their situation and find a way back to each other once again. (Also shower sex happens). This author has written multiple versions of this same reconciliation, but each one is so lovely and I’ll never get sick of it.

the strange act of living by propinquitous (@propinquitous). Explicit. 13,632 words. So there are a lot of fics out there that deal with the aftermath of Eliot’s possession of course. A lot of fics that feature Eliot and Quentin slowly, painfully, finding a way to reconcile. This one holds a special place in my heart for this particular moment, where Quentin walks past Eliot without saying anything, grabs a muffin from the counter, and leaves the room. Later, Q finds Eliot crying in the shower, and Eliot asks him why he just left, taking the food Eliot had made for him, and then ignoring him. That one moment has stuck with me ever since I read the fic, and I keep coming back to it. In all, this captures a very specific kind of hurt that both Quentin and Eliot are feeling, and gets them on the path to healing. Gorgeous.

the safety of others by propinquitous (@propinquitous). Teen. 8,122 words. Quentin doesn’t die in 4x13, but he does get injured. And Eliot keeps vigil. This is - so powerful. I don’t even know how to describe it. Just read it, please.

Magic Curses by Rizandace (@Nellie-Elizabeth). Explicit. 134,886 words. This series includes six stories, each dealing with Quentin and Eliot’s relationship as they undergo external threats from creative and somewhat evil magical curses. It’s my attempt to write in some more hurt/comfort to the fandom, and also to indulge in some established-relationship goodness! The first story, Lover’s Touch (Explicit, 24,781 words), is summarized thusly: “Q gets cursed, and Alice can’t help. Magic forces Q and Eliot to cuddle and talk about their feelings.”

Coming Home by rizcriz (@sadlittlenerdking). Not Rated. 2,958 words. Short and sweet. The author succinctly describes this as: “Eliot gets to be brave.” And he does. He says the thing he wants to say to Quentin, and Q eventually believes him.

Enough by SabbyStarlight. Teen. 2,746 words. This was written just before 4x13 came out. If only if only this is how it had gone instead… basically just Quentin and Eliot talking about their feelings, negotiating their relationship.

Boyfriend by sirfoxheart (@sirfoxheart). Teen. 6,727 words. Quentin is sensitive about the fact that Eliot isn’t introducing him as his boyfriend. This is just… the sweetest. I love that there’s some jealousy and insecurity, but it’s a manageable, reasonable type - Eliot and Quentin are able to talk about it and get past this small bump in the road.

Hunger by sirfoxheart (@sirfoxheart). Explicit. 4,327 words. Quentin gets a birthday blowjob. The end. :)

~~~~~

Mosaic Timeline

These stories are ones that take place almost or entirely within the mosaic timeline - both in keeping with, and in deviation from, what we see in 3x05.

help me hold onto you by ameliajessica (@ameliajessica). Explicit. 14,768 words. This one will hurt your heart, but it’s so rewarding. Featuring Eliot being ridiculously turned on by talking about feelings during sex… and Quentin loving Eliot while grieving for Arielle.

‘Cause my baby’s sweet as can be by destielpasta (@queliotpasta). Teen. 645 words. Tiny fic - maybe the shortest one on the list. Quentin and Eliot are bad at talking about their feelings. Who’s surprised?

flowing all this time by mtothedestiel (@summersteve). Explicit. 5,488 words. This is one of those fics where Arielle isn’t an obstacle for the boys… but rather, Eliot is an obstacle for Quentin and Arielle, in a way. It has some bittersweet moments, but I love how much Eliot loves Quentin here. This is also (spoiler) the rare fic where Arielle chooses to leave, rather than dying.

a cure i know (that soothes the soul) by peacefrog (@lizardkingeliot). Explicit. 4,857 words. Little snippets of Quentin and Eliot’s life through the years at the mosaic. Recc’ing especially for middle-aged Queliot, which we see all too little of in this fandom!

measure in love by portraitofemmy (@portraitofemmy). Explicit. 51,827 words. This is a series about Quentin, Eliot, and Arielle’s lives together at the mosaic. I don’t know if the author plans to write more in this series or not, but each one can stand alone. I am particularly enamored with The Ways We Fit Together (Explicit, 11,661 words), which is summarized succinctly as “sex and love in the mosaic timeline”, and You Steer My Heart (Explicit, 25,217 words), which follows Eliot’s mindset as he watches Quentin and Arielle fall in love with each other, while Quentin and Eliot continue to love each other as well. It’s stunning, and probably my favorite take on the three of them and their polyamorous relationship. This series has everything - the best combination of smut and feelings you could hope for.

Running All This Time by Rizandace (@Nellie-Elizabeth). Explicit. 179,478 words.The story of the mosaic timeline, built on the foundation of love and communication. To my knowledge, the only completed mosaic long-fic in the fandom thus far! Includes Fillorian nonsense, a quest within a quest, plenty of sex, lots of hurt/comfort, a different take on Arielle, and happy endings for everyone.

Reciprocal by Rizandace (@Nellie-Elizabeth). Teen. 8,259. Eliot is an idiot about his feelings (what else is new?), and he tries to make things better in the worst possible way. This fic imagines a world where Eliot and Quentin find happiness together without Arielle as a part of their romantic/sexual lives.

my heart is thrilled by the still of your hand by sirfoxheart (@sirfoxheart). Explicit. 9,586 words. This is the porn-iest version of “Quentin and Eliot don’t know how to talk about their feelings.” Basically, the boys keep jerking off next to each other in bed, and they don’t talk about it because they’re IDIOTS.

you know that’s my love (bursting loud from inside) by sirfoxheart (@sirfoxheart). Explicit. 11,904 words. Another fic where Arielle decides to leave. Eliot is so good at taking care of his family.

tomorrow past tonight by vegansheilseitan. Explicit. 7,676 words. Okay - if you’re only going to read one gap-filler for 3x05, that’s basically just the missing sex scene and nothing else, make it this one. It’s hot, and it’s aching with everything Quentin and Eliot aren’t saying to each other. This is one of my absolute favorites.

~~~~~

Brakebills Alternate Universe / Season One

These stories are generally, but not always, pure relationship fics where the plot concerns of canon (i.e. the Beast, and time loops) do not exist, and instead Quentin and Eliot get to be magical grad students together, and fall in love.

Every Blessed Thing by achray. Explicit. 7,795 words. Quentin turns himself invisible. This fic is complex in how Alice and Quentin’s relationship is portrayed, and the resolution isn’t clear-cut. I really like this characterization of both Quentin and Eliot.

saturate the atmosphere (wake me from a dream) by Allegria23 (@allegria23). Explicit. 7,394 words. This is some good ol’ sexy times with a healthy dash of feelings. Eliot involuntarily levitates them while Quentin’s giving him a blowjob, so… that’s honestly all you need to know about this one. Go give it a read.

i feel it in my body, know it in my mind by ameliajessica (@ameliajessica). Mature. 11,817 words. Let’s pretend that this is what happened in 1x03, okay? Kady doesn’t interrupt when Eliot pours Q a drink, and sex ensues. I love how flabbergasted Eliot is by everything that happens - especially his reaction to the news that Quentin isn’t straight, and isn’t going to be squeamish at the thought of sleeping with a man. So hot, so cute.

if being him is who you are / say it loud say you know you are by ameliajessica (@ameliajessica). Mature. 5,293 words. Okay, holy shit. Mike’s POV - he decides that he and Eliot should have a threesome with Quentin, so Eliot can get it out of his system. Uh. Yeah, that backfires. Poor Mike. But also - the sex in this is the epitome of tenderness and love. Eliot is so careful with Quentin, so awed and desperate and shaky at the chance to be with him. There is a sequel in the works, too, so watch out for that!

Hedonism for Beginners by ceeainthereforthat (@ceeainthereforthat). Explicit. 20,730 words. A series of filthy sex, basically. Eliot is teaching Quentin about what he likes in bed. I don’t know if the series is abandoned or not, but in any case, each of these works on its own as a PWP but with a deep undercurrent of feelings.

Something Good by HMGFanfic (@hmgfanfic). Teen. 162,260 words. The Gold Standard slow-burn rom-com AU! Seriously, I know everyone’s read this, but if you haven’t for some reason… please do. The slow-burn is so slow you’ll be tearing your hair out by the end, but it’s all worth it when you get to the catharsis. How oblivious can Quentin be about Eliot’s feelings? This fic asks and answers that question, and the answer is - very. There are also two fics that accompany the main story: Someone Good (Eliot’s POV of the main story) and Somewhere Good (future one-shots of Quentin and Eliot’s life together). Both are on hiatus but the author plans to return to them. You can read the existing chapter of each without feeling like anything is unfinished, though.

Not Always Folly by HMGFanfic (@hmgfanfic). Explicit. 262,583 words. Another amazing romantic… comedy? but this one is from Eliot’s POV and is in some ways more a character study of Eliot Waugh than it is simply a romance. Although the romance… you guys… the pining levels are off the charts. Eliot ends up hurting Quentin, and really everyone else he cares about, in this story, but he puts in the work to make it right. I admire this fic for diving deep into Eliot’s psyche while also delivering on an amazing slow-burn of a different sort. Bonus points for Alice and Eliot getting to be friends like they deserve!

Be kind by longnationalnightmare. Explicit. 10,069 words. It’s the highest kudo’d fic in the fandom! I assume that means you’ve all read it? This is a PWP, but I love it specifically for how much Eliot loses his usual control when he’s with Quentin.

to be unbroken or be brave again. by milominderbinder (@disasterbiquentin). Teen. 14,135 words. Hey, it’s a 10 Things I Hate About You AU! Kind of! Josh asks Quentin to pretend to date Eliot to cheer him up after a breakup, so that Margo will go out with Josh. But Q tells Eliot what’s up right away - so they’re fake dating but real feelings happen. Super cheesy, of course, but it hits the spot!

in the world full wrong (you’re the thing that’s right) by Mizzy (@Mizzy2k). Explicit. 5,307 words. Eliot tries to hook up with Quentin Coldwater and gets more than he bargained for. I love this for how matter-of-fact Quentin is, about the fact that Eliot wants to seduce him… and then hpw he ends up doing some seducing of his own.

If You Haven’t Yet by OrchardsinSnow (@orchardsinsnow). Explicit. 5,828 words. Obviously we all love confident Eliot Waugh totally rocking Quentin’s world… but I have a soft spot for oddly confident Quentin who really knows what he’s doing, and this fic has the perfect blend of both dynamics. The best part is Quentin slowly and methodically undressing Eliot and not letting him help. It’s… whew. *fans self*

the heat that drives the light by peacefrog (@lizardkingeliot). Explicit. 9,296 words. Quentin and Eliot have an antagonistic relationship, until Eliot realizes Quentin might be what he’s looking for in a sexual partner. Sub Eliot, new-to-being-a-Dom Quentin. Super hot.

it started out with a kiss (how did it end up like this) by portraitofemmy (@portraitofemmy). Explicit. 7,896 words. In the aftermath of a bad breakup, Quentin and Eliot find their way to each other. This is super amazing all on its own, but the author is also working on a sequel that I’m really enjoying thus far. Either story could probably be read without the other, too.

the bridge between us by portraitofemmy (@portraitofemmy). Explicit. 16,201 words. Dom Eliot, Sub Quentin. Quentin and Eliot navigate their BDSM sex life, but also their feelings. Eliot is so tender and soft with Q, and Q learns to take care of Eliot in return. This is one of my absolute favorites from this author. Also, as a note, there’s a “prequel” to this fic called paint it red (Explicit, 7,197 words) that could totally be read as a separate piece, but is worth checking out as the origin story of how these two got together and started shaping their dynamics, sexual and otherwise.

(Everyone Has) That Drawer by ProofOfConcept and wilddragonflying. Explicit. 5,782 words. Eliot finds Quentin’s stash of sex toys. It’s enough to get him to finally act on their mutual, unspoken attraction. Hot!

Wake Me Up by rizcriz (@sadlittlenerdking). Not Rated. 4,000 words. Quentin has sleep apnea, but Eliot doesn’t know that… and he gets a little - alarmed. This is objectively an odd premise, but it’s incredibly sweet. rizcriz has about a million stories and I’ve read a lot of them, but I’m a fan of the ones like this, that take a specific concept and run with it, sort of like slice-of-life. Check out more of their work, though, I can’t possibly put them all on the list!

Migraine Mastery by SabbyStarlight. Not rated. 2,012 words. Short and sweet - Quentin has a migraine and Eliot helps.

Between Friends by sirfoxheart (@sirfoxheart). Explicit. 15,019 words. This is the quintessential (Quentin-sential?) Brakebills get-together fic. It’s a party, Quentin and Eliot end up going to bed together… both of them are a little uncertain about what this means, but they work it out. Recc’ing for the hot sex, but even more for the “wake up in the middle of the night to have a tender round two without talking about what it means” sex.

Sex Magic by sirfoxheart (@sirfoxheart). Explicit. 42,006 words. Uhh… what it says on the tin. Every one of these is scorching, but my favorite is probably the first one: How Easy You Are To Need.

All Of You A Verb In Perfect View by sirfoxheart (@sirfoxheart). Explicit. 6,398 words. PWP where Eliot distracts Quentin while he tries to do his homework.

You Can Devastate Me by sirfoxheart (@sirfoxheart). Explicit. 9,018 words. Marqueliot sex scene - Quentin and Eliot are a couple, but Margo is running the show. Just… hot, but of course Eliot’s love for Quentin still permeates the whole piece. So much tenderness, with so much filth.

~~~~~

Alternate Universe (No Magic)

So many of these seem so completely random in premise, but they’re all amazing!

Our Sublime Refrain by destielpasta (@queliotpasta) and mtothedestiel (@summersteve). Explicit. 233,929 words. It’s 1836, Eliot is a pianist. This one is Marqueliot, y’all, and let me tell you - it is a journey. If you are somewhat put off by the idea of an AU so far removed from canon, about a topic you know very little about… please give this a try. I was a little hesitant too, but I promise it will not disappoint.

Pretty Good Year by Hth (@spiders-hth-is-an-outlier). Explicit. 175,728 words. I’m not going to lie - this is a difficult fic for me. It’s stunning, but getting through it was an incredibly emotional, challenging journey. While many fics in this fandom deal with Quentin’s mental illness, I’ve never seen a fic talk about it quite like this one. That’s not to put you off from trying it if you haven’t already - this is one of the most achingly real stories I’ve ever read, and it will reward you for giving it a chance.

opening doors by impossibletruths (@impossibletruths). Mature. 52,230 words. Quentin is a playwright! Eliot is an associate director who used to act! This is a slow-ish burn, and the worldbuilding of the characters in a theatrical setting is so fun!

couch party verse by marcel. Mature. 33,725 words. These two stories feature Quentin, Eliot, and the rest of the gang at a non-magical grad school. The thing I love about these stories is how slow and realistic the escalation of the relationship feels. It’s not a hot hookup right away - they clearly like each other, but circumstances sometimes get in the way, and there’s also no big rush to the finish line. This is a softer, gentler universe that still has its own realism and trauma, too. I hope the author chooses to add to it someday!

Saltwater by mtothedestiel (@summersteve). Explicit. 35,560 words. It’s a pirate AU! What more could you possibly need to know? I love how all of the characters and locations are cleverly repurposed here - the Whitespire and Our Lady Underground are ships, Quentin is a ship’s doctor, Eliot is a captain, etc. And the slowburn between Quentin and Eliot is masterful. This is actually a series - part one is complete, and part two is in progress.

A (Gingerbread) House that we can Build by mtothedestiel (@summersteve), with art by eliotsvests (surprisegents). Explicit. 28,189 words. I am not a cheesy Christmas movie person, and I am not a kid!fic person. So I thought this might not be the story for me, at first. But I’m so glad I clicked on it - this is a story about second chances, and finding happiness when you aren’t even looking for it. And I love the way little Teddy is written here. He’s got all the sweetness of Quentin Coldwater’s son, without tilting over into being saccharine. This is just the right amount of sweet if you want to put yourself back in the holiday spirit.

I’ll Follow My Secret Heart by OrchardsinSnow (@orchardsinsnow). Mature. 17,613 words. I don’t really know how to describe this one… it’s weird! It’s a meet cute, Eliot gets in an accident, there’s a blizzard, bed (floor) sharing so as to prevent freezing to death, Eliot is kinda famous and Quentin doesn’t know. All I can say is, this is precious, and odd, and I got totally swept up in the world.

I Need You So Much Closer by OrchardsinSnow (@orchardsinsnow). Explicit. 14,436 words. I love this story. Eliot is a musician, he and Quentin are exes from years ago, who fell apart because of Eliot’s alcoholism. But he’s sober now, and he’s touring where Quentin lives - so they reconnect. Eliot calls Quentin the “smoke show love of [his] life” at one point in this fic, and that phrase just… stuck with me in the best way. Don’t miss the mini-sequel, You Need Me So Much Closer (Explicit, 3,874 words), either. I really hope the author writes more in this universe!

Experimentation by portraitofemmy (@portraitofemmy). Explicit. 4,812 words. PWP where Eliot meets Quentin at a sex shop and Eliot teaches him what he’s into. Hot hot hot.

(i just might) remember that night by portraitofemmy (@portraitofemmy). Explicit. 4,732 words. This might be crack, I don’t know. There are dick pics, and it’s silly, but also Quentin and Eliot feel this amazing connection to each other right off the bat, and that is honestly my jam.

and if tomorrow it’s all over (at least we had it for a moment) by sirfoxheart (@sirfoxheart). Explicit. 45,461 words. Quentin and Eliot were a couple in high school, but they haven’t seen each other in years. They run into each other again at Julia’s wedding, and everything comes rushing back. I like the fact that this fic features very little (if any) angst. The idea is that these two people missed out on their chance to be together, but they haven’t been desperately pining for years. But once they’re back in a room together… their connection is undeniable. Also, the sex is great.

hold me like a (liar) lover does by sirfoxheart (@sirfoxheart) with art by Doomkitty25. Explicit. 80,812 words. A holiday fic! Fake dating! Mutual pining! So tropey and excellent. Really hot sex, as is the norm for this author! Warning for Alice being something of a villain in this piece, although there’s a potential reconciliation implied right at the end. I love this fic for going beyond just the romance, and also telling a story about Quentin and Eliot’s careers, and what they want out of their lives - in terms of romance, yes, but in terms of their work lives as well.

Ask Me, I Won’t Say No by vegansheilseitan. Explicit. 22,616 words. A… pub trivia AU? Which is a thing I didn’t know I needed? Mostly this is about widower!Quentin, with a kid, meeting Eliot Waugh. They fall in love. The sex in this is incendiary, but the growing relationship between these two is what really makes it worth the read.

~~~~~

Alternate Universe (With Magic)

These stories feature roughly the same worldbuilding as the show’s canon, but the character’s journeys deviate significantly. Maybe Quentin and Eliot don’t meet at Brakebills, or their journey to getting there is different in some other way!

fire and life by everytuesday. Teen. 7,060 words. This is a high school AU, where Eliot discovers his magic, and accidentally kills his father. Quentin helps him to bury the body. It’s a little bit dark, obviously, given that description… so take care.

First Year by peacefrog (@lizardkingeliot). Mature. 11,957 words. Quentin is a Brakebills student, who also happens to be a sylph from Fillory. He has wings, and Eliot is more than a little intrigued. The author may have plans to write a sequel!

push me (further than i thought i could go) by peacefrog (@lizardkingeliot). Explicit. 15,036 words. Quentin and Eliot meet at a game of Push, and then have their own private contest later on. Mostly recommending this one for the sex, but also for Confident Quentin Coldwater, and for the fact that no matter the circumstances, these boys are gone for each other pretty much right away.

Hedges, Bitch by portraitofemmy (@portraitofemmy). Explicit. 56,568 words. This series has four works, the longest “main” story of which, theón kai andrón, is another personal favorite of mine. It features Eliot as the leader of a coven of hedge witches, and Quentin as a magical novice who didn’t make it into Brakebills. I love the dynamic between Quentin and Eliot in these stories, as they fall naturally into a dom/sub relationship, but Eliot works to make sure the power differential between them doesn’t adversely affect things, either on the job, or in their personal lives. Eliot is just so soft for Quentin in these stories, while also admiring him and depending on him as the gang gets themselves caught up in a dangerous threat to hedges all over the world.

~~~~~

Fillory/Royalty

These stories are sometimes canon deviations, and usually deal with Eliot as the High King, and his relationship with Quentin from there.

oh this is us, this is love and this is where I sleep by buckybunnyteeth. Explicit. 4,360 words. Quentin is jealous of Idri! Eliot is way, way too delighted about it. Really hot. I probably shouldn’t be as charmed by jealous!Quentin as I am. But this is amazing.

Make a list of things you need by longnationalnightmare. Explicit. 10,264 words. Eliot and Quentin are getting married, but Eliot’s okay with keeping it platonic. Quentin… is not. Hot, hot, hot.

i’d be the last shred of truth (in the lost myth of true love) by milominderbinder (@disasterbiquentin), with art by gilestel. Eliot and Margo are made the High Kings of Fillory, and then later Eliot meets a cute Brakebills professor Quentin Coldwater, who is staying at Whitespire for research. There’s a truth curse! Eliot is set to marry Idri, but uh-oh, feelings happen! Tropey as hell, super cute.

and this is the map of my heart by peacefrog (@lizardkingeliot). Explicit. 14,033 words. Eliot is High King, and he is expected to marry. Quentin magnanimously offers himself for the position, and of course there’s angst about that. And scorching hot sex. And Eliot struggling to be emotionally vulnerable. One of my absolute favorites from the author.

whitespire by peacefrog (@lizardkingeliot). Explicit. 1,529 words. Eliot sits on his throne, Quentin drops to his knees and calls him “Your Majesty.” So… yeah. Yum.

~~~~~

Brian and Nigel

This is an area where more content needs to exist! Send me a note if there are some I’ve missed.

A Little Disguised, or a Little Mistaken by Page161of180. Mature. 17,807 words. Brian and Nigel find each other, and fall in love. This is gorgeous. Quentin and Eliot are recognizably themselves, but also just different enough that when their real selves start poking through the memory wipe, you can feel the change coming. Another story where canon comes along and steals happiness right out from under them. They were so close!

Shine Through My Memory by PanBoleyn (@eidetictelekinetic). Mature. 61,311 words. This one starts as a fic about Brian and Nigel meeting and falling in love… and then the Monster still possesses Nigel/Eliot, and the events of season four continue from there. But with memories of Brian and Nigel’s love in Quentin’s head, things play out a little differently. We follow the story all the way through to Eliot getting saved by Margo and Quentin, and the reconciliation/reunion afterwards. This fic has a little of everything, and it’s really the only re-telling of season four I’ve seen that covers the canon plot while adding something new and unique to the story!

Reaching in the Dark by sirfoxheart (@sirfoxheart). Mature. 53,040 words. Eliot remembers who he is, but Quentin thinks he’s Brian. Eliot and Alice work together to protect Quentin from the Monster. This is so complex and difficult and sad and challenging, and when you reach the end, you’ll feel so frustrated about how close they were to figuring their shit out. But ultimately, canon comes back to snatch that happy ending away.

~~~~~

Other

The few fics that I couldn’t categorize neatly into any of the above sections.

So It May As Well Be Me by achray. Explicit. 14,596 words. There was only one bed. Trapped in a closet. Sex pollen. Sex magic rituals. Every fanfic trope becomes manifest. Quentin seems oblivious; Eliot is freaking out. This is just the epitome of fun.

our place in the family of things by greywash, with art by yourtinseltinkerbell (@yourtinseltinkerbell). Explicit. 208,582 words. This is sort of a Brakebills AU, I suppose, but it takes place after Eliot has graduated. Quentin comes to visit over the holidays. So here’s the thing about greywash’s prose - they are stunning. They are dense, and complex, and almost hard to read - but I mean that as the highest compliment. This story, and really all of this author’s work, rewards careful study. This story has so, so much to offer. So if you haven’t given it a shot, or you’re intimidated by the length, please give it a try. Featuring Eliot’s complex relationship with his mother, with religion, with his sexuality, with Quentin, with Margo. Featuring a story of queer love that transcends time and convention. Featuring some excellent worldbuilding, especially as concerns Quentin’s family, and Eliot’s career. Featuring beautiful accompanying artwork. Featuring a proposal scene that knocked me the fuck out. Featuring love, in every way.

To Give You Hope and a Future by Page161of180. Not rated. 4,374 words. I couldn’t put this in the fix-it category, or in the mosaic category, or really even in the post-season four category. It’s all and none of those things. Eliot, in the aftermath of Quentin’s death, goes to the mosaic and talks to old man Quentin, who is grieving his husband. This is sad, y’all. But cathartic, too.

Cheat Day by peacefrog (@lizardkingeliot). Explicit. 1,624 words. Set during season four. Quentin misses Eliot, and does something sad and dangerous. Short and… well, sweet is the wrong word. This one will punch you right in the gut.

Movement by pineapplecrushface (@pineapplecrushface). Explicit. 17,036 words. These are three stories that are only loosely connected in that they are about sex, and introspection. They fit into lots of categories - parts of them take place in Eliot’s happy place, parts at the mosaic, parts in the aftermath of possession. All three stories in the series are scorching hot and full of so much feeling. I really admire how they weave through time, following the changing dynamics through the events of canon in a really unique way.

darkness, welcoming by portraitofemmy (@portraitofemmy). Explicit. 17,748 words. I almost put this in the Alternate Universe (With Magic) section, but this is not the same world as canon. Eliot is a vampire! He saves Quentin’s life and then… uh… well, they fall in love, and there’s some blood play. Eliot is super smitten, and it’s precious. Also really hot.

What Was and What Will Be by ProofOfConcept and wilddragonflying. Mature. 35,996 words. This is part mosaic-fic, part post-possession fic… it’s basically just another story of these two idiots being so bad at communication, but finally getting it right. A really satisfying journey, encompassing so many elements of what we all wished for in canon. I especially loved the long and difficult conversation they have during their reunion. The line that really punched me in the gut was: “fuck you for saying ‘I love you’ for the first goddamn time when you’re breaking up with me.”

kiss me harder, you’re better than you know by propinquitous (@propinquitous). Explicit. 4,633 words. This could easily take place in a nebulous post-season-four world, but it exists in its own little bubble and could really slot into any given universe. It deals with Quentin’s depression in a really direct, really devastating way, but also features Eliot being there for Quentin as best as he can. As the tags say, “not the healthiest of coping mechanisms.” But it’s filled with so much tenderness I can hardly stand it.

To Feel the Same by Rizandace (@Nellie-Elizabeth). Teen. 1,725 words. A small gap-filler at the end of the “I think you should probably hug me right now” scene in 2x01.

[junhaoshua]

my ode to fandom

2020, the start of a new decade, is ending. 2021, the start of my adulthood, is beginning. I’ve always wanted to do a post about my fandom journey, and I’ve also decided to change my url starting next year: from the old faithful @moonlightmasquerade to a url for my new fandom, @junhaoshua. So before taking such a huge step, this felt like a perfect time to thank all the media that has shaped me as a person throughout my journey of youth.

This is half-chronological, half-remembered. This isn't comprehensive, because it doesn't have to be to be meaningful. It can't list every single fandom that has made its mark on me, because there are too many to count. 

This is about many people’s stories, including my own. This is about love and power and growing up and changing. This is about how transformative work can transform lives. 

To fandom: this is my ode to you.

To Frozen, the fandom that was my first love: thank you for being the place I discovered fanfic. Thank you for teaching me that it was okay to be myself. For teaching me that my parents could make mistakes when raising me even though they love me. For showing me that villains can be redeemed. 

To MLP, the fandom of my early teens and beyond: thank you for being such a big part of my life. Fallout Equestria, making me realise the impact of war and giving me hope that people can heal from the worst, that we can make a difference in the darkness. The Immortal Game, telling me that trauma can be overcome and my fate is in my hands. Hard Reset, teaching me to persevere despite the odds. Turnabout Storm, introducing me to the franchise that would inspire my future career. Freeport Venture, guiding me as I grew into my own person. These are lessons that kept me going throughout the rough years. Thank you for teaching me to write magic systems and epic fight scenes. Thank you for giving me hope that one day, even a shy bookworm like me would find my friends. 

To Wicked, the fandom of my tumultuous years: thank you for teaching me that I could be beautiful and loved no matter how I look. For opening my eyes to the cowardice of people. For helping me to understand why injustice can thrive. For telling me that sometimes you lose your best friend but you don't stop loving them. Thank you for preparing me to face all this in real life. 

To Star Wars, the fandom I was “born” into: thank you for creating a world that inspires writers. For the trilogies and the beautiful fics that were born from them. For the flaws in canon that made fans want to fix them, and write wonderful stories. Double Agent Vader and the questions of agency and power and justice and the need for righteous indignation. Reylo fics and redemption and atonement and forgiveness. The sequel trilogy stories, too many to count, about finding your family and being your own person and healing from trauma.

To Marvel, the fandom that has brought me comfort for years: thank you for starting a franchise that lasted me throughout my childhood. For the stories of X-Men and being ostracised for being born different. For the ideas of Avengers Tower and the Defenders and Spider-verses and other teams, which may not have been well handled in canon, but which inspired so many stories about dangerous people coming together and being accepted for who they are. For Daredevil and making me decide that yes I’m going to be a lawyer and no my disability will not stop me. 

To DC, the fandom I grew up in: thank you for the DCAU that I spent hours watching as a child. Thank you for inspiring so many amazing, creative people to write. Batfamily fics and the stories of well-meaning Dad Bruce who screws up despite his best efforts. Babs Gordon and being a total badass from her wheelchair. bricklaying and its discussion of power and class issues and trauma and identity, a story that I go back to time and time again. 

To Hamilton, the fandom that inspired me: thank you for introducing me to the wonderful genre of rap and hip-hop. For helping me to realise that there are villains, there are people who make mistakes, and there are people who exploit others’ mistakes. For awakening a fire and ambition in me that I had long tried to douse to try to fit in and be more likable, and telling me it was okay to be young scrappy and hungry. And for reminding me that the people I love are important, too.

And now, to the grand prizes, to the fandoms that have been the biggest part of my life.

To Harry Potter, the fandom I first participated in: thank you for opening my mind and broadening my horizons. For helping me to move past my conservative upbringing and my prejudices (the thanks is all to the fandom, not to canon). For helping me to find my first fandom family, my best friends @reapersbarge and @a-symphony-in-vellichor. For being full of stories about healing just when I needed it. For Dramione, a ship that would lead to me publishing my very first fanfiction, inspired by the wonderful @colubrina. For Drarry and my second fic that gave me the chance to tell a story with my best friend and the other half of my brain. Without HP, without these friends, I would never have found the courage or inspiration to finally finish and publish my stories.

To Six of Crows, the fandom I grew in: thank you for being my first experience with representation in stories. For opening my eyes to the world of YA novels and so many wonderful, amazing stories. (SoC was literally one of the first YA novels I ever read and I wouldn’t have gotten into bookblr without it). For helping me learn how to work with an ensemble cast of characters that all got a chance to shine. For inspiring me to come back from my long writing hiatus and rediscover the joy of being an author. 

To Taylor Swift and Marina, my two favourite solo artists: thank you for music that perfectly fits whatever I’m going through. Thank you for reputation and Electra Heart when I was hurt and angry and trying to build a shield to hide my scars. Thank you for Lover and Froot when I was trying to learn to be happy again, to conceal my hurt with a smile. Thank you for folklore and evermore and Love + Fear when I was finally ready to unbandage my scars and confront everything that I had faced and declare that it did not break me.

To Seventeen, my biggest current fandom: thank you for bringing me joy during this tough year. For always giving me something to look forward to every Monday when the days passed in a blur. For the new friends I’ve met here who welcomed me to caratblr, especially @soonhoonsol, @thekidultlife, @haosvteen, @myunqho, @xuseokgyu and @haoranghae. For reminding me what it feels like to fall deeply into a new fandom for the first time. For the amazing fics and gifs that always bless my dash (there may be another, separate post on that). For awakening my desire to write fic again after a long drought where I couldn’t think of a single thing, and giving me more plot bunnies than I know what to do with. Thank you for being a safe space that helped me to grow and heal and smile again.

To conclude this story:

Throughout my journey, I’ve seen the same threads and themes over and over again. To be my own person and not the person that others moulded me into. To be ambitious and hungry and the hero of my own story. To find my own family, to choose the people I claim as my own. To see injustice and apathy and evil and hopelessness, and to be angry and stand up against it. To believe that people can change, can atone for what they’ve done, can be redeemed. To believe in the power of hope and light against the darkness. 

Fandom is a part of my life that I truly can’t imagine being without. It has been the lifebuoy when I was stuck in trauma and unable to escape. The bandage when I was broken and bleeding and despondent. The glue to put me back together when I shattered into a million sharp-edged pieces. The armor when all I wanted to do was rip out my feelings and put up stone walls around myself. The candle that guided me through the night until I was ready to step into the daylight. 

For the fandoms of my past: I may have become less active, less involved, but I still return to the songs and stories that have been an integral part of my youth. I see them now with older, wiser eyes, and recognise bits and pieces of my personality that I absorbed from them. I’ve never truly left a fandom; how can you leave something when it’s part of you?

For the fandoms of my present: I want to live in the moment and enjoy my experiences for as long as I can, even if I’ll outgrow them one day. I know that even if I move on from them one day, I’ll always treasure the lessons learnt and the memories made, and they’ll have a special place in my heart no matter what.

I believe in the power of stories, of movies, of music, of fandom. I would not be who I am today without it. Every fandom I’ve been in has left an impression on who I am, made its mark on me, a golden tattoo. I can look at them and trace the way each and every one has shaped me into the person I am today. 

And as I hover in the in-between of childhood and adulthood, as I stand now a kidult, I’ll embark on this new phase of life with all the lessons that fandom has taught me, and will continue to teach me for many years to come.

[surflove808]

On Destiel and endgame hysteria

Sometimes I get fired up about some of the BS I see in this fandom and this is one of those moments.  This post will be a layercake of sentimentality, disappointment, anger and maybe a wee bit (a lot) of profanity.  So, you know. Back on my bullshit.

The show that we love, love to hate or hate to love, for better or worse, will see it's final curtain call at the S15 finale.  You don't need me to tell you how impactful it's been and how much it means to so many people for a variety of reasons that extend well beyond it's entertainment value.  All it takes is one scroll through social media to get a sampling of the reach of this little-show-that-could and by extension (and because of) it's cast, to see that it's beloved by so many.  And it deserves the praise, and the end deserves to be lamented - but like TFW has said over and over, and to paraphrase Frank Sinatra, they're doing it their way.  For that?  I'm happy.

The show has been described as a "juggernaut" and an "institution", and it is.  We all know the themes:  Finding *your* family, struggle, perseverance, dedication, making mistakes and not always learning from them (but trying), acceptance, the beauty in humanity even when all hope seems lost, redemption, and love... to name the big ones. Now about Love.  "Love" is not threatening to burn down houses if your ship isn't made canon.  "Acceptance" isn't threatening the cast, crew, producers and network with lawsuits if your ship isn't made endgame.  I saw a few posts like that today that had a very disappointing number of likes and reblogs and I'm kinda furious, to be honest.  You fucking twits.

As someone who enjoys the show, and respects the determination, sacrifice, hard work, creativity, and yes - Love -  that has been poured into this endeavor, I don't think I'm alone when I say -  JUST. STOP.  You whining, tantrum throwing, self-important, "wouldn't catch a social cue if it had a $100 bill attached to it and was tossed to you from 3 feet away", obnoxious, divisive children.  

Accept what the cast, the writers and Eric Freaking Kripke have told you?  No... can't do that.  Must hop from one lily pad of delusion to the next and have the gall to be self righteous about it.  And then pat yourselves on the back for being alternately clever, threatening and obtuse.  You're like the Donald Trumps of the SPN fandom.  You're not disliked because of your ship.  You're disliked because of your personalities.  Let that sink in.  No one is marginalizing you.  You chose to do this to yourselves AND your beloved ship via your words and actions.  You sunk your own battleship and now you’re pissed.  

I don't affiliate myself with any ship or the other factions of this fandom.... I don't get it.  I'm just a fan.  A fan of the story, the acting, the tragedy, the comedy, the characters and the character of the actors involved.  I don't know what a good "fan" is... don't care.  But I know what a bad one is.  A bad one thinks that they can take ownership of someone else's art just because they've "invested" in it. 

And I apply it to my own life in this way - Here I am doing my thing, putting my creativity out into the world... and what I create matters to me.  Every little bit.  I throw myself into the things I'm passionate about.  And not everyone is going to be thrilled with what I produce.  Some people will never see what I put out there, but word travels fast when you genuinely care about your craft.  I do what I do because it drives me, and always has.  And I do my best to stay true to MY story.  And the thought of someone trying to insert themselves into my story because they think they know my creations better than I do, makes me want to punch throats.  

And the thought of a group of people actually threatening me and the people I collaborate with because I'm not making their fantasy a reality??  Hey - get fucked sideways without lube, and throw some sand in there for extra discomfort.

I want you (and you know who you are) to have some accountability.  Please tell me in what scenario is your behavior warranted or appropriate.  Feel free to DM me.  I won't "out" you, and I'll never be abusive - I just need to know why.  (bullet pointing this because... reading comprehension)

1.  WHY is Destiel is the only representation you'll accept.  

2.  WHY do you think it's funny or "OK" to harass the creatives on this show constantly when you have absolutely no right to their story?  

3.  WHY do you think that pushing something so hard will get you what you want? 

4,   And lastly.... WHY is this so important to you? 

Can you possibly survive if Destiel isn't made canon?  Do you have other hobbies and interests that can fill your time?  Because some of ya'll are acting like this is the Be All End All of your existence and I'm here to tell you - it's really not.  If it DOES happen, it will be at the discretion of the showrunner and creatives, and I promise you it won’t be because they caved to the small, yet omnipresent faction of Destiehellers that have annoyed the ever-living fuck out of everyone attached to this show.  It’ll be on their terms.

The tantrum strategy stops working after age 4, usually....it just seems some of you are late getting the memo.  Thanks to your folks.  Well done.

Try to appreciate the show for what it is and always has been.  If your expectations are unreasonable and are buoyed by years of manips, misquotes and over-analyzation of brief "moments" between ANY characters, and you feel emotional enough about it to behave badly - it's time for a factory reset.  This show has never mislead you - you’ve bought into delusion and over-analysis and straight-up fiction pimped to you by fellow “fans” probably before you even watched your first episode.  It’s the weirdest thing I’ve seen.  And I’ve seen some shit. 

If you’re going to be angry... be angry at your friendly neighborhood Destiel dealer.  They chumped you to get more *buy* for their *supply*.  Them’s the facts.

That being said.... Can We Just Appreciate The Final Moments That This Amazing Cast And Crew Are Going To Give Us (and you know they will), And Let It The Fuck GO?  

You're welcome to block me (you probably should).  But before you do that, could you let this sink in a bit?  And if you see a fellow shipper being an entitled  douche - maybe hold yourself to a higher standard than they do themselves and don't perpetuate it/like/reblog it?  Because this behavior is well and truly a shitty way to treat the legacy of this groundbreaking show, and all those that are responsible for bringing it to life. 

In other words....Behave.  And have some goddamn dignity.

I’m not sure if I’m doing this right, but my response was so long.  Eh...whatever.  @jessiegail   I understand, and please allow me to elaborate. When I was scrolling through the Jensen tags (because the Dean and SPN tags have been overrun by a lot of people with zero respect for the character/show canon, so I stay away anymore.  That in and of itself should tell you something)... I was also sharing in the moment, and the news and wanted to see some SPN love and positivity. What I ran into almost immediately was, and I quote: "If they don't make destiel cannon (sic) for the series finale, I'll set their houses on fire. You've been warned." 87 people agreed with @moosewncstr on this sentiment.  Now... if it was one shitty person and people steered clear of any affiliation with them for threatening arson because they're completely off their fucking rocker.... that would be easy to ignore.  But 87 people??  That’s really, really bad. What I'm seeing and have been seeing, is a hive-mind mentality that doesn't care for acceptance. Doesn't care if it’s abusive. Doesn't care if someone gets their “feelings” hurt. And they absolutely Do Not Care if what they say incites the potential reality of violence, as long as they can force their ship down the throats of as many people as possible and Make It Canon.  

And by hive-mind, I mean - NO ONE in the Destiel camp seems to have the degree of autonomy (AKA:  Balls) required to rein in the bad apples in their bunch.  They either agree or stay silent.  So, because you can’t self-regulate, people like me with no concern or desire for your approval have to come in and tell you to knock your shit off.  You won’t.  But I feel better.  And maybe others will feel more comfortable to express their disapproval when shit like this rears its ugly head. Anyone who would think threats (just a joke...hahaha), are acceptable, and those who are in agreement can suck it. And i will not roll over and sing kumbaya with anyone who thinks this is ok. I'm generally careful with the headers and lead-in paragraphs to posts that are potentially inflammatory. A courtesy that is not extended by your brethren. You had ample warning that this post would not be kind to asshole shippers. I don’t think you are one of those people - but, if you’re defending this behavior, I can’t really empathize with you.  I also don’t want you to feel targeted.  This isn’t about YOU.  This is about endemic behavior that has become so toxic, it pretty much can’t be undone. As for paying anything forward, I do not owe people who act like this the time of day, much less a kind word. I have 2 choices:  I can stand by and pretend I don't see these things and block, block, block so that I can stay in my bubble. Or, I can take my own little stand on my own little blog and address genuinely disturbing behavior using language of my choice. What I will never do is threaten or abuse any individuals who question my logic. Downside is... you'll get a very long winded explanation. Go, be happy. Enjoy your ship. No one is telling you not to. I'm telling you right now, though - I can't and won't tolerate the bad apples. Best to block me if you're sensitive to the way I word my posts, but understand - I'm not promoting hate or abusive behavior - I'm fighting it. And I will continue to do so as long as I'm on this dumpster fire of a website, because I love this show and I believe all of the creative's, crew and fans deserve some fucking respect.

[mejerhines3-blog]

An Unbiased View of healthy habbits

As opposed to shelling out for high-priced acne treatments, understand how to get crystal clear skin Using these natural at-home solutions. Summary: Tea tree oil has powerful anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory Qualities. Making use of it to the skin is proven to cut back acne. Blend a few drops of tea tree oil with between twenty and 40 drops of witch hazel, then make use of a cotton swab to apply. This is often one of those home solutions for acne which you could check out as much as twice per day; more could dry your skin and make the acne worse. Summary: Making use of witch hazel towards the skin has become revealed to struggle germs, lessen inflammation and help mend the pores and skin. It could be valuable for individuals with acne, but much more analysis is necessary. You can also buy aloe gel from overall health-food suppliers—just be certain it’s pure aloe, without having additional components. Researchers examined the results of L-arginine on ED. Thirty-a single percent of Gentlemen with ED taking 5 grams of L-arginine each day skilled important advancements in sexual function. Your skin has tiny holes named pores which could become blocked by oil, bacteria, dead pores and skin cells, and Dust. When this occurs, you could possibly develop a pimple… Each pore is linked to a sebaceous gland, which produces an oily material named sebum. Further sebum can plug up pores, creating the growth of a micro organism referred to as Propionibacterium acnes A rigid neck outcomes from slowed circulation and lymph movement to muscle tissues. Use contrast hydrotherapy—a quick blast of hot, then chilly drinking water—to get the blood pumping again. During the shower, initially run hot drinking water over your neck for twenty seconds to boost blood move, then swap to chilly for ten seconds to constrict blood move. Lemons work as an exfoliant, skin lightener, and disinfectant to lower the looks of scars and forestall new pimples from forming. On a clean up confront, dab acne which has a cotton ball or cotton swab dipped in lemon juice, then rinse with cool drinking water. These are the seven worst myths about Grownup acne. Very poor hair brushing and shampooing patterns, dry skin, strain and inappropriate diet programs, could make your scalp far more vulnerable to dandruff. Now that you choose to’re conscious of the results in, it’s time for you to struggle dandruff.  A healthy and very low calorie diet plan is a vital Component of a superb fat reduction system. Be sure to include things like fresh new fruits, greens, and whole grains inside your food plan, in lieu of filling up on junk foods. Dandruff reduction can be no farther away than your fridge, For those who have lemons readily available (which you need to, since they have a great deal of helpful takes advantage of!) Just therapeutic massage two tablespoons lemon juice into your scalp and rinse with water. So obvious some Place in your rest room cupboard, refrigerator, and kitchen area cabinet for these astonishingly productive (and cheap) treatments. The following 20 home therapies are like possessing a medical professional on phone 24 hrs every day.

Not known Factual Statements About home treatments

Eating higher-GI foods leads to a spike in insulin, which is thought to boost sebum production. For this reason, substantial-GI foods are thought to possess a immediate impact on the event and severity of acne. Aiding Gals make an uncomplicated & an healthy transition into considered one of The main phases in their lifestyle - motherhood. Discover the best work out schedule for that pre & put up shipping and delivery time period, care for yo Summary: Some reports identified a constructive association in between drinking milk and acne. Limiting milk and dairy consumption could possibly be a good idea for the people with acne-vulnerable pores and skin, but far more investigation ought to be done. Set whole oats in a clean up, dry sock. Seal the open up finish that has a rubber band, after which drop the sock into a warm or incredibly hot bathtub. Soak yourself for fifteen to twenty minutes. (Winterize your skin treatment routine with our greatest chilly-temperature tips.) There are not any research exploring the main advantages of drinking eco-friendly tea when it comes to acne, but implementing it on to the pores and skin has long been revealed to help you. Ingesting milk and consuming dairy products and solutions exposes you to hormones, which can result in hormonal changes and cause acne (sixty four). Two big research documented that higher levels of milk usage ended up related to acne (65, 66). On the other hand, members self-documented the information in the two of those scientific studies, so more analysis must be done if you want to determine a true causal partnership. Lemons work as an exfoliant, skin lightener, and disinfectant to lower the looks of scars and forestall new pimples from forming. On the cleanse facial area, dab acne that has a cotton ball or cotton swab dipped in lemon juice, then rinse with neat h2o. They're the 7 worst myths about Grownup acne. Although studies are blended, several demonstrate good success when acupuncture is utilised to take care of ED. A 1999 analyze, one example is, observed that acupuncture improved the quality of erections and restored sexual activity in 39 % of contributors. It is crucial to note that implementing apple cider vinegar to the skin might cause burns and irritation, so it really should always be used in small quantities and diluted with h2o. For example, ingesting eco-friendly tea has actually been revealed to decrease blood sugar and insulin stages, that are things that will lead to the event of acne (37). Douse a cotton makeup pad with isopropyl Alcoholic beverages, hold it up for your nose, and take a couple deep breaths (not more than a few in a 10-moment period of time). This dietary supplement is extracted through the bark on the African yohimbe tree. Some reports have proven optimistic consequences on sexual efficiency with use of this drug. There are plenty of things that help weight loss Moreover a fad food plan and performing exercises Occasionally. It desires good organizing and many resolve. Rather than shelling out for organic cure , understand how to get distinct pores and skin with these natural at-home treatments.

Not known Factual Statements About natural cures

Would not or not it's wonderful to have a Dwell-in medical doctor/therapist/coach to usually your daily aches and pains? ( Overcome dandruff with this easy henna treatment. Henna softens your hair, although lemon juice operates its surprise in dandruff remedy. Summary: Hormones which can be produced all through instances of anxiety may make acne worse. Reducing anxiety could assistance improve acne. To accomplish your registration you should enter the verification code you obtained with your cell. In case you haven't acquired the verification code, make sure you SMS REWARDME to 9223347100 This home solution for dandruff works by using fenugreek seeds. Keep to the instructions below to make use of fenugreek pack to overcome dandruff: Affiliate disclaimer: Healthline might receive a part of the revenues in the event you make a obtain applying one of several inbound links above. Superior blood cholesterol is An important reason behind heart attacks. Master what those cholesterol quantities mean, and read about the home solutions that will help Get the cholesterol below Command. It’s best to set a certain time slot inside your working day for your personal physical exercise routine, so that you usually do not skip it due to justification which you don’t have enough time. Who knew lemons had a great number of employs? Master 5 therapies for day to day ailments using juice from this excellent fruit. Multani mitti assists to revive hair health. This straightforward dandruff solution applying multani mitti provides smooth, silky hair and dandruff-cost-free hair. Dandruff can be the results of a dry scalp, or simply a pores and skin situation named seborrheic dermatitis. It may be because of eczema, psoriasis, or, extremely commonly, an overgrowth of the yeastlike fungus referred to as malassezia. (Listed below are 5 a lot more stunning leads to of dandruff.) Drugstore dandruff remedies might consist of shampoos with zinc pyrithione, which targets fungus and microorganisms; ketoconazole, which also fights fungus; coal tar and selenium sulfide, which gradual The expansion and die-off of skin cells in your scalp; and salicylic acid, which loosens flakes so they can be washed away. Crunchybetty.com states coconut oil is actually a “tried and true” dandruff therapy, and it smells awesome also. Ahead of showering, massage three-five tablespoons of coconut oil into your scalp and let sit for approximately an hour. Individuals with kidney difficulties should really seek the advice of a wellness treatment practitioner ahead of taking magnesium. (Here are three a lot more natural cures on your headache.) An absence of snooze tends to make you snack more late during the night time, makes you crave comfort and ease foods, and leaves you too tired for regular Bodily exercise. Insufficient sleep can also cease weightloss efforts from working.

Not known Facts About natural treatments

Study supplements and herbs that may be valuable to your arthritis pain, stiffness and inflammation. Examine Additional >> Immediately after viewing merchandise depth pages, seem in this article to search out a simple way to navigate back again to web pages you have an interest in. Researchers studied the effects of L-arginine on ED. Thirty-just one percent of men with ED taking 5 grams of L-arginine a day knowledgeable major enhancements in sexual functionality. Comprehension the commonest potential causes of impotence may help a person determine why he can be encountering the condition. You should buy creams and lotions that contain green tea, however it is just as simple to make your personal mixture at home. This home solution for dandruff makes use of fenugreek seeds. Stick to the Guidelines beneath to implement fenugreek pack to cure dandruff: Coconut oil nourishes your hair, when lemon juice helps to treat dandruff at home devoid of using damaging chemical substances. Given below is the best dandruff home cure: Tea tree oil is an essential oil which will have Gains for skin, hair and nails. Here i will discuss 14 functional solutions to use tea tree oil securely and… Harmless home remedies for blackheads and whiteheads can be found. Meanwhile, here are my favored natural home remedies for receiving rid of pimples. Every person's pores and skin is different, so Understand that ... Get rid of dandruff with this easy henna treatment. Henna softens your hair, whilst lemon juice functions its question in dandruff procedure. It is a truth: consume a lot of liquor, and you'll experience the following day. Understand natural home cures for hangovers, anything from moderation to hydration, and shield your self from soreness the early morning immediately after. Bask in a sq. or two of dim chocolate. Scientists identified that chocolate's theobromine compound is simpler than codeine at suppressing persistent coughs without the Unwanted effects of drowsiness and constipation.  It’s ideal to established a particular time slot within your working day on your workout routine, so that you don't skip it due to excuse that you choose to don’t have plenty of time. Whatever you consume has an effect on lots of facets of health and fitness - together with your skin. Allow me to share 12 foods and beverages to include on your eating plan for far better pores and skin wellbeing.

Facts About home treatments Revealed

Yet another very good thought for fat reduction is always to consume eco-friendly tea. It's a big range of antioxidants that aid the body break down foods, and help in shedding bodyweight. There are many merchandise and therapies You need to use at home to deal with nasal congestion. Discover more about home remedies for nasal congestion from this information. Simply simmer a few quarter-sized slices of ginger root in two cups of drinking water and cover for half an hour, and sip. Chamomile tea also has compounds that relieve anxiety and ease a throbbing noggin. Check out much more natural remedies to deal with headache pain. Within the hour it will require to obtain a chemical peel, you may take a 12 months from a confront. Are not able to find the money for the worth tag for your every month peel? Consider some more than-the-counter peels that operate around the course of per month, like Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare Alpha Beta Peel (acquire from Amazon). In two of our posted scientific tests, ribose continues to be shown to enhance energy an average of sixty one p.c following 3 months. Within the research, we used 5 grams of your ribose power three times each day. It seems and preferences like sugar, and is not hard to consider.” Dreamy spirals and waves without the warmth hurt? Yeah, it’s achievable—and here’s specifically how to do it. Ginseng has become employed for Countless several years, but has not too long ago observed favor using a general public hunting for a natural Electrical power-Enhance. Learn far more in Ginseng: Herbal Remedies. Olive oil is developing a storm in kitchens internationally. Not just can it be being used in vast amount of culinary preparations throughout many cuisines, but its healthful Qualities are increasingly being ... At any presented moment there are actually about a million and just one motives to be stressed. Turns out just receiving quarter-hour of sunshine can go a long way that will help mitigate this. Why? It’s The easiest way to naturally improve your vitamin D stages, which can lessen indicators of melancholy and stress and anxiety. So these are just some of my solution 'insta' beauty recipes. Rely on them and enjoy but never ever substitute them for a regular skin and hair care routine. Get utilised chamomile tea bags and retail outlet them in the freezer. Grate 50 percent a cucumber and therapeutic massage close to eye region then lie down with the tea baggage in your eyes for 10 minutes.You'll find an instant change in the way in which your eyes feel and appear. The catechins in environmentally friendly tea are Excellent for burning Unwanted fat, since they free of charge Fats from fat cells. They also battle free radicals and halt diseases. Unique eye creams are formulated to "thicken" this area. However other experts claim your daily lotion operates within the eyes just as very well.

People with kidney issues should really consult a health and fitness care practitioner prior to having magnesium. (Listed below are three more natural remedies for your headache.)

What Does natural remedies Mean?

Sip linden flower tea, which performs in two approaches: It stimulates the hypothalamus to higher Manage your temperature, and it dilates blood vessels, inducing sweating. Gargle with a small cup of acidic lemon juice to get rid of odor-producing bacteria. Then consume a bit of simple unsweetened yogurt, which has valuable lactobacillus micro organism. Researchers within the University of Adelaide found in 2014 that just about twenty for every cent of herbal remedies surveyed were not registered While using the Therapeutic Products Administration, Even with this becoming a situation for their sale. A relationship among brain and body is typical professional medical truth, and this classification will not incorporate therapies with proven purpose such as cognitive behavioral therapy. There are various things which aid weight reduction Aside from a fad diet regime and exercising Every so often. It demands correct setting up and plenty of perseverance. Quite a few herbs are regarded as prone to induce adverse consequences.[40] Furthermore, "adulteration, inappropriate formulation, or deficiency of comprehension of plant and drug interactions have led to adverse reactions that are sometimes life threatening or lethal.[41]" Proper double-blind clinical trials are necessary to determine the security and efficacy of every plant in advance of they may be advised for professional medical use. Acquire Chinese herbal products only from reputable resources and keep away from These that don't listing substances. (Some herbs from China are actually contaminated with toxic metals.) Significant blood cholesterol is A serious cause of heart assaults. Understand what These cholesterol numbers mean, and examine the home remedies which will help Get the cholesterol under Manage. One example is, dangerously very low blood pressure may perhaps outcome from The mix of an herbal solution that lowers blood pressure along with prescription drugs which includes the exact same outcome. Some herbs may well amplify the effects of anticoagulants.[53] They quoted a single of those scientists, Steven Salzberg, a genome researcher and computational biologist for the College of Maryland, as saying "Considered one of our considerations is the fact NIH is funding pseudoscience." They famous the overwhelming majority of reports were depending on fundamental misunderstandings of physiology and ailment, and experienced revealed little or no influence.[155] A survey of american citizens identified that 88 percent considered that "there are several fantastic ways of dealing with sickness that medical science will not recognize".[1] Use of magnets was the most typical Instrument in Electrical power medication in America, and between end users of it, 58 % explained it as not less than "form of scientific", when it is by no means scientific. Pick out refreshing fruit juice, in place of packaged fruit juices, which might be brimming with sugar and preservatives. Archaeological proof suggests that using medicinal crops dates back again into the Paleolithic age, approximately 60,000 a long time back. Published proof of herbal remedies dates back more than 5,000 years into the Sumerians, who compiled lists of vegetation. Some ancient cultures wrote about vegetation as well as their healthcare uses in guides identified as herbals. In ancient Egypt, herbs are talked about in Egyptian clinical papyri, depicted in tomb illustrations, or on scarce occasions present in healthcare jars containing trace quantities of herbs.[seven] Among the oldest, lengthiest, and most vital healthcare papyri of ancient Egypt, the Ebers Papyrus dates from about 1550 BC, and handles much more than 700 compounds, primarily of plant origin.[eight] The earliest known Greek herbals arrived from Theophrastus of Eresos who, while in the 4th century BC, wrote in Greek Historia Plantarum, from Diocles of Carystus who wrote in the third century BC, and from Krateuas who wrote within the 1st century BC. There have constantly been "several therapies made available outside of conventional most cancers treatment method centers and determined by theories not found in biomedicine. These alternative most cancers cures have normally been called 'unproven,' suggesting that ideal medical trials haven't been carried out and the therapeutic worth of the therapy is not known.

beauty tips for Dummies

Significant blood cholesterol is An important cause of heart attacks. Learn what People cholesterol numbers indicate, and examine the home remedies which can help Get the cholesterol below Management. When unsure, Test together with your pharmacist about herb/drug interactions. Additionally, herbs that will slim blood, like dong quai, feverfew, supplemental garlic, and ginger could trigger problems if taken ahead of surgery as could herbs for instance ginseng and licorice root that have an impact on heart charge and blood pressure. Sedative herbs like kava and valerian may improve the results of anesthesia. It is best to halt taking any of such herbs not less than 10-fourteen times before surgical treatment, and make sure to explain to your medical doctor that you simply’ve been getting them. That alternative medicine is increasing "in nations wherever Western science and scientific technique typically are acknowledged as the key foundations for healthcare, and 'evidence-centered' observe would be the dominant paradigm" was called an "enigma" in the Health care Journal of Australia.[172] Inside the US[edit] Cilantro boasts a singular taste that men and women possibly love or despise. The leaves frequently garnish Mexican and Thai dishes. The seeds, known as coriander, are a major ingredient in Indian curries. Opposite to A great deal well-liked and scientific composing, a lot of substitute cancer treatment options are actually investigated in good-high quality medical trials, plus they are already demonstrated for being ineffective. Nonetheless, because of the a lot of unsubstantiated promises designed for herbal remedies, and since the industry is just not properly controlled, he recommends that customers comply with these suggestions: In case you have oily skin, your skin requires more consideration during the winter time. Winter creams are large in oils and You can't prevent them. Below are a few ways to manage oily skin in winters. Medical scientific tests on a handful of herbs are underway, but that will help you have an understanding of the benefits and dangers, we have compiled a comprehensive guide to herbs, such as likely uses, Unwanted side effects, and precautions. Right away you'll find out how to employ herbs to deal with some popular health and fitness disorders like allergy symptoms, indigestion, and even stress and anxiety. g., the use of the expressions "western drugs" and "japanese drugs" to propose that the difference is a cultural difference between the Asiatic east and the European west, rather then that the real difference is among proof-primarily based medicine and treatment options that do not function.[four] Complementary or integrative medicine [edit] Massage the skin with iced yoghurt and sprinkle some sugar along with it. Now get orange halves and scrub Carefully till the granules soften. Wash the face with iced water and find out the primary difference. Normally, on the following site, you could enter the healing garden by Discovering the herbs Employed in herbal remedies within the letter A with the letter C. The moment each week, use a sugar scrub or exfoliating cloth to eliminate lifeless skin cells. Should you dress in make-up, clean up your makeup brushes on a regular basis to avoid the Create-up and spread of germs. Jacqueline Fernandez is on a week-long detox diet and This is every thing that she is which includes in her diet program! Steven Novella, a neurologist at Yale School of Medication, wrote that federal government funded scientific tests of integrating alternative medication tactics in to the mainstream are "utilized to lend an look of legitimacy to treatments that are not legit."[155] Marcia Angell deemed that critics felt that healthcare techniques should be classified centered solely on scientific proof, and if a cure were rigorously examined and located Safe and sound and successful, science-based mostly medicine will undertake it irrespective of whether it absolutely was viewed as "option" to begin with.

natural remedies Things To Know Before You Buy

These so-named probiotics compete with and swap the reeking microbes. (In addition they cause you to prettier—test it out!) The lemon-yogurt combo instantly neutralizes odor and lasts 12 to 24 hrs. I have study the Privateness Plan as well as the Stipulations. I provide my consent for my facts being processed with the reasons as described and get communications for company similar details. Everyone knows besan, also known as gram flour, is sweet for our skin. It's too many nutritious nutrients in it, which is proved being effective for the hair. It ... In case you have oily skin, your skin involves extra focus in the winter year. Wintertime creams are superior in oils and You can't avoid them. Below are a few techniques to deal with oily skin in winters. Far more Bun nearly pretend a blowout "When I don't have the time or cash to go to a salon, I shampoo at nighttime, then operate a drop of smoothing cream by means of my hair. If you are going through soreness with your sinuses or other signs and symptoms, you might have a sinus infection. Rhinosinusitis, or perhaps sinusitis, happens Whenever your… Doing your coloration by yourself? Do not make far too drastic a adjust. Remain within just organic recipes or 2 shades of your respective natural shade. A lot more lately, a fresh cosmetic Specialized Regulation (RDC fifteen/2013) was set up to ascertain an index of approved and limited substances for beauty use, used in merchandise including hair dyes, nail hardeners, or utilised as product preservatives. The vitamin C (nonacidic Ester type will never upset stomachs) boosts the immune method during the early levels of your cough. Research shows that honey will work a lot better than possibly a cough suppressant or no procedure in any way for relieving children's nocturnal cough and selling slumber.  "I rub olive oil about my nails ahead of I embark on the nail-artwork design and style. It tends to make eradicating excess polish way easier."—Taryn Multack, Miss out on LadyFinger Bacterial bacterial infections, for instance strep throat, whooping cough, and diphtheria, are accountable for only a little share of sore throats. Most Medical professionals recommend contacting a doctor only in instances of serious sore throat, like sore throat that has a fever or when swollen tonsils block the throat. In July 2012, given that microbial contamination is one of the biggest worries pertaining to the caliber of cosmetic goods, the ISO has released a new typical for evaluating the antimicrobial safety of a cosmetic products by preservation efficacy tests and microbiological danger assessment. Careers[edit] Check out this easy, brief and simple-to-make spray. Choose slices of two lemon and simmer in two cups of h2o until eventually it decreases to 50 percent the quantity. Pour the liquid into a spritz bottle and spray on the hair. Not simply will there be a great natural sheen but static and fly absent hair will likely be gone! Cleansing is a typical action in skin care routines. Skin cleaning include things like some or these methods or cosmetics:

Not known Factual Statements About healthy habbits

One example is, avocados are incredibly healthy and also have a good deal to supply when it comes to nutrients and healthy fats. However, These are pretty dense in energy, so eating a few avocados daily would not be a healthy habit.

Okay, so most protein bars flavor like flavored sawdust. But most will also be nutritious and reduced in calories, plus they help it become simple to stave from the midafternoon hunger pangs you are going to inevitably come to feel after owning eaten, say, a light-weight lunch. Do that: As a fast and straightforward approach to enhance your eating behaviors, pick out wholemeal or wholegrain bread up coming time you hit the bakery. Also, carbonated smooth drinks have a significant sugar content which can bring on obesity, diabetes and dental caries. As an alternative to these harmful beverages, choose to refresh by yourself using a glass of buttermilk or lemonade. Not pretty! You should use conditioner inside your hair a lot more frequently than this. Try and deep affliction your hair the moment weekly- or in the event you hve afro-textured hair, deep ailment each and every time you shampoo. Select One more reply! Proper! Even though your hair needs protein, if it gets an excessive amount of it could grow to be dry and brittle. Equilibrium your utilization of hair goods, and if you recognize your hair drying out, either Slash back again on product or service usage or test a unique brand name of product. Read on for another quiz dilemma. This could also Offer you a chance to reflect on anything happening in your daily life, and accept or take care of problems which have been preserving you from becoming successful or reaching your goals. Your intellect demands relaxation each day so it can be willing to take on another endeavor that will come your way. It may effects the quantity of calories you consume from soda or espresso drinks. Use straightforward suggestions to snooze better so that you get an entire evening's rest and get up energized for a complete working day of healthy activity and good eating. These five easy routines are pursuits which are uncomplicated to incorporate into your day-to-day routine. Select a single and try to exercise it this 7 days. If all goes nicely, choose A further 1. Endeavor to master a person skill at at time so you don't get confused. Use 1 element apple cider vinegar vinegar to three pieces heat h2o, then rinse and wash your hair as normal. Vinegar has a powerful smell, but it is going to go away after you shampoo your hair. I know that's not a great deal of food items, but it's much healthier than Anything you're consuming now and, equally as vital, it permits you to acquire smaller methods toward better managing your portions at each individual meal. Introducing total grains which include quinoa and buckwheat to salads and various meals will insert a heap of nutrients. Hair care is undoubtedly an All round expression for hygiene and cosmetology involving the hair which grows from the human scalp, also to a lesser extent facial, pubic and various body hair. Hair care routines differ In line with somebody's society as well as physical properties of 1's hair. Hair might be coloured, trimmed, shaved, plucked or usually removed with treatment plans which include waxing, sugaring and threading. Here's a summary of fifteen healthy patterns that you can follow to alter your daily life and enhance your mental and Bodily very well remaining.Additional »

healthy habbits Options

But If the fridge and pantry are stocked with healthy possibilities you'll make far better possibilities if you're hungry. We all expertise pressure. It is available in all elements of existence, and in by itself, it is not a bad thing. Stress generally is a motivator to labor, it can accompany exciting occasions, and life would not be exactly the same with out it. You've got to have the ability to self-replicate to see When you have any repetitive behaviors which you do without having a rational motivation.​ Utilize this combination on your hair for 20 minutes after which rinse with warm water. This remedy might help to replenish keratin protein bonds/p When a lot of people are born with gorgeous hair, some are trapped with boring and frizzy hair. Here are some methods so that you can get shiny and lustrous hair.  Healthy Pattern #4: Raise Non-Training Actual physical Exercise Your every day work out is critical. But should you Visit the fitness center for an hour or so and invest the remainder of the day sitting down inside of a chair or laying on the sofa, you happen to be in all probability doing a lot more damage than great when you exercising. Ideal! Even though your hair wants protein, if it gets a lot of it could become dry and brittle. Equilibrium your use of hair solutions, and when you recognize your hair drying out, possibly Slash back again on solution utilization or try a unique model of product or service. Continue reading for an additional quiz question. Retaining your hair is relatively effortless the moment you know how to care for it. Hair is manufactured from protein, so maintaining a healthy diet and training fantastic hygiene are crucial elements of retaining luscious locks. Slice back again on sugar, fat, or carbs? Add protein or natural vitamins? Meal prep keeps you on top of things. You understand what you might be eating and when. A bonus: It will be that less difficult to skip those doughnuts while in the breakroom at do the job. These behaviors are good for men and women of any age, of course. Even so the sooner you will get on it, the quicker you may reap the sweet, sweet advantages of healthy residing. Carolyn Kylstra However, for somebody who would not try to eat these foods to begin with, ingesting a bowl of ice cream a night wouldn't be regarded as a healthy habit. With powerful muscles and flexibility, you'll have a reduced possibility of harm in addition to a larger variety of movement. In case you are younger and active, great stability will help you stay clear of accidents. If you are older, it's going to hold you active lengthier and decreased the probabilities you may tumble and break a bone. Other examples: Pack a can of tuna and two apples. Or carry a skinless hen breast and several cucumbers. Just ensure you put together it in advance--this way you won't really have to elect to try to eat healthy. You merely will.

Not known Factual Statements About healthy diet

Also, limit foods with added sugar, which include soda and candy. These are typically resources of empty calories that add to excess weight obtain. A lot of sugary foods may also be large in Unwanted fat, so they’re much more calorie-dense.  A healthy consuming plan presents Your whole body the nutrients it demands daily. It shall have enough energy for good health and fitness, but not a great deal that it can make you overweight. ClickBank is definitely the retailer of goods on this site. CLICKBANK can be a registered trademark of Click Sales, Inc., a Delaware corporation located at 1444 S. Enjoyment Ave., Suite 410 Boise, ID 83709, United states and employed by authorization. The website's content material plus the merchandise for sale is based on the author's belief and is also provided exclusively on an "AS IS" and "AS Offered" basis. You'll want to do your own analysis and ensure the data with other sources when hunting for facts with regards to medical issues and often overview the information meticulously together with your Qualified overall health care company before employing any of the protocols offered on this Web-site and/or inside the merchandise marketed here. Foodstuff processing and nourishment Very careful cooking and storage should help retain the nutrients in your foods... Lunch - avoid the rapidly food deal with (online video) Nutritionist Shane Bilsborough exhibits us the amount energy it will take to burn off off a quick food stuff lunch. Be a part of tradies, Corky and Danny as they Learn how to maintain a healthy weight... Smooth beverages, juice and sweet beverages - youngsters Persuade children to consume and luxuriate in drinking water. Sweet beverages such as juice, cordial and smooth drinks may well result in health problems for youngsters if eaten in massive quantities... Food stuff basic safety for summertime celebrations (video) In the hot temperature You will find a larger danger of food stuff poisoning but should you stick to some simple regulations after you put together, manage and retail outlet foods it's going to appreciably minimize your threat of having Unwell... Healthy taking in The subsequent information is exhibited as Tabs. Once you have activated a url navigate to the end of the checklist to see its related content. The activated url is defined as Energetic Tab Healthy consuming for women in midlife As you grow old you will need much less calories, but your have to have for other nutrients stays unchanged. Healthy... Obtaining plenty of protein Protein is a vital nutrient that can help One's body mature and repair cells. Most Australians eat much more than more than enough protein, but For anyone who is vegetarian or vegan you may not be obtaining more than enough protein (or... Tomatoes should be ripened at home temperature, far from direct daylight. When fully ripe, particularly in hot weather, They might be saved in the refrigerator for a number of days. Reading foods labels - tucker converse tips Labels on packaged foods can present you with useful information regarding the diet, elements, storage and pounds of the food.Insert comprehensive stop to pull estimate... Raw meals could include pesticide residues, parasites along with other extraneous content. As a way to clear the exact same, foods really should be washed properly right before cooking and use to eliminate these contaminants. Vegetables and fruits need to be washed thoroughly with   clear drinking water prior to slicing. Reducing of greens in to small pieces exposes a higher surface area region on the foodstuff on the ambiance, resulting in loss of nutritional vitamins as a consequence of oxidation. The 1200 Cal non-vegetarian diet chart is nearly identical to the vegetarian diet with the exception of eggs, hen and fish which can be included in breakfast, lunch and supper.

[cyanotiger]

Any reasons for that ? (Again just curious lol you dont have to answer this if you dont want!!!

[Referring to this ask]

Oh boy, this is a can of worms.

First of all, anything I say can and probably has been articulated much, much better by others, but I’ll do my best to give you a comprehensive answer.

Also, because this is a rather loaded question, I won’t be censoring the ship name BakuDeku in this post like I usually do, even though my view is pretty negative. I use the blacklisting feature so that I don’t come across content like this and if I censor it, then blacklisting won’t work for the rest of the people like me who want to avoid it. I know I usually censor ship names I’m not fond of, but that’s because it’s usually a small mention so I don’t think it bothers anyone too much, whereas this is a long, relatively detailed post. I will be tagging it with #ship negativity and putting my answer under a read more so that if you like BakuDeku and don’t care about my opinions you can blacklist or otherwise avoid the negativity (same goes for any other ships I dislike).

Warning: Bakugou + BakuDeku negativity below. Scroll ahead if that bothers you.

I think I can give you a good answer if I divide this into three major categories:

I. Combative Relationships

Generally speaking, I’m not a big fan of those. A mutual of mine (that I won’t name because I don’t wanna send drama her way) has said: 

“The thing is, usually, when I ship, I think of the character that would make the other smile more, with fewer conflicts and issues and wounds between them. BakuDeku is full of those.”

and I am of the same opinion. 

(On a similar vein, I don’t like conflictual and combative relationships, but I love conflictual and combative characters.)

I don’t like relationships where those two (or more, though I’m not really a poly shipper) are constantly at each other’s throat, they’re fighting and belittling each other to the point where it leaves deep emotional scars (or physical ones, of course), especially if it’s one-sided.*

*Obviously, I’m not saying that I like ships where the above happens from and to both sides, but at least there’s a sense of mutual conflict instead of one person being each other’s punching bag.

The above being said, I recognize that a) no relationship is without fights and conflicts, and oftentimes, those help us improve as people, and b) I do ship relationships where the characters involved aren’t always “lovey-dovey” and clash a lot. To illustrate my point, I’ll give you two other ships I love that in my opinion fit this stereotype. IwaOi (haikyuu!!), EdWin (Fullmetal Alchemist)** 

**I have only seen the 2009 version, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, so my opinion is solely based off that.

(Also, I should mention that I’ve only watched the anime for the above two, but I have both read the manga and watched the anime for BNHA.)

So, IwaOi. They do clash a lot. Iwaizumi straight-up headbutts Oikawa, slaps his hand, calls him “Trashy,” “Shitty,” “Crappy,” etc. Here’s the thing though: None of those things seriously hurt or fuck up Oikawa. Not even close. We never once see him being remotely sad or afraid because of it. Respectively, Oikawa calls Iwaizumi a brute, pretends like he’s better than him, teases him etc. but none of those things have a negative impact on Iwaizumi. On the contrary, their relationship goes much deeper, since they easily become each other’s pillars.

EdWin. Similarly, they clash quite a bit. Ed calls Winry a mechanic junkie and what-not, and she legit has thrown wrenches and hit him in the head. They certainly bicker a lot. But again: none of these things leave long-lasting (or even short-lasting) scars. They do not diminish the other person’s confidence, they do not make them feel worthless. It’s slapstick, played for a laugh. And of course, you could say that, in the case of Winry throwing wrenches at Ed, “abuse is not funny.” And you’re right. It isn’t. But in this case, it’s not meant to be abuse. It’s comedy, exaggerated anime/manga characteristics and the like. If Hiromu Arakawa had wanted to make EdWin abusive, all that wouldn’t be played for the giggles. It would have real, loaded consequences.

So, I think that sums up the relationship part.

II. Personal experience.

Again, a bit of a can of worms here but what can you do. I’ll gladly admit that an important part of why I dislike BakuDeku (not the main reason, but a good chunk of the entire thing) is due to personal experience.

I’m not gonna talk too much about it because this isn’t something I particularly want to expose for all the world to see with every little detail. The gist of it:

I was bullied throughout nearly the entirety of elementary school (and I also didn’t really have any friends until mid-third grade), and that has played a large part in shaping me to the person I am today, for better or for worse. So you can imagine why I would be less sympathetic towards bullies than your average person. (Because yes, in the beginning, Bakugou was little more than a bully, at least towards Midoriya. Obviously, he’s changed since then, especially in the manga)

Here’s the thing: My bullying was definitely not as bad as what Bakugou did to Midoriya. Don’t get me wrong, it was very much serious, had severe consequences on me, and went on for quite a while, but with that person, it was never (if I recall correctly) physical (I did have another person that got physical with me, though, in fourth and fifth grade. Fun.), but it still fucked me up, in more than one ways. And even though it was nowhere near, dare I say, as bad, they never told me to kill myself, the thought of being with that person romantically and/or sexually makes me sick to my stomach. In fact, I’d be happy if I never heard anything from them ever again.

Continuing, I also strongly disagree with (the majority of?) fandom’s opinion, i.e. that the best way for Bakugou and Midoriya to ‘fix’ their relationship is to be as close as possible, or to constantly work together. I know that yes, sometimes forgiving the person that hurt you helps you heal, but I think that people forget that sometimes, victims and survivors just want to move the fuck on. Again, I’m drawing from personal experience here, so I recognize that this might not apply to Midoriya, but sometimes, what’s best for you is removing yourself from the situation, not immersing yourself in it. Some people can go “You know what, that wasn’t my fault. They hurt me, that doesn’t define me,” and move on. That’s what I was able to do (for the most part). And in that case, rarely/never seeing that person again is what you want/need. You’re able to conceptualize your thoughts and your emotions and your trauma away from them, and heal from your trauma away from them, and that can be immensely helpful for many.

Personally, I actually don’t think Midoriya falls into that category, not exactly. I think he’s one of those people that need an apology/acknowledgement, and that’s why he keeps trying with Bakugou, not because he has feelings for him. And when I say apology I don’t mean “Fucking apologize to me, piece of shit” (which Midoriya would never say, btw) but more of a “I need you to recognize that what you did was wrong, that it wasn’t my fault, and yeah, an apology might be good, but mostly I need that realization from your part”. Like. Several abused/bullied people need that to emotionally move on. Not even an apology, sometimes, but an acknowledgement, that it was not their fault, that they didn’t deserve it.

Whatever the case, I could not disagree more with the opinion “Well, Midoriya has to keep working with/being close to Bakugou to see that he’s not really a bad person, and so that Bakugou can learn to be nicer to him!” that I see a lot.

Generally speaking, I don’t like that Midoriya has to bear so much emotional labor (and relive a lot of painful memories, in my opinion) for the sake of helping Bakugou mature. It’s not his job to fix Bakugou, and as Bakugou’s main victim it shouldn’t be put on his shoulders like that.***

***I saw this last sentence somewhere and I remember it but I cannot, for the life of me, remember who said it.

So, that wraps up the personal experience part. I also wrote a post a while ago about what pisses me off about Bakugou’s bullying (apart from the obvious: fucking bullying), so if you wanna read that, here it is

III. The fandom itself/the shippers themselves.

Disclaimer: I’m aware that this is probably the most subjective of the three. I’m also not referring to specific people here, and this is not meant to call out someone(s). Finally, I am not lumping all the shippers together. The following is stuff I’ve observed in the aggregate of the BakuDeku fandom. I follow/am mutuals with some lovely people that ship BakuDeku, and lastly, dear god, I do not hate BakuDeku shippers.

Alright.

Straight up, something that is not the cause of my dislike but sometimes fuels it is how prevalent it is. I don’t mean this in the “a lot of people ship it, therefore it’s bad” I mean, I’m a hardcore TodoDeku shipper so. I mean it in the “I can barely search the character tags without a lot of it popping up” (though this has progressively gotten better lately, I don’t know why. Oh well). It’s not like it’s this tiny fandom niche, it. is. Everywhere. 

And I get it, I get it, the same thing can be said about TodoDeku, or KiriBaku, or any of the more popular ships. I’ve blacklisted every possible ship name (BakuDeku, DekuBaku, KatsuDeku, DekuKatsu, KatsuIzu, IzuKatsu…) and it still pops up. And even if it didn’t, you gotta admit that having to scroll past ten consecutive posts on your dash because: “This post contains filtered tags #bakudeku” is pretty fucking annoying.

But of course, as I explained, that’s not really a reason for my dislike, and I’m aware that I’m responsible for curating fandom etc. etc. Nor do I really bear any ill will towards those people; they’re reblogging their ship, after all. It’s just something that annoys me. Even if the above didn’t happen, I still would dislike BakuDeku.

Also, generally speaking, I’ve seen far too much upsetting content, such as rape/non-con, pedophilia, regarding that ship. Of course, a) This does not mean that the BakuDeku fandom is ok with those and b) I recognize that this is not exclusive to the BakuDeku fandom/shippers. (For example, I’ve seen KiriBaku content that is actual pedophilia, such as either of them being a teen/pre-teen and the other being in his mid/late-twenties. So yeah.) But I have seen stuff like that come out of the BakuDeku fandom a lot/more than your average fandom/ship, so. 

(But then again, maybe I just saw too much content like that in a short amount of time so my brain is exaggerating? *shrug*)

Furthermore, in a lot of BakuDeku fan content, I’ve seen a lot of creators either excuse or straight up not even acknowledging Bakugou’s bullying. I’ve barely seen an apology/acknowledgement without the reasoning behind it being Bakugou’s romantic feelings instead of the realization that what he did to Midoriya was fucked up.****

****Perhaps that’s because I mostly came across that stuff in the earlier days of fandom, where Bakugou was still kinda horrible, at least in the anime. I don’t really know, and I can’t judge what’s going on now, because I don’t even go close to it.

And dear god, this might get me flack, but some shippers I’ve seen are downright obnoxious (though again, this probably applies to most ships, I guess). But I’m not talking about “jesus, they’re obsessed with their ship”. I don’t particularly care about that. I’m talking about the “if you don’t ship them/see that their relationship is great/read 5391+ pages worth of meta to justify Bakugou’s actions, you’re a horrible person :) and you don’t understand what the story is about at all :) :) ” Yeah. Those people. Annoy me. Especially those that pretend like somehow not shipping BakuDeku means you’re close-minded and unforgiving and believe that Bakugou is a horrible person that deserves no forgiveness and he should die in a fire (the last part is an exaggeration, but you get my point, I believe, and I legit have seen the close-minded/unforgiving parts). 

Also, I should clarify that I’m aware that some BakuDeku shippers were bullying/abuse victims themselves. Still, that doesn’t give you a pass for being an asshole to someone else (especially another victim) nor does it invalidate the “other side’s” argument.

(And as another disclaimer, I do not really want to associate with the anti BakuDeku crowd, and yes, I have seen some terrible stuff they’ve said too. This isn’t an anti vs. shipper thing, it’s a here’s why I don’t like this ship thing.)

All that being said, I know that the above does not represent the majority of shippers/fandom, but I have seen those things disturbingly often. Maybe it’s the vocal minority. I don’t know, and frankly, I don’t care anymore.

I think that’s pretty much it for this section.

All in all, I get why people ship it. Their dynamic is definitely interesting and a core element of BNHA, and people see different aspects they like in a ship. Just as the reason(s) I ship TodoDeku might be different from another TodoDeku shipper’s, I recognize that obviously not all BakuDeku shippers have the same reasoning behind their shipping, nor do they all want the same things to happen regarding their canon relationship in BNHA.

Anyways, I hope I was able to give you a satisfactory answer, but also holy shit, this got really long. And no problem about answering your first ask.

[myallywynn]

Planning to start your own shipping and freight business..?? Read this..

For any business to be successful, one needs to know the business, its model and requirements inside out.. Many businesses start with a great idea..

But there could be big gap between a great idea and a great startup and many people don’t have a clue on how to bridge this gap and may end up spending their life savings to start the business..

Forbes published an article on 10 Reality Checks Before Starting Your Own Business..

Are you ready for the startup lifestyle?

Are there customers with real pain and money?

Is the market opportunity large and growing?

Is this a crowded space already?

Does your solution have hidden dependencies or costs?

Do you have intellectual property to defend against competitors?

Can you build a motivated and qualified team?

Have you looked realistically at the costs?

Do you have stamina and skills?

Going “from” rather than “to”?

  While the above is good for any business, if you are planning to start your own shipping and freight business, here are 7 reasons why you shouldn’t start your own shipping and freight business..

Yes you are reading it right..

You shouldn’t start your own shipping and freight business if :

7) You don’t understand the real role and work of the various entities (freight forwarder, customs broker, shipping agent etc etc) involved in the business

6) You don’t know the role of the HS Code or Tariff in the whole gamut of shipping

5) You don’t know the role of a bill of lading or the difference between a house bill of lading and master bill of lading

4) You don’t know your Incoterms® from your Algebra or when cargo can be shipped without insurance

3) Which means you also don’t know or understand the implications of liability and risk management involved in the business

2) You don’t know how to calculate CBM or the meaning of Freight Ton/Revenue Ton or the financial impact of the business

1) In short, you are unclear about the real processes and procedures involved in the import and export chain

You must be thinking that it is obvious that one has to have this knowledge before wanting to start this business, but you will be surprised to know how many questions I receive relating to shipping and freight business like below..

I am planning to start import and export business in a week with my friends. But I don’t know import and export procedures clearly. Please provide step-by-step guidance how to start freight forwarding business.

I want to open my own customs house agency but I am not clear on the duty calculation process, can you help me.

There are several pitfalls of starting a business you know nothing of or unsure of..

Let’s examine the reasons why you shouldn’t start your own shipping and freight business if you fall into the above category..

7) There are several entities involved in the shipping and freight industry like freight forwarder, clearing agent, NVOCC, haulier, surveyor, ships agency…………….. and many more..

So first and foremost, you need to be clear about which of these businesses you want to get into..

All these entities have varied and different roles to play in the whole chain and it is certainly not easy for a startup with incomplete knowledge to handle these functions..

In the case of 1st example above, someone wants to start their own freight forwarding business, but has no knowledge of the process..

Theoretically “anyone can become a freight forwarder” because in most countries there is no legislation stopping anyone from “calling” themselves a freight forwarder or doing business as a freight forwarder..

However, in order to operate as a true freight forwarder there are several process and procedures to be aware of and several responsibilities one needs to assume..

Assuming responsibility could also include costs involved which may fall on the freight forwarders head and he or she has to know the business well enough to ensure which costs he or she maybe held responsible for..

For example, a freight forwarder needs to know whether he or she can be held responsible for abandoned cargo or whether he or she maybe held liable for any damages to cargo routed via them and at what stage..

Remember the shipper or consignee is dependent on YOU to provide proper information and guide them with their shipments..

  6) Why should I be aware of the HS Code and tariff and why is this information important to start my own shipping and freight business you may ask..

Say for example you are planning to start a Customs Clearing business, the HS Code is the basis on which import tariffs are calculated and any duty, vat or tax is charged..

Without knowing the proper classification of the cargo and which HS code it falls under, you will not be able to handle your clients cargo effectively.. The incorrect use of the HS code may result in cargo being confiscated, fines levied, criminal penalties/charges instituted, or result in cargo being returned to the POL..

Remember the shipper or consignee is dependent on YOU to provide proper information and guide them with their shipments..

  5) The bill of lading is one of the most important documents in the shipping cycle and as a forwarder or shipping agent, you need to REALLY know and understand the role of this important document and which type of bill of lading to issue for which shipment and to where.. 

As an agent on whom the shipper or consignee depends on

you need to be aware of how the bill of lading must be consigned and to whom

of course it would also help if the shipper or consignee knows about the process of export or import especially if they are exporting for the first time or importing for the first time

you also need to know the various intricacies involved in issuing a house bill of lading vs a master bill of lading

you need to ensure issuance of the correct type of bill of lading such as Sea waybill instead of Original and vice versa

you need to ensure that the bill of lading is issued correctly in terms of the transport mode such as Multi-Modal or Combined Transport or Port to Port

Incorrect issuance of the bill of lading can cause severe financial implications not to mention delays at the port of discharge for the client to secure their cargo..

Remember the shipper or consignee is dependent on YOU to provide proper information and guide them with their shipments..

  4) Incoterms® rules are an internationally recognized standard and are used worldwide in international and domestic contracts for the sale of goods and is designed to help traders avoid costly misunderstandings by clarifying the tasks, costs and risks involved in the delivery of goods from sellers to buyers..

Incorrect interpretation of Incoterms® by an agent has many a times resulted in several cases of money and business loss for both the agent and their customer..

Misinterpretations and incorrect use of the Incoterms® such as the use of FOB for containers, continues in the market purely based on previous practices..

As an agent involved in the shipping and freight business, you really need to understand these terms in depth so that you may provide sane advice to your customers and others who may not be aware of the differences in the terms and where and how it should be applied..

You will require this in-depth knowledge especially when it comes to quoting a customer based on the Incoterms® he provides you.. If you are not aware of this, you may very well end up missing to quote vitals elements such as duties, taxes and some other important charges..

Remember the shipper or consignee is dependent on YOU to provide proper information and guide them with their shipments..

  3) This brings us to the question of risk management associated with the shipping and freight industry.. There are several identified risks as below, all of which can apply in the shipping and freight business..

Using proper SOPs

Arranging proper insurance cover

Counterparty risks

Jurisdictional risks

Contractual carriers

An agent must be able to advise their clients on these risks and must also be fully equipped to deal with these risks and be aware of how to mitigate them if and when it arises..

Another point that most businesses in the industry seem to forget is the usage of proper and comprehensive Trading Conditions that must be incorporated in all communications and this simple act has been known to mitigate several losses to the people involved..

Insurance and risk management cover does not apply only to the cargo, seller, buyer etc, but also applies to a forwarder or clearing agent who must have their own cover to protect themselves.. There are many entities which provide liability insurance and related risk management services to the international transport and logistics industry..

Remember the shipper or consignee is dependent on YOU to provide proper information and guide them with their shipments..

  2) Any shipping and freight business (any business for that matter) will be started with the intention of making a profit.. However, if you are not aware of the basis on which your service must be charged, then you would start losing money from the beginning..

For example if you want to start a freight forwarding or a clearing agency business you DEFINITELY need to know how to calculate the dimensions of the cargo and be able to work out the CBM and charge the customer basis Revenue Ton or Freight Ton because that is the main basis of charging for many forwarding, warehousing and clearing agency businesses..

If you are not aware of how this works, then it is going to be very difficult for you to be able to charge your customer..

My post on how to calculate CBM and Freight Ton is the one of the most popular posts on this resource which shows how many people are still learning this and how popular this calculation is..

So don’t miss learning this crucial point which can affect you financially..

Remember the shipper or consignee is dependent on YOU to provide proper information and guide them with their shipments..

  1) The last but most important point is if you are not aware of the processes and procedures involved in the shipping and freight business, then you would be better off not to start your own shipping and freight business..

It is absolutely vital that you have at least a good 5-7 years experience in a similar “working” position in the industry and handling shipments before you even consider starting your own shipping and freight business..

What I have mentioned above are only a few main points, but there are several other points one needs to consider before embarking on your own shipping and freight business..

Like for example, the process and procedures involved in insuring yours or your client’s cargo or what happens if cargo is shipped without insurance..

Last but not least : Remember the shipper or consignee is dependent on YOU to provide proper information and guide them with their shipments..

  Conclusion

The shipping and freight industry is highly volatile as it is and as you may have seen, many shipping lines, freight forwarders, 3PL companies, and courier companies have merged and strengthened their positions through these mergers and acquisitions..

All these companies have been around, doing the shipping and freight business for yonks and know the workings of the business and yet they have had issues..

Of course that is not to say that smaller operators will be unsuccessful, and if you surely know how the business is run and confident of avoiding pitfalls like above, by all means go ahead and “Start your own shipping and freight business“.. Good Luck..

I am sure that there are some readers who run their own shipping and freight business successfully or some readers who have not been able to run their own shipping and freight business successfully..

In either case, pls share your experiences so many others can learn what to do and what not to do in order to start and maintain their own shipping and freight business..

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[clientsnow]

7 MOST IMPORTANT SEO TIPS TO FOLLOW | 2020

You have a good new business idea, registered your domain name?and started building your own website? However, can you make sure that it’s easy for Google and alternative search engines to find and rank? SEO can be a lengthy method and the unit of results area is rarely immediate, however the main steps you are taking when launching a new website will have a huge impact on the website’s potential to rank your words in Google. Target key and start driving traffic, leads, and sales. Get it right from the get-go, from an SEO perspective, and you’ll save hours and hours of work in short order fixing a website that wasn’t originally built with SEO in mind. We’ve listed seven first steps below every time you start a brand new website to make sure it’s designed from the bottom up to rank for your target keywords and drive as much traffic as possible from organic search.

1)CREATE A “COMING SOON” PAGE OF YOUR WEBSITE AND CHECK AND OPTIMIZE THE SMALL DETAILS OF THE WEBPAGE

Web indexes empower more established destinations. Keep in mind that it takes some effort to rank in the web indexes, so start with your “coming soon” page to reduce wait time after submission. The bots don’t care if there’s a “coming soon” message on the page; they care about content, slogans, and customer experience. Your next long page is a source of potential customers. Incorporate a solid source of inspiration here, and entice guests to fill out a lead structure, perhaps by giving them something like a PDF management, video, section in a giveaway, or detailed infographic in return. Keep adding to this lead summary and keep these leads until the site is complete. This page can help build your image. Express all the data on your page with the voice of your image. Use top-notch images on the page. Make sure all information is up to date. You can start partnering with clients, even without a full site. Associate your “coming soon” page with your web-based media presence. Use your developing online media to make noise about the new website and its content. Reach out to people to entice them to visit the site when it ships. Tell everyone that something significant is just around the corner. You could squeeze out ads and make it easier for the press to reach you. Incorporate a media pack on your “coming soon” page. Your multimedia drive should be attractive, bright, and easily accessible. It should incorporate all of the fundamentals about your business and your site, and this is one more possibility for you to enhance the content of this page with a rich and attractive substance. In your press kit, include:

logos that media contacts can download and use;

all contact information for you and the company; your mission statement and company overview; a section of frequently asked questions, biographies for you and your main staff; a summary of the media coverage to date. Update the kit frequently. Not only will this ensure that it is more comprehensive, but it will keep search engines seeing new content here regularly. Make sure to make the kit on standard web pages so it can be linked and ranked. If you’re still not convinced, remember: Google has advised webmasters to use a”coming soon” page in the past.

2) START MAKING ACCOUNTS ON EVERY SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORM

It is absolutely critical to start building your social media community before your site launch. You want to make sure you already have a loyal following who invest in your business when the launch occurs. By engaging your audience on relevant social media platforms and sharing great content, you are building trust in your brand and business and building your reputation as an authority. Make sure you have complete profiles on all the big ones (Twitter, YouTube, Facebook, LinkedIn, Google ) and any other platform that specifically targets your target audience. Connect each profile to your “coming soon” page and make it easy for people to follow your social media presence and get launch updates with the click of a button.

3. CONSIDER MAKING ATLEAST 10 BLOG POSTS ONCE YOUR WEBSITE IS LIVE

Well-optimized, actionable content will drive tons of organic traffic to your site, even when it’s still very new. There are no shortcuts here; you need your content to be of high quality. And while you should keep that content long after your site launches, you should already have a healthy content pool at launch. This is because web crawlers will visit your site for immediate indexing, and you want them to have enough information-rich content to index from day one. Long-form content, in particular, will provide depth to your new site that cannot be replaced, and it simply ranks higher in search results. Also, sometimes it’s a good idea to start pre-submitting a blog. This will allow you to make pre-launch announcements, add ongoing new content, and build a bit of SEO authority and enthusiasm. Hopefully you will be able to attract some links too. Plus, when you start making press releases, you’ll have your blog ready for news sources and consumers to refer to for more information.

4. CREATE AND COMPLETE THE WEBSITE AND MAKE SURE IT IS OPTIMIZED

Along these same lines, you need multiple pages within your site and each one must be optimized. Include long-form, high-authority content that your target visitors will use on every page. Don’t reinvent the wheel from page to page; instead, make sure each page is in focus and useful. Remember to use keywords, particularly long tail keywords (your site won’t rank for big terms right away), on every page and in page titles. Put your keyword database so your site works on all pages. You want to make sure that you have created a fantastic and optimized page for every possible aspect of the business before the launch occurs. At that point when it is distributed web crawlers will archive the pages accurately and (ideally) give you some underlying rankings.

5. GUEST BLOGGING FOR THE DOMAIN TO MAKE LINKS

When I mention guest blogging to link to your domain, I don’t mean spam or self-promotion. I mean producing some of your best work to share with audiences on the sites you admire. When done right, guest blogging is a fast and powerful way to drive traffic to your site and leads to your email list. It also allows you to gather your credibility and inevitably become an influencer. Look for the best guest blogging opportunities by reviewing sites in your niche and finding out what types of guest posts they would like to see. You can also search for the keywords and phrases you want to associate with to see where people are reading and writing about those topics. In conclusion, you can basically search for “visitor blog vacancies” or “compose for us” along with your special word or phrase.

6.ALWAYS PUT YOUR SITE IN NICHE DIRECTORIES

A directory simply lists the sites and companies and breaks them down by categories and subcategories. By getting your website to appear on the correct sites before launch, you have created authority for your “coming soon” page that will carry over to the rest of your If the directory is well known and widely used in your area of business, it will be worth it. Make sure you know that the directory is a real powerhouse in its field before paying.

7. SIGN UP FOR CORE SITES

These core sites include,but not limited to these sites only: Yelp Best of the Web Bing Places

SO THESE ARE THE 7 MOST IMPORTANT TIPS THAT CAN HELP

YOUR BUSINESS TO GROW WITH THE HELP OF SEO.FOR MORE INFORMATION AND SEO SERVICES FOR YOUR BUSINESS or if you need any help with website creation or design YOU CAN VISIT – WWW.CLIENTSNOW.IN

[ted-hyung]

as a b1a4 supremacist, what do you think one should do to get to know them? i only recently kind of got into them because i didnt really know them until sandeul released his solo album

that’s CNU, btw, used to invent long hair before nuest ren or seventeen jeonghan.

also used to rock hipster glasses before it was cool. kang daniel the shoulder gangster? idk her. it’s CNU.

anyway.

where should i start? BUT a major note to take about B1A4 is they went from this:

(RIP FASHUN)

to this:

hallelujah. read more here.

listen, friend, i go way back with B1A4. i literally cried watching this subbed video lmaooo skip to 43:40.

it’s from MTV MATCH UP B1A4 X BLOCK B eps 8. rip me wyd. let’s talk about B1A4 and block b. they were the shits back then yo. 2011 was their debut year; two boy groups from unknown agencies tackling two different genres and images and MTV GOD BLESS MTV GAVE THEM A MATCHING VARIETY SHOW. you can watch B1A4 cuts here and you will see the legendary dread!zico tryna to win over gentle jinyoung-hyung and FAILED BIG TIME who’s crying with me.

block b will always hold a place in my heart. do you know who invented hep hap? it’s block b. their “new kids on the block”, “welcome to the block”, and “blockbuster” albums have no fault. none. but then they’re hep hap no more and i lost them.

B1A4 KOREAN DISCOGRAPHY + PERSONAL SONG REC, from latest to newest. i believe you can find the newest albums on SPOTIFY JFC why can’t day6.

LET’S FLY (2011): please listen to “only one” lmao. “only learned the bad things” was so, so, so sweet for my skinny freshman ass. i love it.

IT B1A4 (2011): lbr “beautiful target” was the best. watch them grow from you zoom zoom my heart like a rocket to CNU’s iconic everybody say la la. also “chu chu chu” was super chill. “fooool”? you’d find yourself singing along upon first listen.

IGNITION (2012): EVERYTHING IN THIS ALBUM BUT THE TITLE TRACK AKA MY HYUNG JUNG JINYOUNG’S FIRST TACKLE ON PRODUCING GEMS. also sandeul has a solo track here TITLED “CRUSH” GO FIND IT NOW.

IGNITION SPECIAL EDITION (2012): “baby goodnight” is so iconic i’m still side-eyeing newer idols who aren’t singing it to the camera while they’re preparing to go to sleep LMAOOOOOOOOO.

IN THE WIND (2012): yes they graced us BANA with 3 albums back in 2012. “TRIED TO WALK” HANDS DOWN ONE OF THEIR BEST SONGS. TOP 5. i’m the president of na honja ireoke opening line. i have a shrine for that line. the most impactful opening line of all songs, korean or not. amen. listen to all tracks please please. you’ll find the B1A4 distinct flavor on “what do you want to do”. like. go. now.

WHAT’S HAPPENING (2013): B1A4 wore fancy stuffs during this promotion. me ghosta. but DO YOU LIKE BALLAD? “good love” had me on the floor. then i read the translation and i died.

WHO AM I (2014): jesus lord and savior. this album. jesus f christ man THIS ALBUM. LISTEN TO EVERY SINGLE THING HERE PLEASE. “baby” further wow me about baro’s voice. “too much” WHICH IS SANDEUL + GONGCHAN’S DUET? fuck lmao we’re talking about heartbreak here and mine’s bleeding whenever i listen to “too much”. “DRUNK WITH MUSIC” tho. wow CNU-hyung. killed. this. concept. i can’t. you’re lying if your shoulders aren’t moving along and if your head isn’t nodding along. it’s THAT good. you’ll feel the swag. seriously.

SOLO DAY (2014): summer means “solo day”. period. it’s my summer jam. it should be YOURS. “drive” is so so so good. it has asphalt in the lyric. honestly do listen. also if you’re JYP stan do realize B1A4 had collaboration with min and suzy and in this album, sunmi. awesome.

SWEET GIRL (2015): oh my girl visual slash vocal slash handsome girl jiho is in the music video for the title track “sweet girl”. life’s good. in “wait” BARO IS SINGING I REPEAT BARO IS SINGING AND BANA prolly cried everywhere. and jinyoung wailing i can’t stop thinking about you girl everyday, everyday? LMAO BYE.

GOOD TIMING (2016): “a lie”, undoubtedly quenched BANA’s thirst after one whole year. have you watched “a lie” live on music shows? if the ‘touch my cheek tell me i’m not lying’ isn’t the best point of all dance point then idk what to trust. yes, i’m that supremacist LMAO. “crushing on you again” is so sweet, so very winter season love song aka B1A4’s very own color. they should be dubbed as winter season kings because their releases during fall/winter (in the wind, who am i, good timing) are the be(a)sts. “nightmare” paved the road for winner’s “really really” LMAO i’m joking. but not really. i mean baro and mino are practically brothers. “in dreams” sounds so fucking dreamy, like i said, totally winter season love song. “i’ll find you” makes me long for someone it shall inspire y’all. “together” is the one last song that leaves you wonder if these singing strangers are really worth our money and time and dedication and the answer is YES BECAUSE B1A4 RECORDED THIS SONG WITH KOREAN BANAS. jesus.

okay.

it’s july 2017. my bro baro is acting in a drama now. sandeul, your man, has collab with a starship kid. does it mean we’re going to have another winter season album? i’d say amen.

bonus: this is my fave pic of them.

if you’ve heard of it jinyoung is a composer. he’s well noted by other idols and important people in the industry lmao. he also acts. wow. i don’t follow girl groups, but LMAO THIS SONG? “AT THE SAME PLACE” MADE BY JINYOUNG HELPED B1A4 TO GET MORE RECOGNITION. this time i gotta thank mnet for the opportunity. and for the girls who were so sweet fangirling towards my hyung jung jinyoung.

listen to my ult oh my girl’s “one step two step” here and say yes that you can hear jinyoung’s magic there. i’ll just link to the BEST FANCAM EVER.

HERE’S THEM SINGING THE LEGENDARY SONG THEMSELVES:

AND JINYOUNG COMPOSED THE NEWEST GIRL GROUP BOP “DEEP BLUE EYES” wow my hyung shall be crowned as THE PRINCE OF GIRL GROUP BOPS. like.

i cry a lot. but promise this is the last time. i cried watching sandeul’s music video for his solo debut “stay as you are” but y kno it already. help my bro reach 1 million views before a year please.

fun fact: been with them since 2011. never got into shipping business, just here purely for the music and the people. they’re like friends that i’ve known for a long time; we don’t necessarily stay in touch but i always think of them fondly, y feel? i find new friends as i get older every year, yet i’ll always be the first to congratulate them if they reach another milestone in their respective lives y kno? moral of this story: don’t ship for a long lasting stanning TROOLOLOLOLLOLOLO.

this is comprehensive.

i hope i helped.

everyone please have a good weekend.

[blooming-blooming]

Saw I - VII: A Comprehensive View

This is something I don’t normally do, but have been meaning to do for a while when I consume a large series of media in a short period time. I figured this was the perfect opportunity to start.

As of recently, I’ve realized that I am a fan of horror. Like, a really, really big fan of horror. I’ve always flirted with my fascination of it (The Green Ribbon had more of an impact on me in the walls of my elementary school library than it probably should have on an 8 year old, in hindsight), but I never really knew where to go about getting into the genre until I started dating my girlfriend, who has horror as a special interest.

Growing up in the 2000’s with an older sister that was going through her middle school goth phase when the first film in the franchise came out, it was hard not to know about Saw. Such an iconic franchise I knew very little about past the gore (and, let’s be real -- I’m a huge fan of gore); so me, my girlfriend, and a friend of ours decided to spend my last weekend of Summer marathonning all 7 movies. Both of them had seen the first two films and we’d all read plot summaries, but besides that, it was a blind watch through. Here’s my brief stance on each one.

Altogether, I was surprised at just how much I enjoyed this experience. I was expecting to mostly suffer, and maybe find some small nuggets of enjoyment along the way to keep me going, but after every movie (except III), I found myself wanting to watch the next one right away. These movies are by no means good movies, for the most part, but they’ve become a guilty pleasure for me. Among all the egregious, torture porn-y gore and a plot that beyond transcends making even remote sense, I found myself having a lot of fun. And, at the end of the day, that’s the purpose of a cash cow franchise like this was: to entertain you. In that regard, the Saw franchise succeeded.

Saw (2004)

The first in the franchise, and the most iconic. We’ve all heard of the reverse bear trap and the part where Gordon cuts his foot off.

I didn’t know what to expect when I dove into this movie, and I was very pleasantly surprised. The atmospheric building is top notch, and the twist at the end has much more impact than I expected it to. I enjoyed the tension and distrust between Adam and Gordon; I felt it was just as realistic of an approach for them to never trust each other as it would have been had they slowly learned to trust each other.

What’s really important in this one, though, which every sequel lacks, is Kramer’s portrayal. He’s not painted as philosophical or in the light, he’s painted as downright sadistic and cruel. The fact that he isn’t a murderer in the absolute broadest sense of the term is only ever mentioned by Gordan, and not constantly used as a justification for him. His cancer is only ever brought up to give him a connection to Gordon and Zepp; not something to make the viewers empathize.

This especially makes the final scene, the one where he stands up, have so much more impact: “The key was in the bathtub,” and Adam’s subsequent reaction is the ultimate punch in the stomach to the viewer because it’s so evil. The entire time Adam thought he had a chance, that there was a spot of hope for him, only to have it viciously jerked away as he realizes he was damned from the beginning. Because this is a franchise with a narrative built entirely on retconning, this impact is diminished severely in later installments, but as a standalone film, it’s top notch.

Also, apparently the ship name for Gordon and Adam is “Chainshipping”. I have no idea how that, of all ship names, wasn’t taken by the YuGiOh fandom at least a decade ago, but I’m mildly impressed that a ship that obscure has a name at all.

Overall score: 8/10

Saw II (2005)

The second installment in the franchise. It’s worth noting that the original screenplay wasn’t intended to be a Saw film, but rather an original story that got adapted to work into the Saw universe.

The story follows eight people who have all been locked in a house. The doors will open and they’ll be free in three hours, but there’s just one problem: there’s a neurotoxin in their systems that will kill them in two. They need to work together to find out what their connection to one another is while overcoming challenges to gain antidotes to the neurotoxin before they die. Meanwhile, a police team lead by detective Eric Matthews has located and is interrogating Kramer on the location of Matthews’ son, Daniel, one of the eight people in the house.

Right off the bat, the drop of quality from the first movie is extremely apparent. Very few members of the cast are properly developed, and many die before they even get to their trap. Most notably, one of the characters, Obi, is an arsonist who is very heavily implied to be an accomplice of Kramer’s. This aspect is explored for all of about two minutes before he gets burned alive in an incinerator. It’s hard to get invested because there are too many characters who have nothing going for them.

Despite that, there are good things about the film. The needle pit scene is well done in just how tense and unfair it is. Likewise, the twist at the end that the house game happened before the police found Kramer is really creative and interesting. Sadly, these positives don’t make the movie worth watching overall, though.

Overall score: 4/10

Saw III (2006)

I honestly don’t know what to say. This was the worst movie I have ever watched in my entire life. Sadism and cruelty in a story should have a narrative purpose and should ultimately be shown to be bad, but it’s not here. You are honest to god supposed to think John Kramer, the serial killer who took one of his victims, a mentally ill recovering drug addict, and brainwashed her to carry out his torture with him, is in the moral right when said victim finally lashes out. You’re supposed to think it’s cool when Amanda, who has been deliberately manipulated and abused by this man, gets told she couldn’t meet up to his standards. You’re supposed to think she deserved her death for being “irrational” when she calls Kramer out on his bullshit, hypocritical, half-assed “philosophy”. Fuck that. Fuck that so hard with a stake wrapped in barbed wire.

Also, the dad was an unsympathetic piece of shit and all of the traps weren’t violent in a way that was thematically appropriate (minus the crucifix one, but that one was disturbing for a million other reasons, anywways, so who the fuck cares if it was good conceptually), they were just gross. I have never wanted to unwatch a movie as badly as I wanted to unwatch this one immediately after finishing it in my entire life.

HATE. LET ME TELL YOU HOW MUCH I'VE COME TO HATE YOU SINCE I BEGAN TO LIVE. THERE ARE 387.44 MILLION MILES OF PRINTED CIRCUITS IN WAFER THIN LAYERS THAT FILL MY COMPLEX. IF THE WORD HATE WAS ENGRAVED ON EACH NANOANGSTROM OF THOSE HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF MILES IT WOULD NOT EQUAL ONE ONE-BILLIONTH OF THE HATE I FEEL FOR HUMANS AT THIS MICRO-INSTANT FOR YOU. HATE. HATE.

Overall score: -∞/10

Saw IV (2007)

Lord knows why I decided to continue watching these movies after the misanthropic, nihilistic, faux-philosophical sack of trash that was III, but I’m surprisingly glad I did. I feel like I could just say, “A pedophile dies one of the single most brutal deaths known to man, and a man who abuses his wife and daughter has a terrible death, too,” but that doesn’t even begin to scratch the surface of what makes this movie amazing.

This is the first film where Kramer is dead (or so we’re lead to believe), however, Amanda is dead, too. So the franchise needs a new accomplice retconned in to take over after this film when Kramer and Amanda are dead For Real. Enter detective Hoffman, who had a grand total of one line of dialogue in III, to take that spot.

The plot and pacing of this film is stupid. And when I say stupid, I mean stupid. Everything is so ridiculously convoluted with multiple plot lines and involvement in the FBI that I honest to god could not describe to someone what happens. And, somewhere along the way, the film goes full circle. It becomes so ridiculous, so hard to follow, that it becomes brilliant. It’s so convoluted that you can’t help but laugh at the absolute absurdity of it all. This movie is a shitshow, but it’s an entertaining shitshow.

Overall score: 3/10

Saw V (2008)

The first film where Kramer and Amanda are Dead For Real, following the fallout from the incidents of Saws III + IV. FBI Agent Peter Strahm is onto Hoffman’s identity, and is deadset on bringing him to justice. Meanwhile, five people are trapped in a sewer and need to learn what connects all of them, and also go through some traps to attract viewers to theaters because nobody would see this otherwise.

This film is ultimately disappointing because it could have been good. All five contestants in the sewer game are really interesting, and it takes the concept of II and fixes up the ideas from it. Sadly, this cast and their story gets even less development than those in Saw II. I’m not joking when I say that they’re only there for the sake of a murder game to attract viewers; 90% of the film is focused on a boring game of cat and mouse between Strahm and Hoffman. It’s really a shame, since I absolutely love the twist at the end that they were supposed to work together for all of the traps and none of them had any idea until it was too late. It’s a concept I might make something of my own with, since I’d really love to see it done well and properly developed.

Overall score: 2/10

Saw VI (2009)

This movie is, quite frankly, surreal. I’m not sure if all of the previous sequels simply wore down my standards for what is or isn’t a high quality movie, but this film was legitimately fantastic.

A very common criticism for this movie is that it is far too political for a franchise that is known for just being senseless gore -- and it’s true, especially because of how hypocritical it is that a franchise based entirely around killing/punishing people for arbitrary reasons is making social commentary on the insurance industry deciding who deserves to live based on arbitrary reasons. Despite that, though, there’s something about it in this film that works so well.

The storytelling in this movie is the closest any of the sequels get to matching the quality of the first film. Following protagonist William Easton, the CEO of an insurance company that is notorious for rejecting potential clients coverage when needed or prematurely terminating contracts, he is lead through several traps where he is forced to put value on the lives of his employees. Meanwhile, Hoffman is dealing with the consequences of trying and failing to frame the now-deceased Strahm for his crimes.

I really don’t know what to say about this film other than it’s bizarrely well done. The Merry Go Round trap is my favorite trap in the franchise (after my Number 1 Hall of Fame favorite, The Bed Trap from IV, anyways); the direction of the arguing employees begging for life and Easton ultimately leaving his second choice up to chance just so he can get it over with is handled chillingly well. A lot of people find the twist diminishing to Easton’s storyline, but I disagree. The fact that the game was never Easton’s and was always the wife and son of one of the people his company was responsible for the death for reminds me a lot of the first film in a good way. It has the same cruelty to it that is satisfying because it works within the narrative; just because Easton realized the errors of his ways in an extreme situation does not mean the people he has hurt in his practices have to forgive him. This is pointed out as such in both Tara and Brent’s dialogue as they make the choice in the end to kill him. It’s just as appropriate of a response as if they let him live.

This is also the first (and only) movie where I even find myself interested in the extended “plot” throughout all seven movies; Hoffman has completely screwed himself over, and it’s surprisingly suspenseful to watch him try and crawl himself out of his hole.

Overall score: 7/10

Saw VII (2010)

Overall score: Torture porn/10

[charitywaterblog]

Meet our 2017 Summer Interns!

We broke a record this year when we hired 21 amazingly talented and incredibly passionate interns to work alongside our team for the summer. We feel so lucky to have found such an awesome group of young world-changers and are extremely grateful for their hard work and dedication over the past few months. Say hello to our 2017 summer interns! 

Nikita Benson School: NYU Team: Finance Hometown: Muscat, Oman

Why did you want to intern at charity: water?

The post-water project completion efforts to monitor, evaluate, and ensure sustainability by locals seems like something missing from a lot of development programs, though a vital part of the solution. Also, the large picture of Caroline in the reception really moved me, not something I was expecting to feel.   

What does a typical day in the office look like for you?

I'm working on a specific project looking into the foreign currency exchange losses sustained by partners, so most of my day is focused on that. Sometimes I work on smaller Excel related tasks.

What is your favorite part of interning at charity: water?

The Finance team seems really jolly, so it's nice to watch people laughing and looking happy!

What is your favorite NYC hangout?

Seriously, it's the L train at night

Fun Fact: I used to ice-skate competitively and now I'm a lapsed skater with skates that have needed breaking into for the last 2 years.

Jessica Jang School: Binghamton University Team: Key Relationships Hometown: St. James, NY

Why did you want to intern at charity: water?

I fell in love with charity: water’s mission, and I wanted to contribute to something that influenced the world outside my little bubble. Why not be a part of such inspiring and impactful work?

What does a typical day in the office look like for you?

I’m usually updating lots of numbers and working on updates to send to donors about their water project sponsorships.

What is your favorite part of interning at charity: water?

My favorite part is the people and their hard work and passion for what they do. The office environment is a huge part of making everyday fun and exciting! I love hearing the amazing stories from people I work with, people who support us, and people we help.

What is your favorite NYC hangout?

I love exploring new foods so you can most likely find me trying a new place to eat. That or finding a nice spot in Central Park to relax with friends.

Fun Fact: I have played a 9ft Steinway piano at Carnegie Hall.

Jill McInerney The George Washington University Key Relationships Warren, NJ

Why did you want to intern at charity: water?

I wanted to learn how non-profit organizations run and charity: water was the perfect fit! charity: water's mission and model to solve the water crisis spoke to me, so I knew I wanted to work here.

What does a typical day in the office look like for you?

My day usually starts with chatting with my fellow KR interns about anything from everyone's weekend/days off to celebrity gossip. For lunch, I grab a bite to eat from one of the various cafes in the area then sit in the Flex space and eat/laugh with all the KR interns. The typical work I do for Maria consists of donor research, sending updates to donors, buying and sending cool gifts, and inputting data into Salesforce/excel spreadsheets.

What is your favorite part of interning at charity: water?

My favorite part about interning for charity: water is the all around positivity and amazing energy in the office. Everyone is so passionate about what they are doing making charity: water an unbelievable place to work.

What is your favorite NYC hangout?

Any rooftop that has a great view and great vibes

Fun Fact: I am extremely interested in history!

Maeve Kennard School: USC Team: Water Programs Hometown: Wilton, CT

Why did you want to intern at charity: water?

Last summer I had the opportunity to work with the Water Programs team on various data projects. I fell in love with the organization and the work I was doing and had trouble seeing myself at any internship that was not charity: water. I knew that I would not receive a more valuable experience outside of charity: water and had to come back to continue to learn about the organization and see how it continues to grow and adapt.

What does a typical day in the office look like for you?

I spend most of my days working on various Water Programs data projects, whether they are cleaning Household Data Sets and analyzing the success of various water projects, or helping to create comprehensive Water Point Site Lists to better track past projects.

What is your favorite part of interning at charity: water?

It is definitely a tie between the day to day work and the people. I love working with the data sets and understanding the true impact of all of the water projects. But the people here are also some of the most interesting and hard working people I have ever had the pleasure of meeting. Everyone has such a different story and brings such unique skills to the organization that there is never a shortage of knowledge to learn and share.

What is your favorite NYC hangout?

Any rooftop with a cool view and good food

Fun Fact: I used to be allergic to the cold weather when I was younger (which I didn't even realize was possible) and after spending 3 years in California with minimal winter exposure, that allergy has started to come back.

Noëlle Elmore School: The King's College Team: Supporter Experience Hometown: Mobile, AL

Why did you want to intern at charity: water?

I read a book called "Half the Sky" in high school, and ever since I've been super passionate about women's issues, especially in developing countries. Friends from my college told me about charity: water, and after reading about the massive effect that clean water can have on women and children, I was sold. I know I want to do some kind of international non-profit work when I graduate, so interning at charity: water is perfect!

What does a typical day in the office look like for you?

My job is mainly focused on the Help Center - I help supporters with any questions they have while campaigning or donating to charity: water. I reallocate donations, help set-up campaigns, and ship Jerry Cans! Lately, I've been helping with a Marketing initiative to personally thank every single campaigner, which is time-consuming but so amazing!

What is your favorite part of interning at charity: water?

Well, the bean bag chairs, trail mix, and Beer + Pizza Fridays are definitely big contenders, but I have to say that my favorite thing is the staff's attitude towards interns. My manager gives me meaningful projects to work on and I can work independently, knowing that everyone here is willing to help/advise/support me anytime I need it. The staff makes a point to get to know the interns and bring them into the charity: water community.

What is your favorite NYC hangout?

There's an amazing sushi place in KTown on 32nd street. It's in a 3 story building filled with all different types of Asian food vendors. I like to pick up sushi and miso from there, maybe some bubble tea, and then sit in Herald Square to people-watch (cause tourists are hilarious).

Fun Fact: I'm a Star Wars super fan! My family and I marathon all the movies every Christmas, we own every action figure ever made, I've read the Star Wars encyclopedia cover-to-cover, and my Dad's prized possession is a piece of Darth Vader's original cape.

Lily Patterson School: Fordham University Team: Water Programs Hometown: Cape Cod, MA

Why did you want to intern at charity: water?

My high school hosted a gala to benefit charity: water during my sophomore year and I have been following the organization ever since. I interned with Taina in the Fall of 2016 and she made it such a positive experience that I jumped at the first chance I had to come back!

What does a typical day in the office look like for you?

I typically come in, grab a cup of coffee, and then the first thing I do is look through my emails. Beyond that, what I do varies each day depending on what the Water Programs team needs, from WASH research to cleaning up grant cards.

What is your favorite part of interning at charity: water?

The people are some of the friendliest and most open that I have ever met and I love getting to know everyone. The coffee doesn’t hurt either!

What is your favorite NYC hangout?

I love hanging out in Central Park with my dad and watching the different baseball leagues play.

Fun Fact: I can assemble any item from IKEA in record time and genuinely enjoy it.

Julia Briggs School: The King's College Team: Office Operations Hometown: I moved 15 times growing up, so everywhere

Why did you want to intern at charity: water?

I know many previous interns from charity: water through my college and hearing their stories showed me the incredible impact that charity: water has on the world, so I knew I had to be a part of it.

What does a typical day in the office look like for you?

As the Office Experience Intern, I help maintain the office with our Office Experience Manager, Jordan. Whether it be through ordering snacks and supplies, setting up for Beer + Pizza, or tidying the office during my daily walk around.

What is your favorite part of interning at charity: water?

Being able to explain the work that charity: water is doing and seeing people's faces as they realize what an impact it has on the world.

What is your favorite NYC hangout?

Any and all coffee shops! There are some great ones throughout the city!

Fun Fact: I am starting my thesis on the Influence of Cultural Perspectives on Holocaust Literature next semester at The University of Oxford in England!

Shannon Wheeler School: UCLA Team: Marketing Hometown: Kinnelon, NJ

Why did you want to intern at charity: water?

I had the opportunity to intern with charity: water last summer and couldn't wait to come back! Working at charity: water is incredibly inspiring, challenging and a lot of fun. I study International Development and I'm particularly interested in issues of public health, something that those without access to clean and safe drinking water struggle with daily.

What does a typical day in the office look like for you?

I work with the amazing Anna Azarjew, so I usually start my day checking in with her and catching up on work while lounging on the couch next to her desk. Throughout the day you can find me developing resources for students and teachers and speaking with our awesome supporters.

What is your favorite part of interning at charity: water?

My coworkers! I'm constantly inspired by the energy, dedication, and experience of this staff. Anna is the Lorelai to my Rory.

What is your favorite NYC hangout?

This answer definitely changes based on the season, but I would say my favorite summer NYC hang out is Central Park.

Fun Fact: I spent a summer walking across Spain.

Evan Keare School: Harvard-Westlake School Team: Water Programs Hometown: Los Angeles, CA

Why did you want to intern at charity: water?

I've been passionate about volunteer work and service my entire life. About a year ago my uncle retweeted The Spring video, and it came up on my Twitter feed so I watched it. I was so moved and inspired that I knew I at least had to try to apply for an internship!

What does a typical day in the office look like for you?

It changes every day! On any given day, I might be organizing and filing grant documents, keeping content bank and internal keynotes up to date, or doing whatever Christoph asks me to do for him that day.

What is your favorite part of interning at charity: water?

The space and the people for sure. The office is absolutely incredible and I love being able to work in such an open, comfortable, and fun place. The people are all so intelligent and passionate and come from all different walks of life, so it's been really fun to get to know everyone.

What is your favorite NYC hangout?

I love Pier 26 just a few blocks away from the office. There are tables and chairs looking over the river surrounded by a volleyball court, a basketball court, and a skate park. It's a beautiful place to watch the sunset!

Fun Fact: I learned how to solve a Rubik's Cube in 60 seconds when I was in third grade!

Yanyan Luo School: NYU Team: Finance Hometown: Nairobi, Kenya

Why did you want to intern at charity: water?

I highly value when NGOs are accountable and transparent in how they allocate their funds. Thus charity: water's 100% model really inspired me to want to be a part of the team.

What does a typical day in the office look like for you?

Entering donations into NetSuite, and assisting Yohanny (or anyone else on the Finance team) in daily tasks as needed.

What is your favorite part of interning at charity: water?

The friendliness of the staff and the amazing office space.

What is your favorite NYC hangout?

Carl Schwarz Park and Central Park

Fun Fact: I had always dreamt of being a professional pianist when I was young!

Thomas Newell School: Brigham Young University Team: Key Relationships Hometown: Provo, UT

Why did you want to intern at charity: water?

About a year ago, I listened to charity: water CEO Scott Harrison talk about the water crisis on the Bill Simmons podcast.  I had always been interested in charity work in the developing world, but had never considered water to be such a foundational part of the effort.  I determined that I would do my part to help end the water crisis and undertook a year-long endeavor to make my way from Provo, UT to New York City to be involved with charity: water, its mission, and its people.

What does a typical day in the office look like for you?

Come in early to an office filled with wonderful people, communicate with my direct supervisor in the UK, and then get to work either researching potential charity: water supporters, helping the newly minted UK operations team move smoothly, or building up our database for the UK as charity: water becomes a household name.

What is your favorite part of interning at charity: water?

Being involved in something that is truly meaningful.

What is your favorite NYC hangout?

Any basketball park--whether it's Rucker, West 4th, or Dyckman.  I love to get out and see basketball in its Mecca here in NYC.

Fun Fact: After New York, my wife and I will be moving to London to pursue a Master's degree and completely empty our pockets living in another of the world's most expensive cities.

Maya Rudolph School: University at Albany, SUNY Team: Key Relationships Hometown: Parsippany, NJ

Why did you want to intern at charity: water?

I wanted to intern at charity: water because I wanted to experience working for a mission driven organization that had the capacity and drive to make an incredible impact. I was eager to learn about the inner workings of a large non-profit, alongside charity: water's unique 100% model.

What does a typical day in the office look like for you?

I rarely know what to expect each day, but I love that there is always a surprise in store. My responsibilities vary in accordance to the fast-paced tempo of the office. Some days, we sit in on team meetings to learn from the Key Relationships representatives, whereas others involve researching donors or prepping the office for guest visits. My manager always has sound, knowledgeable advice or an intriguing task for me to complete.

What is your favorite part of interning at charity: water?

I love my team! The Key Relationships team is chock-full of powerful, inspiring women (and one great male intern). I love to learn from them each day about how to be fearless in my work and break down barriers. My co-interns are wonderful as well - certainly life-long friends!

What is your favorite NYC hangout?

Any place on the water! Whether it be the East River, the Hudson, or lakeside in Central Park, I love to sit down with a good read and enjoy the view of the water ahead and the breathtaking skyline behind.

Fun Fact: I stand only as tall as three Jerry Cans stacked!

Sam Benevelli School: Hamilton College Team: Key Relationships Hometown: Madison, CT

Why did you want to intern at charity: water?

Anyone I interviewed with or spoke to about charity: water was so passionate about their work and about solving the world water crisis. These are the people that made the job listing come to life and got me very excited about this opportunity.

What does a typical day in the office look like for you?

A typical day in the office for me involves donor research.

What is your favorite part of interning at charity: water?

My favorite part of interning at charity: water is my coworkers. From the other amazing interns to my fabulous managers, everyone here makes it easy to love coming to work.

What is your favorite NYC hangout?

My favorite NYC hangout is Washington Square Park.

Fun Fact: I can sing every song from Hamilton the Musical!

Antony Wolfe-Cowen School: Cornell University Team: Brand Partnerships Hometown: London, UK

Why did you want to intern at charity: water?

After watching Scott’s TED Talk a few years back, I was inspired by charity: water’s bold mission and commitment to bringing clean and safe drinking water to 663 million people across developing parts of the world. I was also fascinated by the way in which charity: water has revolutionized the traditional non-profit model and is leveraging innovative technologies across the organization to make their positive impact sustainable and quantifiable. Moreover, the unique opportunity to be charity: water’s first official MBA Intern, with the permission to co-create and structure the role alongside the Director of Partnerships, greatly appealed to me.

What does a typical day in the office look like for you?

I spend a large proportion of the day working on the projects and related tasks that have been assigned to me over the summer. One exciting project that I am focused on currently is centered around the business case development for the next stage of a newly formed partnership. The goal here is to understand the potential impact of the venture’s growth and how we could integrate technology to make the program more seamless after the initial pilot phase.

What is your favorite part of interning at charity: water?

Contributing to an organization that is bettering the lives of millions of people around the world is of course hugely rewarding. It’s also great working alongside smart, driven, creative and incredibly passionate people who care deeply about the mission of the organization. The energy in the office is infectious!

What is your favorite NYC hangout?

As I love to take photos, I have to say the Tudor City Overpass; it’s the perfect spot to catch the sunset, especially during Manhattanhenge.

Fun Fact: Sacha Baren Cohen is in my family tree, although we sadly don't know each other.

Bryn Melanson School: UNC Chapel Hill Team: Brand Partnerships Hometown: Boston, MA

Why did you want to intern at charity: water?

I wanted to work for an innovative mission driven organization with an amazing culture.

What does a typical day in the office look like for you?

I help support the Brand Partnerships team with partnership inquiries, manage relationships with current brand partners, and research and develop creative ideas for potential partners to get involved.

What is your favorite part of interning at charity: water?

Definitely the people. The energy is magnetic and everyone likes to work hard, but have a great time while doing it.

What is your favorite NYC hangout?

I love the West Village, there are so many great restaurants and things to do!

Fun Fact: I have my PADI Scuba Diving Certification and I was a DI rower.

Casey Brown School: University of Kansas Team: Key Relationships Hometown: Cleveland, OH

Why did you want to intern at charity: water?

I was so inspired by charity: water and their mission. Knowing the impact that the organization has and continues to make only made me more passionate about being a part of the team.

What does a typical day in the office look like for you?

I usually come in and catch up with the KR team for a bit, and then head straight into putting notes into Salesforce, sending packages and helping my amazing manager Brady Essmann with anything she needs for the day. 

What is your favorite part of interning at charity: water?

charity: water has provided me with experiences and tools that I will carry with me long after the summer is over. I have learned so much by both observing and by the hands on approach they have here at charity: water. I love the fun exciting energy, and the always warm and comforting environment the office creates each day.

What is your favorite NYC hangout?

I love running through Central Park! There is so much to explore! I could keep running for hours!

Fun Fact: I am an expert on all things Broadway!

Megan Daly School: Indiana University Team: Guest Experience and Office Operations Hometown: Dyer, IN

Why did you want to intern at charity: water?

I wanted to intern at charity: water because I heard about their mission and purpose on a podcast and got so pumped about what they are doing! Being a Nonprofit major, I have also always wanted to work with an organization that is doing the kind life-changing work that charity: water does.

What does a typical day in the office look like for you?

Typically, I get to sit up front and answer the phone and talk to our wonderful donors! I answer their questions or help them with any issues they might have. I also get to greet and welcome guests as they come into our office!

What is your favorite part of interning at charity: water?

I love learning more and more about the organization and the different roles that people play in accomplishing their mission. The people at charity: water are so passionate about what they do and have so much to share and teach!

What is your favorite NYC hangout?

I spend a lot of time in Central Park! It's my favorite place to get away from the busy streets and go for a run or picnic with friends.

Fun Fact: I can, in fact, lick my elbow!

Leah Havens School: The University of Texas at Austin Team: Water Programs Hometown: Austin, TX

Why did you want to intern at charity: water?

charity: water is working to solve one of the largest problems of our time. As a civil engineer who is passionate about using my skills in the context of international development, working for charity: water has been a dream. With an innovative business model AND innovative solutions in the field, charity: water is leading the way in getting clean water and sanitation to people who need it, and I am honored to be a small part of it!

What does a typical day in the office look like for you?

A typical day in the office involves lots of coffee, tea, and snacks and wonderful meetings with the Water Programs team. Beyond that, I spend my time researching the solutions funded by charity: water and looking at data that we've collected through surveys in the countries we work in.

What is your favorite part of interning at charity: water?

The work space is one of the most inspiring places that I've ever existed in. From the people and the artwork to the awesome welcome mat, I feel motivated to be a part of something bigger the second I walk through the doors.

What is your favorite NYC hangout?

A wonderful coffee shop called The Outpost in Brooklyn. They have provided me with endless sandwiches and coffee and have a dope patio.

Fun Fact: I can never be president. My dad was in the Army, and I was born in Frankfurt in a German hospital. Womp.

Sadiq Keshwani School: The King’s College Team: Finance Hometown: Karachi, Pakistan

Why did you want to intern at charity: water?

I was born in Pakistan, and when I was around 10 my family took a trip to the rural areas. I saw how clean water was a luxury in some of those places, and since then it has always been on my mind to do something to help people around the world get access to clean water. When I found out about charity: water and its mission, I quickly wanted to be a part of it in any way I could.

What does a typical day in the office look like for you?

Entering checks into NetSuite, going through expense reports, generating tax receipts, snacking.

What is your favorite part of interning at charity: water?

The people; everyone is really nice, and approachable. The office is beautiful, and the kitchen is full of snacks. Not a bad place to be interning at!

What is your favorite NYC hangout?

Not Times Square.

Fun Fact: I went to the same highschool as Ed Sheeran.

Tiffany Novacek School: University of Nebraska - Lincoln Team: Creative Hometown: Norfolk, Nebraska

Why did you want to intern at charity: water?

The idea was planted in my head by a family member, but moving to New York for the summer seemed really far fetched at the time. I’ve always loved charity: water’s mission and once I started realistically thinking about interning here, I knew I couldn’t pass it up! The organization is so inspiring and the experience has been better than I could have imagined.

What does a typical day in the office look like for you?

My day-to-day tasks vary in the office, but I can typically count on someone (usually Tyler) inviting me to Puffy’s for lunch. A lot of writing, editing and coffee drinking happen in my corner.

What is your favorite part of interning at charity: water?

I look forward to coming to the office every morning, which has to be the best part! There’s always something exciting happening and the staff has made me feel right at home in New York.

What is your favorite NYC hangout?

I’m obsessed with going to places that have cool rooftop views. The Met, Le Bain, The Wythe. Amazing views of the city and you get to escape the crazy sounds and smell for a bit.

Fun Fact: I am a huge animal lover, but birds scare me so much!

Kristina Chu School: Tufts University Team: Key Relationships Hometown: East Setauket, NY

Why did you want to intern at charity: water?

I was really drawn to charity: water's strategy to solve the global water crisis (collaborating with local partners and accounting for different cultures/ environments when determining the best-fit solution for a community). I also figured charity: water could teach me so much about work in the public health/ international development sector, of which I am passionate about.

What does a typical day in the office look like for you?

As soon as I walk in, I grab a mason jar to fill with water and a mug of tea. Usually, I spend 5 minutes catching up with my fellow KR interns. Then, when settled in at my desk, I check my email, Slack, and Basecamp for new assigned tasks or notifications. The morning usually involves managing birthday gifts for our Well members or some research on foundation grants. Around noon, I break for lunch, sitting in on the Brown Bags when they are happening. In the afternoons, I return my attention to my assigned tasks and occasionally have a one on one meeting with Rachel (my amazing manager)!

What is your favorite part of interning at charity: water?

I love being in a space where the staff and interns are driven by and passionate about the org's mission.

What is your favorite NYC hangout?

The Hypar Pavilion at Lincoln Center

Fun Fact: Up until tenth grade, my home didn't have a computer or the internet!

[speedilyfriedglitter-blog]

SASUSAKU IS FRAUDULENT

Sasusaku is a fraud

 or how sasuke has been manipulated into SS.

I’m gonna analyze it through two POV: Kishimoto’s and canonverse’s.

 -KISHIMOTO:

let’s say he was genuine about it.

 1) He admitted in one of his interviews that he even wanted to write a love triangle (that’s just… wow) but ACCORDING to his own words, it wasn’t possible because a) this is a Shonen, and b) he had to prioritize. So, if you say romance was equally important here, you’re deluding yourself. He was focused on everything appealing to boys, i.e. just friendships, popularity contexts and fights. So, it’s only normal, that no romance would have deep development.

 In this case, some positive and ROMANTIC-looking moments -no matter how few they are- are enough for romance in this genre. Yet SS doesn’t enjoy from such privilege: part I, team 7 is like family to him (canon), so Sakura is like a sister. He thus protects her as one. Part II -call it ‘he’s in darkness’, or ‘fake Sasuke’- but there’s nothing left of this relationship. The worse is SS went from sibling relationship, to nothing, to romance with a guy that never showed interest in such trivial things as being “attracted to girl or romance”, despite him knowing it actually existed.

 2) Kishimoto had only cared about Naruto, his MC, tailoring the rest of the series around him. It’s so bad that every fodder character, every guy from the “main cast” and every evil has surrendered their soul to him. So, once he’s given Naruto his fucking acknowledgement, nothing else mattered for the author.

Sasuke who should have been seen getting over UCM, mending, finding his ways, healing or anything catering to his mental abuse and this abominating genocide has never happened. Why? Because Kishimoto never cared. It wasn’t in his plan.

How can a real Sasuke fan be satisfied with that?

 The fact that romance wasn’t even relevant to Kishimoto, and that he didn’t cared about his own creation, he just took the nearest short-cut possible, since ‘Sasuke’s chapter’ was closed to him the moment Naruto beat him.

Since then, he manipulated everything to suit their –SP & Cie’s agenda -Boruto-

Basic reading comprehension.

 CANON – VERSE

First, proofs that sasuke is broken and damage i.e. in a state he can be manipulated and driven to do something he doesn’t much care about in the first place.

He’s a ghost of himself

You see there? Sasuke ceased to exist at that very moment. How any decision he made after this can is something genuine? He just surrendered his soul to the world. He keeps living for other people, putting their wishes first, since he doesn’t have any drive himself.

This fragile sasuke can easily end with sakura not because it’s something he has always wanted but, he’s not himself anymore.

Here, he shows us that he’s always been inferior to Naruto and Itachi. Here, you witness a broken man who doesn’t have any more self-love or self-esteem. He’s lost. How is he that Sasuke who made choices because he felt it necessary or what he wanted?

 Also, very important, is his dynamic with Itachi. Sorry Itachi fans but he accepted to side against his own family. He betrayed his family, so how Sasuke who is pro-Uchiha forgave a pro-Konoha! Itachi was the last link to the family he ever loved.

Obviously, Sasuke became someone who can be manipulated and everyone who can substitute to his family/Itachi can manipulate him just as well. So, no silly things as “Sasuke can’t be manipulated or driven to do something that doesn’t go with his normal way of being”. He hasn’t even a mind for himself anymore, lol. He deemed necessary to become another Naruto/Itachi.

 Because team 7 became that substitute, team 7 can have a huge impact on his mental, and that include Sakura with all that pushing her obsession on him until he breaks. That’s his reality now.

When Sakura confesses, he thinks back again to his family.

For Sasuke, nothing was as much important as his family. He even admitted that he had craved for love, and how he sought for a substitute in Naruto.

 That’s back when his old family was more important than anything. After Naruto wins, he breaks down his final wall. What kept team 7 from replacing the Uchiha family, has been vanquished by that final fight. Now Team 7 is not only his sole “decent” connection but his only family.

Like he drank Itachi’s words, he’s bound to drink Team 7 words too.

By the way, why Sasuke felt like helping to save the world but then pull that bullshit? Another bullshit to end this too-long Shonen for Kishimoto.

 That he had always loved his family, that team 7 took this place now, that he feels that what he fought for or thought is inferior to Itachi’s and now Naruto’s moral and that Naruto beat him until he had surrendered shows that he shifted his emotions from his old family to team 7.

Now he thinks he’s the worse person to ever walk on this earth when he actually acted like any other ninja. That lets it read that Itachi and now team 7 are always right and he’s wrong to think otherwise. Because he puts himself under those people he thinks are saints moral-wise, he surrendered to their wishes.

He’s like a wound left open now. Every bacterium that ever existed can contaminate him. Yahoo!!

 What happened after the big fight and team 7 reunited?

 -Kakashi just keeps reading his porn in a shady place.

-Naruto gave up on him.

-Sakura kept confessing until he said yes.

-He has no one but team 7. This team 7 is what is left for someone who put connections above else, and once craved for love.

-All that is important in Naruto is to be pretty, cool and have super power-ups and whatnot. Also get married. You know, ticking everything on the usual bucket-everyday-lists without actually giving it second-thoughts. What? Friendships? Forget about it! Let’s just scratch it a bit and forget about it later on.

 So, Sasuke pleases them now, and there’s no one out there to put him first or at least help with his mental health or scars. I mean, now that he isn’t against the Shinobi system why cares about him? Just know something: the moment you get married, whatever pain or mental scars you have will vanish without actually caters to it. (Sarcasm again)

  Miscellanies:

-The OOC of both to make SS:

Sakura went:

From this:

and this

note her promise

(Makes this face):

to this:

like this:

and that:

a) Sakura reverts back to her 12 self around Sasuke. Crying and repeating confessions. b) Her natural confidence that could have helped Sasuke is none existent. Now she acts like a doormat. Please go watch canon written by Kishi –she’s got little to no backbone when Sasuke is concerned. As long as Sasuke answered positively to her confession she’s okay with everything. c) Sakura who is a cheerful young lady tone down her personality to match Sasuke’s moody one.

Meanwhile, she never writes letters to Sasuke or even tells him to visit to see his daughter, but she wears gladly his Uchiha crest. See how SSS in gaiden is another guilt-trip session for Sasuke. He wanted a family and now it became a source of stress. Everyone, from Sasuke to Sakura, going through salad, everyone was apologizing.  Sweet love!

 I like Sakura (she’s evolved emotionally and physically), and I love Sasuke but together? I wanna choke a teddy-bear.

 -Sorry but Sasuke has NEVER showed romantic interests or whatsoever in anyone. Instead of ending like Jiraya or Orochimaru, aka with no burdens like raising child but travelling freely, he’s got now a child? What happened? How? Sakura raped him or something? Did he ask her? Had they actually had sex? That’s insane.

-In real fucking life, when a boy doesn’t show interest for any girl, he’s gay or aromantic.  Don’t even start with culture. Naruto showed interest. Jiraya did. Rock lee did. Heck, shojo and shounen ai come from japan.

  -yeah SS is canon lol. So? If I could fucking take it seriously though, it’s empty, boring and with no real sparks or frictions. Nothing at stakes or anything one could write books about except their aesthetic. Just headcanons like Sakura opening Sasuke’s heart to life -when it’s Naruto-, Sasuke looking like a love interest from a shojo or SNS rip-offs…

They don’t match the canon, neither their respective in character persona.

So, only stupid people can get butt-hurt over the fact that not everyone wants to ship it or find it logical. You like it, ship it elsewhere instead of looking for trouble with antis or other shippers.

To summarize my point is:

-SS indeed happens because Sakura drives him -along team 7- to response to her feelings, not because he was “in love”. (It’s not the same old independent Sasuke). There’s nothing remotely special or admirable about it.

-Sasuke’s last relationships aren’t what could have helped him. Look at him; he’s still vagabonding. Even Naruto ‘let him down’. You think that it’s not Naruto’s job? Then their bond is cheap. You think otherwise? Then let’s admit together that Kishi mostly ruined it all.

  I don’t care if you ship SS but how Kishimoto handled it and some extreme fans of his had me angry as hell. 

I can’t believe I’m still receiving “kill yourself delulu fugly”, “kill yourself” and the likes because I ship a crack-ship, like wut?? Please come down your high horse, lol. You ain’t nothing special, neither is your ship.

[mjsketchbook]

Failing Forward - 5 benefits from my "unsuccessful" Kickstarter project

You win or you learn. Despite not reaching my goal for my Kickstarter project, I survived the imagined humiliation of having an unsuccessful crowdfunding project online. Who knew it wasn't as big of a deal as I thought it would be! Don't get me wrong, it was quite the roller coaster of oscillating between confidence and self doubt, constantly switching between my desire to keep going vs my desire to give up. What kept me going is that I really want to make these paintings and I kept learning new things along the way. Besides, all of the people I admire for achieving great things, failed many times before. What's one failed project? The thing is, if you're not failing you're not trying hard enough. If you're not trying hard enough, you'll stay where you are. So I kept going and came out the other side with a handful of insights and skills that will surely serve me in my current and future endeavors.

My benefits came in the form of five upgrades in the following area :

Quality

Productivity

Creativity

Social media

Online business

1. Quality : I improved my art  

Practice makes perfect. Although  I haven't reached the famous 10,000 hours of painting clouds yet, I'm closer today then I was a month ago. Repeating the same process using various colours and shapes gave me insights on how to best use and mix the colours to be able to get more depth into the paintings. With practice I came to better understand how to mix the light and the dark colors to create more depth and I also allowed myself to experiment with colours I may not have tried to combined together otherwise. Some were surprisingly complementary.  I can already see the difference from the first painting to the 30th, and can only imagine how much better the will look by painting number 100. 

2.  Productivity : I made more art

This is what 30 cloud paintings look like

One of the things I kept in mind while learning about the life of Picasso is that he was very productive. He has thousands of paintings to his name. In order to become better and more successful I know I have to produce more work: pay the 10,000 hours entry fee to the Notable Artist Party. Challenges like this was a great excuse to get to it. No amount of theorizing, reading or watching instructional videos will ever come close to the effect of taking action. This project was my main focus for the month of February. Being focused on one goal made me more productive and I probably created more paintings in that month then I ever did. 30 paintings, that's a little more then a painting a day. The Make 100 Kickstarter challenge made me accountable and as a result I became more productive and I have 32 finished artworks to show for. It doesn't stop here. I'm only a little over 30% done and despite not being funded, I'm continuing the process so that I get to 100 painted clouds by the end of March, as planned. 

3.  Creativity : I got many new ideas

Doing something for the first time forced me to think outside the box and what I'm used to. For me, thinking of new ways to bring my artwork in front of people required more creativity. It also let me to create different videos (like the one below) based on suggestions from peers and ideas that emerge from various conversations about this project. It also gave me a chance to come up with new ways to present the artwork on social media, different ways to photograph my work, and different ways to describe my work.

This focused challenge also made me see my subject from a new angle and I'm realizing that I'm not only painting clouds, but I'm painting thoughts or a reflection of them. The more I'm diving into the "why" behind my inspiration to create these paintings, the more I'm discovering opportunities to express my own thoughts and insights through my art and also it enable others who see it to discover more about their own thoughts through them as well. I'm realizing that clouds are thoughts and we give them meaning depending on our own stories and experiences of life. I get a feeling that the clouds are just the first step in this creative journey, which makes me more eager to complete my challenge this month so I can dive into its second stage.

4. Social Media : I have a better understanding of its impact

First : Gary Vaynerchuk is right : Facebook trumps all social media platform at the moment. I documented all the actions I took over the course of the month (where I posted, what I posted, how many times I posted, etc) and got the results from Google Analytics regarding where the clicks came from. By far, Facebook was the most effective, followed by Instagram. I also saw the difference videos make compared to pictures. Video created spikes of interest compared to any other posts. Working on this project also made me realize that I'm not yet fully benefiting from the capacity of social media platforms to reach the right people. I've barely skimmed the surface.

I've always kept google analytics at bay because there seems to be so much data to look through, but at the same time, its valuable information tells you how your presentation and products are received by the public. It's definitely something that I need to use more often.Throughout my campaign, I've learned about the benefits of using tools like Google Analytics to get an idea of what's working and what's not, what gets attention and what doesn't. Starting this project with the goal of making it successful prompt me to look for avenues to spread my message and reach the right backers looking for such a project. This meant that I had to be more active online and post on a consistent basis. Using Google Analytics, I was able to see the impact of my posts.

I also learned that while it's great to get views they don't equate purchases. I was fortunate enough to have my project partially funded so I also got a bit of insights regarding where they came from and as I suspected, it's far easier for someone in the Kickstarter community who has backed projects before to back your project then to get someone new in the system. Nevertheless my click to sale ratio, based on the available data was 1%, which is good for a beginner. This means that had I been able to get the page viewed by 5000 people, I likely would have reached my goal.

As it turned out, both backers had backed projects before and I suspect that had there been a way to reach out to art backers via Kickstarter's mailing list, this project would have gotten a better chance at being fully funded. The main issue for me was not enough views. Perhaps a 60 day campaign would have given me a more time to get a better hold of the online marketing aspect of the project. I would say marketing is probably one of the most important aspect of a Kickstarter project like this.

5. Online Business : I have new tools to create a better online store

Participating to this project made things a little more real in terms of the process of creating a piece of artwork, selling it and shipping it to it's collector. I realized that I had a few steps in the process that needed tweaking and refinement. For example, once the Kickstarted was over I realized that my artstore on Square , only accepts purchases from Canada after a client from the United States tried to purchase one of the paintings. I had no idea this was even an issue. Why they would create the system that way, is beyond my comprehension, but that little bit of information got me working on alternative ways to enable clients from other countries to purchase my artwork. It's still in the works, but I'm currently using Paypal, which makes it easier. If there's anything I learned from listening to people like Gary Vaynerchuk and Tai Lopez is that when it comes to selling items online, make it as easy as possible for any interested party to get your product.

Conclusion

All in all, this experience turned out to be very valuable for me. It was worth it, and dare I say, I would do it again. I guess, going through it made me grow a little more and I have a better appreciation and understanding of what it takes to succeed : repeated failures leading the way to success. So, no matter what difficulty or obstacles lies ahead of your dreams, don't give up. The guys in the video below didn't and look where that attitude took them.